The Story of King Arthur and his Knights
Then Sir Pellias laughed, and he said, “Parcenet, thou art minded to
give me praise that is far beyond my deserving.” And Parcenet said,
“Sir, not so, for thou dost deserve all that I may say to thy credit.”
Thereupon they twain took leave of one another with very good will and
much kindness of intention, and the maiden and the three pages went the
one way, and Sir Pellias and his two companions and the several
attendants they had brought with them went into the glade of young trees
as Sir Pellias had ordained.
[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias and his knights-companion take up their inn in a
glade of trees._]
And there they set up three pavilions in the shade of the trees; the one
pavilion of fair white cloth, the second of green cloth, and the third
of scarlet cloth. And over each pavilion they had set a banner
emblazoned with the device of that knight unto whom the pavilion
appertained: above the white pavilion was the device of Sir Pellias: to
wit, three swans displayed upon a field argent; above the red pavilion,
which was the pavilion of Sir Brandiles, was a red banner emblazoned
with his device: to-wit, a mailed hand holding in its grasp a hammer;
above the green pavilion, which was that of Sir Mador de la Porte, was a
green banner bearing his device, which was that of a carrion crow
holding in one hand a white lily flower and in the other a sword.
[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias issues challenge to Sir Engamore._]
So when the next day had come, and when mid-day was nigh at hand, Sir
Pellias went forth into that field before the castle as he had promised
to do, and he was clad all from head to foot in the red armor which he had
taken from the body of Sir Adresack, so that in that armor he presented
a very terrible appearance. So he rode up and down before the castle
walls for a considerable while crying in a loud voice, “What ho! What
ho! Here stands a knight of King Arthur’s Court and of his Round Table
who doth affirm, and is ready to maintain the same with his body, that
the Lady Guinevere, King Arthur’s Queen of Camelot, is the most
beautiful lady in all of the world, barring none whomsoever. Wherefore,
if any knight maintaineth otherwise, let him straightway come forth for
to defend his opinion with his body.”
Now after Sir Pellias had thus appeared in that meadow there fell a
great commotion within the castle, and many people came upon the walls
thereof and gazed down upon Sir Pellias where he paraded that field. And
after a time had passed, the drawbridge of the castle was let fall, and
there issued forth a knight, very huge of frame and exceedingly haughty
of demeanor. This knight was clad altogether from head to foot in green
armor, and upon either arm he wore a green sleeve, whence he was
sometimes entitled the Knight of the Green Sleeves.
So that Green Knight rode forward toward Sir Pellias, and Sir Pellias
rode forward unto the Green Knight, and when they had come together they
gave salute with a great deal of civility and knightly courtesy. Then
the Green Knight said unto Sir Pellias, “Sir Knight, wilt thou allow
unto me the great favor for to know thy name?”
Whereunto Sir Pellias made reply, “That will I so. I am Sir Pellias, a
knight of King Arthur’s Court and of his Round Table.”
Then the Green Knight made reply, “Ha, Sir Pellias, it is a great honor
for me to have to do with so famous a knight, for who is there in Courts
of Chivalry who hath not heard of thee? Now, if I have the good fortune
for to overthrow thee, then will all thy honor become my honor. Now, in
return for thy courtesy for making proclamation of thy name, I give unto
thee my name and title, which is Sir Engamore of Malverat, further known
as the Knight of the Green Sleeves. And I may furthermore tell thee that
I am the champion unto the Lady Ettard of Grantmesnle, and that I have
defended her credit unto peerless beauty for eleven months, and that
against all comers, wherefore if I do successfully defend it for one
month longer, then do I become lord of her hand and of all this fair
estate. So I am prepared to do the uttermost in my power in her honor.”
Then Sir Pellias said, “Sir Knight, I give thee gramercy for thy words
of greeting, and I too will do my uttermost in this encounter.”
Thereupon each knight saluted each other with his lance, and each rode
to his appointed station.
[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias overthrows Sir Engamore._]
Now a great concourse of people had come down to the lower walls of the
castle and of the town for to behold the contest of arms that was
toward, wherefore it would be hard to imagine a more worthy occasion
where knights might meet in a glorious contest of friendly jousting,
wherefore each knight prepared himself in all ways, and dressed him his
spear and his lance with great care and circumspection. So when all had
been prepared for that encounter, an herald, who had come forth from the
castle into the field, give the signal for assault. Thereupon in an
instant, each knight drave spurs into his horse and rushed the one
against the other, with such terrible speed that the ground shook and
trembled beneath the beating of their horses’ feet. So they met exactly
in the centre of the field of battle, the one knight smiting the other
in the midst of his defences with a violence that was very terrible to
behold. And the spear of Sir Engamore burst into as many as thirty
pieces, but the spear of Sir Pellias held so that the Green Knight was
hurtled so violently from out of his saddle that he smote the earth
above a spear’s length behind the crupper of his horse.
Now when those who had stood upon the walls beheld how entirely the
Green Knight was overthrown in the encounter, they lifted up their
voices in great outcry; for there was no other such knight as Sir
Engamore in all those parts. And more especially did the Lady Ettard
make great outcry; for Sir Engamore was very much beloved by her;
wherefore, seeing him so violently flung down upon the ground, she
deemed that perhaps he had been slain.
