第91章 BOOK VII(18)

Now leave we of these kings and knights,and let us speak of the great array that was made within the castle and about the castle for both parties.The Lady Dame Lionesse ordained great array upon her part for her noble knights,for all manner of lodging and victual that came by land and by water,that there lacked nothing for her party,nor for the other,but there was plenty to be had for gold and silver for King Arthur and his knights.And then there came the harbingers from King Arthur for to harbour him,and his kings,dukes,earls,barons,and knights.And then Sir Gareth prayed Dame Lionesse and the Red Knight of the Red Launds,and Sir Persant and his brother,and Sir Gringamore,that in no wise there should none of them tell not his name,and make no more of him than of the least knight that there was,For,he said,I will not be known of neither more nor less,neither at the beginning neither at the ending.Then Dame Lionesse said unto Sir Gareth:Sir,I will lend you a ring,but I would pray you as you love me heartily let me have it again when the tournament is done,for that ring increaseth my beauty much more than it is of himself.And the virtue of my ring is that,that is green it will turn to red,and that is red it will turn in likeness to green,and that is blue it will turn to likeness of white,and that is white it will turn in likeness to blue,and so it will do of all manner of colours.Also who that beareth my ring shall lose no blood,and for great love I will give you this ring.Gramercy,said Sir Gareth,mine own lady,for this ring is passing meet for me,for it will turn all manner of likeness that I am in,and that shall cause me that I shall not be known.Then Sir Gringamore gave Sir Gareth a bay courser that was a passing good horse;also he gave him good armour and sure,and a noble sword that sometime Sir Gringamore's father won upon an heathen tyrant.And so thus every knight made him ready to that tournament.And King Arthur was come two days to-fore the Assumption of our Lady.And there was all manner of royalty of all minstrelsy that might be found.Also there came Queen Guenever and the Queen of Orkney,Sir Gareth's mother.

And upon the Assumption Day,when mass and matins were done,there were heralds with trumpets commanded to blow to the field.

And so there came out Sir Epinogrus,the king's son of Northumberland,from the castle,and there encountered with him Sir Sagramore le Desirous,and either of them brake their spears to their hands.And then came in Sir Palamides out of the castle,and there encountered with him Gawaine,and either of them smote other so hard that both the good knights and their horses fell to the earth.And then knights of either party rescued their knights.And then came in Sir Safere and Sir Segwarides,brethren to Sir Palamides;and there encountered Sir Agravaine with Sir Safere and Sir Gaheris encountered with Sir Segwarides.So Sir Safere smote down Agravaine,Sir Gawaine's brother;and Sir Segwarides,Sir Safere's brother.And Sir Malegrine,a knight of the castle,encountered with Sir Uwaine le Blanchemains,and there Sir Uwaine gave Sir Malegrine a fall,that he had almost broke his neck.

CHAPTER XXVIII

How the knights bare them in the battle.

THEN Sir Brian de les Isles and Grummore Grummursum,knights of the castle,encountered with Sir Aglovale,and Sir Tor smote down Sir Grummore Grummursum to the earth.Then came in Sir Carados of the dolorous tower,and Sir Turquine,knights of the castle;and there encountered with them Sir Percivale de Galis and Sir Lamorak de Galis,that were two brethren.And there encountered Sir Percivale with Sir Carados,and either brake their spears unto their hands,and then Sir Turquine with Sir Lamorak,and either of them smote down other's horse and all to the earth,and either parties rescued other,and horsed them again.And Sir Arnold and Sir Gauter,knights of the castle,encountered with Sir Brandiles and Sir Kay,and these four knights encountered mightily,and brake their spears to their hands.Then came in Sir Tristram,Sir Sadok,and Sir Dinas,knights of the castle,and there encountered Sir Tristram with Sir Bedivere,and there Sir Bedivere was smitten to the earth both horse and man.And Sir Sadok encountered with Sir Petipase,and there Sir Sadok was overthrown.And there Uwaine les Avoutres smote down Sir Dinas,the Seneschal.Then came in Sir Persant of Inde,a knight of the castle,and there encountered with him Sir Launcelot du Lake,and there he smote Sir Persant,horse and man,to the earth.Then came Sir Pertolepe from the castle,and there encountered with him Sir Lionel,and there Sir Pertolepe,the Green Knight,smote down Sir Lionel,brother to Sir Launcelot.All this was marked by noble heralds,who bare him best,and their names.

And then came into the field Sir Perimones,the Red Knight,Sir Persant's brother,that was a knight of the castle,and he encountered with Sir Ector de Maris,and either smote other so hard that both their horses and they fell to the earth.And then came in the Red Knight of the Red Launds,and Sir Gareth,from the castle,and there encountered with them Sir Bors de Ganis and Sir Bleoberis,and there the Red Knight and Sir Bors [either]

smote other so hard that their spears brast,and their horses fell grovelling to the earth.Then Sir Bleoberis brake his spear upon Sir Gareth,but of that stroke Sir Bleoberis fell to the earth.When Sir Galihodin saw that he bade Sir Gareth keep him,and Sir Gareth smote him to the earth.Then Sir Galihud gat a spear to avenge his brother,and in the same wise Sir Gareth served him,and Sir Dinadan and his brother,La Cote Male Taile,and Sir Sagramore le Desirous,and Sir Dodinas le Savage.All these he bare down with one spear.