{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart200.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart200.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart200.htm","text":"CHAPTER VI\nHow Sir Launcelot fought with six knights, and after\nwith Sir Brian, and how he delivered the prisoners.\nAH, said Sir Launcelot, that knight is my fellow, and him shall I\nrescue or else I shall lose my life therefore. And therewithal\nhe rode fast till he came before the Castle of Pendragon; and\nanon therewithal there came six knights, and all made them ready\nto set upon Sir Launcelot at once; then Sir Launcelot feutred his\nspear, and smote the <361>foremost that he brake his back in-\nsunder, and three of them hit and three failed. And then Sir\nLauncelot passed through them, and lightly he turned in again,\nand smote another knight through the breast and throughout the\nback more than an ell, and therewithal his spear brake. So then\nall the remnant of the four knights drew their swords and lashed\nat Sir Launcelot. And at every stroke Sir Launcelot bestowed so\nhis strokes that at four strokes sundry they avoided their\nsaddles, passing sore wounded; and forthwithal he rode hurling\ninto that castle.\nAnd anon the lord of the castle, that was that time cleped Sir\nBrian de les Isles, the which was a noble man and a great enemy\nunto King Arthur, within a while he was armed and upon horseback.\nAnd then they feutred their spears and hurled together so\nstrongly that both their horses rashed to the earth. And then\nthey avoided their saddles, and dressed their shields, and drew\ntheir swords, and flang together as wood men, and there were many\nstrokes given in a while. At the last Sir Launcelot gave to Sir\nBrian such a buffet that he kneeled upon his knees, and then Sir\nLauncelot rashed upon him, and with great force he pulled off his\nhelm; and when Sir Brian saw that he should be slain he yielded\nhim, and put him in his mercy and in his grace. Then Sir\nLauncelot made him to deliver all his prisoners that he had\nwithin his castle, and therein Sir Launcelot found of Arthur's\nknights thirty, and forty ladies, and so he delivered them; and\nthen he rode his way. And anon as La Cote Male Taile was\ndelivered he gat his horse, and his harness, and his damosel\nMaledisant.\nThe meanwhile Sir Nerovens, that Sir Launcelot had foughten\nwithal afore at the bridge, he sent a damosel after Sir Launcelot\nto wit how he sped at the Castle of Pendragon. And then they\nwithin the castle marvelled what knight he was, when Sir Brian\nand his knights delivered all those prisoners. Have ye no\nmarvel, said the damosel, for the best knight in this world was\nhere, and did this journey, and wit ye well, she said, it was Sir\nLauncelot. Then was Sir Brian full glad, and so was his\n<362>lady, and all his knights, that such a man should win them.\nAnd when the damosel and La Cote Male Taile understood that it\nwas Sir Launcelot du Lake that had ridden with them in\nfellowship, and that she remembered her how she had rebuked him\nand called him coward, then was she passing heavy.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IX CHAPTER VI","type":"page"}