Le Morte Darthur
upon another party, and held the king with the hundred knights, and
also the king of Northumberland, right straight.
CHAP. XXIV.
_How king Arthur marvelled much of the justing in the field, and how he
rode and found Sir Launcelot._
So this tournament and this justs dured long, till it was near night,
for the knights of the Round Table relieved ever unto king Arthur; for
the king was wroth out of measure that he and his knights might not
prevail that day. Then Sir Gawaine said to the king, I marvel where all
this day Sir Bors de Ganis and his fellowship of Sir Launcelot’s blood
be. I marvel all this day they be not about you. It is for some cause,
said Sir Gawaine. By my head, said Sir Kay, Sir Bors is yonder all this
day upon the right hand of this field, and there he and his blood done
more worshipfully than we do. It may well be, said Sir Gawaine, but I
dread me ever of guile, for on pain of my life, said Sir Gawaine, this
knight with the red sleeve of gold is himself Sir Launcelot, I see well
by his riding and by his great strokes, and the other knight in the
same colour is the good young knight Sir Lavaine. Also that knight with
the green shield is my brother Sir Gareth, and yet he hath disguised
himself, for no man shall never make him be against Sir Launcelot,
because he made him knight. By my head, said Arthur, nephew, I believe
you, therefore tell me now what is your best counsel? Sir, said Sir
Gawaine, ye shall have my counsel. Let blow unto lodging, for, and he
be Sir Launcelot du Lake, and my brother Sir Gareth with him, with the
help of that good young knight Sir Lavaine, trust me truly it will be
no boot to strive with them, but if we should fall ten or twelve upon
one knight, and that were no worship, but shame. Ye say truth, said the
king, and for to say sooth, said the king, it were shame to us, so many
as we be, to set upon them any more. For wit ye well, said the king,
they be three good knights, and namely that knight with the sleeve of
gold. So then they blew unto lodging; but forthwithal king Arthur let
send unto the four kings, and to the mighty duke, and prayed them that
the knight with the sleeve of gold depart not from them, but that the
king may speak with him. Then forthwithal king Arthur alight, and
unarmed him, and took a little hackney, and rode after Sir Launcelot,
for ever he had a spy upon him; and so he found him among the four
kings and the duke, and there the king prayed them all unto supper. And
they said they would with good will. And so when they were unarmed,
then king Arthur knew Sir Launcelot, Sir Lavaine, and Sir Gareth. Ah
Sir Launcelot, said king Arthur, this day ye have heated me and my
knights. So they went unto Arthur’s lodging all together, and there was
a great feast and great revel, and the prize was given unto Sir
Launcelot, and by heralds they named him that he had smitten down fifty
knights, and Sir Gareth five and thirty, and Sir Lavaine four and
twenty knights. Then Sir Launcelot told the king and the queen how the
lady huntress shot him in the forest of Windsor in the thigh with a
broad arrow, and how the wound thereof was that time six inches deep,
and in like long. Also Arthur blamed Sir Gareth, because he left his
fellowship and held with Sir Launcelot. My lord, said Sir Gareth, he
made me a knight, and when I saw him so hard bestad, me thought it was
my worship to help him, for I saw him do so much, and so many noble
knights against him. And when I understood that he was Sir Launcelot du
Lake I shamed to see so many knights against him alone. Truly, said
king Arthur unto Sir Gareth, ye say well, and worshipfully have ye
done, and to yourself great worship, and all the days of my life, said
king Arthur unto Sir Gareth, wit you well I shall love you and trust
you the more better. For ever, said Arthur, it is a worshipful knight’s
deed to help another worshipful knight when he seeth him in a great
danger, for ever a worshipful man will be loth to see a worshipful
shamed, and he that is of no worship, and fareth with cowardice, never
shall he shew gentleness, nor no manner of goodness, where he seeth a
man in any danger, for then ever will a coward shew no mercy, and
always a good man will do ever to another man as he would be done to
himself. So then there were great feasts unto kings and dukes; and
revel, game, and play, and all manner of nobleness was used; and he
that was courteous, true, and faithful to his friend, was that time
cherished.
CHAP. XXV.
_How true love is likened to summer._
And thus it passed on from Candlemas until after Easter, that the month
of May was come, when every lusty heart beginneth to blossom and to
bring forth fruit; for like as herbs and trees bring forth fruit and
flourish in May, in likewise every lusty heart, that is in any manner a
lover, springeth and flourisheth in lusty deeds. For it giveth unto all
lovers courage, that lusty month of May, in some thing to constrain him
to some manner of thing, more in that month than in any other month,
for divers causes. For then all herbs and trees renew a man and woman,
and in likewise lovers call again to their mind old gentleness and old
service, and many kind deeds that were forgotten by negligence. For
like as winter rasure doth always arase and deface green summer, so
fareth it by unstable love in man and woman. For in many persons there
is no stability, for we may see all day, for a little blast of winter’s
rasure, anon we shall deface and lay apart true love for little or
nought, that cost much thing. This is no wisdom nor stability, but it
is feebleness of nature and great disworship whosoever useth this.
