{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart442.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart442.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart442.htm","text":"CHAPTER XIII\nHow Launcelot was brought to an hermit for to be healed\nof his wound, and of other matters.\nAND when the hermit beheld him, as he sat leaning upon\nhis saddle-bow ever bleeding piteously, and ever the\nknight-hermit thought that he should know him, but\nhe could not bring him to knowledge because he was\nso pale for bleeding. What knight are ye, said the\nhermit, and where were ye born? My fair lord, said Sir\nLauncelot, I am a stranger and a knight adventurous,\nthat laboureth throughout many realms for to win worship.\nThen the hermit advised him better, and saw by a wound\non his cheek that he was Sir Launcelot. Alas, said the\nhermit, mine own lord why lain you your name from\nme? Forsooth I ought to know you of right, for ye\nare the most noblest knight of the world, for well I know\nyou for Sir Launcelot. Sir, said he, sith ye know me, help\nme an ye may, for God's sake, for I would be out of this\npain at once, either to death or to life. Have ye no\ndoubt, said the hermit, ye shall live and fare right well.\nAnd so the hermit called to him two of his servants, and\nso he and his servants bare him into the hermitage, and\nlightly unarmed him, and laid him in his bed. And then\nanon the hermit staunched his blood, and made him to\ndrink good wine, so that Sir Launcelot was well refreshed\nand knew himself; for in those days it was not the guise\nof hermits as is nowadays, for there were none hermits in\nthose days but that they had been men of worship and of\nprowess; and those hermits held great household, and\nrefreshed people that were in distress.\nNow turn we unto King Arthur, and leave we Sir\nLauncelot in the hermitage. So when the kings were\ncome together on both parties, and the great feast should\nbe holden, King Arthur asked the King of Northgalis and\ntheir fellowship, where was that knight that bare the red\nsleeve: Bring him afore me that he may have his laud,\nand honour, and the prize, as it is right. Then spake\nSir Galahad, the haut prince, and the King with the\nHundred Knights: We suppose that knight is mischieved,\nand that he is never like to see you nor none\nof us all, and that is the greatest pity that ever we wist\nof any knight. Alas, said Arthur, how may this be, is he\nso hurt? What is his name? said King Arthur. Truly,\nsaid they all, we know not his name, nor from whence he\ncame, nor whither he would. Alas, said the king, this be\nto me the worst tidings that came to me this seven year,\nfor I would not for all the lands I wield to know and wit\nit were so that that noble knight were slain. Know ye\nhim? said they all. As for that, said Arthur, whether\nI know him or know him not, ye shall not know for me\nwhat man he is, but Almighty Jesu send me good tidings\nof him. And so said they all. By my head, said Sir\nGawaine, if it so be that the good knight be so sore hurt,\nit is great damage and pity to all this land, for he is one\nof the noblest knights that ever I saw in a field handle a\nspear or a sword; and if he may be found I shall find\nhim, for I am sure he nis not far from this town. Bear\nyou well, said King Arthur, an ye may find him, unless\nthat he be in such a plight that he may not wield himself.\nJesu defend, said Sir Gawaine, but wit I shall what he is,\nan I may find him.\nRight so Sir Gawaine took a squire with him upon\nhackneys, and rode all about Camelot within six or seven\nmile, but so he came again and could hear no word of\nhim. Then within two days King Arthur and all the\nfellowship returned unto London again. And so as they\nrode by the way it happed Sir Gawaine at Astolat to\nlodge with Sir Bernard thereas was Sir Launcelot lodged.\nAnd so as Sir Gawaine was in his chamber to repose him\nSir Bernard, the old baron, came unto him, and his\ndaughter Elaine, to cheer him and to ask him what\ntidings, and who did best at that tournament of Winchester.\nSo God me help, said Sir Gawaine, there were\ntwo knights that bare two white shields, but the one of\nthem bare a red sleeve upon his head, and certainly he\nwas one of the best knights that ever I saw joust in field.\nFor I dare say, said Sir Gawaine, that one knight with the\nred sleeve smote down forty knights of the Table Round,\nand his fellow did right well and worshipfully. Now\nblessed be God, said the Fair Maiden of Astolat, that that\nknight sped so well, for he is the man in the world that\nI first loved, and truly he shall be last that ever I shall\nlove. Now, fair maid, said Sir Gawaine, is that good\nknight your love? Certainly sir, said she, wit ye well he\nis my love. Then know ye his name? said Sir Gawaine.\nNay truly, said the damosel, I know not his name nor\nfrom whence he cometh, but to say that I love him, I\npromise you and God that I love him. How had ye\nknowledge of him first? said Sir Gawaine.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XVIII CHAPTER XIII","type":"page"}