[The Fifth Part.]

S i r Lybius and his ffaire May
rode fforth on their way
towards Sinadon
then as they rod in a throwe,
hornes heard they lowd blowe,
& hoinds of great game
the dwarffe said in tha t throwe,
" tha t horne I well know
many yeeres agone;

" Thatt horne bloweth S i r Ortes de lile,
That serued my Ladye a while
seemlye in her hall;
& when shee was taken w i th guile,
he ffled from tha t p er ill
west into worrall. "

but as they rode talking,
they saw a ratch runinge
ouerthwart the way
then said both old & young,
" ffrom the ffirst begining
they saw neuer none soe gay. "
hee was of all couloures
tha t men may see on flowers
betweene Midsum m er & May.
the Mayd sayd al soe soone,
" soe faire a ratch I neuer saw none,
nor pleasanter to my pay!

" wold to God tha t I him ought! "
S i r Lybius anon him caught,
& gaue him to maid Elen.
they rode fforth all rightes,
& told of ffighting w i th K nigh ts
ffor ladyes bright & sheene.
they had rydden but a while,
not the space of [a] Mile
into tha t fforrest greene;
then they saw a hind sterke,
& 2 grayhounds tha t were like
the ratch tha t I of meane.

the hunted still vnder the Lind
to see the course of tha t hind
vnder the fforrest side.
there beside dwelled tha t K nigh t
tha t S i r Otes de lile hight,
a man of much pride;
he was cladd all in Inde,
& ffast pursued after the hind
vpon a bay distere;
loude he gan his horne blow,
for the hunters shold itt know,
& know where he were

as he rode by tha t woode right,
there he saw tha t younge K nigh t
& alsoe tha t ffaire May;
they dwarffe rode by his side
S i r Otes bade they shold abyde,
they Ledd his ratch away:
" ffreinds, " he said, " why doe you soe?
let my ratch ffrom you goe;
good for you itt were.
I say to you w i thout Lye,
this ratch has beene my
all out this 7 yeere. "

S i r Lybius said anon tho,
" I tooke him w i th my hands 2,
& w i th me shall he abyde;
I gaue him to this maid hend
tha t w i th me dothe wend
riding by my side. "
then said S i r Otes de lile,
" thou puttest thee in great p er ill
to be slaine, if thou abide. "
S i r Lybius said in tha t while,
" I giue right nought of thy wile,
churle! tho thou chyde. "

then spake S i r Otes de lile,
& said, " thy words be vile!
churle was neuer my name!
I say to thee w i thout ffayle,
the countesse of Carlile
certes was my dame;
" & if I were armed now
as well as art thou,
wee wold ffight in-same
or thou my ratch ffrom me reue,
we wold play, ere itt were eue,
a wonderous strong game. "
S i r Lybius said al soe prest,
" goe fforth & doe thy best;
Thy ratch w i th mee shall wend. "
they rode on right west
througe a deepe fforrest,
then as the dwarffe them kend.

S i r Otes de lile in tha t stower
rode home into his Tower,
& ffor his ffreinds sent,
& told them anon-rights
how one of Arthurs K nigh ts
shamely had him shent,
& had his ratche away Inome.
then the sayd all and some,
tha t " theese shall soone be tane;
& neuer home shall hee come
tho he were as grim a groome
as euer was S i r Gawaine. "

they dight them to armes
w i th gleaues and gysarmes,
as they wold warr on take;
Knights and squiers
leapt on their disteres
ffor their Lords sake.

vpon a hill trulye
S i r Lybius they can espye,
ryding a well good pace
to him gan they loud crye,
& said, " thou shalt dye
ffor thy great trespas! "
S i r Lybius againe beheld
how ffull was the ffeild,
for many people there was;
he said to Maid Ellen,
" ffor this ratch I weene
to vs commeth a carefull case

" I rede tha t yee w i thdraw
yonder into the woods wawe,
yo u r heads for to hyde;
ffor here vpon this plaine,
tho I shold be slaine,
the battell I will abyde. "
into the fforrest the rode;
and S i r Lybius there abode
of him what may betyde.
then the smote at him w i th crossebowes,
w i th speare, & w i th bowes turkoys,
tha t made him wounds wyde.

