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 Sixteen: sir Gawayne

¶ Capitulum primum

WHanne sire Gawayne was departed from his his felaushyp / he rode long withoute ony aduenture / For he fond not the tenth parte of aduenture as he was wonte to doo / For syre Gawayn rode from whytsontyde vntyl Mychelmasse And fonde none aduenture that pleasyd hym / Soo on a daye it befelle Gawayne mette with sir Ector de marys / and eyther made grete Ioye of other / that it were merueylle to telle / And soo they told eueryche other and complayned them gretely that they coude fynde none aduenture /

¶ Truly sayd fyre Gawayne vnto syre Ector I am nyghe wery of this quest / and loth I am to folowe further in straūge

[leaf 333r] Countreyes / one thynge merueilled me sayd syre Ector I haue mette with twenty knyghtes felawes of myn / and al they complayne as I doo / I haue merueille said syr Gawayne where that syr launcelot your broder is / Truly said sire Ector I can not here of hym nor of syr Galahad / Percyuale nor syr Bors / lete hem be sayd syre Gawayne / for they foure haue no pyeres / And yf one thyng were not in syr launcelot / he had no felawe of none erthely man / but he is as we be / but yf he took more payne vpon hym / But and these four be mette to gyders / they wille be lothe that ony man mete with hem / for and they fayle of the Sancgreal / hit is in waste of alle the remenaunt to recouer hit / Thus as Ector and Gawayne rode more than eyghte dayes / And on a saterday they fond an old chappel the whiche was wasted that there semed no man thyder repayred / and there they alyghte / and sette their speres att the dore / and in they entryd in to the chappel / and there made their orysons a grete whyle / And thenne sette hem doune in the seges of the chappel / And as they spak of one thyng and other / for heuynes they felle on slepe / and there befelle hem both merueyllous aduentures / Sir Gawayn hym semed he cam in to a medowe ful of herbes and floures / And there he sawe a rake of bulles an honderd and fyfty that were prowd & blak sauf thre of hem were al whyte and one had a blak spot / and the other two were soo fayre and soo whyte that they myght be no whyter / And these thre bulles whiche were soo fayre were teyed with two stronge cordes / And the remenaunt of the bulles sayd among hem goo we hens to seke better pasture / and so some wente / and some came ageyne / but they were so lene that they myghte not stande vp ryghte / and of the bulles that were soo whyte that one came ageyne and no mo / But whan this whyte bulle was come ageyne amonge these other / there rose vp a grete crye for lack of wynde þ^t fayled them / And so they departed one here and another there / this aduyson befelle Gawayne that nyght

¶ Capitulum Secundum

[leaf 333v]

BVt to Ector de marys befelle another vysyon the contrary / For hit semed hym that his broder syre launcelot and he alyghte oute of a chayer and lepte vpon ij horses / and the one sayde to the other go we seke that we shal not fynde / and hym thoughte that a man bete syr launcelot / and despoylled hym / and clothe hym in another aray the whiche was al ful of knottes / and sette hym vpon an asse / and so he rode tylle he cam to the fayrest welle that euer he sawe / and syre Laūcelot alyghte and wold haue dronke of that welle / And whan he stouped to drynke of the water the water sanke from hym /

¶ And whanne syre launcelot sawe that he torned and wente thyder as the hede come fro / And in the meane whyle he trowed that hym self and syr Ector rode tyl that they cam to a ryche mans hows where there was a weddynge / And there he sawe a kynge / the whiche sayd syr knyghte here is no place for yow / and thenne he torned ageyne vnto the chayer that he came fro / Thus within a whyle bothe Gawayne and Ector awaked / and eyther told other of their aduysyon / the whiche merueylled them gretely / Truly sayd Ector I shalle neuer be mery tyl I here tydynges of my broder launcelot /

¶ Now as they sat thus talkyng they sawe an hand sheuyng vnto the elbowe / and was couerd with reed Samyte / And vpon that henge a brydel not ryght ryche / and helde within the fyst a grete candel whiche brenned ryght clere / and soo passed afore them / and entryd in to the chappel / and thēne vanysshed awey and they wyst not where / And anone came doune a voyse whiche sayd knyghtes ful euylle feyth and of poure byleue these two thynges haue fayled yow / and therfor ye may not come to the aduentures of the sancgreal / Thenne fyrst spak Gawayne and sayd Ector haue ye herd these wordes / ye truly said sir Ector I herd alle / Now goo we sayd syre Ector vnto some heremyte that wille telle vs of our aduysyon / for hit semeth me we labour alle in vayne / and soo they departed and rode in to a valeye and there mette with a squyer whiche rode on an hakney / and they salewed hym fayre / Sire sayd Gawayne can thou teche vs to ony heremyte / Here is one in a lytel montayne / but hit is soo rough there may no hors go thyder / and therfore ye muste goo vpon foote / there shalle ye fynde

[leaf 334r] a poure hows / and there is nacyen the heremyte which is the holyest man in this countrey / and so they departed eyther from other / And thenne in a valey they mette with a knyghte al armed whiche profered hem to Iuste as fer as he sawe them / In the name of god sayd syr Gawayne / sythe I departed from camelot / there was none profered me to Iuste but ones / and now Sir said Ector lete me Iuste with hym / Nay sayd Gawayne ye shalle not / but yf I be bete / hit shalle not forthynke me thenne yf ye goo after me / And thenne eyther enbraced other to Iuste and came to gyders as fast as their horses myghte renne / and brast their sheldes and the mayles / and the one more than the other / and Gawayne was wounded in the lyfte syde / but the other knyghte was smyten thorou the brest / and the spere cam oute on the other syde / and soo they felle bothe oute of their sadels / and in the fallynge they brak bothe their speres / Anone Gawayne aroos and sette his hand to his suerd / and caste his sheld afore hym / But alle for nought was it / for the knyght had no power to aryse ageyne hym / Thenne said gawayne ye must yelde you as an ouercome mā / or els I may slee you / A sir knyghte sayd he I am but dede / for goddes sake and of your gentilnes lede me here vnto an Abbay that I may receyue my creatour / Syre sayd Gawayne I knowe no hows of relygyon here by / Syr sayd the knyghte sette me on an hors to fore yow / and I shalle teche yow / Gawayne sette hym vp in the sadel / and he lepte vp behynde hym for to sustene hym / and soo came to an Abbay where they were wel receyued / and anone he was vnarmed / and receyued his creatour / Thenne he prayd Gawayne to drawe out the truncheon of the spere oute of his body / Thenne Gawayne asked hym what he was that knewe hym not / I am sayd he of kynge Arthurs courte / & was a felawe of the round table / and we were bretheren sworne to gyders / and now syr Gawayne thow hast slayne me / and my name is Vwayne les auoultres that somtyme was sone vnto kynge Vryens / and was in the quest of the Sancgreal / & now forgyue it the god / for hit shal euer be sayd that the one sworn broder hath slayn thotherr /

