nd broken as with battle. Beside the
knight there knelt an esquire clad all in garments pied of red and
white. And as the esquire thus kneeled beside the knight he wiped the
face of the knight continually with a napkin, and ever made that outcry
of sorrow which they two had heard from a distance.

Then Sir Percival and Sir Lamorack rode forward into that glade and
when the esquire perceived those two strange knights coming toward him,
he arose and stood as though not rightly knowing whether to flee away or
to remain where he was. This Sir Lamorack perceived and so called out:
"Fair youth, be not afraid, but stay and tell us what is this sad sight
which we behold, for we are knights errant and we mean ye well and not
ill."

So the esquire, perceiving their intention to be friendly, remained
where he was, and thereupon they two rode up to him and to where that
figure of misfortune lay stretched in his blood upon the ground. Then
Sir Lamorack said: "Is this noble knight living, or is he dead?" And the
esquire said, "Alas, Messire! He is not dead, but mefeareth he is
dying."

[Sidenote: _Sir Percival and Sir Lamorack succor a wounded knight._]

Then Sir Lamorack and Sir Percival dismounted from their horses and they
went to where lay the unfortunate knight aforesaid. And they examined
him to see whether he were alive; and for a while they thought that he
was dead, but after a while they perceived that he was not dead, but
that he was grievously wounded and very nigh to death. Then Sir Lamorack
lifted up his face and looked at that esquire, and he said, "Who is this
knight, and how came he here?" "Messire," quoth the esquire, "I will
tell you all. This is a very worthy knight hight Sir Tarn. He and his
lady with only myself in attendance were riding this morning through
this part of the forest with intent to go to the castle of a brother of
Sir Tarn's. Right as we rode thus, there met us a very cruel and savage
knight of these marches hight Sir Godwin. This Sir Godwin had with him
several armed men and these fell upon my lord and his lady, and him they
struck down with many dolorous blows and left for dead and her they have
led captive away with them. As for me, I escaped from their hands into
the thick woodlands and after they had gone I returned hither to lend
such aid as I might to my sad, unfortunate lord."

"Ha!" said Sir Lamorack, "this is a very sorry story and that is indeed
a wicked and unkindly knight who trea