_How Galahad and his fellows were fed of the holy Sangreal, and how our
Lord appeared to them, and other things._
Then king Pelles and his son departed. And therewithal beseemed them
that there came a man and four angels from heaven, clothed in likeness
of a bishop, and had a cross in his hand, and these four angels bare
him up in a chair, and set him down before the table of silver
whereupon the Sancgreal was, and it seemed that he had in midst of his
forehead letters that said, See ye here Joseph the first bishop of
Christendom, the same which our Lord succoured in the city of Sarras,
in the spiritual place. Then the knights marvelled, for that bishop was
dead more than three hundred year tofore. Oh knights, said he, marvel
not, for I was sometime an earthly man. With that they heard the
chamber door open, and there they saw angels, and two bare candles of
wax, and the third a towel, and the fourth a spear which bled
marvellously, that three drops fell within a box which he held with his
other hand. And they set the candles upon the table, and the third the
towel upon the vessel, and the fourth the holy spear even upright upon
the vessel. And then the bishop made semblant as though he would have
gone to the sacring of the mass. And then he took an ubbly, which was
made in likeness of bread; and at the lifting up there came a figure in
likeness of a child, and the visage was as red and as bright as any
fire, and smote himself into the bread, so that they all saw it, that
the bread was formed of a fleshly man, and then he put it into the holy
vessel again. And then he did that longed to a priest to do to a mass.
And then he went to Galahad and kissed him, and bad him go and kiss his
fellows, and so he did anon. Now, said he, servants of Jesu Christ, ye
shall be fed afore this table with sweet meats, that never knights
tasted. And when he had said, he vanished away; and they set them at
the table in great dread, and made their prayers. Then looked they, and
saw a man come out of the holy vessel, that had all the signs of the
passion of Jesu Christ, bleeding all openly, and said, My knights and
my servants and my true children, which be come out of deadly life into
spiritual life, I will now no longer hide me from you, but ye shall see
now a part of my secrets and of my hid things: now hold and receive the
high meat which ye have so much desired. Then took he himself the holy
vessel, and came to Galahad, and he kneeled down and there he received
his Saviour, and after him so received all his fellows; and they
thought it so sweet that it was marvellous to tell. Then said he to
Galahad, Son, wotest thou what I hold betwixt my hands? Nay, said he,
but if ye will tell me. This is, said he, the holy dish wherein I ate
the lamb on Sher-thursday. And now hast thou seen that thou most
desiredst to see, but yet hast thou not seen it so openly as thou shalt
see it in the city of Sarras, in the spiritual place. Therefore thou
must go hence, and bear with thee this holy vessel, for this night it
shall depart from the realm of Logris, that it shall never be seen more
here, and wotest thou wherefore? for he is not served nor worshipped to
his right, by them of this land, for they be turned to evil living,
therefore I shall disherit them of the honour which I have done them.
And therefore go ye three to-morrow unto the sea, where ye shall find
your ship ready, and with you take the sword with the strange girdles,
and no more with you, but Sir Percivale and Sir Bors. Also I will that
ye take with you of the blood of this spear, for to anoint the maimed
king, both his legs and all his body, and he shall have his health.
Sir, said Galahad, why shall not these other fellows go with us?—For
this cause, for right as I departed mine apostles, one here and another
there, so I will that ye depart. And two of you shall die in my
service, but one of you shall come again, and tell tidings. Then gave
he them his blessing and vanished away.