Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK III CHAPTER VIII

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 CHAPTER VIII
 
 How four knights fought against Gawaine and Gaheris,
 and how they were overcome, and their lives saved at
 request of four ladies.
 
 AND Sir Gawaine went into the castle, and made him ready to lie
 there all night, and would have unarmed him.  What will ye do,
 said Gaheris, will ye unarm you in this <89>country?  Ye may
 think ye have many enemies here.  They had not sooner said that
 word but there came four knights well armed, and assailed Sir
 Gawaine hard, and said unto him, Thou new-made knight, thou hast
 shamed thy knighthood, for a knight without mercy is dishonoured. 
 Also thou hast slain a fair lady to thy great shame to the
 world's end, and doubt thou not thou shalt have great need of
 mercy or thou depart from us.  And therewith one of them smote
 Sir Gawaine a great stroke that nigh he fell to the earth, and
 Gaheris smote him again sore, and so they were on the one side
 and on the other, that Sir Gawaine and Gaheris were in jeopardy
 of their lives; and one with a bow, an archer, smote Sir Gawaine
 through the arm that it grieved him wonderly sore.  And as they
 should have been slain, there came four fair ladies, and besought
 the knights of grace for Sir Gawaine; and goodly at request of
 the ladies they gave Sir Gawaine and Gaheris their lives, and
 made them to yield them as prisoners.  Then Gawaine and Gaheris
 made great dole. Alas! said Sir Gawaine, mine arm grieveth me
 sore, I am like to be maimed; and so made his complaint
 piteously.
 
 Early on the morrow there came to Sir Gawaine one of the four
 ladies that had heard all his complaint, and said, Sir knight,
 what cheer?  Not good, said he.  It is your own default, said the
 lady, for ye have done a passing foul deed in the slaying of the
 lady, the which will be great villainy unto you.  But be ye not
 of King Arthur's kin? said the lady.  Yes truly, said Sir
 Gawaine.  What is your name? said the lady, ye must tell it me or
 ye pass.  My name is Gawaine, the King Lot of Orkney's son, and
 my mother is King Arthur's sister.  Ah! then are ye nephew unto
 King Arthur, said the lady, and I shall so speak for you that ye
 shall have conduct to go to King Arthur for his love.  And so she
 departed and told the four knights how their prisoner was King
 Arthur's nephew, and his name is Sir Gawaine, King Lot's son of
 Orkney.  And they gave him the hart's head because it was in his
 quest.  Then anon they delivered Sir Gawaine under this promise,
 that he should bear the dead lady with him in <90>this manner;
 the head of her was hanged about his neck, and the whole body of
 her lay before him on his horse's mane.  Right so rode he forth
 unto Camelot.  And anon as he was come, Merlin desired of King
 Arthur that Sir Gawaine should be sworn to tell of all his
 adventures, and how he slew the lady, and how he would give no
 mercy unto the knight, wherethrough the lady was slain.  Then the
 king and the queen were greatly displeased with Sir Gawaine for
 the slaying of the lady.  And there by ordinance of the queen
 there was set a quest of ladies on Sir Gawaine, and they judged
 him for ever while he lived to be with all ladies, and to fight
 for their quarrels; and that ever he should be courteous, and
 never to refuse mercy to him that asketh mercy.  Thus was Gawaine
 sworn upon the Four Evangelists that he should never be against
 lady nor gentlewoman, but if he fought for a lady and his
 adversary fought for another.  And thus endeth the adventure of
 Sir Gawaine that he did at the marriage of King Arthur.  Amen.