University of Virginia Library

[Chapter XIII]

Now telleth this tale ȝit furthermore:
whanne that galachim herde tellen thore,
he took a messenger ryht anon,
and to gaweyn he sent him ful son,
that previliche to-gederis scholden they mete
jn a certeyn forest, & not to lete,
and his bretheryn with him to brynge,
and that he make non Taryenge,
but on the morwe next Pask day
there forto meten with-owten delay.
the messenger rod bothe day & nyht,
tyl jnto orkanye jn wales he kam ful ryht,
and dide his arende þere ryht anon
To gaweyn & to his bretherin echon,
and seide that—“Galachim sente ȝow to say
with him to meten swich a certein day
jn the forest of Brokelond
at swich a place, ȝe vndirstond.
For þere sekerly he wyl ȝow abyde,
ȝif he be heyl, what so be-tyde.”
whanne that they herden this Messengere,
gret joye they maden amonges hem there,
and seiden, with-owten Ony lettyng
they wolden ben there be þe day spring.
for som nede þer was, they wisten trewelye,
that they were aftir sent jn so gret hye.
thanne to this messenger they ȝoven a steede
and oþer gret ȝiftes to his meede.
thanne spared the messenger neþer hors ne man,
tyl that to galachim ful sone he cam,
that jn that place abod stylle there
of his cosynes to heren answere.
Whanne that galachym vndirstood al this,
his herte was ful of joye and blys,
and als mochel joye to-gederis they made
as thouh alle the world they hade,
and told hym þat for non othyr thyng
for hym he sente, with-owten lesyng.
Ek he told hym al jn fere
hou it kam be talkyng of his modir dere.
thanne to galachim spak gaweyn þe bolde:
“Ryght evene the same my modir me tolde.”
and whanne that thus they hadden spoken jn fere,
anon they acordyd thanne ryht there
whanne they wolden taken here jorne:
with-jnne xv dayes, ful Sykerle.
thanne wenten they forth ech jn his way
hem forto purveyen alle maner aray,
as behouede to swyche children so goode,
that comen weren of so hygh a blode.
thanne rod forth galachym anon ryht
hym forto ordeyne with al his myht,
tyl ij c. of knyhtes & sqwyers had he
ful wel j-harneised jn alle degre,
of the beste that he cowde chese,
for be his wyl he wolde non lese.
Now, as ȝe me heren boþe reden & say,
jn the begynneng of the mounthe of may,
whanne trees & medwes wexen grene
and faire flowres growen hem be-twene,
ek also Bryddis merly don Synge,
also swete dewes jn the mornenge,
and also hertes lyhtenen be kynde,
ek thanne is merye vnder wode lynde,
thanne thouhte Gaweyn & galachim,
Gaheris & gwerrers, & mo with hym,
and Agrevayn jn here compenye:
faste to ryde gonne they hem hye,
whiles the morwenyng hit was cold;
they thowhten to ryden, þat weren so bold.
for they weren tendre and ȝong of age,
hardy, bold, & ful of corage,
and þerto j-armed wondirly wel
bothe jn erne and ek jn stel,
here swerdis hangyng on here sadelbowe,
and thus they reden al be rowe,
for jn þat contre was gret doute
of the hethene. that ryden aboute
bothe for pray and ek vytaylle;
alle that contre diden they asaille.
whiche contre so ful of good hit was,
whanne they entrede jnto that plas,
that gret deol hit is to here
what distroccioun they maden there.
The thridde day whanne they gonne ryde,
ȝe scholen here what hem gan be-tyde:
they metten kyng leodegron, verament,
Kyng Sonygron, And Kyng Mandelent,
Therto kyng Sernagn jn compeyne,
that hadde distroyed al that contre;
For thens they ladden many gret praye
of wyn, flesch, vytaille, The sothe to saye;
and the portis weren aryved with marchaundise,
the ryalest that ony man cowde devyse,
that v hundred somers weren charged there,
xv chares, & ten .c. charyettes jn Fere.
this cariage so wondir gret hit was,
that the powdir ros wondirly jn that plas,
that onnethes ony other myhte se
For dowst, that was so gret plente,
therto the Fyr & smoke so strong also,
that non man myhte sen where oþer gan go.
