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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": 8,
    "slug": "08-the-high-history-of-the-holy-graal-branch-vii",
    "title": "The High History of the Holy Graal: Branch VII",
    "of": 36,
    "words": 4666,
    "text": "## The High History of the Holy Graal: Branch VII\n\n\nTITLE I.\n\nHere the story is silent of Messire Gawain and beginneth to speak\nof Lancelot, that entereth into a forest and rideth with right\ngreat ado and meeteth a knight in the midst of the forest that\nwas coming full speed and was armed of all arms.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"Whence come you?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"I come from the neighbourhood of King\nArthur's Court.\"\n\n\"Ha, Sir, can you tell me tidings of a knight that beareth a\ngreen shield such as I bear? If so, he is my brother.\"\n\n\"What name hath he?\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he, \"His name is Gladoens, and he is a good knight\nand a hardy, and he hath a white horse right strong and swift.\"\n\n\"Be there other knights in your country that bear such arms as\nyour shield and his besides you and he?\"\n\n\"Certes, Sir, none.\"\n\n\"And wherefore do you ask?\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"For this, that a certain man hath reft him of one of his castles\nfor that he was not there. Howbeit, I know well that he will\nhave it again through his good knighthood.\"\n\n\"Is he so good knight?\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"Certes, Sir, yea! He is the best of the Isles of the Moors.\"\n\n\"Sir, of your mercy, lower your coif.\"\n\nHe quickly thereon lowereth his coif, and Lancelot looketh at him\nin the face. \"Certes, Sir Knight,\" saith he, \"you very much\nresemble him.\"\n\n\"Ha, Sir,\" saith the knight, \"Know you then any tidings of him?\"\n\n\"Certes, Sir,\" saith he, \"Yea! and true tidings may I well say,\nfor he rode at my side five leagues Welsh, nor never saw I one\nman so like another as are you to him.\"\n\n\"Good right hath he to resemble me,\" saith the knight, \"for we\nare twins, but he was born first and hath more sense and\nknighthood than I; nor in all the Isles of the Moors is there\ndamsel that hath so much worth and beauty as she of whom he is\nloved of right true love, and more she desireth to see him than\naught else that liveth, for she hath not seen him of more than a\nyear, wherefore hath she gone seek her prize, my brother, by all\nthe forests of the world. Sir,\" saith the knight, \"Let me go seek\nmy brother, and tell me where I may find him.\"\n\n\"Certes,\" saith Lancelot, \"I will tell you though it grieve me\nsore.\"\n\n\"Wherefore?\" saith the knight, \"Hath he done you any mis-deed?\"\n\n\"In no wise,\" saith Lancelot, \"Rather hath he done so much for me\nthat I love you thereof and offer you my service.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"I am going my way, but for God's sake\ntell me where I shall find my brother.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"I will tell you. This morning did I bid\nhis body farewell and help to bury him.\"\n\n\"Ha, Sir,\" saith the knight, \"Do you tell me true?\"\n\n\"Certes,\" saith Lancelot, \"True it is that I tell you.\"\n\n\"Is he slain then, my brother?\" saith the knight.\n\n\"Yea, and of succouring me,\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"Ha, sir,\" saith the knight, \"For God's sake tell me nought that\nis not right.\"\n\n\"By God, Sir,\" saith he, \"Sore grieved am I to tell it you, for\nnever loved I knight so much in so brief a time as I loved him.\nHe helped to save me from death, and therefore will I do for you\naccording to that he did for me.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"If he be dead, a great grief is it to\nmyself, for I have lost my comfort and my life and my land\nwithout recovery.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"He helped me to save my life, and yours\nwill I help to save henceforth for ever and so be that I shall\nknow of your jeopardy.\"\n\nThe knight heareth that his brother is dead and well believeth\nLancelot, and beginneth to make dole thereof the greatest that\nwas ever heard. And Lancelot saith to him, \"Sir Knight, let be\nthis dole, for none recovery is there; but my body do I offer you\nand my knighthood in any place you please, where I may save your\nhonour.