eft side bare, and my left arm shall be
bound behind me, and in this guise I will fight with you.' At this Sir
Meliagraunce started to his feet, and cried, 'My lord Arthur, take
heed to this offer, for I will take it, therefore let him be bound and
unarmed as he has said.' So the Knights disarmed Sir Lancelot, first
his head and then his side, and his left hand was bound behind his
back, in such a manner that he could not use his shield, and full many
a Knight and lady marvelled that Sir Lancelot would risk himself so.
And Sir Meliagraunce lifted his sword on high and would have smitten
Sir Lancelot on his bare head, had he not leapt lightly to one side,
and, before Sir Meliagraunce could right himself, Sir Lancelot had
struck him so hard upon his helmet that his skull split in two, and
there was nothing left to do but to carry his dead body from the
field. And because the Knights of the Round Table begged to have him
honourably buried, the King agreed thereto, and on his tomb mention
was made of how he came by his death, and who slew him. After this Sir
Lancelot was more cherished by the King and Queen than ever he was
before.

Among the many Knights at Arthur's Court who owned kings for their
fathers were Sir Mordred and Sir Agrawaine, who had for brothers, Sir
Gawaine, Sir Gaheris and Sir Gareth. And their mother was Queen of
Orkney, sister to King Arthur. Now Sir Agrawaine and Sir Mordred had
evil natures, and loved both to invent slanders and to repeat them.
And at this time they were full of envy of the noble deeds Sir
Lancelot had done, and how men called him the bravest Knight of the
Table Round, and said that he was the friend of the King, and the
sworn defender of the Queen. So they cast about how they might ruin
him, and found the way by putting jealous thoughts into the mind of
Arthur.

As was told in the tale of the marriage of Arthur, Queen Guenevere's
heart had gone out to Lancelot, on the journey to the Court, and ever
she loved to have him with her. This was known well to Sir Mordred,
who watched eagerly for a chance to work her ill.

It came one day when Arthur proclaimed a hunt, and Sir Mordred guessed
that Sir Lancelot, who did not love hunting, would stay behind, and
would spend the time holding talk with the Queen. Therefore he went to
the King and began to speak evil of the Queen and Sir Lancelot. At
first King Arthur would listen to nothing, but slowly his jealousy
burned within him, and he l