Le Morte Darthur
rebellions in my days that by me were appeased; and I trow we all shall
hear of them in short space, and that me sore repenteth. For ever I
dread me, said Sir Launcelot, that Sir Mordred will make trouble, for
he is passing envious, and applieth him to trouble. So they were
accorded to go with Sir Launcelot to his lands. And to make short tale,
they trussed, and paid all that would ask them. And wholly an hundred
knights departed with Sir Launcelot at once, and made their avows they
would never leave him for weal nor for woe; and so they shipped at
Cardiff, and sailed unto Benwick: some men call it Bayonne, and some
men call it Beaume, where the wine of Beaume is. But to say the sooth,
Sir Launcelot and his nephews were lords of all France, and of all the
lands that longed unto France, he and his kindred rejoiced it all
through Sir Launcelot’s noble prowess. And then Sir Launcelot stuffed
and furnished and garnished all his noble towns and castles. Then all
the people of those lands came unto Sir Launcelot on foot and hands.
And so when he had established all these countries, he shortly called a
parliament; and there he crowned Sir Lionel king of France; and Sir
Bors he crowned him king of all king Claudas’ lands; and Sir Ector de
Maris, that was Sir Launcelot’s youngest brother, he crowned him king
of Benwick, and also king of all Guienne, that was Sir Launcelot’s own
land. And he made Sir Ector prince of them all, and thus he departed.
Then Sir Launcelot advanced all his noble knights, and first he
advanced them of his blood; that was Sir Blamor he made him duke of
Limosin in Guienne, and Sir Bleoberis he made him duke of Poictiers,
and Sir Gahalantin he made him duke of Querne, and Sir Galihodin he
made him duke of Sentonge, and Sir Galihud he made him earl of Perigot,
and Sir Menadeuke he made him earl of Roerge, and Sir Villiers the
valiant he made him earl of Bearn, and Sir Hebes le Renoumes he made
him earl of Comange, and Sir Lavaine he made him earl of Arminak, and
Sir Urre he made him earl of Estrake, and Sir Neroneus he made him earl
of Pardiak, and Sir Plenorius he made him earl of Foise, and Sir
Selises of the dolorous tower he made him earl of Masauke, and sir
Melias de Lile he made him earl of Tursauk, and Sir Bellangere le Bewse
he made him earl of the Landes, and Sir Palamides he made him duke of
the Provence, and Sir Safir he made him duke of Langedok, and Sir
Clegis he gave him the earldom of Agente, and Sir Sadok he gave him the
earldom of Surlat, and Sir Dinas le seneschal he made him duke of
Anjou, and Sir Clarrus he made him duke of Normandy. Thus Sir Launcelot
rewarded his noble knights, and many more, that me seemeth it were too
long to rehearse.
CHAP. XIX.
_How king Arthur and Sir Gawaine made a great host ready to go over sea
to make war on Sir Launcelot._
So leave we Sir Launcelot in his lands, and his noble knights with him,
and return we again unto king Arthur and to Sir Gawaine, that made a
great host ready, to the number of threescore thousand, and all thing
was made ready for their shipping to pass over the sea; and so they
shipped at Cardiff. And there king Arthur made Sir Mordred chief ruler
of all England, and also he put queen Guenever under his governance;
because Sir Mordred was king Arthur’s son, he gave him the rule of his
land, and of his wife, and so king Arthur passed over the sea and
landed upon Sir Launcelot’s lands, and there he burnt and wasted,
through the vengeance of Sir Gawaine, all that they might overrun. When
this word came to Sir Launcelot, that king Arthur and Sir Gawaine were
landed upon his lands, and made a full destruction and waste, then
spake Sir Bors and said, My lord Sir Launcelot, it is shame that we
suffer them thus to ride over our lands, for wit you well, suffer ye
them as long as ye will, they will do you no favour, and they may
handle you. Then said Sir Lionel, that was ware and wise, My lord Sir
Launcelot, I will give you this counsel, let us keep our strong walled
towns until they have hunger and cold, and blow on their nails, and
then let us freshly set upon them, and shred them down as sheep in a
field, that aliens may take ensample for ever how they land upon our
lands. Then spake king Bagdemagus to Sir Launcelot, Sir, your courtesy
will shend us all, and thy courtesy hath waked all this sorrow: for,
and they thus over our lands ride, they shall by process bring us all
to nought, whilst we thus in holes us hide. Then said Sir Galihud unto
Sir Launcelot, Sir, here be knights come of kings’ blood that will not
long droop, and they are within these walls, therefore give us leave,
like as we be knights, to meet them in the field, and we shall slay
them, that they shall curse the time that ever they came into this
country. Then spake seven brethren of North Wales, and they were seven
noble knights, a man might seek in seven lands or he might find such
seven knights: then they all said at once, Sir Launcelot, let us out
ride with Sir Galihud, for we be never wont to cower in castles nor in
noble towns. Then spake Sir Launcelot, that was master and governor of
them all, My fair lords, wit you well I am full loth to ride out with
my knights, for shedding of christian blood; and yet my lands I
understand be full bare to sustain any host a while, for the mighty
wars that whilom made king Claudus upon this country, upon my father
king Ban, and on mine uncle king Bors; howbeit we will as at this time
keep our strong walls, and I shall send a messager unto my lord Arthur,
a treaty for to take, for better is peace than always war. So Sir
Launcelot sent forth a damsel, and a dwarf with her, requiring king
Arthur to leave his warring upon his lands, and so she start upon a
palfrey, and the dwarf ran by her side. And when she came to the
pavilion of king Arthur, there she alight, and there met her a gentle
knight Sir Lucan the butler, and said, Fair damsel, come ye from Sir
Launcelot du Lake? Yea, sir, she said, therefore I come hither to speak
with my lord the king. Alas, said Sir Lucan, my lord Arthur would love
Launcelot, but Sir Gawaine will not suffer him. And then he said, I
pray to God, damsel, ye may speed well, for all we that be about the
king would that Sir Launcelot did best of any knight living. And so
with this Lucan led the damsel unto the king, where he sat with Sir
Gawaine for to hear what she would say. So when she had told her tale,
the water ran out of the king’s eyes, and all the lords were full glad
for to advise the king as to be accorded with Sir Launcelot, save all
only Sir Gawaine, and he said, My lord, mine uncle, what will ye do?
