dead as ye may see. And then he asked leave, and went out
of his hermitage for to maintain his nephew against the mighty earl;
and so it happed that this man that lieth here dead did so much by his
wisdom and hardiness that the earl was taken, and three of his lords,
by force of this dead man.

CHAPTER II

OF A DEAD MAN, HOW MEN WOULD HAVE HEWN HIM, AND IT WOULD NOT BE, AND
HOW SIR LAUNCELOT TOOK THE HAIR OF THE DEAD MAN

Then was there peace betwixt the earl and this Aguarus, and great
surety that the earl should never war against him. Then this dead man
that here lieth came to this hermitage again; and then the earl made
two of his nephews for to be avenged upon this man. So they came on a
day, and found this dead man at the sacring of his mass, and they
abode him till he had said mass. And then they set upon him and drew
out swords to have slain him; but there would no sword bite on him
more than upon a gad of steel, for the high Lord which he served he
him preserved. Then made they a great fire, and did off all his
clothes, and the hair off his back. And then this dead man hermit said
unto them: Ween you to burn me? It shall not lie in your power nor to
perish me as much as a thread an there were any on my body. No, said
one of them, it shall be essayed. And then they despoiled him, and put
upon him this shirt, and cast him in a fire, and there he lay all that
night till it was day in that fire, and was not dead, and so in the
morn I came and found him dead; but I found neither thread nor skin
tamyd, and so took him out of the fire with great fear, and led him
here as ye may see. And now may ye suffer me to go my way, for I have
said you the sooth. And then he departed with a great tempest. Then
was the good man and Sir Launcelot more gladder than they were tofore.
And then Sir Launcelot dwelled with that good man that night. Sir,
said the good man, be ye not Sir Launcelot du Lake? Yea, sir, said he.
What seek ye in this country? Sir, said Sir Launcelot, I go to seek
the adventures of the Sangreal. Well, said he, seek it ye may well,
but though it were here ye shall have no power to see it no more than
a blind man should see a bright sword, and that is long on your sin,
and else ye were more abler than any man living. And then Sir
Launcelot began to weep. Then said the good man: Were ye confessed
sith ye entered into the quest of the Sangreal? Yea, sir, said Sir
Launcelot. Then upon the morn when the good