Bab Bab 58 · How King Pellinore rode after the lady and the knight that

. How King Pellinore rode after the lady and the knight that

led her away, and how a lady desired help of him, and how he fought

with two knights for that lady, of whom he slew the one at the first

stroke.

Then King Pellinore armed him and mounted upon his horse, and rode more

than a pace after the lady that the knight led away. And as he rode in

a forest, he saw in a valley a damosel sit by a well, and a wounded

knight in her arms, and Pellinore saluted her. And when she was ware of

him, she cried overloud, Help me, knight; for Christ’s sake, King

Pellinore. And he would not tarry, he was so eager in his quest, and

ever she cried an hundred times after help. When she saw he would not

abide, she prayed unto God to send him as much need of help as she had,

and that he might feel it or he died. So, as the book telleth, the

knight there died that there was wounded, wherefore the lady for pure

sorrow slew herself with his sword. As King Pellinore rode in that

valley he met with a poor man, a labourer. Sawest thou not, said

Pellinore, a knight riding and leading away a lady? Yea, said the man,

I saw that knight, and the lady that made great dole; and yonder

beneath in a valley there shall ye see two pavilions, and one of the

knights of the pavilions challenged that lady of that knight, and said

she was his cousin near, wherefore he should lead her no farther. And

so they waged battle in that quarrel, the one said he would have her by

force, and the other said he would have the rule of her, by cause he

was her kinsman, and would lead her to her kin. For this quarrel he

left them fighting. And if ye will ride a pace ye shall find them

fighting, and the lady was beleft with the two squires in the

pavilions. God thank thee, said King Pellinore.

Then he rode a wallop till he had a sight of the two pavilions, and the

two knights fighting. Anon he rode unto the pavilions, and saw the lady

that was his quest, and said, Fair lady, ye must go with me unto the

court of King Arthur. Sir knight, said the two squires that were with

her, yonder are two knights that fight for this lady, go thither and

depart them, and be agreed with them, and then may ye have her at your

pleasure. Ye say well, said King Pellinore. And anon he rode betwixt

them, and departed them, and asked them the causes why that they

fought? Sir knight, said the one, I shall tell you, this lady is my

kinswoman nigh, mine aunt’s daughter, and when I heard her complain

that she was with him maugre her head, I waged battle to fight with

him. Sir knight, said the other, whose name was Hontzlake of Wentland,

and this lady I gat by my prowess of arms this day at Arthur’s court.

That is untruly said, said King Pellinore, for ye came in suddenly

there as we were at the high feast, and took away this lady or any man

might make him ready; and therefore it was my quest to bring her again

and you both, or else the one of us to abide in the field; therefore

the lady shall go with me, or I will die for it, for I have promised it

King Arthur. And therefore fight ye no more, for none of you shall have

no part of her at this time; and if ye list to fight for her, fight

with me, and I will defend her. Well, said the knights, make you ready,

and we shall assail you with all our power. And as King Pellinore would

have put his horse from them, Sir Hontzlake rove his horse through with

a sword, and said: Now art thou on foot as well as we are. When King

Pellinore espied that his horse was slain, lightly he leapt from his

horse and pulled out his sword, and put his shield afore him, and said,

Knight, keep well thy head, for thou shalt have a buffet for the

slaying of my horse. So King Pellinore gave him such a stroke upon the

helm that he clave the head down to the chin, that he fell to the earth

dead.