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1

II. BALIN OR THE KNIGHT WITH THE
2TWO SWORDS

3
4    Afftir the deth of Uther regned Arthure, hys son, which had
5grete warre in hys dayes for to gete all Inglonde into hys honde;

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6for there were many kyngis within the realme of Inglonde and of
7Scotlonde, Walys and Cornuwayle.
8    So hit befelle on a tyme whan kynge Arthure was at London, ther
9com a knyght and tolde the kynge tydyngis how the kynge Royns of
10Northe Walis had rered a grete numbir of peple and were entred in
11the londe and brente and slew the kyngis trew lyege people.
12    'Iff thys be trew,' seyde Arthure, 'hit were grete shame unto myne
13astate but that he were myghtyly withstonde.'
14    'Hit ys trouthe,' seyde the knyght, 'for I saw the oste myselff.'
15    'Well,' seyde the kynge, 'I shall ordayne to wythstonde hys malice.'
16    Than the kynge lette make a cry that all the lordis, knyghtes and
17jantilmen of armys sholde draw unto the castell called Camelot in
18tho dayes, and there the kynge wolde lette make a counceile generall
19and a grete justis. So whan the kynge was com thidir with all his
20baronage and logged as they semed beste, also there was com a
21damoisel the which was sente frome the grete Lady Lyle of Avilion.
22And whan she com before kynge Arthure she tolde fro whens she
23com, and how she was sente on message unto hym for thys causis.
24Than she lette hir mantell falle that was rychely furred, and than
25was she gurde with a noble swerde whereof the kynge had mervayle
26and seyde,
27    'Damesel, for what cause ar ye gurte with that swerde? Hit
28besemyth you nought.'
29    'Now shall I telle you,' seyde the damesell. 'Thys swerde that I am
30gurte withall doth me grete sorow and comberaunce, for I may nat
31be delyverde of thys swerde but by a knyght, and he muste be a
32passynge good man of hys hondys and of hys dedis, and withoute
33velony other trechory and withoute treson. And if I may fynde such
34a knyght that hath all thes vertues he may draw oute thys swerde
35oute of the sheethe. For I have bene at kynge Royns, for hit was
36tolde me there were passyng good knyghtes; and he and all his
37knyghtes hath assayde and none can spede.'
38    'Thys ys a grete mervayle,' seyde Arthure. 'If thys be sothe I woll
39assay myselffe to draw oute the swerde, nat presumynge myselff that
40I am the beste knyght; but I woll begynne to draw youre swerde in
41gyvyng an insample to all the barownes, that they shall assay everych
42one aftir othir whan I have assayde.'

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43    Than Arthure toke the swerde by the sheethe and gurdil and
44pulled at hit egirly, but the swerde wolde nat oute.
45    'Sir,' seyd the damesell, 'ye nede nat for to pulle halffe so sore, for
46he that shall pulle hit oute shall do hit with litill myght.'
47    'Ye sey well,' seyde Arthure. 'Now assay ye all, my barownes.'
48    'But beware ye be nat defoyled with shame, trechory, nother gyle,
49for than hit woll nat avayle,' seyde the damesel, 'for he muste be a
50clene knyght withoute vylony and of jantill strene of fadir syde and
51of modir syde.'
52    The moste parte of all the barownes of the Rounde Table that
53were there at that tyme assayde all be rew, but there myght none
54spede. Wherefore the damesel made grete sorow oute of mesure and
55seyde,
56    'Alas! I wente in this courte had bene the beste knyghtes of the
57worlde withoute trechory other treson.'
58    'Be my faythe,' seyde Arthure, 'here ar good knyghtes as I deme
59as ony be in the worlde, but their grace ys nat to helpe you, wherefore
60I am sore displeased.'
61    Than hit befelle so that tyme there was a poore knyght with kynge
62Arthure that had bene presonere with hym half a yere for sleyng
63of a knyght which was cosyne unto kynge Arthure. And the name
64of thys knyght was called Balyne, and by good meanys of the
65barownes he was delyverde oute of preson, for he was a good man
66named of his body, and he was borne in Northehumbirlonde. And
67so he wente pryvaly into the courte and saw thys adventure whereoff
68hit reysed his herte, and wolde assayde as othir knyghtes ded. But
69for he was poore and poorly arayde, he put hymselff nat far in prees.
70But in hys herte he was fully assured to do as well if hys grace
71happed hym as ony knyght that there was. And as the damesell toke
72her leve of Arthure and of all the barownes, so departynge, thys
73knyght Balyn called unto her and seyde,
74    'Damesell, I pray you of youre curteysy suffir me as well to assay
75as thes other lordis. Thoughe that I be pourely arayed yet in my
76herte mesemyth I am fully assured as som of thes other, and
77mesemyth in myne herte to spede ryght welle.'
78    Thys damesell than behelde thys poure knyght and saw he was a
79lyckly man; but for hys poure araymente she thought he sholde nat

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80be of no worship withoute vylony or trechory. And than she seyde
81unto that knyght,
82    'Sir, hit nedith nat you to put me to no more payne, for hit semyth
83nat you to spede thereas all thes othir knyghtes have fayled.'
84    'A, fayre damesell,' seyde Balyn, 'worthynes and good tacchis and
85also good dedis is nat only in araymente, but manhode and worship
86ys hyd within a mannes person; and many a worshipfull knyght
87ys nat knowyn unto all peple. And therefore worship and hardynesse
88ys nat in araymente.'
89    'Be God,' seyde the damesell, 'ye sey soth, therefore ye shall assay
90to do what ye may.'
91    Than Balyn toke the swerde by the gurdyll and shethe and drew
92hit oute easyly; and whan he loked on the swerde hit pleased hym
93muche. Than had the kynge and all the barownes grete mervayle
94that Balyne had done that aventure; many knyghtes had grete
95despite at hym.
96    'Sertes,' seyde the damesell, 'thys ys a passynge good knyght and
97the beste that ever y founde, and moste of worship withoute treson,
98trechory, or felony. And many mervayles shall he do. Now, jantyll
99and curtayse knyght, geff me the swerde agayne.'
100    'Nay,' seyde Balyne, 'for thys swerde woll I kepe but hit be takyn
101fro me with force.'
102    'Well,' seyde the damesell, 'ye ar nat wyse to kepe the swerde fro
103me, for ye shall sle with that swerde the beste frende that ye have
104and the man that ye moste love in the worlde, and that swerde shall
105be youre destruccion.'
106    'I shall take the aventure,' seyde Balyn, 'that God woll ordayne
107for me. But the swerde ye shall nat have at thys tyme, by the feythe
108of my body!'
109    'Ye shall repente hit within shorte tyme,' seyde the damesell, 'for
110I wolde have the swerde more for youre avauntage than for myne;
111for I am passynge hevy for your sake, for and ye woll nat leve that
112swerde hit shall be youre destruccion, and that ys grete pite.'
113    So with that departed the damesell and grete sorow she made.
114And anone afftir Balyn sente for hys horse and armoure, and so
115wolde departe frome the courte, and toke his leve of kynge Arthure.
116    'Nay,' seyde the kynge, 'I suppose ye woll nat departe so lyghtly

