Le Morte Darthur
and dressed his shield, and either came unto other eagerly, and smote
together with their swords that their shields flew in cantels, and they
bruised their helms and their hauberks, and wounded either other. But
Sir Gawaine, fro it passed nine of the clock waxed ever stronger and
stronger, till it came to the hour of noon, and thrice his might was
increased. All this espied Sir Marhaus, and had great wonder how his
might increased, and so they wounded other passing sore. And then when
it was past noon, and when it drew toward even-song, Sir Gawaine’s
strength feebled and waxed passing faint, that unnethes he might dure
any longer, and Sir Marhaus was then bigger and bigger. Sir knight,
said Sir Marhaus, I have well felt that ye are a passing good knight,
and a marvellous man of might as ever I felt any, while it lasteth, and
our quarrels are not great, and therefore it were pity to do you hurt,
for I feel ye are passing feeble. Ah, said Sir Gawaine, gentle knight,
ye say the word that I should say. And therewith they took off their
helms and either kissed other, and there they swore together either to
love other as brethren. And Sir Marhaus prayed Sir Gawaine to lodge
with him that night. And so they took their horses and rode toward Sir
Marhaus’s house. And as they rode by the way, Sir knight, said Sir
Gawaine, I have marvel that so valiant a man as ye be love no ladies
nor damsels. Sir, said Sir Marhaus, they name me wrongfully those that
give me that name, but well I wot it be the damsels of the turret that
so name me, and other such as they be. Now shall I tell you for what
cause I hate them. For they be sorceresses and enchanters many of them,
and be a knight never so good of his body and full of prowess as man
may be, they will make him a stark coward to have the better of him,
and this is the principal cause that I hate them; and to all good
ladies and gentlewomen I owe my service as a knight ought to do. As the
book rehearseth in French, there were many knights that overmatched Sir
Gawaine, for all the thrice-might that he had: Sir Launcelot de Lake,
Sir Tristram, Sir Bors de Ganis, Sir Percivale, Sir Pelleas, and Sir
Marhaus, these six knights had the better of Sir Gawaine. Then within a
little while they came to Sir Marhaus’s place, which was in a little
priory, and there they alight, and ladies and damsels unarmed them and
hastily looked to their hurts, for they were all three hurt. And so
they had all three good lodging with Sir Marhaus, and good cheer: for
when he wist that they were king Arthur’s sister’s sons, he made them
all the cheer that lay in his power. And so they sojourned there a
seven nights, and were well eased of their wounds, and at the last
departed. Now, said Sir Marhaus, we will not part so lightly, for I
will bring you through the forest: and rode day by day well a seven
days or they found any adventure. At the last they came into a great
forest, that was named the country and forest of Arroy, and the country
of strange adventures. In this country, said Sir Marhaus, came never
knight since it was christened, but he found strange adventures. And so
they rode and came into a deep valley full of stones, and thereby they
saw a fair stream of water; above thereby was the head of the stream, a
fair fountain, and three damsels sitting thereby. And then they rode to
them, and either saluted other, and the eldest had a garland of gold
about her head, and she was threescore winter of age or more, and her
hair was white under the garland. The second damsel was of thirty
winter of age, with a circlet of gold about her head. The third damsel
was but fifteen year of age, and a garland of flowers about her head.
When these knights had so beheld them, they asked them the cause why
they sat at that fountain. We be here, said the damsels, for this
cause, if we may see any errant knights, to teach them unto strange
adventures, and ye be three knights that seek adventures, and we be
three damsels, and therefore each one of you must choose one of us. And
when ye have done so we will lead you unto three high ways, and there
each of you shall choose a way, and his damsel with him. And this day
twelvemonth ye must meet here again, and God send you your lives, and
thereto ye must plight your troth. This is well said, said Sir Marhaus.
CHAP. XIX.
_How Sir Marhaus, Sir Gawaine, and Sir Uwaine met three damsels, and
each of them took one._
Now shall every each of us choose a damsel. I shall tell you, said Sir
Uwaine: I am the youngest and most weakest of you both, therefore I
will have the eldest damsel, for she hath seen much and can help me
best when I have need, for I have most need of help of you both. Now,
said Sir Marhaus, I will have the damsel of thirty winter age, for she
fallest best to me. Well, said Sir Gawaine, I thank you, for ye have
left me the youngest and the fairest, and she is most liefest to me.
Then every damsel took her knight by the reins of his bridle, and
brought them to the three ways, and there was their oath made to meet
at the fountain that day twelvemonth and they were living, and so they
kissed and departed, and every each knight set his lady behind him. And
Sir Uwaine took the way that lay west, and Sir Marhaus took the way
that lay south, and Sir Gawaine took the way that lay north.
