supper.

"Sirs," said Sir Galahad, "what adventure brought you hither?"

"Sir," said they, "it is told us that within this place is a shield that
no man may bear about his neck but if that he be mischieved or dead
within three days, or else maimed for ever."

"Ah, sir," said King Bagdemagus, "I shall it bear to-morrow for to assay
this strange adventure."

"In the name of God," said Sir Galahad.

"Sir," said Bagdemagus, "an I may not achieve the adventure of this
shield ye shall take it upon you, for I am sure ye shall not fail."

"Sir," said Galahad, "I agree right well thereto, for I have no shield."

So on the morn they arose and heard mass. Anon a monk led them behind an
altar where the shield hung as white as any snow, but in the middes[14]
was a red cross.

[Footnote 14: _Middes_ is an old word for _midst_]

"Sir," said the monk, "this shield ought not to be hanged about no
knight's neck but he be the worthiest knight of the world, and therefore
I counsel you knights to be well advised."

"Well," said King Bagdemagus, "I wot well that I am not the best knight
of the world, but yet shall I assay to bear it."

And so he bare it out of the monastery; and then he said unto Sir
Galahad: "If it will please you I pray you abide here still, till ye
know how I shall speed."

"I shall abide you here," said Galahad. Then King Bagdemagus took with
him a squire, the which should bring tidings unto Sir Galahad how he
sped.

Then when they had ridden a two mile and came in a fair valley afore an
hermitage, then they saw a goodly knight come from that part in white
armour, horse and all; and he came as fast as his horse might run, with
his spear in the rest, and King Bagdemagus dressed his spear against him
and brake it upon the white knight. But the other struck him so hard
that he brake the mails, and thrust him through the right shoulder, for
the shield covered him not at that time; and so he bare him from his
horse.

[Illustration: SIR GALAHAD]

And therewith he alighted and took the white shield from him, saying:
"Knight, thou hast done thyself great folly, for this shield ought not
to be borne but by him that shall have no peer that liveth." And then he
came to King Bagdemagus' squire and said: "Bear this shield unto the
good knight Sir Galahad, that thou left in the abbey, and greet him well
from me, for this shield behoveth[15] unto no man but unto Galahad."

[Footnote 15: That is, _belongeth_.]

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