=Gadshill=, a companion of Sir John Falstaff. This thief receives his name from a place called Gadshill, on the Kentish road, notorious for the many robberies committed there.—Shakespeare, 1 _Henry IV._ act ii. sc. 4 (1597). =Ga´heris= (_Sir_), son of Lot (king of Orkney) and Morgause (King Arthur’s sister). Being taken captive by Sir Turquine, he was liberated by Sir Launcelot du Lac. One night, Sir Gaheris caught his mother in adultery with Sir Lamorake, and, holding her by the hair, struck off her head. =Gaiour= [_Djow.´r_], emperor of China, and father, of Badour´a (the “most beautiful woman ever seen upon earth”). Badoura married Camaral´zaman, the most beautiful of men.—_Arabian Nights_ (“Camaralzaman and Badoura”). (See GIAOUR). =Gal´ahad= (_Sir_), the chaste son of Sir Launcelot and the fair Elaine (King Pelles’s daughter, pt. iii. 2), and thus was fulfilled a prophecy that she should become the mother of the noblest knight that was ever born. Queen Guenevere says that Sir Launcelot “came of the eighth degree from our Saviour, and Sir Galahad is of the ninth ... and, therefore, be they the greatest gentlemen of all the world” (pt. iii. 35). His sword was that which Sir Balin released from the maiden’s scabbard (see BALIN), and his shield belonged to King Euelake [_Evelake_], who received it from Joseph of Arimathy. It was a snow-white shield, on which Joseph had made a cross with his blood (pt. iii. 39). After divers adventures, Sir Galahad came to Sarras, where he was made king, was shown the sangraal by Joseph of Arimathy, and “took the Lord’s body between his hands,” and died. Then suddenly “a great multitude of angels bear his soul up to heaven,” and “sithence was never no man that could say he had seen the sangraal” (pt. iii. 103). Sir Galahad was the only knight who could sit in the “Siege Perilous,” a seat in the Round Table reserved for the knight destined to achieve the quest of the holy graal, and no other person could sit in it without peril of his life (pt. iii. 32). He also drew from the iron and marble rock the sword which no other knight could release (pt. iii. 33). His great achievement was that of the Holy Graal. Sometimes on lonely mountain-meres I find a magic bark; I leap on board: no helmsman steers I float till all is dark. A gentle sound, an awful light! Three angels bear the holy Grail With folded feet, in stoles of white On sleeping wings they sail. Ah, blessed vision! blood of God! My spirit beats her mortal bars, As down dark tides the glory slides And star-like mingles with the stars. Tennyson, _Sir Galahad_.