Le Morte Darthur / by Syr Thomas Malory ; the original edition of William Caxton now reprinted and edited with an introduction and glossary by H. Oskar Sommer ; with an essay on Malory's prose style by Andrew Lang

Book Four

¶ Capitulū Primū

SOo after these questys of Syr Gawyne / Syre Tor / and kynge Pellinore / It felle so that Merlyn felle in a dottage on the damoisel that kyng Pellinore broughte to the Courte / and she was one of the damoysels of the lake that hyȝte Nyneue / But Merlyn wold lete haue her no rest but alweyes he wold be with her / And euer she maade Merlyn good chere tyl she had lerned of hym al maner thynge that she desyred and he was assoted vpon her that he myghte not be from her / Soo on a tyme he told kynge Arthur that he sholde not dure longe but for al his craftes he shold be put in the erthe quyck and

[leaf 60r] so he told the kynge many thynges that shold befalle / but alle wayes he warned the kynge to kepe wel his swerd and the scaubard / for he told hym how the swerd and the scaubard shold be stolen by a woman from hym that he most trusted / Also he told kynge Arthur that he shold mysse hym / yet had ye leuer than al your landes to haue me ageyne / A sayd the kynge / syn ye knowe of your aduenture puruey for hit / and put awey by your craftes that mysauenture / Nay said Merlyn it wylle not be / soo he departed from the kynge / And within a whyle the damoysel of the lake departed / and Merlyn wente with her euermore where some euer she wente / And oftymes merlyn wold haue had her pryuely awey by his subtyle craftes / thenne she made hym to swere that he shold neuer do none enchauntement vpon her yf he wold haue his wylle / And so he sware / so she and Merlyn wente ouer the see vnto the land of Benwyck there as kynge Ban was kynge that had grete warre ageynst kynge Claudas / and there Merlyn spake with kynge Bans wyf a fair lady and a good / and her name was Elayne / and there he sawe yonge Launcelot / there the quene made grete sorowe for the mortal werre þ^t kyng claudas made on her lord and on her landes / Take none heuynesse said Merlyn / for this same child within this xx yere shall reuenge yow on kynge Claudas that all Crystendom shalle speke of it And this same child shalle be the moost man of worship of the world / and his fyrst name is galahad / that knowe I wel said Merlyn / And syn ye haue confermed hym Launcelot / that is trouthe said the quene / his fyrst name was Galahad / O Merlyn said the quene shalle I lyue to see my sone suche a man of prowesse / ye lady on my parel ye shal see hit / and lyue many wynters after / And soo sone after the lady and Merlyn departed / and by the waye Merlyn shewed her many wondres / and cam in to Cornewaille / And alweyes Merlyn lay aboute the lady to haue her maydenhode / and she was euer passynge wery of hym / and fayne wold haue ben delyuerd of hym / for she was aferd of hym by cause he was a deuyls sone / and she coude not beskyfte hym by no meane /

¶ And soo on a tyme it happed that Merlyn shewed to her in a roche where as was a greete wonder / and wroughte by

[leaf 60v] enchauntement that wente vnder a grete stone / So by her subtyle wyrchynge she maade Merlyn to goo vnder that stone to lete her wete of the merueilles there / but she wroughte so ther for hym that he came neuer oute for alle the crafte he coude doo / And so she departed and lefte Merlyn /

¶ Capitulum Secundum

ANd as kynge Arthur rode to Camelot / and helde ther a grete feest with myrthe and Ioye / so soone after he retorned vnto Cardoylle / and ther cam vnto Arthur newe tydynges that the kynge of Denmarke and the kynge of Ireland that was his broder and the kynge of the vale and the kynge of Soleyse / and the kynge of the yle of Longtaynse al these fyue kynges with a grete hoost were entrid in to the lād of kynge Arthur and brente and slewe clene afore hem / both Cytees and castels that it was pyte to here /

¶ Allas sayd Arthur yet had I neuer reste one monethe syn I was crowned kyng of this land / Now shalle I neuer reste tyl I mete with tho kynges in a fayre feld / that I make myn auowe for my true lyege peple shalle not be destroyed in my defaulte / goo with me who wille and abyde who that wylle / thenne the kynge lete wryte vnto kynge Pellenore and prayd hym in alle haste to make hym redy with suche peple as he myght lyȝtlyest rere and hye hym after in al hast / All the Barons were pryuely wrothe / that the kynge wold departe so sodenly but the kynge by no meane wold abyde / but made wrytynge vnto them that were not there / and bad them hye after hym suche as were not at that tyme in the Courte / Thenne the kynge came to quene gweneuer and sayd lady make yow redy / for ye shall goo with me / for I may not longe mysse yow / ye shal cause me to be the more hardy / what auenture so befalle me / I wille not wete my lady to be in no ieopardy / Sire said she I am at your commaundement / and shalle be redy what tyme so ye be redy / So on the morne the kynge and the quene departed with suche felauship as they hadde / and came in to the Northe in to a forest besyde humber and there lodged hem

¶ Whanne the word & tydynge came vnto the fyue kynges

[leaf 61r] aboue sayd that Arthur was besyde humber in a foreste there was a knyght broder vnto one of the fyue kynges that gafe hem this counceille / ye knowe wel that syre Arthur hath the floure of Chyualrye of the world with hym as it is preued by the grete bataille he dyd with the xj kynges / And therfor hye vnto hym nyghte and daye tyl that we be nyghe hym / for the lenger he taryeth the bygger he is / and we euer the waiker And he is so couragyous of hym self that he is come to the felde with lytel peple / And therfore lete vs set vpon hym or day and we shalle slee doune of his knyghtes ther shal none escape

¶ Capitulum Tercium

UN to this counceille these fyue kynges assented / and so they passed forth with her hoost thorow Northwalis and came vpon Arthur by nyghte and sett vpon his hoost as the kynge and his knyghtes were in their pauelions kynge Arthur was vnarmed / and had leid hym to rest with hys quene Gweneuer / Sir said syr kaynus it is not good we be vnarmed /we shalle haue no nede said syre Gawayne and Syr Gryflet that laye in a lytel pauelione by the kynge / With that they herd a grete noyse and many cryed treson treson / Allas said kynge Arthur we ben bitrayed / Vnto armes felawes thenne he cryed / so they were armed anone at al poyntes / Thenne cam ther a wounded knyghte vnto the kynge & saide syr saue your self and my lady the quene for our hooste is destroyed and moche peple of ours slayne / Soo anone the kynge and the quene and the thre knyghtes took her horses & rode toward humber to passe ouer it / and the water was so rough that they were aferd to passe ouer / Now may ye chese sayd kynge Arthur whether ye wille abyde and take the aduentur on this syde / for and ye be taken / they wille slee yow / It were me leuer sayd the quene to dye in the water than to falle in your enemyes handes & there be slayne / And as they stode soo talkyng / syr kaynus sawe the fyue kynges comynge on horsbak by hem self alone with her speres in her handes euen toward hem / loo said syr kaynus yonder be the fyue kynges / lete vs go to them and matche hem / that were foly sayd sire gawayne / for we are but thre and they ben fyue that is trouthe said syre Gryflet / No force said syr kay I wille vndertake for two of

[leaf 61v] them / and thenne may ye thre vndertake for the other thre / and ther with al syr kay lete his hors renne as fast as he myghte and strake one of them thorow the shelde / and the body a fadom that the kynge felle to the erthe stark dede / That sawe syr Gawayne and ranne vnto another kyng so hard that he smote hym thurgh the body / And ther with all kyng Arthur ran to another / and smote hym thurgh the body with a spere that he fylle to the erthe dede / Thenne syr Gryflet ranne vnto the iiij kyng and gaf hym suche a falle that his neck brake / Anone syr kay ranne vnto the fyfthe kynge and smote hym so hard on the helme that the stroke clafe the helme and the hede to the erthe / that was wel stryken sayd kynge Arthur / and worshipfully hast thow hold thy promesse / therfor I shal honoure the / whyle that I lyue / and ther with all they set the quene in a barge in to humber / but alweyes quene gweneuer praysed syr kay for his dedes / and sayd what lady that ye loue / and she loue yow not ageyne she were gretely to blame / and amonge ladyes said the Quene I shalle bere youre noble fame / for ye spak a grete word and fulfylled it worshipfully and therwith the quene departed / Thenne the kyng and the thre knyghtes rode in to the forest / for there they supposed to here of them that were escaped / and there he fond the most party of his peple / and told hem all how the fyue kynges were dede / and therfore lete vs hold vs to gyders tyll it be day / and whan their hoost have aspyed that their chyuetayns be slayn they wille make suche dole that they shalle not mowe helpe hem self / and ryght so as the kynge said / so it was / for whan they fonde the fyue kynges dede / they made suche dole that they fell fro their horses / Ther with all cam kyng Arthur but with a fewe peple and slewe on the lyfte hand and on the ryght hand that wel nyhe ther escaped no man / but alle were slayne to the nombre of xxx M / And whan the bataille was all ended the kynge kneled doune and thanked god mekely / and thenne he sente for the quene and soone she was come / and she maade grete Ioye of the ouercomynge of that bataille

¶ Capitulum iiij

[leaf 62r]

THere with alle came one to kynge Arthur / and told hym that kyng Pellinore was within thre myle with a grete hoost / and he said / go vnto hym and lete hym vnderstande how we haue spedde / Soo within a whyle kynge Pellinore cam with a grete hoost / and salewed the peple and the kyng / and ther was grete ioye made on euery syde / Thenne the kyng lete serche how moche people of his party ther was slayne / And ther were founde but lytel past two honderd men slayne and viij knyȝtes of the table round in their pauelions Thenne the kynge lete rere and deuyse in the same place there as the batail was done a faire abbeye and endowed it wyth grete lyuelode and lete it calle the Abbey of la beale aduenture / but whanne somme of them cam in to their Countreyes ther of the fyue kynges were kynges and told hem how they were slayne / ther was made grete dole / And alle kynge Arthurs enemyes as the kynge of Northwales and the kynges of the North wyste of the bataille they were passynge heuy / and soo the kynge retorned vnto Camelot in hast / And whan he was come to Camelot / he called kynge Pellinore vnto hym & sayd ye vnderstand wel that we haue loste viij knyghtes of the best of the table round / and by your aduys we wille chese viij ageyne of the best we may fynde in this Courte / Syr said Pellinore / I shal counceille yow after my conceyte the best / there are in your Courte ful noble knyghtes bothe of old & yonge And therfor by myn aduys ye shal chese half of the old and half of the yonge / whiche be the old said kyng Arthur / Syre said kynge Pellinore me semeth that kynge Vryence that hath wedded your syster Morgan le fay and the kynge of the lake and syr Heruyse de reuel a noble knyght / and syr galagars the iiij / this is wel deuysed said kyng Arthur and right soo shal it be / Now whiche are the four yong knyȝtes said Arthur Syre saide Pellinore the fyrst is syr Gawayne your neuewe that is as good a knyght of his tyme / as ony is in this lād And the second as me semeth best is syre Gryflet le fyse the dene that is a good knyght and ful desyrous in armes / and who may see hym lyue he shal preue a good knyghte / And the thyrd as me semeth is wel to be one of the knyghtes of the round table syr kay the senescha [sic] for many tymes he hath done

