{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart444.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart444.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart444.htm","text":"CHAPTER XV\nOf the sorrow that Sir Bors had for the hurt of Launcelot;\nand of the anger that the queen had because Launcelot\nbare the sleeve.\nAND when Sir Bors heard that, wit ye well he was an\nheavy man, and so were all his kinsmen. But when\nQueen Guenever wist that Sir Launcelot bare the red\nsleeve of the Fair Maiden of Astolat she was nigh out of\nher mind for wrath. And then she sent for Sir Bors de\nGanis in all the haste that might be. So when Sir Bors\nwas come to-fore the queen, then she said: Ah Sir Bors,\nhave ye heard say how falsely Sir Launcelot hath betrayed\nme? Alas madam, said Sir Bors, I am afeard he hath\nbetrayed himself and us all. No force, said the queen,\nthough he be destroyed, for he is a false traitor-knight.\nMadam, said Sir Bors, I pray you say ye not so, for wit\nyou well I may not hear such language of him. Why Sir\nBors, said she, should I not call him traitor when he bare\nthe red sleeve upon his head at Winchester, at the great\njousts? Madam, said Sir Bors, that sleeve-bearing\nrepenteth me sore, but I dare say he did it to none evil\nintent, but for this cause he bare the red sleeve that none\nof his blood should know him. For or then we, nor none of\nus all, never knew that ever he bare token or sign of maid,\nlady, ne gentlewoman. Fie on him, said the queen, yet\nfor all his pride and bobaunce there ye proved yourself his\nbetter. Nay madam, say ye never more so, for he beat\nme and my fellows, and might have slain us an he had\nwould. Fie on him, said the queen, for I heard Sir\nGawaine say before my lord Arthur that it were marvel to\ntell the great love that is between the Fair Maiden of\nAstolat and him. Madam, said Sir Bors, I may not warn\nSir Gawaine to say what it pleased him; but I dare say,\nas for my lord, Sir Launcelot, that he loveth no lady,\ngentlewoman, nor maid, but all he loveth in like much.\nAnd therefore madam, said Sir Bors, ye may say what\nye will, but wit ye well I will haste me to seek him, and\nfind him wheresomever he be, and God send me good\ntidings of him. And so leave we them there, and speak\nwe of Sir Launcelot that lay in great peril.\nSo as fair Elaine came to Winchester she sought there\nall about, and by fortune Sir Lavaine was ridden to play\nhim, to enchafe his horse. And anon as Elaine saw him\nshe knew him, and then she cried aloud until him. And\nwhen he heard her anon he came to her, and then she asked\nher brother how did my lord, Sir Launcelot. Who told\nyou, sister, that my lord's name was Sir Launcelot? Then\nshe told him how Sir Gawaine by his shield knew him.\nSo they rode together till that they came to the hermitage,\nand anon she alighted.\nSo Sir Lavaine brought her in to Sir Launcelot; and\nwhen she saw him lie so sick and pale in his bed she might\nnot speak, but suddenly she fell to the earth down suddenly\nin a swoon, and there she lay a great while. And when\nshe was relieved, she shrieked and said: My lord, Sir\nLauncelot, alas why be ye in this plight? and then she\nswooned again. And then Sir Launcelot prayed Sir\nLavaine to take her up: And bring her to me. And\nwhen she came to herself Sir Launcelot kissed her, and\nsaid: Fair maiden, why fare ye thus? ye put me to pain;\nwherefore make ye no more such cheer, for an ye be come\nto comfort me ye be right welcome; and of this little hurt\nthat I have I shall be right hastily whole by the grace of\nGod. But I marvel, said Sir Launcelot, who told you my\nname? Then the fair maiden told him all how Sir\nGawaine was lodged with her father: And there by your\nshield he discovered your name. Alas, said Sir Launcelot,\nthat me repenteth that my name is known, for I am sure\nit will turn unto anger. And then Sir Launcelot compassed\nin his mind that Sir Gawaine would tell Queen\nGuenever how he bare the red sleeve, and for whom; that\nhe wist well would turn into great anger.\nSo this maiden Elaine never went from Sir Launcelot,\nbut watched him day and night, and did such attendance\nto him, that the French book saith there was never woman\ndid more kindlier for man than she. Then Sir Launcelot\nprayed Sir Lavaine to make aspies in Winchester for Sir\nBors if he came there, and told him by what tokens he\nshould know him, by a wound in his forehead. For well\nI am sure, said Sir Launcelot, that Sir Bors will seek me,\nfor he is the same good knight that hurt me.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XVIII CHAPTER XV","type":"page"}