[leaf 334v]

¶ Capitulum Tercium

ALlas sayd Gawayne that euer this mysauenture is befallen me / No force sayd Vwayne sythe I shalle dye this deth / of a moche more worshypfuller mans hand myghte I not dye / but whanne ye come to the Court / recommaunde me vnto my lord kynge Arthur and alle tho that ben lefte on lyue / and for old brotherhode thynke on me / Thenne beganne Gawayne to wepe and Ector also / And thenne Vwayne hym self and syre Gawayne drewe oute the truncheon of the spere / and anone departed the soule from the body / Thēne sir Gawayne and sir Ector beryed hym as men oughte to berye a kynges sone / and made wryten vpon his name / & by whome he was slayne / Thenne departed Gawayne and Ector as heuy as they myghte for their mysauentur / and so rode til that they came to te rouȝ montayne / and there they teyed their horses and wente on foote to the heremytage / And whanne they were come vp / they sawe a poure hows / & besyde the chappel a lytyl courtelage / where Nacyen the heremyte gadred wortes as he whiche had tasted none other mete of a grete whyle And whanne he sawe the erraunt knyghtes / he came toward them and salewed them / and they hym ageyne / Faire lordes said he what aduentur brought yow hyther / Syr said Gawayn to speke with yow for to be confessid / Sir said the heremyte I am redy / thenne they told hym soo moche that he wyst well what they were / And thenne he thoughte to counceylle hem yf he myght / Thenne began gawayne fyrst & told hym of his aduysyon that he had in the Chappel / and Ector told hym alle as it is afore reherced / Sir said the heremyte vnto sir Gawayne the fayr medowe and the rak therin ought to be vnderstande the round table / and by the medowe oughte to be vnderstande humylyte and pacyence / tho ben the thynges whiche ben alweyes grene and quyck / for men maye no tyme ouercome humylyte and pacyence / therfor was the round table foūden and the Chyualry hath ben at alle tymes / soo by the fraternyte whiche was there that she myght not be ouercomen / For men sayd she was founded in pacyence and in humylyte at the

[leaf 335r] Rake ete an honderd and fyfty bulles / but they ete not in the medowe / for their hertes shold be sette in humylyte and pacyence / and the bulles were prowde and blak sauf only thre By the bulles is to vnderstande the felaushyp of the round table whiche for their synne and their wyckednes ben black / Blaknes is to saye withoute good or vertuous werkes / and the thre bulles which were whyte sauf only one that was spotted / The two whyte bitokenen syr Galahad and sir percyual for they be maydens clene and withoute spotte / And the thyrd that had a spot sygnefyeth syr Bors de ganys / which trespaced but ones in his vyrgynyte / but sythen he kept hym self so wel in chastyte that alle is forgyuen hym and his mysdedes And why tho thre were teyed by the neckes / they be thre knyghtes in vyrgynyte and chastyte / and there is no pryde smyten in them / And the blak bulles whiche sayd goo we hens / they were tho whiche at Pentecost atte the hyhe feest took vpon hem to goo in the quest of the Sancgreal / withoute confession they myghte not entre in the medowe of humylyte and pacyence / And therfor they retorned in to waste countreyes / that sygnefyeth dethe / for there shalle dye many of them / eueryche of them shalle slee other for synne / and they that shalle escape / shalle be soo lene that hit shalle be merueylle to see them / And of the thre bulles withoute spotte / the one shalle come ageyne/ and the other two neuer

¶ Capitulum Quartum

THenne spak Nacyen vnto Ector sothe hit is that launcelot and ye came doune of one chayer / the chayer betokeneth maistership and lordshyp whiche ye came doune fro / But ye two knyghtes sayd the heremyte ye goo to seke that ye shalle neuer fynde that is the Sancgreal For hit is the secrete thynge of oure lord Ihesu Cryste / what is to meane thar syre Launcelot felle doune of his hors / he hath left pryde / and taken hym to humylyte / for he hath cryed mercy lowde for his synne and sore repented hym / and our lorde hath clothed hym in his clothyng whiche is ful of knottes that is the hayre that he weryth dayly /

¶ And the asse that he rode vpon is a beest of

[leaf 335v] humylyte / For god wold not ryde vpon no stede nor vpon no palfrey / So in ensample that an asse betokeneth mekenes that thou sawest syr Launcelot ryde on in thy slepe / and the welle where as the water sanke from hym whanne he shold haue taken therof / And whanne he sawe he myghte not haue it / he retorned thyder from whens he came / for the welle betokeneth the hyghe grace of god / the more men desyre hit to take hit / the more shalle be their desyre / Soo whanne he came nyghe the Sancgreal / he meked hym that he held hym not a man worthy to be soo nyghe the holy vessel / for he had ben soo defouled in dedely synne by the space of many yeres / yet whanne he kneled to drynke of the welle / there he sawe grete preuydence of the Sancgreal / And for he had serued soo longe the deuylle / he shal haue vengeaunce four and twenty dayes longe / for that he hath ben the deuyls seruaunt four and twenty yeres / And thenne soone after he shalle retorne vnto Camelot oute of this coūtrey and he shalle saye a parte of suche thynges as he hath fonde

¶ Now wille I telle yow what betokeneth the hande with the candel and the brydel / that is to vnderstande the holy ghost where charyte is euer / and the brydel sygnefyeth abstynence / For whanne she is brydeled in Crysten mans herte / she holdeth hym soo shorte that he falleth not in dedely synne / And the candell whiche sheweth clerenesse and syghte sygnefyeth the ryȝt way of Ihesu Cryst / And whanne he wente and sayd knyghtes of poure feythe and of wycked byleue / these thre thynges fayled charyte / abstynence / and trouth / therfor ye maye not atteyne that hyhe aduenturr of the Sancgreal

¶ Capitulum Quintum

CErtes sayd Gawayne / sothely haue ye sayd that I see it openly /

¶ Now I pray yow good man and holy fader telle me why we mette not with soo many aduentures as we were wonte to doo / and comynly haue the better /

¶ I shalle telle yow gladly sayd the good man / The aduenture of the Sancgreal whiche ye and many other haue vndertake þ^e quest of it & fynde it not / the cause is / for it appiereth

[leaf 336r] not to synners / wherfore merueylle not though ye fayle therof and many other / For ye be an vntrue knyghte / and a grete murtherer / and to good men sygnefyeth other thynges than murther / For I dar saye as synfull as syre launcelot hath ben sythe he went in to the quest of the Sancgreal / he slewe neuer man / nor nought shalle tyll that he come vnto Camelot ageyne / for he hath taken vpon hym for to forsake synne / And nere were that he nys not stable / but by his thoughte he is lykely to torne ageyne / he shold be nexte to encheue it sauf Galahad his sone / but god knoweth his thoughte and his vnstabylnesse / and yet shalle he dye ryght an holy man / and no doubte he hath no felawe of no erthely synful man / Sir sayd Gawayne hit semeth me by your wordes that for oure synnes it wylle not auaylle vs to trauaylle in this quest / Truly sayd the good man / there ben an honderd suche as ye be / that neuer shalle preuayle / but to haue shame / And whanne they had herd these voyces they commaunded hym vnto god /

¶ Thenne the good man called Gawayne and sayd it is longe tyme passed syth that ye were made knyghte / and neuer sythen thow seruedest thy maker / and now thow arte soo old a tree that in the is neyther lyf ne fruyte / wherfore bethynk the that thou yelded to oure lord the bare rynde / sythe the fende hath the leues and the fruyte / Syr said Gawayne & I had leyser I wold speke with yow / but my felawe here syr Ector is gone and abydeth me yonder bynethe the hylle / wel sayd the good man thow were better to be counceylled / Thenne departed Gawayne ande came to Ector / and soo took their horses & rode tyl they came to a fosters hows whiche herberowed them ryȝt wel / And on the morne they departed from theyr hooste / and rode longe or they coude fynde ony aduenture

¶ Capitulum Sextum

WHanne Bors was departed from Camelot / he mette with a Relygyous man rydynge on an asse / and syre Bors salewed hym / Anon the good man knewe hym that he was one of the knyȝtes erraunt that was in the quest of the Sancgreal / what are ye sayd the good man / Sire sayd

[leaf 336v] he / I am a knyȝte that fayn wold be counceylled in the quest of the Sancgreal / For he shall haue moche erthely worship that may brynge it to an ende / Certes sayd the good man that is sothe / for he shalle be the best knyghte of the world and the fairest of alle the felauship / But wete yow wel there shall none atteyne it but by clennes that is pure confession / So rode they to gyder tyl that they came to an heremytage / And there he prayd Bors to dwelle alle that nyghte with hym / and soo he alyghte and put awey his armour / and prayd hym that he myghte be confessid / and soo they wente in to the chappel / and there he was clene confessid / & they ete brede and drank water to gyder / Now sayd the good man I praye the that thow ete none other / tyl that thou sytte at the table where the Sancgreal shalle be / Sir sayd he I agree me therto / but how wete ye that I shall sytte there / yes sayd the good man that knowe I / but there shalle be but fewe of your felawes with yow / All is welcome sayd sir Bors that god sendeth me / Also said the good man / in stede of the sherte and in sygne of chastysement ye shal were a garment / therfor I pray yow doo of al your clothes and your sherte / and soo he dyd / And thenne he tooke hym a scarlet cote so that shold be in stede of his sherte / tyll he had fulfylled the quest of the Sancgreal / and the good man fond hym in soo merueillous a lyfe / and soo stable / that he merueilled and felte that he was neuer corrupte in flesshely lustes / but in one tyme that he begat Elyan le blank / Thenne he armyd hym and took his leue and so departed / And soo a lytel from thens he loked vp in to a tree / and there he sawe a passynge grete byrde vpon an olde tree / and hit was passyng drye withoute leues / and the byrd sat aboue and had byrdes the whiche were dede for honger / Soo smote he hym self with his bek the whiche was grete and sharpe / And soo the grete byrd bledde tyl that he dyed amonge his byrdes / And the yonge byrdes token the lyf by the blood of the grete byrd / whan Bors sawe this he wyst wel it was a grete tokenynge / For whanne he sawe the grete byrd arose not / thenne he tooke hys hors and yede his way / So by euensonge by aduentur he cam to a strong toure and an hyhe / & there was he lodged gladly /

[leaf 337r]

¶ Capitulum Septimum

ANd whanne he was vnarmed / they ledd hym in to an hyhe toure where was a lady yonge / lusty and fayre / And she receyued hym with grete Ioye / and made hym to sytte doune by her / and soo was he sette to soupe with flesshe / and many deyntees / And whanne syre Bors sawe that / he bethought hym on his penaunce and badde a squyer to brynge hym water / / And soo he broughte hym / and he made soppes therin / and ete them / A sayd the lady / I trowe ye lyke not my mete / yes truly sayd syr Bors / god thanke yow madame but I may ete none other mete this daye / thenne she spak nomore as at that tyme / for she was lothe to displease hym /

¶ Thenne after souper they spak of one thynge and other / With that came a squyer and sayd / Madame ye must purueye yow to morne for a champyon / for els your syster wille haue this castel and also your landes excepte ye can fynde a knyȝt that wille fyghte to morne in your quarel ageynst Prydam le noyre / Thenne she made sorowe and sayd / A lord god wherfor graunted ye to hold my lond wherof I shold now be disheryted withoute reason and ryghte / And whanne sire Bors had herd her say thus / he sayd I shalle comforte yow / Syr sayd she I shal telle yow there was here a kynge that hyghte Anyause / whiche held alle this land in his kepynge / Soo hit myshapped he loued a gentilwoman a grete dele elder that I Soo tooke he her alle this land to her kepyng / and all his men to gouerne / and she brought vp many euylle custommes where by she putte to dethe a grete party of his kynnesmen / And whanne he sawe that / he lete charce her oute of this land / and bytoke hit me / and alle this land in my demenys / but anone as that worthy kynge was dede / this other lady beganne to werre vpon me / and hath destroyed many of my men / & tourned hem ageynste me / that I haue wel nyghe no man lefte me And I haue nought els but this hyhe toure that she lefte me And yet she hath promysed me to haue this Toure withoute I can fynde a knyghte to fyghte with her Champyon / Now telle me sayd syr Bors / what is that Prydam le noyre / fyre sayd she he is the moost doubted man of thys land /

