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The High History of the Holy Graal

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




"By my head," saith the elder, "it grieveth me that he goeth, for
stay would have pleased me well."

Therewithal Messire Gawain departeth and is remounted on his
horse. Then he entereth into the forest.



BRANCH VI.

INCIPIT.

Another branch that Josephus telleth us recounteth and witnesseth
of the Holy Graal, and here beginneth for us in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.


TITLE I.

Messire Gawain rode until he came to a forest, and seeth a land
right fair and rich in a great enclosure of wall, and round the
land and country-side within, the wall stretched right far away.
Thitherward he cometh and seeth but one entrance thereinto, and
he seeth the fairest land that ever he beheld and the best
garnished and the fairest orchards. The country was not more
than four leagues Welsh in length, and in the midst thereof was a
tower on a high rock. And on the top was a crane that kept watch
over it and cried when any strange man came into the country.
Messire Gawain rode amidst the land and the crane cried out so
loud that the King of Wales heard it, that was lord of the land.
Thereupon, behold you, two knights that come after Messire Gawain
and say to him: "Hold, Sir knight, and come speak with the king
of this country, for no strange knight passeth through his land
but he seeth him."

"Lords," saith Messire Gawain, "I knew not of the custom.
Willingly will I go."

They led him thither to the hall where the King was, and Messire
Gawain alighteth and setteth his shield and his spear leaning
against a mounting stage and goeth up into the hall. The King
maketh great joy of him and asketh him whither he would go?

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "Into a country where I was never."

"Well I know," saith the king, "where it is, for that you are
passing through my land. You are going to the country of King
Gurgalain to conquer the sword wherewith S. John was beheaded."


II.

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "You say true. God grant me that I
may have it!"

"That may not be so hastily," saith the King, "For you shall not
go forth of my land before a year."

"Ha, Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "For God's sake, mercy!"

"None other mercy is here," saith the King. Straightway he
maketh Messire Gawain be disarmed and afterward maketh bring a
robe wherewith to apparel him, and showeth him much honour. But
ill is he at ease, wherefore he saith to him: "Sir, wherefore are
you fain to hold me here within so long?"

"For this, that I know well you will have the sword and will not
return by me."

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "I pledge you my word that, so God
give me to conquer it, I will return by you."

"And I will allow you to depart from me at your will. For nought
is there that I so much desire to see."

He lay the night therewithin, and on the morrow departed thence
and issued forth of the land right glad and joyful. And he goeth
toward the land of King Gurgalain. And he entereth into a
noisome forest at the lower part and findeth at the right hour of
noon a fountain that was enclosed of marble, and it was
overshadowed of the forest like as it were with leaves down
below, and it had rich pillars of marble all round about with
fillets of gold and set with precious stones. Against the
master-pillar hung a vessel of gold by a silver chain, and in the
midst of the fountain was an image so deftly wrought as if it had
been alive. When Messire appeared at the fountain, the image set
itself in the water and was hidden therewith. Messire Gawain
goeth down, and would fain have taken hold on the vessel of gold
when a voice crieth out to him: "You are not the Good Knight unto
whom is served thereof and who thereby is made whole."

Messire Gawain draweth him back and seeth a clerk come to the
fountain that was young of age and clad inú white garments, and
he had a stole on his arm and held a little square vessel of
gold, and cometh to the little vessel that was hanging on the
marble pillar and looketh therein, and then rinseth out the other
little golden vessel that he held, and then setteth the one that
he held in the place of the other. Therewithal, behold, three
damsels that come of right great beauty, and they had white
garments and their heads were covered with white cloths, and they
carried, one, bread in a little golden vessel, and the other wine
in a little ivory vessel, and the third flesh in one of silver.
And they come to the vessel of gold that hung against the pillar
and set therein that which they have brought, and afterward they
make the sign of the cross over the pillar and come back again.
But on their going back, it seemed to Messire Gawain that only
one was there. Messire Gawain much marvelled him of this
miracle. He goeth after the clerk that carried the other vessel
of gold, and saith unto him: "Fair Sir, speak to me."

"What is your pleasure?" saith the clerk.

"Whither carry you this golden vessel and that which is therein?"

"To the hermits," saith he, "that are in this forest, and to the
Good knight that lieth sick in the house of his uncle King
Hermit."

