Now that knight had crossed himself but thrice ere he was aware in the
wood of a dwelling within a moat, above a lawn, on a mound surrounded by
many mighty trees that stood round the moat. ’Twas the fairest castle
that ever a knight owned;[7] built in a meadow with a park all about it,
and a spiked palisade, closely driven, that enclosed the trees for more
than two miles. The knight was ware of the hold from the side, as it
shone through the oaks. Then he lifted off his helmet, and thanked
Christ and S. Julian that they had courteously granted his prayer, and
hearkened to his cry. “Now,” quoth the knight, “I beseech ye, grant me
fair hostel.” Then he pricked Gringalet with his golden spurs, and rode
gaily towards the great gate, and came swiftly to the bridge end.
The bridge was drawn up and the gates close shut; the walls were strong
and thick, so that they might fear no tempest. The knight on his charger
abode on the bank of the deep double ditch that surrounded the castle.
The walls were set deep in the water, and rose aloft to a wondrous
height; they were of hard hewn stone up to the corbels, which were
adorned beneath the battlements with fair carvings, and turrets set in
between with many a loophole; a better barbican Sir Gawain had never
looked upon. And within he beheld the high hall, with its tower and many
windows with carven cornices, and chalk-white chimneys on the turreted
roofs that shone fair in the sun. And everywhere, thickly scattered on
the castle battlements, were pinnacles, so many that it seemed as if it
were all wrought out of paper, so white was it.
The knight on his steed deemed it fair enough, if he might come to be
sheltered within it to lodge there while that the Holy-day lasted. He
called aloud, and soon there came a porter of kindly countenance, who
stood on the wall and greeted this knight and asked his errand.
“Good sir,” quoth Gawain, “wilt thou go mine errand to the high lord of
the castle, and crave for me lodging?”
“Yea, by S. Peter,” quoth the porter. “In sooth I trow that ye be
welcome to dwell here so long as it may like ye.”