Merlin : or, the early history of King Arthur : a prose romance / edited ... by Henry B. Wheatley

CHAPTER XXVII.
THE MISSION OF KING LOOTH AND HIS FOUR SONS TO MAKE TRUCE WITH THE REBEL KINGS; AND THEIR BATTLES WITH THE SAXONS.

This was the trouthe that tidinges spredde thourgh the reame of grete Breteigne of the seint Graal, In the whiche Ioseph ab Aramathie hadde geten the holy blode that dropped oute of the side of oure blissed lorde Ieshu crist whan he henge on the gloriouse crosse, he and Nichodemus, and the holy vessell that com from heuene a-bove in the Citee of Sarras. In the whiche he sacrefied first his blissid body and his flessh by his Bisshoppe Iosephe that he sacred with his owene hande, and the holy spere, the whiche Ieshu the sone of marie his side was with opened, was left in the Cite of Logres that Ioseph thider hadde brought. But noon cowde wite in what place, ne

neuer ne shall, neuer be founde but by prophesie ne the merveiles of the seint graal, ne of the spere that thourgh the poynte of Iren dide blede. Till that the beste knyght of the worlde com, and by hym sholde be discouered the merveiles of the seint Graal, and herde and seyn. These tidinges were spredde all a-boute in euery contrey, and so no man cowde neuer wite who sholde it bringe first forth, and whan the companye of the rounde table herde sey that thourgh the beste knyght of the worlde these thinges sholde be brought to fin. Thei entred in to many questes for to knowe whiche was the beste knyght, and serched many a londe and many a contrey, and eche man hym peyned for to be the beste knyght; and whan thei herde speke that ther was eny goode knyght thourgh the contrey, thei entred in to a quest hym to seche a yere and a day with-oute soiour in a town more than oon nyght, and whan thei hadde hym founde, thei sholde bringe hym to court; and whan he was well preved of goode recorde that he was of high prowesse thei toke hym in to her companye, and than was his name writen a-monge the other knyghtes that were felowes of the rounde table; and as eche of hem com from his quest at the yeres ende, thei sholde telle the auentures that were hem be-fallen in theire traueile, and the clerkes that were therfore I-ordeyned it wrote worde for worde, euen as thei tolde. Now haue ye herde why the questes were stablisshed in the reame of the grete Breteigne. But now repeireth the tale to his mater that he hath lefte for to telle this thinge, that I wolde that it were not for-getyn.

Full gladde and iocounde were the companye of the rounde table for that thei were a-corded with sir Gawein, and full moche thei hym preised and comended for the grete prowesse that thei saugh hym do at this turnement, and seide a-monge hem in counseile that the beste knyghtes ther-ynne sholde not a-gein hym endure body for body. Thus the knyghtes ther-ynne seide theire volunte. But moche more [folio 179b] spake the ladyes and the maydenes in the chambers. Than was water asked, and whan thei hadde waisshen than sat euery

knyght as hym ought for to do, and the quenes knyghtes were sette by the knyghtes of the rounde table, and the kynge Arthur, and the kynge Ban, and the kynge Bohors, and the kynge looth sat at the high deyse as thei ought for to do, and mo sat ther not but thei foure, and that day serued Gawein and kay the stiward, and lucas the botiller, and Gifflet, and other a-boute a xl., and were so well served that noon cowde better devise, as of mees that thei hadde it nedeth not to reherse, ne of the wynes and drinkes that thei hadde in maners, and after the bordes were vp the knyghtes yede to disporte hem in the medowes vpon the river, ffor it was feire weder and clier. But the foure kynges a-bode and wente in to a chambre by hem-self, and lened out at the wyndowes ther-as thei myght se the medowes and the river ther-as was holsom aire, and a softe colde wynde brought in the swete sauours of the erbes, that thei were at more ese than thei that were with-oute, for it was right hoot, and ther the foure kynges spake to-geder of many thinges as it com to theire pleiser.

Whan thei hadde be ther a-while, than seide the kynge Ban to the kynge Arthur, "Sir," seide the kynge Ban, "yef ye wolde do o thinge after my counseile that I haue thought in my herte me semeth it sholde yow moche a-vaile, and the more sholde ye be dred of straunge peple and of prive, and the more love ye sholde haue of the knyghtes of youre courte." "Sey on," seide the kynge, "ffor yef it be soche thinge that I may do with-oute shame or dishonour, I will it gladly do." "Sir," seide the kynge Ban, "in this shull ye neuer haue shame, yef god will, ne no reprof shall it be vnto yow, loke that neuer while ye will holde youre londe in pees and in reste that ye suffre not youre knyghtes to take no turnement oon a-gein a-nother; ffor soche wrath myght falle by envye for that thei be so goode knyghtes that neuer sholde be love a-monge hem. But at alle tymes when thei will turneyen lete hem go in to the marches of youre londe to high barouns wher-of ther be I-nowe that be riche and puyssaunt;" and the kynge seide that he seide well, and that so

wolde he do with-oute faile; and ther-with com the quene that these worde hadde well vndirstonde, and seide how it was well seide and blessed be he of god that hath yove this counsoile.

After that spake the kynge looth and seide, "Sir, hit were nedefull for the cristin peple that we toke soche counseile, that these false saisnes that beth in this reame and haue be-seged two Citees to-geder be theire pride, how that thei myght be driven oute. But thei be so grete multitude that thei ar not like to be dryven oute, but yef oure lorde helpe, and ye knowe well that ye haue not peple [folio 180a] I-now with-ynne youre power for to enchace hem oute, ne holde bateile a-gein hem in felde. But yef that oon myght do so moche to purchace a trewis be-twene yow and youre princes that now be with yow at werre, In soche manere that we myght alle go to-geder vpon the saisnes, and oche to helpe other that thei were chaced oute of the londe. Me someth this were the moste almesse and profite that myght be do in this contrey, and the trewis myght endure a yere, and than yef ther myght be made pees be-twene yow and hem, and yef it may not than eche man do his beste." "Ffor-sothe," seide the kynge, "that wolde I fayn, yef I knewe who to sende, soche a man that the barouns wolde yeve to credence, ffor thei be full fierce and full of pride." "Sir," seide the kynge loot, "the saisnes haue hem so greved that I trowe whan thei here speke of the trewis, and that thei shull haue youre helpe hit shall not nede gretly hem to prayen." "I can not sey," quod Arthur, "what I sholde ther-of to yow sey, ffor as well knowe ye the neethe of the londe as do I, and I am but a man as oon of yow be, and therfore loke and cheseth soche a man that may beste this message performe." "Sir," seide the kynge Ban, "yef I wiste the kynge looth wolde conne me no magre, I wolde sey that he sholde go, ffor he sholde do better the nodes than eny that ye sholde sende, and better he cowde enforme hem of youre volunte, for he is with hem a-queynted and theire welwellinge." "Ye," seide the kynge Arthur, "and better he knoweth the passages than eny other that

I myght thider sende;" and the quene seide "that noon other man sholde so well do the needes as the kynge looth, but yef it be for the saisnes that all day gon robbinge thourgh the contrey. But ther were noon so grete losse of oon knyght in this reame as it were of hym yef hym mys-happe, as god diffende." "Dame," seide the kynge, "I knowe the princes so full of pride that ther is no knyght that sholde a-monge hem be herde that I myght sende."

Whan the kynge looth saugh how thei acorded that he sholde go vpon this nede, he knewe well how thei hadde reson. Than he seide he wolde go and haue with hym his foure sones. "Trewly," seide the kynge Bohors, "yef thei ben with yow than haue ye no drede of no man of moder born." Whan King Arthur saugh that thei were to this a-corded that the kynge looth sholde lede with hym his foure sones, he yaf a grete sigh, for he douted of sir Gawein, in whom he hadde so tentefly sette his love, so that ther was nothinge in the worlde that he loved so moche, and the quene knewe a partie of his thought, and seide to the kynge, "Sir, graunte the kynge looth to lede with hym his children hardely, for their shull haue no drede, yef god will, ffor the more thei be youre frendes the better, and withe the more tendir herte [folio 180b] shull thei do youre message as is nede, more than sholde a-nother that ther-of sette no charge and lever I hadde that my frende counseiled with myn enmyes than a-nother that were straunge." "Dame," seide the kynge Arthur, "I me a-corde, seth the barouns haue it ordeyned;" and than he seide to the kynge looth, and praide hym to appareile hym to go secretly that no man knewe whider he wolde go, with that was Gawein cleped and his brethren that were pleyinge in the halle; and whan thei come to the quene she a-roos and wente hem a-geins, and seide thei were welcome, and thei dide yelde hir a-gein hir salew debonerly. Than Arthur tolde hem all as was devised, how thei moste go on the message, and why thei hadde it a-monge hem purveyed; and than thei ansuerde and seide that it was goode for to be done.

After that seide the kynge Looth to sir Gawein, "ffeire sone, goth forth and appareile yow and youre brethern that ye faile nought whan we shull go." "Sir," seide Gawein, "what a-rayment sholde we haue eny more, but oure armours, and oure horse; we shull neither haue somer ne male trussed, netther grete ne small, but goode stedes and swyft, on the whiche we shull ride that may bere vs to garison yef myster be. Ne here be-hoveth noon a-bidinge, for yef ye do my counseile we shull meve yet this nyght at the first somme, and ride as grete iourneyes as we may for soche a nede as this is sholde not be put in no delay." "Trewly, nevew," seide Arthur, "ye sey soth. Now, go reste yow a-while and slepe." Than Gawein turned hym to the quene, and seide, "Madame, I prey that ye thinke on my felowes that leven here with yow, for the knyghtes of the rounde table ne love not hem wele in herte. But haue to hem envye as ye knowe well youre self, and parauenture whan I and my brethern be gon, thei will make som bourde or som turnement a-gein hem, wherefore I praye yow as my goode ladye that ye suffre hem to make no party." "And I yow graunte," seide the quene, "that ther ne shall noon be; yef my lorde will leve my counseile ther shall neuer be turnement as longe as the saisnes be in this londe;" and than the kynge seide, "Be the feith that I owe vn-to yow no more ther sholde."

With that thei departed, and wente to theire chambres for to slepe and to reste; and thei that were in the halle went to theire hostelles, and departeden. But who that departed, Gyomar ne departed neuer but a-bode spekynge with Morgain, the sustur of kynge Arthur, in a wardrope vnder the paleys, where she wrought with silke and golde; ffor she wolde make a coyf for his suster, the wif of kynge looth. This Morgain was a yonge damesell fressh and Iolye. But she was som-what brown of visage and sangwein colour, and nother to fatte ne to lene, but was full a-pert [folio 181a] auenaunt and comely, streight and right plesaunt, and well syngynge. But she was the moste hotest woman of all Breteigne, and moste luxuriouse,

and she was a noble clergesse, and of Astronomye cowde she I-nough, for Merlin hadde hir taught; and after he lerned hir I-nough as ye shull heren afterward, and so moche she sette ther-on hir entent, and lerned so moche of egramauncye, that the peple cleped hir afterward Morgain le fee, the suster of kynge Arthur; ffor the merveiles that she dide after in the contrey, and the beste workewoman she was with hir handes, that eny man knewe in eny londe, and ther-to she hadde oon of the ffeirest heed, and the feirest handes vnder hevene, and sholdres well shapen at devise; and she hadde feire eloquense, and tretable, and full debonair she was as longe as she was in hir right witte, and whan she were wroth with eny man, she was euell for to acorde; and that was well shewed afterward, ffor hir that she sholde most haue loved of all the worlde dide she after the moste shame, wherof it was after alle the dayes of hir lif, and that was the quene Gonnore, as that ye shull it heren here-after and wher-fore it was.

Whan Guyomar entred in to the chambre ther as was Morgain the ffee, he hir salued full swetly, and she hym salued a-gein curteisly, and he sette hym down by hir and helped to wynde the threde of golde, and asked hir what she sholde ther-with make, and he was a feire knyght and comly, well shapen, and his visage well coloured, and his heer crull and yelowe, and was feire and plesaunt of body and of chere laughinge, and he a-resoned hir of many thinges; and she be-hielde hym gladly, and was well plesed with all that he seide and dide; and so longe thei spake to-geder that he praied hir of love, and the more that she hym be-hilde, the better she was with hym plesed, and that she gan love hym so well that she refused nothinge that he wolde hir require; and whan he aperceyued that she wolde suffre gladly his requeste, he be-gan hir to enbrace, and she hym suffred, and he be-gan to kysse hir tendirly that bothe thei be-gonne to chauffe as nature wolde, and fellen down on a grete bedde, and pleyde the comen pley, as thei that gretly it desired; ffor yef he were desirouse she was yet moche more, so that thei loved hertely

to-geder longe tyme that noon it wiste; but after it knewe the quene Gonnore as ye shull here telle, wherfore thei were departed, and ther-fore she hated the quene, and dide hir after gret annoye, and of blames that she areised that euer endured while hir lif lasted. But now retourne we to kynge looth and his sones that be go to slepe.

A noon as it was past mydnyght a-roos the kynge Looth and his foure sones, and appareiled hem of hir armours; and thei hadde chosen v of the beste horse [folio 181b] that thei cowde fynde in all the court, and hem thei made to be ledde with hem with v gromes on foote, and thei hadde v palfreyes right goode that thei dide ride on hir iourney; and whan thei were all redy thei lept on theire palfreyes, and ride oute at the yat of Bertone and the v gromes wente be-fore and ledde the v horse couered with steill, and wente oute as softly as thei myght, for thei wolde not be a-parceyved of no peple; and whan thei hadde riden half a walsh myle, Gawein asked whiche wey thei sholde go; and the kynge looth seide he wiste not, for the contrey was full of werre. "Than shall I telle yow," quod Gawein, "what we shull do; we shull go to Arestuell in Scotlonde that is now the next londe, and moste full of wode of all this contrey, and it is better to drawe that wey than to eny other place;" and the kynge looth seide, "Feire sone, seth that it pleseth yow I will wele, for youre counseile is goode, and so shull we go be the castell of Sapine and be the playn of Reostok, and by the foreste of lespinoye vnder Carenges, and we shull go by the river of Savarne, and thourgh the playnes of Cambenyk, and fro thens we shull costinge to the Cite of North walis that longeth to the kynge Tradilyuaunt, and fro thens to Arestuell, iiij myle from the Saisnes;" and the children herto dide graunte.

