Book: Le Morte Darthur

T >> Thomas Malory >> Le Morte Darthur




So then the king sent letters and writs throughout all
England, both in the length and the breadth, for to assummon
all his knights. And so unto Arthur drew many knights,
dukes, and earls, so that he had a great host. And when
they were assembled, the king informed them how Sir
Launcelot had bereft him his queen. Then the king and all
his host made them ready to lay siege about Sir Launcelot,
where he lay within Joyous Gard. Thereof heard Sir
Launcelot, and purveyed him of many good knights, for
with him held many knights; and some for his own sake,
and some for the queen's sake. Thus they were on both
parties well furnished and garnished of all manner of thing
that longed to the war. But King Arthur's host was so
big that Sir Launcelot would not abide him in the field,
for he was full loath to do battle against the king; but Sir
Launcelot drew him to his strong castle with all manner of
victual, and as many noble men as he might suffice within
the town and the castle. Then came King Arthur with
Sir Gawaine with an huge host, and laid a siege all about
Joyous Gard, both at the town and at the castle, and there
they made strong war on both parties. But in no wise Sir
Launcelot would ride out, nor go out of his castle, of long
time; neither he would none of his good knights to issue
out, neither none of the town nor of the castle, until fifteen
weeks were past.



CHAPTER XI

Of the communication between King Arthur and Sir Launcelot,
and how King Arthur reproved him.

THEN it befell upon a day in harvest time, Sir Launcelot
looked over the walls, and spake on high unto King Arthur
and Sir Gawaine: My lords both, wit ye well all is in vain
that ye make at this siege, for here win ye no worship but
maugre and dishonour; for an it list me to come myself
out and my good knights, I should full soon make an end
of this war. Come forth, said Arthur unto Launcelot, an
thou durst, and I promise thee I shall meet thee in midst
of the field. God defend me, said Sir Launcelot, that ever
I should encounter with the most noble king that made me
knight. Fie upon thy fair language, said the king, for wit
you well and trust it, I am thy mortal foe, and ever will
to my death day; for thou hast slain my good knights,
and full noble men of my blood, that I shall never recover
again. Also thou hast lain by my queen, and holden her
many winters, and sithen like a traitor taken her from me
by force.

My most noble lord and king, said Sir Launcelot, ye
may say what ye will, for ye wot well with yourself will I
not strive; but thereas ye say I have slain your good
knights, I wot well that I have done so, and that me sore
repenteth; but I was enforced to do battle with them in
saving of my life, or else I must have suffered them to
have slain me. And as for my lady, Queen Guenever,
except your person of your highness, and my lord Sir
Gawaine, there is no knight under heaven that dare make
it good upon me, that ever I was a traitor unto your person.
And where it please you to say that I have holden my lady
your queen years and winters, unto that I shall ever make
a large answer, and prove it upon any knight that beareth
the life, except your person and Sir Gawaine, that my lady,
Queen Guenever, is a true lady unto your person as any is
living unto her lord, and that will I make good with my
hands. Howbeit it hath liked her good grace to have me
in chierte, and to cherish me more than any other knight;
and unto my power I again have deserved her love, for
ofttimes, my lord, ye have consented that she should be
brent and destroyed, in your heat, and then it fortuned me
to do battle for her, and or I departed from her adversary
they confessed their untruth, and she full worshipfully excused.
And at such times, my lord Arthur, said Sir Launcelot,
ye loved me, and thanked me when I saved your queen
from the fire; and then ye promised me for ever to be my
good lord; and now methinketh ye reward me full ill for
my good service. And my good lord, meseemeth I had
lost a great part of my worship in my knighthood an I had
suffered my lady, your queen, to have been brent, and
insomuch she should have been brent for my sake. For
sithen I have done battles for your queen in other quarrels
than in mine own, meseemeth now I had more right to do
battle for her in right quarrel. And therefore my good
and gracious lord, said Sir Launcelot, take your queen unto
your good grace, for she is both fair, true, and good.

