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The High History of the Holy Graal by Anonymous
page 27 of 606 (04%)
the other spake so harshly as it were fiends. The King heard
such voices in the chapel and marvelled much what it might be.
He findeth a door in the little house that openeth on a little
cloister whereby one goeth to the chapel. The King is gone
thither and entereth into the little minster, and looketh
everywhere but seeth nought there, save the images and the
crucifixes. And he supposeth not that the strife of these voices
cometh of them. The voices ceased as soon as he was within. He
marvelleth how it came that this house and hermitage were
solitary, and what had become of the hermit that dwelt therein.
He drew nigh the altar of the chapel and beheld in front thereof
a coffin all discovered, and he saw the hermit lying therein all
clad in his vestments, and seeth the long beard down to his
girdle, and his hands crossed upon his breast. There was a cross
above him, whereof the image came as far as his mouth, and he had
life in him yet, but he was nigh his end, being at the point of
death. The King was before the coffin a long space, and looked
right fainly on the hermit, for well it seemed him that he had
been of a good life. The night was fully come, but within was a
brightness of light as if a score of candles were lighted. He
had a mind to abide there until that the good man should have
passed away. He would fain have sate him down before the coffin,
when a voice warned him right horribly to begone thence, for that
it was desired to make a judgment within there, that might not be
made so long as he were there. The King departed, that would
willingly have remained there, and so returned back into the
little house, and sate him down on a seat whereon the hermit wont
to sir. And he heareth the strife and the noise begin again
within the chapel, and the ones he heareth speaking high and the
others low, and he knoweth well by the voices, that the ones are
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