King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
him off his horse, and brought it to Sir Lancelot, and helped him to
mount. Then Sir Lancelot bore Sir Bors and his horse to the ground, and
in like manner served Sir Ector and Sir Lionel; and turning upon three
other knights he smote them down also; while Sir Lavaine did many
gallant deeds.
But feeling himself now sorely wounded Sir Lancelot drew his sword, and
proffered to fight with Sir Bors, who, by this time, was mounted anew.
And as they met, Sir Ector and Sir Lionel came also, and the swords of
all three drave fiercely against him. When he felt their buffets, and
his wound that was so grievous, he determined to do all his best while
he could yet endure, and smote Sir Bors a blow that bent his head down
nearly to the ground and razed his helmet off and pulled him from his
horse.
Then rushing at Sir Ector and Sir Lionel, he smote them down, and might
have slain all three, but when he saw their faces his heart forbade him.
Leaving them, therefore, on the field, he hurled into the thickest of
the press, and did such feats of arms as never were beheld before.
And Sir Lavaine was with him through it all, and overthrew ten knights;
but Sir Lancelot smote down more than thirty, and most of them Knights
of the Round Table.
Then the king ordered the trumpets to blow for the end of the tourney,
and the prize to be given by the heralds to the knight with the white
shield who bore the red sleeve.
But ere Sir Lancelot was found by the heralds, came the King of the
Hundred Knights, the King of North Wales, the King of Northumberland,
and Sir Galahaut, and said to him, "Fair knight, God bless thee, for
much have ye done this day for us; wherefore we pray ye come with us and
receive the honor and the prize as ye have worshipfully deserved it."
"My fair lords," said Sir Lancelot, "wit ye well if I have deserved
thanks, I have sore bought them, for I am like never to escape with my
life; therefore pray ye let me depart, for I am sore hurt. I take no
thought of honor, for I had rather rest me than be lord of all the
world." And therewith he groaned piteously, and rode a great gallop away
from them.
And Sir Lavaine rode after him, sad at heart, for the broken spear still
stuck fast in Sir Lancelot's side, and the blood streamed sorely from
the wound. Anon they came near a wood more than a mile from the lists,
where he knew he could be hidden.
Then said he to Sir Lavaine, "O gentle knight, help me to pull out this
spear-head from my side, for the pain thereof nigh killeth me."
"Dear lord," said he, "I fain would help ye; but I dread to draw it
forth, lest ye should die for loss of blood."
"I charge you as you love me," said Sir Lancelot, "draw it out."
So they dismounted, and with a mighty wrench Sir Lavaine drew the spear
forth from Sir Lancelot's side; whereat he gave a marvelous great shriek
and ghastly groan, and all his blood leaped forth in a full stream. Then
he sank swooning to the earth, with a visage pale as death.
"Alas!" cried Sir Lavaine, "what shall I do now?"
And then he turned his master's face towards the wind, and sat by him
nigh half an hour while he lay quiet as one dead. But at the last he
lifted up his eyes, and said, "I pray ye bear me on my horse again, and
lead me to a hermit who dwelleth within two miles hence, for he was
formerly a knight of Arthur's court, and now hath mighty skill in
medicine and herbs."
So with great pain Sir Lavaine got him to his horse, and led him to the
hermitage within the wood, beside a stream. Then knocked he with his
spear upon the door, and prayed to enter. At that a child came out, to
whom he said, "Fair child, pray the good man thy master to come hither
and let in a knight who is sore wounded."
Anon came out the knight-hermit, whose name was Sir Baldwin, and asked,
"Who is this wounded knight?"
"I know not," said Sir Lavaine, "save that he is the noblest knight I
ever met with, and hath done this day such marvelous deeds of arms
against King Arthur that he hath won the prize of the tourney."
Then the hermit gazed long on Sir Lancelot, and hardly knew him, so pale
he was with bleeding, yet said he at the last, "Who art thou, lord?"
Sir Lancelot answered feebly, "I am a stranger knight adventurous, who
laboreth through many realms to win worship."
"Why hidest thou thy name, dear lord, from me?" cried Sir Baldwin; "for
in sooth I know thee now to be the noblest knight in all the world--my
lord Sir Lancelot du Lake, with whom I long had fellowship at the Round
Table."
"Since ye know me, fair sir," said he, "I pray ye, for Christ's sake, to
help me if ye may."
"Doubt not," replied he, "that ye shall live and fare right well."
Then he staunched his wound, and gave him strong medicines and cordials
till he was refreshed from his faintness and came to himself again.
Now after the jousting was done King Arthur held a feast, and asked to
see the knight with the red sleeve that he might take the prize. So they
told him how that knight had ridden from the field wounded nigh to
death. "These be the worst tidings I have heard for many years," cried
out the king; "I would not for my kingdom he were slain."
Then all men asked, "Know ye him, lord?"
"I may not tell ye at this time," said he; "but would to God we had good
tidings of him."
Then Sir Gawain prayed leave to go and seek that knight, which the king
gladly gave him. So forthwith he mounted and rode many leagues round
Camelot, but could hear no tidings.
Within two days thereafter King Arthur and his knights returned from
Camelot, and Sir Gawain chanced to lodge at Astolat, in the house of Sir
Bernard. And there came in the fair Elaine to him, and prayed him news
of the tournament, and who won the prize. "A knight with a white
shield," said he, "who bare a red sleeve in his helm, smote down all
comers and won the day."
