Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VI CHAPTER XV

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 CHAPTER XV
 
 How Sir Launcelot came into the Chapel Perilous and gat
 there of a dead corpse a piece of the cloth and a sword.
 
 RIGHT so Sir Launcelot departed, and when he came unto the Chapel
 Perilous he alighted down, and tied his horse unto a little gate. 
 And as soon as he was within the churchyard he saw on the front
 of the chapel many fair rich shields turned up-so-down, and many
 of the shields Sir Launcelot had seen knights bear beforehand. 
 With that he saw by him there stand a thirty great knights, more
 by a yard than any man that ever he had seen, and all those
 grinned and gnashed at Sir Launcelot.  And when he saw their
 countenance he dreaded him sore, and so put his shield afore him,
 and took his sword ready in his hand ready unto battle, and they
 were all armed in black harness ready with their shields and
 their swords drawn.  And when Sir Launcelot would have gone
 throughout them, they scattered on every side of him, and gave
 him the way, and therewith he waxed all bold, and entered into
 the chapel, and then he saw no light but a dim lamp burning, and
 then was he ware of a corpse hilled with a cloth of silk.  Then
 Sir Launcelot stooped down, and cut a piece away of that cloth,
 and then it fared under him as the earth had quaked a little;
 therewithal he feared.  And then he saw a fair sword lie by the
 dead knight, and that he gat in his hand and hied him out of the
 chapel.
 
 Anon as ever he was in the chapel yard all the knights spake to
 him with a grimly voice, and said, Knight, Sir Launcelot, lay
 that sword from thee or else thou shalt die.  Whether that I live
 or die, said Sir Launcelot, with no great word get ye it again,
 therefore fight for it an ye list.  Then right so he passed
 throughout them, and beyond the chapel yard there met him a fair
 damosel, and said, Sir Launcelot, leave that sword behind thee,
 or thou wilt die for it.  I leave it not, said Sir Launcelot, for
 no treaties.  No, <202>said she, an thou didst leave that sword,
 Queen Guenever should thou never see.  Then were I a fool an I
 would leave this sword, said Launcelot.  Now, gentle knight, said
 the damosel, I require thee to kiss me but once.  Nay, said Sir
 Launcelot, that God me forbid.  Well, sir, said she, an thou
 hadst kissed me thy life days had been done, but now, alas, she
 said, I have lost all my labour, for I ordained this chapel for
 thy sake, and for Sir Gawaine.  And once I had Sir Gawaine within
 me, and at that time he fought with that knight that lieth there
 dead in yonder chapel, Sir Gilbert the Bastard; and at that time
 he smote the left hand off of Sir Gilbert the Bastard.  And, Sir
 Launcelot, now I tell thee, I have loved thee this seven year,
 but there may no woman have thy love but Queen Guenever.  But
 sithen I may not rejoice thee to have thy body alive, I had kept
 no more joy in this world but to have thy body dead.  Then would
 I have balmed it and served it, and so have kept it my life days,
 and daily I should have clipped thee, and kissed thee, in despite
 of Queen Guenever.  Ye say well, said Sir Launcelot, Jesu
 preserve me from your subtle crafts.  And therewithal he took his
 horse and so departed from her.  And as the book saith, when Sir
 Launcelot was departed she took such sorrow that she died within
 a fourteen night, and her name was Hellawes the sorceress, Lady
 of the Castle Nigramous.
 
 Anon Sir Launcelot met with the damosel, Sir Meliot's sister. 
 And when she saw him she clapped her hands, and wept for joy. 
 And then they rode unto a castle thereby where lay Sir Meliot. 
 And anon as Sir Launcelot saw him he knew him, but he was passing
 pale, as the earth, for bleeding.  When Sir Meliot saw Sir
 Launcelot he kneeled upon his knees and cried on high:  O lord
 Sir Launcelot, help me!  Anon Sir Launcelot leapt unto him and
 touched his wounds with Sir Gilbert's sword.  And then he wiped
 his wounds with a part of the bloody cloth that Sir Gilbert was
 wrapped in, and anon an wholer man in his life was he never.  And
 then there was great joy between them, and they made Sir
 Launcelot all <203>the cheer that they might, and so on the morn
 Sir Launcelot took his leave, and bade Sir Meliot hie him to the
 court of my lord Arthur, for it draweth nigh to the Feast of
 Pentecost, and there by the grace of God ye shall find me.  And
 therewith they departed.