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AFter the dethe of Vtherpendragon regned Arthur his sone / the whiche had grete werre in his dayes for to gete al Englond in to his hand / For there were many kynges within the realme of Englond and in walys / Scotland and Cornewaille / Soo it befelle on a tyme / whanne kyng Arthur
[leaf 38v] was at London ther came a knyght and tolde the kynge tydynges how that the kynge Ryons of Northwalys had rered a grete nombre of peple / and were entryd in to the land and brente and slewe the kynges true liege peple / yf this be true said Arthur / it were grete shame vnto myn estate / but that he were myghtely withstand / it is trouthe sayd the kynghte / for I sawe the hoost my self / wel saide the kynge / lete make a crye / that all the lordes knyghtes and gentylmen of armes shold drawe vnto a castel called Camelot in tho dayes / and ther the kynge wold lete make a counceil general and a grete Iustes So whan the kynge was come thyder with all his baronage and lodged as they semed best / ther was come a damoisel the whiche was sente on message from the grete lady lylle of auelyon / And whan she came bifore kynge Arthur / she told from whome she came / and how she was sent on message vnto hym for these causes Thenne she lete her mantel falle that was rychely furred / And thenne was she gyrd with a noble swerd wherof the kynge had merueill / and said Damoysel for what cause are ye gyrd with that swerd / it bisemeth yow not / Now shall I telle yow said the damoysel / This swerd that I am gyrd with al doth me grete sorowe and comberaunce / for I may not be delyuerd of this swerd / but by a knyghte / but he must be a passyng good man of his handes and of his dedes and withoute vylonye or trecherye and withoute treason / And yf I maye fynde suche a knyghte that hath all these vertues / he may drawe oute this swerd oute of the shethe / for I haue ben at kyng Ryons / it was told me ther were passyng good knyghtes / and he and alle his knyghtes haue assayed it and none can spede / This is a grete merueill said Arthur / yf this be sothe / I wille my self assaye to drawe oute the swerd / not presumynge vpon my self that I am the best knyghte / but that I will begynne to drawe at your swerd in gyuyng example to alle the Barons that they shall assay euerychone after other whan I haue assayed it / Thenne Arthur toke the swerd by the shethe and by the gyrdel and pulled at it egrely / but the swerd wold not oute /
¶ Sire seid the damoysell ye nede not to pulle half so hard / for he that shall pulle it out shal do it with lytel myghte / ye say wel said Arthur / Now assaye
[leaf 39r] ye al my barons / but beware ye be not defoyled with shame trechery ne gyle / thenne it wille not auaylle sayd the damoysell/ for he must be a clene knyght withoute vylony and of a gentil strene of fader syde and moder syde / Moost of all the barons of the round table that were there at that tyme assayed alle by rewe / but ther myght non spede / wherfor the damoysel made grete sorow oute of mesure and sayd Allas I wende in this Courte had ben the best knyghtes withoute trechery or treson / By my feythe sayth Arthur here are good knyghtes as I deme as ony ben in the world / but theyr grace is not to helpe yow / wherfor I am displeasyd
THenne felle hit soo that tyme / ther was a poure knyght with kynge Arthur / that had byn prysoner with hym half a yere & more for sleynge of a knyghte / the whiche was cosyn vnto kynge Arthur / the name of this knyght was called Balen / and by good meanes of the barons he was delyuerd oute of pryson / for he was a good man named of his body / and he was borne in northumberland / and soo he wente pryuely in to the Courte / and sawe this aduenture / werof hit reysed his herte / and wolde assaye it as other knyghtes dyd / but for he was poure and pourely arayed he put hym not ferre in prees / But in his herte he was fully assured to doo as wel yf his grace happed hym as ony knyght that there was / And as the damoysel toke her leue of Arthur and of alle the barons so departyng / this knyght Balen called vnto her and sayd Damoysel I praye yow of your curtosy / suffre me as wel to assay as these lordes though that I be so pourely clothed / in my herte me semeth I am fully assured as somme of these other / And me semeth in my herte to spede ryght wel / The damoysel beheld the poure knyght / and sawe he was a lykely man / but for his poure arrayment she thoughte he shold be of no worship withoute vylonye or trechery / And thēne she sayd vnto the knyght / sir it nedeth not to put me to more payn or labour / for it semeth not yow to spede there as other haue failled / A fayr Damoysel said Balen worthynes and good tatches and good dedes are not only in arrayment / but manhood and worship is hyd within mans persone and many a worshipful knyghte is not knowen
[leaf 39v] vnto alle people / and therfore worship and hardynesse is not in arayment / By god sayd the damoysel ye say sothe / therfor ye shal assaye to do what ye may / Thenne Balen took the swerd by the gyrdel and shethe / and drewe it out easyly / and when he loked on the swerd hit pleasyd hym moche / thenne had the kynge and alle the barons grete merueille that Balen hadde done that auenture / many knyghtes had grete despyte af Balen / Certes said the damoysel / this is a passynge good knyght and the best that euer I found and moost of worship withoute treson / trechery or vylony / and many merueylles shalle he do / Now gentyl and curtois knyght yeue me the swerd ayene nay said Balen / for this swerd wylle I kepe but it be taken from me with force / wel saide the damoysel ye are not wyse to kepe the swerd from me / for ye shalle slee with the swerd the best frende that ye haue and the man that ye moste loue in the world / and the swerd shalle be your destruction / I shal take the aduenture sayd Balen that god wille ordeyne me / but the swerd ye shalle not haue at this tyme by the feythe of my body / ye shalle repente hit within short tyme sayd the damoysel/ For I wold haue the swerd more for your auaylle than for myne / for I am passyng heuy for your sake / For ye wil not byleue that swerd shal be youre destruction / and that is grete pyte / with that the damoysel departed makynge grete sorowe / Anone after Balen sente for his hors and armour / and soo wold departe fro the Courte and toke his leue of kynge Arthur / nay sayd the kynge I suppose ye wyll not departe so liȝtely fro this felauship / I suppose ye are displeased that I haue shewed yow vnkyndenes / Blame me the lasse / for I was mys senformed ageynst yow / but I wende ye had not ben suche a knyght as ye are of worship and prowesse / and yf ye wyll abyde in this courte among my felauship / I shalle so auaunce yow as ye shalle be pleased / god thanke your hyhenes said Balen / your bounte and hyhenes may no man preyse half to the valewe / but at this tyme I must nedes departe / bysechyng yow alwey of your good grace / Truly said the kynge I am ryght wrothe for your departyng / I pray yow faire knyghte / that ye tary not long / and ye shal be ryght welcome to me / & to my barons / and I shalle amende all mysse that I haue
[leaf 40r] done ageynst yow / god thanke your grete lordship said Balen / and therwith made hym redy to departe / Thenne the moost party of the knyghtes of the round table sayd that Balen did not this auenture al only by myghte but by wytchecraft
