Mercy Jesu, said Sir Gawaine to Arthur, I marvel what knight that he is
with the red sleeve. Sir, said King Arthur, he will be known or he
depart. And then the king blew unto lodging, and the prize was given by
heralds unto the knight with the white shield that bare the red sleeve.
Then came the King with the Hundred Knights, the King of Northgalis,
and the King of Northumberland, and Sir Galahad, the haut prince, and
said unto Sir Launcelot: Fair knight, God thee bless, for much have ye
done this day for us, therefore we pray you that ye will come with us
that ye may receive the honour and the prize as ye have worshipfully
deserved it. My fair lords, said Sir Launcelot, wit you well if I have
deserved thanks I have sore bought it, and that me repenteth, for I am
like never to escape with my life; therefore, fair lords, I pray you
that ye will suffer me to depart where me liketh, for I am sore hurt. I
take none force of none honour, for I had liefer to repose me than to
be lord of all the world. And therewithal he groaned piteously, and
rode a great wallop away-ward from them until he came under a wood’s
side.
And when he saw that he was from the field nigh a mile, that he was
sure he might not be seen, then he said with an high voice: O gentle
knight, Sir Lavaine, help me that this truncheon were out of my side,
for it sticketh so sore that it nigh slayeth me. O mine own lord, said
Sir Lavaine, I would fain do that might please you, but I dread me sore
an I pull out the truncheon that ye shall be in peril of death. I
charge you, said Sir Launcelot, as ye love me, draw it out. And
therewithal he descended from his horse, and right so did Sir Lavaine;
and forthwithal Sir Lavaine drew the truncheon out of his side, and he
gave a great shriek and a marvellous grisly groan, and the blood brast
out nigh a pint at once, that at the last he sank down upon his
buttocks, and so swooned pale and deadly. Alas, said Sir Lavaine, what
shall I do? And then he turned Sir Launcelot into the wind, but so he
lay there nigh half an hour as he had been dead.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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