King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
therewith took his horse and galloped forth.
And when he was departed, the damsel sorrowed greatly, and died in
fifteen days. Her name was Ellawes, the sorceress.
Then came Sir Lancelot to Sir Meliot's sister, who, when she saw him,
clapped her hands and wept for joy, and took him to the castle hard by,
where Sir Meliot was. And when Sir Lancelot saw Sir Meliot, he knew him,
though he was pale as ashes for loss of blood. And Sir Meliot, when he
saw Sir Lancelot, kneeled to him and cried aloud, "O lord, Sir Lancelot!
help me!"
And thereupon, Sir Lancelot went to him and touched his wounds with the
sword, and wiped them with the piece of bloody cloth. And immediately he
was as whole as though he had been never wounded. Then was there great
joy between him and Sir Meliot; and his sister made Sir Lancelot good
cheer. So on the morrow, he took his leave, that he might go to King
Arthur's court, "for," said he, "it draweth nigh the Feast of Pentecost,
and there, by God's grace, shall ye then find me."
And riding through many strange countries, over marshes and valleys, he
came at length before a castle. As he passed by he heard two little
bells ringing, and looking up, he saw a falcon flying overhead, with
bells tied to her feet, and long strings dangling from them. And as the
falcon flew past an elm-tree, the strings caught in the boughs, so that
she could fly no further.
In the meanwhile, came a lady from the castle, and cried, "Oh, Sir
Lancelot! as thou art the flower of all knights in the world, help me to
get my hawk, for she hath slipped away from me, and if she be lost, my
lord my husband is so hasty, he will surely slay me!"
"What is thy lord's name?" said Sir Lancelot.
"His name," said she, "is Sir Phelot, a knight of the King of
Northgales."
"Fair lady," said Sir Lancelot, "since you know my name, and require me,
on my knighthood, to help you, I will do what I can to get your hawk."
And thereupon alighting, he tied his horse to the same tree, and prayed
the lady to unarm him. So when he was unarmed, he climbed up and reached
the falcon, and threw it to the lady.
Then suddenly came down, out of the wood, her husband, Sir Phelot, all
armed, with a drawn sword in his hand, and said, "Oh, Sir Lancelot! now
have I found thee as I would have thee!" and stood at the trunk of the
tree to slay him.
"Ah, lady!" cried Sir Lancelot, "why have ye betrayed me?"
"She hath done as I commanded her," said Sir Phelot, "and thine hour is
come that thou must die."
"It were shame," said Lancelot, "for an armed to slay an unarmed man."
"Thou hast no other favor from me," said Sir Phelot.
"Alas!" cried Sir Lancelot, "that ever any knight should die
weaponless!" And looking overhead, he saw a great bough without leaves,
and wrenched it off the tree, and suddenly leaped down. Then Sir Phelot
struck at him eagerly, thinking to have slain him, but Sir Lancelot put
aside the stroke with the bough, and therewith smote him on the side of
the head, till he fell swooning to the ground. And tearing his sword
from out his hands, he shore his neck through from the body. Then did
the lady shriek dismally, and swooned as though she would die. But Sir
Lancelot put on his armor, and with haste took his horse and departed
thence, thanking God he had escaped that peril.
And as he rode through a valley, among many wild ways, he saw a knight,
with a drawn sword, chasing a lady to slay her. And seeing Sir Lancelot,
she cried and prayed to him to come and rescue her.
At that he went up, saying, "Fie on thee, knight! why wilt thou slay
this lady? Thou doest shame to thyself and all knights."
"What hast thou to do between me and my wife?" replied the knight. "I
will slay her in spite of thee."
"Thou shalt not harm her," said Lancelot, "till we have first fought
together."
"Sir," answered the knight, "thou doest ill, for this lady hath betrayed
me."
"He speaketh falsely," said the lady, "for he is jealous of me without
cause, as I shall answer before Heaven; but as thou art named the most
worshipful knight in the world, I pray thee of thy true knighthood to
save me, for he is without mercy."
"Be of good cheer," said Sir Lancelot; "it shall not lie within his
power to harm thee."
"Sir," said the knight, "I will be ruled as ye will have me."
So Sir Lancelot rode between the knight and the lady. And when they had
ridden awhile, the knight cried out suddenly to Sir Lancelot to turn and
see what men they were who came riding after them; and while Sir
Lancelot, thinking not of treason, turned to look, the knight, with one
great stroke, smote off the lady's head.
Then was Sir Lancelot passing wroth, and cried, "Thou traitor! Thou hast
shamed me forever!" and, alighting from his horse, he drew his sword to
have slain him instantly; but the knight fell on the ground and clasped
Sir Lancelot's knees, and cried out for mercy. "Thou shameful knight,"
answered Lancelot, "thou mayest have no mercy, for thou showedst none,
therefore arise and fight with me."
"Nay," said the knight, "I will not rise till thou dost grant me mercy."
"Now will I deal fairly by thee," said Sir Lancelot; "I will unarm me to
my shirt, and have my sword only in my hand, and if thou canst slay me
thou shalt be quit forever."
"That will I never do," said the knight.
"Then," answered Sir Lancelot, "take this lady and the head, and bear it
with thee, and swear to me upon thy sword never to rest until thou
comest to Queen Guinevere."
"That will I do," said he.
"Now," said Sir Lancelot, "tell me thy name."
"It is Pedivere," answered the knight.
"In a shameful hour wert thou born," said Sir Lancelot.
So Sir Pedivere departed, bearing with him the dead lady and her head.
