[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xij /

ANd thenne they asked hym of his aduentures / & whe¦ther he had sene syr Tristram or sir launcelot / So god me helpe said sir Dynadan I sawe none of them sythen I de∣parted from Camelot / what Knyght is that said sir Brandy¦les that soo sodenly departed from you / and rode ouer yonder felde / Syr said he / hit was a Knyghte of Cornewaile / and the moost horryble coward that euer bestrode hors / what is his na¦me said alle these knyghtes / I wote not said sir Dynadan / Soo whan they had reposed them / and spoken to gyders / they took their horses / and rode to a castel where duellid an old kn∣yght that made alle Knyghtes erraunt good chere / Thenne in the meane whyle that they were talkynge came in to the cas∣tel syr Gryflet le fyse de dieu / and there was he welcome / and they alle asked hym whether he had sene sire Launcelot or syre Tristram / Syrs he ansuerd I sawe hym not sythen he depar∣ted from Camelot / Soo as sir Dynadan Walked and beheld the castel / there by in a chamber he aspyed Kynge Marke / and thenne he rebuked hym / and asked hym why he departed soo / Syr said he for I durst not abyde by cause they were so many But how escaped ye said Kyng Mark / syr said sir Dynadan they were better frendes than I wend they had ben / who is Capytayn of that felauship said the Kynge / thenne for to fere hym sir Dynadan sayd that it Was sir Launcelot / O Ihesu sa¦id the Kyng myghte I knowe sir Launcelot by his shelde / ye said Dynadan / for he bereth a shelde of syluer and black ben∣dys / Alle this he said to fere the kyng / for sire launcelot was not in his felauship / Now I pray you said kyng Mark that ye wille ryde in my felauship / that is me lothe to doo said syre Dynadan by cause ye forsoke my felauship / Ryght soo sir Dy¦nadan went from kyng Mark & wente to his own felauship and soo they mounted vpon their horses / & rode on their wa∣yes / and talked of the Cornyssh knyghte / for Dynadan told them that he was in the castel where they were lodged / hit is

wel said said sir Gryflet / for here haue I brought sir Dagonet kynge Arthurs foole that is the best felawe and the meryest / in the world / ¶ Wille ye doo wel said sir Dynadan I haue told the Cornysshe Knyght that here is sir Launcelot / and the Cornysshe Knyght asked me what shelde he bare / Truly I told hym that he bare the same shelde that sir Mordred bereth / wyl ye doo wel said sir Mordred I am hurte and maye not wel be¦re my shelde nor harneis / And therfore put my shelde and my harneis vpon sir Dagonet / and lete hym sette vpon the Cor∣nysshe Knyght / that shalle be done said sir Dagonet by my fe∣ythe / Thenne anone was Dagonet armed hym in Mordreds harneis and his shelde / & he was sette on a grete hors & a spe¦re in his hand / Now said Dagonet shewe me the Knyght / & I trowe I shalle bere hym doune / Soo alle these Knyghtes rode to a woode syde / and abode tyl Kynge Marke came by the way / Thenne they putte forth sir Dagonet / and he came on al the whyle his hors myght renne streyght vpon Kynge Mark And Whanne he came nyghe Kynge Marke / he cryed as he were wood / and said kepe the Knyghte of Cornewaile / for I wille slee the / Anone as Kynge Mark beheld his shelde / he sa¦id to hym self / yonder is sir launcelot Allas now am I destro¦yed / and there with all he made his hors to renne as fast as it myghte thorugh thycke and thynne / And euer sire Dagonet folowed after Kynge Mark cryenge and rat••ynge hym as a wood man thurgh a grete forest / whanne sir Vwayne and sire Brandyles sawe dagonet soo chace Kynge Marke / they lau∣ghed all as they were wood / And thenne they toke theire hor∣ses / and rode after to see how sir Dagonet spedde / for they wo∣ld not for no good that sire Dagonet were shente / for Kyng Arthur loued hym passynge wel / and made hym Knyght his owne handes / And att euery turnement he beganne to make Kynge Arthur to laughe / Thenne the knyghtes rode here and there cryenge and chacyng after kynge Marke that alle the fo¦rest range of the noyse /