Sir, he said, I am a knight of
King Arthur's that am in the quest of the Sangreal, and my name is Sir
Gawaine. Sir, said the good man, I would wit how it standeth betwixt God
and you. Sir, said Sir Gawaine, I will with a good will shew you my life
if it please you; and there he told the hermit how a monk of an abbey
called me wicked knight. He might well say it, said the hermit, for when
ye were first made knight ye should have taken you to knightly deeds
and virtuous living, and ye have done the contrary, for ye have lived
mischievously many winters; and Sir Galahad is a maid and sinned never,
and that is the cause he shall enchieve where he goeth that ye nor none
such shall not attain, nor none in your fellowship, for ye have used the
most untruest life that ever I heard knight live. For certes had ye not
been so wicked as ye are, never had the seven brethren been slain by you
and your two fellows. For Sir Galahad himself alone beat them all seven
the day to-fore, but his living is such he shall slay no man lightly.
Also I may say you the Castle of Maidens betokeneth the good souls
that were in prison afore the Incarnation of Jesu Christ. And the seven
knights betoken the seven deadly sins that reigned that time in the
world; and I may liken the good Galahad unto the son of the High Father,
that lighted within a maid, and bought all the souls out of thrall, so
did Sir Galahad deliver all the maidens out of the woful castle.

Now, Sir Gawaine, said the good man, thou must do penance for thy sin.
Sir, what penance shall I do? Such as I will give, said the good man.
Nay, said Sir Gawaine, I may do no penance; for we knights adventurous
oft suffer great woe and pain. Well, said the good man, and then he held
his peace. And on the morn Sir Gawaine departed from the hermit, and
betaught him unto God. And by adventure he met with Sir Aglovale and
Sir Griflet, two knights of the Table Round. And they two rode four days
without finding of any adventure, and at the fifth day they departed.
And everych held as fell them by adventure. Here leaveth the tale of Sir
Gawaine and his fellows, and speak we of Sir Galahad.

CHAPTER XVII. How Sir Galahad met with Sir Launcelot and Sir Percivale,
and smote them down, and departed from them.

So when Sir Galahad was departed from the Castle of Maidens he rode till
he came to a waste forest, and there he met with Sir Launcelot and Sir
Percivale, but they knew him not, for he was new d