The Queen appeareth at the High Court.
So anon the Queen came, and two ladies supported her, one upon one side and the other upon the other. And the Queen wore her veil over her face for she had been weeping continually and with great passion ever since the ending of that feast. Now there were many knights gathered there and many lords and ladies of several sorts, and some of these were the Queen’s friends and felt sorrow for her, but some of them felt satisfaction that she was accused.
The King said, “Arise, Lady, and stand.” And thereupon the Queen stood up before the King and Sir Mador de la Porte and the entire council. Then the King said to her, “Lady, this knight, Sir Mador de la Porte, accuses thee of having used poison at thy feast. What hast thou to say to that?”
Then the Queen put back her veil and she had ceased to weep, and her eyes were very hard and proud, albeit her face was extraordinarily white. “Sir,” she said, “thou knowest me well—no one better—and thou knowest that with all my shortcomings (and they be many), I could never do such a thing as that, to poison an enemy at mine own table. For I have many enemies at this court, and amongst them is thine own nephew, Sir Gawaine; for he is my bitterest enemy, and hath always been so. It was he who first accused me at that feast of having used poison, and because he is thy nephew and because he is so powerful at court, there be few knights here who will defend mine innocence against mine accusers, when he stands at the head of those accusers, holding that I attempted to poison him. Had I Sir Launcelot here at court, then would I have had a good worthy defender of mine honor, but I have driven Sir Launcelot away from me by my pride and anger, and he is not now here to defend mine innocence. Yet I believe that someone will arise to defend it, wherefore I will accept this knight’s gage of battle and will abide by it, come life, come death.”
Then the King groaned, and he bowed his head, and at last he said, “Lady and Queen; thou art the wife of my youth, and I would fain defend thee myself. But this cannot be, for I am the King, and the head of all the laws. Nevertheless, I believe that some champion will arise for thee; for it is not possible that in this court there is no knight who will arise to defend thine innocence. Wherefore, let it be as thou sayst. Here shall the glove of Sir Mador de la Porte lie upon the ground, until some defender arises to take it up, and if no other defender arises, then will I take it up mine own self. Let us now depart.”
So with that they all arose and left that place, and left Sir Mador de la Porte’s glove still lying upon the floor of the council chamber.
The Queen asketh Sir Bors to defend her.
That night a messenger came to Sir Bors asking him to come to the Queen, and Sir Bors went with the messenger, who took him to the bower of the Queen where she was. When Sir Bors entered that place he found that the King was with the Queen. Then the Queen arose and stood before him. And she set her hands together, the palm of one against the palm of the other, and she said, “Sir Bors, will you not serve as my champion in this quarrel?”
Then Sir Bors bowed his head, and anon he said, “Lady, I would you had asked someone else to act as your champion.”
The Queen looked at him very proudly, and she said, “Why do you say that? Had I known that your feelings were such, then I would not have troubled you by asking that service of you. But you are the nephew of Sir Launcelot, and you are a good worthy knight and one of those three who have achieved the Grail. Wherefore I ask you why you are not willing to serve as my champion. Do you then also believe that I would poison a guest at the feast which I prepared for the entertainment of such noble and worthy champions?”