Le Morte Darthur
Launcelot was healed and recovered. And when that he was awaked he
groaned and sighed, and complained greatly that he was passing sore.
CHAP. V.
_How Sir Launcelot, after that he was whole and had his mind, he was
ashamed, and how that Elaine desired a castle for him._
And when Sir Launcelot saw king Pelles and Elaine he waxed ashamed, and
said thus: Oh Lord Jesu, how came I here? For God’s sake, my lord, let
me wit how I came here? Sir, said dame Elaine, into this country ye
came like a mad man clean out of your wit. And here have ye been kept
as a fool, and no creature here knew what ye were, until by fortune a
maiden of mine brought me unto you, where as ye lay sleeping by a well,
and anon, as I verily beheld you, I knew you. And then I told my
father, and so were ye brought afore this holy vessel, and by the
virtue of it thus were ye healed. O, said Sir Launcelot, if this be
sooth, how many there be that know of my woodness. Truly, said Elaine,
no more but my father and I and dame Brisen. Now, I pray you, said Sir
Launcelot, keep it in counsel, and let no man know it in the world, for
I am sore ashamed that I have been thus miscarried, for I am banished
out of the country of Logris for ever, that is for to say, the country
of England. And so Sir Launcelot lay more than a fortnight, or ever
that he might stir for soreness. And then upon a day he said unto dame
Elaine these words: Lady Elaine, for your sake I have had much travel,
care, and anguish, it needeth not to rehearse it, ye know how.
Notwithstanding I know well I have done foul to you, when that I drew
my sword to you, for to have slain you. And all was the cause that ye
and dame Brisen deceived me. That is truth, said dame Elaine. Now will
ye for my love, said Sir Launcelot, go unto your father, and get me a
place of him wherein I may dwell: for in the court of king Arthur may I
never come. Sir, said dame Elaine, I will live and die with you, and
only for your sake, and if my life might not avail you, and my death
might avail you, wit ye well I would die for your sake. And I will go
to my father, and I am sure there is nothing that I can desire of him
but I shall have it. And where ye be, my lord Sir Launcelot, doubt ye
not but I will be with you with all the service that I may do. So
forthwithal she went to her father, and said, Sir, my lord Sir
Launcelot desireth to be here by you in some castle of yours. Well,
daughter, said the king, sith it is his desire to abide in these
marches, he shall be in the castle of Bliant, and there shall ye be
with him, and twenty of the fairest ladies that be in this country, and
they shall all be of the great blood; and ye shall have ten knights
with you. For, daughter, I will that ye wit we all be honoured by the
blood of Sir Launcelot.
CHAP. VI.
_How Sir Launcelot came into the Joyous Isle, and there he named
himself Le Chevaler Mal Fet._
Then went dame Elaine unto Sir Launcelot, and told him all how her
father had devised for him and her. Then came the knight Sir Castor,
that was nephew unto king Pelles, unto Sir Launcelot, and asked him
what was his name? Sir, said Sir Launcelot, my name is Le Chevaler Mal
Fet, that is to say, the knight that hath trespassed. Sir, said Sir
Castor, it may well be so, but ever me seemeth your name should be Sir
Launcelot du Lake, for or now I have seen you. Sir, said Launcelot, ye
are not as a gentle knight: I put case my name were Sir Launcelot, and
that it list me not to discover my name; what should it grieve you here
to keep my counsel, and ye not hurt thereby? But wit thou well, and
ever it lie in my power I shall grieve you, and that I promise you
truly. Then Sir Castor kneeled down and besought Sir Launcelot of
mercy:—For I shall never utter what ye be while that ye be in these
parts. Then Sir Launcelot pardoned him. And then after this king Pelles
with ten knights, and dame Elaine and twenty ladies, rode unto the
castle of Bliant, that stood in an island enclosed in iron, with a fair
water, deep and large. And when they were there Sir Launcelot let call
it the Joyous Isle, and there was he called none otherwise but Le
Chevaler Mal Fet, the knight that hath trespassed. Then Sir Launcelot
let make him a shield all of sable, and a queen crowned in the midst
all of silver, and a knight, clean armed, kneeling before her; and
every day once, for any mirths that all the ladies might make him, he
would once every day look towards the realm of Logris where king Arthur
and queen Guenever were. And then would he fall upon a weeping as
though his heart should to-brast. So it fell that time that Sir
Launcelot heard of a justing fast by his castle, within three leagues.
Then he called unto him a dwarf, and he bade him go unto that justing,
and, or ever the knights depart, look thou make there a cry in the
hearing of all the knights, that there is one knight in the Joyous
Isle, that is the castle Bliant, and say that his name is Le Chevaler
Mal Fet, that will just against knights that will come; and who that
putteth that knight to the worse shall have a fair maid and a jerfalcon.
CHAP. VII.
_Of a great tourneying in the Joyous Isle, and how Sir Percivale and
Sir Ector came thither, and Sir Percivale fought with him._
So when this cry was made, unto Joyous Isle drew knights to the number
of five hundred. And wit ye well there was never seen in Arthur’s days
one knight that did so much deeds of arms as Sir Launcelot did three
days together. For, as the book maketh truly mention, he had the better
of all the five hundred knights, and there was not one slain of them.
