Lines 1920–2398

The mayden is Redy for to Ryde,
In A full Ryche Aparaylmente,
Off Samytte grene, with mykyll pryde,
That wroght was in the oryente ;
A dwerffe shulde wende by hyr syde,
Suche was launcelotis comaundement ;
So were the manerys in that tyde,
Whan A mayde on message wente.

To the castelle whan she come,
In the paleise gonne she lyght ;
To the kynge hyr erande she sayd sone,
By hym satte syr gawayne the knyght,
Sayd that lyes were sayde hym vppon ;
Trewe they were by day and nyght ;
To proue it as a knyght shulde done
Launcelot proferis hym to fyghte

The kynge Arthure spekys thore
Wordys that were kene and thro :
"He ne myght proue it neuer more
Bot of my men that he wold slo ;
Be Ihesu cryste," the kynge sware,
And Syr gawayne than Also,
his dedis shall be bought full sore,
Bot yife no stele nyll in hym go."

The mayden hathe hyr answere,
To the loyus garde gonne she Byde ;
Such as the kynges wordis were
She told launcelot in that tyde ;
Launcelot Syghed wounder sore,
Teres frome hys yjen ganne glyde ;
Bors de gawnes by gode than sware :
" In mydde the felde we shall hem byde."

Arthure wolde no lenger a-byde
Bot hastis hym with All hys myght ;
Messengeres dyd he go and Ryde,
That thay ne shulde lette for day ne nyght,
Thorow-oute yngland by Iche a syde
To erle, baroun and to knyght,
Bad hem come that ilke tyde
Withe hors stronge And Armure bryght.

Thoughe the knyght that were dede hem fro,
There-of was All there mykelle kare,
Thre hundrethe thay made mo,
Oute of the castelle or they wold fare,
Off ynglonde And yreland Also,
Off walys and scottis that beste were,.
Launcelot And hys folkys to slo,
With hertis breme as Any bore.

Whan thys oste was All bowne,
It was no lenger for to byde,
Rayses spere and gounfanoune.
As men that were of mykelle pryde;
With helme and shelde and hauberke browne,
Gawayne hym-selfe be-fore ganne Ryde
To the loyus garde that Ryche towne.
And sette A sege on Iche A syde.

A-boute the loyus garde they laye
Seuentene wokys And well mare,
Tille it felle vppon A day
launcelot home bad hem fare :
"Breke youre sege! wendys a-waye !
You to slae grete pyte it ware."
He sayd Allas and welawaye !
That euyr beganne this sorewe sare ! "

Evir the kynge and Sir gawayne
Calde hym fals Recreante knyght.
And sayde he had hys bretherne slayne
And treytour was by day and nyght,
Bad hym come And proue hys mayne
In the felde with hem to fyghte.
Launcelot sighed, for sothe to sayne,
Grete duelle it was to se with sight.

So loude they launcelot gonne Ascrye
With vois and hydous hornys here,
Bors de gawnes standis hym by
And launcelot makys yuelle chère.
"Syr," he sayd, " whare-fore and why
Shulde we these proude wordys here ?
me thynke ye fare as cowardlye
As we ne durste no man nyghe nere.

Dight we vs in Ryche Araye,
Bothe with spere And with shelde,
As swithe as euyr that we maye,
And Ryde we oute in-to the felde ;
Whyle my lyffe laste maye,
Thys day I ne shall my wepen yelde ;
There-fore my lyffe I darre wele laye
We two shall make hem All to helde."

"Allas ! " quod launcelot, " wo is me,
That euyr shuld I se with syghte
A-jeyne my lord for to be,
The noble kynge that made me knyght !
Syr gawayne, I be-Seche the,
As thou arte man of myche myght.
In the felde let not my lorde be
Ne that thy-selfe with me not fyghte."

It may no lenger for to byde
But buskyd hem and made All bowne ;
Whan thay were Redy for to Ryde,
They Reysed spere and gonfanoune ;
Whan these ostes gan samen glyde.
Withe vois and hydous hornys sowne,
Grete pyte was on eyther syde,
So fele goode ther were layd downe.

Syr lyonelle with myche mayne
Withe A spere by-fore gan founde;
Syr gawayne Rydys hym A-gayne,
hors and man he bare to grounde.
That All men wende he had ben slayne,
Syr lyonelle hade suche A wounde ;
Oute of the felde was he drayne.
For he was seke and sore vn-sounde.

In All the felde that ilke tyde
Myght no man stonde launcelot a-eyne,
And sythen as faste As he myght Ryde
To saue that no man sholde be slayne.
The kynge was euyr nere be-Syde
And hewe on hym with All hys mayne.
And he so corteise was that tyde
O dynte that he nolde smyte a-gayne.

