บทที่ บทที่ 131 · How Beaumains fought with Sir Persant of Inde, and made

. How Beaumains fought with Sir Persant of Inde, and made

him to be yielden.

With this Sir Persant of Inde had espied them as they hoved in the

field, and knightly he sent to them whether he came in war or in peace.

Say to thy lord, said Beaumains, I take no force, but whether as him

list himself. So the messenger went again unto Sir Persant and told him

all his answer. Well then will I have ado with him to the utterance,

and so he purveyed him and rode against him. And Beaumains saw him and

made him ready, and there they met with all that ever their horses

might run, and brast their spears either in three pieces, and their

horses rushed so together that both their horses fell dead to the

earth; and lightly they avoided their horses and put their shields

afore them, and drew their swords, and gave many great strokes that

sometime they hurtled together that they fell grovelling on the ground.

Thus they fought two hours and more, that their shields and their

hauberks were all forhewen, and in many steads they were wounded. So at

the last Sir Beaumains smote him through the cost of the body, and then

he retrayed him here and there, and knightly maintained his battle long

time. And at the last, though him loath were, Beaumains smote Sir

Persant above upon the helm, that he fell grovelling to the earth; and

then he leapt upon him overthwart and unlaced his helm to have slain

him.

Then Sir Persant yielded him and asked him mercy. With that came the

damosel and prayed to save his life. I will well, for it were pity this

noble knight should die. Gramercy, said Persant, gentle knight and

damosel. For certainly now I wot well it was ye that slew my brother

the Black Knight at the black thorn; he was a full noble knight, his

name was Sir Percard. Also I am sure that ye are he that won mine other

brother the Green Knight, his name was Sir Pertolepe. Also ye won my

brother the Red Knight, Sir Perimones. And now since ye have won these,

this shall I do for to please you: ye shall have homage and fealty of

me, and an hundred knights to be always at your commandment, to go and

ride where ye will command us. And so they went unto Sir Persant’s

pavilion and drank the wine, and ate spices, and afterward Sir Persant

made him to rest upon a bed until supper time, and after supper to bed

again. When Beaumains was abed, Sir Persant had a lady, a fair daughter

of eighteen year of age, and there he called her unto him, and charged

her and commanded her upon his blessing to go unto the knight’s bed,

and lie down by his side, and make him no strange cheer, but good

cheer, and take him in thine arms and kiss him, and look that this be

done, I charge you, as ye will have my love and my good will. So Sir

Persant’s daughter did as her father bade her, and so she went unto Sir

Beaumains’ bed, and privily she dispoiled her, and laid her down by

him, and then he awoke and saw her, and asked her what she was. Sir,

she said, I am Sir Persant’s daughter, that by the commandment of my

father am come hither. Be ye a maid or a wife? said he. Sir, she said,

I am a clean maiden. God defend, said he, that I should defoil you to

do Sir Persant such a shame; therefore, fair damosel, arise out of this

bed or else I will. Sir, she said, I came not to you by mine own will,

but as I was commanded. Alas, said Sir Beaumains, I were a shameful

knight an I would do your father any disworship; and so he kissed her,

and so she departed and came unto Sir Persant her father, and told him

all how she had sped. Truly, said Sir Persant, whatsomever he be, he is

come of a noble blood. And so we leave them there till on the morn.