And as soon as it was day the king arose, for he had no rest of all
that night for sorrow. Then he went unto Gawaine and to Sir Launcelot
that were arisen for to hear mass. And then the king again said: Ah
Gawaine, Gawaine, ye have betrayed me; for never shall my court be
amended by you, but ye will never be sorry for me as I am for you. And
therewith the tears began to run down by his visage. And therewith the
king said: Ah, knight Sir Launcelot, I require thee thou counsel me,
for I would that this quest were undone, an it might be Sir, said Sir
Launcelot, ye saw yesterday so many worthy knights that then were sworn
that they may not leave it in no manner of wise. That wot I well, said
the king, but it shall so heavy me at their departing that I wot well
there shall no manner of joy remedy me. And then the king and the queen
went unto the minster. So anon Launcelot and Gawaine commanded their
men to bring their arms. And when they all were armed save their
shields and their helms, then they came to their fellowship, which were
all ready in the same wise, for to go to the minster to hear their
service.
Then after the service was done the king would wit how many had
undertaken the quest of the Holy Grail; and to accompt them he prayed
them all. Then found they by the tale an hundred and fifty, and all
were knights of the Round Table. And then they put on their helms and
departed, and recommended them all wholly unto the queen; and there was
weeping and great sorrow. Then the queen departed into her chamber and
held her, so that no man should perceive her great sorrows. When Sir
Launcelot missed the queen he went till her chamber, and when she saw
him she cried aloud: O Launcelot, Launcelot, ye have betrayed me and
put me to the death, for to leave thus my lord. Ah, madam, I pray you
be not displeased, for I shall come again as soon as I may with my
worship. Alas, said she, that ever I saw you; but he that suffered upon
the cross for all mankind, he be unto you good conduct and safety, and
all the whole fellowship.
Right so departed Sir Launcelot, and found his fellowship that abode
his coming. And so they mounted upon their horses and rode through the
streets of Camelot; and there was weeping of rich and poor, and the
king turned away and might not speak for weeping. So within a while
they came to a city, and a castle that hight Vagon. There they entered
into the castle, and the lord of that castle was an old man that hight
Vagon, and he was a good man of his living, and set open the gates, and
made them all the cheer that he might. And so on the morn they were all
accorded that they should depart everych from other; and on the morn
they departed with weeping cheer, and every knight took the way that
him liked best.
CHAPTER IX. How Galahad gat him a shield, and how they sped that
presumed to take down the said shield.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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