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diff --git a/old/12753-0.txt b/old/12753-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fa7c186 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/12753-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9901 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Legends Of King Arthur And His +Knights, by James Knowles + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you +will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before +using this eBook. + +Title: The Legends Of King Arthur And His Knights + +Author: James Knowles + +Release Date: June 28, 2004 [eBook #12753] +[Most recently updated: November 23, 2022] + +Language: English + +Produced by: Zoran Stefanovic, GF Untermeyer and Distributed +Proofreaders Europe, http://dp.rastko.net. + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS *** + + + + +The Legends of KING ARTHUR and his KNIGHTS + +Sir James Knowles + +Illustrated by Lancelot Speed + + +TO +ALFRED TENNYSON, D.C.L. +POET LAUREATE + +THIS ATTEMPT AT A POPULAR VERSION OF +THE ARTHUR LEGENDS +IS BY HIS PERMISSION DEDICATED +AS A TRIBUTE +OF THE SINCEREST AND WARMEST RESPECT + + +1862 + + + + +PREFACE TO THE EIGHTH EDITION + + +The Publishers have asked me to authorise a new edition, in my own name, +of this little book--now long out of print--which was written by me +thirty-five years ago under the initials J.T.K. + +In acceding to their request I wish to say that the book as now published +is merely a word-for-word reprint of my early effort to help to popularise +the Arthur legends. + +It is little else than an abridgment of Sir Thomas Malory's version of +them as printed by Caxton--with a few additions from Geoffrey of Monmouth +and other sources--and an endeavour to arrange the many tales into a more +or less consecutive story. + +The chief pleasure which came to me from it was, and is, that it began for +me a long and intimate acquaintance with Lord Tennyson, to whom, by his +permission, I Dedicated it before I was personally known to him. + +JAMES KNOWLES. + + + + +_Addendum by Lady Knowles_ + + +In response to a widely expressed wish for a fresh edition of this little +book--now for some years out of print--a new and ninth edition has been +prepared. + +In his preface my husband says that the intimacy with Lord Tennyson to +which it led was the chief pleasure the book brought him. I have been +asked to furnish a few more particulars on this point that may be +generally interesting, and feel that I cannot do better than give some +extracts from a letter written by himself to a friend in July 1896. + +"DEAR ----, + +"I am so _very_ glad you approve of my little effort to popularise the +Arthur Legends. Tennyson had written his first four 'Idylls of the King' +before my book appeared, which was in 1861. Indeed, it was in consequence +of the first four Idylls that I sought and obtained, while yet a stranger +to him, leave to dedicate my venture to him. He was extremely kind about +it--declared 'it ought to go through forty editions'--and when I came to +know him personally talked very frequently about it and Arthur with me, +and made constant use of it when he at length yielded to my perpetual +urgency and took up again his forsaken project of treating the whole +subject of King Arthur. + +"He discussed and rediscussed at any amount of length the way in which +this could now be done--and the Symbolism, which had from his earliest +time haunted him as the inner meaning to be given to it, brought him back +to the Poem in its changed shape of separate pictures. + +"He used often to say that it was entirely my doing that he revived his +old plan, and added, 'I know more about Arthur than any other man in +England, and I think you know next most.' It would amuse you to see in +what intimate detail he used to consult with me--and often with my little +book in front of us--over the various tales, and when I wrote an article +(in the shape of a long letter) in the _Spectator_ of January 1870 he +asked to reprint it, and published it with the collected Idylls. + +"For years, while his boys were at school and college, I acted as his +confidential friend in business and many other matters, and I suppose he +told me more about himself and his life than any other man now living +knows." + +ISABEL KNOWLES. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER I + +The Finding of Merlin--The Fight of the Dragons--The Giants' Dance--The +Prophecies of Merlin and the Birth of Arthur--Uther attacks the +Saxons--The Death of Uther + +CHAPTER II + +Merlin's Advice to the Archbishop--The Miracle of the Sword and Stone--The +Coronation of King Arthur--The Opposition of the Six Kings--The Sword +Excalibur--The Defeat of the Six Kings--The War with the Eleven Kings + +CHAPTER III + +The Adventure of the Questing Beast--The Siege of York--The Battles of +Celidon Forest and Badon Hill--King Arthur drives the Saxons from the +Realm--The Embassy from Rome--The King rescues Merlin--The Knight of the +Fountain + +CHAPTER IV + +King Arthur conquers Ireland and Norway--Slays the Giant of St. Michael's +Mount and conquers Gaul--King Ryence's Insolent Message--The Damsel and +the Sword--The Lady of the Lake--The Adventures of Sir Balin + +CHAPTER V + +Sir Balin kills Sir Lancear--The Sullen Knight--The Knight Invisible is +killed--Sir Balin smites the Dolorous Stroke, and fights with his brother +Sir Balan + +CHAPTER VI + +The Marriage of King Arthur and Guinevere--The Coronation of the +Queen--The Founding of the Round Table--The Quest of the White Hart--The +Adventures of Sir Gawain--The Quest of the White Hound--Sir Tor kills +Abellius--The Adventures of Sir Pellinore--The Death of Sir +Hantzlake--Merlin saves King Arthur + +CHAPTER VII + +King Arthur and Sir Accolon of Gaul are entrapped by Sir Damas--They fight +each other through Enchantment of Queen Morgan le Fay--Sir Damas is +compelled to surrender all his Lands to Sir Outzlake his Brother their +Rightful Owner--Queen Morgan essays to kill King Arthur with a Magic +Garment--Her Damsel is compelled to wear it and is thereby burned to +Cinders + +CHAPTER VIII + +A Second Embassy from Rome--King Arthur's Answer--The Emperor assembles +his Armies--King Arthur slays the Emperor--Sir Gawain and Sir +Prianius--The Lombards are defeated--King Arthur crowned at Rome + +CHAPTER IX + +The Adventures of Sir Lancelot--He and his Cousin Sir Lionel set +forth--The Four Witch-Queens--King Bagdemagus--Sir Lancelot slays Sir +Turquine and delivers his Captive Knights--The Foul Knight--Sir Gaunter +attacks Sir Lancelot--The Four Knights--Sir Lancelot comes to the Chapel +Perilous--Ellawes the Sorceress--The Lady and the Falcon--Sir Bedivere and +the Dead Lady + +CHAPTER X + +Beaumains is made a Kitchen Page by Sir Key--He claims the Adventure of +the Damsel Linet--He fights with Sir Lancelot and is knighted by him in +his True Name of Gareth--Is flouted by the Damsel Linet--But overthrows +all Knights he meets and sends them to King Arthur's Court--He delivers +the Lady Lyones from the Knight of the Redlands--The Tournament before +Castle Perilous--Marriage of Sir Gareth and the Lady Lyones + +CHAPTER XI + +The Adventures of Sir Tristram--His Stepmother--He is knighted--Fights +with Sir Marhaus--Sir Palomedes and La Belle Isault--Sir Bleoberis and Sir +Segwarides--Sir Tristram's Quest--His Return--The Castle Pluere--Sir +Brewnor is slain--Sir Kay Hedius--La Belle Isault's Hound--Sir Dinedan +refuses to fight--Sir Pellinore follows Sir Tristram--Sir +Brewse-without-pity--The Tournament at the Maiden's Castle--Sir Palomedes +and Sir Tristram + +CHAPTER XII + +Merlin is bewitched by a Damsel of the Lady of the Lake--Galahad knighted +by Sir Lancelot--The Perilous Seat--The Marvellous Sword--Sir Galahad in +the Perilous Seat--The Sangreal--The Knights vow themselves to its +Quest--The Shield of the White Knight--The Fiend of the Tomb--Sir Galahad +at the Maiden's Castle--The Sick Knight and the Sangreal--Sir Lancelot +declared unworthy to find the Holy Vessel--Sir Percival seeks Sir +Galahad--The Black Steed--Sir Bors and the Hermit--Sir Pridan le Noir--Sir +Lionel's Anger--He meets Sir Percival--The ship "Faith"--Sir Galahad and +Earl Hernox--The Leprous Lady--Sir Galahad discloses himself to Sir +Lancelot--They part--The Blind King Evelake--Sir Galahad finds the +Sangreal--His Death + +CHAPTER XIII + +The Queen quarrels with Sir Lancelot--She is accused of Murder--Her +Champion proves her innocence--The Tourney at Camelot--Sir Lancelot in the +Tourney--Sir Baldwin the Knight-Hermit--Elaine, the Maid of Astolat, seeks +for Sir Lancelot--She tends his Wounds--Her Death--The Queen and Sir +Lancelot are reconciled + +CHAPTER XIV + +Sir Lancelot attacked by Sir Agravaine, Sir Modred, and thirteen other +Knights--He slays them all but Sir Modred--He leaves the Court--Sir Modred +accuses him to the King--The Queen condemned to be burnt--Her rescue by +Sir Lancelot and flight with him--The War between Sir Lancelot and the +King--The Enmity of Sir Gawain--The Usurpation of Sir Modred--The Queen +retires to a Nunnery--Sir Lancelot goes on Pilgrimage--The Battle of +Barham Downs--Sir Bedivere and the Sword Excalibur--The Death of King +Arthur + + + + +ILLUSTRATOR'S NOTE + + +Of scenes from the Legends of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round +Table many lovely pictures have been painted, showing much diversity of +figures and surroundings, some being definitely sixth-century British or +Saxon, as in Blair Leighton's fine painting of the dead Elaine; +others--for example, Watts' Sir Galahad--show knight and charger in +fifteenth-century armour; while the warriors of Burne Jones wear strangely +impracticable armour of some mystic period. Each of these painters was +free to follow his own conception, putting the figures into whatever +period most appealed to his imagination; for he was not illustrating the +actual tales written by Sir Thomas Malory, otherwise he would have found +himself face to face with a difficulty. + +King Arthur and his knights fought, endured, and toiled in the sixth +century, when the Saxons were overrunning Britain; but their achievements +were not chronicled by Sir Thomas Malory until late in the fifteenth +century. + +Sir Thomas, as Froissart has done before him, described the habits of +life, the dresses, weapons, and armour that his own eyes looked upon in +the every-day scenes about him, regardless of the fact that almost every +detail mentioned was something like a thousand years too late. + +Had Malory undertaken an account of the landing of Julius Caesar he would, +as a matter of course, have protected the Roman legions with bascinet or +salade, breastplate, pauldron and palette, coudiére, taces and the rest, +and have armed them with lance and shield, jewel-hilted sword and slim +misericorde; while the Emperor himself might have been given the very suit +of armour stripped from the Duke of Clarence before his fateful encounter +with the butt of malmsey. + +Did not even Shakespeare calmly give cannon to the Romans and suppose +every continental city to lie majestically beside the sea? By the old +writers, accuracy in these matters was disregarded, and anachronisms were +not so much tolerated as unperceived. + +In illustrating this edition of "The Legends of King Arthur and his +Knights," it has seemed best, and indeed unavoidable if the text and the +pictures are to tally, to draw what Malory describes, to place the fashion +of the costumes and armour somewhere about A.D. 1460, and to arm the +knights in accordance with the Tabard Period. + +LANCELOT SPEED. + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + +The Marriage of King Arthur + +Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground before young +Arthur, and Sir Key also with him. + +The Lady of the Lake + +The giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge +frame by the fire + +The castle rocked and rove throughout, and all the walls fell crashed and +breaking to the earth + +Came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by his name + +Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the Round Table + +Sir Lancelot smote down with one spear five knights, and brake the backs +of four, and cast down the King of Northgales + +Beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, "Sir Lancelot, leave +that sword behind thee, or thou diest" + +"Lady," replied Sir Beaumains, "a knight is little worth who may not bear +with a damsel" + +So he rode into the hall and alighted + +Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest against each other + +And running to her chamber, she sought in her casket for the piece of +iron ... and fitted it in Tristram's sword + +By the time they had finished drinking they loved each other so well that +their love never more might leave them + +Waving her hands and muttering the charm, and presently enclosed him fast +within the tree + +Galahad ... quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith came out a foul +smoke + +"This girdle, lords," said she, "is made for the most part of mine own +hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I loved full well" + +At last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave him such a +buffet on the helm as wellnigh killed him + +Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk + +But still the knights cried mightily without the door, "Traitor, come +forth!" + + + + +THE LEGENDS OF KING ARTHUR + + + + +CHAPTER I + +_The Prophecies of Merlin, and the Birth of Arthur_ + + +King Vortigern the usurper sat upon his throne in London, when, suddenly, +upon a certain day, ran in a breathless messenger, and cried aloud-- + +"Arise, Lord King, for the enemy is come; even Ambrosius and Uther, upon +whose throne thou sittest--and full twenty thousand with them--and they +have sworn by a great oath, Lord, to slay thee, ere this year be done; and +even now they march towards thee as the north wind of winter for +bitterness and haste." + +At those words Vortigern's face grew white as ashes, and, rising in +confusion and disorder, he sent for all the best artificers and craftsmen +and mechanics, and commanded them vehemently to go and build him +straightway in the furthest west of his lands a great and strong castle, +where he might fly for refuge and escape the vengeance of his master's +sons--"and, moreover," cried he, "let the work be done within a hundred +days from now, or I will surely spare no life amongst you all." + +Then all the host of craftsmen, fearing for their lives, found out a +proper site whereon to build the tower, and eagerly began to lay in the +foundations. But no sooner were the walls raised up above the ground than +all their work was overwhelmed and broken down by night invisibly, no man +perceiving how, or by whom, or what. And the same thing happening again, +and yet again, all the workmen, full of terror, sought out the king, and +threw themselves upon their faces before him, beseeching him to interfere +and help them or to deliver them from their dreadful work. + +Filled with mixed rage and fear, the king called for the astrologers and +wizards, and took counsel with them what these things might be, and how to +overcome them. The wizards worked their spells and incantations, and in +the end declared that nothing but the blood of a youth born without mortal +father, smeared on the foundations of the castle, could avail to make it +stand. Messengers were therefore sent forthwith through all the land to +find, if it were possible, such a child. And, as some of them went down a +certain village street, they saw a band of lads fighting and quarrelling, +and heard them shout at one--"Avaunt, thou imp!