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The High History of the Holy Graal

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




"Sir," saith King Arthur, "God defend me from the anguish of an
evil death and from wickedness, for hither have I come for none
other thing but to amend my life, and this will I do, so God
bring me back in safety."

"Truly," saith the hermit, "He that hath been bad for three years
out of forty, he hath not been wholly good."

"Sir," saith the King, "You speak truth."

The hermit departeth and so commendeth him to God. The King
cometh to his horse and mounteth the speediest that ever he may,
and setteth his shield on his neck, and taketh his spear in his
hand and turneth him back a great pace. Howbeit, he had not gone
a bowshot's length when he saw a knight coming disorderly against
him, and he sate upon a great black horse and he had a shield of
the same and a spear. And the spear was somewhat thick near the
point and burned with a great flame, foul and hideous, and the
flame came down as far as over the knight's fist. He setteth his
spear in rest and thinketh to smite the King, but the King
swerveth aside and the other passeth beyond. "Sir knight,
wherefor hate you me?"

"Of right ought I not to love you," saith the knight.

"Wherefore?" saith the King.

"For this, that you have had my brother's candlestick that was
foully stolen from him!"

"Know you then who I am?" saith the King.

"Yea," saith the knight; "You are the King Arthur that aforetime
were good and now are evil. Wherefore I defy you as my mortal
enemy."

He draweth him back so that his onset may be the weightier. The
King seeth that he may not depart without a stour. He setteth
his spear in rest when he seeth the other come towards him with
his own spear all burning. The King smiteth his horse with his
spurs as hard as he may, and meeteth the knight with his spear
and the knight him. And they melled together so stoutly that the
spears bent without breaking, and both twain are shifted in their
saddles and lose their stirrups. They hurtle so strongly either
against other of their bodies and their horses that their eyes
sparkle as of stars in their heads and the blood rayeth out of
King Arthur by mouth and nose. Either draweth away from other
and they take their breath. The King looketh at the Black
Knight's spear that burneth, and marvelleth him right sore that
it is not snapped in flinders of the great buffet he had received
thereof, and him thinketh rather that it is a devil and a fiend.
The Black Knight is not minded to let King Arthur go so soon, but
rather cometh toward him a great career. The King seeth him come
toward him and so covereth him of his shield for fear of the
flame. The King receiveth him on the point of his spear and
smiteth him with so sore a shock that he maketh him bend backward
over his horse croup. The other, that was of great might,
leapeth back into the saddle-bows and smiteth the King upon the
boss of his shield so that the burning point pierceth the shield
and the sleeve of his habergeon and runneth the sharp iron into
his arm. The King feeleth the wound and the heat, whereof is he
filled with great wrath, and the knight draweth back his spear to
him, and hath great joy at heart when he feeleth the King
wounded. The King was rejoiced not a whit, and looked at the
spear that was quenched thereof and burned no longer.

"Sir," saith the knight, "I cry you mercy. Never would my spear
have been quenched of its burning, save it were bathed in your
blood."

"Now may never God help me," saith King Arthur, "whenever I shall
have mercy on you, and I may achieve!"

He pricketh towards him a great run, and smiteth him in the broad
of the breast and thrusted his spear half an ell into his body,
and beareth him to the ground, both him and his horse all in a
heap, and draweth his spear back to him and looketh at the knight
that lay as dead and leaveth him in the launde, and draweth him
towards the issue incontinent. And so as the King went, he heard
a great clashing of knights coming right amidst the forest, so as
it seemed there were a good score or more of them, and he seeth
them enter the launde from the forest, armed and well horsed.
And they come with great ado toward the knight that lay dead in
the midst of the launde. King Arthur was about to issue forth,
when the damsel that he had left under the tree cometh forward to
meet him.

"Sir," saith she, "For God's sake, return back and fetch me the
head of the knight that lieth there dead."

The King looketh back, and seeth the great peril and the
multitude of knights that are there all armed. "Ha, damsel,"
saith he, "You are minded to slay me."

"Certes, Sir, that I am not, but sore need will there be that I
should have it, nor never did knight refuse to do the thing I
asked nor deny me any boon I demanded of him. Now God grant you
be not the most churlish."

"Ha, damsel, I am right sore wounded in the arm whereon I hold my
shield."

"Sir," saith she, "I know it well, nor never may you be heal
thereof save you bring me the head of the knight."

"Damsel," he saith, "I will essay it whatsoever may befal me
thereof."


