ter, and
smote him under his ear with his gauntlet, that his neck brast a-sunder.

CHAPTER V. How Sir Meliagrance required forgiveness of the queen, and
how she appeased Sir Launcelot; and other matters.

WHEN Sir Meliagrance heard that Sir Launcelot was there he ran unto
Queen Guenever, and fell upon his knee, and said: Mercy, madam, now I
put me wholly into your grace. What aileth you now? said Queen Guenever;
forsooth I might well wit some good knight would revenge me, though my
lord Arthur wist not of this your work. Madam, said Sir Meliagrance, all
this that is amiss on my part shall be amended right as yourself will
devise, and wholly I put me in your grace. What would ye that I did?
said the queen. I would no more, said Meliagrance, but that ye would
take all in your own hands, and that ye will rule my lord Sir Launcelot;
and such cheer as may be made him in this poor castle ye and he
shall have until to-morn, and then may ye and all they return unto
Westminster; and my body and all that I have I shall put in your rule.
Ye say well, said the queen, and better is peace than ever war, and the
less noise the more is my worship.

Then the queen and her ladies went down unto the knight, Sir Launcelot,
that stood wroth out of measure in the inner court, to abide battle; and
ever he bade: Thou traitor knight come forth. Then the queen came to
him and said: Sir Launcelot, why be ye so moved? Ha, madam, said Sir
Launcelot, why ask ye me that question? Meseemeth, said Sir Launcelot,
ye ought to be more wroth than I am, for ye have the hurt and the
dishonour, for wit ye well, madam, my hurt is but little for the killing
of a mare's son, but the despite grieveth me much more than all my hurt.
Truly, said the queen, ye say truth; but heartily I thank you, said the
queen, but ye must come in with me peaceably, for all thing is put in
my hand, and all that is evil shall be for the best, for the knight full
sore repenteth him of the misadventure that is befallen him. Madam, said
Sir Launcelot, sith it is so that ye been accorded with him, as for me
I may not be again it, howbeit Sir Meliagrance hath done full shamefully
to me, and cowardly. Ah madam, said Sir Launcelot, an I had wist ye
would have been so soon accorded with him I would not have made such
haste unto you. Why say ye so, said the queen, do ye forthink yourself
of your good deeds? Wit you well, said the queen, I accorded never unto
him for favour nor love th