الفصل الفصل 144 · How the Queen of Orkney came to this feast of Pentecost,

. How the Queen of Orkney came to this feast of Pentecost,

and Sir Gawaine and his brethren came to ask her blessing.

So then the king and they went to meat, and were served in the best

manner. And as they sat at the meat, there came in the Queen of Orkney,

with ladies and knights a great number. And then Sir Gawaine, Sir

Agravaine, and Gaheris arose, and went to her and saluted her upon

their knees, and asked her blessing; for in fifteen year they had not

seen her. Then she spake on high to her brother King Arthur: Where have

ye done my young son Sir Gareth? He was here amongst you a twelvemonth,

and ye made a kitchen knave of him, the which is shame to you all.

Alas, where have ye done my dear son that was my joy and bliss? O dear

mother, said Sir Gawaine, I knew him not. Nor I, said the king, that

now me repenteth, but thanked be God he is proved a worshipful knight

as any is now living of his years, and I shall never be glad till I may

find him.

Ah, brother, said the Queen unto King Arthur, and unto Sir Gawaine, and

to all her sons, ye did yourself great shame when ye amongst you kept

my son in the kitchen and fed him like a poor hog. Fair sister, said

King Arthur, ye shall right well wit I knew him not, nor no more did

Sir Gawaine, nor his brethren; but sithen it is so, said the king, that

he is thus gone from us all, we must shape a remedy to find him. Also,

sister, meseemeth ye might have done me to wit of his coming, and then

an I had not done well to him ye might have blamed me. For when he came

to this court he came leaning upon two men’s shoulders, as though he

might not have gone. And then he asked me three gifts; and one he asked

the same day, that was that I would give him meat enough that

twelvemonth; and the other two gifts he asked that day a twelvemonth,

and that was that he might have the adventure of the damosel Linet, and

the third was that Sir Launcelot should make him knight when he desired

him. And so I granted him all his desire, and many in this court

marvelled that he desired his sustenance for a twelvemonth. And

thereby, we deemed, many of us, that he was not come of a noble house.

Sir, said the Queen of Orkney unto King Arthur her brother, wit ye well

that I sent him unto you right well armed and horsed, and worshipfully

beseen of his body, and gold and silver plenty to spend. It may be,

said the King, but thereof saw we none, save that same day as he

departed from us, knights told me that there came a dwarf hither

suddenly, and brought him armour and a good horse full well and richly

beseen; and thereat we all had marvel from whence that riches came,

that we deemed all that he was come of men of worship. Brother, said

the queen, all that ye say I believe, for ever sithen he was grown he

was marvellously witted, and ever he was faithful and true of his

promise. But I marvel, said she, that Sir Kay did mock him and scorn

him, and gave him that name Beaumains; yet, Sir Kay, said the queen,

named him more righteously than he weened; for I dare say an he be

alive, he is as fair an handed man and well disposed as any is living.

Sir, said Arthur, let this language be still, and by the grace of God

he shall be found an he be within this seven realms, and let all this

pass and be merry, for he is proved to be a man of worship, and that is

my joy.