The Blue Flower [11]
a
horse; then to handle the shield and the spear, and both to
cut and to foin with the sword; and last of all in the laws of
honour and courtesy, whereby a man may rule his own spirit and
so obtain grace of God, praise of princes, and favour of fair
ladies.
"For this I tell thee," said Sir Lancelot, as they sat
together under an apple-tree, "there be many good fighters
that are false knights, breaking faith with man and woman,
envious, lustful and orgulous. In them courage is cruel, and
love is lecherous. And in the end they shall come to shame
and shall be overcome by a simpler knight than themselves; or
else they shall win sorrow and despite by the slaying of
better men than they be; and with their paramours they shall
have weary dole and distress of soul and body; for he that is
false, to him shall none be true, but all things shall be
unhappy about him."
"But how and if a man be true in heart," said Martimor,
"yet by some enchantment, or evil fortune, he may do an ill
deed and one that is harmful to his lord or to his friend,
even as Balin and his brother Balan slew each the other
unknown?"
"That is in God's hand," said Lancelot. "Doubtless he may
pardon and assoil all such in their unhappiness, forasmuch as
the secret of it is with him."
"And how if a man be entangled in love," said Martimor, "Yet
his love be set upon one that is not lawful for him to have? For
either he must deny his love, which is great shame, or else he
must do dishonour to the law. What shall he then do?"
At this Sir Lancelot was silent, and heaved a great sigh.
Then said he: "Rest assured that this man shall have sorrow
enough. For out of this net he may not escape, save by
falsehood on the one side, or by treachery on the other.
Therefore say I that he shall not assay to escape, but rather
right manfully to bear the bonds with which he is bound, and
to do honour to them."'
"How may this be?" said Martimor.
"By clean living," said Lancelot, "and by keeping himself
from wine which heats the blood, and by quests and labours and
combats wherein the fierceness of the heart is spent and
overcome, and by inward joy in the pure worship of his lady,
whereat none may take offence."
"How then shall a man bear himself in the following of a
quest?" said Martimor. "Shall he set his face ever forward,
and turn not to right, or left, whatever meet him by the way?
Or shall he hold himself ready to answer them that call to him,
and to succour them that ask help of him, and to turn aside from
his path for rescue and good service?"
"Enough of questions!" said Lancelot. "These are things
whereto each man must answer for himself, and not for other.
True knight taketh counsel of the time. Every day his own
deed. And the winning of a quest is not by haste, nor by hap,
but what needs to be done, that must ye do while ye are in the
way."
Then because of the love that Sir Lancelot bore to
Martimor he gave him his own armour, and the good spear
wherewith he had unhorsed many knights, and the sword that he
took from Sir Peris de Forest Savage that distressed all
ladies, but his shield he gave not, for therein his own
remembrance was blazoned. So he let make a new shield, and in
the corner was painted a Blue Flower that was nameless, and this
he gave to Martimor, saying: "Thou shalt name it when thou
hast found it, and so shalt thou have both crest and motto."
"Now am I well beseen," cried Martimor, "and my adventures are
before me. Which way shall I ride, and where shall I find them?"
"Ride into the wind," said Lancelot, "and what chance
soever it blows thee, thereby do thy best, as it were the
first and the last. Take not thy hand from it until it be
fulfilled. So shalt thou most quickly and worthily achieve
knighthood."
Then they embraced like brothers; and each bade other keep
him well; and Sir Lancelot in leather jerkin, with naked head,
but with his shield and sword, rode to the south toward
Camelot; and Martimor rode into the wind, westward, over the
hill.
horse; then to handle the shield and the spear, and both to
cut and to foin with the sword; and last of all in the laws of
honour and courtesy, whereby a man may rule his own spirit and
so obtain grace of God, praise of princes, and favour of fair
ladies.
"For this I tell thee," said Sir Lancelot, as they sat
together under an apple-tree, "there be many good fighters
that are false knights, breaking faith with man and woman,
envious, lustful and orgulous. In them courage is cruel, and
love is lecherous. And in the end they shall come to shame
and shall be overcome by a simpler knight than themselves; or
else they shall win sorrow and despite by the slaying of
better men than they be; and with their paramours they shall
have weary dole and distress of soul and body; for he that is
false, to him shall none be true, but all things shall be
unhappy about him."
"But how and if a man be true in heart," said Martimor,
"yet by some enchantment, or evil fortune, he may do an ill
deed and one that is harmful to his lord or to his friend,
even as Balin and his brother Balan slew each the other
unknown?"
"That is in God's hand," said Lancelot. "Doubtless he may
pardon and assoil all such in their unhappiness, forasmuch as
the secret of it is with him."
"And how if a man be entangled in love," said Martimor, "Yet
his love be set upon one that is not lawful for him to have? For
either he must deny his love, which is great shame, or else he
must do dishonour to the law. What shall he then do?"
At this Sir Lancelot was silent, and heaved a great sigh.
Then said he: "Rest assured that this man shall have sorrow
enough. For out of this net he may not escape, save by
falsehood on the one side, or by treachery on the other.
Therefore say I that he shall not assay to escape, but rather
right manfully to bear the bonds with which he is bound, and
to do honour to them."'
"How may this be?" said Martimor.
"By clean living," said Lancelot, "and by keeping himself
from wine which heats the blood, and by quests and labours and
combats wherein the fierceness of the heart is spent and
overcome, and by inward joy in the pure worship of his lady,
whereat none may take offence."
"How then shall a man bear himself in the following of a
quest?" said Martimor. "Shall he set his face ever forward,
and turn not to right, or left, whatever meet him by the way?
Or shall he hold himself ready to answer them that call to him,
and to succour them that ask help of him, and to turn aside from
his path for rescue and good service?"
"Enough of questions!" said Lancelot. "These are things
whereto each man must answer for himself, and not for other.
True knight taketh counsel of the time. Every day his own
deed. And the winning of a quest is not by haste, nor by hap,
but what needs to be done, that must ye do while ye are in the
way."
Then because of the love that Sir Lancelot bore to
Martimor he gave him his own armour, and the good spear
wherewith he had unhorsed many knights, and the sword that he
took from Sir Peris de Forest Savage that distressed all
ladies, but his shield he gave not, for therein his own
remembrance was blazoned. So he let make a new shield, and in
the corner was painted a Blue Flower that was nameless, and this
he gave to Martimor, saying: "Thou shalt name it when thou
hast found it, and so shalt thou have both crest and motto."
"Now am I well beseen," cried Martimor, "and my adventures are
before me. Which way shall I ride, and where shall I find them?"
"Ride into the wind," said Lancelot, "and what chance
soever it blows thee, thereby do thy best, as it were the
first and the last. Take not thy hand from it until it be
fulfilled. So shalt thou most quickly and worthily achieve
knighthood."
Then they embraced like brothers; and each bade other keep
him well; and Sir Lancelot in leather jerkin, with naked head,
but with his shield and sword, rode to the south toward
Camelot; and Martimor rode into the wind, westward, over the
hill.