The Legend of the Holy Grail :: :: University of Virginia Library

The Legend of the Holy Grail

its Sources, Character and Development, by Dorothy Kempe. The introduction to, and Part V of, Herry Lovelich's verse "History of the Holy Grail,"

Lovelich, Henry

[section]

THE HISTORY OF THE HOLY GRAIL.

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CHAPTER LVI. OF CELIDOYNE AND HIS DEATH, AND THE GOOD KING LANCELOT. OF THE BLEEDING TOMB, AND THE END OF THE HISTORY OF THE HOLY GRAAL.

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Now Scheweth forth this Storye
and putteth vs into More memorye;
For whanne that Iosephes hens scholde pase,
Nasciens And Celidoigne weren In that plase,
And Ek Narpus the sone of Celidoygne,
A ful worthy knyht In Certaygne.
and whanne this terement was I-do,
thanne Anon Celidoygne wente hem fro,
and sire Nasciens with Mordreyns lefte Sikerle
To beren hym Felischepe and Compeyne;
and so that Aftyr It happede, As I ȝow Say,
that Alle thre they deyden In On day,
bothe Nasciens and Flegentyne his wyf,
and Also Mordreins qwene there left hire lyf,
that Noble qwene Sarracynte,
Of Goddis Servise Neuere sche stynte.

Thus bothe the ladyes Enterid were
In that same Abbey with-Owten dwere
where As Mordrayns bedered lay;
bothe weren they Enterid In On day.
but Nasciens liked not there for to be,
but to Anothir Abbey was born Sekerle;
and with him was born that Scheld
that non knyht ne dorste be-weld;
and ȝit Cam thedyr ful Many A knyht
For that scheld there to proven his Myht;
but Abowtes his Nekke henge it neuere Man

342

but Er he thens wente Repented than,
that Owther Of sodeyn deth they deiden Anon,
Owther som Othir Mischevis fyl hem vppon,
that with-Inne Schort tyme I-Maymed they were,
Owther som Othir Misaventure to hem Cam there.
and thus In that Abbey lefte theke scheld stille
tyl that worthy knyht Cam, As was goddis wille,
That hyghte worthy Galaaz, Lawncelottes sone,
That Abowtes his Nekke henge it Anone.

Now Of this scheld Resteth this Storye,
and Aȝen to Celydoygne doth it hye.

Whanne Celydoygne from his Fadyr partyd was,
he took forth Narpus his Sone A ful gret pas,
and to-gedris wenten I Compeneye
Into that lond ful certaynlye
that toforen kyng Mordreins him hadde betake;
and there Narpus his sone A knyht gan he Make;
and dwelled there xij ȝer In pes and Reste,
And that Lond wel Governede with the best,
So that non Regne that by hym was,
dorste with hym werre In Non plas.

he lovede God ful Enterly,
and mochel Almesdede ded he trewly;
For so gret Of Almesse he was
that to peple wolde he ȝeven In Every plas;
and so ful he was Of Almesdede
that he wolde Stynten In non stede;
thowgh Al the world hadde ben his,
to Almesse it scholde han gon I-wys.

And so Mochel he knew Of Astronomye
and ek Of the Corps of þe sterris sekerlye,
So that he knew what scholde beFalle;
And so that Amonges Othir thinges Alle,
As the sterres he beheld, I ȝow Ensure,
þere say he A wondyr Aventure;

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For there Sawhe he sekerly and In Certaigne
a famyne that Schold fallen In gret Bretaygne;
So that for hunger men Scholden deye
but ȝif it were Remedyed be Other weye.

Thanne spak he to his Styward Anon,
and bad ful faste that he schulde gon
and taken his tresour, where so it were,
& Al abowtes the Contre to Serchen there,
there-with Cornes To beyen, and faste him spede.
“Sire, quod his Steward, it Nys non nede,
For Of Cornes ȝe haven, Sire, gret plente,
More thanne be ȝoure howshold spendid schal be
Of Ony tymes this two ȝer;
Of Cornes ȝe haven both hol & feer.”
“Sire steward, what is that the vntylle
Go forth, and My wyl þou fulfille!
For it Is My Wylle that It be so;
therfore the hye that It were do.”
thanne wente the steward forth Anon
that Al the kynges Comaundement were don;
and bowhte In Cornes bothe fer & Ny,
and stuffed that lond ful plentevowsly.

