Kabanata Kabanata 122 · How Beaumains desired the battle, and how it was granted

. How Beaumains desired the battle, and how it was granted

to him, and how he desired to be made knight of Sir Launcelot.

With these words came before the king Beaumains, while the damosel was

there, and thus he said, Sir king, God thank you, I have been this

twelvemonth in your kitchen, and have had my full sustenance, and now I

will ask my two gifts that be behind. Ask, upon my peril, said the

king. Sir, this shall be my two gifts, first that ye will grant me to

have this adventure of the damosel, for it belongeth unto me. Thou

shalt have it, said the king, I grant it thee. Then, sir, this is the

other gift, that ye shall bid Launcelot du Lake to make me knight, for

of him I will be made knight and else of none. And when I am passed I

pray you let him ride after me, and make me knight when I require him.

All this shall be done, said the king. Fie on thee, said the damosel,

shall I have none but one that is your kitchen page? Then was she wroth

and took her horse and departed. And with that there came one to

Beaumains and told him his horse and armour was come for him; and there

was the dwarf come with all thing that him needed, in the richest

manner; thereat all the court had much marvel from whence came all that

gear. So when he was armed there was none but few so goodly a man as he

was; and right so as he came into the hall and took his leave of King

Arthur, and Sir Gawaine, and Sir Launcelot, and prayed that he would

hie after him, and so departed and rode after the damosel.