Bab Bab 443 · How Sir Gawaine was lodged with the lord of Astolat, and

. How Sir Gawaine was lodged with the lord of Astolat, and

there had knowledge that it was Sir Launcelot that bare the red sleeve.

Then she told him as ye have heard to-fore, and how her father betook

him her brother to do him service, and how her father lent him her

brother’s, Sir Tirre’s, shield: And here with me he left his own

shield. For what cause did he so? said Sir Gawaine. For this cause,

said the damosel, for his shield was too well known among many noble

knights. Ah fair damosel, said Sir Gawaine, please it you let me have a

sight of that shield. Sir, said she, it is in my chamber, covered with

a case, and if ye will come with me ye shall see it. Not so, said Sir

Bernard till his daughter, let send for it.

So when the shield was come, Sir Gawaine took off the case, and when he

beheld that shield he knew anon that it was Sir Launcelot’s shield, and

his own arms. Ah Jesu mercy, said Sir Gawaine, now is my heart more

heavier than ever it was to-fore. Why? said Elaine. For I have great

cause, said Sir Gawaine. Is that knight that oweth this shield your

love? Yea truly, said she, my love he is, God would I were his love. So

God me speed, said Sir Gawaine, fair damosel ye have right, for an he

be your love ye love the most honourable knight of the world, and the

man of most worship. So me thought ever, said the damosel, for never or

that time, for no knight that ever I saw, loved I never none erst. God

grant, said Sir Gawaine, that either of you may rejoice other, but that

is in a great adventure. But truly, said Sir Gawaine unto the damosel,

ye may say ye have a fair grace, for why I have known that noble knight

this four-and-twenty year, and never or that day, I nor none other

knight, I dare make good, saw nor heard say that ever he bare token or

sign of no lady, gentlewoman, ne maiden, at no jousts nor tournament.

And therefore fair maiden, said Sir Gawaine, ye are much beholden to

him to give him thanks. But I dread me, said Sir Gawaine, that ye shall

never see him in this world, and that is great pity that ever was of

earthly knight. Alas, said she, how may this be, is he slain? I say not

so, said Sir Gawaine, but wit ye well he is grievously wounded, by all

manner of signs, and by men’s sight more likelier to be dead than to be

alive; and wit ye well he is the noble knight, Sir Launcelot, for by

this shield I know him. Alas, said the Fair Maiden of Astolat, how may

this be, and what was his hurt? Truly, said Sir Gawaine, the man in the

world that loved him best hurt him so; and I dare say, said Sir

Gawaine, an that knight that hurt him knew the very certainty that he

had hurt Sir Launcelot, it would be the most sorrow that ever came to

his heart.

Now fair father, said then Elaine, I require you give me leave to ride

and to seek him, or else I wot well I shall go out of my mind, for I

shall never stint till that I find him and my brother, Sir Lavaine. Do

as it liketh you, said her father, for me sore repenteth of the hurt of

that noble knight. Right so the maid made her ready, and before Sir

Gawaine, making great dole.

Then on the morn Sir Gawaine came to King Arthur, and told him how he

had found Sir Launcelot’s shield in the keeping of the Fair Maiden of

Astolat. All that knew I aforehand, said King Arthur, and that caused

me I would not suffer you to have ado at the great jousts, for I

espied, said King Arthur, when he came in till his lodging full late in

the evening in Astolat. But marvel have I, said Arthur, that ever he

would bear any sign of any damosel, for or now I never heard say nor

knew that ever he bare any token of none earthly woman. By my head,

said Sir Gawaine, the Fair Maiden of Astolat loveth him marvellously

well; what it meaneth I cannot say, and she is ridden after to seek

him. So the king and all came to London, and there Sir Gawaine openly

disclosed to all the court that it was Sir Launcelot that jousted best.