Le Morte Darthur
they were within the castle gate Sir Aglovale bad the porter, Go thou
unto thy lord and tell him that I am Sir Aglovale, for whom this squire
was slain this night. Anon the porter told this to his lord, whose name
was Goodewin: anon he armed him, and then he came into the court and
said, Which of you is Sir Aglovale? Here I am, said Aglovale: for what
cause slewest thou this night my mother’s squire? I slew him, said Sir
Goodewin, because of thee; for thou slewest my brother Sir Gawdelin. As
for thy brother, said Sir Aglovale, I avow it, I slew him, for he was a
false knight and a betrayer of ladies and of good knights; and for the
death of my squire thou shalt die. I defy thee, said Sir Goodewin. Then
they lashed together as eagerly as it had been two lions: and Sir
Percivale he fought with all the remnant that would fight. And within a
while Sir Percivale had slain all that would withstand him; for Sir
Percivale dealt so his strokes that were so rude that there durst no
man abide him. And within a while Sir Aglovale had Sir Goodewin at the
earth, and there he unlaced his helm and strake off his head. And then
they departed and took their horses. And then they let carry the dead
squire unto a priory, and there they interred him.
CHAP. XII.
_How Sir Percivale departed secretly from his brother, and how he
loosed a knight bound with a chain, and of other things._
And when this was done, they rode into many countries, ever enquiring
after Sir Launcelot, but never they could hear of him. And at the last
they came to a castle that hight Cardican, and there Sir Percivale and
Sir Aglovale were lodged together, and privily about midnight Sir
Percivale came to Aglovale’s squire, and said, Arise and make thee
ready, for ye and I will ride away secretly. Sir, said the squire, I
would full fain ride with you where ye would have me, but, and my lord
your brother take me, he will slay me. As for that care thou not, for I
shall be thy warrant. And so Sir Percivale rode till it was afternoon,
and then he came upon a bridge of stone, and there he found a knight
that was bounden with a chain fast about the waist unto a pillar of
stone. O fair knight, said that bounden knight, I require thee loose me
of my bonds. What knight are ye? said Sir Percivale, and for what cause
are ye so bounden? Sir, I shall tell you, said that knight; I am a
knight of the Table Round, and my name is Sir Persides, and thus by
adventure I came this way, and here I lodged in this castle at the
bridge foot, and therein dwelleth an uncourteous lady, and because she
proffered me to be her paramour and I refused her, she set her men upon
me suddenly or ever I might come to my weapon, and thus they bound me,
and here I wot well I shall die, but if some man of worship break my
bands. Be ye of good cheer, said Sir Percivale, and because ye are a
knight of the Round Table as well as I, I trust to God to break your
bands. And therewith Sir Percivale drew out his sword, and strake at
the chain with such a might that he cut a-two the chain, and through
Sir Persides’ hauberk, and hurt him a little. Truly, said Sir Persides,
that was a mighty stroke as ever I felt one, for had not the chain
been, ye had slain me. And therewithal Sir Persides saw a knight coming
out of the castle all that ever he might flying. Beware Sir, said Sir
Persides, yonder cometh a man that will have ado with you. Let him
come, said Sir Percivale, and so he met with that knight in the midst
of the bridge, and Sir Percivale gave him such a buffet that he smote
him quite from his horse, and over a part of the bridge, that had not
been a little vessel under the bridge that knight had been drowned. And
then Sir Percivale took the knight’s horse, and made Sir Persides to
mount upon him, and so they rode unto the castle, and bad the lady
deliver Sir Persides’ servants, or else he would slay all that ever he
found. And so for fear she delivered them all. Then was Sir Percivale
ware of a lady that stood in that tower. Ah, madam, said Sir Percivale,
what use and custom is that in a lady to destroy good knights but if
they will be your paramour? forsooth this is a shameful custom of a
lady. And if I had not a great matter in my hand, I should foredo your
evil customs. And so Sir Persides brought Sir Percivale unto his own
castle, and there he made him great cheer all that night. And on the
morn, when Sir Percivale had heard mass and broken his fast, he bad Sir
Persides, Ride unto king Arthur, and tell the king how that ye met with
me, and tell my brother Sir Aglovale how I rescued you, and bid him
seek not after me, for I am in the quest to seek Sir Launcelot du Lake.
And though he seek me he shall not find me, and tell him I will never
see him, nor the court, till I have found Sir Launcelot. Also tell Sir
Kay the seneschal, and to Sir Mordred, that I trust to God to be of as
great worthiness as either of them. For tell them I shall never forget
their mocks and scorns that they did to me that day that I was made
knight. And tell them I will never see that court till men speak more
worship of me than ever men did of any of them both. And so Sir
Persides departed from Sir Percivale, and then he rode unto king
Arthur, and told there of Sir Percivale. And when Sir Aglovale heard
him speak of his brother Sir Percivale, he said, He departed from me
unkindly. Sir, said Sir Persides, on my life he shall prove a noble
knight as any now is living. And when he saw Sir Kay and Sir Mordred,
Sir Persides said thus: My fair lords both, Sir Percivale greeteth you
well both, and he sent you word by me that he trusteth to God or ever
he come to the court again to be of as great nobleness as ever were ye
both, and more men to speak of his nobleness than ever they did you. It
may well be, said Sir Kay and Sir Mordred, but at that time when he was
made knight he was full unlikely to prove a good knight. As for that,
said king Arthur, he must needs prove a good knight, for his father and
his brethren were noble knights.
