<B CMMALORY>
<Q M4 NI ROM MALORY>
<N MORTE DARTHUR>
<A MALORY THOMAS>
<C M4>
<O 1420-1500>
<M 1420-1500>
<K CONTEMP>
<D WML>
<V PROSE>
<T ROMANCE>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X MALE>
<Y 60->
<H HIGH>
<U X>
<E X>
<J X>
<I X>
<Z NARR IMAG>
<S SAMPLE X>


[^MALORY, THOMAS.
TEXT:  MORTE DARTHUR.
THE WORKS OF SIR THOMAS MALORY.
ED. E. VINAVER. 
LONDON: OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, 1954. 
PP. 44.31  - 53.37  (SAMPLE 1)
PP. 198.31 - 208.31 (SAMPLE 2)
PP. 657.23 - 667.4  (SAMPLE 3)^]

<S SAMPLE 1>
<P 44>
[}II. BALIN OR THE KNIGHT WITH THE
TWO SWORDS}]

   Afftir the deth of Uther regned Arthure, hys son, which had
grete warre in hys dayes for to gete all Inglonde into hys      #
honde;
<P 45>
for there were many kyngis within the realme of Inglonde and of
Scotlonde, Walys and Cornuwayle.
   So hit befelle on a tyme whan kynge Arthure was at London,   #
ther
com a knyght and tolde the kynge tydyngis how the kynge Royns   #
of
Northe Walis had rered a grete numbir of peple and were entred  #
in
the londe and brente and slew the kyngis trew lyege people.
   'Iff thys be trew,' seyde Arthure, 'hit were grete shame     #
unto myne
astate but that he were myghtyly withstonde.'
   'Hit ys trouthe,' seyde the knyght, 'for I saw the oste      #
myselff.'
   'Well,' seyde the kynge, 'I shall ordayne to wythstonde hys  #
malice.'
   Than the kynge lette make a cry that all the lordis,         #
knyghtes and
jantilmen of armys sholde draw unto the castell called Camelot  #
in
tho dayes, and there the kynge wolde lette make a counceile     #
generall
and a grete justis. So whan the kynge was com thidir with all   #
his
baronage and logged as they semed beste, also there was com [{a
damoisel{] the which was sente frome the grete Lady Lyle of     #
Avilion.
And whan she com before kynge Arthure she tolde fro whens she
com, and how she was sente on message unto hym for thys causis.
Than she lette hir mantell falle that was rychely furred, and   #
than
was she gurde with a noble swerde whereof the kynge had         #
mervayle
and seyde,
   'Damesel, for what cause ar ye gurte with that swerde? Hit
besemyth you nought.'
   'Now shall I telle you,' seyde the damesell. 'Thys swerde    #
that I am
gurte withall doth me grete sorow and comberaunce, for I may    #
nat
be delyverde of thys swerde but by a knyght, and he muste be a
passynge good man of hys hondys and of hys dedis, and withoute
velony other trechory and withoute treson. And if I may fynde   #
such
a knyght that hath all thes vertues he may draw oute thys       #
swerde
oute of the sheethe. For I have bene at kynge Royns, for hit    #
was
tolde me there were passyng good knyghtes; and he and all his
knyghtes hath assayde and none can spede.'
   'Thys ys a grete mervayle,' seyde Arthure. 'If thys be       #
sothe I woll
assay myselffe to draw oute the swerde, nat presumynge myselff  #
that
I am the beste knyght; but I woll begynne to draw youre swerde  #
in
gyvyng an insample to all the barownes, that they shall assay   #
everych
one aftir othir whan I have assayde.'
<P 46>
   Than Arthure toke the swerde by the sheethe and gurdil and
pulled at hit egirly, but the swerde wolde nat oute.
   'Sir,' seyd the damesell, 'ye nede nat for to pulle halffe   #
so sore, for
he that shall pulle hit oute shall do hit with litill myght.'
   'Ye sey well,' seyde Arthure. 'Now assay ye all, my          #
barownes.'
   'But beware ye be nat defoyled with shame, trechory, nother  #
gyle,
for than hit woll nat avayle,' seyde the damesel, 'for he       #
muste be a
clene knyght withoute vylony and of jantill strene of fadir     #
syde and
of modir syde.'
   The moste parte of all the barownes of the Rounde Table that
were there at that tyme assayde all be rew, but there myght     #
none
spede. Wherefore the damesel made grete sorow oute of mesure    #
and
seyde,
   'Alas! I wente in this courte had bene the beste knyghtes    #
of the
worlde withoute trechory other treson.'
   'Be my faythe,' seyde Arthure, 'here ar good knyghtes as I   #
deme
as ony be in the worlde, but their grace ys nat to helpe you,   #
wherefore
I am sore displeased.'
   Than hit befelle so that tyme there was a poore knyght with  #
kynge
Arthure that had bene presonere with hym half a yere for sleyng
of a knyght which was cosyne unto kynge Arthure. And the name
of thys knyght was called Balyne, and by good meanys of the
barownes he was delyverde oute of preson, for he was a good man
named of his body, and he was borne in Northehumbirlonde. And
so he wente pryvaly into the courte and saw thys adventure      #
whereoff
hit reysed his herte, and wolde assayde as othir knyghtes ded.  #
But
for he was poore and poorly arayde, he put hymselff nat far in  #
prees.
But in hys herte he was fully assured to do as well if hys      #
grace
happed hym as ony knyght that there was. And as the damesell    #
toke
[{her{] leve of Arthure and of all the barownes, so             #
departynge, thys
knyght Balyn called unto her and seyde,
   'Damesell, I pray you of youre curteysy suffir me as well    #
to assay
as thes other lordis. Thoughe that I be pourely arayed yet in   #
my
herte mesemyth I am fully assured as som of thes other, and
mesemyth in myne herte to spede ryght welle.'
   Thys damesell than behelde thys poure knyght and saw he was  #
a
lyckly man; but for hys poure araymente she thought he sholde   #
nat
<P 47>
be of no worship withoute vylony or trechory. And than she      #
seyde
unto that knyght,
   'Sir, hit nedith nat you to put me to no more payne, for     #
hit semyth
nat you to spede thereas all thes othir knyghtes have fayled.'
   'A, fayre damesell,' seyde Balyn, 'worthynes and good        #
tacchis and
also good dedis is nat only in araymente, but manhode and       #
worship
[{ys hyd{] within a mannes person; and many a worshipfull       #
knyght
ys nat knowyn unto all peple. And therefore worship and         #
hardynesse
ys nat in araymente.'
   'Be God,' seyde the damesell, 'ye sey soth, therefore ye     #
shall assay
to do what ye may.'
   Than Balyn toke the swerde by the gurdyll and shethe and     #
drew
hit oute easyly; and whan he loked on the swerde hit pleased    #
hym
muche. Than had the kynge and all the barownes grete mervayle
that Balyne had done that aventure; many knyghtes had grete
despite at hym.
   'Sertes,' seyde the damesell, 'thys ys a passynge good       #
knyght and
the beste that ever y founde, and moste of worship withoute     #
treson,
trechory, or felony. And many mervayles shall he do. Now,       #
jantyll
and curtayse knyght, geff me the swerde agayne.'
   'Nay,' seyde Balyne, 'for thys swerde woll I kepe but hit    #
be takyn
fro me with force.'
   'Well,' seyde the damesell, 'ye ar nat wyse to kepe the      #
swerde fro
me, for ye shall sle with that swerde the beste frende that ye  #
have
and the man that ye moste love in the worlde, and that swerde   #
shall
be youre destruccion.'
   'I shall take the aventure,' seyde Balyn, 'that God woll     #
ordayne
for me. But the swerde ye shall nat have at thys tyme, by the   #
feythe
of my body!'
   'Ye shall repente hit within shorte tyme,' seyde the         #
damesell, 'for
I wolde have the swerde more for youre avauntage than for myne;
for I am passynge hevy for your sake, for and ye woll nat leve  #
that
swerde hit shall be youre destruccion, and that ys grete        #
pite`.'
   So with that departed the damesell and grete sorow she made.
And anone afftir Balyn sente for hys horse and armoure, and so
wolde departe frome the courte, and toke his leve of kynge      #
Arthure.
   'Nay,' seyde the kynge, 'I suppose ye woll nat departe so    #
lyghtly
<P 48>
from thys felyship. I suppose that ye ar displesyd that I have  #
shewed
you unkyndnesse. But blame me the lesse, for I was              #
mysseinfourmed
ayenste you: but I wente ye had nat bene such a knyght as ye    #
ar of
worship and prouesse. And if ye woll abyde in thys courte       #
amonge
my felyship, I shall so avaunce [{you{] as ye shall be          #
pleased.'
