a good knight. Take for your lady-love which of us you
will."

"Gramercy, damsel," saith Messire Gawain, "Your love do I refuse not
and to God do I commend you."

"How?" say the damsels, "Will you go your way thus? Certes, meeter
were it to-day for you to sojourn in this tent and be at ease."

"It may not be," saith he, "for leisure have I none to abide here."

"Let him go!" saith the younger, "for the falsest knight is he of the
world."

"By my head," saith the elder, "it grieveth me that he goeth, for stay
would have pleased me well."

Therewithal Messire Gawain departeth and is remounted on his horse.
Then he entereth into the forest.

BRANCH VI.

INCIPIT.

Another branch that Josephus telleth us recounteth and witnesseth of
the Holy Graal, and here beginneth for us in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

TITLE I.

Messire Gawain rode until he came to a forest, and seeth a land right
fair and rich in a great enclosure of wall, and round the land and
country-side within, the wall stretched right far away. Thitherward he
cometh and seeth but one entrance thereinto, and he seeth the fairest
land that ever he beheld and the best garnished and the fairest
orchards. The country was not more than four leagues Welsh in length,
and in the midst thereof was a tower on a high rock. And on the top
was a crane that kept watch over it and cried when any strange man came
into the country. Messire Gawain rode amidst the land and the crane
cried out so loud that the King of Wales heard it, that was lord of the
land. Thereupon, behold you, two knights that come after Messire Gawain
and say to him: "Hold, Sir knight, and come speak with the king of this
country, for no strange knight passeth through his land but he seeth
him."

"Lords," saith Messire Gawain, "I knew not of the custom. Willingly
will I go."

They led him thither to the hall where the King was, and Messire Gawain
alighteth and setteth his shield and his spear leaning against a
mounting stage and goeth up into the hall. The King maketh great joy
of him and asketh him whither he would go?

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "Into a country where I was never."

"Well I know," saith the king, "where it is, for that you are passing
through my land. You are going to the country of King Gurgalain to
conquer the sword wherewith S. John was beheaded."

II.

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "You say true. God grant me that I