_How when king Pellinore was come to Camelot he was sworn upon a book
to tell truth of his quest._
And therewith they departed and came there as the head of the lady lay
with a fair yellow hair, that grieved king Pellinore passingly sore
when he looked on it, for much he cast his heart on the visage. And so
by noon they came to Camelot. And the king and the queen were passing
fain of his coming to the court. And there he was made to swear upon
the four Evangelists to tell the truth of his quest from the one to the
other. Ah, Sir Pellinore, said queen Guenever, ye were greatly to blame
that ye saved not this lady’s life. Madam, said Pellinore, ye were
greatly to blame and ye would not save your own life and ye might; but
saving your pleasure, I was so furious in my quest that I would not
abide, and that repenteth me, and shall the days of my life. Truly,
said Merlin, ye ought sore to repent it, for the lady was your own
daughter, and that knight that was dead was her love, and should have
wedded her, and he was a right good knight of a young man, and would
have proved a good man, and to this court was he coming, and his name
was Sir Miles of the lands, and a knight came behind him and slew him
with a spear, and his name is Loraine le Savage, a false knight and a
coward; and she for great sorrow and dole slew herself with his sword,
and her name was Eleine. And because ye would not abide and help her,
ye shall see your best friend fail you when ye be in the greatest
distress that ever ye were or shall be. And that penance God hath
ordained you for that deed, that he that ye shall most trust to of any
man alive, he shall leave you there as ye shall be slain. Me
forthinketh, said king Pellinore, that this shall betide, but God may
well fordo destiny.
Thus when the quest was done of the white hart, the which followed Sir
Gawaine; and the quest of the brachet followed of Sir Tor, Pellinore’s
son; and the quest of the lady that the knight took away, the which
king Pellinore at that time followed; then the king stablished all his
knights, and them that were of lands not rich he gave them lands, and
charged them never to do outrage, nor murder, and always to flee
treason. Also, by no mean to be cruel, but to give mercy unto him that
asketh mercy, upon pain of forfeiture of their worship and lordship of
king Arthur for evermore; and alway to do ladies, damsels, and
gentlewomen succour upon pain of death. Also, that no man take no
battles in a wrongful quarrel for no law, nor for world’s goods. Unto
this were all the knights sworn of the Table Round, both old and young.
And every year were they sworn at the high feast of Pentecost.
Explicit the weddynge of kynge Arthur.
Sequitur quartus liber.
The Fourth Book.