_How Sir Launcelot, half sleeping and half waking, saw a sick man borne
in a litter, and how he was healed with the Sangreal._
And so he fell on sleep, and half waking and half sleeping he saw come
by him two palfreys all fair and white, the which bare a litter,
therein lying a sick knight. And when he was nigh the cross, he there
abode still. All this Sir Launcelot saw and beheld, for he slept not
verily; and he heard him say, Oh, sweet Lord, when shall this sorrow
leave me? and when shall the holy vessel come by me where through I
shall be blessed? For I have endured thus long for little trespass. A
full great while complained the knight thus, and always Sir Launcelot
heard it. With that Sir Launcelot saw the candlestick with the six
tapers come before the cross, and he saw nobody that brought it. Also
there came a table of silver, and the holy vessel of the Sancgreal,
which Sir Launcelot had seen aforetime in king Peschour’s house. And
therewith the sick knight set him up, and held up both his hands, and
said, Fair sweet Lord, which is here within this holy vessel, take heed
unto me, that I may be whole of this malady. And therewith on his hands
and on his knees he went so nigh that he touched the holy vessel, and
kissed it, and anon he was whole, and then he said, Lord God I thank
thee, for I am healed of this sickness. So when the holy vessel had
been there a great while it went unto the chapel, with the chandelier
and the light, so that Launcelot wist not where it was become, for he
was overtaken with sin that he had no power to arise against the holy
vessel; wherefore after that many men said of him shame, but he took
repentance after that. Then the sick knight dressed him up, and kissed
the cross. Anon his squire brought him his arms, and asked his lord how
he did? Certes, said he, I thank God right well, through the holy
vessel I am healed. But I have great marvel of this sleeping knight,
that had no power to awake when this holy vessel was brought hither. I
dare right well say, said the squire, that he dwelleth in some deadly
sin, whereof he was never confessed. By my faith, said the knight,
whatsoever he be he is unhappy, for as I deem he is of the fellowship
of the Round Table, the which is entered into the quest of the
Sancgreal. Sir, said the squire, here I have brought you all your arms,
save your helm and your sword, and therefore by my assent now may ye
take this knight’s helm and his sword. And so he did. And when he was
clean armed he took Sir Launcelot’s horse, for he was better than his
own: and so departed they from the cross.