Lines 1–479

Lordingis that ar leff And dere,
I lystenyth and I shall you tell
By olde dayes what aunturs were
Amonge oure eldris þat by-felle :
In Arthur dayes, that noble kinge,
By-felle Aunturs ferly fele,
And I shall telle of there endinge
That mykell wiste of wo and wele.

The knightis of the table Round,
The sangrayle whan they had sought,
Aunturs that they by-fore them found
Fynisshid and to ende brought ;
Their enemyes they bette & bound,
For gold on lyff they lefte them noght.
Foure yere they lyved sound,
Whan they had these werkis wroght,

Tille on a tyme þat it by-felle
The kinge in bed lay by the quene,
Off Aunturs they by-ganne to telle.
Many that in þat land had bene :
"Sir, yif that it were youre wille.
Of a wondir thinge I wold you mene.
How your courte by-gynnyth to spill
Off duoghty knightis all by-dene;

Syr, your honour by-gynnys to falle,
That wount was wide in world to sprede,
Off launcelott and of other all
That euyr so doughty were in dede."
" Dame, there-to thy counsell I calle :
What were best for suche a nede ? "
" yiff ye your honoure hold shalle,
A turnement were best to bede,

For-why that Auntre shall by-gynne
And by spoke of on euery syde,
That knightis shall there worship wynne
To dede of Armys for to Ryde.
Sir, lettis thus youre courte no blynne
But lyve in honour and in pride."
" Certys, dame," the kinge said thenne,
"Thys ne shall no lenger abyde."

A turnement the king lett bede,
At Wynchester shuld it be,
Yonge Galehod was good in nede,
The Chefteyne of the Crye was he,
With knightis þat were stiff on stede,
That ladyes and maydens might se
Who that beste were of dede
Thrughe doughtynesse to have the gre.

Knightis Arme them by-dene
To the turnemente to Ride,
With sheldis brode and helmys shene
To Wynne grete honoure and pride,
launcelot lefte withe the quene
And seke he lay that ylke tyde ;
for loue þat was theym by-twene
he made inchessoun for to abyde.

The kynge satte vppon his stede
And forthe is went vppon his way;
Sir Agraveyne for suche a nede
At home by-lefte, for soth to say,
For men told in many a thede "
That launcelot by the quene lay ;
For to take them with the dede
he Awaytes both nyght and day.

launcelott forth wendys he,
Unto the chambyr to the quene,
And sette hym downe vpon his.kne
And salues there that lady shene.
"launcelott, what dostow here with me?
The kinge is went and þe courte by-dene ;
I drede we shall discouerid be.
Off the loue is vs by-twene ;

Sir agravayne at home is he,
nyght & day he waytes vs two."
" Nay," he sayd, " my lady fre,
I ne thinke not it shall be so ;
I come to take my leve of the,
Oute of courte or that I go."
"ya swithe þat thou Armyd be.
For thy dwellynge me is full woo."

launcelott to his chambyr yede.
There Riche atyre lay hym by-fore,
Armyd hym in noble wede.
Off that Armure gentylly was shore ;
Swerd and sheld were good at nede
In many batayles þat he had bore.
And horsyd hym on a grey stede
kyng Arthur had hym yeve by-fore ;

haldys he none highe way,
The knight þat was hardy and fre,
Bot hastis bothe night and day
Faste toward that Biche Cite, —
Wynchester it hight, for sothe to say, —
There the turnament shuld be ;
kinge Arthur in a castell lay,
Full myche there was of gam and gle.

For-why men wold launcelott by-hold,
And he ne wold not hym-self shewe,
Wyth his shuldres gonne he fold
And downe he hangid his bede full low,
As he ne might hys lymmys weld;
Kepit he no bugle blowe ;
Wele he semyd As he were old,
For-thy ne couth hym no man knowe.

The kinge stode on a toure on highte,
Sir Evwayne clepis he þat tyde ;
"Syr evwayne, knowistow any wight
This knight þat Rides here by-syde ? "
Sir Evwayne spekis wordis Right,
That Ay is hend is not to hyde,
' Sir, it is som old knighte
Is corne to se þe yonge knightis Ride."

