cannot escape thee I must needs do battle. Only make
haste, for I would fain be going upon my way."

So Sir Gylmere donned his helm in haste and ran and took his shield and
spear and mounted upon his horse. So when he had made himself ready in all
ways he rushed upon Sir Launcelot with all his might and Sir Launcelot
rushed against him.

[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot overthrows Sir Gylmere] In that encounter each
knight struck the other in the midst of his shield, and the spear of Sir
Gylmere burst into pieces, but Sir Launcelot's spear held, so the
breast-strap of Sir Gylmere's saddle bursting, both saddle and knight were
swept entirely off the horse and to the earth, where Sir Gylmere lay
altogether stunned.

[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot wins from Sir Raynold] Then Sir Raynold came
against Sir Launcelot in like manner as the others had done, and in that
encounter Sir Launcelot overthrew both horse and man so that, had not Sir
Raynold voided his horse, he would likely have been very sadly hurt.

Then Sir Raynold drew his sword and cried out in a loud voice: "Come, Sir
Knight, and do me battle afoot!" But Sir Launcelot said: "Why will you have
it so, Sir Knight? I have no such quarrel with you as to do battle with
swords." "Ha!" said Sir Raynold, "you shall fight with me. For though you
wear Sir Kay's armor, I wot very well that you are not Sir Kay, but a great
deal bigger man than ever Sir Kay is like to be."

"Nay," said Sir Launcelot, "I will not do any more battle with you." And
therewith he drew rein and rode away, leaving Sir Raynold standing very
angry in the middle of the highway.

[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot meets four noble knights] After that Sir
Launcelot rode very easily at a quiet gait, with no great thought whither
he rode, until after a while he came to a place where a road went across a
level field with two rows of tall poplar trees, one upon either side of the
highway. Then Sir Launcelot perceived where, beneath the shade of these
poplar trees, were four knights standing each by his horse. And these four
knights were conversing very pleasantly together. Now as Sir Launcelot drew
nigh he perceived that those were four very famous noble knights of the
Round Table; to wit: one of those knights was his own brother, Sir Ector de
Maris, another was Sir Gawain, another was Sir Ewain, and the fourth was
Sir Sagramore le Desirous.

Now as Sir Launcelot drew nigh Sir Gawain said: "Look, yonder cometh Sir
Kay the Sene