Fie on thee, false recreant knight, said Sir Gawaine;
I let thee wit my lord, mine uncle, King Arthur, shall
have his queen and thee, maugre thy visage, and slay you
both whether it please him. It may well be, said Sir
Launcelot, but wit you well, my lord Sir Gawaine, an me
list to come out of this castle ye should win me and the
queen more harder than ever ye won a strong battle. Fie
on thy proud words, said Sir Gawaine; as for my lady, the
queen, I will never say of her shame. But thou, false and
recreant knight, said Sir Gawaine, what cause hadst thou
to slay my good brother Sir Gareth, that loved thee more
than all my kin? Alas thou madest him knight thine
own hands; why slew thou him that loved thee so well?
For to excuse me, said Sir Launcelot, it helpeth me not,
but by Jesu, and by the faith that I owe to the high order
of knighthood, I should with as good will have slain my
nephew, Sir Bors de Ganis, at that time. But alas that
ever I was so unhappy, said Launcelot, that I had not seen
Sir Gareth and Sir Gaheris.

Thou liest, recreant knight, said Sir Gawaine, thou
slewest him in despite of me; and therefore, wit thou well
I shall make war to thee, and all the while that I may live.
That me repenteth, said Sir Launcelot; for well I understand
it helpeth not to seek none accordment while ye, Sir
Gawaine, are so mischievously set. And if ye were not,
I would not doubt to have the good grace of my lord
Arthur. I believe it well, false recreant knight, said Sir
Gawaine; for thou hast many long days overled me and
us all, and destroyed many of our good knights. Ye say
as it pleaseth you, said Sir Launcelot; and yet may it never
be said on me, and openly proved, that ever I by forecast
of treason slew no good knight, as my lord, Sir Gawaine,
ye have done; and so did I never, but in my defence that
I was driven thereto, in saving of my life. Ah, false knight,
said Sir Gawaine, that thou meanest by Sir Lamorak: wit
thou well I slew him. Ye slew him not yourself, said Sir
Launcelot; it had been overmuch on hand for you to have
slain him, for he was one of the best knights christened of
his age, and it was great pity of his death.



CHAPTER XII

How the cousins and kinsmen of Sir Launcelot excited him
to go out to battle, and how they made them ready


WELL, well, said Sir Gawaine to Launcelot, sithen thou
enbraidest me of Sir Lamorak, wit thou well I shall never
leave thee till I have thee at such avail that thou shalt not
escape my hands. I trust you well enough, said Sir
Launcelot, an ye may get me I get but little mercy. But
as the French book saith, the noble King Arthur would
have taken his queen again, and have been accorded with
Sir Launcelot, but Sir Gawaine would not suffer him by no
manner of mean. And then Sir Gawaine made many men
to blow upon Sir Launcelot; and all at once they called
him false recreant knight.

Then when Sir Bors de Ganis, Sir Ector de Maris, and
Sir Lionel, heard this outcry, they called to them Sir
Palomides, Sir Safere's brother, and Sir Lavaine, with many
more of their blood, and all they went unto Sir Launcelot,
and said thus: My lord Sir Launcelot, wit ye well we have
great scorn of the great rebukes that we heard Gawaine
say to you; wherefore we pray you, and charge you as ye
will have our service, keep us no longer within these walls;
for wit you well plainly, we will ride into the field and do
battle with them; for ye fare as a man that were afeard,
and for all your fair speech it will not avail you. For wit
you well Sir Gawaine will not suffer you to be accorded
with King Arthur, and therefore fight for your life and
your right, an ye dare. Alas, said Sir Launcelot, for to
ride out of this castle, and to do battle, I am full loath.

Then Sir Launcelot spake on high unto Sir Arthur and
Sir Gawaine: My lords, I require you and beseech you,
sithen that I am thus required and conjured to ride into
the field, that neither you, my lord King Arthur, nor you
Sir Gawaine, come not into the field. What shall we do
then? said Sir Gawaine, [N]is this the king's quarrel with
thee to fight? and it is my quarrel to fight with thee, Sir
Launcelot, because of the death of my brother Sir Gareth.
Then must I needs unto battle, said Sir Launcelot. Now
wit you well, my lord Arthur and Sir Gawaine, ye will
repent it whensomever I do battle with you.

