Thou Sir Launcelot, there thou liest, that thou were never matched of earthly knight's hand. And thou were the courteoust knight that ever bare shield. And thou were the truest friend to thy lover that ever bestrad horse. And thou were the truest lover of a sinful man that ever loved woman. And thou were the kindest man that ever struck with sword. And thou were the goodliest person that ever came among press of knights. And thou were the meekest man and the gentlest that ever ate in hall among ladies. And thou were the sternest knight to thy mortal foe that ever put spear in the rest.
Sir Thomas Malory,
Morte d'Arthur (1485)
--Book XXI, ch. 13
Fn.: Roger Ascham said that "the whole pleasure of [Morte d'Arthur] standeth in two special points, in open manslaughter, and bold bawdry." That may be true, yet oddly, neither seems well represented here.
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