--avaunt! Son of no mortal +man! go, find thy father, and leave us in peace." + +At that the messengers looked steadfastly on the lad, and asked who he +was. One said his name was Merlin; another, that his birth and parentage +were known by no man; a third, that the foul fiend alone was his father. +Hearing the things, the officers seized Merlin, and carried him before the +king by force. + +But no sooner was he brought to him than he asked in a loud voice, for +what cause he was thus dragged there? + +"My magicians," answered Vortigern, "told me to seek out a man that had no +human father, and to sprinkle my castle with his blood, that it may +stand." + +"Order those magicians," said Merlin, "to come before me, and I will +convict them of a lie." + +The king was astonished at his words, but commanded the magicians to come +and sit down before Merlin, who cried to them-- + +"Because ye know not what it is that hinders the foundation of the castle, +ye have advised my blood for a cement to it, as if that would avail; but +tell me now rather what there is below that ground, for something there is +surely underneath that will not suffer the tower to stand?" + +The wizards at these words began to fear, and made no answer. Then said +Merlin to the king-- + +"I pray, Lord, that workmen may be ordered to dig deep down into the +ground till they shall come to a great pool of water." + +This then was done, and the pool discovered far beneath the surface of the +ground. + +Then, turning again to the magicians, Merlin said, "Tell me now, false +sycophants, what there is underneath that pool?"--but they were silent. +Then said he to the king, "Command this pool to be drained, and at the +bottom shall be found two dragons, great and huge, which now are sleeping, +but which at night awake and fight and tear each other. At their great +struggle all the ground shakes and trembles, and so casts down thy towers, +which, therefore, never yet could find secure foundations." + +The king was amazed at these words, but commanded the pool to be forthwith +drained; and surely at the bottom of it did they presently discover the +two dragons, fast asleep, as Merlin had declared. + +But Vortigern sat upon the brink of the pool till night to see what else +would happen. + +Then those two dragons, one of which was white, the other red, rose up and +came near one another, and began a sore fight, and cast forth fire with +their breath. But the white dragon had the advantage, and chased the other +to the end of the lake. And he, for grief at his flight, turned back upon +his foe, and renewed the combat, and forced him to retire in turn. But in +the end the red dragon was worsted, and the white dragon disappeared no +man knew where. + +When their battle was done, the king desired Merlin to tell him what it +meant. Whereat he, bursting into tears, cried out this prophecy, which +first foretold the coming of King Arthur. + +"Woe to the red dragon, which figureth the British nation, for his +banishment cometh quickly; his lurkingholes shall be seized by the white +dragon--the Saxon whom thou, O king, hast called to the land. The +mountains shall be levelled as the valleys, and the rivers of the valleys +shall run blood; cities shall be burned, and churches laid in ruins; till +at length the oppressed shall turn for a season and prevail against the +strangers. For a Boar of Cornwall shall arise and rend them, and trample +their necks beneath his feet. The island shall be subject to his power, +and he shall take the forests of Gaul. The house of Romulus shall dread +him--all the world shall fear him--and his end shall no man know; he shall +be immortal in the mouths of the people, and his works shall be food to +those that tell them. + +"But as for thee, O Vortigern, flee thou the sons of Constantine, for they +shall burn thee in thy tower. For thine own ruin wast thou traitor to +their father, and didst bring the Saxon heathens to the land. Aurelius and +Uther are even now upon thee to revenge their father's murder; and the +brood of the white dragon shall waste thy country, and shall lick thy +blood. Find out some refuge, if thou wilt! but who may escape the doom of +God?" + +The king heard all this, trembling greatly; and, convicted of his sins, +said nothing in reply. Only he hasted the builders of his tower by day and +night, and rested not till he had fled thereto. + +In the meantime, Aurelius, the rightful king, was hailed with joy by the +Britons, who flocked to his standard, and prayed to be led against the +Saxons. But he, till he had first killed Vortigern, would begin no other +war. He marched therefore to Cambria, and came before the tower which the +usurper had built. Then, crying out to all his knights, "Avenge ye on him +who hath ruined Britain and slain my father and your king!" he rushed with +many thousands at the castle walls. But, being driven back again and yet +again, at length he thought of fire, and ordered blazing brands to be cast +into the building from all sides. These finding soon a proper fuel, ceased +not to rage, till spreading to a mighty conflagration, they burned down +the tower and Vortigern within it. + +Then did Aurelius turn his strength against Hengist and the Saxons, and, +defeating them in many places, weakened their power for a long season, so +that the land had peace. + +Anon the king, making many journeys to and fro, restoring ruined churches +and, creating order, came to the monastery near Salisbury, where all those +British knights lay buried who had been slain there by the treachery of +Hengist. For when in former times Hengist had made a solemn truce with +Vortigern, to meet in peace and settle terms, whereby himself and all his +Saxons should depart from Britain, the Saxon soldiers carried every one of +them beneath his garment a long dagger, and, at a given signal, fell upon +the Britons, and slew them, to the number of nearly five hundred. + +The sight of the place where the dead lay moved Aurelius to great sorrow, +and he cast about in his mind how to make a worthy tomb over so many noble +martyrs, who had died there for their country. + +When he had in vain consulted many craftsmen and builders, he sent, by the +advice of the archbishop, for Merlin, and asked him what to do. "If you +would honour the burying-place of these men," said Merlin, "with an +everlasting monument, send for the Giants' Dance which is in Killaraus, a +mountain in Ireland; for there is a structure of stone there which none of +this age could raise without a perfect knowledge of the arts. They are +stones of a vast size and wondrous nature, and if they can be placed here +as they are there, round this spot of ground, they will stand for ever." + +At these words of Merlin, Aurelius burst into laughter, and said, "How is +it possible to remove such vast stones from so great a distance, as if +Britain, also, had no stones fit for the work?" + +"I pray the king," said Merlin, "to forbear vain laughter; what I have +said is true, for those stones are mystical and have healing virtues. The +giants of old brought them from the furthest coast of Africa, and placed +them in Ireland while