Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XIX CHAPTER VII

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 CHAPTER VII
 
 How Sir Launcelot answered for the queen, and waged battle
 against Sir Meliagrance; and how Sir Launcelot was
 taken in a trap
 
 
 WHAT array is this? said Sir Launcelot.  Then Sir Meliagrance
 told them what he had found, and showed them
 the queen's bed.  Truly, said Sir Launcelot, ye did not
 your part nor knightly, to touch a queen's bed while it
 was drawn, and she lying therein; for I dare say my lord
 Arthur himself would not have displayed her curtains, she
 being within her bed, unless that it had pleased him to
 have lain down by her; and therefore ye have done
 unworshipfully and shamefully to yourself.  I wot not
 what ye mean, said Sir Meliagrance, but well I am sure
 there hath one of her wounded knights lain by her this
 night, and therefore I will prove with my hands that she
 is a traitress unto my lord Arthur.  Beware what ye do,
 said Launcelot, for an ye say so, an ye will prove it, it
 will be taken at your hands.
 
 My lord, Sir Launcelot, said Sir Meliagrance, I rede
 you beware what ye do; for though ye are never so good
 a knight, as ye wot well ye are renowned the best knight
 of the world, yet should ye be advised to do battle in a
 wrong quarrel, for God will have a stroke in every battle.
 As for that, said Sir Launcelot, God is to be dread; but
 as to that I say nay plainly, that this night there lay none
 of these ten wounded knights with my lady Queen
 Guenever, and that will I prove with my hands, that ye
 say untruly in that now.  Hold, said Sir Meliagrance,
 here is my glove that she is traitress unto my lord,
 King Arthur, and that this night one of the wounded
 knights lay with her.  And I receive your glove, said Sir
 Launcelot.  And so they were sealed with their signets,
 and delivered unto the ten knights.  At what day shall
 we do battle together? said Sir Launcelot.  This day
 ight days, said Sir Meliagrance, in the field beside
 Westminster.  I am agreed, said Sir Launcelot.  But now, said
 Sir Meliagrance, sithen it is so that we must fight together,
 I pray you, as ye be a noble knight, await me with no
 treason, nor none villainy the meanwhile, nor none for
 you.  So God me help, said Sir Launcelot, ye shall right
 well wit I was never of no such conditions, for I report
 me to all knights that ever have known me, I fared never
 with no treason, nor I loved never the fellowship of no
 man that fared with treason.  Then let us go to dinner,
 said Meliagrance, and after dinner ye and the queen and
 ye may ride all to Westminster.  I will well, said Sir
 Launcelot.
 
 Then Sir Meliagrance said to Sir Launcelot:  Pleaseth
 it you to see the estures of this castle?  With a good
 will, said Sir Launcelot.  And then they went together
 from chamber to chamber, for Sir Launcelot dread no
 perils; for ever a man of worship and of prowess dreadeth
 least always perils, for they ween every man be as they
 be; but ever he that fareth with treason putteth oft a man
 in great danger.  So it befell upon Sir Launcelot that no
 peril dread, as he went with Sir Meliagrance he trod on
 a trap and the board rolled, and there Sir Launcelot fell
 down more than ten fathom into a cave full of straw;
 and then Sir Meliagrance departed and made no fare as
 that he nist where he was.
 
 And when Sir Launcelot was thus missed they marvelled
 where he was become; and then the queen and many of
 them deemed that he was departed as he was wont to do
 suddenly.  For Sir Meliagrance made suddenly to put
 away aside Sir Lavaine's horse, that they might all
 understand that Sir Launcelot was departed suddenly.  So it
 passed on till after dinner; and then Sir Lavaine would
 not stint until that he ordained litters for the wounded
 knights, that they might be laid in them; and so with the
 queen and them all, both ladies and gentlewomen and other,
 went unto Westminster; and there the knights told King
 Arthur how Meliagrance had appealed the queen of high
 treason, and how Sir Launcelot had received the glove of
 him:  And this day eight days they shall do battle afore
 you.  By my head, said King Arthur, I am afeard Sir
 Meliagrance hath taken upon him a great charge; but
 where is Sir Launcelot? said the king.  Sir, said they all,
 we wot not where he is, but we deem he is ridden to some
 adventures, as he is ofttimes wont to do, for he hath Sir
 Lavaine's horse.  Let him be, said the king, he will be
 founden, but if he be trapped with some treason.