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"With good will receive I your help and\nyour love, sith that you deign to offer me the same, and now have\nI sorer need of them than ever. Sir,\" saith the knight, \"Sith\nthat my brother is dead, I will return back and bear with my\nwrong, though well would he have amended it had he been on live.\"\n\n\"By my head,\" saith Lancelot, \"I will go with you, that so may I\nreward you of that he hath done for me. He delivered his body to\nthe death for me, and in like manner freely would I fain set mine\nown in jeopardy for love of you and of him.\"\n\nII.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"Right good will do I owe you of this\nthat you say to me, so your deeds be but the same herein.\"\n\n\"Yea, so help me God,\" saith Lancelot, \"The same shall they be,\nif God lend me the power.\"\n\nWith that, they go on their way together, and the knight\ncomforteth him much of that which Lancelot hath said to him, but\nof the death of his brother was he right sorrowful. And they\nride until they come to the land of the Moors; then espy they a\ncastle upon a rock, and below was a broad meadow-land.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the Knight of the Green Shield to Lancelot, \"This\ncastle was my brother's and is now mine, and much it misliketh me\nthat it hath fallen to me on this wise. And the knight that reft\nit of my brother is of so great hardihood that he feareth no\nknight on live, and you will presently see him issue forth of\nthis castle so soon as he shall perceive you.\"\n\nLancelot and the knight ride until they draw nigh the castle.\nAnd the knight looketh in the way before him, and seeth a squire\ncoming on a hackney, that was carrying before him a wild boar\ndead. The Knight of the Green Shield asketh him whose man he\nis, and the squire maketh answer: \"I am man of the Lord of the\nRock Gladoens, that cometh there behind, and my lord cometh all\narmed, he and others, for the brother of Gladoens hath defied him\non behalf of his brother, but right little recketh my lord of his\ndefiance.\"\n\nIII.\n\nLancelot heareth how he that is coming is the enemy of him to\nwhom had he been alive, his love most was due. The Knight of the\nGreen Shield pointed him out so soon as he saw him.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he to Lancelot, \"Behold him by whom I am disherited,\nand yet worse would he do to me and he knew that my brother were\ndead.\"\n\nLancelot, without saving more, so soon as he had espied the\nKnight of the Rock, smiteth his horse with his spurs and cometh\ntoward him. The Lord of the Rock, that was proud and hardy,\nseeth Lancelot coming and smiteth with his spurs the horse\nwhereon he sitteth. They come with so swift an onset either upon\nother that they break their spears upon their shields, and hurtle\ntogether so sore that the Knight of the Rock Gladoens falleth\nover the croup of his horse. Lancelot draweth his sword and\ncometh above him, and he crieth him mercy and asketh him\nwherefore he wisheth to slay him? Lancelot saith for the sake of\nGladoens from whom he hath reft his land and his castle. \"And\nwhat is that to you?\" saith the knight. \"Behoveth his brother\nchallenge me thereof.\"\n\n\"As much it behoveth me as his brother,\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"Wherefore you?\"\n\n\"For this,\" saith Lancelot, \"That as much as he did for me will I\ndo to you.\"\n\nHe cutteth off his head and giveth it incontinent to the Knight\nof the Green Shield.\n\n\"Now tell me,\" saith Lancelot, \"Sith that he is dead, is he\npurged of that whereof you appeached him?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"I hold him rightly quit thereof, for,\nsith that he is dead, all claim on behalf of his kindred is\nabated by his death.\"\n\n\"And I pledge you my faith loyally,\" saith Lancelot, \"as I am a\nknight, that never shall you be in peril nor in jeopardy of aught\nwherein I may help you, so I be in place and free, but my help\nshall you have for evermore, for that your brother staked his\nlife to help me.\"\n\nIV.\n\nLancelot and the knight lay the night at the Rock Gladoens, and\nthe Knight of the Green Shield had his land at his pleasure, and\nall were obedient to him. And the upright and loyal were right\nglad, albeit when they heard the tidings of Gladoens' death they\nwere right sorrowful thereof. Lancelot departed from the castle\non the morrow, and the knight remained therein, sorrowful for his\nbrother that he had lost, and glad for the land that he had\ngotten again. Lancelot goeth back right amidst the forest and\nrideth the day long, and meeteth a knight that was coming,\ngroaning sore. And he was stooping over the fore saddle-bow for\nthe pain that he had. He meeteth Lancelot and saith to him:\n\"Sir, for God's sake, turn back, for you will find there the most\ncruel pass in the world there where I have been wounded through\nthe body. Wherefore I beseech you not go thither.