¶Capitulum xxj

ANd ther with he passed vnto the one syde of the laun∣de / And on the other syde sawe syr Gawayne x knyʒ¦tes that houed styll and make •em redy with her sheldes and speres ageynst that one knyght that cam by syr gawayn / Thenne this one knyght auentryd a grete spere / and one of the x knyghtes encountred with hym / but this woful knyght smote hym so hard that he felle ouer his hors taylle / So this same dolorous knyʒt serued hem al / that at the lest way he smo¦te doune hors and man / and alle he dyd with one spere / and soo whan they were all x on fote / they wente to that one kny∣ght / and he stode stone styll / and suffred hem to pulle hym dou∣ne of his hors / and bound hym hande and foote / and tayed hym vnder the hors bely / and so ledde hym with hem / O Ihesu Page  [unnumbered] sayd syr gawayne this is a dooleful syghte / to see the yonder knyghte so to be entreted / and it semeth by the knyght that he suffr•th hem to bynde hym soo / for he maketh no resystence / Noo said his hoost that is trouthe / for and he wold they al were to weyke soo to doo hym / Syr said the damoysel vnto syr Gawa¦yn / me semeth hit were youre worship to helpe that dolorous knyghte / for me thynketh he is one of the best knyghtes that euer I sawe / I wold doo for hym sayd syre gawayn but hit semeth he wylle haue no helpe / thenne sayd the damoysel me thynketh ye haue no luste to helpe hym / Thus as they talked they sawe a knyʒte on the other syde of the launde al armed •auf the hede / And on the other syde ther cam a dwerf on hors bak all armed sauf the hede with a grete mouthe / and a shorte nose / And whan the dwerf came nyghe he said where is the la¦dy shold mete vs here / and ther with all she came forth out of the wood / And thenne they began to stryue for the lady / For the knyghte sayd he wold haue her / & the dwerf said he wold haue her / wylle we doo wel sayd the dwerf / yonder is a kny∣ght at the crosse / lete vs put it bothe vpon hym / and as he de∣meth so shalle it be / I wylle wel said the knyght / and so they wente all thre vnto syre gawayn and told hym wherfor they strofe / wel syrs said he wylle ye put the mater in my hand / ye they sayd both / Now damoysel sayd syr gawayn ye shal stande betwixe them both / and whether ye lyst better to go to / he shal haue yow / And whan she was sette bitwene them both she left the knyghte and wente to the dwerf / and the dwerf took her and wente his waye syngynge / and the knyghte wente hys wey with grete mornyng / Thenne came ther two knyghtes all armed and cryed on hyghe Syre gawayn / knyghte of kynge Arthurs make the redy in al hast and Iuste with me / soo they ranne to gyders that eyther felle doune / and thenne on foote they drewe their swerdes and dyd ful actually / the mene why¦le the other knyghte wente to the damoysel / and asked her / why she abode with that knyghte / and yf ye wold abyde with me / I wylle be your feythful knyghte and with yow wylle I be said the damoysel / for with syr Gawayn I may not fyn¦de in myn herte to be with hym / For now here was one knyʒt scomfyte x knyghtes / And at the laste he was cowardly led Page  [unnumbered] awey / and therfore lete vs two goo whylest they fyghte / and syre Gawayn fought with that other knyght longe / but at the last they accorded both / And thenne the knyght prayd syr ga∣wayn to lodge with hym that nyghte / Soo as syre Gawayn wente with this knyghte he asked hym what knyghte is he in this countrey that smote doune the ten knyghtes / for whan he had done so manfully he suffred hem to bynde hym hand and foote / and soo ledde hym awey / A sayd the knyghte that is the best knyght I trowe in the world / and the moost man of pro¦wesse / and he bath be serued soo as he was ēne more than x tymes / and his name hyghte syr Pelleas / and he loueth a gre¦te lady in this countrey and her name is Ettard / and so when he loued her there was cryed in this countrey a greete Iustes thre dayes / And alle the knyghtes of this countrey were there and gentylwymmen / And who that preued hym the best kny∣ght shold haue a passyng good swerd and a Serklet of gold and the serklet the knyght shold gyue hit to the fayrest lady that was at the Iustes / And this knyghte syre Pelleas was the best knyghte that was there / and there were fyue honderd knyghtes / but there was neuer man that euer syre Pelleas met with al / but he stroke hym doune or els from his hors / And euery day of thre dayes he strake doune twenty knygh∣tes / therfore they gaf hym the pryse / & forthe with all he wente there as the lady Ettard was / and gaf her the serklet / & said openly / she was the fayrest lady that there was / & that wold he preue vpon ony knyghte that wold say nay /