Summaries—Conte du Graal: Pseudo-Chrestien, Chrestien, Gautier de
Doulens, Manessier, Gerbert—Wolfram—Heinrich von dem
Türlin—Didot-Perceval—Mabinogi of Peredur—Thornton MS. Sir
Perceval—Queste del Saint Graal—Grand Saint Graal—Robert de
Borron’s poem, Joseph of Arimathea.
The Conte du Graal.—Pseudo-Chrestien.[8]—The story tells of the “Graal,”
whose mysteries, if Master Blihis lie not, none may reveal; it falls into
seven parts, and shows how the rich land of Logres was destroyed. (1) In
the wells and springs of that land harboured damsels who fed the wayfarer
with meat and pasties and bread. But King Amangons did wrong to one and
carried off her golden cup, so that never more came damsels out of the
springs to comfort the wanderer. And the men of King Amangons followed his
evil example. Thereafter the springs dried up, and the grass withered, and
the land became waste, and no more might be found the court of the Rich
Fisher, which had filled the land with plenty and splendour. (2) The
Knights of the Table Round, learning the ill done to the damsels, set
forth to protect them; they found them not, but fair damsels wandering in
the woods, each with her knight; with the latter they strove, and when
they overcame them sent them to Arthur. Thus came Blihos Bliheris to
Arthur’s court conquered by Gauvain; he knew goodly tales and he told how
the wandering damsels were sprung from those ravished by King Amangons. So
long would they wander till God gave them to find the court, whence joy
and splendour would come to the land. (3) Arthur’s knights resolved to
seek the court of the Rich Fisher—much knew he of black art, more than an
hundred times changed he his semblance, that no man seeing him again
recognised him. Gauvain found it, and had great joy therefrom; but before
him a young knight, small of age, but none bolder of courage—Percevaus li
Galois was he—he asked whereto the Grail served, but nought of the lance
why it dripped blood, nor of the sword one half of which was away whilst
the other lay in the bier. But he asked surely concerning the rich cross
of silver. Now in the room three times there arose such great sorrow that
no man who heard it, so bold he might be but feared. Afterwards the room
filled and the king came in, full richly dressed, so that he might hardly
be known of them that had seen him the day before, fishing. And when all
were sat down the Grail came in, and without serjeant nor seneschal served
all present, and ’twas wonder what food it gave them. And then came the
great marvel which has not its like. But Perceval will tell of this, so I
must say no more; it is a great shame to tell beforehand what is in a good
tale. When the good knight shall come who found the court three times you
shall hear me tell of Grail and lance, and of him who lay in the bier, of
the sword, of the grief and swooning of all beholders. (4) Now the court
was found seven times, and each time shall have a fresh tale:—
The seventh (the most pleasing) tells of the lance wherewith Longis
pierced the side of the King of holy Majesty;
The sixth of warlike feats;
The fifth of the anger and loss of Huden; The fourth of heaven, for he
was no coward, the knight Mors del Calan, who first came to Glamorgan;
The third of the hawk whereof Castrars had such fear—Pecorins, the
son of Amangons, bore all his days the wound on his forehead;
The second has not yet been told; it tells of the great sorrows
Lancelot of the Lake had there where he lost his virtue;
And the last is the adventure of the shield, never a better one was
there.
(5) After this adventure the land was repeopled; court and grail were
found; the streams ran again; the meadows were green, the forests thick
and leafy; so that all folk marvelled. But there came back a folk, the
same that came out of the springs (save they were not cooks), a caitiff
set, and built for their damsels the rich Maidens’ Castel, and the Bridge
Perillous, and Castel Orguellous, and warred against the Table Round. In
the castle were 376, each sire of 20 knights. And not till after four
years did Arthur overcome them and was there peace.
(Here beginneth the Story of the Grail.)
(6) There were in the land of Wales twelve knights, of whom Bliocadrans
alone survived, so eager were they in seeking tournament and combats.
After living for two years with his wife, childless, Bliocadrans set forth
to a tournament given by the King of Wales and Cornwall against them of
the Waste Fountain. At first successful, he is at length slain. A few days
after his departure his wife has borne a son. When at length she learns
her husband’s death, she takes counsel with her chamberlain, and
pretending a pilgrimage to St. Brandan, in Scotland, withdraws to the
Waste Forest far removed from all men. Here she brings up her son, and
though she allows him to hunt in the forest, warns him against men covered
with iron—they are devils. He promises to follow her counsel, and
thenceforth he goes into the forest alone.
The Conte du Graal.—(a)
Chrestien.—(1) When as trees and meadows deck
themselves with green, and birds sing, the son of the widow lady goes out
into the wood. He meets five knights, and, as their weapons shine in the
sun, takes them for angels, after having first thought them to be the
devils his mother had warned him against. He prays to them as his mother
has taught him. One of the knights asks if he has seen five knights and
three maidens who had passed that way, but he can but reply with questions
concerning the arms and trappings of the knights. He learns of Arthur the
King who makes knights, and when he returns to his mother tells her he has
beheld a more beautiful thing than God and His angels, knights namely, and
he too will become one. In vain his mother tells him of his father’s and
his two elder brothers’ fates, slain in battle. Nothing will serve, so the
mother makes him a dress of coarse linen and leather, and before he leaves
counsels him as follows: If dame or damsel seek his aid he is to give it,
he is to do naught displeasing to them, but to kiss the maiden who is
willing, and to take ring and girdle of her if he can; to go for long with
no fellow-traveller whose name he knows not, to speak with and consort
with worthy men, to pray to our Lord when he comes to church or convent.
She then tells him of Jesus Christ, the Holy Prophet. He departs clad and
armed in Welsh fashion, and his mother swoons as though dead. (2) Perceval
comes to a tent in the wood, and, taking it for a convent, goes in and
finds sleeping on a bed a damsel, whom the neighing of his horse wakes. In
pursuance of his mother’s counsel he kisses her more than twenty times,
takes her ring from her, and eats and drinks of her provisions. Thereafter
he rides forth, and her lover returning and hearing what has taken place,
swears to avenge himself upon the intruder, and until such time the
damsel, whose tale he disbelieves, is to follow him barefoot and not to
change her raiment. (3) Perceval learns the way to Carduel from a
charcoal-burner; arrived there, he sees a knight coming forth from the
castle and bearing a golden cup in his hand, clad in red armour, who
complains of Arthur as having robbed him of his land. Perceval rides into
the castle hall and finds the court at meat. Arthur, lost in thought, pays
no attention to the first two salutations of Perceval, who then turns his
horse to depart, and in so doing knocks off the King’s hat. Arthur then
tells him how the Red Knight has carried off his cup, spilling its
contents over the Queen. Perceval cares not a rap for all this, but asks
to be made knight, whereat all laugh. Perceval insists, and claims the Red
Knight’s armour. Kex bids him fetch them, whereat the King is displeased.
Perceval greets a damsel, who laughs and foretells he shall be the best
knight in the world. For this saying Kex strikes her, and kicks into the
fire a fool who had been wont to repeat that the damsel would not laugh
till she beheld the best of knights. (4) Perceval tarries no longer, but
follows the Red Knight, and bids him give up his arms and armour. They
fight, and Perceval slays his adversary with a cast of his dart. Yonès,
who has followed him, finds him put to it to remove the knight’s
armour—he will burn him out of it if need be—and shows him how to
disarm the dead man and to arm himself. Perceval then mounts the knight’s
steed and rides off, leaving the cup to Yonés to be given to the King,
with this message: he, Perceval, would come back to avenge the damsel of
the blow Kex struck her. (5) Perceval comes to a castle, in front of which
he finds an old knight, to whom he relates what has befallen him, and of
whom he asks counsel as his mother bade him. The knight, Gonemans of
Gelbort, takes him into his castle, teaches him the use of arms, and all
knightly practices. In especial he is to avoid over-readiness in speaking
and in asking questions, and to give over his habit of always quoting his
mother’s counsels. He then dubs him knight, and sends him forth to return
to his mother. (6) After a day’s journey Perceval comes to a town defended
by a castle, and, being allowed entrance therein, finds all waste and
deserted, even the very convents. The lady of the castle, a damsel of
surpassing beauty, welcomes him and bids him to table. Mindful of
Gonemans’ counsels he remains silent, and she must speak to him first. She
turns out to be Gonemans’ niece. At night the young stranger is shown to
his chamber, but the damsel cannot sleep for thought. Weeping she comes to
Perceval’s bedside, and in reply to his wondering questions tells him how
the forces of King Clamadex encompass the castle, and how that on the
morrow she must yield, but rather than be Clamadex’s she will slay
herself. He promises to help her, and bids her to him in the bed, which
she does, and they pass the night in each other’s arms, mouth to mouth. On
the morrow he begs for her love in return for his promised aid, which she
half refuses, the more to urge him on. He fights with and overcomes
Aguigrenons, Clamadex’s marshal, and sends him to Arthur’s court. Clamadex
hearing of this tries afresh to starve out the castle, but a storm luckily
throws a passing ship ashore, and thereby reprovisions the besieged ones.
Clamadex then challenges Perceval, is overcome, and sent to Arthur’s
court, where he arrives shortly after his marshal. They relate wonders
concerning the Red Knight, and the King is more than ever displeased with
Kex for having offended such a valiant warrior. After remaining for a
while with Blanchefleur, Perceval takes leave of her, as he longs to see
his mother again. (7) He comes to a river, upon which is a boat, and
therein two men fishing. One of them, in reply to his questions, directs
him for a night’s shelter to his own castle hard by. Perceval starts for
it, and at first unable to find it reproaches the fisher. Suddenly he
perceives the castle before him, enters therein, is disarmed, clad in a
scarlet mantle, and led into a great hall. Therein is a couch upon which
lies an old man; near him is a fire, around which some four hundred men
are sitting. Perceval tells his host he had come from Biau-Repaire. A
squire enters, bearing a sword, and on it is written that it will never
break save in one peril, and that known only to the maker of it. ’Tis a
present from the host’s niece to be bestowed where it will be well
employed. The host gives it to Perceval, “to whom it was adjudged and
destined.” Hereupon enters another squire, bearing in his hand a lance,
from the head of which a drop of blood runs down on the squire’s hand.
Perceval would have asked concerning this wonder, but he minds him of
Gonemans’ counsel not to speak or inquire too much. Two more squires
enter, holding each a ten-branched candlestick, and with them a damsel, a
“graal” in her hands. The graal shines so that it puts out the light of
the candles as the sun does that of the stars. Thereafter follows a damsel
holding a (silver) plate. All defile past between the fire and the couch,
but Perceval does not venture to ask wherefore the graal is used. Supper
follows, and the graal is again brought, and Perceval, knowing not its
use, had fain asked, but always refrains when he thinks of Gonemans, and
finally puts off his questions till the morrow. After supper the guest is
led to his chamber, and on the morrow, awakening, finds the castle
deserted. No one answers his calls. Issuing forth he finds his horse
saddled and the drawbridge down. Thinking to find the castle dwellers in
the forest he rides forth, but the drawbridge closes so suddenly behind
him that had not the horse leapt quickly forward it had gone hard with
steed and rider. In vain Perceval calls: none answer. (8) He pricks on and
comes to an oak, beneath which sits a maid holding a dead knight in her
arms and lamenting over him. She asks him where he has passed the night,
and on learning it tells him the fisher who had directed him to the castle
and his host were one and the same; wounded by a spear thrust through both
thighs his only solace is in fishing, whence he is called the Fisher King.
She asks, had Perceval seen the bleeding lance, the graal, and the silver
dish? had he asked their meaning? No; then what is his name? He does not
know it, but she guesses it: Perceval le Gallois; but it should be
Perceval the Caitiff, for had he asked concerning what he saw, the good
king would have been made whole again, and great good have sprung
therefrom. He has also a heavy sin on his conscience in that his mother
died of grief when he left her. She herself is his cousin. Perceval asks
concerning the dead knight, and learning it is her lover offers to revenge
her upon his slayer. In return she tells him about the sword, how it will
fly in pieces if he have not care of it, and how it may be made whole
again by dipping it in a lake, near which dwells its maker, the smith
Trebucet. (9) Perceval leaves his cousin and meets, riding on a wretched
horse, a scantily and shabbily clad woman of miserable appearance,
lamenting her hard fate and unjust treatment. She is the lady of the tent
whose ring Perceval had carried off. She bids him fly her husband, the
Orgellous de la Lande. The latter appears, challenges Perceval, but is
overcome by him, convinced of his wife’s innocence, compelled to take her
into favour again, and both must go to Arthur’s court, relate the whole
story, and renew Perceval’s promise to the damsel whom Kex had struck, to
avenge her. Arthur, when he hears of the deeds of the young hero, sets
forth with his whole court to seek him. (10) Snow has fallen, and a flock
of wild geese, blinded by the snow, has had one of its number wounded by a
falcon. Three blood drops have fallen on the snow, and Perceval beholding
them falls into deep thought on the red and white in his love’s face.
Arthur and his knights come up with him. Saigremors sees him first, bids
him come, and, when he answers no word, tilts against him, but is
overthrown. Kex then trys his luck, but is unhorsed so rudely that arm and
leg are broken. Gauvain declares that love must be mastering the strange
knight’s thoughts, approaches him courteously, tells his own name and
learns Perceval’s, and brings the latter to Arthur, by whom he is received
with all honour. Perceval then learns it is Kex he has overthrown, thus
fulfilling his promise to the damsel whom Kex had smitten, and whose
knight he offers himself to be. (11) Perceval returns on the morrow with
the court to Carlion, and the next day at noon there comes riding on a
yellow mule a damsel more hideous than could be pictured outside hell. She
curses Perceval for having omitted to ask concerning the lance and graal;
had he done so the King would have been healed of his wound and ruled his
land in peace; now maidens will be put to shame, orphans and widows made,
and many knights slain. Turning to the King she tells of the adventures to
be achieved at the Castel Orgellous, where dwell five hundred and seventy
knights, each with his lady love. He, though, who would win the highest
renown must to Montesclaire to free the damsel held captive there. She
then departs. Gauvain will forth to the imprisoned damsel, Giflès to the
Castel Orgellous, and Perceval swears to rest no two nights in the same
place till he have learnt concerning graal and lance. (12) A knight,
Guigambresil, enters and accuses Gauvain of having slain his lord. The
latter sets forth at once to the King of Cavalon to clear himself of this
accusation. (13) On his way he meets the host of Melians, who is preparing
to take part in a tournament to approve himself worthy the love of the
daughter of Tiebaut of Tingaguel, who had hitherto refused his suit.
Gauvain rides on to Tingaguel to help its lord. On arriving at the castle
the eldest daughter jeers at him, whilst the youngest takes his part,
declaring him a better knight than Melians, whereat her sister is very
indignant. On the first day of the tournament Melians shows himself the
best knight, but the younger sister still declares her faith in Gauvain,
and has her ears boxed in consequence. She appeals to Gauvain to be her
knight and avenge the injury done her. He consents, overcomes Melians,
whose horse he sends to his little lady, and all other knights; then,
after telling his name, rides forth. (14) He meets two knights, the
younger of whom offers him hospitality, and sends him to his sister,
bidding her welcome him. She receives him kindly, and when, struck with
her beauty, he asks her favours, grants them at once. They are interrupted
by a steward, who reproaches her with giving her love to her father’s
murderer, and calls upon the castle folk to attack Gauvain. The latter
defends himself until the return of Guigambresil, who reproaches the lord
of the castle for letting Gauvain be attacked, as he had expressed his
readiness to do single combat. Gauvain is then allowed to go, and is
excused the combat if within a year he can bring back the bleeding lance.
He sets off in search of it. (15) The tale returns to Perceval, who has
wandered about for five years without thinking of God, yet performing many
feats. He meets three knights accompanied by ladies, all clad in
penitents’ dress. ’Twas a Good Friday, and the eldest knight rebukes
Perceval for riding fully armed on such a day. He must confess him to a
holy hermit who lives hard by. Perceval goes thither, accuses himself of
having forgotten God through his great grief at not learning the use of
the graal. The hermit reveals himself as his uncle, tells Perceval that he
is in sin as having caused his mother’s death, and for that reason he
could not ask concerning lance and graal; but for her prayers he had not
lived till now. Perceval remains two days with his uncle, receives
absolution, and rides forth. (16) The story turns to Gauvain, who, after
Escalavon, finds beneath an oak a damsel lamenting over a wounded knight;
the latter advises Gauvain to push on, which he does, and comes upon a
damsel who receives him discourteously, and when at her bidding he has
fetched her horse from a garden hard by, mocks at him and rides off. He
follows, and culls on the way herbs with which he heals the wounded
knight. A squire rides up very hideous of aspect, mounted on a wretched
hack. Gauvain chastises him for discourteous answers; meanwhile the
wounded knight makes off with Gauvain’s steed, making himself known as
Griogoras, whom Gauvain had once punished for ill-doing, Gauvain has to
follow the damsel upon the squire’s hack, comes to a river, on the other
side of which is a castle, overcomes a knight who attacks him, during
which the damsel vanishes, is ferried across the stream, giving the
vanquished knight to the ferryman as toll; (17) comes on the morrow to the
Magic Castle, wherein damsels are held fast, awaiting a knight full of all
knightly virtues to restore their lands to the ladies, marry the damsels,
and put an end to the enchantments of the palace. Upon entering, Gauvain
sees a magnificent bed, seats himself therein, is assailed by magic art,
overcomes a lion, and is then acclaimed lord of the castle. He would then
leave the castle, but the ferryman says he may not, whereat Gauvain is
moved to anger. On the morrow, looking forth, Gauvain beholds the (18)
damsel who led him to the ford, accompanied by a knight. He hastens forth,
overcomes the knight, seeks again the damsel’s love, but is sent by her to
the Ford Perillous. Here he meets Guiromelant, who loves Gauvain’s sister,
Clarissant, a dweller in the Magic Castle. A combat is arranged to take
place after seven days. Upon his return to the damsel, named Orgellouse de
Logres, he is now well received by her. She hates Guiromelant for having
slain her lover, and has long sought a good knight to avenge her.
Guiromelant on his side hates Gauvain for having, as he says,
treacherously killed his father. Gauvain and Orgellouse return to the
Magic Castle. One of the queens who dwells there is mother to Arthur; the
second one, his daughter, mother to Gauvain. The latter gives his sister
Clarissant a ring Guiromelant had begged him, unknowing who he was, to
bring to her. He then sends a knight to Arthur to bid him and his whole
train come witness the fight ’twixt him and Guiromelant. The messenger
finds Arthur plunged in grief at Gauvain’s absence....
Here Chrestien’s share breaks off abruptly in the middle of a sentence,
and the poem is taken up by
(b) Gautier
de Doulens.[9]—(1) Arthur and his court accept Gauvain’s
invitation and make for the Castle of Wonders, the Queen whereof has
meantime made herself known to Gauvain as Ygène, Arthur’s mother. The duel
between Gauvain and Guiromelant is hindered, and the latter weds Gauvain’s
sister. (Montp. MS. here inserts a first visit of Gawain to Grail Castle,
which is substantially the same as the one it repeats afterwards in the
same place as the Mons MS.) Adventures of Arthur and Gauvain against Brun
de Branlant follow, of Gauvain with a maiden in a tent and her brother
Brandalis, of Carduel of Nantes, whose wife is beloved of the magician
Garahiet, and of their son Carados, and the magic horn (verses
11,000-15,800). (2) (A fresh series of adventures begins) Arthur sets
forth to seek Giflet, son of Dos; Gauvain meets again with Brandalis,
whose sister has meanwhile borne him a son; Castel Orgellous, where Giflet
is imprisoned, is captured; Gauvain’s son by Brandalis’ sister is lost.
