Now turn we unto Sir Uwain, that rode westward with his damosel of three score winter of age, and she brought him there as was a tournament nigh the march of Wales. And at that tournament Sir Uwain smote down thirty knights, therefore was given him the prize, and that was a gerfalcon, and a white steed trapped with cloth of gold. So then Sir Uwain did many adventures by the means of the old damosel, and so she brought him to a lady that was called the Lady of the Rock, the which was much courteous.
So there were in the country two knights that were brethren, and they were called two perilous knights, the one knight hight Sir Edward of the Red Castle, and the other Sir Hugh of the Red Castle; and these two brethren had disherited the Lady of the Rock of a barony of lands by their extortion. And as this knight was lodged with this lady she made her complaint to him of these two knights.
‘Madam,’ said Sir Uwain, ‘they are to blame, for they do against the high order of knighthood, and the oath that they made; and if it like you I will speak with them, because I am a knight of King Arthur’s, and I will entreat them with fairness; and if they will not, I shall do battle with them, and in the defence of your right.’
‘Gramercy,’ said the lady, ‘and thereas I may not acquit you, God shall.’
So on the morn the two knights were sent for, that they should come thither to speak with the Lady of the Rock, and wit ye well they failed not, for they came with an hundred horse. But when this lady saw them in this manner so big, she would not suffer Sir Uwain to go out to them upon no surety ne for no fair language, but she made him speak with them over a tower. But finally these two brethren would not be entreated, and answered that they would keep that they had.
‘Well,’ said Sir Uwain, ‘then will I fight with one of you, and prove that ye do this lady wrong.’
‘That will we not,’ said they, ‘for and we do battle, we two will fight with one knight at once, and therefore if ye will fight so, we will be ready at what hour ye will assign. And if ye win us in battle the lady shall have her lands again.’
‘Ye say well,’ said Sir Uwain, ‘therefore make you ready so that ye be here tomorn in the defence of the lady’s right.’