And Briton fields with Sarazin blood bedyed,

So shaked he that horror was to hear, For as the clashing of an armor bright

9

He so disseizèds of his griping gross," The Knight his thrillant1 spear again assayed

In his brass-plated body to emboss,11 And three men's strength unto the stroke he laid;

Wherewith the stiff beam quaked, as afraid,

And, glancing from his scaly neck, did glide

Close under his left wing; then, broad displayed,

The piercing steel there wrought a wound full wide,

That with the úncouth12 smart the monster loudly cried.

2

• Wild.

5

Proper might.

Great grasping-i. e., great object grasped. 10 Piercing, sharp. 11 Lodge.

12 Strange.

14 Hinge.

▾ Bear aloft.

13 As if.

And quite asunder broke: forth flowèd

fresh

A gushing river of black gory blood,

Yet so extremely did the buff him quell That from thenceforth he shunned the like to take,

plyes,1

That to the ground he is perforce constrained

To throw his rider, who can quickly rise From off the earth, with dirty blood distained,

For that reproachful fall right foully he disdained;

found.

Then, full of grief and anguish vehement,
He loudly brayed that like was never heard,
And from his wide devouring oven sent
A flake of fire, that, flashing in his beard,
Him all amazed, and almost made afeard;
The scorching flame sore singed all his face,
And through his armor all his body seared,"
That he could not endure so cruel case,