"Is it far from hence?" saith Messire Gawain.

"Yea, Sir," saith the clerk, "to yourself. But I shall be there
sooner than will you."

"By God," saith Messire Gawain, "I would fain I were there now,
so that I might see him and speak to him."

"That believe I well," saith the clerk, "But now is the place not
here."

Messire Gawain taketh leave and goeth his way and rideth until he
findeth a hermitage and seeth the hermit therewithout. He was
old and bald and of good life.

"Sir," saith he to Messire Gawain, "Whither go you?"

"To the land of King Gurgalain, Sir; is this the way?"

"Yea," saith the hermit, "But many knights have passed hereby
that hither have never returned."

"Is it far?" saith he.

"He and his land are hard by, but far away is the castle wherein
is the sword."

Messire Gawain lay the night therewithin. On the morrow when he
had heard mass, he departed and rode until he cometh to the land
of King Gurgalain, and heareth the folk of the land making dole
right sore. And he meeteth a knight that cometh a great pace to
a castle.


IV.

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "Wherefore make the folk of this
castle such dole, and they of all this land and all this country?
For I hear them weep and beat their palms together on every
side."

"Sir," saith he, "I will tell you. King Gurgalain had one only
son of whom he hath been bereft by a Giant that hath done him
many mischiefs and wasted much of his land. Now hath the King
let everywhere be cried that to him that shall bring back his son
and slay the Giant he will give the fairest sword of the world,
the which sword he hath, and of all his treasure so much as he
may be fain to take. As at this time, he findeth no knight so
hardy that he durst go; and much more blameth he his own law than
the law of the Christians, and he saith that if any Christian
should come into his land, he would receive him."

Right joyous is Messire Gawain of these tidings, and departeth
from the castle and rideth on until he cometh to the castle of
King Gurgalain. The tidings come to the King that there is a
Christian come into his castle. The King maketh great joy
thereof, and maketh him come before him and asketh him of his
name and of what land he is.

"Sir," saith he, "My name is Gawain and I am of the land of King
Arthur."

"You are," saith he, "of the land of the Good Knight. But of
mine own land may I find none that durst give counsel in a matter
I have on hand. But if you be of such valour that you be willing
to undertake to counsel me herein, right well will I reward you.
A Giant hath carried off my son whom I loved greatly, and so you
be willing to set your body in jeopardy for my son, I will give
you the richest sword that was ever forged, whereby the head of
S. John was cut off. Every day at right noon is it bloody, for
that at that hour the good man had his head cut off."

The King made fetch him the sword, and in the first place showeth
him the scabbard that was loaded of precious stones and the
mountings were of silk with buttons of gold, and the hilt in
likewise, and the pommel of a most holy sacred stone that Enax, a
high emperor of Rome, made be set thereon. Then the King draweth
it forth of the scabbard, and the sword came forth thereof all
bloody, for it was the hour of noon. And he made hold it before
Messire Gawain until the hour was past, and thereafter the sword
becometh as clear as an emerald and as green. And Messire
looketh at it and coveteth it much more than ever he did before,
and he seeth that it is as long as another sword, albeit, when it
is sheathed in the scabbard, neither scabbard nor sword seemeth
of two spans length.


V.

"Sir Knight," saith the King, "This sword will I give you, and
another thing will I do whereof you shall have joy."

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "And I will do your need, if God
please and His sweet Mother."

