Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER XXI

CHAPTER XXI

How King Arthur let do cry a jousts, and how Sir
Lamorak came in, and overthrew Sir Gawaine and
many other.

THEN within three days after the king let make a jousting
at a priory.  And there made them ready many knights
of the Round Table, for Sir Gawaine and his brethren
made them ready to joust; but Tristram, Launcelot,
nor Dinadan, would not joust, but suffered Sir Gawaine,
for the love of King Arthur, with his brethren, to win
the gree if they might.  Then on the morn they apparelled
them to joust, Sir Gawaine and his four brethren, and
did there great deeds of arms.  And Sir Ector de Maris
did marvellously well, but Sir Gawaine passed all that
fellowship; wherefore King Arthur and all the knights
gave Sir Gawaine the honour at the beginning.

Right so King Arthur was ware of a knight and two
squires, the which came out of a forest side, with a shield
covered with leather, and then he came slyly and hurtled
here and there, and anon with one spear he had smitten
down two knights of the Round Table.  Then with his
hurtling he lost the covering of his shield, then was the
king and all other ware that he bare a red shield.  O Jesu,
said King Arthur, see where rideth a stout knight, he
with the red shield.  And there was noise and crying
Beware the Knight with the Red Shield.  So within a little
while he had overthrown three brethren of Sir Gawaine's.
So God me help, said King Arthur, meseemeth yonder is
the best jouster that ever I saw.  With that he saw him
encounter with Sir Gawaine, and he smote him down with
so great force that he made his horse to avoid his
saddle.  How now, said the king, Sir Gawaine hath a
fall; well were me an I knew what knight he were with
the red shield.  I know him well, said Dinadan, but as
at this time ye shall not know his name.  By my head,
said Sir Tristram, he jousted better than Sir Palomides,
and if ye list to know his name, wit ye well his name is
Sir Lamorak de Galis.

As they stood thus talking, Sir Gawaine and he encountered
together again, and there he smote Sir Gawaine
from his horse, and bruised him sore.  And in the sight
of King Arthur he smote down twenty knights, beside Sir
Gawaine and his brethren.  And so clearly was the prize
given him as a knight peerless.  Then slyly and marvellously
Sir Lamorak withdrew him from all the fellowship
into the forest side.  All this espied King Arthur, for his
eye went never from him.  Then the king, Sir Launcelot,
Sir Tristram, and Sir Dinadan, took their hackneys, and
rode straight after the good knight, Sir Lamorak de Galis,
and there found him.  And thus said the king:  Ah, fair
knight, well be ye found.  When he saw the king he put
off his helm and saluted him, and when he saw Sir Tristram
he alighted down off his horse and ran to him to take him
by the thighs, but Sir Tristram would not suffer him, but
he alighted or that he came, and either took other in arms,
and made great joy of other.  The king was glad, and
also was all the fellowship of the Round Table, except Sir
Gawaine and his brethren.  And when they wist that he
was Sir Lamorak, they had great despite at him, and were
wonderly wroth with him that he had put him to dishonour that day.

Then Gawaine called privily in council all his brethren,
and to them said thus:  Fair brethren, here may ye see,
whom that we hate King Arthur loveth, and whom that
we love he hateth.  And wit ye well, my fair brethren,
that this Sir Lamorak will never love us, because we slew
his father, King Pellinore, for we deemed that he slew our
father, King of Orkney.  And for the despite of Pellinore,
Sir Lamorak did us a shame to our mother, therefore I will
be revenged.  Sir, said Sir Gawaine's brethren, let see how
ye will or may be revenged, and ye shall find us ready.
Well, said Gawaine, hold you still and we shall espy our
time.