Le Morte Darthur
you well, said the queen, I accorded never unto him for favour nor love
that I had unto him, but for to lay down every shameful noise. Madam,
said Sir Launcelot, ye understand full well I was never willing nor
glad of shameful slander, nor noise; and there is neither king, queen,
nor knight, that beareth the life, except my lord king Arthur, and you,
madam, that should let me, but I should make Sir Meliagrance’s heart
full cold or ever I departed from hence. That I wot well, said the
queen, but what will ye more? ye shall have all thing ruled as ye list
to have it. Madam, said Sir Launcelot, so ye be pleased I care not, as
for my part ye shall soon please. Right so the queen took Sir Launcelot
by the bare hand, for he had put off his gauntlet, and so she went with
him till her chamber; and then she commanded him to be unarmed, and
then Sir Launcelot asked where the ten knights were that were wounded
sore. So she shewed them unto Sir Launcelot, and there they made great
joy of the coming of him, and Sir Launcelot made great dole of their
hurts, and bewailed them greatly; and there Sir Launcelot told them how
cowardly and traitorly Meliagrance set archers to slay his horse, and
how he was fain to put himself in a chariot. Thus they complained every
each to other, and full fain they would have been revenged, but they
peaced themself because of the queen. Then, as the French book saith,
Sir Launcelot was called many a day after, Le Chevaler du Chariot, and
did many deeds, and great adventures he had. And so leave we of this
tale, Le Chevaler du Chariot, and turn we to this tale.
So Sir Launcelot had great cheer with the queen, and then Sir Launcelot
made a promise with the queen, that the same night Sir Launcelot should
come to a window outward toward a garden, and that window was y-barred
with iron; and there Sir Launcelot promised to meet her when all folks
were on sleep. So then came Sir Lavaine, driving to the gates, crying,
Where is my lord Sir Launcelot du Lake? Then was he sent for, and when
Sir Lavaine saw Sir Launcelot, he said: My lord, I found well how ye
were hard bestad, for I have found your horse, that was slain with
arrows. As for that, said Sir Launcelot, I pray you Sir Lavaine speak
ye of other matters, and let ye this pass, and we shall right it
another time, when we best may.
CHAP. VI.
_How Sir Launcelot came in the night to the queen, and how Sir
Meliagraunce appeached the queen of treason._
Then the knights that were hurt were searched, and soft salves were
laid to their wounds, and so it passed on till supper time; and all the
cheer that might be made them there was done unto the queen and all her
knights. Then when season was they went unto their chambers. But in no
wise the queen would not suffer the wounded knights to be from her, but
that they were laid within draughts by her chamber, upon beds and
pillows, that she herself might see to them, that they wanted nothing.
So when Launcelot was in his chamber that was assigned unto him, he
called unto Sir Lavaine, and told him that he must go speak with his
lady, dame Guenever. Sir, said Sir Lavaine, let me go with you, and it
please you, for I dread me sore of the treason of Sir Meliagrance. Nay,
said Sir Launcelot, I thank you, but I will have nobody with me. Then
Sir Launcelot took his sword in his hand, and privily went unto a place
whereas he had espied a ladder toforehand, and that he took under his
arm and bare it through the garden, and set it up to the window. And
there anon the queen was ready to meet him. And then they made either
to other their complaints of many divers things. And then Sir Launcelot
wished that he might have come in to her. Wit ye well, said the queen,
I would as fain as ye that ye might come in to me. Would ye, madam,
said Sir Launcelot, with your heart that I were with you? Yea truly,
said the queen. Now shall I prove my might, said Sir Launcelot, for
your love. And then he set his hands upon the bars of iron, and pulled
at them with such a might that he brast them clean out of the stone
walls. And therewithal one of the bars of iron cut the brawn of his
hands throughout to the bone, and then he lept into the chamber to the
queen. Make ye no noise, said the queen, for my wounded knights lie
here fast by me. And when he saw his time that he might tarry no
longer, he took his leave and departed at the window, and put it
together as well as he might again, and so departed unto his own
chamber; and there he told Sir Lavaine how he was hurt; then Sir
Lavaine dressed his hand, and staunched it, and put upon it a glove,
that it should not be espied. And so the queen lay long in her bed,
until it was nine of the clock. Then Sir Meliagrance went to the
queen’s chamber, and found her ladies there ready clothed. Mercy, said
Sir Meliagrance, what aileth you, madam, that ye sleep thus long? And
then was he ware of the blood of Sir Launcelot’s hurt hand. And when
Sir Meliagrance espied that blood, then he deemed in himself that she
was false unto the king, and that it was the blood of some of the
wounded knights. Ah, madam, said Sir Meliagrance, now I have founden
you a false traitress unto my lord Arthur; for now I prove well it was
not for nought that ye laid these wounded knights within the bounds of
your chamber: therefore I will call you of treason before my lord king
Arthur, and now I have proved you, madam, with a shameful deed, and
that they be all false, or some of them, I will make good, for a
wounded knight hath been here. That is false, said the queen, and that
I will report me to them all. Then when the ten knights heard Sir
Meliagrance’s words, they spake all in one voice and said unto Sir
Meliagrance, Thou sayest falsely, and wrongfully puttest upon us such a
deed, and that we will make good any of us, choose which thou list of
us, when we are whole of our wounds. Ye shall not, said Sir
Meliagrance, away with your proud language, for here ye may all see
that a wounded knight hath been here. Then were they all ashamed when
they saw that blood, and wit you well Sir Meliagrance was passing glad
that he had the queen at such an advantage, for he deemed by that to
hide his treason. So with this rumour came in Sir Launcelot, and found
them all at a great array.
