CHAPTER III

How Sir Percivale came into a monastery, where he found
King Evelake, which was an old man.


THEN departed Sir Percivale from his aunt, either making
great sorrow.  And so he rode till evensong time.  And
then he heard a clock smite; and then he was ware of an
house closed well with walls and deep ditches, and there he
knocked at the gate and was let in, and he alighted and
was led unto a chamber, and soon he was unarmed.  And
there he had right good cheer all that night; and on the
morn he heard his mass, and in the monastery he found a
priest ready at the altar.  And on the right side he saw a
pew closed with iron, and behind the altar he saw a rich
bed and a fair, as of cloth of silk and gold.

Then Sir Percivale espied that therein was a man or a
woman, for the visage was covered; then he left off his
looking and heard his service.  And when it came to the
sacring, he that lay within that parclos dressed him up, and
uncovered his head; and then him beseemed a passing old
man, and he had a crown of gold upon his head, and his
shoulders were naked and unhilled unto his navel.  And
then Sir Percivale espied his body was full of great wounds,
both on the shoulders, arms, and visage.  And ever he held
up his hands against Our Lord's body, and cried:  Fair,
sweet Father, Jesu Christ, forget not me.  And so he lay
down, but always he was in his prayers and orisons; and
him seemed to be of the age of three hundred winter.  And
when the mass was done the priest took Our Lord's body
and bare it to the sick king.  And when he had used it he
did off his crown, and commanded the crown to be set on
the altar.

Then Sir Percivale asked one of the brethren what he
was.  Sir, said the good man, ye have heard much of
Joseph of Aramathie, how he was sent by Jesu Christ into
this land for to teach and preach the holy Christian faith;
and therefore he suffered many persecutions the which the
enemies of Christ did unto him, and in the city of Sarras
he converted a king whose name was Evelake.  And so
this king came with Joseph into this land, and ever he was
busy to be thereas the Sangreal was; and on a time he
nighed it so nigh that Our Lord was displeased with him,
but ever he followed it more and more, till God struck
him almost blind.  Then this king cried mercy, and
said:  Fair Lord, let me never die till the good knight
of my blood of the ninth degree be come, that I may
see him openly that he shall enchieve the Sangreal, that
I may kiss him.