_How king Arthur and Sir Gawaine made a great host ready to go over sea
to make war on Sir Launcelot._
So leave we Sir Launcelot in his lands, and his noble knights with him,
and return we again unto king Arthur and to Sir Gawaine, that made a
great host ready, to the number of threescore thousand, and all thing
was made ready for their shipping to pass over the sea; and so they
shipped at Cardiff. And there king Arthur made Sir Mordred chief ruler
of all England, and also he put queen Guenever under his governance;
because Sir Mordred was king Arthur’s son, he gave him the rule of his
land, and of his wife, and so king Arthur passed over the sea and
landed upon Sir Launcelot’s lands, and there he burnt and wasted,
through the vengeance of Sir Gawaine, all that they might overrun. When
this word came to Sir Launcelot, that king Arthur and Sir Gawaine were
landed upon his lands, and made a full destruction and waste, then
spake Sir Bors and said, My lord Sir Launcelot, it is shame that we
suffer them thus to ride over our lands, for wit you well, suffer ye
them as long as ye will, they will do you no favour, and they may
handle you. Then said Sir Lionel, that was ware and wise, My lord Sir
Launcelot, I will give you this counsel, let us keep our strong walled
towns until they have hunger and cold, and blow on their nails, and
then let us freshly set upon them, and shred them down as sheep in a
field, that aliens may take ensample for ever how they land upon our
lands. Then spake king Bagdemagus to Sir Launcelot, Sir, your courtesy
will shend us all, and thy courtesy hath waked all this sorrow: for,
and they thus over our lands ride, they shall by process bring us all
to nought, whilst we thus in holes us hide. Then said Sir Galihud unto
Sir Launcelot, Sir, here be knights come of kings’ blood that will not
long droop, and they are within these walls, therefore give us leave,
like as we be knights, to meet them in the field, and we shall slay
them, that they shall curse the time that ever they came into this
country. Then spake seven brethren of North Wales, and they were seven
noble knights, a man might seek in seven lands or he might find such
seven knights: then they all said at once, Sir Launcelot, let us out
ride with Sir Galihud, for we be never wont to cower in castles nor in
noble towns. Then spake Sir Launcelot, that was master and governor of
them all, My fair lords, wit you well I am full loth to ride out with
my knights, for shedding of christian blood; and yet my lands I
understand be full bare to sustain any host a while, for the mighty
wars that whilom made king Claudus upon this country, upon my father
king Ban, and on mine uncle king Bors; howbeit we will as at this time
keep our strong walls, and I shall send a messager unto my lord Arthur,
a treaty for to take, for better is peace than always war. So Sir
Launcelot sent forth a damsel, and a dwarf with her, requiring king
Arthur to leave his warring upon his lands, and so she start upon a
palfrey, and the dwarf ran by her side. And when she came to the
pavilion of king Arthur, there she alight, and there met her a gentle
knight Sir Lucan the butler, and said, Fair damsel, come ye from Sir
Launcelot du Lake? Yea, sir, she said, therefore I come hither to speak
with my lord the king. Alas, said Sir Lucan, my lord Arthur would love
Launcelot, but Sir Gawaine will not suffer him. And then he said, I
pray to God, damsel, ye may speed well, for all we that be about the
king would that Sir Launcelot did best of any knight living. And so
with this Lucan led the damsel unto the king, where he sat with Sir
Gawaine for to hear what she would say. So when she had told her tale,
the water ran out of the king’s eyes, and all the lords were full glad
for to advise the king as to be accorded with Sir Launcelot, save all
only Sir Gawaine, and he said, My lord, mine uncle, what will ye do?
will ye now turn again, now ye are past thus far upon this journey? all
the world will speak of you villainy. Nay, said Arthur, wit thou well,
Sir Gawaine, I will do as ye will advise me; and yet me seemeth, said
Arthur, his fair proffers were not good to be refused: but sithen I am
comen so far upon this journey, I will that ye give the damsel her
answer, for I may not speak to her for pity, for her proffers be so
large.