“As for that,” said Sir Lancelot, “ye must hold me excused at this time and if God give me grace to speed well at the jousts, I shall come again and tell you. But, I pray you, in any wise, let me have your son, Sir Lavaine, with me and that I may have his brother’s shield.”
“All this shall be done,” said Sir Bernard.
This old baron had a daughter that was called at that time the fair maiden of Astolat and her name was Elaine. So this maiden besought Sir Lancelot to wear upon him at the jousts a token of hers.
“Fair damsel,” said Sir Lancelot, “if I grant you that, I will do more for you than ever I did for lady.”
Then he remembered him he would go to the jousts disguised. And because he had never before that time borne the token of any lady, then he bethought him that he would wear one of hers, that none of his blood thereby might know him. And then he said, “Fair maiden, I will grant you to wear a token of yours upon mine helmet and therefore what it is, show it me.”
“Sir,” she said, “it is a sleeve of mine, of scarlet, well embroidered with great pearls.”
And so she brought it him. So Sir Lancelot received it and gave the maiden his shield in keeping, and he prayed her to keep that until he came again.
So upon a day, on the morn, King Arthur and all his knights departed, for the King had tarried three days to abide his noble knights. And so when the King had gone, Sir Lancelot and Sir Lavaine made them ready to ride and either of them had white shields, and the red sleeve Sir Lancelot carried with him. So they took their leave of Sir Bernard, the old baron, and of his daughter the fair maiden of Astolat.
And then they rode till they came to Camelot and there was a great press of kings, dukes, earls, and barons and many noble knights. But there Sir Lancelot was lodged by means of Sir Lavaine [with a rich burgess] so that no man in that town knew who they were. And so they reposed them there, till the day of the tournament.
So the trumpets blew unto the field and King Arthur was set on a high place to behold who did best. Then some of the kings were that time turned upon the side of King Arthur. And then on the other party were the King of Northgalis and the King of the Hundred Knights and the King of Northumberland and Sir Galahad, the noble prince. But these three kings and this duke were passing weak to hold against King Arthur’s party, for with him were the noblest knights of the world.