At that the visage of Elaine changed suddenly from white to red, and
heartily she thanked our Lady.
Then said Sir Gawain, "Know ye that knight?" and urged her till she told
him that it was her sleeve he wore. So Sir Gawain knew it was for love
that she had given it; and when he heard she kept his proper shield he
prayed to see it.
As soon as it was brought he saw Sir Lancelot's arms thereon, and cried,
"Alas! now am I heavier of heart than ever yet."
"Wherefore?" said fair Elaine.
"Fair damsel," answered he, "know ye not that the knight ye love is of
all knights the noblest in the world, Sir Lancelot du Lake? With all my
heart I pray ye may have joy of each other, but hardly dare I think that
ye shall see him in this world again, for he is so sore wounded he may
scarcely live, and is gone out of sight where none can find him."
Then was Elaine nigh mad with grief and sorrow, and with piteous words
she prayed her father that she might go seek Sir Lancelot and her
brother. So in the end her father gave her leave, and she departed.
And on the morrow came Sir Gawain to the court, and told how he had
found Sir Lancelot's shield in Elaine's keeping, and how it was her
sleeve which he had worn; whereat all marveled, for Sir Lancelot had
done for her more than he had ever done for any woman.
But when Queen Guinevere heard it she was beside herself with wrath, and
sending privily for Sir Bors, who sorrowed sorely that through him Sir
Lancelot had been hurt--"Have ye now heard," said she, "how falsely Sir
Lancelot hath betrayed me?"
"I beseech thee, madam," said he, "speak not so, for else I may not hear
thee."
"Shall I not call him traitor," cried she, "who hath worn another lady's
token at the jousting?"
"Be sure he did it, madam, for no ill intent," replied Sir Bors, "but
that he might be better hidden, for never did he in that wise before."
"Now shame on him, and thee who wouldest help him," cried the queen.
"Madam, say what ye will," said he; "but I must haste to seek him, and
God send me soon good tidings of him."
So with that he departed to find Sir Lancelot.
Now Elaine had ridden with full haste from Astolat, and come to Camelot,
and there she sought throughout the country for any news of Lancelot.
And so it chanced that Sir Lavaine was riding near the hermitage to
exercise his horse, and when she saw him she ran up and cried aloud,
"How doth my lord Sir Lancelot fare?"
Then said Sir Lavaine, marveling greatly, "How know ye my lord's name,
fair sister?"
So she told him how Sir Gawain had lodged with Sir Bernard, and knew Sir
Lancelot's shield.
Then prayed she to see his lord forthwith, and when she came to the
hermitage and found him lying there sore sick and bleeding, she swooned
for sorrow. Anon, as she revived, Sir Lancelot kissed her, and said,
"Fair maid, I pray ye take comfort, for, by God's grace, I shall be
shortly whole of this wound, and if ye be come to tend me, I am heartily
bounden to your great kindness." Yet was he sore vexed to hear Sir
Gawain had discovered him, for he knew Queen Guinevere would be full
wroth because of the red sleeve.
So Elaine rested in the hermitage, and ever night and day she watched
and waited on Sir Lancelot, and would let none other tend him. And as
she saw him more, the more she set her love upon him, and could by no
means withdraw it. Then said Sir Lancelot to Sir Lavaine, "I pray thee
set some to watch for the good knight Sir Bors, for as he hurt me, so
will he surely seek for me."
Now Sir Bors by this time had come to Camelot, and was seeking for Sir
Lancelot everywhere, so Sir Lavaine soon found him, and brought him to
the hermitage.
And when he saw Sir Lancelot pale and feeble, he wept for pity and
sorrow that he had given him that grievous wound. "God send thee a right
speedy cure, dear lord," said he; "for I am of all men most unhappy to
have wounded thee, who art our leader, and the noblest knight in all the
world."
"Fair cousin," said Sir Lancelot, "be comforted, for I have but gained
what I sought, and it was through pride that I was hurt, for had I
warned ye of my coming it had not been; wherefore let us speak of other
things."
So they talked long together, and Sir Bors told him of the queen's
anger. Then he asked Sir Lancelot, "Was it from this maid who tendeth
you so lovingly ye had the token?"
"Yea," said Sir Lancelot; "and would I could persuade her to withdraw
her love from me."
"Why should ye do so?" said Sir Bors; "for she is passing fair and
loving. I would to heaven ye could love her."
"That may not be," replied he; "but it repenteth me in sooth to grieve
her."
Then they talked of other matters, and of the great jousting at
Allhallowtide next coming, between King Arthur and the King of North
Wales.
"Abide with me till then," said Sir Lancelot, "for by that time I trust
to be all whole again, and we will go together."
So Elaine daily and nightly tending him, within a month he felt so
strong he deemed himself full cured. Then on a day, when Sir Bors and
Sir Lavaine were from the hermitage, and the knight-hermit also was gone
forth, Sir Lancelot prayed Elaine to bring him some herbs from the
forest.
When she was gone he rose and made haste to arm himself, and try if he
were whole enough to joust, and mounted on his horse, which was fresh
with lack of labor for so long a time. But when he set his spear in the
rest and tried his armor, the horse bounded and leapt beneath him, so
that Sir Lancelot strained to keep him back. And therewith his wound,
which was not wholly healed, burst forth again, and with a mighty groan
he sank down swooning on the ground.
At that came fair Elaine and wept and piteously moaned to see him lying
so. And when Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine came back, she called them
traitors to let him rise, or to know any rumor of the tournament. Anon