by Howard Pyle
Then the chatelaine set bread and wine before Sir Kay, and he ate and refreshed himself, and thereafter he and Sir Launcelot went to that garret above the gate, and there fell asleep with great ease of body.
Sir Launcelot takes Sir Kay’s armor.
Now before the sun arose Sir Launcelot awoke but Sir Kay still slept very soundly. Then Sir Launcelot beheld how Sir Kay slept, and he had a mind for a jest. So he clad himself in Sir Kay’s armor altogether from head to foot, and he took Sir Kay’s shield and spear, and he left his armor and shield and spear for Sir Kay to use. Then he went very softly from that room, and left Sir Kay still sleeping. And he took Sir Kay’s horse and mounted upon it and rode away; and all that while Sir Kay knew not what had befallen, but slept very deeply.
Now after a while Sir Kay awoke, and he found that Sir Launcelot was gone, and when he looked he found that his own armor was gone and that Sir Launcelot’s armor was left. Then he wist what Sir Launcelot had done, and he said: “Ha! what a noble, courteous knight is the gentleman. For he hath left me his armor for my protection, and whilst I wear it and carry his shield and ride his horse, it is not likely that anyone will assail me upon my way. As for those who assail him, I do not believe that they will be likely to find great pleasure in their battle.”
Therewith he arose and clad himself in Sir Launcelot’s armor, and after he had broken his fast he thanked his hostess for what she had given him, and rode upon his way with great content of spirit.
(And it was as Sir Kay had said, for when he met other knights upon the road, and when they beheld the figure upon his shield, they all said: “It is not well to meddle with that knight, for that is Sir Launcelot.” And so he came to Camelot without having to do battle with any man.)
How Sir Launcelot travels toward Camelot.
As for Sir Launcelot, he rode upon his way with great cheerfulness of spirit, taking no heed at all of any trouble in the world, but chanting to himself as he rode in the pleasant weather. But ever he made his way toward Camelot, for he said: “I will return to Camelot for a little, and see how it fares with my friends at the court of the King.”
Sir Launcelot perceives three knights at feast.
So by and by he entered into the country around about Camelot, which is a very smooth and fertile country, full of fair rivers and meadows with many cots and hamlets, and with fair hedge-bordered highways, wonderfully pleasant to journey in. So travelling he came to a very large meadow where were several groves of trees standing here and there along by a river. And as he went through this meadow he saw before him a long bridge, and at the farther side of the bridge were three pavilions of silk of divers colors, which pavilions had been cast in the shade of a grove of beech-trees. In front of each pavilion stood a great spear thrust in the earth, and from the spear hung the shield of the knight to whom the pavilion belonged. These shields Sir Launcelot read very easily, and so knew the knights who were there. To wit: that they were Sir Gunther, Sir Gylmere, and Sir Raynold, who were three brothers of the Court of King Arthur. As Sir Launcelot passed their pavilions, he saw that the three knights sat at feast in the midmost pavilion of the three, and that a number of esquires and pages waited upon them and served them, for those knights were of very high estate, and so they were established as high lords should be.
The three knights bid Sir Launcelot come to feast with them.
Sir Launcelot overthrows Sir Gunther.
Now when those knights perceived Sir Launcelot they thought it was Sir Kay because of the armor he wore, and Sir Gunther, who was the eldest of the three brothers, cried out: “Come hither, Sir Kay, and eat with us!” But to this Sir Launcelot made no reply, but rode on his way. Then said Sir Gunther: “Meseems Sir Kay hath grown very proud this morning. Now I will go and bring him back with me, or else I will bring down his pride to earth.” So he made haste and donned his helmet and ran and took his shield and his spear, and mounted his horse and rode after Sir Launcelot at a hard gallop. As he drew nigh to Sir Launcelot he cried out: “Stay, Sir Knight! Turn again, and go with me!” “Why should I go with you?” said Sir Launcelot. Quoth Sir Gunther: “Because you must either return with me or do battle with me.” “Well,” said Sir Launcelot, “I would rather do battle than return against my will.” And at that Sir Gunther was astonished, for Sir Kay was not wont to be so ready for a battle. So Sir Launcelot set his shield and spear and took his stand, and Sir Gunther took his stand. Then, when they were in all ways prepared, each set spur to his horse and rushed together with terrible speed. So each knight struck the other in the midst of his shield, but the onset of Sir Launcelot was so terrible that it was not to be withstood, wherefore both Sir Gunther and his horse were overthrown in such a cloud of dust that nothing at all was to be seen of them until that cloud lifted.
