“I have pledged myself that no harm shall come to her through me; but herewith I give her over to the Church. There she shall remain a recluse until the day of her death.”
So said King Arthur, and at a motion of his hand the Lord Bishop of Rochester came forth and took the Lady by the hand and led her away; and as he led her away, she was weeping very bitterly.
So the Bishop of Rochester took the Queen to the Convent of Saint Bridget at Rochester, and there she remained the lady abbess of that convent even to the day of her death, as shall hereinafter be related.
Now all this while Sir Launcelot still kneeled before King Arthur, and anon the King said to him again, “Messire, your own doom I will not announce to you; but I will relegate the annunciation of that doom to this lord, my well-beloved nephew, Sir Gawaine. For the injury which you did to him is a thousand times greater than the injury which you did to me. For though you took my Queen away from me, yet you did her no harm. But with him, you slew five of his blood; to wit, three of his brethren and two of his sons. And whilst three of them were in arms against you so that you slew them wittingly and in self-defence, yet two of those stood unarmed and naked before you, and those two loved you better than anyone in all the world. One of those two your own hand made a knight and the other was knit to you with many acts and deeds of friendship and of love. Accordingly, I commit your doom to Sir Gawaine to announce to you.”
Sir Gawaine pronounces the doom of banishment against Sir Launcelot.
Then Sir Gawaine smiled very bitterly upon Sir Launcelot, and he said, “Messire, this is the doom that I pronounce. The King hath, in his great clemency, promised you that no harm shall befall you in life or in limb. So no harm shall come to you in that way if you are reasonable and obey the commands of the King. This is his command—that in fifteen days from this you must quit this kingdom, and that you shall never again return to it whilst I live or while the King liveth.
And against his knights.
“Also I pronounce the doom of banishment against those who have been associated with you in these late affairs, to wit, against Sir Ector de Maris, Sir Bors de Ganis and Sir Ure, and Sir Blamor and Sir Bleoberis de Ganis, against Sir Galahautin, and Sir Galahud, and Sir Menaduke, and Sir Galahadin, and Sir Hebes, and Sir Lavaine, and Sir Melias de Lisle, and Sir Palamydes, and Sir Safyr, and Sir Clegis. Upon all of these I pronounce the doom of banishment upon behalf of this King, and if any of you be found within this isle of Britain fifteen days from now, you will be arrested and hanged as traitors. Meantime all your castles, earldoms, and baronies shall be forfeited to the King.”
Said Sir Launcelot, “Sir, that is a bitter sentence; for here in this island have I lived all my life, and of it I love every stock and stone that mine eyes behold. But if I be outlawed and cast forth from this kingdom, then will I go to my Castle of Chillion in the land of France, and there I believe I shall be right well welcome and protected. So come, my lords, and let us be gone to that country whiles there yet remains time for us to depart.”
Sir Launcelot and his knights withdraw.