_How Galahad departed with the shield. And how king Evelake had
received the shield of Joseph of Aramathie._
Sir Galahad, said the squire, that knight that wounded Bagdemagus
sendeth you greeting, and bad that ye should bear this shield, where
through great adventures should befall. Now blessed be God and fortune,
said Sir Galahad. And then he asked his arms, and mounted upon his
horse, and hung the white shield about his neck, and commended them
unto God. And Sir Uwaine said he would bear him fellowship if it
pleased him. Sir, said Galahad, that may ye not, for I must go alone,
save this squire shall bear me fellowship: and so departed Uwaine. Then
within a while came Galahad there as the white knight abode him by the
hermitage, and every each saluted other courteously. Sir, said Galahad,
by this shield been many marvels fallen. Sir, said the knight, it
befell after the passion of our Lord Jesu Christ thirty-two year, that
Joseph of Armathie, the gentle knight the which took down our Lord off
the holy cross, at that time he departed from Jerusalem with a great
party of his kindred with him. And so he laboured till that they came
to a city that hight Sarras. And at that same hour that Joseph came to
Sarras, there was a king that hight Evelake, that had great war against
the Saracens, and in especially against one Saracen, the which was the
king Evelake’s cousin, a rich king and a mighty, which marched nigh
this land, and his name was called Tolleme la Feintes. So on a day this
two met to do battle. Then Joseph, the son of Joseph of Armathie, went
to king Evelake, and told him he should be discomfit and slain, but if
he left his belief of the old law, and believed upon the new law. And
then there he shewed him the right belief of the Holy Trinity, to the
which he agreed unto with all his heart, and there this shield was made
for king Evelake, in the name of Him that died upon the cross. And then
through his good belief he had the better of king Tolleme. For when
Evelake was in the battle, there was a cloth set afore the shield, and
when he was in the greatest peril he let put away the cloth, and then
his enemies saw a figure of a man on the cross, where through they all
were discomfit. And so it befell that a man of king Evelake’s was
smitten his hand off, and bare that hand in his other hand. And Joseph
called that man unto him, and bad him, Go with good devotion, touch the
cross. And as soon as that man had touched the cross with his hand, it
was as whole as ever it was tofore. Then soon after there fell a great
marvel, that the cross of the shield at one time vanished away, that no
man wist where it became. And then king Evelake was baptised, and for
the most part all the people of that city. So soon after Joseph would
depart, and king Evelake would go with him, whether he would or nould.
And so by fortune they came into this land, that at that time was
called Great Britain. And there they found a great felon paynim, that
put Joseph into prison. And so by fortune tidings came unto a worthy
man that hight Mondrames, and he assembled all his people, for the
great renown he had heard of Joseph, and so he came into the land of
Great Britain, and disherited this felon paynim and consumed him, and
therewith delivered Joseph out of prison. And after that all the people
were turned to the christian faith.