King Arthur's Death.

'O Lukyn, Lukyn!' said the king,
'Twice hast thou dealt deceitfully:
Alack, whom may we ever trust,

When such a knight so false can be?

Say, wouldst thou have thy master dead,
All for a sword that wins thine eye?
Now go again, and throw it in,

Or here the one of us shall dye.'

The duke, all shent with this rebuke,
No aunswer made unto the king;
But to the river took the sword,

And threw it far as he could fling.

A hand and arm did meet the sword,
And flourishd three times in the air;
Then sunk benethe the renning streme,
And of the duke was seen no mair.*

In the romance of " Morte D'Arthur," as given by Mr. Ellis "Specimens of Early English Metrical Romances "- this incident is thus recorded: - The knight having at length thrown into the water the good sword Excalibar,

There came an hand, withouten rest,
Out of the water, and fair it hent,
And brandished as it should brast,
And sithe, as gleam away it went.

To the king again went he there,

And said,lief, sir, I saw a hand;
Out of the water it came all bare,

And thrice brandished that rich brand.'

Help me! soon were I thore!'

He led his lord unto the strand;

A rich ship with masts and oar,
Full of ladies there they fand.

The ladies, that were fair and free,
Courteously the king gan they fong ;
And one that brightest was of blee,
Weeped sore and handes wrung.

'Brother,' she said, ' woe is me,

From leeching hast thou been too long;

I wot that greatly grieveth me,

For thy painis are full strong.'