Le Morte Darthur
adventure would lead him. And at the last it happened him to depart
from a place or a castle, the which was named Abblasoure, and he had
heard no mass, the which he was wont ever to hear or that he departed
out of any castle or place, and kept that for a custom. Then Sir
Galahad came unto a mountain, where he found an old chapel, and found
there nobody, for all all was desolate, and there he kneeled tofore the
altar, and besought God of wholesome counsel. So, as he prayed, he
heard a voice that said, Go thou now, thou adventurous knight, to the
Castle of Maidens, and there do thou away the wicked customs.
CHAP. XV.
_How Sir Galahad fought with the knights of the castle, and destroyed
the wicked custom._
When Sir Galahad heard this he thanked God, and took his horse, and he
had not ridden but half a mile, he saw in a valley afore him a strong
castle with deep ditches, and there ran beside it a fair river, that
hight Severn, and there he met with a man of great age, and either
saluted other, and Galahad asked him the castle’s name? Fair sir, said
he, it is the Castle of Maidens. That is a cursed castle, said Galahad,
and all they that be conversant therein; for all pity is out thereof,
and all hardiness and mischief is therein.—Therefore I counsel you,
sir knight, to turn again. Sir, said Galahad, wit you well I shall not
turn again. Then looked Sir Galahad on his arms that nothing failed
him, and then he put his shield afore him, and anon there met him seven
fair maidens, the which said unto him, Sir knight, ye ride here in a
great folly, for ye have the water to pass over. Why should I not pass
the water? said Galahad. So rode he away from them, and met with a
squire that said, Knight, those knights in the castle defy you, and
forbid you, ye go no further till that they wit what ye would. Fair
sir, said Galahad, I come for to destroy the wicked custom of this
castle.—Sir, and ye will abide by that, ye shall have enough to
do.—Go you now, said Galahad, and haste my needs. Then the squire
entered into the castle. And anon after there came out of the castle
seven knights, and all were brethren. And when they saw Galahad, they
cried, Knight, keep thee, for we assure thee nothing but death. Why,
said Galahad, will ye all have ado with me at once? Yea, said they,
thereto mayest thou trust. Then Galahad put forth his spear, and smote
the foremost to the earth, that near he brake his neck. And therewith
all the other smote him on his shield great strokes, so that their
spears brake. Then Sir Galahad drew out his sword, and set upon them so
hard that it was marvel to see it, and so, through great force, he made
them to forsake the field; and Galahad chased them till they entered
into the castle, and so passed through the castle at another gate. And
there met Sir Galahad an old man, clothed in religious clothing, and
said, Sir, have here the keys of this castle. Then Sir Galahad opened
the gates, and saw so much people in the streets that he might not
number them, and all said, Sir, ye be welcome, for long have we abiden
here our deliverance. Then came to him a gentlewoman, and said, These
knights be fled, but they will come again this night, and here to begin
again their evil custom. What will ye that I shall do? said Galahad.
Sir, said the gentlewoman, that ye send after all the knights hither
that hold their lands of this castle, and make them to swear for to use
the customs that were used heretofore of old time. I will well, said
Galahad. And there she brought him an horn of ivory, bounden with gold
richly, and said, Sir, blow this horn, which will be heard two mile
about this castle. When Sir Galahad had blown the horn he set him down
upon a bed. Then came a priest unto Galahad, and said, Sir, it is past
a seven year agone that these seven brethren came into this castle, and
harboured with the lord of this castle, that hight the duke Lianour,
and he was lord of all this country. And when they espied the duke’s
daughter that was a full fair woman, then by their false covin they
made debate betwixt themselves, and the duke of his goodness would have
departed them; and there they slew him and his eldest son. And then
they took the maiden, and the treasure of the castle. And then by great
force they held all the knights of this castle against their will under
their obeisance, and in great servage and truage, robbing and pilling
the poor common people of all that they had. So it happened on a day
the duke’s daughter said, Ye have done unto me great wrong to slay mine
own father and my brother, and thus to hold our lands: not for then,
she said, ye shall not hold this castle for many years, for by one
knight ye shall be overcome. Thus she prophesied seven years agone.
Well, said the seven knights, sithen ye say so, there shall never lady
nor knight pass this castle, but they shall abide maugre their heads,
or die therefore, till that knight be come by whom we shall lose this
castle. And therefore it is called the Maidens’ Castle, for they have
devoured many maidens. Now, said Sir Galahad, is she here for whom this
castle was lost? Nay, said the priest, she was dead within these three
nights after that she was thus enforced; and sithen have they kept her
younger sister, which endureth great pains with many other ladies. By
this were the knights of the country come. And then he made them do
homage and fealty to the duke’s daughter, and set them in great ease of
heart. And in the morn there came one to Galahad, and told him how that
Gawaine, Gareth, and Uwaine had slain the seven brethren. I suppose
well, said Sir Galahad: and took his armour and his horse and commended
them unto God.
CHAP. XVI.
