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The High History of the Holy Graal

U >> Unkown >> The High History of the Holy Graal




"Lancelot," saith Messire Gawain, "I would that he had wounded
me, so I were not too sore harmed thereof, so that I might have
been with him so long time as were you."

"Lords," saith the King, "Behoveth you go on quest of him or I
will go, for I am bound to beseech his aid on behalf of a damsel
that asked me thereof, but she told me that, so she might find
him first, I should be quit of her request."

"Sir," saith the Queen, "You will do a right great service and
you may counsel her herein, for sore discounselled is she. She
hath told me that she was daughter of Alain li Gros of the
Valleys of Camelot, and that her mother's name is Yglais, and her
own Dindrane."

"Ha, Lady," saith Messire Gawain, "She is sister to the knight
that hath borne away the shield, for I lay at her mother's house
wherein I was right well lodged."

"By my head," saith the Queen, "it may well be, for so soon as
she came in hither, the brachet that would have acquaintance with
none, made her great joy, and when the knight came to seek the
shield, the brachet, that had remained in the hall, played gladly
with him and went."

"By my faith," saith Messire Gawain, "I will go in quest of the
knight, for right great desire have I to see him."

"And I," saith Lancelot, "Never so glad have I been to see him
aforetime as I should be now."

"Howsoever it be," saith the King, "I pray you so speed my
business that the damsel shall not be able to plain her of me."


V.

"Sir," saith Lancelot, "We will tell him and we may find him,
that his sister is gone in quest of him, and that she hath been
at your court."

The two knights depart from the court to enter on the quest of
the Good Knight, and leave the castle far behind them and ride in
the midst of a high forest until they find a cross in the midst
of a launde, there where all the roads of the forest join
together.

"Lancelot," saith Messire Gawain, "Choose which road soever you
will, and so let each go by himself, so that we may the sooner
hear tidings of the Good Knight, and let us meet together again
at this cross at the end of a year and let either tell other how
he hath sped, for please God in one place or another we shall
hear tidings of him."

Lancelot taketh the way to the right, and Messire Gawain to the
left. Therewithal they depart and commend them one another to
God.



BRANCH XIII.

TITLE I.

Here the story is silent of Lancelot, and saith that Messire
Gawain goeth a great pace riding, and prayeth God that He will so
counsel him that he may find the knight. He rideth until the day
cometh to decline, and he lay in the house of a hermit in the
forest, that lodged him well.

"Sir," saith the hermit to Messire Gawain, "Whom do you go seek?"

"Sir," saith he, "I am in quest of a knight that I would see
right gladly."

"Sir," saith the hermit, "In this neighbourhood will you find no
knight."

"Wherefore not?" saith Messire Gawain, "Be there no knights in
this country?"

"There was wont to be plenty," saith the hermit, "But now no
longer are there any, save one all alone in a castle and one all
alone on the sea that have chased away and slain all the others."

"And who is the one of the sea?" saith Messire Gawain.

"Sir," saith the hermit, "I know not who he is, save only that
the sea is hard by here, where the ship runneth oftentimes
wherein the knight is, and he repaireth to an island that is
under the castle of the Queen of the Maidens, from whence he
chased an uncle of his that warred upon the castle, and the other
knights that he had chased thence and slain were helping his
uncle, so that now the castle is made sure. And the knights that
might flee from this forest and this kingdom durst not repair
thither for the knight, for they dread his hardiment and his
great might, sith that they know well they might not long endure
against him."

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "Is it so long a space sithence that
he hath haunted the sea?"

"Sir," saith the hermit, "It is scarce more than a twelvemonth."

"And how nigh is this to the sea?" saith Messire Gawain.

"Sir," saith the hermit, "It is not more than two leagues Welsh.
When I have gone forth to my toil, many a time have I seen the
ship run close by me, and the knight, all armed, within, and
meseemed he was of right great comeliness, and had as passing
proud a look as any lion. But I can well tell you never was
knight so dreaded in this kingdom as is he. The Queen of the
Maidens would have lost her castle ere now but for him. Nor
never sithence that he hath chased his uncle from the island,
hath he entered the Queen's castle even once, but from that time
forth hath rather rowed about the sea and searched all the
islands and stricken down all the proud in such sort that he is
dreaded and warily avoided throughout all the kingdoms. The
Queen of the Maidens is right sorrowful for that he cometh not to
her castle, for so dear she holdeth him of very love, that and he
should come and she might keep him so that he should never issue
forth again, she would sooner lock him up with her there safe
within."

