{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart430.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart430.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart430.htm","text":"CHAPTER I\nOf the joy King Arthur and the queen had of the achievement\nof the Sangreal; and how Launcelot fell to his old\nlove again.\nSO after the quest of the Sangreal was fulfilled, and all\nknights that were left alive were come again unto the\nTable Round, as the book of the Sangreal maketh\nmention, then was there great joy in the court; and in\nespecial King Arthur and Queen Guenever made great\njoy of the remnant that were come home, and passing\nglad was the king and the queen of Sir Launcelot and of\nSir Bors, for they had been passing long away in the\nquest of the Sangreal.\nThen, as the book saith, Sir Launcelot began to resort\nunto Queen Guenever again, and forgat the promise and\nthe perfection that he made in the quest. For, as the\nbook saith, had not Sir Launcelot been in his privy\nthoughts and in his mind so set inwardly to the queen\nas he was in seeming outward to God, there had no\nknight passed him in the quest of the Sangreal; but\never his thoughts were privily on the queen, and so\nthey loved together more hotter than they did to-forehand,\nand had such privy draughts together, that many in the\ncourt spake of it, and in especial Sir Agravaine, Sir\nGawaine's brother, for he was ever open-mouthed.\nSo befell that Sir Launcelot had many resorts of ladies\nand damosels that daily resorted unto him, that besought\nhim to be their champion, and in all such matters of right\nSir Launcelot applied him daily to do for the pleasure of\nOur Lord, Jesu Christ. And ever as much as he might\nhe withdrew him from the company and fellowship of\nQueen Guenever, for to eschew the slander and noise;\nwherefore the queen waxed wroth with Sir Launcelot.\nAnd upon a day she called Sir Launcelot unto her chamber,\nand said thus: Sir Launcelot, I see and feel daily that thy\nlove beginneth to slake, for thou hast no joy to be in my\npresence, but ever thou art out of this court, and quarrels\nand matters thou hast nowadays for ladies and gentlewomen\nmore than ever thou wert wont to have aforehand.\nAh madam, said Launcelot, in this ye must hold me\nexcused for divers causes; one is, I was but late in the\nquest of the Sangreal; and I thank God of his great\nmercy, and never of my desert, that I saw in that my\nquest as much as ever saw any sinful man, and so was it\ntold me. And if I had not had my privy thoughts to\nreturn to your love again as I do, I had seen as great\nmysteries as ever saw my son Galahad, outher Percivale,\nor Sir Bors; and therefore, madam, I was but late in that\nquest. Wit ye well, madam, it may not be yet lightly\nforgotten the high service in whom I did my diligent\nlabour. Also, madam, wit ye well that there be many\nmen speak of our love in this court, and have you and me\ngreatly in await, as Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred; and\nmadam, wit ye well I dread them more for your sake than\nfor any fear I have of them myself, for I may happen to\nescape and rid myself in a great need, where ye must\nabide all that will be said unto you. And then if that ye\nfall in any distress through wilful folly, then is there none\nother remedy or help but by me and my blood. And wit\nye well, madam, the boldness of you and me will bring us\nto great shame and slander; and that were me loath to see\nyou dishonoured. And that is the cause I take upon me\nmore for to do for damosels and maidens than ever I did\nto-fore, that men should understand my joy and my delight\nis my pleasure to have ado for damosels and maidens.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XVIII CHAPTER I","type":"page"}