{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart460.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart460.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart460.htm","text":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XIX CHAPTER VI\n \n Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Legends and Sagas\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n BOOK XIX\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n Next\u00a0\n \n \n CHAPTER VI\n \n How Sir Launcelot came in the night to the queen and lay\n with her, and how Sir Meliagrance appeached the\n queen of treason\n \n \n THEN the knights that were hurt were searched, and soft\n salves were laid to their wounds; and so it passed on till\n supper time, and all the cheer that might be made them\n there was done unto the queen and all her knights. Then\n when season was, they went unto their chambers, but in\n no wise the queen would not suffer the wounded knights\n to be from her, but that they were laid within draughts by\n her chamber, upon beds and pillows, that she herself might\n see to them, that they wanted nothing.\n \n So when Sir Launcelot was in his chamber that was\n assigned unto him, he called unto him Sir Lavaine, and\n told him that night he must go speak with his lady, Dame\n Guenever. Sir, said Sir Lavaine, let me go with you an\n it please you, for I dread me sore of the treason of Sir\n Meliagrance. Nay, said Sir Launcelot, I thank you, but\n I will have nobody with me. Then Sir Launcelot took\n his sword in his hand, and privily went to a place where\n he had espied a ladder to-forehand, and that he took under\n his arm, and bare it through the garden, and set it up to\n the window, and there anon the queen was ready to meet\n him. And then they made either to other their complaints\n of many divers things, and then Sir Launcelot\n wished that he might have come into her. Wit ye well,\n said the queen, I would as fain as ye, that ye might come\n in to me. Would ye, madam, said Sir Launcelot, with\n your heart that I were with you? Yea, truly, said the\n queen. Now shall I prove my might, said Sir Launcelot,\n for your love; and then he set his hands upon the bars\n of iron, and he pulled at them with such a might that he\n brast them clean out of the stone walls, and therewithal\n one of the bars of iron cut the brawn of his hands\n throughout to the bone; and then he leapt into the chamber\n to the queen. Make ye no noise, said the queen, for my\n wounded knights lie here fast by me. So, to pass upon\n this tale, Sir Launcelot went unto bed with the queen, and\n he took no force of his hurt hand, but took his pleasaunce\n and his liking until it was in the dawning of the day; and\n wit ye well he slept not but watched, and when he saw his\n time that he might tarry no longer he took his leave and\n departed at the window, and put it together as well as he\n might again, and so departed unto his own chamber; and\n there he told Sir Lavaine how he was hurt. Then Sir\n Lavaine dressed his hand and staunched it, and put upon\n it a glove, that it should not be espied; and so the queen\n lay long in her bed until it was nine of the clock.\n \n Then Sir Meliagrance went to the queen's chamber,\n and found her ladies there ready clothed. Jesu mercy,\n said Sir Meliagrance, what aileth you, madam, that ye\n sleep thus long? And right therewithal he opened the\n curtain for to behold her; and then was he ware where\n she lay, and all the sheet and pillow was bebled with the\n blood of Sir Launcelot and of his hurt hand. When Sir\n Meliagrance espied that blood, then he deemed in her\n that she was false to the king, and that some of the\n wounded knights had lain by her all that night. Ah,\n madam, said Sir Meliagrance, now I have found you a\n false traitress unto my lord Arthur; for now I prove well\n it was not for nought that ye laid these wounded knights\n within the bounds of your chamber; therefore I will\n call you of treason before my lord, King Arthur. And\n now I have proved you, madam, with a shameful deed;\n and that they be all false, or some of them, I will make\n good, for a wounded knight this night hath lain by you.\n That is false, said the queen, and that I will report me\n unto them all. Then when the ten knights heard Sir\n Meliagrance's words, they spake all in one voice and said\n to Sir Meliagrance: Thou sayest falsely, and wrongfully\n puttest upon us such a deed, and that we will make good\n any of us; choose which thou list of us when we are whole\n of our wounds. Ye shall not, said Sir Meliagrance, away\n with your proud language, for here ye may all see, said\n Sir Meliagrance, that by the queen this night a wounded\n knight hath lain. Then were they all ashamed when they\n saw that blood; and wit you well Sir Meliagrance was\n passing glad that he had the queen at such an advantage,\n for he deemed by that to hide his treason. So with this\n rumour came in Sir Launcelot, and found them all at a\n great array.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XIX CHAPTER VI","type":"page"}