{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart111.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart111.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart111.htm","text":"CHAPTER XI\nHow Sir Launcelot slew two giants, and made a castle free.\nANON withal came there upon him two great giants, well armed all\nsave the heads, with two horrible clubs in their hands. Sir\nLauncelot put his shield afore him and put the stroke away of the\none giant, and with his sword he clave <193>his head asunder.\nWhen his fellow saw that, he ran away as he were wood, for fear\nof the horrible strokes, and Launcelot after him with all his\nmight, and smote him on the shoulder, and clave him to the navel.\nThen Sir Launcelot went into the hall, and there came afore him\nthree score ladies and damosels, and all kneeled unto him, and\nthanked God and him of their deliverance; For sir, said they, the\nmost party of us have been here this seven year their prisoners,\nand we have worked all manner of silk works for our meat, and we\nare all great gentlewomen born; and blessed be the time, knight,\nthat ever thou be born, for thou hast done the most worship that\never did knight in this world, that will we bear record, and we\nall pray you to tell us your name, that we may tell our friends\nwho delivered us out of prison. Fair damosel, he said, my name\nis Sir Launcelot du Lake. Ah, sir, said they all, well mayest\nthou be he, for else save yourself, as we deemed, there might\nnever knight have the better of these two giants; for many fair\nknights have assayed it, and here have ended, and many times have\nwe wished after you, and these two giants dread never knight but\nyou. Now may ye say, said Sir Launcelot, unto your friends how\nand who hath delivered you, and greet them all from me, and if\nthat I come in any of your marches, show me such cheer as ye have\ncause, and what treasure that there in this castle is I give it\nyou for a reward for your grievance, and the lord that is owner\nof this castle I would he received it as is right. Fair sir,\nsaid they, the name of this castle is Tintagil, and a duke ought\nit sometime that had wedded fair Igraine, and after wedded her\nUther Pendragon, and gat on her Arthur. Well, said Sir\nLauncelot, I understand to whom this castle longeth; and so he\ndeparted from them, and betaught them unto God.\nAnd then he mounted upon his horse, and rode into many strange\nand wild countries, and through many waters and valleys, and evil\nwas he lodged. And at the last by fortune him happened, against\na night, to come to a fair courtelage, and therein he found an\nold gentlewoman that lodged him with good will, and there he had\ngood cheer <194>for him and his horse. And when time was, his\nhost brought him into a fair garret, over the gate, to his bed.\nThere Sir Launcelot unarmed him, and set his harness by him, and\nwent to bed, and anon he fell asleep. So, soon after, there came\none on horseback, and knocked at the gate in great haste, and\nwhen Sir Launcelot heard this, he arose up and looked out at the\nwindow, and saw by the moonlight three knights came riding after\nthat one man, and all three lashed on him at once with swords,\nand that one knight turned on them knightly again, and defended\nhim. Truly, said Sir Launcelot, yonder one knight shall I help,\nfor it were shame for me to see three knights on one, and if he\nbe slain I am partner of his death; and therewith he took his\nharness, and went out at a window by a sheet down to the four\nknights, and then Sir Launcelot said on high, Turn you knights\nunto me, and leave your fighting with that knight. And then they\nall three left Sir Kay, and turned unto Sir Launcelot, and there\nbegan great battle, for they alighted all three, and struck many\ngreat strokes at Sir Launcelot, and assailed him on every side.\nThen Sir Kay dressed him for to have holpen Sir Launcelot. Nay,\nsir, said he, I will none of your help; therefore as ye will have\nmy help, let me alone with them. Sir Kay, for the pleasure of\nthe knight, suffered him for to do his will, and so stood aside.\nAnd then anon within six strokes, Sir Launcelot had stricken them\nto the earth.\nAnd then they all three cried: Sir knight, we yield us unto you\nas a man of might makeless. As to that, said Sir Launcelot, I\nwill not take your yielding unto me. But so that ye will yield\nyou unto Sir Kay the Seneschal, on that covenant I will save your\nlives, and else not. Fair knight, said they, that were we loath\nto do; for as for Sir Kay, we chased him hither, and had overcome\nhim had not ye been, therefore to yield us unto him it were no\nreason. Well, as to that, said Launcelot, advise you well, for\nye may choose whether ye will die or live, for an ye be yolden it\nshall be unto Sir Kay. Fair knight, then they said, in saving of\nour lives we will do as thou commandest <195>us. Then shall ye,\nsaid Sir Launcelot, on Whitsunday next coming, go unto the court\nof King Arthur, and there shall ye yield you unto Queen Guenever,\nand put you all three in her grace and mercy, and say that Sir\nKay sent you thither to be her prisoners. Sir, they said, it\nshall be done by the faith of our bodies, an we be living, and\nthere they swore every knight upon his sword. And so Sir\nLauncelot suffered them so to depart. And then Sir Launcelot\nknocked at the gate with the pommel of his sword, and with that\ncame his host, and in they entered Sir Kay and he. Sir, said his\nhost, I weened ye had been in your bed. So I was, said Sir\nLauncelot, but I rose and leapt out at my window for to help an\nold fellow of mine. And so when they came nigh the light, Sir\nKay knew well that it was Sir Launcelot, and therewith he kneeled\ndown and thanked him of all his kindness that he had holpen him\ntwice from the death. Sir, he said, I have nothing done but that\nme ought for to do, and ye are welcome, and here shall ye repose\nyou and take your rest.\nSo when Sir Kay was unarmed, he asked after meat; so there was\nmeat fetched him, and he ate strongly. And when he had supped\nthey went to their beds and were lodged together in one bed. On\nthe morn Sir Launcelot arose early, and left Sir Kay sleeping,\nand Sir Launcelot took Sir Kay's armour and his shield, and armed\nhim, and so he went to the stable, and took his horse, and took\nhis leave of his host, and so he departed. Then soon after arose\nSir Kay and missed Sir Launcelot. And then he espied that he had\nhis armour and his horse. Now by my faith I know well that he\nwill grieve some of the court of King Arthur; for on him knights\nwill be bold, and deem that it is I, and that will beguile them.\nAnd because of his armour and shield I am sure I shall ride in\npeace. And then soon after departed Sir Kay and thanked his\nhost.\n<196>","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VI CHAPTER XI","type":"page"}