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 Eighteen

¶ Capitulum Primum

SOo after the quest of the Sancgreal was fulfylled / and alle knyghtes that were lefte on lyue were comen ageyne vnto the table round as the booke of the Sancgreal maketh mencyon

¶ Thenne was there grete Ioye in the courte / and in especyal kynge Arthur and quene Gueneuer made grete Ioye of the remenaunt that were comen home / and passynge glad was the kynge and the quene of sire launcelot and of sire Bors / For they had ben passynge long away in the quest of the Sancgreal / Thenne as the book saith syr launcelot beganne to resorte vnto quene Gueneuer ageyne / and forgat the promyse and the perfectyon that he made in the quest / for as the book sayth had not sire Launcelot ben in hie preuy thouȝtes and in his myndes so sette inwardly to the quene as he was in semyng outeward to god / there had no knyghte passed hym in the queste of the Sancgreal / but euer his thouhgtes were pryuely on the Quene / and so they loued to gyder more hotter than they did to fore hand / and had suche preuy draughtes to gyder that many in the Courte spak of hit / and in especial sir Agrauayne/ sir Gawayns broder / for he was euer open mouthed / So bifel that syre Launcelot had many resortes of ladyes and damoysels that dayly resorted vnto hym / that besoughte hym to be their champyon / and in alle suche maters of ryghte sir launcelot applyed hym dayly to do for the pleasyr of oure lord Ihesu crist And euer as moche as he myghte he withdrewe hym from the companye and felaushyp of Quene Gueneuer

[leaf 363v] for to eschewe the sklaunder and noyse / wherfor the quene waxed wroth with sir Launcelot / and vpon a day she called sir launcelot vnto her chamber and saide thus / Sir launcelot I see and fele dayly that thy loue begynneth to slake / for thou hast no Ioye to be in my presence / but euer thou arte oute of thys Courte / and quarels and maters thow hast now a dayes for ladyes and gentilwymmen more the euer thou were wonte to haue afore hand / A madame said launcelot / in this ye must holde me excused for dyuerse causes / one is / I was but late in the quest of the Sancgreal / and I thanke god of his grete mercy and neuer of my deserte that I sawe in that my quest as moche as euer sawe ony synful man / and so was it told me /

¶ And yf I had not my pryuy thoughtes to retorne to your loue ageyne as I doo I had sene as grete mysteryes as euer sawe my sone Galahad outher Percyual or sir Bors / & therfor madame I was but late in that quest / wete ye wel madame hit maye not be yet lyghtely forgeten the hyȝ seruyse in whome I dyd my dylygent laboure / Also madame wete ye wel that there be many men speken of our loue in this courte / and ye haue yow and me gretely in a wayte / as sire Agrauayne and syr Mordred / and madame wete ye wel I drede them more for youre sake / than for ony fere I haue of them my self / for I maye happen to escape and ryde my self in a grete nede where ye must abyde alle that wille said vnto yow / And thenne yf that ye falle in ony distresse thurgh wylfulle foly / thenne is there none other remedy or help but by me and my blood / And wete ye wel madame the boldenes of you and me wille brynge vs to grete shame and sklaunder / and that were me lothe to see you dishonoured / and that is the cause / I take vpon me more for to do for damoysels and maydens than euer I dyd to forne that men shold vnderstande my Ioye and my delyte is my pleasyr to haue adoo for damoisels and maydens

¶ Capitulum ij

ALle this whyle the quene stood stylle and lete sir launcelot saye what he wold / And when he hadde alle said she brast oute on wepynge / and soo she sobbed and wepte

[leaf 364r] a grete whyle / And whan she myght speke she sayd / launcelot now I wel vnderstande that thou arte a fals recreaūt knyghte and a comyn lecheoure / and louest and holdest other ladyes / and by me thou hast desdayne scorne /

¶ For wete thou wel she sayd now vnderstande thy falshede / and therfore shalle I neuer loue the no more / and neuer be thou so hardy to come in my syghte / and ryghte here I discharge the this Courte that thow neuer come within hit / and I forfende the my felaushyp / and vpon payne of thy hede that thou see me no more / Ryght soo sire Launcelot departed with grete heuynes / that vnneth he myȝt susteyne hym self for grete dole makyng Thenne he called sir Bors sir Ector de marys and syr Lyonel and told hem how the quene had forfendyd hym the Courte and soo he was in wille to departe in to his owne Countrey / Fair sir said sire Bors de ganys / ye shalle not departe oute of this land by myn aduyse / ye must remembre in what honour ye are renoumed and called the noblest knyght of the world / and many grete maters ye haue in hand / and wymmen in their hastynes wille doo oftymes that sore repenteth hem / & therfor by myn aduyse ye shalle take youre hors / and ryde to the good hermytage here besyde wyndsoure that somtyme was a good knyght / his name is sir Brasias / and there shalle ye abyde tyl I sende yow word of better tydynges / Broder said sir launcelot wete ye wel I am ful lothe to departe oute of this realme / but the quene hath defended me soo hyhely / that me semeth she wille neuer be my good lady as she hath ben / Saye ye neuer soo sayd sir Bors / for many tymes or this tyme she hath ben wroth with yow and after it she was the first that repented it / Ye saye wel sayd launcelot / for now wille I doo by youre counceylle and take myn hors and my harneis and ryde to the heremyte sir Brasias / and there will I repose me vntyl I here somme maner of tydynges fro yow / but fair broder I praye yow gete me the loue of my lady Quene Gueneuer and ye maye /

¶ Sire said sire Bors ye nede not to meue me of suche maters For wel ye wote I wille doo what I may to please yow / & thenne the noble knyghte sire Launcelot departed with ryghte heuy chere sodenly / that none erthely creature wyste of hym / nor

[leaf 364v] where he was become / but sir Bors / Soo whan sir launcelot was departed / the quene outward made no maner of sorowe in shewynge to none of his blood nor to none other / But wete ye wel inwardly as the book sayth she took grete thoughte but she bare it out with a proud countenaunce / as though she felte nothynge nor daunger

¶ Capitulum Tercium

ANd thenne the quene lete make a preuy dyner in london vnto the knyȝtes of the round table / and al was for to shewe outward that she had as grete Ioye in al other knyghtes of the table round as she had in sir launcelot / al only at that dyner she had sir Gawayne and his bretheren / that is for to saye sir Agrauayn / sir Gaherys / sire Gareth and syre Mordred / Also there was sir Bors de ganys / sire Blamor de ganys / syr Bleoberys de ganys /sire Galyhud / sir Galyhodyn syre Ector de marys / sir Lyonel / sire Palomydes / syr Safyr his broder / sir la cote male tayle / sir Persaunt / syr Ironsyde / syre Brandyles / syr kay le Seneschal / sir Mador de la porte / Syre Patryse a knyght of Irland / Alyduk / sir Astamore / and sir Pynel le saueage / the whiche was cosyn to sire Lamorak de galys the good knyghte that syr Gawayne and his bretheren slewe by treason / and so these four and twenty knyghtes shold dyne with the quene in a preuy place by them self / and there was made a grete feest of al maner of deyntees / but syre Gawayne had a customme that he vsed dayly at dyner and at souper that he loued wel al maner of fruyte / and in especial appels and perys / And therfore who someuer dyned or feested syre Gawayne wold comynly purueye for good fruyte for hym / and soo dyd the quene for to please sir Gawayne / she lete purueye for hym al maner of fruyte / for sir Gawayn was a passynge hote knyght of nature / and this Pyonel hated syre Gawayne by cause of his kynnesman syr Lamorak de galys & therfor for pure enuy & hate sir Pyonel enpoysond certayn appels for to enpoysonne sir Gawayn / & soo this was wel vnto the ende of the mete / and soo it befelle by mysfortune a good knyght named Patryse cosyn vnto sire Mador de la porte to

[leaf 365r] take a poysond Appel / And whanne he had eten hit / he swalle soo tyl he brast / & there sire Patryce felle doun sodenly deede amonge hem / Thenne euery knyghte lepte from the bord ashamed and araged for wrathe nyghe oute of her wyttes / For they wyste not what to saye consyderynge Quene Gueneuer made the feest and dyner / they alle had suspecyon vnto her / My lady the quene said Gawayne / Wete ye wel madame that this dyner was made for me / for alle folkes that knowen my condycyon vnderstande that I loue wel fruyte / and now I see wel / I had nere be slayne / therfor madame I drede me lest ye will be shamed / Thenne the quene stood stylle and was sore abasshed / that he nyst not what to saye / This shalle not so be ended said syr Mador de la porte / for here haue I loste a ful noble knyght of my blood / And therfore vpon this shame & despyte I wille be reuenged to the vtteraunce / and there openly sir Mador appeled the quene of the dethe of his cosyn sir patryse / thenne stode they all stylle that none wold speke a word ageynst hym / for they all had grete suspecyon vnto the quene by cause she lete make that dyner / and the quene was so abasshed that she coude none other wayes doo but wepte soo hertely that she felle in a swoune / with this noyse and crye came to them kynge Arthur / And whanne he wyst to that trouble / he was a passynge heuy man

Capitulum iiij

ANd euer sir Mador stood stylle afore the kynge / and euer he appeled the quene of treason / for the customme was suche that tyme that alle manere of shameful dethe was called treason / Fair lordes sayd kynge Arthur me repenteth of this trouble / but the caas is so I maye not haue adoo in this mater for I must be a ryghtful Iuge / and that repenteth me that I maye not doo batail for my wyf / for as I deme this dede came neuer by her / And therfore I suppose she shalle not be alle distayned / but that somme good knyght shal putt his body in Ieopardy for my quene rather than she shal be brent in a wrong quarel / And therfor sir Mador be not so hasty / for hit maye happen she shalle not be all frendeles / and therfore

[leaf 365v] desyre thow thy daye of bataile / and she shalle purueye her of somme good knyghte / that shalle ansuer yow or els it were to me grete shame / and to alle my courte / My gracyous lord sayd sir Mador ye muste holde me excused / for though ye be oure kynge in that degree / ye are but a knyght as we are / and ye are sworne vnto knyghthode as wel as we / and therfor I biseche yow that ye be not displeased / For there is none of the four and twenty knyghtes that were boden to this dyner / but alle they haue grete suspecyon vnto the quene / What say ye all my lordes said sir Mador / thenne they ansuerd by and by that they coude not excuse the quene / for why she made the dyner / & outher hit must come by her or by her seruauntes / Allas sayd the quene I made this dyner for a good entente / and neuer for none euyl soo almyghty god me help in my ryght as I was neuer purposed to doo suche euylle dedes / and that I reporte me vnto god / My lord kynge sayd sir Mador I requyre yow as ye be a ryghtuous kyng gyue me a day that I may haue Iustyce / wel sayd the kynge I gyue the daye thys day xv dayes that thow be redy armed on horsbak in the medowe besyde westmynster / And yf it soo falle that there be ony knyght to encountre with yow / there mayst thow doo the best / and god spede the ryght / And yf hit so falle that there be no knyght at that day / thenne must my quene be brente / and ther she shalle be redy to haue her Iugement / I am ansuerd sayd sir Mador / and euery knyghte wente where it lyked hem /

¶ So whan the kynge and the quene were to gyders / the kynge asked the quene how this caas bifelle / the quene ansuerd / so god me help I wote not how or in what maner / where is sir launcelot said kyng Arthur / and he were here he wold not grutche to doo bataille for yow / Sire sayd the quene I wote not where he is / but his brother and his kynnesmen deme that he be not within this Realme / that me repenteth sayd kyng Arthur / For and he were here / he wold soone stynte this stryf / Thenne I wille counceyle yow sayd the kynge and vnto sire Bors that ye wil doo bataille for her for sir launcelots sake / And vpon my lyf he wille not refuse yow / For wel I see said the kynge that none of these foure and twenty knyghtes that were with you at your dyner where sir Patryse was slayn

[leaf 366r] that wille doo batail for yow nor none fo hem wille saye well of yow / and that shalle be a grete sklaunder for yow in thys Courte / Allas said the quene and I maye not doo with all but now I mys sir launcelot / for and he were here / he wold putte me soone to my hertes ease /

¶ what eyleth yow said the kynge ye can not kepe sir launcelot vpon your syde / for wete ye wel sayd the kynge who that hath sire Launcelot vpon his partye / hath the moost man of worship in the world vpon his syde / Now goo your way said the kynge vnto the quene / and requyre sir Bors to doo bataille for yow for sire launcelots sake

