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

[leaf 50v]

Book Three: The weddynge of kynge Arthur

¶ Capitulum primum

IN the begynnynge of Arthur after he was chosen kyng by aduēture and by grace for the most party of the barons knewe not that he was Vther pendragons sone / But as Merlyn made it openly knowen / But yet many kynges & lordes helde grete werre ayenst hym for that cause / But wel Arthur ouercame hem alle / for the mooste party the dayes of his lyf he was ruled moche by the counceil of Merlyn / Soo it fell on a tyme kyng Arthur sayd vnto Merlyn / my barons wille lete me haue no rest but nedes I muste take a wyf / and I wylle none take / but by thy counceill and by thyne aduys / it is wel done said Merlyn / that ye take a wyf / for a man of your bounte and noblesse shold not be without a wyf / Now is ther ony that ye loue more than another / ye said kyng Arthur / I loue gweneuer the kynges doughter Lodegrean of the land of Camelerd / the whiche holdeth in his hows the table round that ye told he had of my fader Vther / And this damoysel is the moost valyaunt and fayrest lady that I knowe lyuynge or yet that euer I coude fynde / Syre sayd Merlyn as of her beaute and fayrenes she is one of the fayrest on lyue / But and ye loued her not so wel as ye doo / I shold fynde yow a damoysel of beaute and of goodenesse that shold lyke yow & plese yow and your herte were not sette / But there as a mans herte is set / he wylle be lothe to retorne / that is trouth said kyng Arthur / but Merlyn warned the kynge couertly that gweneuer was not holsome for hym to take to wyf / for he warned hym that launcelot shold loue her and she hym ageyne / and so he torned his tale to the auentures of Sancgreal / Thenne merlyn desyred of the kynge for to haue men with hym that shold enquere of gweneuer / and so the kyng graunted hym / & Merlyn wente forth vnto kyng Lodegrean of Camyllerd / & told hym of the desyre of the kyng that he wold haue vnto his wyf Gweneuer his doughter / that is to me sayd kyng Lodegreans the best tydynges that euer I herd that so worthy a kyng of prowesse and noblesse wille wedde my doughter / And os for my landes I wylle gyue hym wyst I it myght please hym /

[leaf 51r] but he hath londes ynowe / hym nedeth none / but I shalle sende hym a gyfte shalle please hym moche more / for I shalle gyue hym the table round / the whiche Vtherpendragon gaue me / & whan it is ful complete / ther is an C knyghtes & fyfty / And as for on C good knyghtes I haue my self / but I fawte / l / for so many haue ben slayne in my dayes / and so Ladegreans delyuerd his doughter Gweneuer vnto Merlyn / and the table round with the C knyghtes / and so they rode fresshly with grete royalte / what by water and what by land / tyl that they came nyghe vnto london

¶ Capitulum Secundum

WHanne kyng Arthur herd of the comyng of gweneuer and the C knyghtes with the table round / thenne kynge Arthur maade grete Ioye for her comyng / and that ryche presente / and said openly this fair lady is passyng welcome vnto me / for I haue loued her longe / And therfore ther is nothyng so lyef to me / And these knyghtes with the round table pleasen me more than ryght grete rychesse / And in alle hast the kynge lete ordeyne for the maryage and the Coronacyon in the moost honorable wyse that coude be deuysed Now Merlyn said kyng Arthur / goo thow and aspye me in al this land l knyghtes whiche ben of most prowesse & worship / within short tyme merlyn had founde suche knyȝtes that shold fulfylle xx & xiij knyghtes but no mo he coude fynde Thenne the Bisshop of Caunterbury was fette and he blessid the syeges with grete Royalte and deuoycyon / and there sette the viij and xx knyghtes in her syeges / and whan this was done / Merlyn said fayr syrs ye must al aryse and come to kyng Arthur for to doo hym homage / he will haue the better wil to mayntene yow / and so they arose and dyd their homage / & when they were gone / merlyn fond in euery syeges letters of gold that told the knyghtes names that had sytten therin / But two syeges were voyde / And so anone cam yong gawayn & asked the kyng a yefte Aske said the kyng / & I shal graunte it yow / syr I aske that ye will make me knyȝt / that same day ye shall wedde faire Gweneuer / I will do it with a good wil said kyng arthur & do vnto yow all the worship that I may / for I must by reson ye ar myn neuew my susters sone /

¶ Ca iij

[leaf 51v]