THe meane whyle that this knyght was makyng hym redy to departe / there came in to the Court a lady that hyght the lady of the lake / And she came on horsback rychely bysene / and salewed kynge Arthur / and there asked hym a yefte that he promysed her whan she gaf hym the swerd / that is sothe said Arthur / a gyfte I promysed yow / but I haue forgoten the name of my swerd that ye gaue me / The name of it said the lady is Excalibur that is as moche say as cut stele / ye saye wel said the kynge / Aske what ye wil and ye shall haue it / and hit lye in my power to yeue hit / wel sayd the lady / I aske the heede of the knyghte that hath wonne the swerd / or els the damoysels heede that broughte hit / I take no force though I haue bothe their hedes / for he slewe my broder a good knyȝte and a true / and that gentilwoman was causar of my faders deth / Truly said kynge Arthur I maye not graunte neyther of her hedes with my worship / therfor aske what ye wille els / and I shall fulfille your desyre / I wil aske none other thyng said the lady / whan Balyn was redy to departe he sawe the lady of the lake that by her menes had slayne Balyns moder and he had soughte her thre yeres / and whan it was told hym that she asked his hede of kynge Arthur he went to her streyte and said euyl be you foūde / ye wold haue my hede / and therfore ye shall lese yours / and with hys swerd lyghtly he smote of hir hede before kynge Arthur / allas for shame sayd Arthur why haue ye done so / ye haue shamed me and al my Courte / for this was a lady that I was be holden to / and hyther she came vnder my sauf conduyte / I shalle neuer foryeue you that trespas / Sir said Balen me forthynketh of your displeasyr / for this same lady was the vntruest lady lyuynge / and by enchauntement and sorssery she hath ben the destroyer of many good knyghtes / and she was causer that my moder was brente thorow her falshede and trechery / what cause soo euer ye had said Arthur ye shold haue
[leaf 40v] forborne her in my presence / therfor thynke not the contrary ye shalle repente it / for suche another despyte had I neuer in my Courte / therfor withdrawe yow oute of my Courte in al hast that ye may / Thenne Balen toke vp the heed of the lady and bare it with hym to his hostry / and there he met with his squyer that was sory he had displeasyd kyng Arthur / and so they rode forth oute of the town / Now said Balen we must departe / take thow this hede and bere it to my frendys / and telle hem how I haue sped / and telle my frendys in Northumberland that my most foo is deed / Also telle hem how I am oute of pryson / and what auēture befelle me at the getyng of this swerd Allas said the squyar ye are gretely to blame for to displease kyng Arthur / as for that said Balen I wylle hyhe me in al the hast that I may to mete with kynge Ryons and destroye hym eyther els or dye therfor / and yf it may happe me to wynne hym / thenne wille kynge Arthur be my good and gracious lord / where shall I mete with yow saide the squyer / in kynge Arthurs Court said Balen / so his squyer and he departed at that tyme / thenne kynge Arthur and alle the Court made grete doole and had shame of the deth of the lady of the lake thenne the kyng buryed her rychely
AT that tyme ther was a knyghte / the whiche was the kynges sone of Irelond and his name was Launceor / the whiche was an orgulous knyȝt / and counted hym self one of the best of the Courte / and he had grete despyte at Balen for the encheuynge of the swerd that ony shold be acounted more hardy or more of prowesse / and he asked kynge Arthur yf he wold gyue hym leue to ryde after Balen and to reuenge the despyte that he had done / Doo your best said Arthur I am right wroth said Balen I wold he were quyte of the despyte that he hath done to me and to my Courte / Thenne this Launceor wente to his hostry to make hym redy / In the meane whyle cam Merlyn vnto the Court of kyng Arthur and there was told hym the aduenture of the swerd and the deth of the lady of the lake / Now shall I saye yow said Merlyn / this same damoysel that here standeth that broughte the swerde vnto your Court / I shalle telle yow the cause of her comynge / she was the falsest damoysel that lyueth / say not so said they / She
[leaf 41r] hath a broder a passynge good knyght of prowesse and a ful true man / and this damoysel loued another knyght that helde her to peramour / and this good knyght her broder mett with the knyght that held her to peramour and slewe hym by force of his handes / whan this fals damoysel vnderstood thys / she wente to the lady lyle of Auelione / and besought her of help / to be auengyd on her owne broder
ANd so this lady lyle of Auelion toke her this swerd that she broughte with her / and told there shold noo man pulle it oute of the shethe but yf he be one of the best knyghtes of this reame / and he shold be hard and ful of prowesse / and with that swerd he shold slee her broder / this was the cause that the damoysel came in to this Courte / I knowe it as wel as ye / wolde god she had nat comen in to thys Courte / but she came neuer in felauship of worship to do good but alweyes grete harme / and that knyght that hath encheued the suerd shal be destroyed by that suerd / for the whiche wil be grete dommage / for ther lyueth not a knyȝt of more prowesse than he is / and he shalle do vnto yow my lord Arthur grete honour and kyndenesse / and it is grete pyte shall not endure but a whyle / for of his strengthe and hardynesse I knowe not his matche lyuynge / Soo the knyght of Irelonde armed hym at al poyntes / and dressid his shelde on his sholder and mounted vpon horsback and toke his spere in his hand and rode after a grete paas as moche as his hors myght goo / and within a lytel space on a montayne he had a syghte of Balyn / and with a lowde voys he cryed abyde knyght / for ye shal abyde whether ye will or nyll / and the sheld that is to fore you shalle not helpe / whan Balyn herd the noyse / he tourned his hors fyersly / and saide faire knyghte what wille ye with me / wille ye Iuste with me / ye said the Irysshe knyghte / therfor come I after yow / parauenture said Balyn it had ben better to haue hold yow at home / for many a man weneth to putte his enemy to a rebuke / and ofte it falleth to hym self / of what courte be ye sente fro said Balyn / I am come fro the Courte of kynge Arthur sayd the knyghte of Irlond / that come hyder for to reuenge the despyte ye dyd this day to kyng arthur
[leaf 41v] and to his courte / wel said Balyn / I see wel I must haue adoo with yow that me forthynketh for to greue kyng arthur or ony of his courte / and your quarel is ful symple said Balyn vnto me / for the lady that is dede / dyd me grete dommage or els wold I haue ben lothe as ony knyghte that lyueth for to slee a lady / Make yow redy sayd the knyght launceor / and dresse yow vnto me / for that one shalle abyde in the feld thenne they toke their speres / and cam to gyders as moche as their horses myght dryue / and the Irysshe knyght smote Balyn on the sheld that alle wente sheuers of his spere / & Balyn hyt hym thorugh the sheld / and the hauberk perysshed / & so percyd thurgh his body and the hors croppe / and anon torned his hors fyersly and drewe oute his swerd and wyste not that he had slayn hym / and thenne he sawe hym lye as a dede corps.
