[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xlj

THenne within two or thre dayes syr Lamorak fond a knyghte at a welle slepynge / and his lady sate with hym and waked / Ryght so came sir Gawayne and toke the knyghtes lady / and sette her vp behynde his squyer / Soo syre Lamorak rode after syre Gawayne / and said sire Gawayne / torne ageyne / And thenne said sir Gawayne what wylle ye do with me / for I am neuewe vnto kyng Arthur / syre said he for that cause I wil spare you / els that lady shold abyde wyth me / or els ye shold iuste with me / Thenne sire Gawayne tor∣ned hym and ranne to hym that ought the lady with his spe¦re / but the knyght with pure myght smote doune syre Gawa∣yne / and took his lady with hym / Alle this sir Lamorak saw and said to hym self / but I reuenge my felawe / he will say of

me dishonour in kynge Arthurs courte / Thenne sire Lamorak retorned and profered that knyght to Iuste / Syr said he I am redy / and there they came to gyders with alle their myght / and there sir Lamorak smote the knyght thorou both sydes / that he fylle to the erthe dede / thenne that lady rode to that knyghtes broder that hyght Belliaūce le orgulus / that duelled fast ther by / and thenne she told hym how his broder was slayne / Allas said he I wille be reuengyd / and soo he horsed hym / & armed hym / and within a whyle he ouertook syre Lamorak / and badde hym torne and leue that lady / for thou and I must playe a newe playe / for thou hast slayne my broder syre Froll that was a better knyghte than euer were thou / It myghte wel be said sir Lamorak / but this day in the felde I was foūd the better / Soo they rode to gyder / and vnhorsed other / & torned their sheldes / and drewe their swerdes / and foughte myghtely as noble knyghtes preued by the space of two houres / So thē∣ne sir Bellyaunce prayed hym to telle hym his name / Syr sa¦id he my name is sire Lamorak de galys / A said syr Belly¦aunce / thou arte the man in the world that I moost hate / for I slewe my sones for thy sake / where I saued thy lyf / and now thou hast slayne my broder syr Frol / Allas how shold I be acoorded with the / therfore defende the / for thou shalt dye ther is none other remedy / ¶Allas said sir Lamorak ful wel me ought to knowe you / for ye are the man that moost haue done for me / And there with alle sire Lamorak knelyd doune / and bisought hym of grace / Aryse said sir Bellyaunce / or els there as thou knelest I shalle slee the / That shal not nede saide sire Lamorak / for I wyl yelde me vnto you / not for fere of yow / nor for your strengthe / but your goodenes maketh me ful both to haue adoo with you / wherfore I requyre you for goddes sa¦ke / and for the honour of knygthode forgyue me al that I ha∣ue offended vnto you / Allas said Belleaunce leue thy knely∣nge or els I shal slee the withoute mercy / Thenne they yede ageyne vnto batail / and either wounded other that al the gro∣und was blody there as they foughte / And at the laste Bel∣leaunce withdrewe hym abak and sette hym doune softely vp∣on a lytil hylle / for he was so faynte for bledyng that he my∣ght not stande / Thenne sir lamorak threwe his shelde vpon his

bak / and asked hym what chere / wel said syr Belliaunce / A syr yet shalle I shewe you faueour in your male ease / A kn∣yght syr Belliaunce said syr Lamorak thou arte a foole / for and I had had the at suche auauntage as thou hast done me I shold slee the / but thy gentylnes is so good and so large / that I must nedes forgyue the myn euylle wille / And then∣ne sire Lamorak knelyd adoune / and vnlaced fyrst his vm∣berere / and thenne his owne / and thenne eyther kyssed other with wepynge teres / Thenne sire Lamerak ledde sir Belliaūce to an Abbay fast by / and there sire Lamorak wold not departe from Bellyaunce tyl he was hole / And thenne they sware to gyders that none of hem shold neuer fyghte ageynst other / So syre Lamorak departed and wente to the courte of kynge Ar¦thur /