At this both Sir Raynold and Sir Gylmere were astonished beyond measure, for Sir Gunther was reckoned to be a much better knight than Sir Kay, wherefore they wist not how it was that Sir Kay should have overthrown him in that fashion.
So straightway Sir Gylmere, who was the second of those brothers, called out to Sir Launcelot to tarry and do battle. “Very well,” said Sir Launcelot, “if I cannot escape thee I must needs do battle. Only make haste, for I would fain be going upon my way.”
So Sir Gylmere donned his helm in haste and ran and took his shield and spear and mounted upon his horse. So when he had made himself ready in all ways he rushed upon Sir Launcelot with all his might and Sir Launcelot rushed against him.
Sir Launcelot overthrows Sir Gylmere.
In that encounter each knight struck the other in the midst of his shield, and the spear of Sir Gylmere burst into pieces, but Sir Launcelot’s spear held, so the breast-strap of Sir Gylmere’s saddle bursting, both saddle and knight were swept entirely off the horse and to the earth, where Sir Gylmere lay altogether stunned.
Sir Launcelot wins from Sir Raynold.
Then Sir Raynold came against Sir Launcelot in like manner as the others had done, and in that encounter Sir Launcelot overthrew both horse and man so that, had not Sir Raynold voided his horse, he would likely have been very sadly hurt.
Then Sir Raynold drew his sword and cried out in a loud voice: “Come, Sir Knight, and do me battle afoot!” But Sir Launcelot said: “Why will you have it so, Sir Knight? I have no such quarrel with you as to do battle with swords.” “Ha!” said Sir Raynold, “you shall fight with me. For though you wear Sir Kay’s armor, I wot very well that you are not Sir Kay, but a great deal bigger man than ever Sir Kay is like to be.”
“Nay,” said Sir Launcelot, “I will not do any more battle with you.” And therewith he drew rein and rode away, leaving Sir Raynold standing very angry in the middle of the highway.
Sir Launcelot meets four noble knights.
After that Sir Launcelot rode very easily at a quiet gait, with no great thought whither he rode, until after a while he came to a place where a road went across a level field with two rows of tall poplar trees, one upon either side of the highway. Then Sir Launcelot perceived where, beneath the shade of these poplar trees, were four knights standing each by his horse. And these four knights were conversing very pleasantly together. Now as Sir Launcelot drew nigh he perceived that those were four very famous noble knights of the Round Table; to wit: one of those knights was his own brother, Sir Ector de Maris, another was Sir Gawain, another was Sir Ewain, and the fourth was Sir Sagramore le Desirous.
Now as Sir Launcelot drew nigh Sir Gawain said: “Look, yonder cometh Sir Kay the Seneschal.” Unto this Sir Sagramore le Desirous said: “Yea, this is he; now bide you here for a little while, and I will go and take a fall of him.”
So straightway he mounted upon his horse, and he rode toward Sir Launcelot, and he cried out: “Stay, Sir Knight, you cannot go farther until you have had to do with me.” “What would you have of me?” quoth Sir Launcelot. “Sir,” said Sir Sagramore, “I will have a fall of you.” “Well,” said Sir Launcelot, “I suppose I must pleasure you, since
it cannot be otherwise.”
Sir Launcelot overthrows Sir Sagramore.
Therewith he dressed his shield and his spear and Sir Sagramore dressed his shield and his spear, and when they were in all ways prepared they ran together at full tilt. In that encounter Sir Sagramore’s spear broke, but Sir Launcelot struck so powerful a blow that he overthrew both horse and man into a ditch of water that was near-by.
