Then he rode a wallop till he had a sight of the two pavilions, and the
two knights fighting. Anon he rode unto the pavilions, and saw the lady
that was his quest, and said, Fair lady, ye must go with me unto the
court of King Arthur. Sir knight, said the two squires that were with
her, yonder are two knights that fight for this lady, go thither and
depart them, and be agreed with them, and then may ye have her at your
pleasure. Ye say well, said King Pellinore. And anon he rode betwixt
them, and departed them, and asked them the causes why that they
fought? Sir knight, said the one, I shall tell you, this lady is my
kinswoman nigh, mine aunt’s daughter, and when I heard her complain
that she was with him maugre her head, I waged battle to fight with
him. Sir knight, said the other, whose name was Hontzlake of Wentland,
and this lady I gat by my prowess of arms this day at Arthur’s court.
That is untruly said, said King Pellinore, for ye came in suddenly
there as we were at the high feast, and took away this lady or any man
might make him ready; and therefore it was my quest to bring her again
and you both, or else the one of us to abide in the field; therefore
the lady shall go with me, or I will die for it, for I have promised it
King Arthur. And therefore fight ye no more, for none of you shall have
no part of her at this time; and if ye list to fight for her, fight
with me, and I will defend her. Well, said the knights, make you ready,
and we shall assail you with all our power. And as King Pellinore would
have put his horse from them, Sir Hontzlake rove his horse through with
a sword, and said: Now art thou on foot as well as we are. When King
Pellinore espied that his horse was slain, lightly he leapt from his
horse and pulled out his sword, and put his shield afore him, and said,
Knight, keep well thy head, for thou shalt have a buffet for the
slaying of my horse. So King Pellinore gave him such a stroke upon the
helm that he clave the head down to the chin, that he fell to the earth
dead.
CHAPTER XIII. How King Pellinore gat the lady and brought her to
Camelot to the court of King Arthur.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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