7535 (#341) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7535
figure in likeness of a child, and the visage was as red and as
bright as any fire, and smote himself into the bread, so that
they all saw it, that the bread was formed of a fleshly man, and
then he put it into the holy vessel again.
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7535
figure in likeness of a child, and the visage was as red and as
bright as any fire, and smote himself into the bread, so that
they all saw it, that the bread was formed of a fleshly man, and
then he put it into the holy vessel again.
Warner - World's Best Literature - v13 - Her to Hux
"
But naught could he in answer say—
'Tis so with children in our day.
Long mused the queen what this might be,
Till once beneath a greenwood tree
She saw him gazing and sighing still,
Then knew 'twas a bird's song did fill
Her darling's breast with yearning pain
And haunting mystery.
Queen Herzeloide's anger burned
Against the birds, she knew not why;
Her serving-folk she on them turned
And bade to quench their hated cry,
And chase and beat and kill
In every brake, on every hill.
Few were the birds that flew away
And saved their lives in that fierce fray;
Yet some escaped to live and sing
Joyous, and make the forest ring.
Unto the queen then spoke the boy,
"Why do you rob them of their joy? "
Such intercession then he made,
His mother kissed him while she said,
"Why should I break God's law, and rob
The birds of innocent delight? "
Then to his mother spoke the boy,
"O mother, what is God? »
"My son, in solemn truth I say
He is far brighter than the day,
Though once his countenance did change
Into the face of man.
O son of mine, give wisely heed,
And call on him in time of need,
Whose faithfulness has never failed
Since first the world began.
And one there is, the lord of hell,
Black and unfaithful, as I tell:
Bear thou towards him a courage stout,
And wander not in paths of doubt. "
His mother taught him to discern
Darkness and light; he quick did learn.
## p. 7524 (#330) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7524
The lesson done, away he'd spring
To practice with the dart and sling.
Full many an antlered stag he shot
And home to his lady mother brought;
Through snow or floods, it was the same,
Still harried he the game.
Now hear the tale of wonder:
When he had brought a great stag low,
Burden a mule might stagger under,
He'd shoulder it and homeward go!
Now it fell out upon a day
He wandered down a long wood-way,
And plucked a leaf and whistled shrill,
Near by a road that crossed a hill.
And thence he heard sharp hoof-strokes ring,
And quick his javelin did swing;
Then cried: "Now what is this I hear?
What if the Devil now appear,
With anger hot, and grim?
But certain I will not flee him!
Such fearful things my mother told —
I ween her heart is none too bold. "
All ready thus for strife he stood,
When lo! there galloped through the wood
Three riders, shining in the light,
From head to foot in armor dight.
The boy all innocently thought
Each one a god, as he was taught.
No longer upright then stood he,
But in the path he bent his knee.
Aloud he called, and clear and brave,
"Save, God, for thou alone canst save! "
The foremost rider spoke in wrath
Because the boy lay in the path:
"This clumsy Welsh boy
Hinders our rapid course. "
A name we Bavarians wear
Must the Welsh also bear:
They are clumsier even than we,
But good fighters too, you'll agree.
A graceful man within the round
Of these two lands is rarely found.
That moment came a knight
In battle-gear bedight.
## p. 7525 (#331) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
Galloping hard and grim
Over the mountain's rim.
The rest had ridden on before,
Pursuing two false knights, who bore
A lady from his land.
That touched him near at hand;
The maid he pitied sore,
Who sadly rode before.
After his men he held his course,
Upon a fine Castilian horse.
His shield bore marks of many a lance;
His name - Karnacharnanz,
Le comte Ulterlec.
Quoth he, "Who dares to block our way? »
And forth he strode to see the youth,
Who thought him now a god in sooth,
For that he was a shining one:
His dewy armor caught the sun,
And with small golden bells were hung
The stirrup straps, that blithely swung
Before his greaved thighs
And from his feet likewise.
Bells on his right arm tinkled soft
Did he but raise his hand aloft.
Bright gleamed that arm from many a stroke,
Warded since first to fame he woke.
Thus rode the princely knight,
In wondrous armor dight.
That flower of manly grace and joy,
Karnacharnanz, now asked the boy:
"My lad, hast seen pass by this way
Two knights that grossly disobey
The rules of all knight-errantry?
For with a helpless maid they flee,
Whom all unwilling they have stolen,
To honor lost, with mischief swollen. »
The boy still thought, despite his speech,
That this was God; for so did teach
His mother Herzeloide, the queen-
To know him by his dazzling sheen.
He cried in all humility,
"Help, God, for all help comes from thee! "
And fell in louder suppliance yet
Le fils du roi Gahmuret.
7525
## p. 7526 (#332) ###########################################
7526
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
"I am not God," the prince replied,
"Though in his law I would abide.
Four knights we are, couldst thou but see
What things before thine eyen be. "
At this the boy his words did stay:
"Thou namest knights, but what are they?
And if thou hast not power divine,
Tell me, who gives, then, knighthood's sign? "
"King Arthur, lad, it is;
And goest thou to him, I wis
That if he gives thee knighthood's name
Thou'lt have in that no cause for shame.
Thou hast indeed a knightly mien. "
The chevalier had quickly seen
How God's good favor on him lay.
The legend telleth what I say,
And further doth confirm the boast
That he in beauty was the first
Of men since Adam's time: this praise
Was his from womankind always.
Then asked he in his innocence,
Whereon they laughed at his expense:
"Ay, good sir knight, what mayst thou be,
That hast these many rings I see
Upon thy body closely bound
And reaching downward to the ground? "
With that he touched the rings of steel
Which clothed the knight from head to heel,
And viewed his harness curiously.
«< My mother's maids," commented he,
"Wear rings, but have them strung on cords,
And not so many as my lord's. "
Again he asked, so bold his heart:
"And what's the use of every part?
What good do all these iron things?
I cannot break these little rings. "
The prince then showed his battle blade:
"Now look ye, with this good sword's aid,
I can defend my life from danger
If overfallen by a stranger,
And for his thrust and for his blow
I wrap myself in harness, so. "
Quick spoke the boy his hidden thought:
'Tis well the forest stags bear not
## p. 7527 (#333) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
Such coats of mail, for then my spear
Would never slay so many deer. "
By this the other knights were vexed
Their lord should talk with a fool perplexed.
The prince ended: "God guard thee well,
And would that I had thy beauty's spell!
And hadst thou wit, then were thy dower
The richest one in heaven's power.
May God's grace ever with thee stay. "
Whereat they all four rode away,
Until they came to a field
In the dark forest concealed.
There found the prince some peasant-folk
Of Herzeloide with plow and yoke.
Their lot had never been so hard,
Driving the oxen yard by yard,
For they must toil to reap the fruit
Which first was seed and then was root.
The prince bade them good-day,
And asked if there had passed that way
A maiden in distressful plight.
They could not help but answer right,
And this is what the peasants said:
"Two horsemen and a maid
We saw pass by this morning;
The lady, full of scorning,
Rode near a knight who spurred her horse
With iron heel and language coarse. "
That was Meliakanz;
After him rode Karnacharnanz.
By force he wrested the maid from him;
She trembled with joy in every limb.
Her name, Imaine
Of Bellefontaine.
The peasant folk were sore afraid
Because this quest the heroes made;
They cried: "What evil day for us!
For has young master seen them thus
In iron clad from top to toe,
The fault is ours, ours too the woe!
And the queen's anger sure will fall
With perfect justice on us all,
Because the boy, while she was sleeping,
Came out this morning in our keeping. "
7527
1
## p. 7528 (#334) ###########################################
7528
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
The boy, untroubled by such fear,
Was shooting wild stags far and near;
Home to his mother he ran at length
And told his story; and all strength
Fled from her limbs, and down she sank,
And the world to her senses was a blank.
When now the queen
Opened her eyelids' screen,
Though great had been her dread,
She asked: "Son, tell me who has fed
Thy fancy with these stories
Of knighthood's empty glories? "
"Mother, I saw four men so bright
That God himself gives not more light;
Of courtly life they spoke to me,
And told how Arthur's chivalry
Doth teach all knighthood's office
To every willing novice. "
Again the queen's heart 'gan to beat.
His wayward purpose to defeat,
She thought her of a plan
To keep at home the little man.
The noble boy, in simplest course,
Begged his mother for a horse.
Her secret woe broke out anew;
She said, "Albeit I shall rue
This gift, I can deny him naught.
Yet there are men," she sudden thought,
"Whose laughter is right hard to bear;
And if fool's dress my son should wear
On his beautiful shining limbs,
Their scorn will scatter all these whims,
And he'll return without delay. "
This trick she used, alack the day!
A piece of coarse sackcloth she chose
And cut thereout doublet and hose,
From his neck to his white knees,
And all from one great piece,
With a cap to cover head and ears;
For such was a fool's dress in those years.
Then instead of stockings she bound
Two calfskin strips his legs around.
None would have said he was the same.
And all who saw him wept for shame.
## p. 7529 (#335) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
The queen, with pity, bade him stay
Until the dawn of a new day;
"Thou must not leave me yet," beseeching,
"Till I have given thee all my teaching:
On unknown roads thou must not try
To ford a stream if it be high.
But if it's shallow and clear,
Pass over without fear.
Be careful every one to greet
Whom on thy travels thou mayst meet;
And if any gray-bearded man
Will teach thee manners, as such men can,
Be sure to follow him, word and deed;
Despise him not, as I thee reed.
One special counsel, son, is mine:
Wherever thou, for favor's sign,
Canst win a good woman's ring or smile,
Take them, thy sorrows to beguile.
Canst kiss her too, by any art,
And hold her beauty to thy heart,
'Twill bring thee luck and lofty mood,
If she chaste is, and good.
Lachelein, the proud and bold,
Won from thy princes of old-
I'd have thee know, O son of mine -
Two lands that should be fiefs of thine,
Waleis and Norgals.
One of thy princes, Turkentals,
Received his death from this foe's hands;
And on thy people he threw bands. "
"Mother, for that I'll vengeance wreak:
My javelin his heart shall seek. »
Next morning at first break of day
The proud young warrior rode away.
The thought of Arthur filled his mind.
Herzeloide kissed him and ran behind.
The world's worst woe did then befall.
When no more she saw young Parzival
(He rode away. Whom bettered be? )
The queen from every falseness free
Fell to the earth, where anguish soon
Gave her Death's bitter boon.
Her loyal death
Saves her from hell's hot breath.
7529
## p. 7530 (#336) ###########################################
7530
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
'Twas well she had known motherhood!
