Branch V, part 1 of 5

¶INCIPIT.

¶Here beginneth again another branch of the Graal in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

¶TITLE I.

¶Messire Gawain goeth his way and evening draweth on; and on his right hand was there a narrow pathway that seemed him to be haunted of folk. Thitherward goeth he, for that he seeth the sun waxeth low, and findeth in the thick of the forest a great chapel, and without was a right fair manor. Before the chapel was an orchard enclosed of a wooden fence that was scarce so high as a tall man. A hermit that seemed him a right worshipful man was leaning against the fence, and looked into the orchard and made great cheer from time to time. He seeth Messire Gawain, and cometh to meet him, and Messire Gawain alighteth.

¶"Sir," saith the hermit, "Welcome may you be."

¶"God grant you the joy of Paradise," saith Messire Gawain. The hermit maketh his horse be stabled of a squire, and then taketh him by the hand and maketh him sit beside him to look on the orchard.

¶"Sir," saith the hermit, "Now may you see that whereof I was making cheer."

¶Messire Gawain looketh therewithin and seeth two damsels and a squire and a child that were guarding a lion.

¶"Sir," saith the hermit, "Here see my joy, which is this child. Saw you ever so fair a child his age?"

¶"Never," saith Messire Gawain. They go into the orchard to sit, for the evening was fair and calm. He maketh disarm him, and thereupon the damsel bringeth him a surcoat of right rich silk furred of ermine. And Messire Gawain looketh at the child that rode upon the lion right fainly.

¶"Sir," saith the hermit, "None durst guard him or be master over him save this child only, and yet the lad is not more than six years of age. Sir, he is of right noble lineage, albeit he is the son of the most cruel man and most felon that is. Marin the Jealous is his father, that slew his wife on account of Messire Gawain. Never sithence that his mother was dead would not the lad be with his father, for well knoweth he that he slew her of wrong. And I am his uncle, so I make him be tended here of these damsels and these two squires, but no one thing is there that he so much desireth to see as Messire Gawain. For after his father's death ought he of right to be Messire Gawain's man. Sir, if any tidings you know of him, tell us them."

¶"By my faith, Sir," saith he, "Tidings true can I give you. Lo, there is his shield and his spear, and himself shall you have this night for guest."

¶"Fair sir, are you he?" saith the hermit.

¶"So men call me," saith Messire Gawain, "And the lady saw I slain in the forest, whereof was I sore an-angered."

¶II.

¶"Fair nephew," saith the hermit, "See here your desire. Come to him and make him cheer."

¶The lad alighteth of the lion and smiteth him with a whip and leadeth him to the den and maketh the door so that he may not issue forth, and cometh to Messire Gawain, and Messire Gawain receiveth him between his arms. "Sir," saith the child, "Welcome may you be!"

¶"God give you growth of honour!" saith Messire Gawain. He kisseth him and maketh cheer with him right sweetly.

¶"Sir," saith the hermit, "He will be of right your man, wherefore ought you to counsel him and help him, for through you came his mother by her death, and right sore need will he have of your succour." The child kneeleth before him and holdeth up his joined hands.

¶"Look, Sir," saith the hermit, "Is he not right pitiful? He offereth you his homage."

¶And Messire Gawain setteth his hands within his own: "Certes," saith Messire Gawain, "Both your honour and your homage receive I gladly, and my succour and my counsel shall you have so often as you shall have need thereof. But fain would I know your name?"

¶"Sir, I am called Meliot of Logres."

¶"Sir," saith the hermit, "He saith true, for his mother was daughter of a rich earl of the kingdom of Logres."

¶III.

¶Messire Gawain was well harboured the night and lay in a right fair house and right rich. In the morning, when Messire Gawain had heard mass, the hermit asked him, "Whitherward go you?" and he said, "Toward the land of King Fisherman, and God allow me."

¶"Messire Gawain," saith the hermit, "Now God grant you speed your business better than did the other knight that was there before you, through whom are all the lands fallen into sorrow, and the good King Fisherman languisheth thereof."

¶"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "God grant me herein to do His pleasure."

¶Thereupon he taketh his leave and goeth his way, and the hermit commendeth him to God. And Messire Gawain rideth on his journeys until he hath left far behind the forest of the hermitage, and findeth the fairest land in the world and the fairest meadowlands that ever had he seen, and it lasted a good couple of great leagues Welsh. And he seeth a high forest before him, and meeteth a squire that came from that quarter, and seeth that he is sore downcast and right simple.

¶"Fair friend," saith Messire Gawain, "Whence come you?"

¶"Sir," saith he, "I come from yonder forest down below."

¶"Whose man are you?" saith Messire Gawain.

¶"I belong to the worshipful man that owneth the forest."

¶"You seem not over joyful," saith Messire Gawain.

¶"Sir, I have right to be otherwise," saith the squire, "For he that loseth his good lord ought not to be joyful."

¶"And who is your lord?"

¶"The best in the world."

¶"Is he dead?" saith Messire Gawain.

¶"Nay, of a truth, for that would be right sore grief to the world, but in joy hath he not been this long time past."