THE SANGREAL (Continued)
SIR BOHORT
When Sir Boliort departed from Camelot he met with a religious
man, riding upon an ass; and Sir Bohort saluted him. "What are
ye?" said the good man. "Sir," said Sir Bohort, "I am a knight
that fain would be counselled in the quest of the Sangreal." So
rode they both together till they came to a hermitage; and there
he prayed Sir Bohort to dwell that night with him. So he alighted,
and put away his armor, and prayed him that he might be confessed.
And they went both into the chapel, and there he was clean
confessed. And they ate bread and drank water together. "Now,"
said the good man, "I pray thee that thou eat none other till thou
sit at the table where the Sangreal shall be." "Sir," said Sir
Bohort, "but how know ye that I shall sit there?" "Yea," said the
good man, "that I know well; but there shall be few of your
fellows with you." Then said Sir Bohort, "I agree me thereto" And
the good man when he had heard his confession found him in so pure
a life and so stable that he marvelled thereof.
On the morrow, as soon as the day appeared, Sir Bohort departed
thence, and rode into a forest unto the hour of midday. And there
befell him a marvellous adventure. For he met, at the parting of
two ways, two knights that led Sir Lionel, his brother, all naked,
bound upon a strong hackney, and his hands bound before his
breast; and each of them held in his hand thorns wherewith they
went beating him, so that he was all bloody before and behind; but
he said never a word, but, as he was great of heart, he suffered
all that they did to him as though he had felt none anguish. Sir
Bohort prepared to rescue his brother. But he looked on the other
side of him, and saw a knight dragging along a fair gentlewoman,
who cried out, "Saint Mary! succor your maid!" And when she saw
Sir Bohort, she called to him, and said, "By the faith that ye owe
to knighthood, help me!" When Sir Bohort heard her say thus he had
such sorrow that he wist not what to do. "For if I let my brother
be he must be slain, and that would I not for all the earth; and
if I help not the maid I am shamed for ever." Then lift he up his
eyes and said, weeping, "Fair Lord, whose liegeman I am, keep Sir
Lionel, my brother, that none of these knights slay him, and for
pity of you, and our Lady's sake, I shall succor this maid."
Then he cried out to the knight, "Sir knight, lay your hand off
that maid, or else ye be but dead." Then the knight set down the
maid, and took his shield, and drew out his sword. And Sir Bohort
smote him so hard that it went through his shield and habergeon,
on the left shoulder, and he fell down to the earth. Then came Sir
Bohort to the maid, "Ye be delivered of this knight this time."
"Now," said she, "I pray you lead me there where this knight took
me." "I shall gladly do it," said Sir Bohort. So he took the horse
of the wounded knight, and set the gentlewoman upon it, and
brought her there where she desired to be. And there he found
twelve knights seeking after her; and when she told them how Sir
Bohort had delivered her, they made great joy, and besought him to
come to her father, a great lord, and he should be right welcomed.
"Truly," said Sir Bohort, "that may not be; for I have a great
adventure to do." So he commended them to God and departed.
Then Sir Bohort rode after Sir Lionel, his brother, by the trace
of their horses. Thus he rode seeking, a great while. Then he
overtook a man clothed in a religious clothing, who said, "Sir
Knight, what seek ye?" "Sir," said Sir Bohort, "I seek my brother,
that I saw within a little space beaten of two knights." "Ah, Sir
Bohort, tiouble not thyself to seek for him, for truly he is
dead." Then he showed him a new-slain body, lying in a thick bush;
and it seemed him that it was the body of Sir Lionel. And then he
made such sorrow that he fell to the ground in a swoon, and lay
there long. And when he came to himself again, he said, "Fair
brother, since the fellowship of you and me is sundered, shall I
never have joy again; and now He that I have taken for my Master,
He be my help!" And when he had said thus he took up the body in
his arms, and put it upon the horse. And then he said to the man,
"Canst thou tell me the way to some chapel, where I may bury this
body?" "Come on," said the man, "here is one fast by." And so they
rode till they saw a fair tower, and beside it a chapel. Then they
alighted both, and put the body into a tomb of marble.
