armed himself at his hostel, and is come hither in such manner and at
such time without your leave, and he may do something more yet. You
ought well to ask him wherefore he wisheth to do you evil, and in what
manner you have deserved it."

He biddeth him be called before him. "Lancelot," saith the King,
"Wherefore are you armed?"

"Sir, I was told that knights had come in hither armed, and I was
feared lest some mishap had befallen you, for I would not that any evil
should betide you."

"You come hither for another thing," saith the King, "according to that
I have been given to wit, and, had the hall been void of folk, you
hoped to have slain me."

The King commandeth him be taken forthwith without gainsay of any. The
knights that were armed did off their cloaks and leapt toward him on
all sides, for they durst not disobey the King's commandment, and the
more part were men of Briant of the Isles.

XXII.

Lancelot seeth them coming towards him with their keen swords and
saith, "By my head, an evil guerdon do you return me of the services I
have done for you."

The knights come to him all together swords drawn, and run upon him all
at once. He goeth defending himself, as far as the wall of the hall,
whereof he maketh a castle to his back, but before he cometh thither he
hath slain or wounded seven. He began to defend himself right stoutly
on all sides, but they gave him great buffets of their swords, and no
fair play is it of thirty or forty blows to one. Nor ought none
believe that one single knight might deliver himself from so many men,
seeing that they were eager to take him and do him a hurt. Lancelot
defended him the best he might, but the numbers were against him, and,
anyway, or ever he let himself be taken he sold himself right dear, for
of the forty knights he harmed at least a score, and of them was none
that was not sore wounded and the most part killed; and he caught
Briant of the Isles, that was helping to take him, so sore that he made
his sword drink the blood of his body, in such sort that the wound was
right wide. The knights laid hold on Lancelot on all sides, and the
King commanded that none should harm him, but that they should bring
him to his dungeon in the prison. Lancelot marvelled him much wherefore
the King should do this, nor might he understand wherefore this hatred
was come so lately. He is put in the prison so as the King hath
commanded. All they of the court are sorry