[Le morte darthur]

¶Here leueth of the history of syr launcelot / ¶And here folo¦weth of syr Percyual de galys whiches the xiiij book

¶Capitulum primum

NOw sayth the tale that whan syr launcelot was ryden after syre Galahad / the whiche had alle these aduentures aboue sayd / Sir Percyual tor¦ned ageyne vnto the recluse / where he demed to haue tydynges of that knyʒt that Launcelot fo¦lowed / And soo he kneled at her wyndow / and the recluse o∣pened hit / and asked syre Percyuale what he wold / Madame he sayd I am a knyghte of kynge Arthurs Courte / and my name is syr Percyual de Galys / whanne the reecluse herd his name she had grete Ioye of hym / for mykel she had loued hym to forne ony other knyʒt / for she ouʒt to do so / for she was his aunt / And thenne she commannded the gates to be opened and there he had alle the chere that she myght make hym and alle that was in her power was at his commaundement / Soo on the morne syr Percyual wente to the recluse / and asked her yf she knewe that knyghte with the whyte shelde / Sir said she why wold ye wete / Truly madame said syr Percyual I shalle neuer be wel at ease tyl that I knowe of that knygh∣tes felauship / and that I may fyghte with hym / for I maye not leue hym soo lyghtely / for I haue the shame yet / A Per∣cyual sayd she wold ye fyghte with hym / I see wel ye haue grete wylle to be slayne as your fader was thorugh oultrage∣ousnes / Madame sayd syr Percyual hit semeth by your wor∣des that ye knowe me / ye sayd she / I wel ought to knowe you for I am your aunt / al though I be in a pryory place / For

somme called me somtyme the quene of the waste landes / and I was called the quene of moost rychesse in the world / and it pleasyd me neuer my rychesse soo moche as doth my pouerte Thenne syre Percyual wepte for veray pyte whan that he kne¦we it was his aunt ¶ A fair neuewe said she whanne herd ye tydynges of your moder / Truly sayd he I herd none of her / but I dreme of her moche in my slepe / And therfore I wote not whether she be dede or on lyue / Certes fayr neuew sa¦yd she / your moder is dede / for after your departynge from her / she took suche a sorowe that anone after she was confessid she dyed / Now god haue mercy on her sowle sayd syr Percyual hit sore forthynketh me / but alle we must chaunge the lyf / ¶Now fayre Aunt telle me what is the knyghte / I deme hit be he that bare the reed armes on whytsonday / wete yow well said she / that this is he / for other wyse oughte he not to doo / but to goo in reed armes / and that same knyghte hath no pie∣re / for he worcheth alle by myracle / and he shalle neuer be o∣uercome of none erthely mans hand

¶Capitulum ij

ALso Merlyn made the round table in tokenyng of ro∣undenes of the world / for by the round table is the world sygnefyed by ryghte / For al the world crysten and hethen repayren vnto the round table / And whan they are chosen to be of the felauship of the roūd table / they thynke hem more blessid & more in worship than yf they had goten halfe the world / and ye haue sene that they haue loste her faders & her moders and alle her kynne and her Wyues and her chil∣dren for to be of your felauship / It is wel sene by yow / For syns ye departed fro your moder / ye wold neuer see her ye fond suche felauship at the roūd table / whan Merlyn had ordeyned the round table he said by them which shold be felawes of the round table / the trouth of the Sancgreal shold be Wel knowen and men asked hym how men myghte knowe them that sholde best do and to encheue the Sancgreal / thenne he said ther shold be thre whyte bulles that shold encheue hit / and the two sholde be maydens / and the thyrd shold be chast / And that one of the thre shold passe his fader as moche as the lyon passeth the ly∣bard bothe of strengthe and hardynes

