{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart362.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart362.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart362.htm","text":"CHAPTER IX\nHow Galahad gat him a shield, and how they sped that\npresumed to take down the said shield.\nNOW rideth Sir Galahad yet without shield, and so he\nrode four days without any adventure. And at the\nfourth day after evensong he came to a White Abbey, and\nthere he was received with great reverence, and led unto\na chamber, and there was he unarmed; and then was he\nware of two[1] knights of the Table Round, one was Sir\nBagdemagus, and[1] that[1] other[1] was Sir Uwaine. And when\nthey saw him they went unto Galahad and made of him\ngreat solace, and so they went unto supper. Sirs, said Sir\nGalahad, what adventure brought you hither? Sir, said\nthey, it is told us that within this place is a shield that\nno man may bear about his neck but he be mischieved\nouther dead within three days, or maimed for ever. Ah\nsir, said King Bagdemagus, I shall it bear to-morrow for\nto assay this adventure. In the name of God, said Sir\nGalahad. Sir, said Bagdemagus, an I may not enchieve\nthe adventure of this shield ye shall take it upon you,\nfor I am sure ye shall not fail. Sir, said Galahad, I right\nwell agree me thereto, for I have no shield. So on the\nmorn they arose and heard mass. Then Bagdemagus\nasked where the adventurous shield was. Anon a monk\nled him behind an altar where the shield hung as white as\nany snow, but in the midst was a red cross. Sir, said the\nmonk, this shield ought not to be hanged about no\nknight's neck but he be the worthiest knight of the world;\n[1] Omitted by Caxton, supplied from W. de Worde.\ntherefore I counsel you knights to be well advised. Well,\nsaid Bagdemagus, I wot well that I am not the best knight\nof the world, but yet I shall assay to bear it, and so bare\nit out of the minster. And then he said unto Galahad:\nAn it please you abide here still, till ye wit how that I\nspeed. I shall abide you, said Galahad. Then King\nBagdemagus took with him a good squire, to bring tidings\nunto Sir Galahad how he sped.\nThen when they had ridden a two mile and came\nto a fair valley afore an hermitage, then they saw a\nknight come from that part in white armour, horse and\nall; and he came as fast as his horse might run, and his\nspear in his rest, and Bagdemagus dressed his spear\nagainst him and brake it upon the white knight. But the\nother struck him so hard that he brast the mails, and\nsheef him through the right shoulder, for the shield\ncovered him not as at that time; and so he bare him from\nhis horse. And therewith he alighted and took the white\nshield from him, saying: Knight, thou hast done thyself\ngreat folly, for this shield ought not to be borne but by\nhim that shall have no peer that liveth. And then he\ncame to Bagdemagus' squire and said: Bear this shield\nunto the good knight Sir Galahad, that thou left in the\nabbey, and greet him well by me. Sir, said the squire,\nwhat is your name? Take thou no heed of my name,\nsaid the knight, for it is not for thee to know nor\nfor none earthly man. Now, fair sir, said the squire, at\nthe reverence of Jesu Christ, tell me for what cause this\nshield may not be borne but if the bearer thereof be\nmischieved. Now sith thou hast conjured me so, said the\nknight, this shield behoveth unto no man but unto Galahad.\nAnd the squire went unto Bagdemagus and asked whether\nhe were sore wounded or not. Yea forsooth, said he, I\nshall escape hard from the death. Then he fetched his\nhorse, and brought him with great pain unto an abbey.\nThen was he taken down softly and unarmed, and laid in a\nbed, and there was looked to his wounds. And as the book\ntelleth, he lay there long, and escaped hard with the life.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XIII CHAPTER IX","type":"page"}