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117from thys felyship. I suppose that ye ar displesyd that I have shewed
118you unkyndnesse. But blame me the lesse, for I was mysseinfourmed
119ayenste you: but I wente ye had nat bene such a knyght as ye ar of
120worship and prouesse. And if ye woll abyde in thys courte amonge
121my felyship, I shall so avaunce you as ye shall be pleased.'
122    'God thanke youre Hyghnesse,' seyde Balyne. 'Youre bounte may
123no man prayse halff unto the valew, butt at thys tyme I muste nedis
124departe, besechynge you allway of youre good grace.'
125    'Truly,' seyde the kynge, 'I am ryght wroth of youre departynge.
126But I pray you, fayre knyght, that ye tarry nat longe frome me, and
127ye shall be ryght wellcom unto me and to my barownes, and I shall
128amende all mysse that I have done agaynste you.'
129    'God thanke youre good grace,' seyde Balyn, and therewith made
130hym redy to departe. Than the moste party of the knyghtes of the
131Rounde Table seyde that Balyne dud nat this adventure all only
132by myght but by wycchecrauffte.
133    So the meanwhyle that thys knyght was makynge hym redy to
134departe, there com into the courte the Lady of the Laake, and she
135com on horsebacke rychely beseyne, and salewed kynge Arthure and
136there asked hym a gyffte that he promysed her whan she gaff hym
137the swerde.
138    'That ys sothe,' seyde Arthure, 'a gyffte I promysed you, but I have
139forgotyn the name of my swerde that ye gaff me.'
140    'The name of hit,' seyde the lady, 'ys Excalibir, that ys as muche
141to sey as Kutte Stele.'
142    'Ye sey well,' seyde the kynge. 'Aske what ye woll and ye shall
143have hit and hit lye in my power to gyff hit.'
144    'Well,' seyde thys lady, 'than I aske the hede of thys knyght that
145hath wonne the swerde, othir ellis the damesels hede that brought
146hit. I take no force though I have both theire hedis: for he slew my
147brothir, a good knyght and a trew; and that jantillwoman was causer
148of my fadirs death.'
149    'Truly,' seyde kynge Arthure, 'I may nat graunte you nother of
150theire hedys with my worship; therefore aske what ye woll els, and
151I shall fulfille youre desire.'
152    'I woll aske none other thynge,' seyde the lady.
153    So whan Balyn was redy to departe, he saw the Lady of the Lake

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154which by hir meanys had slayne hys modir; and he had sought hir
155three yere before. And whan hit was tolde hym how she had asked
156hys hede of kynge Arthure, he wente to hir streyght and seyde,
157    'Evyll be ye founde: ye wolde have myne hede, and therefore
158ye shall loose youres!'
159    And with hys swerde lyghtly he smote of hyr hede before kynge
160Arthure.
161    'Alas, for shame!' seyde the kynge. 'Why have ye do so? Ye have
162shamed me and all my courte, for thys lady was a lady that I was
163muche beholdynge to, and hyder she com undir my sauffconduyghte.
164Therefore I shall never forgyff you that trespasse.'
165    'Sir,' seyde Balyne, 'me forthynkith of youre displeasure, for this
166same lady was the untrwyste lady lyvynge, and by inchauntement
167and by sorcery she hath bene the destroyer of many good knyghtes,
168and she was causer that my modir was brente thorow hir falsehode
169and trechory.'
170    'For what cause soever ye had,' seyde Arthure, 'ye sholde have
171forborne in my presence. Therefore thynke nat the contrary: ye
172shall repente hit, for such anothir despite had I nevir in my courte.
173Therefore withdraw you oute of my courte in all the haste that ye
174may.'
175    Than Balyn toke up the hede of the lady and bare hit with hym
176to hys ostry, and there mette with hys squyre that was sory he had
177displeased kynge Arthure, and so they rode forthe oute of towne.
178    'Now,' seyde Balyne, 'we muste departe; therefore take thou thys
179hede and bere hit to my frendis and telle hem how I have spedde,
180and telle hem in Northhumbirlonde how my moste foo ys dede. Also
181telle hem how I am oute of preson, and what adventure befelle me
182at the getynge of this swerde.'
183    'Alas!' seyde the squyre, 'ye ar gretly to blame for to displease
184kynge Arthure.'
185    'As for that,' seyde Balyne, 'I woll hyghe me in all the haste
186that I may to mete with kyng Royns and destroy hym, othir ellis
187to dye therefore. And iff hit may happe me to wynne hym, than woll
188kynge Arthure be my good frende.'
189    'Sir, wher shall I mete with you?' seyde his squyre.
190    'In kynge Arthurs courte,' seyde Balyne. So his squyre and he

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191departed at that tyme. Than kynge Arthure and all the courte made
192grete dole and had grete shame of the Lady of the Lake. Than the
193kynge buryed hir rychely.
194    So at that tyme there was a knyght, the which was the kynges son
195of Irelonde, and hys name was Launceor, the which was an orgulus
196knyght and accompted hymselff one of the beste of the courte. And
197he had grete despite at Balyne for the enchevynge of the swerde,
198that ony sholde be accompted more hardy or more of prouesse, and
199he asked kynge Arthure licence to ryde afftir Balyne and to revenge
200the despite that he had done.
201    'Do youre beste,' seyde Arthur. 'I am ryght wrothe with Balyne.
202I wolde he were quytte of the despite that he hath done unto me and
203my courte.'
204    Than thys Launceor wente to his ostre to make hym redy. So in
205the meanewhyle com Merlyon unto the courte of kynge Arthure,
206and anone was tolde hym the adventure of the swerde and the deth
207of the Lady of the Lake.
208    'Now shall I sey you,' seyde Merlion; ' thys same damesell that
209here stondith, that brought the swerde unto youre courte, I shall
210telle you the cause of hir commynge. She ys the falsist damesell that
211lyveth - she shall nat sey nay! For she hath a brothir, a passyng
212good knyght of proues and a full trew man, and thys damesell loved
213anothir knyght that hylde her as paramoure. And thys good knyght,
214her brothir, mette with the knyght that helde hir to paramoure, and
215slew hym by force of hys hondis. And whan thys false damesell
216undirstoode this she wente to the lady Lyle of Avylion and besought
217hir of helpe to be revenged on hir owne brothir.
218    'And so thys lady Lyle of Avylion toke hir this swerde that she
219brought with hir, and tolde there sholde no man pulle hit oute of the
220sheethe but yf he be one of the beste knyghtes of thys realme, and
221he sholde be hardy and full of prouesse; and with that swerde he
222sholde sle hys brothir. Thys was the cause, damesell, that ye com
223into thys courte. I know hit as well as ye. God wolde ye had nat
224come here; but ye com never in felyship of worshipfful folke for
225to do good, but allwayes grete harme. And that knyght that hath
226encheved the swerde shall be destroyed thorow the swerde; for the
227which woll be grete damage, for there lyvith nat a knyght of more

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228prouesse than he ys. And he shall do unto you, my lorde Arthure,
229grete honoure and kyndnesse; and hit ys grete pite he shall nat
230endure but a whyle, for of his strengthe and hardinesse I know hym
231nat lyvynge hys macche.'
232    So thys knyght of Irelonde armed hym at all poyntes and dressed
233his shylde on hys sholdir and mownted uppon horsebacke and toke
234hys glayve in hys honde, and rode aftir a grete pace as muche as hys
235horse myght dryve. And within a litill space on a mowntayne he had
236a syght of Balyne, and with a lowde voice he cryde,
237    'Abyde, knyght! for ells ye shall abyde whethir ye woll other no.
238And the shelde that ys tofore you shall nat helpe you,' seyde thys
239Iryshe knyght, 'therefore com I affter you.'
240    'Peradventure,' seyde Balyne, 'ye had bene bettir to have holde
241you at home. For many a man wenyth to put hys enemy to a rebuke,
242and ofte hit fallith on hymselff. Oute of what courte be ye com fro?'
243seyde Balyn.
244    'I am com frome the courte of kynge Arthure,' seyde the knyght
245of Irelonde, 'that am com hydir to revenge the despite ye dud thys
246day unto kynge Arthure and to his courte.'
247    'Well,' seyde Balyne, 'I se well I must have ado with you; that me
248forthynkith that I have greved kynge Arthure or ony of hys courte.
249And youre quarell ys full symple,' seyde Balyne, 'unto me; for the
250lady that ys dede dud to me grete damage, and ellis I wolde have
251bene lothe as ony knyght that lyvith for to sle a lady.'
252    'Make you redy,' seyde the knyght Launceor, 'and dresse you unto
253me, for that one shall abyde in the fylde.'
254    Than they fewtred their spearis in their restis and com togidirs as
255muche as their horsis myght dryve. And the Irysh knyght smote
256Balyn on the shylde that all wente to shyvers of hys spere. And
257Balyne smote hym agayne thorow the shylde, and the hawbirk
258perysshed, and so bore hym thorow the body and over the horse
259crowper; and anone turned hys horse fersely and drew oute hys
260swerde, and wyst nat that he had slayne hym.
261    Than he saw hym lye as a dede corse, he loked aboute hym and
262was ware of a damesel that com rydynge full faste as the horse myght
263dryve, on a fayre palferey. And whan she aspyed that Launceor was
264slayne she made sorow oute of mesure and seyde,

