Following a hunting dog through the forest, Launcelot comes to a dead knight and his grieving lady. He consoles the lady, then departs and soon meets a damsel who tells him that the other knight in the recent battle, the damsel's brother, cannot be healed until some knight can be found who will go into the Chapel Perilous, find there a sword and bloody cloth, and bring them back to clean the wound. Launcelot goes, meets giant knights dressed in black who mysteriously make way for him when he charges; he takes the cloth and sword, and by perfect loyalty manages to escape the elaborate trap which has been set for him. Had he proved unfaithful either to the knightly code or to his virtuous love for the queen, he would have died, and the sorceress who loves him would have embalmed him to keep him at her side. He heals the wounded knight.
On the road again, he comes to a lady who asks that he retrieve her falcon from an elm tree, for if the hawk gets away her lord will kill her. Launcelot takes off his armor and gets the hawk. While he is up there, naked and unarmed, the lady's husband appears; the falcon was a trick, and the husband is here to murder him. Launcelot breaks off a branch, fights with that, and kills his would-be assassin. Next Launcelot encounters a knight who is about to kill his wife from jealousy. Though Launcelot tries to prevent the murder, the husband succeeds. Launcelot sends him to Camelot, where Guinevere imposes his penance and sends him for further penance to the pope.
At the feast of Pentecost, all Launcelot's great deeds are made known and he is acknowledged the greatest knight in the world.
