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They rolled and grappled on the ground,
And there they struggled long:
Skilful and active was the Knight,—
The Savage he was strong.

But brutal force and savage strength
To art and skill must yield:
Sir Valentine at length prevailed,
And won the well-fought field.

Then binding straight the conquered foe
Fast with an iron chain,

He ties him to his horse's tail,

And leads him o'er the plain.

To Court, his hairy captive soon
Sir Valentine doth bring,
And kneeling down upon his knee,
Presents him to the King.

With loss of blood and loss of strength,

The Savage tamer grew,

And to Sir Valentine became

A servant tried and true. *

And 'cause with Bears + he erst was bred,

Ursine they call his name,—

A name which unto future times
The Muses shall proclaim.

* Similar to this was the case of the Giant Ascapart, who after being subdued, became a most zealous and trusty servant to Sir Bevis-See the old Romance of Bevis of Hampton. Two ancient figures of these worthies are to be seen painted on the Bar Gate at Southampton.-ED.

+ Ursus, a bear,-Lat. Orson is derived, in the same manner, from Ours,-Fr.

G

VALENTINE AND URSINE.

PART II.

In high renown with prince and peer,
Now lived Sir Valentine;
His high renown with prince and
Made envious hearts repine.

It chanced, the King upon a day
Prepared a sumptuous feast,

peer,

And there came lords and dainty dames,
And many a noble guest.

Amid their cups, that freely flowed,
Their revelry and mirth,

A youthful knight taxed Valentine
With base and doubtful birth.

The foul reproach, so grossly urged,
His generous heart did wound,

And straight he vowed he ne'er would rest
Till he his parents found.

Then bidding King and Peers adieu,

Early one summer's day,

With faithful Ursine by his side,

From court he took his way.

Over hill and valley, moss and moor,
For many a day they pass,
At length, upon a moated lake,*
They found a bridge of brass.

Beyond it rose a castle fair,

All built of marble stone,

The battlements were gilt with gold,
And glittered in the sun.

Beneath the bridge, with strange device
A hundred bells † were hung,
That man, nor beast, might pass thereon,
But straight their larum rung.

This quickly found the youthful pair,
Who boldly crossing o'er,

The jingling sound bedeaft their ears,
And rung from shore to shore.

* A lake that served for a moat to a castle.-Dr. PERCY.

+"The circumstance of the Bridge of Bells is taken from the old metrical legend of Sir Beves, and has also been copied in the Seven Champions. The original lines are

'Over the dyke a bridge there lay,

That man and beeste might passe away,
Under the brydge were sixty belles,

Right as the Romans (romance) tells,

That there might no man passe in,

But all they rang with a gyn.' "

Dr. PERCY

Gyn is probably engine; i. e. the machinery which caused the bells to

sound.

Quick, at the sound, the castle gates
Unlocked and opened wide,
And straight a Giant huge and grim,
Stalked forth with stately pride.

Now yield you, caitiffs, to my will,
He cried with hideous roar,
Or else the wolves shall eat your flesh,
And ravens drink your gore.

Vain boaster! said the youthful knight,
I scorn thy threats and thee-
I trust to force thy brazen gates,
And set thy captives free.

Then putting spurs unto his steed,
He aimed a dreadful thrust;
The spear against the giant glanced,
And caused the blood to burst.

Mad and outrageous with the pain,
He whirled his mace of steel,-
The very wind of such a blow
Had made the champion reel.

It haply missed; and now the knight
His glittering sword displayed,
And riding round with whirlwind speed,
Oft made him feel the blade.

As when a large and monstrous oak

Unceasing axes hew,

So fast around the giant's limbs

The blows quick darting flew.

As when the boughs with hideous fall
Some hapless woodman crush,
With such a force the enormous foe

Did on the champion rush.

A fearful blow, alas! there came,
Both horse and knight it took,
And laid them senseless in the dust,
So fatal was the stroke.

Then smiling forth a hideous grin,
The Giant strides in haste,
And, stooping, aims a second stroke-
"Now caitiff, breath thy last."

But ere it fell, two thundering blows
Upon his skull descend;

From Ursine's knotty club they came,
Who ran to save his friend.

Down sunk the Giant, gaping wide,
And rolling his grim eyes;
The hairy youth repeats his blows-
He gasps, he groans, he dies.

Quickly, Sir Valentine revived,
With Ursine's timely care;

And now to search the castle walls
The venturous youths repair.

The blood and bones of murdered knights

They found where'er they came;

At length, within a lonely cell,

They saw a mournful Dame.

Her gentle eyes were dim with tears,
Her cheeks were pale with woe;
And long Sir Valentine besought,

Her doleful tale to know.

Alas! young knight, she weeping said,

Condole my wretched fate;

A childless mother here you see,

A wife without a mate.

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