IX.

King Arthur looketh amidst the launde and seeth that they that
have come thither have cut the knight to pieces limb by limb, and
that each is carrying off a foot or a thigh or an arm or a hand
and are dispersing them through the forest. And he seeth that
the last knight beareth on the point of his spear the head. The
King goeth after him a great gallop and crieth out to him: "Ha,
Sir knight, abide and speak to me!"

"What is your pleasure?" saith the knight.

"Fair Sir," saith the King, "I beseech you of all loves that you
deign to give me the head of this knight that you are carrying on
the point of your lance."

"I will give it you," saith the knight, "on condition."

"What condition?" saith the King.

"That you tell me who slew the knight whose head I carry that you
ask of me."

"May I not otherwise have it?" saith the King.

"In no wise," saith he.

"Then will I tell you," saith the King. "Know of a very truth
that King Arthur slew him."

"And where is he?" saith the knight.

"Seek him until you shall have found him," saith King Arthur,
"For I have told you the truth thereof. Give me the head."

"Willingly," saith the knight. He lowereth his spear and the
King taketh the head. The knight had a horn at his neck. He
setteth it to his mouth and soundeth a blast right loud. The
knights that were set within the forest hear the horn and return
back a great gallop, and King Arthur goeth his way toward the
oak-tree at the issue of the launde where the damsel is awaiting
him. And the knights come presently to him that had given the
head to the King and ask him wherefore he hath sounded the horn.

"For this," saith he, "That this knight that is going away yonder
hath told me that King Arthur slew the Black Knight, and I was
minded you should know it that we may follow him."

"We will not follow him," say the knights, "For it is King Arthur
himself that is carrying off the head, and no power have we to do
evil to him nor other sith that he hath passed the bar. But you
shall aby it that let him go when he was so nigh you!"

They rush in upon him and slay him and cut him up, and each one
carrieth off his piece the same as they had done with the other.
King Arthur is issued forth of the bar, and cometh to the maiden
that is waiting for him and presenteth her the head.

"Sir," saith the damsel, "Gramercy."

"Damsel," saith he, "With a good will!"

"Sir," saith the damsel, "You may well alight, for nought have
you to fear on this side the bar." With that, the King
alighteth.

"Sir," saith she, "Do off your habergeon heedfully and I will
bind up the wound in your arm, for of none may you be made whole
save of me only."

The King doeth off his habergeon, and the damsel taketh of the
blood of the knight's head that still ran all warm, and therewith
washeth King Arthur his wound, and thereafter maketh him do on
his habergeon again.

"Sir," saith she, "Never would you have been whole save by the
blood of this Black Knight. And for this carried they off the
body piecemeal and the head, for that they well knew you were
wounded; and of the head shall I have right sore need, for
thereby shall a castle be yielded up to me that was reft from
me by treason, so I may find the knight that I go seek, through
whom it ought to be yielded up to me."

"Damsel," saith the King, "And who is the knight?"

"Sir," saith she, "He was the son of Alain li Gros of the Valleys
of Camelot, and is named Perlesvax."

"Wherefore Perlesvax?" saith the King.

"Sir," saith she, "When he was born, his father was asked how he
should be named in right baptism, and he said that he would he
should have the name Perlesvax, for the Lord of the Moors had
reft him of the greater part of the Valleys of Camelot, and
therefore he would that his son should by this name be reminded
thereof, and God should so multiply him as that he should be
knight. The lad was right comely and right gentle and began to
go by the forests and launch his javelins, Welsh-fashion, at hart
and hind. His father and his mother loved him much, and one day
they were come forth of their hold, whereunto the forest was
close anigh, to enjoy them. Now, there was between the hold and
the forest, an exceeding small chapel that stood upon four
columns of marble; and it was roofed of timber and had a little
altar within, and before the altar a right fair coffin, and
thereupon was the figure of a man graven. Sir," saith the damsel
to the King, "The lad asked his father and mother what man lay
within the coffin. The father answered: `Fair son,' saith he,
`Certes, I know not to tell you, for the tomb hath been here or
ever that my father's father was born, and never have I heard
tell of none that might know who it is therein, save only that
the letters that are on the coffin say that when the Best Knight
in the world shall come hither the coffin will open and the
joinings all fall asunder, and then will it be seen who it is
that lieth therein.'"


X.

"Damsel," saith the King, "Have many knights passed thereby
sithence that the coffin was set there?"

