bs and mosses
and flowers in the best manner and freshest, just then there came out
of a wood Sir Meliagrance with eight-score men, well armed, and bade
the Queen and her knights to stand.

"Traitor knight," said Queen Guenever, "what intendest thou to do?
Wilt thou shame thyself? Bethink thee how thou art a king's son, and
knight of the Table Round, and thou art about to dishonour the noble
king that made thee knight; thou shamest all knighthood and thyself;
but me, I let thee wit, thou shalt never shame, for I had rather cut my
throat in twain than that thou shouldst dishonour me."

"As for all this language," said Sir Meliagrance, "be it as it may,
never before could I get you at such advantage as I do now, and
therefore I will take you as I find you."

All the ten noble knights sought to dissuade him from dishonouring
himself and from forcing them to jeopard their lives, unarmed as they
were, in defending the Queen. But Sir Meliagrance would not yield, and
the ten knights of the Table Round drew their swords and stood manly
against the spears and swords of the others. But Sir Meliagrance had
them at great advantage, and anon six of them were smitten to the earth
with grimly wounds. The other four fought long, but at last they also
were sore wounded.

When the Queen saw that her knights needs must be slain at the last,
she for pity and sorrow agreed to go with Sir Meliagrance to his castle
upon this covenant, that he suffer not her knights to be more hurt, and
that they be led wheresoever she was taken. "For," said she, "I will
rather slay myself than go with thee, unless these my noble knights may
be in my presence."

Meliagrance consented, and by the Queen's commandment they left battle.
The wounded knights were placed on horseback, some sitting, some across
the horses' backs in a pitiful manner, and all rode in haste to the
castle. Then Sir Meliagrance charged the Queen and all her knights
that no one should depart from her, for full sore he dreaded Sir
Launcelot, lest he should have any knowledging.

But the Queen privily called unto her a page who could ride swiftly,
gave him her ring, and told him to bear it, when he saw a chance to
slip away quietly, unto Sir Launcelot of the Lake, and pray him to
rescue her. "And spare thou not thy horse," said she, "neither for
water nor for land."

So the page espied his time, and lightly he touched his horse with the
spurs, and departed as fast as he might.