Le Morte Darthur
us he will have for his love. So this enchantment was cast upon Sir
Launcelot, and then they laid him upon his shield, and bare him so on
horseback betwixt two knights, and brought him unto the castle Chariot,
and there they laid him in a chamber cold, and at night they sent unto
him a fair damsel with his supper ready dight. By that the enchantment
was past, and when she came she saluted him, and asked him what cheer?
I cannot say, fair damsel, said Sir Launcelot, for I wot not how I came
into this castle but it be by an enchantment. Sir, said she, ye must
make good cheer, and if ye be such a knight as is said ye be, I shall
tell you more tomorn by prime of the day. Gramercy, fair damsel, said
Sir Launcelot, of your good will I require you. And so she departed.
And there he lay all that night without comfort of any body.
And on the morn early came these four queens, passingly well beseen,
all they bidding him good morn, and he them again. Sir knight, the four
queens said, thou must understand thou art our prisoner, and we here
know thee well, that thou art Sir Launcelot du Lake, king Ban’s son.
And truly we understand your worthiness that thou art the noblest
knight living; and, as we know well, there can no lady have thy love
but one, and that is queen Guenever, and now thou shalt lose her for
ever, and she thee, and therefore thee behoveth now to choose one of us
four. I am the queen Morgan le Fay, queen of the land of Gore, and here
is the queen of Northgalis, and the queen of Eastland, and the queen of
the Out Isles; now choose ye one of us which thou wilt have to thy love
for thou mayst not choose or else in this prison to die. This is an
hard case, said Sir Launcelot, that either I must die or else choose
one of you, yet had I lever to die in this prison with worship, than to
have one of you to my love maugre my head. And therefore ye be
answered, for I will have none of you, for ye be false enchantresses.
And as for my lady dame Guenever, were I at my liberty as I was, I
would prove it on you or upon yours, that she is the truest lady unto
her lord living. Well, said the queens, is this your answer, that you
will refuse us? Yea, on my life, said Sir Launcelot, refused ye be of
me. So they departed and left him there alone that made great sorrow.
CHAP. IV.
_How Sir Launcelot was delivered by the mean of a damsel._
Right so at the noon came the damsel unto him with his dinner, and
asked him what cheer? Truly, fair damsel, said Sir Launcelot, in my
life days never so ill. Sir, she said, that me repenteth, but and ye
will be ruled by me I shall help you out of this distress, and ye shall
have no shame nor villainy, so that ye hold me a promise. Fair damsel I
will grant you, and sore I am of these queens sorceresses afeard, for
they have destroyed many a good knight. Sir, said she, that is sooth,
and for the renown and bounty they hear of you they would have your
love, and, sir, they say your name is Sir Launcelot du Lake, the flower
of knights, and they be passing wroth with you that ye have refused
them. But sir, and ye would promise me for to help my father on Tuesday
next coming, that hath made a tournament betwixt him and the king of
Northgalis, (for the last Tuesday past my father lost the field through
three knights of king Arthur’s court,) and if ye will be there upon
Tuesday next coming and help my father, tomorn ere prime, by the grace
of God, I shall deliver you clean. Fair maiden, said Sir Launcelot,
tell me what is your father’s name, and then shall I give you an
answer. Sir knight, she said, my father is king Bagdemagus, that was
foul rebuked at the last tournament. I know your father well, said Sir
Launcelot, for a noble king, and a good knight, and by the faith of my
body, ye shall have my body ready to do your father and you service at
that day. Sir, she said, gramercy, and to-morn await ye be ready
betimes, and I shall be she that shall deliver you, and take you your
armour and your horse, shield and spear: and hereby, within this ten
mile, is an abbey of white monks, there I pray you that ye me abide,
and thither shall I bring my father unto you. All this shall be done,
said Sir Launcelot, as I am true knight. And so she departed, and came
on the morn early, and found him ready. Then she brought him out of
twelve locks, and brought him unto his armour, and when he was armed
clean, she brought him until his own horse, and lightly he saddled him,
and took a great spear in his hand, and so rode forth, and said, Fair
damsel I shall not fail you by the grace of God. And so he rode into a
great forest all that day, and never could find no high way, and so the
night fell on him, and then was he ware in a valley of a pavilion of
red sendal. By my faith, said Sir Launcelot, in that pavilion will I
lodge all this night. And so there he alight down, and tied his horse
to the pavilion, and there he unarmed him, and there he found a bed,
and laid him therein and he fell on sleep heavily.
CHAP. V.
_How a knight found Sir Launcelot lying in his bed, and how Sir
Launcelot fought with the knight._
Then within an hour there came the knight to whom belonged the
pavilion, and so he laid him down beside Sir Launcelot. And when Sir
Launcelot felt him, he started out of the bed lightly, and the other
knight after him, and either of them gat their swords in their hands,
and out at the pavilion door went the knight of the pavilion, and Sir
Launcelot followed him, and there, by a little slake, Sir Launcelot
wounded him sore nigh unto the death. And then he yielded him unto Sir
Launcelot, and so he granted him, so that he would tell him why he came
into the bed. Sir, said the knight, the pavilion is mine own, and there
this night would I have slept, and now I am likely to die of this
wound. That me repenteth, said Sir Launcelot, of your hurt; but I was
adread of treason, for I was late beguiled; and therefore come on your
way into your pavilion, and take your rest, and as I suppose I shall
stanch your blood. So they went both into the pavilion, and anon Sir
Launcelot stanched his blood.