And so then they departed either from other; and then
either party made them ready on the morn for to do battle,
and great purveyance was made on both sides; and Sir
Gawaine let purvey many knights for to wait upon Sir
Launcelot, for to overset him and to slay him. And on
the morn at underne Sir Arthur was ready in the field with
three great hosts. And then Sir Launcelot's fellowship
came out at three gates, in a full good array; and Sir Lionel
came in the foremost battle, and Sir Launcelot came in the
middle, and Sir Bors came out at the third gate. Thus
they came in order and rule, as full noble knights; and
always Sir Launcelot charged all his knights in any wise to
save King Arthur and Sir Gawaine.



CHAPTER XIII

How Sir Gawaine jousted and smote down Sir Lionel, and
how Sir Launcelot horsed King Arthur


THEN came forth Sir Gawaine from the king's host, and
he came before and proffered to joust. And Sir Lionel
was a fierce knight, and lightly he encountered with Sir
Gawaine; and there Sir Gawaine smote Sir Lionel through
out the body, that he dashed to the earth like as he had
been dead; and then Sir Ector de Maris and other more
bare him into the castle. Then there began a great stour,
and much people was slain; and ever Sir Launcelot did
what he might to save the people on King Arthur's party,
for Sir Palomides, and Sir Bors, and Sir Safere, overthrew
many knights, for they were deadly knights. And Sir
Blamore de Ganis, and Sir Bleoberis de Ganis, with Sir
Bellangere le Beuse, these six knights did much harm; and
ever King Arthur was nigh about Sir Launcelot to have
slain him, and Sir Launcelot suffered him, and would not
strike again. So Sir Bors encountered with King Arthur,
and there with a spear Sir Bors smote him down; and so
he alighted and drew his sword, and said to Sir Launcelot:
Shall I make an end of this war? and that he meant to have
slain King Arthur. Not so hardy, said Sir Launcelot,
upon pain of thy head, that thou touch him no more, for
I will never see that most noble king that made me knight
neither slain ne shamed. And therewithal Sir Launcelot
alighted off his horse and took up the king and horsed him
again, and said thus: My lord Arthur, for God's love stint
this strife, for ye get here no worship, and I would do mine
utterance, but always I forbear you, and ye nor none of
yours forbeareth me; my lord, remember what I have done
in many places, and now I am evil rewarded.

Then when King Arthur was on horseback, he looked
upon Sir Launcelot, and then the tears brast out of his
eyen, thinking on the great courtesy that was in Sir
Launcelot more than in any other man; and therewith the
king rode his way, and might no longer behold him, and
said: Alas, that ever this war began. And then either
parties of the battles withdrew them to repose them, and
buried the dead, and to the wounded men they laid soft
salves; and thus they endured that night till on the morn.
And on the morn by underne they made them ready to do
battle. And then Sir Bors led the forward.

So upon the morn there came Sir Gawaine as brim as
any boar, with a great spear in his hand. And when Sir
Bors saw him he thought to revenge his brother Sir Lionel
of the despite that Sir Gawaine did him the other day.
And so they that knew either other feutred their spears,
and with all their mights of their horses and themselves,
they met together so felonously that either bare other
through, and so they fell both to the earth; and then the
battles joined, and there was much slaughter on both parties.
Then Sir Launcelot rescued Sir Bors, and sent him into
the castle; but neither Sir Gawaine nor Sir Bors died not
of their wounds, for they were all holpen. Then Sir
Lavaine and Sir Urre prayed Sir Launcelot to do his pain,
and fight as they had done; For we see ye forbear and
spare, and that doth much harm; therefore we pray you
spare not your enemies no more than they do you. Alas,
said Sir Launcelot, I have no heart to fight against my lord
Arthur, for ever meseemeth I do not as I ought to do.
My lord, said Sir Palomides, though ye spare them all this
day they will never con you thank; and if they may get
you at avail ye are but dead. So then Sir Launcelot
understood that they said him truth; and then he strained
himself more than he did aforehand, and because his nephew
Sir Bors was sore wounded. And then within a little while,
by evensong time, Sir Launcelot and his party better stood,
for their horses went in blood past the fetlocks, there was
so much people slain. And then for pity Sir Launcelot
withheld his knights, and suffered King Arthur's party for
to withdraw them aside. And then Sir Launcelot's party
withdrew them into his castle, and either parties buried the
dead, and put salve unto the wounded men.

