Classic Poem

[The Third Part.]

S i r Lybius was stout & gay,
& leapt vpon his palffrey,
& tooke his sheeld & speare
& rode fforth ffull ffast.
2 gyants hee ffound at Last,
[that] strong & stout were.
The one was blacke as any sole,
the other as red as ffyerye cole,
& ffoule bothe they were.
the blacke Gyant held in his arme
a ffaire mayd by the barme,
bright as rose on bryar;

the red Gyant ffull yarne
swythe about can turne
a wild bore on a spitt;
ffaire the ffyer gan berne.
the maid cryed ffull yerne,
for men shold itt witt;
shee said, " alas & euer away
tha t euer I abode this day
w i th 2 devills for to sitt!
helpe, Mary tha t is soe mild,
for the loue of the child,
tha t I be not fforgett! "

S i r Lybius said, " by S t Iame!
ffor to bring tha t maid ffrom shame
itt were ffull great price;
but ffor to fight w i th both in shame
it is no childs game,
they be soe grim and grise. "
he tooke his course w i th his shaft
as a man tha t cold his crafft,
& he rode by right assise:
the blacke he smote all soe smart
through the liuer, long & hart
tha t he might neu er rise.

then ffled tha t maiden sheene,
& thanked Marye, heauens queene,
tha t succour had her sent
then came mayd Ellen
& the dwarffe by-dene,
& by the hand her hent,
& went into the greaues,
& lodged them vnder the leaues
in a good entent;
& shee besought Iesus
ffor to helpe S i r Lybius
tha t hee was not shent

the red Gyant smote thore
att S i r Lybius w i th the bore
as a woolfe tha t were woode;
his Dints he sett soe sore,
tha t S i r Lybius horsse therfore
downe to the ground yode.
then S i r Lybius w i th ffeirce hart,
out of his saddle swythe he start
as spartle doth out of fyer;
feir[c]ely as any Lyon
he ffought w i th his ffawchyon
to quitt the Gyant his hyer.

the Gyants spitt sickerlye
was more then a cowle tree
tha t he rosted on the bore;
He laid on S i r Lybius ffast,
all the while the spitt did last,
euer more and more.
th e bore was soe hott then,
tha t on S i r Lybius the grease ran
right ffast thore.
the gyant was stiffe & stronge,
15 ffoote he was Longe;
hee smote S i r Lybius ffull sore.

Euer still the gyant smote
att S i r Lybius, well I wott,
till the spitt brast in towe
then as man tha t was wrath,
ffor a Trunchyon fforth he goth
to ffight aga[i]nst his ffoe,
& w i th the End of tha t spitt
S i r Lybius sword in 3 he hitt
then was S i r Lybius wonderous woe.
or he againe his staffe vp caught,
S i r Lybius a stroke him rought
tha t his right arme ffell him ffroe.

the Gyant ffell to the ground,
& S i r Lybius in tha t stond
smote of his head thoe:
in a ffrench booke itt is ffound.
to the other he went in tha t stond,
& serued him right soe.
he tooke vp the heads then
& bare them to tha t ffaire maiden
tha t he had woone in ffight
the maid was glad & blythe,
& thanked god often sithe
tha t euer he was made a K nigh t.

S i r Lybius said, " gentle dame,
tell me now what is yo u r name
& where tha t you were borne. "
" S i r, " she said, " by S t Iame,
my ffather is of rich ffame,
& dwelleth here beforne;
he is a Lo rd of much might,
an Erle & a Noble Knight;
his name is S[ir] Arthore,
& my name is Vylett,
tha t the Gyant had besett
for the Castle ore

" as I went on my demeaning
to-night in the eueni[n]ge,
none euill then I thought;
the gyant, w i th-out leasing,
out of bush he gan spring,
& to the ffyer me brought.
of him I had beene shent,
but tha t god me succour sent
tha t all this world hath wrought.
S i r K nigh t! god yeeld thee thy meed,
ffor vs tha t on the roode did bleed,
& w i th his blood vs bought! "

w i thout any more talking
to their horsses they gan spring,
& rode fforth all in-same,
& told the Erle in euery thing
how he wan in ffighting
his Daughter ffrom woe & shame.
then were these heads sent
vnto K ing Arthur ffor a p re sent
w i th much mirth & game,
tha t in Arthurs court arose
of S i r Lybius great Losse
& a right good name.

the Erle, ffor tha t good deede,
gaue S i r Lybius for his meede
sheeld and armour bright,
& alsoe a noble steede
tha t was good in euerye need,
in trauayle & in ffight.