   'God thanke youre Hyghnesse,' seyde Balyne. 'Youre bounte`   #
may
no man prayse halff unto the valew, butt at thys tyme I muste   #
nedis
departe, besechynge you allway of youre good grace.'
   'Truly,' seyde the kynge, 'I am ryght wroth of youre         #
departynge.
But I pray you, fayre knyght, that ye tarry nat longe frome     #
me, and
ye shall be ryght wellcom unto me and to my barownes, and I     #
shall
amende all mysse that I have done agaynste you.'
   'God thanke youre good grace,' seyde Balyn, and therewith    #
made
hym redy to departe. Than the moste party of the knyghtes of    #
the
Rounde Table seyde that Balyne dud nat this adventure [{all{]   #
on[{l{]y
by myght but by wycchecrauffte.
   So the meanwhyle that thys knyght was makynge hym redy to
departe, there com into the courte the Lady of the Laake, and   #
she
com on horsebacke rychely beseyne, and salewed kynge Arthure    #
and
there asked hym a gyffte that he promysed her whan she gaff hym
the swerde.
   'That ys sothe,' seyde Arthure, 'a gyffte I promysed you,    #
but I have
forgotyn the name of my swerde that ye gaff me.'
   'The name of hit,' seyde the lady, 'ys Excalibir, that ys    #
as muche
to sey as Kutte Stele.'
   'Ye sey well,' seyde the kynge. 'Aske what ye woll and ye    #
shall
have hit and hit lye in my power to gyff hit.'
   'Well,' seyde thys lady, 'than I aske the hede of thys       #
knyght that
hath wonne the swerde, othir ellis the damesels hede that       #
brought
hit. I take no force though I have both theire hedis: for he    #
slew my
brothir, a good knyght and a trew; and that jantillwoman was    #
causer
of my fadirs death.'
   'Truly,' seyde kynge Arthure, 'I may nat graunte you nother  #
of
theire hedys with my worship; therefore aske what ye woll els,  #
and
I shall fulfille youre desire.'
   'I woll aske none other thynge,' seyde the lady.
   So whan Balyn was redy to departe, he saw the Lady of the    #
Lake
<P 49>
which by hir meanys had slayne hys modir; and he had sought hir
three yere before. And whan hit was tolde hym how she had asked
hys hede of kynge Arthure, he wente to hir streyght and seyde,
   'Evyll be [{y{]e founde: ye wolde have myne hede, and        #
therefore
ye shall loose youres!'
   And with hys swerde lyghtly he smote of hyr hede before      #
kynge
Arthure.
   'Alas, for shame!' seyde the kynge. 'Why have ye do so? Ye   #
have
shamed me and all my courte, for thys lady was a lady that I    #
was
muche beholdynge to, and hyder she com undir my                 #
sauffconduyghte.
Therefore I shall never forgyff you that trespasse.'
   'Sir,' seyde Balyne, 'me forthynkith of youre displeasure,   #
for this
same lady was the untrwyste lady lyvynge, and by inchauntement
and by sorcery she hath bene the destroyer of many good         #
knyghtes,
and she was causer that my modir was brente thorow hir          #
falsehode
and trechory.'
   'For what cause soever ye had,' seyde Arthure, 'ye sholde    #
have
forborne in my presence. Therefore thynke nat the contrary: ye
shall repente hit, for such anothir despite had I nevir in my   #
courte.
Therefore withdraw you oute of my courte in all the haste that  #
ye
may.'
   Than Balyn toke up the hede of the lady and bare hit with    #
hym
to hys ostry, and there mette with hys squyre that was sory he  #
had
displeased kynge Arthure, and so they rode forthe oute of       #
towne.
   'Now,' seyde Balyne, 'we muste departe; therefore take thou  #
thys
hede and bere hit to my frendis and telle hem how I have        #
spedde,
and telle hem in Northhumbirlonde how my moste foo ys dede.     #
Also
telle hem how I am oute of preson, and what adventure befelle   #
me
at the getynge of this swerde.'
   'Alas!' seyde the squyre, 'ye ar gretly to blame for to      #
displease
kynge Arthure.'
   'As for that,' seyde Balyne, 'I woll hyghe me in all         #
[{the{] haste
that I may [{to{] mete with kyng Royns and destroy hym, othir   #
ellis
to dye therefore. And iff hit may happe me to wynne hym, than   #
woll
kynge Arthure be my good frende.'
   'Sir, [{wher{] shall I mete with you?' seyde his squyre.
   'In kynge Arthurs courte,' seyde Balyne. So his squyre and   #
he
<P 50>
departed at that tyme. Than kynge Arthure and all the courte    #
made 
grete dole and had grete shame of the Lady of the Lake. Than    #
the
kynge buryed hir rychely.
   So at that tyme there was a knyght, the which was the        #
kynges son
of Irelonde, and hys name was Launceor, the which was an        #
orgulus
knyght and accompted hymselff one of the beste of the courte.   #
And
he had grete despite at Balyne for the enchevynge of the        #
swerde,
that ony sholde be accompted more hardy or more of prouesse,    #
and
he asked kynge Arthure licence to ryde afftir Balyne and to     #
revenge
the despite that he had done.
   'Do youre beste,' seyde Arthur. 'I am ryght wrothe with      #
Balyne.
I wolde he were quytte of the despite that he hath done unto    #
me and
my courte.'
   Than thys Launceor wente to his ostre` to make hym redy. So  #
in
the meanewhyle com Merlyon unto the courte of kynge Arthure,
and anone was tolde hym the adventure of the swerde and the     #
deth
of the Lady of the Lake.
   'Now shall I sey you,' seyde Merlion; ' thys same damesell   #
that
here stondith, that brought the swerde unto youre courte, I     #
shall
telle you the cause of hir commynge. She ys the falsist         #
damesell that
lyveth - she shall nat sey nay! For she hath a brothir, a       #
passyng
good knyght of proues and a full trew man, and thys damesell    #
loved
anothir knyght that hylde her as paramoure. And thys good       #
knyght,
her brothir, mette with the knyght that helde hir to            #
paramoure, and
slew hym by force of hys hondis. And whan thys false damesell
undirstoode this she wente to the lady Lyle of Avylion and      #
besought
hir of helpe to be revenged on hir owne brothir.
   'And so thys lady Lyle of Avylion toke hir this swerde that  #
she
brought with hir, and tolde there sholde no man pulle hit oute  #
of the
sheethe but yf he be one of the beste knyghtes of thys realme,  #
and
he sholde be hardy and full of prouesse; and with that swerde   #
he
sholde sle hys brothir. Thys was the cause, damesell, that ye   #
com
into thys courte. I know hit as well as ye. God wolde ye had    #
nat
come here; but ye com never in felyship of worshipfful folke    #
for
to do good, but allwayes grete harme. And that knyght that hath
encheved the swerde shall be destroyed thorow the swerde; for   #
the
which woll be grete damage, for there lyvith nat a knyght of    #
more
<P 51>
prouesse than he ys. And he shall do unto you, my lorde         #
Arthure,
grete honoure and kyndnesse; and hit ys grete pite` he shall    #
nat
endure but a whyle, for of his strengthe and hardinesse I know  #
hym
nat lyvynge hys macche.'
   So thys knyght of Irelonde armed hym at all poyntes and      #
dressed
his shylde on hys sholdir and mownted uppon horsebacke and toke
hys glayve in hys honde, and rode aftir a grete pace as muche   #
as hys
horse myght dryve. And within a litill space on a mowntayne he  #
had
a syght of Balyne, and with a lowde voice he cryde,
   'Abyde, knyght! for ells ye shall abyde whethir ye woll      #
other no.
And the shelde that ys tofore you shall nat helpe you,' seyde   #
thys
Iryshe knyght, 'therefore com I affter you.'
   'Peradventure,' seyde Balyne, 'ye had bene bettir to have    #
holde
you at home. For many a man wenyth to put hys enemy to a        #
rebuke,
and ofte hit fallith on hymselff. Oute of what courte be ye     #
com fro?'
seyde Balyn.
   'I am com frome the courte of kynge Arthure,' seyde the      #
knyght
of Irelonde, 'that am com hydir to revenge the despite ye dud   #
thys
day unto kynge Arthure and to his courte.'
   'Well,' seyde Balyne, 'I se well I must have ado with you;   #
that me
forthynkith that I have greved kynge Arthure or ony of hys      #
courte.
And youre quarell ys full symple,' seyde Balyne, 'unto me; for  #
the
lady that ys dede dud to me grete damage, and ellis I wolde     #
have
bene lothe as ony knyght that lyvith for to sle a lady.'