THenne he loked by hym and was ware of a damoysel that came ryde ful fast as the hors myghte ryde on a fayr palfroy / and whan she aspyed that launceor was slayne / she made sorowe oute of mesure and sayd O Balyn two bodyes thou hast slayne and one herte and two hertes in one body / and two soules thow hast lost / And therwith she toke the swerd from her loue that lay ded and fylle to the ground in a swowne / And whan she aroos she made grete dole out of mesure / the whiche sorowe greued Balyn passyngly sore / and he wente vnto her for to haue taken the swerd oute of her hād but she helde it so fast / he myghte not take it oute of her hand onles he shold haue hurte her / and sodenly she sette the pomell to the ground / and rofe her self thorow the body / whan balyn aspyed her dedes he was passynge heuy in his herte and ashamed that so fair a damoysell had destroyed her self for the loue of his deth / Allas said Balyn me repēteth sore the deth of this knyght for the loue of this damoysel / for ther was moche true loue betwixe them bothe / and for sorowe myght not lenger behold hym but torned his hors and loked toward a grete forest and ther he was ware by the armes of his broder Balan / and whan they were mette they putte of her helmes and kyssed to gyders and wepte for ioye and pyte / Thenne Balan sayd / I
[leaf 42r] lytel wende to haue met with yow at this sodayne auenture / I am ryght glad of your delyueraunce and of youre dolorous prysonement / for a mā told me in the castel of four stones that ye were delyuerd / & that man had sene you in the court of kynge Arthur / & therfor I cam hyder in to this countrey / for here I supposed to fynde you / anon the knyȝt balyn told his broder of his aduenture of the swerd & of the deth of the lady of the lake / & how kyng arthur was displeasyd with hym wherfor he sente this knyȝt after me that lyeth here dede / & the dethe of this damoysel greueth me sore / so doth it me said Balan / but ye must take the aduenture that god will ordeyne yow / Truly said Balyn I am ryght heuy that my lord Arthur is displeasyd with me / for he is the moost worshipful knyght that regneth now on erthe / & his loue will I gete or els I wil put my lyf in auenture / for the kyng Ryons lyeth at a syege atte castel Tarabil & thyder will we drawe in all hast to preue our worship & prowesse vpon hym / I wil wel said Balan that we do & we wil helpe eche other as bretheren ouȝt to do /
NOw go we hens said balyn & wel be we met / the mene whyle as they talked ther cam a dwarf from the cyte of camelot on horsbak as moche as he myght & foūd the dede bodyes / wherfor he made grete dole & pulled out his here for sorou & saide which of you knyȝtes haue done this dede / where by askest thou it said balan / for I wold wete it said the dwarfe / it was I said balyn that slewe this knyght in my defendaūt for hyder he cam to chaace me & other I must slee hym or he me / & this damoysel slewe her self for his loue whiche repenteth me / & for her sake I shal owe al wymmen the better loue / Allas said the dwarf thow hast done grete dommage vnto thy self / for this knyght that is here dede was one of the most valyaunts men that lyued / and trust wel balyn the kynne of this knyght wille chace yow thorowe the world tyl they haue slayne yow / As for that sayd Balyn I fere not gretely / but I am ryght heuy that I haue displeasyd my lord kyng arthur for the deth of this knyght / Soo as they talked to gyders there came a kynge of Cornewaille rydynge / the whiche hyghte kynge Mark /
¶ And whanne he sawe these two bodyes dede and vnderstood hou they were dede by the ij knyghtes
[leaf 42v] aboue saide / thenne maade the kynge grete sorowe for the true loue that was betwix them / & said I wil not departe tyl I haue on this erthe made a tombe / and there he pyght his pauelions and soughte thurgh alle the countrey to fynde a tombe / and in a chirche they found one was fair and ryche / & thenne the kynge lete put hem bothe in the erthe & put the tombe vpon hem / and wrote the names of them bothe on the tombe / How here lyeth launceor the kynges sone of Irlond that at his owne request was slayne by the handes of balyn / & how his lady colombe and peramoure slewe her self with her loues swerd for dole and sorowe
THe mene whyle as this was a doyng / in cam merlyn to kyng mark seyng alle his doynge said / Here shalle be in this same place the grettest bataille betwixt two knyghtes that was or euer shall be / and the truest louers / and yet none of hem shalle slee other / and there Merlyn wrote her names vpon the tombe with letters of gold that shold fyghte in that place / whos names were Launcelot de lake / and Trystram / thow art a merueillous man saide kynge Marke vnto Merlyn that spekest of suche merueilles / thou art a boystous man and an vnlykely to telle of suche dedes / what is thy name said kynge Marke / at this tyme said Merlyn I will not telle / but at that tyme whan syr Trystram is taken with his souerayne lady / thenne ye shalle here and knowe my name / & at that tyme ye shal here tydynges that shal not please yow / Thenne said merlyn to balyn thou hast done thy self grete hurt by cause that thow sauest not this lady that slewe her self that myght haue saued her & thow woldest / by the feyth of my body sayd balyn I myght not saue her for she slewe her self sodenly Me repenteth saide Merlyn by cause of the dethe of that lady thou shalt stryke a stroke most dolorous that euer man stroke excepte the stroke of oure lorde / for thou shalt hurte the truest knyȝt & the man of most worship that now lyueth / & thorow that stroke iij kyngdoms shal be in grete pouerte mysere & wretchidnes xij yere / & the knyȝt shal not be hool of that woūd many yeres / thēne merlyn toke his leue of balyn & balen said yf I wist it were soth that ye say I shold do suche peryllous dede as that I wold slee my self to make the a lyar / therwith merlyn
[leaf 43r] vanysshed awey sodenly / and thenne balyn and his broder toke her leue of kynge Mark / fyrst said the kynge telle me your name / syr said Balen ye may see he bereth two swerdes ther by ye may calle hym the knyght with the two swerdes & soo departed kyng marke vnto camelot to kynge Arthur & balyn toke the wey toward kyng Ryons / and as they rode to gyder they mett with Merlyn desguysed / but they knewe hym not / whyder ryde yow said Merlyn / we haue lytel to do saide the ij knyȝtes to telle the / but what is thy name said Balen at this tyme said Merlyn I will not telle it the / it is euyl sene said the knyghtes that thou art a true man that thou wolt not telle thy name / as for that sayd Merlyn / be hit / as it be may I can telle yow wherfor ye ryde this wey for to mete kyng Ryons but it will not auaille you without ye haue my counceill A said Balyn ye are Merlyn we wyl be rulyd by your coūceill / come on said Merlyn ye shal haue grete worship & loke that ye do knyȝtely for ye shal haue grete nede / as for that said Balen drede yow not we will do what we may /