Thus ride thise messagiers, spekynge of o thinge and other, till it was day, and on the morowe thei rode be the moste vncouthe weyes that thei cowde knowe, and lay in the forestes, and in hermytages, and thus thei ride viij dayes that neuer hadde thei disturbier till thei com in to the playns of

Roestok, and than it be-fill hem a-boute the hour of mydday that thei mette vij^Ml Saisnes that brought grete prayes and as vii^C prisoners, that the feet were bounde vnder the horse belies, and thei dide hem beete full lothly with staves and other wepnes, and hem dide condite Sorbares, and Monaclyns, and Salebruns, and Ysores, and Clarion. This Clarion rode on Gringalet, an horse that was cleped so far the grete bounte that he hadde; ffor as the storye seith for x myle rennynge abated he neuer his corage, ne hym neded no spore ne no skyn of hym ther-fore ne sholde not swete; and whan the saisnes hem saugh ridinge on her weye, thei knewe well by theire armes and hir conysshaunce that thei were noon of her companye, and thei hoved and a-bode; and whan Gawein saugh that, he hoved stille and bad his fader and his brethren to lepe vpon theire horses, and so thei dide a-noon delyuerly; and the gromes toke the palfreys and lepte vp and rode in to the foreste that wey streight as theire wey turned, and thei com toward the saisnes as the wey hem ledde, for thei deyned not to glenche; and mydday was than passed, and drough towarde noone, and so rode the kynge looth formest, and Gawein after, and his brethern hym be-side, a softe [folio 182a] paas; and whan thei hadde so riden that thei be-gan to come nygh, than seide Gawein to his fader that he ne sholde entende to noon other thinge ne coveite but to perce hem thourgh-out, and to his brethern he seide the same till thei were come on that other side. Than the saisnes hem ascride, and seide, "Ye knyghtes that come ther, yelde yow and telle vs what ye be and what ye go sechinge;" and the kynge looth ansuerde, "We ben fyve messagiers of the kynge Arthur that go on his erunde ther he hath vs sente, and more will we not sey;" and thei seide, "Cesse and go no ferther; ffor we kepe the weyes in the name of the kynge hardogabran, and Orienx the sone of Brangue of Saxoyne, and in the name of Margrat, to whom we lede this pray and these prisoners, and of yow also shull we make present." "Ye," quod the kynge looth, "whan ye may;" and thei seide in to that tyme was but litill space. "But yelde yow, and than do ye wisely er it

falle yow eny werse;" and thei ansuerde that sholde neuer be. Than thei lete theire horse renne with as grete randon as thei myght go, and these a-gein to hem that nothinge hem ne douted, but smote in a-monge hem, and eche of hem bar oon deed to the erthe, and after smote other v that thei were deed vp-right; and at foure cours thei haue hem perced thourgh with-oute eny other discombraunce, and than thei ride a walop with theire speres in theire handes all blody; and whan the saisnes saugh hem goinge, than a-roos the shoute and the noyse after hem right grete, and be-gonne hem to chace that the duste a-roos so thikke that harde it was oon to knowe a-nother; with that com the vj kynges prikinge after, that hadde herde the tidinges and cried vpon her men, "Now upon hem and lete hem yow not ascape;" and thei hem-self priken after, for thei were well horsed, and so thei chaced hem fiercely, and thei wente forth a grete walop till thei be come to a Mille, where ther was a passage at a forde full of cley, and ther moste thei stinte and ride a softe paas; and ther ouer-toke hem the v kynges that dred nothinge the euell passage, and of saisnes after hem mo than v^C, and ther thei brake theire speres vpon hem in her comynge, and Ysors that com be-fore smote the horse of kynge looth that he fill deed be-twene his legges.

Whan the kynge looth saugh his horse slain he lept vp lightly on his feet, and drough his swerde, and drough hym to a banke for the clay that was grete; and thei ronne vpon hym and assailed hym full harde, and he hym diffended so fiercely that thei hadde no power hym to take; and whan Gawein saugh his fader on foote, he was full of sorowe, and smote the horse with the spores that the blode ran oute on bothe sides, and smote Monaclyn thourgh the shelde and thourgh the hauberke that he fill deed to the erthe, and in the fallinge his spere brake. Than he drough his swerde that was cleped Calibourne, and loked on his fader that hym diffended a-gein mo than xl saisnes, and he ran vpon hem with his swerde, and smote soche strokes on bothe [folio 182b] his sides, that he kutte heedes and legges, and armes, and dide soche merveiles that thei fledde

from hym and made wey; and Gawein smote a saisne that peyned sore to take his fader, that he slyt hym to the breste bon, and than hente the horse and ledde it to his fader, and the crye and the noyse a-roos for hym that was deed, and ther-while is the kynge looth remounted magre alle his enmyes. Than com the thre brethern of Sir Gawein that hadde made soche slaughter of the saisnes, the alle her armours were be-steyne with blode and brayn; and whan thei were to-geder thei be-gonne a stronge medle, and slough so many that it was gret merveile to se, and the saisnes com on euermore, for thei wende ther hadde be moche peple for the grete slaughter that thei hadde made.

Whan the kynge looth saugh so moche peple come on alle partyes, he cleped his sones, and seide it was tyme to go, ffor it were no wisdome to a-bide lenger for to resceve xl strokes for the yevinge of oon. "But go we hens," quod he, "and yef thei vs enchace let vs turne vpon hem be-tymes when we se oure leiseir; with that thei wente theire wey and passed the forde delyuerly, and whan thei were ouer thei ride forth on her wey; and whan the thre kynges saugh hem departe, thei cried vpon her men, "Now after hem, and lete not the traitours ascape." Than thei passed the forde, and chaced hem harde, and the kynge Clarion that satte vpon the Gringalet chaced hem formest the lengthe of an arblast, and Sir Gawein was be-hynde alle his felowes his swerde in his hande all blody; and the sarazin that sore peynes hym to ouer-take a-scried hym, "Wy yelde the or thow art but deed;" and Gawein loked and saugh the horse so swyftly renne that he gate grounde sore after hym, and gretly he hym coveited in hir herte, and seide yef he myght gete soche an horse, he wolde not yeve it for the beste Citee that kynge Arthur hadde, and than he gan to ride a softer paas, and rode walopinge, and Clarion hym enchaced faste after; and whan Gawein saugh he was come so nygh, he turned his shelde and Clarion smote so harde hym vpon the shelde that the spere fly on peces; and Gawein hym hitte vpon the helme that he slytte thourgh

the coyf of mayle and the flessh to the harde boon, that he was so astoned that he fill in swowne to the grounde out of his sadill, and Gawein caught Gringalet be the bridell, and ledde hym to a grove ther faste by of half a myle, and his fader rode alwey forth be-fore and his thre sones, and entended to nought elles but to go theire wey, and wende thei hadde alle foure be by hym, and the duste and the powder was so thikke that oon myght not se fer from hym, and so thei hadde lefte Gawein be-hynde the space of half a myle; and whan Gawein was come in to the grove, he saugh the v gromes come oute of the foreste that rode on the v palfreyes, and than was he gladde and preised hem moche for that thei hadde peyned hem sore hem for to sewe. Than he a-light of his horse and lepte on the Gringalet, and toke his horse to oon of the gromes for to lede, [folio 183a] and comaunded hem to go after his fader and his brethern that were gon be-fore, and bidde hem spede hem faste on hir iourney, and I shall folowe a-noon after, but I will se where these peple will be come. But he a-bode for nought, for thei chaced no ferther, after thei fonde the kynge Clarion lyinge, but stode a-bowte hym, and wende well he hadde ben deed, and made gret doell that sir Gawein myght here the crye ther he was.

Thus a-bode Gawein longe in the busshes to loke yef eny wolde come after, and the kynge looth and his thre sones rode forth till thei come to a litill grove, and as thei sholde entre thei loked bak and saugh not Gawein; and at the firste worde he seid, "Ha! I haue loste all;" and thei hym behelden, and seide, "What eyleth yow, sire;" and he ansuerde, "My sone, youre brother, my sone; ha! certes yef he be deed I shall sle my-self, ffor after hym recche I not to lyve oo day." "Sir," seide Agravain, "ne weymente ye not so, ffor yef god will he ne hath noon harme;" and while the kynge loot made this waymentacion com the v gromes that brought the palfreies, and that oon ledde Gaweins horse on his right honde; and whan the kynge hem saugh he knewe hem wele, and whan thei approched nygh Gaheries hem ascried, "Where lefte ye

my brother?" "Sir," seide the gromes, "amonge the yonde busshes where he is lepte vpon the beste horse of the worlde, wher-from he hath smyte down a kynge, and thei that weepe and crye, sey that his name is kynge Clarion, and the name of the stede is Gringalet, and he toke vs this horse, and sente yow worde that ye sholde ride forth, for soone shall he yow ouer-take, whan he will; whan thei herde he was hool and sounde thei were gladde, and be-hielde toward the busshes, and whan Gawein saugh thei rode no ferther he seide he wolde shewe hem the gode horse er he paste eny ferther. Than he spronge out of the busshes, and thider as he saugh grettest plente of peple that entended yet to make doell and sorowe, and saugh a saisne that hilde a merveilous short spere, and the shaft was grete and short, and the heed was a foote and a half of lengthe that was clier and trenchaunt. Than he put Calibourne his swerde in the scauberke and launched toward the saisne with grete raundon, and raced it oute of his handes so felly that he pulled hym to grounde, and with the same cours he smote a-nother that he fill stark deed, and plonged in depe a-monge hem, and after returned thourgh hem as tempest of thunder; but er he past oute his shelde felte it well, for it was all to slitte and hewen, but er he departed he hath mo than xiiij so araied that neuer sholde thei ride on horse in hele; and than he wente and a-bode no lenger, and the crye and the shoute a-roos so grete, and the chace that merveile was to se, but for hem myght he ne be ouertake; and whan he hadde lefte hem be-hynde he returned with his swerde in his honde, and smote so the firste that he mette that deed he fill on the grene, and thus taried sir Gawein longe while; and he wente and com in [folio 183b] soche maner till thei be come nygh the wode with-ynne a bowe draught where the kynge and his thre bretheren were.

Whan the kynge Looth saugh the saisnes come soche foyson after his sone Gawein that he desired to se a-bove

all thinge, he cried, "My sones, what do ye? is not that Gawein youre brother that here cometh that these glotouns chace; lete it be to hem dere solde." With that the kynge loot laced his helme hastely and smote the horse with spores, and his thre sones also, and com a-gein the saisnes; and the kynge Loot mette with Gawein, and seide, "Feire sone, grete wronge haue ye do that thus leve me and youre brethern, and where haue ye thus longe taried. Coveyte ye alle these saisnes to discounfite, though ye slough at eche stroke x, ye sholde not haue do in a moneth." "Sir," seide he, "I haue wonne soche an horse that I wolde not yeve for the castell of Glocedon, and therfore I wolde hym preve, and I haue founde hym soche that me nedeth to seche noon better in no londe, now go we for I shall not leve yow no more to-day fer nothinge that may be-falle." "Blame haue he," quod Agrauain, "that thus shall go seth we be thus be-fore er we haue slain moo of these saisnes." "Ye is that soth," seide Gawein, and thei ne hadde no speres, and thei drough oute theire swerdes, and these com prikinge and wende hem to take and to holde, and brake theire speres vpon theire sheldes and thei smote hem vpon the sheldes and helmes or ther thei myght hem a-reche, and fyghted fiercely that thei slough mo than xl er thei wente.

And whan the kynge Looth saugh it was tyme to go he seide, "Gawein, goode sone, bringe a-wey youre brethern, for ye se well it is nyght, and therfore take we oure iourney, ffor to batailes we shull come I-nowe that we shull haue bothe handes full;" and Gawein com to his brethern, and seide that now is tyme to go, and than thei departed, but first thei toke v speres of the saisnes and put vp theire swerdes; and as thei departed vij saisnes haue theire speres leide in fewtre, and com overtakinge Gueheret, and tweyne smote hym be-twene the two sholderes, and the other tweyne on the side, and other two vpon the sleues of the hauberk, and the vij^e smote the horse thourgh the body and bar to the erthe, bothe the toon and the other. Than returned the kynge Looth and wende well he hadde be deed, and seide, "Ha-las now be

disparbled the foure frendes; ha! goode sone Gawein, this harme haue I thourgh yow, ffor yef ye hadde come with vs Gueheret ne hadde I had noon harme;" and while the kynge spake these wordes lepe Gueheret vpon his feet, ffor he was a noble knyght and an hardy, and he enbrace his shelde, and drough oute his swerde and made hym redy to diffende hymself; and the vij saisnes were returned, and ronne vpon hym; and he smote so the firste that he toke that he kutte his thigh a-sonder; and he smote another on the helme, but he myght not well come by hym, and the stroke descended [folio 184a] be-twene the body and the sholder, and kutte the gige with all the arme; and Gawein smote so hym that he mette that deed he fill to grounde, and than he caught the horse that was goode and ledde to his brother, and he lept vp lightly and hente his spere, for that wolde he not for-yete; and the kynge Looth, and Agrauain, and Gaheries haue felde other thre, and the vije turned to flight; and whan Gaheries saugh hym go, he priked after, and ouer-toke hym doun in a valei, smote hym with the spere a-gein the herte so harde that the heed passed thourghoute, and than returned a walop that wey ther his brethern be, and rode forth her wey, and it was nygh nyght; and the saisnes be-taught hem to the deuell all quyk, ffor for them sholde thei no lenger be chaced, and seide yef ther were x^Ml of soche men in the contrey, the kynge hardogabran and all his puyssaunce myght neuer a-gein hem endure; with that the saisnes returned ther the kynge Clarion lay, and founde his wounde stanched; and whan he saugh hem come a-gein, he asked yef thei hadde the glotouns take, and they seide, "Nay," and tolde hym the harme thei hadde don after, and that thei myght not be take by no man of theires; and than was Clarion sorowfull and dolent, and returned toward the sege that was be-fore Clarence; and the kynge loot and his sones saugh it drough to nyght and rode forth theire wey, but who hadde sein theire armours he myght haue seide thei hadde not ben at soiourne, ffor theire sheldes were slitte and theire helmes to hewen, and theire armours all to rente, and theire horse all

blode and brayn, and it semed that out of stronge stour thei were departed, with that thei be come to the grove ther the gromes hem a-biden, and thei a-light of theire horse, and lepe on the palfreyes, and the gromes ledde theire horse and bare theire speres, and theire sheldes, and theire helmes, and rode thourgh the wode that was grete till it was fer in the nyght, and the mone shone right clier till that thei come to a forester that was a goode man, and hadde foure sones that were feire yonge bachelers, and hadde a wif that was a goode lady.

