[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum septimum

SOo thenne they took their horses and rode forth a pas after sire Launcelot / And within two myle they ouer took hym / and salewed hym / and thanked hym / and the damoysel cryed sir Launcelot mercy of her euyll dede / and sayenge / for now I knowe the floure of alle knyghthode is departed euen bitwene sire Tristram and you / For god kno∣weth said the damoysel that I haue soughte you my lord sir Launcelot and sir Tristram longe / and now I thanke god I haue mette with you / and ones at Camelot I mette with sir Tristram / and ther he rescowed this blak shelde with the why∣te hand holdynge a naked swerd / that sir Bruyns saunce py∣te had taken from me / Now fayre damoysel said sir Launcelot who told you my name / Syre said she / there came a damoysell from a knyghte that ye fought with all at the brydge / and she told me your name was sir Launcelot du lake / blame haue she thenne said sire Launcelot / but her lord sire Neroueus ha∣th told her / But damoysel said sire Launcelot vpon this coue∣naunt I wille ryde with you / so that ye wille not rebuke this knyght sir La cote male tayle nomore / for he is a good knyght and I doubte not he shalle preue a noble knyght / and for his

sake and pyte that he sholde not be destroyed / I folowed hym to socoure hym in this grete nede / A / Ihesu thanke you said the damoysel / for now I wil say vnto you and to hym both / I re¦buked hym neuer for no hate that I hated hym / but for grete loue that I had to hym / For euer I supoosed that he had ben to yonge and to tendyr to take vpon hym these aduentures / And therfore by my wille I wold haue dryuen hym aweye for Ialousy that I had of his lyf / for it maye be no yong kny∣ghtes dede that shal̄ enchyeue this aduenture to the ende / Per¦dieu said sire Launucelot hit is wel said / and where ye are cal¦led the damoysel Maledysaunt I wille calle you the damoy∣sel Bien pensaunt / and soo they rode forthe a grete whyle vn¦to they came to the Bordoure of the countrey of Surluse / and there they fond a fayr vyllage with a stronge brydge lyke a fortresse / And whanne sir launcelot and they were at the brid∣ge / there starte forth afore them of gentilmen and yomen ma∣ny that saide / Faire lordes ye maye not passe this brydge and this fortresse by cause of that black shelde that I see one of you bere / And therfore there shalle not passe but one of you at ones / therfore chese you whiche of you shalle entre withynne this brydge fyrste / Thenne sir Launcelot profered hym self fyrst to entre within this brydge / Syr said La cote male tayle I bi∣seche you lete me entre within this fortresse / and yf I may spe¦de wel / I wille sende for you / and yf it happend that I be ••••ayn there it goth / And yf soo be that I am a prysoner taken / then∣ne maye ye rescowe me / I am lothe said sir launcelot to lete you passe this passage / Syre said la cote male tayle I praye you lete me putte my body in this aduenture / Now goo youre waye said sire Laūcelot / and Ihesu be your spede / So he entrid and anone there mette with hym two bretheren / the one hyʒte syr Playne de force and the other hyght sir Playne de am••u••s And anone they mette with sir la cote male tayle / and forste la cote male tayle smote doune Playne de force / and after he smote doune playne de amours / and thenne they dressid them to their sheldes and swerdes / and badde la cote male tayle a∣lyghte / and soo he dyd / and there was dasshyng and foynyng with swerdes / and soo they began to assaile ful hard la cote male tayle / and many grete woundes they gaf hym vpon his

heed and vpon his brest and vpon his sholders / And as he myght euer amonge he gaf sadde strokes ageyne /

And thenne the two bretheren traced and trauercyd for to be of bothe handes of sire la cote male tayle / but he by fyne force & knyghtly prowesse gate hem afore hym / And thenne whan he felte hym self soo wounded / thenne he doubled his strokes / & gaf them soo many woundes that he feld them to the erthe / & wold haue slayne them had they not yelded them / And ryʒt soo sire la cote male tayle tooke the best hor•• that there was of them thre / and soo rode forth his waye to the other fortresse & brydge and there he mette with the thyrd broder whoos name was sire Plenorius / a ful noble knyghte / and there they Ius∣ted to gyder / and eyther smote other doune hors and man to the erthe / And thenne they auoyded their horses / and dressid their sheldes / and drewe their swerdes / and gaf many sad stro¦kes / and one whyle the one knyght was afore on the brydge / and an other whyle the other / And thus they foughte two houres and more / and neuer rested / And euer sire Launcelot and the damoysel ••eheld them / ¶Allas said the damoysel my knyghte fyghteth passynge sore and ouer longe / ¶Now may ye see said sir Launcelot that he is a noble knyghte for to con∣sydre his fyrste bataile / and his greuous woundes / And euen forth with all so wounded as he is / it is merueile that he may endure this longe batail with that good knyghte /