Kabanata Kabanata 104 · How four queens found Launcelot sleeping, and how by

. How four queens found Launcelot sleeping, and how by

enchantment he was taken and led into a castle.

Now leave we these knights prisoners, and speak we of Sir Launcelot du

Lake that lieth under the apple-tree sleeping. Even about the noon

there came by him four queens of great estate; and, for the heat should

not annoy them, there rode four knights about them, and bare a cloth of

green silk on four spears, betwixt them and the sun, and the queens

rode on four white mules. Thus as they rode they heard by them a great

horse grimly neigh, then were they ware of a sleeping knight, that lay

all armed under an apple-tree; anon as these queens looked on his face,

they knew it was Sir Launcelot. Then they began for to strive for that

knight, everych one said they would have him to her love. We shall not

strive, said Morgan le Fay, that was King Arthur’s sister, I shall put

an enchantment upon him that he shall not awake in six hours, and then

I will lead him away unto my castle, and when he is surely within my

hold, I shall take the enchantment from him, and then let him choose

which of us he will have unto paramour.

So this enchantment was cast upon Sir Launcelot, and then they laid him

upon his shield, and bare him so on horseback betwixt two knights, and

brought him unto the castle Chariot, and there they laid him in a

chamber cold, and at night they sent unto him a fair damosel with his

supper ready dight. By that the enchantment was past, and when she came

she saluted him, and asked him what cheer. I cannot say, fair damosel,

said Sir Launcelot, for I wot not how I came into this castle but it be

by an enchantment. Sir, said she, ye must make good cheer, and if ye be

such a knight as it is said ye be, I shall tell you more to-morn by

prime of the day. Gramercy, fair damosel, said Sir Launcelot, of your

good will I require you. And so she departed. And there he lay all that

night without comfort of anybody. And on the morn early came these four

queens, passingly well beseen, all they bidding him good morn, and he

them again.

Sir knight, the four queens said, thou must understand thou art our

prisoner, and we here know thee well that thou art Sir Launcelot du

Lake, King Ban’s son, and because we understand your worthiness, that

thou art the noblest knight living, and as we know well there can no

lady have thy love but one, and that is Queen Guenever, and now thou

shalt lose her for ever, and she thee, and therefore thee behoveth now

to choose one of us four. I am the Queen Morgan le Fay, queen of the

land of Gore, and here is the queen of Northgalis, and the queen of

Eastland, and the queen of the Out Isles; now choose one of us which

thou wilt have to thy paramour, for thou mayest not choose or else in

this prison to die. This is an hard case, said Sir Launcelot, that

either I must die or else choose one of you, yet had I liefer to die in

this prison with worship, than to have one of you to my paramour maugre

my head. And therefore ye be answered, I will none of you, for ye be

false enchantresses, and as for my lady, Dame Guenever, were I at my

liberty as I was, I would prove it on you or on yours, that she is the

truest lady unto her lord living. Well, said the queens, is this your

answer, that ye will refuse us. Yea, on my life, said Sir Launcelot,

refused ye be of me. So they departed and left him there alone that

made great sorrow.