¶ Capitulum primum /

AT the vygyl of Pentecost whan alle the felau∣ship of the round table were comen vnto Ca∣melot / and there herd their seruyse And the ta∣bles were set redy to the mete / Ryʒte so entryd in to the halle a ful fayre gentylwoman on horsbak that had ryden ful fast / for her hors was al besuette / Thenne she there alyght / and came before the kynge & salewed hym / and he said damoysel god the blysse / Sire said she for goddes sake saye me where syr launcelot is / yonder ye may see hym said the kynge / Thenne she wente vnto Launcelot and said syr launcelot I salewe yow on kynge Pelles behalf / and I requyre yow come on with me here by in to a forest / thenne syr launcelot asked her with whome she dwelled / I dwelle sa¦id she with kynge Pelles / what wille ye with me said Launce¦lot / ye shal knowe said she whanne ye come thyder / wel sayd he I wille gladly goo with yow / Soo syr launcelot badde his squyer sadel his hors / and brynge his armes / and in all hast he dyd his commaundement / Thenne came the quene vnto laū¦celot / and said wille ye leue vs at this hyhe feest / Madame sa∣id the gentylwoman wete ye wel he shal be with yow to morn by dyner tyme ¶Yf I wyst said the Quene that he shold not be with vs here to morne he shold not goo with you by my good wylle

¶Ryght soo departed sir launcelot with the gentylwoman / & rode vntyl that he came in to a foreste and in to a grete valey / where they sawe an Abbay of nonnes / and there was a squyer redy and opened the gates / and soo they entryd and descended of their horses / and there came a fayr felauship aboute sir laū¦celot / and welcomed hym / & were passyng gladde of his comy∣nge / And thenne they ladde hym vnto the Abbesse chamber & vnarmed hym / and ryght soo he was ware vpon a bed lyeng two of his cosyns syr Bors & sir Lyonel / & thenne he waked Page  [unnumbered] them / And whanne they sawe hym / they mad grete Ioye / Syr said syre Bors vnto syr launcelot what aduenture hath bro∣ught yow hydder / for we wende to morne to haue fond you at Camelot ¶ As god me help said syr launcelot a gentylwoman brought me hyther but I knowe not the cause In the meane whyle that they thus stode talkynge to gyder / therin came twelue nonnes that broughte with hem Galahad the whiche was passynge fayre and wel made that vnneth in the world men myghte not fynde his matche / and alle tho la∣dyes wepte / ¶Sire sayd they alle we brynge yow here thys child / the whiche we haue nourisshed / and we praye yow to make hym a knyght / for of a more worthyer mans hande may he not receyue the ordre of knyghthode / Sir launcelot beheld the yonge squyer / and sawe hym semely and demure as a douue / with alle maner of good fetuo•s / that be wende of his age ne∣uer to haue sene soo fayre a man of forme

¶Thenne said sir launcelot cometh this desyre of hym self / he and alle they sayd ye / Thenne shalle he sayd sir launcelot re¦ceyue the hyghe ordre of knyghthode as to moene atte reuerence of the hyghe feeste / That nyght syr launcelot had passyng go∣od chere / And on the morne at the houre of pryme att Gala∣halts desyre he made hym knyʒt & said / god make hym a good man / for of beaute fayleth yow not as ony that lyueth /