"Know you." saith Messire Gawain, "what shield the knight
beareth?"

"Sir," saith the hermit, "I know not now to blazon it, for nought
know I of arms. Three score years and more have I been in this
hermitage, yet never saw I this kingdom before so dismayed as is
it now."

Messire Gawain lay the night therewithin, and departed when he
had heard mass. He draweth him as nigh the sea as he may, and
rideth along beside the shore and many a time draweth rein to
look forth if he might see the knight's ship. But nowhere might
he espy it. He hath ridden until he cometh to the castle of the
Queen of the Maidens. When she knew that it was Messire Gawain,
she made thereof great joy, and pointed him out the island
whither Perceval had repaired, and from whence he had driven his
uncle.

"Sir," saith she to Messire Gawain, "I plain me much of him, for
never hath he been fain to enter herewithin, save the one time
that he did battle with his uncle, but ever sithence hath he made
repair to this island and rowed about this sea."

"Lady," saith Messire Gawain, "and whereabout may he be now?"

"Sir, God help me," saith she, "I know not, for I have not seen
him now of a long space, and no earthly man may know his intent
nor his desire, nor whitherward he may turn."

Messire Gawain is right sorrowful for that he knoweth not where
to seek him albeit he hath so late tidings of him. He lay at the
castle and was greatly honoured, and on the morrow he heard mass
and took leave of the Queen, and rideth all armed beside the
seashore, for that the hermit had told him, and the Queen
herself, that he goeth oftener by sea than by land. He entereth
into a forest that was nigh the sea, and seeth a knight coming a
great gallop as if one were chasing him to slay him.

"Sir knight," saith Messire Gawain, "Whither away so fast?"

"Sir, I am fleeing from the knight that hath slain all the
others."

"And who is the knight?" saith Messire Gawain.

"I know not who he is," saith the knight, "But and you go forward
you are sure to find him."

"Meseemeth," saith Messire Gawain, "that I have seen you
aforetime."

"Sir," saith he, "So have you! I am the Knight Coward that you
met in the forest there where you conquered the knight of the
shield party black and white, and I am man of the Damsel of the
Car. Wherefore I pray you for God's sake that you do me no hurt,
for the knight that I found down yonder hath a look so fierce
that I thought I was dead when I saw it."

"Need you fear nought of me," saith Messire Gawain, "For I love
your damsel well."

"Sir," saith the knight, "I would that all the other knights
would say as much in respect of me, for no fear have I save for
myself alone."


II.

Messire Gawain departeth from the knight, and goeth his way
amidst the forest that overshadowed the land as far as the
seashore, and looketh forth from the top of a sand-hill, and
seeth a knight armed on a tall destrier, and he had a shield of
gold with a green cross.

"Ha, God," saith Messire Gawain, "Grant that this knight may be
able to tell me tidings of him I seek!"

Thitherward goeth he a great gallop, and saluteth him
worshipfully and he him again.

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "Can you tell me tidings of a knight
that beareth a shield banded of argent and azure with a red
cross?"

"Yea, Sir," saith the knight, "That can I well. At the assembly
of the knights may you find him within forty days."

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "Where will the assembly be?"

"In the Red Launde, where will be many a good knight. There
shall you find him without fail."

Thereof hath Messire Gawain right great joy, and so departeth
from the knight and the knight from him, and goeth back toward
the sea a great gallop. But Messire Gawain saw not the ship
whereinto he entered, for that it was anchored underneath the
cliff. The knight entered thereinto and put out to sea as he had
wont to do. Howbeit Messire Gawain goeth his way toward the Red
Launde where the assembly was to be, and desireth much the day
that it shall be. He rideth until he cometh one eventide nigh to
a castle that was of right fair seeming. He met a damsel that
was following after a dead knight that two other knights bare
upon a horse-bier, and she rode a great pace right amidst the
forest. And Messire Gawain cometh to meet her and saluteth her,
and she returned the salute as fairly as she might.

"Damsel," saith Messire Gawain, "Who lieth in this bier?"

"Sir, a knight that a certain man hath slain by great outrage."

"And whither shall you ride this day?"

"Sir, I would fain be in the Red Launde, and thither will I take
this knight, that was a right worshipful man for his age."

"And wherefore will you take him there?" saith Messire Gawain.