¶ Capitulum quintum /

SOo the quene departed from the kynge / and sente for sir Bors in to her chamber / And whan he was come she besought hym of socour / Madame said he / what wold ye that I dyd / for I maye not with my worshyp haue adoo in this mater by cause I was at the same dyner for drede that ony of tho knyghtes wold haue me in suspecyon / Also madame said sir Bors now mys ye sir launcelot / for he wold not haue fayled yow neyther in ryght nor in wronge / as ye haue wel preued whan ye haue ben in daunger / and now ye haue dryuen hym oute of this countrey / by whome ye and alle we were dayly worshypped by / therfor madame I merueylle how ye dar for shame requyre me to doo ony thynge for yow in soo moche ye haue chaced hym oute of your countrey / by whome we were borne vp and honoured / Allas fayr knyghte sayd the quene I put me holy in your grace / and alle that is done amys / I will amende as ye wille counceyle me / And therwith she kneled doune vpon bothe her knees / and besought sir Bors to haue mercy vpon her / outher I shall haue a shameful dethe and therto I neuer offended / Ryght soo cam kyng Arthur / & fonde the quene knelyng afore sir Bors / thenne sir Bors pulled her vp / and said Madame ye doo me grete dishonoure / A gentil knyght said the kyng haue mercy vpon my Quene curtois knyght / for I am now in certayne she is vntruly defamed

[leaf 366v] And ther for curtois knyght sayd the kynge / promyse her to doo bataille for her / I requyre yow for the loue of syr launcelot / My lord sayd syr Bors ye requyre me the grettest thynge that ony man may requyre me / And wete ye wel yf I graunte to doo bataille for the quene I shall wrathe many of my felauship of the table round / but as for that sayd Bors I wille graunte my lord / that for my lord sir launcelots sake & for your sake I wille at that daye be the quenes champyon / onles that there come by aduenture a better knyghte than I am to doo batail for her / Will ye promyse me this sayd the kynge by your feythe / ye sir said sir Bors / of that I will not fayle yow / nor her bothe / but yf there came a better knyghte than I am / and thenne shalle he haue the bataille / Thenne was the kynge and the quene passyng gladde / and soo departed / and thanked hym hertely / Soo thenne sir Bors departed secretely vpon a day / and rode vnto sire launcelot there as he was wyth the heremyte sir Brastias / & told hym of all theire aduenture A Ihesu said sir Launcelot this is come happely as I wold haue hit / and therfor I praye yow make you redy to doo bataille / but loke that ye tary tyl ye see me come as longe as ye may / For I am sure Mador is an hote knyghte whan he is enchaufed / for the more ye suffre hym the hastyer wille he be to batail / syr said Bors lete me dele with hym / Doubte ye not ye shalle haue alle your wille / thenne departed syre Bors from hym / and came to the Courte ageyne / Thenne was hit noysed in alle the Courte that sir Bors shold doo bataill for the quene / wherfore many knyghtes were displeasyd with hym / that he wold take vpon hym to doo batail in the quenes quarel for there were but fewe knyghtes in all the courte but they demed the quene was in the wronge / and that she had done that treason / Soo sire Bors ansuerd thus to his felawes of the table round / Wete ye wel my fayre lordes it were shame to vs alle and we suffred to see the moost noble quene of the world to be shamed openly consyderynge her lord / and our lord is the man of moost worship in the world & moost crystend / and he hath euer worshipped vs alle in al places / Many ansuerd hym ageyne / As for oure mooste noble kynge Arthur we loue hym and honoure hym as wel as ye doo / but as for quene Gueneuer

[leaf 367r] we loue her not by cause she is a destroyer of good knyghtes Faire lordes sayd sir Bors me semeth ye saye not as ye shold say / for neuer yet in my dayes knewe I neuer nor herd saye/ that euer she was a destroyer of ony good knyghte / But att alle tymes as ferre as euer I coude knowe / she was a mayntener of good knyghtes / and euer she hath ben large and free of her goodes to alle good knyghtes / and the moost bounteuous lady of her yeftes and her good grace that euer I sawe or herd speke of / And there for it were shame said sire Bors to vs all to our most noble kynges wyf / & we suffred her to be shamefully slayne / And wete ye wel sayd sire Bors I wylle not suffer it / for I dare say soo moche the quene is not gylty of sir Patryse dethe / for she owed hym neuer none ylle wylle/ nor none of the four and twenty knyghtes that were at that dyner / for I dar saye / for good loue she bad vs to dyner / and not for no male engyne / and that I doubte not shalle be preued here after / for how someuer the game goth / there was treason amonge vs / Thenne some sayd to sire Bors we may wel bileue your wordes / and soo some of them were wel pleasyd/ and somme were not so

¶ Capitulum vj

THe daye came on faste vntyl the euen that the bataille shold be / Thenne the quene sente for sir Bors and asked hym how he was disposed / Truly madame sayd he I am disposed in lyke wyse as I promysed yow / that is for to saye I shal not fayle yow / onles by aduenture there come a better knyghte than I am to doo batail for yow / thenne madame am I discharged of my promyse /

¶ Wylle ye sayd the quene that I telle my lord Arthur thus / doth as it shal please yow madame / Thenne the quene wente vnto the kynge and told hym the ansuer of sir Bors / haue ye no doubte said the kynge of sir Bors / for I calle hym now one of the beste knyghtes of the world and the most profytelyest man / And thus it past on vntyl the morne / and the kynge and the quene and all maner of knyghtes that were there at that tyme drewe them vnto the medowe bysyde wynchester where the bataylle

[leaf 367v] shold be / And soo whan the kynge was come with the Quene / and many knyghtes of the round table / than the quene was putte there in the Conestables ward and a grete fyre made aboute an yron stake / that and syr Mador de la porte hadde the better / she shold be brente / suche customme was vsed in tho dayes / that neyther for fauour neyther for loue nor affynyte / there shold be none other but ryghtuous Iugement / as wel vpon a kynge as vpon a knyghte / and as wel vpon a Quene as vpon another poure lady / Soo in this meane whyle came in sir Mador de la porte / and tooke his othe afore the kynge / that the quene dyd this treason vntyl his cosyn sir Patryse / & vnto his othe / he wold preue hit with his body hand for hand who that wold saye the contrary / Ryght so cam in sire Bors de ganys and sayde that as for quene Gueneuer she is in the ryght and that wille I make good with my handes / that she is not culpaple of this treason that is putte vpon her / Thenne make the redy said sir Mador / and we shalle preue whether thow be in the ryght or I / Sir Mador said sir Bors wete thou wel I knowe yow for a good knyghte / Not for thenne I shal not fere yow soo gretely / but I truste to god I shalle be able to withstande your malyce / But thus moche haue I promysed my lord Arthur and my lady the quene that I shalle do bataille for her in this caas to the vttermest / onles that there come a better knyghte than I am / and discharge me / Is that alle said sire Mador / outher come thou of / and doo batail with me / or els say nay / Take your hors said sire Bors / and as I suppose ye shalle not tary longe / but ye shalle be ansuerd / thenne eyther departed to their tentys and maade hem redy to horsbak as they thoughte best / And anone sir Mador cam in to the felde with his shelde on his sholder & his spere in his hand And soo rode aboute the place cryenge vnto Arthur byd your champyon come forthe and he dare / Thenne was sir Bors ashamed and took his hors / and came to the lystes ende /

¶ And thenne was he ware where cam from a wood there faste by a knyght all armed vpon a whyte hors with a straunge shelde of straunge armes / and he came rydynge alle that he myghte renne / and soo he came to sir Bors and sayd thus Fair knyght I pray yow be not displeased / for here must a better knyȝt

[leaf 368r] than ye are haue thys bataille / therfor I praye yow withdrawe yow / For wete ye wel I haue had this day a ryght grete Iourneye / and this bataille ought to be myn / and soo I promysed yow whan I spak with yow last / and with alle my herte I thanke yow of your good wille / Thenne sire Bors rode vnto kynge Arthur and told hym how there was a knyȝt come that wold haue the bataille for to fyghte for the Quene

¶ what knyght is he said the kynge / I wote not sayd syre Bors / but suche couenaunt he made with me to be here this day Now my lord sayd syr Bors here am I discharged /

Capitulum vij

THenne the kynge called to that knyghte / and asked hym / yf he wold fyghte for the quene / Thenne he ansuerd to the kynge therfor cam I hydder / and therfor sir kyng he sayd tary me noo lenger for I may not tary / For anone as I haue fynysshed this bataille I must departe hens / for I haue a doo many matters els where / For wete yow wel sayd that knyght this is dishonour to yow alle knyghtes of the round table to see and knowe soo noble a lady and so curtoys a quene as quene Gueneuer is thus to be rebuked and shamed amongest yow / thenne they alle merueylled what knyȝt that myghte be that soo tooke the bataille vpon hym / For there was not one that knewe hym but yf it were syre Bors / Thenne sayd sir Mador de la porte vnto the kynge / now lete me wete with whome I shalle haue adoo with alle / And thenne they rode to the lystes ende / and there they couched theire speres / & ranne to gyder with alle their myghtes / and sire Madors spere brake alle to pyeces / but the others spere held / and bare syre Madors hors and alle bakward to the erthe a grete falle / But myghtely and sodenly he auoyded his hors / and putte his sheld afore hym / and thenne drewe his suerd / and badde the other knyghte alyghte / and doo batail with hym on foote Thenne that knyght descended from his hors lyghtly lyke a valyaunt man / and putte his sheld afore hym and drewe his suerd / and soo they came egerly vnto bataille / and eyther

[leaf 368v] gaf other many grete strokes tracynge and trauercynge / racynge and foynynge / and hurtlyng to gyder with her suerdes as it were wyld bores / thus were they fyghtynge nyghe an houre / For this sir Mador was a stronge knyghte / and myghtely proued in many stronge batails / But at the laste thys knyghte smote sir Madore grouelynge vpon the erthe / and the kynght stepped nere hym to haue pulled sir Mador flatlynge vpon the ground / and there with sodenly sir Mador aroos / & in his rysynge he smote that knyght thurgh the thyck of the thyȝes that the blood ranne oute fyersly /

¶ And whan he felte hym self soo wounded / and sawe his blood he lete hym aryse vpon his feet / And thenne he gaf hym suche a buffet vpon the helme / that he felle to the erthe flatlynge / and therwith he strode to hym to haue pulled of his helme of his hede / And thenne sir Mador prayd that knyghte to saue his lyf / and so he yelded hym as ouercome and relecyd the quene of his quarel / I wille not graunte the thy lyf said that knyghte only that thou frely relece the quene for euer / and that no mencyon be made vpon sir Patryces tombe that euer Quene Gueneuer consented to that treason / Alle this shalle be done said sir mador I clerely discharge my quarel for euer / Thenne the knyȝtes parters of the lystes toke vp sire Mador / and ledde hym to his tente / and the other knyghte wente streyghte to the steyer foote where sat kyng Arthur / and by that tyme was the quene come to the kynge / and eyther kyssed other hertely / And whan the kynge sawe that knyghte / he stouped doune to hym/ and thanked hym / and in lyke wyse dyd the quene / and the kynge prayd hym to putte of his helmet / and to repose hym / & to take a sop of wyn / and thenne he putte of his helmet to drynke / and thenne euery knyght knewe hym that it was syre Launcelot du lake / Anone as the quene wyst that / he took the quene in his hand / and yode vnto syr launcelot and sayd sir graunt mercy of your grete trauaille that ye haue hadde thys day for me and for my quene / My lord sayd sir launcelot wete ye wel I oughte of ryghte euer to be in your quarel / and in my lady the quenes quarel to do batail / for ye ar the man that gaf me the hyghe ordre of knyghthode / and that daye my lady your quene dyd me grete worship / & els I had ben shamed

[leaf 369r] for that same day ye made me knyghte / thurgh my hastynesse I lost my suerd / and my lady your quene fond hit / and lapped hit it her trayne / and gafe me my suerd whan I hadde nede therto / and els had I ben shamed emonge alle knyghtes / & therfor my lord Arthur I promysed her at that day euer to be her knyghte in ryghte outher in wronge / Graunt mercy sayd the kyng for this iourneye / & wete ye wel said the kyng I shal acquyte youre goodenes / and euer the quene behelde sir launcelot / and wepte so tendyrly that she sanke all most to the groūd for sorowe that he had done to her soo grete goodenes where she shewed hym grete vnkyndenes /

