X
Howtherewasapartymadeofanhundredknghtsaganstanhundredknghts,andofothermattersTHENArthurmadeapartyofhundredknghtstobeaganstanhundredknghts。Andsouponthemorntheyjoustedforadamond,buttherejoustednoneofthedangerousknghts;andsofortoshortenthstale,SrUrreandSrLavanejoustedbestthatday,fortherewasnoneofthembutheoverthrewandpulleddownthrtyknghts;andthenbytheassentofallthekngsandlords,SrUrreandSrLavaneweremadeknghtsoftheTableRound。AndSrLavanecasthsloveuntoDameFelelole,SrUrre’ssster,andthentheywereweddedtogetherwthgreatjoy,andKngArthurgavetoeverychofthemabaronyoflands。AndthsSrUrrewouldnevergofromSrLauncelot,butheandSrLavaneawatedevermoreuponhm;andtheywerenallthecourtaccountedforgoodknghts,andfulldesrousnarms;andmanynobledeedstheydd,fortheywouldhavenorest,buteversoughtadventures。
Thustheylvednallthatcourtwthgreatnoblesseandjoylongtme。ButeverynghtanddaySrAgravane,SrGawane’sbrother,awatedQueenGueneverandSrLauncelotduLaketoputthemtoarebukeandshame。
Andsoleavehereofthstale,andoverskpgreatbooksofSrLauncelotduLake,whatgreatadventuresheddwhenhewascalledLeChevalerduCharot。ForastheFrenchbooksath,becauseofdesptethatknghtsandladescalledhmtheknghtthatrodenthecharotlkeashewerejudgedtothegallows,thereforendespteofallthemthatnamedhmso,hewascarrednacharotatwelvemonth,for,butlttleafterthathehadslanSrMelagrancenthequeen’squarrel,henevernatwelvemonthcameonhorseback。AndastheFrenchbooksath,heddthattwelvemonthmorethanfortybattles。
AndbecausehavelosttheverymatterofLeChevaerduCharot,departfromthetaleofSrLauncelot,andheregountothemorteofKngArthur;andthatcausedSrAgravane。
Explctlber。
AndhereafterfolloweththemostpteoushstoryofthemorteofKngArthur,thewhchsthetwentethbook。
BOOK
HowSrAgravaneandSrMordredwerebusyuponSrGawanefortodsclosethelovebetweenSrLauncelotandQueenGueneverNMaywheneverylustyheartflourshethandbourgeoneth,forastheseasonslustytobeholdandcomfortable,somanandwomanrejoceandgladdenofsummercomngwthhsfreshflowers:forwnterwthhsroughwndsandblastscausethalustymanandwomantocowerandstfastbythefre。Sonthsseason,asnthemonthofMay,tbefellagreatangerandunhapthatstntednottlltheflowerofchvalryofalltheworldwasdestroyedandslan;andallwaslongupontwounhappyknghtsthewhchwerenamedAgravaneandSrMordred,thatwerebrethrenuntoSrGawane。ForthsSrAgravaneandSrMordredhadeveraprvyhateuntothequeenDameGueneverandtoSrLauncelot,anddalyandnghtlytheyeverwatcheduponSrLauncelot。
Sotmshapped,SrGawaneandallhsbrethrenwerenKngArthur’schamber;andthenSrAgravanesadthusopenly,andnotnnocounsel,thatmanyknghtsmghtheart:marvelthatweallbenotashamedbothtoseeandtoknowhowSrLauncelotlethdalyandnghtlybythequeen,andallweknowtso;andtsshamefullysufferedofusall,thatweallshouldsuffersonobleakngasKngArthurssotobeshamed。
ThenspakeSrGawane,andsad:BrotherSrAgravane,prayyouandchargeyoumovenosuchmattersnomoreaforeme,forwtyouwell,sadSrGawane,
wllnotbeofyourcounsel。SoGodmehelp,sadSrGahersandSrGareth,wewllnotbeknowng,brotherAgravane,ofyourdeeds。Thenwll,sadSrMordred。
levewellthat,sadSrGawane,foreveruntoallunhappness,brotherSrMordred,theretowllyegrant;
andwouldthatyeleftallths,andmadeyounotsobusy,forknow,sadSrGawane,whatwllfalloft。
Falloftwhatfallmay,sadSrAgravane,wlldsclosettothekng。Notbymycounsel,sadSrGawane,forantherersewarandwrackbetwxtSrLauncelotandus,wtyouwellbrother,therewllmanykngsandgreatlordsholdwthSrLauncelot。Also,brotherSrAgravane,sadSrGawane,yemustrememberhowofttmesSrLauncelothathrescuedthekngandthequeen;andthebestofusallhadbeenfullcoldattheheart-roothadnotSrLauncelotbeenbetterthanwe,andthathathheprovedhmselffulloft。Andasformypart,sadSrGawane,
