bed was made in the midst of the hall. So he went and lay
down as did also the five knights. All the night was Messire Gawain in
much thought. The morrow, when he was risen, he went to hear mass in a
chapel that was within and ate thereafter three sops in wine and then
armed him, and at the same time asked the five knights that were there
in the hall whether they would go see the assembly.

"Yea, Sir," say they, "and you be going thither."

"In faith, thither verily will I go!" saith Messire Gawain.

The knights are armed forthwith, and their horses brought and Messire
Gawain's, and he goeth to take leave of the Widow Lady and her
daughter. But great joy make they of this that they have heard say
that he will go with their knights to the assembly.

XII.

Messire Gawain and the five knights mounted and issued forth of the
castle and rode a great gallop before a forest. Messire Gawain looketh
before him about the foreclose of the forest, and seeth the fairest
purlieus that he had seen ever, and so broad they be that he may not
see nor know the fourth part thereof. They are garnished of tall
forests on one hand and on the other, and there are high rocks in the
midst with wild deer among.

"Sir," say the knights, "Lo, these be the Valleys of Camelot whereof my
Lady and her daughter have been bereft, and bereft also hath she been
of the richest castles that be in Wales to the number of seven."

"A wrong is it and a sin!" saith Messire Gawain.

So far have they ridden that they see the ensigns and the shields there
where the assembly is to be held, and they see already mounted the more
part of the knights all armed and running their horses down the
meadow-land. And they see the tents stretched on the one hand and on
another. And Messire Gawain bideth, and the five knights under a tree,
and see the knights assembling on one hand and on another. One of the
five knights that were with him gave him witting of the Lord of the
Moors and the brother of the knight of the Red Shield that had to name
Chaos the Red. So soon as the tournament was assembled, Messire Gawain
and the knights come to the assembly, and Messire Gawain goeth to a
Welsh knight and beareth him to the ground, both him and his horse, all
in a heap. And the five come after at a great gallop and each
overthroweth his own, and greatly pride they themselves of Messire
Gawain. Chaos the Red seeth Messire Gawain but knoweth him not. He
goeth toward