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.
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