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  "work": {
    "slug": "high-history-of-the-holy-graal",
    "name": "High History of the Holy Graal"
  },
  "parents": [
    {
      "slug": "grail-romances",
      "name": "Holy Grail Romances",
      "url": "/sources/grail-romances/"
    }
  ],
  "chapter": {
    "num": 3,
    "slug": "03-the-high-history-of-the-holy-graal-branch-ii",
    "title": "The High History of the Holy Graal: Branch II",
    "of": 36,
    "words": 4689,
    "text": "## The High History of the Holy Graal: Branch II\n\n\nNow beginneth here the second branch of the Holy Graal the name\nof the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.\n\nTITLE I\n\nKing Arthur was at Cardoil with the Queen and right few knights.\nBy God's pleasure, the wish and the will had come back to him to\nwin honour and to do largesse as most he might. He made seal his\nletters and sent them throughout all his lands and all the\nislands, and gave notice to the barons and knights that he would\nhold court at Pannenoisance, that is situate the sea of Wales, at\nthe feast of S. John after Whitsuntide. And he was minded to put\nit off until that day, for that suntide was already too nigh, and\nthey that should be thereat might not all come by the earlier\nday. The tidings went through all lands, so that knights come in\ngreat plenty thereunto, for well-doing had so waxed feeble in all\nthe kingdoms, that every one had avoided King Arthur as one that\nshould do nought more for ever. Wherefore all began now to\nmarvel whence his new desire had come. The knights of the Table\nRound that were scattered through the lands and the forests, by\nGod's will learnt the tidings and right great joy had they\nthereof, and came back to the court with great ado. But neither\nMessire Gawain nor Lancelot came thither on that day. But all\nthe other came that were then on live. S. John's day came, and\nthe knights were come from all parts, marvelling much that the\nKing had not held the court at Whitsuntide, but they knew not the\noccasion thereof. The day was fair and clear and the air fresh,\nand the hall was wide and high and garnished of good knights in\ngreat plenty. The cloths were spread on the tables whereof were\ngreat plenty in the hall. The King and the Queen had washen and\nwent to sit at the head of one table and the other knights sate\nthem down, whereof were full five score and five as the story\ntelleth. Kay the Seneschal and Messire Ywain the son of King\nUrien served that day at the tables at meat, and five-and-twenty\nknights beside. And Lucan the Butler served the golden cup\nbefore the King. The sun shone through the windows everywhere\namidst the hall that was strown of flowers and rushes and sweet\nherbs and gave out a smell like as had it been sprinkled of balm.\nAnd straightway after the first meat had been served, and while\nthey were yet awaiting the second, behold you three damsels where\nthey enter into the hall! She that came first sate upon a mule\nwhite as driven snow and had a golden bridle and a saddle with a\nbow of ivory banded with precious stones and a saddle-cloth of a\nred samite dropped of gold. The damsel that was seated on the\nmule was right seemly of body but scarce so fair of face, and she\nwas robed in a rich cloth of silk and gold and had a right rich\nhat that covered all her head. And it was all loaded of costly\nstones that flamed like fire. And great need had she that her\nhead were covered, for she was all bald without hair, and carried\non her neck her right arm slung in a stole of cloth of gold. And\nher arm lay on a pillow, the richest that ever might be seen, and\nit was all charged of little golden bells, and in this hand held\nshe the head of a King sealed in silver and crowned with gold.\nThe other damsel that came behind rode after the fashion of a\nsquire, and carried a pack trussed behind her with a brachet\nthereupon, and at her neck she bore a shield banded argent and\nazure with a red cross, and the boss was of gold all set with\nprecious stones. The third damsel came afoot with her kirtle\ntucked up like a running footman; and she had in her hand a whip\nwherewith she drove the two steeds. Each of these twain was\nfairer than the first, but the one afoot surpassed both the\nothers in beauty. The first cometh before the King, there where\nhe sitteth at meat with the Queen.