saith Lancelot. "Sir Knight, will you do this whereof you
had the damsel in covenant?"

"Sir," saith the knight, "I have told you plainly that I will not."

"By my head," saith Lancelot, "you shall do it, or otherwise sentence
of death hath passed upon you, and this not so much for the sake of the
damsel only, but for the churlishness that hath taken possession of
you, that it be not a reproach to other knights. For promise that
knight maketh to dame or damsel behoveth him to keep. And you, as you
tell me, are knight, and no knight ought to do churlishly to his
knowledge, and this churlishness is so far greater than another, that
for no prayer that the damsel may make will I suffer that it shall be
done, but that if you do not that whereof you held her in covenant, I
shall slay you, for that I will not have this churlishness made a
reproach unto other knights."

He draweth his sword and would have come toward him, when the knight
cometh over against him and saith to him: "Slay me not. Tell me rather
what you would have me do?"

"I would," saith he, "that you take the damsel to wife without denial."

"Sir," saith he, "it pleaseth me better to take her than to die. Sir, I
will do your will."

"I thank you much therefor," saith Lancelot. "Damsel, is this your
pleasure also?"

"Yea, Sir, but, so please you, take not your departure from us until
such time as he shall have done that which you tell him."

"I will, well that so it be," saith Lancelot, "for love of you."

They ride together right through the forest, until they came to a
chapel at a hermitage, and the hermit wedded them and made much joy
thereof. When it cometh to after-mass, Lancelot would fain depart, but
the damsel prayeth him right sweetly that he should come right to her
father's house to witness that the knight had wedded her.

XIV.

"Sir," saith she, "My father's hold is not far away."

"Lady," saith Lancelot, "Willingly will I go sith that you beseech me
thereof."

They ride so long right amidst the forest, that presently they come to
the castle of the Vavasour, that was sitting on the bridge of his
castle, right sorrowful and troubled because of his daughter. Lancelot
is gone on before and alighteth. The Vavasour riseth up to meet him,
and Lancelot recounteth unto him how his daughter hath been wedded, and
that he hath been at the wedding. Thereof the Vavasour maketh right
great joy. Therewithal, behold you, the knight and the Va