{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart348.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart348.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart348.htm","text":"CHAPTER IX\nHow Sir Bors and Sir Lionel came to King Brandegore,\nand how Sir Bors took his son Helin le Blank, and of\nSir Launcelot.\nNOW leave we Sir Launcelot in the Joyous Isle with\nthe Lady Dame Elaine, and Sir Percivale and Sir Ector\nplaying with them, and turn we to Sir Bors de Ganis\nand Sir Lionel, that had sought Sir Launcelot nigh\nby the space of two year, and never could they hear\nof him. And as they thus rode, by adventure they\ncame to the house of Brandegore, and there Sir Bors\nwas well known, for he had gotten a child upon the\nking's daughter fifteen year to-fore, and his name was\nHelin le Blank. And when Sir Bors saw that child it\nliked him passing well. And so those knights had\ngood cheer of the King Brandegore. And on the\nmorn Sir Bors came afore King Brandegore and said:\nHere is my son Helin le Blank, that as it is said he\nis my son; and sith it is so, I will that ye wit that I\nwill have him with me unto the court of King Arthur.\nSir, said the king, ye may well take him with you,\nbut he is over tender of age. As for that, said Sir\nBors, I will have him with me, and bring him to the\nhouse of most worship of the world. So when Sir\nBors should depart there was made great sorrow for\nthe departing of Helin le Blank, and great weeping was\nthere made. But Sir Bors and Sir Lionel departed,\nand within a while they came to Camelot, where was\nKing Arthur. And when King Arthur understood\nthat Helin le Blank was Sir Bors' son, and nephew\nunto King Brandegore, then King Arthur let him make\nknight of the Round Table; and so he proved a good\nknight and an adventurous.\nNow will we turn to our matter of Sir Launcelot.\nIt befell upon a day Sir Ector and Sir Percivale came\nto Sir Launcelot and asked him what he would do,\nand whether he would go with them unto King Arthur\nor not. Nay, said Sir Launcelot, that may not be by no\nmean, for I was so entreated at the court that I cast\nme never to come there more. Sir, said Sir Ector,\nI am your brother, and ye are the man in the world\nthat I love most; and if I understood that it were\nyour disworship, ye may understand I would never\ncounsel you thereto; but King Arthur and all his\nknights, and in especial Queen Guenever, made such\ndole and sorrow that it was marvel to hear and see.\nAnd ye must remember the great worship and renown\nthat ye be of, how that ye have been more spoken of\nthan any other knight that is now living; for there is\nnone that beareth the name now but ye and Sir Tristram.\nTherefore brother, said Sir Ector, make you ready to\nride to the court with us, and I dare say there was never\nknight better welcome to the court than ye; and I wot\nwell and can make it good, said Sir Ector, it hath cost\nmy lady, the queen, twenty thousand pound the seeking\nof you. Well brother, said Sir Launcelot, I will do\nafter your counsel, and ride with you.\nSo then they took their horses and made them\nready, and took their leave at King Pelles and at Dame\nElaine. And when Sir Launcelot should depart Dame\nElaine made great sorrow. My lord, Sir Launcelot,\nsaid Dame Elaine, at this same feast of Pentecost shall\nyour son and mine, Galahad, be made knight, for he is\nfully now fifteen winter old. Do as ye list, said Sir\nLauncelot; God give him grace to prove a good knight.\nAs for that, said Dame Elaine, I doubt not he shall\nprove the best man of his kin except one. Then shall he\nbe a man good enough, said Sir Launcelot.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XII CHAPTER IX","type":"page"}