\"\n\n\"What pass is it then?\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he, \"It is the pass of the Castle of Beards, and it\nhath the name of this, that every knight that passeth thereby\nmust either leave his beard there or challenge the same, and in\nsuch sort have I challenged my beard that meseemeth I shall die\nthereof.\"\n\n\"By my head,\" saith Lancelot, \"I hold not this of cowardize, sith\nthat you were hardy to set your life in jeopardy to challenge\nyour beard, but now would you argue me of cowardize when you\nwould have me turn back. Rather would I be smitten through the\nbody with honour, so and I had not my death thereof, than lose\nwith shame a single hair of my beard.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"May God preserve you, for the castle is\nfar more cruel than you think, and God guide the knight that may\ndestroy the evil custom of the castle, for right shameful is the\ncustom to strange knights that pass thereby.\"\n\nV.\n\nLancelot departeth from the knight and cometh toward the castle.\nJust as he had passed over a great bridge, he looketh about and\nseeth two knights come all armed to the entrance of the castle,\nand they made hold their horses before them, and their shields\nand spears are before them leaning against the wall. Lancelot\nlooketh at the gateway of the castle and seeth the great door all\ncovered with beards fastened thereon, and heads of knights in\ngreat plenty hung thereby. So, as he was about to enter the\ngate, two knights issue therefrom over against him.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the one, \"Abide and pay your toll!\"\n\n\"Do knights, then, pay toll here?\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"Yea!\" say the knights, \"All they that have beards, and they that\nhave none are quit. Sir, now pay us yours, for a right great\nbeard it is, and thereof have we sore need.\"\n\n\"For what?\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"I will tell you,\" saith the knight. \"There be hermits in this\nforest that make hair-shirts thereof.\"\n\n\"By my head,\" saith Lancelot, \"Never shall they have hair-shirt\nof mine, so I may help it.\"\n\n\"That shall they,\" say the knights, \"Of yours as of the other, or\ndearly shall you pay therefor!\"\n\nVI.\n\nRight wroth waxeth Sir Lancelot, and cometh to the knight, and\nsmiteth him with his spear amidst the breast with such a thrust\nthat it passeth half an ell beyond, and overthroweth him and his\nhorse together. The other knight seeth his fellow wounded to the\ndeath, and cometh towards him with a great sweep and breaketh his\nspear upon his shield. Howbeit, Lancelot beareth him to the\nground right over his horse-croup and maketh him fall so heavily\nthat he breaketh one of his legs. The tidings are come to the\nLady of the Castle that a knight hath come to the pass that hath\nslain one of her knights and wounded the other. The Lady is come\nthither, and bringeth two of her damsels with her. She seeth\nLancelot that is fain to slay the knight that lieth wounded on\nthe ground.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the Lady to Lancelot, \"Withdraw yourself back and\nslay him not, but alight and speak to me in safety.\"\n\n\"Lady,\" saith one of the maidens, \"I know him well. This is\nLancelot of the Lake, the most courteous knight that is in the\ncourt of King Arthur.\"\n\nHe alighteth and cometh before the Lady. \"Lady,\" saith he, \"what\nis your pleasure?\"\n\n\"I desire,\" saith she, \"that you come to my hostel to harbour,\nand that you make me amends of the shame you have done me.\"\n\nVII.\n\n\"Lady,\" saith Lancelot, \"Shame have I never done you nor shall\ndo, but the knights took in hand too shameful a business when\nthey were minded to take the beards of stranger knights by\nforce.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"I will forego mine ill-will on condition that\nyou harbour herewithin to-night.\"\n\n\"Lady,\" saith Lancelot, \"I desire not your ill-will, wherefore\nwill I gladly do your pleasure.