第 四百七十六 章 · Of the sorrow and lamentation of King Arthur for the death

. Of the sorrow and lamentation of King Arthur for the death

of his nephews and other good knights, and also for the queen, his

wife.

So turn we again unto King Arthur, that when it was told him how and in

what manner of wise the queen was taken away from the fire, and when he

heard of the death of his noble knights, and in especial of Sir Gaheris

and Sir Gareth’s death, then the king swooned for pure sorrow. And when

he awoke of his swoon, then he said: Alas, that ever I bare crown upon

my head! for now have I lost the fairest fellowship of noble knights

that ever held Christian king together. Alas, my good knights be slain

away from me: now within these two days I have lost forty knights, and

also the noble fellowship of Sir Launcelot and his blood, for now I may

never hold them together no more with my worship. Alas that ever this

war began. Now fair fellows, said the king, I charge you that no man

tell Sir Gawaine of the death of his two brethren; for I am sure, said

the king, when Sir Gawaine heareth tell that Sir Gareth is dead he will

go nigh out of his mind. Mercy Jesu, said the king, why slew he Sir

Gareth and Sir Gaheris, for I dare say as for Sir Gareth he loved Sir

Launcelot above all men earthly. That is truth, said some knights, but

they were slain in the hurtling as Sir Launcelot thrang in the thick of

the press; and as they were unarmed he smote them and wist not whom

that he smote, and so unhappily they were slain. The death of them,

said Arthur, will cause the greatest mortal war that ever was; I am

sure, wist Sir Gawaine that Sir Gareth were slain, I should never have

rest of him till I had destroyed Sir Launcelot’s kin and himself both,

outher else he to destroy me. And therefore, said the king, wit you

well my heart was never so heavy as it is now, and much more I am

sorrier for my good knights’ loss than for the loss of my fair queen;

for queens I might have enow, but such a fellowship of good knights

shall never be together in no company. And now I dare say, said King

Arthur, there was never Christian king held such a fellowship together;

and alas that ever Sir Launcelot and I should be at debate. Ah

Agravaine, Agravaine, said the king, Jesu forgive it thy soul, for

thine evil will, that thou and thy brother Sir Mordred hadst unto Sir

Launcelot, hath caused all this sorrow: and ever among these complaints

the king wept and swooned.

Then there came one unto Sir Gawaine, and told him how the queen was

led away with Sir Launcelot, and nigh a twenty-four knights slain. O

Jesu defend my brethren, said Sir Gawaine, for full well wist I that

Sir Launcelot would rescue her, outher else he would die in that field;

and to say the truth he had not been a man of worship had he not

rescued the queen that day, insomuch she should have been brent for his

sake. And as in that, said Sir Gawaine, he hath done but knightly, and

as I would have done myself an I had stood in like case. But where are

my brethren? said Sir Gawaine, I marvel I hear not of them. Truly, said

that man, Sir Gareth and Sir Gaheris be slain. Jesu defend, said Sir

Gawaine, for all the world I would not that they were slain, and in

especial my good brother, Sir Gareth. Sir, said the man, he is slain,

and that is great pity. Who slew him? said Sir Gawaine. Sir, said the

man, Launcelot slew them both. That may I not believe, said Sir

Gawaine, that ever he slew my brother, Sir Gareth; for I dare say my

brother Gareth loved him better than me, and all his brethren, and the

king both. Also I dare say, an Sir Launcelot had desired my brother Sir

Gareth, with him he would have been with him against the king and us

all, and therefore I may never believe that Sir Launcelot slew my

brother. Sir, said this man, it is noised that he slew him.