ace, and so to evensong in the great minster, a royal and goodly
company, and after that sat down to supper in the hall, every knight in
his own seat, as they had been before.

Anon suddenly burst overhead the cracking and crying of great peals of
thunder, till the palace walls were shaken sorely, and they thought to see
them riven all to pieces.

And in the midst of the blast there entered in a sunbeam, clearer by seven
times than ever they saw day, and a marvellous great glory fell upon them
all. Then each knight, looking on his neighbour, found his face fairer
than he had ever seen, and so--all standing on their feet--they gazed as
dumb men on each other, not knowing what to say.

Then entered into the hall the Sangreal, borne aloft without hands through
the midst of the sunbeam, and covered with white samite, so that none
might see it. And all the hall was filled with perfume and incense, and
every knight was fed with the food he best loved. And when the holy vessel
had been thus borne through the hall, it suddenly departed, no man saw
whither.

When they recovered breath to speak, King Arthur first rose up, and
yielded thanks to God and to our Lord.

Then Sir Gawain sprang up and said, "Now have we all been fed by miracle
with whatsoever food we thought of or desired; but with our eyes we have
not seen the blessed vessel whence it came, so carefully and preciously it
was concealed. Therefore, I make a vow, that from to-morrow I shall labour
twelve months and a day in quest of the Sangreal, and longer if need be;
nor will I come again into this court until mine eyes have seen it
evidently."

When he had spoken thus, knight after knight rose up and vowed himself to
the same quest, till the most part of the Round Table had thus sworn.

But when King Arthur heard them all, he could not refrain his eyes from
tears, and said, "Sir Gawain, Sir Gawain, thou hast set me in great
sorrow, for I fear me my true fellowship shall never meet together here
again; and surely never Christian king had such a company of worthy
knights around his table at one time."

And when the queen and her ladies and gentlewomen heard the vows, they had
such grief and sorrow as no tongue could tell; and Queen Guinevere cried
out, "I marvel that my lord will suffer them to depart from him." And many
of the ladies who loved knights would have gone with them, but were
forbidden by the hermit Nacien, who sent this message to all who had sworn