\"\n\nHe setteth him within the castle and maketh his horse be led in\nafter him, and the Lady hath the dead knight brought into the\nchapel and buried. The other she biddeth be disarmed and clothed\nand commandeth that his wounds be searched. Then maketh she\nLancelot be disarmed and clad right richly in a good robe, and\ntelleth him that she knoweth well who he is.\n\n\"Lady,\" saith Lancelot, \"It is well for me.\"\n\nThereupon they sit to eat, and the first course is brought in by\nknights in chains that had their noses cut off; the second by\nknights in chains that had their eyes put out; wherefore they\nwere led in by squires. The third course was brought in by\nknights that had but one hand and were in chains. After that,\ncame other knights that had each but one foot and brought in the\nfourth course. At the fifth course came knights right fair and\ntall, and each brought a naked sword in his hand and presented\ntheir heads to the Lady.\n\nVIII.\n\nLancelot beheld the martyrdom of these knights, and sore\nmisliking had he of the services of such folk. They are risen\nfrom meat and the lady goeth to her chamber and sitteth on a\ncouch.\n\n\"Lancelot,\" saith the Lady, \"you have seen the justice and the\nlordship of my castle. All these knights have been conquered at\nthe passing of my door.\"\n\n\"Lady,\" saith Lancelot, \"foul mischance hath befallen them.\"\n\n\"The like mischance would have befallen you had you not been\nknight so good. And greatly have I desired to see you this long\ntime past. And I will make you lord of this castle and myself.\"\n\n\"Lady,\" saith he, \"the lordship of this castle hold I of yourself\nwithout mesne, and to you have I neither wish nor right to refuse\nit. Rather am I willing to be at your service.\"\n\n\"Then,\" saith she, \"you will abide with me in this castle, for\nmore do I love you than any other knight that liveth.\"\n\n\"Lady,\" saith Lancelot, \"Gramercy, but in no castle may I abide\nmore than one night until I have been thither whither behoveth me\nto go.\"\n\n\"Whither are you bound?\" saith she.\n\n\"Lady, saith he, \"to the Castle of Souls.\"\n\n\"Well know I the castle,\" saith she. \"The King hath the name\nFisherman, and lieth in languishment on account of two knights\nthat have been at his castle and made not good demand. Would you\nfain go thither?\" saith the Lady.\n\n\"Yea,\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"Then pledge me your faith that you will return by me to speak to\nme, so the Graal shall appear to you and you ask whereof it\nserveth.\"\n\n\"Yea, truly, saith Lancelot, \"were you beyond sea!\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith one of the damsels, \"So much may you well promise,\nfor the Graal appeareth not to no knight so wanton as be ye. For\nyou love the Queen Guenievre, the wife of your lord, King Arthur,\nnor so long as this love lieth at your heart may you never behold\nthe Graal.\"\n\nIX.\n\nLancelot heard the damsel and blushed of despite.\n\n\"Ha, Lancelot,\" saith the Lady, \"Love you other than me?\"\n\n\"Lady,\" saith he, \"the damsel may say her pleasure.\"\n\nLancelot lay the night at the castle, and right wroth was he of\nthe damsel that calleth the love of him and the Queen disloyal.\nAnd the morrow when he had heard mass, he took leave of the Lady\nof the Castle, and she besought him over and over to keep his\ncovenant, and he said that so would he do without fail.\nTherewithal he issueth forth of the castle and entereth into a\ntall and ancient forest, and rideth the day long until he cometh\nto the outskirt of the forest, and seeth a tall cross at the\nentrance of a burying-ground enclosed all round about with a\nhedge of thorns. And the way lay through the burying ground.\nLancelot entered therein and the night was come. He seeth the\ngraveyard full of tombs and sepulchres. He looketh behind and\nseeth a chapel wherein were candles burning. Thitherward goeth\nhe, and passeth beyond without saying aught more by the side of a\ndwarf that was digging a grave in the ground.\n\n\"Lancelot,\" saith the dwarf, \"you are right not to salute me, for\nyou are the man of all the world that most I hate; and God grant\nme vengeance of your body. So will He what time you are stricken\ndown here within!\"\n\nLancelot heard the dwarf, but deigned not to answer him of\nnought. He is come to the chapel, and alighteth and maketh fast\nthe bridle of his horse to a tree, and leaneth his shield and\nspear without. After that he entereth into the chapel, and\nfindeth a damsel laying out a knight in his winding-sheen. As\nsoon as Lancelot was entered therewithin the wounds of the knight\nwere swollen up and began to bleed afresh.