   'Make you redy,' seyde the knyght Launceor, 'and dresse you  #
unto
me, for that one shall abyde in the fylde.'
   Than they fewtred their spearis in their restis and com      #
togidirs as
muche as their horsis my[{g{]ht dryve. And the Irysh knyght     #
smote
Balyn on the shylde that all wente to shyvers of hys spere. And
Balyne smote hym agayne thorow the shylde, and [{the{] hawbirk
perysshed, and so bore hym thorow the body and over the horse
crowper; and anone turned hys horse fersely and drew oute hys
swerde, and wyst nat that he had slayne hym.
   Than he saw hym lye as a dede corse, he loked aboute hym and
was ware of a damesel that com rydynge full faste as the horse  #
myght
dryve, on a fayre palferey. And whan she aspyed that Launceor   #
was
slayne she made sorow oute of mesure and seyde,
<P 52>
   'A! Balyne, two bodyes thou haste sla[{in in{] one herte,    #
and two 
hertes in one body, and two soules thou hast loste.'
   And therewith she toke the swerde frome hir love that lay    #
dede,
and felle to the grounde in a swowghe. And whan she arose she
made grete dole oute of mesure, which sorow greved Balyn        #
passyngly
sore. And he wente unto hir for to have tane the swerde oute    #
of hir
honde; but she helde hit so faste he myght nat take hit oute    #
of hir
honde but yf he sholde have hurte hir. And suddeynly she sette  #
the
pomell to the grounde, and rove hirselff thorowoute the body.
   Whan Balyne aspyed hir dedis he was passynge hevy in his     #
herte
and ashamed that so fayre a damesell had destroyed hirselff     #
for the
love of hys dethe. 'Alas!' seyde Balyn, 'me repentis sore the   #
dethe of
thys knyght for the love of thys damesel, for there was muche   #
trw
love betwyxte hem.' And so for sorow he myght no lenger beholde
them, but turned hys horse and loked towarde a fayre foreste.
   And than was he ware by hys armys that there com rydyng hys
brothir Balan. And whan they were mette they put of hyr helmys
and kyssed togydirs and wepte for joy and pite`. Than Balan     #
seyde,
   'Brothir, I litill wende to have mette with you at thys      #
suddayne
adventure, but I am ryght glad of youre delyveraunce of youre
dolerous presonment: for a man tolde me in the Castell of Four
Stonys that ye were delyverde, and that man had seyne you in
the courte of kynge Arthure. And therefore I com hydir into     #
thys
contrey, for here I supposed to fynde you.'
   And anone Balyne tolde hys brothir of hys adventure of the
swerde and the deth of the Lady of the Laake, and how kynge
Arthure was displeased with hym.
   'Wherefore he sente thys knyght afftir me that lyethe here   #
dede.
And the dethe of thys damesell grevith me sore.'
   'So doth hit me,' seyde Balan. 'But ye must take the         #
adventure that
God woll ordayne you.'
   'Truly,' seyde Balyne, 'I am ryght hevy that my lorde        #
Arthure ys
displeased with me, for he ys the moste worshypfullist kynge    #
that
regnith now in erthe; and hys love I woll gete othir ellis I    #
woll putte
my lyff in adventure. For kynge Ryons lyeth at the sege of the
Castell Terrable, and thydir woll we draw in all goodly haste   #
to
preve oure worship and prouesse uppon hym.'
<P 53>
   'I woll well,' seyde Balan, 'that ye so do; and I woll ryde  #
with
you and put my body in adventure with you, as a brothir ought
to do.'
   'Now go we hense,' seyde Balyne, 'and well we beth mette.'
   The meanewhyle as they talked there com a dwarff frome the   #
cite`
of Camelot on horsebacke as much as he myght, and founde the
dede bodyes; wherefore he made grete dole and pulled hys heyre  #
for
sorowe and seyde,
   'Which of two knyghtes have done this dede?'
   'Whereby askist thou?' seyde Balan.
   'For I wolde wete,' seyde the dwarff.
   'Hit was I,' seyde Balyn, 'that slew this knyght in my       #
defendaunte;
for hyder he com to chase me, and othir I muste sle hym other   #
he
me. And this damesell slew hirself for his love, which          #
repentith
me. And for hir sake I shall owghe all women the bettir wylle   #
and
servyse all the dayes of my lyff.'
   'Alas!' seyde the dwarff, 'thou hast done grete damage unto  #
thyselff.
For thys knyght that ys here dede was one of the moste
valyauntis men that lyved. And truste well, Balyne, the kynne   #
of
thys knyght woll chase you thorow the worlde tylle they have    #
slayne
you.'
   'As for that,' seyde Balyne, 'the I fere nat gretely; but I  #
am ryght
hevy that I sholde displease my lorde, kynge Arthure, for the   #
deth
of thys knyght.'
   So as they talked togydirs there com a kynge of Cornuwayle
rydyng, which hyght kyng Marke. And whan he saw thes two
bodyes dede, and undirstood howe they were dede, [{by{] the two
knyghtes aboven-seyde, [{thenne{] made the kynge grete sorow    #
for
the trew love that was betwyxte them, and seyde, 'I woll nat    #
departe
tyll I have on thys erth made a towmbe.' And there he pyght his
pavylyons and sought all the contrey to fynde a towmbe, and in  #
a
chirch they founde one was fayre and ryche. And than the kyng
lette putte h[{e{]m bothe in the erthe, and leyde the tombe     #
uppon
them, and wrote the namys of hem bothe on the tombe, how 'here
lyeth Launceor, the kyngis son of Irelonde, that at hys owne    #
rekeyste
was slayne by the hondis of Balyne,' and how 'this lady         #
Columbe and
peramour to hym slew hirself with hys swerde for dole and       #
sorow.

<S SAMPLE 2>
<P 198>
   Now turne we unto sir Launcelot that had ryddyn longe in a   #
grete
foreste. And at the laste he com unto a low countrey full of    #
fayre
ryvers and fayre meedys; and before hym he sawe a longe brydge,
and three pavylyons stood thereon, of sylke and sendell of      #
dyverse
hew. And withoute the pavylyons hynge three whyght shyldys on
trouncheouns of sperys, and grete longe sperys stood upryght    #
by the
pavylyons, and at every pavylyon dore stoode three freysh       #
knyghtes.
<P 199>
   And so sir Launcelot passed by hem and spake no worde. But
whan he was paste the three knyghtes knew hym and seyde hit was
the proude sir Kay: 'He wenyth no knyght so good as he, and the
contrary is oftyn proved. Be my fayth,' seyde one of the        #
knyghtes,
his name was sir Gawtere, 'I woll ryde aftir hym and assay hym  #
for
all his pryde; and ye may beholde how that I spede.'
   So sir Gawtere armed hym and hynge his shylde uppon his      #
sholdir,
and mounted uppon a grete horse, and gate his speare in his     #
honde,
and wallopte aftir sir Launcelot. And whan he come nyghe hym he
cryed, 'Abyde, thou proude knyght, sir Kay! for thou shalt nat  #
passe
all quyte.' So sir Launcelot turned hym, and eythir feautyrd    #
their
sperys and com togedyrs with all their myghtes. And sir Gawters
speare brake, but sir Launcelot smote hym downe horse and
man.
   And whan he was at the erthe his brethyrn seyde, 'Yondir     #
knyght
is nat sir Kay, for he is far bygger than he.'
   'I dare ley my hede,' seyde sir Gylmere, 'yondir knyght      #
hath slayne
sir Kay and hath takyn hys horse and harneyse.'
   'Whether hit be so other no,' seyde sir Raynolde, 'lette us  #
mounte
on oure horsys and rescow oure brothir, sir Gawtere. For payne  #
of
deth, we all shall have worke inow to macche that knyght; for   #
ever
mesemyth by his persone hit is sir Launcelot other sir          #
Trystrams
other sir Pelleas, the good knyght.
   Than anone they toke their horsys and overtoke sir           #
Launcelot.
And sir Gylmere put forth his speare and ran to sir Launcelot,  #
and
sir Launcelot smote hym downe, that he lay in a sowghe.
   'Sir knyght,' seyde sir Raynolde, 'thou arte a stronge man,  #
and as
I suppose thou haste slayne my two bretherne, for the whyche    #
rysyth
my herte sore agaynste the. And yf I myght wyth my worshyppe I
wolde not have ado with the, but nedys I muste take suche       #
parte as
they do. And therefore, knyght, kepe thyselfe!'