S i r Lybius w i th his horsse ran,
& bare downe horsse and man;
ffor nothing wold he spare.
euery man said then
tha t hee was the ffeend Sathan
tha t wold mankind fforfare;

ffor he tha t S i r Lybius raught,
his death wound there he caught;
& smote them downe by-deene.
but anon he was besett,
as a ffish in a nett,
w i th groomes ffell and keene;

for 12 K nigh ts verelye
he saw come ryding redylye
in armes ffaire & bright;
all the day they had rest,
for the thought in the fforrest
to see S i r Lybius tha t Knight.
in a sweate they were all 12, —
one was the Lo rd himselfe
in they ryme to read right: —
they smote att him all att once,
ffor they thought to breake his bones
& ffell him downe in ffight.

ffast together can the ding;
& round they stroakes he gan fflinge
among them all in fere;
fforsooth w i thout Leasing
the sparkells out gan springe
of sheeld and harnesse cleere.
S i r Lybius slew of them 3,
& 4 away gan fflee
And wold not come him nere;
the Lo rd abode in tha t stoure,
& soe did his sonnes 4,
to sell their liues deere

then they gaue stroakes riue,
he one against them 5,
& ffought as they were wood,
nye downe they gan him bring;
as the water of a Spring
of him ran the bloode;
his sword brake by the hilte;
then was he neere spilt;
he was ffull madd of moode.
the Lo rd a stroake on him sett
through helme and Basnett,
in the skull itt stoode.

then in a swoone he lowted lowe;
he leaned on his saddle bow
as a man tha t was nye slake;
his 4 sonnes were all a bowne
ffor to p er ish his Acton,
double Maile and plate;
but as he gan to smart,
againe he plucked vp his hart,
as the Kinde of his estate;
& soone he hent in his ffist
an axe tha t hanged on his sadle crest
almost itt was too late.

then he ffought as a K nigh t;
their horsses ffell downe right,
he slew att stroakes 3.
& when the Lo rd saw the ffight,
of his horsse a-downe gan light,
away hee ffast gan fflee.
S i r Lybius noe longer abode,
but after him ffast he rode,
& vnder a chest of tree
there he had him killed;
but the L ord him yeelded
att his will ffor to bee,

& ffor to yeeld him his stent,
treasure, Land, and rent,
Castle, hall, & tower.
S i r Lybius consented therto
in fforward tha t he wold goe
vnto King Arthur,
& say, " Lord of great renowne!
in battell I am ouerthrowne;
& sent thee to honor. "
the Lo rd granted theretill,
ffor to doe all his will.
they went home to his tower,

& anon Maiden Ellen
w i th knights ffiueteene
was ffeitched into the Castle.
shee & the dwarffe by-deene
told of his deeds Keene,
& how tha t itt befell
that hee had p re sents 4
sent vnto K ing Arthur,
tha t he had woone ffull well.
the Lo rd was glad & blythe,
& thanked god often sithe,
& alsoe S t . Michall,

tha t such a noble Knight
shold ffor that Ladye ffight
tha t was soe ffaire and ffree.
in the towne dwelled a K nigh t:
att the ffull ffortnight
S i r Lybyus there gan bee,

& did heale him of his wounds
bothe hole and sound
by the 6 weekes end.
then S i r Lybius and his May
rode fforthe on their way,
to Sinadon to wend;
and alsoe the Lord of tha t tower
went vnto K ing Arthur,
& prisoner him did yeeld,
& told how a K nigh t younge
in ffighting had him woone,
& ouercome him in the ffeeld;

& said, " Lo rd of great renowne!
I am in battell brought a-downe
w i th a K nigh t soe bolde. "
K ing Arthur had good game,
& soe had they all in-same
tha t heard that tale soe told.