countenance; and these words said Walwain
the good: "So help me the same Lord, that formed the daylight, if ever
any of your men is so keen, that after us he pursue, I will him kill,
he shall be cut in pieces with my broad sword!" Even with the same
speech then called the emperor: "Hold them! hold! They all shall hang
upon high trees, or with horses be drawn in pieces!" Even with this
saying that the emperor said, the earls gan to ride, and spurred their
steeds; they shook in their hands spears exceeding long; bare their
broad shields before breast. Soon gan to ride the bold earls, and ever
the emperor loud gan to Call: "Seize them! slay them! They have us
disgraced!" There men might hear, who were there beside, thousands of
the people call: "Hither, hither, weapons! Go we after them! Hither
our shields; the men will escape!" Soon after them went weaponed
warriors; there six, there seven, there eight, there nine. And ever
the earls rode quickly, and ever awhile looked behind them; and ever
the knights of Rome quick after came.

And there came near a knight, riding swiftest of all, and ever he
called most keenly: "Turn again, knights, and defend you with fight!
It is to you much shame, that ye will fly." Walwain knew the shout of
the Romanish men; he turned his steed, and to him gan ride; and smote
him through with the spear, as if he were spitted, and drew to him the
spear--the man died soon--and these words said Walwain the keen:
"Knight, thou rodest too fast; better were it to thee (haddest thou
been) at Rome!" Marcel hight the knight, of noble lineage. When
Walwain saw that he fell to ground, soon his sword he out drew, and
smote from Marcel the head; and these words said Walwain the good:
"Marcel, go to hell, and there tell them tales, and dwell there for
ever, with Quencelin, thy companion; and hold there your
communing,--better it were to you in Rome; for thus we shall teach you
our British speech!"

Gerin saw how it fared, how that the Romanish lay there down; and
spurred his horse, and met another, and smote him throughout with his
spear, and these words spake: "Ride now so, Roman, and sink thee to
hell, and thus we shall sink you, if God will us help! Threat is worth
nought, unless there be deeds eke!" Beof saw, the brave man, how his
comrades had done; and turned his horse wondrously quick, and with all
his might advanced to a knight, and smote him above the shield, so
that his good burny burst, and through