Le Morte Darthur
departed either from other, and then either party made them ready on
the morn for to do battle, and great purveyance was made on both sides.
And Sir Gawaine let purvey many knights for to wait upon Sir Launcelot
for to overset him, and to slay him. And on the morn at undorne Sir
Arthur was ready in the field with three great hosts, and then Sir
Launcelot’s fellowship came out at three gates, in a full good array.
And Sir Lionel came in the foremost battle, and Sir Launcelot came in
the middle, and Sir Bors came out at the third gate. Thus they came in
order and rule as full noble knights. And always Sir Launcelot charged
all his knights in any wise to save king Arthur and Sir Gawaine.
CHAP. XIII.
_How Sir Gawaine justed and smote down Sir Lionel, and how Sir
Launcelot horsed king Arthur._
Then came forth Sir Gawaine from the king’s host, and he came before
and proffered to just, and Sir Lionel was a fierce knight, and lightly
he encountered with Sir Gawaine, and there Sir Gawaine smote Sir Lionel
throughout the body, that he dashed to the earth like as he had been
dead. And then Sir Ector de Maris and other more bare him into the
castle. Then began a great stoure, and much people was slain, and ever
Sir Launcelot did what he might to save the people on king Arthur’s
party. For Sir Palamides, and Sir Bors, and Sir Safere overthrew many
knights, for they were deadly knights, and Sir Blamor de Ganis, and Sir
Bleoberis de Ganis, with Sir Bellangere le Beuse, these six knights did
much harm. And ever king Arthur was nigh about Sir Launcelot to have
slain him, and Sir Launcelot suffered him, and would not strike again.
So Sir Bors encountered with king Arthur, and there with a spear Sir
Bors smote him down; and so he alight and drew his sword, and said to
Sir Launcelot, Shall I make an end of this war? and that he meant to
have slain king Arthur. Not so hardy, said Sir Launcelot, upon pain of
thy head, that thou touch him no more: for I will never see that most
noble king, that made me knight, neither slain ne shamed. And
therewithal Sir Launcelot alight off his horse, and took up the king,
and horsed him again, and said thus, My lord Arthur, for God’s love
stint this strife, for ye get here no worship and I would do mine
utterance, but always I forbear you, and ye, nor none of yours,
forbeareth me: my lord remember what I have done in many places, and
now I am evil rewarded.
Then when king Arthur was on horseback, he looked upon Sir Launcelot,
and then the tears brast out of his eyes, thinking on the great
courtesy that was in Sir Launcelot, more than in any other man. And
therewith the king rode his way, and might no longer behold him, and
said, Alas, that ever this war began! And then either parties of the
battles withdrew them to repose them, and buried the dead, and to the
wounded men they laid soft salves, and thus they endured that night
till on the morn, and on the morn by undorne they made them ready to do
battle. And then Sir Bors led the forward. So upon the morn there came
Sir Gawaine as brim as any boar, with a great spear in his hand, and
when Sir Bors saw him, he thought to revenge his brother Sir Lionel of
the despite that Sir Gawaine did him the other day. And so they that
knew either other feutered their spears, and with all their mights of
their horses and themselves they met together so felonously that either
bare other through, and so they fell both to the earth; and then the
battles joined, and there was much slaughter on both parties. Then Sir
Launcelot rescued Sir Bors, and sent him into the castle. But neither
Sir Gawaine nor Sir Bors died not of their wounds; for they were all
holpen. Then Sir Lavaine and Sir Urre prayed Sir Launcelot to do his
pain, and fight as they had done:—For we see ye forbear and spare, and
that doth much harm, therefore we pray you spare not your enemies no
more than they do you. Alas, said Sir Launcelot, I have no heart to
fight against my lord Arthur, for ever me seemeth I do not as I ought
to do. My lord, said Sir Palamides, though ye spare them all this day
they will never give you thank; and if they may get you at avail ye are
but dead. So then Sir Launcelot understood that they said him truth,
and then he strained himself more than he did aforehand, and because
his nephew Sir Bors was sore wounded. And then within a little while,
by even-song time, Sir Launcelot and his party better stood, for their
horses went in blood past the fetlocks, there was so much people slain.
And then, for pity, Sir Launcelot withheld his knights, and suffered
king Arthur’s party for to withdraw them on side. And then Sir
Launcelot’s party withdrew them into his castle, and either party
buried the dead bodies and put salve unto the wounded men. So when Sir
Gawaine was hurt, they on king Arthur’s party were not so orgulous as
they were toforehand to do battle. Of this war was noised through all
Christendom, and at the last it was noised afore the Pope; and he
considering the great goodness of king Arthur and of Sir Launcelot,
that was called the most noblest knights of the world, wherefore the
Pope called unto him a noble clerk, that at that time was there
present,—the French book saith it was the bishop of Rochester—and the
Pope gave him bulls under lead unto king Arthur of England, charging
him upon pain of interdicting of all England, that he take his queen
dame Guenever unto him again, and accord with Sir Launcelot.
CHAP. XIV.