   And so they hurtylde togydyrs with all their myghtes and all
to-shevird bothe there spearys, and than they drew hir swerdys  #
and
laysshed togydir egirly. Anone there [{with{] all arose sir     #
Gawtere and
come unto his brother sir Gyllymere, and bade hym aryse, 'and   #
helpe
we oure brothir, sir Raynolde, that yondir merveylously         #
macchyth
yondir good knyght.' Therewithall they hurteled unto sir        #
Launcelot.
<P 200>
And whan he sawe them com he smote a sore stroke unto sir       #
Raynolde,
that he felle of his horse to the grounde, and than he caste to
the othir two bretherne, and at two strokys he strake hem       #
downe to
the erthe.
   Wyth that sir Raynolde gan up sterte with his hede all       #
blody and
com streyte unto sir Launcelot.
   'Now let be,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'I was not far frome the  #
whan
thou were made knyght, sir Raynolde, and also I know thou arte  #
a
good knyght, and lothe I were to sle the.'
   'Gramercy,' seyde sir Raynolde, 'of your goodnesse, and I    #
dare say
as for me and my bretherne, [{we{] woll nat be loth to yelde    #
us unto
you, with that we know youre name; for welle we know ye ar not
sir Kay.'
   'As for that, be as be may. For ye shall yelde you unto dame
Gwenyvere, and loke that ye be there on Whytsonday and yelde
you unto hir as presoners, and sey that sir Kay sente you unto  #
hir.'
Than they swore hit sholde be done, and [{so{] passed forth sir
Launcelot, and ecchone of the bretherne halpe other as well as  #
they
myght.
   So sir Launcelotte rode into a depe foreste, and there by    #
hym in
a slade he sey four knyghtes hovynge undir an oke, and they     #
were
of Arthurs courte: one was sir Sagramour le Desyrus, and sir    #
Ector
de Marys, and sir Gawayne, and sir Uwayne. And anone as these
four knyghtes had aspyed sir Launcelot they wende by his armys
that hit had bene sir Kay.
   'Now, be my fayth,' sayde sir Sagramoure, 'I woll preve sir  #
Kayes
myght,' and gate his spere in his honde and com towarde sir     #
Launcelot.
Than sir Launcelot was ware of his commyng and knew hym
well, and feautred his speare agaynste hym and smote sir        #
Sagramoure
so sore that horse and man wente bothe to the erthe.
   'Lo, my felowys,' seyde sir Ector, 'yondir may ye se what a  #
buffette
he hath gyffen! Methynkyth that knyght is muche bygger than     #
ever
was sir Kay. Now shall ye se what I may do to hym.'
   So sir Ector gate his spere in his honde and walopte         #
towarde sir
Launcelot, and sir Launcelot smote hym evyn thorow the shylde   #
and
his sholdir, that man and horse wente to the erthe, and ever    #
his spere
helde.
<P 201>
   'Be my fayth,' sayde sir Uwayne, 'yondir is a stronge        #
knyght, and
I am sure he hath slayne Kay. And I se be his grete strengthe   #
hit woll
be harde to macche hym.'
   And therewithall sir Uwayne gate his speare and rode         #
towarde sir
Launcelot. And sir Launcelot knew hym well and lette hi[{s{]    #
horse
renne on the playne and gaff hym suche a buffette that he was
astooned, and longe he wyste nat where he was.
   'Now se I welle,' seyde sir Gawayne, 'I muste encountir      #
with that
knyght,' and dressed his shylde and gate a good speare in his   #
honde
and lete renne at sir Launcelot with all his myght; and eyther  #
knyght
smote other in myddys of the shylde. But sir Gawaynes spere     #
braste,
and sir Launcelot charged so sore uppon hym that his horse      #
reversed
up-so-downe, and muche sorow had sir Gawayne to avoyde his
horse. And so sir Launcelot passed on a pace and smyled and     #
seyde,
'God gyff hym joy that this spere made, for there cam never a   #
bettir
in my honde.' Than the four knyghtes wente echone to other and
comforted each other.
   'What sey ye by this geste,' seyde sir Gawayne, 'that with   #
one
spere hath felde us all four?'
   'We commaunde hym to the devyll,' they seyde all, 'for he    #
is a 
man of grete myght.'
   'Ye may say hit well,' seyde sir Gawayne, 'that he [{is{] a  #
man of
myght, for I dare ley my hede hit is sir Launcelot: I know hym  #
well
by his rydyng.'
   'Latte hym go,' seyde sir Uwayne, 'for whan we com to the    #
courte
we shall wete.' Than had they much sorow to gete their horsis
agayne.
   Now leve we there and speke we of sir Launcelot that rode a  #
grete
whyle in a depe foreste. And as he rode he sawe a blak          #
brachette
sekyng in maner as hit had bene in the feaute of an hurte       #
dere. And
therewith he rode aftir the brachette and he sawe lye on the    #
grounde
a large feaute of bloode. And than sir Launcelot rode faster,   #
and
ever the brachette loked behynde hir, and so she wente thorow a
grete marys, and ever sir Launcelot folowed.
   And than was he ware of an olde maner, and thydir ran the
brachette and so over a brydge. So sir Launcelot rode over that
brydge that was olde and feble, and whan he com in the myddys   #
of
<P 202>
a grete halle there he seye lye dede a knyght that was a        #
semely man,
and that brachette lycked his woundis. And therewithall com     #
oute
a lady wepyng and wryngyng hir hondys, and sayde,
   'Knyght, to muche sorow hast thou brought me.'
   'Why sey ye so?' seyde sir Launcelot. 'I dede never this     #
knyght no
harme, for hydir by the feaute of blood this brachet brought    #
me.
And therefore, fayre lady, be nat dyspleased with me, for I am  #
full
sore agreved for your grevaunce.'
   'Truly, sir,' she seyde, 'I trowe hit be nat ye that hath    #
slayne my
husbonde, for he that dud that dede is sore wounded and is      #
never
lykly to be hole, that shall I ensure hym.' 
   'What was youre husbondes name?' seyde sir Launcelot.
   'Sir, his name was called sir Gylberd the Bastarde, one of   #
the beste
knyghtys of the worlde, and he that hath slayne hym I know nat  #
his
name.'
   'Now God sende you bettir comforte,' seyde sir Launcelot.
   And so he departed and wente into the foreste agayne, and    #
there
he mette with a damesell the whyche knew hym well. And she      #
seyde
on lowde,
   'Well be ye founde, my lorde. And now I requyre you of your
knyghthode helpe my brother that is sore wounded and never
styntyth bledyng; for this day he fought with sir Gylberte the
Bastarde and slew hym in playne batayle, and there was my       #
brother
sore wounded. And there is a lady, a sorseres, that dwellyth    #
in a
castel here bysyde, and this day she tolde me my brothers       #
woundys
sholde never be hole tyll I coude fynde a knyght wolde go into  #
the
Chapel Perelus, and there he sholde fynde a swerde and a blody  #
cloth
that the woundid knyght was lapped in; and a pece of that       #
cloth and
that swerde sholde hele my brother, with that his woundis were
serched with the swerde and the cloth.'
   'This is a mervelouse thyng,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'but      #
what is your
brothirs name?'
   'Sir,' she seyde, 'sir Melyot de Logyrs.'
   'That me repentys,' seyde sir Launcelotte, 'for he is a      #
felow of the
Table Rounde, and to his helpe I woll do my power.'
   Than she sayde, 'Sir, folow ye evyn this hygheway, and hit   #
woll
brynge you to the Chapel Perelus, and here I shall abyde tyll   #
God
<P 203>
sende you agayne. And yf you spede nat I know no knyght lyvynge
that may encheve that adventure.'
   Ryght so sir Launcelot departed, and whan he com to the      #
Chapell
Perelus he alyght downe and tyed his horse unto a lytyll gate.  #
And
as sone as he was within the chyrche-yerde he sawe on the       #
frunte of
the chapel many fayre ryche shyldis turned up-so-downe, and     #
many
of tho shyldis sir Launcelot had sene knyghtes bere             #
byforehande.
With that he sawe by hym there stonde a thirty grete knyghtes,
more by a yerde than any man that ever he had sene, and all     #
they
grenned and gnasted at sir Launcelot. And whan he sawe their    #
countenaunce
he dredde hym sore, and so put his shylde before hym and
toke his swerde in his honde redy unto batayle.
   And they all were armed all in blak harneyse, redy with her
shyldis and her swerdis redy drawyn. And as sir Launcelot wolde
have gone thorow them they skaterd on every syde of hym and     #
gaff
hym the way, and therewith he wexed bolde and entyrde into the
chapel. And there he sawe no lyght but a dymme lampe brennyng,
and than was he ware of a corpus hylled with a clothe of        #
sylke. Than
sir Launcelot stouped doune and kutte a pese away of that       #
cloth, and
than hit fared undir hym as the grounde had quaked a lytyll;    #
therewithall
he feared.
