Chapter Chapter 383 · How Sir Percivale for penance rove himself through the

. How Sir Percivale for penance rove himself through the

thigh; and how she was known for the devil.

Fair sweet Father, Jesu Christ, ne let me not be shamed, the which was

nigh lost had not thy good grace been. And then he looked into a ship,

and saw her enter therein, which said: Sir Percivale, ye have betrayed

me. And so she went with the wind roaring and yelling, that it seemed

all the water brent after her. Then Sir Percivale made great sorrow,

and drew his sword unto him, saying: Sithen my flesh will be my master

I shall punish it; and therewith he rove himself through the thigh that

the blood stert about him, and said: O good Lord, take this in

recompensation of that I have done against thee, my Lord. So then he

clothed him and armed him, and called himself a wretch, saying: How

nigh was I lost, and to have lost that I should never have gotten

again, that was my virginity, for that may never be recovered after it

is once lost. And then he stopped his bleeding wound with a piece of

his shirt.

Thus as he made his moan he saw the same ship come from Orient that the

good man was in the day afore, and the noble knight was ashamed with

himself, and therewith he fell in a swoon. And when he awoke he went

unto him weakly, and there he saluted this good man. And then he asked

Sir Percivale: How hast thou done sith I departed? Sir, said he, here

was a gentlewoman and led me into deadly sin. And there he told him

altogether. Knew ye not the maid? said the good man. Sir, said he, nay,

but well I wot the fiend sent her hither to shame me. O good knight,

said he, thou art a fool, for that gentlewoman was the master fiend of

hell, the which hath power above all devils, and that was the old lady

that thou sawest in thine advision riding on the serpent. Then he told

Sir Percivale how our Lord Jesu Christ beat him out of heaven for his

sin, the which was the most brightest angel of heaven, and therefore he

lost his heritage. And that was the champion that thou foughtest

withal, the which had overcome thee had not the grace of God been. Now

beware Sir Percivale, and take this for an ensample. And then the good

man vanished away. Then Sir Percivale took his arms, and entered into

the ship, and so departed from thence.

_Here endeth the fourteenth book, which is of Sir Percivale. And here

followeth of Sir Launcelot, which is the fifteenth book._

BOOK XV.