But Perceval was downcast at this, and excused himself as kindly as he could, for he had no desire to stay.
‘Damsel,’ he said, ‘I’m eager to do your will: I’ll do whatever you reasonably ask. But at the court of the great King Arthur I vowed to lie no more than one night wherever I took lodging until I’d fulfilled my quest. I’d have you honour this.’
At this time it was the custom that a man would rather be beheaded than break his oath, and when the damsel heard his words she said: ‘Truly, sir, anyone who made you break your promise would be no friend to you: I wouldn’t dare to plead against what you’ve said. But I’d ask this much: that if God grants you success in your quest, you’ll return to me swiftly.’
‘Damsel,’ he replied, ‘there’s no need to ask! There’s nothing I desire so much as to spend time with you, if God grants that I achieve my goal.’
With that he asked her leave and called for his arms. Hearing this, she said: ‘In God’s name, sir, what do you mean? Won’t you stay with me tonight?’
‘It’s impossible, lady,’ he replied. ‘I’d be breaking my oath, for I’ve already lain here before.’
The damsel was desperately upset, but saw there was nothing she could do; so she commended him to God – weeping as she did so, for she would much rather he had stayed than gone. But Perceval had no desire to sin, and Our Lord was not willing to let him. So he left her, and once he was on his way he rode at great speed, and slept that night in the forest.
*
And I tell you, after that he rode for seven years through the lands and forests in search of adventures, and every adventure and marvel and test of chivalry he encountered he brought to a successful outcome. And in those seven years he sent more than a hundred prisoners to the court of the great King Arthur. But for all the wonders he found and the things he saw, he could not find the house of his grandfather the rich Fisher King, and he became so distracted and lost his senses and memory to such a degree that in those seven years he gave no thought to God and never set foot in any holy church or minster. And on the day of the blessed cross when Our Lord suffered death for sinners, Perceval was riding along, fully armed, ready to defend himself and to do others damage if he met with a challenge; but what he met was a band of ladies and knights with heads bowed, wrapped in cloaks and hoods, praying to Christ for forgiveness for their sins. They stopped him and asked what could possibly be the matter, that on the day when Our Lord suffered on the cross he should be armed and ready to kill men and to seek adventures. When Perceval heard them speak of God he was brought back to his senses by the will of Christ, and he deeply repented of his long madness and swiftly disarmed. And the story says that, by the will of God, he found his way to the house of his uncle the hermit, where his sister had once taken him to make confession. And he made confession now, and accepted the penance he imposed, and stayed with him for two months.
But Chrétien de Troyes says nothing of this – nor do the other trouvères who have turned these stories into jolly rhymes. But we tell only what matters to the story: the things that Merlin dictated to his master Blaise who lived in Northumberland, and who was so old that he could barely support himself. Merlin saw and knew exactly what befell Perceval each day, and he had Blaise record these adventures for the worthy people who would be eager to hear them told. And we find in Blaise’s writings, dictated with authority by Merlin, that Perceval stayed at his uncle’s house for two months. Now, by the time he arrived there, his sister had died and passed from this world. He said: ‘Sir, I’m going to go and see my sister, for I love her dearly.’
And when the hermit heard this he began to weep, and replied: ‘Dear nephew, you’ll never see her again, for she died a year and a half ago. I was most upset when I heard of her death, and went and had her brought back here, and buried her outside my house.’
When Perceval heard his sister had passed away he was filled with grief: he could not have stopped weeping for all the gold in the world. And he said to his uncle: ‘In God’s name, sir, take me to where my sister lies, who loved me so much.’
‘Gladly,’ said the worthy man, and he led him straight to her tomb and said: ‘Dear nephew, this is where your sister lies buried.’
At this Perceval began to weep; and together they said prayers for her soul. After they had prayed the hermit said to him: ‘Dear nephew, why don’t you go to your family home – to the house of Alain li Gros, your father and my brother? You are its master now.’
‘So help me God, sir,’ he replied, ‘I wouldn’t go there for all King Arthur’s kingdom! It would grieve me terribly to see my father’s house bereft of loved ones, for I wouldn’t find a soul there that I knew.’
‘It wouldn’t be like that, dear nephew, truly,’ said the hermit; but Perceval said: ‘Uncle, I’m going now by your leave. And I tell you, I’ll never rest until I’ve found the house of my grandfather – your father.’