This foresters place was stronge and well closed with depe diches full of water, aud was environed with grete okes, and ther-to to it was so thikke of busshes and of thornes and breres that noon wolde haue wende that ther hadde be eny habitacion. Thider com the kynge Loot and his foure sones at the firste cok crowinge, and happed that her wey hem ledde to a posterne wher-by men entred in to the place, and made oon of theire gromes to crie and knokke till the gate was opened; and oon of the foresteres sones hem asked what thei were, and thei seide thei were V erraunt knyghtes that wente vpon theire grete nede. "Sirs," seide the yonge man, "ye be welcome, and ledde hem in to the middill of the Court, and thei a-light of theire horse, and ther were I-nowe that ledde hem to stable, and yaf hem hey and otes, ffor the place was well stuffed; and a squyer [folio 184b] hem ledde in to a feire halle be the grounde hem for to vn-arme, and the Vavasour and his wif, and his foure sones that he hadde, and his tweyne doughtres dide a-rise, and light vp torches and other lightes ther-ynne, and sette water to the fier, and waisshed theire visages and theire handes, and after hem dried on feire toweiles and white, and than brought eche of hem a mantell, and the Vauasour made cover the tables, and sette on brede and wyne grete foyson and venyson, and salt flessh grete plente; and the knyghtes sat down and ete and dranke as thei that ther-to haue grete nede, and the Vauasours two doughtres be-hilde sir Gawein tenderly, and his brethern, and sore thei merveiled what thei myght be; and the fforesters foure sones serued be-fore the

knyghtes and the maidenes serued of wyn, and the lady satte be-fore sir Gawein, and the hoste be-fore Agravain, and Gueheret, and Gaheries to-geder; and the kynge loot satte euen be-side his hoste a litill a-bove, and thei were well serued as a-boute soche hour, for it was full nygh mydnyght, and whan the clothes were vp the forester seide to the kynge looth, "Sir hoste, yef it sholde yow not displese, ne to these worthi men that be here, I wolde gladly knowe what ye were, and what is the cause that ye traueile yef it be not shame to aske." "Trewly," seide the kynge loot, "we shull neuer ther-of haue shame yef god will, but telle vs be-fore to whom longeth this forest and this contrey a-boute." "Certes, sir," seide he, "it is the kynges Clarion of Northumberlonde, and I it kepe vnder hym, and am forester and his liegeman, and these squyers that beth here be my sones, and these maidenes be my doughters." "For-sothe, sir," seide the kynge, "I knowe not a better man of his age than is the kynge Clarion, ne he myght no better haue be-sette the baille than vpon yow as me semeth, ffor ye haue a feire meyne a well lerned." "Sir," quod he, "yef thei will be goode men, thei haue worthi knyghtes of theire lynage that ben now in the Court of kynge Arthur of the moste preised and beste be-loved, and as it is tolde me thei beth newly be-come the quenes knyghtes, and by my lorde sir Gawein, the sone of kynge loot is this company made, and it is seide how the kynge Looth is a-corded with the kynge Arthur." "And who be thei," seide the kynge Loot, "that aperteyneth to youre sones?" "Trewly, sir," seide the forester, "this lady that is here is suster to Meranges de Porlesgues, I can not sey yef ye knowe hym, and is cosin germain to Ayglin des vaux and to kehedin le petitz, and to Ewein lionell that is my nevew, for he is my brother sone Grandilus, the Castelein doucrenefar, and I my-self hadde I-nough of londe ne were these saisnes that haue all wasted." "And what is youre name?" quod the kynge to the forester. "Trewly, sir," seide the forester, "my name is mynoras, and am lorde of the new castell in Northumbirlond." Than seide the kynge loot, "Alle these that ye

haue named knowe I well, and ye sey soth thei be goode knyghtes at devise these that ye haue nempned, and wolde god that [folio 185a] the kynge Clarion satte by me as nygh as ye do." "How so?" seide Mynoras, "ar ye a-queynted with hym?" "Ye," seide he, "I shall neuer cesse of traueile till I haue spoke with hym." "Sir," seide mynoras, "so moche desire I the more to knowe what ye be, more now than I dide beforn." "And I shall telle yow than," quod the kynge loot; "ye may sey to alle hem that yow aske who was loged with yow, that it was the kynge looth and his foure sones." "Ha! sir," quod the forester, "we ar worthi to be deed, for we haue yow no better serued," and than thei aros from hym. "Sitte ye stille," quod the kynge, "and meve yow not, for so moche haue ye doon that ye haue wonne oure love for euermore, and youre meyne shull haue profite." "A sire," seide Mynoras, "what seche ye in this contrey?" Quod the kynge, "We seche that we myght speke with the Barouns of this contrey that we myght haue a Parliament to-geder on the kynge Arthurs be-halve to se how that we myght put oute these saisnes of this londe, and eche of vs to helpe other as brethern." "And where trowe ye for to assemble hem," quod Mynoras. "In Arestuell in Scotlonde," quod the kynge looth, "that is the nexte marche, and ther we shull assemble yef we may." "Sir," quod Mynoras, "yef it plese yow I shall wele lete my lorde haue witinge, and so moche shull ye haue the lesse to do, and tell me whan he shall fynde yow ther." "Trewly," seide the kynge, "I can yow thanke, and ye sey full well, and therfore now telle hym that he shall fynde me ther on seinte Berthelmewes day, and bidde hym loke that he be ther, for ther shull be alle the other princes." And Mynoras seide that it sholde be don, and badde hym thinke on the remenaunt, for of that was he quyte, after thei spake of o thinge and other till the beddes were redy, and than thei wente to reste, for thei were wery of traueile, and it was fer in the nyght, and thei slepte till it was day. But now a litill cesseth of hem, and speketh of kynge Pelles of lytenoys, the brother

of kynge Pellynor, and of kynge Aleon that were brethern germain.

This kynge hadde a feire sone that yet was no knyght, and he was of xv yere of age, but he was right semely and well barnysshed of body and bones, and ther-to was of grete bewte, and his fader hym asked whan he wolde be knyght, and he ansuerde that he wolde neuer be knyght before that the beste knyght of the worlde that eny man knewe hadde yove hym armes and the a-coole. "In feith, sone," than seide the kynge, "than may ye longe I-nough a-bide." "I can not seyn," seide the squyer, "but firste shall I serue hym thre yere er he make me knyght till that I haue lerned I-nough of armes a-boute hym, and wite ye whi. I will knowe and se of what prowesse he is and soche may he be, that I will teche hym the wey in to this contrey, for to a-cheve the a-uentures that hastely shull be-gynne, as it is seide, and to youre-self hath it be [folio 185b] seide often tymes, and I wolde be right sory, yef I myght not se myn Vncle made hooll of his woundes that he hath thourgh his thighes." "Ffeire sone, seide the kynge, "neuer therfore shall he not spede, though ye teche hym the wey, ffor hym be-hoveth to be of soche chiualrie, and so a-uenturouse, that he come by hym-self and enquere after the seint Graal that my feire doughter kepeth, that is yet but vij yere of age, and so hit be-houeth on hir to be engendred that childe by the best knyght that eny man knoweth, ffor to a-chieve the a-uentures ther be-houeth to be thre, wherof tweyne shull be virgins, and the thirde shall be caste." "Sir," seide the squyer, "my volunte is soche that I will go to the Court of kynge Arthur, ffor I here sey that ther ben the beste knyghtes of the worlde, and ther is oon that is his nevew that is cleped Gawein, whiche is the beste knyght of the worlde, hym will I go serue, and be his squyer yef hym plese to haue my seruise, and yef he be soche as men recorde, I shall take of hym myn armes, and the a-coole." "Ffeire sone," that seide the kynge Pelles, "ther be so many passages be-twene this and that. That it is no light thinge to go thider, ffor the saisnes be spradde thourgh

the contrey that all do distroye and waste, and on that other side ther is so grete discorde be-twene Arthur and the barouns of the londe, that I shall neuer be in ese till I se yow a-gein hool and sounde," "Ffader," seide squyer, "we be alle in auenture, ne we may not deye but on soche deth as god hath vs ordeyned, and knoweth it well that I shall neuer cesse of labour till I be there, and I will meve to morowe erly." "Ffeire sone," seide the kynge, "I se well thow wilt go and that nothinge shall the lette, and me liketh it well for that thow coveytest prowesse and valour, and of gret corage it cometh, and on that other side me heveith, for that I trowe the neuer to seen. Nowe telle me whom thow wilt haue with the." "Sir," seide he, "I shall go sooll be my self, and haue with me but oon squyer to bere me companye. But aray me horse and armes soche as ye knowe be to me mystier." And the kynge seide as for that sholde haue no dowte, for all his thinges were ordeyned redy.

Thus ended the parlement be-twene the fader and the sone; and on the morowe his fader hadde appareiled hym horse and armes, and all thinge that was nedefull hym to diffende, and delyuered hym a squyer bolde, hardy, and wise, and well servinge; and this squyer trussed on a somer his armes, and his robes, and money I-nough, and whan he hadde all made redy, the childe lepte vpon an ambeler, and departed fro thens with-oute lenger a-bidinge, and comaunded his fader and his frendes to god, and thei hym also that god sholde diffende hym from euell and all aduersite, and than departed he and [folio 186a] his squyer, and traueiled many dayes that neuer thei fonde no man ne woman that seide nought to hem but goode; and so thei traueiled be theire iourneyes till on a day as thei com thourgh the playns of Roestok in to a depe valey, and ther-ynne was a feire river that com rennynge from a welle springe oute of a thorn, where-as Pignarus and Monagins two kynges of the saisnes that were restinge with v^c men of armes that were come from the roche of saisnes, and wente to Clarence to the grete seige that xxx kynges dide holde, and ledde with hem xl

somers trussed with vitaile, and thei where sette vnder the hawethorn in the shadowe by the broke, and let theire horse pasture down the medowes while the heete was so grete, for it was a-boute mydday.

In to this valey that was so grete and depe entred this kynges sone and his squyer, and rode forth till thei come to an high hille, and fro thens myght thei well se the saisnes that ete vnder the hawthorne, and whan he hem saugh he was sore affraied, and asked his armes, and a-raied hym a-noon, and henge his swerde at the arson of his sadell, and than lepte on his horse, and comaunded his squyer to go be-fore that was cleped lydonas, and he dide his comaundement, and rode forth the streight wey till thei were euen falle a-monge the saisnes, and whan Pygnoras hem saugh, he made aske what thei were, and he ansuerde that he was of the other contrey, and wente on her iourney ther as thei hadde for to do; and Pignoras hit herde and comaunded his peple to arme and to lepe to horse, and comaunded hem to bringe hym a-gein other be force, or be otherwise, and this yonge squyer that rode forth the streight wey after his squyer hilde a grete spere, but he hadde no shelde, and rode softly. But er he hadde litill wey riden thei that folowe hym ascried hym with high voise, and seide, "Wy! yelde the, and thyn armes, and thyn horse to oure lorde that a-bideth under the hawthorne;" and he herde hem well and vndirstode, but he ansuerde hem no worde, but rode forth after his squyer and encresed his paas somwhat, and after that he rode a walop; and whan the saisnes saugh that he rode so faste, thei priked after, and manaced hym sore, and whan he saugh hem com he turned his horse hede, and a saisne com be-fore alle the other gripinge a grete spere, and hasted hym so faste in his comynge that he failed to smyte this yonge lorde, and he com so faste a-gein hym as his horse myght ronne and smote the saisne thourgh shelde and hauberke, and bar hym to grounde that he hadde no myster of no leche, and than he pulled oute his spere, and rode forth his wey a grete paas after lydonas his squyer that wente hym be-fore, for he desired not elles but

from the saisnes to passe; and the saisnes priked after faste, for in no wyse thei wolde lete hym so ascape, and he rode euener at a grete walop, his spere in his honde, that hadde chaunged his colour fro white in to reade, [folio 186b] ffor it was all blody of hym that he hadde slain, and thus he rode forth prayinge our lorde hym to diffende from deth a from prison, and the saisnes hym chaced with all the myght of theire horse, so that at laste thei hym atteyned, and x smote hym on the sholderes and on the sides, and he returned and smote so the firste that he mette, that the heed and the shafte of his spere shewed thourgh be-hynde, that he fill deed flat to the grounde, and a-nother he smote thourgh the throte, and he fill down of his horse in myddell of the wey; and the saisnes com hym a-gein with theire speres, that thei made hym to bend ouer his horse croupe, but he fill not from his sadell, for theire speres fly in peces; and he a-roos and with his spere smote oon of hem thourgh the body, that he fill deed to grounde a-monge his felowes, that were full wroth and angry, and ther-with brake his spere, and a-noon he leide honde to his swerde that henge at the pomell of his sadell, and drough it oute of the scauberke, and the saisnes ronne vpon hym on alie partyes, and he smote so the firste that he kute of his right sholdre, so that all the side opened that the bowels apered oute of the wounde, and he fill down deed, and than he smote a-nother that the heed fill of with all the helme, and than he smote the thridde that he slitte hym to the teth, and the remenaunt smyten hym full harde strokes; and whan he saugh he myght not longe endure a-gein so moche peple, but that he moste be take or elles deed, he lefte hem and smote the horse with the spores, and rode faste after lydonas his squyer; and than a-roos the showte and noyse vpon hym right grete, and whan he hadde over-take his squyer, he rode forth hym, and seide he wolde not leve his harneys as longe as he myght it diffende; he helde his swerde in his honde all naked, and a saisne com with spere in fewtre, and smote hym a-bove the sadell that the hauberke dide folde, and he hadde fallen down ne hadde he holde hym by his horse nekke; and whan he was

vp redressed he loked on hym that hadde hym smyten, and hitte hym so sore vpon the heed that he slitte hym to the teth, and than thei come rounde a-boute hym on alle parties, and he hym diffended as he that was of grete herte, and be-gan to sle of hem bothe men and horse, and threwe to grounde all that he dide a-reche. But all his diffence a-vailed hym but litill a-gein so many as were a-boute hym, and so it myght not be but that he moste be deed or taken, ffor Pignoras and Monaquyns were come after hym; and than he turned from hem and priked his wey as faste as he myght after his squyer, and Monaquyns and Pignoras that saugh noon of her men returne, thei lept to theire horse a com ridinge the wey as the squyer wente and saugh the deed bodyes that were lyinge in the high wey that the squyer hadde slain, and thei asked who hadde this don; and thei seide that he hadde don all this [folio 187a] that com ridinge by hymself, and than thei asked whiche wey he was gon; and thei seide, "Yonder down in a valey, where oure peple fighted with hym, but thei may hym not take." Than seide Pignoras, "Now after hym, and lete hym not thus ascape, for he hath don me grete harme;" and whan thei herde this thei lete renne after the squyer. Now god be his gide for his grete pite, for yef thei may hym take, he may not ascape in no wise with-outen deth. But he that in euery nede helpeth hem that in hym byleve, that is oure lorde Ihesu Crist, sente to hym a feire a-uenture, and ther-fore is seide a proverbe, that god will haue saued, no man may distroye, and here a litill stinteth the tale of hym, and returneth to the kynge Looth of Orcanye, and to his foure sones that be in his companye.

