Branch I, part 6 of 8

¶"Sir," saith the knight, "I cry you mercy. Never would my spear have been quenched of its burning, save it were bathed in your blood."

¶"Now may never God help me," saith King Arthur, "whenever I shall have mercy on you, and I may achieve!"

¶He pricketh towards him a great run, and smiteth him in the broad of the breast and thrusted his spear half an ell into his body, and beareth him to the ground, both him and his horse all in a heap, and draweth his spear back to him and looketh at the knight that lay as dead and leaveth him in the launde, and draweth him towards the issue incontinent. And so as the King went, he heard a great clashing of knights coming right amidst the forest, so as it seemed there were a good score or more of them, and he seeth them enter the launde from the forest, armed and well horsed. And they come with great ado toward the knight that lay dead in the midst of the launde. King Arthur was about to issue forth, when the damsel that he had left under the tree cometh forward to meet him.

¶"Sir," saith she, "For God's sake, return back and fetch me the head of the knight that lieth there dead."

¶The King looketh back, and seeth the great peril and the multitude of knights that are there all armed. "Ha, damsel," saith he, "You are minded to slay me."

¶"Certes, Sir, that I am not, but sore need will there be that I should have it, nor never did knight refuse to do the thing I asked nor deny me any boon I demanded of him. Now God grant you be not the most churlish."

¶"Ha, damsel, I am right sore wounded in the arm whereon I hold my shield."

¶"Sir," saith she, "I know it well, nor never may you be heal thereof save you bring me the head of the knight."

¶"Damsel," he saith, "I will essay it whatsoever may befal me thereof."

¶IX.

¶King Arthur looketh amidst the launde and seeth that they that have come thither have cut the knight to pieces limb by limb, and that each is carrying off a foot or a thigh or an arm or a hand and are dispersing them through the forest. And he seeth that the last knight beareth on the point of his spear the head. The King goeth after him a great gallop and crieth out to him: "Ha, Sir knight, abide and speak to me!"

¶"What is your pleasure?" saith the knight.

¶"Fair Sir," saith the King, "I beseech you of all loves that you deign to give me the head of this knight that you are carrying on the point of your lance."

¶"I will give it you," saith the knight, "on condition."

¶"What condition?" saith the King.

¶"That you tell me who slew the knight whose head I carry that you ask of me."

¶"May I not otherwise have it?" saith the King.

¶"In no wise," saith he.

¶"Then will I tell you," saith the King. "Know of a very truth that King Arthur slew him."

¶"And where is he?" saith the knight.

¶"Seek him until you shall have found him," saith King Arthur, "For I have told you the truth thereof. Give me the head."

¶"Willingly," saith the knight. He lowereth his spear and the King taketh the head. The knight had a horn at his neck. He setteth it to his mouth and soundeth a blast right loud. The knights that were set within the forest hear the horn and return back a great gallop, and King Arthur goeth his way toward the oak-tree at the issue of the launde where the damsel is awaiting him. And the knights come presently to him that had given the head to the King and ask him wherefore he hath sounded the horn.

¶"For this," saith he, "That this knight that is going away yonder hath told me that King Arthur slew the Black Knight, and I was minded you should know it that we may follow him."

¶"We will not follow him," say the knights, "For it is King Arthur himself that is carrying off the head, and no power have we to do evil to him nor other sith that he hath passed the bar. But you shall aby it that let him go when he was so nigh you!"

¶They rush in upon him and slay him and cut him up, and each one carrieth off his piece the same as they had done with the other. King Arthur is issued forth of the bar, and cometh to the maiden that is waiting for him and presenteth her the head.

¶"Sir," saith the damsel, "Gramercy."

¶"Damsel," saith he, "With a good will!"

¶"Sir," saith the damsel, "You may well alight, for nought have you to fear on this side the bar." With that, the King alighteth.

¶"Sir," saith she, "Do off your habergeon heedfully and I will bind up the wound in your arm, for of none may you be made whole save of me only."

¶The King doeth off his habergeon, and the damsel taketh of the blood of the knight's head that still ran all warm, and therewith washeth King Arthur his wound, and thereafter maketh him do on his habergeon again.

¶"Sir," saith she, "Never would you have been whole save by the blood of this Black Knight. And for this carried they off the body piecemeal and the head, for that they well knew you were wounded; and of the head shall I have right sore need, for thereby shall a castle be yielded up to me that was reft from me by treason, so I may find the knight that I go seek, through whom it ought to be yielded up to me."

¶"Damsel," saith the King, "And who is the knight?"

¶"Sir," saith she, "He was the son of Alain li Gros of the Valleys of Camelot, and is named Perlesvax."