When the hermit heard this he said: ‘Dear nephew, I shall pray to Our Lord, the Lord God Jesus Christ, that He may guide you there.’
*
With that Perceval took his leave and departed, and rode on through the forest until the eighth day of Pentecost. All that day he rode till none14 without encountering any adventure; then he looked ahead and saw four squires riding along, each with a shield slung at his neck. They were leading horses and packhorses by the bridle, and pulling a cart laden with lances. As soon as he saw them Perceval spurred after them, and asked where they were taking all that equipment and in whose service they were.
‘Good sir,’ they replied, ‘we serve Melian de Lis, and we’re on our way to the tournament that’s taking place at the White Castle, home of one of the loveliest damsels in the world. All who’ve seen her swear that if the beautiful features of all the world’s ladies were combined in one they wouldn’t match hers! And her beauty is equalled by her wealth. Many knights have asked for her hand, and counts and dukes and other lords, but she refuses to listen to any of them! But now the lady of the White Castle has announced a tournament to be held in the presence of this illustrious daughter of hers, with the promise that whoever wins the tourney will have the damsel – no matter how poor a young knight he may be, for she will make him a rich man, placing her and all she possesses at his command. I tell you, whoever God blesses with such fortune will be the wealthiest man in the world and the best provided in the land of Britain, except King Arthur. That’s why Sir Melian de Lis is going there, for he’s been in love with her for a good while and longs to win the tournament and have the damsel for his wife.’
Then Perceval asked them when they thought the tournament would be, and they replied: ‘In three days from now, good sir.’
And he asked if there would be many knights there. One of the boys laughed and said: ‘There’s no need to ask that, sir knight! For the tournament was announced at the court of the great King Arthur, and I know for sure that all the knights of the Round Table will be coming, for they all returned at Pentecost from the quest of the Grail where they’ve had no success at all. King Arthur held the greatest feast at Pentecost that he’s ever done, and that’s when the tourney was announced; and I tell you, more than five thousand will be coming from his court. I know Sir Gawain’s coming, and Lancelot of the Lake, and Kay the seneschal and Bedivere; and Mordred and Guirres and Garries, Sir Gawain’s three brothers. Kay the seneschal boasted before all the barons that he would win her hand by deeds of arms and bring her back to Arthur’s court! The knights found this hilarious and ludicrous, and even King Arthur – after a stern rebuke – kept mocking him. The king also said that if Perceval heard of the tournament he’d be there, and that he’d find no-one who could withstand him, for he’s sent more than a hundred and fifty knights as prisoners to Arthur’s court. The king’s very upset that Perceval’s not there with him now, and is sure he’s dead. We’ve told you the truth about what you asked: now tell us if you’ll come with us.’
Perceval replied that he wouldn’t for the time bei
ng, and the boy said: ‘You’re right, so help me God, for it wouldn’t help you much in achieving your goal.’
And with that the boys left Perceval and continued their journey. Perceval headed the other way, but thought he would make for the tournament. He rode on at a walk until evening, when he looked ahead along the path and saw a modest vassal’s house, all enclosed by a wall. Perceval was very pleased to find this, and rode swiftly up and found the nobleman sitting on the bridge, and six boys with him, all watching passers by on their way to the tournament. As soon as the gentleman saw Perceval approaching he stepped forward to greet him, welcoming him heartily and gladly offering him lodging. Perceval was delighted and thanked him deeply and dismounted at once. The boys jumped up and helped him to disarm, and one took his horse to the stable and made him as comfortable as he could while the others took his arms to a chamber, leaving him quite undressed. The gentleman looked at him in admiration, for he was the most handsome knight in the world, and muttered to himself, out of Perceval’s hearing: ‘It would be a great shame if such a handsome knight lacked valour.’
Then two boys came and dressed him in a mantle, and he sat beside the gentleman and watched the stream of knights and equipment that was passing that way. He asked him if it was far to the White Castle, and he replied: ‘You’ll be there in the morning before prime.’15
Then Perceval asked: ‘Have many knights passed by today on their way to the tourney?’
‘Just before you arrived,’ he replied, ‘the knights of Arthur’s court came by. I tell you, there were more than five hundred in the company, with the most magnificent equipment you ever saw.’
When Perceval heard this he was overjoyed. They sat there until nightfall, when the gentleman asked his servants if they could eat soon, and they said: ‘Yes, in just a moment.’
So he went up to the hall, taking Perceval by the hand and treating him with the greatest honour. He gave orders for the tables to be set and it was done at once. And when all was ready his wife came from her chamber, accompanied by her two daughters, who were beautiful, intelligent and well-mannered girls. They gave Perceval a most noble welcome, and were seated at the table beside him. The lady and her daughters paid Perceval a deal of attention that night: they were sure they had never seen a knight so handsome. After they had dined the table was cleared away, and the gentleman asked Perceval if he had come that way because of the tournament. Perceval replied: ‘I was only told about it yesterday by Melian de Lis’s squires: they were on their way there with his equipment.’
‘He’s the one for whom the tournament’s being held!’ the gentleman said. ‘The vespers16 are due to take place tomorrow. If I may be so bold, I’d ask you to come with me.’
‘Dear host,’ Perceval replied, ‘I’d be glad to repay you by doing so, but I’ll not take up arms tomorrow at any price.’
‘I shan’t press you against your will,’ he said.
Then the beds were prepared, and four boys took Perceval to lie in a splendid bed until the next morning, when the boys were soon up and about in the courtyard; and as soon as Perceval saw it was light he arose to find that the gentleman of the house was already up; and they went to hear mass in a most handsome chapel. And when mass had been sung they returned to the hall and ate with great pleasure, after which the gentleman went down to the yard and called for the horses to be made ready. He had Perceval’s arms loaded on a packhorse; then they mounted at once and went to see the tournament.
It had begun with fearsome vigour. Before they even got there the tourneyers’ banners had appeared on the field; there were so many handsome shields and magnificent horses to be seen, and splendid arms and rich silken banners: never in Arthur’s time had a tournament been graced with so much fine armour and so many fine knights. And I tell you, Melian de Lis had ridden onto the field magnificently armed, with a gold shield superbly emblazoned with two lions, and around his arm was tied the sleeve of the damsel of the castle. With the utmost pride he rode, accompanied by fifty knights in splendid array. Then the heralds cried:
‘On with your helms!’
– at which there was a great roar, and the hearts of cowards trembled. You never saw a tournament engaged with such fury: Melian de Lis went charging ahead of everyone, faster than an arrow from a bow, desperate to impress his love with his chivalry; and as soon as Sir Gawain saw him he charged to meet him, and they came at one another faster than a falcon or a swallow and exchanged such awesome blows with their lances that their shields split and shattered; but the lances were stopped by their mailcoats and the broken shafts flew skywards, and they rode past each other, heads held high, neither having lost his stirrups.
Then the companies assembled rapidly, and charged at each other to strike through shield and mailcoat; and when lances splintered, swords were drawn. There you would have seen the most fearsome tournament ever witnessed, with banners charging one at another in more than five hundred places. Melian de Lis charged time and again, winning horses and sending them back to the damsel in the castle, much to her delight. On the wall of the White Castle, I promise you, more than three hundred ladies and damsels stood watching, pointing out to each other the most accomplished knights, inspiring all those involved in the tournament to drive themselves to the limit. Sir Gawain and Lancelot and the knights of the Round Table were ploughing through the battle-lines, toppling every knight they met; and on the other side Melian de Lis and his company were performing wonders. The tournament continued until nightfall when it finally broke up. Sir Gawain and Yvain and Lancelot and Kay the seneschal had all done brilliantly, but so had Melian de Lis, and the ladies of the castle did not know who should have the prize: they said they had all performed so well that they could not choose a winner. The damsel said that Melian de Lis had done best, but her mother, the lady of the White Castle, did not agree, and most of them declared in favour of Gawain. A great argument broke out, until the damsel said: ‘Tomorrow we’ll see who’s the finest and who should have the prize!’
They left it at that. And Melian de Lis entered the castle, as did Sir Gawain and Lancelot and Kay the seneschal and the knights of the Round Table; and I tell you, such magnificent lodging was never seen at any tournament.
Meanwhile, when the vespers tourneying broke up, Perceval returned with his host to his castle, which was not far away; and as soon as they dismounted boys came out to meet them, and took their horses away and stabled them splendidly. Perceval and his host took each other by the hand and climbed up to the hall, where the gentleman called for the table to be set, which was done at once, and they sat down to dine. Then he began to talk of the tournament, and asked Perceval who he thought had done best; and Perceval replied that the one with the gold shield with the two lions had performed like a very good knight, but the one with the white shield had done best of all.
‘The one with the gold shield with the two lions,’ said his host, ‘was Melian de Lis, and the knight with the white shield was King Arthur’s nephew Gawain.’
‘I wouldn’t exchange donning my arms and jousting tomorrow,’ said Perceval then, ‘for a mound of gold as big as this castle! And, by God, I’d like Gawain and Melian de Lis to fight on the same side, so that I could joust against them!’
When the gentleman and his daughters heard this they were overjoyed, and he said to Perceval: ‘I’ll take up arms, too, out of love for you, and accompany you tomorrow!’
Perceval was delighted and thanked him heartily. And so it was agreed; and soon the time came for them to take to their beds.
They slept till morning when Perceval and his host arose and went to hear mass in the chapel; and after mass they returned to the hall and breakfasted on bread and wine. Then the elder of the gentleman’s daughters came and asked Perceval out of love for her to wear her sleeve at the tournament. He was pleased indeed, and said that out of love for her he hoped to do greater feats of arms that day than he had ever done before: her father was filled with joy. Then the boys mounted with all the e
quipment, and Perceval and his host did likewise, and off they rode to the White Castle.
By the time they reached the place where the tourneyers were lodged they were arming and some were already mounted. They looked at all the knights, and the ladies and damsels who had climbed up to the walls, and when Perceval saw they were all preparing he called for his arms and clad himself in splendid armour that he had borrowed from his host – he did not want to use his own because he wished to go unrecognised. And know this: Melian de Lis had lodged that night with Sir Gawain, and they had brashly determined to smash the outsiders.17 The damsels were not pleased, for the day before he had been against Sir Gawain; but the lady’s daughter was willing to forgive them, saying that the outsiders had gained three new banners since the previous day, so the castle company would struggle without Melian’s help. The outsiders were dismayed at the news, but Saigremor said it was not going to stop him engaging; and when Perceval heard the news he was elated, and said to his host: ‘They’ll wish they’d stayed out of it altogether!’
Then the tourneyers came riding from the castle, and both sides deployed in magnificent array. As soon as they were in order the squires and heralds cried:
‘On with your helms!’
And at that cry you would have seen both sides surge forward, and the knight with the swiftest horse was a happy man indeed. Melian de Lis went charging ahead of them all, and Perceval’s heart leapt at the sight of him. He charged to meet him furiously, the damsel’s sleeve on his arm; and when the damsels on the wall saw him they all said together: ‘Look there – the most handsome knight you ever beheld!’
They came galloping with all the speed their mounts could summon, and shattered their lances on their shields, the splinters flying skyward; and Perceval, brimming with strength and courage, struck him so mightily on chest and helm that he sent him crashing to the ground, almost breaking his neck; his right arm indeed was broken in two, and he fainted with the pain fully fourteen times. Perceval had spurred to such a speed that as he galloped on past he met Kay the seneschal, and struck him such a blow that he did not know whether it was day or night, and sent him flying from his horse and left him stretched out on the ground. When the outsiders saw Perceval’s wondrous feat of chivalry they went spurring after him; Sir Gawain and Lancelot charged to meet them, and the companies clashed so mightily that they made the earth tremble. Saigremor the Rash, who had joined the outsiders, fought splendidly, and performed such feats of arms that day that he earned the praise and admiration of all who saw him. Lancelot and Sir Gawain for their part fought awesomely, and made the battle-lines buckle before them. But Perceval surpassed all other knights, bringing horse and rider crashing to the ground whenever he met an opponent; and the ladies and damsels on the wall said that the woman who had given him her sleeve had chosen well, for whoever won that knight’s love should count herself lucky – he toppled every knight he met. So said the damsels who were watching from the tower. Sir Gawain was most upset at seeing Perceval do such damage to his company, and he collected a lance from a squire and came charging at him; but when Perceval saw him he showed little fear, even though he knew Gawain to be a most worthy knight. They exchanged great blows on their shields – their lances shattered and flew into splinters – and they struck each other mightily as they passed; Sir Gawain had the worst of it, both he and his horse crashing to the ground, and his horse broke his neck and died.
Merlin and the Grail Page 23
