Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XX CHAPTER VIII

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 CHAPTER VIII
 
 How Sir Launcelot and his kinsmen rescued the queen from
 the fire, and how he slew many knights
 
 
 THEN said the noble King Arthur to Sir Gawaine:  Dear
 nephew, I pray you make you ready in your best armour,
 with your brethren, Sir Gaheris and Sir Gareth, to bring
 my queen to the fire, there to have her judgment and
 receive the death.  Nay, my most noble lord, said Sir
 Gawaine, that will I never do; for wit you well I will
 never be in that place where so noble a queen as is my
 lady, Dame Guenever, shall take a shameful end.  For
 wit you well, said Sir Gawaine, my heart will never serve
 me to see her die; and it shall never be said that ever
 I was of your counsel of her death.
 
 Then said the king to Sir Gawaine:  Suffer your
 brothers Sir Gaheris and Sir Gareth to be there.  My
 lord, said Sir Gawaine, wit you well they will be loath
 to be there present, because of many adventures the which
 be like there to fall, but they are young and full unable
 to say you nay.  Then spake Sir Gaheris, and the good
 knight Sir Gareth, unto Sir Arthur: Sir, ye may well
 command us to be there, but wit you well it shall be sore
 against our will; but an we be there by your strait
 commandment ye shall plainly hold us there excused: we
 will be there in peaceable wise, and bear none harness of
 war upon us.  In the name of God, said the king, then
 make you ready, for she shall soon have her judgment
 anon.  Alas, said Sir Gawaine, that ever I should endure
 to see this woful day.  So Sir Gawaine turned him and
 wept heartily, and so he went into his chamber; and then
 the queen was led forth without Carlisle, and there she
 was despoiled into her smock.  And so then her ghostly
 father was brought to her, to be shriven of her misdeeds.
 Then was there weeping, and wailing, and wringing of
 hands, of many lords and ladies, but there were but few
 in comparison that would bear any armour for to strength
 the death of the queen.
 
 Then was there one that Sir Launcelot had sent unto
 that place for to espy what time the queen should go unto
 her death; and anon as he saw the queen despoiled into
 her smock, and so shriven, then he gave Sir Launcelot
 warning.  Then was there but spurring and plucking up
 of horses, and right so they came to the fire.  And who
 that stood against them, there were they slain; there might
 none withstand Sir Launcelot, so all that bare arms and
 withstood them, there were they slain, full many a noble
 knight.  For there was slain Sir Belliance le Orgulous,
 Sir Segwarides, Sir Griflet, Sir Brandiles, Sir Aglovale,
 Sir Tor; Sir Gauter, Sir Gillimer, Sir Reynolds' three
 brethren; Sir Damas, Sir Priamus, Sir Kay the Stranger,
 Sir Driant, Sir Lambegus, Sir Herminde; Sir Pertilope,
 Sir Perimones, two brethren that were called the Green
 Knight and the Red Knight.  And so in this rushing and
 hurling, as Sir Launcelot thrang here and there, it
 mishapped him to slay Gaheris and Sir Gareth, the noble
 knight, for they were unarmed and unware.  For as the
 French book saith, Sir Launcelot smote Sir Gareth and
 Sir Gaheris upon the brain-pans, wherethrough they were
 slain in the field; howbeit in very truth Sir Launcelot
 saw them not, and so were they found dead among the
 thickest of the press.
 
 Then when Sir Launcelot had thus done, and slain and
 put to flight all that would withstand him, then he rode
 straight unto Dame Guenever, and made a kirtle and a
 gown to be cast upon her; and then he made her to be
 set behind him, and prayed her to be of good cheer.  Wit
 you well the queen was glad that she was escaped from
 the death.  And then she thanked God and Sir Launcelot;
 and so he rode his way with the queen, as the French book
 saith, unto Joyous Gard, and there he kept her as a noble
 knight should do; and many great lords and some kings
 sent Sir Launcelot many good knights, and many noble
 knights drew unto Sir Launcelot.  When this was known
 openly, that King Arthur and Sir Launcelot were at
 debate, many knights were glad of their debate, and many
 were full heavy of their debate.