r Kay le Seneschal, Sir Mador de la Porte,
Sir Patrise, a knight of Ireland, Aliduk, Sir Astamore, and Sir Pinel
le Savage, the which was cousin to Sir Lamorak de Galis, the good
knight that Sir Gawaine and his brethren slew by treason. And so these
four-and-twenty knights should dine with the queen in a privy place by
themself, and there was made a great feast of all manner of dainties.

But Sir Gawaine had a custom that he used daily at dinner and at supper,
that he loved well all manner of fruit, and in especial apples and
pears. And therefore whosomever dined or feasted Sir Gawaine would
commonly purvey for good fruit for him, and so did the queen for to
please Sir Gawaine; she let purvey for him all manner of fruit, for Sir
Gawaine was a passing hot knight of nature. And this Pinel hated Sir
Gawaine because of his kinsman Sir Lamorak de Galis; and therefore for
pure envy and hate Sir Pinel enpoisoned certain apples for to enpoison
Sir Gawaine. And so this was well unto the end of the meat; and so it
befell by misfortune a good knight named Patrise, cousin unto Sir Mador
de la Porte, to take a poisoned apple. And when he had eaten it he
swelled so till he brast, and there Sir Patrise fell down suddenly dead
among them.

Then every knight leapt from the board ashamed, and araged for wrath,
nigh out of their wits. For they wist not what to say; considering Queen
Guenever made the feast and dinner, they all had suspicion unto her. My
lady, the queen, said Gawaine, wit ye well, madam, that this dinner was
made for me, for all folks that know my condition understand that I love
well fruit, and now I see well I had near been slain; therefore, madam,
I dread me lest ye will be shamed. Then the queen stood still and was
sore abashed, that she nist not what to say. This shall not so be ended,
said Sir Mador de la Porte, for here have I lost a full noble knight of
my blood; and therefore upon this shame and despite I will be revenged
to the utterance. And there openly Sir Mador appealed the queen of the
death of his cousin, Sir Patrise. Then stood they all still, that none
would speak a word against him, for they all had great suspicion unto
the queen because she let make that dinner. And the queen was so abashed
that she could none other ways do, but wept so heartily that she fell in
a swoon. With this noise and cry came to them King Arthur, and when he
wist of that trouble he was a passing heavy man.

CHAPTER IV. How