Le Morte Darthur / by Syr Thomas Malory ; the original edition of William Caxton now reprinted and edited with an introduction and glossary by H. Oskar Sommer ; with an essay on Malory's prose style by Andrew Lang

[leaf 345r]

Book Seventeen: syre Galahad

¶ Capitulum primum

NOw saith this story whanne Galahad had rescowed Percyual from the twenty knyghtes / he yede tho in to a waste foreste / wherin he rode many Iourneyes / and he fonde many aduentures / the whiche he brought to an ende / wherof the story maketh here no mencyon / Thenne he toke his waye to the see on a daye / & hit befelle as he passed by a Castel where was a wonder turnement / but they withoute had done soo moche/ that they within were putte to the werse / yet were they wythin good knyghtes ynouȝ / whanne Galahad sawe that tho within were at soo grete a meschyef that men slewe hem att the entre of the Castel / thenne he thoughte to helpe hem / and putte a spere forth / and smote the fyrste that he slay to the erthe / and the spere brak to pyeces / thanne he drewe his suerd / and smote there as they were thyckest / and so he dyd wonderful dedes of armes / that alle they merueylled / thenne hit happed that Gawayne and sir Ector de marys were with the knyghtes withoute / But whanne they aspyed the whyte shelde with the reed Crosse / the one sayd to the other yonder is the good knyght sir Galahad the haute prynce / Now he shold be a grete foole / whiche shold mete with hym to fyghte / Soo by aduenture he came by sire Gawayne and he smote hym soo hard that he claf his helme and the coyfe of yron vnto his hede / so that Gawayn felle to the erthe / but the stroke was soo grete that it slented doune to the erthe and carfe the hors sholder in two / Whan Ector sawe Gawayne doune he drewe hym asyde / and thoughte it no wysedome for to abyde hym / and also for naturel loue that he was his vnkel / Thus thurgh his grete hardynesse he bete abak alle the knyghtes withoute / And thenne they within cam oute and chaced hem alle aboute / But whanne Galahad sawe ther wold none torne ageyne / he stale awey pryuely so that none wyst where he was bicome / Now by my hede sayd Gawayn to Ector now are the wonders true that were sayd of Launcelot du lake / that the swerd whiche stak in the stone shold gyue me suche a buffet þt I wold not haue it for the best Castell in this world / and sothely now hit is preued trewe for neuer

[leaf 345v] ere had I suche a stroke of mans hand / Sir sayd Ector me semeth your quest is done / and yours is not done sayd Gawayn but myn is done I shalle seke noo ferther / Thenne Gawayne was borne in to a Castel and vnarmed hym / and leyd hym in a ryche bedde / and a leche fonde that he myght lyue / & to be hole within a moneth / Thus Gawayne and Ector abode to gyder / For syre Ector wold not awey til Gawayne were hole / & the good knyȝt Galahad rode so long tyll he came that nyghte to the Castel of Carboneck / & hit befelle hym thus / that he was benyghted in an hermytage / Soo the good man was fayne whan he sawe he was a knyght erraunt / tho whan they were at rest / ther cam a gentilwoman knockyng at the dore / & called Galahad / and soo the good man cam to the dore to wete what she wold / Thenne she called the heremyte syre Vlfyn I am a gentylwoman that wold speke with the knyght whiche is with yow / Thenne the good man awaked Galahad / & badde hym aryse and speke with a gentylwoman that semeth hath grete nede of yow / Thenne Galahad wente to her & asked her what she wold / Galahad sayd she I will that ye arme you and moūte vpon your hors and folowe me / For I shall shewe yow within these thre dayes the hyest aduenture that euer ony knyght sawe / Anone Galahad armed hym and took his hors and commaunded hym to god / and badde the gentilwoman go and he wold folowe there as she lyked /

¶ Capitulum ij

SOo she rode as fast as her palfrey myght bere her tylle that she came to the see / the whiche was called Collybe And at the nyghte they came vnto a Castel in a valeye closed with a rennynge water and with stronge walles and hyhe / & soo she entred in to the Castel with Galahad and there had he grete chere for the lady of that Castel was the damoysels lady / soo whan he was vnarmed / thenne said the damoysels madame shalle we abyde here all this day / Nay sayd she but tylle he hath dyned and tyl he hath slepte a lytyl / so he ete and slepte a whyle tyl that the mayde called hym / and armed hym by

[leaf 346r] torche lyght / And whan the mayde was horsed and he bothe the lady took Galahad a fayr child and ryche / and so they departed from the Castel tyl they came to the see syde / & there they fond the shyp where Bors and Percyual were in / the whiche cryed on the shyps bord sir Galahad ye be welcome / we haue abyden yow longe / And whan he herd them / he asked them what they were / Sir said she leue your hors here / and I shall leue myn and toke her sadels and her brydels with them and made a crosse on them / and soo entryd in to the shyp / and the two knyghtes receyued hem bothe with grete Ioye / and eueryche knewe other / and soo the wynde aroos / and drofe hem thurgh the see in a merueyllous place / And within a whyle it dawyd / Thenne dyd Galahad of his helme & his suerd / & asked of his felawes from whens cam that fayre shyp / Truly sayd they ye wote as wel as we but of goddes grace / and thenne they told eueryche to other of alle theire hard aduentures / and of her grete temptacyons / truly sayd Galahad ye are moche bounden to god for ye haue escaped grete aduentures and had not the gentilwoman ben / I had not comen here / for as for yow I wend neuer to haue fond yow in these straunge countreyes / A Galahad saide Bors yf launcelot your fader were here / thenne were we wel at ease / for thenne me semed we fayled no thynge / That may not be sayde Galahad / but yf it pleasyd oure lorde / By thenne the shyp wente fro the londe of Logrys / and by aduenture it arryued vp betwix two roches passyng grete and merueyllous / but there they myght not londe / for there was a swalowe of the see / sauf there was another ship / and vpon it they myght goo withoute daunger / Goo we thyder sayd the gentylwoman / and there shalle we see aduentures / for soo is oure lordes wylle /

¶ And whanne they came thyder / they fond the ship ryche ynouȝ / but they fond neyther man ne woman therin / But they fonde in the ende of the ship two fayre letters wryten whiche sayd a dredeful word and a merueyllous / Thow man whiche shalle entre in to this shyp beware thou be in stedfast bileue for I am feith & therfor beware hou thou entrest / for & thou faile I shal not helpe the / thenne saide the gētilwoman Percyual wote ye what I am / Certes said nay to my wetynge /

¶ Wete you wel sayd she that I

[leaf 346v] am thy syster / whiche am doughter of kynge Pellenore / And therfore wete ye wel ye are the man in the world that I moost loue / And yf ye be not in parfyte byleue of Ihesu Cryst entre not in no maner of wyse / for thenne shold ye perysshe the shyp for he is soo parfyte / he wylle suffre no synner in hym / whanne Percyual vnderstode that she was his veray syster / he was inwardly glad and sayd / faire syster I shalle entre therin / For yf I be a mys creature or an vntrue knyghte there shalle I perysshe

¶ Capitulum Tercium

IN the meane whyle Galahad blessed hym / & entrid therin / and thenne next the gentylwoman / & thenne sir Bors & sir Percyual / And whan they were in / it was so merueyllous fayre and ryche that they merueylled / & in myddes of the shyp was a fayr bedde / & Galahad wente therto / & fond there a crowne of sylke / And at the feet was a swerd ryche & fayre / and hit was drawen oute of the shethe half a foot and more / and the suerd was of dyuerse facyons / and the pomel was of stone / and there was in hym alle manere of colours that ony man myght fynde / and eueryche of the colours hadde dyuerse vertues / and the skalys of the hafte were of two rybbes of dyuerse beestes / the one beest was a serpent whiche was conuersaunt in Calydone / and is called the serpent of the fend And the bone of hym is of suche a vertu that there is no hand that handeleth hym shalle neuer be wery nor hurte / and the other beest is a fysshe which is not ryght grete / and haunteth the flood of Eufrate / and that fysshe is called Ertanax / and his bones be of suche a maner of kynde that who that handeleth hem / shalle haue soo moche wille that he shalle neuer be wery and he shalle not thynke on Ioye nor sorow that he hath had But only that thynge that he beholdeth before hym / And as for this suerd there shalle neuer man begyrype hym at the handels but one / but he shalle passe alle other / In the name of god said Percyual I shall assaye to handle hit / Soo he sette his hand to the suerd / but he myghte not begrype hit / by my feyth said he now haue I fayled / Bors set his hand therto & fayled Thenne Galahad beheld the suerd and sawe letters lyke blood that sayd / lete see who shall assaye to drawe me oute of my

[leaf 347r] shethe / but yf he be more hardyer than ony other / & who that draweth me / wete ye wel that he shalle neuer fayle of shame of his body or to be wounded to the dethe / By my feyth said galahad I wold drawe this suerd oute of the shethe / but the offendynge is soo grete that I shalle not sette my hand therto Now sirs said the gentilwoman wete ye wel that the drawynge of this suerd is warned to alle men sauf al only to yow Also this shyp aryued in the realme of Logrys / and that tyme was dedely werre bytwene kynge labor whiche was fader vnto the maymed kynge and kynge Hurlame whiche was a Sarasyn / But thenne was he newely crystend / soo that men helde hym afterward one of the wyttyest men of the world / & soo vpon a day hit befelle that kynge Labor and kynge Hurlame had assembled their folke vpon the see where this shyp was aryued / and there kyng Hurlame was discomfyte / and his men slayne / and he was aferd to be dede / and fled to his shyp and there he fond this suerd and drewe hit / and cam oute and fond kyng Labor the man in the world of al crystendom in whome was thenne the grettest feythe /