Thus sailed this root of every good,
Whose flower was humility,
Across that rich-rewarding sea.
Alas for us, that of her race
Till the twelfth age she left no trace!
Hence see we so much falsehood thrive.
Yet every loyal woman alive
For this boy's life and peace should pray,
As he leaves his mother and rides away.
THE MYSTIC DAMSEL ANNOUNCES THE VISIT OF THE GRAIL
TO ARTHUR'S HALL: AND THE VOW IS MADE
From Malory's 'Morte d'Arthur›
TH
HEREWITH the king and all espied where came riding down
the river a lady on a white palfrey toward them. Then
she saluted the king and the queen, and asked if that Sir
Launcelot was there? And then he answered himself, I am
here, fair lady. Then she said, all with weeping, How your
great doing is changed sith this day in the morn. Damsel, why
say ye so? said Launcelot. I say you sooth, said the damsel,
for ye were this day the best knight of the world; but who
should say so now should be a liar, for there is now one better
than ye.
And well it is proved by the adventures of the sword
whereto ye durst not set your hand, and that is the change and
leaving of your name; wherefore I make unto you a remem-
brance, that ye shall not ween from henceforth that ye be the
best knight of the world. As touching unto that, said Launcelot,
I know well I was never the best. Yes, said the damsel, that
were ye, and are yet of any sinful man of the world. And sir
king, Nacien the hermet sendeth thee word that thee shall befall
the greatest worship that ever befell king in Britain; and I say
you wherefore, for this day the Sancgreal shall appear in thy
house, and feed thee and all thy fellowship of the Round Table.
So she departed and went that same way that she came.
And so after upon that to supper, and every knight sat in
his own place as they were toforehand. Then anon they heard
cracking and crying of thunder, that them thought the place
should all to-drive. In the midst of this blast entered a sunbeam
## p. 7531 (#337) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7531
more clearer by seven times than ever they saw day, and all
they were alighted of the grace of the Holy Ghost. Then began
every knight to behold other, and either saw other by their
seeming fairer than ever they saw afore. Not for then there
was no knight might speak one word a great while, and so they
looked every man on other as they had been dumb. Then there
entered into the hall the holy Graile covered with white samite,
but there was none might see it, nor who bare it. And there
was all the hall full filled with good odors, and every knight
had such meats and drinks as he best loved in this world; and
when the holy Graile had been borne through the hall, then the
holy vessel departed suddenly, that they wist not where it be-
came. Then had they all breath to speak. And then the king
yielded thankings unto God of his good grace that he had sent
them. Certes, said the king, we ought to thank our Lord Jesu
greatly, for that he hath shewed us this day at the reverence of
this high feast of Pentecost. Now, said Sir Gawaine, we have
been served this day of what meats and drinks we thought on,
but one thing beguiled us, we might not see the holy Graile, it
was so preciously covered: wherefore I will make here avow,
that to-morn, without longer abiding, I shall labor in the quest
of the Sancgreal, that I shall hold me out a twelvemonth and a
day, or more if need be, and never shall I return again unto
the court till I have seen it more openly than it hath been seen
here; and if I may not speed, I shall return again as he that
may not be against the will of our Lord Jesu Christ. When
they of the Table Round heard Sir Gawaine say so, they arose
up the most party, and made such avows as Sir Gawaine had
made.
Anon as King Arthur heard this he was greatly displeased, for
he wist well that they might not againsay their avows. Alas!
said King Arthur unto Sir Gawaine, ye have nigh slain me with
the avow and promise that ye have made. For through you ye
have bereft me of the fairest fellowship and the truest of knight-
hood that ever were seen together in any realm of the world.
For when they depart from hence, I am sure they all shall never
meet more in this world, for they shall die many in the quest.
And so it forethinketh me a little, for I have loved them as well
as my life, wherefore it shall grieve me right sore the departition.
of this fellowship.
## p. 7532 (#338) ###########################################
7532
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
SIR LAUNCELOT FAILS OF THE QUEST
From Malory's 'Morte d'Arthur›
THE
HEN Sir Launcelot enforced him mickle to undo the door.
Then he listened, and heard a voice which sang so sweetly
that it seemed none earthly thing; and him thought the
voice said, Joy and honor be to the Father of Heaven! Then
Launcelot kneeled down tofore the chamber, for well wist he
that there was the Sancgreal within that chamber. Then said
he, Fair sweet Father Jesu Christ, if ever I did thing that
pleased the Lord, for thy pity have me not in despite for my
sins done aforetime, and that thou shew me something of that I
seek! And with that he saw the chamber door open, and there
came out a great clearness, that the house was as bright as all
the torches of the world had been there. So came he to the
chamber door, and would have entered. And anon a voice said
to him, Flee, Launcelot, and enter not, for thou oughtest not to
do it and if thou enter thou shalt forthink it. Then he with-
drew him aback right heavy. Then looked he up in the midst
of the chamber and saw a table of silver, and the holy vessel
covered with red samite, and many angels about it, whereof one
held a candle of wax burning, and the other held a cross, and
the ornaments of an altar. And before the holy vessel he saw a
good man clothed as a priest, and it seemed that he was at the
sacring of the mass. And it seemed to Launcelot that above
the priest's hands there were three men, whereof the two put
the youngest by likeness between the priest's hands, and so he
lift it up right high, and it seemed to shew so to the people.
And then Launcelot marveled not a little, for him thought that
the priest was so greatly charged of the figure, that him seemed
that he should fall to the earth. And when he saw none about
him that would help him, then came he to the door a great pace,
and said, Fair Father Jesu Christ, ne take it for no sin though
I help the good man, which hath great need of help. Right so
entered he into the chamber, and came toward the table of sil-
ver; and when he came nigh he felt a breath that him thought
it intermeddled with fire, which smote him so sore in the visage
that him thought it burnt his visage; and therewith he fell to
the earth, and had no power to arise, as he that was so araged
that had lost the power of his body, and his hearing, and his
saying. Then felt he many hands about him, which took him
## p. 7533 (#339) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7533
up and bare him out of the chamber door, without any amend-
ing of his swoon, and left him there seeming dead to all people.
So upon the morrow, when it was fair day, they within were
arisen, and found Launcelot lying afore the chamber door. All
they marveled how that he came in. And so they looked upon
him, and felt his pulse, to wit whether there were any life in
him; and so they found life in him, but he might neither stand,
nor stir no member that he had; and so they took him by every
part of the body, and bare him into a chamber, and laid him in
a rich bed, far from all folk; and so he lay four days. Then
the one said he was on live, and the other said nay. In the
name of God, said an old man, for I do you verily to wit he is
not dead, but he is so full of life as the mightiest of you all,
and therefore I counsel you that he be well kept till God send
him life again.
THE GRAIL IS ACHIEVED BY SIR GALAHAD
From Malory's Morte d'Arthur'
THE
HEN rode they a great while till that they came to the castle
of Carbonek. And when they were entered within the
castle, King Pelles knew them. Then there was great joy,
for they wist well by their coming that they had fulfilled the
quest of the Sancgreal. Then Eliazar, King Pelles's son, brought
afore them the broken sword wherewith Joseph was stricken
through the thigh. Then Bors set his hand thereto, if he might
have soldered it again, but it would not be. Then he took it to
Percivale, but he had no more power thereto than he. Now
have ye it again, said Percivale to Galahad, for and it be ever
achieved by one bodily man, ye must do it. And then took he
the pieces and set them together, and they seemed that they had
never been broken, and as well as it had been first forged. And
when they within espied that the adventure of the sword was
achieved, then they gave the sword to Bors; for it might not be
better set, for he was a good knight and a worthy man.
And a
little afore even the sword arose great and marvelous, and was
full of great heat, that many men fell for dread.
And anon
alight a voice among them, and said, They that ought not to sit
at the table of Jesu Christ arise, for now shall very knights be
fed. So they went thence all save King Pelles and Eliazar his
son, the which were holy men, and a maid which was his niece.
## p. 7534 (#340) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7534
And so these three fellows and they three were there; no more.
Anon they saw knights all armed come in at the hall door, and
did off their helms and their arms, and said unto Galahad, Sir,
we have hied right much for to be with you at this table, where
the holy meat shall be parted. Then said he, Ye be welcome:
but of whence be ye? So three of them said they were of Gaul,
and other three said they were of Ireland, and the other three
said they were of Denmark. So as they sat thus, there came
out of a bed of tree of a chamber, the which four gentlewomen
brought, and in the bed lay a good man sick, and a crown of
gold upon his head; and there in the midst of the place they
set him down, and went again their way. Then he lift up his
head and said, Galahad, knight, ye be welcome, for much have
I desired your coming, for in such pain and in such anguish I
have been long. But now I trust to God the term is come that
my pain shall be allayed, that I shall pass out of this world, so
as it was promised me long ago. Therewith a voice said, There
be two among you that be not in the quest of the Sancgreal,
and therefore depart ye.
THEN King Pelles and his son departed. And therewithal
beseemed them that there came man and four angels from
heaven, clothed in likeness of a bishop, and had a cross in his
hand, and these four angels bare him up in a chair, and set him
down before the table of silver whereupon the Sancgreal was,
and it seemed that he had in midst of his forehead letters that
said, See ye here Joseph the first bishop of Christendom, the
same which our Lord succored in the City of Sarras, in the
Spiritual Place. Then the knights marveled, for that bishop was
dead more than three hundred year tofore. O knights, said he,
marvel not, for I was sometime an earthly man.
With that they
heard the chamber door open, and there they saw angels, and two
bare candles of wax, and the third a towel, and the fourth a
spear which bled marvelously, that three drops fell within a box
which he held with his other hand. And they set the candles.
upon the table, and the third the towel upon the vessel, and the
fourth the holy spear even upright upon the vessel. And then
the bishop made semblant as though he would have gone to the
sacring of the mass. And then he took an ubbly,* which was
made in likeness of bread; and at the lifting up there came a
* Oblate
――――――
unconsecrated loaf.
## p.
7535 (#341) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7535
figure in likeness of a child, and the visage was as red and as
bright as any fire, and smote himself into the bread, so that
they all saw it, that the bread was formed of a fleshly man, and
then he put it into the holy vessel again. And then he did that
longed to a priest to do to a mass. And then he went to Gala
had and kissed him, and bad him go and kiss his fellows, and so
he did anon. Now, said he, servants of Jesu Christ, ye shall be
fed afore this table with sweet meats, that never knights tasted.
And when he had said, he vanished away; and they set them at
the table in great dread, and made their prayers.