And after that Sir Launcelot made them all a great feast. And in the
meanwhile came Sir Percivale de Galis and Sir Ector de Maris under that
castle that was called the Joyous Isle. And as they beheld that gay
castle they would have gone to that castle, but they might not for the
broad water, and bridge could they find none. Then they saw on the
other side a lady with a sperhawk in her hand, and Sir Percivale called
unto her, and asked that lady who was in that castle. Fair knight, she
said, here within this castle is the fairest lady in this land, and her
name is Elaine. Also we have in this castle the fairest knight and the
mightiest man that is, I dare say, living, and he calleth himself Le
Chevaler Mal Fet. How came he into these marches? said Sir Percivale.
Truly, said the damsel, he came into this country like a mad man, with
dogs and boys chasing him through the city of Corbin; and by the holy
vessel of the Sancgreal he was brought into his wit again, but he will
not do battle with no knight but by undorne or by noon. And if ye list
to come into the castle, said the lady, ye must ride unto the further
side of the castle, and there shall ye find a vessel that will bear you
and your horse. Then they departed and came unto the vessel. And then
Sir Percivale alight, and said to Sir Ector de Maris, Ye shall abide me
here until that I wit what manner a knight he is. For it were shame
unto us, inasmuch as he is but one knight, and we should both do battle
with him. Do ye as ye list, said Sir Ector de Maris, and here I shall
abide you until that I hear of you. Then passed Sir Percivale the
water. And when he came to the castle-gate, he bad the porter, Go thou
to the good knight within the castle, and tell him here is come an
errant knight to just with him. Sir, said the porter, ride ye within
the castle, and there is a common place for justing, that lords and
ladies may behold you. So anon as Sir Launcelot had warning, he was
soon ready; and there Sir Percivale and Sir Launcelot encountered with
such a might, and their spears were so rude, that both the horses and
the knights fell to the earth. Then they avoided their horses and flang
out noble swords, and hewed away cantels of their shields, and hurtled
together with their shields like two boars, and either wounded other
passing sore. At the last Sir Percivale spake first, when they had
foughten there more than two hours. Fair knight, said Sir Percivale, I
require thee tell me thy name, for I met never with such a knight. Sir,
said Sir Launcelot, my name is Le Chevaler Mal Fet: now tell me your
name, said Sir Launcelot, I require you gentle knight. Truly, said Sir
Percivale, my name is Sir Percivale de Galis, that was brother unto the
good knight Sir Lamorak de Galis, and king Pellinore was our father,
and Sir Aglovale is my brother. Alas, said Sir Launcelot, what have I
done to fight with you that art a knight of the Table Round, that
sometime was your fellow!
CHAP. VIII.
_How each of them knew other, and of their great courtesy. And how his
brother Sir Ector came unto him, and of their joy._
And therewithal Sir Launcelot kneeled down upon his knees, and threw
away his shield and his sword from him. When Sir Percivale saw him do
so, he marvelled what he meaned. And then thus he said, Sir knight,
whatsoever thou be, I require thee upon the high order of knighthood
tell me thy true name. Then he said, Truly my name is Sir Launcelot du
Lake, king Ban’s son of Benoy. Alas, said Sir Percivale, what have I
done! I was sent by the queen for to seek you, and so I have sought you
nigh this two year; and yonder is Sir Ector de Maris your brother
abideth me on the other side of the yonder water. Now, said Sir
Percivale, I pray you forgive me mine offence that I have here done. It
is soon forgiven, said Sir Launcelot. Then Sir Percivale sent for Sir
Ector de Maris. And when Sir Launcelot had a sight of him, he ran unto
him and took him in his arms, and then Sir Ector kneeled down and
either wept upon other, that all had pity to behold them. Then came
dame Elaine, and she there made them great cheer as might lie in her
power; and there she told Sir Ector and Sir Percivale how and in what
manner Sir Launcelot came into that country, and how he was healed. And
there it was known how long Sir Launcelot was with Sir Bliant and with
Sir Selivant, and how he first met with them, and how he departed from
them because of a boar; and how the hermit healed Sir Launcelot of his
great wound, and how that he came to Corbin.
CHAP. IX.
_How Sir Bors and Sir Lionel came to king Brandegore, and how Sir Bors
took his son Helin le Blank, and of Sir Launcelot._
Now leave we Sir Launcelot in the Joyous Isle with the lady dame
Elaine, and Sir Percivale and Sir Ector playing with them, and turn we
to Sir Bors de Ganis and Sir Lionel, that had sought Sir Launcelot nigh
by the space of two years, and never could they hear of him. And as
they thus rode by adventure, they came to the house of Brandegore, and
there Sir Bors was well known, for he had a child of the king’s
daughter fifteen years before, and his name was Helin le Blank. And
when Sir Bors saw that child it liked him passing well. And so those
knights had good cheer of the king Brandegore. And on the morn Sir Bors
came afore king Brandegore, and said, Here is my son Helin le Blank,
that as it is said he is my son; and since it is so, I will that ye wit
I will have him with me unto the court of king Arthur. Sir, said the
king, ye may well take him with you, but he is over tender of age. As
for that, said Sir Bors, I will have him with me, and bring him to the
house of most worship of the world. So when Sir Bors should depart,
there was made great sorrow for the departing of Helin le Blank, and
great weeping was there made. But Sir Bors and Sir Lionel departed. And
within a while they came to Camelot, where was king Arthur. And when
king Arthur understood that Helin le Blank was Sir Bors’ son, and