Kabanata Kabanata 103 · How Sir Ector followed for to seek Sir Launcelot, and how

. How Sir Ector followed for to seek Sir Launcelot, and how

he was taken by Sir Turquine.

When Sir Ector de Maris wist that Sir Launcelot was passed out of the

court to seek adventures, he was wroth with himself, and made him ready

to seek Sir Launcelot, and as he had ridden long in a great forest he

met with a man was like a forester. Fair fellow, said Sir Ector,

knowest thou in this country any adventures that be here nigh hand?

Sir, said the forester, this country know I well, and hereby, within

this mile, is a strong manor, and well dyked, and by that manor, on the

left hand, there is a fair ford for horses to drink of, and over that

ford there groweth a fair tree, and thereon hang many fair shields that

wielded sometime good knights, and at the hole of the tree hangeth a

basin of copper and latten, and strike upon that basin with the butt of

thy spear thrice, and soon after thou shalt hear new tidings, and else

hast thou the fairest grace that many a year had ever knight that

passed through this forest. Gramercy, said Sir Ector, and departed and

came to the tree, and saw many fair shields. And among them he saw his

brother’s shield, Sir Lionel, and many more that he knew that were his

fellows of the Round Table, the which grieved his heart, and promised

to revenge his brother.

Then anon Sir Ector beat on the basin as he were wood, and then he gave

his horse drink at the ford, and there came a knight behind him and

bade him come out of the water and make him ready; and Sir Ector anon

turned him shortly, and in feuter cast his spear, and smote the other

knight a great buffet that his horse turned twice about. This was well

done, said the strong knight, and knightly thou hast stricken me; and

therewith he rushed his horse on Sir Ector, and cleight him under his

right arm, and bare him clean out of the saddle, and rode with him away

into his own hall, and threw him down in midst of the floor. The name

of this knight was Sir Turquine. Then he said unto Sir Ector, For thou

hast done this day more unto me than any knight did these twelve years,

now will I grant thee thy life, so thou wilt be sworn to be my prisoner

all thy life days. Nay, said Sir Ector, that will I never promise thee,

but that I will do mine advantage. That me repenteth, said Sir

Turquine. And then he gart to unarm him, and beat him with thorns all

naked, and sithen put him down in a deep dungeon, where he knew many of

his fellows. But when Sir Ector saw Sir Lionel, then made he great

sorrow. Alas, brother, said Sir Ector, where is my brother Sir

Launcelot? Fair brother, I left him asleep when that I from him yode,

under an apple-tree, and what is become of him I cannot tell you. Alas,

said the knights, but Sir Launcelot help us we may never be delivered,

for we know now no knight that is able to match our master Turquine.