Le Morte Darthur: The Winchester Manuscript (Oxford World's Classics)

by Malory, Thomas

  So by this was Sir Lancelot come to the gates of that castle, and there he descended down, and cried, that all the castle might ring, ‘Where art thou, thou false traitor, Sir Meliagaunt, and knight of the Table Round? Come forth, thou traitor knight, thou and thy fellowship with thee! For here I am, Sir Lancelot du Lake, that shall fight with you all.’

  And therewith he bore the gate wide open upon the porter, and smote him under the ear with his gauntlet, that his neck brast in two pieces.

  [5]

  When Sir Meliagaunt heard that Sir Lancelot was come, he ran unto the Queen and fell upon his knee, and said, ‘Mercy, madam, now I put me wholly in your good grace.’

  ‘What ails you now?’ said Queen Guenivere. ‘Pardieu, I might well wit that some good knight would revenge me, though my lord King Arthur knew not of this your work.’

  ‘Ah, madam,’ said Sir Meliagaunt, ‘all this that is amiss on my part shall be amended right as yourself will devise, and wholly I put me in your grace.’

  ‘What would ye that I did?’ said the Queen.

  ‘Madam, I would no more,’ said Sir Meliagaunt, ‘but that ye would take all in your own hands, and that ye will rule my lord Sir Lancelot. And such cheer as may be made him in this poor castle, ye and he shall have, until tomorrow, and then may ye and all they return again unto Westminster; and my body and all that I have I shall put in your rule.’

  ‘Ye say well,’ said the Queen, ‘and better is peace than evermore war, and the less noise* the more is my worship.’

  Then the Queen and her ladies went down unto Sir Lancelot, that stood wood wroth out of measure to abide battle; and ever he said, ‘Thou traitor knight, come forth!’

  Then the Queen came unto him and said, ‘Sir Lancelot, why be ye so moved?’

  ‘Ah, madam,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘why ask ye me that question? For me seemeth ye ought to be more wroth than I am, for ye have the hurt and the dishonour. For wit you well, madam, my hurt is but little in regard for the slaying of a mare’s son, but the despite grieveth me much more than all my hurt.’

  ‘Truly,’ said the Queen, ‘ye say truth. But heartily I thank you,’ said the Queen, ‘but ye must come in with me peaceably, for all thing is put in my hand, and all that is amiss shall be amended; for the knight full sore repents him of this misadventure that is befallen him.’

  ‘Madam,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘sith it is so that ye be accorded with him, as for me I may not gainsay it, howbeit Sir Meliagaunt hath done full shamefully to me, and cowardly. And, madam,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘and I had wist that ye would have been so lightly accorded with him, I would not have made such haste unto you.’

  ‘Why say ye so?’ said the Queen. ‘Do ye forthink yourself* of your good deeds? Wit you well,’ said the Queen, ‘I accorded never with him for no favour nor love that I had unto him, but of wisdom to lay down every shameful noise.’*

  ‘Madam,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘ye understand full well I was never willing nor glad of shameful slander nor noise. And there is neither king, queen, nor knight that beareth the life, except my lord King Arthur and you, madam, that should let me but I should make* Sir Meliagaunt’s heart full cold or ever I departed from hence.’

  ‘That wot I well,’ said the Queen, ‘but what will ye more? Ye shall have all thing ruled as ye list to have it.’

  ‘Madam,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘so ye be pleased, as for my part ye shall soon please me.’

  Right so the Queen took Sir Lancelot by the bare hand, for he had put off his gauntlet, and so she went with him to her chamber; and then she commanded him to be unarmed. And then Sir Lancelot asked the Queen where were her ten knights that were wounded with her. Then she showed them unto him, and there they made great joy of the coming of Sir Lancelot, and he made great sorrow of their hurts. And there Sir Lancelot told them how cowardly and traitorly he set archers to slay his horse, and how he was fain to put himself in a chariot. And thus they complained each to other; and full fain they would have been revenged, but they kept the peace because of the Queen.

  Then, as the French book saith, Sir Lancelot was called many days after le Chevalier de Chariot, and so he did many deeds and great adventures. And so we leave off here of le Chevalier de Chariot, and turn we to this tale.

  So Sir Lancelot had great cheer with the Queen; and then he made a promise with the Queen that the same night he should come to a window outward toward a garden—and that window was barred with iron—and there Sir Lancelot promised to meet her when all folks were asleep.

  So then came Sir Lavain driving* to the gates, saying, ‘Where is my lord Sir Lancelot?’ And anon he was sent for; and when Sir Lavain saw Sir Lancelot, he said, ‘Ah, my lord, I found how ye were hard bestead, for I have found your horse that is slain with arrows.’

  ‘As for that,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘I pray you, Sir Lavain, speak ye of other matters, and let this pass, and right it another time and we may.’

  [6]

  Then the knights that were hurt were searched, and soft salves were laid to their wounds; and so it passed on till supper time, and all the cheer that might be made them there was done unto the Queen and all her knights. And when season was, they went unto their chambers, but in no wise the Queen would not suffer her wounded knights to be from her, but that they were laid in withdraughts* by her chamber upon beds and pallets, that she might herself see unto them that they wanted nothing.

  So when Sir Lancelot was in his chamber which was assigned unto him, he called unto him Sir Lavain, and told him that night he must speak with his lady, Queen Guenivere.

  ‘Sir,’ said Sir Lavain, ‘let me go with you and it please you, for I dread me sore of the treason of Sir Meliagaunt.’

  ‘Nay,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘I thank you, but I will have nobody with me.’

  Then Sir Lancelot took his sword in his hand, and privily went to the place where he had espied a ladder beforehand; and that he took under his arm and bore it through the garden, and set it up to the window. And anon the Queen was there ready to meet him; and then they made their complaints to other of many diverse things. And then Sir Lancelot wished that he might have come in to her.

  ‘Wit you well,’ said the Queen, ‘I would as fain as ye that ye might come in to me.’

  ‘Would ye so, madam,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘with your heart, that I were with you?’

  ‘Yea, truly,’ said the Queen.

  ‘Then shall I prove my might,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘for your love.’

  And then he set his hands upon the bars of iron, and pulled at them with such a might that he brast them clean out of the stone walls; and therewith one of the bars of iron cut the brawn of his hands throughout to the bone. And then he leapt into the chamber to the Queen.

  ‘Make ye no noise,’ said the Queen, ‘for my wounded knights lie here fast by me.’

  So, to pass upon this tale, Sir Lancelot went to bed with the Queen and took no force of his hurt hand, but took his pleasance and his liking until it was the dawning of the day; for wit you well, he slept not, but watched. And when he saw his time that he might tarry no longer, he took his leave and departed at the window, and put it together as well as he might again, and so departed unto his own chamber; and there he told Sir Lavain how that he was hurt. Then Sir Lavain dressed his hand and put upon it a glove, that it should not be espied. And so they lay long abed in the morning till it was nine of the clock. Then Sir Meliagaunt went to the Queen’s chamber, and found her ladies there ready clothed.

  ‘Ah, Jesu mercy,’ said Sir Meliagaunt, ‘what ails you, madam, that ye sleep this long?’

  And therewith he opened the curtain for to behold her; and then was he ware where she lay, and all the headsheet, pillow, and oversheet was all be-bled of the blood of Sir Lancelot and of his hurt hand. When Sir Meliagaunt espied that blood, then he deemed in her that she was false to the King, and that some of the wounded knights had lain by her all that night.

  ‘Ha, madam,’ said Sir Meliagaunt, ‘now I have f
ound you a false traitress unto my lord Arthur; for now I prove well it was not for nought that ye laid these wounded knights within the bounds of your chamber, therefore I will call you of treason before my lord King Arthur. And now I have proved you, madam, with a shameful deed; and that they be all false, or some of them, I will make it good, for a wounded knight this night hath lain by you.’

  ‘That is false,’ said the Queen, ‘that I will report me* unto them.’

  But when the ten knights heard of Sir Meliagaunt’s words, then they spoke all at once and said, ‘Sir Meliagaunt, thou falsely beliest my lady the Queen, and that we will make good upon thee, any of us. Now choose which thou list of us, when we are whole of the wounds thou gavest us.’

  ‘Ye shall not; away with your proud language, for here ye may all see that a wounded knight this night hath lain by the Queen.’

  Then they all looked, and were sore ashamed when they saw that blood; and wit you well Sir Meliagaunt was passing glad that he had the Queen at such advantage, for he deemed by that to hide his own treason. And so in this rumour* came in Sir Lancelot, and found them at a great affray.

