Le Morte Darthur
debate withal, and not brother with brother; therefore but if ye will
do by my counsel I will have ado with you—that is, ye shall yield you
unto me, and that ye go unto king Arthur and yield you unto his grace.
Sir knight, said the two brethren, we are for-foughten, and much blood
have we lost through our wilfulness, and therefore we would be loth to
have ado with you. Then do as I will have you, said Sir Gawaine. We
will agree to fulfil your will; but by whom shall we say that we be
thither sent? Ye may say, by the knight that followeth the quest of the
hart that was white. Now what is your name? said Sir Gawaine. Sorlouse
of the Forest, said the elder. And my name is, said the younger, Brian
of the Forest. And so they departed and went to the king’s court, and
Sir Gawaine on his quest. And as Gawaine followed the hart by the cry
of the hounds, even afore him there was a great river, and the hart
swam over; and as Sir Gawaine would follow after there stood a knight
over the other side, and said, Sir knight, come not over after this
hart, but if thou wilt just with me. I will not fail as for that, said
Sir Gawaine, to follow the quest that I am in, and so made his horse to
swim over the water, and anon they gat their spears and ran together
full hard, but Sir Gawaine smote him off his horse, and then he turned
his horse and bad him yield him. Nay, said the knight, not so, though
thou have the better of me on horseback: I pray thee, valiant knight,
alight afoot, and match we together with swords. What is your name?
said Sir Gawaine. Allardin of the Isles, said the other. Then either
dressed their shields and smote together, but Sir Gawaine smote him so
hard through the helm that it went to the brains, and the knight fell
down dead. Ah! said Gaheris, that was a mighty stroke of a young knight.
CHAP. VII.
_How the hart was chased into a castle, and there slain, and how
Gawaine slew a lady._
Then Gawaine and Gaheris rode more than a pace after the white hart,
and let slip at the hart three couple of greyhounds, and so they chased
the hart into a castle, and in the chief place of the castle they slew
the hart: Sir Gawaine and Gaheris followed after. Right so there came a
knight out of a chamber with a sword drawn in his hand and slew two of
the greyhounds, even in the sight of Sir Gawaine, and the remnant he
chased them with his sword out of the castle. And when he came again,
he said, O my white hart, me repenteth that thou art dead, for my
sovereign lady gave thee to me, and evil have I kept thee, and thy
death shall be dear bought and I live. And anon he went into his
chamber and armed him, and came out fiercely, and there met he with Sir
Gawaine. Why have ye slain my hounds, said Sir Gawaine, for they did
but their kind, and lever I had ye had wroken your anger upon me than
upon a dumb beast. Thou sayst truth, said the knight, I have avenged me
on thy hounds, and so I will on thee or thou go. Then Sir Gawaine
alight afoot, and dressed his shield, and they stroke together
mightily, and clave their shields, and stoned their helms, and brake
their hauberks that the blood ran down to their feet. At the last Sir
Gawaine smote the knight so hard that he fell to the earth; and then he
cried mercy and yielded him, and besought him as he was a knight and
gentleman to save his life. Thou shalt die, said Sir Gawaine, for
slaying of my hounds. I will make amends, said the knight, unto my
power. Sir Gawaine would no mercy have, but unlaced his helm to have
striken off his head; right so came his lady out of a chamber and fell
over him, and so he smote off her head by misadventure. Alas! said
Gaheris, that is foul and shamefully done; that shame shall never from
you. Also, ye should give mercy unto them that ask mercy; for a knight
without mercy is without worship. Sir Gawaine was so astonied at the
death of this fair lady that he wist not what he did, and said unto the
knight, Arise, I will give thee mercy. Nay, nay, said the knight, I
care for no mercy now, for thou hast slain my love and my lady that I
loved best of all earthly things. Me repenteth it, said Sir Gawaine,
for I thought to strike unto thee. But now thou shalt go unto king
Arthur, and tell him of thine adventures, and how thou art overcome by
the knight that went in the quest of the white hart. I take no force,
said the knight, whether I live or die. But so for dread of death he
swore to go unto king Arthur: and he made him to bear one greyhound
before him on his horse, and another behind him. What is your name,
said Sir Gawaine, or we part? My name is, said the knight, Ablamor of
the Marsh. So he departed toward Camelot.
CHAP. VIII.
_How four knights fought against Sir Gawaine and Gaheris, and how they
were overcome, and their lives saved at the request of four ladies._
And Sir Gawaine went into the castle, and made him ready to lie there
all night, and would have unarmed him. What will ye do? said Gaheris,
will ye unarm you in this country? ye may think ye have many enemies
here. They had not sooner said that word but there came four knights
well armed, and assailed Sir Gawaine hard, and said unto him, Thou new
made knight, thou hast shamed thy knighthood, for a knight without
mercy is dishonoured. Also thou hast slain a fair lady to thy great
shame to the world’s end, and doubt thou not thou shalt have great need
of mercy or thou depart from us. And therewith one of them smote Sir
Gawaine a great stroke, that nigh he fell to the earth, and Gaheris
smote him again sore, and so they were on the one side and on the
other, that Sir Gawaine and Gaheris were in jeopardy of their lives;
and one with a bow, an archer, smote Sir Gawaine through the arm that
it grieved him wonderly sore. And as they should have been slain, there
came four ladies and besought the knights of grace for Sir Gawaine. And
goodly at the request of the ladies they gave Sir Gawaine and Gaheris
their lives, and made them to yield them as prisoners. Then Gawaine and
Gaheris made great dole. Alas! said Sir Gawaine, mine arm grieveth me
sore, I am like to be maimed; and so made his complaint piteously.