"Yea, sir, so many that neither I nor none other may tell the
number. Yet natheless hath not the coffin removed itself for
none. When the lad heareth his father and mother talking thus,
he asketh what a knight may be? `Fair son,' saith his mother,
`Of right ought you well to know by your lineage.' She telleth
the lad that he had eleven uncles on his father's side that had
all been slain in arms, and not one of them lived knight but
twelve years. Sir," saith she to the King, "The lad made answer
that this was nor that he had asked, but how knights were made?
And the father answered that they were such as had more valour
than any other in the world. After that he said, `Fair son, they
are clad in habergeons of iron to protect their bodies, and helms
laced upon their heads, and shields and spears and swords girded
wherewithal to defend their bodies.'"


XI.

"Sir," saith the damsel to the King, "When that the father had
thus spoken to the lad, they returned together to the castle.
When the morrow morning came, the lad arose and heard the birds
sing and bethought him that he would go for disport into the
forest for the day sith that it was fair. So he mounted on one
of his father's horses of the chase and carried his javelins
Welshman-fashion and went into the forest and found a stag and
followed him a good four leagues Welsh, until that he came into a
launde and found two knights all armed that were there doing
battle, and the one had a red shield and the other a white. He
left of tracking the stag to look on at the melly and saw that
the Red Knight was conquering the White. He launched one of his
javelins at the Red Knight so hard that he pierced his habergeon
and made it pass through the heart. The knight fell dead.

"Sir," saith the damsel, "The knight of the white shield made
great joy thereof, and the lad asked him, `were knights so easy
to slay? Methought,' saith the lad, `that none might never
pierce nor damage a knight's armour, otherwise would I not have
run him through with my javelin,' saith the lad. Sir, the lad
brought the destrier home to his father and mother, and right
grieved were they when they heard the tidings of the knight he
had slain. And right were they, for thereof did sore trouble
come to them thereafter. Sir, the squire departed from the house
of his father and mother and came to the court of King Arthur.
Right gladly did the King make him knight when he knew his will,
and afterward he departed from the land and went to seek
adventure in every kingdom. Now is he the Best Knight that is in
the world. So go I to seek him, and full great joy shall I have
at heart and I may find him. Sir, and you should meet him by any
adventure in any of these forests, he beareth a red shield with a
white hart. And so tell him that his father is dead, and that
his mother will lose all her land so he come not to succour her;
and that the brother of the knight of the Red shield that he slew
in the forest with his javelin warreth upon her with the Lord
of the Moors."

"Damsel," saith the King, "And God grant me to meet him, right
fain shall I be thereof, and right well will I set forth your
message."

"Sir," saith she, "Now that I have told you him that I seek, it
is your turn to tell me your name."

"Damsel," saith the King, "Willingly. They that know me call me
Arthur."

"Arthur? Have you indeed such name?"

"Yea, damsel," saith he.

"So help me God," saith she, "Now am I sorrier for you than
tofore, for you have the name of the worst King in the world, and
I would that he were here in such sort as you are now. But never
again will he move from Cardoil, do what he may, such dread hath
the Queen lest any should take him from her, according as I have
heard witness, for never saw I neither the one nor the other. I
was moved to go to his court, but I have met full a score knights
one after other, of whom I asked concerning him, and one told me
the same tale as another, for each told me that the court of King
Arthur is the vilest in the world, and that all the knights of
the Table Round have renounced it for the badness thereof."

"Damsel," saith the King, "Hereof may he well be sorry, but at
the beginning I have heard say he did right well."

"And who careth," saith the damsel, "for his good beginning when
the end is bad? And much it misliketh me that so seemly knight
and so worshipful man as are you should have the name of so evil
a king."

"Damsel," saith the King, "A man is not good by his name, but by
his heart."

"You say true," saith the damsel, "But for the King's name have I
despite of yours. And whitherward are you going?"

"I shall go to Cardoil, where I shall find King Arthur when I
shall come thither."

"Go to, then, and bestir!" saith she.

"One bad man with another! No better hope have I of you, sith
that you go thither!"

"Damsel, you may say your pleasure, for thither I go! God be
with you!"

"And may never God guide you," saith she, "and you go the court
of King Arthur!"


XII.

