Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XVIII CHAPTER XII

CHAPTER XII

How Sir Launcelot and Sir Lavaine departed out of the
field, and in what jeopardy Launcelot was.

MERCY Jesu, said Sir Gawaine to Arthur, I marvel what
knight that he is with the red sleeve.  Sir, said King
Arthur, he will be known or he depart.  And then the
king blew unto lodging, and the prize was given by
heralds unto the knight with the white shield that bare
the red sleeve.  Then came the King with the Hundred
Knights, the King of Northgalis, and the King of Northumberland,
and Sir Galahad, the haut prince, and said
unto Sir Launcelot:  Fair knight, God thee bless, for
much have ye done this day for us, therefore we pray you
that ye will come with us that ye may receive the honour
and the prize as ye have worshipfully deserved it.  My
fair lords, said Sir Launcelot, wit you well if I have deserved
thanks I have sore bought it, and that me repenteth, for
I am like never to escape with my life; therefore, fair
lords, I pray you that ye will suffer me to depart where
me liketh, for I am sore hurt.  I take none force of none
honour, for I had liefer to repose me than to be lord of
all the world.  And therewithal he groaned piteously, and
rode a great wallop away-ward from them until he came
under a wood's side.

And when he saw that he was from the field nigh a
mile, that he was sure he might not be seen, then he said
with an high voice:  O gentle knight, Sir Lavaine, help me
that this truncheon were out of my side, for it sticketh so
sore that it nigh slayeth me.  O mine own lord, said Sir
Lavaine, I would fain do that might please you, but I
dread me sore an I pull out the truncheon that ye shall be
in peril of death.  I charge you, said Sir Launcelot, as ye
love me, draw it out.  And therewithal he descended from
his horse, and right so did Sir Lavaine; and forthwithal
Sir Lavaine drew the truncheon out of his side, and he
gave a great shriek and a marvellous grisly groan, and the
blood brast out nigh a pint at once, that at the last he
sank down upon his buttocks, and so swooned pale and
deadly.  Alas, said Sir Lavaine, what shall I do?  And
then he turned Sir Launcelot into the wind, but so he lay
there nigh half an hour as he had been dead.

And so at the last Sir Launcelot cast up his eyes, and
said:  O Lavaine, help me that I were on my horse, for
here is fast by within this two mile a gentle hermit that
sometime was a full noble knight and a great lord of
possessions.  And for great goodness he hath taken him
to wilful poverty, and forsaken many lands, and his name
is Sir Baudwin of Brittany, and he is a full noble surgeon
and a good leech.  Now let see, help me up that I were
there, for ever my heart giveth me that I shall never die
of my cousin-germain's hands.  And then with great pain
Sir Lavaine halp him upon his horse.  And then they
rode a great wallop together, and ever Sir Launcelot bled
that it ran down to the earth; and so by fortune they
came to that hermitage the which was under a wood, and
a great cliff on the other side, and a fair water running
under it.  And then Sir Lavaine beat on the gate with
the butt of his spear, and cried fast:  Let in for Jesu's
sake.

And there came a fair child to them, and asked them
what they would.  Fair son, said Sir Lavaine, go and pray
thy lord, the hermit, for God's sake to let in here a knight
that is full sore wounded; and this day tell thy lord I saw
him do more deeds of arms than ever I heard say that any
man did.  So the child went in lightly, and then he brought
the hermit, the which was a passing good man.  When Sir
Lavaine saw him he prayed him for God's sake of succour.
What knight is he? said the hermit.  Is he of the house
of King Arthur, or not? I wot not, said Sir Lavaine,
what is he, nor what is his name, but well I wot I saw him
do marvellously this day as of deeds of arms.  On whose
party was he? said the hermit.  Sir, said Sir Lavaine, he
was this day against King Arthur, and there he won the
prize of all the knights of the Round Table.  I have seen
the day, said the hermit, I would have loved him the
worse because he was against my lord, King Arthur, for
sometime I was one of the fellowship of the Round Table,
but I thank God now I am otherwise disposed.  But
where is he? let me see him.  Then Sir Lavaine brought
the hermit to him.