That nyght that the kynge looth and his foure sones were herberowed with Mynoras, the forester of kynge Clarion, thei slepte all nyght after thei were brought to reste as thei that all the day suffred grete traueyle, and erly on the morowe thei a-rise and toke theire armes that was brought in theire chamber, and thei armed hem smartly and soone, and lepe on theire horse that were brought to the halle dore, and Mynoras and his wife were at the takynge of theire horse; and the kynge

Looth and sir Gawein comaunded hem to god and thanked hem hertely of the herberow and the goode chere that thei hadde hem shewed, and than thei ride forth oute at the yate, and the forester and his foure sones rode with hem, and conveyed hem the wey; and the foure gromes rode be-fore and ledde the v horse couered vnder stiell, and bar theire helmes, and sheldes, and theire speres that the forester hadde hem yoven with heedes cler and sharpe; and whan Mynoras hadde conveyed hem a-while, the kynge hym returned and bad hym do his massage to the kynge Clarion of Northumbirlonde as he hadde promysed, and Mynoras seide that he wolde do it trewly with-oute faile, and a-noon toke his leve and returned to his manoir; and a-noon he made tweyne of his sones for to make hem redy and sette hem on two swifte horse, for doute of the saisnes yef thei mette eny on the wey that thei myght ride from theym yef it were mystier; and whan these tweyne squyers were redy, than seide Mynoras, "Ffeire sones, ye shull go to the kynge Clarion that is oure lorde, and telle hym how the kynge Looth of Orcanye sendith hym to wite that he sholde be with hym at Arestuell in Scotlonde on oure lady day in Septembre;" and thei ansuerde and seide this massage sholde thei do well, and a-noon thei toke forth theire iournei and com to the kynge Clarion, and fonde hym at a manoir of his with a prevy meyne full pensif what he myght best do with the saisnes that so wasted his londe and his contrey; and whan he saugh the two squyers be-fore hym that the kynge Looth hym sente, he was gladde and mery, and for theire goode tidinges he yaf eche of hem a goode horse, ffor he loved the kynge looth right tendirly, and seide he wolde be ther [folio 187b] with-oute faile, yef god hym diffende from myschief, and a-noon as thei hadde theire ansuere thei returned hem to theire fadres place myry and gladde, and presented the horse that the kynge hadde hem yoven, for love of kynge Looth that he hadde herberowed, and now we shull returne and speke of the kynge looth and his foure sones.

Whan the kynge looth and his foure sones were departed from the forester, thei rode thourgh the foreste that

was grete and high, and delitable in for to traueile, and it was feire weder and stille, and that nyght hadde ben a grete dewe, and the briddes songen for swetnesse of the myry seson, and thei songe so myrily and so high in theire langage that all the wode ronge; and the kynge hem herkened, and his foure sones that were yonge and lusty, and remembred hem on theire newe loves, and so thei ride a two myle thingkinge on the briddes songe, and Gaheries that was amourouse be-gan for to singe a newe made songe, and he songe right wele and merily, and well entuned; and whan the sonne was vp and he saugh his brethern were somwhat fer be-hynde hym he turned be-side the wey to make his horse stale till thei were come to hym, ffor thei herkened hym gladly; and Gaheries com to Agravain and to Geheret, and seide, "Lete vs singe;" and than thei be-gonne to singe alle thre, and than seide Gaheries to Agrauain and to Gueheret, "Now telle me by the feith that ye owe to the kynge looth my fader and yours, yef ye hadde the two doughtres of oure hoste that was this nyght, and thei were now here, telle me what wolde ye do." "So god me helpe," seide Agrauain, "I sholde haue my wille." "So helpe me god," seide Gaheries, "so wolde not I do but I wolde bringe hem to saftee." "And ye, Gueheret, what wolde ye do?" Quod Gueheret, "I sholde make hir my love yef I myght therto hir entrete, but be force wolde I nothinge do, for than were the game nought, but yef it plesed hir as well as me."

While thei seide these wordes ouertoke hem the kynge looth and Gawein that wele hadde herde that thei hadde seide, and thei lough alle to-geder, and than thei asked whiche hadde seide beste. "Of that," quod the kynge, "shall Gawein youre brothere be Iuge." "And I shall soone haue seide," quod Gawein. "Gaheries hath seide beste, and Agravain werste, ffor Agravain sholde se that noon dide hem noon harme, but sholde helpe to diffende hem at his power, but me semeth ther were no werse enmy that he; and Geheret hath yet seide better than he, for he seith he wolde nothinge do be force, and that he seith so cometh hym of love and

curtesie, and Gaheries hath seide as a goode man, for so as he seith wolde I do the same yef it were for me to do;" and than thei lough and Iaped with Agravain, and the kynge hym-self more than eny other, and rode to Agravain, and seide, "What Agravain, hate ye the doughter of youre hoste for youre foule delite, a feire rewarde yelde ye for the feire servise and the goode chere that she hath yow don, [folio 188a] ffor trewly she hath it evill be-sette." "Sir," seide Agravain, "thei sholde not therfore haue no mayme of hande ne foote." "No," quod the kynge; "but thei shull lese all worshippe." "I can-not sey," quod Agravain, "of eny man that wolde hem spare, yef he hadde hem a-lone by hym-self, ffor after that he lete her passe she sholde hym neuer love." "But he sholde kepe and saue his honour," seide the kynge. "Certes," seide Agravain, "neuer after he hadde lefte hir she wolde but skorne and preyse hym the lesse." Quod the kynge, "I wolde not sette at a boton what oon seide, so that my worship were saued, so that I hadde no vylonye ne reprof." "Ya ther is no more of," quod Agravain, "but we shull vs yelden in to soche place ther we shull se no women." "Ha Agravain," quod the kynge looth, "yef ye yow thus demene as ye sey, wite ye well ye shull myscheve, and that shull ye well se;" and euen as the kynge seide so hym be-fill after that he langwissid longe a-boue the erthe for the vilonye that he dide to a mayden, that rode with hir frende with whom he faught till that he hadde hym discounfited and maymed of oon of his armes, and after wolde haue leyen by his love and fonde hir roynouse of oon of hir thighes, and seide hir soche vilonye that she after hurte his oo thigh and his arme, so that it sholde neuer be made hooll; but yef it were be tweyne of the beste knyghtes of the worlde to whom she sette terme of garison, as the booke shall yow devyse here-after, how that it was warisshed by Gawein his brother, and by launcelot de lak that was so noble a knyght; but of this matter speketh no more at this tyme, but returneth how

the kynge looth speketh to his sone Agravain that was prowde and fell, and thus thei rode in the foreste till it was paste pryme.

Than thei entred in to a feire launde that dured a-longe to Roestok a-longe by the wode side; and whan thei hadde a-while I-riden, thei mette lydonas comynge down the hille that was sore affraied for his lorde that faught at grete myschef as ye haue herde be-fore, and he drof the somer be-fore hym with the robes, and ledde his lordes palfrey in his right hande, and wepte and seide, "Lady seinte marie, vs helpe and socoure;" and thus he cried often, and smote that oon hande a-gein the tother; and whan the kynge looth and his foure sones hym a-perceyved thei hadde grete pitee, and Agravain hasted hym be-fore, and seide, "Why makest thow this doell and this sorowe;" and the squyer loked vp and seide, wepinge, "Sir, I haue cause I-nough wherefore, I wepe for a yonge lorde, the feireste creature that euer was formed on erthe that the saisnes haue asseilled in this valey be-nethe, and haue hym slayn, but god be his helpe and socoure." "And whider wente he," quod Agravain. "Sir," seide lydonas, "he was goynge to the Court of kynge Arthur for to seche sir Gawein and hym for to serue that hath so grete valour as it is seide, ffor [folio 188b] so moche he hath herde spoken of hym that he will neuer be made knyght but of sir Gawein;" and than he seide at the tother worde, "Ha! las caytef, now I haue hym loste, and neuer I shall se hym more," and made so moche sorowe that for litill he wolde hym-self haue slayn, and Agravain hym asked of what contrey he was. "Sir," seide lydonas, "of the reame of lystenoys, and is the riche kynges sone Pelles;" and Agravain loked on sir Gawein and seide, "Brother, here ye not what a-uenture yow a-bideth;" and he seide, "Yesse, he hadde it welle herde." Than thei laced theire helmes, and toke theire sheldes and lepte on theire horse, and Gaheries seide to Agravain, "Now thenke vpon the maydenes that ye this morowe

haue be so goode a werkere, and loke that ye be as goode a knyght at armes a-gein the saisnes that thei may conne yow gree." "Gaheries," quod Agravain, "I pray yow be as curteyse to the saisnes as ye were to the maidenes that ye durste not assaile ne se, and no more shull ye do to the saisnes as I trowe." "Sir," seide Gaheries, "ye be elther than I, and therfore it shall be sene how ye will do better." "So god spede me," seide Agravain, "I were but litill to preise, but I dide better than ye, and elles hadde I but little power, ffor I will neuer lette for youre cowardise." "Sir," quod Gaheries, "at the leste it is no curteisie a man to a-vaunte of hym-self, but whan ye come ther do the beste that ye can;" and whan Agravain herde this, he swore and seide he sholde go in to soche place where he durste hym not sewe, for the iyen in his heed; and Gaheries be-gan to lawgh, and was nothinge wroth, but seide all in game, "Go ye than be-fore, and ye can go in to no place but I shall yow sewe;" and Gawein lowgh of that thei hadde seide, for he wiste well that Gaheries pleide and Iaped, and tolde to Gueheret and his fader the wordes that thei hadde seide; and a-noon the kynge seide, "Ffeire sones, go we after hem that thei do no folye, ffor I wote well Agravain is wroth;" and whan lydonas saugh hem go he asked what thei were, and thei seide thei were of the meyne of kynge Arthur, "and he is here in our companye that ye go sechinge." "Ha! god mercy," quod lydonas, "than will I go no ferther till I wite how it shall be." "No," quod the kynge looth, "but turne a litill oute of the weye till thow knowe how it shall be-falle, and go in to the thikke of this foreste;" and the squyer seide, "So shall I do." And while thei spake so to-geder thei saugh this other squyer come prikynge faste with his swerde in hande all blody and CC saisnes after hym as thei myght ride, and often he turned and smote hym so that he dide a-reche that noon armoure ne waranted hym, and whan he hadde don his power he rode forth his wey; and whan he hadde a while fledde he returned and faught, and thus he demened hym till he mette with hem that com

ridinge hym a-geins; and whan he saugh hem v he cried with [folio 189a] lowde voyce, "ffor goddes love cometh and helpe me and haue pite of me, for ye se the grete nede that I haue;" and Agravain seide, "A-bide and haue no drede."

Than Agravain spored his horse and brandisshed his spere that was sharpe and kene, and smote so the firste that he mette, that shelde ne hauberke myght hym helpe that he sente the spere heed thourgh the breste, and he fill deed to grounde; and Gaheries that com after hym smote a-nother thourgh shelde and hauberke that he fill deed vp-right, and than brake the spere, and a-noon he drough oute his swerde, and seide with high voise, "Agravain, brother, where be ye, now lete se what ye do, ffor I peyne me for these ladyes sake for curtesie, and ye peyne yow for theire vilonyes." Of these wordes lough Gawein and Geheret. Whan the kynge looth saugh hem laugh and Iape, he seide, "What do ye my children, se ye not youre brethern a-monge youre enmyes." Whan the squyer vndirstode these foure knyghtes were his sones, and that he monestede hem to do well, he asked what he was, and he hym tolde that his name was kynge looth of Orcanye, "and these knyghtes be my sones, and lo hym ther that thow sechest with the shelde of synopre," and shewed hym sir Gawein; and whan the squyer that vndirstode that the kynge hadde seide, he hadde grete ioye of the tidinges that he tolde, and hilde vp his handes toward heuene and thanked oure lorde that he hadde hym so I-founden; and than seide he to kynge looth, "How knowe ye whom I seche?" "I wote well," quod he, "that thow goiste to seche Gawein, and lo hym there;" and with that he smote in a-monge the saisnes and the squyer with hem that thre the firste that thei mette thei drof deed to the erthe, and than thei rode forth and smote other thre down deed to grounde, and ther-with brake the speres, and than thei drough oute swerdes and smote on the right side and on the lifte, and the squyer lefte the kynge looth and pursued Gawein in euery place where he wente, and Gawein hadde drawen oute his suerde Calibourne, and be-gan to slee so moche peple that alle

that saugh hym do soche maistries fledde be-fore hym whan thei saugh hym come, and durste not a-bide his strokes, and he was gon so fer be-fore that he wiste nothinge of his fader, ne his brethern; and Agravain hadde so chaced and Gaheries xx saisnes that thei surbated on Pignoras that com with an hundred saisnes; and whan thei saugh how thei were chaced and were but tweyne, he cried vpon his men and medled hym a-monge hem, and thei smote tweyne so harde that deed thei fill on the grene, and than renged hem x saisnes and smote hem on alle partyes that thei bar Agravain to the erthe, and thei smyte Gaheries so harde that he bente bakwarde in his sadill be-hynde, and whan the speres were broken he smote in to the presse and be-gan to do merveiles, and Agravain was [folio 189b] lepte on fote and griped his swerde in hys right hande, and hente his shelde hym be-forn, and thei hym assailed full harde, and he hym well diffended as he that hadde I-nough of herte and force, and Gaheries spored his horse that wey ther he saugh his brother, and rode be-twene hym and the saisnes that sore hym assailed, and he hym diffended vigorously, that noon durste hym a-bide for the strokes that thei saugh hym yeve, and in this manere thei fought longe while, ffor the saisnes coveited hem for to take, and thei hem diffended to warante theire lyves; and the kynge Looth and Gueheret fought right harde, and wente thourgh the bataile sechinge her felowes, and so thei fonde Agravain on foote a-monge the saisnes, his swerde in his honde all naked, wherwith he yaf hem many grete strokes, and Gaheries was by hym that dide grete peyne hym to helpe and for to remounte. Than the kynge looth smote in a-monge hem and fought sore a-gein the sarazins thei foure and sloughen many of hem, and sir Gawein hadde so gon that he was come vpon the hill with his swerde all blody in his hande. Than he loked bak and saugh he hadde alle perced thourgh, and the squyer was by hym at the spore and seide, "Sir, I wolde sue yow full gladly yef my servise myght yow plese so that it liked yow for to make me knyght, whiche tyme I wolde yow requere;" and Gawein ansuerde that he was right welcome,

and with-hilde hym with-oute mo wordes, and than he badde hym to kepe hym by him that the saisnes dide hym not hurte ne diffoule, "ffor I moste seche my fader and my brethern that I ne wote neuer where thei beth be-come;" and than seide the squyer, "Lo hem yonder in that grete prees, for I se swerdes lifte a-loufte that bright shyneth, and a-noon Gawein knewe his fader by the helme, and than he seide, "It is my fader, sue me."

