Le Morte Darthur
work enough to match that knight, for ever me seemeth by his person it
is Sir Launcelot, or Sir Tristam, or Sir Pelleas the good knight. Then
anon they took their horses and overtook Sir Launcelot, and Sir Gilmere
put forth his spear and ran to Sir Launcelot and Sir Launcelot smote
him down that he lay in a swoon. Sir knight, said Sir Raynold, thou art
a strong man, and, as I suppose, thou hast slain my two brethren, for
the which riseth my heart sore against thee; and if I might with my
worship I would not have ado with thee, but needs I must take part as
they do; and therefore knight, he said, keep thyself. And so they
hurtled together with all their mights, and all to-shivered both their
spears. And then they drew their swords and lashed together eagerly.
Anon therewith arose Sir Gaunter, and came unto his brother Sir
Gilmere, and bad him arise and help we our brother Sir Raynold, that
yonder marvellously matcheth yonder good knight. Therewithal they lept
on their horses, and hurtled unto Sir Launcelot. And when he saw them
come, he smote a sore stroke unto Sir Raynold, that he fell off his
horse to the ground, and then he struck to the other two brethren, and
at two strokes he strake them down to the earth. With that Sir Raynold
began to start up with his head all bloody, and came straight unto Sir
Launcelot. Now let be, said Sir Launcelot, I was not far from thee when
thou wert made knight, Sir Raynold, and also I know thou art a good
knight, and loth I were to slay thee. Gramercy, said Sir Raynold, as
for your goodness; and I dare say as for me and my brethren, we will
not be loth to yield us unto you, with that we knew your name; for well
we know ye are not Sir Kay. As for that be it as it may, for ye shall
yield you unto dame Guenever, and look that ye be with her on
Whitsunday, and yield you unto her as prisoners, and say that Sir Kay
sent you unto her. Then they swore it should be done. And so passed
forth Sir Launcelot, and each one of the brethren helped each other as
well as they might.
CHAP. XIII.
_How Sir Launcelot justed against four knights of the Round Table, and
overthrew them._
So Sir Launcelot rode into a deep forest, and there by in a slade he
saw four knights hoving under an oak, and they were of Arthur’s court;
one was Sagramour le Desirous, and Sir Ector de Maris, and Sir Gawaine,
and Sir Uwaine. Anon as these four knights had espied Sir Launcelot
they wend by his arms it had been Sir Kay. Now by my faith, said Sir
Sagramour, I will prove Sir Kay’s might, and gat his spear in his hand,
and came toward Sir Launcelot. Therewith Sir Launcelot was ware, and
knew him well, and fewtred his spear against him, and smote Sir
Sagramour so sore that horse and man fell both to the earth. Lo, my
fellows, said Sir Ector, yonder ye may see what a buffet he hath; that
knight is much bigger than ever was Sir Kay. Now shall ye see what I
may do to him. So Sir Ector gat his spear in his hand and galloped
toward Sir Launcelot, and Sir Launcelot smote him through the shield
and shoulder that horse and man went to the earth, and ever his spear
held. By my faith, said Sir Uwaine, yonder is a strong knight, and I am
sure he hath slain Sir Kay; and I see by his great strength it will be
hard to match him. And therewithal Sir Uwaine gat his spear in his hand
and rode toward Sir Launcelot, and Sir Launcelot knew him well, and so
he met him on the plain and gave him such a buffet that he was
astonied, that long he wist not where he was. Now see I well, said Sir
Gawaine, I must encounter with that knight. Then he dressed his shield
and gat a good spear in his hand, and Sir Launcelot knew him well, and
then they let run their horses with all their mights, and either knight
smote other in midst of the shield. But Sir Gawaine’s spear to-brast,
and Sir Launcelot charged so sore upon him that his horse reversed up
so down. And much sorrow had Sir Gawaine to avoid his horse, and so Sir
Launcelot passed on a pace, and smiled, and said, God give him joy that
this spear made, for there came never a better in my hand. Then the
four knights went each one to other, and comforted each other. What say
ye by this gest? said Sir Gawaine, that one spear hath felled us four.
We command him unto the devil, they said all, for he is a man of great
might. Ye may well say it, said Sir Gawaine, that he is a man of might,
for I dare lay my head it is Sir Launcelot, I know it by his riding.
Let him go, said Sir Gawaine, for when we come to the court then shall
we wit. And then had they much sorrow to get their horses again.
CHAP. XIV.
_How Sir Launcelot followed a brachet into a castle where he found a
dead knight, and how he after was required of a damsel to heal her
brother._
Now leave we there and speak of Sir Launcelot that rode a great while
in a deep forest, where he saw a black brachet, seeking in manner as it
had been in the track of an hurt deer, and therewith he rode after the
brachet, and he saw lie on the ground a large track of blood. And then
Sir Launcelot rode after. And ever the brachet looked behind her, and
so she went through a great marsh, and ever Sir Launcelot followed. And
then was he ware of an old manor, and thither ran the brachet, and so
over the bridge. So Sir Launcelot rode over that bridge that was old
and feeble; and when he came in midst of a great hall, there he saw lie
a dead knight that was a seemly man, and that brachet licked his
wounds. And therewithal came out a lady weeping and wringing her hands,
and she said, Oh knight, too much sorrow hast thou brought me. Why say
ye so? said Sir Launcelot, I did never this knight no harm, for hither
by track of blood this brachet brought me; and therefore fair lady be
not displeased with me, for I am full sore aggrieved of your grievance.
