Chapter Chapter 79 · How Sir Marhaus jousted with Sir Gawaine and Sir Uwaine,

. How Sir Marhaus jousted with Sir Gawaine and Sir Uwaine,

and overthrew them both.

And then Sir Marhaus rode unto his shield, and saw how it was defouled,

and said, Of this despite I am a part avenged, but for her love that

gave me this white shield I shall wear thee, and hang mine where thou

wast; and so he hanged it about his neck. Then he rode straight unto

Sir Gawaine and to Sir Uwaine, and asked them what they did there? They

answered him that they came from King Arthur’s court to see adventures.

Well, said Sir Marhaus, here am I ready, an adventurous knight that

will fulfil any adventure that ye will desire; and so departed from

them, to fetch his range. Let him go, said Sir Uwaine unto Sir Gawaine,

for he is a passing good knight as any is living; I would not by my

will that any of us were matched with him. Nay, said Sir Gawaine, not

so, it were shame to us were he not assayed, were he never so good a

knight. Well, said Sir Uwaine, I will assay him afore you, for I am

more weaker than ye, and if he smite me down then may ye revenge me. So

these two knights came together with great raundon, that Sir Uwaine

smote Sir Marhaus that his spear brast in pieces on the shield, and Sir

Marhaus smote him so sore that horse and man he bare to the earth, and

hurt Sir Uwaine on the left side.

Then Sir Marhaus turned his horse and rode toward Gawaine with his

spear, and when Sir Gawaine saw that he dressed his shield, and they

aventred their spears, and they came together with all the might of

their horses, that either knight smote other so hard in midst of their

shields, but Sir Gawaine’s spear brake, but Sir Marhaus’ spear held;

and therewith Sir Gawaine and his horse rushed down to the earth. And

lightly Sir Gawaine rose on his feet, and pulled out his sword, and

dressed him toward Sir Marhaus on foot, and Sir Marhaus saw that, and

pulled out his sword and began to come to Sir Gawaine on horseback. Sir

knight, said Sir Gawaine, alight on foot, or else I will slay thy

horse. Gramercy, said Sir Marhaus, of your gentleness ye teach me

courtesy, for it is not for one knight to be on foot, and the other on

horseback. And therewith Sir Marhaus set his spear against a tree and

alighted and tied his horse to a tree, and dressed his shield, and

either came unto other eagerly, and smote together with their swords

that their shields flew in cantels, and they bruised their helms and

their hauberks, and wounded either other. But Sir Gawaine from it

passed nine of the clock waxed ever stronger and stronger, for then it

came to the hour of noon, and thrice his might was increased. All this

espied Sir Marhaus and had great wonder how his might increased, and so

they wounded other passing sore. And then when it was past noon, and

when it drew toward evensong, Sir Gawaine’s strength feebled, and waxed

passing faint that unnethes he might dure any longer, and Sir Marhaus

was then bigger and bigger. Sir knight, said Sir Marhaus, I have well

felt that ye are a passing good knight and a marvellous man of might as

ever I felt any, while it lasteth, and our quarrels are not great, and

therefore it were pity to do you hurt, for I feel ye are passing

feeble. Ah, said Sir Gawaine, gentle knight, ye say the word that I

should say. And therewith they took off their helms, and either kissed

other, and there they swore together either to love other as brethren.

And Sir Marhaus prayed Sir Gawaine to lodge with him that night. And so

they took their horses, and rode toward Sir Marhaus’ house. And as they

rode by the way, Sir knight, said Sir Gawaine, I have marvel that so

valiant a man as ye be love no ladies nor damosels. Sir, said Sir

Marhaus, they name me wrongfully those that give me that name, but well

I wot it be the damosels of the turret that so name me, and other such

as they be. Now shall I tell you for what cause I hate them: for they

be sorceresses and enchanters many of them, and be a knight never so

good of his body and full of prowess as man may be, they will make him

a stark coward to have the better of him, and this is the principal

cause that I hate them; and to all good ladies and gentlewomen I owe my

service as a knight ought to do.

As the book rehearseth in French, there were many knights that

overmatched Sir Gawaine, for all the thrice might that he had: Sir

Launcelot de Lake, Sir Tristram, Sir Bors de Ganis, Sir Percivale, Sir

Pelleas, and Sir Marhaus, these six knights had the better of Sir

Gawaine. Then within a little while they came to Sir Marhaus’ place,

which was in a little priory, and there they alighted, and ladies and

damosels unarmed them, and hastily looked to their hurts, for they were

all three hurt. And so they had all three good lodging with Sir

Marhaus, and good cheer; for when he wist that they were King Arthur’s

sister’s sons he made them all the cheer that lay in his power, and so

they sojourned there a sennight, and were well eased of their wounds,

and at the last departed. Now, said Sir Marhaus, we will not depart so

lightly, for I will bring you through the forest; and rode day by day

well a seven days or they found any adventure. At the last they came

into a great forest, that was named the country and forest of Arroy,

and the country of strange adventures. In this country, said Sir

Marhaus, came never knight since it was christened but he found strange

adventures; and so they rode, and came into a deep valley full of

stones, and thereby they saw a fair stream of water; above thereby was

the head of the stream a fair fountain, and three damosels sitting

thereby. And then they rode to them, and either saluted other, and the

eldest had a garland of gold about her head, and she was three score

winter of age or more, and her hair was white under the garland. The

second damosel was of thirty winter of age, with a circlet of gold

about her head. The third damosel was but fifteen year of age, and a

garland of flowers about her head. When these knights had so beheld

them, they asked them the cause why they sat at that fountain? We be

here, said the damosels, for this cause: if we may see any errant

knights, to teach them unto strange adventures; and ye be three knights

that seek adventures, and we be three damosels, and therefore each one

of you must choose one of us; and when ye have done so we will lead you

unto three highways, and there each of you shall choose a way and his

damosel with him. And this day twelvemonth ye must meet here again, and

God send you your lives, and thereto ye must plight your troth. This is

well said, said Sir Marhaus.