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265    'A! Balyne, two bodyes thou haste slain in one herte, and two
266hertes in one body, and two soules thou hast loste.'
267    And therewith she toke the swerde frome hir love that lay dede,
268and felle to the grounde in a swowghe. And whan she arose she
269made grete dole oute of mesure, which sorow greved Balyn passyngly
270sore. And he wente unto hir for to have tane the swerde oute of hir
271honde; but she helde hit so faste he myght nat take hit oute of hir
272honde but yf he sholde have hurte hir. And suddeynly she sette the
273pomell to the grounde, and rove hirselff thorowoute the body.
274    Whan Balyne aspyed hir dedis he was passynge hevy in his herte
275and ashamed that so fayre a damesell had destroyed hirselff for the
276love of hys dethe. 'Alas!' seyde Balyn, 'me repentis sore the dethe of
277thys knyght for the love of thys damesel, for there was muche trw
278love betwyxte hem.' And so for sorow he myght no lenger beholde
279them, but turned hys horse and loked towarde a fayre foreste.
280    And than was he ware by hys armys that there com rydyng hys
281brothir Balan. And whan they were mette they put of hyr helmys
282and kyssed togydirs and wepte for joy and pite. Than Balan seyde,
283    'Brothir, I litill wende to have mette with you at thys suddayne
284adventure, but I am ryght glad of youre delyveraunce of youre
285dolerous presonment: for a man tolde me in the Castell of Four
286Stonys that ye were delyverde, and that man had seyne you in
287the courte of kynge Arthure. And therefore I com hydir into thys
288contrey, for here I supposed to fynde you.'
289    And anone Balyne tolde hys brothir of hys adventure of the
290swerde and the deth of the Lady of the Laake, and how kynge
291Arthure was displeased with hym.
292    'Wherefore he sente thys knyght afftir me that lyethe here dede.
293And the dethe of thys damesell grevith me sore.'
294    'So doth hit me,' seyde Balan. 'But ye must take the adventure that
295God woll ordayne you.'
296    'Truly,' seyde Balyne, 'I am ryght hevy that my lorde Arthure ys
297displeased with me, for he ys the moste worshypfullist kynge that
298regnith now in erthe; and hys love I woll gete othir ellis I woll putte
299my lyff in adventure. For kynge Ryons lyeth at the sege of the
300Castell Terrable, and thydir woll we draw in all goodly haste to
301preve oure worship and prouesse uppon hym.'

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302    'I woll well,' seyde Balan, 'that ye so do; and I woll ryde with
303you and put my body in adventure with you, as a brothir ought
304to do.'
305    'Now go we hense,' seyde Balyne, 'and well we beth mette.'
306    The meanewhyle as they talked there com a dwarff frome the cite
307of Camelot on horsebacke as much as he myght, and founde the
308dede bodyes; wherefore he made grete dole and pulled hys heyre for
309sorowe and seyde,
310    'Which of two knyghtes have done this dede?'
311    'Whereby askist thou?' seyde Balan.
312    'For I wolde wete,' seyde the dwarff.
313    'Hit was I,' seyde Balyn, 'that slew this knyght in my defendaunte;
314for hyder he com to chase me, and othir I muste sle hym other he
315me. And this damesell slew hirself for his love, which repentith
316me. And for hir sake I shall owghe all women the bettir wylle and
317servyse all the dayes of my lyff.'
318    'Alas!' seyde the dwarff, 'thou hast done grete damage unto thyselff.
319For thys knyght that ys here dede was one of the moste
320valyauntis men that lyved. And truste well, Balyne, the kynne of
321thys knyght woll chase you thorow the worlde tylle they have slayne
322you.'
323    'As for that,' seyde Balyne, 'the I fere nat gretely; but I am ryght
324hevy that I sholde displease my lorde, kynge Arthure, for the deth
325of thys knyght.'
326    So as they talked togydirs there com a kynge of Cornuwayle
327rydyng, which hyght kyng Marke. And whan he saw thes two
328bodyes dede, and undirstood howe they were dede, by the two
329knyghtes aboven-seyde, thenne made the kynge grete sorow for
330the trew love that was betwyxte them, and seyde, 'I woll nat departe
331tyll I have on thys erth made a towmbe.' And there he pyght his
332pavylyons and sought all the contrey to fynde a towmbe, and in a
333chirch they founde one was fayre and ryche. And than the kyng
334lette putte hem bothe in the erthe, and leyde the tombe uppon
335them, and wrote the namys of hem bothe on the tombe, how 'here
336lyeth Launceor, the kyngis son of Irelonde, that at hys owne rekeyste
337was slayne by the hondis of Balyne,' and how 'this lady Columbe and
338peramour to hym slew hirself with hys swerde for dole and sorow.

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339    Now turne we unto sir Launcelot that had ryddyn longe in a grete
340foreste. And at the laste he com unto a low countrey full of fayre
341ryvers and fayre meedys; and before hym he sawe a longe brydge,
342and three pavylyons stood thereon, of sylke and sendell of dyverse
343hew. And withoute the pavylyons hynge three whyght shyldys on
344trouncheouns of sperys, and grete longe sperys stood upryght by the
345pavylyons, and at every pavylyon dore stoode three freysh knyghtes.

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346    And so sir Launcelot passed by hem and spake no worde. But
347whan he was paste the three knyghtes knew hym and seyde hit was
348the proude sir Kay: 'He wenyth no knyght so good as he, and the
349contrary is oftyn proved. Be my fayth,' seyde one of the knyghtes,
350his name was sir Gawtere, 'I woll ryde aftir hym and assay hym for
351all his pryde; and ye may beholde how that I spede.'
352    So sir Gawtere armed hym and hynge his shylde uppon his sholdir,
353and mounted uppon a grete horse, and gate his speare in his honde,
354and wallopte aftir sir Launcelot. And whan he come nyghe hym he
355cryed, 'Abyde, thou proude knyght, sir Kay! for thou shalt nat passe
356all quyte.' So sir Launcelot turned hym, and eythir feautyrd their
357sperys and com togedyrs with all their myghtes. And sir Gawters
358speare brake, but sir Launcelot smote hym downe horse and
359man.
360    And whan he was at the erthe his brethyrn seyde, 'Yondir knyght
361is nat sir Kay, for he is far bygger than he.'
362    'I dare ley my hede,' seyde sir Gylmere, 'yondir knyght hath slayne
363sir Kay and hath takyn hys horse and harneyse.'
364    'Whether hit be so other no,' seyde sir Raynolde, 'lette us mounte
365on oure horsys and rescow oure brothir, sir Gawtere. For payne of
366deth, we all shall have worke inow to macche that knyght; for ever
367mesemyth by his persone hit is sir Launcelot other sir Trystrams
368other sir Pelleas, the good knyght.
369    Than anone they toke their horsys and overtoke sir Launcelot.
370And sir Gylmere put forth his speare and ran to sir Launcelot, and
371sir Launcelot smote hym downe, that he lay in a sowghe.
372    'Sir knyght,' seyde sir Raynolde, 'thou arte a stronge man, and as
373I suppose thou haste slayne my two bretherne, for the whyche rysyth
374my herte sore agaynste the. And yf I myght wyth my worshyppe I
375wolde not have ado with the, but nedys I muste take suche parte as
376they do. And therefore, knyght, kepe thyselfe!'
377    And so they hurtylde togydyrs with all their myghtes and all
378to-shevird bothe there spearys, and than they drew hir swerdys and
379laysshed togydir egirly. Anone there with all arose sir Gawtere and
380come unto his brother sir Gyllymere, and bade hym aryse, 'and helpe
381we oure brothir, sir Raynolde, that yondir merveylously macchyth
382yondir good knyght.' Therewithall they hurteled unto sir Launcelot.

