_How Sir Beaumains suffered great rebukes of the damsel, and he
suffered it patiently._
Damsel, said Beaumains, ye are uncourteous so to rebuke me as ye do,
for me seemeth I have done you good service, and ever ye threaten me I
shall be beaten with knights that we meet, but ever for all your boast
they lie in the dust or in the mire, and therefore I pray you rebuke me
no more: and when ye see me beaten or yielden as recreant, then may ye
bid me go from you shamefully, but first I let you wit I will not
depart from you, for I were worse than a fool and I would depart from
you all the while that I win worship. Well, said she, right soon there
shall meet a knight shall pay thee all thy wages, for he is the most
man of worship of the world, except king Arthur. I will well, said
Beaumains; the more he is of worship the more shall be my worship to
have ado with him. Then anon they were ware where was before them a
city rich and fair. And betwixt them and the city a mile and a half,
there was a fair meadow that seemed new mown, and therein were many
pavilions fair to behold. Lo, said the damsel, yonder is a lord that
owneth yonder city, and his custom is when the weather is fair to lie
in this meadow to just and tourney; and ever there be about him five
hundred knights and gentlemen of arms, and there be all manner of games
that any gentleman can devise. That goodly lord, said Beaumains, would
I fain see. Thou shalt see him time enough, said the damsel. And so as
she rode near she espied the pavilion where he was. Lo, said she, seest
thou yonder pavilion, that is all of the colour of Inde, and all manner
of thing that there is about, men and women, and horses trapped,
shields and spears, all of the colour of Inde, and his name is Sir
Persant of Inde, the most lordliest knight that ever thou lookedest on.
It may well be, said Beaumains, but be he never so stout a knight, in
this field I shall abide till that I see him under his shield. Ah fool,
said she, thou were better flee betimes. Why, said Beaumains, and he be
such a knight as ye make him, he will not set upon me with all his men,
or with his five hundred knights. For and there come no more but one at
once, I shall him not fail whilst my life lasteth. Fie, fie, said the
damsel, that ever such a dirty knave should blow such a boast. Damsel,
he said, ye are to blame so to rebuke me, for I had lever do five
battles than so to be rebuked; let him come, and then let him do his
worst. Sir, she said, I marvel what thou art, and of what kin thou art
come: boldly thou speakest, and boldly thou hast done, that have I
seen: therefore I pray thee save thyself and thou mayest, for thy horse
and thou have had great travail, and I dread we dwell over long from
the siege, for it is but hence seven mile, and all perilous passages we
are past, save all only this passage, and here I dread me sore lest ye
shall catch some hurt, therefore I would ye were hence, that ye were
not bruised nor hurt with this strong knight. But I let you wit this
Sir Persant of Inde is nothing of might nor strength unto the knight
that laid the siege about my lady. As for that, said Sir Beaumains, be
it as it may; for since I am come so nigh this knight I will prove his
might or I depart from him, and else I shall be shamed and I now
withdraw me from him. And therefore, damsel, have ye no doubt by the
grace of God I shall so deal with this knight, that within two hours
after noon I shall deliver him, and then shall we come to the siege by
day light. Oh mercy, marvel have I, said the damsel, what manner a man
ye be, for it may never be otherwise but that ye be come of a noble
blood, for so foul and shamefully did never woman rule a knight as I
have done you, and ever courteously ye have suffered me, and that came
never but of a gentle blood.
Damsel, said Beaumains, a knight may little do that may not suffer a
damsel; for whatsoever ye said unto me I took none heed to your words,
for the more ye said the more ye angered me, and my wrath I wreaked
upon them that I had ado withal. And therefore all the missaying that
ye missayed me furthered me in my battle, and caused me to think to
shew and prove myself at the end what I was; for peradventure though I
had meat in king Arthur’s kitchen, yet I might have had meat enough in
other places; but all that I did it for to prove and to assay my
friends, and that shall be known another day, and whether that I be a
gentleman born or none, I let you wit, fair damsel, I have done you
gentleman’s service, and peradventure better service yet will I do or I
depart from you. Alas, she said, fair Beaumains, forgive me all that I
have missaid or done against thee. With all my heart, said he, I
forgive it you, for ye did nothing but as ye should do, for all your
evil words pleased me; and damsel, said Beaumains, since it liketh you
to say thus fair to me, wit ye well it gladdeth mine heart greatly, and
now me seemeth there is no knight living but I am able enough for him.