d ye that I did? I would,
said she, for the amends of my beast that ye become my man. And then he
answered: That will I not grant you. No, said she, truly ye were never
but my servant sin ye received the homage of Our Lord Jesu Christ.
Therefore, I ensure you in what place I may find you without keeping I
shall take you, as he that sometime was my man. And so she departed from
Sir Percivale and left him sleeping, the which was sore travailed of his
advision. And on the morn he arose and blessed him, and he was passing
feeble.

Then was Sir Percivale ware in the sea, and saw a ship come sailing
toward him; and Sir Percivale went unto the ship and found it covered
within and without with white samite. And at the board stood an old man
clothed in a surplice, in likeness of a priest. Sir, said Sir Percivale,
ye be welcome. God keep you, said the good man. Sir, said the old man,
of whence be ye? Sir, said Sir Percivale, I am of King Arthur's court,
and a knight of the Table Round, the which am in the quest of the
Sangreal; and here am I in great duresse, and never like to escape out
of this wilderness. Doubt not, said the good man, an ye be so true a
knight as the order of chivalry requireth, and of heart as ye ought to
be, ye should not doubt that none enemy should slay you. What are ye?
said Sir Percivale. Sir, said the old man, I am of a strange country,
and hither I come to comfort you.

Sir, said Sir Percivale, what signifieth my dream that I dreamed this
night? And there he told him altogether: She which rode upon the lion
betokeneth the new law of holy church, that is to understand, faith,
good hope, belief, and baptism. For she seemed younger than the other it
is great reason, for she was born in the resurrection and the passion of
Our Lord Jesu Christ. And for great love she came to thee to warn
thee of thy great battle that shall befall thee. With whom, said Sir
Percivale, shall I fight? With the most champion of the world, said the
old man; for as the lady said, but if thou quit thee well thou shalt not
be quit by losing of one member, but thou shalt be shamed to the world's
end. And she that rode on the serpent signifieth the old law, and that
serpent betokeneth a fiend. And why she blamed thee that thou slewest
her servant, it betokeneth nothing; the serpent that thou slewest
betokeneth the devil that thou rodest upon to the rock. And when thou
madest a sign of the cross, there thou slewest him, and put away hi