_How Sir Meliagraunce took the queen and all her knights, which were
sore hurt in fighting._
So as the queen had mayed and all her knights, all were bedashed with
herbs, mosses, and flowers, in the best manner and freshest. Right so
came out of a wood Sir Meliagrance with an eight score men well
harnessed, as they should fight in a battle of arrest, and bad the
queen and her knights abide, for maugre their heads they should abide.
Traitor knight, said queen Guenever, what castest thou for to do? Wilt
thou shame thyself? Bethink thee how thou art a king’s son, and knight
of the Table Round, and thou to be about to dishonour the noble king
that made thee knight: thou shamest all knighthood and thyself, and me,
I let thee wit, shalt thou never shame, for I had lever cut my throat
in twain than thou shouldest dishonour me. As for all this language,
said Sir Meliagrance, be it as it may, for wit you well, madam, I have
loved you many a year, and never or now could I get you at such an
advantage as I do now, and therefore I will take you as I find you.
Then spake all the ten noble knights at once, and said, Sir
Meliagrance, wit thou well ye are about to jeopard your worship to
dishonour, and also ye cast to jeopard our persons; howbeit we be
unarmed, ye have us at a great avail, for it seemeth by you that ye
have laid watch upon us, but rather then ye should put the queen to
shame, and us all, we had as lief to depart from our lives, for and if
we other ways did we were shamed for ever. Then Sir Meliagrance said,
Dress you as well as ye can, and keep the queen. Then the ten knights
of the Table Round drew their swords, and the other let run at them
with their spears, and the ten knights manly abode them, and smote away
their spears, that no spear did them none harm. Then they lashed
together with swords, and anon Sir Kay, Sir Sagramor, Sir Agravaine,
Sir Dodinas, Sir Ladinas, and Sir Ozanna, were smitten to the earth
with grimly wounds. Then Sir Brandiles, and Sir Persant, Sir Ironside,
Sir Pelleas, fought long, and they were sore wounded: for these ten
knights, or ever they were laid to the ground, slew forty men of the
boldest and the best of them. So when the queen saw her knights thus
dolefully wounded, and needs must be slain at the last, then for pity
and sorrow she cried, Sir Meliagrance, slay not my noble knights, and I
will go with thee upon this covenant, that thou save them, and suffer
them not to be no more hurt, with this, that they be led with me
wheresoever thou leadest me; for I will rather slay myself than I will
go with thee, unless that these my noble knights may be in my presence.
Madam, said Meliagrance, for your sake they shall be led with you into
mine own castle, with that ye will be ruled and ride with me. Then the
queen prayed the four knights to leave their fighting, and she and they
would not part. Madam, said Sir Pelleas, we will do as ye do, for as
for me I take no force of my life nor death. For, as the French book
saith, Sir Pelleas gave such buffets there that none armour might hold
him.