CHAPTER XVII

How that knight slew his love and a knight lying by her,
and after, how he slew himself with his own sword, and
how Balin rode toward a castle where he lost his life.

AND when Garnish beheld her so lying, for pure sorrow his mouth
and nose burst out a-bleeding, and with his sword he smote off
both their heads, and then he made sorrow out of measure, and
said, O Balin, much sorrow hast thou brought unto me, for hadst
thou not shewed me that sight I should have passed my sorrow. 
Forsooth, said Balin, I did it to this intent that it should
better thy courage, and that ye might see and know her falsehood,
and to cause you to leave love of such a lady; God knoweth I did
none other but as I would ye did to me.  Alas, said Garnish, now
is my sorrow double that I may not endure, now have I slain that
I most loved in all my life; and therewith suddenly he rove
himself on his own sword unto the hilts.  When Balin saw that, he
dressed him thenceward, lest folk would say he had slain them;
and so he rode forth, and within three days he came by a cross,
and thereon were letters of gold written, that said, It is not
for no knight alone to ride toward this castle.  Then saw he an
old hoar gentleman coming toward him, that said, Balin le Savage,
thou passest thy bounds to come this way, therefore turn again
and it will avail thee.  And he vanished away anon; and so he
heard an horn blow as it had been the death of a beast.  That
blast, said Balin, is blown for me, for I am the prize and yet am
I not dead.  Anon withal he saw an hundred ladies and many
knights, that welcomed him with fair semblant, and made him
passing good cheer unto his sight, and led him into the castle,
and there was dancing and minstrelsy and all manner of joy.  Then
the chief lady of the castle said, Knight with the Two Swords, ye
must have ado and joust with a <74>knight hereby that keepeth an
island, for there may no man pass this way but he must joust or
he pass.  That is an unhappy custom, said Balin, that a knight
may not pass this way but if he joust.  Ye shall not have ado but
with one knight, said the lady.

Well, said Balin, since I shall thereto I am ready, but
travelling men are oft weary and their horses too, but though my
horse be weary my heart is not weary, I would be fain there my
death should be.  Sir, said a knight to Balin, methinketh your
shield is not good, I will lend you a bigger.  Thereof I pray
you.  And so he took the shield that was unknown and left his
own, and so rode unto the island, and put him and his horse in a
great boat; and when he came on the other side he met with a
damosel, and she said, O knight Balin, why have ye left your own
shield? alas ye have put yourself in great danger, for by your
shield ye should have been known; it is great pity of you as ever
was of knight, for of thy prowess and hardiness thou hast no
fellow living.  Me repenteth, said Balin, that ever I came within
this country, but I may not turn now again for shame, and what
adventure shall fall to me, be it life or death, I will take the
adventure that shall come to me.  And then he looked on his
armour, and understood he was well armed, and therewith blessed
him and mounted upon his horse.