--- title: Opening, part 3 — Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English… · full text with trees description: Opening, part 3, «Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English Prose from the Mediæval Dutch» by Jessie L. Weston: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: The knight and Sir Lancelot, neither would yield to the other till Sir Gawain parted them by hi --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/3/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered in…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/) / Opening, part 3 # Opening, part 3 Opening, part 3 of «Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English Prose from the Mediæval Dutch» by Jessie L. Weston: the whole text, 83 sentences and 2523 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/3/page/2/) The knight and Sir Lancelot, neither would yield to the other till Sir Gawain parted them by his prayer, and made them withdraw each from the other, for great pity he deemed it should either there be slain; yet so 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.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") 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.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") 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.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") 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."[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") Quoth the Moor: "How come ye to speak thus to me?[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Wot ye that I be afraid to fight against the twain of ye; or that I have held my hand through fear of death?[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") 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!"[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") Then thought Sir Gawain with himself, "We were foolish and unwise an we failed to show courtesy to one who praises us so highly."[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") 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."[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") Sir Lancelot spake: "Of a sooth, an ye had not thus charged me I should have avenged myself or here been slain, in that this knight forced the strife upon me without cause, and loaded me with blows; but in that ye so conjure me, I am he that will harm no man for profit to myself save that he first attack me.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") And since it seemeth good to ye I will e'en lay the strife in respite.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") God grant me good counsel therein, since I do it not for cowardice, but for love of ye and for your prayer."[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus stood the three in the open, and Sir Gawain spake to the Moor: "Ye be foolish in that ye do such things--now, neither we nor ye are harmed, yet might ye lightly do that which should cost ye your life.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") Tell me what ye seek, and I will give ye good counsel withal.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") If I may I shall tell ye that which ye should courteously have asked of this knight, who never yet was so hardly bestead by any man that he fell from his steed."[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") Quoth the Moor: "Ye say well.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") Now I pray ye by all who own the laws of knighthood, and by Sir Gawain afore all, since he is reckoned the best, he and Sir Lancelot, wherever it may be, in whatever need, far and wide throughout the world, of all men are these twain most praised (I myself know naught save that which I have heard tell), know ye aught of Sir Agloval, brother to Sir Perceval of Wales?[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Of him have I asked many, this long while past; I have ridden hither and thither this half year, and here and there have I sought him.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") For this have I dared many a peril, and here will I lie dead save that ye twain tell me, in friendship or in fight, if ye know aught of Sir Agloval.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") Now have we had enow of this talk; 'tis full time ye answer, or we take up our strife once again, and see the which of us hath the sooner his full."[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") Sir Gawain hearkened, and smiled at the black knight's speech, and spake soothfastly: "Now tell me what ye will of Sir Agloval that ye thus seek him, and thereafter will I tell ye that which I know."[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") And the Moor answered straightway: "So will I tell ye all.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") Sir Agloval is my father, 'twas he begat me.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") And more will I tell ye; it chanced aforetime as ye may now learn, when he came into the land of the Moors; there through his valiant deeds he won the heart of a maiden, she was my mother, by my troth.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") So far went the matter between them through their words and through his courtesy, and because he was so fair to look upon, that she gave him all his will--the which brought her small reward, and great sorrow.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") Each plighted their troth to the other ere she granted him her favours.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") Therein was she ill-counselled, for he forsook her thereafter--'tis more than fourteen years past; and when he parted from her she bare me, though he knew it not.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") He told her his quest, whereof he was sore troubled, and how it came about that he must needs leave her, and that will I now tell ye.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") My father was seeking a noble knight, who was lost as at that time, and who was hight Sir Lancelot.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") Still more may I tell ye; he told my mother that he and many of his fellows had sworn a great oath to seek Sir Lancelot, and their quest should endure two years or more an they found him not, or could learn no tidings of him.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") Nor should they tarry in any land more than one night or two.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") This vexed my father sorely, that for this cause, and to keep his oath, he must needs leave my mother.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") But ere he departed he sware to her that he would return when he had achieved his quest; but he kept not his oath.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus have I sought him in many a court.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") All this did my lady mother tell me, and also of the troth-plight.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") Little good hath it done me that he be my father, and that he sware to my mother, ere he departed, that for her honour, and for her profit, he would return to her without fail.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") Doth he live, God send him mocking (this I pray in all humility), but an he be already dead, then may God forgive him his sins.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") I and my mother are disinherited, since that he hath deserted us, of great goods and of a fair heritage, that which fell to her from her father have we lost altogether.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") It hath been denied us by the law of the land.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") Thereto was I greatly shamed, for they called me fatherless, and I could shew naught against it, nor tell them who it was that begat me, since my father had thus fled.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") So did I cause myself to be dubbed knight, and sware a great oath (I were loth to break it) that never should I meet a knight but I would fight him, or he should tell me if he perchance knew any tidings of my father, that I might learn somewhat concerning him.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") Did I meet mine own brother, I would not break mine oath, nor my vow; and till now have I kept it well, nor broken it by my default.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") And here would I bid ye twain, if ye would part from me in friendship, that ye tell me what ye may know thereof, out and out, by your troth, and therewith end this talk.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") Otherwise let us end this matter even as we began it, for there liveth no knight under the sun for whom I would break mine oath, were it for my hurt, or for my profit."[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/3/page/2/) - ← previous: [Opening, part 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/2/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/3/page/2/) - ↑ back to [Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English Prose from the Mediæval Dutch](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/)