Book: Le Morte Darthur

T >> Thomas Malory >> Le Morte Darthur




When Sir Percivale saw he would not turn he cast
away his helm and sword, and said: Now am I a very
wretch, cursed and most unhappy above all other knights.
So in this sorrow he abode all that day till it was night;
and then he was faint, and laid him down and slept till it
was midnight; and then he awaked and saw afore him a
woman which said unto him right fiercely: Sir Percivale,
what dost thou here? He answered, I do neither good
nor great ill. If thou wilt ensure me, said she, that thou
wilt fulfil my will when I summon thee, I shall lend thee
mine own horse which shall bear thee whither thou wilt.
Sir Percivale was glad of her proffer, and ensured her to
fulfil all her desire. Then abide me here, and I shall go
and fetch you an horse. And so she came soon again
and brought an horse with her that was inly black. When
Percivale beheld that horse he marvelled that it was so
great and so well apparelled; and not for then he was so
hardy, and he leapt upon him, and took none heed of
himself. And so anon as he was upon him he thrust to
him with his spurs, and so he rode by a forest, and the
moon shone clear. And within an hour and less he bare
him four days' journey thence, until he came to a rough
water the which roared, and his horse would have borne
him into it.



CHAPTER VI

Of the great danger that Sir Percivale was in by his horse,
and how he saw a serpent and a lion fight.


AND when Sir Percivale came nigh the brim, and saw the
water so boistous, he doubted to overpass it. And then
he made a sign of the cross in his forehead. When the
fiend felt him so charged he shook off Sir Percivale, and
he went into the water crying and roaring, making great
sorrow, and it seemed unto him that the water brent.
Then Sir Percivale perceived it was a fiend, the which
would have brought him unto his perdition. Then he
commended himself unto God, and prayed Our Lord to keep
him from all such temptations; and so he prayed all that
night till on the morn that it was day; then he saw that
he was in a wild mountain the which was closed with the
sea nigh all about, that he might see no land about him
which might relieve him, but wild beasts.

And then he went into a valley, and there he saw a
young serpent bring a young lion by the neck, and so he
came by Sir Percivale. With that came a great lion
crying and roaring after the serpent. And as fast as Sir
Percivale saw this he marvelled, and hied him thither, but
anon the lion had overtaken the serpent and began battle
with him. And then Sir Percivale thought to help the
lion, for he was the more natural beast of the two; and
therewith he drew his sword, and set his shield afore him,
and there he gave the serpent such a buffet that he had
a deadly wound. When the lion saw that, he made no
resemblaunt to fight with him, but made him all the
cheer that a beast might make a man. Then Percivale
perceived that, and cast down his shield which was broken;
and then he did off his helm for to gather wind, for he
was greatly enchafed with the serpent: and the lion went
alway about him fawning as a spaniel. And then he
stroked him on the neck and on the shoulders. And then
he thanked God of the fellowship of that beast. And
about noon the lion took his little whelp and trussed him
and bare him there he came from.

Then was Sir Percivale alone. And as the tale telleth,
he was one of the men of the world at that time which
most believed in Our Lord Jesu Christ, for in those days
there were but few folks that believed in God perfectly.
For in those days the son spared not the father no more
than a stranger. And so Sir Percivale comforted himself
in our Lord Jesu, and besought God no temptation should
bring him out of God's service, but to endure as his true
champion. Thus when Sir Percivale had prayed he saw
the lion come toward him, and then he couched down at
his feet. And so all that night the lion and he slept
together; and when Sir Percivale slept he dreamed a
marvellous dream, that there two ladies met with him,
and that one sat upon a lion, and that other sat upon a
serpent, and that one of them was young, and the other
was old; and the youngest him thought said: Sir Percivale,
my lord saluteth thee, and sendeth thee word that
thou array thee and make thee ready, for to-morn thou
must fight with the strongest champion of the world.
And if thou be overcome thou shall not be quit for losing
of any of thy members, but thou shalt be shamed for ever
to the world's end. And then he asked her what was her
lord. And she said the greatest lord of all the world:
and so she departed suddenly that he wist not where.



CHAPTER VII

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, he said, 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
more gentler nature than the serpent, and therefore I slew
him; meseemeth 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 sin 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 advision. And on
the morn he arose 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
Sangreal; and here am I in great duresse, and never like
to escape out of this wilderness. Doubt not, said the
good man, an 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 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 on 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
saidst thou wouldst not, that was to make thee to believe
on her and leave thy baptism. So he commanded Sir
Percivale to depart, and so he leapt 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 always
kept him fellowship, and he stroked him upon the back
and had great joy of him.



CHAPTER VIII

How Sir Percivale saw a ship coming to him-ward,
and how the lady of the ship told him of her disheritance.


