holden to
you for coming to my aid in this battle. Now I pray you that you tell me
your name and what knight you are."

"Lord," said Sir Launcelot, "I am hight Launcelot, and am surnamed 'He of
the Lake.'"

Now when King Bagdemagus heard this he was astonished beyond measure,
wherefore he cried out, "This is wonderful, that you who are the very
flower of knighthood should be here, and that you should come to aid me in
my battle!"

[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot talks with King Bagdemagus] "Sire," said Sir
Launcelot, "I know not how much aid I may be to thee until that matter is
proven. But of a surety I owe it to this damsel to do what I am able at her
request, in return for all that she hath done for me to aid me in my time
of great peril. So it is a very small repayment for me to aid thee, her
father, in thy time of difficulties. Wherefore if, by good hap, I may be of
use to thee in this battle which is nigh at hand, then I shall be glad
beyond measure that I have paid some part of that debt which I owe to this
lady."

"Messire," said King Bagdemagus, "I give thee grammercy for thy good will
in this matter. I am sure that, with thy aid, I shall be successful in this
battle, and that it will always be most renowned in the history of chivalry
because thou hast taken part in it."

So spake they with great courtesy to one another. Then, by and by, Sir
Launcelot said: "Sir, I pray you tell me who are those knights of King
Arthur's court who are upon the part of the King of North Wales? For I
would fain know against whom I am to do battle." To which King Bagdemagus
said: "Messire, those three knights of the Round Table are as
follows--there is Sir Mordred, nephew unto King Arthur, and there is Sir
Galahantine, and there is Sir Mador de la Porte."

"Ha," quoth Sir Launcelot, "these are three very good knights indeed, and I
am not at all astonished that the King of North Wales should have had such
good fortune aforetime in that other tournament with you, seeing that he
had three such knights as they to do battle upon his side."

[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot arranges the order of battle with King
Bagdemagus] After this they fell into discourse as to the manner in which
they should do battle upon the morrow, and Sir Launcelot advised in this
wise: "Lord, let me take three knights of yours, such as you trust, and
such as you hold to be the strongest knights of your party. Let these three
knights paint their shields altogether whit