"Madam," said he, "what would you have me do? for I may not with my honor take this matter on me, for I was at that same dinner, and all the other knights would have me ever in suspicion. Now do ye miss Sir Lancelot, for he would not have failed you in right nor yet in wrong, as ye have often proved, but now ye have driven him from the country."
"Alas! fair knight," said the queen, "I put me wholly at your mercy, and all that is done amiss I will amend as ye will counsel me."
And therewith she kneeled down upon both her knees before Sir Bors, and besought him to have mercy on her.
Anon came in King Arthur also, and prayed him of his courtesy to help her, saying, "I require you for the love of Lancelot."
"My lord," said he, "ye require the greatest thing of me that any man can ask, for if I do this battle for the queen I shall anger all my fellows of the Table Round; nevertheless, for my lord Sir Lancelot's sake, and for yours, I will that day be the queen's champion, unless there chance to come a better knight than I am to do battle for her." And this he promised on his faith.
Then were the king and queen passing glad, and thanked him heartily, and so departed.
But Sir Bors rode in secret to the hermitage where Sir Lancelot was, and told him all these tidings.
"It has chanced as I would have it," said Sir Lancelot; "yet make ye ready for the battle, but tarry till ye see me come."
"Sir," said Sir Bors, "doubt not but ye shall have your will."
But many of the knights were greatly wroth with him when they heard he was to be the queen's champion, for there were few in the court but deemed her guilty.