Lyr Req/Add: Ballad of Chevy Chase

23 May 05 - 01:00 AM (#1490992)
Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: CHEVY CHASE
From: chico

 D  Em       A        (F#m  A D)  A7  (D7)
  God prosper long our noble king,
       G     Am   G  D    G (D)
  Our lives and safeties all!
        A   D  Em   D          A  (D)
  A woeful hunting once there did
      G     (Bm)  A7  D
  In Chevy Chase befall.
  
  To drive the deer with hound and horn
  Earl Percy took his way;
  The child may rue that is unborn
  The hunting of that day!
  
  The stout Earl of Northumberland
  A vow to God did make,
  His pleasure in the Scottish woods
  Three summer's days to take.
  
  The chiefest harts in Chevy Chase
  To kill and bear away.
  These tidings to Earl Douglas came,
  In Scotland where he lay
  
  Who sent Earl Percy present word
  He would prevent his sport.
  The English Earl, not fearing that,
  Did to the woods resort,
  
  With fifteen hundred bowmen bold,
  All chosen men of might,
  Who knew full well in time of need
  To aim their shafts aright.
  
  The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran
  To chase the fallow deer
  On Monday they began to hunt
  Ere daylight did appear;
  
  And long before high noon they had
  An hundred fat bucks slain
  Then having dined, the drivers went
  To rouse the deer again.
  
  Lord Percy to the quarry went
  To view the slaughter'd deer;
  Quoth he, Earl Douglas promised
  This day to meet me here;
  
  But if I thought he would not come
  No longer would I stay
  With that a brave young gentleman
  Thus to the Earl did say
  
  Lo, yonder doth Earl Douglas come
  His men in armour bright -
  Full twenty hundred Scottish spears
  All marching in our sight.
  
  Show me, said he, whose men you be
  That hunt so boldly here
  That, without my consent do chase
  And kill my fallow deer
  
  The first man that did answer make
  Was noble Percy, he
  Who said, We list not to declare
  Nor show whose men we be.
  
  Yet we will spend our dearest blood
  Thy chiefest harts to slay.
  Then Douglas swore a solemn oath
  And thus in rage did say
  
  Ere thus I will out-braved be
  One of us two shall die!
  I know thee well, An earl thou art
  Lord Percy! so am I.
  
  Our English archers bent their bows,
  Their hearts were good and true;
  At the first flight of arrows sent
  Full fourscore Scots they slew.
  
  At last these two stout Earls did meet
  Like captains of great might;
  Like lions wud they laid on load
  And made a cruel fight.
  
  They fought, until they both did sweat,
  With swords of tempered steel,
  Until the blood, like drops of rain,
  They trickling down did feel.
  
  O yield thee, Percy! Douglas said,
  In faith, I will thee bring
  Where thou shalt high advanced be
  By James our Scottish king;
  
  Thy ransom I will freely give,
  And this report of thee,
  Thou art the most courageous knight
  That ever I did see.
  
  No, Douglas; quoth Earl Percy then,
  Thy proffer I do scorn;
  I will not yield to any Scot
  That ever yet was born!
  
  With that there came an arrow keen
  Out of an English bow,
  Which struck Earl Douglas to the heart,
  A deep and deadly blow;
  
  Who never spake more words than these
  Fight on, my merry men all!
  For why my life is at an end,
  Lord Percy sees my fall.
  
  Then leaving life, Earl Percy took
  The dead man by the hand;
  And said, Earl Douglas! For thy life
  Would I had lost my land!
  
  O Christ! my very heart doth bleed
  With sorrow for thy sake;
  For sure a more redoubted knight
  Mischance could never take.
  
  A knight among the Scots there was
  Who saw Earl Douglas die;
  Who straight in wrath did vow revenge
  Upon the Lord Percy
  
  Sir Hugh Montgomery was he called,
  Who, with a spear full bright,
  Well mounted on a gallant steed,
  Ran fiercely through the fight;
  
  And past the English archers all,
  Without all dread or fear,
  And through Earl Percy's body then
  He thrust his hateful spear.
  
  This fight did last from break of day
  Till setting of the sun;
  For when they rung the evening bell
  The battle scarce was done.
  
  And the Lord Maxwell in like case
  Did with Earl Douglas die;
  Of twenty hundred Scottish spears
  Scarce fifty-five did fly;
  
  Of fifteen hundred Englishmen
  Went home but fifty-three;
  The rest were slain in Chevy Chase
  Under the greenwood tree.
  
  Next day did many widows come
  Their husbands to bewail;
  They washed their wounds in brinish tears,
  But all would not prevail.
  