Then looked they, and saw a man come out of the holy ves-
sel that had all the signs of the passion of Jesu Christ, bleeding
all openly, and said, My knights and my servants and my true
children, which be come out of deadly life into spiritual life, I
will now no longer hide me from you, but ye shall see now a
part of my secrets and of my hid things: now hold and receive
the high meat which ye have so much desired. Then took he
himself the holy vessel and came to Galahad, and he kneeled
down and there he received his Savior, and after him so received
all his fellows; and they thought it so sweet that it was mar-
velous to tell. Then said he to Galahad, Son, wotest thou what
I hold betwixt my hands? Nay, said he, but if ye will tell me.
This is, said he, the holy dish wherein I ate the lamb on Sher-
thursday. And now hast thou seen that thou most desiredst to
see, but yet hast thou not seen it so openly as thou shalt see
it in the City of Sarras, in the Spiritual Place. Therefore thou
must go hence, and bear with thee this holy vessel, for this
night it shall depart from the realm of Logris, that it shall never
be seen
more here; and wotest thou wherefore? for he is not
served nor worshiped to his right by them of this land, for
they be turned to evil living; therefore I shall disherit them of
the honor which I have done them. And therefore go ye three
to-morrow unto the sea, where ye shall find your ship ready, and
with you take the sword with the strange girdles, and no more
with you but Sir Percivale and Sir Bors. Also I will that ye
take with you of the blood of this spear, for to anoint the
maimed king, both his legs and all his body, and he shall have
his health. Sir, said Galahad, why shall not these other fellows
go with us? For this cause, for right as I departed mine apos-
tles, one here and another there, so I will that ye depart. And
two of you shall die in my service, but one of you shall come
―――
## p. 7536 (#342) ###########################################
7536
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
again, and tell tidings.
vanished away.
Then gave he them his blessing and
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 a
whole man, and thanked our Lord that he had healed him. And
that was not the world-ward, for anon he yield 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 chieftains, 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's son, and the other two were great gentlemen. Then
prayed Galahad to every each of them, that if they come to
King Arthur's court, that they should salute my lord Sir Launce-
lot my father, and of them 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 tofore. 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 Sanc-
greal, 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 Sancgreal, 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
## p. 7537 (#343) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7537
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 tofore, 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 bad 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. Then ran 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 marvelous 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 Sancgreal, and the power which that God had
set 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.
But as soon as they were there, our Lord sent them the Sanc-
greal, through whose grace they were always fulfilled while that
they were in prison. So at the year's end it befell that this
King Estorause lay sick, and felt that he should die. Then he
sent for the three knights, and they came afore him, and he cried
them mercy of that he had done to them, and they forgave it
him goodly, and he died anon. When the king was dead, all the
city was dismayed, and wist not who might be their king. Right
so as they were in counsel, there came a voice among them, and
bad them choose the youngest knight of them three to be their
king, for he shall well maintain you and all yours.
So they
made Galahad king by all the assent of the whole city, and else
XIII-472
## p. 7538 (#344) ###########################################
7538
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
hey would have slain him. And when he was come to behold
the land, he let make about the table of silver a chest of gold
and of precious stones that covered the holy vessel, and every
day early the three fellows would come afore it and make their
prayers. Now at the year's end, and the self day after Galahad
had borne the crown of gold, he arose up early, and his fellows,
and came to the palace, and saw tofore them the holy vessel,
and a man kneeling on his knees, in likeness of a bishop, that
had about him a great fellowship of angels, as it had been Jesu
Christ himself. And then he arose and began a mass of Our
Lady. And when he came to the sacrament of the mass, and
had done, anon he called Galahad, and said to him, Come forth,
the servant of Jesu Christ, and thou shalt see that thou hast
much desired to see. And then he began to tremble right hard,
when the deadly flesh began to behold the spiritual things. Then
he held up his hands toward heaven, and said, Lord, I thank
thee, for now I see that that hath been my desire many a day.
Now, blessed Lord, would I not longer live, if it might please
thee, Lord. And therewith the good man took our Lord's body
betwixt his hands, and proffered it to Galahad, and he received
it right gladly and meekly. Now, wotest thou what I am? said
the good man. Nay, said Galahad. -I am Joseph of Arimathie,
which our Lord hath sent here to thee to bear thee fellowship.
And wotest thou wherefore that he hath sent me more than any
other? For thou hast resembled me in two things, in that thou
hast seen the marvels of the Sancgreal, and in that thou hast
been a clean maiden, as I have been and am. And when he had
said these words, Galahad went to Percivale and kissed him, and
commanded him to God. And so he went to Sir Bors and kissed
him, and commanded him to God, and said, Fair lord, salute me
to my lord Sir Launcelot, my father, and as soon as ye see him
bid him remember of this unstable world. And therewith he
kneeled down tofore the table and made his prayers, and then
suddenly his soul departed to Jesu Christ, and a great multitude
of angels bare his soul up to heaven, that the two fellows might
well behold it. Also the two fellows saw come from heaven an
hand, but they saw not the body; and then it came right to the
vessel, and took it and the spear, and so bare it up to heaven.
Sithen was there never man so hardy to say that he had seen
the Sancgreal.
## p. 7539 (#345) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
KING ARTHUR ADDRESSES THE GRAIL-SEEKERS
From The Quest of the Sangreal,' by Robert Stephen Hawker
THE
HERE stood the knights! stately, and stern, and tall:
Tristan; and Perceval; Sir Galahad;
And he, the sad Sir Lancelot of the lay:
Ah me! that logan of the rocky hills,
Pillared in storm, calm in the rush of war,
Shook at the light touch of his lady's hand!
See where they move, a battle-shouldering kind!
Massive in mold, but graceful; thorough men;
Built in the mystic measure of the Cross:
Their lifted arms the transome; and their bulk
The Tree where Jesu stately stood to die!
Thence came their mastery in the field of war:
Ha! one might drive battalions — one alone!
See now, they pause; for in their midst, the King!
Arthur, the Son of Uter and the Night.
Helmed with Pendragon; with the crested crown;
And belted with the sheathed Excalibur,
That gnashed his iron teeth and yearned for war!
Stern was that look-high natures seldom smile;
And in those pulses beat a thousand kings.
A glance! and they were hushed; a lifted hand,
And his eye ruled them like a throne of light!
Then, with a voice that rang along the moor,-
Like the Archangel's trumpet for the dead,
He spake, while Tamar sounded to the sea:---
"Comrades in arms! mates of the Table Round!
Fair Sirs, my fellows in the bannered ring,-
Ours is a lofty tryst! this day we meet,
Not under shield, with scarf and knightly gage,
To quench our thirst of love in ladies' eyes;
We shall not mount to-day that goodly throne,
The conscious steed, with thunder in his loins,
To launch along the field the arrowy spear:
Nay, but a holier theme, a mightier quest. -
'Ho! for the Sangraal, vanished vase of God! '
"Ye know that in old days, that yellow Jew,
Accursed Herod; and the earth-wide judge,
Pilate the Roman, doomster for all lands,-
Or else the Judgment had not been for all,—
Bound Jesu-Master to the world's tall tree,
Slowly to die.
-
―
7539
-
## p. 7540 (#346) ###########################################
7540
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
"Ha! Sirs, had we been there,
They durst not have assayed their felon deed,—
Excalibur had cleft them to the spine!
Slowly He died, a world in every pang,
Until the hard centurion's cruel spear
Smote His high heart; and from that severed side
Rushed the red stream that quenched the wrath of Heaven!
"Then came Sir Joseph, hight of Arimethée,
Bearing that awful vase, the Sangraal!
The vessel of the Pasch, Shere Thursday night;
The selfsame Cup, wherein the faithful Wine
Heard God, and was obedient unto Blood!
Therewith he knelt and gathered blessèd drops
From his dear Master's Side that sadly fell,
The ruddy dews from the great tree of life:
Sweet Lord! what treasures! like the priceless gems
Hid in the tawny casket of a king,-
A ransom for an army, one by one!
That wealth he cherished long; his very soul
Around his ark; bent as before a shrine!
"He dwelt in Orient Syria: God's own land;
The ladder foot of heaven - where shadowy shapes
In white apparel glided up and down!
His home was like a garner, full of corn
And wine and oil; a granary of God!
Young men, that no one knew, went in and out,
With a far look in their eternal eyes!
All things were strange and rare: the Sangraal,
As though it clung to some ethereal chain,
Brought down high Heaven to earth at Arimethée!
"He lived long centuries! and prophesied.
A girded pilgrim ever and anon;
Cross-staff in hand, and folded at his side
The mystic marvel of the feast of blood!
Once, in old time, he stood in this dear land,
Enthralled: for lo! a sign! his grounded staff
Took root, and branched, and bloomed, like Aaron's rod;
Thence came the shrine, the cell; therefore he dwelt,
The vassal of the vase, at Avalon!
"This could not last, for evil days came on,
And evil men: the garbage of their sin
Tainted this land, and all things holy fled.
The Sangraal was not: on a summer eve,
The silence of the sky brake up in sound!
## p. 7541 (#347) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
The tree of Joseph glowed with ruddy light:
A harmless fire, curved like a molten vase,
Around the bush, and from the midst a voice,
Thus hewn by Merlin on a runic stone:
[Cabalistic sentence. ]
-
"Then said the shuddering seer- - he heard and knew
The unutterable words that glide in Heaven,
Without a breath or tongue, from soul to soul:-
«‹The land is lonely now; Anathema:
The link that bound it to the silent grasp
Of thrilling worlds is gathered up and gone:
The glory is departed; and the disk
So full of radiance from the touch of God-
This orb is darkened to the distant watch
Of Saturn and his reapers, when they pause,
Amid their sheaves, to count the nightly stars.
"All gone! but not forever: on a day
There shall arise a king from Keltic loins,
Of mystic birth and name, tender and true;
His vassals shall be noble, to a man:
Knights strong in battle till the war is won;
Then while the land is hushed on Tamar side,
So that the warder upon Carradon
Shall hear at once the river and the sea,
That king shall call a Quest; a kindling cry:
"Ho! for the Sangraal! vanished vase of God! "
"Yea! and it shall be won! a chosen knight,
The ninth from Joseph in the line of blood,
Clean as a maid from guile and fleshly sin.
He with the shield of Sarras; and the lance,
Ruddy and moistened with a freshening stain,
As from a severed wound of yesterday —
He shall achieve the Graal: he alone! ?
"Thus wrote Bard Merlin on the runic hide
Of a slain deer; rolled in an aumery chest.
"And now, fair Sirs, your voices: who will gird
His belt for travel in the perilous ways?
