le Round that were there at
that time offered with Sir Launcelot.

And the Queen sent for Sir Launcelot, and prayed him of mercy, because
she had been wroth with him causeless, and he willingly forgave her.

So it passed on all that winter with all manner of hunting and hawking,
and jousts and tourneys were many betwixt the great lords; and ever in
all places Sir Lavaine gat great honour, so that he was nobly renowned
among many knights of the Table Round.

CHAPTER XXXIV

OF THE GREAT TOURNAMENT ON CANDLEMAS DAY

At Christmas time many knights were together at the court, and every
day there was a joust made. Sir Lavaine jousted there all that
Christmas passing well, and was praised best, for there were but few
that did so well. Wherefore all knights thought that Sir Lavaine
should be made knight of the Round Table at the next feast of Pentecost.

But Sir Launcelot would joust only when a great tournament was held.
So after Christmas King Arthur had many knights called unto him, and
there they agreed together to make a party and a great tournament near
Westminster on Candlemas Day. Of this many knights were glad, and made
themselves ready to be at these jousts in the freshest manner. The
Queen Guenever sent for Sir Launcelot, and said: "At these jousts that
shall be ye shall bear upon your helmet the sleeve of gold that ye
shall have of me, and I pray you, for my sake exert yourself there so
that men may speak of your honour."

"Madam," said Sir Launcelot, "it shall be done."

And when Sir Launcelot saw his time, he told Sir Bors that he would
depart, and have no others with him than Sir Lavaine, unto the good
hermit that dwelt in the forest of Windsor,--his name was Sir
Brastias,--and there he intended to take all the repose he might,
because he wished to be fresh on the day of the jousts.

So Sir Launcelot with Sir Lavaine departed so quietly that no creature
except the noble men of his own kin knew what had become of him. And
when he had come to the hermitage, you may be sure he had good cheer.
Daily he would go to a spring hard by the hermitage, and there he would
lie down and watch the spring bubble, and sometimes he slept there.

At that time a lady dwelt in the forest, who was a great huntress.
Every day she used to hunt, and no men ever went with her, but always
women. They were all shooters, and could well kill a deer both under
cover and in the open. They always carried bows and arrows,