They that herd Merlyn saye soo / sayd thus vnto Merlyn / Sythen ther shalle be suche a knyghte thow sholdest ordeyne by thy craftes a sege that no man shold sytte in hit / but he al on∣ly that shalle passe alle other knyghtes / Thenne Merlyn an∣suerd that he wold doo soo / And thenne he made the sege peril¦lous in the whiche Galahad satte in at his mete on Whytson∣day last past / Now madame sayd syr Percyual so moche haue I herd of yow that by my good wylle I wille neuer haue a doo with syr Galahad but by waye of kyndenes / and for god¦des loue fayr aunte / can ye teche me some way where I maye fynde hym / for moche wold I loue the felauship of hym / Fa∣ir neuewe sayd she ye must ryde vnto a Castel / the whiche is called Goothe / where he hath a cosyn germayn / and ther may ye be lodged this nyghte / And as he techeth you / seweth after as faste as ye can / and yf he can telle yow noo tydynges of hym / ryde streyght vnto the Castel of Carbonek where the may¦med kynge is there lyenge / for there shalle ye here true tydyn∣ges of hym

¶Capitulum Tercium

THenne departed syr Percyuale from his aunte eyther makynge grete sorowe / And soo he rode tyl euensonge tyme / And thenne he herd a clok smyte / and thēne he was wa∣re of an hows closed wel with walles and depe dyches / and there he knocked at the gate / and was lete in / and he alyght and was ledde vnto a chamber and soone he was vnarmed / And there he had ryght good chere alle that nyghte / and on the morne he herd his masse / and in the monastery he fonde a preest redy at the aulter / And on the ryght syde he sawe a pe∣we closyd with yron / and behynde the aulter he sawe a ryche bedde and a fayre as of clothe of sylke and golde / Thenne syr Percyual aspyed that therin was a man or a Woman / for the vysage was couerd / thenne he left of his lokyng and herd his seruyse / And whan hit came to the sacrynge / he that lay with∣in that Percloos dressid hym vp and vncouerd his heede / and thenne hym besemed a passynge old man / and he had a crowne of gold vpon his hede / & his sholders were naked & vnhylled

vnto his nauel / And thenne sir Percyual aspyed his body / was ful of grete woundes bothe on the sholders armes and vysage / And euer he held vp his handes ageynst oure lordes body / and cryed / Fair swete fader Ihesu Cryst forgete not me and soo he laye doune / but alwayes he was in his prayers & orysons / and hym semed to be of the age of thre honderd wyn∣ter / And whanne the masse was done the preest took oure lor∣des body / and bare hit to the seke kynge / And whanne he had vsed hit / he dyd of his crowne / and commaunded the crowne to be sette on the aulter / Thenne syr Percyual asked one of the bretheren / what he was / Sire sayd the good man ye haue herd moche of Ioseph of Armathye how he was sente by Ihesu Cryst in to this land for to teche and preche the holy cristen fe∣ythe / and therfor he suffred many persecucyons the whiche the enemyes of Cryst dyd vnto hym / and in the Cyte of Sarras he conuerted a kynge whos name was Euelake / And so this kynge came with Ioseph in to this land / and euer he was be∣sy to be there as the Sancgreal was / and on a tyme he nyghed it soo nyghe that oure lord was displeasyd with hym / but e∣uer he folowed hit more and more / tyl god stroke hym al most blynde / Thenne this kynge cryed mercy / and sayd / faire lord lete me neuer dye tyl the good knyghte of my blood of the ix degree be come that I may see hym openly that he shal encheue the Sancgreal that I may kysse hym

¶Capitulum Quartum

WHanne the kynge thus had made his prayers he herd a voys that sayd herd ben thy prayers / for thow shalt not dye tyl he haue kyst the / And whanne that knyʒte shalle come the clerenes of your eyen shalle come ageyne / and thow shalt see openly / and thy woundes shalle be heled / & erst shalle they neuer close / and this befelle of kynge Euelake / & this same kynge hath lyued this thre honderd wynters thys holy lyf / and men saye the knyghte is in the Courte that shall hele hym / Sir sayd the good man I praye yow telle me what knyghte that ye be / and yf ye be of kyng Arthurs courte & of the table roūd / ye forfoth said he / & my name is sir percyual

