{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart108.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart108.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart108.htm","text":"CHAPTER VIII\nHow Sir Launcelot and Sir Turquine fought together.\nAND then they put their spears in the rests, and came together\nwith their horses as fast as they might run, and either smote\nother in midst of their shields, that both their horses' backs\nbrast under them, and the knights were both stonied. And as soon\nas they might avoid their horses, they took their shields afore\nthem, and drew out their swords, and came together eagerly, and\neither gave other many strong strokes, for there might neither\nshields nor harness hold their strokes. And so within a while\nthey had both grimly wounds, and bled passing grievously. Thus\nthey fared two hours or more trasing and rasing either other,\nwhere they might hit any bare place.\nThen at the last they were breathless both, and stood leaning on\ntheir swords. Now fellow, said Sir Turquine, hold thy hand a\nwhile, and tell me what I shall ask thee. Say on. Then Turquine\nsaid, Thou art the biggest man that ever I met withal, and the\nbest breathed, and like one knight that I hate above all other\nknights; so be it that thou be not he I will lightly accord with\nthee, and for thy love I will deliver all the prisoners that I\nhave, that is three score and four, so thou wilt tell me thy\nname. And <188>thou and I we will be fellows together, and never\nto fail thee while that I live. It is well said, said Sir\nLauncelot, but sithen it is so that I may have thy friendship,\nwhat knight is he that thou so hatest above all other?\nFaithfully, said Sir Turquine, his name is Sir Launcelot du Lake,\nfor he slew my brother, Sir Carados, at the dolorous tower, that\nwas one of the best knights alive; and therefore him I except of\nall knights, for may I once meet with him, the one of us shall\nmake an end of other, I make mine avow. And for Sir Launcelot's\nsake I have slain an hundred good knights, and as many I have\nmaimed all utterly that they might never after help themselves,\nand many have died in prison, and yet have I three score and\nfour, and all shall be delivered so thou wilt tell me thy name,\nso be it that thou be not Sir Launcelot.\nNow, see I well, said Sir Launcelot, that such a man I might be,\nI might have peace, and such a man I might be, that there should\nbe war mortal betwixt us. And now, sir knight, at thy request I\nwill that thou wit and know that I am Launcelot du Lake, King\nBan's son of Benwick, and very knight of the Table Round. And\nnow I defy thee, and do thy best. Ah, said Turquine, Launcelot,\nthou art unto me most welcome that ever was knight, for we shall\nnever depart till the one of us be dead. Then they hurtled\ntogether as two wild bulls rushing and lashing with their shields\nand swords, that sometime they fell both over their noses. Thus\nthey fought still two hours and more, and never would have rest,\nand Sir Turquine gave Sir Launcelot many wounds that all the\nground thereas they fought was all bespeckled with blood.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VI CHAPTER VIII","type":"page"}