{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart332.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart332.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart332.htm","text":"CHAPTER VII\nHow Dame Elaine, Galahad's mother, came in great estate\nunto Camelot, and how Sir Launcelot behaved him\nthere.\nAND when Dame Elaine, the daughter of King Pelles,\nheard of this feast she went to her father and required\nhim that he would give her leave to ride to that feast.\nThe king answered: I will well ye go thither, but in any\nwise as ye love me and will have my blessing, that ye be\nwell beseen in the richest wise; and look that ye spare\nnot for no cost; ask and ye shall have all that you needeth.\nThen by the advice of Dame Brisen, her maiden, all thing\nwas apparelled unto the purpose, that there was never\nno lady more richlier beseen. So she rode with twenty\nknights, and ten ladies, and gentlewomen, to the number\nof an hundred horses. And when she came to Camelot,\nKing Arthur and Queen Guenever said, and all the\nknights, that Dame Elaine was the fairest and the best\nbeseen lady that ever was seen in that court. And anon\nas King Arthur wist that she was come he met her and\nsaluted her, and so did the most part of all the knights of\nthe Round Table, both Sir Tristram, Sir Bleoberis, and\nSir Gawaine, and many more that I will not rehearse.\nBut when Sir Launcelot saw her he was so ashamed, and\nthat because he drew his sword on the morn when he had\nlain by her, that he would not salute her nor speak to her;\nand yet Sir Launcelot thought she was the fairest woman\nthat ever he saw in his life-days.\nBut when Dame Elaine saw Sir Launcelot that would\nnot speak unto her she was so heavy that she weened her\nheart would have to-brast; for wit you well, out of measure\nshe loved him. And then Elaine said unto her woman,\nDame Brisen: the unkindness of Sir Launcelot slayeth\nme near. Ah, peace, madam, said Dame Brisen, I will\nundertake that this night he shall lie with you, an ye\nwould hold you still. That were me liefer, said Dame\nElaine, than all the gold that is above the earth. Let me\ndeal, said Dame Brisen. So when Elaine was brought\nunto Queen Guenever either made other good cheer by\ncountenance, but nothing with hearts. But all men and\nwomen spake of the beauty of Dame Elaine, and of her\ngreat riches.\nThen, at night, the queen commanded that Dame\nElaine should sleep in a chamber nigh her chamber, and\nall under one roof; and so it was done as the queen\ncommanded. Then the queen sent for Sir Launcelot and\nbade him come to her chamber that night: Or else I am\nsure, said the queen, that ye will go to your lady's bed,\nDame Elaine, by whom ye gat Galahad. Ah, madam,\nsaid Sir Launcelot, never say ye so, for that I did was\nagainst my will. Then, said the queen, look that ye\ncome to me when I send for you. Madam, said Launcelot,\nI shall not fail you, but I shall be ready at your\ncommandment. This bargain was soon done and made\nbetween them, but Dame Brisen knew it by her crafts,\nand told it to her lady, Dame Elaine. Alas, said she,\nhow shall I do? Let me deal, said Dame Brisen, for I\nshall bring him by the hand even to your bed, and he\nshall ween that I am Queen Guenever's messenger. Now\nwell is me, said Dame Elaine, for all the world I love not\nso much as I do Sir Launcelot.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XI CHAPTER VII","type":"page"}