Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VII CHAPTER XVII

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 CHAPTER XVII
 
 How after long fighting Beaumains overcame the knight and
 would have slain him, but at the request of the lords
 he saved his life, and made him to yield him to the lady.
 
 AND then thus they fought till it was past noon, and never would
 stint, till at the last they lacked wind both; and then they
 stood wagging and scattering, panting, blowing and bleeding, that
 all that beheld them for the most part wept for pity.  So when
 they had rested them a while they yede to battle again, tracing,
 racing, foining as two boars.  And <239>at some time they took
 their run as it had been two rams, and hurtled together that
 sometime they fell grovelling to the earth: and at some time they
 were so amazed that either took other's sword instead of his own.
 
 Thus they endured till evensong time, that there was none that
 beheld them might know whether was like to win the battle; and
 their armour was so forhewn that men might see their naked sides;
 and in other places they were naked, but ever the naked places
 they did defend.  And the Red Knight was a wily knight of war,
 and his wily fighting taught Sir Beaumains to be wise; but he
 abought it full sore or he did espy his fighting.
 
 And thus by assent of them both they granted either other to
 rest; and so they set them down upon two mole-hills there beside
 the fighting place, and either of them unlaced his helm, and took
 the cold wind; for either of their pages was fast by them, to
 come when they called to unlace their harness and to set them on
 again at their commandment.  And then when Sir Beaumains' helm
 was off, he looked up to the window, and there he saw the fair
 lady Dame Lionesse, and she made him such countenance that his
 heart waxed light and jolly; and therewith he bade the Red Knight
 of the Red Launds make him ready, and let us do the battle to the
 utterance.  I will well, said the knight, and then they laced up
 their helms, and their pages avoided, and they stepped together
 and fought freshly; but the Red Knight of the Red Launds awaited
 him, and at an overthwart smote him within the hand, that his
 sword fell out of his hand; and yet he gave him another buffet
 upon the helm that he fell grovelling to the earth, and the Red
 Knight fell over him, for to hold him down.
 
 Then cried the maiden Linet on high:  O Sir Beaumains, where is
 thy courage become?  Alas, my lady my sister beholdeth thee, and
 she sobbeth and weepeth, that maketh mine heart heavy.  When Sir
 Beaumains heard her say so, he abraid up with a great might and
 gat him upon his feet, and lightly he leapt to his sword and
 gripped it in his hand, and doubled his pace unto the Red Knight,
 <240>and there they fought a new battle together.  But Sir
 Beaumains then doubled his strokes, and smote so thick that he
 smote the sword out of his hand, and then he smote him upon the
 helm that he fell to the earth, and Sir Beaumains fell upon him,
 and unlaced his helm to have slain him; and then he yielded him
 and asked mercy, and said with a loud voice:  O noble knight, I
 yield me to thy mercy.
 
 Then Sir Beaumains bethought him upon the knights that he had
 made to be hanged shamefully, and then he said:  I may not with
 my worship save thy life, for the shameful deaths that thou hast
 caused many full good knights to die.  Sir, said the Red Knight
 of the Red Launds, hold your hand and ye shall know the causes
 why I put them to so shameful a death.  Say on, said Sir
 Beaumains.  Sir, I loved once a lady, a fair damosel, and she had
 her brother slain; and she said it was Sir Launcelot du Lake, or
 else Sir Gawaine; and she prayed me as that I loved her heartily,
 that I would make her a promise by the faith of my knighthood,
 for to labour daily in arms unto I met with one of them; and all
 that I might overcome I should put them unto a villainous death;
 and this is the cause that I have put all these knights to death,
 and so I ensured her to do all the villainy unto King Arthur's
 knights, and that I should take vengeance upon all these knights. 
 And, sir, now I will thee tell that every day my strength
 increaseth till noon, and all this time have I seven men's
 strength.