"In no wise," saith the messenger, "But you have I met, whereof am I
right glad at heart, for you have departed from the chapel as a thief
and a traitor. For you are carrying off thence the candlestick of gold
that was in honour of the knight that lieth in the chapel dead.
Wherefore I will that you yield it up to me and so will I carry it
back, otherwise, and you do not this, you do I defy!"
"By my faith," saith the squire, "Never will I yield it you! rather
will I carry it off and make a present thereof to King Arthur."
"By my faith," saith the other, "Right dearly shall you pay for it, and
you yield it not up forthwith."
Howbeit, the squire smiteth with his spurs and thinketh to pass him by,
but the other hasteth him, and smiteth the squire in the left side with
the knife and thrusteth it into his body up to the haft. The squire,
that lay in the hall at Cardoil, and had dreamed this, awoke and cried
in a loud voice: "Holy Mary! The priest! Help! Help, for I am a dead
man!"
The King and the Queen heard the cry, and the chamberlain leapt up and
said to the King: "sir, you may well be moving, for it is day!"
The King made him be clad and shod. And the squire crieth with such
strength as he hath: "Fetch me the priest, for I die!"
The King goeth thither as fast as he may, and the Queen and the
chamberlain carry great torches and candles. The King asketh him what
aileth him, and he telleth him all in such wise as he had dreamed it.
"Ha," saith the King, "Is it then a dream?"
"Yea, sir," saith he, "But a right foul dream it is for me, for right
foully hath it come true!" He lifted his left arm. "Sir," saith he,
"Look you there! Lo, here is the knife that was run into my side up to
the haft!" After that, he setteth his hand to his hose where the
candlestick was. He draweth it forth and showeth it to the King.
"Sir," saith he, "For this candlestick that I present to you, am I
wounded to the death!"
The King taketh the candlestick, and looketh thereat in wonderment for
none so rich had he never seen tofore. The King showeth it to the
Queen. "Sir," saith the squire, "Draw not forth the knife of my body
until that I be shriven."
The King sent for one of his own chaplains that made the squire confess
and do his houselling right well. The King himself draweth forth the
knife of the body, and the soul departed forthwith. The King made do
his service right richly and his shrouding and burial. Ywain li
Aoutres that was father to the squire was right sorrowful of the death
of his son. King Arthur, with the good will of Ywain his father, gave
the candlestick to S. Paul in London, for the church was newly founded,
and the King wished that this marvellous adventure should everywhere be
known, and that prayer should be made in the church for the soul of the
squire that was slain on account of the candlestick.
V.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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