a Queen, for
this only that she told me I should not be King after my father's
death, for that she would make me monk or clerk, and that my other
brother, who is younger-born than I, should have the kingdom. When my
father knew that I had slain my mother, he withdrew himself into this
forest, and made a hermitage and renounced his kingdom. I have no will
to hold the land for the great disloyalty that I have wrought, and
therefore am I resolved that it is meeter I should set my body in
banishment than my father."

"And what is your name?" saith Messire Gawain.

"Sir, my name is Joseus, and I am of the lineage of Joseph of
Abarimacie. King Pelles is my father, that is in this forest, and King
Fisherman mine uncle, and the King of Castle Mortal, and the Widow Lady
of Camelot my aunt, and the Good Knight Par-lui-fet is of this lineage
as near akin as I."

IV.

With that, the squire departeth and taketh leave of Messire Gawain, and
he commendeth him to God and hath great pity of him, and entereth into
the forest and goeth great pace, and findeth the stream of a spring
that ran with a great rushing, and nigh thereunto was a way that was
much haunted. He abandoneth his high-way, and goeth all along the
stream from the spring that lasteth a long league plenary, until that
he espieth a right fair house and right fair chapel well enclosed
within a hedge of wood. He looketh from without the entrance under a
little tree and seeth there sitting one of the seemliest men that he
had ever seen of his age. And he was clad as a hermit, his head white
and no hair on his face, and he held his hand to his chin, and made a
squire hold a destrier right fair and strong and tail, and a shield
with a sun thereon; and he was looking at a habergeon and chausses of
iron that he had made bring before him. And when he seeth Messire
Gawain he dresseth him over against him and saith: "Fair sir," saith
he, "Ride gently and make no noise, for no need have we of worse than
that we have."

And Messire Gawain draweth rein, and the worshipful man saith to him:
"Sir, for God's sake take it not of discourtesy; for right fainly would
I have besought you to harbour had I not good cause to excuse me, but a
knight lieth within yonder sick, that is held for the best knight in
the world. Wherefore fain would I he should have no knight come within
this close, for and if he should rise, as sick as he is, none might
prevent him nor hold him back, but p