``Aballad，aballad，’’saidthehermit，``againstallthe_ocs_and_ouis_ofFrance。DownrightEnglishamI，SirKnight，anddownrightEnglishwasmypatronStDunstan，andscorned_oc_and_oui_，ashewouldhavescornedtheparingsofthedevil’shoof——downrightEnglishaloneshallbesunginthiscell。’’
``Iwillassay，then，’’saidtheknight，``aballadcomposedbyaSaxonglee-man，whomIknewinHolyLand。’’
Itspeedilyappeared，thatiftheknightwasnotacompletemasteroftheminstrelart，histasteforithadatleastbeencultivatedunderthebestinstructors。
Arthadtaughthimtosoftenthefaultsofavoicewhichhadlittlecompass，andwasnaturallyroughratherthanmellow，and，inshort，haddoneallthatculturecandoinsupplyingnaturaldeficiencies。
Hisperformance，therefore，mighthavebeentermedveryrespectablebyablerjudgesthanthehermit，especiallyastheknightthrewintothenotesnowadegreeofspirit，andnowofplaintiveenthusiasm，whichgaveforceandenergytotheverseswhichhesung。