And than he smote his horse with the spores on bothe sides that he spronge oute xviij foote, and drof in fiercely a-monge the saisnes more than he hadde don all the day be-fore he and the squyer that thei throwe down all that be-fore hem stode, and the squyer cowde not so faste spore hys horse that he myght hym ouertake, and fonde the wey strowed full of hem that were ouerthrowen; and than seide the squyer, "Lady seint marie, I am a-ferde to lese hym here a-monge these mysbelevinge peple; ffull trewe seide thei that tolde me ther was not soche a-nother knyght in the worlde, ffor he ne gabbed no worde, for he hath in hym more goode than was seide, and yef the knyght be goode, he hath a horse at his device, and I trowe yef he will do all his power that he sholde discounfite soche xx as be here. Now wolde god that was born of the virgine marie that my fader the kynge hadde hym ones seyn, for I wote wele he wolde holde it a merveile." Thus devised the squyer what he wolde, and euer sued after Gawein as moche as he myght; and sir Gawein hath so gon that he fonde Agravain so wery for traveile that he lened on his shelde and his swerde in his honde, and myght not helpe hym-self but litill, and thei yaf hym ever [folio 190a] a-monge grete strokes with speres and swerdes as thei myght come to; and on that other side he saugh that Gueheret was smyte be-twene the sholdres with two speres that he was born to the erthe vp-right, and also he saugh xi saisnes that hilde his fader be the helme, and smote hym with the pomeles of his swerdes; and Gaheries hadde caste his shelde to the ground and hilde his swerde in bothe handes, and yaf soche strokes that thei myght be herde

right cleer, ffor he smote of handes, and armes, and hedes, and legges, and slitte hem to the teth, and shewde ther soche prowesse that noon durste hym a-bide, but lefte the kynge Looth magre hem alle; and the kynge loked and saugh it was Gaheries his sone that hadde hym rescowed, he seide, "Ha! feire sone, yef we hadde youre brother Gawein with vs we shull nought lese this day for alle these false peple, and Agravain and Gueheret where be thei." "Thei be in theire enmyes handes that nygh haue hem slayn."

With these wordes com Gawein brekinge the presse, and sleinge all that he myght a-reche, as quarell oute of arblast for swyftnesse of his horse, and hilde his swerde in his hande and smote on eche side so hevy strokes oute of mesure that alle yede to grounde that stode in his weye; and the squyer was euer nigh hym that for nothinge wolde hym leven, and yaf many a grete stroke with his swerde, wherfore he was be-loved after of alle the brethern; and it befell that mette Gawein Monaquyn that was oon of the goode knyghtes of alle the saisnes, and was a-rested vpon Gueheret for to take hym to pryson. But Gawein smote hym so harde with Calibourne that he slitte hym from the sholdre to girdell; and whan the squyer saugh that, he blissed hym for the merveile that he hadde, and blessed the arme that soche a stroke yeve; than he caught the horse be the reyne, and ledde to Agravain, and badde hym skippe vp lightly, and he dide so a-noon right as he that ther-to hadde grete nede, and the squyer helde hym the stirop, and Agravain hym thanked hertely, and seide he sholde hym quyte yef he myght.

Whan Pignoras saugh his brother deed he was sory and wroth, and gripid an ax with bothe handes, and com towarde the kynge Looth, and smote hym so sore on the helme that he fill flatte to the erthe, but he hadde no grete harme but that he was sore astonyed, and than he smote Gaheries that he fill to the erthe vp-right, and than was Gawein full wo, and smote the Gringalet that wey with Calibourne in his hande, and whan he saugh hym come he covered hym with

his shelde and with his axe. But Gawein smote the axe helue a-sondre, and the stroke descended on the shelde and the right sholdre and slitte hym to the breste, and the squyer caught the horse and ledde to Gaheries, and he lepte vp delyuerly; and than he toke the horse that his fader was fallen fro, and brought it to hym hastely by the bridell, and hilde the [folio 190b] stirop till he was vp, and than he made a new assaute vpon hem that so short hadde hem holden. But the saisnes were so abaisshed of theire two lordes that were ther deed that thei turned to flight, and toke no more hede hem to diffende, and Maundalis theire stiwarde hem ascried, "Ha, cowarde peple, what do ye that a-venge yow not on hem that haue youre two lordes slayn in this maner, and ye se well thei be but vj, and ye be yet thre hundred, and ye may be a-shamed that thei haue so longe endured;" and thei returned to the vj, and sir Gawein com be-fore and mette with hem as he that well knewe their corage, and hilde Calibourne, his goode swerde, and smote so the firste that he mette that he fill deed on the grene, and than the seconde, and the thridde, and than the fourth, and than he smote Maundalis that the heed fill from the sholderes, and the squyer caught the horse and ledde to Geheret; and whan the saisnes saugh theire stiwarde deed, thei turned a-noon to flight, who that myght sonest, so that noon a-bode other, and thei hem enchaced that sore hem hated a-bove all thinge, and slough and smote dowon all that thei myght a-take, and sir Gawein satte vpon the Gringalet that swyftly hym bar, and he made a-monge hem soche martire that it was wonder to wite, and hilde hem so shorte that thei myght hym not ascape vp ne down, ffor thei myght no side turne, but euer he was be-fore, and whan thei saugh thei myght not ascape, thei rode in to the depe of the forest for socour, and fledde oon here, a-nother there, that thei a-bide nother frende ne brother, and cursed the hour and the day thei with hem metten, "ffor thei be no peple as other be, but it be fendes of helle, for ther be but vj, and that fill neuer that so moche peple were discounfited with so small peple as we be now be hem, and therfore may we sey

that thei were neuer of carnell men conceyved, ffor neuer mortall man myght do that these haue vs don."

Thus seide the saisnes theire volunte, and were discounfited be the prowesse of sir Gawein, and the remenaunt that ascaped lefte neuer till thei come to the siege be-fore Clarence, and tolde theire grete damage to the kynge Hardogabran what the vj knyghtes hadde hem do, ffor thei haue oure two kynges slain, and oure stiward Maundalis; whan the kynge hardogabran herde this, he was nygh woode for wrath, ffor the tweyne were his cosins germain, and cursed the hour and the day that euer thei entred in to the londe, "ffor," quod he, "we haue resceyved grete damage." But now cesseth the tale of the saisnes and speketh of the kynge Looth.

Whan the saisnes were discounfited in the valey of Rorestok, the kynge looth was gladde for the squyer that thei hadde rescowed, and than thei wente to the somers that the saisnes sholde haue ledde to the siege before Clarence, and gadered hem to-geder and be-helde hem gretly; and than seide Gaheries a worde that was well herde. "Lord god," [folio 191a] quod he, "why be ther so many pore bachelers in the contrey whan thei myght thus wynne I-nough. Certes thei lese nothinge but for slouthe and cowardise, ffor thei ne sholde not slepe in no bedde, but wayte a-boute on the marches." "Ffeire sone," seide the kynge, "so myght thei haue euell suerte, ffor who that soche thinge will vndirtake yef oon tyme hym happe wele, hit falleth hym foure tymes euell;" and than seide Gaheries to his fader, "Sir, aske Agravain my brother yef he haue eny talent now to rage within these maydenes yef he hadde hem here on this playn;" and Agravain loked on hym a trauerse full proudly, and seide to hym in reprof, "Gaheries, it is not longe tyme past that ye hadde no talent to iape whan the saisne smote yow down of youre horse with his axe, and ne hadde be Gawein ye hadde mette with hym in euell tyme." "Though I fell," quod Gaheries, "I may no more do ther-to. But I was not at so grete myschef, but I me diffended so as it myght be; and of that ye myght wele haue holde youre pees,

for I saugh yow to-day at soche pointe, that though the feirest lady of the worlde hadde preide yow of love ye wolde not haue ansuered hir a worde, for a maiden of v yere of age myght haue take from yow youre breche;" and whan Agravain vndirstode this, he was wroth and angry, and for that he cleped hym recreaunt, wax he rody for shame, and loked on hym with maltalent, and yef thei hadden be a-lone he wolde with hym haue foughten; but the kynge turned the wordes in to other maner, for he wolde not haue in no wise distrif be-twene hem two, and than he asked what sholde be do with the somers. Sir," quod Gaheries, "asketh of Agravain;" and than be-gan Agravain sore to wrathe, and seide he sholde it a-beyen, and hilde a tronchon of a spere in his honde, and smote Gaheries on the helme that it fly all to peces, and Gaheries remeved not but suffred; and Agravain recouered and smote twys or thries, so that nought of the tronchon lefte in his handes, and his brother Gueheret ne hys fader cowde hem not so departe, but euer he ran vpon hym as he myght from hem ascape.

Than com Gawein from the chace, and asked what a-ray that was, and the kynge tolde hym all worde for worde; and Gawein com to Agravain and blamed hym sore for that he hadde so I-don; and Agravain swor all that he myght swere that neuer he wolde it hym for-yeve, and whan Gawein vndirstode the grete felonye, he seide he sholde abye on his body, but yef he wolde be ruled. "Ffy," quod Agravain, "in dispite of the deuell this were of the newe that I sholde lette for yow to do ought." "Now shall it be sene," quod Gawein, "what thow wilt do." Than Agravain smote the horse with the spores and ran to Gaheries with swerde drawen, and smote hym on the helme that the fire sparcled oute. Ne Gaheries ne remeved litill ne moche for nothinge that he dide, and whan Gawein saugh this he drough oute Calibourne and swor by his fader sowle that in euell tyme he hadde it be-gonne, [folio 191b] and whan the fader be-hilde all this, he seide, "Now vpon hym feire sone, and go sle this harlot, for he is fell and proude;" and Gawein thought well what he wolde do, and com to Agravain,

and smote hym with the pomell of his swerde vnder the temple that he fill from his horse to the erthe so astoned that he wiste not where he was; and Gaheries seide to Gawein, "Sir, be not wroth for nothinge that he doth to me, for he is fell and proude, and therfore taketh nothinge to herte that he doth to me ne seith." "Ffle from hens," quod Gawein, "mysproude lurdeyn, neuer shall I love the whan thou wilt not spare for my lorde my fader ne for noon of vs." "Sir," seide Gaheries, "he is myn elther brother, and it sitteth me to do hym honour and reuerence. Ne for nothinge that I dide, ne seide to him ne dide I but Iape." "He is a fole and prowde," quod Gueheret, "but all that hast thow meved, and therfore have thow euell happe;" and Gaheries hym ansuerde, "Full euell sholde I pleye with a straunger whan I may not pley nother with yow ne with hym, and wyte ye well," quod he, "this is the firste tyme and the laste that euer I shall pleye or Iape with hym or with yow, and yef it were not for be-cause that we be comen oute to-geder, I wolde returne anoon right that no more companye sholde I yow holde;" and Geheret seide a-gein, "Euell happe haue Agravain, but he quyte yow this dere for this a-colee that he hath hadde for yow." "So god me helpe," quod Gawein, "yef owther of yow do eny thinge othir-wise than ye owe to do, I shall sette yow in soche place where ye shull not se nother hande ne foote this vij monethes, and therfore I diffende yow as dere as ye haue youre owne bodyes that ye loke ye do hym noon euell." "Sir," seide Gueheret, "we shull kepe vs ther-fro right wele seth ye it comaunde, ffor a-gein youre comaundement ne may we not do, ne we will not. But it hevyeth me whan ye will medle yow agein vs for hym, and that ye haue Agravain thus diffouled for nought." "Ffor nought is it not," quod Gawein, "whan a-gein my deffence he ran vpon hym in dispite of me in my fader sight and myn. Ne neuer Gaheries ne wrathed for buffet that he hym yaf. In dispite of the devell sholde he be so proude, ffor his pride shall greve bothe the and hym." "So helpe me god," quod the kynge Looth, "for litill I shall take

a-wey all the armes that thow haste, and of Agravain also, and leve yow in myddell of the felde like lurdeynes." "Sir," seide Gueheret, "ye speke not this of youre owen mouthe but of others; ffor of this that ye sey ye haue no talent for to do ne power yef other ne were." "Ha boyes," quod the kynge, "thow art fell, and for-swollen. Verile art thow his brother, for ye bothe be contrariouse, and I comaunde my sone Gawein that yef thow or Agravain do ought to my sone Gaheries that he do vpon yow as grete reddure as vpon harlottes or ribaudes."

Whan the squyer saugh that Gawein hadde smyte down Agravain, that he bledde bothe at mouthe and nose, he ran to take his horse and brought hym by the bridill, and made [folio 192a] hym for to lepen vp, and Gawein com to hym and seide, "Harlot fle from hens, for with the haue I nought to do, and loke that I se the neuer more in my companye, and go where thow wilt for with me shalt thow come no more, and go ye alle forth with hym that love hym better than me and with me that love my companye;" with that Gawein rode forth his wey, and Gaheries and Gueheret and the kynge Looth asked what sholde he do with the somers. "Sir," seide Gawein, "ye shall sende hem to Mynoras the forester, that so well dide vs herberowe; ffor he serued vs well and feire in his place, and therfore well it is on hym be-sette, and better it is that the goodeman hit haue than it here be loste, ffor we it may not condite ne lede, and we may wele come in soche place that we myght all lese." "Certes," seide the kynge, "ye sey full well, but who shall it lede." "Sir," seide Gawein, "the squyer of this gentilman, and oon of youre gromes." "On godes name," seide the kynge; and a-noon was the squyer sought till he was founden, and charged with the message and the present that he sholde make, and after to turne after hem the right wey to Roestok; and he seide that all this wolde he well do, and toke a yoman with hym to conveye hym the wey, and wente forth with alle the somers, and ledde x stedes cowpled by the bridelis that oon to the tother, and hilde the streight wey till thei come to the rescette of Mynoras that grete

ioye made of this present, and served hem so well and so feire that no peple myght be better serued than thei were, and on the morowe thei toke theire wey as soone as thei myght se the day for to go after theire lordes as thei were comaunded.

