Book: Le Morte Darthur

T >> Thomas Malory >> Le Morte Darthur






CHAPTER XVII

How Sir Launcelot armed him to assay if he might bear
arms, and how his wounds brast out again.


THEN Sir Bors told Sir Launcelot how there was sworn a
great tournament and jousts betwixt King Arthur and the
King of Northgalis, that should be upon All Hallowmass
Day, beside Winchester. Is that truth? said Sir Launcelot;
then shall ye abide with me still a little while until that I
be whole, for I feel myself right big and strong. Blessed
be God, said Sir Bors. Then were they there nigh a month
together, and ever this maiden Elaine did ever her diligent
labour night and day unto Sir Launcelot, that there was
never child nor wife more meeker to her father and husband
than was that Fair Maiden of Astolat; wherefore Sir Bors
was greatly pleased with her.

So upon a day, by the assent of Sir Launcelot, Sir Bors,
and Sir Lavaine, they made the hermit to seek in woods
for divers herbs, and so Sir Launcelot made fair Elaine to
gather herbs for him to make him a bain. In the meanwhile
Sir Launcelot made him to arm him at all pieces;
and there he thought to assay his armour and his spear, for
his hurt or not. And so when he was upon his horse he
stirred him fiercely, and the horse was passing lusty and
fresh because he was not laboured a month afore. And
then Sir Launcelot couched that spear in the rest. That
courser leapt mightily when he felt the spurs; and he that
was upon him, the which was the noblest horse of the world,
strained him mightily and stably, and kept still the spear
in the rest; and therewith Sir Launcelot strained himself
so straitly, with so great force, to get the horse forward,
that the button of his wound brast both within and
without; and therewithal the blood came out so fiercely that
he felt himself so feeble that he might not sit upon his
horse. And then Sir Launcelot cried unto Sir Bors: Ah,
Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine, help, for I am come to mine end.
And therewith he fell down on the one side to the earth
like a dead corpse. And then Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine
came to him with sorrow-making out of measure. And
so by fortune the maiden Elaine heard their mourning, and
then she came thither; and when she found Sir Launcelot
there armed in that place she cried and wept as she had
been wood; and then she kissed him, and did what she
might to awake him. And then she rebuked her brother
and Sir Bors, and called them false traitors, why they would
take him out of his bed; there she cried, and said she would
appeal them of his death.

With this came the holy hermit, Sir Baudwin of Brittany,
and when he found Sir Launcelot in that plight he
said but little, but wit ye well he was wroth; and then he
bade them: Let us have him in. And so they all bare him
unto the hermitage, and unarmed him, and laid him in his
bed; and evermore his wound bled piteously, but he stirred
no limb of him. Then the knight-hermit put a thing in
his nose and a little deal of water in his mouth. And then
Sir Launcelot waked of his swoon, and then the hermit
staunched his bleeding. And when he might speak he
asked Sir Launcelot why he put his life in jeopardy. Sir,
said Sir Launcelot, because I weened I had been strong, and
also Sir Bors told me that there should be at All Hallowmass
a great jousts betwixt King Arthur and the King of
Northgalis, and therefore I thought to assay it myself
whether I might be there or not. Ah, Sir Launcelot, said
the hermit, your heart and your courage will never be done
until your last day, but ye shall do now by my counsel
Let Sir Bors depart from you, and let him do at that
tournament what he may: And by the grace of God, said
the knight-hermit, by that the tournament be done and ye
come hither again, Sir Launcelot shall be as whole as ye, so
that he will be governed by me.



CHAPTER XVIII

How Sir Bors returned and told tidings of Sir Launcelot;
and of the tourney, and to whom the prize was given.


