{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart101.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart101.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart101.htm","text":"CHAPTER I\nHow Sir Launcelot and Sir Lionel departed from the court,\nand how Sir Lionel left him sleeping and was taken.\nSOON after that King Arthur was come from Rome into England, then\nall the knights of the Table Round resorted unto the king, and\nmade many jousts and tournaments, and some there were that were\nbut knights, which increased so in arms and worship that they\npassed all their fellows in prowess and noble deeds, and that was\nwell proved on many; but in especial it was proved on Sir\nLauncelot du Lake, for in all tournaments and jousts and deeds of\narms, both for life and death, he passed all other knights, and\nat no time he was never overcome but if it were by treason or\nenchantment; so Sir Launcelot increased so marvellously in\nworship, and in honour, therefore is he the first knight that the\nFrench book maketh mention of after King Arthur came from Rome.\nWherefore Queen Guenever had him in great favour above all other\nknights, and in certain he loved the queen again above all other\nladies and damosels of his life, and for her he did many deeds of\narms, and saved her from the fire through his noble chivalry.\nThus Sir Launcelot rested him long with play and game. And then\nhe thought himself to prove himself in strange adventures, then\nhe bade his nephew, Sir Lionel, for to make him ready; for we two\nwill seek adventures. So they mounted on their horses, armed at\nall rights, and <176>rode into a deep forest and so into a deep\nplain. And then the weather was hot about noon, and Sir\nLauncelot had great lust to sleep. Then Sir Lionel espied a\ngreat apple-tree that stood by an hedge, and said, Brother,\nyonder is a fair shadow, there may we rest us [and] our horses.\nIt is well said, fair brother, said Sir Launcelot, for this eight\nyear I was not so sleepy as I am now; and so they there alighted\nand tied their horses unto sundry trees, and so Sir Launcelot\nlaid him down under an appletree, and his helm he laid under his\nhead. And Sir Lionel waked while he slept. So Sir Launcelot was\nasleep passing fast.\nAnd in the meanwhile there came three knights riding, as fast\nfleeing as ever they might ride. And there followed them three\nbut one knight. And when Sir Lionel saw him, him thought he saw\nnever so great a knight, nor so well faring a man, neither so\nwell apparelled unto all rights. So within a while this strong\nknight had overtaken one of these knights, and there he smote him\nto the cold earth that he lay still. And then he rode unto the\nsecond knight, and smote him so that man and horse fell down.\nAnd then straight to the third knight he rode, and smote him\nbehind his horse's arse a spear length. And then he alighted\ndown and reined his horse on the bridle, and bound all the three\nknights fast with the reins of their own bridles. When Sir\nLionel saw him do thus, he thought to assay him, and made him\nready, and stilly and privily he took his horse, and thought not\nfor to awake Sir Launcelot. And when he was mounted upon his\nhorse, he overtook this strong knight, and bade him turn, and the\nother smote Sir Lionel so hard that horse and man he bare to the\nearth, and so he alighted down and bound him fast, and threw him\noverthwart his own horse, and so he served them all four, and\nrode with them away to his own castle. And when he came there he\ngart unarm them, and beat them with thorns all naked, and after\nput them in a deep prison where were many more knights, that made\ngreat dolour.\n<177>","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VI CHAPTER I","type":"page"}