Le Morte Darthur Book 12
Contents
Capitulum i
Capitulum ii
Capitulum iii
Capitulum iv
Capitulum v
Capitulum vi
Capitulum vii
Sir Parcival and Sir Ector arrive at the gates of lady Elayne's castle and challenge the "fayrest knight", "chevaler mal fett" (Launcelot), to a battle. None of them is able to defeat the other and Parcival, amazed at the "strange" knight's fighting power, asks him to tell them his name.
Capitulum viii
After Parcival has revealed his identity the knights finally realize their mistake. Launcelots adventures are told to Ector and Parcival.
love and fidelity: Sir Ector and Sir Parcival have been searching for Launcelot for two years. They were sent by the queen.
orders of knighthood: Launcelot has broken the orders of knighthood because he first refused to tell his name.
Capitulum ix
Sir Bors and Sir Lyonel arrive at the house of Brandegore where Bors' illegitimate son, Helyn le blank, lives. Bors wants to take him with him to king Arthur's court where he receives knighthood. Launcelot first refuses to return to the court, to serve king Arthur and, again, the orders of knighthood are broken. Only after having heard about the queen's "dole" Launcelot changes his mind and leaves his family (Elayne + Galahalt).
foreshadowing: Elayne predicts Galahalts future (knighthood): "he shal preve the best man of his kyn except one"
Capitulum x
The knights return to Camelot and tell about the adventures of Launcelot and why he was kept from returning to court ("he had ben oute of his mynde".
love and fidelity: The queen is weeping "as she shold have dyed" while listening to Launcelot's adventures. The knights all know that Launcelot was out of his mind because of his love to her.
Capitulum xi
After having spent to years of adventure Tristram returns to Isoud and finds out about Launcelot'S return to court and Tristram is called on to join the festivity by Isoud in order not to "forsake" his "worship".
love: A letter written by the queen was sent to Isoud in which she wrote to her "alle how it was for to requyre" Tristram "to seke" Launcelot.
kighthood: Obviously the order og knighthood are broken if a knight of the round table refuses to serve the king in order to be able to spend his time with his love.
Capitulum xii
Tristram leaves Isoud in order to return to Camelot. Being on his way he meets Sir Palomydes and challenges him to a fight but Palomydes declines to do to because Tristram is "unarmed" (he does not wear his armature).
knighthood: It is not bestowed to a knight to attack someone who is not armed properly (Palomydes: "[...] dishonour shal be myn")
christianty: Because of his noble manners Tristram wants to win Palomydes for christianity (Palomydes still is a heathen).
Capitulum xiii
Palomydes tells Tristram about his oath preventing him from being christianed (as he says he has to do "one batail" (only)) and Tristram challenges him after having lent the armature of Palomydes' former opponent.
Capitulum xiiii
The fighting starts and after two hours both knights feature wounds. Finally Palomydes' sword drops put of his hands due to the force of Tristram's strikes and Tristram abandons fighting. Now the knights seek the "suffrecan of Carleil that shalle gyue [Palomydes] the sacrament of baptym" before returning to king Arthur's court.
knighthood: Seeing Palomydes unarmed Tristram ends the fighting in order not to "slee ony knyghte that is wepenles".
