butwhenyecometothecourtrecommendmeuntomylord,KngArthur,andallthosethatbeleftalve,andforoldbrotherhoodthnkonme。ThenbeganGawanetoweep,andEctoralso。AndthenUwanehmselfandSrGawanedrewoutthetruncheonofthespear,andanondepartedthesoulfromthebody。ThenSrGawaneandSrEctorburedhmasmenoughttoburyakng’sson,andmadewrteuponhsname,andbywhomhewasslan。
ThendepartedGawaneandEctor,asheavyastheymghtforthermsadventure,andsorodetllthattheycametotheroughmountan,andtheretheytedtherhorsesandwentonfoottothehermtage。Andwhentheywerecomeuptheysawapoorhouse,andbesdethechapelalttlecourtelage,whereNacenthehermtgatheredworts,ashewhchhadtastednoneothermeatofagreatwhle。Andwhenhesawtheerrantknghtshecametowardthemandsalutedthem,andtheyhmagan。
Farlords,sadhe,whatadventurebroughtyouhther?
Sr,sadGawane,tospeakwthyoufortobeconfessed。
Sr,sadthehermt,amready。Thentheytoldhmsomuchthathewstwellwhattheywere。Andthenhethoughttocounselthemfhemght。
ThenbeganGawanefrstandtoldhmofhsadvsonthathehadhadnthechapel,andEctortoldhmallastsaforerehearsed。Sr,sadthehermtuntoSrGawane,thefarmeadowandtheracktherenoughttobeunderstoodtheRoundTable,andbythemeadowoughttobeunderstoodhumltyandpatence,thosebethethngswhchbealwaysgreenandquck;formenmaynotmeovercomehumltyandpatence,thereforewastheRoundTablefounded,andthechvalryhathbeenatalltmessobythefraterntywhchwastherethatshemghtnotbeovercome;formensadshewasfoundednpatenceandnhumlty。Attherackateanhundredandfftybulls;buttheyatenotnthemeadow,fortherheartsshouldbesetnhumltyandpatence,andthebullswereproudandblacksaveonlythree。BythebullsstounderstandthefellowshpoftheRoundTable,whchforthersnandtherwckednessbeblack。Blacknessstosaywthoutgoodorvrtuousworks。Andthethreebullswhchwerewhtesaveonlyonethatwasspotted:thetwowhtebetokenSrGalahadandSrPercvale,fortheybemadenscleanandwthoutspot;andthethrdthathadaspotsgnfethSrBorsdeGans,whchtrespassedbutoncenhsvrgnty,butsthenhekepthmselfsowellnchasttythatallsforgvenhmandhsmsdeeds。Andwhythosethreeweretedbythenecks,theybethreeknghtsnvrgntyandchastty,andtheresnoprdesmttennthem。Andtheblackbullswhchsad:Gowehence,theywerethosewhchatPentecostatthehghfeasttookuponthemtogonthequestoftheSangrealwthoutconfesson:theymghtnotenternthemeadowofhumltyandpatence。
Andthereforetheyreturnedntowastecountres,thatsgnfethdeath,forthereshalldemanyofthem:everychofthemshallslayotherforsn,andtheythatshallescapeshallbesoleanthattshallbemarveltoseethem。
Andofthethreebullswthoutspot,theoneshallcomeagan,andtheothertwonever。
Howthehermtexpoundedtheradvson。
THENspakeNacenuntoEctor:SoothtsthatLauncelotandyecamedownoffonechar:thecharbetokenethmastershpandlordshpwhchyecamedownfrom。Butyetwoknghts,sadthehermt,yegotoseekthatyeshallneverfnd,thatstheSangreal;fortsthesecretthngofourLordJesuChrst。WhatstomeanthatSrLauncelotfelldownoffhshorse:hehathleftprdeandtakenhmtohumlty,forhehathcredmercyloudforhssn,andsorerepentedhm,andourLordhathclothedhmnhsclothngwhchsfullofknots,thatstheharthathewearethdaly。Andtheassthatherodeuponsabeastofhumlty,forGodwouldnotrdeuponnosteed,noruponnopalfrey;sonensamplethatanassbetokenethmeekness,thatthousawestSrLauncelotrdeonnthysleep。Andthewellwhereasthewatersankfromhmwhenheshouldhavetakenthereof,andwhenhesawhemghtnothavet,hereturnedththerfromwhencehecame,forthewellbetokeneththehghgraceofGod,themoremendesrettotaket,themoreshallbetherdesre。SowhenhecamenghtheSangreal,hemeekedhmthatheheldhmnotamanworthytobesonghtheHolyVessel,forhehadbeensodefouledndeadlysnbythespaceofmanyyears;yetwhenhekneeledtodrnkofthewell,therehesawgreatprovdenceoftheSangreal。
Andforhehadservedsolongthedevl,heshallhavevengeancefour-and-twentydayslong,forthathehathbeenthedevl’sservantfour-and-twentyyears。AndthensoonafterheshallreturnuntoCamelotoutofthscountry,andheshallsayapartofsuchthngsashehathfound。