CHAP. XIII.
_How Sir Percivale met with Sir Ector, and how they fought long, and
each had almost slain other._
And now will we turn unto Sir Percivale that rode long, and in a forest
he met a knight with a broken shield and a broken helm, and as soon as
either saw other readily, they made them ready to just, and so hurtled
together with all the might of their horses, and met together so hard
that Sir Percivale was smitten to the earth. And then Sir Percivale
arose lightly and cast his shield on his shoulder and drew his sword,
and bad the other knight alight, and do we battle to the uttermost.
Will ye more? said that knight, and therewith he alight and put his
horse from him, and then they came together an easy pace, and there
they lashed together with noble swords, and sometime they stroke, and
sometime they foined, and either gave other many great wounds. Thus
they fought near half a day, and never rested but right little, and
there was none of them both that had less wounds than fifteen, and they
bled so much that it was marvel they stood on their feet. But this
knight that fought with Sir Percivale was a proved knight and a wise
fighting knight, and Sir Percivale was young and strong, not knowing in
fighting as the other was. Then Sir Percivale spake first, and said,
Sir knight, hold thy hand a while still, for we have foughten for a
simple matter and quarrel over long, and therefore I require thee tell
me thy name, for I was never or this time matched. Truly, said that
knight, and never or this time was there never knight that wounded me
so sore as thou hast done, and yet have I foughten in many battles; and
now shalt thou wit that I am a knight of the Table Round, and my name
is Sir Ector de Maris, brother unto the good knight Sir Launcelot du
Lake. Alas, said Sir Percivale, and my name is Sir Percivale de Galis,
that hath made my quest to seek Sir Launcelot; now I am siker that I
shall never finish my quest, for ye have slain me with your hands. It
is not so, said Sir Ector, for I am slain by your hands, and may not
live; therefore I require you, said Sir Ector unto Sir Percivale, ride
ye hereby to a priory, and bring me a priest that I may receive my
Saviour, for I may not live. And when ye come to the court of king
Arthur, tell not my brother Sir Launcelot how that ye slew me, for then
he would be your mortal enemy; but ye may say that I was slain in my
quest as I sought him. Alas, said Sir Percivale, ye say that thing that
never will be, for I am so faint for bleeding that I may scarcely
stand; how should I then take my horse?
CHAP. XIV.
_How by miracle they were both made whole, by the coming of the holy
vessel of Sangreal._
Then they made both great dole out of measure. This will not avail,
said Percivale. And then he kneeled down and made his prayer devoutly
unto Almighty Jesu; for he was one of the best knights of the world
that at that time was, in whom the very faith stood most in. Right so
there came by, the holy vessel of the Sancgreal with all manner of
sweetness and savour, but they could not readily see who that bare that
vessel, but Sir Percivale had a glimmering of the vessel, and of the
maiden that bare it, for he was a perfect clean maiden. And forthwithal
they both were as whole of hide and limb as ever they were in their
life days; then they gave thankings to God with great mildness. O Jesu!
said Sir Percivale, what may this mean that we be thus healed, and
right now we were at the point of dying? I wot full well, said Sir
Ector, what it is. It is an holy vessel that is borne by a maiden, and
therein is a part of the holy blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, blessed
might He be! but it may not be seen, said Sir Ector, but if it be by a
perfect man. Truly, said Sir Percivale, I saw a damsel, as me thought,
all in white, with a vessel in both her hands, and forthwithal I was
whole. So then they took their horses and their harness, and amended
their harness as well as they might that was broken, and so they
mounted upon their horses and rode talking together. And there Sir
Ector de Maris told Sir Percivale how he had sought his brother Sir
Launcelot long, and never could hear witting of him:—In many strange
adventures have I been in this quest. And so either told other of their
adventures.
Here endeth the enleuenth booke. And here foloweth the twelfth book.
The Twelfth Book.
CHAP. I.
_How Sir Launcelot in his madness took a sword and fought with a
knight, and after lept into a bed._
And now leave we of a while of Sir Ector and of Sir Percivale, and
speak we of Sir Launcelot, that suffered and endured many sharp
showers, that ever ran wild wood from place to place, and lived by
fruit and such as he might get, and drank water two year, and other
clothing had he but little but his shirt and his breeches. Thus as Sir
Launcelot wandered here and there, he came in a fair meadow where he
found a pavilion, and there by upon a tree there hung a white shield,
and two swords hung thereby, and two spears leaned there by a tree. And
when Sir Launcelot saw the swords, anon he lept to the one sword, and
took it in his hand and drew it out. And then he lashed at the shield
that all the meadow rang of the dints, that he gave such a noise as ten
knights had foughten together. Then came forth a dwarf and lept unto
Sir Launcelot, and would have had the sword out of his hand, and then
Sir Launcelot took him by the both shoulders, and threw him to the
ground upon his neck, that he had almost broken his neck, and
therewithal the dwarf cried, Help. Then came forth a likely knight, and