Bors de gawnes saughe at laste
And to the kynge than gan he Ryde,
And on hys helme he hytte so faste
That nere he loste All hys pryde ;
The stede Rigge vndyr hym braste
That he to grounde felle that tyde.
And sythen wordys loude he caste,
Wythe Syr launcelot to chyde :

"Syr, shalthou All day Suffer so
That the kynge shall the assayle,
And sethe hys herte is so thro
Thy corteise may not A-vaile ?
Batailles shall there neuere be mo,
And thou wilt do be my consalle ;
ȝeuyth vs leue them All to slo,
For thou haste venquesshid thys bataille.''

' Allas ! " quod launcelot, wo is me,
That euyr shulde I se with syghte
By-fore me hym vnhorsyd bee,
The noble kynge that made me knyght ! "
he was than so corteise and fre
That downe of hys stede he lyghte ;
The kynge ther-on than horsys he
And bade hym He, yiffe that he myght.

Whan the kynge was horsyd there,
Launcelot lokys he vppon,
How corteise was in hym more
Then euyr was Any man ;
He thought on thyngis that had bene ore,
The teres from hys yen Kanne ;
He Sayde " Allas! " with syghynge sore,
"That euyr yit thys werre be-gan I ''

The parties ame with-drawen A-waye,
Off knyghtis were they wexyn thynne ;
On morow on that other daye
Scholde the bataille efte begynne ;
Thay dyght hem on A Ryche Araye
And partyd ther ostes bothe in twynne ;
he that by-ganne thys wrechyd playe,
What wondyr thoughe he had grete synne !

Bors was breme as Any bore,
And oute he rode to syr gawayne ;
For lyonelle was woundyd sore,
Wenge hys brother he wolde full fayne ;
Syr gawayne gonne A-jeyne hym fare.
As man that myche was of mayne ;
Eyther throughe other body bare,
That welle nere were they bothe slayne;

Bothe to grounde they Felle in fere,
There-fore were fele folke full woo.
The kynges party Redy were
A-way to take hem bothe two ;
launcelot hym-selfe come nere,
Bors rescous he them froo ;
Oute of the felde men hym here.
So were they woundyd bothe two.

Off thys bataille were to telle,
A man that it wele vndyrstode,
How knyghtis vndyr sadels felle
And sytten downe with sory mode ;
Stedys that were bolde and snelle
A-monge hem waden in the blode,
Bot by the tyme of euyn belle
Launcelot party the better stode.

Off thys batayle was no more,
Bot thus departen they that daye;
Folke here Frendys home ledde and bare
That slayne in the feldys laye.
Launcelot gonne to hys castelle fare.
The bataille venquesshyd, for Sothe to saye ;
There was duell and wepynge sare,
Amonge hem was no chyldys playe.

Into all landys northe and southe
Off thys werre the word spronge,
And yit at Rome it was full couthe.
In ynglande was suche sorowe stronge ;
There-of the pope had grete Routhe,
A lettre he selid with hys hande ;
Bot they accorded welle in trowthe,
Enterdite he wolde the lande.

Then was A bischope at Rome,
Off Rowchester, with-outen lese ;
Tylle ynglande he, the message. Come,
To karllylle ther the kynge was ;
The popis lettre oute he nome
In the paleis by-fore the desse.
And bade them do the popis dome
And holde yngland in Reste and pes.

Bedde was it by-fore All by-dene,
The lettre that the pope gonne make,
How he moste haue a-jeyne the quene
And a-corde withe launcelot du lake ;
Make a pes hem by-twene
For euyr more and trews make,
Or ynglande entyrdyted shulde bene
And torne to sorow for ther sake.

The kynge a-jeyne it wolde nojte bene,
To do the popys comaundemente,
Blythely A-yeyne to haue the quene ;
Wolde he noght that ynglonde were shente ;
Bot gawayne was of herte so kene
That to hym wolde he neuyr Assente
To make A-corde hem by-twene,
While Any lyffe were in hym lente.

Through the sente of All by-dene
Ganne the kynge A lettre make ;
The bysschope in message yede by-twene
To syr launcelot du lake,
And Askyd yiffe he wolde the quene
Cortessly to hym by-take.
Or yngland enterdyt shuld bene
And torne to sorow for ther sake.

launcelot Answeryed with grete fauoure.
As knyght that hardy was and kene:
" Syr, I haue stande in many A stoure,
Bothe for the kynge and for the quene ;
Full colde had bene hys beste towre,
Yiff that I nadde my-selfe bene ;
he quytes it me with lytelle honoure,
That I haue seruyd hym All by-dene."

