He gryped hard the bloudie murdring launce,
And in a grone he left this mortel lyfe.
Behynde the erlie Fiscampe did advaunce,
Bethoghte to kill him with a stabbynge
knife;
But Egward, who perceevd his fowle intent,
445
Eftsoons his trustie swerde he forthwyth
drewe,
And thilke a cruel blowe to Fiscampe sent,
That soule and bodie’s bloude at
one gate flewe.
Thilk deeds do all deserve,
whose deeds so fowle
Will black theire earthlie
name, if not their soule. 450
When lo! an arrowe from Walleris honde,
Winged with fate and dethe daunced alonge;
And slewe the noble flower of Powyslonde,
Howel ap Jevah, who yclepd the stronge.
Whan he the first mischaunce received
han, 455
With horsemans haste he from the armie
rodde;
And did repaire unto the cunnynge manne,
Who sange a charme, that dyd it mickle
goode;
Then praid Seyncte Cuthbert,
and our holie Dame,
To blesse his labour, and
to heal the same. 460
Then drewe the arrowe, and the wounde
did seck,
And putt the teint of holie herbies on;
And putt a rowe of bloude-stones round
his neck;
And then did say; go, champyon, get agone.
And now was comynge Harrolde to defend,
465
And metten with Walleris cruel darte;
His sheelde of wolf-skinn did him not
attend,
The arrow peerced into his noble harte;
As some tall oke, hewn from
the mountayne hed,
Falls to the pleine; so fell
the warriour dede. 470
His countryman, brave Mervyn ap Teudor,
Who love of hym han from his country gone,
When he perceevd his friend lie in his
gore,
As furious as a mountayne wolf he ranne.
As ouphant faieries, whan the moone sheenes
bryghte, 475
In littel circles daunce upon the greene,
All living creatures flie far from their
syghte,
Ne by the race of destinie be seen;
For what he be that ouphant
faieries stryke,
Their soules will wander to
Kyng Offa’s dyke. 480
So from the face of Mervyn Tewdor brave
The Normans eftsoons fled awaie aghaste;
And lefte behynde their bowe and asenglave.
For fear of hym, in thilk a cowart haste.
His garb sufficient were to move affryghte;
485
A wolf skin girded round his myddle was;
A bear skyn, from Norwegians wan in fyghte,
Was tytend round his shoulders by the
claws:
So Hercules, ’tis sunge,
much like to him,
Upon his sholder wore a lyon’s
skin. 490