Kabanata Kabanata 462 · How Sir Launcelot was delivered out of prison by a lady,

. How Sir Launcelot was delivered out of prison by a lady,

and took a white courser and came for to keep his day.

So leave we Sir Launcelot lying within that cave in great pain; and

every day there came a lady and brought him his meat and his drink, and

wooed him, to have lain by him; and ever the noble knight, Sir

Launcelot, said her nay. Sir Launcelot, said she, ye are not wise, for

ye may never out of this prison, but if ye have my help; and also your

lady, Queen Guenever, shall be brent in your default, unless that ye be

there at the day of battle. God defend, said Sir Launcelot, that she

should be brent in my default; and if it be so, said Sir Launcelot,

that I may not be there, it shall be well understanded, both at the

king and at the queen, and with all men of worship, that I am dead,

sick, outher in prison. For all men that know me will say for me that I

am in some evil case an I be not there that day; and well I wot there

is some good knight either of my blood, or some other that loveth me,

that will take my quarrel in hand; and therefore, said Sir Launcelot,

wit ye well ye shall not fear me; and if there were no more women in

all this land but ye, I will not have ado with you. Then art thou

shamed, said the lady, and destroyed for ever. As for world’s shame,

Jesu defend me, and as for my distress, it is welcome whatsoever it be

that God sendeth me.

So she came to him the same day that the battle should be, and said:

Sir Launcelot, methinketh ye are too hard-hearted, but wouldest thou

but kiss me once I should deliver thee, and thine armour, and the best

horse that is within Sir Meliagrance’s stable. As for to kiss you, said

Sir Launcelot, I may do that and lose no worship; and wit ye well an I

understood there were any disworship for to kiss you I would not do it.

Then he kissed her, and then she gat him, and brought him to his

armour. And when he was armed, she brought him to a stable, where stood

twelve good coursers, and bade him choose the best. Then Sir Launcelot

looked upon a white courser the which liked him best; and anon he

commanded the keepers fast to saddle him with the best saddle of war

that there was; and so it was done as he bade. Then gat he his spear in

his hand, and his sword by his side, and commended the lady unto God,

and said: Lady, for this good deed I shall do you service if ever it be

in my power.