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

[leaf 107r]

Book Seven: the tale of syr Gareth of Orkeney

¶ Capitulum primum

WHan Arthur held his round table moost plenour / it fortuned that he commaunded that the hyhe feest of Pentecost shold be holden at a cyte and a Castel the whiche in tho dayes was called kynke kenadonne vpon the sondes that marched nyghe walys /

¶ Soo euer the kyng hadde a custom that at the feest of Pentecost in especyal afore other feestes in the yere he wold not goo that daye to mete vntyl he had herd or sene of a grete merueylle / And for that custome alle maner of straunge aduentures came before Arthur as at that feest before alle other feestes / And soo sire Gawayne a lytyl to fore none of the daye of Pentecost aspyed att a wyndowe thre men vpon horsbak and a dwarf on foote / and soo the thre men alighte and the dwarf kepte their horses / and one of the thre men was hyher than the other tweyne by a foote and a half Thenne sir Gawayne wente vnto the kynge and sayd / sire go to your mete / for here at the hande comen straunge aduentures So Arthur wente vnto his mete with many other kynges / And there were all the knyghtes of the round table only tho that were prysoners or slayn at a recountre / thenne at the hyhe feest euermore they shold be fulfilled the hole nombre of an C and fyfty / for thenne was the round table fully complisshed Ryght soo cam in to the halle two men wel bisene and rychely / and vpon their sholders there lened the goodlyest yong man & the fairest that euer they al sawe / & he was large and long and brode in the sholders & wel vysaged / and the fayrest and the largest handed that euer man sawe / but he ferd as though he myght not goo nor bere hym self / but yf he lened vpon their sholders / Anon as Arthur sawe hym there was made pees & rome / & ryght so they yede with hym vnto the hyghe deyse without sayeng of ony wordes / thenne this moche yong man pulled hym a bak and easily stretched vp streyghte / sayeng kynge Arthur god you blisse and al your fair felauship / and in especial the felauship of the table rounde / And for thys cause I am come hyder to praye you and requyre you to gyue me thre yeftes / and they shalle not be vnresonably asked / but that ye may worshipfully and honorably graunte hem me / and to you

[leaf 107v] no grete hurte nor losse / And the fyrst done and gyfte I wil aske now / and the other two yeftes I wylle aske this daye twelue moneth / where someuer ye hold your hyghe feest / Now aske sayd Arthur / and ye shalle haue your askyng

¶ Now syre this is my petycyon for thys feest / that ye wylle gyue me mete and drynke suffycyauntly for this twelue moneth / and at that day I wylle aske myn other two yeftes

¶ My fayr sone sayd Arthur aske better I counceille the for this is but a symple askynge / for my herte geueth me to the gretely that thou arte come of men of worshyp / and gretely my consayte fayleth me / but thou shalt preue a man of ryghte grete worship / Syre he sayd / ther of be as it be may I haue asked that I wylle aske / wel sayd the kynge ye shal have mete & drynke ynouȝ / I neuer deffended þ^t none / nother my frende ne my foo / But what is thy name I wold wete / I can not telle you sayd he / that is merueylle sayd the kynge / that thou knowest not thy name / and thou arte the goodlyest yong man one that euer I sawe / Thenne the kyng betook hym to sir kay the steward / and charged hym that he shold gyue hym of al maner of metes and drynkes of the best / and also that he hadde al maner of fyndynge as though he were a lordes sone / that shal lytel nede sayd syr kay to doo suche cost vpon hym For I dare undertake he is a vylayne borne / and neuer will make man / for and he had come of gentylmen he wold haue axed of you hors and armour / but suche as he is so he asketh And sythen he hath no name / I shall yeue hym a name that shal be Beaumayns that is fayre handes / and in to the kechen I shalle brynge hym / and there he shal haue fatte broweys euery day þ^t he shall be as fatte by the twelue monethes ende as a porke hog / ryght soo the two men departed and belefte hym to syr kay / that scorned hym and mocked hym

¶ Ca ij

THere at was sir Gawayn wroth / & in especyal sir launcelot bad sir kay leue his mockyng / for I dare laye my hede he shall preue a man of grete worship / lete be / said sir kay / it may not be by no reason / for as he is / so he hath asked / Beware said syre Launcelot / so ye gafe the good knyȝt Brewnor syre Dynadamys broder a name / and ye called hym la cote male tayle / and that tourned you to anger after-

[leaf 108r] ward / As for that sayd syr kay this shall neuer preue none suche / For syr Brewnor desyred euer worship and thys desyreth breed & drynke / & brothe vpon payne of my lyf he was fostred vp in some abbay / and how someuer it was they fayled mete and drynke / and soo hyther he is come for his sustenaunce

¶ And soo syre kay badde gete hym a place and sytte doune to mete / soo Beaumayns wente to the halle dore / and sette hym doune amonge boyes and laddys / & there he ete sadly / And thenne syre launcelot after mete badde hym come to his chamber / And there he shold haue mete and drynke ynough / And soo dyd syre Gawayne / but he reffused hem al / he wold doo none other / but as syr kay commaunded hym for no profer / But as touchynge syre Gawayn he hadde reson to profer hym lodgyng mete and drynke / for that profer came of his blood / for he was nere kynne to hym than he wyst But that as syre launcelot dyd was of his grete gentylnes and curtosye

¶ Soo thus he was putte in to the kechyn and laye nyghtly as the boyes of the kechen dyd / And soo he endured alle that twelue moneth / and neuer displeasyd man nor chylde / but alweyes he was meke & mylde / But euer whanne that he sawe ony Iustynge of knyghtes / that wold he see and he myght / And euer syre launcelot wold gyue hym gold to spende and clothes / and soo dyd syre Gawayne / and where there were ony maystryes done / there atte wold he be / and there myghte none cast barre nor stone to hym by two yerdys / Thenne wold syre kay saye how lyketh yow my boye of the kechyn / soo it past on tyl the feest of Whytsontyde / And at that tyme the kynge helde hit att Carlyon in the moost royallest wyse that myghte be / lyke as he dyd yerly / But the Kynge wold no mete ete vpon the whyysonday vntyl he herd some aduentures / Thenne cam ther a squyer to the Kyng / and said / syre ye maye goo to your mete / for here cometh a damoysel with somme straunge aduentures / thenne was the Kynge gladde and sette hym doune /

¶ Ryghte soo ther came a damoysel in to the halle and salewed the Kynge and prayd hym of socour / for whome sayd the Kynge what is the aduenture /

¶ Syre she sayd I haue a lady of grete worship and renomme / and she is byseged with a tyraunte so that she may

[leaf 108v] not oute of her castel / And by cause here are callyd the noblest knyghtes of the world / I come to you to praye you of socour / What heteth your lady and where dwelleth she / & who is he / & what is his name that hath byseged her / syre kyng she saide / as for my ladyes name that shall not ye knowe for me as at this tyme / but I lete you wete she is a lady of grete worship and of grete landes / And as for the tyraunt that bysyegeth her and destroyeth her landes he is called the rede knyght of the reed laundes / I knowe hym not sayd the kynge / Syre said syre Gawayne / I knowe hym wel for he is one of the perilloust knyghtes of the world / men saye that he hath seuen mennys strengthe / and from hym I escaped ones ful hard / with my lyf / Fayre damoysel sayd the kynge there ben knyȝtes here wolde doo her power for to rescowe your lady / but by cause ye wylle not telle her name nor where she dwelleth / therfor none of my knyghtes that here be now shal goo with yow by my wylle / thenne must I speke further sayd the damoysel

¶ Capitulum iij

WYth these wordes came before the kynge Beaumayns whyle the damoysel was ther / & thus he said syr Kyng god thanke you I haue ben this xij monethe in your kechyn and haue hadde my ful sustenaūce and now I will aske my two yeftes that ben behynde / Aske vpon my peryl said the kynge / Syre this shal be my two gyftes / fyrst that ye wil graunte me to haue this aduenture of the damoysel / for hit belongeth vnto me / thou shalt haue hit sayd the kyng I graunte it the / thenne syr this is the other yeft / that ye shal bydde Launcelot du lake to make me knyȝt for of hym I wil be made knyght and els of none / And whanne I am paste I praye yow lete hym ryde after me and make me Knyght / whan I requyre hym / Al this shal be done sayd the Kynge / Fy on the sayde the damoysel / shalle I haue none but one that is your kechyn page / thenne was she wrothe and toke her hors and departed / And with that there cam one to Beaumayns and told hym his hors and armour was come for hym / and there was the dwarf come with all thyng that hym neded in the rychest maner / ther at al the court had moche merueill from whens cam al þ^t

[leaf 109r] gere / Soo whanne he was armed ther was none but fewe soo goodely a man as he was / and ryght soo as he came in to the halle and took his leue of kyng Arthur & sir Gawayn & syr launcelot / and prayed that he wolde hyhe after hym / and soo departed and rode after the damoysel

¶ Capitulum iiij

BVt there wente many after to behold how wel he was horsed and trapped in clothe of gold / but he had neyther shelde nor spere / Thenne syr kay sayd al open in the halle I wylle ryde after my boye in the kechyn to wete / whether he wylle knowe me for his better / Said syr launcelot and sir gawayn yet abyde at home / So syr kay made hym redy and took his hors and his spere and rode after hym / And ryghte as Beaumayns ouertook the damoysel / ryghte soo cam syre kay & sayd Beumayns what syre knowe ye not me / Thenne he torned his hors / and knewe hit was sir kay / that had done hym alle the despyte as ye haue herde afore / ye sayd beaumayns I knowe yow for an vngentyl knyghte of the courte / and therfore beware of me / There with syre kay putte his spere in the reyste / and ranne streyghte vpon hym / and beaumayns cam as fast vpon hym with his swerd in his hand / and soo he putte awey his spere with his swerd and with a foyne thrested hym thorou the syde / that syr kay felle doune as he had ben dede / & he alyght doune and took sir kayes shelde and his spere / and starte vpon his owne hors and rode his waye / Al that sawe syr launcelot and soo dyd the damoysel / And thenne he badde his dwarf starte vpon sir kayes hors / and soo he dyd / by that syre Launcelot was come / thenne he profered sir laūcelot to Iuste / and eyther made hem redy / and they came to gyder soo fyersly that eyther bare doune other to the erthe / and sore were they brysed / Thenne sir launcelot arose and halpe hym fro his hors And thenne beaumayns threwe his sheld from hym / and profered to fyghte with sir launcelot on foote / and soo they rasshed to gyders lyke borys tracynge / rasynge and foynynge to the

[leaf 109v] mountenaunce of an houre / and syre launcelot felte hym soo bygge that he merueylled of his strengthe / for he fought more lyker a gyaunt than a knyght / and that his fyghtynge was durable and passynge perillous / For syr launcelot had so moche adoo with hym that he dred hym self to be shamed / and sayd Beaumayns fyghte not so sore / youre quarel and myn is not soo grete but we may leue of / Truly that is trouthe sayd Beaumayns / but it doth me good to fele your myght / and yet my lord I shewed not the vtteraunce

¶ Capitulum quintum

IN goddes name sayd syr launcelot / for I promyse you by the feythe of my body I had as moche to doo as I myght to saue my self fro you vnshamed / and therfore haue ye no doubte of none erthely knyghte / Hope ye so that I maye ony whyle stand a proued knyght sayd Beaumayns / ye sayd Launcelot / doo as ye haue done / and I shal be your waraunt / Thenne I praye you sayd Beaumayns yeue me the ordre of knyghthode / thenne must ye telle me your name seyd launcelot / and of what kynne ye be borne / Syr soo that ye wylle not discouer me I shal sayd Beaumayns / nay sayd syre laūcelot / and that I promyse yow by the feithe of my body / vn tyl hit be openly knowen / Thenne syr he sayd my name is Gareth and broder vnto syr Gawayn of fader and moder / A syr said Launcelot I am more gladder of you than I was / For euer me thouȝte ye shold be of a grete blood / and that ye cam not to the courte neyther for mete ne for drynke / And thenne sire Launcelot gaf hym thordre of knyȝthode / and thenne sire Gareth prayd hym for to departe and lete hym goo / Soo syre launcelot departed from hym and came to syre kay and maade hym to be born home vpon his shelde / and so he was helyd hard with the lyf / and al men scorned syr kay / and in especyal sir Gawayne and syre launcelot sayd it was not his parte to rebuke no yong man / for ful lytel knewe he of what byrth he is comen / and for what cause he came to this courte / and soo we leue syr kay and torne we vnto Beaumayns / whanne he had ouertaken the damoysel / anone she sayd what dost thow here / thou stynkest al of the kechyn / thy clothes ben bawdy of

[lead 110r] the greece and talowe that thou gaynest in kyng Arthurs kechyn / wenest thou sayd she that I alowe the for yonder knyȝt that thou kyllest / Nay truly / for thou slewest hym vnhappely and cowardly / therfor torne ageyn bawdy kechyn page / I knowe the wel / for syre kay named the Beaumayns / what arte thou but a luske and a torner of broches and a ladyl wessher Damoysel sayd Beaumayns saye to me what ye wylle / I wylle not goo from you what someuer ye say / for I haue vntertake to kynge Arthur for to acheue your aduenture / and so shal I fynysshe it to the ende / eyther I shal dye therfore / Fy on the kechyn knaue wolt thou fynysshe myn aduenture / thou shalt anone be met with al / that thou woldest not for alle the brothe that euer thou soupest ones loke hym in the face / I shal assaye sayd Beaumayns / Soo thus as they rode in the woode / ther came a man fleynge al that euer he myghte / whether wolt thou sayd Beaumayns / O lord he said / helpe me / for here by in a slade are syxe theues that haue taken my lord and bounde hym / soo I am aferd lest they wyl slee hym / Brynge me thyder said Beaumayns / and soo they rode to gyders vntyl they came there as was the knyghte bounden / and thenne he rode vnto hem / and strake one vnto the dethe / and thenne an other / and at the thyrd stroke he slewe the thyrdde theef / and thenne the other thre fledde / And he rode after hem / and he ouertook hem / and thenne tho thre theues tourned ageyne and assayled Beaumayns hard / but at the last he slewe them / & retorned and vnbounde the knyghte / And the knyght thanked hym / and prayd hym to ryde with hym to his castel there a lytel besyde / and he shold worshipfully rewarde hym for his good dedes / Syr sayd Beaumayns I wille no reward haue / I was this day made knyghte of noble syr launcelot / & therfor I wylle no reward haue / but god rewarde me / And also I must folowe this damoysel / And whan he came nyghe her she bad hym ryde fro her / for thou smellyst al of the kechyn / Wenest thou that I haue Ioye of the / for al this dede that thou hast done nys but myshappen the / But thou shalt see a syghte shal make the torne ageyne and that lyghtly / Thenne the same knyght whiche was rescowed of the theues rode after that damoysel and prayed her to lodge with hym alle that nyghte And by cause it was nere nyght / the damoysel rode with hym

[leaf 110v] to his castel / and there they had grete chere / and at souper the knyght sat syr Beumayns afore the damoisel / Fy fy said she syr knyghte ye are vncurtoys to sette a kechyn page afore me hym bysemeth better to stycke a swyne than to sytte afore a damoysel of hyhe parage / thenne the knyght was ashamed atte her wordes / and took hym vp / and sette hym at asyde bord / and sette hym self afore hym / and soo al that nyght they had good chere and mery reste /