¶ Thenne the knyghtes of his blood drewe vnto hym / and there eyther of them made grete ioye of other / And so came alle the knyghtes of the table round that were there at that tyme / and welcomed hym / And thenne sir Mador was had to leche crafte / and sire launcelot was helyd of his woūd / And thenne there was made grete Ioye & myrthes in that courte

¶ Capitulum octauum /

ANd soo it befelle that the damoysel of the lake / her name was Nymue / the whiche wedded the good knyȝt sir Pelleas / and soo she cam to the Courte / for euer she dyd grete goodenes vnto kynge Arthur / and to alle his knytes thurgh her sorcery and enchauntementes / And soo whan she herd how the quene was an angred for the dethe of syre Patryse / Thenne she told it openly that she was neuer gylty and there she disclosed by whome it was done and named hym syr Pynel / and for what cause he dyd it / there it was openly disclosed / and soo the quene was excused / and the knyȝt Pynel fled in to his countre / Thenne was it openly knowen that syr Pynel enpoysond the appels att the feest to that entente to haue destroyed sire Gawayne / by cause syr Gawayne and his bretheren destroyed syr Lamorak de galys / to the whiche syre Pynel was cosyn vnto / Thenne was sire Patryce buryed in the chirche of Westmestre in a tombe / and there vpon was wryten / Here lyeth syre Patryce of Irlond slayne by syre Pynel

[leaf 369v] le saueage / that enpoysoned appels to haue slayne syre Gawayne / and by mysfortune sire Patryce ete one of tho appels / & thenne sodenly he brast / Also there was wryten vnto the tombe that Quene Gueneuer was appelyd of treason of the deth of sire Patryce by sir Mador de la porte / and there was made mencyon how sire launcelot foughte with hym for quene Gueneuer / and ouercame hym in playne bataille / Alle this was wryten vpon the tombe of syr Patryce in excusyng of the quene / And thenne sir Mador sewed dayly and long / to haue the Quenes good grace / and soo by the meanes of syre launcelot he caused hym to stande in the quenes good grace / and all was forgyuen / Thus it passed on tyl oure lady daye assūpcyon / within a xv dayes of that feest the kynge lete crye a grete Iustes and a turnement that shold be at that daye att Camelot that is wynchester / and the kynge lete crye that he and the kynge of Scottes wold Iuste ageynst alle that wold come ageynst hem / And whan this crye was made / thydder cam many knyghtes / Soo there came thyder the kyng of Northgalys and kyng Anguysshe of Irland / and the kyng with the honderd knyghtes / and Galahaut the haute prynce / and the Kynge of Northumberland / and many other noble dukes & Erles of dyuerse countreyes / Soo kynge Arthur made hym redy to departe to thise Iustys / and wold haue had the Quene with hym / but at that tyme she wold not / she said / for she was seke and myghte not ryde at that tyme / That me repenteth sayd the kynge / for this seuen yere ye sawe not suche a noble felaushyp to gyders excepte at wytsontyde whan Galahad departed from the Courte / Truly sayd the quene to the kynge / ye muste holde me excused / I maye not be there / and that me repenteth / and many demed the quene wold not be there by cause of sir launcelot du lake / for sire launcelot wold not ryde with the kynge / for he said / that he was not hole of the wound the whiche sire Mador had gyuen hym / wherfor the kynge was heuy and passynge wrothe / and soo he departed toward wynchestre with his felaushyp / and soo by the way the kynge lodged in a Towne called Astolot / that is now in Englyssh called Gylford / and there the kynge lay in the Castel / Soo whan the kynge was departed / the quene called sir launcelot

[leaf 370r] to her / and said thus / Sire launcelot ye are gretely to blame thus to holde yow behynde my lord / what trowe ye what will youre enemyes and myne saye and deme / noughte els but see how sire launcolot holdeth hym euer behynde the kyng / and soo doth the quene / for that they wold haue their pleasyr to gyders / And thus wylle they saye sayd the Quene to syr launcelot haue ye noo doubte therof

¶ Capitulum ix

MAdame said syr Launcelot I allowe your wytte / it is of late come syn ye were wyse / And therfor madame at this tyme I wille be rulyd by your counceylle / and thys nyghte I wylle take my rest / and to morowe by tyme I wyll take my waye toward wynchestre / ¶ But wete yow wel sayd sir Launcelot to the quene / that at that Iustes I wille be ageynst the kynge and ageynste al his felauship / ye maye there doo as ye lyst sayd the Quene / but by my counceylle ye shalle not be ageynst youre kyng and youre felauship / For therin ben ful many hard knyghtes of youre blood as ye wote wel ynough / hit nedeth not to reherce them /

¶ Madame said syre Launcelot I praye yow that ye be not displeasyd with me / for I wille take the aduenture that god wylle sende me / And soo vpon the morne erly syre launcelot herd masse and brake his fast / and soo toke his leue of the quene departed / And thenne he rode soo moche vntyl he came to Astolat that is Gylford / and there hit happed hym in the euentyde he cam to an old Barons place that hyght sir Bernard of Astolat / And as syre launcelot entryd in to his lodgynge / kynge Arthur aspyed hym as he dyd walke in a gardyn besyde the Castel how he took his lodgynge / & knewe hym ful wel /

¶ It is wel sayd kynge Arthur vnto the knyghtes that were with hym in that gardyn besyde the castel / I haue now aspyed one knyghte that wylle playe his playe at the Iustes / to the whiche we be gone toward / I vndertake he wil do merueils / Who is that we pray you telle vs

[leaf 370v] sayd many knyghtes that were there at that tyme / ye shal not wete for me said the kynge as at this tyme / And soo the kyng smyled / and wente to his lodgynge / Soo whan sire launcelot was in his lodgynge / and vnarmed hym in his chamber the olde baron and heremyte came to hym makynge his reuerence and welcomed hym in the best maner / but the old knyght knewe not sire Launcelot / Fair sir said sir launcelot to his hooste I wold praye yow to lene me a shelde that were not openly knowen for myn is wel knowen / Sir said his hoost ye shalle haue your desyre / for me semeth ye be one of the lykelyest knyghtes of the world / and therfor I shall shewe you frendship Sire wete yow wel I haue two sones that were but late made knyghtes / and the eldest hyghte sir Tirre / and he was hurt that same day he was made knyghte that he may not ryde / and his sheld ye shalle haue / For that is not knowen I dare saye but here / and in no place els / and my yongest sone hyght Lauayne / and yf hit please yow / he shalle ryde with yow vnto that Iustes / and he is of his age x stronge and wyght / for moche my herte gyueth vnto yow that ye shold be a noble knyȝte therfor I praye yow telle me your name / said sir Bernard As for that sayd sire launcelot ye must holde me excused as at this tyme / And yf god gyue me grace to spede wel att the Iustes / I shalle come ageyne and telle yow / but I praye yow said sir Launcelot in ony wyse lete me haue youre sone sire lauayne with me / and that I maye haue your broders shelde / Alle this shalle be done said sir Bernard /

¶ This old baron had a doughter that tyme that was called that tyme the faire mayden of Astolat / And euer she beheld sir launcelot wonderfully / And as the book sayth she cast suche a loue vnto sir launcelot that she coude neuer withdrawe her loue / wherfore she dyed / and her name was Elayne le blank / Soo thus as she cam to and fro / she was soo hote in her loue that she besoughte syr launcelot to were vpon hym at the Iustes a token of hers

¶ Faire damoysel said sir launcelot / and yf I graunte yow that ye may saye I doo more for youre loue than euer I dyd for lady or damoysel /

¶ Thenne he remembryd hym that he wold goo to the Iustes desguysed / And by cause he had neuer fore that tyme borne noo manere of token of noo damoysel

[leaf 371r] ¶ Thenne he bethoughte hym that he wold bere one of her that none of his blood there by myghte knowe hym / and thenne he said Faire mayden I wylle graunte yow to were a token of yours vpon myn helmet / and therfor what it is / shewe it me Sir she said it is a reed sleue of myn of scarlet wel enbroudred with grete perlys / and soo she brought it hym / Soo syre Launcelot receyued it / and sayd neuer dyd I erst soo moche/ for no damoysel / And thenne sir launcelot bitoke the fair mayden his shelde in kepyng / and praid her to kepe that vntyl that he came ageyne / and soo that nyghte he had mery rest & grete chere / For euer the damoysel Elayne was aboute sire Launcelot alle the whyle she myghte be suffred

Capitulum x

SOo vpon a daye on the morne kynge Arthur and al his knyghtes departed / for theire kynge had taryed thre dayes to abyde his noble knyghtes / And soo whanne the kynge was ryden / sir launcelot and sire Lauayne made hem redy to ryde / and eyther of hem had whyte sheldes / and the reed sleue sir Launcelot lete cary with hym / and soo they tooke their leue at syr Bernard the old baron / and att his doughter the faire mayden of Astolat / And thenne they rode soo long til that they came to Camelot that tyme called wynchestre / and there was grete prees of kynges / dukes / Erles / and barons/ and many noble knyghtes / But there sir launcelot was lodged pryuely by the meanes of sir lauayne with a ryche burgeis that no man in that toune was ware what they were / & soo they reposed them there til oure lady day assumpcyon as the grete feest sholde be / Soo thenne trumpets blewe vnto the felde / and kynge Arthur was sette on hyghe vpon a skafhold to beholde who dyd best / But as the Frensshe book saith / the kynge wold not suffer syre Gawayn to goo from hym / for neuer had sir Gawayn the better and sire launcelot were in the felde / & many tymes was sir Gawayn rebuked whan laūcelot cam in to ony Iustes desguysed / Thenne som of the kynges as kynge Anguysshe of Irland and the kynge of Scottes were that tyme torned vpon the syde of kynge Arthur /

¶ And

[leaf 371v] thenne on the other party was the kynge of Northgalys / and the kynge with the honderd knyghtes / and the kynge of Northumberland / and syre Galahad the haut prynce / But these thre kynges and this duke were passyng weyke to holde ageynst kynge Arthurs party / for with hym were the noblest knyghtes of the world / Soo thenne they withdrewe hem eyther party from other / and euery man made hym redy in his best maner to doo what he myghte /

¶ Thenne syre Launcelot made hym redy / and putte the reed sleue vpon his hede / and fastned it fast / and soo syre launcelot and syre Lauayne departed out of wynchestre pryuely / and rode vntyl a lytel leuyd wood / behynde the party that held ageynst kyng Arthurs party / and there they helde them stylle tyl the partyes smote to gyders / & thenne cam in the kynge of Scottes and the kyng of Irland on Arthurs party / and ageynst them came the kynge of Northumberland / and the kynge with the honderd knyghtes smote doun the kynge of Northumberland / and the kynge with the honderd knyghtes smote doune kynge Anguysshe of Irland / Thenne syre Palomydes that was on Arthurs party encountred with syre Galahad / and eyther of hem smote doune other / and eyther party halpe their lordes on horsbak ageyne / Soo there began a stronge assaile vpon bothe partyes / And thenne came in syr Brandyles / syre Sagramor le desyrus / sire Dodynas le saueage / sir kay le seneschal / sir Gryflet le fyse de dieu / sir Mordred / sir Melyot de logrys / syr Ozanna le cure hardy / sir Safyr / sir Epynogrys / syr Galleron of Galway / Alle these xv knyghtes were knyghtes of the table round / Soo these with moo other came in to gyders / and bete on bak the kynge of Northumberland and the kynge of Northwalys / whan sir launcelot sawe this as he houed in a lytil leued woode / thenne he sayd vnto syre lauayn / see yonder is a company of good knyghtes / and they hold them to gyders as bores that were chauffed with dogges / that is trouthe said syre Lauayne

¶Capitulum xj

[leaf 372r]