Then Sir Ector de Maris said: “Ha, surely some very ill chance has befallen Sir Sagramore for to be overthrown by Sir Kay. Now I will go and have ado with him, for if the matter rests here there will be no living at court with the jests which will be made upon us.”
So he took horse and rode to where Sir Launcelot was, and he went at a very fast gallop. When he had come near to Sir Launcelot he cried out: “Have at thee, Sir Kay, for it is my turn next!” “Why should I have at thee?” said Sir Launcelot, “I have done thee no harm.” “No matter,” said Sir Ector, “you can go no farther until you have had to do with me.” “Well,” said Sir Launcelot, “if that is so, the sooner I have to do with thee, the sooner shall I be able to go upon my way.”
Sir Launcelot overthrows Sir Ector.
Therewith each knight made himself ready and when they were in all ways prepared they came together with such force that Sir Launcelot’s spear went through Sir Ector’s shield and smote him upon the shoulder, and Sir Ector was thrown down upon the ground with such violence that he lay where he had fallen, without power to move.
Then said Sir Ewain to Sir Gawain where they stood together: “That is the most wonderful thing that ever I beheld, for never did I think to behold Sir Kay bear himself in battle in such a fashion as that. Now bide thee here and let me have a try at him.” Therewith Sir Ewain mounted his horse and rode at Sir Launcelot, and there were no words spoken this time, but each knight immediately took his stand to do battle. Then they ran their horses together, and Sir Launcelot gave Sir Ewain such a buffet that he was astonished, and for a little he knew not where he was, for his spear fell down out of his hand, and he bore his shield so low that Sir Launcelot might have slain him where he stood if he had been minded to do so.
Sir Ewain yields to Sir Launcelot.
Then Sir Launcelot said: “Sir Knight, I bid thee yield to me.” And Sir Ewain said: “I yield me. For I do not believe that thou art Sir Kay but a bigger man than he shall ever be. Wherefore I yield me.” “Then that is well,” said Sir Launcelot. “Now stand thou a little aside where thou mayst bring succor unto these other two knights, for I see that Sir Gawain has a mind to tilt with me.”
Sir Gawain fails with Sir Launcelot.
And it was as Sir Launcelot said, for Sir Gawain also had mounted his horse and had made himself ready for that encounter. So Sir Gawain and Sir Launcelot took stand at such place as suited them. Then each knight set spurs to his horse and rushed together like thunder, and each knight smote the other knight in the midst of his shield; and in that encounter the spear of Sir Gawain brake in twain but the spear of Sir Launcelot held, and therewith he gave Sir Gawain such a buffet that Sir Gawain’s horse reared up into the air, and it was with much ado that he was able to void his saddle ere his horse fell over backward. For if he had not leaped to earth the horse would have fallen upon him.
Then Sir Gawain drew his sword and cried very fiercely: “Come down and fight me, Sir Knight! For thou art not Sir Kay!”
“Nay, I will not fight thee that way,” said Sir Launcelot, and therewith he passed on his way without tarrying further.
But he laughed to himself behind his helmet as he rode, and he said: “God give Sir Kay joy of such a spear as this, for I believe there came never so good a spear as this into my hand. For with it I have overthrown seven famous knights in this hour.”
As for those four knights of the Round Table, they comforted one another as best they could, for they knew not what to think of that which had befallen them. Only Sir Ector said: “That was never Sir Kay who served us in this wise, but such a man as is better than ten Sir Kays, or twice ten Sir Kays, for the matter of that.”
How Sir Launcelot returned to Camelot.
Now Sir Launcelot came to Camelot about eventide, what time King Arthur and his court were assembled at their supper. Then there was great joy when news was brought of his coming and they brought him in to the court and set him beside the King and the Lady Guinevere all armed as he was. Then King Arthur said: “Sir Launcelot, how is it with thee?” and Sir Launcelot said: “It is well.” Then King Arthur said: “Tell us what hath befallen thee.” And Sir Launcelot told all that had happened in that month since he had left court. And all they who were there listened, and were much astonished.
But when Sir Launcelot told how he had encountered those seven knights, in the armor of Sir Kay, all laughed beyond measure excepting those of the seven who were there, for they took no very good grace to be laughed at in that wise.
