r, if I live, that all Christendom shall
speak of it."

On the morn there came a damsel from Morgan to the King, and she
brought with her the richest mantle that ever was seen in that court,
for it was set as full of precious stones as one might stand by
another, and there were the richest stones that ever the King saw. And
the damsel said, "Your sister sendeth you this mantle, and desireth
that ye should take this gift of her, and in what thing she hath
offended you, she will amend it at your own pleasure."

When the King beheld this mantle it pleased him much, but he said
little. With that came one of the Damsels of the Lake unto the King
and said, "Sir, I must speak with you in private."

"Say on," said the King, "what ye will."

"Sir," said the damsel, "put not on you this mantle till ye have seen
more, and in no wise let it come on you or any knight of yours, till ye
command the bringer thereof to put it upon her."

"Well," said King Arthur, "it shall be done as ye counsel me." And
then he said unto the damsel that came from his sister, "Damsel, this
mantle that ye have brought me I will see upon you."

"Sir," said she, "it will not beseem me to wear a king's garment."

"By my head," said Arthur, "ye shall wear it ere it come on my back, or
any man's that here is."

And so the King made it to be put upon her, and forthwithal she fell
down dead, and nevermore spake word after, but burned to coals.

Then was the King wonderfully wroth, more than he was beforehand, and
said unto King Uriens, "My sister, your wife, is alway about to betray
me, and well I wot either ye or your son Sir Uwaine is of counsel with
her to have me destroyed; but as for you," said the King to King
Uriens, "I deem not greatly that ye be of her counsel, for she plotted
with Accolon to destroy you as well as me. Therefore I hold you
excused; but as for your son, Sir Uwaine, I hold him suspected, and
therefore I charge you put him out of my court."

So Sir Uwaine was discharged. And when Sir Gawaine wist that, he made
himself ready to go with his cousin. So they two departed, and rode
into a great forest, and came to an abbey of monks, where they were
well lodged. But when the King wist that Sir Gawaine was departed from
the court, there was made great sorrow among all the estates.

"Now," said Gaheris, Gawaine's brother, "we have lost two good knights
for the sake of one."

CHAPTER X

SIR LAUNCELOT OF THE LAKE

When