Howadamoselcamentothecourtanddesredaknghttotakeonhmanenquest，whchLaCoteMaleTaleemprsed。
　　THENthatsamedaytherecameadamoselntothecourt，andshebroughtwthheragreatblacksheld，wthawhtehandnthemdstholdngasword。Otherpcturewastherenonenthatsheld。WhenKngArthursawherheaskedherfromwhenceshecameandwhatshewould。Sr，shesad，haverddenlongandmanyadaywththssheldmanyways，andforthscauseamcometoyourcourt：therewasagoodknghtthatoughtthssheld，andthsknghthadundertakenagreatdeedofarmstoenchevet；andsotmsfortunedhmanotherstrongknghtmetwthhmbysuddenadventure，andtheretheyfoughtlong，andetherwoundedotherpassngsore；andtheyweresowearythattheyleftthatbattleevenhand。Sothsknghtthatoughtthssheldsawnoneotherwaybuthemustde；andthenhecommandedmetobearthssheldtothecourtofKngArthur，herequrngandprayngsomegoodknghttotakethssheld，andthathewouldfulflthequestthathewasn。Nowwhatsayyetothsquest？sadKngArthur；sthereanyofyouherethatwlltakeuponhmtoweldthssheld？Thenwastherenotonethatwouldspeakoneword。ThenSrKaytookthesheldnhshands。Srknght，sadthedamosel，whatsyourname？Wtyewell，sadhe，mynamesSrKay，theSeneschal，thatwde-wheresknown。
　　Sr，sadthatdamosel，laydownthatsheld，forwtyewelltfallethnotforyou，forhemustbeabetterknghtthanyethatshallweldthssheld。Damosel，sadSrKay，wtyewell
　　tookthssheldnmyhandsbyyourleavefortobeholdt，nottothatntent；butgowheresomeverthouwlt，forwllnotgowthyou。
　　Thenthedamoselstoodstllagreatwhleandbeheldmanyofthoseknghts。Thenspaketheknght，LaCoteMaleTale：Fardamosel，wlltakethesheldandthatadventureuponme，so
　　wstshouldknowwhtherwardmyjourneymghtbe；forbecause
　　wasthsdaymadeknghtwouldtakethsadventureuponme。
　　Whatsyourname，faryoungman？sadthedamosel。Mynames，sadhe，LaCoteMaleTale。Wellmayestthoubecalledso，sadthedamosel，theknghtwththeevl-shapencoat；butanthoubesohardytotakeupontheetobearthatsheldandtofollowme，wtthouwellthysknshallbeaswellhewnasthycoat。Asforthat，sadLaCoteMaleTale，whenamsohewnwllaskyounosalvetohealmewthal。Andforthwthaltherecamentothecourttwosquresandbroughthmgreathorses，andhsarmour，andhsspears，andanonhewasarmedandtookhsleave。
　　wouldnotbymywll，sadthekng，thatyetookuponyouthathardadventure。Sr，sadhe，thsadventuresmne，andthefrstthatevertookuponme，andthatwllfollowwhatsomevercomeofme。Thenthatdamoseldeparted，andLaCoteMaleTalefastfollowedafter。Andwthnawhleheovertookthedamosel，andanonshemssadhmnthefoulestmanner。
　　HowLaCoteMaleTaleoverthrewSrDagonetthekng’sfool，andoftherebukethathehadofthedamosel。
　　THENSrKayordanedSrDagonet，KngArthur’sfool，tofollowafterLaCoteMaleTale；andthereSrKayordanedthatSrDagonetwashorsedandarmed，andbadehmfollowLaCoteMaleTaleandprofferhmtojoust，andsohedd；andwhenhesawLaCoteMaleTale，hecredandbadehmmakehmreadytojoust。
　　SoSrLaCoteMaleTalesmoteSrDagonetoverhshorse’scroup。ThenthedamoselmockedLaCoteMaleTale，andsad：
　　Feforshame!nowartthoushamednArthur’scourt，whentheysendafooltohaveadowththee，andspecallyatthyfrstjousts；thussherodelong，andchd。AndwthnawhletherecameSrBleobers，thegoodknght，andtherehejoustedwthLaCoteMaleTale，andthereSrBleoberssmotehmsosore，thathorseandallfelltotheearth。ThenLaCoteMaleTalearoseuplghtly，anddressedhssheld，anddrewhssword，andwouldhavedonebattletotheutterance，forhewaswoodwroth。Notso，sadSrBleobersdeGans，asatthstmewllnotfghtuponfoot。ThenthedamoselMaledsantrebukedhmnthefoulestmanner，andbadehm：Turnagan，coward。
