The history of the Holy Grail, Englisht, ab. 1450 A.D., by Herry Lonelich, skynner, from the French prose (ab. 1180-1200 A. D.) of Sires Robiers de Borron. Re-edited from the unique paper ms. in Corpus Christi college, Cambridge, by Fredk. J. Furnivall ...

CHAPTER LIV. HOW JOSEPH DIED, AND JOSEPHES 'PASTE TO GOD IN A BLESID TYME.'

Joseph dies, and is burid in an Abbey of the Cross of England (p. 320); and Josephes, sick and 'deseysy,' goes to King Mordreins (p. 320), and says he is full of joy, because God has told him he shall die next morning (p. 320-1). Mor∣dreins then asks for some token of remembrance of him (p. 321), and Josephes tells him to send for the Shield which he gave him for his battle with Tholomer (see vol. i. (p. 109-110). When it comes, Josephes's nose bleeds (p. 321), and with the blood he makes a Cross on the Shield (p. 322), gives it to Mordreins, and says no one shall hang it on his neck without repenting the deed, till Galahad takes it (p. 322). Mordreins thanks God for giving him sight to see the shield (p. 323), and asks Josephes where he shall put it (p. 323). 'On Nasciens's tomb, for there shall Galahad come' (p. 323). On the morrow Josephes 'paste to God in a blesid tyme' (l. 138). His father's body is carrid into a land where there is a famine, and at once the famine ceases (p. 323). The body is burid in the Abbey of Glavs, which is thenceforth called Glayst∣yngbery (p. 324).

Thanne procedyth forth this storye, and telleth how þat to Galafort Iosephes gan hye, [Josephes returns to Galafort to speak with Mordreins,] to speken with kyng Mordreyns verament that often tymes hadde for hym sent, [ 4] whom ful gret desir he hadde to se, [who desird to see him.] As I ȝow seye ful Certeynle.

In this Mene whille deyde Iosephe his fadyr dere, [In the mean time, his father dies,] and was Entered In a fair Manere [ 8] In Engelond, As seith this storye, In an Abbey Of the Croys, As it Maketh Memorye. wherfore Iosephes sore discomforted was, [to Josephes's great distress, and is burid in an Abbey of the Cross.] For his fadyr was beryed In that plas, [ 12] For ful gret love was hem be-twene, As Evere be-twene fadyr & sone Men Myhte sene. And Iosephes Ryht ful feble was tho, that vnnethis for Syknesse Myhte he go, [ 16] what for fastyng and for travaylle Onnethis Myhte he gon Sawn faille; And so Al deseysy & ful Syk he wente [Josephes himself is very ill, as he goes to visit King Mordreins in the Abbey which he founded.] To Sen kyng Mordreyns veramente, [ 20] In the same Abbey wheche he let Make, and let It fownden for his Owne sake. whanne he was Comen In to that plas, Evene there As kyng Mordreins was, [ 24] and hym hadde Salwed In fayr Manere, thanne seide kyng Mordreyns to hym there, [Mordreins says he has long desird to see Josephes,] "Sire, Ryht welcome forsothe ȝe be! longe haue I desired ȝow to speken & se, [ 28] and with me here, sere, for to dwelle, For Manye thinges I moste ȝow telle; For trewly ful longe thinketh Me that ȝe han been Owt Of this Contre; [ 32] and therfore wolde I weten ful fayn [and to know how it is with him.] how that It stont with ȝow Certayn." "Syre, I am Al heyl and sownd, blessed be god, vppon this grownd, [ 36] For More Ioye Neuere I ne hadde [Josephes says he had never more reason to be glad in his life,] thanne I now haue, I May be gladde." "now where-Offen, good Sire, quod Mordreins þ^e kyng, May I not knowen Of that thyng?" [ 40] "Ȝis sire," quod Iosephes, "certeynly, I it schal ȝow tellen ful trewly:

Sire, I schal ȝow sein At this tyme, [for he knows he is to die the next day, at prime.] hens schal I passen to-Morwen At pryme [ 44] Owt Of this world Into Anothir place: thus hath sent me to seyne the kyng Of Grace." And whanne kyng Mordreyns herde this, [Mordreins is much grievd,] Anon he wepte for deol Iwys, [ 48] & seide to Iosephes In this Manere, "A! goode Iosephes, My Frend so dere, Now I am here A-lone In this Contre, and for-saken Alle myn Owne londis & fe [ 52] For the grete love that I In ȝow fond, this, Iosephes, I preie ȝow vndirstond; Now sethen that it Is So Nygh ȝoure tyme that ȝe scholen hens passen to-Morwen At pryme, [ 56] with herte I ȝow preye ful Specyale [and asks Josephes to leave some token with him,] that Som Maner Of Tokene ȝe welen leven Me, that I Of ȝow Myhte hauen som Manere Remembraunce, [that he may keep in remembrance of him.] what so Euere me be-happed In Ony Chaunce." [ 60] "this schal I don, Sire," quod Iosephes tho; [Josephes consents,] And thanne hym bethowhte how he myhte do. thus sone Anon It Cam In his Mynde; thanne seide he to Mordreyns that was so kynd, [ 64] "do bringen that scheld hider to Me, [tells Mordreins to bring the shield he wore] that In to the Bataille I be-took the, Whanne thoW Werredest vppon Tholomer, [when he conquerd Tholomer.] and Of hym haddest the vittorye ther." [ 68] kyng Mordreyns seide it scholde be do, and bad A Man Anon therfore to go; for that scheld faste by him it was, [Mordreins has the shield fetcht.] and Every day he it kyste In that plas, [ 72] for the grete love he hadde therto, Eche day twye or thries he kyste it so. The same tyme the scheld Cam Iosephes before, [Josephes bleeds violently at the nose;] At his Nese he bledde wondyr sore, [ 76] and that stawnched it wolde not be For non thing he Cowde ȝit se.