¶ And when kynge Hurlame sawe kynge Labor he dressid this suerd / and smote hym vpon the helme soo hard that he clafe hym / and his hors to the erthe with the fyrst stroke of his suerd / and hit was in the realme of Logrys / and soo bifelle grete pestylence & grete harme to both Realmes / for sythen encrecyd neyther corne ne grasse nor wel nyghe no fruyte / ne in the water was no fysshe werfor men callen hit the landes of the two marches the waste land / for that dolorous stroke / And when kynge Hurlame sawe this suerd soo keruyng / he torned ageyne to fetche the scaubard / And soo came in to this shyp and entred and putt vp the suerd in the shethe / And as soone as he had done it / he felle doune dede afore the bedde / Thus was the swerd preued that none ne drewe it but he were dede or maymed / So laye he ther tyl a mayden cam in to the shyp / and cast hym oute / for there was no man so hardy of the world to entre in to shypthat for the defence

¶ Capitulum quartum /

[leaf 347v]

ANd thenne beheld they the scaubard / hit semed to be of a serpentes skynne / And theron were letters of gold and syluer / and the gyrdel was but pourely to come to / and not able to susteyne suche a ryche suerd / and the letters sayd / he whiche shal welde me oughte to be more harder than ony other yf he bere me as truly as me oughte to be born For the body of hym whiche I oughte to hange by he shal not be shamed in no place whyle he is gyrd with this gyrdel / nor neuer none be soo hardy to doo awey this gyrdel / for it oughte not be done away but by the handes of a mayde / and that she be a kynges doughter and quenes / and she must be a mayde alle the dayes of her lyf / bothe in wylle and in dede / And yf she breke her vyrgynte she shalle dye the moost vylaynous dethe that euer dyd ony woman / Sir said Percyual torne this suerd that we may see what is on the other syde / & hit was reed as blood with blak letters as ony cole / whiche sayd / he that shal prayse me moost / moost shalle he fynde me to blame at a grete nede and to whome I shold be moost debonair shall I be most felon / and that shalle be at one tyme / Faire broder sayd she to Percyual it befelle after a fourty yere after the passion of Ihesu Cryst that Nacyen thy broder in lawe of kyng Mordrayns was boren in to a Towne more than xiiij dayes Iourneye from his countrey by the commaundement of our lord in to an yle / in to the partyes of the west that men clepyd the yle of Turnaunce / Soo befelle hit that he fond this shyp at the entre of a roche / and he fond the bedde and his suerd as we haue herd now / Not for thenne he had not soo moche hardynesse to drawe hit / and there he dwellid an eyght dayes / and at the nynythe day there felle a grete wynde whiche departed hym out of the yle and brought hym to another yle by a roche / and there he fond the grettest gyaunt that euer man myghte see / therwith cam that horryble gyaunt to slee hym / and thenne he loked aboute hym aad myghde not flee / and he had no thynge to defende hym with / Soo he ranne to his suerd / and when he sawe hit naked / he praysed it moche / and thenne he shoke it / and therwith he brak it in the myddes A said Nacyen the thyng that I moost praysed ought I now moost to blame / and ther with he threwe the pyeces of his suerd ouer his bedde / And after he

[leaf 348r] lepte ouer the borde to fyghte with we gyaunt / and slewe hym And anone he entryd in to the shyp ageyne / and the wynde arose / and drofe hym thurgh the see / that by aduenture he came to another shyp where kynge Mordrayns was / whiche hadde ben tempted ful euyll with a fende in the porte of peryllous roche / And whanne that one sawe the other / they made grete Ioye of other / and eyther told other of their aduenture / & how the swerd fayled hym at his moost nede / Whanne Mordrayns sawe the suerd he praysed hit moche / but the brekyng was not to doo / but by wyckednes of thy self ward / for thow arte in somme synne / and there he took the suerd / and sette the pecys to gyders / and they soudered as fayr as euer they were to fore / and there putte he the swerd in the shethe / and leyd it doune on the bedde / Thenne herd they a voyce that sayd go out of this ship a lytel whyle / and entre in to the other for drede ye falle in dedely synne / for and ye be fonde in dedely synne ye maye not escape but perysshe / and soo they wente in to the other shyp / And as Nacyen wente ouer the borde he was smyten with a swerd on the ryghte foote that he felle doune noselynge to the shyps bord / and there withe he sayd O god how am I hurte / and thenne there came a voyce and sayd / take thow that for thy forfette that thow dydest in drawynge of this suerd / therfor thow receyuest a wounde / for thow were neuer worthy to handel it / the wrytynge maketh mencyon / In the name of god said galahad ye ar ryȝt wyse of these werkes

¶ Capitulum v

SYr sayd she there was a kynge that hyghte Pelles the maymed kynge / And whyle he myghte ryde / he supported moche crystendome and holy chirche / Soo vpon a daye he hunted in a woode of his whiche lasted vnto the see / and at the last he loste his houndes / and his knyghtes / sauf only one / and there he and his knyghte wente tyl that they cam toward Irland / and there he fonde the shyp / And whanne he sawe the letters and vnderstood them / yet he entryd / for he was ryghte parfyte of his lyf / but his knyghte had none hardynes to entre & ther fonde he this suerd & drewe it oute as moche as ye maye see / Soo there with entryd a spere where with he was

[leaf 348v] smyte hym thurgh bothe the thyes / and neuer sythe myghte he be helyd ne nought shall to fore we come to hym / Thus said she was not kynge Pelles your graunte sir maymed for his hardynesse / In the name of god damoysel sayd Galahad / so they wente toward the bedde to behold al aboute hit / and aboue the hede ther henge two swerdes / Also there were two spyndels whiche were as whyte as ony snowe / and other that were as reed as blood / and other aboue grene as ony emeraude / of these thre colours were the spyndels and of naturel coloure within and withoute ony payntynge / These spyndels sayd the damoysel were whan synful Eue came to gadre fruyte / for whiche Adam and she were putte oute of paradyse / she tooke with her the bough on whiche the Appel henge on / Thenne perceyued she that the braunche was fayre and grene / and she remembryd her the losse whiche came fro the tree / Thenne she thoughte to kepe the braunche as longe as she myghte / And for she had no cofer to kepe hit in / she put it in the erthe / Soo by the wylle of our lord the braunche grewe to a grete tree within a lytil whyle / & was as whyte as ony snowe / braūches / bowes / and leues that was a token a mayden planted hit / But after god came to Adam and bad hym knowe his wyf flesshly as nature requyred / Soo lay Adam with his wyf vnder the same tree / and anone the tree whiche was whyte and ful grene as ony grasse and alle that came oute of hit / and in the same tyme that they medled to gyders there was Abel begoten / thus was the tree longe of grene colour / And so it befelle many dayes after / vnder the same tree Caym slewe Abel / wherof befelle grete merueil For anone as Abel had receyued the dethe vnder the grene tree he lost the grene colour and becam reed and that was in tokenyng of the blood / & anone alle the plantes dyed therof / but the tree grewe and waxed merueyllously fayre / & hit was the fayrest tree & the moost delectable that ony man myght beholde and see and so dyd the plantes that grewe out of it tofore that Abel was slayne vnder it / Soo longe dured the tree tyl that Salamon kynge Dauyds sone regned / and helde the londe after his fader / This Salamon was wyse and knewe alle the vertues of stones and trees / and soo he knewe the course of the sterres and many other dyuerse thynges

[leaf 349r] This Salamon had an euylle wyfe / where thurgh he wende that there had ben no good woman / and soo he despysed hem in his bookes / Soo ansuerd a voyce hym ones / Salamon / yf heuynes come to a man by a woman / ne reke thow neuer / For yet shalle there come a woman wherof there shalle come gretter Ioye to man an honderd tymes more than this heuynesse geueth sorowe / and that woman shalle be borne of thy lygnage / Tho whan Salamon herd these wordes / he held hym self but a foole / & the trouthe he perceyued by old bookes / Also the holy ghoost shewed hym the comynge of the gloryous vyrgyne marye / Thenne asked he of the voyce / yf hit shold be in the yerde of his lygnage / Nay sayd the voyce but there shalle come a man whiche shalle be a mayde / and the last of your blood / & he shalle be as good a knyght as duke Iosue / thy broder in lawe

¶ Capitulum vj

NOw haue I certefyed the of that thow stodest in doubte / thenne was Salamon glad that there shold come ony suche of his lygnage / but euer he merueylled & studyed who that shold be / And what his name myghte be/ his wyf perceyued that he studyed and thoughte she wolde knowe it at some season / and so she wayted her tyme / & asked of hym the cause of his studyenge / and there he told her alle to gyder how the voyce tolde hym / Wel sayd she / I shalle lete make a shyp of the best wood and moost durable that men maye fynde / Soo Salamon sente for alle the Carpenters of the lond and the best / And whan they had made the shyp / the lady sayd to Salamon / syr sayd she / syn hit is soo that this knyght ouȝte to passe all knyghtes of cheualry whiche haue ben to fore hym / & shall come after hym / More ouer I shalle telle yow sayd she ye shalle goo in to oure lordes temple where is kynge Dauyds suerd your fader / the whiche is the merueylloust and the sharpest that euer was taken in ony knyghtes hand / therfore take that / and take of the pomel / and therto make ye a pomel of precyous stones that it be soo subtylly made that noo man perceyue it / but that they be al one / & after make there an hylte soo merueyllously and wonderly that noo man maye

