SoSrBorsdepartedfromhmandrodethenextwaytothesea。Andatthelastbyfortunehecametoanabbeywhchwasnghthesea。ThatnghtBorsrestedhmthere；andnhssleeptherecameavocetohmandbadehmgotothesea。Thenhestertupandmadeasgnofthecrossnthemdstofhsforehead，andtookhsharness，andmadereadyhshorse，andmounteduponhm；andatabrokenwallherodeout，androdesolongtllthathecametothesea。Andonthestrandhefoundashpcoveredallwthwhtesamte，andhealghted，andbetookhmtoJesuChrst。Andassoonasheenteredntotheshp，theshpdepartedntothesea，andwentsofastthathmseemedtheshpwentflyng，buttwassoondarksothathemghtknownoman，andsoheslepttlltwasday。Thenheawaked，andsawnmdstoftheshpaknghtleallarmedsavehshelm。ThenknewhethattwasSrPercvaleofWales，andthenhemadeofhmrghtgreatjoy；butSrPercvalewasabashedofhm，andheaskedhmwhathewas。Ah，farsr，sadBors，knowyemenot？Certes，sadhe，marvelhowyecamehther，butfOurLordbroughtyehtherHmself。ThenSrBorssmledandddoffhshelm。ThenPercvaleknewhm，andethermadegreatjoyofother，thattwasmarveltohear。ThenBorstoldhmhowhecamentotheshp，andbywhoseadmonshment；andethertoldotherofthertemptatons，asyehaveheardto-forehand。
Sowenttheydownwardnthesea，onewhlebackward，anotherwhleforward，andeverychcomfortedother，andoftwerentherprayers。ThensadSrPercvale：WelacknothngbutGalahad，thegoodknght。
Andthusendeththesxteenthbook，whchsofSrGawane，EctordeMars，andSrBorsdeGans，andSrPercvale。Andherefolloweththeseven-
teenthbook，whchsofthenobleknghtSrGalahad。
BOOK
HowSrGalahadfoughtatatournament，andhowhewasknownofSrGawaneandSrEctordeMars。
NOWsaththsstory，whenGalahadhadrescuedPercvalefromthetwentyknghts，heyedethontoawasteforestwherenherodemanyjourneys；andhefoundmanyadventuresthewhchhebroughttoanend，whereofthestorymakethherenomenton。Thenhetookhswaytotheseaonaday，andtbefellashepassedbyacastlewherewasawondertournament，buttheywthouthaddonesomuchthattheywthnwereputtotheworse，yetweretheywthngoodknghtsenough。WhenGalahadsawthatthosewthnwereatsogreatamschefthatmenslewthemattheentryofthecastle，thenhethoughttohelpthem，andputaspearforthandsmotethefrstthathefelltotheearth，andthespearbraketopeces。Thenhedrewhsswordandsmotethereastheywerethckest，andsoheddwonderfuldeedsofarmsthatalltheymarvelled。ThenthappedthatGawaneandSrEctordeMarswerewththeknghtswthout。Butwhentheyespedthewhtesheldwththeredcrosstheonesadtotheother：Yondersthegoodknght，SrGalahad，thehautprnce：nowheshouldbeagreatfoolwhchshouldmeetwthhmtofght。SobyadventurehecamebySrGawane，andhesmotehmsohardthatheclavehshelmandthecofofronuntohshead，sothatGawanefelltotheearth；butthestrokewassogreatthattslanteddowntotheearthandcarvedthehorse’sshoulderntwo。
WhenEctorsawGawanedownhedrewhmasde，andthoughttnowsdomfortoabdehm，andalsofornaturallove，thathewashsuncle。Thusthroughhsgreathardnesshebeatabackalltheknghtswthout。
Andthentheywthncameoutandchasedthemallabout。ButwhenGalahadsawtherewouldnoneturnaganhestoleawayprvly，sothatnonewstwherehewasbecome。Nowbymyhead，sadGawanetoEctor，nowarethewonderstruethatweresadofLauncelotduLake，thattheswordwhchstucknthestoneshouldgvemesuchabuffetthatwouldnothavetforthebestcastlenthsworld；andsoothlynowtsprovedtrue，fornevererehadsuchastrokeofman’shand。Sr，sadEctor，meseemethyourquestsdone。Andyourssnotdone，sadGawane，butmnesdone，shallseeknofurther。ThenGawanewasbornentoacastleandunarmedhm，andladhmnarchbed，andaleechfoundthathemghtlve，andtobewholewthnamonth。
