--- title: Opening, part 5 — Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English… · full text with trees description: Opening, part 5, «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: Sir Gawain took the horse whereon the knight had ridden. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/5/) [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 5 # Opening, part 5 Opening, part 5 of «Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English Prose from the Mediæval Dutch» by Jessie L. Weston: the whole text, 109 sentences and 2646 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/pg8447/5/page/2/) Sir Gawain took the horse whereon the knight had ridden.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") He forgat not his courtesy, but gave it into the hand of the maiden, and drew forth his good sword.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") Therewith was the knight come to himself, and had taken his sword, and stood up as best he might.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") Evil was his thought, and he cried: "Vassal, how were ye so bold as to do me this hurt and this shame?[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") My father is lord of this land, and after him shall it be mine.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Think not to escape, 'tis folly that which ye do.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") Even to day shall ye be repaid by those who follow me, and chastised in such wise as ye would not have for all the riches King Arthur holds or ne'er may hold\![7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") My men will be here anon and ye shall not escape, for in this land hath no man power or might to withstand me."[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") Sir Gawain spake: "That may I well believe, and therefore are ye so cruel and so outrageous.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") That one who is noble of birth, and rich withal, should be false of heart, by my troth, 'tis great pity and bringeth many to shame.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") Now ye are not yet at such a pass but that I may teach ye moderation ere ye part from me.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") Methinks that to-day ye shall rue the evil ye have done.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") I counsel ye, an ye be wise, that ye make known to me wherein this lady hath wronged ye.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") Hath she indeed deserved that ye be thus cruel, then 'tis a matter 'twixt ye twain, I meddle no further.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") But hath the maiden not deserved this, then hold your hand, and make peace with me, otherwise is your life forfeit were ye never so highly born.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") I take the maiden with me when I ride hence."[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") The knight would not hearken, and the maiden spake: "Noble knight I will tell ye wherefore he doeth me this wrong.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") He would have me for his love, why should I deny the truth? '[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") Tis many a day since he first spake to me, but I would not hearken to him, other sorrows vexed me; poverty grieveth me sore; thereto have I griefs that I may not lightly tell.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") My father was a knight, and a good man, and of high birth in this land.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") Dear Sir Knight, I will tell thee openly, though it be shame.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") My father hath lain sick, seven year long, and hath lost his goods, and now lieth in sore straits; he may neither ride nor walk nor stand upon his feet, he suffereth much.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") Now have I nursed and tended and otherwise served my father--friends hath he few save myself, and I had fain stayed by him and kept him all my life, doing for him all that within me lay.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") To-day came this knight within our hold, which is sore broken down and ruined, and hath done me sore wrong.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") He took me thence by force, ere I was well aware, nor stayed his hand for God or man.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus did he carry me away, and now he doeth me this shame.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") He hath left his folk behind that they may hinder my friends, lest they follow him to his hurt.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") I fear lest they be here anon.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") And should they find ye here ye may scarce escape.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") Would ye save your life, then, Sir Knight, make a swift end of this combat.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") I fear it dureth over long an ye will aid me, by our Lord's grace.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") So bethink ye, Sir Knight, what ye may do."[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") Quoth Sir Gawain: "An ye be wise, Sir Knight, ye will now speak; here will I tarry no longer.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") Will ye right this maiden of the wrong ye have done her, or fight with me?[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") The one or the other must ye do.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") An ye will, I will alight and meet ye afoot, or ye may mount your steed again, by covenant that ye flee not, nor escape, but abide your fortune."[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") The knight made answer: "Now do ye hold me over feeble, an ye think I shall thus yield.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") Ye will do well to dismount straightway, an ye have lust to fight."[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") He covered himself with his shield, and drew forth his sword from the scabbard.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") Sir Gawain dismounted, whether he liked it well or ill, and let his horse that men call the Gringalet, stand beside him; never a foot would that steed stir till its lord came, and once more laid hand on it.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") Forthwith they betook them to fight, and dealt each other fierce thrusts, with mighty and strong strokes, so that one saw their blood stream out through the mails of their hauberk, and the sparks sprang out when the helmets were smitten till they seemed to glow even as doth hot iron when it be thrust into the furnace, and waxeth red from the fire; so fierce were the blows which each dealt to the other.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") That which most sorely vexed Sir Gawain was that his sword scarce seemed worth a groat, the knight's armour was so good that Sir Gawain's weapon was stayed upon it.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") Though one saw the blood well through, yet had the hauberk never a score.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") This Sir Gawain deemed a great marvel.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") He fetched a mighty blow upward and smote the knight above the hauberk, in the neck, to the very middle of the throat.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") Therewith was the matter ended for him; his head fell forward upon his breast, and he fell dead beneath the blow.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") His friends and kinsmen had beheld from afar and came therewith, sore distressed and very wrath when they saw their lord thus lying dead upon the field.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") Sir Gawain, the good and the valiant, was once more mounted upon Gringalet.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") There might he fear no foe; the steed was so strong and so great, and even as his lord had need would the horse watch and follow every sign that he might give.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") Those who had come thither, and had, as it were, found Sir Gawain in the very act of slaying, were of one mind that they should beset him, behind and afore, on horse and afoot, and if it might be take his life.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") And Sir Gawain who saw that he was sore bestead, commended himself to the grace of God with a good heart and received his foes with drawn sword.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") With each blow that he smote he wounded one, or two, and wrought them much harm.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") None might withstand him, and he that wrought the most valiantly he abode there dead, or went hence so sorely wounded that he might never more find healing.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus Gawain, the Father of Adventure, so daunted them with the blows that he smote that many drew aside and turned from the strife with deep wounds and wide. '[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") Twas a good cause for which Sir Gawain fought, and for which he desired vengeance, and for that did it fall to his profit.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") He brought many of them in sore stress, some of life, some of limb.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") With that there came riding a company of the maiden's folk, who were fain to avenge her shame.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") So soon as she beheld them, and they drew nigh, was she glad and blithe and drew aside from the strife where Sir Gawain did right manfully.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") The maiden turned to her own folk, and betook her with that company again to her father.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") They were right joyful that she was once more in their power, and they left Sir Gawain on the field where he was sore bestead--they durst not take part with him against their overlord, so greatly did they fear his kin.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") But Sir Gawain, who marked this not, went smiting blow after blow on all that came nigh him, and so blinded and drave them backward with his strokes that he was left alone on the field.[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") So weary and so weak were they that they lay all along the road, discomfited, prone on the earth, as those who have sore need of rest.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") But few of them were whole, for Sir Gawain had so wounded them that men may well tell the tale from now even unto Doomsday\![63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/5/page/2/) - ← previous: [Opening, part 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/4/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/5/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/)