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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": 11,
    "slug": "11-the-high-history-of-the-holy-graal-branch-x",
    "title": "The High History of the Holy Graal: Branch X",
    "of": 36,
    "words": 6692,
    "text": "## The High History of the Holy Graal: Branch X\n\n\nINCIPIT.\n\nAnother branch of the Graal again beginneth in the name of the\nFather, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.\n\nTITLE I.\n\nAnd the story is here silent of Perceval, and saith that Lancelot\ngoeth his way and rideth by a forest until he findeth a castle\namidst his way at the head of a launde, and seeth at the gateway\nof the castle an old knight and two damsels sitting on a bridge.\nThitherward goeth he, and the knight and damsels rise up to meet\nhim, and Lancelot alighteth.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the Vavasour, \"Welcome may you be.\"\n\nThe damsels make great joy of him and lead him into the castle.\n\"Sir,\" saith the Vavasour, \"Sore need had we of your coming.\"\n\nHe maketh him go up into the hall above and be disarmed of his\narms. \"Sir,\" saith the Vavasour, \"Now may you see great pity of\nthese two damsels that are my daughters. A certain man would\nreave them of this castle for that no aid nor succour have they\nsave of me alone. And little enough can I do, for I am old and\nfeeble, and my kin also are of no avail, insomuch that hitherto\nhave I been able to find no knight that durst defend me from the\nknight that is fain to reave this castle from me. And you seem\nto be of so great valiance that you will defend me well herein\nto-morrow, for the truce cometh to an end to-night.\"\n\n\"How?\" saith Lancelot, \"I have but scarce come in hither to\nlodge, and you desire me so soon already to engage myself in\nbattle?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the Vavasour, \"Herein may it well be proven whether\nthere be within you as much valour as there seemeth from without\nto be. For, and you make good the claim of these two damsels\nthat are my daughters to the fiefs that are of right their own,\nyou will win thereby the love of God as well as praise of the\nworld.\"\n\nThey fall at his feet weeping, and pray him of mercy that they\nmay not be disherited. And he raiseth them forthwith, as one\nthat hath great pity thereof.\n\n\"Damsels,\" saith he, \"I will aid you to my power. But I would\nfain that the term be not long.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" say they, \"to-morrow is the day, and to-morrow, so we have\nno knight to meet him that challengeth this castle, we shall have\nlost it. And our father is an old knight, and hath no longer\nlustihood nor force whereby he might defend it for us, and all of\nour lineage are fallen and decayed. This hatred hath fallen on\nus on account of Messire Gawain, whom we harboured.\"\n\nLancelot lay there the night within the castle and was right well\nlodged and worshipfully entreated. And on the morrow he armed\nhimself when he had heard mass, and leant at the windows of the\nhall and seeth the gate shut and barred, and heareth a horn sound\nwithout the gate three times right loud.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the Vavasour, \"the knight is come, and thinketh that\nwithin here is no defence.\"\n\n\"By my head,\" saith Lancelot, \"but there is, please God!\"\n\nThe knight bloweth another blast of his horn.\n\n\"Hearken, Sir,\" saith the Vavasour, \"It is nigh noon, and he\nthinketh him that none will issue hence to meet him.\"\n\nII.\n\nLancelot cometh down below and findeth his horse saddled and is\nmounted as soon. The damsels are at his stirrup, and pray him\nfor God's sake remember to defend the honour that is theirs of\nthe castle, for, save only he so doth, they must flee like\nbeggars into other lands. Thereupon the Knight soundeth his horn\nagain. Lancelot, when he heareth the blast, hath no mind to\nabide longer, and forthwith issueth out of the castle all armed,\nlance in hand and shield at his neck. He seeth the knight at the\nhead of the bridge, all armed under a tree. Thitherward cometh\nLancelot full speed. The knight seeth him coming, and crieth to\nhim.\n\n\"Sir Knight,\" saith he, \"What demand you? Come you hither to do\nme evil?\"\n\n\"Yea,\" saith Lancelot, \"for that evil are you fain to do to this\ncastle; wherefore on behalf of the Vavasour and his daughters do\nI defy you.\"\n\nHe moveth against the knight and smiteth him on the shield with\nhis spear and the knight him. But Lancelot pierceth his shield\nfor him with his sword, and smiteth him so stiffly that he\npinneth his arm to his side, and hurtleth against him so passing\nstoutly that he thrusteth him to the ground, him and his horse,\nand runneth over him, sword drawn.