Kabanata Kabanata 110 · How Sir Turquine was slain, and how Sir Launcelot bade Sir

. How Sir Turquine was slain, and how Sir Launcelot bade Sir

Gaheris deliver all the prisoners.

Then at the last Sir Turquine waxed faint, and gave somewhat aback, and

bare his shield low for weariness. That espied Sir Launcelot, and leapt

upon him fiercely and gat him by the beaver of his helmet, and plucked

him down on his knees, and anon he raced off his helm, and smote his

neck in sunder. And when Sir Launcelot had done this, he yode unto the

damosel and said, Damosel, I am ready to go with you where ye will have

me, but I have no horse. Fair sir, said she, take this wounded knight’s

horse and send him into this manor, and command him to deliver all the

prisoners. So Sir Launcelot went unto Gaheris, and prayed him not to be

aggrieved for to lend him his horse. Nay, fair lord, said Gaheris, I

will that ye take my horse at your own commandment, for ye have both

saved me and my horse, and this day I say ye are the best knight in the

world, for ye have slain this day in my sight the mightiest man and the

best knight except you that ever I saw, and, fair sir, said Gaheris, I

pray you tell me your name. Sir, my name is Sir Launcelot du Lake, that

ought to help you of right for King Arthur’s sake, and in especial for

my lord Sir Gawaine’s sake, your own dear brother; and when that ye

come within yonder manor, I am sure ye shall find there many knights of

the Round Table, for I have seen many of their shields that I know on

yonder tree. There is Kay’s shield, and Sir Brandel’s shield, and Sir

Marhaus’ shield, and Sir Galind’s shield, and Sir Brian de Listnois’

shield, and Sir Aliduke’s shield, with many more that I am not now

advised of, and also my two brethren’s shields, Sir Ector de Maris and

Sir Lionel; wherefore I pray you greet them all from me, and say that I

bid them take such stuff there as they find, and that in any wise my

brethren go unto the court and abide me there till that I come, for by

the feast of Pentecost I cast me to be there, for as at this time I

must ride with this damosel for to save my promise.

And so he departed from Gaheris, and Gaheris yede in to the manor, and

there he found a yeoman porter keeping there many keys. Anon withal Sir

Gaheris threw the porter unto the ground and took the keys from him,

and hastily he opened the prison door, and there he let out all the

prisoners, and every man loosed other of their bonds. And when they saw

Sir Gaheris, all they thanked him, for they weened that he was wounded.

Not so, said Gaheris, it was Launcelot that slew him worshipfully with

his own hands. I saw it with mine own eyes. And he greeteth you all

well, and prayeth you to haste you to the court; and as unto Sir Lionel

and Ector de Maris he prayeth you to abide him at the court. That shall

we not do, says his brethren, we will find him an we may live. So shall

I, said Sir Kay, find him or I come at the court, as I am true knight.

Then all those knights sought the house thereas the armour was, and

then they armed them, and every knight found his own horse, and all

that ever longed unto him. And when this was done, there came a

forester with four horses laden with fat venison. Anon, Sir Kay said,

Here is good meat for us for one meal, for we had not many a day no

good repast. And so that venison was roasted, baken, and sodden, and so

after supper some abode there all night, but Sir Lionel and Ector de

Maris and Sir Kay rode after Sir Launcelot to find him if they might.