¶ Now

[leaf 337v] may ye send her word that ye haue fond a knyghte that shall fyghte with that Prydam le noyre in goddes quarel & yours / Thenne that lady was not a lytel glad / and sente word that she was purueyed / and that nyghte Bors had good chere / but in no bedde he wold come / but leyd hym on the floore / nor neuer wold doo otherwyse tyl that he had met with the quest of the Sancgreal /

¶ Capitulum Octauum

ANd anone as he was a slepe / hym befelle a vysyon / that there came to hym two byrdes / the one as whyte as a swan / and the other was merueyllous blak / but it was not soo grete as the other / but in the lykenes of a Rauen / thēne the whyte byrd came to hym / and sayd / and thou woldest gyue me mete and serue me / I shold gyue the alle the ryches of the world / And I shalle make the as fayre and as whyte as I am / Soo the whyte byrd departed / and there came the blak byrd to hym & sayd / & thou wolte serue me to morowe & haue me in no despyte / though I be blak / for wete thow wel / that more auayleth my blaknes than the others whytnes / and thenne he departed / and he had another vysyon / hym thoughte / that he came to a grete place whiche semed a chappel / & there he fonde a chayer sette on the lyfte syde whiche was worme eten / and feble / And on the ryghte hand were two floures lyke a lylye / and the one wold haue benome the others whytnes But a good man departed hem that touched not the other / & thenne oute of eueryche floure came oute many floures and fruyte grete plente / Thenne hym thoughte the good man sayd / shold not be doo grete foly that wold lete these two floures perysshe for to socoure the rotten tree that hit felle not to the erthe Syr sayd he / it semeth me that this woode myghte not auayle Now kepe the sayd the good man that thou neuer see suche aduenture befalle the / Thenne he awaked and made a sygne of the crosse in myddes of the forhede / and soo rose / & clothed hym and there came the lady of the place / and she salewed hym / & he her ageyne / and so wente to a chappel and herd their seruyse And ther came a companye of knyghtes that the lady had sent

[leaf 338r] for to lede sir Bors vnto bataille / Thenne asked he his armes And whanne he was armed / she prayd hym to take a lytyl morsel to dyne / Nay madame sayd he / that shalle I not do tyll I haue done my bataille by the grace of god / And soo he lept vpon his hors / and departed alle the knyghtes and men with hym / And as soone as these two ladyes mette to gyder / She whiche Bors shold fyghte for complayned her and sayd madame ye haue done me wronge to bireue me of my landes that kynge Anyaus gaf me / and ful lothe I am there shold be ony bataille / ye shalle not chese sayd the other lady or els youre knyghte withdrawe hym / Thenne ther was the crye made whiche party had the better of tho two knyghtes that his lady shold reioyse alle the lande / Now departed the one knyghte here / and the other there / Thenne they came gyders with suche a raundon that they perced their sheldes and their hauberkes / & the speres flewe in pyeces / and they wounded eyther other sore / Thenne hurteled they to gyders so that they felle both to the erthe / and their horses betwix their legges / and anone they arose and sette handes to their swerdes / and smote echone other vpon the hedes that they made grete woundes and depe that the blood wente oute of her bodyes / For ther fond sir Bors gretter defence in that knyght more than he wende / For that Prydam was a passynge good knyghte / and he wounded sir bors ful euyl and he hym ageyne / but euer this Prydam helde the stoure in lyke hard / That perceyued sire Bors and suffred hym tyl he was nyghe attaynte /

¶ And thenne he ranne vpon hym more and more/ and the other wente bak for drede of deth Soo in his withdrawynge he felle vp ryght / and syre Bors drewe his helme soo strongly that he rente hit fro his hede / and gafe hym grete strokes with the flatte of his swerd vpon the vysage / and bad hym yelde hym or he shold slee hym / Thenne he cryed hym mercy and sayd Faire knyght for goddes loue slee me not / and I shall ensure the neuer werre ageynst thy lady / but be alwey toward her / Thenne Bors lete hym be / thenne the old lady fledde with alle her knyghtes

¶ Capitulum ix

[leaf 338v]

¶ Capitulum nonum

SOo thenne came Bors to alle tho that held landes of his lady / and sayd he shold destroye hem / but yf they dyd suche seruyse vnto her as longed to their landes / Soo they dyd their homage and they that wold not were chaced oute of their landes / Thenne befelle that yonge lady to come to her estate ageyne by the myghty prowesse of syr Bors de ganys Soo whan alle the countrey was wel set in pees / thenne syre Bors toke his leue and departed / and she thanked hym gretely / and wold haue gyuen hym grete rychesse but he refused hit / Thenne he rode alle that day tyl nyght / and came to an herberowe to a lady whiche knewe hym wel ynough / & maade of hym grete Ioye / Vpon the morne as soone as the day appiered / Bors departed from thens / and soo rode in to a foreste / vnto the houre of mydday / and there bifelle hym a merueyllous aduenture / So he mette at the departyng of the two wayes two knyghtes that ledde lyonel his broder al naked bounden vpon a straunge hakney / & his handes bounden to fore his brest And eueryche of hem helde in his handes thornes where with they wente betynge hym so sore that the blood trayled doune more than in an honderd places of his body / soo that he was al blood to fore and behynde / but he said neuer a word as he whiche was grete of herte / he suffred alle that euer they dyd to hym as though he had felte none anguysshe / Anone syre Bors dressid hym to rescowe hym that was his broder / and soo he loked vpon the other syde of hym / and sawe a knyghte whiche brought a fair gentylwoman / and wold haue set her in the thyckest place of the forest for to haue ben the more surer oute of the way from hem that sought hym / And she whiche was no thynge assured cryed with an hyghe voys Saynte mary socoure your mayde