And when he came to Winchester, where the Queen was with King Arthur, he
told them all the truth; and afterwards did great and heavy penance
many years, and became an holy hermit.
So, two days before the Feast of Pentecost, Sir Lancelot returned to the
court, and King Arthur was full glad of his coming. And when Sir Gawain,
Sir Ewaine, Sir Sagramour, and Sir Ector, saw him in Sir Key's armor,
they knew well it was he who had smitten them all down with one spear.
Anon, came all the knights Sir Turquine had taken prisoners, and gave
worship and honor to Sir Lancelot. Then Sir Key told the King how Sir
Lancelot had rescued him when he was in near danger of his death; "and,"
said Sir Key, "he made the knights yield, not to himself, but me. And by
Heaven! because Sir Lancelot took my armor and left me his, I rode in
peace, and no man would have aught to do with me." Then came the knights
who fought with Sir Lancelot at the long bridge and yielded themselves
also to Sir Key, but he said nay, he had not fought with them. "It is
Sir Lancelot," said he, "that overcame ye." Next came Sir Meliot de
Logres, and told King Arthur how Sir Lancelot had saved him from death.
And so all Sir Lancelot's deeds and great adventures were made known;
how the four sorceress-queens had him in prison; how he was delivered by
the daughter of King Bagdemagus, and what deeds of arms he did at the
tournament between the King of North Wales and King Bagdemagus. And so,
at that festival, Sir Lancelot had the greatest name of any knight in
all the world, and by high and low was he the most honored of all men.
XI
THE ADVENTURES OF SIR BEAUMAINS OR SIR GARETH
Again King Arthur held the Feast of Pentecost, with all the Table Round,
and after his custom sat in the banquet hall, before beginning meat,
waiting for some adventure. Then came there to the king a squire and
said, "Lord, now may ye go to meat, for here a damsel cometh with some
strange adventure." So the king was glad, and sat down to meat.
Anon the damsel came in and saluted him, praying him for succor. "What
wilt thou?" said the king. "Lord," answered she, "my mistress is a lady
of great renown, but is at this time besieged by a tyrant, who will not
suffer her to go out of her castle; and because here in thy court the
knights are called the noblest in the world, I come to pray thee for thy
succor." "Where dwelleth your lady?" answered the king. "What is her
name, and who is he that hath besieged her?" "For her name," replied the
damsel, "as yet I may not tell it; but she is a lady of worship and
great lands. The tyrant that besiegeth her and wasteth her lands is
called the Red Knight of the Redlands." "I know him not," said Arthur.
"But I know him, lord," said Sir Gawain, "and he is one of the most
perilous knights in all the world. Men say he hath the strength of
seven; and from him I myself once hardly escaped with life." "Fair
damsel," said the king, "there be here many knights that would gladly do
their uttermost to rescue your lady, but unless ye tell me her name, and
where she dwelleth, none of my knights shall go with you by my leave."
Now, there was a stripling at the court called Beaumains, who served in
the king's kitchen, a fair youth and of great stature. Twelve months
before this time he had come to the king as he sat at meat, at
Whitsuntide, and prayed three gifts of him. And being asked what gifts,
he answered, "As for the first gift I will ask it now, but the other two
gifts I will ask on this day twelve months, wheresoever ye hold your
high feast." Then said King Arthur, "What is thy first request?" "This,
lord," said he, "that thou wilt give me meat and drink enough for twelve
months from this time, and then will I ask my other two gifts." And the
king seeing that he was a goodly youth, and deeming that he was come of
honorable blood, had granted his desire, and given him into the charge
of Sir Key, the steward. But Sir Key scorned and mocked the youth,
calling Beaumains, because his hands were large and fair, and putting
him into the kitchen, where he had served for twelve months as a
scullion, and, in spite of all his churlish treatment, had faithfully
obeyed Sir Key. But Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain were angered when they
saw Sir Key so churlish to a youth that had so worshipful a bearing,
and ofttimes had they given him gold and clothing.
And now at this time came young Beaumains to the king, while the damsel
was there, and said, "Lord, now I thank thee well and heartily that I
have been twelve months kept in thy kitchen, and have had full
sustenance. Now will I ask my two remaining gifts." "Ask," said King
Arthur, "on my good faith." "These, lord," said he, "shall be my two
gifts--the one, that thou wilt grant me this adventure of the damsel,
for to me of right it belongeth; and the other, that thou wilt bid Sir
Lancelot make me a knight, for of him only will I have that honor; and I
pray that he may ride after me and make me a knight when I require him."
"Be it as thou wilt," replied the king. But thereupon the damsel was
full wroth, and said, "Shall I have a kitchen page for this adventure?"
and so she took horse and departed.
Then came one to Beaumains, and told him that a dwarf with a horse and
armor were waiting for him. And all men marveled whence these things
came. But when he was on horseback and armed, scarce any one at the
court was a goodlier man than he. And coming into the hall, he took his
leave of the king and Sir Gawain, and prayed Sir Lancelot to follow him.
So he rode after the damsel, and many of the court went out to see him,
so richly arrayed and horsed; yet he had neither shield nor spear. Then
Sir Key cried, "I also will ride after the kitchen boy, and see whether
he will obey me now." And taking his horse, he rode after him, and
said, "Know ye not me, Beaumains?" "Yea," said he, "I know thee for an
ungentle knight, therefore beware of me." Then Sir Key put his spear in
rest and ran at him, but Beaumains rushed upon him with his sword in his