¶ Capitulum sextum

ANd on the morn the damoisel & he took their leue & thanked the knyght / and soo departed / and rode on her way / vntyl they came to a grete forest / And there was a grete ryuer and but one passage / and ther were redy two knyghtes on the ferther syde to lette them the passage / what saist thou sayd the damoysel / wylt thou matche yonder knyghtes or torne ageyne / Nay sayd syr Beaumayns I wyl not torne ageyn and they were syxe mo / And ther with al he rasshyd in to the water / and in myddes of the water eyther brake their speres vpon other to their handes / and thenne they drewe their swerdes / and smote egerly at other / And at the last syr Beaumayns smote the other vpon the helme that his hede stonyed / and there with alle he felle doune in the water / and there was he drowned / And thēne he sporyd his hors vpon the londe / where the other knyghte felle vpon hym / and brake his spere / and soo they drewe theyr swerdes / and foughte longe to gyders At the laste syre Beaumayns clafe his helme and his heede doune to the sholders / and soo he rode vnto the damoysel & bad her ryde forth on her way / Allas she sayd that euer a kechen page shold haue that fortune to destroye suche two douȝty knyghtes / thou wenest thou hast done doughtely that is not soo / For the fyrste knyghte his hors stumbled / and there he was drouned in the water / and neuer it was by thy force / nor by thy myght / And the last knyghte by myshap thou camyst behynde hym and myshappely thou slowe hym / Damoysel sayd Beaumayns ye maye saye what ye wyl / but with whom someuer I haue a doo with al I truste to god to serue hym or he

[leaf 111r] departe / And therfor I recke not what ye say soo that I may wynne youre lady / Fy fy foule kechen knaue thou shalt see knyghtes that shal abate thy boost / Fayre damoysel gyue me goodly langage / and thenne my care is past / for what knyghtes someuer they be / I care not ne I doubte hem not / Also sayd she I saye it for thyne auayle / yet mayst thou torne ageyne with thy worship / for and thou folowe me / thou arte but slayne / for I see alle that euer thou dost is but by mysauenture / and not by prowesse of thy handes / wel damoysel ye may say what ye wylle / but where someuer ye goo I wylle folowe you Soo this Beaumayns rode with that lady tyl euensong tyme and euer she chyde hym and wold not reste / And they cam to a black launde / and there was a black hauthorne / & theron henge a blak baner / and on the other syde there henge a black shelde / and by hit stode a black spere grete and longe / and a grete black hors couerd with sylke / and a black stone fast by

¶ Capitulum septimum

THer sat a knyghte al armed in black harneis / and his name was þ^e knyȝt of the blak laūde / thēne þ^e damoysel whanne she sawe that knyghte she badde hym flee doun that valey for his hors was not sadeled / Gramercy sayd Beaumayns / for alweyes ye wold haue me a coward / with that the black knyghte / whanne she came nyghe hym spak / & sayd damoysel haue ye broughte this knyghte of kynge Arthur to be your champyon / Nay fayr knyghte sayd she / this is but a kechyn knaue that was fedde in kynge Arthurs kechyn for almesse / Why cometh he sayd the knyghte in suche aray / hit is shame that he bereth you company / syr I can not be delyuerd of hym sayd she / for with me he rydeth maugre myn hede / god wold that ye shold put hym from me / outher to slee hym and ye may / for he is an vnhappy knaue / and vnhappely he hath done this day / thorou myshappe I sawe hym slee two knyghtes at the passage of the water / and other dedes he dyde beforne ryght merueyllous and thorou vnhappynes / that merueylled me sayd the black knyghte that ony man that is of worshyp wylle haue adoo with hym / they knowe hym not sayd the damoysel / And for by cause he rydeth with me / they wene that he

[leaf 111v] be some man of worship borne / that may be / sayd the blak knyghte / how be it as ye say that he be no man of worshyp he is a ful lykely persone / and ful lyke to be a stronge man / but thus moche shal I graunte you sayd the black knyghte / I shal putte hym doune vpon one foote / and his hors and hys harneys he shal leue with me / for it were shame to me to doo hym ony more harme / Whanne syre Beaumayns herd hym saye thus / he sayd syre knyghte thou art ful large of my hors and my harneys / I lete the wete it coste the noughte / & whether hit lyketh the or not this launde wylle I passe maulgre thyn hede / And hors ne harneys getest thou none of my / but yf thou wynne hem with thy handes / and therfor lete see what thou canst doo / Sayst thou that sayd the black knyghte / now yelde thy lady fro the / for it besemeth neuer a kechyn page to ryde with suche a lady / Thou lyest sayd Beaumayns I am a gentyl man borne and of more hyghe lygnage than thou / & that wyl I preue on thy body / Thenne in grete wrathe they departed with theyr horses / and came to gyders as hit had ben the thonder / and the black knyghtes spere brake / and Beaumayns threste hym thorou bothe his sydes / and there with his spere brak / and the truncheon lefte stylle in his syde / But neuertheles the black knyght drewe his suerd / and smote many eger strokes and of grete myghte / and hurte Beaumayns ful sore / But at the laste the black knyghte within an houre and an half he felle doune of his hors in swoune / and there he dyed / And thenne Beaumayns sawe hym soo wel horsed and armed / thenne he alyghte doune and armed hym in his armour / and soo took his hors and rode after the damoysel / Whanne she sawe hym come nyghe / she sayd awey kechyn knaue oute of the wynde / for the smelle of thy baudy clothes greueth me / Allas she sayd that euer suche a knaue shold by myshap slee soo good a knyghte as thou hast done / but alle thys is thyn vnhappynes / But here by is one shal paye the alle thy payement / and therfore yet I counceylle the / flee / it may happen me sayd Beaumayns to be beten or slayne / but I warne you fayre damoysel I wyll not flee awey / nor leue your company for al that ye can say / for euer ye say that they wil kylle me or bete me / but how someuer hit happeneth I escape / and

[leaf 112r] they lye on the groūd / And therfore it were as good for you to hold you styll thus al day rebukynge me / for aweye wille I not tyl I see the vttermest of this Iourneye / or els I wylle be slayne / outher truly beten / therfore ryde on your waye / For folowe you I wille what someuer happen

¶ Capitulum octauum

THus as they rode to gyders they sawe a knyght come dryuend by them al in grene bothe his hors & his harneis / And whanne he came nyghe the damoysel he asked her / is that my broder the black Knyȝte that ye haue brought with yow / Nay nay she sayd this vnhappy kechen knaue hath slayne your broder thorou vnhappynesse / Allas sayd the grene knyghte that is grete pyte that soo noble a knyghte as he was shold soo vnhappely be slayne / and namely of a knaues hand as ye say that he is / a traytour sayd the grene knyghte thou shalt dye for sleynge of my broder / he was a ful noble knyghte and his name was syr Pereard / I defye the said Beaumayns / for I lete the wete I slewe hym knyghtely and not shamefully / There with al the grene knyghte rode vnto an horne that was grene / and hit henge vpon a thorne / and there he blewe thre dedely motys / and there came two damoysels and armed hym lyghtely / And thenne he took a grete hors / and a grene shelde and a grene spere / And thenne they ranne to gyders with al their myghtes and brake their speres vnto their handes / And thenne they drewe their swerdes / and gaf many sadde strokes / and either of them wounded other ful yll And at the last at an ouerthwart Beaumayns with his hors strake the grene knyghtes hors vpon the syde that he felle to the erthe / And thenne the grene knyghte auoyded his hors lightly / and dressid hym vpon foote / That sawe Beaumayns And there with al he alighte and they rasshed to gyders lyke two myghty kempys a longe whyle / and sore they bledde bothe / with that cam the damoysel / and said my lord the grene knyghte / why for shame stande ye soo longe fyghtyng with the kechyn knaue / Allas it is shame that euer ye were made knyghte to see suche a ladde to matche suche a knyghte / as the

[leaf 112v] wede ouer grewe the corne / There with the grene knyght was ashamed / and there with al he gaf a grete stroke of myghte & clafe his shelde thorou / Whan Beaumayns sawe his shelde clouen a sonder / he was a lytel ashamed of that stroke and of her langage / And thenne he gaf hym suche a buffet vpon the helme that he felle on his knees / And soo sodenly Beaumayns pulled hym vpon the ground grouelynge / And thenne the grene knyghte cryed hym mercy / and yelded hym vnto syre Beaumayns / and prayd hym to slee hym not / Al is in vayn said Beaumayns for thou shalt dye but yf this damoysel that came with me praye me to saue thy lyf / and ther with al he vnlaced his helme lyke as he wold slee hym / Fy vpon the false kechen page / I wyll neuer pray the to saue his lyf / for I will neuer be soo moche in thy daunger / Thenne shalle he deye sayde Beaumayns / Not soo hardy thou bawdy knaue sayd the damoysel / that thou slee hym / Allas sayd the grene knyghte suffre me not to dye for a fayre word may saue me / Fayr knyȝt said the grene knyghte saue my lyf / & I wyl foryeue the / the dethe of my broder / and for euer to become thy man / and xxx knyghtes that hold of me for euer shal doo you seruyse / In the deuyls name sayd the damoysel that suche a bawdy kechen knaue shold haue the and thyrtty knyghtes seruyse / Syr knyght said Beaumayns alle this auaylleth the not / but yf my damoysel speke with me for thy lyf / And therwith al he made a semblaunt to slee hym / lete be sayd the damoysel thou baudy knaue / slee hym not / for and thou do / thou shalt repente it Damoysel said Beaumayns your charge is to me a pleasyr and at your commaundement his lyf shal be saued / & els not Thenne he said sir Knyghte with the grene armes I releace the quyte at this damoysels request / for I wylle not make her wrothe / I wille fulfylle al that she chargeth me / And thenne the grene knyghte kneled doune / and dyd hym homage with his swerd / thenne said the damoisel me repenteth grene knyghte of your dommage / and of youre broders dethe the black knyghte / for of your helpe I had grete myster / For I drede me sore to passe this forest / Nay drede you not sayd the grene knyghte / for ye shal lodge with me this nyghte / and to morne I shalle helpe you thorou this forest / Soo they tooke theyre

[leaf 113r] horses and rode to his manoyr whiche was fast there besyde

¶ Capitulum ix

ANd euer she rebuked Beaumayns and wold not suffre hym to sytte at her table / but as the grene knyghte took hym and sat hym at a syde table / Merueylle me thynketh said the grene knyght to the damoysel why ye rebuke this noble knyghte as ye doo / for I warne you damoysel he is a full noble knyght / and I knowe no knyght is abel to matche hym therfor ye doo grete wrong to rebuke hym / for he shall do yow ryght good seruyse / for what someuer he maketh hym self / ye shalle preue at the ende that he is come of a noble blood and of kynges lygnage / Fy fy said the damoisel it is shame for you to saye of hym suche worship / Truly said the grene knyȝt it were shame for me to sey of hym ony disworship / for he hath preued hym self a better knyght than I am / yet haue I mett with many knyghtes in my dayes / and neuer or this tyme haue I fond no knyght his matche / and so that nyghte they yede vnto rest / and al that nyght the grene knyght commaunded thyrtty knyghtes pryuely to watche Beaumayns for to kepe hym from al treason / And soo on the morne they al arose and herd their masse and brake theyr fast / and thenne they tooke their horses / and rode on theire waye / and the grene knyghte conueyed hem thorou the forest / and there the grene Knyghte said my lord Beaumayns I & these thyrtty knyghtes shall be alweye at your somons both erly and late at your callyng and whether that euer ye wille sende vs / it is wel said / sayd Beaumayns / whanne that I calle vpon you / ye must yelde you vnto kynge Arthur and all your knyghtes / yf that ye so commaunde vs / We shal ben redy at all tymes said the grene knyght / Fy fy vpon the in the deuyls name saide the damoysel that ony good knyghtes shold be obedyent vnto a kechyn knaue / Soo thenne departed the grene Knyghte and the damoysel / And thenne she said vnto Beaumayns why folowest thou me thou kechyn boye / caste away thy shelde and thy spere / and flee aweye / yet I counceille the by tymes or thou shalt say ryght soone Allas for were thou as wyȝte as euer was wade

[leaf 113v] or Laūcelot / Trystram / or the good knyghte syr lamaryk thou shalt not passe a paas here that is called the paas perillous / Damoysel said Beaumayns who is aferd lete hym flee / for it were shame to torne ageyne sythen I haue ryden soo longe with yow / wel said the damoysel ye shal sone whether ye wyll or not

¶ Capitulum x

SOo within a whyle they sawe a toure as whyte as ony snowe wel matchecold al aboute / and doubel dyked / And ouer the toure gate there henge a fyfty sheldes of dyuerse colours / and vnder that toure there was a fayr medow And therin were many knyghtes and squyers to behold scaffoldes and pauelions / for there vpon the morn shold be a grete turnement / and the lord of the toure was in his castel and loked out at a wyndowe / and sawe a damoysel / a dwarf and a knyȝt armed at al poyntes / So god me helpe said the lord with þ^t knyȝt wyll I Iuste / for I see that he is a kniȝt arraūt & soo he armed hym and horsed hym hastely / And whanne he was on horsbak with his shelde and his spere / it was al rede bothe his hors and his harneis / and alle that to hym longeth / And whanne that he came nyghe hym he wende it hadde ben his broder the black knyghte / And thenne he cryed a loude broder what doo ye in these marches / nay nay sayd the damoysel / it is not he / this is but a kechyn knaue that was brought vp for almesse in kynge Arthurs courte / Neuertheles sayd the reed knyghte I wylle speke with hym or he departe / A sayd the damoysel this knaue hath kylled thy broder / and syre kay named hym Beaumayns / and this hors and this harneis was thy broders the black knyghte / Also I sawe thy broder the grene knyghte ouercome of his handes / Now maye ye be reuenged vpon hym / for I may neuer be quyte of hym

¶ With this eyther knyghtes departed in sondre / and they cam to gyder with alle their myght / and eyther of their horses fell to the erthe / and they auoyded their horses / and put their sheldes afore them and drewe their swerdes / and either gaf other sadde strokes / now here / now there / rasyng / tracyng / foynynge and hurlynge lyke two bores the space of two houres / And thenne she cryed on hyhe to the rede knyghte / Allas thou noble

[leaf 114r] reed knyghte / thynke what worship hath folowed the / lete neuer a kechyn knaue endure the soo longe as he doth / Thenne the reed knyght waxed wrothe and doubled his strokes and hurte Beaumayns wonderly sore that the blood ranne doune to the ground that it was wonder to see that stronge bataille / Yet at the last syre Beaumayns strake hym to the erthe / and as he wold haue slayne the reed knyghte he cryed mercy sayeng Noble knyghte slee me not / and I shall yelde me to the with fyfty knyghtes with me that be at my commaundement And I forgyue the al the despyte that thou hast done to me / and the dethe of my broder the black knyghte / All this auailleth not said Beaumayns / but yf my damoysel praye me to saue thy lyf / And therwith he maade semblaunt to stryke of his hede / Lete be thou Beaumayns slee hym not / for he is a noble knyghte / and not soo hardy vpon thyne hede but thou saue hym / Thenne Beaumayns badde the reed knyghte stand vp and thanke the damoysel now of thy lyf /

