“Sire, I have loved one of thy vassals,—the knight who stands in bonds, Sir Launfal. He was always misprized in thy Court, and his every action turned to blame. What he said, that thou knowest; for over hasty was his tongue before the Queen.
The speaker is Launfal’s mysterious lover and she is addressing King Arthur. She acknowledges her love for Launfal and defends him. She explains that Launfal was unfairly treated in the court. Her goal is to plead his case and persuade the King to understand Launfal’s actions in a more compassionate way.
The mysterious lady intervenes directly in Launfal’s trial, defending him. The effect on the reader is sympathy and admiration. I really liked these lines because it feels like a really big turning point in the story.
The things I noticed was tone and repetition. The tone of these lines is respectful and obviously thought out. She says "Sire" and "vassals" these both have an elevated tone of respect. There is also a repetive theme of misjudgment in these lines. She says "misprized," "turned to blame," and "over hasty." All of those words lead the reader to the idea that something morally wrong is going on.
Overall, these lines were my really good because Marie de France elevates the voice of a woman. She does this not just to defend Launfal, but to critique a system where justice can be corrupted by jealousy!!