Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XII CHAPTER IV

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 CHAPTER IV
 
 How Sir Launcelot was known by Dame Elaine, and was
 borne into a chamber and after healed by the Sangreal.
 
 
 SO it befell that King Pelles had a nephew, his name was
 Castor; and so he desired of the king to be made knight,
 and so at the request of this Castor the king made him
 knight at the feast of Candlemas.  And when Sir Castor
 was made knight, that same day he gave many gowns.
 And then Sir Castor sent for the fool--that was Sir
 Launcelot.  And when he was come afore Sir Castor, he
 gave Sir Launcelot a robe of scarlet and all that longed
 unto him.  And when Sir Launcelot was so arrayed like
 a knight, he was the seemliest man in all the court, and
 none so well made.  So when he saw his time he went
 into the garden, and there Sir Launcelot laid him down
 by a well and slept.  And so at-after noon Dame Elaine
 and her maidens came into the garden to play them;
 and as they roamed up and down one of Dame Elaine's
 maidens espied where lay a goodly man by the well
 sleeping, and anon showed him to Dame Elaine.  Peace,
 said Dame Elaine, and say no word: and then she brought
 Dame Elaine where he lay.  And when that she beheld
 him, anon she fell in remembrance of him, and knew him
 verily for Sir Launcelot; and therewithal she fell
 a-weeping so heartily that she sank even to the earth; and when
 she had thus wept a great while, then she arose and called
 her maidens and said she was sick.
 
 And so she yede out of the garden, and she went
 straight to her father, and there she took him apart by
 herself; and then she said:  O father, now have I need of
 your help, and but if that ye help me farewell my good
 days for ever.  What is that, daughter? said King Pelles.
 Sir, she said, thus is it: in your garden I went for to
 sport, and there, by the well, I found Sir Launcelot du
 Lake sleeping.  I may not believe that, said King Pelles.
 Sir, she said, truly he is there, and meseemeth he should
 be distract out of his wit.  Then hold you still, said the
 king, and let me deal.  Then the king called to him such
 as he most trusted, a four persons, and Dame Elaine, his
 daughter.  And when they came to the well and beheld
 Sir Launcelot, anon Dame Brisen knew him.  Sir, said
 Dame Brisen, we must be wise how we deal with him, for
 this knight is out of his mind, and if we awake him rudely
 what he will do we all know not; but ye shall abide, and
 I shall throw such an enchantment upon him that he shall
 not awake within the space of an hour; and so she did.
 
 Then within a little while after, the king commanded
 that all people should avoid, that none should be in that
 way thereas the king would come.  And so when this was
 done, these four men and these ladies laid hand on Sir
 Launcelot, and so they bare him into a tower, and so into
 a chamber where was the holy vessel of the Sangreal, and
 by force Sir Launcelot was laid by that holy vessel; and
 there came an holy man and unhilled that vessel, and so
 by miracle and by virtue of that holy vessel Sir Launcelot
 was healed and recovered.  And when that he was awaked
 he groaned and sighed, and complained greatly that he
 was passing sore.