Le Morte Darthur: The Winchester Manuscript (Oxford World's Classics)

by Malory, Thomas

  So the king held him there four days, and on the morrow he took his leave at King Pelles and at all the fellowship, and thanked them of the great labour.

  Right so as they sat at their dinner in the chief hall, it befell that the Sangrail had fulfilled the tables with all meats that any heart might think. And as they sat they saw all the doors of the palace and windows shut without man’s hand; so they were all abashed. So a knight which was all armed came to the chief door and knocked, and cried, ‘Undo!’ But they would not; and ever he cried, ‘Undo!’ So it annoyed them so much that the king himself arose and came to a window there where the knight called. Then he said, ‘Sir knight, ye shall not enter at this time while the Sangrail is here, and therefore go into another fortress. For ye be none of the knights of the Quest, but one of them which have served the fiend, and hast left the service of Our Lord.’

  Then he was passing wroth at the king’s words.

  ‘Sir knight,’ said the king, ‘since ye would so fain enter, tell me of what country ye be.’

  ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘I am of the realm of Logris, and my name is Sir Ector de Maris, brother unto my lord Sir Lancelot.’

  ‘In the name of God,’ said the king, ‘me forthinks of that I have said, for your brother is herein.’

  When Sir Ector de Maris understood that his brother was there, for he was the man in the world that he most dreaded and loved, then he said, ‘Ah, good Lord, now doubleth my sorrow and shame! Full truly said the good man of the hill unto Gawain and to me of our dreams.’ Then went he out of the court as fast as his horse might, and so throughout the castle.

  [17]

  Then King Pelles came to Sir Lancelot and told him tidings of his brother; anon he was sorry therefor, that he wist not what to do. So Sir Lancelot departed and took his arms, and said he would go see the realm of Logris which he had not seen afore in a year; and therewith commended the king to God, and so rode through many realms.

  And at the last he came to a white abbey, and there they made him that night great cheer. And on the morn he arose and heard Mass; and before an altar he found a rich tomb, which was newly made. And then he took heed and saw the sides written with gold which said, ‘Here lieth King Bagdemagus of Gore, which King Arthur’s nephew slew’—and named him, Sir Gawain. Then was he not a little sorry, for Sir Lancelot loved him much more than any other (and had it been any other than Sir Gawain, he should not escape from the death); and said to himself, ‘Ah, Lord God, this is a great hurt unto King Arthur’s court, the loss of such a man.’

  And then he departed and came to the abbey where Sir Galahad did the adventure of the tombs and won the white shield with the red cross. And there had he great cheer all that night, and on the morn he turned to Camelot, where he found King Arthur and the Queen. But many of the knights of the Round Table were slain and destroyed, more than half. And so three of them were come home, Sir Ector, Gawain, and Lionel, and many other that needeth not now to rehearse. And all the court was passing glad of Sir Lancelot, and the King asked him many tidings of his son Sir Galahad.

  And there Sir Lancelot told the King of his adventures that befell him since he departed. And also he told him of the adventures of Sir Galahad, Sir Percival, and Sir Bors, which that he knew by the letter of the dead maiden, and also as Sir Galahad had told him.

  ‘Now would God’, said the King, ‘that they were all three here.’

  ‘That shall never be,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘for two of them shall ye never see; but one of them shall come home again.’

  Now leaveth this tale and speaketh of Sir Galahad.

  Of Sir Galahad

  [18]

  Now saith the tale that Sir Galahad rode many journeys in vain; and at the last he came to the abbey where King Mordrains* was, and when he heard that, he thought he would abide to see him. And so upon the morn, when he had heard Mass, Sir Galahad came unto King Mordrains; and anon the king saw him, which had lain blind of long time. And then he dressed him against him, and said, ‘Sir Galahad, the servant of Jesu Christ and very knight, whose coming I have abided long, now embrace me and let me rest on thy breast, so that I may rest between thine arms. For thou art a clean virgin above all knights, as the flower of the lily in whom virginity is signified; and thou art the rose which is the flower of all good virtue, and in colour of fire. For the fire of the Holy Ghost is taken so in thee that my flesh which was all dead of oldness is become again young.’

