I wot I saw him do
marvellously this day as of deeds of arms. On whose party was he? said
the hermit. Sir, said Sir Lavaine, he was this day against King Arthur,
and there he won the prize of all the knights of the Round Table. I have
seen the day, said the hermit, I would have loved him the worse because
he was against my lord, King Arthur, for sometime I was one of the
fellowship of the Round Table, but I thank God now I am otherwise
disposed. But where is he? let me see him. Then Sir Lavaine brought the
hermit to him.

CHAPTER XIII. How Launcelot was brought to an hermit for to be healed of
his wound, and of other matters.

AND when the hermit beheld him, as he sat leaning upon his saddle-bow
ever bleeding piteously, and ever the knight-hermit thought that he
should know him, but he could not bring him to knowledge because he was
so pale for bleeding. What knight are ye, said the hermit, and where
were ye born? My fair lord, said Sir Launcelot, I am a stranger and a
knight adventurous, that laboureth throughout many realms for to win
worship. Then the hermit advised him better, and saw by a wound on his
cheek that he was Sir Launcelot. Alas, said the hermit, mine own lord
why lain you your name from me? Forsooth I ought to know you of right,
for ye are the most noblest knight of the world, for well I know you
for Sir Launcelot. Sir, said he, sith ye know me, help me an ye may, for
God's sake, for I would be out of this pain at once, either to death or
to life. Have ye no doubt, said the hermit, ye shall live and fare right
well. And so the hermit called to him two of his servants, and so he and
his servants bare him into the hermitage, and lightly unarmed him, and
laid him in his bed. And then anon the hermit staunched his blood, and
made him to drink good wine, so that Sir Launcelot was well refreshed
and knew himself; for in those days it was not the guise of hermits as
is nowadays, for there were none hermits in those days but that they
had been men of worship and of prowess; and those hermits held great
household, and refreshed people that were in distress.

Now turn we unto King Arthur, and leave we Sir Launcelot in the
hermitage. So when the kings were come together on both parties, and the
great feast should be holden, King Arthur asked the King of Northgalis
and their fellowship, where was that knight that bare the red sleeve:
Bring him afore me that he may have his laud, and honour, and the prize,