Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XX CHAPTER XIII

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 CHAPTER XIII
 
 How Sir Gawaine jousted and smote down Sir Lionel, and
 how Sir Launcelot horsed King Arthur
 
 
 THEN came forth Sir Gawaine from the king's host, and
 he came before and proffered to joust.  And Sir Lionel
 was a fierce knight, and lightly he encountered with Sir
 Gawaine; and there Sir Gawaine smote Sir Lionel through
 out the body, that he dashed to the earth like as he had
 been dead; and then Sir Ector de Maris and other more
 bare him into the castle.  Then there began a great stour,
 and much people was slain; and ever Sir Launcelot did
 what he might to save the people on King Arthur's party,
 for Sir Palomides, and Sir Bors, and Sir Safere, overthrew
 many knights, for they were deadly knights.  And Sir
 Blamore de Ganis, and Sir Bleoberis de Ganis, with Sir
 Bellangere le Beuse, these six knights did much harm; and
 ever King Arthur was nigh about Sir Launcelot to have
 slain him, and Sir Launcelot suffered him, and would not
 strike again.  So Sir Bors encountered with King Arthur,
 and there with a spear Sir Bors smote him down; and so
 he alighted and drew his sword, and said to Sir Launcelot:
 Shall I make an end of this war? and that he meant to have
 slain King Arthur.  Not so hardy, said Sir Launcelot,
 upon pain of thy head, that thou touch him no more, for
 I will never see that most noble king that made me knight
 neither slain ne shamed.  And therewithal Sir Launcelot
 alighted off his horse and took up the king and horsed him
 again, and said thus:  My lord Arthur, for God's love stint
 this strife, for ye get here no worship, and I would do mine
 utterance, but always I forbear you, and ye nor none of
 yours forbeareth me; my lord, remember what I have done
 in many places, and now I am evil rewarded.
 
 Then when King Arthur was on horseback, he looked
 upon Sir Launcelot, and then the tears brast out of his
 eyen, thinking on the great courtesy that was in Sir
 Launcelot more than in any other man; and therewith the
 king rode his way, and might no longer behold him, and
 said:  Alas, that ever this war began.  And then either
 parties of the battles withdrew them to repose them, and
 buried the dead, and to the wounded men they laid soft
 salves; and thus they endured that night till on the morn.
 And on the morn by underne they made them ready to do
 battle.  And then Sir Bors led the forward.
 
 So upon the morn there came Sir Gawaine as brim as
 any boar, with a great spear in his hand.  And when Sir
 Bors saw him he thought to revenge his brother Sir Lionel
 of the despite that Sir Gawaine did him the other day.
 And so they that knew either other feutred their spears,
 and with all their mights of their horses and themselves,
 they met together so felonously that either bare other
 through, and so they fell both to the earth; and then the
 battles joined, and there was much slaughter on both parties.
 Then Sir Launcelot rescued Sir Bors, and sent him into
 the castle; but neither Sir Gawaine nor Sir Bors died not
 of their wounds, for they were all holpen.  Then Sir
 Lavaine and Sir Urre prayed Sir Launcelot to do his pain,
 and fight as they had done; For we see ye forbear and
 spare, and that doth much harm; therefore we pray you
 spare not your enemies no more than they do you.  Alas,
 said Sir Launcelot, I have no heart to fight against my lord
 Arthur, for ever meseemeth I do not as I ought to do.
 My lord, said Sir Palomides, though ye spare them all this
 day they will never con you thank; and if they may get
 you at avail ye are but dead.  So then Sir Launcelot
 understood that they said him truth; and then he strained
 himself more than he did aforehand, and because his nephew
 Sir Bors was sore wounded.  And then within a little while,
 by evensong time, Sir Launcelot and his party better stood,
 for their horses went in blood past the fetlocks, there was
 so much people slain.  And then for pity Sir Launcelot
 withheld his knights, and suffered King Arthur's party for
 to withdraw them aside.  And then Sir Launcelot's party
 withdrew them into his castle, and either parties buried the
 dead, and put salve unto the wounded men.
 
 So when Sir Gawaine was hurt, they on King Arthur's
 party were not so orgulous as they were toforehand to do
 battle.  Of this war was noised through all Christendom,
 and at the last it was noised afore the Pope; and he
 considering the great goodness of King Arthur, and of Sir
 Launcelot, that was called the most noblest knights of the
 world, wherefore the Pope called unto him a noble clerk
 that at that time was there present; the French book saith,
 it was the Bishop of Rochester; and the Pope gave him
 bulls under lead unto King Arthur of England, charging
 him upon pain of interdicting of all England, that he take
 his queen Dame Guenever unto him again, and accord with
 Sir Launcelot.