They by-held hym bothe Anone
A stounde for the stedis sake ;
his hors stomelyd at a stone
That alle his body there-with gan shake ;
The knight þan braundisshid yche a bone,
As he the bridelle vp gan take ;
There-by wiste they bothe Anone
That it was launcelott du lake.

kynge Arthur than spekis he
To sir evwayne there wordis Right :
Welle may launcelot holden he
Off alle þe world the beste knight
Off biaute and of bounte,
And sithe is none so moche of myght,
At every dede beste is he,
And sithe he nold it wist no wight,

Sir Evwayn, will we done hym byde ;
he wenys þat we know hym noght."
Sir, it is better lette hym Ride
And lette hym do as he hath thoght ;
he wolle be here nere by-syde,
Sithe he þus ferre hedyr hath sought ;
We shalle hym know by his dede
And by the hors þat he hath brought."

An Erle wounyd there be-syde,
The lord of Ascolot was hight ;
launcelot gonne thedyr Ride
And sayd he wolle there dwell all night.
They resseyvid hym with grete pryde;
A Riche soper there was dight ;
his name ganne he hele and hyde
And sayd he was a strange knight.

Thanne had the erle sonnys two
That were knightis makid newe;
In þat tyme was the maner so.
Whan yonge knightis shuld sheldis show,
Tille þe friste yere were agoo.
To bere Armys of one hewe,
Rede or white, yelew or bloo ;
There-by men yonge knightis knew.

As they satte at there sopere,
launcelot to the erle spake thare :
"Sir, ys here Any Bachelere
That to the turnament wolle fare ? "
" I haue two sonnys that me is dere,
And now that oonne is seke full sare ;
So in companye þat he were
myne other sonne I wold were thare."

"Sir, and thy sonne wille thedir Right,
The lenger I wolle hym abyde,
And helpe hym there with all my myght
That hym none harme shall be-tyde."
"Sir, the semys a noble knight,
Courteyse and hend, is not to hyde ;
At morow shall ye dyne and dight,
Togedir I rede welle þat ye Ryde."

"Syr, of one thinge I wolle you mynne
And be-seche you for to spede,
yif here were Any Armure Inne,
That I might borow it to this dede."
"Sir, my sonne lieth seke here-in ;
Take his Armure and his stede ;
For my sonnys men shall you kenne,
Off Rede shall be your bothis wede."

Therle had a doughter þat was hym dere,
Mykell launcelott she beheld ;
hyr Rode was rede as blossom on brere
Or floure þat springith in the feld ;
Glad she was to sitte hym nere,
The noble knight vndir sheld ;
Wepinge was hyr moste chere,
So mykell on hym hyr herte gan held.

Vp than Rose þat mayden stille
And to hyr chamber wente she tho ;
Downe vppon hir bedde she felle,
That nighe hyr herte brast in two.
launcelot wiste what was hyr wyll,
Welle he knew by other mo ;
hyr brother klepitte he hym tylle
And to hyr chamber gonne they go ;

he satte hym downe for the maydens sake
vpon hyr bedde there she lay,
Courtessely to hyr he spake,
For to comforte þat fayre may ;
In hyr Armys she gan hym take
And these wordis ganne she say :
"Sir, hot yif that ye it make,
Saff my lyff no leche may."

"lady," he sayd, "thou moste lette,
For me ne giff the no-thynge Ille ;
In Another stede myne hert is sette,
It is not at myne owne wille ;
In erthe is no thinge that shall me lette
To be thy knight lowde and stille ;
A-nother tyme we may be mette
Whan thou may better speke thy fille."

"Sithe I of the ne may haue more.
As thou arte hardy knight and fre,
In the turnement þat thou wold here
Sum signe of myne þat men might se."
" lady, thy sieve thou shalte of-shere,
I wolle it take for the love of the ;
So did I neuyr no ladyes ere
Bot one that most hathe lovid me."

On the morow whan it was day
They dyned and made them yare,
And þan they went forthe on there way
To-gedyr as they bretherne were.
They mette a squyer by the way
That frome the turnament gan fare,
And askyd yif he couthe them say
Whiche party was the bygger thare.

" Sir Galehod hathe folke þe more,
For sothe, lordingis, as I you telle,
But Arthur is the bigger there ;
he hath knightis stiff and felle ;
They Ar bold and breme as bare,
Evwayne and boert and lyonelle."
Therlys sonne to hym spake thare:
" Sir, with them I rede we dwelle."

launcelotte spake, as I you rede :
" Sithe they ar men of grete valour,
how might we amonge them spede
There alle are stiffe & stronge in stowre?
helpe we them þat hath most nede ;
Ageyne the beste we shall welle dore ;
And we might there do Any dede.
It wold vs torne to more honour."

launcelot spekis in that tyde
As knight þat was hardy and fre :
" To-night with-oute I rede we byde ;
The presse is grete in the Cite."
Sir, I haue An Aunte here beside,
A lady of swith grete biaute ;
Were it your wille thedir to Ride,
Glad of vs than wold she be."