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"The Saviour of the world grant you honour and\njoy and good adventure and my Lady the Queen and all them of this\nhall for love of you! Hold it not churlishness and I alight not,\nfor there where knights be may I not alight, nor ought I until\nsuch time as the Graal be achieved.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith the King, \"Gladly would I have it so.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"That know I well, and may it not mislike you\nto hear the errand whereon I am come,\"\n\n\"It shall not mislike me,\" saith the King, \"say your pleasure!\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"The shield that this damsel beareth belonged\nto Joseph, the good soldier knight that took down Our Lord of\nhanging on the rood. I make you a present thereof in such wise\nas I shall tell you, to wit, that you keep the shield for a\nknight that shall come hither for the same, and you shall make\nhang it on this column in the midst of your hall, and guard it in\nsuch wise as that none may take it and hang at his neck save he\nonly. And of this shield shall he achieve the Graal, and another\nshield shall he leave here in the hall, red, with a white hart;\nand the brachet that the damsel carrieth shall here remain, and\nlittle joy will the brachet make until the knight shall come.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith the King, \"The shield and the brachet will we\nkeep full safely, and right heartily we thank you that you have\ndeigned to bring them hither.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the damsel, \"I have not yet told you all that I have\nin charge to deliver. The best King that liveth on earth and the\nmost loyal and the most righteous, sendeth you greeting; of whom\nis sore sorrow for that he hath fallen into a grievous\nlanguishment.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith the King, \"Sore pity is it and it be so as you\nsay; and I pray you tell me who is the King?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"It is rich King Fisherman, of whom is great\ngrief.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith the King, \"You say true; and God grant him his\nheart's desire!\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"Know you wherefore he hath fallen into\nlanguishment?\"\n\n\"Nay, I know not at all, but gladly would I learn.\"\n\n\"And I will tell you,\" saith she. \"This languishment is come\nupon him through one that harboured in his hostel, to whom the\nmost Holy Graal appeared. And, for that he would not ask unto\nwhom one served thereof, were all the lands commoved to war\nthereby, nor never thereafter might knight meet other but he\nshould fight with him in arms without none other occasion. You\nyourself may well perceive the same, for your well-doing hath\ngreatly slackened, whereof have you had much blame, and all the\nother barons that by you have taken ensample, for you are the\nmirror of the world alike in well-doing and in evil-doing. Sir,\nI myself have good right to plain me of the knight, and I will\nshow you wherefore.\"\n\nShe lifteth the rich hat from her head and showeth the King and\nQueen and the knights in the hall her head all bald without hair.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"My head was right seemly garnished of hair\nplaited in rich tresses of gold at such time as the knight came\nto the hostel of the rich King Fisherman, but I became bald for\nthat he made not the demand, nor never again shall I have my hair\nuntil such time as a knight shall go thither that shall ask the\nquestion better than did he, or the knight that shall achieve the\nGraal. Sir, even yet have you not seen the sore mischief that\nhath befallen thereof. There is without this hall a car that\nthree white harts have drawn hither, and lightly may you send to\nsee how rich it is. I tell you that the traces are of silk and\nthe axletrees of gold, and the timber of the car is ebony. The\ncar is covered above with a black samite, and below is a cross of\ngold the whole length, and under the coverlid of the car are the\nheads of an hundred and fifty knights whereof some be sealed in\ngold, other some in silver and the third in lead. King Fisherman\nsendeth you word that this loss I hath befallen of him that\ndemanded not unto whom one serveth of the Graal. Sir, the damsel\nthat beareth the shield holdeth in her hand the head of a Queen\nthat is sealed in lead and crowned with copper, and I tell you\nthat by the Queen whose head you here behold was the King\nbetrayed whose head I bear, and the three manner of knights whose\nheads are within the car. Sir, send without to see the\ncostliness and fashion of the car.