THenne Merlyn lodged them in a wode amonge leuys besyde the hyhe way & toke of the brydels of their horses & put hem to gras & leid hem doun to reste hem tylle it was nyhe mydnyȝt / Thenne Merlyn badde hem ryse / & make hem redy / for the the kynge was nygh them that was stolen awey from his hoost with a iij score horses of his best knyȝtes & xx of hem rode to fore to warne the lady de Vance that the kyng was comyng / for that nyȝt kyng Ryons shold haue layn with her / whiche is the kyng said Balyn / abyde said Merlyn here in a streyte wey ye shal mete with hym & therwith he shewed Balyn & his broder where he rode / anon balyn & his broder mette with the kyng & smote hym doune & wounded hym fyersly & leid hym to the ground / & there they slewe on the ryght hand & the lyfte hand & slewe moo than xl of his men / & the remenaunt fled / thenne went they ageyne to kyng Ryons & wold haue slayn hym had he not yelded hym vnto her grace Thenne said he thus knyghtes ful of prowesse slee me not / for by my lyf ye may wynne / & by my dethe ye shalle wynne noo thynge / Thenne sayd these two knyghtes ye say sothe & trouth
[leaf 43v] and so leyd hym on on hors lyttar / with that Merlyn was vanysshed and came to kyng Arthur afore hand & told hym how his most enemy was taken and discomfyted / by whome said kynge Arthur / by two knyghtes said Merlyn that wold please your lordship / and to morowe ye shalle knowe what knyghtes they are / Anone after cam the knyght with the two swerdes and balan his broder / and brought with hem kynge Ryons of Northwalys and there delyuerd hym to the porters and charged hem with hym / & soo they two retorned ageyne in the daunyng of the day / kynge Arthur cam thenne to kyng Ryons and said Syr kynge ye are welcome / by what auenture come ye hyder / syr said kyng Ryons I cam hyther by an hard auenture / who wanne yow said kyng Arthur / syre said the kyng the knyght with the two swerdes & his broder whiche are two merueillous knyghtes of prowesse / I knowe hem not sayd arthur but moche I am beholden to them / A said merlyn I shal telle yow it is balen that encheued the swerd & his broder balan a good knyght / ther lyueth not a better of prowesse & of worthynesse / and it shal be the grettest dole of hym that euer I knewe of knyght / for he shalle not long endure / Allas saide kynge Arthur that is grete pyte for I am moche beholdyng vnto hym / & I haue yll deserued it vnto hym for his kyndenes / nay said Merlyn he shal do moche more for yow / and that shal ye knowe in hast / but syr are ye purueyed said Merlyn for to morne the hooste of Nero kynge Ryons broder wille sette on yow or none with a grete hoost and therfor make yow redy for I wyl departe from yow
THenne kyng Arthur made redy his hoost in x batails and Nero was redy in the felde afore the castel Tarabil with a grete hoost / & he had x batails with many mo peple than Arthur had / Thenne Nero had the vaward with the moost party of his peple / & merlyn cam to kyng lot of the yle of Orkeney / and helde hym with a tale of prophecye til Nero and his peple were destroyed / & ther syr kay the sencyal dyd passyngly wel that the dayes of his lyf the worship went neuer frō hym & sir heruys de reuel did merueillous dedes with
[leaf 44r] with kynge Arthur / and kynge Arthur slewe that daye xx knyghtes & maymed xl / At that tyme cam in the knyȝte with the two swerdys and his broder Balan / But they two did so merueillously that the kynge and alle the knyghtes merueilled of them / and alle they that behelde them said they were sente from heuen as aungels or deuyls from helle / & kynge Arthur said hym self they were the best knyghtes that euer he sawe / for they gaf suche strokes that all men had wōder of hem In the meane whyle came one to kynge Lott and told hym / whyle he taryed there nero was destroyed and slayne with al his peple / Allas sayd kynge Lot I am ashamed / for by my defaute ther is many a worshipful man slayne / for and we had ben to gyders there hadde ben none hooste vnder the heuen that had ben abel for to haue matched with vs / This fayter with his prophecye hath mocked me / Al that dyd Merlyn for he knewe wel that and kyng Lot had ben with his body there at the fyrst bataille / kynge Arthur had be slayne / and alle his peple destroyed / & wel Merlyn knewe the one of the kynges shold be dede that day / & loth was Merlyn that ony of them both sholde be slayne / But of the tweyne / he had leuer kyng Lotte had be slayne than kynge Arthur / Now what is best to doo sayd kyng Lot of Orkeney whether is me better to treate with kynge Arthur or to fyghte / for the gretter party of oure peple are slayne / and destroyed / Syr said a knyght set on arthur for they are wery and forfoughten and we be fresshe / As for me sayd kyng Lot I wolde euery knyght wolde do his parte as I wold do myn / And thenne they auaunced baners and smoten to gyders and al to sheuered their speres / and arthurs knyghtes with the helpe of the knyght with two swerdes & his broder balan put kyng lot & his hoost to the werre / But alweyes kyng Lot helde hym in the formest frunte & dyd merueillous dedes of armes / for alle his hooste was borne vp by his handes for he abode al knyghtes / allas he myght not endure the whiche was grete pyte that so worthy a knyyt as he was one shold be ouermatched that of late tyme afore hadde ben a knyght of kyng Arthurs & wedded the sister of kyng arthur & for kyng Arthur lay by kyng lots wyf the whiche was arthurs syster & gat on her Mordred / therfor kyng lot held ayēst
[leaf 44v] Arthur / So ther was a knyght that was called the knyghte with the straunge beeste / and at that tyme his ryght name was called Pellinore / the whiche was a good man of prowesse / and he smote a myghty stroke att kynge Lot as he fought with all his enemyes / and he fayled of his stroke / and smote the hors neck that he fylle to the grounde with kyng lot And therwith anon Pellinore smote hym a grete stroke thorow the helme & hede vnto the browes & thenne alle the hooste of Orkeney fled for the deth of kynge Lott / and there were slayn many moders sones / But kynge Pellinore bare the wytte of the deth of kynge Lot / wherfore syr Gawayne reuenged the deth of his fader the x yere after he was made knyght and slewe kynge Pellinore with his owne handes / Also there were slayne at that bataille xij kynges on the syde of kyng Lot with Nero / and alle were buryed in the chirche of saynt Steuyns in Camelot / and the remenaunt of knyghtes and of other were buryed in a grete roche
SO at the enterement cam kynge Lots wyf Morgause with her foure sones Gawayne / Agrauayne / Gaherys and Gareth / Also ther came thyder kyng Vryens syr Ewayns fader and Morgan le fay his wyf that was kyng Arthurs syster / Alle these cam to the enterement / but of alle these xij kynges kyng Arthur lete make the tombe of kynge Lot passyng rychely / and made his tombe by his owne / and thenne Arthur lete make xij ymages of laton and couper / & ouer gylt hit with gold in the sygne of xij kynges / & echon of hem helde a tapyr of wax that brent day and nyȝt / & kyng Arthur was made in sygne of a fygure standynge aboue hem with a swerd drawen in his hand / and alle the xij fygures had countenaunce lyke vnto men that were ouercome / All this made Merlyn by his subtyl crafte and ther he told the kyng whā I am dede / these tapers shalle brenne no lenger / and soone after the aduentures of the Sangrayll shalle come among yow and be encheued / Also he told Arthur how Balyn the worshipful knyght shal gyue the dolourous stroke / wherof shalle falle grete vengeaunce / O where is Balen & Balan & Pellinore saide kynge Arthur / as for Pellinore sayd Merlyn / he wyl mete with yow soone /
¶ And as for Balyn
[leaf 45r] he wille not be longe from yow / but the other broder wil departe ye shalle see hym no more / By my feyth said Arthur they are two merueyllous knyghtes / and namely Balyn passeth of prowesse of ony knyghte that euer I found / for moche be holden I am vnto hym / wold god he wold abyde with me / Syr sayd Merlyn loke ye kepe wel the scaubard of Excalibur / for ye shalle lese no blood whyle ye haue the scauberd vpon yow though ye haue as many woundes vpon yow as ye may haue / Soo after for grete trust Arthur betoke the scauberd to Morgan le fay his syster / and she loued another knyght better than her husband kynge Vryens or kynge Arthur And she wold haue had Arthur her broder slayne / And ther for she lete make another scauberd lyke it by enchauntement and gaf the scauberd Excalibur to her loue / and the knyghtes name was called Accolon that after had nere slayne kyng arthur / After this Merlyn told vnto kynge Arthur of the prophecye / that there shold be a grete batail besyde Salysbury and Mordred his owne sone sholde be ageynste hym / Also he tolde hym that Basdemegus was his cosyn and germayn vnto kynge Vryence
WYthin a daye or two kynge Arthur was somewhat seke / and he lete pytche his pauelione in a medowe / & there he leyd hym doune on a paylet to slepe / but he myght haue no rest / Ryght so he herd a grete noyse of an hors and therwith the kynge loked oute at the porche of the pauelione / and sawe a knyght comynge euen by hym makyng grete dole Abyde fair syr said Arthur / & telle me wherfor thow makest this sorowe / ye maye lytel amend me said the knyghte and soo passed forthe to the castel of Melyot / Anone after ther cam balen / and whan he sawe kynge Arthur / he alyght of his hors / and cam to the kynge on foote / and salewed hym / by my hede saide Arthur ye be welcome / Sire ryght now cam rydynge this way a knyght makynge grete moorne / for what cause I can not telle / wherfor I wold desyre of yow of your curtosye and of your gentylnesse to fetche ageyne that knyght / eyther by force or els by his good wil / I wil do more for your lordship than that said balyn / and so he rode more than a paas and found the knyght with a damoysel in a forest & said sir knyȝt
[leaf 45v] ye must come with me vnto kynge Arthur for to telle hym of your sorow / that wille I not / sayd the knyghte / for hit wylle scathe me gretely / and now do yow none auaylle / syr sayd Balyn I pray yow make yow redy for ye must goo with me / or els I must fyghte with yow and brynge yow by force / and that were me loth to doo / wylle ye be my waraunt said the knyght and I goo with yow / ye saide Balyn or els I wylle deye therfore / And so he made hym redy to go with Balyn / and lefte the damoysel stylle / And as they were euen afore kynge Arthurs pauelione / there came one inuysybel and smote thys knyghte that wente with Balyn thorow oute the body wyth a spere / Allas sayd the knyght I am slayne vnder youre cōduyt with a knyght called Garlon / therfor take my hors that is better than yours and ryde to the damoysel and folowe the quest that I was in / as she wylle lede yow and reuenge my deth whan ye may / That shalle I doo sayd Balyn / and that I make vowe vnto knyghthode / and so he departed from thys knyghte with grete sorowe / Soo kyng Arthur lete berye thys knyght rychely / and made a mensyon on his tombe / how there was slayne Herlews le berbeus / and by whome the trechery was done the knyght garlon / But euer the damoysel bare the truncheon of the spere with her that syr Harlews was slayn with al
SO Balyn and the damoysel rode in to a forest / & ther met with a knyght that had ben on huntynge / and that knyght asked Balyn for what cause he made so grete sorowe / me lyst not to telle yow saide Balyn / Now saide the knyghte and I were armed as ye be I wolde fyghte wyth yow / that shold lytel nede sayd Balyn / I am not aferd to telle yow / and told hym alle the cause how it was A sayd the knyght is this al / Here I ensure yow by the feithe of my body neuer to departe from yow whyle my lyf lasteth / & soo they wente to the hostry and armed hem / and so rode forth with balyn / And as they came by an heremytage euen by a Chyrche yerd / ther cam the knyghte garlon invysybel and smote thys knyghte Peryn de mountebeliard thurgh the body with a spere / Allas saide the knyghte I am slayne by this traytoure
