Merlin and the Grail

by Robert de Boron

  ‘Stay here and wait a while,’ she replied, ‘and I’ll go and fetch it.’

  So Veronica went back to her house and took the image of the face, all red, and returned to where they were waiting.

  ‘Sit down,’ she said when she arrived, and they did so, and she took out the image. When they saw it they were overjoyed and all rose to their feet.

  ‘Why have you stood up?’ she asked, and they replied: ‘When we saw the face we couldn’t help it. Ah, lady,’ they said, ‘tell us where you found it and how it came to be yours.’

  ‘I’ll tell you,’ she said. ‘I happened to have made a linen cloth and was carrying it to market where I hoped to sell it, when I met the people who were leading the prophet through the streets, his hands bound, followed by the Jews. And he asked me to wipe away the sweat that was running down his face. So I took one end of the cloth at once and wiped his face; then I went on my way and the Jews led him on, flogging him. And when I got home and looked at the cloth, I found this image of his face. That’s exactly how it happened. And if,’ she said, ‘you think it would be of use to the emperor’s son, I’ll go with you and take it to him.’

  ‘Many thanks,’ they said, ‘we believe it would indeed be of use to him.’

  This image was the only thing they found which had touched Our Lord.

  And so they returned across the sea, leaving Pilate to govern the land as before. The emperor was overjoyed when they arrived back in Rome, and asked them how they had fared on their journey, and whether the pilgrim had told the truth. They replied that every word he had said was true, and that Pilate had not acted as badly as they had thought. Then they told him all about their travels, and the emperor asked if the prophet was such a great man as was said, and they replied: ‘Yes, and a good deal more!’

  Then the emperor asked: ‘Have you brought back anything that touched him?’

  ‘Yes,’ they said, ‘and we’ll tell you all about it.’ And they told him how they had found the woman, and how she had long had the image of the face in her keeping. The emperor was filled with joy, and said: ‘This is a very great thing you’ve brought; I’ve never heard of the like.’

  ‘We’re sure,’ they said, ‘that no-one could have known she had it.’

  Then the emperor went to her and bade her a joyful welcome, and said he would make her a rich woman for what she had brought him. And Veronica showed him the face on the cloth; and when he saw it, the emperor, filled with wonder, made three deep bows and said: ‘This is the most beautiful face I’ve ever seen.’

  Then he took it in both hands and carried it into the chamber where his son was shut away. He was sleeping; so the emperor placed the cloth at the window, and called to his son and showed him the face. As soon as his son set eyes upon it he was healed, in better health than he had ever been in his life. And Vespasian said: ‘Dear Lord God, whose face is this that has healed me of all sickness?’ Then he said to his father: ‘Sir, have this wall knocked down at once!’

  And he did so with all possible speed, and when the wall was demolished, Vespasian left the chamber in perfect health and spirits, to the great joy of the emperor and everyone. Vespasian asked where the image of the face had been found, and whose it was, which had healed him as no man on Earth could do. And the emperor told him everything he had heard, and about the other miracles the pilgrim had seen. Then Vespasian asked the messengers: ‘Sirs, did they truly put to death such a worthy man as he?’

  ‘They did,’ they said; and when he heard this he was deeply angry and said they had done a shameful deed, and that he would never be content until they had paid for it. And he said to his father: ‘Sir, you are not our king or emperor: the true lord is the man who by his very image has healed me with his gracious power as neither you nor anyone else could do. He is the lord of men and women and of all things, and I beg you, my lord and father, to let me go and take revenge upon those who killed him.’

  ‘Dear son,’ the emperor replied, ‘do exactly as you wish.’

  And Vespasian was overjoyed.

  Thus it was that Veronica’s holy face of Christ was taken to Rome to heal the emperor’s son.

  Vespasian now prepared with Titus for their journey to the land of Judaea. After crossing the sea they ordered Pilate to come to them; and when he saw they had come with a great company he was filled with fear and said to Vespasian: ‘Dear sir, I am at your command. Let me know your will.’

  ‘I have come to avenge the death of Jesus Christ,’ Vespasian replied, ‘the prophet who healed me.’

  Hearing this, Pilate was terrified, imagining Vespasian had been told he was responsible; and he said: ‘Sir, would you like to find all those who were present at his death and know who was guilty and who was not?’

  ‘Indeed I would,’ said Vespasian.

  ‘Then have me taken and imprisoned,’ said Pilate, ‘and say it’s because I wouldn’t sentence him. Pretend to despise me.’

  Vespasian did as Pilate said, and summoned those involved from all parts of the land. When they had all assembled, Vespasian asked them about the prophet who was a higher lord than his father, and said: ‘You committed treason, allowing him to make himself your lord.’

  And they all replied: ‘It was Pilate, your governor, who stood up for him! He said that even if the prophet claimed to be our king, it wasn’t enough to merit death. But we said it was, and that we wouldn’t allow him to be lord above our masters, but Pilate said the man was lord above all kings!’

  ‘That’s why I’ve thrown Pilate in prison,’ Vespasian said, ‘for I’d heard all about his actions, and how he loved the prophet more than us. Now I wish to know,’ he said, ‘which of you did the prophet most harm, and who was most offended at his claim to be king, and how you behaved towards him from the first day you saw him; why you felt such hatred for him, and which of you were involved in the plot against him. Tell me everything, exactly as it happened.’

  When the Jews heard that Vespasian wished to learn the truth they were delighted, imagining it was for their benefit and Pilate’s downfall. So they told him exactly what they had done: how he had made himself king of kings, and why they hated him, and how Judas had betrayed him; and they pointed out the one who had paid the thirty pence and the ones who had captured Christ. Each one of them bragged of the foul things they had said and done. Then they told him how they had led him before Pilate.

  ‘But he wouldn’t pass judgement, so we killed him without leave. We had to take his death upon ourselves and our children, otherwise Pilate wouldn’t have allowed it. We pray you now, declare us relieved of this responsibility.’

  When Vespasian heard their treachery and wickedness, he had them all seized and kept under guard;6 and then he sent for Pilate.

  When Pilate came before him, Vespasian said: ‘You’re not as guilty of wrongdoing as I thought. But I mean to destroy all who were involved in the killing of the Lord who has cured me of my sickness, for they’ve made it plain why they put him to death.’

  Then Vespasian called for a great number of horses, and with four horses to each man he began to have the guilty torn to pieces. They were astounded to see him impose such justice and asked him why, and he said it was because they had killed Jesus Christ, and now they were all to suffer this death unless they delivered to him Christ’s body.

  ‘We gave it to Joseph,’ they replied, ‘and we don’t know what he’s done with it. But if Pilate gives us Joseph, we’ll give you Jesus Christ.’

  ‘You didn’t trust Joseph at all,’ said Pilate, ‘but had the body watched by your own guards. And now Christ’s disciples say they’ve seen him since, and that he is resurrected.’

  ‘All these people must die,’ said Vespasian, ‘unless they return the body to me.’

  He began to have more of them put to death – I cannot tell you the number – commanding them to deliver up either Jesus or Joseph. Then he had a great many more of them burnt. When the Jews saw they were all destined to die, one of them said: �
��Would my children and I be spared if I told you where to find Joseph?’

  ‘Yes,’ replied Vespasian; and the man led him to the tower where Joseph had been immured, and said: ‘I saw him imprisoned in this tower, sealed up under this great stone slab, for we feared Pilate would send people in search of him.’

  ‘How long ago was this?’ Vespasian asked.

  ‘On the third day after the prophet was crucified,’ he replied.

  ‘Why did you put him here?’ said Vespasian. ‘What wrong had he done you?’

  ‘He’d taken the prophet from us and hidden him where we couldn’t find him. We’d been robbed of the body and knew we’d be asked for it, so we decided to seize Joseph and lock him away to die, so that if we were asked for the prophet’s body we could say: if you can give us Joseph, we’ll give you Jesus’s body! For we didn’t think Joseph could survive. We heard the disciples saying Christ had risen from the dead: that’s why we took Joseph captive.’

  ‘Did you kill him before you threw him in prison?’ Vespasian asked.

  ‘No,’ he replied, ‘but we gave him a good beating for his crazy words!’

  ‘Do you think he’s dead now?’

  ‘How could he possibly be alive,’ he said, ‘after so long in here?’

  And Vespasian replied: ‘He might well have been saved by the one who healed me of my sickness as no other man could do – the very one on whose account he was imprisoned. He healed me, even though I had never done anything for him and had never even seen him. It was that very man for whose sake Joseph was imprisoned, and whose body was given to him. I cannot believe he would let Joseph die so wretchedly.’

  Then the stone slab was lifted, and Vespasian bent down and called to Joseph; but there was no reply. The others said: ‘It’s incredible, what you say. Do you really think this man could have survived so long?’

  ‘I will not believe he’s dead,’ Vespasian replied, ‘until I have seen him.’

  And he took a rope and called to Joseph again. And when no reply came he clambered down. When he reached the bottom he looked all around, and in one corner of the dungeon he saw a brilliant light. He commanded that the rope be pulled back up, leaving him there in the dungeon. Then he moved towards the light. When Joseph saw him he stood to meet him and said: ‘Welcome, Vespasian.’

  Vespasian was astonished to hear his name, and said: ‘Who are you who call my name, but wouldn’t reply when I called to you?’

  And he answered: ‘I am Joseph of Arimathea.’

  Vespasian was filled with joy, and said: ‘Blessed be the Lord who has saved you, for none but he could have done so.’

  They embraced each other with the greatest joy, and Vespasian asked Joseph: ‘Who told you my name?’

  And Joseph replied: ‘The one who is omniscient.’

  Then Vespasian asked if he knew the man who had healed him, and he replied: ‘Of what sickness did he cure you?’

  And Vespasian told him of his illness in every detail. Joseph was amazed by the story, and said: ‘I know him very well. Do you want to know his name and who he is? If you do, I’ll let you know what he commanded me to tell you.’

  ‘Yes indeed,’ said Vespasian, ‘I’d be very glad to hear it.’

  ‘Believe then,’ said Joseph, ‘that it is the Holy Spirit that created all things: Heaven and Earth, night and day and the four elements. The Holy Spirit created the angels, too; but the evil angels became full of pride and envy and wickedness – though as soon as they were so, Our Lord Jesus Christ knew it; and He cast them out of Heaven and for three days and three nights they fell like the heaviest rain that ever was; three generations of them fell to Hell and three to Earth and three into the air; and the three generations who fell to Hell undertook to torment souls, leading people into sin and then keeping records of their misdeeds: that is how they trick us. Those who are in the air [and on Earth7] are likewise bent upon deceiving us and bringing us to grief: they take many different forms to trick men and make them slaves of the Enemy. Thus it was that three times three generations fell; nine generations fell from Heaven, bringing to Earth evil deceit and wickedness. The angels who remain in Heaven strive to guide men, to keep them from sin – in the face of those who rebelled against Christ and turned from the spiritual state that He had willed to hatred, and whose reward was to lose, by His command, all spiritual joy. It was in contempt of them that Our Lord created man from the very basest mud. He made him just as it pleased Him, and gave him intelligence and light; and Our Lord declared that with this new creation He would fill the place vacated by the fallen angels. When the Devil realised that so base a being had risen to the glory from which he had fallen, he was filled with anger, and pondered deeply on how he could deceive him. After making man and placing him in paradise, Our Lord made woman out of man; and when the Devil knew this he strove with all his might to deceive him. First he tricked the woman, and the woman tricked the man. And when they had been led astray, Our Lord, who will not countenance sin, cast them out of paradise. And they conceived and gave birth to mankind; and the Devil wanted all mankind to be his, now that he had consented to do his bidding. But to save mankind, the Father, who is Lord of all things, sent His son to Earth to save His people, being born of the Virgin Mary. Since it was through woman that man had been delivered into the hands of the Devil, Our Lord, not wishing to do wrong, said it was through a woman that He would redeem all mankind. The Father fulfilled his promise to send His son Jesus Christ to Earth: He was born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary. He it was who walked the Earth for thirty-three years. He it was who performed the great miracles and wonderful deeds such as no other man has ever done. He it was that the Jews put to death on the cross. Because Eve committed sin with the apple, the Son had to die on a tree. And so it was that the Son came to Earth to die at the behest of His Father, and He was the son of the Virgin Mary, put to death by the Jews who would not recognise Him as Lord. It was He who healed you,8 and on whose account I am imprisoned. It was He who suffered agony to save mankind from the pains of Hell. And thus it was that the Son fulfilled the purpose of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and you must believe that these three are one and the same being, whose power is manifest in the fact that He healed you and brought you here and saved me. Believe, too, the commandments of His disciples, whom He has sent into the world to glorify His name and to keep sinners from the clutches of the Enemy.’

  ‘Joseph,’ Vespasian replied, ‘you have shown me clearly that He is Lord of all things, and that God is the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Just as you have said, so I believe, and will do so all the days of my life.’

  ‘As soon as you leave here,’ said Joseph, ‘seek Christ’s disciples who work in His name and who carry the commandments that He gave them in this world. And know this for certain: He is risen again, and has returned to His Father in the same flesh in which He walked the Earth.’

  Thus Joseph converted Vespasian to a firm belief in the true faith. Then Vespasian called to the people in the chamber above, and said he had found Joseph and wanted the tower destroyed. They were amazed, and said the man could not possibly be alive. But he commanded them to break down the tower quickly, and they did so at once. And as soon as it was done, Vespasian came out first and Joseph after. And when they saw him they were filled with wonder, and declared it was a mighty power indeed that had saved him.

  And so Vespasian freed Joseph from prison, and led him to where the Jews were gathered. When the Jews saw him they were astounded; and Vespasian said to them: ‘Will you deliver Jesus to me, if I give you Joseph?’

  ‘We gave him to Joseph!’ they replied. ‘Let him tell you what he’s done with him!’

  ‘You know very well what I did,’ said Joseph, ‘and you set your own guards to watch the place where I laid his body. But know this now: He is risen again, as Lord and God.’

  The Jews were horrified by his words; and Vespasian exacted such justice upon them as he pleased. As for the one who had told him where to f
ind Joseph, Vespasian threw him and his children upon the mercy of Christ by putting them in a boat and casting them out to sea. Then he came to Joseph and asked him: ‘Do you wish to save any of these people?’

  And Joseph answered: ‘Unless they believe in the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit and the Trinity, and that the Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary, they will perish in body and in soul.’

  Then Vespasian asked his retinue: ‘Do any of you wish to buy any of these Jews?’

  ‘Very gladly,’ they replied; and they did indeed buy some, Vespasian selling them at thirty for a penny.

  Now Joseph had a sister named Enigeus whose husband’s name was Bron, and Bron loved Joseph dearly. When Bron and his wife heard that Joseph had been found they were overjoyed and came to meet him and said: ‘Sir, we have come for your blessing.’

  Their words filled Joseph with joy, and he said to them: ‘Not for my blessing, but for the blessing of the one who was born of the Virgin Mary and who kept me alive in prison, and in whom we shall believe for evermore.’

  Then Joseph asked them if they could find more people who would be willing to believe in the Trinity and in God; and they went and spoke with others and found many who said they would believe in Joseph’s words.

  And so the Jews came before Joseph and said they would believe in Jesus. Hearing this, Joseph said: ‘Don’t tell me lies or you’ll suffer for it, for Vespasian says you’ll pay a more terrible price if you do.’

  ‘We could never lie to you,’ they said.

  ‘If you wish to follow my belief,’ said Joseph, ‘you will not stay in your homes and estates, but will come with me into exile and give up everything for the sake of God and me.’

  Then Vespasian pardoned them. And thus it was that he avenged the death of Christ.

  *

  Joseph often told his company of the good words of Our Lord, and he set them to work upon the land. For some time all went well; but later, as I shall explain, all their work and labour was fruitless. This was the case for a long while, until they could bear it no more. This misfortune and misery had befallen them because they had embarked upon a sinful course which cost them very dearly: it was the sin of unbridled lust. When they had reached the point where they could abide it no longer, they came to Bron, who was very dear to Joseph, and said to him: