[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xiiij

SOo the book saith / that the lady that was biseged had word of her systers comynge by the dwerf and a kn∣yghte with her / and how he had passed al the perillous passa∣ges / what manere a man is he said the lady / he is a noble kn∣yght truly madame said the dwerf and but a yong man / but he is as lykely a man as euer ye sawe ony / what is he sayd the damoysel / and of what kynne is he comen / and of whome was he made knyghte / Madame said the dwerf he is the kyn∣ges sone of Orkeney / but his name I wille not telle you as at this tyme / but wete ye wel of syre launcelot was he maade knyght / for of none other wolde he be maade knyghte / and sire kay named hym Beaumayns / how escaped he said the lady from the bretheren of Persaunt / ¶Madame he said as a noble knyghte shold / Fyrste he slewe two bretheren att a passage of a water / A saide she they were good knyghtes but they were murtherers / the one hyght Gherard de breusse / & the other kn∣yght hyght sir Arnolde le Brewse / thenne madame he recoun∣tred with the black knyght / and slewe hym in playne batail & so he toke his hors & his armour & fouʒt with the grene kn∣yght & wanne hym in playn bataill / & in lyke wyse he serued the reed knyʒt / and aftir in the same wyse he serued the blewe knyʒt & wan hym in playn batail / thēne said the lady he hath ouercome sir Persaūt of Inde / one of the noblest knyʒtes of the world / & y^e dwerf said he hath wōne al the iiij bretherē & slayn

the blak knyght / and yet he dyd more tofore he ouerthrewe sir kay and lefte hym nyghe dede vpon the ground / Also he dyd a grete batayll with syre launcelot / and there they departed on euen handes / And thenne syre launcelot made hym knyghte / Dwerf sayd the lady I am gladde of these tydynges / therfor go thou in an hermytage of myn here by / and there shalt thow bere with the of my wyn in two flagans of siluer / they ar of two galons / and also two cast of brede with fatte veneson ba¦ke and deynte foules / and a cop of gold here I delyuer the / that is ryche and precyous and bere all this to myn hermyta¦ge / and put it in the hermytes handes / And sythen go thow vnto my syster and grete her wel / and commaūde me vnto that gentyl knyghte / and praye hym to ete and to drynke and ma¦ke hym stronge / and say ye hym I thanke hym of his curto∣sye and goodenes that he wold take vpon hym suche labour for me that neuer dyd hym bounte nor curtosye / ¶Also pray hym that he be of good herte & courage / for he shalle mete with a ful noble knyghte / but he is neyther of bounte / curtosye / nor gentylnes / for he attendyth vnto nothynge but to murther / & that is the cause I can not prayse hym nor loue hym / So this dwerf departed / and came to syre Persant where he fond the damoysel lynet and syr Beaumayns / and there he tolde hem alle as ye haue herd / and thenne they took theyr leue / but syr Persant took an ambelyng hacney and conueyed hem on the∣yr wayes / And thenne belefte hem to god / and soo within a lytil whyle they came to that heremytage / and there they dra∣nke the wyne / and ete the veneson and the foules baken / And so whan they had repasted hem wel / the dwerf retorned ageyn with his vessel vn to the castel ageyne / and there mette with hym the reed knyght of the reed laundes / and asked hym from whens that he came / and where he had ben / Syr sa∣yd the dwerf I haue ben with my ladyes syster of this castel and she hath ben at kynge Arthurs courte / and broughte a knyghte with her / thenne I accompte her trauaille but loste / For though she had broughte with her syre launcelot / sir Trys¦tram / syr Lamerak or syr gawayne / I wold thynke my selfe good ynough for them all / it may well be said the dwerf / but this knyghte hath passed alle the peryllous passages & slayn

the klack knyghte and other two mo / and wonne the grene knyght / the reed knyghte and the bl••we knyghte / thenne is he one of these four that I haue afore reherced / He is none of tho said the dwerf / but he is a kynges sone / what is his name sa¦yd the reed knyght of the reed laund / that wille I not telle you feyd the dwerf / but sire kay vpon scorne named hym Be¦aumayns / I care not said the knyght What knyghte soo euer he be / for I shal soone delyuer hym / And yf I euer matche hym he shalle haue a shameful dethe as many other haue had that were pyte sayd the dwerf / And it is merueill that ye ma¦ke suche shameful warre vpon noble knyghtes