Bab Bab 483 · Of the communication between Sir Gawaine and Sir

. Of the communication between Sir Gawaine and Sir

Launcelot, with much other language.

The king may do as he will, said Sir Gawaine, but wit thou well, Sir

Launcelot, thou and I shall never be accorded while we live, for thou

hast slain three of my brethren; and two of them ye slew traitorly and

piteously, for they bare none harness against thee, nor none would

bear. God would they had been armed, said Sir Launcelot, for then had

they been alive. And wit ye well Sir Gawaine, as for Sir Gareth, I love

none of my kinsmen so much as I did him; and ever while I live, said

Sir Launcelot, I will bewail Sir Gareth’s death, not all only for the

great fear I have of you, but many causes cause me to be sorrowful. One

is, for I made him knight; another is, I wot well he loved me above all

other knights; and the third is, he was passing noble, true, courteous,

and gentle, and well conditioned; the fourth is, I wist well, anon as I

heard that Sir Gareth was dead, I should never after have your love,

but everlasting war betwixt us; and also I wist well that ye would

cause my noble lord Arthur for ever to be my mortal foe. And as Jesu be

my help, said Sir Launcelot, I slew never Sir Gareth nor Sir Gaheris by

my will; but alas that ever they were unarmed that unhappy day. But

thus much I shall offer me, said Sir Launcelot, if it may please the

king’s good grace, and you, my lord Sir Gawaine, I shall first begin at

Sandwich, and there I shall go in my shirt, barefoot; and at every ten

miles’ end I will found and gar make an house of religion, of what

order that ye will assign me, with an whole convent, to sing and read,

day and night, in especial for Sir Gareth’s sake and Sir Gaheris. And

this shall I perform from Sandwich unto Carlisle; and every house shall

have sufficient livelihood. And this shall I perform while I have any

livelihood in Christendom; and there nis none of all these religious

places, but they shall be performed, furnished and garnished in all

things as an holy place ought to be, I promise you faithfully. And

this, Sir Gawaine, methinketh were more fairer, holier, and more better

to their souls, than ye, my most noble king, and you, Sir Gawaine, to

war upon me, for thereby shall ye get none avail.

Then all knights and ladies that were there wept as they were mad, and

the tears fell on King Arthur’s cheeks. Sir Launcelot, said Sir

Gawaine, I have right well heard thy speech, and thy great proffers,

but wit thou well, let the king do as it pleased him, I will never

forgive my brothers’ death, and in especial the death of my brother,

Sir Gareth. And if mine uncle, King Arthur, will accord with thee, he

shall lose my service, for wit thou well thou art both false to the

king and to me. Sir, said Launcelot, he beareth not the life that may

make that good; and if ye, Sir Gawaine, will charge me with so high a

thing, ye must pardon me, for then needs must I answer you. Nay, said

Sir Gawaine, we are past that at this time, and that caused the Pope,

for he hath charged mine uncle, the king, that he shall take his queen

again, and to accord with thee, Sir Launcelot, as for this season, and

therefore thou shalt go safe as thou camest. But in this land thou

shalt not abide past fifteen days, such summons I give thee: so the

king and we were consented and accorded or thou camest. And else, said

Sir Gawaine, wit thou well thou shouldst not have come here, but if it

were maugre thy head. And if it were not for the Pope’s commandment,

said Sir Gawaine, I should do battle with mine own body against thy

body, and prove it upon thee, that thou hast been both false unto mine

uncle King Arthur, and to me both; and that shall I prove upon thy

body, when thou art departed from hence, wheresomever I find thee.