  When Sir Galahad heard his words, then he embraced him and all his body. Then said he, ‘Fair Lord Jesu Christ, now I have my will, now I require Thee, in this point that I am in, Thou come and visit me.’

  And anon Our Lord heard his prayer, and therewith the soul departed from the body. And then Sir Galahad put him in the earth as a king ought to be; and so departed, and came into a perilous forest where he found the well the which boiled with great waves, as the tale telleth before. And as soon as Sir Galahad set his hand thereto, it ceased, so that it burned no more, and anon the heat departed away. And cause why that it burned, it was a sign of lechery, that was that time much used; but that heat might not abide his pure virginity. And so this was taken in the country for a miracle, and so ever after was it called Galahad’s well.*

  [19]

  And so he rode five days till that he came to the Maimed King. And ever followed Sir Percival the five days where he had been; and so one told him how the adventures of Logris were achieved. So on a day it befell that he came out of a great forest, and there met they at traverse* with Sir Bors, which rode alone—it is no rede* to ask if they were glad. And so he saluted them, and they yielded to him honour and good adventure, and each told other how they had sped.

  Then said Bors, ‘It is more than a year and a half that I lay ten times where men dwelled, but in wild forests and in mountains; but God was ever my comfort.’

  Then rode they a great while till that they came to the castle of Carbonek. And when they were entered within, King Pelles knew them; so there was great joy, for he wist well by their coming that they had fulfilled the Sangrail.*

  And anon alit a voice among them, and said, ‘They that ought not to sit at the table of Our Lord Jesu Christ, avoid hence, for now there shall very* knights be fed.’

  So they went thence, all save King Pelles and Eliazar his son, which were holy men, and a maid which was his niece; and so these three knights and these three were there—else were no more. And anon they saw knights all armed that came in at the hall door and did off their helms and arms, and said unto Sir Galahad, ‘Sir, we have hied right much for to be with you at this table where the holy meat shall be departed.’*

  Then said he, ‘Ye be welcome; but of whence be ye?’ So three of them said they were of Gaul, and other three said they were of Ireland, and other three said they were of Denmark.

  And so as they sat thus there came out a bed of tree* from a chamber, which four gentlewomen brought; and in the bed lay a good man sick, and had a crown of gold upon his head. And there in the midst of the palace they set him down, and went again.

  Then he lifted up his head and said, ‘Sir Galahad, good knight, ye be right welcome; for much have I desired your coming, for in such pain and in such anguish I have suffered long. But now I trust to God the term is come that my pain shall be allayed and I soon pass out of this world, so as it was promised me long ago.’

  And therewith a voice said, ‘There be two among you that be not in the quest of the Sangrail, and therefore depart.’

  [20]

  Then King Pelles and his son departed. And therewith beseemed them that there came an old man and four angels from heaven, clothed in likeness of a bishop, and had a cross in his hand; and these four angels bore him up in a chair, and set him down before the table of silver whereupon the Sangrail was. And it seemed that he had in the midst of his forehead letters which said, ‘See you here Joseph, the first bishop of Christendom, the same which Our Lord succoured in the city of Sarras in the spiritual palace.’

  Then
the knights marvelled, for that bishop was dead more than three hundred years before.

  ‘Ah, knights,’ said he, ‘marvel not, for I was sometime an earthly man.’

  So with that they heard the chamber door open, and there they saw angels; and two bore candles of wax, and the third bore a towel, and the fourth a spear which bled marvellously, that the drops fell within a box which he held with his other hand. And anon they set the candles upon the table, and the third the towel upon the vessel, and the fourth the holy spear even upright upon the vessel. And then the bishop made semblant as though he would have gone to the sacring of a Mass, and then he took an oblay* which was made in likeness of bread. And at the lifting up there came a figure in likeness of a child, and the visage was as red and as bright as any fire, and smote himself into the bread, that they all saw it that the bread was formed of a fleshly man.* And then he put it into the holy vessel again, and then he did that longed to a priest to do Mass.

