[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum x

THis gentylwoman that ye lede with yow is a mayde / Syr said she / a mayde I am / Thenne he took her by the brydel / and sayd by the holy crosse ye shalle not escape me to fore ye haue yolden the customme of this Castel / lete her go sa¦yd Percyual ye be not wyse / for a mayde in what place she cometh is free / Soo in the meane whyle there came oute a ten or twelue knyghtes armed oute of the Castel / and with hem came gentylwymmen whiche held a dysshe of syluer / and then¦ne they sayd this gentylwoman must yelde vs the customme of this Castel / sir sayd a knyghte / what mayde passeth here by shalle yeue this dysshe ful of blood of her ryghte arme / blame haue he sayd Galahad that broughte vp suche custommes / and soo god me saue I ensure yow of this gentylwoman ye shal fayle whyle that I lyue / Soo god me help sayd Percyual I had leuer be slayne / and I also sayd sir Bors By my tro∣uthe sayd the knyght / thenne shalle ye dye / for ye maye not endure ageynste vs / though ye were the best knyghtes of the world / thenne lete they renne eche to other / and the thre fela∣wes bete the ten knyghtes / and thenne sette theire handes to their swerdes and bete them doune and slewe them / Thenne there came oute of the Castel a thre score knyghtes armed / Faire lordes sayd the thre felawes haue mercy on youre selfe and haue not adoo with vs / Nay fayre lordes sayd the knygh¦tes of the Castel we counceyl yow to withdrawe yow / for ye ben the best knyghtes of the world / and therfore doo no more for ye haue done ynough / We wille lete yow go with this har∣me but we must nedes haue the customme / Certes sayd Ga∣lahad for nought speke ye / wel sayd they / wille ye dye / we be not yet come therto sayd Galahad / thēne beganne they to me¦dle to gyders / and Galahad with the straunge gyrdels dre∣we his suerd / and smote on the ryght hand and on the lyfte hand & slewe what that euer abode hym / & dyd suche merueils that there was none that sawe hym / they wend he had ben no∣ne erthely man but a monstre / and his two felawes halp hym passyng wel / and soo they held the Iourney eueryche in lyke hard tyl it was nyʒt / thenne must they nedes departe / So cam

in a good knyghte / and sayd to the thre felawes / yf ye wyll come in to nyght / and take suche herberowe as here is / ye shal be ryght welcome / and we shall ensure yow by the feyth of our bodyes / and as we be true knyghtes to leue yow in suche estat to morowe as we fynde yow withoute ony falshede / And as soone as ye knowe of the custome we dare say ye wyll accorde therfor for goddes loue said the gentylwoman goo thyder and spare not for me / Go we sayd Galahad / and soo they entryd in to the chappel / And when they were alyghte / they made gre¦te Ioye of hem / Soo within a whyle the thre knyghtes asked the customme of the Castel and wherefor it was / what hit is sayd they we wille saye yow ••othe /