Nowwlltellyouwhatbetokeneththehandwththecandleandthebrdle:thatstounderstandtheHolyGhostwherechartysever,andthebrdlesgnfethabstnence。ForwhenshesbrdlednChrstanman’sheartsheholdethhmsoshortthathefallethnotndeadlysn。AndthecandlewhchshewethclearnessandsghtsgnfeththerghtwayofJesuChrst。Andwhenhewentandsad:Knghtsofpoorfathandofwckedbelef,thesethreethngsfaled,charty,abstnence,andtruth;thereforeyemaynotattanthathghadventureoftheSangreal。
Ofthegoodcounselthatthehermtgavetothem。
CERTES,sadGawane,soothlyhaveyesad,thatseetopenly。Now,prayyou,goodmanandholyfather,tellmewhywemetnotwthsomanyadventuresaswewerewonttodo,andcommonlyhavethebetter。shalltellyougladly,sadthegoodman;theadventureoftheSangrealwhchyeandmanyotherhaveundertakenthequestoftandfndtnot,thecausesfortappearethnottosnners。Whereforemarvelnotthoughyefalthereof,andmanyother。Foryebeanuntrueknghtandagreatmurderer,andtogoodmensgnfethotherthngsthanmurder。Fordaresay,assnfulasSrLauncelothathbeen,sththathewentntothequestoftheSangrealheslewneverman,nornoughtshall,tllthathecomeuntoCamelotagan,forhehathtakenuponhmfortoforsakesn。Andnerethathensnotstable,butbyhsthoughtheslkelytoturnagan,heshouldbenexttoenchevetsaveGalahad,hsson。ButGodknowethhsthoughtandhsunstableness,andyetshallhederghtanholyman,andnodoubthehathnofellowofnoearthlysnfulman。Sr,sadGawane,tseemethmebyyourwordsthatforoursnstwllnotavalustotravelnthsquestTruly,sadthegoodman,therebeanhundredsuchasyebethatnevershallpreval,buttohaveshame。AndwhentheyhadheardthesevocestheycommendedhmuntoGod。
ThenthegoodmancalledGawane,andsad:tslongtmepassedsththatyeweremadeknght,andneversthenthouservedstthyMaker,andnowthouartsooldatreethatntheesnetherlfenorfrut;whereforebethnktheethatthouyeldtoOurLordthebarernd,sththefendhaththeleavesandthefrut。Sr,sadGawaneanhadlesurewouldspeakwthyou,butmyfellowhere,SrEctor,sgone,andabdethmeyonderbeneaththehll。Well,sadthegoodman,thouwerebettertobecounselled。ThendepartedGawaneandcametoEctor,andsotooktherhorsesandrodetlltheycametoaforester’shouse,whchharbouredthemrghtwell。Andonthemorntheydepartedfromtherhost,androdelongortheycouldfndanyadventure。
HowSrBorsmetwthanhermt,andhowhewasconfessedtohm,andofhspenanceenjonedtohm。
WHENBorswasdepartedfromCamelothemetwtharelgousmanrdngonanass,andSrBorssalutedhm。
Anonthegoodmanknewhmthathewasoneoftheknghts-errantthatwasnthequestoftheSangreal。
Whatareye?sadthegoodman。Sr,sadhe,amaknghtthatfanwouldbecounsellednthequestoftheSangreal,forheshallhavemuchearthlyworshpthatmaybrngttoanend。Certes,sadthegoodman,thatssooth,forheshallbethebestknghtoftheworld,andthefarestofallthefellowshp。Butwtyouwellthereshallnoneattantbutbycleanness,thatspureconfesson。
Sorodetheytogethertllthattheycametoanhermtage。
AndthereheprayedBorstodwellallthatnghtwthhm。Andsohealghtedandputawayhsarmour,andprayedhmthathemghtbeconfessed;andsotheywentntothechapel,andtherehewascleanconfessed,andtheyatebreadanddrankwatertogether。Now,sadthegoodman,praytheethatthoueatnoneothertllthatthoustatthetablewheretheSangrealshallbe。Sr,sadhe,agreemethereto,buthowwtyethatshallstthere。Yes,sadthegoodman,thatknow,butthereshallbebutfewofyourfellowswthyou。Allswelcome,sadSrBors,thatGodsendethme。Also,sadthegoodman,nsteadofashrt,andnsgnofchastsement,yeshallwearagarment;thereforeprayyoudooffallyourclothesandyourshrt:andsohedd。Andthenhetookhmascarletcoat,sothatshouldbensteadofhsshrttllhehadfulflledthequestoftheSangreal;andthegoodmanfoundnhmsomarvellousalfeandsostable,thathemarvelledandfeltthathewasnevercorruptnfleshlylusts,butnonetmethathebegatElanleBlank。
Thenhearmedhm,andtookhsleave,andsodeparted。Andsoalttlefromthencehelookedupntoatree,andtherehesawapassnggreatbrduponanoldtree,andtwaspassngdry,wthoutleaves;andthebrdsatabove,andhadbrds,thewhchweredeadforhunger。
