Page:Lancashire Legends, Traditions, Pageants, Sports, Etc., with an Appendix Containing a Rare Tract.djvu/318

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'Who has in prison threescore knights
And four, that he did wound;
Knights of King Arthur's court they be,
And of his Table Round.'
 
She brought him to the [Irwell] side,
And also to a tree,
Whereon a copper bason hung,
And many shields to see.

He struck soe hard, the bason broke;
Sir Tarquin soon he spyed;
Who drove a horse before him fast,
Whereon a knight lay tyed.
 
'Sir knight,' then said Sir Lancelot,
'Bring me that horse-load hither,
And lay him down and let him reste,
We'll try our force together:
 
'For, as I understand thou hast,
Soe far as thou art able,
Done great despite and shame unto
The knights of the Round Table.'
 
'If thou be of the Table Round;'
Quoth Tarquin speedily,
'Both thee and all thy fellowship
I utterlye defye.'
 
'That's over much,' quoth Lancelot, tho'
'Defend thee by and by:'—
They sett their speares unto their steedes,
And eache att other flye.
 
They coucht their speares (their horses ran
As though there had been thunder),
And strucke them each immidst their shields,
Wherewith they broke insunder.
 
Their horses' backs brake under them,
The knights were both astounde;
To voyd their horses they made haste,
And light upon the grounde.