第90章 BOOK VII(17)

Send you unto Sir Persant of Inde,and assummon him and his knights to be here with you as they have promised.Also,that ye send unto Sir Ironside,that is the Red Knight of the Red Launds,and charge him that he be ready with you with his whole sum of knights,and then shall ye be able to match with King Arthur and his knights.So this was done,and all knights were sent for unto the Castle Perilous;and then the Red Knight answered and said unto Dame Lionesse,and to Sir Gareth,Madam,and my lord Sir Gareth,ye shall understand that I have been at the court of King Arthur,and Sir Persant of Inde and his brethren,and there we have done our homage as ye commanded us.Also Sir Ironside said,I have taken upon me with Sir Persant of Inde and his brethren to hold part against my lord Sir Launcelot and the knights of that court.And this have I done for the love of my lady Dame Lionesse,and you my lord Sir Gareth.Ye have well done,said Sir Gareth;but wit you well ye shall be full sore matched with the most noble knights of the world;therefore we must purvey us of good knights,where we may get them.That is well said,said Sir Persant,and worshipfully.

And so the cry was made in England,Wales,and Scotland,Ireland,Cornwall,and in all the Out Isles,and in Brittany and in many countries;that at the feast of our Lady the Assumption next coming,men should come to the Castle Perilous beside the Isle of Avilion;and there all the knights that there came should have the choice whether them list to be on the one party with the knights of the castle,or on the other party with King Arthur.

And two months was to the day that the tournament should be.And so there came many good knights that were at their large,and held them for the most part against King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table and came in the side of them of the castle.

For Sir Epinogrus was the first,and he was the king's son of Northumberland,and Sir Palamides the Saracen was another,and Sir Safere his brother,and Sir Segwarides his brother,but they were christened,and Sir Malegrine another,and Sir Brian de les Isles,a noble knight,and Sir Grummore Grummursum,a good knight of Scotland,and Sir Carados of the dolorous tower,a noble knight,and Sir Turquine his brother,and Sir Arnold and Sir Gauter,two brethren,good knights of Cornwall.There came Sir Tristram de Liones,and with him Sir Dinas,the Seneschal,and Sir Sadok;but this Sir Tristram was not at that time knight of the Table Round,but he was one of the best knights of the world.And so all these noble knights accompanied them with the lady of the castle,and with the Red Knight of the Red Launds;but as for Sir Gareth,he would not take upon him more but as other mean knights.

CHAPTER XXVII

How King Arthur went to the tournament with his knights,and how the lady received him worshipfully,and how the knights encountered.

AND then there came with King Arthur Sir Gawaine,Agravaine,Gaheris,his brethren.And then his nephews Sir Uwaine le Blanchemains,and Sir Aglovale,Sir Tor,Sir Percivale de Galis,and Sir Lamorak de Galis.Then came Sir Launcelot du Lake with his brethren,nephews,and cousins,as Sir Lionel,Sir Ector de Maris,Sir Bors de Ganis,and Sir Galihodin,Sir Galihud,and many more of Sir Launcelot's blood,and Sir Dinadan,Sir La Cote Male Taile,his brother,a good knight,and Sir Sagramore,a good knight;and all the most part of the Round Table.Also there came with King Arthur these knights,the King of Ireland,King Agwisance,and the King of Scotland,King Carados and King Uriens of the land of Gore,and King Bagdemagus and his son Sir Meliaganus,and Sir Galahault the noble prince.All these kings,princes,and earls,barons,and other noble knights,as Sir Brandiles,Sir Uwaine les Avoutres,and Sir Kay,Sir Bedivere,Sir Meliot de Logres,Sir Petipase of Winchelsea,Sir Godelake:all these came with King Arthur,and more that cannot be rehearsed.