fell were the blows that they smote, and so great their wrath withal,
that he saw well did the strife endure but short while longer they had
received such wounds as should be the death of one, or it might well be
of both.

When Sir Gawain had parted the twain, whom he saw to be weary enow, he
spake to the Moor: "'Tis an ill custom this to which ye are given; ye
shall here renounce it. Had ye but asked in courteous wise that which ye
have a mind to know, this knight had hearkened, and had answered ye of
right goodwill; he had not refused, that do I know well. Ye be both rash
and foolish, and one of the twain, ye, or he, shall lose by it, and from
that do I dissent, an ye show me not better reason therefore."

Quoth the Moor: "How come ye to speak thus to me? Wot ye that I be
afraid to fight against the twain of ye; or that I have held my hand
through fear of death? Were the one of ye Sir Lancelot, and the other
King Arthur's sister's son (these twain are wont to be praised above all
in Arthur's court as I have ofttimes heard, though never have I seen
them), yet would I not yield a foot to them!"

Then thought Sir Gawain with himself, "We were foolish and unwise an we
failed to show courtesy to one who praises us so highly."

But Sir Lancelot had great lust either to win the fight or to play it to
a loss, and Sir Gawain, who was well ware of this, prayed him straitly,
by the love he bare to him, and to King Arthur his lord, that for their
honour he should hold his peace awhile, and let him say his will: "And
this I charge ye, by the faith ye owe to my lady, my uncle's wife."

Sir Lancelot spake: "Of a sooth, an ye had not thus charged me I should