[leaf 62v] ful worshipfully / And now at your last bataille he dyd full honourably for to vndertake to slee two kynges / By my hede said Arthur he is best worthy to be a knyght of the rounde table of ony that ye haue reherced / and he had done no more prowesse in his lyf dayes

¶ Capitulum Quintum

NOw said kynge Pellenore I shalle putte to yow two knyghtes / and ye shalle chese whiche is moost worthy / that is Syr Bagdemagus and syr Tor my sone / But by cause Syre Tor is my sone I may not prayse hym / but els and he were not my sone / I durst saye that of his age ther is not in this land a better knyghte than he is nor of better condycions and lothe to doo ony wronge / and loth to take ony wronge / By my hede said Arthur he is a passyng good knyght / as ony ye spak of this day that wote I wel said the kyng / for I haue sene hym preued but he seyth lytyll and he doth moche more / for I knowe none in al this courte & he were as wel borne on his moder syde as he is on your syde that is lyke hym of prowesse and of myghte / And therfor I wille haue hym at this tyme and leue syr Bagdemagus tyll another tyme / Soo whan they were so chosen by the assente of alle the barons / Soo were there founden in her syeges euery knyghtes names that here are reherced / and so were they set in their syeges / wherof syr Bagdemagus was wonderly wrothe that syr Tor was auaunced afore hym / and therfore sodenly he departed from the Courte and toke his squyer with hym / & rode longe in a forest tyll they came to a crosse and there alyȝt and sayd his prayers deuoutely / The meane whyle his squyer founde wryten vpon the crosse that Bagdemagus shold neuer retorne vnto the Courte ageyne / tyll he had wonne a knyȝtes body of the round table body for body / lo syr said his squyer / here I fynde wrytyng of yow / therfor I rede yow retorne ageyne to the Courte / that shalle I neuer said Bagdemagus by men speke of me grete worship / and that I be worthy to be a knyghte of the round table / and soo he rode forthe / And ther by the way he founde a braūche of an holy herbe that was the sygne of the Sancgraill / and no knyght founde suche tokens but he were a good lyuer / So as sir Bagdemagus rode

[leaf 63r] to see many aduentures / it happed hym to come to the roche / ther as the lady of the lake had put Merlyn vnder the stone / and there he herde hym make grete dole / wherof syre Bagdemagus wold haue holpen hym and wente vnto the grete stone / and he was so heuy that an C men myght not lyfte hyt vp / whan Merlyn wyste he was there he bad leue his labour / for al was in vayne / for he myght neuer be holpen but by her that put hym ther / and so Bagdemagus departed and dyd many auentures and preued after a full good knyght / and came ageyne to the Courte and was made knyght of the round table / So on the morne ther felle newe tydynges and other auentures

¶ Capitulum Sextum

THenne it befelle that Arthur and many of his knyghtes rode on huntynge in to a grete forest / and it happed kyng Arthur / kynge Vryens and syr Accolon of gaulle folowed a grete herte for they thre were wel horsed / and soo they chaced so fast that within a whyle they thre were thenne x myle from her felauship / And at the last they chaced so sore that they slewe theyr horses vndernethe them / thenne were they al thre on foote / and euer they sawe the herte afore them passynge wery and enbusshed / What wille we doo said kyng arthur we are hard bestad / lete vs goo on foote said kyng Vryens tyl we may mete with some lodgynge / Thenne were they ware of the herte that lay on a grete water banke / and a brachet bytynge on his throte and mo other houndes cam after / Thenne kynge Arthur blewe the pryse and dyghte the herte / Thenne the kynge loked aboute the world / and sawe afore hym in a grete water a lytel ship al apparailled with sylke doune to the water / and the shyp cam ryghte vnto hem and lāded on the sandes / Thenne Arthur wente to the banke & loked in / and sawe none erthely creature therin / Sirs said the kyng come thens / and lete vs see what is in this ship / Soo they wente in al thre and founde hit rychely behanged with clothe of sylke / By thenne it was derke nyghte / and there sodenly were aboute them an C torches sette vpon alle the sydes of the shyp bordes and it gaf grete lyghte / And ther with all there

[leaf 63v] cam out twelue fayr damoysels and salewed kynge Arthur on her knees and called hym by his name / and sayd he was ryght welcome / and suche chere as they had he shold haue of the best / the kynge thanked hem fayre / There with all they lad the kyng and his two felawes in to a faire chambre / and ther was a clothe leyd rychely bysene of al that longed vnto a tabel / and there were they serued of al wynes and metes that they coude thynke / of that the kynge had grete merueille / for he ferd neuer better in his lyf as for one souper / And so when they had souped at her leyser / kyng Arthur was ledde vnto a chamber / a rycher besene chamber sawe he neuer none / and soo was kynge Vryens serued / and ledde in to suche another chābyr / and syr Accolon was ledde in to the thyrd chamber passynge rychely and wel bysene / and so were they layde in theire beddes easyly / And anone they felle on slepe / and slepte merueillously sore all the nyght / And on the morowe kynge Vryens was in Camelott abed in his wyues armes Morgan le fay / And whan he awoke / he had grete merueylle / how he cam there / for on the euen afore he was two dayes Iourney frō Camelot / And whan kyng Arthur awoke he found hym self in a derke pryson herynge aboute hym many complayntes of woful knyghtes

¶ Capitulum Septimum

WHat are ye that soo complayne said kynge Arthur / we ben here xx knyghtes prysoners sayd they / & some of vs haue layne here seuen yere and somme more and somme lasse / for what cause sayd Arthur / we shalle telle yow said the knyghtes / this lord of this castel his name is syr Damas / & he is the falsest knyght that lyueth / and ful of treason / and a very coward as ony lyueth / and he hath a yonger broder a good knyghte of prowesse / his name is syr Ontzlake / and this traytour Damas the elder broder wylle gyue hym noo parte of his lyuelode / But as syre Ontzlake kepeth thorow prowesse of his handes / and so he kepeth from hym a ful fair maner and a ryche and therin syre Ontzlake dwelleth worshipfully / and is wel biloued of al peple / & this syre Damas our maister is as euyll beloued for he is without mercy / and

[leaf 64r] he is acoward / and grete werre hath ben betwyxe them bothe / but Ontzlake hath euer the better / and euer he profereth syre Damas to fyghte for the lyuelode body for body / but he wylle not doo / other els to fynde a knyghte to fyghte for hym / Vnto that syr Damas hath graunted to fynde a knyghte / but he is so euyll byloued and hated / that there nys neuer a knyghte wylle fyghte for hym / And whan Damas sawe this that ther was neuer a knyght / wold fyghte for hym / he hath daily layn a wayte with many knyghtes with hym / and taken alle the knyghtes in this countrey to see and aspye her auentures / he hath taken hem by force and broughte hem to his pryson / and so he tooke vs seueratly as we rode on oure auentures / & many good knyȝtes haue dyed in this pryson for hongre to the nombre of xviij knyghtes / And yf ony of vs alle that here is or hath ben wold haue foughten with his broder Ontzlake / he wold haue delyuerd vs / but for by cause this Damas is so fals and so ful of treason we wold neuer fyghte for hym to dye for it / And we be soo lene for hongre that vnnethe we may stande on oure feete / god delyuer yow for his mercy sayd Arthur / Anone there with alle ther cam a damoysel vnto Arthur / and asked hym what chere / I can not say sayd he / sir sayd she and ye wylle fyghte for my lord ye shall be delyuerd oute of pryson / and els ye escape neuer the lyf / Now sayd Arthur that is hard / yet had I leuer to fyghte with a knyght than to dye in pryson / With this said Arthur I may be delyuerd and alle these prysoners I wylle doo the batail / yes said the damoysel / I am redy sayd Arthur and I had hors and armour / ye shalle lacke none said the damoysel / Me semeth damoysel I shold haue sene yow in the Courte of Arthur / Nay said the damoysel I cam neuer there / I am the lordes doughter of this castel / yet was she fals for she was one of the damoysels of Morgan le fay / Anone she wente vnto syr Damas and told hym how he wold doo bataille for hym / and so he sente for Arthur / And whan he cam he was wel coloured and wel made of his lymmes / that al knyȝtes that sawe hym said it were pyte that suche a knyghte shold dye in pryson / soo syr Damas and he were agreed that he shold fyghte for hym vpon this couenaūt that all other knyghtes shold be delyuerd

[leaf 64v] And vnto that was syr Damas sworne vnto Arthur / and also to doo the bataille to the vttermest / And with that all the xx knyghtes were brought oute of the derke pryson in to the halle and delyuerd / and so they all abode to see the bataille

¶ Capitulum Octauum

NOw torne we vnto Accolon of Gaulle that whanne he awoke / he found hym self by a depe welle syde within half a foote in grete perylle of dethe / And there cam oute of that fontayne a pype of syluer / and oute of that pype ranne water all on hyhe in a stone of marbel / whan syre Accolon sawe this / he blessyd hym and sayd Ihesu saue my lorde kyng Arthur and kynge Vryens / for these damoysels in this ship haue bitrayed vs / they were deuyls and noo wymmen / And yf I may escape this misauenture / I shalle destroye all where I may fynde these fals damoysels that vsen enchaūtementys /

¶ Ryght with that ther cam a dwarf with a grete mouthe & a flat nose and salewed syre Accolon and said how he came from Quene Morgan le fay / and she greteth yow wel / and byddeth yow be of strong herte / for ye shal fyȝte to morne with a knyghte at the houre of pryme / And therfore she hath sente yow here Excalibur Arthurs swerd and the scaubard / and she byddeth yow as ye loue her that ye doo batail to the vttermest without ony mercy lyke as ye had promysed her whā ye spake to gyder in pryuete / And what damoysel that bryngeth her the knyghtes hede whiche ye shal fyghte with al / she wille make her a quene / Now I vnderstand yow wel sayd Accolon / I shalle holde that I haue promysed her now I haue the swerd / whan sawe ye my lady Quene Morgan le fay Ryghte late sayd the dwarf / thenne Accolon tooke hym in his armes / and said recommaunde me vnto lady Quene / and telle her all shal be done that I haue promysed her / and els I wille dye for hit / Now I suppose said Accolon she hath made alle these craftes and enchauntement for this bataille / ye may wel bileue it said the dwarf / Ryȝt so there cam a knyghte and a lady with syxe squyers / and salewed Accolon / and prayd hym for to aryse and come and reste hym at his