This thing must be fulfilled: in vain our land
Of noble name, high deed, and famous men,
Vain the proud homage of our thrall the sea,
If we be shorn of God; -ah! loathsome shame!
To hurl in battle for the pride of arms;
-
-
7541
To ride in native tourney, foreign war;
To count the stars; to ponder pictured runes,
## p. 7542 (#348) ###########################################
7542
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
And grasp great knowledge, as the demons do,—
If we be shorn of God; we must assay
The myth and meaning of this marvelous bowl;
It shall be sought and found. "
-
Thus said the King.
SIR PERCIVALE'S TALE TO AMBROSIUS
From Tennyson's 'Idylls of the King'
"THE
HE sweet vision of the Holy Grail
Drove me from all vainglories, rivalries,
And earthly heats that spring and sparkle out
Among us in the jousts, while women watch
Who wins, who falls; and waste the spiritual strength
Within us, better offered up to Heaven. "
To whom the monk:-"The Holy Grail! —I trust
We are green in Heaven's eyes; but here too much
We molder, as to things without, I mean:
Yet one of your own knights, a guest of ours,
Told us of this in our refectory,
But spake with such a sadness and so low
We heard not half of what he said. What is it?
The phantom of a cup that comes and goes? "
"Nay, monk! what phantom? " answered Percivale.
"The cup, the cup itself, from which our Lord
Drank at the last sad supper with his own.
This, from the blessed land of Aromat-
After the day of darkness, when the dead
Went wandering o'er Moriah -the good saint
Arimathean Joseph, journeying brought
To Glastonbury, where the winter thorn
Blossoms at Christmas, mindful of our Lord.
And there awhile it bode; and if a man
Could touch or see it, he was healed at once,
By faith, of all his ills. But then the times
Grew to such evil that the holy cup
Was caught away to Heaven and disappeared. "
To whom the monk: "From our old books I know
--
That Joseph came of old to Glastonbury,
And there the heathen Prince Arviragus
Gave him an isle of marsh whereon to build;
And there he built with wattles from the marsh
A little lonely church in days of yore;
For so they say, these books of ours but seem
## p. 7543 (#349) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7543
Mute of this miracle, far as I have read.
But who first saw the holy thing to-day ? »
"A woman," answered Percivale, "a nun,
And one no further off in blood from me
Than sister: and if ever holy maid
With knees of adoration wore the stone,
A holy maid; tho' never maiden glowed,
But that was in her earlier maidenhood,
With such a fervent flame of human love,
Which being rudely blunted, glanced and shot
Only to holy things; to prayer and praise
She gave herself, to fast and alms.
And yet,
Nun as she was, the scandal of the court,
Sin against Arthur and the Table Round,
And the strange sound of an adulterous race,
Across the iron grating of her cell
Beat, and she prayed and fasted all the more.
And so she prayed and fasted, till the sun
Shone, and the wind blew thro' her, and I thought
She might have risen and floated when I saw her.
"For on a day she sent to speak with me.
And when she came to speak, behold her eyes
Beyond my knowing of them, beautiful,
Beyond all knowing of them, wonderful,
Beautiful in the light of holiness.
And 'O my brother Percivale,' she said,
'Sweet brother, I have seen the Holy Grail:
For waked at dead of night, I heard a sound
As of a silver horn from o'er the hills
Blown, and I thought, "It not Arthur's use
To hunt by moonlight;" and the slender sound
As from a distance beyond distance grew
Coming upon me - oh never harp nor horn,
Nor aught we blow with breath, or touch with hand,
Was like that music as it came; and then
Streamed thro' my cell a cold and silver beam,
And down the long beam stole the Holy Grail,
Rose-red with beatings in it, as if alive,
Till all the white walls of my cell were dyed
With rosy colors leaping on the wall;
And then the music faded, and the Grail
Past, and the beam decayed, and from the walls
The rosy quiverings died into the night.
So now the Holy Thing is here again
## p. 7544 (#350) ###########################################
7544
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
Among us, brother, fast thou too and pray,
And tell thy brother knights to fast and pray,
That so perchance the vision may be seen
By thee and those, and all the world be healed. '
"Then leaving the pale nun, I spake of this
To all men; and myself fasted and prayed
Always, and many among us many a week
Fasted and prayed even to the uttermost,
Expectant of the wonder that would be.
"Then on a summer night came to pass,
While the great banquet lay along the hall,
That Galahad would sit down in Merlin's chair.
"And all at once, as there we sat, we heard
A cracking and a riving of the roofs,
And rending! and a blast, and overhead
Thunder, and in the thunder was a cry.
And in the blast there smote along the hall
A beam of light seven times more clear than day;
And down the long beam stole the Holy Grail
All over covered with a luminous cloud,
And none might see who bare it, and it past.
But every knight beheld his fellow's face
As in a glory, and all the knights arose,
And staring each at other like dumb men
Stood, till I found a voice and sware a vow.
"I sware a vow before them all, that I,
Because I had not seen the Grail, would ride
A twelvemonth and a day in quest of it,
Until I found and saw it, as the nun
My sister saw it; and Galahad sware the vow,
And good Sir Bors, our Lancelot's cousin, sware,
And Lancelot sware, and many among the knights,
And Gawain sware, and louder than the rest. ”
SIR LANCELOT'S TALE
From Tennyson's 'Idylls of the King'
"THOU
HOU too, my Lancelot,' asked the King, 'my friend,
Our mightiest, hath this Quest availed for thee? '
"Our mightiest! ' answered Lancelot, with a groan;
'O King! ' and when he paused, methought I spied
A dying fire of madness in his eyes—
## p. 7545 (#351) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
'O King, my friend, if friend of thine I be,
Happier are those that welter in their sin,
Swine in the mud, that cannot see for slime,
Slime of the ditch: but in me lived a sin
So strange, of such a kind, that all of pure,
Noble, and knightly in me twined and clung
Round that one sin, until the wholesome flower
And poisonous grew together, each as each,
Not to be plucked asunder; and when thy knights
Sware, I sware with them only in the hope
That could I touch or see the Holy Grail
They might be plucked asunder. Then I spake
To one most holy saint, who wept and said
That save they could be plucked asunder, all
My quest were but in vain; to whom I vowed
That I would work according as he willed.
And forth I went, and while I yearned and strove
To tear the twain asunder in my heart,
My madness came upon me as of old,
And whipt me into waste fields far away;
There was I beaten down by little men,
Mean knights, to whom the moving of my sword
And shadow of my spear had been enow
To scare them from me once; and then I came
All in my folly to the naked shore,
Wide flats, where nothing but coarse grasses grew;
But such a blast, my King, began to blow,
So loud a blast along the shore and sea,
Ye could not hear the waters for the blast,
Tho' heapt in mounds and ridges all the sea
Drove like a cataract, and all the sand
Swept like a river, and the clouded heavens
Were shaken with the motion and the sound.
And blackening in the sea-foam swayed a boat,
Half-swallowed in it, anchored with a chain;
And in my madness to myself I said,
"I will embark and I will lose myself,
And in the great sea wash away my sin. "
I burst the chain, I sprang into the boat.
Seven days I drove along the dreary deep,
And with me drove the moon and all the stars;
And the wind fell, and on the seventh night
I heard the shingle grinding in the surge,
And felt the boat shock earth, and looking up,
7545
## p. 7546 (#352) ###########################################
7546
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
Behold, the enchanted towers of Carbonek,
A castle like a rock upon a rock,
With chasm-like portals open to the sea,
And steps that met the breaker! there was none
Stood near it but a lion on each side
That kept the entry, and the moon was full.
Then from the boat I leapt, and up the stairs.
There drew my sword. With sudden-flaring manes
Those two great beasts rose upright like a man;
Each gript a shoulder, and I stood between;
And when I would have smitten them, heard a voice,
'Doubt not, go forward; if thou doubt, the beasts
Will tear thee piecemeal. ' Then with violence
The sword was dashed from out my hand, and fell.
And up into the sounding hall I past:
But nothing in the sounding hall I saw,
No bench nor table, painting on the wall
Or shield of knight; only the rounded moon
Thro' the tall oriel on the rolling sea.
But always in the quiet house I heard,
Clear as a lark, high o'er me as a lark,
A sweet voice singing in the topmost tower
To the eastward; up I climbed a thousand steps
With pain; as in a dream I seemed to climb
For ever: at the last I reached a door;
A light was in the crannies, and I heard,
'Glory and joy and honor to our Lord
And to the Holy Vessel of the Grail. '
Then in my madness I essayed the door;
It gave; and thro' a stormy glare, a heat
As from a seven times heated furnace, I,
Blasted and burnt and blinded as I was,
With such a fierceness that I swooned away—
Oh yet methought I saw the Holy Grail,
All palled in crimson samite, and around
Great angels, awful shapes, and wings and eyes.
And but for all my madness and my sin,
And then my swooning, I had sworn I saw
That which I saw: but what I saw was veiled
And covered; and this Quest was not for me. "
So speaking, and here ceasing, Lancelot left
The hall long silent.
## p. 7547 (#353) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7547
SIR GALAHAD ACHIEVES THE GRAIL-QUEST
From Tennyson's Idylls of the King'
HEN the hermit made an end,
"W"
In silver armor suddenly Galahad shone
Before us, and against the chapel door
Laid lance, and entered, and we knelt in prayer.
And there the hermit slaked my burning thirst,
And at the sacring of the mass I saw
The holy elements alone; but he-
'Saw ye no more? I, Galahad, saw the Grail,
The Holy Grail, descend upon the shrine,
I saw the fiery face as of a child
That smote itself into the bread, and went;
And hither am I come; and never yet
Hath what thy sister taught me first to see,
This Holy Thing, failed from my side, nor come
Covered, but moving with me night and day,
Fainter by day, but always in the night
Blood-red, and sliding down the blackened marsh
Blood-red, and on the naked mountain top
Blood-red, and in the sleeping mere below
Blood-red. And in the strength of this I rode,
Shattering all evil customs everywhere,
And past thro' pagan realms, and made them mine,
And clashed with pagan hordes, and bore them down,
And broke thro' all, and in the strength of this
Come victor. But my time is hard at hand,
And hence I go; and one will crown me king
Far in the spiritual city; and come thou, too,
For thou shalt see the vision when I go. '
"While thus he spake, his eye, dwelling on mine,
Drew me, with power upon me, till I grew
One with him, to believe as he believed.
Then, when the day began to wane, we went.
