Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XVIII CHAPTER XXIII

Sacred Texts  Legends and Sagas  Index  BOOK XVIII  Previous  Next 

 CHAPTER XXIII
 
 How Sir Launcelot behaved him at the jousts, and
 other men also.
 
 
 THEN they blew to the field; and there the King of
 Northgalis encountered with the King of Scots, and there
 the King of Scots had a fall; and the King of Ireland
 smote down King Uriens; and the King of Northumberland
 smote down King Howel of Brittany; and Sir Galahad,
 the haut prince, smote down Chaleins of Clarance.
 And then King Arthur was wood wroth, and ran to the
 King with the Hundred Knights, and there King Arthur
 smote him down; and after with that same spear King
 Arthur smote down three other knights.  And then when
 his spear was broken King Arthur did passingly well; and
 so therewithal came in Sir Gawaine and Sir Gaheris, Sir
 Agravaine and Sir Mordred, and there everych of them
 smote down a knight, and Sir Gawaine smote down four
 knights; and then there began a strong medley, for then
 there came in the knights of Launcelot's blood, and Sir
 Gareth and Sir Palomides with them, and many knights
 of the Table Round, and they began to hold the four
 kings and the mighty duke so hard that they were discomfit;
 but this Duke Galahad, the haut prince, was a
 noble knight, and by his mighty prowess of arms he held
 the knights of the Table Round strait enough.
 
 All this doing saw Sir Launcelot, and then he came
 into the field with Sir Lavaine as it had been thunder.
 And then anon Sir Bors and the knights of his blood
 espied Sir Launcelot, and said to them all:  I warn you
 beware of him with the sleeve of gold upon his head, for
 he is himself Sir Launcelot du Lake; and for great
 goodness Sir Bors warned Sir Gareth.  I am well apaid, said
 Sir Gareth, that I may know him.  But who is he, said
 they all, that rideth with him in the same array?  That is
 the good and gentle knight Sir Lavaine, said Sir Bors.  So
 Sir Launcelot encountered with Sir Gawaine, and there by
 force Sir Launcelot smote down Sir Gawaine and his horse
 to the earth, and so he smote down Sir Agravaine and Sir
 Gaheris, and also he smote down Sir Mordred, and all this
 was with one spear.  Then Sir Lavaine met with Sir
 Palomides, and either met other so hard and so fiercely
 that both their horses fell to the earth.  And then were
 they horsed again, and then met Sir Launcelot with Sir
 Palomides, and there Sir Palomides had a fall; and so Sir
 Launcelot or ever he stint, as fast as he might get spears,
 he smote down thirty knights, and the most part of them
 were knights of the Table Round; and ever the knights
 of his blood withdrew them, and made them ado in other
 places where Sir Launcelot came not.
 
 And then King Arthur was wroth when he saw Sir
 Launcelot do such deeds; and then the king called unto
 him Sir Gawaine, Sir Mordred, Sir Kay, Sir Griflet, Sir
 Lucan the Butler, Sir Bedivere, Sir Palomides, Sir Safere,
 his brother; and so the king with these nine knights
 made them ready to set upon Sir Launcelot, and upon Sir
 Lavaine.  All this espied Sir Bors and Sir Gareth.  Now
 I dread me sore, said Sir Bors, that my lord, Sir Launcelot,
 will be hard matched.  By my head, said Sir Gareth,
 I will ride unto my lord Sir Launcelot, for to help him,
 fall of him what fall may, for he is the same man that
 made me knight.  Ye shall not so, said Sir Bors, by my
 counsel, unless that ye were disguised.  Ye shall see me
 disguised, said Sir Gareth; and therewithal he espied a
 Welsh knight where he was to repose him, and he was
 sore hurt afore by Sir Gawaine, and to him Sir Gareth
 rode, and prayed him of his knighthood to lend him his
 shield for his.  I will well, said the Welsh knight.  And
 when Sir Gareth had his shield, the book saith it was
 green, with a maiden that seemed in it.
 
 Then Sir Gareth came driving to Sir Launcelot all
 that he might and said:  Knight, keep thyself, for yonder
 cometh King Arthur with nine noble knights with him
 to put you to a rebuke, and so I am come to bear you
 fellowship for old love ye have shewed me.  Gramercy,
 said Sir Launcelot.  Sir, said Sir Gareth, encounter ye
 with Sir Gawaine, and I shall encounter with Sir Palomides;
 and let Sir Lavaine match with the noble King
 Arthur.  And when we have delivered them, let us three
 hold us sadly together.  Then came King Arthur with
 his nine knights with him, and Sir Launcelot encountered
 with Sir Gawaine, and gave him such a buffet that the
 arson of his saddle brast, and Sir Gawaine fell to the
 earth.  Then Sir Gareth encountered with the good
 knight Sir Palomides, and he gave him such a buffet that
 both his horse and he dashed to the earth.  Then encountered
 King Arthur with Sir Lavaine, and there either of
 them smote other to the earth, horse and all, that they
 lay a great while.  Then Sir Launcelot smote down Sir
 Agravaine, and Sir Gaheris, and Sir Mordred; and Sir
 Gareth smote down Sir Kay, and Sir Safere, and Sir
 Griflet.  And then Sir Lavaine was horsed again, and he
 smote down Sir Lucan the Butler and Sir Bedevere and
 then there began great throng of good knights.
 
 Then Sir Launcelot hurtled here and there, and raced
 and pulled off helms, so that at that time there might
 none sit him a buffet with spear nor with sword; and Sir
 Gareth did such deeds of arms that all men marvelled
 what knight he was with the green shield, for he smote
 down that day and pulled down mo than thirty knights
 And, as the French book saith, Sir Launcelot marvelled;
 when he beheld Sir Gareth do such deeds, what knight he
 might be; and Sir Lavaine pulled down and smote down
 twenty knights.  Also Sir Launcelot knew not Sir Gareth
 for an Sir Tristram de Liones, outher Sir Lamorak de
 Galis had been alive, Sir Launcelot would have deemed he
 had been one of them twain.  So ever as Sir Launcelot
 Sir Gareth, Sir Lavaine fought, and on the one side Sir
 Bors, Sir Ector de Maris, Sir Lionel, Sir Lamorak de
 Galis, Sir Bleoberis, Sir Galihud, Sir Galihodin, Sir Pelleas,
 and with mo other of King Ban's blood fought upon
 another party, and held the King with the Hundred
 Knights and the King of Northumberland right strait.