[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xxv

NOw torne we vnto syr Marhaus that rode with the da¦moysel of xxx wynter of age southard / and soo they cam in to a depe forest / and by fortune they were nyʒ∣ted / and rode longe in a depe way / and at the last they came vnto a courtelage / and there they asked herborow / but the mā of the courtelage wold not lodge them for no treatyce that they coude treate / but thus moche the good man sayd / and ye will take the aduenture of youre lodgyng / I shal brynge you there ye shalle be lodged / what auenture is that that I shal haue / for my lodgynge sayd syr Marhaus / ye shalle wete whan ye come there sayd the good man / syr what auenture so it be bryng me thyder I pray the sayd syr Marhaus / for I am wery / my damoysel and my hors / So the good man wente and opened the gate / and within an houre he broughte hym vnto a fayre castel / and thenne the poure man called the porter / and anon he was lete in to the castel / & soo he told the lord how he brouʒt hym a knyght erraunt and a damoysel that wold be lodged with hym / lete hym in said the lord / it may happen he shalle re¦pente that they toke their lodgyng here / So syr Marhaus was lete in with torche lyghte / and there was a goodely syghte of yonge men that welcomed hym / And thenne his hors was ledde in to the stable / and he and the damoysel were broughte in to the halle / and there stode a myghty duke and many go∣odely men about hym / thēne this lord asked hym what he hy∣ghte / and fro whens he cam / and with whome he dwelt / syre he said I am a knyghte of kynge Arthurs and knyght of the table round / and my name is syre Marhaus / and borne I am in Irland / And thenne sayd the duke to hym / that me sore repenteth / the cause is this / for I loue not thy lord / nor

none of thy felawes of the table round / And therfor ease thy self this nyghte as wel as thow mayst / for as to morne I & my sixe sonnes shal matche with yow / Is ther no remedy but that I must haue a doo with yow and your vj sones at ones sayd syr Marhaus / No sayd the duke for this cause I maade myn auowe / for syr gawayne slewe my seuen sonnes in a re∣counter / therfore I made myn auowe / there shold neuer knyʒt of kynge Arthurs court lodge with me or come there as I my∣ght haue adoo with hym / but that I wold haue a reuengyng of my sonnes dethe / what is your name said syr Marhaus I requyre yow telle me and it please yow / wete thow wel I am the duke of south marchys / A sayd sir Marhaus I haue herd saye that ye haue ben longe tyme a grete foo vnto my lord ar∣thur and to his knyghtes / that shalle ye fele to morne said the duke / Shalle I haue adoo with yow sayd syr Marhaus / ye sayd the duke / therof shalt thow not chese / and therfore take yow to your chambre and ye shalle haue all that to yow lon∣geth / So syr Marhaus departed and was led to a chamber / and his damoysel was led vnto her chamber / And on the morn the duke sente vnto syre Marhaus and bad make hym redy / And so syr Marhaus arose and armed hym / and thenne ther was a masse songe afore hym and brake his fast / and so moū¦ted on horsback in the courte of the castel there they shold doo the batail / So ther was the duke al redy on horsbak clene ar¦med and his syxe sonnes by hym / and eueryche had a spere in his hand / and soo they encountred where as the duke and his two sones brak theyr speres vpon hym / but sir Marhaus helde vp his spere and touched none of them /