de Galys / And whanne the good man vnderstood his name he made grete Ioye of hym / And thenne syr percyual departed and rode tyl the houre of none / and he mette in a valey about a twenty men of armes whiche bare in a bere a knyghte dedely slayne / And whanne they sawe syr percyuale they asked hym of whens he was / and he ansuerd of the Courte of kyng Ar∣thur / thenne they cryed all at ones slee hym / Thenne syr percy¦ual smote the fyrst to the erthe and his hors vpon hym / And thenne seuen of the knyghtes smote vpon his sheld al attones and the remenaunt slewe his hors soo that he felle to the erthe Soo had they slayne hym or taken hym had not the good kn∣yʒte sir Galahad with y^e reed armes come there by aduenture in to tho partyes / And whanne he sawe alle tho knyghtes vp on one knyghte / he cryed saue me that knyghtes lyf / And then¦ne he dressid hym toward the twenty men of armes as faste as his hors myght dryue with his spere in the reyste / & smote the formest hors and man to the erthe / And whanne his spe∣re was broken / he sette his hand to his suerd and smote on the ryght hand and on the lyfte hand / that it was merueylle to see / and at euery stroke he smote one doune or put hym to a re¦buke / soo that they wold fyghte no more but fled to a thyck forest / and syr Galahad folowed them / And whanne sir per∣cyuale sawe hym chase hem soo / he made grete sorowe that hys hors was awey / And thenne he wyst wel it was syre Gala∣had / And thēne he cryed alowde A fayre knyghte abyde and suffre me to doo thankynges vnto the / for moche haue ye done for me / But euer syr Galahad rode soo fast that atte laste he past oute of his syghte / And as fast as sir percyual myght he wente after hym on foote cryenge / And thenne he mette with a yoman rydynge vpon an hakney the whiche led in his hand a grete stede blacker than ony bere / A fayr frend sayd sir per∣cyuale as euer as I maye doo for yow / and to be your true knyghte in the fyrst place ye wille requyre me that ye wille le∣ne me that black stede that I myghte ouertake a knyghte the whiche rydeth afore me

¶ Syre knyghte sayd the yoman I praye yow hold me ex∣cused of that / for that I maye not doo / For wete ye wel the hors is suche a mans hors that and I lente it yow or ony man

that he wold slee me / Allas sayd sir Percyual / I had neuer soo grete sorowe as I haue had for losynge of yonder knyghte Syr sayd the yoman I am ryghte heuy for yow / for a good hors wold byseme yow wel / but I dar not delyuer you this hors but yf ye wold take hym from me / that wille I not doo sayd syre Percyual / and soo they departed / and syre Percy∣ual sette hym doune vnder a tree / and made sorowe oute of me sure / & as he was there ther cam came a knyght rydyng on the hors that the yoman lad / and he was clene armed /

¶Capitulum Quintum /

ANd anone the yoman came pryckynge after as fast as euer he myghte / and asked syre Percyuale yf he sa∣we ony knyghte rydynge on his blak stede / ye sir for soth / said he / why syr aske ye me that / A syre that stede he hath benome me with strength / wherfor my lord wylle slee me / in what pla¦ce he fyndeth me / Wel saide syre Percyual what woldest thow that I dyd thou seest wel that I am on foote / but and I had a good hors / I shold brynge hym soone ageyne / Sir said the yoman take myn hakney and doo the best ye can / and I shall sewe yow on foote to wete how that ye shalle spede / Thenne sir Percyual alyghte vpon that hakney / and rode as faste as he myghte / And at the laste he sawe that knyghte / And thenne he cryed knyghte torne ageyne / and he torned / and set his spe¦re ageynst syr Percyuale / and he smote the hakney in the myd∣des of the brest that he felle doune dede to the erthe / and there he had a grete falle / and the other rode his waye / And thenne syr Percyual was wood wrothe / and cryed abyde wycked knyghte coward and fals herted knyghte torne ageyne / and fyghte with me on foote / but he ansuerd not / but paste on hys waye / whanne syr Percyual sawe he wold not torne he caste aweye his helme and suerd / and sayd / now am I a veray wretche / cursyd / and moost vnhappy aboue all other knyghtes So in this sorowe he abode all that day tyl hit was nyghte / & thenne he was faynte & leyd hym doun and slepte tyl it was mydnyghte / & thenne he awaked & sawe afore hym a woman whiche sayd vnto hym ryght fyersly / Syre Percyuale what

