Kabanata Kabanata 87 · How Sir Uwaine rode with the damosel of sixty year of

. How Sir Uwaine rode with the damosel of sixty year of

age, and how he gat the prize at tourneying.

Now turn we unto Sir Uwaine, that rode westward with his damosel of

three score winter of age, and she brought him thereas was a tournament

nigh the march of Wales. And at that tournament Sir Uwaine smote down

thirty knights, therefore was given him the prize, and that was a

gerfalcon, and a white steed trapped with cloth of gold. So then Sir

Uwaine did many strange adventures by the means of the old damosel, and

so she brought him to a lady that was called the Lady of the Rock, the

which was much courteous. So there were in the country two knights that

were brethren, and they were called two perilous knights, the one

knight hight Sir Edward of the Red Castle, and the other Sir Hue of the

Red Castle; and these two brethren had disherited the Lady of the Rock

of a barony of lands by their extortion. And as this knight was lodged

with this lady she made her complaint to him of these two knights.

Madam, said Sir Uwaine, they are to blame, for they do against the high

order of knighthood, and the oath that they made; and if it like you I

will speak with them, because I am a knight of King Arthur’s, and I

will entreat them with fairness; and if they will not, I shall do

battle with them, and in the defence of your right. Gramercy said the

lady, and thereas I may not acquit you, God shall. So on the morn the

two knights were sent for, that they should come thither to speak with

the Lady of the Rock, and wit ye well they failed not, for they came

with an hundred horse. But when this lady saw them in this manner so

big, she would not suffer Sir Uwaine to go out to them upon no surety

nor for no fair language, but she made him speak with them over a

tower, but finally these two brethren would not be entreated, and

answered that they would keep that they had. Well, said Sir Uwaine,

then will I fight with one of you, and prove that ye do this lady

wrong. That will we not, said they, for an we do battle, we two will

fight with one knight at once, and therefore if ye will fight so, we

will be ready at what hour ye will assign. And if ye win us in battle

the lady shall have her lands again. Ye say well, said Sir Uwaine,

therefore make you ready so that ye be here to-morn in the defence of

the lady’s right.