CHAPTER XXXVIII
 
 How Alisander was delivered from Queen Morgan le Fay
 by the means of a damosel.
 
 
 SIR knight, said the damosel, an ye would be merry
 I could tell you good tidings.  Well were me, said
 Alisander, an I might hear of good tidings, for now I
 stand as a prisoner by my promise.  Sir, she said, wit you
 well that ye be a prisoner, and worse than ye ween; for
 my lady, my cousin Queen Morgan le Fay, keepeth you
 here for none other intent but for to do her pleasure with
 you when it liketh her.  O Jesu defend me, said Alisander,
 from such pleasure; for I had liefer cut away my hangers
 than I would do her such pleasure.  As Jesu help me, said
 the damosel, an ye would love me and be ruled by me, I
 shall make your deliverance with your worship.  Tell me,
 said Alisander, by what means, and ye shall have my love.
 Fair knight, said she, this castle of right ought to be
 mine, and I have an uncle the which is a mighty earl, he is
 Earl of Pase, and of all folks he hateth most Morgan le
 Fay; and I shall send unto him and pray him for my sake
 to destroy this castle for the evil customs that be used
 therein; and then will he come and set wild-fire on every
 part of the castle, and I shall get you out at a privy
 postern, and there shall ye have your horse and your
 harness.  Ye say well, damosel, said Alisander.  And then
 she said:  Ye may keep the room of this castle this
 twelvemonth and a day, then break ye not your oath.
 Truly, fair damosel, said Alisander, ye say sooth.  And
 then he kissed her, and did to her pleasaunce as it pleased
 them both at times and leisures.
 
 So anon she sent unto her uncle and bade him come
 and destroy that castle, for as the book saith, he would
 have destroyed that castle afore time had not that damosel
 been.  When the earl understood her letters he sent her
 word again that on such a day he would come and destroy
 that castle.  So when that day came she showed Alisander
 a postern wherethrough he should flee into a garden, and
 there he should find his armour and his horse.  When the
 day came that was set, thither came the Earl of Pase with
 four hundred knights, and set on fire all the parts of the
 castle, that or they ceased they left not a stone standing.
 And all this while that the fire was in the castle he abode
 in the garden.  And when the fire was done he let make
 a cry that he would keep that piece of earth thereas the
 castle of La Beale Regard was a twelvemonth and a day,
 from all manner knights that would come
 
 So it happed there was a duke that hight Ansirus, and
 he was of the kin of Sir Launcelot.  And this knight
 was a great pilgrim, for every third year he would be
 at Jerusalem.  And because he used all his life to go in
 pilgrimage men called him Duke Ansirus the Pilgrim.
 And this duke had a daughter that hight Alice, that was
 a passing fair woman, and because of her father she was
 called Alice la Beale Pilgrim.  And anon as she heard of
 this cry she went unto Arthur's court, and said openly in
 hearing of many knights, that what knight may overcome
 that knight that keepeth that piece of earth shall have me
 and all my lands.
 
 When the knights of the Round Table heard her say
 thus many were glad, for she was passing fair and of great
 rents.  Right so she let cry in castles and towns as fast on
 her side as Alisander did on his side.  Then she dressed
 her pavilion straight by the piece of the earth that
 Alisander kept.  So she was not so soon there but there
 came a knight of Arthur's court that hight Sagramore le
 Desirous, and he proffered to joust with Alisander; and
 they encountered, and Sagramore le Desirous brised his
 spear upon Sir Alisander, but Sir Alisander smote him so
 hard that he avoided his saddle.  And when La Beale
 Alice saw him joust so well, she thought him a passing
 goodly knight on horseback.  And then she leapt out of
 her pavilion, and took Sir Alisander by the bridle, and
 thus she said:  Fair knight, I require thee of thy knighthood
 show me thy visage.  I dare well, said Alisander,
 show my visage.  And then he put off his helm; and she
 saw his visage, she said:  O sweet Jesu, thee I must love,
 and never other.  Then show me your visage, said he.