upon you, and that is the more pity: and so they talked of
many more things. And so within three days or four Sir Launcelot was big
and strong again.

CHAPTER XVII. How Sir Launcelot armed him to assay if he might bear
arms, and how his wounds brast out again.

THEN Sir Bors told Sir Launcelot how there was sworn a great tournament
and jousts betwixt King Arthur and the King of Northgalis, that should
be upon All Hallowmass Day, beside Winchester. Is that truth? said Sir
Launcelot; then shall ye abide with me still a little while until that
I be whole, for I feel myself right big and strong. Blessed be God,
said Sir Bors. Then were they there nigh a month together, and ever
this maiden Elaine did ever her diligent labour night and day unto Sir
Launcelot, that there was never child nor wife more meeker to her father
and husband than was that Fair Maiden of Astolat; wherefore Sir Bors was
greatly pleased with her.

So upon a day, by the assent of Sir Launcelot, Sir Bors, and Sir
Lavaine, they made the hermit to seek in woods for divers herbs, and
so Sir Launcelot made fair Elaine to gather herbs for him to make him a
bain. In the meanwhile Sir Launcelot made him to arm him at all pieces;
and there he thought to assay his armour and his spear, for his hurt or
not. And so when he was upon his horse he stirred him fiercely, and the
horse was passing lusty and fresh because he was not laboured a month
afore. And then Sir Launcelot couched that spear in the rest. That
courser leapt mightily when he felt the spurs; and he that was upon him,
the which was the noblest horse of the world, strained him mightily
and stably, and kept still the spear in the rest; and therewith Sir
Launcelot strained himself so straitly, with so great force, to get
the horse forward, that the button of his wound brast both within and
without; and therewithal the blood came out so fiercely that he felt
himself so feeble that he might not sit upon his horse. And then Sir
Launcelot cried unto Sir Bors: Ah, Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine, help, for
I am come to mine end. And therewith he fell down on the one side to the
earth like a dead corpse. And then Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine came to him
with sorrow-making out of measure. And so by fortune the maiden Elaine
heard their mourning, and then she came thither; and when she found Sir
Launcelot there armed in that place she cried and wept as she had been
wood; and then she kissed him, and did what she might