knighthode, that knyghtly he endured the payne. And Syr Accolon
lost not a dele of blood, therefore he waxed passynge lyghte, and
Syr Arthur was passynge feble, and wende veryly to have dyed, but
for al that he made countenaunce as though he myghte endure, and
helde Accolon as shorte as he myght. But Accolon was bolde by cause
of Excalibur that he waxed passynge hardy. * * * And therewith he
cam fyersly upon Arthur, and syre Arthur was wrothe for the blood
that he had lost, and smote Accolon on hyhe upon the helme soo
myztely that he made hym nyhe to falle to the erthe. And therewith
Arthurs swerd brast at the crosse and felle in the grasse amonge
the blood, and the pommel and the sure handels he helde in his
handes. When syr Arthur sawe that, he was in grete fere to dye, but
alweyes he helde vp his shelde and lost no ground nor bated no
chere. Thenne syre Accolon beganne with wordes of treason, and sayd
knyghte thow arte overcome, and mayste not endure, and also thow
arte wepenles, and thow hast loste moche of thy blood, and I am ful
lothe to slee the, therfor yelde the to me as recreaunt. Nay, saide
syre Arthur I maye not so, for I haue promysed to doo the bataille
to the vttermost by the feythe of my body whyle me lasteth the lyf,
and therfor I had leuer to dye with honour than to lyve with shame.
And yf it were possyble for me to dye an C tymes, I had leuer to
dye so ofte, than yelde me to the, for though I lacke wepen, I
shalle lacke no worship. And yf thou slee me wepenles that shalle
be thy shame. Wel, sayd Accolon, as for the shame I wyl not spare.
Now kepe the from me, for thow arte but a dede ma. And therwith
Accolon gaf hym suche a stroke that he felle nyghe to the erthe,
and wolde haue had Arthur to haue cryed hym mercy. But syre Arthur
pressed unto Accolon with his sheld and gaf hym with the pomel in
his hand suche a buffet that he wente thre strydes abak. * * * And
at the next stroke Syr Accolon stroke hym suche a stroke that by