"to a little gate. And as soon as he was within the church"yard, he saw, on the front of the chapell, many faire rich "shields turned upside downe, and many of the shields Sir "Launcelot had seene knights have before; with that he saw "stand by him thirtie great knights, more, by a yard, than

any man that ever he had seene, and all those grinned and "gnashed at Sir Launcelot; and when he saw their counte66 nance, hee dread them sore, and so put his shield afore him, "and tooke his sword in his hand, ready to doe battaile; and

they were all armed in black harneis, ready, with their "shields and swords drawen. And when Sir Launcelot would "have gone through them, they scattered on every side of "him, and gave himthe way; and there with he waxed all "bold, and entered into the chapell, and then hee saw no "light but a dimme lampe burning, and then was he ware "of a corps covered with a cloath of silke; then Sir Launcelot "stooped downe, and cut a piece of that cloath away, and "then it fared under him as the earth had quaked a little, "whereof he was afeard, and then hee saw a faire sword lye "by the dead knight, and that he gat in his hand, and hied "him out of the chappell. As soon as he was in the chappell

yerd, all the knights spoke to him with a grimly voice, and "said, Knight Sir Launcelot, lay that sword from thee, or "else thou shalt die.' 'Whether I live or die,' said Sir "Launcelot, with no great words get yee it againe, there"fore fight for it and yee list.' Therewith he passed through "them; and, beyond the chappell-yerd, there met him a faire

6

"damosell, and said, 'Sir Launcelot, leave that sword behind

'I will not leave it,' said Sir

6

'No?' said she; and ye did

"thee, or thou wilt die for it.' "Launcelot, 'for no threats.' "leave that sword, Queen Guenever should ye never see.' 'Then જ were I a foole and I would leave this sword,' said Sir Laun"celot. Now, gentle knight,' said the damosell, 'I require "thee to kisse me once.' 'Nay,' said Sir Launcelot, that God "forbid !'" Well, sir,' said she, and thou haddest kissed me "thy life dayes had been done; but now, alas!' said she, ' I "have lost all my labour; for I ordeined this chappell for thy "sake, and for Sir Gawaine : and once I had Sir Gawaine with"in it; and at that time he fought with that knight which "there lieth dead in yonder chappell, Sir Gilbert the bastard, "and at that time hee smote off Sir Gilbert the bastard's left "hand. And so, Sir Launcelot, now I tell thee, that I have "loved thee this seaven yeare; but there may no woman have "thy love but Queene Guenever; but sithen I may not re"joyice thee to have thy body alive, I had kept no more joy "in this world but to have had thy dead body; and I would "have balmed it and served, and so have kept it my life daies, " and daily I should have clipped thee, and kissed thee, in the "despite of Queene Guenever.' 'Yee say well,' said Sir "Launcelot ; 'Jesus preserve me from your subtill craft.' "And therewith he took his horse, and departed from her."

Note II.

A sinful man, and unconfess'd,

He took the Sangreal's holy que st,

And, slumbering, saw the vision high,

He might not view with waking eye.-P. 23.

One day, when Arthur was holding a high feast with his Knights of the Round Table, the Sangreall, or vessel out of which the last passover was eaten, a precious relic, which had long remained concealed from human eyes, because of the sins of the land, suddenly appeared to him and all his chivalry. The consequence of this vision was, that all the knights took on them a solemn vow to seek the Sangreall. But, alas! it could only be revealed to a knight at once accomplished in earthly chivalry, and pure and guiltless of evil conversation. All Sir Launcelot's noble accomplishments were therefore rendered vain by his guilty intrigue with Queen Guenever, or Ganore ; and in this holy quest he encountered only such disgraceful disasters as that which follows:

"But Sir Launcelot rode overthwart and endlong in a wild "forest, and held no path, but as wild adventure led him ; and "at the last, he came unto a stone crosse, which departed two

wayes, in wast land; and, by the crosse, was a stone that was " of marble; but it was so dark, that Sir Launcelot might not "well know what it was. Then Sir Launcelot looked by him, “ and saw an old chappell, and there he wend to have found "people. And so Sir Launcelot tied his horse to a tree, and "there hee put off his shield, and hung it upon a tree,

"and then hee went unto the chappell doore, and found it "wasted and broken. And within he found a faire altar, full "richly arrayed with cloth of silk, and there stood a faire "candlestick, which beare six great candles, and the candle"sticke was of silver. And when Sir Launcelot saw this "light, hee had a great will for to enter into the chappell, "but he could find no place where hee might enter. Then 66 was he passing heavie and dismaied. Then he returned, and 66 came againe to his horse, and tooke off his saddle and his "bridle, and let him pasture, and unlaced his helme, and un66 girded his sword, and laid him downe to sleepe upon his "shield before the crosse.

"And so hee fell on sleepe; and, halfe waking and halfe "sleeping, hee saw come by him two palfreys, both faire and “white, the which beare a litter, therein lying a sicke knight. "And when he was nigh the crosse, he there abode still. All "this Sir Launcelot saw and beheld, for hee slept not verily, "and hee heard him say, 'Oh sweete Lord, when shall this sorrow leave me, and when shall the holy vessell come by

66

66

me, where through I shall be blessed, for I have endured thus "long for little trespasse.' And thus a great while complained "the knight, and allwaies Sir Launcelot heard it. With that "Sir Launcelot saw the candlesticke, with the fire tapers, 66 come before the crosse; but he could see no body that 66 brought it. Also there came a table of silver, and the holy " vessell of the Sancgreall, the which Sir Launcelot had seene "before that time in King Petchour's house. And therewith"all the sicke knight set him upright, and held up both his

“hands, and said, 'Faire sweete Lord, which is here within "the holy vessell, take heede to mee, that I may bee hole of "this great malady.' And therewith upon his hands, and upon "his knees, he went so nigh, that he touched the holy vessell, "and kissed it: And anon he was hole, and then he said, "Lord God, I thank thee, for I am healed of this malady.' "Soo when the holy vessell had been there a great while, it "went into the chappell againe with the candlesticke and the "light, so that Sir Launcelot wist not where it became, for " he was overtaken with sinne, that hee had no power to arise "against the holy vessell, wherefore afterward many men said "of him shame. But he tooke repentance afterward. Then "the sicke knight dressed him upright, and kissed the crosse. "Then anon his squire brought him his armes, and asked "his lord how he did. Certainly,' said hee, 'I thanke God "right heartily, for through the holy vessell I am healed: "But I have right great mervaile of this sleeping knight, "which hath had neither grace nor power to awake during "the time that this holy vessell hath beene here present.' 'I "dare it right well say,' said the squire, that this same knight "is defouled with some manner of deadly sinne, whereof he "has never confessed.' 'By my faith,' said the knight, 'what"soever he be, he is unhappie; for, as I deeme, hee is of the "" fellowship of the Round Table, the which is entred in"to the quest of the Sancgreall.' 'Sir,' said the squire, "here I have brought you all your armes, save your helme "and your sword; and, therefore, by mine assent, now "may ye take this knight's helme and his sword,' and so he

.