hat I am not the best knight of the
world, but yet shall I essay to bear it. And so he bare it out of the
monastery; and then he said unto Sir Galahad: If it will please you I
pray you abide here still, till ye know how I shall speed. I shall
abide you here, said Galahad. Then King Bagdemagus took with him a
squire, the which should bring tidings unto Sir Galahad how he sped.
Then when they had ridden a two mile and came in a fair valley afore
an hermitage, then they saw a goodly knight come from that part in
white armour, horse and all; and he came as fast as his horse might
run, with his spear in the rest, and King Bagdemagus dressed his spear
against him and brake it upon the white knight. But the other struck
him so hard that he brake the mails, and thrust him through the right
shoulder, for the shield covered him not as at that time; and so he
bare him from his horse. And therewith he alighted and took the white
shield from him, saying: Knight, thou hast done thyself great folly,
for this shield ought not to be borne but by him that shall have no
peer that liveth. And then he came to King Bagdemagus' squire and
said: Bear this shield unto the good knight Sir Galahad, that thou
left in the abbey, and greet him well from me. Sir, said the squire,
what is your name? Take thou no heed of my name, said the knight, for
it is not for thee to know nor for none earthly man. Now, fair sir,
said the squire, at the reverence of Jesu Christ, tell me for what
cause this shield may not be borne but if the bearer thereof be
mischieved. Now sith thou hast conjured me so, said the knight, this
shield behoveth unto no man but unto Galahad. And the squire went unto
Bagdemagus and asked whether he were sore wounded or not. Yea,
forsooth, said he, I shall escape hard from the death. Then he fetched
his horse, and brought him with great pain unto an abbey. Then was he
taken down softly and unarmed, and laid in a bed, and there was looked
to his wounds. And as the book telleth, he lay there long, and escaped
hard with the life.

CHAPTER X

HOW GALAHAD DEPARTED WITH THE SHIELD, AND HOW KING EVELAKE HAD
RECEIVED THE SHIELD OF JOSEPH OF ARAMATHIE

Sir Galahad, said the squire, that knight that wounded Bagdemagus
sendeth you greeting, and bad that ye should bear this shield,
wherethrough great adventures should befall. Now blessed be God and
fortune, said Galahad. And then he asked his arms, and mounted upon
his horse, and hung th