{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart067.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart067.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart067.htm","text":"CHAPTER VII\nHow Arthur took upon him to fight to be delivered out of\nprison, and also for to deliver twenty knights that were\nin prison.\nWHAT are ye that so complain? said King Arthur. We be here\ntwenty knights, prisoners, said they, and some of us have lain\nhere seven year, and some more and some less. For what cause?\nsaid Arthur. We shall tell you, said the knights; this lord of\nthis castle, his name is Sir Damas, and he is the falsest knight\nthat liveth, and full of treason, and a very coward as any\nliveth, and he hath a younger brother, a good knight of prowess,\nhis name is Sir Ontzlake; and this traitor Damas, the elder\nbrother will give him no part of his livelihood, but as Sir\nOntzlake keepeth thorough prowess of his hands, and so he keepeth\nfrom him a full fair manor and a rich, and therein Sir Ontzlake\ndwelleth worshipfully, and is well beloved of all people. And\nthis Sir Damas, our master is as evil beloved, <112>for he is\nwithout mercy, and he is a coward, and great war hath been\nbetwixt them both, but Ontzlake hath ever the better, and ever he\nproffereth Sir Damas to fight for the livelihood, body for body,\nbut he will not do; other-else to find a knight to fight for him.\nUnto that Sir Damas had granted to find a knight, but he is so\nevil beloved and hated, that there is never a knight will fight\nfor him. And when Damas saw this, that there was never a knight\nwould fight for him, he hath daily lain await with many knights\nwith him, and taken all the knights in this country to see and\nespy their adventures, he hath taken them by force and brought\nthem to his prison. And so he took us separately as we rode on\nour adventures, and many good knights have died in this prison\nfor hunger, to the number of eighteen knights; and if any of us\nall that here is, or hath been, would have foughten with his\nbrother Ontzlake, he would have delivered us, but for because\nthis Damas is so false and so full of treason we would never\nfight for him to die for it. And we be so lean for hunger that\nunnethe we may stand on our feet. God deliver you, for his\nmercy, said Arthur.\nAnon, therewithal there came a damosel unto Arthur, and asked\nhim, What cheer? I cannot say, said he. Sir, said she, an ye\nwill fight for my lord, ye shall be delivered out of prison, and\nelse ye escape never the life. Now, said Arthur, that is hard,\nyet had I liefer to fight with a knight than to die in prison;\nwith this, said Arthur, I may be delivered and all these\nprisoners, I will do the battle. Yes, said the damosel. I am\nready, said Arthur, an I had horse and armour. Ye shall lack\nnone, said the damosel. Meseemeth, damosel, I should have seen\nyou in the court of Arthur. Nay said the damosel, I came never\nthere, I am the lord's daughter of this castle. Yet was she\nfalse, for she was one of the damosels of Morgan le Fay.\nAnon she went unto Sir Damas, and told him how he would do battle\nfor him, and so he sent for Arthur. And when he came he was well\ncoloured, and well made of his limbs, that all knights that saw\nhim said it were pity that such a knight should die in prison.\nSo Sir Damas and he <113>were agreed that he should fight for him\nupon this covenant, that all other knights should be delivered;\nand unto that was Sir Damas sworn unto Arthur, and also to do the\nbattle to the uttermost. And with that all the twenty knights\nwere brought out of the dark prison into the hall, and delivered,\nand so they all abode to see the battle.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IV CHAPTER VII","type":"page"}