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383And whan he sawe them com he smote a sore stroke unto sir Raynolde,
384that he felle of his horse to the grounde, and than he caste to
385the othir two bretherne, and at two strokys he strake hem downe to
386the erthe.
387    Wyth that sir Raynolde gan up sterte with his hede all blody and
388com streyte unto sir Launcelot.
389    'Now let be,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'I was not far frome the whan
390thou were made knyght, sir Raynolde, and also I know thou arte a
391good knyght, and lothe I were to sle the.'
392    'Gramercy,' seyde sir Raynolde, 'of your goodnesse, and I dare say
393as for me and my bretherne, we woll nat be loth to yelde us unto
394you, with that we know youre name; for welle we know ye ar not
395sir Kay.'
396    'As for that, be as be may. For ye shall yelde you unto dame
397Gwenyvere, and loke that ye be there on Whytsonday and yelde
398you unto hir as presoners, and sey that sir Kay sente you unto hir.'
399Than they swore hit sholde be done, and so passed forth sir
400Launcelot, and ecchone of the bretherne halpe other as well as they
401myght.
402    So sir Launcelotte rode into a depe foreste, and there by hym in
403a slade he sey four knyghtes hovynge undir an oke, and they were
404of Arthurs courte: one was sir Sagramour le Desyrus, and sir Ector
405de Marys, and sir Gawayne, and sir Uwayne. And anone as these
406four knyghtes had aspyed sir Launcelot they wende by his armys
407that hit had bene sir Kay.
408    'Now, be my fayth,' sayde sir Sagramoure, 'I woll preve sir Kayes
409myght,' and gate his spere in his honde and com towarde sir Launcelot.
410Than sir Launcelot was ware of his commyng and knew hym
411well, and feautred his speare agaynste hym and smote sir Sagramoure
412so sore that horse and man wente bothe to the erthe.
413    'Lo, my felowys,' seyde sir Ector, 'yondir may ye se what a buffette
414he hath gyffen! Methynkyth that knyght is muche bygger than ever
415was sir Kay. Now shall ye se what I may do to hym.'
416    So sir Ector gate his spere in his honde and walopte towarde sir
417Launcelot, and sir Launcelot smote hym evyn thorow the shylde and
418his sholdir, that man and horse wente to the erthe, and ever his spere
419helde.

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420    'Be my fayth,' sayde sir Uwayne, 'yondir is a stronge knyght, and
421I am sure he hath slayne Kay. And I se be his grete strengthe hit woll
422be harde to macche hym.'
423    And therewithall sir Uwayne gate his speare and rode towarde sir
424Launcelot. And sir Launcelot knew hym well and lette his horse
425renne on the playne and gaff hym suche a buffette that he was
426astooned, and longe he wyste nat where he was.
427    'Now se I welle,' seyde sir Gawayne, 'I muste encountir with that
428knyght,' and dressed his shylde and gate a good speare in his honde
429and lete renne at sir Launcelot with all his myght; and eyther knyght
430smote other in myddys of the shylde. But sir Gawaynes spere braste,
431and sir Launcelot charged so sore uppon hym that his horse reversed
432up-so-downe, and muche sorow had sir Gawayne to avoyde his
433horse. And so sir Launcelot passed on a pace and smyled and seyde,
434'God gyff hym joy that this spere made, for there cam never a bettir
435in my honde.' Than the four knyghtes wente echone to other and
436comforted each other.
437    'What sey ye by this geste,' seyde sir Gawayne, 'that with one
438spere hath felde us all four?'
439    'We commaunde hym to the devyll,' they seyde all, 'for he is a
440man of grete myght.'
441    'Ye may say hit well,' seyde sir Gawayne, 'that he is a man of
442myght, for I dare ley my hede hit is sir Launcelot: I know hym well
443by his rydyng.'
444    'Latte hym go,' seyde sir Uwayne, 'for whan we com to the courte
445we shall wete.' Than had they much sorow to gete their horsis
446agayne.
447    Now leve we there and speke we of sir Launcelot that rode a grete
448whyle in a depe foreste. And as he rode he sawe a blak brachette
449sekyng in maner as hit had bene in the feaute of an hurte dere. And
450therewith he rode aftir the brachette and he sawe lye on the grounde
451a large feaute of bloode. And than sir Launcelot rode faster, and
452ever the brachette loked behynde hir, and so she wente thorow a
453grete marys, and ever sir Launcelot folowed.
454    And than was he ware of an olde maner, and thydir ran the
455brachette and so over a brydge. So sir Launcelot rode over that
456brydge that was olde and feble, and whan he com in the myddys of

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457a grete halle there he seye lye dede a knyght that was a semely man,
458and that brachette lycked his woundis. And therewithall com oute
459a lady wepyng and wryngyng hir hondys, and sayde,
460    'Knyght, to muche sorow hast thou brought me.'
461    'Why sey ye so?' seyde sir Launcelot. 'I dede never this knyght no
462harme, for hydir by the feaute of blood this brachet brought me.
463And therefore, fayre lady, be nat dyspleased with me, for I am full
464sore agreved for your grevaunce.'
465    'Truly, sir,' she seyde, 'I trowe hit be nat ye that hath slayne my
466husbonde, for he that dud that dede is sore wounded and is never
467lykly to be hole, that shall I ensure hym.'
468    'What was youre husbondes name?' seyde sir Launcelot.
469    'Sir, his name was called sir Gylberd the Bastarde, one of the beste
470knyghtys of the worlde, and he that hath slayne hym I know nat his
471name.'
472    'Now God sende you bettir comforte,' seyde sir Launcelot.
473    And so he departed and wente into the foreste agayne, and there
474he mette with a damesell the whyche knew hym well. And she seyde
475on lowde,
476    'Well be ye founde, my lorde. And now I requyre you of your
477knyghthode helpe my brother that is sore wounded and never
478styntyth bledyng; for this day he fought with sir Gylberte the
479Bastarde and slew hym in playne batayle, and there was my brother
480sore wounded. And there is a lady, a sorseres, that dwellyth in a
481castel here bysyde, and this day she tolde me my brothers woundys
482sholde never be hole tyll I coude fynde a knyght wolde go into the
483Chapel Perelus, and there he sholde fynde a swerde and a blody cloth
484that the woundid knyght was lapped in; and a pece of that cloth and
485that swerde sholde hele my brother, with that his woundis were
486serched with the swerde and the cloth.'
487    'This is a mervelouse thyng,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'but what is your
488brothirs name?'
489    'Sir,' she seyde, 'sir Melyot de Logyrs.'
490    'That me repentys,' seyde sir Launcelotte, 'for he is a felow of the
491Table Rounde, and to his helpe I woll do my power.'
492    Than she sayde, 'Sir, folow ye evyn this hygheway, and hit woll
493brynge you to the Chapel Perelus, and here I shall abyde tyll God

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494sende you agayne. And yf you spede nat I know no knyght lyvynge
495that may encheve that adventure.'
496    Ryght so sir Launcelot departed, and whan he com to the Chapell
497Perelus he alyght downe and tyed his horse unto a lytyll gate. And
498as sone as he was within the chyrche-yerde he sawe on the frunte of
499the chapel many fayre ryche shyldis turned up-so-downe, and many
500of tho shyldis sir Launcelot had sene knyghtes bere byforehande.
501With that he sawe by hym there stonde a thirty grete knyghtes,
502more by a yerde than any man that ever he had sene, and all they
503grenned and gnasted at sir Launcelot. And whan he sawe their countenaunce
504he dredde hym sore, and so put his shylde before hym and
505toke his swerde in his honde redy unto batayle.
506    And they all were armed all in blak harneyse, redy with her
507shyldis and her swerdis redy drawyn. And as sir Launcelot wolde
508have gone thorow them they skaterd on every syde of hym and gaff
509hym the way, and therewith he wexed bolde and entyrde into the
510chapel. And there he sawe no lyght but a dymme lampe brennyng,
511and than was he ware of a corpus hylled with a clothe of sylke. Than
512sir Launcelot stouped doune and kutte a pese away of that cloth, and
513than hit fared undir hym as the grounde had quaked a lytyll; therewithall
514he feared.
515    And than he sawe a fayre swerde lye by the dede knyght, and that
516he gate in his honde and hyed hym oute of the chapell. Anone as
517ever he was in the chapell-yerde all the knyghtes spake to hym with
518grymly voyces and seyde,
519    'Knyght, sir Launcelot, lay that swerde frome the or thou shalt
520dye!'
521    'Whether that I lyve other dye,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'with no
522wordys grete gete ye hit agayne. Therefore fyght for hit and ye lyst.'
523    Than ryght so he passed thorowoute them. And byyonde the
524chappell-yarde there mette hym a fayre damesell and seyde,
525    'Sir Launcelot, leve that swerde behynde the, other thou wolt dye
526for hit.'
527    'I leve hit not,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'for no thretyng.'
528    'No,' seyde she, 'and thou dyddyste leve that swerde quene
529Gwenyvere sholde thou never se.'
530    'Than were I a foole and I wolde leve this swerde.'

