[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum octauum

SOo leue we syr Launcelot lyenge within that caue in grete payne / and euery day ther came a lady & brouʒt hym his mete & his drynke / & wowed hym to haue layne by hym / and euer the noble knyghte syre Launcelot sayd

her nay / sir Launcelot sayd she ye ar not wyse / for ye maye ne∣uer oute of this pryson / but yf ye haue my helpe and also yo∣ur lady quene Gueneuer shalle be brente in your deffaulte on les that ye be there at the daye of bataille / God defende sayd syr Launcesot that she shold be brente in my deffaute / & yf hyt be soo said sir Launcelot that I maye not be there hit shalle be wel vnderstande bothe at the kynge and at the quene & wyth alle men of worshyp that I am dede / seke / outher in pryson / For alle men that knowe me / wille saye for me that I am in somme euyl caas and I be not there that day / and wel I wo∣te there is somme good knyghte outher of my blood or some other that loueth me that wylle take my quorel in hand / and therfor said sir launcelot wete ye wel ye shalle not fere me / & yf there were no more wymmen in alle this land but ye / I wil not haue adoo with yow / thenne arte thow shamed sayd the lady / and destroyed for euer / As for worldes shame Ihe∣su defende me / and as for my dystresse it is welcome what so euer hit be that god sendeth me / soo she came to hym the same day that the batail shold be / and sayd sir launcelot / me thyn∣keth ye are to hard herted / but woldest thow but kysse me ones I shold delyuer the and thyn armour / and the best hors that is within sir Mellyagraunces stable / As for to kysse yow said sir launcelot I maye doo that and lese no worshyp / and wete ye wel and I vnderstood / there were ony disworship for to kysse yow / I wold not doo hit / thenne he kyssed her / & then∣ne she gat hym and broughte hym to his armour / and whan he was armed / she broughte hym to a stable / where stood xij good coursers / and bad hym chese the best / Thenne syr launce∣lot loked vpon a whyte courser the whiche lyked hym best / & anone he commaunded the kepers faste to sadle hym with the best sadel of werre that there was / and soo it was done as he badde / thenne gatte he his spere in his hand and his suerd by his syde / and commaunded the lady vnto god / and sayd la∣dy for this good dede I shal doo yow seruyse yf euer hit be in my power /