Truly sir, she said, I trow it be not ye that have slain my husband,
for he that did that deed is sore wounded, and he is never likely to
recover, that shall I ensure him. What was your husband’s name? said
Sir Launcelot. Sir, said she, his name was called Sir Gilbert, one of
the best knights of the world, and he that hath slain him I know not
his name. Now God send you better comfort, said Sir Launcelot. And so
he departed and went into the forest again, and there he met with a
damsel, the which knew him well, and she said aloud, Well be ye found,
my lord; and now I require thee on thy knighthood help my brother that
is sore wounded, and never stinteth bleeding, for this day fought he
with Sir Gilbert and slew him in plain battle, and there was my brother
sore wounded, and there is a lady a sorceress that dwelleth in a castle
here beside, and this day she told me my brother’s wounds should never
be whole till I could find a knight that would go into the chapel
perilous, and there he should find a sword and a bloody cloth that the
wounded knight was lapped in, and a piece of that cloth and sword
should heal my brother’s wounds, so that his wounds were searched with
the sword and the cloth. This is a marvellous thing, said Sir
Launcelot, but what is your brother’s name? Sir, said she, his name is
Sir Meliot de Logres. That me repenteth, said Sir Launcelot, for he is
a fellow of the Table Round, and to his help I will do my power. Then,
sir, said she, follow even this high way, and it will bring you unto
the chapel perilous, and here I shall abide till God send you here
again, and but you speed I know no knight living that may achieve that
adventure.
CHAP. XV.
_How Sir Launcelot came into the chapel perilous, and gat there of a
dead corpse a piece of the cloth and a sword._
Right so Sir Launcelot departed, and when he came unto the chapel
perilous he alight down, and tied his horse to a little gate. And as
soon as he was within the churchyard he saw on the front of the chapel
many fair rich shields turned up so down, and many of the shields Sir
Launcelot had seen knights bear beforehand. With that he saw by him
stand there a thirty great knights, more by a yard than any man that
ever he had seen, and all those grinned and gnashed at Sir Launcelot.
And when he saw their countenance he dread him sore, and so put his
shield afore him, and took his sword in his hand ready unto battle; and
they were all armed in black harness, ready with their shields and
their swords drawn. And when Sir Launcelot would have gone throughout
them, they scattered on every side of him, and gave him the way, and
therewith he waxed all bold and entered into the chapel, and then he
saw no light but a dim lamp burning, and then was he ware of a corpse
covered with a cloth of silk. Then Sir Launcelot stooped down and cut a
piece away of that cloth, and then it fared under him as the earth had
quaked a little; there withal he feared. And then he saw a fair sword
lie by the dead knight, and that he gat in his hand and hied him out of
the chapel. Anon as ever he was in the chapel-yard all the knights
spake to him with a grimly voice, and said, Knight, Sir Launcelot, lay
that sword from thee, or else thou shalt die. Whether I live or die,
said Sir Launcelot, will no great word get it again, therefore fight
for it and ye list. Then right so he passed throughout them, and beyond
the chapel-yard there met him a fair damsel, and said, Sir Launcelot,
leave that sword behind thee, or thou wilt die for it. I leave it not,
said Sir Launcelot, for no entreaties. No, said she, and thou didst
leave that sword queen Guenever should ye never see. Then were I a fool
and I would leave this sword, said Sir Launcelot. Now gentle knight,
said the damsel, I require thee to kiss me but once. Nay, said Sir
Launcelot, that God me forbid. Well sir, said she, and thou haddest
kissed me thy life days had been done, but now alas, she said, I have
lost all my labour, for I ordained this chapel for thy sake, and for
Sir Gawaine. And once I had Sir Gawaine within my power, and at that
time he fought with that knight that lieth there dead in yonder chapel,
Sir Gilbert, and at that time he smote off the left hand of Sir
Gilbert. And Sir Launcelot now I tell thee, I have loved thee this
seven year, but there may no woman have thy love but queen Guenever.
But since I may not rejoice thee to have thy body alive, I had kept no
more joy in this world but to have thy body dead. Then would I have
balmed it and preserved it, and so have kept it my life days, and daily
I should have kissed thee in despite of queen Guenever. Ye say well,
said Sir Launcelot, God preserve me from your subtil crafts. And
therewithal he took his horse and so departed from her. And as the book
saith, when Sir Launcelot was departed she took such sorrow that she
died within a fourteen night, and her name was Hellawes the sorceress,
lady of the castle Nigramous. Anon Sir Launcelot met with the damsel,
Sir Meliot’s sister. And when she saw him she clapped her hands and
wept for joy, and then they rode unto a castle thereby, where Sir
Meliot lay. And anon as Sir Launcelot saw him he knew him, but he was
pale as the earth for bleeding. When Sir Meliot saw Sir Launcelot, he
kneeled upon his knees and cried on high: O lord Sir Launcelot help me!
Anon Sir Launcelot leapt unto him, and touched his wounds with Sir
Gilbert’s sword, and then he wiped his wounds with a part of the bloody
cloth that Sir Gilbert was wrapped in, and anon a wholer man in his
life was he never. And then there was great joy between them, and they
made Sir Launcelot all the cheer that they might, and so on the morn
Sir Launcelot took his leave, and bad Sir Meliot hie him to the court
of my lord Arthur, for it draweth nigh to the feast of Pentecost, and
there, by the grace of God, ye shall find me. And therewith they
departed.