Reliques of ancient English poetry: consisting of old heroic ballads ...

AND BALLADS. 33
He put his fpeare into his refte,
And to fir Mordred loud gan crye
Nowe fette thyfelf upon thy guarde,
For, traitor, nowe thy death is nye.
Sir Mordred lifted up his fworde, 105
And fierce to meet the king ran hee
The king his fpeare he through him thruft
A fathom thorow his bodie.
When Mordered felt the flroke of death,
And found that he was wounded foe ;
He thrufte himfelfe upon the fpeare,
And ftrucke the king a deadlye blowe.
Then grimmlye dyed fir Mordered,
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Prefentlye upon that tree :
And bloody ftreames ranne from the kinge, 1 15
Ere to the duke returned hee.
Sir Lukyn then he thus befpake,
Sir knighte, thou haft beene faithfulle tryde,
Nowe take my fword Excalibar,
That hangs fo freelye by my fyde. '
O take my fword Excalibar,
And there into the river throwe :
For here, henceforth, benethe this tree,
All ufe of weapons I foregoe.
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Vol, III. D And