第23章 BOOK II(3)

AT that time there was a knight,the which was the king's son of Ireland,and his name was Lanceor,the which was an orgulous knight,and counted himself one of the best of the court;and he had great despite at Balin for the achieving of the sword,that any should be accounted more hardy,or more of prowess;and he asked King Arthur if he would give him leave to ride after Balin and to revenge the despite that he had done.Do your best,said Arthur,I am right wroth with Balin;I would he were quit of the despite that he hath done to me and to my court.Then this Lanceor went to his hostelry to make him ready.In the meanwhile came Merlin unto the court of King Arthur,and there was told him the adventure of the sword,and the death of the Lady of the Lake.Now shall I say you,said Merlin;this same damosel that here standeth,that brought the sword unto your court,I shall tell you the cause of her coming:she was the falsest damosel that liveth.Say not so,said they.She hath a brother,a passing good knight of prowess and a full true man;and this damosel loved another knight that held her to paramour,and this good knight her brother met with the knight that held her to paramour,and slew him by force of his hands.When this false damosel understood this,she went to the Lady Lile of Avelion,and besought her of help,to be avenged on her own brother.

CHAPTER V

How Balin was pursued by Sir Lanceor,knight of Ireland,and how he jousted and slew him.

AND so this Lady Lile of Avelion took her this sword that she brought with her,and told there should no man pull it out of the sheath but if he be one of the best knights of this realm,and he should be hard and full of prowess,and with that sword he should slay her brother.This was the cause that the damosel came into this court.I know it as well as ye.Would God she had not come into this court,but she came never in fellowship of worship to do good,but always great harm;and that knight that hath achieved the sword shall be destroyed by that sword,for the which will be great damage,for there liveth not a knight of more prowess than he is,and he shall do unto you,my Lord Arthur,great honour and kindness;and it is great pity he shall not endure but a while,for of his strength and hardiness I know not his match living.

So the knight of Ireland armed him at all points,and dressed his shield on his shoulder,and mounted upon horseback,and took his spear in his hand,and rode after a great pace,as much as his horse might go;and within a little space on a mountain he had a sight of Balin,and with a loud voice he cried,Abide,knight,for ye shall abide whether ye will or nill,and the shield that is to-fore you shall not help.When Balin heard the noise,he turned his horse fiercely,and said,Fair knight,what will ye with me,will ye joust with me?Yea,said the Irish knight,therefore come I after you.Peradventure,said Balin,it had been better to have holden you at home,for many a man weeneth to put his enemy to a rebuke,and oft it falleth to himself.Of what court be ye sent from?said Balin.I am come from the court of King Arthur,said the knight of Ireland,that come hither for to revenge the despite ye did this day to King Arthur and to his court.Well,said Balin,I see well I must have ado with you,that me forthinketh for to grieve King Arthur,or any of his court;and your quarrel is full simple,said Balin,unto me,for the lady that is dead,did me great damage,and else would I have been loath as any knight that liveth for to slay a lady.Make you ready,said the knight Lanceor,and dress you unto me,for that one shall abide in the field.Then they took their spears,and came together as much as their horses might drive,and the Irish knight smote Balin on the shield,that all went shivers off his spear,and Balin hit him through the shield,and the hauberk perished,and so pierced through his body and the horse's croup,and anon turned his horse fiercely,and drew out his sword,and wist not that he had slain him;and then he saw him lie as a dead corpse.

CHAPTER VI

How a damosel,which was love to Lanceor,slew herself for love,and how Balin met with his brother Balan.

THEN he looked by him,and was ware of a damosel that came riding full fast as the horse might ride,on a fair palfrey.And when she espied that Lanceor was slain,she made sorrow out of measure,and said,O Balin,two bodies thou hast slain and one heart,and two hearts in one body,and two souls thou hast lost.

And therewith she took the sword from her love that lay dead,and fell to the ground in a swoon.And when she arose she made great dole out of measure,the which sorrow grieved Balin passingly sore,and he went unto her for to have taken the sword out of her hand,but she held it so fast he might not take it out of her hand unless he should have hurt her,and suddenly she set the pommel to the ground,and rove herself through the body.When Balin espied her deeds,he was passing heavy in his heart,and ashamed that so fair a damosel had destroyed herself for the love of his death.Alas,said Balin,me repenteth sore the death of this knight,for the love of this damosel,for there was much true love betwixt them both,and for sorrow might not longer behold him,but turned his horse and looked toward a great forest,and there he was ware,by the arms,of his brother Balan.