ave had power
to have slain them thus. But they have done so much against Our Lord
that He would not suffer them to reign no longer. Say ye not so, said
Galahad, for if they misdid against God, the vengeance is not ours,
but to Him which hath power thereof. So came there out of a chamber a
good man which was a priest, and bare God's body in a cup. And when he
saw them which lay dead in the hall he was all abashed; and Galahad
did off his helm and kneeled down, and so did his two fellows. Sir,
said they, have ye no dread of us, for we be of King Arthur's court.
Then asked the good man how they were slain so suddenly, and they told
it him. Truly, said the good man, an ye might live as long as the
world might endure, ne might ye have done so great an alms deed at
this. Sir, said Galahad, I repent me much, inasmuch as they were
christened. Nay, repent you not, said he, for they were not
christened, and I shall tell you how that I wot of this castle. Here
was Lord Earl Hernox not but one year, and he had three sons, good
knights of arms, and a daughter, the fairest gentlewoman that men
knew. So those three knights loved their sister so sore that they
brent in love, and so they lay by her, maugre her head. And for she
cried to her father they slew her, and took their father and put him
in prison, and wounded him nigh to death, but a cousin of hers rescued
him. And then did they great untruth: they slew clerks and priests,
and made beat down chapels, that Our Lord's service might not be
served nor said. And this same day her father sent to me for to be
confessed and houseld; but such shame had never man as I had this day
with the three brethren, but the earl had me suffer, for he said they
should not long endure, for three servants of Our Lord should destroy
them, and now it is brought to an end. And by this may ye wit that Our
Lord is not displeased with your deeds. Certes, said Galahad, an it
had not pleased Our Lord, never should we have slain so many men in so
little a while. And then they brought the Earl Hernox out of prison
into the middes of the hall, that knew Galahad anon, and yet he saw
him never afore but by revelation of Our Lord.

CHAPTER IX

HOW THE THREE KNIGHTS, WITH PERCIVALE'S SISTER, CAME UNTO THE SAME
FOREST, AND OF AN HART AND FOUR LIONS, AND OTHER THINGS

Then began he to weep right tenderly, and said: Long have I abiden
your coming, but for God's love hold me in your arms, that my soul may
d