Thereupon he teacheth him the way whereby the Giant went, and the
place where he had his repair, and Messire Gawain goeth his way
thitherward and commendeth himself to God. The country folk pray
for him according to their belief that he may back repair with
life and health, for that he goeth in great peril. He hath
ridden until that he cometh to a great high mountain that lay
round about a land that the Giant had all laid waste, and the
enclosure of the mountain went round about for a good three
leagues Welsh, and therewithin was the Giant, so great and cruel
and horrible that he feared no man in the world, and for a long
time had he not been sought out by any knight, for none durst won
in that quarter. And the pass of the mountain whereby he went to
his hold was so strait that no horse might get through; wherefore
behoveth Messire Gawain leave his horse and his shield and spear
and to pass beyond the mountain by sheer force, for the way was
like a cut between sharp rocks. He is come to level ground and
looketh before him and seeth a hold that the Giant had on the top
of a rock, and espieth the Giant and the lad where they were
sitting on the level ground under a tree. Messire Gawain was
armed and had his sword girt on, and goeth his way thitherward.
And the Giant seeth him coming and leapeth up and taketh in hand
a great axe that was at his side, and cometh toward Messire
Gawain all girded for the fight and thinketh to smite him a
two-handed stroke right amidst the head. But Messire Gawain
swerveth aside and bestirreth him with his sword and dealeth him
a blow such that he cut off his arm, axe and all. And the Giant
returneth backward when he feeleth himself wounded, and taketh
the King's son by the neck with his other hand and grippeth him
so straitly that he strangleth and slayeth him. Then he cometh
back to Messire Gawain and falleth upon him and grippeth him sore
strait by the flanks, and lifteth him three foot high off the
ground and thinketh to carry him to his hold that was within the
rock. And as he goeth thither he falleth, Messire Gawain and
all, and he lieth undermost. Howbeit, he thinketh to rise, but
cannot, for Messire Gawain sendeth him his sword right through
his heart and beyond. Afterward, he cut off the head and cometh
there where the King's child lay dead, whereof is he right
sorrowful. And he beareth him on his neck, and taketh the
Giant's head in his hand and returneth there where he had left
his horse and shield and spear, and mounteth and cometh back and
bringeth the King's son before the King and the head of the Giant
hanging.


VI.

The King and all they of the castle come to meet him with right
great joy, but when they see the young man dead, their great joy
is turned into right great dole thereby. And Messire Gawain
alighteth before the castle and presenteth to the King his son
and the head of the Giant.

"Certes," said he, "might I have presented him to you on live,
much more joyful should I have been thereof."

"This believe I well," saith the King, "Howbeit, of so much as
you have done am I well pleased, and your guerdon shall you
have."

And he looketh at his son and lamenteth him right sweetly, and
all they of the castle after him. Thereafter he maketh light a
great show of torches in the midst of the city, and causeth a
great fire to be made, and his son be set thereon in a brazen
vessel all full of water, and maketh him be cooked and sodden
over this fire, and maketh the Giant's head be hanged at the
gate.


VII.

When his son was well cooked, he maketh him be cut up as small as
he may, and biddeth send for all the high men of his land and
giveth thereof to each so long as there was any left. After that
he maketh bring the sword and giveth it to Messire Gawain, and
Messire Gawain thanketh him much thereof.

"More yet will I do for you," saith the King. He biddeth send
for all the men of his land to come to his hall and castle.

"Sir," saith he, "I am fain to baptize me."

"God be praised thereof," saith Messire Gawain. The King biddeth
send for a hermit of the forest, and maketh himself be baptized,
and he had the name of Archis in right baptism; and of all them
that were not willing to believe in God, he commanded Messire
Gawain that he should cut off their heads.


VIII.

In such wise was this King baptized that was the lord of Albanie,
by the miracle of God and the knighthood of Messire Gawain, that
departeth from the castle with right great joy and rideth until
he has come into the land of the King of Wales and bethought him
he would go fulfil his pledge. He alighted before the hall, and
the King made right great cheer when he saw him come. And
Messire Gawain hath told him: "I come to redeem my pledge.
Behold, here is the sword."

And the King taketh it in his hand and looketh thereon right
fainly, and afterward maketh great joy thereof and setteth it in
his treasury and saith: "Now have I done my desire."

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "Then have you betrayed me."

"By my head," saith the King, "That have I not, for I am of the
lineage of him that beheaded S. John, wherefore have I better
right to it than you."

"Sir," say the knights to the King, "Right loyal and courteous
knight is Messire Gawain, wherefore yield him that which he hath
conquered, for sore blame will you have of evil-treating him."

"I will yield it," saith the King "on such condition that
the first damsel that maketh request of him, what thing soever
she may require and whatsoever it be shall not be denied of him."

And Messire Gawain agreeth thereto, and of this agreement
thereafter did he suffer much shame and anguish and was blamed of
many knights. And the King yielded him the Sword. He lay the
night therewithin, and on the morrow so soon as he might, he
departed and rode until he came without the city where the
burgess gave him the horse in exchange for his own. And he
remembered him of his covenant, and abideth a long space and
leaneth him on the hilt of his sword until the burgess cometh.
Therewithal made they great joy the one of the other, and Messire
showeth him the sword, and the burgess taketh it and smiteth his
horse with his spurs and goeth a great gallop toward the city.
And Messire Gawain goeth after a great pace and crieth out that
he doth great treachery.

