{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart327.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart327.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart327.htm","text":"CHAPTER II\nHow Sir Launcelot came to Pelles, and of the Sangreal, and\nof Elaine, King Pelles' daughter.\nSIR, said Launcelot, wit you well my name is Sir Launcelot\ndu Lake. And my name is, said the king, Pelles,\nking of the foreign country, and cousin nigh unto Joseph\nof Armathie. And then either of them made much of\nother, and so they went into the castle to take their\nrepast. And anon there came in a dove at a window, and\nin her mouth there seemed a little censer of gold. And\nherewithal there was such a savour as all the spicery of\nthe world had been there. And forthwithal there was\nupon the table all manner of meats and drinks that they\ncould think upon. So came in a damosel passing fair and\nyoung, and she bare a vessel of gold betwixt her hands;\nand thereto the king kneeled devoutly, and said his\nprayers, and so did all that were there. O Jesu, said Sir\nLauncelot, what may this mean? This is, said the king,\nthe richest thing that any man hath living. And when\nthis thing goeth about, the Round Table shall be broken;\nand wit thou well, said the king, this is the holy Sangreal\nthat ye have here seen. So the king and Sir Launcelot\nled their life the most part of that day. And fain would\nKing Pelles have found the mean to have had Sir Launcelot\nto have lain by his daughter, fair Elaine. And for\nthis intent: the king knew well that Sir Launcelot should\nget a child upon his daughter, the which should be named\nSir Galahad the good knight, by whom all the foreign\ncountry should be brought out of danger, and by him the\nHoly Greal should be achieved.\nThen came forth a lady that hight Dame Brisen, and\nshe said unto the king: Sir, wit ye well Sir Launcelot\nloveth no lady in the world but all only Queen Guenever;\nand therefore work ye by counsel, and I shall make him\nto lie with your daughter, and he shall not wit but that\nhe lieth with Queen Guenever. O fair lady, Dame Brisen,\nsaid the king, hope ye to bring this about? Sir, said she,\nupon pain of my life let me deal; for this Brisen was one\nof the greatest enchantresses that was at that time in the\nworld living. Then anon by Dame Brisen's wit she made\none to come to Sir Launcelot that he knew well. And\nthis man brought him a ring from Queen Guenever like\nas it had come from her, and such one as she was wont for\nthe most part to wear; and when Sir Launcelot saw that\ntoken wit ye well he was never so fain. Where is my\nlady? said Sir Launcelot. In the Castle of Case, said the\nmessenger, but five mile hence. Then Sir Launcelot\nthought to be there the same might. And then this\nBrisen by the commandment of King Pelles let send\nElaine to this castle with twenty-five knights unto the\nCastle of Case. Then Sir Launcelot against night rode\nunto that castle, and there anon he was received worshipfully\nwith such people, to his seeming, as were about Queen\nGuenever secret.\nSo when Sir Launcelot was alighted, he asked where\nthe queen was. So Dame Brisen said she was in her bed;\nand then the people were avoided, and Sir Launcelot was\nled unto his chamber. And then Dame Brisen brought Sir\nLauncelot a cup full of wine; and anon as he had drunken\nthat wine he was so assotted and mad that he might make\nno delay, but withouten any let he went to bed; and he\nweened that maiden Elaine had been Queen Guenever.\nWit you well that Sir Launcelot was glad, and so was that\nlady Elaine that she had gotten Sir Launcelot in her arms.\nFor well she knew that same night should be gotten upon\nher Galahad that should prove the best knight of the\nworld; and so they lay together until underne of the'\nmorn; and all the windows and holes of that chamber\nwere stopped that no manner of day might be seen. And\nthen Sir Launcelot remembered him, and he arose up and\nwent to the window.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XI CHAPTER II","type":"page"}