at you find him and
that you bring him hither to me so that I may beseech his forgiveness
for all that I have said amiss to him."

So spake Queen Guinevere, and those knights who were there, though they
were very angry with her yet they could not but obey the command which
she laid upon them.

* * * * *

[Sidenote: _Of the Quest of Sir Launcelot._]

So began the Quest of Sir Launcelot concerning which a very great deal
hath been both written and said. For upon that quest there went forth
those three knights as aforesaid, to wit; Sir Ector, Sir Lionel, and
Sir Bors de Ganis, and after that there went forth Sir Gawaine and Sir
Ewaine and Sir Sagramore the Desirous and Sir Agravaine and Sir Percival
of Gales.

All these undertook the Quest of Sir Launcelot and in that quest several
adventures happened to them. Yet of all those adventures little of
anything shall here be said saving only that which shall concern those
adventures that befell Sir Ewaine and Sir Percival and Sir Gawaine; of
which more anon.

* * * * *

And now there followeth the story of the Madness of Sir Launcelot, and
of how he returned in a very strange manner to the Lady Elaine the
Fair--and of how she was made happy by that return.

[Illustration]

PART IV

The Madness of Sir Launcelot

_Here follows the story of how Sir Launcelot went mad from grief and of
how he roamed the woods as a wild man of the woods. Also many other
adventures that befell him are herein told, wherefore I hope that you
may have pleasure in reading that which is here written for your
entertainment._

[Illustration: The Madman of the Forest who was Sir Launcelot:]

[Illustration]

Chapter First

_How Sir Launcelot became a madman of the forest and how he was brought
to the castle of Sir Blyant._

[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot driveth through the forest._]

[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot falleth in a fit._]

Now when Sir Launcelot had quitted the presence of Queen Guinevere as
aforetold, and having leaped to horse as aforetold, he rode very
furiously away, he wist not whither and cared not. And he raced like a
whirlwind, striving, as it were, to escape from himself and his own
despair. Thus he drove onward until he reached the shades of the forest,
and he rode through the forest, rending the branches with his body,
until his horse was all a lather of sweat. So he pursued his way till
night