FOrth with alle ther cam a poure man in to the Courte and broughte with hym a fayre yonge man of xviij yere of age rydynge vpon a lene mare / and the poure man asked all men that he met / where shall I fynde kyng arthur / yonder he is sayd the knyghtes / wylt thow ony thynge with hym / ye sayd the poure man / therfor I cam hyder / anone as he came before the kyng he salewed hym and sayd O kyng Arthur the floure of all knyghtes and kynges I byseche Ihesu saue the / Syr it was told me that at this tyme of your maryage ye wolde yeue any man the yefte that he wold aske / oute excepte that were vnresonable / that is trouth said the kynge suche cryes I lete make / and that will I holde so it apayre not my realme nor myne estate / ye say wel and graciously said the poure man / Syre I aske no thyng els but that ye wil make my sone here a knyghte / it is a grete thynge thow askest of me said the kyng / what is thy name said the kyng to the poure man / syr my name is Aryes the Cowherd / whether cometh this of the or of thy sone said the kyng / Nay syre said Aryes / this desyre cometh of my sone and not of me / For I shal telle yow I haue xiij sones / & alle they will falle to what laboure I put them & wille be ryght glad to doo labour / but this child wylle not laboure for me for ony thyng that my wyf or I may doo / but alweyes he wille be shotynge or castynge dartes / and glad for to see batailles and to behold knyghtes / And alweyes day and nyghte he desyreth of me to be made a knyȝt what is thy name sayd the kynge vnto the yonge man / Syre my name is Tor / the kyng beheld hym fast / and sawe he was passyngly wel vysaged and passyngly wel made of his yeres Wel said kyng Arthur vnto Aryes the Cowherd fetche al thy sones afore me that I may see them / and so the poure man did and al were shapen moche lyke the poure man / But Tor was not lyke none of hem al in shap ne in contenaunce / for he was moche more than ony of hem / Now said kyng Arthur vnto the Cowherd / where is the swerd he shalle be made knyght with al / it is here sayd Tor / take it oute of the shethe sayd the kynge / and requyre me to make yow a knyght Thenne Tor alyght of his mare and pulled oute his swerd knelynge and requyrynge the kynge / that he wold maake

[leaf 52r] hym knyght / & that he myghte be a knyght of the table round As for a knyȝt I will make yow / & therwith smote hym in the neck with the swerd sayēg be ye a good knyȝt / & so I pray to god so ye may be / & yf ye be of prowesse and of worthynesse ye shalle be a knyght of the table round / Now Merlyn sayd Arthur say wether this Tor shall be a good knyghte / or no / ye syre he ought to be a good knyght / for he is comen of as good a man as ony is on lyue / and of kynges blood how so syr sayd the kynge / I shalle telle yow sayd Merlyn / This poure man Aryes the cowherd is not his fader / he is no thyng syb to hym / for kynge Pellinore is his fader / I suppose nay said the Cowherd / fetche thy wyf afore me said merlyn / and she shalle not say nay / anon the wyf was fet which was a fair houswyf / and there she ansuerd Merlyn ful womanly / and there she told the kynge and Merlyn that whan she was a maide & went to mylke kyen / ther met with her a sterne knyght / & half by force he had my maidenhede / & at that tyme he bigat my sone Tor / & he toke awey from me my greyhound that I had that tyme with me / & saide that he wold kepe the greyhound for my loue / A said the Cowherd I wende not thys / but I may bileue it wel / for he had neuer no tatches of me / sir said Tor vnto Merlyn dishonoure not my moder / syr said merlyn it is more for your worship than hurte / for your fader is a good man & a kyng / & he may ryght wel auaunce you and your moder / for ye were begoten or euer she was wedded / that is trouth said the wyf / hit is the lasse gryef vnto me sayd the Cowherd

¶ Capitulum Quartum

SO on the morne kyng Pellinore cam to the Court of kynge Arthur / whiche had grete ioye of hym and told hym of Tor / how he was his sone / and how he hadde made hym knyght at the request of the Cowherd / Whan Pellinore beheld Tor / he pleasyd hym moche / so the kyng made gawayne knyght / but Tor was the fyrst he made at the feest / What is the cause said kyng Arthur that there ben two places voyde in the syeges / Syre said Merlyn / ther shalle no man syt in tho places / but they shall be of moost worship / But in the sege perillous there shall no man sytte therin but one / and yf ther be ony so hardy to doo it he shall be destroyed / & he that

[leaf 52v] shalle sytte there shalle haue no felawe / And therwith Merlyn tooke kynge Pellinore by the hand / and in the one hand next the two seges and the sege peryllous he said in open audyence this is your place and best ye are worthy to sytte there in of ony that is here / there at sat syr gawayne in grete enuy & told Gaherys his broder / yonder knyghte is put to grete worship / the whiche greueth me sore / for he slewe our fader kynge Lot / therfor I wille slee hym said Gauayne with a swerd / that was sente me that is passyng trenchaunt / ye shall not soo said Gaherys at this tyme / For at this tyme I am but a squyer / and whan I am made knyght / I wol be auenged on hym and therfor broder it is best ye suffre tyl another tyme that we may haue hym oute of the Courte / for & we dyd so / we shold trouble this hyhe feest / I wyl wel said gauayn as ye wylle /