_How the pope sent down his bulls to make peace, and how Sir Launcelot
brought the queen to king Arthur._
So when this bishop was come to Carlisle he shewed the king these
bulls. And when the king understood these bulls, he nist what to do:
full fain he would have been accorded with Sir Launcelot, but Sir
Gawaine would not suffer him; but as for to have the queen, thereto he
agreed. But in no wise Sir Gawaine would not suffer the king to accord
with Sir Launcelot, but as for the queen he consented. And then the
bishop had of the king his great seal, and his assurance, as he was a
true anointed king, that Sir Launcelot should come safe and go safe,
and that the queen should not be spoken unto, of the king, nor of none
other, for no thing done afore time past. And of all these appointments
the bishop brought with him sure assurance and writing, to shew Sir
Launcelot. So when the bishop was come to Joyous Gard, there he shewed
Sir Launcelot how the Pope had written to Arthur and unto him, and
there he told him the perils if he withheld the queen from the king. It
was never in my thought, said Launcelot, to withhold the queen from my
lord Arthur; but in so much she should have been dead for my sake, me
seemeth it was my part to save her life, and put her from that danger
till better recover might come. And now I thank God, said Sir
Launcelot, that the Pope hath made her peace; for God knoweth, said Sir
Launcelot, I will be a thousand fold more gladder to bring her again
than ever I was of her taking away,—with this, I may be sure to come
safe and go safe, and that the queen shall have her liberty as she had
before, and never for no thing that hath been surmised afore this time,
she never from this day stand in no peril; for else, said Sir
Launcelot, I dare adventure me to keep her from an harder shower than
ever I kept her. It shall not need you, said the bishop, to dread so
much: for wit you well the Pope must be obeyed; and it were not the
Pope’s worship nor my poor honesty to wit you distressed, neither the
queen, neither in peril nor shamed. And then he shewed Sir Launcelot
all his writing, both from the Pope and from king Arthur. This is sure
enough, said Sir Launcelot, for full well I dare trust my lord’s own
writing and his seal, for he was never shamed of his promise.
Therefore, said Sir Launcelot unto the bishop, ye shall ride unto the
king afore, and recommand me unto his good grace, and let him have
knowledging that this same day eight days, by the grace of God, I
myself shall bring my lady queen Guenever unto him. And then say ye
unto my most redoubted king, that I will say largely for the queen,
that I shall none except for dread, nor fear, but the king himself, and
my lord Sir Gawaine, and that is more for the king’s love than for
himself. So the bishop departed, and came to the king at Carlisle, and
told him all how Sir Launcelot answered him: and then the tears brast
out of the king’s eyes. Then Sir Launcelot purveyed him an hundred
knights, and all were clothed in green velvet, and their horses trapped
to their heels, and every knight held a branch of olive in his hand in
tokening of peace, and the queen had four and twenty gentlewomen
following her in the same wise, and Sir Launcelot had twelve coursers
following him, and on every courser sat a young gentleman, and all they
were arrayed in green velvet, with sarpis of gold about their quarters,
and the horse trapped in the same wise down to the heels with many
ouches, set with stones and pearls in gold, to the number of a
thousand; and she and Sir Launcelot were clothed in white cloth of gold
tissue, and right so as ye have heard, as the French book maketh
mention, he rode with the queen from Joyous Gard to Carlisle, and so
Sir Launcelot rode throughout Carlisle, and so in the castle, that all
men might behold and wit you well there was many a weeping eye. And
then Sir Launcelot himself alight, and avoided his horse, and took the
queen, and so led her where king Arthur was in his seat, and Sir
Gawaine sat afore him, and many other great lords. So when Sir
Launcelot saw the king and Sir Gawaine, then he led the queen by the
arm, and then he kneeled down, and the queen both. Wit you well, then
was there many bold knights there with king Arthur that wept as
tenderly as though they had seen all their kin afore them. So the king
sat still, and said no word. And when Sir Launcelot saw his
countenance, he arose and pulled up the queen with him, and thus he
spake full knightly:—
CHAP. XV.
_Of the deliverance of the queen to the king by Sir Launcelot, and what
language Sir Gawaine had to Sir Launcelot._
My most redoubted king, ye shall understand, by the Pope’s commandment,
and yours, I have brought to you my lady the queen, as right requireth;
and if there be any knight, of whatsoever degree that he be, except
your person, that will say or dare say but that she is true to you, I
here myself, Sir Launcelot du Lake, will make it good upon his body
that she is a true lady unto you: but liars ye have listened, and that
has caused debate betwixt you and me. For time hath been, my lord
Arthur, that ye have been greatly pleased with me, when I did battle
for my lady your queen; and full well ye know my most noble king, that
she hath been put to great wrong or this time, and sithen it pleased
you at many times that I should fight for her, me seemeth, my good
lord, I had more cause to rescue her from the fire, insomuch she should
have been burnt for my sake. For they that told you those tales were
liars, and so it fell upon them. For, by likelihood, had not the might
of God been with me, I might never have endured fourteen knights, and
they armed and afore purposed, and I unarmed and not purposed; for I
was sent for unto my lady your queen, I wot not for what cause, but I
was not so soon within the chamber door, but anon Sir Agravaine and Sir
Mordred called me traitor and recreant knight. They called thee right,
said Sir Gawaine. My lord Sir Gawaine, said Sir Launcelot, in their
quarrel they proved themselves not in the right. Well, well, Sir
Launcelot, said king Arthur, I have given thee no cause to do to me as