[Le morte darthur]

¶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 sanc¦greal / 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 laun∣celot 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 thyn∣ke 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 y^e hyʒ fader to conserue

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 Sanc¦greal / Soo hit befelle on a nyghte at mydnyghte he aryued a∣fore 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 & dre∣we hit / Thenne ther came a dwerf sodenly and smote hym on the harme so sore that the suerd felle oute of his hand / Then∣ne 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 ser∣uyse that thou arte sette / Thenne said launcelot / fay u fader ihe¦su 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 ly¦ons / and they made semblaunt to doo hym harme / Notwithstan¦dynge he passed by hem without hurte and entryd in to the cas¦tel to the chyef fortresse / and there were 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 ope∣ned hit / but he myghte not