Of this dede the kyng hadde don,
the peple þer-offen spoken Manyon,
and seiden “for hunger the kyng weneth deye,
and thus they him scorned be many weye.
but Atte laste Foles weren they fownde,
and he A wisman In that stownde;
For er theke ȝer Cam to an Ende,
Swich famyne In to gret Breteygne gan wende,
that half the peple Gan forto deye
For hunger and Misseise sekerlye.

thanne to hem kam Message Anon,
and seide, “lordynges, ȝif ȝe wil gon
Into that partye of gret Bretaygne
whiche that holdeth kyng Celydoygne;

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there scholen ȝe fynden ful gret plente
Of Cornes And Of viawndes ful sekerle.”

And whanne they herden this tydyng,
Anon they wenten hem to Conseillyng
To weten what was best to doon;
And thus sone they Acordid Anon
Into that Rem Alle forto Ryde
with strengthe Of Armes and mochel pryde,
and that lond forto distroye,
& bothe Men, wommen & Children to Anoye,
and Alle the goodes In that Contre;
this was here purpos ful Sikirle.
and thus to schepe gonne they gon
with hors and harneys Everychon.

and thike same Nyht with-Owten dwere
that In to the See I-scheped they were,
Celydoigne On the sterres gan to beholde,
and Sawhe there Merveilles Manifolde:
that there Comen Into his lond
with hors and harneys, as I vndyrstond,
Forto disherite hym Of his good.
but As grace was, he hym with-stood,
and sente Abowtes In to eche Contre
To Alle his Barouns both fer and Nye,
And Ek to Alle his knyhtes Also
that Ony Lond Of hym helden tho,
that the thrydde day they scholden be
with hym Atte A Castel vppon the se,
where that he Supposede In Certayn
that tho Schepis Scholde Aryve ful pleyn.

thanne sore Merveilled these Barowns Echon,
what that the kyng wolde there don,
So that they hieden him faste In hye
Tyl to that Castel they Comen trewelye
vppon the secund day Er þe Owr of pryme,
and ȝit was Celidoygne there to fore tyme.

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Whanne that Alle Assembled they were,
thanne seide kyng Celidoygne to hem there,
“Lordinges, vndirstonde ȝe Owht
why so sone ȝe hider ben browht?”
“Nay, Syker, Lord, with-Owten lye
We ne knowen wherfore ne whye,
But ȝif It lyke ȝow vs to seye;
and there-Offen, Sire, we scholen ȝow preye.”
“and I schal tellen Ryht Anon to ȝow
thyng that schal tornen to ȝoure prow.

“this same Nyht Atte ferst kok Crowe
Moche peple scholen ȝe sen vppon A rowe,
And Al so strong As they Mown gon
here scholen they Aryven Everichon.
and weteth wel that In Certayn,
Oure londis they Casten to wasten ful pleyn,
For they han foure men Aȝens Oure On;
þerfore bethenk ȝow what ȝe wyl don.
Owthir scholen we þis tyme Oure Rem wynne,
Owthir ellis clene þere from to twynne.”

whanne Narpus that knew non thyng of this,
Anon he seyde with-Owten Mys,
And to his Fadyr he seide Ryht there,
“Of this thing haue ȝe non Fere.
here to-Foren there is A Forest
Ful hygh and strong with the best,
and þedyr In Armure scholen we Entren Echon,
Al so sone As Nyht Cometh vs vppon,
and there Alle we scholen Abyde
tyl they Aryven this Ilke tyde;
For I knowe wel ful verrayly
that they wele londen ful Sekerly,
And Also vnschepen Al here good
that they haven In the salte flood,
As thowgh nothing that they wyste
Of Owre Abydyng: to me ȝe Tryste.