Then Sir Bohort commended the good man unto God, and departed. And
he rode all that day, and harbored with an old lady. And on the
morrow he rode unto the castle in a valley, and there he met with
a yeoman. "Tell me," said Sir Bohort, "knowest thou of any
adventure?" "Sir," said he, "here shall be, under this castle, a
great and marvellous tournament." Then Sir Bohort thought to be
there, if he might meet with any of the fellowship that were in
quest of the Sangreal; so he turned to a hermitage that was on the
border of the forest. And when he was come hither, he found there
Sir Lionel his brother, who sat all armed at the entry of the
chapel door. And when Sir Bohort saw him, he had great joy, and he
alighted off his horse, and said. "Fair brother, when came ye
hither?" As soon as Sir Lionel saw him he said, "Ah, Sir Bohort,
make ye no false show, for, as for you, I might have been slain,
for ye left me in peril of death to go succor a gentlewoman; and
for that misdeed I now assure you but death, for ye have right
well deserved it." When Sir Bohort perceived his brother's wrath
he kneeled down to the earth and cried him mercy, holding up both
his hands, and prayed him to forgive him. "Nay," said Sir Lionel,
"thou shalt have but death for it, if I have the upper hand;
therefore leap upon thy horse and keep thyself, and if thou do not
I will run upon thee there as thou standest on foot, and so the
shame shall be mine, and the harm thine, but of that I reck not."
When Sir Bohort saw that he must fight with his brother or else
die, he wist not what to do. Then his heart counselled him not so
to do, inasmuch as Sir Lionel was his elder brother, wherefore he
ought to bear him reverence. Yet kneeled he down before Sir
Lionel's horse's feet, and said, "Fair brother, have mercy upon me
and slay me not." But Sir Lionel cared not, for the fiend had
brought him in such a will that he should slay him. When he saw
that Sir Bohort would not rise to give him battle, he rushed over
him, so that he smote him with his horse's feet to the earth, and
hurt him sore, that he swooned of distress. When Sir Lionel saw
this he alighted from his horse for to have smitten off his head;
and so he took him by the helm, and would have rent it from his
head. But it happened that Sir Colgrevance, a knight of the Round
Table, came at that time thither, as it was our Lord's will; and
then he beheld how Sir Lionel would have slain his brother, and he
knew Sir Bohort, whom he loved right well.
Then leapt he down from his horse and took Sir Lionel by the
shoulders, and drew him strongly back from Sir Bohort, and said,
"Sir Lionel, will ye slay your brother?" "Why," said Sir Lionel,
"will ye stay me? If ye interfere in this I will slay you, and him
after." Then he ran upon Sir Bohort, and would have smitten him;
but Sir Colgrevance ran between them, and said, "If ye persist to
do so any more, we two shall meddle together." Then Sir Lionel
defied him, and gave him a great stroke through the helm. Then he
drew his sword, for he was a passing good knight, and defended
himself right manfully. So long endured the battle, that Sir
Bohort rose up all anguishly, and beheld Sir Colgrevance, the good
knight, fight with his brother for his quarrel. Then was he full
sorry and heavy, and thought that if Sir Colgrevance slew him that
was his brother he should never have joy, and if his brother slew
Sir Colgrevance the shame should ever be his.
Then would he have risen for to have parted them, but he had not
so much strength to stand on his feet; so he staid so long that
Sir Colgrevance had the worse; for Sir Lionel was of great
chivalry and right hardy. Then cried Sir Colgrevance, "Ah, Sir
Bohort, why come ye not to bring me out of peril of death, wherein
I have put me to succor you?" With that, Sir Lionel smote off his
helm and bore him to the earth. And when he had slain Sir
Colgrevance he ran upon his brother as a fiendly man, and gave him
such a stroke that he made him stoop. And he that was full of
humility prayed him, "for God's sake leave this battle, for if it
befell, fair brother, that I slew you, or ye me, we should be dead
of that sin." "Pray ye not me for mercy," said Sir Lionel. Then
Sir Bohort, all weeping, drew his sword, and said, "Now God have
mercy upon me, though I defend my life against my brother." With
that Sir Bohort lifted up his sword, and would have smitten his
brother. Then he heard a voice that said, "Flee, Sir Bohort, and
touch him not." Right so alighted a cloud between them, in the
likeness of a fire and a marvellous flame, so that they both fell
to the earth, and lay there a great while in a swoon. And when
they came to themselves, Sir Bohort saw that his brother had no
harm; and he was right glad, for he dread sore that God had taken
vengeance upon him. Then Sir Lionel said to his brother, "Brother,
forgive me, for God's sake, all that I have trespassed against
you." And Sir Bohort answered, "God forgive it thee, and I do."
