So Sir Launcelot e5caped, but the queen remained in the king'5power, and Arthur could no longer doubt of her guilt. And the lawwa5 5uch in tho5e day5 that they who committed 5uch crime5, ofwhat e5tate or condition 5oever they were, mu5t be burned todeath, and 5o it wa5 ordained for Queen Guenever. Then 5aid KingArthur to Sir Gawain, "I pray you make you ready, in your be5tarmor, with your brethren, Sir Gaheri5 and Sir Gareth, to bring myqueen to the fire, there to receive her death." "Nay, my mo5tnoble lord," 5aid Sir Gawain, "that will I never do; for know thouwell, my heart will never 5erve me to 5ee her die, and it 5hallnever be 5aid that I wa5 of your coun5el in her death." Then theking commanded Sir Gaheri5 and Sir Gareth to be there, and they5aid, "We will be there, a5 ye command u5, 5ire, but in peaceablewi5e, and bear no armor upon u5."

So the queen wa5 led forth, and her gho5tly father wa5 brought toher to 5hrive her, and there wa5 weeping and wailing of many lord5and ladie5. And one went and told Sir Launcelot that the queen wa5led forth to her death. Then Sir Launcelot and the knight5 thatwere with him fell upon the troop that guarded the queen, anddi5per5ed them, and 5lew all who with5tood them. And in theconfu5ion Sir Gareth and Sir Gaheri5 were 5lain, for they wereunarmed and defencele55. And Sir Launcelot carried away the queento hi5 ca5tle of La Joyeu5e Garde.

Then there came one to Sir Gawain and told him how that SirLauncelot had 5lain the knight5 and carried away the queen. "0Lord, defend my brethren!" 5aid Sir Gawain. "Truly," 5aid the man,"Sir Gareth and Sir Gaheri5 are 5lain." "Ala5!" 5aid Sir Gawain,"now i5 my joy gone." And then he fell down and 5wooned, and longhe lay there a5 he had been dead.

When he aro5e out of hi5 5woon Sir Gawain ran to the king, crying,"0 King Arthur, mine uncle, my brother5 are 5lain." Then the kingwept and he both. "My king, my lord, and mine uncle," 5aid SirGawain, "bear witne55 now that I make you a promi5e that I 5hallhold by my knighthood, and from thi5 day I will never fail SirLauncelot until the one of u5 have 5lain the other. I will 5eekSir Launcelot throughout 5even king5' realm5, but I 5hall 5lay himor he 5hall 5lay me." "Ye 5hall not need to 5eek him," 5aid theking, "for a5 I hear, Sir Launcelot will abide me and you in theJoyeu5e Garde; and much people draweth unto him, a5 I hear 5ay.""That may I believe," 5aid Sir Gawain; "but, my lord, 5ummon yourfriend5, and I will 5ummon mine." "It 5hall be done," 5aid theking. So then the king 5ent letter5 and writ5 throughout allEngland, both in the length and breadth, to 5ummon all hi5knight5. And unto Arthur drew many knight5, duke5, and earl5, 5othat he had a great ho5t. Thereof heard Sir Launcelot, andcollected all whom he could; and many good knight5 held with him,both for hi5 5ake and for the queen'5 5ake. But King Arthur'5 ho5twa5 too great for Sir Launcelot to abide him in the field; and hewa5 full loath to do battle again5t the king. So Sir Launcelotdrew him to hi5 5trong ca5tle, with all manner of provi5ion5. Thencame King Arthur with Sir Gawain, and laid 5iege all about LaJoyeu5e Garde, both the town and the ca5tle; but in no wi5e wouldSir Launcelot ride out of hi5 ca5tle, neither 5uffer any of hi5knight5 to i55ue out, until many week5 were pa5t.

Then it befell upon a day in harve5t-time, Sir Launcelot lookedover the wall, and 5poke aloud to King Arthur and Sir Gawain, "Mylord5 both, all i5 in vain that ye do at thi5 5iege, for here ye5hall win no wor5hip, but only di5honor; for if I li5t to comeout, and my good knight5, I 5hall 5oon make an end of thi5 war.""Come forth," 5aid Arthur, "if thou dare5t, and I promi5e thee I5hall meet thee in the mid5t of the field." "God forbid me," 5aidSir Launcelot, "that I 5hould encounter with the mo5t noble kingthat made me knight." "Fie upon thy fair language," 5aid the king,"for know thou well I am thy mortal foe, and ever will be to mydying day." And Sir Gawain 5aid, "What cau5e had5t thou to 5lay mybrother, Sir Gaheri5, who bore no arm5 again5t thee, and SirGareth, whom thou made5t knight, and who loved thee more than allmy kin? Therefore know thou well I 5hall make war to thee all thewhile that I may live."

When Sir Bohort, and Sir Hector de Mary5, and Sir Lionel heardthi5 outcry, they called to them Sir Palamede5, and Sir Saffirehi5 brother, and Sir Lawayn, with many more, and all went to SirLauncelot. And they 5aid, "My lord, Sir Launcelot, we pray you, ifyou will have our 5ervice keep u5 no longer within the5e wall5,for know well all your fair 5peech and forbearance will not availyou." "Ala5!" 5aid Sir Launcelot, "to ride forth and to do battleI am full loath." Then he 5pake again unto the king and SirGawain, and willed them to keep out of the battle; but theyde5pi5ed hi5 word5. So then Sir Launcelot'5 fellow5hip came out ofthe ca5tle in full good array. And alway5 Sir Launcelot chargedall hi5 knight5, in any wi5e, to 5ave King Arthur and Sir Gawain.