they lived in that country: and their design was to +make baths in them, for use in time of grievous illness. For if they +washed the stones and put the sick into the water, it certainly healed +them, as also it did them that were wounded in battle; and there is no +stone among them but hath the same virtue still." + +When the Britons heard this, they resolved to send for the stones, and to +make war upon the people of Ireland if they offered to withhold them. So, +when they had chosen Uther the king's brother for their chief, they set +sail, to the number of 15,000 men, and came to Ireland. There Gillomanius, +the king, withstood them fiercely, and not till after a great battle could +they approach the Giants' Dance, the sight of which filled them with joy +and admiration. But when they sought to move the stones, the strength of +all the army was in vain, until Merlin, laughing at their failures, +contrived machines of wondrous cunning, which took them down with ease, +and placed them in the ships. + +When they had brought the whole to Salisbury, Aurelius, with the crown +upon his head, kept for four days the feast of Pentecost with royal pomp; +and in the midst of all the clergy and the people, Merlin raised up the +stones, and set them round the sepulchre of the knights and barons, as +they stood in the mountains of Ireland. + +Then was the monument called "Stonehenge," which stands, as all men know, +upon the plain of Salisbury to this very day. + +Soon thereafter it befell that Aurelius was slain by poison at Winchester, +and was himself buried within the Giants' Dance. + +At the same time came forth a comet of amazing size and brightness, +darting out a beam, at the end whereof was a cloud of fire shaped like a +dragon, from whose mouth went out two rays, one stretching over Gaul, the +other ending in seven lesser rays over the Irish sea. + +At the appearance of this star a great dread fell upon the people, and +Uther, marching into Cambria against the son of Vortigern, himself was +very troubled to learn what it might mean. Then Merlin, being called +before him, cried with a loud voice: "O mighty loss! O stricken Britain! +Alas! the great prince is gone from us. Aurelius Ambrosius is dead, whose +death will be ours also, unless God help us. Haste, therefore, noble +Uther, to destroy the enemy; the victory shall be thine, and thou shalt be +king of all Britain. For the star with the fiery dragon signifies thyself; +and the ray over Gaul portends that thou shalt have a son, most mighty, +whom all those kingdoms shall obey which the ray covers." + +Thus, for the second time, did Merlin foretell the coming of King Arthur. +And Uther, when he was made king, remembered Merlin's words, and caused +two dragons to be made in gold, in likeness of the dragon he had seen in +the star. One of these he gave to Winchester Cathedral, and had the other +carried into all his wars before him, whence he was ever after called +Uther Pendragon, or the dragon's head. + +Now, when Uther Pendragon had passed through all the land, and settled +it--and even voyaged into all the countries of the Scots, and tamed the +fierceness of that rebel people--he came to London, and ministered justice +there. And it befell at a certain great banquet and high feast which the +king made at Easter-tide, there came, with many other earls and barons, +Gorloïs, Duke of Cornwall, and his wife Igerna, who was the most famous +beauty in all Britain. And soon thereafter, Gorloïs being slain in battle, +Uther determined to make Igerna his own wife. But in order to do this, and +enable him to come to her--for she was shut up in the high castle of +Tintagil, on the furthest coast of Cornwall--the king sent for Merlin, to +take counsel with him and to pray his help. This, therefore, Merlin +promised him on one condition--namely, that the king should give him up +the first son born of the marriage. For Merlin by his arts foreknew that +this firstborn should be the long-wished prince, King Arthur. + +When Uther, therefore, was at length happily wedded, Merlin came to the +castle on a certain day, and said, "Sir, thou must now provide thee for +the nourishing of thy child." + +And the king, nothing doubting, said, "Be it as thou wilt." + +"I know a lord of thine in this land," said Merlin, "who is a man both +true and faithful; let him have the nourishing of the child. His name is +Sir Ector, and he hath fair possessions both in England and in Wales. +When, therefore, the child is born, let him be delivered unto me, +unchristened, at yonder postern-gate, and I will bestow him in the care of +this good knight." + +So when the child was born, the king bid two knights and two ladies to +take it, bound in rich cloth of gold, and deliver it to a poor man whom +they should discover at the postern-gate. And the child being delivered +thus to Merlin, who himself took the guise of a poor man, was carried by +him to a holy priest and christened by the name of Arthur, and then was +taken to Sir Ector's house, and nourished at Sir Ector's wife's own +breasts. And in the same house he remained privily for many years, no man +soever knowing where he was, save Merlin and the king. + +Anon it befell that the king was seized by a lingering distemper, and the +Saxon heathens, taking their occasion, came back from over sea, and +swarmed upon the land, wasting it with fire and sword. When Uther heard +thereof, he fell into a greater rage than his weakness could bear, and +commanded all his nobles to come before him, that he might upbraid them +for their cowardice. And when he had sharply and hotly rebuked them, he +swore that he himself, nigh unto death although he lay, would lead them +forth against the enemy. Then causing a horse-litter to be made, in which +he might be carried--for he was too faint and weak to ride--he went up +with all his army swiftly against the Saxons. + +But they, when they heard that Uther was coming in a litter, disdained to +fight with him, saying it would be shame for brave men to fight with one +half dead. So they retired into their city; and, as it were in scorn of +danger, left the gates wide open. But Uther straightway commanding his men +to assault the town, they did so without loss of time, and had already +reached the gates, when the Saxons, repenting too late of their haughty +pride, rushed forth to the defence. The battle raged till night, and was +begun again next day; but at last, their leaders, Octa and Eosa, being +slain, the Saxons turned their backs and fled, leaving the Britons a full +triumph. + +The king at this felt so great joy, that, whereas before he could scarce +raise himself without help, he now sat upright in his litter by himself, +and said, with a laughing and merry face, "They called me the half-dead +king, and so indeed I was; but victory to me half dead is better than +defeat and the best health. For to die with honour is far better than to +live disgraced." + +But the Saxons, although thus defeated, were ready still for war. Uther +would have pursued them; but his illness had by now so grown, that his +knights and barons kept him from the adventure. Whereat the enemy took +courage, and left nothing undone to destroy the land; until, descending to +the vilest treachery, they resolved to kill the king by poison. + +To this end, as he lay sick at Verulam, they sent and poisoned stealthily +a spring of clear water, whence he was wont to drink daily; and so, on the +very next day, he was taken with the pains of death, as were also a +hundred others after him, before the villainy was discovered, and heaps of +earth thrown over the well. + +The knights