e
are chosen without much discrimination, and put together without great
skill in arrangement. But the author's whole-hearted enthusiasm for
chivalrous ideals and the noble simplicity and fine rhythm of his
prose have combined to give his work a unique place in English
literature. In it the age of chivalry is summed up and closed. It is
not without reason that the date of its publication by Caxton, 1485,
should be conventionally accepted as the end of the Middle Ages in
England. Romance had passed under the printing press, and a new age
had begun._

THE HOLY GRAIL

BEING BOOKS XIII, XIV, XV, XVI and XVII OF THE BOOK OF KING ARTHUR AND
OF HIS NOBLE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE

THE THIRTEENTH BOOK.

CHAPTER I

HOW AT THE VIGIL OF THE FEAST OF PENTECOST ENTERED INTO THE HALL
BEFORE KING ARTHUR A DAMOSEL, AND DESIRED SIR LAUNCELOT FOR TO COME
AND DUB A KNIGHT, AND HOW HE WENT WITH HER

At the vigil of Pentecost, when all the fellowship of the Round Table
were come unto Camelot and there heard their service, and the tables
were set ready to the meat, right so entered into the hall a full fair
gentlewoman on horseback, that had ridden full fast, for her horse was
all besweated. Then she there alit, and came before the king and
saluted him; and he said: Damosel, God thee bless. Sir, said she, for
God's sake say me where Sir Launcelot is. Yonder ye may see him, said
the king. Then she went unto Launcelot and said: Sir Launcelot, I
salute you on King Pelles' behalf, and I require you come on with me
hereby into a forest. Then Sir Launcelot asked her with whom she
dwelled. I dwell, said she, with King Pelles. What will ye with me?
said Launcelot. Ye shall know, said she, when ye come thither. Well,
said he, I will gladly go with you. So Sir Launcelot bad his squire
saddle his horse and bring his arms; and in all haste he did his
commandment. Then came the queen unto Launcelot, and said: Will ye
leave us at this high feast? Madam, said the gentlewoman, wit ye well
he shall be with you tomorn by dinner time. If I wist, said the queen,
that he should not be with us here tomorn he should not go with you by
my good will. Right so departed Sir Launcelot with the gentlewoman,
and rode until that he came into a forest and into a great valley,
where they saw an abbey of nuns; and there was a squire ready and
opened the gates, and so they entered and descended off their horses;
and there came a fair fellowship abo