Le Morte Darthur
and all that was in her power was at his commandment. So, on the morn,
Sir Percivale went to the recluse, and asked her if she knew that
knight with the white shield? Sir, said she, why would ye wit? Truly,
madam, said Sir Percivale, I shall never be well at ease till that I
know of that knight’s fellowship, and that I may fight with him, for I
may not leave him so lightly, for I have the shame yet. Ah, Percivale,
said she, would ye fight with him? I see well ye have great will to be
slain as your father was, through outrageousness. Madam, said Sir
Percivale, it seemeth by your words that ye know me? Yea, said she, I
well ought to know you, for I am your aunt, although I be in a priory
place. For some called me sometime the queen of the Waste Lands, and I
was called the queen of most riches in the world; and it pleased me
never my riches so much as doth my poverty. Then Sir Percivale wept for
very pity, when he knew it was his aunt. Ah, fair nephew, said she,
when heard ye tidings of your mother? Truly, said he, I heard none of
her, but I dream of her much in my sleep, and therefore I wot not
whether she be dead or on live. Certes, fair nephew, said she, your
mother is dead; for after your departing from her, she took such a
sorrow that anon after she was confessed she died. Now God have mercy
on her soul, said Sir Percivale, it sore forethinketh me; but all we
must change the life. Now fair aunt, tell me what is the knight? I deem
it be he that bare the red arms on Whitsunday. Wit you well, said she,
that this is he, for otherwise ought he not to do, but to go in red
arms, and that same knight hath no peer, for he worketh all by miracle,
and he shall never be overcome of no earthly man’s hand.
CHAP. II.
_How Merlin likened the Round Table to the world, and how the knights
that should achieve the Sangreal should be known._
Also Merlin made the Round Table in tokening of the roundness of the
world, for by the Round Table is the world signified by right. For all
the world, Christian and heathen, repair unto the Round Table, and when
they are chosen to be of the fellowship of the Round Table, they think
them more blessed, and more in worship, than if they had gotten half
the world; and ye have seen that they have lost their fathers and their
mothers, and all their kin, and their wives and their children, for to
be of your fellowship. It is well seen by you; for since ye departed
from your mother ye would never see her, ye found such a fellowship at
the Round Table. When Merlin had ordained the Round Table, he said, by
them which should be fellows of the Round Table the truth of the
Sancgreal should be well known. And men asked him how men might know
them that should best do, and to achieve the Sancgreal? then he said
there should be three white bulls that should achieve it, and the two
should be maidens, and the third should be chaste. And that one of the
three should pass his father as much as the lion passeth the libard,
both of strength and hardiness. They that heard Merlin say so, said
thus unto Merlin: Sithen there shall be such a knight, thou shouldst
ordain by thy crafts a siege that no man should sit in it but he all
only that shall pass all other knights. Then Merlin answered that he
would do so. And then he made the siege perilous, in the which Galahad
sat in at his meat on Whitsunday last past. Now madam, said Sir
Percivale, so much have I heard of you, that by my good will I will
never have ado with Sir Galahad, but by way of kindness. And for God’s
love, fair aunt, can ye teach me some way where I may find him, for
much would I love the fellowship of him? Fair nephew, said she, ye must
ride unto a castle the which is called Goothe, where he hath a cousin
german, and there may ye be lodged this night. And as he teacheth you,
sue after as fast as ye can, and if he can tell you no tidings of him,
ride straight unto the castle of Carbonek, where the maimed king is
there lying, for there shall ye hear true tidings of him.
CHAP. III.
_How Sir Percivale came into a monastery, where he found king Evelake,
which was an old man._
Then departed Sir Percivale from his aunt, either making great sorrow.
And so he rode till evensong time. And then he heard a clock smite. And
then he was ware of a house closed well with walls and deep ditches,
and there he knocked at the gate, and was let in, and he alight, and
was led unto a chamber, and soon he was unarmed. And there he had right
good cheer all that night, and on the morn he heard his mass, and in
the monastery he found a priest ready at the altar. And on the right
side he saw a pew closed with iron, and behind the altar he saw a rich
bed and a fair, as of cloth of silk and gold. Then Sir Percivale espied
that therein was a man or a woman, for the visage was covered. Then he
left off his looking, and heard his service. And when it came to the
sacring, he that lay within that perclose dressed him up, and uncovered
his head, and then him beseemed a passing old man, and he had a crown
of gold upon his head, and his shoulders were naked and uncovered unto
his middle. And then Sir Percivale espied his body was full of great
wounds, both on the shoulders, arms, and visage. And ever he held up
his hands unto our Lord’s body, and cried, Fair sweet Father Jesu
Christ, forget not me, and so he lay down, but always he was in his
prayers and orisons: and him seemed to be of the age of three hundred
winter. And when the mass was done, the priest took our Lord’s body and
bare it to the sick king. And when he had used it, he did off his
crown, and commanded the crown to be set on the altar. Then Sir
Percivale asked one of the brethren what he was. Sir, said the good
man, ye have heard much of Joseph of Armathie, how he was sent by Jesu
Christ into this land, for to teach and preach the holy christian
faith, and therefore he suffered many persecutions, the which the
enemies of Christ did unto him. And in the city of Sarras he converted
a king whose name was Evelake. And so this king came with Joseph into
this land: and always he was busy to be there as the Sancgreal was, and
on a time he nighed it so nigh that our Lord was displeased with him,
but ever he followed it more and more, till God struck him almost
blind. Then this king cried mercy, and said, Fair Lord, let me never
die till the good knight of my blood of the ninth degree be come, that
I may see him openly that he shall achieve the Sancgreal, that I may
kiss him.