_How Sir Gawaine came to the Abbey for to follow Galahad, and how he
was shriven to a Hermit._
Now, saith the tale, after Sir Gawaine departed, he rode many journeys
both toward and froward. And at the last he came to the abbey where Sir
Galahad had the white shield. And there Sir Gawaine learned the way to
sue after Sir Galahad, and so he rode to the abbey where Melias lay
sick, and there Sir Melias told Sir Gawaine of the marvellous adventure
that Sir Galahad did. Certes, said Sir Gawaine, I am not happy that I
took not the way that he went; for, and I may meet with him, I will not
depart from him lightly, for all marvellous adventures Sir Galahad
achieveth. Sir, said one of the monks, he will not of your fellowship.
Why? said Sir Gawaine. Sir, said he, for ye be wicked and sinful, and
he is full blessed.
Right as they thus stood talking together, there came in riding Sir
Gareth. And then they made joy either of other. And on the morn they
heard mass, and so departed. And by the way they met with Sir Uwaine
les Avoutres. And there Sir Uwaine told Sir Gawaine how he had met with
none adventure sith he departed from the court. Nor we, said Sir
Gawaine. And either promised other of those three knights not to depart
while that they were in that quest, but if fortune caused it. So they
departed and rode by fortune till that they came by the Castle of
Maidens. And there the seven brethren espied the three knights, and
said, Sithen we be banished by one knight from this castle, we shall
destroy all the knights of king Arthur’s that we may overcome, for the
love of Sir Galahad. And therewith the seven knights set upon the three
knights: and by fortune Sir Gawaine slew one of the brethren, and each
one of his fellows slew another, and so slew the remnant. And then they
took the way under the castle; and there they lost the way that Sir
Galahad rode, and there every each of them departed from other, and Sir
Gawaine rode till he came to an hermitage, and there he found the good
man saying his evensong of Our Lady. And there Sir Gawaine asked
harbour for charity, and the good man granted it him gladly. Then the
good man asked him what he was? Sir, he said, I am a knight of king
Arthur’s, that am in the quest of the Sancgreal, and my name is Sir
Gawaine. Sir, said the good man, I would wit how it standeth betwixt
God and you? Sir, said Sir Gawaine, I will with a good will shew you my
life, if it please you. And there he told the hermit how a monk of an
abbey called me wicked knight. He might well say it, said the hermit,
for when ye were first made knight, ye should have taken you to
knightly deeds and virtuous living, and ye have done the contrary, for
ye have lived mischievously many winters, and Sir Galahad is a maid,
and sinned never, and that is the cause he shall achieve where he goeth
that ye nor none such shall not attain, nor none in your fellowship;
for ye have used the most untruest life that ever I heard knight live.
For, certes, had ye not been so wicked as ye are, never had the seven
brethren been slain by you and your two fellows. For Sir Galahad,
himself alone, beat them all seven the day before, but his living is
such he shall slay no man lightly. Also I may say you, the Castle of
Maidens betokeneth the good souls that were in prison afore the
Incarnation of Jesu Christ. And the seven knights betoken the seven
deadly sins that reigned that time in the world. And I may liken the
good Galahad unto the Son of the High Father, that light within a maid,
and bought all the souls out of thrall: so did Sir Galahad deliver all
the maidens out of the woful castle. Now, Sir Gawaine, said the good
man, thou must do penance for thy sin.—Sir, what penance shall I
do?—Such as I will give, said the good man. Nay, said Sir Gawaine, I
may do no penance; for we knights adventurous often suffer great woe
and pain. Well, said the good man, and then he held his peace. And on
the morn Sir Gawaine departed from the hermit, and betaught him unto
God. And by adventure he met with Sir Aglovale and Sir Griflet, two
knights of the Table Round. And they two rode four days without finding
of any adventure, and at the fifth day they departed. And every each
held as fell them by adventure.
Here leaveth the tale of Sir Gawaine and his fellows, and speak we of
Sir Galahad.
CHAP. XVII.
_How Sir Galahad met with Sir Launcelot and with Sir Percivale, and
smote them down, and departed from them._
So when Sir Galahad was departed from the Castle of Maidens, he rode
till he came to a waste forest, and there he met with Sir Launcelot and
Sir Percivale, but they knew him not, for he was new disguised. Right
so, Sir Launcelot his father dressed his spear, and brake it upon Sir
Galahad, and Sir Galahad smote him so again, that he smote down horse
and man. And then he drew his sword, and dressed him unto Sir
Percivale, and smote him so on the helm that it rove to the coif of
steel, and had not the sword swerved Sir Percivale had been slain, and
with the stroke he fell out of his saddle. This justs was done tofore
the hermitage where a recluse dwelled. And when she saw Sir Galahad
ride, she said, God be with thee, best knight of the world. Ah certes,
said she all aloud, that Launcelot and Percivale might hear it, and
yonder two knights had known thee as well as I do, they would not have
encountered with thee. When Sir Galahad heard her say so he was sore
adread to be known: therewith he smote his horse with his spurs, and
rode a great pace froward them. Then perceived they both that he was
Galahad, and up they gat on their horses, and rode fast after him, but
in a while he was out of their sight. And then they turned again with
heavy cheer. Let us spere some tidings, said Percivale, at yonder
recluse. Do as ye list, said Sir Launcelot. When Sir Percivale came to
the recluse, she knew him well enough, and Sir Launcelot both. But Sir
Launcelot rode overthwart and endlong in a wild forest, and held no