Then three esquires ran to Sir Engamore and lifted him up and unlaced
his helm for to give him air. And they beheld that he was not slain, but
only in a deep swoon. So by and by he opened his eyes, and at that Sir
Pellias was right glad, for it would have grieved him had he slain that
knight. Now when Sir Engamore came back unto his senses once more, he
demanded with great vehemence that he might continue that contest with
Sir Pellias afoot and with swords. But Sir Pellias would not have it so.
“Nay, Sir Engamore,” quoth he, “I will not fight thee so serious a
quarrel as that, for I have no such despite against thee.” And at that
denial Sir Engamore fell a weeping from pure vexation and shame of his
entire overthrow.
Then came Sir Brandiles and Sir Mador de la Porte and gave Sir Pellias
great acclaim for the excellent manner in which he had borne himself in
the encounter, and at the same time they offered consolation unto Sir
Engamore and comforted him for the misfortune that had befallen him.
But Sir Engamore would take but little comfort in their words.
Now whiles they thus stood all together, there issued out from the
castle the Lady Ettard and an exceedingly gay and comely Court of
esquires and ladies, and these came across the meadow toward where Sir
Pellias and the others stood.
Then when Sir Pellias beheld that lady approach, he drew his
misericordia and cut the thongs of his helmet, and took the helmet off
of his head, and thus he went forward, bareheaded, for to meet her.
[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias greets the Lady Ettard in courteous wise._]
But when he had come nigh to her he beheld that she was many times more
beautiful than that image of her painted upon the ivory panel which he
had aforetime beheld, wherefore his heart went forth unto her with a
very great strength of liking. So therewith he kneeled down upon the
grass and set his hands together palm to palm, before her, and he said:
“Lady, I do very greatly crave thy forgiveness that I should thus have
done battle against thy credit. For, excepting that I did that endeavor
for my Queen, I would rather, in another case, have been thy champion
than that of any lady whom I have ever beheld.”
Now at that time Sir Pellias wore about his neck the collar of emeralds
and opal stones and gold which the Lady of the Lake had given to him.
Wherefore, when the Lady Ettard looked upon him, that necklace drew her
heart unto him with very great enchantment. Wherefore she smiled upon
Sir Pellias very cheerfully and gave him her hand and caused him to
arise from that place where he kneeled. And she said to him, “Sir
Knight, thou art a very famous warrior; for I suppose there is not
anybody who knoweth aught of chivalry but hath heard of the fame of Sir
Pellias, the Gentle Knight. Wherefore, though my champion Sir Engamore
of Malverat hath heretofore overthrown all comers, yet he need not feel
very much ashamed to have been overthrown by so terribly strong a
knight.”
[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias and his knights-companion go to the castle of
Grantmesnle._]
Then Sir Pellias was very glad of the kind words which the Lady Ettard
spake unto him, and therewith he made her known unto Sir Brandiles and
Sir Mador de la Porte. Unto these knights also, the Lady Ettard spake
very graciously, being moved thereto by the extraordinary regard she
felt toward Sir Pellias. So she besought those knights that they would
come into the castle and refresh themselves, with good cheer, and with
that, the knights said that they would presently do so. Wherefore they
returned each knight unto his pavilion, and there each bedight himself
with fine raiment and with ornaments of gold and silver in such a
fashion that he was noble company for any Court. Then those three
knights betook themselves unto the castle of Grantmesnle, and when they
had come thither everybody was astonished at the nobility of their
aspect.
But Sir Engamore, who had by now recovered from his fall, was greatly
cast down, for he said unto himself, “Who am I in the presence of these
noble lords?” So he stood aside and was very downcast of heart and
oppressed in his spirits.
Then the Lady Ettard set a very fine feast and Sir Pellias and Sir
Brandiles and Sir Mador de la Porte were exceedingly glad thereof. And
upon her right hand she placed Sir Pellias, and upon her left hand she
placed Sir Engamore. And Sir Engamore was still more cast down, for,
until now, he had always sat upon the right hand of the Lady Ettard.
Now because Sir Pellias wore that wonderful collar which the Lady of the
Lake had given unto him, the Lady Ettard could not keep her regard from
him. So after they had refreshed themselves and had gone forth into the
castle pleasaunce for to walk in the warm sunshine, the lady would have
Sir Pellias continually beside her. And when it came time for those
foreign knights to quit the castle, she besought Sir Pellias that he
would stay a while longer. Now Sir Pellias was very glad to do that, for
he was pleased beyond measure with the graciousness and the beauty of
the Lady Ettard.
So by and by Sir Brandiles and Sir Mador de la Porte went back unto
their pavilions, and Sir Pellias remained in the castle of Grantmesnle
for a while longer.
[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias and the Lady Ettard feast together._]
Now that night the Lady Ettard let to be made a supper for herself and
Sir Pellias, and at that supper she and Sir Pellias alone sat at the
table, and the damsel Parcenet waited in attendance upon the lady.
Whiles they ate, certain young pages and esquires played very sweetly
upon harps, and certain maidens who were attendant upon the Court of the
lady sang so sweetly that it expanded the heart of the listener to hear