第 八十二 章 · How King Pelleas suffered himself to be taken prisoner

. How King Pelleas suffered himself to be taken prisoner

because he would have a sight of his lady, and how Sir Gawaine promised

him to get to him the love of his lady.

And so he chose her for his sovereign lady, and never to love other but

her, but she was so proud that she had scorn of him, and said that she

would never love him though he would die for her. Wherefore all ladies

and gentlewomen had scorn of her that she was so proud, for there were

fairer than she, and there was none that was there but an Sir Pelleas

would have proffered them love, they would have loved him for his noble

prowess. And so this knight promised the Lady Ettard to follow her into

this country, and never to leave her till she loved him. And thus he is

here the most part nigh her, and lodged by a priory, and every week she

sendeth knights to fight with him. And when he hath put them to the

worse, then will he suffer them wilfully to take him prisoner, because

he would have a sight of this lady. And always she doth him great

despite, for sometime she maketh her knights to tie him to his horse’s

tail, and some to bind him under the horse’s belly; thus in the most

shamefullest ways that she can think he is brought to her. And all she

doth it for to cause him to leave this country, and to leave his

loving; but all this cannot make him to leave, for an he would have

fought on foot he might have had the better of the ten knights as well

on foot as on horseback. Alas, said Sir Gawaine, it is great pity of

him; and after this night I will seek him to-morrow, in this forest, to

do him all the help I can. So on the morn Sir Gawaine took his leave of

his host Sir Carados, and rode into the forest; and at the last he met

with Sir Pelleas, making great moan out of measure, so each of them

saluted other, and asked him why he made such sorrow. And as it is

above rehearsed, Sir Pelleas told Sir Gawaine: But always I suffer her

knights to fare so with me as ye saw yesterday, in trust at the last to

win her love, for she knoweth well all her knights should not lightly

win me, an me list to fight with them to the uttermost. Wherefore an I

loved her not so sore, I had liefer die an hundred times, an I might

die so oft, rather than I would suffer that despite; but I trust she

will have pity upon me at the last, for love causeth many a good knight

to suffer to have his entent, but alas I am unfortunate. And therewith

he made so great dole and sorrow that unnethe he might hold him on

horseback.

Now, said Sir Gawaine, leave your mourning and I shall promise you by

the faith of my body to do all that lieth in my power to get you the

love of your lady, and thereto I will plight you my troth. Ah, said Sir

Pelleas, of what court are ye? tell me, I pray you, my good friend. And

then Sir Gawaine said, I am of the court of King Arthur, and his

sister’s son, and King Lot of Orkney was my father, and my name is Sir

Gawaine. And then he said, My name is Sir Pelleas, born in the Isles,

and of many isles I am lord, and never have I loved lady nor damosel

till now in an unhappy time; and, sir knight, since ye are so nigh

cousin unto King Arthur, and a king’s son, therefore betray me not but

help me, for I may never come by her but by some good knight, for she

is in a strong castle here, fast by within this four mile, and over all

this country she is lady of. And so I may never come to her presence,

but as I suffer her knights to take me, and but if I did so that I

might have a sight of her, I had been dead long or this time; and yet

fair word had I never of her, but when I am brought to-fore her she

rebuketh me in the foulest manner. And then they take my horse and

harness and put me out of the gates, and she will not suffer me to eat

nor drink; and always I offer me to be her prisoner, but that she will

not suffer me, for I would desire no more, what pains so ever I had, so

that I might have a sight of her daily. Well, said Sir Gawaine, all

this shall I amend an ye will do as I shall devise: I will have your

horse and your armour, and so will I ride unto her castle and tell her

that I have slain you, and so shall I come within her to cause her to

cherish me, and then shall I do my true part that ye shall not fail to

have the love of her.