whanne these ȝonge children herden the cry
of the powre peple that cam hem by
For the harm that the hethen hadden do,
of whom ther weren ten thousend & mo
with-owten hem that weren on foote,
that both robbed & brende, god hit wote—
Whanne the children this dolour Sye
of that poure peple to-forn here eye,
they axeden where kyng Arthour was.
they ne wiste, they seide, jn non cas—
“but he be jnto the lond of Tarmelyde,
as we suppose this jlke tyde.
but ȝit er that he forth wente,
alle his strengthes he stuffyd, veramente,
that non of these hethen harm may hem do,
and therfore, Sekyr, they ben ful wo,
and therfore they distroye this contre
thus al abowtes, as ȝe mowne Se.”
whanne that the children herden this,
that kyng Artheur was owte of lond, j-wis,
they wolden chalangen both lond & pray
that the hethene hadden forreyed that day,
and kepen that lond jnto his comeng,
that was bothe here vncle & kyng.
whanne that these passantes herde hem so say,
thanne of on thing they gonne hem pray:
to tellen what maner of men they were.
“his kynnes-men we ben many of vs here.”
and whanne the passantes herden this,
Ful mochel joye they maden, j-wys,
For his kynnesmen, they gonne vndirstond,
Scholde sosteine & kepen kyng Artheurs lond.
whanne that the children al this beheld
how thikke the careage kam ouer the feld,
here hertes gonnen to rysen anone,
and as armes they cryden thus sone.
“now let sen here, worthy sqwyers,
whiche of vs schal ben most bold & fers
here to defenden oure herytage,
jn whiche these paynemis don gret owtrage.”
Thussone to armes went every man
and to hors-bak hos cowde sonnest than.
whanne the passantȝ Sien they hadden socour,
they torned aȝen with-owten dolour;
bothe on hors and ek on foote
with these children they wenten foot hote,
and the ferste thing was, that they mette,
chariettis with vitailles, with-owten lette,
that they ladden toward here ost
with thre thousend Paynemis of gret bost.
and hit was passed the mydday,
as this storye here doth say,
ek wondir hot hit was tho ryht
both for sqwyer and ek for knyht.
Anon as þe chyldren here enemyes Sye,
aȝens hem faste gonnen they hye,
Also Faste As they myhten Ryde;
with here enemye they metten that tyde,
and theke tyme slowen doun ryht euerichon,
that thike tyme from hem paste not on.
thike day be gaweyn so manye weren ded,
that body & hors weren al blood red.
For aȝens that ax that he bar on hond,
there myhte non man his dynt with-stond.
eke his other bretheryn dyden wel tho,
For they slowen that day mani a fo.
and galachym with gawayn evere was,
that mani merveilles wrowh jn that plas;
For al that euere stood jn his weye,
he slowh down ryht, as j ȝow seye.
but of þe marterdom þat made gaweyn,
hit is wondir to tellen, jn certeyn;
For aȝens his strok wolde nowht abyde
nethir harneys ne man that ilke tyde.
So fowhten the children that jlke day
with hem þat ladden that Jlke pray,
that there ne sckaped but xx men,
of whiche ȝit there weren ten
that retorned to hem that comen behynde,
of hem socour ȝif they myhten fynde;
of wheche vij thousend fully there were,
but alle wel armed weren they not there,
for hit was trossed hem be-Fore
among the chariettis that wenten thore:
For the gret hete that was thanne,
onharmed ther rod ful mani a manne.
whanne these ten fugytyves comen ageyn
to tho vij thousend, they tolden hem pleyn
how that alle jslayn they were
that here cariage cowndyet there.
Whanne that the hethin vndirstodyn al this,
anon to here armes they wenten, j-wis;
thike that ony armure hadden tho,
dyden as wel as they myhten do.
so that the thridde partye there
of armure destitewd they were,
whiche jn chareettis was trossed be-fore,
þat these ȝong sqwyers hadde wonnen thore;
whiche to Londone they senten, with-owten let,
be theke passauntes that with hem met,
and let coundie hem be anothir way,
lest þat these hethene scholde hem betray.
and sethen they seweden forth the chas,
til that they comen jnto that plas
there as thei to-gederis mette,
bothe hethen & cristen, with-owte lette.
thanne there began ful gret bataylle.
For there slowhe caweyn, with-owten faille,
kyng Noas the Brun of yrlond.
his strokis weren sweche, ȝe vndirstond,
that with his ax he clef him vnto,
that asondir fyl his Body tho.