¶ And anone she aspyed where syre Bors came rydynge / And whanne she came nygh hym / she demed hym a knyghte of the round table / wherof she hoped to haue some comforte / & thenne she coniured hym by the feythe that he ought vnto hym in whos seruyse thow arte entryd in / and for the feythe ye owe vnto the hyghe ordre of knyghthode / & for the noble kyng

[leaf 339r] Arthurs sake that I suppose that made the knyght that thow help me / and suffre me not to be shamed of this knyghte /

¶ Whanne Bors herd her saye thus / he had soo moche sorowe there he nyst not what to doo / For yf I lete my broder be in aduenture he must be slayne / and that wold I not for alle the erthe And yf I help not the mayde / she is shamed for euer / and also she shall lese her vyrgynyte / the whiche she shal neuer gete ageyne / Thenne lyfte he vp his eyen and sayd wepynge / Fair swete lord Ihesu Cryste whoos lyege man I am kepe Lyonel my broder that these knyghtes slee hym not / and for pyte of yow / and for Mary sake I shalle socoure this mayde /

¶ Capitulum x

THenne dressid he hym vnto the knyghte / the whiche had the gentylwoman / and thenne he cryed sir knyghte lete your hand of that mayden or ye be but dede / & thenne he sette doune the mayden / and was armed at alle pyeces sauf he lacked his spere / Thenne he dressid his sheld / and drewe oute his swerd / and Bors smote hym soo hard that it went thurgh his shelde and haberion on the lyfte sholder / and thorowe grete strengthe he bete hym doune to the erthe / and at the pullynge oute of Bors spere there he swouned /

¶ Thenne came Bors to the mayde / and sayd how semeth it yow of this knyghte / ye be delyuerd at this tyme /

¶ Now sir said she I praye yow lede me there as this knyghte hadde me soo shall I do gladly / & took the hors of the wounded knyȝght and sette the gentylwoman vpon hym / and soo broughte her as she desyred / Sir knyghte sayd she / ye haue better sped than ye wend / for and I had lost my maydenhede / fyue honderd men shold haue dyed for hit / what knyghte was he that had yow in the forest / by my feithe sayd she / he is my cosyn / So wote I neuer with what engyn the fende enchauffed hym / for yesterday he took me from my fader pryuely / for I nor none of my faders men mystrusted hym not / And yf he hadde hadde my maydenhede / he shold haue dyed for the synne & his body shamed & dishonoured for euer / Thus as she stood talkynge with hym there came twelue knyghtes sekyng after her / and anone she

[leaf 339v] told hem alle how Bors had delyuerd her / thenne they maad grete Ioye and besoughte hym to come to her fader a grete lord and he shold be ryght welcome / Truly sayd Bors that may not be at this tyme / for I haue a grete aduentur to doo in this countrey / Soo he commaunded hem vnto god and departed / Thenne syr Bors rode after Lyonel his broder by the trace of their horses / thus he rode sekyng a grete whyle / Thenne he ouertoke a man clothed in a Relygyous clothynge / and rode on a stronge black hors blacker than a bery / and sayd syre knyȝte what seke yow / Syre sayd he I seke my broder that I sawe within a whyle beten with two knyghtes / A Bors discomforte yow not / ne falle in to no wanhope / for I shall telle you tydynges suche as they ben / for truly he is dede / Thenne shewed he hym a newe slayne body lyenge in a busshe / and it semed hym wel that it was the body of Lyonel / and thenne he made suche a sorowe that he felle to the erthe all in a swoune / and lay a grete whyle there / And whanne he came to hym selfe / he said Faire brother syth the company of yow and me is departed shall I neuer haue Ioye in my herte / and now he whiche I haue take vnto my maister / he be my help / And whanne he had sayd thus / he toke his body lyghtely in his armes / and putte hit vpon the arson of his sadel / And thenne he sayd to the man canst thow telle me vnto somme chappel where that I may burye this body / Come on said he / here is one fast by / and soo longe they rood tyl they sawe a fayre Toure / and afore it there semed an old feble chappel / And thenne they alyght bothe and put hym in to a Tombe of marbel

¶ Capitulum xj

NOw leue we hym here sayd the good man / and goo we to oure herberowe tyl to morowe we wille come here ageyne to doo hym seruyse / Sir sayde Bors be ye a preest / ye forsothe sayd he / thenne I pray yow telle me a dreme that befalle to me þ^e last nyȝt / Say on sayd he / thenne he began soo moche to telle hym of the grete byrd in the forest / And after told hym of his byrdes one whyte / another black / and of

[leaf 340r] the rotten tree and of the whyte floures / syre I shalle telle yow a parte now and the other dele to morowe / The whyte foule betokeneth a gentylwoman fayre and ryche whiche loued the peramours / and hath loued the longe

¶ And yf thou warne her loue she shalle goo dye anone yf thou haue no pyte on her / that sygnefyeth the grete byrd / the whiche shalle make the to warne her /

¶ Now for noo fere that thou hast ne for no drede that thow haste of god / thow shalte not warne her but thou woldest not do hit for to be holden chast for to conquere the loos of the veyne glory of the world / for that shalle befalle the now and thou warne her that Launcelot the good knyghte thy cosyn shalle dye / And therfore men shalle now saye þ^t thow art a man sleer / both of thy broder syre Lyonel and of thy cosyn syre launcelot du lake / the whiche thow myghtest haue saued and rescowed easyly / But thow wenest to rescowe a mayde whiche perteyneth no thynge to the

¶ Now loke thow whether hit had ben gretter harme of thy broders deth or els to haue suffred her to haue lost her maydenhode /

¶ Thenne asked he hym haste thow herd the tokens of thy dreme the whiche I haue told to yow / Ye forsothe sayd syre Bors / alle youre exposycyon and declarynge of my dreme I haue wel vnderstande and herd / Thenne said the man in this black clothynge / thenne is hit in thy defaute yf sire Launcelot thy cosyn dye /

¶ Syre said bors that were me lothe / for wete ye wel there is no thynge in the world but I had leuer doo hit than to see my lord sire launcelot du lake to dye in my defaute Chese ye now the one or the other said the good man / And thenne he led syre Bors in to an hyghe Toure / and there he fonde knyghtes and ladyes tho ladyes sayde he was wel come / and soo they vnarmed hym /