¶ Capitulum xj

NOw sayd syre Launcelot / and ye wille helpe me a lytel / ye shalle see yonder felauship that chaseth now these men in oure syde that they shal go as fast bakward as they wente forward / Sir spare not said sire Lauayne / for I shall doo what I maye / Thenne sire Launcelot and sire Lauayne cam in at the thyckest of the prees / and there syre launcelot smote doune syr Brandyles / syre Sagramore / syre Dodynas/ sir Kay / syr Gryflet / and alle this he dyd with one spere / and sire Lauayne smote doune sire Lucan the buttelere / and sir Bedeuere / And thenne sire Launcelot gat another spere / & there he smote doune sir Agrauayne / sire Gaherys / and sir Mordred and sir Melyot de Logrys / and sir Lauayne smote doune Ozanna le cure hardy / and thenne sir Launcelot drewe his suerd and there he smote on the ryght hand and on the lyfte hand and by grete force he vnhorced syr Safyr / sire Epynogrys / & sir Galleron / and thenne the knyghtes of the table round withdrewe them abak after they had goten their horses as wel as they myghte / O mercy Ihesu said sire Gawayne what knyȝte is yonder that doth soo merueyllous dedes of armes in that felde / I wote not what he is sayd kynge Arthur / But as att this tyme I wille not name hym / syre sayd sire Gawayne I wold say it were syr launcelot by his rydynge and his buffets that I see hym dele / but euer me semeth it shold not be he for that he bereth the reed sleue vpon his hede / for I wyst hym neuer bere token at no Iustes of lady nor gentilwoman / Lete hym be said kynge Arthur / he wille be better knowen / and do more or euer he departe / Thenne the party that was ayenst kynge Arthur were wel comforted / and thenne they helde hem to gyders that before hand were sore rebuked / Thenne sir Bors sir Ector de marys and sir Lyonel called vnto them the knyȝtes of their blood / as sir Blamor de ganys / syre Bleoberys syr Alyduke / sir Galyhud / sire Galyhodyn / sir Bellangere le beuse / soo these nyne knyghtes of sir launcelots skynne threste in myghtely / for they were al noble knyghtes / and they of grete hate and despyte that they had vnto hym thoughte to rebuke that noble knyght sir launcelot & sir lauayne / for they

[leaf 372v] knewe hem not / and soo they cam hurlynge to gyders / & smote doune many knyghtes of northgalys and of northumberland And whanne sire launcelot sawe them fare soo / he gat a spere in his hand / and there encountred with hym al attones syr bors sir Ector and sire Lyonel / and alle they thre smote hym atte ones with their speres / And with fors of them self they smote sir launcelots hors to the erthe / and by mysfortune sir bors smote syre launcelot thurgh the shelde in to the syde / and the spere brake / and the hede lefte stylle in his syde / whan sir Lauayne sawe his maister lye on the ground / he ranne to the kynge of scottes / and smote hym to the erthe / and by grete force he took his hors / and brought hym to syr launcelot / and maulgre of them al he made hym to mounte vpon that hors / & thenne launcelot gat a spere in his hand / and there he smote syre Bors hors and man to the erthe / in the same wyse he serued syre Ector and syre Lyonel / and syre Lauayne smote doune sir Blamore de ganys / And thenne sir launcelot drewe his suerd for he felte hym self so sore y hurte that he wende there to haue had his dethe / And thenne he smote sire Bleoberys suche a buffet on the helmet that he felle doune to the erthe in a swoun And in the same wyse he serued sir Alyduk / and sir Galyhud And sire Lauayne smote doune syr Bellangere that was the sone of Alysaunder le orphelyn / and by this was sire Bors horsed / and thenne he came with sire Ector and syr Lyonel / & alle they thre smote with suerdes vpn syre launcelots helmet/ And whan he felte their buffets / and his wounde the whiche was soo greuous than he thought to doo what he myght whyle he myght endure / And thenne he gaf syr Bors suche a buffet that he made hym bowe his heed passynge lowe / and there with al he raced of his helme / and myght haue slayne hym / & soo pulled hym doune / and in the same wyse he serued syre Ector and sire Lyonel / For as the book saith he myghte haue slayne them / but whan he sawe their vysages / his herte myght not serue hym therto / but lefte hem there

¶ And thenne afterward he hurled in to the thyckest prees of them alle and dyd there the merueyloust dedes of armes that euer man sawe or herde speke of / And euer sire Lauayne the good knyghte with hym / and there sire Launcelot with

[leaf 373r] his suerd smote doune and pulled doune as the Frensshe book maketh mencyon moo than thyrtty knyghtes / & the moost party were of the table round / and sire Lauayne dyd ful wel that day / for he smote doune ten knyghtes of the table round /

¶ Capitulum xij

MErcy Ihesu said syr Gawayne to Arthur I merueil what knyghte that he is with the reed sleue / Syr saide kynge Arthur he wille be knowen of he departe / and thenne the kynge blewe vnto lodgynge / and the pryce was gyuen by herowdes vnto the knyghte with the whyte shelde that bare the reed sleue / Thenne came the kynge with the honderd knyȝtes the kynge of Northgalys / and the kynge of Northumberland and sir Galahaut the haute prynce / and sayd vnto sire launcelot / fayre knyght god the blesse / for moche haue ye done this day for vs / therfor we praye yow that ye wille come with vs that ye may receyue the honour and the pryce as ye haue worshipfully deserued it / My faire lordes saide syre launcelot wete yow wel yf I haue deserued thanke / I haue sore bought hit and that me repenteth / for I am lyke neuer to escape with my lyf / therfor faire lordes I pray yow that ye wille suffer me to departe where me lyketh / for I am sore hurte / I take none force of none honour / for I had leuer to repose me than to be lord of alle the world / and there with al he groned pytously and rode a grete wallop away ward fro them vntyl he came vnder a woodes syde / And whan he sawe that he was from the felde nyghe a myle that he was sure he myghte not be sene / Thenne he said with an hyȝ voys / O gentyl knyght sir Lauayne helpe me that this truncheon were oute of my syde / for it stycketh so sore that it nyhe sleeth me / O myn owne lord said sir Lauayne I wold fayn do that myȝt please yow / but I drede me sore / & I pulle out the truncheon that ye shalle be in perylle of dethe / I charge you said sir launcelot as ye loue me drawe hit oute / & there with alle he descended from his hors / and ryght soo dyd sir Lauayn / and forth with al sir Lauayn drewe the truncheon out of his syde / and gaf a grete shryche and a merueillous

[leaf 373v] grysely grone / and the blood braste oute nyghe a pynt at ones that at the last he sanke doun vpon his buttoks & so swouned pale and dedely / Allas sayd sire Lauayne what shalle I doo And thenne he torned sir launcelot in to the wynde / but soo he laye there nyghe half an houre as he had ben dede / And so at the laste syre Launcelot caste vp his eyen / and sayd O Lauayn helpe me / that I were on my hors / for here is fast by within this two myle a gentyl heremyte that somtyme was a fulle noble knyghte and a grete lord of possessions / And for grete goodenes he hath taken hym to wylful pouerte / and forsaken many landes / and his name is sire Baudewyn of Bretayn and he is a full noble surgeon and a good leche / Now lete see / helpe me vp that I were there / for euer my herte gyueth me that I shalle neuer dye of my cosyn germayns handes / & thenne with grete payne sir Lauayne halpe hym vpon his hors And thenne they rode a grete wallop to gyders / and euer syr Launcelot bledde / that it ranne doune to the erthe / and so by fortune they came to that hermytage the whiche was vnder a wood / and grete clyf on the other syde / and a fayre water rennynge vnder it / And thenne sire Lauayn bete on the gate with the but of his spere / and cryed fast / Lete in for Ihesus sake/ and there came a fair chyld to them / and asked hem what they wold / Faire sone said syr Lauayne / goo and pray thy lord/ the heremyte for goddes sake to lete in here a knyghte that is ful sore wounded / and this day telle thy lord I sawe hym do more dedes of armes than euer I herd say ony man dyd Soo the chyld wente in lyghtely / and thenne he brought the heremyte the whiche was a passynge good man / Whan syr lauayne sawe hym he prayd hym for goddes sake of socour / what knyght is he sayd the heremyte / is he of the hows of kyng arthur or not / I wote not said sire Lauayne what is he / nor what is his name / but wel I wote I sawe hym doo merueylously this daye as of dedes of armes / On whos party was he sayd the heremyte / syre said syre Lauayne he was this daye ageynst kynge Arthur / and there he wanne the pryce of alle the knyghtes of the round table / I haue sene the daye sayd the heremyte / I wold haue loued hym the werse / by cause he was ageynst my lord kynge Arthur / for somtyme I was one

[leaf 374r] of the felauship of the round table / but I thanke god now I am otherwyse disposed / But where is he / lete me see hym/ Thenne sir Lauayne broughte the heremyte to hym

¶ Capitulum xiij

ANd whan the heremyte beheld hym as he sat lenynge vpon his sadel bowe euer bledynge pytously / and euer the knyghte heremyte thoughte that he shold knowe hym but he coude not brynge hym to knouleche / by cause he was soo pale for bledynge / what knyghte are ye sayd the heremyte / and where were ye borne / My fayre lord sayd syre Launcelot I am a straunger and a knyghte auenturous that laboureth thurȝ oute many Realmes for to wynne worship / Thenne the heremyte aduysed hym better / and sawe by a wound on his cheke that he was syr Launcelot / Allas sayd the heremyte myn owne lord why layne you your name from me /

¶ For sothe I oughte to knowe yow of ryȝt / for ye are the moost noblest knyghte of the world / for wel I knowe yow for sire launcelot Sire said he sythe ye knowe me / helpe me and ye may for goddes sake / for I wold be oute of this payne at ones / outher to dethe or to lyf / Haue ye no doubte sayd the heremyte ye shall lyue and fare ryght wel / and soo the heremyte called to hym two of his seruauytes / and so he and his seruauntes bare hym in to the hermytage / and lyghtely vnarmed hym / and leyd hym in his bedde / And thenne anone the heremyte staunched his blood and made hym to drynke good wyn so that sir launcelot was wel refresshed and knewe hym self / For in these dayes it was not the guyse of heremytes as is now a dayes For there were none heremytes in tho dayes but that they had ben men of worshyp and of prowesse / and tho heremytes helde grete housholde / and refresshyd peple that were in distresse /

¶ Now torne we vnto kynge Arthur and leue we sir launcelot in the hermytage /

¶ Soo whan the kynges were comen to gyders on bothe partyes / and the grete feeste shold be holden kynge Arthur asked the kynge of Northgalys and theyr felaushyp where was that knyghte that bare the reed sleue / brynge hym afore me that he may haue his lawde and honour &

[leaf 374v] the pryce as it is ryght / Thenne spake sir Galahad the haute prynce and the kynge with the hondred knyghtes / we suppose that knyghte is mescheued & that he is neuer lyke to see yow nor none of vs alle / and that is the grettest pyte that euer we wyste of ony knyghte / Allas sayd Arthur how may this be / is he soo hurte / What is his name sayd kynge Arthur / Truly said they all we knowe not his name / nor from whens he cam nor whyder he wold / Allas sayd the kynge this be to me the werst tydynges that came to me this seuen yere / For I wold not for alle the londes I welde to knowe and wete it were so that that noble knyght were slayne / knowe ye hym sayd they al /

¶ As for that sayd Arthur / whether I knowe hym or knowe hym not / ye shal not knowe for me what man he is but almyghty ihesu sende me good good tydynges of hym and soo said they alle / By my hede said sire Gawayn yf it soo be that the good knyghte be so sore hurte / hit is grete dommage and pyte to alle this land / For he is one of the noblest knyghtes that euer I sawe in a felde handle a spere or a suerd / And yf he maye be founde I shalle fynde hym / For I am sure he nys not fer fro this towne / bere yow wel sayd kynge Arthur / and ye may fynde hym onles that he be in suche a plyte that he may not welde hym self / Ihesu defende sayd sir Gawayne / but wete I shalle what he is and I may fynde hym / Ryght soo syre Gawayne took a squyer with hym vpon hakneis and rode al aboute Camelot within vj or seuen myle / but soo he came ageyne and coude here no word of hym / Thenne within two dayes kynge Arthur and alle the felaushyp retorned vnto london ageyne / And soo as they rode by the waye / hit happed sir Gawayne at Astolat to lodge wyth syr Bernard / there as was syr Launcelot lodged / and soo as sire Gawayn was in his chamber to repose hym / syr Barnard the old Baron came vnto hym and his doughter Elayne to chere hym and to aske hym what tydynges and who dyd best at that turnement of wynchester / Soo god me help said syre Gawayne there were two knyghtes that bare two whyte sheldes / but the one of hem bare a reed sleue vpon his hede and certaynly he was one of the best knyghtes that euer I sawe Iuste in felde / For I dare say sayd sire Gawayne that one knyght