[leaf 349v] knowe hit / And after make a merueyllous sheth / And whan ye haue made alle this / I shalle lete make a gyrdel ther to suche as shalle please me / Alle this kynge Salamon dyd lete make as she deuysed / bothe the shyp and alle the remenaunt / And whan the ship was redy in the see to sayle / the lady lete make a grete bedde and merueyllous ryche / and sette her vpon the beddes hede couerd with sylke / and leyd the suerd at the feete / & the gyrdels were of hempe / and there with the kynge was angry / Syr wete ye wel sayd she that I haue none soo hyghe a thynge whiche were worthy to susteyne soo hyhe a suerd / and a mayde shall brynge other knyghtes ther to / but I wote not whanne hit shalle be ne what tyme / and there she lete make a couerynge to the shyp of clothe of sylke that shold neuer rote for no maner of weder / yet went that lady and maade a Carpenter to come to the tree whiche Abel was slayne vnder / Now sayd she carue me oute of this tree as moche woode as wylle make me a spyndyl / A madame sayd he / this is the tree / the whiche our fyrst moder planted / Do hit sayd she or els I shall destroye the / Anone as he beganne to werke / ther cam out droppes of blood / and thenne wold he haue lefte / but she wold not suffre hym // and soo he tooke aweye as moche wood as myȝte make a spyndyl / and soo she made hym to take as moche of the grene tree and of the whyte tree / And whan these thre spyndels were shapen / she made hem to be fastned vpon the selar of the bedde / whanne Salamone sawe this / he sayd to his wyf ye haue done merueyllously / for though alle the world were here ryght now / he coude not deuyse wherfor alle this was made / but oure lord hym self / and thow that hast done hit / wotest not what it shal betoken / Now late hit be sayd she / for ye shal here tydynges sooner than ye wene /

¶ Now shalle ye here a wonderful tale of kyng Salamon and his wyf

¶ Capitulum vij

THat nyght lay Salamon bifore the ship with lytel felauship / And whan he was on slepe / hym thoughte /

[leaf 350r] there come from heuen a grete company of angels and alyghte in to the ship and took water whiche was broughte by an angel in a vessel of syluer / and sprente alle the shyp / And after he came to the suerd and drewe letters on the hylte / And after wente to the shyps borde / and wrote there other letters / whiche sayd thou man that wylt entre within me / beware that thow be ful within the feythe / for I ne am but feythe & byleue / whanne Salamon aspyed these letters he was abasshed/ soo that he durste not entre / and soo drewe hym abak / and the shyp was anone shouen in the see / and he wente soo faste that he lost fyghte of hym within a lytyl whyle / And thenne a lytyl voyce said / Salamon / the last knyghte of thy lygnage shalle reste in this bedde / Thenne wente Salamon and awaked his wyf / and told her of the aduentures of the shyp /

¶ Now sayth thystory that a grete whyle the thre felawes biheld the bedde / and the thre spyndels / than they were at certayne that they were of naturel colours withoute payntynge / Thenne they lefte vp a clothe whiche was aboue the ground & there fond a ryche purse by semynge / and Percyuale took hit/ And fonde therin a wrytte / & soo he redde hit / and deuysed the maner of the spyndels and of the shyp whens hit came / and by whome it was made / Now sayd Galahad where shall we fynde the gentylwoman / that shalle make newe gyrdels to the suerd / Fair syre sayd Percyuals syster / desmaye yow not / For by the leue of god I shall lete make a gyrdel to the suerd suche one as shalle longe therto / And thenne she opened a boxe and toke oute gyrdels which were semely wroughte with golden thredys / and vpon that were sette ful precyous stones & a ryche buckel of gold / lo lordes said she / here is a gyrdel that oughte to be sette aboute the suerd / And wete ye wel the grettest parte of this gyrdle was made of my here whiche I loued wel whyle that I was a woman of the world / But as soone as I wyst that this aduenture was ordeyned me I clypped of my here / and made this gyrdel in the name of god / ye be wel y fonde said sir Bors / for certes ye haue put vs out of grete payne wherin we shold haue entryd ne had your tydynges ben / Thenne wente the gentilwoman and sette hit on the gyrdel of the suerd / Now sayd the felauship what is the name

[leaf 350v] of the suerd / and what shalle we calle hit / Truly sayd she the name of the suerd is the suerd with the straunge gyrdels and the shethe meuer of blood / for noo man that hath blood in hym ne shalle neuer see the one party of the shethe whiche was made of the tree of lyf / Thenne they sayd to Galahad In the name of Ihesu Cryste / and praye yow that ye gyrd you with this suerd whiche hath ben desyred so moche in the Realme of Logrys / Now lete me begynne sayd Galahad to grype thys swerd for to gyue yow courage / But wete ye wel hit longeth no more to me than it doth to yow / And thenne he gryped aboute hit with his fyngers a grete dele / And thenne she gyrte hym aboute the myddel with the swerd / Now rek I not though I dye / for now I hold me one of the blessid maydens of the world whiche hath made the worthyest knyght of the world / Damoysel sayd Galahad ye haue done soo moche that I shalle be your knyghte alle the dayes of my lyf / Thenne they wente from that shyp / and wente to the other / And anone the wynde droofe hem in to the see a grete paas but they had no vytaille / but hit befelle that they came on the morne to a Castell that men calle Carteloyse / that was in the marches of Scotlād And whan they had passed the porte / the gentilwoman sayde lordes here be men aryuen that and they wyste that ye were of kynge Arthurs courte / ye shold be assayled anone / Damoysell sayd Galahad he that cast vs oute of the Roche shalle delyuer vs from hem

¶ Capitulum Octauum

SOo hit befelle as they spoken thus / there cam a squyer by them / and asked what they were / and they said they were of kynge Arthurs hows / is that sothe sayd he / Now by my hede sayd he ye be ylle arayed / and thenne torned he ageyn vnto the clyff fortresse / And within a whyle they herd an horne blowe / Thenne a gentylwoman came to hem and asked hem of whens they were / and they told her / Faire lordes sayd she for goddes loue torne ageyne yf ye may / for ye be come vnto youre dethe / Nay they sayd we wille not torne ageyne / for he shalle helpe vs in whos seruyse we ben entred in /

¶ Thenne as they

[leaf 351r] stode talkynge / there came knyghtes wel armed and bad hem yelde them or els to dye / that yeldyng sayd they shal be noyous to yow / and there with they lete theyr horses renne / and sir Percyual smote the formest to the erthe / and took his hors / & mounted therupon / and the same dyd Galahad / Also Bors serued another soo for they had no horses in that countrey / for they lefte their horses whan they toke their shyp in other countrayes/

¶ And soo whan they were horsed / thenne beganne they to sette vpon them / and they of the Castel fled in to the stronge fortresse / and the thre knyghtes after them in to the Castel / and soo alyghte on foote / and with their swerdes slewe them doune and gate in to the halle / Thenne whan they beheld the grete multytude of peple / that they had slayne / they held them self grete synners / Certes sayd Bors / I wene & god had loued hem that we shold not haue had power to haue slayne hem thus / But they haue done soo moche ageyn our lord that he wold not suffre hem to regne no lenger / Say ye not soo sayd Galahad / for yf they mysdyd ageynst god / the vengeaunce is not ours / but to hym whiche hath power therof / So came there oute of a chamber a good man whiche was a preest and bare goddes body in a coupe / And whanne he sawe hem whiche lay dede in the halle / he was alle abasshed / and Galahad dyd of his helme and kneled doune / and soo dyd his two felawes / syre sayd they haue ye no drede of vs / For we ben of kynge Arthurs courte /

¶ Thenne asked the good man how they were slayn so sodenly / and they told it hym Truly sayd the good man and ye myghte lyue as longe as the world myght endure / ne myghte ye haue done soo grete an almesse dede as this / Sire sayd Galahad I repente me moch in as moche as they were crystened / Nay repente yow not sayd he for they were not crystened / and I shalle telle you hou that I wote of this Castel / here was lord Erle Hernox not but one yere / and he had thre sones good knyghtes of armes and a doughter the fayrest gentylwoman that men knewe / soo tho thre knyghtes loued theyr syster so sore that they brente in loue / and so they lay by her maulgre her hede / And for she cryed to her fader / they slewe her and took their fader / and putte hym in pryson / and woūded hym nygh to the deth / but a cosyn

[leaf 351v] of hers rescowed hym / And thenne dyd they grete vntrouthe/ they slewe clerkes and preestes / and made bete doune chappels that oure lordes seruyse myght not be serued ne sayd / and this same day her fader sente to me for to be confessid & houseld / but suche shame had neuer man as I had this day with the thre bretheren / but the erle badde me suffer / for he sayde they shold not longe endure / for thre seruauntes of oure lord shold destroye them / and now hit is brought to an ende / And by this maye ye wete our lord is not displeasyd with your dedes Certes sayd Galahad and hit had not pleasyd our lord / neuer shold we haue slayne soo many men in soo lytel a whyle / & thenne they broughte the erle Hernox oute of pryson in to the myddes of the halle that knewe Galahad anone / and yet he sawe hym neuer afore but by reuelacyon of our lord

