Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IX CHAPTER XXXIX

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 CHAPTER XXXIX
 
 Of the treason of King Mark, and how Sir Gaheris
 smote him down and Andred his cousin.
 
 THEN there came Sir Kay, the Seneschal, unto King Mark, and there
 he had good cheer showing outward.  Now, fair lords, said he,
 will ye prove any adventure in the forest of Morris, in the which
 I know well is as hard an adventure as I know any.  Sir, said Sir
 Kay, I will prove it.  And Sir Gaheris said he would be avised
 for King Mark was ever full of treason: and therewithal Sir
 Gaheris departed and rode his way.  And by the same way that Sir
 Kay should ride he laid him down to rest, charging his squire to
 wait upon Sir Kay;  And warn me when he cometh.  So within a
 while Sir Kay came riding that way, and then Sir Gaheris took his
 horse and met him, and said:  Sir Kay, ye are not wise to ride at
 the request of King Mark, for he dealeth all with treason.  Then
 said Sir Kay:  I require you let us prove this adventure.  I
 shall not fail you, said Sir Gaheris.  And so they rode that time
 till a lake that was that time called the <423>Perilous Lake, and
 there they abode under the shaw of the wood.
 
 The meanwhile King Mark within the castle of Tintagil avoided all
 his barons, and all other save such as were privy with him were
 avoided out of his chamber.  And then he let call his nephew Sir
 Andred, and bade arm him and horse him lightly; and by that time
 it was midnight.  And so King Mark was armed in black, horse and
 all; and so at a privy postern they two issued out with their
 varlets with them, and rode till they came to that lake.  Then
 Sir Kay espied them first, and gat his spear, and proffered to
 joust.  And King Mark rode against him, and smote each other full
 hard, for the moon shone as the bright day.  And there at that
 jousts Sir Kay's horse fell down, for his horse was not so big as
 the king's horse, and Sir Kay's horse bruised him full sore. 
 Then Sir Gaheris was wroth that Sir Kay had a fall.  Then he
 cried:  Knight, sit thou fast in thy saddle, for I will revenge
 my fellow.  Then King Mark was afeard of Sir Gaheris, and so with
 evil will King Mark rode against him, and Sir Gaheris gave him
 such a stroke that he fell down.  So then forthwithal Sir Gaheris
 ran unto Sir Andred and smote him from his horse quite, that his
 helm smote in the earth, and nigh had broken his neck.  And
 therewithal Sir Gaheris alighted, and gat up Sir Kay.  And then
 they yode both on foot to them, and bade them yield them, and
 tell their names outher they should die.  Then with great pain
 Sir Andred spake first, and said:  It is King Mark of Cornwall,
 therefore be ye ware what ye do, and I am Sir Andred, his cousin. 
 Fie on you both, said Sir Gaheris, for a false traitor, and false
 treason hast thou wrought and he both, under the feigned cheer
 that ye made us! it were pity, said Sir Gaheris, that thou
 shouldst live any longer.  Save my life, said King Mark, and I
 will make amends; and consider that I am a king anointed.  It
 were the more shame, said Sir Gaheris, to save thy life; thou art
 a king anointed with cream, and therefore thou shouldst hold with
 all men of worship; and therefore thou art worthy to die.  With
 that he lashed at <424>King Mark without saying any more, and
 covered him with his shield and defended him as he might.  And
 then Sir Kay lashed at Sir Andred, and therewithal King Mark
 yielded him unto Sir Gaheris.  And then he kneeled adown, and
 made his oath upon the cross of the sword, that never while he
 lived he would be against errant-knights.  And also he sware to
 be good friend unto Sir Tristram if ever he came into Cornwall.
 
 By then Sir Andred was on the earth, and Sir Kay would have slain
 him.  Let be, said Sir Gaheris, slay him not I pray you.  It were
 pity, said Sir Kay, that he should live any longer, for this is
 nigh cousin unto Sir Tristram, and ever he hath been a traitor
 unto him, and by him he was exiled out of Cornwall, and therefore
 I will slay him, said Sir Kay.  Ye shall not, said Sir Gaheris;
 sithen I have given the king his life, I pray you give him his
 life.  And therewithal Sir Kay let him go.  And so Sir Kay and
 Sir Gaheris rode their way unto Dinas, the Seneschal, for because
 they heard say that he loved well Sir Tristram.  So they reposed
 them there, and soon after they rode unto the realm of Logris. 
 And so within a little while they met with Sir Launcelot that
 always had Dame Bragwaine with him, to that intent he weened to
 have met the sooner with Sir Tristram; and Sir Launcelot asked
 what tidings in Cornwall, and whether they heard of Sir Tristram
 or not.  Sir Kay and Sir Gaheris answered and said, that they
 heard not of him.  Then they told Sir Launcelot word by word of
 their adventure.  Then Sir Launcelot smiled and said:  Hard it is
 to take out of the flesh that is bred in the bone; and so made
 them merry together.