reat while, and then they departed either from
other such ways as them seemed best.

CHAPTER XVI. How King Arthur was brought into the Forest Perilous, and
how Sir Tristram saved his life.

NOW shall ye hear what was the cause that King Arthur came into the
Forest Perilous, that was in North Wales, by the means of a lady. Her
name was Annowre, and this lady came to King Arthur at Cardiff; and she
by fair promise and fair behests made King Arthur to ride with her into
that Forest Perilous; and she was a great sorceress; and many days she
had loved King Arthur, and because she would have him to lie by her she
came into that country. So when the king was gone with her many of
his knights followed after King Arthur when they missed him, as Sir
Launcelot, Brandiles, and many other; and when she had brought him to
her tower she desired him to lie by her; and then the king remembered
him of his lady, and would not lie by her for no craft that she could
do. Then every day she would make him ride into that forest with his own
knights, to the intent to have had King Arthur slain. For when this Lady
Annowre saw that she might not have him at her will, then she laboured
by false means to have destroyed King Arthur, and slain.

Then the Lady of the Lake that was alway friendly to King Arthur,
she understood by her subtle crafts that King Arthur was like to be
destroyed. And therefore this Lady of the Lake, that hight Nimue, came
into that forest to seek after Sir Launcelot du Lake or Sir Tristram for
to help King Arthur; foras that same day this Lady of the Lake knew
well that King Arthur should be slain, unless that he had help of one of
these two knights. And thus she rode up and down till she met with Sir
Tristram, and anon as she saw him she knew him. O my lord Sir Tristram,
she said, well be ye met, and blessed be the time that I have met with
you; for this same day, and within these two hours, shall be done the
foulest deed that ever was done in this land. O fair damosel, said Sir
Tristram, may I amend it. Come on with me, she said, and that in all
the haste ye may, for ye shall see the most worshipfullest knight of the
world hard bestead. Then said Sir Tristram: I am ready to help such a
noble man. He is neither better nor worse, said the Lady of the Lake,
but the noble King Arthur himself. God defend, said Sir Tristram, that
ever he should be in such distress. Then they rode together a great
pace, until they came to a