BY that Sir Percivale had abiden there till mid-day he saw
a ship came rowing in the sea, as all the wind of the world
had driven it. And so it drove under that rock. And
when Sir Percivale saw this he hied him thither, and found
the ship covered with silk more blacker than any bear,
and therein was a gentlewoman of great beauty, and she
was clothed richly that none might be better. And when
she saw Sir Percivale she said: Who brought you in this
wilderness where ye be never like to pass hence, for ye
shall die here for hunger and mischief? Damosel, said
Sir Percivale, I serve the best man of the world, and in
his service he will not suffer me to die, for who that
knocketh shall enter, and who that asketh shall have, and
who that seeketh him he hideth him not. But then she
said: Sir Percivale, wot ye what I am? Yea, said he.
Now who taught you my name? said she. Now, said
Sir Percivale, I know you better than ye ween. And
I came out of the waste forest where I found the Red
Knight with the white shield, said the damosel. Ah,
damosel, said he, with that knight would I meet passing
fain. Sir knight, said she, an ye will ensure me by the
faith that ye owe unto knighthood that ye shall do my
will what time I summon you, and I shall bring you unto
that knight. Yea, said he, I shall promise you to fulfil
your desire. Well, said she, now shall I tell you. I saw
him in the forest chasing two knights unto a water, the
which is called Mortaise; and they drove him into the
water for dread of death, and the two knights passed over,
and the Red Knight passed after, and there his horse was
drenched, and he, through great strength, escaped unto
the land: thus she told him, and Sir Percivale was passing
glad thereof.

Then she asked him if he had ate any meat late.
Nay, madam, truly I ate no meat nigh this three days,
but late here I spake with a good man that fed me with
his good words and holy, and refreshed me greatly. Ah,
sir knight, said she, that same man is an enchanter and
a multiplier of words. For an ye believe him ye shall
plainly be shamed, and die in this rock for pure hunger,
and be eaten with wild beasts; and ye be a young man
and a goodly knight, and I shall help you an ye will.
What are ye, said Sir Percivale, that proffered me thus
great kindness? I am, said she, a gentlewoman that am
disherited, which was sometime the richest woman of the
world. Damosel, said Sir Percivale, who hath disherited
you? for I have great pity of you. Sir, said she, I
dwelled with the greatest man of the world, and he made
me so fair and clear that there was none like me; and of
that great beauty I had a little pride more than I ought
to have had. Also I said a word that pleased him not.
And then he would not suffer me to be any longer in his
company, and so drove me from mine heritage, and so
disherited me, and he had never pity of me nor of none of
my council, nor of my court. And sithen, sir knight, it
hath befallen me so, and through me and mine I have
benome him many of his men, and made them to become
my men. For they ask never nothing of me but I give
it them, that and much more. Thus I and all my servants
were against him night and day. Therefore I know now
no good knight, nor no good man, but I get them on my
side an I may. And for that I know that thou art a good
knight, I beseech you to help me; and for ye be a fellow
of the Round Table, wherefore ye ought not to fail no
gentlewoman which is disherited, an she besought you of
help.



CHAPTER IX

How Sir Percivale promised her help, and how he required
her of love, and how he was saved from the fiend.


THEN Sir Percivale promised her all the help that he
might; and then she thanked him. And at that time the
weather was hot. Then she called unto her a gentlewoman
and bade her bring forth a pavilion; and so she
did, and pight it upon the gravel. Sir, said she, now may
ye rest you in this heat of the day. Then he thanked
her, and she put off his helm and his shield, and there he
slept a great while. And then he awoke and asked her if
she had any meat, and she said: Yea, also ye shall have
enough. And so there was set enough upon the table,
and thereon so much that he had marvel, for there was all
manner of meats that he could think on. Also he drank
there the strongest wine that ever he drank, him thought,
and therewith he was a little chafed more than he ought
to be; with that he beheld the gentlewoman, and him
thought she was the fairest creature that ever he saw.
And then Sir Percivale proffered her love, and prayed her
that she would be his. Then she refused him, in a
manner, when he required her, for the cause he should be
the more ardent on her, and ever he ceased not to pray
her of love. And when she saw him well enchafed, then
she said: Sir Percivale, wit you well I shall not fulfil your
will but if ye swear from henceforth ye shall be my true
servant, and to do nothing but that I shall command you.
Will ye ensure me this as ye be a true knight? Yea, said
he, fair lady, by the faith of my body. Well, said she,
now shall ye do with me whatso it please you; and now
wit ye well ye are the knight in the world that I have
most desire to.

And then two squires were commanded to make a bed
in midst of the pavilion. And anon she was unclothed
and laid therein. And then Sir Percivale laid him down
by her naked; and by adventure and grace he saw his
sword lie on the ground naked, in whose pommel was a
red cross and the sign of the crucifix therein, and bethought
him on his knighthood and his promise made to-forehand
unto the good man; then he made a sign of the cross in
his forehead, and therewith the pavilion turned up-so-
down, and then it changed unto a smoke, and a black
cloud, and then he was adread and cried aloud:



CHAPTER X

How Sir Percivale for penance rove himself through the
thigh; and how she was known for the devil.


