Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VII CHAPTER XXVII

CHAPTER XXVII

How King Arthur went to the tournament with his knights,
and how the lady received him worshipfully, and how
the knights encountered.

AND then there came with King Arthur Sir Gawaine, Agravaine,
Gaheris, his brethren.  And then his nephews Sir Uwaine le
Blanchemains, and Sir Aglovale, Sir Tor, Sir Percivale de Galis,
and Sir Lamorak de Galis.  Then came Sir Launcelot du Lake with
his brethren, nephews, and cousins, as Sir Lionel, Sir Ector de
Maris, Sir Bors de Ganis, and Sir Galihodin, Sir Galihud, and
many more of Sir Launcelot's blood, and Sir Dinadan, Sir La Cote
Male Taile, his brother, a good knight, and Sir Sagramore, a good
knight; and all the most part of the Round Table.  Also there
came with King Arthur these knights, the King of Ireland, King
Agwisance, and the King of Scotland, King Carados and King Uriens
of the land of Gore, and King Bagdemagus and his son Sir
Meliaganus, and Sir Galahault the noble prince.  All these kings,
princes, and earls, barons, and other noble knights, as Sir
Brandiles, Sir Uwaine les Avoutres, and Sir Kay, Sir Bedivere,
Sir Meliot <260>de Logres, Sir Petipase of Winchelsea, Sir
Godelake: all these came with King Arthur, and more that cannot
be rehearsed.

Now leave we of these kings and knights, and let us speak of the
great array that was made within the castle and about the castle
for both parties.  The Lady Dame Lionesse ordained great array
upon her part for her noble knights, for all manner of lodging
and victual that came by land and by water, that there lacked
nothing for her party, nor for the other, but there was plenty to
be had for gold and silver for King Arthur and his knights.  And
then there came the harbingers from King Arthur for to harbour
him, and his kings, dukes, earls, barons, and knights.  And then
Sir Gareth prayed Dame Lionesse and the Red Knight of the Red
Launds, and Sir Persant and his brother, and Sir Gringamore, that
in no wise there should none of them tell not his name, and make
no more of him than of the least knight that there was, For, he
said, I will not be known of neither more nor less, neither at
the beginning neither at the ending.  Then Dame Lionesse said
unto Sir Gareth: Sir, I will lend you a ring, but I would pray
you as you love me heartily let me have it again when the
tournament is done, for that ring increaseth my beauty much more
than it is of himself.  And the virtue of my ring is that, that
is green it will turn to red, and that is red it will turn in
likeness to green, and that is blue it will turn to likeness of
white, and that is white it will turn in likeness to blue, and so
it will do of all manner of colours.  Also who that beareth my
ring shall lose no blood, and for great love I will give you this
ring.  Gramercy, said Sir Gareth, mine own lady, for this ring is
passing meet for me, for it will turn all manner of likeness that
I am in, and that shall cause me that I shall not be known.  Then
Sir Gringamore gave Sir Gareth a bay courser that was a passing
good horse; also he gave him good armour and sure, and a noble
sword that sometime Sir Gringamore's father won upon an heathen
tyrant.  And so thus every knight made him ready to that
tournament.  And King Arthur was come two days to-fore the
<261>Assumption of our Lady.  And there was all manner of royalty
of all minstrelsy that might be found.  Also there came Queen
Guenever and the Queen of Orkney, Sir Gareth's mother.

And upon the Assumption Day, when mass and matins were done,
there were heralds with trumpets commanded to blow to the field. 
And so there came out Sir Epinogrus, the king's son of
Northumberland, from the castle, and there encountered with him
Sir Sagramore le Desirous, and either of them brake their spears
to their hands.  And then came in Sir Palamides out of the
castle, and there encountered with him Gawaine, and either of
them smote other so hard that both the good knights and their
horses fell to the earth.  And then knights of either party
rescued their knights.  And then came in Sir Safere and Sir
Segwarides, brethren to Sir Palamides; and there encountered Sir
Agravaine with Sir Safere and Sir Gaheris encountered with Sir
Segwarides.  So Sir Safere smote down Agravaine, Sir Gawaine's
brother; and Sir Segwarides, Sir Safere's brother.  And Sir
Malegrine, a knight of the castle, encountered with Sir Uwaine le
Blanchemains, and there Sir Uwaine gave Sir Malegrine a fall,
that he had almost broke his neck.