Sosmotehehmselfwthhsbeak,thewhchwasgreatandsharp。Andsothegreatbrdbledtllthathededamonghsbrds。Andtheyoungbrdstookthelfebythebloodofthegreatbrd。WhenBorssawthshewstwelltwasagreattokenng;forwhenhesawthegreatbrdarosenot,thenhetookhshorseandyedehsway。
Sobyevensong,byadventurehecametoastrongtowerandanhgh,andtherewashelodgedgladly。
HowSrBorswaslodgedwthalady,andhowhetookuponhmfortofghtaganstachamponforherland。
ANDwhenhewasunarmedtheyledhmntoanhghtowerwherewasalady,young,lusty,andfar。Andsherecevedhmwthgreatjoy,andmadehmtostdownbyher,andsowashesettosupwthfleshandmanydantes。
AndwhenSrBorssawthat,hebethoughthmonhspenance,andbadeasquretobrnghmwater。Andsohebroughthm,andhemadesopstherenandatethem。
Ah,sadthelady,trowyelkenotmymeat。Yes,truly,sadSrBors,Godthankyou,madam,butmayeatnoneothermeatthsday。Thenshespakenomoreasatthattme,forshewasloathtodspleasehm。Thenaftersuppertheyspakeofonethngandother。
Wththatcameasqureandsad:Madam,yemustpurveyyouto-mornforachampon,forelseyourssterwllhavethscastleandalsoyourlands,exceptyecanfndaknghtthatwllfghtto-mornnyourquarrelaganstPrdamleNore。Thenshemadesorrowandsad:Ah,LordGod,whereforegrantedyetoholdmyland,whereofshouldnowbedshertedwthoutreasonandrght?AndwhenSrBorshadheardhersaythus,hesad:shallcomfortyou。Sr,sadshe,shalltellyoutherewashereakngthathghtAnause,whchheldallthslandnhskeepng。Sotmshappedhelovedagentlewomanagreatdealelderthan。Sotookheherallthslandtoherkeepng,andallhsmentogovern;
andshebroughtupmanyevlcustomswherebysheputtodeathagreatpartofhsknsmen。Andwhenhesawthat,heletchaseheroutofthsland,andbetooktme,andallthslandnmydemesnes。Butanonasthatworthykngwasdead,thsotherladybegantowaruponme,andhathdestroyedmanyofmymen,andturnedthemaganstme,thathavewell-nghnomanleftme;andhavenoughtelsebutthshghtowerthatsheleftme。Andyetshehathpromsedmetohavethstower,wthoutcanfndaknghttofghtwthherchampon。
Nowtellme,sadSrBors,whatsthatPrdamleNore?Sr,sadshe,hesthemostdoubtedmanofthsland。NowmayyesendherwordthatyehavefoundaknghtthatshallfghtwththatPrdamleNorenGod’squarrelandyours。Thenthatladywasnotalttleglad,andsentwordthatshewaspurveyed,andthatnghtBorshadgoodcheer;butnnobedhewouldcome,butladhmonthefloor,norneverwoulddootherwsetllthathehadmetwththequestoftheSangreal。
OfanadvsonwhchSrBorshadthatnght,andhowhefoughtandovercamehsadversary。
ANDanonashewasasleephmbefellavson,thattherecametohmtwobrds,theoneaswhteasaswan,andtheotherwasmarvellousblack;buttwasnotsogreatastheother,butnthelkenessofaRaven。Thenthewhtebrdcametohm,andsad:Anthouwouldstgvememeatandservemeshouldgvetheealltherchesoftheworld,andshallmaketheeasfarandaswhteas
am。Sothewhtebrddeparted,andtherecametheblackbrdtohm,andsad:Anthouwolt,servemeto-morrowandhavemennodesptethoughbeblack,forwtthouwellthatmoreavalethmyblacknessthantheother’swhteness。Andthenhedeparted。
Andhehadanothervson:hmthoughtthathecametoagreatplacewhchseemedachapel,andtherehefoundacharsetontheleftsde,whchwasworm-eatenandfeeble。Andontherghthandweretwoflowerslkeally,andtheonewouldhavebenometheother’swhteness,butagoodmandepartedthemthattheonetouchednottheother;andthenoutofeveryflowercameoutmanyflowers,andfrutgreatplenty。Thenhmthoughtthegoodmansad:Shouldnothedogreatfollythatwouldletthesetwoflowerspershfortosuccourtherottentree,thattfellnottotheearth?Sr,sadhe,tseemethmethatthswoodmghtnotaval。Nowkeepthee,sadthegoodman,thatthouneverseesuchadventurebefallthee。
Thenheawakedandmadeasgnofthecrossnmdstoftheforehead,andsoroseandclothedhm。Andtherecametheladyoftheplace,andshesalutedhm,andheheragan,andsowenttoachapelandheardtherservce。
Andtherecameacompanyofknghts,thattheladyhadsentfor,toleadSrBorsuntobattle。Thenaskedhehsarms。Andwhenhewasarmedsheprayedhmtotakealttlemorseltodne。Nay,madam,sadhe,thatshall
notdotllhavedonemybattle,bythegraceofGod。