Book: Le Morte Darthur

T >> Thomas Malory >> Le Morte Darthur






CHAPTER V

How Sir Meliagrance required forgiveness of the queen, and
how she appeased Sir Launcelot; and other matters


WHEN Sir Meliagrance heard that Sir Launcelot was there
he ran unto Queen Guenever, and fell upon his knee, and
said: Mercy, madam, now I put me wholly into your
grace. What aileth you now? said Queen Guenever;
forsooth I might well wit some good knight would revenge
me, though my lord Arthur wist not of this your work.
Madam, said Sir Meliagrance, all this that is amiss on my
part shall be amended right as yourself will devise, and
wholly I put me in your grace. What would ye that I
did? said the queen. I would no more, said Meliagrance,
but that ye would take all in your own hands, and that ye
will rule my lord Sir Launcelot; and such cheer as may
be made him in this poor castle ye and he shall have until
to-morn, and then may ye and all they return unto Westminster;
and my body and all that I have I shall put in your
rule. Ye say well, said the queen, and better is peace than
ever war, and the less noise the more is my worship.

Then the queen and her ladies went down unto the
knight, Sir Launcelot, that stood wroth out of measure in
the inner court, to abide battle; and ever he bade: Thou
traitor knight come forth. Then the queen came to him
and said: Sir Launcelot, why be ye so moved? Ha,
madam, said Sir Launcelot, why ask ye me that question?
Meseemeth, said Sir Launcelot, ye ought to be more wroth
than I am, for ye have the hurt and the dishonour, for wit
ye well, madam, my hurt is but little for the killing of a
mare's son, but the despite grieveth me much more than
all my hurt. Truly, said the queen, ye say truth; but
heartily I thank you, said the queen, but ye must come in
with me peaceably, for all thing is put in my hand, and all
that is evil shall be for the best, for the knight full sore
repenteth him of the misadventure that is befallen him.
Madam, said Sir Launcelot, sith it is so that ye been
accorded with him, as for me I may not be again it,
howbeit Sir Meliagrance hath done full shamefully to me,
and cowardly. Ah madam, said Sir Launcelot, an I had
wist ye would have been so soon accorded with him I
would not have made such haste unto you. Why say ye
so, said the queen, do ye forthink yourself of your good
deeds? Wit you well, said the queen, I accorded never
unto him for favour nor love that I had unto him, but
for to lay down every shameful noise. Madam, said Sir
Launcelot, ye understand full well I was never willing nor
glad of shameful slander nor noise; and there is neither
king, queen, nor knight, that beareth the life, except my
lord King Arthur, and you, madam, should let me, but I
should make Sir Meliagrance's heart full cold or ever I
departed from hence. That wot I well, said the queen,
but what will ye more? Ye shall have all thing ruled as
ye list to have it. Madam, said Sir Launcelot, so ye be
pleased I care not, as for my part ye shall soon please.

Right so the queen took Sir Launcelot by the bare
hand, for he had put off his gauntlet, and so she went
with him till her chamber; and then she commanded him
to be unarmed. And then Sir Launcelot asked where
were the ten knights that were wounded sore; so she
showed them unto Sir Launcelot, and there they made
great joy of the coming of him, and Sir Launcelot made
great dole of their hurts, and bewailed them greatly. And
there Sir Launcelot told them how cowardly and traitorly
Meliagrance set archers to slay his horse, and how he was
fain to put himself in a chariot. Thus they complained
everych to other; and full fain they would have been
revenged, but they peaced themselves because of the queen.
Then, as the French book saith, Sir Launcelot was called
many a day after le Chevaler du Chariot, and did many
deeds, and great adventures he had. And so leave we of
this tale le Chevaler du Chariot, and turn we to this tale.

So Sir Launcelot had great cheer with the queen, and
then Sir Launcelot made a promise with the queen that the
same night Sir Launcelot should come to a window outward
toward a garden; and that window was y-barred with
iron, and there Sir Launcelot promised to meet her when
all folks were asleep. So then came Sir Lavaine driving
to the gates, crying: Where is my lord, Sir Launcelot du
Lake? Then was he sent for, and when Sir Lavaine saw
Sir Launcelot, he said: My lord, I found well how ye
were hard bestead, for I have found your horse that was
slain with arrows. As for that, said Sir Launcelot, I pray
you, Sir Lavaine, speak ye of other matters, and let ye
this pass, and we shall right it another time when we
best may.