THEN Sir Bors made him ready to depart from Sir Launcelot;
and then Sir Launcelot said: Fair cousin, Sir Bors,
recommend me unto all them unto whom me ought to
recommend me unto. And I pray you, enforce yourself
at that jousts that ye may be best, for my love; and here
shall I abide you at the mercy of God till ye come again.
And so Sir Bors departed and came to the court of King
Arthur, and told them in what place he had left Sir
Launcelot. That me repenteth, said the king, but since he shall
have his life we all may thank God. And there Sir Bors
told the queen in what jeopardy Sir Launcelot was when
he would assay his horse. And all that he did, madam,
was for the love of you, because he would have been at this
tournament. Fie on him, recreant knight, said the queen,
for wit ye well I am right sorry an he shall have his life.
His life shall he have, said Sir Bors, and who that would
otherwise, except you, madam, we that be of his blood
should help to short their lives. But madam, said Sir Bors,
ye have been oft-times displeased with my lord, Sir
Launcelot, but at all times at the end ye find him a true knight:
and so he departed.

And then every knight of the Round Table that were
there at that time present made them ready to be at that
jousts at All Hallowmass, and thither drew many knights
of divers countries. And as All Hallowmass drew near,
thither came the King of Northgalis, and the King with
the Hundred Knights, and Sir Galahad, the haut prince, of
Surluse, and thither came King Anguish of Ireland, and the
King of Scots. So these three kings came on King Arthur's
party. And so that day Sir Gawaine did great deeds of
arms, and began first. And the heralds numbered that Sir
Gawaine smote down twenty knights. Then Sir Bors de
Ganis came in the same time, and he was numbered that
he smote down twenty knights; and therefore the prize
was given betwixt them both, for they began first and
longest endured. Also Sir Gareth, as the book saith, did
that day great deeds of arms, for he smote down and pulled
down thirty knights. But when he had done these deeds
he tarried not but so departed, and therefore he lost his
prize. And Sir Palomides did great deeds of arms that
day, for he smote down twenty knights, but he departed
suddenly, and men deemed Sir Gareth and he rode together
to some manner adventures.

So when this tournament was done Sir Bors departed
and rode till he came to Sir Launcelot, his cousin; and
then he found him walking on his feet, and there either
made great joy of other; and so Sir Bors told Sir Launcelot
of all the Jousts like as ye have heard. I marvel, said Sir
Launcelot, that Sir Gareth, when he had done such deeds
of arms, that he would not tarry. Thereof we marvelled
all, said Sir Bors, for but if it were you, or Sir Tristram, or
Sir Lamorak de Galis, I saw never knight bear down so
many in so little a while as did Sir Gareth: and anon he
was gone we wist not where. By my head, said Sir Launcelot,
he is a noble knight, and a mighty man and well
breathed; and if he were well assayed, said Sir Launcelot
I would deem he were good enough for any knight that
beareth the life; and he is a gentle knight, courteous, true,
and bounteous, meek, and mild, and in him is no manner
of mal engin, but plain, faithful, and true.

So then they made them ready to depart from the
hermit. And so upon a morn they took their horses and
Elaine le Blank with them; and when they came to Astolat
there were they well lodged, and had great cheer of Sir
Bernard, the old baron, and of Sir Tirre, his son. And so
upon the morn when Sir Launcelot should depart, fair
Elaine brought her father with her, and Sir Lavaine, and
Sir Tirre, and thus she said:



CHAPTER XIX

Of the great lamentation of the Fair Maid of Astolat when
Launcelot should depart, and how she died for his love.