¶ And whanne he was in his dobblet / men broughte hym a mantel furred with ermyn and putte hit aboute hym / and thenne they made hym suche chere that he hadde forgeten alle his sorowe and anguysshe / and only sette his herte in these delytes and deyntees / & tooke noo thoughte more for this broder syre Lyonel neyther of syre Launcelot du lake his cosyn / And anone came oute of a chamber to hym the fayrest lady that euer he sawe & more rycher

[leaf 340v] bysene than euer he sawe Quene Gueneuer or ony other estat Lo sayd they syre Bors here is the lady vnto whome we owe alle oure seruyse / and I trowe she be the rychest lady and the fayrest of alle the world / and the whiche loueth yow best aboue alle other knyghtes / for she wille haue no knyght but yow And whanne he vnderstood that langage he was abasshed / Not for thenne she salewed hym / and he her / and thenne they satte doune to gyders and spak of many thynges / in soo moche that she besoughte hym to be her loue / for she had loued hym abone alle erthely men / and she shold make hym rycher than euer was man of his age /

¶ Whanne Bors vnderstood her wordes / he was ryght euyll at ease / whiche in no maner wold not breke chastyte / soo wyst not he how to ansuer her /

¶ Capitulum xij

ALlas sayd she Bors shalle ye not doo my wylle / Madame said Bors / there is no lady in this world whos wylle I wylle fulfylle as of this thynge / for my broder lyeth dede whiche was slayne ryght late / A Bors sayd she I haue loued yow longe for the grete beaute I haue sene in yow / and the grete hardynes that I haue herd of yow that nedes ye must lye by me this nyghte / & therfor I praye yow graunte it me /

¶ Truly sayd he I shalle not doo hit in no maner wyse / thenne she made hym suche sorowe as though she wold haue dyed / wel Bors sayd she vnto this haue ye broughte me nyghe to myn ende / And there with she took hym by the hand / & badde hym behold her / and ye shal see how I shalle dye for your loue / A sayd thenne he that shalle I neuer see / Thenne she departed and wente in to an hyhe batilment / and led with her twelue gentylwymmen / and whan they were aboue one of the gentylwymmen cryed and sayd

¶ A syr Bors gentil knyghte haue mercy on vs all / and suffre my lady to haue her wil And yf ye doo not we muste suffre deth with oure lady for to falle doune of thys hyhe towre / And yf ye suffre vs thus to dye for soo lytel a thynge / alle ladyes and gentilwymmen wylle saye of you dishonour /

¶ Thenne loked he vpward

[leaf 341r] they semed alle ladyes of grete estate and rychely and well bysene / thenne had he of hem grete pyte / not for that he was vncounceiled in hym self that leuer he had they alle had loste their soules than he his / and with that they felle adoune alle at ones to the erthe / And whan he sawe that / he was al abasshed / and had therof grete merueylle / with that he blessyd his body and his vysage / And anone he herd a grete noyse & a grete crye as though alle the fendes of helle had ben aboute hym / and there with he sawe neyther toure ne lady ne gentylwoman nor no chappel where he broughte his broder to / Thenne helde he vp bothe his handes to the heuen and sayd / fayre fader god I am greuously escape / and thenne he tooke his armes and his hors and rode on his way / Thenne he herde a clok smyte on his ryght hand / and thydder he came to an Abbay on his ryght hand closyd with hyhe walles / and there was lete in / thenne they supposed that he was one of the quest of the Sancgreal / So they ledde hym in to a chamber and vnarmed hym / Syrs sayd syr Bors yf there be ony holy man in this hows / I pray yow lete me speke with hym / Thenne one of hem ledde hym vnto the Abbot whiche was in a Chappel / And thenne syr Bors salewed hym / and he hym ageyne / sir said Bors I am a knyght erraunt / and told hym all the aduenture whiche he had sene / Sir knyght syd the Abbot I wote not what ye be / for I wende neuer that a knyght of your age myghte haue ben soo strong in the grace of our lord Ihesu Cryst / Not for thenne ye shall go vnto your rest / for I wyll not counceyle yow this day / hit is to late / and to morowe I shalle counceyle yow as I can

¶ Capitulum xiij

ANd that nyghte was syre Bors serued rychely / and on the morne erly he herd masse / and the Abbot came to hym / and bad hym good morow / and Bors to hym ageyne / And thēne he told hym he was a felawe of the quest of the Sancgreal / and how he had charge of the holy man to ete brede and water /

¶ Thenne oure lord Ihesus Cryste shewed hym vnto yow in the lykenes of a sowle that suffred

[leaf 341v] grete anguysshe for vs syn he was putte vpon the crosse / and bledde his herte blood for mankynde / there was the token and the lykenes of the Sancgreal that appiered afore yow / for the blood that the grete foule bled reuyued the chyckens from deth to lyf / And by the bare tree is betokened the world whych is naked and withoute fruyte but yf hit come of oure lord / Also the lady for whome ye fought for and kyng Anyaus whiche was lord there to fore betokeneth Ihesu Cryste / whiche is kynge of the world / and that he foughte with the champyon for the lady / this hit betokeneth / for whanne he took the bataille for the lady / by her shall ye vnderstande the newe lawe of Ihesu Cryst and holy chirche / and by the other lady ye shalle vnderstand the old lawe and the fende whiche al day werrith ageynst holy chirche / therfor ye dyd your bataille with ryghte For ye be Ihesu Crystes knyghtes / therfor ye oughte to be defenders of holy chirche / And by the black byrd myghte ye vnderstande holy chirche whiche sayth I am blak / but he is faire And by the whyte byrd myghte men vnderstande the fende / & I shalle telle yow how the swan is whyte withoute forth and blak within / hit is ypocrysy whiche is withoute yelowe or pale / and semeth withoute forth the seruauntes of Ihesu Cryste but they ben within soo horryble of fylthe and synne and begyle the world euylle / Also whanne the fende appiered to the in lykenes of a man of relygyon and blamyd the that thow lefte thy broder / For a lady soo ledde the where thow semyd thy broder was slayne / but he is yet on lyue / and alle was for to putte the in errour and brynge the vnto wanhope and lechery / for he knewe thou were tendyr herted / & all was / for thou sholdest not fynde the blessid aduenture of the Sancgreal / and the thyrdde foule betokeneth the stronge bataille ageynst the fair ladyes whiche were alle deuyls / Also the drye tree and the whyte lylye the drye tree bitokeneth thy broder Lyonel whiche is drye withoute vertue / and therfore many men oughte to calle hym the rotten tree and the worme eten tree / for he is a murtherer and doth contrary to the ordre of knyghthode / And the two whyte floures sygnyfyen two maydens / the one is a knyght whiche was wounded the other day / and the other is the gentylwoman whiche ye rescowed and why the other