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and whanne from here Schepis that they ben gon,
vppon hem we scholen Entren Anon,
On partye to-fore, & Anothyr behynde,
and from here Schepis we scholen hem blynde;
and whanne thus sodeynly we Comen hem vppon,
they scholen not weten what to don.”

To this Cownseil they Concentyd Alle,
and seiden that betere It myht not falle,
and that Otherwise it Myhte not be
Forto be Avenged Of that Meyne.
So that whanne It Cam to the Nyht,
they wenten to Armes Every wyht,
And Entreden In to thike Forest,
Alle the Baronage bothe lest & Mest,
and leften but fewe In that Castel,
that forto Governen wondirly wel.

thanne Anon, Aftyr the ferst kok krowe,
these schepis Aryvede vppon A Rowe;
and whanne Owt Of here schepis that thei weren gon,
Into a faire Medwe they Entred Anon,
And Comanded here Men, I ȝow Ensure,
Forto don bringen hem here Armure;
and whanne that they with-Inne the Forest
thowhten whanne here tyme was best,
they prekeden here hors with gret Ire
As swyft As Sparkle Owt Of fyre;
bothe with lawnce and Ek with swerd,
that ilke Meyne they Maden Aferd.
and whanne they wolde han torned Ageyn
streith to here Schepis In Certeyn;
thanne Metten they with A nothir Meyne
That they Weren not War Offen Sykerle;
So that with Scharpe dyntes Inowe,
that hedis & hondis Into that feld flowe.
thanne to the Castel wolde they han gon,
For Owt they wenden han ben Echon;

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thanne Entrede þere-Owt A gret Rowte,
and that Meyne fyl Al Abowte.
and therto the Mone schon ful bryht,
that they myhte knowe Eche wyht;
so þat on hem Of Sessoigne fil the scomfiture,
For vnarmed they weren, & no thing sure,
and so sore Abasched Also they were,
that Echon weren they Slayn there.

And thus savede Celidoygne his lond
be tweyne skelis, ȝe Mown vndirstond,
bothe from famyne & Ek his Enemyes,
thus his lond there savede he twyes.
and whanne that he was ded, God it wot,
he was beried and Entered At kamalot.

and Aftyr hym was Crowned kyng
his Sone Narpus, with-Owten lesyng.
whiche Same Narpus A son he hadde,
That Nasciens, be cristeneng Clepen he badde;
that In his tyme was A worthy Man,
For A bettyr body non Man knew than.

and Of this Nasciens there Cam Isswe
A worthy Body bothe good and trewe
wheche that was clepid Elayne the Gros,
A ful worthy Man and Of gret los.
and ȝif that his fadyr A good Man were,
ȝit bettere was he, As I Can lere;
For moche levere he hadde ded to be,
that Ony thing to mysplesen God sekerle.

thanne Of this Eleyns decendid A kyng
that Isaies hyhte with-Owten lesyng,
that worschepede his God In Alle degre,
and for non thing neuere wroth sekerle.

the Fyfthe kyng, that of Isaies decended than,
hyhte Ionas, That was ryht A worthy Man;
and therto he was An hardy knyht,
and ful Of prowesse in Eche fyht;

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and holy Chirche he worschepede ay,
With Al his Myht and strengthe Evereich a day.
thanne Owt of gret Breteygne he gan to gone,
and Into wales he wente thus sone,
and wedded the kynges dowhter dere
that hyhte Maroniex with-Owten dwere;
On whom he be-gat the kyng Avme,
that kyng of wales was Sikerle.

and this kyng Avme longe lyved there,
and þere A sone he hadde, As ȝe scholen here,
whiche that lawncelot was his Name,
A worthy knyht and Of gret Fame,
that Owt Of wales he gan to Gon,
and Entrede Into gret breteygne thus son;
and weddid A kynges dowhter Of Irlonde,
As I do ȝow to vndirstonde.
this lawncelot hadde Al his fadris good,
and was A Man Of ful gret Mood,
and tweyne sones he hadde that kynges were,
and þerto ful dowhty with-Owten dwere,
the ton hihte baun, the oþer brons hyhte,
& boþe weren Men Of ful gret Myhte.

