CHAPTER XXII
 
 Of the sorrow that King Arthur made for the war, and of
 another battle where also Sir Gawaine had the worse
 
 
 ALAS, said the king, that ever this unhappy war was
 begun; for ever Sir Launcelot forbeareth me in all places,
 and in likewise my kin, and that is seen well this day by
 my nephew Sir Gawaine.  Then King Arthur fell sick for
 sorrow of Sir Gawaine, that he was so sore hurt, and
 because of the war betwixt him and Sir Launcelot.  So
 then they on King Arthur's part kept the siege with little
 war withoutforth; and they withinforth kept their walls,
 and defended them when need was.  Thus Sir Gawaine
 lay sick three weeks in his tents, with all manner
 of leech-craft that might be had.  And as soon as Sir Gawaine
 might go and ride, he armed him at all points, and start
 upon a courser, and gat a spear in his hand, and so he came
 riding afore the chief gate of Benwick; and there he cried
 on height:  Where art thou, Sir Launcelot?  Come forth,
 thou false traitor knight and recreant, for I am here, Sir
 Gawaine, will prove this that I say on thee.
 
 All this language Sir Launcelot heard, and then he
 said thus:  Sir Gawaine, me repents of your foul saying,
 that ye will not cease of your language; for you wot well,
 Sir Gawaine, I know your might and all that ye may do;
 and well ye wot, Sir Gawaine, ye may not greatly hurt
 me.  Come down, traitor knight, said he, and make it
 good the contrary with thy hands, for it mishapped me
 the last battle to be hurt of thy hands; therefore wit thou
 well I am come this day to make amends, for I ween this
 day to lay thee as low as thou laidest me.  Jesu defend
 me, said Sir Launcelot, that ever I be so far in your
 danger as ye have been in mine, for then my days were
 done.  But Sir Gawaine, said Sir Launcelot, ye shall not
 think that I tarry long, but sithen that ye so unknightly
 call me of treason, ye shall have both your hands full of
 me.  And then Sir Launcelot armed him at all points,
 and mounted upon his horse, and gat a great spear in his
 hand, and rode out at the gate.  And both the hosts were
 assembled, of them without and of them within, and stood
 in array full manly.  And both parties were charged to
 hold them still, to see and behold the battle of these two
 noble knights.  And then they laid their spears in their
 rests, and they came together as thunder, and Sir Gawaine
 brake his spear upon Sir Launcelot in a hundred pieces
 unto his hand; and Sir Launcelot smote him with a greater
 might, that Sir Gawaine's horse's feet raised, and so the
 horse and he fell to the earth.  Then Sir Gawaine deliverly
 avoided his horse, and put his shield afore him, and eagerly
 drew his sword, and bade Sir Launcelot:  Alight, traitor
 knight, for if this mare's son hath failed me, wit thou well
 a king's son and a queen's son shall not fail thee.
 
 Then Sir Launcelot avoided his horse, and dressed his
 shield afore him, and drew his sword; and so stood they
 together and gave many sad strokes, that all men on both
 parties had thereof passing great wonder.  But when Sir
 Launcelot felt Sir Gawaine's might so marvellously
 increase, he then withheld his courage and his wind, and
 kept himself wonder covert of his might; and under his
 shield he traced and traversed here and there, to break
 Sir Gawaine's strokes and his courage; and Sir Gawaine
 enforced himself with all his might and power to destroy
 Sir Launcelot; for as the French book saith, ever as Sir
 Gawaine's might increased, right so increased his wind
 and his evil will.  Thus Sir Gawaine did great pain unto
 Sir Launcelot three hours, that he had right great pain for
 to defend him.
 
 And when the three hours were passed, that Sir
 Launcelot felt that Sir Gawaine was come to his own
 proper strength, then Sir Launcelot said unto Sir Gawaine:
 Now have I proved you twice, that ye are a full dangerous
 knight, and a wonderful man of your might; and many
 wonderful deeds have ye done in your days, for by your
 might increasing you have deceived many a full noble and
 valiant knight; and, now I feel that ye have done your
 mighty deeds, now wit you well I must do my deeds.
 And then Sir Launcelot stood near Sir Gawaine, and then
 Sir Launcelot doubled his strokes; and Sir Gawaine
 defended him mightily, but nevertheless Sir Launcelot smote
 such a stroke upon Sir Gawaine's helm, and upon the old
 wound, that Sir Gawaine sinked down upon his one side
 in a swoon.  And anon as he did awake he waved and
 foined at Sir Launcelot as he lay, and said:  Traitor
 knight, wit thou well I am not yet slain, come thou near
 me and perform this battle unto the uttermost.  I will no
 more do than I have done, said Sir Launcelot, for when I
 see you on foot I will do battle upon you all the while I
 see you stand on your feet; but for to smite a wounded
 man that may not stand, God defend me from such a
 shame.  And then he turned him and went his way
 toward the city.  And Sir Gawaine evermore calling him
 traitor knight, and said:  Wit thou well Sir Launcelot,
 when I am whole I shall do battle with thee again, for I
 shall never leave thee till that one of us be slain.  Thus
 as this siege endured, and as Sir Gawaine lay sick near a
 month; and when he was well recovered and ready within
 three days to do battle again with Sir Launcelot, right so
 came tidings unto Arthur from England that made King
 Arthur and all his host to remove.