The two had not journeyed far before they saw a knight approach, armed
all in white mail and mounted upon a white horse. Immediately he laid
his spear in rest and, charging King Bagdemagus, pierced him through
the shoulder and bore him from his horse; and standing over the
wounded knight, he said: "Knight, thou hast shown great folly, for
none shall bear this shield save the peerless knight, Sir Galahad."
Then, taking the shield, he gave it to the squire, and said: "Bear
this shield to the good Knight Galahad and greet him well from me."
"What is your name?" asked the squire. "That is not for thee or any
other to know." "One thing I pray you," said the squire; "why may this
shield be borne by none but Sir Galahad without danger?" "Because it
belongs to him only," answered the stranger knight, and vanished.

Then the squire took the shield and setting King Bagdemagus on his
horse, bore him back to the abbey where he lay long, sick unto death.
To Galahad the squire gave the shield and told him all that had
befallen. So Galahad hung the shield about his neck and rode the way
that Bagdemagus had gone the day before; and presently he met the
White Knight, whom he greeted courteously, begging that he would make
known to him the marvels of the red-cross shield. "That will I
gladly," answered the White Knight. "Ye must know, sir knight, that
this shield was made and given by Joseph of Arimathea to the good King
Evelake of Sarras, that, in the might of the holy symbol, he should
overthrow the heathen who threatened his kingdom. But afterward, King
Evelake followed Joseph to this land of Britain, where they taught the
true faith unto the people who before were heathen. Then when Joseph
lay dying, he bade King Evelake set the shield in the monastery where
ye lay last night, and foretold that none should wear it without loss
until that day when it should be taken by the knight, ninth and last
in descent from him, who should come to that place the fifteenth day