English and Scottish Ballads Volume I Part 11

One winter there I made abode, Then word to mee was brought, Howe Mordred had oppressed the crowne, What treason he had wrought

Att home in Brittaine with my queene: 65 Therfore I came with speede To Brittaine backe, with all my power, To quitt that traitorous deede;

And soone at Sandwiche I arrivde, Where Mordred me withstoode: 70 But yett at last I landed there, With effusion of much blood.

For there my nephew Sir Gawaine dyed, Being wounded in that sore The whiche Sir Lancelot in fight 75 Had given him before.

Thence chased I Mordered away, Who fledd to London right, From London to Winchester, and To Cornewalle tooke his flyght. 80

And still I him pursued with speed, Till at last wee mett; Wherby an appointed day of fight Was there agreed and sett:

Where we did fight, of mortal life 85 Eche other to deprive, Till of a hundred thousand men Scarce one was left alive.

There all the n.o.ble chivalrye Of Brittaine tooke their end: 90 O see how fickle is their state That doe on fates[L92] depend!

There all the traiterous men were slaine, Not one escapte away; And there dyed all my vallyant knightes 95 Alas! that woefull day!

Two and twenty yeere I ware the crowne In honor and great fame, And thus by death was suddenlye Deprived of the same. 100

1. MS., Bruitehis.

9, He began his reign A.D. 515, according to the Chronicles.

23, She is named _Igerna_ in the old Chronicles.

24, his, MS.

39, Froland field, MS. Froll, according to the Chronicles, was a Roman knight, governor of Gaul.

41, Danibus, MS.

49, see p. 134, v. 55.

92, feates, MS.

SIR LANCELOT DU LAKE.

This ballad first occurs in the _Garland of Good Will_, and is attributed to Thomas Deloney, whose career as a song-writer extends from about 1586 to 1600. It is merely a rhymed version of a pa.s.sage in the _Morte D'Arthur_, (Book vi. ch. 7, 8, 9, of Southey's ed.) The first two lines are quoted in the Second Part of Henry IV., A. ii. sc. 4.

The present text is nearly that of the _Garland of Good Will_ (Percy Society, vol. x.x.x. p. 38), and differs considerably from that of Percy, (_Reliques_, i. 215.) The same, with very trifling variations, is found in _Old Ballads_, (1723,) ii. 21; Ritson's _Ancient Songs_, ii. 188; Evans's _Old Ballads_, ii. 5.

When Arthur first in court began, And was approved king, By force of arms great victories won, And conquests home did bring;

Then into Britain straight he came, 5 Where fifty good and able Knights then repaired unto him, Which were of the Round Table;

And many justs and tournaments Before them there were drest, 10 Where valiant knights did then excel, And far surmount the rest.

But one Sir Lancelot du Lake, Who was approved well, He in his fights and deeds of arms, 15 All others did excel.

When he had rested him a while, To play, to game, and sport, He thought he would go try himself, In some adventurous sort. 20

He armed rode in forest wide, And met a damsel fair, Who told him of adventures great, Whereto he gave good ear.

"Why should I not?" quoth Lancelot tho, 25 "For that cause I came hither."

"Thou seem'st," quoth she, "a goodly knight, And I will bring thee thither

"Whereas a[L29] mighty knight doth dwell, That now is of great fame; 30 Therefore tell me what knight thou art, And then what is your name."

"My name is Lancelot du Lake."

Quoth she, "it likes me than; Here dwells a knight that never was 35 O'ermatch'd[L36] with any man;

"Who has in prison threescore knights And four, that he has bound; Knights of King Arthur's court they be, And of his Table Round." 40

She brought him to a river side, And also to a tree, Whereon a copper bason hung, His fellows[L44] s.h.i.+elds to see.

He struck so hard, the bason broke: 45 When Tarquin heard the sound, He drove a horse before him straight, Whereon a knight lay bound.

"Sir knight," then said Sir Lancelot, "Bring me that horse-load hither, 50 And lay him down, and let him rest; We'll try our force together.

"And as I understand, thou hast, So far as thou art able, Done great despite and shame unto 55 The knights of the Round Table."

"If thou be of the Table Round"

(Quoth Tarquin, speedilye), "Both thee and all thy fellows.h.i.+p I utterly defie." 60

"That's overmuch," quoth Lancelot tho; "Defend thee by and by."

They put their spurs unto their steeds, And each at other fly.

They coucht their spears, and horses ran 65 As though there had been thunder; And each struck them amidst the s.h.i.+eld, Wherewith they broke in sunder.

Their horses backs brake under them.

The knights were both astound; 70 To void their horses they made great haste, To light upon the ground.

They took them to their s.h.i.+elds full fast, Their swords they drew out than; With mighty strokes most eagerly 75 Each one at other ran.

They wounded were, and bled full sore, For breath they both did stand, And leaning on their swords awhile, Quoth Tarquin, "Hold thy hand, 80

"And tell to me what I shall ask;"

"Say on," quoth Lancelot tho; "Thou art," quoth Tarquin, "the best knight That ever I did know;

"And like a knight that I did hate; 85 So that thou be not he, I will deliver all the rest, And eke accord with thee."

"That is well said," quoth Lancelot then; "But sith it must be so, 90 What is the knight thou hatest thus?[L91]

I pray thee to me show."