s. But King Arthur was so courageous that there might no
manner of knights prevent him from landing, and his knights fiercely
followed him.

So they landed in spite of Sir Mordred and all his power, and they put
him aback, so that he fled and all his people. When this battle was
done, King Arthur let bury his dead, and then was the noble knight Sir
Gawaine found in a great boat lying more than half dead. When Sir
Arthur wist that Sir Gawaine was laid so low, he went unto him and made
sorrow out of measure, for this sister's son was the man in the world
that he most loved. Sir Gawaine felt that he must die, for he was
smitten upon the old wound that Sir Launcelot had given him afore the
city of Benwick. He now knew that he was the cause of this unhappy
war, for had Sir Launcelot remained with the King, it would never have
been, and now King Arthur would sore miss his brave knights of the
Round Table.

Then he prayed his uncle that he might have paper, pen, and ink, and
when they were brought, he with his own hand wrote thus, as the French
book maketh mention: "Unto Sir Launcelot, flower of all noble knights
that ever I heard of, or saw by my days, I, Sir Gawaine, King Lot's son
of Orkney, sister's son unto the noble King Arthur, send thee greeting,
and let thee have knowledge, that this tenth day of May, through the
same wound that thou gavest me I am come to my death. And I will that
all the world wit that I, Sir Gawaine, knight of the Table Round,
sought my death; it came not through thy deserving, but it was mine own
seeking. Wherefore I beseech thee, Sir Launcelot, to return again unto
this realm, and see my tomb, and pray some prayer, more or less, for my
soul. For all the love that ever was betwixt us, make no tarrying, but
come over the sea in all haste, that thou mayest with thy noble knights
rescue that noble king that made thee knight, that is my lord Arthur,
for he is full straitly bestead with a false traitor, my half-brother,
Sir Mordred. We all landed upon him and his host at Dover, and there
put him to flight, and there it misfortuned me to be stricken in the
same wound the which I had of thy hand, Sir Launcelot. Of a nobler man
might I not be slain. This letter was written but two hours and an
half afore my death, with mine own hand, and so subscribed with part of
my heart's blood."

Then Sir Gawaine wept, and King Arthur wept, and then they swooned
both. When they awaked both, the King mad