[leaf 65r] maner / and so Accolon mounted vpon a voyde hors / & wente with the knyghte vnto a fayre maner by a pryory / and there he had passynge good chere / Thenne sir Damas sente vnto his broder syr Ontzelake / and badde make hym redy by to morne at the houre of pryme / and to be in the felde to fyghte wyth a a good knyght / for he had founden a good knyght that was redy to doo bataill at all poyntes / whan this word cam vnto sir Ontzelake / he was passyng heuy / for he was wounded a lytel to fore thorow bothe his thyes with a spere / and made grete dole / But as he was wounded he wold haue taken the bataille on hand / Soo it happed at that tyme by the meanes of Morgan le fay Accolon was with syr Ontzelake lodged / and whan he herd of that bataille and how Ontzelake was woūded / he sayd that he wold fyghte for hym by cause Morgan le fey had sente hym Excalibur and the shethe for to fyȝte with the knyght on the morne / This was the cause syr Accolon toke the bataille on hand / thenne syre Ontzelake was passynge glad / and thāked syr Accolon with alle his herte that he wold do so moche for hym / & ther with al syr Ontzelake sente word vnto his broder syre Damas / that he had a knyȝte þ^t for hym shold be redy in the felde by the houre of pryme / Soo on the morne syr Arthur was armed and wel horsed / and asked syr Damas whan shalle we to the felde / syr said syr Damas ye shalle here masse / and so Arthur herd a masse / And whan masse was done / there cam a squyer on a grete hors & asked syr Damas yf his knyght were redy / for oure knyght is redy in the felde / Thenne syre Arthur mounted vpon horsbak / & there were alle the knyghtes and comyns of that countrey / & so by alle aduyses ther were chosen xij good men of the countrey for to wayte vpon the two knyghtes / And ryght as Arthur was on horsbak / ther cam a damoisel from Morgan le fey and broughte vnto syr Arthur a swerd lyke vnto Excalibur / and the scaubard / and sayd vnto Arthur Morgan le fey sendeth here your swerd for grete loue / and he thanked her / & wende it had ben so / but she was fals / for the swerd and the scaubard was counterfeet & brutyll and fals

¶ Capitulum ix

[leaf 65v]

ANd thenne they dressyd hem on bothe partyes of the felde / & lete their horses renne so fast that eyther smote other in the myddes of the shelde / with their speres hede / that bothe hors and man wente to the erthe / And thenne they sterte vp bothe / and pulled oute their swerdys / the meane whyle that they were thus at the bataille cam the damoysel of the lake in to the felde / that put Merlyn vnder the stone / & she cam thydder for loue of kynge Arthur / for she knewe how Morgan le fay had soo ordeyned / that kynge Arthur shold haue ben slayne that daye / and therfor she cam to saue his lyf And so they went egrely to the bataille / and gaf many grete strokes / but alweyes Arthurs swerd bote not lyke Accolon swerd / But for the most party euery stroke that Accolon gaf he wounded sore Arthur / that it was merueylle he stode / And alweyes his blood fylle from hym fast / whan Arthur beheld the ground so sore bebledde he was desmayed / and thenne he demed treason that his swerd was chaunged / for his swerd boote not styl as it was wonte to do / therfor he dredde hym sore to be dede / for euer hym semed that the swerd in Accolons hand was Excalibur / for at euery stroke that Accolon stroke he drewe blood on Arthur / Now knyghte said Accolon vnto Arthur kepe the wel from me / but Arthur ansuerd not ageyne / and gaf hym suche a buffet on the helme that he made hym to stoupe nygh fallynge doune to the erthe / Thenne syr Accolon withdrewe hym a lytel / and cam on with Excalibur on hyghe / and smote syr Arthur suche a buffet that he felle nyhe to the erthe / Thenne were they wroth bothe / and gaf eche other many sore strokes / but alweyes syr Arthur lost so moche blood that it was merueille he stode on his feet / but he was soo ful of knyghthode that knyghtly he endured the payne / And syr Accolon lost not a dele of blood / therfor he waxt passynge lyghte / and syr Arthur was passynge feble / and wende veryly to haue dyed / but for al that he made countenaunce as though he myghte endure / and helde Accolon as shorte as he myght / But Accolon was so bolde by cause of Excalibur that he waxed passynge hardy / But alle men that beheld hym sayd they sawe neuer knyghte fyghte so wel as Arthur dyd consyderyng the blood that he bled / Soo was all the peple sory for

[leaf 66r] hym / but the two bretheren wold not accorde / thene alweyes they sought to gyders as fyers knyghtes / and syre Arthur withdrewe hym a lytel for to reste hym / and syre Accolon called hym to bataille and said it is no tyme for me to suffre the to reste / And therwith he cam fyersly vpon Arthur / and syre Arthur was wrote for the blood that he had lost / and smote Accolon on hyhe vpon the helme soo myȝtely that he made hym nyhe to falle to the erthe / And therwith Arthurs swerd brast at the crosse and felle in the grasse amonge the blood and the pomel and the sure handels he helde in his handes / When syr arthur sawe that / he was in grete fere to dye / but alweyes he helde vp his shelde and lost no ground nor bated no chere /

¶ Capitulum x

THene syre Accolon beganne with wordes of treason and sayd knyghte thow arte ouercome / and maxste not endure and also thow arte wepenles / and thow hast loste moche of thy blood / and I am ful lothe to slee the / therfor yelde the to me as recreaunt / Nay saide syre Arthur I maye not so / for I haue promysed to doo the bataille to the vttermest by the feythe of my body whyle me lasteth the lyf / and therfor I had leuer to dye with honour than to lyue with shame / And yf it were possyble for me to dye an C tymes I had leuer to dye so ofte / than yelde me to the / for though I lacke wepen / I shalle lacke no worship / And yf thow slee me wepenles that shalle be thy shame / wel sayd Accolon as for the shame I wyl not spare / Now kepe the from me for thow arte but a dede mā And therwith Accolon gaf hym suche a stroke that he felle nyghe to the erthe / and wolde haue had Arthur to haue cryed hym mercy / But syre Arthur pressed vnto Accolon with his sheld / and gaf hym with the pomel in his hand suche a buffet that he went thre strydes abak / whan the damoisel of the lake beheld arthur / how ful of prowesse his body was & the fals treson that was wrouȝt for hym to haue had hym slayn she had grete pyte that so good a knyȝt & suche a mā of worship shold so be destroyed / And at the next stroke syr Accolon stroke hym suche a stroke that by the damoysels enchauntement the swerd Excalibur felle out of Accolons hande to the erthe / And therwith alle Syre Arthur lyghtely lepte to hit / and gate hit

[leaf 66v] in his hand / and forthwith al he knewe that it was his suerd Excalibur / & sayd thow hast ben from me al to long / & moche dommage hast thow done me / & ther with he aspyed the scaubard hangynge by his syde / and sodenly he sterte to hym and pulled the scaubard from hym and threwe hit fro hym as fer as he myghte throwe hit / O knyghte saide Arthur this daye hast thow done me grete dommage with this swerd / Now are ye come vnto your dethe / for I shalle not waraunt yow but ye shalle as wel be rewarded with this swerde or euer we departe as thow hast rewarded me / for moche payne haue ye made me to endure / and moche blood haue I lost / And therwith syr Arthur russhed on hym with alle his myghte and pulled hym to the erthe / and thēne russhed of his helme / and gaf hym suche a buffet on the hede that the blood cam oute at his eres / his nose & his mouthe / Now wylle I slee the said Arthur / Slee me ye may wel said Accolon and it please yow / for ye ar the best knyghte that euer I fonde / and I see wel that god is with yow / But for I promysed to do this batail said Accolon to the vttermest and neuer to be recreaunt whyle I lyued therfore shal I neuer yelde me with my mouthe / but god doo with my body what he wyll /

¶ Thenne syr Arthur remembrid hym and thoughte he shold haue sene this knyghte / Now telle me said Arthur or I wylle slee the / of what coūtrey art thou and of what courte / Syre knyghte sayd syr Accolon I am of the courte of kynge Arthur / & my name is Accolon of gaulle Thenne was Arthur more desmayed than he was before hand For thenne he remembryd hym of his syster Morgan le fay / and of the enchauntement of the ship / O syre knyghte sayd he I pray yow telle me who gaf yow this swerd and by whom ye had it /

¶ Capitulum xj

THenne syre Accolon bethouȝte hym and said wo worth this swerd / for by hit haue I geten my dethe / it may wel be / said the kynge / Now syre said Accolon I wil telle yow this swerd hath ben in my kepynge the moost party of this twelue moneth / And Morgan le fay kynge Vryens wyf sente it me yester daye by a dwerf to this entente that I shold slee kynge Arthur her broder / For ye shall vnderstand

[leaf 67r] entente to slee kyng Arthur her broder / for ye shal vnderstand kynge Arthur is the man in the world that she moost hateth by cause he is moost of worship and of prowesse of ony of her blood / Also she loueth me oute of mesure as paramour / and I her ageyne / And yf she myghte brynge aboute to slee Arthur by her craftes / she wold slee her husband kynge Vryens lyghtely / And thenne hadde she me deuysed to be kyng in this land / and soo to regne / and she to be my quene / but that is now done saide Accolon / for I am sure of my dethe wel sayd syre Arthur / I fele by yow ye wold haue ben kynge in this land / It had ben grete dommage to haue destroyed your lord sayd Arthur / it is trouth said Accolon / but now I haue told yow trouthe / wherfore I praye yow telle me of whens ye are and of what courte / O Accolon sayd kynge Arthur now I lete the wete / that I am kynge Arthur to whome thow haste done grete dommage / Whanne Accolon herd that / he cryed on lowde fayre swete lord haue mercy on me / for I knewe not yow / O syr Accolon sayd kynge Arthur mercy shalt thow haue / by cause I fele by thy wordes at this tyme / thow knowest not my persone / But I vnderstand wel by thy wordes that thow hast agreed to the dethe of my persone / and therfore thow arte a traytour / but I wyte the the lasse / for my syster Morgan le fay by her fals craftes made the to agree and consente to her fals lustes / but I shalle be sore auengyd vpon her and I lyue that alle Crystendome shalle speke of it / god knoweth / I haue honoured her and worshipped her more than alle my kynne / and more haue I trusted her than myn owne wyf and alle my kynne after /

¶ Thenne syr Arthur called the kepars of the felde and said Syrs cometh hyder / for here are we two knyghtes that haue foughten vnto a grete dommage vnto us both / and lyke echone of vs to haue slayne other / yf it had happed soo / And hadde ony of vs knowen other / here had ben no bataille / nor stroke stryken

¶ Thenne al a lowde cryed Accolon vnto alle the knyghtes and men that were thēne there gadred to gyder / and sayd to them in this manere / O lordes this noble knyghte that I haue foughten with all / the whiche me sore repenteth is the mooste man of prowesse of manhode and of

