ey will do you no favor if you fall into their hands."

Then said Sir Lionel, who was wary and wise, "My lord Sir Lancelot, this
is my counsel. Let us keep to our strong-walled towns till the invaders
suffer from hunger and cold, and blow upon their nails for warmth. Then
we may freshly set upon them, and shred them down like sheep in a
field."

"Such a course would disgrace us all," said King Bagdemagus to Lancelot.
"Your over-courtesy has caused all the trouble we now have. If we let
Gawaine work his will, he will bring our power to naught, while we hide
like rabbits in our holes."

"So say I," broke in Sir Galihud. "There are knights here who come of
kings' blood, and that will not long be content to droop behind walls.
Give us leave to meet them in the field, and we shall deal with them in
such fashion that they will curse the time they came into this country."

Then spoke seven brethren of North Wales, men of such prowess that one
might seek through seven lands before he could find seven such
knights,--

"Sir Lancelot," they said together, "let us ride out with Sir Galihud,
for it has never been our wont to cower in towns and castles."

"My fair lords," replied Lancelot to them all, "I am loath to ride out
with my knights and shed Christian blood. And my lands, after all the
wars they have endured, are too bare long to sustain this invading host.
It is the part of wisdom, therefore, for the time to keep to our walls,
and meanwhile I will send a messenger to King Arthur and offer him a
treaty of peace."

Then he sent a damsel to the king, and a dwarf with her, with a message,
bidding Arthur to quit making war upon his lands, and offering him fair
terms of accommodation. The damsel rode to the hostile camp on a palfry,
while the dwarf ran by her side. When she came near to King Arthur's
pavilion she alighted, and there was met by a gentle knight, Sir Lucan
the butler, who said,--

"Fair damsel, come you from Sir Lancelot du Lake?"

"Yes, sir," she replied, "I am come hither with a message from him to my
lord the king."

"Alas, that it should be needed!" said Sir Lucan. "My lord Arthur would
soon be in accord with Lancelot but for Gawaine, who has more influence
over him than all his knights besides, and will not suffer him to think
of peace and friendship. I pray to God, damsel, that you speed well in
your errand, for all that are about the king, except Sir Gawaine, wish
well to Lancelot above all knights