Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IV CHAPTER XXVI

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 CHAPTER XXVI
 
 How Sir Uwaine rode with the damosel of sixty year of
 age, and how he gat the prize at tourneying.
 
 NOW turn we unto Sir Uwaine, that rode westward with his damosel
 of three score winter of age, and she brought <145>him thereas
 was a tournament nigh the march of Wales.  And at that tournament
 Sir Uwaine smote down thirty knights, therefore was given him the
 prize, and that was a gerfalcon, and a white steed trapped with
 cloth of gold.  So then Sir Uwaine did many strange adventures by
 the means of the old damosel, and so she brought him to a lady
 that was called the Lady of the Rock, the which was much
 courteous.  So there were in the country two knights that were
 brethren, and they were called two perilous knights, the one
 knight hight Sir Edward of the Red Castle, and the other Sir Hue
 of the Red Castle; and these two brethren had disherited the Lady
 of the Rock of a barony of lands by their extortion.  And as this
 knight was lodged with this lady she made her complaint to him of
 these two knights.
 
 Madam, said Sir Uwaine, they are to blame, for they do against
 the high order of knighthood, and the oath that they made; and if
 it like you I will speak with them, because I am a knight of King
 Arthur's, and I will entreat them with fairness; and if they will
 not, I shall do battle with them, and in the defence of your
 right.  Gramercy said the lady, and thereas I may not acquit you,
 God shall.  So on the morn the two knights were sent for, that
 they should come thither to speak with the Lady of the Rock, and
 wit ye well they failed not, for they came with an hundred horse. 
 But when this lady saw them in this manner so big, she would not
 suffer Sir Uwaine to go out to them upon no surety nor for no
 fair language, but she made him speak with them over a tower, but
 finally these two brethren would not be entreated, and answered
 that they would keep that they had.  Well, said Sir Uwaine, then
 will I fight with one of you, and prove that ye do this lady
 wrong.  That will we not, said they, for an we do battle, we two
 will fight with one knight at once, and therefore if ye will
 fight so, we will be ready at what hour ye will assign.  And if
 ye win us in battle the lady shall have her lands again.  Ye say
 well, said Sir Uwaine, therefore make you ready so that ye be
 here to-morn in the defence of the lady's right.
 
 
 
 <146>