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    "endpoint": "/api/sources/grail-romances/high-history-of-the-holy-graal/04-the-high-history-of-the-holy-graal-branch-iii.json"
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  "work": {
    "slug": "high-history-of-the-holy-graal",
    "name": "High History of the Holy Graal"
  },
  "parents": [
    {
      "slug": "grail-romances",
      "name": "Holy Grail Romances",
      "url": "/sources/grail-romances/"
    }
  ],
  "chapter": {
    "num": 4,
    "slug": "04-the-high-history-of-the-holy-graal-branch-iii",
    "title": "The High History of the Holy Graal: Branch III",
    "of": 36,
    "words": 5218,
    "text": "## The High History of the Holy Graal: Branch III\n\n\nINCIPIT.\n\nHere beginneth another branch of the Graal in the name of the\nFather, and in the name of the Son, and in the name of the Holy\nGhost.\n\nTITLE I\n\nHere is the story silent of the three damsels and the Car and\nsaith that Messire Gawain hath passed throughout the evil forest\nand is entered into the forest passing fair, the broad, the high,\nthe plenteous of venison. And he rideth a great pace, but sore\nabashed is he of that the damsel had said to him, and misdoubteth\nhim but he shall have blame thereof in many places. He rode hard\nthe day long till that it was evensong and the sun was about to\nset. And he looketh before him and seeth the house of a hermit\nand the chapel in the thick of the forest; and a spring flowed\nforth in front of the chapel right clear and fresh, and above it\nwas a tree full broad and tall that threw a shadow over the\nspring. A damsel sate under the tree and held a mule by the\nreins and at the saddle-bow had she the head of a knight hanging.\nAnd Messire Gawain cometh thitherward and alighteth.\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith he, \"God give you good adventure!\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"And you always.\"\n\nWhen she was risen up over against him, \"Damsel,\" saith he, \"For\nwhom are you a-waiting here?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"I am waiting for the hermit of this holy\nchapel, that is gone into the forest, and I would fain ask him\ntidings of a knight.\"\n\n\"Think you he will tell you them and he knoweth any?\"\n\n\"Yea, sir, I think so, according to that I have been told.\"\n\nTherewithal behold you the hermit that was coming, and saluteth\nthe damsel and Messire Gawain and openeth the door of the house\nand setteth the two steeds within and striketh off the bridles\nand giveth them green-meat first and barley after, and fain would\nhe have taken off the saddles when Messire Gawain leapeth before:\n\"Sir,\" saith he, \"Do not so! This business is not for you!\"\n\n\"Hermit though I be,\" saith he, \"yet well know I how to deal\nwithal, for at the court of King Uther Pendragon have I been\nsquire and knight two-score years, and a score or mort have I\nbeen in this hermitage.\"\n\nAnd Messire Gawain looketh at him in wonderment. \"Sir,\" saith he,\n\"Meseemeth you are not of more than forty years.\"\n\n\"That know I well of a truth,\" saith the hermit, and Messire\nGawain taketh off the saddles and bethinketh him more of the\ndamsel's mule than of his own horse. And the hermit taketh\nMessire Gawain by the hand and the damsel and leadeth them into\nthe chapel. And the place was right fair.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the hermit to Messire Gawain, \"You will disarm you\nnot,\" saith he, \"for this forest is passing adventurous, and no\nworshipful man behoveth be disgarnished.\"\n\nHe goeth for his spear and for his shield and setteth them within\nthe chapel. He setteth before them such meat as he hath, and\nwhen they have eaten giveth them to drink of the spring.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the damsel, \"Of a knight that I go seek am I come to\nask you tidings.\"\n\n\"Who is the knight?\" saith the hermit.\n\n\"Sir, he is the Chaste Knight of most holy lineage. He hath a\nheart of gold, the look of a lion, the navel of a virgin maid, a\nheart of steel, the body of an elephant, and without wickedness\nare all his conditions.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith the hermit, \"Nought will I tell you concerning\nhim, for I know not of a certainty where he is, save this, that\nhe hath lain in this chapel twice, not once only, within this\ntwelvemonth.