All this doing saw Sir Launcelot, and then he came into the field with
Sir Lavaine as it had been thunder. And then anon Sir Bors and the
knights of his blood espied Sir Launcelot, and said to them all: I warn
you beware of him with the sleeve of gold upon his head, for he is
himself Sir Launcelot du Lake; and for great goodness Sir Bors warned
Sir Gareth. I am well apaid, said Sir Gareth, that I may know him. But
who is he, said they all, that rideth with him in the same array? That
is the good and gentle knight Sir Lavaine, said Sir Bors. So Sir
Launcelot encountered with Sir Gawaine, and there by force Sir
Launcelot smote down Sir Gawaine and his horse to the earth, and so he
smote down Sir Agravaine and Sir Gaheris, and also he smote down Sir
Mordred, and all this was with one spear. Then Sir Lavaine met with Sir
Palomides, and either met other so hard and so fiercely that both their
horses fell to the earth. And then were they horsed again, and then met
Sir Launcelot with Sir Palomides, and there Sir Palomides had a fall;
and so Sir Launcelot or ever he stint, as fast as he might get spears,
he smote down thirty knights, and the most part of them were knights of
the Table Round; and ever the knights of his blood withdrew them, and
made them ado in other places where Sir Launcelot came not.
And then King Arthur was wroth when he saw Sir Launcelot do such deeds;
and then the king called unto him Sir Gawaine, Sir Mordred, Sir Kay,
Sir Griflet, Sir Lucan the Butler, Sir Bedivere, Sir Palomides, Sir
Safere, his brother; and so the king with these nine knights made them
ready to set upon Sir Launcelot, and upon Sir Lavaine. All this espied
Sir Bors and Sir Gareth. Now I dread me sore, said Sir Bors, that my
lord, Sir Launcelot, will be hard matched. By my head, said Sir Gareth,
I will ride unto my lord Sir Launcelot, for to help him, fall of him
what fall may, for he is the same man that made me knight. Ye shall not
so, said Sir Bors, by my counsel, unless that ye were disguised. Ye
shall see me disguised, said Sir Gareth; and therewithal he espied a
Welsh knight where he was to repose him, and he was sore hurt afore by
Sir Gawaine, and to him Sir Gareth rode, and prayed him of his
knighthood to lend him his shield for his. I will well, said the Welsh
knight. And when Sir Gareth had his shield, the book saith it was
green, with a maiden that seemed in it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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