n
that I may appear. For I am sure that Sir Mador is a hot Knight, and
the longer he waits the more impatient he will be for the combat.'

'Sir,' answered Sir Bors, 'let me deal with him. Doubt not you shall
have all your will.' And he rode away, and came again to the Court.

It was soon noised about that Sir Bors would be the Queen's champion,
and many Knights were displeased with him; but there were a few who
held the Queen to be innocent. Sir Bors spoke unto them all and said,
'It were shameful, my fair lords, if we suffered the most noble Queen
in the world to be disgraced openly, not only for her sake, but for
the King's.' But they answered him: 'As for our lord King Arthur, we
love him and honour him as much as you; but as for Queen Guenevere,
we love her not, for she is the destroyer of good Knights.'

[Illustration: GUENEVERE & SIR BORS]

'Fair lords,' said Sir Bors, 'you shall not speak such words, for
never yet have I heard that she was the destroyer of good Knights. But
at all times, as far as I ever knew, she maintained them and gave them
many gifts. And therefore it were a shame to us all if we suffered our
noble King's wife to be put to death, and I will not suffer it. So
much I will say, that the Queen is not guilty of Sir Patrise's death;
for she owed him no ill will, and bade him and us to the dinner for no
evil purpose, which will be proved hereafter. And in any case there
was foul dealing among us.'

'We may believe your words,' said some of the Knights, but others held
that he spoke falsely.

The days passed quickly by until the evening before the battle, when
the Queen sent for Sir Bors and asked him if he was ready to keep his
promise.

'Truly, Madam,' answered he, 'I shall not fail you, unless a better
Knight than I am come to do battle for you. Then, Madam, I am
discharged of my promise.'

'Shall I tell this to my lord Arthur?' said the Queen.

'If it pleases you, Madam,' answered Sir Bors. So the Queen went to
the King, and told him what Sir Bors had said, and the King bade her
to be comforted, as Sir Bors was one of the best Knights of the Round
Table.

The next morning the King and Queen, and all manner of Knights, rode
into the meadow of Westminster, where the battle was to be; and the
Queen was put into the Guard of the High Constable, and a stout iron
stake was planted, and a great fire made about it, at which the Queen
should be burned if Sir Mador de la Porte won the fight. F