The two men fell upon Sir Byron, who charged to the fray with all the rage that his heart could hold. In the first, he was grievously sore after one of the men struck him on the shoulder with a truncheon and nearly made him drop his sword. But he gathered his courage and struck that man dumb with the hilt of his sword, and the man’s skull split and he fell, bleeding and out of his wits.

Tis dishonorable to fall on one man with two, and more that I am a man falsely accused, Sir Byron said unto Luniver’s husband, who said: Didst thou lay with my wife?

I did, said Sir Byron, and they came together again with their steel. Luniver’s husband proved fair with a blade, and they fought long past noon, until both men bled and were weary from battle and they fell away from one another.

Sir Byron said unto the other: Sir, I know now that I may lose my life at thy hands, for thou art a doughty fighter, and I fear myself out-matched. I am Sir Byron, who art thou?

Sir Morley the Mountain, he said.

And raised his sword.