_How Sir Gawaine and Sir Uwaine met with twelve fair damsels, and how
they complained on Sir Marhaus._
Then Sir Gawaine and Sir Uwaine went and saluted them, and asked why
they did that despite to the shield. Sirs, said the damsels, we shall
tell you. There is a knight in this country that owneth this white
shield, and he is a passing good man of his hands, but he hateth all
ladies and gentlewomen, and therefore we do all this despite to the
shield. I shall say you, said Sir Gawaine, it beseemeth evil a good
knight to despise all ladies and gentlewomen, and peradventure though
he hate you he hath some cause, and peradventure he loveth in some
other places ladies and gentlewomen, and to be loved again, and he be
such a man of prowess as ye speak of. Now what is his name? Sir, said
they, his name is Marhaus, the king’s son of Ireland. I know him well,
said Sir Uwaine, he is a passing good knight as any is on live, for I
saw him once proved at a justs where many knights were gathered, and
that time there might no man withstand him. Ah! said Sir Gawaine,
damsels, methinketh ye are to blame, for it is to suppose he that hung
that shield there he will not be long therefrom, and then may those
knights match him on horseback, and that is more your worship than
thus; for I will abide no longer to see a knight’s shield dishonoured.
And therewith Sir Uwaine and Gawaine departed a little from them, and
then were they ware where Sir Marhaus came riding on a great horse
straight towards them. And when the twelve damsels saw Sir Marhaus they
fled into the turret as they were wild, so that some of them fell by
the way. Then the one of the knights of the tower dressed his shield,
and said on high, Sir Marhaus, defend thee. And so they ran together
that the knight brake his spear on Marhaus, and Sir Marhaus smote him
so hard that he brake his neck and the horse’s back. That saw the other
knight of the turret, and dressed him toward Marhaus, and they met so
eagerly together that the knight of the turret was soon smitten down,
horse and man, stark dead.