Until 1934, Malory’s great Arthurian cycle was only known through Caxton’s edition; but in that year a manuscript was discovered in the Fellows’ Library of Winchester College which was soon recognised as an authoritative representation of Malory’s original.  Malory died in 1471, probably a prisoner as a result of his activities during the dynastic conflict known as the Wars of the Roses.  The Winchester manuscript dates from the end of the fifteenth century.

 Malory’s prose style, with its use of parataxis in preference to hypotaxis, points back to OE traditions; indeed several features which have been seen as radical in Malory’s style (such as the handling of direct and indirect speech, and the use of “collective” speech) can be directly paralleled in OE prose.

The language of the passage shows the steady advance of forms which are not yet found in Chaucerian texts and which are usual in later standard English; we may note for instance theyr THEIR, them THEM (cf. Ellesmere here, hem).  However, there are plenty of old-fashioned features, eg. the reversal of word-order after an initial adverbial (Than wente syr Bors THEN SIR BORS WENT).

The passage is taken from the last part of Malory’s cycle, when the fellowship of the Round Table is collapsing.  Sir Ector’s lament for Lancelot, whose love for Guinevere was a key factor in that collapse, is marked by a high degree of paratactic parallelism; the use of thou THOU may also be noted.

For a convenient text of the complete cycle, see E.Vinaver ed., Malory: Works (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1971).  The text given here differs little from the equivalent passage in Vinaver (1971: 725), except in a few details of punctuation, and a few letter-forms.

Glossed words are underlined in the text.

(1) And ryght thus as they were at theyr seruyce, there came syr Ector de Maris that had seuen yere sought al Englond, Scotlond and Walys, sekyng his brother syr Launcelot;  (2) and whan syr Ector herde suche noyse and lyghte in the quyre of Joyous Garde, he alyght and put his hors from hym and came into the quyre;  (3) and there he sawe men synge and wepe, and al they knewe syr Ector, but he knewe not them.  (4) Than wente syr Bors unto syr Ector and tolde hym how there laye his brother syr Launcelot, dede;  (5) and than syr Ector threwe hys shelde, swerde and helme from hym, and whan he behelde syr Launcelotts vysage he fyl doun in a swoun;  (6) and whan he waked it were harde ony tonge to telle the doleful complayntes that he made for his brother. (7) “A, Launcelot” he sayd, “thou were hede of al Cristen knyghtes; and now I dare say”, sayd syr Ector, “thou sir Launcelot, there thou lyest, that thou were never matched of erthely knyghtes hande;  (8) and thou were the curtest knyght that euer bare shelde;  (9) and thou were the truest frende to thy louar that euer bestrade hors, and thou were the trewest lover, of a synful man, that euer loued woman, and thou were the kyndest man that euer strake wyth swerde;  (10) and thou were the godelyest persone that euer cam emonge prees of knyghtes, and thou was the mekest man and the jentyllest that euer ete in halle emonge ladyes, and thou were the sternest knyght to thy mortal foo that euer put spere in the reeste.” (11) Than there was wepyng and dolour out of mesure.

(2) quyre - CHANCEL   (8) curtest - MOST COURTEOUS (9)  of a synful man - OF ALL SINFUL MEN   (10)  prees - PRESS OF BATTLE/ THRONG in the reeste - IN THE REST (ie. in the special armour-attachment used to support the lance in a charge).