will ye now turn again, now ye are past thus far upon this journey? all
the world will speak of you villainy. Nay, said Arthur, wit thou well,
Sir Gawaine, I will do as ye will advise me; and yet me seemeth, said
Arthur, his fair proffers were not good to be refused: but sithen I am
comen so far upon this journey, I will that ye give the damsel her
answer, for I may not speak to her for pity, for her proffers be so
large.
CHAP. XX.
_What message Sir Gawaine sent to Sir Launcelot, and king Arthur laid
siege to Benwick, and other matters._
Then Sir Gawaine said to the damsel thus: Damsel, say ye to Sir
Launcelot, that it is waste labour, now to sue to mine uncle. For tell
him, and he would have made any labour for peace, he should have made
it or this time: for tell him now it is too late. And say, that I, Sir
Gawaine, so send him word, that I promise him, by the faith I owe unto
God, and to knighthood, I shall never leave him till he have slain me,
or I him. So the damsel wept and departed, and there were many weeping
eyes: and so Sir Lucan brought the damsel to her palfrey, and so she
came to Sir Launcelot, where he was among all his knights; and when Sir
Launcelot had heard this answer, then the tears ran down by his cheeks.
And then his noble knights strode about him, and said, Sir Launcelot,
wherefore make ye such cheer: think what ye are, and what men we are,
and let us noble knights match them in midst of the field. That may be
lightly done, said Sir Launcelot, but I was never so loth to do battle,
and therefore, I pray you, fair sirs, as ye love me, be ruled as I will
have you, for I will always flee that noble king that made me knight.
And when I may no farther, I must needs defend me, and that will be
more worship for me, and us all, than to compare with that noble king
whom we have all served. Then they held their language, and as that
night they took their rest. And upon the morn, early, in the dawning of
the day, as knights looked out, they saw the city of Benwick besieged
round about, and fast they began to set up ladders. And then they
defied them out of the town, and beat them from the walls mightily.
Then came forth Sir Gawaine, well armed, upon a stiff steed, and he
came before the chief gate with his spear in his hand, crying, Sir
Launcelot, where art thou, is there none of you proud knights dare
break a spear with me? Then Sir Bors made him ready, and came forth out
of the town, and there Sir Gawaine encountered with Sir Bors; and at
that time he smote Sir Bors down from his horse, and almost he had
slain him, and so Sir Bors was rescued, and borne into the town. Then
came forth Sir Lionel, brother to Sir Bors, and thought to revenge him,
and either feutred their spears, and ran together, and there they met
spitefully, but Sir Gawaine had such grace that he smote Sir Lionel
down, and wounded him there passing sore, and then Sir Lionel was
rescued, and borne into the town. And this Sir Gawaine came every day,
and he failed not, but that he smote down one knight or other. So thus
they endured half a year, and much slaughter was of people on both
parties. Then it befell upon a day, Sir Gawaine came before the gates
armed at all pieces, on a noble horse, with a great spear in his hand,
and then he cried with a loud voice, Where art thou now, thou false
traitor. Sir Launcelot? Why hidest thou thyself within holes and walls
like a coward? Look out now, thou false traitor knight, and here I
shall revenge upon thy body the death of my three brethren. All this
language heard Sir Launcelot every deal, and his kin and his knights
drew about him, and all they said at once to Sir Launcelot, Sir
Launcelot, now must ye defend you like a knight, or else ye be shamed
for ever: for now ye be called upon treason, it is time for you to
stir, for ye have slept over long, and suffered over much. So God me
help, said Sir Launcelot, I am right heavy of Sir Gawaine’s words, for
now he charged me with a great charge; and therefore I wot it as well
as ye, that I must defend me, or else to be recreant. Then Sir
Launcelot bade saddle his strongest horse, and bad let fetch his arms,
and bring all unto the gate of the tower. And then Sir Launcelot spake
on high unto king Arthur, and said, My lord Arthur, and noble king that
made me knight, wit you well I am right heavy for your sake, that ye
thus sue upon me, and always I forbear you, for, and I would have been
vengeable, I might have met you in midst of the field, and there to
have made your boldest knights full tame: and now I have forborne half
a year, and suffered you and Sir Gawaine to do what ye would do, and
now I may endure it no longer, now must I needs defend myself, insomuch
Sir Gawaine hath appealed me of treason,—the which is greatly against
my will, that ever I should fight against any of your blood; but now I
may not forsake it, I am driven thereto as a beast till a bay. Then Sir
Gawaine said, Sir Launcelot, and thou darest do battle, leave thy
babbling and come off, and let us ease our hearts. Then Sir Launcelot