(3) An unknown knight comes to Arthur’s court; Keie, who demands his name,
is unhorsed; Gauvain brings the unknown to the court, but the latter is
slain by a javelin cast by invisible hands. Gauvain equips himself in the
unknown’s armour and starts forth to learn the latter’s name. After
praying in a chapel, in which he beholds a light on the altar quenched by
a black hand, he rides through Brittany and Normandy, and comes to a
castle where, owing to his armour, he is at first hailed as lord. In one
of the rooms stands a bier, whereon lies a knight, cross and broken sword
upon his body, his left hand bleeding. A crowned knight enters and goes to
battle with Gauvain; canons and clerks come and perform the Vigil of the
Dead; whilst at table Gauvain sees the rich Grail serving out bread and
wine to the knights. Gauvain remains alone after the meal; he sees a lance
which bleeds into a silver cup. The crowned knight again enters, bearing
in his hand a broken sword which had belonged to the unknown knight, over
whom he mourns. He hands the sword to Gauvain and asks him to put the
pieces together. Gauvain cannot, whereupon the knight declares him unfit
to fulfil the quest (li besoin) on which he came. Later he may try
again. Gauvain asks concerning lance, sword, and bier. The lance, he is
told, is the one wherewith the Son of God was pierced in the side, ’twill
bleed till Doomsday. The tale of the broken sword which brought so much
woe upon the kingdom of Logres will also be told, but here Gauvain falls
fast asleep.[10] On the morrow he wakes, and finds himself on the sea
strand. He rides off, and behold the country has burst into green leaf,
and the reason thereof is his having asked concerning the lance. The
countryfolk both bless and curse him for having so far delivered them and
for not having completed the deliverance by asking concerning the Grail.
(4) He meets a young knight who turns out to be his son. (5) (Adventures
in which Carahiès, Gauvain’s brother, is chief actor.) (6) The story
returns to Perceval, who, after leaving the hermit, rides for three days
and comes to a castle, over the door of which hangs a horn. Perceval blows
therein, overcomes the knight who answers the challenge, and sends him to
Arthur’s court. (7) On his way to the Castle of Mont Orgellous, to the
pillar of which only an accomplished knight might tie his horse, he comes
to the stream on whose banks he had previously met the Fisher King.
Seeking for a bridge he meets a damsel on a mule, who, under pretence of
showing a way across the river, tries to drown him. He then comes to a
castle, which entering he finds untenanted. In the hall stands a
chessboard. Perceval plays, is beaten, seizes the board and makes as if to
throw it in the moat. Hereupon a damsel rises from the water to stay his
hand, and coming into the room reproaches him. Overcome by her beauty he
asks her favours. She will grant them if he bring the head of the stag
which roams in the castle park. Thereto she lends him her hound, bidding
him be sure he return it. The hunt follows; Perceval overtakes the stag,
slays it, and cutting off its head prepares to bring it back, when a maid
of ill-chance (pucelle de malaire) takes and carries it off. Perceval
claiming it is reproached by her for having slain her stag, but told he
may win again the hound if he go to a mound whereon a knight is painted
and say, “Vassal, what doest thou here?” The combat with the Knight of the
Tomb follows, during which hound and stag’s head are carried off by
another knight, whom Perceval can only follow when he has overcome the
Knight of the Tomb and driven him back therein. Now this knight, hight the
Black Knight, had dwelt there summer and winter five years, striving with
all-comers for the sake of his love. Perceval, following up the Robber
Knight, meets the damsel who had carried off the hound, but she only mocks
him for answer to his questions. (8) After an adventure with a
discourteous knight, Perceval meets at length a brother of the Red Knight
whom he had formerly slain, who tells him he had seen the daughter of the
Fisher King, and she had told him of a knight who had carried off a hound
and stag’s head belonging to a good knight who had been at her court, and
had omitted to ask concerning the grail, for which reason she had taken
his hound and refused him help to follow the Robber Knight. (9) Perceval
is directed by the Red Knight’s brother to the Fisher King’s castle, but
misses his way, and after an adventure at a castle, where he slays a lion,
overcomes Abrioris and sends him to Arthur; finds a damsel mourning over a
knight slain by a giant, whom he kills, achieves the feat of the Ford
Amorous, meets and fights with Gauvain’s son until they learn who each
other is, and at length comes to Belrepaire. (10) At first unrecognised by
Blanchefleur he makes himself known, stays with her three days, and then
rides off, in spite of her entreaties. (11) He meets Rosette (the loathly
damsel) and Le Biaus Mauvais, laughs at the former, is challenged by the
latter, whom he overcomes and sends to Arthur. (12) He comes to his
mother’s house, enters without making himself known, learns from his
sister that his mother died at his departure ten years before, tells her
who he is, and both set forth to their uncle, the hermit. On the way
Perceval slays a knight who offers violence to his sister. They come to
their uncle, sleep there, and on the morrow Perceval reveals himself,
confesses, is reproved for having slain the knight the day before.
Perceval, after mentioning his desire to learn more concerning lance,
Grail, and sword, and receiving good advice from the hermit, leaves with
his sister, with whom he stays three days and then quits her, despite her
piteous entreaties. (12a) Perceval comes to the Castle of Maidens, where
he falls untimely asleep, and on the morrow finds himself in the forest,
far from any castle. (13) Perceval finds the damsel who had carried off
the hound, fights with her knight, Garalas, overcomes him, learns that the
Knight of the Tomb is his brother, who had lived for ten years with a fay
in a magic invisible castle, and had met no one to overcome him until
Perceval came. Perceval sends both knight and damsel to Arthur. (14)
Perceval meets with a white mule led by a damsel; he joins her, although
she entreats him not to do so. Suddenly struck by a great light in the
forest, he turns to ask his companion what it might mean, but finds her
gone. A violent storm comes on. The morrow he meets the damsel with the
mule, who had felt no storm. She tells him about the great light: it came
from the “Gréaus,” which was given by the King of kings as He hung on the
Cross; the devil may not lead astray any man on the same day he sees it,
therefore the king has it carried about. Perceval asks further, but is
told only a holy man may speak of these mysteries. Perceval relates his
adventure with the lady of the chessboard, and the damsel gives him the
white mule, which will lead to her castle, together with a ring giving the
possessor power over the mule. He is to give both back when he meets her.
(16) The mule brings Perceval across a river, over a glass bridge, on the
other side of which he meets with Brios, who persuades him to join in a
tournament held by Arthur at the Castel Orguellous, as he must win the
prize of knighthood before coming to the castle of the Fisher King.
Perceval leaves stag’s head and hound at Brios’ castle, carries off the
prize at the tournament, remaining unknown. (17) Proceeding thence he
frees a knight imprisoned beneath a tombstone, who, in return, shuts him
up in the tomb, but, being unable to make the mule go forward, is obliged
to release him, and returns to his prison, telling Perceval he knows him
for the best knight in the world. (18) Perceval meets the damsel of the
mule, to whom he returns ring and mule, and who asks him if he has been at
the Fisher King’s court; on his saying, No, she hurries off. Perceval
prays God to direct him to the Castle of the Chessboard. A voice tells him
to follow the hound; he does so, reaches the castle, is greeted by the
maiden, to whom he gives stag’s head and hound, and who in return tells
him concerning the chessboard which Morghe la fée had had made at
London, on the Thames, and grants him her favours as she had promised. On
the morrow Perceval rides forth, accompanied awhile by the damsel, who
will show him his onward way. (19) They come to a river, on which is a
boat tied to an oak tree. Perceval is to enter it, cross the river, and on
the other side he will find a road leading to the Fisher King. On his way
Perceval releases a knight whom he finds hanging by his feet from a tree;
’tis Bagommedes whom Keie had treated thus, and who returns to Arthur’s
court, challenges Keie, and is only hindered by Arthur from slaying him.
All Arthur’s knights then start forth for the Mont Dolorous and in search
of Perceval. The adventures of Gauvain alone are related in detail until
the tale returns to Perceval. (20) After freeing Bagommedes, Perceval,
wandering in the woods, comes to a tree, in whose branches sits a child,
who can tell nothing of the Fisher King, but tells Perceval he will come
on the morrow to the Mont Dolorous. This he does, and binds his horse to
the pillar. A damsel on a white mule tells him of Arthur’s birth, and how
Merlin had made castle and pillar to prove who should be the best of
knights. She was Merlin’s daughter. (21) Perceval rides on, and towards
evening sees afar off a tree upon which burn many lights; as he draws near
he finds only a chapel, upon the altar of which lies a dead knight. A
great and sudden light is followed by the appearance of a black hand,
which puts out the candle on the altar. On the morrow he meets first a
huntsman, who tells him he is near the castle, then a damsel, who explains
the child in the tree, the chapel, and the black hand as having connection
with the Holy Grail and the lance. (22) Perceval comes at last to the
castle of the Fisher King, whom he finds on a couch as heretofore. He
tells him his adventures, and asks concerning the child on the tree, the
tree full of lights, and the chapel with the dead knight. Meanwhile a
damsel enters a hall bearing the Grail, another follows with the bleeding
lance, then comes a squire with a sword broken in two. Again Perceval puts
his questions, and will not eat until they are answered. First, he is told
of the child which would not speak to him on account of his many sins, and
which climbed ever upwards to show man’s thoughts should be raised to the
Creator. Before learning aught further Perceval is to try and weld the
broken sword together; none but a true knight lover of God, and of God’s
spouse, Holy Church, may accomplish it. Perceval succeeds, save that a
little crack still remains. The Fisher King embraces him and hails him as
lord of his house.
Here the section which goes under the name of Gautier ends.
[A portion of Gautier’s section of the Conte du Graal is found in the
Berne MS., partly edited, partly summarised, by Rochat in his work, Ein
unbekannter Percheval li Gallois (vide infra p. 101). This version
offers some remarkable peculiarities. It has a short introduction of
thirteen lines; then follows line 21,930 of Gautier in Potvin’s text (Mons
MS.). An incident follows, omitted in the Mons MS., but found in
Montpellier and in Paris, 794: Perceval meets a huntsman who upbraids him
for having been at the Fisher King’s court, and failed to ask about Grail
and bleeding lance. Then follow Incidents 6, 7 (8 is absent so far as one
can judge from Rochat’s summary), 9 to 13 (in which Perceval does not
apparently send Garalas and his love to Arthur), and 14 to end, the
following finish being then tacked on: The Fisher King is father to Alain
le Gros, husband to Enigeus, sister to that Joseph who, when Christ’s body
was taken down from the Cross, had it from Pilate as a reward for his
services. Joseph had the vessel prepared to catch in it the blood from the
body; it was the same Jesus had made the Sacrament in on the Thursday
before. The Fisher King dies on the third day and Perceval reigns in his
stead.][11]
The Conte du Graal is continued by—
(c) Manessier.—(1) Perceval, full of joy, sits down to table; after the
meal, lance, Grail, and a goodly silver dish pass before the royal table
away into the next room. Perceval, sighing, asks concerning these objects
and the maidens bearing them. (2) The King tells as follows: the lance is
that wherewith Longis pierced God’s side that day he hung on the Cross
(Montpellier MS.: When Longis withdrew the spear the blood ran down to
feet, so that Joseph of Barimacie turned black from sorrow, and he
collected the blood in the holy vessel). On Perceval’s asking further, the
Grail is the vessel wherein the holy precious blood of our Lord was
received. Then Perceval asks how it came thither; (3) Joseph brought it
when he departed from the prison whence he was freed by Vespasian. He
baptized forty of his friends, and wandered forth with them till they came
to Sarras, where, as the tale tells, they found the King in the Temple of
the Sun. Joseph helped the King against his enemies by means of a red
cross which he fixed on the King’s shield. Evelac, such was the King’s
name, won the battle thereby, was baptized, and renamed Noodrans. It went
so likewise with his brother-in-law, Salafrès, renamed Natiien. Joseph
departed thence, ever bearing the Grail with him, till at length he came
hither, converted the land, and I, of his seed, am keeping manor and
Grail, the which shall never dwell elsewhere, God willing. (Montpellier
MS. merely says, how Joseph was put into a dark prison, and kept there
forty years, but the Lord sent him the sweetness of the Grail twice or
thrice a day. Tiberius and Vespasian deliver him and bring him to Rome,
whence he carries away the lance.) (4) To Perceval’s questions concerning
the damsels: the Grail-bearer is of royal blood, and pure maid, or God
might not let her hold it, she is my child; the dish-bearer is also of
high lineage, daughter to King Goon Desert. (5) The King would then go to
sleep, but Perceval would know about the broken sword: In Quiquagrant
dwelt Goon Desert, the King’s brother. Besieged by Espinogre he made a
sally and slew him. Espinogre’s nephew swore revenge; donning the armour
of a knight of Goon Desert, he slew him, but the sword broke when the
traitrous blow was struck. Goon Desert’s body was brought to his brother’s
castle, whither came, too, his daughter with the broken sword, foretelling
that a knight should come, rejoin the pieces, and avenge the foul blow.
The Fisher King taking up the fragments incautiously was pierced through
the thigh, and the wound might not be healed until his brother’s death was
avenged. The murderer’s name is Partiniaus, Lord of the Red Tower.
Perceval vows to avenge this wrong, but first, despite the King’s strong
hints that it is bed-time, must learn (6) about the candles on the trees,
how they are fay trees, and the lights deceiving ones, but they might not
deceive Perceval, he being destined to achieve the wonders of the earth,
and he has put an end to this illusion; (7) how the black hand haunted a
chapel wherein Pinogres had slain his mother, and over four thousand
knights had been slain by it. (8) Perceval starting on the morrow in
search of Partinal meets with Saigremors, and with him delivers a damsel
from ten robber knights. Perceval, wounded, stays a month at the damsel’s
castle, and (9) the story tells for some fifteen hundred verses
(36,100-37,400) of Saigremors; how he pursues the robber knights, comes to
the Castle of Maidens, delivers the dame thereof from a knight, Calides,
who wars upon her, and afterwards delivers another maiden, to whom two
knights were offering violence; (10) then, for over two thousand verses of
Gauvain; how he prepares to set forth again in search of the Fisher King;
how a maiden comes to him whose brother had been slain in his service,
reproaches Gauvain for his conduct at the Fisher King’s castle, and
carries him off; how he saves a maid going to be burnt; how after other
adventures he slays King Margon, returns to Arthur’s court, fights with
Kex to avenge the brother of the damsel, etc. (11) Meanwhile Perceval,
leaving the damsel who has tended him right well, rides forth into a wood,
where he is overtaken by a great storm of thunder and hail, after which he
comes to the chapel where lies the body of the knight slain by the black
hand. Perceval strives with the devil to whom this belongs, overcomes, and
with the help of a hermit who tells him the tale of all the knights who
had fallen there, buries the body. He then confesses to the hermit, who
warns him not to think of acquiring fame, but rather to save his soul.
(12) Perceval, riding forth on the morrow, is met by the devil, who throws
him from his horse; he finds another, mounts it, but coming to a stream
luckily crosses himself, when it disappears; it was the devil. (13) A
damsel passes by with a bark, wherein Perceval mounts; she minds him of
Blanchefleur, and desire masters him, but again he crosses himself in
time, and ship and damsel vanish. (14) A hermit comes who instructs him
concerning all these things, brings him where he finds a fresh steed, and
to a fair castle. Perceval overcomes a knight who would bar his passing,
delivers the lady love of Dodinel from a felon knight; is appealed to for
help by a damsel of Blanchefleur’s, oppressed by Arides of Cavalon. (15)
Setting off to the succour of his lady love, his horse falls lame, he
comes to a smith who tells him his name is Tribuet, the forger of the
broken sword. Tribuet makes the sword whole, and bids Perceval guard it
well, never had king or conqueror a better one. (16) Perceval reaches Bel
Repaire, overcomes Arides, whom he sends to Arthur’s court, bidding him
announce his own arrival for Whitsuntide. He then quits Blanchefleur, and
(17) meets with the Coward Knight, who will not fight even when he sees
two damsels carried off by ten knights. Perceval attacks the ravishers,
the Coward Knight is drawn into the struggle, and quits himself valiantly.
The rescued damsels bring the knights to their castle, where Perceval,
sore wounded, remains for two months. (18) Meanwhile Saigremors has
announced Perceval’s arrival at Camelot. Whitsuntide passing, all the
knights set forth in search of him, and, amongst others, Boort; he meets
his brother Lyonel led, bound and naked, by six knights, who scourge him,
and at the same moment he hears the plaint of a maid to whom a knight is
doing violence. Her he succours, then hurries after his brother, whom,
meanwhile, Gauvain has rescued. Lyonel bitterly reproaches his brother for
abandoning him, and falls upon him, sword in hand; Boort offers no
defence, and would be slain but for a passing knight, Calogrinant, who
pays for his interference with his life. Finally, heavenly intervention
appeases Lyonel. Calogrinant is buried by a hermit. (19) Perceval, healed,
leaves the castle together with the Coward Knight, is present with him at
a tournament, at which he distinguishes himself above all others, leaves
his companion, to whom he gives the name Le Hardis, and (20) meets Hector,
who challenges him. The two fight, and well-nigh kill each other. To them,
lying on the field of combat, appears an angel with the Grail, and makes
them whole. (21) Perceval rides on to Partinal’s castle, before which
stands a fir tree whereon hangs a shield. Perceval throws this down,
whereupon Partinal appears and a desperate combat ensues, ended by the
overthrow of Partinal, and, as he will submit to no conditions, his death.
Perceval cuts off his head and makes for the Grail Castle, but only after
a summer’s seeking, lights upon it chancewise. (22) As he nears the
castle, the warders come to the King, telling him a knight is coming with
a head hanging at his saddle-bow; hereupon the King leaps to his feet and
is straightway made whole. Partinal’s head is stuck on a pike on the
highest tower of the castle. After supper, at which the same mystic
procession of talismans takes place as heretofore, the King learns
Perceval’s name, and thereby finds that he is his own sister’s son. He
would hand him his crown, but Perceval has vowed not to take it, his uncle
living. (23) He returns to Arthur’s court, overcoming on the way seven
knights, and tells his adventures, which Arthur has written down and kept
in a box at Salisbury. The Grail damsel appears and tells Perceval his
uncle is dead. Perceval goes to Corbière accompanied by all the court, who
assist at his crowning and remain with him a month, during which time the
Grail feeds all with the costliest foods. He marries his cousins, the two
Grail-bearers, to two valiant kings, and reigns in peace for seven years.
(24) After which time he follows a hermit into the wilderness, accompanied
by Grail, lance, and holy dish. He serves the Lord for ten years, and,
when he dies, Grail, lance, and dish were doubtless carried up to heaven,
for since that day no man saw them.
(d) Gerbert.—(According to Birch Hirschfeld interpolated between
Gautier and Manessier, and joining on therefore to the last incident in
Gautier.)[12]
(1) Perceval’s sin in having indirectly caused the death of his mother
disables him from making whole the broken sword, and he must set forth
again in search of the Grail. In the night he dreams a danger threatens
his sister, and on the morrow he wakes up in open field, the Grail Castle
having vanished. (2) He comes to a fair castle in the midst of a meadow,
and, finding the door shut, knocks at it with his sword till the latter
breaks. An old man appears, and tells him the broken sword will cost him
seven years more wanderings until he come again to the Grail Castle. All
he can do for Perceval is to give him a letter which heals the wounded and
makes the wearer invincible. (3) Perceval riding thence through country
that the day before was waste and folkless, finds it now well cultivated
and peopled; all press round him and bless him for the change wrought by
his asking concerning the Grail. (4) He comes to a castle wherein is a
forge guarded by two serpents, and on it was a sword forged for a year,
and it might not be broken, save in a certain danger, or mended save at
the same forge. Perceval, after resisting the devil in the shape of a fair
maid, attacks and overcomes the two serpents, and has his sword mended by
the blacksmith, who tells him how he broke it at the gate of Paradise.
