When the day appeared they rose up. Thereupon, behold you the younger
damsel where she cometh and saluteth King Arthur. "And you, damsel!"
saith King Arthur, "God give you joy and good adventure!"
"Sir," saith she, "I will that you bear to-day these white arms that
you see here, and that you do no worse to-day than yesterday you did,
sith that better you may not do."
"Messire Gawain," saith the elder damsel, "Remember you of the King
there where his land was compassed about of a wall of stone, and you
harboured one night in his castle, what time you went to seek for the
sword wherewith John Baptist was beheaded, when he was fain to take
away the sword from you, whereof you had so sore misliking? Natheless,
he yielded you up the sword upon covenant that you should do that which
a damsel should first ask you to do thereafter, and you promised him
loyally that so would you do?"
"Certes, damsel," saith Messire Gawain, "Well do I remember the same."
"Now, therefore," saith the damsel, "would I fain prove whether you be
indeed so loyal as men say, and whether you will hold your covenant
that you made. Wherefore I pray and beseech you that this day you
shall be he that doth worst of all the knights at the assembly, and
that you bear none other arms save your own only, so as that you shall
be known again of all them that are there present. And, so you will
not do this, then will you have failed of your covenant, and myself
will go tell the King that you have broken the promise that you made to
him right loyally."
"Damsel," saith Messire Gawain, "Never yet brake I covenant with none,
so it were such as I might fulfil or another on my behalf."
King Arthur made arm him of the white arms that the younger damsel had
given him, and Messire Gawain of his own, but sore it irked him of this
that the damsel hath laid upon him to do, sith that needs must he lose
worship and he hold to his covenant, albeit not for nought that is in
the world will he fail of the promise he hath made. So they come into
the assembly.