\n\n\"Ha,\" saith the knight to Lancelot, \"withdraw a little from over\nme, and slay me not, and tell me your name, of your mercy.\"\n\n\"What have you to do with my name?\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he, \"Gladly would I know it, for a right good knight\nseem you to be, and so have I well proven in the first\nencounter.\"\n\n\"Sir\" saith he, \"I am called Lancelot of the Lake. And what is\nyour name?\"\n\n\"Sir.\" saith he, \"I am called Marin of the castle of Gomeret. So\nam I -- father of Meliot of Logres. I pray you, by that you most\nlove in the world, that you slay me not.\"\n\n\"So will I do,\" saith Lancelot, \"and you renounce not your feud\nagainst this castle.\"\n\n\"By my faith,\" saith the knight, \"thus do I renounce it, and I\npledge myself that thenceforth for ever shall it have no\ndisturbance of me.\"\n\n\"Your pledge,\" saith Lancelot, \"will I not accept save you come\nin thither.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"You have sore wounded me in such sort\nthat I cannot mount but with right great pain.\"\n\nLancelot helpeth him until he was mounted again on his horse, and\nleadeth him into the castle with him, and maketh him present his\nsword to the Vavasour and his daughters, and yield up his shield\nand his arms, and afterward swear upon hallows that never again\nwill he make war upon them. Lancelot thereupon receiveth his\npledge to forego all claim to the castle and Marin turneth him\nback to Gomeret. The Vavasour and his daughters abide in great\njoy.\n\nIII.\n\nThe story saith that Lancelot went his way by strange lands and\nby forests to seek adventure, and rode until he found a plain\nland lying without a city that seemed to be of right great\nlordship. As he was riding by the plain land, he looketh toward\nthe forest and seeth the plain fair and wide and the land right\nlevel. He rideth all the plain, and looketh toward the city and\nseeth great plenty of folk issuing forth thereof. And with them\nwas there much noise of bag-pipes and flutes and viols and many\ninstruments of music, and they came along the way wherein was\nLancelot riding. When the foremost came up to him, they halted\nand redoubled their joy.\n\n\"Sir,\" say they, \"Welcome may you be!\"\n\n\"Lords,\" saith Lancelot, \"Whom come ye to meet with such joy?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" say they, \"they that come behind there will tell you\nclearly that whereof we are in need.\"\n\nIV.\n\nThereupon behold you the provosts and the lords of the city, and\nthey come over against Lancelot.\n\n\"Sir,\" say they, \"All this joy is made along of you, and all\nthese instruments of music are moved to joy and sound of gladness\nfor your coming.\"\n\n\"But wherefore for me,\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"That shall you know well betimes,\" say they. \"This city began\nto burn and to melt in one of the houses from the very same hour\nthat our king was dead, nor might the fire be quenched, nor never\nwill be quenched until such time as we have a king that shall be\nlord of the city and of the honour thereunto belonging, and on\nNew Year's Day behoveth him to be crowned in the midst of the\nfire, and then shall the fire be quenched, for otherwise may it\nnever be put out nor extinguished. Wherefore have we come to\nmeet you to give you the royalty, for we have been told that you\nare a good knight.\"\n\n\"Lords,\" saith Lancelot, \"Of such a kingdom have I no need, and\nGod defend me from it.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" they say, \"You may not be defended thereof, for you come\ninto this land at hazard, and great grief would it be that so\ngood land as you see this is were burnt and melted away by the\ndefault of one single man, and the lordship is right great, and\nthis will be right great worship to yourself, that on New Year's\nDay you should be crowned in the fire and thus save this city and\nthis great people, and thereof shall you have great praise.\"\n\nV.\n\nMuch marvelleth Lancelot of this that they say. They come round\nabout him on all sides and lead him into the city. The ladies\nand damsels are mounted to the windows of the great houses and\nmake great joy, and say the one to another, \"Look at the new king\nhere that they are leading in. Now will he quench the fire on\nNew Year's Day.\"\n\n\"Lord!\" say the most part, \"What great pity is it of so comely a\nknight that he shall end on such-wise!\"\n\n\"Be still!\" say the others. \"Rather should there be great joy\nthat so fair city as is this should be saved by his death, for\nprayer will be made throughout all the kingdom for his soul for\never!