King Arthur and the Knights of the Round TableMalory, Thomas, Sir
General
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
Malory, Thomas, Sir
Arthurian romances
But ere Sir Lancelot was found by the heralds, came the King of the
Hundred Knights, the King of North Wales, the King of Northumberland,
and Sir Galahaut, and said to him, "Fair knight, God bless thee, for
much have ye done this day for us; wherefore we pray ye come with us and
receive the honor and the prize as ye have worshipfully deserved it."
"My fair lords," said Sir Lancelot, "wit ye well if I have deserved
thanks, I have sore bought them, for I am like never to escape with my
life; therefore pray ye let me depart, for I am sore hurt. I take no
thought of honor, for I had rather rest me than be lord of all the
world." And therewith he groaned piteously, and rode a great gallop away
from them.
And Sir Lavaine rode after him, sad at heart, for the broken spear still
stuck fast in Sir Lancelot's side, and the blood streamed sorely from
the wound. Anon they came near a wood more than a mile from the lists,
where he knew he could be hidden.
Then said he to Sir Lavaine, "O gentle knight, help me to pull out this
spear-head from my side, for the pain thereof nigh killeth me."
"Dear lord," said he, "I fain would help ye; but I dread to draw it
forth, lest ye should die for loss of blood."
"I charge you as you love me," said Sir Lancelot, "draw it out."
So they dismounted, and with a mighty wrench Sir Lavaine drew the spear
forth from Sir Lancelot's side; whereat he gave a marvelous great shriek
and ghastly groan, and all his blood leaped forth in a full stream. Then
he sank swooning to the earth, with a visage pale as death.
"Alas!" cried Sir Lavaine, "what shall I do now?"
And then he turned his master's face towards the wind, and sat by him
nigh half an hour while he lay quiet as one dead. But at the last he
lifted up his eyes, and said, "I pray ye bear me on my horse again, and
lead me to a hermit who dwelleth within two miles hence, for he was
formerly a knight of Arthur's court, and now hath mighty skill in
medicine and herbs."
So with great pain Sir Lavaine got him to his horse, and led him to the
hermitage within the wood, beside a stream. Then knocked he with his
spear upon the door, and prayed to enter. At that a child came out, to
whom he said, "Fair child, pray the good man thy master to come hither
and let in a knight who is sore wounded."
Anon came out the knight-hermit, whose name was Sir Baldwin, and asked,
"Who is this wounded knight?"
"I know not," said Sir Lavaine, "save that he is the noblest knight I
ever met with, and hath done this day such marvelous deeds of arms
against King Arthur that he hath won the prize of the tourney."
Then the hermit gazed long on Sir Lancelot, and hardly knew him, so pale
he was with bleeding, yet said he at the last, "Who art thou, lord?"
Sir Lancelot answered feebly, "I am a stranger knight adventurous, who
laboreth through many realms to win worship."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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