[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xiij

SO Balyn and the damoysel rode in to a forest / & ther met with a knyght that had ben on huntynge / and that knyght asked Balyn for what cause he made so grete so∣rowe / me lyst not to telle yow saide Balyn / Now saide the knyghte and I were armed as ye be I wolde fyghte wyth yow / that shold lytel nede sayd Balyn / I am not aferd to telle yow / and told hym alle the cause how it was A sayd the knyght is this al / Here I ensure yow by the feithe of my bo∣dy neuer to departe from yow whyle my lyf lasteth / & soo they wente to the hostry and armed hem / and so rode forth with ba¦lyn / And as they came by an heremytage euen by a Chyrche¦yerd / ther cam the knyghte garlon inuysybel and smote thys knyghte Peryn de mountebeliard thurgh the body with a spe∣re / Allas saide the knyghte I am slayne by this traytoure

knyghte that rydeth Inuysyble / Allas said balyn it is not the fyrst despyte he hath done me / and there the heremyte and Ba∣lyn beryed the knyght vnder a ryche stone and a tombe royal And on the morne they fond letters of gold / wryten / how syr Gaweyn shalle reuenge his faders deth kynge Lot / on the kynge Pellinore / Anone after this balyn and the damoysel rode tyl they came to a castel and there balyn alyghte / and he and the damoysel wende to goo in to the castel / and anone as balyn came within the castels yate the portroolys fylle doune at his bak / and there felle many men about the damoysel / and wold haue slayne her / whan balyn sawe that / he was sore a∣greued / for he myghte not helpe the damoysel / and thenne he wente vp in to the toure and lepte ouer the wallys in to the dyche / and hurte hym not / and anone he pulled oute his suerd and wold haue fouʒten with hem / and they all sayd nay they wold not fyghte with hym / for they dyd no thyng but thold custome of the castel / and told hym how her lady was seke / & had layne many yeres / and she myghte not be hole but yf she had a dysshe of syluer ful of blood of a clene mayde & a kyn∣ges doughter / and therfore the custome of this castel is / there shalle no damoysel passe this way but she shal blede of her blo∣od in a syluer dysshe ful / wel said balyn she shal blede as mo¦che as she may blede / but I wille not lese the lyf of her why∣les my lyf lasteth / & soo balyn made her to blede by her good will / but her blood halpe not the lady / and so he & she rested there al nyght / & had there ryght good chere / and on the morn they passed on their wayes / And as it telleth after in the san¦graylle that syre Percyualis syster halpe that lady with her blood wherof she was dede