_How at the Vigil of the feast of Pentecost entered into the hall,
before king Arthur, a damsel, 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 comen 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 besweat. Then she there alight, and came before the king, and
saluted him; and then he said, Damsel, God thee bless! Sir, said she, I
pray you say me where Sir Launcelot is? Yonder ye may see him, said the
king. Then she went unto Launcelot and said, Sir Launcelot, I salute
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 Sir
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-morrow 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 into 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 thee hither, for we wend to-morrow to have
found you at Camelot? Truly, said Sir Launcelot, a gentlewoman brought
me hither, but I know not the cause. In the meanwhile, as they thus
stood talking together, there came twelve nuns which brought with them
Galahad, the which was passing fair and well made, that unneth in the
world men might not find his match; and all those ladies wept. Sir,
said the ladies, 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 that young squire, and saw him seemly and demure as a dove, with
all manner of good features, that he wend 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-morrow 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 beauty faileth you not as any
that liveth.