  And then he went to Sir Galahad and kissed him, and bade him go and kiss his fellows; and so he did anon.

  ‘Now,’ said he, ‘the servants of Jesu Christ, ye shall be fed afore this table with sweet meats that never knights yet tasted.’ And when he had said, he vanished away. And they set them at the table in great dread, and made their prayers.

  Then looked they and saw a man come out of the holy vessel, that had all the signs of the passion of Jesu Christ bleeding all openly, and said, ‘My knights and my servants and my true children, which be come out of deadly life into the spiritual life, I will now no longer cover me from you, but ye shall see now a part of my secrets and of my hidden things. Now hold and receive the high order and meat which ye have so much desired.’

  Then took He Himself the holy vessel and came to Sir Galahad; and he kneeled down and he received his Saviour. And after him so received all his fellows; and they thought it so sweet that it was marvellous to tell.

  Then said He to Sir Galahad, ‘Son, wotest thou what I hold betwixt my hands?’

  ‘Nay,’ said he, ‘but if Ye tell me.’

  ‘This is,’ said He, ‘the holy dish wherein I ate the lamb on Easter Day.* And now hast thou seen that thou most desired to see; but yet hast thou not seen it so openly as thou shalt see it in the city of Sarras in the spiritual palace. Therefore thou must go hence and bear with thee this holy vessel; for this night it shall depart from the realm of Logris, and it shall never more be seen here. And knowest thou wherefore? For it is not served nor worshipped to its right by them of this land, for they be turned to evil living; and therefore I shall disinherit them of the honour which I have done them. And therefore go ye three unto the sea, where ye shall find your ship ready; and with you take the sword with the strange girdles, and no more with you but Sir Percival and Sir Bors. Also I will that ye take with you of this blood of this spear for to anoint the Maimed King, both his legs and his body, and he shall have his health.’

  ‘Sir,’ said Galahad, ‘why shall not these other fellows go with us?’

  ‘For this cause: for right as I departed my apostles one here and another there, so I will that ye depart. And two of you shall die in my service, and one of you shall come again and tell tidings.’ Then gave He them His blessing and vanished away.

  [21]

  And Sir Galahad went anon to the spear which lay upon the table, and touched the blood with his fingers, and came after to the Maimed King and anointed his legs and his body. And therewith he clothed him anon, and started upon his feet out of his bed as a whole man, and thanked God that He had healed him. And anon he left the world and yielded himself to a place of religion of white monks, and was a full holy man.

  And that same night about midnight came a voice among them which said, ‘My sons and not my chief sons, my friends and not my enemies, go ye hence where ye hope best to do, and as I bade you do.’

  ‘Ah, thanked be Thou, Lord, that Thou wilt vouchsafe to call us Thy sons. Now may we well prove that we have not lost our pains.’

  And anon in all haste they took their harness and departed. But the three knights of Gaul—one of them hight Claudine, King Claudas’ son, and the other two were great gentlemen—then prayed Sir Galahad to each of them, that and they came to King Arthur’s court, ‘to salute my lord Sir Lancelot, my father, and them all of the Round Table’—if they came on that part, not to forget it.

  Right so departed Sir Galahad, and Sir Percival and Sir Bors with him. And so they rode three days, and then they came to a rivage* and found the ship whereof the tale speaketh of before. And when they came to the board they found in the midst the table of silver which they had left with the Maimed King, and the Sangrail which was covered with red samite. Then were they glad to have such things in their fellowship, and so they entered and made great reverence thereto.

  And Sir Galahad fell on his knees and prayed long time to Our Lord, that at what time he asked, he might pass out of this world. And so long he prayed till a voice said, ‘Sir Galahad, thou shalt have thy request; and when thou askest the death of thy body thou shalt have it, and then shalt thou have the life of thy soul.’

  Then Sir Percival heard him a little, and prayed him of fellowship that was between them wherefore he asked such things.

  ‘Sir, that shall I tell you,’ said Sir Galahad. ‘This other day when we saw a part of the adventures of the Sangrail, I was in such joy of heart that I trow never earthly man was. And therefore I wot well, when my body is dead my soul shall be in great joy to see the Blessed Trinity every day, and the majesty of Our Lord Jesu Christ.’

