Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XVII CHAPTER XXI

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 CHAPTER XXI
 
 How Galahad anointed with the blood of the spear the
 Maimed King, and of other adventures.
 
 
 AND Galahad went anon to the spear which lay upon the
 table, and touched the blood with his fingers, and came
 after to the Maimed King and anointed his legs.  And
 therewith he clothed him anon, and start upon his feet out
 of his bed as an whole man, and thanked Our Lord that
 He had healed him.  And that was not to the worldward,
 for anon he yielded him to a place of religion of
 white monks, and was a full holy man.  That same night
 about midnight came a voice among them which said:
 My sons and not my chief sons, my friends and not my
 warriors, go ye hence where ye hope best to do and as I
 bade you.  Ah, thanked' be Thou, Lord, that Thou wilt
 vouchsafe to call us, Thy sinners.  Now may we well
 prove that we have not lost our pains.  And anon in
 all haste they took their harness and departed.  But the
 three knights of Gaul, one of them hight Claudine, King
 Claudas' son, and the other two were great gentlemen.
 Then prayed Galahad to everych of them, that if they
 come to King Arthur's court that they should salute my
 lord, Sir Launcelot, my father, and all the fellowship[1] of
 the Round Table; and prayed them if that they came on
 that part that they should not forget it.
 
 Right so departed Galahad, Percivale and Bors with
 him; and so they rode three days, and then they came to
 a rivage, and found the ship whereof the tale speaketh of
 
 
 [1] So W. de Worde; Caxton ``of them.''
 
 
 to-fore.  And when they came to the board they found in
 the midst the table of silver which they had left with the
 Maimed King, and the Sangreal which was covered with
 red samite.  Then were they glad to have such things in
 their fellowship; and so they entered and made great
 reverence thereto; and Galahad fell in his prayer long time
 to Our Lord, that at what time he asked, that he should
 pass out of this world.  So much he prayed till a voice
 said to him:  Galahad, thou shalt have thy request; and
 when thou askest the death of thy body thou shalt have it,
 and then shalt thou find the life of the soul.  Percivale
 heard this, and prayed him, of fellowship that was between
 them, to tell him wherefore he asked such things.  That
 shall I tell you, said Galahad; the other day when we saw
 a part of the adventures of the Sangreal I was in such a joy
 of heart, that I trow never man was that was earthly.  And
 therefore I wot well, when my body is dead my soul shall
 be in great joy to see the blessed Trinity every day, and
 the majesty of Our Lord, Jesu Christ.
 
 So long were they in the ship that they said to Galahad:
 Sir, in this bed ought ye to lie, for so saith the scripture.
 And so he laid him down and slept a great while; and
 when he awaked he looked afore him and saw the city of
 Sarras.  And as they would have landed they saw the ship
 wherein Percivale had put his sister in.  Truly, said
 Percivale, in the name of God, well hath my sister holden us
 covenant.  Then took they out of the ship the table of
 silver, and he took it to Percivale and to Bors, to go to-fore,
 and Galahad came behind.  And right so they went to the
 city, and at the gate of the city they saw an old man
 crooked.  Then Galahad called him and bade him help to
 bear this heavy thing.  Truly, said the old man, it is ten
 year ago that I might not go but with crutches.  Care thou
 not, said Galahad, and arise up and shew thy good will.
 And so he assayed, and found himself as whole as ever he
 was.  Than ran he to the table, and took one part against
 Galahad.  And anon arose there great noise in the city,
 that a cripple was made whole by knights marvellous that
 entered into the city.
 
 Then anon after, the three knights went to the water,
 and brought up into the palace Percivale's sister, and buried
 her as richly as a king's daughter ought to be.  And when
 the king of the city, which was cleped Estorause, saw the
 fellowship, he asked them of whence they were, and what
 thing it was that they had brought upon the table of silver.
 And they told him the truth of the Sangreal, and the power
 which that God had sent there.  Then the king was a
 tyrant, and was come of the line of paynims, and took them
 and put them in prison in a deep hole.