[leaf 67v] worship in the world / for it is hym self kynge Arthur our al ther liege lord & with myshap and with mysaūeture have I done this bataill with the kyng and lord that I am holden with all

¶ Capitulum xij

THenne alle the peple felle doune on her knees and cryed kynge Arthur mercy / mercy shalle ye haue sayd Arthur / here maye ye see what auentures befallen oftyme of erraunte knyghtes how that I haue foughten with a knyght of myn owne vnto my grete dommage and his bothe / But syrs by cause I am sore hurte and he bothe / and I had grete nede of a lytel rest / ye shalle vnderstande the oppynyon betwixe yow two bretheren as to the syre Damas / for whom I haue ben champyon and wonne the feld of this knyghte / yet wylle I Iuge by cause ye syre Damas are called an orgulous knyghte and full of vylony and not worthe of prowesse of youre dedes / therfor I wylle that ye gyue vnto your broder alle the hole manoir with the appertenaūce vnder thys forme / that sir Ontzelake hold the manoir of yow / and yerely to gyue yow a palfrey to ryde vpon / for that wylle become yow better to ryde on than vpon a courser / Also I charge the syre Damas vpon payne of deth / that thow neuer destresse no knyȝtes erraunte that ryde on their aduenture / And also that thow restore these xx knyghtes that thow hast longe kepte prysoners of all their harneis that they be content for / and yf ony of hem come to my court and complayne of the / by my hede thou shalt dye therfore / Also syre Ontzelake as to yow by cause ye are named a good knyghte and ful of prowesse and true and gentyl in all your dedes this shalle be youre charge I wylle gyue yow that in al goodely haste ye come vnto me and my courte and ye shalle be a knyghte of myne / and yf your dedes be there after I shall so proferre yow by the grace of god that ye shalle in shorte tyme be in ease for to lyue as worshipfully as your broder syre Damas / God thanke your largenesse of your goodenes & of your bounte / I shall be from hens forward at all tymes at your commaundement / For syr said syr Ontzelake as god wold as I was hurte but late with an aduentures knyght thurgh both my thyes that greued me sore / & els

[leaf 68r] had I done this bataille with yow / god wold sayd Arthur it had ben so / for thenne had not I ben hurte as I am / I shalle telle you the cause why / for I had not ben hurte as I am hadde not ben myne owne swerd / that was stolen from me by treason / And this bataille was ordeyned afore hand to haue slayne me / and so it was brouȝte to the purpos by fals treason and by fals enchauntement / Allas said syr Ontzelake that is greete pyte that euer soo noble a man as ye are of your dedes and prowesse / that ony man or woman myȝt fynde in their hertes to worche ony treason ageynst yow / I shalle reward them said Arthur in short tyme by the grace of god Now telle me said Arthur how fer am I from Camelot / syr ye are two dayes iourney ther fro / I wold fayn be at some place of worship said syr Arthur that I myghte reste me / Syre said syr Ontzelake / here by is a ryche abbey of your elders foūdacyon of Nonnes but thre myle hens / So the kynge took his leue of alle the peple / and mounted vpon horsbak / and sir Accolon with hym / And whan they were come to the Abbaye / he lete fetche leches and serche his woundes and Accolons bothe / but syr Accolon dyed within four dayes / for he had bled soo moche blood that he myghte not lyue / but kyng Arthur was wel recouerd / Soo whan Accolon was dede / he lete sende hym on a horsbere with syxe knyghtes vnto Camelot / and said / bere hym to my syster Morgan le fay / and say that I sende her hym to a presente / and telle her I haue my swerd Excalibur and the scaubard / soo they departed with the body

¶ Capitulum xiij

THe meane whyle Morgan le fay hadde wend kynge Arthur had been dede / soo on a day she aspyed kynge Vryens lay in his bedde slepynge / thenne she called vnto her a mayden of her counceyll / & said go fetche me my lordes swerd for I sawe neuer better tyme to slee hym than now /

¶ O Madame sayd the damoysel / and ye slee my lord ye can neuer escape / Care not yow said Morgan le fay / for now I see my tyme in the whiche it is best to doo hit / And therfor hye the fast and fetche me the suerd / Then̄e the damoisel departed

[leaf 68v] fonde syre Vwayne slepynge vpon a bedde in another chamber soo she wente vnto sire Vwayne and awaked hym / and badde hym aryse and wayte on my lady youre moder / for she wille slee the kynge your fader slepynge in his bedde / for I goo to fetche his swerd / wel said syr Vwayne go on your waye / and lete me dele / Anone the damoysel brought Morgan the swerd with quakynge handes / and lyghtely took the swerd / & pulled it out / and wente boldely vnto the beddes syde / and awayted how and where she myght sle hym best / And as she lyfte vp the swerd to smyte / sir Vwayne lepte vnto his moder and caughte her by the hand and sayd A fende what wilt thow do And thow were not my moder with this swerd I shold smyte of thy hede / A sayd syr Vwayn men saith that Merlyn was begoten of a deuylle / but I may saye an erthely deuylle bare me / O fayre sone Vwayne haue mercy vpon me / I was tempted with a deuylle / wherfore I crye the mercy / I wylle neuer more doo soo and saue my worship and discouer me not / On this couenaunt said syr Vwayne I wille forgyue it yow / soo ye wille neuer be aboute to doo suche dedes / Nay sone said she / & that I make yow assuraunce /

¶ Capitulum xiiij

THenne came tydynges vnto Morgan le fay that Accolon was dede / and his body brought vnto the chirche And how kynge Arthur had his swerd ageyne / But whanne Quene Morgan wyste that Accolon was dede / she was soo sorouful that nere hir herte to brast / But by cause she wold not it were knowen / oute ward she kepte her countece naun / & maade no semblaunt of sorowe / But wel she wyste and she abode tyll her broder Arthur cam thyder / there shold no gold goo for her lyf

¶ Thenne she wente vnto Quene Gweneuer / and asked her leue to ryde in to the countreye / ye maye abyde sayde Quene Gweneuer tyll youre brother the kynge come home / I maye not sayde Morgan le fay / for I haue suche hasty tydynges / that I may not tary / wel saide Gueneuer ye maye departe

[leaf 69r] whanne ye wille / Soo erly on the morne or hit was daye she tooke her hors and rode alle that daye and mooste parte of the nyghte / And on the morn by none she cam to the same Abbay of Nonnes / where as lay kyng arthur / & she knowyng he was there she asked where he was / And they ansuerd how he had leyd hym in his bed to slepe / for he had had but lytel reste these thre nyghtes / Wel said she I charge yow that none of yow awake hym tyl I doo / and thenne she alyghte of her hors / & thoughte for to stele awey Excalibur his swerd / and soo she wente streyghte vnto his chamber / And noo man durste dysobeye her commaundement / and there she fond Arthur a slepe in his bedde and Excalibur in his ryght hand naked / Whan she sawe that she was passynge heuy that she myghte not come by the swerd withoute she had awaked hym / and thenne she wyst wel she had ben dede / Thenne she tooke the scaubard and wente her wey on horsbak / whan the kynge awoke and myssed his scaubard / he was wrothe / and he asked who had ben there / and they said his syster quene Morgan had ben ther and had put the scaubard vnder her mantel and was gone / Allas sayd Arthur falsly ye haue watched me / Syre sayd they alle we durste not disobeye your systers commaundement A said the kynge lete fetche the best hors maye be founde / And byd syre Ontzlake arme hym in al hast / and take another good hors and ryde with me / Soo anone the kynge and Ontzelake were wel armed / and rode after this lady / and soo they cam by a crosse and found a Cowherd / and they asked the poure man yf ther cam ony lady rydynge that way / Syre said this poure man / ryght late cam a lady rydynge with a xl horses / and to yonder forest she rode / Thenne they spored theire horses / and folowed fast / And within a whyle Arthur had a syghte of Morgan le fay / thenne he chaced as fast as he myghte / whanne she aspyed hym folowynge her / she rode a gretter paas thorowe the forest tyl she cam to a playne / And whanne she sawe she myghte not escape she rode vnto a lake ther by / & sayd what soo euer come of me / my broder shall not haue this scaubard / And thenne she lete throwe the scauberd in the depest of the water soo it sanke / for it was heuy of gold and precious stones

¶ Thenne she rode in to a valeye

[leaf 69v] where many grete stones were / And whan she sawe she muste be ouertake she shope her self hors and man by enchauntemēt vnto a grete marbyl stone / Anone with al cam Syr Arthur / and syr Ontzelake where as the kynge myght knowe his syster and her men / and one knyght from another / A sayd the kynge here may ye see the vengeaunce of god / & now am I sory that this mysauenture is befalle / & thenne he loked for the scaubard / but it wold not be founde / so he retorned to the Abbeye there he came fro / So whan Arthur was gone / she torned alle in to the lykenesse as she and they were before / and sayd syrs now may we goo where we wylle /

¶ Capitulum xv

THenne said Morgan sawe ye Arthur my broder / ye said her knyghtes ryght wel / and that ye shold haue founde and we myghte haue stered from one stede / for by his armyuestal contenaunce he wold haue caused vs to have fled I byleue yow said Morgan / Anone after as she rode she met a knyght ledyng another knyȝt on his hors before hym bounde hand and foote blyndefeld to haue drouned hym in a fontayne / whan she sawe this knyȝt so boūde / she asked hym what wylle ye doo with that knyght / lady said he I wylle drowne hym / for what cause she asked / for I fonde hym with my wyf and she shalle haue the same dethe anone / that were pyte sayd Morgan le fay / Now what saye ye knyȝt is it trouthe þ^t he saith of yow she said to the knyght that shold be drowned / nay truly madame he seith not ryght on me / Of whens be ye sayd Morgan le fay and of what countre / I am of the Courte of kynge Arthur / and my name is Manassen cosyn vnto Accolon of gaulle / ye say wel said she / and for the loue of hym ye shalle be delyuerd / and ye shalle haue your aduersary in the same caas ye be in / So Manessen was losed & the other knyght bounde / And anone Manessen vnarmed hym and armed hym self in his harneis / and soo mounted on horsbak / and the knyght afore hym and soo threwe hym in to the fontayne and drowned hym / And thenne he rode vnto Morgan ageyne / & asked yf she wold ony thyng vnto kynge Arthur / Telle hym that I rescued the / not for the loue of hym but for the loue of Accolon / and telle hym I fere hym not whyle I can make me