¶ Thenne the reed knyght praid hym to see his castel / and to be there al nyghte Soo the damoysel thenne graunted hym / and there they had mery chere / But alweyes the damoysel spak many foule wordes vnto Beaumayns wherof the reed knyght had grete merueylle / and alle that nyghte the reed knyghte maade thre score knyghtes to watche Beaumayns that he shold haue no shame nor vylony / And vpon the morne they herd masse and dyned / and the reed knyghte came before Beaumayns with his thre score knyghtes / and there he profered hym his homage and feaute at al tymes he and his knyghtes to doo hym seruyse / I thanke you said Beaumayns / but this ye shalle graunte me / whanne I calle vpon you to come afore my lord kynge Arthur and yelde you vnto hym to be his knyghtes / Syr said the reed knyghte I wille be redy and my felauship at your somons / So syr Beaumayns departed and the damoysel and euer she rode chydynge hym in the fowlest manere /

[leaf 114v]

¶ Capitulum xj

DAmoysel said Beaumayns ye are vncurteis so to rebuke me / as ye doo / for me semeth I haue done you good seruyse / and euer ye threate me I shal be betyn with knyghtes that we mete / but euer for al your boost they lye in the dust or in the myre / and therfor I pray you rebuke me no more / And whan ye see me beten or yolden as recreaūt thenne may ye bydde me goo from you shamefully / but fyrste I lete you wete I wylle not departe from you / for I were werse than a foole and I wold departe from you all the whyle that I wynne worship / wel said she / ryght soone ther shall mete a knyght shal paye the alle thy wages / for he is the most man of worship of the world excepte kyng Arthur / I will wel said Beaumayns / the more he is of worship / the more shalle be my worship to haue adoo with hym / Thenne anone they were ware / where was afore them a Cyte ryche and fayre And betwixe them and the Cyte a myle and a half there was a fayre medowe that semed newe mowen / and therin were many pauelions fayre to beholde / Lo said the damoysel yonder is a lord that oweth yonder cyte / and his custome is whan the weder is fayr to lye in this medowe to Iuste and torneye / And euer there ben aboute hym fyue honderd knyghtes & gentilmen of armes / and there ben alle maner of games that ony gentylman can deuyse / That goodly lord saide Beaumayns wold I fayne see / thou shalt see hym tyme ynough saide the damoysel / and soo as she rode nere she aspyed the pauelione / where he was / Loo sayd she seest thou yonder pauelione that is al of the coloure of Inde and al maner of thynge that there is aboute men and wymmen / and horses trapped / sheldes and speres were all of the colour of Inde and his name is sir persant of Inde the moost lordlyest knyghte that euer thou lokest on / Hit may wel be said Beaumayns / but be he neuer so stoute a knyghte in this felde / I shalle abyde tyl that I see hym vnder his shelde / A foole said she thou were better flee by tymes / why sayd Beaumayns and he be suche a knyghte as ye make hym he wylle not sette vpon me with alle his men / or with his / v / C knyghtes / For and ther come no more but one

[leaf 115r] at ones / I shall hym not fayle whylest my lyf lasteth / Fy fy said the damoysel that euer suche a stynkynge knaue shold blowe suche a boost / Damoysel he said ye ar to blame soo to rebuke me / For I had leuer do fyue batails / than so to be rebuked / lete hym come and thenne lete hym doo his werst / Syre she said I merueylle what thou arte and of what kyn thou arte come / boldly thou spekest / and boldly thou hast done / that haue I sene / therfore I praye the saue thy self and thou mayst / for thy hors and thou haue had grete traueylle / And I drede we dwelle ouer longe from the sege / For hit is but hens seuen myle / and alle perillous passages we ar past saue al only this passage / and there I drede me sore lest ye shalle ketche some hurte / therfore I wold haue ye were hens that ye were not brysed nor hurte with this stronge knyghte / But I lete you wete this syr Persant of ynde is no thyng of myȝte nor strength vnto the knyghte that leid the syege aboute my lady / As for that said syre Beaumayns be it as it be may / For sythen I am come soo nyghe this knyght I wille preue his myghte or I departe from hym / and els I shalle be shamed / and I now withdrawe me from hym / And therfore damoysel haue ye no doubte by the grace of god I shall so dele with this knyghte that within two houres after none I shalle delyuer hym And thenne shal we come to the syege by day lyghte / O Ihesu merueille haue I said the damoysel what maner a man ye be / for hit may neuer ben otherwyse but that ye be comen of a noble blood / for soo foule ne shamefully dyd neuer woman rule a knyghte as I haue done you / and euer curtoisly ye haue suffred me / and that cam neuer but of a gentyl blood /

¶ Damoysel sayd Beaumayns a knyght may lytel do that may not suffre a damoisel / for what someuer ye said vnto me / I took none hede to your wordes / for the more ye sayd the more ye angryd me / and my wrathe I wrekyd vpon them that I had adoo with al / And therfor alle the myssayenge that ye myssayed me / fordered me in my bataill & caused me to thynke to shewe & preue my self at the ende what I was / for peraventur thouȝ I had mete in kyng Arthurs kechyn / yet I myȝt haue had mete ynouȝ in other places / but alle that I dyd it for to preue & assaye my frendes / and that shalle be knowen

[leaf 115v] another day / and whether that I be a gentylman borne or none / I lete you wete fayre damoysel I haue done you gentilmans seruyse / and parauentur better seruyse yet wille I do or I departe from you / Allas she said fayre Beaumayns forgyue me alle that I haue myssaid or done ageynst the / wyth alle my herte said he I forgyue it yow / for ye dyde no thyng but as ye shold doo / for al your euyl wordes pleasyd me / & damoysel saide Beaumayns syn hit lyketh you to saye thus fayre vnto me / wete ye wel it gladeth my herte gretely / and now me semeth ther is no knyght lyuynge but I am able ynough for hym

¶ Capitulum Duodecimum

WYth this sir Persant of ynde had aspyed them as they houed in the felde / and knyȝtly he sente to them whether he came in werre or in pees / say to thy lord said beaumayns I take no force / but whether as hym lyst hym self / Soo the messager went ageyne vnto syr Persaunt / and told hym alle this ansuer / wel thenne will I haue adoo with hym to the vtteraunce / and soo he purueyed hym and rode ageynst hym / And Beaumayns sawe hym and made hym redy / & ther they mette with all that euer theyr horses myght renne / and braste their speres eyther in thre pyeces / & their horses rassed so to gyders that bothe their horses felle dede to the erthe & lyȝtly they auoyded their horses / and put their sheldes afore them / & drewe their swerdes / and gaf many grete strokes that somtyme they hurtled to gyder that they felle grouelyng on the ground Thus they fought two houres and more that their sheldes & theyr hauberkes were al forhewen / & in many stedys they were wounded / So at the last syr Beaumayns smote hym thorou the cost of the body / & thenne he retrayed hym here & there & knyghtly mayntened his batail long tyme / And at the last though hym lothe were Beaumayns smote sir Persant aboue vpon the helme that he felle grouelyng to the erthe / & thenne he lepte vpon hym ouerthwart and vnlaced his helme to haue slayne hym / Thenne syr Persant yelded hym & asked hym mercy / with that cam þe damoisel & praid to saue his lyf / I wil wel / for it were pyte this noble knyȝt shold dye / gramercy sayd Persaunt gentyl knyȝt & damoysel / For certeynly now I

[leaf 116r] wote wel it was ye that slewe my broder the black knyghte / at the black thorne / he was a ful noble knyȝte / his name was syr Perard / Also I am sure that ye are he that wanne myn other brother the grene knyght / his name was syre Pertolepe Also ye wanne my broder the reed knyght syr Perrymones / And now syn ye haue wonne these / this shal I do for to please you ye shal haue homage & feaute of me / & an C knyghtes to be alweyes at your commaundement to go & ryde where ye wil commaunde vs / & so they wente vnto sir Persauntes pauelione & dranke the wyne / & ete spyeces / & afterward sire Persaunte made hym to reste vpon a bedde vntyl souper tyme / and after souper to bedde ageyne / whan Beaumayns was abedde syr Persaunt had a lady a faire douȝter of xviij yere of age and there he called her vnto hym / & charged her & commaunded her vpon his blessynge to go vnto the knyghtes bedde / and lye doun by his syde / & make hym no straunge chere / but good chere / and take hym in thyne armes & kysse hym / & loke that this be done I charge you as ye wil haue my loue & my good wil So syr Persants doughter dyd as her fader bad her / and soo she wente vnto syr Beaumayns bed / & pryuely she dispoylled her / & leid her doune by hym / & thenne he awoke & sawe her & asked her what she was / syre she said I am sir Persants douȝter that by the commaundement of my fader am come hyder / Be ye a mayde or a wyf said he / sir she said I am a clene maiden / God defende sayd he that I shold defoyle you to doo syre Persaunt suche a shame / therfore fayre damoysel aryse oute of this bedde or els I wille / Syre she said I cam not to you by myn owne wille but as I was commaunded / Allas said syr Beaumayns I were a shameful knyghte and I wolde do your fader ony disworship / and so he kyst her and soo she departed and came vnto syr Persant her fader / & told hym alle how she had spedde / Truly saide syre Persaunt what someuer he be / he is comen of a noble blood / and soo we leue hem there tyl on the morne

¶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

¶ Capitulum xiiij

SOo the book saith / that the lady that was biseged had word of her systers comynge by the dwerf and a knyghte with her / and how he had passed al the perillous passages / what manere a man is he said the lady / he is a noble knyght truly madame said the dwerf and but a yong man / but he is as lykely a man as euer ye sawe ony / what is he sayd the damoysel / and of what kynne is he comen / and of whome was he made knyghte / Madame said the dwerf he is the kynges sone of Orkeney / but his name I wille not telle you as at this tyme / but wete ye wel of syre launcelot was he maade knyght / for of none other wolde he be maade knyghte / and sire kay named hym Beaumayns / how escaped he said the lady from the bretheren of Persaunt /

¶ Madame he said as a noble knyghte shold / Fyrste he slewe two bretheren att a passage of a water / A saide she they were good knyghtes but they were murtherers / the one hyght Gherard de breusse / & the other knyght hyght sir Arnolde le Brewse / thenne madame he recountred with the black knyght / and slewe hym in playne batail & so he toke his hors & his armour & fouȝt with the grene knyght & wanne hym in playn bataill / & in lyke wyse he serued the reed knyȝt / and aftir in the same wyse he serued the blewe knyȝt & wan hym in playn batail / thēne said the lady he hath ouercome sir Persaūt of Inde / one of the noblest knyȝtes of the world / & þ^e dwerf said he hath wōne al the iiij bretherē & slayn

[leaf 117v] the blak knyght / and yet he dyd more tofore he ouerthrewe sir kay and lefte hym nyghe dede vpon the ground / Also he dyd a grete batayll with syre launcelot / and there they departed on euen handes / And thenne syre launcelot made hym knyghte / Dwerf sayd the lady I am gladde of these tydynges / therfor go thou in an hermytage of myn here by / and there shalt thow bere with the of my wyn in two flagans of siluer / they ar of two galons / and also two cast of brede with fatte veneson bake and deynte foules / and a cop of gold here I delyuer the / that is ryche and precyous and bere all this to myn hermytage / and put it in the hermytes handes / And sythen go thow vnto my syster and grete her wel / and commaūde me vnto that gentyl knyghte / and praye hym to ete and to drynke and make hym stronge / and say ye hym I thanke hym of his curtosye and goodenes that he wold take vpon hym suche labour for me that neuer dyd hym bounte nor curtosye /

¶ Also pray hym that he be of good herte & courage / for he shalle mete with a ful noble knyghte / but he is neyther of bounte / curtosye / nor gentylnes / for he attendyth vnto nothynge but to murther / & that is the cause I can not prayse hym nor loue hym / So this dwerf departed / and came to syre Persant where he fond the damoysel lynet and syr Beaumayns / and there he tolde hem alle as ye haue herd / and thenne they took theyr leue / but syr Persant took an ambelyng hacney and conueyed hem on theyr wayes / And thenne belefte hem to god / and soo within a lytil whyle they came to that heremytage / and there they dranke the wyne / and ete the veneson and the foules baken / And so whan they had repasted hem wel / the dwerf retorned ageyn with his vessel vn to the castel ageyne / and there mette with hym the reed knyght of the reed laundes / and asked hym from whens that he came / and where he had ben / Syr sayd the dwerf I haue ben with my ladyes syster of this castel and she hath ben at kynge Arthurs courte / and broughte a knyghte with her / thenne I accompte her trauaille but loste / For though she had broughte with her syre launcelot / sir Trystram / syr Lamerak or syr gawayne / I wold thynke my selfe good ynough for them all / it may well be said the dwerf / but this knyghte hath passed alle the peryllous passages & slayn

[leaf 118r] the black knyghte and other two mo / and wonne the grene knyght / the reed knyghte and the blewe knyghte / thenne is he one of these four that I haue afore reherced / He is none of tho said the dwerf / but he is a kynges sone / what is his name sayd the reed knyght of the reed laund / that wille I not telle you seyd the dwerf / but sire kay upon scorne named hym Beaumayns / I care not said the knyght what knyghte soo euer he be / for I shal soone delyuer hym / And yf I euer matche hym he shalle haue a shameful dethe as many other haue had that were pyte sayd the dwerf / And it is merueill that ye make suche shameful warre vpon noble knyghtes

¶ Capitulum xv

NOo leue we the knyghte and the dwerf / and speke we of Beaumayns that al nyȝt lay in the hermytage / & vpon the morne he and the damoysel lynet herd their masse / and brake their fast / And thenne they toke theyr horses / and rode thorou oute a fair forest / and thenne they came to a playne and sawe where were many pauelions and tentys / and a fayr castel / and there was moche smoke and grete noyse / and whanne they came nere the sege / syr Beaumayns aspyed vpon grete trees as he rode / how there henge ful goodly armed knyghtes by the neck and theire sheldes aboute theire neckys with their swerdes / and gylt spores vpon their heles / and soo there henge nyghe a fourty knyghtes shamefully with ful ryche armes / Thenne sir Beaumayns abated his countenaunce & sayd what meneth this / Fayre syre said the damoysel abate not your chere for all this syghte / for ye must courage your self or els ye ben al shente / for all these knyghtes came hyder to this sege to rescowe my syster Dame lyones / and whanne the reede knyghte of the reed laund hadde ouercome hem / he putte them to this shameful dethe withoute mercy and pyte / And in the same wyse he wyll serue you / but yf ye quyte you the better Now Ihesu deffende me said Beaumayns from suche a vylaynous dethe and shenship of armes / For rather than I sholde so be faren with all / I wolde rather be slayn manly in playn

