Right so Sir Launcelot departed, and when he came unto the Chapel
Perilous he alighted down, and tied his horse unto a little gate. And
as soon as he was within the churchyard he saw on the front of the
chapel many fair rich shields turned up-so-down, and many of the
shields Sir Launcelot had seen knights bear beforehand. With that he
saw by him there stand a thirty great knights, more by a yard than any
man that ever he had seen, and all those grinned and gnashed at Sir
Launcelot. And when he saw their countenance he dreaded him sore, and
so put his shield afore him, and took his sword ready in his hand ready
unto battle, and they were all armed in black harness ready with their
shields and their swords drawn. And when Sir Launcelot would have gone
throughout them, they scattered on every side of him, and gave him the
way, and therewith he waxed all bold, and entered into the chapel, and
then he saw no light but a dim lamp burning, and then was he ware of a
corpse hilled with a cloth of silk. Then Sir Launcelot stooped down,
and cut a piece away of that cloth, and then it fared under him as the
earth had quaked a little; therewithal he feared. And then he saw a
fair sword lie by the dead knight, and that he gat in his hand and hied
him out of the chapel.
Anon as ever he was in the chapel yard all the knights spake to him
with a grimly voice, and said, Knight, Sir Launcelot, lay that sword
from thee or else thou shalt die. Whether that I live or die, said Sir
Launcelot, with no great word get ye it again, therefore fight for it
an ye list. Then right so he passed throughout them, and beyond the
chapel yard there met him a fair damosel, and said, Sir Launcelot,
leave that sword behind thee, or thou wilt die for it. I leave it not,
said Sir Launcelot, for no treaties. No, said she, an thou didst leave
that sword, Queen Guenever should thou never see. Then were I a fool an
I would leave this sword, said Launcelot. Now, gentle knight, said the
damosel, I require thee to kiss me but once. Nay, said Sir Launcelot,
that God me forbid. Well, sir, said she, an thou hadst kissed me thy
life days had been done, but now, alas, she said, I have lost all my
labour, for I ordained this chapel for thy sake, and for Sir Gawaine.
And once I had Sir Gawaine within me, and at that time he fought with
that knight that lieth there dead in yonder chapel, Sir Gilbert the
Bastard; and at that time he smote the left hand off of Sir Gilbert the
Bastard. And, Sir Launcelot, now I tell thee, I have loved thee this
seven year, but there may no woman have thy love but Queen Guenever.
But sithen I may not rejoice thee to have thy body alive, I had kept no
more joy in this world but to have thy body dead. Then would I have
balmed it and served it, and so have kept it my life days, and daily I
should have clipped thee, and kissed thee, in despite of Queen
Guenever. Ye say well, said Sir Launcelot, Jesu preserve me from your
subtle crafts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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