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Chapter VIII
“Byheaven!”saidSirGawain,“thisgladdenethwellmyheart,fornowbeholdthemastheyflee!theyarefullseventythousandlessinnumberthantheywereanhourago!”
Thuswasthebattlequicklyended,andagreathostofhighlordsandknightsofLombardyandSaracensleftdeaduponthefield.ThenSirGawainandhiscompanycollectedagreatplentyofcattle,andofgoldandsilver,andallkindoftreasure,andreturnedtoKingArthur,wherehestillkeptthesiege.
“NowGodbethanked,”criedhe;“butwhoishethatstandethyonderbyhimself,andseemethnotaprisoner?”
“Sir,”saidSirGawain,“heisagoodmanwithhisweapons,andhathmatchedme;butcomethhithertobemadeaChristian.Haditnotbeenforhiswarnings,wenoneofusshouldhavebeenherethisday.Ipraythee,therefore,lethimbebaptized,fortherecanbefewnoblermen,orbetterknights.”
SoPrianiuswaschristened,andmadeadukeandknightoftheRoundTable.
Presentlyafterwards,theymadealastattackuponthecity,andenteredbythewallsoneveryside;andasthemenwererushingtothepillage,cametheDuchessforth,withmanyladiesanddamsels,andkneeledbeforeKingArthur;andbesoughthimtoreceivetheirsubmission.Towhomthekingmadeanswer,withanoblecountenance,“Madam,bewellassuredthatnoneshallharmye,oryourladies;neithershallanythatbelongtotheebehurt;buttheDukemustabidemyjudgment.”ThenhecommandedtostaytheassaultandtookthekeysfromtheDuke’seldestson,whobroughtthemkneeling.
