¶ Capitulum iij
NOw fayre neuewe said the kynge vnto syr gawayn/ assaye ye for my loue / Sir he said sauf your good grace I shall not doo that / Sir sayd the kynge assaye to take the suerd and at my commaundement / Syre sayd Gawayne your commaundement I wille obeye / and ther with he took vp the suerd by the handels / but he myghte not stere hit/ I thanke yow said the kynge to syre Gawayne /
¶ My lord syr Gawayne said syr Laūcelot now wete ye wel this swerd shalle touche yow soo sore / that ye shalle wylle ye had neuer sette your hand therto for the best Castel of this realme / Syr he sayd I myghte not withsay myn vnkels wyll and commaundement / but whanne the kynge herd this he repented hit moche / and said vnto syr Percyual that he shold assaye for his loue / and he said gladly for to bere syr Gawayn felaushyp / and there with he sette his hand on the swerd/ and drewe hit strongly / but he myghte not meue hit / Thenne were there moo that durste be soo hardy to sette theire handes therto /
¶ Now maye ye goo to your dyner said syr kay vnto the kynge / for a merueillous aduenture haue ye sene / Soo the kynge and alle wente vnto the Courte / and euery knyghte knewe his owne place / and sette hym therin / and yonge man that were knyghtes serued them / Soo whan they were serued and alle seges fulfylled sauf only the syege perillous / Anon there befelle a merueillous aduenture / that alle the dores & wyndowes of the palays shut by them self / Not for thenne the halle was not gretely darked / and there with they abasshed both one and other /
¶ Thenne kynge Arthur spak fyrst and sayd by god fayre felawes & lordes we haue sene this daye merueyls / but or nyght I suppose we shal see gretter merueyls / In