To see this good knight here be slain, He put his spear into his rest, And to Sir Mordred loud 'gan cry, Sir Mordred lifted up his sword, And fierce to meet the king ran he; When Mordred felt the stroke of death, He thrust himself upon the spear, Then grimly died Sir Mordred, And bloody streams came from the king, Sir Lukyn then he thus bespake,- Now take my sword Excalibar, That hangs so freely by my side. O take my sword Excalibar,* And fare thee well, thou trusty sword Have I withstood my foe in fight. * Elsewhere called Caliburn, a name familiar to romance and chivalry. With this good falchion in my hand, That never more I may thee wield. The duke to the river side he went, He kept it back in privity. For all of coleyne was the blade, Then back he came unto the king, Who said, Sir Lukyn, what did ye see? O go again, then said the king; Into the river throw my sword, Nor keep me lingering here in pain. The duke then to the river went, And the king's scabbard in threw he; But he kept back Excalibar, And hid it underneath a tree. Then back he came to tell the king, Who said, Sir Lukyn, saw you ought?— Nothing, my liege, save that the wind O Lukyn! Lukyn! said the king, Twice hast thou dealt deceitfully, *Cologne; from whence, at the date of writing this ballad, the best-attempered swords of BLUE STEEL were exported to foreign countries.-ED. Alack! whom may we ever trust, Say, wouldst thou have thy master dead, Now go again, and throw it in, Or here the one of us shall die. The duke all shent with this rebuke, And threw it far as he could fling. A Hand and an Arm did meet the sword, All sore astonished stood the duke, He stood as still, as still mote be; But to what place he could not tell, And whether the King were there or not, PERCY. He never more was seen on mould. * Ladies was the old English term for nymphs, either of forest, mountain, or stream.-PERCY. SIR LANCELOT DU LAKE. THIS is an old poetical version of Chap. 108, 109, 110, of the Morte d'Arthur: it is once quoted by Shakspeare, Hen. IV., pt. ii. Sir Lancelot is a prominent character in more than one old romance. Several actions of his are not so favourable to morality as the present; he is made, however, to end his days in a very penitent manner. King Arthur's Round Table is too well known to need any explanation. WHEN Arthur first in court began, By force of arms great victories won, Then into England straight he came, And were of his Round Table. And many justs and tournaments, Wherein some knights did then excel, But one, Sir Lancelot du Lake, He for his deeds and feats of arms, When he had rested him awhile, He armed rode in forest wide, Who told him of adventures great, Such would I find, quoth Lancelot : Thou seemest, quoth she, a knight full of good, Whereas a mighty knight doth dwell, That now is of great fame, My name is Lancelot du Lake. Who has in prison threescore knights She brought him to a river side, And also to a tree, And many shields to see. He struck so hard, the basin broke; |