e hermit gave to them.

CERTES, said Gawaine, soothly have ye said, that I see it openly. Now, I
pray you, good man and holy father, tell me why we met not with so many
adventures as we were wont to do, and commonly have the better. I shall
tell you gladly, said the good man; the adventure of the Sangreal which
ye and many other have undertaken the quest of it and find it not, the
cause is for it appeareth not to sinners. Wherefore marvel not though
ye fail thereof, and many other. For ye be an untrue knight and a great
murderer, and to good men signifieth other things than murder. For I
dare say, as sinful as Sir Launcelot hath been, sith that he went into
the quest of the Sangreal he slew never man, nor nought shall, till that
he come unto Camelot again, for he hath taken upon him for to forsake
sin. And nere that he nis not stable, but by his thought he is likely to
turn again, he should be next to enchieve it save Galahad, his son. But
God knoweth his thought and his unstableness, and yet shall he die right
an holy man, and no doubt he hath no fellow of no earthly sinful man.
Sir, said Gawaine, it seemeth me by your words that for our sins it will
not avail us to travel in this quest Truly, said the good man, there be
an hundred such as ye be that never shall prevail, but to have shame.
And when they had heard these voices they commended him unto God.

Then the good man called Gawaine, and said: It is long time passed sith
that ye were made knight, and never sithen thou servedst thy Maker,
and now thou art so old a tree that in thee is neither life nor fruit;
wherefore bethink thee that thou yield to Our Lord the bare rind, sith
the fiend hath the leaves and the fruit. Sir, said Gawaine an I had
leisure I would speak with you, but my fellow here, Sir Ector, is gone,
and abideth me yonder beneath the hill. Well, said the good man, thou
were better to be counselled. Then departed Gawaine and came to Ector,
and so took their horses and rode till they came to a forester's house,
which harboured them right well. And on the morn they departed from
their host, and rode long or they could find any adventure.

CHAPTER VI. How Sir Bors met with an hermit, and how he was confessed to
him, and of his penance enjoined to him.

WHEN Bors was departed from Camelot he met with a religious man riding
on an ass, and Sir Bors saluted him. Anon the good man knew him that
he was one of the knights-errant that was in the quest