"For that he that shall do best at the assembly of knights shall
avenge this knight's death."


III.

The damsel goeth her way thereupon. And Messire Gawain goeth to
the castle that he had seen, and found none within save only one
solitary knight, old and feeble, and a squire that waited upon
him. Howbeit, Messire Gawain alighteth at the castle. The
Vavasour lodged him well and willingly, and made his door be well
shut fast and Messire Gawain be disarmed, and that night he
showed him honour as well as he might. And when it came to the
morrow and Messire Gawain was minded to depart thence, the
Vavasour saith to him, "Sir you may not depart thus, for this
door hath not been opened this long while save only yesterday,
when I made it be opened before you, to the intent that you
should meet on my behalf a certain knight that is fain to slay
me, for that the King of Castle Mortal hath had his hold
herewithin, he that warreth on the Queen of the Maidens.
Wherefore I pray you that you help me to defend it against the
knight."

"What shield beareth he?" saith Messire Gawain.

"He beareth a golden shield with a green cross."

"And what sort of knight is he?" saith Messire Gawain.

"Sir," saith the Vavasour, "A good knight and a hardy and a
sure."

"By my faith," saith Messire Gawain, "And you can tell me tidings
of another knight whereof I am in quest, I will protect you
against this one to the best I may, and if he will do nought for
my prayer, I will safeguard you of my force."

"What knight, then, do you seek?" saith the Vavasour.

"Sir, a knight that is called Perceval, and he hath carried away
from the court of King Arthur a shield banded argent and azure
with a red cross on a band of gold. He will be at the assembly
in the Red Launde. These tidings had I of the knight you dread
so much."


IV.

Thereupon, whilst Messire Gawain was thus speaking to the
Vavasour, behold you the Knight of the Golden Shield, that
draweth rein in the midst of a launde that was betwixt the castle
and the forest. The Vavasour seeth him from the windows of the
hall, and pointeth him out to Messire Gawain. Messire Gawain
goeth and mounteth on his destrier, his shield at his neck and
his spear in his fist, all armed, and issueth forth of the door
when it had been unfastened, and cometh toward the knight, that
awaited him on his horse. He seeth Messire Gawain coming, but
moveth not, and Messire Gawain marvelleth much that the knight
cometh not toward him, for him thinketh well that the Vavasour
had told him true. But he had not, for never had the knight come
thither to do the Vavasour any hurt, but on account of the
knights that passed by that way that went to seek adventure, for
right glad was he to see them albeit he was not minded to make
himself known unto any. Messire Gawain looketh before him and
behind him and seeth that the door was made fast and the bridge
drawn up so soon as he was departed thence, whereof he marvelled
much and saith to the knight, "Sir, is your intent nought but
good only?"

"By my head," saith he, "Nought at all, and readily will I tell
it you."

Thereupon, behold you a damsel that cometh a great pace, and held
a whip wherewith she hurrieth her mule onward, and she draweth
rein there where the two knights were.

"Ha, God!" saith she, "shall I ever find one to wreak me
vengeance of the traitor Vavasour that dwelleth in this castle?"

"Is he then traitor?" saith Messire Gawain.

"Yea, Sir, the most traitor you saw ever! He lodged my brother
the day before yesterday, and bore him on hand at night that a
certain knight was warring upon him for that the way whereby the
knights pass is here in front of this place, and lied to him so
much as that my brother held him in covenant that he would
assault a certain knight that he should point out to him, for
love of him. This knight came passing hereby, that had no
thought to do hurt neither to the Vavasour nor to my brother.
The knight was right strong and hardy, and was born at the castle
of Escavalon. My brother issued forth of the castle filled with
fool-hardiness for the leasing of the Vavasour, and ran upon the
knight without a word. The knight could do no less than avenge
himself. They hurtled together so sore that their horses fell
under them and their spears passed either through other's heart.
Thus were both twain killed on this very piece of ground."


V.

"The Vavasour took the arms and the horses and put them in safe
keeping in his castle, and the bodies of the knights he left to
the wild beasts, that would have devoured them had I not chanced
to come thither with two knights that helped me bury them by
yonder cross at the entrance of the forest."

"By my head," saith Messire Gawain, "In like manner would he have
wrought me mischief had I been minded to trust him; for he bore
me in hand that this knight was warring upon him, and besought me
that I should safeguard him against him. But our Lord God so
helped me that I intermeddled not therein, for lightly might I
have wrought folly."