¶ Capitulum ix

THenne beganne he to wepe ryght tendyrly & said long haue I abyden your comynge / but for goddes loue holdeth me in your armes that my sowle may departe oute of my body in soo good a mans armes as ye be / Gladly sayd Galahad / And thenne one sayd on hyghe that alle herde / Galahad/ wel hast thou auenged me on goddes enemyes / Now behoueth the to goo to the maymed kyng as soone as thow maist / for he shalle receyue by the helthe whiche he hath abyden soo long / and ther with the sowle departed from the body / and Galahad made hym to be buryed as hym ought to be / Ryght soo departed the thre knyghtes and Percyuals syster with them / And soo they came in to a waste foreste / and there they sawe afore them a whyte herte whiche four lyons ladde / Thenne they took hem to assent for to folowe after / for to knowe whydder they repayred and soo they rode after a grete paas til that they cam to a valeye / & ther by was an hermytage where a good man dwellid and the herte and the lyons entryd also / soo whanne they sawe all this / they torned to the chappel / and sawe the good man in a relygyous wede & in the armour of our lord / for he wold synge masse of the holy ghoost / and soo they entryd in & herde

[leaf 352r] masse / And at the secretys of the masse / they thre sawe the hert become a man / the whiche merueyled hem and sette hym vpon the aulter / in a ryche sege / and sawe the four lyons were chaunged / the one to the forme of a man / the other to the forme of a lyon / and the thyrd to an Egle / and the fourth was chaunged vnto an oxe / thenne toke they her sege / where the herte sat / and wente oute thurgh a glas wyndowe / and there was no thynge perysshed nor broken / and they herd a voyce say in suche a maner entred the sone of god in the wombe of a mayd mary / whos vyrgynyte ne was perysshed ne hurte / & whanne they herd these wordes they felle doune to the erthe / and were astonyed / and ther with was a grete clerenes / And whanne they were come to their self ageyn they wente to the good man and prayd hym that he wold say hem trouthe / What thynge ha ue ye sene sayd he / & they told hym all that they had sene / A lordes sayd he ye be welcome / now wote I wel ye be the good knyghtes / the whiche shal brynge the Sancgreal to an ende / For ye ben they vnto whome oure lord shalle shewe grete secretes / and wel oughte oure lord be sygnefyed to an herte / For the herte whanne he is old / he waxeth yonge ageyne in hys whyte skynne / Ryght soo cometh ageyne oure lord from dethe to lyf / for he lost erthely flesshe that was the dedely flesshe / whyche he had taken in the wombe of the blessid vyrgyn mary / & for that cause appiered oure lord as a whyte herte withoute spot / and the foure that were with hym is to vnderstande the foure euuangelystes whiche sette in wrytynge a parte of Ihesu Crystes dedes that he dyd somtyme whan he was amonge yow an erthely man / for wete ye wel neuer erst ne myghte no knyghte knowe the trouthe / for oftymes or this oure lord shewed hym vnto good men and vnto good knyghtes in lykenes of an herte But I suppose from hens forth ye shalle see no more / and thenne they Ioyed moche / and dwelled ther alle that day /

¶ And vpon the morowe whan they had herde masse / they departed and commaunded the good man to god and soo they came to a Castel and passed by / So there came a knyghte armed after them and sayd lordes herke what I shal saye to yow

[leaf 352v]

¶ Capitulum x

THis gentylwoman that ye lede with yow is a mayde / Syr said she / a mayde I am / Thenne he took her by the brydel / and sayd by the holy crosse ye shalle not escape me to fore ye haue yolden the customme of this Castel / lete her go sayd Percyual ye be not wyse / for a mayde in what place she cometh is free / Soo in the meane whyle there came oute a ten or twelue knyghtes armed oute of the Castel / and with hem came gentylwymmen whiche held a dysshe of syluer / and thenne they sayd this gentylwoman must yelde vs the customme of this Castel / sir sayd a knyghte / what mayde passeth here by shalle yeue this dysshe ful of blood of her ryghte arme / blame haue he sayd Galahad that broughte vp suche custommes / and soo god me saue I ensure yow of this gentylwoman ye shal fayle whyle that I lyue / Soo god me help sayd Percyual I had leuer be slayne / and I also sayd sir Bors / By my trouthe sayd the knyght / thenne shalle ye dye / for ye maye not endure ageynste vs / though ye were the best knyghtes of the world / thenne lete they renne eche to other / and the thre felawes bete the ten knyghtes / and thenne sette theire handes to their swerdes and bete them doune and slewe them / Thenne there came oute of the Castel a thre score knyghtes armed / Faire lordes sayd the thre felawes haue mercy on youre selfe and haue not adoo with vs / Nay fayre lordes sayd the knyghtes of the Castel we counceyl yow to withdrawe yow / for ye ben the best knyghtes of the world / and therfore doo no more for ye haue done ynough / We wille lete yow go with this harme but we must nedes haue the customme / Certes sayd Galahad for nought speke ye / wel sayd they / wille ye dye / we be not yet come therto sayd Galahad / thēne beganne they to medle to gyders / and Galahad with the straunge gyrdels drewe his suerd / and smote on the ryght hand and on the lyfte hand & slewe what that euer abode hym / & dyd suche merueils that there was none that sawe hym / they wend he had ben none erthely man but a monstre / and hist two felawes halp hym passyng wel / and soo they held the Iourney eueryche in lyke hard tyl it was nyȝt / thenne must they nedes departe / So cam

[leaf 353r] in a good knyghte / and sayd to the thre felawes / yf ye wyll come in to nyght / and take suche herberowe as here is / ye shal be ryght welcome / and we shall ensure yow by the feyth of our bodyes / and as we be true knyghtes to leue yow in suche estat to morowe as we fynde yow withoute ony falshede / And as soone as ye knowe of the custome we dare say ye wyll accorde therfor for goddes loue said the gentylwoman goo thyder and spare not for me / Go we sayd Galahad / and soo they entryd in to the chappel / And when they were alyghte / they made grete Ioye of hem / Soo within a whyle the thre knyghtes asked the customme of the Castel and wherefor it was / what hit is sayd they we wille saye yow sothe /

¶ Capitulum xj /

THer is in this Castel a gentylwoman whiche we and this castel is hers and many other / Soo it befelle many yeres agone there fylle vpon her a maladye / And whanne she had layne a grete whyle she felle vnto a mesel / and of no leche she coude haue no remedy / But at the last an old man sayd and she myght haue a dysshe ful of blood of a mayde and a clene vyrgyn in wylle and in werke / And a kynges doughter / that blood shold be her hele / and for to anoynte her with alle / & for this thynge was this customme made Now said Percyuals sister fayr knyȝtes I see wel þ^t this gentylwoman is but dede / Certes sayd Galahad and ye blede soo moche ye maye dye / Truly sayd she / and I dye for to hele her / I shal gete me grete worship and sowles helthe / and worshyp to my lygnage / and better is one harme than tweyn And therfor ther shall be no more batail but to morne I shall yelde yow your customme of this castel / and thenne there was grete Ioye more than there was to fore / For els had there ben mortal werre vpon the morne / not withstandyng she wold none other whether they wold or nold / that nyght were the thre felawes easyd with the best / & on the morne they herd masse / and sir Percyuals sister bad brynge forth the seke lady / so she was / the whiche was euylle at ease / thenne sayd she who shall

[leaf 353v] lete me blood / Soo one came forth and lete her blood / and she bled soo moche / that the dysshe was ful / thenne she lyfte vp her hand and blessid her / And thenne she said to the lady / Madame I am come to the dethe for to make yow hole / for goddes loue prayeth for me / with that she felle in a swoune / Thenne Galahad and his two felawes starte vp to her and lyfte her vp and staunched her / but she had bled soo moche that she myght not lyue / Thenne she sayd whan she was awaked fayre broder Percyual I dye for the helynge of this lady / Soo I requyre yow that ye berye me not in this countrey / but as soone as I am dede / put me in a bote at the next hauen / and lete me goo as aduenture will lede me / And as soone as ye thre come to the Cyte of Sarras ther to encheue the holy graile ye shalle fynde me vnder a Towre arryued / and there bery me in the spyrytual place / for I saye yow soo moche there Galahad shalle be buryed and ye also in the same place / Thenne Percyual vnderstood these wordes and graunted it her wepynge / And thenne sayd a voyce lordes and felawes to morowe at the houre of pryme ye thre shalle departe eueryche from other tyl the aduenture brynge yow to the maymed kynge / Thenne asked she her saueour / and as soone as she had receyued hit / the soule departed from the body / Soo the same daye was the lady helyd whan she was enoynted with alle / Thenne syr Percyuale made a letter of all that she had holpen hem as in straunge aduentures / and put hit in her ryght hand and soo leyd her in a barge / and couerd it with blak sylke / and so the wynde aroos / and drofe the barge from the lond & alle knyghtes beheld hit / tyl it was oute of their syghte / Thenne they drewe alle to the Castel / and soo forthe with ther felle a sodeyne tempest and thonder layte and rayne as alle the erthe wold haue broken / Soo half the castel torned vp soo doune / Soo it passed euensonge or the tempest was seaced / Thenne they sawe afore hem a knyghte armed and wounded hard in the body and in the hede that sayd O god socoure me for now it is nede / After this knyght came another knyghte / & a dwerf whiche cryed to hem afer / stand ye may not escape. / Thenne the wounded knyghte held vp his handes to god that he shold not dye in suche trybulacyon / Truly sayd Galahad

