[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xj

WYth that cam a damoysel rydynge on a palfrey as fast as she myʒt dryue and cryed with a lowde voys vnto Syre Tor / what wille ye with me sayd syr Tor / I byseche the

said the damoysel for kynge Arthurs loue / gyue me a yefte / I requyre the gentyl knyght as thow arte a gentilman / Now said Tor Aske a yefte and I wille gyue it yow / gramercy said the damoy••el / Now I aske the hede of the fals knyght A¦belleus / for he is the mooste outragyous knyght that lyueth & the grettest murtherer / I am both seid syr Tor of that gyfte I haue gyuen yow / lete hym make amendys in that he hath tre∣spaced vnto yow / now said the damoysel he may not / for he sle∣we myn owne broder afore myn owne eyen that was a better knyght than he / and he hadde had grace / and I kneled half an houre afore hym in the myre for to saue my broders lyf that had done hym no dammage but fought with hym by auentu∣re of armes / and so for al that I coude do / he stroke of his hede wherfore I requyre the as thow arte a true knyght to gyue me my yefte or els I shal shame the in al the Court of kyng Arthur / for he is the falsest knyght lyuynge and a grete des∣troyer of good knyghtes / Thenne whan Abelleus herd this / he was more aferd / and yelded hym and asked mercy / I maye not now saide syr Tor / but yf I shold be founde fals of my promesse / for whyle I wold haue taken you to mercy / ye wold none aske but yf ye had the brachet ageyn that was my quest And therwith he tooke of his helme / and he aroos and fled / and syr Tor after hym and smote of his hede quyte / ¶Now syr said the damoysel / it is nere nyght / I pray yow come & lod∣ge with me here at my place / it is here fast by / I will Wel said syr Tor / for his hors and he had ferd euyll syn they departed from Camelot / and soo he rode with her and had passyng go∣od there with her / and she hadde a passyng fair old knyght to her husband that made hym passynge good chere and wel ea∣syd bothe his hors and he / and on the morne he herd his masse and brake his fast and tooke his leue of the knyghte and of the lady that besought hym to telle hym his name / Truly he sa∣id my name is syr Tor that was late made knyght / and this was the fyrst queste of armes that euer I dyd to brynge a∣geyn that this knyght Abelleus toke awey fro kyng arthurs courte / O fayr knyght said the lady and her husband / and ye come here in oure marches / come and see oure poure lodgynge / and it shalle be alweyes at your commaundement / Soo syre

Tor departed and came to Camelot on the thyrdde day by no∣one / and the kyng & the quene & alle the Courte was passyng fayne of his comyng and made grete ioye that he was come a¦geyne / for he wente from the Court with lytel socour / but as kyng Pellinore his fader gaf hym an old courser / and kyng Arthur gaf hym armour and a swerd / and els had he none other socour / but rode so forthe hym self alone / And thenne the kyng and the quene by merlyns aduys made hym to swere to telle of his auentures / and soo he told and made pryeues of his dedes as it is afore reher••ed / wherfor the kyng and the que¦ne made grete ioye / nay nay saide Merlyn these ben but Iapes to that he shalle doo / for he shalle preue a noble knyght of pro¦wesse as good as ony is lyuyng and gentyl and curteis & of good tatches and passyng true of his promesse / and neuer shalle outrage where thorow Merlyns wordes kynge Arthur gaf hym an erldome of bondes that felle vnto hym / and here en¦deth the quest of Syr Tor kynge Pellenors sone