CHAPTER XVIII
 
 How Sir Marhaus jousted with Sir Gawaine and Sir
 Uwaine, and overthrew them both.
 
 AND then Sir Marhaus rode unto his shield, and saw how it was
 defouled, and said, Of this despite I am a part avenged, but for
 her love that gave me this white shield I shall wear thee, and
 hang mine where thou wast; and so he hanged it about his neck. 
 Then he rode straight unto Sir Gawaine and to Sir Uwaine, and
 asked them what they did there?  They answered him that they came
 from King Arthur's court to see adventures.  Well, said Sir
 Marhaus, here am I ready, an adventurous knight that will fulfil
 any adventure that ye will desire; and so departed from them, to
 fetch his range.  Let him go, said <129>Sir Uwaine unto Sir
 Gawaine, for he is a passing good knight as any is living; I
 would not by my will that any of us were matched with him.  Nay,
 said Sir Gawaine, not so, it were shame to us were he not
 assayed, were he never so good a knight.  Well, said Sir Uwaine,
 I will assay him afore you, for I am more weaker than ye, and if
 he smite me down then may ye revenge me.  So these two knights
 came together with great raundon, that Sir Uwaine smote Sir
 Marhaus that his spear brast in pieces on the shield, and Sir
 Marhaus smote him so sore that horse and man he bare to the
 earth, and hurt Sir Uwaine on the left side.
 
 Then Sir Marhaus turned his horse and rode toward Gawaine with
 his spear, and when Sir Gawaine saw that he dressed his shield,
 and they aventred their spears, and they came together with all
 the might of their horses, that either knight smote other so hard
 in midst of their shields, but Sir Gawaine's spear brake, but Sir
 Marhaus' spear held; and therewith Sir Gawaine and his horse
 rushed down to the earth.  And lightly Sir Gawaine rose on his
 feet, and pulled out his sword, and dressed him toward Sir
 Marhaus on foot, and Sir Marhaus saw that, and pulled out his
 sword and began to come to Sir Gawaine on horseback.  Sir knight,
 said Sir Gawaine, alight on foot, or else I will slay thy horse. 
 Gramercy, said Sir Marhaus, of your gentleness ye teach me
 courtesy, for it is not for one knight to be on foot, and the
 other on horseback.  And therewith Sir Marhaus set his spear
 against a tree and alighted and tied his horse to a tree, and
 dressed his shield, and either came unto other eagerly, and smote
 together with their swords that their shields flew in cantels,
 and they bruised their helms and their hauberks, and wounded
 either other.  But Sir Gawaine from it passed nine of the clock
 waxed ever stronger and stronger, for then it came to the hour of
 noon, and thrice his might was increased.  All this espied Sir
 Marhaus and had great wonder how his might increased, and so they
 wounded other passing sore.  And then when it was past noon, and
 when it drew toward evensong, Sir Gawaine's strength feebled, and
 waxed passing faint that unnethes he might dure any <130>longer,
 and Sir Marhaus was then bigger and bigger.  Sir knight, said Sir
 Marhaus, I have well felt that ye are a passing good knight and a
 marvellous man of might as ever I felt any, while it lasteth, and
 our quarrels are not great, and therefore it were pity to do you
 hurt, for I feel ye are passing feeble.  Ah, said Sir Gawaine,
 gentle knight, ye say the word that I should say.  And therewith
 they took off their helms, and either kissed other, and there
 they swore together either to love other as brethren.  And Sir
 Marhaus prayed Sir Gawaine to lodge with him that night.  And so
 they took their horses, and rode toward Sir Marhaus' house.  And
 as they rode by the way, Sir knight, said Sir Gawaine, I have
 marvel that so valiant a man as ye be love no ladies nor
 damosels.  Sir, said Sir Marhaus, they name me wrongfully those
 that give me that name, but well I wot it be the damosels of the
 turret that so name me, and other such as they be.  Now shall I
 tell you for what cause I hate them: for they be sorceresses and
 enchanters many of them, and be a knight never so good of his
 body and full of prowess as man may be, they will make him a
 stark coward to have the better of him, and this is the principal
 cause that I hate them; and to all good ladies and gentlewomen I
 owe my service as a knight ought to do.
 
 As the book rehearseth in French, there were many knights that
 overmatched Sir Gawaine, for all the thrice might that he had:
 Sir Launcelot de Lake, Sir Tristram, Sir Bors de Ganis, Sir
 Percivale, Sir Pelleas, and Sir Marhaus, these six knights had
 the better of Sir Gawaine.  Then within a little while they came
 to Sir Marhaus' place, which was in a little priory, and there
 they alighted, and ladies and damosels unarmed them, and hastily
 looked to their hurts, for they were all three hurt.  And so they
 had all three good lodging with Sir Marhaus, and good cheer; for
 when he wist that they were King Arthur's sister's sons he made
 them all the cheer that lay in his power, and so they sojourned
 there a sennight, and were well eased of their wounds, and at the
 last departed.  Now, said Sir Marhaus, we will not depart so
 lightly, for I will <131>bring you through the forest; and rode
 day by day well a seven days or they found any adventure.  At the
 last they came into a great forest, that was named the country
 and forest of Arroy, and the country of strange adventures.  In
 this country, said Sir Marhaus, came never knight since it was
 christened but he found strange adventures; and so they rode, and
 came into a deep valley full of stones, and thereby they saw a
 fair stream of water; above thereby was the head of the stream a
 fair fountain, and three damosels sitting thereby.  And then they
 rode to them, and either saluted other, and the eldest had a
 garland of gold about her head, and she was three score winter of
 age or more, and her hair was white under the garland.  The
 second damosel was of thirty winter of age, with a circlet of
 gold about her head.  The third damosel was but fifteen year of
 age, and a garland of flowers about her head.  When these knights
 had so beheld them, they asked them the cause why they sat at
 that fountain?  We be here, said the damosels, for this cause: if
 we may see any errant knights, to teach them unto strange
 adventures; and ye be three knights that seek adventures, and we
 be three damosels, and therefore each one of you must choose one
 of us; and when ye have done so we will lead you unto three
 highways, and there each of you shall choose a way and his
 damosel with him.  And this day twelvemonth ye must meet here
 again, and God send you your lives, and thereto ye must plight
 your troth.  This is well said, said Sir Marhaus.