u many a year, and never or now could I get you at such an
advantage as I do now, and therefore I will take you as I find you.

Then spake all the ten noble knights at once and said: Sir Meliagrance,
wit thou well ye are about to jeopard your worship to dishonour, and
also ye cast to jeopard our persons howbeit we be unarmed. Ye have us
at a great avail, for it seemeth by you that ye have laid watch upon us;
but rather than ye should put the queen to a shame and us all, we had
as lief to depart from our lives, for an if we other ways did, we were
shamed for ever. Then said Sir Meliagrance: Dress you as well ye can,
and keep the queen. Then the ten knights of the Table Round drew their
swords, and the other let run at them with their spears, and the ten
knights manly abode them, and smote away their spears that no spear did
them none harm. Then they lashed together with swords, and anon Sir Kay,
Sir Sagramore, Sir Agravaine, Sir Dodinas, Sir Ladinas, and Sir Ozanna
were smitten to the earth with grimly wounds. Then Sir Brandiles, and
Sir Persant, Sir Ironside, Sir Pelleas fought long, and they were sore
wounded, for these ten knights, or ever they were laid to the ground,
slew forty men of the boldest and the best of them.

So when the queen saw her knights thus dolefully wounded, and needs
must be slain at the last, then for pity and sorrow she cried Sir
Meliagrance: Slay not my noble knights, and I will go with thee upon
this covenant, that thou save them, and suffer them not to be no more
hurt, with this, that they be led with me wheresomever thou leadest
me, for I will rather slay myself than I will go with thee, unless that
these my noble knights may be in my presence. Madam, said Meliagrance,
for your sake they shall be led with you into mine own castle, with
that ye will be ruled, and ride with me. Then the queen prayed the four
knights to leave their fighting, and she and they would not depart.
Madam, said Sir Pelleas, we will do as ye do, for as for me I take no
force of my life nor death. For as the French book saith, Sir Pelleas
gave such buffets there that none armour might hold him.

CHAPTER III. How Sir Launcelot had word how the queen was taken, and how
Sir Meliagrance laid a bushment for Launcelot.

THEN by the queen's commandment they left battle, and dressed the
wounded knights on horseback, some sitting, some overthwart their
horses, that it was pity to behold them. And then Sir Meliagrance
ch