Le Morte Darthur
into the hall two men well beseen and richly, and upon their shoulders
there leaned the goodliest young man and the fairest that ever they all
saw, and he was large and long and broad in the shoulders, and well
visaged, and the fairest and the largest handed that ever man saw, but
he fared as though he might not go nor bear himself, but if he leaned
upon their shoulders. Anon as Arthur saw him there was made peace and
room, and right so they went with him unto the high dais, without
saying of any words. Then this much young man pulled him aback, and
easily stretched up straight, saying, King Arthur, God you bless, and
all your fair fellowship, and in especial the fellowship of the Table
Round. And for this cause I am come hither, to pray you and require you
to give me three gifts, and they shall not be unreasonably asked, but
that ye may worshipfully and honourably grant them me, and to you no
great hurt nor loss. And the first done and gift I will ask now, and
the other two gifts I will ask this day twelvemonth wheresoever ye hold
your high feast. Now ask, said Arthur, and ye shall have your asking.
Now sir, this is my petition for this feast, that ye will give me meat
and drink sufficiently for this twelvemonth, and at that day I will ask
mine other two gifts. My fair son, said Arthur, ask better, I counsel
thee, for this is but a simple asking, for my heart giveth me to thee
greatly that thou art come of men of worship, and greatly my conceit
faileth me but thou shalt prove a man of right great worship. Sir, said
he, thereof be as it may, I have asked that I will ask. Well, said the
king, ye shall have meat and drink enough, I never defended that none,
neither my friend nor my foe. But what is thy name I would wit? I
cannot tell you, said he. That is marvel, said the king, that thou
knowest not thy name, and thou art the goodliest young man that ever I
saw. Then the king betook him to Sir Kay, the steward, and charged him
that he should give him of all manner of meats and drinks of the best,
and also that he had all manner of finding as though he were a lord’s
son. That shall little need, said Sir Kay, to do such cost upon him;
for I dare undertake he is a villain born, and never will make man, for
and he had come of gentlemen he would have asked of you horse and
armour, but such as he is, so he asketh. And since he hath no name, I
shall give him a name that shall be Beaumains, that is Fair-hands, and
into the kitchen I shall bring him, and there he shall have fat browis
every day, that he shall be as fat by the twelvemonth’s end as a pork
hog. Right so the two men departed, and beleft him to Sir Kay, that
scorned him and mocked him.
CHAP. II.
_How Sir Launcelot and Sir Gawaine were wroth because Sir Kay mocked
Beaumains, and of a damsel which desired a knight for to fight for a
lady._
Thereat was Sir Gawaine wroth, and in especial Sir Launcelot bad Sir
Kay leave his mocking, for I dare lay my head he shall prove a man of
great worship. Let be, said Sir Kay, it may not be, by no reason, for
as he is so hath he asked. Beware, said Sir Launcelot, so ye gave the
good knight Brewnor, Sir Dinadan’s brother, a name, and ye called him
La Cote Male Taile, and that turned you to anger afterward. As for
that, said Sir Kay, this shall never prove none such; for Sir Brewnor
desired ever worship, and this desireth bread and drink, and broth;
upon pain of my life he was fostered up in some abbey, and, howsoever
it was, they failed meat and drink, and so hither he is come for his
sustenance. And so Sir Kay bad get him a place and sit down to meat, so
Beaumains went to the hall door, and set him down among boys and lads,
and there he eat sadly. And then Sir Launcelot after meat bad him come
to his chamber, and there he should have meat and drink enough. And so
did Sir Gawaine: but he refused them all; he would do none other but as
Sir Kay commanded him, for no proffer. But as touching Sir Gawaine, he
had reason to proffer him lodging, meat, and drink, for that proffer
came of his blood, for he was nearer kin to him than he wist. But that
as Sir Launcelot did was of his great gentleness and courtesy. So thus
he was put into the kitchen, and lay nightly as the boys of the kitchen
did. And so he endured all that twelvemonth, and never displeased man
nor child, but always he was meek and mild. But ever when that he saw
any justing of knights, that would he see and he might. And ever Sir
Launcelot would give him gold to spend, and clothes, and so did Sir
Gawaine. And where were any masteries done thereat would he be, and
there might none cast bar nor stone to him by two yards. Then would Sir
Kay say, How liketh you my boy of the kitchen? So it passed on till the
feast of Whitsuntide. And at that time the king held it at Carlion in
the most royalest wise that might be, like as he did yearly.
But the king would no meat eat upon the Whitsunday until he heard some
adventures. Then came there a squire to the king and said, Sir, ye may
go to your meat, for here cometh a damsel with some strange adventures.
Then was the king glad, and set him down. Right so there came a damsel
into the hall, and saluted the king, and prayed him of succour. For
whom, said the king, what is the adventure? Sir, she said, I have a
lady of great worship and renown, and she is besieged with a tyrant, so
that she may not out of her castle. And because here are called the
noblest knights of the world, I come to you to pray you of succour.