  And so long were they in the ship that they said to Sir Galahad, ‘Sir, in this bed ye ought to lie, for so saith the letters.’ And so he laid him down and slept a great while. And when he awoke he looked before him and saw the city of Sarras; and as they would have landed, they saw the ship wherein Sir Percival had put his sister in.

  ‘Truly,’ said Sir Percival, ‘in the name of God, well hath my sister held us covenant.’

  Then took* they out of the ship the table of silver, and he took it to Sir Percival and to Sir Bors to go before, and Sir Galahad came behind, and right so they went into the city. And at the gate of the city they saw an old man crooked; and anon Sir Galahad called him and bade him, ‘Help to bear this heavy thing!’

  ‘Truly,’ said the old man, ‘it is ten years ago that I might not go but with crutches.’

  ‘Care thou not,’ said Sir Galahad, ‘arise up and show thy good will.’

  And so he assayed, and found himself as whole as ever he was. Then ran he to the table, and took one part against Galahad. Anon rose there a great noise in the city, that a cripple was made whole by marvellous knights that entered into the city.

  Then anon after, the three knights went to the water, and brought up into the palace Sir Percival’s sister, and buried her as richly as they ought a king’s daughter.

  [22]

  And when the king of that country knew that and saw that fellowship—his name was Estorause—he asked them of whence they were, and what thing it was that they had brought upon the table of silver. And they told him the truth of the Sangrail, and the power which God had set there. Then this king was a great tyrant and was come of the line of paynims,* and took them and put them in prison in a deep hole. But as soon as they were there Our Lord sent them the Sangrail, through whose grace they were always filled while they were in prison.

  So at the year’s end it befell that this king lay sick, and felt that he should die. Then he sent for the three knights, and they came before him; and he cried them mercy of that he had done to them, and they forgave him goodly, and he died anon.

  When the king was dead all the city stood dismayed, and wist not who might be their king. Right so as they were in counsel, there came a voice down among them and bade them choose the youngest knight of three to be their king: ‘For he shall well maintain you and all yours.’

  So they made Sir Galahad king by all the assent of the whole city, and else they would have slain him.
And when he was come to his land,* he let make above the table of silver a chest of gold and of precious stones that covered the holy vessel; and every day early these three knights would come before it and make their prayers.

  Now at the year’s end, and the self Sunday after that Sir Galahad had borne the crown of gold, he arose up early and his fellows, and came to the palace; and saw before them the holy vessel, and a man kneeling on his knees in likeness of a bishop that had about him a great fellowship of angels, as it had been Jesu Christ Himself. And then he arose and began a Mass of Our Lady. And so he came to the sacring,* and anon made an end.

  He called Sir Galahad unto him and said, ‘Come forth, the servant of Jesu Christ, and thou shalt see that thou hast much desired to see.’

  And then he began to tremble right hard when the deadly flesh* began to behold the spiritual things. Then he held up his hands toward heaven and said, ‘Lord, I thank Thee, for now I see that that hath been my desire many a day. Now, my blessed Lord, I would not live in this wretched world no longer, if it might please Thee, Lord.’

  And therewith the good man took Our Lord’s body betwixt his hands and proffered it to Sir Galahad, and he received it right gladly and meekly.

  ‘Now wotest thou what I am?’ said the good man.

  ‘Nay, sir,’ said Sir Galahad.

  ‘I am Joseph, the son of Joseph of Arimathea, which Our Lord hath sent to thee to bear thee fellowship. And wotest thou wherefore He hath sent me more than any other? For thou hast resembled me in two things: that thou hast seen the marvels of the Sangrail; and for thou hast been a clean maid, as I have been and am.’

  And when he had said these words, Sir Galahad went to Sir Percival and kissed him, and commended him to God. And so he went to Sir Bors and kissed him, and commended him to God, and said, ‘My fair lord, salute me unto my lord Sir Lancelot, my father, and as soon as ye see him, bid him remember of this world unstable.’