-rider, who drew rein at
their approach and so sat watching their coming.

Then Lynette turned to Beaumains and she said: "Sir kitchen knave, look
you! yonder is a right knight with whom you may hardly hope to have ado.
Now turn you about and get you gone while there is yet time, otherwise
you may suffer harm at his hands."

To this Beaumains made no reply; otherwise, he rode forward very calmly
and when he had come pretty nigh he bespoke that single knight in a loud
clear voice, saying, "Sir Knight, I pray you do me battle."

At this address that knight aforesaid was very much astonished, and he
said: "Sir, what offence have I done to you that you should claim battle
of me in so curt a fashion? Gladly will I give you your will, but wit
you not that all courtesy is due from one knight to another upon such an
occasion?"

To this Beaumains made no reply, but turning his horse about he rode to
a little distance and there made him ready for the encounter that was
about to befall. For at that time his heart was so full of anger at the
scorn of Lynette that he could not trust himself with speech, and indeed
I verily believe that he knew not very well where he was or what he did.

Meantime the White Knight had also put himself into array for battle and
when all was prepared they immediately launched the one against the
other with such violence that the ground trembled and shook beneath
their charge.

So they met with great crashing and uproar in the midst of the course
and in that meeting the spear of Beaumains was broken into a great many
pieces and he himself was cast out of his saddle and down to the ground
with such violence that he was for a little while altogether stunned by
the force of his fall.

Then Lynette laughed so high and so shrill that Beaumains heard her even
in the midst of his swoon, and with that his spirit came back to him
again and straightway he leaped up to his feet and drew his sword. And
he cried out to the White Knight: "Sir Knight, come down from off thy
horse and do battle with me afoot, for never will I be satisfied with
this mischance that I have suffered."

Then the White Knight said: "Messire, how is this? I have no such cause
of battle with you as that." But all the more Beaumains cried out with
great vehemence, "Descend, Sir Knight, descend and fight me afoot."

"Well," quoth the White Knight, "since you will have it so, so it shall
be."

[Sidenote: _Beaumains doeth battle with th