Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XVII CHAPTER XVIII

CHAPTER XVIII

How Galahad came to King Mordrains, and of other matters
and adventures.

NOW, saith the story, Galahad rode many journeys in
vain.  And at the last he came to the abbey where King
Mordrains was, and when he heard that, he thought he
would abide to see him.  And upon the morn, when he
had heard mass, Galahad came unto King Mordrains, and
anon the king saw him, which had lain blind of long time.
And then he dressed him against him, and said:  Galahad,
the servant of Jesu Christ, whose coming I have abiden
so long, now embrace me and let me rest on thy breast,
so that I may rest between thine arms, for thou art a
clean virgin above all knights, as the flower of the lily in
whom virginity is signified, and thou art the rose the
which is the flower of all good virtues, and in colour of
fire.  For the fire of the Holy Ghost is taken so in thee
that my flesh which was all dead of oldness is become young
again.  Then Galahad heard his words, then he embraced
him and all his body.  Then said he:  Fair Lord Jesu
Christ, now I have my will.  Now I require thee, in this
point that I am in, thou come and visit me.  And anon
Our Lord heard his prayer: therewith the soul departed
from the body.

And then Galahad put him in the earth as a king
ought to be, and so departed and so came into a perilous
forest where he found the well the which boileth with
great waves, as the tale telleth to-fore.  And as soon as
Galahad set his hand thereto it ceased, so that it brent no
more, and the heat departed.  For that it brent it was a
sign of lechery, the which was that time much used.  But
that heat might not abide his pure virginity.  And this
was taken in the country for a miracle.  And so ever
after was it called Galahad's well.

Then by adventure he came into the country of Gore,
and into the abbey where Launcelot had been to-forehand,
and found the tomb of King Bagdemagus, but he was
founder thereof, Joseph of Aramathie's son; and the tomb
of Simeon where Launcelot had failed.  Then he looked into
a croft under the minster, and there he saw a tomb which
brent full marvellously.  Then asked he the brethren what
it was.  Sir, said they, a marvellous adventure that may
not be brought unto none end but by him that passeth
of bounty and of knighthood all them of the Round
Table.  I would, said Galahad, that ye would lead me
thereto.  Gladly, said they, and so led him till a cave.
And he went down upon greses, and came nigh the
tomb.  And then the flaming failed, and the fire staunched,
the which many a day had been great.  Then came there
a voice that said:  Much are ye beholden to thank Our
Lord, the which hath given you a good hour, that ye may
draw out the souls of earthly pain, and to put them into
the joys of paradise.  I am of your kindred, the which hath
dwelled in this heat this three hundred winter and
four-and-fifty to be purged of the sin that I did against Joseph of
Aramathie.  Then Galahad took the body in his arms and
bare it into the minster.  And that night lay Galahad in
the abbey; and on the morn he gave him service, and put
him in the earth afore the high altar.