Le Morte Darthur
queen of Sir Launcelot and of Sir Bors. For they had been passing long
away in the quest of the Sancgreal. Then, as the book saith, Sir
Launcelot began to resort unto queen Guenever again, and forgat the
promise and the perfection that he made in the quest. For, as the book
saith, had not Sir Launcelot been in his privy thoughts and in his mind
so set inwardly to the queen, as he was in seeming outward to God,
there had no knight passed him in the quest of the Sancgreal: but ever
his thoughts were privily on the queen, and so they loved together more
hotter than they did toforehand, that many in the court spake of it,
and in especial Sir Agravaine, Sir Gawaine’s brother, for he was ever
open mouthed. So befell that Sir Launcelot had many resorts of ladies
and damsels, that daily resorted unto him, that besought him to be
their champion. And in all such matters of right Sir Launcelot appealed
him daily to do for the pleasure of our Lord Jesu Christ. And ever as
much as he might he withdrew him from the company and fellowship of
queen Guenever, for to eschew the slander and noise: wherefore the
queen waxed wroth with Sir Launcelot, and upon a day she called Sir
Launcelot unto her chamber, and said thus: Sir Launcelot, I see and
feel daily that thy love beginneth to slake, for thou hast no joy to be
in my presence, but ever thou art out of this court, and quarrels and
matters thou hast now adays for ladies and gentlewomen, more than ever
thou were wont to have aforehand. Ah, madam, said Launcelot, in this ye
must hold me excused for divers causes. One is, I was but late in the
quest of the Sancgreal, and I thank God, of his great mercy, and never
of my deserving, that I saw in that my quest as much as ever saw any
sinful man, and so was it told me. And if I had not had my privy
thoughts to return to your love again as I do, I had seen as great
mysteries as ever saw my son Galahad, or Percivale, or Sir Bors, and
therefore, madam, I was but late in that quest. Wit ye well, madam, it
may not be yet lightly forgotten the high service in whom I did my
diligent labour. Also, madam, wit ye well that there be many men speak
of our love in this court, and have you and me greatly in a wait, as
Sir Agravaine, and Sir Mordred: and, madam, wit ye well, I dread them
more for your sake than for any fear that I have of them myself, for I
may happen to escape and rid myself in a great need, where ye must
abide all that will be said unto you. And then if that ye fall in any
distress through wilful folly, then is there none other remedy or help
but by me and my blood. And wit ye well, madam, the boldness of you and
me will bring us to great shame and slander, and that were me loth to
see you dishonoured. And that is the cause that I take upon me more for
to do for damsels and maidens than ever I did tofore, that men should
understand my joy and my delight is my pleasure to have ado for damsels
and maidens.
CHAP. II.
_How the queen commanded Sir Launcelot to avoid the court, and of the
sorrow that Launcelot made._
All this while the queen stood still, and let Sir Launcelot say what he
would. And when he had all said, she brast out on weeping, and so she
sobbed and wept a great while: and when she might speak, she said,
Launcelot, now I well understand that thou art a false recreant knight,
and lovest and holdest other ladies, and by me thou hast disdain and
scorn. For wit thou well, she said, now I understand thy falsehood, and
therefore shall I never love thee no more, and never be thou so hardy
to come in my sight; and right here I discharge thee this court, that
thou never come within it, and I forfend thee my fellowship, and upon
pain of thy head that thou see me no more. Right so Sir Launcelot
departed with great heaviness, that hardly he might sustain himself for
great dole making. Then he called Sir Bors, Sir Ector de Maris, and Sir
Lionel, and told them how the queen had forfend him the court, and so
he was in will to depart into his own country. Fair sir, said Sir Bors
de Ganis, ye shall not depart out of this land by mine advice; ye must
remember in what honour ye are renowned, and called the noblest knight
of the world, and many great matters ye have in hand, and women in
their hastiness will do oftimes that sore repenteth them, and therefore
by mine advice ye shall take your horse, and ride to the good hermitage
here beside Windsor, that sometime was a good knight, his name is Sir
Brasias, and there shall ye abide till I send you word of better
tidings. Brother, said Sir Launcelot, wit ye well I am full loth to
depart out of this realm, but the queen hath defended me so highly that
me seemeth she will never be my good lady as she hath been. Say ye
never so, said Sir Bors, for many times or this time she hath been
wroth with you, and after it she was the first that repented it. Ye say
well, said Launcelot, for now will I do by your counsel, and take mine
horse and my harness, and ride to the hermit Sir Brasias, and there
will I repose me until I hear some manner of tidings from you. But,
fair brother, I pray you get me the love of my lady queen Guenever, and
ye may. Sir, said Sir Bors, ye need not to move me of such matters, for
well ye wot I will do what I may to please you. And then the noble
knight Sir Launcelot departed with right heavy cheer, suddenly, that
none earthly creature wist of him, nor where he was become, but Sir
Bors. So when Sir Launcelot was departed, the queen made no manner of
sorrow in shewing, to none of his blood, nor to none other: but, wit ye
well, inwardly, as the book saith, she took great thought, but she bare
it out with a proud countenance, as though she felt nothing nor danger.
CHAP. III.
