Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XVII CHAPTER XVIII

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 CHAPTER XVIII
 
 How Galahad came to King Mordrains, and of other matters
 and adventures.
 
 
 NOW, saith the story, Galahad rode many journeys in
 vain.  And at the last he came to the abbey where King
 Mordrains was, and when he heard that, he thought he
 would abide to see him.  And upon the morn, when he
 had heard mass, Galahad came unto King Mordrains, and
 anon the king saw him, which had lain blind of long time.
 And then he dressed him against him, and said:  Galahad,
 the servant of Jesu Christ, whose coming I have abiden
 so long, now embrace me and let me rest on thy breast,
 so that I may rest between thine arms, for thou art a
 clean virgin above all knights, as the flower of the lily in
 whom virginity is signified, and thou art the rose the
 which is the flower of all good virtues, and in colour of
 fire.  For the fire of the Holy Ghost is taken so in thee
 that my flesh which was all dead of oldness is become young
 again.  Then Galahad heard his words, then he embraced
 him and all his body.  Then said he:  Fair Lord Jesu
 Christ, now I have my will.  Now I require thee, in this
 point that I am in, thou come and visit me.  And anon
 Our Lord heard his prayer: therewith the soul departed
 from the body.
 
 And then Galahad put him in the earth as a king
 ought to be, and so departed and so came into a perilous
 forest where he found the well the which boileth with
 great waves, as the tale telleth to-fore.  And as soon as
 Galahad set his hand thereto it ceased, so that it brent no
 more, and the heat departed.  For that it brent it was a
 sign of lechery, the which was that time much used.  But
 that heat might not abide his pure virginity.  And this
 was taken in the country for a miracle.  And so ever
 after was it called Galahad's well.
 
 Then by adventure he came into the country of Gore,
 and into the abbey where Launcelot had been to-forehand,
 and found the tomb of King Bagdemagus, but he was
 founder thereof, Joseph of Aramathie's son; and the tomb
 of Simeon where Launcelot had failed.  Then he looked into
 a croft under the minster, and there he saw a tomb which
 brent full marvellously.  Then asked he the brethren what
 it was.  Sir, said they, a marvellous adventure that may
 not be brought unto none end but by him that passeth
 of bounty and of knighthood all them of the Round
 Table.  I would, said Galahad, that ye would lead me
 thereto.  Gladly, said they, and so led him till a cave.
 And he went down upon greses, and came nigh the
 tomb.  And then the flaming failed, and the fire staunched,
 the which many a day had been great.  Then came there
 a voice that said:  Much are ye beholden to thank Our
 Lord, the which hath given you a good hour, that ye may
 draw out the souls of earthly pain, and to put them into
 the joys of paradise.  I am of your kindred, the which hath
 dwelled in this heat this three hundred winter and
 four-and-fifty to be purged of the sin that I did against Joseph of
 Aramathie.  Then Galahad took the body in his arms and
 bare it into the minster.  And that night lay Galahad in
 the abbey; and on the morn he gave him service, and put
 him in the earth afore the high altar.