And Harry le Fise du Lake,and Sir Selises of the Dolorous Tower,and Sir Melias de Lile,and Sir Bellangere le Beuse,that was Sir Alisander's son Le Orphelin,because his mother Alice le Beale Pellerin and she was kin unto Sir Launcelot,and he held with him.So there came Sir Palomides and Sir Safere,his brother,to hold with Sir Launcelot,and Sir Clegis of Sadok,and Sir Dinas,Sir Clarius of Cleremont.So these two-and-twenty knights drew them together,and by then they were armed on horseback,and promised Sir Launcelot to do what he would.Then there fell to them,what of North Wales and of Cornwall,for Sir Lamorak's sake and for Sir Tristram's sake,to the number of a fourscore knights.
My lords,said Sir Launcelot,wit you well,I have been ever since I came into this country well willed unto my lord,King Arthur,and unto my lady,Queen Guenever,unto my power;and this night because my lady the queen sent for me to speak with her,I suppose it was made by treason,howbeit I dare largely excuse her person,notwithstanding I was there by a forecast near slain,but as Jesu provided me I escaped all their malice and treason.And then that noble knight Sir Launcelot told them all how he was hard bestead in the queen's chamber,and how and in what manner he escaped from them.And therefore,said Sir Launcelot,wit you well,my fair lords,I am sure there nis but war unto me and mine.And for because I have slain this night these knights,I wot well,as is Sir Agravaine Sir Gawaine's brother,and at the least twelve of his fellows,for this cause now I am sure of mortal war,for these knights were sent and ordained by King Arthur to betray me.And therefore the king will in his heat and malice judge the queen to the fire,and that may I not suffer,that she should be brent for my sake;for an I may be heard and suffered and so taken,I will fight for the queen,that she is a true lady unto her lord;but the king in his heat I dread me will not take me as I ought to be taken.
CHAPTER VI
Of the counsel and advice that was taken by Sir Launcelot and his friends for to save the queen MY lord,Sir Launcelot,said Sir Bors,by mine advice ye shall take the woe with the weal,and take it in patience,and thank God of it.And sithen it is fallen as it is,Icounsel you keep yourself,for an ye will yourself,there is no fellowship of knights christened that shall do you wrong.Also I will counsel you my lord,Sir Launcelot,than an my lady,Queen Guenever,be in distress,insomuch as she is in pain for your sake,that ye knightly rescue her;an ye did otherwise,all the world will speak of you shame to the world's end.Insomuch as ye were taken with her,whether ye did right or wrong,it is now your part to hold with the queen,that she be not slain and put to a mischievous death,for an she so die the shame shall be yours.Jesu defend me from shame,said Sir Launcelot,and keep and save my lady the queen from villainy and shameful death,and that she never be destroyed in my default;wherefore my fair lords,my kin,and my friends,said Sir Launcelot,what will ye do?
Then they said all:We will do as ye will do.I put this to you,said Sir Launcelot,that if my lord Arthur by evil counsel will to-morn in his heat put my lady the queen to the fire there to be brent,now I pray you counsel me what is best to do.Then they said all at once with one voice:Sir,us thinketh best that ye knightly rescue the queen,insomuch as she shall be brent it is for your sake;and it is to suppose,an ye might be handled,ye should have the same death,or a more shamefuler death.
And sir,we say all,that ye have many times rescued her from death for other men's quarrels,us seemeth it is more your worship that ye rescue the queen from this peril,insomuch she hath it for your sake.
Then Sir Launcelot stood still,and said:My fair lords,wit you well I would be loath to do that thing that should dishonour you or my blood,and wit you well Iwould be loath that my lady,the queen,should die a shameful death;but an it be so that ye will counsel me to rescue her,I must do much harm or I rescue her;and peradventure I shall there destroy some of my best friends,that should much repent me;and peradventure there be some,an they could well bring it about,or disobey my lord King Arthur,they would soon come to me,the which I were loath to hurt.And if so be that I rescue her,where shall I keep her?That shall be the least care of us all,said Sir Bors.How did the noble knight Sir Tristram,by your good will?kept not he with him La Beale Isoud near three year in Joyous Gard?the which was done by your alther device,and that same place is your own;and in likewise may ye do an ye list,and take the queen lightly away,if it so be the king will judge her to be brent;and in Joyous Gard ye may keep her long enough until the heat of the king be past.And then shall ye bring again the queen to the king with great worship;and then peradventure ye shall have thank for her bringing home,and love and thank where other shall have maugre.
That is hard to do,said Sir Launcelot,for by Sir Tristram I may have a warning,for when by means of treaties,Sir Tristram brought again La Beale Isoud unto King Mark from Joyous Gard,look what befell on the end,how shamefully that false traitor King Mark slew him as he sat harping afore his lady La Beale Isoud,with a grounden glaive he thrust him in behind to the heart.
It grieveth me,said Sir Launcelot,to speak of his death,for all the world may not find such a knight.All this is truth,said Sir Bors,but there is one thing shall courage you and us all,ye know well King Arthur and King Mark were never like of conditions,for there was never yet man could prove King Arthur untrue of his promise.
So to make short tale,they were all consented that for better outher for worse,if so were that the queen were on that morn brought to the fire,shortly they all would rescue her.And so by the advice of Sir Launcelot,they put them all in an embushment in a wood,as nigh Carlisle as they might,and there they abode still,to wit what the king would do.
CHAPTER VII