Now will we begin at Sir Gawaine that held that way till he came unto a
fair manor, where dwelled an old knight and a good householder, and
there Sir Gawaine asked the knight if he knew any adventures in that
country. I shall shew you some to-morn, said the old knight, and that
marvellous. So on the morn they rode into the forest of adventures till
they came to a lawn, and thereby they found a cross, and as they stood
and hoved there came by them the fairest knight and the seemliest man
that ever they saw, making the greatest dole that ever man made. And
then he was ware of Sir Gawaine, and saluted him, and prayed God to
send him much worship. As to that, said Sir Gawaine, Gramercy! Also, I
pray to God that he send you honour and worship. Ah, said the knight, I
may lay that aside, for sorrow and shame cometh to me after worship.
CHAP. XX.
_How a knight and a dwarf strove for a lady._
And therewith he passed unto the one side of the lawn. And on the other
side Sir Gawaine saw ten knights that hoved still, and made them ready
with their shields and spears against that one knight that came by Sir
Gawaine. Then this one knight aventred a great spear, and one of the
ten knights encountered with him, but this woful knight smote him so
hard that he fell over his horse tail. So this same dolorous knight
served them all, that at the least way he smote down horse and man, and
all he did with one spear. And so when they were all ten on foot they
went to that one knight, and he stood stone still, and suffered them to
pull him down off his horse, and bound him hand and foot, and tied him
under the horse belly, and so led him with them. Oh, said Sir Gawaine,
this is a doleful sight, to see the yonder knight so to be entreated,
and it seemeth by the knight that he suffereth them to bind him so, for
he maketh no resistance. No, said his host, that is truth, for and he
would they all were too weak so to do him. Sir, said the damsel unto
Sir Gawaine, me seemeth it were your worship to help that dolorous
knight, for me thinketh he is one of the best knights that ever I saw.
I would do for him, said Sir Gawaine, but it seemeth that he will have
no help. Then said the damsel, me seemeth ye have no lust to help him.
Thus as they talked they saw a knight on that other side of the lawn,
all armed save the head. And on the other side there came a dwarf on
horseback all armed save the head, with a great mouth and a short nose.
And when the dwarf came nigh he said, Where is the lady should meet us
here? and therewithal she came forth out of the wood. And then they
began to strive for the lady; for the knight said he would have her,
and the dwarf said he would have her. Will we do well? said the dwarf;
yonder is a knight at the cross, let us put it both upon him, and as he
deemeth so shall it be. I will well, said the knight; and so they went
all three unto Sir Gawaine, and told him wherefore they strove. Well
sirs, said he, will ye put the matter into my hand? Yea, they said
both. Now, damsel, said Sir Gawaine, ye shall stand betwixt them both,
and whether ye list better to go to, he shall have you. And when she
was set between them both she left the knight and went to the dwarf.
And the dwarf took her and went his way singing, and the knight went
his way with great mourning. Then came there two knights all armed, and
cried on high, Sir Gawaine, knight of king Arthur, make thee ready in
all haste and just with me. So they ran together that either fell down.
And then on foot they drew their swords and did full actually. In the
meanwhile the other knight went to the damsel and asked her why she
abode with that knight, and if ye would abide with me, I will be your
faithful knight. And with you will I be, said the damsel, for with Sir
Gawaine I may not find in mine heart to be with him: for now here was
one knight discomfited ten knights, and at the last he was cowardly led
away; and therefore let us two go our way whilst they fight. And Sir
Gawaine fought with that other knight long, but at the last they
accorded both. And then the knight prayed Sir Gawaine to lodge with him
that night. So as Sir Gawaine went with this knight he asked him, What
knight is he in this country that smote down the ten knights? For when
he had done so manfully, he suffered them to bind him hand and foot,
and so led him away. Ah! said the knight, that is the best knight I
trow in the world, and the most man of prowess, and he hath been served
so as he was even more than ten times, and his name hight Sir Pelleas,
and he loveth a great lady in this country, and her name is Ettard. And
so when he loved her there was cried in this country a great justs
three days: and all the knights of this country were there and
gentlewomen; and who that proved him the best knight should have a
passing good sword and a circlet of gold, and the circlet the knight
should give it to the fairest lady that was at the justs. And this
knight, Sir Pelleas, was the best knight that was there, and there were
five hundred knights, but there was never man that ever Sir Pelleas met
withal, but he struck him down, or else from his horse. And every day
of three days he struck down twenty knights, therefore they gave him
the prize. And forthwithal he went there as the lady Ettard was, and
gave her the circlet, and said openly she was the fairest lady that
there was, and that would he prove upon any knight that would say nay.
CHAP. XXI.
_How king Pelleas suffered himself to be taken prisoner because he
would have a sight of his lady, and how Sir Gawaine promised him for
to get to him the love of his lady._
And so he chose her for his sovereign lady, and never to love other but
her. But she was so proud that she had scorn of him, and said she would
never love him, though he would die for her. Wherefore all ladies and
gentlewomen had scorn of her that she was so proud, for there were
fairer than she, and there was none that was there but and Sir Pelleas
would have proffered them love, they would have loved him for his noble
prowess. And so this knight promised the lady Ettard to follow her into
this country, and never to leave her till she loved him. And thus he is
here the most part nigh her, and lodged by a priory, and every week she
sendeth knights to fight with him. And when he hath put them to the