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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/"
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  ],
  "chapter": {
    "num": 31,
    "slug": "31-the-high-history-of-the-holy-graal-branch-xxx",
    "title": "The High History of the Holy Graal: Branch XXX",
    "of": 36,
    "words": 5794,
    "text": "## The High History of the Holy Graal: Branch XXX\n\n\nTITLE I.\n\nOf Briant of the Isles the story is here silent, whom King the\nbelieveth too much in many things, and saith that Lancelot goeth\nhis way right through the forest, full heavy in thought. He had\nnot ridden far when he met a knight that was right sore wounded.\nHe asked him whence he came and who had wounded him in such\nmanner.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he, \"I come from the Chapel Perilous, where I was\nnot able to defend me against an evil folk that appeared there;\nand they have wounded me in such sort as you see, and but for a\ndamsel that came thereinto from the forest I should not have\nescaped on live. But she aided me on such condition that and I\nshould see a knight they call Lancelot, or Perceval, or Messire\nGawain, I should tell which of them soever I should first meet\nwithal that he should go to her without delay, for much she\nmarvelleth her that none of them cometh into the chapel, for none\nought to enter there but good knights only. But much do I\nmarvel, Sir, how the damsel durst enter there, for it is the most\nmarvellous place that is, and the damsel is of right great\nbeauty; natheless she cometh thither oftentimes alone into the\nchapel. A knight lieth in the chapel that hath been slain of\nlate, that was a fell and cruel knight and a hardy.\"\n\n\"What was his name?\" saith Lancelot.\n\n\"He was named Ahuret the Bastard,\" saith the knight; \"And he had\nbut one arm and one hand, and the other was smitten off at a\ncastle that Messire Gawain gave Meliot of Logres when he\nsuccoured him against this knight that lieth in the coffin. And\nMeliot of Logres hath slain the knight that had assieged the\ncastle, but the knight wounded him sore, so that he may not be\nwhole save he have the sword wherewith he wounded him, that lieth\nin the coffin at his side, and some of the cloth wherein he is\nenshrouded; and, so God grant me to meet one of the knights,\ngladly will I convey unto him the damsel's message.\"\n\n\"Sir Knight,\" saith Lancelot, \"One of them have you found. My\nname is Lancelot, and for that I see you are wounded and in evil\nplight, I tell it you thus freely.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith the knight, \"Now may God protect your body, for you\ngo in great peril of death. But the damsel much desireth to see\nyou, I know not for what, and well may she aid you if she will.\"\n\nII.\n\n\"Sir Knight, God hath brought us forth of many a peril, and so\nwill He also from this and it be His pleasure and His will.\"\n\nWith that, Lancelot departeth from the knight, and hath ridden so\nfar that he is come at evensong to the Chapel Perilous, that\nstandeth in a great valley of the forest, and hath a little\nchurchyard about it that is well enclosed on all sides, and hath\nan ancient cross without the entrance. The chapel and the\ngraveyard are overshadowed of the forest, that is right tall.\nLancelot entereth therein all armed. He signeth him of the cross\nand blesseth him and commendeth him to God. He seeth in the\ngrave-yard coffins in many places, and it seemeth him that he\nseeth folk round about that talk together, the one with another.\nBut he might not hear that they said. He might not see them\nopenly, but very tall they seemed him to be. He is come toward\nthe chapel and alighteth of his horse, and seeth a shed outside\nthe chapel, wherein was provender for horses. He goeth thither\nto set his own there, then leaneth his shield against his spear\nat the entrance of the chapel, and entereth in, where it was very\ndark, for no light was there save only of a single lamp that\nshone full darkly. He seeth the coffin that was in the midst of\nthe chapel wherein the knight lay.\n\nIII.\n\nWhen he had made his orison before an image of Our Lady, he\ncometh to the coffin and openeth it as fast as he may, and seeth\nthe knight, tall and foul of favour, that therein lay dead. The\ncloth wherein he was enshrouded was displayed all bloody. He\ntaketh the sword that lay at his side and lifteth the\nwindingsheet to rend it at the seam, then taketh the knight by\nthe head to lift him upward, and findeth him so heavy and so\nungain that scarce may he remove him. He cutteth off the half of\nthe cloth wherein he is enshrouded, and the coffin beginneth to\nmake a crashing so passing loud that it seemed the chapel were\nfalling. When he hath the piece of the cloth and the sword he\ncloseth the coffin again, and forthwith cometh to the door of the\nchapel and seeth mount, in the midst of the grave-yard as it\nseemed him, great knights. and horrible, and they are appareled\nas it were to combat, and him thinketh that they are watching for\nhim and espy him.\n\nIV.\n\nThereupon, behold you, a damsel running, her kirtle girt high\nabout her, right through the grave-yard a great pace.\n\n\"Take heed you move not until such time as it is known who the\nknight is!\" She is come to the chapel. \"Sir Knight, lay down\nthe sword and this that you have taken of the windingsheet of the\ndead knight!\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith Lancelot, \"What hurt doth it you of this that I\nhave?\"\n\n\"This,\" saith she, \"That you have taken it without my leave; for\nI have him in charge, both him and the chapel. And I would\nfain,\" saith she, \"know what is your name?\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith he, \"What would you gain of knowing my name?\"\n\n\"I know not,\" saith she, \"whether I shall have either loss or\ngain thereof, but high time already is it that I should ask you\nit to my sorrow, for many a time have I been deceived therein.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith he, \"I am called Lancelot of the Lake.\"\n\n\"You ought of right,\" saith she, \"to have the sword and the\ncloth; but come you with me to my castle, for oftentimes have I\ndesired that you and Perceval and Messire Gawain should see the\nthree tombs that I have made for your three selves.\"\n\nV.\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith he, \"No wish have I to see my sepulchre so early\nbetimes.\"\n\n\"By my head,\" saith she, \"And you come not thither, you may not\nissue from hence without tribulation; and they that you see there\nare earthly fiends that guard this grave-yard and are at my\ncommandment.\"\n\n\"Never, damsel, please God,\" saith Lancelot, \"may your devils\nhave power to harm a Christian.\"\n\n\"Ha, Lancelot,\" saith she, \"I beseech and pray you that you come\nwith me into my castle, and I will save your life as at this time\nfrom this folk that are just now ready to fall upon you; and, so\nyou are not willing to do this, yield me back the sword that you\nhave taken from the coffin, and go your way at once.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith Lancelot, \"Into your castle may I not go, nor\ndesire I to go, wherefore pray me no more thereof, for other\nbusiness have I to do; nor will I yield you back the sword,\nwhatsoever may befall me, for a certain knight may not otherwise\nbe healed, and great pity it were that he should die.\"\n\n\"Ha, Lancelot,\" saith she, \"How hard and cruel do I find you\ntowards me! And as good cause have I to be sorry that you have\nthe sword as have you to be glad. For, and you had not had it\nupon you, never should you have carried it off from hence at your\nwill; rather should I have had all my pleasure of you, and I\nwould have made you be borne into my castle, from whence never\nshould you nave moved again for nought you might do; and thus\nshould I have been quit of the wardenship of this chapel and of\ncoming thereinto in such manner as now oftentimes I needs must\ncome.\n\nVI.\n\n\"But now am I taken in a trap, for, so long as you have the\nsword, not one of them that are there yonder can do you evil nor\nhinder you of going.\"\n\nOf this was Lancelot not sorry. He taketh leave of the damsel,\nthat departeth grudgingly, garnisheth him again of his arms, then\nmounteth again on his horse and goeth his way right through the\ngrave-yard. He beholdeth this evil folk, that were so foul and\nhuge and hideous, it seemed as if they would devour everything.\nThey made way for Lancelot, and had no power to hurt him. He is\nissued forth of the grave-yard and goeth his way through the\nforest until daylight appeared about him, fair and clear. He\nfound the hermit there where he had heard mass, then ate a\nlittle, then departed and rode the day long until setting of the\nsun, but could find no hold on the one side nor the other wherein\nhe might lodge, and so was benighted in the forest.\n\nVII.\n\nLancelot knew not which way to turn, for he had not often been in\nthe forest, and knew not how the land lay nor the paths therein.\nHe rode until he found a little causeway, and there was a path at\nthe side that led to an orchard that was at a corner of the\nforest, where there was a postern gate whereby one entered, and\nit was not made fast for the night. And the orchard was well\nenclosed with walls. Lancelot entered in and made fast the\nentrance, then took off his horse's bridle and let him feed on\nthe grass. He might not espy the castle that was hard by for the\nabundance of trees and the darkness of the night, and so knew not\nwhither he was arrived. He laid his shield for a pillow and his\narms at his side and fell on sleep. But, had he known where it\nwas he had come, little sleep would he have had, for he was close\nto the cavern where he slew the lion and where the griffons were,\nthat had come in from the forest all gorged of victual, and were\nfallen on sleep, and it was for them that the postern gate had\nbeen left unbolted. A damsel went down from a chamber by a\ntrapdoor with a brachet on her arm for fear of the griffons, and\nas she went toward the postern-gate to lock it, she espied\nLancelot, that lay asleep in the midst of the orchard. She ran\nback to her Lady the speediest she might, and said unto her: \"Up,\nLady!\" saith she, \"Lancelot is sleeping in the orchard!\"\n\nShe leapt up incontinent and came to the orchard there where\nLancelot was sleeping, then sate her down beside him and began to\nlook at him, sighing the while, and draweth as near him as she\nmay.\n\n\"Fair Lord God,\" saith she, \"what shall I do? and I wake him\nfirst he will have no care to kiss me, and if I kiss him sleeping\nhe will awake forthwith; and better hap is it for me to take the\nmost I may even in such-wise than to fail of all, and, moreover,\nif so be I shall have kissed him, I may hope that he will not\nhate me thereof, sith that I may then boast that I have had at\nleast so much of that which is his own.\"\n\nShe set her mouth close to him and so kissed him the best and\nfairest she might, three times, and Lancelot awakened forthwith.\nHe leapt up and made the cross upon him, then looked at the\ndamsel, and said: \"Ha, God! where, then, am I?\"\n\n\"Fair sweet friend,\" saith she, \"You are nigh her that hath all\nset her heart upon you and will remove it never.\"\n\n\"I cry you mercy, damsel,\" saith Lancelot, \"and I tell you, for\nnought that may befall, one that loveth me, please God, never\nwill I hate! but that which one hath loved long time ought not\nso soon to fall away from the remembrance of a love that is\nrooted in the heart, when she hath been proven good and loyal,\nnor ought one so soon to depart therefrom.\"\n\nVIII.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith she, \"This castle is at your commandment, and you\nwill remain therein, and well may you know my thought towards\nyou. Would that your thought were the same towards me.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith he, \"I seek the healing of a knight that may not\nbe healed save I bring him the head of one of your serpents.\"\n\n\"Certes, Sir, so hath it been said. But I bade the damsel say so\nonly for that I was fain you should come back hither to me.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith he, \"I have come back hither, and so may I turn\nback again sith that of the serpent's head is there no need.\"\n\n\"Ha, Lancelot,\" saith she, \"How good a knight are you, and how\nill default do you make in another way! No knight, methinketh,\nis there in the world that would have refused me save only you.\nThis cometh of your folly, and your outrage, and your baseness of\nheart! The griffons have not done my will in that they have not\nslain you or strangled you as you slept, and, so I thought that\nthey would have power to slay you, I would make them come to slay\nyou now. But the devil hath put so much knighthood into you that\nscarce any man may have protection against you. Better ought I\nto love you dead than alive. By my head, I would fain that your\nhead were hanged with the others that hang at the entrance of the\ngateway, and, had I thought you would have failed me in such wise\nI would have brought my father hither to where you were sleeping,\nand right gladly would he have slain you.\"\n\nIX.\n\n\"None that knoweth the covenant between me and you ought to hold\nyou for a good knight; for you have cozened me of my right\naccording to the tenor and custom of the castle if that through\nperversity or slothfulness you durst not take me when you have\nwon me.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith Lancelot, \"You may say your will. You have done\nso much for me sithence that I came hither that I ought not to be\nafeard of you, for traitor is the man or woman that kisseth\nanother to procure his hurt.\"\n\n\"Lancelot, I took but that I might have, for well I see that none\nmore thereof may I have never again.\"\n\nHe goeth to put the bridle on his destrier, and then taketh leave\nof the damsel, that parteth from him right sorrowfully; but\nLancelot would no longer tarry, for great throng of knights was\nthere in the castle, and he was not minded to put him in jeopardy\nfor nought. He issueth forth of the orchard, and the damsel\nlooketh after him as long as she may see him. After that, cometh\nshe to her chamber, sad and vexed at heart, nor knoweth she how\nshe may bear herself, for the thing in the world that most she\nloveth is far away, and no joy may she have thereof.\n\nX.\n\nLancelot rideth right amidst the forest until it is day, and\ncometh at the right hour of noon to the Castle Perilous, where\nMeliot of Logres lay. He entered into the castle. The damsel\nthat was at King Arthur's court cometh to meet him.\n\n\"Lancelot,\" saith she, \"Welcome may you be!\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith he, \"Good adventure may you have!\"\n\nHe was alighted at the mountingstage of the hall. She maketh him\nmount up the steps and afterward be disarmed.\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith he, \"Behold, here is some of the winding-sheet\nwherein the knight was shrouded, and here is his sword; but you\nbefooled me as concerning the serpent's head.\"\n\n\"By my head,\" saith the damsel, \"that did I for the sake of the\ndamsel of the Castle of Griffons that hateth you not a whit, for\nso prayed she me to do. Now hath she seen you, and so will she\nbe more at ease, and will have no cause to ask me thereof.\"\n\nXI.\n\nThe damsel leadeth Lancelot to where Meliot of Logres lay.\nLancelot sitteth him down before him and asketh how it is with\nhim?\n\n\"Meliot,\" saith the damsel, \"This is Lancelot, that bringeth you\nyour healing.\"\n\n\"Ha, Sir, welcome may you be!\"\n\n\"God grant you health speedily,\" said Lancelot.\n\n\"Ha, for God's sake,\" saith Meliot, \"What doth Messire Gawain?\nIs he hearty?\"\n\n\"I left him quite hearty when I parted from him,\" saith Lancelot,\n\"And so he knew that you had been wounded in such sort, full\nsorry would he be thereof and King Arthur likewise.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith he, \"The knight that assieged them maimed me in this\nfashion, but was himself maimed in such sort that he is dead\nthereof. But the wounds that he dealt me are so cruel and so\nraging, that they may not be healed save his sword toucheth them\nand if be not bound with some of the winding-sheet wherein he was\nshrouded, that he had displayed about him, all bloody.\"\n\n\"By my faith,\" saith the damsel, \"Behold them here!\"\n\n\"Ha, Sir,\" saith he, \"Gramercy of this great goodness! In every\nway appeareth it that you are good knight, for, but for the\ngoodness of your knighthood, the coffin wherein the knight lieth\nhad never opened so lightly, nor would you never have had the\nsword nor the cloth, nor never till now hath knight entered\ntherein but either he were slain there, or departed thence\nwounded right grievously.\"\n\nThey uncover his wounds, and Lancelot unbindeth them, and the\ndamsel toucheth him of the sword and the winding-sheet, and they\nare assuaged for him. And he saith that now at last he knoweth\nwell he need not fear to die thereof. Lancelot is right joyful\nthereof in his heart, for that he seeth he will be whole betimes;\nand sore pity had it been of his death, for a good knight was he,\nand wise and loyal.\n\nXI.\n\n\"Lancelot,\" saith the lady, \"Long time have I hated you on\naccount of the knight that I loved, whom you reft away from me\nand married to another and not to me, and ofttimes have I put\nmyself to pains to grieve you of some ill deed for that you did\nto me, for never was I so sorrowful for aught that befell me. He\nloved me of right great love, and I him again, and never shall\nthat love fail. But now is it far further away from me than it\nwas before, and for this bounty that you have done, never\nhereafter need you fear aught of my grievance.\"\n\n\"Damsel,\" saith Lancelot, \"Gramercy heartily.\"\n\nHe was lodged in the castle the night richly and worshipfully,\nand departed thence on the morrow when he had taken leave of the\ndamsel and Meliot, and goeth back a great pace toward the court\nof King Arthur, that was sore dismayed, for Madeglant was\nconquering his islands and great part of his land. The more part\nof the lands that he conquered had renounced the New Law for fear\nof death and held the false believe. And Messire Gawain and many\nother knights were departed from King Arthur's court for that the\nKing trusted more in Briant of the Isles than he did in them.\n\nXIII.\n\nFor many times had King Arthur sent knights against Madeglant\nsince Lancelot was departed from the court, to the intent that\nthey should put to rebuke the enemies of his land, but never saw\nhe one come back from thence nought discomfited. The King of\nOriande made much boast that he would fulfil for his sister all\nthat she had bidden him, for he thought that King Arthur would\nyield himself up betimes unto him and yield all his land\nlikewise. The King greatly desired the return of Lancelot, and\nsaid ofttimes that and he had been against his enemies as nigh as\nthe others he had sent they would not have durst so to fly\nagainst him. In the midst of the dismay wherein was King Arthur,\nLancelot returned to the court, whereof was the King right\njoyous. Lancelot knew that Messire Gawain and Messire Ywain were\nnot there, and that they held them aloof from the court more\nwillingly than they allowed on account of Briant of the Isles,\nthat King Arthur believed in more than ever a one of the others.\nHe was minded to depart in like sort, but the King would not let\nhim, but said to him rather, \"Lancelot, I pray and beseech you,\nas him that I love much, that you set your pains and your counsel\non defending my land, for great affiance have I in you.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Lancelot, \"My aid and my force shall fail you never;\ntake heed that yours fail not me.\"\n\n\"Of right ought I not to fail you,\" saith the King, \"Nor will I\nnever, for I should fail myself thereby.\"\n\nXIV.\n\nThe history saith that he gave Lancelot forty knights in charge,\nand that he is come into an island where King Madeglant was. Or\never he knew of his coming, Lancelot had cut off his retreat, for\nhe cut his cables and beat his anchors to pieces and broke up his\nships. After that, he struck among the people of Madeglant, and\nslew as many of them as he would, he and his knights. The King\nthought to withdraw him back, both him and his fellowship, into\nsafety as he wont, but he found himself right ill bested.\nLancelot drove him toward the sea, whither he fled, but only to\nfind himself no less discomfit there, and slew him in the midst\nof his folk, and all his other knights were slain and cast into\nthe sea. This island was freed of him by Lancelot, and from\nthence he went to the other islands that Madeglant had conquered\nand set again under the false Law, and there did away the false\nLaw from them that had been set thereunder by fear of death, and\nstablished the land in such sort as it had been tofore. He roved\nso long from one island to another that presently he came to\nAlbanie where he had succoured them at first.\n\nXV.\n\nWhen they of the land saw him come, they well knew that the King\nof Oriande was dead and the islands made free, whereof made they\ngreat joy. The land was some deal emptied of the most puissant\nand the strongest, for they were dead along with their lord.\nLancelot had brought with him some of the best knights and most\npuissant. He was come with a great navy into the land and began\nto destroy it. They of the land were misbelievers, for they\nbelieved in false idols and in false images. They saw that they\nmight not defend the land, sith that their lord was dead. The\nmore part let themselves be slain for that they would not\nrenounce the evil Law, and they that were minded to turn to God\nwere saved. The kingdom was right rich and right great that\nLancelot conquered and attorned to the Law of Our Lord in such\nwise. He made break all the false images of copper and fatten\nwherein they had believed tofore, and whereof false answers came\nto them of the voices of devils. Thereafter he caused be made\ncrucifixes and images in the likeness of Our Lord, and in the\nlikeness of His sweet Mother, the better to confirm them of the\nkingdoms in the Law.\n\nXVI.\n\nThe strongest and most valiant of the land assembled one day and\nsaid that it was high time a land so rich should no longer be\nwithout a King. They all agreed and came to Lancelot and told\nhim how they would fain that he should be King of the realm he\nhad conquered, for in no land might he be better employed, and\nthey would help him conquer other realms enow. Lancelot thanked\nthem much, but told them that of this land nor of none other\nwould he be King save by the good will of King Arthur only; for\nthat all the conquest he had made was his, and by his commandment\nhad he come thither, and had given him his own knights in charge\nthat had helped him to reconquer the lands.\n\nXVII.\n\nKing Claudas had heard tell how Lancelot had slain the King of\nOriande and that none of the islands might scarce be defended\nagainst him. He had no liking of him, neither of his good\nknighthood nor of his conquest, for well remembered he of the\nland that he had conquered from King Ban of Benoic that was\nLancelot's father, and therefore was he sorry of the good\nknighthood whereof Lancelot was everywhere held of worth and\nrenown, for that he was tenant of his father's land. King\nClaudas sent a privy message to Briant and bore him on hand that,\nand he might do so much as that King Arthur should forbid\nLancelot his court, and that it were ill with him with the King,\nhe would have much liking thereof and would help him betimes to\ntake vengeance on his enemies, for, so Lancelot were forth of his\ncourt, and Messire Gawain, the rest would scarce abide long time,\nand thus should they have all their will of King Arthur's land.\nBriant sent word back to King Claudas that Messire Gawain and\nMessire Ywain began to hold them aloof from the court, and that\nas for most part of the other he need not trouble him a whit, for\nhe might so deal as that in short time Lancelot should be well\ntrounced, would they or nould they.\n\nXVIII.\n\nTidings are come to King Arthur's court that the King of Oriande\nis dead and his people destroyed, and that Lancelot hath\nconquered his kingdom and slain the King, and reconquered all the\nlands wherein he had set the false Law and the false believe by\nhis force and by dread of him. And the more part say in the\ncourt that they of the realm of Oriande nor those of the other\nislands will not let Lancelot repair to court, and are doing\ntheir endeavour to make him King; and nought is there in the\nworld, and he command them, they will not do, and that never was\nno folk so obedient to any as are they of all these lands to him.\nBriant of the Isles cometh one day privily to King Arthur, and\nsaith: \"Sir,\" saith he, \"Much ought I to love you, for that you\nhave made me Seneschal of your land; whereby meseemeth you have\ngreat affiance in me, and my bounden duty is it to turn aside\nthat which is evil from you and to set forward your good\neverywhere, and, did I not so, no whit loyal should I be towards\nyou.\n\nXIX.\n\n\"Tidings are come to me of late that they of the kingdom of\nOriande and Albanie and of the other islands that are your\nappanages have all leagued together, and have sworn and given\nsurety that they will aid one another against you, and they are\ngoing presently to make Lancelot their King, and will come down\nupon your land as speedily as they may wheresoever he may dare\nlead them, and they have sworn their oath that they will conquer\nyour kingdom just as you now hold it, and, so you be not\ngarnished against them betimes, you may have thereof sore trouble\nto your own body as well as the loss whereof I tell you.\"\n\n\"By my head,\" saith the King, \"I believe not that Lancelot durst\nthink this, nor that he would have the heart to do me evil.\"\n\n\"By my head,\" saith Briant, \"Long time have I had misgivings both\nof this and of him, but one ought not to tell one's lord all that\none knows, for that one cannot be sure either that it be not\nleasing or that folk wish to meddle in his affairs out of envy.\nBut nought is there in the world that I will conceal from you\nhenceforward for the love that you bear me and for that you have\naffiance in me, and so may you well have, for I have abandoned my\nland for you that marched with your own, whereby you may sorely\nstraiten your enemies, for well you know that in your court is\nthere no knight of greater puissance than am I.\"\n\nXX.\n\n\"By my head,\" saith the King, \"I am fain to love you and hold you\ndear, nor shall you never be removed from my love nor from my\nservice for nought that may be said of any, so manifestly have I\nseen your goodness and your loyalty. I will bid Lancelot by my\nletters and under my seal that he come to speak with me, for sore\nneed have I thereof, and when he shall be here we will take\naccount of this that you have told me, for this will I not, that\nhe nor none other that may be my knight shall dare rise in arms\nagainst me, for such power ought lord of right to have over his\nknight, and to be feared and dreaded of him, for elsewise is he\nfeeble, and lordship without power availeth nought.\"\n\nXXI.\n\nThe King sent his letters by his messenger to Lancelot. The\nmessenger sought him until he found him in the kingdom of\nOriande, and delivered him the letters and the seal of the King.\nSo soon as he knew that which the letters say, he took leave of\nthem of the land, that were right sorrowful. He departed thence\nand came back to Cardoil, bringing with him all the knights that\nhe had in charge, and told the King that he had reconquered for\nhim all the islands, and that the King of Oriande was dead and\nthat his land was attorned to the Law of Our Lord. The King bade\nBriant of the Isles that he should make forty knights come armed\nunder their cloaks ready to take Lancelot prisoner as soon as he\nshould command them. The tidings come to Lancelot, there where\nhe was in his hostel, that the King had made knights come all\narmed to the palace. Lancelot bethought him that some need had\narisen and that he would arm himself likewise, so he made him be\narmed and came to the hall where the King was.\n\n\"Sir,\" saith Briant, \"Lancelot thinketh him of something, for he\nhath armed himself at his hostel, and is come hither in such\nmanner and at such time without your leave, and he may do\nsomething more yet. You ought well to ask him wherefore he\nwisheth to do you evil, and in what manner you have deserved it.\"\n\nHe biddeth him be called before him. \"Lancelot,\" saith the King,\n\"Wherefore are you armed?\"\n\n\"Sir, I was told that knights had come in hither armed, and I was\nfeared lest some mishap had befallen you, for I would not that\nany evil should betide you.\"\n\n\"You come hither for another thing,\" saith the King, \"according\nto that I have been given to wit, and, had the hall been void of\nfolk, you hoped to have slain me.\"\n\nThe King commandeth him be taken forthwith without gainsay of\nany. The knights that were armed did off their cloaks and leapt\ntoward him on all sides, for they durst not disobey the King's\ncommandment, and the more part were men of Briant of the Isles.\n\nXXII.\n\nLancelot seeth them coming towards him with their keen swords and\nsaith, \"By my head, an evil guerdon do you return me of the\nservices I have done for you.\"\n\nThe knights come to him all together swords drawn, and run upon\nhim all at once. He goeth defending himself, as far as the wall\nof the hall, whereof he maketh a castle to his back, but before\nhe cometh thither he hath slain or wounded seven. He began to\ndefend himself right stoutly on all sides, but they gave him\ngreat buffets of their swords, and no fair play is it of thirty\nor forty blows to one. Nor ought none believe that one single\nknight might deliver himself from so many men, seeing that they\nwere eager to take him and do him a hurt. Lancelot defended him\nthe best he might, but the numbers were against him, and, anyway,\nor ever he let himself be taken he sold himself right dear, for\nof the forty knights he harmed at least a score, and of them was\nnone that was not sore wounded and the most part killed; and he\ncaught Briant of the Isles, that was helping to take him, so sore\nthat he made his sword drink the blood of his body, in such sort\nthat the wound was right wide. The knights laid hold on Lancelot\non all sides, and the King commanded that none should harm him,\nbut that they should bring him to his dungeon in the prison.\nLancelot marvelled him much wherefore the King should do this,\nnor might he understand wherefore this hatred was come so lately.\nHe is put in the prison so as the King hath commanded. All they\nof the court are sorry thereof, save Briant and his knights, but\nwell may he yet aby it dear, so God bring Lancelot out or prison.\nSome say, \"Now is the King's court lost, sith that Messire Gawain\nand the other knights have thus forsaken it, and Lancelot is put\nin prison for doing well, ill trust may the others have therein.\"\n\nThey pray God yet grant Briant of the Isles an evil guerdon, for\nwell know they that all this is of his procurement. And of an\nevil guerdon shall he not fail so God protect Lancelot and bring\nhim forth of prison.",
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