* * * * *
So now I hope I have made you acquainted with Sir Launcelot of the Lake, who was the greatest knight in the world. For not only have I told you how he was created a knight at the hands of King Arthur, but I have also led you errant along with him, so that you might see for yourself how he adventured his life for other folk and what a noble and generous gentleman he was; and how pitiful to the weak and suffering, and how terrible to the evil-doer. But now I shall have to leave him for a while (but after a while in another book that shall follow this, I shall return to him to tell you a great many things concerning other adventures of his), for meantime it is necessary that I should recount the history of another knight, who was held by many to be nearly as excellent a knight as Sir Launcelot was himself.
CONCLUSION
HERE ENDETH THE story of Sir Launcelot. That which followeth is the story of Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, who was knit with Sir Launcelot into such close ties of friendship that if they had been brothers of the same blood, with the same father and mother, they could not have loved one another more than they did.
The Book of Sir Tristram
For indeed it would not be possible to tell any history of Sir Launcelot of the Lake without telling that of Sir Tristram of Lyonesse as well, for as the web of a fair fabric is woven in with the woof thereof, so were the lives of Sir Launcelot and Sir Tristram woven closely together.
Wherefore you shall now hear tell of the goodly adventures of Sir Tristram of Lyonesse; and God grant that you may have the same joy in reading thereof that I shall have in telling of them to you.
There was a certain kingdom called Lyonesse, and the King of that country was hight Meliadus, and the Queen thereof who was hight the Lady Elizabeth, was sister to King Mark of Cornwall.
In the country of Lyonesse, there was a very beautiful lady, who was a cunning and wicked sorceress. This lady took great love for King Meliadus, who was of an exceedingly noble appearance, and she meditated continually how she might bring him to her castle so as to have him near her.
King Meliadus rides a-hunting.
Now King Meliadus was a very famous huntsman, and he loved the chase above all things in the world, excepting the joy he took in the love of his Queen, the Lady Elizabeth. So, upon a certain day, in the late autumn season he was minded to go forth a-hunting, although the day was very cold and bleak.
About the prime of the day the hounds started, of a sudden, a very wonderful stag. For it was white and its horns were gilded very bright, shining like pure gold, so that the creature itself appeared like a living miracle in the forest. When this stag broke cover, the hounds immediately set chase to it with a great outcry of yelling, as though they were suddenly gone frantic, and when the King beheld the creature, he also was immediately seized as with a great fury for chasing it. For, beholding it, he shouted aloud and drove spurs into his horse, and rushed away at such a pass that his court was, in a little while, left altogether behind him, and he and the chase were entirely alone in the forest.
King Meliadus chases the stag.
The stag, with the
hounds close behind it, ran at a great rate through the passes of the woodlands, and King Meliadus pursued it with might and main until the chase burst out of the forest into an open plain beyond the woodland. Then King Meliadus beheld that in the midst of the plain was a considerable lake of water; and that in the midst of the water was an island; and that upon the island was a very tall and stately castle. Toward this castle the stag ran with great speed, and so, coming to the lake, it leaped into the water and swam across to the island — and there was a thin sheet of clear ice upon the water close to either bank.
But when the hounds that pursued the stag came to that frozen water, they stinted their pursuit and stood whimpering upon the brink, for the ice and the water repelled them. But King Meliadus made no such pause, but immediately leaped off from his horse, and plunged into the water and swam across in pursuit of the stag. And when he reached the other side, he chased the stag afoot with great speed, and therewith the stag ran to the castle and into the court-yard thereof, and King Meliadus ran after it. Then, immediately he had entered in, the gates of the castle were shut and King Meliadus was a prisoner.
King Meliadus is made prisoner at an enchanted castle.
(Now you are to know that that castle was the abode of the beautiful enchantress afore spoken of, and you are to know that she had sent that enchanted stag to beguile King Meliadus to her court, and so she made King Meliadus her captive. Further, it is to be told that when she had him there within her castle, she wove a web of enchantment all about him so that he forgot the Lady Elizabeth and his court and his kingdom and thought of nothing but that beautiful sorceress who had thus beguiled him into her power.)