CHAPTER VI

How Sir Launcelot came in the night to the queen and lay
with her, and how Sir Meliagrance appeached the
queen of treason


THEN the knights that were hurt were searched, and soft
salves were laid to their wounds; and so it passed on till
supper time, and all the cheer that might be made them
there was done unto the queen and all her knights. Then
when season was, they went unto their chambers, but in
no wise the queen would not suffer the wounded knights
to be from her, but that they were laid within draughts by
her chamber, upon beds and pillows, that she herself might
see to them, that they wanted nothing.

So when Sir Launcelot was in his chamber that was
assigned unto him, he called unto him Sir Lavaine, and
told him that night he must go speak with his lady, Dame
Guenever. Sir, said Sir Lavaine, let me go with you an
it please you, for I dread me sore of the treason of Sir
Meliagrance. Nay, said Sir Launcelot, I thank you, but
I will have nobody with me. Then Sir Launcelot took
his sword in his hand, and privily went to a place where
he had espied a ladder to-forehand, and that he took under
his arm, and bare it through the garden, and set it up to
the window, and there anon the queen was ready to meet
him. And then they made either to other their complaints
of many divers things, and then Sir Launcelot
wished that he might have come into her. Wit ye well,
said the queen, I would as fain as ye, that ye might come
in to me. Would ye, madam, said Sir Launcelot, with
your heart that I were with you? Yea, truly, said the
queen. Now shall I prove my might, said Sir Launcelot,
for your love; and then he set his hands upon the bars
of iron, and he pulled at them with such a might that he
brast them clean out of the stone walls, and therewithal
one of the bars of iron cut the brawn of his hands
throughout to the bone; and then he leapt into the chamber
to the queen. Make ye no noise, said the queen, for my
wounded knights lie here fast by me. So, to pass upon
this tale, Sir Launcelot went unto bed with the queen, and
he took no force of his hurt hand, but took his pleasaunce
and his liking until it was in the dawning of the day; and
wit ye well he slept not but watched, and when he saw his
time that he might tarry no longer he took his leave and
departed at the window, and put it together as well as he
might again, and so departed unto his own chamber; and
there he told Sir Lavaine how he was hurt. Then Sir
Lavaine dressed his hand and staunched it, and put upon
it a glove, that it should not be espied; and so the queen
lay long in her bed until it was nine of the clock.

Then Sir Meliagrance went to the queen's chamber,
and found her ladies there ready clothed. Jesu mercy,
said Sir Meliagrance, what aileth you, madam, that ye
sleep thus long? And right therewithal he opened the
curtain for to behold her; and then was he ware where
she lay, and all the sheet and pillow was bebled with the
blood of Sir Launcelot and of his hurt hand. When Sir
Meliagrance espied that blood, then he deemed in her
that she was false to the king, and that some of the
wounded knights had lain by her all that night. Ah,
madam, said Sir Meliagrance, now I have found you a
false traitress unto my lord Arthur; for now I prove well
it was not for nought that ye laid these wounded knights
within the bounds of your chamber; therefore I will
call you of treason before my lord, King Arthur. And
now I have proved you, madam, with a shameful deed;
and that they be all false, or some of them, I will make
good, for a wounded knight this night hath lain by you.
That is false, said the queen, and that I will report me
unto them all. Then when the ten knights heard Sir
Meliagrance's words, they spake all in one voice and said
to Sir Meliagrance: Thou sayest falsely, and wrongfully
puttest upon us such a deed, and that we will make good
any of us; choose which thou list of us when we are whole
of our wounds. Ye shall not, said Sir Meliagrance, away
with your proud language, for here ye may all see, said
Sir Meliagrance, that by the queen this night a wounded
knight hath lain. Then were they all ashamed when they
saw that blood; and wit you well Sir Meliagrance was
passing glad that he had the queen at such an advantage,
for he deemed by that to hide his treason. So with this
rumour came in Sir Launcelot, and found them all at a
great array.



CHAPTER VII

How Sir Launcelot answered for the queen, and waged battle
against Sir Meliagrance; and how Sir Launcelot was
taken in a trap


WHAT array is this? said Sir Launcelot. Then Sir Meliagrance
told them what he had found, and showed them
the queen's bed. Truly, said Sir Launcelot, ye did not
your part nor knightly, to touch a queen's bed while it
was drawn, and she lying therein; for I dare say my lord
Arthur himself would not have displayed her curtains, she
being within her bed, unless that it had pleased him to
have lain down by her; and therefore ye have done
unworshipfully and shamefully to yourself. I wot not
what ye mean, said Sir Meliagrance, but well I am sure
there hath one of her wounded knights lain by her this
night, and therefore I will prove with my hands that she
is a traitress unto my lord Arthur. Beware what ye do,
said Launcelot, for an ye say so, an ye will prove it, it
will be taken at your hands.