"Come not after me into the city," saith the burgess, "for the
folk have a commune."

Howbeit, he followeth after into the city for that he might not
overtake him before, and therein he meeteth a great procession of
priests and clerks that bore crosses and censers. And Messire
Gawain alighteth on account of the procession, and seeth the
burgess that hath gone into the church and the procession after.

"Lords," saith Messire Gawain, "Make yield me the sword whereof
this burgess that hath entered your church hath plundered me."

"Sir," say the priests, "Well know we that it is the sword
wherewith S. John was beheaded, wherefore the burgess hath
brought it to us to set with our hallows in yonder, and saith
that it was given him."

"Ha, lords!" saith Messire Gawain, "Not so! I have but shown it
to him to fulfil my pledge. And he hath carried it off by
treachery."

Afterward he telleth them as it had befallen him, and the priests
make the burgess give it up, and with great joy Messire Gawain
departeth and remounteth his horse and issueth forth of the city.
He hath scarce gone far before he meeteth a knight that came all
armed, as fast as his horse could carry him, spear in rest.

"Sir," saith he to Messire Gawain, "I have come to help you. We
were told that you had been evil-entreated in the city, and I am
of the castle that succoureth all strange knights that pass
hereby whensoever they have need thereof."

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "Blessed be the castle! I plain me
not of the trespass for that right hath been done me. And how is
the castle named?"

"Sir, they call it the Castle of the Ball. Will you return back
thither with me, since you are delivered, and lodge there the
night with Messire, that is a right worshipful man, and of good
conditions?"

Therewith they go together to the castle, that was right fair and
well-seeming. They enter in, and when they were within, the
Lord, that sate on a mounting-stage of marble, had two right fair
daughters, and he made them play before him with a ball of gold,
and looked at them right fainly. He seeth Messire Gawain alight
and cometh to meet him and maketh him great cheer. Afterward, he
biddeth his two daughters lead him into the hall.


IX.

When he was disarmed, the one brought him a right rich robe, and
after meat the two maidens sit beside him and make him right
great cheer. Thereupon behold you, a dwarf that issueth forth of
a chamber, and he holdeth a scourge. And he cometh to the
damsels and smiteth them over their faces and their heads.

"Rise up," saith he, "ye fools, ill-taught! Ye make cheer unto
him whom you ought to hate! For this is Messire Gawain, King
Arthur's nephew, by whom was your uncle slain!"

Thereupon they rise, all ashamed, and go into the chamber, and
Messire Gawain remaineth there sore abashed. But their father
comforteth him and saith: "Sir, be not troubled for aught that he
saith, for the dwarf is our master: he chastiseth and teacheth my
daughters, and he is wroth for that you have slain his brother,
whom you slew the day that Marin slew his wife on your account,
whereof we are right sorrowful in this castle."

"So also am I," saith Messire Gawain, "But no blame of her death
have I nor she, as God knoweth of very truth."


X.

Messire Gawain lay the night at the castle, and departed on the
morrow, and rode on his journeys until he cometh to the castle at
the entrance to the land of the rich King Fisherman, where he
seeth that the lion is not at the entrance nor were the serjeants
of copper shooting. And he seeth in great procession the priests
and them of the castle coming to meet him, and he alighteth, and
a squire was apparelled ready, that took his armour and his
horse, and he showeth the sword to them that were come to meet
him. It was the hour of noon. He draweth the sword, and seeth
it all bloody, and they bow down and worship it, and sing `Te
Deum laudamus'. With such joy was Messire Gawain received at the
castle, and he set the sword back in his scabbard, and kept it
right anigh him, and made it not known in all the places where he
lodged that it was such. The priests and knights of the castle
make right great joy, and pray him right instantly that so God
should lead him to the castle of King Fisherman, and the Graal
should appear before him, he would not be so forgetful as the
other knights. And he made answer that he would do that which
God should teach him.


XI.

"Messire Gawain," saith the master of the priests, that was right
ancient: "Great need have you to take rest, for meseemeth you
have had much travail."

"Sir, many things have I seen whereof I am sore abashed, nor know
I what castle this may be."

