CHAPTER I

THE WILLIAM OF WARWICK EPISODE

On the delightful island of England there lived a noble and valiant knight. For many years he performed with great honor the duties pertaining to knighthood. This noble representative of chivalry was Earl William of Warwick. He was very strong and well-trained in the use of arms. Many were the battles in which he took part, and many a formidable adversary was vanquished by him. (Chap. 2)

Having reached the age of fifty-five years, moved by sorrow and contrition for the many deaths he had caused in his knightly career, he resolved to do penance for his sins by making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The announcement of his intention to the Countess, his wife, caused her a severe shock. The Earl called his servants before him and paid them all that was due them and much more. To the Countess he gave possession of the whole county, with the privilege of doing with it what she wished. He caused a gold ring to be made bearing his escutcheon and that of the Countess. This ring was wrought in such a way that it could be divided into two parts, each being a complete ring in itself, but showing only one half of the escutcheons. One of these he gave to the Countess, asking her to keep it until his return. In long lamentations she bewailed her sad fate. But the Earl was resolute, and with tears streaming down his cheeks took leave of his wife and son, the latter being only three months old. Leaving the city of Warwick accompanied by a squire, he sailed to Alexandria, and thence made his way to Jerusalem. Here he made a careful and contrite confession of his sins and received Holy Communion. After visiting the Holy Sepulcher and other holy places in this city, he returned to Alexandria, and set sail for Venice, where he dismissed his squire, who, in accordance with the instructions given him by his master, spread the report that Earl William of Warwick was dead. The Earl also had merchants write letters to England, in which they told that William of Warwick had died while returning from Jerusalem. The Countess was grief-stricken when she received the bad tidings, and caused funeral obsequies to be celebrated in a manner befitting the Earl’s station. (Chaps. 2-4)

After some time had elapsed the Earl returned to his native land. He was greatly changed in appearance. Long hair hung over his shoulders, and his snow-white beard reached to his girdle. In the garb of a Franciscan monk, he came to a hermitage of Our Lady not far distant from the city of Warwick, and there lived all alone, avoiding all worldly affairs in order that he might make atonement for his transgressions. Once a week he went into the city of Warwick to solicit alms. No one recognized him, on account of his beard and long hair. He used to go to the Countess to ask for charity, and she, touched by his profound humility, would give to him more than to the other mendicants. And thus he lived undisturbed for some time. (Chap. 4)

Now it happened that corsairs had plundered a city belonging to the King of Canary. This Moorish king became enraged when he heard of it, and prepared a great fleet to invade England. One dark night this fleet entered the port of Dantona [Hampton, i.e. Southampton]. The Moors disembarked without being seen or heard by the English. When the English king was informed of this invasion, he quickly gathered all his available men to drive back the invaders, but his forces were defeated and he was obliged to retreat towards the city of Saint Thomas of Canterbury. Along a river near this place he made a stand, but was again defeated. After losing nine battles, one after another, he sought refuge in the city of London. But the scarcity of provisions soon compelled him to evacuate this place, and he withdrew to the city of Warwick, which was well supplied with food, arms and all the instruments of warfare. The Countess offered all that was in her county to the unfortunate monarch. The Moors pursued the retreating forces, and on the way captured the castle of Alimburch [Wellingborough?]. The English king from a tower in the city of Warwick could see the Moors devastating the land and slaying his Christian people, both men and women. Dark despair came over him. He could not bear this sight, but came down from the tower and retired to a small chamber where he lamented and prayed. In his great affliction, he bowed his head upon the bed, and presently it seemed to him that a beautiful lady in white, with a child in her arms, entered the chamber. She was attended by many other ladies who were chanting the “Magnificat.” When the singing ceased, the Lady approached him, and, placing her hand on his head, she said: “Fear not, O King; have confidence; the Son and the Mother will help you in your great tribulation. As a sign of peace, kiss on the mouth the first man with a long beard whom you shall see, and who will ask you for alms. Request him to lay aside his garment, and make him captain of all your forces.” When the king opened his eyes the vision had vanished, but the dream had been so vivid that he could not forget it. The next morning the hermit, William of Warwick, while gathering herbs, saw the Moorish forces overrunning all the surrounding country, and sought refuge in the city of Warwick. He went to the castle to ask the Countess for alms, and there met the king, whom he immediately approached. He knelt down before him and asked for charity. The king, bidding him arise, kissed him on the mouth and led him into a room of the castle, where he asked him to put aside his penitent garb and to take up arms. The hermit at first declined, but finally agreed to yield to the wishes of the king, since he would be taking up arms to defend Christianity and to spread the Holy Catholic faith. (Chaps. 5-10)

