ecious is the shield,
insomuch as that great pains ought you to take to have it and conquer
it, for it belonged to the best knight of his faith that was ever, and
the most puissant and the wisest."

"Who, then, was he?" saith Messire Gawain.

"Judas Machabee was he, and he it was that first wrought how by one
bird to take another."

"You say true," saith Messire Gawain; "A good knight was he."

"Therefore right joyful may you be," saith he, "and you may conquer the
same, for your own is the poorest and most battered that ever saw I
borne by knight. For hardly may a man know the colour thereof."

"Thereby may you well see," saith the damsel to the knight, "that his
own shield hath not been idle, nor hath the horse whereon he sitteth
been stabled so well as yours."

"Damsel," saith the knight, "No need is here of long pleading. Needs
must he joust with me, for him do I defy."

Saith Messire Gawain, "I hear well that you say."

He draweth him back and taketh his career and the knight likewise, and
they come together as fast as their horses may carry them, spear in
rest. The knight smiteth Messire Gawain on the shield whereof he had
no great defence, and passeth beyond, and in the by-pass the knight
to-brake his spear; and Messire Gawain smiteth him with his spear in
the midst of his breast and beareth him to the ground over the croup of
his horse, all pinned upon his spear, whereof he had a good full hand's
breadth in his breast. He draweth his spear back to him, and when the
knight felt himself unpinned, he leaped to his feet and came straight
to his horse and would fain set his foot in the stirrup when the damsel
of the car crieth out: "Messire Gawain, hinder the knight! for and he
were mounted again, too sore travail would it be to conquer him!"

When the knight heard name Messire Gawain, he draweth him back: "How?"
saith he; "Is this then the good Gawain, King Arthur's nephew?"

"Yea," saith the damsel, "He it is without fail!"

"Sir," saith the knight to Messire Gawain, "Are you he?"

"Yea," saith he, "Gawain I am!"

"Sir, so please you," saith he, "I hold me conquered, and right sorry
am I that I knew you not or ever I had ado with you."

He taketh the shield from his neck and holdeth it to him. "Sir," saith
he, "Take the shield that belonged to the best knight that was in his
time of his faith, for none know I of whom it shall be better employed
than of you. And of this shield were vanquished al