ThusGawaneandEctorabodetogether，forSrEctorwouldnotawaytllGawanewerewhole。
Andthegoodknght，Galahad，rodesolongtllhecamethatnghttotheCastleofCarboneck；andtbefellhmthusthathewasbenghtednanhermtage。Sothegoodmanwasfanwhenhesawhewasaknght-errant。
Thowhentheywereatresttherecameagentlewomanknockngatthedoor，andcalledGalahad，andsothegoodmancametothedoortowtwhatshewould。Thenshecalledthehermt：SrUlfn，amagentlewomanthatwouldspeakwththeknghtwhchswthyou。ThenthegoodmanawakedGalahad，andbadehm：Arse，andspeakwthagentlewomanthatseemethhathgreatneedofyou。ThenGalahadwenttoherandaskedherwhatshewould。Galahad，sadshe，wllthatyearmyou，andmountuponyourhorseandfollowme，forshallshowyouwthnthesethreedaysthehghestadventurethateveranyknghtsaw。AnonGalahadarmedhm，andtookhshorse，andcommendedhmtoGod，andbadethegentlewomango，andhewouldfollowthereasshelked。
HowSrGalahadrodewthadamosel，andcametotheshpwhereasSrBorsandSrPercvaleweren。
SOsherodeasfastasherpalfreymghtbearher，tllthatshecametothesea，thewhchwascalledCollbe。Andatthenghttheycameuntoacastlenavalley，closedwtharunnngwater，andwthstrongwallsandhgh；
andsosheenteredntothecastlewthGalahad，andtherehadhegreatcheer，fortheladyofthatcastlewasthedamosel’slady。Sowhenhewasunarmed，thensadthedamosel：Madam，shallweabdehereallthsday？Nay，sadshe，buttllhehathdnedandtllhehathsleptalttle。Soheateandsleptawhletllthatthemadcalledhm，andarmedhmbytorchlght。Andwhenthemadwashorsedandheboth，theladytookGalahadafarchldandrch；andsotheydepartedfromthecastletlltheycametotheseasde；andtheretheyfoundtheshpwhereBorsandPercvaleweren，thewhchcredontheshp’sboard：SrGalahad，yebewelcome，wehaveabdenyoulong。Andwhenheheardthemheaskedthemwhattheywere。Sr，sadshe，leaveyourhorsehere，andshallleavemne；andtookthersaddlesandtherbrdleswththem，andmadeacrossonthem，andsoenteredntotheshp。Andthetwoknghtsrecevedthembothwthgreatjoy，andeverychknewother；andsothewndarose，anddrovethemthroughtheseanamarvellouspace。Andwthnawhletdawned。
ThenddGalahadoffhshelmandhssword，andaskedofhsfellowsfromwhencecamethatfarshp。
Truly，sadthey，yewotaswellaswe，butofGod’sgrace；
andthentheytoldeverychtootherofalltherhardadventures，andofthergreattemptatons。Truly，sadGalahad，yearemuchboundentoGod，foryehaveescapedgreatadventures；andhadnotthegentlewomanbeen
hadnotcomehere，forasforyouweenednevertohavefoundyounthesestrangecountres。AhGalahad，sadBors，fLauncelot，yourfather，wereherethenwerewewellatease，forthenmeseemedwefalednothng。Thatmaynotbe，sadGalahad，butftpleasedOurLord。
BythentheshpwentfromthelandofLogrs，andbyadventuretarrvedupbetwxttworockspassnggreatandmarvellous；buttheretheymghtnotland，fortherewasaswallowofthesea，savetherewasanothershp，anduponttheymghtgowthoutdanger。Gowethther，sadthegentlewoman，andthereshallweseeadventures，forsosOurLord’swll。Andwhentheycameththertheyfoundtheshprchenough，buttheyfoundnethermannorwomantheren。Buttheyfoundntheendoftheshptwofarletterswrtten，whchsadadreadfulwordandamarvellous：Thouman，whchshallenterntothsshp，bewarethoubensteadfastbelef，foramFath，andthereforebewarehowthouenterest，foranthoufalshallnothelpthee。Thensadthegentlewoman：
Percvale，wotyewhatam？Certes，sadhe，nay，tomywttng。Wtyewell，sadshe，thatamthysster，whchamdaughterofKngPellnore，andthereforewtyewellyearethemanntheworldthatmostlove；
