Chương Chương 54 · How four knights fought against Gawaine and Gaheris, and

. How four knights fought against Gawaine and Gaheris, and

how they were overcome, and their lives saved at request of four

ladies.

And Sir Gawaine went into the castle, and made him ready to lie there

all night, and would have unarmed him. What will ye do, said Gaheris,

will ye unarm you in this country? Ye may think ye have many enemies

here. They had not sooner said that word but there came four knights

well armed, and assailed Sir Gawaine hard, and said unto him, Thou

new-made knight, thou hast shamed thy knighthood, for a knight without

mercy is dishonoured. Also thou hast slain a fair lady to thy great

shame to the world’s end, and doubt thou not thou shalt have great need

of mercy or thou depart from us. And therewith one of them smote Sir

Gawaine a great stroke that nigh he fell to the earth, and Gaheris

smote him again sore, and so they were on the one side and on the

other, that Sir Gawaine and Gaheris were in jeopardy of their lives;

and one with a bow, an archer, smote Sir Gawaine through the arm that

it grieved him wonderly sore. And as they should have been slain, there

came four fair ladies, and besought the knights of grace for Sir

Gawaine; and goodly at request of the ladies they gave Sir Gawaine and

Gaheris their lives, and made them to yield them as prisoners. Then

Gawaine and Gaheris made great dole. Alas! said Sir Gawaine, mine arm

grieveth me sore, I am like to be maimed; and so made his complaint

piteously.

Early on the morrow there came to Sir Gawaine one of the four ladies

that had heard all his complaint, and said, Sir knight, what cheer? Not

good, said he. It is your own default, said the lady, for ye have done

a passing foul deed in the slaying of the lady, the which will be great

villainy unto you. But be ye not of King Arthur’s kin? said the lady.

Yes truly, said Sir Gawaine. What is your name? said the lady, ye must

tell it me or ye pass. My name is Gawaine, the King Lot of Orkney’s

son, and my mother is King Arthur’s sister. Ah! then are ye nephew unto

King Arthur, said the lady, and I shall so speak for you that ye shall

have conduct to go to King Arthur for his love. And so she departed and

told the four knights how their prisoner was King Arthur’s nephew, and

his name is Sir Gawaine, King Lot’s son of Orkney. And they gave him

the hart’s head because it was in his quest. Then anon they delivered

Sir Gawaine under this promise, that he should bear the dead lady with

him in this manner; the head of her was hanged about his neck, and the

whole body of her lay before him on his horse’s mane. Right so rode he

forth unto Camelot. And anon as he was come, Merlin desired of King

Arthur that Sir Gawaine should be sworn to tell of all his adventures,

and how he slew the lady, and how he would give no mercy unto the

knight, wherethrough the lady was slain. Then the king and the queen

were greatly displeased with Sir Gawaine for the slaying of the lady.

And there by ordinance of the queen there was set a quest of ladies on

Sir Gawaine, and they judged him for ever while he lived to be with all

ladies, and to fight for their quarrels; and that ever he should be

courteous, and never to refuse mercy to him that asketh mercy. Thus was

Gawaine sworn upon the Four Evangelists that he should never be against

lady nor gentlewoman, but if he fought for a lady and his adversary

fought for another. And thus endeth the adventure of Sir Gawaine that

he did at the marriage of King Arthur. Amen.