[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum v

THenne within an houre there came the knyghte to who∣me the pauelione ought / And he wende that his lemā had layne in that bedde / and soo he laid hym doune besyde syr Launcelot / and toke hym in his armes and beganne to kysse

hym / And whanne syre launcelot felte a rough berd kyssyng hym / he starte oute of the bedde lyghtely / and the other knyʒt after hym / and eyther of hem gate their swerdes in theire han∣des / and oute at the pauelione dore wente the knyghte of the pauelione / and syre launcelot folowed hym / and ther by a ly¦tel slake syr launcelot wounded hym sore nyghe vnto the deth And thenne he yelded hym vnto syre launcelot / and so he graū¦ted hym so that he wold telle hym why he came in to the bedde Syre sayd the knyght the pauelione is myn owne / and there thys nyght I had assygned my lady to haue slepte with me And now I am lykely to dye of this wounde / that me repen∣teth sayd Launcelot of youre hurte / but I was adrad of tre∣son / for I was late begyled / and therfore come on your way in to your pauelione and take your rest / And as I suppose I shalle staunche your blood / and soo they wente bothe in to the pauelione / And anone syre launcelot staunched his blood / There with al came the knyghtes lady / that was a passynge fayre lady / And whanne she aspyed that her lord Belleus was sore Wounded she cryed oute on syre launcelot / and ma¦de grete dole oute of mesure / Pees my lady and my loue said Belleus / for this knyght is a goood man and a knyght ad∣uenturous / and there he told her all the cause how he was woū¦ded / And whan that I yolde me vnto hym / he lefte me goode∣ly and hath staunched my blood / Syre sayd the lady I re∣quyre the telle me what knyght ye be / and what is youre na∣me / Fayr lady he sayd / my name is syre launcelot du lake / soo me thought euer by your speche sayd the lady / for I haue se∣ne yow ofte or this / and I knowe you better than ye wene / ¶ But now and ye wold promyse me of your curtosy for the harmes that ye haue done to me and to my lord Belleus that whanne he cometh vnto Arthurs courte for to cause hym to be made knyghte of the roūd table / for he is a passyng good man of armes and a myghty lord of landes of many oute yles / ¶Fayre lady said syre launcelot lete hym come vnto the cou∣rte the next hyhe feest / and loke that ye come with hym / and I shal doo my power / and ye preue you doughty of your handes that ye shalle haue your desyre ¶So thus within a whyle as they thus talked the nyghte passed / and the daye shone / and

thenne syre launcelot armed hym / and took his hors / and they taught hym to the Abbaye and thyder he rode within the spa∣ce of two owrys