MORTE D'ARTHUR.

So all day long the noise of battle roll'd
Among the mountains by the winter sea;
Until King Arthur's table, man by man,
Had fallen in Lyonnesse about their Lord,
King Arthur: then, because his wound
was deep,

The bold Sir Bedivere uplifted him,
Sir Bedivere, the last of all his knights,
And bore him to a chapel nigh the field,
A broken chancel with a broken cross,
That stood on a dark strait of barren land.
On one side lay the Ocean, and on one
Lay a great water, and the moon was
full.

Then spake King Arthur to Sir
Bedivere:

'The sequel of to-day unsolders all The goodliest fellowship of famous knights

Whereof this world holds record. Such

And fling him far into the middle mere: Watch what thou seëst, and lightly bring me word.'

To him replied the bold Sir Bedivere : 'It is not meet, Sir King, to leave thee thus,

Aidless, alone, and smitten thro' the helm. A little thing may harm a wounded man. Yet I thy hest will all perform at full, Watch what I see, and lightly bring thee word.'

So saying, from the ruin'd shrine he stept

And in the moon athwart the place of tombs,

Where lay the mighty bones of ancient