The bysschope spake with-oute fayle,
Thoughe he were nothynge A-froughte :
"Syr, thynke that ye haue venquysshid many A bataille
Throwgh grace that god hathe for you wrought ;
ye shalle do now by my counsayle :
Thynke on hym that you dere bought ;
Wemen Ar frele of hyr entayle ;
Sir, lettes not ynglande go to noght."

" Syr bysshope, castelles for to holde
Wete you wele I haue no nede.
I myght be kynge, yif that I wolde,
Off All benwike, that Ryche thede,
Ryde in-to my landys bolde
Withe my knyghtes styffe on stede.
The quene, yif that I to them yolde,
Off her lyffe I haue grette drede."

" Syr, be mary that is mayden floure,
And god that All shall rede and Ryght,
She ne shall haue no dyshonoure,
There-to my trouthe I shall you plyght,
Bot boldely brought in-to hyr boure,
To ladyes and to maydens bryght,
And holden in welle more honoure
Than euyr she was by day or nyght."

"Now, yif I grande suche a thynge,
That I delyuere shall the quene,
Syr bysshope, say my lorde, the kynge,
Syr gawayne and hem All by-dene.
That thay shall make me A sekerynge
A trews to holde vs by-twene."

Then was the bysshope woundyr blythe
That launcelot gaffe hym thys Answere ;
Tylle hys palfray he wente as swythe
And tylle karllyle gonne he fare ;
Tythandys sone were done to lythe
Whiche that launcelotis wordis ware ;
The kynge and courte was All full blythe,
A trews they sette and sekeryd thare ;

Through the Assent of All by-dene
A syker trews there they wrought ;
Though gawayne were of herte kene,
There-a-yenste was he note,
To hald A trews hem by-twene,
While launcelot the queue home broght ;
Bot cordemente thar hym neuyr wene,
Or eyther other herte haue sought.

A syker trews gonne they make,
And with ther seales they it bande ;
There-to they thre bisshopys gon take,
The wiseste that were in All the lande,
And sent to launcelot du lake ;
At loyus gard they hym fande ;
The lettres there they hym by-take
And there-to launcelot held hys hande.

The bisshopis than went on her way
To karlyll there the kynge wase ;
Launcelot shall come that other day
Withe the lady proude in pres.
he dight hym In a Ryche Araye,
Wete ye wele, with-outen les ;
An hundreth knyghtis, for sothe to saye
The beste of All hys oste he chese.

Launcelot and the quene were cledde
In Robes of A Riche wede,
Of Samyte white, with syluer shredde,
yuory sadyll and white stede,
Saumbues of the same threde,
That wroght was in the heythen thede ;
launcelot hyr brydelle ledde,
In the Romans as we Rede ;

The other knyghtis euerychone
In Samyte grene of heythen lande
And in there kyrtelles Ryde Allone,
And Iche knyght a grene garlande,
Sadillis sette with Ryche stone,
Ichone A braunche of olyffe in hande,
All the felde A-boute hem schone ;
The knyghtis Rode full loude synghand.

To the castelle when they come
In the paleise gonne they lyghte ;
Launcelot the quene of hir palfray nome,
They Seyde it was A semly syghte ;
The kynge than salowes he full sone.
As man that was of myche myghte ;
Feyre wordys were there fone,
Bot wepynge stode there many A knyghte.

Launcelot spake, as I you mene,
To the kynge of mykelle myght:
" Syr, I haue the broght thy quene
And sauyd hyr lyffe with the Ryght,
As lady that is feyre and shene
And trewe is bothe day and nyght ,
Iffe Any man sayes she is noght clene,
I profre me there-fore to feyght."

The kynge Arthur Answerys thore
Wordys that were kene and throo :
" Launcelot, I ne wende neuyr more
That thow wolde me haue wroght thys woo ;
So dere as we samen were,
There-vndyr that thou was my foo ;
Bot noght for-thy me Rewis sore
That euer was werre by-twexte vs two."

Launcelot than Answeryde he,
' Whan he had lystenyd longe :
" Syr, thy wo thow witeste me
And welle thou woste it is with wronge ;
I was neuyr fer frome the,
When thow had Any sorow stronge ;
Bot lyers lystenes thow to lye.
Off whome All thys word oute spronge."

Than by-spake hym Syr gawayne.
That was hardy knyght and free :
" launcelot, thou may it noght with-sayne
That thow haste slayne my brethrene thre ;
For-thy schall we proue oure mayne
In feld whether shall haue the gree ;
Or eyther of vs shall other slayne
Blythe shall I neuyr be."

