Le Morte Darthur Book 7
Overall summary: A man comes to court, sustained by two men and asks for 3 gifts. The first is to provide him with food &c. for 12 months when the other gifts will be asks. Kay scornfully gives him the name Beaumains and puts him into the kitchen. One year later a damsel asks for a knight. B. takes up this quest as it “belongs to him”. The damsel tries to get rid of this “kitchen knave” despite his defeating several knights, drawing equal with Lancelot and being made a knight by the latter. Eventually, B. rescues the sister of the damsel. He has some further adventures, defeating knights and in the end marries Lady Lyones, reveals his identity as Gareth of Orkney in the latter parts to select people and to all in the end.
(19) Sir Gareth wants to see Lynet’s sister Lady Lyones and rides to her castle, but she doesn’t want to let him go inside and tells him that he should wait a year to be with her, because she wants him to be one of the most popular knights and his love to be proofed. Gareth is very upset and rides away into a forest where he lays himself down to sleep. Meanwhile Lyones sends her brother Sir Gringamore to steal Gareth’s dwarf while he sleeps and to bring the dwarf to his castle, so that they can ask him some questions to find out the truth about him and his live.
(20)After Gringamore has stolen the dwarf and rides away, Gareth recognizes his dwarf to be stolen from Gringamore and sees him riding away. So he tries to follow him but he gets out of sight, so that Gareth asks a poor old man from the country that comes along his way, if he had seen a black knight with a dwarf. The man tells him that he can be found in his castle and explains the way how to get there, but recommends him not to go there if he wants to , because Gringamore is one of the best knights, but Gareth doesn’t mind. Meanwhile Lady Lyones and Lynet ask the dwarf and he tells them that Gareth is the son a King Arthur. They are very pleased by that. Then Gareth arrives at the castle and wants to get his dwarf back. After a little conversational fight with Gringamore he finally gets his dwarf back, because Gringamore, Lynet and Lyones are very grateful for what he had done for them.
(21) Sir Gareth enters the castle and he and Lady Lyones fall in love with each other while
spending much time together when eating and playing. Gringamore tells Gareth that
Her sister loves him and he is welcome in the castle as often and as long as he wishes
to. After that Gareth kisses her lady and she admits that she actually is the Lady of the
Castle Peryllous and send Gringamore to steal his dwarf.
(22) Lyones is so happy about being with Gareth that she calls her sister to come to them, because she shared a lot of adventures with him. Then Lyones and Gareth promise to love each other and make a plan to meet at night in Gareth’s bed, but Lynet doesn’t want them to do so before marriage and makes a knight visiting the two of then in middle of the night and to make Gareth fighting with him. Gareth kills the knight and he gets hurt too, so that Lynet appears and heal the both of them by way of her witchcraft.
(23)Because their love is so strong, Lyones and Gareth meet again but are interrupted by the same knight for the second time, so that Gareth kills him again and throws the different parts of his body out the windows. In that whole process he looses very much blood and because of Lyones screaming Gringamore and Lynet appear who make Gareth’s and the knights bodies whole again, so that they can move on living. King Arthur makes a big feast with many different knights. Sir Ironside appears there, Too and tells Arthur to be send by Beaumains who won the fight against him. Then he Asks Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawayne to forgive that he ever had enemy against them.
(24) The both of them forgive him and want to know where Sir Gareth could be found, but Ironside is not able to tell them. King Arthur tells the knights to make all of them Knights of the Round Table to please Beaumains, when he is back.
(25) The Queen of Orkaney appears while they are eating and asks where to find her son
Gareth, but anyone of them is able to tell her where to find him and they are surprised that they weren’t able to identify Beaumains as her son. Then they talk
about many things that happened to Gareth and that they were really surprised about the fact that he didn’t show any of his richness when he came to Arthur. They agree to find Gareth and continue celebrating after the Queen told them her happiness.
(26) King Arthur wants Lyones to come to the celebration and before she goes there she talks with Gareth about what to do, because he knows that it’s all about him. He doesn’t want her to tell them where to find him, but to invite them to a competition where the best knight should win Lyones and her land, if he isn’t married. So she rides there and invites them. Meanwhile Gareth gets concerned about himself not being able to fight on the tournament, so that Lynets promises to heal him within 14 days. Later, the knights arrive there and have to decide if they want to fight on the castle’s or Arthur’s side.
(27) Then Arthur arrives with his knights and everybody starts to prepare everything. Before Gareth stars to fight he asks Lynet to make him indefinable by making him changing his colours all the time. The Lyones gives him her ring that makes him changing his colour. Then the tournament begins.
(28) King Arthur arrives with many knights. Beaumains (Gareth) asks his men to not reveal his identity. He is given a magical ring by Lyones which makes him lose no blood [cf. Caliburn’s scabbard] and also changes his colour. This ring also makes Lyones appear more beautiful than she really is – the ring was one from a heathen tyrant by Sir Gringamors. Jousts are commencing.
(29) Jousting continues. (Note: there are apparently TWO Lancelots: ~ du lake and de Galys; Lancelot du lake is the “true” one and will remain unmarked). Gareth unhorses many and cannot be identified due to his ever-changing colour. Arthur wants to send Lancelot against him but L. declines since he suspects his identity (but does not give it away).
(30) Swordfights begin. Launcelot and Beaumains avoid each other. Sir Tristram (B’s side) asks and is told of Beaumains identity. While taking a rest, B. hands the ring to his dwarf and forgets to take it back.
(31) The knight in yellow is now clear to be espied. Arthur sends herolds and his identity is cried out. (His name is written on the helmet [wtf?, NZ]). B. demands back his ring and is unidentifiable again. Gawain chases him to a forest, where B hides and sends his dwarf to Lyones, telling her that he will return. He comes to a castle
(32) He asks for lodging and is eventually admitted but warned of the lord who is an enemy to Arthur. He promises to yield to him if it is to no disadvantage. The lord does not appear and B leaves the next morning. He defeats Sir Bendelain on his travel, killing him, and is attacked by his 20 knights.
(33) The knights cannot kill B and kill his horse. He slays 16, the remaining 4 flee. He takes one of their hoses and meets 30 widows whose husbands were killed by the Brown Knight who is now killed by B. The widows are sent to Arthur. B. encounters the Duke de la Rowse at whose castle he had lodged and defeats him; he is sent to Arthur.
(34) B. is attacked by a knight. Lady Linet appears (now also given the name “Damoisel Savage”) and stops the fighting, revealing that it is Gawain and Gareth his brother. She staunches their wounds and calls for Arthur who comes (on a palfrey?!) with his train. Linet heals the two knights and informs her sister (Lyones)
(35) A marriage between Gareth and Lyones is planned for Mychelmas, at Kynkenadon. They already exchange two rings. In future, Gareth is often seen in Lancelot’s company; he avoids Gawain, though, due to his desire for vengeance.
(36) The Bishop of Canterbury marries Gareth and Lyones; by order of Arthur, Gaherys marries Lynet, Agravayne marries Laurel, a niece of Lyones’. The defeated knights come to Gareth and assume serving positions, the adventures of B. are told. There is jousting but the newly-wed do not participate On three days Sir Lamerak, Sir Tristram and Sir Lancelot defeat 30/40/50. The coloured knights brethren are made knights of the round table and so is the Duke le la Rouse. At the end of jousts, Sir Lamerak and Sir Tristram are suddenly vanished.
