第 四百七十七 章 · How King Arthur at the request of Sir Gawaine concluded to

. How King Arthur at the request of Sir Gawaine concluded to

make war against Sir Launcelot, and laid siege to his castle called

Joyous Gard.

Alas, said Sir Gawaine, now is my joy gone. And then he fell down and

swooned, and long he lay there as he had been dead. And then, when he

arose of his swoon, he cried out sorrowfully, and said: Alas! And right

so Sir Gawaine ran to the king, crying and weeping: O King Arthur, mine

uncle, my good brother Sir Gareth is slain, and so is my brother Sir

Gaheris, the which were two noble knights. Then the king wept, and he

both; and so they fell a-swooning. And when they were revived then

spake Sir Gawaine: Sir, I will go see my brother, Sir Gareth. Ye may

not see him, said the king, for I caused him to be interred, and Sir

Gaheris both; for I well understood that ye would make over-much

sorrow, and the sight of Sir Gareth should have caused your double

sorrow. Alas, my lord, said Sir Gawaine, how slew he my brother, Sir

Gareth? Mine own good lord I pray you tell me. Truly, said the king, I

shall tell you how it is told me, Sir Launcelot slew him and Sir

Gaheris both. Alas, said Sir Gawaine, they bare none arms against him,

neither of them both. I wot not how it was, said the king, but as it is

said, Sir Launcelot slew them both in the thickest of the press and

knew them not; and therefore let us shape a remedy for to revenge their

deaths.

My king, my lord, and mine uncle, said Sir Gawaine, wit you well now I

shall make you a promise that I shall hold by my knighthood, that from

this day I shall never fail Sir Launcelot until the one of us have

slain the other. And therefore I require you, my lord and king, dress

you to the war, for wit you well I will be revenged upon Sir Launcelot;

and therefore, as ye will have my service and my love, now haste you

thereto, and assay your friends. For I promise unto God, said Sir

Gawaine, for the death of my brother, Sir Gareth, I shall seek Sir

Launcelot throughout seven kings’ realms, but I shall slay him or else

he shall slay me. Ye shall not need to seek him so far, said the king,

for as I hear say, Sir Launcelot will abide me and you in the Joyous

Gard; and much people draweth unto him, as I hear say. That may I

believe, said Sir Gawaine; but my lord, he said, assay your friends,

and I will assay mine. It shall be done, said the king, and as I

suppose I shall be big enough to draw him out of the biggest tower of

his castle.

So then the king sent letters and writs throughout all England, both in

the length and the breadth, for to assummon all his knights. And so

unto Arthur drew many knights, dukes, and earls, so that he had a great

host. And when they were assembled, the king informed them how Sir

Launcelot had bereft him his queen. Then the king and all his host made

them ready to lay siege about Sir Launcelot, where he lay within Joyous

Gard. Thereof heard Sir Launcelot, and purveyed him of many good

knights, for with him held many knights; and some for his own sake, and

some for the queen’s sake. Thus they were on both parties well

furnished and garnished of all manner of thing that longed to the war.

But King Arthur’s host was so big that Sir Launcelot would not abide

him in the field, for he was full loath to do battle against the king;

but Sir Launcelot drew him to his strong castle with all manner of

victual, and as many noble men as he might suffice within the town and

the castle. Then came King Arthur with Sir Gawaine with an huge host,

and laid a siege all about Joyous Gard, both at the town and at the

castle, and there they made strong war on both parties. But in no wise

Sir Launcelot would ride out, nor go out of his castle, of long time;

neither he would none of his good knights to issue out, neither none of

the town nor of the castle, until fifteen weeks were past.