. What is your name? said
Sir Gawaine, or we depart. My name is, said the knight, Ablamar of the
Marsh. So he departed toward Camelot.

CHAPTER VIII. How four knights fought against Gawaine and Gaheris, and
how they were overcome, and their lives saved at request of four ladies.

AND Sir Gawaine went into the castle, and made him ready to lie there
all night, and would have unarmed him. What will ye do, said Gaheris,
will ye unarm you in this country? Ye may think ye have many enemies
here. They had not sooner said that word but there came four knights
well armed, and assailed Sir Gawaine hard, and said unto him, Thou
new-made knight, thou hast shamed thy knighthood, for a knight without
mercy is dishonoured. Also thou hast slain a fair lady to thy great
shame to the world's end, and doubt thou not thou shalt have great need
of mercy or thou depart from us. And therewith one of them smote Sir
Gawaine a great stroke that nigh he fell to the earth, and Gaheris smote
him again sore, and so they were on the one side and on the other, that
Sir Gawaine and Gaheris were in jeopardy of their lives; and one with
a bow, an archer, smote Sir Gawaine through the arm that it grieved him
wonderly sore. And as they should have been slain, there came four fair
ladies, and besought the knights of grace for Sir Gawaine; and goodly at
request of the ladies they gave Sir Gawaine and Gaheris their lives,
and made them to yield them as prisoners. Then Gawaine and Gaheris made
great dole. Alas! said Sir Gawaine, mine arm grieveth me sore, I am like
to be maimed; and so made his complaint piteously.

Early on the morrow there came to Sir Gawaine one of the four ladies
that had heard all his complaint, and said, Sir knight, what cheer? Not
good, said he. It is your own default, said the lady, for ye have done
a passing foul deed in the slaying of the lady, the which will be great
villainy unto you. But be ye not of King Arthur's kin? said the lady.
Yes truly, said Sir Gawaine. What is your name? said the lady, ye must
tell it me or ye pass. My name is Gawaine, the King Lot of Orkney's son,
and my mother is King Arthur's sister. Ah! then are ye nephew unto King
Arthur, said the lady, and I shall so speak for you that ye shall have
conduct to go to King Arthur for his love. And so she departed and told
the four knights how their prisoner was King Arthur's nephew, and his
name is Sir Gawaine, King Lot's son of Orkney. And they gave him the
h