CHAPTER XVIII. How the knight yielded him, and how Beaumains made him
to go unto King Arthur’s court, and to cry Sir Launcelot mercy.
Then came there many earls, and barons, and noble knights, and prayed
that knight to save his life, and take him to your prisoner. And all
they fell upon their knees, and prayed him of mercy, and that he would
save his life; and, Sir, they all said, it were fairer of him to take
homage and fealty, and let him hold his lands of you than for to slay
him; by his death ye shall have none advantage, and his misdeeds that
be done may not be undone; and therefore he shall make amends to all
parties, and we all will become your men and do you homage and fealty.
Fair lords, said Beaumains, wit you well I am full loath to slay this
knight, nevertheless he hath done passing ill and shamefully; but
insomuch all that he did was at a lady’s request I blame him the less;
and so for your sake I will release him that he shall have his life
upon this covenant, that he go within the castle, and yield him there
to the lady, and if she will forgive and quit him, I will well; with
this he make her amends of all the trespass he hath done against her
and her lands. And also, when that is done, that ye go unto the court
of King Arthur, and there that ye ask Sir Launcelot mercy, and Sir
Gawaine, for the evil will ye have had against them. Sir, said the Red
Knight of the Red Launds, all this will I do as ye command, and siker
assurance and borrows ye shall have. And so then when the assurance was
made, he made his homage and fealty, and all those earls and barons
with him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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