fast as he might till he came to that
knight, saying, O thou false knight and traitor unto knighthood, who did
learn thee to distress ladies and gentlewomen? When the knight saw Sir
Launcelot thus rebuking him he answered not, but drew his sword and rode
unto Sir Launcelot, and Sir Launcelot threw his spear from him, and drew
out his sword, and struck him such a buffet on the helmet that he clave
his head and neck unto the throat. Now hast thou thy payment that long
thou hast deserved! That is truth, said the damosel, for like as Sir
Turquine watched to destroy knights, so did this knight attend to
destroy and distress ladies, damosels, and gentlewomen, and his name was
Sir Peris de Forest Savage. Now, damosel, said Sir Launcelot, will ye
any more service of me? Nay, sir, she said, at this time, but almighty
Jesu preserve you wheresomever ye ride or go, for the curteist knight
thou art, and meekest unto all ladies and gentlewomen, that now liveth.
But one thing, sir knight, methinketh ye lack, ye that are a knight
wifeless, that he will not love some maiden or gentlewoman, for I could
never hear say that ever ye loved any of no manner degree, and that is
great pity; but it is noised that ye love Queen Guenever, and that she
hath ordained by enchantment that ye shall never love none other but
her, nor none other damosel nor lady shall rejoice you; wherefore many
in this land, of high estate and low, make great sorrow.

Fair damosel, said Sir Launcelot, I may not warn people to speak of me
what it pleaseth them; but for to be a wedded man, I think it not; for
then I must couch with her, and leave arms and tournaments, battles, and
adventures; and as for to say for to take my pleasaunce with paramours,
that will I refuse in principal for dread of God; for knights that be
adventurous or lecherous shall not be happy nor fortunate unto the wars,
for other they shall be overcome with a simpler knight than they be
themselves, other else they shall by unhap and their cursedness slay
better men than they be themselves. And so who that useth paramours
shall be unhappy, and all thing is unhappy that is about them.

And so Sir Launcelot and she departed. And then he rode in a deep forest
two days and more, and had strait lodging. So on the third day he rode
over a long bridge, and there stert upon him suddenly a passing foul
churl, and he smote his horse on the nose that he turned about, and
asked him why he rode over that bridge wi