Sir Percivale pulled
out his sword and struck at the chain with such a might that he cut
a-two the chain, and through Sir Persides' hauberk and hurt him a
little. O Jesu, said Sir Persides, that was a mighty stroke as ever I
felt one, for had not the chain been ye had slain me.

And therewithal Sir Persides saw a knight coming out of a castle all
that ever he might fling. Beware, sir, said Sir Persides, yonder cometh
a man that will have ado with you. Let him come, said Sir Percivale.
And so he met with that knight in midst of the bridge; and Sir Percivale
gave him such a buffet that he smote him quite from his horse and over a
part of the bridge, that, had not been a little vessel under the bridge,
that knight had been drowned. And then Sir Percivale took the knight's
horse and made Sir Persides to mount up him; and so they rode unto the
castle, and bade the lady deliver Sir Persides' servants, or else he
would slay all that ever he found; and so for fear she delivered them
all. Then was Sir Percivale ware of a lady that stood in that tower.
Ah, madam, said Sir Percivale, what use and custom is that in a lady to
destroy good knights but if they will be your paramour? Forsooth this is
a shameful custom of a lady, and if I had not a great matter in my hand
I should fordo your evil customs.

And so Sir Persides brought Sir Percivale unto his own castle, and
there he made him great cheer all that night. And on the morn, when Sir
Percivale had heard mass and broken his fast, he bade Sir Persides ride
unto King Arthur: And tell the king how that ye met with me; and tell my
brother, Sir Aglovale, how I rescued you; and bid him seek not after me,
for I am in the quest to seek Sir Launcelot du Lake, and though he seek
me he shall not find me; and tell him I will never see him, nor the
court, till I have found Sir Launcelot. Also tell Sir Kay the Seneschal,
and to Sir Mordred, that I trust to Jesu to be of as great worthiness
as either of them, for tell them I shall never forget their mocks and
scorns that they did to me that day that I was made knight; and tell
them I will never see that court till men speak more worship of me than
ever men did of any of them both. And so Sir Persides departed from
Sir Percivale, and then he rode unto King Arthur, and told there of
Sir Percivale. And when Sir Aglovale heard him speak of his brother Sir
Percivale, he said: He departed from me unkindly.

CHAPTER XIII. How Sir Percivale met