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 which was the last of the seven kings. And by thee,
Sir Launcelot, it signifieth that the angels said thou were none of the
seven fellowships. And the last was the ninth knight, he was signified
to a lion, for he should pass all manner of earthly knights, that is Sir
Galahad, the which thou gat on King Pelles' daughter; and thou ought to
thank God more than any other man living, for of a sinner earthly thou
hast no peer as in knighthood, nor never shall be. But little thank hast
thou given to God for all the great virtues that God hath lent thee.
Sir, said Launcelot, ye say that that good knight is my son. That
oughtest thou to know and no man better, said the good man, for thou
knewest the daughter of King Pelles fleshly, and on her thou begattest
Galahad, and that was he that at the feast of Pentecost sat in the Siege
Perilous; and therefore make thou it known openly that he is one of thy
begetting on King Pelles' daughter, for that will be your worship and
honour, and to all thy kindred. And I counsel you in no place press not
upon him to have ado with him. Well, said Launcelot, meseemeth that good
knight should pray for me unto the High Father, that I fall not to sin
again. Trust thou well, said the good man, thou farest mickle the better
for his prayer; but the son shall not bear the wickedness of the father,
nor the father shall not bear the wickedness of the son, but everych
shall bear his own burden. And therefore beseek thou only God, and He
will help thee in all thy needs. And then Sir Launcelot and he went to
supper, and so laid him to rest, and the hair pricked so Sir