"By the name of God," saith the other, "Meseemeth it clear that
the Vavasour would fain that knights should kill each other."

"Sir," saith the damsel, "You say true; it is of his covetise of
harness and horses that he entreateth the knights on this-wise."

"Damsel," saith Messire Gawain, "Whither go you?"

"Sir," saith she, "After a knight that I have made be carried in
a litter for the dead."

"I saw him," saith he, "pass by here last night, full late last
night."

The knight taketh leave of Messire Gawain, and Messire Gawain
saith that he holdeth himself a churl in that he hath not asked
him of his name. But the knight said, "Fair Sir, I pray you of
love that you ask not my name until such time as I shall ask you
of yours."


VI.

Messire Gawain would ask nought further of the knight, and the
knight entered into the Lonely Forest and Messire Gawain goeth on
his way. He meeteth neither knight nor damsel to whom he telleth
not whom he goeth to seek, and they all say that he will be in
the Red Launde. He lodged the night with a hermit. At night,
the hermit asked Messire Gawain whence he came?

"Sir, from the land of the Queen of the Maidens."

"Have you seen Perceval, the Good Knight that took the shield in
King Arthur's court and left another there?"

"No, certes," saith Messire Gawain, "Whereof am I right
sorrowful. But a knight with a shield of gold and a green cross
thereon told me that he would be at the Red Launde."

"Sir," saith the hermit, "you say true, for it was he himself to
whom you spake. Tonight is the third night since he lay within
yonder, and see here the bracket he brought from King Arthur's
court, which he hath commanded me to convey to his uncle, King
Hermit."

"Alas!" saith Messire Gawain, "What ill chance is mine if this
be true!"

"Sir," saith the hermit, "I ought not to lie, neither to you nor
other. By the brachet may you well know that this is true."

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "Of custom beareth he no such
shield."

"I know well," saith the hermit, "what shield he ought to bear,
and what shield he will bear hereafter. But this doth he that he
may not be known, and this shield took he in the hermitage of
Joseus, the son of King Hermit, there where Lancelot was lodged,
where he hanged the four thieves that would have broken into the
hermitage by night. And within there hath remained the shield he
brought from King Arthur's court, with Joseus the son of my
sister, and they are as brother and sister between the twain, and
you may know of very truth that albeit Joseus be hermit, no
knight is there in Great Britain of his heart and hardiment."


VII.

"Certes," saith Messire Gawain, "It was sore mischance for me
that I should see him yesterday before the castle where the
knights pass by, and speak to him and ask him his name, but he
besought me that I should not ask him his name until such time as
he should ask me mine; and with that he departed from me and
entered into the forest, and I came hitherward. Now am I so
sorrowful that I know not what I may do for the best, for King
Arthur sendeth me in quest of him, and Lancelot hath also gone to
seek him in another part of the kingdom of Logres. But now hath
too great mischance befallen me of this quest, for twice have I
seen him and found him and spoken to him, and now have I lost him
again."

"Sir," saith the hermit, "He is so close and wary a knight, that
he is fain never to waste a word, neither will he make false
semblant to any nor speak word that he would not should be heard,
nor do shame of his body to his knowledge, nor carnal sin, for
virgin and chaste is he and doth never outrage to any."

"I know well," saith Messire Gawain, "that all the valours and
all the cleannesses that ought to be in a knight are in him, and
therefore am I the more sorrowful that I am not of them that he
knoweth, for a man is worth the more that hath acquaintance with
a good knight."


VIII.

Messire Gawain lay the night in the hermit's house, right
sorrowful, and in the morning departed when he had heard mass.
Josephus the good clerk witnesseth us in this high history that
this hermit had to name Josuias, and was a knight of great
worship and valour, but he renounced all for the love of God, and
was fain to set his body in banishment for Him. And all these
adventures that you hear in this high record came to pass,
Josephus telleth us, for the setting forward the law of the
Saviour. All of them could he not record, but only these whereof
he best remembered him, and whereof he knew for certain all the
adventures by virtue of the Holy Spirit. This high record saith
that Messire Gawain hath wandered so far that he is come into the
Red Launde whereas the assembly of knights should be held. He
looketh and seeth the tents pitched and the knights coming from
all quarters. The most part were already armed within and before
their tents. Messire Gawain looketh everywhere, thinking to see
the knight he seeketh, but seemeth him he seeth him not, for no
such shield seeth he as he beareth. All abashed is he thereof,
for he hath seen all the tents and looked at all the arms. But
the knight is not easy to recognise, for he hath changed his
arms, and nigh enough is he to Messire Gawain, albeit you may
well understand that he knoweth it not. And the tournament
assembleth from all parts, and the divers fellowships come the
one against other, and the melly of either upon other as they
come together waxeth sore and marvellous. And Messire Gawain
searcheth the ranks to find the knight, albeit when he meeteth
knight in his way he cannot choose but do whatsoever a knight may
do of arms, and yet more would he have done but for his fainness
to seek out the knight. The damsel is at the head of the
tournament, for that she would fain know the one that shall have
the mastery and the prize therein.

