en
Guenever, now are we mischieved both Madam, said Sir Launcelot, is there
here any armour within your chamber, that I might cover my poor body
withal? An if there be any give it me, and I shall soon stint their
malice, by the grace of God. Truly, said the queen, I have none armour,
shield, sword, nor spear; wherefore I dread me sore our long love is
come to a mischievous end, for I hear by their noise there be many noble
knights, and well I wot they be surely armed, and against them ye may
make no resistance. Wherefore ye are likely to be slain, and then shall
I be brent. For an ye might escape them, said the queen, I would not
doubt but that ye would rescue me in what danger that ever I stood in.
Alas, said Sir Launcelot, in all my life thus was I never bestead, that
I should be thus shamefully slain for lack of mine armour.

But ever in one Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred cried: Traitor-knight,
come out of the queen's chamber, for wit thou well thou art so beset
that thou shalt not escape. O Jesu mercy, said Sir Launcelot, this
shameful cry and noise I may not suffer, for better were death at once
than thus to endure this pain. Then he took the queen in his arms, and
kissed her, and said: Most noble Christian queen, I beseech you as ye
have been ever my special good lady, and I at all times your true poor
knight unto my power, and as I never failed you in right nor in wrong
sithen the first day King Arthur made me knight, that ye will pray for
my soul if that I here be slain; for well I am assured that Sir Bors,
my nephew, and all the remnant of my kin, with Sir Lavaine and Sir Urre,
that they will not fail you to rescue you from the fire; and therefore,
mine own lady, recomfort yourself, whatsomever come of me, that ye go
with Sir Bors, my nephew, and Sir Urre, and they all will do you all the
pleasure that they can or may, that ye shall live like a queen upon my
lands. Nay, Launcelot, said the queen, wit thou well I will never live
after thy days, but an thou be slain I will take my death as meekly for
Jesu Christ's sake as ever did any Christian queen. Well, madam, said
Launcelot, sith it is so that the day is come that our love must
depart, wit you well I shall sell my life as dear as I may; and a
thousandfold, said Sir Launcelot, I am more heavier for you than for
myself. And now I had liefer than to be lord of all Christendom, that I
had sure armour upon me, that men might speak of my deeds or ever I were
slain.