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"Will you tell me no more of him, nor none\nother witting?\"\n\n\"In no wise,\" saith the hermit.\n\n\"And you, Messire Gawain?\" saith she.\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith he, \"As fainly would I see him as you, but none\nfind I that may tell me tidings of him.\"\n\n\"And the damsel of the Car, Sir, have you seen her?\"\n\n\"Yea, lady,\" saith he, \"It is but just now sithence that I left\nher.\"\n\n\"Carried she still her arm slung at her neck?\"\n\n\"Yea,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"in such wise she carried it.\"\n\n\"Of a long while,\" saith the damsel, \"hath she borne it thus.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the hermit, \"how are you named?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he, \"Gawain am I called, King Arthur's nephew.\"\n\n\"Thereof I love you the better,\" saith the hermit.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the damsel, \"You are of kindred to the worst King\nthat is.\"\n\n\"Of what King speak you?\" saith Messire Gawain.\n\n\"I speak,\" saith she, \"of King Arthur, through whom is all the\nworld made worser, for he began doing well and now hath become\nevil. For hatred of him hate I a knight that found me nigh S.\nAugustine's Chapel, and yet was he the comeliest knight that saw\nI ever. He slew a knight within the bar right hardily. I asked\nhim for the head of the knight and he went back for the same and\nset himself in sore peril. He brought it me, and I made him\ngreat joy, but when he told me his name was Arthur I had no\nfainness of the bounty he had done me, for that he had the name\nof that evil King.\"\n\nII.\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"You may say your pleasure. I\ntell you that King Arthur hath held the richest court that he\nhath held ever, and these evil conditions whereof you blame him\nis he minded to put away for evermore, and more will he do of\ngood and more of largesse than was ever known aforetime so long\nas he shall live; nor know I none other knight that beareth his\nname.\"\n\n\"You are right,\" saith the damsel, \"to come to his rescue, for\nthat he is your uncle, but your rescue will scarce avail him and\nhe deliver not himself.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the hermit to Messire Gawain, \"The damsel will say\nher pleasure. May God defend King Arthur, for his father made me\nknight. Now am I priest, and in this hermitage ever sithence\nthat I came hither have I served King Fisherman by the will of\nOur Lord and His commandment, and all they that serve him do well\npartake of his reward, for the place of his most holy service is\na refuge so sweet that unto him that hath been there a year, it\nseemeth to have been but a month for the holiness of the place\nand of himself, and for the sweetness of his castle wherein have\nI oftentimes done service in the chapel where the Holy Graal\nappeareth. Therefore is it that I and all that serve him are so\nyouthful of seeming.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"By what way may a man go to his\ncastle?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the hermit, \"None may teach you the way, save the\nwill of God lead you therein. And would you fain go thither?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"It is the most wish that I have.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the hermit, \"Now God give you grace and courage to\nask the question that the others to whom the Graal hath appeared\nwould ask not, whereof have many mischances sithence befallen\nmuch people.\"\n\nIII.\n\nWith that, they left of talking, and the hermit led Messire\nGawain into his house to rest, and the damsel abode still in the\nchapel. On the morrow when dawn appeared, Messire Gawain that\nhad lain all armed, arose and found his saddle ready and the\ndamsel, and the bridles set on, and cometh to the chapel and\nfindeth the hermit that was apparelled to sing mass, and seeth\nthe damsel kneeling before an image of Our Lady, and she prayed\nGod and the sweet Lady that they would counsel her that whereof\nshe had need, and wept right tenderly so that the tears ran down\nher face. And when she had prayed of a long space she ariseth,\nand Messire Gawain biddeth her God give her good day, and she\nreturneth his salute.