{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart458.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart458.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart458.htm","text":"CHAPTER IV\nHow Sir Launcelot's horse was slain, and how Sir Launcelot\nrode in a cart for to rescue the queen\nTHEN Sir Launcelot rode as fast as he might, and the\nbook saith he took the water at Westminster Bridge, and\nmade his horse to swim over Thames unto Lambeth.\nAnd then within a while he came to the same place thereas\nthe ten noble knights fought with Sir Meliagrance. And\nthen Sir Launcelot followed the track until that he came\nto a wood, and there was a straight way, and there the\nthirty archers bade Sir Launcelot turn again, and follow\nno longer that track. What commandment have ye\nthereto, said Sir Launcelot, to cause me that am a knight\nof the Round Table to leave my right way? This way\nshalt thou leave, other-else thou shalt go it on thy foot,\nfor wit thou well thy horse shall be slain. That is little\nmastery, said Sir Launcelot, to slay mine horse; but as\nfor myself, when my horse is slain, I give right nought\nfor you, not an ye were five hundred more. So then they\nshot Sir Launcelot's horse, and smote him with many\narrows; and then Sir Launcelot avoided his horse, and\nwent on foot; but there were so many ditches and hedges\nbetwixt them and him that he might not meddle with\nnone of them. Alas for shame, said Launcelot, that ever\none knight should betray another knight; but it is an old\nsaw, A good man is never in danger but when he is in the\ndanger of a coward. Then Sir Launcelot went a while,\nand then he was foul cumbered of his armour, his shield,\nand his spear, and all that longed unto him. Wit ye well\nhe was full sore annoyed, and full loath he was for to leave\nanything that longed unto him, for he dread sore the\ntreason of Sir Meliagrance.\nThen by fortune there came by him a chariot that\ncame thither for to fetch wood. Say me, carter, said Sir\nLauncelot, what shall I give thee to suffer me to leap\ninto thy chariot, and that thou bring me unto a castle\nwithin this two mile? Thou shalt not come within my\nchariot, said the carter, for I am sent for to fetch wood\nfor my lord, Sir Meliagrance. With him would I speak.\nThou shalt not go with me, said the carter. Then Sir\nLauncelot leapt to him, and gave him such a buffet that\nhe fell to the earth stark dead. Then the other carter,\nhis fellow, was afeard, and weened to have gone the same\nway; and then he cried: Fair lord, save my life, and I\nshall bring you where ye will. Then I charge thee, said\nSir Launcelot, that thou drive me and this chariot even\nunto Sir Meliagrance's gate. Leap up into the chariot, said\nthe carter, and ye shall be there anon. So the carter drove on\na great wallop, and Sir Launcelot's horse followed the chariot,\nwith more than a forty arrows broad and rough in him.\nAnd more than an hour and an half Dame Guenever\nwas awaiting in a bay window with her ladies, and espied\nan armed knight standing in a chariot. See, madam, said\na lady, where rideth in a chariot a goodly armed knight;\nI suppose he rideth unto hanging. Where? said the\nqueen. Then she espied by his shield that he was there\nhimself, Sir Launcelot du Lake. And then she was ware\nwhere came his horse ever after that chariot, and ever he\ntrod his guts and his paunch under his feet. Alas, said\nthe queen, now I see well and prove, that well is him that\nhath a trusty friend. Ha, ha, most noble knight, said\nQueen Guenever, I see well thou art hard bestead when thou\nridest in a chariot. Then she rebuked that lady that likened\nSir Launcelot to ride in a chariot to hanging. It was foul\nmouthed, said the queen, and evil likened, so for to liken the\nmost noble knight of the world unto such a shameful death.\nO Jesu defend him and keep him, said the queen, from\nall mischievous end. By this was Sir Launcelot come to\nthe gates of that castle, and there he descended down, and\ncried, that all the castle rang of it: Where art thou, false\ntraitor, Sir Meliagrance, and knight of the Table Round?\nnow come forth here, thou traitor knight, thou and thy\nfellowship with thee; for here I am, Sir Launcelot du\nLake, that shall fight with you. And therewithal he bare\nthe gate wide open upon the porter, and smote him under\nhis ear with his gauntlet, that his neck brast a-sunder.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XIX CHAPTER IV","type":"page"}