[leaf 354r] I shalle socoure hym for his sake that he calleth vpon / Sir said Bors I shalle doo hit / for it is not for yow / for he is but one knyghte / Sir sayd he I graunte / So sir Bors toke his hors and commaunded hym to god / and rode after to rescowe the wounded knyghte

¶ Now torne we to the two felawes /

¶ Capitulum xij

NOw saith the story that al nyght Galahad and Percyual were in a chappel in her prayers for to saue sir Bors /

¶ Soo on the morowe they dressid hem in theire harneis toward the Castel to wete what was fallen of them there in / And when they cam there / they fond neyther man ne woman that he ne was dede by the vengeaunce of oure lord / with that they herd a voyce that sayd / this vengeaunce is for blood shedynge of maydens / Also they fonde atte ende of the chappel a Chirche yard / and therin myght they see a thre score fair tombes / and that place was soo fayre and soo delectable that it semed hem there had ben none tempest / For there lay the bodyes of alle the good maydens whiche were martred for the seke ladyes sake / Also they fond the names of eueryche / and of what blood they were come / and alle were of kynges blood & twelue of them were kynges doughters / Thenne they departed and wente in to a foreste / Now said Percyual vnto Galahad we must departe / soo pray we oure lord that we maye mete to gyders in short tyme / thenne they dyd of their helmes and kyssed to gyder / and wepte at their departynge

¶ Capitulum xiij

NOw sayth the history that whan launcelot was come to the water of Mortoyse as hit is reherced before / he was in grete perylle / and soo he leyd hym doune and slepte/ and toke the aduenture that god wold sende hym /

¶ Soo whan he was a slepe / there came a vysyon vnto hym and said Launcelot aryse vp & take thyn armour / and entre in to the first ship that thow shalt fynde /

¶ And when he herd these wordes he starte vp and sawe grete clerenes about

[leaf 354v] hym / And thenne he lyfte vp his hande and blessid hym and so toke his armes and made hym redy / and soo by aduenture he came by a stronde / & fonde a shyp the which was withoute sayle or ore / And as soone as he was within the shyp there he felte the moost swetnes that euer he felt / and he was fulfylled with alle thynge that he thought on or desyred / Thenne he sayd Fair swete fader Ihesu Cryst I wote not in what Ioye I am For this Ioye passeth alle erthely Ioyes that euer I was in And soo in this ioye he leyd hym doune to the shyps borde / & slepte tyl day / And when he awoke / he fonde there a fayre bed & therin lyenge a gentylwoman dede / the whiche was syr percyuals syster / And as launcelot deuysed her / he aspyed in hir ryght hand a wrytte / the whiche he redde / the whiche told hym all the aduentures that ye haue herd to fore / and of what lygnage she was come / Soo with this gentylwoman sir launcelot was a moneth and more / yf ye wold aske how he lyued / he that fedde the peple of Israel with manna in deserte / soo was he fedde / For euery day when he had sayd his prayers / he was susteyned with the grace of the holy ghoost / So on a nyghte he wente to playe hym by the water syde / for he was somwhat wery of the shyp / And thenne he lystned and herd an hors come / And one rydynge vpon hym / And whanne he cam nygh he semed a knyghte / And soo he lete hym passe / and wente there as the shyp was / and there he alyghte / and toke the sadel and the brydel and putte the hors from hym / and went in to the ship / And thenne Launcelot dressid vnto hym and said ye be welcome / and he ansuerd and salewed hym ageyne / & asked hym what is your name / for moche my hert gyueth vnto yow / Truly sayd he my name is launcelot du lake / sir saide he / thēne be ye welcome / for ye were the begynner of me in this world / A sayd he ar ye Galahad / ye forsothe sayd he / and so he kneled doune and asked hym his blessynge / and after toke of his helme and kyssed hym / And there was grete Ioye bitwene them / for there is no tonge can telle the Ioye that they made eyther of other / and many a frendely word spoken bitwene / as kynde wold / the whiche is no nede here to be reherced/ And there eueryche told other of theire aduentures and merueils that were befallen to them in many Iourneyes sythe

[leaf 355r] that they departed from the courte / Anone as Galahad sawe the gentilwoman dede in the bed / he knewe her wel ynough / & told grete worship of her that she was the best mayde lyuyng and hit was grete pyte of her dethe / But whanne Launcelot herd how the merueylous swerd was goten / and who made hit / and alle the merueyls reherced afore / Thenne he prayd galahad his sone that he wold shewe hym the suerd / and so he dyd / and anone he kyssed the pomel and the hyltes and the scaubard / Truly sayd launcelot neuer erst knewe I of so hyhe aduentures done and so merueyllous & straunge / So dwellid Launcelot and Galahad within that shyp half a yere / and serued god dayly and nyghtly with alle their power / and often they aryued in yles ferre from folke / where there repayred none but wylde beestes / and ther they fond many straunge aduentures and peryllous whiche they broughte to an ende / but for tho aduentures were with wylde beestes / and not in the quest of the Sancgreal / therfor the tale maketh here no mencyon therof / for it wolde be to longe to telle of alle tho aduentures that befelle them

¶ Capitulum xiiij

SOo after on a mondaye hit befelle that they aryued in the edge of a foreste to fore a crosse / and thenne sawe they a knyghte armed al in whyte and was rychely horsed/ and ledde in his ryght hand a whyte hors / and soo he cam to the shyp and salewed the two knyghtes on the hyghe lordes behalf / and sayd Galahad syr ye haue ben longe ynough with your fader / come oute of the ship / and starte vpon this hors / & goo where the aduentures shall lede the in the quest of the sancgreal / thenne he wente to his fader and kyst hym swetely and sayd / Fair swete fader I wote not whan I shal see you more tyl I see the body of Ihesu Cryst / I praye yow sayd launcelot praye ye to the hyghe fader that he hold me in his seruyse & soo he took his hors / & ther they herd a voyce that sayd thynke for to doo wel / for the one shal neuer see the other before the dredeful day of dome / Now sone galahad said laūcelot syn we shal departe / & neuer see other / I pray to þ^e hyȝ fader to conserue

[leaf 355v] me and yow bothe / Sire said Galahad noo prayer auaylleth soo moche as yours / And there with Galahad entryd in to the foreste / And the wynde aroos and drofe Launcelot more than a moneth thurgh oute the see where he slepte but lytyl but prayed to god that he myght see some tydynges of the Sancgreal / Soo hit befelle on a nyghte at mydnyghte he aryued afore a Castel on the bak syde whiche was ryche and fayre / & there was a posterne opened toward the see / and was open withoute ony kepynge / sauf two lyons kept the entre / and the moone shone clere / Anone sir launcelot herd a voyce that sayd Launcelot goo oute of this shyp / and entre in to the Castel / where thou shalt see a grete parte of thy desyre / Thenne he ran to his armes and soo armed hym / and soo wente to the gate and sawe the lyons / Thenne sette he hand to his suerd & drewe hit / Thenne there came a dwerf sodenly and smote hym on the harme so sore that the suerd felle oute of his hand / Thenne herd he a voyce say O man of euylle feyth and poure byleue wherfor trowest thow more on thy harneis than in thy maker/ for he myghte more auayle the than thyn armour in whos seruyse that thou arte sette / Thenne said launcelot / fay u fader ihesu Cryste I thanke the of thy grete mercy that thou repreuest me of my mysdede / Now see I wel that ye hold me for youre seruaunt / thenne toke he ageyne his suerd and putte it vp in his shethe and made a crosse in his forhede / and came to the lyons / and they made semblaunt to doo hym harme / Notwithstandynge he passed by hem without hurte and entryd in to the castel to the chyef fortresse / and there where they al at rest / thenne Launcelot entryd in so armed / for he fond noo gate nor dore but it was open / And at the last he fond a chamber wherof the dore was shytte / and he sette his hand therto to haue opened hit / but he myghte not

Capitulum xv

THenne he enforced hym mykel to vndoo the dore / thenne he lystned and herd a voyce whiche sange so swetely that it semed none erthely thynge / and hym thoughte the voyce said Ioye and honour be to the fader of heuen / Thenne

[leaf 356r] Launcelot kneled doun to fore the chamber / for wel wyst he that there was the Sancgreal within that chamber / Thenne sayd he Fair swete fader Ihesu Cryst yf euer I dyd thyng that pleasyd the lord / for thy pyte ne haue me not in despyte for my synnes done afore tyme / and that thou shewe me some thynge of that I seke / And with that he sawe the chamber dore open and there came oute a grete clerenes / that the hows was as bryghte as all torches of the world had ben there / So cam he to the chamber dore / and wold haue entryd / And anone a voyce said to hym / Flee launcelot / and entre not / for thou oughtest not to doo hit / And yf thou entre / thou shalt forthynke hit / Thenne he withdrewe hym abak ryght heuy / Thenne loked he vp in the myddes of the chamber / and sawe a table of syluer and the holy vessel couerd with reed samyte / and many angels aboute hit / wherof one helde a candel of waxe brennyng and the other held a crosse and the ornementys of an aulter And bifore the holy vessel he sawe a good man clothed as a preest / And it semed that he was at the sacrynge of the masse And it semed to Launcelot that aboue the preestes handes were thre men wherof the two putte the yongest by lykenes bitwene the preestes handes / and soo he lyfte hit vp ryght hyhe / & it semed to shewe so to the peple / And thenne launcelot merueyled not a lytyl / For hym thouȝt the preest was so gretely charged of the fygure that hym semed that he shold falle to the erthe / And whan he sawe none aboute hym that wolde helpe hym / Thenne came he to the dore a grete paas and sayd / Faire fader Ihesu Cryst ne take hit for no synne though I helpe the good man whiche hath grete nede of help / Ryghte soo entryd he in to the chamber and cam toward the table of syluer / and whanne he came nyghe he felte a brethe that hym thoughte hit was entremedled with fyre whiche smote hym so sore in the vysage that hym thoughte it brente vysage / and there with he felle to the erthe and had no power to aryse / as he that was soo araged that had loste the power of his body and his herynge and his seynge

