at he fell down to the
earth in a swoon as if he had been dead. And in that time Sir Lavaine
smote down Sir Bellanger, and two other knights of worship and renown.
Then Sir Launcelot turned him about and smote Sir Blamor down from off
his horse and with that Sir Ector made at him. But Sir Launcelot was
blind with his passion of battle and of pain, and he wist not who that
was who came against him. Wherefore he turned upon Sir Ector and he
smote him so dreadful terrible a buffet, that the head of Sir Ector hung
down low upon the neck of his horse. Then Sir Launcelot catched Sir
Ector and rushed off the helm from the head of Sir Ector with intent to
slay him, for at that time he was so mad that he wist not where he was
or what he did.

[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot spareth Sir Ector._]

Then he beheld the face of his brother Sir Ector, and he beheld that
face all white and wan from the blow he himself had struck, and he
beheld his brother's cheeks all white and streaked with blood, and
therewith his senses returned to him, and in that instant he wist where
he was and what he did. Thereupon he cried out in a great and terrible
voice: "Woe! Woe! Woe is me! what is it that I do!" And therewith he
rushed away from that place where Sir Ector was, and he rushed into the
thickest of the press, striking right and left like a madman in fury.

And it stands recorded that all in all in that battle Sir Launcelot
struck down thirty knights with his own hand, and that sixteen of those
thirty were knights of the Round Table. And it is recorded that Sir
Lavaine struck down fourteen knights and that six of those knights were
knights of the Round Table. And it was because of Sir Launcelot and Sir
Lavaine that their party prevailed in that battle. For, because
beholding how they fought, their party took great heart and added
strength to strength and so drave their enemies back across the
meadow-of-battle until they were pushed back against the barriers of
their side of the meadow and so the battle was won.

And thus that was achieved that else had been lost had not Sir
Launcelot and Sir Lavaine lent their aid to that party with whom they
joined in battle against the party of King Arthur.

* * * * *

But Sir Launcelot sat wounded nigh to death. Yea, he deemed that the
sickness and the sweat of death was even then upon him, for an exceeding
faintness overclouded his spirit. To him where he sat came the King of