{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart143.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart143.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart143.htm","text":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VII CHAPTER XXV\n \n Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Legends and Sagas\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n BOOK VII\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n Next\u00a0\n \n \n CHAPTER XXV[*3]\n \n \n [*3] In Caxton's edition this chapter is misnumbered XXVI.,\n setting the numeration wrong to the end of the book.\n \n \n How the Queen of Orkney came to this feast of Pentecost, and\n Sir Gawaine and his brethren came to ask her blessing.\n \n So then the king and they went to meat, and were served in the\n best manner. And as they sat at the meat, there came in the\n Queen of Orkney, with ladies and knights a great number. And\n then Sir Gawaine, Sir Agravaine, and Gaheris arose, and went to\n her and saluted her upon their knees, and asked her blessing; for\n in fifteen year they had not seen her. Then she spake on high to\n her brother King Arthur: Where have ye done my young son Sir\n Gareth? He was here amongst you a twelvemonth, and <255>ye made\n a kitchen knave of him, the which is shame to you all. Alas,\n where have ye done my dear son that was my joy and bliss? O dear\n mother, said Sir Gawaine, I knew him not. Nor I, said the king,\n that now me repenteth, but thanked be God he is proved a\n worshipful knight as any is now living of his years, and I shall\n never be glad till I may find him.\n \n Ah, brother, said the Queen unto King Arthur, and unto Sir\n Gawaine, and to all her sons, ye did yourself great shame when ye\n amongst you kept my son in the kitchen and fed him like a poor\n hog. Fair sister, said King Arthur, ye shall right well wit I\n knew him not, nor no more did Sir Gawaine, nor his brethren; but\n sithen it is so, said the king, that he is thus gone from us all,\n we must shape a remedy to find him. Also, sister, meseemeth ye\n might have done me to wit of his coming, and then an I had not\n done well to him ye might have blamed me. For when he came to\n this court he came leaning upon two men's shoulders, as though he\n might not have gone. And then he asked me three gifts; and one\n he asked the same day, that was that I would give him meat enough\n that twelvemonth; and the other two gifts he asked that day a\n twelvemonth, and that was that he might have the adventure of the\n damosel Linet, and the third was that Sir Launcelot should make\n him knight when he desired him. And so I granted him all his\n desire, and many in this court marvelled that he desired his\n sustenance for a twelvemonth. And thereby, we deemed, many of\n us, that he was not come of a noble house.\n \n Sir, said the Queen of Orkney unto King Arthur her brother, wit\n ye well that I sent him unto you right well armed and horsed, and\n worshipfully beseen of his body, and gold and silver plenty to\n spend. It may be, said the King, but thereof saw we none, save\n that same day as he departed from us, knights told me that there\n came a dwarf hither suddenly, and brought him armour and a good\n horse full well and richly beseen; and thereat we all had marvel\n from whence that riches came, that we deemed all that he was come\n of men of worship. Brother, said the <256>queen, all that ye say\n I believe, for ever sithen he was grown he was marvellously\n witted, and ever he was faithful and true of his promise. But I\n marvel, said she, that Sir Kay did mock him and scorn him, and\n gave him that name Beaumains; yet, Sir Kay, said the queen, named\n him more righteously than he weened; for I dare say an he be\n alive, he is as fair an handed man and well disposed as any is\n living. Sir, said Arthur, let this language be still, and by the\n grace of God he shall be found an he be within this seven realms,\n and let all this pass and be merry, for he is proved to be a man\n of worship, and that is my joy.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VII CHAPTER XXV","type":"page"}