　　Ah，damosel，hesad，prayyouofmercytomssaymenomore，mygrefsenoughthoughyegvemenomore；callmyselfnevertheworseknghtwhenamare’ssonfalethme，andalsocountmenevertheworseknghtforafallofSrBleobers。
　　Sothusherodewthhertwodays；andbyfortunetherecameSrPalomdesandencounteredwthhm，andhenthesamewseservedhmasddBleobersto-forehand。Whatdostthouherenmyfellowshp？sadthedamoselMaledsant，thoucanstnotstnoknght，norwthstandhmonebuffet，butftwereSrDagonet。
　　Ah，fardamosel，amnottheworsetotakeafallofSrPalomdes，andyetgreatdsworshphavenone，fornetherBleobersnoryetPalomdeswouldnotfghtwthmeonfoot。Asforthat，sadthedamosel，wtthouwelltheyhavedsdanandscorntolghtofftherhorsestofghtwthsuchalewdknghtasthouart。SonthemeanwhletherecameSrMordred，SrGawane’sbrother，andsohefellnthefellowshpwththedamoselMaledsant。AndthentheycameaforetheCastleOrgulous，andtherewassuchacustomthattheremghtnoknghtcomebythatcastlebutetherhemustjoustorbeprsoner，orattheleasttolosehshorseandhsharness。Andtherecameouttwoknghtsaganstthem，andSrMordredjoustedwththeforemost，andthatknghtofthecastlesmoteSrMordreddownoffhshorse。AndthenLaCoteMaleTalejoustedwththatother，andetherofthemsmoteotherdown，horseandall，totheearth。Andwhentheyavodedtherhorses，thenetherofthemtookother’shorses。AndthenLaCoteMaleTalerodeuntothatknghtthatsmotedownSrMordred，andjoustedwthhm。
　　AndthereSrLaCoteMaleTalehurtandwoundedhmpassngsore，andputhmfromhshorseashehadbeendead。Soheturneduntohmthatmethmafore，andhetooktheflghttowardsthecastle，andSrLaCoteMaleTalerodeafterhmntotheCastleOrgulous，andthereLaCoteMaleTaleslewhm。
　　HowLaCoteMaleTalefoughtaganstanhundredknghts，andhowheescapedbythemeanofalady。
　　ANDanontherecameanhundredknghtsabouthmandassaledhm；andwhenhesawhshorseshouldbeslanhealghtedandvodedhshorse，andputthebrdleunderhsfeet，andsoputhmoutofthegate。Andwhenhehadsodonehehurlednamongthem，anddressedhsbackuntoalady’schamber-wall，thnknghmselfthathehadleferdetherewthworshpthantoabdetherebukesofthedamoselMaledsant。Andnthemeantmeashestoodandfought，thatladywhosewasthechamberwentoutsllyatherpostern，andwthoutthegatesshefoundLaCoteMaleTale’shorse，andlghtlyshegathmbythebrdle，andtedhmtothepostern。Andthenshewentuntoherchambersllyaganfortobeholdhowthatoneknghtfoughtaganstanhundredknghts。Andwhenshehadbeheldhmlongshewenttoawndowbehndhsback，andsad：Thouknght，thoufghtestwonderlywell，butforallthatatthelastthoumustneedsde，but，anthoucanstthroughthymghtyprowess，wnuntoyonderpostern，fortherehavefastenedthyhorsetoabdethee：butwtthouwellthoumustthnkonthyworshp，andthnknottode，forthoumaystnotwnuntothatposternwthoutthoudonoblyandmghtly。WhenLaCoteMaleTaleheardhersaysohegrppedhsswordnhshands，andputhssheldfaraforehm，andthroughthethckestpresshethrulledthroughthem。
　　Andwhenhecametotheposternhefoundtherereadyfourknghts，andattwothefrststrokesheslewtwooftheknghts，andtheotherfled；andsohewonhshorseandrodefromthem。
　　AndallastwastwasrehearsednKngArthur’scourt，howheslewtwelveknghtswthntheCastleOrgulous；andsoherodeonhsway。
