Version 1

Notes de lecture
127

Le texte de base est celui de ldition de Janet Cowen, Penguin Classics (2 vol.).

BOOK VII
CHAPTER 8. How the brother of the knight that was slain met with
Beaumains, and fought with Beaumains till he was yielden
1
Thus as they rode together, they saw a knight come driving by them all in green, both his horse
and his harness; and when he came nigh the damosel, he asked her, Is that my brother the Black Knight
that ye have brought with you?
Nay, nay, she said, this unhappy kitchen knave hath slain your brother through unhappiness.
Alas, said the Green Knight, that is great pity, that so noble a knight as he was should so unhaply be
slain, and namely of a knaves hand, as ye say that he is. Ah! traitor, said the Green Knight, thou shalt die for
slaying of my brother; he was a full noble knight, and his name was Sir Perard1.
I defy thee, said Beaumains, for I let thee wit I slew him knightly and not shamefully.
Therewithal the Green Knight rode unto an horn that was green, and it hung upon a thorn, and
there he blew three deadly motes, and there came two damosels and armed him lightly. And then he
took a great horse, and a green shield and a green spear.
And then they ran together with all their mights, and brake their spears unto their hands. And
then they drew their swords, and gave many sad strokes, and either of them wounded other full ill. And
at the last at an overthwart Beaumains with his horse struck the Green Knights horse upon the side,
that he fell to the earth. And then the Green Knight avoided his horse lightly, and dressed him upon
foot. That saw Beaumains, and therewithal he alit, and they rashed together like two mighty kemps a
long while, and sore they bled both.
With that came the damosel, and said, My lord the Green Knight, why for shame stand ye so long ghting with the kitchen knave? Alas, it is shame that ever ye were made knight, to see such a lad to match such a
knight, as the weed overgrew the corn.
Therewith the Green Knight was ashamed, and therewithal he gave a great stroke of might, and
clave his shield through. When Beaumains saw his shield cloven asunder he was a little ashamed of that
stroke and of her language; and then he gave him such a buet upon the helm that he fell on his knees.

Ldition de J. Cowen porte Percard, forme sans autorit (inconnue de Winchester et de Caxton), transmise ddition en
dition ; autres occurrences : volets 131 et 143.
1

And so suddenly Beaumains pulled him upon the ground grovelling. And then the Green Knight cried
him mercy, and yielded him unto Sir Beaumains, and prayed him to slay him not.
All is in vain, said Beaumains, for thou shalt die but if this damosel that came with me pray me to save
thy life. And therewithal he unlaced his helm like as he would slay him.
Fie upon thee, false kitchen page, I will never pray thee to save his life, for I will never be so much in thy
danger.
Then shall he die, said Beaumains.
Not so hardy, thou bawdy knave, said the damosel, that thou slay him.
Alas, said the Green Knight, suffer me not to die for a fair word may save me. Fair knight, said the
Green Knight, save my life, and I will forgive thee the death of my brother, and for ever to become thy man, and
thirty knights that hold of me for ever shall do you service.
In the devils name, said the damosel, that such a bawdy kitchen knave should have thee and thirty
knights service.
Sir knight, said Beaumains, all this availeth thee not, but if my damosel speak with me for thy life. And
therewithal he made a semblant to slay him.
Let be, said the damosel, thou bawdy knave; slay him not, for and thou do thou shalt repent it.
Damosel, said Beaumains, your charge is to me a pleasure, and at your commandment his life shall be
saved, and else not. Then he said, Sir knight with the green arms, I release thee quit at this damosels request, for
I will not make her wroth, I will full all that she chargeth me.
And then the Green Knight kneeled down, and did him homage with his sword.
Then said the damosel, Me repenteth, Green Knight, of your damage, and of your brothers death, the
Black Knight, for of your help I had great mister, for I dread me sore to pass this forest.
Nay, dread you not, said the Green Knight, for ye shall lodge with me this night, and to-morn I shall
help you through this forest.
So they took their horses and rode to his manor, which was fast there beside.

