{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart502.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart502.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart502.htm","text":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XXI CHAPTER XIII\n \n Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Legends and Sagas\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n BOOK XXI\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n \n \n CHAPTER XIII\n \n How Sir Ector found Sir Launcelot his brother dead, and\n how Constantine reigned next after Arthur; and of the\n end of this book\n \n \n AND when Sir Ector heard such noise and light in the\n quire of Joyous Gard, he alighted and put his horse from\n him, and came into the quire, and there he saw men sing\n and weep. And all they knew Sir Ector, but he knew\n not them. Then went Sir Bors unto Sir Ector, and told\n him how there lay his brother, Sir Launcelot, dead; and\n then Sir Ector threw his shield, sword, and helm from\n him. And when he beheld Sir Launcelot's visage, he fell\n down in a swoon. And when he waked it were hard any\n tongue to tell the doleful complaints that he made for his\n brother. Ah Launcelot, he said, thou were head of all\n Christian knights, and now I dare say, said Sir Ector,\n thou Sir Launcelot, there thou liest, that thou were never\n matched of earthly knight's hand. And thou were the\n courteoust knight that ever bare shield. And thou were\n the truest friend to thy lover that ever bestrad horse.\n And thou were the truest lover of a sinful man that ever\n loved woman. And thou were the kindest man that ever\n struck with sword. And thou were the goodliest person\n that ever came among press of knights. And thou was\n the meekest man and the gentlest that ever ate in hall\n among ladies. And thou were the sternest knight to thy\n mortal foe that ever put spear in the rest. Then there\n was weeping and dolour out of measure.\n \n Thus they kept Sir Launcelot's corpse aloft fifteen\n days, and then they buried it with great devotion. And\n then at leisure they went all with the Bishop of Canterbury\n to his hermitage, and there they were together more than\n a month. Then Sir Constantine, that was Sir Cador's\n son of Cornwall, was chosen king of England. And he\n was a full noble knight, and worshipfully he ruled this\n realm. And then this King Constantine sent for the\n Bishop of Canterbury, for he heard say where he was.\n And so he was restored unto his Bishopric, and left that\n hermitage. And Sir Bedivere was there ever still hermit\n to his life's end. Then Sir Bors de Ganis, Sir Ector de\n Maris, Sir Gahalantine, Sir Galihud, Sir Galihodin, Sir\n Blamore, Sir Bleoberis, Sir Villiars le Valiant, Sir Clarrus\n of Clermont, all these knights drew them to their\n countries. Howbeit King Constantine would have had\n them with him, but they would not abide in this realm.\n And there they all lived in their countries as holy men.\n And some English books make mention that they went\n never out of England after the death of Sir Launcelot,\n but that was but favour of makers. For the French book\n maketh mention, and is authorised, that Sir Bors, Sir\n Ector, Sir Blamore, and Sir Bleoberis, went into the Holy\n Land thereas Jesu Christ was quick and dead, and anon as\n they had stablished their lands. For the book saith, so\n Sir Launcelot commanded them for to do, or ever he passed\n out of this world. And these four knights did many\n battles upon the miscreants or Turks. And there they\n died upon a Good Friday for God's sake.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XXI CHAPTER XIII","type":"page"}