[leaf 118v] bataille / Soo were ye better said the damoysel / for trust not in hym is no curtosye but alle goth to the deth or shameful murther / and that is pyte / for he is a ful lykely man / wel made of body / and a ful noble knyghte of prowesse and a lorde of grete laundes and possessions / Truly said Beaumayns / he may wel be a good knyghte / but he vseth shameful customs and it is merueylle that he endureth so longe that none of the noble knyghtes of my lord Arthurs haue not delt with hym And thenne they rode to the dykes and sawe them double dyked with ful warly wallis / and there were lodged many grete lordes nyghe the wallys / and there was grete noyse of mynstralsy / and the see betyd vpon the one syde of the walles where were many shippes and maryners noyse with hale & how And also there was fast by a Sykamore tree / and ther henge an horne the grettest that euer they sawe of an Olyfantes bone / and this knyght os the reed laund had hanged it vp ther that yf ther came ony arraunt knyghte / he muste blowe that horne / and thenne wylle he make hym redy & come to hym to doo bataille / But syr I pray you said the damoysel Lynet blowe ye not the horne tyl it be hyghe none / for now it is aboute pryme / & now encreaced his myghte / that as men say he hath seuen mens strengthe / A fy for shame fair damoisel say ye neuer soo more to mo / For and he were as good a knyghte as euer was I shalle neuer fayle hym in his moost myghte / for outher I wille wynne worship worshipfully or dye knyghtely in the felde / and ther with he spored his hors streyghte to the Sykamore tree / and blewe soo the horne egerly that alle the sege and the castel range therof / And thenne there lepte oute knyghtes oute of their tentys and pauelions / and they within the castel loked ouer the wallis and oute att wyndowes / Thenne the reed knyghte of the reed laūdes armed hym hastely / and two barons sette on his spores vpon his heles / and alle was blood reed his armour spere and shelde / And an Erle bucled his helme vpon his hede / and thenne they broughte hym a rede spere and a rede stede / and soo he rode into a lytyl vale vnder the castel / that al that were in the castel and at the sege myghte behold the bataill

[leaf 119r]

¶ Capitulum xvj

SYre sayd the damoysel Lynet vnto syr Beaumayns loke ye be gladde and lyght / for yonder is your dedely enemy / and at yonder wyndowe is my lady syster dame Lyones / where sayd Beaumayns / yonder said the damoysel & poynted with her fynger / that is trouthe sayd Beaumayns / She besemeth a ferre the fayrest lady that euer I loked vpon and truly he said I aske no better quarel than now for to do bataylle / for truly she shalle be my lady / and for her I wylle fyghte / And euer he loked vp to the wyndowe with gladde countenaunce / And the lady Lyones made curtosy to hym doune to the erthe with holdynge vp bothe their handes / Wyth that the reed knyghte of the reed laundes callid to syr Beaumayns / leue syr knyghte thy lokynge / and behold me I coūceille the / for I warne the wel she is my lady / and for her I haue done many stronge batails / Yf thou haue so done said Beaumayns / me semeth it was but waste labour / for she loueth none of thy felauship / and thou to loue that loueth not the / is but grete foly / For and I vnderstode that she were not glad of my comynge / I wold be auysed or I dyd bataille for her / But I vnderstande by the syegyng of this castel she may forbere thy felauship / And therfor wete thou wel thou rede knyghte of the reed laundes / I loue her / and wille rescowe her or els to dye / Saist thou that said the reed knyghte / me semeth / thou oughte of reson to beware by yonder knyghtes that thow sawest hange vpon yonder trees / Fy for shame said Beaumayns that euer thou sholdest saye or do so euyl for in that thou shamest thy self and knyghthode / and thou mayst be sure ther wylle no lady loue the that knoweth thy wycked custommes And now thou wenest that the syghte of these hanged knyghtes shold fere me / Nay truly not so / that shameful syght causeth me to haue courage and hardynes ageynste the more than I wold haue had ageynst the / and thou were a wel ruled knyght / make the redy said the reed knyghte of the reed laūdes / and talke no lenger with me / Thenne syre Beamayns badde the damoysel goo from hym / and thenne they putte their speres in their reystes and came to gyders with alle their myȝt

[leaf 119v] that they had bothe / and eyther smote other in myddes of their sheldes that the paytrellys / sursenglys and crowpers braste / and felle to the erthe bothe / and the reynys of their brydels in their handes / and soo they laye a grete whyle sore stonyed that al that were in the castel and in the sege wende their neckes had ben broken / and thenne many a straunger and other sayd the straunge knyȝt was a bygge man / and a noble Iuster / for or now we sawe neuer noo knyghte matche the reed knyghte of the reed laundes / thus they sayd bothe within the castel and withoute / thenne lyghtly they auoyded theyr horses and put their sheldes afore them / and drewe their swerdes and ranne to gyders lyke two fyers lyons / and eyther gafe other suche buffets vpon their helmes that they relyd bacward bothe two strydys / and thenne they recouerd bothe and hewe grete pyeces of theire harneis and theire sheldes / that a grete parte felle in to the feldes

¶ Capitulum xvij

ANd thenne thus they foughte tyl it was past none / and neuer wold stynte tyl att the laste they lacked wynde bothe / and thēne they stode wagyng and scateryng pontyng / blowynge and bledynge that al that behelde them for the moost party wepte for pyte / Soo whan they had restyd them a whyle / they yede to bataille ageyne / tracyng racyng foynyng as two bores / And at some tyme they toke their renne as hit had ben two rammys & hurtled to gyders that somtyme they felle grouelyng to the erthe / And at somtyme they were so amased that eyther took others swerd in stede of his owne / Thus they endured tyl euensong tyme / that there was none that beheld them myghte knowe whether was lyke to wynne the bataill / and their armour was so fer hewen that men myȝt see their naked sydes / and in other places / they were naked / but euer the naked places they dyd defende / and the rede knyghte was a wyly knyght of werre / and his wyly fyhtyng taughte syr Beaumayns to be wyse / but he aboughte hit fulle sore or he dyd aspye his fyghtynge / And thus by assente of them bothe they graunted eyther other to rest / and so they sette

[leaf 120r] hem doune vpon two molle hylles there besydes the fyghtynge place / and eyther of hem vnlaced his helme / and toke the cold wynde / for either of their pages was fast by them to come whā they called to vnlace their harneis and to sette hem on ageyn at their commaundement / And thenne whan syr Beaumayns helme was of / he loked vp to the wyndowe / and there he sawe the faire lady Dame Lyones / and she made hym suche countenaunce that his herte waxed lyghte and Ioly / and ther with he bad the reed knyghte of the reed laundes make hym redy and lete vs doo the bataille to the vtteraunce / I will wel said the knyghte / and thenne they laced vp their helmes / and their pages auoyded / & they stepte to gyders & foughte fresshely / but the reed knyghte of the reed laundes awayted hym / & at an ouerthwart smote hym within the hand / that his swerd felle oute of his hand / and yet he gaf hym another buffet vpon the helme that he felle grouelynge to the erthe / & the reed knyghte felle ouer hym / for to holde hym doune / Thenne cryed the maiden Lynet on hyghe / O syr Beaumayns where is thy courage become / Allas my lady syster beholdeth the and she sobbeth and wepeth / that maketh myn herte heuy / when syr Beaumayns herd her saye soo / he abrayed vp with a grete myght and gate hym vpon his feet / and lyghtely he lepte to his swerd and gryped hit in his hand and doubled hys paas vnto the reed knyghte and there they foughte a newe bataille to gyder / But sir Beaumayns thenne doubled his strokes / and smote soo thyck that he smote the swerd oute of his hand / and thenne he smote hym vpon the helme that he felle to the erthe / and sir Beaumayns felle vpon hym / and vnlaced his helme to haue slayne hym / and thenne he yelded hym and asked mercy / and said with a lowde vois O noble knyghte I yelde me to thy mercy / Thenne syr Beaumayns bethoughte hym vpon the knyghtes that he had made to be hanged shamefully / and thenne he said I may not with my worship saue thy lyf / for the shameful dethes that thou hast caused many ful good knyghtes to dye / Syre saide the reed knyghte of the reed laundes hold your hand and ye shalle knowe the causes why I put hem to so shameful a dethe / saye on said sir Beaumayns / Syre I loued ones a lady a faire damoisel / and she

[leaf 120v] had her broder slayne / and she said hit was syr launcelot du lake / or els syr gawayn / and she praide me as that I loued her hertely that I wold make her a promyse by the feith of my knyghthode for to laboure dayly in armes vnto I mette wyth one of them / and alle that I myghte ouercome I shold putte them vnto a vylaynous dethe / and this is the cause that I haue putte alle these knyghtes to dethe / and soo I ensured her to do alle the vylony vnto kynge Arthurs knyghtes / and that I shold take vengeaūce vpon alle these knyghtes and syr now I wille the telle that euery daye my strengthe encreaceth tylle none / and al this tyme haue I seuen mens strengthe

¶ Capitulum xviij

THenne came ther many Erles and Barons and noble knyghtes and praid that knyghte to saue his lyf and take hym to your prysoner / And all they felle vpon their knees and prayd hym of mercy / and that he wolde saue his lyf / and syr they all sayd it were fairer of hym to take homage and feaute / and lete hym holde his landes of you than for to slee hym / by his deth ye shal haue none auauntage and his mysdedes that ben done maye not ben vndone / And therfor he shal make amendys to al partyes & we al wil become your men and doo you homage and feaute / Fayre lordes said Beaumayns / wete you wel I am ful lothe to slee this knyȝt neuertheles he hath done passyng ylle and shamefully / But in soo moche al that he dyd was at a ladyes request I blame hym the lesse / and so for your sake I wil releace hym that he shal haue his lyf vpon this couenaunt / that he goo within the castel / and yelde hym there to the lady / And yf she wil forgyue and quyte hym / I wil wel / with this he make her amendys of al the trespas he hath done ageynst her and her landes /

¶ And also whanne that is done that ye goo vnto the courte of kyng Arthur / and there that ye aske syr Launcelot mercy / & syr Gawayn for the euyl wil ye haue had ageynst them / sire said the reed knyght of the reed laundes / al this wil I do as ye commaunde / and syker assuraunce and borowes ye shal haue / And soo thenne whan the assuraunce was made / he made

[leaf 121r] his homage and feaute / and alle tho erles and barons wyth hym / And thenne the mayden Lynet came to syre Beaumayns / and vnarmed hym and serched his woundes / and stynted his blood / and in lyke wyse she dyd to the rede knyghte of the reed laundes / and there they soiourned ten dayes in their tentes / and the reed knyghte made his lordes and seruauntes to doo alle the pleasyre that they myghte vnto syre Beaumayns / And soo within a whyle the reed knyghte of the reed laundes yede vnto the castel / and putte hym in her grace And soo she receyued hym vpon suffysaunt seurte / so alle her hurtes were wel restored of al that she coude complayne / and thenne he departed vnto the Courte of kyne Arthur / and there openly the reed knyghte of the reed laundes putte hym in the mercy of syre Launcelot and syr Gawayne / and there he told openly how he was ouercome and by whome / and also he told alle the batails from the begynnynge vnto the endynge / Ihesu mercy sayd kynge Arthur and sire Gawayne we merueylle moche of what blood he is come / for he is a noble knyghte / Haue ye no merueille saide sire Launcelot / for ye shal ryght wel wete that he is comen of a ful noble blood / and as for his myghte and hardynes ther ben but fewe now lyuynge that is so myghty as he is / and so noble of prowesse It semeth by yow said kynge Arthur that ye knowe his name / and fro whens he is come / and of what blood he is / I suppose I doo so said Launcelot / or els I wold not haue yeuen hym thordre of knyȝthode / but he gaf me suche charge at that tyme that I shold neuer discouer hym vntyl he requyred me or els it be knowen openly by some other

¶ Capitulum xix

NOw torne we vnto syr Beaumayns that desyred of Lynet that he myght see her syster his lady / Syre she said I wold fayne ye sawe her / Thenne syr Beaumayns al armed hym and toke his hors and his spere and rode streyȝt vnto the castel / And whanne he cam to the gate he fond there many men armed and pulled vp the drawe brydge / & drewe

[leaf 121v] the porte cloose /

¶ Thenne merueilled he why they wold not suffre hym to entre / And thenne he loked vp to the wyndow And there he sawe the fair Lyones that said on hyghe go thy way / syr Beaumayns / for as yet thou shalt not haue holy my loue vnto the tyme that thou be callyd one of the nombre of the worthy knyghtes / And therfor goo laboure in worship this twelue monethe / and thenne thou shalt here newe tydynges / Allas faire lady said Beaumayns I haue not deserued that ye shold shewe me this straungenes / and I had wend that I shold haue ryght good chere with you and vnto my power I haue deserued thanke / and wel I am sure I haue boughte your loue with parte of the best blood within my body Fayre curteis knyghte said Dame Lyones / be not displeasyd nor ouer hasty / for wete you wel / your grete trauaill nor good loue shal not be lost / for I consydre your grete trauail & labour / your bounte and your goodenes as me oughte to doo / And therfore goo on your wey / and loke that ye be of good comforte for all shal be for your worship / and for the best / & perde a twelue moneth wille soone be done / and trust me fair knyghte I shal be true to you and neuer te bitraye you / but to my dethe I shalle loue you / and none other / And ther with alle she torned her from the wyndowe / and syr Beaumayns rode awey ward from the castel makyng grete dole / and soo he rode here and there & wyste not ne where he rode tyl hit was derke nyghte / And thenne it happend hym to come to a poure mans hous and there he was herborowed all that nyghte / But syr Beaumayns hadde no rest but walowed and wrythed for the loue of the lady of the castel / And soo vpon the morowe he took his hors and rode vn tyl vnderne / and then̄e he came to a brode water / and there by was a grete lodge / and there he alyghte to slepe and leid his hede vpon the shelde / and bitoke his hors to the dwarf / and commaunded hym to watche al nyghte / Now torne we to the lady of the same castel / that thoughte moche vpon Beaumayns / and thenne she called vnto her syr Gryngamore her broder / and praid hym in al maner as he loued her hertely that he wold ryde after syr Beaumayns / and euer haue ye wayte vpon hym tyl ye may fynde hym slepynge / for I am sure in his heuynes he wil alyȝt doun

[leaf 122r] in some place / and leye hym doune to slepe / And therfor haue ye your wayte vpon hym / and in the preuyest manere ye can take his dwerf / and go ye your waye with hym as faste as euer ye maye or syr Beaumayns awake / For my syster Lynet telleth me that he can telle of what kynreed he is come / and what is his ryghte name / And the meane whyle I and my syster wille ryde vnto youre castel to awayte whanne ye brynge with you the dwerf / And thenne whan ye haue broughte hym vnto youre Castel / I wylle haue hym in examynacion my self / vnto the tyme that I knowe what is his ryghte name / and of what kynred he is come / shalle I neuer be mery at my herte

¶ Syster said syre Gryngamore alle thys shalle be done after your entente / And soo he rode alle the other daye and the nyghte tylle that he fond syre Beaumayns lyenge by a water and his hede vpon his shelde for to slepe /