do••st thow here / he ansuerd I doo neyther good nor grete ylle / Yf thow wylt ensure me said she that thow wylt fulfylle my wylle / whanne I somone the I shall lene the myn owne hors whiche shalle bere the whyder thou wylt / Syr Percyual was glad of her profer and ensured her to fulfylle alle her desyre / thenne abydeth me here / and I shalle goo fetche yow an hors / And soo she cam soone ageyne and broughte an hors with her that was inly blak / whan Percyual beheld that hors / he mer¦ueylled that it was soo grete and soo wel apparaylled / and not for thenne he was soo hardy / & he lepte vpon hym / & took none hede of hym self / And soo anone as he was vpon hym / he threst to hym with his spores / and soo rode by a forest / and the mone shone clere / And within an houre and lasse he bare hym four dayes Iourney thens vntyl he came to a rough wa∣ter the whiche roryd / and his hors wold haue borne hym in to hit

¶Capitulum vj

And whanne syr Percyuale came nyghe the brymme / & sawe the water so boystous / he doubted to ouerpasse it And thenne he made a sygne of the crosse in his forheed / whan the fende felte hym soo charged / he shoke of syr Percyual / and he wente in to the water cryenge and roryng makyng grete so¦rowe / and it semed vnto hym that the water brente / Thenne sir Percyual perceyued it was a fend the which wold haue bro∣ught hym vnto his perdycyon / Thenne he commaunded hym self vnto god / and prayd oure lord to kepe hym from alle suche temptacyons / and so he praid alle that nyghte tyl on the morn that it was day / thenne he sawe that he was in a wylde mon∣tayne / the whiche was closed with the see nygh al aboute that he myʒt see no land about hym whiche myʒte releue hym but wylde beestes / And thenne he went in to a valey / and there he sawe a yonge serpent brynge a yonge lyon by the neck / and soo he came by sir Percyual / with that came a grete lyon cry∣enge and rorynge after the serpent

¶And as fast as syr Percyual sawe thys / he merueylled / & hyhed hym thyder / but anon the lyon had ouertake the serpent

and beganne bataille with hym / ¶ And thenne syr Percyual thoughte to helpe the lyon for he was the more naturel beeste / of the two / and there with he drewe his suerd / and sette hys shelde afore hym / and ther he gaf the serpent suche a buffet that he had a dedely wound / whanne the lyon sawe that / he made no resemblaunt to fyghte with hym / but made hym all the che∣re that a beest myghte make a man / Thenne Percyuale percey¦ued that and caste doune his sheld / whiche was broken / and thenne he dyd of his helme for to gadre wynde / for he was gre¦tely enchafed with the serpente / and the lyon wente alwaye aboute hym fawnynge as a spanyel / And thenne he stroked hym on the neck and on the sholdere / And thenne he thanked god of the felauship of that beeste / And aboute none the lyon took his lytel whelp and trussed hym and bare hym there he came fro / Thenne was syr Percyual alone / And as the tale telleth he was one of the men of the world at that tyme / whi∣che moost byleued in oure lord Ihesu Cryste / for in tho dayes there were but fewe folkes that byleued in god parfytely / For in tho dayes the sone spared not the fader no more than a straunger / And soo syre Percyual comforted hym self in our lord Ihesu / and besoughte god no temptacyon shold brynge hym oute of goddes seruyse / but to endure as his true champy¦on / Thus whanne syr Percyual had prayd he sawe the lyon came toward hym / and thenne he couched doune at his feete / And soo alle that nyghte the lyon and he slepte to gyders / & whanne syr Percyual slepte / he dremed a merueyllous dreme that there two ladyes mette with hym / and that one sat vpon a lyon / and that other sat vpon a serpent / and that one of hem was yonge and the other was old / and the yongest hym tho∣ught said sir Percyual my lord saleweth the / and sendeth the word that thow araye the / and make the redy / for to morne thow must fyghte with the strongest champyon of the world / And yf thow be ouercome / thou shalt not be quyte for losyng of ony of thy membrys / but thow shalt be shamed for euer to the worldes ende / And thenne he asked her what was her lord And she said the grettest lord of alle the world / and soo she departed sodenly that he wyste not where