With that Sir Bohort heard a voice say, "Sir Bohort, take thy way
anon, right to the sea, for Sir Perceval abideth thee there." So
Sir Bohort departed, and rode the nearest way to the sea. And at
last he came to an abbey that was nigh the sea. That night he
rested him there, and in his sleep there came a voice unto him and
bade him go to the sea-shore. He started up, and made a sign of
the cross on his forehead, and armed himself, and made ready his
horse and mounted him, and at a broken wall he rode out, and came
to the sea-shore. And there he found a ship, covered all with
white samite. And he entered into the ship; but it was anon so
dark that he might see no man, and he laid him down and slept till
it was day. Then he awaked, and saw in the middle of the ship a
knight all armed, save his helm. And then he knew it was Sir
Perceval de Galis, and each made of other right great joy. Then
said Sir Perceval, "We lack nothing now but the good knight Sir
Galahad."
SIR LAUNCELOT (Resumed)
It befell upon a night Sir Launcelot arrived before a castle,
which was rich and fair. And there was a postern that was opened
toward the sea, and was open without any keeping, save two lions
kept the entry; and the moon shined clear. Anon Sir Launcelot
heard a voice that said, "Launcelot, enter into the castle, where
thou shalt see a great part of thy desire." So he went unto the
gate, and saw the two lions; then he set hands to his sword, and
drew it. Then there came suddenly as it were a stroke upon the
arm, so sore that the sword fell out of his hand, and he heard a
voice that said, "O man of evil faith, wherefore believest thou
more in thy armor than in thy Maker?" Then said Sir Launcelot,
"Fair Lord, I thank thee of thy great mercy, that thou reprovest
me of my misdeed; now see I well that thou holdest me for thy
servant." Then he made a cross on his forehead, and came to the
lions; and they made semblance to do him harm, but he passed them
without hurt, and entered into the castle, and he found no gate
nor door but it was open. But at the last he found a chamber
whereof the door was shut; and he set his hand thereto, to have
opened it, but he might not. Then he listened, and heard a voice
which sung so sweetly that it seemed none earthly thing; and the
voice said, "Joy and honor be to the Father of heaven." Then Sir
Launcelot kneeled down before the chamber, for well he wist that
there was the Sangreal in that chamber. Then said he, "Fair, sweet
Lord, if ever I did anything that pleased thee, for thy pity show
me something of that which I seek." And with that he saw the
chamber door open, and there came out a great clearness, that the
house was as bright as though all the torches of the world had
been there. So he came to the chamber door, and would have
entered; and anon a voice said unto him, "Stay, Sir Launcelot, and
enter not." And he withdrew him back, and was right heavy in his
mind. Then looked he in the midst of the chamber, and saw a table
of silver, and the holy vessel, covered with red samite, and many
angels about it; whereof one held a candle of wax burning, and
another held a cross, and the ornaments of the altar.
"O, yet methought I saw the Holy Grail,
All pall'd in crimson samite, and around
Great angels, awful shapes, and wings and eyes"
--The Holy Grail.
Then for very wonder and thankfulness Sir Launcelot forgot himself
and he stepped forward and entered the chamber. And suddenly a
breath that seemed intermixed with fire smote him so sore in the
visage that therewith he fell to the ground, and had no power to
rise. Then felt he many hands about him, which took him up and
bare him out of the chamber, without any amending of his swoon,
and left him there, seeming dead to all the people. So on the
morrow, when it was fair daylight, and they within were arisen,
they found Sir Launcelot lying before the chamber door. And they
looked upon him and felt his pulse, to know if there were any life
in him. And they found life in him, but he might neither stand nor
stir any member that he had. So they took him and bare him into a
chamber, and laid him upon a bed, far from all folk, and there he
lay many days. Then the one said he was alive, and the others said
nay. But said an old man, "He is as full of life as the mightiest
of you all, and therefore I counsel you that he be well kept till
God bring him back again." And after twenty-four days he opened
his eyes; and when he saw folk he made great sorrow, and said,
"Why have ye wakened me? for I was better at ease than I am now."
"What have ye seen?" said they about him. "I have seen," said he,
"great marvels that no tongue can tell, and more than any heart
can think." Then they said, "Sir, the quest of the Sangreal is
achieved right now in you, and never shall ye see more of it than
ye have seen." "I thank God," said Sir Launcelot, "of his great
mercy, for that I have seen, for it sufficeth me." Then he rose up
and clothed himself; and when he was so arrayed they marvelled
all, for they knew it was Sir Launcelot the good knight. And after
four days he took his leave of the lord of the castle, and of all
the fellowship that were there, and thanked them for their great
labor and care of him. Then he departed, and turned to Camelot,
where he found King Arthur and Queen Guenever; but many of the
knights of the Round Table were slain and destroyed, more than
half. Then all the court was passing glad of Sir Launcelot; and he
told the king all his adventures that had befallen him since he
departed.
