Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IV CHAPTER XXVI

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.

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