{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart261.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart261.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart261.htm","text":"CHAPTER XXIV\nHow Sir Lamorak visited King Lot's wife, and how Sir\nGaheris slew her which was his own mother.\nNOW turn we unto Sir Lamorak, that much was there praised.\nThen, by the mean of Sir Gawaine and his brethren, they\nsent for their mother there besides, fast by a castle beside\nCamelot; and all was to that intent to slay Sir Lamorak.\nThe Queen of Orkney was there but a while, but Sir\nLamorak wist of their being, and was full fain; and for to\nmake an end of this matter, he sent unto her, and there\nbetwixt them was a night assigned that Sir Lamorak should\ncome to her. Thereof was ware Sir Gaheris, and there he\nrode afore the same night, and waited upon Sir Lamorak,\nand then he saw where he came all armed. And where\nSir Lamorak alighted he tied his horse to a privy postern,\nand so he went into a parlour and unarmed him; and\nthen he went unto the queen's bed, and she made of him\npassing great joy, and he of her again, for either loved\nother passing sore. So when the knight, Sir Gaheris, saw\nhis time, he came to their bedside all armed, with his sword\nnaked, and suddenly gat his mother by the hair and struck\noff her head.\nWhen Sir Lamorak saw the blood dash upon him all\nhot, the which he loved passing well, wit you well he was\nsore abashed and dismayed of that dolorous knight. And\ntherewithal, Sir Lamorak leapt out of the bed in his shirt\nas a knight dismayed, saying thus: Ah, Sir Gaheris, knight\nof the Table Round, foul and evil have ye done, and to you\ngreat shame. Alas, why have ye slain your mother that\nbare you? with more right ye should have slain me. The\noffence hast thou done, said Gaheris, notwithstanding a\nman is born to offer his service; but yet shouldst thou\nbeware with whom thou meddlest, for thou hast put me\nand my brethren to a shame, and thy father slew our\nfather; and thou to lie by our mother is too much shame\nfor us to suffer. And as for thy father, King Pellinore\nmy brother Sir Gawaine and I slew him. Ye did him\nthe more wrong, said Sir Lamorak, for my father slew\nnot your father, it was Balin le Savage: and as yet my\nfather's death is not revenged. Leave those words, said Sir\nGaheris, for an thou speak feloniously I will slay thee. But\nbecause thou art naked I am ashamed to slay thee. But\nwit thou well, in what place I may get thee I shall slay\nthee; and now my mother is quit of thee; and withdraw\nthee and take thine armour, that thou were gone. Sir\nLamorak saw there was none other bote, but fast armed\nhim, and took his horse and rode his way making great\nsorrow. But for the shame and dolour he would not ride\nto King Arthur's court, but rode another way.\nBut when it was known that Gaheris had slain his\nmother the king was passing wroth, and commanded him\nto go out of his court. Wit ye well Sir Gawaine was\nwroth that Gaheris had slain his mother and let Sir Lamorak\nescape. And for this matter was the king passing wroth,\nand so was Sir Launcelot, and many other knights. Sir, said\nSir Launcelot, here is a great mischief befallen by felony,\nand by forecast treason, that your sister is thus shamefully\nslain. And I dare say that it was wrought by treason,\nand I dare say ye shall lose that good knight, Sir Lamorak\nthe which is great pity. I wot well and am sure, an Sir\nTristram wist it, he would never more come within your\ncourt, the which should grieve you much more and all your\nknights. God defend, said the noble King Arthur, that I\nshould lose Sir Lamorak or Sir Tristram, for then twain\nof my chief knights of the Table Round were gone. Sir,\nsaid Sir Launcelot, I am sure ye shall lose Sir Lamorak, for\nSir Gawaine and his brethren will slay him by one mean or\nother; for they among them have concluded and sworn to\nslay him an ever they may see their time. That shall I\nlet, said Arthur.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER XXIV","type":"page"}