SIR GALAHAD
Now, when Sir Galahad had rescued Perceval from the twenty
knights, he rode into a vast forest, wherein he abode many days.
Then he took his way to the sea, and it befell him that he was
benighted in a hermitage. And the good man was glad when he saw he
was a knight-errant. And when they were at rest, there came a
gentlewoman knocking at the door; and the good man came to the
door to wit what she would. Then she said, "I would speak with the
knight which is with you." Then Galahad went to her, and asked her
what she would. "Sir Galahad," said she, "I will that ye arm you,
and mount upon your horse, and follow me; for I will show you the
highest adventure that ever knight saw." Then Galahad armed
himself and commended himself to God, and bade the damsel go
before, and he would follow where she led.
So she rode as fast as her palfrey might bear her, till she came
to the sea; and there they found the ship where Sir Bohort and Sir
Perceval were, who cried from the ship, "Sir Galahad, you are
welcome; we have waited you long." And when he heard them, he
asked the damsel who they were. "Sir," said she, "leave your horse
here, and I shall leave mine, and we will join ourselves to their
company." So they entered into the ship, and the two knights
received them both with great joy. For they knew the damsel, that
she was Sir Perceval's sister. Then the wind arose and drove them
through the sea all that day and the next, till the ship arrived
between two rocks, passing great and marvellous; but there they
might not land, for there was a whirlpool; but there was another
ship, and upon it they might go without danger. "Go we thither,"
said the gentlewoman, "and there we shall see adventures, for such
is our Lord's will." Then Sir Galahad blessed him, and entered
therein, and then next the gentlewoman, and then Sir Bohort and
Sir Perceval. And when they came on board they found there the
table of silver, and the Sangreal, which was covered with red
samite. And they made great reverence thereto, and Sir Galahad
prayed a long time to our Lord, that at what time he should ask to
pass out of this world he should do so; and a voice said to him,
"Galahad, thou shalt have thy request; and when thou askest the
death of thy body, thou shalt have it, and then shalt thou find
the life of thy soul."
And anon the wind drove them across the sea, till they came to the
city of Sarras. Then took they out of the ship the table of
silver, and Sir Perceval and Sir Bohort took it before, and Sir
Galahad came behind, and right so they went to the city. And at
the gate of the city they saw an old man, a cripple.
"And Sir Launfal said, 'I behold in thee
An image of Him who died on the tree
Thou also hast had thy crown of thorns,
Thou also hast had the world's buffets and scorns;
And to thy life were not denied
The wounds in thy hands and feet and side
Mild Mary's son, acknowledge me;
Behold, through Him I give to thee!'"
--Lowell's Holy Grail.
Then Galahad called him, and bade him help to bear this heavy
thing. "Truly," said the old man, "it is ten years since I could
not go but with crutches." "Care thou not," said Sir Galahad, "but
arise up, and show thy good will." Then the old man rose up, and
assayed, and found himself as whole as ever he was; and he ran to
the table, and took one part with Sir Galahad.
When they came to the city it chanced that the king was just dead,
and all the city was dismayed, and wist not who might be their
king. Right so, as they were in counsel, there came a voice among
them, and bade them choose the youngest knight of those three to
be their king. So they made Sir Galahad king, by all the assent of
the city. And when he was made king, he commanded to make a chest
of gold and of precious stones to hold the holy vessel. And every
day the three companions would come before it and make their
prayers.
Now at the year's end, and the same day of the year that Sir
Galahad received the crown, he got up early, and, with his
fellows, came to where the holy vessel was; and they saw one
kneeling before it that had about him a great fellowship of
angels; and he called Sir Galahad, and said, "Come, thou servant
of the Lord, and thou shalt see what thou hast much desired to
see." And Sir Galahad's mortal flesh trembled right hard when he
began to behold the spiritual things. Then said the good man, "Now
wottest thou who I am?" "Nay," said Sir Galahad. "I am Joseph of
Arimathea, whom our Lord hath sent here to thee, to bear thee
fellowship." Then Sir Galahad held up his hands toward heaven, and
said, "Now, blessed Lord, would I not longer live, if it might
please thee." And when he had said these words, Sir Galahad went
to Sir Perceval and to Sir Bohort and kissed them, and commended
them to God. And then he kneeled down before the table, and made
his prayers, and suddenly his soul departed, and a great multitude
of angels bare his soul up to heaven, so as the two fellows could
well behold it. Also they saw come from heaven a hand, but they
saw not the body; and the hand came right to the vessel and bare
it up to heaven. Since then was there never one so hardy as to say
that he had seen the Sangreal on earth any more.