¶ And thenne whanne he sawe syre Beaumayns fast on slepe / he cam stylly stalkyng behynde the dwerf and plucked hym fast vnder his arme / and soo he rode aweye with hym as faste as euer he myght vnto his owne castel And this syre Gryngamors armes were alle black and that to hym longeth / But euer as he rode with the dwerf toward his castel / he cryed vnto his lord / and prayd hym for helpe / And there with awoke syre Beaumayns / and vp he lepte lyghtly / & sawe where the Gryngamor rode his waye with the dwerf / and soo syr Gryngamor rode oute of his syghte /

¶ Capitulum xx

THenne syre Beaumayns putte on his helme anone / and buckeled his shelde / and tooke his hors / and rode after hym alle that euer he myghte ryde thorou marys and feldes and grete dales / that many tymes his hors and he plonged ouer the hede in depe myres / for he knewe not the wey / but took the gaynest waye in that woodenes that many tymes he was lyke to perysshe / And at the laste hym happend to come to a fayre grene waye And there he mette with a poure man of the countreye whom he salewed & asked hym /

[leaf 122v] whether he mette not with a knyghte vpon a black hors & all black harneis a lytel dwerf syttynge behynde hym with heuy chere / Syre saide this poure man here by me came syre Gryngamor the knyght with suche a dwerf mornyng as ye saye / & therfore I rede you not folowe hym / For he is one of the perylloust knyghtes of the world / and his castel is here nyhe hand but two myle / therfor we aduyse you ryde not after syr Gryngamor but yf ye owe hym good wille / Soo leue we syre Beaumayns rydynge toward the castel and speke we of sir Gryngamor and the dwerf / Anone as the dwerf was come to the castel / dame Lyones and dame Lynet her syster asked the dwerf where was his maister borne / and of what lygnage he was come / And but yf thou telle me said dame Lyones thou shalt neuer escape this castel / but euer here to be prysoner As for that said the dwerf I fere not gretely to telle his name and of what kynne he is come / Wete ye wel he is a kynges sone / and his moder is syster to kyng Arthur / and he is broder to the good knyghte of syre Gawayne / and his name is syre Gareth of Orkeney / and now I haue told you his ryght name / I praye you fayre lady lete me goo to my lord ageyne / for he wille neuer oute of this countrey vntyl that he haue me ageyne / And yf he be angry / he wil doo moche harme or that he be stynte / and worche you wrake in this countray As for that thretyng sayd syr Gryngamore be it as it be may We wille goo to dyner / and soo they wasshed and wente to mete / and made hem mery and wel at ease / by cause the lady Lyones of the castel was there / they made grete Ioye

¶ Truly Madame sayd Lynet vnto her syster wel maye he be a kynges sone / for he hath many good tatches on hym / for he is curteis and mylde and the moost sufferynge man that euer I mette with al / For I dar saye ther was neuer gentylwoman reulyd man in soo foule a manere / as I haue rebuked hym / And at all tymes he gafe me goodely and meke ansuers ageyne

¶ And as they sate thus talkynge / ther came sire Gareth in at the gate with an angry countenaunce and his swerd drawen in his hand / and cryed aloude that alle the castel myȝt here hit sayeng thou traitour syre

[leaf 123r] Gryngamor delyuer me my dwerf ageyn / or by the feith that I owe to the ordre of knyghthode I shal doo the al the harme that I can / Thenne syr Gryngamor loked oute at a wyndow and said syr gareth of Orkeney leue thy bostyng wordes / for thou getest not thy dwerf ageyne / Thou coward knyghte sayd syr Gareth brynge hym with the / and come and doo bataylle with me / and wynne hym and take hym / So wille I do said syr Gryngamor and me lyst / but for al thy grete wordes thou getest hym not / A fayr broder said dame Lyones I wold he had his dwerf ageyne / for I wold he were not wroth / for now he hath told me al my desyre I kepe nomore of the dwerf And also broder he hath done moche for me / and delyuerd me from the reed knyghte of the reed laundes / and therfor broder I owe hym my seruyse afore al knyghtes lyuynge / And wete ye wel that I loue hym before al other / and ful fayne I wold speke with hym / But in no wyse I wold that he wist what I were / but that I were another straunge lady / Wel said syr Gryngamor sythen I knowe now your wille / I wylle obeye now vnto hym / And ryght ther with al he wente doun vnto syr Gareth / and said syr I crye you mercy / and al that I haue mysdone I wille amend hit at your wille / And therfore I pray you that ye wold alyghte / and take suche chere as I can make you in this castel / Shal I haue my dwerfe saide syre Gareth / ye syr / and alle the pleasaunce that I can make you / for as soone as your dwerf told me what ye were and of what blood ye ar come / and what noble dedes ye haue done in these marches / thenne I repentyd of my dedes / And thenne syre Gareth alyghte / and ther came his dwerf & took his hors / O my felawe said syr gareth / I haue had many aduentures for thy sake / And soo syre Gryngamor tooke hym by the hand / and ledde hym in to the halle where his own wyf was

¶ Capitulum xxj

[leaf 123v]

ANd thenne came forth Dame Lyones arayed lyke a pryncesse / and there she made hym passyng good chere and he her ageyne / and they had goodely langage & louely countenaunce to gyder / And syre Gareth thought many tymes Ihesu wold that the lady of the castel perillous were so fayre as she was / there were al maner of games & playes of dauncyng and syngynge / And euer the more syre Gareth bihelde that lady / the more he loued her / and so he brenned in loue that he was past hym self in his reason / and forth toward nyghte they yede vnto souper / and syre Gareth myghte not ete for his loue was soo hote / that he wist not where he was Alle these lokes aspyed syr Gryngamor / and thenne at after souper he callid his syster Dame Lyones vnto a chamber / and sayd / fair syster I haue wel aspyed your coūtenaūce betwixe you and this knyght / And I wil syster that ye wete he is a ful nobel knyȝt / & yf ye can make hym to abyde here I wil do hym all the pleasyr þ^t I can / for & ye were better than ye ar ye were wel bywaryd vpon hym / Fayre broder said Dame lyones I vnderstande wel that the knyghte is good & come he is of a noble hous / Notwithstandyng I wille assaye hym better how be it I am moost beholdyng to hym of ony erthely mā for he hath had grete labour for my loue / and passid many a daungerous passage / Ryght soo syr Gryngamor wente vnto syr Gareth and said syre make ye good chere / for ye shal haue none other cause / for this lady my syster is yours at al tymes her worship saued / for wete ye wel she loueth you as wel as ye doo her and better / yf better may be / And I wist that said syr Gareth / ther lyued not a gladder man than I wold be Vpon my worship said syr Gryngamor trust vnto my promyse And as long as it lyketh you ye shal soiourne with me and this lady shal be with vs dayly and nyghtly to make yow alle the chere that she can / I wille wel said syre Gareth / For I haue promysed to be nyghe this countrey this twelue moneth / And wel I am sure kynge Arthur and other noble knyghtes wille fynde me where that I am within this twelfe moneth / For I shal be soughte and founden yf that I be on lyue

¶ And thenne the noble knyghte syre Gareth wente vnto the dame Lyones whiche he thēne moche loued / & kyst her

[leaf 124r] many tymes / and eyther made grete Ioye of other / And there she promysed hym her loue certaynly to loue hym and none other the dayes of hyr lyf / Thenne this lady dame Lyones by the assente of her broder told syr Gareth alle the trouth what she was / And how she was the same lady that he dyd batail for / and how she was lady of the castel peryllous / and there she told hym how she caused her broder to take awey his dwerf

¶ Capitulum xxij

FOr this cause to knowe the certaynte what was your name / and of what kynne ye were come / And thenne she lete fetche tofore hym Lynet the damoysel that had ryden with hym many wylsome wayes / Thenne was syre Gareth more gladder than he was to fore / And thēne they trouthplyte eche other to loue / and neuer to faylle whyles their lyfe lasteth / And soo they brente bothe in loue that they were accorded to abate their lustes secretely / And there Dame Lyones counceylled syr Gareth to slepe in none other place but in the halle / And there she promysed hym to come to his bedde a lytel afore mydnyght / This counceil was not soo pryuely kepte but it was vnderstande / for they were but yonge bothe and tendyr of age / and had not vsed none suche craftes to forne / Wherfor the damoysel Lynet was a lytel displeasyd / and she thoughte her syster Dame Lyones was a lytel ouer hasty / that she myghte not abyde the tyme of her maryage / And for sauyng their worship / she thoughte to abate their hote lustes /

¶ And so she lete ordeyne by her subtyl craftes that they had not their ententes neyther with other as in her delytes / vntyl they were maryed / And soo it past on / At after souper was made clene auoydaunce / that euery lord and lady shold goo vnto his rest / But syr Gareth said playnly he wold goo noo ferther than the halle / for in suche places he said was conuenyent for an arraunt knyȝt to take his rest in / and so there were ordeyned grete couches / & theron fether beddes / & there leyde hym doune to slepe / & within a whyle cam dame Lyones wrapped in a mantel furred with Ermyne & leid her doun besydes syr gareth / And there with alle he beganne to kysse her / And thenne he loked afore hym and there he apperceuyued and sawe come an armed knyght with many lyghtes aboute hym / and [sic]

[leaf 124v] sawe come an armed knyȝt with many lyghtes about hym [sic]/ & this knyghte had a longe Gysarme in his hand / and maade grym countenaunce to smyte hym / Whanne syre Gareth sawe hym come in that wyse / he lepte oute of his bedde and gate in his hand his swerd and lepte strayte toward that knyght / And whanne the knyght sawe syr Gareth come so fyersly vpon hym / he smote hym with a foyne thorou the thycke of the thyȝ that the wound was a shaftmon brode and had cutte atwo many vaynes and senewes / And there with al syr Gareth smote hym vpon the helme suche a buffet that he felle grouelyng / and thenne he lepte ouer hym and vnlaced his helme and smote of his hede fro the body / And thenne he bledde so fast that he myghte not stande / but soo he leid hym doun vpon his bedde / and there he swouned and laye as he had ben dede Thenne dame Lyones cryed alowde / that her broder syr Gryngamor herd / and came doune / And whan he sawe syr Gareth soo shamefully wounded / he was sore displeasyd and sayd I am shamed that this noble knyghte is thus honoured / Syr sayd syr Gryngamore hou may this be / that ye be here / and thys noble knyghte wounded / Broder she said I can not telle yow For it was not done by me nor by myn assente / For he is my lord and I am his / and he must be myn husband / therfore my broder I wille that ye wete I shame me not to be with hym / nor to doo hym alle the pleasyr that I can / Syster said syre Gryngamore / and I will that ye wete it and syr Gareth both that it was neuer done by me nor by my assente that this vnhappy dede was done / And there they staunched his bledynge as wel as they myght / and grete sorou made sir Gryngamor and Dame Lyones / And forthe with al came Dame Lynet and toke vp the hede in the syghte of hem alle / and enoynted it with an oyntement there as it was smyten of / and in the same wyse she dyd to the other parte there as the hede stak / And thenne she sette it to gyders / and it stak as fast as euer it did And the knyghte arose lyghtely vp / and the damoysel Lynet put hym in her chambre / Alle this sawe sir Gryngamor and dame Lyones / and soo dyd sir Gareth / and wel he espyed that it was the damoysel Lynet that rode with hym thorou the peryllous passages / A wel damoysel said syre Gareth I wende [sic]

[leaf 125r] wold [sic]not haue done as ye haue done / My lord Gareth said Lynet / alle that I haue done I will auowe / and alle that I haue done shal be for youre honoure and worship / and to vs alle / And soo within a whyle syr Gareth was nyghe hole / & waxid lyghte and Iocounde / and sange / daunced and gamed / and he and dame Lyones were soo hote in brennynge loue that they made their couenaunte at the tenth nyghte after that she shold come to his bedde / And by cause he was woūded afore / he laid his armour / and his swerd nyghe his beddes syde

¶ Capitulum xxiij

RYght as she promysed she came / and she was not soo soone in his bedde / but she aspyed an armed knyghte comyng toward the bedde / there with alle she warned syr Gareth / and lyghtly thorou the good helpe of Dame Lyones he was armed / and they hurtled to gyders with grete Ire & malyce al aboute the halle / and there was grete lyght as it had ben the nombre of xx torches bothe before and behynd / soo that syr Gareth strayned hym / soo that his old wounde braste ageyne on bledyng / but he was hote and couragyous and toke no kepe / but with his grete force he stroke doune that knyghte / and voyded his helme / and strake of his hede / Thenne he hewe the hede in an honderd pyeces / And whan he had done so he took vp alle tho pyeces and threwe hem oute at a wyndow in to the dyches of the castel / and by this done / he was so faynt that vnnethes he myght stande for bledyng / And by thenne he was al most vnarmed / he felle in a dedely swoune in the flore / And thenne dame Lyones cryed soo that syr Gryngamor herd / And whan he cam and fond syr Gareth in that plyte he made grete sorou / & there he awaked sir Gareth / and gaf hym a drynke that releued hym wonderly wel / but the sorou that Dame Lyones made there maye no tonge telle / for she soo faryd with her self as she wold haue dyed /

¶ Ryghte soo cam this damoysel Lynet before hem al / and she had fette alle the goblets of the hede that syr Gareth had throwen out at a wyndowe / and there she enoynted hem as she had done to fore / & set them to gyder ageyn / wel damoisel Lynet said syre Gareth /

[leaf 125v] I haue not deserued alle this despyte that ye doo vnto me / sir knyghte she said / I haue no thynge do / but I will auowe / And al that I haue done shalle be to your worship and to vs al / And thenne was syre Gareth staūched of his bledyng But the leches said / that ther was no man that bare the lyf / sholde hele hym thorou oute of his wounde / but yf they heled hym that caused that stroke by enchauntement / So leue we syr Gareth there with syr Gryngamore and his systers / and torne we vnto kynge Arthur that at the nexte feest of Pentecost helde his feest / and there cam the grene knyȝt with fyfty knyghtes / and yelded hem all vnto kynge Arthur / And so there came the reed knyghte his broder / and yelded hym to kyng Arthur and thre score knyghtes with hym / Also there came the blewe knyghte broder to them with an honderd knyghtes / & yelded hem vnto kynge Arthur / and the grene knyghtes name was Partolype / and the reed knyghtes name was Perymones / and the blewe knyghtes name was syr Persant of Inde / these thre bretheren told kynge Arthur how they were ouercome by a knyghte that a damoysel had with her / and called hym Beaumayns / Ihesu sayd the kynge I merueylle what knyghte he is / and of what lygnage he is come / He was with me a twelue monethe / and pourely and shamefully he was fostred / and syre kay in scorne named hym Beaumayns / Soo ryghte as the kyng stode soo talkyng with these thre bretheren / there came syr Launcelot du lake and told the kynge that there was come a goodly lord with vj C knghtes with hym / thenne the kynge wente oute of Carlyon / for there was the feest / and there came to hym this lord / and salewed the kynge in a goodly manere / What wylle ye sayd kyng Arthur / and what is youre erand / Syr he said my name is the reed knyghte of the reed laundes / but my name is syr Ironsyde / and syre wete ye wel / here I am sente to yow / of a knyght that is called Beaumayns / for he wanne me in playne bataille hande for hand / and soo dyd neuer no knyght but he that euer had the better of me this xxx wynter / the whiche commaunded to yelde me to yow at youre wylle / ye are welcom said the kyng / for ye haue ben long a grete foo to me and my Courte / and now I truste to god I shalle

