16106106Twelve thousand more in Milford did arrive,
107107And came to me, then lying at Denby
108108With armed Welshmen thousands double five,
109109With whom we went to Worcester well nigh,
110110And there encamped us on a mount on high,
111111To abide the king, who shortly after came
112112And pitched his field, on a hill hard by the same.
17113113There eight days long, our hosts lay face to face,
114114And neither durst the otherʼs power assail:
115115But they so stopped the passages the space
116116That victuals could not come to our avail,
117117Where through constraint our hearts began to fail
118118So that the Frenchmen shrank away by night,
119119And I with mine to the mountains took our flight.
18120120The king pursued us, greatly to his cost,
121121From hills to woods, from woods to valley's plain:
122122And by the way his men and stuff he lost.
123123And when he saw he gained naught save pain,
124124He blew retreat, and got him home again.
125125Then with my power I boldly came abroad
126126Taken in my country for a very God.
19127127Immediately after fell a jolly jar
128128Between the king, and Percies worthy bloods,
129129Which grew at last unto a deadly war.
130130For like as drops engender mighty floods,
131131And little seeds sprout forth great leaves and buds,
132132Even so small strifes, if they be suffered run
133133Breed wrath and war, and death or they be done.
20134134The king would have the ransom of such Scots
135135As these the Percies had taken in the field.
136136But see how strongly Lucre knits her knots,
137137The king will have, the Percies will not yield.
138138Desire of goods soon craves, but granteth seld.
139139O cursed goods, desire of you hath wrought
140140All wickedness, that hath or can be thought.