_How Galahad anointed with the blood of the spear the maimed king, and
other adventures._
And Galahad went anon to the spear which lay upon the table, and
touched the blood with his fingers, and came after to the maimed king,
and anointed his legs. And therewith he clothed him anon, and start
upon his feet out of his bed as an whole man, and thanked our Lord that
he had healed him. And that was not to the world-ward, for anon he
yield him to a place of religion of white monks, and was a full holy
man. That same night, about midnight came a voice among them, which
said, My sons and not my chieftains, my friends and not my warriors, go
ye hence, where ye hope best to do, and as I bad you.—Ah, thanked be
thou, Lord, that thou wilt vouchsafe to call us thy sinners. Now may we
well prove that we have not lost our pains.
And anon in all haste they took their harness and departed. But the
three knights of Gaul, one of them hight Claudine, king Claudas’ son,
and the other two were great gentlemen. Then prayed Galahad to every
each of them, that if they come to king Arthur’s court, that they
should salute my lord Sir Launcelot my father, and of them of the Round
Table, and prayed them if that they came on that part that they should
not forget it. Right so departed Galahad, Percivale, and Bors with him.
And so they rode three days, and then they came to a rivage, and found
the ship whereof the tale speaketh of tofore. And when they came to the
board, they found in the midst the table of silver which they had left
with the maimed king, and the Sancgreal, which was covered with red
samite. Then were they glad to have such things in their fellowship,
and so they entered, and made great reverence thereto, and Galahad fell
in his prayer long time to our Lord, that, at what time he asked, that
he should pass out of this world: so much he prayed, till a voice said
to him, Galahad, thou shalt have thy request, and when thou askest the
death of thy body thou shalt have it, and then shalt thou find the life
of the soul. Percivale heard this, and prayed him of fellowship that
was between them, to tell him wherefore he asked such things. That
shall I tell you, said Galahad: the other day when we saw a part of the
adventures of the Sancgreal, I was in such a joy of heart that I trow
never man was that was earthly, and therefore I wot well when my body
is dead my soul shall be in great joy to see the blessed Trinity every
day, and the majesty of our Lord Jesu Christ. So long were they in the
ship that they said to Galahad, Sir, in this bed ought ye to lie, for
so saith the scripture. And so he laid him down and slept a great
while. And when he awaked he looked afore him, and saw the city of
Sarras. And as they would have landed, they saw the ship wherein
Percivale had put his sister in. Truly, said Percivale, in the name of
God, well hath my sister holden us covenant. Then took they out of the
ship the table of silver, and he took it to Percivale and to Bors to go
tofore, and Galahad came behind, and right so they went to the city,
and at the gate of the city they saw an old man crooked. Then Galahad
called him, and bad him help to bear this heavy thing. Truly, said the
old man, it is ten year ago that I might not go but with crutches. Care
thou not, said Galahad, and arise up and shew thy good will. And so he
assayed, and found himself as whole as ever he was. Then ran he to the
table, and took one part against Galahad. And anon arose there great
noise in the city, that a cripple was made whole by knights marvellous
that entered into the city. Then anon after, the three knights went to
the water, and brought up into the palace Percivale’s sister, and
buried her as richly as a king’s daughter ought to be. And when the
king of the city, which was cleped Estorause, saw the fellowship, he
asked them of whence they were, and what thing it was that they had
brought upon the table of silver. And they told him the truth of the
Sancgreal, and the power which that God had set there. Then the king
was a tyrant, and was come of the line of paynims, and took them, and
put them in prison in a deep hole.