[leaf 70r] and them that ben with me in lykenes of stones / And lete hym wete I can doo more whan I see my tyme / And so she departed in to the countrey of Gorre / and there was she rychely receyued / and maade her castels and townes passynge stronge / for alweyes she drad moche kynge Arthur / Whanne the kynge had wel rested hym at the Abbey he rode vnto Camelot / and fonde his quene and his barons ryght glad of his comynge / And whan they herd of his straunge auentures as is afore reherced / they alle hadde merueille of the falshede of Morgan le fay / many knyghtes wysshed her brent / thenne cam Manessen to courte and told the kyng of his auenture / well said the kynge she is a kynde syster / I shalle soo be auengid on her and I lyue / that alle Crystendome shalle speke of hit / So on the morne ther cam a damoisel from Morgan to the kynge and she brought with her the rychest mantel that euer was sene in that Courte / for it was sette as ful of precious stones as one myght stand by another / and there were the rychest stones that euer the kynge sawe / And the damoysel saide youre syster sendeth yow this mantel / and desyreth that ye shold take this gyfte of her / And in what thyng she hath offended you she wille amende it at youre owne pleasyr / whan the kyng beheld this mantel it pleasyd hym moche / but he said but lytel

¶ Capitulum xvj

WYth that came the damoysel of the lake vnto the kyng and said syr I must speke with yow in pryuyte / say on said the kynge what ye wille / Syr sayd the damoysel put not on yow this mantel tyl ye haue sene more / and in no wyse lete it not come on yow nor on no knyghte of yours tyl ye commaunde the brynger thereof to put it vpon her / wel said kynge Arthur / It shalle be done as ye counceille me / And thenne he said vnto the damoysel that cam fro his sister / damoisel this mantel that ye haue brought me I wille see it vpon yow / syr she said / it wille not biseme me to were a kynges garment / by my hede said Arthur / ye shalle were it or it come on my bak or ony mans that here is / and so the kyng made it to be putt vpon her / And forth with al she felle doune dede / and neuer more

[leaf 70v] spake word after and brente to coles / Thenne was the kyng wonderly wrothe more than he was to fore hand / and sayd vnto kynge Vryens my syster your wyf is alwey aboute to bytraye me / and wel I wote outher ye or my neuewe youre sone is of counceille with her to haue me destroyed / But as for yow said the kyng to kynge Vryens I deme not gretely that ye be of her counceill / For Accolon confessyd to me by his own mouth that she wold haue destroyed yow as wel as me ther for I hold yow excused / But as for your sone Syr Vwayn I hold hym suspect / therfore I charge yow put hym oute of my courte / So syr Vwayne was discharged / And whanne Syr Gawayne wyst that he made hym redy to go with hym / & said who so bannyssheth my cosyn germayn / shal bannysshe me Soo they two departed / and rode in to a grete forest / and soo they came to an Abbay of Monkes / and ther were wel lodged But whanne the kynge wyst that syr Gawayne was departed from the Courte / ther was made grete sorowe amonge alle the estates / Now sayd Gaherys Gawayns broder we haue lost two good knyghtes for the loue of one / So on the morne they herd their masses in the abbay / and so they rode forth tyl that they came to a grete forest / thenne was syr Gawayne ware in a valey by a turret xij fayre damoysels / and two knyghtes armed on grete horses / and the damoysels wente to and fro by a tree / And thenne was syr Gawayne ware how ther henge a whyte shelde on that tree / And euer as the damoysels cam by it / they spytte vpon it / and some threwe myre vpon the sheld /

¶ Capitulum xvij

THenne syr Gawayne and syr Vwayne wente and salewed them / and asked why they dyd that despyte to the shelde / Syrs saiden the damoysels / we shalle telle yow / There is a knyght in this coūtrey that oweth this whyte sheld and he is a passyng good man of his handes / but he hateth al ladyes and gentylwymmen / and therfor we doo alle this despyte to the shelde / I shall say yow said syr gawayne / hit bysemeth euylle a good knyghte to despyse all ladyes and gentil wymmen / And parauentur though he hate yow he hath somme

[leaf 71r] And parauenture he loueth in somme other places ladyes and gentylwymmen / and to be loued ageyne / and he be suche a mā of prowesse as ye speke of / Now what is his name / syr sayd they / his name is Marhaus the kynges sone of Irelond I knowe hym wel sayd syre Vwayne / he is a passynge good knyght as ony is on lyue / for I sawe hym ones preued at a Iustes where many knyghtes were gadered / and that tyme ther myghte no man withstande hym / A sayd syr Gawayne Damoysels me thynketh ye are to blame / for hit is to suppose / he that henge that sheld ther / he wille not be longe ther fro / & thenne may tho knyghtes matche hym on horsbak / and that is more your worship than thus / For I wille abyde no lenger to see a knyghtes sheld dishonoured / And therwith syre Vwayne and Gawayne departed a lytel fro them / And thenne were they ware where syre Marhaus cam rydynge on a grete hors streyghte toward them / And whanne the xij damoysels sawe syr Marhaus they fled in to the turret as they were wylde so that somme of them felle by the wey / Thenne the one of the knyghtes of the Toure dressid his shelde and said on hyghe syr Marhaus defende the / and soo they ranne to gyders that the knyȝt brake his spere on Marhaus / & Marhaus smote hym so hard that he brake his neck and the hors back / That sawe the other knyght of the turret and dressyd hym toward Marhaus / and they mette so egrely to gyders that the knyght of the Turret was soone smyten doune hors and man stark dede /

¶ Capitulum xviij

[As listed in the table of contents, chapters xviij and xix go together, and there is no chapter break between them in the text.]

ANd thenne syre Marhaus rode vnto his shelde / and sawe how it was defowled / and sayd of this despyte I am a parte auengyd / But for her loue that gaf me this whyte shelde I shalle were the / and hange myn where thow was and soo he hanged it aboute his neck / Thenne he rode streyght vnto syr Gawayn and to syr Vwayne / and asked them what they dyd there / They ansuerd hym that they cam from kynge Arthurs courte for to see auentures / wel sayd syre Marhaus here am I redy an auentures knyghte that wille fulfylle ony

[leaf 71v] aduenture that ye wylle desyre / And soo departed fro them / to fetche his raunge / lete hym goo seid syr Vwayn vnto syre Gawayne / for he is a passynge good knyghte as ony is lyuynge / I wold not by my wille that ony of vs were matched with hym / Nay said sir Gawayne not so / it were shame to vs were he not assayed were he neuer soo good a knyghte / wel said syr Vwayne I wylle assaye hym afore yow / for I am more weyker than ye / And yf he smyte me doune / thenne may ye reuenge me / soo these two knyghtes cam to gyders with grete raundon that syr Vwayne smote syr Marhaus that his spere braste in pyeces on the shelde / and Syre Marhaus smote hym so sore that hors and man he bare to the erthe / and hurte syre Vwayne on the lyfte syde / Thenne syr Marhaus torned his hors and rode toward Gawayne with his spere / and when syr Gawayne sawe that / he dressid his sheld / and they auentryd their speres / and they cam to gyders with alle the myȝte of their horses / that eyther knyght smote other so hard in myddes of theyr sheldes / but syr Gawayns spere brak / but sir marhaus spere helde / And therwith syre Gawayne and his hors russhed doune to the erthe / And lyghtly syre Gawayne rose on his feet / and pulled out his swerd / and dressyd hym toward syr Marhaus on foote / and syr marhaus sawe that / and pulled oute his fwerd / and beganne to come to syr Gawayne on horsbak / Syre knyght said syr gawayn alyȝte on foote or els I wylle slee thy hors / gramercy sayd syr Marhaus of youre gentylnes ye teche me curtosye / for hit is not for one knyȝt to be on foote / and the other on horsbak / & therwith syr Marhaus sette his spere ageyne a tree and alyghte and tayed his hors to a tree / and dressid his shelde / and eyther cam vnto other egerly / and smote to gyders with her swerdes that her sheldes flewe in cantels / and they brysed their helmes and their hauberkes and wounded eyther other / but Syre gawayne fro it passed ix of the clok waxed euer stronger and stronger / for thenne hit cam to the houre of noone & thryes his myghte was encreaced / Alle this aspyed syr Marhaus and had grete wonder how his myghte encreaced / and so they wounded other passynge sore / And thenne whan it was past noone / and whan it drewe toward euensonge syre gawayns strengthe febled &

[leaf 72r] waxt passynge faynte that vnnethes he myght dure ony lenger / and syr Marhaus was thenne bygger and bygger / syre knyght said syr Marhaus / I haue wel felt that ye are a passynge good knyghte and a merueyllous man of myghte as euer I felt ony / whyle hit lasteth / And oure quarels are not grete / and therfor it were pyte to doo yow hurte / for I fele ye are passynge feble / A said syr Gawayn gentyl knyghte ye say the word that I shold say / And therwith they took of theire helmes / and eyther kyssed other / and there they swore to gyders eyther to loue other as bretheren / And syr Marhaus prayd syr gawayn to lodge with hym that nyghte / And so they toke theyr horses / and rode toward syr Marhaus hous / And as they rode by the wey / syr knyghte said syr gawayne I haue merueylle that so valyaunt a man as ye be loue no ladyes ne damoysels / Syre sayd syr marhaus they name me wrongfully tho that gyue me that name / but wel I wote it ben the damoyseles of the Turret that so name me and other suche as they be / Now shalle I telle yow for what cause I hate them / For they be sorceresses and enchaunters many of them / & be a knyȝt neuer so good of his body and ful of prowesse as man may be / they wille make hym a stark coward to haue the better of hym / and this is the pryncipal cause that I hate them & to al good ladyes and gentyl wymmen I owe my seruyse as a knyght ouȝte to do / As the book reherceth in frensshe ther were many knyghtes that ouermatched syr gawayne for alle the thryes myghte that he had / Syr Launcelot de lake / syr Trystrams / syr Bors de ganys / syr Percyuale / syr Pellias & syr Marhaus / these sixe knyȝtes had the better of sir gawayn Thenne within a lytel whyle they cam to syr Marhaus place / whiche was in a lytel pryory / and there they alyghte and ladyes and damoysels vnarmed them / and hastely loked to theyr hurtes / for they were all thre hurte / and so they had all thre good lodgynge with syr Marhaus and good chere / for whan he wyst that they were kynge Arthurs syster sones / he maade them al the chere that lay in his power / and so they soiourned there a vij nyghte / and were wel easyd of their woundes and at the last departed / Now said syre Marhaus we wylle not departe soo lyȝtely / for I wylle brynge you thorow the forest

[leaf 72v] And rode daye by day wel a seuen dayes or they fond ony auenture / At the last they cam in to a grete forest that was named the countreye and foreste of Arroy and the countrey of straunge auentures / In this countrey sayd syr Marhaus cam neuer knyghte syn it was crystened / but he fonde straunge auentures / and soo they rode / and cam in to a depe valey ful of stones / and ther by they sawe a fayr streme of water / aboue ther by was the hede of the streme a fayr fontayne / & thre damoysels syttynge therby / And thenne they rode to them / and eyther salewed other / and the eldest had a garland of gold aboute her hede / and she was thre score wynter of age / or more and her here was whyte vnder the garland / The second damoysel was of thyrtty wynter of age with a serkelet of gold aboute her hede / The thyrd damoysel was but xv yere of age / and a garland of floures aboute her hede / when these knyghtes had soo beholde them / they asked hem the cause why they sat at that fontayne / we be here sayd the damoysels for thys cause / yf we may see ony erraunt knyghtes to teche hem vnto straunge auentures / and ye be thre knyghtes that seken auentures and we be thre damoysels / and therfore eche one of yow must chese one of vs / And whan ye haue done soo / we wylle lede yow vnto thre hyhe wayes / and there eche of yow shal chese a wey and his damoysel with hym / And this day twelue monethe ye must mete here ageyn / and god sende yow your lyues / and there to ye must plyȝte your trouthe / this is wel said sayd syr Marhaus

