{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart152.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart152.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart152.htm","text":"CHAPTER XXXIV\nHow Sir Gareth acknowledged that they loved each other\nto King Arthur, and of the appointment of their wedding.\nAND among all these ladies she was named the fairest, and\npeerless. Then when Sir Gawaine saw her there was many a goodly\nlook and goodly words, that all men of worship had joy to behold\nthem. Then came King Arthur and many other kings, and Dame\nGuenever, and the Queen of Orkney. And there the king asked his\nnephew, Sir Gareth, whether he would have that lady as paramour,\nor to have her to his wife. My lord, wit you well that I love\nher above all ladies living. Now, fair lady, said King Arthur,\nwhat say ye? Most noble King, said Dame Lionesse, wit you well\nthat my lord, Sir Gareth, is to me more liefer to have and wield\nas my husband, than any king or prince that is christened; and if\nI may not have him I promise you I will never have none. For, my\nlord Arthur, said Dame Lionesse, wit ye well he is my first love,\nand he shall be the last; and if ye will suffer him to <274>have\nhis will and free choice I dare say he will have me. That is\ntruth, said Sir Gareth; an I have not you and wield not you as my\nwife, there shall never lady nor gentlewoman rejoice me. What,\nnephew, said the king, is the wind in that door? for wit ye well\nI would not for the stint of my crown to be causer to withdraw\nyour hearts; and wit ye well ye cannot love so well but I shall\nrather increase it than distress it. And also ye shall have my\nlove and my lordship in the uttermost wise that may lie in my\npower. And in the same wise said Sir Gareth's mother.\nThen there was made a provision for the day of marriage; and by\nthe king's advice it was provided that it should be at Michaelmas\nfollowing, at Kink Kenadon by the seaside, for there is a\nplentiful country. And so it was cried in all the places through\nthe realm. And then Sir Gareth sent his summons to all these\nknights and ladies that he had won in battle to-fore, that they\nshould be at his day of marriage at Kink Kenadon by the sands.\nAnd then Dame Lionesse, and the damosel Linet with Sir\nGringamore, rode to their castle; and a goodly and a rich ring\nshe gave to Sir Gareth, and he gave her another. And King Arthur\ngave her a rich pair of beads[*6] of gold; and so she departed;\nand King Arthur and his fellowship rode toward Kink Kenadon, and\nSir Gareth brought his lady on the way, and so came to the king\nagain and rode with him. Lord! the great cheer that Sir\nLauncelot made of Sir Gareth and he of him, for there was never\nno knight that Sir Gareth loved so well as he did Sir Launcelot;\nand ever for the most part he would be in Sir Launcelot's\ncompany; for after Sir Gareth had espied Sir Gawaine's\nconditions, he withdrew himself from his brother, Sir Gawaine's,\nfellowship, for he was vengeable, and where he hated he would be\navenged with murder, and that hated Sir Gareth.\n[*6] So W. de Worde; Caxton ``bee.''\n<275>","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VII CHAPTER XXXIV","type":"page"}