{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart483.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart483.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart483.htm","text":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XX CHAPTER XVI\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 XVI\n \n Of the communication between Sir Gawaine and Sir Launcelot,\n with much other language\n \n \n THE king may do as he will, said Sir Gawaine, but wit\n thou well, Sir Launcelot, thou and I shall never be\n accorded while we live, for thou hast slain three of my\n brethren; and two of them ye slew traitorly and piteously,\n for they bare none harness against thee, nor none would\n bear. God would they had been armed, said Sir Launcelot,\n for then had they been alive. And wit ye well Sir\n Gawaine, as for Sir Gareth, I love none of my kinsmen so\n much as I did him; and ever while I live, said Sir\n Launcelot, I will bewail Sir Gareth's death, not all only\n for the great fear I have of you, but many causes cause\n me to be sorrowful. One is, for I made him knight;\n another is, I wot well he loved me above all other knights;\n and the third is, he was passing noble, true, courteous,\n and gentle, and well conditioned; the fourth is, I wist\n well, anon as I heard that Sir Gareth was dead, I should\n never after have your love, but everlasting war betwixt\n us; and also I wist well that ye would cause my noble\n lord Arthur for ever to be my mortal foe. And as Jesu\n be my help, said Sir Launcelot, I slew never Sir Gareth\n nor Sir Gaheris by my will; but alas that ever they were\n unarmed that unhappy day. But thus much I shall offer\n me, said Sir Launcelot, if it may please the king's good\n grace, and you, my lord Sir Gawaine, I shall first begin at\n Sandwich, and there I shall go in my shirt, barefoot; and\n at every ten miles' end I will found and gar make an\n house of religion, of what order that ye will assign me,\n with an whole convent, to sing and read, day and night,\n in especial for Sir Gareth's sake and Sir Gaheris. And\n this shall I perform from Sandwich unto Carlisle; and\n every house shall have sufficient livelihood. And this\n shall I perform while I have any livelihood in Christendom;\n and there nis none of all these religious places, but\n they shall be performed, furnished and garnished in all\n things as an holy place ought to be, I promise you faithfully.\n And this, Sir Gawaine, methinketh were more\n fairer, holier, and more better to their souls, than ye, my\n most noble king, and you, Sir Gawaine, to war upon me,\n for thereby shall ye get none avail.\n \n Then all knights and ladies that were there wept as\n they were mad, and the tears fell on King Arthur's cheeks.\n Sir Launcelot, said Sir Gawaine, I have right well heard\n thy speech, and thy great proffers, but wit thou well, let\n the king do as it pleased him, I will never forgive my\n brothers' death, and in especial the death of my brother,\n Sir Gareth. And if mine uncle, King Arthur, will accord\n with thee, he shall lose my service, for wit thou well thou\n art both false to the king and to me. Sir, said Launcelot\n he beareth not the life that may make that good and if\n ye, Sir Gawaine, will charge me with so high a thing, ye\n must pardon me, for then needs must I answer you.\n Nay, said Sir Gawaine, we are past that at this time, and\n that caused the Pope, for he hath charged mine uncle, the\n king, that he shall take his queen again, and to accord\n with thee, Sir Launcelot, as for this season, and therefore\n thou shalt go safe as thou camest. But in this land thou\n shalt not abide past fifteen days, such summons I give\n thee: so the king and we were consented and accorded or\n thou camest. And else, said Sir Gawaine, wit thou well\n thou shouldst not have come here, but if it were maugre\n thy head. And if it were not for the Pope's commandment,\n said Sir Gawaine, I should do battle with mine own\n body against thy body, and prove it upon thee, that thou\n hast been both false unto mine uncle King Arthur, and to\n me both; and that shall I prove upon thy body, when\n thou art departed from hence, wheresomever I find thee.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XX CHAPTER XVI","type":"page"}