How Sir Launcelot slew Sir Colgrevance,and armed him in his harness,and after slew Sir Agravaine,and twelve of his fellows AND therewith Sir Launcelot wrapped his mantle about his arm well and surely;and by then they had gotten a great form out of the hall,and therewithal they rashed at the door.Fair lords,said Sir Launcelot,leave your noise and your rashing,and I shall set open this door,and then may ye do with me what it liketh you.Come off then,said they all,and do it,for it availeth thee not to strive against us all;and therefore let us into this chamber,and we shall save thy life until thou come to King Arthur.Then Launcelot unbarred the door,and with his left hand he held it open a little,so that but one man might come in at once;and so there came striding a good knight,a much man and large,and his name was Colgrevance of Gore,and he with a sword struck at Sir Launcelot mightily;and he put aside the stroke,and gave him such a buffet upon the helmet,that he fell grovelling dead within the chamber door.And then Sir Launcelot with great might drew that dead knight within the chamber door;and Sir Launcelot with help of the queen and her ladies was lightly armed in Sir Colgrevance's armour.
And ever stood Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred crying:Traitor-knight,come out of the queen's chamber.
Leave your noise,said Sir Launcelot unto Sir Agravaine,for wit you well,Sir Agravaine,ye shall not prison me this night;and therefore an ye do by my counsel,go ye all from this chamber door,and make not such crying and such manner of slander as ye do;for I promise you by my knighthood,an ye will depart and make no more noise,I shall as to-morn appear afore you all before the king,and then let it be seen which of you all,outher else ye all,that will accuse me of treason;and there I shall answer you as a knight should,that hither I came to the queen for no manner of mal engin,and that will I prove and make it good upon you with my hands.Fie on thee,traitor,said Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred,we will have thee maugre thy head,and slay thee if we list;for we let thee wit we have the choice of King Arthur to save thee or to slay thee.Ah sirs,said Sir Launcelot,is there none other grace with you?then keep yourself.
So then Sir Launcelot set all open the chamber door,and mightily and knightly he strode in amongst them;and anon at the first buffet he slew Sir Agravaine.And twelve of his fellows after,within a little while after,he laid them cold to the earth,for there was none of the twelve that might stand Sir Launcelot one buffet.Also Sir Launcelot wounded Sir Mordred,and he fled with all his might.And then Sir Launcelot returned again unto the queen,and said:Madam,now wit you well all our true love is brought to an end,for now will King Arthur ever be my foe;and therefore,madam,an it like you that I may have you with me,I shall save you from all manner adventures dangerous.That is not best,said the queen;meseemeth now ye have done so much harm,it will be best ye hold you still with this.And if ye see that as to-morn they will put me unto the death,then may ye rescue me as ye think best.I will well,said Sir Launcelot,for have ye no doubt,while I am living I shall rescue you.And then he kissed her,and either gave other a ring;and so there he left the queen,and went until his lodging.
CHAPTER V
How Sir Launcelot came to Sir Bors,and told him how he had sped,and in what adventure he had been,and how he had escaped WHEN Sir Bors saw Sir Launcelot he was never so glad of his home-coming as he was then.Jesu mercy,said Sir Launcelot,why be ye all armed:what meaneth this?
Sir,said Sir Bors,after ye were departed from us,we all that be of your blood and your well-willers were so dretched that some of us leapt out of our beds naked,and some in their dreams caught naked swords in their hands;therefore,said Sir Bors,we deem there is some great strife at hand;and then we all deemed that ye were betrapped with some treason,and therefore we made us thus ready,what need that ever ye were in.
My fair nephew,said Sir Launcelot unto Sir Bors,now shall ye wit all,that this night I was more harder bestead than ever I was in my life,and yet I escaped.
And so he told them all how and in what manner,as ye have heard to-fore.And therefore,my fellows,said Sir Launcelot,I pray you all that ye will be of good heart in what need somever I stand,for now is war come to us all.
Sir,said Bors,all is welcome that God sendeth us,and we have had much weal with you and much worship,and therefore we will take the woe with you as we have taken the weal.And therefore,they said all (there were many good knights),look ye take no discomfort,for there nis no bands of knights under heaven but we shall be able to grieve them as much as they may us.And therefore discomfort not yourself by no manner,and we shall gather together that we love,and that loveth us,and what that ye will have done shall be done.And therefore,Sir Launcelot,said they,we will take the woe with the weal.
Grant mercy,said Sir Launcelot,of your good comfort,for in my great distress,my fair nephew,ye comfort me greatly,and much I am beholding unto you.But this,my fair nephew,I would that ye did in all haste that ye may,or it be forth days,that ye will look in their lodging that be lodged here nigh about the king,which will hold with me,and which will not,for now I would know which were my friends from my foes.Sir,said Sir Bors,I shall do my pain,and or it be seven of the clock I shall wit of such as ye have said before,who will hold with you.
Then Sir Bors called unto him Sir Lionel,Sir Ector de Maris,Sir Blamore de Ganis,Sir Bleoberis de Ganis,Sir Gahalantine,Sir Galihodin,Sir Galihud,Sir Menadeuke Sir Villiers the Valiant,Sir Hebes le Renoumes,Sir Lavaine Sir Urre of Hungary,Sir Nerounes,Sir Plenorius.These two knights Sir Launcelot made,and the one he won upon a bridge,and therefore they would never be against him.