\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith he, \"Meseemeth you are not over joyous.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"I have right, for now am I nigh unto my\ndesolation, sith that I may not find the Good Knight. Now must I\nneeds go to the castle of the Black Hermit, and bear thither the\nhead that hangeth at my saddle-bow, for otherwise shall I not be\nable to pass through the forest but my body should there be cast\nin prison or shamed, and this shall be the quittance for my\npassing. Then will I seek the Damsel of the Car and so shall I\ngo in safer through the forest.\"\n\nWith that the hermit had begun the mass and Messire Gawain and\nthe damsel heard it. When mass was sung, Messire Gawain took\nleave of the hermit and the damsel also. And Messire Gawain\ngoeth one way and the damsel the other, and either biddeth other\nto God.\n\nIV.\n\nHereupon the story is now silent of the damsel, and saith that\nMessire Gawain goeth through the high forest and rideth a great\npace, and prayeth God right sweetly that He will set him in such\nway as that thereby he may go to the land of the rich King\nFisherman. And he rideth until the hour of noon, and cometh into\nthe fulness of the forest and seeth under a tree a squire\nalighted of a horse of the chase. Messire Gawain saluteth him,\nand the squire saith: \"Sir, right welcome may you be!\"\n\n\"Fair sweet friend,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"Whither go you?\"\n\n\"Sir, I go to seek the lord of this forest.\"\n\n\"Whose is the forest?\" saith Messire Gawain. \"Sir, it belongeth\nto the best knight in the world.\"\n\n\"Can you tell me tidings of him?\"\n\n\"He ought to bear a shield banded azure and argent with a red\ncross thereon and a boss of gold. I say that he is good knight,\nbut little call have I to praise him, for he slew my father in\nthis forest with a javelin. The Good Knight was squire what time\nhe slew him, and fain would I avenge my father upon him and I may\nfind him, for he reft me of the best knight that was in the realm\nof Logres when he slew my father. Well did he bereave me of him\nwhat time he slew him with his javelin without defiance, nor\nshall I never be at ease nor at rest until I shall have avenged\nhim.\"\n\n\"Fair sweet friend,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"Sith that he is\nknight so good take heed you increase not your wrong of your own\nact, and I would fain that you had found him, so as that no evil\nhad befallen him thereof.\"\n\nV.\n\n\"So would not I,\" saith the squire, \"for never shall I see him in\nthis place but I shall run upon him as my mortal enemy!\"\n\n\"Fair sweet friend,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"you may say your\npleasure, but tell me is there no hold in this forest wherein I\nmay harbour me the night?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the squire, \"No hold know I within twenty league of\nyour way in any quarter. Wherefore no leisure have you to tarry,\nfor it is high noon already.\"\n\nSo Messire Gawain saluteth the squire and goeth a great pace as\nhe that knoweth neither highway nor byway save only as adventure\nmay lead him. And the forest pleaseth him well for that it is so\nfair and that he seeth the deer pass by before him in great\nherds. He rode on until it drew toward evensong at a corner of\nthe forest. The evening was fair and calm and the sun was about\nto set. And a score league Welsh had he ridden sithence that he\nparted from the squire, and sore he misdoubted him that he should\nfind no hold. He found the fairest meadow-land in the world, and\nlooked before him when he had ridden a couple of bow-shot lengths\nand saw a castle appear nigh the forest on a mountain. And it\nwas enclosed of high walls with battlements, and within were fair\nhalls whereof the windows showed in the outer walls, and in the\nmidst was an ancient tower that was compassed round of great\nwaters and broad meadow-lands. Thitherward Messire Gawain\ndraweth him and looketh toward the gateway of the castle and\nseeth a squire issue forth a great pace upon a hackney, and he\ncame the way that Messire Gawain was coming. And when the squire\nseeth him, and hath drawn somewhat anigh, he saluteth him right\nnobly.