[leaf 375r] with the reed sleue smote doune fourty knyghtes of the table round / and his felawe dyd ryght wel and worshypfully /

¶ Now blessid be god sayd the fayre mayden of Astolat that that knyght sped soo wel / for he is the man in the world that I fyrst loued / and truly he shalle be laste that euer I shalle loue // Now fayre mayde sayd sir Gawayne is that good knyght your loue / Certaynly sir sayd she / were ye wel he is my loue / thenne knowe ye his name sayd sire gawayne / Nay truly said the damoysel / I knowe not his name not from whens he cometh / but to say that I loue hym I promyse you and god that I loue hym / how had ye knouleche of hym fyrst said sire Gawayne

¶ Capitulum xiiij

THenne she told hym as ye haue herd to fore / and hou her fader betoke hym her broder to doo hym seruyse / and how her fader lente hym her broders syr Tyrreis shelde / and herre with me he lefte his owne sheld / For what cause dyd he so said sir Gawayne / For this cause sayd the damoysel / for his sheld was to wel knowen amonge many noble knyghtes / A fayr damoyfel sayd sir Gawayne please hit yow lete me haue a syghte of that sheld / syre said she it is in my chamber couerd with a caas / and yf ye wille come with me / ye shalle see hit / Not soo sayd syre Barnard tyl his doughter lete sende for it Soo whan the sheld was comen / sir Gawayne took of the caas / And whanne he beheld that sheld he knewe anone that hit was sir launcelots shelde / and his ownes armes / A Ihesu mercy sayd syr Gawayne now is my herte more heuyer than euer it was tofore why sayd Elayne / for I haue grete cause sayd sire Gawayne / is that knyght that oweth this shelde your loue ye truly said she my loue he is / god wold I were his loue/ Soo god me spede sayd sire Gawayne fair damoysel ye haue ryght / for and he be your loue / ye loue the moost honourable knyghte of the world and the man of moost worshyp / So me thoughte euer said the damoysel / for neuer or that tyme for no knyghte that euer I sawe / loued I neuer none erst /

¶ God graunte sayd sire Gawayne that eyther of yow maye reioyse

[leaf 375v] other / but that is in grete aduenture / But truly said sir gawayne vnto the damoysel / ye may saye ye haue a fayre grace for why I haue knowen that noble knyght this four and twenty yere / and neuer or that day / I nor none other knyghte / I dare make good / sawe / nor herd saye that euer he bare token or sygne of no lady / gentilwoman / ne mayden at no Iustes nor turnement / And therfor fayre mayden saide sire Gawayne ye ar moche beholden to hym to gyue hym thankes / But I drede me sayd sire Gawayne that ye shalle neuer see hym in thys world / and that is grete pyte / that euer was of erthely knyght / Allas sayd she / how may this be / is he slayne / I say not soo said sire Gawayne / but wete ye wel / he is greuously wounded by alle maner of sygnes and by mens syghte more lykelyer to be dede than to be on lyue / and wete ye wel he is the noble knyghte sire launcelot / for by this sheld I knowe hym Allas said the fayre mayden of Astolat / how maye this be / and what was his hurte / Truly said sire Gawayne the man in the world that loued hym best / hurte hym soo / and I dare say sayd sir Gawayne / and that knyghte that hurte hym knewe the veray certaynte that he had hurte sire Launcelot / it wold be the moost sorowe that euer came to his herte / Now fair fader said thenne Elayne I requyre yow gyue me leue to ryde and to seke hym / or els I wote wel I shalle go oute of my mynde / for I shalle neuer stynte tyl that I fynde hym / and my broder syre Lauayne / Doo as it lyketh yow sayd her fader / for me sore repenteth of the hurte of that noble knyghte

¶ Ryghte soo the mayde made her redy and before syre Gawayne makynge grete dole / Thenne on the morne syr Gawayne came to kynge Arthur / and told hym how he had fonde sire Launcelots shelde in the kepynge of the fayre mayden of Astolat / Alle that knewe I afore hand sayd kynge Arthur and that caused me I wold not suffer you to haue adoo atte grete Iustes / for I aspyed said kynge Arthur whan he cam in tyl his lodgynge ful late in the euenynge in Astolat / But merueille haue I said Arthur that euer he wold bere ony sygne of ony damoysel / For or now I neuer herd say nor knewe that euer he bare ony token of none erthely woman / By my hede said sir Gawayne the fayre mayden of Astolat loueth

[leaf 376r] hym merueyllously wel / what it meaneth I can not saye / & she is ryden after to seke hym / Soo the kynge and alle cam to london / and there sire Gawayne openly disclosed to alle the Courte that it was sire Launcelot that Iusted best

¶ Capitulum xv

ANd whanne sir Bors herd that wete ye wel / he was an heuy man / and soo were alle his kynnesmen / But whan quene Gueneuer wyste that syre Launcelot bare the reed sleue / of the fayre mayden of Astolat / she was nyghe oute of her mynde for wrathe /

¶ And thenne she sente for syr Bors de ganys in alle the hast that myghte be / Soo whanne sire Bors was come to fore the quene / thene she sayd / A sire Bors haue ye herd say how falsly sir launcelot hath bytrayed me / Allas madame said sire Bors / I am aferd he hath bytrayed hym self and vs alle / No force said the quene though he be destroyed / for he is a fals traytour knyghte / Madame sayd sir Bors I pray yow saye ye not so / for wete yow wel / I maye not here suche langage of hym / why sire Bors sayd she / shold I not calle hym traytour whan he bare the reed sleue vpon his hede at wynchestre at the grete Iustes / Madame sayd syre Bors that sleeue beryng repenteth me sore / but I dar say he dyd it to none euylle entente / but for this cause he bare the reed sleue that none yf his blood shold knowe hym / For or thenne we nor none of vs alle neuer knewe that euer he bare token or sygne of mayde / lady / ne gentylwoman / Fy on hym said the quene / yet for all his pryde and bobaunce there ye proued your self his better / Nay madame saye ye neuer more soo for he bete me / and my felawes / and myghte haue slayne vs and he had wold / Fy on hym sayd the quene / For I herd sir Gawayne saye bifore my lord Arthur that it were merueil to telle the grete loue that is bitwene the fayre mayden of Astolat and hym / Madame saide syre Bors I maye not warne syr Gawayne to say what it pleasyd hym / But I dare fay as for my lord syre Launcelot that he loueth no lady gentilwoman nor mayde / but all he loueth in lyke moche / and therfor

[leaf 376v] madame said sir Bors / ye may saye what ye wylle / but wete ye wel I wille haste me to seke hym / and fynde hym where someuer he be / and god sende me good tydynges of hym / and soo leue we them there / and speke we of sire launcelot that lay in grete perylle / Soo as fayr Elayne cam to wynchestre / she soughte there al aboute / and by fortune syr Lauayne was ryden to playe hym to enchauffe his hors / And anone as Elayne sawe hym she knewe hym / And thenne she cryed on loude vntyl hym / And whan he herd her / anone he came to her / and thenne she asked her broder how dyd my lord sire launcelot / Who told yow syster that my lordes name was sir Launcelot thenne she told hym how sire Gawayne by his sheld knewe hym / Soo they rode to gyders tyl that they cam to the hermytage / and anone she alyghte / So sir Lauayne broughte her in to sire launcelot / And whanne she sawe hym lye so seke & pale in his bedde / she myght not speke / but sodenly she felle to the erthe doune sodenly in swoun / and there she lay a grete whyle/ And whanne she was releuyd / she shryked / and saide my lord sire Launcelot Allas why be ye in this plyte / and thenne she swouned ageyne / And thenne sir Launcelot prayd syre Lauayne to take her vp / and brynge her to me / And whan she cam to her self sire Launcelot kyst her / and said / Fair mayden why fare ye thus / ye put me to payne wherfor make ye nomore suche chere / for and ye be come to comforte me / ye be ryȝt welcome / and of this lytel hurte that I haue I shal be ryghte hastely hole by the grace of god / But I merueylle sayd sir Launcelot / who told yow my name / thenne the fayre mayden told hym alle how sire Gawayne was lodged with her fader and there by your sheld he discouerd your name / Allas sayd sir launcelot that me repenteth that my name is knowen / for I am sure it wille torne vnto angre / And thenne sir launcelot compast in his mynde that syre Gawayne wold telle Quene Gueneuer / how he bare the reed sleue / and for whome / that he wyst wel wold torne vnto grete angre / Soo this mayden Elayne neuer wente from sir launcelot / but watched hym day and nyght / and dyd suche attendaunce to hym that the frensshe book saith / there was neuer woman dyd more kyndelyer for man than she / Thenne sir Launcelot prayd sir Lauayne to

[leaf 377r] make aspyes in wynchestre for sire Bors yf he came there / and told hym by what tokens he shold knowe hym by a wound in his forhede / for wel I am sure sayd sire launcelot / that syre Bors wille seke me / for he is the same good knyȝt that hurte me /

¶ Capitulum xvj

NOw torne we vnto sire Bors de ganys that cam vnto wynchestre to seke after his cosyn syre Launcelot / and soo whanne he cam to wynchestre / anone there were men that sire Lauayne had made to lye in a watche for suche a man and anone sir Lauayne had warnynge / and thenne sire Lauayne came to wynchestre / and fond sir Bors / and there he told hym what he was / and with whome he was / and what was his name /

¶ Now fayr knyghte said sire Bors I requyre yow that ye wille brynge me to my lord sir launcelot / Syre sayd sir Lauayne take your hors / & within this houre ye shall see hym / and soo they departed / and came to the hermytage /

¶ And whan sir Bors sawe sir launcelot lye in his bedde pale and discoloured / anone sir Bors lost his countenaunce / and for kyndenes and pyte / he myghte not speke / but wepte tendirly a grete whyle / And thenne whanne he myght speke / he said thus / O my lord sire launcelot god yow blysse / and send yow hasty recouer / And ful heuy am I of my mysfortune & of myn vnhappynes / for now I may calle my self vnhappy / & I drede me that god is gretely displeasyd with me that he wold suffre me to haue suche a shame for to hurte yow that ar alle oure leder / and alle oure worshyp / and therfor I calle my self vnhappy / Allas that euer suche a caytyf knyghte as I am shold haue power by vnhappynes to hurte the moost noblest knyghte of the world / where I soo shamefully set vpon yow and ouercharged yow / and where ye myghte haue slayne me ye saued me / and so dyd not I / For I and your blood did to yow our vtteraunce / I merueyle sayd sire Bors that my herte or my blood wold serue me / wherfor my lord sir launcelot I aske your mercy / Fair cosyn said sire Launcelot ye be ryght welcome / & wete ye wel / ouer moche ye say for to please

[leaf 377v] me / the whiche pleaseth me not / for why I haue the same y sought / for I wold with pryde haue ouercome yow alle / and there in my pryde I was nere slayne / and that was in myn owne defaute / for I myghte haue gyue yow warnyng of my beynge there / And thenne had I had noo hurte / for it is an old sayd sawe / there is hard bataille there as kynne & frendes doo bataille eyther ageynste other / there maye be no mercy but mortal warre / Therfor fair cosyn said sir launcelot / lete thys speche ouerpasse and alle shalle be welcome that god sendeth and lete vs leue of this mater / and lete vs speke of somme reioycynge / for this that is done maye not be vndone / and lete vs fynde a remedy how soone that I may be hole / Thenne sire Bors lened vpon his beddes syde / and told sire Launcelot how the quene was passynge wrothe with hym / by cause he ware the reed sleue at the grete Iustes / and there sir Bors told hym alle how sir Gawayne discouered hit by youre sheld that ye lefte with the fayre mayden of Astolat / Thenne is the quene wrothe said sir launcelot / and therfor am I ryght heuy / for I deserued no wrath / for alle that I dyd was by cause I wold not be knowen / Ryght so excused I yow said sir Bors but alle was in vayne / for she sayd more largelyer to me thā I to yow now / But is this she said sire Bors that is so besy aboute yow / that men calle the fayre mayden of Astolat / She it is said sire launcelot that by no meanes I can not putte her from me / why shold ye putte her from you said sire Bors / she is a passynge fayre damoysel and a wel bisene and wel taughte / and god wold fayre cosyn said syre Bors that ye coude loue her / but as to that I may not / nor I dare not counceyle yow / But I see wel sayd sir Bors by her dylygence aboute you that she loueth you entierly / that me repenteth said sir Laūcelot / syr said syr Bors / she is not the fyrst that hath loste her payn vpon yow / and that is the more pyte / and soo they talked of many moo thynges / And soo within thre dayes or four sire launcelot was bygge and stronge ageyne

