_Of the communication between Sir Gawaine and Sir Launcelot, with much
other language._
The king may do as he will, said Sir Gawaine, but wit thou well, Sir
Launcelot, thou and I shall never be accorded while we live, for thou
hast slain three of my brethren, and twain of them ye slew traitorly
and piteously, for they bare none harness against thee, nor none would
bear. God would they had been armed, said Sir Launcelot, for then had
they been on live. And wit ye well, Sir Gawaine, as for Sir Gareth, I
love none of my kinsmen so much as I did him, and ever while I live,
said Sir Launcelot, I will bewail Sir Gareth’s death, not all only for
the great fear that I have of you, but many causes causen me to be
sorrowful. One is, for I made him knight; another is, I wot well he
loved me above all other knights; and the third is, he was passing
noble, true, courteous, and gentle, and well conditioned; the fourth
is, I wist well, anon as I heard that Sir Gareth was dead, I should
never after have your love, but everlasting war betwixt us; and also I
wist well that ye would cause my noble lord Arthur for ever to be my
mortal foe, and as Jesu be my help, said Sir Launcelot, I slew never
Sir Gareth nor Sir Gaheris by my will, but alas, that ever they were
unarmed that unhappy day. But thus much I shall offer me, said Sir
Launcelot, if it may please the king’s good grace, and you, my lord Sir
Gawaine: I shall first begin at Sandwich, and there I shall go in my
shirt, barefoot, and at every ten miles end I will found, and cause to
make an house of religion, of what order that ye will assign me, with
an whole convent to sing and read day and night in especial for Sir
Gareth’s sake and Sir Gaheris. And this shall I perform from Sandwich
unto Carlisle; and every house shall have sufficient livelihood, and
this shall I perform while I have any livelihood in Christendom, and
there is none of all these religious places, but they shall be
performed, furnished and garnished in all things as an holy place ought
to be, I promise you faithfully. And this, Sir Gawaine, me thinketh
were more fairer, holier, and more better to their souls, than ye my
most noble king, and you, Sir Gawaine, to war upon me, for thereby
shall ye get none avail. Then all knights and ladies that were there
wept as they were mad, and the tears fell on king Arthur’s cheeks. Sir
Launcelot, said Sir Gawaine, I have right well heard thy speech, and
thy great proffers, but wit thou well, let the king do as it pleaseth
him, I will never forgive my brothers’ death, and in especial the death
of my brother Sir Gareth: and if mine uncle, king Arthur, will accord
with thee, he shall lose my service: for wit thou well, thou art both
false to the king and to me. Sir, said Sir Launcelot, he beareth not
the life that may make that good, and if that ye, Sir Gawaine, will
charge me with so high a thing, ye must pardon me, for then needs must
I answer you. Nay, said Sir Gawaine, we are past that at this time, and
that caused the Pope, for he hath charged mine uncle the king, that he
shall take his queen again, and to accord with thee, Sir Launcelot, as
for this season, and therefore thou shalt go safe, as thou camest. But
in this land thou shalt not abide past fifteen days, such summons I
give you;—so the king and we were consented and accorded, or thou
camest hither; and else, said Sir Gawaine, wit thou well, that thou
shouldest not have come here, but if it were maugre thy head. And if it
were not for the Pope’s commandment, said Sir Gawaine, I should do
battle with mine own body against thy body, and prove it upon thee that
thou hast been both false unto mine uncle king Arthur, and to me both,
and that shall I prove upon thy body when thou art departed from hence,
wheresoever I find thee.