{
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    "schema_version": "1.1",
    "endpoint": "/api/sources/grail-romances/high-history-of-the-holy-graal/17-the-high-history-of-the-holy-graal-branch-xvi.json"
  },
  "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": 17,
    "slug": "17-the-high-history-of-the-holy-graal-branch-xvi",
    "title": "The High History of the Holy Graal: Branch XVI",
    "of": 36,
    "words": 611,
    "text": "## The High History of the Holy Graal: Branch XVI\n\n\nTITLE I.\n\nThis High History saith that Messire Gawain and Lancelot were\nrepaired to the court of King Arthur from the quest they had\nachieved. The King made great joy thereof and the Queen. King\nArthur sate one day at meat by the side of the Queen, and they\nhad been served of the first meats. Thereupon come two knights\nall armed, and each bore a dead knight before him, and the\nknights were still armed as they had been when their bodies were\nalive.\n\n\"Sir,\" say the knights, \"This shame and this mischief is yours.\nIn like manner will you lose all your knights betimes and God\nlove you not well enough to give counsel herein forthwith of his\nmercy.\"\n\n\"Lords,\" saith the King, \"How came these knights to be in so evil\ncase?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" say they, \"It is of good right you ought to know. The\nKnight of the Fiery Dragon is entered into the head of your land,\nand is destroying knights and castles and whatsoever he may lay\nhands on, in such sort that none durst contend against him, for\nhe is taller by a foot than any knight ever you had, and of\ngrisly cheer, and so is his sword three times bigger than the\nsword of ever another knight, and his spear is well as heavy as a\nman may carry. Two knights might lightly cover them of his\nshield, and it hath on the outer side the head of a dragon that\ncasteth forth fire and flame whensoever he will, so eager and\nbiting that none may long endure his encounter.\"\n\nII.\n\n\"None other, how strong soever he be, may stand against him, and,\neven as you see, hath he burnt and evil-entreated all other\nknights that have withstood him.\"\n\n\"From what land hath come such manner of man?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" say the knights, \"He is come from the Giant's castle, and\nhe warreth upon you for the love of Logrin the Giant, whose head\nMessire Kay brought you into your court, nor never, saith he,\nwill he have joy until such time as he shall have avenged him on\nyour body or upon the knight that you love best.\"\n\n\"Our Lord God,\" saith the King, \"Will defend us from so evil a\nman.\"\n\nHe is risen from the table, all scared, and maketh carry the two\ndead knights to be buried, and the others turn back again when\nthey have told their message. The King calleth Messire Gawain\nand Lancelot and asketh them what he shall do of this knight that\nis entered into his land?\n\n\"By my head, I know not what to say, save you give counsel\nherein.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"We will go against him, so please you, I\nand Messire Gawain between us.\"\n\n\"By my head,\" saith the King, \"I would not let you go for a\nkingdom, for such man as is this is no knight but a devil and a\nfiend that hath issued from the borders of Hell. I say not but\nthat it were great worship and prize to slay and conquer him, but\nhe that should go against him should set his own life in right\nsore jeopardy and run great hazard of being in as bad plight as\nthese two knights I have seen.\"\n\nThe King was in such dismay that he knew not neither what to say\nnor to do, and so was all the court likewise in such sort as no\nknight neither one nor another was minded to go to battle with\nhim, and so remained the court in great dismay.",
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    "license": null,
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  }
}