Then did they wheel their horses apart, and turning, came together as it had been thunder, so that both horses fell, and both their lances broke.  At that they drew their swords and set upon each other fiercely, with passing grievous strokes.

Now Sir Gawain had through magic a marvellous great gift.  For every day, from morning till noon, his strength waxed to the might of seven men, but after that waned to his natural force.  Therefore till noon he gave Sir Lancelot many mighty buffets, which scarcely he endured.  Yet greatly he forbore Sir Gawain, for he was aware of his enchantment, and smote him slightly till his own knights marvelled.  But after noon Sir Gawain’s strength sank fast, and then, with one full blow, Sir Lancelot laid him on the earth.  Then Sir Gawain cried out, “Turn not away, thou traitor knight, but slay me if thou wilt, or else I will arise and fight with thee again some other time.”

“Sir knight,” replied Sir Lancelot, “I never yet smote a fallen man.”

At that they bore Sir Gawain sorely wounded to his tent, and King Arthur withdrew his men, for he was loth to shed the blood of so many knights of his own fellowship.

But now came tidings to King Arthur from across the sea, which caused him to return in haste.  For thus the news ran, that no sooner was Sir Modred set up in his regency, than he had forged false tidings from abroad that the king had fallen in a battle with Sir Lancelot.  Whereat he had proclaimed himself the king, and had been crowned at Canterbury, where he had held a coronation feast for fifteen days.  Then he had gone to Winchester, where Queen Guinevere abode, and had commanded her to be his wife; whereto, for fear and sore perplexity, she had feigned consent, but, under pretext of preparing for the marriage, had fled in haste to London and taken shelter in the Tower, fortifying it and providing it with all manner of victuals, and defending it against Sir Modred, and answering to all his threats that she would rather slay herself than be his queen.

Thus was it written to King Arthur.  Then, in passing great wrath and haste, he came with all his army swiftly back from France and sailed to England.  But when Sir Modred heard thereof, he left the Tower and marched with all his host to meet the king at Dover.

Then fled Queen Guinevere to Amesbury to a nunnery, and there she clothed herself in sackcloth, and spent her time in praying for the king and in good deeds and fasting.  And in that nunnery evermore she lived, sorely repenting and mourning for her sin, and for the ruin she had brought on all the realm.  And there anon she died.

And when Sir Lancelot heard thereof, he put his knightly armour off, and bade farewell to all his kin, and went a mighty pilgrimage for many years, and after lived a hermit till his death.

When Sir Modred came to Dover, he found King Arthur and his army but just landed; and there they fought a fierce and bloody battle, and many great and noble knights fell on both sides.