how we deal with him, for this knight is out of
his mind, and if we awake him rudely what he will do we all know not;
but ye shall abide, and I shall throw such an enchantment upon him that
he shall not awake within the space of an hour; and so she did.

Then within a little while after, the king commanded that all people
should avoid, that none should be in that way thereas the king would
come. And so when this was done, these four men and these ladies laid
hand on Sir Launcelot, and so they bare him into a tower, and so into
a chamber where was the holy vessel of the Sangreal, and by force Sir
Launcelot was laid by that holy vessel; and there came an holy man
and unhilled that vessel, and so by miracle and by virtue of that holy
vessel Sir Launcelot was healed and recovered. And when that he was
awaked he groaned and sighed, and complained greatly that he was passing
sore.

CHAPTER V. How Sir Launcelot, after that he was whole and had his mind,
he was ashamed, and how that Elaine desired a castle for him.

AND when Sir Launcelot saw King Pelles and Elaine, he waxed ashamed and
said thus: O Lord Jesu, how came I here? for God's sake, my lord, let
me wit how I came here. Sir, said Dame Elaine, into this country ye came
like a madman, clean out of your wit, and here have ye been kept as a
fool; and no creature here knew what ye were, until by fortune a maiden
of mine brought me unto you whereas ye lay sleeping by a well, and anon
as I verily beheld you I knew you. And then I told my father, and so
were ye brought afore this holy vessel, and by the virtue of it thus
were ye healed. O Jesu, mercy, said Sir Launcelot; if this be sooth, how
many there be that know of my woodness! So God me help, said Elaine, no
more but my father, and I, and Dame Brisen. Now for Christ's love, said
Sir Launcelot, keep it in counsel, and let no man know it in the
world, for I am sore ashamed that I have been thus miscarried; for I am
banished out of the country of Logris for ever, that is for to say the
country of England.

And so Sir Launcelot lay more than a fortnight or ever that he might
stir for soreness. And then upon a day he said unto Dame Elaine these
words: Lady Elaine, for your sake I have had much travail, care, and
anguish, it needeth not to rehearse it, ye know how. Notwithstanding I
know well I have done foul to you when that I drew my sword to you, to
have slain you, upon the morn when I had lain with you. And all wa