_How Sir Percivale came into a monastery, where he found king Evelake,
which was an old man._
Then departed Sir Percivale from his aunt, either making great sorrow.
And so he rode till evensong time. And then he heard a clock smite. And
then he was ware of a house closed well with walls and deep ditches,
and there he knocked at the gate, and was let in, and he alight, and
was led unto a chamber, and soon he was unarmed. And there he had right
good cheer all that night, and on the morn he heard his mass, and in
the monastery he found a priest ready at the altar. And on the right
side he saw a pew closed with iron, and behind the altar he saw a rich
bed and a fair, as of cloth of silk and gold. Then Sir Percivale espied
that therein was a man or a woman, for the visage was covered. Then he
left off his looking, and heard his service. And when it came to the
sacring, he that lay within that perclose dressed him up, and uncovered
his head, and then him beseemed a passing old man, and he had a crown
of gold upon his head, and his shoulders were naked and uncovered unto
his middle. And then Sir Percivale espied his body was full of great
wounds, both on the shoulders, arms, and visage. And ever he held up
his hands unto our Lord’s body, and cried, Fair sweet Father Jesu
Christ, forget not me, and so he lay down, but always he was in his
prayers and orisons: and him seemed to be of the age of three hundred
winter. And when the mass was done, the priest took our Lord’s body and
bare it to the sick king. And when he had used it, he did off his
crown, and commanded the crown to be set on the altar. Then Sir
Percivale asked one of the brethren what he was. Sir, said the good
man, ye have heard much of Joseph of Armathie, how he was sent by Jesu
Christ into this land, for to teach and preach the holy christian
faith, and therefore he suffered many persecutions, the which the
enemies of Christ did unto him. And in the city of Sarras he converted
a king whose name was Evelake. And so this king came with Joseph into
this land: and always he was busy to be there as the Sancgreal was, and
on a time he nighed it so nigh that our Lord was displeased with him,
but ever he followed it more and more, till God struck him almost
blind. Then this king cried mercy, and said, Fair Lord, let me never
die till the good knight of my blood of the ninth degree be come, that
I may see him openly that he shall achieve the Sancgreal, that I may
kiss him.