Le Morte Darthur: Sir Thomas Malory's Book of King Arthur and his Noble; Knights of the Round TableMalory, Thomas, Sir
General
Le Morte Darthur: Sir Thomas Malory's Book of King Arthur and his Noble; Knights of the Round Table
Malory, Thomas, Sir
Arthurian romances
So it was then in the month of May that she and Sir Gawaine went out of
the castle and supped in a pavilion, and in another pavilion she laid
her damsels, and in the third pavilion she laid part of her knights,
for then she had no dread of Sir Pelleas. And there Sir Gawaine abode
with her in that pavilion two days and two nights. And on the third day
in the morning early Sir Pelleas armed him, for he had never slept
since Sir Gawaine departed from him. For Sir Gawaine had promised him,
by the faith of his body, to come to him unto his pavilion by that
priory within the space of a day and a night. Then Sir Pelleas mounted
upon horseback, and came to the pavilions that stood without the
castle, and found in the first pavilion three knights in three beds,
and three squires lying at their feet. Then went he to the second
pavilion and found four gentlewomen lying in four beds. And then he
went to the third pavilion and found Sir Gawaine with his lady Ettard,
and when he saw that his heart well nigh burst for sorrow, and said:
Alas! that ever a knight should be found so false. And then he took his
horse, and might not abide no longer for pure sorrow. And when he had
ridden nigh half a mile, he turned again and thought to slay them both:
and when he saw them both sleeping fast, unnethe he might hold him on
horseback for sorrow, and said thus to himself, Though this knight be
never so false I will never slay him sleeping; for I will never destroy
the high order of knighthood. And therewith he departed again. And or
he had ridden half a mile he returned again, and thought then to slay
them both, making the greatest sorrow that ever man made. And when he
came to the pavilions he tied his horse to a tree, and pulled out his
sword naked in his hand, and went to them there as they lay, and yet he
thought it were shame to slay them sleeping, and laid the naked sword
overthwart both their throats, and so took his horse and rode his way.
And when Sir Pelleas came to his pavilions he told his knights and his
squires how he had sped, and said thus to them: For your true and good
service ye have done me I shall give you all my goods, for I will go
unto my bed, and never arise until I am dead. And when that I am dead I
charge you that ye take the heart out of my body and bear it her
betwixt two silver dishes, and tell her how I saw her with the false
knight Sir Gawaine. Right so Sir Pelleas unarmed himself and went unto
his bed, making marvellous dole and sorrow.
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