\"\n\nTherewith they lead him to the palace with right great joy and\nsay that they will crown him. Lancelot found the palace all\nstrown with rushes and hung about with curtains of rich cloths of\nsilk, and the lords of the city all apparelled to do him homage.\nBut he refuseth right stoutly, and saith that their king nor\ntheir lord will he never be in no such sort. Thereupon behold\nyou a dwarf that entereth into the city, leading one of the\nfairest dames that be in any kingdom, and asketh whereof this joy\nand this murmuring may be. They tell him they are fain to make\nthe knight king, but that he is not minded to allow them, and\nthey tell him the whole manner of the fire.\n\nVI.\n\nThe dwarf and the damsel are alighted, then they mount up to the\npalace. The dwarf calleth the provosts of the city and the\ngreater lords.\n\n\"Lords,\" saith he, \"sith that this knight is not willing to be\nking, I will be so willingly, and I will govern the city at your\npleasure and do whatsoever you have devised to do.\"\n\n\"In faith, sith that the knight refuseth this honour and you\ndesire to have it, willingly will we grant it you, and he may go\nhis way and his road, for herein do we declare him wholly quit.\"\n\nTherewithal they set the crown on the dwarf's head, and Lancelot\nmaketh great joy thereof. He taketh his leave, and they command\nhim to God, and so remounteth he on his horse and goeth his way\nthrough the midst of the city all armed. The dames and damsels\nsay that he would not be king for that he had no mind to die so\nsoon. When he came forth of the city right well pleased was he.\nHe entereth a great forest and rideth on till daylight began to\nfall, and seeth before him a hermitage newly stablished, for the\nhouse and the chapel were all builded new. He cometh thitherward\nand alighteth to lodge. The hermit, that was young without beard\nor other hair on his face, issued from his chapel.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he to Lancelot, \"you are he that is welcome.\"\n\n\"And you, sir, good adventure to you,\" saith Lancelot. \"Never\nhave I seen hermit so young as you.\"\n\n\"Sir, of this only do I repent me, that I came not hither ere\nnow.\"\n\nVII.\n\nTherewith he maketh his horse be stabled, and leadeth him into\nhis hermitage, and so maketh disarm him and setteth him at ease\nas much as he may.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the hermit, \"Can you tell me any tidings of a knight\nthat hath lain sick of a long time in the house of a hermit?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"it is no long time agone sithence I saw\nhim in the house of the good King Hermit, that hath tended me and\nhealed me right sweetly of the wounds that the knight gave me.\"\n\n\"And is the knight healed, then?\" saith the hermit.\n\n\"Yea, Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"Whereof is right great joy. And\nwherefore do you ask me?\"\n\n\"Well ought I to ask it,\" saith the hermit, \"For my father is\nKing Pelles, and his mother is my father's own sister.\"\n\n\"Ha, Sir, then is the King Hermit your father?\"\n\n\"Yea, Sir, certes.\"\n\n\"Thereof do I love you the better,\" saith Lancelot, \"For never\nfound I any man that hath done me so much of love as hath he.\nAnd what, Sir, is your name?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he, \"My name is Joseus, and yours, what?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he, \"I am called Lancelot of the Lake.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the hermit, \"Right close are we akin, I and you.\"\n\n\"By my head,\" saith Lancelot, \"Hereof am I right glad at heart.\"\n\nLancelot looketh and seeth in the hermit's house shield and\nspear, javelins and habergeon. \"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"What do\nyou with these arms?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he, \"this forest is right lonely\", and this\nhermitage is far from any folk, and none are there here-within\nsave me and my squire. So, when robbers come hither, we defend\nourselves therewith.\"\n\n\"But hermits, methought, never assaulted nor wounded nor slew.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the hermit, \"God forbid I should wound any man or\nslay!\"\n\n\"And how, then, do you defend yourselves?\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"Sir, I will tell you thereof. When robbers come to us, we arm\nourselves accordingly. If I may catch hold of any in my hands,\nhe cannot escape me. Our squire is so well-grown and hardy that\nhe slayeth him forthwith or handleth him in such sort that he may\nnever help himself after.\"\n\n\"By my head,\" saith Lancelot, \"Were you not hermit, you would be\nvaliant throughout.