{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart123.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart123.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart123.htm","text":"CHAPTER V\nHow Beaumains told to Sir Launcelot his name, and how he\nwas dubbed knight of Sir Launcelot, and after overtook\nthe damosel.\nIN God's name, said Sir Launcelot, for I promise you, by the\nfaith of my body, I had as much to do as I might to save myself\nfrom you unshamed, and therefore have ye no doubt of none earthly\nknight. Hope ye so that I may any while stand a proved knight?\nsaid Beaumains. Yea, said Launcelot, do as ye have done, and I\nshall be your warrant. Then, I pray you, said Beaumains, give me\nthe order of knighthood. Then must ye tell me your name, said\nLauncelot, and of what kin ye be born. Sir, so that ye will not\ndiscover me I shall, said Beaumains. Nay, said Sir Launcelot,\nand that I promise you by the faith of my body, until it be\nopenly known. Then, sir, he said, my name is Gareth, and brother\nunto Sir Gawaine of father and mother. Ah, sir, said Sir\nLauncelot, I am more gladder of you than I was; for ever me\nthought ye should be of great blood, and that ye came not to the\ncourt neither for meat nor for drink. And then Sir Launcelot\ngave him the order of knighthood, and then Sir Gareth prayed him\nfor to depart and let him go.\nSo Sir Launcelot departed from him and came to Sir Kay, and made\nhim to be borne home upon his shield, and so he was healed hard\nwith the life; and all men scorned <216>Sir Kay, and in especial\nSir Gawaine and Sir Launcelot said it was not his part to rebuke\nno young man, for full little knew he of what birth he is come,\nand for what cause he came to this court; and so we leave Sir Kay\nand turn we unto Beaumains.\nWhen he had overtaken the damosel, anon she said, What dost thou\nhere? thou stinkest all of the kitchen, thy clothes be bawdy of\nthe grease and tallow that thou gainest in King Arthur's kitchen;\nweenest thou, said she, that I allow thee, for yonder knight that\nthou killest. Nay truly, for thou slewest him unhappily and\ncowardly; therefore turn again, bawdy kitchen page, I know thee\nwell, for Sir Kay named thee Beaumains. What art thou but a lusk\nand a turner of broaches and a ladle-washer? Damosel, said\nBeaumains, say to me what ye will, I will not go from you\nwhatsomever ye say, for I have undertaken to King Arthur for to\nachieve your adventure, and so shall I finish it to the end,\neither I shall die therefore. Fie on thee, kitchen knave, wilt\nthou finish mine adventure? thou shalt anon be met withal, that\nthou wouldest not for all the broth that ever thou suppest once\nlook him in the face. I shall assay, said Beaumains.\nSo thus as they rode in the wood, there came a man flying all\nthat ever he might. Whither wilt thou? said Beaumains. O lord,\nhe said, help me, for here by in a slade are six thieves that\nhave taken my lord and bound him, so I am afeard lest they will\nslay him. Bring me thither, said Beaumains. And so they rode\ntogether until they came thereas was the knight bounden; and then\nhe rode unto them, and struck one unto the death, and then\nanother, and at the third stroke he slew the third thief, and\nthen the other three fled. And he rode after them, and he\novertook them; and then those three thieves turned again and\nassailed Beaumains hard, but at the last he slew them, and\nreturned and unbound the knight. And the knight thanked him, and\nprayed him to ride with him to his castle there a little beside,\nand he should worshipfully reward him for his good deeds. Sir,\nsaid Beaumains, I will no reward have: I was this day made knight\nof noble Sir <217>Launcelot, and therefore I will no reward have,\nbut God reward me. And also I must follow this damosel.\nAnd when he came nigh her she bade him ride from her, For thou\nsmellest all of the kitchen: weenest thou that I have joy of\nthee, for all this deed that thou hast done is but mishapped\nthee: but thou shalt see a sight shall make thee turn again, and\nthat lightly. Then the same knight which was rescued of the\nthieves rode after that damosel, and prayed her to lodge with him\nall that night. And because it was near night the damosel rode\nwith him to his castle, and there they had great cheer, and at\nsupper the knight sat Sir Beaumains afore the damosel. Fie, fie,\nsaid she, Sir knight, ye are uncourteous to set a kitchen page\nafore me; him beseemeth better to stick a swine than to sit afore\na damosel of high parage. Then the knight was ashamed at her\nwords, and took him up, and set him at a sideboard, and set\nhimself afore him, and so all that night they had good cheer and\nmerry rest.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VII CHAPTER V","type":"page"}