Le Morte Darthur
shame, and us all, we had as lief to depart from our lives, for and if
we other ways did we were shamed for ever. Then Sir Meliagrance said,
Dress you as well as ye can, and keep the queen. Then the ten knights
of the Table Round drew their swords, and the other let run at them
with their spears, and the ten knights manly abode them, and smote away
their spears, that no spear did them none harm. Then they lashed
together with swords, and anon Sir Kay, Sir Sagramor, Sir Agravaine,
Sir Dodinas, Sir Ladinas, and Sir Ozanna, were smitten to the earth
with grimly wounds. Then Sir Brandiles, and Sir Persant, Sir Ironside,
Sir Pelleas, fought long, and they were sore wounded: for these ten
knights, or ever they were laid to the ground, slew forty men of the
boldest and the best of them. So when the queen saw her knights thus
dolefully wounded, and needs must be slain at the last, then for pity
and sorrow she cried, Sir Meliagrance, slay not my noble knights, and I
will go with thee upon this covenant, that thou save them, and suffer
them not to be no more hurt, with this, that they be led with me
wheresoever thou leadest me; for I will rather slay myself than I will
go with thee, unless that these my noble knights may be in my presence.
Madam, said Meliagrance, for your sake they shall be led with you into
mine own castle, with that ye will be ruled and ride with me. Then the
queen prayed the four knights to leave their fighting, and she and they
would not part. Madam, said Sir Pelleas, we will do as ye do, for as
for me I take no force of my life nor death. For, as the French book
saith, Sir Pelleas gave such buffets there that none armour might hold
him.
CHAP. III.
_How Sir Launcelot had word how the queen was taken, and how Sir
Meliagraunce laid a bushment for Launcelot._
Then by the queen’s commandment they left battle, and dressed the
wounded knights on horseback, some sitting, some overthwart their
horses, that it was pity to behold them. And then Sir Meliagrance
charged the queen and all her knights that none of all her fellowship
should depart from her; for full sore he drad Sir Launcelot du Lake,
lest he should have any knowledging. All this espied the queen, and
privily she called unto her a child of her chamber, that was swiftly
horsed, to whom she said, Go thou, when thou seest thy time, and bear
this ring unto Sir Launcelot du Lake, and pray him as he loveth me,
that he will see me, and rescue me if ever he will have joy of me; and
spare thou not thy horse, said the queen, neither for water, neither
for land. So the child espied his time, and lightly he took his horse
with the spurs, and departed as fast as he might. And when Sir
Meliagrance saw him so flee, he understood that it was by the queen’s
commandment for to warn Sir Launcelot. Then they that were best horsed
chased him, and shot at him, but from them all the child went suddenly;
and then Sir Meliagrance said unto the queen, Madam, ye are about to
betray me, but I shall ordain for Sir Launcelot that he shall not come
lightly at you. And then he rode with her and they all to his castle in
all the haste that he might. And by the way Sir Meliagrance laid in an
enbushment the best archers that he might get in his country, to the
number of a thirty, to await upon Sir Launcelot, charging them that if
they saw such a manner of knight come by the way upon a white horse,
that in any wise they slay his horse, but in no manner of wise have not
ado with him bodily, for he is over hard to be overcome. So this was
done, and they were come to his castle, but in no wise the queen would
never let none of the ten knights and her ladies out of her sight, but
always they were in her presence, for the book saith Sir Meliagrance
durst make no masteries for dread of Sir Launcelot, in so much he
deemed that he had warning. So when the child was departed from the
fellowship of Sir Meliagrance, within awhile he came to Westminster.
And anon he found Sir Launcelot. And when he had told his message, and
delivered him the queen’s ring, Alas, said Sir Launcelot, now am I
shamed for ever, unless that I may rescue that noble lady from
dishonour. Then eagerly he asked his armour, and ever the child told
Sir Launcelot how the ten knights fought marvellously, and how Sir
Pelleas, and Sir Ironside, and Sir Brandiles, and Sir Persant of Inde,
fought strongly, but namely Sir Pelleas, there might none withstand
him, and how they all fought till at the last they were laid to the
earth, and then the queen made appointment for to save their lives, and
go with Sir Meliagrance. Alas, said Sir Launcelot, that most noble
lady, that she should be so destroyed! I had lever, said Sir Launcelot,
than all France that I had been there well armed. So when Sir Launcelot
was armed and upon his horse, he prayed the child of the queen’s
chamber to warn Sir Lavaine how suddenly he was departed, and for what
cause,—And pray him, as he loveth me, that he will hie him after me,
and that he stint not until he come to the castle where Sir Meliagrance
abideth or dwelleth, for there, said Sir Launcelot, shall he hear of me
and I am a man living, and rescue the queen and the ten knights the
which he traitorously hath taken, and that shall I prove upon his head,
and all them that hold with him.
CHAP. IV.