andfyebenotnperfectbelefofJesuChrstenternotnnomannerofwse，forthenshouldyepershtheshp，forhessoperfecthewllsuffernosnnernhm。WhenPercvaleunderstoodthatshewashsveryssterhewasnwardlyglad，andsad：Farsster，shallentertheren，forfbeamscreatureoranuntrueknghtthereshall
persh。
HowSrGalahadenteredntotheshp，andofafarbedtheren，wthothermarvellousthngs，andofasword。
NthemeanwhleGalahadblessedhm，andenteredtheren；
andthennextthegentlewoman，andthenSrBorsandSrPercvale。Andwhentheyweren，twassomarvellousfarandrchthattheymarvelled；andnmdstoftheshpwasafarbed，andGalahadwentthereto，andfoundthereacrownofslk。Andatthefeetwasasword，rchandfar，andtwasdrawnoutofthesheathhalfafootandmore；andtheswordwasofdversfashons，andthepommelwasofstone，andtherewasnhmallmannerofcoloursthatanymanmghtfnd，andeverychofthecolourshaddversvrtues；andthescalesofthehaftwereoftworbsofdversbeasts，theonebeastwasaserpentwhchwasconversantnCaldone，andscalledtheSerpentofthefend；andtheboneofhmsofsuchavrtuethattheresnohandthathandlethhmshallneverbewearynorhurt。Andtheotherbeastsafshwhchsnotrghtgreat，andhaunteththefloodofEuphrates；andthatfshscalledErtanax，andhsbonesbeofsuchamannerofkndthatwhothathandleththemshallhavesomuchwllthatheshallneverbeweary，andheshallnotthnkonjoynorsorrowthathehathhadbutonlythatthngthathebeholdethbeforehm。Andasforthsswordthereshallnevermanbegrphmatthehandlesbutone；butheshallpassallother。nthenameofGod，sadPercvale，shallassaytohandlet。Sohesethshandtothesword，buthemghtnotbegrpt。
Bymyfath，sadhe，nowhavefaled。Borssethshandtheretoandfaled。
ThenGalahadbeheldtheswordandsawletterslkebloodthatsad：Letseewhoshallassaytodrawmeoutofmysheath，butfhebemoreharderthananyother；
andwhothatdrawethme，wtyewellthatheshallneverfalofshameofhsbody，ortobewoundedtothedeath。
Bymyfath，sadGalahad，woulddrawthsswordoutofthesheath，buttheoffendngssogreatthatshallnotsetmyhandthereto。Nowsrs，sadthegentlewoman，wtyewellthatthedrawngofthsswordswarnedtoallmensaveallonlytoyou。AlsothsshparrvedntherealmofLogrs；andthattmewasdeadlywarbetweenKngLabor，whchwasfatheruntothemamedkng，andKngHurlame，whchwasaSaracen。Butthenwashenewlychrstened，sothatmenheldhmafterwardoneofthewttestmenoftheworld。AndsouponadaytbefellthatKngLaborandKngHurlamehadassembledtherfolkupontheseawherethsshpwasarrved；andthereKngHurlamewasdscomft，andhsmenslan；
andhewasafeardtobedead，andfledtohsshp，andtherefoundthsswordanddrewt，andcameoutandfoundKngLabor，themanntheworldofallChrstendomnwhomwasthenthegreatestfath。AndwhenKngHurlamesawKngLaborhedressedthssword，andsmotehmuponthehelmsohardthatheclavehmandhshorsetotheearthwththefrststrokeofhssword。AndtwasntherealmofLogrs；andsobefellgreatpestlenceandgreatharmtobothrealms。Forsthenncreasednethercorn，norgrass，norwell-nghnofrut，nornthewaterwasnofsh；whereforemencalltthelandsofthetwomarches，thewasteland，forthatdolorousstroke。AndwhenKngHurlamesawthsswordsocarvng，heturnedagantofetchthescabbard，andsocamentothsshpandentered，andputuptheswordnthesheath。Andassoonashehaddonethefelldowndeadaforethebed。Thuswastheswordproved，thatnonenedrewtbutheweredeadormamed。
Solayhetheretllamadencamentotheshpandcasthmout，fortherewasnomansohardyoftheworldtoenterntothatshpforthedefence。
V
Ofthemarvelsoftheswordandofthescabbard。
ANDthenbeheldtheythescabbard，tseemedtobeofaserpent’sskn，andthereonwerelettersofgoldandslver。
Andthegrdlewasbutpoorlytocometo，andnotabletosustansucharchsword。Andtheletterssad：Hewhchshallweldmesoughttobemoreharderthananyother，fhebearmeastrulyasmeoughttobeborne。