Early on the morrow there came to Sir Gawaine one of the four ladies
that had heard all his complaint, and said, Sir knight, what cheer? Not
good, said he. It is your own default, said the lady, for ye have done
a passing foul deed in the slaying of the lady, the which will be great
villainly unto you. But be ye not of king Arthur’s kin? said the lady.
Yes, truly, said Sir Gawaine. What is your name? said the lady, ye must
tell it me or ye pass. My name is Gawaine, the king Lot of Orkney’s
son, and my mother is king Arthur’s sister. Ah, then are ye nephew unto
king Arthur, said the lady, and I shall so speak for you that ye shall
have conduct to go to king Arthur for his love. And so she departed and
told the four knights how their prisoner was king Arthur’s nephew, and
his name is Sir Gawaine, king Lot’s son of Orkney. And they gave him
the hart’s head, because it was in his quest. Then anon they delivered
Sir Gawaine under this promise, that he should bare the dead lady with
him in this manner: the head of her was hanged about his neck, and the
whole body of her lay before him on his horse mane. Right so rode he
forth unto Camelot. And anon as he was come, Merlin desired of king
Arthur that Sir Gawaine should be sworn to tell of all his adventures,
and how he slew the lady, and how he would give no mercy unto the
knight, where through the lady was slain. Then the king and the queen
were greatly displeased with Sir Gawaine for the slaying of the lady.
And there by ordinance of the queen there was set a quest of ladies on
Sir Gawaine, and they judged him for ever while he lived to be with all
ladies, and to fight for their quarrels; and that ever he should be
courteous, and never to refuse mercy to him that asketh mercy. Thus was
Gawaine sworn upon the four Evangelists that he should never be against
lady nor gentlewoman, but if he fought for a lady and his adversary
fought for another. And thus endeth the adventure of Sir Gawaine, that
he did at the marriage of king Arthur. Amen.
CHAP. IX.
_How Sir Tor rode after the knight with the brachet, and of his
adventure by the way._
When Sir Tor was ready he mounted upon his horse’s back, and rode after
the knight with the brachet. So as he rode he met with a dwarf suddenly
that smote his horse on the head with a staff, that he went backward
his spear’s length. Why dost thou so? said Sir Tor. For thou shalt not
pass this way, but if thou just with yonder knights of the pavilions.
Then was Sir Tor ware where two pavilions were, and great spears stood
out, and two shields hung on trees by the pavilions. I may not tarry,
said Sir Tor, for I am in a quest that I must needs follow. Thou shalt
not pass, said the dwarf; and therewithal he blew his horn. Then there
came one armed on horseback, and dressed his shield, and came fast
toward Tor, and he dressed him against him, and so ran together that
Sir Tor bare him from his horse. And anon the knight yielded him to his
mercy: But, sir, I have a fellow in yonder pavilion that will have ado
with you anon. He shall be welcome, said Sir Tor. Then was he ware of
another knight coming with great force, and each of them dressed to
other that marvel it was to see: but the knight smote Sir Tor a great
stroke in the midst of the shield that his spear all to-shivered, and
Sir Tor smote him through the shield so low that it went through the
side of the knight, but the stroke slew him not. And therewith Sir Tor
alight and smote him on the helm a great stroke, and therewith the
knight yielded him, and besought him of mercy. I will well, said Sir
Tor; but thou and thy fellow must go unto king Arthur, and yield you
prisoners unto him. By whom shall we say are we thither sent? Ye shall
say by the knight that went in the quest of the knight that went with
the brachet. Now what be your two names? said Sir Tor. My name is, said
the one, Sir Felot of Langduk. And my name is, said the other, Sir
Petipase of Winchelsea. Now go ye forth, said Sir Tor, and God speed
you and me. Then came the dwarf and said unto Sir Tor: I pray you give
me a gift. I will well, said Sir Tor: ask. I ask no more, said the
dwarf, but that ye will suffer me to do you service, for I will serve
no more recreant knights. Take an horse, said Sir Tor, and ride on with
me. I wot ye ride after the knight with the white brachet, and I shall
bring you where he is, said the dwarf. And so they rode throughout a
forest, and at the last they were ware of two pavilions even by a
priory, with two shields, and the one shield was renewed with white,
and the other shield was red.
CHAP. X.
_How Sir Tor found the brachet with a lady, and how a knight assailed
him for the said brachet._
Therewith Sir Tor alighted and gave the dwarf his glaive, and so came
to the white pavilion, and saw three damsels lie in it on one pallet
sleeping. And so he went to the other pavilion, and there he found a
lady lying sleeping therein. But there was the white brachet, that
bayed at her fast, and therewith the lady awoke and went out of the
pavilion, and all her damsels. But anon as Sir Tor espied the white
brachet he took her by force, and took her to the dwarf. What, will ye
so, said the lady, take my brachet from me? Yea, said Sir Tor, this
brachet have I sought from king Arthur’s court hither. Well, said the
lady, knight, ye shall not go far with her but that ye shall be met,
and grieved. I shall abide what adventure that cometh, by the grace of
God, and so mounted upon his horse and passed on his way toward