LXVI.
To Agramant and King Marsilius flew
The news, that one craved battle on the plain.
Serpentine stood by chance before the two,
And gained their leave to don his plate and chain,
And vowed to take that haughty man; the crew
Of people over wall and rampart strain;
Nor child nor elder was there, but he pressed
To see which champion should bestir him best.
LXVII.
In beauteous arms and costly surcoat drest,
Serpentine of the star to combat sped;
The ground he at the first encounter prest;
As if equipt with wings, his courser fled.
The damsel flew his charger to arrest,
And by the bridle to that paynim led,
Exclaiming; “Mount, and bid your monarch send
“A knight that better can with me contend.”
LXVIII.
The Moorish king, that on the rampart’s height
Stood, with a mighty following, next the plain,
Marking the joust, much marvelled at the sight
Of the foe’s courtesy to him of Spain[1].
“He takes him not, although he may of right,”
He cries i’ the hearing of the paynim train.
Serpentine comes, and, as the maid commands,
A better warrior of that king demands.
- ↑ Serpentine.
