THUS it passed on till Christmas,and then every day there was jousts made for a diamond,who that jousted best should have a diamond.But Sir Launcelot would not joust but if it were at a great jousts cried.But Sir Lavaine jousted there all that Christmas passingly well,and best was praised,for there were but few that did so well.Wherefore all manner of knights deemed that Sir Lavaine should be made knight of the Table Round at the next feast of Pentecost.So at-after Christmas King Arthur let call unto him many knights,and there they advised together to make a party and a great tournament and jousts.And the King of Northgalis said to Arthur,he would have on his party King Anguish of Ireland,and the King with the Hundred Knights,and the King of Northumberland,and Sir Galahad,the haut prince.And so these four kings and this mighty duke took part against King Arthur and the knights of the Table Round.And the cry was made that the day of the jousts should be beside Westminster upon Candlemas Day,whereof many knights were glad,and made them ready to be at that jousts in the freshest manner.
Then Queen Guenever sent for Sir Launcelot,and said thus:I warn you that ye ride no more in no jousts nor tournaments but that your kinsmen may know you.And at these jousts that shall be ye shall have of me a sleeve of gold;and I pray you for my sake enforce yourself there,that men may speak of you worship;but I charge you as ye will have my love,that ye warn your kinsmen that ye will bear that day the sleeve of gold upon your helmet.
Madam,said Sir Launcelot,it shall be done.And so either made great joy of other.And when Sir Launcelot saw his time he told Sir Bors that he would depart,and have no more with him but Sir Lavaine,unto the good hermit that dwelt in that forest of Windsor;his name was Sir Brasias;and there he thought to repose him,and take all the rest that he might,because he would be fresh at that day of jousts.
So Sir Launcelot and Sir Lavaine departed,that no creature wist where he was become,but the noble men of his blood.And when he was come to the hermitage,wit ye well he had good cheer.And so daily Sir Launcelot would go to a well fast by the hermitage,and there he would lie down,and see the well spring and burble,and sometime he slept there.So at that time there was a lady dwelt in that forest,and she was a great huntress,and daily she used to hunt,and ever she bare her bow with her;and no men went never with her,but always women,and they were shooters,and could well kill a deer,both at the stalk and at the trest;and they daily bare bows and arrows,horns and wood-knives,and many good dogs they had,both for the string and for a bait.So it happed this lady the huntress had abated her dog for the bow at a barren hind,and so this barren hind took the flight over hedges and woods.And ever this lady and part of her women costed the hind,and checked it by the noise of the hounds,to have met with the hind at some water;and so it happed,the hind came to the well whereas Sir Launcelot was sleeping and slumbering.And so when the hind came to the well,for heat she went to soil,and there she lay a great while;and the dog came after,and umbecast about,for she had lost the very perfect feute of the hind.Right so came that lady the huntress,that knew by the dog that she had,that the hind was at the soil in that well;and there she came stiffly and found the hind,and she put a broad arrow in her bow,and shot at the hind,and over-shot the hind;and so by misfortune the arrow smote Sir Launcelot in the thick of the buttock,over the barbs.When Sir Launcelot felt himself so hurt,he hurled up woodly,and saw the lady that had smitten him.And when he saw she was a woman,he said thus:
Lady or damosel,what that thou be,in an evil time bear ye a bow;the devil made you a shooter.
CHAPTER XXII
How Launcelot after that he was hurt of a gentlewoman came to an hermit,and of other matters.
NOW mercy,fair sir,said the lady,I am a gentlewoman that useth here in this forest hunting,and God knoweth Isaw ye not;but as here was a barren hind at the soil in this well,and I weened to have done well,but my hand swerved.Alas,said Sir Launcelot,ye have mischieved me.And so the lady departed,and Sir Launcelot as he might pulled out the arrow,and left that head still in his buttock,and so he went weakly to the hermitage ever more bleeding as he went.And when Sir Lavaine and the hermit espied that Sir Launcelot was hurt,wit you well they were passing heavy,but Sir Lavaine wist not how that he was hurt nor by whom.And then were they wroth out of measure.
Then with great pain the hermit gat out the arrow's head out of Sir Launcelot's buttock,and much of his blood he shed,and the wound was passing sore,and unhappily smitten,for it was in such a place that he might not sit in no saddle.Have mercy,Jesu,said Sir Launcelot,I may call myself the most unhappiest man that liveth,for ever when I would fainest have worship there befalleth me ever some unhappy thing.Now so Jesu me help,said Sir Launcelot,and if no man would but God,I shall be in the field upon Candlemas Day at the jousts,whatsomever fall of it:so all that might be gotten to heal Sir Launcelot was had.