My lord, Sir Launcelot, said Sir Meliagrance, I rede
you beware what ye do; for though ye are never so good
a knight, as ye wot well ye are renowned the best knight
of the world, yet should ye be advised to do battle in a
wrong quarrel, for God will have a stroke in every battle.
As for that, said Sir Launcelot, God is to be dread; but
as to that I say nay plainly, that this night there lay none
of these ten wounded knights with my lady Queen
Guenever, and that will I prove with my hands, that ye
say untruly in that now. Hold, said Sir Meliagrance,
here is my glove that she is traitress unto my lord,
King Arthur, and that this night one of the wounded
knights lay with her. And I receive your glove, said Sir
Launcelot. And so they were sealed with their signets,
and delivered unto the ten knights. At what day shall
we do battle together? said Sir Launcelot. This day
ight days, said Sir Meliagrance, in the field beside
Westminster. I am agreed, said Sir Launcelot. But now, said
Sir Meliagrance, sithen it is so that we must fight together,
I pray you, as ye be a noble knight, await me with no
treason, nor none villainy the meanwhile, nor none for
you. So God me help, said Sir Launcelot, ye shall right
well wit I was never of no such conditions, for I report
me to all knights that ever have known me, I fared never
with no treason, nor I loved never the fellowship of no
man that fared with treason. Then let us go to dinner,
said Meliagrance, and after dinner ye and the queen and
ye may ride all to Westminster. I will well, said Sir
Launcelot.

Then Sir Meliagrance said to Sir Launcelot: Pleaseth
it you to see the estures of this castle? With a good
will, said Sir Launcelot. And then they went together
from chamber to chamber, for Sir Launcelot dread no
perils; for ever a man of worship and of prowess dreadeth
least always perils, for they ween every man be as they
be; but ever he that fareth with treason putteth oft a man
in great danger. So it befell upon Sir Launcelot that no
peril dread, as he went with Sir Meliagrance he trod on
a trap and the board rolled, and there Sir Launcelot fell
down more than ten fathom into a cave full of straw;
and then Sir Meliagrance departed and made no fare as
that he nist where he was.

And when Sir Launcelot was thus missed they marvelled
where he was become; and then the queen and many of
them deemed that he was departed as he was wont to do
suddenly. For Sir Meliagrance made suddenly to put
away aside Sir Lavaine's horse, that they might all
understand that Sir Launcelot was departed suddenly. So it
passed on till after dinner; and then Sir Lavaine would
not stint until that he ordained litters for the wounded
knights, that they might be laid in them; and so with the
queen and them all, both ladies and gentlewomen and other,
went unto Westminster; and there the knights told King
Arthur how Meliagrance had appealed the queen of high
treason, and how Sir Launcelot had received the glove of
him: And this day eight days they shall do battle afore
you. By my head, said King Arthur, I am afeard Sir
Meliagrance hath taken upon him a great charge; but
where is Sir Launcelot? said the king. Sir, said they all,
we wot not where he is, but we deem he is ridden to some
adventures, as he is ofttimes wont to do, for he hath Sir
Lavaine's horse. Let him be, said the king, he will be
founden, but if he be trapped with some treason.



CHAPTER VIII

How Sir Launcelot was delivered out of prison by a lady,
and took a white courser and came for to keep his day


SO leave we Sir Launcelot lying within that cave in great
pain; and every day there came a lady and brought him
his meat and his drink, and wooed him, to have lain by
him; and ever the noble knight, Sir Launcelot, said her
nay. Sir Launcelot, said she, ye are not wise, for ye may
never out of this prison, but if ye have my help; and
also your lady, Queen Guenever, shall be brent in your
default, unless that ye be there at the day of battle. God
defend, said Sir Launcelot, that she should be brent in my
default; and if it be so, said Sir Launcelot, that I may not
be there, it shall be well understanded, both at the king and
at the queen, and with all men of worship, that I am dead,
sick, outher in prison. For all men that know me will
say for me that I am in some evil case an I be not there
that day; and well I wot there is some good knight either
of my blood, or some other that loveth me, that will take
my quarrel in hand; and therefore, said Sir Launcelot, wit
ye well ye shall not fear me; and if there were no more
women in all this land but ye, I will not have ado with
you. Then art thou shamed, said the lady, and destroyed
for ever. As for world's shame, Jesu defend me, and as
for my distress, it is welcome whatsoever it be that God
sendeth me.