Launcelot Answeryd with hert sore,
Thoughe he were nothynge A-froughte :
"Gawayne," he said, "thoughe I were there,
My-selfe thy brethren slow I noght ;
Other knyghtis fele ther were
That sythen thys werre dere han bought."
launcelot syghed wonder sore,
The terys of hys yen sowght.

launcelot spake, as I you mene,
To the kynge and syr gawayne :
"Syr, shall I neuyr of cordemente wene
That we myght frendys be A-jeyne ? "
Gawayne spake with herte kene,
As man that myche was of mayne :
"Nay, cordement thar the neuyr wene
Tylle on of vs haue other slayne."

"Sy the it neuyr may be-tyde
That pees may be vs by-twene,
May I in-to my landys Ryde
Saffely with my knyghtis kene ?
Than wille I here no lenger byde,
Bot take leue off yow All by-dene ;
Where I wende in worlde wyde,
Engelond wolle I neuyr sene."

The kynge arthur Answered thore,
The terys from hys yjen Ranne :
By Ihesu cryste ! " he there swore,
' ' That All thys worlde wroght and wan,
In-to thy lands whan thou willt fare,
The shall lette no lyuand man."
He sayd " Allas ! " withe syghynge sare,
' That euyr yit thys werre by-ganne !

Sythe that I shall wende A-waye
And in myn Awne landys wone,
May I saffly wone ther aye.
That ye wythe werre not come me on ?
Syr gawayne than sayd : " naye,
By hym that made sonne and mone,
Dight the as welle as euyr thou may,
For we shall After come full sone."

launcelot hys leue hathe taken thare,
It was no lenger for to byde ;
hys palfray found he Redy are,
Made hym Redy for to Ryde ;
Oute of the castelle gonne they fare,
Gremly teres lette they glyde ;
There was dwelle and wepynge sare,
At the partynge was lytelle pryde.

To the loyus gard, the Ryche towne,
Rode launcelot, the noble knyghte ;
Busked hem and made A bowne,
As men that were of myche myght,
Withe spere in hand and gonfanowne
(lette they nouther day ne nyght)
To An hauen hight kelyon ;
Ryche galleys there they fande dyght.

Now ar thay shyppyd on the flode,
launcelot And hys knyghtis hende ;
Wederes had they feyre and goode
Wher hyr wille was for to wende,
To An hauen there it stode
As men were leuste for to lende ;
Off benwike blythe was hyr mode,
Whan Ihesu cryst hem thedir sende.

Now ar thay Aryued on the stronde,
Off hem was fele folke full blythe ;
Grete lordis of the lande,
A-jeyne hym they come as swythe,
And fellyn hym to fote and hande ;
For her lord thay gonne hym kythe,
At hys domys for to stande,
And at hys lawes for to lythe.

Bors made he kynge of gawnes,
As it was bothe law and Ryght ;
lyonelle made kynge of fraunce,
Be olde tyme gawle kyghte ;
All hys folke he ganne Auance
And landys gaffe to Iche A knyghte,
And storyd hys castellys for All chance,
For mykyll he hopyd more to fyght.

Estor he crownys with hys hande,
So sayes the boke with-outen lese,
made hym kynge of hys fadyr lande
And prynce of All the Ryche prese ;
Bad no thynge hym shulde with-stande,
Bot hald hym kynge as worthy was,
For ther no more hym-self wold fande
Tylle he wiste to leffe in pes.

Arthure wolle he no lenger A-byde,
nyght and day hys herte was sore;
messengerys did he go And Byde
Throughe-oute yngland for to fare
To erlys And barons on Iche A syde,
Bad hem buske and make All are,
On launcelot landys for to Ryde,
To brenne and sle and make All bare.

At hys knyghtis All by-dene
The kynge gan hys conselle take,
And bad hem ordeyne hem by-twene
Who beste steward were for to make.
The Rome for to saue and eme,
And beste were for bretaynes sake;
Full mykelle they dred hem All by-dene
That Alyens the land wold take.

The knyghtis answeryd, with-oute lese,
And said, for sothe, that so them thought
That syr mordred the sekereste was,
Thoughe men the Reme throw-oute sought,
To saue the Keme in trews and pees.
Was A boke by-fore hym brought ;
Syr mordreit they to steward chese ;
That many A bolde sythen A-bought.

It was no lenger for to byde,
But buskes hem And made All bowne ;
Whan they were Redy for to Ryde,
They Reised spere and gonfanowne ;
Forthe they went with mykelle pryde
Tylle An hauyne hyght kerlyonne,
And graythes be the lande syde
Galeis grete of fele fasowne.