In his travels in the East the hermit had learned to make certain grenades which would burn and which no water could extinguish. For several days he was busy making some of these. One day he informed the king he was ready to carry out a plan by which he hoped to deal a severe blow to the enemy. That night he disguised himself as a Moor and, carrying a number of grenades, reached the camp of the invaders. He set fire to the camp, and while the infidels were trying to extinguish the fire, the English came out of the city and attacked them. Many Moors were slain, and the rest fled in disorder to the castle of Alimburch. (Chaps. 10-12)

From this place, the great King of Canary sent ambassadors to the English king with a letter in which he proposed that, to avoid further bloodshed, the two kings should engage in mortal combat. If the Moorish king should be the victor, the English king was to recognize him as his lord and pay a heavy tribute every year. If, on the other hand, the English king should win, then the Moors were to return to their own land, and England should again enjoy peace. This proposal was immediately accepted by the English sovereign. (Chaps. 13-14)

Then the King of England convened the General Council to deliberate over the matter. The hermit was first asked to give his advice. He suggested that since the Moorish king was a strong and hardy man, and the English king young and feeble, some one who was more likely to win over such a formidable adversary should fight in place of England’s king. Moreover, he proposed that the Duke of Lancaster, the uncle of the king, should be the person to represent him in the combat. But immediately three dukes, the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Bedford, and the Duke of Exeter, protested loudly that, since they were more closely related to the king, the honor of representing him should devolve upon them. But the king was unwilling that any one should fight in his place. However, he was finally persuaded that this should be done, and he yielded only on condition that he be permitted to name the substitute, to whom he also intended to surrender the royal crown and scepter. He nominated the hermit, who wished to decline, but was finally induced to put on the royal robes. The regal power was then conferred upon him in the presence of a notary. Arms were brought, from which he was to select those that he preferred. But he chose none of these. He asked that the arms of William of Warwick be obtained from the Countess. The latter sent certain arms, but they were not the ones that he wanted. Those that he desired were kept in the chamber of the Countess. The astonished lady gave the hermit permission to enter her chamber, and he there equipped himself for the coming combat. (Chaps. 14-19)

The hermit-king spent all that night in the church, kneeling before the altar, upon which he had placed his arms. After mass the next morning he ate to strengthen his body and then armed himself for the fight. Finally the adversaries met, and the fighting was fast and furious. Suddenly the hermit-king cut off one of his opponent’s arms, and a few moments later, his head. England’s champion had won, and great was the rejoicing among the Christians. (Chap. 19)

The next day the English sent ambassadors to the infidels to request them to leave the country, as had been stipulated in the agreement made before the combat took place, but the Moors in great wrath cut off the heads of these ambassadors. They put the heads in a sack and sent them back to the English. The hermit-king was astounded when this cruel and treacherous deed was reported to him, and he made a solemn vow never to go under any roof except that of the church to hear mass, until he had driven the whole Moorish tribe out of the kingdom. And he ordered that all male subjects of the crown over the age of eleven years and under seventy should take up arms to fight the invaders. (Chaps. 19-20)

When the Countess learned that her son, who was barely eleven years old, would be obliged to fight the Moors, she became frantic. She implored the hermit-king to permit her to keep her son, the only comfort of her life, but he would not yield to her entreaties. And when the boy himself expressed an eagerness to go against the enemy, she realized that all her petitions would be in vain, and, with despair in her heart, she gave the lad her blessing. (Chaps. 20-22)

The hermit-king gathered his forces and led them out upon a plain before the city, and there they established their camp. Around it a high wall was thrown up. An opening was left on one side and there caltrops were placed and pitfalls were dug. When the Moors attacked the camp, they were slaughtered in great numbers. Finally they began to retreat. The Christians followed them and killed many more in the pursuit. The young son of the Countess slew a doughty Moor, and the king, after dubbing him, threw him upon the slain Saracen, so that the boy’s hands and face became covered with blood. That was the lad’s baptism of blood. (Chaps. 24-25)

After this disastrous defeat the Moors again returned to the castle of Alimburch. The English made an assault upon this stronghold and succeeded in setting it on fire. The infidels were obliged to come out, and all that emerged were slain, while all the rest that were found in the kingdom were put to death. The victorious English then marched to Dantona, threw into the sea all the Moors that they encountered there, and destroyed all the ships in which they had come. (Chap. 25)

When peace and order were again established on the island of England, the hermit-king decided to make himself known to the Countess, and in order that he might be free to return to his hermitage and his penitential life, he purposed to restore the kingdom to the former sovereign. (Chap. 26)

Accordingly, he sent a chamberlain with the half-ring to the Countess. The messenger said to her: “He who has loved you with infinite love, and who still loves you, sends you this ring.” She took it and was startled. She hurried to her chamber, where she said a short prayer. Then she opened the jewel-case and took a ring from it. She placed one of the rings on top of the other, and behold they fitted together perfectly and the escutcheons were complete. All perturbed and excited, she rushed towards the door, but before she was able to reach it, she fell to the floor in a swoon. The chamberlain hurried to the king and announced that the Countess had fallen dead. The king hurried to her room. Doctors were already there trying to revive her. Finally she recovered her senses, arose, and threw herself on her knees before the king, who raised her up from the floor and embraced her and kissed her many times. Then he announced that he was the Earl of Warwick. And when the people generally knew that the hermit-king was their own William of Warwick, there was great rejoicing. All the nobility went to the church with the reunited couple and offered up to heaven infinite praise and thanks. Then, in a triumphant procession, they returned to the castle, where a sumptuous banquet was served. (Chap. 26)

Nine days later there arrived four hundred carts laden with gold and silver, all of which had been taken from the Moors. The Duke of Bedford, the Duke of Gloucester, the Earl of Salisbury, and the Earl of Stafford were put in charge of this immense treasure. A meeting of the General Council was ordered for the next day. (Chap. 26)

At this council the earl gave instructions concerning the distribution of the booty, and restored to the former ruler the crown, scepter, and royal robes. He himself immediately put on again the garb of the Franciscan order. The reinstated king begged him to remain at his court. He offered him the principality of Wales, but he would not accept it. All the members of the council besought him to stay, but he answered that he must return to serve God. When the king realized that he could not induce him to dwell amongst them, he gave half of the kingdom of Cornwall to the earl’s son, to whom was also granted the privilege of wearing an iron crown. The hermit gave thanks to the king for the gift and the honors bestowed on his son, and then bade farewell to His Majesty and his court. He went to a small villa in his county, where he remained several days. The king sent him thirty carts loaded with the most precious things contained in the booty captured from the Moors, but he refused to accept any of it. When the king left the city of Warwick he sent for the earl’s son, and, at the city gate, he appointed him Grand Constable of all England. Then the king departed for London. (Chap. 27)

The Countess visited her husband, the hermit, in the villa, and finally persuaded him to have a hermitage built, which was to consist of a church, with an apartment on each side of it, one for him and the other for her. After its completion, and just about the time that they were going to live there, the Earl of Northumberland came to them as an ambassador of the king. His mission was to request the noble couple to come to London. The king was going to marry the daughter of the King of France, and was anxious that the Countess should instruct the queen in the practices and customs of England. The hermit replied that he must keep the vow that he had made to serve God, but he should be very happy if the Countess would be willing to go. And the Countess, moved by the wish of her husband and by a sense of duty to her sovereign lord, expressed her willingness to comply with the king’s request. And thus, William of Warwick and his wife were again separated; she went to London, and he entered the new hermitage, which stood in a dense grove, in which there was a clear spring, whose waters flowed with a gentle murmur through the flowers and green grasses of a beautiful meadow. And every day after the hermit had finished his hours he would come out under a beautiful pine tree that stood in the center of this meadow, to watch the animals that came to drink from this crystal spring. (Chap. 27)