FAIR sweet Father, Jesu Christ, ne let me not be shamed,
the which was nigh lost had not thy good grace been.
And then he looked into a ship, and saw her enter therein,
which said: Sir Percivale, ye have betrayed me. And so
she went with the wind roaring and yelling, that it seemed
all the water brent after her. Then Sir Percivale made
great sorrow, and drew his sword unto him, saying:
Sithen my flesh will be my master I shall punish it; and
therewith he rove himself through the thigh that the blood
stert about him, and said: O good Lord, take this in
recompensation of that I have done against thee, my Lord.
So then he clothed him and armed him, and called himself
a wretch, saying: How nigh was I lost, and to have lost
that I should never have gotten again, that was my
virginity, for that may never be recovered after it is once
lost. And then he stopped his bleeding wound with a
piece of his shirt.

Thus as he made his moan he saw the same ship come
from Orient that the good man was in the day afore, and
the noble knight was ashamed with himself, and therewith
he fell in a swoon. And when he awoke he went unto
him weakly, and there he saluted this good man. And
then he asked Sir Percivale: How hast thou done sith
I departed? Sir, said he, here was a gentlewoman and
led me into deadly sin. And there he told him altogether.
Knew ye not the maid? said the good man. Sir, said he,
nay, but well I wot the fiend sent her hither to shame me.
O good knight, said he, thou art a fool, for that gentlewoman
was the master fiend of hell, the which hath power
above all devils, and that was the old lady that thou sawest
in thine advision riding on the serpent. Then he told
Sir Percivale how our Lord Jesu Christ beat him out of
heaven for his sin, the which was the most brightest angel
of heaven, and therefore he lost his heritage. And that
was the champion that thou foughtest withal, the which
had overcome thee had not the grace of God been. Now
beware Sir Percivale, and take this for an ensample. And
then the good man vanished away. Then Sir Percivale
took his arms, and entered into the ship, and so departed
from thence.

And here followeth of Sir Launcelot, which is the
fifteenth book.>


BOOK XV


CHAPTER I

How Sir Launcelot came to a chapel, where he found dead,
in a white shirt, a man of religion, of an hundred
winter old.


WHEN the hermit had kept Sir Launcelot three days, the
hermit gat him an horse, an helm, and a sword. And then
he departed about the hour of noon. And then he saw a
little house. And when he came near he saw a chapel, and
there beside he saw an old man that was clothed all in
white full richly; and then Sir Launcelot said: God save
you. God keep you, said the good man, and make you a
good knight. Then Sir Launcelot alighted and entered
into the chapel, and there he saw an old man dead, in a
white shirt of passing fine cloth.

Sir, said the good man, this man that is dead ought not
to be in such clothing as ye see him in, for in that he
brake the oath of his order, for he hath been more than an
hundred winter a man of a religion. And then the good
man and Sir Launcelot went into the chapel; and the
good man took a stole about his neck, and a book, and
then he conjured on that book; and with that they saw in
an hideous figure and horrible, that there was no man so
hard-hearted nor so hard but he should have been afeard.
Then said the fiend: Thou hast travailed me greatly;
now tell me what thou wilt with me. I will, said the good
man, that thou tell me how my fellow became dead, and
whether he be saved or damned. Then he said with an
horrible voice: He is not lost but saved. How may that
be? said the good man; it seemed to me that he lived
not well, for he brake his order for to wear a shirt where
he ought to wear none, and who that trespasseth against
our order doth not well. Not so, said the fiend, this man
that lieth here dead was come of a great lineage. And
there was a lord that hight the Earl de Vale, that held
great war against this man's nephew, the which hight
Aguarus. And so this Aguarus saw the earl was bigger
than he. Then he went for to take counsel of his uncle,
the which lieth here dead as ye may see. And then he
asked leave, and went out of his hermitage for to maintain
his nephew against the mighty earl; and so it happed
that this man that lieth here dead did so much by his
wisdom and hardiness that the earl was taken, and three of
his lords, by force of this dead man.



CHAPTER II

Of a dead man, how men would have hewn him, and it would
not be, and how Sir Launcelot took the hair of the dead
man.


