one me aforetime and shall return to me those
forest lands which he hath taken from me to give unto another. So if you
go with me in peace, it shall be well for you, but if you go not in
peace it shall be ill for you."

Then all the ladies that were of the Queen's court were seized with
great terror, for Sir Mellegrans's tones and the aspect of his face were
very fierce and baleful; but Queen Guinevere, albeit her face was like
to wax for whiteness, spake with a great deal of courage and much anger,
saying: "Wilt thou be a traitor to thy King, Sir Knight? Wilt thou dare
to do violence to me and my court within the very sight of the roofs of
King Arthur's town?"

"Lady," said Sir Mellegrans, "thou hast said what I will to do."

At this Sir Percydes drew his sword and said: "Sir Knight, this shall
not be! Thou shalt not have thy will in this while I have any life in my
body!"

Then all those other gentlemen drew their swords also, and one and all
spake to the same purpose, saying: "Sir Percydes hath spoken; sooner
would we die than suffer that affront to the Queen."

"Well," said Sir Mellegrans, speaking very bitterly, "if ye will it that
ye who are naked shall do battle with us who are armed, then let it be
even as ye elect. So keep this lady from me if ye are able, for I will
herewith seize upon you all, maugre anything that you may do to stay
me."

Then those ten unarmed knights of the Queen and their attendants made
them ready for battle. And when Sir Mellegrans beheld what was their
will, he gave command that his men should make them ready for battle
upon their part, and they did so.

Then in a moment all that pleasant May-party was changed to dreadful and
bloody uproar; for men lashed fiercely at men with sword and glaive, and
the Queen and her ladies shrieked and clung in terror together in the
midst of that party of knights who were fighting for them.

[Sidenote: _Of the battle with the party of Sir Mellegrans._]

And for a long time those ten unarmed worthies fought against the armed
men as one to ten, and for a long time no one could tell how that battle
would end. For the ten men smote the others down from their horses upon
all sides, wherefore, for a while, it looked as though the victory
should be with them. But they could not shield themselves from the blows
of their enemies, being unarmed, wherefore they were soon wounded in
many places, and what with loss of blood and what with stress of
fightin