  Their bodies bathed in purple gore
  They bore with tbem away;
  They kissed their dead a thousand times
  When they were clad in clay.
  
  God save our king, and bless this land
  With plenty, joy and peace,
  And grant henceforth that foule debate
  'Twixt noblemen may cease!
  
  
  

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26 Jan 10 - 03:05 PM (#2821911)
Subject: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: Mark Ross

Ran across a mention of this in a book on Greek Myth. Where can I find it?

Mark Ross

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26 Jan 10 - 03:11 PM (#2821916)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: Jack Blandiver

A google search will reveal all...

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26 Jan 10 - 03:16 PM (#2821923)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: GUEST,999

Mark: Google

ballad of chevy chase

Many sites there to read

PS, Mark.

It's in the DT as Chevy Chase.

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26 Jan 10 - 09:29 PM (#2822226)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: MGM·Lion

The Wikipedia entry, under title of "The Ballad of Chevy Chase" to disambiguate from the actor and the district of DC named after it, is briefish but informative, distinguishing between earlier and later versions, & from the related ballad 'The Battle of Otterburn', which deals with [what is believed to be] the same historical event.

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26 Jan 10 - 09:52 PM (#2822240)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: MGM·Lion

Re DT entry - it gives 4 different tunes. Out of interest, two were later used as setting for songs in John Gay's ballad opera The Beggar's Opera {1729}

— for the first {Air xii, Act I sc 10} the text gives as title heading "O ponder well, ye parents dear"", another song popular in early C18 set to DT's Chevy Chas tune 1;

the second {Air lxi part of long sequence in Act III sc 13} is actually headed "Chevy Chase", using DT's tune 2.

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26 Jan 10 - 10:07 PM (#2822247)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: Bill D

It does relate to the old border disputes between England & Scotland, where the Scot, Douglas, decided that and English hunting party, led by Percy was encroaching on Scottish lands. Huge battle ensues, and blood was spilled.

Then, the ballad writers (the equivalent of Hollywood) got hold of it, and details were embroidered as to the exploits and injuries and deaths of major characters, making the story more 'interesting', whether accurate or not.

It's only been recorded a few times, and the 'best' one I have heard is by Gordeanna McCulloch, whose voice is so high I can barely understand her.

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26 Jan 10 - 10:35 PM (#2822269)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: NOMADMan

It can be found in Francis James Child's collection also. It appears as Child Ballad #162, "The Hunting of the Cheviot." As already noted, it is closely related to The Battle of Otterburn, Child #161.

Regards,
John

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27 Jan 10 - 12:51 AM (#2822291)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: Little Robyn

Have a look at Wikipedia.
One of the easiest Northumbrian pipe tunes.
Robyn

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27 Jan 10 - 02:27 AM (#2822302)
Subject: RE: req/ADD: Ballad of Chevy Chase
From: MGM·Lion

===One of the easiest Northumbrian pipe tunes.===

Which of the alternative tunes?

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27 Jan 10 - 02:51 AM (#2822308)
Subject: RE: req/ADD: Ballad of Chevy Chase
From: GUEST,Allan C

"Battle of Otterburn"

The event itself was real enough and can be found in both Scottish and English sources though they differ on what day of the month it was fought. Relatively small Scottish attack on Newcastle area in 1388 leads to English pursuit which catches up with Scots at Otterburn where James Douglas,2nd Earl of Douglas, the Scottish leader is slain before the English are eventually pretty heavily defeated. On the face of it the main vein of the Battle of Otterburn seems more historically accurate and is quite different from Chevy Chase. Does the above ballad perhaps talk about the reason the Scots attacked and then the eventual battle without referring to the Scottish siege and retreat prior to the battle? Or is it perhaps talking about some other event - after all there were plenty of Douglases and Percies.

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27 Jan 10 - 01:53 PM (#2822733)
Subject: RE: req/ADD: Ballad of Chevy Chase
From: Little Robyn

Hi M
'Which of the alternative tunes?'
The first one - CHEVCHAS
I think every Geordie piper knows this tune - it's probably the first one they ever tried. It only uses about 8 notes and can be played on a basic keyless chanter.
I've also heard Ray Fisher sing the ballad to this tune.
Robyn

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27 Jan 10 - 02:10 PM (#2822745)
Subject: RE: req/ADD: Ballad of Chevy Chase
From: MGM·Lion

Thanks, Robyn. Yes, a very 'pipey' sounding air indeed. I always think of it as 'O ponder well, be not severe', as I have always loved The Beggar's Opera.

Michael

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27 Jan 10 - 03:15 PM (#2822805)
Subject: RE: req/ADD: Ballad of Chevy Chase
From: Mark Ross

Thanks to all who responded.

Mark Ross

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