[leaf 46r] knyghte that rydeth Inuysyble / Allas said balyn it is not the fyrst despyte he hath done me / and there the heremyte and Balyn beryed the knyght vnder a ryche stone and a tombe royal And on the morne they fond letters of gold wryten / how syr Gaweyn shalle reuenge his faders deth kynge Lot / on the kynge Pellinore / Anone after this balyn and the damoysel rode tyl they came to a castel and there balyn alyghte / and he and the damoysel wende to goo in to the castel / and anone as balyn came within the castels yate the portecolys fylle doune at his bak / and there felle many men about the damoysel / and wold haue slayne her / whan balyn sawe that / he was sore agreued / for he myghte not helpe the damoysel / thanne he wente vp in to the toure and lepte ouer wallys in to the dyche / and hurte hym not / and anone he pulled oute his suerd and wold haue fouȝten with hem / and they all sayd nay they wold not fyghte with hym / for they dyd no thyng but thold custome of the castel / and told hym how her lady was seke / & had layne many yeres / and she myghte not be hole but yf she had a dysshe of syluer ful of blood of a clene mayde & a kynges doughter / and therfore the custome of this castel is / there shalle no damoysel passe this way but she shal blede of her blood in a syluer dysshe ful / wel said Balyn she shal blede as moche as she may blede / but I wille not lese the lyf of her whyles my lyf lasteth / & soo balyn made her to blede by her good will / but her blood halpe not the lady / and so he & she rested there al nyght / & had there ryght good chere / and on the morn they passed on their wayes / And as it telleth after in the sangraylle that syre Percyualis syster halpe that lady with her blood wherof she was dede
THenne they rode thre or foure dayes and neuer mette with aduenture / and by happe they were lodged with a gentyll man that was a ryche man and well at ease / And as they sat at her souper balyn herd ouer complayne greuously by hym in a chayer / what is this noyse said balen / forsothe said his hoost I wylle telle yow / I was but late att a Iustynge / and there I Iusted with a knyghte that is broder vnto kynge Pellam / and twyes smote I hym doune / & thenne
[leaf 46v] he promysed to quyte me on my best frynde / and so he wounded my sone that can not be hole tyll I haue of that knyghtes blood / and he rydeth alwey Inuysyble / but I knowe not his name / A sayd Balyn / I knowe that knyght / his name is Garlon / he hath slayne two knyghtes of myn in the same maner / therfor I had leuer mete with that knyght than alle the gold in this realme / for the despyte he hath done me / wel said his ooste I shalle telle yow kynge Pellam of lystyneyse hath made do crye in all this countrey a grete feest that shal be within these xx dayes / & no knyght may come ther but yf he brynge his wyf wyth hym / or his peramour / & that kynȝte youre enemy and myn ye shalle see that daye / Thenne I behote yow sayd Balyn parte of his blood to hele youre sone with alle / we wille be forward to morne sayd his oost / So on the morne they rode all thre toward Pellam / and they had xv dayes Iourney or they cam thyder / and that same day began the greete feeste / and soo they alyght and stabled theyr horses / and went in to the Castel / but balyns oost myght not be lete in by cause he had no lady / thenne Balyn was wel receyued & brought vnto a chamber and vnarmed hym / and there were brought hym robes to his pleasyr / and wold haue had Balen leue his swerd behynde hym / Nay sayd Balen that doo I not for it is the customme of my Countrey a knyghte alweyes to kepe his wepen with hym and that customme wylle I kepe / or els I wyll departe as I cam / thenne they gaf hym leue to were his swerd / and so he wente vnto the castel / and was sette amonge knyghtes of worship and his lady afore hym / Soone balyn asked a knyght / is ther not a knyghte in this court whos name is Garlon / yonder he goth sayd a knyght / he with the blak face / he is the merueyllest knyȝt that is now lyuyng for he destroyeth many good knyghtes / for he goth Inuysyble A wel said Balen is that he / thēne balyn auysed hym long yf I slee hym here I shall not scape / And yf I leue hym now perauentur I shalle neuer mete with hym ageyne at suche a steuen / and moche harme he wille doo and he lyue / Ther with this Garlon aspyed that this Balen behelde hym / and thenne he came and smote Balyn on the face with the bak of his hand / and sayd knyȝt why beholdest thow me so for shame
[leaf 47r] therfor ete thy mete and doo that thow cam for / Thow sayst sothe said Balyn / this is not the fyrst despyte that thow hast done me / and therfor I will doo that I cam for and rose vp fyersly and claue his hede to the sholders / gyue me the truncheon sayd Balyn to his lady where with he slewe your knyghte / anone she gaf it hym / for alwey she bare the troncheon with her And therwith Balyn smote hym thurgh the body / and sayd openly with that truncheon thow hast slayn a good knyghte / and now it stycketh in thy body / And thenne Balyn called vnto hym his hoost / sayenge / now may ye fetche blood ynough to hele your sone with all /
ANone all the knyghtes aroos from the tabyl for to set on Balyn / and kynge Pellam hym self aroos vp fyersly / & sayd knyȝt hast thow slayn my broder / thow shalt dye therfor or thou departe / wel said balen do it your self yis sayde kyng pellā / ther shall no mā haue ado with the / but my self for the loue of my broder / Thenne kyng Pellam cauȝt in his hand a grym wepen and smote egrely at balyn / but balyn put his swerd betwixe his hede and the stroke / and therwith his swerd brest in sonder / And whan balyn was wepenles he ranne in to a chamber for to seke somme wepen / and soo fro chamber to chamber / and no wepen he coude fynde / and alweyes kynge Pellam after hym / And at the last he entryd in to a chambyr that was merueillously wel dyȝte and rychely / and a bedde arayed with clothe of gold the rychest that myghte be thought / and one lyenge theryn / and therby stode a table of clene gold with four pelours of syluer / that bare vp the table / and vpon the table stood a merueillous spere straungely wrought / And whan balyn sawe that spere / he gat it in his hand and torned hym to kyng Pellam / and smote hym passyngly sore with that spere that kynge Pellam felle doune in a swoune / and therwith the castel roofe and wallys brake and fylle to the erthe / and balyn felle doune so that he myghte not stere foote nor hand / And so the moost parte of the castel that was falle doune thorugh that dolorous stroke laye vpon Pellam and balyn thre dayes
