{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart391.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart391.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart391.htm","text":"CHAPTER II\nOf the advision of Sir Ector, and how he jousted with Sir\nUwaine les Avoutres, his sworn brother.\nBUT to Ector de Maris befell another vision the contrary.\nFor it seemed him that his brother, Sir Launcelot, and\nhe alighted out of a chair and leapt upon two horses,\nand the one said to the other: Go we seek that we shall\nnot find. And him thought that a man beat Sir Launcelot,\nand despoiled him, and clothed him in another array,\nthe which was all full of knots, and set him upon an ass,\nand so he rode till he came to the fairest well that ever he\nsaw; and Sir Launcelot alighted and would have drunk\nof that well. And when he stooped to drink of the water\nthe water sank from him. And when Sir Launcelot saw\nthat, he turned and went thither as the head came from.\nAnd in the meanwhile he trowed that himself and Sir\nEctor rode till that they came to a rich man's house\nwhere there was a wedding. And there he saw a king the\nwhich said: Sir knight, here is no place for you. And\nthen he turned again unto the chair that he came from.\nThus within a while both Gawaine and Ector awaked,\nand either told other of their advision, the which marvelled\nthem greatly. Truly, said Ector, I shall never be merry\ntill I hear tidings of my brother Launcelot. Now as they\nsat thus talking they saw an hand showing unto the elbow,\nand was covered with red samite, and upon that hung a\nbridle not right rich, and held within the fist a great\ncandle which burned right clear, and so passed afore them,\nand entered into the chapel, and then vanished away and\nthey wist not where. And anon came down a voice which\nsaid: Knights of full evil faith and of poor belief, these\ntwo things have failed you, and therefore ye may not come\nto the adventures of the Sangreal.\nThen first spake Gawaine and said: Ector, have ye\nheard these words? Yea truly, said Sir Ector, I heard\nall. Now go we, said Sir Ector, unto some hermit that\nwill tell us of our advision, for it seemeth me we labour\nall in vain. And so they departed and rode into a valley,\nand there met with a squire which rode on an hackney,\nand they saluted him fair. Sir, said Gawaine, can thou\nteach us to any hermit? Here is one in a little mountain,\nbut it is so rough there may no horse go thither, and\ntherefore ye must go upon foot; there shall ye find a poor\nhouse, and there is Nacien the hermit, which is the holiest\nman in this country. And so they departed either from\nother.\nAnd then in a valley they met with a knight all armed,\nwhich proffered them to joust as far as he saw them. In\nthe name of God, said Sir Gawaine, sith I departed from\nCamelot there was none proffered me to joust but once.\nAnd now, sir, said Ector, let me joust with him. Nay,\nsaid Gawaine, ye shall not but if I be beat; it shall not\nfor-think me then if ye go after me. And then either\nembraced other to joust and came together as fast as their\nhorses might run, and brast their shields and the mails,\nand the one more than the other; and Gawaine was\nwounded in the left side, but the other knight was smitten\nthrough the breast, and the spear came out on the other\nside, and so they fell both out of their saddles, and in the\nfalling they brake both their spears.\nAnon Gawaine arose and set his hand to his sword,\nand cast his shield afore him. But all for naught was it,\nfor the knight had no power to arise against him. Then\nsaid Gawaine: Ye must yield you as an overcome man, or\nelse I may slay you. Ah, sir knight, said he, I am but\ndead, for God's sake and of your gentleness lead me here\nunto an abbey that I may receive my Creator. Sir, said\nGawaine, I know no house of religion hereby. Sir, said\nthe knight, set me on an horse to-fore you, and I shall\nteach you. Gawaine set him up in the saddle, and he\nleapt up behind him for to sustain him, and so came to\nan abbey where they were well received; and anon he\nwas unarmed, and received his Creator. Then he prayed\nGawaine to draw out the truncheon of the spear out of his\nbody. Then Gawaine asked him what he was, that knew\nhim not. I am, said he, of King Arthur's court, and was\na fellow of the Round Table, and we were brethren sworn\ntogether; and now Sir Gawaine, thou hast slain me, and\nmy name is Uwaine les Avoutres, that sometime was son\nunto King Uriens, and was in the quest of the Sangreal;\nand now forgive it thee God, for it shall ever be said that\nthe one sworn brother hath slain the other.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XVI CHAPTER II","type":"page"}