_How Sir Beaumains fought with the knight of the black lawns, and
fought with him till he fell down and died._
There sat a knight all armed in black harness, and his name was the
knight of the black lawn. Then the damsel, when she saw that knight,
she bade him flee down the valley, for his horse was not saddled.
Gramercy, said Beaumains, for always ye would have me a coward. With
that the black knight, when she came nigh him, spake and said, Damsel,
have ye brought this knight of king Arthur to be your champion? Nay,
fair knight, said she, this is but a kitchen knave, that was fed in
king Arthur’s kitchen for alms. Why cometh he, said the knight, in such
array? it is shame that he beareth you company. Sir, I cannot be
delivered of him, said she, for with me he rideth maugre mine head;
would that ye should put him from me, or else to slay him and ye may,
for he is an unhappy knave, and unhappily he hath done this day;
through mishap I saw him slay two knights at the passage of the water,
and other deeds he did before right marvellous, and through
unhappiness. That marvelleth me, said the black knight, that any man
that is of worship will have ado with him. They know him not, said the
damsel, and because he rideth with me they think he is some man of
worship born. That may be, said the black knight, how be it as ye say
that he be no man of worship, he is a full likely person, and full like
to be a strong man; but thus much shall I grant you, said the black
knight, I shall put him down upon one foot, and his horse and his
harness he shall leave with me, for it were shame to me to do him any
more harm. When Sir Beaumains heard him say thus, he said, Sir knight,
thou art full liberal of my horse and my harness. I let thee wit it
cost thee nought, and whether it liketh thee or not this lawn will I
pass, maugre thine head, and horse nor harness gettest thou none of me,
but if thou win them with thy hands; and therefore let see what thou
canst do. Sayest thou that, said the black knight, now yield thy lady
from thee, for it beseemeth never a kitchen page to ride with such a
lady. Thou liest, said Beaumains, I am a gentleman born, and of more
high lineage than thou, and that will I prove on thy body. Then in
great wrath they departed with their horses, and came together as it
had been the thunder; and the black knight’s spear brake, and Beaumains
thrust him through both his sides, and therewith his spear brake, and
the truncheon left still in his side. But nevertheless the black knight
drew his sword and smote many eager strokes and of great might, and
hurt Beaumains full sore. But at the last the black knight within an
hour and a half he fell down off his horse in a swoon, and there he
died. And then Beaumains saw him so well horsed and armed, then he
alight down, and armed him in his armour, and so took his horse, and
rode after the damsel. When she saw him come nigh, she said, Away,
kitchen knave, out of the wind, for the smell of thy foul clothes
grieveth me. Alas, she said, that ever such a knave as thou art should
by mishap slay so good a knight as thou hast done, but all this is
thine unhappiness. But hereby is one shall pay thee all thy payment,
and therefore yet I counsel thee, flee. It may happen me, said
Beaumains, to be beaten or slain, but I warn you, fair damsel, I will
not flee away nor leave your company for all that ye can say, for ever
ye say that they will kill me or beat me, but how soever it happeneth I
escape, and they lie on the ground. And therefore it were as good for
you to hold you still, thus all day rebuking me, for away will I not
till I see the uttermost of this journey, or else I will be slain or
truly beaten; therefore ride on your way, for follow you I will
whatsoever happen.