¶ Capitulum xx

NOw shalle eueryche of vs chese a damoysel / I shalle telle yow sayd syre Vwayne I am the yongest and moost weykest of yow bothe / therfor I wyl haue the eldest damoysel / for she hath sene moche and can best helpe me whan I haue nede / for I haue moost nede of helpe of yow bothe / Now said syr Marhaus I wyll haue the damoysel of thyrtty wynter age for she falleth best to me / wel sayd syre gawayne / I thanke yow for ye haue lefte me the yongest and the fayrest / and she is moost leuest to me / Thenne euery damoysel tooke her

[leaf 73r] knyght by the raynes of his brydel / and broughte him to the thre wayes / and there was their othe made to mete at the fontayne that day twelue moneth and they were lyuynge / and soo they kyst and departed / and eueryche knyghte sette his lady behynd hym / and syr Vwayne took the wey that lay west And syr Marhaus took the wey that lay southe / and syr gawayne took the weye that laye northe / Now wylle we begynne at syr gawayne that helde that wey tyll that he cam vnto a fayre manoir where dwellyd an old knyghte & a good housholder / and there syr Gawayn asked the knyght yf he knewe ony auentures in that countrey / I shalle shewe yow somme to morne sayd the old knyghte / and that merueyllous / Soo on the morne they rode in to the forest of aduentures tyl they cam to a launde / and ther by they fond a crosse / and as they stode and houed / ther cam by them the fayrest knyght and the semelyest man that euer they sawe / makynge the grettest dole that euer man made / And thenne he was ware of syr gawayn and salewed hym and praid god to sende hym moche worship / As to that said syr gawayn gramercy / Also I praye to god that he send yow honour and worship / A said the knyghte I may laye that on syde / for sorowe and shame cometh to me after worship /

¶ Capitulum xxj

ANd ther with he passed vnto the one syde of the launde / And on the other syde sawe syr Gawayne & knyȝtes that houed styll and make hem redy with her sheldes and speres ageynst that one knyght that cam by syr gawayn / Thenne this one knyght auentryd a grete spere / and one of the x knyghtes encountred with hym / but this woful knyght smote hym so hard that he felle ouer his hors taylle / So this same dolorous knyȝt serued hem al / that at the lest way he smote doune hors and man / and alle he dyd with one spere / and soo whan they were all x on fote / they wente to that one knyght / and he stode stone styll / and suffred hem to pulle hym doune of his hors / and bound hym hande and foote / and tayed hym vnder the hors bely / and so ledde hym with hem / O Ihesu

[leaf 73v] sayd syr gawayne this is a dooleful syghte / to see the yonder knyghte so to be entreted / and it semeth by the knyght that he suffreth hem to bynde hym soo / for he maketh no resystence / Noo said his hoost that is trouthe / for and he wold they al were to weyke soo to doo hym / Syr said the damoyfel vnto syr Gawayn / me semeth hit were your worship to helpe that dolorous knyghte / for me thynketh he is one of the best knyghtes that euer I sawe / I wold doo for hym sayd syre gawayn but hit semeth he wylle haue no helpe / thenne sayd the damoysel me thynketh ye haue no luste to helpe hym / Thus as they talked they sawe a knyȝte on the other syde of the launde al armed sauf the hede / And on the other syde ther cam a dwerf on horsbak all armed sauf the hede with a grete mouthe / and a shorte nose / And whan the dwerf came nyghe he said where is the lady shold mete vs here / and ther with all she came forth out of the wood / And thenne they began to stryue for the lady / For the knyghte sayd he wold haue her / & the dwerf said he wold haue her / Wylle we doo wel sayd the dwerf / yonder is a knyht at the crosse / lete vs put it bothe vpon hym / and as he demeth so shalle it be / I wylle wel said the knyght / and so they wente all thre vnto syre gawayn and told hym wherfor they strofe / wel syrs said he wylle ye put the mater in my hand / ye they sayd both / Now damoysel sayd syr gawayn ye shal stande betwixe them both / and whether ye lyst better to go to / he shal haue yow / And whan she was sette bitwene them both she left the knyghte and wente to the dwerf / and the dwerf took her and wente his waye syngynge / and the knyghte wente hys wey with grete mornyng / Thenne cam ther two knyghtes all armed and cryed on hyghe Syre gawayn / knyghte of kynge Arthurs make the redy in al hast and Iuste with me / soo they ranne to gyders that eyther felle doune / and thenne on foote they drewe their swerdes and dyd ful actually / the mene whyle the other knyghte wente to the damoysel / and asked her / why she abode with that knyghte / and yf ye wold abyde with me / I wylle be your feythful knyghte and with yow wylle I be said the damoysel / for with syr Gawayn I may not fynde in myn herte to be with hym / For now here was one knyȝt scomfyte x knyghtes / And at the laste he was cowardly led

[leaf 74r] awey / and therfore lete vs two goo whylest they fyghte / and syre Gawayne fought with that other knyght longe / but at the last they accorded both / And thenne the knyght prayd syr gawayn to lodge with hym that nyghte / Soo as syre Gawayn wente with this knyghte he asked hym what knyghte is he in this countrey that smote doune the ten knyghtes / for whan he had done so manfully he suffred hem to bynde hym hand and foote / and soo ledde hym away / A sayd the knyghte that is the best knyght I trowe in the world / and the moost man of prowesse / and he hath be serued soo as he was ēne more than x tymes / and his name hyghte syr Pelleas / and he loueth a grete lady in this countrey and her name is Ettard / and so when he loued her there was cryed in this country a greete Iustes thre dayes / And alle the knyghtes of this countrey were there and gentylwymmen / And who that preued hym the best knyght shold haue a passyng good swerd and a Serklet of gold and the serklet the knyght shold gyue hit to the fayrest lady that was at the Iustes / And this knyghte syre Pelleas was the best knyghte that was there / and there were fyue honderd knyghtes / but there was neuer man that euer syre Pelleas met with al / but he stroke hym doune or els from his hors / And euery day of thre dayes he strake doune twenty knyghtes / therfore they gaf hym the pryse / & forthe with all he wente there as the lady Ettard was / and gaf her the serklet / & said openly / she was the fayrest lady that ther was / & that wold he preue vpon ony knyghte that wold say nay /

¶ Ca xxij

ANd soo he chose her for his souerayne lady / & neuer to loue other but her / but she was so proude that she had scorne ef hym and sayd that she wold neuer loue hym thouȝ he wold dye for her / wherfor al ladyes and gentylwymmen hadde scorne of her that she was so proude / for there were fayrer than she / & ther was none that was ther but & sir Pelleas wold haue proferd hem loue they wold haue loued hym for his noble prowesse / & so this knyȝt promysed the lady ettard to folowe her in to this coūtrey / & neuer to leue her tyl she loued hym / & thus he is here the moost party nyghe her and lodged by a pryory / and euery weke she sendeth knyghtes to fyȝte with hym / And whan he hath put hem to the wers than wylle

[leaf 74v] he suffre hem wylfully to take hym prysoner by cause he wold haue a syghte of this lady / And alweyes she doth hym grete despyte / for some tyme she maketh her knyghtes to taye hym to his hors taylle and some to bynd hym vnder the hors bely Thus in the moost shamefullest wyse that she can thynke he is broughte to her / And alle she doth hyt for to cause hym to leue this countreye and to leue his louynge / But all this can not make hym to leue / for and he wold haue foughte on foote he myghte haue had the better of the ten knyghtes as wel on foote as on horsbak / Allas sayd syr gawayn it is grete pyte of hym / And after this nyghte I wylle seke hym to morowe in this forest to doo hym alle the helpe I can / So on the morne syr gawayne tooke his leue of his hoost syre Carados and rode in to the forest / And at the last he mette with syr Pelleas makyng grete moone oute of mesure / so eche of hem salewed other / and asked hym why he made suche sorowe / And as it is aboue reherced / syre Pelleas told syre Gawayne / but alweyes I suffre her knyghtes to fare soo with me as ye sawe yesterdaye in truste at the last to wynne her loue / for she knoweth wel alle her knyghtes shold not lyghtely wynne me / and me lyste to fyghte with them to the vttermest / Wherfore and I loued her not so sore I hadde leuer dye an honderd tymes / and I myght dye soo ofte rather than I wold suffre that despyte / but I truste she wylle haue pyte vpon me at the laste / for loue causeth many a good knyght to suffre to haue his entent / but allas I am vnfortunate / And ther with he maade soo grete dole & sorowe that vnnethe he myghte holde hym on horsback

¶ Now sayd syre gawayne leue your mornynge and I shalle promyse yow by the feythe of my body to doo alle that lyeth in my power to gete yow the loue of your lady / and ther to I wylle plyte yow my trouthe / A sayd syr Pelleas of what Courte are ye telle me I praye yow my good frend / And thenne syr gawayne sayd I am of the courte of kynge Arthur / and his susters sone / and kynge Lott of Orkeney was my fader / and my name is syre Gawayne / And thenne he sayd my name is Syre Pelleas borne in the Iles / and of many Iles I am lord / and neuer haue I loued lady nor damoysel tyl now in an vnhappy tyme / and syr

[leaf 75r] knyghte syn ye are soo nyghe cosyn vnto kynge Arthur and a kynges sone / therfor bytraye me not but helpe me / for I may neuer come by her but by somme good knyghte / for she is in a stronge castel here fast by within this four myle / and ouer all this countrey she is lady of / And so I may neuer come to her presence / but as I suffre her knyghtes to take me / and but yf I dyd so that I myghte haue a syghte of her I had ben dede long or this tyme / and yet fayre word had I neuer of her / but whā I am brought to fore her she rebuketh me in the fowlest maner / And thenne they take my hors and harneis and putten me oute of the yates / and she wylle not suffre me to ete nor drynke / and alweyes I offre me to be her prysoner / but that she wylle not suffre me / for I wold desyre no more what paynes so euer I had / soo that I myȝte haue a syghte of her dayly / wel sayd syr gawayne / Al this shalle I amende and ye wylle do as I shal deuyse / I wylle haue your hors and your armour / and so wylle I ryde vnto her castel and telle her that I haue slayne yow / and soo shal I come withynne her to cause her to cherysshe me / And thenne shalle I do my true parte that ye shalle not faylle to haue the loue of her

