be your faithful knight. And with you will I
be, said the damosel, for with Sir Gawaine I may not find in mine heart
to be with him; for now here was one knight discomfited ten knights, and
at the last he was cowardly led away; and therefore let us two go whilst
they fight. And Sir Gawaine fought with that other knight long, but at
the last they accorded both. And then the knight prayed Sir Gawaine to
lodge with him that night. So as Sir Gawaine went with this knight he
asked him, What knight is he in this country that smote down the ten
knights? For when he had done so manfully he suffered them to bind him
hand and foot, and so led him away. Ah, said the knight, that is the
best knight I trow in the world, and the most man of prowess, and he
hath been served so as he was even more than ten times, and his name
hight Sir Pelleas, and he loveth a great lady in this country and her
name is Ettard. And so when he loved her there was cried in this country
a great jousts three days, and all the knights of this country were
there and gentlewomen, and who that proved him the best knight should
have a passing good sword and a circlet of gold, and the circlet the
knight should give it to the fairest lady that was at the jousts. And
this knight Sir Pelleas was the best knight that was there, and there
were five hundred knights, but there was never man that ever Sir Pelleas
met withal but he struck him down, or else from his horse; and every day
of three days he struck down twenty knights, therefore they gave him the
prize, and forthwithal he went thereas the Lady Ettard was, and gave her
the circlet, and said openly she was the fairest lady that there was,
and that would he prove upon any knight that would say nay.

CHAPTER XXI. How King Pelleas suffered himself to be taken prisoner
because he would have a sight of his lady, and how Sir Gawaine promised
him to get to him the love of his lady.

AND so he chose her for his sovereign lady, and never to love other but
her, but she was so proud that she had scorn of him, and said that she
would never love him though he would die for her. Wherefore all ladies
and gentlewomen had scorn of her that she was so proud, for there were
fairer than she, and there was none that was there but an Sir Pelleas
would have proffered them love, they would have loved him for his noble
prowess. And so this knight promised the Lady Ettard to follow her into
this country, and never to leave her till