ced his helm, and took the cold wind;
for either of their pages was fast by them, to come when they called to
unlace their harness and to set them on again at their commandment. And
then when Sir Beaumains' helm was off, he looked up to the window,
and there he saw the fair lady Dame Lionesse, and she made him such
countenance that his heart waxed light and jolly; and therewith he
bade the Red Knight of the Red Launds make him ready, and let us do the
battle to the utterance. I will well, said the knight, and then they
laced up their helms, and their pages avoided, and they stepped together
and fought freshly; but the Red Knight of the Red Launds awaited him,
and at an overthwart smote him within the hand, that his sword fell out
of his hand; and yet he gave him another buffet upon the helm that he
fell grovelling to the earth, and the Red Knight fell over him, for to
hold him down.

Then cried the maiden Linet on high: O Sir Beaumains, where is thy
courage become? Alas, my lady my sister beholdeth thee, and she sobbeth
and weepeth, that maketh mine heart heavy. When Sir Beaumains heard her
say so, he abraid up with a great might and gat him upon his feet, and
lightly he leapt to his sword and gripped it in his hand, and doubled
his pace unto the Red Knight, and there they fought a new battle
together. But Sir Beaumains then doubled his strokes, and smote so thick
that he smote the sword out of his hand, and then he smote him upon the
helm that he fell to the earth, and Sir Beaumains fell upon him, and
unlaced his helm to have slain him; and then he yielded him and asked
mercy, and said with a loud voice: O noble knight, I yield me to thy
mercy.

Then Sir Beaumains bethought him upon the knights that he had made to be
hanged shamefully, and then he said: I may not with my worship save
thy life, for the shameful deaths that thou hast caused many full good
knights to die. Sir, said the Red Knight of the Red Launds, hold your
hand and ye shall know the causes why I put them to so shameful a death.
Say on, said Sir Beaumains. Sir, I loved once a lady, a fair damosel,
and she had her brother slain; and she said it was Sir Launcelot
du Lake, or else Sir Gawaine; and she prayed me as that I loved her
heartily, that I would make her a promise by the faith of my knighthood,
for to labour daily in arms unto I met with one of them; and all that
I might overcome I should put them unto a villainous death; and this is
the cause tha