said the good man, for thou knewest the daughter of King Pelles
fleshly, and on her thou begattest Galahad, and that was he that at the
feast of Pentecost sat in the Siege Perilous; and therefore make thou
it known openly that he is one of thy begetting on King Pelles’
daughter, for that will be your worship and honour, and to all thy
kindred. And I counsel you in no place press not upon him to have ado
with him. Well, said Launcelot, meseemeth that good knight should pray
for me unto the High Father, that I fall not to sin again. Trust thou
well, said the good man, thou farest mickle the better for his prayer;
but the son shall not bear the wickedness of the father, nor the father
shall not bear the wickedness of the son, but everych shall bear his
own burden. And therefore beseek thou only God, and He will help thee
in all thy needs. And then Sir Launcelot and he went to supper, and so
laid him to rest, and the hair pricked so Sir Launcelot’s skin which
grieved him full sore, but he took it meekly, and suffered the pain.
And so on the morn he heard his mass and took his arms, and so took his
leave.
CHAPTER V. How Sir Launcelot jousted with many knights, and how he was
taken.
And then mounted upon his horse, and rode into a forest, and held no
highway. And as he looked afore him he saw a fair plain, and beside
that a fair castle, and afore the castle were many pavilions of silk
and of diverse hue. And him seemed that he saw there five hundred
knights riding on horseback; and there were two parties: they that were
of the castle were all on black horses and their trappings black, and
they that were without were all on white horses and trappings, and
everych hurtled to other that it marvelled Sir Launcelot. And at the
last him thought they of the castle were put to the worse.
Then thought Sir Launcelot for to help there the weaker party in
increasing of his chivalry. And so Sir Launcelot thrust in among the
party of the castle, and smote down a knight, horse and man, to the
earth. And then he rashed here and there, and did marvellous deeds of
arms. And then he drew out his sword, and struck many knights to the
earth, so that all those that saw him marvelled that ever one knight
might do so great deeds of arms.
But always the white knights held them nigh about Sir Launcelot, for to
tire him and wind him. But at the last, as a man may not ever endure,
Sir Launcelot waxed so faint of fighting and travailing, and was so
weary of his great deeds, but he might not lift up his arms for to give
one stroke, so that he weened never to have borne arms; and then they
all took and led him away into a forest, and there made him to alight
and to rest him.
And then all the fellowship of the castle were overcome for the default
of him.
Then they said all unto Sir Launcelot: Blessed be God that ye be now of
our fellowship, for we shall hold you in our prison; and so they left
him with few words.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account