_How at a dinner that the queen made there was a knight poisoned, which
Sir Mador laid on the queen._
And then the queen let make a privy dinner in London unto the knights
of the Round Table. And all was for to show outward that she had as
great joy in all other knights of the Table Round as she had in Sir
Launcelot. All only at that dinner she had Sir Gawaine and his
brethren, that is to say, Sir Agravaine, Sir Gaheris, Sir Gareth, and
Sir Mordred. Also there was Sir Bors de Ganis, Sir Blamor de Ganis, Sir
Bleoberis de Ganis, Sir Galihud, Sir Galihodin, Sir Ector de Maris, Sir
Lionel, Sir Palamides, Sir Safere his brother, Sir La Cote Male Taile,
Sir Persant, Sir Ironside, Sir Brandiles, Sir Kay le Seneschal, Sir
Mador de la Porte, Sir Patrise, a knight of Ireland, Aliduk, Sir
Astomore, and Sir Pinel le Savage, the which was cousin to Sir Lamorak
de Galis, the good knight that Sir Gawaine and his brethren slew by
treason. And so these four and twenty knights should dine with the
queen in a privy place by themselves, and there was made a great feast
of all manner of dainties. But Sir Gawaine had a custom that he used
daily at dinner and at supper, that he loved well all manner of fruit,
and in especial apples and pears. And therefore, whosoever dined or
feasted Sir Gawaine would commonly purvey for good fruit for him; and
so did the queen for to please Sir Gawaine, she let purvey for him of
all manner of fruit, for Sir Gawaine was a passing hot knight of
nature. And this Pinel hated Sir Gawaine because of his kinsman Sir
Lamorak de Galis, and therefore for pure envy and hate Sir Pinel
enpoisoned certain apples, for to enpoison Sir Gawaine. And so this was
well unto the end of the meat: and so it befell by misfortune a good
knight named Patrise, cousin unto Sir Mador de la Porte, to take a
poisoned apple. And when he had eaten it he swelled so till he brast,
and there Sir Patrise fell down suddenly dead among them. Then every
knight lept from the board ashamed and araged for wrath, nigh out of
their wits. For they wist not what to say: considering queen Guenever
made the feast and dinner, they all had suspicion unto her. My lady,
the queen, said Gawaine, wit ye well, madam, that this dinner was made
for me: for all folks that know my conditions understand that I love
well fruit, and now I see well I had near been slain; therefore, madam,
I dread lest ye will be shamed. Then the queen stood still, and was
sore abashed, that he nist not what to say. This shall not so be ended,
said Sir Mador de la Porte, for here have I lost a full noble knight of
my blood, and therefore upon this shame and despite I will be revenged
to the utterance. And there openly Sir Mador appealed the queen of the
death of his cousin Sir Patrise. Then stood they all still, that none
of them would speak a word against him. For they had a great suspicion
unto the queen because she let make that dinner. And the queen was so
abashed that she could none other ways do but wept so heartily that she
fell in a swoon. With this noise and cry came to them king Arthur. And
when he wist of that trouble, he was a passing heavy man.
CHAP. IV.
_How Sir Mador appeached the queen of treason, and there was no knight
would fight for her at the first time._
And ever Sir Mador stood still afore the king, and ever he appealed the
queen of treason: for the custom was such that time that all manner of
shameful death was called treason. Fair lords, said king Arthur, me
repenteth of this trouble, but the case is so I may not have ado in
this matter, for I must be a rightful judge, and that repenteth me that
I may not do battle for my wife: for, as I deem, this deed came never
by her, and therefore I suppose she shall not be all distained, but
that some good knight shall put his body in jeopardy, rather than she
shall be burnt in a wrong quarrel. And therefore, Sir Mador, be not so
hasty, for it may happen she shall not be all friendless, and therefore
desire thou thy day of battle, and she shall purvey her of some good
knight that shall answer you, or else it were to me great shame, and to
all my court. My gracious lord, said Sir Mador, ye must hold me
excused, for though ye be our king in that degree, ye are but a knight
as we are, and ye are sworn unto knighthood as well as we, and
therefore I beseech you that ye be not displeased. For there is none of
the four and twenty knights that were bidden to this dinner but all
they have great suspicion unto the queen. What say ye all, my lords?
said Sir Mador. Then they answered by and by that they could not excuse
the queen, for why she made the dinner, and either it must come by her
or by her servants. Alas, said the queen, I made this dinner for a good
intent, and never for none evil; so Almighty God help me in my right as
I was never purposed to do such evil deeds, and that I report me unto
God. My lord the king, said Sir Mador, I require you, as ye be a
righteous king, give me a day that I may have justice. Well, said the
king, I give the day this day fifteen days, that thou be ready armed on
horseback in the meadow beside Westminster. And if it so fall that
there be any knight to encounter with you, there mayest thou do the
best, and God speed the right. And if it so fall that there be no
knight at that day, then must my queen be burnt, and there shall she be
ready to have her judgment. I am answered, said Sir Mador; and every
knight went where it liked him. So when the king and the queen were
together, the king asked the queen how this case befell? The queen
answered, So God me help I wot not how, nor in what manner. Where is
Sir Launcelot? said king Arthur, and he were here, he would not grudge
to do battle for you. Sir, said the queen, I wot not where he is, but
his brother and his kinsmen deem that he is not within this realm. That
me repenteth, said king Arthur, for and he were here he would soon
stint this strife. Then I will counsel you, said the king, and unto Sir