out of his court. Wit ye well Sir
Gawaine was wroth that Gaheris had slain his mother and let Sir Lamorak
escape. And for this matter was the king passing wroth, and so was Sir
Launcelot, and many other knights. Sir, said Sir Launcelot, here is a
great mischief befallen by felony, and by forecast treason, that your
sister is thus shamefully slain. And I dare say that it was wrought by
treason, and I dare say ye shall lose that good knight, Sir Lamorak the
which is great pity. I wot well and am sure, an Sir Tristram wist it,
he would never more come within your court, the which should grieve you
much more and all your knights. God defend, said the noble King Arthur,
that I should lose Sir Lamorak or Sir Tristram, for then twain of my
chief knights of the Table Round were gone. Sir, said Sir Launcelot, I
am sure ye shall lose Sir Lamorak, for Sir Gawaine and his brethren will
slay him by one mean or other; for they among them have concluded and
sworn to slay him an ever they may see their time. That shall I let,
said Arthur.

CHAPTER XXV. How Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred met with a knight
fleeing, and how they both were overthrown, and of Sir Dinadan.

NOW leave we of Sir Lamorak, and speak of Sir Gawaine's brethren,
and specially of Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred. As they rode on their
adventures they met with a knight fleeing, sore wounded; and they asked
him what tidings. Fair knights, said he, here cometh a knight after
me that will slay me. With that came Sir Dinadan riding to them by
adventure, but he would promise them no help. But Sir Agravaine and
Sir Mordred promised him to rescue him. Therewithal came that knight
straight unto them, and anon he proffered to joust. That saw Sir Mordred
and rode to him, but he struck Mordred over his horse's tail. That saw
Sir Agravaine, and straight he rode toward that knight, and right so as
he served Mordred so he served Agravaine, and said to them: Sirs, wit ye
well both that I am Breuse Saunce Pite, that hath done this to you. And
yet he rode over Agravaine five or six times. When Dinadan saw this, he
must needs joust with him for shame. And so Dinadan and he encountered
together, that with pure strength Sir Dinadan smote him over his horse's
tail Then he took his horse and fled, for he was on foot one of the
valiantest knights in Arthur's days, and a great destroyer of all good
knights.

Then rode Sir Dinadan unto Sir Mordred and unto Sir Agravaine. Sir
knight, sai