Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XIII CHAPTER XIX

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 CHAPTER XIX
 
 How a voice spake to Sir Launcelot, and how he found his
 horse and his helm borne away, and after went afoot.
 
 
 THEN anon Sir Launcelot waked, and set him up, and
 bethought him what he had seen there, and whether it
 were dreams or not.  Right so heard he a voice that
 said:  Sir Launcelot, more harder than is the stone,
 and more bitter than is the wood, and more naked
 and barer than is the leaf of the fig tree; therefore go
 thou from hence, and withdraw thee from this holy
 place.  And when Sir Launcelot heard this he was
 passing heavy and wist not what to do, and so departed
 sore weeping, and cursed the time that he was born.
 For then he deemed never to have had worship more.
 For those words went to his heart, till that he knew
 wherefore he was called so.  Then Sir Launcelot went
 to the cross and found his helm, his sword, and his
 horse taken away.  And then he called himself a very
 wretch, and most unhappy of all knights; and there he
 said:  My sin and my wickedness have brought me unto
 great dishonour.  For when I sought worldly adventures
 for worldly desires, I ever enchieved them and had the
 better in every place, and never was I discomfit in no
 quarrel, were it right or wrong.  And now I take upon
 me the adventures of holy things, and now I see and
 understand that mine old sin hindereth me and shameth
 me, so that I had no power to stir nor speak when the
 holy blood appeared afore me.  So thus he sorrowed till
 it was day, and heard the fowls sing: then somewhat he
 was comforted.  But when Sir Launcelot missed his horse
 and his harness then he wist well God was displeased
 with him.
 
 Then he departed from the cross on foot into a forest;
 and so by prime he came to an high hill, and found an
 hermitage and a hermit therein which was going unto
 mass.  And then Launcelot kneeled down and cried on
 Our Lord mercy for his wicked works.  So when mass
 was done Launcelot called him, and prayed him for
 charity for to hear his life.  With a good will, said the
 good man.  Sir, said he, be ye of King Arthur's court
 and of the fellowship of the Round Table? Yea forsooth,
 and my name is Sir Launcelot du Lake that hath been
 right well said of, and now my good fortune is changed,
 for I am the most wretch of the world.  The hermit
 beheld him and had marvel how he was so abashed.  Sir,
 said the hermit, ye ought to thank God more than any
 knight living, for He hath caused you to have more
 worldly worship than any knight that now liveth.  And
 for your presumption to take upon you in deadly sin for
 to be in His presence, where His flesh and His blood was,
 that caused you ye might not see it with worldly eyes;
 for He will not appear where such sinners be, but if it be
 unto their great hurt and unto their great shame; and
 there is no knight living now that ought to give God so
 great thank as ye, for He hath given you beauty,
 seemliness, and great strength above all other knights; and
 therefore ye are the more beholding unto God than any
 other man, to love Him and dread Him, for your
 strength and manhood will little avail you an God be
 against you.