IX. Sir Lancelot du Lake............................................................................................
This ballad is quoted in Shakspeare's second part ofHenry IV. act ii. The
subject of it is taken from the ancient romance of King Arthur (commonly called
Morte Arthur), being a poetical translation of Chap. cvii. cix. cx. in pt. 1st, as they
stand in ed. 1634, 4to. In the older editions the Chapters are differently numbered.
This song is given from a printed copy, corrected in part by folio MS.[1]
In the same play of2 Henry IV,.Silencehums a scrap of one of the old ballads of
Robin Hood. It is taken from the following stanza ofRobin Hood and the Pindar of
Wakefield.
All this beheard three wighty yeomen,
'Twas Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John:
With that they espy'd the jolly Pindàr
As he sate under a throne.
That ballad may be found on every stall, and therefore is not here reprinted.WHEN Arthur first in court began,
And was approved king,
By force of armes great victorys wanne,
And conquest home did bring;
Then into England straight he came
With fifty good and able
Knights, that resorted unto him,
And were of his round table:
And he had justs and turnaments,
Wherto were many prest,
Wherin some knights did far excel
And eke surmount the rest.
But one Sir Lancelot du Lake,
Who was approved well,
He for his deeds and feats of armes
All others did excell.
When he had rested him a while,
In play, and game, and sportt,
He said he wold goe prove himselfe
In some adventurous sort.
He armed rode in a forrest wide,
And met a damsell faire,
Who told him of adventures great,
Wherto he gave great eare.
"Why shold I not?" quoth Lancelott tho
"For that cause came I hither."
"Thou seemest," quoth shee, "a knight full good,
And I will bring thee thither.
"Wheras[2] a mighty knight doth dwell,
That now is of great fame: