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

Book Twelve

¶ Capitulum primum /

ANd now leue we of a whyle of syr Ector and of syre Percyuale / and speke we of sir launcelot that suffred and endured many sharp shoures that euer ranne wylde wood from place to place and lyued by fruyt / and suche as he myght gete / and dranke water two yere / and other clothyng had he but lytel / but his sherte and his breche /

¶ Thus as sir laūcelot wandred here and there / he came in a fayre medowe where he fond a pauelione / and there by vpon a tree there henge a whyte shelde / and two swerdes henge there by and two speres lened there by a tree /

¶ And whanne syr launcelot sawe the swerdes / anone he lepte to the one swerd and tooke hit in his hand and drewe hit oute / And thenne he lasshed at the sheld that alle the medowe range of the dyntes / that he gaf suche a noyse as ten knyghtes had foughten to gyders / Thenne came forthe a dwerf and lepte vnto syr launcelot / and wold haue had the suerd oute of his hand / and thenne syre launcelot took hym by the bothe sholders and threwe hym to the ground vpon his neck that he had al moost broken his neck / and there with alle the dwerf cryed helpe / Thenne came forth a lykely knyghte and wel apparaylled in scarlet furred with myneuer / And anone as he sawe syr launcelot / he demed that he shold be oute of his wytte / And thenne he said with fayre speche good man leye doune that swerd / for as me semeth / thow haddest more nede of slepe and of warme clothes / than to welde that swerd / As for that said syr Launcelot come not to nyȝ for and thow doo wete thou wel I will slee the / And when

[leaf 297v] the knyghte of the pauelione sawe that he starte bakward within the pauelione / And thenne the dwerf armed hym lyghtely and soo the knyghte thought by force and myghte to take the swerd from syr launcelot / and soo he came steppynge oute / and whanne syr launcelot sawe hym come so alle armed with hys swerd in his hand / Thenne sire launcelot flewe to hym with suche a myghte and hytte hym vpon the helme suche a buffet / that the stroke troubled his braynes / and there with the suerd brak in thre / And the knyght felle to the erthe as he hadde ben dede / the blood brastynge oute of his mouthe / the nose / and the eres / And thenne syr launcelot ranne in to the pauelione and rasshed euen in to the warme bedde / and there was a lady in that bedde / and she gat her smock / and ranne oute of the pauelione / And whanne she sawe her lord lye at the ground lyke to be dede / thenne she cryed and wepte as she had ben madde / Thenne with her noyse the knyghte awaked oute of his swoun and loked vp wekely with his eyen / and thenne he asked her where was that madde man that had gyuen hym suche a buffet / for suche a buffet had I neuer of mans hand / Sir sayd the dwerf it is not worship to hurte hym for he is a man oute of his wytte / and doubte ye not he hath ben a man of grete worship / and for somme hertely sorow that he hath taken he is fallen madde / and me besemeth said the dwerfe he resembleth moche vnto sir Launcelot / for hym I sawe at the grete turnement besyde Loneȝep / Ihesu defende said that knyghte that euer that noble knyght syre Launcelot shold be in suche a plyte / but what someuer he be said that knyghte / harme wille I none doo hym / and this knyghtes name was Blyaunt / Thenne he said vnto dwerf / goo thow fast on horsbak vnto my broder syr Selyuaunt / that is at the Castel blank / & telle hym of myn aduenture / and bydde hym brynge with hym an hors lytter / and thenne wille we bere this knyghte vnto my Castel /

¶ Capitulum ij

SOo the dwerf rode fast / and he came ageyne / and broughte syr Selyuaunt with hym / and syxe men with

[leaf 298r] an hors lytter / and soo they took vp the fether bedde with syre launcelot / and soo caryed alle awey with hem vnto the Castel Blank / and he neuer awaked tyl he was within the Castel / And thenne they bounde his handes & his feet / and gafe hym good metes and good drynkes / and broughte hym ageyne to his strengthe and his fayrenesse / but in his wytte they coude not brynge hym ageyn / nor to knowe hym self / Thus was syr launcelot there more than a yere and a half honestly arayed and fayre farne with alle / Thenne vpon a day this Lord of that Castel syr Blyaunt took his armes on horsbak with a spere to seke aduentures / And as he rode in a forest ther met hym two knyghtes aduenturous / the one was Breuse saunce pyte / and his broder syr Bertelot / & these two ranne both attones vpon syr Blyaunt / and brake their speres vpon his body And thenne they drewe oute swerdes & made grete bataill / & fought long to gyders / But at the last syr Blyaunt was sore wounded / and felte hym self faynte / and thenne he fled on horsbak toward his castel / And as they cam hurlyng vnder the Castel where as sir launcelot lay in wyndowe / & sawe how two knyghtes layd vpon syr Blyaunt with their swerdes / And whanne sir launcelot sawe that yet as woode as he was he was sory for his lord syr Blyaunt / And thenne sir launcelot brake the chaynes fro his legges and of his armes / & in the brekyng he hurte his handes sore / & so sir launcelot ran out at a posterne / and there he mett with the two knyȝtes that chaced sir Blyaunt / & there he pulled doun sir Bertelot with his bare handes from his hors / & there with all he wrothe hys suerd out of his hand / & so he lepte vnto syr Bruse / & gaf hym suche a buffet vpon the hede that he tumbled bakward ouer his hors croupe / And whan sir Bertolet sawe there his broder haue suche a falle / he gat a spere in his hand / & wold haue ronne syr launcelot thurgh / that sawe sir Blyaunt / and strake of the hand of syr Bertelot / And thenne syr bruse and sir bertelot gat theyr horses and fled away / whan syre Selyuaunt came and sawe what syr launcelot had done for his brother / thenne he thanked god and so dyd his broder that euer they dyd hym ony good

¶ But whanne sire blyaunt sawe that syr launcelot was hurte with the brekyng

[leaf 298v] of his yrons / thēne was he heuy that euer bound hym / bynde hym no more said syr Selyuaunt / for he is happy & gracyous Thenne they made grete Ioye of syr launcelot / and they bound hym no more / & soo he abode there an half yere and more / and on the morne erly syr launcelot was ware where came a grete bore with many houndes nyghe hym / But the bore was so byg ther myghte no houndes tere hym / and the hunters came after blowyng their hornes bothe vpon horsbak & some vpon foote / & thenne sir launcelot was ware where one alyght and teyed his hors to a tree . and lened his spere ageynste the tree /

¶ Capitulum iij

SOo came syr launcelot and fonde the hors bounden tyl a tree / & a spere lenyng ageynst a tree / & a swerd teyed to the sadel bowe / & thenne sir launcelot lepte in to the sadel & gat that spere in his hand / & thenne he rode after the bore / & thenne syre laūcelot was ware where the bore set his ars to a tree by an hermytage / Thenne sir launcelot ranne atte bore with his spere / & ther with the bore torned hym nemly / & rafe out the longes & the hert of the hors so that launcelot felle to the erthe / & or euer sire launcelot myȝt gete from the hors / the bore rafe hym on the brawne of the thyȝ vp to the houghbone / and thenne sir launcelot was wrothe / & vp he gat vpon his feet / & drewe his swerd / & he smote of the bores hede at one stroke / & there with all came out the heremyte / & sawe hym haue suche a wound / thenne the heremyte came to sir launcelot and bemoned hym / and wold haue had hym home vnto his hermytage / but whan syr launcelot herd hym speke / he was so wroth with his wound that he ranne vpon the heremyte to haue slayne hym / & the heremyte ranne awey / & whan sir laūcelot myght not ouer gete hym / he threwe his swerd after hym / for syr launcelot myght tho no ferther for bledyng / thēne the heremyte torned ageyn / & asked sir launcelot how he was hurte / Felawe said sir launcelot this bore hath bete me sore / Thenne come with me said the heremyte and I shalle hele yow / Goo thy wey said sir launcelot and dele not with me / Thenne the heremyte ranne his way / and there he mette with a good knyghte

[leaf 299r] with many men / Sir said the heremyte / here is fast by my place the goodlyest man that euer I sawe / and he is sore wounded with a bore / & yet he hath slayne the bore / But wel I wote sayd the heremyte and he be not holpen that goodly man shall dye of that wounde / and that were grete pyte / Thenne that knyghte atte desyre of the heremyte gat a carte / and in that carte that knyghte putte the bore and sir launcelot / for sir laūcelot was soo feble that they myghte ryght easyly deale wyth hym / and soo syr launcelot was broughte vnto the hermytage and there the heremyte heled hym of his wound / But the heremyte myghte not fynde syr launcelots sustenaunce / and so he enpayred and waxed feble bothe of his body and of his wyt for the defaute of his sustenaunce / he waxed more wooder than he was afore hand / And thenne vpon a day syr launcelot ran his waye in to the forest / and by aduenture he came to the cyte of Corbyn where dame Elayne was that bare Galahalt syr Launcelots sone / and soo whan he was entryd in to the toun he ranne thurgh the Towne to the Castel / and thenne alle the yonge men of that Cyte ranne after sir Launcelot / and there they threwe turues at hym / and gaf hym many sadde strokes/ And euer as syre launcelot myghte ouer retche ony of them/ he threwe them soo that they wold neuer come in his handes no more / for of some he brake the legges & the armes / & so fledde in to the Castel / and thenne came oute knyghtes and squyers and rescowed syr launcelot / And whan they beheld hym / & loked vpon his person / they thought they sawe neuer so goodly a man / And whan they sawe so many woundes vpon hym alle they demed that he had ben a man of worship / And thenne they ordeyned hym clothes to his body / and strawe vndernethe hym / and a lytel hous / And thēne euery day they wold throwe hym mete / and sette hym drynke / but there was but fewe wold brynge hym mete to his handes

¶ Capitulum iiij

SO it befelle that kynge Pelles had a neuewe / his name was Castor / and so he desyred of the kyng to be made knyghte / & so atte request of this Castor the kynge

[leaf 299v] made hym knyghte at the feest of Candelmasse / And whanne syr Castor was made knyghte / that same day he gaf many gownes / And thenne sir Castor sente for the foole that was syr Launcelot / And when he was come afore syr Castor / he gaf sir Launcelot a Robe of scarlet and alle that longed vnto hym / And whanne syr launcelot was soo arayed lyke a knyghte he was the semelyest man in alle the Courte / and none so wel made / Soo whanne he sawe his tyme / he went in to the gardyn And there syre launcelot leid hym doune by a welle & slepte And soo at after none dame Elayne and her maydens came in to the gardyn to playe them / and as they romed vp & doun one of dame Elayns maydens aspyed where laye a goodely man by the welle slepynge / and anone shewed hym to dame Elayne / Pees said dame Elayne / and saye no word / & thenne she broughte dame Elayne where he laye / And whan that she beheld hym / anone she felle in remembraunce of hym / and knewe hym veryly for syr launcelot / and there with alle she felle on wepyng soo hertely / that she sanke euen to the erthe / & whanne she had thus wepte a grete whyle / thenne she aroos & called her maydens and said she was seke / And so she yede out of the gardyn / & she wente streyghte to her fader / & there she toke hym a parte by her self / and thenne she said O fader now haue I nede of your help / and but yf that ye helpe me / fare wel my good dayes for euer / What is that doughter said kyng Pelles / Sir she said thus is it in your gardyn / I went for to sporte / and there by the welle I fonde syr Launcelot du lake slepyng / I may not bileue that said kyng Pelles / syre she said truly he is there / & me semeth he shold be distracte oute of his witte / thenne hold yow stille said the kyng & lete me dele Thenne the kyng called to hym suche as he most trusted a / iiij / persons & dame Elayn his douȝter / and whan they cam to the welle and beheld syr launcelot / anone dame Brysen knewe hym / Sire saide dame Brysen we muste be wyse how we dele with hym / for this knyghte is oute of his mynde / & yf we awake hym rudely / what he wil doo we al knowe not / But ye shal abyde / and I shalle throwe suche an enchauntement vpon hym / that he shal not awake within the space of an houre / & so she dyd

¶ Thenne within a lytel whyle after the

[leaf 300r] kyng commaunded that all peple shold auoyde that none shold be in that way there as the kyng wold come / & soo whan this was done / these four men and these ladyes layd hand on syr launcelot / and soo they bare hym in to a Toure / and soo in to a chamber where was the holy vessel of the Sancgreal / and by force syr launcelot was leid by that holy vessel / and there came an holy man and vnhylled that vessel / and soo by myracle and by vertu of that holy vessel syr launcelot was heled and recouerd / And whanne that he was awaked / he groned and syghed and complayned gretely / that he was passynge sore

¶ Capitulum v

ANd whanne sir launcelot sawe kynge Pelles & Elayne / he waxed ashamed and said thus / O lord Ihesu how came I here / for goddes sake my lord lete me wete how that I came here / Sir said dame Elayne in to thys Countrey ye cam lyke a madde man clene oute of your wytte And here haue ye ben kepte as a foole / and no creature here knewe what ye were vntyl by fortune a mayden of myn broughte me vnto yow where as ye lay slepynge by a welle / and anone as I veryly beheld yow / I knewe yow / And thenne I told my fader / and so were ye broughte asore this holy vessel And by the vertu of it thus were ye helyd / O Ihesu mercy said sire launcelot yf this be sothe / how many there be that knowen of my woodenes / Soo god me help sayd Elayne no mo but my fader and I and dame Brysen / Now for Crystes loue said sir Launcelot kepe hit in counceylle / and lete noo man knowe hit in the world / for I am sore ashamed that I haue ben thus myscaryed / for I am bannysshed oute of the Countrey of Logrys for euer that is to for to saye the countrey of Englond/ And soo syr Launcelot lay more than a fourtenyghte or euer that he myghte stere for sorenes / And thenne vpon a day he sayd vnto dame Elayne these wordes / lady Elayne for your sake I haue had moche trauaill care and anguysshe / it nedeth not to reherse hit / ye knowe how / Not withstandyng I knowe wel I haue done foule to yow whan that I drewe my swerd to you to haue slayn you vpon the morn whan I had layn with yow And alle was the cause that ye & dame Brysen made me for

[leaf 300v] to lye by yow maulgre myn hede / and as ye saye that nyghte Galahalt your sone was begoten / that is trouthe sayd dame Elayne /

¶ Now wille ye for my loue said sire launcelot goo vnto your fader and gete me a place of hym wherin I maye dwelle / For in the Courte of kynge Arthur maye I neuer come / Syr said dame Elayne I will lyue and dye with yow / and only for your sake / and yf my lyf myghte not auaile you and my dethe myghte auaile yow / wete you wel I wold dye for your sake / and I wille go to my fader / and I am sure/ there is no thynge that I can desyre of hym but I shalle haue hit / And where ye be my lord syr Launcelot doubte ye not but I wille be with yow with alle the seruyse that I may do Soo forth with alle she wente to her fader / and said syre / my lord syr launcelot desyreth to be here by yow in some Castel of yours / wel doughter said the kynge sythe hit his desyre to abyde in these marches he shalle be in the Castel of Blyaunt / and there shalle ye be with hym and twenty of the fayrest ladyes that ben in this countrey / and they shalle alle be of the grete blood / and ye shalle haue ten knyghtes with yow / For doughter I wille that ye wete we alle ben honoured by the blood of sire launcelot

¶ Capitulum vj

THenne wente dame Elayne vnto syr Launcelot & told hym alle how her fader had deuysed for hym and her/ Thenne cam the knyȝt syr Castor that was neuewe vnto kyng Pelles vnto syr launcelot & asked hym what was his name Sir said syr launcelot my name is le cheualer malfet that is to say the knyȝt that hath trespaced / Sir said sir Castor it may wel be so / but euer me semeth your name shold be syr laūcelot du lake / for or now I haue sene yow / sir said launcelot ye are not as a gentyl knyȝt / I put caas my name were syr laūcelot/ & that it lyste me not to discouer my name / what shold it greue you here to kepe my counceyl / & ye not hurte ther by / but wete thou wel & euer it lye in my power I shal greue yow & that I promyse you truly / Thenne sir Castor kneled doune and besouȝt sir laūcelot of mercy / for I shal neuer vtter what ye be whyle ye be in these partyes / thenne sire launcelot pardonned hym /

¶ And thenne after this kynge Pelles with

[leaf 301r] x knyghtes / and dame Elayne / and twenty ladyes rode vnto the Castel of Blyaunt that stood in an Iland beclosed in yron with a fayr water depe and large /

¶ And whanne they were there / syr launcelot lete calle hit the Ioyous yle / & there was he called none other wyse / but Le cheualer malfet the knyghte that hath trespaced / Thenne sire Launcelot lete make hym a shelde alle of Sabel / and a quene crowned in the myddes alle of syluer / & a knyghte clene armed knelyng afore her and euery day ones for ony myrthes that alle the ladyes myȝt make hym / he wold ones euery day loke toward the realme of Logrys / where kynge Arthur and Quene Gueneuer was And thenne wold he falle vpon a wepyng as his hert shold to braste / Soo hit felle that tyme syr launcelot herd of a Iustynge fast by his Castel within thre leghes thenne he called vnto hym a dwerf and he badde hym goo vnto that Iustynge / and or euer the knyghtes departe loke thow make there a crye in herynge of alle knyghtes / that there is one knyghte in the Ioyous yle that is the Castel of Blyaunt / and saye his name is le cheualer malfet that wille Iuste ageynste knyghtes that wille come / And who that putteth that knyghte to the werse / shalle haue a fayr mayde and a Ierfaucon /

Capitulum Septimum /

SOo whanne this crye was made / vnto Ioyous yle drewe knyghtes to the nomber of fyue honderd / and wete ye wel there was neuer sene in Arthurs dayes one knyght that dyd soo moche dedes of armes as syre launcelot dyd thre dayes to gyders / For as the booke maketh truly mencyon / he had the better of all the fyue honderd knyghtes / and ther was not one slayne of them / And after that syr launcelot maade them alle a grete feest / and in the meane whyle came syr Percyual de galys & syr Ector de marys vnder that Castel / that was called the Ioyous yle / And as they beheld that gay castel / they wold haue gone to that Castel / but they myghte not for the brode water / and brydge coude they fynde none / Thenne they sawe on the other syde a lady with a sperhauk on her hād

[leaf 301v] and sir Percyual called vnto her / and asked that lady who was in that Castel / Fair knyghtes she said / here within thys castel is the fayrest lady in this land / and her name is Elayne / Also we haue in this Castel the fayrest knyghte and the myghtyest man that is I dar saye lyuynge / and he called hym self le cheualer mal fett / how came he in to these marches sayd syr Percyuale / Truly said the damoysel / he came in to this countrey lyke a madde man with dogges and boyes chacyng hym thorou the Cyte of Corbyn / and by the holy vessel of the Sanke greal he was broughte in to his wytte ageyne / but he wil not doo batail with noo knyghte / but by vndorne or by none/ And yf ye lyste to come in to the castel sayd the lady ye muste ryde vnto the ferther syde of the castel / and there shalle ye fynde a vessel that wille bere yow and your hors / Thenne they departed / and came vnto the vessel / And thenne syre Percyual alyghte / and sayd to sire Ector de marys / ye shalle abyde me here vntyl that I wete what maner a knyghte he is / For it were shame vnto vs in as moche as he is but one knyghte / & we shold both doo batail with hym / doo ye as ye lyste said sire Ector / and here I shalle abyde yow vntyl that I here of yow Thenne passed sire Percyuale the water / And whanne he cam to the Castel gate / he bad the porter goo thow to the good knyghte within the Castel / and telle hym / here is comen an erraūt knyghte to Iuste with hym / Sir said the porter ryde ye within the Castel / and there is a comyn place for Iustynge that lordes and ladyes maye behold yow / So anone as syr launcelot had warnynge / he was soone redy / and there syr Percyual and sir launcelot encountred with suche a myghte / and theire speres were soo rude that both the horses and the knyghtes felle to the erthe / Thenne they auoyded their horses / and flange oute noble swerdes / & hewe awey cantels of theire sheldes / & hurtled to gyder with their sheldes lyke two bores / and eyther wounded other passynge sore / At the last syr Percyual spake fyrst whanne they had foughten there more than two houres / Fair knyghte said syre Percyuale I requyre the telle me thy name for I mette neuer with suche a knyghte / Sir said syr launcelot my name is le cheueler mal fet / Now telle me youre name saide syre Launcelot I requyre yow gentyl knyghte

[leaf 302r] Truly said sire Percyual my name is syr Percyual de galis that was broder vnto the good knyghte syre Lamorak de galys / and kynge Pellenore was oure fader / and syre Agloual is my broder / Allas said sire launcelot what haue I done to fyghte with yow that art a knyghte of the table round / that somtyme was your felawe

¶ Capitulum viij

ANd there with alle syre launcelot kneled doune vpon his knees and threwe awey his sheld and his suerd from hym / Whanne sire Percyual sawe hym doo so / he merueyled what he mened / And thenne thus he said / syre knyghte what someuer thow be / I requyre the vpon the hyghe ordre of knyghthode telle me thy true name / Thenne he said so god me help my name is syre launcelot du lake kynge Bans sone of Benoy / Allas said syr Percyual what haue I done I was sente by the Quene for to seke yow / and soo I haue soughte yow nygh this two yere / and yonder is syre Ector de marys your broder abydeth me on the other syde of the yonder water/ Now for goddes sake said sire Percyual forgyue me myn offencys that I haue here done / hit is soone forgyuen said syre launcelot / Thenne syre Percyual sente for svr Ector de marys And whanne syr launcelot had a syghte of hym / he ranne vnto hym and took hym in his armes / and thēne syr Ector kneled doune / and eyther wepte vpon other that all had pyte to beholde them / Thenne came dame Elayne / and she there maade them grete chere as myghte lye in her power / and there she told syr Ector and syr Percyual how and in what manere sir launcelot came in to that countrey / And how he was heled / and there hit was knowen how longe syr launcelot was with syre Blyaunt and with syr Selyuaunt / and how he fyrste mette with them / and how he departed from them by cause of a bore / and how the heremyte heled syre launcelot of his grete woūd and how that he came to Corbyn /

¶ Capitulum ix

[leav 302v]

NOw leue we sire launcelot in the Ioyous yle with the lady dame Elayne and syr Percyual and sir Ector playenge with hem / and torne we to syr Bors de ganys and sire Lyonel that had soughte sire launcelot nygh by the space of two yere / and neuer coude they here of hym / & as they thus rode / by aduenture they cam to the hous of Brandegore / and there syr Bors was wel knowen / for he had geten a child vpon the kynges doughter fyten yere to forne / & his name was Helyn le blank / And whanne syre Bors sawe that child hit lyked hym passynge wel / And so tho knyghtes had good chere of the kynge Brandegore /

¶ And on the morne syre Bors came afore kynge Brandegore and said Here is my sone Helyn le blanck / that as it is sayd he is my sone / and sythe hit is soo / I wille that ye wete that I wil haue hym with me vnto the Courte of kynge Arthur / Sir sayd the kynge / ye maye wel take hym with you / but he is ouer tender of age / As for that sayd syre Bors I wille haue hym with me / and brynge hym to the hows of most worship of the world / Soo whanne syre Bors shold departe / there was made grete sorowe for the departynge of Helyn le blanck / and grete wepynge was there made / But sire Bors and syre Lyonel departed / And within a whyle they came to Camelot / where was kynge Arthur / And whanne kynge Arthur vnderstood that Helyn le blank was kynge Bors sone / and neuewe vnto kynge Brandegore / Thenne kynge Arthur lete hym make knyghte of the round table / and soo he preued a good knyght / and an aduenturous /

¶ Now wille we torne to our mater of sire launcelot / Hit befelle vpon a day syr Ector and syr Percyual cam to syr Launcelot and asked hym what he wold doo / and whether he wold goo with them vnto kynge Arthur or not / Nay sayd syr Laūcelot that may not be by no meane / for I was so venetreted at the Courte that I cast me neuer to come there more / Sir said syr Ector I am youre broder and ye are the man in the world that I loue moost / And yf I vnderstode that it were your disworship / ye may vnderstande I neuer counceyle yow ther to / but kynge Arthur and al his knyghtes / and in especial Quene Gueneuer maade suche dole and sorowe that hit was merueyle to here and see

[leaf 303r] And ye muste remembre the grete worship and renoume that ye be of / how that ye haue ben more spoken of than ony other knyghte that is now lyuynge / for there is none that bereth the name now but ye and syr Tristram / therfore broder sayd syre Ector make yow redy to ryde to the Courte with vs / and I dar say / there was neuer knyghte better welcome to the court than ye / and I wote wel and can make it good said syr Ector it hath coste my lady Quene twenty thowsand pound the sekynge of yow / wel broder said sire launcelot I wil doo after your counceil and ryde with yow / Soo thenne they took their horses and made them redy and took their leue at kyng Pelles and at dame Elayne / And whanne syre launcelot shold departe / dame Elayne made grete sorowe / My lord syr Launcelot said dame Elayne at this same feest of Pentecost shall your sone and myn Galahalt be made knyghte / for he is fully now xv wynter old / doo as ye lyst said sir Launcelot / god gyue hym grace to preue a good knyghte / As for that sayd dame Elayne I doubte not he shal preue the best man of his kyn excepte one / thenne shalle he be a man good ynough said syre launcelot /

¶ Capitulum x

THenne they departed / and within fyue dayes Iourney they came to Camelot / that is called in Englyssh wynchester / And whanne syre launcelot was come among them / the kynge and all the knyghtes made grete Ioye of hym And there syre Percyual de galys and sire Ector de marys beganne and told the hole aduentures that syre launcelot had ben oute of his mynde the tyme of his absence / and how he called hym self le cheueler malefet / the knyȝt that had trespaced And in thre dayes sir launcelot smote doun fyue honderd knyghtes / And euer as sire Ector and sire Percyual told these tales of syre launcelot quene Gueneuer wepte as she shold haue dyed / Thenne the quene made grete chere / O Ihesu sayd kynge Arthur I merueyle for what cause ye syre launcelot wente out of your mynde / I and many other deme it was for the loue of fayre Elayne the doughter of kynge Pelles / by

[leaf 303v] whome ye ar noysed that ye haue goten a child / & his name is Galahalt / and men saye / he shalle doo merueylles / My lord sayd syr launcelot yf I dyd ony foly / I haue that I fouȝt and there with alle the kynge spak no more / But all sire launcelots kynne knewe for whome he wente oute of his mynde/ And thenne there were grete feestes made and grete Ioye / & many grete lordes and ladyes whanne they herd that sir launcelot was come to the Courte ageyne they made grete ioye

¶ Capitulum xj

NOw wille we leue of this mater and speke we of sire Tristram / and of syr Palomydes that was the Sarasyn vncrystened / whanne syr Tristram was come home vnto Ioyous gard from his aduentures / Alle this whyle that syr launcelot was thus myst two yere and more / syre Tristram bare the renomme thurgh alle the realme of Logrys and many straunge aduentures befelle hym and ful wel and manly and worshipfully he broughte hem to an ende /

¶ So whanne he was come home la Beale Isoud told hym of the grete feest that shold be at Pentecost next folowyng / and there she told hym how sir launcelot had ben myst two yere / and al that whyle he had ben oute of his mynde / and how he was holpen by the holy vessel the Sancgreal / Allas said syr Tristram that caused some debate betwixe hym and Quene Gueneuer / Syr said dame Isoud I knowe hit all / for quene Gweneuer sente me a letter in the whiche she wrote me alle how hit was for to requyre yow to seke hym / and now blessid be god said la Beale Isoud he is hole and sound and come ageyne to the Courte / therof am I glad said syr Tristram and now shal ye and I make vs redy / for both ye and I wille be atte feest Sir said Isoud and hit please yow I wille not be there / for thorugh me ye be marked of many good knyghtes / and that caused yow to haue moche more labour for my sake than nedeth yow / Thenne wille I not be there said syr Tristram / but yf ye be there / god defende said la beale Isoud / for thenne shal I be spoken of shame amonge alle Quenes and ladyes

[leaf 304r] of estate / for ye that ar called one of the noblest knyghtes of the world / and ye a knyghte of the round table / how maye ye be myst at that feest / what shalle be said amonge all knyghtes See how sire Tristram hunteth and hawketh & coureth within a Castel with his lady / and forsaketh your worshyp / Allas shalle some say hit is pyte that euer he was made knyght or that euer he shold haue the loue of a lady / Also what shal Quenes and ladyes saye of me / hit is pyte that I haue my lyf that I wille holde soo noble a knyghte as ye ar from his worship / Soo god me help said syre Tristram vnto la Beale Isoud / hit is passynge wel sayd of yow and nobly counceyled / and now I well vnderstande that ye loue me / and lyke as ye haue counceyled me I wille doo a parte there after / But there shalle no man nor childe ryde with me / but my self And soo wille I ryde on tewesday next comyng and no more harneis of werre but my spere and my suerd /

¶ Capitulum xij

ANd soo whanne the daye came / syre Tristram toke his leue at la Beale Isoud / and she sente with hym / iiij knyghtes / and within half a myle he sente them ageyne / and within a myle after sir Tristram sawe afore hym where sir palomydes had stryken doune a knyghte / and al moost wounded hym to the dethe / Thenne syr Tristram repentyd hym / that he was not armed / and thenne he houed stylle / with that sir palomydes knewe syr Tristram and cryed on hygh / syr Tristram now be we mette / for or we departe / we wille redresse our old sores / As for that said sir Tristram there was yet neuer cristen man myghte make his boost that euer I fledde from hym / and wete ye wel syr Palomydes thow that arte a saresyn shal neuer make thy boost that syr Tristram de lyones shall flee from the / And there with syr Tristram made his hors to renne / and with all his myghte he came streyghte vpon syr Palomydes / & braste his spere vpon hym an honderd pyeces / And forth with alle sir Tristram drewe his swerd / And thenne he torned his hors & stroke at palomydes / vj / grete strokes vpon his helme / & thenne sir Palomydes stode stylle / and beheld syre Tristram / &

[leaf 304v] merueyled of his woodenes / and of his foly / And thenne sir palomydes sayd to hym self / and sir Tristram were armed / it were hard to seace hym of this bataille / and yf I torne ageyne and slee hym I am ashamed where someuer that I goo Thenne syr Tristram spake and said /

¶ Thow coward knyghte what castest thow to doo / why wolt thow not doo bataille with me / for haue thow noo doubte I shalle endure alle the malyce / A syr Tristram said Palomydes ful wel thou wotest I maye not fyghte with the for shame / for thow arte here naked and I am armed / And yf I slee the / dishonour shal be myn / and wel thow wotest said syr Palomydes to sir Tristram I knowe thy strengthe and thy hardynesse to endure ageynst a good knyghte / that is trouthe said syr Tristram I vnderstande they valyauntnesse wel / ye saye wel said syr Palomydes / Now I requyre yow telle me a question that I shalle saye to yow / Telle me what hit is said syr Tristram / and I shalle ansuer yow the trouthe as god me helpe / I putte caas said sir Palomydes that ye were armed at al ryȝtes as wel as I am / and I naked as ye be what wold ye doo to me now by your true knyghthode / A said syr Tristram now I vnderstande the wel syr Palomydes / for now must I say myn own Iugement / and as god me blysse that I shalle say / shal not be said for no fere that I haue of the / But this is all wete sir Palomydes / as at this tyme thou sholdest departe from me / for I wold not haue adoo with the / no more wil I said palomydes / & therfor ryde forth an thy way / as for that I maye chese said sir Tristram outher to ryde or to abyde / but sir Palomydes said sir Tristram I merueille of one thyng that thow that art soo good a knyghte that thow wolt not be crystened / & thy broder syr Safere hath ben Crystened many a daye

¶ Capitulum xiij

AS for that said sire Palomydes I may not yet be cristened / for one auowe that I haue made many yeres agone / how be it in my herte I bileue in Ihesu crist & his mylde moder mary / but I haue one batail to do / & when that is done I wil be baptysed with a good wille

¶ By my hede sayd Tristram as for one bataille thou shat not

[leaf 305r] seke it no lenger / For god defende said sir Tristram that thurȝ my defaute thou sholdest lenger lyue thus a sarasyn / for yonder is a knyghte that ye syre Palomydes haue hurte & smyten doune / Now helpe me that I were armed in his armour / and I shalle soone fulfylle thyne auowes / As ye wille said palomydes soo it shalle be / Soo they rode bothe vnto that knyghte that satte vpon a bank / and thenne sir Tristram salewed hym and he wekely salewed hym ageyne / Sir knyȝt said sir Tristram I requyre yow telle me your ryghte name / Sir he sayd my name is syr Galleron of Galway and knyghte of the table round / Soo god me help said sir Tristram I am ryghte heuy of your hurtes / but his is alle I must praye yow to lene me alle your hole armour / for ye see I am vnarmed / and I must doo batail with this knyght / syr said the hurte knyghte ye shalle haue hit with a good will / but ye muste beware for I warne yow that knyghte is wyghte / Syr sayd Galeron I praye yow telle me your name / and what is that knyghtes name þ^t hath beten me / Sir as for my name it is sir Tristram de lyones / and as for the knyghtes name that hath hurte you is syr Palomydes broder to the good knyghte syre Safere / & yet is syr Palomydes vncrystened / Allas said syr Galleron/ that is pyte that soo good a knyghte and soo noble a man of armes shold be vncrystened / Soo god me help said sir Tristram outher he shalle slee me or I hym / but that he shalle be crystened / or euer we departe in sonder / My lord syr Tristram said sir Galeron / your renoume and worship is wel knowen thorou many reames / and god saue yow this day from senshyp and shame / Thenne syr Tristram vnarmed Galeron / the whiche was a noble knyghte / and had done many dedes of armes / and he was a large knyghte of flesshe and boone / And whan he was vnarmed he stood vpon his feet / for he was brysed in the bak with a spere / yet soo as syr Galleron myghte he armed syr Tristram / And thenne syr Tristram mounted vpon his owne hors and in his hand he gat syr Gallerons spere / and there with al syr palomydes was redy / & soo they came hurtlynge to gyders / and eyther smote other in myddes of theyr sheldes / & there with al sir Palomydes spere brak / and syre Tristram smote doune the hors / and sir Palomydes as soone

[leaf 305v] as he myghte auoyde his hors / & dressid his sheld / & pulled oute his swerd / that sawe sir Tristram / & there with al he alyght and teyed his hors tyl a tree

¶ Capitulum xiiij

ANd thenne they came to gyders as two wyld bores / lasshynge to gyders tracyng and trauercyng as noble men / that ofte had ben wel proued in batail / but euer syr Palomydes dredde the myghte of syre Tristram / and therfor he suffred hym to brethe hym / thus they fought more than two houres / but often syr Tristram smote suche strokes at sir Palomydes that he made hym to knele / and syre Palomydes brake and cutte awey many pyeces of sir Tristrams shelde / & thenne sir Palomydes wounded sir Tristram for he was a wel fyghtynge man / Thenne sire Tristram was woode wrothe oute of mesure and rasshed vpon syr Palomydes with suche a myghte that sire Palomydes felle grouelynge to the erthe / & there with alle he lepte vp lyghtely vpon his feet / and thenne syre Tristram wounded Palomydes sore thurgh the sholder / & euer syr Tristram foughte stylle in lyke hard / and syr Palomydes fayled not but gaf hym many sadde strokes / And atte laste syr Tristram doubled his strokes / & by fortune syre Tristram smote syr Palomydes swerd oute of his hand / & yf sir Palomydes had stouped for his swerd he had ben slayne / Thenne Palomydes stode stylle and beheld his swerd with a sorouful herte / How now said syr Tristram vnto Palomydes / now haue I the at auauntage as thow haddest me this daye / but it shalle neuer be said in no Courte nor among good knyghtes that syr Tristram shalle slee ony knyghte that is wepenles / & therfor take thow thy swerd / & let vs make an ende of thys batail / As for to doo this batail sayd Palomydes I dar ryȝt wel ende hit / but I haue no grete luste to fyghte no more / and for this cause said Palomydes / Myn offence to yow is not soo grete / but that we may be frendes / Alle that I haue offended is and was for the loue of la Beale Isoud / And as for her/ I dar say she is pyerles aboue alle other ladyes / and also I

[leaf 306r] proferd her neuer no dishonour / and by her I haue geten the moost parte of my worship / and sythen I offended neuer as to her owne persone / And as for the offence that I haue done/ it was ageynste your owne persone / And for that offence ye haue gyuen me this day many sad strokes / and some I haue yeuen yow ageyne / and now I dar say I felte neuer man of your myghte / nor soo wel brethed / but yf hit were syr launcelot du lake / wherfor I requyre yow my lord / forgyue me alle that I haue offended vnto yow / And this same day haue me to the next chirche / and fyrst lete me be clene confessed / And after see yow now that I be truly baptysed / And thenne wil we alle ryde to gyders vnto the courte of Arthur that we be there at the hyhe feeste / Now take your hors said sir Tristram And as ye say / soo hit shal be / and alle thyn euylle wil god forgyue it yow and I doo / And here within this myle is the suffrecan of Carleil that shalle gyue yow the sacrament of baptym / Thenne they took their horses and sire Galleron rode wyth them /

¶ And whanne they cam to the suffrecan syre Tristram told hym their desyre / Thenne the suffrecan lete fylle a grete vessel with water / And whanne he had halowed hit / he thenne confessid clene syr Palomydes / and syr Tristram and sir galleron were his godfaders / And thenne soone after they departed rydynge toward Camelot / where kynge Arthur & Quene Gueneuer was / And for the moost party alle the knyghtes of the round table / And so the kynge and all the Court were glad that syre Palomydes was crystened / And at the same fesste in came Galahad and sat in the sege perillous/

¶ And soo there with alle departed and disseuered alle the knyghtes of the round table / and sire Tristram retorned ayene vnto Ioyous gard / and syr Palomydes folowed the questynge beest

¶ here endeth the second book of syr Tristram that was drawen oute of Frensshe in to Englysshe But here is no rehersal of the thyrd book /

¶ And here foloweth the noble tale of the Sancgreal that called is the hooly vessel and the sygnefycacyon of the blessid blood of our lord Ihesu Cryste / blessid mote it be / the whiche was brought in to

[leaf 306v] this land by Ioseph of Armathye / therfor on al synful souls blessid lord haue thou mercy

¶ Explicit liber xij / Et incipit Decimustercius