The King of England, in order to keep his people well-trained in the use of arms, and to celebrate his approaching marriage in a befitting manner, announced that a General Court would be held in London at which many exercises of arms should take place. The announcement of the great festivities which the king was preparing was spread throughout all the Christian lands. Now it happened that a young nobleman from Brittany started on his way to attend the great event, and with him several other youths. And as they were riding along, he dropped somewhat behind the others, and, being weary from the long journey, fell asleep. His steed, instead of following the company, took a path which led to the crystal spring where the hermit was reading a book entitled _Arbre de Batalles_. When the horse came to the spring, it lowered its head to drink, and this movement awakened the rider, who opened his eyes and saw before him the white-bearded hermit. Quickly dismounting, he bowed to him. The hermit received him kindly, and asked his name, and why he had come to that deserted place. The youth answered: “My father is Lord of the March of Tirania, and my mother’s name is Blancha; therefore it has pleased them to call me Tirant lo Blanch.” He then related that he and several young noblemen were on their way to attend the General Court which the English king had announced and at which those who wished to become knights would have an opportunity to realize their ambition. When he had said this, the hermit grew pensive and, when asked wherefore, replied that he was thinking of knighthood and the duties and obligations of knights. Young Tirant then begged him to tell about the order of knighthood. The hermit read to him a chapter from the _Arbre de Batalles_, which was a kind of treatise on the order of chivalry. And he explained the origin of chivalry; its noble purpose; the significance of the arms and the different parts of armor; how a knight who has disgraced the order is degraded; and he named some of the great knights of olden times. When asked who were the best knights of England at that very time, he mentioned the names of the good knight Muntanyanegre, the Duke of Exeter, and Sir John Stuart. Tirant, disappointed at this answer, asked why he did not make mention of the Earl William of Warwick, who had won so many battles in France and Italy, and in many other countries; who had saved the life of the Countess of Belestar, accused of adultery by her husband and her three sons; who had snatched a child away from a lion and returned it to its mother; and who vanquished the Moors in England and liberated many English captives. The hermit replied that he had heard of William of Warwick, but having never seen him he did not mention his name. (Chaps. 28-38)

While Tirant was receiving instructions in knighthood from the hermit, his companions were traveling on, and, although he would gladly have remained longer, it was necessary to depart if he did not wish to travel to London alone. The hermit bade him farewell, and gave him the book. He invited Tirant to visit him on his return, and the invitation was accepted. Then the young aspirant for the honors of knighthood resumed his journey to London. Some of his companions, when they missed him, turned back, and when they found him, he was riding along reading the book. The company of young men arrived in London a few days before the beginning of the festivities. (Chap. 39)

The feast of St. John was the wedding day of the king, and on that day began the festivities of the General Court. The celebration continued for a year and a day. Then the visitors took leave of the king and the queen, and returned to their respective homes. Tirant, remembering his promise, stopped at the hermitage with his companions. They were embraced one by one by the venerable man, and then they sat down with him on the grass underneath the large pine tree. At the request of the hermit, Tirant described the principal events that had taken place at London. He told of the generous hospitality of the king; of the great procession when the king went out of the city to meet his betrothed; of the manner in which the exercises of arms were conducted; and of the splendor and merriment at the royal nuptials. He spoke also of those who essayed their skill in knightly combats, praising highly the Duke of Aygues Vives, the Duke of Cleves, and the brother of the Duke of Burgundy. But the contest that he admired most of all was the one in which a youth who did not seem to be more than fourteen or fifteen years old took part. This youthful knight was called the Grand Constable of England. His mother and the king, too, had forbidden him to participate in any of the combats. But he came to Tirant and asked him for permission to use his arms and steed. He begged so well that Tirant was unable to refuse. In this contest the youth slew the Senyor de Escala Rompuda. The king chided him for having entered the lists without permission, but the young Constable answered that it was not right that he should be denied the privilege of following the footsteps of his valiant father, William, Earl of Warwick. The Countess sent for Tirant and begged him never again to do anything that might cause her to lose the only joy and comfort that she had in this life. And he promised that he would never willingly put the life of her son in jeopardy. (Chaps. 39-57)

The hermit had already twice asked who had been declared the best and greatest knight among the victors. But Tirant seemed to pay no attention to his questions. And finally the hermit said: “But, Tirant, why do you not answer my question?” Then arose one of the company and his name was Diaphebus. He drew forth a parchment saying that the document in his hands would answer the question. This he read to the hermit, who was delighted when he heard that it was a proclamation to the world that the noble and valiant Tirant lo Blanch was declared the best knight of all those that had taken part in the exercises of arms at the festivities connected with the General Court. It also contained the instructions given by the king that Tirant should be placed on a white steed and that all, walking with the king, should escort the hero to the church of Saint George, where a solemn high mass would be celebrated in honor of this most excellent knight. The document was signed by “Rex Enricus,” and by judges of the field, heralds, and the great lords in attendance. (Chaps. 57-58)