Therewithal came the knight’s lady, which was a passing fair lady. And
when she espied that her lord Belleus was so sore wounded, she cried
out on Sir Launcelot, and made great dole out of measure. Peace my lady
and my love, said Belleus, for this knight is a good man, and a knight
adventurous; and there he told her all the cause how he was wounded;
and when that I yielded me unto him, he left me goodly and hath
stanched my blood. Sir, said the lady, I require thee tell me what
knight ye be, and what is your name? Fair lady, said he, my name is Sir
Launcelot du Lake. So me thought ever by your speech, said the lady,
for I have seen you oft or this, and I know you better than ye ween.
But now and ye would promise me of your courtesy, for the harms that ye
have done to me and to my lord Belleus, that when he cometh unto
Arthur’s court for to cause him to be made knight of the Round Table,
for he is a passing good man of arms, and a mighty lord of lands of
many out isles. Fair lady, said Sir Launcelot, let him come unto the
court the next high feast, and look that ye come with him, and I shall
do my power, and ye prove you doughty of your hands, that ye shall have
your desire. So thus within awhile as they thus talked, the night
passed, and the day shone, and then Sir Launcelot armed him, and took
his horse, and they taught him to the abbey, and thither he rode within
the space of two hours.
CHAP. VI.
_How Sir Launcelot was received of king Bagdemagus’s daughter, and he
made his complaint to her father._
And soon as Sir Launcelot came within the abbey yard the daughter of
king Bagdemagus heard a great horse go on the pavement. And she then
arose and went unto a window, and there she saw Sir Launcelot, and anon
she made men fast to take his horse from him and let lead him into a
stable, and himself was led into a fair chamber, and unarmed him, and
the lady sent him a long gown, and anon she came herself. And then she
made Launcelot passing good cheer, and she said he was the knight in
the world was most welcome to her. Then in all haste she sent for her
father Bagdemagus that was within twelve mile of that abbey, and afore
even he came with a fair fellowship of knights with him. And when the
king was alight off his horse he went straight unto Sir Launcelot’s
chamber, and there he found his daughter, and then the king embraced
Sir Launcelot in his arms, and either made other good cheer. Anon Sir
Launcelot made his complaint unto the king how he was betrayed, and how
his brother Sir Lionel was departed from him he wist not where, and how
his daughter had delivered him out of prison,—therefore while I live I
shall do her service and all her kindred. Then am I sure of your help,
said the king, on Tuesday next coming. Yea, sir, said Sir Launcelot, I
shall not fail you, for so I have promised my lady your daughter. But
sir, what knights been they of my lord Arthur’s, that were with the
king of Northgalis? And the king said it was Sir Mador de la Porte, and
Sir Mordred, and Sir Gahalatine, that all for-fared my knights, for
against them three I nor my knights might bear no strength. Sir, said
Sir Launcelot, as I hear say that the tournament shall be within this
three mile of this abbey, ye shall send unto me three knights of yours
such as ye trust, and look that the three knights have all white
shields, and I also, and no painture on the shields, and we four will
come out of a little wood in the midst of both parties, and we shall
fall in the front of our enemies and grieve them that we may; and thus
shall I not be known what knight I am. So they took their rest that
night, and this was on the Sunday. And so the king departed, and sent
unto Sir Launcelot three knights, with the four white shields.
And on the Tuesday they lodged them in a little leaved wood beside
there the tournament should be. And there were scaffolds and holes that
lords and ladies might behold and to give the prize. Then came into the
field the king of Northgalis with eightscore helms. And then the three
knights of Arthur stood by themselves. Then came into the field king
Bagdemagus with fourscore of helms. And then they fewtred their spears,
and came together with a great dash, and there were slain of knights,
at the first recounter, twelve of king Bagdemagus’s party, and six of
the king of Northgalis’ party, and king Bagdemagus’s party was far set
aback.
CHAP. VII.
_How Sir Launcelot behaved him in a tournament, and how he met with Sir
Turquine leading away Sir Gaheris._
With that came Sir Launcelot du Lake, and he thrust in with his spear
in the thickest of the press, and there he smote down with one spear
five knights, and of four of them he brake their backs. And in that
throng he smote down the king of Northgalis, and brake his thigh in
that fall. All this doing of Sir Launcelot saw the three knights of
Arthur. Yonder is a shrewd guest, said Sir Mador de la Porte, therefore
have here once at him. So they encountered, and Sir Launcelot bare him
down horse and man, so that his shoulder went out of joint. Now
befalleth it to me to just, said Mordred, for Sir Mador hath a sore
fall. Sir Launcelot was ware of him, and gat a great spear in his hand,
and met him, and Sir Mordred brake a spear upon him, and Sir Launcelot
gave him such a buffet that the bow of his saddle brake, and so he flew
over his horse tail, that his helm went into the earth a foot and more,
that nigh his neck was broken, and there he lay long in a swoon. Then
came in Sir Gahalatine with a spear, and Launcelot against him, with