his tournament and this joust lasted long, till it was near
evening, for the knights of the Round Table ever came to the relief of
King Arthur, who was wroth out of measure that he and his knights could
not prevail that day over Sir Launcelot and the knights who were with
him.

So when they had long dealt one another great strokes and neither might
prevail, King Arthur said to Sir Gawaine, "Tell me now, nephew, what is
your best counsel?"

"Sir," said Sir Gawaine, "ye shall have my counsel. Have sounded the
call unto lodging, for, trust me, truly it will be of no avail to
strive with Sir Launcelot of the Lake and my brother, Sir Gareth,--for
he it is with the green shield,--helped as they are by that good young
knight, Sir Lavaine, unless we should fall ten or twelve upon one
knight, and that would be no honour, but shame."

"Ye say truth," said the King, "and it were shame to us, so many as we
are, to set upon them any more."

So then they blew unto lodging, and King Arthur rode after Sir
Launcelot and prayed him and other of the knights to supper.

So they went unto Arthur's lodging all together, and there was a great
feast and great revel, and the prize was given unto Sir Launcelot.
Then Sir Launcelot told the King and the Queen how the lady huntress
shot him in the forest of Windsor in the thigh with a broad arrow.
Also Arthur blamed Sir Gareth, because he left his fellowship and held
with Sir Launcelot.

"My lord," said Sir Gareth, "he made me a knight, and when I saw him so
hard bestead, me thought it was my honour to help him, for I saw him do
so much, and I was ashamed to see so many noble knights against him
alone."

"Truly," said King Arthur unto Sir Gareth, "ye say well, and honourably
have ye done, and all the days of my life be sure I shall love you and
trust you the more for the great honour ye have done to yourself. For
ever it is an honourable knight's duty to help another honourable
knight when he seeth him in a great danger, for ever an honourable man
will be loath to see an honourable man put to shame. He that is of no
honour, and fareth with cowardice, will never show gentleness nor any
manner of goodness where he seeth a man in any danger, for never will a
coward show any mercy, and always a good man will do to another man as
he would be done to himself."

So then there were great feasts unto kings and dukes; and revel, game,
and play, and all manner of nobleness was used; and he that w