_How Sir Tor overcame the knight, and how he lost his head at the
request of a lady._
With that came a damsel riding on a palfrey as fast as she might drive
and cried with a loud voice unto Sir Tor. What will ye with me? said
Sir Tor. I beseech thee, said the damsel, for king Arthur’s love, give
me a gift; I require thee, gentle knight, as thou art a gentleman. Now,
said Sir Tor, ask a gift, and I will give it you. Gramercy, said the
damsel. Now, I ask the head of the false knight Abelleus, for he is the
most outrageous knight that liveth, and the greatest murderer. I am
loth, said Sir Tor, of that gift I have given you; let him make amends
in that he hath trespassed unto you. Now, said the damsel, he may not,
for he slew mine own brother afore mine own eyes, that was a better
knight than he, and he had had grace; and I kneeled half an hour afore
him in the mire for to save my brother’s life, that had done him no
damage, but fought with him by adventure of arms, and so for all that I
could do he struck off his head; wherefore, I require thee, as thou art
a true knight, to give me my gift, or else I shall shame thee in all
the court of king Arthur; for he is the falsest knight living, and a
great destroyer of good knights. Then when Abelleus heard this, he was
more afeard, and yielded him and asked mercy. I may not now, said Sir
Tor, but if I should be found false of my promise, for while I would
have taken you to mercy ye would none ask, but if ye had the brachet
again that was my quest. And therewith he took off his helm, and he
arose and fled, and Sir Tor after him, and smote off his head quite.
Now, sir, said the damsel, it is near night; I pray you come and lodge
with me here at my place, it is here fast by. I will well, said Sir
Tor; for his horse and he had fared evil since they departed from
Camelot, and so he rode with her, and had passing good cheer with her;
and she had a passing fair old knight to her husband that made him
passing good cheer, and well eased both his horse and him. And on the
morn he heard his mass, and brake his fast, and took his leave of the
knight and of the lady, that besought him to tell them his name. Truly,
he said, my name is Sir Tor, that late was made knight, and this was
the first quest of arms that ever I did, to bring again that this
knight Abelleus took away from king Arthur’s court. O fair knight, said
the lady and her husband, and ye come here in our marches, come and see
our poor lodging, and it shall be always at your commandment. So Sir
Tor departed, and came to Camelot on the third day by noon. And the
king and the queen and all the court was passing fain of his coming,
and made great joy that he was come again; for he went from the court
with little succour, but as king Pellinore his father gave him an old
courser, and king Arthur gave him armour and a sword, and else had he
none other succour, but rode so forth himself alone. And then the king
and the queen by Merlin’s advice made him to swear to tell of his
adventures, and so he told and made proofs of his deeds as it is afore
rehearsed, wherefore the king and the queen made great joy. Nay, nay,
said Merlin, these be but jests to that he shall do; he shall prove a
noble knight of prowess, as good as any is living, and gentle and
courteous, and of good parts, and passing true of his promise, and
never shall outrage. Where through Merlin’s words king Arthur gave him
an earldom of lands that fell unto him. And here endeth the quest of
Sir Tor, king Pellinore’s son.