(5) After making whole by his letter two knights of the Round Table who
had lost their wits in Castle Dolorous, Perceval comes to Carlion, to
Arthur’s court, and accomplishes the adventure of the Perillous Seat which
a fairy had sent to Arthur. Only the destined Grail-finder might sit in
it. Six knights who had previously essayed the feat had been swallowed up
by the earth; they reappear when Perceval is successful. (6) Perceval is
called away from the court by a forsaken damsel, whose false lover he
compels to marry her; then, after overcoming fresh temptation in
damsel-shape, he comes to his sister’s castle, overcomes her adversary,
who turns out to be Mordret, and reaches the Castle of Maidens, where he
is healed of his wounds by the lady of the castle, his cousin. She tells
him of his mother, Philosofine, and how the Grail was taken from the ken
of man owing to the sinfulness of the world. Perceval leaves his sister in
this castle where dames are chaste and damsels maids. (7) Returning to
court, whither Mordret had preceded him in sorry plight, Perceval is
mocked at by Kex, whom he overcomes, and afterwards meets Gauvain and
Tristan. (8) Leaving the court, he meets with four knights carrying their
father, mortally wounded, accompanies them to their castle, recognises in
the wounded knight, Gornumant, who had knighted him, swears to avenge him,
tells all that has befallen himself, and learns that the cause of his
successive failures is his forsaking his betrothed, Blanchefleur, whom he
knows to be Gornumant’s niece. He is told that if he listen heedfully to
mass and marry the damsel all will be well, and he will learn the secrets
of lance and Grail. But first Perceval overcomes a hideous hag, who by
night brings to life Gornumant’s enemies slain during the day. She has a
potion, whereof Christ made use in the sepulchre, and with it she quickens
the dead. She recognizes Perceval and acknowledges him as her conqueror,
yet while she lives he shall know nought of the Grail; she works by order
of the King of the Waste City, who hates all Christian folk. Perceval
tries the virtue of the potion on the most valiant of his enemies, with
whom he engages in a fresh and desperate struggle, heals Gornumant with
it, and sets off to marry Blanchefleur, as he is wishful to live cleanly
and fly deadly sin. (9) She is overjoyed at his arrival; preparations are
made for the marriage; the night before, she comes to his bedside in smock
and mantle, and they pass the night side by side, but with the sheet
between them. The wedding follows, and then, fearful of losing the
heavenly joy for sake of carnal longing, they resolve to resist the devil
and live virgin-wise, for virginity surpasseth aught else, even as the
topaz does crystal. Perceval, in a dream, is assured that of his seed
shall be the Swan Knight and the deliverer of the Holy Sepulchre.
Meanwhile he is still to search after lance and Grail. (10) On the morrow
he quits Blanchefleur, “maid she laid her to bed, maid she arose;” frees a
maiden pursued by a brutal knight; (11) comes to a castle where the
wayfarer must first fight against four knights and then against the lord
of the castle; does away with this custom; (12) comes to cross roads,
whereof one is safe and easy, the other adventurous and full of danger;
meets a knight all on fire; sees two hermits, one kneeling at a cross,
the other scourging it; then a wonderful beast, a doe followed by fawns,
which assail and devour her; (13) is presented at a hermit’s with a shield
none but the Grail-winner may wear, after which the table heretofore
meanly spread is covered with rich fare, and learns the meaning of the
mystic scenes he has witnessed. (14) He is summoned by a damsel, who tells
him of the Dragon King, lord of a heathen folk dwelling in mid-sea,
possessor of a shield whereon is painted a dragon that belches forth
flame. Perceval sets forth to attack him, resists the devil who dwells in
the dragon head, thanks to his miraculous shield whereon the cross is
painted, and forces him to flee; continues the fight against the Dragon
Knight without his shield, and slays him, but not till he has repented him
of his sins. (15) Meanwhile a thief has made off with the shield, in
pursuing whom Perceval comes to an abbey, where he learns the story of
Joseph of Arimathea. Some forty years after the Crucifixion lived a
heathen king, Evelac, in Sarras, wherefrom the Saracens have their name,
sore pressed by Tholomes, King of Syria. But Joseph of Barimaschie, who
had been five years in Pilate’s service, comes to him, and with him his
brother-in-law, Seraphe; he promised the King victory if he would let
himself be baptized. The King consented, and received the name of
Mordrach. Joseph then came to this land, and with him sixty folk and two
fair ladies, whereof the one, Philosophine, bore a plate, the other an
ever-bleeding lance, whilst Joseph had a vessel, never saw man a fairer
one. But King Crudel flung Joseph and his companions into prison, where
they dwelt forty days, but it harmed them not, as through the Holy Grail
they were filled with great plenty and had every wish fulfilled. Now,
Mordrains, learning this, brought together a great host, invaded King
Crudel’s lands, attacked and slew him. Mordrains, disarming, was found to
be covered with wounds, none of which he had felt. On the morrow Joseph
put up a table, altar-wise, and thereon laid the Grail, which Mordrains
seeing, pressed near to. But an angel with a fiery sword kept him back,
and a voice assured him he had laid such a burden on his shoulders as he
might not pass away, nor would his wounds be healed until should come the
true knight, loved of Christ, sinless, and in his arms he, Mordrains,
should die. And till then the Host should be his only food. Since then
three hundred years have passed, and the monks have heard that the knight
is in the land who shall ask concerning lance and Grail, and thereby heal
the king. (16) Perceval leaves on the morrow and comes to a castle wherein
is a coffin, brought thereto in a boat drawn by a swan; none save the best
knight in the world may open it. All have tried, even Gauvain, and failed.
Perceval succeeds, and finds in the coffin the body of a knight, former
lord of the castle, and a letter setting forth that he who should open the
coffin was his murderer. Perceval, attacked in consequence by the dead
man’s sons, defends himself by making a buttress of the youngest son’s
body. Afterwards he overcomes the folk of the castle, and delivers
Gauvain, held prisoner therein. (17) Perceval, after confessing his sins
to a hermit, has an adventure with the devil, who comes out of a tomb,
but whom he forces back therein. (18) He then succours a maiden whom her
jealous lover has thrown into a fountain; (19) punishes a damsel who
tempts him in traitrous-wise; (20) meets with and is sore pressed by a
giant, whom he overcomes; (21) has a fresh and victorious encounter with
Kex, and, finally, (22) arrives at crossways, is directed by the cross to
the Fisher King’s court, reaches it, asks straightway for the Grail, is
questioned by the King and relates his allegorical adventures. At table
the Grail appears, followed by lance and sword. Perceval pieces together
the sword, and the King, full of joy, embraces him.
Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Parzival.—Gahmuret, Parzival’s father, goes to
the East, takes service with Baruc, wins the love of the heathen queen
Belakane, but after remaining with her a short time forsakes her,
promising to return if she become Christian. She bears a son, and names
him Feirefiz. Gahmuret by his prowess at a tournament wins the love of
Herzeloyde, whom he marries on condition he may go a tourneying every
month. Hearing his old lord Baruc is in danger, he hastens to his aid, and
is slain. Herzeloyde on receipt of the news resolves to withdraw to the
wilderness, and bring up her son in ignorance of knighthood.
[From this point up to and including the adventure with Orgeuilleuse,
where Chrestien’s share of the Conte du Graal breaks off, Wolfram agrees
very closely with Chrestien. It has been much debated in Germany whether
he really had any other model but Chrestien, and whether his alleged model
Kyot be not a feigned source to justify his departure from the story as
found in the Conte du Graal. A brief outline of the arguments for and
against this view will be found in Appendix A. The chief points of
difference in the portion common to the two poets are: the more important
position in the narrative assigned to Perceval’s cousin, whom Wolfram
names Sigune, who is fed from the Grail by the Grail messenger, the
loathly damsel, and about whose loves with Schianatulander Wolfram has
left fragments of another poem, Titurel. Parzival meets her immediately
after his adventure with the lady of the tent. Parzival’s love is named
Condwiramur. On the first night of their marriage he leaves her maid (as
in Gerbert’s version). But the most important peculiarity of Wolfram’s
poem is his account of the Grail itself, a stone which yields all manner
of food and drink, the power of which is sustained by a dove, which every
week lays a Host upon it, given, after the fall of the rebel angels, in
charge to Titurel and his dynasty, by them preserved in the Grail castle,
Montsalvatch, guarded by a sacred order of knighthood whom it chooses
itself. The knights are vowed to virginity, the king alone being allowed
marriage. The cause of the maimed king’s (Amfortas) hurt is his having
taken up arms in the cause of worldly and unlawful love. When Parzival
leaves the Grail castle after the first visit, he is mocked at by the
inmates for having omitted the question. More stress is laid on the broken
sword, connected with which is a magic spell Parzival must master before
he can become lord of the Grail castle. The “loathly damsel,” Kundrie, is
also a much more important person with Wolfram than with Chrestien, and
she is brought into contact with Parzival’s cousin, Sigune. Parzival’s
love for his wife is dwelt upon at length, and he is urged by the hermit
rather to rejoin her than to seek the Grail.]
After the adventure with Orgueilleuse, Wolfram continues as follows:—The
lord of the magic castle, wherein are kept prisoners Arthur’s mother and
the other queens, is Clinschor, nephew of Virgilius of Naples, who took to
magic after his unmanning at the hands of King Ibert, whose wife, Iblis,
he loved. Gawain overcomes the magician, and, both unknowing, fights with
Parzival. The latter, after many lesser adventures, meets his half-brother
Feirefiz, and sustains with him the hardest of all his fights. At length
recognition is brought about, the two embrace, and repair to Arthur’s
court. Cundrie nears once more, tells Parzival he has been chosen Grail
king, that his wife and twin sons, Loherangrin and Kardeiz, have been
summoned to the Grail castle, and that the question will now free Amfortas
and his land. With Cundrie and Feirefiz, Parzival rides to the Grail
castle, meets his wife, together they all behold the talismans, save
Feirefiz, to whom as a heathen the sight of the Grail is denied. But he is
baptised, weds Repanse de Schoie, the Grail damsel, the two return to
India, and from them is born Prester John. Parzival rules over his Grail
kingdom. Of his son Loherangrin it is told how he is led to the aid of the
Duchess of Brabant by a swan, how he marries her on condition she inquire
not as to his origin, and how, on her breaking the command, the swan
carries him away from her.
Heinrich von dem Türlin.—The Gawain Episodes of Diu Crône.—The
parallelism of Heinrich’s poem with those of Wolfram and Chrestien begins
about verse 17,500 with an adventure of Gawain’s corresponding to Inc. 13
in Chrestien (Tournament for the hand of Tiebaut of Tingaguel’s daughter,
episode of the two sisters, combat with Melians de Lis). In Heinrich the
father is named Leigamar, the eldest daughter Fursensephin, (Fleur sans
epine ?), the youngest Quebelepluz, where Heinrich has taken a French
phrase setting forth the greater fairness of the damsel for a proper name.
Inc. 14 in Chrestien then follows with these differences: the name of the
castle is Karamphi; Gawain and the facile damsel are surprised by the
latter’s brother, and it is her father who, to avenge the wrong done his
house, makes Gawain swear that within a year he will either seek out the
Grail or return as prisoner to Karamphi. Chrestien’s Inc. 15 is of course
missing, the story going straight on to Inc. 16, meeting with the wounded
knight (here Lohenis) and his lady love Emblie, who by treachery deprive
Gawain of his steed; then the arrival at the Castle of Wonders, and the
night passed in the enchanted bed, where the hero is overwhelmed with
crossbolts shot at him by invisible foes. The plucking of the flower from
the enchanted garden at the bidding of a damsel (Orgueilleuse in Chrestien
and Wolfram, here Mancipicelle), and the meeting with and challenge by
Giremelanz follow. Arthur’s court comes to the Castle of Wonders to
witness the combat. Gawain and Giremelanz are reconciled, the latter
marries Gawain’s sister, and Gawain himself sets off to search for the
Grail. [Adventures then follow which correspond to nothing in Chrestien or
Wolfram, in which Gawain wins talismans destined to aid him in his
search.] Gawain sets forth on his quest accompanied by Kay, Lancelot, and
Calocreant. They part at crossways. Gawain comes to the sister of the
magician (anonymous in Chrestien, Klinschor in Wolfram, here Gansguoter)
of the Castle of Wonders. She bids him take heed, if he wish to see the
Grail, he be not overcome by sleep, and for this that he drink not
overmuch; as soon as he saw it and its accompanying damsels, he was to ask
about it. If he neglected this, all his past and any future toil would be
useless. On his way to the Grail castle, the hero meets with all sorts of
dangers, and obstacles, and wonders; amongst others, passing the night in
a castle where he is tended by invisible hands. After month-long
wanderings he meets with Lancelot and Calocreant, and learns that Kay, in
a vain attempt to penetrate to the Grail, has been flung into prison. The
three comrades then come to the Grail castle. They are led into a hall
which passes in splendour aught earthly eye ever saw. The floor is strewn
with roses, on a bed lies an old man in gold-embroidered garments, and
watches two youths playing at chess. Towards night the hall fills with
knights and dames, a youth enters bearing a sword which he lays before the
old man. Gawain is pressed to drink; but refuses, not so his two
companions, who straightway fall asleep. Then enter two damsels bearing
lights, followed by two knights with a spear, and two more damsels with a
“toblier” (? tailleor, plate) of gold and jewels. After them comes the
fairest woman ever God created, and with her a maiden weeping. The spear
is laid on the table, by it the “toblier” wherein are three drops of
blood. In the box borne by the fair lady is a piece of bread, one third
part of which she breaks off and gives to the old man. Gawain recognising
in her Gansguoter’s sister, stays no longer, but asks what these wonders
mean. Straightway knights and dames all with mighty shout leap from table,
and great joy arises. The old man says what he has seen is the Grail; none
saw it before save Parzival, and he asked not. By his question Gawain has
delivered from long waiting and suffering both those which are dead and
those which live. The old man himself and his companions are really dead,
though they seem it not, but the lady and her damsels are living; for
their unstained womanhood God has granted them to have the Grail, and
therewith yearly to feed the old man. All Gawain’s adventures latterly
have come from the Grail. Now he has ended all, he is to take as prize of
his knighthood the sword which will help him in every danger. After him no
man shall see the Grail; further concerning it he must not ask, nor may
know more. At daybreak the old man’s tale ends, and he with his whole
court vanish, leaving only the lady with her five damsels. [After
releasing Kay, and undergoing other adventures, Gawain returns to Arthur’s
court.]
The Petit Saint Graal or
Didot-Perceval.[13]—Prologue.—After the
choosing of Arthur to be King, Merlin comes to the court, and tells how
Arthur is Uther-Pendragon’s son, brought up by Antor as his son. All
rejoice at this, especially Gauvain, son of Lot. After dinner the barons
bring Merlin to Arthur, and tell him how he was the prophet of
Uther-Pendragon, and had made the Round Table. Arthur promises to honour
Merlin. The latter calls him apart with Gauvain and Key, and tells him
how, in the time of Uther-Pendragon, the Round Table was made after the
pattern of one Joseph constructed when he separated the good from the
evil. Two Kings of Britain before had been Kings of France, and conquered
Rome; Queen Sibyl and Solomon had prophesied Arthur should be third, and
he, Merlin, was the third to assure him of it. But this could only be if
Arthur established the Round Table as Merlin directed. Now the Grail had
been given Joseph by our Lord himself, and at His command Joseph led a
great folk into the desert. And when evil befell them Joseph, at our
Lord’s command, made a table; whereat one place was left empty in
remembrance of Judas. But Moyses, a false disciple, sat therein, but sank
into the abyss, whereout he shall not come until the time of Antichrist.
Our Lord made the first table; Joseph, the second; he, Merlin, the third.
The Grail was given into the keeping of the rich Fisher King; but he was
old, full of sickness, and should not win health till a knight came,
having sat at the Round Table, true man of God and of Holy Church, and the
best knight in the world for feats of arms. He must ask the rich fisher of
what use is the Grail; then the King would be cured of his infirmity, the
enchantments of Britain would cease, and the prophecy be fulfilled. Should
Arthur do this, great good would come of it; he, Merlin, must go, as he
could not often show himself to the people. Whereupon he departs to
Ortoberland, to Blaise, his master, who writes down these things, and by
his writings we know them. The son of Alein le Gros is a child named
Percevaux, and as Alein is dying he hears the voice of the Holy Ghost
saying, Know thou art near thy end, and wilt soon come into the fellowship
of Jesus Christ. Brons, thy father, dwells in these isles of Ireland, and
with him is the Grail. And he may not die until thy son finds him, to whom
he shall commend the grace of the vessel, and teach the secret words
Joseph taught him, then shall he be cured of his infirmities. And I
command thy son that he go to the court of Arthur, where he shall be
taught how he may find the house of his grandfather. Alein dies, and
Percevaux mounts his horse and comes to Arthur’s court, and asks arms from
him, and stays there and is much loved.
(1) Arthur proposes holding a tournament at Easter, the greatest the world
had seen, to honour the Round Table. Perceval at first takes no part in
the tournament; but afterwards, for love of Aleine, niece of Gauvain, who
incites him thereto, and sends him a suit of red armour, he enters the
lists unknown, and overbears all opponents, so that all say he should fill
the empty place at the Round Table. Perceval claims the empty place from
the King, and when refused threatens to return to his land and never visit
the court again. Arthur yields, and Perceval seats himself. Then the rocks
and the earth groan dolorously, and a voice reproaches Arthur with having
disobeyed Merlin’s command. Were it not the goodness of Alein le Gros
Perceval had died the death of Moys. Now should Arthur know the vessel our
Lord gave Joseph was in the keeping of the rich fisher, and he was ill and
infirm, and until the best knight in the world should come might not die.
And when that knight should come to the rich fisher and ask concerning the
vessel, then should he be cured, but die within three days after giving
the vessel to that knight, and teaching him the secret words handed down
by Joseph. Thus the enchantments of Britain should cease. (2) Perceval
swears not to lie one night where he had lain the night before till he
find the rich fisher. Gauvain, Sagremors, Beduers, Hurgains, and Erec
swear the same. The knights set forth amid general lamentation. They part
at a chapel, and the story follows Perceval. (3) He comes, after two days,
upon a damsel weeping over a knight, Hurganet, one of the Round Table, who
had gone forth on the Grail Quest. He had delivered her from a giant, and
ridden with her into a tent where they found knights and ladies, who
warned them not to await the owner, the “Orgoillos Delandes,” who would
kill him. And whilst speaking a dwarf entered, scourge in hand, who threw
down the tent. The Lord of the Tent then appeared, clad in red armour, and
slew Hurganet. Perceval determines to avenge his death; rides to the tent
with the damsel; is warned of its inmates; is surprised by the dwarf, who
smites the damsel with his scourge, whereupon Perceval fells him to the
ground. The Knight of the Tent appears; after a desperate struggle
Perceval overcomes him and sends him with the damsel to Arthur’s court.
She had fain stayed with him, but he thought of other things. (4) Perceval
comes to the finest castle in the world, enters, and finds no inhabitant.
Only a chessboard he finds. He begins to move the pieces, and they play
against him, and he is checkmated three times running. Full of anger he
prepares to throw the chessmen into the castle moat—suddenly a damsel
shows herself and reproaches him. He will abstain if she comes to him. She
consents, and after her squires and maidens have disarmed Perceval he
joins her. Overcome by her beauty he requests her love. She will grant it
him if he capture the white stag of the wood. She lends him her hound, and
recommends him to take the utmost care of it. Perceval chases the stag,
captures it, and, having cut off its head, starts back. But meanwhile an
old woman has carried off the hound. She will only give it up if Perceval
will go to a grave whereunder is a knight painted, and say: “Felon, he
that put you there.” Perceval complies; whereupon appears a knight on a
black horse armed in black. They strive, and Perceval overcomes him. But
meantime a second knight has carried off both the stag’s head and the
hound from the old woman. Perceval’s adversary flees to the tomb, which
closes upon him, and Perceval follows the second knight after a vain
attempt to get help from the old woman. (5) Him he found not; but after
feats longer than I can tell, comes to his father’s house, where he was
born. He only finds his sister and a niece. The former tells him
concerning her brother, who went to Arthur’s court; whereupon their mother
died of grief. Perceval reveals himself, and is amazed at what she relates
concerning the Grail and its guardian, and asks if he may come to behold
it. She answers, Yes; whereupon he vows not to rest till he have found it.
She attempts to dissuade him, but he remains firm. She then urges him to
go to their uncle, who is a hermit, to whom he may confess the sin of his
mother’s death, and who will advise him concerning the Quest. (6) Both
proceed thither. He rejoices to see them, and asks if Perceval has been to
the house of his father, guardian of the vessel named Grail, and, on
hearing that he has not, tells him how at the table which Joseph and
himself had made, the voice of the Holy Ghost had come to them, telling
them to go westward, and ordering the rich fisher, his father, to come to
that land where the sun goes down (avaloit), telling him he should not
die till the son of Alein had become the best knight in the world.
