The history saith that he gave Lancelot forty knights in charge, and
that he is come into an island where King Madeglant was. Or ever he
knew of his coming, Lancelot had cut off his retreat, for he cut his
cables and beat his anchors to pieces and broke up his ships. After
that, he struck among the people of Madeglant, and slew as many of them
as he would, he and his knights. The King thought to withdraw him
back, both him and his fellowship, into safety as he wont, but he found
himself right ill bested. Lancelot drove him toward the sea, whither he
fled, but only to find himself no less discomfit there, and slew him in
the midst of his folk, and all his other knights were slain and cast
into the sea. This island was freed of him by Lancelot, and from
thence he went to the other islands that Madeglant had conquered and
set again under the false Law, and there did away the false Law from
them that had been set thereunder by fear of death, and stablished the
land in such sort as it had been tofore. He roved so long from one
island to another that presently he came to Albanie where he had
succoured them at first.
XV.
When they of the land saw him come, they well knew that the King of
Oriande was dead and the islands made free, whereof made they great
joy. The land was some deal emptied of the most puissant and the
strongest, for they were dead along with their lord. Lancelot had
brought with him some of the best knights and most puissant. He was
come with a great navy into the land and began to destroy it. They of
the land were misbelievers, for they believed in false idols and in
false images. They saw that they might not defend the land, sith that
their lord was dead. The more part let themselves be slain for that
they would not renounce the evil Law, and they that were minded to turn
to God were saved. The kingdom was right rich and right great that
Lancelot conquered and attorned to the Law of Our Lord in such wise.
He made break all the false images of copper and fatten wherein they
had believed tofore, and whereof false answers came to them of the
voices of devils. Thereafter he caused be made crucifixes and images
in the likeness of Our Lord, and in the likeness of His sweet Mother,
the better to confirm them of the kingdoms in the Law.
XVI.
The strongest and most valiant of the land assembled one day and said
that it was high time a land so rich should no longer be without a
King. They all agreed and came to Lancelot and told him how they would
fain that he should be King of the realm he had conquered, for in no
land might he be better employed, and they would help him conquer other
realms enow. Lancelot thanked them much, but told them that of this
land nor of none other would he be King save by the good will of King
Arthur only; for that all the conquest he had made was his, and by his
commandment had he come thither, and had given him his own knights in
charge that had helped him to reconquer the lands.
XVII.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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