The Percy and the Douglas met,
That either of other was fain,
They swapped together while that they sweat,
With swords of fine Collayne. (Cologne steel.)


Douglas bids Percy yield, but Percy slays Douglas (as in Walsingham's
and other contemporary chronicles, stanzas li.-lvi.). The Scottish
losses are then enumerated (only eighteen Scots were left alive!), and
stanza lix. runs -


This fray began at Otterburn
Between the night and the day.
There the Douglas lost his life,
And the Percy was led away.


Herd ends -


This deed was done at Otterburn,
About the breaking of the day,
Earl Douglas was buried at the bracken bush,
And Percy led captive away.


Manifestly, either the maker of Herd's version knew the English, and
altered at pleasure, or the Englishman knew a Scots version, and