They buckled then together soe,
Like unto wilde boars rashing;
And with their swords and shields they ran,
At one another slashing.
The ground besprinkled was with bloode;
Tarquin he gan to yielde,
For he gave back for wearinesse,
And lowe did bear his shield.
This soone Sir Lancelot espyde,
He leapt upon him then,
He pulled him downe upon his knee,
And pushing off his helme;
Forthwith he struck his neck in two,
And when he had soe done;
From prison three score knights and foure
Delyvered everye one!"
This legend has been noticed by Hollingworth in his "Chronicles of Manchester," who, after quoting Chaucer respecting the state of the county when—
"In al that lond dursten non Christen rout,
Al Christen folk bin fled from the countrey;
Through Paynims that conquered al about,
The plagues of Northumbria by lond and see,"
gives in his own quaint manner the following particulars.
"It is said that Sir Tarquine, a stoute enemie of King Arthur, kept this castle (of Manchester) and neere to the fooarde in Medlock, about Mab-house, hung a bason on a tree, on which bason whosoever did strike, Sir Tarquine, or some of his companye, would come and fighte with him; and that Sir Lancelot de Lake, a Knight of King Arthure's Round Table, did beate upon the bason—foughte with Tarquine—killed him—possessed himselfe of the Castle—and loosed the prisoners. Whosoever thinketh it worth his pains to reade more of it may reade the history of King Arthur. It is certain that about A.D.
