The Story of Sir Launcelot and His Companions

Foreword:

With this begins the third of those books which I have set

myself to write concerning the history of King Arthur

of Britain and of those puissant knights who were of

his Court and of his Round Table.

In the Book which was written before this book you may there

read the Story of that very noble and worthy knight, Sir Launcelot

of the Lake; of how he dwelt within a magic lake which was

the enchanted habitation of the Lady Nymue of the Lake; of how

he was there trained in all the most excellent arts of chivalry by

Sir Pellias, the Gentle Knight-whilom a companion of the Round

Table, but afterward the Lord of the Lake; of how he came forth

out of the Lake and became after that the chiefest knight of the

Round Table of King Arthur. All of this was told in that book

and many other things concerning Sir Launcelot and several other

worthies who were Companions of the Round Table and who were

very noble and excellent knights both in battle and in court.

So here followeth a further history of Sir Launcelot of the Lake

and the narrative of several of the notable adventures that he performed

at this time of his life.

Wherefore if it will please you to read that which is hereinafter

set forth, you will be told of how Sir Launcelot slew the great

Worm of Corbin; of the madness that afterward fell upon him,

and of how a most noble, gentle, and beautiful lady, hight the

Lady Elaine the Fair, lent him aid and succor at a time of utmost

affliction to him, and so brought him back to health again.

And you may herein further find it told how Sir Launcelot was

afterward wedded to that fair and gentle dame, and of how was

born of that couple a child of whom it was prophesied by Merlin

(in a certain miraculous manner fully set forth in this book)

that he should become the most perfect knight that ever lived and

he who should bring back the Holy Grail to the Earth.

For that child was Galahad whom the world knoweth to be

the flower of all chivalry; a knight altogether without fear or

reproach of any kind, yet, withal, the most glorious and puissant

knight-champion who ever lived.

So if the perusal of these things may give you pleasure, I pray

you to read that which followeth, for in this book all these and

several other histories are set forth in full.