"I know a trick worth two of that," he said. "Next Sunday there is to
be a great feast in the hall. Many abbots and other churchmen will
come to it. You shall stand against the post in your fetters, but I
will leave them unlocked so that you can free yourself whenever you
wish. When they are feasting, ask each one of them to take pity on
you and release you. If one of them does so, then you will be free
and I shall escape blame; but if they all refuse, I will provide a
good staff for you and another for myself, and we two will fight
them all. When I give the signal, cast away the fetters and come to
me, and I will have the staves ready." Gamelyn agreed very heartily.

When Sunday came, Gamelyn was standing fettered against the post. The
guests arrived and were served with a sumptuous feast, but Gamelyn
was given no food or drink. When the meal was nearly over, he called
to them to release him, but to all his pleadings they returned only
rough words and curses. Then Adam looked at Gamelyn and saw that he
was furious at their unkindness, so he brought the staves to the door
and beckoned to Gamelyn, who at once rushed to his side, and both
laid about them heartily. Abbots and priors, monks and canons fell
right and left before their blows. Some fell under the table, some in
the fire, and many bones were broken. The guests who had come there
riding merrily on horses were taken home that night in carts and
waggons.

When he had finished with all the others, Gamelyn went to his
brother, who had been standing helpless in his place, felled him with
the staff so that his backbone was injured, and put him in the
fetters where he himself had been.

The servants, either for love or fear, did all that Gamelyn and Adam