ed unto him, for he dread sore the
treason of Sir Meliagrance.

Then by fortune there came by him a chariot that came thither for to
fetch wood. Say me, carter, said Sir Launcelot, what shall I give thee
to suffer me to leap into thy chariot, and that thou bring me unto a
castle within this two mile? Thou shalt not come within my chariot,
said the carter, for I am sent for to fetch wood for my lord, Sir
Meliagrance. With him would I speak. Thou shalt not go with me, said the
carter. Then Sir Launcelot leapt to him, and gave him such a buffet that
he fell to the earth stark dead. Then the other carter, his fellow, was
afeard, and weened to have gone the same way; and then he cried: Fair
lord, save my life, and I shall bring you where ye will. Then I charge
thee, said Sir Launcelot, that thou drive me and this chariot even unto
Sir Meliagrance's gate. Leap up into the chariot, said the carter, and
ye shall be there anon. So the carter drove on a great wallop, and Sir
Launcelot's horse followed the chariot, with more than a forty arrows
broad and rough in him.

And more than an hour and an half Dame Guenever was awaiting in a
bay window with her ladies, and espied an armed knight standing in a
chariot. See, madam, said a lady, where rideth in a chariot a goodly
armed knight; I suppose he rideth unto hanging. Where? said the queen.
Then she espied by his shield that he was there himself, Sir Launcelot
du Lake. And then she was ware where came his horse ever after that
chariot, and ever he trod his guts and his paunch under his feet. Alas,
said the queen, now I see well and prove, that well is him that hath
a trusty friend. Ha, ha, most noble knight, said Queen Guenever, I
see well thou art hard bestead when thou ridest in a chariot. Then she
rebuked that lady that likened Sir Launcelot to ride in a chariot to
hanging. It was foul mouthed, said the queen, and evil likened, so for
to liken the most noble knight of the world unto such a shameful death.
O Jesu defend him and keep him, said the queen, from all mischievous
end. By this was Sir Launcelot come to the gates of that castle, and
there he descended down, and cried, that all the castle rang of it:
Where art thou, false traitor, Sir Meliagrance, and knight of the Table
Round? now come forth here, thou traitor knight, thou and thy fellowship
with thee; for here I am, Sir Launcelot du Lake, that shall fight with
you. And therewithal he bare the gate wide open upon the por