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
Sir Percivale made a letter of all that she had holpen them as in
strange adventures, and put it in her right hand, and so laid her in a
barge, and covered it with black silk; and so the wind arose, and
drove the barge from the land, and all knights beheld it till it was
out of their sight. Then they drew all to the castle, and so forthwith
there fell a sudden tempest and a thunder, lightning, and rain, as all
the earth would have broken. So half the castle turned up so down. So
it passed evensong or the tempest was ceased. Then they saw afore them
a knight armed and wounded hard in the body and in the head, that
said: O God, succour me for now it is need. After this knight came
another knight and a dwarf, which cried to them afar: Stand, ye may
not escape. Then the wounded knight held up his hands to God that he
should not die in such tribulation. Truly, said Galahad, I shall
succour him for His sake that he calleth upon. Sir, said Bors, I shall
do it, for it is not for you, for he is but one knight. Sir, said he,
I grant. So Sir Bors took his horse, and commended him to God, and
rode after, to rescue the wounded knight. Now turn we to the two
fellows.
CHAPTER XII
HOW GALAHAD AND PERCIVALE FOUND IN A CASTLE MANY TOMBS OF MAIDENS THAT
HAD BLED TO DEATH
Now saith the story that all night Galahad and Percivale were in a
chapel in their prayers, for to save Sir Bors. So on the morrow they
dressed them in their harness toward the castle, to wit what was
fallen of them therein. And when they came there they found neither
man nor woman that he ne was dead by the vengeance of Our Lord. With
that they heard a voice that said: This vengeance is for blood
shedding of maidens. Also they found at the end of the chapel a
churchyard and therein might they see a three score fair tombs, and
that place was so fair and so delectable that it seemed them there had
been none tempest, for there lay the bodies of all the good maidens
which were martyred for the sick lady's sake. Also they found the
names of every each, and of what blood they were come, and all were of
kings' blood, and twelve of them were kings' daughters. Then they
departed and went into a forest. Now, said Percivale unto Galahad, we
must depart, so pray we Our Lord that we may meet together in short
time: then they did off their helms and kissed together, and wept at
their departing.
CHAPTER XIII
HOW SIR LAUNCELOT ENTERED INTO THE SHIP WHERE SIR PERCIVALE'S SISTER
LAY DEAD, AND HOW HE MET WITH SIR GALAHAD, HIS SON
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