pened
the gates, and saw so much people in the streets that he might not
number them, and all said: Sir, ye be welcome, for long have we abiden
here our deliverance. Then came to him a gentlewoman and said: These
knights be fled, but they will come again this night, and here to begin
again their evil custom. What will ye that I shall do? said Galahad.
Sir, said the gentlewoman, that ye send after all the knights hither
that hold their lands of this castle, and make them to swear for to use
the customs that were used heretofore of old time. I will well, said
Galahad. And there she brought him an horn of ivory, bounden with gold
richly, and said: Sir, blow this horn which will be heard two mile about
this castle. When Sir Galahad had blown the horn he set him down upon a
bed.

Then came a priest to Galahad, and said: Sir, it is past a seven year
agone that these seven brethren came into this castle, and harboured
with the lord of this castle that hight the Duke Lianour, and he was
lord of all this country. And when they espied the duke's daughter,
that was a full fair woman, then by their false covin they made debate
betwixt themself, and the duke of his goodness would have departed
them, and there they slew him and his eldest son. And then they took the
maiden and the treasure of the castle. And then by great force they
held all the knights of this castle against their will under their
obeissance, and in great service and truage, robbing and pilling the
poor common people of all that they had. So it happened on a day the
duke's daughter said: Ye have done unto me great wrong to slay mine own
father, and my brother, and thus to hold our lands: not for then, she
said, ye shall not hold this castle for many years, for by one knight ye
shall be overcome. Thus she prophesied seven years agone. Well, said the
seven knights, sithen ye say so, there shall never lady nor knight pass
this castle but they shall abide maugre their heads, or die therefore,
till that knight be come by whom we shall lose this castle. And
therefore is it called the Maidens' Castle, for they have devoured many
maidens. Now, said Galahad, is she here for whom this castle was lost?
Nay sir, said the priest, she was dead within these three nights after
that she was thus enforced; and sithen have they kept her younger
sister, which endureth great pains with mo other ladies.

By this were the knights of the country come, and then he made them do
homage and