{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart417.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart417.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart417.htm","text":"CHAPTER XI\nHow Sir Percivale's sister bled a dish full of blood for to\nheal a lady, wherefore she died; and how that the\nbody was put in a ship.\nTHERE is in this castle a gentlewoman which we and this\ncastle is hers, and many other. So it befell many years\nagone there fell upon her a malady; and when she had\nlain a great while she fell unto a measle, and of no leech\nshe could have no remedy. But at the last an old man\nsaid an she might have a dish full of blood of a maid and\na clean virgin in will and in work, and a king's daughter,\nthat blood should be her health, and for to anoint her\nwithal; and for this thing was this custom made. Now,\nsaid Percivale's sister, fair knights, I see well that this\ngentlewoman is but dead. Certes, said Galahad, an ye\nbleed so much ye may die. Truly, said she, an I die for\nto heal her I shall get me great worship and soul's health,\nand worship to my lineage, and better is one harm than\ntwain. And therefore there shall be no more battle, but\nto-morn I shall yield you your custom of this castle. And\nthen there was great joy more than there was to-fore, for\nelse had there been mortal war upon the morn; notwithstanding\nshe would none other, whether they wold or nold.\nThat night were the three fellows eased with the best;\nand on the morn they heard mass, and Sir Percivale's\nsister bade bring forth the sick lady. So she was, the\nwhich was evil at ease. Then said she: Who shall let\nme blood? So one came forth and let her blood, and she\nbled so much that the dish was full. Then she lift up\nher hand and blessed her; and then she said to the lady:\nMadam, I am come to the death for to make you whole,\nfor God's love pray for me. With that she fell in a\nswoon. Then Galahad and his two fellows start up to\nher, and lift her up and staunched her, but she had bled\nso much that she might not live. Then she said when\nshe was awaked: Fair brother Percivale, I die for the\nhealing of this lady, so I require you that ye bury me\nnot in this country, but as soon as I am dead put me in\na boat at the next haven, and let me go as adventure will\nlead me; and as soon as ye three come to the City of\nSarras, there to enchieve the Holy Grail, ye shall find me\nunder a tower arrived, and there bury me in the spiritual\nplace; for I say you so much, there Galahad shall be\nburied, and ye also, in the same place.\nThen Percivale understood these words, and granted\nit her, weeping. And then said a voice: Lords and\nfellows, to-morrow at the hour of prime ye three shall\ndepart everych from other, till the adventure bring you\nto the Maimed King. Then asked she her Saviour; and\nas soon as she had received it the soul departed from the\nbody. So the same day was the lady healed, when she\nwas anointed withal. Then Sir Percivale made a letter of\nall that she had holpen them as in strange adventures, and\nput it in her right hand, and so laid her in a barge, and\ncovered it with black silk; and so the wind arose, and\ndrove the barge from the land, and all knights beheld it\ntill it was out of their sight. Then they drew all to the\ncastle, and so forthwith there fell a sudden tempest and a\nthunder, lightning, and rain, as all the earth would have\nbroken. So half the castle turned up-so-down. So it\npassed evensong or the tempest was ceased.\nThen they saw afore them a knight armed and\nwounded hard in the body and in the head, that said: O\nGod, succour me for now it is need. After this knight\ncame another knight and a dwarf, which cried to them\nafar: Stand, ye may not escape. Then the wounded knight\nheld up his hands to God that he should not die in such\ntribulation. Truly, said Galahad, I shall succour him for\nHis sake that he calleth upon. Sir, said Bors, I shall do\nit, for it is not for you, for he is but one knight. Sir, said\nhe, I grant. So Sir Bors took his horse, and commended\nhim to God, and rode after, to rescue the wounded knight.\nNow turn we to the two fellows.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XVII CHAPTER XI","type":"page"}