MY lord, Sir Launcelot, now I see ye will depart; now fair
knight and courteous knight, have mercy upon me, and
suffer me not to die for thy love. What would ye that I
did? said Sir Launcelot. I would have you to my husband,
said Elaine. Fair damosel, I thank you, said Sir Launcelot,
but truly, said he, I cast me never to be wedded man.
Then, fair knight, said she, will ye be my paramour? Jesu
defend me, said Sir Launcelot, for then I rewarded your
father and your brother full evil for their great goodness.
Alas, said she, then must I die for your love. Ye shall not
so, said Sir Launcelot, for wit ye well, fair maiden, I might
have been married an I had would, but I never applied me
to be married yet; but because, fair damosel, that ye love
me as ye say ye do, I will for your good will and kindness
show you some goodness, and that is this, that wheresomever
ye will beset your heart upon some good knight that
will wed you, I shall give you together a thousand pound
yearly to you and to your heirs; thus much will I give you,
fair madam, for your kindness, and always while I live to
be your own knight. Of all this, said the maiden, I will
none, for but if ye will wed me, or else be my paramour at
the least, wit you well, Sir Launcelot, my good days are
done. Fair damosel, said Sir Launcelot, of these two things
ye must pardon me.

Then she shrieked shrilly, and fell down in a swoon;
and then women bare her into her chamber, and there she
made over much sorrow; and then Sir Launcelot would
depart, and there he asked Sir Lavaine what he would do.
What should I do, said Sir Lavaine, but follow you, but
if ye drive me from you, or command me to go from you.
Then came Sir Bernard to Sir Launcelot and said to him:
I cannot see but that my daughter Elaine will die for your
sake. I may not do withal, said Sir Launcelot, for that
me sore repenteth, for I report me to yourself, that my
proffer is fair; and me repenteth, said Sir Launcelot, that
she loveth me as she doth; I was never the causer of it,
for I report me to your son I early ne late proffered her
bount nor fair behests; and as for me, said Sir Launcelot,
I dare do all that a knight should do that she is a clean
maiden for me, both for deed and for will. And I am
right heavy of her distress, for she is a full fair maiden,
good and gentle, and well taught. Father, said Sir
Lavaine, I dare make good she is a clean maiden as for my
lord Sir Launcelot; but she doth as I do, for sithen I first
saw my lord Sir Launcelot, I could never depart from him,
nor nought I will an I may follow him.

Then Sir Launcelot took his leave, and so they departed,
and came unto Winchester. And when Arthur
wist that Sir Launcelot was come whole and sound the
king made great joy of him, and so did Sir Gawaine and
all the knights of the Round Table except Sir Agravaine
and Sir Mordred. Also Queen Guenever was wood wroth
with Sir Launcelot, and would by no means speak with
him, but estranged herself from him; and Sir Launcelot
made all the means that he might for to speak with the
queen, but it would not be.

Now speak we of the Fair Maiden of Astolat that
made such sorrow day and night that she never slept, ate,
nor drank, and ever she made her complaint unto Sir
Launcelot. So when she had thus endured a ten days, that
she feebled so that she must needs pass out of this world,
then she shrived her clean, and received her Creator. And
ever she complained still upon Sir Launcelot. Then her
ghostly father bade her leave such thoughts. Then she
said, why should I leave such thoughts? Am I not an
earthly woman? And all the while the breath is in my
body I may complain me, for my belief is I do none offence
though I love an earthly man; and I take God to my
record I loved never none but Sir Launcelot du Lake, nor
never shall, and a clean maiden I am for him and for all
other; and sithen it is the sufferance of God that I shall
die for the love of so noble a knight, I beseech the High
Father of Heaven to have mercy upon my soul, and upon
mine innumerable pains that I suffered may be allegeance
of part of my sins. For sweet Lord Jesu, said the fair
maiden, I take Thee to record, on Thee I was never great
offencer against thy laws; but that I loved this noble
knight, Sir Launcelot, out of measure, and of myself, good
Lord, I might not withstand the fervent love wherefore I
have my death.