So when Sir Gawaine was hurt, they on King Arthur's
party were not so orgulous as they were toforehand to do
battle. Of this war was noised through all Christendom,
and at the last it was noised afore the Pope; and he
considering the great goodness of King Arthur, and of Sir
Launcelot, that was called the most noblest knights of the
world, wherefore the Pope called unto him a noble clerk
that at that time was there present; the French book saith,
it was the Bishop of Rochester; and the Pope gave him
bulls under lead unto King Arthur of England, charging
him upon pain of interdicting of all England, that he take
his queen Dame Guenever unto him again, and accord with
Sir Launcelot.



CHAPTER XIV

How the Pope sent down his bulls to make peace, and how
Sir Launcelot brought the queen to King Arthur


SO when this Bishop was come to Carlisle he shewed the
king these bulls. And when the king understood these
bulls he nist what to do: full fain he would have been
accorded with Sir Launcelot, but Sir Gawaine would not
suffer him; but as for to have the queen, thereto he agreed.
But in nowise Sir Gawaine would not suffer the king to
accord with Sir Launcelot; but as for the queen he
consented. And then the Bishop had of the king his great
seal, and his assurance as he was a true anointed king that
Sir Launcelot should come safe, and go safe, and that the
queen should not be spoken unto of the king, nor of none
other, for no thing done afore time past; and of all these
appointments the Bishop brought with him sure assurance
and writing, to shew Sir Launcelot.

So when the Bishop was come to Joyous Gard, there
he shewed Sir Launcelot how the Pope had written to
Arthur and unto him, and there he told him the perils
if he withheld the queen from the king. It was never in
my thought, said Launcelot, to withhold the queen from
my lord Arthur; but, insomuch she should have been
dead for my sake, meseemeth it was my part to save her
life, and put her from that danger, till better recover
might come. And now I thank God, said Sir Launcelot,
that the Pope hath made her peace; for God knoweth,
said Sir Launcelot, I will be a thousandfold more gladder
to bring her again, than ever I was of her taking away;
with this, I may be sure to come safe and go safe, and
that the queen shall have her liberty as she had before;
and never for no thing that hath been surmised afore this
time, she never from this day stand in no peril. For
else, said Sir Launcelot, I dare adventure me to keep her
from an harder shour than ever I kept her. It shall not
need you, said the Bishop, to dread so much; for wit you
well, the Pope must be obeyed, and it were not the Pope's
worship nor my poor honesty to wit you distressed,
neither the queen, neither in peril, nor shamed. And
then he shewed Sir Launcelot all his writing, both from
the Pope and from King Arthur. This is sure enough,
said Sir Launcelot, for full well I dare trust my lord's
own writing and his seal, for he was never shamed of his
promise. Therefore, said Sir Launcelot unto the Bishop,
ye shall ride unto the king afore, and recommend me
unto his good grace, and let him have knowledging that
this same day eight days, by the grace of God, I myself
shall bring my lady, Queen Guenever, unto him. And
then say ye unto my most redoubted king, that I will say
largely for the queen, that I shall none except for dread
nor fear, but the king himself, and my lord Sir Gawaine;
and that is more for the king's love than for himself.

