[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xij

MErcy Ihesu said syr Gawayne to Arthur I merueil what knyghte that he is with the reed sleue / Syr saide kynge Arthur he wille be knowen or he departe / and thenne the kynge blewe vnto lodgynge / and the pryce was gyuen by he∣rowdes vnto the knyghte with the whyte shelde that bare the reed sleue / Thenne came the kynge with the honderd knyʒtes the kynge of Northgalys / and the kynge of Northumberland and sir Galahaut the haute prynce / and sayd vnto sire laun¦celot / fayre knyght god the blesse / for moche haue ye done this day for vs / therfor we praye yow that ye wille come with vs that ye may receyue the honour and the pryce as ye haue wor∣shipfully deserued if / My faire lordes saide syre launcelot wete yow wel yf I haue deserued thanke / I haue sore bought hit and that me repenteth / for I am lyke neuer to escape with my lyf / therfor faire lordes I pray yow that ye wille suffer me to departe where me lyketh / for I am sore hurte / I take none force of none honour / for I had leuer to repose me than to be lord of alle the world / and there with al he groned pytously and rode a grete wallop away ward fro them vntyl he came vnder a woodes syde / And whan he sawe that he was from the felde nyghe a myle that he was sure he myghte not be sene / Thenne he said with an hyʒ voys / O gentyl knyght sir Lauayne helpe me that this truncheon were oute of my syde / for it stycketh so sore that it nyhe sleeth me / O myn owne lord said sir Lauayne I wold fayn do that myʒt please yow / but I drede me sore / & I pulle oute the truncheon that ye shalle be in perylle of dethe / I charge you said sir launcelot as ye loue me drawe hit oute / & there with alle he descended from his hors / and ryght soo dyd sir Lauayn / and forth with al sir Lauayn drewe the trunche¦on out of his syde / and gaf a grete shryche and a merueillous

grysely gro••e / and the blood braste oute nyghe a pynt at ones that at the last he sanke doun vpon his buttoks & so swouned pale and dedely / Allas sayd sire Lauayne what shalle I doo And thenne he torned sir launcelot in to the wynde / but soo he laye there nyghe half an houre as he had ben dede / And so at the laste syre Launcelot caste vp his eyen / and sayd O Laua∣yn helpe me / that I were on my hors / for here is fast by with∣in this two myle a gentyl heremyte that somtyme was a fulle noble knyghte and a grete lord of possessions / And for grete goodenes he hath taken hym to wylful pouerte / and forsaken many landes / and his name is sire Baudewyn of Bretayn and he is a ful noble surgeon and a good leche / Now lete see / helpe me vp that I were there / for euer my herte gyueth me that I shalle neuer dye of my cosyn germayns handes / & thenne with grete payne sir Lauayne halpe hym vpon his hors And thenne they rode a grete wallop to gyders / and euer syr Launcelot blodde / that it ranne doune to the erthe / and so by for¦tune they came to that hermytage the whiche was vnder a wo∣od / and a grete clyf on the other syde / and a fayre water ren¦nynge vnder it / And thenne sire Lauayn bete on the gate with the but of his spere / and cryed fast / Lete in for Ihesus sake / and there came a fair chyld to them / and asked hem what they wold / Faire sone said syr Lauayne / goo and pray thy lord / the heremyte for goddes sake to lete in here a knyghte that is ful sore wounded / and this day telle thy lord I sawe hym do more dedes of armes than euer I herd say that ony man dyd Soo the chyld wente in lyghtely / and thenne he brought the heremyte the whiche was a passynge good man / whan syr la¦uayne sawe hym he prayd hym for goddes sake of socour / what knyght is he sayd the heremyte / is he of the hows of kyng ar∣thur or not / I wote not said sire Lauayne what is he / nor what is his name / but wel I wote I sawe hym doo meruey¦lously this daye as of dedes of armes / On whos party was be sayd the heremyte / syre said syre Lauayne he was this daye ageynst kynge Arthur / and there he wanne the pryce of alle the knyghtes of the round table / I haue sene the daye sayd the heremyte / I wolde haue loued hym the werse / by cause he was ageynst my lord kynge Arthur / for somtyme I was one

of the felauship of the round table / but I thanke god now I am otherwyse disposed / But where is he / lete me see hym / Thenne sir Lauayne broughte the heremyte to hym