King Arthur's Knights
came upon a plain, and in the distance was a high castle with many
tents about it, and men passing to and fro between them. And as they
rode under some withered trees by the edge of the forest, they saw,
hanging by their necks from the bare boughs, many goodly knights in
armour, with their shields and swords hung before them.
At this shameful sight Beaumains checked his horse and asked: 'What
means this?'
'Fair sir,' said Linet, 'abate not your cheer at this dreadful sight,
for ye have need now of all your courage, or else are we all shamed and
destroyed. These dead knights are those who have come against the Red
Knight trying to rescue my sister from his power. But the tyrant knight
hath overcome them, and slain them thus shamefully by hanging.'
'Now Heaven aid me,' said Beaumains, 'for this is a most shameful and
unknightly custom, and well doth that evil knight deserve death.'
'Nevertheless he is a knight of great prowess and force, though of evil
custom,' replied the lady, 'and no one hath ever borne him down in
battle.'
With that they came to a sycamore-tree which stood alone in the plain,
and on it was hung a great horn of elephant bone, with gold work
curiously wrought.
'Fair sir, ye must blow that horn if ye wish to do battle with the Red
Knight. But, sir,' went on the lady quickly, and caught at Beaumains'
arm that already had lifted the horn, 'be ye not overbold. It is now
the hour of prime, and it is said that the Red Knight's force
increaseth to the strength of seven men until it is noon. Wait,
therefore, until noon shall be past, and his strength shall diminish.'
'Nay, nay,' said Beaumains, 'speak not thus to me. I will assail him
however mighty he be, and either I will beat him or die with honour in
the field.'
Therewith he lifted the horn and blew so great a blast that instantly
knights came in a great press from the tents, and people looked out
from the walls and windows of the castle.
Then Beaumains saw a tall man come running from a tent, arming himself
as he came. Two barons set his spurs upon his heels and an earl buckled
his helm upon his head. He was all in red armour, from the plume which
waved upon his crest to the cloth which was upon his horse. And his
shield was all of red, with but a black heart in the centre thereof.
Then he waited for Beaumains in a little hollow before the castle, so
that all that were therein might see the combat.
'Now, fair sir,' said Linet, 'it behoves you to have great courage and
heart, for yonder is your deadliest enemy, and at yonder window is my
lady sister, Dame Lyones.'
Beaumains looked to where Linet was pointing, and saw at a window the
loveliest lady he had ever seen. And as he looked she smiled and bowed
to him, and he felt his heart burn with love for her.
'Truly,' he said, 'she is the fairest lady I have ever looked upon, and
she shall be my lady.'
'Cease thy looking at that lady,' called the Red Knight in a harsh and
angry voice. 'She is my lady, and soon shall she see thy foolish body
swinging from the tree for the ravens to pluck, as others hang there
afore thee.'
''Tis for that shameful sight and for the love of this lady that hates
you and your evil custom, that I am resolved to slay you, if God so
wills,' was the stern reply of Beaumains.
'A boastful rogue thou art,' cried the Red Knight, and laughed
scornfully. 'What is thy name, and whence come ye, Sir Black Knight?
For surely from your talk you must be one of those prating and soft
fools of the Round Table?'
'I will not tell thee my name,' said Beaumains. 'And as yet I am not of
the worshipful company of King Arthur's Round Table. But when I have
slain thee and rid the world of so shameful a knight, then shall I
crave the king to receive me into that high fellowship of noble and
courteous knights.'
'Make thee ready!' shouted the Red Knight in a furious voice. 'I will
talk no more with thee.'
With that they withdrew a little from each other, and then, spurring
their horses, and with lances in rest, they hurled themselves towards
each other. With so great a crash did they come together that both
their spears were broken into a hundred pieces, and their breastplates,
girths and cruppers burst, and the two knights fell to the ground half
stunned with the shock.
But in a little while they avoided their struggling horses, and leaping
towards each other with their swords, they cut and hacked each the
other so fiercely that great pieces of their shields and armour flew
off.
Thus they fought till it was past noon, and would not stop, till at
last they both lacked wind, and thus they stood swaying, staggering,
panting, yet feinting and striking with what strength they had. The Red
Knight was a cunning fighter, and Beaumains learned much from him,
though it was at the cost of many a gaping wound.
When it was evensong they rested by mutual accord, and seated on two
molehills near the fighting place, they had their helms taken off by
their pages and their worse wounds bound up. Then Beaumains lifted up
his eyes to the lady at the window, and saw how her looks were tender
with pity for him.
So heartened was he at the sight that he started up swiftly, and bade
the Red Knight make him ready to do battle once more to the uttermost.
Then they rushed fiercely at each other, and the fight raged more hotly
than ever. At length, by cunning, the Red Knight suddenly struck
Beaumains' sword from his hand, and before he could recover it, the Red
Knight had with a great buffet thrown him to the ground, and had fallen
upon him to keep him down.
Then cried the Lady Linet piteously:
'O Sir Beaumains! Sir Beaumains! where is your great heart? My lady
sister beholds you, and she sobs and weeps, for surely she feels the
evil Red Knight hath her almost in his power!'
At that, so great a rage possessed Beaumains, that with one great
effort he thrust the Red Knight from him, and, leaping up, he seized
his sword again, and so fiercely did he beat upon his enemy that the
Red Knight sank to his knees, and then was thrust grovelling to the
ground.