\n\nVI.\n\n\"Sir, right welcome may you be!\"\n\n\"Good adventure may you have!\" saith Messire Gawain. \"Fair sweet\nfriend, what is this castle here, sir?\"\n\n\"Sir, it is the castle of the Widow Lady.\"\n\n\"What is the name thereof;\"\n\n\"Camelot; and it belonged to Alain li Gros, that was a right\nloyal knight and worshipful man. He is dead this long time, and\nmy Lady hath remained without succour and without counsel.\nWherefore is the castle warred upon of them that would fain reave\nher thereof by force. The Lord of the Moors and another knight\nare they that war upon her and would fain reave her of this\ncastle as they have reft he of seven other already. Greatly\ndesireth she the return of her son, for no counsel hath she save\nonly of her one daughter and of five old knights that help her to\nguard the castle. Sir,\" saith he, \"The door is made fast and the\nbridge drawn up, for they guard the castle closely, but, so\nplease you, you will tell me your name and I will go before and\nmake the bridge be 1owered and the gate unfastened, and will say\nthat you will lodge within to-night.\"\n\n\"Gramercy,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"right well shall my name be\nknown or ever I depart from the castle.\"\n\nThe squire goeth his way a great pace, and Messire Gawain tided\nsoftly at a walk for he had yet a long way to go. And he found a\nchapel that stood between the forest and the castle, and it was\nbuilded upon four columns of marble and within was a right fair\nsepulchre. The chapel had no fence of any kind about it so that\nhe seeth the coffin within full clearly, and Messire Gawain\nbideth awhile to look thereon. And the squire entered into the\ncastle and hath made the bridge be lowered and the door opened.\nHe alighteth and is come into the hall when was the Widow Lady\nand her daughter. Saith the Lady to the squire: \"Wherefore have\nyou returned from doing my message? Lady, for the comeliest\nknight that I have seen ever, and fain would he harbour within\nto-night, and he is garnished of all arms and rideth without\ncompany.\"\n\n\"And what name hath he?\" saith the Lady.\n\n\"Lady, he told me you should know it well or ever he depart\nfrom this castle.\"\n\nTherewithal the Lady gan weep for joy and her daughter also, and,\nlifting her hands towards heaven, \"Fair Lord God!\" saith the\nWidow Lady, \"And this be indeed my son, never before have I had\njoy that might be likened to this! Now shall I not be disherited\nof mine honour, neither shall I lose my castle whereof they would\nfain reave me by wrong, for that no Lord nor champion have I!\"\n\nVII.\n\nThereupon the Widow Lady ariseth up and her daughter likewise,\nand they go over the bridge of the castle and see Messire Gawain\nthat was yet looking on the coffin within the chapel.\n\n\"Now haste!\" saith the Lady; \"At the tomb shall we be well able\nto see whether it be he!\"\n\nThey go to the chapel right speedily, and Messire Gawain seeth\nthem coming and alighteth. \"Lady, saith he, \"Welcome may you be,\nyou and your company.\"\n\nThe Lady answereth never a word until that they are come to the\ntomb. When she findeth it not open she falleth down in a swoon.\nAnd Messire Gawain is sore afraid when he seeth it. The Lady\ncometh back out of her swoon and breaketh out into great\nlamentation.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the damsel to Messire Gawain, \"Welcome may you be!\nBut now sithence my mother supposed that you had been her son and\nmade great joy thereof, and now seeth she plainly that you are\nnot he, whereof is she sore sorrowful, for so soon as he shall\nreturn, this coffin behoveth open, nor until that hour shall none\nknow who it is that lieth therein.\"\n\nThe Lady riseth up and taketh Messire Gawain by the hand. \"Sir,\"\nsaith she, \"What is your name?\"\n\n\"Lady,\" saith he, \"I am called Gawain, King Arthur's nephew.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"You shall be he that is welcome both for the\nsake of my son and for your own sake.