   And than he sawe a fayre swerde lye by the dede knyght, and  #
that
he gate in his honde and hyed hym oute of the chapell. Anone as
ever he was in the chapell-yerde all the knyghtes spake to hym  #
with
grymly voyces and seyde,
   'Knyght, sir Launcelot, lay that swerde frome the or thou    #
shalt
dye!'
   'Whether that I lyve other dye,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'with  #
no
wordys grete gete ye hit agayne. Therefore fyght for hit and    #
ye lyst.'
   Than ryght so he passed thorowoute them. And byyonde the
chappell-yarde there mette hym a fayre damesell and seyde,
   'Sir Launcelot, leve that swerde behynde the, other thou     #
wolt dye
for hit.'
   'I leve hit not,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'for no thretyng.'
   'No,' seyde she, 'and thou dyddyste leve that swerde quene
Gwenyvere sholde thou never se.'
   'Than were I a foole and I wolde leve this swerde.'
<P 204>
   'Now, jantyll knyghte,' seyde the damesell, 'I requyre the   #
to kysse
me but onys.'
   'Nay,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'that God me forbede.'
   'Well, sir,' seyde she, 'and thou haddyst kyssed me thy      #
lyff dayes
had be done. And now, alas,' she seyde, 'I have loste all my    #
laboure,
for I ordeyned this chapell for thy sake and for sir Gawayne.   #
And
onys I had hym within me, and at that tyme he fought with this
knyght that lyeth dede in yondir chapell, sir Gylberte the      #
Bastarde,
and at that tyme he smote the lyffte honde of sir Gylberte.
   'And, sir Launcelot, now I telle the: I have loved the this  #
seven
yere, [{but{] there may no woman have thy love but quene        #
Gwenyver;
and sytthen I myght nat rejoyse the nother thy body on lyve,
I had kepte no more joy in this worlde but to have thy body     #
dede.
Than wolde I have bawmed hit and sered hit, and so to have      #
kepte
hit my lyve dayes; and dayly I sholde have clypped the and      #
kyssed
the, dispyte of quene Gwenyvere.'
   'Ye sey well,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'Jesu preserve me frome  #
your
subtyle crauftys!'
   And therewithall he toke his horse and so departed frome     #
hir.
And as the booke seyth, whan sir Launcelot was departed she     #
toke
suche sorow that she deyde within a fourtenyte; and hir name    #
was
called Hallewes the Sorseres, lady of the castell Nygurmous.
   And anone sir Launcelot mette with the damesel, sir          #
Melyottis
systir, and whan she sawe hym she clapped hir hondys and wepte  #
for
joy. And than they rode into a castell thereby where lay sir    #
Melyot,
and anone as sir Launcelot sye hym he knew hym, but he was      #
passyng
paale as the erthe for bledynge.
   Whan sir Melyot saw sir Launcelot he kneled uppon his kneis
and cryed on hyghte: 'A, lorde, sir Launcelot, helpe me anone!'
Than sir Launcelot lepe unto hym and towched his woundys with   #
sir
Gylbardys swerde, and than he wyped his woundys with a parte of
the bloody cloth that sir Gylbarde was wrapped in; and anone an
holer man in his lyff was he never.
   And than there was grete joy betwene hem, and they made sir
Launcelot all the chere that they myghte. And so on the morne   #
sir
Launcelot toke his leve and bade sir Melyot hyghe hym 'to the   #
courte
of my lorde Arthure, for hit drawyth nyghe to the feste of      #
Pentecoste.
<P 205>
And there, by the grace of God, ye shall fynde me.' And         #
therewith
they departed.
   And so sir Launcelot rode thorow many stronge contrayes,     #
over
mores and valeis, tyll by fortune he com to a fayre castell.    #
And as he
paste beyonde the castell hym thought he herde bellys rynge,    #
and
than he was ware of a faucon com over his hede fleyng towarde   #
an
hyghe elme, and longe lunes aboute her feete. And she flowe     #
unto
the elme to take hir perche, the lunes overcast aboute a        #
bowghe; and
whan she wolde have tane hir flyght she hynge by the leggis     #
faste.
And sir Launcelot syghe how [{s{]he hynge, and behelde the      #
fayre
faucon perygot; and he was sory for hir. The meanewhyle cam a
lady oute of a castell and cryed on hyghe:
   'A, Launcelot, Launcelot! as thow arte a floure of all       #
knyghtes,
helpe me to gete me my hauke; for and my hauke be loste my      #
lorde
wolde destroy me, for I kepte the hauke and she slypped fro     #
me. And
yf my lorde my husbande wete hit, he is so hasty that he wyll   #
sle me.'
   'What is your lordis name?' seyde sir Launcelot.
   'Sir,' she seyde, 'his name is sir Phelot, a knyght that     #
longyth unto
the kynge of North Galys.'
   'Well, fayre lady, syn that ye know my name and requyre me   #
of
knyghthode to helpe, I woll do what I may to gete youre hauke;  #
and
yet God knowyth I am an evyll clymber, and the tre is passynge
hyghe, and fewe bowys to helpe me withall.'
   And therewith sir Launcelot alyght and tyed his horse to     #
the same
tre, and prayde the lady to onarme hym. And so whan he was      #
unarmed,
he put of all his clothis unto his shurte and his breche, and
with myght and grete force he clambe up to the faucon and tyed  #
the
lunes to a grete rotyn boysh, and threwe the hauke downe with   #
the
buysh.
   And anone the lady gate the hauke in hir honde; and          #
therewithall
com oute sir Phelot oute of the grevys suddeynly, that was hir
husbonde, all armed and with his naked swerde in his honde, and
sayde,
   'A knyght, sir Launcelot, now I have founde the as I         #
wolde,' he
stondyng at the boole of the tre to sle hym.
   'A, lady!' seyde sir Launcelot, 'why have ye betrayed me?'
   'She hath done,' seyde sir Phelot, 'but as I commaunded      #
hir, and
<P 206>
therefore there is none othir boote but thyne oure is com that  #
thou
muste dye.'
   'That were shame unto the,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'thou an    #
armed 
knyght to sle a nakyd man by treson.'
   'Thou gettyste none other grace,' seyde sir Phelot, 'and     #
therefore
helpe thyself and thou can.'
   'Truly,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'that shall be thy shame; but  #
syn thou
wolt do none other, take myne harneys with the and hange my
swerde there uppon a bowghe that I may gete hit, and than do    #
thy
beste [{to{] sle me and thou can.'
   'Nay,' seyde sir Phelot, 'for I know the bettir than thou    #
wenyste.
Therefore thou gettyst no wepyn and I may kepe the therefro.'
   'Alas,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'that ever a knyght sholde dey
wepynles!'
   And therewith he wayted above hym and undir hym, and over
hym above his hede he sawe a rowgh spyke, a bygge bowghe        #
leveles.
And therewith he brake hit of by the body, and than he com      #
lowar,
and awayted how his owne horse stoode, and suddenyly he lepe on
the farther syde of his horse froward the knyght. And than sir  #
Phelot
laysshed at hym egerly to have slayne hym, but sir Launcelot    #
put
away the stroke with the rowgh spyke, and therewith toke hym on
the hede, that downe he felle in a sowghe to the grounde. So    #
than
sir Launcelot toke his swerde oute of his honde and strake his  #
necke
in two pecys.
   'Alas!' than cryed that lady, 'why haste thou slayne my
husbonde?'
   'I am nat causer,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'but with falshede   #
ye wolde
have had me slayne with treson, and now hit is fallyn on you
bothe.'
   And than she sowned as though she wolde dey. And therewith   #
sir
Launcelot gate all his armoure as well as he myght and put hit
uppon hym for drede of more resseite, for he dredde hym that    #
the
knyghtes castell was so nyghe hym; and as sone as he myght he   #
toke
his horse and departed, and thanked God that he had escaped     #
that
harde adventure.
   So sir Launcelot rode many wylde wayes thorowoute morys and
mares, and as he rode in a valay, he sey a knyght chasyng a     #
lady with
<P 207>
a naked swerde to have slayne hir. And by fortune, as this      #
knyght
sholde have slayne thys lady, she cryed on sir Launcelot and    #
prayde
hym to rescowe her.
   Whan sir Launcelot sye that myschyff, he toke his horse and  #
rode
betwene hem, sayynge,
   'Knyght, fye for shame, why wolte thou sle this lady? Shame  #
unto
the and all knyghtes!'
   'What haste thou to do betwyxte me and my wyff? I woll sle   #
her
magre` thyne hede.'