So the Bishop departed and came to the king at
Carlisle, and told him all how Sir Launcelot answered
him; and then the tears brast out of the king's eyen.
Then Sir Launcelot purveyed him an hundred knights,
and all were clothed in green velvet, and their horses
trapped to their heels; and every knight held a branch of
olive in his hand, in tokening of peace. And the queen
had four-and-twenty gentlewomen following her in the
same wise; and Sir Launcelot had twelve coursers
following him, and on every courser sat a young gentleman,
and all they were arrayed in green velvet, with sarps
of gold about their quarters, and the horse trapped in the
same wise down to the heels, with many ouches, y-set with
stones and pearls in gold, to the number of a thousand.
And she and Sir Launcelot were clothed in white cloth of
gold tissue; and right so as ye have heard, as the French
book maketh mention, he rode with the queen from
Joyous Gard to Carlisle. And so Sir Launcelot rode
throughout Carlisle, and so in the castle, that all men
might behold; and wit you well there was many a
weeping eye. And then Sir Launcelot himself alighted
and avoided his horse, and took the queen, and so led her
where King Arthur was in his seat: and Sir Gawaine sat
afore him, and many other great lords. So when Sir
Launcelot saw the king and Sir Gawaine, then he led the
queen by the arm, and then he kneeled down, and the
queen both. Wit you well then was there many bold
knight there with King Arthur that wept as tenderly as
though they had seen all their kin afore them. So the
king sat still, and said no word. And when Sir Launcelot
saw his countenance, he arose and pulled up the queen
with him, and thus he spake full knightly.



CHAPTER XV

Of the deliverance of the queen to the king by Sir Launcelot,
and what language Sir Gawaine had to Sir Launcelot


MY most redoubted king, ye shall understand, by the
Pope's commandment and yours, I have brought to you
my lady the queen, as right requireth; and if there be
any knight, of whatsomever degree that he be, except
your person, that will say or dare say but that she is true
and clean to you, I here myself, Sir Launcelot du Lake,
will make it good upon his body, that she is a true lady
unto you; but liars ye have listened, and that hath
caused debate betwixt you and me. For time hath been,
my lord Arthur, that ye have been greatly pleased with
me when I did battle for my lady, your queen; and full
well ye know, my most noble king, that she hath been
put to great wrong or this time; and sithen it pleased you
at many times that I should fight for her, meseemeth, my
good lord, I had more cause to rescue her from the fire,
insomuch she should have been brent for my sake. For
they that told you those tales were liars, and so it fell
upon them; for by likelihood had not the might of God
been with me, I might never have endured fourteen
knights, and they armed and afore purposed, and I
unarmed and not purposed. For I was sent for unto my
lady your queen, I wot not for what cause; but I was not
so soon within the chamber door, but anon Sir Agravaine
and Sir Mordred called me traitor and recreant knight.
They called thee right, said Sir Gawaine. My lord Sir
Gawaine, said Sir Launcelot, in their quarrel they proved
themselves not in the right. Well well, Sir Launcelot,
said the king, I have given thee no cause to do to me as
thou hast done, for I have worshipped thee and thine more
than any of all my knights.

My good lord, said Sir Launcelot, so ye be not
displeased, ye shall understand I and mine have done you
oft better service than any other knights have done, in
many divers places; and where ye have been full hard
bestead divers times, I have myself rescued you from
many dangers; and ever unto my power I was glad to
please you, and my lord Sir Gawaine; both in jousts, and
tournaments, and in battles set, both on horseback and on
foot, I have often rescued you, and my lord Sir Gawaine,
and many mo of your knights in many divers places.
For now I will make avaunt, said Sir Launcelot, I will
that ye all wit that yet I found never no manner of
knight but that I was overhard for him, an I had done
my utterance, thanked be God; howbeit I have been
matched with good knights, as Sir Tristram and Sir
Lamorak, but ever I had a favour unto them and a
deeming what they were. And I take God to record,
said Sir Launcelot, I never was wroth nor greatly heavy
with no good knight an I saw him busy about to win
worship; and glad I was ever when I found any knight
that might endure me on horseback and on foot: howbeit
Sir Carados of the Dolorous Tower was a full noble
knight and a passing strong man, and that wot ye, my
lord Sir Gawaine; for he might well be called a noble
knight when he by fine force pulled you out of your
saddle, and bound you overthwart afore him to his saddle
bow; and there, my lord Sir Gawaine, I rescued you, and
slew him afore your sight. Also I found his brother,
Sir Turquin, in likewise leading Sir Gaheris, your brother,
bounden afore him; and there I rescued your brother
and slew that Turquin, and delivered three-score-and-four
of my lord Arthur's knights out of his prison. And now
I dare say, said Sir Launcelot, I met never with so strong
knights, nor so well fighting, as was Sir Carados and Sir
Turquin, for I fought with them to the uttermost. And
therefore, said Sir Launcelot unto Sir Gawaine, meseemeth
ye ought of right to remember this; for, an I might
have your good will, I would trust to God to have my
lord Arthur's good grace.



