Sir,she said,I marvel what thou art and of what kin thou art come;boldly thou speakest,and boldly thou hast done,that have I seen;therefore I pray thee save thyself an thou mayest,for thy horse and thou have had great travail,and I dread we dwell over long from the siege,for it is but hence seven mile,and all perilous passages we are passed save all only this passage;and here I dread me sore lest ye shall catch some hurt,therefore Iwould ye were hence,that ye were not bruised nor hurt with this strong knight.But I let you wit that Sir Persant of Inde is nothing of might nor strength unto the knight that laid the siege about my lady.As for that,said Sir Beaumains,be it as it be may.For sithen I am come so nigh this knight I will prove his might or I depart from him,and else I shall be shamed an Inow withdraw me from him.And therefore,damosel,have ye no doubt by the grace of God I shall so deal with this knight that within two hours after noon I shall deliver him.And then shall we come to the siege by daylight.O Jesu,marvel have I,said the damosel,what manner a man ye be,for it may never be otherwise but that ye be come of a noble blood,for so foul nor shamefully did never woman rule a knight as I have done you,and ever courteously ye have suffered me,and that came never but of a gentle blood.
Damosel,said Beaumains,a knight may little do that may not suffer a damosel,for whatsomever ye said unto me I took none heed to your words,for the more ye said the more ye angered me,and my wrath I wreaked upon them that I had ado withal.And therefore all the missaying that ye missaid me furthered me in my battle,and caused me to think to show and prove myself at the end what I was;for peradventure though I had meat in King Arthur's kitchen,yet I might have had meat enough in other places,but all that I did it for to prove and assay my friends,and that shall be known another day;and whether that I be a gentleman born or none,I let you wit,fair damosel,I have done you gentleman's service,and peradventure better service yet will I do or I depart from you.Alas,she said,fair Beaumains,forgive me all that I have missaid or done against thee.With all my heart,said he,I forgive it you,for ye did nothing but as ye should do,for all your evil words pleased me;and damosel,said Beaumains,since it liketh you to say thus fair unto me,wit ye well it gladdeth my heart greatly,and now meseemeth there is no knight living but I am able enough for him.
CHAPTER XII
How Beaumains fought with Sir Persant of Inde,and made him to be yielden.
WITH this Sir Persant of Inde had espied them as they hoved in the field,and knightly he sent to them whether he came in war or in peace.Say to thy lord,said Beaumains,I take no force,but whether as him list himself.So the messenger went again unto Sir Persant and told him all his answer.Well then will I have ado with him to the utterance,and so he purveyed him and rode against him.And Beaumains saw him and made him ready,and there they met with all that ever their horses might run,and brast their spears either in three pieces,and their horses rushed so together that both their horses fell dead to the earth;and lightly they avoided their horses and put their shields afore them,and drew their swords,and gave many great strokes that sometime they hurtled together that they fell grovelling on the ground.Thus they fought two hours and more,that their shields and their hauberks were all forhewen,and in many steads they were wounded.So at the last Sir Beaumains smote him through the cost of the body,and then he retrayed him here and there,and knightly maintained his battle long time.And at the last,though him loath were,Beaumains smote Sir Persant above upon the helm,that he fell grovelling to the earth;and then he leapt upon him overthwart and unlaced his helm to have slain him.
Then Sir Persant yielded him and asked him mercy.With that came the damosel and prayed to save his life.I will well,for it were pity this noble knight should die.Gramercy,said Persant,gentle knight and damosel.For certainly now I wot well it was ye that slew my brother the Black Knight at the black thorn;he was a full noble knight,his name was Sir Percard.Also I am sure that ye are he that won mine other brother the Green Knight,his name was Sir Pertolepe.Also ye won my brother the Red Knight,Sir Perimones.And now since ye have won these,this shall I do for to please you:ye shall have homage and fealty of me,and an hundred knights to be always at your commandment,to go and ride where ye will command us.And so they went unto Sir Persant's pavilion and drank the wine,and ate spices,and afterward Sir Persant made him to rest upon a bed until supper time,and after supper to bed again.When Beaumains was abed,Sir Persant had a lady,a fair daughter of eighteen year of age,and there he called her unto him,and charged her and commanded her upon his blessing to go unto the knight's bed,and lie down by his side,and make him no strange cheer,but good cheer,and take him in thine arms and kiss him,and look that this be done,I charge you,as ye will have my love and my good will.So Sir Persant's daughter did as her father bade her,and so she went unto Sir Beaumains'bed,and privily she dispoiled her,and laid her down by him,and then he awoke and saw her,and asked her what she was.Sir,she said,I am Sir Persant's daughter,that by the commandment of my father am come hither.Be ye a maid or a wife?said he.Sir,she said,I am a clean maiden.God defend,said he,that I should defoil you to do Sir Persant such a shame;therefore,fair damosel,arise out of this bed or else Iwill.Sir,she said,I came not to you by mine own will,but as I was commanded.Alas,said Sir Beaumains,I were a shameful knight an I would do your father any disworship;and so he kissed her,and so she departed and came unto Sir Persant her father,and told him all how she had sped.Truly,said Sir Persant,whatsomever he be,he is come of a noble blood.And so we leave them there till on the morn.
CHAPTER XIII