   'That shall ye nat,'sayde sir Launcelot, 'for rather we      #
woll have
ado togydyrs.'
   'Sir Launcelot,' seyde the knyght, 'thou doste nat thy       #
parte, for
thys lady hath betrayed me.'
   'Hit is not so,' seyde the lady, 'truly, he seyth wronge on  #
me. And
for bycause I love [{and{] cherysshe my cousyn jarmayne, he is
jolowse betwyxte me and hym; and as I mutte answere to God      #
there
was never sene betwyxte us none suche thynges. But, sir,'       #
seyde the
lady, 'as thou arte called the worshypfullyest knyght of the    #
worlde,
I requyre the of trewe knyghthode, kepe me and save me, for     #
whatsomever
he sey he woll sle me, for he is withoute mercy.'
   'Have ye no doute: hit shalle nat lye in his power.'
   'Sir,' seyde the knyght, 'in your syght I woll be ruled as   #
ye woll
have me.'
   And so sir Launcelot rode on the one syde and she on the     #
other
syde. And he had nat redyn but a whyle but the knyght bade sir
Launcelot turne hym and loke behynde hym, and seyde, 'Sir,      #
yondir
com men of armys aftir [{us{] rydynge.'
   And so sir Launcelot turned hym and thought no treson; and
therewith was the knyght and the lady on one syde, and          #
suddeynly
he swapped of the ladyes hede.
   And whan sir Launcelot had aspyed hym what he had done, he
seyde and so called hym: 'Traytoure, thou haste shamed me for
evir!' And suddeynly sir Launcelot alyght of his horse and      #
pulde
oute his swerde to sle hym. And therewithall he felle to the    #
erthe
and gryped sir Launcelot by the thyghes and cryed mercy.
   'Fye on the,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'thou shamefull knyght!   #
Thou
mayste have no mercy: therefore aryse and fyghte with me!'
<P 208>
   'Nay,' sayde the knyght, 'I woll never aryse tyll ye         #
graunte me
mercy.'
   'Now woll I proffyr the fayre: I woll unarme me unto my      #
shyrte,
[{and I woll have nothynge upon me but my shyrte{] and my       #
swerde
in my honde, and yf thou can sle me, quyte be thou for ever.'
   'Nay, sir, that woll I never.'
   'Well,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'take this lady and the hede,   #
and bere
[{it{] uppon the; and here shalt thou swere uppon my swerde to  #
bere
hit allwayes uppon thy bak and never to reste tyll thou com to  #
my
lady, quene Gwenyver.'
   'Sir, that woll I do, by the feyth of my bo[{d{]y.'
   'Now what is youre name?'
   'Sir, my name is sir Pedy[{v{]ere.'
   'In a shamefull oure were thou borne,' seyde sir Launcelot.
   So sir Pedyvere departed with the lady dede and the hede     #
togydir,
and founde the quene with kynge Arthure at Wynchestir; and      #
there
he tolde all the trouthe.
   'Sir knyght,' seyde the quene, 'this is an horryble dede     #
and a
shamefull, and a grete rebuke unto sir Launcelot, but           #
natwythstondyng
his worshyp is knowyn in many dyverse contreis. But this
shall I gyff you in penaunce: make ye as good skyffte as ye     #
can, ye
shall bere this lady with you on horsebak unto the Pope of      #
Rome,
and of hym resseyve youre penaunce for your foule dedis. And ye
shall nevir reste one nyght thereas ye do another, and ye go    #
to ony
bedde the dede body shall lye with you.'
   This oth he there made and so departed. And as hit tellyth   #
in
the Frenshe booke, whan he com unto Rome the Pope there bade
hym go agayne unto quene Gwenyver, and in Rome was his lady
buryed by the Popys commaundement. And after thys knyght
sir Pedyvere fell to grete goodnesse and was an holy man and an
hermyte.

<S SAMPLE 3>
<P 657>
[}III. SIR PERCEVAL}]

   Now seyth the tale that whan sir Launcelot was ryddyn aftir  #
sir
Galahad, the whych had all thes adventures aboven seyd, sir     #
Percivale
turned agayne unto the recluse where he demed to have tydynges
of that knyght that sir Launcelot folowed.
   And so he kneled at hir wyndow, and the recluse opened hit   #
and
asked sir Percivale what he wolde.
   'Madam,' he seyde, 'I am a knyght of kyng Arthurs courte     #
and my
name ys sir Percivale de Galis.'
   Whan the recluse herde his name she had grete joy of hym,    #
for
mykyll she loved hym toforn passyng ony other knyght; she ought
so to do, for she was hys awnte. And than she commaunded the    #
gatis
<P 658>
to be opyn, and there he had grete chere, as grete as she       #
myght make
hym or ly in hir power.
   So on the morne sir Percyvale wente to the recluse and       #
asked her
if she knew that knyght with the whyght shylde.
   'Sir,' seyde she, 'why woll ye wete?'
   'Truly, madam,' seyde sir Percyvale, 'I shall never be well  #
at ease
tyll that I know of that knyghtes felyship and that I may       #
fyght with
hym, for I may nat leve hym so lyghtly, for I have the shame    #
as yette.'
   'A, sir Percyvale!' seyde she, 'wolde ye fyght with hym? I   #
se well
ye have grete wyll to be slayne, as youre fadir was thorow      #
outerageousnes
slayne.'
   'Madam, hit semyth by your wordis that ye know me.'
   'Yee,' seyde she, 'I well oughte to know you, for I am your  #
awnte,
allthoughe I be in a poore place. For som men called me somtyme
the Quene of the Wast Landis, and I was called the quene of     #
moste
rychesse in the worlde. And hit pleased me never so much my
rychesse as doth my poverte`.'
   Than Percyvale wepte for verry pite` whan he knew hit was    #
hys
awnte.
   'A, fayre nevew,' seyde she, 'whan herde you tydynges of     #
youre
modir?'
   'Truly,' seyde he, 'I herde none of hir, but I dreme of hir  #
muche
in my slepe, and therefore I wote nat whethir she be dede other
alyve.'
   'Sertes, fayre nevew, youre modir ys dede, for aftir youre   #
departynge
frome her she toke such a sorow that anone as she was confessed
she dyed.'
   'Now god have mercy on hir soule!' seyde sir Percyvale. 'Hit
sore forthynkith me; but all we muste change the lyff. Now,     #
fayre
awnte, what ys that knyght? I deme hit be he that bare the rede
armys on Whytsonday.'
   'Wyte you well,' seyde she, 'that this ys he, for othirwyse  #
ougth he
nat to do but to go in rede armys. And that same knyght hath no
peere, for he worchith all by myracle, and he shall never be    #
overcom
of none erthly mannys hande.
   'Also Merlyon made the Rounde Table in tokenyng of rowndnes
of the worlde, for men sholde by the Rounde Table undirstonde   #
the
<P 659>
rowndenes signyfyed by ryght. For all the worlde, crystenyd and
hethyn, repayryth unto the Rounde Table, and whan they ar       #
chosyn
to be of the felyshyp of the Rounde Table they thynke hemselff
more blessed and more in worship than they had gotyn halff the
worlde.
   'And ye have sene that they have loste hir fadirs and hir    #
modirs
and all hir kynne, and hir wyves and chyldren, for to be of     #
youre
felyship. Hit ys well seyne be you, for synes ye departed from  #
your
modir ye wolde never se her, ye founde such felyship at the     #
Table
Rounde.
   'Whan Merlyon had ordayned the Rounde Table he seyde, "By
them whych sholde be felowys of the Rounde Table the trouth of  #
the
Sankgreall sholde be well knowyn." And men asked hym how they
myght know them that sholde best do and to encheve the          #
Sankgreall.
Than he seyde, "There sholde be three whyght bullis sholde
encheve hit, and the two sholde be maydyns and the thirde       #
sholde
be chaste. And one of thos three shold passe hys fadir as much  #
as
the lyon passith the lybarde, both of strength and of           #
hardines."
   'They that herde Merlion sey so seyde thus: "Sitthyn there   #
shall
be such a knyght, thou sholdyst ordayne by thy craufftes a      #
syge, that
no man sholde sytte in hit but he all only that shold passe     #
all other
knyghtes." Than Merlyon answerde that he wold so do, and than   #
he
made the Syge Perelous [{in the{] whych Galahad sate at hys     #
mete on
Whyttsonday last past.'
   'Now, Madam,' seyde sir Percyvale, 'so much have I herde of  #
you
that be my good wyll I woll never have ado with sir Galahad     #
but by
wey of goodnesse. And for Goddis love, fayre awnte, can ye      #
teche
me whe[{re{] I myght fynde hym? For much I wolde love the       #
felyship
of hym.'
