HOW SIR LAUNCELOT DEPARTED FROM THE KING
AND FROM JOYOUS GARD
There came one unto Sir Gawaine, and told him how the Queen was led
away by Sir Launcelot, and nigh a twenty-four knights slain.
"Full well wist I," said then Sir Gawaine, "that Sir Launcelot would
rescue her, or else he would die in that field. To say the truth, had
he not rescued the Queen he would not have been a man of honour,
inasmuch as she was to have been burned for his sake. He hath done but
knightly, and as I would have done myself, had I stood in like case.
But where are my brethren? I marvel I hear not of them."
Then the man told him that Sir Gareth and Sir Gaheris were slain, both
by the hand of Launcelot. "That may I not believe," said Sir Gawaine,
"that he slew my brother Sir Gareth, for I dare say Gareth loved him
better than me and all his brethren, and the King also. Sir Launcelot
made him knight, and had he desired my brother Sir Gareth with him, he
would have been with him against the King and us all. Therefore I may
never believe that Sir Launcelot slew my brother."
When at the last he knew in truth that Sir Gareth and Sir Gaheris had
died by Sir Launcelot's hand, all his joy was gone. He fell down in a
swoon, and long he lay there as he had been dead. When he arose of his
swoon he ran to the King crying, and weeping, and said: "O King Arthur,
my lord and mine uncle, wit ye well, from this day I shall never fail
Sir Launcelot, until the one of us have slain the other. Therefore
dress you to the war, for wit ye well I will be revenged upon him."
Unto King Arthur now drew many knights, dukes, and earls, so that he
had a great host. Then they made them ready to lay siege about Sir
Launcelot, where he lay within Joyous Gard. Thereof heard Sir
Launcelot, and he gathered together his followers, for with him held
many good knights, some for his own sake, and some for the Queen's
sake. Thus they were on both sides well furnished and provided with
all manner of things that belonged to the war.
But Sir Launcelot was full loath to do battle against the King, and so
he withdrew into his strong castle with all manner of victual and as
many noble men as might suffice, and for a long time would in no wise
ride out, neither would he allow any of his good knights to issue out,
though King Arthur with Sir Gawaine came and laid a siege all about
Joyous Gard, both at the town and at the castle.
Then it befell upon a day in harvest time, Sir Launcelot looked over
the walls, and spake on high unto King Arthur and Sir Gawaine: "My
lords both, wit ye well all is in vain that ye make at this siege; here
win ye no honour, for if I list to come out with my good knights, I
should full soon make an end of this war. But God defend me, that ever
I should encounter with the most noble King that made me knight."
"Fie upon thy fair language," said the King; "come forth, if thou
darest. Wit thou well, I am thy mortal foe, and ever shall be to my
death day, for thou hast slain my good knights and full noble men of my
blood, and like a traitor hast taken my Queen from me by force."
"My most noble lord and king," answered Sir Launcelot, "ye may say what
ye will, for ye wot well with yourself I will not strive. I wot well
that I have slain your good knights, and that me sore repenteth; but I
was forced to do battle with them in saving of my life, or else I must
have suffered them to slay me. And as for my lady, Queen Guenever,
except your highness and my lord Sir Gawaine, there is no knight under
heaven that dare make it good upon me, that ever I was traitor unto
your person, and I will prove it upon any knight alive, except you and
Sir Gawaine, that my lady Queen Guenever is as true and loyal unto you
as any living unto her lord. Howbeit, it hath pleased her good grace
to have me in charity, and to cherish me more than any other knight,
and unto my power I in return have deserved her love; for ofttimes, my
lord, it fortuned me to do battle for her, and ye thanked me when I
saved her life. Now me thinketh ye reward me full ill for my good
service, and me seemeth I had lost a great part of my honour in my
knighthood, had I suffered my lady your queen to be burned, inasmuch as
she was to be burned for my sake. For, since I have done battle for
your queen in other quarrels than in mine own, me seemeth now I had
more right to do battle for her in right quarrel. Therefore, my good
and gracious lord, take your queen unto your good grace, for she is
both fair, true, and good."
"Fie on thy proud words," said Sir Gawaine; "as for my lady the Queen,
I will never say of her shame, but thou false and recreant knight, what
cause hadst thou to slay my good brother Sir Gareth, that loved thee
more than all my kin? Alas, thou madest him knight with thine own
hands; why slewest thou him that loved thee so well?"
"For to excuse myself," said Sir Launcelot, "it helpeth me not, but by
the faith I owe to the high order of knighthood, I should with as good
will have slain my nephew Sir Bors of Ganis. Alas, that ever I was so
unhappy that I had not seen Sir Gareth and Sir Gaheris."
But Sir Gawaine was mischievously set, and it helped not Sir Launcelot
to seek accordment. King Arthur must needs unto battle because of his
nephew's great anger, and on the morn he was ready in the field with
three great hosts. Then Sir Launcelot's fellowship came out at three
gates in a full good array, in order and rule as noble knights. And
always Sir Launcelot charged all his knights in any wise to save King
Arthur and Sir Gawaine.