Anon thus sone he took this scheld that kyng Mordreins bar In the feld, [ 80] and A Myddes the scheld, þere As he stood, [he makes a cross on the shield with the blood,] he Made a Croys with his Owne blood. and whanne that so he hadde I-don, to kyng Mordreins he betook it Anon, [ 84] and seide there to Mordreyns the kyng, [gives the shield back to Mordreins to remember him by, telling him that the cross shall remain fresh for ever,] "this schal I leven ȝow In Remembryng. In this scheld A Crois I have Mad here with myn Owne blood with-Owten dwere; [ 88] So that whanne ȝe taken this scheld On honde, On Me to thenken scholen ȝe fonde; For the Croys that I have Mad here schal Evere lasten As fresch & fere [ 92] as it is this ilke same day;— beleve wel, kyng Mordreyns, that I the say;— and ȝif Ony knyht that so bold be, [and if any knight is so rash as to put the shield on him, he will repent it.] Abowtes him it hangen In Ony degre, [ 96] that he ne schal ful sore Repente, Tyl that A worthy knyht Come presente, wheche the worthy Galaaz schal be hote, [But Galahad, the last of Nasciens's line, shall wear the shield,] The laste Of the lyne Of Nasciens Rote; [ 100] and he this scheld schal taken On honde And non but he; this thou vndirstonde; For there schal neuere ben knyht so hardë hit to Ocupyen, but Onlich he; [ 104] For lik as mo Merveilles be this scheld hast þou seye, Ȝit Mo schal galaaz werken Many weye; and lik As this scheld passeth Alle Oþer scheldis, So Galaaz schal passen In townes and feldis [ 108] [and shall excel all other knights.] Alle knyhtes Of Chevalrie In every dede, So Merveillous & worthy In his Manhede. and with that the kyng gan to se bothe þ^e scheld an Cros ful verrayle; [ 112] Thanne took the kyng this scheld On honde, and Often to kyssen he gan it fonde

and seide, "lord God, I-worschepid thou be, [Mordreins regains sight to see the shield and the cross, and gives thanks Christ for his mercy.] that Grace Of Syhte hast graunted me [ 116] This Crois to Sen here with Myn Eye; Now, goode lord Iesw, Gromessye." and thanne bespak kyng Mordreins To Iosephes Er he wente theins, [ 120] "Sethen ȝe han me left this Ilke thing Ȝow forto haven In Remembryng, Telleth me, Iosephes, I ȝow pray, [He asks where the shield shall be kept?] where that this scheld putten I may, [ 124] So that thike worthy knyht It myht properly Comen to his syht." Thanne Iosephes Seyde to hym tho, [leaf 84] "Sire kyng, ȝif Aftyr Me ȝe welen do, [ 128] [Josephes advises it should be hung over Nasciens's tomb.] loke where Nasciens Is beryed whanne he is ded, and hange ȝe that scheld In thike same sted; For thedir schal Comen that goode knyht at the fyftenethe day, I sey ȝow Ryht, [ 132] Aftyr that he hath taken the Ordre of Chevalrye; Ful faste thedirwardis he schal hym hye." thanne seide the kyng it scholde be do. and thus Iosephes there parted hym fro. [ 136] [Then they part.] Vppon the Morwe Atte Owr Of pryme [At the hour of prime the next morning, Josephes passes to God, and is burid in the abbey.] he paste to God In A blesid tyme, and was Entered In that same Abbey There As kyng Mordreins bedered lay. [ 140] but thanne Comen Othir Men, and his Fadyr bore [His father's body is carrid to another country,] Into A Nothir Contre besides thore; For A gret Affamyne Amonges hem was. [where a famine is stopt by it,] his body they boren Into that plas,— [ 144] For this storye ful trewe it Is, and also I-proved with-Owten Mys,— that At the Entre Of that holy Man Al that Famyne Secede Anon than; [ 148] and the lond becam ful Of blessidnesse, [and the land becomes fruitful.] Of Catel, Of good, and Of Al Richesse;

so that they seiden with-Owten Obstacle, 'that God for that body wrowhte Miracle [ 152] the wheche they browhte Into that Contre;' and In Abbey was buryed ful Solempne, [Joseph's body is solemnly burid at the Abbey of Glastonbury.] that thabbey of Glays that tyme was Cald, whech Abbey of Glaystyngbery now men hald. [ 156] Now Resteth here this storye, [The story goes to Aleyn.] and Of Aleyn the Sone Of bron Maketh Memorye.