Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XVIII CHAPTER III

CHAPTER III

How at a dinner that the queen made there was a knight
enpoisoned, which Sir Mador laid on the queen.

AND then the queen let make a privy dinner in London
unto the knights of the Round Table.  And all was for
to show outward that she had as great joy in all other
knights of the Table Round as she had in Sir Launcelot.
All only at that dinner she had Sir Gawaine and his
brethren, that is for to say Sir Agravaine, Sir Gaheris, Sir
Gareth, and Sir Mordred.  Also there was Sir Bors de
Ganis, Sir Blamore de Ganis, Sir Bleoberis de Ganis, Sir
Galihud, Sir Galihodin, Sir Ector de Maris, Sir Lionel,
Sir Palomides, Safere his brother, Sir La Cote Male Taile,
Sir Persant, Sir Ironside, Sir Brandiles, Sir Kay le Seneschal,
Sir Mador de la Porte, Sir Patrise, a knight of Ireland,
Aliduk, Sir Astamore, and Sir Pinel le Savage, the which
was cousin to Sir Lamorak de Galis, the good knight that
Sir Gawaine and his brethren slew by treason.  And so
these four-and-twenty knights should dine with the queen
in a privy place by themself, and there was made a great
feast of all manner of dainties.

But Sir Gawaine had a custom that he used daily at
dinner and at supper, that he loved well all manner of
fruit, and in especial apples and pears.  And therefore
whosomever dined or feasted Sir Gawaine would commonly
purvey for good fruit for him, and so did the queen for
to please Sir Gawaine; she let purvey for him all manner
of fruit, for Sir Gawaine was a passing hot knight of
nature.  And this Pinel hated Sir Gawaine because of his
kinsman Sir Lamorak de Galis; and therefore for pure
envy and hate Sir Pinel enpoisoned certain apples for to
enpoison Sir Gawaine.  And so this was well unto the
end of the meat; and so it befell by misfortune a good
knight named Patrise, cousin unto Sir Mador de la Porte,
to take a poisoned apple.  And when he had eaten it he
swelled so till he brast, and there Sir Patrise fell down
suddenly dead among them.

Then every knight leapt from the board ashamed, and
araged for wrath, nigh out of their wits.  For they wist
not what to say; considering Queen Guenever made the
feast and dinner, they all had suspicion unto her.  My
lady, the queen, said Gawaine, wit ye well, madam, that
this dinner was made for me, for all folks that know my
condition understand that I love well fruit, and now I see
well I had near been slain; therefore, madam, I dread me
lest ye will be shamed.  Then the queen stood still and was
sore abashed, that she nist not what to say.  This shall
not so be ended, said Sir Mador de la Porte, for here
have I lost a full noble knight of my blood; and therefore
upon this shame and despite I will be revenged to the
utterance.  And there openly Sir Mador appealed the
queen of the death of his cousin, Sir Patrise.  Then stood
they all still, that none would speak a word against him,
for they all had great suspicion unto the queen because
she let make that dinner.  And the queen was so abashed
that she could none other ways do, but wept so heartily
that she fell in a swoon.  With this noise and cry came
to them King Arthur, and when he wist of that trouble he
was a passing heavy man.