r the love of this lady that hates
you and your evil custom, that I am resolved to slay you, if God so
wills,' was the stern reply of Beaumains.

'A boastful rogue thou art,' cried the Red Knight, and laughed
scornfully. 'What is thy name, and whence come ye, Sir Black Knight?
For surely from your talk you must be one of those prating and soft
fools of the Round Table?'

'I will not tell thee my name,' said Beaumains. 'And as yet I am not of
the worshipful company of King Arthur's Round Table. But when I have
slain thee and rid the world of so shameful a knight, then shall I
crave the king to receive me into that high fellowship of noble and
courteous knights.'

'Make thee ready!' shouted the Red Knight in a furious voice. 'I will
talk no more with thee.'

With that they withdrew a little from each other, and then, spurring
their horses, and with lances in rest, they hurled themselves towards
each other. With so great a crash did they come together that both
their spears were broken into a hundred pieces, and their breastplates,
girths and cruppers burst, and the two knights fell to the ground half
stunned with the shock.

But in a little while they avoided their struggling horses, and leaping
towards each other with their swords, they cut and hacked each the
other so fiercely that great pieces of their shields and armour flew
off.

Thus they fought till it was past noon, and would not stop, till at
last they both lacked wind, and thus they stood swaying, staggering,
panting, yet feinting and striking with what strength they had. The Red
Knight was a cunning fighter, and Beaumains learned much from him,
though it was at the cost of many a gaping wound.

When it was evensong they rested by mutual accord, and seated on two
molehills near the fighting place, they had their helms taken off by
their pages and their worse wounds bound up. Then Beaumains lifted up
his eyes to the lady at the window, and saw how her looks were tender
with pity for him.

So heartened was he at the sight that he started up swiftly, and bade
the Red Knight make him ready to do battle once more to the uttermost.
Then they rushed fiercely at each other, and the fight raged more hotly
than ever. At length, by cunning, the Red Knight suddenly struck
Beaumains' sword from his hand, and before he could recover it, the Red
Knight had with a great buffet thrown him to the ground, and had fallen
upon him to keep him down.

Then cried the Lady