\"\n\nThe Lady biddeth a squire lead his horse into the castle and\ncarry his shield and spear. Then they enter into the castle and\nlead Messire Gawain into the hall, and make disarm him. After\nthat, they fetch him water to wash his hands and his face, for he\nwas distained of the rust of his habergeon. The Lady maketh\napparel him in a rich robe of silk and gold, and furred of\nermine. The Widow Lady cometh forth of her chamber and maketh\nMessire Gawain sit beside her. \"Sir,\" saith she, \"Can you tell\nme any tidings of my son that I have not seen of this long time\npast, and of whom at this present am I sore in need?\"\n\nVIII.\n\n\"Lady,\" saith he, \"No tidings of him know I to tell you, and\nright heavy am I thereof, for he is the knight of the world that\nfainest I would see and he be your son as I am told. What name\nhath he?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"His name in right baptism is Perceval, and a\nright comely squire was he when he departed hence. Now as at\nthis time is it said that he is the comeliest knight on live and\nthe most hardy and the cleanest of all wickedness. And sore need\nhave I of his hardiment, for what time that he departed hence he\nleft me in the midst of a great warfare on behalf of the Knight\nof the Red Shield that he slew. Within the se'nnight thereafter\nhe went away, nor never once have I seen him sithence, albeit a\nfull seven year hath passed already. And now the brother of the\nknight that he slew and the Lord of the Moors are warring upon me\nand are fain to reave me of my castle and God counsel me not.\nFor my brothers are too far away from me, and King Pelles of the\nLower Folk hath renounced his land for God's sake and entered\ninto a hermitage. But the King of Castle Mortal hath in him as\nmuch of wickedness and felony as these twain have in them of\ngood, and enough thereof have they. But neither succour nor help\nmay they give me, for the King of Castle Mortal challengeth my\nLord King Fisherman both of the most Holy Graal and of the Lance\nwhereof the point bleedeth every day, albeit God forbid he should\never have them.\"\n\nIX.\n\n\"Lady,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"There was at the hostel of King\nFisherman a knight before whom the Holy Graal appeared three\ntimes, yet never once would he ask whereof it served nor whom it\nhonoured.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the Widow Lady's daughter, \"You say true, and the\nBest Knight is he of the world. This say I for love of my\nbrother, and I love all knights for the love of him, but by the\nfoolish wit of the knight hath mine uncle King Fisherman fallen\ninto languishment.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the Lady, \"Behoveth all good knights go see the rich\nKing Fisherman. Will you not therefore go?\"\n\n\"Lady,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"Yea, that will I, so speedily as I\nmay, for not elsewhither have I emprised my way.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"Then are you going to see my son, wherefore\ntell my son, and you see him, of mine evil plight and my misease,\nand King Fisherman my brother. But take heed, Messire Gawain,\nthat you be better mindful than was the knight.\"\n\n\"Lady,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"I shall do as God shall teach me.\"\n\nIn the meanwhile as they were speaking thus together, behold you\ntherewithal the Widow Lady's five knights that were come in from\nthe forest and make bring harts and hinds and wild swine. So\nthey alighted and made great joy of Messire Gawain when they knew\nwho he was.\n\nX.\n\nWhen the meat was ready they sate to eat, and full plenteously\nwere they provided and right well were they served. Thereupon,\nbehold, cometh the squire that had opened the door for Messire\nGawain, and kneeleth before the Widow Lady.\n\n\"And what tidings?\" saith she.\n\n\"Lady, there is to be a right great assembly of tourney in the\nvalleys that aforetime were ours. Already have they spread the\nWelsh booths, and thither are come these two that are warring\nupon you and great store other knights. And they have ordained\nthat he which shall do best at the assembly shall undertake the\ngarrison of this castle in such sort as that he shall hold it for\nhis own alone against all other.\"\n\nThe Widow Lady beginneth to weep: \"Sir,\" saith she to Messire\nGawain, \"Now may you understand that the castle is not mine own,\nsith that these knights say it is theirs as you hear.