glory, more for the pleasure of
the world than to please me, therefore thou shalt be confounded
without thou yield me my treasure. All this advision saw Sir Launcelot
at the Cross. And on the morn he took his horse and rode till midday;
and there by adventure he met with the same knight that took his
horse, helm, and his sword, when he slept when the Sangreal appeared
afore the Cross. When Sir Launcelot saw him he saluted him not fair,
but cried on high: Knight, keep thee, for thou hast done to me great
unkindness. And then they put afore them their spears, and Sir
Launcelot came so fiercely upon him that he smote him and his horse
down to the earth, that he had nigh broken his neck. Then Sir
Launcelot took the knight's horse that was his own aforehand, and
descended from the horse he sat upon, and mounted upon his own horse,
and tied the knight's own horse to a tree that he might find that
horse when that he was arisen. Then Sir Launcelot rode till night and
by adventure he met an hermit, and each of them saluted other; and
there he rested with that good man all night, and gave his horse such
as he might get. Then said the good man unto Launcelot: Of whence be
ye? Sir, said he, I am of Arthur's court, and my name is Sir Launcelot
du Lake that am in the quest of the Sangreal, and therefore I pray you
to counsel me of a vision the which I had at the Cross. And so he told
him all.

CHAPTER IV

HOW THE HERMIT EXPOUNDED TO SIR LAUNCELOT HIS VISION, AND TOLD HIM
THAT SIR GALAHAD WAS HIS SON

Lo, Sir Launcelot, said the good man, there thou mightest understand
the high lineage that thou art come of, and thine advision betokeneth.
After the passion of Jesu Christ forty year, Joseph of Aramathie
preached the victory of King Evelake, that he had in the battles the
better of his enemies. And of the seven kings and the two knights: the
first of them is called Nappus, an holy man; and the second hight
Nacien, in remembrance of his grandsire, and in him dwelled our lord
Jesu Christ; and the third was called Helias le Grose; and the fourth
hight Lisais; and the fifth hight Jonas, he departed out of his
country and went into Wales, and took there the daughter of Manuel,
whereby he had the land of Gaul, and he came to dwell in this country.
And of him came King Launcelot thy grandsire, the which there wedded
the king's daughter of Ireland, and he was as worthy a man as thou
art, and of him came King Ban, thy father, the wh