Roman van Lancelot

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Capitulum IV.

Soo it befelle that kynge Pelles had a nevewe, his name was Castor, and so he desyred of the kyng to be made knyghte, and so atte request of this Castor the kynge made hym knyghte at the feest of Candelmasse. And whanne syr Castor was made knyghte, that same day he gaf many gownes. And thenne sir Castor sente for the foole that was syr Launcelot. And when he was come afore syr Castor, he gaf sir Launcelot a Robe of scarlet and alle that longed unto hym. And whanne syr launcelot was soo arayed lyke a knyghte he was the semelyest man in alle the courte, and none so wel made. So whanne he sawe his tyme, he went in the gardyn. And there syre launcelot leid hym doune by a welle and slepte, And soo at after none dame Elayne and her maydens came in to the gardyn to playe them, and as they romed up and doun ane of dame Elayns maydens aspyed where laye a goodely man by the welle slepynge, and anone shewed hym to dame Elayne. Pees said dame Elayne, and saye no word, and thenne she broughte dame Elayne where he laye. And whan that she beheld hym, anone she felle in remembraunce of hym, and knewe hym veryly for syr launcelot, and there with alle she felle on wepyng soo hertely, that she sanke even to the erthe, and whanne she had thus wepte a grete whyle, thenne she aroos and called her maydens and said she was seke. And sho she yede out of the gardyn, and she wente streyghte to her fader, and there the toke hym a parte by her self, and thenne she said O fader now have I nede of your help, and but yf that ye helpe me, fare wel my good dayes for ever. What is that doughter said kyng Pelles. Sir she said thus is it in your gardyn, I went for to sporte, and there by the welle I fonde syr launcelot du lake slepyng. I may no bileve that said kyng Pelles. Syre she said truly he is there, and me semeth he shold be distracte oute of his witte, thenne hold yow stille said the kyng and lete me dele. Thenne the kyng called to hym suche as he most trusted a .iiii. persons and dame Elayn his douzter, and whan they cam to the welle and beheld syr launcelot, anone dame Brysen knewe hym. Sire said dame Brysen we muste be wyse how we dele with hym, for this knyghte is oute of his mynde, and yf

[p. LXI]

we awake hym rudely, what he wil doo we al knowe not. But ye sal abyde, and I shalle throwe suche an enchauntement upon hym, that he shal not awake within te space of an houre, and so she dyd.

Thenne within a lytel whyle after the kyng commaunded that all peple shold avoyde that none shold be in that way there as the kyng wold come, and soo whan this was done, these four men and these ladyes layd hand on syr launcelot, and soo they bare hym in to a Toure, and soo in to a chamber where was the holy vessel of the Sancgreal, and by force syr launcelot was leid by that holy vessel, and there came an holy man and unhylled that vessel, and soo by myracle and by vertu of that holy vessel syr launcelot was heled and recoverd. And whanne that he was awaked, he groned and syghed and complayned gretely, that he was passynge sore.