¶ Capitulum xvij

[leaf 378r]

¶ Capitulum xvij

THenne sire Bors told sire launcelot how there was sworne a grete turnement and Iustes betwixe kynge Arthur and the kynge of Northgalys that sholde be vpon al halowmasse day besyde wynchestre / is that trouthe said sir launcelot / thenne shalle ye abyde with me styl a lytyll whyle vntyl that I be hole / for I fele myself ryght bygge & stronge / Blessid be god said syr Bors / thenne were they there nygh a moneth to gyders / and euer this mayden Elayn dyd euer her dylygente labour nyghte and daye vnto syr launcelot / that ther was neuer child nor wyf more meker to her fader and husband than was that fayre mayden of Astolat/ wherfore sir Bors was gretely pleasyd with her / Soo vpon a day by the assente of syr launcelot / syre Bors and syre lauayne they made the heremyte to seke in woodes for dyuerse herbes / and soo sir launcelot made fayre Elayne to gadre herbes for hym to make hym a bayne / In the meane whyle syr launcelot made hym to arme hym at alle pyeces / and there he thoughte to assaye his armour and his spere for his hurte or not And soo whan he was vpon his hors / he stered hym fyersly / and the hors was passynge lusty and fresshe by cause he was not laboured a moneth afore / And thenne syr Launcelot couched that spere in the reest / that courser lepte myghtely whan he felte the spores / and he that was vpon hym the whiche was the noblest hors of the world strayned hym myghtely and stably / and kepte stylle the spere in the reest / and ther with syre Launcelot strayned hym self soo straytly with soo grete force to gete the hors forward that the buttom of his wound brast bothe within and withoute / and there with alle the blood cam oute so fyersly that he felte hym self soo feble that he myghte not sytte vpon his hors / And thenne syr Launcelot cryed vnto syr Bors / A syr Bors and syr Lauayne helpe for I am come to myn ende / And there with he felle doun on the one syde to the erthe lyke a dede corps / And thenne syr Bors and syr Lauayne came to hym with sorowe makyng out of mesure / And soo by fortune the mayden Elayn herd their mornyng / & thenne she came thyder / & whan she fond syr Launcelot there armed in that place / she cryed & wepte as she had ben woode / &

[leaf 378v] thenne she kyst hym / & dyd what she myghte to awake hym/ And thenne she rebuked her broder and sir Bors / and called hem fals traytours / why they wold take hym out of his bedde / there she cryed and sayd / she wold appele them of his deth / With this came the holy heremyte syr Bawdewyn of bretayne / And whan he fond syr launcelot in that plyte / he sayd but lytel / but wete ye wel he was wrothe / and thenne he bad hem / lete vs haue hym in / And so they alle bare hym vnto the hermytage / and vnarmed hym / and layd hym in his bedde / & euer more his wound bledde pytously / but he stered no lymme of hym / Thenne the knyghte heremyte put a thynge in his nose and a lytel dele of water in his mouthe / And thenne sir launcelot waked of his swoune / and thenne the heremyte staunched his bledynge / And whan he myghte speke / he asked sir launcelot / why he putte his lyf in Ieopardy / Sir said syre Launcelot by cause I wende I had ben stronge / and also syre Bors told me / that there shold be at al halowmasse a grete Iustes betwixe kynge Arthur and the kynge of Northgalys / and therfor I thoughte to assaye hit my self / whether I myght be there or not / A syr launcelot sayd the heremyte / your herte & your courage wille neuer be done vntyl your last day / but ye shal doo now by my counceylle / lete sire Bors departe from yow / & lete hym doo at that turnement what he may / and by the grace of god sayd the knyghte heremyte by that the turnement be done and ye come hydder ageyne / syr launcelot shall be as hole as ye / soo that he wil be gouerned by me /

Capitulum xviij

THenne sire Bors made hym redy to departe from syre launcelot / and thenne sire launcelot sayd / Faire cosyn syr Bors recommaunde me vnto all them / vnto whome me oughte to recommaunde me vnto / and I pray yow / enforce your self at that Iustes that ye maye be best for my loue / & here shalle I abyde yow at the mercy of god tyl ye come ageyne and so sir Bors departed & came to the courte of kyng arthur and told hem in what place he had lefte syre launcelot / that me repenteth said the kynge / but syn he shall haue his lyf we all may thanke god / and there syre Bors told the Quene in what Ieopardy syre Launcelot was / whanne he wold assaye

[leaf 379r] his hors / and alle that he dyd madame was for the loue of yow / by cause he wold haue ben at this turnement / Fy on hym recreaunt knyghte sayd the quene / For wete ye wel I am ryght sory and he shalle haue his lyf / his lyf shalle he haue said syr Bors / and who that wold other wyse excepte you madame / we that ben of his blood shold helpe to shorte theire lyues / but madame sayd syr Bors ye haue ben oftymes displesyd with my lord syr launcelot / but at all tymes at the ende ye fynde hym a true knyghte and soo he departed / And thenne euery knyghte of the round table that were there at that tyme present made them redy to be at that Iustes at all halowmasse and thyder drewe many knyghtes of dyuerse countreyes And as al halowemasse drewe nere / thydder came the kynge of Northgalys / and the kynge with the honderd knyghtes / & syr Galahaut the haute prynce of Surluse / and thydder came kynge Anguysshe of Irland / and the kynge of Scottes / soo these thre kynges came on kynge Arthurs party / and soo that daye syre Gawayne dyd grete dedes of armes / and began fyrst And the herowdes nombred that sir Gawayne smote doune xx knyghtes / Thenne syr Bors de ganys came in the same tyme and he was nombred that he smote doune twenty knyghtes / And therfor the pryce was gyuen betwixe them bothe / for they began fyrst and lengest endured /

¶ Also syr Gareth as the book sayth dyd that daye grete dedes of armes / for he smote doune and pulled doune thyrtty knyghtes / But whan he had done these dedes / he taryed not / but soo departed / and therfor he lost his pryce / & sir Palomydes did grete dedes of armes that day / for he smote doun twenty knyȝtes / but he departed sodenly / & men demed syre Gareth & he rode to gyders to somme maner aduentures / Soo whan this turnement was done / syr Bors departed / & rode tyl he came to syre launcelot his cosyn / & thenne he fonde hym walkynge on his feet / & ther eyther made grete Ioye of other / & so sire Bors tolde syr launcelot of all the Iustes lyke as ye haue herde / I merueille said sir launcelot that syre Gareth whan he had done suche dedes of armes that he wolde not tary / therof we merueyled al saide syr Bors / for but yf it were yow or syr Tristram or syre lamorak de galys I sawe neuer knyȝt bere doune soo many in

[leaf 379v] so lytel a whyle as dyd syr Gareth / And anone as he was gone we wyste not where / By my hede said sir launcelot he is a noble knyghte / and a myghty man / and wel brethed / and yf he were wel assayed said sir Launcelot / I wold deme he were good ynough for ony knyghte that bereth the lyf / and he is a gentyl knyghte / curtois / true / and bounteuous / meke and mylde / and in hym is no maner of male engyn / but playne / feythful and trewe / Soo thenne they made hem redy to departe from the heremyte / and so vpon a morne they took their horses and Elayne le blank with them / And whan they came to Astolat / there were they wel lodged and had grete chere of syre Bernard the old baron / and of sir Tyrre his sone / and so vpon the morne whan syr Launcelot shold departe / fayre Elayne brouȝt her fader with her and sir Lauayne and sir Tyrre and thus she said

Capitulum xix

MY lord syr Launcelot now I see ye wylle departe Now fayre knyghte and curtois knyghte haue mercy vpon me / and suffer me not to dye for thy loue / what wold ye that I dyd said syr launcelot / I wold haue you to my husbond sayd Elayne / Fair damoysel I thanke yow sayd syr Launcelot / but truly sayd he I cast me neuer to be wedded man / thenne fair knyght said she / wylle ye be my peramour / Ihesu defende me said syr launcelot / for thenne I rewarded your fader and your broder ful euylle for their grete goodenes Allas sayd she / thenne must I dye for your loue / ye shal not so said syre launcelot / for wete ye wel fayr mayden I myght haue ben maryed & I had wolde / but I neuer applyed me to be maryed yet / but by cause fair damoysel that ye loue me as ye saye ye doo / I wille for your good wylle and kyndenes shewe yow somme goodenes / & that is this / that were someuer ye wille beset youre herte vpon somme goode knyghte that wylle wedde yow / I shalle gyue yow to gyders a thousand pound yerely to yow & to your heyres / thus moche will I gyue yow faire madame for your kyndenes / & alweyes whyle I lyue to be your owne knyghte

¶ Of alle this saide the mayden I wille none / for but yf ye wille wedde me or ellys be

[leaf 380r] my peramour at the leest / wete yow wel sir launcelot my good dayes are done / Fair damoysel sayd sir launcelot of these ij thynges ye must pardonne me / thenne she shryked shyrly / and felle doune in a swoune / and thenne wymmen bare her in to her chamber / and there she made ouer moche sorowe / and thenne sir launcelot wold departe / and there he asked sir Lauayn what he wold doo / what shold I doo said syre lauayne but folowe yow / but yf ye dryue me from yow / or commaunde me to goo from yow / Thenne came sir Bernard to sir launcelot and sayd to hym / I can not see but that my doughter Elayne wille dye for your sake / I maye not doo with alle said sir launcelot / for that me sore repenteth / For I reporte me to youre self that my profer is fayre / and me repenteth said syr launcelot that she loueth me as she doth / I was neuer the causer of hit / for I reporte me to youre sone I erly ne late profered her bounte nor faire byhestes / and as for me said sir launcelot I dare do alle that a knyght shold doo that she is a clene mayden for me bothe for dede and for wille / And I am ryght heuy of her distresse / for she is a ful fayre mayden good and gentyl and well taughte / Fader said sir Lauayne I dar make goood she is a clene mayden as for my lord sir launcelot / but she doth as I doo / For sythen I fyrst sawe my lord sir launcelot I coude neuer departe from hym nor nought I wylle and I maye folowe hym / Thenne sir Launcelot took his leue / and soo they departed / and came vnto wynchestre / And whan Arthur wyste that syr launcelot was come hole and sound / the kynge maade grete ioye of hym / and soo dyd sir Gawayn and all the knyȝtes of the round table excepte sir Agrauayn and sire Mordred

¶ Also quene Gueneuer was woode wrothe with sir launcelot and wold by no meanes speke with hym / but enstraunged her self from hym / and sir launcelot made alle the meanes that he myght for to speke with the quene / but hit wolde not be /

¶ Now speke we of the fayre mayden of Astolat that made suche sorowe daye and nyght that she neuer slepte / ete / nor drank / and euer she made her complaynt vnto sir Launcelot / so when she had thus endured a ten dayes / that she febled so that she must nedes passe out of thys world / thenne she shryued her clene / and receyued her creatoure / And euer she complayned

[leaf 380v] stylle vpon sire launcelot / Thenne her ghoostly fader bad her leue suche thoughtes / Thenne she sayd why shold I leue suche thoughtes / am I not an erthely woman / and alle the whyle the brethe is in my body I may complayne me / for my byleue is I doo none offence / though I loue an erthely man / and I take god to my record I loued none but sir launcelot du lake nor neuer shall / and a clene mayden I am for hym and for alle other / and sythen hit is the sufferaunce of god / that I shalle dye for the loue of soo noble a knyghte / I byseche the hyghe fader of heuen to haue mercy vpon my sowle / and vpon myn innumerable paynes that I suffred may be allygeaunce of parte of my synnes / For swete lord Ihesu sayd the fayre mayden I take the to record / on the I was neuer grete offenser ageynst thy lawes / but that I loued this noble knyght sire launcelot out of mesure / and of my self good lord I myght not withstande the feruent loue wherfor I haue my dethe / And thenne she called her fader sire Bernard and her broder sir Tyrre / and hertely she praid her fader that her broder myght wryte a letter lyke as she did endyte hit / and so her fader graunted her / And whan the letter was wryten word by word lyke as she deuysed / thenne she prayd her fader that she myght be watched vntyl she were dede / and whyle my body is hote / lete this letter be putt in my ryght hand / and my hande boūde fast with the letter vntyl that I be cold / and lete me be putte in a fayre bedde with alle the rychest clothes that I haue aboute me / and so lete my bedde and alle my rychest clothes be laide with me in a charyot vnto the next place where Temse is / and there lete me be putte within a barget / & but one man with me / suche as ye trust to stere me thyder / and that my barget be couerd with blak samyte ouer and ouer / Thus fader I byseche yow lete hit be done / soo her fader graunted hit her feythfully / alle thynge shold be done lyke as she had deuysed / Thenne her fader and her broder made grete dole / for when this was done / anone she dyed / And soo whan she was dede / the corps and the bedde alle was ledde the next way vnto Temse / and there a man and the corps & alle were put in to Temse / and soo the man styred the barget vnto westmynster / and there he rowed a grete whyle to & fro or ony aspyed hit