wllneverbeaganstSrLauncelotforoneday’sdeed,whenherescuedmefromKngCaradosoftheDolorousTower,andslewhm,andsavedmylfe。Also,brotherSrAgravaneandSrMordred,nlkewseSrLauncelotrescuedyouboth,andthreescoreandtwo,fromSrTurqun。Methnkethbrother,suchknddeedsandkndnessshouldberemembered。Doasyelst,sadSrAgravane,forwlllantnolonger。WththesewordscametothemKngArthur。Nowbrother,stntyournose,sadSrGawane。Wewllnot,sadSrAgravaneandSrMordred。Wllyeso?sadSrGawane;thenGodspeedyou,forwllnothearyourtalesnebeofyourcounsel。Nomorewll,sadSrGarethandSrGahers,forwewllneversayevlbythatman;forbecause,sadSrGareth,SrLauncelotmademeknght,bynomannerowetosayllofhm:andtherewthaltheythreedeparted,maknggreatdole。Alas,sadSrGawaneandSrGareth,nowsthsrealmwhollymscheved,andthenoblefellowshpoftheRoundTableshallbedsparpled:
sotheydeparted。
HowSrAgravanedsclosedtherlovetoKngArthur,andhowKngArthurgavethemlcencetotakehmANDthenSrArthuraskedthemwhatnosetheymade。
Mylord,sadAgravane,shalltellyouthatmaykeepnolonger。Heres,andmybrotherSrMordred,brakeuntomybrothersSrGawane,SrGahers,andtoSrGareth,howthsweknowall,thatSrLauncelotholdethyourqueen,andhathdonelong;andwebeyoursster’ssons,andwemaysuffertnolonger,andallwewotthatyeshouldbeaboveSrLauncelot;andyearethekngthatmadehmknght,andthereforewewllprovet,thathesatratortoyourperson。
ftbeso,sadSrArthur,wtyouwellhesnoneother,butwouldbeloathtobegnsuchathngbut
mghthaveproofsupont;forSrLauncelotsanhardyknght,andallyeknowhesthebestknghtamongusall;andbutfhebetakenwththedeed,hewllfghtwthhmthatbrngethupthenose,andknownoknghtthatsabletomatchhm。Thereforeantbesoothasyesay,wouldheweretakenwththedeed。
ForastheFrenchbooksath,thekngwasfullloaththereto,thatanynoseshouldbeuponSrLauncelotandhsqueen;fortheknghadadeemng,buthewouldnothearoft,forSrLauncelothaddonesomuchforhmandthequeensomanytmes,thatwtyewelltheknglovedhmpassnglywell。Mylord,sadSrAgravane,yeshallrdeto-morna-huntng,anddoubtyenotSrLauncelotwllnotgowthyou。Thenwhentdrawethtowardnght,yemaysendthequeenwordthatyewllleoutallthatnght,andsomayyesendforyourcooks,andthenuponpanofdeathweshalltakehmthatnghtwththequeen,andoutherweshallbrnghmtoyoudeadorquck。wllwell,sadthekng;thencounselyou,sadthekng,takewthyousurefellowshp。Sr,sadAgravane,mybrother,SrMordred,and,wlltakewthustwelveknghtsoftheRoundTable。Beware,sadKngArthur,forwarnyouyeshallfndhmwght。
Letusdeal,sadSrAgravaneandSrMordred。
SoonthemornKngArthurrodea-huntng,andsentwordtothequeenthathewouldbeoutallthatnght。
ThenSrAgravaneandSrMordredgattothemtwelveknghts,andhdthemselfnachamberntheCastleofCarlsle,andthesewerethernames:SrColgrevance,SrMadordelaPorte,SrGngalne,SrMelotdeLogrs,SrPetpaseofWnchelsea,SrGalleronofGalway,SrMelonoftheMountan,SrAstamore,SrGromoreSomrJoure,SrCurselane,SrFlorence,SrLovel。SothesetwelveknghtswerewthSrMordredandSrAgravane,andalltheywereofScotland,outherofSrGawane’skn,etherwell-wllerstohsbrethren。
Sowhenthenghtcame,SrLauncelottoldSrBorshowhewouldgothatnghtandspeakwththequeen。
Sr,sadSrBors,yeshallnotgothsnghtbymycounsel。
Why?sadSrLauncelot。Sr,sadSrBors,dreadmeeverofSrAgravane,thatwatethyoudalytodoyoushameandusall;andnevergavemyheartaganstnogong,thateveryewenttothequeen,somuchasnow;
formstrustthatthekngsoutthsnghtfromthequeenbecauseperadventurehehathlansomewatchforyouandthequeen,andthereforedreadmesoreoftreason。Haveyenodread,sadSrLauncelot,for
shallgoandcomeagan,andmakenotarryng。Sr,sadSrBors,thatmerepenteth,fordreadmesorethatyourgongoutthsnghtshallwrathusall。Farnephew,sadSrLauncelot,marvelmuchwhyyesaythus,sthenthequeenhathsentforme;andwtyewellwllnotbesomuchacoward,butsheshallunderstandwllseehergoodgrace。Godspeedyouwell,sadSrBors,andsendyousoundandsafeagan。