¶Capitulum vij

THenne came forth the other lady that rode vpon the ser¦pent / and she sayd syr Percyual I complayne me of yow that ye haue done vnto me and haue not offended vnto yow / Certes madame he sayd / vnto yow nor no lady I neuer offended / yes sayd she / I shalle telle yow why / I haue nou∣rysshed in this place a grete whyle a serpent whiche serued me a grete whyle / and yesterday ye slewe hym as he gat his pray Saye me for what cause ye slewe hym / for the lyon was not yours / Madame said syre Percyuale I knowe wel the Lyon was not myn / but I dyd hit / for the lyon is of more gentiller nature than the serpent / and therfor I slewe hym / me semeth / I dyd not amys ageynst yow / Madame sayd he what wold ye that I dyd / I wold sayd she for the amendys of my be∣ste that ye bycome my man / and thenne he ansuerd that wylle I not graunte yow / No sayd she truly ye were neuer but my seruaunt / syn ye receyued the homage of our lord Ihesu crist Therfor I ensure yow in what place I may fynde yow with∣oute kepynge I shalle take yow as he that somtyme was my man / And soo she departed from syr Percyual and lefte hym slepynge the whiche was sore trauaylled of his aduysyon / & on the morne he aroos and blessid hym and he was passynge feble / Thenne was sire Percyual ware in the see / and sawe a ship come sayllynge toward hym / and syr Percyual went vn¦to the shyp and fond hit couerd within and withoute wyth whyte Samyte / And at the lord stood an old man clothed in a surples in lykenes of a preest / Syr said syr Percyuale ye be welcome / god kepe yow sayd the good man / Sir sayd the old man of whens be ye / Syr said sir Percyual I am of ky∣nge Arthurs Courte / and a knyghte of the table Round / the whiche am in the quest of the Sancgreal / and here I am in gre¦te duresse and neuer lyke to escape oute of this wyldernesse Doubte not sayd the good man and ye be soo true a knyghte / as the ordre of chyualry requyreth / and of herte as ye oughte to be / ye shold not doubte that none enemy shold flay yow / what ar ye said syr Percyuale / syr sayd the old man I am of a straunge countrey / and hyther I come to comforte yow / Syr

sayd syr Percyuale what sygnefyeth my dreme that I dremed this nyghte / & there he told hym alle to gyder / She whiche ro∣de vpon the lyon betokeneth the newe lawe of holy chirche that is to vnderstande / fayth / good hope / byleue / and baptym / for she semed yonger than the other / hit is grete reason / for she was borne in the resurection and the passion of our lord Ihesu cryste And for grete loue she came to the / to warne the of thy grete ba¦taille that shalle befalle the / with whome sayd syre Percyuale shalle I fyghte / with the moost champyon of the world said the old man / for as the lady sayd / but yf thow quyte the wel thow shalt not be quyte by losynge of one membre / but thow shalt be shamed to the worldes ende / And she that rode on the serpent sygnefyeth the olde lawe / and that serpent betokeneth a fende / And why she blamed the that thow slewest her seruaunt it betokeneth no thyng / the serpent that thow slewest betokeneth the deuylle that thou rodest vp on to the roche / And whan thou madest a sygne of the Crosse / there thow slewest hym / & putte aw••y his power / And whanne she asked the amendys and to become her man / And thou saydest thou woldest not / that was to make the to bileue on her and leue thy baptym / Soo he com∣maunded syr Percyuale to departe / and soo he lepte ouer the bord and the ship / and alle wente awey he wyste not whyder / Thenne he wente vp vnto the roche and fonde the lyon whyche alwey kepte hym felaushyp and he stryked hym vpon the bak and had grete Ioye of hym

