Bab Bab 408 · How Sir Galahad rode with a damosel, and came to the ship

. How Sir Galahad rode with a damosel, and came to the ship

whereas Sir Bors and Sir Percivale were in.

So she rode as fast as her palfrey might bear her, till that she came

to the sea, the which was called Collibe. And at the night they came

unto a castle in a valley, closed with a running water, and with strong

walls and high; and so she entered into the castle with Galahad, and

there had he great cheer, for the lady of that castle was the damosel’s

lady. So when he was unarmed, then said the damosel: Madam, shall we

abide here all this day? Nay, said she, but till he hath dined and till

he hath slept a little. So he ate and slept a while till that the maid

called him, and armed him by torchlight. And when the maid was horsed

and he both, the lady took Galahad a fair child and rich; and so they

departed from the castle till they came to the seaside; and there they

found the ship where Bors and Percivale were in, the which cried on the

ship’s board: Sir Galahad, ye be welcome, we have abiden you long. And

when he heard them he asked them what they were. Sir, said she, leave

your horse here, and I shall leave mine; and took their saddles and

their bridles with them, and made a cross on them, and so entered into

the ship. And the two knights received them both with great joy, and

everych knew other; and so the wind arose, and drove them through the

sea in a marvellous pace. And within a while it dawned.

Then did Galahad off his helm and his sword, and asked of his fellows

from whence came that fair ship. Truly, said they, ye wot as well as

we, but of God’s grace; and then they told everych to other of all

their hard adventures, and of their great temptations. Truly, said

Galahad, ye are much bounden to God, for ye have escaped great

adventures; and had not the gentlewoman been I had not come here, for

as for you I weened never to have found you in these strange countries.

Ah Galahad, said Bors, if Launcelot, your father, were here then were

we well at ease, for then meseemed we failed nothing. That may not be,

said Galahad, but if it pleased Our Lord.

By then the ship went from the land of Logris, and by adventure it

arrived up betwixt two rocks passing great and marvellous; but there

they might not land, for there was a swallow of the sea, save there was

another ship, and upon it they might go without danger. Go we thither,

said the gentlewoman, and there shall we see adventures, for so is Our

Lord’s will. And when they came thither they found the ship rich

enough, but they found neither man nor woman therein. But they found in

the end of the ship two fair letters written, which said a dreadful

word and a marvellous: Thou man, which shall enter into this ship,

beware thou be in steadfast belief, for I am Faith, and therefore

beware how thou enterest, for an thou fail I shall not help thee. Then

said the gentlewoman: Percivale, wot ye what I am? Certes, said he,

nay, to my witting. Wit ye well, said she, that I am thy sister, which

am daughter of King Pellinore, and therefore wit ye well ye are the man

in the world that I most love; and if ye be not in perfect belief of

Jesu Christ enter not in no manner of wise, for then should ye perish

the ship, for he is so perfect he will suffer no sinner in him. When

Percivale understood that she was his very sister he was inwardly glad,

and said: Fair sister, I shall enter therein, for if I be a miscreature

or an untrue knight there shall I perish.