Le frre du chevalier tu rencontre Beaumains, laronte

et nit par savouer vaincu
1
Tandis quils chevauchaient ainsi de conserve, ils virent venir dans leur direction un chevalier
dont les armes, lquipement et le harnachement de sa monture taient verts ; arriv non loin de la demoiselle, il lui demanda : Est-ce mon frre le Chevalier Noir qui vous fait escorte ?
Non, non, rpondit-elle, ce malheureux souillard de cuisine a tu votre frre malencontreusement.
Hlas ! scria le Chevalier Vert, il est dsolant quun noble chevalier tel que lui soit tu avec tant de
malchance, et surtout de la main dun valet, comme vous le prsentez. Ah ! assassin ! continua le Chevalier Vert,
il faut que tu meures pour avoir tu mon frre, chevalier de grande noblesse, qui sappelait sire Prard.
Je te de, rpliqua Beaumains, car sache que je lai tu en chevalier et non avec ignominie.
Le Chevalier Vert savana jusqu un cor de couleur verte, accroch un prunellier, et en tira
trois notes lugubres, do la venue de deux demoiselles qui larmrent promptement ; puis il prit un
grand cheval, un bouclier vert et une lance verte.
Puis ils se rurent lun sur lautre pleine puissance et rompirent leurs lances hauteur de la
garde ; ils dgainrent donc et changrent une pluie de coups violents, multipliant les blessures lun
sur lautre. En n de compte, la faveur dune manuvre latrale, Beaumains t donner sa monture
un coup dpaule sur le anc de lautre cheval, qui se retrouva les quatre fers en lair. Stant dgag
avec agilit, le Chevalier Vert se remit debout. Ce que voyant, Beaumains mit pied terre et, longtemps,
ils lancrent assaut sur assaut, en puissants guerriers, couverts de sang.
Intervention de la demoiselle : Monseigneur le Chevalier Vert, ne trouvez-vous pas indigne de mettre
tant de temps vous battre avec ce souillard de cuisine ? Hlas ! quelle honte que vous ayez jamais t fait chevalier si cest pour voir un tel domestique tailler des croupires un tel chevalier, comme si livraie poussait mieux
que le bon grain.
Loutrage remplit de honte le Chevalier Vert, auquel cela t porter son adversaire un coup
dune violence extrme qui fendit son bouclier en deux de part en part. Beaumains, constatant ltat de
son bouclier, en prouva un lger sentiment de honte, d aussi aux propos de la demoiselle, et ragit en
abattant sur le casque de lautre un coup tel quil en tomba genoux. Aussitt, Beaumains le trana

plat ventre sur le sol. Le Chevalier Vert lui demanda alors grce, se rendit merci sire Beaumains et le
pria de ne pas le tuer.
Vaines supplications, dclara Beaumains, car tu dois mourir, moins que la demoiselle qui est venue
avec moi ne me prie de tpargner. L-dessus, il lui dlaa son casque, comme pour le tuer.
Honte toi, perde page de cuisine, jamais je nintercderai pour que tu lui laisses la vie sauve car jamais
je ne voudrai ttre ce point redevable.
Sa mort est donc inluctable, conclut Beaumains.
Pas assez de cran, misrable souillard de cuisine, pour le tuer.
Hlas ! intervint le Chevalier Vert, ne me laissez pas mourir alors quune bonne parole peut me sauver.
Brave chevalier, poursuivit le Chevalier Vert, pargne-moi, et je te pardonnerai la mort de mon frre, deviendrai
jamais ton vassal, et trente chevaliers qui tiennent leurs terres de moi se mettront dsormais ton service.
Au diable ! jura la demoiselle : un pareil souillard de cuisine recevoir ton hommage et le service de
trente chevaliers !
Messire chevalier, reprit Beaumains, rien dans tout cela navance tes aaires, tant que ma demoiselle
ne me demande pas de te laisser la vie sauve. Sur quoi, il t mine de le tuer.
Arrte ! lana la demoiselle, valet crasseux ; ne le tue pas, sinon tu ten repentiras.
Demoiselle, lui dit Beaumains, trop heureux de vous obir ! Comme vous lavez ordonn, il aura la vie
sauve, autrement non. Puis il annona : Messire chevalier larmement vert, je te tiens quitte la requte de
cette demoiselle car je naurais garde de la mcontenter et excute tous ses ordres.
Le Chevalier Vert sagenouilla alors et lui t hommage avec son pe.
La demoiselle prit alors la parole : Vous me voyez dsole, Chevalier Vert, de vos dsagrments et de
la mort de votre frre, le Chevalier Noir ; jai grand besoin de votre aide, car je suis pleine dapprhension lide de
traverser cette fort.
Non, nayez crainte, lui dit le Chevalier Vert : vous serez hberge chez moi cette nuit, et je vous guiderai demain dans la traverse de la fort.
Ils montrent alors cheval et gagnrent son manoir, situ peu de distance.

1 he blew three deadly motes

voir volet 67, page 6.

2 like two mighty kemps (seule occurrence dans Le Morte) cf. champion

MED :

kemp(e (n.(1)) Also cempe, kimpe & (early) kempa, kempen. Pl. kempes, kimpes & kempen, cempen,
(early) kempan, (early pl. gen.) kempen(e.
[OE cempa; in. cempan.]
1. (a) A warrior; ~ ifere [see ifere n. (1), sense (b)]; g. ~ of helle, a demon; (b) a ghter against evil,
a champion of the faith; kempene coroune, crown of warriors, crown of martyrs; (c) a contestant
in a tournament; (d) a victor.
2. (a) A wrestler, athletic contestant; (b) a man; (c) a giant.
3. ?As a surname.

Dennis (Howard) Green [1922-2008], Language and History in the Early Germanic World
(1998), p. 234 (extrait) :

 3 as the weed overgrew the corn as = as if (de mme dans as he would slay him) ;
weed, nimporte quelle mauvaise herbe; corn, peu prs nimporte quelle crale.
4 this damosel that came with me daccompagne la demoiselle devient accompagnatrice.
5 I will never be so much in thy danger voir volet 23, 14.