Then at the dinner,when the king was set at the table,and every knight after he was of prowess,the king commanded him to be set among mean knights;and so was Sir Percivale set as the king commanded.Then was there a maiden in the queen's court that was come of high blood,and she was dumb and never spake word.Right so she came straight into the hall,and went unto Sir Percivale,and took him by the hand and said aloud,that the king and all the knights might hear it:Arise,Sir Percivale,the noble knight and God's knight,and go with me;and so he did.And there she brought him to the right side of the Siege Perilous,and said,Fair knight,take here thy siege,for that siege appertaineth to thee and to none other.Right so she departed and asked a priest.
And as she was confessed and houselled then she died.
Then the king and all the court made great joy of Sir Percivale.
CHAPTER XXIV
How Sir Lamorak visited King Lot's wife,and how Sir Gaheris slew her which was his own mother.
NOW turn we unto Sir Lamorak,that much was there praised.
Then,by the mean of Sir Gawaine and his brethren,they sent for their mother there besides,fast by a castle beside Camelot;and all was to that intent to slay Sir Lamorak.
The Queen of Orkney was there but a while,but Sir Lamorak wist of their being,and was full fain;and for to make an end of this matter,he sent unto her,and there betwixt them was a night assigned that Sir Lamorak should come to her.Thereof was ware Sir Gaheris,and there he rode afore the same night,and waited upon Sir Lamorak,and then he saw where he came all armed.And where Sir Lamorak alighted he tied his horse to a privy postern,and so he went into a parlour and unarmed him;and then he went unto the queen's bed,and she made of him passing great joy,and he of her again,for either loved other passing sore.So when the knight,Sir Gaheris,saw his time,he came to their bedside all armed,with his sword naked,and suddenly gat his mother by the hair and struck off her head.
When Sir Lamorak saw the blood dash upon him all hot,the which he loved passing well,wit you well he was sore abashed and dismayed of that dolorous knight.And therewithal,Sir Lamorak leapt out of the bed in his shirt as a knight dismayed,saying thus:Ah,Sir Gaheris,knight of the Table Round,foul and evil have ye done,and to you great shame.Alas,why have ye slain your mother that bare you?with more right ye should have slain me.The offence hast thou done,said Gaheris,notwithstanding a man is born to offer his service;but yet shouldst thou beware with whom thou meddlest,for thou hast put me and my brethren to a shame,and thy father slew our father;and thou to lie by our mother is too much shame for us to suffer.And as for thy father,King Pellinore my brother Sir Gawaine and I slew him.Ye did him the more wrong,said Sir Lamorak,for my father slew not your father,it was Balin le Savage:and as yet my father's death is not revenged.Leave those words,said Sir Gaheris,for an thou speak feloniously I will slay thee.But because thou art naked I am ashamed to slay thee.But wit thou well,in what place I may get thee I shall slay thee;and now my mother is quit of thee;and withdraw thee and take thine armour,that thou were gone.Sir Lamorak saw there was none other bote,but fast armed him,and took his horse and rode his way making great sorrow.But for the shame and dolour he would not ride to King Arthur's court,but rode another way.
But when it was known that Gaheris had slain his mother the king was passing wroth,and commanded him to go out of his court.Wit ye well Sir Gawaine was wroth that Gaheris had slain his mother and let Sir Lamorak escape.And for this matter was the king passing wroth,and so was Sir Launcelot,and many other knights.Sir,said Sir Launcelot,here is a great mischief befallen by felony,and by forecast treason,that your sister is thus shamefully slain.And I dare say that it was wrought by treason,and I dare say ye shall lose that good knight,Sir Lamorak the which is great pity.I wot well and am sure,an Sir Tristram wist it,he would never more come within your court,the which should grieve you much more and all your knights.God defend,said the noble King Arthur,that Ishould lose Sir Lamorak or Sir Tristram,for then twain of my chief knights of the Table Round were gone.Sir,said Sir Launcelot,I am sure ye shall lose Sir Lamorak,for Sir Gawaine and his brethren will slay him by one mean or other;for they among them have concluded and sworn to slay him an ever they may see their time.That shall Ilet,said Arthur.
CHAPTER XXV
How Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred met with a knight fleeing,and how they both were overthrown,and of Sir Dinadan.
NOW leave we of Sir Lamorak,and speak of Sir Gawaine's brethren,and specially of Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred.
As they rode on their adventures they met with a knight fleeing,sore wounded;and they asked him what tidings.
Fair knights,said he,here cometh a knight after me that will slay me.With that came Sir Dinadan riding to them by adventure,but he would promise them no help.But Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred promised him to rescue him.Therewithal came that knight straight unto them,and anon he proffered to joust.That saw Sir Mordred and rode to him,but he struck Mordred over his horse's tail.That saw Sir Agravaine,and straight he rode toward that knight,and right so as he served Mordred so he served Agravaine,and said to them:Sirs,wit ye well both that I am Breuse Saunce Pit ,that hath done this to you.
And yet he rode over Agravaine five or six times.When Dinadan saw this,he must needs joust with him for shame.
And so Dinadan and he encountered together,that with pure strength Sir Dinadan smote him over his horse's tail Then he took his horse and fled,for he was on foot one of the valiantest knights in Arthur's days,and a great destroyer of all good knights.