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531    'Now, jantyll knyghte,' seyde the damesell, 'I requyre the to kysse
532me but onys.'
533    'Nay,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'that God me forbede.'
534    'Well, sir,' seyde she, 'and thou haddyst kyssed me thy lyff dayes
535had be done. And now, alas,' she seyde, 'I have loste all my laboure,
536for I ordeyned this chapell for thy sake and for sir Gawayne. And
537onys I had hym within me, and at that tyme he fought with this
538knyght that lyeth dede in yondir chapell, sir Gylberte the Bastarde,
539and at that tyme he smote the lyffte honde of sir Gylberte.
540    'And, sir Launcelot, now I telle the: I have loved the this seven
541yere, but there may no woman have thy love but quene Gwenyver;
542and sytthen I myght nat rejoyse the nother thy body on lyve,
543I had kepte no more joy in this worlde but to have thy body dede.
544Than wolde I have bawmed hit and sered hit, and so to have kepte
545hit my lyve dayes; and dayly I sholde have clypped the and kyssed
546the, dispyte of quene Gwenyvere.'
547    'Ye sey well,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'Jesu preserve me frome your
548subtyle crauftys!'
549    And therewithall he toke his horse and so departed frome hir.
550And as the booke seyth, whan sir Launcelot was departed she toke
551suche sorow that she deyde within a fourtenyte; and hir name was
552called Hallewes the Sorseres, lady of the castell Nygurmous.
553    And anone sir Launcelot mette with the damesel, sir Melyottis
554systir, and whan she sawe hym she clapped hir hondys and wepte for
555joy. And than they rode into a castell thereby where lay sir Melyot,
556and anone as sir Launcelot sye hym he knew hym, but he was passyng
557paale as the erthe for bledynge.
558    Whan sir Melyot saw sir Launcelot he kneled uppon his kneis
559and cryed on hyghte: 'A, lorde, sir Launcelot, helpe me anone!'
560Than sir Launcelot lepe unto hym and towched his woundys with sir
561Gylbardys swerde, and than he wyped his woundys with a parte of
562the bloody cloth that sir Gylbarde was wrapped in; and anone an
563holer man in his lyff was he never.
564    And than there was grete joy betwene hem, and they made sir
565Launcelot all the chere that they myghte. And so on the morne sir
566Launcelot toke his leve and bade sir Melyot hyghe hym 'to the courte
567of my lorde Arthure, for hit drawyth nyghe to the feste of Pentecoste.

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568And there, by the grace of God, ye shall fynde me.' And therewith
569they departed.
570    And so sir Launcelot rode thorow many stronge contrayes, over
571mores and valeis, tyll by fortune he com to a fayre castell. And as he
572paste beyonde the castell hym thought he herde bellys rynge, and
573than he was ware of a faucon com over his hede fleyng towarde an
574hyghe elme, and longe lunes aboute her feete. And she flowe unto
575the elme to take hir perche, the lunes overcast aboute a bowghe; and
576whan she wolde have tane hir flyght she hynge by the leggis faste.
577And sir Launcelot syghe how she hynge, and behelde the fayre
578faucon perygot; and he was sory for hir. The meanewhyle cam a
579lady oute of a castell and cryed on hyghe:
580    'A, Launcelot, Launcelot! as thow arte a floure of all knyghtes,
581helpe me to gete me my hauke; for and my hauke be loste my lorde
582wolde destroy me, for I kepte the hauke and she slypped fro me. And
583yf my lorde my husbande wete hit, he is so hasty that he wyll sle me.'
584    'What is your lordis name?' seyde sir Launcelot.
585    'Sir,' she seyde, 'his name is sir Phelot, a knyght that longyth unto
586the kynge of North Galys.'
587    'Well, fayre lady, syn that ye know my name and requyre me of
588knyghthode to helpe, I woll do what I may to gete youre hauke; and
589yet God knowyth I am an evyll clymber, and the tre is passynge
590hyghe, and fewe bowys to helpe me withall.'
591    And therewith sir Launcelot alyght and tyed his horse to the same
592tre, and prayde the lady to onarme hym. And so whan he was unarmed,
593he put of all his clothis unto his shurte and his breche, and
594with myght and grete force he clambe up to the faucon and tyed the
595lunes to a grete rotyn boysh, and threwe the hauke downe with the
596buysh.
597    And anone the lady gate the hauke in hir honde; and therewithall
598com oute sir Phelot oute of the grevys suddeynly, that was hir
599husbonde, all armed and with his naked swerde in his honde, and
600sayde,
601    'A knyght, sir Launcelot, now I have founde the as I wolde,' he
602stondyng at the boole of the tre to sle hym.
603    'A, lady!' seyde sir Launcelot, 'why have ye betrayed me?'
604    'She hath done,' seyde sir Phelot, 'but as I commaunded hir, and

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605therefore there is none othir boote but thyne oure is com that thou
606muste dye.'
607    'That were shame unto the,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'thou an armed
608knyght to sle a nakyd man by treson.'
609    'Thou gettyste none other grace,' seyde sir Phelot, 'and therefore
610helpe thyself and thou can.'
611    'Truly,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'that shall be thy shame; but syn thou
612wolt do none other, take myne harneys with the and hange my
613swerde there uppon a bowghe that I may gete hit, and than do thy
614beste to sle me and thou can.'
615    'Nay,' seyde sir Phelot, 'for I know the bettir than thou wenyste.
616Therefore thou gettyst no wepyn and I may kepe the therefro.'
617    'Alas,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'that ever a knyght sholde dey
618wepynles!'
619    And therewith he wayted above hym and undir hym, and over
620hym above his hede he sawe a rowgh spyke, a bygge bowghe leveles.
621And therewith he brake hit of by the body, and than he com lowar,
622and awayted how his owne horse stoode, and suddenyly he lepe on
623the farther syde of his horse froward the knyght. And than sir Phelot
624laysshed at hym egerly to have slayne hym, but sir Launcelot put
625away the stroke with the rowgh spyke, and therewith toke hym on
626the hede, that downe he felle in a sowghe to the grounde. So than
627sir Launcelot toke his swerde oute of his honde and strake his necke
628in two pecys.
629    'Alas!' than cryed that lady, 'why haste thou slayne my
630husbonde?'
631    'I am nat causer,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'but with falshede ye wolde
632have had me slayne with treson, and now hit is fallyn on you
633bothe.'
634    And than she sowned as though she wolde dey. And therewith sir
635Launcelot gate all his armoure as well as he myght and put hit
636uppon hym for drede of more resseite, for he dredde hym that the
637knyghtes castell was so nyghe hym; and as sone as he myght he toke
638his horse and departed, and thanked God that he had escaped that
639harde adventure.
640    So sir Launcelot rode many wylde wayes thorowoute morys and
641mares, and as he rode in a valay, he sey a knyght chasyng a lady with

