, insomuch as she shall be brent it is for your
sake; and it is to suppose, an ye might be handled, ye should have the
same death, or a more shamefuler death. And sir, we say all, that ye
have many times rescued her from death for other men's quarrels, us
seemeth it is more your worship that ye rescue the queen from this
peril, insomuch she hath it for your sake.

Then Sir Launcelot stood still, and said: My fair lords, wit you well I
would be loath to do that thing that should dishonour you or my blood,
and wit you well I would be loath that my lady, the queen, should die a
shameful death; but an it be so that ye will counsel me to rescue her,
I must do much harm or I rescue her; and peradventure I shall there
destroy some of my best friends, that should much repent me; and
peradventure there be some, an they could well bring it about, or
disobey my lord King Arthur, they would soon come to me, the which I
were loath to hurt. And if so be that I rescue her, where shall I keep
her? That shall be the least care of us all, said Sir Bors. How did the
noble knight Sir Tristram, by your good will? kept not he with him La
Beale Isoud near three year in Joyous Gard? the which was done by your
alther device, and that same place is your own; and in likewise may ye
do an ye list, and take the queen lightly away, if it so be the king
will judge her to be brent; and in Joyous Gard ye may keep her long
enough until the heat of the king be past. And then shall ye bring again
the queen to the king with great worship; and then peradventure ye shall
have thank for her bringing home, and love and thank where other shall
have maugre.

That is hard to do, said Sir Launcelot, for by Sir Tristram I may have
a warning, for when by means of treaties, Sir Tristram brought again
La Beale Isoud unto King Mark from Joyous Gard, look what befell on
the end, how shamefully that false traitor King Mark slew him as he sat
harping afore his lady La Beale Isoud, with a grounden glaive he thrust
him in behind to the heart. It grieveth me, said Sir Launcelot, to speak
of his death, for all the world may not find such a knight. All this is
truth, said Sir Bors, but there is one thing shall courage you and
us all, ye know well King Arthur and King Mark were never like of
conditions, for there was never yet man could prove King Arthur untrue
of his promise.

So to make short tale, they were all consented that for better outher
for worse, if so were that t