\"\n\nThe King sent Kay the Seneschal to see. He looked straitly\nthereat within and without and thereafter returned to the King.\n\"Sir,\" saith he, \"Never beheld I car so rich, and there be three\nharts withal that draw the car, the tallest and fattest one might\never see. But and you will be guided by me, you will take the\nforemost, for he is scarce so far, and so might you bid make\nright good collops thereof.\"\n\n\"Avoid there, Kay!\" saith the King. \"Foul churlishness have you\nspoken! I would not such a deed were done for another such\nkingdom as is this of Logres!\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the damsel, \"He that hath been wont to do\nchurlishness doth right grudgingly withdraw himself therefrom.\nMessire Kay may say whatsoever him pleaseth, but well know I that\nyou will pay no heed to his talk. Sir,\" saith the damsel,\n\"Command that the shield be hung on this column and that the\nbrachet be put in the Queen's chamber with the maidens. We will\ngo on our way, for here have we been long enough.\"\n\nMessire Ywain laid hold on the shield and took it off the\ndamsel's neck by leave of the King, and hung it on the column in\nthe midst of the hall, and one of the Queen's maidens taketh the\nbrachet and carrieth him to the Queen's chamber. And the damsel\ntaketh her leave and turneth again, and the King commendeth her\nto God. When the King eaten in hall, the Queen with the King and\nthe knights go to lean at the windows to look at the three\ndamsels and the three white harts that draw the car, and the more\npart said that the damsel afoot that went after the two that were\nmounted should have the most misease. The bald damsel went\nbefore, and set not her hat on her head until such time as\nbehoved her enter into the forest; and the knights that were at\nthe windows might see them no longer. Then set she her hat again\nupon her head. The King, the Queen, and the knights when they\nmight see them no more, came down from the windows, and certain\nof them said that never until this time had they seen bald-headed\ndamsel save this one only.\n\nII.\n\nHereupon the story is silent of King Arthur, and turneth again to\nspeak of the three damsels and the car that was drawn by the\nthree white harts. They are entered into the forest and ride on\nright busily. When they had left the castle some seven leagues\nWelsh behind them, they saw a knight coming toward them on the\nway they had to go. The knight sat on a tall horse, lean and\nbony. His habergeon was all rusty and his shield pierced in more\nthan a dozen places, and the colour thereon was so fretted away\nthat none might make out the cognizance thereof. And a right\nthick spear bore he in his hand. When he came anigh the damsel,\nhe saluted her right nobly.\n\n\"Fair welcome, damsel, to you and your company.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"God grant you joy and good adventure!\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith the knight, \"Whence come you?\"\n\n\"Sir, from a court high-plenary that King Arthur holdeth at\nPannenoisance. Go you thither, sir knight,\" saith the damsel,\n\"to see the King and the Queen and the knights that are there?\"\n\n\"Nay, not so!\" saith he. \"Many a time have I seen them, but\nright glad am I of King Arthur that he hath again taken up his\nwell-doing, for many a time hath he been accustomed thereof.\"\n\n\"Whitherward have you now emprised your way?\" saith the damsel.\n\n\"To the land of King Fisherman, and God allow me.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"Tell me your name and bide awhile beside me.\"\n\nThe knight draweth bridle and the damsels and the car come to a\nstay. \"Damsel,\" saith he, \"Well behoveth me tell you my name.\nMessire Gawain am I called, King Arthur's nephew.\"\n\n\"What? are you Messire Gawain? my heart well told me as much.\"\n\n\"Yea, damsel,\" saith he, \"Gawain am I.\"\n\n\"God be praised thereof, for so good knight as are you may well\ngo see the rich King Fisherman. Now am I fain to pray you of the\nvalour that is in you and the courtesy, that you return with me\nand convoy me beyond a certain castle that is in this forest\nwhereof is some small peril.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"Willingly, at your pleasure.