{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart482.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart482.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart482.htm","text":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XX CHAPTER XV\n \n Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Legends and Sagas\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n BOOK XX\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n Next\u00a0\n \n \n CHAPTER XV\n \n Of the deliverance of the queen to the king by Sir Launcelot,\n and what language Sir Gawaine had to Sir Launcelot\n \n \n MY most redoubted king, ye shall understand, by the\n Pope's commandment and yours, I have brought to you\n my lady the queen, as right requireth; and if there be\n any knight, of whatsomever degree that he be, except\n your person, that will say or dare say but that she is true\n and clean to you, I here myself, Sir Launcelot du Lake,\n will make it good upon his body, that she is a true lady\n unto you; but liars ye have listened, and that hath\n caused debate betwixt you and me. For time hath been,\n my lord Arthur, that ye have been greatly pleased with\n me when I did battle for my lady, your queen; and full\n well ye know, my most noble king, that she hath been\n put to great wrong or this time; and sithen it pleased you\n at many times that I should fight for her, meseemeth, my\n good lord, I had more cause to rescue her from the fire,\n insomuch she should have been brent for my sake. For\n they that told you those tales were liars, and so it fell\n upon them; for by likelihood had not the might of God\n been with me, I might never have endured fourteen\n knights, and they armed and afore purposed, and I\n unarmed and not purposed. For I was sent for unto my\n lady your queen, I wot not for what cause; but I was not\n so soon within the chamber door, but anon Sir Agravaine\n and Sir Mordred called me traitor and recreant knight.\n They called thee right, said Sir Gawaine. My lord Sir\n Gawaine, said Sir Launcelot, in their quarrel they proved\n themselves not in the right. Well well, Sir Launcelot,\n said the king, I have given thee no cause to do to me as\n thou hast done, for I have worshipped thee and thine more\n than any of all my knights.\n \n My good lord, said Sir Launcelot, so ye be not\n displeased, ye shall understand I and mine have done you\n oft better service than any other knights have done, in\n many divers places; and where ye have been full hard\n bestead divers times, I have myself rescued you from\n many dangers; and ever unto my power I was glad to\n please you, and my lord Sir Gawaine; both in jousts, and\n tournaments, and in battles set, both on horseback and on\n foot, I have often rescued you, and my lord Sir Gawaine,\n and many mo of your knights in many divers places.\n For now I will make avaunt, said Sir Launcelot, I will\n that ye all wit that yet I found never no manner of\n knight but that I was overhard for him, an I had done\n my utterance, thanked be God; howbeit I have been\n matched with good knights, as Sir Tristram and Sir\n Lamorak, but ever I had a favour unto them and a\n deeming what they were. And I take God to record,\n said Sir Launcelot, I never was wroth nor greatly heavy\n with no good knight an I saw him busy about to win\n worship; and glad I was ever when I found any knight\n that might endure me on horseback and on foot: howbeit\n Sir Carados of the Dolorous Tower was a full noble\n knight and a passing strong man, and that wot ye, my\n lord Sir Gawaine; for he might well be called a noble\n knight when he by fine force pulled you out of your\n saddle, and bound you overthwart afore him to his saddle\n bow; and there, my lord Sir Gawaine, I rescued you, and\n slew him afore your sight. Also I found his brother,\n Sir Turquin, in likewise leading Sir Gaheris, your brother,\n bounden afore him; and there I rescued your brother\n and slew that Turquin, and delivered three-score-and-four\n of my lord Arthur's knights out of his prison. And now\n I dare say, said Sir Launcelot, I met never with so strong\n knights, nor so well fighting, as was Sir Carados and Sir\n Turquin, for I fought with them to the uttermost. And\n therefore, said Sir Launcelot unto Sir Gawaine, meseemeth\n ye ought of right to remember this; for, an I might\n have your good will, I would trust to God to have my\n lord Arthur's good grace.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XX CHAPTER XV","type":"page"}