y no knight do, and smiteth down the knights about
him, that flee from him even as the deer-hound fleeth from the lion.

"By my faith," saith Messire Gawain, "sith that they have lied to me
about the knight, I will seek him no more this day, but forget my
discontent as best I may until evening."

He seeth the knight, but knoweth him not, for he had a white shield and
cognisances of the same. And Messire Gawain cometh to him as fast as
his horse may carry him, and the knight toward Messire Gawain. So
passing stoutly they come together that they pierce their shields below
the boss. Their spears were so tough that they break not, and they
draw them forth and come together again so strongly that the spears
wherewith they smote each other amidst the breast were bended so that
they unriveted the holdfasts of their shields, and they lost their
stirrups, and the reins fly from their fists, and they stagger against
the back saddlebows, and the horses stumbled so as that they all but
fell. They straighten them in saddle and stirrup, and catch hold upon
their reins, and then come together again, burning with wrath and fury
like lions, and either smiteth on other with their spears that may
endure no longer, for the shafts are all to-frushed as far as the fists
in such sort that they that look on marvel them much how it came to
pass that the points had not pierced their bodies. But God would not
that the good knights should slay each other, rather would He that the
one should know the true worth of the other. The habergeons
safeguarded not their bodies, but the might of God in whom they
believed, for in them had they all the valour that knight should have;
and never did Messire Gawain depart from hostel wherein he had lien,
but he first heard mass before he went if so he might, nor never found
he dame nor damsel discounselled whereof he had not pity, nor did he
ever churlishness to other knight, nor said nor thought it, and he
came, as you have heard, of the most holy lineage of Josephus and the
good King Fisherman.

IX.

The good knights were in the midst of the assembly, and right wrathful
was the one against the other, and they held their swords naked and
their shields on their arms and dealt each other huge buffets right in
the midst of the helms. The most part of the knights come to them and
tell them that the assembly waiteth for them to come thereunto. They
have much pains to part them asunder, and then the melly