And therewithal he took his horse and so departed from
her. And as the book saith, when Sir Launcelot was departed she took
such sorrow that she died within a fourteen night, and her name was
Hellawes the sorceress, Lady of the Castle Nigramous.
Anon Sir Launcelot met with the damosel, Sir Meliot’s sister. And when
she saw him she clapped her hands, and wept for joy. And then they rode
unto a castle thereby where lay Sir Meliot. And anon as Sir Launcelot
saw him he knew him, but he was passing pale, as the earth, for
bleeding. When Sir Meliot saw Sir Launcelot he kneeled upon his knees
and cried on high: O lord Sir Launcelot, help me! Anon Sir Launcelot
leapt unto him and touched his wounds with Sir Gilbert’s sword. And
then he wiped his wounds with a part of the bloody cloth that Sir
Gilbert was wrapped in, and anon an wholer man in his life was he
never. And then there was great joy between them, and they made Sir
Launcelot all the cheer that they might, and so on the morn Sir
Launcelot took his leave, and bade Sir Meliot hie him to the court of
my lord Arthur, for it draweth nigh to the Feast of Pentecost, and
there by the grace of God ye shall find me. And therewith they
departed.
CHAPTER XVI. How Sir Launcelot at the request of a lady recovered a
falcon, by which he was deceived.
And so Sir Launcelot rode through many strange countries, over marshes
and valleys, till by fortune he came to a fair castle, and as he passed
beyond the castle him thought he heard two bells ring. And then was he
ware of a falcon came flying over his head toward an high elm, and long
lunes about her feet, and as she flew unto the elm to take her perch
the lunes over-cast about a bough. And when she would have taken her
flight she hung by the legs fast; and Sir Launcelot saw how she hung,
and beheld the fair falcon perigot, and he was sorry for her.
The meanwhile came a lady out of the castle and cried on high: O
Launcelot, Launcelot, as thou art flower of all knights, help me to get
my hawk, for an my hawk be lost my lord will destroy me; for I kept the
hawk and she slipped from me, and if my lord my husband wit it he is so
hasty that he will slay me. What is your lord’s name? said Sir
Launcelot. Sir, she said, his name is Sir Phelot, a knight that longeth
unto the King of Northgalis. Well, fair lady, since that ye know my
name, and require me of knighthood to help you, I will do what I may to
get your hawk, and yet God knoweth I am an ill climber, and the tree is
passing high, and few boughs to help me withal. And therewith Sir
Launcelot alighted, and tied his horse to the same tree, and prayed the
lady to unarm him. And so when he was unarmed, he put off all his
clothes unto his shirt and breech, and with might and force he clomb up
to the falcon, and tied the lines to a great rotten boyshe, and threw
the hawk down and it withal.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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