THEN was there peace betwixt the earl and this Aguarus,
and great surety that the earl should never war against
him. Then this dead man that here lieth came to this
hermitage again; and then the earl made two of his
nephews for to be avenged upon this man. So they came
on a day, and found this dead man at the sacring
of his mass, and they abode him till he had said mass.
And then they set upon him and drew out swords to
have slain him; but there would no sword bite on him
more than upon a gad of steel, for the high Lord which he
served He him preserved. Then made they a great fire,
and did off all his clothes, and the hair off his back. And
then this dead man hermit said unto them: Ween you to
burn me? It shall not lie in your power nor to perish me
as much as a thread, an there were any on my body. No?
said one of them, it shall be assayed. And then they
despoiled him, and put upon him this shirt, and cast him in a
fire, and there he lay all that night till it was day in that
fire, and was not dead, and so in the morn I came and
found him dead; but I found neither thread nor skin
tamed, and so took him out of the fire with great fear, and
laid him here as ye may see. And now may ye suffer me
to go my way, for I have said you the sooth. And then
he departed with a great tempest.

Then was the good man and Sir Launcelot more
gladder than they were to-fore. And then Sir Launcelot
dwelled with that good man that night. Sir, said the good
man, be ye not Sir Launcelot du Lake? Yea, sir, said he.
What seek ye in this country? Sir, said Sir Launcelot, I
go to seek the adventures of the Sangreal. Well, said he,
seek it ye may well, but though it were here ye shall have
no power to see it no more than a blind man should see a
bright sword, and that is long on your sin, and else ye were
more abler than any man living. And then Sir Launcelot
began to weep. Then said the good man: Were ye confessed
sith ye entered into the quest of the Sangreal? Yea,
sir, said Sir Launcelot. Then upon the morn when the
good man had sung his mass, then they buried the dead
man. Then Sir Launcelot said: Father, what shall I do?
Now, said the good man, I require you take this hair that
was this holy man's and put it next thy skin, and it shall
prevail thee greatly. Sir, and I will do it, said Sir
Launcelot. Also I charge you that ye eat no flesh as long as ye
be in the quest of the Sangreal, nor ye shall drink no
wine, and that ye hear mass daily an ye may do it. So he
took the hair and put it upon him, and so departed at
evensong-time.

And so rode he into a forest, and there he met with a
gentlewoman riding upon a white palfrey, and then she
asked him: Sir knight, whither ride ye? Certes, damosel,
said Launcelot, I wot not whither I ride but as fortune
leadeth me. Ah, Sir Launcelot, said she, I wot what
adventure ye seek, for ye were afore time nearer than ye
be now, and yet shall ye see it more openly than ever ye
did, and that shall ye understand in short time. Then Sir
Launcelot asked her where he might be harboured that
night. Ye shall not find this day nor night, but to-morn ye
shall find harbour good, and ease of that ye be in doubt of
And then he commended her unto God. Then he rode
till that he came to a Cross, and took that for his host as
for that night.



CHAPTER III

Of an advision that Sir Launcelot had, and how he told it
to an hermit, and desired counsel of him.


AND so he put his horse to pasture, and did off his helm
and his shield, and made his prayers unto the Cross that he
never fall in deadly sin again. And so he laid him down
to sleep. And anon as he was asleep it befell him there an
advision, that there came a man afore him all by compass
of stars, and that man had a crown of gold on his head
and that man led in his fellowship seven kings and two
knights. And all these worshipped the Cross, kneeling
upon their knees, holding up their hands toward the
heaven. And all they said: Fair sweet Father of heaven
come and visit us, and yield unto us everych as we have
deserved.

Then looked Launcelot up to the heaven, and him
seemed the clouds did open, and an old man came down,
with a company of angels, and alighted among them, and
gave unto everych his blessing, and called them his
servants, and good and true knights. And when this old
man had said thus he came to one of those knights, and
said: I have lost all that I have set in thee, for thou hast
ruled thee against me as a warrior, and used wrong wars
with vain-glory, more for the pleasure of the world than to
please me, therefore thou shalt be confounded without thou
yield me my treasure. All this advision saw Sir Launcelot
at the Cross.

And on the morn he took his horse and rode till mid-
day; and there by adventure he met with the same knight
that took his horse, helm, and his sword, when he slept
when the Sangreal appeared afore the Cross. When Sir
Launcelot saw him he saluted hin not fair, but cried
on high: Knight, keep thee, for thou hast done to me
great unkindness. And then they put afore them their
spears, and Sir Launcelot came so fiercely upon him that
he smote him and his horse down to the earth, that he had
nigh broken his neck. Then Sir Launcelot took the
knight's horse that was his own aforehand, and descended
from the horse he sat upon, and mounted upon his own
horse, and tied the knight's own horse to a tree, that he
might find that horse when that he was arisen. Then Sir
Launcelot rode till night, and by adventure he met an
hermit, and each of them saluted other; and there he
rested with that good man all night, and gave his horse
such as he might get. Then said the good man unto
Launcelot: Of whence be ye? Sir, said he, I am of
Arthur's court, and my name is Sir Launcelot du Lake
that am in the quest of the Sangreal, and therefore I pray
you to counsel me of a vision the which I had at the Cross.
And so he told him all.

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