¶ Thenne felte he many handes aboute hym whiche tooke hym vp / and bare hym oute of the chamber dore / withoute ony amendynge of his swoune / and lefte hym there semyng dede to

[leaf 356v] of the chamber dore and lefte hym there semynge dede to al peple / Soo vpon the morowe whan it was fayre day they within were arysen / and fonde Launcelot lyenge afore the chamber dore / Alle they merueylled how that he cam in / and so they loked vpon hym and felte his pouse to wyte whether there were ony lyf in hym / and soo they fond lyf in hym / but he myght not stande nor stere no membre that he had / and soo they tooke hym by euery parte of the body / and bare hym in to chamber and leyd hym in a ryche bedde ferre from alle folke / and soo he lay four dayes / Thenne the one sayd he was on lyue / and the other sayd Nay / In the name of god sayd and old man / for I doo yow veryly to wete / he is not dede / but he is soo fulle of lyf as the myghtyest of yow alle / and therfor I counceylle yow that he be wel kepte tyl god send hym ageyne /

¶ Capitulum xvj

IN suche maner they kepte launcelot four and twenty dayes and also many nyghtes that euer he laye stylle as a dede man / and at the xxv daye byfelle hym after myddaye that he opened his eyen / and whan he sawe folke he made grete sorowe and sayd why haue ye awaked me / for I was more at ease than I am now / O Ihesu Cryst who myghte be soo blessid that myght see openly thy grete merueyls of secretenes there where no synnar may be / what haue ye sene sayd they aboute hym / I haue sene said he so grete merueyls that no tong may telle / and more than ony herte can thynke / & had not my sone ben here afore me I had sene moche more / Thenne they told hym how he had layne there four and twenty dayes and nyghtes / thenne hym thoughte hit was punysshement for the four and twenty yeres that he had ben a synner wherfore our lord put hym in penaunce four and twenty dayes and nyghtes Thenne loked syr launcelot afore hym / & sawe the hayre whiche he had borne nyghe a yere / for that he forthoughte hym ryȝte moche that he had broken his promyse vnto the heremyte whiche he had auowed to doo /

¶ Thenne they asked how hit stood with hym / for sothe sayd he I am hole of body thanked be our

[leaf 357r] lord / therfore syrs for goddes loue telle me where that I am / thenne sayd they alle that he was in the Castel of Carbonek / there with came a gentylwoman / and brought hym a sherte of smal lynen clothe / but he chaunged not there / but toke the hayre to hym ageyne / Sir sayd they the quest of the Sancgreal is encheued now ryght in yow / that neuer shalle ye see of the Sancgreal nomore than ye haue sene / Now I thanke god said Launcelot of his grete mercy of that I haue sene / for it suffyseth me / for as I suppose no man in this world hath lyued better than I haue done to enchere that I haue done / And ther with he took the hayre and clothed hym in hit / and aboue that he put a lynen sherte / & after a Robe of Scarlet fresshe & newe / And whanne he was soo arayed / they merueylled alle / for they knewe hym that he was launcelot the good knyghte And thenne they sayd alle O my lord sir launcelot be that ye and he sayd Truly I am he / Thenne came word to kyng pelles that the knyght that had layne soo longe dede was sir launcelot / thenne was the kynge ryght glad / and wente to see hym / And whanne launcelot sawe hym come / he dressid hym ageynste hym / and there made the kyng grete Ioye of hym / and there the kynge told hym tydynges / that his fayre doughter was dede / Thenne launcelot was ryght heuy of hit / and sayd / syre me forthynketh of the dethe of your doughter / for she was a ful fayre lady / fresshe / and yonge / and wel I wote she bere the best knyghte that is now on erthe or that euer was sith god was borne / So the kynge held hym there four dayes / and on the morowe he took his leue at kynge Pelles and at al the felauship and thanked them of the grete labour / Ryghte soo as they sat at her dyner in the chyef sale / thenne was so befalle that the Sancgreal had fulfylled the tables with al maner of metes that ony herte myghte thynke /

¶ Soo as they sate / they sawe alle the dores and the wyndowes of the place were shitte withoute mannys hand / wherof they were al abasshed / and none wyste what to doo

¶ And thenne it happed sodenly a knyghte cam to the chyefe dore and knocked / and cryed / vndo the dore / but they wold not / and euer he cryed vndoo / but they wold not / And atte laste it noyed hem soo moche that the kynge hym self arose and

[leaf 357v] came to a wyndowe there where the knyght called / Thenne he said syr knyght ye shall not entre at this tyme whyle the sancgreal is here / and therfor goo in to another / For certes ye be none of the knyȝtes of the quest / but one of them whiche hath serued the fende / and hast lefte the seruyse of oure lord / and he was passynge wrothe at the kynges wordes / Sir knyght sayd the kynge syn ye wold so fayn entre / saye me of what coūtrey ye be / Sir sayd he I am of the Realme of Logrys / and my name is Ector de marys / and broder vnto my lord sir laūcelot / In the name of god sayd the kynge / me forthynketh of that I haue sayd for youre broder is here within / & whan Ector de marys vnderstood that his broder was there / for he was the man in the world that he moost dredde and loued / And thenne he sayd A god now doubleth my sorowe and shame / ful truly sayd the good man of the hylle vnto Gawayne and to me of oure dremes / Thenne wente he oute of the courte as fast as his hors myghte / and soo thurgh oute the Castel

¶ Capitulum xvij

THenne kynge Pelles came to sire Launcelot and told hym tydynges of his broder wherof he was sory that he wyste not what to doo / Soo sir launcelot departed and toke his armes and sayd he wold goo see the realme of Logrys / whiche I haue no sene in twelue moneth / and there with commaunded the kynge to god / and soo rode thurgh many realmes / And at the last he came to a whyte Abbay / And there they made hym that nyghte grete chere / And on the morne he aroos and herd masse / and afore an aulter he fond a ryche Tombe whiche was newely made / And thenne he took hede / & sawe the sydes wryten with gold / whiche sayd

¶ Here lyeth kynge Bagdemagus of Gore whiche kynge Arthurs neuew slewe and named hym syr Gawayn / Thenne was not he a lytel sory / for launcelot loued hym moche more than ony other and had it ben ony other than Gawayne he shold not haue escared from dethe to lyf / and sayd to hym self A lord god this is a grete hurte vnto kynge Arthurs courte the losse of suche

[leaf 358r] a man / And thenne he departed / and came to the Abbay where Gatahad dyd the aduenture of the tombes / and wanne the whyte sheld with the reed crosse / and there had he grete chere alle that nyghte / and on the morne he torned vnto Camelot / where he fonde kynge Arthur and the quene / But many of the knyghtes of the round table were slayne and destroyed more than half / and soo thre were come home / Ector Gawayne and Lyonel and many other that neden not to be reherced / and alle the Courte was passyng gladde of syr launcelot / and the kynge asked hym many tydynges of his sone Galahad / and ther Launcelot told the kynge of his aduentures that had befallen hym syn he departed / and also he told hym of the aduentures of Galahad Percyuale and Bors whiche that he knewe by the letter of the dede damoysel / And as Galahad had told hym Now god wold sayd the kynge that they were all thre here / that shalle neuer be said launcelot / for two of hem shalle ye neuer see but one of hem shalle come ageyne /

¶ Now leue we this story and speke of Galahad

¶ Capitulum xviij

NOw saith the story Galahad rode many Iorneyes invayne / And at the last he cam to the Abbay where kyng Mordrayns was / and whan he herd that he thouȝte he wold abyde to see hym / And vpon the morne whanne he had herd masse Galahad came vnto kyng Mordrayns / And anon the kynge sawe hym the whiche had leyne blynd of long tyme And thenne he dressid hym ageynst hym / and said Galahad the seruaunt of Ihesu cryste whos comynge I haue abyden so longe / Now enbrace me and lete me reste on thy brest / So that I may reste bitwene thyn armes / for thow arte a clene vyrgyn aboue all knyghtes as the floure of the lyly / in whome vyrgynyte is sygnefyed /and thou arte the rose the whiche is the floure of al good vertu / & in coloure of fyre / For the fyre of the holy ghoost is take so in the / that my flesshe which was al dede of oldenes / is become yonge ageyne / Thenne Galahad herd his wordes thenne he enbraced hym & alle his body /

