Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VII CHAPTER XXV

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 CHAPTER XXV[*3]
 
 
 [*3] In Caxton's edition this chapter is misnumbered XXVI.,
 setting the numeration wrong to the end of the book.
 
 
 How the Queen of Orkney came to this feast of Pentecost, and
 Sir Gawaine and his brethren came to ask her blessing.
 
 So then the king and they went to meat, and were served in the
 best manner.  And as they sat at the meat, there came in the
 Queen of Orkney, with ladies and knights a great number.  And
 then Sir Gawaine, Sir Agravaine, and Gaheris arose, and went to
 her and saluted her upon their knees, and asked her blessing; for
 in fifteen year they had not seen her.  Then she spake on high to
 her brother King Arthur:  Where have ye done my young son Sir
 Gareth?  He was here amongst you a twelvemonth, and <255>ye made
 a kitchen knave of him, the which is shame to you all.  Alas,
 where have ye done my dear son that was my joy and bliss?  O dear
 mother, said Sir Gawaine, I knew him not.  Nor I, said the king,
 that now me repenteth, but thanked be God he is proved a
 worshipful knight as any is now living of his years, and I shall
 never be glad till I may find him.
 
 Ah, brother, said the Queen unto King Arthur, and unto Sir
 Gawaine, and to all her sons, ye did yourself great shame when ye
 amongst you kept my son in the kitchen and fed him like a poor
 hog.  Fair sister, said King Arthur, ye shall right well wit I
 knew him not, nor no more did Sir Gawaine, nor his brethren; but
 sithen it is so, said the king, that he is thus gone from us all,
 we must shape a remedy to find him.  Also, sister, meseemeth ye
 might have done me to wit of his coming, and then an I had not
 done well to him ye might have blamed me.  For when he came to
 this court he came leaning upon two men's shoulders, as though he
 might not have gone.  And then he asked me three gifts; and one
 he asked the same day, that was that I would give him meat enough
 that twelvemonth; and the other two gifts he asked that day a
 twelvemonth, and that was that he might have the adventure of the
 damosel Linet, and the third was that Sir Launcelot should make
 him knight when he desired him.  And so I granted him all his
 desire, and many in this court marvelled that he desired his
 sustenance for a twelvemonth.  And thereby, we deemed, many of
 us, that he was not come of a noble house.
 
 Sir, said the Queen of Orkney unto King Arthur her brother, wit
 ye well that I sent him unto you right well armed and horsed, and
 worshipfully beseen of his body, and gold and silver plenty to
 spend.  It may be, said the King, but thereof saw we none, save
 that same day as he departed from us, knights told me that there
 came a dwarf hither suddenly, and brought him armour and a good
 horse full well and richly beseen; and thereat we all had marvel
 from whence that riches came, that we deemed all that he was come
 of men of worship.  Brother, said the <256>queen, all that ye say
 I believe, for ever sithen he was grown he was marvellously
 witted, and ever he was faithful and true of his promise.  But I
 marvel, said she, that Sir Kay did mock him and scorn him, and
 gave him that name Beaumains; yet, Sir Kay, said the queen, named
 him more righteously than he weened; for I dare say an he be
 alive, he is as fair an handed man and well disposed as any is
 living.  Sir, said Arthur, let this language be still, and by the
 grace of God he shall be found an he be within this seven realms,
 and let all this pass and be merry, for he is proved to be a man
 of worship, and that is my joy.