Le Morte Darthur / by Syr Thomas Malory ; the original edition of William Caxton now reprinted and edited with an introduction and glossary by H. Oskar Sommer ; with an essay on Malory's prose style by Andrew Lang

¶ Capitulum lxij

REcommaundynge vnto kyng Arthur & to al his knyȝtes erraūt bisechyng them al that in so moche as I kyng Hermaūce kyng of the reed cyte thus am slayn by felony & treason thurȝ two knyghtes of myn own & of myn own bryngyng vp & of myn owne makyng that som worshipful knyȝt wil reuenge my deth / in so moche I haue ben euer to my power wel willyng vnto Arthurs court / & who that wil aduenture his lyf with these two traitours for my sake in one batail I kyng hermaūce kyng of the rede cyte frely gyue hym all my

[leaf 260v] landes and rentes that euer I welded in my lyf / This letter said Ebel I wrote by my lordes commaundement / and thenne he receyued his creatoure / and whan he was dede / he commanded me or euer he were cold to put that letter fast in his hand / And thenne he commaunded me to putte forthe that same vessel doune humber / and I shold gyue these maronners in commaundement neuer to stynte vntyl that they came vnto Logris where all the noble knyghtes shall assemble at this tyme / & there shalle somme good knyghte haue pyte on me to reuenge my dethe / for there was neuer kynge nor lord falslyer ne traitourlyer slayne than I am here to my dethe /

¶ Thus was the complaynte of our kyng Hermaūce / Now said sir Ebel ye knowe alle how our lord was bitrayed / we requyre you for goddes sake haue pyte vpon his dethe / and worshipfully reuenge his dethe / and thenne may ye weld alle thise landes / For we alle wete wel / that & ye may slee these two traytours the reed cyte and alle tho that ben therin will take you for their lord / Truly said sire Palomydes hit greueth my herte for to here you telle this doleful tale / and to saye the trouthe I sawe the same letter that ye speke of / and one of the best knyghtes on the erthe redde that letter to me / and by his commaundement I cam hydder to reuenge your Kynges deth / and therfor haue done / and lete me wete where I shall fynde tho traitours / for I shal neuer be at ease in my herte tyl I be in handes with them /

¶ Syr said sire Ebel thenne take your ship ageyne / and that shyp must brynge you vnto the delectable yle fast by the reed Cyte / and we in this castel shalle pray for yow / and abyde your ageyne comynge / for this same castel and ye spede wel must nedes be yours / for oure kyng Harmaunce lete make this castel for the loue of the two traytours / and so we kepte it with stronge hande / & therfore ful sore are we threted /

¶ wote ye what ye shal do said sir Palomydes what somme euer come of me / loke ye kepe wel this castel / for & it mysfortune me soo to be slayn in this quest / I am sure there wil come one of the best knyghtes of the world for to reuenge my deth / and that is sir Tristram de lyones or els sir Launcelot du lake

¶ Thenne sir Palomydes departed from that castel / And as he cam nyghe the Cyte / there cam out of a shyp a goodly knyȝt

[leaf 261r] armed ageynst hym with his shelde on his sholder / and his hand vpon his swerd / And anone as he came nyghe sir Palomydes he said sir knyghte what seke ye here / leue this queste for it is myn / and myn it was or euer it was yours / & therfor I wille haue hit / Syr knyght said Palomydes it may wel be that this quest was yours or it was myn / but when the letter was take oute of the dede kynges hand at that tyme by lykelyhode there was no knyght had vndertake to reuenge the deth of the kynge / And soo at that tyme I promysed to reuenge his dethe / And soo I shalle or els I am ashamed / ye say wel sayd the knyghte / but wete ye wel thenne wille I fyȝte with yow / and who be the better knyghte of vs bothe / lete hym take the bataille vpon hand / I assente me said sire Palomydes / & thenne they dressid their sheldes / and pulled out their swerdes and lasshed to gyder many sadde strokes as men of myghte / & this fyȝtyng was more than houre / but at the last sir Palomydes waxed bygge and better wynded / soo that thenne he smote that knyght suche a stroke / that he made hym to knele vpon his knees / Thenne that knyghte spak on hyghe / and sayd gentyll knyght hold thy hand / Syr Palomydes was goodely & withdrewe his hand / Thenne this knyght sayd wete ye wel knyȝt that thou arte better worthy to haue this bataille than I / and requyre the of knyghthode telle me thy name / Syr my name is Palomydes a knyghte of Kynge Arthurs and of the table round that hyder I came to reuenge the dethe of this dede kynge