Page:Stories from Old English Poetry-1899.djvu/36

16 all the ladies, none so lovely as Emelie. She is clad all in white, with her yellow hair garlanding her head; and so fair is she, that the very air seems to breathe her praises. And now Theseus gives aloud, by the mouth of the herald, the rules by which the tourney shall be conducted. First, in order to prevent loss of life, no man shall carry into the lists either bow and arrows, nor poleaxe, nor short sword. Neither shall he ride but one course with sharp-pointed spear.

If any transgress these rules, they shall be taken out from the lists, and stand at the stake till the tourney is ended. If either chieftain be overthrown or conquered, the victory is declared.

The weapons shall be only spears, lances, and the mace.

Now the heralds have cried aloud the charge, and the trumpets and clarions have blown, and the drums beat, and the fierce onset begun. The lances shiver, swords gleam, the maces ring heavily on steel helmets. Now this brave knight is unhorsed, and meets his enemy in fierce grapple; now one is trampled under foot; now clouds of dust hide all like a thick smoke; here they struggle unfairly and are led to the stake, till the affray is over; there one is borne bleeding from the field.

Many times the heralds sound the trumpets for