_How Galahad gat him a shield, and how they sped that presumed to take
down the said shield._
Now rideth Sir Galahad yet without shield, and so he rode four days
without any adventure. And at the fourth day after even-song he came to
a white abbey, and there he was received with great reverence, and led
to a chamber, and then he was unarmed, and then was he ware of two
knights of the Round Table, one was king Bagdemagus, and that other was
Sir Uwaine. And when they saw him they went unto him and made of him
great solace, and so they went to supper. Sirs, said Sir Galahad, what
adventure brought you hither? Sir, said they, it is told us that within
this place is a shield that no man may bear about his neck but that if
he be mischieved or dead within three days, or else maimed for ever.
Ah, sir, said king Bagdemagus, I shall bear it to-morrow for to assay
this strange adventure. In the name of God, said Sir Galahad. Sir, said
Bagdemagus, and I may not achieve the adventure of this shield ye shall
take it upon you, for I am sure ye shall not fail. Sir, said Galahad, I
agree right well thereto, for I have no shield. So on the morn they
arose and heard mass. Then king Bagdemagus asked where the adventurous
shield was. Anon a monk led him behind an altar where the shield hung
as white as any snow, but in the midst was a red cross. Sir, said the
monk, this shield ought not to be hanged about no knight’s neck, but he
be the worthiest knight of the world, and therefore I counsel you
knights to be well advised. Well, said king Bagdemagus, I wot well that
I am not the best knight of the world, but yet shall I assay to bear
it. And so he bare it out of the monastery; and then he said unto Sir
Galahad, If it will please you, I pray you abide here still, till ye
know how I shall speed. I shall abide you here, said Galahad. Then king
Bagdemagus took with him a squire, the which should bring tidings unto
Sir Galahad how he sped. Then when they had ridden a two mile, and came
in a fair valley afore an hermitage, then they saw a goodly knight come
from that part in white armour, horse and all, and he came as fast as
his horse might run with his spear in the rest, and king Bagdemagus
dressed his spear against him, and brake it upon the white knight; but
the other struck him so hard that he brake the mails, and thrust him
through the right shoulder, for the shield covered him not as at that
time, and so he bare him from his horse, and therewith he alighted and
took the white shield from him, saying, Knight, thou hast done thyself
great folly, for this shield ought not to be borne but by him that
shall have no peer that liveth. And then he came to king Bagdemagus’s
squire and said, Bear this shield unto the good knight Sir Galahad,
that thou left in the abbey, and greet him well from me. Sir, said the
squire, what is your name? Take thou no heed of my name, said the
knight, for it is not for thee to know, nor for none earthly man. Now,
fair sir, said the squire, at the reverence of Jesu Christ tell me for
what cause this shield may not be borne, but if the bearer thereof be
mischieved. Now, sith thou hast conjured me so, said the knight, this
shield behoveth to no man but unto Galahad. And the squire went unto
Bagdemagus and asked him whether he were sore wounded or not? Yea
forsooth, said he, I shall escape hard from the death. Then he fetched
his horse, and brought him with great pain unto an abbey. Then was he
taken down softly, and unarmed, and laid in a bed, and there was looked
to his wounds. And, as the book telleth, he lay there long, and escaped
hard with the life.