[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum viii

ANd whan he herde in his contreye that Syr Mordred was crowned kyng in Englond and maad warre a∣yenst kyng Arthur his owne fader / and wolde lette hym to lande in hys owne londe / ¶ Also it was tolde Syr Launcelot how that syr Mordred had layed syege aboute the toure of london by cause the quene wold not wedde hym / Than was syr Launcelot wroth oute of mesure and sayd to his kyn¦nesmen alas that double traytour syr Mordred now me repen¦teth that euer he escaped my handes / for moche shame hath he done vnto my lord Arthur for alle I fele by the doleful letter that My lord syr Gauwayn sente me / on whos soule Ihu haue mercy / that my lord Arthur is ful harde bestadde / Alas sayd syr Launcelot that euer I shold lyue to here that moost noble kyng that maad me knyght thus to be ouersette wyth his sub¦iecte in his owne royame ¶ And this doleful letter that my lord syr Gauwayn hath sente me afore his deth / prayeng me to see his tombe / wyt you wel his doleful wordes shal neuer goo from myn herte / For he was a ful noble knyght as euer was borne / and in an vnhappy houre was I borne that euer I shold haue that vnhappe to slee fyrst syr Gauwayn syr Ga¦heris the good knyght and myn owne frende syr Gareth that ful noble knyght / Alas I may say I am vnhappy sayd Syr Launcelot that euer I shold do thus vnhappely / and alas yet myght I neuer haue happe to slee that traytour syr Mordred Leue your complayntes sayd syr Bors & fyrst reuenge you of the deth of syr Gauwayn / & hit wyl be wel done that ye see syr Gauwayn•• tombe / & secondly that ye reuenge my lord Ar¦thur and my lady quene Gueneuer / I thanke you sayd Syr Launcelot for euer ye wyl my worshyp / Than they made them redy in al the haste that myʒt ••e with shyppes & galeyes wyth syr Launcelot & his hoost to passe in to englond / & so he passyd ouer the see tyl be came to douer & there he landed wyth seuen kynges / & the nombre was hydous to beholde / Than syr Laun¦celot spyered of men of douer where was kyng Arthur became Than the peple tolde hym how that he was flayn / And Syr

Mordred & an / C / thousand d••yed on a day / & how sir Mordred gaf kyng Arthur there the fyrste bataylle at his landyng & there was good syr Gawayn slayn / & on the morne syr Mor∣dred faught with the kyng vpon baram doun / & there the kyng put syr mordred to the wers / Alas said syr Launcelot this is the heuyest tydynges that euer cam to me / Now fayr syrs sayd syr Launcelot shewe me the tombe of syr Gawayn / & than cer¦teyn peple of the towne brouʒt hym in to the castel of douer & shewed hym the tombe / Than syr Launcelot knelyd doun and wepte & prayeed hertelye for his soule / & that nyght he made a dole / & al they that wold come had as moche flesshe / fysshe wyn & aale / & euery man & woman had xii pens come who wold / Thus with his owne hande dalte he this money in a moornyng gowne / & euer he wepte / & prayed hem to praye for the sowle of syr Gawayn / & an the morne al the preestys and clerkys that myght be goten in the contreye were there & sange masse of requyem & there offeryd fyrst syr Launcelot / & he of∣fred an / C / pounde / & than the seuen kynges offeryd fourty pounde a pees / & also there was a / M / knyghtes / & eche of hem offred a pounde / & the offeryng dured fro morne tyl nyght / & syr Launcelot laye two nyghtes on his tombe in prayers and wepyng / Than on the thyrd day syr Launcelot callyd the kyn¦ges / dukes / erles / barons / & knyghtes & sayd thus / My fayr lordes I thāke you al of your comyng in to this contreye with me / but we came to late & that shal repente me whyle I lyue / but ayenst deth may no man rebelle / But sythen it is so s••••d sir Launcelot I wyl my self ryde & seke my lady quene gueneuer for as I here say she hath had grete payne & moche dy••ease / & I herd say that she is fledde in to the weste / therfore ye alle shal abyde me here / & but yf I come ageyn wythin yv dayes / Than take your shyppes & your felawshyp & departe in to your con∣traye for I wyl do as I say to you /