¶ Capitulum quintum

THenne was the hyghe feeste made redy / and the kynge was wedded att Camelott vnto Dame Gweneuer in the chirche of saynt steuyns with grete solempnyte / And as euery man was set after his degree / Merlyn wente to alle the knyghtes of the round table / and bad hem sytte styll that none of hem remeue / for ye shalle see a straunge and a merueillous aduenture / Ryght so as they sat ther came rennyng in a whyte hert in to the halle and a whyte brachet next hym and xxx couple of black rennyng houndes cam after with a greete crye / and the hert went aboute the table round as he went by other boordes / the whyte brachet boot hym by the buttok & pulled oute a pees / where thurgh the herte lepte a grete lepe / and ouerthrewe a knyght that sat at the boord syde / and therwith the knyȝt aroos & toke vp the brachet / & so went forth oute of the halle & toke his hors & rode his wey with the brachet / right so anone cam in a lady on a whyte palfrey & cryed aloude for the kyng Arthur / Syre suffre me not to haue this despyte for the brachet was myn that the knyght lad aweye / I maye not doo therwith said the kynge

¶ With this there came a knyght rydynge al armed on a grete hors / and tooke the lady awey with hym with force / and euer she cryed and made grete dole / whanne she was gone the kynge was glad for she

[leaf 53r] made suche a noyse / Nay said merlyn / ye may not leue this advētures so lyghtely / For these aduentures must be brought agayne or els it wold be disworship to yow and to your feest I wyll said the kynge that al be done by your aduys / Thenne saide merlyn lete calle syr gauayne / for he must brynge ageyne the whyte herte / Also syr ye must lete calle Syre Tor / for he must brynge ageyne the brachet / and the knyght or els slee hym / Also lete calle kynge Pellinore for he must brynge ageyne the lady and the knyght or els slee hym / and these thre knyghtes shalle doo merueillous auētures or they come ageyn Thenne were they called al thre as it reherceth afore / and eueryche of hem toke his charge / and armed them surely / But sir gauayne had the fyrst request / and therfore we wille begynne at hym /

¶ Capitulum vj

SYre gauayne roode more than a paas and gaheryse his broder that roode with hym in stede of a squyer to doo hym seruyse / Soo as they rode they sawe two knyȝtes fyghte on horsbak passyng sore / so syr gauayn & his broder rode betwixe them / and asked them for what cause they foughte so / the one knyght ansuerd and sayd / we fyghte for a symple mater / for we two be two bretheren born & begoten of one man & of one woman / allas said sir gauayn why do ye so / syr said the eldar / ther cam a whyte hert this way this day & many hoūdes chaced hym / & a whyte brachet was alwey next hym / and we vnderstood it was auenture made for the hyhe feest of kynge Arthur / and therfore I wold haue gone after to haue wonne me worship / and here my yonger broder said he wolde go after the herte / for he was better knyght than I / And for this cause we felle at debate / & so we thouȝt to preue whiche of vs bothe was better knyȝt / This is a symple cause said sir gauayn / vncouth mē ye shold debate with al & no broder with broder / therfor but yf ye wil do by my coūceil I wil haue ado with yow / that is ye shal yelde you vnto me / & that ye go vnto kyng Arthur and yelde yow vnto his grace / sir knyȝt said the ij bretheren we are forfoughten & moche blood haue we loste thorow our wilfulnesse / And therfore we wolde be loth to haue adoo with yow / thenne do as I will haue yow said sir gauayne /

[leaf 53v] we wille agree to fulfylle your wylle / But by whom shalle we saye that we be thyder sente / ye maye say / by the knyȝt that foloweth the quest of the herte that was whyte / Now what is your name sayd gauayne / Sorlouse of the forest said the eldar & my name is sayde the yonger Bryan of the forest and soo they departed and wente to the kynges Court / and Syr gauayne on his quest / and as gauyne folowed the herte by the crye of the houndes euen afore hym ther was a grete Ryuer / and the hert swamme ouer / and as syr gauayne wold folowe after / ther stode a knyght ouer the other syde and sayd / Syre knyghte come not ouer after this herte / but yf thou wilt Iuste with me / I wille not faille as for that said sir gauayn to folowe the quest that I am in / and soo maade his hors to swymme ouer the water / and anone they gat theire speres / and ranne to gyder ful hard / but syre gauayne smote hym of his hors / and thenne he torned his hors & bad hym yelde hym / Nay sayd the knyght not so though thow haue the better of me on horsbak / I pray the valyaunt knyght alyghte a foote and matche we to gyders with swerdes / what is youre name said sir gauayne / Alardyn of the Ilys said the other / thenne eyther dressid her sheldes and smote to gyders / but sir gauayne smote hym so hard thorow the helme that it went to the braynes and the knyght felle doune dede / A said Gaheryse that was a myghty stroke of a yonge knyght /

¶ Capitulum Septimum

THēne Gauayne and Gaheryse rode more than a paas after the whyte herte / and lete slyppe at the herte thre couple of greyhoundes / and so they chace the herte in to a castel / and in the chyef place of the castel they slewe the hert / syr gauayne and gaheryse folowed after / Ryght soo there came a knyght oute of a chamber with a swerd drawe in his hand and slewe two of the greyhoundes euen in the syghte of syre gauayne / and the remenaunte he chaced hem with his swerd oute of the castel / And whan he cam ageyne he sayd / O my whyte herte / me repenteth that thow art dede / for my souerayne lady gaf the to me / and euyll haue I kepte the / and thy deth