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642a naked swerde to have slayne hir. And by fortune, as this knyght
643sholde have slayne thys lady, she cryed on sir Launcelot and prayde
644hym to rescowe her.
645    Whan sir Launcelot sye that myschyff, he toke his horse and rode
646betwene hem, sayynge,
647    'Knyght, fye for shame, why wolte thou sle this lady? Shame unto
648the and all knyghtes!'
649    'What haste thou to do betwyxte me and my wyff? I woll sle her
650magre thyne hede.'
651    'That shall ye nat,'sayde sir Launcelot, 'for rather we woll have
652ado togydyrs.'
653    'Sir Launcelot,' seyde the knyght, 'thou doste nat thy parte, for
654thys lady hath betrayed me.'
655    'Hit is not so,' seyde the lady, 'truly, he seyth wronge on me. And
656for bycause I love and cherysshe my cousyn jarmayne, he is
657jolowse betwyxte me and hym; and as I mutte answere to God there
658was never sene betwyxte us none suche thynges. But, sir,' seyde the
659lady, 'as thou arte called the worshypfullyest knyght of the worlde,
660I requyre the of trewe knyghthode, kepe me and save me, for whatsomever
661he sey he woll sle me, for he is withoute mercy.'
662    'Have ye no doute: hit shalle nat lye in his power.'
663    'Sir,' seyde the knyght, 'in your syght I woll be ruled as ye woll
664have me.'
665    And so sir Launcelot rode on the one syde and she on the other
666syde. And he had nat redyn but a whyle but the knyght bade sir
667Launcelot turne hym and loke behynde hym, and seyde, 'Sir, yondir
668com men of armys aftir us rydynge.'
669    And so sir Launcelot turned hym and thought no treson; and
670therewith was the knyght and the lady on one syde, and suddeynly
671he swapped of the ladyes hede.
672    And whan sir Launcelot had aspyed hym what he had done, he
673seyde and so called hym: 'Traytoure, thou haste shamed me for
674evir!' And suddeynly sir Launcelot alyght of his horse and pulde
675oute his swerde to sle hym. And therewithall he felle to the erthe
676and gryped sir Launcelot by the thyghes and cryed mercy.
677    'Fye on the,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'thou shamefull knyght! Thou
678mayste have no mercy: therefore aryse and fyghte with me!'

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679    'Nay,' sayde the knyght, 'I woll never aryse tyll ye graunte me
680mercy.'
681    'Now woll I proffyr the fayre: I woll unarme me unto my shyrte,
682and I woll have nothynge upon me but my shyrte and my swerde
683in my honde, and yf thou can sle me, quyte be thou for ever.'
684    'Nay, sir, that woll I never.'
685    'Well,' seyde sir Launcelot, 'take this lady and the hede, and bere
686it uppon the; and here shalt thou swere uppon my swerde to bere
687hit allwayes uppon thy bak and never to reste tyll thou com to my
688lady, quene Gwenyver.'
689    'Sir, that woll I do, by the feyth of my body.'
690    'Now what is youre name?'
691    'Sir, my name is sir Pedyvere.'
692    'In a shamefull oure were thou borne,' seyde sir Launcelot.
693    So sir Pedyvere departed with the lady dede and the hede togydir,
694and founde the quene with kynge Arthure at Wynchestir; and there
695he tolde all the trouthe.
696    'Sir knyght,' seyde the quene, 'this is an horryble dede and a
697shamefull, and a grete rebuke unto sir Launcelot, but natwythstondyng
698his worshyp is knowyn in many dyverse contreis. But this
699shall I gyff you in penaunce: make ye as good skyffte as ye can, ye
700shall bere this lady with you on horsebak unto the Pope of Rome,
701and of hym resseyve youre penaunce for your foule dedis. And ye
702shall nevir reste one nyght thereas ye do another, and ye go to ony
703bedde the dede body shall lye with you.'
704    This oth he there made and so departed. And as hit tellyth in
705the Frenshe booke, whan he com unto Rome the Pope there bade
706hym go agayne unto quene Gwenyver, and in Rome was his lady
707buryed by the Popys commaundement. And after thys knyght
708sir Pedyvere fell to grete goodnesse and was an holy man and an
709hermyte.

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710

III. SIR PERCEVAL

711
712    Now seyth the tale that whan sir Launcelot was ryddyn aftir sir
713Galahad, the whych had all thes adventures aboven seyd, sir Percivale
714turned agayne unto the recluse where he demed to have tydynges
715of that knyght that sir Launcelot folowed.
716    And so he kneled at hir wyndow, and the recluse opened hit and
717asked sir Percivale what he wolde.
718    'Madam,' he seyde, 'I am a knyght of kyng Arthurs courte and my
719name ys sir Percivale de Galis.'
720    Whan the recluse herde his name she had grete joy of hym, for
721mykyll she loved hym toforn passyng ony other knyght; she ought
722so to do, for she was hys awnte. And than she commaunded the gatis

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723to be opyn, and there he had grete chere, as grete as she myght make
724hym or ly in hir power.
725    So on the morne sir Percyvale wente to the recluse and asked her
726if she knew that knyght with the whyght shylde.
727    'Sir,' seyde she, 'why woll ye wete?'
728    'Truly, madam,' seyde sir Percyvale, 'I shall never be well at ease
729tyll that I know of that knyghtes felyship and that I may fyght with
730hym, for I may nat leve hym so lyghtly, for I have the shame as yette.'
731    'A, sir Percyvale!' seyde she, 'wolde ye fyght with hym? I se well
732ye have grete wyll to be slayne, as youre fadir was thorow outerageousnes
733slayne.'
734    'Madam, hit semyth by your wordis that ye know me.'
735    'Yee,' seyde she, 'I well oughte to know you, for I am your awnte,
736allthoughe I be in a poore place. For som men called me somtyme
737the Quene of the Wast Landis, and I was called the quene of moste
738rychesse in the worlde. And hit pleased me never so much my
739rychesse as doth my poverte.'
740    Than Percyvale wepte for verry pite whan he knew hit was hys
741awnte.
742    'A, fayre nevew,' seyde she, 'whan herde you tydynges of youre
743modir?'
744    'Truly,' seyde he, 'I herde none of hir, but I dreme of hir muche
745in my slepe, and therefore I wote nat whethir she be dede other
746alyve.'
747    'Sertes, fayre nevew, youre modir ys dede, for aftir youre departynge
748frome her she toke such a sorow that anone as she was confessed
749she dyed.'
750    'Now god have mercy on hir soule!' seyde sir Percyvale. 'Hit
751sore forthynkith me; but all we muste change the lyff. Now, fayre
752awnte, what ys that knyght? I deme hit be he that bare the rede
753armys on Whytsonday.'
754    'Wyte you well,' seyde she, 'that this ys he, for othirwyse ougth he
755nat to do but to go in rede armys. And that same knyght hath no
756peere, for he worchith all by myracle, and he shall never be overcom
757of none erthly mannys hande.
758    'Also Merlyon made the Rounde Table in tokenyng of rowndnes
759of the worlde, for men sholde by the Rounde Table undirstonde the

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760rowndenes signyfyed by ryght. For all the worlde, crystenyd and
761hethyn, repayryth unto the Rounde Table, and whan they ar chosyn
762to be of the felyshyp of the Rounde Table they thynke hemselff
763more blessed and more in worship than they had gotyn halff the
764worlde.
765    'And ye have sene that they have loste hir fadirs and hir modirs
766and all hir kynne, and hir wyves and chyldren, for to be of youre
767felyship. Hit ys well seyne be you, for synes ye departed from your
768modir ye wolde never se her, ye founde such felyship at the Table
769Rounde.
770    'Whan Merlyon had ordayned the Rounde Table he seyde, "By
771them whych sholde be felowys of the Rounde Table the trouth of the
772Sankgreall sholde be well knowyn." And men asked hym how they
773myght know them that sholde best do and to encheve the Sankgreall.
774Than he seyde, "There sholde be three whyght bullis sholde
775encheve hit, and the two sholde be maydyns and the thirde sholde
776be chaste. And one of thos three shold passe hys fadir as much as
777the lyon passith the lybarde, both of strength and of hardines."
778    'They that herde Merlion sey so seyde thus: "Sitthyn there shall
779be such a knyght, thou sholdyst ordayne by thy craufftes a syge, that
780no man sholde sytte in hit but he all only that shold passe all other
781knyghtes." Than Merlyon answerde that he wold so do, and than he
782made the Syge Perelous in the whych Galahad sate at hys mete on
783Whyttsonday last past.'
784    'Now, Madam,' seyde sir Percyvale, 'so much have I herde of you
785that be my good wyll I woll never have ado with sir Galahad but by
786wey of goodnesse. And for Goddis love, fayre awnte, can ye teche
787me where I myght fynde hym? For much I wolde love the felyship
788of hym.'
789    'Fayre nevew,' seyde she, 'ye muste ryde unto a castell, the whych
790ys called Gooth, where he hath a cousyn jermayne, and there may
791ye be lodged thys nyght. And as he techith you, sewith afftir as faste
792as ye can; and if he can telle you no tydynges of hym, ryde streyte
793unto the castell of Carbonek where the Maymed Kyng ys lyyng, for
794there shall ye hyre trew tydynges of hym.'
795    Than departed sir Percivale frome hys awnte, aythir makyng
796grete sorow. And so he rode tyll aftir evynsonge, and than he herde

