_How Sir Percivale departed secretly from his brother, and how he
loosed a knight bound with a chain, and of other things._
And when this was done, they rode into many countries, ever enquiring
after Sir Launcelot, but never they could hear of him. And at the last
they came to a castle that hight Cardican, and there Sir Percivale and
Sir Aglovale were lodged together, and privily about midnight Sir
Percivale came to Aglovale’s squire, and said, Arise and make thee
ready, for ye and I will ride away secretly. Sir, said the squire, I
would full fain ride with you where ye would have me, but, and my lord
your brother take me, he will slay me. As for that care thou not, for I
shall be thy warrant. And so Sir Percivale rode till it was afternoon,
and then he came upon a bridge of stone, and there he found a knight
that was bounden with a chain fast about the waist unto a pillar of
stone. O fair knight, said that bounden knight, I require thee loose me
of my bonds. What knight are ye? said Sir Percivale, and for what cause
are ye so bounden? Sir, I shall tell you, said that knight; I am a
knight of the Table Round, and my name is Sir Persides, and thus by
adventure I came this way, and here I lodged in this castle at the
bridge foot, and therein dwelleth an uncourteous lady, and because she
proffered me to be her paramour and I refused her, she set her men upon
me suddenly or ever I might come to my weapon, and thus they bound me,
and here I wot well I shall die, but if some man of worship break my
bands. Be ye of good cheer, said Sir Percivale, and because ye are a
knight of the Round Table as well as I, I trust to God to break your
bands. And therewith Sir Percivale drew out his sword, and strake at
the chain with such a might that he cut a-two the chain, and through
Sir Persides’ hauberk, and hurt him a little. Truly, said Sir Persides,
that was a mighty stroke as ever I felt one, for had not the chain
been, ye had slain me. And therewithal Sir Persides saw a knight coming
out of the castle all that ever he might flying. Beware Sir, said Sir
Persides, yonder cometh a man that will have ado with you. Let him
come, said Sir Percivale, and so he met with that knight in the midst
of the bridge, and Sir Percivale gave him such a buffet that he smote
him quite from his horse, and over a part of the bridge, that had not
been a little vessel under the bridge that knight had been drowned. And
then Sir Percivale took the knight’s horse, and made Sir Persides to
mount upon him, and so they rode unto the castle, and bad the lady
deliver Sir Persides’ servants, or else he would slay all that ever he
found. And so for fear she delivered them all. Then was Sir Percivale
ware of a lady that stood in that tower. Ah, madam, said Sir Percivale,
what use and custom is that in a lady to destroy good knights but if
they will be your paramour? forsooth this is a shameful custom of a
lady. And if I had not a great matter in my hand, I should foredo your
evil customs. And so Sir Persides brought Sir Percivale unto his own
castle, and there he made him great cheer all that night. And on the
morn, when Sir Percivale had heard mass and broken his fast, he bad Sir
Persides, Ride unto king Arthur, and tell the king how that ye met with
me, and tell my brother Sir Aglovale how I rescued you, and bid him
seek not after me, for I am in the quest to seek Sir Launcelot du Lake.
And though he seek me he shall not find me, and tell him I will never
see him, nor the court, till I have found Sir Launcelot. Also tell Sir
Kay the seneschal, and to Sir Mordred, that I trust to God to be of as
great worthiness as either of them. For tell them I shall never forget
their mocks and scorns that they did to me that day that I was made
knight. And tell them I will never see that court till men speak more
worship of me than ever men did of any of them both. And so Sir
Persides departed from Sir Percivale, and then he rode unto king
Arthur, and told there of Sir Percivale. And when Sir Aglovale heard
him speak of his brother Sir Percivale, he said, He departed from me
unkindly. Sir, said Sir Persides, on my life he shall prove a noble
knight as any now is living. And when he saw Sir Kay and Sir Mordred,
Sir Persides said thus: My fair lords both, Sir Percivale greeteth you
well both, and he sent you word by me that he trusteth to God or ever
he come to the court again to be of as great nobleness as ever were ye
both, and more men to speak of his nobleness than ever they did you. It
may well be, said Sir Kay and Sir Mordred, but at that time when he was
made knight he was full unlikely to prove a good knight. As for that,
said king Arthur, he must needs prove a good knight, for his father and
his brethren were noble knights.