[leaf 126r] soo entreate you that ye shal be my frend / Syre / bothe I and these fyue honderd knyghtes shal alweyes be at your somons to doo you seruyse as maye lye in oure powers / Ihesu mercy said kyng Arthur I am moche beholdynge vnto that knyght / that hath put soo his body in deuoyre to worshippe me & my Courte / And as to the Ironsyde that art called the reed knyghte of the reed laundes thou arte called a peryllous knyȝt And yf thou wylt holde of me I shal worshippe the and make the knyghte of the table round / but thenne thou must be no more a murtherer / Syre as to that I haue promysed vnto syre Beaumayns neuer more to vse suche custommes / for all the shameful customes that I vsed I dyd at the request of a lady that I loued / and therfor I must goo vnto syr Launcelot and vnto syre Gawayne / and aske them foryeuenes of the euyll wylle I had vnto them / for alle that I put to deth was al only for the loue of syr Launcelot and of syr Gawayne / They ben here now said the kynge afore the / now maye ye saye to them what ye wylle / And thenne he kneled doune vnto syre Launcelot and to syre Gawayne and prayd them of foryeuenes of his enemytee that euer he had ageynste them /

¶ Capitulum xxiiij

THenne goodely they said al at ones / god foryeue you and we do / and praye you that ye will telle vs where we may fynde syr Beaumayns / Fayre lordes said syr Ironsyde I can not telle you / for it is ful hard to fynde hym / for suche yong knyghtes as he is one / whanne they be in their aduentures ben neuer abydynge in no place /

¶ But to saye the worship that the reed knyghte of the reed laundes and syr persaunt and his broder said of Beaumayns / it was merueil to here / Wel my fayre lordes said kynge Arthur / wete yow wel / I shalle do you honour for the loue of syr Beaumayns / and as soone as euer I mete with hym I shalle make you al vpon one day knyghtes of the table round / And as to the syre Persaunt of Inde thou hast ben euer called a ful noble knyghte / and soo haue euer ben thy thre bretheren called / But I merueil said the kyng that I here not of the black knyȝt your

[leaf 126v] broder / he was a ful noble knyghte / Syr sayd Pertolype the grene knyȝt syr Beaumayns slewe hym in a recoūtre with his spere / his name was syr Perard / that was grete pyte sayd the kynge and soo said many knyghtes / For these four bretheren were ful wel knowen in the courte of kynge Arthur for noble knyghtes / for long tyme they had holden werre ageynst the knyghtes of the round table / Thenne sayd Pertolepe the grene knyghte to the kynge atte a passage of the water of mortayse there encountred syr Beaumayns with two bretheren that euer for the moost party kepte that passage / and they were two dedely knyghtes / and there he slewe the eldest broder in the water / and smote hym vpon the heede suche a buffet that he felle doune in the water / and there he was drouned / & his name was sir Garard le brewse / and after he slewe the other broder vpon the lond / his name was syr Arnold le brewse /

¶ Capitulum xxvj

[As listed in the table of contents, chapters xxv and xxvj are joined in chapter xxvj, and there is no chapter break between them.]

SOo thenne the kyng and they wente to mete / and were serued in the best manere / And as they satte at the mete / ther came in the quene of Orkeney with ladyes & knyȝtes a grete nombre / And thenne syr Gawayn / syr Agrauayn and Gaherys arose / and wente to her / and salewed her vpon their knees / and asked her blyssyng / For in xv yere they had not sene her / Thenne she spak on hyghe to her broder kynge Arthur / where haue ye done my yong sone syr Gareth / he was here amongst you a twelue moneth / & ye made a kechyn knaue of hym / the whiche is shame to you all / Allas where haue ye done my dere sone that was my Ioye and blysse / O dere moder said syr Gawayn I knewe hym not / Nor I said the kynge that now me repenteth / but thanked be god he is preued a worshipful knyghte as ony is now lyuyng of his yeres / & I shal neuer be glad tyl I may fynde hym / A broder sayd the quene vnto kyng Arthur and vnto syr Gawayne and to alle her sones / ye dyd your self grete shame whan ye amongst you kepte my sone in the kechyn and fedde hym lyke a poure hog / Fayr sister said kyng Arthur ye shall ryghte wel wete / I knewe hym not / nor nomore dyd syre Gawayn / nor his

[leaf 127r] bretheren / but sythen it is soo said the kyng that he is thus gone from vs alle / we must shape a remedy to fynde hym / Also syster me semeth ye myght haue done me to wete of his comynge / And thenne and I had not done wel to hym / ye myȝt haue blamed me / For whan he cam to this courte he came lenyng vpon two mens sholders as though he myght not haue gone / And thenne he asked me thre yeftes / and one he asked the same day / that was that I wold gyue hym mete ynough that twelue moneth / and the other two yeftes he asked that day a twelue moneth / and that was that he myghte haue thaduenture of the damoysel Lynet / and the thyrd was that syre Launcelot shold make hym knyght whan he desyred hym / And soo I graunted hym alle his desyre / and many in this Courte merueilled that he desyred his sustenaunce for a twelf monethe / And there by we demed many of vs that he was not come of a noble hous / Syre said the Quene of Orkeney vnto kynge Arthur her broder / wete ye wel that I sente hym vnto you ryghte wel armed and horsed and worshipfully bysene his body / and gold and syluer plente to spend / it may be said the kynge / but therof sawe we none / sauf that same daye as he departed from vs / knyghtes told me that ther came a dwerf hyder sodenly and broughte hym armour and a good hors ful wel and rychely bysene / and there at we al had merueille / fro whens that rychesse came / that we demed al that he was come of men or worship / Broder said the Quene alle that ye saye I byleue / for euer sythen he was growen / he was merueillously wytted / and euer he was feythful & true of his promesse / But I merueille said she that syre kay dyd mocke hym and scorne hym / and gaf hym that name Beaumayns / yet syr kay said the quene named hym more ryghteuously than he wende / For I dare saye and he be on lyue / he is as fair an handed man and wel disposed as ony is lyuynge / Syre said Arthurle te this langage be stylle / and by the grace of god he shal be founde / and he be within these seuen royames / and lete alle this passe and be mery / for he is proued to be a man of worship / and that is my Ioye

¶ Capitulum xxvij

[leaf 127v]

THenne said syr Gawayne and his bretheren vnto arthur / syre and ye wyl gyue vs leue we wille go and seke oure brother / Nay said syr Launcelot that shalle ye not nede / and so said syr Bawdewyn of Bretayne / for as by oure aduys the kynge shal sende vnto dame Lyones a messager / and praye her that she wille come to the courte in alle the hast that she may / and doubte ye not she wille come / And thēne she may gyue you best coūceille where ye shal fynde hym This is wel said of you said the kyng / Soo thenne goodely letters were made / and the messager sente forth that nyghte & day he wente tyl he cam vnto the castel perillous / And thenne the lady dame Lyones was sente fore there as she was wyth syr Gryngamor her broder and syre Gareth / and whan she vnderstode this message / she badde hym ryde on his way vnto kynge Arthur / and she wold come after in al goodely hast

¶ Thenne whan she came to syr Gryngamor and to sir Gareth she told hem al how kyng Arthur had sente for her / that is by cause of me said syr Gareth / Now auyse me said dame Lyones what shalle I saye and in what manere I shal rule me / My lady and my loue said sir Gareth I pray you in no wyse be ye aknowen where I am / but wel I wote my moder is there and alle my bretheren / and they wille take vpon hem to seke me / I wote wel that they doo / But this madame I wold ye sayd and aduysed the kynge whan he questyoned with you of me / Thenne maye ye say / this is your aduys that and hit lyke his good grace / ye wille doo make a crye ayenst the feest of thassumpcion of our lady that what knyghte there preueth hym best he shal welde you and all your land / And yf soo be that he be a wedded man that his wyf shall the degre and a coronal of gold besette with stones of vertue to the valewe of a thousand pound and a whyte Iarfaucon / Soo dame Lyones departed / and came to kynge Arthur where she was nobly receyued / and there she was sore questyoned of the kyng and of the quene of Orkeney / And she ansuerde where syr Gareth was she coude not telle / But thus moche she said vnto Arthur / syre I wille lete crye a turnement that shal be done before my castel at the Assumpcion of oure lady / and the crye shal be this that you my lorde Arthur shalt be there / &

[leaf 128r] your knyghtes / and I will puruey that my knyghtes shalle be ageynst yours / And thenne I am sure ye shall here of syr Gareth / this is wel aduysed said kynge Arthur / and soo she departed / And the kynge and she maade grete prouysyon to that turnement / Whan dame Lyones was come to the yle of Auylyon that was the same yle ther as her broder syr Gryngamor dwelte / thenne she told hem al how she had done / and what promyse she had made to kynge Arthur / Allas said syr Gareth / I haue been soo wounded with vnhappynes sythen I cam in to this castel that I shal not be abyl to doo at that turnement lyke a knyghte / for I was neuer thorouly hole syn I was hurte / Be ye of good chere said the damoysel Lynet / for I vndertake within these xv dayes to make you hole and as lusty as euer ye were / And thenne she leid an oynement & a salue to hym as it pleasyd to her that he was neuer so fressh nor soo lusty / Thenne said the damoysel Lynet / send you vnto syr Persaunt of ynde / and assomone hym and his knyghtes to be here with you as they haue promysed / Also that ye send vnto syr Ironsyde that is the reed knyghte of the reed laundes / and charge hym that he be redy with you with his hole somme of knyghtes / and thenne shalle ye be abyl to matche with kynge Arthur and his knyghtes / Soo this was done & alle knyghtes were sente for vnto the castel peryllous / & thenne the reed knyght ansuerd and said vnto dame Lyones and to syre Gareth / Madame & my lord syr Gareth ye shal vnderstande that I haue ben at the court of kynge Arthur and sire Persaunt of Inde and his bretheren / and there we haue done oure homage as ye commaunded vs / Also syr Ironsyde sayd I haue taken vpon me with syre Persaunt of Inde and his bretheren to hold party ageynst my lord sir Launcelot and the knyghtes of that courte / And this haue I done for the loue of my lady Dame Lyones and you my lord sir Gareth / ye haue wel done said syr Gareth / But wete you wel ye shal be ful sore matched with the moost noble knyghtes of the world / therfor we must purueye vs of goode knyghtes where we may gete them / That is wel said / said sir Persaunt and worshipfully And soo the crye was made in England / walis and scotland Ireland / Cornewaille / & in alle the oute Iles and in bretayn

[leaf 128v] and in many countreyes that at the feest of our lady the assumpcion next comyng men shold come to the castel peryllous besyde the yle of Auylyon / And there al the knyghtes that ther came shold haue the choyse whether them lyst to be on the one party with the knyghtes of the castel or on the other party with kynge Arthur / And two monethes was to the daye that the turnement shold be / & so ther cam many good knyȝtes that were at her large and helde hem for the moost party ageynst kynge Arthur and his knyghtes of the round table / cam in the syde of them of the castel / For syr Epynogrus was the fyrst / and he was the kynges sone of Northumberland / & syr Palamydes the sarasyn was another / and syr Safere his broder / and syre Segwarydes his broder / but they were crystned / and syre Malegryne another / and syr Bryan des les Ilelys a noble knyghte / and syr Grummore gummursum a good knyghte of Scotland / and syr Carados of the dolorous toure a noble knyghte and syr Turquyn his broder / and syr Arnold and syre Gauter two bretheren good knyghtes of Cornewaile / there cam syr Trystram de lyones / and with hym syr Dynadas the seneschal / and sir Saduk / but this syr Tristram was not at that tyme knyght of the table round / but he was one of the best knyghtes of the world / And soo all these noble knyghtes accompanyed hem with the lady of the castel and with the reed knyghte of the reed laundes / but as for sir Gareth he wold not take vpon hym more but as other meane knyghtes

¶ Capitulum xxviij

ANd thenne ther cam with kynge Arthur sir Gawayn Agrauayne / Gaherys his bretheren / And thenne his neuewes syr Vwayn le blaunche maynys / and syr Aglouale syr Tor / sir Percyuale de galys / and syre Lamorrak de galis Thenne came sir Launcelot du lake with his bretheren neuews and cosyns as sir Lyonel / sir Ector de marys / syr bors de ganys and sir Galyhodyn / syre Galihud and many moo of syre Launcelots blood and syre Dynadan / sir la coote male tayle / his broder a good knyghte / and sir Sagramore a good knyȝt

[leaf 129r] And al the most party of the round table / Also ther cam with kynge Arthur these knyghtes the kynge of Ireland / kynge Agwysaunce / and the kyng of Scotland kyng Carados and kynge Vryens of the londe of gore and kyng Bagdemagus and his sone syr Melyaganus and syr Galahault the noble prynce / Alle these kynges prynces and Erles Barons and other noble knyghtes / as syre Braundyles / syre Vwayne les auowtres / and syre kay / syr Bedeuere / syr Melyot de logrys syr Petypase of wynkelsee / syr Godelake / alle these came with kynge Arthur and moo that can not ben reherced /

¶ Now leue we of these kynges and knyghtes / and lete vs speke of the grete araye that was made within the castel and aboute the castel for bothe partyes / the lady Dame Lyones ordeyned grete aray vpon her party for her noble knyghtes for al maner of lodgyng and vytaille that cam by land & by water that ther lacked no thynge for her party nor for the other but there was plente to be had for gold and syluer for kynge Arthur and his knyghtes / And thenne ther cam the herbegeours from kynge Arthur for to herberowe hym & his kynges / dukes Erles Barons and knyghtes / And thenne syr Gareth prayd dame Lyones and the reed knyghte of the reed laundes / and syr Persant and his broder / and syre Gryngamor that in no wyse ther shold none of them telle not his name and make no more of hym than of the leest knyghte that there was / for he said I wille not be knowen of neyther more ne lesse / neyther at the begynnynge neyther at the endynge

¶ Thenne Dame Lyones said vnto syr Gareth / syre I wylle lene you a rynge / but I wold pray you as ye loue me hertely lete me haue it ageyne whanne the turnement is done /

¶ For that rynge encreaceth my beaute moche more than it is of hym self / And the vertu of my rynge is that / that is grene it will torne to reed / and that is reed it wil torne is lykenes to grene / And that is blewe it wil torne in lykenes of whyte / and that is whyte it wil torne in lykenes to blewe / and so it wil doo of al manere of colours / Also who that bereth my rynge / shalle lese no blood / and for grete loue I will gyue you thys rynge / Gramercy said syr Gareth myn own lady / for this rynge is passynge mete for me / for it wille torne al manere of

