[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum Quintum

THat whan he was come to the courte of kynge Arthur thenne herd he telle of the yonge knyghte la cote male tayle how he slewe the lyon / & how he tooke vpon hym the aduenture of the black shelde / the whiche was named atte that tyme the hardyest aduenture of the world / Soo god me saue said sir Laūcelot vnto many of his felawes / it was sha∣me to alle the noble knyghtes to suffre suche a yonge knyghte to take suche aduenture vpon hym for his destructyon / for I wille that ye wete said sire launcelot / that that damoysel ma∣ledysaunt hath born that shelde many a day for to seche the most proued knyghtes / and that was she that Breunys saunce py¦te took that sheld from her / and after Tristram de lyones resco¦wed that shelde from hym / and gaf it to the damoysell ageyne A lytil afore that tyme that sir Tristram fought with my ne∣uewe sire Blamore de Ganys for a quarel that was betwixe the kynge of Irland and hym / Thenne many knyghtes were sory that sir La cote male tayle was gone forth to that aduen¦ture / Truly said sir launcelot I cast me to ryde after hym / and within seuen dayes sir launcelot ouertook la cote male tayle / And thenne he salewed hym / and the damoysel maledysaunt / And whan sir Mordred sawe sir laūcelot / thenne he lefte their felauship / and soo sir launcelot rode with hem al a day / and e∣uer that damoysel rebuked la cote male taile / and thenne sire launcelot ansuerd for hym / thenne she lefte of / and rebuked sir launcelot / Soo this meane tyme syre Tristram sente by a da∣moysel a letter vnto sire launcelot excusynge hym of the wed¦dynge of Isoud le blaunche maynys / and said in the letter as he was a true knyʒt / he hadde neuer adoo flesshly with Isoud la blaunche maynys / and passynge curtoisly & gentyly sir tris¦tram wrote vnto sire launcelot / euer bysechyng hym to be his good frende / & vnto la beale Isoud of Cornewaile / and that sire

Launcelot wold excuse hym yf that euer he sawe her / ¶ And within shorte tyme by the grace of god said sir Tristram that he wold speke with la Brale Isoud and with hym ryghte hastely•• / Thenne sire Launcelot departed from the damoysel / & from syr la cote male taile for to ouersee that letter / and to wryte another letter vnto syre Tristram de lyones / and in the meane whyle la cote male tayle roode with the damoysel vntyl they came to a castel that hyght Pendragon / and there were syxe knyghtes stode afore hym / and one of hem profered to Ius¦te with la cote male tayle / And there la cote male tayle smote hym ouer his hors croupe / ¶And thenne the fyue knyghtes sette vpon hym all at ones with their speres / & the•••• they smo∣te la cote male tayle doun•• hors and man / And thenne they a lyght sodenly / and sette their handes vpon hym all attones / and toke hym prysoner / and soo ledde hym vnto the castel / & kepte hym as prysoner / And on the morne sir Launcelot arose and delyuerd the damoysel with letters vnto sir Tristram / & thenne he took his way after la cote male tayle / & by the way•• vpon a brydge there was a knyghte profered sire Launcelot to Iuste / and sire Launcelot smote hym doune / and thenne they foughte vpon foote a noble batail to gyders and a myghty / & at the laste sire Launcelot smote hym doune grouelynge vpon his handes and his knees / And thenne that knyghte yelded hym / and sire launcelot receyued hym fayre / Syr said the kn∣yght I requyre the telle me your name / for moche my herte ye¦ueth vnto you / Nay said sire Launcelot as at this tyme I wil not telle you my name / onles thenne that ye telle me your na∣me / Certaynly said the knyght my name is sir Nerouens that was made knyght of my lord sir Launcelot du lake / A New∣uens de lyle said sire Launcelot I am ryght gladde that ye ar proued a good knyghte / for now wete ye wel my name is sir Launcelot du lake / Allas said sire Nerouens de lyle what ha¦ue I done / and there with al flatlyng ••e felle to his feet / and wold haue kyst them / but sir Launcelot wold not lete hym / & thenne eyther made grete ioye of other / And thenne sire Nero∣uens told sir Launcelot that he shold not goo by the castel of Pendragon / for there is a lord myghty knyght / and many knyghtes with hym / and this nyght I herd say that they toke

a knyght prysoner yesterday that rode with a damoysel / & they saye he is a knyghte of the round table