CHAP. IV.
_How Sir Percivale saw many men of arms, bearing a dead knight, and how
he fought against them._
When the king thus had made his prayers, he heard a voice that said,
Heard be thy prayers, for thou shalt not die till he have kissed thee:
and when that knight shall come, the clearness of your eyes shall come
again, and thou shalt see openly, and thy wounds shall be healed, and
erst shall they never close. And this befell of king Evelake: and this
same king hath lived this three hundred winters this holy life. And men
say the knight is in the court that shall heal him. Sir, said the good
man, I pray you tell me what knight that ye be, and if ye be of king
Arthur’s court and of the Table Round? Yea, forsooth, said he, and my
name is Sir Percivale de Galis. And when the good man understood his
name, he made great joy of him. And then Sir Percivale departed, and
rode till the hour of noon. And he met in a valley about twenty men of
arms, which bear in a bier a knight deadly slain. And when they saw Sir
Percivale, they asked him of whence he was? and he answered, Of the
court of king Arthur. Then they cried all at once, Slay him. Then Sir
Percivale smote the first to the earth, and his horse upon him. And
then seven of the knights smote upon his shield all at once, and the
remnant slew his horse, so that he fell to the earth. So had they slain
him or taken him, had not the good knight Sir Galahad, with the red
arms, come there by adventure into those parts. And when he saw all
those knights upon one knight, he cried, Save me that knight’s life.
And then he dressed him toward the twenty men of arms as fast as his
horse might drive, with his spear in the rest, and smote the foremost
horse and man to the earth. And when his spear was broken he set his
hand to his sword, and smote on the right hand and on the left hand,
that it was marvel to see. And at every stroke he smote one down, or
put him to a rebuke, so that they would fight no more, but fled to a
thick forest, and Sir Galahad followed them. And when Sir Percivale saw
him chase them so, he made great sorrow that his horse was away. And
then he wist well it was Sir Galahad. And then he cried aloud, Ah fair
knight, abide and suffer me to do thankings unto thee, for much have ye
done for me! But ever Sir Galahad rode so fast, that at the last he
passed out of his sight. And as fast as Sir Percivale might he went
after him on foot, crying. And then he met with a yeoman riding upon an
hackney, the which led in his hand a great black steed, blacker than
any bear. Ah fair friend, said Sir Percivale, as ever I may do for you,
and to be your true knight in the first place ye will require me, that
ye will lend me that black steed, that I might overtake a knight, the
which rideth afore me. Sir knight, said the yeoman, I pray you hold me
excused of that, for that I may not do. For wit ye well, the horse is
such a man’s horse, that, and I lent it you or any other man, that he
would slay me. Alas, said Sir Percivale, I had never so great sorrow as
I have had for losing of yonder knight. Sir, said the yeoman, I am
right heavy for you, for a good horse would beseem you well, but I dare
not deliver you this horse, but if ye would take him from me. That will
I not do, said Sir Percivale. And so they departed, and Sir Percivale
sat him down under a tree, and made sorrow out of measure. And as he
was there, there came a knight riding on the horse that the yeoman led,
and he was clean armed.
CHAP. V.
_How a yeoman desired him to get again an horse, and how Sir
Percivale’s hackney was slain, and how he gat an horse._
And anon the yeoman came pricking after as fast as ever he might, and
asked Sir Percivale if he saw any knight riding on his black steed? Yea
sir, forsooth, said he, why ask ye me that? Ah, sir, that steed he hath
taken from me with strength, wherefore my lord will slay me in what
place he findeth me. Well, said Sir Percivale, what wouldest thou that
I did? thou seest well that I am on foot, but and I had a good horse I
should bring him soon again. Sir, said the yeoman, take mine hackney
and do the best ye can, and I shall follow you on foot, to wit how that
ye shall speed. Then Sir Percivale alight upon that hackney, and rode
as fast as he might. And at the last he saw that knight. And then he
cried, Knight, turn again; and he turned, and set his spear against Sir
Percivale, and he smote the hackney in the midst of the breast, that he
fell down dead to the earth, and there he had a great fall, and the
other rode his way. And then Sir Percivale was wood wroth, and cried,
Abide, wicked knight, coward and false-hearted knight, turn again and
fight with me on foot. But he answered not, but past on his way. When
Sir Percivale saw he would not turn, he cast away his helm and sword,
and said, Now am I a very wretch, cursed, and most unhappy above all
other knights. So in this sorrow he abode all that day till it was
night, and then he was faint, and laid him down and slept till it was
midnight. And then he awaked, and saw afore him a woman which said unto
him right fiercely, Sir Percivale, what doest thou here? He answered