[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum vj

THenne the knyghtes that were hurte were serched / & softe salues were leyd to their woundes / and soo hyt past on tyl souper tyme / and alle the chere that myght be made them / there was done vnto the quene and all her knyʒ¦tes / thenne whan season was / they wente vnto their chambres but in no wyse the quene wold not suffre the wounded knyʒ∣tes to be fro her / but that they were layde within draughtes by her chamber vpon beddes and pylowes that she her self myght see to them that they wanted no thynge / Soo whan sir laun¦celot was in his chamber that was assygned vnto hym / he cal¦led vnto hym sire Lauayne / and told hym that nyght he must goo speke with his lady dame Gueneuer / Sir said syr Laua∣yne / lete me goo with yow and hit please yow / for I drede me sore of the treason of sir Mellyagraunce / Nay sayd sir launce∣lot I thanke yow / but I wille haue no body with me / thenne sir Launcelot took his suerd in his hand / and pryuely went to a place where he had aspyed a ladder to fore hand / and that he took vnder his arme / and bare it thurgh the gardyn / & sette it vp to the wyndowe / and there anone the quene was redy to mete hym / and thenne they made eyther to other their compla∣yntes of many dyuerse thynges / & thenne sir launcelot wys∣shed that he myghte haue comen in to her / wete ye wel said the quene / I wold as fayne as ye / that ye myghte come in to me wold ye madame said syre launcelot with youre herte that I were with yow / ye truly said the quene / Now shalle I proue my myght said syr Launcelot for your loue / and thenne he set his handes vpon the barres of yron / and he pulled at them with suche a myghte that he brast hem clene oute of the stone walles / and there with all one of the barres of yron kytte the braune of his handes thurgh out to the bone / & thenne he lepte in to the chamber to the quene / make ye no noyse sayd the que¦ne / for my wounded knyghtes lye here fast by me / So to pas∣se vpon this tale syr Launcelot wente vnto bed with the que∣ne / & he took no force of his hurte hand / but took his plesaūce and his lykynge vntyll it was in the daunynge of the daye / & wete ye well he slepte not but watched / and whan he sawe his tyme that he myghte tary no lenger / he took his leue and departed at the wyndowe / and putte hit to gyder as wel as he

myghte ageyne and soo departed vnto his owne chamber / & there he told sir Lauayne how he was hurte / thenne sir lauayn dressid his hand and staunched it / and putte vpon it a gloue that it shold not be aspyed / and soo the quene lay long in her bedde vntyl it was nyne of the clok / thēne sir Mellyagraunce wente to the quenes chamber / and fond her ladyes there redy clothed / Ihesu mercy sayd sir Mellyagraunce what eyleth you madame that ye slepe thus longe / and ryght there with alle he opened the curteyn for to beholde her / and thenne was he ware where she laye & alle the shete & pylowe was bebled with the blood of sir Launcelot and of his hurte hand / whan sir mel¦lyagraunce aspyed that blood / thenne he demed in her that she was fals to the kynge / and that some of the wounded kn∣yghtes had layne by her alle that nyghte / A madame said sir Mellyagraunce / now I haue founden you a fals traytresse vnto my lord Arthur / For now I proue wel it was not for nought that ye layd these wounded knyghtes within the ban¦des of your chamber / therfore I wille calle yow of treason be∣fore my lord kynge Arthur / and now I haue proued yow madame with a shameful dede / and that they ben all fals or somme of them I wylle make good / for a wounded knyghte this nyght hath layne by yow / That is fals sayd the Quene and that I wyl reporte me vnto them alle / thenne whanne the ten knyghtes herd sir Mellyagraunce wordes / they spak al in one voys and sayd to sire Mellyagraunce thou sayst falsly / and wrongfully puttest vpon vs suche a dede / and that we wil make good ony of vs chese whiche thou lyst of vs whan we are hole of oure woundes / ye shal not said syr Mellyagraunce away with your proud langage / for here ye may alle see sayd sir Mellyagraunce that by the quene this nyghte a wounded knyghte hath layne / thenne were they al ashamed whan they sawe that blood / and wete you wel syr Mellyagraunce was passynge glad that he had the quene at suche an auauntage / For he demed by that to hyde his treson / soo with this ramoure came in syr launcelot and fond them al at a grete araye /