[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xlj

THenne at the request of Quene Gueneuer and of ky∣nge Bagdemagus / sir Laūcelot came in to the rayeng but he was desguysed / and that was the cause that fe¦we folke knewe hym / and there mette with hym sir Ector de marys his owne broder / and eyther brake their speres vpon other to theyr handes / And thenne eyther gate another spere / And thenne sire launcelot smote doune syr Ector de marys his owne broder / That sawe sire Bleoberys / and he smote sir laun¦celot suche a buffet vpon the helme that he wyst not wel where he was / Thenne sir launcelot was wrothe / and smote sir Ble∣oberys so sore vpon the helme that his hede bowed doune back∣ward / And he smote efte another buffet that he auoyded his sadel / and soo he rode by / and threst forth to the thyckest / whan the kynge of Northgalys sawe sire Ector and Bleoberys lye on the ground / thenne was he wroth / for they came on his par¦ty ageynst them of Surluse / So the kynge of Northgalys ran to sire Launcelot / and brake a spere vpon hym all to pyeces There with sire Launcelot ouertook the kynge of Northgalys and smote hym suche a buffet on the helme with his suerd that he made hym to auoyde his hors / and anone the kyng was hor¦sed ageyne / So bothe the kynge Bagdemagus and the kyng of Northgalys party hurled to other / and thenne beganne a stronge medle / but they of Northgalys were ferre bygger whanne sire launcelot sawe his party goo to the werst / he th∣range in to the thyckest prees with a suerd in his hand / & there he smote doune on the ryght hand and on the lyft hand and pulled doune knyghtes and racyd of their helmes that alle men hadde wonder that euer one knyght myghte doo such dedes of armes / whanne sire Mellegaunt that was sone vnto kyng Bagdemagus saw how sir Launcelot ferd / he merueiled

gretely / And whan he vnderstood that it was he / he wyst wel that he was desguysed for his sake / Thenne sire Malegeaunt prayd a Knyghte to slee sir launcelots hors outher with suerd or with spere / At that tyme Kynge Bagdemagus mette wyth a Knyghte that hyght Sauseyse a good knyghte / to whom he sayd / Now fayr Sauseyse encounter with my sone Malege∣aunt / and gyue hym large payment / for I wold he were well beten of thy handes that he myghte departe oute of this feld / And thenne sir Sauseyse encountred with syr Malegeaunt / and eyther smote other doune / And thēne they fought on fo∣te / and there Sauseyse had wonne syre Malegeaunt / hadde not there come rescowes / So thenne the haute prynce blewe to lod∣gynge / And euery knyghte vnarmed hym / and wente to the grete feest / ¶Thenne in the meane whyle there came a damoy∣sel to the haute prynce / and complayned that there was a kn¦yghte that hyght Goneryes that withhelde her alle her landes Thenne the knyghte was there presente and caste his gloue to hym or to ony that wold fyghte in her name / Soo the damoy∣sel took vp the gloue alle heuyly for defaute of a champyon / Thenne there came a varlet to her and sayd damoysel / wille ye doo after me / ful fayne said the damoysel / thenne goo ye vnto suche a knyght that lyeth here besyde in an ermytage / and that foloweth the questyng best / and pray hym to take the bataille vpon hym / and anone I wote wel he wille graunte yow / ¶So anone she took her palfroy / and within a whyle she fond that knyght that was sire Palomydes / And whan she requy∣red hym / he armed hym and rode with her / and made her to go to the haute prynce / and to aske leue for her knyght to doo ba¦tail / I wille wel said the haute prynce / Thenne the knyghtes were redy in the feld to Iuste on horsbak / and eyther gatte a spere in their handes and mette soo fyersly to gyders that the∣ir speres alle to sheuerd / Thenne they flange out swerdes / and syr Palomydes smote sire Gonereys doune to the erthe / And thenne he racyd of his helme and smote of his hede / Thenne they wente to souper / and the damoysel loued Palomydes as peramour / but the book saith she was of his kyn / Soo thenne Palomydes desguysed hym self in this manere / in his shelde he bare the questynge beest and in alle his trappours / ¶ And

whanne he was thus redy / he sente to the haute prynce to gyue hym leue to Iuste with other knyghtes / but he was adoubted of sire launcelot / The haute prynce sente hym word ageyne / that he shold be welcome / and that syre Launcelot shold not Iuste with hym / Thenne sire Galahalt the haute prynce lete crye what knyght someuer he were that smote doune sir Palo∣mydes shold haue his damoysel to hym self /