the honours of the day had been theirs.

'Fair Lords,' said Sir Lancelot, 'if I have deserved thanks, I have
paid for them sorely, for I shall hardly escape with my life,
therefore I pray you let me depart, for my hurt is grievous.' Then he
groaned piteously, and galloped from them to a wood's side, followed
by Sir Lavaine. 'Oh help me, Sir Lavaine,' said he, 'to get this
spear's head out of my side, for it is killing me.' But Sir Lavaine
feared to touch it, lest Sir Lancelot should bleed to death. 'I charge
you,' said Sir Lancelot, 'if you love me draw out the head,' so Sir
Lavaine drew it out. And Sir Lancelot gave a great shriek, and a
marvellous grisly groan, and his blood flowed out so fast, that he
fell into a swoon. 'Oh what shall I do?' cried Sir Lavaine, and he
loosed Sir Lancelot's helm and coat of mail, and turned him so that
the wind might blow on him, but for full half an hour he lay as if he
had been dead. And at last Sir Lancelot opened his eyes, and said, 'O
Lavaine, help me on my horse, for two miles from this place there
lives a hermit who once was a Knight of the Round Table, and he can
heal my wounds.' Then Sir Lavaine, with much ado, helped him on his
horse, and brought him bleeding to the hermit. The hermit looked at
him as he rode up, leaning piteously on his saddle-bow, and he thought
that he should know him, but could not tell who he was for the
paleness of his face, till he saw by a wound on his cheek that it was
Sir Lancelot.

'You cannot hide your name from me,' said the hermit, 'for you are the
noblest Knight in the world, and well I know you to be Sir Lancelot.'

'Since you know me, Sir,' said he, 'help me for God's sake, and for
death or life put me out of this pain.'

'Fear nothing,' answered the hermit, 'your pain will soon be gone,'
and he called his servants to take the armour off the Knight, and laid
him in bed. After that he dressed the wound, and gave him good wine to
drink, and Sir Lancelot slept and awoke free of his pain. So we will
leave him to be healed of his wound, under the care of the hermit, and
go back to King Arthur.

Now it was the custom in those days that after a tourney was finished,
a great feast should be held at which both parties were assembled, so
King Arthur sent to ask the King of Northgalis, where was the Knight
with the red sleeve, who had fought on his side. 'Bring him before
me,' he said, 'that he may have the prize he has won, which is his
right.'