And so rode he into a forest, and there he met with a gentlewoman
riding upon a white palfrey, and then she asked him: Sir knight,
whither ride ye? Certes, damosel, said Launcelot, I wot not whither I
ride but as fortune leadeth me. Ah, Sir Launcelot, said she, I wot what
adventure ye seek, for ye were afore time nearer than ye be now, and
yet shall ye see it more openly than ever ye did, and that shall ye
understand in short time. Then Sir Launcelot asked her where he might
be harboured that night. Ye shall not find this day nor night, but
to-morn 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 an advision 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
asleep 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 everych 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 alighted
among them, and gave unto everych 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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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