[leaf 54r] shalle be dere bought and I lyue / and anone he wente in to his chamber and armed hym / and came oute fyersly / & there mette he with syr gauayne / why haue ye slayne my houndes said syr gauayn / for they dyd but their kynde / and leuer I had ye had wroken your angre vpon me than vpon a dom best thow saist trouth said the knyght I haue auengyd me on thy houndes and so I wille on the or thow goo / Thenne syr Gauayne alyght afoote and dressid his shelde and stroke to gyders myghtely / and clafe their sheldes and stoned their helmes and brak their hawberkes that the blood ranne doune to their feet / Atte last syr gauayne smote the knyght so hard that he felle to the erthe / and thenne he cryed mercy / and yelded hym and besought hym as he was a knyghte and gentylman / to saue his lyf / thow shalt dye said sir gauayne for sleyng of my houndes / I wille make amendys said the knyght vnto my power / Syr gauayne wold no mercy haue but vnlacyd his helme to haue stryken of his hede / Ryght soo came his lady oute of a chamber and felle ouer hym / and soo he smote of her hede by mysauenture / Allas saide Gaheryse that is fowle and shamefully done / that shame shal neuer from yow / Also ye shold gyue mercy vnto them that aske mercy / for a knyȝt without mercy is withoute worship / Syr gauayne was so stonyed of the deth of this fair lady / that he wiste not what he dyd / and said vnto the knyght aryse I wille gyue the mercy / nay nay said the knyght / I take no force of mercy now / for thou hast slayne my loue and my lady that I loued best of alle erthely thynge / Me sore repentith it said syr gauayn / for I thoughte to stryke vnto the / But now thow shalt goo vnto kyng Arthur and telle hym of thyne aduentures and how thow arte ouercome by the knyghte that wente in the queste of the whyte herte / I take no force said the knyȝt whether I lyue or I dye but so for drede of deth he swore to goo vnto kynge Arthur / & he made hym to bere one greyhound before hym on his hors and another behynde hym / what is your name said sir gauayn or we departe / my name is said the knyght Ablamor of the marise / soo he departed toward Camelot

¶ Capitulum Octauum

[leaf 54v]

ANd syr gauayne went in to the castel and made hym redy to lye there al nyght / and wold haue vnarmed hym / what wylle ye doo sayd gaheryse / wylle ye vnarme yow in this Countrey / ye may thynke ye haue many enemyes here / they had not sooner sayd that word but ther cā four knyghtes wel armed and assayled syr gauayne hard and said vnto hym thou newe made knyght thow hast shamed thy knyghthode / for a knyght withoute mercy is dishonoured Also thow hast slayne a fayr lady to thy grete shame to the worldes ende / and doubte thow not thow shalt haue grete nede of mercy or thow departe from vs / And therwith one of hem smote syr gauayne a grete stroke that nygh he felle to the erthe / and gaheryse smote hym ageyne sore / and soo they were on the one syde and on the other / that syr gauayne and gaheryse were in ieopardy of their lyues / and one with a bowe an archer smote syr gauayne thurȝ the arme that it greued hym wonderly sore / And as they shold haue ben slayne / there cam four fair ladyes / and besought the knyghtes of grace for syre gauayne / and goodely atte request of the ladyes they gaf syr gauayne and gahersye their lyues / & made hem to yelde them as prysoners / thenne gauayne and gaheryse made grete dole / Allas sayd syre gauayne myn arme greueth me sore / I am lyke to be maymed and so made his complaynt pytously / erly on the morow ther cam to syr gauayne one of the four ladyes / that had herd alle his complaynte and said syr knyȝte what chere / not good said he it is your owne defaulte sayd the lady / for ye haue doone a passynge fowle dede in the sleynge of the lady / the whiche will be grete vylany vnto yow / But be ye not of kynge Arthurs kyn saide the lady / yes truly sayd syr gauayne / what is your name saide the lady / ye must telle it me or ye passe / my name is gauayne the kyng Lott of Orkeney sone / and my moder is kynge Arthurs syster / A thenne are ye neuewe vnto kyng Arthur sayd the lady / and I shalle so speke for yow that ye shall haue conduyte to go to kynge Arthur for his loue / and soo she departed / and told the foure knyghtes how theire prysoner was kynge Arthurs neuewe / and his name is syr gauayne kyng Lots sone of Orkeney / and they gaf hym the hertes hede by cause it was in

[leaf 55r] his quest /

¶ Thenne anone they delyuerd syr Gauayne vnder this promyse that he shold bere the dede lady with hym in this maner / The hede of her was hanged aboute his neck and the hole body of hyr lay before hym on his hors mane / Ryght soo rode he forth vnto Camelot / And anone as he was come merlyn desyred of kyng Arthur þ^t Syre Gauayne shold be sworne to telle of alle his auentures / and how he slewe the lady / and how he wold gyue no mercy vnto the knyght / where thurgh the lady was slayne / Thenne the kynge and the quene were gretely displeasyd with syr gauayn for the sleynge of the lady / And ther by ordenaunce of the quene ther was set a quest of ladyes on syr gauayn / and they Iuged hym for euer whyle he lyued to be with all ladyes & to fyȝte for her quarels / & that euer he shold be curteys / & neuer to refuse mercy to hym / that asketh mercy / Thus was gauayne sworne vpon the four euuangelystes that he shold neuer be ageynst lady ne gentilwoman / but yf he fought for a lady / and his aduersary fouȝt for another /