\"\n\n\"Certes, Lady,\" saith he, \"Herein do they great dishonour and a\nsin.\"\n\nXI.\n\nWhen the table was removed the damsel fell at Messire Gawain's\nfeet, weeping. He raiseth her forthwith and saith to her,\n\"Damsel, herein do you ill.\"\n\n\"For God's sake, Sir, take pity on my Lady mother and me!\"\n\n\"Certes, damsel, great pity have I of you.\"\n\n\"Sir, now shall it be seen in this strait whether you be good\nknight, for good is the knighthood that doeth well for God's\nsake.\"\n\nThe Widow Lady and her daughter go into the chamber, and Messire\nGawain's bed was made in the midst of the hall. So he went and\nlay down as did also the five knights. All the night was Messire\nGawain in much thought. The morrow, when he was risen, he went\nto hear mass in a chapel that was within and ate thereafter three\nsops in wine and then armed him, and at the same time asked the\nfive knights that were there in the hall whether they would go\nsee the assembly.\n\n\"Yea, Sir,\" say they, \"and you be going thither.\"\n\n\"In faith, thither verily will I go!\" saith Messire Gawain.\n\nThe knights are armed forthwith, and their horses brought and\nMessire Gawain's, and he goeth to take leave of the Widow Lady\nand her daughter. But great joy make they of this that they have\nheard say that he will go with their knights to the assembly.\n\nXII.\n\nMessire Gawain and the five knights mounted and issued forth of\nthe castle and rode a great gallop before a forest. Messire\nGawain looketh before him about the foreclose of the forest, and\nseeth the fairest purlieus that he had seen ever, and so broad\nthey be that he may not see nor know the fourth part thereof.\nThey are garnished of tall forests on one hand and on the other,\nand there are high rocks in the midst with wild deer among.\n\n\"Sir,\" say the knights, \"Lo, these be the Valleys of Camelot\nwhereof my Lady and her daughter have been bereft, and bereft\nalso hath she been of the richest castles that be in Wales to the\nnumber of seven.\"\n\n\"A wrong is it and a sin!\" saith Messire Gawain.\n\nSo far have they ridden that they see the ensigns and the shields\nthere where the assembly is to be held, and they see already\nmounted the more part of the knights all armed and running their\nhorses down the meadow-land. And they see the tents stretched on\nthe one hand and on another. And Messire Gawain bideth, and the\nfive knights under a tree, and see the knights assembling on one\nhand and on another. One of the five knights that were with him\ngave him witting of the Lord of the Moors and the brother of the\nknight of the Red Shield that had to name Chaos the Red. So soon\nas the tournament was assembled, Messire Gawain and the knights\ncome to the assembly, and Messire Gawain goeth to a Welsh knight\nand beareth him to the ground, both him and his horse, all in a\nheap. And the five come after at a great gallop and each\noverthroweth his own, and greatly pride they themselves of\nMessire Gawain. Chaos the Red seeth Messire Gawain but knoweth\nhim not. He goeth toward him a full career, and Messire Gawain\nreceiveth him on the point of his spear and hurtleth against him\nso sore that he all to-brast his collarbone and maketh the spear\nfly from his fist. And Messire Gawain searcheth the fellowships\nof one part and the other, and findeth not nor encountereth no\nknight before him in his way but he putteth him off his horse or\nwoundeth him, either by himself or by one of the five knights,\nthat make right great joy of that they see him do. They show him\nthe Lord of the Moors that was coming with a full great\nfellowship of folk. He goeth thitherward a great gallop. They\nmell together either upon other of their spears that they bent\nand all to-brast in flinders, and hurtle together so stoutly both\nof their horses and their bodies that the Lord of the Moors\nloseth his stirrups and hath the hinder saddlebow to-frushed, and\nfalleth down to the ground over his horse croup in such sort that\nthe peak of his helm dinteth a full palm's breadth into the turf.