Perceval had been chosen to do his Lord’s service; he is to slay no knight
nor to lie with any woman, that being luxurious sin. His sins have
prevented his reaching Brons. He is to be careful to keep himself from sin
and felony, being of a race our Lord so loved that He committed His blood
to their keeping. Much else he says, and on the morrow Perceval and his
sister ride forth. (7) They meet a knight who challenges them. Perceval,
thinking of the damsel who had given him the hound, at first pays no
attention, but then overcomes and slays him. Perceval is much grieved at
having so soon broken his uncle’s injunction. On the morrow he leaves his
sister, promising to return so soon as he may. (8) He meets a knight,
accompanied by a damsel the most wonderfully ugly nature ever made,
whereat he signs himself and laughs. The knight, indignant, challenges
him, but is overcome and sent with the damsel to Arthur’s court. Kay makes
mock of them; but Arthur reproves him and receives them courteously. They
remain at the court, and know that she was the most beautiful woman in the
world! (9) Perceval comes to a ford and is challenged by its guardian,
whom he overcomes. His name is Urban of the Black Thorn; his lady had set
him to guard the ford. Her castle vanishes with a great noise, and she
comes to her lover’s aid with her maidens in shape of birds. Perceval
slays one who becomes a woman, and is carried off by the others to
Avallon. (10) Perceval comes to a tree at the crossing of four roads,
among its branches he sees two naked children of seven years old. They
speak to him concerning the Grail, and direct him to take the road to the
right. They vanish, and a voice tells him to heed their counsel. (11)
Perceval comes to a river whereon are three men in a boat, and the master
of the boat bids him go down the stream till he should come to his house.
Perceval rides a whole day without finding it, and curses the fisher. At
last he comes to a castle with lowered drawbridge, enters, and is robed in
scarlet by two squires. Meanwhile four attendants have carried the Fisher
King, father of Alein, and grandfather of Perceval, into the hall. The
King wished to do Perceval what honour he might. They eat, and whilst at
table a squire comes out of a chamber, and brings in both hands a lance,
whence flows a drop of blood. Him follows a damsel bearing two silver
plates and clothes; then a squire with a vessel in which was our Lord’s
blood. All bow as he passes, and Perceval had fain asked, but he fears to
displease the King, minding him of the worthy man to whom he had
confessed, and who forbade his speaking too much and enquiring
overmuch—for a man of idle words is displeasing to our Lord. All night
Perceval thinks of the lance and of the Grail, and in the morning, on
waking, finds neither man nor woman. He sets forth to seek some one, but
in vain, and is greatly distressed. (12) He finds a damsel weeping
bitterly, who, seeing him, cries out: “Percevaux le Gallois, be accursed,
unhappier art thou than ever, having been in the house of the rich Fisher
King, and not having asked concerning the Grail. Thy Lord hates thee; and
’tis wonder the earth do not open beneath thee.” Had he not seen Grail and
lance pass? Had he asked what one did with them, the King, cured of his
infirmity, would have returned to his youth; our Lord’s prophecy to Joseph
been fulfilled, and the enchantments of Britain undone. But Perceval is
neither wise, valiant, nor true man enough to have charge of the blood.
But he shall come again and ask concerning the Grail, and his grandfather
shall be cured. (13) The damsel departs, and Perceval, unable to find his
grandfather’s house, rides on and comes to a tree under which a damsel is
sitting, and in whose branches the stag’s head, which had been carried off
from him, is hanging. Perceval takes it, and when his hound following a
stag comes up, takes possession of it likewise. But the knight who had
taken them appears. Perceval fights with and overcomes him; learns that he
is the brother of the Knight of the Tomb, who lives therein with his love,
sister of the damsel for whose sake Perceval had hunted the stag. To her
Perceval now returns, gives her hound and stag’s head, and then departs
refusing the offer of her love, even to stop one night with her. (14)
Perceval wanders for seven years achieving many feats, and sending more
than one hundred knights prisoners to Arthur; but, not being able to find
his grandfather’s house, he falls into such melancholy as to lose his
memory, so that he minds him no more of God, and never enters Church. One
Good Friday, fully armed, he meets a knight and ladies in penitents’
dress, who reproach him for going armed on a day that our Lord was
crucified. Perceval repents; returns to his uncle, the hermit; learns that
his sister is dead, and does penitence. The songmen, in their pleasing
rhymes, say nothing of this; but we tell you of it as we find it in the
tale Merlin made Blaise write down. (15) Perceval rides forth and meets
seven squires of Melianz de Liz, who is going to a tournament at the White
Castle, the damsel of which is to be the victor’s prize. All the knights
of the Round Table will be there, having returned that Whitsuntide from
the Quest of the Grail without achieving aught. Perceval leaves the
squires and come to a castle where he puts up. His host urges him to take
part in the tournament. The morrow they ride forth and look on; Melianz
wears the scarf of the lady of the castle; he and Gauvain prove themselves
the best knights, the onlooking ladies know not to whom to award the
prize. The next day, Perceval, having resolved upon taking part, accepts
the scarf of his host’s daughter, overcomes all adversaries, and sends
steeds to the lady in return for her scarf. Being asked by his host if he
will not woo the damsel of the White Castle, Perceval answers he may not
take wife. Then appears an old man who reproaches Perceval for going to a
tournament, and with forgetting his vow to sleep no two nights in the same
house till the Quest be accomplished. He is Merlin, come from Hortoblande,
to say that owing to the prayers of Perceval’s uncle, our Lord wills that
the latter may have his blood to keep. He is to go to his grandfather.
Perceval asks when he shall get there. “Before a year,” is the answer.
“’Tis a long time.” “Not so,” says Merlin, who leaves him, and tells all
to Blaise, from whose writing we know of it. (16) That same night Perceval
comes to his grandfather’s house, is received by the Fisher King, and as
they sit at table the Grail appears, and the relics with it, and when
Perceval sees it he asks to what use is the vessel put? Forthwith the King
is cured, and his being changed. Perceval must say first who he is before
learning such holy things. Upon learning it is his grandson before him,
the King leads him to the Grail, and tells him with this lance Longis
pierced the side of Jesus Christ, whom he knew in the flesh. In this
vessel is the blood, Joseph caught as it ran to the ground. It is called
Grail because it is agreeable to worthy men; none may sin in its presence.
Then Brons, kneeling, prays, and the voice of the Holy Ghost tells him the
prophecy will be fulfilled; and he is to teach Perceval the secret words
our Lord on the cross told Joseph, and Joseph told him. He does, but I
cannot and may not say what these words were. Then angels carry him off;
and Perceval remains, and the enchantments of Britain and of the whole
world cease. And that same day Arthur and his knights sitting at the Round
Table are aware of a great noise, and the seat is made whole again which
had broken under Perceval. Merlin appears to Blaise, tells him his work is
ended, and takes him to Perceval, who was right glad of his company.
Epilogue.—Merlin comes to Arthur’s court and relates all that had taken
place. The knights, finding the Quest of the Grail is over, and mindful of
Merlin’s former words, urge Arthur to invade the continent. He does so,
overcomes Frollo, King of France; refuses tribute to the Emperor of Rome,
overcomes him, but is recalled to England on learning Mordret’s treachery.
The latter is slain; but Arthur, wounded mortally, is carried to Avallon
to be healed of Morguen, his sister. Lastly, Merlin tells Perceval how he
will withdraw from the world, and be no more seen of men. And the tale
says no more of Merlin and the Grail.
The Mabinogi of Peredur ab Evrawc.—Evrawc, Earl of the North, has seven
sons, six of whom, like himself, fall in tournaments and combats. His wife
carries off her youngest son, Peredur, to the desert, and forbids horses
or arms being shown to him. He grows up strong and active, and can outrun
his mother’s goats and hinds. (1) One day he sees three knights
passing—Gwalchmai, the son of Gwyar, and Geneir Gwystyl, and Owain, the
son of Urien. His mother declares them to be angels; whereupon he
determines to join them. He questions Owain concerning his accoutrements
and the use of his weapons. His mother swoons away at the thought of his
leaving her; but he picks out a horse and saddles it. Before leaving, his
mother counsels him to repeat his paternoster wherever he sees a church;
to take food and drink if none offer them; to aid when any outcry is,
especially a woman’s; if he sees a fair jewel to take it and give it to
another; to pay his court to fair women whether they will or no. (2) After
two days and nights Peredur comes to a tent, where he finds a damsel. Half
of the food and drink she has he takes, half leaves to her; asks her for
her ring at leaving, which she gives him. Her lord returning, is jealous,
and sets forth to avenge his supposed wrong. (3) Peredur journeys on to
Arthur’s court. A knight has been there before him, and grievously
insulted Gwenhwyvar by dashing a goblet of wine in her face, and carrying
the goblet out, and has dared any to avenge the insult; but all hang their
heads. Peredur enters the hall and demands knighthood. On Kai’s protesting
he is too meanly equipped, a dwarf, who, with his female companion has
been a year at Arthur’s court without speaking, salutes him as the flower
of knighthood. Kai strikes him for this, and kicks the female dwarf, who
repeats the salutation. Kai bids Peredur seek the knight and win back the
goblet, then shall he have knighthood. Peredur does so, and slays the
knight. Owain, who has followed, shows him how to undo the armour and to
clad himself in it, and bids him back to Arthur. But Peredur refuses, he
will not come back to the court till he have avenged the injury done by
Kai to the dwarf and dwarfess. (4) Peredur overcomes sixteen knights and
sends them to Arthur with the same message. (5) Peredur comes to a castle
by a lake, and sees a venerable man sitting by the lake and his attendant
fishing, and the old man is lame. And Peredur enters the castle, and is
practised in the use of weapons, and learns courtesy and noble bearing;
and the old man is his uncle—his mother’s brother. He is to leave his
mother’s habits and discourse, and if he sees aught to wonder at, not to
ask the meaning of it. (6) Peredur leaves his uncle and comes to a castle
where dwells a second uncle of his—brother likewise of his mother. His
strength is tested by his having to cut through an iron staple with a
sword. Twice he does it and the broken pieces re-unite, but the third time
neither would unite as before. He has arrived at two-thirds of his
strength, and when he attains his full power none will be able to contend
with him. Whilst talking, two youths enter the hall bearing a mighty spear
with three streams of blood flowing from the point to the ground. All
wail and lament; but as Peredur is not vouchsafed the meaning of what he
sees he forbears to ask concerning it. Then enter two maidens with a
salver in which a man’s head swims in blood. The outcry redoubles. Peredur
retires to sleep. (7) On the morrow, with his uncle’s permission, he rides
forth, finds a beautiful woman lamenting over the corpse of a knight. She
reveals herself as his foster-sister; calls him accursed for causing his
mother’s death by leaving her; and tells him it is her husband she mourns
for, slain by the Knight of the Glade. Peredur meets the latter, overcomes
him, and makes him take his foster-sister in marriage. (8) Peredur comes
to a castle where are eighteen youths and five maidens, and he had never
seen one of so fair an aspect as the chief of the maidens. A flask of wine
and six loaves are brought by two nuns, and that must suffice for all. The
youths press the maiden to offer herself to Peredur as his wife or lady
love. She refuses; but consents when they threaten leaving her to her
enemies. She comes weeping to Peredur and relates how she is besieged by
an earl who seeks her hand. She implores his aid, and offers to place
herself in his hands. Peredur bids her go sleep, he will assist her, The
next day he overthrows the master of the household of the earl. To save
his life the latter must deliver up one-third of the besieged maiden’s
lands. The second day it fares the same with the earl’s steward; the third
with the earl himself. Peredur thus wins back all his hostess’ lands, and
tarries with her three weeks; but for her love he would not have stayed so
long. (9) Peredur next meets the Lady of the Tent, ill-entreated of her
husband concerning him. Him he overcomes, compels to acknowledge her
innocence, and sends both to Arthur. (10) Peredur comes to the castle of a
tall and stately lady, who bids him escape from the sorceresses of
Gloucester, who will attack the castle that night; but he resolves to
remain, and defends one of the watch when overtaken by a sorceress. The
latter hails him by his name. She foreknows she is to suffer harm from
him. If he will go with her he shall learn chivalry and the use of arms.
Peredur consents on her promising to refrain from injuring the countess,
and stays with her three weeks. (11) Peredur comes to a hermit’s cell. In
the morning it has snowed. A hawk has killed a fowl in front of the cell,
but is scared away by Peredur’s horse; a raven has alighted on the bird.
Peredur likens the blackness of the raven and the whiteness of the snow
and the redness of the blood to the hair and the skin and the two red
spots on the cheeks of the lady he loves best. Whilst thus lost in
thought, Arthur and his household come up with him, but fail to recognise
him. A youth accosts him, but receives no answer; whereupon he thrusts at
Peredur but is struck to the ground. Twenty-four youths essay the same,
and are repulsed in like manner. Kai then comes and speaks angrily, but
Peredur breaks his arms for him. Gwalchmai then approaches him
courteously, learns his name, and brings him to Arthur, who does him
honour. Thus all return to Caerlleon. (12) Peredur solicits the love of
Angharad Law Eurawc, and when she denies him, vows to speak to no
Christian till she loves him. (13) Peredur comes to the castle of a huge
grey man, a heathen, after slaying a lion, his porter. The grey man’s
daughter warns him of her father, and at his request brings his horse and
arms to his lodging. Peredur overcomes the vassals, and slays the sons of
the grey man, and sends the whole household to Arthur to be baptized. (14)
Peredur slays a serpent lying upon a gold ring, and wins the ring. For a
long time he speaks to no Christian, and loses colour and aspect through
longing for Arthur and his lady love. He returns to Arthur’s court, but
none know him, and he suffers Kai to thrust him through the thigh without
his saying a word. He overcomes many knights, and at length Angharad Law
Eurawc confesses her love for him. He remains at Arthur’s court. (15)
Peredur comes to the castle of a huge, black, one-eyed man. The latter’s
daughter warns him against her father. But Peredur stays, overcomes the
latter, and learns how he lost his eye. On the Mound of Mourning is a
cairn, in the cairn a serpent with a stone in its tail, the virtue whereof
is to give as much gold to the possessor as he may desire. In fighting the
serpent he had lost his eye. He directs Peredur to the serpent, and is
slain by him. Peredur refuses the love of the maidens of the castle, and
rides forth. (16) He comes to the palace of the son of the King of the
Tortures. Every day the Addanc of the Lake slays them. Whilst at discourse
a charger enters the hall with a corpse in the saddle. They anoint the
corpse with warm water and balsam, and it comes to life. The same happens
with two other youths. The morrow they ride forth anew against the Addanc,
refusing Peredur, who would go with them; but he follows and finds seated
on a mound the fairest lady, who, if he will pledge her his love, will
give him a stone by which he may see the Addanc and be unseen of it. He
promises, and she gives him the stone, telling him to seek her in India.
Peredur passes through a valley wherein is a flock of white sheep, and one
of black, and when they cross the river flowing through the valley they
change colour. He learns of their shepherd the way to the Addanc’s cave,
slays it, meets his three companions of the night before, who tell him it
was predicted that he should slay the monster, offers them its head,
refuses their sister whom they proffer him in marriage; accepts the
services of a youth, Etlym Gleddyv Coch, who wishes to become his
attendant, and rides forth. (17) He comes to the court of the Countess of
Achievements, overthrows her three hundred knights; but learning she loves
Etlym resigns her to him. (18) Peredur, accompanied by Etlym, comes to the
Mound of Mourning, slays two out of the three hundred knights he finds
guarding the serpent, slays the latter, repays the remaining hundred
knights all they have spent, gives Etlym the stone and sends him back to
his love. (19) Peredur comes to a valley wherein are many coloured tents,
lodges with a miller, from whom he borrows food and lodging, and learns
that a tournament is forward. He overcomes all the knights present, and
sends their horses and arms to the miller as repayment. The Empress of the
Tournament sends for him, he repels her messengers thrice, the fourth time
he yields. She reveals herself as the lady who had helped him against the
Addanc, and she entertains him for fourteen years. (20) Arthur is at
Caerlleon-upon-Usk, with him his knights, and among them Peredur. There
enters, riding upon a yellow mule, a maiden of hideous aspect. She greets
all save Peredur, to whom she reproaches his silence at the court of the
Lame King; had he asked the meaning of the streaming spear and of the
other wonders the King would have regained health and the dominions
peace—all his misfortunes are due to Peredur. She then tells of a castle
where are five hundred and seventy knights, each with the lady he loves
best—there may fame be acquired; and of a castle on a lofty mountain
where a maiden is detained prisoner, whoso should deliver her should
attain the summit of the fame of the world. Gwalchmai sets forth to
release the imprisoned maiden, Peredur to enquire the meaning of the
bleeding lance. Before they leave a knight enters and defies Gwalchmai to
single combat, for that he had slain his lord by treachery. (21) Gwalchmai
meets a knight who directs him to his own castle, where he is welcomed by
his sister. The steward of the castle accuses him to the knight of being
the slayer of his, the knight’s, father. Gwalchmai demands a year to
acknowledge or deny the accusation. (22) Peredur, who, seeking tidings of
the black maiden, but finding none, has wandered over the whole island,
meets a priest who chides him for being in armour on Good Friday. Peredur
dismounts, asks the priest’s blessing, and learns of a castle where he may
gain tidings of the Castle of Wonders. (23) Peredur proceeds thither, and
meets the King of the castle, who commends him to his daughter, by whom he
is well received. A little yellow page accuses him to the King of winning
his daughter’s love, and advises that he should be thrown into prison. But
the damsel befriends him, and assists him to take part in a tournament,
where, for three days, he overthrows all opponents. The King at last
recognises him, and offers him his daughter; but he refuses and sets forth
for the Castle of Wonders. (24) On arriving there he finds the door open,
and in the hall a chessboard and chessmen playing by themselves. He
favours one side which loses, whereupon he casts the chessboard in the
lake. The black maiden comes in and reproaches him—he may find the
chessboard again at the Castle of Ysbidinongyl, where a black man lays
waste the dominions of the Empress. Him Peredur overcomes, but spares his
life; this the black maiden chides him for, and he slays him; but the
black maiden still refuses him access to the Empress unless he can slay a
stag, swift as the swiftest bird, with one sharp horn in his forehead. She
gives him a little dog belonging to the Empress which will rouse the stag.
With its aid he slays the latter, but a lady, riding by, carries off the
dog, and chides him for slaying the stag. He can only win her friendship
by going to a cromlech which is in a grove, and challenging to fight three
times a man who dwells there. Peredur complies, and fights with a black
man clad in rusty armour; but when he dismounts his adversary disappears.
(25) Peredur, riding on, comes to a castle where sits a lame grey-headed
man, and Gwalchmai by him. A youth enters the hall and beseeches Peredur’s
friendship—he had been the black maiden who came to Arthur’s court, and
who had chid Peredur concerning the chessboard; he was the youth who came
with the bloody head in the salver, and the head was that of Peredur’s
cousin slain by the sorceresses of Gloucester, who also lamed Peredur’s
uncle, and he, the speaker, was Peredur’s cousin. Peredur seeks aid of
Arthur, and they start against the sorceresses. One of the latter slays
three of Arthur’s men; whereupon Peredur smites her, and she flees,
exclaiming this was Peredur, who had learnt chivalry of them, their
destined slayer. She and all her companions are slain. Thus is it related
concerning the Castle of Wonders.
The Thornton MS. Sir Perceval.—(1) Percyvelle is son of Percyvelle and
Acheflour, Arthur’s sister. His father is slain in a tournament by the Red
Knight whom he had previously overcome in a former tournament. His mother
takes to the woods, brings up her son without instruction till he is
fifteen years, when she teaches him to pray to God. (2) He then meets with
three knights of Arthur’s court—Ewayne, Gawayne, and Kay. He takes them
for gods. Learning that they are knights, he determines to go to Arthur’s
court and become a knight himself, catches a wild horse, and, returning to
his mother, announces his attention. She counsels him to be always of
measure, to salute knights when he meets them, and at his departure gives
him a ring for token. (3) He sets forth, and finding on his way a house
makes himself free of it, eats, drinks, and finding a lady sleeping on a
bed takes from her her ring, leaving his mother’s in its place. (4) Coming
to Arthur’s hall he rides into it and up to the King so that his mare
kisses Arthur’s forehead. He demands knighthood at Arthur’s hands,
threatening to slay him if refused. Arthur sees the likeness to his
father, laments over the latter’s untimely fate, and recalls that books
say the son should avenge the father’s bane. Percyvelle bids him let be
his jangling and dub him knight. Whilst sitting down to table the Red
Knight comes in, carries off Arthur’s cup (five years long had he done so)
none daring to hinder him. At the King’s lament Percyvelle engages to slay
the Red Knight, and bring the cup back if knighthood be granted him. The
King promises, Percyvelle follows the ravisher, who scorns him, but is
slain by a dart flung at him. He captures the knight’s steed, and not
being able otherwise to remove his armour, and recalling his mother’s
injunction “out of the iron burn the tree” kindles a fire to burn the
body. Gawayne, who has followed him, shows him how to unlace the armour;
when that is removed Percyvelle casts the body into the fire to roast. He
refuses to return to Arthur, looking upon himself as great a lord as the
King, but sends the cup back through Gawayne and rides on. (5) He meets an
old witch, mother to the Red Knight, who addresses him as her son; her he
spears and casts into the fire. (6) He meets ten knights, who flee, taking
him for the Red Knight, but on his raising his vizor the oldest knight,
reassured, relates how the Red Knight bore him and his sons enmity, and
how, fifteen years before, he had slain his brother. Learning that
Percyvelle had burnt his enemy, he invites him to his castle. (7) Whilst
at meat a messenger comes in from the Maiden-land begging help from the
Lady Lufamour against a “Sowdane,” who would have her to wife. Percyvelle
starts forth with three of the old knight’s sons, whom, however, he sends
back each after a mile. Meanwhile, the King at Carebedd, mourning for
Percyvelle, receives Lufamour’s messages, gains from him tidings of
Percyvelle, and sets forth with his court to follow him. Percyvelle,
coming to the Sowdane’s camp, is set upon by the guard, but slays them
all, and then lays him down to rest under the castle wall. In the morning
Lufamour’s men make her aware of the slaughter wrought upon her enemies.
She perceives Percyvelle and sends her chamberlain, Hatlayne, to bid him
to her chamber. Whilst at table together tidings are brought that the
enemy have nearly taken the town. Percyvelle sallies forth alone and soon
leaves not one alive. He is then ware of four knights—Arthur, Ewayne,
Gawayne, Kay. He pricks against them and Gawayne receives his onslaught.
They recognise each other, and all proceed to Lufamour’s castle. The next
day the Sowdane challenges all comers; Percyvelle, dubbed knight by
Arthur, slays him, and thereafter weds Lufamour. (8) After a year he
thinks on his mother’s loneliness, and sets forth to seek her. Hearing a
damsel lamenting in the wood, he finds her bound to a tree, for that a
year before, while sleeping, a stranger had robbed her of a ring leaving
his own in its stead. Now her ring was of a stone of such virtue that
neither death nor hurt could come to the wearer. He releases her,
overcomes the Black Knight who had bound her, reconciles them and claims
his own ring for the ring he had taken. But the Black Knight has given it
to the lord of the land—a giant. (9) Percyvelle slays the giant, and
claims the ring of the porter. The latter tells him how his master, loving
a fair lady, had offered her that same ring, but she, exclaiming that he
had killed her son, rushed into the forest and was since then bereft of
her senses. Percyvelle puts on a goat’s skin, and after nine days search
finds her. A magic drink of the giant’s throws her into a three days’
sleep, after which, restored to her right mind, she goes home with her
son. He afterwards goes to the Holy Land, and is there slain.
The Queste del Saint Graal.—[Furnivall’s text (F.) has been taken as the
basis of the present summary. Words and passages not found in the Welsh
translation (W) are italicised; words or passages found in the Welsh
translation instead of those in Furnivall are in parentheses. The variants
from Birch-Hirschfeld’s Summary (B. H.) are given in the notes.]
(1) On Whitsun Eve the companions of the Round Table being assembled at
Camelot, a damsel (youth) comes in great haste, asks for Lancelot and
bids him from King Pelles (for the sake of whatever he loved most)
accompany her to the forest. Notwithstanding Guinevere’s opposition he
does so, and comes to a nunnery where he finds his two cousins, Boort and
Lionel. Three nuns then bring Galahad, a child the like of whom might
scarce be found in the world; one asks Lancelot to knight him, he
consents, and on the morrow Lancelot and his companions return to
Camelot; his cousins think the child must be Lancelot’s son, but Lancelot
answers no word. (2) At the Round Table the seat of each knight is marked,
but on the Seat Perillous it is written that four hundred and fifty-four
(four hundred and fifty) years have passed since the Lord’s Passion, and
that on this Whitsun Day the seat shall find its master. Lancelot covers
these words, and, whilst at Kay’s reminding, the court awaits an adventure
before sitting down to meat, a youth tells them of a stone floating on the
water. It is a block of red marble, in which sticks a sword, and upon it
written that none may draw the sword save the best knight in the world.
Lancelot declares that the wonders of the Holy Grail are about to begin,
and refuses to essay the adventure; Gawain, Perceval, and others try, but
fail; they then sit down to table served by twelve kings; an old man
enters, leading a knight in vermeil armour, whom he proclaims the desired
knight, of the seed of David and kin of Joseph of Arimathea, who shall
achieve the adventures of the Holy Grail. He draws near the Seat
Perillous, on which is now written, “This is Galahad’s seat,” sits himself
therein, dismisses the old man, and bids him greet, “My uncle, King
Pelles, and my grandfather, the rich fisher.”[14] (3) Great honour is
done to the new knight, whom Lancelot recognises as his son, and Bors and
Lionel as the youth begot by Lancelot upon the daughter of the Fisher
King (King Pelles). The Queen is told that the knight is come, and her
ladies say he shall end the wonders of Great Britain, and through him the
Maimed King shall be healed. Galahad is then urged by Arthur to essay the
adventure of the sword, consents, easily draws out the sword, and asks for
a shield. (4) A damsel appears, weeps for Lancelot as having lost his
place as the best knight in the world, and tells the King from Nasciens,
the hermit, that on that day he would send the Holy Grail to feed the
companions of the Round Table. A tournament is ordered, in which Galahad
is held the best, as he overthrows all save Lancelot and Perceval. After
vespers the court sits down to table, a clap of thunder is heard, followed
by the brightest of sunbeams, so that all are as if lighted by the Holy
Ghost. None know whence the light comes, and none has power to say a word.
The Holy Grail enters, covered with white samite, but none may see who
carries it; the hall is filled with sweet odours, and as the Grail passes
along the tables each seat is filled with such meat as each one longs for.
Then it departs, none may say how, and those can now speak who before
could say no word. (5) All return thanks to God for the grace vouchsafed
them, and Gawain tells them that heretofore no man had been served with
whatever he might desire save at the Maimed King’s (at the court of King
Peleur). But they could not behold the Grail openly, and Gawain declares
he will go on quest of it for a year and a day. The knights of the Round
Table make a like vow. Arthur is much distressed, as he knows many will
die on the quest. The Queen and her ladies weep likewise, and propose to
join their knights, but an old priest tells them from Nasciens, the
hermit, that no knight entering on the quest of the Holy Grail is to have
with him his lady or damsel—the quest is no earthly one. On the morrow,
at King Bandamagus’ suggestion, all the questers, Galahad first, swear to
maintain the quest for a year and a day and longer if need be. After the
Queen has taken leave of Lancelot, and Arthur has vainly tried to force a
shield on Galahad, the questers set off together and pass the first night
at Vagan’s Castle. On the morrow they ride forth and separate. (6) After
five days Galahad comes to an abbey where he finds King Bandamagus and
Ywain “li aoutres.” The abbey contains a shield which no knight save the
destined one may take and go unslain or unhurt. King Bandamagus would take
it, but is overthrown by a White Knight; Galahad then takes it, and his
right to do so is admitted by the White Knight, who tells him as follows
concerning it:—Forty-three years after our Lord’s Passion, Joseph of
Arimathea, who took our Lord’s body down from the Cross,[15] came to the
city Sarras, where dwelt King Evelac, then a Saracen, who was at war with
his neighbour, Tholomes. Josephes, Joseph’s son, warned Evelac against
going forth to battle unprepared, and, in answer to the King’s questions
what he should do, told him of the new law and Gospel truth and the
Saviour’s death, and fixed on his shield a cross of sandal. He was to
uncover this on the fourth day’s fighting, and to call on the Lord. When
he did so he beheld a bleeding, crucified figure. He won the battle, and
on his telling the story his brother-in-law, Nasciens, received baptism.
The shield then restored to a man his lost hand. Evelac was baptized, and
guarded the shield in lordly fashion. Josephes came with his father to
Great Britain, where King Crudel threw them with many other Christians
into prison. Mordrains[16] and Nasciens then invaded Great Britain,
released Josephes and remained with him in the land. When Josephes was on
his deathbed, and Evelac asked him for a remembrance, then he bade King
Mordrains bring his shield, and with the blood streaming from his nose
marked on it a cross; this would always remain red, and no knight should
with impunity unhang the shield till Galahad should come, last of
Nasciens’ line. Where Nasciens lay buried, there the shield was to be
kept. (7) Galahad draws near a tomb in the abbey graveyard, whence issues
a voice telling him not to approach and drive it out. But he does so, and
a smoke in man’s form comes out; on opening the tomb a dead knight’s body
is found lying therein, this is cast out. These things are a symbol: the
hard tombstone signifies the hard-heartedness of the world (the hardship
which Jesus Christ had in this world);[17] the dead body those dead in
sin, and as in Christ’s time when they slew Him and were harried out of
their land by Vespasian as a punishment; the smoke was a devil who fled
from Galahad because he was a virgin. (8) On the morrow Galahad rides
forth accompanied by Melians, a youth who had begged to be allowed to
serve him, and whom he had knighted. They separate at a cross road,
Melians takes the left hand road in spite of warning, comes to a tent
where hangs a golden crown, seizes it, meets a strange knight who
overthrows and had slain him but for Galahad coming to the rescue and
overcoming first one, then a second assailant. Melians is taken to an
abbey to be tended, and learns that the two knights who almost overpowered
him were his pride in taking the left hand path, his covetousness in
carrying off the crown of gold. (9) Galahad enters a hermitage to pray
there, and hears a voice bidding him proceed to the Castle of Maidens and
rid it of its bad customs. He encounters on the way seven knights whom he
must overcome, such was the custom of the castle. He forces them to
flight, and an old priest brings him the keys of the castle. He finds
therein numberless maidens, and learns that the former lord of the castle
had been, with his son, slain by the seven knights, who had striven
beforehand to carry off his daughter. She foretold that as they had gained
the castle for a maiden’s sake, they would lose it through a maiden, and
be overcome by a single knight, whereupon they determined to make prisoner
every maiden passing that way. Galahad delivers the captives, and puts a
daughter of the former duke in possession of the castle. He learns then
that the seven brothers have been slain by Gawain, Gheriot, and Ywain.
(10) The story now returns to Gawain. He passes by the abbey where Galahad
found the shield, then that where Melians lay ill, is reproached by a
friar with being too sinful to be with Galahad, meets Gheheries, his
brother, meets Ywain on the morrow, meets the seven brothers who attack
them and are slain; then Gawain comes alone to a hermitage, confesses for
the first time since fourteen years, is admonished by the hermit, learns
that the Castle of Maidens signifies hell, the captives the good souls
wrongfully therein confined before Christ’s coming, the seven knights the
seven sins. Gawain is pressed, but vainly, to make penitence. (11) The
story returns to Galahad. After wandering for awhile without adventures he
meets Lancelot and Perceval. They do not recognise him, not knowing his
arms (shield),[18] and attack him. He overcomes them, but learning from
the words of a recluse, who sees the combat, that she really knows him,
and, fearing recognition, he hurries off.[19] (12) Perceval stays with the
recluse, and Lancelot starts in pursuit of the Unknown Knight. He comes
in the night to a stone cross near which stands (an old)[20] chapel. He
dismounts and enters, but an iron rail hinders his progress; through it he
sees an altar whereon burn seven candles (a silver candlestick, a wax
taper).[21] He leaves the chapel, unsaddles his horse, and lies down to
sleep by the cross. Then comes a sick knight on a bier drawn by two
horses, dolourously lamenting. He looks at Lancelot, but says no word,
thinking him asleep, nor does Lancelot say aught, but remains half asleep.
And the sick knight laments, “When may I have solace from the holy vessel
for the pain I suffer for such a small fault (was ever so much pain as is
upon me who have done no evil at all)?”[22] But Lancelot says no word, nor
when the candlestick comes towards the cross and the Holy Grail approaches
the sick knight, who prays he may be made whole to join likewise the
quest. Then crawling to the table whereon the vessel stands, and touching
his eyes with (kissing) it, feels relief and slumbers. The Grail
disappears and Lancelot still says never a word, for which aftertimes much
mischance was his. The sick knight arises well, a squire appears and
arms him (with Lancelot’s sword and helm),[23] and brings him Lancelot’s
steed, and the knight swears never to rest till he knows why the Holy
Grail appears in so many places of the Kingdom of Logres, and by whom it
was brought to England. So he departs, and his squire carries off
Lancelot’s armour. Lancelot awakes wondering whether what he has seen be
dream or truth. And he hears a voice saying—harder than stone, bitterer
than wood, more despised than the fig tree—he must away, not pollute the
spot where is the Holy Grail. He wanders forth weeping, comes to a hermit,
confesses his great sin, his love for Guinevere, is admonished to tear it
from his heart, when there may still be hope for him. Lancelot promises,
and has the adventure at the chapel explained to him, and stays with the
hermit for penance and instruction. (13) The story now returns to
Perceval. The recluse orders he be well taken care of, she loves him well,
he is her nephew. She dissuades him from fighting Galahad as he wishes,
does he wish to die and be killed as his brothers for their outrages (in
their combats and tournaments)? He and Galahad and Bors will achieve the
Quest. She is his aunt, formerly Queen of the Waste Land. He asks about
his mother whom he fears he has badly treated, and learns she died when he
went to Arthur’s court.[24] He asks further concerning the knight with
the red arms, and is told as follows:—Since Christ’s coming were three
chief tables; first, the table at which Christ often ate with his
Apostles; second, the table of the Holy Grail, established in semblance
and remembrance of the first, by which so many miracles were wrought in
this land in the time of Joseph of Arimathea, in the beginning when
Christianity was brought to this country. He came with four thousand poor
companions. One day, wandering in a forest, they had nothing to eat, but
an old woman brought twelve (ten) loaves, these they bought and they
were wroth with one another when they came to divide them. Joseph angry,
took the twelve loaves, made the people sit, and by virtue of the Holy
Grail multiplied the loaves to their need. At that table was a seat where
Josephes, son of Joseph, might sit, but none other, for, as the history
tells, the place was blessed by our Lord himself. Now two brothers,
relatives of Josephes, envied him his leadership, saying they were of as
good seed as he, and one sat in Josephes’ seat, and was straightway
swallowed up by the earth, whence the seat was called the Dreaded Seat.
Last came the Round Table, made by Merlin’s counsel, to show the roundness
of the world and of the firmament. And Merlin foretold that by companions
of this table should the truth of the Grail be known, and that three
should achieve it, two virgins and one chaste, and the one should surpass
his father as man surpasses wolf, and he should be master, and for him
Merlin made a great and wonderful seat, wherein none might sit unharmed
save he, and it was known as the Seat Perillous. And as at Whitsuntide the
Holy Spirit came to the Apostles in guise of fire, so at Whitsuntide
Galahad came clad in red armour. And on the day he came the questing for
the Grail began, which might not cease till the truth concerning it and
the lance was known. To find Galahad, Perceval must first try Castle
Gher (Goth) where dwells a cousin of Galahad, and then Castle Corbenic
where dwells the Maimed King. (14) His aunt then tells how after that her
husband fell in war against King Laban she withdrew into that wild place.
And her son went to serve King Pelles, their relative, and since two years
she only knows of him that he is following tournaments throughout Great
Britain. (15) On the morrow Perceval comes to a monastery, and seeing mass
being performed would enter but cannot, and sees a sick bed with a man or
woman lying on it, whom, as he rises when the body of our Lord is raised,
he sees to be an old man crowned, with his body full of wounds and crying
out, “Father, forget me not.” He seems as if he were over four hundred
(one hundred and four) years old. Perceval asks concerning these wonders,
and is told as follows:—When Joseph of Arimathea came to this land, the
Saracen, King Crudel, hearing of the Grail by which he lived, threw him
and his son Josephes and some hundred others into prison for forty days,
and forbade food to be given them. But they had the holy vessel with them.
When Mordrains and his brother-in-law, Seraphe, heard these things, they
assembled their host, landed in Britain, overcame Crudel, and freed
Joseph. On the morrow Evelac, as he was called before he became Christian,
desired to see the Holy Grail plainly, and though warned to desist pressed
forward to do so, and was struck blind and helpless. He accepted his
punishment submissively, but only prayed to Christ that he might survive
till the good knight should come, the
best[25] of his seed (the knight
who is to achieve the adventures of the Holy Grail). A voice answered his
prayer should be granted, and then he should receive the light of his eyes
and his wounds should be made whole. This happened four hundred (one
hundred and four) years before, and it was that King Evelac whom Perceval
had seen, and during that while he had fed on nought else save the Lord’s
body. (16) Perceval riding forth on the morrow is attacked by twenty
knights, sore pressed, and only rescued by the Red Knight’s help, who then
disappears. (17) Perceval, having lost his horse, asks one vainly from a
passing squire, from whom it is shortly afterwards carried off by another
knight, whom Perceval, mounted on the squire’s cob, attacks but is
overthrown. (18) At night a woman appears and offers him a horse if he
will do her will—she is, in truth, the enemy. He agrees, she mounts him,
he comes to a river, and, before essaying to ford it, makes the sign of
the cross, whereupon the horse rushes howling into the water. (19)
Perceval, rescued from this peril, finds himself on a wild island
mountain, full of savage beasts; he helps a lion against a snake and wins
its service. He is ill at ease on his island, but he trusts God, and is
not like those men of Wales where sons pull their fathers out of bed and
kill them to save the disgrace of their dying in bed. (20) That night,
sleeping by the lion’s side, Perceval dreams of two women visiting him,
one mounted on a lion, the second on a serpent; this one reproaches him
for killing the serpent. On the morrow an old man comes ship-borne,
comforts Perceval with good counsel, and interprets his dream: the dame on
the lion was Christ’s new law, she on the serpent the old law. (21) A
damsel then appears, warns Perceval against the old man, prepares for him
a rich banquet with good wine, not British, as in Great Britain they only
drink cervoise and other home-made drinks, and excites his passion. He is
on the point of yielding, but seeing the cross-handled pommel of his sword
crosses himself, and the damsel disappears in flames. Perceval pierces his
thigh with his sword in his contrition. The old man reappears, exhorts,
explains the various features of his temptation, and finally takes him
away with him in his ship. (22) The story now returns to Lancelot. After
three exhortations from the hermit he sets forth, and first meets a
servant, who assails him bitterly as an unfaithful traitorous knight, in
that having openly seen the Holy Grail doing its wonders before him, he
yet moved not from his seat. (23) He comes to a hermit’s hut and finds the
hermit lamenting over the dead body of his companion, who, at his nephew,
Agaran’s, request, had left the hermitage to aid him against his enemies,
and had been treacherously slain by the latter. These things are told by a
devil, which had entered into the dead hermit’s body. Lancelot is
admonished at great length, receives stripes, puts on the dead hermit’s
hair shirt, and finally leaves with the advice that he should confess
every week. (24) He meets a damsel who encourages him, but tells him he
will find no lodging for the night. He dismounts at the foot of a cross
at the cross-ways, and has a vision of a man surrounded with stars,
crowned and accompanied by seven Kings and two knights, who pray to be
taken to heaven; a man descending from heaven orders one of the knights
away, whilst to the other he gives the shape of a winged lion, so that he
flies up to heaven and is admitted.[26] (25) Lancelot meets the knight
who had carried off his arms, and who attacks, but is overthrown by him.
(26) He comes to a hermitage, confesses, tells his vision, and learns
that it has a great meaning in respect of his lineage, which must be
expounded at much length: forty-two years after the Passion of Christ,
Joseph of Arimathea left Jerusalem, came to Sarras, helped Evelac, who
received baptism at the hands of Josephes, together with his
brother-in-law, Seraphe (who took the name Nasciens), and who became a
pillar of the holy faith, so that the great secrets of the Holy Grail were
opened to him, which none but Joseph had beheld before, and no knight
after save in dream. Now Evelac dreamed that out of his nephew, son of
Nasciens, came forth a great lake, whence issued nine streams, eight of
the same size, and the last greater than all the rest put together; our
Lord came and washed in the lake which King Mordrains thus saw flowing
from Celidoine’s belly. This Celidoine was the man surrounded by stars in
Lancelot’s vision, and this because he knew the course of the stars and
the manner of the planets, and he was first King of Scotland, and the nine
streams were his nine descendants, of whom seven Kings and two
knights:—first, Warpus; second, Chrestiens;[27] third, Alain li Gros;
fourth, Helyas; fifth, Jonaans, who went to Wales and there took to wife
King Moroneus’ daughter; sixth, Lancelot, who had the King of Ireland’s
daughter to wife; seventh, Bans. These were the seven Kings who appeared
to Lancelot. The eighth stream was Lancelot himself, the elder of the
knights of the vision. The ninth stream was Galahad, begot by Lancelot
upon the Fisher King’s daughter, lion-like in power, deepest of all the
streams.[28] (27) Lancelot comes to a castle with a meadow before it,
whereon a throng of black armoured knights is tourneying against knights
in white armour. Lancelot goes to the help of the former,[29] but is
captured, and on being released rides off lamenting. At night, as he
sleeps, a man comes from heaven and reproaches him with his ill faith. A
hermitess expounds the allegorical meaning of the adventure. The white
knights are those of Eliezer, son of King Pelles, the black those of
Argastes, son of King Helain; this symbolised the Quest, which was a
tournament between the heavenly knights and the earthly ones, and in that
Quest none might enter who was black with sin; and Lancelot though sinful,
having entered thereon had joined the black knights, and his capture by
the others was his overthrow by Galahad, and his lamentation his return
to sin, and it was our Lord who reproached him in his vision; let him not
depart from truth. (28) Lancelot comes to Lake Marchoise, is attacked by a
knight in black armour, who kills his horse and rides off; he lays down on
the shore and awaits trustfully God’s help. (29) The story returns to
Gawain. After journeying many days adventureless, he meets Hector de
Mares. Neither has heard aught of Lancelot, Galahad, or Bohors. Travelling
together they come to a deserted chapel, where, passing the night, Gawain
dreams he sees in a meadow one hundred and fifty bulls all spotted, save
three, one being dingy, the two others being pure white. Of the one
hundred and forty-seven who set off to find better pasture many die and
some return, of the three one returns, but two remain between whom strife
arises and they separate. Hector dreams that he and Lancelot, being
companions, are attacked by a man who knocks Lancelot off his horse and
sits him on an ass, after which Lancelot, coming to a fair fountain, would
drink of it, but it vanishes; he, Hector, keeping his horse comes to a
castle, the lord of which refuses him admission for that he is too high
mounted. Whilst telling one another their dreams, a hand with a taper
appears and vanishes, and a voice tells them that, poor of belief as they
are, they cannot attain the Holy Grail. On their way to find a hermit who
may explain these wonders, Gawain is attacked by and kills a knight,
Ywains the Adulterer, son of King Urien. They then come to the hermit,
Nasciens, who explains the bulls as the companions of the Round Table, the
spotted ones those stained by sin, the three unspotted ones are the
achievers, two white, virgins—Galahad and Perceval—one dingy, having
once sinned carnally, Bors. The last part of the dream may not be
explained, as evil might come of it. In Hector’s dream the two horses are
Pride and Ostentation. Lancelot’s being seated on an ass signifies the
putting off of pride, the fountain is the Holy Grail. Both knights are too
full of sin to continue in the quest of the Grail. They ride forth and
meet with no adventure worth notice. (30) The story returns to Bors. After
first coming to a hermit, who exhorts him to abandon the Quest if he do
not feel himself free from sin, to whom he confesses, from whom he
receives absolution, and to whom he vows to eat nought save bread and
water till the Quest be achieved, he comes to a castle whose mistress is
sore oppressed by her sister, against whose champion, Priadam the Black,
she has vainly sought a defender. Bors promises to come to help. He passes
the night at the castle and will not sleep in the rich bed she offers him,
though in the morning he tumbles it as if he had lain in it. He overcomes
Priadam, and reinstates the lady in her lordship. (31) On the morrow he
meets his brother, naked, bound on a hack, being beaten with thorns by two
knights. At the same moment passes a very fair maiden being carried off by
a knight, and she cries to him for help. He is in anguish, but goes to the
maiden’s help, wounds her would-be ravisher, and restores her to her
friends. (32) He then hurries after his brother, but meets a seeming monk
who makes him believe his brother is dead, and gives him an explanation of
dreams he has had. He then comes to a tower and is welcomed by its
inmates. A damsel offers him her love, and when he refuses threatens with
twelve other damsels to throw herself from the tower. Bors is full of
pity, but thinks they had better lose their souls than he his. They fall
from the tower, Bors crosses himself, and the whole vanishes, being a
deceit of the devil. His brother’s corpse that had been shown him is also
gone. (33) On the morrow he comes to an abbey, where he learns that his
brother lives, and where all his dreams and adventures are allegorically
explained. He then meets Lionel, his brother, who reproaches him bitterly
for his conduct, and falls upon him with intent to kill. First a hermit,
then a passing knight, Calogrenant, would stop him, but he slays both.
Bors is at length, in spite of prayers and entreaties, compelled to draw
in self defence, but a voice tells him to flee, and a fiery brand comes
from heaven between them. Bors follows the command of the voice directing
him towards the sea, where Perceval awaits him. He comes to a ship covered
with white samite, and finds therein Perceval, who at first does not know
him again, and who tells him all that he has passed through. (34) The
story returns to Galahad. After countless adventures he finds himself one
day opposed to Gawain and Hector de Mares in a tournament; he deals the
former such a blow as knocks him out of his saddle. (35) He is brought to
the ship wherein are Perceval and Bors by a damsel, who accompanies them
until, fourteen days’ sail from Logres, they come to a desert isle off
which is another ship, on which is written[30] that those who would enter
should see they were full of faith. The damsel then tells Perceval she is
his sister, daughter of King Pellehem. They enter the ship and find a
rich bed with a crown at its head, and at its foot a sword six inches out
of the scabbard, its tip a stone of all the colours in the world, its
handle of the bones of two beasts, the serpent Papagast, the fish
Orteniaus; it is covered with a cloth whereon is written that only the
first of his line would grasp the sword. Perceval and Bors both essay
vainly. Galahad, on being asked, sees written on the blade that he only
should draw who could strike better than others. The damsel tells the
story of the sword as follows:—When the ship came to the Kingdom of
Logres there was war between King Lambar, father to the Maimed King, and
King Urlain, heretofore Saracen, but newly baptised. Once Urlain,
discomfited, fled to the ship, and, finding therein the sword, drew it and
slew King Laban[31] with it, and that was the first blow struck with the
sword in the Kingdom of Logres, and there came from it such pestilence and
destruction in the land of the two kingdoms that it was afterwards called
the Waste Land. When Urlain re-entered the ship he fell down dead. (36)
Galahad, further examining the sword, finds the scabbard of serpent’s
skin, but the hangings of poor stuff. On the scabbard is written that the
wearer must surpass his fellows, and the hangings be changed only by a
King’s daughter and she a maid; on turning the sword over, the other side
is found black as pitch, and bearing words that he who should praise it
most should blame it most in his greatest need. Perceval’s sister explains
this as follows: Forty years after our Lord’s Passion, Nasciens,
Mordrains’ brother-in-law, came to the Turning Isle, and found this ship,
and therein bed and sword, this last he coveted, but had not the hardihood
to draw it, though he stayed eight days food and drinkless longing for it;
on the ninth day a tempest drove him to another island, where, assailed by
a giant, he drew the sword, and though it snapped in two and thus
fulfilled the inscription, yet he overcame the giant. He afterwards met
Mordrains and told him of these wonders; Mordrains reunited the fragments,
then, in obedience to a voice, they left the ship, but in going Nasciens
was wounded for having dared to draw a sword of which he was not worthy,
thus he who praised it most had most reason to blame it. As for the other
words, King Pelles,[32] called the Maimed King (a lame King who was my,
i.e., the damsel’s, uncle) once came to this ship on the shore of the
sea over against Ireland, and entering it found the sword, drew but was
wounded through the thighs by a lance, and might not be healed till
Galahad come.[33] (37) They then examine the bed and find it has three
spindles; that in front, snow white; that behind, blood red; that above,
emerald green, and lest this be thought a lie the story turns from its
straight path to explain about these spindles. After Eve, yielding to the
devil’s advice, had caused Adam to sin, and both knew themselves carnal
and were ashamed, and were driven forth from Paradise, Eve kept the branch
of the Tree of Life which she had plucked, and planted it and it grew to a
tree with branches and leaves white in token that Eve was a virgin when
she planted it. Sitting one day beneath the tree, God commanded them to
know one another carnally, and when they were ashamed to set about such
foul work sent darkness over them. Abel was thus begotten, and the Tree of
Life turned green. Afterwards Cain slew Abel underneath that same tree and
it turned red. At the Deluge it remained unharmed and lasted till
Solomon’s time. Whilst the wise King was pondering over the malice of his
wife and of all women, a voice told him a woman of his line should bring
men more joy than her sex had caused sorrow, and that a virgin knight
should be the last of his lineage. His wife, whom he consults as to how he
shall let this knight know he had foreknowledge of his coming, advised the
building of the ship, and the taking of David’s sword to be fitted with a
new hilt of precious stones, and a new pommel and scabbard, and placed in
the ship together with Solomon’s crown on a rich bed; she furthermore had
three spindles made from the Tree of Life and from trees grown from it.
And when all was ready Solomon saw in dreams angels coming from heaven and
putting the different inscriptions on the sword and ship. (38) The story
speaks now of other things. New hangings had not been put on the sword,
this was to be done by a damsel. Perceval’s sister supplies hangings made
of her own hair, and names the sword “The Sword of Strange Hangings,” and
the scabbard “Memory of Blood,” and Galahad girds on the sword. (39) On
the morrow they set sail and come to Castle Carchelois, in the March of
Scotland, the inmates whereof attack them but are all slain. Galahad is
sorry for those he has killed, but a priest tells him they are heathens,
and he has done the best work in the world, as the three knights who held
the castle had ravished their own sister and wounded their father, Count
Ernous, to death. Before the latter dies he urges Galahad to go to the
assistance of the Maimed King (to undertake other adventures).[34] (40)
On the morrow they meet a white stag led by four lions; these come to a
hermitage, hear mass, the stag becomes a man and sits on the altar, the
lions a man, an eagle, a lion, and an ox, all winged. (41) On the morrow
Perceval takes Galahad’s sword, which he will wear from henceforth. They
come to a castle, the inmates of which demand that Perceval’s sister
should pay the custom of the castle, which is to give a dishful of blood
from her right arm. The three companions protect Perceval’s sister against
overwhelming odds till nightfall, when, learning that the blood is asked
to heal the Lady of the Castle suffering from leprosy, Perceval’s sister
sacrifices herself. Before dying she gives directions that her body is to
be put in a ship and buried in the Palace Spiritual in Sarras. Bors then
leaves his two companions to succour a wounded knight pursued by a knight
and a dwarf;[35] and Perceval and Galahad, after seeing the castle they
had thus left destroyed by fire from heaven in vengeance of the blood of
the good maidens which had there been shed, likewise separate. (42) The
story returns to Lancelot. He is at the Water of Marcoise, surrounded by
the forest and high rocks, but he does not lose faith in God; in obedience
to a voice he goes on board a passing ship and finds therein Perceval’s
sister, whose story he learns from the letter at her head. After a month’s
journeying a knight joins them who proves to be Galahad, and they pass
together half a year achieving marvellous adventures. After Easter, at the
new time when the birds sing their sweet and varied songs, they come to
land, and a knight in white arms bids Galahad leave his father, which he
does. (43) After a month’s further wandering on the sea, Lancelot comes to
a castle guarded by two lions,[36] against whom he would at first defend
himself, but is reproved for trusting his strength rather than his
Creator. Entering, he comes to a room wherein are the Holy Vessel, and a
priest celebrating mass; Lancelot is warned not to enter, but when he sees
that the priest about to raise the body of God has a man put into his
hands, he cannot refrain from pressing forward to his aid, but is struck
down by a fiery wind and remains fourteen days dumb, food- and drinkless.
He finds he is in Castle Corbenic, and a damsel tells him his quest is
ended. King Pelles rejoices to see him, at dinner the Holy Grail fills the
tables so that living man could not think of greater plenty; whilst at
dinner Hector de Mares comes to the castle door, but is ashamed to enter,
hearing that Lancelot is within, and rides off pursued by the reproaches
and taunts of those of the castle. Lancelot returns to Arthur’s court,
passing on the way the tomb of Bandamagus, whom Gawain had slain. (44) The
story returns to Galahad. He comes to an abbey wherein is King Mordrains,
who knows his approach, and asks that he may die in his arms; Galahad
takes him on his breast, Mordrains dies and all his wounds are found
healed. (45) Galahad cools the boiling fountain by putting his hand in it.
(46) Galahad delivers from the tomb where he had been burning three
hundred and fifty-four years his relative, Symeu, who thus expiated his
sin against Joseph of Arimathea. (47) Galahad rides five years before he
comes to the house of the Maimed King (the court of King Peleur), and
during all the five years Perceval bears him company, and within that time
they achieve the great adventures of the Kingdom of Logres (cast out the
evil adventures of the Island of Britain). (48) One day they met Bors, who
in the five years had not been in bed four times. The three come to
Castle Corbenic[37] (the court of King Peleur) where they are greeted
by King Pelles, and where Eliezer, King Pelles’ son, brings the broken
sword with which Joseph had been pierced through the thighs; Bors cannot
rejoin the pieces, Perceval can only adjust them together, Galahad alone
can make the sword whole, and it is then given to Bors. (50) At
vesper-time a hot wind strikes the palace, and a voice orders all unfit to
sit at Christ’s table to depart, as the true knights were to be fed with
Heaven’s food. All leave save King Pelles, Eliezer, his son, and his
niece, the most religious maid on the earth (a young maiden); to them
enter nine knights[38] and salute Galahad: three are from Gaul (Wales),
three from Ireland, three from Denmark. Then four damsels bring in on a
wooden bed a man, crowned, in evil plight, who greets Galahad as his
long-expected deliverer. A voice orders out of the room him who has not
been a companion of the Quest, and straightway King Pelles and Eliezer
and the damsel depart. From heaven comes a man clad like a Bishop and
borne in a chair by four[39] angels, who place him before the table upon
which stands the Holy Grail. Upon his forehead is written that he was
Joseph (son of Joseph of Arimathea) first Bishop of Christendom, whereat
they wonder, as they know that man lived three hundred years before. He
kneels before the altar and opens the door of the ark (chamber), and
four angels[39] issue, two bearing burning lights, the third a cloth of
red samite, the fourth a lance bleeding so hard that the drops run into a
box he holds in his other hand (two with torches, the third with the
lance, the fourth holding the box into which the blood drops); the candles
are placed on the table, the cloth is placed on the holy vessel so that
the blood fell into it. Joseph then celebrates the Sacrament, and on his
raising the wafer, as it were a child descends from heaven and strikes
itself into the wafer, so that it takes man’s form. Joseph then kisses
Galahad and bids him be fed by the Saviour’s own hand, and vanishes. But
there comes out of the holy vessel, a man with hands bleeding and feet and
body, and says He will reveal His secrets, and give the high food so long
desired and toiled for. He gives the Sacrament to Galahad and his
companions, and explains that the Grail is the dish of the Last Supper,
and Galahad shall see it more fully in the City of Sarras, whither it is
going, Britain being unworthy of it, and whither he is to follow it with
Perceval and Bors; but as he must not leave the land without healing the
Maimed King he is to take some of the blood of the lance and therewith
anoint his legs.[40] Galahad asks why all may not come with him; but
Christ says they are twelve who have eaten as the Apostles were twelve,
and they must separate as the Apostles separated. Galahad then heals the
Maimed King, who goes into an abbey of white monks. (51) The three
companions, after sending messages to Arthur’s court through Estrois de
Gariles and Claudius, son of King Claudas,[41] coming to Solomon’s ship,
herein they find the Holy Grail, set sail; on landing bury Perceval’s
sister, heal a cripple to help them carry the Grail-table, are cast in
prison by King Escorant for a year, are fed by the Holy Grail; at
Escorant’s death Galahad is made King, fashions a tree of gold and
precious stones over the Grail and prays before it every morning as do his
companions. (52) On the anniversary of Galahad’s crowning the three see
before the holy vessel a man clad like a Bishop, who begins mass and calls
Galahad to see what he has so longed to see, and at the sight Galahad
trembles very greatly, and he thanks God for letting him see that which
tongue may not describe nor heart think, and he begs that he may pass away
from this earthly life to the heavenly one. The Bishop then gives him the
body of God, and reveals himself as Josephus, son of Joseph of Arimathea.
Galahad kisses Perceval and Bors, and sends greetings to Lancelot through
Bors, his soul then leaves his body and angels take it away. A hand from
heaven then comes to the vessel and takes it and the lance, and bears it
heavenwards, so that since there was no man bold enough to say he has seen
the Holy Grail (except Gwalchmai once). (52) Galahad’s body is buried.
Perceval goes into a hermitage, where Bors stays with him for a year and
two months; Perceval dies, and is buried by Bors in Galahad’s tomb; Bors
left alone in a place as strange as Babylon, sets sail for Britain, and
comes to Camelot, when all are greatly joyed to see him; he tells the
adventures of the Holy Grail; they are written down and kept in the Abbey
of Salisbury, and from these Master Walter Map drew to make his book of
the Holy Grail for the love of King Henry his lord, who had the story
translated from Latin into French. The story now is silent and tells no
more concerning the adventures of the Holy Grail.[42]
Grand St. Graal.—(1) The writer salutes all who have faith in the Holy
Trinity. He does not name himself for three reasons: lest his declaration
that he received the story from God Himself be a stumbling block; lest his
friends pay less honour to the book if they know the author; lest if he
have made any blunder all the blame fall upon him.
(2) In the year 717 after the Passion of Christ, as the writer lies in his
hut in one of the wildest parts of White Britain, on Good Friday Eve and
doubts of the Trinity, Christ appears to him and gives him a little book
not larger than a man’s palm, and this book will resolve all his doubts;
He Himself has written it, and only he who is purified by confession and
fasting may read it. On the morrow the writer opens it and finds therein
four sections, headed each as follows: This is the book of thy lineage;
here begins the book of the Holy Grail; here is the beginning of the
terrors; here begin the marvels. As he reads lightning and thunder come
and other wonders. On Good Friday, as he is celebrating the service, an
angel raises him in spirit to the third heaven, and his doubts concerning
the Trinity are set at rest. When his spirit returns to his body he locks
up the book; but on Easter Sunday, when he would read further, finds it
gone; a voice says he must suffer to have the book back again, must go to
the plains of Walescog, follow a wonderful beast to Norway, and there find
what he seeks. He obeys, the beast leads him first to a hermit’s, then
past the pine of adventures to a knight’s castle, on the third day to the
queen’s lake and a nunnery. After exorcising a hermit possessed of the
devil, he finds the book, and on his return Christ commands him to make a
fair copy before Ascension Day. He sets to work at once, on the fifteenth
day after Easter.[43] The book begins as follows: Few believe on Christ
at His crucifixion, among whom is Joseph of Arimathea, as the Holy
Scripture of the Grail testifies. He is in all things a good man. He lives
in Jerusalem with his wife and a son, Josephes (not the same Josephes who
so often quotes the Scripture, but not less learned than he), he it was
who passed his father’s kin across sea to White Britain, since called
England, without rudder or sail, but in the fold of this shirt. Joseph,
having much loved the Lord, longs after His death to possess somewhat
having belonged to Him; goes to the house of the Last Supper, and carries
off the dish wherein He had eaten. Having been a knight of Pilate’s for
seven years, he craves a boon of him, which is Christ’s body. Pilate
grants it; Joseph descends the body from the Cross, places it in a
sepulchre, and, fetching the dish from his house, collects in it the blood
flowing from the body,[44] and finishes laying the body in the tomb. The
Jews hear of this, are angered, seize Joseph, throw him into prison in the
most hideous and dirtiest dungeon ever seen, feed him at first on bread
and water, but when Christ is found to have arisen, Caiaphas, Joseph’s
jailor, lets him starve. But Christ brings the holy dish that Joseph had
sent back to his house with all the blood in it. Joseph is overjoyed.
