So the King called to him his scribe and he had him write those words; to wit, that if the Queen would return to him, no harm should befall or threaten her life in any way. And the King signed and sealed that document and the Bishop took it with him and entered the Castle of Joyous Gard.
The Bishop grieveth for the Queen.
Thus the Bishop came before Sir Launcelot and his kindred, and Queen Guinevere was with them at that time. And the Bishop looked at the face of the Queen and he beheld that it was all white and wan with sorrow and that her eyelids were red with continual weeping. And the Bishop was very sorry for the Queen and for her sadness. So the Bishop came to her and took her by the hand and he said to her, “Lady, stint thy sorrow, for the time of sorrow is passed. For here am I with this document that saith that no harm or injury of any kind shall be meditated against thy life, but if thou wilt return to the King all shall be forgiven thee. For wit you well that the King is determined that you shall return to him, even if it cometh to the tearing down of this castle stone from stone.”
Then the Queen took the document that the Bishop had and she read it very carefully, and when she had ended she said, “Lord Bishop, how is this? I see here that mine own safety is provided for, but that the safety of no one else is mentioned. How of those good worthy knights and gentlemen who have endangered their safety in my behalf; where is their safety provided for in this parchment?”
Quoth the Bishop, “I will bespeak the King that point. Meantime, do you remain here without endeavoring either to attack or to escape.”
She said, “I will remain here in peace until this time to-morrow.”
So the Bishop returned to the King and he brought that word to him; that a pledge must also be given for the safety to the life of those knights who thus guarded and sheltered the Queen. Then the King frowned, and he said, “What other conditions will they impose upon me; why should I give this pledge to those who have acted treasonably against me?”
The King promises to spare the knights of the castle.
Then Sir Gawaine plucked the King by the sleeve and the King turned aside with him. And Sir Gawaine whispered for awhile with the King and by and by the King turned again to the Bishop and he said to the Bishop, “Very well, then; take thou this my word to those knights that I will in no wise do harm to them whilst they are within this Kingdom of Britain. Take thou that word unto them.”
So the Bishop took that word to them within the castle and they were very glad of it. And Sir Launcelot said to the Bishop, “Let the King return to Camelot, and I will bring the Queen to him in three days’ time surrounded by all the pomp and circumstance that appertain to her lordly grace.”