"There rose a hill that none but man could climb,
Scarred with a hundred wintry water-courses
Storm at the top, and when we gained it, storm
Round us and death: for every moment glanced
His silver arms and gloomed; so quick and thick
The lightnings here and there to left and right
Struck, till the dry old trunks about us, dead,
Yea.
But naught could he in answer say—
'Tis so with children in our day.
Long mused the queen what this might be,
Till once beneath a greenwood tree
She saw him gazing and sighing still,
Then knew 'twas a bird's song did fill
Her darling's breast with yearning pain
And haunting mystery.
Queen Herzeloide's anger burned
Against the birds, she knew not why;
Her serving-folk she on them turned
And bade to quench their hated cry,
And chase and beat and kill
In every brake, on every hill.
Few were the birds that flew away
And saved their lives in that fierce fray;
Yet some escaped to live and sing
Joyous, and make the forest ring.
Unto the queen then spoke the boy,
"Why do you rob them of their joy? "
Such intercession then he made,
His mother kissed him while she said,
"Why should I break God's law, and rob
The birds of innocent delight? "
Then to his mother spoke the boy,
"O mother, what is God? »
"My son, in solemn truth I say
He is far brighter than the day,
Though once his countenance did change
Into the face of man.
O son of mine, give wisely heed,
And call on him in time of need,
Whose faithfulness has never failed
Since first the world began.
And one there is, the lord of hell,
Black and unfaithful, as I tell:
Bear thou towards him a courage stout,
And wander not in paths of doubt. "
His mother taught him to discern
Darkness and light; he quick did learn.
## p. 7524 (#330) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7524
The lesson done, away he'd spring
To practice with the dart and sling.
Full many an antlered stag he shot
And home to his lady mother brought;
Through snow or floods, it was the same,
Still harried he the game.
Now hear the tale of wonder:
When he had brought a great stag low,
Burden a mule might stagger under,
He'd shoulder it and homeward go!
Now it fell out upon a day
He wandered down a long wood-way,
And plucked a leaf and whistled shrill,
Near by a road that crossed a hill.
And thence he heard sharp hoof-strokes ring,
And quick his javelin did swing;
Then cried: "Now what is this I hear?
What if the Devil now appear,
With anger hot, and grim?
But certain I will not flee him!
Such fearful things my mother told —
I ween her heart is none too bold. "
All ready thus for strife he stood,
When lo! there galloped through the wood
Three riders, shining in the light,
From head to foot in armor dight.
The boy all innocently thought
Each one a god, as he was taught.
No longer upright then stood he,
But in the path he bent his knee.
Aloud he called, and clear and brave,
"Save, God, for thou alone canst save! "
The foremost rider spoke in wrath
Because the boy lay in the path:
"This clumsy Welsh boy
Hinders our rapid course. "
A name we Bavarians wear
Must the Welsh also bear:
They are clumsier even than we,
But good fighters too, you'll agree.
A graceful man within the round
Of these two lands is rarely found.
That moment came a knight
In battle-gear bedight.
## p. 7525 (#331) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
Galloping hard and grim
Over the mountain's rim.
The rest had ridden on before,
Pursuing two false knights, who bore
A lady from his land.
That touched him near at hand;
The maid he pitied sore,
Who sadly rode before.
After his men he held his course,
Upon a fine Castilian horse.
His shield bore marks of many a lance;
His name - Karnacharnanz,
Le comte Ulterlec.
Quoth he, "Who dares to block our way? »
And forth he strode to see the youth,
Who thought him now a god in sooth,
For that he was a shining one:
His dewy armor caught the sun,
And with small golden bells were hung
The stirrup straps, that blithely swung
Before his greaved thighs
And from his feet likewise.
Bells on his right arm tinkled soft
Did he but raise his hand aloft.
Bright gleamed that arm from many a stroke,
Warded since first to fame he woke.
Thus rode the princely knight,
In wondrous armor dight.
That flower of manly grace and joy,
Karnacharnanz, now asked the boy:
"My lad, hast seen pass by this way
Two knights that grossly disobey
The rules of all knight-errantry?
For with a helpless maid they flee,
Whom all unwilling they have stolen,
To honor lost, with mischief swollen. »
The boy still thought, despite his speech,
That this was God; for so did teach
His mother Herzeloide, the queen-
To know him by his dazzling sheen.
He cried in all humility,
"Help, God, for all help comes from thee! "
And fell in louder suppliance yet
Le fils du roi Gahmuret.
7525
## p. 7526 (#332) ###########################################
7526
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
"I am not God," the prince replied,
"Though in his law I would abide.
Four knights we are, couldst thou but see
What things before thine eyen be. "
At this the boy his words did stay:
"Thou namest knights, but what are they?
And if thou hast not power divine,
Tell me, who gives, then, knighthood's sign? "
"King Arthur, lad, it is;
And goest thou to him, I wis
That if he gives thee knighthood's name
Thou'lt have in that no cause for shame.
Thou hast indeed a knightly mien. "
The chevalier had quickly seen
How God's good favor on him lay.
The legend telleth what I say,
And further doth confirm the boast
That he in beauty was the first
Of men since Adam's time: this praise
Was his from womankind always.
Then asked he in his innocence,
Whereon they laughed at his expense:
"Ay, good sir knight, what mayst thou be,
That hast these many rings I see
Upon thy body closely bound
And reaching downward to the ground? "
With that he touched the rings of steel
Which clothed the knight from head to heel,
And viewed his harness curiously.
«< My mother's maids," commented he,
"Wear rings, but have them strung on cords,
And not so many as my lord's. "
Again he asked, so bold his heart:
"And what's the use of every part?
What good do all these iron things?
I cannot break these little rings. "
The prince then showed his battle blade:
"Now look ye, with this good sword's aid,
I can defend my life from danger
If overfallen by a stranger,
And for his thrust and for his blow
I wrap myself in harness, so. "
Quick spoke the boy his hidden thought:
'Tis well the forest stags bear not
## p. 7527 (#333) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
Such coats of mail, for then my spear
Would never slay so many deer. "
By this the other knights were vexed
Their lord should talk with a fool perplexed.
The prince ended: "God guard thee well,
And would that I had thy beauty's spell!
And hadst thou wit, then were thy dower
The richest one in heaven's power.
May God's grace ever with thee stay. "
Whereat they all four rode away,
Until they came to a field
In the dark forest concealed.
There found the prince some peasant-folk
Of Herzeloide with plow and yoke.
Their lot had never been so hard,
Driving the oxen yard by yard,
For they must toil to reap the fruit
Which first was seed and then was root.
The prince bade them good-day,
And asked if there had passed that way
A maiden in distressful plight.
They could not help but answer right,
And this is what the peasants said:
"Two horsemen and a maid
We saw pass by this morning;
The lady, full of scorning,
Rode near a knight who spurred her horse
With iron heel and language coarse. "
That was Meliakanz;
After him rode Karnacharnanz.
By force he wrested the maid from him;
She trembled with joy in every limb.
Her name, Imaine
Of Bellefontaine.
The peasant folk were sore afraid
Because this quest the heroes made;
They cried: "What evil day for us!
For has young master seen them thus
In iron clad from top to toe,
The fault is ours, ours too the woe!
And the queen's anger sure will fall
With perfect justice on us all,
Because the boy, while she was sleeping,
Came out this morning in our keeping. "
7527
1
## p. 7528 (#334) ###########################################
7528
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
The boy, untroubled by such fear,
Was shooting wild stags far and near;
Home to his mother he ran at length
And told his story; and all strength
Fled from her limbs, and down she sank,
And the world to her senses was a blank.
When now the queen
Opened her eyelids' screen,
Though great had been her dread,
She asked: "Son, tell me who has fed
Thy fancy with these stories
Of knighthood's empty glories? "
"Mother, I saw four men so bright
That God himself gives not more light;
Of courtly life they spoke to me,
And told how Arthur's chivalry
Doth teach all knighthood's office
To every willing novice. "
Again the queen's heart 'gan to beat.
His wayward purpose to defeat,
She thought her of a plan
To keep at home the little man.
The noble boy, in simplest course,
Begged his mother for a horse.
Her secret woe broke out anew;
She said, "Albeit I shall rue
This gift, I can deny him naught.
Yet there are men," she sudden thought,
"Whose laughter is right hard to bear;
And if fool's dress my son should wear
On his beautiful shining limbs,
Their scorn will scatter all these whims,
And he'll return without delay. "
This trick she used, alack the day!
A piece of coarse sackcloth she chose
And cut thereout doublet and hose,
From his neck to his white knees,
And all from one great piece,
With a cap to cover head and ears;
For such was a fool's dress in those years.
Then instead of stockings she bound
Two calfskin strips his legs around.
None would have said he was the same.
And all who saw him wept for shame.
## p. 7529 (#335) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
The queen, with pity, bade him stay
Until the dawn of a new day;
"Thou must not leave me yet," beseeching,
"Till I have given thee all my teaching:
On unknown roads thou must not try
To ford a stream if it be high.
But if it's shallow and clear,
Pass over without fear.
Be careful every one to greet
Whom on thy travels thou mayst meet;
And if any gray-bearded man
Will teach thee manners, as such men can,
Be sure to follow him, word and deed;
Despise him not, as I thee reed.
One special counsel, son, is mine:
Wherever thou, for favor's sign,
Canst win a good woman's ring or smile,
Take them, thy sorrows to beguile.
Canst kiss her too, by any art,
And hold her beauty to thy heart,
'Twill bring thee luck and lofty mood,
If she chaste is, and good.
Lachelein, the proud and bold,
Won from thy princes of old-
I'd have thee know, O son of mine -
Two lands that should be fiefs of thine,
Waleis and Norgals.
One of thy princes, Turkentals,
Received his death from this foe's hands;
And on thy people he threw bands. "
"Mother, for that I'll vengeance wreak:
My javelin his heart shall seek. »
Next morning at first break of day
The proud young warrior rode away.
The thought of Arthur filled his mind.
Herzeloide kissed him and ran behind.
The world's worst woe did then befall.
When no more she saw young Parzival
(He rode away. Whom bettered be? )
The queen from every falseness free
Fell to the earth, where anguish soon
Gave her Death's bitter boon.
Her loyal death
Saves her from hell's hot breath.
7529
## p. 7530 (#336) ###########################################
7530
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
'Twas well she had known motherhood!
Thus sailed this root of every good,
Whose flower was humility,
Across that rich-rewarding sea.
Alas for us, that of her race
Till the twelfth age she left no trace!
Hence see we so much falsehood thrive.
Yet every loyal woman alive
For this boy's life and peace should pray,
As he leaves his mother and rides away.