   'Fayre nevew,' seyde she, 'ye muste ryde unto a castell,     #
the whych
ys called Gooth, where he hath a cousyn jermayne, and there may
ye be lodged thys nyght. And as he techith you, sewith afftir   #
as faste
as ye can; and if he can telle you no tydynges of hym, ryde     #
streyte
unto the castell of Carbonek where the Maymed Kyng ys lyyng,    #
for
there shall ye hyre trew tydynges of hym.'
   Than departed sir Percivale frome hys awnte, aythir makyng
grete sorow. And so he rode tyll aftir evynsonge, and than he   #
herde
<P 660>
a clock smyte. And anone he was ware of an house closed well    #
with
wallys and depe dyches, and there he knocke at the gate. And    #
anone
he was lette in, and [{he alyght and{] was ledde unto a chamber
and sone onarmed. And there he had ryght good chere all that
nyght.
   And on the morne he herde hys masse, and in the monestery he
founde a preste redy at the awter, and on the ryght syde he     #
saw a
pew closed with iron, and behynde the awter he saw a ryche      #
bedde
and a fayre, as of cloth of sylke and golde. Than sir           #
Percivale aspyed
that therein was a man or a woman, for the visayge was coverde.
Than he leffte of hys lokynge and herd hys servyse.
   And whan hit cam unto the sakarynge, he that lay within the
perclose dressyd hym up and uncoverde hys hede, and than hym
besemed a passyng olde man, and he had a crowne of golde uppon
hys hede, and hys shuldirs were naked and unhylled unto hys     #
navyll.
And than sir Percyvale aspyed hys body was full of grete        #
woundys,
both on the shuldirs, armys, and vysayge. And ever he hylde up  #
hys
hondys agaynst oure Lordis Body and cryed,
   'Fayre swete Lorde Jesu Cryste, forgete nat me!'
   And so he lay nat downe, but was allway in hys prayers and
orysons, and hym semed to be of the ayge of three hondred       #
wynter.
And whan the masse was done the pryste toke oure Lordys Body
and bare hit unto the syke kynge. And whan he had used hit he
ded of hys crowne and commaunded the crowne to be sett on the
awter.
   Than sir Percyvale asked one of the brethirn what he was.
   'Sir,' seyde the good man, 'ye have herde much of Joseph of
Aramathy; how he was sent [{by Jesu Cryst{] into thys londe     #
for to
teche and preche the holy Crysten faythe, and therefor he       #
suffird
many persecucions the whych the enemyes of Cryst ded unto hym.
And in the cite` of Sarras he converted a kynge whos name was   #
Evelake,
and so the kyng cam with Joseph into thys londe, and ever he
was bysy to be thereas the Sankgreall was. And on a tyme he     #
nyghed
hit so nyghe that oure Lorde was displeased with hym, but ever  #
he
folowed hit more and more tyll God stroke hym allmoste blynde.
Than thys k[{ynge{] cryed mercy and seyde,
   '"Fayre Lorde, lat me never dye tyll the good knyght of my   #
blood
<P 661>
of the ninth degre` [{be com{] , that I may se hym opynly that  #
shall
encheve the Sankgreall, and that I myght kysse hym."
   'Whan the kynge thus had made hys prayers he herde a voyce
that seyde, "Herde ys thy prayers, for thou shalt nat dye       #
tylle he hath
kyssed the. And whan that knyght shall com the clerenes of      #
youre
yen shall com agayne, and thou shalt se opynly, and thy         #
wound[{es{]
shall be heled, and arst shall they never close."
   'And thus befelle of kynge Evelake, and thys same kynge hath
lyved four hondred yerys thys holy lyff, and men sey the        #
knyght ys
in thys courte that shall heale hym. Sir,' seyde the good man,  #
'I pray
you telle me what knyght that ye be, and if that ye be of the   #
Rownde
Table.'
   'Yes, forsoth, and my name ys sir Percyvale de Galis.'
   And whan the good man undirstood hys name he made grete joy
of hym. And than sir Percyvale departed and rode tylle the      #
owre of
none. And he mette in a valey aboute twenty men of armys whych
bare in a beere a knyght dedly slayne. And whan they saw sir    #
Percyvale
they [{asked{] hym of whens he was, and he seyde,
   'Of the courte of kynge Arthur.'
   Than they cryed at onys, 'Sle hym!'
   Than sir Percivale smote the firste to the erth and hys      #
horse
uppon hym, and than seven of the knyghtes smote uppon hys
shylde at onys and the remenaunte slew hys horse, that he       #
felle to
the erth, and had slayne hym or takyn hym, had nat the good     #
knyght
s[{ir{] Galahad with the rede armys com there by adventure      #
into tho
partys. And whan he saw all tho knyghtes uppon one knyght he
seyde,
   'Save me that knyghtes lyve!'
   And than he dressed hym towarde the twenty men of armys as
faste as hys horse myght dryve, with hys speare in hys reaste,  #
and
smote the formyste horse and man to the erth. And whan his      #
speare
was brokyn he sette hys honde to hys swerde and smote on the    #
ryght
honde and on the lyffte honde, that hit was mervayle to se;     #
and at
every stroke he smote downe one or put hym to a rebuke, so that
they wolde fyght no more, but fledde to a thyk foreyst, and sir
Galahad folowed them.
   And whan sir Percyvale saw hym chace them so, he made grete
<P 662>
sorow that hys horse was away. And than he wyst well hit was    #
sir
Galahad, and cryed alowde and seyde,
   'Fayre knyght, abyde and suffir me to do you thankynges, for
much have ye done for me.'
   But ever sir Galahad rode fast, that at the last he past     #
oute of hys
syght. And as fast as sir Percyvale myght he wente aftir hym on
foote, cryyng. And than he mette with a yoman rydyng uppon an
hakeney which lad in hys ryght honde a grete steede blacker     #
than
ony bere`.
   'A, fayre frende,' seyde sir Percivale, 'as ever y may do    #
for you,
and to be youre knyght in the first place ye woll requyre me,   #
that
ye woll lende me that blacke steed, that I myght overtake a     #
knyght
which [{rydeth{] before me.'
   'Sir,' seyde the yoman, 'that may I nat do, for the horse    #
is such a
mannys horse that [{and I lente hit you or ony man that{] he    #
wolde
sle me.'
   'Alas,' seyde sir Percivale, 'I had never so grete sorow as  #
I have for
losyng of yondir knyght.'
   'Sir,' seyde the yoman, 'I am ryght hevy for you, for a      #
good horse
wolde beseme you well, but I dare nat delyver you thys horse    #
but if
ye wolde take hym frome me.'
   'That woll I nat,' seyde sir Percivale.
   And so they departed, and sir Percivale sette hym downe      #
under
a tre and made sorow oute of mesure. And as he sate there cam a
knyght rydynge on the horse that the yoman lad, and he was      #
clene
armyd. And anone the yoman com rydynge and pryckyng aftir as
fast as he myght and asked sir Percivale if he saw ony knyght   #
rydyng
on hys blacke steede.
   'Ye, sir, forsothe. Why aske ye me, sir?'
   'A, sir! that steede he hath benomme me with strengthe,      #
wherefore
my lorde woll sle me in what place somever he fyndith
me.'
   'Well,' seyde sir Percyvale, 'what woldist thou that I ded?  #
Thou
seest well that I am on foote. But and I had a good horse I     #
sholde
soone brynge hym agayne.'
   'Sir,' seyde the yoman, 'take my hakeney and do the beste    #
ye can,
and I shall sew you on foote to wete how that ye shall spede.'
<P 663>
   Than sir Percivale bestrode the hakeney and rode as faste    #
as he
myght, and at the last he saw that knyght. And than he cryde,
   'Knyght, turne agayne!'
   And he turned and set hys speare ayenst sir Percivale, and   #
he
smote the hackeney in myddis the breste, that he felle downe    #
[{dede{]
to the erthe. And there he had a grete falle and the other      #
rode hys
way. And than sir Percivale was wood wrothe and cryed,
   'Abyde, wycked knyght! Cowarde and false-harted knyght,
turne ayen, and fyght with me on foote!'
   But he answerd nat, but past on hys way. Whan sir Percivale  #
saw
he wolde nat turne he kest away shylde, helme and swerde, and
seyde,
   'Now I am a verry wreche, cursed and moste unhappy of all    #
other
knyghtes!'
   So in thys sorow there he abode all that day tyll hit was    #
nyght,
and than he was faynte and leyde hym downe and slepte tyll hit  #
was
mydnyght. And than he awaked and saw before hym a woman
whych seyde unto hym ryght fyersely,
   'Sir Percivale, what dost thou here?'
