Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VI CHAPTER III

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 CHAPTER III
 How four queens found Launcelot sleeping, and how by
 enchantment he was taken and led into a castle.
 
 NOW leave we these knights prisoners, and speak we of Sir
 Launcelot du Lake that lieth under the apple-tree sleeping.  Even
 about the noon there came by him four queens of great estate;
 and, for the heat should not annoy them, there rode four knights
 about them, and bare a cloth of green silk on four spears,
 betwixt them and the sun, and the queens rode on four white
 mules.  Thus as they rode they heard by them a great horse grimly
 neigh, then were they ware of a sleeping knight, that lay all
 armed under an apple-tree; anon as these queens looked on his
 face, they knew it was Sir Launcelot.  Then they began for to
 strive for that knight, everych one said they would have him to
 her love.  We shall not strive, said <179>Morgan le Fay, that was
 King Arthur's sister, I shall put an enchantment upon him that he
 shall not awake in six hours, and then I will lead him away unto
 my castle, and when he is surely within my hold, I shall take the
 enchantment from him, and then let him choose which of us he will
 have unto paramour.
 
 So this enchantment was cast upon Sir Launcelot, and then they
 laid him upon his shield, and bare him so on horseback betwixt
 two knights, and brought him unto the castle Chariot, and there
 they laid him in a chamber cold, and at night they sent unto him
 a fair damosel with his supper ready dight.  By that the
 enchantment was past, and when she came she saluted him, and
 asked him what cheer.  I cannot say, fair damosel, said Sir
 Launcelot, for I wot not how I came into this castle but it be by
 an enchantment.  Sir, said she, ye must make good cheer, and if
 ye be such a knight as it is said ye be, I shall tell you more
 to-morn by prime of the day.  Gramercy, fair damosel, said Sir
 Launcelot, of your good will I require you.  And so she departed. 
 And there he lay all that night without comfort of anybody.  And
 on the morn early came these four queens, passingly well beseen,
 all they bidding him good morn, and he them again.
 
 Sir knight, the four queens said, thou must understand thou art
 our prisoner, and we here know thee well that thou art Sir
 Launcelot du Lake, King Ban's son, and because we understand your
 worthiness, that thou art the noblest knight living, and as we
 know well there can no lady have thy love but one, and that is
 Queen Guenever, and now thou shalt lose her for ever, and she
 thee, and therefore thee behoveth now to choose one of us four. 
 I am the Queen Morgan le Fay, queen of the land of Gore, and here
 is the queen of Northgalis, and the queen of Eastland, and the
 queen of the Out Isles; now choose one of us which thou wilt have
 to thy paramour, for thou mayest not choose or else in this
 prison to die.  This is an hard case, said Sir Launcelot, that
 either I must die or else choose one of you, yet had I liefer to
 die in this prison with worship, than to have one of you to my
 paramour maugre my <180>head.  And therefore ye be answered, I
 will none of you, for ye be false enchantresses, and as for my
 lady, Dame Guenever, were I at my liberty as I was, I would prove
 it on you or on yours, that she is the truest lady unto her lord
 living.  Well, said the queens, is this your answer, that ye will
 refuse us.  Yea, on my life, said Sir Launcelot, refused ye be of
 me.  So they departed and left him there alone that made great
 sorrow.