{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart436.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart436.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart436.htm","text":"CHAPTER VII\nHow Sir Launcelot fought against Sir Mador for the queen,\nand how he overcame Sir Mador, and discharged the\nqueen.\nTHEN the king called to that knight, and asked him if\nhe would fight for the queen. Then he answered to the\nking: Therefore came I hither, and therefore, sir king, he\nsaid, tarry me no longer, for I may not tarry. For anon\nas I have finished this battle I must depart hence, for I\nhave ado many matters elsewhere. For wit you well, said\nthat knight, this is dishonour to you all knights of the\nRound Table, to see and know so noble a lady and so\ncourteous a queen as Queen Guenever is, thus to be\nrebuked and shamed amongst you. Then they all marvelled\nwhat knight that might be that so took the battle upon\nhim. For there was not one that knew him, but if it were\nSir Bors.\nThen said Sir Mador de la Porte unto the king: Now\nlet me wit with whom I shall have ado withal. And then\nthey rode to the lists' end, and there they couched their\nspears, and ran together with all their might, and Sir\nMador's spear brake all to pieces, but the other's spear\nheld, and bare Sir Mador's horse and all backward to the\nearth a great fall. But mightily and suddenly he avoided\nhis horse and put his shield afore him, and then drew his\nsword, and bade the other knight alight and do battle\nwith him on foot. Then that knight descended from his\nhorse lightly like a valiant man, and put his shield afore\nhim and drew his sword; and so they came eagerly unto\nbattle, and either gave other many great strokes, tracing\nand traversing, racing and foining, and hurtling together\nwith their swords as it were wild boars. Thus were they\nfighting nigh an hour, for this Sir Mador was a strong\nknight, and mightily proved in many strong battles. But\nat the last this knight smote Sir Mador grovelling upon\nthe earth, and the knight stepped near him to have pulled\nSir Mador flatling upon the ground; and therewith\nsuddenly Sir Mador arose, and in his rising he smote that\nknight through the thick of the thighs that the blood ran\nout fiercely. And when he felt himself so wounded, and\nsaw his blood, he let him arise upon his feet. And then\nhe gave him such a buffet upon the helm that he fell to\nthe earth flatling, and therewith he strode to him to have\npulled off his helm off his head. And then Sir Mador\nprayed that knight to save his life, and so he yielded him\nas overcome, and released the queen of his quarrel. I will\nnot grant thee thy life, said that knight, only that thou\nfreely release the queen for ever, and that no mention be\nmade upon Sir Patrise's tomb that ever Queen Guenever\nconsented to that treason. All this shall be done, said Sir\nMador, I clearly discharge my quarrel for ever.\nThen the knights parters of the lists took up Sir\nMador, and led him to his tent, and the other knight\nwent straight to the stair-foot where sat King Arthur;\nand by that time was the queen come to the king, and\neither kissed other heartily. And when the king saw that\nknight, he stooped down to him, and thanked him, and\nin likewise did the queen; and the king prayed him to\nput off his helmet, and to repose him, and to take a sop\nof wine. And then he put off his helm to drink, and then\nevery knight knew him that it was Sir Launcelot du Lake.\nAnon as the king wist that, he took the queen in his hand,\nand yode unto Sir Launcelot, and said: Sir, grant mercy\nof your great travail that ye have had this day for me and\nfor my queen. My lord, said Sir Launcelot, wit ye well I\nought of right ever to be in your quarrel, and in my lady\nthe queen's quarrel, to do battle; for ye are the man that\ngave me the high order of knighthood, and that day my\nlady, your queen, did me great worship, and else I had\nbeen shamed; for that same day ye made me knight,\nthrough my hastiness I lost my sword, and my lady, your\nqueen, found it, and lapped it in her train, and gave me\nmy sword when I had need thereto, and else had I been\nshamed among all knights; and therefore, my lord Arthur, I\npromised her at that day ever to be her knight in right outher\nin wrong. Grant mercy, said the king, for this journey;\nand wit ye well, said the king, I shall acquit your goodness.\nAnd ever the queen beheld Sir Launcelot, and wept so\ntenderly that she sank almost to the ground for sorrow\nthat he had done to her so great goodness where she\nshewed him great unkindness. Then the knights of his\nblood drew unto him, and there either of them made great\njoy of other. And so came all the knights of the Table\nRound that were there at that time, and welcomed him.\nAnd then Sir Mador was had to leech-craft, and Sir\nLauncelot was healed of his wound. And then there was\nmade great joy and mirths in that court.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XVIII CHAPTER VII","type":"page"}