\"\n\n\"By my head,\" saith the squire. \"You say true, for methinketh\nthere is none so strong nor so hardy as he in all the kingdom of\nLogres.\"\n\nThe lodged Lancelot the night the best he could.\n\nVIII.\n\nWhen as they were in their first sleep, come four robber-knights\nof the forest that knew how a knight was lodged therewithin, and\nhad coveted his horse and his arms. The hermit that was in his\nchapel saw them first, and awoke his squire and made him bring\nhis arms all secretly; then he made his squire arm. \"Sir,\" saith\nthe squire, \"Shall I waken the knight?\"\n\n\"In nowise,\" saith the hermit, \"until such time as we shall know\nwherefore.\"\n\nHe maketh open the door of the chapel and taketh a great coil of\nrope, and they issue forth, he and his squire, and they perceived\nthe robbers in the stable where Lancelot's horse was. The hermit\ncrieth out: the squire cometh forward and thereupon beareth one\nto the ground with his spear. The hermit seizeth him and bindeth\nhim to a tree so strait that he may not move. The other three\nthink to defend them and to rescue their fellow. Lancelot\nleapeth up all startled when he heareth the noise and armeth\nhimself as quickly as he may, albeit not so quickly but that or\never he come, the hermit hath taken the other three and bound\nthem with the fourth. But of them were some that were wounded\nright sore.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the hermit to Lancelot, \"It grieveth me that you\nhave been awakened.\"\n\n\"Rather,\" saith Lancelot, \"have you done me great wrong for that\nyou ought to have awakened me sooner.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the hermit, \"We have assaults such as this often\nenough.\"\n\nThe four robbers cry mercy of Lancelot that he will pray the\nhermit to have pity upon them. And Lancelot saith God help not\nhim that shall have pity on thieves! As soon as it was daylight,\nLancelot and the squire led them into the forest, their hands all\ntied behind their backs, and have hanged them in a waste place\nfar away from the hermitage. Lancelot cometh back again and\ntaketh leave of Joseus the young hermit, and saith it is great\nloss to the world that he is not knight.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the squire, \"to me is it great joy, for many a man\nshould suffer thereby.\"\n\nLancelot is mounted, and Joseus commendeth him to God, praying\nhim much that he salute his father and cousin on his behalf, and\nMessire Gawain likewise that he met in the forest what time he\ncame all weeping to the hermitage.\n\nIX.\n\nLancelot hath set him forth again upon his way, and rideth by the\nhigh forests and findeth holds and hermitages enough, but the\nstory maketh not remembrance of all the hostels wherein he\nharboured him. So far hath he ridden that he is come forth of\nthe forest and findeth a right fair meadow-land all loaded with\nflowers, and a river ran in the midst there of that was right\nfair and broad, and there was forest upon the one side and the\nother, and the meadow lands were wide and far betwixt the river\nand the forest. Lancelot looketh on the river before him and\nseeth a man rowing a great boat, and seeth within the boat two\nknights, white and bald, and a damsel, as it seemed him, that\nheld in her lap the head of a knight that lay upon a mattress of\nstraw and was covered with a coverlid of marten's fur, and\nanother damsel sate at his feet. There was a knight within in\nthe midst of the boat that was fishing with an angle, the rod\nwhereof seemeth of gold, and right great fish he took. A little\ncock-boat followed the boat, wherein he set the fish he took.\nLancelot cometh anigh the bank the swiftest he may, and so\nsaluteth the knights and damsels, and they return his salute\nright sweetly.\n\n\"Lords,\" saith Lancelot, \"is there no castle nigh at hand nor no\nharbour?\"\n\n\"Yea, Sir,\" say they, \"Beyond that mountain, right fair and rich,\nand this river runneth thither all round about it.\"\n\n\"Lords, whose castle is it?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" say they, \"It is King Fisherman's, and the good knights\nlodge there when he is in this country; but such knights have\nbeen harboured there as that the lord of the land hath had good\nright to plain him thereof.\"\n\nThe knights go rowing along the river, and Lancelot rideth until\nhe cometh to the foot of the mountain and findeth a hermitage\nbeside a spring, and bethinketh him, since it behoveth him to go\nto so high a hostel and so rich, where the Holy Graal appeareth,\nhe will confess him to the good man. He alighteth and confesseth\nto the good man, and rehearseth all his sins, and saith that of\nall thereof doth he repent him save only one, and the hermit\nasketh him what it is whereof he is unwilling to repent.