{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart202.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart202.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart202.htm","text":"CHAPTER VIII\nHow La Cote Male Taile was taken prisoner, and after\nrescued by Sir Launcelot, and how Sir Launcelot overcame\nfour brethren.\nTHIS meanwhile Sir La Cote Male Taile sank right down upon the\nearth, what for-wounded and what for-bled he might not stand.\nThen the other knight had pity of him, and said: Fair young\nknight, dismay you not, for had ye been fresh when ye met with\nme, as I was, I wot well that I should not have endured so long\nas ye have done; and <365>therefore for your noble deeds of arms\nI shall show to you kindness and gentleness in all that I may.\nAnd forthwithal this noble knight, Sir Plenorius, took him up in\nhis arms, and led him into his tower. And then he commanded him\nthe wine, and made to search him and to stop his bleeding wounds.\nSir, said La Cote Male Taile, withdraw you from me, and hie you\nto yonder bridge again, for there will meet with you another\nmanner knight than ever was I. Why, said Plenorius, is there\nanother manner knight behind of your fellowship? Yea, said La\nCote Male Taile, there is a much better knight than I am. What\nis his name? said Plenorius. Ye shall not know for me, said La\nCote Male Taile. Well, said the knight, he shall be encountered\nwithal whatsomever he be.\nThen Sir Plenorius heard a knight call that said: Sir Plenorius,\nwhere art thou? either thou must deliver me the prisoner that\nthou hast led unto thy tower, or else come and do battle with me.\nThen Plenorius gat his horse, and came with a spear in his hand\nwalloping toward Sir Launcelot; and then they began to feutre\ntheir spears, and came together as thunder, and smote either\nother so mightily that their horses fell down under them. And\nthen they avoided their horses, and pulled out their swords, and\nlike two bulls they lashed together with great strokes and foins;\nbut ever Sir Launcelot recovered ground upon him, and Sir\nPlenorius traced to have gone about him. But Sir Launcelot would\nnot suffer that, but bare him backer and backer, till he came\nnigh his tower gate. And then said Sir Launcelot: I know thee\nwell for a good knight, but wit thou well thy life and death is\nin my hand, and therefore yield thee to me, and thy prisoner.\nThe other answered no word, but struck mightily upon Sir\nLauncelot's helm, that the fire sprang out of his eyes. Then Sir\nLauncelot doubled his strokes so thick, and smote at him so\nmightily, that he made him kneel upon his knees. And therewith\nSir Launcelot leapt upon him, and pulled him grovelling down.\nThen Sir Plenorius yielded him, and his tower, and all his\nprisoners at his will.\nThen Sir Launcelot received him and took his troth; <366>and then\nhe rode to the other bridge, and there Sir Launcelot jousted with\nother three of his brethren, the one hight Pillounes, and the\nother hight Pellogris, and the third Sir Pellandris. And first\nupon horseback Sir Launcelot smote them down, and afterward he\nbeat them on foot, and made them to yield them unto him; and then\nhe returned unto Sir Plenorius, and there he found in his prison\nKing Carados of Scotland, and many other knights, and all they\nwere delivered. And then Sir La Cote Male Taile came to Sir\nLauncelot, and then Sir Launcelot would have given him all these\nfortresses and these bridges. Nay, said La Cote Male Taile, I\nwill not have Sir Plenorius' livelihood; with that he will grant\nyou, my lord Sir Launcelot, to come unto King Arthur's court, and\nto be his knight, and all his brethren, I will pray you, my lord,\nto let him have his livelihood. I will well, said Sir Launcelot,\nwith this that he will come to the court of King Arthur and\nbecome his man, and his brethren five. And as for you, Sir\nPlenorius, I will undertake, said Sir Launcelot, at the next\nfeast, so there be a place voided, that ye shall be Knight of the\nRound Table. Sir, said Plenorius, at the next feast of Pentecost\nI will be at Arthur's court, and at that time I will be guided\nand ruled as King Arthur and ye will have me. Then Sir Launcelot\nand Sir La Cote Male Taile reposed them there, unto the time that\nSir La Cote Male Taile was whole of his wounds, and there they\nhad merry cheer, and good rest, and many good games, and there\nwere many fair ladies.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IX CHAPTER VIII","type":"page"}