Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XI CHAPTER XIII

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 CHAPTER XIII
 
 How Sir Percivale met with Sir Ector, and how they fought
 long, and each had almost slain other.
 
 
 SIR, said Sir Persides, on my life he shall prove a noble
 knight as any now is living.  And when he saw Sir Kay
 and Sir Mordred, Sir Persides said thus:  My fair lords
 both, Sir Percivale greeteth you well both, and he sent you
 word by me that he trusteth to God or ever he come to
 the court again to be of as great noblesse as ever were ye
 both, and mo men to speak of his noblesse than ever
 they did of you.  It may well be, said Sir Kay and Sir
 Mordred, but at that time when he was made knight he
 was full unlike to prove a good knight.  As for that, said
 King Arthur, he must needs prove a good knight, for his
 father and his brethren were noble knights
 
 And now will we turn unto Sir Percivale that rode
 long; and in a forest he met a knight with a broken
 shield and a broken helm; and as soon as either saw other
 readily they made them ready to joust, and so hurtled
 together with all the might of their horses, and met together
 so hard, that Sir Percivale was smitten to the earth.  And
 then Sir Percivale arose lightly, and cast his shield on his
 shoulder and drew his sword, and bade the other knight
 Alight, and do we battle unto the uttermost.  Will ye
 more? said that knight.  And therewith he alighted, and
 put his horse from him; and then they came together an
 easy pace, and there they lashed together with noble
 swords, and sometime they struck and sometime they
 foined, and either gave other many great wounds.  Thus
 they fought near half a day, and never rested but right
 little, and there was none of them both that had less wounds
 than fifteen, and they bled so much that it was marvel
 they stood on their feet.  But this knight that fought
 with Sir Percivale was a proved knight and a wise-fighting
 knight, and Sir Percivale was young and strong, not
 knowing in fighting as the other was.
 
 Then Sir Percivale spoke first, and said:  Sir knight,
 hold thy hand a while still, for we have fought for a
 simple matter and quarrel overlong, and therefore I require
 thee tell me thy name, for I was never or this time matched.
 So God me help, said that knight, and never or this time
 was there never knight that wounded me so sore as thou
 hast done, and yet have I fought in many battles; and now
 shalt thou wit that I am a knight of the Table Round, and
 my name is Sir Ector de Maris, brother unto the good
 knight, Sir Launcelot du Lake.  Alas, said Sir Percivale,
 and my name is Sir Percivale de Galis that hath made
 my quest to seek Sir Launcelot, and now I am siker
 that I shall never finish my quest, for ye have slain me
 with your hands.  It is not so, said Sir Ector, for I am
 slain by your hands, and may not live.  Therefore I
 require you, said Sir Ector unto Sir Percivale, ride ye hereby
 to a priory, and bring me a priest that I may receive my
 Saviour, for I may not live.  And when ye come to the
 court of King Arthur tell not my brother, Sir Launcelot,
 how that ye slew me, for then he would be your mortal
 enemy, but ye may say that I was slain in my quest as I
 sought him.  Alas, said Sir Percivale, ye say that never
 will be, for I am so faint for bleeding that I may unnethe
 stand, how should I then take my horse?