   'I do nother good nother grete ille.'
   'If thou wolt ensure me,' seyde she, 'that thou wolt         #
fulfylle my
wylle whan I somon the, I shall lende the myne owne horse whych
shall bere the whother thou wolt.'
   Sir Percivale was glad of hir profer and ensured hir to      #
fulfylle all
hir desire.
   'Than abydith me here, and I shall go fecche you an horse.'
   And so she cam sone agayne and brought an horse with her     #
that
was [{i{]n[{k{]ly black. Whan sir Percyvale behylde that horse  #
he
mervaylde that he was so grete and so well apparayled. And      #
natforthan
he was so hardy he lepte uppon hym and toke none hede off
hymselff. And anone as he was uppon hym he threst to hym with
hys spurres, and so rode by a foreste; and the moone shoone     #
clere,
and within an owre and lasse he bare hym four dayes journey     #
thense
untyll he com to a rowghe watir whych rored, and that horse     #
wolde
have borne hym into hit.
   And whan sir Percivale cam nye the brymme he saw the watir   #
so
boysteous he doutted to passe over hit, and than he made a      #
sygne of
<P 664>
the crosse in hys forehed. Whan the fende felte hym so charged  #
he
shooke of sir Percivale, and he wente into the watir cryynge    #
[{and
rorynge{] and makying grete sorowe, and hit semed unto hym that
the watir brente. Than sir Percivale perceyved hit was a        #
fynde, the
whych wolde have broughte hym unto perdicion. Than he commended
hymselff unto God, and prayde oure Lorde to kepe hym
frome all suche temptacions.
   And so he prayde all that nyght tylle on the morne that hit  #
was
day, and anone he saw he was in a wylde mounteyne whych was
closed with the se nyghe all aboute, that he myght se no londe  #
aboute
hym whych myghte releve hym, but wylde bestes. And than he
wente downe into a valey, and there he saw a serpente brynge a
yonge lyon by the necke, and so he cam by sir Percivale.
   So with that com a grete lyon cryynge and ro[{r{]yng aftir   #
the serpente.
And as faste as sir Percivale saw thys he hyghed hym thydir,
but the lyon had overtake the serpente and began batayle with   #
hym.
And than sir Percivale thought to helpe the lyon, for he was    #
the
more naturall beste of the two, and therewith he drew hys       #
swerde
and sette hys shylde afore hym, and there he gaff the serpente  #
suche
a buffett that he had a dedely wounde. Whan the lyon saw that,  #
he
made no sembelaunte to fyght with hym but made hym all the      #
chere
that a beest myghte make a man.
   Whan sir Percivale perceyved hit he kyst downe his shylde    #
whych
was brokyn, and than he dud of hys helme for to gadir wynde,    #
for
he was gretly chaffed with the serpente; and the lyon wente     #
allwey
aboute hym fawnynge as a spaynell, and than he stroked hym on
the necke and on the sholdirs and thanked God of the feliship   #
of
that beste.
   And aboute noone the lyon toke hys lityll whelpe and trussed
hym and bare hym there he com fro. Than was sir Percivale       #
alone.
And as the tale tellith, he was at that tyme, one of the men    #
of the
worlde whych moste beleved in oure Lorde Jesu Cryste, for in    #
tho
dayes there was but fewe folk at that tyme that beleved         #
perfitely; for
in tho dayes the sonne spared nat the fadir no more than a      #
straunger.
   And so sir Percivale comforted hymselff in oure Lorde Jesu   #
and
besought Hym that no temptacion sholde brynge hym oute of
Goddys servys, but to endure as His trew champyon. Thus whan    #
sir
<P 665>
Percyvale had preyde he saw the lyon com towarde hym and
cowched downe at his feet. And so all that nyght the lyon and   #
he
slepte togydirs.
   And whan sir Percivale slepte he dremed a mervaylous dreme;
that two ladyes mette with hym, and that one sate uppon a lyon,
and that other sate uppon a serpente; and that one of hem was
yonge, and that other was olde, and the yongist, hym thought,   #
seyde,
   'Sir Percyvale, my lorde salewith and sende[{th{] the worde  #
thou
aray the and make the redy, for to-morne thou muste fyght with
the stronge[{st{] champion of the worlde. And if thou be        #
overcom
thou shalt nat be quytte for losyng of ony of thy membrys, but
thou shalt be shamed for ever to the worldis ende.'
   And than he asked her what was hir lorde, and she seyde 'the
grettist lorde of the worlde'. And so she departed suddeynly,   #
that
he wyst nat where.
   Than com forth the tothir lady, that rode uppon the          #
serpente,
and she seyde,
   'Sir Percivale, I playne unto you of that ye have done unto  #
me,
and I have nat offended unto you.'
   'Sertes, madam,' seyde he, 'unto you nor no lady I never     #
offended.'
   'Yes,' seyde she, 'I shall sey you why. I have norysshed in  #
thys
place a grete whyle a serpente whych pleased me much [{and      #
served
me a grete whyle{] . And yestirday ye slew hym as he gate hys   #
pray.
Sey me for what cause ye slew hym, for the lyon was nat         #
youres.'
   'Madam, I know well the lyon was nat myne, but for the lyon  #
ys
more of jantiller nature than the serpente, therefore I slew    #
hym, and
mesemyth I dud nat amysse agaynst you. Madam,' seyde he, 'what
wolde ye that I dud?'
   'I wolde,' seyde she, 'for the amendis of my beste that ye   #
becam
my man.'
   And than he answerde and seyde,
   'That woll I nat graunte you.'
   'No?' seyde she. 'Truly, ye were never but my servaunte syn  #
ye
resseyved the omayge of oure Lorde Jesu Cryste. Therefore I you
ensure, in what place that I may fynde you withoute kepyng, I   #
shall
take you as he that somtyme was my man.'
   And so she departed fro sir Percivale and leffte hym         #
slepynge,
<P 666>
whych was sore travayled of hys avision. And on the morne he    #
arose
and blyssed hym, and he was passynge fyeble.
   Than was sir Percivale ware in the see where com a shippe    #
saylyng
toward hym, and sir Percivale wente unto the ship and founde    #
hit
coverde within and without with whyght samyte. And at the helme
stoode an olde man clothed in a surplyse, in lyknes of a        #
pryste.
   'Sir,' seyde sir Percivale, 'ye be wellcom.'
   'God kepe you,' seyde the good man. 'And of whense be ye?'
   'Sir, I am of kynge Arthurs courte and a knyght of the       #
Rounde
Table, whych am in the queste of the Sankgreall, and here I am  #
in
grete duras and never lyke to ascape oute of thys wyldernes.'
   'Doute ye nat,' seyde the good man, 'and ye be so trew a     #
knyght as
the Order of Shevalry requyrith, and of herte as ye ought to    #
be, ye
shold nat doute that none enemy shold slay you.'
   'What ar ye?' seyde sir Percyvale.
   'Sir, I am of a strange contrey, and hydir I com to          #
comforte you.'
   'Sir,' seyde sir Percivale, 'what signifieth my dreme that   #
I dremed
thys nyght?' And there he tolde hym alltogydir.
   'She which rode uppon the lyon, hit betokenyth the new law   #
of
Holy Chirche, that is to undirstonde fayth, good hope, belyeve  #
and
baptyme; for she semed yonger [{than{] that othir hit ys grete  #
reson,
for she was borne in the Resurreccion and the Passion of oure   #
Lorde
Jesu Cryste. And for grete love she cam to the to warne the of  #
thy
grete batayle that shall befalle the.'
   'With whom,' seyde sir Percivale, 'shall I fyght?'
   'With the moste douteful champion of the worlde, for, as     #
the lady
seyde, but if thou quyte the welle thou shalt nat be quytte by  #
losyng
of one membir, but thou shalt be shamed to the worldis ende.    #
And
she that rode on the serpente signifieth the olde law, and      #
that serpente
betokenyth a fynde. And why she blamed the that thou
slewyst hir servaunte, hit betokenyth nothynge [{aboute{] the   #
serpente
ye slewe; that betokenyth the devyll that thou rodist on to
the roche. And whan thou madist a sygne of the crosse, there    #
thou
slewyst hym and put away hys power. And whan she asked the
amendis and to becom hir man, than thou saydist nay, that was   #
to
make the beleve on her and leve thy baptym.'
   So he commaunded sir Percivale to departe, and so he lepte   #
over
<P 667>
the boorde, and the shippe and all wente away he wyste nat      #
whydir.
Than he wente up into the roche and founde the lyon whych       #
allway
bare hym felyship, and he stroked hym uppon the backe and
had grete joy of hym.



