{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart125.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart125.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart125.htm","text":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VII CHAPTER VII\n \n Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Legends and Sagas\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n BOOK VII\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n Next\u00a0\n \n \n CHAPTER VII\n \n How Beaumains fought with the Knight of the Black Launds,\n and fought with him till he fell down and died.\n \n THERE sat a knight all armed in black harness, and his name was\n the Knight of the Black Laund. Then the damosel, when she saw\n that knight, she bade him flee down that valley, for his horse\n was not saddled. Gramercy, said Beaumains, for always ye would\n have me a coward. With that the Black Knight, when she came nigh\n him, spake and said, Damosel, have ye brought this knight of King\n Arthur to be your champion? Nay, fair knight, said she, this is\n but a kitchen knave that was fed in King Arthur's kitchen for\n alms. Why cometh he, said the knight, in such array? it is shame\n that he beareth you company. Sir, I cannot be delivered of him,\n said she, for with me he rideth maugre mine head: God would that\n ye should put him from me, other to slay him an ye may, for he is\n an unhappy knave, and unhappily he hath done this day: through\n mishap I saw him slay two knights at the passage of the water;\n and other deeds he did before right marvellous and through\n unhappiness. That marvelleth me, said the Black Knight, that any\n man that is of worship will have ado with him. They know him\n not, said the damosel, and for because he rideth with me, they\n ween that he be some man of worship born. That may be, said the\n Black Knight; howbeit as ye say that he be no man of worship, he\n is a full likely person, and full like to be a strong man: but\n thus much shall I grant you, said the Black Knight; I shall put\n him down upon one foot, and his horse and his harness he shall\n leave with me, for it were shame to me to do him any more harm.\n \n When Sir Beaumains heard him say thus, he said, Sir knight, thou\n art full large of my horse and my harness; I let thee wit it cost\n thee nought, and whether it liketh thee or not, this laund will I\n pass maugre thine head. <220>And horse nor harness gettest thou\n none of mine, but if thou win them with thy hands; and therefore\n let see what thou canst do. Sayest thou that? said the Black\n Knight, now yield thy lady from thee, for it beseemeth never a\n kitchen page to ride with such a lady. Thou liest, said\n Beaumains, I am a gentleman born, and of more high lineage than\n thou, and that will I prove on thy body.\n \n Then in great wrath they departed with their horses, and came\n together as it had been the thunder, and the Black Knight's spear\n brake, and Beaumains thrust him through both his sides, and\n therewith his spear brake, and the truncheon left still in his\n side. But nevertheless the Black Knight drew his sword, and\n smote many eager strokes, and of great might, and hurt Beaumains\n full sore. But at the last the Black Knight, within an hour and\n an half, he fell down off his horse in swoon, and there he died. \n And when Beaumains saw him so well horsed and armed, then he\n alighted down and armed him in his armour, and so took his horse\n and rode after the damosel.\n \n When she saw him come nigh, she said, Away, kitchen knave, out of\n the wind, for the smell of thy bawdy clothes grieveth me. Alas,\n she said, that ever such a knave should by mishap slay so good a\n knight as thou hast done, but all this is thine unhappiness. But\n here by is one shall pay thee all thy payment, and therefore yet\n I counsel thee, flee. It may happen me, said Beaumains, to be\n beaten or slain, but I warn you, fair damosel, I will not flee\n away, a nor leave your company, for all that ye can say; for ever\n ye say that they will kill me or beat me, but howsomever it\n happeneth I escape, and they lie on the ground. And therefore it\n were as good for you to hold you still thus all day rebuking me,\n for away will I not till I see the uttermost of this journey, or\n else I will be slain, other truly beaten; therefore ride on your\n way, for follow you I will whatsomever happen.\n \n \n \n <221>","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VII CHAPTER VII","type":"page"}