And so at the last Sir Lancelot cast up his eyes and said, “O Lavaine, help me that I were on my horse, for here is fast by within this two miles a gentle hermit, that sometime was a full noble knight and a great lord of possessions. And for great goodness he hath taken him to poverty and his name is Sir Baudwin of Brittany and he is . Now let see, help me up that I were there, for ever my heart telleth me that I shall never die of my cousin’s hands.”
And then with great pain Sir Lavaine helped him upon his horse. And then they rode together and so by fortune they came to that hermitage, the which was in a wood and a great cliff on the other side and fair water running under it. And Sir Lavaine beat on the gate and there came a fair child to them and asked them what they would.
“Fair son,” said Sir Lavaine, “go and pray thy lord, the hermit, to let in here a knight that is full sore wounded; and this day, tell thy lord, I saw him do more deeds of arms than ever I heard say that any man did.”
So the child went in lightly and then he brought the hermit, the which was a passing good man. When Sir Lavaine saw him, he [prayed him for succor].
“What knight is he?” said the hermit. “Is he of the house of Arthur or not?”
“I know not,” said Sir Lavaine, “what is he or what is his name, but well I know I saw him do marvelously this day, as of deeds of arms.”
“On whose party was he?” said the hermit.
“Sir,” said Lavaine, “he was this day against King Arthur and there he won the prize from all the knights of the Round Table.”
“I have seen the day,” said the hermit, “I would have loved him the worse because he was against my lord, King Arthur, for sometime I was one of the fellowship of the Round Table, but I thank God, now I am otherwise disposed. But where is he? Let me see him.”
And when the hermit beheld him, he thought that he should know him, but he could not [bring him to knowledge] because he was so pale.