{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart369.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart369.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart369.htm","text":"CHAPTER XVI\nHow Sir Gawaine came to the abbey for to follow Galahad,\nand how he was shriven to a hermit.\nNOW, saith the tale, after Sir Gawaine departed, he rode\nmany journeys, both toward and froward. And at the\nlast he came to the abbey where Sir Galahad had the white\nshield, and there Sir Gawaine learned the way to sewe after\nSir Galahad; and so he rode to the abbey where Melias\nlay sick, and there Sir Melias told Sir Gawaine of the\nmarvellous adventures that Sir Galahad did. Certes, said\nSir Gawaine, I am not happy that I took not the way that\nhe went, for an I may meet with him I will not depart\nfrom him lightly, for all marvellous adventures Sir\nGalahad enchieveth. Sir, said one of the monks, he will\nnot of your fellowship. Why? said Sir Gawaine. Sir,\nsaid he, for ye be wicked and sinful, and he is full blessed.\nRight as they thus stood talking there came in riding Sir\nGareth. And then they made joy either of other. And\non the morn they heard mass, and so departed. And by\nthe way they met with Sir Uwaine les Avoutres, and\nthere Sir Uwaine told Sir Gawaine how he had met with\nnone adventure sith he departed from the court. Nor\nwe, said Sir Gawaine. And either promised other of the\nthree knights not to depart while they were in that quest,\nbut if fortune caused it.\nSo they departed and rode by fortune till that they\ncame by the Castle of Maidens; and there the seven\nbrethren espied the three knights, and said: Sithen, we\nbe flemed by one knight from this castle, we shall destroy\nall the knights of King Arthur's that we may overcome,\nfor the love of Sir Galahad. And therewith the seven\nknights set upon the three knights, and by fortune Sir\nGawaine slew one ot the brethren, and each one of his\nfellows slew another, and so slew the remnant. And then\nthey took the way under the castle, and there they lost\nthe way that Sir Galahad rode, and there everych of\nthem departed from other; and Sir Gawaine rode till he\ncame to an hermitage, and there he found the good man\nsaying his evensong of Our Lady; and there Sir Gawaine\nasked harbour for charity, and the good man granted it\nhim gladly.\nThen the good man asked him what he was. Sir,\nhe said, I am a knight of King Arthur's that am in the\nquest of the Sangreal, and my name is Sir Gawaine.\nSir, said the good man, I would wit how it standeth\nbetwixt God and you. Sir, said Sir Gawaine, I will\nwith a good will shew you my life if it please you;\nand there he told the hermit how a monk of an abbey\ncalled me wicked knight. He might well say it, said\nthe hermit, for when ye were first made knight ye\nshould have taken you to knightly deeds and virtuous\nliving, and ye have done the contrary, for ye have\nlived mischievously many winters; and Sir Galahad is\na maid and sinned never, and that is the cause he shall\nenchieve where he goeth that ye nor none such shall\nnot attain, nor none in your fellowship, for ye have\nused the most untruest life that ever I heard knight\nlive. For certes had ye not been so wicked as ye are,\nnever had the seven brethren been slain by you and\nyour two fellows. For Sir Galahad himself alone beat\nthem all seven the day to-fore, but his living is such\nhe shall slay no man lightly. Also I may say you the\nCastle of Maidens betokeneth the good souls that were\nin prison afore the Incarnation of Jesu Christ. And the\nseven knights betoken the seven deadly sins that reigned\nthat time in the world; and I may liken the good\nGalahad unto the son of the High Father, that lighted\nwithin a maid, and bought all the souls out of thrall,\nso did Sir Galahad deliver all the maidens out of the\nwoful castle.\nNow, Sir Gawaine, said the good man, thou must\ndo penance for thy sin. Sir, what penance shall I do?\nSuch as I will give, said the good man. Nay, said\nSir Gawaine, I may do no penance; for we knights\nadventurous oft suffer great woe and pain. Well, said\nthe good man, and then he held his peace. And on the\nmorn Sir Gawaine departed from the hermit, and betaught\nhim unto God. And by adventure he met with Sir\nAglovale and Sir Griflet, two knights of the Table\nRound. And they two rode four days without finding\nof any adventure, and at the fifth day they departed.\nAnd everych held as fell them by adventure. Here\nleaveth the tale of Sir Gawaine and his fellows, and speak\nwe of Sir Galahad.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XIII CHAPTER XVI","type":"page"}