บทที่ บทที่ 154 · Of the Great Royalty, and what officers were made at the

. Of the Great Royalty, and what officers were made at the

feast of the wedding, and of the jousts at the feast.

So it drew fast to Michaelmas; and thither came Dame Lionesse, the lady

of the Castle Perilous, and her sister, Dame Linet, with Sir

Gringamore, her brother, with them for he had the conduct of these

ladies. And there they were lodged at the device of King Arthur. And

upon Michaelmas Day the Bishop of Canterbury made the wedding betwixt

Sir Gareth and the Lady Lionesse with great solemnity. And King Arthur

made Gaheris to wed the Damosel Savage, that was Dame Linet; and King

Arthur made Sir Agravaine to wed Dame Lionesse’s niece, a fair lady,

her name was Dame Laurel.

And so when this solemnization was done, then came in the Green Knight,

Sir Pertolepe, with thirty knights, and there he did homage and fealty

to Sir Gareth, and these knights to hold of him for evermore. Also Sir

Pertolepe said: I pray you that at this feast I may be your

chamberlain. With a good will, said Sir Gareth sith it liketh you to

take so simple an office. Then came in the Red Knight, with three score

knights with him, and did to Sir Gareth homage and fealty, and all

those knights to hold of him for evermore. And then this Sir Perimones

prayed Sir Gareth to grant him to be his chief butler at that high

feast. I will well, said Sir Gareth, that ye have this office, and it

were better. Then came in Sir Persant of Inde, with an hundred knights

with him, and there he did homage and fealty, and all his knights

should do him service, and hold their lands of him for ever; and there

he prayed Sir Gareth to make him his sewer-chief at the feast. I will

well, said Sir Gareth, that ye have it and it were better. Then came

the Duke de la Rowse with an hundred knights with him, and there he did

homage and fealty to Sir Gareth, and so to hold their lands of him for

ever. And he required Sir Gareth that he might serve him of the wine

that day of that feast. I will well, said Sir Gareth, and it were

better. Then came in the Red Knight of the Red Launds, that was Sir

Ironside, and he brought with him three hundred knights, and there he

did homage and fealty, and all these knights to hold their lands of him

for ever. And then he asked Sir Gareth to be his carver. I will well,

said Sir Gareth, an it please you.

Then came into the court thirty ladies, and all they seemed widows, and

those thirty ladies brought with them many fair gentlewomen. And all

they kneeled down at once unto King Arthur and unto Sir Gareth, and

there all those ladies told the king how Sir Gareth delivered them from

the dolorous tower, and slew the Brown Knight without Pity: And

therefore we, and our heirs for evermore, will do homage unto Sir

Gareth of Orkney. So then the kings and queens, princes and earls,

barons and many bold knights, went unto meat; and well may ye wit there

were all manner of meat plenteously, all manner revels and games, with

all manner of minstrelsy that was used in those days. Also there was

great jousts three days. But the king would not suffer Sir Gareth to

joust, because of his new bride; for, as the French book saith, that

Dame Lionesse desired of the king that none that were wedded should

joust at that feast.

So the first day there jousted Sir Lamorak de Galis, for he overthrew

thirty knights, and did passing marvellously deeds of arms; and then

King Arthur made Sir Persant and his two brethren Knights of the Round

Table to their lives’ end, and gave them great lands. Also the second

day there jousted Tristram best, and he overthrew forty knights, and

did there marvellous deeds of arms. And there King Arthur made

Ironside, that was the Red Knight of the Red Launds, a Knight of the

Table Round to his life’s end, and gave him great lands. The third day

there jousted Sir Launcelot du Lake, and he overthrew fifty knights,

and did many marvellous deeds of arms, that all men wondered on him.

And there King Arthur made the Duke de la Rowse a Knight of the Round

Table to his life’s end, and gave him great lands to spend. But when

these jousts were done, Sir Lamorak and Sir Tristram departed suddenly,

and would not be known, for the which King Arthur and all the court

were sore displeased. And so they held the court forty days with great

solemnity. And this Sir Gareth was a noble knight, and a well-ruled,

and fair-languaged.

Thus endeth this tale of Sir Gareth of Orkney that wedded Dame Lionesse

of the Castle Perilous. And also Sir Gaheris wedded her sister, Dame

Linet, that was called the Damosel Sabage. And Sir Agrabaine wedded

Dame Laurel, a fair lady and great, and mighty lands with great riches

gave with them King Arthur, that royally they might live till their

lives’ end.

Here followeth the viii. book, the which is the first book of Sir

Tristram de Liones, and who was his father and his mother, and how he

was born and fostered, and how he was made knight.

BOOK VIII.