After the reading of the document, the hermit asked Diaphebus to tell of some of Tirant’s exploits, whereupon our hero withdrew from the company to busy himself with giving orders for the putting up of the tents and the preparation of supper. Diaphebus then related how Tirant was the first person upon whom the honor of knighthood was conferred, and the first one to engage in combat with one of the champions of the field. In this contest, which was fought on horseback, he slew his adversary. Then he challenged another champion of the field to a _combat à outrance_ on foot. In this he succeeded in striking his opponent to the ground. Not wishing to take his life, he asked the fallen knight to beg for mercy, but the latter answered that he was the Caualler de Muntalt, knighted by the Earl of Warwick, loved and feared by many, and that he preferred to die with honor rather than live in disgrace. And Tirant, regretting that knights were by their very profession obliged to be cruel, placed the point of his dagger over the eye of his victim, and then struck a sharp blow on the end of the handle so that the point came out on the other side of his head. (Chaps. 58-60)

One day the king and the queen, accompanied by many knights and ladies, went out into a meadow for recreation. With them was “Beautiful Agnes,” the daughter of the Duke of Berry. On this day she wore a precious brooch. Tirant approached her and praised her many excellent qualities. He then asked her for that brooch, saying that in return for the favor he would be willing to meet any knight in a _combat à outrance_. She gave him permission to take it. Thereupon Tirant detached it from her bodice and fastened it on his cap. The following day the Senyor de les Viles Ermes, a valiant and well-trained knight, came to Tirant, and, after telling him that from his very childhood he had loved Agnes, demanded that the brooch be given him. Threatening to kill Tirant if the latter should refuse, he tried to take it from him by force, whereupon a fight ensued in which the friends of each took part, and twelve men were killed before peace could be restored. Three days later, the Senyor de les Viles Ermes sent a challenge to Tirant and it was immediately accepted. Tirant relinquished his right to select the arms, and also gave his adversary the privilege of designating the manner in which the duel was to be fought. Thereupon the latter specified that the combat should be fought on foot. Each of the combatants should wear a plain shirt, and have a wreath of flowers on his head. No other clothing was to be worn. Each should be provided with a paper shield and a pointed double-edged Genoese dagger. The duel was fought in a neighboring forest early in the morning. The two adversaries inflicted many horrible wounds on each other. Their white shirts were red with the blood that flowed copiously from their wounds. Gradually they grew weaker and weaker. Finally Tirant made a desperate thrust and struck his opponent just over the heart. At the same time he himself received a blow on the head which made him sink to the ground even before his antagonist fell dead. Four of Tirant’s wounds were pronounced fatal, but fortunately they gradually healed and his life was saved. (Chaps. 60-68)

The Prince of Wales, too, had come to attend the festivities, and since he was fond of hunting he brought with him several enormous dogs. One day the king, accompanied by several knights, visited him. And it happened that on that same day Tirant was riding by the house in which the prince lived. A large mastiff having broken loose from his chain, came out and rushed towards Tirant. Our hero dismounted and drew his sword, and when the dog saw the gleaming blade, it turned away. The king and the prince saw this, and the latter, knowing the ferocious nature of the animal, remarked that a splendid fight was in prospect. Tirant remounted his steed and proceeded on his way, but he had hardly advanced twenty paces, when the mastiff again rushed at him with great fury, and the rider was a second time obliged to alight from his horse. He again drew his sword and advanced towards the savage animal, when the latter, being afraid of the shining weapon, retreated. Then Tirant threw aside his sword, for he concluded that it was not right nor fair that he should use arms when the dog had none. The mastiff rushed for the weapon, seized it with his teeth, and carried it a short distance away. And as he came back towards Tirant, the latter said: “Now we shall fight on equal terms; I shall use the same kind of weapons to do you harm, as you will employ against me.” They attacked each other with fierceness. The gigantic mastiff caused Tirant to fall three times. Finally the latter seized the raging beast by the throat and strangled it with all his might. At the same time he bit its cheek so savagely that the animal fell dead on the ground. The king and others came out immediately, and carried Tirant into the house. Doctors were called and they treated the many wounds on his arms and legs. For this victory he received the same honors as if he had vanquished a formidable knight in the lists. (Chap. 68)

The King of Friesland, the King of Poland, the Duke of Burgundy, and the Duke of Bavaria met in the city of Rome on the occasion of an important celebration of the Church. Among other subjects of their conversation, they came to speak of the King of England and the wonderful festivities and exercises of arms that were taking place at his court. They decided to go there _incognito_ and try their fortune in the lists. Tirant met each of them in mortal combat, and vanquished them all. (Chaps. 68-73)

Some time after came the knight Villa Fermosa from Scotland. The lady who had captivated his soul would not listen to him, nor would she speak to him until he had vanquished the renowned knight, Tirant lo Blanch. But the latter did not wish to accept the challenge, for his wounds were not yet healed. The Scottish knight, however, would not take a refusal, and finally Tirant consented to meet him, and promised that he would not fight any other knight until after their combat. (Chap. 74)

