Classic Poem

[The Sixth Part.]

Now let vs rest awhile
of S ir Otes de lile,
& tell wee other tales.
S i r Lybius rode many a mile,
sawe aduentures many & vile
in England & in Wales,
till itt beffell in the monthe of June,
when the ffenell hangeth in the towne
all greene in seemlye manner,
The midsum m er day is ffaire & long;
merry is the ffoules songe,
the notes of birds on bryar;
S i r Lybius then gan ryde
along by a riuer side,
& saw a ffaire Citye
w i th pauillyons of much pride,
& a castle ffaire & wyde,
and gates great plentye.
he asked ffast what itt hight:
the maid said anon-right,
" S i r, I will tell thee;
men clepeth itt Ile dore;
there hath beene slaine K nigh ts more
then beene in this countrye

" ffor a Ladye tha t is of price,
her coulour is red as rose on rise.
all this cuntry is in doubt
ffor a Gyant tha t hight Mangys,
there is noe more such theeues!
tha t La dye hee lyeth about;
he is heathen, as blacke as pitch;
now there be no more such
of deeds strong & stout;
what K nigh t tha t passeth this brigg,
his armes he must downe ligg,
& to the gyant Lout

" he is 20 ffoote of lenght,
& much more of strenght
then other K nigh ts ffiue.
S i r Lybius! now bethinke thee,
hee is more grim m ner ffor to see
then any one aliue;
he beareth haires on his brow
like the bristles of a sow;
his head is great & stout;
eche arme is the lenght of an ell,
his ffists beene great & ffell,
dints ffor to driue about. "

S i r Lybius said, " maiden hend!
on our way wee will wend
ffor all his stroakes ill.
if god will me grace send,
or this day come to an end
I hope him ffor to spill
tho I be young & lite,
I will him sore smyte,
& let god doe his will.
I beseech god almight
tha t I may soe w i th him ffight,
tha t giant ffor to kill. "

then they rode fforth all 3
vnto tha t ffaire cytye,
men call itt Ile dore;
anon Mangy can they see
vpon a bridge of tree,
as grimm as any bore;
his sheild was blacke as ter;
his paytrill, his croup er ,
3 mammetts there-in were;
the were gaylye gilt w i th gold;
& a spere in his hand he did hold,
& alsoe his sword in ffere

He cryed to him in despite,
& said, " ffellow, I thee quite!
now what thou art, mee tell;
& turne againe al soe tyte
ffor thine owne proffitt,
if thou loue thy selfe well "
S i r Lybius said anon-right,
" K ing Arthur made me a Knight
vnto him I made my vow
tha t I shold neuer turne my backe
ffor noe such devill in blacke.
goe! make thee readye now! "

Now S i r Lybius & Mangys,
Of horsses proud of price
together they rode full right;
both Lo rd s & Ladyes there
Lay on pount tornere
to see tha t seemlye sight,
& prayed to god loud & still,
" if tha t itt were his will,
to helpe tha t cristyan K nigh t;
& the vile Gyaunt
tha t beleeueth in Termagant,
tha t he might dye in ffight! "

theire speres brake assunder,
their stroakes ffared as the thunder,
the peeces gan out spring.
euery man had great wonder
tha t S i r Lybius had not beene vnder
att the ffirst begininge
anon they drew sords bothe;
as men tha t were ffull wrothe,
together gan they dinge:
S i r Lybius smote Mangyes thoe
tha t his sheild ffell him ffroe,
in the ffeild he gan itt ffling.

Mangyes gan smite in tha t stead
S i r Lybius horse on the head,
& dashed out his braine;
his horsse fell downe dyinge
S i r Lybius sayd nothing,
but start vp againe;
an axe in his hand he hent anon
tha t hunge on his sadle arson,
& smote a stroake of maine
through Mangis horsse swire,
carued him throug long & liuer,
& quitt him well againe.

descriue the stroakes cold no man
tha t were giuen betwene them then;
to bedd peace was no boote thoe;
deepe wounds there they caught,
ffor they both sore ffought,
& either was others ffoe.
ffro: the hower of prime
till it was euensong time,
they ffought together thoe.
S ir Lybius thirsted then sore,
& sayd, " Mangyes, thine ore!
to drinke lett me goe;

" & I will grant to thee,
what loue thou biddest mee,
such happe if thee betyde.
great shame itt wold bee
a K nigh t ffor thirst shold dye,
& to thee litle pryde. "

Mangies granted him his will,
ffor to drinke his ffill
w i thout any more despite.
as S i r Lybius lay ouer the banke,
through his helme he dranke;
Mangyes gan him smite
tha t into the riuer he goes.
but vp anon he rose;
wonderffull he was dight
w i th his armour euery deale;
" now by S t . Micaheel
I am twise as light!

what weenest thout ffeend fere?
tha t I vnchirstened were
or thou saw itt w i th sight?
I shall, ffor thy baptise,
well qu[i]tte thee thy service,
by the grace of god almight. "
a new battell there began;
either ffast to other ran,
& stroakes gaue w i th might.
there was many a gentleman,
and alsoe Ladyes as white as swan,
they prayed all ffor the Knight.

but Mangis anon in the ffeild
carued assunder S i r Lybius sheild
w i th stroakes of armes great.
then S i r Lybius rann away
thither were Mangis sheild Lay;
& vp he can itt gett,

& ran againe to him;
w i th stroakes great and grim
together they did assayle;
there beside the watter brimne
till it waxed wonderous dimm,
betweene them lasted tha t battell.
S i r Lybius was warryour wight,
& smote a stroke of much might;
through hawberke, plate and maile,
hee smote of by the shoolder bone
his right arme soone and anon
into the ffeild w i th-out ffaile.

when the gyant tha t gan see
tha t he shold slaine bee,
hee ffled w i th much maine
S i r Lybius after him gan hye,
& w i th strong stroakes mightye
smote his backe in twaine.
thus was the Gyant dead:
S i r Lybius smote of his head;
then was the people ffaine.
S i r Lybius bare the head to the towne;
the mett him w i th a ffaire p ro cession,
the people came him againe.

a Ladye white as the Lyllye fflower,
hight Madam de Armoroure,
receiued tha t gentle Knight,
& thanked him in tha t stoure
tha t hee wold her succour
against tha t ffeend to ffight.
into the chamber shee him ledd,
& in purple & pall shee him cledd,
& in rich royall weede;
& p ro fferred him w i th honor
ffor to be lord of towne & tower,
& her owne selfe to meede.

S i r Lybius ffrened her in hast,
& loue to her anon he cast,
ffor shee was ffaire and sheene.
alas, tha t hee had not beene chast!
ffor afterwards att the Last
shee did him betray & teene.
12 monthes and more
S i r Lybius tarryed thore,
& his mayden w i th renowne,
tha t he might neuer out scape
ffor to helpe & ffor to wrake
the Ladye of Sinadone;

ffor tha t ffaire Lady
told more of Sorcery
then such other ffiue;
shee made him great melodye,
of all manner of minstrelsye
tha t any man cold discreeue.
when he looked on her fface,
him thought certainlye tha t hee was
in paradice aliue,
w i th ffantasye and fayrye;
& shee bleared his eye
w i th ffalse sorcerye.