\n\n\"Ha, Sir Knight, now see I plainly that you slew him that I am\nwrapping in his windingsheet!\"\n\nX.\n\nThereupon, behold you, two knights that are carrying other two\nknights dead. They alight and then set them in the chapel. And\nthe dwarf crieth out to them: \"Now shall it be seen how you\navenge your friends of the enemy that fell upon you!\"\n\nThe knight that had fled from the forest when Messire Gawain came\nthither where the three lay dead, was come therewithin and knew\nLancelot, whereupon saith he: \"Our mortal enemy are you, for by\nyou were these three knights slain.\"\n\n\"Well had they deserved it,\" saith Lancelot, \"and in this chapel\nam I in no peril of you, wherefore as at this time will I depart\nnot hence, for I know not the ways of the forest.\"\n\nHe was in the chapel until the day broke, when he issued forth\nthereof, and sore it weighed upon him that his horse was still\nfasting. He taketh his arms and is mounted. The dwarf crieth out\naloud: \"What aileth you?\" saith he to the two knights, \"Will you\nlet your mortal enemy go thus?\"\n\nWith that the two knights mount their horses and go to the two\nissues of the grave-yard, thinking that Lancelot is fain to flee\ntherefrom; but no desire hath he thereof, wherefore he cometh to\nthe knight that was guarding the entrance whereby he had to issue\nout, and smiteth him so stiffly that he thrusteth the point of\nhis spear right through his body. The other knight that was\nguarding the other entrance, that had fled out of the forest\nbefore, had no mind to avenge his fellow, and fled incontinent so\nfast as he might. And Lancelot taketh the horse of the knight he\nhad slain and driveth him before him, for he thinketh that some\nknight may haply have need thereof. He rideth on until he cometh\nto a hermitage in the forest where he alighteth and hath his\nhorses stabled, and the Hermit giveth them of the best he hath.\nAnd Lancelot heard mass, and afterward are a little and fell on\nsleep. Thereafter, behold you, a knight that cometh to the\nHermit and seeth Lancelot that was about to mount.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he, \"Whither go you?\"\n\n\"Sir Knight,\" saith Lancelot, \"thither shall I go where God may\nplease; but you, whitherward are you bound to go?\"\n\n\"Sir, I go to see one of my brethren and my two sisters, for I\nhave been told that he hath fallen on such mishap as that he is\ncalled the Poor Knight, whereof am I sore sorrowful.\"\n\n\"Certes,\" saith Lancelot, \"poor he is, the more the pity!\nHowbeit, will you do him a message from me?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"Right willingly!\"\n\n\"Will you present him with this horse on my behalf, and tell him\nhow Lancelot that harboured with him hath sent it?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"Right great thanks, and blessed may you\nbe, for he that doth a kindness to a worshipful man loseth it\nnot.\"\n\n\"Salute the two damsels for me,\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"Sir, right willingly!\"\n\nThe knight delivereth the horse to his squire, and taketh leave\nof Lancelot.\n\nXI.\n\nThereupon, Lancelot departeth from the hermitage and rideth on\nuntil he cometh forth of the forest, and findeth a waste land, a\ncountry broad and long wherein wonned neither beast nor bird, for\nthe land was so poor and parched that no victual was to be found\ntherein. Lancelot looketh before him and seeth a city appear far\naway. Thither rideth he full speed and seeth that the city is so\ngreat that it seemeth him to encompass a whole country. He seeth\nthe walls that are falling all around, and the gates ruined with\nage. He entereth within and findeth the city all void of folk,\nand seeth the great palaces fallen down and waste, and the great\ngrave-yards full of sepulchres, and the tall churches all lying\nwaste, and the markets and exchanges all empty. He rideth amidst\nthe streets, and findeth a great palace that seemeth him to be\nbetter and more ancient than all the others. He bideth awhile\nbefore it and heareth within how knights and ladies are making\ngreat dole. And they say to a knight: \"Ha, God, sore grief and\npity is this of you, that you must needs die in such manner, and\nthat your death may not be respited! Sore hatred ought we to\nbear toward him that hath adjudged you such a death.