\"\n\nHe returneth with the damsel through the midst of the forest that\nwas tall and leafy and little haunted of folk. The damsel\nrelateth to him the adventure of the heads that she carried and\nthat were in the car, like as she did at the court of King\nArthur, and of the shield and the brachet she had left there, but\nmuch it misliked Messire Gawain of the damsel that was afoot\nbehind them. \"Damsel,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"Wherefore doth\nnot this damsel that goeth afoot mount upon the car?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"This shall she not, for behoveth her go not\notherwise than afoot. But and you be so good knight as men say,\nbetimes will she have done her penance.\"\n\n\"How so?\" saith Gawain.\n\n\"I will tell you,\" saith she. \"And it shall so be that God bring\nyou to the hostel of rich King Fisherman, and the most Holy Graal\nappear before you and you demand unto whom is served thereof,\nthen will she have done her penance, and I, that am bald, shall\nreceive again my hair. And so you also make not demand thereof,\nthen will it behove us suffer sore annoy until such time as the\nGood knight shall come and shall have achieved the Graal. For on\naccount of him that first was there and made not the demand, are\nall the lands in sorrow and warfare, and the good King Fisherman\nis yet in languishment.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"God grant me courage and will\nherein that I may come to do this thing according to your wish,\nwhereof may I win worship both of God and of the world.\"\n\nIII.\n\nMessire Gawain and the damsels go on their way a great pace\nthrough the high forest, green and leafy, where the birds are\nsinging, and enter into the most hideous forest and most horrible\nthat any might ever see, and seemed it that no greenery never\nthere had been, so bare and dry were all the branches and all the\ntrees black and burnt as it had been by fire, and the ground all\nparched and black atop with no green, and full of great cracks.\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"Right loathly is this forest and\nright hideous. Goeth it on far like this?\"\n\n\"Sir.\" saith she, \"For nine leagues Welsh goeth it on the same,\nbut we shall pass not through the whole thereof.\"\n\nMessire Gawain 1ooketh from time to time on the damsel that\ncometh arbor, and sore it irketh him that he may not amend her\nestate. They ride on until that they come to a great valley and\nMessire Gawain looketh along the bottom and seeth appear a black\ncastle that was enclosed within a girdle of wall, foul and\nevilseeming. The nigher he draweth to the castle the more\nhideous it seemeth him, and he seeth great halls appear that were\nright foully mis-shapen, and the forest about it he seeth to be\nlike as he had found it behind. He seeth a water come down from\nthe head of a mountain, foul and horrible and black, that went\namidst the castle roaring so loud that it seemed to be thunder.\nMessire Gawain seeth the entrance of the gateway foul and\nhorrible like as it had been hell, and within the castle heard he\ngreat outcries and lamentations, and the most part heard he\nsaying: \"Ha, God! What hath become of the Good Knight, and when\nwill he come?\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"What is this castle here that is\nso foul and hideous, wherein is such dolour suffered and such\nweary longing for the coming of the Good Knight?\"\n\n\"Sir, this is the castle of the Black Hermit. Wherefore am I\nfain to pray you that you meddle not herein for nought that they\nwithin may do to me, for otherwise it may well be that your death\nis at hand, for against them will you have no might nor power.\"\n\nThey come anigh the castle as it were a couple of bow-shots, and\nbehold, through the gateway come knights armed on black horses\nand their arms all black and their shields and spears, and there\nwere a hundred and fifty and two, right parlous to behold. And\nthey come a great gallop toward the damsel, and toward the car,\nand take the hundred and fifty-two heads, each one his own, and\nset them upon their spears and so enter into the castle again\nwith great joy. Messire Gawain seeth the insolence that the\nknights have wrought, and right great shame hath he of himself\nthat he hath not moved withal.\n\n\"Messire Gawain,\" saith the damsel, \"Now may you know how little\nwould your force have availed you herein.\"\n\n\"Damsel, an evil castle is this where folk are robbed on such\nwise.