"We shall not strive," said Morgan le Fay that was King Arthur's sister; "I shall put an enchantment upon him that he shall not awake in six hours, and then I will lead him away unto my castle, and when he is surely within my hold I shall take the enchantment from him, and then let him choose which of us he will have for his love." So this enchantment was cast upon Sir Launcelot, and then they laid him upon his shield, and bare him so on horseback betwixt two knights, and brought him unto the castle Chariot, and there they laid him in a chamber cold, and at night they sent unto him a fair damsel with his supper ready dight. By that the enchantment was past, and when she came she saluted him, and asked him what cheer? "I cannot say, fair damsel," said Sir Launcelot, "for I wot not how I came into this castle but it be by an enchantment." "Sir," said she, "ye must make good cheer, and if ye be such a knight as is said ye be, I shall tell you more to-morn [_to-morrow_] by prime [_the first hour_] of the day." "Gramercy, fair damsel," said Sir Launcelot, "of your good will I require you." And so she departed. And there he lay all that night without comfort of anybody. And on the morn early came these four queens, passingly well beseen, all they bidding him good morn, and he them again. "Sir knight," the four queens said, "thou must understand thou art our prisoner, and we here know thee well, that thou art Sir Launcelot du Lake, King Ban's son. And truly we understand your worthiness that thou art the noblest knight living; and therefore thee behoveth now to choose one of us four. I am the Queen Morgan le Fay, Queen of the land of Gore, and here is the Queen of Northgalis, and the Queen of Eastland, and the Queen of the Out Isles; now choose ye one of us which thou wilt have to thy love, for thou mayst not choose or else in this prison to die." "This is an hard case," said Sir Launcelot, "that either I must die or else choose one of you, yet had I liever to die in this prison with worship, than to have one of you to my love maugre my head. And therefore ye be answered, for I will have none of you, for ye be false enchantresses." "Well," said the queens, "is this your answer, that you will refuse us?" "Yea, upon my life," said Sir Launcelot, "refused ye be of me." So they departed, and left him there alone that made great sorrow. * * * * * Right so at noon came the damsel to him, and brought him his dinner, and asked him what cheer. "Truly, fair damsel," said Sir Launcelot, "in all my life-days never so ill." "Sir," said she, "that me repenteth; but and ye will be ruled by me, I shall help you out of this distress, and ye shall have no shame nor villany, so that ye hold me a promise." "Fair damsel, that I will grant you, and sore I am afeared of these queen's witches, for they have destroyed many a good knight."