Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XX CHAPTER XIII

CHAPTER XIII

How Sir Gawaine jousted and smote down Sir Lionel, and
how Sir Launcelot horsed King Arthur

THEN came forth Sir Gawaine from the king's host, and
he came before and proffered to joust.  And Sir Lionel
was a fierce knight, and lightly he encountered with Sir
Gawaine; and there Sir Gawaine smote Sir Lionel through
out the body, that he dashed to the earth like as he had
been dead; and then Sir Ector de Maris and other more
bare him into the castle.  Then there began a great stour,
and much people was slain; and ever Sir Launcelot did
what he might to save the people on King Arthur's party,
for Sir Palomides, and Sir Bors, and Sir Safere, overthrew
many knights, for they were deadly knights.  And Sir
Blamore de Ganis, and Sir Bleoberis de Ganis, with Sir
Bellangere le Beuse, these six knights did much harm; and
ever King Arthur was nigh about Sir Launcelot to have
slain him, and Sir Launcelot suffered him, and would not
strike again.  So Sir Bors encountered with King Arthur,
and there with a spear Sir Bors smote him down; and so
he alighted and drew his sword, and said to Sir Launcelot:
Shall I make an end of this war? and that he meant to have
slain King Arthur.  Not so hardy, said Sir Launcelot,
upon pain of thy head, that thou touch him no more, for
I will never see that most noble king that made me knight
neither slain ne shamed.  And therewithal Sir Launcelot
alighted off his horse and took up the king and horsed him
again, and said thus:  My lord Arthur, for God's love stint
this strife, for ye get here no worship, and I would do mine
utterance, but always I forbear you, and ye nor none of
yours forbeareth me; my lord, remember what I have done
in many places, and now I am evil rewarded.

Then when King Arthur was on horseback, he looked
upon Sir Launcelot, and then the tears brast out of his
eyen, thinking on the great courtesy that was in Sir
Launcelot more than in any other man; and therewith the
king rode his way, and might no longer behold him, and
said:  Alas, that ever this war began.  And then either
parties of the battles withdrew them to repose them, and
buried the dead, and to the wounded men they laid soft
salves; and thus they endured that night till on the morn.
And on the morn by underne they made them ready to do
battle.  And then Sir Bors led the forward.

So upon the morn there came Sir Gawaine as brim as
any boar, with a great spear in his hand.  And when Sir
Bors saw him he thought to revenge his brother Sir Lionel
of the despite that Sir Gawaine did him the other day.
And so they that knew either other feutred their spears,
and with all their mights of their horses and themselves,
they met together so felonously that either bare other
through, and so they fell both to the earth; and then the
battles joined, and there was much slaughter on both parties.
Then Sir Launcelot rescued Sir Bors, and sent him into
the castle; but neither Sir Gawaine nor Sir Bors died not
of their wounds, for they were all holpen.  Then Sir
Lavaine and Sir Urre prayed Sir Launcelot to do his pain,
and fight as they had done; For we see ye forbear and
spare, and that doth much harm; therefore we pray you
spare not your enemies no more than they do you.  Alas,
said Sir Launcelot, I have no heart to fight against my lord
Arthur, for ever meseemeth I do not as I ought to do.
My lord, said Sir Palomides, though ye spare them all this
day they will never con you thank; and if they may get
you at avail ye are but dead.  So then Sir Launcelot
understood that they said him truth; and then he strained
himself more than he did aforehand, and because his nephew
Sir Bors was sore wounded.  And then within a little while,
by evensong time, Sir Launcelot and his party better stood,
for their horses went in blood past the fetlocks, there was
so much people slain.  And then for pity Sir Launcelot
withheld his knights, and suffered King Arthur's party for
to withdraw them aside.  And then Sir Launcelot's party
withdrew them into his castle, and either parties buried the
dead, and put salve unto the wounded men.

So when Sir Gawaine was hurt, they on King Arthur's
party were not so orgulous as they were toforehand to do
battle.  Of this war was noised through all Christendom,
and at the last it was noised afore the Pope; and he
considering the great goodness of King Arthur, and of Sir
Launcelot, that was called the most noblest knights of the
world, wherefore the Pope called unto him a noble clerk
that at that time was there present; the French book saith,
it was the Bishop of Rochester; and the Pope gave him
bulls under lead unto King Arthur of England, charging
him upon pain of interdicting of all England, that he take
his queen Dame Guenever unto him again, and accord with
Sir Launcelot.