"Sir," saith one of the old knights to Perceval, "Look! here is the
Lord of the Moors coming, that hath reft your mother of her land and
slain her men. Of him will it be good to take vengeance. See, how
boldly he cometh."
Perceval looketh on him as he that loveth him not, and cometh toward
him as hard as his horse may carry him, and smiteth him right through
the breast so strongly that he beareth to the ground him and his horse
together all in a heap. He alighteth to the ground and draweth his
sword.
"How?" saith the Lord of the Moors, "Would you then slay me and put me
in worse plight than I am?"
"By my head," saith Perceval, "No, nor so swiftly, but I will slay you
enough, betimes!"
"So it seemeth you," saith the Lord of the Moors, "But it shall not be
yet!"
He leapeth up on his feet and runneth on Perceval, sword drawn, as one
that fain would harm him if he might. But Perceval defendeth himself
as good knight should, and giveth such a buffet at the outset as
smiteth off his arm together with his sword. The knights that came
after fled back all discomfited when they saw their lord wounded. And
Perceval made lift him on a horse and carry him to the castle and
presenteth him to his mother.
"Lady," saith he, "See here the Lord of the Moors! Well might you
expect him eftsoons, sith that you were to have yielded him up your
castle the day after to-morrow!"
XXXI.
"Lady," saith the Lord of the Moors, "Your son hath wounded me and
taken my knights and myself likewise. I will yield you up your castle
albeit I hold it mine as of right, on condition you cry me quit."
"And who shall repay her," saith Perceval, "for the shame that you have
done her, for her knights that you have slain, whereof never had you
pity? Now, so help me God, if she have mercy or pity upon you, never
hereafter will I trouble to come to her aid how sore soever may be her
need. Such pity and none other as you have had for her and my sister
will I have for you. Our Lord God commanded in both the Old Law and
the New, that justice should be done upon man-slayers and traitors, and
justice will I do upon you that His commandment be not transgressed."
He hath a great vat made ready in the midst of the court, and maketh
the eleven knights be brought. H e maketh their heads be stricken off
into the vat and bleed therein as much blood as might come from them,
and then made the heads and the bodies be drawn forth so that nought
was there but blood in the vat. After that, he made disarm the Lord of
the Moors and be brought before the vat wherein was great abundance of
blood. He made bind his feet and his hands right strait, and after
that saith: "Never might you be satisfied of the blood of the knights
of my lady mother, now will I satisfy you of the blood of your own
knights!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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