Le Morte Darthur, Chapter 149 summary

What happens

1. Attackers kill Sir Gareth’s horse, but he kills all except four who flee, takes a horse, and rides on.
2. A page explains the widows’ distress and warns Gareth about the Brown Knight without Pity, whom Gareth kills in a mounted encounter.
3. The widows give Gareth modest shelter, and at morning Mass he sees them mourning over their husbands’ tombs.
4. Gareth tells the women to attend King Arthur’s court at Pentecost and name him as their sender.
5. The Duke de la Rowse challenges Gareth, who recalls his promise to surrender to the duke but defeats him instead.
6. After a long sword fight, the duke surrenders, agrees to visit Arthur, and pledges service with a hundred knights.

In this chapter

What to notice

The duke turns defeat into a pledge of loyalty. His offer gives Gareth service beyond the immediate victory.

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