Page:Renowned history of the seven champions of Christendom (2).pdf/14

14 the walls, a meal of meat to releave a knight almost famished; but she with a cursed frown, bid him begone, or else his life must pay for his presumption, her lord being a mighty Giant, that, with crushed bones, did recompense the sauciness of such intruders. Now, saith St. George, by the honour of my knighthood, here will I obtain my dinner, or else become food for crows by his accursed hand. The lady, abash’d at these words, gave information to the Giant, who immediately came forth, of such a monstrous and deformed proportion, that he would have daunted a courageous knight; tho’ strong and lustful for an encounter; yet George (tho' much enfeebled by hunger) with a magnanimous resolution set upon him, and notwithstanding the Giant was armed with a mighty bar of iron, the Christian Champion dealt him such blows, that, in fine, the Giant was forced to surrender his life, and the command of the castle into the hands of St. George.

St. George having now finished his work, went into the castle to receive his wages, viz. his dinner which he had earned, but for fear the lady should mingle poison in his food, he made her first to taste of every dish, and, having staid some time to refresh himself and his horse, he left the castle in keeping of the lady, and went on in pursuit of his travels, passing through the rest of Greece and Phrygia, until he came unto the confines of Tartary, to the enchanted garden of Ormondine, where he espied a sword enclosed into the enchanted rock, when he no sooner put his hand into the hilt, than he drew it out with much ease, then immediately the heavens were overcast with a thick darkness, and the earth shook and rumbled like mighty peals of thunder, the winds blew so impetuously that strong oaks were rent in pieces by the same, and then the enchanted garden vanished away, and the Champion of Wales awaked out of his sleep, where he had Iain for seven years. The Necromancer after he had briefly declared his forepast: life to St. George, gave a most terrible groan and died; whose head, with the enchanted sword, the English Champion gave to St. David,