Galachim so smot tho kyng Sonigran,
that jnto the feld his hed fley than;
for so took galachim there vppon,
that his strok dorste abyden non.
And Gaheries chased kyng Gwyneband
the drawht of an archier, j vndirstand.
for he hadde beten his brothir gwerrers,
þerfore jn herte he was ful fers.
(with a spere gwineband him smot, sikerle,
wherfore gaheries wende ded he hadde be;
but Gwerrers harm cawhte non
that ilke tyme of his fon;
but that wiste not the sothe gaheries.)
So forth he prekede jn that pres
with his swerd j-drawen on hande,
as faste as the hors myhte fleande.
Whanne Gwynebant Gaheryet tho beheld,
that he cam so prekyng jn the feld,
he fledde faste from hym a-way
For drede of deth he hadde sein that day.
(For he was of merveillous prowesse,
and that day nygh dede as gret dystresse
jnto litel partye as dyde Gawayn,
and al the sothe now Scholde j sayn.
thanne swor Gaheriet anon there
be god & be his blessed modir dere
that ȝif euere he myhte armes welde
to ben a knyht and beryn a schelde,
that he scholde neuere jn place abyde
nethir day ne nyht, that he nolde ryde
vppon the hethen, avenged til that he be
of his brotheris deth, ful certeinle.
For he wende gwerres hadde ben dede
Ful Sekerly there jn that Stede.)
and euere he sewed forth ful faste,
tyl he ouergat him at the laste.
So that behindes him weren the hethen men
an arblastes, j wot wel then.
thanne swed hym gwynebantes meyne,
that from that bataylle gonnen they fle.
Now reherseth forth here this Storye,
that the passauntes gonnen faste hem hye,
as men joyful and glad they were
that the cyte they hadde aprochyd so nere,
For but fowre myles they weren thens;
and amonges hem but lytel defens,
wherfore they hyed hem wondir faste,
tyl jnto þe cyte that they weren paste.
for they wisten wel, the hethene wolden asaye
ȝif they myhte geten aȝen that praye.
whanne they of the cyte behelden that Syht,
Sore jn here hertis they weren afryht
of that good & of that richesse
that thike meyne browhte, with-outen distresse.
The ceteȝeins axeden the passauntis sone
ho that al that prowesse hadde done.
they seiden that—“gaweyn, kyng Lothis son,
his bretherin & cosines jn viron,
Gaheriet, gwerres, & Agrevayn,
and galachim here cosyne, jn certayn,
kyng newtres sone, as j ȝow telle,
with the hethene they fyhten ful felle,
and leven Londis, richesse, & alle thyng,
and comen to helpen Artheur oure kyng;
that neuere for joye neþer for wrake
oure kyng Artheur nilen not forsake;
but vij hundred felawes in compenye
aȝens iij thousend this wonnen they, trewlye,
and hem they slowen everychon;
that so with this pray gonne we gon.
and now they fyhten with vij thousend mo,
that this cariage purswede tho.
Openeth the ȝates, this good ȝe take,
and som rescus for hem ȝe make;
For hit were bothe rewthe and pyte
but ȝif that they reskwed now be.”
Whanne the ceteȝeins vndirstodyn this,
anon the ȝates thei opened, j-wys,
and resceyved jn that Tresor,
that the passauntes browhten thor.
and sethen a meyne, with-owten lesyng,
scholde gon the children jn socouryng.
anon to þe maister tour they wente,
and an horn they blewen þere, veramente.
thanne was þere the custum tho
that eche man thanne to armes scholde go.
So that there Weren Redy Anon Ryht
Sevene thousend men j-armed to fyht.
thanne seide the captein of that town
that hit nere non good resown—
“that manye hens scholde go,
what maner of nede we han hem to.
and þerfore me thinketh best hit were
that somme of hem abyde how here.”
so of þat meyne v thousend forth wente,
and the remenant to þe cite weren sente.
Whanne that the hethene behelden this,
of that strok they merveilleden, j-wys,
For they wende here king ded hadde be;
hym to socouren faste gonne they fle.
and gaweyn amonges hem gan to ryde,
and they with him fowhten on ech syde,
and with here gleyves slowen his destrer
betwene his thyes, as he rod ther.
thanne thussone he was on foote
bothe angry & fers & of herte ful hoote,
and on bothe sydes he leyde so vppon,
that of hem dorste neghen hym non.
thanne cam socour hym abowte,
so þat þere was strong fyht, with-owten dowte,
abowtes gawayn jn that stounde,
and euere lay kyng Guinehans atte grounde.
