{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart199.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart199.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart199.htm","text":"CHAPTER V\nHow Sir Launcelot came to the court and heard of La Cote\nMale Taile, and how he followed after him, and how\nLa Cote Male Taile was prisoner.\nHERE leave we off a while of this tale, and speak we of Sir\nLauncelot du Lake,[*9] that when he was come to the court of King\nArthur, then heard he tell of the young knight La Cote Male\nTaile, how he slew the lion, and how he took upon him the\nadventure of the black shield, the which was named at that time\nthe hardiest adventure of the world. So God me save, said Sir\nLauncelot unto many of his fellows, it was shame to all the noble\nknights to suffer such a young knight to take such adventure upon\nhim for his destruction; for I will that ye wit, said Sir\nLauncelot, that that damosel Maledisant hath borne that shield\nmany a day for to seek the most proved knights, and that was she\nthat Breuse Saunce Pite took that shield from her, and after\nTristram de Liones rescued that shield from him and <359>gave it\nto the damosel again, a little afore that time that Sir Tristram\nfought with my nephew Sir Blamore de Ganis, for a quarrel that\nwas betwixt the King of Ireland and him. Then many knights were\nsorry that Sir La Cote Male Taile was gone forth to that\nadventure. Truly, said Sir Launcelot, I cast me to ride after\nhim. And within seven days Sir Launcelot overtook La Cote Male\nTaile, and then he saluted him and the damosel Maledisant. And\nwhen Sir Mordred saw Sir Launcelot, then he left their\nfellowship; and so Sir Launcelot rode with them all a day, and\never that damosel rebuked La Cote Male Taile; and then Sir\nLauncelot answered for him, then she left off, and rebuked Sir\nLauncelot.\n[*9] Printed by Caxton as part of chap. iv.\nSo this meantime Sir Tristram sent by a damosel a letter unto Sir\nLauncelot, excusing him of the wedding of Isoud la Blanche Mains;\nand said in the letter, as he was a true knight he had never ado\nfleshly with Isoud la Blanche Mains; and passing courteously and\ngentily Sir Tristram wrote unto Sir Launcelot, ever beseeching\nhim to be his good friend and unto La Beale Isoud of Cornwall,\nand that Sir Launcelot would excuse him if that ever he saw her.\nAnd within short time by the grace of God, said Sir Tristram,\nthat he would speak with La Beale Isoud, and with him right\nhastily. Then Sir Launcelot departed from the damosel and from\nSir La Cote Male Taile, for to oversee that letter, and to write\nanother letter unto Sir Tristram de Liones.\nAnd in the meanwhile La Cote Male Taile rode with the damosel\nuntil they came to a castle that hight Pendragon; and there were\nsix knights stood afore him, and one of them proffered to joust\nwith La Cote Male Taile. And there La Cote Male Taile smote him\nover his horse's croup. And then the five knights set upon him\nall at once with their spears, and there they smote La Cote Male\nTaile down, horse and man. And then they alighted suddenly, and\nset their hands upon him all at once, and took him prisoner, and\nso led him unto the castle and kept him as prisoner.\nAnd on the morn Sir Launcelot arose, and delivered <360>the\ndamosel with letters unto Sir Tristram, and then he took his way\nafter La Cote Male Taile; and by the way upon a bridge there was\na knight proffered Sir Launcelot to joust, and Sir Launcelot\nsmote him down, and then they fought upon foot a noble battle\ntogether, and a mighty; and at the last Sir Launcelot smote him\ndown grovelling upon his hands and his knees. And then that\nknight yielded him, and Sir Launcelot received him fair. Sir,\nsaid the knight, I require thee tell me your name, for much my\nheart giveth unto you. Nay, said Sir Launcelot, as at this time\nI will not tell you my name, unless then that ye tell me your\nname. Certainly, said the knight, my name is Sir Nerovens, that\nwas made knight of my lord Sir Launcelot du Lake. Ah, Nerovens\nde Lile, said Sir Launcelot, I am right glad that ye are proved a\ngood knight, for now wit ye well my name is Sir Launcelot du\nLake. Alas, said Sir Nerovens de Lile, what have I done! And\ntherewithal flatling he fell to his feet, and would have kissed\nthem, but Sir Launcelot would not let him; and then either made\ngreat joy of other. And then Sir Nerovens told Sir Launcelot\nthat he should not go by the Castle of Pendragon: For there is a\nlord, a mighty knight, and many knights with him, and this night\nI heard say that they took a knight prisoner yesterday that rode\nwith a damosel, and they say he is a Knight of the Round Table.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IX CHAPTER V","type":"page"}