Then the king did do call Sir Gawaine, Sir Bors, Sir Lionel, and Sir
Bedivere, and commanded them to go straight to Sir Lucius, and say ye
to him that hastily he remove out of my land; and if he will not, bid
him make him ready to battle and not distress the poor people. Then
anon these noble knights dressed them to horseback, and when they came
to the green wood, they saw many pavilions set in a meadow, of silk of
divers colours, beside a river, and the emperor’s pavilion was in the
middle with an eagle displayed above. To the which tent our knights
rode toward, and ordained Sir Gawaine and Sir Bors to do the message,
and left in a bushment Sir Lionel and Sir Bedivere. And then Sir
Gawaine and Sir Bors did their message, and commanded Lucius, in
Arthur’s name to avoid his land, or shortly to address him to battle.
To whom Lucius answered and said, Ye shall return to your lord, and say
ye to him that I shall subdue him and all his lands. Then Sir Gawaine
was wroth and said, I had liefer than all France fight against thee;
and so had I, said Sir Bors, liefer than all Brittany or Burgoyne.
Then a knight named Sir Gainus, nigh cousin to the emperor, said, Lo,
how these Britons be full of pride and boast, and they brag as though
they bare up all the world. Then Sir Gawaine was sore grieved with
these words, and pulled out his sword and smote off his head. And
therewith turned their horses and rode over waters and through woods
till they came to their bushment, whereas Sir Lionel and Sir Bedivere
were hoving. The Romans followed fast after, on horseback and on foot,
over a champaign unto a wood; then Sir Bors turned his horse and saw a
knight come fast on, whom he smote through the body with a spear that
he fell dead down to the earth; then came Caliburn one of the strongest
of Pavie, and smote down many of Arthur’s knights. And when Sir Bors
saw him do so much harm, he addressed toward him, and smote him through
the breast, that he fell down dead to the earth. Then Sir Feldenak
thought to revenge the death of Gainus upon Sir Gawaine, but Sir
Gawaine was ware thereof, and smote him on the head, which stroke
stinted not till it came to his breast. And then he returned and came
to his fellows in the bushment. And there was a recounter, for the
bushment brake on the Romans, and slew and hew down the Romans, and
forced the Romans to flee and return, whom the noble knights chased
unto their tents.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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