{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart084.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart084.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart084.htm","text":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IV CHAPTER XXIV\n \n Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Legends and Sagas\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n BOOK IV\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n Next\u00a0\n \n \n CHAPTER XXIV\n \n How Sir Marhaus rode with the damosel, and how he\n came to the Duke of the South Marches.\n \n NOW turn we unto Sir Marhaus, that rode with the damosel of\n thirty winter of age, southward. And so they came into a deep\n forest, and by fortune they were nighted, and rode long in a deep\n way, and at the last they came unto a courtelage, and there they\n asked harbour. But the man of the courtelage would not lodge\n them for no treatise that they could treat, but thus much the\n good man said, An ye will take the adventure of your lodging, I\n shall bring you where ye shall be lodged. What adventure is that\n that I shall have for my lodging? said Sir Marhaus. Ye shall wit\n when ye come there, said the good man. Sir, what adventure so it\n be, bring me thither I pray thee, said Sir Marhaus; for I am\n weary, my damosel, and my horse. So the good man went and opened\n the gate, and within an hour he brought him unto a fair castle,\n and then the poor man called the porter, and anon he was let into\n the castle, and so he told the lord how he brought him a knight\n errant and a damosel that would be lodged with him. Let him in,\n said the lord, it may happen he shall repent that they took their\n lodging here.\n \n So Sir Marhaus was let in with torchlight, and there was a goodly\n sight of young men that welcomed him. And then his horse was led\n into the stable, and he and the damosel were brought into the\n hall, and there stood a mighty duke and many goodly men about\n him. Then this lord asked him what he hight, and from whence he\n came, and with whom he dwelt. Sir, he said, I am a knight of\n King Arthur's and knight of the Table Round, and my name is Sir\n Marhaus, and born I am in Ireland. And then said the duke to\n him, That me sore repenteth: the cause is this, for I love not\n thy lord nor none of thy <142>fellows of the Table Round; and\n therefore ease thyself this night as well as thou mayest, for as\n to-morn I and my six sons shall match with you. Is there no\n remedy but that I must have ado with you and your six sons at\n once? said Sir Marhaus. No, said the duke, for this cause I made\n mine avow, for Sir Gawaine slew my seven sons in a recounter,\n therefore I made mine avow, there should never knight of King\n Arthur's court lodge with me, or come thereas I might have ado\n with him, but that I would have a revenging of my sons' death. \n What is your name? said Sir Marhaus; I require you tell me, an it\n please you. Wit thou well I am the Duke of South Marches. Ah,\n said Sir Marhaus, I have heard say that ye have been long time a\n great foe unto my lord Arthur and to his knights. That shall ye\n feel to-morn, said the duke. Shall I have ado with you? said Sir\n Marhaus. Yea, said the duke, thereof shalt thou not choose, and\n therefore take you to your chamber, and ye shall have all that to\n you longeth. So Sir Marhaus departed and was led to a chamber,\n and his damosel was led unto her chamber. And on the morn the\n duke sent unto Sir Marhaus and bade make him ready. And so Sir\n Marhaus arose and armed him, and then there was a mass sung afore\n him, and brake his fast, and so mounted on horseback in the court\n of the castle where they should do the battle. So there was the\n duke all ready on horseback, clean armed, and his six sons by\n him, and everych had a spear in his hand, and so they\n encountered, whereas the duke and his two sons brake their spears\n upon him, but Sir Marhaus held up his spear and touched none of\n them.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IV CHAPTER XXIV","type":"page"}