[leaf 342r] floure drewe nyghe the other / that was the knyghte which wold haue defowled her and hym self bothe / and syr Bors ye had ben a grete foole and in grete perylle for to haue sene tho two floures perysshe for to socoure the roten tree / for and they had synned to gyder they had ben dampned / and for that ye rescowed hem bothe / men myghte calle yow a veray knyghte and seruaunt of Ihesu Cryste /

¶ Capitulum xiiij

THenne wente sir Bors from thens and commaunded the Abbot vnto god / And thenne he rode alle that day and herberowed with an old lady / And on the morne he rode to a Castel in a valey / and there he mette with a yoman goynge a grete paas toward a foreste / Saye me sayd syre Bors canst thow telle me of ony aduenture / Syre sayd he / here shall be vnder this Castle a grete and a merueyllous turnement / of what folkes shal hit be sayd syr Bors / The erle of playns shal be in the one party / & the ladyes neuew of Heruyn on the other party / thenne bors thouȝt to be there yf he myȝt mete with his broder syr Lyonel or ony other of his felaushyp / whyche were in the quest of the Sancgreal / And thenne he torned to an hermytage that was in the entre of the foreste / And when he was come thyder / he fonde there syr Lyonel his broder whiche sat al armed at the entre of the Chappel dore for to abyde there herberowe tyl on the morn that the turnement shalle be / And whanne sir Bors sawe hym / he had grete Ioye of hym/ that it were merueil to telle of hys Ioye / And thenne he alyghte of his hors / and sayd fair swete broder whanne cam ye hydder / Anone as Lyonel sawe hym he said

¶ A Bors ye maye not make none auaunt / but as for you I myȝt haue ben slayn whan ye sawe two knyȝtes ledyng me awey betyng me ye lefte me for to socoure a gentilwoman / and suffred me in perylle of deth / for neuer erst ne dyd no broder to another so grete an vntrouthe / And for that mysdede now I ensure you but deth / for wel haue ye deserued it / therfore kepe the from hensforward / and that shal ye fynde as soone as I am armed / whan sir Bors vnderstood his broders wrath / he knelyd doune to

[leaf 342v] the erthe / and cryed hym mercy / holdyng vp both his handes and prayd hym to forgyue hym his euyll wylle / Nay sayd Lyonel that shalle neuer be and I maye haue the hyher hand that I make myn auowe to god / thow shalt haue dethe for it for it were pyte ye lyued ony lenger / Ryghte soo he wente in and took his harneis and mounted vpon his hors / and cam to fore hym and sayd / Bors kepe the from me / for I shall do to the as I wold to a felon or a traytour / for ye be the vntruest knyght that euer came oute of soo worthy an hows / as was kynge Bors de ganys / whiche was oure fader / therfore starte vpon thy hors / and soo shalle ye be moost at your auauntage And but yf ye wylle / I wille renne vpon yow there as ye stande vpon foote / and soo the shame be myn / and the harme yours / but of that shame ne reke I noughte / whan syr Bors sawe that he must fyghte with his broder or els to dye/ he nyst what to doo / thenne his herte counceyled hym not therto in as moche as Lyonel was borne or he / wherfor he ought to bere hym reuerence / yet kneled he doune afore Lyonels hors feet/ and sayd fair swete broder haue mercy vpon me / and sle me not / and haue in remembraunce the grete loue whiche oughte to be bitwene vs tweyne / what syr Bors sayd to Lyonel he roughte not / for the fende had broughte hym in suche a wyl that he shold slee hym / Thenne whanne Lyonel sawe he wold none other / and that he wold not haue rysen to gyue hym bataille/ he rasshed ouer hym so that he smote Bors with his hors feete vpward to the erthe / and hurte hym so sore that he swouned of distresse / the whiche he felte in hym self to haue dyed withoute confession / Soo whanne Lyonel sawe this / he alyghte of his hors to haue smyten of his hede / And soo he toke hym by the helme / and wold haue rente hit from his heed /

¶ Thenne came the heremyte rennyng vnto hym whiche was a good man and of grete age / and wel had herd alle the wordes that were bitwene them / and soo felle doune vpon syre Bors

¶ Capitulum xv

THenne he sayd to Lyonel A gentyl knyghte haue mercy vpon me and on thy broder / for yf thow slee hym /

[leaf 343r] thow shalte be dede of synne / and that were sorouful / for he is one of the worthyest knyghtes of the world / and of the best condycyons / Soo god me help sayd Lyonel syr preest / but yf ye flee from hym I shall slee yow / and he shalle neuer the sooner be quyte / Certes sayd the good man I haue leuer ye slee me than hym / for my dethe shalle not be grete harme not halfe soo moche as of his / wel sayd Lyonel I am greed / and sette his hand to his swerd and smote hym soo hard that his hede yede bakward / Not for that he restrayned hym of his euyll wylle / but took his broder by the helme and vnlaced hit to haue stryken of his hede / and had slayn hym withoute fayle but soo it happed Colgreuaunce a felawe of the round table cam at that tyme thyder as oure lordes wylle was / And whanne he sawe the good man slayne he merueylled moche what it myght be / And thenne he beheld Lyonel wold haue slayne his broder / and knewe syre Bors whiche he loued ryȝt wel Thenne starte he doune and toke Lyonel by the sholders and drewe hym strongly abak from Bors / and sayd Lyonel wylle ye slee your broder the worthyest knyghte of the world one / & that shold noo good man suffer / why sayd Lyonel / wylle ye lette me / therfor yf ye entermete yow in this I shall slee you and hym after / why sayd Colgreuaunce is this sothe that ye wille slee hym / slee hym wylle I sayd he / who so saye the contrary / For he hath done so moche ageynst me / that he hath wel deserued it / and soo ranne vpon hym / and wold haue smyten hym thurgh the hede / and sir Colgreuaunce ranne betwyx them and sayd & ye be so hardy to do soo more we two shal medle to gyders / when Lyonel vnderstood his wordes / he took his sheld afore hym / and asked hym what that he was / and he told hym Colgreuaunce one of his felawes / Thenne Lyonel defyed hym / and gaf hym a grete stroke thurgh the helme / Thenne he drewe his suerd / for he was a passyng good knyȝte / and defended hym ryȝt manfully / soo longe dured the batail that Bors rose vp all anguysshly & behelde Colgreuaunce the good knyght fought with his broder for his quarel / thenne was he full sory and heuy / and thoughte yf Colgreuaunce slee hym / that was his broder / he sholde neuer haue Ioye / And yf his broder slew Colgreuaūce the shame shold euer be myn / Thenne wolde

