ady or damosel, what that thou be, in an evil time bear ye a bow; the
devil made you a shooter.

CHAPTER XXII. How Launcelot after that he was hurt of a gentlewoman came
to an hermit, and of other matters.

NOW mercy, fair sir, said the lady, I am a gentlewoman that useth here
in this forest hunting, and God knoweth I saw ye not; but as here was
a barren hind at the soil in this well, and I weened to have done well,
but my hand swerved. Alas, said Sir Launcelot, ye have mischieved me.
And so the lady departed, and Sir Launcelot as he might pulled out the
arrow, and left that head still in his buttock, and so he went weakly
to the hermitage ever more bleeding as he went. And when Sir Lavaine and
the hermit espied that Sir Launcelot was hurt, wit you well they were
passing heavy, but Sir Lavaine wist not how that he was hurt nor by
whom. And then were they wroth out of measure.

Then with great pain the hermit gat out the arrow's head out of Sir
Launcelot's buttock, and much of his blood he shed, and the wound was
passing sore, and unhappily smitten, for it was in such a place that he
might not sit in no saddle. Have mercy, Jesu, said Sir Launcelot, I may
call myself the most unhappiest man that liveth, for ever when I would
fainest have worship there befalleth me ever some unhappy thing. Now so
Jesu me help, said Sir Launcelot, and if no man would but God, I shall
be in the field upon Candlemas Day at the jousts, whatsomever fall of
it: so all that might be gotten to heal Sir Launcelot was had.

So when the day was come Sir Launcelot let devise that he was arrayed,
and Sir Lavaine, and their horses, as though they had been Saracens; and
so they departed and came nigh to the field. The King of Northgalis with
an hundred knights with him, and the King of Northumberland brought with
him an hundred good knights, and King Anguish of Ireland brought with
him an hundred good knights ready to joust, and Sir Galahad, the haut
prince, brought with him an hundred good knights, and the King with the
Hundred Knights brought with him as many, and all these were proved good
knights. Then came in King Arthur's party; and there came in the King of
Scots with an hundred knights, and King Uriens of Gore brought with
him an hundred knights, and King Howel of Brittany brought with him an
hundred knights, and Chaleins of Clarance brought with him an hundred
knights, and King Arthur himself came into the field with two hundred
knights