King Arthur was in the little house beside the chapel, and had heard
the voice of the sweet Mother of God and the angels. Great joy had he,
and was right glad of the good man's soul that was borne thence into
Paradise. The King had slept right little the night and was all armed.
He saw the day break clear and fair, and goeth his way toward the
chapel to cry God mercy, thinking to find the coffin discovered there
where the hermit lay; but so did he not! Rather, was it covered of the
richest tomb-stone that any might ever see, and had on the top a red
cross, and seemed it that the chapel was all incensed. When the King
had made his orison therein, he cometh back again and setteth on his
bridle and saddle and mounteth, and taketh his shield and spear and
departeth from the little house and entereth into the forest and rideth
a great pace, until he cometh at right hour of tierce to one of the
fairest laundes that ever a man might see. And he seeth at the
entrance a spear set bar-wise, and looketh to the right or ever he
should enter therein, and seeth a damsel sitting under a great leafy
tree, and she held the reins of her mule in her hand. The damsel was
of great beauty and full seemly clad. The King turneth thitherward and
so saluteth her and saith: "Damsel," saith he, "God give you joy and
good adventure."
"Sir," saith she, "So may He do to you!"
"Damsel," saith the King, "Is there no hold in this launde?"
"Sir," saith the damsel, "No hold is there save a most holy chapel and
a hermit that is beside S. Augustine's chapel."
"Is this then S. Augustine's chapel?" saith the King.
"Yea, Sir, I tell it you for true, but the launde and the forest about
is so perilous that no knight returneth thence but he be dead or
wounded; but the place of the chapel is of so great worthiness that
none goeth thither, be he never so discounselled, but he cometh back
counselled, so he may thence return on live. And Lord God be guard of
your body, for never yet saw I none aforetime that seemed more like to
be good knight, and sore pity would it be and you were not, and never
more shall I depart me hence and I shall have seen your end."
"Damsel," saith the King, "Please God, you shall see me repair back
thence."
"Certes," saith the damsel, "Thereof should I be! right fain, for then
should I ask you tidings at leisure of him that I am seeking."
The King goeth to the bar whereby one entereth into the launde, and
looketh to the right into a combe of the forest and seeth the chapel of
S. Augustine and the right fair hermitage. Thitherward goeth he and
alighteth, and it seemeth him that the hermit is apparelled to sing the
mass. He reineth up his horse to the bough of a tree by the side of
the chapel and thinketh to enter thereinto, but, had it been to conquer
all the kingdoms of the world, thereinto might he not enter, albeit
there was none made him denial thereof, for the door was open and none
saw he that might forbid him. Sore ashamed is the King thereof.
Howbeit, he beholdeth an image of Our Lord that was there within and
crieth Him of mercy right sweetly, and looketh toward the altar. And
he looketh at the holy hermit that was robed to sing mass and said his
"Confiteor", and seeth at his right hand the fairest Child that ever he
had seen, and He was clad in an alb and had a golden crown on his head
loaded with precious stones that gave out a full great brightness of
light. On the left hand side, was a Lady so fair that all the beauties
of the world might not compare them with her beauty. When the holy
hermit had said his "Confiteor" and went to the altar, the Lady also
took her Son and went to sit on the right hand side towards the altar
upon a right rich chair and set her Son upon her knees and began to
kiss Him full sweetly and saith: "Sir," saith she, "You are my Father
and my Son and my Lord, and guardian of me and of all the world."
King Arthur heareth the words and seeth the beauty of the Lady and of
the Child, and marvelleth much of this that She should call Him her
Father and her Son. He looketh at a window behind the altar and seeth
a flame come through at the very instant that mass was begun, clearer
than any ray of sun nor moon nor star, and evermore it threw forth a
brightness of light such that and all the lights in the world had been
together it would not have been the like. And it is come down upon the
altar. King Arthur seeth it who marvelleth him much thereof. But sore
it irketh him of this that he may not enter therewithin, and he
heareth, there where the holy hermit was singing the mass, right fair
responses, and they seem him to be the responses of angels. And when
the Holy Gospel was read, King Arthur looked toward the altar and saw
that the Lady took her Child and offered Him into the hands of the holy
hermit, but of this King Arthur made much marvel, that the holy hermit
washed not his hands when he had received the offering. Right sore did
King Arthur marvel him thereof, but little right would he have had to
marvel had he known the reason. And when the Child was offered him, he
set Him upon the altar and thereafter began his sacrament. And King
Arthur set him on his knees before the chapel and began to pray to God
and to beat his breast. And he looked toward the altar after the
preface, and it seemed him that the holy hermit held between his hands
a man bleeding from His side and in His palms and in His feet, and
crowned with thorns, and he seeth Him in His own figure. And when he
had looked on Him so long and knoweth not what is become of Him, the
King hath pity of Him in his heart of this that he had seen, and the
tears of his heart come into his eyes. And he looketh toward the altar
and thinketh to see the figure of the man, and seeth that it is changed
into the shape of the Child that he had seen tofore.