bed in middes of the
pavilion. And anon she was unclothed and laid therein. And then Sir
Percivale laid him down by her naked; and by adventure and grace he
saw his sword lie on the ground naked, in whose pommel was a red cross
and the sign of the crucifix therein, and bethought him on his
knighthood and his promise made toforehand unto the good man; then he
made a sign of the cross in his forehead, and therewith the pavilion
turned up so down, and then it changed unto a smoke, and a black
cloud, and then he was adread and cried aloud:

CHAPTER X

HOW SIR PERCIVALE FOR PENANCE ROVE HIMSELF THROUGH THE THIGH; AND HOW
SHE WAS KNOWN FOR THE DEVIL

Fair sweet father, Jesu Christ, ne let me not be shamed, the which was
nigh lost had not thy good grace been. And then he looked into a ship,
and saw her enter therein, which said: Sir Percivale, ye have betrayed
me. And so she went with the wind roaring and yelling, that it seemed
all the water brent after her. Then Sir Percivale made great sorrow,
and drew his sword unto him, saying: Sithen my flesh will be my master
I shall punish it; and therewith he rove himself through the thigh
that the blood start about him, and said: O good Lord, take this in
recompensation of that I have done against thee, my Lord. So then he
clothed him and armed him, and called himself a wretch, saying: How
nigh was I lost, and to have lost that I should never have gotten
again, that was my virginity, for that may never be recovered after it
is once lost. And then he stopped his bleeding wound with a piece of
his shirt. Thus as he made his moan he saw the same ship come from
Orient that the good man was in the day afore, and the noble knight
was ashamed with himself, and therewith he fell in a swoon. And when
he awoke he went unto him weakly, and there he saluted this good man.
And then he asked Sir Percivale: How hast thou done sith I departed?
Sir, said he, here was a gentlewoman and led me into deadly sin. And
there he told him altogether. Knew ye not the maid? said the good man.
Sir, said he, nay, but well I wot the fiend sent her hither to shame
me. O good knight, said he, thou art a fool, for that gentlewoman was
the master fiend of hell, the which hath power above all devils, and
that was the old lady that thou sawest in thine advision riding on the
serpent. Then he told Sir Percivale how our Lord Jesu Christ beat him
out of heaven for his sin, the which was the most brightest angel o