What highteth your lady, and where dwelleth she? and who is he, and
what is his name, that hath besieged her? Sir king, she said, as for my
lady’s name that shall not ye know for me as at this time, but I let
you wit she is a lady of great worship, and of great lands. And as for
the tyrant that besiegeth her and destroyeth her lands, he is called
the red knight of the red lawns. I know him not, said the king. Sir,
said Sir Gawaine, I know him well, for he is one of the perilousest
knights of the world: men say that he hath seven men’s strength, and
from him I escaped once full hard with my life. Fair damsel, said the
king, there be knights here would do their power to rescue your lady,
but because ye will not tell her name, nor where she dwelleth,
therefore none of my knights that be here now shall go with you by my
will. Then must I speak further, said the damsel.
CHAP. III.
_How Beaumains desired the battle, and how it was granted to him, and
how he desired to be made knight of Sir Launcelot._
With these words came before the king Beaumains, while the damsel was
there, and thus he said: Sir king, God thank you, I have been these
twelvemonth in your kitchen, and have had my full sustenance, and now I
will ask my two gifts that be behind. Ask upon my peril, said the king.
Sir, this shall be my two gifts. First, that ye will grant me to have
this adventure of the damsel, for it belongeth unto me. Thou shalt have
it, said the king, I grant it thee. Then, sir, this is the other gift,
that ye shall bid Launcelot du Lake make me knight, for of him I will
be made knight, and else of none. And when I am past, I pray you let
him ride after me, and make me knight when I require him. All this
shall be done, said the king. Fie on thee, said the damsel, shall I
have none but one that is your kitchen page. Then was she wroth, and
took her horse and departed.
And with that there came one to Beaumains, and told him that his horse
and armour was come for him, and there was the dwarf come with all
thing that him needed in the richest manner. Thereat all the court had
much marvel from whence came all that gear. So when he was armed there
was none but few so goodly a man as he was. And right so he came into
the hall and took his leave of king Arthur and Sir Gawaine and Sir
Launcelot, and prayed that he would hie after him. And so departed and
rode after the damsel.
CHAP. IV.
_How Beaumains departed, and how he gat of Sir Kay a spear and a
shield, and how he justed and fought with Sir Launcelot._
But there went many after to behold how well he was horsed and trapped
in cloth of gold, but he had neither shield nor spear. Then Sir Kay
said all openly in the hall, I will ride after my boy in the kitchen,
to wit whether he will know me for his better. Said Sir Launcelot and
Sir Gawaine, Yet abide at home. So Sir Kay made him ready and took his
horse and his spear and rode after him. And right as Beaumains overtook
the damsel, right so came Sir Kay, and said, Beaumains, what sir know
ye not me? Then he turned his horse and knew it was Sir Kay, that had
done him all the despite as ye have heard afore. Yea, said Beaumains, I
know you for an ungentle knight of the court, and therefore beware of
me. Therewith Sir Kay put his spear in the rest, and ran straight upon
him, and Beaumains came as fast upon him with his sword in his hand;
and so he put away his spear with his sword, and with a foin thrust him
through the side, that Sir Kay fell down as he had been dead, and he
alight down and took Sir Kay’s shield and his spear, and start upon his
own horse and rode his way. All that saw Sir Launcelot, and so did the
damsel. And then he bad his dwarf start upon Sir Kay’s horse, and so he
did. By that Sir Launcelot was come. Then he proffered Sir Launcelot to
just, and either made them ready, and came together so fiercely that
either bare down other to the earth, and sore were they bruised. Then
Sir Launcelot arose and helped him from his horse. And then Beaumains
threw his shield from him, and proffered to fight with Sir Launcelot on
foot, and so they rushed together like boars, tracing, racing, and
foining, to the mountenance of an hour, and Sir Launcelot felt him so
big that he marvelled of his strength, for he fought more like a giant
than a knight, and that his fighting was durable and passing perilous.
For Sir Launcelot had so much ado with him that he dread himself to be
shamed, and said, Beaumains, fight not so sore, your quarrel and mine
is not so great but we may leave off. Truly, that is truth, said
Beaumains, but it doth me good to feel your might, and yet, my lord, I
shewed not the utterance.
CHAP. V.
_How Beaumains told to Sir Launcelot his name, and how he was dubbed
knight of Sir Launcelot, and after overtook the damsel._
Well, said Sir Launcelot, for I promise you by the faith of my body I
had as much to do as I might to save myself from you unshamed, and
therefore have ye no doubt of none earthly knight. Hope ye so that I
may any while stand a proved knight? said Beaumains. Yea, said
Launcelot, do ye as ye have done, and I shall be your warrant. Then, I
pray you, said Beaumains, give me the order of knighthood. Then must ye
tell me your name, said Launcelot, and of what kin ye be born. Sir, so
that ye will not discover me I shall, said Beaumains. Nay, said Sir
Launcelot, and that I promise you by the faith of my body, until it be
openly known. Then, Sir, he said, my name is Gareth, and brother unto
Sir Gawaine, of father and mother. Ah! Sir, said Launcelot, I am more
gladder of you than I was, for ever me thought ye should be of great
blood, and that ye came not to the court neither for meat nor for
drink. And then Sir Launcelot gave him the order of knighthood. And
then Sir Gareth prayed him for to depart, and let him go. So Sir
Launcelot departed from him and came to Sir Kay, and made him to be
borne home upon his shield, and so he was healed hard with the life,
and all men scorned Sir Kay, and in especial Sir Gawaine and Sir
Launcelot said it was not his part to rebuke no young man, for full