[leaf 358v] Thenne sayd he / Faire lord Ihesu Cryst now I haue my wil Now I requyre the in this poynt that I am in thow come and vysyte me / And anone oure lord herd his prayer / there with the soule departed from the body / And thenne Galahad putte hym in the erthe as a kynge oughte to be / and soo departede / & soo came in to a perillous foreste where he fond the welle / the whiche boylled with grete wawes as the tale telleth to fore / And as soone as Galahad sette his hand therto it seaced / so that it brente no more / and the hete departed / for that it brente hit was a sygne of lechery the whiche was that tyme moche vsed / but that hete myght not abyde his pure vyrgyntye / & this was taken in the countrey for a myrakle / and soo euer after was it called Callahadys welle / Thenne by aduenture he cam in to the countrey of Gore and in to the Abbay where launcelot had ben to fore hand and fonde the tombe of kynge Bagdemagus / but he was founder thereof Ioseph of Armathyes sone and the Tombe of Symyan where launcelot had fayled Thenne he loked in to a Crofte vnder the mynster / and there he sawe a Tombe whiche brent ful merueyllously / Thenne asked he the bretheren what it was / Sir said they a merueyllous aduentur / that may not be broughte vnto none ende / but by hym that passeth of bounte and of knyhthode al them of the round table / I wold sayd Galahad that ye wold lede me ther to / Gladly sayd they / and soo ledde hym tyl a caue / and he went doune vpon gresys / and cam nyghe the tombe / and thenne the flammynge fayled and the fyre staunched the whiche many a day had ben grete / Thenne came there a voyce that sayd moche are ye beholde to thanke oure lord / the whiche hath gyuen yow a good houre that ye may drawe oute the sowles of erthely payne / and to putte them in to the Ioyes of paradys / I am of your kynred the whiche haue dwelled in this hete thys thre honderd wynter and four and fyfty to be purged of the synne that I dyd ageynst Ioseph of Armathye / thenne Galahad toke the body in his armes and bare it in to the mynster And that nyghte lay Galahad in the Abbay / and on the morne he gaf hym seruyse and putte hym in the erthe afore the hyghe Aulter

[leaf 359r]

¶ Capitulum xix

SOo departed he from thens / and commaunded the bretheren to god / and soo he rode fyue dayes tyl that he came to the maymed kynge / And euer folowed Percyual the fyue dayes askynge where he had ben / and soo one told hym / how the aduentures of Logrys were encheued / So on a daye it befelle that they cam oute of a grete foreste / and there they mette at trauers with sir Bors the whiche rode alone / hit is none nede to telle yf they were glad / & hem he salewed / & they yelded hym honour and good aduenture / and eueryche told other / Thenne said Bors hit is more than a yere and an half that I ne lay ten tymes where men dwelled / but in wylde forestes and in montayns / but god was euer my comforte / Thenne rode they a grete whyle tyl that they came to the castel of Carbonek / And whan they were entryd within the Castel kynge Pelles knewe hem / thenne there was grete Ioye / For they wyst wel by theire comynge that they had fulfylled the quest of the Sancgreal / Thenne Elyazar kynge Pelles sone broughte to fore hem the broken suerd where with Ioseph was stryken thurgh the thygh / Thenne Bors sette his hand therto / yf that he myght haue souded hit ageyne but it wold not be / Thenne he took it to Percyual but he had no more power therto than he / Now haue ye hit ageyne sayd Percyuall to Galahad / for and it be euer encheued by ony bodely man / ye must doo hit / and thenne he took the pyeces and sette hem to gyders and they semed that they had neuer ben broken / and as well as hit had ben fyrst forged / And whanne they within aspyed that the aduenture of the suerd was encheued / thenne they gaf the suerd to Bors / for hit myght not be better set / for he was a good knyghte and a worthy man / and a lytel afore euen the suerd arose grete and merueyllous / and was ful of grete hete that many men felle for drede / And anone alyght a voys amonge them and sayd they that ought not to sytte at the table of Ihesu Cryst / aryse / for now shalle veray knyghtes ben fedde / Soo they wente thens all sauf kynge Pelles and Elyazar his sone / the whiche were holy men and a mayde which was his nece / and soo these thre felawes and they thre were

[leaf 359v] there no mo / Anone they sawe knyghtes al armed came in at the halle dore and dyd of their helmes and their armes and sayd vnto Galahad / Sire we haue hyed ryght moche for to be with yow at this table where the holy mete shalle be departed Thenne sayd he ye be welcome / but of whens be ye / So thre of them sayd they were of gaule / and other thre sayd they were of Irland / and the other thre sayd they were of Denmarke / So as they satte thus / there came oute a bed of tree of a chamber / the whiche four gentylwymmen broughte / and in the bed lay a good man seke / and a crowne of gold vpon his hede / & there in the myddes of the place they sette hym doune and wente ageyne their waye / Thenne he lyfte vp his hede and sayd Galahad knyght ye be welcome / for moche haue I desyred your comynge / for in suche payne and in suche anguysshe I haue ben longe /

¶ But now I truste to god the terme is come that my payn shall be alayed that I shall passe oute of this world so as it was promysed me longe ago / there with a voyce sayd ther be two amonge you that be not in the quest of the Sancgreal and therfor departe ye

¶ Capitulum xx

THenne kynge Pelles and his sone departed / and there with alle besemed that there cam a man and four angels from heuen clothed in lykenes of a Bisshop / and had a crosse in his hand / and these foure angels bare hym vp in a chayer / and sette hym doune before the table of syluer where vpon the Sancgreal was / and it semed that he had in myddes of his forhede letters the whiche sayd / See ye here Ioseph the fyrst Bisshop of Crystendome the same whiche our lord socoured in the Cyte of Sarras in the spyrytuel place / Thenne the knyghtes merueylled / for that Bisshop was dede more than thre honderd yere to fore / O knyghtes sayde he / merueyle not / For I was somtyme an erthely man / with that they herde the chamber dore open / and there they sawe Angels and two bare candels of waxe / and the thyrd a towel / and the fourthe a spere whiche bled merueillously that thre droppes felle within

[leaf 360r] a boxe whiche he helde with other hand / And they sette the candels vpon the table / and the thyrd the towel vpon the vessel / and the fourth the holy spere euen vp ryghte vpon the vessel / And thenne the Bisshop made semblaunt as thouȝ he wold haue gone to the sacrynge of the masse / And thenne he tooke an vbblye whiche was made in lykenes of breed / And at the lyftynge vp / there came a fygur in lykenes of a chyld / and the vysage was as reed and as bryghte as ony syre & smote hym self in to the breed / so that they all sawe hit that the breed was formed of a flesshely man / and thenne he putte hit in to the holy vessel ageyne / and thenne he dyd that longed to a preest to doo to a masse / And thenne he wente to Galahad and kyssed hym / and badde hym goo and kysse his felawes / and soo he dyd anone / Now sayd he seruauntes of Ihesu Cryste ye shall be fedde afore this table with swete metes that neuer knyghtes tasted / And whanne he had sayd / he vanysshed awey And they sette hem at the table in grete drede and made their prayers / thenne loked they and sawe a man come oute of the holy vessel that had alle the sygnes of the passion of Ihesu Cryste bledynge alle openly / and sayd my knyghtes and my seruauntes & my true children whiche ben come oute of dedely lyf in to spyrytual lyf I wyl now no lenger hyde me from yow / but ye shal see now a parte of my secretes & of my hydde thynges / Now holdeth and receyueth the hyghe mete whiche ye haue soo moche desyred / Thenne took he hym self the holy vessel and came to Galahad / and he kneled doune / and there he receyued his saueour / and after hym soo receyued alle his felawes / and they thoughte it soo swete that hit was merueillous to telle / Thenne sayd he to Galahad / sone wotest thow what I hold betwixe my handes / Nay sayd he / but yf ye will telle me / This is sayd he the holy dysshe wherin I ete the lambe on sherthursdaye / And now hast thou sene that thou most desyred to see / but yet haste thou not sene hit soo openly as thow shalt see it in the Cyte of Sarras in the spyrituel place Therfore thow must go hens and bere with the this holy vessel For this nyght it shall departe from the Realme of Logrys / that it shalle neuer be sene more here / and wotest thou wherfor for he is not serued nor worshypped to his ryghte by them of

[leaf 360v] this land / for they be torned to euylle lyuynge / therfor I shall disheryte them of the honour whiche I haue done hem / And therfore goo ye thre to morowe vnto the see where ye shal fynde your shyp redy / & with you take the suerd with the straunge gyrdels and no mo with yow but sire Percyual and syre Bors / Also I will that ye take with you of the blood of this spere for to enoynte the maymed kynge bothe his legges and alle his body and he shalle haue his hele / Sire sayd Galahad why shalle not these other felawes goo with vs / for this cause For ryght as I departed my postels one here and another there soo I wille that ye departe / and two of yow shalle dye in my seruyse / but one of yow shal come ageyne and telle tydynges / Thenne gaf he hem his blessynge and vanysshed awaye /