So she came to him the same day that the battle should
be, and said: Sir Launcelot, methinketh ye are too
hard-hearted, but wouldest thou but kiss me once I should
deliver thee, and thine armour, and the best horse that is
within Sir Meliagrance's stable. As for to kiss you, said
Sir Launcelot, I may do that and lose no worship; and
wit ye well an I understood there were any disworship
for to kiss you I would not do it. Then he kissed her,
and then she gat him, and brought him to his armour.
And when he was armed, she brought him to a stable,
where stood twelve good coursers, and bade him choose
the best. Then Sir Launcelot looked upon a white
courser the which liked him best; and anon he commanded
the keepers fast to saddle him with the best saddle
of war that there was; and so it was done as he bade.
Then gat he his spear in his hand, and his sword by his
side, and commended the lady unto God, and said: Lady,
for this good deed I shall do you service if ever it be in
my power.



CHAPTER IX

How Sir Launcelot came the same time that Sir Meliagrance
abode him in the field and dressed him to battle


NOW leave we Sir Launcelot wallop all that he might, and
speak we of Queen Guenever that was brought to a fire to
be brent; for Sir Meliagrance was sure, him thought, that
Sir Launcelot should not be at that battle; therefore he
ever cried upon King Arthur to do him justice, other-else
bring forth Sir Launcelot du Lake. Then was the king
and all the court full sore abashed and shamed that the
queen should be brent in the default of Sir Launcelot.
My lord Arthur, said Sir Lavaine, ye may understand that
it is not well with my lord Sir Launcelot, for an he were
alive, so he be not sick outher in prison, wit ye well he
would be here; for never heard ye that ever he failed his
part for whom he should do battle for. And therefore,
said Sir Lavaine, my lord, King Arthur, I beseech you
give me license to do battle here this day for my lord and
master, and for to save my lady, the queen. Gramercy
gentle Sir Lavaine, said King Arthur, for I dare say all
that Sir Meliagrance putteth upon my lady the queen is
wrong, for I have spoken with all the ten wounded
knights, and there is not one of them, an he were whole
and able to do battle, but he would prove upon Sir
Meliagrance's body that it is false that he putteth upon
my queen. So shall I, said Sir Lavaine, in the defence of
my lord, Sir Launcelot, an ye will give me leave. Now
I give you leave, said King Arthur, and do your best,
for I dare well say there is some treason done to Sir
Launcelot

Then was Sir Lavaine armed and horsed, and suddenly
at the lists' end he rode to perform this battle; and right
as the heralds should cry: Lesses les aler, right so came in
Sir Launcelot driving with all the force of his horse. And
then Arthur cried: Ho! and Abide! Then was Sir
Launcelot called on horseback to-fore King Arthur, and
there he told openly to-fore the king and all, how Sir
Meliagrance had served him first to last. And when the
king, and the queen, and all the lords, knew of the
treason of Sir Meliagrance they were all ashamed on his
behalf. Then was Queen Guenever sent for, and set by the
king in great trust of her champion. And then there was
no more else to say, but Sir Launcelot and Sir Meliagrance
dressed them unto battle, and took their spears; and so
they came together as thunder, and there Sir Launcelot
bare him down quite over his horse's croup. And then
Sir Launcelot alighted and dressed his shield on his
shoulder, with his sword in his hand, and Sir Meliagrance
in the same wise dressed him unto him, and there they
smote many great strokes together; and at the last Sir
Launcelot smote him such a buffet upon the helmet that
he fell on the one side to the earth. And then he cried
upon him aloud: Most noble knight, Sir Launcelot du
Lake, save my life, for I yield me unto you, and I require
you, as ye be a knight and fellow of the Table Round,
slay me not, for I yield me as overcome; and whether I
shall live or die I put me in the king's hands and yours.

Then Sir Launcelot wist not what to do, for he had had
liefer than all the good of the world he might have been
revenged upon Sir Meliagrance; and Sir Launcelot looked
up to the Queen Guenever, if he might espy by any sign
or countenance what she would have done. And then the
queen wagged her head upon Sir Launcelot, as though she
would say: Slay him. Full well knew Sir Launcelot by
the wagging of her head that she would have him dead;
then Sir Launcelot bade him rise for shame and perform
that battle to the utterance. Nay, said Sir Meliagrance, I
will never arise until ye take me as yolden and recreant.
I shall proffer you large proffers, said Sir Launcelot, that
is for to say, I shall unarm my head and my left quarter
of my body, all that may be unarmed, and let bind my
left hand behind me, so that it shall not help me, and
right so I shall do battle with you. Then Sir Meliagrance
started up upon his legs, and said on high: My lord
Arthur, take heed to this proffer, for I will take it, and
let him be disarmed and bounden according to his proffer.
What say ye, said King Arthur unto Sir Launcelot, will ye
abide by your proffer? Yea, my lord, said Sir Launcelot,
I will never go from that I have once said.