Beaumains leaped astride him, and cut the fastenings of his helm. Then
the Red Knight shrieked for mercy.
'Thou recreant and coward!' said Beaumains. 'Did not any of those
knights that thou hast hung cry to thee for mercy? What pity and what
mercy didst thou give them? And thou deservest none from me, nor from
any man!'
With that he slew him at a stroke, and the people in the castle cried
out with joy.
Their leader being dead, his following of earls, barons and knights
came and did homage to Beaumains, and he commanded that instantly they
should betake themselves to the court of King Arthur and yield them
into his hands.
Then for ten days the Lady Linet made Beaumains rest him in the Red
Knight's tent, while she tended his many sore wounds. But ever
Beaumains desired to go into the castle to see the lady he loved, but
his hurts forbade him.
On the eleventh day he would no longer be denied, but having armed
himself, all except his helm, which his page carried, he rode up to the
castle gate. But as he came thither he saw many armed men, who pulled
up the drawbridge before him, so that he should not enter.
Therewith he saw a knight at a window, who called to him.
'Fair sir, I am Sir Gringamor, brother to the Lady Lyones,' said the
knight. 'I will that ye enter not yet. We know that you have proved
yourself a bold and brave fighter, but we know not who you are.
Therefore, unless you tell me your name and kindred, I may not suffer
my sister to see you.'
'I know naught of thee, sir knight,' cried Beaumains sternly. 'My
business is with the lady, from whom I think I deserve a little
kindness, for I have bought her deliverance and her love with some of
the best blood in my body. Must I go away then, thinking she cares more
for a name and noble lineage than for brave deeds and devotion? Tell
me, Sir Gringamor, is this the will of the Lady Lyones?'
'Ye have but to tell us thy name and of thy lineage, brave man,' said
Sir Gringamor.
'Nay, that I will not!' said Beaumains, for his heart was hot with
shame and anger. 'If I were but a churl, I should reckon myself a
nobler man than the recreant knight from whom I have rescued you and
your sister. But since he was a knight, it seems ye would reckon him as
of greater honour than the brave churl that slew him for his evil
deeds.'
'Nay, nay, it is not so!' came a sweet voice crying in tears, and Sir
Beaumains saw the tender face of the Lady Lyones at the window where
Sir Gringamor had been. 'My brave knight, think not ill of me, for this
is none of my will, for I am mocked and my pleasure denied in my own
castle by this my over-careful brother. I love thee, sir knight,
whatsoever thou art, for I feel that thou art gentle and brave, and as
good a man as any lady might love. And I beg you go not far from me,
for I will have my will erelong, and I tell you now that I trust you,
and I shall be true to you, and unto my death I shall love you and no
other. And whenever I may come to you I will, in spite of this my
brother.'
Saying these words, the lady sobbed as if her heart would break, and
hiding her face in her hands she was led away by her women.
With that Beaumains' heart smote him, and he was resolved to reveal his
name and lineage for the sake of the dear lady who loved him. But even
as he thought this, he was aware of a party of knights coming towards
him from the plain, and soon he recognised that they were of the
company of King Arthur's Round Table.
And the foremost knight, who bore his helm in his hand, rode forward to
him, crying:
'O Gareth, Gareth, my brother, how hast thou deceived us all!'
Then did Sir Beaumains clasp the other's hand right warmly, for this
was his own brother, Sir Gaheris, sent from King Arthur to bring him
home.
When Sir Gringamor knew of the coming of these knights, quickly he bade
the drawbridge to be lowered, and in a little while the knights were
being welcomed in the hall.
'Sir Gringamor,' said Sir Gaheris, 'I find that I come at a lucky
chance for the happiness of my brother. Already the fame of his brave
deeds has reached King Arthur, for the knights he hath overcome have
put themselves in the mercy of the king.'
'Sir Knight of the Round Table,' said Sir Gringamor, 'tell me who is
this brave knight that will not say his name?'
'He is Sir Gareth, my brother, the youngest son of the King of Orkney,'
replied Sir Gaheris, 'and fit for the highest lady in the land. He hath
played this trick upon us all, to test us. We did not know him, for he
hath grown up to manhood while we have been long away from home. But
ever he hath had an adventurous and witty mind.'
'Sir, I thank you,' said Sir Gringamor, and taking Sir Gareth by the
hand he led him into the bower where sat the Lady Lyones, who sprang to
meet Sir Gareth. To her Sir Gringamor told all that he had heard, and
then left Sir Gareth to tell her more of himself.
And in a little while, at the court of King Arthur, they were married
with great feastings and joustings and with all things to make merry.
And Linet was wedded at the same time to Sir Gaheris. For though the
Lady Linet was sharp of tongue, she was of great and good heart, and
well beloved of all who knew her well.
V
HOW SIR TRISTRAM KEPT HIS WORD
In the days when King Arthur had established his kingdom, he was called
Emperor of Britain and its three islands. Nevertheless, there were
kings who were rulers in their own lands, but they held their
sovereignty of Arthur and had done homage to him and sworn fealty. In
Wales there were two kings, in the north were eleven kings, and these
he had conquered in a great battle by Sherwood Forest; in Cornwall were