Then on the morn Sir Gawain came to King Arthur and told him how he had found Sir Lancelot’s shield in the keeping of the fair maiden of Astolat.
“All that I knew beforehand,” said King Arthur, “for I saw him when he came to his lodging full late in the evening, in Astolat.”
So the King and all came to London and there Sir Gawain [openly disclosed] to all the Court, that it was Sir Lancelot that jousted best.
And when Sir Bors heard that, he was a sorrowful man and so were all his kinsmen. And Sir Bors said, “I will haste me to seek him and find him wheresoever he be and God send me good tidings of him.”
SIR LANCELOT AT THE HERMITAGE
And so we will leave Sir Bors and speak of Sir Lancelot that lay in great peril. So as Elaine came to Winchester she sought there all about, and by fortune, Sir Lavaine rode forth to exercise his horse. And anon as Elaine saw him she knew him, and she called to him. When he heard her, he came to her and then she asked her brother how did his lord, Sir Lancelot.
“Who told you, sister, that my lord’s name was Sir Lancelot?”
Then she told how Sir Gawain by his shield knew him. So they rode together until they came to the hermitage. So Sir Lavaine brought her in to Sir Lancelot and when she saw him so sick and pale she said, “My lord Sir Lancelot, alas, why be ye in this plight?”
But Sir Lancelot said, “Fair maiden, if ye be come to comfort me, ye be right welcome; and of this little hurt that I have, I shall be right hastily whole by the grace of God. But, I marvel who told you my name?”
Then the fair maiden told him all, how Sir Gawain was lodged with her father, “And there by your shield he discovered you.”