So when the Bishop was come to Joyous Gard,there he shewed Sir Launcelot how the Pope had written to Arthur and unto him,and there he told him the perils if he withheld the queen from the king.It was never in my thought,said Launcelot,to withhold the queen from my lord Arthur;but,insomuch she should have been dead for my sake,meseemeth it was my part to save her life,and put her from that danger,till better recover might come.And now I thank God,said Sir Launcelot,that the Pope hath made her peace;for God knoweth,said Sir Launcelot,I will be a thousandfold more gladder to bring her again,than ever I was of her taking away;with this,I may be sure to come safe and go safe,and that the queen shall have her liberty as she had before;and never for no thing that hath been surmised afore this time,she never from this day stand in no peril.For else,said Sir Launcelot,I dare adventure me to keep her from an harder shour than ever I kept her.It shall not need you,said the Bishop,to dread so much;for wit you well,the Pope must be obeyed,and it were not the Pope's worship nor my poor honesty to wit you distressed,neither the queen,neither in peril,nor shamed.And then he shewed Sir Launcelot all his writing,both from the Pope and from King Arthur.This is sure enough,said Sir Launcelot,for full well I dare trust my lord's own writing and his seal,for he was never shamed of his promise.Therefore,said Sir Launcelot unto the Bishop,ye shall ride unto the king afore,and recommend me unto his good grace,and let him have knowledging that this same day eight days,by the grace of God,I myself shall bring my lady,Queen Guenever,unto him.And then say ye unto my most redoubted king,that I will say largely for the queen,that I shall none except for dread nor fear,but the king himself,and my lord Sir Gawaine;and that is more for the king's love than for himself.
So the Bishop departed and came to the king at Carlisle,and told him all how Sir Launcelot answered him;and then the tears brast out of the king's eyen.
Then Sir Launcelot purveyed him an hundred knights,and all were clothed in green velvet,and their horses trapped to their heels;and every knight held a branch of olive in his hand,in tokening of peace.And the queen had four-and-twenty gentlewomen following her in the same wise;and Sir Launcelot had twelve coursers following him,and on every courser sat a young gentleman,and all they were arrayed in green velvet,with sarps of gold about their quarters,and the horse trapped in the same wise down to the heels,with many ouches,y-set with stones and pearls in gold,to the number of a thousand.
And she and Sir Launcelot were clothed in white cloth of gold tissue;and right so as ye have heard,as the French book maketh mention,he rode with the queen from Joyous Gard to Carlisle.And so Sir Launcelot rode throughout Carlisle,and so in the castle,that all men might behold;and wit you well there was many a weeping eye.And then Sir Launcelot himself alighted and avoided his horse,and took the queen,and so led her where King Arthur was in his seat:and Sir Gawaine sat afore him,and many other great lords.So when Sir Launcelot saw the king and Sir Gawaine,then he led the queen by the arm,and then he kneeled down,and the queen both.Wit you well then was there many bold knight there with King Arthur that wept as tenderly as though they had seen all their kin afore them.So the king sat still,and said no word.And when Sir Launcelot saw his countenance,he arose and pulled up the queen with him,and thus he spake full knightly.
CHAPTER XV
Of the deliverance of the queen to the king by Sir Launcelot,and what language Sir Gawaine had to Sir Launcelot MY most redoubted king,ye shall understand,by the Pope's commandment and yours,I have brought to you my lady the queen,as right requireth;and if there be any knight,of whatsomever degree that he be,except your person,that will say or dare say but that she is true and clean to you,I here myself,Sir Launcelot du Lake,will make it good upon his body,that she is a true lady unto you;but liars ye have listened,and that hath caused debate betwixt you and me.For time hath been,my lord Arthur,that ye have been greatly pleased with me when I did battle for my lady,your queen;and full well ye know,my most noble king,that she hath been put to great wrong or this time;and sithen it pleased you at many times that I should fight for her,meseemeth,my good lord,I had more cause to rescue her from the fire,insomuch she should have been brent for my sake.For they that told you those tales were liars,and so it fell upon them;for by likelihood had not the might of God been with me,I might never have endured fourteen knights,and they armed and afore purposed,and Iunarmed and not purposed.For I was sent for unto my lady your queen,I wot not for what cause;but I was not so soon within the chamber door,but anon Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred called me traitor and recreant knight.
They called thee right,said Sir Gawaine.My lord Sir Gawaine,said Sir Launcelot,in their quarrel they proved themselves not in the right.Well well,Sir Launcelot,said the king,I have given thee no cause to do to me as thou hast done,for I have worshipped thee and thine more than any of all my knights.
My good lord,said Sir Launcelot,so ye be not displeased,ye shall understand I and mine have done you oft better service than any other knights have done,in many divers places;and where ye have been full hard bestead divers times,I have myself rescued you from many dangers;and ever unto my power I was glad to please you,and my lord Sir Gawaine;both in jousts,and tournaments,and in battles set,both on horseback and on foot,I have often rescued you,and my lord Sir Gawaine,and many mo of your knights in many divers places.