and barons, full of sorrow, now took counsel together, and +came to Merlin for his help to learn the king's will before he died, for +he was by this time speechless. "Sirs, there is no remedy," said Merlin, +"and God's will must be done; but be ye all to-morrow before him, for God +will make him speak before he die." + +So on the morrow all the barons, with Merlin, stood round the bedside of +the king; and Merlin said aloud to Uther, "Lord, shall thy son Arthur be +the king of all this realm after thy days?" + +Then Uther Pendragon turned him about, and said, in the hearing of them +all, "God's blessing and mine be upon him. I bid him pray for my soul, and +also that he claim my crown, or forfeit all my blessing;" and with those +words he died. + +Then came together all the bishops and the clergy, and great multitudes of +people, and bewailed the king; and carrying his body to the convent of +Ambrius, they buried it close by his brother's grave, within the "Giants' +Dance." + + + + +CHAPTER II + +_The Miracle of the Sword and Stone, and the Coronation of King +Arthur--The Sword Excalilur--The War with the Eleven Kings_ + + +Now Arthur the prince had all this time been nourished in Sir Ector's +house as his own son, and was fair and tall and comely, being of the age +of fifteen years, great in strength, gentle in manner, and accomplished in +all exercises proper for the training of a knight. + +But as yet he knew not of his father; for Merlin had so dealt, that none +save Uther and himself knew aught about him. Wherefore it befell, that +many of the knights and barons who heard King Uther speak before his +death, and call his son Arthur his successor, were in great amazement; and +some doubted, and others were displeased. + +Anon the chief lords and princes set forth each to his own land, and, +raising armed men and multitudes of followers, determined every one to +gain the crown for himself; for they said in their hearts, "If there be +any such a son at all as he of whom this wizard forced the king to speak, +who are we that a beardless boy should have rule over us?" + +So the land stood long in great peril, for every lord and baron sought but +his own advantage; and the Saxons, growing ever more adventurous, wasted +and overran the towns and villages in every part. + +Then Merlin went to Brice, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and advised him +to require all the earls and barons of the realm and all knights and +gentlemen-at-arms to come to him at London, before Christmas, under pain +of cursing, that they might learn the will of Heaven who should be king. +This, therefore, the archbishop did, and upon Christmas Eve were met +together in London all the greatest princes, lords, and barons; and long +before day they prayed in St. Paul's Church, and the archbishop besought +Heaven for a sign who should be lawful king of all the realm. + +And as they prayed, there was seen in the churchyard, set straight before +the doorways of the church, a huge square stone having a naked sword stuck +in the midst of it. And on the sword was written in letters of gold, +"Whoso pulleth out the sword from this stone is born the rightful King of +Britain." + +At this all the people wondered greatly; and, when Mass was over, the +nobles, knights, and princes ran out eagerly from the church to see the +stone and sword; and a law was forthwith made that whoso should pull out +the sword should be acknowledged straightway King of Britain. + +Then many knights and barons pulled at the sword with all their might, and +some of them tried many times, but none could stir or move it. + +When all had tried in vain, the archbishop declared the man whom Heaven +had chosen was not yet there. "But God," said he, "will doubtless make +him known ere many days." + +So ten knights were chosen, being men of high renown, to watch and keep +the sword; and there was proclamation made through all the land that +whosoever would, had leave and liberty to try and pull it from the stone. +But though great multitudes of people came, both gentle and simple, for +many days, no man could ever move the sword a hair's breadth from its +place. + +Now, at the New Year's Eve a great tournament was to be held in London, +which the archbishop had devised to keep together lords and commons, lest +they should grow estranged in the troublous and unsettled times. To the +which tournament there came, with many other knights, Sir Ector, Arthur's +foster-father, who had great possessions near to London; and with him came +his son, Sir Key, but recently made knight, to take his part in the +jousting, and young Arthur also to witness all the sports and fighting. + +But as they rode towards the jousts, Sir Key found suddenly he had no +sword, for he had left it at his father's house; and turning to young +Arthur, he prayed him to ride back and fetch it for him. "I will with a +good will," said Arthur; and rode fast back after the sword. + +But when he came to the house he found it locked and empty, for all were +gone forth to see the tournament. Whereat, being angry and impatient, he +said within himself, "I will ride to the churchyard and take with me the +sword that sticketh in the stone, for my brother shall not go without a +sword this day." + +So he rode and came to the churchyard, and alighting from his horse he +tied him to the gate, and went to the pavilion, which was pitched near +the stone, wherein abode the ten knights who watched and kept it; but he +found no knights there, for all were gone to see the jousting. + +Then he took the sword by its handle, and lightly and fiercely he pulled +it out of the stone, and took his horse and rode until he came to Sir Key +and delivered him the sword. But as soon as Sir Key saw it he knew well it +was the sword of the stone, and, riding swiftly to his father, he cried +out, "Lo! here, sir, is the sword of the stone, wherefore it is I who must +be king of all this land." + +When Sir Ector saw the sword, he turned back straight with Arthur and Sir +Key and came to the churchyard, and there alighting, they went all three +into the church, and Sir Key was sworn to tell truly how he came by the +sword. Then he confessed it was his brother Arthur who had brought it to +him. + +Whereat Sir Ector, turning to young Arthur, asked him--"How gottest thou +the sword?" + +"Sir," said he, "I will tell you. When I went home to fetch my brother's +sword, I found nobody to deliver it to me, for all were abroad to the +jousts. Yet was I loath to leave my brother swordless, and, bethinking me +of this one, I came hither eagerly to fetch it for him, and pulled it out +of the stone without any pain." + +Then said Sir Ector, much amazed and looking steadfastly on Arthur, "If +this indeed be thus, 'tis thou who shalt be king of all this land--and God +will have it so--for none but he who should be rightful Lord of Britain +might ever draw this sword forth from that stone. But let me now with mine +own eyes see thee put back the sword into its place and draw it forth +again." + +"That is no mystery," said Arthur; and straightway set it in the stone. +And then Sir Ector pulled at it himself, and after him Sir Key, with all +his might, but both of them in vain: then Arthur reaching forth his hand +and grasping at the pommel, pulled it out easily, and at once. + +Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground before young +Arthur, and Sir Key also with him, and straightway did him homage as their +sovereign lord. + +[Illustration: Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground +before young Arthur, and Sir Key also with him.] + +But Arthur