الفصل الفصل 380 · Of the vision that Sir Percivale saw, and how his vision

. Of the vision that Sir Percivale saw, and how his vision

was expounded, and of his lion.

Then came forth the other lady that rode upon the serpent, and she

said: Sir Percivale, I complain me of you that ye have done unto me,

and have not offended unto you. Certes, madam, he said, unto you nor no

lady I never offended. Yes, said she, I shall tell you why. I have

nourished in this place a great while a serpent, which served me a

great while, and yesterday ye slew him as he gat his prey. Say me for

what cause ye slew him, for the lion was not yours. Madam, said Sir

Percivale, I know well the lion was not mine, but I did it for the lion

is of more gentler nature than the serpent, and therefore I slew him;

meseemeth I did not amiss against you. Madam, said he, what would ye

that I did? I would, said she, for the amends of my beast that ye

become my man. And then he answered: That will I not grant you. No,

said she, truly ye were never but my servant sin ye received the homage

of Our Lord Jesu Christ. Therefore, I ensure you in what place I may

find you without keeping I shall take you, as he that sometime was my

man. And so she departed from Sir Percivale and left him sleeping, the

which was sore travailed of his advision. And on the morn he arose and

blessed him, and he was passing feeble.

Then was Sir Percivale ware in the sea, and saw a ship come sailing

toward him; and Sir Percivale went unto the ship and found it covered

within and without with white samite. And at the board stood an old man

clothed in a surplice, in likeness of a priest. Sir, said Sir

Percivale, ye be welcome. God keep you, said the good man. Sir, said

the old man, of whence be ye? Sir, said Sir Percivale, I am of King

Arthur’s court, and a knight of the Table Round, the which am in the

quest of the Sangreal; and here am I in great duresse, and never like

to escape out of this wilderness. Doubt not, said the good man, an ye

be so true a knight as the order of chivalry requireth, and of heart as

ye ought to be, ye should not doubt that none enemy should slay you.

What are ye? said Sir Percivale. Sir, said the old man, I am of a

strange country, and hither I come to comfort you.

Sir, said Sir Percivale, what signifieth my dream that I dreamed this

night? And there he told him altogether: She which rode upon the lion

betokeneth the new law of holy church, that is to understand, faith,

good hope, belief, and baptism. For she seemed younger than the other

it is great reason, for she was born in the resurrection and the

passion of Our Lord Jesu Christ. And for great love she came to thee to

warn thee of thy great battle that shall befall thee. With whom, said

Sir Percivale, shall I fight? With the most champion of the world, said

the old man; for as the lady said, but if thou quit thee well thou

shalt not be quit by losing of one member, but thou shalt be shamed to

the world’s end. And she that rode on the serpent signifieth the old

law, and that serpent betokeneth a fiend. And why she blamed thee that

thou slewest her servant, it betokeneth nothing; the serpent that thou

slewest betokeneth the devil that thou rodest upon to the rock. And

when thou madest a sign of the cross, there thou slewest him, and put

away his power. And when she asked thee amends and to become her man,

and thou saidst thou wouldst not, that was to make thee to believe on

her and leave thy baptism. So he commanded Sir Percivale to depart, and

so he leapt over the board and the ship, and all went away he wist not

whither. Then he went up unto the rock and found the lion which always

kept him fellowship, and he stroked him upon the back and had great joy

of him.