[leaf 381r]

¶ Capitulum xx

SOo by fortune kynge Arthur and the quene Gueneuer were spekynge to gyders at a wyndowe / and soo as they loked in to Temse / they aspyed this blak barget / and hadde merueylle what it mente / thenne the kynge called sire kay / & shewed hit hym / Sir said sir kay wete you wel there is some newe tydynges / Goo thyder sayd the kynge to sir kay / & take with yow sire Brandyles and Agrauayne / and brynge me redy word that is there / Thenne these four knyghtes departed and came to the barget and wente in / and there they fond the fayrest corps lyenge in a ryche bedde and a poure man sittyng in the bargets ende and no word wold he speke / Soo these foure knyghtes retorned vnto the kyng ageyne and told hym what they fond / That fayr corps wylle I see sayd the kynge And soo thenne the kyng took the quene by the hand / & went thydder / Thenne the kynge made the barget to be holden fast / & thenne the kyng & þ^e quene entred with certayn knyȝtes wyth them / and there he sawe the fayrest woman lye in a ryche bedde couerd vnto her myddel with many ryche clothes / and alle was of clothe of gold / and she lay as though she had smyled / Thenne the quene aspyed a letter in her ryght hand / and told it to the kynge / Thenne the kynge took it and sayd / now am I sure this letter wille telle what she was / and why she is come hydder / Soo thenne the kynge and the quene wente oute of the barget / and soo commaunded a certayne wayte vpon the barget / And soo whan the kynge was come within his chāber / he called many knyghtes aboute hym / & saide that he wold wete openly what was wryten within that letter / thenne the kynge brake it / & made a clerke to rede hit / & this was the entente of the letter / Moost noble kynghte sir Launcelot / now hath dethe made vs two at debate for your loue I was your louer that men called the fayre mayden of Astolat / therfor vnto alle ladyes I make my mone / yet praye for my soule & bery me atte leest / & offre ye my masse peny / this is my last request and a clene mayden I dyed I take god to wytnes / pray for my soule sir launcelot as thou art pierles / this was alle the

[leaf 381v] substance in the letter / And whan it was redde / the kyng / the quene and alle the knyghtes wepte for pyte of the doleful cōplayntes / Thenne was sire Launcelot sente for / And whan he was come / kynge Arthur made the letter to be redde to hym / And whanne sire launcelot herd hit word by word / he sayd my lord Arthur / wete ye wel I am ryghte heuy of the dethe of this fair damoysel / god knoweth I was neuer causer of her dethe by my wyllynge / & that wille I reporte me to her own broder / here he is sir Lauayne / I wille not saye nay sayd syre Launcelot / but that she was bothe fayre and good / and moche / I was beholden vnto her / but she loued me out of mesure / Ye myght haue shewed her sayd the quene somme bounte and gentilnes that myghte haue preserued her lyf / madame sayd sir launcelot / she wold none other wayes be ansuerd / but that she wold be my wyf / outher els my peramour / and of these two I wold not graunte her / but I proferd her for her good loue that she shewed me a thousand pound yerly to her / and to her heyres / and to wedde ony manere knyghte that she coude fynde best to loue in her herte / For madame said sir launcelot I loue not to be constrayned to loue / For loue muste aryse of the herte / and not by no constraynte / That is trouth sayd the kynge / and many knyghtes loue is free in hym selfe / and neuer wille be bounden / for where he is bounden / he looseth hym self / Thenne sayd the kynge vnto sire Launcelot / hit wyl be your worshyp that ye ouer see that she be entered worshypfully / Sire sayd sire Launcelot that shalle be done as I can best deuyse / and soo many knyghtes yede thyder to behold that fayr mayden / and soo vpon the morne she was entered rychely / and sir launcelot offryd her masse peny / and all the knyȝtes of the table round that were there at that tyme offryd with syr launcelot / And thenne the poure man wente ageyne with the barget /

¶ Thenne the quene sente for syr Launcelot / & prayd hym of mercy / for why that she had ben wrothe with hym causeles / this is not the fyrste tyme said sir launcelot that ye haue ben displeasyd with me causeles / but madame euer I must suffre yow / but what sorowe I endure I take no force / Soo this paste on alle that wynter with alle manere of huntynge and haukyng / and Iustes and torneyes were many

[leaf 382r] betwixe many grete lordes / and euer in al places sir Lauayne gate grete worshyp / soo that he was nobly renomed amonge many knyghtes of the table round

Capitulum xxj

THus it past on tyl Crystmasse / And thenne euery day there was Iustes made for a dyamond / who that Iusted best shold haue a dyamond / but syr laūcelot wold not Iuste but yf it were at a grete Iuftes cryed / but syr lauayne Iusted there alle that Crystemasse passyngly wel / and best was praysed / for there were but fewe that dyd so wel / wherfore alle manere of knyghtes demed that sir lauayne shold be made knyghte of the table round at the nexte feeste of Pentecost / Soo at after Crystmasse kynge Arthur lete calle vnto hym many knyghtes / and there they aduysed to gyders to make a party and a grete turnement and Iustes / and the kynge of Northgalys sayd to Arthur / he wold haue on his party kynge Anguysshe of Irland / and the kynge with the honderd knyghtes / and the kynge of Northumberland / and sire Galahad the haute prynce / and soo these foure kynges & this myghty duke took party ageynst kynge Arthur and the kynghtes of the table round / and the crye was made that the day of the Iustes shold be besyde westmynstre vpon candylmas day wherof many knyghtes were glad / and made them redy to be at that Iustes in the freyssheyst maner / Thenne quene Gueneuer sent for syr launcelot / and said thus I warne yow that ye ryde ny more in no Iustes nor turnementys / but that youre kynnesmen may knowe yow / And at thise Iustes that shall be ye shalle haue of me a sleue of gold / and I pray yow for my sake enforce your self there that men may speke of yow worship / but I charge yow as ye will haue my loue that ye warne youre kynnesmen / that ye wille bere that daye the sleue of gold vpon your helmet / Madame said sir launcelot it shalle be don / and soo eyther made grete ioye of other / And whan syre Launcelot sawe his tyme / he told sir Bors that he wold departe / & haue no more with hym but sir Lauayne vnto the good heremyte that dwellid in that forest of Wyndsoore / his name

[leaf 382v] was sire Brastias / and there he thoughte to repose hym / and to take alle the rest that he myghte be cause he wold be fresshe at that daye of Iustes / Soo sire Launcelot and sire Lauayne departed that noo creature wyst where he was become / but the noble men of his blood / And whanne he was come to the hermytage / wete yow wel he had good chere / and soo dayly syr launcelot wold goo to a welle fast by the hermytage / & there he wold lye doune / and see the welle sprynge and burbyl / & somtyme he slepte there /

¶ So at that tyme there was a lady dwellid in that forest / and she was a grete huntresse / & dayly she vsed to hunte / and euer she bare her bowe with her / and no men wente neuer with her / but alwayes wymmen / and they were shoters / and coude wel kylle a dere bothe at the stalke & at the trest / and they dayly bare bowes and arowes / hornes & wood knyues / and many good dogges they had / both for the strynge and for a bate / So hit happed this lady the huntresse had abated her dogge for the bowe at a barayne hynde / and so this barayne hynde took the flyghte ouer hedges and woodes And euer this lady and parte of her wymmen costed the hynde and chekked it by the noyse of the houndes to haue mette with the hynde at somme water / and soo hit happed the hynde came to the welle where as sire launcelot was slepyng & slomberynge / And soo whan the hynde came to the welle / for hete she wente to soyle / and there she lay a grete whyle / and the dogges came after / and vmbecast aboute / for she had lost the veray parfyte feaute of the hynde / Ryghte so came that lady the huntres that knewe by thy dogge that she had that the hynde was at the soyle in that welle / and there she cam styfly and fonde the hynde / and she put a brode arowe in her bowe / and shot atte hynde / and ouer shotte the hynde / and soo by mysfortune the arowe smote sir Launcelot in the thyck of the buttok ouer the barbys / whanne sir launcelot felte hym self so hurte / he hurled vp woodely / and sawe the lady that had smyten hym /

¶ And whan he sawe she was a woman / he sayd thus / lady / or damoysel what that thow be / in an euylle tyme bare ye a bowe / the deuylle made yow a shoter /

[leaf 383r]

¶ Capitulum xxij

NOw mercy fair sir said the lady I am a gentilwoman that vseth here in this forest huntynge / and god knoweth I sawe yow not / but as here was a barayn hynde at the soyle in this welle and I wend to haue done wel / but my hand swarued / Allas said syre launcelot ye haue mescheued me / and soo the lady departed / and sir launcelot as he myghte pulled oute the arowe / and lefte that hede styll in his buttok / and soo he wente weykely to the hermytage euer more bledynge as he went / And whan sir Lauayne and the heremyte aspyed that sir launcelot was hurte / wete yow wel they were passynge heuy / but sire Lauayne wyst not how that he was hurte nor by whome / And thenne were they wrothe out of mesure / thenne with grete payne the heremyte gat oute the arowes hede oute of syr launcelots buttok / and moche of his blood he shedde / and the wound was passynge fore / and vnhappyly smyten / for it was in suche a place that he myght not sytte in noo sadyl / A mercy Ihesu said sir Launcelot I may calle my self the moost vnhappyest man that lyueth for euer / whan I wold faynest haue worshyp / there befalleth me euer somme vnhappy thynge / Now soo Ihesu me helpe said sir launcelot / and yf no man wold but god / I shalle be in the felde vpon candelmasse daye at the Iustes what someuer falle of hit soo alle that myght be goten to hele sir launcelot was had /

¶ Soo whan the day was come / sir launcelot lete deuyse that he was arayed / and sir Lauayne and their horses as thouȝ they had ben sarazyns / and soo they departed and cam nygh to the felde / The kynge of Northgalys with an honderd knyghtes with hym / and the kynge of Northumberland broughte with hym an honderd good knyghtes / and kynge Anguysshe of Irland brought with hym an honderd good knyghtes redy to Iuste / and sir Galahalt the haute prynce broughte with hym an honderd good knyghtes / and the kynge with the honderd knyghtes brought with hym as many / and alle these were proued good knyghtes / Thenne cam in kyng Arthurs party / and there came in the kynge of Scottes with an honderd knyghtes / and kynge Vryens of Gore brought with hym an

[leaf 383v] honderd knyghtes / And kynge Howel of Bretayne brouȝte with hym an honderd knyghtes and Chalaunce of Claraunce broughte with hym an honderd knyghtes / and kynge Arthur hym self came in to the felde with two honderd knyghtes and the moost party were knyghtes of the table round that were proued noble knyghtes / / and there were old knyghtes sette in skaffoldes for to Iuge with the quene who dyd best /

¶ Capitulum xxiij

THenne they blewe to the felde / and there the kyng of northgalys encountred with the kynge of scottes / & there the kynge of Scottes had a falle / and the kyng of Irland smote doune kynge Vryens / and the kyng of Northumberland smote doune kynge Howel of Bretayne / and sir Galahaut the haute prynce smote doune Chalenge of Claraunce / And thene kynge Arthur was woode wroth / and ranne to the kynge with the honderd knyȝtes / and there kyng Arthur smote hym doune / and after with that same spere kynge Arthur smote doune thre other knyghtes / And thenne whan his spere was broken / kynge Arthur dyd passyngly wel / and soo there with alle came in syr Gawayne and sir Gaheryse / sire Agrauayne and sir mordred / and there eueryche of them smote doune a knyghte / and sir Gawayne smote doune four knyȝtes and thene there beganne a stronge medle / for thenne there came in the knyghtes of launcelots blood / and sir Gareth and sire Palomydes with them / and many knyghtes of the table round/ and they beganne to holde the foure kynges and the myghty duke soo hard that they were discomfyte / but this duke Galahad that haut prynce was a noble knyght / and by his myghty prowesse of armes / he helde the knyghtes of the table round strayte ynough / Alle this doynge sawe sir launcelot / & thenne he came in to the felde with syr Lauayne as hit had ben thonder / And thenne anone syre Bors and the kynghtes of his blood aspyed sir launcelot / and said to them alle I warne yow beware of hym with the sleue of gold vpon his hede / for he is hym self sir launcelot du lake / and for grete goodenes sir