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797a clock smyte. And anone he was ware of an house closed well with
798wallys and depe dyches, and there he knocke at the gate. And anone
799he was lette in, and he alyght and was ledde unto a chamber
800and sone onarmed. And there he had ryght good chere all that
801nyght.
802    And on the morne he herde hys masse, and in the monestery he
803founde a preste redy at the awter, and on the ryght syde he saw a
804pew closed with iron, and behynde the awter he saw a ryche bedde
805and a fayre, as of cloth of sylke and golde. Than sir Percivale aspyed
806that therein was a man or a woman, for the visayge was coverde.
807Than he leffte of hys lokynge and herd hys servyse.
808    And whan hit cam unto the sakarynge, he that lay within the
809perclose dressyd hym up and uncoverde hys hede, and than hym
810besemed a passyng olde man, and he had a crowne of golde uppon
811hys hede, and hys shuldirs were naked and unhylled unto hys navyll.
812And than sir Percyvale aspyed hys body was full of grete woundys,
813both on the shuldirs, armys, and vysayge. And ever he hylde up hys
814hondys agaynst oure Lordis Body and cryed,
815    'Fayre swete Lorde Jesu Cryste, forgete nat me!'
816    And so he lay nat downe, but was allway in hys prayers and
817orysons, and hym semed to be of the ayge of three hondred wynter.
818And whan the masse was done the pryste toke oure Lordys Body
819and bare hit unto the syke kynge. And whan he had used hit he
820ded of hys crowne and commaunded the crowne to be sett on the
821awter.
822    Than sir Percyvale asked one of the brethirn what he was.
823    'Sir,' seyde the good man, 'ye have herde much of Joseph of
824Aramathy; how he was sent by Jesu Cryst into thys londe for to
825teche and preche the holy Crysten faythe, and therefor he suffird
826many persecucions the whych the enemyes of Cryst ded unto hym.
827And in the cite of Sarras he converted a kynge whos name was Evelake,
828and so the kyng cam with Joseph into thys londe, and ever he
829was bysy to be thereas the Sankgreall was. And on a tyme he nyghed
830hit so nyghe that oure Lorde was displeased with hym, but ever he
831folowed hit more and more tyll God stroke hym allmoste blynde.
832Than thys kynge cryed mercy and seyde,
833    '"Fayre Lorde, lat me never dye tyll the good knyght of my blood

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834of the ninth degre be com , that I may se hym opynly that shall
835encheve the Sankgreall, and that I myght kysse hym."
836    'Whan the kynge thus had made hys prayers he herde a voyce
837that seyde, "Herde ys thy prayers, for thou shalt nat dye tylle he hath
838kyssed the. And whan that knyght shall com the clerenes of youre
839yen shall com agayne, and thou shalt se opynly, and thy woundes
840shall be heled, and arst shall they never close."
841    'And thus befelle of kynge Evelake, and thys same kynge hath
842lyved four hondred yerys thys holy lyff, and men sey the knyght ys
843in thys courte that shall heale hym. Sir,' seyde the good man, 'I pray
844you telle me what knyght that ye be, and if that ye be of the Rownde
845Table.'
846    'Yes, forsoth, and my name ys sir Percyvale de Galis.'
847    And whan the good man undirstood hys name he made grete joy
848of hym. And than sir Percyvale departed and rode tylle the owre of
849none. And he mette in a valey aboute twenty men of armys whych
850bare in a beere a knyght dedly slayne. And whan they saw sir Percyvale
851they asked hym of whens he was, and he seyde,
852    'Of the courte of kynge Arthur.'
853    Than they cryed at onys, 'Sle hym!'
854    Than sir Percivale smote the firste to the erth and hys horse
855uppon hym, and than seven of the knyghtes smote uppon hys
856shylde at onys and the remenaunte slew hys horse, that he felle to
857the erth, and had slayne hym or takyn hym, had nat the good knyght
858sir Galahad with the rede armys com there by adventure into tho
859partys. And whan he saw all tho knyghtes uppon one knyght he
860seyde,
861    'Save me that knyghtes lyve!'
862    And than he dressed hym towarde the twenty men of armys as
863faste as hys horse myght dryve, with hys speare in hys reaste, and
864smote the formyste horse and man to the erth. And whan his speare
865was brokyn he sette hys honde to hys swerde and smote on the ryght
866honde and on the lyffte honde, that hit was mervayle to se; and at
867every stroke he smote downe one or put hym to a rebuke, so that
868they wolde fyght no more, but fledde to a thyk foreyst, and sir
869Galahad folowed them.
870    And whan sir Percyvale saw hym chace them so, he made grete

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871sorow that hys horse was away. And than he wyst well hit was sir
872Galahad, and cryed alowde and seyde,
873    'Fayre knyght, abyde and suffir me to do you thankynges, for
874much have ye done for me.'
875    But ever sir Galahad rode fast, that at the last he past oute of hys
876syght. And as fast as sir Percyvale myght he wente aftir hym on
877foote, cryyng. And than he mette with a yoman rydyng uppon an
878hakeney which lad in hys ryght honde a grete steede blacker than
879ony bere.
880    'A, fayre frende,' seyde sir Percivale, 'as ever y may do for you,
881and to be youre knyght in the first place ye woll requyre me, that
882ye woll lende me that blacke steed, that I myght overtake a knyght
883which rydeth before me.'
884    'Sir,' seyde the yoman, 'that may I nat do, for the horse is such a
885mannys horse that and I lente hit you or ony man that he wolde
886sle me.'
887    'Alas,' seyde sir Percivale, 'I had never so grete sorow as I have for
888losyng of yondir knyght.'
889    'Sir,' seyde the yoman, 'I am ryght hevy for you, for a good horse
890wolde beseme you well, but I dare nat delyver you thys horse but if
891ye wolde take hym frome me.'
892    'That woll I nat,' seyde sir Percivale.
893    And so they departed, and sir Percivale sette hym downe under
894a tre and made sorow oute of mesure. And as he sate there cam a
895knyght rydynge on the horse that the yoman lad, and he was clene
896armyd. And anone the yoman com rydynge and pryckyng aftir as
897fast as he myght and asked sir Percivale if he saw ony knyght rydyng
898on hys blacke steede.
899    'Ye, sir, forsothe. Why aske ye me, sir?'
900    'A, sir! that steede he hath benomme me with strengthe, wherefore
901my lorde woll sle me in what place somever he fyndith
902me.'
903    'Well,' seyde sir Percyvale, 'what woldist thou that I ded? Thou
904seest well that I am on foote. But and I had a good horse I sholde
905soone brynge hym agayne.'
906    'Sir,' seyde the yoman, 'take my hakeney and do the beste ye can,
907and I shall sew you on foote to wete how that ye shall spede.'

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908    Than sir Percivale bestrode the hakeney and rode as faste as he
909myght, and at the last he saw that knyght. And than he cryde,
910    'Knyght, turne agayne!'
911    And he turned and set hys speare ayenst sir Percivale, and he
912smote the hackeney in myddis the breste, that he felle downe dede
913to the erthe. And there he had a grete falle and the other rode hys
914way. And than sir Percivale was wood wrothe and cryed,
915    'Abyde, wycked knyght! Cowarde and false-harted knyght,
916turne ayen, and fyght with me on foote!'
917    But he answerd nat, but past on hys way. Whan sir Percivale saw
918he wolde nat turne he kest away shylde, helme and swerde, and
919seyde,
920    'Now I am a verry wreche, cursed and moste unhappy of all other
921knyghtes!'
922    So in thys sorow there he abode all that day tyll hit was nyght,
923and than he was faynte and leyde hym downe and slepte tyll hit was
924mydnyght. And than he awaked and saw before hym a woman
925whych seyde unto hym ryght fyersely,
926    'Sir Percivale, what dost thou here?'
927    'I do nother good nother grete ille.'
928    'If thou wolt ensure me,' seyde she, 'that thou wolt fulfylle my
929wylle whan I somon the, I shall lende the myne owne horse whych
930shall bere the whother thou wolt.'
931    Sir Percivale was glad of hir profer and ensured hir to fulfylle all
932hir desire.
933    'Than abydith me here, and I shall go fecche you an horse.'
934    And so she cam sone agayne and brought an horse with her that
935was inkly black. Whan sir Percyvale behylde that horse he
936mervaylde that he was so grete and so well apparayled. And natforthan
937he was so hardy he lepte uppon hym and toke none hede off
938hymselff. And anone as he was uppon hym he threst to hym with
939hys spurres, and so rode by a foreste; and the moone shoone clere,
940and within an owre and lasse he bare hym four dayes journey thense
941untyll he com to a rowghe watir whych rored, and that horse wolde
942have borne hym into hit.
943    And whan sir Percivale cam nye the brymme he saw the watir so
944boysteous he doutted to passe over hit, and than he made a sygne of