"Sir," saith the priest, "This Castle is the Castle of Inquest,
for nought you shall ask whereof it shall not tell you the
meaning, by the witness of Joseph, the good clerk and good hermit
through whom we have it, and he knoweth it by annunciation of the
Holy Ghost."

"By my faith," saith Messire Gawain, "I am much abashed of the
three damsels that were at the court of King Arthur. Two of them
carried, the one the head of a king and the other of a queen, and
they had in a car an hundred and fifty heads of knights whereof
some were sealed in gold, other in silver, and the rest in lead."

"True," saith the priest, "For as by the queen was the king
betrayed and killed, and the knights whereof the heads were in
the car, so saith she truth as Joseph witnesseth to us, for he
saith of remembrance that by envy was Adam betrayed, and all the
people that were after him and the people that are yet to come
shall have dole thereof for ever more. And for that Adam was the
first man is he called King, for he was our earthly father, and
his wife Queen. And the heads of the knights sealed in gold
signify the new law, and the heads sealed in silver the old, and
the heads sealed in lead the false law of the Sarrazins. Of
these three manner of folk is the world stablished."

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "I marvel of the castle of the Black
Hermit, there where the heads were all taken from her, and the
Damsel told me that the Good Knight should cast them all forth
when he should come. And the other folk that are therewithin are
longing for him."

"Well know you," saith the priest, "that on account of the apple
that Eve gave Adam to eat, all went to hell alike, the good as
well as the evil, and to cast His people forth from hell did God
become man, and cast these souls forth from hell of His bounty
and of His puissance. And to this doth Joseph make us allusion
by the castle or the Black Hermit which signifieth hell, and the
Good Knight that shall thence cast forth them that are within.
And I tell you that the Black Hermit is Lucifer, that is Lord of
hell in like manner as he fain would have been Lord of Paradise."

"Sir," saith the priest, "By this significance is he fain to draw
the good hermits on behalt of the new law wherein the most part
are not well learned, wherefore he would fain make allusion by
ensample."

"By God," saith Messire Gawain, "I marvel much of the Damsel that
was all bald, and said that never should she have her hair again
until such time as the Good Knight should have achieved the Holy
Graal."

"Sir," saith the good man, "Each day full bald behoveth her to
be, ever since bald she became when the good King fell into
languishment on account of the knight whom he harboured that made
not the demand. The bald damsel signifieth Joseu Josephus, that
was bald before the crucifixion of Our Lord, nor never had his
hair again until such time as He had redeemed His people by His
blood and by His death. The car that she leadeth after her
signifieth the wheel of fortune, for like as the car goeth on the
wheels, doth she lay the burden of the world on the two damsels
that follow her; and this you may see well, for the fairest
followeth afoot and the other was on a sorry hackney, and they
were poorly clad, whereas the third had costlier attire. The
shield whereon was the red cross, that she left at the court of
King Arthur, signifieth the most holy shield of the rood that
never none durst lift save God alone."

Messire Gawain heareth these significances and much pleaseth him
thereof, and thinketh him that none durst set his hand to nor
lift the shield that hung in the King's hall, as he had heard
tell in many places; wherefore day by day were they waiting for
the Good Knight that should come for the shield.


XII.

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "By this that you tell me you do me
to wit that whereof I was abashed, but I have been right
sorrowful of a lady that a knight slew on my account albeit no
blame had she therein, nor had I."

"Sir," saith the priest, "Right great significance was there in
her death, for Josephus witnesseth us that the old law was
destroyed by the stroke of a sword without recover, and to
destroy the old law did Our Lord suffer Himself to be smitten in
the side of a spear. By this stroke was the old law destroyed,
and by His crucifixion. The lady signifieth the old law. Would
you ask more of me?" saith the priest.

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "I met a knight in the forest that
rode behind before and carried his arms upside down. And he said
that he was the Knight Coward, and his habergeon carried he on
his neck, and so soon as he saw me he set his arms to rights and
rode like any other knight."

"The law was turned to the worse," saith the priest, "before Our
Lord's crucifixion, and so soon as He was crucified, was again
restored to right."

"Even yet have I not asked you of all," saith Messire Gawain,
"For a knight came and jousted with me party of black and white,
and challenged me of the death of the lady on behalf of her
husband, and told me and I should vanquish him that he and his
men would be my men. I did vanquish him and he did me homage."

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