_How Sir Marhaus justed with Sir Gawaine and Sir Uwaine, and overthrew
them both._
And then Sir Marhaus rode unto his shield, and saw how it was defouled,
and said, Of this despite I am a part avenged, but for her love that
gave me this white shield I shall wear thee, and hang mine where thou
wast: and so he hanged it about his neck. Then he rode straight unto
Sir Gawaine and to Sir Uwaine, and asked them what they did there. They
answered him that they came from king Arthur’s court for to see
adventures. Well, said Marhaus, here am I ready, an adventurous knight
that will fulfil any adventure that ye will desire. And so departed
from them to fetch his range. Let him go, said Sir Uwaine unto Sir
Gawaine, for he is a passing good knight as any is living: I would not
by my will that any of us were matched with him. Nay, said Sir Gawaine,
not so; it were shame to us were he not assayed, were he never so good
a knight. Well, said Sir Uwaine, I will assay him afore you, for I am
more weaker than ye, and if he smite me down then may ye revenge me. So
these two knights came together with great random, that Sir Uwaine
smote Sir Marhaus that his spear brast in pieces on the shield, and Sir
Marhaus smote him so sore that horse and man he bare to the earth, and
hurt Sir Uwaine on the left side. Then Sir Marhaus turned his horse and
rode toward Gawaine with his spear. And when Sir Gawaine saw that, he
dressed his shield, and they aventred their spears, and they came
together with all the might of their horses, that either knight smote
other so hard in the midst of their shields, but Sir Gawaine’s spear
brake, but Sir Marhaus’s spear held; and therewith Sir Gawaine and his
horse rushed down to the earth. And lightly Sir Gawaine rose upon his
feet, and pulled out his sword, and dressed him toward Sir Marhaus on
foot. And Sir Marhaus saw that, and pulled out his sword, and began to
come to Sir Gawaine on horseback. Sir knight, said Sir Gawaine, alight
on foot, or else I will slay thy horse. Gramercy, said Sir Marhaus, of
your gentleness, ye teach me courtesy, for it is not for one knight to
be on foot and the other on horseback. And therewith Sir Marhaus set
his spear against a tree and alighted, and tied his horse to a tree,
and dressed his shield, and either came unto other eagerly, and smote
together with their swords that their shields flew in cantels, and they
bruised their helms and their hauberks, and wounded either other. But
Sir Gawaine, fro it passed nine of the clock waxed ever stronger and
stronger, till it came to the hour of noon, and thrice his might was
increased. All this espied Sir Marhaus, and had great wonder how his
might increased, and so they wounded other passing sore. And then when
it was past noon, and when it drew toward even-song, Sir Gawaine’s
strength feebled and waxed passing faint, that unnethes he might dure
any longer, and Sir Marhaus was then bigger and bigger. Sir knight,
said Sir Marhaus, I have well felt that ye are a passing good knight,
and a marvellous man of might as ever I felt any, while it lasteth, and
our quarrels are not great, and therefore it were pity to do you hurt,
for I feel ye are passing feeble. Ah, said Sir Gawaine, gentle knight,
ye say the word that I should say. And therewith they took off their
helms and either kissed other, and there they swore together either to
love other as brethren. And Sir Marhaus prayed Sir Gawaine to lodge
with him that night. And so they took their horses and rode toward Sir
Marhaus’s house. And as they rode by the way, Sir knight, said Sir
Gawaine, I have marvel that so valiant a man as ye be love no ladies
nor damsels. Sir, said Sir Marhaus, they name me wrongfully those that
give me that name, but well I wot it be the damsels of the turret that
so name me, and other such as they be. Now shall I tell you for what
cause I hate them. For they be sorceresses and enchanters many of them,
and be a knight never so good of his body and full of prowess as man
may be, they will make him a stark coward to have the better of him,
and this is the principal cause that I hate them; and to all good
ladies and gentlewomen I owe my service as a knight ought to do. As the
book rehearseth in French, there were many knights that overmatched Sir
Gawaine, for all the thrice-might that he had: Sir Launcelot de Lake,
Sir Tristram, Sir Bors de Ganis, Sir Percivale, Sir Pelleas, and Sir
Marhaus, these six knights had the better of Sir Gawaine. Then within a
little while they came to Sir Marhaus’s place, which was in a little
priory, and there they alight, and ladies and damsels unarmed them and
hastily looked to their hurts, for they were all three hurt. And so
they had all three good lodging with Sir Marhaus, and good cheer: for
when he wist that they were king Arthur’s sister’s sons, he made them
all the cheer that lay in his power. And so they sojourned there a
seven nights, and were well eased of their wounds, and at the last
departed. Now, said Sir Marhaus, we will not part so lightly, for I
will bring you through the forest: and rode day by day well a seven
days or they found any adventure. At the last they came into a great
forest, that was named the country and forest of Arroy, and the country
of strange adventures. In this country, said Sir Marhaus, came never
knight since it was christened, but he found strange adventures. And so
they rode and came into a deep valley full of stones, and thereby they
saw a fair stream of water; above thereby was the head of the stream, a
fair fountain, and three damsels sitting thereby. And then they rode to
them, and either saluted other, and the eldest had a garland of gold
about her head, and she was threescore winter of age or more, and her
hair was white under the garland. The second damsel was of thirty
winter of age, with a circlet of gold about her head. The third damsel
was but fifteen year of age, and a garland of flowers about her head.
When these knights had so beheld them, they asked them the cause why
they sat at that fountain. We be here, said the damsels, for this
cause, if we may see any errant knights, to teach them unto strange
adventures, and ye be three knights that seek adventures, and we be
three damsels, and therefore each one of you must choose one of us. And
when ye have done so we will lead you unto three high ways, and there
each of you shall choose a way, and his damsel with him. And this day
twelvemonth ye must meet here again, and God send you your lives, and
thereto ye must plight your troth. This is well said, said Sir Marhaus.