The Knight of the Cart
by
Chrétien de Troyes
A knight, Meleagant, arrives to King Arthur’s Court to boast
of the knights, ladies, and damsels he holds in captivity.
After a failed attempt to exchange the valor of one knight and Queen Guinevere for the captive subjects, Lancelot rides as a passenger in a prisoner’s cart enduring shame in an attempt to locate the Queen.
"The knight hesitated only for a couple of steps before getting in. Yet, it was unlucky for him that he shrank from the disgrace, and did not jump in at once; for he will later rue his delay. But common sense, which is inconsistent with love’s dictates, bids him refrain from getting in, warning him and counseling him to do and undertake nothing for which he may reap shame and disgrace. Reason, which dares thus speak to him reaches only his lips, but not his heart; but love is enclosed within his heart, bidding him and urging him to mount at once upon the cart. So he jumps in, since love will have it so, feeling no concern about the shame, since he is prompted by love’s commands."
Lancelot is forced to cross a "sword bridge" to gain entrance into
the land where Meleagant imprisons the Queen.
Meleagant and Lancelot battle for Queen Guinevere.
"The king sees his son so hard pressed that he is sorry for him and he pities him, and he will not deny him aid and assistance if possible; but if he wishes to proceed courteously, he must first beg the Queen’s permission. So he began to say to her: "Lady, since I have had you in my power, I have loved you and faithfully served and honoured you. I never consciously left anything undone in which I saw your honour involved; now repay me for what I have done. For I am about to ask you a favour which you should not grant unless you do so willingly. I plainly see that my son is getting the worst of this battle; I do not speak so because of the chagrin I feel, but in order that Lancelot, who has him in his power, may not kill him. Nor ought you to wish to see him killed; not because he has not wronged both you and him, but because I make the request of you: so tell him, please, to stop beating him. If you will, you can thus repay me for what I have done for you." "Fair sire, I am willing to do so at your request," the Queen replies; "had I mortal hatred for your son, whom it is true I do not love, yet you have served me so well that, to please you, I am quite willing that he should desist."
Lancelot sneaks into Queen Guinevere’s chamber to be
with the lady whom he loves and rescued.
"As soon as Lancelot saw the Queen leaning on the windowsill behind the great iron bars, he honoured her with a gentle salute. She promptly returned his greeting, for he was desirous of her, and she of him. Their talk and conversation are not of vulgar, tiresome affairs. They draw close to one another, until each holds the other’s hand. But they are so distressed at not being able to come together more completely, that they curse the iron bars. Then Lancelot asserts that, with the Queen’s consent, he will come inside to be with her, and that the bars cannot keep him out. And the Queen replies: "Do you not see how the bars are stiff to bend and hard to break? You could never so twist, pull or drag at them as to dislodge one of them." "Lady," says he, "have no fear of that. It would take more than these bars to keep me out. Nothing but your command could thwart my power to come to you. If you will but grant me your permission, the way will open before me. But if it is not your pleasure, then the way is so obstructed that I could not possible pass through." "Certainly," she says, "I consent.""
Everyone returns to King Arthur’s court, except Lancelot
who is held captive by Meleagant in a tower.
After escaping from the tower, Lancelot finally
fights and defeats his nemesis, Meleagant.