‘Sir,’ said Sir Gawain, ‘will ye stand with me, and we will see the malice of these thirty knights.’
‘Sir,’ said Sir Tristram, ‘go ye to them, and it please you, and ye shall see I will not fail you, for it is not long ago since I and a fellow met with thirty knights of that queen’s fellowship; and God speed us so that we may win worship.’
So then Sir Gawain and Sir Tristram rode toward the castle where Morgan le Fay was, and ever Sir Gawain deemed well that he was Sir Tristram de Liones, because he heard that two knights had slain and beaten thirty knights. And when they came afore the castle Sir Gawain spake on high and said,
‘Queen Morgan le Fay, send out your knights that ye have laid in a watch for Sir Launcelot and for Sir Tristram. Now,’ said Sir Gawain, ‘I know your false treason, and through all places where that I ride men shall know of your false treason; and now let see,’ [said]1 Sir Gawain, ‘whether ye dare come out of your castle, ye thirty knights.’
Then the queen spake and all the thirty knights at once, and said, ‘Sir Gawain, full well witest thou what thou dost and sayest; for by God we know thee passing well, but all that thou speakest and dost, thou sayest it upon pride of that good night that is there with thee. For there be some of us that knowen full well the hands of that knight over all well. And with thou well, Sir Gawain, it is more for his sake than for thine that we will not come out of this castle. For wit ye well, Sir Gawain, the knight that beareth the arms of Cornwall, we know him and what he is.’
Then Sir Gawain and Sir Tristram departed and rode on their ways a day or two together; and there by adventure, they met with Sir Kay and Sir Sagramore le Desirous. And then they were glad of Sir Gawain, and he of them, but they wist not what he was with the shield of Cornwall, but by deeming. And thus they rode together a day or two.
And then they were ware of Sir Breunis Saunce Pité chasing a lady for to have slain her, for he had slain her paramour afore.
‘Hold you all still,’ said Sir Gawain, ‘and show none of you forth, and ye shall see me reward yonder false knight; for and he espy you he is so well horsed that he will escape away.’
And then Sir Gawain rode betwixt Sir Breunis and the lady, and said,
‘False knight, leave her, and have ado with me.’
When Sir Breunis saw no more but Sir Gawain he fewtered his spear, and Sir Gawain against him; and there Sir Breunis overthrew Sir Gawain, and then he rode over him, and over thwart him twenty times to have destroyed him. And when Sir Tristram saw him do so villainous a deed, he hurled out against him. And when Sir Breunis saw him with the shield of Cornwall he knew him well that it was Sir Tristram, and then he fled, and Sir Tristram followed after him; and Sir Breunis Saunce Pité was so horsed that he went his way quite, and Sir Tristram followed him long, for he would fain have been avenged upon him.
And so when he had long chased him, he saw a fair well, and thither he rode to repose him, and tied his horse till a tree.
trains: enticements.