cross and
found his helm, his sword, and his horse taken away. And then he
called himself a very wretch, and most unhappy of all knights; and
there he said: My sin and my wickedness have brought me unto great
dishonour. For when I sought worldly adventures for worldly desires, I
ever achieved them and had the better in every place, and never was I
discomfit in no quarrel, were it right or wrong. And now I take upon
me the adventures of holy things, and now I see and understand that
mine old sin hindereth me and shameth me, so that I had no power to
stir nor speak when the holy blood appeared afore me. So thus lie
sorrowed till it was day, and heard the fowls sing: then somewhat he
was comforted. But when Sir Launcelot missed his horse and his harness
then he wist well God was displeased with him. Then he departed from
the cross on foot into a forest; and so by prime he came to an high
hill, and found an hermitage and a hermit therein which was going unto
mass. And then Launcelot kneeled down and cried on Our Lord mercy for
his wicked works. So when mass was done Launcelot called him, and
prayed him for charity for to hear his life. With a good will, said
the good man. Sir, said he, be ye of King Arthur's court and of the
fellowship of the Round Table? Yea forsooth, and my name is Sir
Launcelot du Lake that hath been right well said of, and now my good
fortune is changed, for I am the most wretch of the world. The hermit
beheld him and had marvel how he was so abashed. Sir, said the hermit,
ye ought to thank God more than any knight living, for He hath caused
you to have more worldly worship than any knight that now liveth. And
for your presumption to take upon you in deadly sin for to be in His
presence, where His flesh and His blood was, that caused you ye might
not see it with worldly eyes; for He will not appear where such
sinners be, but if it be unto their great hurt and unto their great
shame; and there is no knight living now that ought to give God so
great thank as ye, for He hath given you beauty, seemliness, and great
strength above all other knights; and therefore ye are the more
beholding unto God than any other man, to love Him and dread Him, for
your strength and manhood will little avail you an God be against you.

CHAPTER XX

HOW SIR LAUNCELOT WAS SHRIVEN, AND WHAT SORROW HE MADE, AND OF THE
GOOD ENSAMPLES WHICH WERE SHEWED HIM

Then Sir Launcelot wept with heavy cheer, and said: Now I know w