Le Morte Darthur
my nephew, Sir Wisshard, Sir Clegis, Sir Cleremond, and the captain of
Cardiff, with other, and bring with you all the beasts that ye there
can get. And anon these knights made them ready, and rode over holts
and hills, through forests and woods, till they came into a fair meadow
full of fair flowers and grass. And there they rested them and their
horses all that night. And in the springing of the day in the next morn
Sir Gawaine took his horse and stole away from his fellows to seek some
adventures. And anon he was ware of a man armed, walking his horse
easily by a wood’s side, and his shield laced to his shoulder, sitting
on a strong courser, without any man saving a page bearing a mighty
spear. The knight bare in his shield three griffons of gold in sable
carbuncle the chief of silver. When Sir Gawaine espied this gay knight
he fewtred his spear, and rode straight to him, and demanded him from
whence that he was. That other answered and said he was of Tuscany, and
demanded of Sir Gawaine, What profferest thou proud knight so boldly?
Here gettest thou no prey: thou mayest prove what thou wilt, for thou
shalt be my prisoner or thou depart. Then said Gawaine, Thou vauntest
thee greatly, and speakest proud words; I counsel thee for all thy
boast that thou make thee ready, and take thy gear to thee, tofore
greater grief fall to thee.
CHAP. X.
_Of a battle done by Gawaine against a Saracen, which after was yielden
and became Christian._
Then they took their spears, and ran each at other with all the might
they had, and smote each other through their shields into their
shoulders, wherefore anon they pulled out their swords, and smote great
strokes, that the fire sprang out of their helms. Then Sir Gawaine was
all abashed, and with Galatine, his good sword, he smote through shield
and thick hauberk made of thick mails, and all to-rushed and brake the
precious stones, and made him a large wound, that men might see both
liver and lung. Then groaned that knight, and addressed him to Sir
Gawaine, and with an awk stroke gave him a great wound, and cut a vein,
which grieved Sir Gawaine sore, and he bled sore. Then the knight said
to Sir Gawaine, Bind thy wound or thy bleeding change, for thou
be-bleedest all thy horse and thy fair arms; for all the barbers of
Britain can not stanch thy blood; for whosoever is hurt with this
blade, he shall never be stanched of bleeding. Then answered Gawaine,
It grieveth me but little; thy great words shall not fear me nor lessen
my courage, but thou shalt suffer teen and sorrow or we depart: but
tell me in haste who may stanch my bleeding? That may I do, said the
knight, if I will, and so I will if thou wilt succour and aid me, that
I may be christened and believe on God, and thereof I require thee of
thy manhood, and it shall be great merit for thy soul. I grant, said
Gawaine, so God help me, to accomplish all thy desire: but first tell
me what thou soughtest here thus alone, and of what land and liegiance
thou art. Sir, he said, my name is Priamus, and a great prince is my
father, and he hath been rebel unto Rome, and over ridden many of their
lands. My father is lineally descended of Alexander and of Hector by
right line. And duke Joshua and Maccabæus were of our lineage. I am
right inheritor of Alexandria and Africa, and all the out isles, yet
will I believe on thy Lord that thou believest on; and for thy labour I
shall give thee treasure enough. I was so elate and haughty in my
heart, that I thought no man my peer, nor to me semblable. I was sent
into this war with sevenscore knights, and now I have encountered with
thee which hast given to me of fighting my fill; wherefore sir knight I
pray thee to tell me what thou art? I am no knight, said Gawaine, I
have been brought up in the guardrobe with the noble king Arthur many
years, for to take heed to his armour and his other array, and to point
his paltocks that belong to himself. At Yule last he made me yeoman,
and gave to me horse and harness and an hundred pound in money: and if
fortune be my friend I doubt not but to be well advanced and holpen by
my liege lord. Ah, said Priamus, if his knaves be so keen and fierce,
his knights be passing good. Now, for the king’s love of heaven,
whether thou be a knave or a knight, tell thou me thy name. By heaven,
said Sir Gawaine, now will I say thee sooth: my name is Sir Gawaine,
and known I am in his court and in his chamber, and one of the knights
of the Round Table: he dubbed me a duke with his own hand. Therefore
grudge not if this grace is to me fortuned; it is the goodness of God
that lent to me my strength. Now am I better pleased, said Priamus,
than if thou hadst given me all the province, and Paris the rich. I had
lever to have been torn with wild horses, than any varlet had won such
praise, or any page or pricker should have had prize on me. But now,
sir knight, I warn thee that hereby is a duke of Loraine with all his
army, and the noblest men of Dolphine, and lords of Lombardy, with the
garrison of Godard, and Saracens of Southland, that numbered sixty
thousand of good men of arms; wherefore, but if we hie us hence, it
will harm us both, for we be sore hurt, never like to recover. But take
heed to my page that he no horn blow, for if he do, there be hoving
here fast by an hundred good knights, awaiting on my person, and if
they take thee there shall no ransom of gold ne silver acquit thee.