And thus endeth the auenture of syr gauayn that he dyd at the maryage of kyng Arthur Amen

¶ Capitulum ix

THan Syre Tor was redy he mounted vpon his horsbak / and rode after the knyght with the brachet / so as he rode he mette with a dwarf sodenly / that smote hys hors on the hede with a staf / that he wente backward his spere lengthe / why dost thou so said syre Tor / for thou shalt not passe this way / but yf thow Iuste with yonder knyghtes of the pauelions / Thenne was Tor ware where two pauelions were / & grete sperys stood oute / and two sheldes henge on trees by the pauelions / I may not tary said syr Tor / for I am in a quest that I must nedes folowe / thou shalt not passe said the dwarf and therwith alle he blewe his horne / thenne ther cam one armed on horsbak / and dressyd his shelde / and cam fast toward Tor / and he dressid hym ageynst hym / and so ranne to gyders that Tor bare hym from his hors / and anone the knyght yeld hym to his mercy / But syr I haue a felawe in yonder pauelione that wille haue adoo with yow anone / he shall be welcome said syr Tor / Thenne was he ware of another knyght comyng with grete raundon / and eche of them dressid to other / that

[leaf 55v] merueille it was to see / but the knyght smote syre Tor a grete stroke in myddes of the shelde that his spere all to sheuered And syr Tor smote hym thurgh the sheld by lowe of the sheld and it wente thorow the coost of the knyȝt / but the stroke slewe hym not / And therwith syr Tor alyght & smote hym on the helme a grete stroke / and therwith the knyght yelded hym and besought hym of mercy / I wille wel said syr Tor / But thou and thy felawe must goo vnto kynge Arthur / and yelde yow prysoners vn to hym / by whome shall we say are we thyder sente / ye shall say by the knyght that wente in the quest of the knyght that wente with the brachet / Now what be your ij names said syr Tor / my name is sayd the one Sire Felot of Langduk / & my name is said the other Sir Petypase of wynchylse / Now go ye forth saide syre Tor and god spede yow & me / Thenne cam the dwarf and saide vnto syr Tor / I praye yow gyue me a yefte / I wylle wel said syr Tor / aske / I aske no more saide the dwarf / but that ye wille suffre me to doo yow seruyse / for I will serue no more recreaunt knyghtes / Take an hors said syr Tor and ryde on with me / I wote ye ryde after the knyght with the whyte brachet / and I shalle brynge yow there he is said the dwerf / And soo they rode thorow oute a forest / and at the last they were ware of two pauelions euen by a pryory with two sheldes / And the one shylde was enewed with whyte / and the other shelde was reed

¶ Capitulum x

THer with syr Tor alyghte and toke the dwarf his glayue / and soo he cam to the whyte pauelione / and sawe thre damoysels lye in it / and one paylet slepyng / & so he wente to the other pauelione / and found a lady lyeng slepyng ther in / But ther was the whyte brachet that bayed at her fast / and therwith the lady yede oute of the pauelione & all her damoysels / But anone as syr Tor aspyed the whyte brachet / he took her by force and took her to the dwerf / what / wille ye so sayd the lady take my brachet from me / ye sayd syr Tor / this brachet haue I sought from kynge Arthurs Courte hyder / well said the lady / knyght ye shalle not go fer with her / but that ye shalle be mette and greued / I shall abyde what auenture that

[leaf 56r] cometh by the grace of god / and so mounted vpon his hors / and passed on his way towarde Camelot / but it was so nere nyght he myȝt not passe but lytel ferther / knowe ye ony lodgyng said Tor I knowe none said the dwarf / but here besydes is an hermytage / and there ye muste take lodgynge as ye fynde / And within a whyle they cam to the heremytage & took lodgyng / and was there gras otys and breed for their horses soone it was sped / and full hard was their souper but there they rested hem al nyght tyl on the morne / and herd a masse deuoutely / and tooke their leue of the heremyte / and syre Tor prayed the heremyte to pray for hym / he sayd he wold and betooke hym to god / And soo mounted vpon horsbak and rode towardes Camelot a long whyle / with that they herd a knyȝte calle lowde that came after hem / and he sayd knyghte abyde / & yelde my brachet that thow took from my lady / Syr Tor retorned ageyne / and behelde hym how he was a semely knyghte and wel horsed and wel armed at al poyntes / thenne Syre Tor dressyd his shelde and took his spere in his handes and the other cam fyersly vpon hym / and smote bothe hors & man to the erthe / anone they aroos lyghtely and drewe her swerdes as egrely as lyons and put their sheldes afore them and smote thorow the sheldes that the cantels felle of bothe partyes / Also they tamyd their helmes that the hote blood ranne oute / and the thyck maylles of their hawberkes they carfe and rofe in sonder that the hote blood ranne to the erthe / and both they had many woundes and were passyng wery / But syr Tor aspyed that the other knyght faynted / and thenne he sewed fast vpon hym and doubled his strokes and garte hym go to the erthe on the one syde / thenne Syre Tor bad hym yelde hym / that wille I not said Abilleus whyle my lyf lasteth and the soule is within my body onles that thou wilt yeue me the brachet / that wylle I not doo sayd syre Tor / for it was my quest to brynge ageyne thy brachet / the or bothe /

¶ Capitulum xj

WYth that cam a damoysel rydynge on a palfrey as fast as she myȝt dryue and cryed with a lowde voys vnto Syre Tor / what wille ye with me sayd syr Tor / I byseche the

[leaf 56v] said the damoysel for kynge Arthurs loue / gyue me a yefte / I requyre the gentyl knyght as thow arte a gentilman / Now said Tor Aske a yefte and I wille gyue it yow / gramercy said the damoysel / Now I aske the hede of the fals knyght Abelleus / for he is the mooste outragyous knyght that lyueth & the grettest murtherer / I am loth seid syr Tor of that gyfte I haue gyuen yow / lete hym make amendys in that he hath trespaced vnto yow / now said the damoysel he may not / for he slewe myn owne broder afore myn owne eyen that was a better knyght than he / and he hadde had grace / and I kneled half an houre afore hym in the myre for to saue my broders lyf that had done hym no dammage but fought with hym by auenture of armes / and so for al that I coude do / he stroke of his hede wherfore I requyre the as thow arte a true knyght to gyue me my yefte or els I shal shame the in al the Court of kyng Arthur / for he is the falsest knyght lyuynge and a grete destroyer of good knyghtes / Thenne whan Abelleus herd this / he was more aferd / and yelded hym and asked mercy / I maye not now saide syr Tor / but yf I shold be founde fals of my promesse / for whyle I wold haue taken you to mercy / ye wold none aske but yf ye had the brachet ageyn that was my quest And therwith he tooke of his helme / and he aroos and fled / and syr Tor after hym and smote of his hede quyte / ¶ Now syr said the damoysel / it is nere nyght / I pray yow come & lodge with me here at my place / it is here fast by / I will wel said syr Tor / for his hors and he had ferd euyll syn they departed from Camelot / and soo he rode with her and had passyng good chere with her / and she hadde a passyng fair old knyght to her husband that made hym passynge good chere and wel easyd bothe his hors and he / and on the morne he herd his masse and brake his fast and tooke his leue of the knyghte and of the lady that besought hym to telle hym his name / Truly he said my name is syr Tor that was late made knyght / and this was the fyrst queste of armes that euer I dyd to brynge ageyn that this knyght Abelleus toke awey fro kyng arthurs courte / O fayr knyght said the lady and her husband / and ye come here in oure marches / come and see oure poure lodgynge / and it shalle be alweyes at your commaundement / Soo syre

[leaf 57r] Tor departed and came to Camelot on the thyrdde day by noone / and the kyng & the quene & alle the Courte was passyng fayne of his comyng and made grete ioye that he was come ageyne / for he wente from the Court with lytel socour / but as kyng Pellinore his fader gaf hym an old courser / and kyng Arthur gaf hym armour and a swerd / and els had he none other socour / but rode so forthe hym self alone / And thenne the kyng and the quene by merlyns aduys made hym to swere to telle of his auentures / and soo he told and made pryeues of his dedes as it is afore reherced / wherfor the kyng and the quene made hym grete ioye / nay nay saide Merlyn these ben but Iapes to that he shalle doo / for he shalle preue a noble knyght of prowesse as good as ony is lyuyng and gentyl and curteis & of good tatches and passyng true of his promesse / and neuer shalle outrage where thorow Merlyns wordes kynge Arthur gaf hym an erldome of londes that felle vnto hym / and here endeth the quest of Syr Tor kynge Pellenors sone

¶ Capitulum xij

THenne kynge Pellinore armed hym and mounted vpon his hors and rode more than a paas after the lady that the knyȝt ladde awey / And as he rode in a forest he sawe in a valey a damoysel sitte by a welle and a wounded knyght in her armes / and Pellenore salewed her / And whan she was ware of hym she cryed ouer lowde / helpe me knyghte for crystes sake kynge Pellinore & he wold not tarye he was so eger in his quest / and euer she cryed an C tymes after help Whanne she sawe he wold not abyde / she prayd vnto god to sende hym as moche nede of help as she had / and that he myȝt fele it or he dyed / Soo as the book telleth the knyght there dyed that there was wounded / wherfor the lady for pure sorowe slewe her self with his swerd / As kynge Pellinore rode in that valey he met with a poure man a labourer / Sawest thow not saide Pellinore a knyghte rydynge and ledynge aweye a lady / ye said the man / I sawe that knyght and the lady that made grete dole / And yonder bynethe in a valey ther shal ye see two pauelions and one of the knyȝtes of the pauelions

[leaf 57v] chalengyd that lady of that knyght and sayd she was his cosyn nere / wherfor he shold lede her no ferther / And soo they wage bataill in that quarel / the one saide he wold haue her by force / and the other said he wold haue the rule of her by cause he was her kynnesman and wold led her to her kyn / for this quarel he lefte them fyghtynge / And yf ye wille ryde a paas ye shalle fynde them fyghtyng / and the lady was beleft with the two squyers in the pauelions / god thanke the sayd kynge Pellenore / Thenne he rode a wallop tyll he had a syght of the two pauelions and the two knyghtes fyghtyng / anon he rode vnto the pauelions / and sawe the lady that was his quest / and sayd fayre lady ye must goo with me vnto the court of kynge Arthur / Syr knyght said the two squyers that were with her yonder are two knyghtes that fyghte for thys lady / goo thyder and departe them / and be agreed with hem / & thenne may ye haue her at your pleasyr / ye say wel sayd kyng Pellenore / And anone he rode betwixt them and departed hem and asked hem the causes why that they fought / Sir knyght said the one / I shalle telle yow / this lady is my kynneswoman nygh myn auntes doughter / And whan I herd her complayne that she was with hym maulgre her hede / I waged bataille to fyghte with hym / Syre knyght sayd the other whoos name was Hontzlake of wentland / and this lady I gat by my prowesse of armes this day at Arthurs courte / that is vntruly said / said kynge Pellenore / for ye cam in sodenly ther as we were at the hyghe feest and tooke awey this lady or ony man myght make hym redy and therfore hit was my quest to brynge her ageyne and yow bothe / or els the one of vs to abyde in the felde / therfor the lady shalle goo with me / or I wille dye for it / for I haue promysed hit kynge Arthur / And therfor fyghte ye no more / for none of yow shalle haue no parte of her at this tyme / And yf ye lyst to fyȝte for her / fyȝte with me / and I wille defende her / wel said the knyghtes make you redy / and we shalle assaile yow with al our power / And as kynge Pellenore wold haue put his hors for them syr Hontzlake roofe his hors thorow with a swerd and said / Now art thow on foote as wel as we are / whan kynge Pellinore aspyed that his hors was slayne / lyȝtely he lepte from his hors/

[leaf 58r] and pulled oute is swerd / and put his sheld afore hym / and sayde knyghte kepe wel thy heede / for thow shalt haue a buffet for the sleyng of my hors / So kyng Pellenore gaf hym suche a stroke vpon the helme that he clafe the hede doune to the chynne that he fylle to the erthe dede

¶ Capitulum xiij

ANd thenne he torned hym to the other knyȝte that was sore wounded / but whan he sawe the others buffet / he wold not fyghte / but kneled doune and sayd take my cosyn the lady with yow at youre request / and I requyre yow as ye be a true knyghte / put her to no shame nor vylony / What sayd kynge Pellenore wylle ye not fyghte for her / no syr sayd the knyghte I wylle not fyghte with suche a knyȝte of prowesse as ye be / wel said Pellenore / ye say wel / I promyse yow she shall haue no vylony by me as I am true knyght / but now me lacketh an hors said Pellinore / but I wylle haue hontzlakes hors / ye shalle not nede sayd the knyght / for I shalle gyue yow suche an hors as shalle please yow / so that ye wille lodge with me / for it is nere nyghte / I wille wel sayd kynge Pellenore abyde with yow al nyghte / and there he hadde with hym ryght good chere / and faryd of the best with passynge good wyne and had mery rest that nyghte / And on the morne he herd a masse and dyned / And thenne was broughte hym a fayre bay courser / and kynge Pellenors sadel sette upon hym / Now what shalle I calle yow said the knyȝt in as moche as ye haue my cosyn at your desyre of your quest Syr I shalle telle yow my name is kyng Pellenore of the Ilys and knyghte of the table round / Now I am glad said the knyght that suche a noble man shalle haue the rule of my cosyn / Now what is your name said Pellenore / I pray yow telle me / Syr my name is syr Meliot of Logurs / and this lady my cosyn hyght Nymue / and the knyghte that was in the other pauelione is my sworne broder a passynge good knyȝte and his name is Bryan of the Ilys / and he is ful loth to do wronge and ful lothe to fyghte with ony man / but yf he be sore souȝt on / so that for shame he may not leue it / It is merueil

[leaf 58v] said Pellinore that he wille not haue adoo with me / syr he wil not haue adoo with no man but yf it be at his request / Brynge hym to the Courte said Pellenore one of these dayes / Syr we wylle come to gyders / and ye shalle be welcome said Pellinore to the Courte of kynge Arthur / and gretely allowed for your comynge and so he departed with the lady / & brouȝt her to Camelot / Soo as they rode in a valey it was ful of stones / and there the ladyes hors stumbled and threwe her doun that her arme was sore brysed and nere she swouned for payne / Allas syr sayd the lady myn arme is oute of lythe wher thorow I must nedes reste me / ye shal wel said kyng Pellinore / and so he alyȝt vnder a fayr tree where was fayr grasse and he put his hors therto / and so leyd hym vnder the tree / and slepte tyl it was nyghe nyght / And whan he awoke / he wold haue ryden / Sir said the lady it is so derke that ye may as wel ryde backward as forward / soo they abode styll & made there their lodgyng / Thenne syr Pellenore put of his armour thēne a lytel afore mydnyȝt they herd the trottynge of an hors be ye styll said kyng Pellenore / for we shalle here of somme auenture