The knight that Messire Gawain seeketh is not at the head of the
fellowships, but in the thickest of the press, and such feats of
arms doth he that more may no knight do, and smiteth down the
knights about him, that flee from him even as the deer-hound
fleeth from the lion.

"By my faith," saith Messire Gawain, "sith that they have lied to
me about the knight, I will seek him no more this day, but forget
my discontent as best I may until evening."

He seeth the knight, but knoweth him not, for he had a white
shield and cognisances of the same. And Messire Gawain cometh to
him as fast as his horse may carry him, and the knight toward
Messire Gawain. So passing stoutly they come together that they
pierce their shields below the boss. Their spears were so tough
that they break not, and they draw them forth and come together
again so strongly that the spears wherewith they smote each other
amidst the breast were bended so that they unriveted the
holdfasts of their shields, and they lost their stirrups, and the
reins fly from their fists, and they stagger against the back
saddlebows, and the horses stumbled so as that they all but fell.
They straighten them in saddle and stirrup, and catch hold upon
their reins, and then come together again, burning with wrath and
fury like lions, and either smiteth on other with their spears
that may endure no longer, for the shafts are all to-frushed as
far as the fists in such sort that they that look on marvel them
much how it came to pass that the points had not pierced their
bodies. But God would not that the good knights should slay each
other, rather would He that the one should know the true worth of
the other. The habergeons safeguarded not their bodies, but the
might of God in whom they believed, for in them had they all the
valour that knight should have; and never did Messire Gawain
depart from hostel wherein he had lien, but he first heard mass
before he went if so he might, nor never found he dame nor damsel
discounselled whereof he had not pity, nor did he ever
churlishness to other knight, nor said nor thought it, and he
came, as you have heard, of the most holy lineage of Josephus and
the good King Fisherman.


IX.

The good knights were in the midst of the assembly, and right
wrathful was the one against the other, and they held their
swords naked and their shields on their arms and dealt each other
huge buffets right in the midst of the helms. The most part of
the knights come to them and tell them that the assembly waiteth
for them to come thereunto. They have much pains to part them
asunder, and then the melly beginneth again on all sides, and the
evening cometh on that parteth them at last. And on this wise
the assembly lasted for two days. The damsel that brought the
knight on a bier in a coffin, dead, prayed the assembly of all
the knights to declare which one of all the knights had done the
best, for the knight that she made be carried might not be buried
until such time as he were avenged. And they say that the knight
of the white shield and the other with the shield sinople and the
golden eagle had done better than all the other, but, for that
the knight of the white shield had joined in the melly before the
other, they therefore would give him the prize; but they judged
that for the time that Messire Gawain had joined therein he had
not done worse than the other knight. The damsel seeketh the
knight of the white shield among the knights and throughout all
the tents, but cannot find him, for already hath he departed.
She cometh to Messire Gawain and saith: "Sir, sith that I find
not the knight of the white shield, you are he that behoveth
avenge the knight that lieth dead in the litter."

"Damsel," saith Messire Gawain, "Do me not this shame, for it
hath been declared that the other knight hath better done herein
than I."


X.

"Damsel, well you know that no honour should I have thereof, were
I to emprise to do that whereof you beseech me, for you have
said that behoveth none to avenge him, save only that hath borne
him best at this assembly, and that is he of the white shield,
and, so God help me, this have I well felt and proven."


XI.

The damsel well understandeth that Messire Gawain speaketh
reason.

"Ha, Sir," saith she, "He hath already departed hence and gone
into the forest, and the most divers-seeming knight is he and the
best that liveth, and great pains shall I have or ever I find him
again."

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