_Of the vision that Sir Percivale saw, and how his vision was
expounded, and of his lion._
Then came forth the other lady that rode upon the serpent, and she
said, Sir Percivale, I complain me of you that ye have done unto me,
and have not offended unto you. Certes, madam, said he, unto you nor no
lady I never offended. Yes, said she, I shall tell you why. I have
nourished in this place a great while a serpent, which served me a
great while, and yesterday ye slew him as he gat his prey. Say me for
what cause ye slew him, for the lion was not yours? Madam, said Sir
Percivale, I know well the lion was not mine, but I did it, for the
lion is of a more gentler nature than the serpent, and therefore I slew
him; me seemeth I did not amiss against you. Madam, said he, what would
ye that I did? I would, said she, for the amends of my beast that ye
become my man. And then he answered, That will I not grant you. No,
said she, truly ye were never but my servant, since ye received the
homage of our Lord Jesu Christ. Therefore I ensure you in what place I
may find you without keeping, I shall take you as he that sometime was
my man. And so she departed from Sir Percivale, and left him sleeping,
the which was sore travailed of his vision. And on the morn he rose and
blessed him, and he was passing feeble. Then was Sir Percivale ware in
the sea, and saw a ship come sailing toward him, and Sir Percivale went
unto the ship, and found it covered within and without with white
samite. And at the board stood an old man clothed in a surplice in
likeness of a priest. Sir, said Sir Percivale, ye be welcome. God keep
you, said the good man. Sir, said the old man, of whence be ye? Sir,
said Sir Percivale, I am of king Arthur’s court, and a knight of the
Table Round, the which am in the quest of the Sancgreal, and here I am
in great duresse, and never like to escape out of this wilderness.
Doubt not, said the good man, and ye be so true a knight as the order
of chivalry requireth, and of heart as ye ought to be, ye should not
doubt that none enemy should slay you. What are ye? said Sir Percivale.
Sir, said the old man, I am of a strange country, and hither I come to
comfort you. Sir, said Sir Percivale, what signifieth my dream that I
dreamed this night? And there he told him altogether. She which rode
upon the lion, said the good man, betokeneth the new law of holy
Church, that is to understand faith, good hope, belief, and baptism.
For she seemed younger than the other, it is great reason, for she was
born in the resurrection and the passion of our Lord Jesu Christ. And
for great love she came to thee, to warn thee of thy great battle that
shall befall thee. With whom, said Sir Percivale, shall I fight? With
the most champion of the world, said the old man, for, as the lady
said, but if thou quit thee well, thou shalt not be quit by losing of
one member, but thou shalt be shamed to the world’s end. And she that
rode upon the serpent signifieth the old law, and that serpent
betokeneth a fiend. And why she blamed thee that thou slewest her
servant, it betokeneth nothing: the serpent that thou slewest
betokeneth the devil that thou rodest upon to the rock, and when thou
madest a sign of the cross, there thou slewest him, and put away his
power. And when she asked thee amends and to become her man, and thou
saidest thou wouldest not, that was to make thee to believe on her and
leave thy baptism. So he commanded Sir Percivale to depart. And so he
lept over the board, and the ship and all went away he wist not
whither. Then he went up unto the rock and found the lion, which alway
kept him fellowship, and he stroked him upon the back, and had great
joy of him.