THE MYSTIC DAMSEL ANNOUNCES THE VISIT OF THE GRAIL
TO ARTHUR'S HALL: AND THE VOW IS MADE
From Malory's 'Morte d'Arthur›
TH
HEREWITH the king and all espied where came riding down
the river a lady on a white palfrey toward them. Then
she saluted the king and the queen, and asked if that Sir
Launcelot was there? And then he answered himself, I am
here, fair lady. Then she said, all with weeping, How your
great doing is changed sith this day in the morn. Damsel, why
say ye so? said Launcelot. I say you sooth, said the damsel,
for ye were this day the best knight of the world; but who
should say so now should be a liar, for there is now one better
than ye.
And well it is proved by the adventures of the sword
whereto ye durst not set your hand, and that is the change and
leaving of your name; wherefore I make unto you a remem-
brance, that ye shall not ween from henceforth that ye be the
best knight of the world. As touching unto that, said Launcelot,
I know well I was never the best. Yes, said the damsel, that
were ye, and are yet of any sinful man of the world. And sir
king, Nacien the hermet sendeth thee word that thee shall befall
the greatest worship that ever befell king in Britain; and I say
you wherefore, for this day the Sancgreal shall appear in thy
house, and feed thee and all thy fellowship of the Round Table.
So she departed and went that same way that she came.
And so after upon that to supper, and every knight sat in
his own place as they were toforehand. Then anon they heard
cracking and crying of thunder, that them thought the place
should all to-drive. In the midst of this blast entered a sunbeam
## p. 7531 (#337) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7531
more clearer by seven times than ever they saw day, and all
they were alighted of the grace of the Holy Ghost. Then began
every knight to behold other, and either saw other by their
seeming fairer than ever they saw afore. Not for then there
was no knight might speak one word a great while, and so they
looked every man on other as they had been dumb. Then there
entered into the hall the holy Graile covered with white samite,
but there was none might see it, nor who bare it. And there
was all the hall full filled with good odors, and every knight
had such meats and drinks as he best loved in this world; and
when the holy Graile had been borne through the hall, then the
holy vessel departed suddenly, that they wist not where it be-
came. Then had they all breath to speak. And then the king
yielded thankings unto God of his good grace that he had sent
them. Certes, said the king, we ought to thank our Lord Jesu
greatly, for that he hath shewed us this day at the reverence of
this high feast of Pentecost. Now, said Sir Gawaine, we have
been served this day of what meats and drinks we thought on,
but one thing beguiled us, we might not see the holy Graile, it
was so preciously covered: wherefore I will make here avow,
that to-morn, without longer abiding, I shall labor in the quest
of the Sancgreal, that I shall hold me out a twelvemonth and a
day, or more if need be, and never shall I return again unto
the court till I have seen it more openly than it hath been seen
here; and if I may not speed, I shall return again as he that
may not be against the will of our Lord Jesu Christ. When
they of the Table Round heard Sir Gawaine say so, they arose
up the most party, and made such avows as Sir Gawaine had
made.
Anon as King Arthur heard this he was greatly displeased, for
he wist well that they might not againsay their avows. Alas!
said King Arthur unto Sir Gawaine, ye have nigh slain me with
the avow and promise that ye have made. For through you ye
have bereft me of the fairest fellowship and the truest of knight-
hood that ever were seen together in any realm of the world.
For when they depart from hence, I am sure they all shall never
meet more in this world, for they shall die many in the quest.
And so it forethinketh me a little, for I have loved them as well
as my life, wherefore it shall grieve me right sore the departition.
of this fellowship.
## p. 7532 (#338) ###########################################
7532
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
SIR LAUNCELOT FAILS OF THE QUEST
From Malory's 'Morte d'Arthur›
THE
HEN Sir Launcelot enforced him mickle to undo the door.
Then he listened, and heard a voice which sang so sweetly
that it seemed none earthly thing; and him thought the
voice said, Joy and honor be to the Father of Heaven! Then
Launcelot kneeled down tofore the chamber, for well wist he
that there was the Sancgreal within that chamber. Then said
he, Fair sweet Father Jesu Christ, if ever I did thing that
pleased the Lord, for thy pity have me not in despite for my
sins done aforetime, and that thou shew me something of that I
seek! And with that he saw the chamber door open, and there
came out a great clearness, that the house was as bright as all
the torches of the world had been there. So came he to the
chamber door, and would have entered. And anon a voice said
to him, Flee, Launcelot, and enter not, for thou oughtest not to
do it and if thou enter thou shalt forthink it. Then he with-
drew him aback right heavy. Then looked he up in the midst
of the chamber and saw a table of silver, and the holy vessel
covered with red samite, and many angels about it, whereof one
held a candle of wax burning, and the other held a cross, and
the ornaments of an altar. And before the holy vessel he saw a
good man clothed as a priest, and it seemed that he was at the
sacring of the mass. And it seemed to Launcelot that above
the priest's hands there were three men, whereof the two put
the youngest by likeness between the priest's hands, and so he
lift it up right high, and it seemed to shew so to the people.
And then Launcelot marveled not a little, for him thought that
the priest was so greatly charged of the figure, that him seemed
that he should fall to the earth. And when he saw none about
him that would help him, then came he to the door a great pace,
and said, Fair Father Jesu Christ, ne take it for no sin though
I help the good man, which hath great need of help. Right so
entered he into the chamber, and came toward the table of sil-
ver; and when he came nigh he felt a breath that him thought
it intermeddled with fire, which smote him so sore in the visage
that him thought it burnt his visage; and therewith he fell to
the earth, and had no power to arise, as he that was so araged
that had lost the power of his body, and his hearing, and his
saying. Then felt he many hands about him, which took him
## p. 7533 (#339) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7533
up and bare him out of the chamber door, without any amend-
ing of his swoon, and left him there seeming dead to all people.
So upon the morrow, when it was fair day, they within were
arisen, and found Launcelot lying afore the chamber door. All
they marveled how that he came in. And so they looked upon
him, and felt his pulse, to wit whether there were any life in
him; and so they found life in him, but he might neither stand,
nor stir no member that he had; and so they took him by every
part of the body, and bare him into a chamber, and laid him in
a rich bed, far from all folk; and so he lay four days. Then
the one said he was on live, and the other said nay. In the
name of God, said an old man, for I do you verily to wit he is
not dead, but he is so full of life as the mightiest of you all,
and therefore I counsel you that he be well kept till God send
him life again.
THE GRAIL IS ACHIEVED BY SIR GALAHAD
From Malory's Morte d'Arthur'
THE
HEN rode they a great while till that they came to the castle
of Carbonek. And when they were entered within the
castle, King Pelles knew them. Then there was great joy,
for they wist well by their coming that they had fulfilled the
quest of the Sancgreal. Then Eliazar, King Pelles's son, brought
afore them the broken sword wherewith Joseph was stricken
through the thigh. Then Bors set his hand thereto, if he might
have soldered it again, but it would not be. Then he took it to
Percivale, but he had no more power thereto than he. Now
have ye it again, said Percivale to Galahad, for and it be ever
achieved by one bodily man, ye must do it. And then took he
the pieces and set them together, and they seemed that they had
never been broken, and as well as it had been first forged. And
when they within espied that the adventure of the sword was
achieved, then they gave the sword to Bors; for it might not be
better set, for he was a good knight and a worthy man.
And a
little afore even the sword arose great and marvelous, and was
full of great heat, that many men fell for dread.
And anon
alight a voice among them, and said, They that ought not to sit
at the table of Jesu Christ arise, for now shall very knights be
fed. So they went thence all save King Pelles and Eliazar his
son, the which were holy men, and a maid which was his niece.
## p. 7534 (#340) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7534
And so these three fellows and they three were there; no more.
Anon they saw knights all armed come in at the hall door, and
did off their helms and their arms, and said unto Galahad, Sir,
we have hied right much for to be with you at this table, where
the holy meat shall be parted. Then said he, Ye be welcome:
but of whence be ye? So three of them said they were of Gaul,
and other three said they were of Ireland, and the other three
said they were of Denmark. So as they sat thus, there came
out of a bed of tree of a chamber, the which four gentlewomen
brought, and in the bed lay a good man sick, and a crown of
gold upon his head; and there in the midst of the place they
set him down, and went again their way. Then he lift up his
head and said, Galahad, knight, ye be welcome, for much have
I desired your coming, for in such pain and in such anguish I
have been long. But now I trust to God the term is come that
my pain shall be allayed, that I shall pass out of this world, so
as it was promised me long ago. Therewith a voice said, There
be two among you that be not in the quest of the Sancgreal,
and therefore depart ye.
THEN King Pelles and his son departed. And therewithal
beseemed them that there came man and four angels from
heaven, clothed in likeness of a bishop, and had a cross in his
hand, and these four angels bare him up in a chair, and set him
down before the table of silver whereupon the Sancgreal was,
and it seemed that he had in midst of his forehead letters that
said, See ye here Joseph the first bishop of Christendom, the
same which our Lord succored in the City of Sarras, in the
Spiritual Place. Then the knights marveled, for that bishop was
dead more than three hundred year tofore. O knights, said he,
marvel not, for I was sometime an earthly man.
With that they
heard the chamber door open, and there they saw angels, and two
bare candles of wax, and the third a towel, and the fourth a
spear which bled marvelously, that three drops fell within a box
which he held with his other hand. And they set the candles.
upon the table, and the third the towel upon the vessel, and the
fourth the holy spear even upright upon the vessel. And then
the bishop made semblant as though he would have gone to the
sacring of the mass. And then he took an ubbly,* which was
made in likeness of bread; and at the lifting up there came a
* Oblate
――――――
unconsecrated loaf.
## p.
7535 (#341) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7535
figure in likeness of a child, and the visage was as red and as
bright as any fire, and smote himself into the bread, so that
they all saw it, that the bread was formed of a fleshly man, and
then he put it into the holy vessel again. And then he did that
longed to a priest to do to a mass. And then he went to Gala
had and kissed him, and bad him go and kiss his fellows, and so
he did anon. Now, said he, servants of Jesu Christ, ye shall be
fed afore this table with sweet meats, that never knights tasted.
And when he had said, he vanished away; and they set them at
the table in great dread, and made their prayers.
