{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart497.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart497.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart497.htm","text":"CHAPTER VIII\nHow when Sir Lancelot heard of the death of King\nArthur, and of Sir Gawaine, and other matters, he\ncame into England\nAND when he heard in his country that Sir Mordred was\ncrowned king in England, and made war against King\nArthur, his own father, and would let him to land in his\nown land; also it was told Sir Launcelot how that Sir Mordred\nhad laid siege about the Tower of London, because the\nqueen would not wed him; then was Sir Launcelot wroth\nout of measure, and said to his kinsmen: Alas, that\ndouble traitor Sir Mordred, now me repenteth that ever he\nescaped my hands, for much shame hath he done unto my\nlord Arthur; for all I feel by the doleful letter that my\nlord Sir Gawaine sent me, on whose soul Jesu have mercy\nthat my lord Arthur is full hard bestead. Alas, said Sir\nLauncelot, that ever I should live to hear that most noble\nking that made me knight thus to be overset with his subject\nin his own realm. And this doleful letter that my\nlord, Sir Gawaine, hath sent me afore his death, praying\nme to see his tomb, wit you well his doleful words shall\nnever go from mine heart, for he was a full noble knight\nas ever was born; and in an unhappy hour was I born\nthat ever I should have that unhap to slay first Sir\nGawaine, Sir Gaheris the good knight, and mine own\nfriend Sir Gareth, that full noble knight. Alas, I may\nsay I am unhappy, said Sir Launcelot, that ever I should\ndo thus unhappily, and, alas, yet might I never have hap\nto slay that traitor, Sir Mordred.\nLeave your complaints, said Sir Bors, and first revenge\nyou of the death of Sir Gawaine; and it will be well done\nthat ye see Sir Gawaine's tomb, and secondly that ye\nrevenge my lord Arthur, and my lady, Queen Guenever\nI thank you, said Sir Launcelot, for ever ye will my\nworship.\nThen they made them ready in all the haste that\nmight be, with ships and galleys, with Sir Launcelot and\nhis host to pass into England. And so he passed over\nthe sea till he came to Dover, and there he landed with\nseven kings, and the number was hideous to behold.\nThen Sir Launcelot spered of men of Dover where was\nKing Arthur become. Then the people told him how\nthat he was slain, and Sir Mordred and an hundred thousand\ndied on a day; and how Sir Mordred gave King\nArthur there the first battle at his landing, and there was\ngood Sir Gawaine slain; and on the morn Sir Mordred\nfought with the king upon Barham Down, and there the\nking put Sir Mordred to the worse. Alas, said Sir\nLauncelot, this is the heaviest tidings that ever came to\nme. Now, fair sirs, said Sir Launcelot, shew me the\ntomb of Sir Gawaine. And then certain people of the\ntown brought him into the castle of Dover, and shewed\nhim the tomb. Then Sir Launcelot kneeled down and\nwept, and prayed heartily for his soul. And that night he\nmade a dole, and all they that would come had as much\nflesh, fish, wine and ale, and every man and woman had\ntwelve pence, come who would. Thus with his own hand\ndealt he this money, in a mourning gown; and ever he\nwept, and prayed them to pray for the soul of Sir\nGawaine. And on the morn all the priests and clerks that\nmight be gotten in the country were there, and sang mass\nof Requiem; and there offered first Sir Launcelot, and he\noffered an hundred pound; and then the seven kings\noffered forty pound apiece; and also there was a thousand\nknights, and each of them offered a pound; and the\noffering dured from morn till night, and Sir Launcelot lay\ntwo nights on his tomb in prayers and weeping.\nThen on the third day Sir Launcelot called the kings,\ndukes, earls, barons, and knights, and said thus: My fair\nlords, I thank you all of your coming into this country\nwith me, but we came too late, and that shall repent me\nwhile I live, but against death may no man rebel. But\nsithen it is so, said Sir Launcelot, I will myself ride and\nseek my lady, Queen Guenever, for as I hear say she hath\nhad great pain and much disease; and I heard say that\nshe is fled into the west. Therefore ye all shall abide me\nhere, and but if I come again within fifteen days, then\ntake your ships and your fellowship, and depart into your\ncountry, for I will do as I say to you.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XXI CHAPTER VIII","type":"page"}