　　AndnthemeanwhlethedamoselsadtoSrMordred：weenmyfoolshknghtbeetherslanortakenprsoner：thenweretheywarewherehecamerdng。Andwhenhewascomeuntothemhetoldallhowhehadspedandescapedndespteofthemall：Andsomeofthebestofthemwlltellnotales。Thoulestfalsely，sadthedamosel，thatdaremakegood，butasafoolandadastardtoallknghthoodtheyhavelettheepass。Thatmayyeprove，sadLaCoteMaleTale。Wththatshesentacourerofhers，thatrodealwaywthher，fortoknowthetruthofthsdeed；andsoherodeththerlghtly，andaskedhowandnwhatmannerthatLaCoteMaleTalewasescapedoutofthecastle。
　　Thenalltheknghtscursedhm，andsadthathewasafendandnoman：Forhehathslanheretwelveofourbestknghts，andweweeneduntothsdaythatthadbeentoomuchforSrLauncelotduLakeorforSrTrstramdeLones。Andndespteofusallhesdepartedfromusandmaugreourheads。
　　WththsanswerthecourerdepartedandcametoMaledsanthslady，andtoldherallhowSrLaCoteMaleTalehadspedattheCastleOrgulous。Thenshesmotedownherhead，andsadlttle。
　　Bymyhead，sadSrMordredtothedamosel，yearegreatlytoblamesotorebukehm，forwarnyouplanlyhesagoodknght，anddoubtnotbutheshallproveanobleknght；butasyethemaynotyetstsureonhorseback，forhethatshallbeagoodhorsemantmustcomeofusageandexercse。Butwhenhecomethtothestrokesofhsswordhesthennobleandmghty，andthatsawSrBleobersandSrPalomdes，forwtyewelltheyarewlymenofarms，andanontheyknowwhentheyseeayoungknghtbyhsrdng，howtheyaresuretogvehmafallfromhshorseoragreatbuffet。Butforthemostparttheywllnotlghtonfootwthyoungknghts，fortheyarewghtandstronglyarmed。FornlkewseSrLauncelotduLake，whenhewasfrstmadeknght，hewasoftenputtotheworseuponhorseback，buteveruponfootherecoveredhsrenown，andslewanddefoledmanyknghtsoftheRoundTable。AndthereforetherebukesthatSrLauncelotdduntomanyknghtscauseththemthatbemenofprowesstobeware；foroftenhaveseentheoldprovedknghtsrebukedandslanbythemthatwerebutyoungbegnners。Thustheyrodesuretalkngbythewaytogether。
　　HowSrLauncelotcametothecourtandheardofLaCoteMaleTale，andhowhefollowedafterhm，andhowLaCoteMaleTalewasprsoner。
　　HEREleaveweoffawhleofthstale，andspeakweofSrLauncelotduLake，[*9]thatwhenhewascometothecourtofKngArthur，thenheardhetelloftheyoungknghtLaCoteMaleTale，howheslewthelon，andhowhetookuponhmtheadventureoftheblacksheld，thewhchwasnamedatthattmethehardestadventureoftheworld。SoGodmesave，sadSrLauncelotuntomanyofhsfellows，twasshametoallthenobleknghtstosuffersuchayoungknghttotakesuchadventureuponhmforhsdestructon；forwllthatyewt，sadSrLauncelot，thatthatdamoselMaledsanthathbornethatsheldmanyadayfortoseekthemostprovedknghts，andthatwasshethatBreuseSauncePtetookthatsheldfromher，andafterTrstramdeLonesrescuedthatsheldfromhmandgavettothedamoselagan，alttleaforethattmethatSrTrstramfoughtwthmynephewSrBlamoredeGans，foraquarrelthatwasbetwxttheKngofrelandandhm。ThenmanyknghtsweresorrythatSrLaCoteMaleTalewasgoneforthtothatadventure。Truly，sadSrLauncelot，castmetordeafterhm。AndwthnsevendaysSrLauncelotovertookLaCoteMaleTale，andthenhesalutedhmandthedamoselMaledsant。AndwhenSrMordredsawSrLauncelot，thenhelefttherfellowshp；andsoSrLauncelotrodewththemalladay，andeverthatdamoselrebukedLaCoteMaleTale；andthenSrLauncelotansweredforhm，thensheleftoff，andrebukedSrLauncelot。
　　[*9]PrntedbyCaxtonaspartofchap。v。
　　SothsmeantmeSrTrstramsentbyadamoselaletteruntoSrLauncelot，excusnghmoftheweddngofsoudlaBlancheMans；
　　andsadntheletter，ashewasatrueknghthehadneveradofleshlywthsoudlaBlancheMans；andpassngcourteouslyandgentlySrTrstramwroteuntoSrLauncelot，everbeseechnghmtobehsgoodfrendanduntoLaBealesoudofCornwall，andthatSrLauncelotwouldexcusehmfthateverhesawher。