[leaf 129v] lykenes that I am in / and that shalle cause me that I shall not be knowen / Thenne syr Gryngamor gaf syr Gareth a bay courser that was a passyng good hors / Also he gafe hym good armoure and sure and a noble swerd that somtyme syre Gryngamors fader wanne vpon an hethen Tyraunt / And soo thus euery knyghte made hym redy to that turnement & kyng Arthur was comen two dayes to fore thassumpcion of our lady / And there was al maner of Royalte of al mynstralsye / that myghte be founde / Also there cam quene Gweneuer and the quene of Orkeney syr Gareths moder / And vpon the assumpcion day whanne masse and matyns were done there were herowdes with trompettes commaunded to blowe to the feld And soo there came oute syr Epynogrus the kynges sone of Northumberland from the castel / and there encountred with hym syre Sagramor le desyrus / and eyther of hem brake their speres to their handes / And thenne came in syre Palamydes oute of the Castel / and there encountred with hym Gawayne and eyther of hem smote other so hard that bothe the good knyghtes and their horses felle to the erthe / And thenne knyghtes of eyther party rescowed their knyghtes / And thenne cam in syr Safere and syre Segwarydes bretheren to syre Palamydes / and there encountred syr Agrauayne with syr Safere and syr Gaherys encountred with syre Segwarydes / So syr Safere smote doune Agrauayne syr Gawayns broder / and sir Segwarydes syr Saferys broder And syr Malgryne a knyȝt of the Castel encountred with syr Vwayne le blaunche maynys / And there syre Vwayne gaf syr Malgryn a falle / that he had almost broke his neck

¶ Capitulum xxix

THenne syr Bryan de les yles and Grummore grummorssum knyghtes of the Castel with syre Aglouale and syre Tor smote doun syr Gromere Gromorson to the erth Thenne cam in syr Carados of the dolorous toure / & syr Turquyne knyghtes of the Castel / and there encoūtred with hem syr Percyuale de galys & syr Launcelot de galys / that were two bretheren / And there encountred syr Percyuale with syre

[leaf 130r] Caradus / and eyther brake their speres vnto their handes / & thenne syr Turquyn with syre Lamerak / and eyther of hem smote doune others hors and alle to the erthe / and eyther partyes rescowed other / and horsed them ageyn / And syr Arnold and syr Gautere knyghtes of the castel encountred with syre Braundyles and syr kay / and these four knyghtes encountred myghtely / and brake their speres to their handes / Thenne came in syr Trystram / syre Saduk / and syre Dynas knyghtes of the castel / and there encountred syr Trystram wyth syre Bedyuere / and there syr Bedyuere was smyten to the erthe bothe hors and man / And syr Saduk encountred with sir Petypase / and there syr Saduk was ouerthrowen / And there Vwayne les auoutres smote doune syr Dynas the seneschal / Thenne came in syr Persaunt of Inde a knyght of the castel And there encountred with hym syr Launcelot du lake / and there he smote syr Persaunts hors and man to the erthe / thenne came syr Pertylope from the castel / and there encountred with hym syr Lyonel / and there syr Pertylope the grene knyght smote doune syr Lyonel broder to syr Laūcelot / All this was marked by noble heroudes / who bare hym best / and theire names / And thenne came in to the feld syre Perymones the grene knyght syr Persaunts broder that was a knyght of the Castel / and he encountred with syr Ector de marys / and eyther smote other so hard / that bothe their horses and they felle to the erthe / And thenne came in the reed knyght of the reed laundes and syr Gareth from the castel / and there encountred with hem syr Bors de ganys and syr Bleoberys / and there the reed knyghte and syr Bors smote other so hard that her speres brast and their horses felle grouelynge to the erthe Thenne syr Blamor brake his spere vpon syr Gareth / but of that stroke syr Blamor felle to the erthe / whan syr Galyhoudyn sawe that / he bad sir gareth kepe hym / & sire gareth smote hym to the erthe / thenne sire Galyhud gate a spere to auenge his broder / & in the same wyse sir gareth serued hym / & sir Dynadan & his broder la cote male tayle / & sir Sagramor desirus & sir Dodynas le saueage / All these he bare doun with one spere / Whan kyng Aguysaūce of Irland sawe syr Gareth fare so he merueiled what he myȝt be þ^t one tyme semed grene & another

[leaf 130v] tyme at his ageyne comyng he semed blewe / And thus at euery cours that he rode to and fro he chaunged his colour so that ther myghte neyther kynge nor knyghte haue redy congnyssaunce of hym / Thenne syr Anguyssaunce the kyng of Irland encountred with syr Gareth / and there syr Gareth smote hym from his hors sadyl and all / And thenne came kyng Caradus of Scotland and syr Gareth smote hym doun hors and man / And in the same wyse he serued kyng Vryens of the land of Gore / And thenne came in syr Bawdemagus / and syr Gareth smote hym doune hors and man to the erthe And Bawdemagus sone Melyganus brake a spere vpon sir Gareth myghtely and knyghtely / And thenne syr Galahaut the noble prynce cryed on hyghe knyghte with the many colours wel hast thou Iusted / Now make the redy that I maye Iuste with the / Syre Gareth herd hym / and he gat a grete spere / and soo they encountred to gyder / and there the prynce brake his spere / But syr Gareth smote hym vpon the lyfte syde of the helme / that he relyd here and there / and he had falle doune had not his men recouerd hym / Soo god me help sayd kynge Arthur that same knyght with the many colours is a good knyghte / wherfor the kynge called vnto hym syr Launcelot and praid hym to encountre with that knyghte / Syr said Launcelot I may wel fynde in my herte for to forbere hym as at this tyme / for he hath hadde trauail ynough this day / & whan a good knyghte doth soo wel vpon somme day / it is no good knyghtes parte to lette hym of his worship / And namely whan he seeth a Knyght hath done soo grete labour / for peraduenture said syr Launcelot his quarel is here this day / & perauentur he is best byloued with this lady of al that ben here / for I see wel / he payneth hym & enforceth hym to do grete dedes / & therfor said syr launcelot as for me this day he shall haue the honour / though it lay in my power to put hym fro it / I wold not

¶ Capitulum xxx

THenne whanne this was done / there was drawynge of swerdes / And thenne there began a sore turnement

[leaf 131r] And there dyd syr Lamerak merueyllous dedes of armes / & betwixe syr Lamerak and syre Ironsyde that was the reed knyghte of the reed laūdes there was strong batail / & betwix syre Palamides & Bleoberys there was a strong batail / & sir Gawayne and syr Trystram mette / and there syr Gawayne had the werse / for he pulled syre Gawayne from his hors / And there he was long vpon foote and defouled / Thenne cam in syr Launcelot and he smote syr Turquyne / and he hym / & thenne came syr Caradus his broder / and bothe at ones they assayled hym / & he as the moost noblest knyght of the world worshipfully foughte with hem bothe / that al men wondred of the noblesse of syr launcelot / And thenne came in syr Gareth and knewe that it was sir launcelot that fought with tho two peryllous knyghtes / And thenne syr Gareth came with his good hors and hurtled hem in sonder / & no stroke wold he smyte to syr Launcelot / that aspyed sir launcelot & demed it shold be the good knyghte syre Gareth / & thenne syr Gareth rode here and there / & smote on the ryght hand & on the lyfte hand that alle the folke myghte wel aspye where that he rode / and by fortune he mette with his broder syr Gawayn / and there he put syr Gawayne to the werse / for he put of his helme / and so he serued fyue or syxe knyghtes of the rounde table that alle men said / he put hym in the most payne / and best he dyd his deuoyr / For whan syr Trystram beheld hym how he fyrst Iusted and after foughte so wel with a swerd / Thenne he rode vnto syr Ironsyde and to syre Persaunt of ynde and asked hem by their feythe / what maner a knyghte is yonder knyght that semeth in soo many dyuerse colours / Truly me semeth sayd Trystram that he putteth hym self in grete payne for he neuer ceaseth / Wote ye not what he is sayd syr Ironsyde / No said syr Trystram / thenne shal ye knowe that this is he that loueth the lady of the castel and she hym ageyne / and this is he that wanne me whan I byseged the lady of this castel / and this he that wanne syr Persaunt of ynde / and his thre bretheren / what is his name sayd syr Trystram and of what blood is he come / he was called in the courte of kyng Arthur Beaumayns / but his ryȝt name is sir Gareth of Orkeney broder to sir Gawayn / by my hede said sir Tristram he is a good kniȝt

[leaf 131v] knyght and a bygge man of armes / & yf he be yong he shalle preue a ful noble knyghte / he is but a child they all saide & of syr Launcelot he was made knyȝt / therfor is he mykel the better said Trystram / And thenne syr trystram / syr Ironsyde / syr Persaunt and his broder rode to gyders for to helpe sir gareth / & thenne there were gyuen many strong strokes / And thenne syr Gareth rode oute on the one syde to amende his helme / & thenne said his dwerf take me your ryng that ye lese it not whyle that ye drynke / And so whan he had dronken he gat on his helme / & egerly took his hors & rode in to the felde & lefte his rynge with his dwerf / and the dwerf was gladde the ryng was from hym / for thenne he wist wel he shold be knowen And thenne whan syr Gareth was in the felde all folkes sawe hym wel / & playnly that he was in yelowe colours / & there he rassyd of helmes & pulled doun knyȝtes that kynge Arthur had merueylle what knyȝt he was / for the kyng sawe by his here that it was the same knyght

¶ Capitulum xxxj

BVt by fore he was in so many colours and now he is but in one colour that is yelowe / Now goo said kyng Arthur vnto dyuerse heroudes and ryde aboute hym & aspye what maner knyghte he is / for I haue speryd of many knyghtes this day that ben vpon his party / and all saye they knowe hym not / And so an heroude rode nyhe Gareth as he coude / and there he sawe wryten aboute his helme in golde / This helme is syr gareth of Orkeney / Thenne the heroude cryed as he were wood / & many heroudes with hym / This is syre gareth of Orkeney in the yelowe armes that by all kynges and knyghtes of Arthurs beheld hym & awayted / & thenne they pressyd al to beholde hym / & euer the heroudes cryed this is syre gareth of Orkeney kyng Lots sone / and whan syr gareth aspyed that he was discoueryd / thenne he doubled his strokes / & smote doune syr Sagramore & his broder sir gawayn / O broder saide sir gawayn I wende ye wolde not haue stryken me / so whan he herd hym say so he thrang here & there / & so with grete payne he gat out of the prees / and there he mette with his dwerf / O boye said syr gareth thou hast begyled me foule this day that thou kepte my rynge / Gyue it me anone ageyn that

[leaf 132r] I may hyde my body with al / and soo he tooke it hym / And thenne they all wist not where he was become / and syr Gawayn had in maner aspyed where syr Gareth rode / and thenne he rode after with alle his myghte / that aspyed syr Gareth and rode lyghtely in to the forest that syr Gawayn wist not where he was become / And whan syr Gareth wyst that syr Gawayn was past / he asked the dwerf of best counceil / Syr said the dwerf / me semeth it were best now that ye are escaped fro spyeng that ye send my lady dame lyones her rynge / It is wel aduysed said syr Gareth / now haue it here and bere it to her / And saye that I recommaunde me vnto her good grace / and saye her I will come whan I maye / and I pray her to be true and feythful to me as I wil be to her / Syr said the dwerf it shal be done as ye commaunde / and soo he rode his waye and dyd his eraund vnto the lady / Thenne she said where is my knyghte syr Gareth / Madame said the dwerf he bad me saye / that he wold not be long from you /

¶ And soo lyghtely the dwerf cam ageyne vnto syr Gareth that wold ful fayne haue had a lodgyng / for he had nede to be reposed / And thenne felle there a thonder and a rayne as heuen and erthe shold goo to gyder / And syr Gareth was not a lytyl wery / for of al that day he had but lytel rest neyther his hors nor he / So this syr Gareth rode soo longe in that forest vntyl the nyghte came And euer it lyghtned and thondred as it had ben woode At the last by fortune he came to a Castel / and there he herd the waytes vpon the wallys

¶ Capitulum xxxij /

THenne syr Gareth rode vnto the barbycan of the castel / and praid the porter fayr to lete hym in to the castel / The porter ansuerd vngoodely ageyne / and saide thow getest no lodgyng here / Fayr syr say not soo for I am a knyȝte of kynge Arthurs / & pray the lord or the lady of this castel to gyue me herberow for the loue of kynge Arthur / Thenne the porter wente vnto the duchesse / and told her how ther was a knyghte of kyng Arthurs wold haue herberowe / lete hym in said the duchesse / for I wille see that knyghte / And for kyng Arthurs sake he shalle not be herberoules /

¶ Thenne she yode vp in to a toure ouer the gate with greete torche lyght / whan sir Gareth sawe that torche lyghte he cryed

[leaf 132v] on hyhe whether thou be lord or lady gyaunt or champyon I take no force so that I may haue herberowe this nyghte / & yf hit so be that I must nedes fyghte / spare me not to morne when I haue restyd me for bothe I and myn hors ben wery / Syr knyghte said the lady thou spekest knyghtly and boldly / but wete thou wel the lord of this castel loueth not kyng Arthur / nor none of his court / for my lord hath euer ben ageynst hym and therfor thou were better not to come within this castel / For and thou come in this nyghte / thou must come in vnder suche fourme that where someuer thou mete my lord by styȝ or by strete / thou must yelde the to hym as prysoner / Madame said syre Gareth what is your lord and what is his name / syr my lordes name is the duke de la rouse / wel madame said syr Gareth I shal promyse yow in what place I mete your lord I shalle yelde me vnto hym and to his good grace with that I vnderstande he wille do me no harme / And yf I vnderstand that he wille I wil releace my self and I can with my spere and my swerd / ye say wel said the duchesse / and thenne she lete the drawe brydge doune / and soo he rode in to the halle / and there he alyghte / and his hors was ledde in to a stable / & in the halle he vnarmed hym / & saide madame I will not oute of this holle this nyghte / And whan it is daye lyght / lete see / who wil haue adoo with me / he shal fynde me redy / Thenne was he sette vnto souper / and had many good dysshes / thenne syr Gareth lyst wel to ete / and knyghtely he ete his mete / and egerly / there was many a fair lady by hym / & some said they neuer sawe a goodlyer man nor so wel of etynge / thenne they made hym passyng good chere / & shortly whan he had souped his bedde was made there so he rested hym al nyghte / And on the morne he herd masse & brake his fast & toke his leue at the duchesse / & at them al / & thanked her goodely of her lodgyng & of his good chere / & thenne she asked gym his name / Madame he saide truly my name is Gareth of Orkeney / & some men calle me Beaumayns / thēne knewe she wel it was the same knyȝt that fouȝt for dame lyones / so sir gareth departed & rode vp in to a montayne / & ther mette hym a knyghte / his name was syr Bendelayne and sayd to syr Gareth thou shalt not passe this way / for outher thou shalt Iuste with me or

[leaf 133r] els be my prysoner / Thenme wille I Iuste said syr Gareth / And soo they lete their horses renne / and there syr Gareth smote hym thorou oute the body / and syr Bendalyne rode forth to his castel there besyde and there dyed / So syr gareth wold haue rested hym / and he cam rydynge to Bendalaynis castel / Thenne his knyghtes and seruauntes aspyed that it was he that had slayne their lord / Thenne they armed xx good men and cam out and assailled syr gareth / and soo he had no spere but his swerd / and put his shelde afore hym / and there they brake their speres vpon hym / and they assailled hem passyngly sore / But euer syr gareth deffended hym as a knyght

