p, but I do not choose to believe any such evil sayings. For
there are always those who love to think and say evil things of others. Yet
though it is not to be denied that Sir Launcelot never had for his lady any
other dame than the Lady Guinevere, still no one hath ever said with truth
that she regarded Sir Launcelot otherwise than as her very dear friend. For
Sir Launcelot always avouched with his knightly word, unto the last day of
his life, that the Lady Guinevere was noble and worthy in all ways,
wherefore I choose to believe his knightly word and to hold that what he
said was true. For did not he become an hermit, and did not she become a
nun in their latter days, and were they not both broken of heart when King
Arthur departed from this life in so singular a manner as he did? Wherefore
I choose to believe good of such noble souls as they, and not evil of them.

[Sidenote: How Sir Launcelot dwelt at Camelot] Yet, though Sir Launcelot
thus abided at the court of the King, he ever loved the open world and a
life of adventure above all things else. For he had lived so long in the
Lake that these things of the sturdy life of out-of-doors never lost their
charm for him. So, though he found, for a while, great joy in being at the
court of the King (for there were many jousts held in his honor, and,
whithersoever he rode forth, men would say to one another: "Yonder goeth
that great knight, Sir Launcelot, who is the greatest knight in the
world"), yet he longed ever to be abroad in the wide world again. So one
day he besought King Arthur for leave to depart thence and to go forth for
a while in search of adventures; and King Arthur gave him leave to do as he
desired.

So now shall be told of several excellent adventures that Sir Launcelot
undertook, and which he carried through with entire success, and to the
great glory and renown of the Round Table, of which he was the foremost
knight.

[Illustration: Sir Lionel of Britain]

Chapter Second

_How Sir Launcelot and Sir Lionel Rode Forth Errant Together and How Sir
Lionel Met Sir Turquine to His Great Dole. Also How Sir Ector Grieved for
the Departure of His Brother Launcelot and So, Following Him, Fell into a
Very Sorry Adventure_.

Now after King Arthur had thus given Sir Launcelot leave to go errant and
whilst Sir Launcelot was making himself ready to depart there came to him
Sir Lionel, who was his cousin germain, and Sir Lionel besought leave to go
with