{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart354.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart354.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart354.htm","text":"CHAPTER I\nHow at the vigil of the Feast of Pentecost entered into the\nhall before King Arthur a damosel, and desired Sir\nLauncelot for to come and dub a knight, and how he\nwent with her.\nAT the vigil of Pentecost, when all the fellowship of the\nRound Table were come unto Camelot and there heard\ntheir service, and the tables were set ready to the meat,\nright so entered into the hall a full fair gentlewoman on\nhorseback, that had ridden full fast, for her horse was all\nbesweated. Then she there alighted, and came before the\nking and saluted him; and he said: Damosel, God thee\nbless. Sir, said she, for God's sake say me where Sir\nLauncelot is. Yonder ye may see him, said the king.\nThen she went unto Launcelot and said: Sir Launcelot, I\nsalute you on King Pelles' behalf, and I require you come\non with me hereby into a forest. Then Sir Launcelot\nasked her with whom she dwelled. I dwell, said she,\nwith King Pelles. What will ye with me? said Launcelot.\nYe shall know, said she, when ye come thither. Well,\nsaid he, I will gladly go with you. So Sir Launcelot bade\nhis squire saddle his horse and bring his arms; and in all\nhaste he did his commandment.\nThen came the queen unto Launcelot, and said:\nWill ye leave us at this high feast? Madam, said the\ngentlewoman, wit ye well he shall be with you to-morn by\ndinner time. If I wist, said the queen, that he should\nnot be with us here to-morn he should not go with you\nby my good will. Right so departed Sir Launcelot with\nthe gentlewoman, and rode until that he came into a forest\nand into a great valley, where they saw an abbey of nuns;\nand there was a squire ready and opened the gates, and so\nthey entered and descended off their horses; and there\ncame a fair fellowship about Sir Launcelot, and welcomed\nhim, and were passing glad of his coming. And then\nthey led him unto the Abbess's chamber and unarmed him;\nand right so he was ware upon a bed lying two of his\ncousins, Sir Bors and Sir Lionel, and then he waked them;\nand when they saw him they made great joy. Sir, said\nSir Bors unto Sir Launcelot, what adventure hath brought\nyou hither, for we weened to-morn to have found you at\nCamelot? As God me help, said Sir Launcelot, a gentlewoman\nbrought me hither, but I know not the cause.\nIn the meanwhile that they thus stood talking together,\ntherein came twelve nuns that brought with them Galahad,\nthe which was passing fair and well made, that unnethe in\nthe world men might not find his match: and all those\nladies wept. Sir, said they all, we bring you here this\nchild the which we have nourished, and we pray you to\nmake him a knight, for of a more worthier man's hand\nmay he not receive the order of knighthood. Sir Launcelot\nbeheld the young squire and saw him seemly and\ndemure as a dove, with all manner of good features, that\nhe weened of his age never to have seen so fair a man of\nform. Then said Sir Launcelot: Cometh this desire of\nhimself? He and all they said yea. Then shall he, said\nSir Launcelot, receive the high order of knighthood as\nto-morn at the reverence of the high feast. That night\nSir Launcelot had passing good cheer; and on the morn\nat the hour of prime, at Galahad's desire, he made him\nknight and said: God make him a good man, for of\nbeauty faileth you not as any that liveth.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XIII CHAPTER I","type":"page"}