CHAPTER XVI

Of the communication between Sir Gawaine and Sir Launcelot,
with much other language


THE king may do as he will, said Sir Gawaine, but wit
thou well, Sir Launcelot, thou and I shall never be
accorded while we live, for thou hast slain three of my
brethren; and two of them ye slew traitorly and piteously,
for they bare none harness against thee, nor none would
bear. God would they had been armed, said Sir Launcelot,
for then had they been alive. And wit ye well Sir
Gawaine, as for Sir Gareth, I love none of my kinsmen so
much as I did him; and ever while I live, said Sir
Launcelot, I will bewail Sir Gareth's death, not all only
for the great fear I have of you, but many causes cause
me to be sorrowful. One is, for I made him knight;
another is, I wot well he loved me above all other knights;
and the third is, he was passing noble, true, courteous,
and gentle, and well conditioned; the fourth is, I wist
well, anon as I heard that Sir Gareth was dead, I should
never after have your love, but everlasting war betwixt
us; and also I wist well that ye would cause my noble
lord Arthur for ever to be my mortal foe. And as Jesu
be my help, said Sir Launcelot, I slew never Sir Gareth
nor Sir Gaheris by my will; but alas that ever they were
unarmed that unhappy day. But thus much I shall offer
me, said Sir Launcelot, if it may please the king's good
grace, and you, my lord Sir Gawaine, I shall first begin at
Sandwich, and there I shall go in my shirt, barefoot; and
at every ten miles' end I will found and gar make an
house of religion, of what order that ye will assign me,
with an whole convent, to sing and read, day and night,
in especial for Sir Gareth's sake and Sir Gaheris. And
this shall I perform from Sandwich unto Carlisle; and
every house shall have sufficient livelihood. And this
shall I perform while I have any livelihood in Christendom;
and there nis none of all these religious places, but
they shall be performed, furnished and garnished in all
things as an holy place ought to be, I promise you faithfully.
And this, Sir Gawaine, methinketh were more
fairer, holier, and more better to their souls, than ye, my
most noble king, and you, Sir Gawaine, to war upon me,
for thereby shall ye get none avail.

Then all knights and ladies that were there wept as
they were mad, and the tears fell on King Arthur's cheeks.
Sir Launcelot, said Sir Gawaine, I have right well heard
thy speech, and thy great proffers, but wit thou well, let
the king do as it pleased him, I will never forgive my
brothers' death, and in especial the death of my brother,
Sir Gareth. And if mine uncle, King Arthur, will accord
with thee, he shall lose my service, for wit thou well thou
art both false to the king and to me. Sir, said Launcelot
he beareth not the life that may make that good and if
ye, Sir Gawaine, will charge me with so high a thing, ye
must pardon me, for then needs must I answer you.
Nay, said Sir Gawaine, we are past that at this time, and
that caused the Pope, for he hath charged mine uncle, the
king, that he shall take his queen again, and to accord
with thee, Sir Launcelot, as for this season, and therefore
thou shalt go safe as thou camest. But in this land thou
shalt not abide past fifteen days, such summons I give
thee: so the king and we were consented and accorded or
thou camest. And else, said Sir Gawaine, wit thou well
thou shouldst not have come here, but if it were maugre
thy head. And if it were not for the Pope's commandment,
said Sir Gawaine, I should do battle with mine own
body against thy body, and prove it upon thee, that thou
hast been both false unto mine uncle King Arthur, and to
me both; and that shall I prove upon thy body, when
thou art departed from hence, wheresomever I find thee.

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