[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xx

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

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

¶Truly Madame sayd Lynet vnto her syster wel maye he be a kynges sone / for he hath many good tatches on hym / for he is curteis and mylde and the moost sufferynge man that euer I mette with al / For I dar saye ther was neuer gentylwo∣man reulyd man in soo foule a manere / as I haue rebuked hym / And at all tymes he gafe me goodely and meke ansuers ageyne ¶And as they sate thus talky∣nge / ther came sire Gareth in at the gate with an angry coun¦tenaunce and his swerd drawen in his hand / and cryed a¦loude that alle the castel myʒt here hit sayeng thou traitour syre

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