As soone as the kynge looth hadde sente these somers by lydonas, and by oon of his yomen to mynoras the forester, thei rode forth her wey alle vi toward Roestok, and lefte alle the wordes of reprof that thei hadde spoken, ffor that thei saugh Gawein was ther-with greved; and than thei ride to-geder, the kynge, and Gawein, and Gaheries, and asked of the yonge squyer of whens he was, and what was his name, and he seide how his name was Elizer, and was the sone of kynge Pelles of listenoys, and nevew to the kynge Alain of the forain londes, and to the kynge pellynor of the sauage fountain that hadde xj sones that alle were of the age of xvij yere, and the eldest was newliche come to the court of kynge Arthur for to take armes, "these be my cosins germain, and I go toward the court of kynge Arthur to my lorde sir Gawein for to serven hym, and I thanke god I haue founde hym nerre, and he hath me with-holde in soche manere that he shall make me knyght whiche tyme that I hym requere." "Even so I graunte yow sir," quod sir Gawein, "for ye be right welcome." Thus thei rode till it was nyght, that thei fonde nether house ne herberowe, and the foreste was high and full of shadowe; but the weder was softe and stille; and than fill it that [folio 192b] after mydnyght thei fonde an hermytage all closed with diches, and with rayles, and thei cleped and called till it was opened to hem, and thei a-light from theire horse, and dide of theire brideles and the sadelis, and yaf hem grasse, for ther-ynne was nothinge elles, and thei ete soche vitaile as the hermyte hem brought, and that was breed and water, and after that thei lay down to slepe vpon the grasse for other quyltes ne pilowes hadde thei noon, and thei were wery for traveile, and were soone a-slepe, alle saf Gawein and Elizer, thei wolde not slepe, but were euer in susspecion of the saisnes that were so many in the londe, and

soone after mydnyght thei herde a grete complaint of a lady and of a knyght that passed by, and Gawein ther-of hadde grete pite and comaunded to sadill the Gringalet and bridill hym in all haste, and Elizer lept vp a-noon and brought it hym redy dight; and Gawein toke his armes and lept vp delyuerly, and rode faste after hem that ledde the lady, and Elizer lept vpon his horse also that in no maner wolde hym leve as longe as he hadde where-on to ride; and thei rode so longe till thei com in to a thikke queche in a depe valey, and than Gawein hoved stille, and herkened and herde dolerouse cries, that seide, "Ha, lorde god, what shall I do, where haue I deserued to suffre this turment and annoye," and praied oure lorde that he wolde sende hym hastely the deth ffor lever he hadde for to be deed than langour in soche maner, and this was a knyght all naked in his breche that v pantoners dide bete with scorges that the blode ran down by his sides; and on that other side vndirstode sir Gawein a full dolerouse cry of a woman, and well it semed that she hadde grete nede of helpe, and she seide so lowde that Gawein myght it well heren. "Seint marie, blissed lady, socoure this wery caytif. Trewly," quod she, "sle me ye may well, for I shall neuer to yow concent."

Whan Gawein vndirstode the voyce, he wiste well she hadde grete nede of helpe, and be-thought hym whiche wey he sholde turne first, for he hadde grete pite of that gentilman that he herde so waymenten, and on that other side he hadde so grete pite of the woman that sholde be diffouled, but she haue the soner helpe, and thought in his herte that better it were to suffre the knyght to endure his peyne than the woman to be diffouled while he were in helpinge of the knyght; and than he smote the horse with spores down the valey where the voice cried euer more and more, "seint Marye, goode lady, helpe me and socour;" and as Gawein behelde he saugh vij pantoners that hilde this lady vnder a tre a-gein the grounde, and oon of hem smote hir grete buffetes

with his hande I-armed on the visage; and she turned and cried, "Certes, sle me ye may well, but neuer other thinge shall I not do;" and for that she seide so, he trailed hir by the tresses that were so feire, that he griped in his handes, and a-noon as Gawein it saugh, he cried to hym that hir hilde, "Sir knyght, lete be that damesell;" and he be-hilde be the mone light, and cried to hem [folio 193a] that were with hym to go a-gein hym, and so thei dide all vj, and asked hym, "Sir knyght, haue we eny drede of yow;" and Gawein seide he assured hem of nothinge, "ffor I will helpe that damesell the whiche that pantoner trailed so vileyusly, and therfore diffende yow fro me;" and than he spored the Gringalet thourgh hem vj that he mette, and com to hym that yet hilde the woman be the tresses, and smote hym with his spere a-gein the breste that the shafte shewed thourgh the bakke be-hynde, and he fill deed vp-right, and the other vj com a-gein hym with speres, and smote hym on the shelde and sholdres, and on the sides, and he bowed on his horse nekke, and the tymbir of the speres fly in peces, and than Gawein dressed hym in his sadell and ficched hym in his stiropes that the Iren folded, and drough his swerde and smote so the firste that he mette, that deed he fill to the erthe, and than he smote a-nother that the sholdre departed from the body; and the thirde that the heed fly in to the feilde, and than he a-raught so the fourthe that he slitte hym to the teth; and whan the other saugh theire fellowes deed, and how at eche stroke he hadde slayn oon, thei turned to flight and durste not a-bide; and Gawein com to the maiden and sette hir vpon his horse hym be-forn, and the two felowes that fledden be comen to their felowes that were discended vnder an olyvere hem for to resten, and were leide on the grasse for to slepe; and as soone as thei com nygh, thei cried with high voise, "Gentill knyghtes, what do ye here; ffor here is a knyght that hath slayn Sortibran and foure of oure felowes, and resceved the lady; now faste rideth after hym;" and whan thei vnderstode this thei a-rise hastely angry and wroth, and lepe to theire horse, and ride after Gawein as faste as thei may that

goth to lede the damesell to savete; and now a-while cesse of hem, and speke of the squyer that is cleped Elizer.

A noon as Gawein was turned to helpe he damesell, Elizer that folowed after, rode thider; ther he herde the voice of the knyght, and whan he cam there he saugh vj pantoners holde hym, and hadde so beten hym that he myght not stonde vp-right, but was falle to grounde, and hadde no power to speke no worde; and whan Elizer saugh hym in this maner hit hevyed hym sore, and than he ascried hem, and cleped hem, "Fitz a-putein lechours why demene ye so that gentilman so foule what hath he trespased that ye be a-boute to sle hym in that manere." Whan thei herde hym so speke thei loked on hym, and seiden, "What is it to the, for thy wordes ne shull we nothinge lette;" and than Elizer wax right angry, and seide he sholde no more harme haue with-outen hym, and he hilde a grete spere and com toward hem that hilde the knyght, and alle thei lefte hym, and he smote so the firste that he mette of the vj that he drof down deed on the playn, and he drough oute his spere and ther-with he slough a-nother, and drough it a-gein to hym, and priked his [folio 193b] horse a-gein, a-nother; and whan thei saugh hym come, thei made hym wey and disparbledde here and there, and he smote oon that he ouertoke so rudely that the spere ran thourgh bothe sides; and whan he loked after the tother he ne wiste thei were be-come, ffor thei were fledde in to thikke of the foreste, and it was but litill past mydnyght that oon myght not se fer; and whan he saugh he hadde hem loste, he com to the knyght and badde hym lepe vp be-hynde hym, and whan he vndirstode this, he hadde for-yete all his peyne, and lepte vp be-hynde hym with grete peyne, and than he rode the streight wey thider as he wende to fynde Gawein. But he hadde but litill gon that he fonde hym fightinge with xx knyghtes that sore hem peyned hym for to greve with all theire power, and he hadde sette the damesell in a thikke busshe a-gein the wode side; and whan Elizer hym saugh he comaunded the knyght to a-light down, and he dide so a-noon; and Elizer hente his spere that yet was

hooll and spored his horse, and smote so the firste that he mette that he a-boode no lenger in the sadell, but fill deed to the erthe, and after he smote a-nother that the spere heed a-pered thourgh his bakke be-hynde, and Gawein hadde so don with calibourne his good swerde that he hath slain of hem vij, and vj that he hadde slain be-fore at the rescew of the lady; and Elizer hath broke his spere, and drough oute his swerde and smote so a knyght that he slitte hym to the teth; and whan Gawein saugh Elizer that so dide hym helpe, he smote the horse with the spores, and blessed the hour that he com in to the contrey, and blessed the body that he was of conceyved, ffor he saugh well he myght not faile to be a noble knyght; with that he com that wey as he saugh hym holde the medle, and smote grete strokes, and slough and slitte all that he ouertoke a full stroke, and so thei two haue don that thei haue hem alle slain, saf thre that fledde in to the foreste for socour, and the nyght was woxen so derke with clowdes that thei wiste not whiche wey that they were fledde.

Than toke Elizer two horse, as he that was wight and hardy at euery nede, and brought hem to the knyght, and to the damesell, and made hem to lepe vp ther-on; but first he made the knyght to be clothed in oon of the deed bodyes robes, for his owen were loste; than thei putte vp theire swerdes, and ride forth to-geder toward the hermytage, and than Gawein drough hym to the damesell, and asked hir of whens she was, and she seide she was suster to the lady of Roestok, and the knyght was hir cosin germain. Than seide sir Gawein, "How were ye thus I-taken?" "Sir," seide the damesell, "my cosin and I repeired thourgh the forest and com toward Roestok, and hadden sente oure companye be-fore, and we turned in to a lane oute of oure wey, for we toke so grete hede of oure talkinge of many thinges that we turned oute of oure wey, [folio 194a] and com in to a grete wode where these traitours weren a-light for to ete; and thei lepe a-noon ageins vs, and toke vs, for we myght not a-gein hem endure, ffor my cosin was all vn-armed, and neuer-the-lese he smote oon so on

the heed that he hym slough, and therfore thei dide hym dispoile so vilously, and dide hym so bete that nygh thei hadde hym slain; and whan thei wolde haue for-leyn me by force he me diffended, and neuer me lefte for no feer of deth, but yaf hem grete strokes and merveilouse as he myght hem atteyne with his handes, for he hadde noon other armure; and than v of tho pantoners hym toke and ledde hym forth betinge hym dolerousely, and I praye yow and requere that ye will telle me what ye be, and for what cause ye be come?" and sir Gawein seide he was a knyght of the reame of logres, "and we go on soche a nede that we may not telle;" and as thei rode thus talkynge thei be come to the hermytage, where thei fonde yet her felowes slepinge, and thei a-light and dide of theire brideles of the horse, and yaf hem grene grasse to ete and lay down by hem and slepte till it was day, that the kynge looth a-roos and cleped Gueheret and Gaheries that were by hym, and hadde well slepte well all the nyght, and saugh Gawein a-slepe and Elizer, and the maiden and the knyght that were leide be the horse side, and Elizer hilde the Gringalet be the halter, for he was somwhat raginge amonge the other horses; and whan the brethern saugh the mayden lyinge by hem, thei merveiled fro whens she was come; and the kynge cleped and seide, "Now arise, Gawein, goode sone, ye haue slept I-nough se how it is feire day;" and the knyght a-woke that was sore hurte, for he slepte nothinge wele, ne the maiden neither, and thei satte vp wakinge; and the kynge asked hem fro whens thei were come; and the knyght ansuerde and seide, "Thei wiste not fro whens these two worthi men hadde hem brought thider, and praied god sholde hem diffende from perile, of the whiche oon of hem is a knyght that hath rescewed this maiden, and the squyer hath rescewed me, god make hym a good man, and sende hym ioye and honour." "Whiche ben thei," seide the kynge, and he hym shewed sir Gawein and Elizer; and whan Agravain vndirstode this, hym for-thought that he hadde not be there, and seide that he myght holde hym a cowarde, that he hilde hym no companye to go with hem; and Gaheries

ansuerde as he that was full noble and worthi, and he loved wele to Iape in honest and myrthe, and seide he durste not yow a-wake, for ye thenke so moche on youre love that ye slepe but litill; and the kynge asked hir how she was taken, and she tolde euery worde how it was hem be-fallen, so that no-thinge was for-yeten; and than thei lepe to theire horse and rode forth theire wey toward Roestok, and rode so fro morowe to euen that no distrouble thei ne hadde till thei com to Roestok, and thei be-hilde the town that was right feire, and well sette in feire contrey and holsom air, ffor the town was envyroned a-boute with the wode and the river, and the [folio 194b] walles shone a-gein the sonne and the bourgh, and the castell stode right feire; and the kynge and his foure sones preised it moche whan thei it syen; and whan thei com to the yate thei fonde it clos and faste shette, and the knyght that was rescewed called the porter right lowde and the damesell hir-self; and the lady hir-self was a-bove on the walles that knewe hem wele a-noon as she hem saugh, and comaunded the yate to be opened delyuerly, and a-noon the mayden counseiled with hir suster, but thei wiste not where-of, and a-noon as thei hadde spoke to-geder she com to the knyghtes and made hem grete chere, and made hem a-light be-fore the paleys, and the castelein hym-self com hem a-geins that was the lorde, and made hem to be vn-armed and waish theire mouthes and theire visages with warme water, and after thei were sette and spake of many thinges while the soper was in makinge; and whan it was all redy and the clothes leyde, thei waish and satte to soper, and were well served, and richely of all maner thinge; and after soper the lorde asked his suster fro whens she com, and she hym tolde all hir aventure that was hir be-fallen, and whan the lorde herde this he be-gan to make soche ioye and gladnesse that ther myght be seyn noon gretter, and the kynge looth asked of whom this castell was holden, and the lorde seide that it was of the fee of kynge Arthur; and than the Casteleyn hym asked what he was, and he seide his name was the kynge looth of Orcanye, and these foure knyghtes be

my sones. Than the lorde lepte vpon his feet, and made grete ioye, and asked what thei wente sechinge; and he seide that he yede to seche trewys of the princes and the barouns from the kynge Arthur that the saisness myght be driven oute of the londe; and than the Castelein thanked oure lorde. "And what wey shull ye go first?" quod he, "from hens;" and he seide that he wolde be at Arestuell in scotlonde; and than he seide that he wolde he sholde sende a massenger to the kynge de Cent Chiualers, and telle hym in my name that he be on oure lady day in Septembre at Arestuell in Scotlonde, and that he faile not for nothinge, for I shall be ther, and alle the other princes; and the Castelein seide he wolde sende thider on the morowe with-oute more taryinge, ffor he trowed well he were at the Cite of Molehaut.