With that the King mounted again and departed, and left the
damsel under the tree and entered into the deep forest and rode
with much ado as fast as he might to come to Cardoil. And he had
ridden a good ten leagues Welsh when he heard a Voice in the
thick of the forest that began to cry aloud: "King Arthur of
Great Britain, right glad at heart mayst thou be of this that God
hath sent me hither unto thee. And so He biddeth thee that thou
hold court at the earliest thou mayst, for the world, that is now
made worse of thee and of thy slackness in well-doing, shall
thereof be greatly amended!"

With that the Voice is silent, and the King was right joyous in
his heart of that he had heard. The story speaketh no more here
of other adventure that befel King Arthur in his returning nor on
his arriving. Anyway, he hath ridden so long that he is come
back to Cardoil. The Queen and the knights made great feast of
him and great joy. The King was alighted on the mounting-stage
and went up into the hall and made him be disarmed. And he
showed the Queen the wound that he had on his arm, that had been
right great and painful, but it was healing full fairly. The
King goeth into the chamber and the Queen with him, and doeth the
King be apparelled in a robe of cloth of silk all furred of
ermine, with coat, surcoat and mantle.

"Sir," saith the Queen, "Sore pain and travail have you had."

"Lady, in such wise behoveth worshipful man to suffer in order
that he may have honour, for hardly shall none without travail
come to honour." He recounteth to the Queen all the adventures
that have befallen him sithence that he was departed, and in what
manner he was wounded in the arm, and of the damsel that had so
blamed him of his name.

"Sir," saith the queen, "Now may you well know how meet it is
that a man high and rich and puissant should have great shame of
himself when he becometh evil."

"Lady," saith the King, "So much did the damsel do me well to
wot, but greatly did a Voice recomfort me that I heard in the
forest, for it told me that God bade me hold court presently, and
that I shall see there the fairest adventure befal that ever I
may see."

"Sir," saith she, "Right joyous ought you to be that your Saviour
hath had you in remembrance. Now, therefore, fulfil His
commandment."

"Certes, Lady, so will I do. For never had none better desire of
well-doing than have I as at this time, nor of honour nor of
largesse."

"Sir," saith she, "God be praised thereof."



BRANCH II.

Now beginneth here the second branch of the Holy Graal the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.


TITLE I

King Arthur was at Cardoil with the Queen and right few knights.
By God's pleasure, the wish and the will had come back to him to
win honour and to do largesse as most he might. He made seal his
letters and sent them throughout all his lands and all the
islands, and gave notice to the barons and knights that he would
hold court at Pannenoisance, that is situate the sea of Wales, at
the feast of S. John after Whitsuntide. And he was minded to put
it off until that day, for that suntide was already too nigh, and
they that should be thereat might not all come by the earlier
day. The tidings went through all lands, so that knights come in
great plenty thereunto, for well-doing had so waxed feeble in all
the kingdoms, that every one had avoided King Arthur as one that
should do nought more for ever. Wherefore all began now to
marvel whence his new desire had come. The knights of the Table
Round that were scattered through the lands and the forests, by
God's will learnt the tidings and right great joy had they
thereof, and came back to the court with great ado. But neither
Messire Gawain nor Lancelot came thither on that day. But all
the other came that were then on live. S. John's day came, and
the knights were come from all parts, marvelling much that the
King had not held the court at Whitsuntide, but they knew not the
occasion thereof. The day was fair and clear and the air fresh,
and the hall was wide and high and garnished of good knights in
great plenty. The cloths were spread on the tables whereof were
great plenty in the hall. The King and the Queen had washen and
went to sit at the head of one table and the other knights sate
them down, whereof were full five score and five as the story
telleth. Kay the Seneschal and Messire Ywain the son of King
Urien served that day at the tables at meat, and five-and-twenty
knights beside. And Lucan the Butler served the golden cup
before the King. The sun shone through the windows everywhere
amidst the hall that was strown of flowers and rushes and sweet
herbs and gave out a smell like as had it been sprinkled of balm.
And straightway after the first meat had been served, and while
they were yet awaiting the second, behold you three damsels where
they enter into the hall! She that came first sate upon a mule
white as driven snow and had a golden bridle and a saddle with a
bow of ivory banded with precious stones and a saddle-cloth of a
red samite dropped of gold. The damsel that was seated on the
mule was right seemly of body but scarce so fair of face, and she
was robed in a rich cloth of silk and gold and had a right rich
hat that covered all her head. And it was all loaded of costly
stones that flamed like fire. And great need had she that her
head were covered, for she was all bald without hair, and carried
on her neck her right arm slung in a stole of cloth of gold. And
her arm lay on a pillow, the richest that ever might be seen, and
it was all charged of little golden bells, and in this hand held
she the head of a King sealed in silver and crowned with gold.
The other damsel that came behind rode after the fashion of a
squire, and carried a pack trussed behind her with a brachet
thereupon, and at her neck she bore a shield banded argent and
azure with a red cross, and the boss was of gold all set with
precious stones. The third damsel came afoot with her kirtle
tucked up like a running footman; and she had in her hand a whip
wherewith she drove the two steeds. Each of these twain was
fairer than the first, but the one afoot surpassed both the
others in beauty. The first cometh before the King, there where
he sitteth at meat with the Queen.

