Le Morte Darthur
but he is as we be, but if he took more pain upon him. But and these
four be met together, they will be loth that any man meet with them;
for, and they fail of the Sancgreal, it is in waste of all the remnant
to recover it. Thus as Ector and Gawaine rode more than eight days. And
on a Saturday they found an old chapel, the which was wasted that there
seemed no man thither repaired, and there they alight, and set their
spears at the door, and in they entered into the chapel, and there made
their orisons a great while, and then set them down in the sieges of
the chapel. And as they spake of one thing and other, for heaviness
they fell on sleep, and there befell them both marvellous adventures.
Sir Gawaine him seemed he came into a meadow full of herbs and flowers.
And there he saw a rack of bulls an hundred and fifty, that were proud
and black, save three of them were all white, and one had a black spot,
and the other two were so fair and so white that they might be no
whiter. And these three bulls which were so fair were tied with two
strong cords. And the remnant of the bulls said among them, Go we hence
to seek better pasture. And so some went, and some came again; but they
were so lean that they might not stand upright; and of the bulls that
were so white, that one came again, and no more. But when this white
bull was come again among these other, there arose up a great cry for
lack of wind that failed them; and so they departed, one here and
another there. This vision befell Sir Gawaine that night.
CHAP. II.
_Of the vision of Sir Ector, and how he justed with Sir Uwaine les
Avoutres, his sworn brother._
But to Sir Ector de Maris befell another vision, the contrary. For it
seemed him that his brother Sir Launcelot and he alight out of a chair
and lept upon two horses, and the one said to the other, Go we seek
that we shall not find. And him thought that a man beat Sir Launcelot
and despoiled him, and clothed him in another array, the which was all
full of knots, and set him upon an ass. And so he rode till he came to
the fairest well that ever he saw, and Sir Launcelot alight, and would
have drunk of that well. And when he stooped to drink of the water, the
water sank from him. And when Sir Launcelot saw that, he turned and
went thither as the head came from. And in the meanwhile he trowed that
himself and Sir Ector rode till that they came to a rich man’s house,
where there was a wedding. And there he saw a king, the which said, Sir
knight, here is no place for you: and then he turned again unto the
chair that he came from. Thus within a while both Gawaine and Ector
awaked, and either told other of their vision, the which marvelled them
greatly. Truly, said Ector, I shall never be merry till I hear tidings
of my brother Launcelot.
Now as they sat thus talking, they saw an hand shewing unto the elbow,
and was covered with red samite, and upon that hung a bridle not rich,
and held within the fist a great candle which burnt right clear, and so
passed afore them, and entered into the chapel, and then vanished away,
and they wist not where. And anon came down a voice which said, Knights
full of evil faith and poor belief, these two things have failed you,
and therefore ye may not come to the adventures of the Sancgreal. Then
first spake Gawaine and said, Ector, have ye heard these words? Yea
truly, said Sir Ector, I heard all. Now go we, said Sir Ector, unto
some hermit that will tell us of our vision, for it seemeth me we
labour all in vain. And so they departed and rode into a valley, and
there met with a squire which rode on an hackney, and they saluted him
fair. Sir, said Gawaine, can thou teach us to any hermit? Here is one
in a little mountain, said the squire, but it is so rough that there
may no horse go thither; and therefore ye must go on foot: there shall
ye find a poor house, and there is Nacien the hermit, which is the
holiest man in this country. And so they departed either from other.
And then in a valley they met with a knight all armed, which proffered
them to just as far as he saw them. Truly, said Sir Gawaine, sith I
departed from Camelot there was none proffered me to just but once. And
now, sir, said Ector, let me just with him. Nay, said Gawaine, ye shall
not, but if I be beaten, it shall not forthink me then if ye go after
me. And then either enbraced other to just, and came together as fast
as their horses might run, and brast their shields and the mails, and
the one more than the other: and Gawaine was wounded in the left side,
but the other knight was smitten through the breast, and the spear came
out on the other side, and so they fell both out of their saddles, and
in the falling they brake both their spears. Anon Gawaine arose, and
set his hand to his sword, and cast his shield afore him. But all for
nought was it, for the knight had no power to arise against him. Then
said Gawaine, Ye must yield you as an overcome man, or else I may slay
you. Ah, sir knight, said he, I am but dead; for God’s sake, and of
your gentleness, lead me here unto an abbey, that I may receive my
Creator. Sir, said Gawaine, I know no house of religion hereby. Sir,
said the knight, set me on an horse tofore you, and I shall teach you.
Gawaine set him up in the saddle, and he lept up behind him for to
sustain him, and so came to an abbey, where they were well received;
and anon he was unarmed, and received his Creator. Then he prayed
Gawaine to draw the truncheon of the spear out of his body. Then
Gawaine asked him what he was, that knew him not? I am, said he, of
king Arthur’s court, and was a fellow of the Round Table, and we were
brethren sworn together, and now, Sir Gawaine, thou hast slain me, and
my name is Uwaine les Avoutres, that sometime was son unto king Uriens,
and was in the quest of the Sancgreal; and now forgive it thee God, for
it shall ever be said that the one sworn brother hath slain the other.