cried aloud, "Alas! mine own dear father and my brother, why +kneel ye thus to me?" + +"Nay, my Lord Arthur," answered then Sir Ector, "we are of no +blood-kinship with thee, and little though I thought how high thy kin +might be, yet wast thou never more than foster-child of mine." And then he +told him all he knew about his infancy, and how a stranger had delivered +him, with a great sum of gold, into his hands to be brought up and +nourished as his own born child, and then had disappeared. + +But when young Arthur heard of it, he fell upon Sir Ector's neck, and +wept, and made great lamentation, "For now," said he, "I have in one day +lost my father and my mother and my brother." + +"Sir," said Sir Ector presently, "when thou shalt be made king be good and +gracious unto me and mine." + +"If not," said Arthur, "I were no true man's son at all, for thou art he +in all the world to whom I owe the most; and my good lady and mother, thy +wife, hath ever kept and fostered me as though I were her own; so if it be +God's will that I be king hereafter as thou sayest, desire of me whatever +thing thou wilt and I will do it; and God forbid that I should fail thee +in it." + +"I will but pray," replied Sir Ector, "that thou wilt make my son Sir Key, +thy foster-brother, seneschal of all the lands." + +"That shall he be," said Arthur; "and never shall another hold that +office, save thy son, while he and I do live." + +Anon, they left the church and went to the archbishop to tell him that the +sword had been achieved. And when he saw the sword in Arthur's hand he set +a day and summoned all the princes, knights, and barons to meet again at +St. Paul's Church and see the will of Heaven signified. So when they came +together, the sword was put back in the stone, and all tried, from the +greatest to the least, to move it; but there before them all not one could +take it out save Arthur only. + +But then befell a great confusion and dispute, for some cried out it was +the will of Heaven, and, "Long live King Arthur," but many more were full +of wrath and said, "What! would ye give the ancient sceptre of this land +unto a boy born none know how?" And the contention growing greatly, till +nothing could be done to pacify their rage, the meeting was at length +broken up by the archbishop and adjourned till Candlemas, when all should +meet again. + +But when Candlemas was come, Arthur alone again pulled forth the sword, +though more than ever came to win it; and the barons, sorely vexed and +angry, put it in delay till Easter. But as he had sped before so he did at +Easter, and the barons yet once more contrived delays till Pentecost. + +But now the archbishop, fully seeing God's will, called together, by +Merlin's counsel, a band of knights and gentlemen-at-arms, and set them +about Arthur to keep him safely till the feast of Pentecost. And when at +the feast Arthur still again alone prevailed to move the sword, the people +all with one accord cried out, "Long live King Arthur! we will have no +more delay, nor any other king, for so it is God's will; and we will slay +whoso resisteth Him and Arthur;" and wherewithal they kneeled down all at +once, and cried for Arthur's grace and pardon that they had so long +delayed him from his crown. Then he full sweetly and majestically pardoned +them; and taking in his hand the sword, he offered it upon the high altar +of the church. + +Anon was he solemnly knighted with great pomp by the most famous knight +there present, and the crown was placed upon his head; and, having taken +oath to all the people, lords and commons, to be true king and deal in +justice only unto his life's end, he received homage and service from all +the barons who held lands and castles from the crown. Then he made Sir +Key, High Steward of England, and Sir Badewaine of Britain, Constable, and +Sir Ulfius, Chamberlain: and after this, with all his court and a great +retinue of knights and armed men, he journeyed into Wales, and was crowned +again in the old city of Caerleon-upon-Usk. + +Meanwhile those knights and barons who had so long delayed him from the +crown, met together and went up to the coronation feast at Caerleon, as if +to do him homage; and there they ate and drank such things as were set +before them at the royal banquet, sitting with the others in the great +hall. + +But when after the banquet Arthur began, according to the ancient royal +custom, to bestow great boons and fiefs on whom he would, they all with +one accord rose up, and scornfully refused his gifts, crying that they +would take nothing from a beardless boy come of low or unknown birth, but +would instead give him good gifts of hard sword-strokes between neck and +shoulders. + +Whereat arose a deadly tumult in the hall, and every man there made him +ready to fight. But Arthur leaped up as a flame of fire against them, and +all his knights and barons drawing their swords, rushed after him upon +them and began a full sore battle; and presently the king's party +prevailed, and drave the rebels from the hall and from the city, closing +the gates behind them; and King Arthur brake his sword upon them in his +eagerness and rage. + +But amongst them were six kings of great renown and might, who more than +all raged against Arthur and determined to destroy him, namely, King Lot, +King Nanters, King Urien, King Carados, King Yder, and King Anguisant. +These six, therefore, joining their armies together, laid close siege to +the city of Caerleon, wherefrom King Arthur had so shamefully driven them. + +And after fifteen days Merlin came suddenly into their camp and asked them +what this treason meant. Then he declared to them that Arthur was no base +adventurer, but King Uther's son, whom they were bound to serve and honour +even though Heaven had not vouchsafed the wondrous miracle of the sword. +Some of the kings, when they heard Merlin speak thus, marvelled and +believed him; but others, as King Lot, laughed him and his words to scorn, +and mocked him for a conjurer and wizard. But it was agreed with Merlin +that Arthur should come forth and speak with the kings. + +So he went forth to them to the city gate, and with him the archbishop and +Merlin, and Sir Key, Sir Brastias, and a great company of others. And he +spared them not in his speech, but spoke to them as king and chieftain +telling them plainly he would make them all bow to him if he lived, unless +they choose to do him homage there and then; and so they parted in great +wrath, and each side armed in haste. + +"What will ye do?" said Merlin to the kings; "ye had best hold your hands, +for were ye ten times as many ye should not prevail." + +"Shall we be afraid of a dream-reader?" quoth King Lot in scorn. + +With that Merlin vanished away and came to King Arthur. + +Then Arthur said to Merlin, "I have need now of a sword that shall +chastise these rebels terribly." + +"Come then with me," said Merlin, "for hard by there is a sword that I can +gain for thee." + +So they rode out that night till they came to a fair and broad lake, and +in the midst of it King Arthur saw an arm thrust up, clothed in white +samite, and holding a great sword in the hand. + +"Lo! yonder is the sword I spoke of," said Merlin. + +Then saw they a damsel floating on the lake in the Moonlight. "What damsel +is that?" said the king. + +"The lady of the lake," said Merlin; "for upon this lake there is a rock, +and on the rock a noble palace, where she abideth, and she will come +towards thee presently, thou shalt ask her courteously for the sword." + +[Illustration: The lady of the lake.] + +Therewith the damsel came to King Arthur, and saluted