I may meet
with him I will not depart from him lightly, for all marvellous
adventures that Sir Galahad achieveth. Sir, said one of the monks, he
will not of your fellowship. Why? said Sir Gawaine. Sir, said he, for
ye be wicked and sinful, and he is full blessed. Right as they thus
stood talking there came in riding Sir Gareth. And then they made joy
either of other. And on the morn they heard mass, and so departed. And
by the way they met with Sir Uwaine les Avoutres, and there Sir Uwaine
told Sir Gawaine how he had met with none adventure sith he departed
from the court. Nor we, said Sir Gawaine. And either promised other of
the three knights not to depart while they were in that quest, but if
fortune caused it. So they departed and rode by fortune till that they
came by the Castle of Maidens; and there the seven brethren espied the
three knights, and said: Sithen, we be flemyd by one knight from this
castle, we shall destroy all the knights of King Arthur's that we may
overcome, for the love of Sir Galahad. And therewith the seven knights
set upon the three knights, and by fortune Sir Gawaine slew one of the
brethren, and each one of his fellows slew another, and so slew the
remnant. And then they took the way under the castle, and there they
lost the way that Sir Galahad rode, and there every each of them
departed from other; and Sir Gawaine rode till he came to an
hermitage, and there he found the good man saying his evensong of Our
Lady; and there Sir Gawaine asked harbour for charity, and the good
man granted it him gladly. Then the good man asked him what he was.
Sir, he said, I am a knight of King Arthur's that am in the quest of
the Sangreal, and my name is Sir Gawaine. Sir, said the good man, I
would wit how it standeth betwixt God and you. Sir, said Sir Gawaine,
I will with a good will shew you my life if it please you; and there
he told the hermit How a monk of an abbey called me wicked knight. He
might well say it, said the hermit, for when ye were first made knight
you should have taken you to knightly deeds and virtuous living, and
ye have done the contrary, for ye have lived mischievously many
winters; and Sir Galahad is a maid and sinner never, and that is the
cause he shall achieve where he goeth that ye nor none such shall not
attain, nor none in your fellowship, for ye have used the most
untruest life that ever I heard knight live. For certes had ye not
been so wicked as ye are, never had the seven b