Sir Launcelot gat all
his armour as well as he might, and put it upon him for dread of more
resort, for he dreaded that the knight's castle was so nigh. And so, as
soon as he might, he took his horse and departed, and thanked God that
he had escaped that adventure.

CHAPTER XVII. How Sir Launcelot overtook a knight which chased his wife
to have slain her, and how he said to him.

SO Sir Launcelot rode many wild ways, throughout marches and many wild
ways. And as he rode in a valley he saw a knight chasing a lady, with
a naked sword, to have slain her. And by fortune as this knight should
have slain this lady, she cried on Sir Launcelot and prayed him to
rescue her. When Sir Launcelot saw that mischief, he took his horse and
rode between them, saying, Knight, fie for shame, why wilt thou slay
this lady? thou dost shame unto thee and all knights. What hast thou to
do betwixt me and my wife? said the knight. I will slay her maugre thy
head. That shall ye not, said Sir Launcelot, for rather we two will have
ado together. Sir Launcelot, said the knight, thou dost not thy part,
for this lady hath betrayed me. It is not so, said the lady, truly he
saith wrong on me. And for because I love and cherish my cousin germain,
he is jealous betwixt him and me; and as I shall answer to God there was
never sin betwixt us. But, sir, said the lady, as thou art called the
worshipfullest knight of the world, I require thee of true knighthood,
keep me and save me. For whatsomever ye say he will slay me, for he is
without mercy. Have ye no doubt, said Launcelot, it shall not lie in his
power. Sir, said the knight, in your sight I will be ruled as ye will
have me. And so Sir Launcelot rode on the one side and she on the other:
he had not ridden but a while, but the knight bade Sir Launcelot turn
him and look behind him, and said, Sir, yonder come men of arms after
us riding. And so Sir Launcelot turned him and thought no treason,
and therewith was the knight and the lady on one side, and suddenly he
swapped off his lady's head.

And when Sir Launcelot had espied him what he had done, he said, and
called him, Traitor, thou hast shamed me for ever. And suddenly Sir
Launcelot alighted off his horse, and pulled out his sword to slay him,
and therewithal he fell flat to the earth, and gripped Sir Launcelot
by the thighs, and cried mercy. Fie on thee, said Sir Launcelot, thou
shameful knight, thou mayest have no mercy, and therefore arise and