_How a voice spake to Sir Launcelot, and how he found his horse and his
helm borne away, and after went afoot._
Then anon Sir Launcelot waked, and set him up, and bethought him what
he had seen there, and whether it were dreams or not. Right so heard he
a voice that said, Sir Launcelot, more harder than is the stone, and
more bitter than is the wood, and more naked and barer than is the leaf
of the fig-tree, therefore go thou from hence and withdraw thee from
this holy place. And when Sir Launcelot heard this he was passing
heavy, and wist not what to do, and so departed, sore weeping, and
cursed the time that he was born. For then he deemed never to have had
worship more. For those words went to his heart, till that he knew
wherefore he was called so. Then Sir Launcelot went to the cross, and
found his helm, his sword, and his horse, taken away. And then he
called himself a very wretch, and most unhappy of all knights: and
there he said, My sin and my wickedness have brought me unto great
dishonour. For when I sought worldly adventures for worldly desires I
ever achieved them, and had the better in every place, and never was I
discomfit in no quarrel, were it right or wrong. And now I take upon me
the adventures of holy things, and now I see and understand that mine
old sin hindereth me, and shameth me, so that I had no power to stir
nor to speak when the holy blood appeared afore me. So thus he sorrowed
till it was day, and heard the fowls sing: then somewhat he was
comforted. But when Sir Launcelot missed his horse and his harness,
then he wist well God was displeased with him. Then he departed from
the cross on foot into a forest. And so by prime he came to an high
hill, and found an hermitage, and an hermit therein, which was going
unto mass. And then Launcelot kneeled down and cried on our Lord mercy
for his wicked works. So when mass was done, Launcelot called him, and
prayed him for charity for to hear his life. With a good will, said the
good man. Sir, said he, be ye of king Arthur’s court, and of the
fellowship of the Round Table? Yea forsooth, and my name is Sir
Launcelot du Lake, that hath been right well said of, and now my good
fortune is changed, for I am the most wretch of the world. The hermit
beheld him, and had marvel how he was so abashed. Sir, said the hermit,
ye ought to thank God more than any knight living; for He hath caused
you to have more worldly worship than any knight that now liveth. And
for your presumption to take upon you in deadly sin for to be in His
presence, where His flesh and His blood was, that caused you ye might
not see it with worldly eyes, for He will not appear where such sinners
be, but if it be unto their great hurt, and unto their great shame. And
there is no knight living now that ought to give God so great thanks as
ye; for He hath given you beauty, seemliness, and great strength, above
all other knights, and therefore ye are the more beholding unto God
than any other man to love Him and dread Him; for your strength and
manhood will little avail you and God be against you.