Sir Lancelot.

For some weeks Sir Lancelot lay quiet, knowing naught of the death of
Sir Gawaine or of the letter desiring him to go to the help of King
Arthur. Many rumours came to him, through the ship-folk, of the wicked
rebellion of Sir Mordred, and though Sir Lancelot longed to go across
to Britain and fight for King Arthur, his kinsmen would not consent,
but said it would be unseemly, unless the king craved his aid, and sued
for pardon for making war against Sir Lancelot in his own country.

Thus the precious weeks went by, and much ill fortune happened in
Britain, that had ended otherwise if Sir Lancelot had been by the king.

Three days after the battle upon the shore, the king's host came up
with the host of Sir Mordred on Barham down. Many folks had joined the
rebels' side, because they hated the king for making war upon Sir
Lancelot, and the king was sorely hurt in his mind to see a banner
borne by one part of the usurper's army, on which was the device of Sir
Lancelot's.

This the crafty Sir Mordred had commanded to be done, knowing that it
would damp the spirits of King Arthur and his men.

'Verily,' said King Arthur, 'my evil deeds have sprung up as armed men
against me. I fought unjustly with Sir Lancelot, and here are some that
loved him arrayed against me for that wicked war.'

'If ye would send for Sir Lancelot,' said Sir Owen of the Fountain, who
stood by him, 'ye would learn, I verily believe, that Sir Lancelot
loves and worships you as of old, and hath no mind to fight on the side
of this sly fox, Mordred. Send for Sir Lancelot, lord.'

'Nay, I will not--I may not,' said the king. 'If he cometh by the words
which Sir Gawaine wrote to him, I shall know that he loves me and
forgives me; but if he cometh not, I shall know he hates me, and I
shall merit his ill-favour. He owes naught to me since I used him so
evilly, and therefore I may not ask his aid.'

All day the battle raged upon the great green down, and many were the
fierce fights which took place upon the top thereof, where, behind
great earthworks freshly timbered, the main host of Sir Mordred stood,
the banner of the great red dragon in their midst.

But at the last, so fast and fierce did the blows of King Arthur's men
fall, and so stubbornly did they press on, that Sir Mordred's host gave
way. Pouring forth by the upper gate, they ran pell-mell northwards,
and the knights and fighting men of Arthur kept up with them for many
miles