[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum iij

SOo came syr launcelot and fonde the hors bounden tyl a tree / & a spere lenyng ageynst a tree / & a swerd te∣yed to the sadel bowe / & thenne sir launcelot lepte in to the sadel & gat that spere in his hand / & thenne he rode after the bore / & thenne syre laūcelot was ware where the bore set his ars to a tree fast by an hermytage / Thenne sir launcelot ranne atte bore with his spere / & ther with the bore torned hym nemly / & rafe out the longes & the hert of the hors so that launcelot felle to the erthe / & or euer sire launcelot myʒt gete from the hors / the bore rafe hym on the brawne of the thyʒ vp to the hough bone / and thenne sir launcelot was wrothe / & vp he gat vpon his feet / & drewe his swerd / & he smote of the bores hede at one stroke / & there with all came out the heremyte / & sawe hym ha∣ue suche a wound / thenne the heremyte came to sir launcelot and bemoned hym / and wold haue had hym home vnto his hermy¦tage / but whan syr launcelot herd hym speke / he was so wroth with his wound that he ranne vpon the heremyte to haue sla∣yne hym / & the heremyte ranne awey / & whan sir laūcelot my∣ght not ouer gete hym / he threwe his swerd after hym / for syr launcelot myght tho no ferther for bledyng / thēne the heremy∣te torned ageyn / & asked sir launcelot how he was hurte / Fe∣lawe said sir launcelot this bore hath beten me sore / Thenne co¦me with me said the heremyte and I shalle hele yow / Goo thy wey said sir launcelot and dele not with me / Thenne the here∣myte ranne his way / and there he mette with a good knyghte

with many men / Sir said the heremyte / here is fast by my pla∣ce the goodlyest man that euer I sawe / and he is sore woun¦ded with a bore / & yet he hath slayne the bore / But wel I wote sayd the heremyte and he be not holpen that goodly man shall dye of that wounde / and that were grete pyte / Thenne that knyghte atte desyre of the heremyte gat a carte / and in that carte that knyghte putte the bore and sir launcelot / for sir laū¦celot was soo feble that they myghte ryght easyly deale wyth hym / and soo syr launcelot was broughte vnto the hermytage and there the heremyte heled hym of his wound / But the he∣remyte myghte not fynde syr launcelots sustenaunce / and so he enpayred and waxed feble bothe of his body and of his wyt for the defaute of his sustenaunce / he waxed more wooder than he was afore hand / And thenne vpon a day syr launcelot ran his Waye in to the forest / and by aduenture he came to the cy¦te of Corbyn where dame Elayne was that bare Galahalt syr Launcelots sone / and soo whan he was entryd in to the toun he ranne thurgh the Towne to the Castel / and thenne alle the yonge men of that Cyte ranne after sir Launcelot / and there they threwe turues at hym / and gaf hym many sadde strokes / And euer as syre launcelot myghte ouer retche ony of them / he threwe them soo that they wold neuer come in his handes no more / for of some he brake the legges & the armes / & so fledde in to the Castel / and thenne came oute knyghtes and squyers and rescowed syr launcelot / And whan they beheld hym / & loked vpon his person / they thought they sawe neuer so good∣ly a man / And whan they sawe so many woundes vpon hym alle they demed that he had ben a man of worship / And then∣ne they ordeyned hym clothes to his body / and strawe vnder¦nethe hym / and a lytel hous / And thēne euery day they wold throwe hym mete / and sette hym drynke / but there was but fe¦we wold brynge hym mete to his handes