This bans Of Baynoic thre sones hadde,
as In storye here it is I-Radde,
where-offen On A bastard was,
hos Name it scheweth In this plas;
And hestor that Bastard hyhte,
that Aftyr was Man Of gret Myhte;
the tothir, Lawncelot was his Name;
the thridde hyhte Boors, two men of fame.

this Boors Aftyr was A worthy kyng,
and hadde twey sones both fair and ȝyng;
the ton, Lyoniax was Clepid ful Ryht,
the tothir, ȝonge Boors, Aftyr A man of Myht.
but Lawncelot, that was the graunt fadyr of Ban,
Of him Merveilles weren there than

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whiche that Owhten not to ben forȝete,
but In Remembraunce It is put ȝite;
and I schal ȝow tellen with good wille
what was the Resown and the skylle.

This same man that lawncelot hyhte,
was A man of ful gret Myhte,
and not A bettere with Inne his Rem
that born was Of Ony barntem.

besides the Cyte there he Abod,
A ful fair Castel besides there stood;
where-Inne A lady dwellede In Certeyne
that was weddid to A Cosyn germeyne
to Selidoygne that worthy kyng,
he was Cosyn with-Owten lesyng;
And the fairest lady forsothe sche was
Of Al grete Bretaygne In Ony plas;
And therto sche was the beste womman
that Ony wyht Owher knew than,
and þerto Of hygh lyf, and Of good,
and Also benygne Of herte & Mood;
and Alwey hire tresses behinden hire was dyht,
that weren schineng As torche lyht;
For that myhte sche not hyden In non wyse,
It schon so bryht As thing of pryse;
And euere was this lady ful Of Bownte,
and worschepede god In Eche degre;
So that fore hire bownte desired lawncelot
to knowen that lady, As I wel wot;
and so Often tymes hire he wente to se,
And this storye here telles Me;
And for that ladyes gret goodnesse
ful Often tymes he gan thedir prese.

This lawncelot loved this lady ful hot,
and she hym Aȝen, so god It wot,
And Eche Often wenten the tothir to se;
& as Encombred peple ful Sekerle

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that Syen the Cowntenaunce Of hem tweyne,
vppon hem falsly demede Certaygne,
that with the devel Acombred were,
On hem they lyeden falsly there;
and seyden þat the kyng lovede that lady hot,
and sche him In folye, kyng lawncelot.
and so long they spoken Of this thing,
So that it Cam to hire lordis hering:
thanne seide to hym On of his bretheren dere,
Sire, let vs Ones Conseillen In fere,
For sothe ȝe ne werke not worth Also
That suffren kyng LaWncelot thus to do;
that he scholde don ȝow swich velonye,
ȝowre wyf to loven In lecherye;
and forto don ȝow swich dishonowr,
Owther ȝow velonye to Awayten In Ony Owre;
and ȝif it belonged to me, be my lyve
On hym scholde I ben venged as blyve.”

“Now Certes, quod this goodman tho,
I Merveille Sore. And it scholde be so
that the kyng Ony velonye scholde wayten Me,
Owther Ony schame In Ony degre,
I wolde ben Avenged ful vtterly
vppon his body ful venvageblely.”
“Now Mown ȝe schese whethir ȝe wilen Avenged be,
For As ȝow I haue told, it is ful sekerle.”
Thanne quod this dewk to hym Ageyn,
“On hym schal I ben venged In certeyn
Al so sone As that I may
Tyme and space haue Ony day.”

thus here wordis leften they tho,
and Eche from Othir departyd þanne fro.
and this thing happede In the Mydlent,
and Ek passioun tyme was Entred verament,
Also the tyme Of Pask Entrede ful Ny.
thanne Cam Often this kyng trewly

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To this lady there that sche was,
And Ellis wente þis goode lady to his plas;
For they ne loveden In non Synne,
Ne non swich vnclennesse was hem betwynne;
But for the grete delyt that they hadden bothe,
Al Of Goddis Servise to talken for-sothe,
that wondir gret Merveil it was to wyt,
how so gretly boþe there-Inne gonne delyt.