\"\n\n\"Sir, never may this mischief be amended, nor this outrage be\ndone away, nor the evil-doer therein be stricken down, nor they\nthat cry and lament within the prison there be set free until\nsuch time as the Good Knight shall come for whom are they\nyearning as you have heard but now.\"\n\n\"Damsel, right glad may the knight be that by his valour and his\nhardiment shall destroy so many evil folk!\"\n\n\"Sir, therefore is he the Best Knight in the world, and he is yet\nyoung enough of age, but right sorrowful am I at heart that I\nknow not true tidings of him; for better will have I to see him\nthan any man on live.\"\n\n\"Damsel, so also have I,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"For then by your\nleave would I turn me again.\"\n\n\"Not so, sir, but and you shall come beyond I the castle, then\nwill I teach you the way whereby you ought to go.\"\n\nIV.\n\nWith that they go toward the castle all together. Just as they\nwere about to pass beyond the castle wall, behold you where a\nknight cometh forth of a privy postern of the castle, and he was\nsitting upon a tall horse, his spear in his fist, and at his neck\nhad he a red shield whereon was figured a golden eagle. \"Sir\nknight,\" saith he to Messire Gawain, \"I pray you bide.\"\n\n\"What is your pleasure?\"\n\n\"You must needs joust with me,\" saith he \"and conquer this\nshield, or otherwise I shall conquer you. And full precious is\nthe shield, insomuch as that great pains ought you to take to\nhave it and conquer it, for it belonged to the best knight of his\nfaith that was ever, and the most puissant and the wisest.\"\n\n\"Who, then, was he?\" saith Messire Gawain.\n\n\"Judas Machabee was he, and he it was that first wrought how by\none bird to take another.\"\n\n\"You say true,\" saith Messire Gawain; \"A good knight was he.\"\n\n\"Therefore right joyful may you be,\" saith he, \"and you may\nconquer the same, for your own is the poorest and most battered\nthat ever saw I borne by knight. For hardly may a man know the\ncolour thereof.\"\n\n\"Thereby may you well see,\" saith the damsel to the knight, \"that\nhis own shield hath not been idle, nor hath the horse whereon he\nsitteth been stabled so well as yours.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith the knight, \"No need is here of long pleading.\nNeeds must he joust with me, for him do I defy.\"\n\nSaith Messire Gawain, \"I hear well that you say.\"\n\nHe draweth him back and taketh his career and the knight\nlikewise, and they come together as fast as their horses may\ncarry them, spear in rest. The knight smiteth Messire Gawain on\nthe shield whereof he had no great defence, and passeth beyond,\nand in the by-pass the knight to-brake his spear; and Messire\nGawain smiteth him with his spear in the midst of his breast and\nbeareth him to the ground over the croup of his horse, all pinned\nupon his spear, whereof he had a good full hand's breadth in his\nbreast. He draweth his spear back to him, and when the knight\nfelt himself unpinned, he leaped to his feet and came straight to\nhis horse and would fain set his foot in the stirrup when the\ndamsel of the car crieth out: \"Messire Gawain, hinder the knight!\nfor and he were mounted again, too sore travail would it be to\nconquer him!\"\n\nWhen the knight heard name Messire Gawain, he draweth him back:\n\"How?\" saith he; \"Is this then the good Gawain, King Arthur's\nnephew?\"\n\n\"Yea,\" saith the damsel, \"He it is without fail!\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight to Messire Gawain, \"Are you he?\"\n\n\"Yea,\" saith he, \"Gawain I am!\"\n\n\"Sir, so please you,\" saith he, \"I hold me conquered, and right\nsorry am I that I knew you not or ever I had ado with you.\"\n\nHe taketh the shield from his neck and holdeth it to him. \"Sir,\"\nsaith he, \"Take the shield that belonged to the best knight that\nwas in his time of his faith, for none know I of whom it shall be\nbetter employed than of you. And of this shield were vanquished\nall they that be in prison in this castle.\" Messire Gawain\ntaketh the shield that was right fair and rich.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"Now give me yours, for you will not\nbear two shields.\"\n\n\"You say true,\" saith Messire Gawain.\n\nHe taketh the guige from his neck and would have given him the\nshield, when the damsel afoot: \"Hold, sir knight, you that are\nnamed Messire Gawain! What would you do? And he bear your\nshield into the castle there, they of the castle will hold you\nrecreant and conquered, and will come forth thence and carry you\ninto the castle by force, and there will you be cast into his\ngrievous prison; for no shield is borne thereinto save of a\nvanquished knight only.\"\n\n\"Sir knight,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"No good you wish me,\naccording to that this damsel saith.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"I cry you mercy, and a second time I\nhold me conquered, and right glad should I have been might I have\nborne your shield within yonder, and right great worship should I\nhave had thereof, for never yet hath entered there the shield of\nknight so good. And now ought I to be right well pleased of your\ncoming, sith that you have set me free of the sorest trouble that\never knight had.\"\n\n\"What is the trouble?\" saith Messire Gawain.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he, \"I will tell you. Heretofore many a time hath\nthere been a passing by of knights both of hardy and of coward,\nand it was my business to contend and joust with them and do\nbattle, and I made them present of the shield as did I you. The\nmore part found I hardy and well able to defend themselves, that\nwounded me in many places, but never was knight so felled me to\nthe ground nor dealt me so sore a buffet as have you. And sith\nthat you are carrying away the shield and I am conquered, never\nhere-after shall knight that passeth before this castle have no\ndread of me nor of no knight that is herein.\"\n\n\"By my head,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"Now am I gladder of my\nconquest than I was before.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"By your leave will I go my way, for,\nand I may hide not my shame in the castle, needs must I show it\nopenly abroad.\"\n\n\"God grant you do well!\" saith Messire Gawain.\n\n\"Messire Gawain,\" saith the Damsel of the Car, \"give me your\nshield that the knight would fain have carried off.\"\n\n\"Willingly, damsel,\" saith he. The damsel that went afoot taketh\nthe shield and setteth it in the car. Howbeit, the knight that\nwas conquered mounted again upon his horse, and entered again\ninto the castle, and when he was come thereinto, arose a noise\nand great outcry so loud that all the forest and all the valley\nbegan to resound thereof. \"Messire Gawain,\" saith the Damsel of\nthe Car, \"the knight is shamed and there cast in prison another\ntime. Now haste, Messire Gawain! for now may you go!\"\n\nWith that they all set forward again upon their way together, and\nleave the castle an English league behind. \"Damsel,\" saith\nMessire Gawain, \"When it shall please you, I shall have your\nleave to go.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"God be guard of your body, and right great\nthanks of your convoy.\"\n\n\"Lady,\" saith he, \"My service is always ready at your command.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the damsel, \"Gramercy, and your own way see you\nthere by yonder great cross at the entrance of yonder forest.\nAnd beyond that, will you find the fairest forest and most\ndelightsome when you shall have passed through this that sore is\nwearisome.\"\n\nMessire Gawain turneth him to go, and the damsel afoot crieth out\nto him: \"Sir, not so heedful are you as I supposed.\"\n\nMessire Gawain turneth his horse's head as he that was startled:\n\"Wherefore say you so, damsel?\" saith he.\n\n\"For this,\" saith she, \"That you have never asked of my Damsel\nwherefore she carrieth her arm slung at her neck in this golden\nstole, nor what may be the rich pillow whereon the arm lieth.\nAnd no greater heed will you take at the court of the rich King\nFisherman.\"\n\n\"Sweet, my friend,\" saith the Damsel of the Car, \"blame not\nMessire Gawain only, but King Arthur before him and all the\nknights that were in the court. For not one of them all that\nwere there was so heedful as to ask me. Go your ways, Messire\nGawain, for in vain would you now demand it, for I will tell you\nnot, nor shall you never know it save only by the most coward\nknight in the world, that is mine own knight and goeth to seek me\nand knoweth not where to find me.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith Messire Gawain, \"I durst not press you further.\"\n\nWith that the Damsel departeth, and Messire Gawain setteth him\nforward again on the way that she had taught him.",
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