الفصل الفصل 146 · How King Arthur went to the tournament with his knights,

. 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.

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.