So that it happed it befyl On goode fryday,
that the kyng Into þe forest Perylouse took þe way,
and Barefoot wente for goddis Sake
whiche that daye for hym deth gan take;
and wente to heren Servise At that tyde,
Of An holy Ermyt there besyde,
and hym Self but the thridde persone
that In that forest wenten Al Alone,

whanne the kyng to thermytage was Trewely
he And his tweyne felawes In Compenie,
the dewk hym aspyde Anon,
And On hym thowhte to ben venged wel son
Of that fal[s] Felonye that he thowhte
that with Cursidnesse Into his herte was browhte.

It happede the kyng hadde herd his servise,
and worschepede his God In Many A wyse,
and Of that Ermyt took Confesciown,
& for his Synnes penaunce And Absoluciown,
and from thermytage he gan to Gon.

thus sone A gret thurst Cam hym vppon;
thanne tornede he Anon to A fowntaygne
that there besides was In Certaygne.
Anon down he Enclynede to the Brynkke
Of that Fayr water Forto drynkke,
and this dewk Cam hym be-hynde
As An vntrewe Man and vnkynde,
and with his swerd smot Of his hed,
that Into the welle it Fyl that Sted.

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So whanne the hed In the welle he say,
hym thowhte he was wel I-venged that day,
and on the body More Avenged wolde he be;
Anon to the welle he gan to fle,
The hed Aȝen vpe forto han take;
But God Anon WroWhte Myracle For his Sake.
he putte his hond Anon Into the welle,
that hed vp to taken ful snelle,
and that water that Cold was before,
Anon brenneng hot it be-Cam thore,
and with grete walmes it boyllede so faste,
that the dewkes hondis it brende In haste
Er Owt Of the water he myhte hem have:
hym hadde ben bettere they hadden ben Save.

whanne he beheld this Miracle Anon,
thanne wiste he wel that he hadde Evel I-don;
and that god on him veniaunce hadde take,
For that he wrowht the kyng Swich wrake;
thanne seide he to hem that with hym were,
“let vs beryen this Body now here,
that non Man ne wete how I haue I-do,
how that I thus falsly the kyng dide slo.”

whanne that they herden this Ilke thing,
thus sone they dyden his Byddyng;
and to-forn the Ermytage hym Beryed there,
As they Cowden Oþer Myhten with drery Chere;
and thanne towardis here Castel they gonne to gon.
thus sone with A ȝong Child Metten they Anon,
and to the dewk he seide with-Owten lettyng,
“Sire dewk, newe tydynges I do ȝow bryng,
whiche that ben harde and ful Merveillouse.
at ȝoure Castel there is Swich tenebrowse,
that No man there Other May se;
and this began at Mydday ful sekirle.”

whanne the kyng these tydynges gan here,
Anon he sorwede and qwook for fere.

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“Certes,” quod he, “ful Evele haue I do,
that kyng Lawncelot thus dide I slo.”
thanne seide his Compenye to hym Anon,
“Sire, Into som Oþer partye so let vs gon.”
“Nay, Certes,” quod the dewk Anon tho,
“I wyle Gon And proven ȝif it be so.”
and whanne that he Cam to his Castel,
Alle this derknesse he Say ful wel;
and As sone as vnder the ȝate was he gon,
On hym there fyl a gret kernel of ston,
And Ouercovered hym bothe tope and to,
And Ek hem that to thyke Felonye Assented Also.

Thus Owre lord venged kyng Lawncelot certayn,
that so falsly the dewk hadde slayn.

and Evere stille boylled that welle
tyl worthy Galaaz Cam, As Aventure befelle,
and Mo Miracles God schewede there
For that worthy kyng so dere.
For whanne Over hym his tombe was Mad,
dropes of ful Red blood Owt It ȝald
Owt Of the tombe In theke same sted,
Eche day þe same Owr he smot Of his hed;
and of so gret vertw this Ilke blood was,
that there Cam Neuere knyht In to that plas,
thowgh he were wownded Neuere so sore,
and with that Blood towched hym thore,
that thus sone Anon hol scholde he be
Of Alle his wowndes ful Sekerle.

This Merveylle ful wyde Gan to sprynge,
Abowtes In the Contre As for A merveillous thinge.
thider Cam bothe knyht and Sqwer Anon,
bothe Riche and Powre, as they Myhten gon,
that weren wounded, Maymed and Alle Sore,
Anon here helthe hadden they thore.

So that it be-fyl vppon A day
aforn the same tombe, as I ȝow say,

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A lyown An hert there gan chase,
and aforn the tombe down gan hym Rase,
that Folk that weren there faste by,
It behelden and Syen trewely,
how þat the hert he took and þere it Slowghe,
and On hym gan feden faste I-nowghe.
thus sone Cam Anothir wilde lyown there,
Enfamyned and hungrey not þat he were,
and wolde han had the tothir lyowns pray,
but he it nolde Suffren to be born Away,
but defended his viaunde wondir sore,
So that to-gederis they fowhten thore;
and ful longe durede this Melle
betwene the two lyowns Sikerle,
So what with here teeth and with here pawe,
Eche lyown hadde Nygh Other I-slawe,
So that Manye woundes they hadden bothe,
the leste hadde ten, I sey ȝow for sothe.

and whanne they hadden thus long I-fowghte
that Nethir lyown of here lyf ne Rowghte,
the ferste lyown to the tombe gan go,—
and happede Abowtis Midday was it tho,—
and the tombe owt blood gan ȝelde;
thedir wente þis lyown As he myht hym welde,
and likked Of that blood Anon,
and þere-with towchede his wowndis Echon;
thanne thus sone as hol he was
As Evere to forn tyme In Ony plas.

and whanne the tothir beheld al this,
Anon thedir wente he with-Owten Mys,
and thus sone I-kevered was he
As hol as his felawe Sikerle,
So that betwixen hem was Reste and pes
Euerelastyng Aftyr with-Owten les.
the ton lyown Cowched him at his feet,
and the tothir atte the hed, nolde he not leet,

355

and kepten this tombe ful strongly,
So that Non knyht was so hardy—
thowgh they weren wownded—hele to fette,
that thyke two lyowns ne wolde hem lette;
and ȝif with strengthe Ony thedyr gonne gon,
that these lyowns hem wolde slen Anon,
For bothe be day and Ek be Nyht
they kepten that tombe, I ȝow plyht;
and whanne that forhungred that they were,
the Ton wente On purchas, þe toþer lefte there;
and thus these lyowns Gonnen On to take
Til the tyme that Cam Lawncelot de lake;
and that he there Slowgh hem bothe tweyne,
As to vs this Storye here Scheweth Certeyne.

Now Of Al this storie haue I mad An Ende
That Isswede Of Celidoyne; & now forþere to wende,
And Of Anothir Brawnch moste we be-Gynne,
Of the storye that we Clepen Prophet Merllyne
Wiche that Maister Robert Of Borrown,
Owt Of latyn it translated hol & Som,
Onlich Into the langage Of Frawnce
This storie he drowgh be Aventure and Chaunce,
And doth Merllyne Iusten with Sank Ryal;
For þe ton storie the tothir Medlyth withal,
After the settyng Of the forseid Robert,
That somtym it translated in Middilerd.

And I, As An vnkonneng Man treWely,
Into Englisch haue drawen this Story;
And thowgh that to ȝow not plesyng It be,
ȝit that ful Excused ȝe wolde hauen Me,
Of my neclegence and vnkonnenge
On Me to taken swich A thinge
Into Owre Modris tonge for to Endite,
The swettere to sowne to More and lyte;
And more Cler to ȝoure vndirstondyng
Thanne Owther Frensch Oþer latyn, to my sopposing;

356

And þerfore Atte the Ende Of this Storye
A pater noster ȝe wolden for me preye,
For me that herry Lonelich hyhte;
And greteth Oure lady ful Of Myhte;
Hertelich with An Ave that ȝe hire bede,
This processe the bettere I myhte procede,
And bringen this book to A Good Ende.

Now therto Iesu Crist grace me sende;
And that an Ende there-Offen myhte be,
Now, goode lord, graunt me for Charyte.