Then the red knight yielded, and cried for mercy; but Beaumains thought of the knights that had been so shamefully hanged, and answered, “I may not with worship spare thy life, because of the shameful deaths thou hast caused so many good knights to die.”
“Sir,” said the red knight, “hold your hand, and you shall know why I put them to such a death.”
“Say on,” said Beaumains.
“Sir, I once loved a lady, and she had a brother slain. She said it was by Sir Lancelot du Lake or Sir Gawaine, and she made me swear, as I loved her, to labour daily in arms till I met one of them, and that all I overcame I should put to a villanous death.”
Now there came many earls and barons and noble knights, and fell on their knees before Sir Beaumains, and prayed him to give the red knight his life.
“Fair lords,” said Beaumains, “I am full loath to slay this knight, for though he has done very shamefully, it was all at at lady’s request, so he is the less to be blamed. So I will release him upon this covenant, that he shall go within the castle and yield there to my lady, and ask her forgiveness. He must also make her amends for all the trespasses he has done upon her lands. And when that is done, he must go to the court of King Arthur, and crave pardon of Sir Lancelot du Lake and of Sir Gawaine for the ill-will he has borne against them.”
“Sir,” said the Red Knight of the Red Lands, “all this will I do as you command.” Then he and all his barons did homage and fealty to Sir Beaumains. After that the damsel Lynette, who was a right skilled leech, came and searched the wounds of both. For ten days they sojourned in the tents, and when they were healed, the Red Knight of the Red Lands went into the castle and made his peace with Dame Lyons, making amends to her for all the wrong he had done her. After that he departed, and rode to the court of King Arthur, where he craved pardon of Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawaine, and told how he had been overcome, and of all Sir Beaumains’ battles.
“By my head,” said King Arthur, “I marvel much of what blood he hath come, for he is a passing good knight.”
“Be assured,” said Lancelot, “that he is come of right noble blood; and as for his might, there are few knights now living that are so good as he.”
“From your manner of speech,” quoth the king, “you know his name, and of what kin he is.”