Chronicle and Romance: Froissart, Malory, Holinshed: (The Harvard Classics Series)
History
Chronicle and Romance: Froissart, Malory, Holinshed: (The Harvard Classics Series)
England -- Social life and customs -- 16th century; Great Britain -- History -- Edward III, 1327-1377
Then Sir Launcelot asked her where
he might be harboured that night. Ye shall not find this day nor
night, but tomorn ye shall find harbour good, and ease of that ye be
in doubt of. And then he commended her unto God. Then he rode till
that he came to a Cross, and took that for his host as for that night.
CHAPTER III
OF A VISION THAT SIR LAUNCELOT HAD, AND HOW HE TOLD IT TO AN HERMIT,
AND DESIRED COUNSEL OF HIM
And so he put his horse to pasture, and did off his helm and his
shield, and made his prayers unto the Cross that he never fall in
deadly sin again. And so he laid him down to sleep. And anon as he was
on sleep it befell him there an advision, that there came a man afore
him all by compass of stars, and that man had a crown of gold on his
head, and that man led in his fellowship seven kings and two knights.
And all these worshipped the Cross, kneeling upon their knees, holding
up their hands toward the heaven. And all they said: Fair sweet Father
of heaven, come and visit us, and yield unto us every each as we have
deserved. Then looked Launcelot up to the heaven, and him seemed the
clouds did open, and an old man came down, with a company of angels,
and alit among them, and gave unto every each his blessing, and called
them his servants, and good and true knights. And when this old man
had said thus he came to one of those knights, and said: I have lost
all that I have set in thee, for thou hast ruled thee against me as a
warrior, and used wrong wars with vain glory, more for the pleasure of
the world than to please me, therefore thou shalt be confounded
without thou yield me my treasure. All this advision saw Sir Launcelot
at the Cross. And on the morn he took his horse and rode till midday;
and there by adventure he met with the same knight that took his
horse, helm, and his sword, when he slept when the Sangreal appeared
afore the Cross. When Sir Launcelot saw him he saluted him not fair,
but cried on high: Knight, keep thee, for thou hast done to me great
unkindness. And then they put afore them their spears, and Sir
Launcelot came so fiercely upon him that he smote him and his horse
down to the earth, that he had nigh broken his neck. Then Sir
Launcelot took the knight's horse that was his own aforehand, and
descended from the horse he sat upon, and mounted upon his own horse,
and tied the knight's own horse to a tree that he might find that
horse when that he was arisen. Then Sir Launcelot rode till night and
by adventure he met an hermit, and each of them saluted other; and
there he rested with that good man all night, and gave his horse such
as he might get. Then said the good man unto Launcelot: Of whence be
ye? Sir, said he, I am of Arthur's court, and my name is Sir Launcelot
du Lake that am in the quest of the Sangreal, and therefore I pray you
to counsel me of a vision the which I had at the Cross. And so he told
him all.
CHAPTER IV
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