The book of British ballads . their shields full fast,Their swords they drew out then; Wyth mighty strokes most eagerlyeOne at the other ran. They wounded were, and bled full sore,For breath they both did stand ; And leaning on their swords awhile,Quoth Tarquine, Hold thy hand, And tell to me what I shall aske.— Say on,—quoth Lancelot tho : Thou art, quoth Tarquine, the best knightThat ever I did know ; And like a knight that I did hate : Soe that thou bee not hee,I will deliver all the rest, And eke accord wyth thee. That is well said, quoth Lancelot; But sith it soe must bee,What knight is t
The book of British ballads . their shields full fast,Their swords they drew out then; Wyth mighty strokes most eagerlyeOne at the other ran. They wounded were, and bled full sore,For breath they both did stand ; And leaning on their swords awhile,Quoth Tarquine, Hold thy hand, And tell to me what I shall aske.— Say on,—quoth Lancelot tho : Thou art, quoth Tarquine, the best knightThat ever I did know ; And like a knight that I did hate : Soe that thou bee not hee,I will deliver all the rest, And eke accord wyth thee. That is well said, quoth Lancelot; But sith it soe must bee,What knight is that thou hatest soe ? I pray thee show to me. His names Sir Lancelot du Lake, Hee slew my brother deere ;Him I suspect of all the rest: I wold I had him here. Thy wish thou hast, but now unknowne; I am Lancelot du Lake,Now of King Arthurs Table Round ; King Hands son of Benwake ; And I defye thee;—do thy worst. Ha, ha! quoth Tarquine tho, One of us two shall end our lives Before that we do go. &tr Hancdot liru If thou bee Lancelot du Lake, Then welcome shalt thou bee :Wherfore see thou thyself defend,For now defye I thee. They buckled then together so, Like unto wild boares rashing ;And wyth theire swords and shields they ranAt one another slashing : The ground besprinkled was wyth blood : Tarquine began to faint;For hee had backt and bore his shieldSo low, hee did repent.* * Several of the ancient ballads record similar fights be-tween giants and the knights of King Arthurs Round Ancient English Metrical Romance, printed by Ritson,entitled Sir Ywaine and Sir Gawin, describes an encoun-ter which led to a like result,—the delivering from prisonsundry fellowes who, by the gallantry of their brother-in-arms, were out of bales broght. We copy a few passages :— Syr Ywaine rade into the playne,And the geant cum hym ogayne :—His levore was ful grete and lang,And himself ful mekyl and said, What devil made the so baldeFor to cum heder out of thi ha
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