Then Sir Launcelot groaned and he hid his face in his arms and anon he said, “Lady, tempt me not.” Then after another while he said, “I cannot go with thee, for I have no horse to ride.”
Then Queen Guinevere smiled and she said, “Launcelot, I have purveyed thee with a horse, and it is here.” Then Sir Launcelot cried out again as in a sort of despair, “Still I cannot go with thee for I have no clothes fit to wear at court.”
And again Queen Guinevere smiled and she said, “Also I have provided thee with clothes; they, too, are here.” Then she commanded two of her pages to convey the chest of clothes into Sir Launcelot’s cell and they did so. Then they opened the chest and Sir Launcelot gazed into it, and beheld all that noble apparel of silks and velvets, of gold and jewels, of silver and of lace.
So Sir Launcelot suffered those two pages to clothe him in that raiment, and presently he came forth from the cell, shining as with great glory. And he mounted upon the great white horse which the Queen had brought him, and so they rode away together from that place.
Sir Launcelot returneth to the court.
Now there were at court several who were unfriends to Sir Launcelot; some of these were unfriends because they were malicious, others because they were jealous of his fame; others for this reason, and others for that reason. Two of these were Sir Mordred and Sir Agravaine, who were brothers to Sir Gawaine. Then there was Sir Kay the Seneschal and Sir Florence and Sir Lovel, who were sons to Sir Gawaine, and who were jealous of Sir Launcelot upon Sir Gawaine’s account.
These and several others were unfriends to Sir Launcelot, and they talked much amongst themselves concerning the return of Sir Launcelot, saying, “Lo! this knight hath come forth out of the forest and hath assumed his knighthood again over us all, yet at first he would not come, but when the Queen went thither then he beheld her and followed her forth.”
Sir Launcelot heareth unfriendly talk.
These words and words like them came to the ears of Sir Launcelot, and because of them he withdrew himself from the presence of the Queen, and consorted with other lords and ladies of the court. This the Queen observed, and was grieved at it, for she wished for Sir Launcelot to be with her, and she desired to have him near to her. So one day she sent for Sir Launcelot to come to her and she gazed at him for some time without speaking. Anon she said to him, “Launcelot, why dost thou keep thyself afar off from me?” He replied, “Lady, I avoid thee for thine own sake and not for my sake.” To the which she said, “How is that?”
He said, “I will tell thee. There is much talk about this court concerning thee and concerning me, and that talk links our names together. I fear not this talk upon mine own account. For it cannot hurt me, but it may do great injury to thee; therefore do I hold myself away from thee.”