[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum lxxiij

SOo on the morne syre Launcelot departed and sir tris∣tram was redy and la Beale Isoud with sir Palo∣mydes and sir Gareth / And soo they rode alle in gre∣ne ful fresshely bysene vnto the forest / and sir Tristram left sir Dynadan slepynge in his bed / and so as they rode / it happ••d the kynge and launcelot stode in a wyndowe / and sawe syre Tristram ryde and Isoud / Syre sayd Launcelot yonder ry∣deth the fayrest lady of the world excepte youre quene Dame Gueneuer / who is that said sir Arthur / Sir sayd he / it is que¦ne Isoud that oute taken my lady your quene she is make∣les / Take your hors said Arthur / and araye yow at alle ryʒ∣tes as I wylle doo / and I promyse yow said the kynge / I wille see her / ¶Thenne anone they were armed & horsed / and eyther took a spere and rode vnto the forest / Syre said launcelot it is not good that ye goo to nyghe them / for wete ye wel there are two as good knyghtes as now are ly∣uynge / and therfore sir I pray yow be not to hasty / For perad¦uenture there wille be somme knyghtes ben displeased and we

come sodenly vpon them / As for that sayd Arthur I wyll see her / for I take no force whome I greue / Syr said launcelot ye putte your self in grete Ieopardy / As for that said the ky∣nge we wille take the aduenture / Ryght soo anone the Kyng rode euen to her / and salewed her / and said god yow saue / Syr said she ye are welcome / thenne the kynge beheld her / and lyked her wonderly wel / with that came sire palomydes vnto Arthur and said vncurtois knyght what sekest thow here / thou art vncurtois to come vp••n a lady thus sodenly / therfor with∣drawe the / Syr Arthur took none hede of sire palomydes wor¦des / but euer he loked stylle vpon Quene Isoud / Thenne was sir Palomydes wrothe / and there with he took a spere / and cam hurtelynge vpon Kynge Arthur / and smote hym doune with a spere / whan sire launcelot sawe that despyte of sir Palomydes he sayd to hym self I am loth to haue adoo with yonder kny∣ght / and not for his owne sake but for sir Tristram / And one thynge I am sure of / yf I smyte doune sir palomydes I must haue adoo with sire Tristram / and that were ouer moch for me to matche them bothe / for they are two noble knyghtes / not withstandynge whether I lyue or I dye nedes muste I re∣uenge my lord / and so wille I what someuer befalle of me / And there with sir launcelot cryed to sir palomydes / kepe the from me / And thenne sir launcelot and sire Palmydes ras∣shed to gyder with two speres strongly / But sire Launcelot smote sir palomydes soo hard that he wente quyte oute of his sadel and had a grete falle / whanne sire Tristram sawe syre palomydes haue that falle / he sayd to sire Launcelot / syr kny∣ght kepe the / for I must Iuste with the / As for to Iuste with me said sir launcelot I wille not fayle yow / for no dr••de I haue of yow / but I am lothe to haue adoo with yow and I myghte chese / for I will that ye wete that I must reuenge my special lord that was vnhorsed vnwarly and vnknyghtely / And therfor though I reuengyd that falle / take ye no disp∣leasyr therin / for he is to me suche a frende that I may not see hym shamed / anone sir Tristram vnderstode by his parson and by his knyghtely wordes that it was sir launcelot du lake / and veryly sir Tristram demed that it was kynge Arthur he that sir Palomydes had smyten doune

And thenne sir Tristram put his spere from hym / and putte sire Palomydes ageyne on horsbak / and sir launcelot put kyng Arthur on horshak and soo departed / So god me helpe sayd sire Tristram vnto Palomydes ye dyd not worshipfully when ye smote doune that knyght soo sodenly as ye dyd / And we∣te ye wel ye dyd your self grete shame / for the knyghtes cam hyder of their gentilnesse to see a fayre lady / and that is eue¦ry good knyghtes parte to behold a fayr lady / and ye hadde not adoo to playe suche maystryes afore my lady / wete thow wel hit wille tourne to angre / for he that ye smote doune was kynge Arthur / and that other was the good knyght sire la∣uncelot / But I shalle not forgete the wordes of ••ire launcelot whan that he callyd hym a man of grete worship / there by I wyst that it was kynge Arthur / And as for sire launcelot / and there had ben fyue honderd knyghtes in the medowe / he wold not haue refused them / and yet he said he wold refuse me / By that ageyne I wyst that it was sir launcelot / for e∣uer he forbereth me in euery place / and sheweth me grete kynd¦nesse / and of alle knyghtes I oute take none saye what men wille say / he bereth the floure of al chyualry / saye hit hym who someuer wille / and he be wel angred / and that hym lyst to do his vtteraunce withoute ony fauour / I knowe hym not on lyue but sir launcelot is ouer hard for hym / be hit on horsback or on foote / I may neuer byleue sayd Palomydes that kyng Arthur wille ryde soo pryuely as a poure erraunt knyghte / A said sir Tristram ye knowe not my lord Arthur / for all knyʒ∣tes maye lerne to be a knyghte of hym / And therfore ye may be sory said ••ire Tristram of your vnkyndely dedes to so noble a kynge / And a thynge that is done may not be vndone sayd Palomydes / Thenne sire Tristram sente quene Isoud vnto her lodgynge in the pryory there to behold alle the turnement /