¶Capitulum viij

BY that syr Percyuale had abyden there tyl myddaye / he sawe a shyp came rowyng in the see as all the wy∣nd of the world had dryuen hit / And soo it droof vn¦der that roche / And whanne syr Percyual sawe this / he hyhed hym thyder / and fonde the ship couerd with sylke more blacker than ony beare / and therin was a gentilwoman of grete beau∣te / and she was clothed rychely that none myghte be better / And whanne she sawe syr Percyuale / she saide who broughte yow in this wyldernes where ye be neuer lyke to passe hens / for ye shal dye here for hongre and meschyef / Damoysel saide

syr Percyuale I serue the best man of the world / and in his seruyse he wille not suffre me to dye / for who that knocketh shal entre / and who that asketh shalle haue / and who seketh hym / he hydeth hym not / But thenne she said syr Percyual wote ye what I am / ye sayd he / Now who taughte yow my name sa∣id she / Now sayd syre Percyuale I knowe you better than ye wene / And I came oute of the waste forest where I fond the reed knyghte with the whyte sheld sayd the damoysel / A da∣moysel said he with that knyghte wold I mete passyng fayn Sir knyghte said she / and ye wille ensure me by the feyth that ye owe vnto knyghthode that ye shalle doo my wylle what ty∣me I somone yow / and I shalle brynge yow vnto that knyʒt ye said he / I shalle promyse yow to fulfylle your desyre / well said she now shal I telle yow / I sawe hym in the foreste cha∣cynge two knyghtes vnto a water the whiche is called mor∣tay••e and they drofe hym in to that water for drede of dethe / and the two knyghtes passed ouer / and the r••ed knyghte passed after / and there his hors was drenched / and he thoro•• grete strengthe escaped vnto the land / thus she told hym / and syr Percyuale was passynge glad therof / Thenne she asked hym yf he had ete ony mete late / Nay madame truly I ete no mete nyghe this thre dayes / but late here I spa•• with a go∣od man that fedde me with his good wordes and hooly / and refresshyd me gretely / A syr knyghte said she that same man is an enchauntee and a multyplyer of wordes / For and ye byleue hym ye shall playnly be shamed & dye in this roche for pure honger and be eten with wylde beestes and ye be a yong man and a goodly knyghte / and I shalle helpe yow & ye wil what are ye said syr Percyual that profered me thus grete ky∣nd••nes / I am said she a gentylwoman that am disheryted / whiche was somtyme the rychest woman of the world / Da∣moysel said syr Percyual who hath disheryted yow / for I ha∣ue grete pyte of yow / Sir said she I dwellid with the grettest man of the world and he made me so fayre and clere that ther was none lyke me / and of that grete beaute I had a lytil pry¦de more than I ought to haue had / Also I sayd a word that pleasyd hym not / And thenne he wold not suffre me to be ony lenger in his company / and soo drofe me from myn herytage /

and soo disheryted me / and he had neuer pyte of me nor of none of my counceylle / nor of my Courte / And sythen sir kny∣ght hit hath befallen me soo / and thurgh me and myn I haue benome hym many of his men / and made hem to become my men For they aske neuer no thyng of me but I gyue hit hem that and moche more / Thus I and al my seruauntes were ayenst hym nyghte and daye / Therfore I knowe now no good knyʒt nor noo good man but I gete hem on my syde and I maye And for that I knowe that thow arte a good knyʒt / I by∣seche yow to helpe me / And for ye be a felawe of the round ta¦ble wherfore ye oughte not to fayle noo gentylwoman whiche is disheryted / and she besought yow of helpe