¶ Capitulum xxxiij

SOo whan they sawe that they myghte not ouercome hym / they rode from hym / and took their counceylle to slee his hors / and soo they cam in vpon syr gareth / and with speres they slewe his hors / and thenne they assailled hym hard But whan he was on foote / there was none that he raughte but he gaf him suche a buffet that he dyd neuer recouer / So he slewe hem by one and one tyl they were but foure / and there they fledde / and sire gareth took a good hors that was one of theirs and rode his waye / Thenne he rode a grete paas til that he came to a castel and there he herd moche mornynge of ladyes and gentylwymmen / so ther cam by hym a page / what noyse is this said syr gareth that I here within this castel / Syre knyghte said the page here ben within this castel thyrtty ladyes and alle they be wydowes / For here is a knyght that wayteth dayly vpon this castel / and his name is the broun knyght withoute pyte / and he is the perylloust knyght that now lyueth / And therfor sir said the page I rede you flee / Nay said sir gareth I wille not flee though thou be aferd of hym / And thenne the page sawe where came the broune knyghte / loo said the page yonder he cometh / lete me dele with hym said syre gareth / And whan eyther of other had a syghte they lete theyr horses renne / and the broune knyghte brake his spere and sir gareth smote hym thorou oute the body that he ouerthrewe hym to the ground stark dede / So sir gareth rode in to the castel & praid the ladyes þ^t he myȝt repose hym / allas said the ladyes ye may not be lodged here / make hym good chere said the page

[leaf 133v] for this knyghte hath slayne your enemy / thenne they al made hym good chere as laye in their power / But wete ye wel they maade hym good chere for they myghte none otherwyse doo for they were but poure / And so on the morne he wente to masse / and there he sawe the thyrtty ladyes knele / and lay grouelyng vpon dyuerse tombes makynge grete dole and sorowe / Thenne syr Gareth wyst wel that in the tombes lay theire lordes / Fayre ladyes said syr Gareth ye must at the next feeste of Pentecost be at the court of kynge Arthur / and saye that I syr Gareth sente you thyder / we shal doo this said the ladyes Soo he departed / and by fortune he came to a mountayne / & there he found a goodely knyght that badde hym abyde syr knyghte and Iuste with me / what are ye said syr Gareth / My name is said he the duke de la rowse / A syr ye ar the same knyghte that I lodged ones in your Castel / And there I made promyse vnto your lady that I shold yelde me vnto yow A said the duke arte thou that proud knyghte that proferest to fyghte with my knyghtes / therfore make the redy for I wil haue adoo with you / Soo they lete their horses renne / and ther syr Gareth smote the duke doune from his hors / But the duke lyghtly auoyded his hors / and dressid his shelde and drewe his swerd / and bad syr Gareth alyghte and fyghte with hym / Soo he dyd alyghte / and they dyd grete batail to gyders more than an houre / and eyther hurte other ful sore / Att the last sir Gareth gat the duke to the erthe / and wold haue slayn hym / and thenne he yelded hym to hym / Thenne must ye goo said sir Gareth vnto syr Arthur my lord at the next feest and saye that I sir Gareth of Orkeney sente you vnto hym / hit shal be done said the duke / and I wil doo to yow homage and feaute with an C knyȝtes with me / and alle the dayes of my lyf to doo you seruyse where ye wille commaunde me /

¶ Capitulum xxxiiij

SOo the duke departed / and sir Gareth stode there alone and there he sawe an armed knyght comyng toward hym / Thenne syre Gareth toke the dukes shelde / and

[leaf 134r] mounted vpon horsbak / and soo withoute bydyng they ranne to gyder as it had ben the thonder / And there that knyȝt hurt syr Gareth vnder the syde with his spere / And thenne they alyghte / and drewe their swerdes / and gafe grete strokes that the blood trayled to the ground / And soo they foughte two houres / At the last there came the damoysel Lynet that somme men calle the damoysel saueage / and she came rydynge vpon an ambelynge meule / and there she cryed al on hyghe / syr Gawayne syr Gawayne leue thy fyghtynge with thy broder syre Gareth / And whan he herd her saye soo he threwe aweye hys shelde and his swerd / and ranne to syre Gareth / and tooke hym in his armes / and sythen kneled doune and asked hym mercy / What are ye said syr Gareth that ryght now were soo stronge and soo myghty / and now so sodenly yelde you to me O Gareth I am your broder syr Gawayn that for youre sake haue had grete sorou and labour / Thenne syr Gareth vnlaced his helme / and knelyd doune to hym / and asked hym mercy / thenne they rose both and enbraced eyther other in their armes and wepte a grete whyle or they myghte speke / and eyther of hem gaf other the pryce of the bataille / And there were many kynde wordes bitwene hem / Allas my faire broder said sir gawayn perde I owe of ryghte to worshippe you / and ye were not my broder / for ye haue worshipped kyng Arthur and all his courte / for ye haue sente me mo worshipful knyghtes this twelue moneth than syxe the best of the round table haue done excepte sir Launcelot / Thenne cam the damoysel saueage that was the lady Lynet that rode with sir gareth soo longe / and there she dyd staunche sir gareths woundes / and sir gawayns Now what wille ye doo said the damoysel saueage / me semeth that it were wel do þ^t Arthur had wetyng of you both for your horses are soo brysed that they may not bere / Now faire damoysel said syr Gawayne / I praye you ryde vnto my lord myn vnkel kynge Arthur / and telle hym what aduenture is to me betyd here / and I suppose he wille not tary long / Thenne she tooke her meule and lyghtly she came to kynge Arthur / that was but two myle thens / And whan she had told hym tydynges the kynge bad gete hym a palfroy /

¶ And whan he was vpon his bak he badde the lordes and ladyes come after who

[leaf 134v] that wold / and there was sadelyng and brydelyng of quenes horses and prynces horses / & wel was hym that soonest myght be redy / Soo whan the kynge came there as they were he sawe syr Gawayn and syr Gareth sytte vpon a lytel hylle syde / & thenne the kynge auoyded his hors / And whanne he cam nyghe syre Gareth / he wold haue spoken but he myghte not / and therwith he sanke doune in a swoune for gladnesse / and soo they starte vnto theyr vnkyl / and requyred hym of his good grace to be of good comforte / Wete ye wel the kyng made grete ioye and many a pyteous complaynte he made to syr Gareth / And euer he wepte as he had ben a chyld / With that cam his moder the quene of Orkeney dame Morgause / And whan she sawe syr Gareth redely in the vysage she myghte not wepe but sodenly felle doun in a swoune / and lay there a grete whyle lyke as she had ben dede / And thenne syr Gareth recomforted his moder in suche wyse that she recouerd and made good chere / Thenne the kynge commaunded that al maner of knyghtes that were vnder his obeissaunce shold make their lodgyng ryght there for the loue of his neuewes / And soo it was done and al manere of purueaunce purueyd that ther lacked nothyng that myghte be goten of tame nor wylde for gold or syluer / And thenne by the meanes of the damoysel Saueage syr Gawayne and syr Gareth were heled of their woundes / and there they soiourned eyght dayes / Thenne said kyng Arthur vnto the damoysel saueage I merueylle that your syster Dame Lyones cometh not here to me / and in especyal that she cometh not to vysyte her knyghte my neuewe syre Gareth that hath had soo moche trauaille for her loue / My lord said the damoysel Lynet ye must of your good grace hold her excused / For she knoweth not that my lord syr Gareth is here / Go thēne for her said kynge Arthur that we may be apoynted what is best to done accordyng to the plesyr of my neuewe / Syr said the damoysel that shal be done / and soo she rode vnto her syster / And as lyghtely as she myght made her redy & she cam on the morne with her broder syr Gryngamor / and with her xl knyȝtes / And so whan she was come she had alle the chere that myghte be done bothe of the kynge and of many other kynges and quenes

[leaf 135r]

¶ Capitulum xxxv

ANd amonge alle these ladyes she was named the fayrest and pyereles / Thenne whanne syr Gawayn sawe her / there was many a goodely loke and goodely wordes that alle men of worship had ioye to beholde them / Thenne cam kynge Arthur and many other kynges and dame Gweneuer & the quene of Orkeney / And there the kyng asked his neuew syre Gareth whether he wold haue that lady as peramour or to haue her to his wyf / My lord wete yow wel that I loue her aboue al ladyes lyuynge / Now fayre lady said kyng Arthur what say ye / Moost noble kynge said dame Lyones wete yow wel that my lord syr Gareth is to me more leuer to haue and welde as my husband than ony kyng or prynce that is crystened / and yf I maye not haue hym I promyse yow I wylle neuer haue none / For my lord Arthur sayd dame Lyones wete ye wel he is my fyrst loue and he shal be the laste / And yf ye wil suffre hym to haue his wyl and free choyse I dare saye he wylle haue me / That is trouthe said syr Gareth / And I haue not you and weld not you as my wyf / there shal neuer lady ne gentylwoman reioyce me / What neuewe said the kynge is the wynde in that dore / for wete ye wel I wold not for the stynte of my croune to be causar to withdrawe your hertes / And wete ye wel ye con not loue so wel but I shal rather encrease hit than dystresse hit / And also ye shal haue my loue and my lordship in the vttermest wyse that may lye in my power / And in the same wyse said sir Gareths moder / thenne there was made a prouysyon for the day of maryge / and by the kynges aduyse it was prouyded that it shold be at Mychelmas folowyng at kynkenadon by the see syde / for ther is plentyful countrey / And soo it was cryed in al the places thurgh the royamme / And thenne syr Gareth sent his somones to alle these knyghtes and ladyes that he had wonnen in batail to fore that they shold be at his day of maryage at kynkenadon by the sandys / And thenne dame Lyones and the damoysel Lynet with syr Gryngamor rode to theire castel / and a goodely and a ryche rynge she gaf to syr Gareth / and he gaf her another / And kyng Arthur gaf her a ryche bee of

[leaf 135v] gold / and soo she departed / and kyng Arthur and his felauship rode toward Kynkenadon / and syr Gareth broughte his lady on the way / & so cam to the kyng ageyne and rode with hym / Lord the grete chere that syr launcelot made of sir Gareth and he of hym / for there was neuer no knyght that syr gareth loued so wel as he dyd syr Launcelot / and euer for the most party he wold be in syr launcelots company / for after syr Gareth had aspyed sir Gawayns condycions he withdrewe hym self fro his broder syr Gawayns felauship / for he was vengeable / and where he hated he wold be auengyd with murther and that hated syr gareth

¶ Capitulum xxxvj

SOo hit drewe faste to Mychelmas / and thyder came dame Lyones the lady of the castel peryllous and her syster dame Lynet with syre gryngamor her broder with hem / For he had the conduyte of these ladyes / And there they were lodged at the deuyse of kyng Arthur / And vpon mychelmas day the Bisshop of Caunterbury made the weddyng betwixe syr gareth and the lady Lyones with grete solempnyte / and kyng Arthur made gaherys to wedde the damoysel saueage / that was dame Lynet / and kyng Arthur made syr Agrauayne to wedde dame Lyones nees a fayr lady / her name was dame Laurel / And so whan this solemnacion was done / thenne came in the grene knyghte syr Pertylope with thyrtty knyghtes / and there he dyd homage and feaute to syr gareth and these knyghtes to hold of hym fro euermore / Also sir Pertilope said I pray you that at this feest I maye be your chamberlayne / with a good wil said syr gareth / syth it lyketh you to take soo symple on offyce / Thenne come in the reed knyghte with thre score knyghtes with hym / and dyde to syr Gareth homage and feaute / and alle tho knyghtes to hold of hym for euermore / And thenne this syr Perymonyes praide sir gareth to graunte hym to be his chyef botteler at that hyghe feest I wil wel saide sir gareth that ye haue this offyce and it were better / Thenne came in syr Persant of Inde with an C knyghtes with hym / and there he dyd homage and feaute / and

[leaf 136r] al his knyghtes shold doo hym seruyse / and hold their londes of hym for euer / and there he prayd syr Gareth to make hym his Sewar chyef at the feest / I wil wel said syr Gareth that ye haue it & it were better / Thenne cam the dukde la rowse with an C knyghtes with hym / and there he dyd homage and feaute to syr Gareth / and soo to hold theire londes of hym for euer / And he requyred syr Gareth that he myght serue hym of the wyn that day at that feest / I wil wel sayd syr Gareth and it were better / Thenne came in the reed knyȝte of the reed laundes that was syr Ironsyde / and he broughte with hym thre honderd knyghtes / and there he dyd homage & feaute / and al these knyghtes to hold their landes of hym for euer / And thenne he asked syr Gareth to be his keruer / I will wel said syr Gareth and it please you / Thenne came in to the courte thyrtty ladyes / and alle they semed wydowes / and tho thyrtty ladyes broughte with hem many fayre gentylwymmen / And alle they kneled doune at ones vnto kyng arthur and vnto syr Gareth / and there al tho ladyes told the kyng how syr Gareth delyuerd hem from the dolorous toure / and slewe the broune knyght withoute pyte / And therfore we and oure heyres for euermore wille doo homage vnto syr Gareth of Orkeney / So thenne the kynges and quenes / prynces & erlys Barons and many bold knyghtes wente vnto mete / & well maye ye wete there were al manere of mete plentyuously / alle manere rules and games with al manere of mynstralsy that was vsed in tho dayes /

¶ Also there was grete iustes thre dayes / But the kynge wold not suffre syre Gareth to Iuste by cause of his newe bryde / for as the fresshe book sayth that dame Lyones desyred of the kynge that none that were wedded shold Iuste at that feest / Soo the fyrst day there Iusted sir lamerak de galys / for he ouerthrewe thyrtty knyghtes / & did passyng merueillously dedes of armes / and thenne kyng Arthur made syr Persuant and his two bretheren knyghtes of the round table to their lyues ende / and gaf hem grete londes / Also the second daye there Iusted Trystram best / and he ouerthrew fourty knyghtes / and dyd there merueillous dedes of armes And there kynge Arthur made Ironsyde that was the reed knyghte of the reed laundes a knyghte of the table round to

[leaf 136v] his lyues ende / and gaf hym grete landes / The thyrd day there Iusted syr launcelot du lake / and he ouerthrewe fyfty knyghtes and dyd many merueyllous dedes of armes that all men wondred on hym / And there kynge Arthur made the duke de la rouse a knyghte of the round table to his lyues ende / and gaf hym grete landes to spende / But whan this Iustes were done / syr Lamerak and syr Trystram departed sodenly / & wold not be knowm / for the whiche kyng Arthur and all the court were sore displeasyd / And soo they helde the courte fourty dayes with grete solempnyte / And this syr Gareth was a noble knyghte and a wel rulyd and fayr langaged

¶ Thus endeth this tale of syr Gareth of Orkeney that wedded dame Lyones of the castel peryllous / And also syr Gaherys wedded her syster dame Lynet / that was called the damoysel saueage / And syr Agrauayne wedded dame Laurel a fary lady and grete and myghty landes with grete rychesse gaf with them kyng Arthur that ryally they myght lyue tyl their lyues ende

Here foloweth the viij book the which is the first book of sir Tristram de Lyones / & who was his fader & his moder / & hou he was borne and fosteyrd / And how he was made knyghte