[leaf 384r] Bors warned syr Gareth / I am wel apayed said sir Gareth that I may knowe hym / but who is he sayd they alle that rydeth with hym in the same aray / That is the good and gentyl knyght sir Lauayne said sir Bors / Soo sire Launcelot encoūtred with sir Gawayne / and there by force syr launcelot smote doune sir Gawayne and his hors to the erthe / and soo he smote doune sir Agrauayne and sire Gaherys / and also he smote doune sir Mordred / and alle this was with one spere

¶ Thene sir Lauayne mette with sir Palomydes / and eyther mette other soo hard and so fyersly that bothe their horses felle to the erthe / And thenne were they horsed ageyne / and thenne mette sir Launcelot with sir Palomydes / and there sire Palomydes had a falle / and soo sir launcelot or euer he stynte as fast as he myghte gete speres / he smote doun thyrtty knyghtes and the moost party of them were knyȝtes of the table round and euer the knyghtes of his blood withdrewe them / & made hem adoo in other places where sir launcelot came not / and thenne kyng Arthur was wrothe whan he sawe sir Launcelot doo suche dedes / and thenne the kynge called vnto hym sir gawayn sir Mordred / sir kay / sir Gryflet / sir Lucan the butteler / syre Pedeuer / sir Palomydes / Sir Safyr his broder / and so the kynge with these nyne knyghtes made hem redy to sette vpon sir Launcelot / and vpon syr Lauayne / Alle this aspyed sir bors and sir Gareth / Now I drede me sore said sir Bors that my lord syr launcelot wylle hard be matched / By my hede sayd syr Gareth I wylle ryde vnto my lord sir launcelot for to helpe hym / falle of hym what falle may / for he is the same man that made me knyghte / ye shalle not soo said sir Bors by my counceylle / onles that ye were desguysed / ye shalle see me dysguysed said syre Gareth / and there with al he aspyed a wallysshe knyghte where he was to repose hym / and he was sore hurte afore hurte by syr Gawayne / and to hym syre Gareth rode / and praid hym of his knyghthode to lene hym his shelde for his / I wille wel said the walysshe knyghte / And whanne sir Gareth had his shelde / the book saith / it was grene wyth a mayden that semed in hit / Thenne syr Gareth came dryuynge to sir Launcelot al that he myghte / and said knyghte kepe thy self / for yonder cometh kyng Arthur with nyne noble knyȝtes

[leaf 384v] with hym to putte yow to a rebuke / and so I am come to bere yow felaushyp for old loue ye haue shewed me / Gramercy said sir launcelot / syr sayd sir Gareth / encountre ye with sir Gawayne / and I shalle encountre with syre Palomydes / and lete sir Lauayne matche with the noble kynge Arthur /

¶ And whan we haue delyuerd hem / lete vs thre hold vs sadly to gyders / Thenne came kynge Arthur with his nyne knyȝtes with hym / and sir launcelot encountred with sir Gawayne / & gafe hym suche a buffet / that the arson of his sadel brast / and syre Gawayne felle to the erthe / Thenne sir Gareth encountred with the good knyghte sir Palomydes / and he gaf hym suche a buffet that bothe his hors and he dasshed to the erthe / Thenne encountred kynge Arthr with sire Lauayne / and there eyther of hem smote other to the erthe hors and alle that they lay a grete whyle / Thenne sir launcelot smote doune syr Agrauayne & syre Gaheryse / and syr Mordred / and syr Gareth smote doune syr kay / and syr Safyr and syr Gryflet / And thenne syr lauayne was horsed ageyne / and he smote doune syre Lucan the butteler and syr Bedeuer / and thenne there beganne grete thrange of good knyghtes / Thenne syre Launcelot hurtlyd here and there / and racyd and pulled of helmes / soo that at that tyme there myght none sytte hym a buffet with spere nor with suerd / and syr Gareth dyd suche dedes of armes that all men merueylled what knyghte he was with the grene sheld / For he smote doune that daye and pulled doune moo than thyrtty knyghtes / And as the frensshe book sayth syr Launcelot merueylled whan he beheld syr Gareth doo suche dedes what knyghte he myghte be / and syr Lauayne pulled doune and smote doune twenty knyghtes /

¶ Also syr launcelot knewe not syr Gareth / for and syr Tristram de lyones / outher syr lamorak de galys had ben alyue / syr launcelot wold haue demed he had ben one of them tweyne / Soo euer as syr launcelot/ syr Gareth / syr lauayn faughte / and on the one syde syr bors syr Ector de marys / syr lyonel / syr lamorak de galys / syr bleoberys / syr Galyhud / syr Galyhodyn / syr Pelleas / and wyth moo other of kynge Bans blood foughte vpon another party and helde the kynge with the honderd knyghtes and the kyng of Northumberland ryght strayte /

[leaf 385r]

¶ Capitulum xxiiij

SOo this turnement & this Iustes dured longe / tyl hit was nere nyghte / for the knyghtes of the round table releued euer vnto kynge Arthur / for the kynge was wrothe out of mesure / that he and his knyghtes myght not preuaile that day / Thenne sire Gawayne said to the kynge I merueile where alle this day syr Bors de ganys and his felaushyp of syre launcelots blood / I merueylle all this day they be not aboute yow / hit is for somme cause sayd syr Gawayne / By my hede said sire Kay syre Bors is yonder all this day vpon the ryghte hand of this felde / and ther he and his blood done more worshypfully than we doo / it may wel be sayd syr Gawayne / but I drede me euer of gyle / for on payne of my lyf said sir Gawayne this knyghte with the reed sleue of gold is hym self syr launcelot / I see wel by his rydynge / and by his grete strokes / and the other knyghte in the same colours is the good yonge knyght sir lauayne / Also that knyghte with the grene shelde is my broder syr Gareth / and yet he hath desguysed hym self / for no man shalle neuer make hym be ageynst sir launcelot by cause he made hym knyghte / By my hede said Arthur neuewe I byleue yow / therfore telle me now what is youre best counceyll / Sir said sir Gawayne ye shalle haue my counceylle / lete blowe vnto lodgynge / for and he be syr Launcelot du lake and my broder syr Gareth with hym with the helpe of that good yong knyghte syr Lauayne / trust me truly it wyll be no bote to stryue with them / but yf we shold falle ten or xij vpon one knyghte / and that were no worship but shame / ye saye trouthe sayd the kyng / and for to saye sothe said the kynge it were shame to vs / soo many as we be to sette vpon them ony more / for wete ye wel sayd kyng Arthur / they ben thre good knyghtes / and namely that knyght with the sleue of gold / Soo thenne they blewe vnto lodgyng / but forth with all Kyng Arthur lete sende vnto the four kynges / and to the myghty duke / and praid hem that the knyghte with the sleue of gold departe not fro them / but that the kyng may speke with hym / Thenne fourthe with alle kyng Arthur alighte & vnarmed hym / & took a litill hakney / & rode after sire Launcelot /

[leaf 385v] for euer he had a spye vpon hym / and soo he fonde hym amonge the four kynges / and the duke / and there the kyng prayd hem alle vnto souper / and they sayd they wold with good wylle / And whan they were vnarmed / thenne kyng Arthur knewe sire launcelot / sir Lauayne and sir Gareth / A syre Launcelot sayd kynge Arthur / this daye ye haue heted me / & my knyghtes / soo they yede vnto Arthurs lodgynge al to gyder / and there was a grete feest and grete reuel / and the pryce was gyuen vnto syr launcelot / and by herowdes they named hym / that he had smyten doune fyfty knyghtes / and sire Gareth fyue and thyrtty / and sir Lauayne four and twenty knyghtes / Thenne sir Launcelot told the kynge and the Quene how the lady huntresse shote hym in the foreste of wyndesoore in the buttok with a brood arowe / & how the wound therof was that tyme syxe Inches depe / and in lyke longe /

¶ Also Arthur blamed syr Gareth by cause he lefte his felaushyp / & helde with sir launcelot / My lord sayd sir Gareth / he maade me a knyghte / And whanne I sawe hym soo hard bestadde / me thought it was my worshyp to helpe hym / for I sawe hym do soo moche / and soo many noble knyghtes ageynst hym / and whan I vnderstood that he was sir launcelot du lake / I shamed to see soo many knyghtes ageynst hym alone / Truly sayd kynge Arthur vnto syre Gareth ye saye wel and worshypfully haue ye done and to your self grete worshyp / and alle the dayes of my lyf sayd kynge Arthur vnto sir Gareth wete yow wel I shalle loue yow / and truste yow the more better For euer sayd Arthur hit is a worshypful knyghtes dede to helpe an other worshypful knyghte whanne he seeth hym in a grete daunger / for euer a worshipful man will be lothe to see a worshipful shamed / and he that is of no worship and fareth with cowardyse / neuer shall he shewe gentilnes / nor no maner of goodnes where he seeth a man in ony daunger / for thenne eur wylle a coward shewe no mercy / and alwayes a good man wille doo euer to another man as he wold ben done to hym self / Soo thenne there were grete feestes vnto kynges and dukes / and reuel / game and playe / and al maner of noblesse was vsed / and he that was curtois / true and feythful to his frende was that tyme cherysshed

[leaf 386r]

¶ Capitulum xxv

ANd thus it past on from candylmas vntyl after ester that the moneth of may was come / whan euery lusty herte begynneth to blosomme / and to brynge forth fruyte / for lyke as herbes and trees bryngen forth fruyte and florysshen in may / in lyke wyse euery lusty herte that is in ony maner a louer spryngeth and floryssheth in lusty dedes / For it gyueth vnto al louers courage that lusty moneth of may in some thyng to constrayne hym to some maner of thyng more in that moneth than in ony other moneth for dyuerse causes / For thenne alle herbes and trees renewen a man and woman / and lyke wyse louers callen ageyne to their mynde old gentilnes and old seruyse and many kynde dedes were forgeten by neclygence / For lyke as wynter rasure doth alway a rase and deface grene somer / soo fareth it by vnstable loue in man and woman / For in many persons there is no stabylyte / For we may see al day for a lytel blast of wynters rasure anone we shalle deface and lay a parte true loue / for lytel or noughte that cost moch thynge / this is no wysedome nor stabylyte / but it is feblenes of nature and grete disworshyp who someuer vsed this / Therfore lyke as may moneth floreth and floryssheth in many gardyns / Soo in lyke wyse lete euery man of worship florysshe his herte in this world / fyrst vnto god / and next vnto the ioye of them that he promysed his feythe vnto / for there was neuer worshypful man or worshypful woman / but they loued one better than another / and worshyp in armes may neuer be foyled / but fyrst reserue the honour to god / and secondly the quarel must come of thy lady / and suche loue I calle vertuous loue / but now adayes men can not loue seuen nyȝte but they must haue alle their desyres that loue may not endure by reason / for where they ben soone accorded and hasty hete / soone it keleth / Ryghte soo fareth loue now a dayes / sone hote soone cold / this is noo stabylyte / but the old loue was not so / men and wymmen coude loue to gyders seuen yeres / and no lycours lustes were bitwene them / and thenne was loue trouthe and feythfulnes / and loo in lyke wyfe was vsed loue in kynge Arthurs dayes /

¶ wherfor I lyken loue now

[leaf 386v] adayes vnto somer and wynter / for lyke as the one is hote / & the other cold / so fareth loue now a dayes / therfore alle ye that be louers / calle vnto your remembraunce the moneth of may / lyke as dyd quene Gueneuer / For whome I make here a lytel mencyon that whyle she lyued / she was a true louer / and therfor she had a good ende

¶ Explicit liber Octodecimus / And here foloweth liber xix /