The battle-axe, of which there are many kinds, was a knightly weapon, much used in the middle ages, as well in single combat as in battle.  “And also there was a younge bachelor, called Bertrande of Glesguyne, who duryng the seige, fought wyth an Englyshman, called Sir Nycholas Dagerne; and that batayle was takene thre courses wyth a speare, thre strokes wyth an axe, and thre wyth a dagger.  And eche of these knyghtes bare themselves so valyantly, that they departed fro the felde wythout any damage, and they were well regarded, bothe of theyme wythyn, and they wythout.”  This happened at the siege of Rennes, by the Duke of Lancaster, in 1357.—­Froissart, Vol.  I. c. 175.  With the same weapon Godfrey of Harcourt long defended himself, when surprised and defeated by the French.  “And Sir Godfraye’s men kepte no goode array, nor dyd nat as they had promysed; moost part of theyme fledde:  whan Sir Godfraye sawe that, he sayde to hymselfe, howe he had rather there be slayne than be taken by the Frenchmen; there he toke hys axe in hys handes, and set fast the one legge before the other, to stonde the more surely; for hys one legge was a lytell crooked, but he was strong in the armes.  Ther he fought valyantly and long:  none durste well abyde hys strokes; than two Frenchmen mounted on theyr horses, and ranne both with their speares at ones at hym, and so bare hym to the yerth:  than other, that were a-fote, came wyth theyr swerdes, and strake hym into the body, under his barneys, so that ther he was slayne.”—­Ibid, chap. 172.  The historian throws Sir Godfrey into a striking attitude of desperation.

  When Maitland saw his ain blude fa’,
  An angry man was he,—­P. 37, v. 1.

There is a saying, that a Scottishman fights best after seeing his own blood.  Camerarius has contrived to hitch this foolish proverb into a national compliment; for he quotes it as an instance of the persevering gallantry of his countrymen. “Si in pugna proprium effundi sanguinem vidissent, non statim prostrato animo concedebant, sed irato potius in hostes velut furentes omnibus viribus incurrebant.”

  That Edward once lay under me,
  And e’er gat up again.—­P. 37. v. 4.

Some reciters repeat it thus: 

  “That Englishman lay under me,”

which is in the true spirit of Blind Harry, who makes Wallace say,

  “I like better to see the southeron die,
  “Than gold or land, that they can gie to me.”

In slaying Edward, Maitland acts pitilessly, but not contrary to the laws of arms, which did not enjoin a knight to shew mercy to his antagonist, until he yielded him, “rescue or no rescue.”  Thus, the seigneur de Languerant came before the walls of an English garrison, in Gascony, and defied any of the defenders to run a course with a spear:  his challenge being accepted by Bertrand Courant, the governor of the place, they couched their spears,