CHAPTER I
How at the vigil of the Feast of Pentecost entered into the hall before King Arthur a damosel,and desired Sir Launcelot for to come and dub a knight,and how he went with her.
AT the vigil of Pentecost,when all the fellowship of the Round Table were come unto Camelot and there heard their service,and the tables were set ready to the meat,right so entered into the hall a full fair gentlewoman on horseback,that had ridden full fast,for her horse was all besweated.Then she there alighted,and came before the king and saluted him;and he said:Damosel,God thee bless.Sir,said she,for God's sake say me where Sir Launcelot is.Yonder ye may see him,said the king.
Then she went unto Launcelot and said:Sir Launcelot,Isalute you on King Pelles'behalf,and I require you come on with me hereby into a forest.Then Sir Launcelot asked her with whom she dwelled.I dwell,said she,with King Pelles.What will ye with me?said Launcelot.
Ye shall know,said she,when ye come thither.Well,said he,I will gladly go with you.So Sir Launcelot bade his squire saddle his horse and bring his arms;and in all haste he did his commandment.
Then came the queen unto Launcelot,and said:
Will ye leave us at this high feast?Madam,said the gentlewoman,wit ye well he shall be with you to-morn by dinner time.If I wist,said the queen,that he should not be with us here to-morn he should not go with you by my good will.Right so departed Sir Launcelot with the gentlewoman,and rode until that he came into a forest and into a great valley,where they saw an abbey of nuns;and there was a squire ready and opened the gates,and so they entered and descended off their horses;and there came a fair fellowship about Sir Launcelot,and welcomed him,and were passing glad of his coming.And then they led him unto the Abbess's chamber and unarmed him;and right so he was ware upon a bed lying two of his cousins,Sir Bors and Sir Lionel,and then he waked them;and when they saw him they made great joy.Sir,said Sir Bors unto Sir Launcelot,what adventure hath brought you hither,for we weened to-morn to have found you at Camelot?As God me help,said Sir Launcelot,a gentlewoman brought me hither,but I know not the cause.
In the meanwhile that they thus stood talking together,therein came twelve nuns that brought with them Galahad,the which was passing fair and well made,that unnethe in the world men might not find his match:and all those ladies wept.Sir,said they all,we bring you here this child the which we have nourished,and we pray you to make him a knight,for of a more worthier man's hand may he not receive the order of knighthood.Sir Launcelot beheld the young squire and saw him seemly and demure as a dove,with all manner of good features,that he weened of his age never to have seen so fair a man of form.Then said Sir Launcelot:Cometh this desire of himself?He and all they said yea.Then shall he,said Sir Launcelot,receive the high order of knighthood as to-morn at the reverence of the high feast.That night Sir Launcelot had passing good cheer;and on the morn at the hour of prime,at Galahad's desire,he made him knight and said:God make him a good man,for of beauty faileth you not as any that liveth.
CHAPTER II
How the letters were found written in the Siege Perilous and of the marvellous adventure of the sword in a stone.
NOW fair sir,said Sir Launcelot,will ye come with me unto the court of King Arthur?Nay,said he,I will not go with you as at this time.Then he departed from them and took his two cousins with him,and so they came unto Camelot by the hour of underne on Whitsunday.By that time the king and the queen were gone to the minster to hear their service.Then the king and the queen were passing glad of Sir Bors and Sir Lionel,and so was all the fellowship.So when the king and all the knights were come from service,the barons espied in the sieges of the Round Table all about,written with golden letters:Here ought to sit he,and he ought to sit here.And thus they went so long till that they came to the Siege Perilous,where they found letters newly written of gold which said:
Four hundred winters and four and fifty accomplished after the passion of our Lord Jesu Christ ought this siege to be fulfilled.Then all they said:This is a marvellous thing and an adventurous.In the name of God,said Sir Launcelot;and then accompted the term of the writing from the birth of our Lord unto that day.It seemeth me said Sir Launcelot,this siege ought to be fulfilled this same day,for this is the feast of Pentecost after the four hundred and four and fifty year;and if it would please all parties,I would none of these letters were seen this day,till he be come that ought to enchieve this adventure.Then made they to ordain a cloth of silk,for to cover these letters in the Siege Perilous.
Then the king bade haste unto dinner.Sir,said Sir Kay the Steward,if ye go now unto your meat ye shall break your old custom of your court,for ye have not used on this day to sit at your meat or that ye have seen some adventure.Ye say sooth,said the king,but I had so great joy of Sir Launcelot and of his cousins,which be come to the court whole and sound,so that I bethought me not of mine old custom.So,as they stood speaking,in came a squire and said unto the king:Sir,I bring unto you marvellous tidings.What be they?said the king.
Sir,there is here beneath at the river a great stone which I saw fleet above the water,and therein I saw sticking a sword.The king said:I will see that marvel.So all the knights went with him,and when they came to the river they found there a stone fleeting,as it were of red marble,and therein stuck a fair rich sword,and in the pommel thereof were precious stones wrought with subtle letters of gold.Then the barons read the letters which said in this wise:Never shall man take me hence,but only he by whose side I ought to hang,and he shall be the best knight of the world.