celot maketh
great joy thereof. He taketh his leave, and they command him to God,
and so remounteth he on his horse and goeth his way through the midst
of the city all armed. The dames and damsels say that he would not be
king for that he had no mind to die so soon. When he came forth of the
city right well pleased was he. He entereth a great forest and rideth
on till daylight began to fall, and seeth before him a hermitage newly
stablished, for the house and the chapel were all builded new. He
cometh thitherward and alighteth to lodge. The hermit, that was young
without beard or other hair on his face, issued from his chapel.

"Sir," saith he to Lancelot, "you are he that is welcome."

"And you, sir, good adventure to you," saith Lancelot. "Never have I
seen hermit so young as you."

"Sir, of this only do I repent me, that I came not hither ere now."

VII.

Therewith he maketh his horse be stabled, and leadeth him into his
hermitage, and so maketh disarm him and setteth him at ease as much as
he may.

"Sir," saith the hermit, "Can you tell me any tidings of a knight that
hath lain sick of a long time in the house of a hermit?"

"Sir," saith Lancelot, "it is no long time agone sithence I saw him in
the house of the good King Hermit, that hath tended me and healed me
right sweetly of the wounds that the knight gave me."

"And is the knight healed, then?" saith the hermit.

"Yea, Sir," saith Lancelot, "Whereof is right great joy. And wherefore
do you ask me?"

"Well ought I to ask it," saith the hermit, "For my father is King
Pelles, and his mother is my father's own sister."

"Ha, Sir, then is the King Hermit your father?"

"Yea, Sir, certes."

"Thereof do I love you the better," saith Lancelot, "For never found I
any man that hath done me so much of love as hath he. And what, Sir, is
your name?"

"Sir," saith he, "My name is Joseus, and yours, what?"

"Sir," saith he, "I am called Lancelot of the Lake."

"Sir," saith the hermit, "Right close are we akin, I and you."

"By my head," saith Lancelot, "Hereof am I right glad at heart."

Lancelot looketh and seeth in the hermit's house shield and spear,
javelins and habergeon. "Sir," saith Lancelot, "What do you with these
arms?"

"Sir," saith he, "this forest is right lonely, and this hermitage is
far from any folk, and none are there here-within save me and my
squire. So, when robbers come hither, we defend ourselves therewith."

"But her