So straightway Sir Gylmere, who was the second of those brothers, called out to Sir Launcelot to tarry and do battle.  “Very well,” said Sir Launcelot, “if I cannot escape thee I must needs do battle.  Only make haste, for I would fain be going upon my way.”

So Sir Gylmere donned his helm in haste and ran and took his shield and spear and mounted upon his horse.  So when he had made himself ready in all ways he rushed upon Sir Launcelot with all his might and Sir Launcelot rushed against him.

[Sidenote:  Sir Launcelot overthrows Sir Gylmere] In that encounter each knight struck the other in the midst of his shield, and the spear of Sir Gylmere burst into pieces, but Sir Launcelot’s spear held, so the breast-strap of Sir Gylmere’s saddle bursting, both saddle and knight were swept entirely off the horse and to the earth, where Sir Gylmere lay altogether stunned.

[Sidenote:  Sir Launcelot wins from Sir Raynold] Then Sir Raynold came against Sir Launcelot in like manner as the others had done, and in that encounter Sir Launcelot overthrew both horse and man so that, had not Sir Raynold voided his horse, he would likely have been very sadly hurt.

Then Sir Raynold drew his sword and cried out in a loud voice:  “Come, Sir Knight, and do me battle afoot!” But Sir Launcelot said:  “Why will you have it so, Sir Knight?  I have no such quarrel with you as to do battle with swords.”  “Ha!” said Sir Raynold, “you shall fight with me.  For though you wear Sir Kay’s armor, I wot very well that you are not Sir Kay, but a great deal bigger man than ever Sir Kay is like to be.”

“Nay,” said Sir Launcelot, “I will not do any more battle with you.”  And therewith he drew rein and rode away, leaving Sir Raynold standing very angry in the middle of the highway.

[Sidenote:  Sir Launcelot meets four noble knights] After that Sir Launcelot rode very easily at a quiet gait, with no great thought whither he rode, until after a while he came to a place where a road went across a level field with two rows of tall poplar trees, one upon either side of the highway.  Then Sir Launcelot perceived where, beneath the shade of these poplar trees, were four knights standing each by his horse.  And these four knights were conversing very pleasantly together.  Now as Sir Launcelot drew nigh he perceived that those were four very famous noble knights of the Round Table; to wit:  one of those knights was his own brother, Sir Ector de Maris, another was Sir Gawain, another was Sir Ewain, and the fourth was Sir Sagramore le Desirous.

Now as Sir Launcelot drew nigh Sir Gawain said:  “Look, yonder cometh Sir Kay the Seneschal.”  Unto this Sir Sagramore le Desirous said:  “Yea, this is he; now bide you here for a little while, and I will go and take a fall of him.”

So straightway he mounted upon his horse, and he rode toward Sir Launcelot, and he cried out:  “Stay, Sir Knight, you cannot go farther until you have had to do with me.”  “What would you have of me?” quoth Sir Launcelot.  “Sir,” said Sir Sagramore, “I will have a fall of you.”  “Well,” said Sir Launcelot, “I suppose I must pleasure you, since it cannot be otherwise.”