Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VI CHAPTER III

CHAPTER III
How four queens found Launcelot sleeping, and how by
enchantment he was taken and led into a castle.

NOW leave we these knights prisoners, and speak we of Sir
Launcelot du Lake that lieth under the apple-tree sleeping.  Even
about the noon there came by him four queens of great estate;
and, for the heat should not annoy them, there rode four knights
about them, and bare a cloth of green silk on four spears,
betwixt them and the sun, and the queens rode on four white
mules.  Thus as they rode they heard by them a great horse grimly
neigh, then were they ware of a sleeping knight, that lay all
armed under an apple-tree; anon as these queens looked on his
face, they knew it was Sir Launcelot.  Then they began for to
strive for that knight, everych one said they would have him to
her love.  We shall not strive, said <179>Morgan le Fay, that was
King Arthur's sister, I shall put an enchantment upon him that he
shall not awake in six hours, and then I will lead him away unto
my castle, and when he is surely within my hold, I shall take the
enchantment from him, and then let him choose which of us he will
have unto paramour.

So this enchantment was cast upon Sir Launcelot, and then they
laid him upon his shield, and bare him so on horseback betwixt
two knights, and brought him unto the castle Chariot, and there
they laid him in a chamber cold, and at night they sent unto him
a fair damosel with his supper ready dight.  By that the
enchantment was past, and when she came she saluted him, and
asked him what cheer.  I cannot say, fair damosel, said Sir
Launcelot, for I wot not how I came into this castle but it be by
an enchantment.  Sir, said she, ye must make good cheer, and if
ye be such a knight as it is said ye be, I shall tell you more
to-morn by prime of the day.  Gramercy, fair damosel, said Sir
Launcelot, of your good will I require you.  And so she departed. 
And there he lay all that night without comfort of anybody.  And
on the morn early came these four queens, passingly well beseen,
all they bidding him good morn, and he them again.

Sir knight, the four queens said, thou must understand thou art
our prisoner, and we here know thee well that thou art Sir
Launcelot du Lake, King Ban's son, and because we understand your
worthiness, that thou art the noblest knight living, and as we
know well there can no lady have thy love but one, and that is
Queen Guenever, and now thou shalt lose her for ever, and she
thee, and therefore thee behoveth now to choose one of us four. 
I am the Queen Morgan le Fay, queen of the land of Gore, and here
is the queen of Northgalis, and the queen of Eastland, and the
queen of the Out Isles; now choose one of us which thou wilt have
to thy paramour, for thou mayest not choose or else in this
prison to die.  This is an hard case, said Sir Launcelot, that
either I must die or else choose one of you, yet had I liefer to
die in this prison with worship, than to have one of you to my
paramour maugre my <180>head.  And therefore ye be answered, I
will none of you, for ye be false enchantresses, and as for my
lady, Dame Guenever, were I at my liberty as I was, I would prove
it on you or on yours, that she is the truest lady unto her lord
living.  Well, said the queens, is this your answer, that ye will
refuse us.  Yea, on my life, said Sir Launcelot, refused ye be of
me.  So they departed and left him there alone that made great
sorrow.