Le Morte Darthur: Sir Thomas Malory's Book of King Arthur and his Noble; Knights of the Round TableMalory, Thomas, Sir
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Le Morte Darthur: Sir Thomas Malory's Book of King Arthur and his Noble; Knights of the Round Table
Malory, Thomas, Sir
Arthurian romances
Truly, said
Sir Launcelot, yonder one knight shall I help, for it were shame for me
to see three knights on one, and if he be slain I am partner of his
death. And therewith he took his harness and went out at a window by a
sheet down to the four knights, and then Sir Launcelot said on high,
Turn you knights unto me, and leave your fighting with that knight. And
then they all three left Sir Kay, and turned unto Sir Launcelot, and
there began great battle, for they alight all three, and strake many
great strokes at Sir Launcelot, and assailed him on every side. Then
Sir Kay dressed him for to have holpen Sir Launcelot. Nay, sir, said
he, I will none of your help, therefore as ye will have my help let me
alone with them. Sir Kay for the pleasure of the knight suffered him
for to do his will, and so stood aside. And then anon within six
strokes Sir Launcelot had stricken them to the earth.
And then they all three cried, Sir knight, we yield us unto you as man
of might matchless. As to that, said Sir Launcelot, I will not take
your yielding unto me, but so that ye yield you unto Sir Kay the
seneschal, on that covenant I will save your lives and else not. Fair
knight, said they, that were we loth to do; for as for Sir Kay we
chased him hither, and had overcome him had not ye been; therefore to
yield us unto him it were no reason. Well, as to that, said Sir
Launcelot, advise you well, for ye may choose whether ye will die or
live, for and ye be yielden it shall be unto Sir Kay. Fair knight, then
they said, in saving our lives we will do as thou commandest us. Then
shall ye, said Sir Launcelot, on Whitsunday next coming go unto the
court of king Arthur, and there shall ye yield you unto queen Guenever,
and put you all three in her grace and mercy, and say that Sir Kay sent
you thither to be her prisoners. Sir, they said, it shall done by the
faith of our bodies, and we be living. And there they swore, every
knight upon his sword. And so Sir Launcelot suffered them so to depart.
And then Sir Launcelot knocked at the gate with the pommel of his
sword, and with that came his host, and in they entered, Sir Kay and
he. Sir, said his host, I wend ye had been in your bed. So I was, said
Sir Launcelot, but I arose and lept out at my window for to help an old
fellow of mine. And so when they came nigh the light Sir Kay knew well
that it was Sir Launcelot, and therewith he kneeled down and thanked
him of all his kindness that he hath holpen him twice from the death.
Sir, he said, I have done nothing but that I ought to do, and ye are
welcome, and here shall ye repose you and take your rest. So when Sir
Kay was unarmed he asked after meat, so there was meat fetched him, and
he ate strongly. And when he had supped they went to their beds, and
were lodged together in one bed. On the morn Sir Launcelot arose early,
and left Sir Kay sleeping: and Sir Launcelot took Sir Kay’s armour and
his shield and armed him: and so he went to the stable and took his
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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