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"it seemeth to me the fairest sin and the\nsweetest that ever I committed.\"\n\n\"Fair Sir,\" saith the hermit, \"Sin is sweet to do, but right\nbitter be the wages thereof; neither is there any sin that is\nfair nor seemly, albeit there be some sins more dreadfuller than\nother.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"this sin will I reveal to you of my lips,\nbut of my heart may I never repent me thereof. I love my Lady,\nwhich is the Queen, more than aught else that liveth, and albeit\none of the best Kings on live hath her to wife. The affection\nseemeth me so good and so high that I cannot let go thereof, for,\nso rooted is it in my heart that thence may it nevermore depart,\nand the best knighthood that is in me cometh to me only of her\naffection.\"\n\n\"Alas!\" saith the hermit, \"Sinner of mortal sin, what is this\nthat you have spoken? Never may no knighthood come of such\nwantonness that shall not cost you right dear! A traitor are you\ntoward our earthly lord, and a murderer toward Our Saviour. Of\nthe seven deadly sins, you are labouring under the one whereof\nthe delights are the falsest of any, wherefore dearly shall you\naby thereof, save you repent you forthwith.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"never the more do I desire to cast it\nfrom me.\"\n\n\"As much,\" saith the hermit, \"is that as to say that you ought\nlong since to have cast it from you and renounced it. For so\nlong as you maintain it, so long are you an enemy of the\nSaviour!\"\n\n\"Ha, Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"She hath in her such beauty and worth\nand wisdom and courtesy and nobleness that never ought she to be\nforgotten of any that hath loved her!\"\n\nX.\n\n\"The more of beauty and worth she hath in her,\" saith the hermit,\n\"so much the more blame hath she of that she doeth, and you\nlikewise. For of that which is of little worth is the loss not\nso great as of that which is much worth. And this is a Queen,\nblessed and anointed, that was thus, therefore, in her beginning\nvowed to God; yet now is she given over to the Devil of her love\nfor you, and you of your love for her. Fair, sweet my friend,\"\nsaith the hermit, \"Let go this folly, which is so cruel, that you\nhave taken in hand, and be repentant of these sins! So every day\nwill I pray to the Saviour for you, that so truly as He pardoned\nHis death to him that smote Him with a lance in His side, so may\nHe pardon you of this sin that you have maintained, and that so\nyou be repentant and truly confessed thereof, I may take the\npenance due thereunto upon myself!\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"I thank you much, but I am not minded to\nrenounce it, nor have I no wish to speak aught wherewith my heart\naccordeth not. I am willing enough to do penance as great as is\nenjoined of this sin, but my lady the Queen will I serve so long\nas it may be her pleasure, and I may have her good will. So\ndearly do I love her that I wish not even that any will should\ncome to me to renounce her love, and God is so sweet and so full\nof right merciful mildness, as good men bear witness, that He\nwill have pity upon us, for never no treason have I done toward\nher, nor she toward me.\"\n\n\"Ha, fair sweet friend,\" saith the hermit, \"Nought may you avail\nyou of whatsoever I may say, wherefore God grant her such will\nand you also, that you may be able to do the will of Our Saviour.\nBut so much am I fain to tell you, that and if you shall lie in\nthe hostel of King Fisherman, yet never may you behold the Graal\nfor the mortal sin that lieth at your heart.\"\n\n\"May our Lord God,\" saith Lancelot, \"counsel me therein at His\npleasure and at His will!\"\n\n\"So may He do!\" saith the hermit, \"For of a truth you may know\nthereof am I right fain.\"\n\nXI.\n\nLancelot taketh leave of the hermit, and is mounted forthwith and\ndeparteth from the hermitage. And evening draweth on, and he\nseeth that it is time to lodge him. And he espieth before him\nthe castle of the rich King Fisherman. He seeth the bridges,\nbroad and long, but they seem not to him the same as they had\nseemed to Messire Gawain. He beholdeth the rich entrance of the\ngateway there where Our Lord God was figured as He was set upon\nthe rood, and seeth two lions that guard the entrance of the\ngate. Lancelot thinketh that sith Messire Gawain had passed\nthrough amidst the lions, he would do likewise. He goeth toward\nthe gateway, and the lions that were unchained prick up their\nears and look at him. Howbeit Lancelot goeth his way between\nthem without heeding them, and neither of them was fain to do him\nany hurt. He alighteth before the master-palace, and mounteth\nupward all armed. Two other knights come to meet him and receive\nhim with right great joy, then they make him be seated on a couch\nin the midst of the hall and be disarmed of two servants. Two\ndamsels bring him a right rich robe and make him be apparelled\ntherewithal. Lancelot beholdeth the richness of the hall and\nseeth nought figured there save images of saints, men or women,\nand he seeth the hall hung about with cloths of silk in many\nplaces. The knights lead him before King Fisherman in a chamber\nwhere he lay right richly. He findeth the King, that lieth on a\nbed so rich and so fair apparelled as never was seen a better,\nand one damsel was at his head and another at his feet. Lancelot\nsaluteth him right nobly, and the King answereth him full fairly\nas one that is a right worshipful man. And such a brightness of\nlight was there in the chamber as that it seemed the sun were\nbeaming on all sides, and albeit the night was dark, no candles,\nso far as Lancelot might espy, were lighted therewithin.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith King Fisherman, \"Can you tell me tidings of my\nsister's son, that was son of Alain li Gros of the Valleys of\nCamelot, whom they call Perceval?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"I saw him not long time sithence in the\nhouse of King Hermit, his uncle.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the King, \"They tell me he is a right good knight?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"He is the best knight of the world. I\nmyself have felt the goodness of his knighthood and his valour,\nfor right sorely did he wound me or ever I knew him or he me.\"\n\n\"And what is your name?\" saith the King.\n\n\"Sir, I am called Lancelot of the Lake, King Ban's son of\nBenoic.\"\n\n\"Ha,\" saith the King, \"you are nigh of our lineage, you ought to\nbe good knight of right, and so are you as I have heard witness,\nLancelot,\" saith the King. \"Behold there the chapel where the\nmost Holy Graal taketh his rest, that appeared to two knights\nthat have been herewithin. I know not what was the name of the\nfirst, but never saw I any so gentle and quiet, nor had better\nlikelihood to be good knight. It was through him that I have\nfallen into languishment. The second was Messire Gawain.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"the first was Perceval your nephew.\"\n\n\"Ha!\" saith King Fisherman, \"take heed that you speak true!\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"I ought to know him well!\"\n\n\"Ha, God!\" saith the King, \"Wherefore then did I know him not?\nThrough him have I fallen into this languishment, and had I only\nknown then that it was he, should I now be all whole of my limbs\nand of my body, and right instantly do I pray you, when you shall\nsee him, that he come to see me or ever I die, and that he be\nfain to succour and help his mother, whose men have been slain,\nand whose land hath been reaved in such sort that never may she\nhave it again save by him alone. And his sister hath gone in\nquest of him throughout all kingdoms.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"This will I tell him gladly, if ever I\nmay find him in any place, but it is great adventure of finding\nhim, for oft-times will he change his cognizance in divers\nfashion and conceal his name in many places.\"\n\nXII.\n\nKing Fisherman is right joyous of the tidings he hath heard of\nhis nephew, wherefore he maketh Lancelot be honoured greatly.\nThe knights seat them in the hall at a table of ivory at meat,\nand the King remaineth in his chamber. When they had washen, the\ntable was dight of rich sets of vessels of gold and silver, and\nthey were served of rich meats of venison of hart and wild boar.\nBut the story witnesseth that the Graal appeared not at this\nfeast. It held not aloof for that Lancelot was not one of the\nthree knights of the world of the most renown and mightiest\nvalour, but for his great sin as touching the Queen, whom he\nloved without repenting him thereof, for of nought did he think\nso much as of her, nor never might he remove his heart therefrom.\nWhen they had eaten they rose from the tables. Two damsels\nwaited on Lancelot at his going to bed, and he lay on a right\nrich couch, nor were they willing to depart until such time as he\nwas asleep. He rose on the morrow as soon as he saw the day, and\nwent to hear mass. Then he took leave of King Fisherman and the\nknights and damsels, and issued forth of the castle between the\ntwo lions, and prayeth God that He allow him to see the Queen\nagain betimes, for this is his most desire. He rideth until he\nhath left the castle far behind and entereth the forest, and is\nin right great desire to see Perceval, but the tidings of him\nwere right far away. He looketh before him in the forest and\nseeth come right amidst the launde a knight, and a damsel clad in\nthe richest robe of gold and silk that ever he had seen tofore.\n\nXIII.\n\nThe damsel came weeping by the side of the knight and prayed him\noftentimes that he would have mercy upon her. The knight is\nstill and holdeth his peace, and saith never a word.\n\n\"Ha, Sir,\" saith the damsel to Lancelot, \"Be pleased to beseech\nthis knight on my behalf.\"\n\n\"In what manner?\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"I will tell you. He hath shown me semblance\nof love for more than a year, and had me in covenant that he\nwould take me to wife, and I apparelled myself in the richest\ngarments that I had to come to him. But my father is of greater\npower and riches than is he, and therefore was not willing to\nallow the marriage. Wherefore come I with him in this manner,\nfor I love him better than ever another knight beside. Now will\nhe do nought of that he had me in covenant to do, for he loveth\nanother, better, methinketh, than me. And this hath he done, as\nI surmise, to do shame to my friends and to me.\"\n\nLancelot seeth the damsel of right great beauty and weeping\ntenderly, whereof hath he passing great pity.\n\n\"Hold, Sir!\" saith Lancelot to the knight, \"this shall you not\ndo! You shall not do such shame to so fair a damsel as that you\nshall fail to keep covenant with her. For not a knight is there\nin the kingdom of Logres nor in that of Wales but ought to be\nright well pleased to have so fair a damsel to wife, and I pray\nand require that you do to the damsel that whereof you held her\nin covenant. This will be a right worshipful deed, and I pray\nand beseech that you do it, and thereof shall I be much beholden\nunto you.\"\n\n\"Sir, saith the knight, \"I have no will thereunto, nor for no man\nwill I do it, for ill would it beseem me.\"\n\n\"By my head, then,\" saith Lancelot, \"the basest knight are you\nthat ever have I seen, nor ought dame nor damsel ever hereafter\nput trust in you, sith that you are minded to put such disgrace\nupon this lady.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"a worthier lover have I than this, and\none that I more value; wherefore as touching this damsel will I\ndo nought more than I have said.\"\n\n\"And whither, then, mean you to take her?\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"I mean to take her to a hold of mine own that is in this forest,\nand to give her in charge to a dwarf of mine that looketh after\nmy house, and I will marry her to some knight or some other man.\"\n\n\"Now never God help me,\" saith Lancelot, \"but this is foul\nchurlishness you tell me, and, so you do not her will, it shall\nbetide you ill of me myself, and, had you been armed as I am, you\nshould have felt my first onset already.\"\n\n\"Ha,\" saith the damsel to Lancelot, \"Be not so ready to do him\nany hurt, for nought love I so well as I love his body,\nwhatsoever he do unto me. But for God's sake pray him that he do\nme the honour he hath promised me.\"\n\n\"Willingly,\" saith Lancelot. \"Sir Knight, will you do this\nwhereof you had the damsel in covenant?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"I have told you plainly that I will\nnot.\"\n\n\"By my head,\" saith Lancelot, \"you shall do it, or otherwise\nsentence of death hath passed upon you, and this not so much for\nthe sake of the damsel only, but for the churlishness that hath\ntaken possession of you, that it be not a reproach to other\nknights. For promise that knight maketh to dame or damsel\nbehoveth him to keep. And you, as you tell me, are knight, and\nno knight ought to do churlishly to his knowledge, and this\nchurlishness is so far greater than another, that for no prayer\nthat the damsel may make will I suffer that it shall be done, but\nthat if you do not that whereof you held her in covenant, I shall\nslay you, for that I will not have this churlishness made a\nreproach unto other knights.\"\n\nHe draweth his sword and would have come toward him, when the\nknight cometh over against him and saith to him: \"Slay me not.\nTell me rather what you would have me do?\"\n\n\"I would,\" saith he, \"that you take the damsel to wife without\ndenial.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he, \"it pleaseth me better to take her than to die.\nSir, I will do your will.\"\n\n\"I thank you much therefor,\" saith Lancelot. \"Damsel, is this\nyour pleasure also?\"\n\n\"Yea, Sir, but, so please you, take not your departure from us\nuntil such time as he shall have done that which you tell him.\"\n\n\"I will, well that so it be,\" saith Lancelot, \"for love of you.\"\n\nThey ride together right through the forest, until they came to a\nchapel at a hermitage, and the hermit wedded them and made much\njoy thereof. When it cometh to after-mass, Lancelot would fain\ndepart, but the damsel prayeth him right sweetly that he should\ncome right to her father's house to witness that the knight had\nwedded her.\n\nXIV.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"My father's hold is not far away.\"\n\n\"Lady,\" saith Lancelot, \"Willingly will I go sith that you\nbeseech me thereof.\"\n\nThey ride so long right amidst the forest, that presently they\ncome to the castle of the Vavasour, that was sitting on the\nbridge of his castle, right sorrowful and troubled because of his\ndaughter. Lancelot is gone on before and alighteth. The\nVavasour riseth up to meet him, and Lancelot recounteth unto him\nhow his daughter hath been wedded, and that he hath been at the\nwedding. Thereof the Vavasour maketh right great joy.\nTherewithal, behold you, the knight and the Vavasour\"s daughter\nthat are straightway alighted, and the Vavasour thanketh Lancelot\nmuch of the honour he hath done his daughter. Therewith he\ndeparteth from the castle and rideth amidst the forest the day\nlong, and meeteth a damsel and a dwarf that came a great gallop.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the damsel to Lancelot, \"From whence come you?\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith he, \"I come from the Vavasour's castle that is in\nthis forest.\"\n\n\"Did you meet,\" saith she, \"a knight and a damsel on your way?\"\n\n\"Yea,\" saith Lancelot, \"He hath wedded her.\"\n\n\"Say you true?\" saith she.\n\n\"I tell you true,\" saith Lancelot, \"But had I not been there, he\nwould not have wedded her.\"\n\n\"Shame and ill adventure may you have thereof, for you have reft\nme of the thing in the world that most I loved. And know you\nwell of a truth that joy of him shall she never have, and if the\nknight had been armed as are you, never would he have done your\nwill, but his own. And this is not the first harm you have done\nme; you and Messire Gawain between you have slain my uncle and my\ntwo cousins-german in the forest, whom behoved me bury in the\nchapel where you were, there where my dwarf that you see here was\nmaking the graves in the burial-ground.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith Lancelot, \"true it is that I was there, but I\ndeparted from the grave-yard, honour safe.\"\n\n\"True,\" saith the dwarf, \"For the knights that were there were\ncraven, and failed.\"\n\n\"Fair friend,\" saith Lancelot, \"Rather would I they should be\ncoward toward me than hardy.\"\n\n\"Lancelot,\" saith the damsel, \"Much outrage have you done, for\nyou slew the Knight of the Waste House, there whither the brachet\nled Messire Gawain, but had he there been known, he would not\nhave departed so soon, for he was scarce better loved than you,\nand God grant you may find a knight that may abate the outrages\nthat are in your heart and in his; for great rejoicing would\nthere be thereof, for many a good knight have you slain, and I\nmyself will bring about trouble for you, so quickly as I may.\"\n\nXV.\n\nThereupon the dwarf smiteth the mule with his whip, and she\ndeparteth. Lancelot would answer none of her reviling, wherefore\nhe departed forthwith, and rideth so long on his journeys that he\nis come back to the house of the good King Hermit, that maketh\nright great joy of him. And he telleth him that he hath been\nunto the house of King Fisherman, his brother that lieth in\nlanguishment, and telleth him also how he hath been honoured in\nhis hostel, and of the salutations that he sent him. King Hermit\nis right joyous thereof, and asketh him of his nephew, and he\ntelleth him he hath seen him not since he departed thence. King\nHermit asketh him whether he hath seen the Graal, and he telleth\nhim he hath seen it not at all.\n\n\"I know well,\" saith the King, \"wherefore this was so. And you\nhad had the like desire to see the Graal that you have to see the\nQueen, the Graal would you have seen.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"The Queen do I desire to see for the sake\nof her good intent, her wisdom, courtesy and worth, and so ought\nevery knight to do. For in herself hath she all honourable\nconditions that a lady may have.\"\n\n\"God grant you good issue therein,\" saith King Hermit, \"and that\nyou do nought whereof He may visit you with His wrath at the Day\nof Judgment.\"\n\nLancelot lay the night in the hermitage, and on the morrow\ndeparted thence and took leave when he had heard mass, and cometh\nback as straight as he may to Pannenoisance on the sea of Wales,\nwhere were the King and Queen with great plenty of knights and\nbarons.",
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