And then she called her father, Sir Bernard, and her
brother, Sir Tirre, and heartily she prayed her father that
her brother might write a letter like as she did indite it:
and so her father granted her. And when the letter was
written word by word like as she devised, then she prayed
her father that she might be watched until she were dead.
And while my body is hot let this letter be put in my right
hand, and my hand bound fast with the letter until that I
be cold; and let me be put in a fair bed with all the richest
clothes that I have about me, and so let my bed and all
my richest clothes be laid with me in a chariot unto the
next place where Thames is; and there let me be put
within a barget, and but one man with me, such as ye trust
to steer me thither, and that my barget be covered with
black samite over and over: thus father I beseech you let
it be done. So her father granted it her faithfully, all
things should be done like as she had devised. Then her
father and her brother made great dole, for when this was
done anon she died. And so when she was dead the corpse
and the bed all was led the next way unto Thames, and
there a man, and the corpse, and all, were put into Thames;
and so the man steered the barget unto Westminster, and
there he rowed a great while to and fro or any espied it.



CHAPTER XX

How the corpse of the Maid of Astolat arrived to-fore King
Arthur, and of the burying, and how Sir Launcelot
offered the mass-penny.


SO by fortune King Arthur and the Queen Guenever were
speaking together at a window, and so as they looked into
Thames they espied this black barget, and had marvel
what it meant. Then the king called Sir Kay, and showed
it him. Sir, said Sir Kay, wit you well there is some new
tidings. Go thither, said the king to Sir Kay, and take
with you Sir Brandiles and Agravaine, and bring me ready
word what is there. Then these four knights departed
and came to the barget and went in; and there they found
the fairest corpse lying in a rich bed, and a poor man
sitting in the barget's end, and no word would he speak.
So these four knights returned unto the king again, and
told him what they found. That fair corpse will I see,
said the king. And so then the king took the queen by
the hand, and went thither.

Then the king made the barget to be holden fast,
and then the king and the queen entered with certain
knights with them; and there he saw the fairest woman
lie in a rich bed, covered unto her middle with many
rich clothes, and all was of cloth of gold, and she lay as
though she had smiled. Then the queen espied a letter
in her right hand, and told it to the king. Then the king
took it and said: Now am I sure this letter will tell what
she was, and why she is come hither. So then the king
and the queen went out of the barget, and so commanded
a certain man to wait upon the barget.

And so when the king was come within his chamber,
he called many knights about him, and said that he would
wit openly what was written within that letter. Then the
king brake it, and made a clerk to read it, and this was
the intent of the letter. Most noble knight, Sir Launcelot,
now hath death made us two at debate for your love. I
was your lover, that men called the Fair Maiden of
Astolat; therefore unto all ladies I make my moan, yet
pray for my soul and bury me at least, and offer ye my
mass-penny: this is my last request. And a clean maiden
I died, I take God to witness: pray for my soul, Sir
Launcelot, as thou art peerless. This was all the substance
in the letter. And when it was read, the king, the queen,
and all the knights wept for pity of the doleful complaints.
Then was Sir Launcelot sent for; and when he was come
King Arthur made the letter to be read to him.

And when Sir Launcelot heard it word by word, he
said: My lord Arthur, wit ye well I am right heavy of
the death of this fair damosel: God knoweth I was never
causer of her death by my willing, and that will I report
me to her own brother: here he is, Sir Lavaine. I will
not say nay, said Sir Launcelot, but that she was both fair
and good, and much I was beholden unto her, but she
loved me out of measure. Ye might have shewed her, said
the queen, some bounty and gentleness that might have
preserved her life. Madam, said Sir Launcelot, she would
none other ways be answered but that she would be my
wife, outher else my paramour; and of these two I would
not grant her, but I proffered her, for her good love that
she shewed me, a thousand pound yearly to her, and to her
heirs, and to wed any manner knight that she could find
best to love in her heart. For madam, said Sir Launcelot,
I love not to be constrained to love; for love must arise
of the heart, and not by no constraint. That is truth,
said the king, and many knight's love is free in himself,
and never will be bounden, for where he is bounden
he looseth himself.