\"\n\nThe knights and ladies swoon over him as he departeth. Lancelot\nhath heard all this and much marvelleth he thereof, but nought\nthereof may he see.\n\nXII.\n\nThereupon, lo you, the knight that cometh down into the midst of\nthe hall, clad in a short red jerkin; and he was girt with a rich\ngirdle of gold, and had a rich clasp at his neck wherein were\nmany rich stones, and on his head had he a great cap of gold, and\nhe held great axe. The knight was of great comeliness and young\nof age. Lancelot seeth him coming, and looketh upon him right\nfainly when he seeth him appear. And the knight saith to him,\n\"Sir, alight!\"\n\n\"Certes,\" saith Lancelot, \"Willingly.\"\n\nHe alighteth and maketh his horse fast to a ring of silver that\nwas on the mounting-stage, and putteth his shield from his neck\nand his spear from his hand.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he to the knight, \"What is your pleasure?\"\n\n\"Sir, needs must you cut me off my head with this axe, for of\nthis weapon hath my death been adjudged, but and you will not, I\nwill cut off your own therewith.\"\n\n\"Hold, Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"What is this you tell me?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"you must needs do even as I say, sith\nthat you are come into this city.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"Right foolish were he that in such a\njeopardy should not do the best for himself, but blamed shall I\nbe thereof and I shall slay you when you have done me no wrong.\"\n\n\"Certes,\" saith the Knight, \"In no otherwise may you go hence.\"\n\n\"Fair Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"So gentle are you and so well\nnurtured, how cometh it that you take your death so graciously?\nYou know well that I shall kill you before you shall kill me,\nsith that so it is.\"\n\n\"This know I well for true,\" saith the Knight, \"But you will\npromise me before I die, that you will return into this city\nwithin a year from this, and that you will set your head in the\nsame jeopardy without challenge, as I have set mine.\"\n\n\"By my head,\" saith Lancelot, \"Needeth no argument that I shall\nchoose respite of death to dying here on the spot. But I marvel\nme of this that you are so fairly apparelled to receive your\ndeath.\"\n\nXIII.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the Knight, \"He that would go before the Saviour of\nthe World ought of right to apparel him as fairly as he may. I\nam by confession purged of all wickedness and of all the misdeeds\nthat ever I have committed, and do repent me truly thereof,\nwherefore at this moment am I fain to die.\"\n\nTherewithal he holdeth forth the axe, and Lancelot taketh it and\nseeth that it is right keen and well whetted.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the Knight, \"Hold up your hand toward the minster\nthat you see yonder.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"Willingly.\"\n\n\"Thus, then, will you swear to me upon the holy relics that are\nwithin this minster, that on this day year at the hour that you\nshall have slain me, or before, you yourself will come back here\nand place your head in the very same peril as I shall have placed\nmine, without default?\"\n\n\"Thus,\" saith Lancelot, \"do I swear and give you thereto my\npledge.\"\n\nWith that, the Knight kneeleth and stretcheth his neck as much as\nhe may, and Lancelot taketh the axe in his hands, and then saith\nto him, \"Sir Knight, for God's sake, have mercy on yourself!\"\n\n\"Let cut off my head!\" saith the Knight, \"For otherwise may I not\nhave mercy upon you!\"\n\n\"In God's name,\" saith Lancelot, \"fain would I deny you!\"\n\nWith that, he swingeth the axe and cutteth off the head with such\na sweep that he maketh it fly seven foot high from the body. The\nKnight fell to the ground when his head was cut off, and Lancelot\nflung down the axe, and thinketh that he will make but an ill\nstay there for himself. He cometh to his horse, and taketh his\narms and mounteth and looketh behind him, but seeth neither the\nbody of the Knight nor the head, neither knoweth he what hath\nbecome of them all, save only that he heard much dole and a great\ncry far off in the city of knights and ladies, saying that he\nshall be avenged, please God, at the term set, or before.\nLancelot hath heard and understood all that the knights say and\nthe ladies, and issueth forth of the city.",
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