THE END OF THE QUEST
Now, saith the story, Sir Galahad rode into a vast forest, wherein he
rode many journeys, and he found many adventures, the which he brought
to an end, whereof the story maketh here no mention. And on a day it
befell him that he was benighted in a hermitage. The good man there
was glad when he saw a knight-errant, and made him what cheer he might.
Then when they were at rest, there came a gentlewoman knocking at the
door, and called Galahad. So the hermit came to the door to wit what
she would, and she said to him that she would speak with the knight
that was lodged there. The good man awoke Galahad, and bade him arise
and speak with a gentlewoman that seemed to have great need of him.
Then Galahad went to her, and asked her what she would. "Galahad,"
said she, "I will that ye arm you, and mount upon your horse and follow
me, for I shall show you within these three days the highest adventure
that ever any knight saw." Anon Galahad armed him, and took his horse,
and bade the gentlewoman go, and he would follow as she liked.
So she rode as fast as her palfrey might bear her, till they came to
the seaside, and there they found the ship wherein were Bors and
Percivale, the which cried on the ship's board, "Sir Galahad, ye be
welcome; we have awaited you long."
So, leaving his horse behind, Galahad entered into the ship, where the
two knights received him with great joy. And the wind arose, and drove
them through the sea marvellously.
Now saith the story that they rode a great while till they came to the
castle of Carboneck, where Sir Launcelot had been tofore. They entered
within the castle, and then there was great joy, for they wist well
that they had fulfilled the quest of the Holy Grail.
As they were alone in the hall, it seemed to them that there came a
man, in likeness of a bishop, with four angels from heaven, and held
mass about a table of silver, whereupon the Holy Grail was. And in a
vision they saw in the bread of the sacrament a figure in likeness of a
child, and the visage was as bright as any fire.
Then said the bishop to them, "Servants of Jesu Christ, ye shall be fed
afore this table with sweet food, that never knights tasted."
When he had said, he vanished away; and they sat them at the table in
great reverence, and made their prayers. Then looked they, and saw a
man that had all the signs of the passion of Jesu Christ, and he 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, who knelt
down and there he received the sacrament, 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, knowest thou what I hold betwixt my
hands?"
"Nay," said he, "unless ye will tell me."
"This is," said He, "the holy dish wherein I ate the lamb at the Last
Supper. 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 knowest
thou wherefore? Because they of this land be turned to evil living;
therefore I shall disinherit them of the honour which I have done them.
Therefore go ye three unto the sea, where ye shall find your ship
ready."
Right so departed Galahad, Percivale and Bors with him. They rode
three days, and then they came to a rivage[1], where they found the
ship whereof the tale speaketh tofore. When they came to the board,
they found in the midst the table of silver, which they had left in the
castle of Carboneck, and the Holy Grail, which was covered with red
samite. Then were they glad to have such things in their fellowship.
They had remained some time in the ship, when they awoke of a morning
to see the city of Sarras afore them. Here they landed, and took out
of the ship the table of silver, Percivale and Bors going tofore and
Galahad behind. Right so they went to the city, and at the gate of the
city they saw an old bent man. Then Galahad called him, and bade him
help to bear this heavy thing.
"Truly," said the old man, "it is ten years since I might go without
crutches."
"Care thou not," said Galahad; "arise up and show thy good will."
So he assayed, and found himself as whole as ever he was. Then ran he
to the table, and took one part opposite Galahad.
Anon arose there great noise in the city, that a cripple was made whole
by knights marvellous that entered into the city. When the king of the
city, which was called Estorause, saw the fellowship, he asked them
from 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 Holy Grail,
and the power which God had set there.
Now King Estorause was a tyrant, and was come of a line of pagans. He
took the three knights and put them in a deep hole. But as soon as
they were there our Lord sent them the Holy Grail, through whose grace
they were always satisfied while that they were in prison.
At the year's end it befell that this king lay sick, and felt that he
should die. Then he sent for the three knights. They came afore him,
and he cried them mercy of that he had done to them, and they forgave
it him goodly, and he died anon.
When the king was dead, all the city was dismayed, and wist not who
might be their king. Right so as they were in counsel, there came a
voice among them, and bade them choose the youngest knight of them
there to be their king, for he should well maintain them and all
theirs. So they made Galahad king by all the assent of the whole city.
When he was come to behold the land, he let make about the table of
silver a chest of gold and of precious stones that covered the holy
vessel; and every day early the three fellows would come afore it and
make their prayers.
Now at the year's end the three knights arose early and came to the
palace, and saw before them the holy vessel, and a man kneeling, in
likeness of a bishop, that had about him a great fellowship of angels.
And he called Galahad and said to him, "Come forth, thou servant of
Jesu Christ, and thou shalt see that thou hast much desired to see."
Then Galahad began to tremble right hard, when the deadly flesh began
to behold the spiritual things. Then he held up his hands towards
heaven, and said, "Lord, I thank Thee, for now I see what hath been my
desire many a day. Now, blessed Lord, would I not longer live, if it
might please thee, Lord."
Therewith the good man took the sacrament and proffered it to Galahad,
and he received it right gladly and meekly.
"Now, wotest thou what I am?" said the good man; "I am Joseph of
Arimathea, which our Lord hath sent here to thee to bear thee
fellowship. And wotest thou wherefore He hath sent me more than any
other? For thou hast resembled me in two things, in that thou hast
seen the marvels of the Holy Grail, and in that thou hast been a clean
and virtuous knight, as I have been and am."
When these words had been spoken, Galahad went to Percivale and to Bors
and kissed them and commended them to God, and said, "Salute me to my
lord Sir Launcelot, and bid him remember of this unstable world."
Therewith he kneeled down tofore the table and made his prayers, and
then suddenly his soul departed to Jesu Christ, and a great multitude
of angels bare his soul up to heaven, and the two fellows might well
behold it. Also they saw come from heaven a hand, but they saw not the
body; and it came right to the vessel, and took it, and bare it up to
heaven. Since then was there never man so hard as to say that he had
seen the Holy Grail.
When Percivale and Bors saw Galahad had died, they made as much sorrow
as ever did two men; and if they had not been good men, they might
lightly have fallen in despair. And the people of the country and of
the city were right heavy. And then he was buried. And as soon as he
was buried, Sir Percivale betook himself to a hermitage out of the
city, where for a year and two months he lived a full holy life, and
then passed out of this world.
When Bors saw that he was alone in so far countries, he departed from
Sarras and came to the sea. There he entered into a ship, and so it
befell that in good adventure he came into the realm of Logris. And he
rode to Camelot, where King Arthur was, and then was there great joy
made of him in the court, for they believed all that he was dead,
forasmuch as he had been so long out of the country.
When they had eaten, the King made great clerks to come afore him, that
they should chronicle of the high adventures of the good knights. When
Bors had told of the adventures of the Holy Grail, such as had befallen
him and his two fellows, that was Percivale and Galahad, then Launcelot
told the adventures of the Holy Grail that he had seen. All this was
made in great books, and put in chests at Salisbury.
[1] Rivage: bank; shore.