r I
shall never leave thee till one of us be slain."

Thus this siege endured. Sir Gawaine lay sick near a month, and when
he was well recovered, and ready within three days to do battle again
with Sir Launcelot, right so came tidings unto Arthur from England,
that made him and all his host to remove.

CHAPTER XXXIX

OF SIR MORDRED'S TREASON

As Sir Mordred was ruler of all England he did make letters as though
they came from beyond the sea, and the letters specified that King
Arthur was slain in battle with Sir Launcelot. Wherefore Sir Mordred
made a Parliament, and called the lords together, and there he made
them to choose him king. So was he crowned at Canterbury, and held a
feast there fifteen days. Afterwards he drew unto Winchester, and
there he took the Queen, Guenever, and said plainly that he would wed
her which was his uncle's wife.

So he made ready for the feast, and a day was prefixed when they should
be wedded. Wherefore Queen Guenever was passing heavy, but she durst
not discover her heart, and spake fair, and agreed to Sir Mordred's
will. Then she desired of him for to go to London, to buy all manner
of things that longed unto the wedding, and because of her fair speech
Sir Mordred trusted her well enough, and gave her leave to go. When
she came to London, she took the Tower of London, and suddenly, in all
haste possible, she stuffed it with all manner of victual, and well
garnished it with men, and so kept it.

Then when Sir Mordred wist and understood how he was beguiled, he was
passing wroth out of measure. And, a short tale for to make, he went
and laid a mighty siege about the Tower of London, and made many great
assaults thereat, and threw many great engines unto them, and shot
great guns. But all might not prevail Sir Mordred, because Queen
Guenever, for fair speech nor for foul, would never trust to come in
his hands again.

Then came the Bishop of Canterbury, the which was a noble clerk and an
holy man, and thus he said to Sir Mordred: "Sir, what will ye do? Will
ye first displease God, and then shame yourself and all knighthood?
Leave this matter, or else I shall curse you with book and bell and
candle."

"Do thou thy worst," said Sir Mordred; "wit thou well I shall defy
thee."

"Sir," said the Bishop, "and wit ye well I shall not fear me to do that
I ought to do. Also, when ye noise that my lord Arthur is slain, that
is not so, and therefore ye will make a foul w