At this Sir Gaheris was amazed beyond measure, for Sir Launcelot was very sorely wounded, and his armor was much broken in that battle, wherefore Sir Gaheris had never beheld a person who was so steadfast of purpose as to do battle in such a case.

[Sidenote:  Sir Launcelot departs with the damsel] So Sir Launcelot mounted Sir Gaheris’ horse and rode away with that young damsel, and Sir Gaheris went to the castle as Sir Launcelot had bidden him to do.

[Sidenote:  Sir Gaheris frees the castle captives] In that castle he found five score and eight prisoners in dreadful case, for some who were there had been there for a long time, so that the hair of them had grown down upon their shoulders, and their beards had grown down upon their breasts.  And some had been there but a short time, as was the case of Sir Lionel and Sir Ector.  But all were in a miserable sorry plight; and all of those sad prisoners but two were knights of King Arthur’s court, and eight of them were knights of the Round Table.  All these crowded around Sir Gaheris, for they saw that he was wounded and they deemed that it was he had set them free, wherefore they gave him thanks beyond measure.

“Not so,” said Sir Gaheris, “it was not I who set you free; it was Sir Launcelot of the Lake.  He overcame Sir Turquine in such a battle as I never before beheld.  For I saw that battle with mine own eyes, being at a little distance seated upon a stone slab and wounded as you see.  And I make my oath that I never beheld so fierce and manful a combat in all of my life.  But now your troubles are over and done, and Sir Launcelot greets you all with words of good cheer and bids me tell you to take all ease and comfort that you can in being free, and in especial he bids me greet you, Sir Ector, and you, Sir Lionel, and to tell you that you are to follow him no farther, but to return to court and bide there until he cometh; for he goeth upon an adventure which he must undertake by himself.”

[Sidenote:  Sir Lionel and Sir Ector and Sir Kay follow after Sir Launcelot] “Not so,” said Sir Lionel, “I will follow after him, and find him.”  And so said Sir Ector likewise, that he would go and find Sir Launcelot.  Then Sir Kay the Seneschal said that he would ride with those two; so the three took horse and rode away together to find Sir Launcelot.

As for those others, they ransacked throughout the castle of Sir Turquine, and they found twelve treasure-chests full of treasure, both of silver and of gold, together with many precious jewels; and they found many bales of cloth of silk and of cloth of gold.  So, as Sir Launcelot had bid them do so, they divided the treasure among themselves, setting aside a part for Sir Ector and a part for Sir Lionel and a part for Sir Kay.  Then, whereas before they had been mournful, now they were joyful at having been made so rich with those precious things.

Thus happily ended that great battle with Sir Turquine which was very likely the fiercest and most dolorous fight that ever Sir Launcelot had in all of his life.  For, unless it was Sir Tristram, he never found any other knight so big as Sir Turquine except Sir Galahad, who was his own son.