THenne Merlyn cam thyder and toke vp Balyn and gat hym a good hors for his was dede / and bad hym ryde oute of that countrey / I wold haue my damoysel sayd balyn / Loo sayd Merlyn where she lyeth dede & kynge Pellam lay so many yeres sore wounded / and myght neuer be hole tyl Galahad / the haute prynce heled hym in the quest of the Sangraille / for in that place was part of the blood of our lord Ihesu cryst that Ioseph of Armathe broughte in to this lond / and ther hym self lay in that ryche bed / And that was the same spere that Longeus smote oure lorde to the herte / and kynge Pellam was nyghe of Ioseph kynne / and that was the moost worshipful man that lyued in tho dayes / and grete pyte it was of his hurte / for thorow that stroke torned to grete dole tray and tene / Thenne departed Balyn from Merlyn and sayd in this world we mete neuer nomore / Soo he rode forth thorowe the fayr countreyes and Cytees & fond the peple dede slayne on euery syde / and alle that were on lyue cryed O balyn thow hast caused grete dommage in these cōtrayes for the dolorous stroke thow gauest vnto kynge Pellā thre countreyes are destroyed / and doubte not but the vengeaunce wil falle on the at the last / whanne Balyn was past tho contrayes he was passyng fayne / so he rode eyȝt dayes or he met with auenture / And at the last he came in to a fayr forest in a valey and was ware of a Toure / And there besyde he sawe a grete hors of werre tayed to a treee / and ther besyde satte a fayr knyght on the ground and made grete mornynge and he was a lykely man and a wel made / Balyn sayd God saue yow why be ye so heuy / telle me and I wylle amende it and I may to my power / Syr knyghte said he ageyne thow doest me grete gryef / for I was in mery thoughtes and now thou puttest me to more payne / Balyn wente a lytel from hym / & loked on his hors / thenne herd Balyn hym saye thus / a fair lady why haue ye broken my promyse / for thow promysest me to mete me here by none / and I maye curse the that euer ye gaf me this swerd / for with this swerd I slee my self / and pulled it oute / and therwith Balyn sterte vnto hym & took hym by the hand / lete goo my hand sayd the knyght or els I shal slee the / that shal not nede said balyn / for I shal promyse
[leaf 48r] yow my helpe to gete yow your lady / and ye wille telle me where she is / what is your name sayd the knyght / myn name is Balyn le saueage / A syr I knowe yow wel ynough ye are the knyght with the two swerdys and the man of moost prowesse of your handes lyuyng / what is your name sayd balen / my name is garnysshe of the mount a poure mans sone / But by my prowesse and hardynesse a duke hath maade me knyght / and gaf me landes / his name is duke Hermel / and his doughter is she that I loue and she me as I demed / hou fer is she hens sayd Balyn / but xj myle said the knyghte Now ryde we hens sayde these two knyghtes / so they rode more than a paas tyll that they cam to a fayr castel wel wallyd and dyched / I wylle in to the castel sayd Balen / and loke yf she be ther / Soo he wente in and serched fro chamber to chābir / and fond her bedde but she was not there / Thenne Balen loked in to a fayr litil gardyn / and vnder a laurel tre he sawe her lye vpon a quylt of grene samyte and a knyght in her armes fast halsynge eyther other and vnder their hedes grasse & herbes / whan Balen sawe her lye so with the fowlest knyghte that euer he sawe and she a fair lady / thenne Balyn wente thurgh alle the chambers ageyne and told the knyghte how he fond her as she had slepte fast / and so brought hym in the place there she lay fast slepynge
ANd whan Garnyssh beheld hir so lyeng for pure sorou his mouth and nose brast oute on bledynge and with his swerd he smote of bothe their hedes / and thenne he maade sorowe oute of mesure and sayd O Balyn / Moche sorow hast thow brought vnto me / for haddest thow not shewed me that syght I shold haue passed my sorow / forsoth said balyn I did it to this entent that it sholde better thy courage / and that ye myght see and knowe her falshede / and to cause yow to leue loue of suche a lady / god knoweth I dyd none other but as I wold ye dyd to me / Allas said garnysshe now is my sorou doubel that I may not endure / Now haue I slayne that I moost loued in al my lyf / and therwith sodenly he roofe hym self on his own swerd vnto the hyltys / when balen sawe that
[leaf 48v] he dressid hym thens ward / lest folke wold say he had slayne them / and so he rode forth / and within thre dayes he cam by a crosse / & theron were letters of gold wrytē that said / it is not for no knyght alone to ryde toward this Castel / thēne sawe he an old hore gentylman comyng toward hym that sayd Balyn le Saueage thow passyst thy bandes to come this waye / therfor torne ageyne and it will auaille the / and he vanysshed awey anone / and soo he herd an horne blowe as it had ben the dethe of a best / That blast said Balyn is blowen for me / For I am the pryse and yet am I not dede / anone with al he sawe an hondred ladyes and many knyghtes that welcommed hym with fayr semblaunt and made hym passyng good chere / vnto his syght and ledde hym in to the castel / and ther was daunsynge and mynstralsye and alle maner of Ioye / Thenne the chyef lady of the castel said / knyghte with the two suerdys ye must haue adoo and Iuste with a knyght hereby that kepeth an Iland / for ther may no man passe this way but he must Iuste or he passe / that is an vnhappy customme said Balyn that a knyght may not passe this wey / but yf he Iuste / ye shalle not haue adoo but with one knyghte sayd the lady / Wel sayd Balyn syn I shalle therto I am redy but traueillynge men are ofte wery and their horses to / but though my hors be wery / my hert is not wery / I wold be fayne ther my deth shold be / Syr said a knyght to Balyn / me thynketh your sheld is not good / I wille lene yew a byggar / therof I pray yow / and so he tooke the sheld that was vnknowen and lefte his owne and so rode vnto the Iland / and put hym and his hors in a grete boote / and whan he came on the other syde / he met with a damoysel / and she said / O knyght balyn why haue ye lefte your owne sheld / allas ye haue put your self in grete daunger / for by your sheld ye shold haue ben knowen / it is grete pyte of yow as euer was of knyght / for of thy prowesse & hardynes thou hast no felawe lyuynge / Me repenteth said balyn that euer I cam within this Countrey / but I maye not torne now ageyne for shame and what auenture shalle falle to me be it lyf or dethe I wille take the aduenture that shalle come to me & / thenne he loked on his armour / & vnderstood he was wel armed / and therwith blessid hym and mounted
[leaf 49r] vpon his hors
