Sir Lancelot Du Lake Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CDED FGDG HDFD DGIG GJGJ K J DCG AFA FGL GLML NGGG GJGJ GDG OP K FO AJFJ QGGG GAOA JGDG KGK GLG KFF HJG KHGH KFK HLG KHKH GGKG GKLR GKJK| When Arthur first in court began | A |
| And was approved king | B |
| By force of armes great victorys wonne | A |
| And conquest home did bring | B |
| - | |
| Then into England straight he came | C |
| With fifty good and able | D |
| Knights that resorted unto him | E |
| And were of the Round Table | D |
| - | |
| And many justs and turnaments | F |
| Whereto were many prest | G |
| Wherein some knights did farr excell | D |
| And eke surmount the rest | G |
| - | |
| But one Sir Lancelot du Lake | H |
| Who was approved well | D |
| He for his deeds and feates of armes | F |
| All others did excell | D |
| - | |
| When he had rested him a while | D |
| In play and game and sportt | G |
| He said he wold goe prove himselfe | I |
| In some adventurous sort | G |
| - | |
| He armed rode in forrest wide | G |
| And met a damsell faire | J |
| Who told him of adventures great | G |
| Whereto he gave good eare | J |
| - | |
| 'Why shold I not ' quoth Lancelott tho | K |
| 'For that cause came I hither ' | - |
| 'Thou seemst ' quoth she 'a knight full good ' | - |
| And I wll bring thee thither | J |
| - | |
| 'Wheras a mighty knight doth dwell | D |
| That now is of great fame | C |
| Therfore tell me what knight thou art | G |
| And what may be thy name ' | - |
| - | |
| 'My name is Lancelot du Lake ' | - |
| Quoth she 'It likes me than | A |
| Here dwelles a knight who never was | F |
| Yet matcht with any man | A |
| - | |
| 'Who has in prison threescore knights | F |
| And four that he did wound | G |
| Knights of King Arthurs court they be | L |
| And of his Table Round ' | - |
| - | |
| She brought him to a river side | G |
| And also to a tree | L |
| Whereon a copper bason hung | M |
| And many shields to see | L |
| - | |
| He struck soe hard the bason broke | N |
| And Tarquin soon he spyed | G |
| Who drove a horse before him fast | G |
| Whereon a knight lay tyed | G |
| - | |
| 'Sir Knight ' then sayd Sir Lancelott | G |
| 'Bring me that horse load hither | J |
| And lay him downe and let him rest | G |
| Weel try our force together | J |
| - | |
| 'For as I understand thou hast | G |
| Soe far as thou art able | D |
| Done great despite and shame unto | G |
| The knights of the Round Table ' | - |
| - | |
| 'If thou be of the Table Round ' | - |
| Quoth Tarquin speedilye | O |
| 'Both thee and all thy fellowship | P |
| I utterly defye ' | - |
| - | |
| 'That's over much ' quoth Lancelott tho | K |
| 'Defend thee by and by ' | - |
| They sett their speares unto their steeds | F |
| And each att other flye | O |
| - | |
| They coucht their speares their horses ran | A |
| As though there had been thunder | J |
| And strucke them each immidst their shields | F |
| Wherewith they broke in sunder | J |
| - | |
| Their horsses backes brake under them | Q |
| The knights were both astound | G |
| To avoyd their horsses they made great haste | G |
| And light upon the ground | G |
| - | |
| They tooke them to their shields full fast | G |
| Their swords they drew out than | A |
| With mighty strokes most eagerlye | O |
| Each at the other ran | A |
| - | |
| They wounded were and bled full sore | J |
| They both for breath did stand | G |
| And leaning on their swordes awhile | D |
| Quoth Tarquine 'Hold thy hand | G |
| - | |
| 'And tell to me what I shall aske ' | - |
| 'Say on ' quoth Lancelot tho | K |
| 'Thou art ' quoth Tarquine 'the best knight | G |
| That ever I did know | K |
| - | |
| 'And like a knight that I did hate | G |
| Soe that thou be not hee | L |
| I will deliver all the rest | G |
| And eke accord with thee ' | - |
| - | |
| 'That is well sayd ' quoth Lancelott tho | K |
| 'But with it must be soe | F |
| What knight is that thou hatest thus | F |
| I pray thee to me show ' | - |
| - | |
| 'His name is Lancelot du Lake | H |
| He slew my brother deere | J |
| Him I suspect of all the rest | G |
| I would I had him here ' | - |
| - | |
| 'Thy wish thou hast but yet unknowne | K |
| I am Lancelot du Lake | H |
| Now knight of Arthurs Table Round | G |
| King Hauds son of Schuwake | H |
| - | |
| 'And I desire thee do thy worst ' | - |
| 'Ho ho ' quoth Tarquin tho | K |
| 'One of us two shall end our lives | F |
| Before that we do go | K |
| - | |
| 'If thou be Lancelot du Lake | H |
| Then welcome shalt thou bee | L |
| Wherfore see thou thyself defend | G |
| For now defye I thee ' | - |
| - | |
| They buckled then together so | K |
| Like unto wild boares rashing | H |
| And with their swords and shields they ran | K |
| At one another slashing | H |
| - | |
| The ground besprinkled was with blood | G |
| Tarquin began to yield | G |
| For he gaveb acke for wearinesse | K |
| And lowe did beare his shield | G |
| - | |
| This soone Sir Lancelot espyde | G |
| He leapt upon him then | K |
| He pull'd him downe upon his knee | L |
| And rushing off his helm | R |
| - | |
| Forthwith he strucke his necke in two | G |
| And when he had soe done | K |
| From prison threescore knights and four | J |
| Delivered everye one | K |
Anonymous Olde English
(1)
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