"Sir," saith she, "The Saviour of the world grant you honour and
joy and good adventure and my Lady the Queen and all them of this
hall for love of you! Hold it not churlishness and I alight not,
for there where knights be may I not alight, nor ought I until
such time as the Graal be achieved."

"Damsel," saith the King, "Gladly would I have it so."

"Sir," saith she, "That know I well, and may it not mislike you
to hear the errand whereon I am come."

"It shall not mislike me," saith the King, "say your pleasure!"

"Sir," saith she, "The shield that this damsel beareth belonged
to Joseph, the good soldier knight that took down Our Lord of
hanging on the rood. I make you a present thereof in such wise
as I shall tell you, to wit, that you keep the shield for a
knight that shall come hither for the same, and you shall make
hang it on this column in the midst of your hall, and guard it in
such wise as that none may take it and hang at his neck save he
only. And of this shield shall he achieve the Graal, and another
shield shall he leave here in the hall, red, with a white hart;
and the brachet that the damsel carrieth shall here remain, and
little joy will the brachet make until the knight shall come."

"Damsel," saith the King, "The shield and the brachet will we
keep full safely, and right heartily we thank you that you have
deigned to bring them hither."

"Sir," saith the damsel, "I have not yet told you all that I have
in charge to deliver. The best King that liveth on earth and the
most loyal and the most righteous, sendeth you greeting; of whom
is sore sorrow for that he hath fallen into a grievous
languishment."

"Damsel," saith the King, "Sore pity is it and it be so as you
say; and I pray you tell me who is the King?"

"Sir," saith she, "It is rich King Fisherman, of whom is great
grief."

"Damsel," saith the King, "You say true; and God grant him his
heart's desire!"

"Sir," saith she, "Know you wherefore he hath fallen into
languishment?"

"Nay, I know not at all, but gladly would I learn."

"And I will tell you," saith she. "This languishment is come
upon him through one that harboured in his hostel, to whom the
most Holy Graal appeared. And, for that he would not ask unto
whom one served thereof, were all the lands commoved to war
thereby, nor never thereafter might knight meet other but he
should fight with him in arms without none other occasion. You
yourself may well perceive the same, for your well-doing hath
greatly slackened, whereof have you had much blame, and all the
other barons that by you have taken ensample, for you are the
mirror of the world alike in well-doing and in evil-doing. Sir,
I myself have good right to plain me of the knight, and I will
show you wherefore."

She lifteth the rich hat from her head and showeth the King and
Queen and the knights in the hall her head all bald without hair.

"Sir," saith she, "My head was right seemly garnished of hair
plaited in rich tresses of gold at such time as the knight came
to the hostel of the rich King Fisherman, but I became bald for
that he made not the demand, nor never again shall I have my hair
until such time as a knight shall go thither that shall ask the
question better than did he, or the knight that shall achieve the
Graal. Sir, even yet have you not seen the sore mischief that
hath befallen thereof. There is without this hall a car that
three white harts have drawn hither, and lightly may you send to
see how rich it is. I tell you that the traces are of silk and
the axletrees of gold, and the timber of the car is ebony. The
car is covered above with a black samite, and below is a cross of
gold the whole length, and under the coverlid of the car are the
heads of an hundred and fifty knights whereof some be sealed in
gold, other some in silver and the third in lead. King Fisherman
sendeth you word that this loss I hath befallen of him that
demanded not unto whom one serveth of the Graal. Sir, the damsel
that beareth the shield holdeth in her hand the head of a Queen
that is sealed in lead and crowned with copper, and I tell you
that by the Queen whose head you here behold was the King
betrayed whose head I bear, and the three manner of knights whose
heads are within the car. Sir, send without to see the
costliness and fashion of the car."

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