CHAP. VII.
_How Sir Launcelot answered for the queen, and waged battle against Sir
Meliagraunce. And how Sir Launcelot was taken in a trap._
What array is this? said Sir Launcelot. Then Sir Meliagrance told him
what he had found, and shewed him the blood. Truly, said Sir Launcelot,
ye did not your part nor knightly toward the queen, and therefore have
ye done unworshipfully and shamefully to yourself. I wot not what ye
mean, said Sir Meliagrance, but well I am sure there hath been one of
her wounded knights here, and therefore I will prove with my hands that
she is a traitress unto my lord Arthur. Beware what ye do, said Sir
Launcelot, for and ye say so, and that ye will prove it, it will be
taken at your hands. My lord Sir Launcelot, said Sir Meliagrance, I
rede you beware what ye do, for though ye are never so good a knight,
as ye wot well that ye are renowned the best knight of the world, yet
should ye be advised to do battle in a wrong quarrel, for God will have
a stroke in every battle. As for that, said Sir Launcelot, God is to be
dread. But as to that I say nay plainly, that this night none of these
ten wounded knights was here with my lady queen Guenever, and that will
I prove with my hands, that ye say untruly in that now. Hold, said Sir
Meliagrance, here is my glove, that she is traitress unto my lord king
Arthur, and that one of the wounded knights was here. And I receive
your glove, said Sir Launcelot. And so they were sealed with their
signets, and delivered unto the ten knights. At what day shall we do
battle together? said Sir Launcelot. This day eight days, said Sir
Meliagrance, in the field beside Westminster. I am agreed, said Sir
Launcelot. But now, said Sir Meliagrance, sithen it is that we must
fight together, I beseech you, as ye are a noble knight, await me with
no treason, nor none villainy the meanwhile, nor none for you. So God
me help, said Sir Launcelot, ye shall right well wit I was never of no
such conditions, for I report me to all knights that ever have known
me, I fared never with no treason, nor I loved never the fellowship of
no man that fared with treason. Then let us go to dinner, said
Meliagrance, and after dinner ye and the queen and ye may ride all to
Westminster. I will well, said Sir Launcelot. And Sir Meliagrance said
to Sir Launcelot, Pleaseth it you to see the eftures of this castle?
With a good will, said Sir Launcelot. And then they went together from
chamber to chamber, for Sir Launcelot dread no perils. For ever a man
of worship and of prowess dreadeth least always perils: for they ween
every man be as they be. But ever he that fareth with treason putteth
oft a man in great danger. So it befell upon Sir Launcelot that no
peril dread. As he went with Sir Meliagrance, he trod on a trap, and
the board rolled, and therewith Sir Launcelot fell down more than ten
fathom into a cave full of straw. And then Sir Meliagrance departed,
and made no fare as that he nist where he was. And when Sir Launcelot
was thus missed, they marvelled where he was become. And then queen
Guenever and many of them deemed that he was departed as he was wont to
do, suddenly. For Sir Meliagrance made suddenly to put away on side Sir
Lavaine’s horse, that they might all understand that Sir Launcelot was
departed suddenly. So it past on till after dinner, and then Sir
Lavaine would not stint until that he ordained litters for the wounded
knights, that they might be laid in them, and so with the queen and
them all, both ladies and gentlewomen and other, went unto Westminster,
and there the knights told king Arthur how Meliagrance had appealed the
queen of high treason, and how Sir Launcelot had received the glove of
him, and this day eight days they shall do battle afore you. By my
head, said king Arthur, I am afeard Sir Meliagrance hath taken upon him
a great charge. But where is Sir Launcelot? said the king. Sir, said
they all, we wot not where he is, but we deem he is ridden to some
adventures, as he is ofttimes wont to do, for he hath Sir Lavaine’s
horse. Let him be, said the king, he will be founden, but if he be
trapped with some treason.
CHAP. VIII.
_How Sir Launcelot was delivered out of prison by a lady, and took a
white courser, and came for to keep his day._
So leave we Sir Launcelot, lying within that cave in great pain, and
every day there came a lady and brought him his meat and his drink, and
wooed him to love her. And ever the noble knight Sir Launcelot said her
nay. Sir Launcelot, said she, ye are not wise, for ye may never out of
this prison but if ye have my help, and also your lady queen Guenever
shall be burnt in your default, unless that ye be there at the day of
battle. God defend, said Sir Launcelot, that she should be burnt in my
default: and if it be so, said Sir Launcelot, that I may not be there,
it shall be well understood both at the king and at the queen, and with
all men of worship, that I am dead, sick, or in prison. For all men
that know me will say for me that I am in some evil case, and I be not
there that day, and well I wot there is some good knight, either of my
blood, or some other that loveth me, that will take my quarrel in hand:
and, therefore, said Sir Launcelot, wit ye well ye shall not fear me.
And if there were no more women in all this land but you, I would not
say otherwise. Then art thou shamed, said the lady, and destroyed for