[leaf 343v] he haue rysen to haue departed them / but he had not soo moche myghte to stande on foote / soo he abode hym soo longe tyl Colgreuaunce had the werse / for Lyonel was of grete chyualrye and ryghte hardy / for he had perced the hauberk and the helme that he abode but dethe / For he had lost moche of his blood that it was merueylle that he myghte stande vp ryghte / Thenne beheld he syr Bors whiche sat dressynge hym vpward and said A Bors why come ye not to caste me oute of perylle of dethe wherin I haue put me to socoure yow whiche were ryght now nyghe the dethe / Certes said Lyonel that shall not auayle you for none of you shalle bere others waraunt / but that ye shalle dye bothe of my hand / when Bors herd that / he dyd soo moche he rose and putte on his helme / Thenne perceyued he fryste the heremyte preest whiche was slayne / thenne made he a merueillous sorowe vpon hym /

¶ Capitulum xvj

THenne ofte Colgreuauance cryed vpon syre Bors / Why wylle ye lete me dye here for your sake / yf it plese yow that I dye for yow the dethe / it wille please me the better for to saue a worthy man / with that word syre Lyonel smote the helme from his hede / Thenne Colgreuaunce sawe that he myght not escape / thenne he sayd Fair swete Ihesu that I haue mysdoo haue mercy vpon my sowle / For suche sorowe that my herte suffreth for goodenes and for almes dede that I wold haue done here / be to me a lygement of penaunce vnto my soules helthe / At these wordes Lyonel smote hym soo sore that he bare hym to the erthe / soo whanne he had slayne Colgreuaunce / he ranne vpon his broder as a fendly man / & gaf hym suche a stroke that he made hym stoupe / and he that was ful of humylyte prayd hym for goddes loue to leue this bataille / For and hit befelle fayre broder that I slewe yow or ye me / we shold be dede of that synne /

¶ Neuer god me help but yf I haue on yow mercy and I maye haue the better hand / Thenne drewe Bors his suerd al wepynge and sayd / Faire brother god knoweth myn entente / A fayre broder ye haue done ful euylle this daye to slee suche an holy preest the

[leaf 344r] whiche neuer trespast / Also y haue slayne a gentyl knyghte and one of oure felawes / And wel wote ye that I am not aferd of yow gretely / but I drede the wrathe of god / and this is an vnkyndely werre / therefore god shewe myracle vpon vs bothe / Now god haue mercy vpon me / though I defende my lyf ageynst my broder / with that Bors lyfte vp his hand / & wold haue smyten his broder /

¶ Capitulum xvij

ANd thēne he herd a voyce that sayd flee bors & touche hym not / or els thow shall slee hym / Ryght so alyȝt a clowde betwixe them in lykenes of a fyre and a merueyllous flamme that bothe her two sheltes brente /

¶ Thenne were they sore affrayed that they felle bothe to the erthe / and laye there a grete whyle in a swoune / And whanne they came to them self Bors sawe that his broder had no harme / thenne he held vp bothe his handes / for he dradde god had taken vengeaunce vpon hym / with that he herd a voyce saye Bors go hens and bere thy broder noo lenger felaushyp / but take thy way anone ryghte to the see / For sire Percyual abydeth the there / Thenne he sayd to his broder fayr swete broder forgyue me for goddes loue alle that I haue trespaced vnto yow / Thenne he ansuerd God forgyue it the and I doo gladly / So sir Bors departed from hym and rode the nexte way to the see / And at the last by fortune he came to an Abbay whiche was nygh the see / That nyght Bors rested hym there / and in his slepe there came a voice to hym & badde hym go to the see / thenne he starte vp and made a sygne of the Crosse in the myddes of his forhede and took his harneis and made redy his hors / and moūted vpon hym / And at a broken walle he rode oute / & rode soo long tyl that he came to the see / And on the strond he fond a shyp couerd all with whyte samyte / And he alyghte & bitoke hym to Ihesu Cryst / And as soone as he entryd in to the ship the shyp departed in to the see and wente so fast that hym semed the shyp wente fleynge / but hit was soone derke soo that he myght knowe no man / and soo he slepte tyl hit was daye

[leaf 344v] Thenne he awaked and sawe in myddes of the shyp a knyȝt lye alle armed sauf his helme / Thenne knewe he that hit was syr Percyual of walys / and thenne he made of hym ryȝt grete Ioye / but sir Percyual was abasshed of hym / and he asked hym what he was / A fayr syr sayd Bors knowe ye me not / Certes sayd he I merueylle how ye came hyther / but yf oure lord broughte yow hyder hym self / thenne syre Bors smyled and dyd of his helme / Thenne Percyual knewe hym / & eyther made grete Ioye of other that it was merueylle to here /

¶ Thenne Bors told hym how he came in to the shyp / and by whoos ammonysshement / and eyther told other of theyre temptacyons / as ye haue herd to fore hand /

¶ Soo wente they douneward in the see one whyle bakward another whyle forward / and eueryche comforted other / and ofte were in their prayers / thenne sayd syre Percyual we lak no thynge but Galahad the good knyghte

¶ And thus endeth the syxtenth book whiche is of syre Gawayne / Ector de marys / and syre Bors de ganys and sir Percyual

¶ And here foloweth the seuententh book whiche is of the noble knyghte syre Galahad /