Then began a great battle, and much people was slain. Ever Sir
Launcelot did what he might to save the people on King Arthur's side,
and ever King Arthur was nigh about Sir Launcelot to slay him. Sir
Launcelot suffered him, and would not strike again; but at the last Sir
Bors encountered with King Arthur, and with a spear smote him down. He
alighted and drew his sword to slay him, and then he said to Sir
Launcelot, "Shall I make an end of this war?"
"Not so hardy," said Sir Launcelot, "upon pain of thy head, touch him
no further, for I will never see that most noble king, that made me
knight, either slain or shamed."
Therewithal Sir Launcelot alighted oft his horse and took up the King,
and horsed him again, and said thus: "My lord Arthur, for God's love
stint this strife, for ye get here no honour, if I will to do mine
uttermost; always I forbear you, but neither you nor any of yours
forbeareth me. My lord, remember what I have done in many places, and
now I am evil rewarded."
When King Arthur was again on horseback, he looked upon Sir Launcelot,
and then the tears burst out of his eyes, thinking on the great
courtesy that was in Sir Launcelot, more than in any other man.
Therewith the King might no longer behold him, and he rode his way,
saying, "Alas that ever this war began."
And then both sides withdrew to repose themselves, to bury the dead,
and to lay soft salves on the wounded. Thus they passed the night, but
on the morn they made ready again to do battle. At the end of this day
also Sir Launcelot and his party stood better, but for pity he withheld
his knights, and suffered King Arthur's party to withdraw one side, and
Sir Launcelot again returned into his castle.
So the war went on day after day. It was noised through all
Christendom, and at the last it was noised afore the Pope. He,
considering the great goodness of King Arthur and of Sir Launcelot,
that were called the noblest knights of the world, called unto him a
noble clerk, that at that time was there present,--the French book
saith it was the Bishop of Rochester,--and gave him bulls unto King
Arthur of England, charging him upon pain of interdicting of all
England, that he take his queen, Dame Guenever, unto him again, and
accord with Sir Launcelot.
So when this bishop was come to Carlisle he showed the King the bulls,
and by their means peace was made between King Arthur and Sir
Launcelot. With great pomp and ceremony Sir Launcelot rode with the
Queen from Joyous Gard to Carlisle, and they knelt before King Arthur,
that was full gladly accorded with them both. But Sir Gawaine would
never be at peace with the knight that had slain his brethren.
"The King may take his Queen again, if he will," said Sir Gawaine to
Sir Launcelot, "and may be accorded with thee, but thou and I are past
pardon. Thou shalt go from Carlisle safe, as thou camest, but in this
land thou shalt not abide past fifteen days, such summons I give
thee;--so the King and I were consented and accorded ere thou camest
hither, and else, wit thou well, thou shouldest not have come here
except without thy head. If it were not for the Pope's commandment, I
should do battle with mine own body against thy body, and prove it upon
thee that thou hast been both false unto mine uncle and to me, and that
shall I prove upon thy body when thou art departed from hence,
wheresoever I find thee."
Then Sir Launcelot sighed, and therewith the tears fell on his cheeks,
and he said: "Alas, most noble Christian realm, that I have loved above
all others, in thee have I gotten a great part of my honour, and now I
shall depart in this wise. Truly me repenteth that ever I came in this
realm that I should be thus shamefully banished, undeserved, and
causeless. But fortune is so variant, and the wheel so movable, there
is no constant abiding. Wit ye well, Sir Gawaine, I may live upon my
lands as well as any knight that here is. And if ye, most redoubted
King, will come upon my lands with Sir Gawaine, to war upon me, I must
endure you as well as I may. But as to you, Sir Gawaine, if that ye
come there, I pray you charge me not with treason or felony, for if ye
do, I must answer you."
Then Sir Launcelot said unto Guenever, in hearing of the King and them
all, "Madam, now I must depart from you and this noble fellowship for
ever; and since it is so, I beseech you to pray for me, and say me
well; and if ye be hard bestead by any false tongues lightly, my lady,
let send me word, and if any knight's hands may deliver you by battle,
I shall deliver you."
Therewithal Sir Launcelot kissed the Queen, and then he said all
openly: "Now let see what he be in this place, that dare say the Queen
is not true unto my lord Arthur; let see who will speak, if he dare."
Then he brought her to the King, and so took his leave and departed.
And there was neither king, duke nor earl, baron nor knight, lady nor
gentlewoman, but all they wept as people out of their mind, except Sir
Gawaine; and when the noble Sir Launcelot took his horse, to ride out
of Carlisle, there was sobbing and weeping for pure dole of his
departing. So he took his way unto Joyous Gard, that ever after he
called Dolorous Gard, and thus left the court for ever.