The dance notes elaborate that "The Ballad of Chevy Chase tells of a battle in 1388 between Harry Percy (Hotspur) and the son of the Black Douglas. On the night before the battle, Douglas dreamed that he saw a dead man win a fight. Douglas was mortally wounded and ordered his men to conceal his corpse. Hotspur was beaten and ordered to yield formally to a bracken bush. Hidden in the bush was the body of Douglas."