Tho to the castelle gonne they fare,
To the lady fayre and bright ;
Blithe was the lady thare
That they wold dwelle with hyr þat night ;
hastely was there soper yare
Off mete and drinke rychely dight.
Onne the morow gonne they dyne & fare,
Both launcelott and þat other knight.

Whan they come in-to þe feld,
Myche there was of game & play ;
A while they hovid & by-held
how Arthurs knightis Rode that day.
Galehodis party by-gan to held,
On fote his knightis ar lad away ;
launcelott stiff was vndyr sheld,
Thinkis to helpe, yif that he may.

Be-syde hym come þan sir Evwayne,
Breme as Any wilde bore ;
launcelott springis hym ageyne.
In Rede armys þat he bare ;
A dynte he yaff with mekill mayne,
Sir Evwayne was vn-horsid thare,
That alle men wente he had bene slayne,
So was he woundyd wondyr sare.

Sir boerte thoughte no-thinge good.
Whan Sir Evwayne vn-horsid was ;
Forthe he springis as he were wode
To launcelot, with-outen lees ;
launcelot hytte hym on the hode.
The nexte way to ground he chese ;
Was none so stiff agayne hym stode,
Fulle thynne he made the thikkest prees.

Sir lyonelle be-ganne to tene,
And hastely he made hym bowne ; f
To launcelott with herte kene
he rode with helme and swerde browne ;
launcelott hitte hym, as I wene,
Throughe the helme in-to þe Crowne,
That euyr after it was sene ;
Bothe hors and man there yede adowne.

The knightis gadrid togedir thare
And gan with Crafte there counselle take ;
Suche a knight was neuyr are
But it were launcelot du lake ;
Bot, for the sleve on his Creste was thar,
For launcelot wold they hym noght take,
For he bare nevir none suche by-fore
But it were for the quenys sake.

Off Ascolot he neuyr was
That thus welle beris hym to-day,"
Ector sayd, with-outen lees ;
What he was he wold assay.
A noble stede Ector hym chese
And forthe rydis glad and gay ;
launcelot he mette a-mydde þe prese,
By-twene them was no childis play.

Ector smote with herte good
To launcelot that ilke tyde ;
Throughe helme in-to his hede it yode
That nighe loste he all his pride ;
launcelot hytte on the hood
That his hors felle and he be-syde.
launcelot blyndis in his blode,
Oute of the feld full faste gan Bide;

Oute of the feld they Reden thoo
To a forest highe and bore.
Whan they come by them one two,
Off his helme he takis thore.
" Sir," he sayd, " me is full woo,
I drede that ye be hurte full sore."
"Nay," he sayd, " it is not so.
But fayne at Best I wold we were."

Sir, myne Aunte is here be-syde.
There we bothe were all nighte ;
Were it youre wille thedir to Ride,
She wolle us helpe with all hyr might.
And send for lechis this ylke tyde,
youre woundis for to hele and dight ;
And I my-self wille with you abyde
And be youre servante and youre knight.

To the castelle they toke the way.
To the lady fayre and hend ;
She sent for lechis, as I you say.
That wonnyd bothe ferre and hend,
But by the morow that it was day
In bed he might hym-self not wend ;
So sore Woundyd there he lay
That well nighe had he sought his end.

Tho kinge arthur with mykell pride
Gallid his knightis all hym by
And sayd a mounth he wold there byde
And in wynchester lye ;
heraudis he dyd go and Ride
Another turnamente for to Crye ;
"This knight wolle be here nere be-syde,
for he is woundyd bitterlye."

Whan the lettres made were
The heraudis forth with them yede,
Throughe yngland for to fare,
Another turnament for to bede ;
Bade them buske and make them yare
Alle that stiff were on stede.
Thus these lettris sent were
To tho that doughty were of dede,

Tille on a tyme þat it be-felle
An heraude comys by the way
And at the castelle a night gan dwelle
There as launcelot woundyd lay,
And of the turnamente gon telle
That shuld come on the sonday.
launcelot sighes wondyr stille
And sayd : alias and well-a-way !