Then looked they, and saw a man come out of the holy ves-
sel that had all the signs of the passion of Jesu Christ, bleeding
all openly, and said, My knights and my servants and my true
children, which be come out of deadly life into spiritual life, I
will now no longer hide me from you, but ye shall see now a
part of my secrets and of my hid things: now hold and receive
the high meat which ye have so much desired. Then took he
himself the holy vessel and came to Galahad, and he kneeled
down and there he received his Savior, and after him so received
all his fellows; and they thought it so sweet that it was mar-
velous to tell. Then said he to Galahad, Son, wotest thou what
I hold betwixt my hands? Nay, said he, but if ye will tell me.
This is, said he, the holy dish wherein I ate the lamb on Sher-
thursday. And now hast thou seen that thou most desiredst to
see, but yet hast thou not seen it so openly as thou shalt see
it in the City of Sarras, in the Spiritual Place. Therefore thou
must go hence, and bear with thee this holy vessel, for this
night it shall depart from the realm of Logris, that it shall never
be seen
more here; and wotest thou wherefore? for he is not
served nor worshiped to his right by them of this land, for
they be turned to evil living; therefore I shall disherit them of
the honor which I have done them. And therefore go ye three
to-morrow unto the sea, where ye shall find your ship ready, and
with you take the sword with the strange girdles, and no more
with you but Sir Percivale and Sir Bors. Also I will that ye
take with you of the blood of this spear, for to anoint the
maimed king, both his legs and all his body, and he shall have
his health. Sir, said Galahad, why shall not these other fellows
go with us? For this cause, for right as I departed mine apos-
tles, one here and another there, so I will that ye depart. And
two of you shall die in my service, but one of you shall come
―――
## p. 7536 (#342) ###########################################
7536
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
again, and tell tidings.
vanished away.
Then gave he them his blessing and
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 a
whole man, and thanked our Lord that he had healed him. And
that was not the world-ward, for anon he yield 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 chieftains, 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's son, and the other two were great gentlemen. Then
prayed Galahad to every each of them, that if they come to
King Arthur's court, that they should salute my lord Sir Launce-
lot my father, and of them 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 tofore. 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 Sanc-
greal, 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 Sancgreal, 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
## p. 7537 (#343) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7537
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 tofore, 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 bad 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. Then ran 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 marvelous 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 Sancgreal, and the power which that God had
set 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.
But as soon as they were there, our Lord sent them the Sanc-
greal, through whose grace they were always fulfilled while that
they were in prison. So at the year's end it befell that this
King Estorause lay sick, and felt that he should die. Then he
sent for the three knights, and they came afore him, and he cried
them mercy of that he had done to them, and they forgave it
him goodly, and he died anon. When the king was dead, all the
city was dismayed, and wist not who might be their king. Right
so as they were in counsel, there came a voice among them, and
bad them choose the youngest knight of them three to be their
king, for he shall well maintain you and all yours.
So they
made Galahad king by all the assent of the whole city, and else
XIII-472
## p. 7538 (#344) ###########################################
7538
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
hey would have slain him. And when he was come to behold
the land, he let make about the table of silver a chest of gold
and of precious stones that covered the holy vessel, and every
day early the three fellows would come afore it and make their
prayers. Now at the year's end, and the self day after Galahad
had borne the crown of gold, he arose up early, and his fellows,
and came to the palace, and saw tofore them the holy vessel,
and a man kneeling on his knees, in likeness of a bishop, that
had about him a great fellowship of angels, as it had been Jesu
Christ himself. And then he arose and began a mass of Our
Lady. And when he came to the sacrament of the mass, and
had done, anon he called Galahad, and said to him, Come forth,
the servant of Jesu Christ, and thou shalt see that thou hast
much desired to see. And then he began to tremble right hard,
when the deadly flesh began to behold the spiritual things. Then
he held up his hands toward heaven, and said, Lord, I thank
thee, for now I see that that hath been my desire many a day.
Now, blessed Lord, would I not longer live, if it might please
thee, Lord. And therewith the good man took our Lord's body
betwixt his hands, and proffered it to Galahad, and he received
it right gladly and meekly. Now, wotest thou what I am? said
the good man. Nay, said Galahad. -I am Joseph of Arimathie,
which our Lord hath sent here to thee to bear thee fellowship.
And wotest thou wherefore that he hath sent me more than any
other? For thou hast resembled me in two things, in that thou
hast seen the marvels of the Sancgreal, and in that thou hast
been a clean maiden, as I have been and am. And when he had
said these words, Galahad went to Percivale and kissed him, and
commanded him to God. And so he went to Sir Bors and kissed
him, and commanded him to God, and said, Fair lord, salute me
to my lord Sir Launcelot, my father, and as soon as ye see him
bid him remember of this unstable world. And therewith he
kneeled down tofore the table and made his prayers, and then
suddenly his soul departed to Jesu Christ, and a great multitude
of angels bare his soul up to heaven, that the two fellows might
well behold it. Also the two fellows saw come from heaven an
hand, but they saw not the body; and then it came right to the
vessel, and took it and the spear, and so bare it up to heaven.
Sithen was there never man so hardy to say that he had seen
the Sancgreal.
## p. 7539 (#345) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
KING ARTHUR ADDRESSES THE GRAIL-SEEKERS
From The Quest of the Sangreal,' by Robert Stephen Hawker
THE
HERE stood the knights! stately, and stern, and tall:
Tristan; and Perceval; Sir Galahad;
And he, the sad Sir Lancelot of the lay:
Ah me! that logan of the rocky hills,
Pillared in storm, calm in the rush of war,
Shook at the light touch of his lady's hand!
See where they move, a battle-shouldering kind!
Massive in mold, but graceful; thorough men;
Built in the mystic measure of the Cross:
Their lifted arms the transome; and their bulk
The Tree where Jesu stately stood to die!
Thence came their mastery in the field of war:
Ha! one might drive battalions — one alone!
See now, they pause; for in their midst, the King!
Arthur, the Son of Uter and the Night.
Helmed with Pendragon; with the crested crown;
And belted with the sheathed Excalibur,
That gnashed his iron teeth and yearned for war!
Stern was that look-high natures seldom smile;
And in those pulses beat a thousand kings.
A glance! and they were hushed; a lifted hand,
And his eye ruled them like a throne of light!
Then, with a voice that rang along the moor,-
Like the Archangel's trumpet for the dead,
He spake, while Tamar sounded to the sea:---
"Comrades in arms! mates of the Table Round!
Fair Sirs, my fellows in the bannered ring,-
Ours is a lofty tryst! this day we meet,
Not under shield, with scarf and knightly gage,
To quench our thirst of love in ladies' eyes;
We shall not mount to-day that goodly throne,
The conscious steed, with thunder in his loins,
To launch along the field the arrowy spear:
Nay, but a holier theme, a mightier quest. -
'Ho! for the Sangraal, vanished vase of God! '
"Ye know that in old days, that yellow Jew,
Accursed Herod; and the earth-wide judge,
Pilate the Roman, doomster for all lands,-
Or else the Judgment had not been for all,—
Bound Jesu-Master to the world's tall tree,
Slowly to die.
-
―
7539
-
## p. 7540 (#346) ###########################################
7540
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
"Ha! Sirs, had we been there,
They durst not have assayed their felon deed,—
Excalibur had cleft them to the spine!
Slowly He died, a world in every pang,
Until the hard centurion's cruel spear
Smote His high heart; and from that severed side
Rushed the red stream that quenched the wrath of Heaven!
"Then came Sir Joseph, hight of Arimethée,
Bearing that awful vase, the Sangraal!
The vessel of the Pasch, Shere Thursday night;
The selfsame Cup, wherein the faithful Wine
Heard God, and was obedient unto Blood!
Therewith he knelt and gathered blessèd drops
From his dear Master's Side that sadly fell,
The ruddy dews from the great tree of life:
Sweet Lord! what treasures! like the priceless gems
Hid in the tawny casket of a king,-
A ransom for an army, one by one!
That wealth he cherished long; his very soul
Around his ark; bent as before a shrine!
"He dwelt in Orient Syria: God's own land;
The ladder foot of heaven - where shadowy shapes
In white apparel glided up and down!
His home was like a garner, full of corn
And wine and oil; a granary of God!
Young men, that no one knew, went in and out,
With a far look in their eternal eyes!
All things were strange and rare: the Sangraal,
As though it clung to some ethereal chain,
Brought down high Heaven to earth at Arimethée!
"He lived long centuries! and prophesied.
A girded pilgrim ever and anon;
Cross-staff in hand, and folded at his side
The mystic marvel of the feast of blood!
Once, in old time, he stood in this dear land,
Enthralled: for lo! a sign! his grounded staff
Took root, and branched, and bloomed, like Aaron's rod;
Thence came the shrine, the cell; therefore he dwelt,
The vassal of the vase, at Avalon!
"This could not last, for evil days came on,
And evil men: the garbage of their sin
Tainted this land, and all things holy fled.
The Sangraal was not: on a summer eve,
The silence of the sky brake up in sound!
## p. 7541 (#347) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
The tree of Joseph glowed with ruddy light:
A harmless fire, curved like a molten vase,
Around the bush, and from the midst a voice,
Thus hewn by Merlin on a runic stone:
[Cabalistic sentence. ]
-
"Then said the shuddering seer- - he heard and knew
The unutterable words that glide in Heaven,
Without a breath or tongue, from soul to soul:-
«‹The land is lonely now; Anathema:
The link that bound it to the silent grasp
Of thrilling worlds is gathered up and gone:
The glory is departed; and the disk
So full of radiance from the touch of God-
This orb is darkened to the distant watch
Of Saturn and his reapers, when they pause,
Amid their sheaves, to count the nightly stars.
"All gone! but not forever: on a day
There shall arise a king from Keltic loins,
Of mystic birth and name, tender and true;
His vassals shall be noble, to a man:
Knights strong in battle till the war is won;
Then while the land is hushed on Tamar side,
So that the warder upon Carradon
Shall hear at once the river and the sea,
That king shall call a Quest; a kindling cry:
"Ho! for the Sangraal! vanished vase of God! "
"Yea! and it shall be won! a chosen knight,
The ninth from Joseph in the line of blood,
Clean as a maid from guile and fleshly sin.
He with the shield of Sarras; and the lance,
Ruddy and moistened with a freshening stain,
As from a severed wound of yesterday —
He shall achieve the Graal: he alone! ?
"Thus wrote Bard Merlin on the runic hide
Of a slain deer; rolled in an aumery chest.
"And now, fair Sirs, your voices: who will gird
His belt for travel in the perilous ways?
This thing must be fulfilled: in vain our land
Of noble name, high deed, and famous men,
Vain the proud homage of our thrall the sea,
If we be shorn of God; -ah! loathsome shame!