_How Sir Launcelot’s horse was slain, and how Sir Launcelot rode in a
cart for to rescue the queen._
Then Sir Launcelot rode as fast as he might, and the book saith he took
the water at Westminster bridge, and made his horse to swim over Thames
to Lambeth. And then within a while he came to the place there as the
ten knights had fought with Sir Meliagrance, and then Sir Launcelot
followed that track until that he came to a wood, and there was a
strait way, and there the thirty archers bad Sir Launcelot turn again,
and follow no longer that track. What commandment have ye thereto, said
Sir Launcelot, to cause me, that am a knight of the Round Table, to
leave my right way? This way shalt thou leave, or else thou shalt go it
on thy foot, for wit thou well thy horse shall be slain. That is little
mastery, said Sir Launcelot, to slay my horse, but as for myself, when
my horse is slain, I give right nought for you, not and ye were five
hundred more. So then they shot Sir Launcelot’s horse, and smote him
with many arrows. And then Sir Launcelot avoided his horse, and went on
foot: but there were so many ditches and hedges betwixt them and him,
that he might not meddle with none of them. Alas, for shame, said
Launcelot, that ever one knight should betray another knight, but it is
an old saw, A good man is never in danger but when he is in the danger
of a coward. Then Sir Launcelot went a while, and then he was foul
cumbered of his armour, his shield, and his spear, and all that longed
unto him. Wit ye well he was full sore annoyed, and full loth he was to
leave any thing that longed unto him, for he drad sore the treason of
Sir Meliagrance. And then by fortune there came by a chariot, that came
thither for to fetch wood. Say me, carter, said Sir Launcelot, what
shall I give thee for to suffer me to leap into thy chariot, and that
thou bring me unto a castle within this two mile? Thou shalt not come
within my chariot, said the carter, for I am sent for to fetch wood for
my lord Sir Meliagrance.—With him would I speak.—Thou shalt not go
with me, said the carter. Then Sir Launcelot lept to him, and gave him
such a buffet that he fell to the earth stark dead. Then the other
carter his fellow was afeard, and wend to have gone the same way, and
then he cried, Fair lord, save my life, and I shall bring you where you
will. Then I charge thee, said Sir Launcelot, that thou drive me and
this chariot, even unto Sir Meliagrance’s gate. Leap up into the
chariot, said the carter, and ye shall be there anon. So the carter
drove on a great wallop, and Sir Launcelot’s horse followed the
chariot, with more than a forty arrows broad and rough in him: and more
than an hour and an half dame Guenever was in a bay window with her
ladies, and espied an armed knight standing in a chariot. See madam,
said a lady, where rideth in a chariot a goodly armed knight, I suppose
he rideth unto hanging. Where? said the queen. Then she espied by his
shield that he was there himself Sir Launcelot du Lake. And then she
was ware where came his horse ever after that chariot, and ever he trod
his entrails and his paunch under his feet. Alas, said the queen, now I
see well and prove that well is him that hath a trusty friend. Ha, a,
most noble knight, I see well thou art hard bestad when thou ridest in
a chariot. Then she rebuked that lady that likened Sir Launcelot to
ride in a chariot to hanging. It was foul mouthed, said the queen, and
evil likened, so for to liken the most noble knight of the world unto
such a shameful death. O Jesu defend him and keep him, said the queen,
from all mischievous end! By this was Sir Launcelot come to the gates
of that castle, and there he descended down, and cried, that all the
castle rang of it, Where art thou, false traitor Sir Meliagrance, and
knight of the Table Round? Now come forth here thou traitor knight,
thou and thy fellowship with thee: for here I am, Sir Launcelot du
Lake, that shall fight with you. And therewithal he bare the gate wide
open upon the porter, and smote him under his ear with his gauntlet
that his neck brast in sunder.
CHAP. V.
_How Sir Meliagraunce required forgiveness of the queen, and how she
appeased Sir Launcelot, and other matters._
When Sir Meliagrance heard that Sir Launcelot was there, he ran unto
queen Guenever, and fell upon his knee, and said, Mercy, madam, now I
put me wholly into your grace. What aileth you now? said queen
Guenever. Forsooth I might well wit some good knight would revenge me,
though my lord Arthur wist not of this your work. Madam, said Sir
Meliagrance, all this that is amiss on my part shall be amended right
as yourself will devise, and wholly I put me in your grace. What would
ye that I did? said the queen. I would no more, said Meliagrance, but
that ye would take all in your own hands, and that ye will rule my lord
Sir Launcelot, and such cheer as may be made him in this poor castle ye
and he shall have until to-morn, and then may ye and all they return
unto Westminster, and my body and all that I have I shall put in your
rule. Ye say well, said the queen, and better is peace than ever war,
and the less noise the more is my worship. Then the queen and her
ladies went down unto the knight Sir Launcelot, that stood wroth out of
measure in the inner court, to abide battle; and ever he bade—Thou
traitor knight, come forth! Then the queen came to him and said, Sir
Launcelot, why be ye so moved? Ha, madam, said Sir Launcelot, why ask
ye me that question? me seemeth, said Sir Launcelot, ye ought to be
more wroth than I am, for ye have the hurt and the dishonour. For wit
ye well, madam, my hurt is but little, for the killing of a mare’s son;
but the despite grieveth me much more than all my hurt. Truly, said the
queen, ye say truth, but heartily I thank you, said the queen, but ye
must come in with me peaceably, for all thing is put in my hand, and
all that is evil shall be for the best, for the knight full sore
repenteth him of the misadventure that is befallen him. Madam, said Sir
Launcelot, sith it is so that ye are accorded with him, as for me I may
not be against it, howbeit Sir Meliagrance hath done full shamefully to
me, and cowardly. Ah, madam, and I had wist ye would have been so soon
accorded with him, I would not have made such haste unto you. Why say
ye so? said the queen, do ye forthink yourself of your good deeds? Wit