Whan knightis wynne worship and pride,
Som Auntre shall hold me a-way.
As a coward for to a-byde.
This turnamente, for sothe to say,
for me is made this ylke tyde ;
Thoughe I shuld dye this ylke day,
Certis I shalle thedyr Ride."

The leche Aunswerd also sone
And sayd : " syr, what haue ye thought?
Alle the Crafte that I haue done
I wene it wille you helpe Right noght.
There is no man vndir the mone,
By hym þat all this world hath wroght,
Might saue youre lyff to that tyme come
That ye vpon your stede were brought ! "

" Certis, though I dye this day,
In my bedde I wolle not lye ;
Yit had I levir do what I may
Than here to dye thus cowardelye."
The leche anone than went his way
And wold no lenger dwelle hym by ;
his woundis scryved and stille he lay
And in his bedde he swownyd thrye.

The lady wept as she were wode,
Whan she sawe he dede wold be,
Therlis sonne with sory mode
The leche agayne clepis he
And sayd: "thou shalt haue yiftis good,
For-why þat thou wilte dwelle with me."
Craftely than staunchid he his blode
And of good comforte bad hym be.

The heraude than wente on his way
At morow whan the day was light
Also swithe as euyr he may
To Wynchester that ylke night;
he salued the kinge, for soth to say —
By hym satte syr Evwayne the knight —
And sithe he told upon his playe
What he had herd and sene with sight :

"Off alle þat I haue sene with sight
Wondir thought me nevir more
Thanne me dyd of a folyd knight
That in his bed lay woundid sore ;
he myght not heve his hede vp-Right
For alle the world haue wonne thare ;
For Angwisshe þat he ne Ride myght
Alle his woundis scryved were."

Sir Evwayne than spekis wordis fre
And to the kynge sayd he there :
Certis, no cowarde knight is he ;
Allas ! that he nere hole and fere t
Welle I wote þat it is he
That we alle of vnhorsyd were,
the turnament is beste lette be,
For sothe that knight may not come there."

There turnement was than no more
But this departith alle the prese.
knightis toke there leve to fare,
Ichone his owne way hym chese.
To kamelot the kynge went there,
There as quene gaynore was ;
he wente haue found launcelot thare j
A-way he was, with-outen lèse.

Launcelot sore woundyd lay ;
knightis sought hym full wyde.
Therle sonne night and day
Was alle-way hym be-syde ;
Therle hym-self whan he ryde may
Brought hym home with mykell pride
And made hym bothe game & play
Tille he might bothe go and Kyde.

Boerte and lyonelle than sware,
and at the kinge there leve toke there,
Ageyne they wold come nevir mare
Till they wiste where launcelot were.
Ector went with them thare
To seche his brodyr þat hym was dere.
many a land they ganne through fare
And sought hym bothe ferre and nere,

Tille on a tyme þat it by-felle
That they come by that ylke way.
And at the castelle at mete gan dwell,
There as launcelott woundyd lay ;
launcelot they saw, as I you telle
Walke on the wallis hym to play ;
On knees for loye all they felle.
So blithe men they were that day.

Whan launcelott saw tho ylke thre
That he in worlde louyd beste,
A merier metinge might no man se,
And sithe he ledde them to Beste.
Therle hym-self, glad was he
That he had gotten siche a geste ;
So was the mayden feyre and fre
That alle hyr loue on hym had keste.

Whan they were to soper dight,
Bordis were sette and clothis spradde,
Therlis doughter and the knight
To-gedir was sette, as he them badde,
Therlys sonnys þat bothe were wight
to serue them were nevir sadde,
And therle hym-selfe with alle his myght
To make them bothe blyth and glad.

Bot Boert, euyr in mynd he thoghte
That launcelot had bene woundyd sore.
"Sir, were it your willeto hele it noght
Bot telle where ye thus hurte were ? '
" By hym þat alle this world hath wrought,"
launcelot hym-self swore,
" The dynte shall be full dere bought,
yif euyr we may mete vs more !

Ector ne liked that no wight,
The wordis that he herd there ;
For sorow he loste both strength & might ;
The colours changid in his leyre.
Boerte than sayd these wordis Right :
" Ector, thou may make yvelle chère ;
For sothe it is no coward knight
That thou arte of I-manased hore."