the hair that he weareth daily.  And the ass that he rode upon is a beast of humility, for God would not ride upon no steed, nor upon no palfrey; so in ensample that an ass betokeneth meekness, that thou sawest Sir Launcelot ride on in thy sleep.  And the well whereas the water sank from him when he should have taken thereof, and when he saw he might not have it, he returned thither from whence he came, for the well betokeneth the high grace of God, the more men desire it to take it, the more shall be their desire.  So when he came nigh the Sangreal, he meeked him that he held him not a man worthy to be so nigh the holy vessel, for he had been so befouled in deadly sin by the space of many years; yet when he kneeled to drink of the well, there he saw great providence oL the Sangreal.  And for he had served so long the devil, he shall have vengeance four and twenty days long, for that he hath been the devil’s servant four and twenty years.  And then soon after he shall return unto Camelot out of this country, and he shall say a part of such things as he hath found.  Now will I tell you what betokeneth the hand with the candle and the bridle:  that is to understand the holy ghost where charity is ever, and the bridle signifieth abstinence.  For when she is bridled in Christian man’s heart she holdeth him so short that he falleth not in deadly sin.  And the candle which sheweth clearness and sight signifieth the right way of Jesu Christ.  And when he went and said:  Knights of poor faith and of wicked belief, these three things failed, charity, abstinence, and truth; therefore ye may not attain that high adventure of the Sangreal.

CHAPTER V

OF THE GOOD COUNSEL THAT THE HERMIT GAVE TO HIM

Certes, said Gawaine, soothly have ye said, that I see it openly.  Now, I pray you, good man and holy father, tell me why we met not with so many adventures as we were wont to do, and commonly have the better.  I shall tell you gladly, said the good man; the adventure of the Sangreal which ye and many other have undertaken the quest of it and find it not, the cause is for it appeareth not to sinners.  Wherefore marvel not though ye fail thereof, and many other.  For ye be an untrue knight, and a great murderer, and to good men signifieth other things than murder.  For I dare say as sinful as Sir Launcelot hath been, sith that he went into the quest of the Sangreal he slew never man, nor nought shall, till that he come unto Camelot again, for he hath taken upon him for to forsake sin.  And nere that he nys not stable, but by his thought he is likely to turn again, he should be next to achieve it save Galahad, his son.  But God knoweth his thought and his unstableness, and yet shall he die right an holy man, and no doubt he hath no fellow of no earthly sinful man.  Sir, said Gawaine, it seemeth me by your words that for our sins it will not avail us to travel in this quest.  Truly, said the good man, there be an hundred such