That nyght thc kynge looth and the Castelein spake of many thinges till it was tyme to go to bedde, and sir Gawein wolde not be knowen of no man, for he thought for to serche the auentures in the contrey privele that no man sholde hym knowe in no place ther he com; and whan it was tyme thei yede to slepe all the nyght well at ese till it was day, that thei toke leve of the Castelein of Roestok, and of the lady and the maiden that was rescued, and of the knyght that hem conveyed a-while on the wey, and than returned a-gein; and whan the Castelein saugh thei were gon, he toke a massenger and sente hym to the kynge de Cent chiualers from the kynge looth of Orcanye, and tolde his massage as he was comaunded to sey, and the kynge made grete ioye for love of the kynge looth that he loved with all his herte, [folio 195a] and for the masseger that was a noble knyght he yaf hym a good horse as be-fill for soche a worthi man, and now shull we returne to the kynge looth and his sones.

Whan the kynge looth was departed from the castell of Roestok, he toke the streyght wey toward Cambenyk be-fore the Castell of leuerop, where he was herberowed a nyght, and on the morowe he rode till he com a two myle from Cambenyk, and than he herde so grete shoute and cry that hym

semed all the contrey was sette on fire and flame; and it was no merveile yef ther were grete noyse and cry, and that the contrey were sore affraid, ffor ther were x^Ml saisnes that hadde forreyed and gadered prayes, and distroyed all the contrey, and robbed townes, and ledde so grete plente of prisoners that all the contrey was covered, and the Duke Escam was comen oute of the Cite with thre thousande men, and faught with hem longe, but in the ende was he discounfited and driven oute of the felde, and he was so wo therfore that nygh he yede oute of his witte; and the crye and the noyse was so grete that wonder it was to here, ffor eche man complayned of his losse and harme that was right grete and outragiouse.

Whan the kynge looth and his sones approched that peple, thei laced theire helmes and a-light from theire palfreyes, and toke theire horses and theire sheldes and com the streight wey to the place ther the bataile hadde I-be, but now thei were with-drawen towarde the Cite; and the Duke Escam was be-hynde that diffended his peple merveillously, and hadde grete peyne and traueile as he that was in grete doute to lese his Citee; and the kynge looth that was full sory and wroth for that he saugh it so go, and sped hym so that he passed the bregge, and com hym a-geins and his foure sones theire hedes bowed down vnder theire helmes, and sore affiched in theire stiropes, and com a grete walop as thei that thought longe er thei were medled with the saisnes; and whan the Duke hem saugh he a-bode stille, but he knewe hem not, and seide a worde that well a-pertened to a man that was in grete nede. "Ha, lorde god, now helpe and socour thy seruaunt in this grete myschef that we be now ynne, and on that other side all that euer thy seruauntes sholde lyven by, these false vntrewe saisnes lede a-wey, and all oure richesse that was lefte in this contrey;" than he be-hilde the v knyghtes that he saugh come, but he knewe noon of hem, for theyre sheldes were all to-hewen with the strokes that thei hadde resceived, and

ne hadde not be that, he hadde knowe the kynge looth anoon; and whan he saugh that thei drough nygh, he knewe well that thei were not of that contrey, and neuertheles he com a-gein hem as he that was well taught, and seide, "Feire lordes, ye be welcome what wey purpose ye to go, ffor me semeth ye be traueillinge knyghtes." "Sir," seide the kynge looth, "we wolde be at Arestuell in Scotlonde." "Certes," seide the Duke, "ye [folio 195b] haue right moche to done, ffor fro hens thider is full felon passage, and yef ye will a-while a-bide in this contrey we shull be gladde and myri, and it is the beste that ye may do, ffor it is but fewe dayes past that the saisnes assembled vpon vs." "Sir," seide the kynge looth, "how moche is it fro hens to Arestuell?" "Sir," seide the Duke, "hit is well thre grete iourneis." "What be ye, sir," seide the kynge looth, that vs preyen for to a-bide?" "Sir, hit shall not from yow be conceiled. I am lorde of Cambenyk and of this contrey as longe as god will vouche-saf. But these vntrewe saisnes come vpon me dayly, and now I was come oute a-gein hem, and thei be crewell and so proude as ye may se all day." As the kynge and the Duke hilde theire Parliament the Duke saugh his peple come fleinge and the saisnes after, that hem pursued harde at the spore; and whan the kynge looth saugh hem come in soche manere, he seide to the Duke, "Sir, seth we be falle in to youre companye, and do pray vs to a-bide, we shull helpe yow this day with all oure power." "Gramercy lordes," seide the Duke; and than seide Gaheries to sir Gawein, "Go we a-geins hem lo where thei come."

Than the Dukes men toke hem other helmes for theires were all to-brosed, and thei hadde them sette on theire hedes, and well knyt and laced, thei turned toward hem that fledde, and whan thei saugh the Duke come that was theire lorde, thei a-bode ffor thei hadde in hym grete truste, for he was a noble knyght and a sure; and whan the saisnes saugh thei dide stinte, thei ronne vpon hem, for thei wende hem alle

for to a-taken at her wille; and sir Gawein hym derenged first of alle, and smote a saisne thourgh the body that he ouerthrewe down deed; and whan Gaheries saugh his broder medled with the saisnes than he spored his horse and smote so the first that he mette thourgh shelde and haubrek that on that other side shewed the shafte, and ther-with brake the spere that no lenger myght endure, and he drough oute his swerde, and folowed after sir Gawein in the trace as he wente, and made soche martire that alle that hym be-hilde hadde wonder; ffor he ne smote noon but he felled hym or his horse, and Gaheries dide so well that Gawein hym preised and comended, and neuer in no place hadde he seyn hym do so well, and ther-of he merveiled sore, and was gladde that he myght so moche suffre in armes.

On that other side was the kynge looth, and Gueheret in the medle, and eche of hem hadde smyte down a saisne that deed he moste nede be; and whan the speres were broken thei drough swerdes and be-gonne a bataile, so that of v knyghtes was neuer sein more fierce bateile; and than the Duke sued after, and dide right well hem to rehete, and to contene in that grete nede, and he saugh hem do so moche er he departed fro hem that he wondred that euer mortall man myght so moche suffre of armes. But whan mydday was passed, than dide Gawein alle the merveiles of the worlde, and satte vpon [folio 196a] the Gringalet that was so good and feire; and he that satte a-bove was wonder wight and deliuer, and hilde Calibourne his swerde, whiche slitte helmes, and sheldes, and knyghtes, and horse, and all that he ouertoke, and com thourgh the renges as it were a tempest and slough euere as he com, and he was so chaufed whan it was a-boute the houre of noone that nothinge myght agein hym endure, and euery stroke of his swerde semed as it hadde be a dynte of thonder, so com it with grete ravyn and grete force; and whan the saisnes it perceived thei seide, "Lo ther a devell that is come oute of helle;" and so yede the tidinges that boydas, and Maundalis, and Oriaunces, and Dorilas, these foure hit herden that were maistris of the hoste and conditoures.

Whan these foure kynges herde the merveile that these v knyghtes dide, thei asked whiche wey thei were, and thei that hadde hem sein taught hem to the brigge ende vpon the river; with that com the foure kynges thider as Gawein dide merveiles the grettest of the worlde, that euer were don by oon knyght a-lone; and the Duke escam was com in to her companye with as moche peple as he myght haue of his foure Ml men that he hadde at the begynnynge, he ne myght not assemble, but two thousande and v^C, so were thei alle discounfited; but as soone as the kynge looth and his sones weren assembled to them, thei returned agein, and thei that hem chaced were mo than x^Ml, and ydonas a proude saisne that moche harme hadde hem do of her peple, and neuertheles the cristin hem putte oute of the place, and made hem to rusen vpon the foure kynges that com hem to socour; and as soone as thei were medled with the cristen ther was grete stour and right merveilouse; but the myschef was grete, ffor the cristin were not foure^Ml, and the sarazins were xviij^Ml, and ther-fore thei moste remeve whether thei wolde or noon, and were alle discounfited ne hadde be the vj knyghtes, ffor thei wolde voide no grounde, but gate londe vpon hem. Ther dide Gawein soche merveiles that alle thei hadde wonder that eny man myght soche maistries endure, and Gaheries hym sued all the day, so that Gawein hym-self hadde merveile that he myght so moche suffre and endure, and therfore he loved hym euer all his lif more than alle his other brethern that were so goode knyghtes that ther were but fewe better in theire tyme.

Grete was the bateile and the stour mortall in the plains of Cambenyk, at the brigge foote of Saverne of the two thousande and v^C cristin a-gein viij^Ml saisnes, but the cristin ne myght but litill space endure, ne hadde be the well doinge of the v knyghtes of the reame of logres, and so dide well the Duke Escam of Cambenyk, ffor he was a noble knyght and a sure of his body, while thei entended to breke the presse, com Dodalis, and Moydas, and Oriaunces, and Brandalis vpon swifte stedis gripinge grete speres, and mette [folio 196b] the Duke Escam a-monge

the renges that full wele hadde don all the day, that he ought well to be wery for traueile, and happed that Boydas and Braundalis mette hym bothe attonys, and smote hym so on the shelde that he reuersed on his horse croupe, and Oriances and Dodalus smote his horse with theire speres thourgh the flankes that he fill deed be-twene his legges and bare down to grounde bothe that oon and the tother, and whan the Duke was fallen thei a-bode vpon hym alle foure with swerdes drawen, and soone ther he myght haue ben loste, but as his men com hym for to socoure, and the saisnes com on that other side hym for to encombre, and ther was grete slaughter of peple on bothe parties; and ther was the Duke foule turmented with horse feet, ffor the saisnes were so many that the Dukes men hadde no power hym to remounte. Ne his enemyes no power hym to take, but the saisnes were so many that the cristin myght hem not sustene, but most leve place wheder thei wolde or noon; ffor thei haue take the Duke and ledde hym a-wey, magre hem alle betinge hym foule. Than the kynge loot and his sones com drivinge with swerdes drawen and fonde grete plente of peple hym for to lede. Ther were buffetes I-nowe yoven and resceyved, but ne hadde be the weldoinge of Gawein thei hadde not endured litill ne moche; ffor he was euer in the former fronte, and hilde Calibourne in his right honde and smote on the right side and on the lifte, and slough so many men and horse, that thei that saugh the merveiles turned to flight, and thourgh his prowesse he brake presse magre hem alle, and lefte not till he cam to the Duke Escam that the saisnes ledde. Ther was than fell stour and mortall, ffor ther was Agravain smyten down and Gueheret, and the kynge peyned hym sore hem to remounte, and the presse was so grete and the noyse that it was merveile; and Gawein and Gaheries ne toke ther-of noon heede, but entended to rescue the Duke so that thei haue hym geten be fyn force, and sette hym on horse, and theym that hadde hym taken thei haue driven oute of the place magre hem alle.

And on that other side whan the kynge saugh his two sones vnder the horse feet in a-uenture to lese theire

lives, and he hadde no power hem for to socour ne for to remounte; than he cried with lowde voice, "Ffeire sone, what do ye, or where be ye, for here is Agravain at the erthe that hath grete nede, and the damage was mortall that vnethe may be restored yef ye tarye lenger;" and whan Gawein herde the voice he turned his horse a-noon and brake the presse that wey with Calibourne his goode swerde a-gein, whiche noon armure myght endure that he raught a full stroke, and er he hadde paste litill wey he mette Gueheret and Agravain in meddill of the presse on foote that full vigerously hem deffended, and the kynge looth was euer be hem that sore hym peyned hem to helpe and socoure; and whan Gawein saugh the grete nede he caste to erthe the remenaunt that was lefte of his shelde, and caught Calibourne with bothe handes and spronge in to the presse so fiercely [folio 197a] that noon durst hym a-bide for the merveiles that thei saugh hym do, and he smote so Mydonas that he mette with first, that he slitte hym down to the sholdres, and with a-nother stroke he smote a-wey the lifte arme of Brandalis with all the shelde; and whan the sarazin felte hym-self so diffouled, he fledde cryinge and brayinge as a bole, and Gaheries hadde throwe his shilde to grounde and hilde his swerde in bothe handes and smote so Oriaunce vpon the helme that he kutte a quarter, and the swerde glent be-twene the body and the shelde, and kutte the gige that it hanged on that it fley in to the felde, and the stroke descended on the lift thigh so depe that he kutte it thourgh, and he fill down to grounde, and Gaheries toke the horse and ledde to Gueheret his brother, and made hym skippe in to the sadell, and after he smote a-nother saisne that was well horsed that he made the heed fle in to the felde, and caught the horse and ledde to Agravain his brother, and he lepte vp a-noon as he that hadde grete nede; and than thei smote in to the bateile where the kynge was, and sir Gawein that foughten full sharply, and Agravain that was full wroth with Dodalus, yaf hym soche a buffet that the heed fill in to the felde a-noon right.

And whan the saisnes saugh that alle the high lordes were deed, a-noon thei fledden as thei that hadde theire lordes

loste, ne neuer thei stinte till thei com to the baner of ydonas, and these hem chaced thider with-oute eny a-bidinge, be-fore alle other was sir Gawein and with hym CC of the Dukes men that sore hem peyned hym for to serve, and Elizer euer by and be-fore hym and hilde in hande a cornered axe where-with he delyuered his lorde whan he saugh nede. In that chace was the Duke throwe down of his horse, for a sarazin smote hym so be-hinde that he fill to grounde and was hurt right sore in the fallinge, that stroke saugh full wele the kynge looth that chaced on bothe sides, he and his sone Gueheret, and it greved hym sore for the Duke, and he spored his horse that wey and griped a grete spere that he hadde take from a saisne, and smote the saisne that hadde smyte down the Duke thourgh the sides, and thourgh liver and longes, and than toke the horse and presented to the Duke, and anoon he lepte vp and thanked hym hertely of that servise that he hadde hym don, and sir Gawein and Elizer chaced the saisnes and hem sued till thei com to the baner of ydonas. Ther the saisnes with-stode and foughten a-while, and Gawein that hem pursued drof in a-monge hem, and smote so on eyther side that all that he raught wente to groude; and whan ydonas that aperceived he turned that wey, and Gawein hym smote vpon the helme that he slitte hym down right so that men myght se his longes, and a-noon as the sarazin was so smyten he fill to the grounde and the baner; and whan the Duke saugh the baner reverse he knewe well thei were discounfited, and than he cried his signe with high voyce, and relyed his peple a-boute hym and yaf hem assaute delyuerly.