Christ comforts him, and assures him he shall live and carry His name to
foreign parts. Joseph thus remains in prison. Meanwhile his wife, though
often pressed to marry, refuses until she shall have had sure tidings of
her husband; as for his son he will only marry Holy Church. (3) Forty
years go by; after Christ’s death Tiberius Cæsar reigned ten years, then
Caius, one year; then Claudius, fourteen years; then Noirons, in whose
reign S.S. Peter and Paul were crucified, fourteen years; then Titus, and
Vespasian, his son, a leper. The freeing of Joseph befalls in the third
year of Titus’ reign and in this wise: Titus has vainly sought a leech to
heal Vespasian. At last a strange knight from Capernaum promises his help
and tells how he in his youth had been healed of the leprosy by a prophet.
The Emperor on hearing this sent to Judea to seek out that prophet; his
messenger comes to Felix, and orders him to have proclamation made for
aught Christ has touched; hereupon an old woman, Marie la Venissienne,
brings the cloth upon which the Saviour’s likeness had painted itself when
she wiped His face. The messenger returns to Rome with this cloth and the
mere sight of it heals Vespasian, who straightway resolves to avenge
Christ’s death. He goes to Jerusalem, Joseph’s wife appears before him,
accuses the Jews of having made away with her husband; none of the Jews
know where he is save Caiaphas, who reveals the secret on condition that
he is to be neither burnt or slain. Vespasian himself goes down into the
prison and finds it as light as though one hundred candles had burnt in
it. He tells Joseph who he is, whereat the latter wondered, not thinking
he had been longer than from Friday to Sunday, not once had it been dark.
A voice tells Joseph not to fear, and that he will find the Holy Vessel at
his home. Joseph returns to Jerusalem with Vespasian, and points out to
him the abettors of Christ’s death, whom Vespasian has burnt. Caiaphas is
set adrift in a boat. (4) The night before Vespasian returns to Rome,
Christ appears to Joseph and commands him to go forth and fill foreign
lands with his seed; he must be baptised, and must go forth without money
or aught but the dish; all heart can want or wish he shall have, all who
accompany him must be baptised likewise. Joseph is baptised by St. Philip,
then Bishop of Jerusalem, as is also Vespasian, concerning whom the story
is now silent. (5) Joseph preaches to his friends and relatives and
converts seventy-five of them. They leave Jerusalem and come to Bethany,
where the Lord appears to Joseph, promises him aid as once to the Jews in
the wilderness, commands him to make a wooden ark for the dish, which he
is to open when he wants to speak to Him, but no one is to touch it save
Joseph and his son Josephes; Joseph does as commanded, his troop is
miraculously fed, and on the eleventh day they come to the town of Sarras,
between Babilone and Salavandre, whence the Saracens have their name, and
not from Sara. (6) Joseph and his seventy-five companions enter the city
and go to the Temple of the Sun, to the seat of judgment, where the
Saracens are assembled with their lord, Evalach the Unknown: he had been a
man of prowess in his youth, but was now old; seven days before, the
Egyptians had beaten his army, and the council is now devising how
vengeance may be taken therefor. Joseph is greatly joyed at these events,
and when the council advises peace assures the King of victory, but he
must destroy his images and believe on Him who died on the Cross. Evalach
asks how one who could not save himself could save another. Joseph, in
answer, tells of Christ’s birth, life, death, descent into hell,
resurrection, ascension, and of the sending of the Holy Ghost. Evalach
cannot understand either the Incarnation or the Trinity, and although
Joseph explains that the Virgin conceived by the overshadowing of the Holy
Ghost through her ear, and that her virginity was no more hurt than is
water when a sunbeam enters it, remains stubborn and calls his learned men
to his aid, but Joseph confounds these, and Evalach lodges the Christians
for the night and gives them good beds. (7) Evalach dreams of a tree-stock
whence spring three equal trunks and though three yet are truly one, also
of a room with a secret door of marble, through which a child passes
without opening it; a voice tells him this is a type of the miraculous
conception of Christ. (8) Meanwhile, Joseph, unable to sleep, prays for
comfort and adjures the Lord by all His mercies to help Evalach; he is
told by a voice he shall be sent for to explain the King’s dream. Joseph
then goes to sleep with his wife, Helyab, but not as lustful folk do, for
there was nothing between them till the Lord commanded the begetting of
Galahad, and then, so full of love to the Saviour were they that they had
no desire. From Galahad came the high race which honoured the land of
White Britain, now called England. (9) The morrow morning Joseph and his
company worship before the ark (now the place wherein they were had been
called the Spiritual Palace by Daniel) when a soft sweet wind comes and
the Holy Ghost descends and Christ speaks and urges all to love Him; He
tells Josephes to draw near and take charge of His flesh and blood;
Josephes opens the door of the ark and sees a man all in red, and with him
five angels, each six winged, all in red, each with a bloody sword in his
left, and in their rights severally, a cross, nails, lance, sponge, and
scourge; Josephes sees Christ nailed to the Cross, and the blood running
down from His side and feet into the dish; he would enter the ark but
angels restrain him. Joseph, wondering at his son’s state, kneels before
the ark and sees therein an altar covered with white cloths, under which
is a red samite one, covering three nails, a lance head all bloody, and
the dish he had brought, and in the middle of the altar an exceeding rich
vessel of gold and precious stones; seven angels issue from the ark with
water and watering pot (2), gold basins and towels (2), and gold censers
(3), an eighth carrying the holy dish, a ninth a head so rich and
beautiful as never mortal eye saw, a tenth a sword, three more with
tapers, lastly Jesus. The company of angels go over the house sprinkling
it with holy water, because it had heretofore been dwelt in by devils.
Christ tells Josephes he is to receive the sacrament of His flesh and
blood, and be made sovran shepherd over His new sheep; bishop’s vestments
are brought out of the ark. Josephes is seated in a chair, which
afterwards made a Saracen King’s eyes fly out of his head, is consecrated,
an angel keeps the holy oil wherewith all Kings of Britain were anointed
till the time of Uther Pendragon, of whom none of the many that have told
his history have rightly known why he was so called; the meaning of the
episcopal vestments is explained to Josephes, and his duties set forth.
(10) Josephes then goes into the ark and celebrates the sacrament using
Christ’s words only, whereat bread and wine become flesh and blood, and in
place of the bread a child, which, though as bidden, he divides into three
parts yet is eaten as one whole; an angel puts patina and chalice into the
dish; Joseph and his company receive the sacrament in the form of a child;
Christ bids Josephes celebrate the sacrament daily; tells him that he and
Joseph are to go with Evalach’s messengers now nigh at hand. Leucans,
Josephes’ cousin, is appointed guardian of the ark. (11) Joseph and his
son go before the King and overcome all the heathen clerk’s objections;
Josephes tells Evalach he will be given over to his enemies for three
days, and shall only escape by believing on Christ; the heathen idols are
smashed by a devil at the compelling of Josephes’ two angels. A messenger
brings the news that King Tholomes has entered and is capturing the land,
and he will not rest till he be crowned at Sarras. Josephes tells the King
this ill-hap is to mind him of his lowly origin, he is son of a shoemaker
in an old city of France, Meaux, and was one of a tribute of one hundred
youths and one hundred maidens claimed by Augustus Cæsar from France, as
here dwelt a prouder folk than elsewhere, and the two daughters of the
Count of the Town, Sevain, were among the tribute, and Evalach was among
their servants. When Felix was named Governor of Syria by Tiberius he had
taken Evalach with him, and held him in high honour until one day, angry
with Felix’s son, Evalach slew him and had to fly, after which he entered
the service of Tholome Cerastre, King of Babylon, who had given him the
land he now ruled. Josephes further explains the King’s dreams, and when
the latter declares himself willing to believe, asks for his shield, upon
which he fixes a red cross and tells him to look on it in his need and
pray to God and he shall be saved. (12) Evalach marches with his army
against Tholomes, is joined by his brother-in-law, Seraphe (whom he
thought hated him most of any man in the world) at the Queen’s entreaty;
numerous combats ensue between the two armies; Seraphe performs prodigies
of valour; Evalach is taken prisoner, and in his need looks on the shield,
sees thereon Christ crucified, prays to God for help, a White Knight
appears, overcomes Tholomes, who is taken prisoner, and Evalach’s army is
victorous. (13) Meanwhile Josephes, remaining in Sarras, has been
counselling Queen Sarraquite, secretly a Christian, since her mother was
cured of a bloody flux, and since Christ appeared to her when she was
afraid of the hermit her mother had led her to for baptism because he had
such a long beard; she dares not avow her faith for fear of her husband.
Josephes tells her of the battle which has taken place and of the White
Knight. (14) Evalach and Seraphe return; the King asks at once after the
Christians, and learns that he owes his victory to the Lord to whom also
Seraphe owed his strength in battle; the shield is uncovered, a man with a
wounded arm is healed by it, and then the cross vanishes; Seraphe turns
Christian, is baptised and receives the name Nasciens, he is straightway
healed of his wounds, exhorts Evalach to believe, and tells of Tholomes’
death. Evalach is baptised, and re-christened Mordrains, or
Slow-of-Belief. After baptising the town and destroying all images,
Josephes leaves three of his companions in charge of the Grail Ark, and
goes with the rest to Orcanz, turns out of an image a devil who had slain
Tholomes, and converts more of the heathen folk. (15) Meanwhile Mordrains
has ordered his people to be baptised or to leave his land; many take the
latter course and are met outside the town by a devil who wounds them
grievously, whereupon Josephes hurries to their aid, but is met by an
angel with a lance and smitten through the thigh for having left his
baptising work to trouble himself about contemners of God’s law, and the
mark of the wound should stay with him all his life, and the iron spear
head remain in the wound so that ever after he limped, and he had later to
smart for it, as the tale will show in due season. Many more people are
converted, Bishops are left in the land and holy relics at Sarras. (16)
Josephes brings Mordrains, Sarraquite, and Nasciens to the holy shrine,
and shows them the vessel wherein is Christ’s blood. Nasciens thinks he
has never seen aught to match it, and he gives it a name that since it has
never lost. For, says he, nothing he had seen before but somewhat
displeased him (li degraast), but this pleases him (li grée) entirely; he
further tells how once when a young man, hunting, as he stood deep in
thought a voice made itself heard, saying “Thou shall’t never accomplish
what thou thinkest on until the wonders of the Grail are disclosed,” and
he knows now this must be the Grail as every wish of his heart is
accomplished. And he draws nearer and lifts the vessel’s lid and looks
therein, but straightway falls to trembling, feeling he can no longer see.
And he knew that the blindness was to punish his curiosity, and turning to
Josephes tells him that the iron shall not be drawn out of that wound
inflicted by the angel at Orcanz, nor he himself recover his sight until
Josephes, wounded, himself comes to draw out the iron.
So they stand lost in thought, till a voice is heard, “After my vengeance
my healing” and an angel appears, touches Josephes’ thigh with the lance
shaft, whereupon the head comes out, and from it drop great drops of blood
which the angel collects in a vessel, and wherewith he anoints Josephes’
wound, making it whole, and Nasciens’ eyes, restoring to him his sight.
And the angel tells them that the meaning of the lance is that of the
beginning of the wonderful adventures which shall befall in lands whither
God purposes leading them; when the true knights should be separated from
the false ones, and the earthly knighthood become a heavenly one. And at
the beginning of those adventures the lance would drop blood as then, but
beforehand none; and then wonders would happen all over the world where
the lance was, great and terrible wonders, in recognition of the Holy
Grail and of the lance; and the marvels of the Grail should never be seen
save by one man alone; and by the lance wherewith Josephes was struck
should but one other man be struck, and he a King of Josephes’ kin, and
the last of the good men; he should be struck through the two thighs, and
only healed when the Grail wonders were disclosed to the Good Knight, and
that one should be last of Nasciens’ kin. Thus, as Nasciens was the first
to behold the wonders of the Grail, that one should be the last; so saith
the true crucified one, adding, “Upon the first and last of My new
ministers will I spend the vengeance of the adventurous lance in token of
Myself having received the lance stroke whilst on the Cross.” And so many
days as Josephes had born the lance head in his wound so many days should
the marvellous adventures last. Now these days (years)[45] were
twenty-two. (17) Josephes explains Mordrains’ vision, and makes him
destroy the image of a woman he had kept in a secret chamber, known, so he
thought, only to himself. (18) Josephes and his company go forth from
Sarras, but the tale tells nothing of them in this place, but keeps
straight on. On the following night Mordrains dreams that, sitting in
Sarras at table, of a sudden a thunderbolt strikes crown from his head and
the first mouthful from his lips; a great wind carries him up into a far
land where he is fed by a lion and lioness, and after a while an eagle
carries off Nasciens’ son to a land whereof the inhabitants bow down
before him, and out of this nephew’s belly comes a great lake giving rise
to nine streams, eight of equal breadth and depth, the ninth as wide and
deep as the remainder put together, and rushing and turbulent, and at
first foul and muddy, but afterwards clear and pure as a precious stone;
then comes down from heaven a man in likeness of one crucified, who bathes
hands and feet in the lake and eight streams, but in the ninth his whole
body. (19) Mordrains tells his vision to Nasciens and confesses to former
treacherous and jealous feelings he had against him; they seek counsel of
the priests, but none can expound the vision, and as they sit together a
great tumult is heard and the sound of a horn announcing “the beginning of
dread,” and they fall senseless to the ground; but Mordrains is caught up
by the Holy Ghost and borne off. (20) Meanwhile Nasciens is accused by
Kalafier, a Christian-hater, of having made away with Mordrains, and is
cast into prison with Kalafier for gaoler. (21) Meanwhile Mordrains has
been carried off by the Holy Ghost to an island lying between Babylon,
Scotland, and Ireland, a high land from which the western sea can be
looked over as far as Spain; it was once a pirates’ lair, but Pompey drove
them thence. To Mordrains comes a noble man who gives his name as
Tout-entour, comforts him, and exhorts him to steadfastness in the faith;
when he leaves a fair woman appears and tempts the King, who luckily does
not pay heed to her, and well for him, as he learns from the noble man
that she is Lucifer in disguise. He is assailed by many temptations;
storm, thunder, and lightning affright him; the wonderful bird Phœnix
attacks him and snatches the bread from his lips; Lucifer again visits him
and shows him Nasciens’ dead body, but it is only an invention; finally,
all these trials withstood, the noble man comes again and expounds the
dream of the nine streams: the lake is a son of Nasciens, from whom
descend nine Kings, all good men and true, but the ninth surpassing all in
every virtue; he is the knight to whom the wonders of the Grail shall be
shown, and Christ shall bathe Himself wholly in him. (22) Meanwhile
Nasciens has been kept in prison together with his son, Celidoine
(Heaven-given) by Kalafier. But a miraculous hand appearing from out a
cloud strikes off Nasciens’ fetters, and carries him out of the dungeon;
Kalafier pursues but is struck down by the hand; on his death bed he
orders that Celidoine be cast from the battlements, but nine hands bear
him up in mid air, whilst Kalafier, slain by fire from heaven, goes to
eternal death. Sarraquite, overjoyed to hear of her brother’s escape,
sends out messengers to meet them. Meanwhile Nasciens’ wife, Flegentyne,
has set out in search of her husband accompanied by the old knight,
Corsapias, and his son, Helicoras. (23) Now Nasciens has been carried
fourteen days journey off to the Turning Isle (concerning which many
wonders are told); all of these things are true, as Christ Himself has
written the book of the Holy Grail, and He never wrote aught else save the
Lord’s Prayer for the disciples and the judgment upon the woman taken in
adultery. And no man is bold enough to say that since the Resurrection
Christ wrote aught else save this “haute escripture del S. Graal.” (24) A
ship comes to Nasciens’ isle which he would enter but for words warning
him against it unless he be full of faith. However, crossing himself he
enters [and finds therein the same wonders as those described in Queste,
Inc. 35, 36, 37, viz.:—the sword and the three spindles, precisely the
same story about which is told as in the Queste]. (25) Nasciens deeming
there must be magic in this, the ship splits in twain, and had well nigh
drowned him, but he regains the isle swimming, and on the morrow an old
man comes in a ship and gives him an allegorical explanation of what has
befallen him. (26) Meanwhile Celidoine, carried off by the hands to the
land of the heathen King Label, wins his favour by expounding a dream,
converts him, but at his death is cast adrift by the heathen barons in a
boat with a lion, and after three days comes to Nasciens’ island. (27) The
two rejoice on their meeting, and leave the island together in Solomon’s
ship, come after four days to another island, where Nasciens, attacked by
a giant, seizes Solomon’s sword but it breaks in his hand, nevertheless,
with another sword he overcomes the giant. He chides Solomon’s sword, but
Celidoine says it is some sin of his made it break. Thereafter they see a
ship approaching wherein is Mordrains. There is rejoicing between the
three, and much telling of past adventures. Nasciens shows the broken
sword to Mordrains, who, taking it in his hands, joins it together,
whereupon a voice bids them leave the ship; Nasciens, not obeying fast
enough, is wounded in the shoulder by a fiery sword in punishment of his
having drawn Solomon’s sword. (28) The messengers sent out by Sarraquite
in search of Nasciens have, meantime, had many adventures, have come
across the daughter of King Label, suffered shipwreck, and been thrown
upon a desert isle formerly the home of the great physician, Ypocras (of
whom a long story is told how he was tricked by a Roman lady), been
tempted in divers fashions, but at last they are led to Mordrains,
Nasciens, and Celidoine. (29) On the third night a priest clad in white
comes walking on the sea, heals Nasciens’ wound, and sends off Celidoine
in another ship. The remainder come to land, Mordrains and Sarraquite are
reunited; Nasciens’ wife, Flegentyne, is sent for; and Label’s daughter is
christened by Petrone, a holy man and kinsman of Joseph. She was after
Celidoine’s wife, as my lord Robert of Borron testifies, who translated
this history from Latin into French after the holy hermit to whom our Lord
first gave it. (30) Nasciens sets forth in search of his son, his knights
follow on his track, and two are struck dead for their sins. Nasciens
comes again to Solomon’s ship, is tempted by the devil in the shape of a
fair damsel, goes on board the ship and dreams as follows:—Celidoine is
in the promised land with all those who had left Sarras; he, Nasciens,
shall go thence likewise and never depart thence, nor shall the ship until
it take back the last of his line to Sarras, together with the Holy Grail,
and that shall be after three hundred years; and thereafter Celidoine
leads before him nine persons, all in guise of Kings, save the eighth who
was like a dog, and the ninth turns into a lion, and at his death the
whole world mourns over him. And the names of these, Nasciens’
descendants, are: Celidoine, Marpus, Nasciens, Alains li Gros, Ysaies,
Jonans, Lancelot, Bans, Lancelot, like unto a dog until his end, Galahad,
foul at the source, but afterwards clear, in whom Christ shall bathe
Himself wholly, and who shall end all the adventures. On the morrow it is
explained to Nasciens that the eighth of his descendants likens a dog on
account of his sins, and the ninth is foul at the beginning as engendered
in fornication and not as Holy Church wills. (31) The story, after
touching on Flegentyne, who retires to her own land, returns to Joseph,
who, with his son, Josephes, and his companions, has been wandering about.
Joseph is ordered by a voice from heaven to beget a son, whose name shall
be Galaad. At length the company comes to the sea shore and laments that
it has no ships; Joseph rebukes them, and says those may pass who have
kept chaste, whereupon four hundred and sixty come forward to confess
their lechery. Josephes is told to put forward the Grail-bearers, to take
the shirt off his back, and having spread it on the water, all the pure
companions shall find place on it. This happens, and all find place save
Symeu and his son, who are not as they should be, and who sink and are
well nigh drowned. The chosen company arrive on the morrow in Great
Britain, then full of Saracens and infidels. Josephes then prays for the
remainder of the company; a heavenly voice says they shall come in good
time, and that this is the promised land in which they shall multiply and
become the worthiest race anywhere. (32) Meantime Nasciens has been led in
Solomon’s ship to those of Joseph’s followers who had been left behind, as
the history of the Holy Grail testifies. After being warned against fresh
falling into sin they are brought over to Joseph, and are fed with as much
meat as they could want. But the fifth day the company, not having eaten
for a day, come to the tent of a poor woman, wherein are twelve loaves
about which they dispute. Josephes, referred to, breaks each loaf in
three, and having placed the Holy Grail at the head of the table by its
power the bread suffices for more than five hundred people. (33) Hereafter
the company comes to Castle Galafort, where Celidoine is found disputing
with the Saracen wise men. The Christians are well received by Ganort, and
shortly afterwards he and his people are baptised, one hundred and fifty
who refuse being drowned. Over their bodies a tower is built, the Tower of
Marvels, and thereafter, it is prophesied, a King named Arthur should
reign, and from one blow of a sword adventures should arise, lasting
twelve years, until the last descendant of Nasciens should end them, and
till that time no knight of Arthur’s house should enter the tower without
having to fight as good a man as himself; thus should it be till he who
was to end the adventures appeared. So they build the tower, and it lasts
until Lancelot destroys it, as the “Tale of Arthur’s Death” relates. (34)
Joseph’s wife bears a son, who receives the name of Galahad, of the Castle
of Galafort. (35) The King of Northumberland, hearing of Ganort’s
conversion, summons him to the court, and on his refusal attacks him, but
is defeated and slain by the Christians. (36) Josephes, his father, and
one hundred and fifty of the Christians, leaving Galafort, come to
Norgales, and are thrown into prison by King Crudel, who says, “Let them
be for forty days, and see if their vessel will feed them.” Our Lord comes
to comfort them, and bids them be of good cheer, He will send an avenger
to slay these dogs. (37) Our Lord, in the likeness of one crucified, then
appears to Mordrains, bids him set forth with wife and children and King
Label’s daughter and Nasciens’ wife and go to Great Britain, there to
avenge him on King Crudel. Mordrains hearkens, and shortly after sets
forth with all his household, leaving his land in charge of Duke Ganor. On
the way a devil carries off the captain of the ship, who had lusted after
Queen Flegentyne. They arrive in Britain and rejoin their friends; great
is the joy; Nasciens’ queen is like to have died of joy, and swoons twelve
times. (38) Mordrains sends word to Crudel to set the Christians free, and
on his refusal marches against, overthrows, and slays him, but is
grievously wounded, though he suffers no pain. Josephes and his companions
are freed, and thanksgivings are made before the Grail. On the morrow, as
Josephes is officiating before the holy vessel, Mordains presses near to
see it, in spite of a warning voice; he loses his sight and the power of
his body; he confesses his folly, but prays he may not die till the Good
Knight’s coming, the ninth of Nasciens’ descendants. A voice promises him
this, and that when the Good Knight comes he shall recover his sight and
his wounds be healed; but three hear this promise beside Mordrains
himself, Joseph, Josephes, and Nasciens. (39) Mordrains is brought to
Galafort, where Celidoine marries King Label’s daughter and begets a son,
Nasciens. Mordrains then, after giving his wife and shield into Nasciens’
keeping, retires to a hermitage, and builds a monastery of the White
Monks, and stays there till Perceval sees him and Galahad, too, as the
“Tale of the Holy Grail” tells. (40) Josephes leaves Galafort, and, coming
to Camelot, converts many of the people, whereat King Agrestes, being
grieved, is baptised with false intent, and after Josephes’ departure
persecutes the Christians, and is punished by madness and death. Josephes
returning, buries the martyrs, whose blood had blackened a cross, which
keeps the name of the “Black Cross,” till the Good Knight, Lancelot of the
Lake’s son comes. (41) Josephes comes to a hill called Hill of the Giant;
’tis a Friday, and Brons is sitting next him at the Grail-table, but
between the two is space for a man to sit, and Brons, Josephes’ kinsman,
asks him why he does not invite some one to fill it. Josephes answers,
only he who is a holier man than any present can fill that place, as it
typifies Christ’s seat at the Last Supper, and is empty waiting His
coming, or whom He shall send. Such of the company as are in mortal sin
take this saying as presumption and fable, and Moys declares his
willingness to sit in it if his companions will ask Josephes’ leave. They
do so, and though Josephes minds them how Moys might hardly come to
Britain, and though he solemnly warns Moys himself, he gives his leave.
Moys takes the seat, and at once seven flaming bands from heaven seize
upon him and carry him off to a far place burning like a dry bush. The
people repent, and, in answer to their enquiries, Josephes tells them the
day shall come when they shall know where Moys is. (42) After the meal
Josephes, at Brons’ request, has the latter’s twelve sons up before him,
and asks them whether they will be wedded or not. Eleven choose wedding,
but the twelfth virginity and the service of the Holy Grail. Josephes,
overjoyed, having married the other eleven, appoints him guardian of the
Grail at his death, and he might leave the guardianship afterwards to whom
he would. (43) Josephes and his companions pass through Britain converting
the heathen. Now the Grail only gives food to such as are not in sin, and
once as the troop is encamped by a lake, Peter, a kinsman of Josephes’,
bears it through the ranks, and all are fed with the best food, save the
sinners; these complain, and beg Josephes to pray for them, whereupon he
bids Brons’ youngest son, the same he had chosen as Grail-keeper, Alains
le Gros (not that Alains, Celidoine’s son, he was king and wore a crown,
but this one never) take the net from the Grail-table and fish with it in
the pond. Alains does so and catches one fish, a big one, but say they,
’Twill not be enough; however, Alains, having shared it in three, and
having prayed it might suffice, all are fed. Alains is called in
consequence the Rich Fisher, and all the Grail-keepers after him bear this
name, but they were more blessed than he, being crowned Kings whereas he
never wore crown. (44) Joseph, leaving his companions, comes into the
Forest of Broceliande, meets a Saracen who would lead him to his sick
brother, but is himself slain by a lion. Joseph is thrown in prison and
wounded in the thigh by the men of the sick knight’s castle, but,
obtaining leave to visit the sick knight, heals him, and brings back to
life the Saracen slain by the lion; both brothers are baptised; a fragment
of the sword remaining in the wound, Joseph draws it out, and laying it
with the remainder of the sword prophecies it shall not be made whole till
he come who shall achieve the adventures of the Holy Grail. (45) Joseph,
returning to his companions, finds them in doubt as to how they shall
cross a great water, they pray for guidance, and a white hart appears,
followed by four stags, and leads them across, all save Chanaan, who
crosses later in a fisherman’s boat. Josephes, in answer to Alain and
Pierron, explains the hart and lions as Christ and the Evangelists, and
Christ would appear in that wise afterwards to Arthur, Mordred, and
Lancelot. (46) The Christians come to a house where burns a great fire,
out of which is heard a lamentable voice; it is that of Moys; at Josephes’
prayer rain falls from heaven and quenches half the flames, but he may not
be wholly delivered until the Good Knight, Galahad, come. (47) The
Christians come into the land of King Escos, whence Scotland has its name.
The Holy Grail refuses meat to Chanaan and to Symeu, Moys’ father, whereat
enraged, Symeu attacks Pierre and wounds him, and Chanaan slays his
twelve brethren. Symeu is carried off by devils, whilst Chanaan’s grave
bursts out in flames, which may not quench till Lancelot come. (48)
Meanwhile Pierre’s wound having become worse, he is left behind with a
priest, who leads him to the sea shore, and, at his request, places him in
a boat; this carries him to the isle of the heathen king, Orcanz, whose
daughter finding him on the sea shore dying, has pity on him and tends him
secretly till he is healed. Her father requires a champion, Pierre offers
himself, conquers, converts, and baptises Orcanz, who takes the name
Lamer, and marries his daughter, and King Luces comes to the wedding and
is overjoyed. From him came Gauvain, son of King Lot of Orcanie. Mordred
was no true son of Lot’s, but of Arthur’s. Gauvain is thus of the seed of
Joseph of Arimathea. (49) Josephes after fifteen years’ wanderings comes
back to Galafort, and finds his brother Galahad grown up; by Josephes’
advice the men of Hocelice take Galahad for their king, and he became the
ancestor of Ywain, son of Urien. Once whilst riding he comes to Symeu’s
fiery grave, which may not be quenched till Galahad, the Good Knight,
comes. At Galahad’s death he is buried in an abbey he founds to allay
Symeu’s pains, and the tombstone of his grave may not be lifted until by
Lancelot. (50) Joseph dies shortly after Galahad’s crowning, and Josephes,
feeling death near, pays a last visit to Mordrains, who begs for a token
from him. Josephes asks for the king’s shield, and with blood gushing from
his nose marks on it a red cross, gives it to Mordrains, and says no one
shall hang it on his neck without rue till Galahad do so; the shield is
placed on Nasciens’ tomb. On the morrow Josephes dies; his body is carried
afterwards into Scotland to still a famine, and is buried in the Abbey of
Glays. (51) Before his death he has confided the Grail to Alain. The
latter comes with his brethren, one of whom, Josue, is unmarried, to the
Terre Foraine, converts the King and people, and marries Josue to his
daughter. Here is the resting-place of the Holy Grail; a lordly castle is
built for it, hight Corbenic, which is Chaldee, and signifies “holy
vessel.” At Josue’s wedding, such is the power of the Holy Grail, that all
present are as filled as if they had eaten the finest meats they could
think of. And that night the King, baptized Alfasem, sleeping in the
castle, beholds the holy vessel covered with crimson samite, and a man all
flaming tells him no mortal may sleep where the Holy Grail rests, and
wounds him through both thighs, and bids others beware of sleeping in the
Palace Adventurous. And afterwards many a knight essayed the adventure,
but lost his life, till Gauvain came, and he, though he kept his life, had
such shame and mischance as he had not had for the Kingdom of Logres’
sake. (58) Alain and Alfasem die; Josue becomes King and Grail-keeper, and
after him Aminadap, Catheloys, Manaal, Lambor, all Kings and known as the
Fisher, and Lambor fighting with his enemy, Bruillant, pursues him to the
sea shore, and Bruillant finds there Solomon’s ship and enters it, and
finds the sword with which he slays Lambor, and this was the first blow
struck with that sword in Great Britain, and such great woes sprang
therefrom that no labourers worked, nor wheat grew, nor fruit trees bore,
nor fish was found in the waters, so that the land was known as the Waste
Land. But Bruillant falls dead for drawing the sword. After Lambor,
Pelleans, wounded in the two thighs in a battle of Rome, whence he was
always called the Maimed King, and he might not heal till Galahad the Good
Knight come; and from him descends Pelles, and on his daughter does
Lancelot of the Lake beget Galahad. (59) Nasciens, Flegentyne, and
Sarraquite die on the self-same day. Celidoine reigns, and is followed by
Marpus, he by Nasciens, Alain li Gros, Ysaies, Jonas, Lancelot, Bans,
Lancelot of the Lake. Here the story ends of all the seed of Celidoine,
and returns to speak of Merlin, which my lord Robert of Borron thus
begins.[46]
In making up the slips, the summary of Borron’s poem dropped out. In
order not to disturb the page form, which was fixed before the
omission was noticed, it has been inserted after the Grand St. Graal
with a subpagination.
Robert de Borron’s Poem: Joseph of Arimathea.—(1) Before Christ’s coming
all folk went to Hell, but He came born of a Virgin that He might bring
them out of Hell. He took flesh what time Judæa was under Rome and Pilate
governed it. Now a soldier of Pilate’s loved Christ but dared not show it.
Of Christ’s few disciples one was bad, his chamberlain, and he betrayed
Him to the Jews. (2) On Thursday Jesus gathers His disciples; Judas’
question, the washing of the feet, the kiss of betrayal follow. When the
Jews carry off Jesus, one of them takes the very fair vessel wherein He
made His sacrament, and gave it to Pilate, who keeps it till he learns
Jesus’ death. (3) Joseph is angry hereat, and claims pay for his and his
five knights five years’ free service, and his pay is Christ’s body.
Pilate grants it him, and Joseph hastens to the Cross, but the guards deny
him, whereon he complains to Pilate, who sends Nicodemus to see he obtain
it, and also gives Joseph the vessel. (4) Joseph and Nicodemus descend the
body, and wash it, which makes the blood flow afresh. Joseph puts the
blood in the vessel, wraps the body in a fine cloth and entombs it. The
descent into Hell and the Resurrection follow. (5) The Jews are incensed
against Joseph and Nicodemus; the latter escapes, but Joseph is thrust
into a horrible and dark prison. To him Christ appears with His vessel, in
a great light, and instructs Joseph, telling him for his love to Him he
shall have the symbol of His death and give it to keep to whom he would;
He then gives Joseph the great, precious vessel wherein is His holiest
blood. Joseph wonders, having hidden it in his house. Joseph is to yield
the vessel to three persons only, who are to take it in the name of the
Trinity. No Sacrament shall ever be celebrated but Joseph shall be
remembered. But Joseph must be taught concerning the Sacrament; the bread
and wine are Christ’s flesh and blood, the tomb is the Altar; the
grave-cloth the Corporal, the vessel wherein the blood was put shall be
called Chalice, the cup-platten signifies the tombstone. All who see
Joseph’s vessel shall be of Christ’s company, have fulfilment of their
heart’s wish and joy eternal. (The author adds: I dare not, nor could
not, tell this but that I had the great book wherein the histories are
written by the great clerks, therein are the great secrets written which
are called the Graal.) Christ leaves Joseph, who remains in prison, no man
heeding him (6) until, when Vespasian, the Emperor’s son, was a leper, a
pilgrim comes to Rome and tells of Christ’s cures, and lays his head
Vespasian could be cured could anything of Christ’s be brought to Rome.
The Emperor sends messengers, who hear Pilate’s story of the Crucifixion
and about Joseph. The Jews are called together, and one tells of Verrine,
who is brought before the messengers, and she relates how she wiped
Christ’s face and thus got the likeness of Him. They take her to Rome,
Vespasian is healed, and sets forth to revenge Christ’s death. He kills
many Jews, burning some. One Jew offers to find Joseph, and tells the
story of his imprisonment. Vespasian is let down into the prison and finds
Joseph alive, who, to his amazement, welcomes him by name, and reads him
a lecture on Biblical history and Christian Faith. Vespasian is converted,
and sells the Jews at the rate of thirty for a penny. (7) Joseph exhorts
his kin, among them his sister, Enygeus, and brother-in-law, Hebron. They
agree to believe, and to follow him. He sets off with them and they dwell
for long in far-off lands. For awhile things go well, but then all the
host does turns to naught; ’tis on account of carnal sin. The host
complains to Hebron that they and their children die of hunger. (8) Hebron
reports this to Joseph, who goes weeping and kneels before the vessel and
asks why his followers suffer? A voice from the Holy Ghost answers he is
not in fault, but he is to set the vessel before the people, and to mind
him how He, Christ, had eaten with His disciples, and how the false
disciple was detected. In the name of that table whereat Christ last ate,
Joseph is to prepare another, and then to call his brother-in-law, Brons,
and make him go into the water to catch a fish, and the first he catches
Joseph is to put it on the table, and then to take the vessel, put it on
the table, cover it with a towel, and then place Hebron’s fish opposite
it. The people are then to be called, who will soon see wherein they have
sinned. And Joseph is to sit where Christ sat at the Last Sacrament, with
Brons at his right. And Brons is to draw back one seat, to signify the
seat of Judas, and the seat thus left empty is not to be filled until
Enygeus have a child by Brons, her husband, and when that child is born
there shall be his seat. The people is then to be bidden sit down to the
grace of our Lord. Joseph does all this; part of the people sit, part do
not, the sitters are filled with sweetness and the desire of their heart,
the others feel nought. One of the sitters, named Petrus, asks if they
feel nothing, and tells them it is because they are defiled with sin. The
sinners then depart, but Joseph bids them come back day by day. Thus
Joseph detects the sinners, and thus is the vessel first proved. (9)
Joseph tells the sinners it severs them from the others, as it holds no
company with nor has love towards any sinner. The sinners ask the name of
the vessel: it is called Graal, as it is agreeable to all who see it.
Now all this is verity, hence we call this the Story of the Grail, and it
shall be henceforth known as the Grail. (10) One sinner remains, Moyses, a
hypocrite (here a gap which can be filled up from the prose versions:
Moyses seats himself in the empty seat, whereupon the earth opens and
swallows him). (11) Joseph prays to Christ that as He came to him in
prison, and promised He would come to his aid when in trouble, so now He
would show him what has become of Moyses. The voice tells Joseph again
about the empty seat, and how that the one at Joseph’s table was not to be
filled until the third man come, whom Hebron should beget and Enygeus
bear, and his son should fill the seat. Moyses had stayed behind only to
deceive, he had his deserts, no more should be heard of him in fable or
song until he come who should fill the empty seat. (12) In course of
time Brons and Enygeus have twelve sons and are greatly bothered with
them, and ask Joseph what is to be done with them. Joseph prays before the
vessel; eleven will marry, one remain single; this one is Alain. Joseph
is told by the voice when he consults the vessel about this nephew, to
relate all about Christ’s death and about the vessel, to tell Alain that
from him shall issue an heir who is to keep the vessel; Alain is to take
charge of his brethren and sisters and go westwards. An angel will bring a
letter for Petrus to read, telling him to go whither he lists; he will
say: the vale of Avaron; thither shall he go and wait for the son of
Alain, and shall not pass away until that one come, and to him shall
Petrus teach the power of the vessel, and say what has become of Moyses,
and then may he die. (13) All happens as foretold by the voice; the letter
comes for Petrus, who declares his intention of departing for the vale of
Avaron, bidding the host pray God he may never go against His will. Alain
leaves with his brethren, and, as Joseph taught him, preaches the name of
Jesus Christ. (14) Petrus stays one day more; it is, says an angel, the
Lord sends to Joseph, that he may see and hear the things of the vessel.
The angel continues: The Lord knows Brons for a worthy man, and ’twas,
therefore His will he should go fishing; he is to keep the vessel after
Joseph, who must instruct him properly especially concerning the holy
words which God spake to Joseph in the prison, which are properly called
the Secrets of the Grail; Brons is to be called the Rich Fisher from the
fish he caught; all the people are to go westwards; Brons is to wait for
the son of his son, and to give him the vessel, then shall the meaning of
the blessed Trinity be made known; after the vessel has been given to
Brons, Petrus is to go, as he may then truly say he has seen Hebron, the
Rich Fisher, put in possession of the vessel; when all this is done,
Joseph is to go to perfect joy and life pardurable. (15) On the morrow
Joseph tells them the angel’s message, save the words of Christ in the
prison, which he tells to the Rich Fisher alone. The latter is then put in
possession of Grail and headship; Joseph stays three days with him, then
the Good Fisher goes away—in the land where he was born—and Joseph
remains.[47]
Master Robert de Borron should doubtless tell where Alain went, Hebron’s
son, and what became of him; what life Petrus led, and what became of him;
what became of the long-lost Moyses; where the Rich Fisher went, and where
he stayed. It were well to assemble these four things, but this no man
could do save he had first heard tell the greatest history of the Grail,
which is all true; and in this time I tell it to my Lord Walter, never had
the great history of the Grail been told by mortal man. If God gives me
strength I will assemble these four parts if I can find them in a book,
meanwhile I must go on to the fifth and forget the four. (Then follows the
Merlin).
Robert de Borron’s Poem: Merlin.—(In order to give all the materials for
the discussion of Birch-Hirschfeld’s theory of the Grail legend in the
next chapter, a brief summary of the Merlin is added. A full one may be
found in Birch-Hirschfeld, pp. 166, et seq.)
The devil, incensed at Christ’s victory over him, in revenge begets by
fraudful malice upon a virgin, a son, who is to be the wisest of mankind,
and to oppose Christ’s teaching. This is Merlin, who at eighteen months is
able to save his mother, threatened with the doom of unchastity.
Afterwards he is brought to King Vortigern, to whom he expounds the
mystery of the unfinished tower. Vortigern is driven from his throne by
Pendragon, with whom Merlin stands in high honour; equally so with his
successor, Uter Pendragon, for whom he builds the Round Table, leaving one
place empty to be filled in the time of Uter’s successor. He then helps
the King to satisfy his passion for Yguerne, and takes charge of Arthur,
their son. When the latter grows up to be a youth he fulfils the adventure
of the sword in the anvil, and is proclaimed King. “And I, Robert of
Borron, writer of this book, may not speak longer of Arthur till I have
told of Alain, son of Brons, and how the woes of Britain were caused; and
as the book tells so must I what man Alain was, and what life he led, and
of his seed and their life. And when I have spoken of these things I will
tell again of Arthur.”
(Then follows in one solitary MS., the Didot-Perceval summarised above, p. 28.
As will be seen, it does not tell what man Alain was, nor does it
refer to him at all save in the most passing way).
