that me forthinketh for to grieve King Arthur, or any of his
court; and your quarrel is full simple, said Balin, unto me, for
the lady that is dead, did me great damage, and else would I have
been loath as any knight that liveth for to slay a lady. Make
you ready, said the knight Lanceor, and dress you unto me, for
that one shall abide in the field. Then they took their spears,
and came together as much as their horses might drive, and the
Irish knight smote Balin on the shield, that all went shivers off
his spear, and Balin hit him through the shield, and the hauberk
perished, and so pierced through his body and the horse's croup,
and anon turned his horse fiercely, and drew out his sword, and
wist not that he had slain him; and then he saw him lie as a dead
corpse.



<57>
CHAPTER VI

How a damosel, which was love to Lanceor, slew herself
for love, and how Balin met with his brother Balan.

THEN he looked by him, and was ware of a damosel that came riding
full fast as the horse might ride, on a fair palfrey. And when
she espied that Lanceor was slain, she made sorrow out of
measure, and said, O Balin, two bodies thou hast slain and one
heart, and two hearts in one body, and two souls thou hast lost.
And therewith she took the sword from her love that lay dead, and
fell to the ground in a swoon. And when she arose she made great
dole out of measure, the which sorrow grieved Balin passingly