{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart328.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart328.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart328.htm","text":"CHAPTER III\nHow Sir Launcelot was displeased when he knew that he\nhad lain by Dame Elaine, and how she was delivered\nof Galahad.\nAND anon as he had unshut the window the enchantment\nwas gone; then he knew himself that he had done amiss.\nAlas, he said, that I have lived so long; now I am\nshamed. So then he gat his sword in his hand and said:\nThou traitress, what art thou that I have lain by all this\nnight? thou shalt die right here of my hands. Then this\nfair lady Elaine skipped out of her bed all naked, and\nkneeled down afore Sir Launcelot, and said: Fair courteous\nknight, come of king's blood, I require you have mercy\nupon me, and as thou art renowned the most noble knight\nof the world, slay me not, for I have in my womb him by\nthee that shall be the most noblest knight of the world.\nAh, false traitress, said Sir Launcelot, why hast thou\nbetrayed me? anon tell me what thou art. Sir, she said,\nI am Elaine, the daughter of King Pelles. Well, said Sir\nLauncelot, I will forgive you this deed; and therewith he\ntook her up in his arms, and kissed her, for she was as fair\na lady, and thereto lusty and young, and as wise, as any\nwas that time living. So God me help, said Sir Launcelot,\nI may not wite this to you; but her that made this\nenchantment upon me as between you and me, an I may\nfind her, that same Lady Brisen, she shall lose her head\nfor witchcrafts, for there was never knight deceived so as\nI am this night. And so Sir Launcelot arrayed him, and\narmed him, and took his leave mildly at that lady young\nElaine, and so he departed. Then she said: My lord Sir\nLauncelot, I beseech you see me as soon as ye may, for I\nhave obeyed me unto the prophecy that my father told\nme. And by his commandment to fulfil this prophecy I\nhave given the greatest riches and the fairest flower that\never I had, and that is my maidenhood that I shall never\nhave again; and therefore, gentle knight, owe me your\ngood will.\nAnd so Sir Launcelot arrayed him and was armed,\nand took his leave mildly at that young lady Elaine; and\nso he departed, and rode till he came to the Castle of\nCorbin, where her father was. And as fast as her time\ncame she was delivered of a fair child, and they christened\nhim Galahad; and wit ye well that child was well kept\nand well nourished, and he was named Galahad because\nSir Launcelot was so named at the fountain stone; and\nafter that the Lady of the Lake confirmed him Sir Launcelot\ndu Lake.\nThen after this lady was delivered and churched, there\ncame a knight unto her, his name was Sir Bromel la Pleche,\nthe which was a great lord; and he had loved that lady\nlong, and he evermore desired her to wed her; and so by\nno mean she could put him off, till on a day she said to Sir\nBromel: Wit thou well, sir knight, I will not love you,\nfor my love is set upon the best knight of the world.\nWho is he? said Sir Bromel. Sir, she said, it is Sir\nLauncelot du Lake that I love and none other, and therefore\nwoo me no longer. Ye say well, said Sir Bromel, and\nsithen ye have told me so much, ye shall have but little joy\nof Sir Launcelot, for I shall slay him wheresomever I meet\nhim. Sir, said the Lady Elaine, do to him no treason.\nWit ye well, my lady, said Bromel, and I promise you\nthis twelvemonth I shall keep the pont of Corbin for Sir\nLauncelot's sake, that he shall neither come nor go unto\nyou, but I shall meet with him.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XI CHAPTER III","type":"page"}