Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VII CHAPTER XII

CHAPTER XII

How Beaumains fought with Sir Persant of Inde, and made
him to be yielden.

WITH this Sir Persant of Inde had espied them as they hoved in
the field, and knightly he sent to them whether he came in war or
in peace.  Say to thy lord, said Beaumains, I take no force, but
whether as him list himself.  So the messenger went again unto
Sir Persant and told him all his answer.  Well then will I have
ado with him to the utterance, and so he purveyed him and rode
against him.  And Beaumains saw him and made him ready, and there
they met with all that ever their horses might run, and brast
their spears either in three pieces, and their horses rushed so
together that both their horses fell dead to the earth; and
lightly they avoided their horses and put their shields afore
them, and drew their swords, and gave many great strokes that
sometime they hurtled together that they fell grovelling on the
ground.  Thus they fought two hours and more, that their shields
and their hauberks were all forhewen, and in many steads they
were wounded.  So at the last Sir Beaumains smote him through the
cost of the body, and then he retrayed him here and there, and
knightly maintained his battle long time.  And at the last,
though him loath were, Beaumains smote Sir Persant above upon the
helm, that he fell grovelling to the earth; and then he leapt
upon him overthwart and unlaced his helm to have slain him.

Then Sir Persant yielded him and asked him mercy.  With that came
the damosel and prayed to save his life.  I will well, for it
were pity this noble knight should die.  Gramercy, said Persant,
gentle knight and damosel.  For certainly now I wot well it was
ye that slew my brother the Black Knight at the black thorn; he
was a full noble knight, his name was Sir Percard.  Also I am
sure that ye are he that won mine other brother the Green Knight,
<230>his name was Sir Pertolepe.  Also ye won my brother the Red
Knight, Sir Perimones.  And now since ye have won these, this
shall I do for to please you: ye shall have homage and fealty of
me, and an hundred knights to be always at your commandment, to
go and ride where ye will command us.  And so they went unto Sir
Persant's pavilion and drank the wine, and ate spices, and
afterward Sir Persant made him to rest upon a bed until supper
time, and after supper to bed again.  When Beaumains was abed,
Sir Persant had a lady, a fair daughter of eighteen year of age,
and there he called her unto him, and charged her and commanded
her upon his blessing to go unto the knight's bed, and lie down
by his side, and make him no strange cheer, but good cheer, and
take him in thine arms and kiss him, and look that this be done,
I charge you, as ye will have my love and my good will.  So Sir
Persant's daughter did as her father bade her, and so she went
unto Sir Beaumains' bed, and privily she dispoiled her, and laid
her down by him, and then he awoke and saw her, and asked her
what she was.  Sir, she said, I am Sir Persant's daughter, that
by the commandment of my father am come hither.  Be ye a maid or
a wife? said he.  Sir, she said, I am a clean maiden.  God
defend, said he, that I should defoil you to do Sir Persant such
a shame; therefore, fair damosel, arise out of this bed or else I
will.  Sir, she said, I came not to you by mine own will, but as
I was commanded.  Alas, said Sir Beaumains, I were a shameful
knight an I would do your father any disworship; and so he kissed
her, and so she departed and came unto Sir Persant her father,
and told him all how she had sped.  Truly, said Sir Persant,
whatsomever he be, he is come of a noble blood.  And so we leave
them there till on the morn.

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