re the assembly of the Red Launde.

"And can you tell me where I may find him?" saith Messire Gawain.

"Not I," saith the hermit, "I cannot tell you whereabout he is."

While they were talking on this wise, straightway behold you a knight
coming that hath arms of azure, and alighteth at the hermitage to lodge
there. The hermit receiveth him right gladly. Messire Gawain asketh
him if he saw a knight with white arms ride amidst the forest.

"By my faith," saith the knight, "I have seen him this day and spoken
with him, and he asked me and I could tell him tidings of a knight that
beareth a shield of sinople with a golden eagle, and I told him, no.
Afterward, I enquired wherefore he asked it, and he made answer that he
had jousted at him in the Red Launde, nor never before had he found so
sturdy assault of any knight, wherefore he was right sorrowful for that
he was not acquainted with him, for the sake of his good knighthood."

"By my faith," saith Gawain, "The knight is more sorrowful than he, for
nought is there in the world he would gladlier see than him."

The knight espieth Messire Gawain's shield and saith, "Ha, Sir,
methinketh you are he."

"Certes," saith Messire Gawain, "you say true. I am he against whom he
jousted, and right glad am I that so good a knight smote upon my
shield, and right sorrowful for that I knew him not; but tell me where
I may find him?"

II.

"Sir," saith Joseus the Hermit, "He will not have gone forth from this
forest, for this is the place wherein he wonneth most willingly, and
the shield that he brought from King Arthur's court is in this chapel."

So he showeth the shield to Messire Gawain that maketh great joy
thereof.

"Ha, Sir," saith the knight of the white arms, "Is your name Messire
Gawain?"

"Fair Sir," saith he, "Gawain am I called."

"Sir," saith the knight, "I have not ceased to seek you for a long
while past. Meliot of Logres, that is your man, the son of the lady
that was slain on your account, sendeth you word that Nabigant of the
Rock hath slain his father on your account; wherefore he challengeth
the land that hath fallen to him; and hereof he prayeth you that you
will come to succour him as behoveth lord to do to his liege man."

"By my faith," saith Messire Gawain, "Behoveth me not fail him therein,
wherefore tell him I will succour him so soon as I may; but tell him I
have emprised a business that I cannot leave but with loss of honour
until such t