not,
because she is a destroyer of good knights. Fair lords, said Sir Bors,
meseemeth ye say not as ye should say, for never yet in my days knew I
never nor heard say that ever she was a destroyer of any good knight.
But at all times as far as ever I could know she was a maintainer of
good knights; and ever she hath been large and free of her goods to
all good knights, and the most bounteous lady of her gifts and her good
grace, that ever I saw or heard speak of. And therefore it were shame,
said Sir Bors, to us all to our most noble king's wife, an we suffered
her to be shamefully slain. And wit ye well, said Sir Bors, I will
not suffer it, for I dare say so much, the queen is not guilty of Sir
Patrise's death, for she owed him never none ill will, nor none of the
four-and-twenty knights that were at that dinner; for I dare say for
good love she bade us to dinner, and not for no mal engine, and that
I doubt not shall be proved hereafter, for howsomever the game goeth,
there was treason among us. Then some said to Sir Bors: We may well
believe your words. And so some of them were well pleased, and some were
not so.

CHAPTER VI. How at the day Sir Bors made him ready for to fight for the
queen; and when he would fight how another discharged him.

THE day came on fast until the even that the battle should be. Then the
queen sent for Sir Bors and asked him how he was disposed. Truly madam,
said he, I am disposed in likewise as I promised you, that is for to
say I shall not fail you, unless by adventure there come a better knight
than I am to do battle for you, then, madam, am I discharged of my
promise. Will ye, said the queen, that I tell my lord Arthur thus? Do as
it shall please you, madam. Then the queen went unto the king and told
him the answer of Sir Bors. Have ye no doubt, said the king, of Sir
Bors, for I call him now one of the best knights of the world, and the
most profitablest man. And thus it passed on until the morn, and the
king and the queen and all manner of knights that were there at that
time drew them unto the meadow beside Westminster where the battle
should be. And so when the king was come with the queen and many knights
of the Round Table, then the queen was put there in the Constable's
ward, and a great fire made about an iron stake, that an Sir Mador de la
Porte had the better, she should be burnt: such custom was used in those
days, that neither for favour, neither for love nor affinity,