Then said the king unto Sir Launcelot: It will be
your worship that ye oversee that she be interred worshipfully.
Sir, said Sir Launcelot, that shall be done as I can
best devise. And so many knights yede thither to behold
that fair maiden. And so upon the morn she was interred
richly, and Sir Launcelot offered her mass-penny; and all
the knights of the Table Round that were there at that
time offered with Sir Launcelot. And then the poor man
went again with the barget. Then the queen sent for Sir
Launcelot, and prayed him of mercy, for why that she had
been wroth with him causeless. This is not the first time,
said Sir Launcelot, that ye had been displeased with me
causeless, but, madam, ever I must suffer you, but what
sorrow I endure I take no force. So this passed on all
that winter, with all manner of hunting and hawking, and
jousts and tourneys were many betwixt many great lords,
and ever in all places Sir Lavaine gat great worship, so
that he was nobly renowned among many knights of the
Table Round.



CHAPTER XXI

Of great jousts done all a Christmas, and of a great jousts and
tourney ordained by King Arthur, and of Sir Launcelot.


THUS it passed on till Christmas, and then every day
there was jousts made for a diamond, who that jousted
best should have a diamond. But Sir Launcelot would
not joust but if it were at a great jousts cried. But Sir
Lavaine jousted there all that Christmas passingly well,
and best was praised, for there were but few that did so
well. Wherefore all manner of knights deemed that Sir
Lavaine should be made knight of the Table Round at
the next feast of Pentecost. So at-after Christmas King
Arthur let call unto him many knights, and there they
advised together to make a party and a great tournament
and jousts. And the King of Northgalis said to Arthur,
he would have on his party King Anguish of Ireland, and
the King with the Hundred Knights, and the King of
Northumberland, and Sir Galahad, the haut prince. And
so these four kings and this mighty duke took part against
King Arthur and the knights of the Table Round. And
the cry was made that the day of the jousts should be
beside Westminster upon Candlemas Day, whereof many
knights were glad, and made them ready to be at that
jousts in the freshest manner.

Then Queen Guenever sent for Sir Launcelot, and said
thus: I warn you that ye ride no more in no jousts nor
tournaments but that your kinsmen may know you. And
at these jousts that shall be ye shall have of me a sleeve of
gold; and I pray you for my sake enforce yourself there,
that men may speak of you worship; but I charge you as
ye will have my love, that ye warn your kinsmen that ye
will bear that day the sleeve of gold upon your helmet.
Madam, said Sir Launcelot, it shall be done. And so
either made great joy of other. And when Sir Launcelot
saw his time he told Sir Bors that he would depart, and
have no more with him but Sir Lavaine, unto the good
hermit that dwelt in that forest of Windsor; his name
was Sir Brasias; and there he thought to repose him, and
take all the rest that he might, because he would be fresh
at that day of jousts.

So Sir Launcelot and Sir Lavaine departed, that no
creature wist where he was become, but the noble men of
his blood. And when he was come to the hermitage, wit
ye well he had good cheer. And so daily Sir Launcelot
would go to a well fast by the hermitage, and there he
would lie down, and see the well spring and burble, and
sometime he slept there. So at that time there was a lady
dwelt in that forest, and she was a great huntress, and
daily she used to hunt, and ever she bare her bow with
her; and no men went never with her, but always women,
and they were shooters, and could well kill a deer, both at
the stalk and at the trest; and they daily bare bows and
arrows, horns and wood-knives, and many good dogs they
had, both for the string and for a bait. So it happed this
lady the huntress had abated her dog for the bow at a
barren hind, and so this barren hind took the flight over
hedges and woods. And ever this lady and part of her
women costed the hind, and checked it by the noise of
the hounds, to have met with the hind at some water;
and so it happed, the hind came to the well whereas Sir
Launcelot was sleeping and slumbering. And so when
the hind came to the well, for heat she went to soil, and
there she lay a great while; and the dog came after, and
umbecast about, for she had lost the very perfect feute of
the hind. Right so came that lady the huntress, that
knew by the dog that she had, that the hind was at the
soil in that well; and there she came stiffly and found the
hind, and she put a broad arrow in her bow, and shot at
the hind, and over-shot the hind; and so by misfortune
the arrow smote Sir Launcelot in the thick of the buttock,
over the barbs. When Sir Launcelot felt himself so hurt,
he hurled up woodly, and saw the lady that had smitten
him. And when he saw she was a woman, he said thus:
Lady or damosel, what that thou be, in an evil time bear
ye a bow; the devil made you a shooter.