CHAP. III.
_How Sir Gawaine and Sir Ector came to an hermitage to be confessed,
and how they told to the hermit their visions._
Alas, said Sir Gawaine, that ever this misadventure is befallen me. No
force, said Uwaine, sith I shall die this death, of a much more
worshipfuller man’s hands might I not die; but when ye come to the
court, recommand me unto my lord king Arthur, and all those that be
left onlive, and for old brotherhood think on me. Then began Gawaine to
weep, and Ector also. And then Uwaine himself, and Sir Gawaine, drew
out the truncheon of the spear; and anon departed the soul from the
body. Then Sir Gawaine and Sir Ector buried him, as men ought to bury a
king’s son, and made written upon his name, and by whom he was slain.
Then departed Gawaine and Ector, as heavy as they might for their
misadventure; and so rode till that they came unto the rough mountain,
and there they tied their horses, and went on foot to the hermitage.
And when they were come up, they saw a poor house, and beside the
chapel a little courtlage, where Nacien the hermit gathered worts, as
he which had tasted none other meat of a great while. And when he saw
the errant knights, he came toward them and saluted them, and they him
again. Fair lords, said he, what adventure brought you hither? Sir,
said Gawaine, to speak with you, for to be confessed. Sir, said the
hermit, I am ready. Then they told him so much that he wist well what
they were, and then he thought to counsel them if he might. Then began
Gawaine first, and told him of his vision that he had had in the
chapel: and Ector told him all as it is afore rehearsed. Sir, said the
hermit unto Sir Gawaine, the fair meadow and the rack therein ought to
be understood the Round Table, and by the meadow ought to be understood
humility and patience, those be the things which be always green and
quick; for men may no time overcome humility and patience, therefore
was the Round Table founded, and the chivalry hath been at all times,
so by the fraternity which was there that she might not be overcome.
For men said she was founded in patience and in humility. At the rack
ate an hundred and fifty bulls, but they ate not in the meadow, for
their hearts should be set in humility and patience, and the bulls were
proud and black, save only three. By the bulls is to understand the
fellowship of the Round Table, which for their sin and their wickedness
be black. Blackness is to say without good or virtuous works. And the
three bulls which were white, save only one which was spotted;—the two
white betoken Sir Galahad and Sir Percivale, for they be maidens clean
and without spot; and the third that had a spot signifieth Sir Bors de
Ganis, which trespassed but once in his virginity, but since he kept
himself so well in chastity that all is forgiven him, and his misdeeds.
And why those three were tied by the necks, they be three knights in
virginity and chastity, and there is no pride smitten in them. And the
black bulls which said, Go we hence, they were those which at
Pentecost, at the high feast, took upon them to go in the quest of the
Sancgreal without confession: they might not enter in the meadow of
humility and patience. And therefore they returned into waste
countries, that signifieth death, for there shall die many of them:
every each of them shall slay other for sin, and they that shall escape
shall be so lean that it shall be marvel to see them. And of the three
bulls without spot, the one shall come again, and the other two never.
CHAP. IV.
_How the hermit expounded their vision._
Then spake Nacien unto Ector. Sooth it is that Launcelot and ye came
down of one chair: the chair betokeneth mastership and lordship, which
ye came down from. But ye two knights, said the hermit, ye go to seek
that ye shall never find, that is the Sancgreal. For it is the secret
thing of our Lord Jesu Christ. What is to mean, that Sir Launcelot fell
down off his horse:—he hath left pride, and taken him to humility, for
he hath cried mercy loud for his sin, and sore repented him, and our
Lord hath clothed him in His clothing, which is full of knots, that is
the hair which he weareth daily. And the ass that he rode upon is a
beast of humility. For God would not ride upon no steed, nor upon no
palfrey. So in ensample that an ass betokeneth meekness, that thou
sawest Sir Launcelot ride on in thy sleep: and the well where as the
water sank from him when he should have taken thereof, and when he saw
he might not have it, he returned thither from whence he came, for the
well betokeneth the high grace of God, the more men desire it to take
it, the more shall be their desire. So when he came nigh the Sancgreal,
he meeked him that he held him not a man worthy to be so nigh the holy
vessel, for he had been so defouled in deadly sin by the space of many
years, yet when he kneeled to drink of the well, there he saw great
providence of the Sancgreal. And for he had served so long the devil,
he shall have vengeance four and twenty days long, for that he hath
been the devil’s servant four and twenty years. And then soon after he
shall return unto Camelot out of this country, and he shall say a part
of such things as he hath found.
Now will I tell you what betokeneth the hand with the candle and the
bridle; that is to understand the Holy Ghost, where charity is ever,
and the bridle signifieth abstinence. For when she is bridled in
Christian man’s heart, she holdeth him so short that he falleth not in
deadly sin. And the candle which sheweth clearness and sight,
signifieth the right way of Jesu Christ. And when he went, and said,
Knights of poor faith and of wicked belief,—these three things failed,
charity, abstinence, and truth, therefore ye may not attain that high