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

¶Capitulum xiij

[leaf 116v]

¶ Capitulum xiij

ANd soo on the morne the damoysel & sir Beaumayns herd masse & brake their fast / and soo took their leue Fair damoysel said Persant whether ward ar ye way ledyng this knyghte / syr she said this knyghte is goyng to the sege / that besyegeth my syster in the castel Dangerus / A a sayd persaunt that is the knyghte of the reed launde / the whiche is the moost peryllous knyghte that I knowe now lyuyng / and a man that is withouten mercy / and men sayen that he hath seuen mens strength / god saue you said he to Beaumayns from þ^t knyghte / for he doth grete wrong to that lady / and that is grete pyte / for she is one of the fairest ladyes of the world / & me semeth that your damoysel is her suster / is not your name Lynet said he / ye sir said she / and my lady my susters name is dame Lyonesse / Now shal I telle you said syr Persaunt / thys reed knyghte of the reed laund hath layne long at the syege wel nyghe this two yeres / and many tymes he myghte haue had her and he had wold / but he prolongeth the tyme to thys entent / for to haue sir laūcelot du lake to doo bataill with hym or sir Trystram or syr Lamerak de galys / or syre Gawayne / & this is his taryenge soo longe at the syege / Now my lord syre Persaunt of ynde saide the damoysel Lynet I requyre you that ye wille make this gentilman knyghte or euer he fyghte with the reed knyghte / I will with all my herte said syr Persaunt and it please hym to take the ordre of knyghthode of so symple a man as I am / Sire said Beaumayns I thanke you for your good wil / for I am better sped / for certaynly the noble knyght sir Launcelot made me knyght / A said sir Persant of a more renomed knyghte myghte ye not be made knyghte / For of alle knyghtes he maye be called chyef of knyghthode / & so all the world saith that betwixe thre knyghtes is departed clerly knyghthode / that is laūcelot du lake / syr Trystram de lyones and sir Lamerak de galis / these bere now the renommee / there ben many other knyghtes as sir Palamydes the sarasyn and sir Sasere his broder / Also sir Bleoberys and sire Blamore de ganys his broder / Also syr Bors de Ganys & syr Ector de marys & sir Percyuale de galis / these & many mo ben noble kniȝtes / but ther be none þ^t passe þ^e iij aboue said / therfor god

[leaf 117r] spede you wel said syr Persant / for and ye may matche the rede knyghte ye shalle be called the fourth of the world / sir said Beaumayns I wold fayne be of good fame / and of knyghthode / And I lete you wete I am of good men / for I dare say my fader was a noble man / and soo that ye wil kepe hit in close / and this damoysel / I wyl telle you of what kyn I am We wille not discouer you said they both tyl ye commaunde vs by the feythe we owe vnto god /

¶ Truly thenne saide he / my name is Gareth of Orkeney and kynge Lot was my fader / & my moder is kynge Arthurs syster / her name is Dame Morgawse / and sir Gawayne is my broder / and sir Agrauayne & sir Gaheryes / and I am the yongest of hem alle / And yet wote not kyng Arthur nor sir Gawayn what I am