Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK V CHAPTER X

Sacred Texts  Legends and Sagas  Index  BOOK V  Previous  Next 

 CHAPTER X
 
 Of a battle done by Sir Gawaine against a Saracen, which
 after was yielden and became Christian.
 
 THEN they took their spears and ran each at other with all the
 might they had, and smote each other through their shields into
 their shoulders, wherefore anon they pulled out their swords, and
 smote great strokes that the fire sprang out of their helms. 
 Then Sir Gawaine was all abashed, and with Galatine his good
 sword he smote through shield and thick hauberk made of thick
 mails, and all to-rushed and break the precious stones, and made
 him a large wound, that men might see both liver and lung.  Then
 groaned that knight, and addressed him to Sir Gawaine, and with
 an awk stroke gave him a great wound and cut a vein, which
 grieved Gawaine sore, and he bled sore.  Then the knight said to
 Sir Gawaine, bind thy wound or thy blee[ding] change, for thou
 be-bleedest all thy horse and thy fair arms, for all the barbers
 of Brittany shall not con staunch thy blood, for whosomever is
 hurt with this blade he shall never be staunched of bleeding. 
 Then answered Gawaine, it grieveth me but little, thy great words
 shall not fear me nor lessen my courage, but thou shalt suffer
 teen and sorrow or we depart, but tell me in haste who may
 staunch my bleeding.  That may I do, said the knight, if I will,
 and so will I if thou wilt succour and aid me, that I may be
 christened and believe on God, and thereof I require thee of thy
 <168>manhood, and it shall be great merit for thy soul.  I grant,
 said Gawaine, so God help me, to accomplish all thy desire, but
 first tell me what thou soughtest here thus alone, and of what
 land and liegiance thou art of.  Sir, he said, my name is
 Priamus, and a great prince is my father, and he hath been rebel
 unto Rome and overridden many of their lands.  My father is
 lineally descended of Alexander and of Hector by right line.  And
 Duke Joshua and Maccabaeus were of our lineage.  I am right
 inheritor of Alexandria and Africa, and all the out isles, yet
 will I believe on thy Lord that thou believest on; and for thy
 labour I shall give thee treasure enough.  I was so elate and
 hauteyn in my heart that I thought no man my peer, nor to me
 semblable.  I was sent into this war with seven score knights,
 and now I have encountered with thee, which hast given to me of
 fighting my fill, wherefore sir knight, I pray thee to tell me
 what thou art.  I am no knight, said Gawaine, I have been brought
 up in the guardrobe with the noble King Arthur many years, for to
 take heed to his armour and his other array, and to point his
 paltocks that long to himself.  At Yule last he made me yeoman,
 and gave to me horse and harness, and an hundred pound in money;
 and if fortune be my friend, I doubt not but to be well advanced
 and holpen by my liege lord.  Ah, said Priamus, if his knaves be
 so keen and fierce, his knights be passing good: now for the
 King's love of Heaven, whether thou be a knave or a knight, tell
 thou me thy name.  By God, said Sir Gawaine, now I will say thee
 sooth, my name is Sir Gawaine, and known I am in his court and in
 his chamber, and one of the knights of the Round Table, he dubbed
 me a duke with his own hand.  Therefore grudge not if this grace
 is to me fortuned, it is the goodness of God that lent to me my
 strength.  Now am I better pleased, said Priamus, than thou hadst
 given to me all the Provence and Paris the rich.  I had liefer to
 have been torn with wild horses, than any varlet had won such
 loos, or any page or priker should have had prize on me.  But now
 sir knight I warn thee that hereby is a Duke of Lorraine with his
 army, and <169>the noblest men of Dolphiny, and lords of
 Lombardy, with the garrison of Godard, and Saracens of Southland,
 y-numbered sixty thousand of good men of arms; wherefore but if
 we hie us hence, it will harm us both, for we be sore hurt, never
 like to recover; but take heed to my page, that he no horn blow,
 for if he do, there be hoving here fast by an hundred knights
 awaiting on my person, and if they take thee, there shall no
 ransom of gold nor silver acquit thee.
 
 Then Sir Gawaine rode over a water for to save him, and the
 knight followed him, and so rode forth till they came to his
 fellows which were in the meadow, where they had been all the
 night.  Anon as Sir Wisshard was ware of Sir Gawaine and saw that
 he was hurt, he ran to him sorrowfully weeping, and demanded of
 him who had so hurt him; and Gawaine told how he had foughten
 with that man, and each of them had hurt other, and how he had
 salves to heal them; but I can tell you other tidings, that soon
 we shall have ado with many enemies.
 
 Then Sir Priamus and Sir Gawaine alighted, and let their horses
 graze in the meadow, and unarmed them, and then the blood ran
 freshly from their wounds.  And Priamus took from his page a vial
 full of the four waters that came out of Paradise, and with
 certain balm anointed their wounds, and washed them with that
 water, and within an hour after they were both as whole as ever
 they were.  And then with a trumpet were they all assembled to
 council, and there Priamus told unto them what lords and knights
 had sworn to rescue him, and that without fail they should be
 assailed with many thousands, wherefore he counselled them to
 withdraw them.  Then Sir Gawaine said, it were great shame to
 them to avoid without any strokes; Wherefore I advise to take our
 arms and to make us ready to meet with these Saracens and
 misbelieving men, and with the help of God we shall overthrow
 them and have a fair day on them.  And Sir Florence shall abide
 still in this field to keep the stale as a noble knight, and we
 shall not forsake yonder fellows.  Now, said Priamus, cease your
 words, for I warn you ye shall find in yonder <170>woods many
 perilous knights; they will put forth beasts to call you on, they
 be out of number, and ye are not past seven hundred, which be
 over few to fight with so many.  Nevertheless, said Sir Gawaine,
 we shall once encounter them, and see what they can do, and the
 best shall have the victory.