s passages. What manner a man is he? said the
lady. He is a noble knight, truly, madam, said the dwarf, and but a
young man, but he is as likely a man as ever ye saw any. What is he?
said the damosel, and of what kin is he come, and of whom was he made
knight? Madam, said the dwarf, he is the king's son of Orkney, but
his name I will not tell you as at this time; but wit ye well, of Sir
Launcelot was he made knight, for of none other would he be made knight,
and Sir Kay named him Beaumains. How escaped he, said the lady, from the
brethren of Persant? Madam, he said, as a noble knight should. First, he
slew two brethren at a passage of a water. Ah! said she, they were good
knights, but they were murderers, the one hight Gherard le Breuse, and
the other knight hight Sir Arnold le Breuse. Then, madam, he recountered
with the Black Knight, and slew him in plain battle, and so he took his
horse and his armour and fought with the Green Knight and won him in
plain battle, and in like wise he served the Red Knight, and after in
the same wise he served the Blue Knight and won him in plain battle.
Then, said the lady, he hath overcome Sir Persant of Inde, one of the
noblest knights of the world, and the dwarf said, He hath won all the
four brethren and slain the Black Knight, and yet he did more to-fore:
he overthrew Sir Kay and left him nigh dead upon the ground; also he
did a great battle with Sir Launcelot, and there they departed on even
hands: and then Sir Launcelot made him knight.

Dwarf, said the lady, I am glad of these tidings, therefore go thou in
an hermitage of mine hereby, and there shalt thou bear with thee of my
wine in two flagons of silver, they are of two gallons, and also two
cast of bread with fat venison baked, and dainty fowls; and a cup of
gold here I deliver thee, that is rich and precious; and bear all this
to mine hermitage, and put it in the hermit's hands. And sithen go
thou unto my sister and greet her well, and commend me unto that gentle
knight, and pray him to eat and to drink and make him strong, and say
ye him I thank him of his courtesy and goodness, that he would take upon
him such labour for me that never did him bounty nor courtesy. Also pray
him that he be of good heart and courage, for he shall meet with a full
noble knight, but he is neither of bounty, courtesy, nor gentleness; for
he attendeth unto nothing but to murder, and that is the cause I cannot
praise him nor love him.

So this d