Bab Bab 372 · How a voice spake to Sir Launcelot, and how he found his

. How a voice spake to Sir Launcelot, and how he found his

horse and his helm borne away, and after went afoot.

Then anon Sir Launcelot waked, and set him up, and bethought him what

he had seen there, and whether it were dreams or not. Right so heard he

a voice that said: Sir Launcelot, more harder than is the stone, and

more bitter than is the wood, and more naked and barer than is the leaf

of the fig tree; therefore go thou from hence, and withdraw thee from

this holy place. And when Sir Launcelot heard this he was passing heavy

and wist not what to do, and so departed sore weeping, and cursed the

time that he was born. For then he deemed never to have had worship

more. For those words went to his heart, till that he knew wherefore he

was called so. Then Sir Launcelot went to the cross and found his helm,

his sword, and his horse taken away. And then he called himself a very

wretch, and most unhappy of all knights; and there he said: My sin and

my wickedness have brought me unto great dishonour. For when I sought

worldly adventures for worldly desires, I ever enchieved them and had

the better in every place, and never was I discomfit in no quarrel,

were it right or wrong. And now I take upon me the adventures of holy

things, and now I see and understand that mine old sin hindereth me and

shameth me, so that I had no power to stir nor speak when the holy

blood appeared afore me. So thus he sorrowed till it was day, and heard

the fowls sing: then somewhat he was comforted. But when Sir Launcelot

missed his horse and his harness then he wist well God was displeased

with him.

Then he departed from the cross on foot into a forest; and so by prime

he came to an high hill, and found an hermitage and a hermit therein

which was going unto mass. And then Launcelot kneeled down and cried on

Our Lord mercy for his wicked works. So when mass was done Launcelot

called him, and prayed him for charity for to hear his life. With a

good will, said the good man. Sir, said he, be ye of King Arthur’s

court and of the fellowship of the Round Table? Yea forsooth, and my

name is Sir Launcelot du Lake that hath been right well said of, and

now my good fortune is changed, for I am the most wretch of the world.

The hermit beheld him and had marvel how he was so abashed. Sir, said

the hermit, ye ought to thank God more than any knight living, for He

hath caused you to have more worldly worship than any knight that now

liveth. And for your presumption to take upon you in deadly sin for to

be in His presence, where His flesh and His blood was, that caused you

ye might not see it with worldly eyes; for He will not appear where

such sinners be, but if it be unto their great hurt and unto their

great shame; and there is no knight living now that ought to give God

so great thank as ye, for He hath given you beauty, seemliness, and

great strength above all other knights; and therefore ye are the more

beholding unto God than any other man, to love Him and dread Him, for

your strength and manhood will little avail you an God be against you.