So they yede unto Arthur's lodging all together,and there was a great feast and great revel,and the prize was given unto Sir Launcelot;and by heralds they named him that he had smitten down fifty knights,and Sir Gareth five-and-thirty,and Sir Lavaine four-and-twenty knights.Then Sir Launcelot told the king and the queen how the lady huntress shot him in the forest of Windsor,in the buttock,with an broad arrow,and how the wound thereof was that time six inches deep,and in like long.Also Arthur blamed Sir Gareth because he left his fellowship and held with Sir Launcelot.My lord,said Sir Gareth,he made me a knight,and when I saw him so hard bestead,methought it was my worship to help him,for I saw him do so much,and so many noble knights against him;and when I understood that he was Sir Launcelot du Lake,I shamed to see so many knights against him alone.Truly,said King Arthur unto Sir Gareth,ye say well,and worshipfully have ye done and to yourself great worship;and all the days of my life,said King Arthur unto Sir Gareth,wit you well I shall love you,and trust you the more better.For ever,said Arthur,it is a worshipful knight's deed to help another worshipful knight when he seeth him in a great danger;for ever a worshipful man will be loath to see a worshipful man shamed;and he that is of no worship,and fareth with cowardice,never shall he show gentleness,nor no manner of goodness where he seeth a man in any danger,for then ever will a coward show no mercy;and always a good man will do ever to another man as he would be done to himself.So then there were great feasts unto kings and dukes,and revel,game,and play,and all manner of noblesse was used;and he that was courteous,true,and faithful,to his friend was that time cherished.
CHAPTER XXV
How true love is likened to summer.
AND thus it passed on from Candlemass until after Easter,that the month of May was come,when every lusty heart beginneth to blossom,and to bring forth fruit;for like as herbs and trees bring forth fruit and flourish in May,in like wise every lusty heart that is in any manner a lover,springeth and flourisheth in lusty deeds.For it giveth unto all lovers courage,that lusty month of May,in something to constrain him to some manner of thing more in that month than in any other month,for divers causes.For then all herbs and trees renew a man and woman,and likewise lovers call again to their mind old gentleness and old service,and many kind deeds that were forgotten by negligence.For like as winter rasure doth alway arase and deface green summer,so fareth it by unstable love in man and woman.For in many persons there is no stability;for we may see all day,for a little blast of winter's rasure,anon we shall deface and lay apart true love for little or nought,that cost much thing;this is no wisdom nor stability,but it is feebleness of nature and great disworship,whosomever useth this.Therefore,like as May month flowereth and flourisheth in many gardens,so in like wise let every man of worship flourish his heart in this world,first unto God,and next unto the joy of them that he promised his faith unto;for there was never worshipful man or worshipful woman,but they loved one better than another;and worship in arms may never be foiled,but first reserve the honour to God,and secondly the quarrel must come of thy lady:and such love I call virtuous love.
But nowadays men can not love seven night but they must have all their desires:that love may not endure by reason;for where they be soon accorded and hasty heat,soon it cooleth.Right so fareth love nowadays,soon hot soon cold:this is no stability.But the old love was not so;men and women could love together seven years,and no licours lusts were between them,and then was love,truth,and faithfulness:and lo,in like wise was used love in King Arthur's days.Wherefore I liken love nowadays unto summer and winter;for like as the one is hot and the other cold,so fareth love nowadays;therefore all ye that be lovers call unto your remembrance the month of May,like as did Queen Guenever,for whom I make here a little mention,that while she lived she was a true lover,and therefore she had a good end.
(Explicit liber Octodecimus.
And here followeth liber xix.)