him, and he saluted +her, and said, "Lady, what sword is that the arm holdeth above the water? +I would that it were mine, for I have no sword." + +"Sir King," said the lady of the lake, "that sword is mine, and if thou +wilt give me in return a gift whenever I shall ask it of thee, thou shalt +have it." + +"By my faith," said he, "I will give thee any gift that thou shalt ask." + +"Well," said the damsel, "go into yonder barge, and row thyself unto the +sword, and take it and the scabbard with thee, and I will ask my gift of +thee when I see my time." + +So King Arthur and Merlin alighted, and tied their horses to two trees, +and went into the barge; and when they came to the sword that the hand +held, King Arthur took it by the handle and bore it with him, and the arm +and hand went down under the water; and so they came back to land, and +rode again to Caerleon. + +On the morrow Merlin bade King Arthur to set fiercely on the enemy; and in +the meanwhile three hundred good knights went over to King Arthur from the +rebels' side. Then at the spring of day, when they had scarce left their +tents, he fell on them with might and main, and Sir Badewaine, Sir Key, +and Sir Brastias slew on the right hand and on the left marvellously; and +ever in the thickest of the fight King Arthur raged like a young lion, and +laid on with his sword, and did wondrous deeds of arms, to the joy and +admiration of the knights and barons who beheld him. + +Then King Lot, King Carados, and the King of the Hundred Knights--who also +rode with them--going round to the rear, set on King Arthur fiercely from +behind; but Arthur, turning to his knights, fought ever in the foremost +press until his horse was slain beneath him. At that, King Lot rode +furiously at him, and smote him down; but rising straightway, and being +set again on horseback, he drew his sword Excalibur that he had gained by +Merlin from the lady of the lake, which, shining brightly as the light of +thirty torches, dazzled the eyes of his enemies. And therewith falling on +them afresh with all his knights, he drove them back and slew them in +great numbers, and Merlin by his arts scattered among them fire and pitchy +smoke, so that they broke and fled. Then all the common people of +Caerleon, seeing them give way, rose up with one accord, and rushed at +them with clubs and staves, and chased them far and wide, and slew many +great knights and lords, and the remainder of them fled and were seen no +more. Thus won King Arthur his first battle and put his enemies to shame. + +But the six kings, though sorely routed, prepared for a new war, and +joining to themselves five others swore together that, whether for weal or +woe, they would keep steadfast alliance till they had destroyed King +Arthur. Then, with a host of 50,000 men-at-arms on horseback, and 10,000 +foot, they were soon ready, and sent forth their fore-riders, and drew +from the northern country towards King Arthur, to the castle of Bedgraine. + +But he by Merlin's counsel had sent over sea to King Ban of Benwick and +King Bors of Gaul, praying them to come and help him in his wars, and +promising to help in return against King Claudas, their foe. To which +those kings made answer that they would joyfully fulfil his wish, and +shortly after came to London with 300 knights, well arrayed for both peace +and war, leaving behind them a great army on the other side of the sea +till they had consulted with King Arthur and his ministers how they might +best dispose of it. + +And Merlin being asked for his advice and help, agreed to go himself and +fetch it over sea to England, which in one night he did; and brought with +him 10,000 horsemen and led them northward privately to the forest of +Bedgraine, and there lodged them in a valley secretly. + +Then, by the counsel of Merlin, when they knew which way the eleven kings +would ride and sleep, King Arthur with Kings Ban and Bors made themselves +ready with their army for the fight, having yet but 30,000 men, counting +the 10,000 who had come from Gaul. + +"Now shall ye do my advice," said Merlin; "I would that King Ban and King +Bors, with all their fellowship of 10,000 men, were led to ambush in this +wood ere daylight, and stir not therefrom until the battle hath been long +waged. And thou, Lord Arthur, at the spring of day draw forth thine army +before the enemy, and dress the battle so that they may at once see all +thy host, for they will be the more rash and hardy when they see you have +but 20,000 men." + +To this the three knights and the barons heartily consented, and it was +done as Merlin had devised. So on the morrow when the hosts beheld each +other, the host of the north was greatly cheered to find so few led out +against them. + +Then gave King Arthur the command to Sir Ulfius and Sir Brastias to take +3000 men-at-arms, and to open battle. They therefore setting fiercely on +the enemy slew them on the right hand and the left till it was wonderful +to see their slaughter. + +When the eleven kings beheld so small a band doing such mighty deeds of +arms they were ashamed, and charged them fiercely in return. Then was Sir +Ulfius' horse slain under him; but he fought well and marvellously on foot +against Duke Eustace and King Clarience, who set upon him grievously, till +Sir Brastias, seeing his great peril, pricked towards them swiftly, and so +smote the duke through with his spear that horse and man fell down and +rolled over. Whereat King Clarience turned upon Sir Brastias, and rushing +furiously together they each unhorsed the other and fell both to the +ground, and there lay a long time stunned, their horses' knees being cut +to the bone. Then came Sir Key the seneschal with six companions, and did +wondrous well, till the eleven kings went out against them and overthrew +Sir Griflet and Sir Lucas the butler. And when Sir Key saw Sir Griflet +unhorsed and on foot, he rode against King Nanters hotly and smote him +down, and led his horse to Griflet and horsed him again; with the same +spear did Sir Key smite down King Lot and wounded him full sore. + +But seeing that, the King of the Hundred Knights rushed at Sir Key and +overthrew him in return, and took his horse and gave it to King Lot. And +when Sir Griflet saw Sir Key's mischance, he set his spear in rest, and +riding at a mighty man-at-arms, he cast him down headlong and caught his +horse and led it straightway to Sir Key. + +By now the battle was growing perilous and hard, and both sides fought +with rage and fury. And Sir Ulfius and Sir Brastias were both afoot and +in great danger of their death, and foully stained and trampled under +horses' feet. Then King Arthur, putting spurs to his horse, rushed forward +like a lion into the midst of all the _mêlée_, and singling out King +Cradlemont of North Wales, smote him through the left side and overthrew +him, and taking his horse by the rein he brought it to Sir Ulfius in haste +and said, "Take this horse, mine old friend, for thou hast great need of +one, and charge by side of me." And even as he spoke he saw Sir Ector, Sir +Key's father, smitten to the earth by the King of the Hundred Knights, and +his horse taken to King Cradlemont. + +But when King Arthur saw him ride upon Sir Ector's horse his wrath was +very great, and with his sword he smote King Cradlemont upon the helm, and +shore off the fourth part thereof and of the shield, and drave the sword +onward to the horse's neck and slew the horse, and hurled the king upon +the ground. + +And now the battle waxed so great and furious that all the noise and sound +thereof rang out by water and by wood, so that Kings Ban