[folio 197b] Whan the saisnes saugh theire baner falle, and the cristin come on hem so harde, thei durste no more a-bide, but turned to flight and lefte the place, and all theire harnoys, and eche of hem fledde from other thurgh the playnes mate and discounfited, and ther a-ros soche a duste and soche a shoute and noyse that wonder it was to here, but of hem that theym chaced was sir Gawein the firste upon the Gringalet, for ther was noon horse that myght renne so faste, and he slough of hem

so many in the chace that he and his horse were steyned with blode as he hadde fallen in a blody river; and whan thei hadde chaced hem to nyght, than returned the kynge, and his sones, and alle the other saf Gawein, that thei wiste not where he was be come ne Elizer his squyer, ffor thei had chaced the saisnes that of fin force thei drof hem in to the river of Saverne, and ther thei drof in so many that the water chaunged colour, and whan thei saugh thei were ouer he returned a-gein a softe paas, and the Duke Escam a-bode at the pray, and ledde it home with his men, and sir Gawein past by and spake no worde; and whan the kynge looth saugh him come he made merveilouse ioye, and asked how he hadde don, and he seide right euell whan eny of hem ascaped and returned as recreaunt whan thei durste not passe the foorde ther thei passed; and the kynge seide that was no light thinge to do a man a-lone for to passe.

This worde that Gawein seide vndirstode the Duke, and seide that he hadde don right wele, ffor he and his companye hadde brought to an ende that he and his peple ne myght not do, and Gawein rode forth and spake no worde, and well semed by his armes that he hadde not be at soiourne that day; and the kynge looth hym asked where he hadde lefte his squyer, and he seide how the saisnes hadde hym all to-hewen, and ther-fore be hym to purchase a-nother, and the Duke seide he wolde yeve hym a-nother myghty and stronge, and he seide "gramercye." Than the Duke asked of the kynge looth, and praide hym full hertely to tell hym his name, for that he herde hym clepe Gawein his sone; and he ansuerde that his name was neuer hidde for no man, ne fro hym sholde it not be kept pryve, and than he seide, "Ye ought me well to knowe, for many an euell iourney, and many myry dayes haue we hadde to-geder;" and he seide how he was kynge looth of Orcanye, and how these foure were his sones; and whan the Duke this vndirstode, he seide that he was welcome, and "so verily helpe me god," quod he, "as I knewe yow not, and blissed be that goode lorde that sente yow hider, ffor this day hadde we all be distroyed ne hadde ye ben, and of this ye seide full trewe that

moche wele and moche woo haue we suffred to-geder. Sir, are these foure knyghtes verily youre sones?" and he seide, "Ye trewly." "So helpe me god," seide the Duke, "thei be full noble and worthi men, and goode knyghtes, and yet shull be better yef thei live to age."

[folio 198a] Thus thei rode alle vj to-geder spekinge till thei com to the Citee of Cambenyk, and wente to the maister paleys and a-light at the greeces, and Elizer was besy to serue sir Gawein and stable Gringalet, and helped him to vn-arme, and also the kynge looth, and while thei were in vn-armynge thei saugh comynge the squyer of Elizer, and the yoman that hadde made the present to Mynoras the forester, and salued the kynge fro Mynoras, and from his wif and alle his children, and seide how thei alle hym thanked of his grete bounte. Than Gaheries be-hilde Agravain his brother, and be-gan to laugh, and asked lydonas how the doughtres of Mynoras ferden, and he seide how thei hem salued alle. "Trewly," quod Gaheries, "thei haue reson yef thei knewe the dought of my brother Agravain." At this worde thei lowen alle bothe Gueheret and Agravain hym-self and wax rody, but he spake no worde, for he wiste well that he Iaped, and thus thei laughed and pleyde till the mete was redy, and than were sette and well serued and richely, and hit neded not to aske yef the Duke were besy and gladde hem for to wurship, and that were ther-ynne; and after soper the Duke asked the kynge the names of his sones, and the kynge seide how the eldest was cleped Gawein, and the seconde Agravain, and thridde Gueheret, and the fourth Gaheries. "And this feire yonge gentilman," quod he, "that is so comely and well faringe, and is so worthy and noble, what is he?" And the kynge seide that he aparteined not to hym, "but he is the sone of a kynge that is of high lynage, and by his debonerte is come for to serue sir Gawein my sone, for of hym he will take his armes." "So helpe me God," seide the Duke of high herte, "and gentill cometh hym that corage, and blessed be the body that hym bar for he doth as debonair and gentill, and god sende hym encrece of vertu, for he is full of high

valoure and worthinesse, and therfore he may not faile to come to high prowesse, yef he lyve eny while;" and than he asked whi he wente so to Arestuell with so fewe in his companye so hastely. "That shall I telle yow," quod the kynge looth, "ye se and knowe how the saisnes be entred in to this londe, and waste and distroie, and it is more than two yere that thei cessed neuer to robbe and to pile oure londes, and therfore me semeth it were grete profite to sette soche counseile how thei myght be chaced oute, and ye se well that all our force ne a-vaileth not a-gein hem. Ne for vs shull thei neuer be putte a-wey, but yef god and other peple helpe ther-to, ffor we haue foughten with hem thre tymes, and we spede neuer but loste; and ye knowe well that all this londe oweth to be holde of the kynge Arthur, and thei that holde a-gein hym bith a-cursed, and therfore it were good ther-of to be a-soyled, and theire londes to be delyuered from the saisnes, and who that this myght bringe to an ende had he not well spedde." "Yesse trewly," seide the Duke. "Now shall I sey yow," quod the kynge, "how it shall be. I haue take a parliament with the kynge Clarion of Northumbirlonde, [folio 198b] and the kynge de Cent Chiualers at Arestuell, and with the kynge Arthur hym-self at the feste of seint Mary day in Septembre, and ye and alle the worthi princes shull be there, and we shull take trewis in soche manere that eche of vs shall assemble his power as grete as he may a-gein the day that shall be named and sette, ffor to fight with the saisnes whan we be alle assembled, and but yef thei be driven oute in this manere thei shull neuer be hadde oute of this londe;" and the Duke ansuerde that this were the grettest almesse that myght be do, "and wolde oure lorde that this were don, and wite ye wele that I haue thought often that the saisnes hadde neuer entred this londe ne were for the synne that is a-monge vs, and be my will we shall a-corde with the kynge Arthur so that we shull neuer haue a-gein hym werre, but do that he vs requereth with-oute eny delay, ffor seth he is a-noynted and sacred hit is no light thinge hym to depose that the clergie and the peple of the londe haue chosen; and the

remes of Beynok, and of Gannes holde with hym, and we se well we may neuer haue the better." "Yef ye haue thought thus," quod the kynge looth, "soone shall the pees be made be-twene yow and hym, and of my partye I sey not nay but that hit is made. Ne ye may not hens-forwarde, neyther ye ne noon other make no werre a-gein Arthur, but ye haue werre a-gein me." "How so," quod the Duke, "be ye with hym a-corded?" and he seide, "Ye, with-oute faile."

Than he tolde hym all how the pees hadde be made, and all the traueile as it hadde be, and how his childeren hadde hym lefte, and tolde hym all in ordre, and spake so to-geder be-twene the kynge and the Duke, that the Duke hym graunted to be at Arestuell at the day that was named, and seide the pees sholde not be letted for hym, and than yede thei to bedde to reste, for thei were wery for traueile of the grete stour that thei hadde ben ynne; and on the morowe erly the kynge looth a-roos for to here masse, and so dide his sones, and the Duke Escam, and wente to the mynster, and whan the masse was seide, the kynge com to the Duke, and seide, "Sir, it were well don that ye toke foure messagiers, and sende to the kynge ydiers of Cornewaile, and a-nother to kynge Vrien, and the thridde to kynge Aguysans, and the fourthe to kynge Ventres of Garlot, and sendeth to theym in oure be-halue that thei be at Arestuell at oure lady day in Septembre, and than sende a-nother to kynge Tradilyuaunt of North Wales, and to the kynge Belynaunt his brother, and to the kynge Carados, and to the kynge Brangore, that thei be at this parliament at Arestuell on seint Mary day in Septembre;" and he seide this sholde gladly be do, and a-noon thei sette forth the messagiers and spedde hem so that thei be come to the princes, and dide right well theire message as thei were comaunded; and the princes com as soone as thei hadde herde the message, but of hem alle now resteth a-while, and speke of the kynge looth and his sones.

As soone as the messagiers were departed from Cambenyk, the kynge looth and his sones rode forth theire wey

towarde Arestuell, and the Duke hem conveied on the wey, and yaf eche of hem a shelde peynted with soche armes as thei were wonte to bere and helmes fresch [folio 199a] and newe, and than the Duke toke his leve and returned hom a-gein, and made hym redy for to come after the kynge looth, and thei hilde her streight-wey toward north wales to a Citee that longed to the kynge Tradilyuaunte, and fonde the kynge in the Citee that gladde was of theire comynge, ffor he loved well the kynge looth and asked hym in to what contrey he was goinge; and the kynge looth tolde hym all as it was; and Tradilyuans seide how a messager hadde tolde hym the same that the Duke Escam hadde hym sent, "and ther shall I be yef god will that I haue so longe lif and hele." And than was the kynge looth and his sones gladde and iocunde; that nyght was the kynge looth and his children richely served, and as soone as it was day, thei toke theire wey and com to Arestuell in Scotlonde where thei soiourned foure dayes er eny prince were come, and ledde meri lif, and a-bode after the princes till that the kynge Clarion com alther firste the lorde of Northumbirlonde that was oon of the gentillist and deboneir prince of the worlde, and ther-to he was a good knyght, and the kynge looth made of hym grete ioye, and so dide he of hym and of his foure sones, for he hadde hem not seyn be-fore.

On the morowe com the kynge de Cent Chiualers, of whom theire myrthe be-gan gretly to encrece, and than cam the Duke Escam that was a good knyght and a sure, and after com the kynge Tradilyuans of North walis, and the kynge Belynans his brother, and after com the kynge Brangore and the kynge Carados of Strangore, and than the kynge Vrien and the kynge Aguysans of Scotlonde, and the kynge ydiers of Cornewaile, and the kynge Ventres of Garlot, and than com the lorde of the streite marche; and whan thei were alle assembled the kynge looth seide that on the morowe he wolde hem telle wherefore he hadde made hem to assemble, and this was on seint marie even in Septembre, and eche of hem made to other grete ioye and myrthe, and rested

ther all that nyght; and on the morowe thei assembled to-geder all the prevy counseile, and sir Gawein and his thre bretheren, and whan thei weren all sette vpon a cloth of silke that was leide vpon the grene grasse, than a-roos Gawein by the comaundement of his fader the kynge looth, and seide, "Ffeire lordes, we be come hider for to speke with yow in the name of the kynge Arthur with whom we be, and my lorde yow sendeth and prayeth as to hem that he wolde gladly haue to his frendes yef it myght be, that ye sholde yeve hym trewys saf to come and saf to go by feith and suerte be-twene this and yole; and ye also to go and come thourgh his power suerly, and he in yours at youre plesier; ffor yef it plese yow that we go alle to-geder and fight with the saisnes that be come in to this contrey till that we haue hem oute chaced, and yef god will ordeyne that thei be discounfited than acorde yow to-geder yef ye may be, and the pardon is yoven and graunted to alle tho that will go fight with saisnes, that thei shull be clene quyte of alle ther synnes as thei were the day of theire birthe."

[folio 199b] Whan the princes herde the request of sir Gawein of that he dide hem amoneste, thei asked the kynge looth his advise, and he seide it was the grettest bounte that euer was seide or don. "And I do yow to wite I sey it nothinge for that I am his sworn man, but I sey as longe as ye haue ben a-geins hym ye haue mys-happed, ffor as I trowe this peple hadde neuer entred in to this londe yef we hadde holden to-geder, and knowe it verily that it cometh thourgh oure synnes." "What!" seide the kynge Vrien, "haue ye don hym homage, ye haue nothinge do as a trewe knyght, and I will telle yow whi, ffor yef it fill so that we yede vpon hym, hit be-hoveth vs to go a-gein yow." "That were right," seide the kynge looth, "with-oute faile, and wite ye well who so hath werre a-gein hym hath werre a-gein me." "Ffor sothe," seide the kynge Vrien, "that is vn-trewly don, ffor ye be oon of vs, and ye sholde not vs so leven." "Sir," seide the kynge looth, "I dide it magre myn, and a-gein my will, ffor I do yow to wite that day I wende hym moste to greve or a-noyen. I

dide hym homage, and all this made me Gawein for to do, that ye here se." Than he tolde hem alle worde for worde how the cas was be-fallen; and whan the other princes herde this, thei seide he myght noon other do seith it was so he was not moche to blame, and some of hem that were there wolde right gladly that thei hadde happed in the same manere. Thei spake of oo thinge and of other, that thei accorded to holde the trewis, and ther-to thei it assured in sir Gaweins honde hit trewly to holde, and sette hem a day that eche of hem sholde be with all his power on the playn of Salisbery with all his peple as eche of hem myght bringe. But thei seide well that whan the saisnes were driven oute of the londe that thei dide the kynge to wite that he diffende hym from theym; and sir Gawein hem tolde that whan it were come ther-to that yef thei wolde hym ought mysdon thei sholde fynde that thei sholde haue hym theire armes wery and ouer-charged.

Whan the princes vndirstode the wordes of sir Gawein ther were some that lough and some frowned with the heede, and the kynge de Cent Chiualiers that liste not hym to a-vaunte ne noon other to manace, seide he wolde be ther at halowmesse yef god hym sende lif in the playn of Salisbery, and so seide eche of hem for his partye; and the kynge looth seide that he wolde not thens remeve till he hadde assembled all his power, and than thei toke leve eche of other, and departen, and eche of hem wente in to his contrei, and the londe was assoiled by the legat; and thei moustred and assembled all the peple that thei myght gete, and sente for to seche frendes and kynnesmen thourgh-oute all cristindome and dide proclame all the pardon that was graunted, and he that first myght assemble his peple wente in to the playn of Salisbiry, and loigged in tentes and pavilouns, and ther a-bide eche of hem other, and as the story seith thider com alle that myght eny wepen weilde, and on that othir side of the [folio 200a] londe of kynge Clamedin, and of the londe of kynge Guygueron, a riche baron

of the londe of Sorloys, and thider com the kynge Brangores, and ther was moche peple of the kynge looth of Orcanye, and of the londe of kynge helain, and of the londe of kynge pellynor, and of the londe of kynge Pelles of lystenoys, and of the londe of the Duke Roches. But here resteth the tale of hem and returneth to the kynge Arthur and his wif Gonnore.