Then came to him a gentlewoman, and said, "These knights be fled, but they will come again this night, and here to begin again their evil custom." "What will ye that I shall do?" said Galahad. "Sir," said the gentlewoman, "that ye send after all the knights hither that hold their lands of this castle, and make them to swear for to use the customs that were used heretofore of old time." "I will well," said Galahad. And there she brought him an horn of ivory, bounden with gold, and said, "Sir, blow ye this horn, which will be heard two mile about this castle." And when Sir Galahad had blown the horn, he set him down upon a bed. Then came there a priest unto Sir Galahad, and said, "Sir, it is past a seven year that these seven brethren came into this castle, and herborowed [_harbored_] with the lord of this castle, which hight the duke Lianour; and he was lord of all this country. And so when they espied the duke's daughter that was a fair woman, then by their false covin [_conspiracy_] they slew him and his eldest son, and then they took the maiden and the treasure of the castle. And then by great force they held all the knights of this castle against their will under their obeisance, and in great servage and truage, robbing and pulling [_pillaging_] the poor common people of all that they had. So it happened upon a day that the duke's daughter said, 'Ye have done to me great wrong to slay mine own father and my brother, and thus to hold our lands; not for then,' said she, 'ye shall not hold this castle for many years; for by one knight ye shall be overcome.' Thus she prophesied seven year before. 'Well,' said the seven knights, 'sithence [_since_] ye say so, there shall never lady nor knight pass this castle, but they shall abide mauger [_spite of_] their heads, or die therefore, till that knight be come by whom we shall leese [_lose_] this castle.' And therefore it is called the maidens' castle, for they have devoured many maidens." "Now," said Sir Galahad, "is she here for whom this castle was lost." "Nay," said the priest, "she died within three nights after, and sithence have they kept her young sister, which endureth great pain, with moe other ladies." By this were the knights of the country come. And then he made them do homage and fealty to the duke's daughter, and set them in great ease of heart. And in the morn there came one to Galahad, and told him how that Gawaine, Gareth, and Uwaine had slain the seven brethren. "I suppose well," said Sir Galahad: and took his armor and his horse, and commended them unto God. * * * * *