CHAPTER XXII

How Launcelot after that he was hurt of a gentlewoman
came to an hermit, and of other matters.


NOW mercy, fair sir, said the lady, I am a gentlewoman
that useth here in this forest hunting, and God knoweth I
saw ye not; but as here was a barren hind at the soil in
this well, and I weened to have done well, but my hand
swerved. Alas, said Sir Launcelot, ye have mischieved
me. And so the lady departed, and Sir Launcelot as he
might pulled out the arrow, and left that head still in his
buttock, and so he went weakly to the hermitage ever
more bleeding as he went. And when Sir Lavaine and
the hermit espied that Sir Launcelot was hurt, wit you
well they were passing heavy, but Sir Lavaine wist not
how that he was hurt nor by whom. And then were they
wroth out of measure.

Then with great pain the hermit gat out the arrow's
head out of Sir Launcelot's buttock, and much of his blood
he shed, and the wound was passing sore, and unhappily
smitten, for it was in such a place that he might not sit in
no saddle. Have mercy, Jesu, said Sir Launcelot, I may
call myself the most unhappiest man that liveth, for ever
when I would fainest have worship there befalleth me
ever some unhappy thing. Now so Jesu me help, said Sir
Launcelot, and if no man would but God, I shall be in the
field upon Candlemas Day at the jousts, whatsomever fall
of it: so all that might be gotten to heal Sir Launcelot
was had.

So when the day was come Sir Launcelot let devise
that he was arrayed, and Sir Lavaine, and their horses, as
though they had been Saracens; and so they departed and
came nigh to the field. The King of Northgalis with an
hundred knights with him, and the King of Northumberland
brought with him an hundred good knights, and
King Anguish of Ireland brought with him an hundred
good knights ready to joust, and Sir Galahad, the haut
prince, brought with him an hundred good knights, and
the King with the Hundred Knights brought with him
as many, and all these were proved good knights. Then
came in King Arthur's party; and there came in the
King of Scots with an hundred knights, and King Uriens
of Gore brought with him an hundred knights, and King
Howel of Brittany brought with him an hundred knights,
and Chaleins of Clarance brought with him an hundred
knights, and King Arthur himself came into the field
with two hundred knights, and the most part were
knights of the Table Round, that were proved noble
knights; and there were old knights set in scaffolds for
to judge, with the queen, who did best.



CHAPTER XXIII

How Sir Launcelot behaved him at the jousts, and
other men also.


THEN they blew to the field; and there the King of
Northgalis encountered with the King of Scots, and there
the King of Scots had a fall; and the King of Ireland
smote down King Uriens; and the King of Northumberland
smote down King Howel of Brittany; and Sir Galahad,
the haut prince, smote down Chaleins of Clarance.
And then King Arthur was wood wroth, and ran to the
King with the Hundred Knights, and there King Arthur
smote him down; and after with that same spear King
Arthur smote down three other knights. And then when
his spear was broken King Arthur did passingly well; and
so therewithal came in Sir Gawaine and Sir Gaheris, Sir
Agravaine and Sir Mordred, and there everych of them
smote down a knight, and Sir Gawaine smote down four
knights; and then there began a strong medley, for then
there came in the knights of Launcelot's blood, and Sir
Gareth and Sir Palomides with them, and many knights
of the Table Round, and they began to hold the four
kings and the mighty duke so hard that they were discomfit;
but this Duke Galahad, the haut prince, was a
noble knight, and by his mighty prowess of arms he held
the knights of the Table Round strait enough.

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