and holy, and refreshed me greatly. Ah, sir
knight, said she, that same man is an enchanter and a multiplier of
words. For an ye believe him ye shall plainly be shamed, and die in this
rock for pure hunger, and be eaten with wild beasts; and ye be a young
man and a goodly knight, and I shall help you an ye will. What are ye,
said Sir Percivale, that proffered me thus great kindness? I am, said
she, a gentlewoman that am disherited, which was sometime the richest
woman of the world. Damosel, said Sir Percivale, who hath disherited
you? for I have great pity of you. Sir, said she, I dwelled with the
greatest man of the world, and he made me so fair and clear that there
was none like me; and of that great beauty I had a little pride more
than I ought to have had. Also I said a word that pleased him not. And
then he would not suffer me to be any longer in his company, and so
drove me from mine heritage, and so disherited me, and he had never
pity of me nor of none of my council, nor of my court. And sithen, sir
knight, it hath befallen me so, and through me and mine I have benome
him many of his men, and made them to become my men. For they ask never
nothing of me but I give it them, that and much more. Thus I and all my
servants were against him night and day. Therefore I know now no good
knight, nor no good man, but I get them on my side an I may. And for
that I know that thou art a good knight, I beseech you to help me; and
for ye be a fellow of the Round Table, wherefore ye ought not to fail no
gentlewoman which is disherited, an she besought you of help.

CHAPTER IX. How Sir Percivale promised her help, and how he required her
of love, and how he was saved from the fiend.

THEN Sir Percivale promised her all the help that he might; and then she
thanked him. And at that time the weather was hot. Then she called unto
her a gentlewoman and bade her bring forth a pavilion; and so she did,
and pight it upon the gravel. Sir, said she, now may ye rest you in this
heat of the day. Then he thanked her, and she put off his helm and his
shield, and there he slept a great while. And then he awoke and asked
her if she had any meat, and she said: Yea, also ye shall have enough.
And so there was set enough upon the table, and thereon so much that he
had marvel, for there was all manner of meats that he could think on.
Also he drank there the strongest wine that ever he drank, him thought,
and therewith he was a little chafed m