For the hethene jn dowte were
whethir to reren guinehant they scholden gon þere
Owther Abowtes Gawayn forto Abyde;
thus jn dowte they weren that Tyde.
but gawayns felawes Fowhten there sore,
and the melle wax hard evere more & more.
Whanne Gaheriet & galachim this gonne beholde,
jn here hertes they woxen ful colde,
for siker they wenden he hadde be de[d];
him to reskwe they wente jn þat sted.
Galachym was þe ferste tho
þat to guinehant gan forto go,
& vppon the helm so hym smot,
that his bak bowede anon fot hot;
and guerreiers smot him thorgwh the arm
(ȝit ere he wente, hadde he more harm),
and gaheriet betwene þe nekke & þe scholder bon,
that jnto þe feld þe hed flygh anon;
and galachim with his foot that stounde
threw down þe Body to the grownde,
and took his hors & ladde to Agrevayn,
that on foote fawht with strengthe & mayn.
and whanne Agrevayn was vpe j-dyht,
thanne begynne there wondir gret fyht.
but of gaweyn wiste they non thing,
for he was ful harde in bekering
amonges the hethene vndir the lynde;
so fer hit was, he was harde to fynde.
Whanne that the children wisten this,
that they weren of Londone, j-wis,
jn herte they hadden ryht gret joye,
For þe lasse the hethen hem scholde anoye.
they torned here hors al jn fere,
& vppon þe hethen they ryden jn there.
but thanne weren the hethen sory,
For kyng Guinehaut lay ded hem by.
thussone they gonnen medlen sone;
thanne was þer not a litel to done.
here speres schatered jn þe feld,
& many hethen ded vndir his scheld.
And whanne here speris to-broken were,
eche man to his swerd took there.
So ech with-jnne oþer gan to ryde,
So that gret bataylle was þat tyde.
bothe of hors & ek of men
ful strong bloodsched was þere then,
that it ran down be eche vale,
as here reherseth this ylke tale;
þerto þe dost so gret hit was,
onnethis ony oþer knew jn þat plas.
Ful strong was þanne that melle
of the children and [hem] of Londone, as ȝe mown se,
aȝens tho cursed hethen wyhtes,
that so longe endured jn fyhtes.
From morwen jnto evensong belle,
so longe they fowhten, as j ȝow telle.
There dede gaweyn worthy prowesse
amonges the hethene jn that presse,
thanne mette with kyng mandelent;
with him to fyhte hadde he good entent.
For he hadde smyten on of his kyn,
þerfore he thowhte to meten with hym.
Doon of kerdyf was his name;
a man he was of ful good fame.
to þe erthe he hadde him browht,
whiche þat gaweyn ful sone him sowht.
he wolde han smeten of his hed,
but anoþer thowht gawayn jn þat sted.
Atte laste ȝit gaweyn with mandelent mette,
& on strok he on him sette;
thorwh his helm Ran gaweyns dynt,
and at his teth þere hit stynt,
& he fil ded doun to þe grownde;
thanne sory weren þe hethen þat stonde.
Whanne the Hethene Behelden tho
that kyng mandelent was ded so,
Ful sore abassched alle they were,
So þat echon they fledden there,
and to Vandobers they gonne hem hye,
where as the Sege was, Sekerlye.
thanne began the chas ful strong
and ek gret dowst, þat ros hem among,
that non man oþer myhte knowe,
not þe fadyr the Sone jn that rowe.
So that Sore was that Bataylle,
that jn thyke chas weren slayn, sauns faille,
what be gaweyn & his Felawis there
and with helpe of hem of londone jn fere—
xij thousend weren Slayn vpryht,
that onnethe of þat meyne askapen ne myht
not thre thousend of al that rowte;
So they were chased bothe jnne & owte.
thus the hethene weren scomfyt echon,
& homward ful joyful þe children gonne gon
To the cyte of londone ful rapelye;
these children ful faste gonne hem hye.
with presoners and pray faste þedir they ronne,
with the goodis þat tofore tyme þe hethene hadden wonne.