¶Capitulum ix

THenne syr Percyual promysed her alle the helpe that he myghte / And thenne she thanked hym / And at that tyme the wheder was hote / thenne she called vnto her a gentylwoman and badde her brynge forth a pauelione / And soo she dyd / and pyght hit vpon the grauel / Sire sayd she / Now maye ye reste yow in this hete of the day / Thenne he than∣ked her / and she put of his helme and his sheld / and there he slepte a grete whyle / And thenne he awoke / and asked her / yf she had ony mete / and she sayd ye / also ye shalle haue yno∣ugh / and soo there was sette ynough vpon the table / and theron soo moche y^t he had merueil / for there was all maner of metes y^t he coude thynke on / Also he dranke ther the strengest wyn that euer he dranke / hym thoughte / and there with he was a lytel chafed more than he oughte to be / with that he be∣held the gentilwoman / and hym thought / she was the fayrest creature that euer he sawe / And thenne syre Percyual proferd her loue and prayd her that she wold be his / Thenne she refu∣sed hym in a maner whan he requyred her for the cause he shold be the more ardant on her / and euer he seased not to pray her of loue / And whanne she sawe hym wel enchauffed / thenne she sayd syr Percyuale wete yow wel I shall not fulfylle youre wylle / but yf ye swere from hensforth ye shalle be my true ser∣uaunt / and to doo no thynge but that I shalle commaunde

yow / wyl ye ensure me this as ye be a true knyghte / ye sayd he fayr lady by the feythe of my body / wel sayd she now shal ye doo with me what soo hit please yow / and now wete ye well / ye are the knyghte in the world that I haue moost desyre to / And thenne two squyers were commaunded to make a bed in myddes of the pauelione / And anone she was vnclothed & leyd therin / And thenne syre Percyual leyd hym doune by her naked / and by aduenture and grace he sawe his suerd lye on the ground naked / in whos pomel was a reede crosse and the sygne of the crucyfyxe therin / and bethoughte hym on his knyghthode and his promyse made to fore hand vnto the good man / thenne he made a sygne of the crosse in his forhede / & there with the pauelione torned vp so doune / and thenne it chaunged vnto a smoke / and a blak clowde / and thenne he was adradde and cryed alowde /

¶Capitulum x

FAyr swete fader Ihesu Cryste ne lete me not be sha∣med the whiche was nyghe lost had not thy good gra¦ce ben / And thenne he loked in to a shyp / and sawe her entre therin / whiche sayd sir Percyual ye haue bitrayed me / and soo she wente with the wynde rorynge and yellynge that it semed alle the water brent after her / Thenne syr percyual made grete sorowe / and drewe his suerd vnto hym / sayēg sythen my flessh will be my maister I shalle punysshe it / and there with he rofe hym self thurgh the thygh that the blood starte aboute hym / & said O good lord take this in recompensacion of that I haue do∣ne ageynst the my lord / Soo thenne he clothed hym and armed hym / and called hym helf a wretche / sayenge / how nyghe was I lost / and to haue loste that I sholde neuer haue geten ageyne / that was my vyrgynyte / for that maye neuer be recouerd af∣ter hit is ones lost / and thenne he stopped his bledyng wounde with a pyece of his sherte / Thus as he made his mone he saw the same shyp come fro Oryent that the good man was in the day afore / and the noble knyʒt was ashamed with hym selfe / & there with he felle in a swoune / And whan he awoke he went vnto hym wekely and there he salewed this good man / And

thenne he asked syr Percyual how hast thow done sythe I de∣parted / Sir said he / here was a gentylwoman and ledde me in to dedely synne / And there he told hym all to gyders / knewe ye not the mayde sayd the good man / Syr said he nay but wel I wote the fende sente her hyther to shame me / O good knyghte sayd he thow arte a foole / for that gentilwoman was the maister fende of helle / the whiche hath power aboue alle de∣uyls / and that was the old lady that thow sawest in thyn ad¦uysyon rydynge on the serpent / Thenne he told syr Percyuale how our lord Ihesu Cryst bete hym oute of heuen for his synne the whiche was the moost bryghtest angel of heuen / & therfore he loste his herytage / and that was the champyon that thow foughtest with alle / the whiche had ouercome the / had not the grace of god ben / Now beware syre Percyuale and take thys for an Ensample / and thenne the good man vanysshed awey / Thenne sire Percyual took his armes / and entryd in to the shyp / and soo departed from thens

¶Here endeth the fourtenthe booke / whiche is of syr percyual