  [7]

  ‘What array is this?’ said Sir Lancelot.

  Then Sir Meliagaunt told them what he had found, and so he showed him the Queen’s bed.

  ‘Now truly,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘ye did not your part, nor knightly, to touch a queen’s bed while it was drawn, and she lying therein.* And I dare say,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘my lord King Arthur himself would not have displayed* her curtains, she being within her bed, unless that it had pleased him to have lain him down by her. And therefore, Sir Meliagaunt, ye have done unworshipfully and shamefully to yourself.’

  ‘Sir, I wot not what ye mean,’ said Sir Meliagaunt, ‘but well I am sure there hath one of her hurt knights lain with her this night; and that will I prove with my hands, that she is a traitress unto my lord King Arthur.’

  ‘Beware what ye do,’ said Lancelot, ‘for and ye say so and will prove it, it will be taken at your hands.’*

  ‘My lord Sir Lancelot,’ said Sir Meliagaunt, ‘I rede* you beware what ye do; for though ye are never so good a knight, as I wot well ye are renowned the best knight of the world, yet should ye be advised* to do battle in a wrong quarrel, for God will have a stroke in every battle.’

  ‘As for that,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘God is to be dreaded! But as to that I say nay plainly, that this night there lay none of these ten knights wounded with my lady Queen Guenivere; and that will I prove with my hands, that ye say untruly in that. Now what say ye?’ said Sir Lancelot.

  ‘Thus I say,’ said Sir Meliagaunt, ‘here is my glove that she is a traitress unto my lord King Arthur, and that this night one of the wounded knights lay with her.’

  ‘Well, sir, and I receive your glove,’ said Sir Lancelot.

  And anon they were sealed with their signets, and delivered unto the ten knights.

  ‘At what day shall we do battle together?’ said Sir Lancelot.

  ‘This day eight days,’ said Sir Meliagaunt, ‘in the field beside Westminster.’

  ‘I am agreed,’ said Sir Lancelot.

  ‘But now,’ said Sir Meliagaunt, ‘sithen it is so that we must needs fight together, I pray you, as ye be a noble knight, await me with no treason nor no villainy the meanwhile, nor none for you.’

  ‘So God me help,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘ye shall right well wit that I was never of no such conditions, for I report me to all knights that ever have known me, I fared never with no treason, nor I loved never the fellowship of him that fared with treason.’

  ‘Then let us go unto dinner,’ said Sir Meliagaunt, ‘and after dinner the Queen and ye may ride all unto Westminster.’

  ‘I will well,’ said Sir Lancelot.

  Then Sir Meliagaunt said unto Sir Lancelot, ‘Sir, pleaseth you to see the estures* of this castle?’

  ‘With a good will,’ said Sir Lancelot.

  And then they went together from chamber to chamber, for Sir Lancelot dreaded no perils; for ever a man of worship and of prowess dreads but little of perils, for they ween that every man be as they be—but ever he that fareth with treason putteth often a true man in great danger. And so it befell upon Sir Lancelot that dreaded no peril, as he went with Sir Meliagaunt he trod on a trap and the board rolled, and there Sir Lancelot fell down more than ten fathom* into a cave full of straw. And then Sir Meliagaunt departed and made no fare,* no more than he that wist not where he was.

  And when Sir Lancelot was thus missed they marvelled where he was become; and then the Queen and many of them deemed that he was departed as he was wont to do, suddenly. For Sir Meliagaunt made suddenly to put aside Sir Lavain’s horse, that they might all understand that Sir Lancelot was departed suddenly, so that it passed on till after dinner. And then Sir Lavain would not stint until that he had horse-litters for the wounded knights, that they might be carried in them, and so with the Queen, both ladies and gentlewomen, they rode unto Westminster. And there the knights told how Sir Meliagaunt had appealed the Queen of high treason and how Sir Lancelot received the glove of him, ‘and this day eight days they shall do battle before you’.

  ‘By my head,’ said King Arthur, ‘I am afraid Sir Meliagaunt hath charged himself with a great charge! But where is Sir Lancelot?’ said the King.

  ‘Sir, we wot not where he is, but we deem he is ridden to some adventure as he is ofttimes wont to do, for he had Sir Lavain’s horse.’

  ‘Let him be,’ said the King, ‘for he will be found, but if he be trapped with some treason.’

  [8]

  Thus leave we Sir Lancelot lying within that cave in great pain; and every day there came a lady and brought him his meat and his drink, and wooed him to have lain by her. And ever the noble knight Sir Lancelot said her nay.

  Then said she, ‘Sir, ye are not wise, for ye may never out of this prison but if ye have my help. And also your lady, Queen Guenivere, shall be burnt in your default, unless that ye be there at the day of battle.’

  ‘God defend’, said Sir Lancelot, ‘that she should be burnt in my default. And if it be so’, said Sir Lancelot, ‘that I may not be there, it shall be well understood, both at the King and at the Queen and with all men of worship, that I am dead, sick, or in prison, for all men that know me will say for me that I am in some evil case and I be not that day there. And thus well I understand that there is some good knight, either of my blood or some other that loves me, that will take my quarrel in hand. And therefore,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘wit you well ye shall not fear* me; and if there were no more women in all this land but ye, yet shall not I have ado with you.’

  ‘Then are ye shamed,’ said the lady, ‘and destroyed for ever.’

  ‘As for world’s shame, now Jesu defend me; and as for my distress, it is welcome whatsoever it be that God sends me.’

  So she came to him again the same day that the battle should be, and said, ‘Sir Lancelot, bethink you, for ye are too hard-hearted. And therefore, and ye would but once kiss me, I should deliver you and your armour, and the best horse that was within Sir Meliagaunt’s stable.’

  ‘As for to kiss you,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘I may do that and lose no worship. And wit you well, and I understood there were any disworship for to kiss you, I would not do it.’

  And then he kissed her; and anon she got him up unto his armour, and when he was armed she brought him to a stable where stood twelve good coursers, and bade him to choose of the best. Then Sir Lancelot looked upon a white courser, and that liked him best; and anon he commanded him to be saddled with the best saddle of war, and so it was done. Then he got his own spear in his hand and his sword by his side; and then he commended the lady unto God, and said, ‘Lady, for this day’s deed I shall do you service if ever it lie in my power.’

  [9]

  Now leave we here Sir Lancelot, all that ever he might gallop, and speak we of Queen Guenivere that was brought to a fire to be burnt; for Sir Meliagaunt was sure, him thought, that Sir
Lancelot should not be at that battle, and therefore he ever cried upon Sir Arthur to do him justice, or else bring forth Sir Lancelot. Then was the King and all the court full sore abashed and shamed that the Queen should be burnt in the default of Sir Lancelot.

  ‘My lord King Arthur,’ said Sir Lavain, ‘ye may understand that it is not well with my lord Sir Lancelot, for and he were alive, so he be not sick or in prison, wit you well he would have been here; for never heard ye that ever he failed yet his part for whom he should do battle for. And therefore,’ said Sir Lavain, ‘my lord King Arthur, I beseech you that ye will give me licence to do battle here this day for my lord and master, and for to save my lady the Queen.’

  ‘Grantmercy, gentle Sir Lavain,’ said King Arthur, ‘for I dare say all that Sir Meliagaunt putteth upon my lady the Queen is wrong; for I have spoken with all the ten wounded knights, and there is not one of them, and he were whole and able to do battle, but he would prove upon Sir Meliagaunt’s body that it is false that he putteth upon my queen.’

  ‘And so shall I,’ said Sir Lavain, ‘in the defence of my lord Sir Lancelot, and ye will give me leave.’

  ‘And I give you leave,’ said King Arthur, ‘and do your best, for I dare well say there is some treason done to Sir Lancelot.’

  Then was Sir Lavain armed and horsed, and deliverly at the lists’ end he rode to perform his battle. And right as the heralds should cry, ‘Lessez les aller,’* right so came Sir Lancelot driving* with all the might of his horse. And then King Arthur cried, ‘Whoa!’ and ‘Abide!’

  And then was Sir Lancelot called before King Arthur, and there he told openly before the King all how that Sir Meliagaunt had served him first and last. And when the King and Queen and all the lords knew of the treason of Sir Meliagaunt they were all ashamed on his behalf. Then was the Queen sent for, and set by the King in the great trust of her champion.