To hurl in battle for the pride of arms;
-
-
7541
To ride in native tourney, foreign war;
To count the stars; to ponder pictured runes,
## p. 7542 (#348) ###########################################
7542
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
And grasp great knowledge, as the demons do,—
If we be shorn of God; we must assay
The myth and meaning of this marvelous bowl;
It shall be sought and found. "
-
Thus said the King.
SIR PERCIVALE'S TALE TO AMBROSIUS
From Tennyson's 'Idylls of the King'
"THE
HE sweet vision of the Holy Grail
Drove me from all vainglories, rivalries,
And earthly heats that spring and sparkle out
Among us in the jousts, while women watch
Who wins, who falls; and waste the spiritual strength
Within us, better offered up to Heaven. "
To whom the monk:-"The Holy Grail! —I trust
We are green in Heaven's eyes; but here too much
We molder, as to things without, I mean:
Yet one of your own knights, a guest of ours,
Told us of this in our refectory,
But spake with such a sadness and so low
We heard not half of what he said. What is it?
The phantom of a cup that comes and goes? "
"Nay, monk! what phantom? " answered Percivale.
"The cup, the cup itself, from which our Lord
Drank at the last sad supper with his own.
This, from the blessed land of Aromat-
After the day of darkness, when the dead
Went wandering o'er Moriah -the good saint
Arimathean Joseph, journeying brought
To Glastonbury, where the winter thorn
Blossoms at Christmas, mindful of our Lord.
And there awhile it bode; and if a man
Could touch or see it, he was healed at once,
By faith, of all his ills. But then the times
Grew to such evil that the holy cup
Was caught away to Heaven and disappeared. "
To whom the monk: "From our old books I know
--
That Joseph came of old to Glastonbury,
And there the heathen Prince Arviragus
Gave him an isle of marsh whereon to build;
And there he built with wattles from the marsh
A little lonely church in days of yore;
For so they say, these books of ours but seem
## p. 7543 (#349) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7543
Mute of this miracle, far as I have read.
But who first saw the holy thing to-day ? »
"A woman," answered Percivale, "a nun,
And one no further off in blood from me
Than sister: and if ever holy maid
With knees of adoration wore the stone,
A holy maid; tho' never maiden glowed,
But that was in her earlier maidenhood,
With such a fervent flame of human love,
Which being rudely blunted, glanced and shot
Only to holy things; to prayer and praise
She gave herself, to fast and alms.
And yet,
Nun as she was, the scandal of the court,
Sin against Arthur and the Table Round,
And the strange sound of an adulterous race,
Across the iron grating of her cell
Beat, and she prayed and fasted all the more.
And so she prayed and fasted, till the sun
Shone, and the wind blew thro' her, and I thought
She might have risen and floated when I saw her.
"For on a day she sent to speak with me.
And when she came to speak, behold her eyes
Beyond my knowing of them, beautiful,
Beyond all knowing of them, wonderful,
Beautiful in the light of holiness.
And 'O my brother Percivale,' she said,
'Sweet brother, I have seen the Holy Grail:
For waked at dead of night, I heard a sound
As of a silver horn from o'er the hills
Blown, and I thought, "It not Arthur's use
To hunt by moonlight;" and the slender sound
As from a distance beyond distance grew
Coming upon me - oh never harp nor horn,
Nor aught we blow with breath, or touch with hand,
Was like that music as it came; and then
Streamed thro' my cell a cold and silver beam,
And down the long beam stole the Holy Grail,
Rose-red with beatings in it, as if alive,
Till all the white walls of my cell were dyed
With rosy colors leaping on the wall;
And then the music faded, and the Grail
Past, and the beam decayed, and from the walls
The rosy quiverings died into the night.
So now the Holy Thing is here again
## p. 7544 (#350) ###########################################
7544
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
Among us, brother, fast thou too and pray,
And tell thy brother knights to fast and pray,
That so perchance the vision may be seen
By thee and those, and all the world be healed. '
"Then leaving the pale nun, I spake of this
To all men; and myself fasted and prayed
Always, and many among us many a week
Fasted and prayed even to the uttermost,
Expectant of the wonder that would be.
"Then on a summer night came to pass,
While the great banquet lay along the hall,
That Galahad would sit down in Merlin's chair.
"And all at once, as there we sat, we heard
A cracking and a riving of the roofs,
And rending! and a blast, and overhead
Thunder, and in the thunder was a cry.
And in the blast there smote along the hall
A beam of light seven times more clear than day;
And down the long beam stole the Holy Grail
All over covered with a luminous cloud,
And none might see who bare it, and it past.
But every knight beheld his fellow's face
As in a glory, and all the knights arose,
And staring each at other like dumb men
Stood, till I found a voice and sware a vow.
"I sware a vow before them all, that I,
Because I had not seen the Grail, would ride
A twelvemonth and a day in quest of it,
Until I found and saw it, as the nun
My sister saw it; and Galahad sware the vow,
And good Sir Bors, our Lancelot's cousin, sware,
And Lancelot sware, and many among the knights,
And Gawain sware, and louder than the rest. ”
SIR LANCELOT'S TALE
From Tennyson's 'Idylls of the King'
"THOU
HOU too, my Lancelot,' asked the King, 'my friend,
Our mightiest, hath this Quest availed for thee? '
"Our mightiest! ' answered Lancelot, with a groan;
'O King! ' and when he paused, methought I spied
A dying fire of madness in his eyes—
## p. 7545 (#351) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
'O King, my friend, if friend of thine I be,
Happier are those that welter in their sin,
Swine in the mud, that cannot see for slime,
Slime of the ditch: but in me lived a sin
So strange, of such a kind, that all of pure,
Noble, and knightly in me twined and clung
Round that one sin, until the wholesome flower
And poisonous grew together, each as each,
Not to be plucked asunder; and when thy knights
Sware, I sware with them only in the hope
That could I touch or see the Holy Grail
They might be plucked asunder. Then I spake
To one most holy saint, who wept and said
That save they could be plucked asunder, all
My quest were but in vain; to whom I vowed
That I would work according as he willed.
And forth I went, and while I yearned and strove
To tear the twain asunder in my heart,
My madness came upon me as of old,
And whipt me into waste fields far away;
There was I beaten down by little men,
Mean knights, to whom the moving of my sword
And shadow of my spear had been enow
To scare them from me once; and then I came
All in my folly to the naked shore,
Wide flats, where nothing but coarse grasses grew;
But such a blast, my King, began to blow,
So loud a blast along the shore and sea,
Ye could not hear the waters for the blast,
Tho' heapt in mounds and ridges all the sea
Drove like a cataract, and all the sand
Swept like a river, and the clouded heavens
Were shaken with the motion and the sound.
And blackening in the sea-foam swayed a boat,
Half-swallowed in it, anchored with a chain;
And in my madness to myself I said,
"I will embark and I will lose myself,
And in the great sea wash away my sin. "
I burst the chain, I sprang into the boat.
Seven days I drove along the dreary deep,
And with me drove the moon and all the stars;
And the wind fell, and on the seventh night
I heard the shingle grinding in the surge,
And felt the boat shock earth, and looking up,
7545
## p. 7546 (#352) ###########################################
7546
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
Behold, the enchanted towers of Carbonek,
A castle like a rock upon a rock,
With chasm-like portals open to the sea,
And steps that met the breaker! there was none
Stood near it but a lion on each side
That kept the entry, and the moon was full.
Then from the boat I leapt, and up the stairs.
There drew my sword. With sudden-flaring manes
Those two great beasts rose upright like a man;
Each gript a shoulder, and I stood between;
And when I would have smitten them, heard a voice,
'Doubt not, go forward; if thou doubt, the beasts
Will tear thee piecemeal. ' Then with violence
The sword was dashed from out my hand, and fell.
And up into the sounding hall I past:
But nothing in the sounding hall I saw,
No bench nor table, painting on the wall
Or shield of knight; only the rounded moon
Thro' the tall oriel on the rolling sea.
But always in the quiet house I heard,
Clear as a lark, high o'er me as a lark,
A sweet voice singing in the topmost tower
To the eastward; up I climbed a thousand steps
With pain; as in a dream I seemed to climb
For ever: at the last I reached a door;
A light was in the crannies, and I heard,
'Glory and joy and honor to our Lord
And to the Holy Vessel of the Grail. '
Then in my madness I essayed the door;
It gave; and thro' a stormy glare, a heat
As from a seven times heated furnace, I,
Blasted and burnt and blinded as I was,
With such a fierceness that I swooned away—
Oh yet methought I saw the Holy Grail,
All palled in crimson samite, and around
Great angels, awful shapes, and wings and eyes.
And but for all my madness and my sin,
And then my swooning, I had sworn I saw
That which I saw: but what I saw was veiled
And covered; and this Quest was not for me. "
So speaking, and here ceasing, Lancelot left
The hall long silent.
## p. 7547 (#353) ###########################################
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL
7547
SIR GALAHAD ACHIEVES THE GRAIL-QUEST
From Tennyson's Idylls of the King'
HEN the hermit made an end,
"W"
In silver armor suddenly Galahad shone
Before us, and against the chapel door
Laid lance, and entered, and we knelt in prayer.
And there the hermit slaked my burning thirst,
And at the sacring of the mass I saw
The holy elements alone; but he-
'Saw ye no more? I, Galahad, saw the Grail,
The Holy Grail, descend upon the shrine,
I saw the fiery face as of a child
That smote itself into the bread, and went;
And hither am I come; and never yet
Hath what thy sister taught me first to see,
This Holy Thing, failed from my side, nor come
Covered, but moving with me night and day,
Fainter by day, but always in the night
Blood-red, and sliding down the blackened marsh
Blood-red, and on the naked mountain top
Blood-red, and in the sleeping mere below
Blood-red. And in the strength of this I rode,
Shattering all evil customs everywhere,
And past thro' pagan realms, and made them mine,
And clashed with pagan hordes, and bore them down,
And broke thro' all, and in the strength of this
Come victor. But my time is hard at hand,
And hence I go; and one will crown me king
Far in the spiritual city; and come thou, too,
For thou shalt see the vision when I go. '
"While thus he spake, his eye, dwelling on mine,
Drew me, with power upon me, till I grew
One with him, to believe as he believed.
Then, when the day began to wane, we went.
"There rose a hill that none but man could climb,
Scarred with a hundred wintry water-courses
Storm at the top, and when we gained it, storm
Round us and death: for every moment glanced
His silver arms and gloomed; so quick and thick
The lightnings here and there to left and right
Struck, till the dry old trunks about us, dead,
Yea.