Then the knights parters of the field disarmed Sir
Launcelot, first his head, and sithen his left arm, and his
left side, and they bound his left arm behind his back,
without shield or anything, and then they were put
together. Wit you well there was many a lady and
knight marvelled that Sir Launcelot would jeopardy
himself in such wise. Then Sir Meliagrance came with his
sword all on high, and Sir Launcelot showed him openly
his bare head and the bare left side; and when he weened
to have smitten him upon the bare head, then lightly he
avoided the left leg and the left side, and put his right
hand and his sword to that stroke, and so put it on side
with great sleight; and then with great force Sir Launcelot
smote him on the helmet such a buffet that the stroke
carved the head in two parts. Then there was no more
to do, but he was drawn out of the field. And at the
great instance of the knights of the Table Round, the
king suffered him to be interred, and the mention made
upon him, who slew him, and for what cause he was slain;
and then the king and the queen made more of Sir
Launcelot du Lake, and more he was cherished, than ever
he was aforehand.



CHAPTER X

How Sir Urre came into Arthur's court for to be healed of
his wounds, and how King Arthur would begin to handle
him


THEN as the French book maketh mention, there was a
good knight in the land of Hungary, his name was Sir
Urre, and he was an adventurous knight, and in all places
where he might hear of any deeds of worship there would
he be. So it happened in Spain there was an earl's son,
his name was Alphegus, and at a great tournament in
Spain this Sir Urre, knight of Hungary, and Sir Alphegus
of Spain encountered together for very envy; and so
either undertook other to the utterance. And by fortune
Sir Urre slew Sir Alphegus, the earl's son of Spain, but
this knight that was slain had given Sir Urre, or ever he
was slain, seven great wounds, three on the head, and four
on his body and upon his left hand. And this Sir
Alphegus had a mother, the which was a great sorceress;
and she, for the despite of her son's death, wrought by her
subtle crafts that Sir Urre should never be whole, but ever
his wounds should one time fester and another time bleed,
so that he should never be whole until the best knight of
the world had searched his wounds; and thus she made
her avaunt, wherethrough it was known that Sir Urre
should never be whole.

Then his mother let make an horse litter, and put him
therein under two palfreys; and then she took Sir Urre's
sister with him, a full fair damosel, whose name was
Felelolie; and then she took a page with him to keep
their horses, and so they led Sir Urre through many
countries. For as the French book saith, she led him so
seven year through all lands christened, and never she
could find no knight that might ease her son. So she
came into Scotland and into the lands of England, and by
fortune she came nigh the feast of Pentecost until King
Arthur's court, that at that time was holden at Carlisle.
And when she came there, then she made it openly to be
known how that she was come into that land for to heal
her son.

Then King Arthur let call that lady, and asked her
the cause why she brought that hurt knight into that
land. My most noble king, said that lady, wit you well
I brought him hither for to be healed of his wounds, that
of all this seven year he might not be whole. And then
she told the king where he was wounded, and of whom;
and how his mother had discovered in her pride how she
had wrought that by enchantment, so that he should never
be whole until the best knight of the world had searched
his wounds. And so I have passed through all the lands
christened to have him healed, except this land. And if I
fail to heal him here in this land, I will never take more
pain upon me, and that is pity, for he was a good knight,
and of great nobleness. What is his name? said Arthur
My good and gracious lord, she said, his name is Sir Urre
of the Mount. In good time, said the king, and sith ye
are come into this land, ye are right welcome; and wit
you well here shall your son be healed, an ever any
Christian man may heal him. And for to give all other
men of worship courage, I myself will assay to handle
your son, and so shall all the kings, dukes, and earls that
be here present with me at this time; thereto will
I command them, and well I wot they shall obey and do after
my commandment. And wit you well, said King Arthur
unto Urre's sister, I shall begin to handle him, and search
unto my power, not presuming upon me that I am so
worthy to heal your son by my deeds, but I will courage
other men of worship to do as I will do. And then the
king commanded all the kings, dukes, and earls, and all
noble knights of the Round Table that were there that
time present, to come into the meadow of Carlisle. And
so at that time there were but an hundred and ten of the
Round Table, for forty knights were that time away;
and so here we must begin at King Arthur, as is kindly to
begin at him that was the most man of worship that was
christened at that time.

Copyright (c) 2007. knowncrafts.net. All rights reserved.