[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xij

NOw torne we vnto syre launcelot that had ryden long in a grete forest / and at the last he came in to a lowe co∣untray ful of fayre Ryuers and medowes / And a •• fore hym he sawe a longe brydge / and thre pauelions stode ther on of sylke and sendel of dyuers hewe / And withoute the pa¦uelions henge thre whyte sheldes on truncheons of sperys / & grete longe sperys stode vpryght by the pauelions / and at eue¦ry pauelions dore stode thre fresshe squyers / and soo syre laun∣celot passed by them and spake no worde / whan he was paste the thre knyghtes sayden hym that hit was the proud kay / he weneth no knyght soo good as he / and the contrary is ofty∣me preued / By my feythe sayd one of the knyghtes / his na∣me was syre gaunter / I wylle ryde after hym / & assaye hym / for alle his pryde / and ye may beholde how that I spede / Soo this knyght syre Gaunter armed hym / and henge his shelde vpon his sholder / and mounted vpon a grete hors / and gate his spere in his hand / and wallopt after syre launcelot / and whanne he came nyghe hym / he cryed Abyde thou proude kny∣ght syr kay / for thou shalt not passe quyte / Soo syr launcelot torned hym / and eyther feutryd their speres / and came to gy¦ders with alle theyr myghtes / and syre Gaunters spere brake but syre launcelot smote hym doune hors and man / and whan syr gaunter was at the erthe / his bretheren sayd echone to o∣ther yonder knyght is not syre kay / for he is byggar than he / I dare laye my heede sayd syre Gylmere yonder knyghte hath slayne syr kay and hath taken his hors and his harneis / whe¦ther it be soo or no sayd syr Raynold the thyrd broder / lete vs now goo mounte vpon oure horses and res••owe oure broder sir Gaunter vpon payne of dethe / we alle shal haue werke ynouʒ to matche that knyght / for euer me semeth by his persone it is syre Launcelot / or syr Trystram / or syr Pelleas the good kny∣ght / Thenne anon they toke theyr horses and ouertook syr la∣uncelot / and syre gylmere put forth his spere / and ranne to sir launcelot / and syre launcelot smote hym doune that he lay in a swoune / Syre knyght sayd syr Raynold thou arte a strong man / and as I suppose thou hast slayne my two bretheren / for the whiche rasyth my herte sore ageynst the / And yf I my∣ght with my worship I wold not haue a doo with yow but

nedes I must take parte as they doo / And therfor knyghte he sayd / kepe thy self / And soo they hurtled to gyders with alle theyr myghtes / and al to sheuered bothe theyre speres / And thenne they drewe her swerdes and lasshyd to gyder egerly / Anone there with aroos syre Gaūter / and came vnto his bro¦der syre gylmere / and bad hym aryse and helpe we oure bro∣der syr Raynold that yonder merueyllously matched yonder good knyght / There with alle they lepte on theyr horses & hurt¦led vnto syre launcelot / ¶ And whanne he sawe them come / he smote a sore stroke vnto syr Raynold that he felle of his hors to the ground / And thenne he stroke to the other two brethe∣ren / and at two strokes he strake them doune to the erthe / with that sir Raynold beganne to starte vp with his heede al blody / and came streyte vnto syre launcelot / Now late be sayd sir launcelot / I was not ferre from the whan thou were maade knyght sir Raynold / and also I knowe thou arte a good knyght / and lothe I were to slee the / Gramercy sayd syr ray¦nold as for your goodnes / And I dare saye as for me and my bretheren we wyl not be lothe to yelde vs vnto yow / with that we knewe youre name / for wel we knowe ye are not sire kay / As for that be it as it be maye / for ye shal yelde yow vn¦to dame gweneuer / and loke that ye be with her on whytsonday and yelde you vnto her as prysoners / and saye that syre kay sente yow vnto her / thenne they swore hit shold be done / and so passed forthe sire launcelot / nd echone of the bretheren halpe other as wel as they myght