ere held prisoners.

First of all you are to know that that part of the castle wherein she
and her court were held overlooked the road which led up to the gate of
the castle. Wherefore it came about that one of the damsels of the
Queen, looking out of the window of the chamber wherein the Queen was
held prisoner, beheld a knight armed at all points, coming riding
thitherward in a cart. Beholding this sight, she fell to laughing,
whereat the Queen said, "What is it you laugh at?" That damsel cried
out: "Lady, Lady, look, see! What a strange sight! Yonder is a knight
riding in a cart as though he were upon his way to a hanging!"

[Sidenote: _The Queen beholds Sir Launcelot riding in a cart._]

Then Queen Guinevere came to the window and looked out, and several came
and looked out also. At first none of them wist who it was that rode in
that cart. But when the cart had come a little nearer to where they
were, the Queen knew who he was, for she beheld the device upon the
shield, even from afar, and she knew that the knight was Sir Launcelot.
Then the Queen turned to the damsel and said to her: "You laugh without
knowing what it is you laugh at. Yonder gentleman is no subject for a
jest, for he is without any doubt the worthiest knight of any who ever
wore golden spurs."

[Sidenote: _Sir Percydes is offended with Sir Launcelot._]

Now amongst those who stood there looking out of the window were Sir
Percydes and Sir Brandiles and Sir Ironside, and in a little Sir
Percydes also saw the device of Sir Launcelot and therewith knew who it
was who rode in the cart. But when Sir Percydes knew that that knight
was Sir Launcelot, he was greatly offended that he, who was the chiefest
knight of the Round Table, should ride in a cart in that wise. So Sir
Percydes said to the Queen: "Lady, I believe yonder knight is none other
than Sir Launcelot of the Lake." And Queen Guinevere said, "It is
assuredly he." Sir Percydes said: "Then I take it to be a great shame
that the chiefest knight of the Round Table should ride so in a cart as
though he were a felon law-breaker. For the world will assuredly hear
of this and it will be made a jest in every court of chivalry. And all
we who are his companions in arms and who are his brethren of the Round
Table will be made a jest and a laughing-stock along with him."

Thus spake Sir Percydes, and the other knights who were there and all
the ladies who were there agreed with him that it was great sh