ght of right
ever to fight your battles, and those of my lady the Queen. For it was
you who gave me the high honour of Knighthood, and that same day my
lady the Queen did me a great service, else I should have been put to
shame before all men. Because in my hastiness I lost my sword, and my
lady the Queen found it and gave it to me when I had sore need of it.
And therefore, my lord Arthur, I promised her that day that I would be
her Knight in right or in wrong.'

'I owe you great thanks,' said the King, 'and some time I hope to
repay you.' The Queen, beholding Sir Lancelot, wept tears of joy for
her deliverance, and felt bowed to the ground with sorrow at the
thought of what he had done for her, when she had sent him away with
unkind words. Then all the Knights of the Round Table and his kinsmen
drew near to him and welcomed him, and there was great mirth in the
Court.

_THE FAIR MAID OF ASTOLAT_

Soon after this it befell that the damsel of the lake, called by some
Nimue and by others Vivien, wedded Sir Pelleas, and came to the Court
of King Arthur. And when she heard the talk of the death of Sir
Patrise and how the Queen had been accused of it, she found out by
means of her magic that the tale was false, and told it openly that
the Queen was innocent and that it was Sir Pinel who had poisoned the
apple. Then he fled into his own country, where none might lay hands
on him. So Sir Patrise was buried in the Church of Westminster, and on
his tomb was written, 'Here lieth Sir Patrise of Ireland, slain by Sir
Pinel le Savage, that empoisoned apples to have slain Sir Gawaine, and
by misfortune Sir Patrise ate one of those apples and then suddenly he
burst.' Also there was put upon the tomb that Queen Guenevere was
accused of the death of Sir Patrise by Sir Mador de la Porte, and how
Sir Lancelot fought with him and overcame him in battle. All this was
written on the tomb.

And daily Sir Mador prayed to have the Queen's grace once more, and by
means of Sir Lancelot he was forgiven. It was now the middle of the
summer, and King Arthur proclaimed that in fifteen days a great
tourney should be held at Camelot, which is now called Winchester, and
many Knights and Kings made ready to do themselves honour. But the
Queen said she would stay behind, for she was sick, and did not care
for the noise and bustle of a tourney. 'It grieves me you should say
that,' said the King, for you will not have seen so noble a company
g