¶ Capitulum xxiij

ANd there with syr Gawayne plyghte his trouthe vnto syr Pelleas to be true and feythful vnto hym / soo eche one plyghte their trouthe to other / and soo they chaunged horses and harneis / and sire Gawayn departed / and came to the castel where as stoode the pauelions of this lady withoute the yate / And as soone as Ettard had aspyed syr Gawayn she fledde in toward the castel / syr Gawayn spak on hyghe / and badde her abyde / for he was not syre Pelleas / I am another knyghte that haue slayne syr Pelleas / doo of youre helme said the lady Ettard that I maye see your vysage / And soo whan she sawe that it was not syr Pelleas / she made hym alyghte / and ledde hym vnto her castel / and asked hym feythfully / whether he had slayne syr Pelleas / and he sayd her ye / and told her his name was syre gawayn of the courte of kynge Arthur and his syster sone / Truly sayd she that is grete pyte for he was a passynge good knyghte of his body / but

[leaf 75v] of al men on lyue I hated hym moost / for I coude neuer be quyte of hym / And for ye haue slayne hym / I shalle be your woman and to doo ony thynge that myghte please yow / Soo she made syr Gawayne good chere / Thenne syr gawayn sayd that he loued a lady / and by no meane she wold loue hym / She is to blame sayd Ettard and she wylle not loue yow / for ye that be soo wel borne a man and suche a man of prowesse / there is no lady in the world to good for yow / wylle ye sayd syre Gawayne promyse me to doo alle that ye maye by the feythe of youre body to gete me the loue of my lady / ye syre sayd she / and that I promyse yow by the feythe of my body / Now sayd syre Gawayne it is your self that I loue so wel / therfore I praye yow hold your promyse / I maye not chese sayd the lady Ettard / but yf I shold be forsworne / and soo she graunted hym to fulfylle alle his desyre /

¶ Soo it was thenne in the moneth of May that she and syre Gawayn wente oute of the castel and souped in a pauelione / and there was made a bedde / and there syre gawayne and the lady Ettard wente to bedde to gyders / and in another pauelione she layd her damoysels / and in the thyrd pauelione she leyd parte of her knyghtes / for thenne she had no drede of syr Pelleas / And there syre gawayn lay with her in that pauelione two dayes and two nyghtes / And on the thyrd day in the mornyng erly syr Pelleas armed hym / for he hadde neuer slepte syn syr Gawayn departed from hym / for syr Gawayne had promysed hym by the feythe of hys body to come to hym vnto his pauelione by that pryory within the space of a daye and a nyghte

¶ Thenne syre Pelleas mounted vpon horsbak / and cam to the pauelions that stode without the castel / and fonde in the fyrst pauelione thre knyghtes in thre beddes / and thre squyers lyggynge at theire feet / thenne wente he to the seconde pauelione & fond four gentyl wymmen lyenge in four beddes / & thenne he yede to the thyrd pauelion & fond syr gawayn lyggyng in bedde with his lady Ettard & eyther clyppyng other in armes / and whan he sawe that his herte wel nyghe brast for sorou / & said Allas that euer a knyȝt shold be founde so fals / and thēne he took his hors & myȝt not abyde no lenger for pure sorowe / And whanne he hadde ryden

[leaf 76r] nyghe half a myle he torned ageyne and thoughte to slee hem bothe / And whanne he sawe hem bothe soo lye slepynge faste / vnnethe he myght holde hym on horsbak for sorowe / and sayd then to hym self / though this knyght be neuer soo fals I wyl neuer slee hym slepynge / For I wylle neuer destroye the hygh ordre of knyghthode / and therwith he departed ageyne And or he hadde ryden half a myle he retorned ageyne / and thoughte thenne to slee hem bothe / makynge the grettest sorou that euer man made / And whanne he came to the pauelions / he tayed his hors vnto a tree / and pulled oute his swerd naked in his hand / and wente to them there as they lay / and yet he thought it were shame to slee them slepynge / and layd the naked swerd ouerthwart bothe their throtes / and soo tooke his hors and rode his awaye

¶ And whanne syre Pelleas came to his pauelions he told his knyghtes and his squyers how he had sped / and sayd thus to them for your true and good seruyse ye haue done me I shall gyue you alle my goodes / for I wylle goo vnto my bedde and neuer aryse vntyl I am dede / And whan that I am dede / I charge yow that ye take the herte oute of my body and bere it her betwyxe two syluer dysshes / and telle her how I sawe her lye with the fals knyght Syr Gawayne / Ryght soo syr Pelleas vnarmed hym selfe and wente vnto his bedde makynge merueyllous dole and sorowe /

¶ Thenne syre Gawayne and Ettard awoke of her slepe / & fonde the naked swerd ouerthwart theire throtes / thenne she knewe wel it was syr Pelleas swerd / Allas sayd she to sir Gawayne ye haue bitrayed me and syr Pelleas bothe / for ye told me ye had slayne hym / and now I knowe wel it is not soo he is on lyue / And yf syre Pelleas had ben as vncurteis to yow as ye haue ben to hym ye hadde bene a dede knyghte / but ye haue deceyued me and bytrayd me falsly / that al ladyes and damoysels may beware by yow and me / And ther with syr gawayn made hym redy / and wente in to the forest / Soo it happed thenne that the damoysel of the lake Nymue mette with a knyghte of syr Pelleas that wente on his foote in the forest makyng grete dole / and she asked hym the cause And soo the woful knyghte told her how his mayster and

[leaf 76v] lorde was bitrayed thurgh a knyghte and a lady / and how he wyll neuer aryse oute of his bed tyl he be dede / Brynge me to hym sayd she anone / and I wyl waraunt his lyf he shal not dye for loue / and she that hath caused hym so to loue / she shalle be in as euyl plyte as he is or it be long to / for it is no Ioy of suche a prowde lady that wylle haue no mercy of suche a valyaunt knyght / anone that knyȝte broughte her vnto hym And whan she sawe hym lye in his bedde / she thoughte she sawe neuer so lykely a knyght / and ther with she threwe an enchauntement vpon hym / and he felle on slepe / And ther whyle she rode vnto the lady Ettard / and charged no man to awake hym tyl she came ageyne / Soo within two houres she broughte the lady Ettard thydder / and both ladyes fonde hym on slepe / loo sayd the damoysel of the lake ye oughte to be ashamed for to murdre suche a knyght / And therwith she threwe suche an enchauntement vpon her that she loued hym sore / that wel nyghe she was oute of her mynde / O lord Ihefu saide the lady Ettard / how is it befallen vnto me / that I loue now hym that I haue moost hated of ony man alyue / that is the ryght wys Iugement of god sayd the damoysel / And thenne anone syr Pelleas awaked and loked vpon Ettard / And whan he sawe her / he knewe her / & thēne he hated her more than ony woman alyue / and said awey traitresse come neuer in my syȝt And whan she herd hym say so / she wepte and made grete sorou oute of mesure

¶ Capitulum xxiiij

SYre knyghht Pelleas sayd the damoysel of the lake / take your hors / and come forthe with me oute of this countrey / and ye shal loue a lady that shal loue yow / I wylle wel said syr Pelleas / for this lady Ettard hath done me grete despyte and shame / and there he told her the begynnynge and endynge / And how he had purposed neuer to haue arysen tyll that he hadde ben dede / And now suche grace god hath sente me / that I hate her as moche as euer I loued her thanked be our lord Ihesus / Thanke me sayde the damoysel of the lake

[leaf 77r] anone syre Pellas armed hym and tooke his hors and commaunded his men to brynge after his pauelions and his stuffe where the damoysel of the lake wold assigne / soo the lady Ettard dyed for sorowe / and the damoysel of the lake reioysed syr Pellas and loued to gyders durynge their lyf dayes

¶ Capitulum xxv

NOw torne we vnto syr Marhaus that rode with the damoysel of xxx wynter of age southard / and soo they cam in to a depe forest / and by fortune they were nyȝted / and rode longe in a depe way / and at the last they came vnto the courtelage / and there they asked herborow / but the mā of the courtelage wold not lodge them for no treatyce that they coude treate / but thus moche the good man sayd / and ye will take the aduenture of youre lodgyng / I shal brynge you there ye shalle be lodged / what auenture is that that I shal haue / for my lodgynge sayd syr Marhaus / ye shalle wete whan ye come there sayd the good man / syr what auenture so it be bryng me thyder I pray the sayd syr Marhaus / for I am wery / my damoysel and my hors / So the good man wente and opened the gate / and within an houre he broughte hym vnto a fayre castel / and thenne the poure man called the porter / and anon he was lete in to the castel / & soo he told the lord how he brouȝt hym a knyght erraunt and a damoysel that wold be lodged with hym / lete hym in said the lord / it may happen he shalle repente that they toke their lodgyng here / So syr Marhaus was lete in with torche lyghte / and there was a goodely syghte of yonge men that welcomed hym / And thenne his hors was ledde in to the stable / and he and the damoysel were broughte in to the halle / and there stode a myghty duke and many goodely men about hym / thēne this lord asked hym what he hyghte / and fro whens he cam / and with whome he dwelt / syre he said I am a knyghte of kynge Arthurs and knyght of the table round / and my name is syre Marhaus / and borne I am in Irland / And thenne sayd the duke to hym / that me sore repenteth / the cause is this / for I loue not thy lord / nor

[leaf 77v] none of thy felawes of the table round / And therfor ease thy self this nyghte as wel as thow mayst / for as to morne I & my sixe sonnes shal matche with yow / Is ther no remedy but that I must haue a doo with yow and your vj sones at ones sayd syr Marhaus / No sayd the duke for this cause I maade myn auowe / for syr gawayne slewe my seuen sonnes in a recounter / therfore I made myn auowe / there shold neuer knyȝt of kynge Arthurs court lodge with me or come there as I myght haue adoo with hym / but that I wold haue a reuengyng of my sonnes dethe / what is your name said syr Marhaus I requyre yow telle me and it please yow / wete thow wel I am the duke of south marchys / A sayd sir Marhaus I haue herd saye that ye haue ben longe tyme a grete soo vnto my lord arthur and to this knyghtes / that shalle ye fele to morne said the duke / Shalle I haue adoo with yow sayd syr Marhaus / ye sayd the duke / therof shalt thow not chese / and therfore take yow to your chambre and ye shalle haue all that to yow longeth / So syr Marhaus departed and was led to a chamber / and his damoysel was led vnto her chamber / And on the morn the duke sente vnto syre Marhaus and bad make hym redy / And so syr Marhaus arose and armed hym / and thenne ther was a masse songe afore hym and brake his fast / and so moūted on horsback in the courte of the castel there they shold doo the batail / So ther was the duke al redy on horsbak clene armed and his syxe sonnes by hym / and eueryche had a spere in his hand / and soo they encountred where as the duke and his two sones brak theyr speres vpon hym / but sir Marhaus helde vp his spere and touched none of them /

