_How Sir Ector followed for to seek Sir Launcelot, and how he was taken
by Sir Turquine._
When Sir Ector de Maris wist that Sir Launcelot was past out of the
court to seek adventures he was wroth with himself, and made him ready
to seek Sir Launcelot, and as he had ridden long in a great forest, he
met with a man that was like a forester. Fair fellow, said Sir Ector,
knowest thou in this country any adventures that be here nigh hand?
Sir, said the forester, this country know I well, and hereby within
this mile is a strong manor, and well dyked, and by that manor, on the
left hand, there is a fair ford for horses to drink of, and over that
ford there groweth a fair tree, and thereon hangeth many fair shields
that wielded sometime good knights: and at the hole of the tree hangeth
a bason of copper and laton, and strike upon that bason with the butt
of thy spear thrice, and soon after thou shalt hear new tidings, and
else hast thou the fairest grace that many a year had ever knight that
passed through this forest. Gramercy, said Sir Ector, and departed and
came to the tree, and saw many fair shields, and among them he saw his
brother’s shield, Sir Lionel, and many more that he knew that were his
fellows of the Round Table, the which grieved his heart, and he
promised to revenge his brother. Then anon Sir Ector beat on the bason
as he were wood, and then he gave his horse drink at the ford: and
there came a knight behind him and bad him come out of the water and
make him ready; and Sir Ector anon turned him shortly, and in fewter
cast his spear, and smote the other knight a great buffet that his
horse turned twice about. This was well done, said the strong knight,
and knightly thou hast stricken me: and therewith he rushed his horse
on Sir Ector and caught him under his right arm, and bare him clean out
of the saddle, and rode with him away into his own hall, and threw him
down in the midst of the floor. The name of this knight was Sir
Turquine. Then he said unto Sir Ector, For thou hast done this day more
unto me than any knight did these twelve years, now will I grant thee
thy life, so thou wilt be sworn to be my prisoner all thy life days.
Nay, said Sir Ector, that will I never promise thee, but that I will do
mine advantage. That me repenteth, said Sir Turquine. And then he made
to unarm him, and beat him with thorns all naked, and after put him
down in a deep dungeon, where he knew many of his fellows. But when Sir
Ector saw Sir Lionel, then made he great sorrow. Alas, brother, said
Sir Ector, where is my brother Sir Launcelot? Fair brother, I left him
on sleep when that I from him went, under an apple tree, and what is
become of him I cannot tell you. Alas, said the knights, but Sir
Launcelot help us we may never be delivered, for we know now no knight
that is able to match our master Turquine.