Then they all cried, “Sir knight, we yield us unto you.”  “As to that,” said Sir Launcelot, “I will not take your yielding unto me.  If so be ye will yield you unto Sir Kay the Seneschal, I will save your lives, but else not.”  “Fair knight,” then they said, “we will do as thou commandest us.”  “Then shall ye,” said Sir Launcelot, “on Whitsunday next, go unto the court of King Arthur, and there shall ye yield you unto Queen Guenever, and say that Sir Kay sent you thither to be her prisoners.”  “Sir,” they said, “it shall be done, by the faith of our bodies;” and then they swore, every knight upon his sword.  And so Sir Launcelot suffered them to depart.

On the morn Sir Launcelot rose early and left Sir Kay sleeping; and Sir Launcelot took Sir Kay’s armor, and his shield, and armed him, and went to the stable and took his horse, and so he departed.  Then soon after arose Sir Kay, and missed Sir Launcelot.  And then he espied that he had taken his armor and his horse.  “Now, by my faith, I know well,” said Sir Kay, “that he will grieve some of King Arthur’s knights, for they will deem that it is I, and will be bold to meet him.  But by cause of his armor I am sure I shall ride in peace.”  Then Sir Kay thanked his host and departed.

Sir Launcelot rode in a deep forest, and there he saw four knights, under an oak, and they were of Arthur’s court.  There was Sir Sagramour le Desirus, and Hector de Marys, and Sir Gawain, and Sir Uwaine.  As they spied Sir Launcelot they judged by his arms it had been Sir Kay.  “Now, by my faith,” said Sir Sagramour, “I will prove Sir Kay’s might;” and got his spear in his hand, and came towards Sir Launcelot.  Therewith Sir Launcelot couched his spear against him, and smote Sir Sagramour so sore that horse and man fell both to the earth.  Then said Sir Hector, “Now shall ye see what I may do with him.”  But he fared worse than Sir Sagramour, for Sir Launcelot’s spear went through his shoulder and bare him from his horse to the ground.  “By my faith,” said Sir Uwaine, “yonder is a strong knight, and I fear he hath slain Sir Kay, and taken his armor.”  And therewith Sir Uwaine took his spear in hand, and rode toward Sir Launcelot; and Sir Launcelot met him on the plain and gave him such a buffet that he was staggered, and wist not where he was.  “Now see I well,” said Sir Gawain, “that I must encounter with that knight.”  Then he adjusted his shield, and took a good spear in his hand, and Sir Launcelot knew him well.  Then they let run their horses with all their mights, and each knight smote the other in the middle of his shield.  But Sir Gawain’s spear broke, and Sir Launcelot charged so sore upon him that his horse fell over backward.  Then Sir Launcelot passed by smiling with himself, and he said, “Good luck be with him that made this spear, for never came a better into my hand.”  Then the four knights went each to the other and comforted one another.  “What say ye to this adventure,” said Sir Gawain, “that one spear hath felled us all four?” “I dare lay my head it is Sir Launcelot,” said Sir Hector; “I know it by his riding.”