\nAnd Messire Gawain taketh the horse that was right rich and good,\nmaugre all of his fellowship, and giveth it to one of the five\nknights that maketh it be led to Camelot of a squire. Messire\nGawain searcheth the ranks on the one hand and on the other, and\ndoeth such feats of arms as never no knight might do the same\nagain. The five knights also showed great hardiment, and did\nmore of arms that day than ever had they done tofore, for not one\nof them but had overthrown at least a single knight and won his\nhorse. The Lord of the Moors was mounted again on another rich\nhorse and had great shame for that Messire Gawain had overthrown\nhim. He espieth Messire Gawain and goeth toward him a great\ngallop and thinketh to avenge his shame. They come together\neither on other with a great shock, and Messire Gawain smiteth\nhim with the truncheon of his spear that he had still left, in\nthe midst of his breast, so that it was all to-splintered. The\nLord of the Moors likewise again to-brast his spear upon him.\nMessire Gawain draweth his sword and flingeth the truncheon to\nthe ground. The Lord of the Moors doth likewise and commandeth\nhis folk not to mell betwixt them twain, for never yet had he\nfound no knight that he had not conquered. They deal them great\nbuffets on the helms, either upon other, in such sort that the\nsparks fly thereout and their swords are blunted. The buffets of\nMessire Gawain are heavier than the other's, for he dealeth them\nso mighty and horrible that the blood rayeth out from the Lord of\nthe Moors by the mouth and the nose so that his habergeon is all\nbloody thereof and he may no more endure. Thereupon he yieldeth\nhim prisoner to Messire Gawain, that is right glad thereof and\nhis live knights likewise. The Lord of the Moors goeth to his\ntent to alight, and Messire Gawain with him and alighteth. And\nMessire Gawain taketh the horse and saith to one of the knights,\n\"Keep this for me.\"\n\nAnd all the knights are repaired to their tents, and with one\naccord say they all that the knight of the Red Shield with the\neagle of gold thereon hath done better than we, and they ask the\nLord of the Moors whether he accordeth with them, and he saith\n\"Aye.\"\n\n\" Sir,\" saith he to Messire Gawain, \"You, then, are the warden of\nthis castle of Camelot.\"\n\n\"Gramercy, lord!\" saith Messire Gawain. He calleth the five\nknights and saith unto them: \"Lords, my will is that you be there\non my behalf and that you shall safeguard the same by consent of\nthe knights that are here present.\"\n\n\"Sir, right gladly do we agree thereto.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Messire Gawain to the Lord of the Moors, \"I give you\nmoreover as my prisoner to the Widow Lady that harboured me last\nnight.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he, \"This have you no right to do. Assembly of\ntourney is not war. Hence have you no right to imprison my body\nin castle, for well am I able to pay my ransom here. But tell\nme, what is your name?\"\n\n\"I am called Gawain.\"\n\n\"Ha, Messire Gawain, many a time have I heard tell of you albeit\nnever tofore have I seen you. But sith that the castle of\nCamelot is in your keeping, I promise you loyally that before a\nyear and a day neither the castle nor none of the Lady's land\nneed fear nought from me nor from any other so far forth as I may\nhinder him, and hereto do I pledge me in the presence of all\nthese knights that are here. And, so you would have of me gold\nor silver, thereof will I give you at your will.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"Gramercy! I consent freely to as\nmuch as you have said.\"\n\nMessire Gawain taketh leave and turneth him again toward the\ncastle of Camelot, and sendeth by a squire the horse of the Lord\nof the Moors to the daughter of the Widow Lady, that made great\njoy thereof. And the five knights drive before them the horses\nthey have taken booty. Whereof great also was the joy. No need\nto wonder whether Messire Gawain were well harboured that night\nat the castle. He recounted to the Lady how the castle was in\nthe keeping of these knights. When it came to morning-tide,\nMessire Gawain took leave and departed from the castle, but not\nbefore he had heard mass, for such was his custom. The Widow\nLady and her daughter commend him to God, and the castle\nremaineth in better keeping than he had found it.",
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    "license": null,
    "methodology_url": null
  }
}