¶ Capitulum xxvj

THenne cam the foure sones by couple / and two of them brake their speres / and soo dyd the other two / And alle this whyle syre marhaus touched hem not / Thenne sir marhaus � ranne to the duke / and smote hym with his spere that hors and man felle to the erthe / And so he serued his sones / And thenne syr Marhaus alyghte doune and bad the duke

[leaf 78r] yelde hym or els he wold slee hym / And thenne some of his sones recouerd / and wold haue set vpon syr Marhaus / thenne syr Marhaus sayd to the duke seace thy sones or els I will doo the vttermest to yow all / Thenne the duke sawe he myghte not escape the deth he cryed to his sones and charged them to yelde them to syr Marhaus / And they kneled al doune / and put the pomels of theire swerdes to the knyght / and soo he receyued them / And thenne they halp vp their fader / and soo by their comynal assente promysed to syr Marhaus neuer to be foes vnto kynge Arthur / and therupon at whytsontyde after to come he and his sones and putte them in the kynges grace Thenne syr Marhaus departed and within two dayes his damoysel brought hym where as was a grete tornement that the lady de Vawse has cryed / And who that dyd best shold haue a ryche serklet of gold worthe a thousand besauntes / And there syr Marhaus dyd so nobly that he was renomed / & had somtyme doune fourty knyghtes / and soo the serklet of gold was rewarded hym / Thenne he departed fro them with grete worship / And soo within seuen nyghtes his damoysel brought hym to an erles place / his name was the erle Fergus / that after was syre Trystrams knyghte / and this Erle was but a yonge man / and late come in to his landes / and there was a gyant fast by hym that hyȝte Taulurd / and he had another broder in Cornewaille that hyghte Taulas that syr Trystram slewe whanne he was oute of hys mynde / So this Erle maade his complaynte vnto syre Marhaus that there was a gyaunt by hym that destroyed al his londes / & how he durst nowhere ryde nor goo for hym / Syr sayd the knyghte whether vseth he to fyghte on horsbak or on foote / nay sayd the erle there maye no hors bere hym / Wel said syr marhaus thenne wille I fyghte with hym on foote / Soo on the morne syr Marhaus prayd the erle that one of his men myghte brynge hym where as the gyaūt was / and so he was / for he sawe hym sytte vnder a tree of hoolly / and many clubbes of Iron and gysarms about hym Soo thys knyghte dressid hym to the gyant puttyng his sheld afore hym / and the gyant toke an Iron clubbe in his hande / & at the fyrste stroke he clafe syre Marhaus shelde in ij pyeces / And there he was in grete peryl / for the gyant was a wyly

[leaf 78v] fyghter / but atte last syr Marhaus smote of his ryght arme aboue the elbowe / thēne the gyant fledde and the knyght after hym / and soo he drofe hym in to a water / but the gyant was soo hyghe that he myghte not wade after hym / And thenne sir Marhaus made the erle Fergus man to fetche hym stones / & with tho stones the knyghte gaf the gyaunt many sore knockes / tyl at the last he made hym falle doune in to the water / & so was he there dede / thēne syr Marhaus wēte vnto the gyants castel / and there he delyuerd xxiiij ladyes and twelue knyȝtes oute of the gyants pryson / and there he had grete rychesse withoute nombre / soo that the dayes of his lys he was neuer poure man / thenne he retorned to the erle Fergus / the whiche thanked hym gretely / and wold haue gyuen hym half his lādes but he wold none take / Soo syr Marhaus dwellyd with the erle nyghe half a yere / for he was sore brysed with the gyaunt / and at the laste he took his leue / And as he rode by the way / he mette with syr gawayne and syr Vwayne / and so by aduenture he mette with foure knyghtes of Arthurs courte / the fyrst was syr Sagramore desyrus / syr Ozanna / syr Dodynas le saueage / and syre felot of lystynoyse / and there syr Marhaus with one spere smote doune these foure knyghtes / and hurte them sore / Soo he departed to mete at his day afore sette

¶ Capitulum xxvij

NOw tourne we vnto syr Vwāyne that rode westwarde with his damoysel of thre score wynter of age / and she broughte hym there as was a turnement nyghe the marche of walys / and at that tornement syre Vwayne smote doune xxx knyghtes / therfore was gyuen hym the pryse / and that was a gerfaukon / and a whyte stede trapped with clothe of gold / Soo thenne syr Vwayn dyd many straunge auentures by the meanes of the old damoysel / and so she broughte hym to a lady that was called the lady of the roche / the which was moche curtois / So there were in the countrey two knyȝtes that were bretheren / and they were called two peryllous knyghtes / the one knyghte hyght syre Edward of the reed castel / &

[leaf 79r] the other syr Hue of the reed castel / And these two bretheren had disheryted the lady of the roche of a Baronry of landes by their extorsion / And as this knyȝt was lodged with this lady she made her compleynt to hym of these two knyghtes / Madame sayd syr Vwayne / they are to blame / for they doo ageynst the hyghe ordre of knyghthode & the othe that they made / And yf hit lyke yow I wille speke with hem by cause I am a knyghte of kynge Arthurs / and I wylle entrete them with fayrenesse / And yf they wylle not I shalle doo bataille with them and in the deffense of youre ryghte / gramercy sayd the lady / and there as I maye not acquyte yow / god shalle / Soo on the morne the two knyghtes were sente for / that they shold come thyder to speke with the lady of the roche / and wete ye wel they fayled not / for they cam with an C hors / But whan this lady sawe them in this maner soo bygge / she wold not suffre syr Vwayne to goo oute to them vpon to surete ne for no fayr langage / but she made hym speke with them ouer a toure / but fynally these two bretheren wold not be entreated and ansuerd that they wold kepe that they had / wel said syr Vwayne / thenne wylle I fyghte with one of yow / and preue that ye doo this lady wronge / that wille we not said they For and we doo bataille we two wyl fyghte with one knyȝt at ones / and therfore yf ye wille fyghte soo we wille be redy at what houre ye wille assigne / And yf ye wynne vs in bataille the lady shal haue her landes ageyne / ye say wel sayd sir Vwayne / therfor make yow redy so that ye be here to morne in the defence of the ladyes ryght

¶ Capitulum xxviij

SO was there sykernesse made on both partyes that no treason shold be wrought on neyther partye / soo thenne the knyghtes departed and made hem redy / and that nyghte syr Vwayn had grete chere / And on the morne he arose erly and herd masse and brake his fast / and soo he rode vnto the playn withoute the gates where houed the two bretheren abydynge hym / Soo they rode to gyders passynge sore that syre Edward and syr Hue brake their speres vpon syr Vwayne

[leaf 79v] And syr Vwayne smote syre Edward that he felle ouer his hors and yet his spere brast not / And thenne he spored his hors and came upon syr Hue and ouerthrewe hym / but they soone recouerd and dressid their sheldes and drewe their suerdes and bad syre Vwayne alyghte and doo his bataill to the vttermest / Thenne syr Vwayn deuoyded his hors sodenly / & put his shelde afore hym and drewe his swerde / and soo they dressyd to gyders and eyther gaf other suche strokes / & there these two bretheren wounded syr Vwayne passyng greuously that the lady of the roche wende he shold haue dyed / And thus they fought to gyders fyue houres as men raged oute of reason / And at the laste syr Vwayne smote syre Edward vpon the helme suche a stroke that his swerd kerued vnto his canelbone / and thenne syr Hue abated his courage / but syr Vwayn pressed fast to haue slayne hym / That sawe syr Hue he kneled doune and yelde hym to syr Vwayne and he of his gentilnesse receyued his swerd and took hym by the hand & went in to the castel to gyders / thenne the lady of the roche was passyng glad and the other broder made grete sorowe for his broders dethe / thenne the lady was restored of al her landes / and syr Hue was commaunded to be at the Courte of kynge Arthur at the next feest of penthecost / So sir Vwayn dwelt with the lady nyghe half a yere / for it was longe or he myghte be hole of his grete hurtes / and soo whan it drewe nygh the terme day that syr gawayn syr Marhaus and syre Vwayne shold mete at the crosse way / thenne euery knyght drewe hym thyder to holde his promyse that they had made / & syr Marhaus and syr Vwayne broughte their damoysels with them / but sir Gawayn had lost his damoysel as it is afore reherced

Capitulum xxix

RYght soo at the twelue monethes ende they mette alle thre knyghtes at the fontayne and their damoisels but the damoysel that syr gawayn had coude saye but lytel worship of hym / soo they departed from the damoysels and roode

[leaf 80r] thurgh a grete forest / and there they mette with a messager that cam fro kynge Arthur that foughte them wel nyhe a xij moneth thorou oute al Englond / walys and Scotland / and charged yf euer he myght funde syre Gawayn and syre Vwayn to brynge hem to the courte ageyne / And thenne were they al gladde / and soo prayd they syre Marhaus to ryde with hem to the kynges courte / And soo within twelue dayes they cam to Camelot / and the kynge was passyng glad of their comynge and soo was alle the Courte / thenne the kyng made hem to swere vpon a book to telle hym alle theire aduentures that had befalle hem that twelue monethe and soo they dyd / And there was sir Marhaus wel knowen / for ther were knyghtes that he had matched afore tyme / and he was named one of the best knyghtes lyuyng / Ageyne the feest of pentecost cam the damoysel of the lake and broughte with hir syr Pelleas / and at that hyhe feest there was grete Iustynge of knyghtes / and of al knyghtes that were at that Iustes / syr Pelleas had the pryse / and syr Marhaus was named the next / but syr Pelleas was soo stronge / there myght but fewe knyghtes sytte hym a buffet with spere / And at that next feest sir pelleas and syr marhaus were made knyghtes of the table roūd For there were two seges voyde / for two knyghtes were slayn that twelue moneth / and grete ioye had kynge Arthur of sire Pelleas and of sire Marhaus / but Pelleas loued neuer after sire Gawayne but as he spared hym for the loue of kyng arthur / But oftymes at Iustes and turnementes sire Pelleas quyte sire Gawayn / for so it reherceth in the book of Frensshe / Soo sire Trystram many dayes after faughte with sire Marhaus in an yland / and there they dyd a grete bataylle / but at the last sire Trystram slewe hym / soo sire Trystram was woūded that vnnethe he myght recouer and lay at a nonnery halfe a yere / and sire Pelleas was a worshipful knyghte / & was one of the four that encheued the sancgreal / and the damoysel or the lake made by her meanes that neuer he had adoo with sire launcelot de lake / for where sire launcelot was at ony Iustes / or ony tornement / she wold not suffre hym be there that daye / but yf it were on the syde of sire launcelot /

[leaf 80v]

¶ Explicit liber quartus

¶ Incipit liber quintus