¶ Capitulum xiiij

ANd ther with he armed hym / so ryght euen afore hym ther met two knyghtes / the one cam froward Camelot / and the other from the northe / and eyther salewed other / what tydynges at Camelot sayd the one / by my hede saide the other ther haue I ben & aspyed the courte of kynge Arthur And ther is suche a felauship they may neuer be broken / and wel nyghe al the world holdeth with Arthur / for there is the flour of chyualrye / Now for his cause I am rydyng in to the north to telle or chyuetayns of the felauship that is withholden with kyng Arthur / as for that said the other knyght I haue brought a remedy with me that is the grettest poyson that euer ye herd speke of & to Camelot wyll I with it / for we haue a frend ryght nyghe kyng Arthur and wel cherysshed that shal poysone kynge Arthur / for so he hath promysed oure chyuetayns & receyued grete yeftes for to do it / Beware said the other knyght of Merlyn / for he knoweth all thynges by the deuyls crafte / therfore wille I not lete it said the knyghte / & so they departed in sonder / Anone after Pellenore maade hym

[leaf 59r] redy and his lady rode toward Camelot / And as they cam by the wel there as the wounded knyght was and the lady / there he fond the knyghte and the lady eten with lyons or wylde beestes al sauf the hede / wherfor he made grete sorowe and wepte passynge sore and said Allas her lyf myghte I haue saued / but I was so fyers in my quest therfore I wold not abyde / wherfore make ye suche doole said the lady / I wote not said Pellinore / but my herte morneth sore of the deth of her for she was a passyng fayr lady and a yonge / Now wylle ye doo by myne aduys said the lady / take this knyghte and lete hym be buryed in an heremytage / and thenne take the ladyes hede and bere it with yow vnto Arthur / So kyng Pellinore took this dede knyght on his sholders / and broughte hym to the heremytage and charged the heremyte with the corps / that seruyse shold be done for the soule / and take his harneys for your payne / it shalle be done said the heremyte as I wille ansuer vnto god

¶ Capitulum xv

ANd ther with they departed and cam there as the hede of the lady lay with a fair yelow here that greued kyng Pellinore passyngly sore whan he loked on hit / for moche he cast his herte on the vysage / And soo by none they came to Camelot / and the kynge and the quene were passyng fayn of his comynge to the Courte / And there he was made to swere vpon the four euuangelystes to telle the trouth of his quest from the one to the other / A syr Pellinore sayd quene Gweneuer ye were gretely to blame that ye saued not this ladyes lyf / Madame said Pellinore ye were gretely to blame and ye wold not saue your owne lyf & ye myȝt / but sauf your pleasir I was so furyous in my quest that I wold not abyde / & that repenteth me & shal the dayes of my lyf / Truly saide Merlyn ye ouȝt sore to repente it / for that lady was your own douȝter begoten on the lady of the rule / & that knyght that was dede was her loue / and shold haue wedded her / and he was a ryght good knyght of a yonge man and wold haue preued a good man / & to this court was he comyng & his name was sir Myles of the laūdys / & a knyȝt cam behynde hym / & slewe him with spere & his name is Lorayne le saueage a fals knyȝt & a coward / & she for grete sorow & dole slewe her self with

[leaf 59v] his swerd / and her name was Eleyne / And by cause ye wold not abyde and helpe her / ye shalle see youre best frende faylle yow whan ye been the grettest distresse that euer ye were / or shalle be / And that penaūce god hath ordeyned yow for that dede / that he that ye shalle most truste to of ony man alyue / he shalle leue yow ther ye shalle be slayne / Me forthynketh said kynge Pellinore that this shalle me betyde but god may fordoo wel desteny / Thus whan the quest was done of the whyte herte / the whiche folowed syr gawayne and the quest of the brachet folowed of syr Tor Pellenors sone / & the quest of the lady that the knyghte tooke aweye / the whiche kyng Pellinre at that tyme folowed / Thenne the kyng stablysshed all his knyghtes and gaf them that were of londes not ryche / he gaf them londes / and charged hem neuer to doo outragyousyte nor mordre / and alweyes to flee treason / Also by no meane to be cruel / but to gyue mercy vnto hym that asketh mercy vpon payn of forfeture of their worship and lordship of kyng Arthur for euermore / and alweyes to doo ladyes / damoysels / and gentylwymmen socour vpon payne of dethe / Also that no man take noo batails in a wrongful quarel for noo lawe ne for noo worldes goodes / Vnto this were all the knyghtes sworne of the table round both old and yong / And euery yere were they sworne at the hyghe feest of Pentecost.

¶ Explicit the weddynge of kynge Arthur

¶ Sequitur quartus liber