llHowSrLauncelotwasespednthequeen’schamber,andhowSrAgravaneandSrMordredcamewthtwelveknghtstoslayhmSOSrLauncelotdeparted,andtookhsswordunderhsarm,andsonhsmantlethatnobleknghtputhmselfngreatJeopardy;andsohepassedtllhecametothequeen’schamber,andthenSrLauncelotwaslghtlyputntothechamber。Andthen,astheFrenchbooksath,thequeenandLauncelotweretogether。Andwhethertheywereabedoratothermannerofdsports,melstnothereofmakenomenton,forlovethattmewasnotassnow-a-days。
Butthusastheyweretogether,therecameSrAgravaneandSrMordred,wthtwelveknghtswththemoftheRoundTable,andtheysadwthcryngvoce:Trator-knght,SrLauncelotduLake,nowartthoutaken。Andthustheycredwthaloudvoce,thatallthecourtmghtheart;andtheyallfourteenwerearmedatallpontsastheyshouldfghtnabattle。AlassadQueenGuenever,nowarewemschevedbothMadam,sadSrLauncelot,stherehereanyarmourwthnyourchamber,thatmghtcovermypoorbodywthal?Anftherebeanygvetme,andshallsoonstntthermalce,bythegraceofGod。Truly,sadthequeen,havenonearmour,sheld,sword,norspear;
whereforedreadmesoreourlonglovescometoamschevousend,forhearbythernosetherebemanynobleknghts,andwellwottheybesurelyarmed,andaganstthemyemaymakenoresstance。Whereforeyearelkelytobeslan,andthenshallbebrent。Foranyemghtescapethem,sadthequeen,wouldnotdoubtbutthatyewouldrescuemenwhatdangerthatever
stoodn。Alas,sadSrLauncelot,nallmylfethuswasneverbestead,thatshouldbethusshamefullyslanforlackofmnearmour。
ButevernoneSrAgravaneandSrMordredcred:
Trator-knght,comeoutofthequeen’schamber,forwtthouwellthouartsobesetthatthoushaltnotescape。
OJesumercy,sadSrLauncelot,thsshamefulcryandnosemaynotsuffer,forbetterweredeathatoncethanthustoendurethspan。Thenhetookthequeennhsarms,andkssedher,andsad:MostnobleChrstanqueen,beseechyouasyehavebeenevermyspecalgoodlady,andatalltmesyourtruepoorknghtuntomypower,andasneverfaledyounrghtnornwrongsthenthefrstdayKngArthurmademeknght,thatyewllprayformysoulfthatherebeslan;forwell
amassuredthatSrBors,mynephew,andalltheremnantofmykn,wthSrLavaneandSrUrre,thattheywllnotfalyoutorescueyoufromthefre;andtherefore,mneownlady,recomfortyourself,whatsomevercomeofme,thatyegowthSrBors,mynephew,andSrUrre,andtheyallwlldoyouallthepleasurethattheycanormay,thatyeshalllvelkeaqueenuponmylands。Nay,Launcelot,sadthequeen,wtthouwellwllneverlveafterthydays,butanthoubeslanwlltakemydeathasmeeklyforJesuChrst’ssakeaseverddanyChrstanqueen。Well,madam,sad-auncelot,sthtssothatthedayscomethatourlovemustdepart,wtyouwell
shallsellmylfeasdearasmay;andathousandfold,sadSrLauncelot,ammoreheaverforyouthanformyself。AndnowhadleferthantobelordofallChrstendom,thathadsurearmouruponme,thatmenmghtspeakofmydeedsoreverwereslan。Truly,sadthequeen,wouldantmghtpleaseGodthattheywouldtakemeandslayme,andsufferyoutoescape。
Thatshallneverbe,sadSrLauncelot,Goddefendmefromsuchashame,butJesubeThoumysheldandmnearmour!
V
HowSrLauncelotslewSrColgrevance,andarmedhmnhsharness,andafterslewSrAgravane,andtwelveofhsfellowsANDtherewthSrLauncelotwrappedhsmantleabouthsarmwellandsurely;andbythentheyhadgottenagreatformoutofthehall,andtherewthaltheyrashedatthedoor。Farlords,sadSrLauncelot,leaveyournoseandyourrashng,andshallsetopenthsdoor,andthenmayyedowthmewhattlkethyou。Comeoffthen,sadtheyall,anddot,fortavaleththeenottostrveaganstusall;andthereforeletusntothschamber,andweshallsavethylfeuntlthoucometoKngArthur。ThenLauncelotunbarredthedoor,andwthhslefthandheheldtopenalttle,sothatbutonemanmghtcomenatonce;andsotherecamestrdngagoodknght,amuchmanandlarge,andhsnamewasColgrevanceofGore,andhewthaswordstruckatSrLauncelotmghtly;andheputasdethestroke,andgavehmsuchabuffetuponthehelmet,thathefellgrovellngdeadwthnthechamberdoor。AndthenSrLauncelotwthgreatmghtdrewthatdeadknghtwthnthechamberdoor;andSrLauncelotwthhelpofthequeenandherladeswaslghtlyarmednSrColgrevance’sarmour。
AndeverstoodSrAgravaneandSrMordredcryng:Trator-knght,comeoutofthequeen’schamber。