¶ Capitulum xxj

ANd Galahad wente anone to the spere whiche lay vpon the table / and touched the blood with his fyngers and came after to the maymed kynge and anoynted his legges / and there with he clothed hym anone / and starte vpon his feet oute of his bedde as an hole man / and thanked oure lorde that he had helyd hym / and that was not to the world ward / For anone he yelded hym to a place of Relygyon of whyte monkes and was a ful holy man / That same nyghte aboute mydnyght came a voyce amonge hem whiche sayde my sones & not my chyef sones my frendes and not my werryours / goo ye hens where ye hope best to doo and as I bad yow / A thanked be thou lord that thou wilt vouchesaufe to calle vs thy synners Now maye we wel preue that we haue not lost our paynes / And anone in alle haste they took their harneis and departed But the thre knyghtes of Gaule one of them hyghte Claudyne kynge Claudas sone / and the other two were grete gentylmen / thenne praid galahad to eueryche of them that yf they come to kynge Arthurs court that they sholde salewe my lorde sir launcelot my fader and of hem of the round table / and prayed hem yf that they cam on that party that they shold not forgete it / Ryght soo departed Galahad / Percyual / and Bors

[leaf 361r] with hym / and soo they rode thre dayes / and thenne they came to a Ryuage and fonde the shyp wherof the tale speketh of to fore / And whanne they cam to the borde / they fonde in the myddes the table of syluer / whiche they had lefte with the maymed kynge and the Sancgreal whiche was couerd with rede samyte / Thenne were they gladde to haue suche thynges in theyr felaushyp / and soo they entryd / and maade grete reuerence ther to / and Galahad felle in his prayer longe tyme to oure lord that at what tyme he asked that he shold passe out of this world / soo moche he prayd tyl a voyce sayd to hym Galahad thou shalt haue thy request / And whan thow askest the dethe of thy body thou shalt haue it / & thenne shalt thow fynde the lyf of the soule / Percyual herd this / and prayd hym of felauship that was bitwene them to telle hym wherfor he asked suche thynges / That shalle I telle yow said Galahad / thother day whanne we sawe a parte of the aduentures of the Sancgreal I was in suche a Ioye of herte that I trowe neuer man was / that was erthely / And therfore I wote wel whan my body is dede / my sowle shalle be in grete Ioye to see the blessid Trynyte euery day / and the mageste of oure lord Ihesu Cryst Soo longe were they in the shyp / that they sayd to Galahad syr in this bedde ought ye to lye / for soo saith the scrypture / & soo he leyd hym doune and slepte a grete whyle / And whan he awaked he loked afore hym and sawe the Cyte of Sarras And as they wold haue landed / they sawe the shyp wherein Percyual had putte his syster in / Truly sayd Percyual in the name of god / wel hath my syster holden vs couenaunt / Thenne toke they out of the ship the table of syluer / and he tooke it to Percyual and to Bors to goo to fore / and Galahad came behynde / and ryght soo they went to the Cyte / and at the gate of the Cyte they sawe an old man croked / Thenne Galahad called hym and bad hym helpe to bere this heuy thynge / Truly said the old man / it is ten yere ago that I myȝt not goo but with crouchys / Care thou not sayd Galahad and aryse vp and shewe thy good wille / and soo he assayed / and fonde hym self as hole as euer he was / Thenne ranne he to the table / and took one parte ageynst Galahad / and anone arose there grete noyse in the Cyte that a cryppyl was maade hole by

[leaf 361v] knyghtes merueyls that entryd in to the Cyte / Thenne anon after the thre knyghtes wente to the water / and broughte vp in to the paleys Percyuals syster / and buryed her as rychely as a kynges doughter oughte to be / And whan the kynge of the Cyte whiche was cleped Estorause sawe the felaushyp / he asked hem of whens they were / and what thyng it was that they had broughte vpon the table of syluer / & they told hym the trouthe of the Sancgreal and the power whiche that god had sette there / Thenne the kynge was a Tyraunt / and was come of the lyne of paynyms / and toke hem / and putte hem in pryson in a depe hole

Capitulum xxij

BVt as soone as they were there oure lord sente hem the Sancgreal / thorow whoos grace they were al waye fulfylled whyle that they were in pryson / Soo at the yeres ende hit befelle that this kynge Estourause lay seke and felte that he shold dye / Thenne he sente for the thre knyghtes & they came afore hym / and he cryed hem mercy of that he had done to them / and they forgaf hit hym goodely and he dyed anone / Whanne the kynge was dede / alle the cyte was desmayed and wyst not who myghte be her kynge /

¶ Ryght soo as they were in counceille there came a voyce amonge them / and badde hem chese the yongest knyght of them thre to be her kynge for he shalle wel mayntene yow and all yours / Soo they made Galahad kynge by alle the assente of the hole Cyte / & els they wold haue slayne hym / And whanne he was come to beholde the land / he lete make aboue the table of syluer a cheste of gold and of precyous stones that hylled the holy vessel / And euery day erly the thre felawes wold come afore hit / & make their prayers / Now at the yeres ende the self daye after Galahad had borne the croune of gold / he arose vp erly and his felawes / and came to the palais / and sawe to fore hem the holy vessel / and a man knelynge on his knees in lykenes of a Bisshop that had aboute hym a grete felaushyp of Angels as it had ben Ihesu Cryst hym self / & thenne he arose

[leaf 362r] and beganne a masse of oure lady / And whan he cam to the sacrament of the masse / and had done / anone he called Galahad and sayd to hym come forthe the seruaunt of Ihesu cryst and thou shalt see that thou hast moche desyred to see / & thenne he beganne to tremble ryght hard / whan the dedely flesshe beganne to beholde the spyrytuel thynges / Thenne he helde vp his handes toward heuen / and sayd lord I thanke the / for now I see that that hath ben my desyre many a daye /

¶ Now blessyd lord wold I not lenger lyue yf it myghte please the lord / & there with the good man tooke oure lordes body betwixe hys handes / and proferd it to Galahad / and he receyued hit ryghte gladly and mekely /

¶ Now wotest thow what I am sayd the good man / Nay said Galahad / I am Ioseph of Armathye the whiche oure lord hath sente here to the to bere the felaushyp / and wotest thou wherfor that he hath sente me more than ony other / For thou hast resemblyd in to thynges in that thou hast sene the merueyles of the Sancgreal in that thou hast ben a clene mayden as I haue ben and am / And whanne he had said these wordes Galahad went to Percyual and kyssed hym & commaunded hym to god / and soo he wente to sire Bors / & kyssed hym / and commaunded hym to god / and sayd Fayre lord salewe me to my lord syr launcelot my fader / And as soone as ye see hym / byd hym remembre of this vnstable world And there with he kneled doune tofore the table / and made his prayers / and thenne sodenly his soule departed to Ihesu Crist and a grete multitude of Angels bare his soule vp to heuen / that the two felawes myghte wel behold hit / Also the two felawes sawe come from heuen an hand / but they sawe not the body / And thenne hit cam ryght to the vessel / and took it and the spere / and soo bare hit vp to heuen / Sythen was there neuer man soo hardy to saye that he had sene the Sancgreal /

Capitulum xxiij

WHanne Percyual & Bors sawe Galahad dede / they made as moche sorowe as euer dyd two men / And yf they had not ben good men / they myght lyghtly haue fallen in despair / & the peple of the countrey & of the cyte were ryȝt heuy

[leaf 362v] And thenne he was buryed / And as soone as he was buryed sire Percyual yelded hym to an hermytage oute of the cyte / and took a relygyous clothynge / and Bors was alwaye with hym / but neuer chaunged he his seculer clothyng for that he purposed hym to goo ageyne in to the Realme of Logrys / Thus a yere and two monethes lyued sir Percyual in the hermytage a ful holy lyf / and thenne passed oute of this world and Bors lete bery hym by his syster and by Galahad in the spyrytueltees / whanne Bors sawe that he was in so fer countreyes as in the partyes of Babyloyne he departed from Sarras / and armed hym and cam to the see / and entryd in to a shyp / and soo it befelle hym in good aduenture / he cam in to the Realme of Logrys / and he rode so fast tyl he came to Camelot where the kynge was / and thenne was there grete Ioye made of hym in the Courte / for they wend alle / he had ben dede / for as moche as he had ben soo longe oute of the countrey / and whan they had eten / the kynge made grete clerkes to come afore hym / that they shold cronycle of the hyghe aduentures of the good knyghtes / Whanne Bors had told hym of the aduentures of the Sancgreal suche as had befalle hym / and his thre felawes that was launcelot / Percyual / Galahad / & hym self There Launcelot told the aduentures of the Sancgreal / that he had sene / Alle this was made in grete bookes / and put vp in almeryes at Salysbury / And anone sir Bors sayd to syre Launcelot / Galahad your owne sone salewed yow by me / & after yow kynge Arthur / and alle the Courte / and soo dyd sir Percyual / for I buryed hem with myn owne handes in the Cyte of Sarras /

¶ Also sire Launcelot Galahad prayed yow to remembre of this vnsyker world as ye behyght hym whan ye were to gyders more than half a yere / This is true sayd launcelot / Now I truste to god his prayer shalle auayle me / thenne Launcelot took syr Bors in his armes / and sayd gentyl cosyn ye are ryght welcome to me / and alle that euer I maye doo for yow and for yours ye shalle fynde my poure body redy atte all tymes / whyles the spyryte is in hit / and that I promyse yow feythfully / and neuer to fayle

¶ And wete ye wel gentyl cosyn syre Bors that ye and I wylle neuer departe in

[leaf 363r] sonder whylest oure lyues may laste / Sir sayd he I wylle as ye wylle

¶ Thus endeth thistory of the Sancgreal that was breuely drawen oute of Frensshe in to Englysshe / the whiche is a story cronycled for one of the truest and the holyest that is in thys world / the whiche is the xvij book /

¶ And here foloweth the eyghtenth book