e
you, will go to help you."

"Sir," saith he, "Gramercy, but go and achieve your own affair also,
for sore need have you thereof; wherefore I pray and beseech you that
you be guardian of the castle of Camelot, if that my lady mother shall
come thither, for thereof make I you lord and champion, and albeit the
castle be far away from you, yet garnish it and guard it, for it is
builded in a place right fair."

V.

Lords, think not that it is this Camelot whereof these tellers of tales
do tell their tales, there, where King Arthur so often held his court.
This Camelot that was the Widow Lady's stood upon the uttermost
headland of the wildest isle of Wales by the sea to the West. Nought
was there save the hold and the forest and the waters that were round
about it. The other Camelot, of King Arthur's, was situate at the
entrance of the kingdom of Logres, and was peopled of folk and was
seated at the head of the King's land, for that he had in his
governance all the lands that on that side marched with his own.

BRANCH XXIII.

TITLE I.

Of Perceval the story is here silent, and saith that King Arthur and
Messire Gawain have taken leave of Perceval and all them of the castle.
The King leaveth him the good destrier that he won, with the golden
crown. They have ridden, he and Messire Gawain together, until they
are come to a waste ancient castle that stood in a forest. The castle
would have been right fair and rich had any folk wonned therein, but
none there were save one old priest and his clerk that lived within by
their own toil. The King and Messire Gawain lodged there the night, and
on the morrow went into a right rich chapel that was therein to hear
mass, and it was painted all around of right rich colours of gold and
azure and other colours. The images were right fair that were there
painted, and the Figures of them for whom the images were made. The
King and Messire Gawain looked at them gladly. When the mass was said,
the priest cometh to them and saith: "Lords," saith he, "These imagings
are right fair, and he that had them made is full loyal, and dearly
loved the lady and her son for whom he had them made. Sir," saith the
priest, "It is a true history."

"Of whom is the history, fair Sir?" saith King Arthur.

"Of a worshipful vavasour that owned this hold, and of Messire Gawain,
King Arthur's nephew, and his mother. Sir," saith the priest, "Messire
Gawain was born there within and held up and