Bab Bab 480 · How Sir Gawaine jousted and smote down Sir Lionel, and

. How Sir Gawaine jousted and smote down Sir Lionel, and

how Sir Launcelot horsed King Arthur.

Then came forth Sir Gawaine from the king’s host, and he came before

and proffered to joust. And Sir Lionel was a fierce knight, and lightly

he encountered with Sir Gawaine; and there Sir Gawaine smote Sir Lionel

through out the body, that he dashed to the earth like as he had been

dead; and then Sir Ector de Maris and other more bare him into the

castle. Then there began a great stour, and much people was slain; and

ever Sir Launcelot did what he might to save the people on King

Arthur’s party, for Sir Palomides, and Sir Bors, and Sir Safere,

overthrew many knights, for they were deadly knights. And Sir Blamore

de Ganis, and Sir Bleoberis de Ganis, with Sir Bellangere le Beuse,

these six knights did much harm; and ever King Arthur was nigh about

Sir Launcelot to have slain him, and Sir Launcelot suffered him, and

would not strike again. So Sir Bors encountered with King Arthur, and

there with a spear Sir Bors smote him down; and so he alighted and drew

his sword, and said to Sir Launcelot: Shall I make an end of this war?

and that he meant to have slain King Arthur. Not so hardy, said Sir

Launcelot, upon pain of thy head, that thou touch him no more, for I

will never see that most noble king that made me knight neither slain

ne shamed. And therewithal Sir Launcelot alighted off his horse and

took up the king and horsed him again, and said thus: My lord Arthur,

for God’s love stint this strife, for ye get here no worship, and I

would do mine utterance, but always I forbear you, and ye nor none of

yours forbeareth me; my lord, remember what I have done in many places,

and now I am evil rewarded.

Then when King Arthur was on horseback, he looked upon Sir Launcelot,

and then the tears brast out of his eyen, thinking on the great

courtesy that was in Sir Launcelot more than in any other man; and

therewith the king rode his way, and might no longer behold him, and

said: Alas, that ever this war began. And then either parties of the

battles withdrew them to repose them, and buried the dead, and to the

wounded men they laid soft salves; and thus they endured that night

till on the morn. And on the morn by underne they made them ready to do

battle. And then Sir Bors led the forward.

So upon the morn there came Sir Gawaine as brim as any boar, with a

great spear in his hand. And when Sir Bors saw him he thought to

revenge his brother Sir Lionel of the despite that Sir Gawaine did him

the other day. And so they that knew either other feutred their spears,

and with all their mights of their horses and themselves, they met

together so felonously that either bare other through, and so they fell

both to the earth; and then the battles joined, and there was much

slaughter on both parties. Then Sir Launcelot rescued Sir Bors, and

sent him into the castle; but neither Sir Gawaine nor Sir Bors died not

of their wounds, for they were all holpen. Then Sir Lavaine and Sir

Urre prayed Sir Launcelot to do his pain, and fight as they had done;

For we see ye forbear and spare, and that doth much harm; therefore we

pray you spare not your enemies no more than they do you. Alas, said

Sir Launcelot, I have no heart to fight against my lord Arthur, for

ever meseemeth I do not as I ought to do. My lord, said Sir Palomides,

though ye spare them all this day they will never con you thank; and if

they may get you at avail ye are but dead. So then Sir Launcelot

understood that they said him truth; and then he strained himself more

than he did aforehand, and because his nephew Sir Bors was sore

wounded. And then within a little while, by evensong time, Sir

Launcelot and his party better stood, for their horses went in blood

past the fetlocks, there was so much people slain. And then for pity

Sir Launcelot withheld his knights, and suffered King Arthur’s party

for to withdraw them aside. And then Sir Launcelot’s party withdrew

them into his castle, and either parties buried the dead, and put salve

unto the wounded men.

So when Sir Gawaine was hurt, they on King Arthur’s party were not so

orgulous as they were toforehand to do battle. Of this war was noised

through all Christendom, and at the last it was noised afore the Pope;

and he considering the great goodness of King Arthur, and of Sir

Launcelot, that was called the most noblest knights of the world,

wherefore the Pope called unto him a noble clerk that at that time was

there present; the French book saith, it was the Bishop of Rochester;

and the Pope gave him bulls under lead unto King Arthur of England,

charging him upon pain of interdicting of all England, that he take his

queen Dame Guenever unto him again, and accord with Sir Launcelot.