Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IV CHAPTER XXI

CHAPTER XXI

How King Pelleas suffered himself to be taken prisoner
because he would have a sight of his lady, and how
Sir Gawaine promised him to get to him the love of
his lady.

AND so he chose her for his sovereign lady, and never to love
other but her, but she was so proud that she had scorn of him,
and said that she would never love him though he would die for
her.  Wherefore all ladies and gentlewomen had scorn of her that
she was so proud, for there were fairer than she, and there was
none that was there but an Sir Pelleas would have proffered them
love, they would have loved him for his noble prowess.  And so
this knight promised the Lady Ettard to follow her into this
country, and never to leave her till she loved him.  And thus he
is here the most part nigh her, and lodged by a priory, and every
week she sendeth knights to fight with him.  And when he hath put
them to the worse, then will he suffer them wilfully to take him
prisoner, because he would have a sight of this lady.  And always
she doth him great despite, for sometime she maketh her knights
to tie him to his horse's tail, and some to bind him under the
horse's belly; thus in the most shamefullest ways that she can
think he is brought to her.  And all she doth it for to cause him
to leave this country, and to leave his loving; but all this
cannot make him to leave, for an he would have fought on foot he
might have had the better of the ten knights as well on foot as
on horseback.  Alas, said Sir Gawaine, it is great pity of him;
and after this night I will seek him to-morrow, in this forest,
to do him all the help I can.  So on the morn Sir Gawaine took
his leave of his host Sir Carados, and rode into the forest; and
at the last he met with Sir Pelleas, making great moan out of
measure, so each of them saluted other, and asked him why he made
such sorrow.  And as it is above rehearsed, <136>Sir Pelleas told
Sir Gawaine:  But always I suffer her knights to fare so with me
as ye saw yesterday, in trust at the last to win her love, for
she knoweth well all her knights should not lightly win me, an me
list to fight with them to the uttermost.  Wherefore an I loved
her not so sore, I had liefer die an hundred times, an I might
die so oft, rather than I would suffer that despite; but I trust
she will have pity upon me at the last, for love causeth many a
good knight to suffer to have his entent, but alas I am
unfortunate.  And therewith he made so great dole and sorrow that
unnethe he might hold him on horseback.

Now, said Sir Gawaine, leave your mourning and I shall promise
you by the faith of my body to do all that lieth in my power to
get you the love of your lady, and thereto I will plight you my
troth.  Ah, said Sir Pelleas, of what court are ye? tell me, I
pray you, my good friend.  And then Sir Gawaine said, I am of the
court of King Arthur, and his sister's son, and King Lot of
Orkney was my father, and my name is Sir Gawaine.  And then he
said, My name is Sir Pelleas, born in the Isles, and of many
isles I am lord, and never have I loved lady nor damosel till now
in an unhappy time; and, sir knight, since ye are so nigh cousin
unto King Arthur, and a king's son, therefore betray me not but
help me, for I may never come by her but by some good knight, for
she is in a strong castle here, fast by within this four mile,
and over all this country she is lady of.  And so I may never
come to her presence, but as I suffer her knights to take me, and
but if I did so that I might have a sight of her, I had been dead
long or this time; and yet fair word had I never of her, but when
I am brought to-fore her she rebuketh me in the foulest manner. 
And then they take my horse and harness and put me out of the
gates, and she will not suffer me to eat nor drink; and always I
offer me to be her prisoner, but that she will not suffer me, for
I would desire no more, what pains so ever I had, so that I might
have a sight of her daily.  Well, said Sir Gawaine, all this
shall I amend an ye will do as I shall devise: I will have your
horse and <137>your armour, and so will I ride unto her castle
and tell her that I have slain you, and so shall I come within
her to cause her to cherish me, and then shall I do my true part
that ye shall not fail to have the love of her.