Page:Lancashire Legends, Traditions, Pageants, Sports, Etc., with an Appendix Containing a Rare Tract.djvu/317



By force of arms great victories wanne,
 * And conquest home did bring.

Then into England straight he came,
 * With fifty good and able

Knights, that resorted unto him,
 * And were of his Round Table.

And he had jousts and tournaments,
 * Whereto were many prest;

Wherein some knights did far excell,
 * And eke surmount the rest.

But one Sir Lancelot du Lake,
 * Who was approved well,

He for his deedes and feats of armes,
 * All others did excell.

When he had rested him awhile,
 * In play, and game, and sport,

He said he would go prove himselfe.
 * In some adventurous sorte.

He armed rode in [Lancashire]
 * And met a damsel faire,

Who told him of adventures great,
 * Whereto he gave good eare.

'Such wolde I find,' quoth Lancelot,
 * 'For that cause came I hither';

'Thou seem'st,' quoth she, 'a knight full good,
 * And I will bring thee thither.

'[In Mamecestre] a knight doth dwell,
 * That now is of great fame;

Therefore tell me what knight thou art,
 * And what may be thy name.'

'My name is Lancelot du Lake;'
 * Quoth shee: 'It likes me than;

Here dwells a knight who never was
 * Yet matcht with any man.