_How Morgan le Fay saved a knight that should have been drowned, and
how king Arthur returned home again._
Then said Morgan, Saw ye Arthur my brother? Yea, said her knights,
right well, and that ye should have found and we might have stirred
from one stead, for by his warlike countenance he would have caused us
to have fled. I believe you, said Morgan. Anon after as she rode she
met a knight leading another knight on his horse before him, bound hand
and foot blindfold, to have drowned him in a fountain. When she saw
this knight so bound, she asked him. What will ye do with that knight?
Lady, said he, I will drown him. For what cause? she asked. For I found
him with my wife, and she shall have the same death anon. That were
pity, said Morgan le Fay: now what say ye, knight, is it truth that he
saith of you? she said to the knight that should be drowned. Nay truly,
madam, he saith not right of me. Of whence be ye? said Morgan le Fay,
and of what country? I am of the court of king Arthur, and my name is
Manassen, cousin unto Accolon of Gaul. Ye say well, said she, and for
the love of him ye shall be delivered, and ye shall have your adversary
in the same case ye be in. So Manassen was loosed and the other knight
bound. And anon Manassen unarmed him, and armed himself in his harness,
and so mounted on horseback, and the knight afore him, and so threw him
into the fountain and drowned him. And then he rode unto Morgan again,
and asked her if she would anything unto king Arthur. Tell him that I
rescued thee not for the love of him but for the love of Accolon, and
tell him I fear him not while I can make me and them that be with me in
likeness of stones; and let him wit I can do much more when I see my
time. And so she departed into the country of Gore, and there was she
richly received, and made her castles and towns passing strong, for
always she drad much king Arthur. When the king had well rested him at
the abbey he rode unto Camelot, and found his queen and his barons
right glad of his coming. And when they heard of his strange adventures
as is afore rehearsed, they all had marvel of the falsehood of Morgan
le Fay: many knights wished her burnt. Then came Manassen to the court
and told the king of his adventure. Well, said the king, she is a kind
sister, I shall so be avenged on her and I live, that all christendom
shall speak of it. So on the morn there came a damsel from Morgan to
the king, and she brought with her the richest mantle that ever was
seen in that court, for it was set as full of precious stones as one
might stand by another, and there were the richest stones that ever the
king saw. And the damsel said, Your sister sendeth you this mantle, and
desireth that ye should take this gift of her, and in what thing she
hath offended you she will amend it at your own pleasure. When the king
beheld this mantle it pleased him much, but he said but little.