[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xxxvj

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

al his knyghtes shold doo hym seruyse / and hold their lon∣des of hym for euer / and there he prayd syr Gareth to make hym his Sewar chyef at the feest / I will wel said syr Ga∣reth that ye haue it & it were better / Thenne cam the dukde la¦rowse with an C knyghtes with hym / and there he dyd ho∣mage and feaute to syr Gareth / and soo to hold theire londes of hym for euer / And he requyred syr Gareth that he myght serue hym of the wyn that day at that feest / I wil wel sayd syr Gareth and it were better / Thenne came in the reed knyʒte of the reed laundes that was syr Ironsyde / and he broughte with hym thre honderd knyghtes / and there he dyd homage & feaute / and al these knyghtes to hold their landes of hym for euer / And thenne he asked syr Gareth to be his keruer / I will wel said syr Gareth and it please you / Thenne came in to the courte thyrtty ladyes / and alle they semed wydowes / and tho thyrtty ladyes broughte with hem many fayre gentylwy∣mmen / And alle they kneled doune at ones vnto kyng arthur and vnto syr Gareth / and there al th•• ladyes told the kyng how syr Gareth delyuerd hem from the dolorous ••oure / and sle¦we the broune knyght withoute pyte / And therfore we and oure heyres for euermore wille doo homage vnto syr Gareth of Orkeney / So thenne the kynges and quenes / prynces & erlys Barons and many bold knyghtes wente vnto mete / & well maye ye wete there were al maner of mete plentyuously / alle manere rules and games with al manere of mynstralsy that was vsed in tho dayes / ¶Also ther was gr••te Iustes thre da∣yes / But the kynge wold not suffre syre Gareth to Iuste by cause of his newe bryde / for as the frensshe book sayth that da∣me Lyones desyred of the kynge that none that were wedded shold Iuste at that feest / Soo the fyrst day there Iusted sir la¦merak de galys / for he ouerthrewe thyrtty knyghtes / & did pas¦syng merueillously dedes of armes / and thenne kyng Arthur made syr Persaunt and his two bretheren knyghtes of the ro∣und table to their lyues ende / and gaf hem grete londes / Also the second daye there Iusted Trystram best / and he ouerthrew fourty knyghtes / and dyd there merueillous dedes of armes And there kynge Arthur made Ironsyde that was the reed knyghte of the reed laundes a knyghte of the table round to

his lyues ende / and gaf hym grete landes / The thyrd day there Iusted syr launcelot du lake / and he ouerthrewe fyfty knygh¦tes and dyd many merueyllous dedes of armes that all men wondred on hym / And there kynge Arthur made the duke de la rouse a knyghte of the round table to his lyues ende / and gaf hym grete landes to spende / But whan this Iustes were done / syr Lamerak and syr Trystram departed sodenly / & wold not be knowm / for the whiche kyng Arthur and all the court were sore displeasyd / And soo they helde the courte fourty da∣yes with grete solempnyte / And this syr Gareth was a no∣ble knyghte and a wel rulyd and fayr langaged