Tidings are come to King Arthur's court that the King of Oriande is
dead and his people destroyed, and that Lancelot hath conquered his
kingdom and slain the King, and reconquered all the lands wherein he
had set the false Law and the false believe by his force and by dread
of him. And the more part say in the court that they of the realm of
Oriande nor those of the other islands will not let Lancelot repair to
court, and are doing their endeavour to make him King; and nought is
there in the world, and he command them, they will not do, and that
never was no folk so obedient to any as are they of all these lands to
him. Briant of the Isles cometh one day privily to King Arthur, and
saith: "Sir," saith he, "Much ought I to love you, for that you have
made me Seneschal of your land; whereby meseemeth you have great
affiance in me, and my bounden duty is it to turn aside that which is
evil from you and to set forward your good everywhere, and, did I not
so, no whit loyal should I be towards you.