_How great sorrow was made of the king and the queen and ladies for the
departing of the knights, and how they departed._
And therewith the tears filled in his eyes. And then he said, Gawaine,
Gawaine, ye have set me in great sorrow. For I have great doubt that my
true fellowship shall never meet here more again. Ah, said Sir
Launcelot, comfort yourself, for it shall be unto us as a great honour,
and much more than if we died in any other places, for of death we be
sure. Ah Launcelot, said the king, the great love that I have had unto
you all the days of my life maketh me to say such doleful words; for
never christian king had never so many worthy men at this table as I
have had this day at the Round Table, and that is my great sorrow. When
the queen, ladies, and gentlewomen wist these tidings, they had such
sorrow and heaviness that there might no tongue tell it, for those
knights had holden them in honour and charity. But among all other
queen Guenever made great sorrow. I marvel, said she, my lord would
suffer them to depart from him. Thus was all the court troubled, for
the love of the departition of those knights. And many of those ladies
that loved knights would have gone with their lovers; and so had they
done, had not an old knight come among them in religious clothing, and
then he spake all on high and said, Fair lords which have sworn in the
quest of the Sancgreal, thus sendeth you Nacien the hermit word, that
none in this quest lead lady nor gentlewoman with him, for it is not to
do in so high a service as they labour in, for I warn you plain, he
that is not clean of his sins he shall not see the mysteries of our
Lord Jesu Christ; and for this cause they left these ladies and
gentlewomen. After this the queen came unto Galahad, and asked him of
whence he was, and of what country? He told her of whence he was. And
son unto Sir Launcelot, she said he was: as to that he said neither yea
nor nay. Truly, said the queen, of your father ye need not to shame
you, for he is the goodliest knight and of the best men of the world
come, and of the stock, of all parties, of kings. Wherefore ye ought of
right to be of your deeds a passing good man, and certainly, she said,
ye resemble him much. Then Sir Galahad was a little ashamed, and said,
Madam, sith ye know in certain, wherefore do ye ask it me? for he that
is my father shall be known openly, and all betimes. And then they went
to rest them. And in the honour of the highness of Galahad he was led
into king Arthur’s chamber, and there rested in his own bed. And as
soon as it was day the king arose, for he had no rest of all that night
for sorrow. Then he went unto Gawaine and to Sir Launcelot, that were
arisen for to hear mass. And then the king again said, Ah Gawaine,
Gawaine, ye have betrayed me. For never shall my court be amended by
you, but ye will never be sorry for me, as I am for you. And therewith
the tears began to run down by his visage. And therewith the king said,
Ah knight, Sir Launcelot, I require thee thou counsel me, for I would
that this quest were undone, and it might be. Sir, said Sir Launcelot,
ye saw yesterday so many worthy knights that then were sworn, that they
may not leave it in no manner of wise. That wot I well, said the king,
but it shall so heavy me at their departing, that I wot well there
shall no manner of joy remedy me. And then the king and the queen went
unto the minster. So anon Launcelot and Gawaine commanded their men to
bring their arms. And when they all were armed, save their shields and
their helms, then they came to their fellowship, which all were ready
in the same wise for to go to the minster to hear their service.
Then after the service was done, the king would wit how many had taken
the quest of the holy Graile, and to account them he prayed them all.
Then found they by tale an hundred and fifty, and all were knights of
the Round Table. And then they put on their helms, and departed, and
recommanded them all wholly unto the queen, and there was weeping and
great sorrow. Then the queen departed into her chamber so that no man
should perceive her great sorrows. When Sir Launcelot missed the queen
he went into her chamber, and when she saw him she cried aloud, O, Sir
Launcelot, ye have betrayed me and put me to death, for to leave thus
my lord. Ah, madam, said Sir Launcelot, I pray you be not displeased,
for I shall come again as soon as I may with my worship. Alas, said
she, that ever I saw you! but He that suffered death upon the cross for
all mankind, be to your good conduct and safety, and all the whole
fellowship. Right so departed Sir Launcelot, and found his fellowship
that abode his coming. And so they mounted upon their horses, and rode
through the streets of Camelot, and there was weeping of the rich and
poor, and the king turned away, and might not speak for weeping. So
within a while they came to a city and a castle that hight Vagon: there
they entered into the castle, and the lord of that castle was an old
man that hight Vagon, and he was a good man of his living, and set open
the gates, and made them all the good cheer that he might. And so on
the morrow they were all accorded that they should depart every each
from other. And then they departed on the morrow with weeping and
mourning cheer, and every knight took the way that him best liked.