And thenne they dressyd hem on bothe partyes of the felde, & lete
their horses renne so fast that eyther smote other in the myddes of
the shelde, with their speres hede, that bothe hors and man wente
to the erthe. And thenne they sterte up bothe, and pulled oute
their swerdys, * * * And so they went egrely to the battaille, and
gaf many grete strokes, but alweyes Arthurs swerd bote[18] not like
Accolon's swerd. But for the most party euery stroke that Accolon
gaf he wounded sore Arthur, that it was merucylle he stode. And
alweyes his blood fylle from him fast. When Arthur behelde the
ground so sore bebledde he was desmayed, and thenne he demed
treason that his swerd was chaunged, for his swerd boote not
styl[19] as it was wont to do, therefore he dredde hym sore to be
dede, for euer hym seemed that the swerd in Accolons hand was
Excalibur, for at euery stroke that Accolon stroke he drewe blood
on Arthur. Now knyghte, said Accolon unto Arthur, kepe the wel from
me, but Arthur ansuered not ageyne, and gat hym suche a buffet on
the helme that he made hym to stoupe nygh fallynge doune to the
earthe. Thenne Sir Accolon with drewe hym a lytel, and cam on with
Excalibur on hyghe, and smote Syr Arthur suche a buffet that he
felle nyhe to the erthe. Thenne were they wroth bothe, and gaf eche
other many sore strokes, but alweyes Syr Arthur lost so muche blood
that it was merucille he stode on his feet, but he was so ful of
knighthode, that knyghtly he endured the payne. And Syr Accolon
lost not a dele of blood, therefore he waxed passynge lyghte, and
Syr Arthur was passynge feble, and wende veryly to have dyed, but
for al that he made countenaunce as though he myghte endure, and
helde Accolon as shorte as he myght. But Accolon was bolde by cause
of Excalibur that he waxed passynge hardy. * * * And therewith he
cam fyersly upon Arthur, and syre Arthur was wrothe for the blood
that he had lost, and smote Accolon on hyhe upon the helme soo
myztely that he made hym nyhe to falle to the erthe. And therewith
Arthurs swerd brast at the crosse and felle in the grasse amonge
the blood, and the pommel and the sure handels he helde in his
handes. When syr Arthur sawe that, he was in grete fere to dye, but
alweyes he helde vp his shelde and lost no ground nor bated no
chere. Thenne syre Accolon began