Therefore, like as May month flowereth and flourisheth in many gardens,
so in likewise let every man of worship flourish his heart in this
world, first unto God, and next unto the joy of them that he promised
his faith unto, for there was never worshipful man nor worshipful
woman, but they loved one better than another: and worship in arms may
never be foiled, but first reserve the honour to God, and secondly the
quarrel must come of thy lady: and such love I call virtuous love. But
now-a-days men cannot love seven night but they must have all their
desires, that love may not endure by reason; for where they be soon
accorded, and hasty heat, soon it cooleth. Right so fareth love
now-a-days; soon hot, soon cold. This is no stability, but the old love
was not so. Men and women could love together seven years, and no
wanton lusts were between them, and then was love truth and
faithfulness. And lo in likewise was used love in king Arthur’s days.
Wherefore I liken love now-a-days unto summer and winter. For like as
the one is hot and the other cold, so fareth love now-a-days. Therefore
all ye that be lovers call unto your remembrance the month of May, like
as did queen Guenever. For whom I make here a little mention, that
while she lived she was a true lover, and therefore she had a good end.
Explicit liber Octodecimus. And here foloweth liber xix.
The Nineteenth Book.
CHAP. I.
_How queen Guenever rode on Maying with certain knights of the Round
Table and clad all in green._
So it befell in the month of May, queen Guenever called unto her
knights of the Table Round, and she gave them warning that early upon
the morrow she would ride on maying into woods and fields beside
Westminster.—And I warn you that there be none of you but that he be
well horsed, and that ye all be clothed in green, either in silk,
either in cloth, and I shall bring with me ten ladies, and every knight
shall have a lady behind him, and every knight shall have a squire and
two yeomen, and I will that ye all be well horsed. So they made them
ready in the freshest manner, and these were the names of the knights:
Sir Kay the seneschal, Sir Agravaine, Sir Brandiles, Sir Sagramor le
Desirous, Sir Dodinas le Savage, Sir Ozanna le Cure Hardy, Sir Ladinas
of the Forest Savage, Sir Persant of Inde, Sir Ironside that was called
the knight of the red lawns, and Sir Pelleas the lover, and these ten
knights made them ready in the freshest manner to ride with the queen.
And so upon the morn they took their horses, with the queen, and rode
on maying in woods and meadows, as it pleased them, in great joy and
delights: for the queen had cast to have been again with king Arthur at
the furthest by ten of the clock, and so was that time her purpose.
Then there was a knight, that hight Meliagrance, and he was son unto
king Bagdemagus, and this knight had at that time a castle, of the gift
of king Arthur, within seven mile of Westminster; and this knight Sir
Meliagrance loved passing well queen Guenever, and so had he done long
and many years. And the book saith he had lain in a wait for to steal
away the queen, but evermore he forbare for because of Sir Launcelot,
for in no wise he would meddle with the queen, and Sir Launcelot were
in her company, or else and he were near hand her. And that time was
such a custom the queen rode never without a great fellowship of men of
arms about her; and they were many good knights, and the most part were
young men that would have worship, and they were called the queen’s
knights, and never in no battle, tournament, nor justs, they bare none
of them no manner of knowledging of their own arms, but plain white
shields, and thereby they were called the queen’s knights. And then
when it happed any of them to be of great worship by his noble deeds,
then at the next feast of Pentecost, if there were any slain or dead,
as there was no year that there failed but some were dead, then was
there chosen in his stead that was dead the most men of worship that
were called the queen’s knights. And thus they came up all first, or
they were renowned men of worship, both Sir Launcelot and all the
remnant of them. But this knight, Sir Meliagrance, had espied the queen
well and her purpose, and how Sir Launcelot was not with her, and how
she had no men of arms with her but the ten noble knights all arrayed
in green for maying. Then he provided him a twenty men of arms and an
hundred archers, for to destroy the queen and her knights, for he
thought that time was the best season to take the queen.
CHAP. II.
_How Sir Meliagraunce took the queen and all her knights, which were
sore hurt in fighting._
So as the queen had mayed and all her knights, all were bedashed with
herbs, mosses, and flowers, in the best manner and freshest. Right so
came out of a wood Sir Meliagrance with an eight score men well
harnessed, as they should fight in a battle of arrest, and bad the
queen and her knights abide, for maugre their heads they should abide.
Traitor knight, said queen Guenever, what castest thou for to do? Wilt
thou shame thyself? Bethink thee how thou art a king’s son, and knight
of the Table Round, and thou to be about to dishonour the noble king
that made thee knight: thou shamest all knighthood and thyself, and me,
I let thee wit, shalt thou never shame, for I had lever cut my throat
in twain than thou shouldest dishonour me. As for all this language,
said Sir Meliagrance, be it as it may, for wit you well, madam, I have
loved you many a year, and never or now could I get you at such an
advantage as I do now, and therefore I will take you as I find you.
Then spake all the ten noble knights at once, and said, Sir
Meliagrance, wit thou well ye are about to jeopard your worship to
dishonour, and also ye cast to jeopard our persons; howbeit we be
unarmed, ye have us at a great avail, for it seemeth by you that ye
have laid watch upon us, but rather then ye should put the queen to