Then Sir Launcelot said, “Sir Gawaine, even if you do not ask me for your life, yet will I grant it to you. Arise and depart!” To this Sir Gawaine said, “Messire, in this you are foolish. For if you do not slay me now, then when I am well and healed again, I will come back against you, and will assail you again as I have assailed you to-day. For wit you that in this quarrel either you shall die or I shall die.” Sir Launcelot said, “Sir, this matters not to me! I cannot slay you now and I will not slay you.” So Sir Launcelot turned away from that place. And he mounted his horse and departed thence. And as he rode back to the castle Sir Launcelot wept so that hardly could he see the way before him because of the tears that rained down from his eyes. Then came those from King Arthur’s side who had looked upon the battle, and they raised Sir Gawaine up and led him away to his tent. And when he had come to his couch they unarmed Sir Gawaine and searched his wounds and found that they were very deep and sore. So they dressed the wounds of Sir Gawaine and put salves and unguents upon them, and so he was made in all ways as comfortable as could be. And Sir Gawaine sent for that cunning and learned physician who had given him the medicine of strength, and he said to him, “Cannot you give me a stronger medicine than that, and one that will make in me the strength of twenty?” The physician said, “Sir, I cannot do that, for I have no such power.” Sir Gawaine said, “Then can you not give me a medicine that will make me stronger for a longer time than till the prime of noon?” But the physician said, “Sir, I cannot do that either.” Then Sir Gawaine sighed and he said, “Woe is me! I fear me I shall never be able to overcome Sir Launcelot.” Meanwhile the wounds of Sir Launcelot were being searched at the castle and also were found to be very sore and very deep. So it was several weeks before Sir Gawaine or Sir Launcelot recovered from those wounds. But after those several weeks were over, then each knight was as strong and as hale as he had ever been. [Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine is healed. He challengeth Sir Launcelot._] So, after Sir Gawaine was in all ways healed again, he clad himself in armor and took in his hand a very strong and powerful lance and mounted upon his horse once more. And Sir Gawaine rode out to the castle and he rode up and down before the walls of the castle, and ever as he rode he called out on high, “Sir Launcelot, come forth, thou caitiff knight, and do me battle!” Then they who heard those words went to Sir Launcelot, and they said to him, “Sir, here Sir Gawaine is riding beneath the walls of the castle, and he uttereth his challenge against you.” Sir Launcelot sighed and anon he said, “Send mine armor here to me”; and he said, “Send Galliard hither” (Galliard being the name of the esquire of Sir Launcelot).