THenne afore hym he sawe come rydynge oute of a castel a knyght and his hors trapped all reed and hym self in the same colour / whan this knyghte in the reed beheld Balyn hym thought it shold bee his broder Balen by cause of his two swerdys / but by cause he knewe not his sheld he demed it was not he / And so they auentryd theyr speres & came merueillously fast to gyders / and they smote other in the sheldes / but theire speres and theire cours were soo bygge that it bare doune hors & man that they lay bothe in a swoun But balyn was brysed sore with the falle of his hors / for he was wery of trauaille / And Balan was the fyrst that rose on foote and drewe his swerd and wente toward Balyn / and he aroos and wente ageynst hym / But balan smote balyn fyrste / and he put vp his shelde and smote hym thorow the shelde and tamyd his helme / thenne Balyn smote hym ageyne with that vnhappy swerd and wel nyghe had fellyd his broder Balan / and so they fought ther to gyders tyl theyr brethes faylled / thenne Balyn loked vp to the castel and sawe the Towres stand ful of ladyes / Soo they went vnto bataille ageyne and wounded eueryche other dolefully / and thenne they brethed oftymes / and so wente vnto bataille that alle the place there as they fought was blood reed / And att that tyme ther was none of them bothe but they hadde eyther smyten other seuen grete woundes so that the lest of them myȝt haue ben the dethe of the myghtyest gyaunt in this world / Thenne they wente to batail ageyn so merueillously that doubte it was to here of that bataille for the grete blood shedynge And their hawberkes vnnailled that naked they were on euery syde / Atte last balan the yonger broder withdrewe hym a lytel & leid hym doune / Thenne said balyn le Saueage what knyghte arte thow / for or now I found neuer no knyȝt that matched me / my name is said he balan broder vnto the good knyght balyn / Allas sayd balyn that euer I shold see this day / and therwith he felle backward in a swoune / Thenne balan yede on al four feet and handes and put of the helme of his broder and myght not knowe hym by the vysage / it was so ful hewen and bledde / but whan he awoke he sayd O balan
[leaf 49v] my broder thow hast slayne me and I the / wherfore alle the wyde world shalle speke of vs bothe /
¶ Allas sayd Balan that euer I sawe this day that thorow myshap I myght not knowe yow / for I aspyed wel your two swerdys / but by cause ye had another shild I demed ye had ben another knyȝt Allas saide Balyn all that maade an vnhappy knyght in the castel / for he caused me to leue myn owne shelde to our bothes destruction / and yf I myȝt lyue I wold destroye that castel for ylle customes / that were wel done said Balan / For I had neuer grace to departe fro hem syn that I cam hyther / for here it happed me to slee a knyght that kepte this Iland / & syn myght I neuer departe / and nomore shold ye broder & ye myght haue slayne me as ye haue and escaped your self with the lyf / Ryght so cam the lady of the Toure with iiij knyghtes and vj ladyes and vj yomen vnto them and there she herd how they made her mone eyther to other and sayd we came bothe oute of one tombe that is to say one moders bely / And so shalle we lye bothe in one pytte / So Balan prayd the lady of her gentylnesse for his true seruyse / that she wold burye them bothe in that same place there the bataille was done / and she graunted hem with wepynge it shold be done rychely in the best maner / Now wille ye sende for a preest that we may receyue our sacrament and receyue the blessid body of our lord Ihesu cryst / ye said the lady it shalle be done / and so she sente for a preest and gaf hem her ryghtes / Now sayd balen whan we are buryed in one tombe and the mensyon made ouer vs / how ij bretheren slewe eche other / there wille neuer good knyght nor good man see our tombe but they wille pray for our soules / & so alle the ladyes and gentylwymen wepte for pyte / Thenne anone Balan dyed but Balyn dyed not tyl the mydnyghte after / and so were they buryed bothe / and the lady lete make a mensyon of Balan how he was ther slayne by his broders handes / but she knewe not balyns name /
IN the morne cam Merlyn and lete wryte balyns name on the tombe with letters of gold / that here lyeth balyn le Saueage that was the knyȝt with the two swerdes
[leaf 50r] and he that smote the dolorous stroke / Also Merlyn lete make there a bedde / that ther shold neuer man lye therin / but he wente oute of his wytte / yet Launcelot de lake fordyd that bed thorow his noblesse / and anone after Balyn was dede / merlyn toke his swerd / and toke of the pomel and set on an other pomel / so merlyn bad a knyght that stode afore hym handeld that swerd / and he assayed / and he myght not handle hit Thenne Merlyn lough / why laugh ye said the knyghte / this is the cause said Merlyn / ther shalle neuer man handle this suerd but the best knyght of the world / and that shalle be syr Launcelot or els Galahad his sone / and Launcelot with this suerd shalle slee the man that in the world he loued best that shalle be syr Gawayne / Alle this he lete wryte in the pomel of the swerd / Thenne Merlyn lete make a brydge of yron & of stele in to that Iland / and it was but half a foote brode / & there shalle neuer man passe that brydge nor haue hardynes to goo ouer / but yf he were a passyng good man and a good knyght withoute trechery or vylonye / Also the scaubard of Balyns swerd Merlyn lefte it on this syde of the Iland that galahad shold fynde it / Also merlyn lete make by his subtylyte that Balyns swerd was put in a marbel stone standyng vp ryght as grete as a mylle stone / and the stone houed al weyes aboue the water and dyd many yeres / and so by aduēture it swam doun the streme to the Cyte of Camelot that is in englysshe wynchestre / & that same day galahad the haute prynce came with kyng Arthur / and soo galahad broughte wyth hym the scaubard and encheued the swerde / that was there in the marbel stone / houynge vpon the water / And on whytsonday he encheued the swerd as it is reherced in the book of Sāc grayll / Soone after this was done Merlyn came to kyng Arthur and told hym of the dolorous stroke that Balyn gaf to kyng Pellam / and how Balyn and Balan foughte to gyders the merueillous batail that euer was herd of / and how they were buryed bothe in one Tombe / Allas said kyng Arthur / this is the grettest pyte that ouer I herd telle of two knyȝtes / for in the world I knowe not suche two knyghtes /