But this promise Tirant was obliged to break, for the following reasons. When the news of the death of the King of Friesland reached his kingdom, there was great grief among his subjects. The favorite of the dead king, Kirielayson de Muntalba, who was a man strong and valorous, and descended from a race of giants, determined to make Tirant pay dearly for slaying his lord the king. He sent a challenge, in which he accused him of having vanquished the two kings and the two dukes through treachery. Tirant, in his answer, gave him the lie and accepted the challenge. The giant-knight came, but before the combat he went to visit the tombs of those whose death he wished to avenge. Seeing the shields of the vanquished, over which the shields of Tirant had been placed, he began to weep and lament. In a fit of anger he took down Tirant’s shields and threw them on the ground. Then he noticed that they were painted on the tabernacle over the tomb. Blind with rage, he struck them with his head so violently that he fell half unconscious. A few moments later, when he opened the tabernacle and saw the lifeless body of his king and sovereign, his gall bladder burst, and he died instantly. (Chaps. 74-80)

The unsuccessful avenger of the King of Friesland had a brother whose name was Thomas de Muntalba, and he had been the favorite of the other monarch, the King of Poland. Thomas came to England with a grim determination to avenge the death not only of the kings and dukes, but also of his brother. He was well built, of great strength, and so tall that Tirant scarcely reached up to his waist. It was said that he was the tallest man in all Christendom. He, too, accused our distinguished champion of having slain his victims treacherously, and challenged him to mortal combat. The challenge was accepted. The friends of Tirant tried to prevent the duel, for they feared that he might be vanquished. Finally the combat took place and it was of long duration. The giant’s blows were powerful. Once they forced Tirant to his knees, but at that very moment he wounded his opponent in the groin. In the violence of the fight the big knight let fall his ax. Tirant told him that he would permit him to pick it up, if he would retract his false accusation of treachery. Thomas de Muntalba did so, and recovered his ax. Then the combat began again and it became more furious than before. Finally the gigantic adversary had difficulty in breathing, and was becoming weak from loss of blood. Tirant made a desperate effort to put an end to the fight. He succeeded in landing two powerful blows on the head of his opponent, who fell to the ground. Tirant quickly placed the point of his dagger over one of the eyes of the giant, and at the same time told him if he would acknowledge that he was vanquished his life would be spared. The fallen knight answered that since Fate willed it, he would deliver himself into his hands. Then Tirant went into the middle of the field, knelt down, and gave praise and thanks to God for the victory. Thomas de Muntalba was degraded and later he became a monk of the Franciscan order. (Chaps. 80-84)

A few days after this event Tirant went to Scotland to engage in combat with the knight Villa Fermosa. The Queen of Scotland acted as judge of the contest. She stopped the combat before either of the knights had come to grief. (Chap. 84)

When the hermit had heard all these things, he expressed his delight at the many successes and great honors that young Tirant had won. In the meantime our modest hero had tables set up beside the clear spring, and an excellent supper was awaiting the hermit and all the rest. After supper the venerable man retired to the hermitage. The next day, after he had said his hours, he came out again. Tirant and his companions went to receive him, and they sat on the grass as the day before. Then Diaphebus tells about the institution of the Order of the Garter. He narrates the well-known incident which caused the king to say; “Puni soyt qui mal hi pense.” He relates how His Royal Majesty instituted the above-named fraternity as a result of that incident. He gives a detailed description of the Church of St. George in the castle of Windsor; he recounts the rules of the Order and describes the ceremonies; he repeats the oaths of the members of the Order, and the vows of the ladies of honor. He tells how the king selected twenty-five knights to make up the membership so that with the king the members numbered twenty-six, and that the king himself was the first to swear to obey all the rules. Tirant, being the best knight of all those at the court, was the first to be chosen. And among the other members selected was John of Warwick, the Grand Constable of England. (Chaps. 84-97)

Tirant and his companions stayed with the hermit for ten days. On the eve of their departure for Brittany, they asked him to sleep in one of their tents for that night, since they were going to leave early in the morning and were eager to have his blessing before starting. Their request was granted. The next morning, after they had departed, he returned to the hermitage, which, to his great surprise, he found well stocked with all manner of provisions. He even found wood and coal within, so that it would not be necessary for him to go out when the weather was bad. The hermit was deeply moved by this act of kindness, and attributed it to Tirant, who, he resolved, should ever be remembered in his prayers. (Chap. 97)