ble, there nis none constant abiding, and that may be proved by
many old chronicles, of noble Ector, and Troilus, and Alisander, the
mighty conqueror, and many mo other; when they were most in their
royalty, they alighted lowest. And so fareth it by me, said Sir
Launcelot, for in this realm I had worship, and by me and mine all the
whole Round Table hath been increased more in worship, by me and mine
blood, than by any other. And therefore wit thou well, Sir Gawaine, I
may live upon my lands as well as any knight that here is. And if ye,
most redoubted king, will come upon my lands with Sir Gawaine to war
upon me, I must endure you as well as I may. But as to you, Sir Gawaine,
if that ye come there, I pray you charge me not with treason nor felony,
for an ye do, I must answer you. Do thou thy best, said Sir Gawaine;
therefore hie thee fast that thou were gone, and wit thou well we shall
soon come after, and break the strongest castle that thou hast, upon thy
head. That shall not need, said Sir Launcelot, for an I were as orgulous
set as ye are, wit you well I should meet you in midst of the field.
Make thou no more language, said Sir Gawaine, but deliver the queen from
thee, and pike thee lightly out of this court. Well, said Sir Launcelot,
an I had wist of this short coming, I would have advised me twice or
that I had come hither; for an the queen had been so dear to me as ye
noise her, I durst have kept her from the fellowship of the best knights
under heaven.

And then Sir Launcelot said unto Guenever, in hearing of the king and
them all: Madam, now I must depart from you and this noble fellowship
for ever; and sithen it is so, I beseech you to pray for me, and say me
well; and if ye be hard bestead by any false tongues, lightly my lady
send me word, and if any knight's hands may deliver you by battle, I
shall deliver you. And therewithal Sir Launcelot kissed the queen; and
then he said all openly. Now let see what he be in this place that dare
say the queen is not true unto my lord Arthur, let see who will speak an
he dare speak. And therewith he brought the queen to the king, and then
Sir Launcelot took his leave and departed; and there was neither king,
duke, nor earl, baron nor knight, lady nor gentlewoman, but all they
wept as people out of their mind, except Sir Gawaine. And when the noble
Sir Launcelot took his horse to ride out of Carlisle, there was sobbing
and weeping for pure dole of his departing; and so h