Then Sir Gawaine rode over a water for to save him, and the knight
followed him, and so rode forth till they came to his fellows which
were in the meadow, where they had been all the night. Anon as Sir
Wisshard was ware of Sir Gawaine and saw that he was hurt, he ran to
him sorrowfully weeping, and demanded of him who had so hurt him. And
Gawaine told how he had fought with that man, and each of them had hurt
other, and how he had salves to heal them; but I can tell you other
tidings, that soon we shall have ado with many enemies. Then Sir
Priamus and Sir Gawaine alighted, and let their horses graze in the
meadow, and unarmed them, and then the blood ran freshly from their
wounds. And Priamus took from his page a phial full of the four waters
that came out of Paradise, and with certain balm anointed their wounds,
and washed them with that water, and within an hour after they were
both as whole as ever they were. And then with a trumpet were they all
assembled to council, and there Priamus told unto them what lords and
knights had sworn to rescue him, and that without fail they should be
assailed with many thousands, wherefore he counselled them to withdraw
them. Then Sir Gawaine said, it were great shame to them to avoid
without any strokes; wherefore I advise to take our arms, and to make
us ready to meet with these Saracens and misbelieving men, and with the
help of God we shall overthrow them, and have a fair day on them. And
Sir Florence shall abide still in this field to keep the post as a
noble knight, and we shall not forsake yonder fellows. Now, said
Priamus, cease your words, for I warn you ye shall find in yonder woods
many perilous knights: they will put forth beasts to call you on: they
be out of number, and ye are not past seven hundred, which be over few
to fight with so many. Nevertheless, said Sir Gawaine, we shall once
encounter them and see what they can do, and the best shall have the
victory.
CHAP. XI.
_How the Saracens came out of a wood for to rescue their beasts, and of
a great battle._
Then Sir Florence called to him Sir Floridas with an hundred knights,
and drove forth the herd of beasts. Then followed him seven hundred men
of arms, and Sir Ferant of Spain on a fair steed came springing out of
the woods, and came to Sir Florence, and asked him why he fled. Then
Sir Florence took his spear, and rode against him, and smote him in the
forehead and brake his neck bone. Then all the other were moved, and
thought to avenge the death of Sir Ferant, and smote in among them, and
there was great fight, and many slain and laid down to ground, and Sir
Florence with his hundred knights always kept the post, and fought
manly. Then when Priamus the good knight perceived the great fight, he
went to Sir Gawaine and bad him that he should go and succour his
fellowship, which were sore bested with their enemies. Sir, grieve you
not, said Sir Gawaine, for their honour shall be theirs: I shall not
once move my horse to themward but if I see more than there be, for
they be strong enough to match them. And with that he saw an earl
called Sir Ethelwold and the duke of Dutchmen come leaping out of a
wood, with many thousands, and Priamus’s knights, and came straight
unto the battle. Then Sir Gawaine comforted his knights, and bad them
not be abashed, for all shall be ours. Then they began to gallop, and
met with their enemies: there were men slain and overthrown on every
side. Then thrust in among them the knights of the Table Round, and
smote down to the earth all them that withstood them, insomuch that
they made them to recoil and flee. Truly, said Sir Gawaine, this
gladdeth my heart, for now be they less in number by twenty thousand.
Then entered into the battle Jubance a giant, and fought and slew
downright, and distressed many of our knights, among whom was slain Sir
Gherard, a knight of Wales. Then our knights took heart to them, and
slew many Saracens. And then came in Sir Priamus with his pennon, and
rode with the knights of the Round Table, and fought so manfully that
many of their enemies lost their lives. And there Sir Priamus slew the
Marquis of Moises land. And Sir Gawaine with his fellows so quit them
that they had the field, but in that fight was Sir Chestelaine, a child
and ward of Sir Gawaine, slain, wherefore was much sorrow made, and his
death was soon avenged. Thus was the battle ended, and many lords of
Lombardy and Saracens left dead in the field.
Then Sir Florence and Sir Gawaine harboured surely their people, and
took great plenty of cattle, of gold and silver and great treasure and
riches, and returned unto king Arthur, which lay still at the siege.
And when they came to the king they presented their prisoners, and
recounted their adventures, and how they had vanquished their enemies.
CHAP. XII.
_How Sir Gawaine returned to king Arthur with his prisoners, and how
the king won a city, and how he was crowned emperor._
Now thanked be God, said the noble king Arthur. But what manner man is
he that standeth by himself? he seemeth no prisoner. Sir, said Gawaine,
this is a good man of arms; he hath matched me, but he is yielden unto
God and to me for to become Christian: had not he been we should never
have returned, wherefore I pray you that he may be baptized, for their
liveth not a nobler man nor better knight of his hands. Then the king
let him anon be christened, and did do call him his first name Priamus,
and made him a duke and knight of the Table Round. And then anon the
king let do cry assault to the city, and there was rearing of ladders,
breaking of walls, and the ditch filled, that men with little pain
might enter into the city. Then came out a duchess, and Clarisin the
countess, with many ladies and damsels, and kneeling before king Arthur
required him for the love of God to receive the city and not to take it
by assault, for then should many guiltless be slain. Then the king
availed his visor with a meek and noble countenance, and said, Madam,
there shall none of my subjects misdo you nor your maidens, nor to none
that to you belong, but the duke shall abide my judgment. Then anon the
king commanded to leave the assault; and anon the duke’s eldest son
brought out the keys, and kneeling, delivered them to the king, and