Bab Bab 486 · How King Arthur and Sir Gawaine made a great host ready to

. How King Arthur and Sir Gawaine made a great host ready to

go over sea to make war on Sir Launcelot.

So leave we Sir Launcelot in his lands, and his noble knights with him,

and return we again unto King Arthur and to Sir Gawaine, that made a

great host ready, to the number of threescore thousand; and all thing

was made ready for their shipping to pass over the sea, and so they

shipped at Cardiff. And there King Arthur made Sir Mordred chief ruler

of all England, and also he put Queen Guenever under his governance;

because Sir Mordred was King Arthur’s son, he gave him the rule of his

land and of his wife; and so the king passed the sea and landed upon

Sir Launcelot’s lands, and there he brent and wasted, through the

vengeance of Sir Gawaine, all that they might overrun.

When this word came to Sir Launcelot, that King Arthur and Sir Gawaine

were landed upon his lands, and made a full great destruction and

waste, then spake Sir Bors, and said: My lord Sir Launcelot, it is

shame that we suffer them thus to ride over our lands, for wit you

well, suffer ye them as long as ye will, they will do you no favour an

they may handle you. Then said Sir Lionel that was wary and wise: My

lord Sir Launcelot, I will give this counsel, let us keep our strong

walled towns until they have hunger and cold, and blow on their nails;

and then let us freshly set upon them, and shred them down as sheep in

a field, that aliens may take example for ever how they land upon our

lands.

Then spake King Bagdemagus to Sir Launcelot: Sir, your courtesy will

shende us all, and thy courtesy hath waked all this sorrow; for an they

thus over our lands ride, they shall by process bring us all to nought

whilst we thus in holes us hide. Then said Sir Galihud unto Sir

Launcelot: Sir, here be knights come of kings’ blood, that will not

long droop, and they are within these walls; therefore give us leave,

like as we be knights, to meet them in the field, and we shall slay

them, that they shall curse the time that ever they came into this

country. Then spake seven brethren of North Wales, and they were seven

noble knights; a man might seek in seven kings’ lands or he might find

such seven knights. Then they all said at once: Sir Launcelot, for

Christ’s sake let us out ride with Sir Galihud, for we be never wont to

cower in castles nor in noble towns.

Then spake Sir Launcelot, that was master and governor of them all: My

fair lords, wit you well I am full loath to ride out with my knights

for shedding of Christian blood; and yet my lands I understand be full

bare for to sustain any host awhile, for the mighty wars that whilom

made King Claudas upon this country, upon my father King Ban, and on

mine uncle King Bors; howbeit we will as at this time keep our strong

walls, and I shall send a messenger unto my lord Arthur, a treaty for

to take; for better is peace than always war.

So Sir Launcelot sent forth a damosel and a dwarf with her, requiring

King Arthur to leave his warring upon his lands; and so she start upon

a palfrey, and the dwarf ran by her side. And when she came to the

pavilion of King Arthur, there she alighted; and there met her a gentle

knight, Sir Lucan the Butler, and said: Fair damosel, come ye from Sir

Launcelot du Lake? Yea sir, she said, therefore I come hither to speak

with my lord the king. Alas, said Sir Lucan, my lord Arthur would love

Launcelot, but Sir Gawaine will not suffer him. And then he said: I

pray to God, damosel, ye may speed well, for all we that be about the

king would Sir Launcelot did best of any knight living. And so with

this Lucan led the damosel unto the king where he sat with Sir Gawaine,

for to hear what she would say. So when she had told her tale, the

water ran out of the king’s eyen, and all the lords were full glad for

to advise the king as to be accorded with Sir Launcelot, save all only

Sir Gawaine, and he said: My lord mine uncle, what will ye do? Will ye

now turn again, now ye are passed thus far upon this journey? all the

world will speak of your villainy. Nay, said Arthur, wit thou well, Sir

Gawaine, I will do as ye will advise me; and yet meseemeth, said

Arthur, his fair proffers were not good to be refused; but sithen I am

come so far upon this journey, I will that ye give the damosel her

answer, for I may not speak to her for pity, for her proffers be so

large.