page 664

945the crosse in hys forehed. Whan the fende felte hym so charged he
946shooke of sir Percivale, and he wente into the watir cryynge and
947rorynge and makying grete sorowe, and hit semed unto hym that
948the watir brente. Than sir Percivale perceyved hit was a fynde, the
949whych wolde have broughte hym unto perdicion. Than he commended
950hymselff unto God, and prayde oure Lorde to kepe hym
951frome all suche temptacions.
952    And so he prayde all that nyght tylle on the morne that hit was
953day, and anone he saw he was in a wylde mounteyne whych was
954closed with the se nyghe all aboute, that he myght se no londe aboute
955hym whych myghte releve hym, but wylde bestes. And than he
956wente downe into a valey, and there he saw a serpente brynge a
957yonge lyon by the necke, and so he cam by sir Percivale.
958    So with that com a grete lyon cryynge and roryng aftir the serpente.
959And as faste as sir Percivale saw thys he hyghed hym thydir,
960but the lyon had overtake the serpente and began batayle with hym.
961And than sir Percivale thought to helpe the lyon, for he was the
962more naturall beste of the two, and therewith he drew hys swerde
963and sette hys shylde afore hym, and there he gaff the serpente suche
964a buffett that he had a dedely wounde. Whan the lyon saw that, he
965made no sembelaunte to fyght with hym but made hym all the chere
966that a beest myghte make a man.
967    Whan sir Percivale perceyved hit he kyst downe his shylde whych
968was brokyn, and than he dud of hys helme for to gadir wynde, for
969he was gretly chaffed with the serpente; and the lyon wente allwey
970aboute hym fawnynge as a spaynell, and than he stroked hym on
971the necke and on the sholdirs and thanked God of the feliship of
972that beste.
973    And aboute noone the lyon toke hys lityll whelpe and trussed
974hym and bare hym there he com fro. Than was sir Percivale alone.
975And as the tale tellith, he was at that tyme, one of the men of the
976worlde whych moste beleved in oure Lorde Jesu Cryste, for in tho
977dayes there was but fewe folk at that tyme that beleved perfitely; for
978in tho dayes the sonne spared nat the fadir no more than a straunger.
979    And so sir Percivale comforted hymselff in oure Lorde Jesu and
980besought Hym that no temptacion sholde brynge hym oute of
981Goddys servys, but to endure as His trew champyon. Thus whan sir

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982Percyvale had preyde he saw the lyon com towarde hym and
983cowched downe at his feet. And so all that nyght the lyon and he
984slepte togydirs.
985    And whan sir Percivale slepte he dremed a mervaylous dreme;
986that two ladyes mette with hym, and that one sate uppon a lyon,
987and that other sate uppon a serpente; and that one of hem was
988yonge, and that other was olde, and the yongist, hym thought, seyde,
989    'Sir Percyvale, my lorde salewith and sendeth the worde thou
990aray the and make the redy, for to-morne thou muste fyght with
991the strongest champion of the worlde. And if thou be overcom
992thou shalt nat be quytte for losyng of ony of thy membrys, but
993thou shalt be shamed for ever to the worldis ende.'
994    And than he asked her what was hir lorde, and she seyde 'the
995grettist lorde of the worlde'. And so she departed suddeynly, that
996he wyst nat where.
997    Than com forth the tothir lady, that rode uppon the serpente,
998and she seyde,
999    'Sir Percivale, I playne unto you of that ye have done unto me,
1000and I have nat offended unto you.'
1001    'Sertes, madam,' seyde he, 'unto you nor no lady I never offended.'
1002    'Yes,' seyde she, 'I shall sey you why. I have norysshed in thys
1003place a grete whyle a serpente whych pleased me much and served
1004me a grete whyle . And yestirday ye slew hym as he gate hys pray.
1005Sey me for what cause ye slew hym, for the lyon was nat youres.'
1006    'Madam, I know well the lyon was nat myne, but for the lyon ys
1007more of jantiller nature than the serpente, therefore I slew hym, and
1008mesemyth I dud nat amysse agaynst you. Madam,' seyde he, 'what
1009wolde ye that I dud?'
1010    'I wolde,' seyde she, 'for the amendis of my beste that ye becam
1011my man.'
1012    And than he answerde and seyde,
1013    'That woll I nat graunte you.'
1014    'No?' seyde she. 'Truly, ye were never but my servaunte syn ye
1015resseyved the omayge of oure Lorde Jesu Cryste. Therefore I you
1016ensure, in what place that I may fynde you withoute kepyng, I shall
1017take you as he that somtyme was my man.'
1018    And so she departed fro sir Percivale and leffte hym slepynge,

page 666

1019whych was sore travayled of hys avision. And on the morne he arose
1020and blyssed hym, and he was passynge fyeble.
1021    Than was sir Percivale ware in the see where com a shippe saylyng
1022toward hym, and sir Percivale wente unto the ship and founde hit
1023coverde within and without with whyght samyte. And at the helme
1024stoode an olde man clothed in a surplyse, in lyknes of a pryste.
1025    'Sir,' seyde sir Percivale, 'ye be wellcom.'
1026    'God kepe you,' seyde the good man. 'And of whense be ye?'
1027    'Sir, I am of kynge Arthurs courte and a knyght of the Rounde
1028Table, whych am in the queste of the Sankgreall, and here I am in
1029grete duras and never lyke to ascape oute of thys wyldernes.'
1030    'Doute ye nat,' seyde the good man, 'and ye be so trew a knyght as
1031the Order of Shevalry requyrith, and of herte as ye ought to be, ye
1032shold nat doute that none enemy shold slay you.'
1033    'What ar ye?' seyde sir Percyvale.
1034    'Sir, I am of a strange contrey, and hydir I com to comforte you.'
1035    'Sir,' seyde sir Percivale, 'what signifieth my dreme that I dremed
1036thys nyght?' And there he tolde hym alltogydir.
1037    'She which rode uppon the lyon, hit betokenyth the new law of
1038Holy Chirche, that is to undirstonde fayth, good hope, belyeve and
1039baptyme; for she semed yonger than that othir hit ys grete reson,
1040for she was borne in the Resurreccion and the Passion of oure Lorde
1041Jesu Cryste. And for grete love she cam to the to warne the of thy
1042grete batayle that shall befalle the.'
1043    'With whom,' seyde sir Percivale, 'shall I fyght?'
1044    'With the moste douteful champion of the worlde, for, as the lady
1045seyde, but if thou quyte the welle thou shalt nat be quytte by losyng
1046of one membir, but thou shalt be shamed to the worldis ende. And
1047she that rode on the serpente signifieth the olde law, and that serpente
1048betokenyth a fynde. And why she blamed the that thou
1049slewyst hir servaunte, hit betokenyth nothynge aboute the serpente
1050ye slewe; that betokenyth the devyll that thou rodist on to
1051the roche. And whan thou madist a sygne of the crosse, there thou
1052slewyst hym and put away hys power. And whan she asked the
1053amendis and to becom hir man, than thou saydist nay, that was to
1054make the beleve on her and leve thy baptym.'
1055    So he commaunded sir Percivale to departe, and so he lepte over

page 667

1056the boorde, and the shippe and all wente away he wyste nat whydir.
1057Than he wente up into the roche and founde the lyon whych allway
1058bare hym felyship, and he stroked hym uppon the backe and
1059had grete joy of hym.