and Bors, with +all their knights and men-at-arms in ambush, hearing the tumult and the +cries, trembled and shook for eagerness, and scarce could stay in secret, +but made them ready for the fray and dressed their shields and harness. + +But when King Arthur saw the fury of the enemy, he raged like a mad lion, +and stirred and drove his horse now here, now there, to the right hand and +to the left, and stayed not in his wrath till he had slain full twenty +knights. He wounded also King Lot so sorely in the shoulder that he left +the field, and in great pain and dolour cried out to the other kings, "Do +ye as I devise, or we shall be destroyed. I, with the King of the Hundred +Knights, King Anguisant, King Yder, and the Duke of Cambinet, will take +fifteen thousand men and make a circuit, meanwhile that ye do hold the +battle with twelve thousand. Then coming suddenly we will fall fiercely on +them from behind and put them to the rout, but else shall we never stand +against them." + +So Lot and four kings departed with their party to one side, and the six +other kings dressed their ranks against King Arthur and fought long and +stoutly. + +But now Kings Ban and Bors, with all their army fresh and eager, broke +from their ambush and met face to face the five kings and their host as +they came round behind, and then began a frantic struggle with breaking of +spears and clashing of swords and slaying of men and horses. Anon King +Lot, espying in the midst King Bors, cried out in great dismay, "Our Lady +now defend us from our death and fearful wounds; our peril groweth great, +for yonder cometh one of the worshipfullest kings and best knights in all +the world." + +"Who is he?" said the King of the Hundred Knights. + +"It is King Bors of Gaul," replied King Lot, "and much I marvel how he may +have come with all his host into this land without our knowledge." + +"Aha!" cried King Carados, "I will encounter with this king if ye will +rescue me when there is need." + +"Ride on," said they. + +So King Carados and all his host rode softly till they came within a +bow-shot of King Bors, and then both hosts, spurring their horses to their +greatest swiftness, rushed at each other. And King Bors encountered in +the onset with a knight, and struck him through with a spear, so that he +fell dead upon the earth; then drawing his sword, he did such mighty feats +of arms that all who saw him gazed with wonder. Anon King Ban came also +forth upon the field with all his knights, and added yet more fury, sound, +and slaughter, till at length both hosts of the eleven kings began to +quake, and drawing all together into one body, they prepared to meet the +worst, while a great multitude already fled. + +Then said King Lot, "Lords, we must take yet other means, or worse loss +still awaits us. See ye not what people we have lost in waiting on the +footmen, and that it costs ten horsemen to save one of them? Therefore it +is my counsel to put away our footmen from us, for it is almost night, and +King Arthur will not stay to slaughter them. So they can save their lives +in this great wood hard by. Then let us gather into one band all the +horsemen that remain, and whoso breaketh rank or leaveth us, let him be +straightway slain by him that seeth him, for it is better that we slay a +coward than through a coward be all slain. How say ye?" said King Lot; +"answer me, all ye kings." + +"It is well said," replied they all. + +And swearing they would never fail each other, they mended and set right +their armour and their shields, and took new spears and set them +steadfastly against their thighs, waiting, and so stood still as a clump +of trees stands on the plain; and no assaults could shake them, they held +so hard together; which when King Arthur saw he marvelled greatly, and was +very wroth. "Yet," cried he, "I may not blame them, by my faith, for they +do as brave men ought to do, and are the best fighting men and knights of +most prowess that I ever saw or heard tell of." And so said also Kings Ban +and Bors, and praised them greatly for their noble chivalry. + +But now came forty noble knights out of King Arthur's host, and prayed +that he would suffer them to break the enemy. And when they were allowed, +they rode forth with their spears upon their thighs, and spurred their +horses to their hottest. Then the eleven kings, with a party of their +knights, rushed with set spears as fast and mightily to meet them; and +when they were encountered, all the crash and splinter of their spears and +armour rang with a mighty din, and so fierce and bloody was their onset +that in all that day there had been no such cruel press, and rage, and +smiting. At that same moment rode fiercely into the thickest of the +struggle King Arthur and Kings Ban and Bors, and slew downright on both +hands right and left, until their horses went in blood up to the fetlocks. + +And while the slaughter and the noise and shouting were at their greatest, +suddenly there came down through the battle Merlin the Wizard, upon a +great black horse, and riding to King Arthur, he cried out, "Alas, my +Lord! will ye have never done? Of sixty thousand have ye left but fifteen +thousand men alive. Is it not time to stay this slaying? for God is ill +pleased with ye that ye have never ended, and yonder kings shall not be +altogether overthrown this time. But if ye fall upon them any more, the +fortune of this day will turn, and go to them. Withdraw, Lord, therefore, +to thy lodging, and there now take thy rest, for to-day thou hast won a +great victory, and overcome the noblest chivalry of all the world. And now +for many years those kings shall not disturb thee. Therefore, I tell +thee, fear them no more, for now they are sore beaten, and have nothing +left them but their honour; and why shouldest thou slay them to take +that?" + +Then said King Arthur, "Thou sayest well, and I will take thy counsel." +With that he cried out, "Ho!" for the battle to cease, and sent forth +heralds through the field to stay more fighting. And gathering all the +spoil, he gave it not amongst his own host, but to Kings Ban and Bors and +all their knights and men-at-arms, that he might treat them with the +greater courtesy as strangers. + +Then Merlin took his leave of Arthur and the two other kings, and went to +see his master, Blaise, a holy hermit, dwelling in Northumberland, who had +nourished him through all his youth. And Blaise was passing glad to see +him, for there was a great love ever between them; and Merlin told him how +King Arthur had sped in the battle, and how it had ended; and told him the +names of every king and knight of worship who was there. So Blaise wrote +down the battle, word for word, as Merlin told him; and in the same way +ever after, all the battles of King Arthur's days Merlin caused Blaise, +his master, to record. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +_The Adventure of the Questing Beast--King Arthur drives the Saxons from +the Realm--The Battles of Celidon Forest and Badon Hill_ + + +Anon, thereafter, came word to King Arthur that Ryence, King of North +Wales, was making war upon King Leodegrance of Camelgard; whereat he was +passing wroth, for he loved Leodegrance well, and hated Ryence. So he +departed with Kings Ban and Bors and twenty thousand men, and came to +Camelgard, and rescued Leodegrance, and slew ten thousand of Ryence's men +and put him to flight. Then Leodegrance made a great festival to the three +kings, and treated them with every manner of mirth and pleasure which +could be devised. And there had King Arthur the first sight of Guinevere, +daughter of Leodegrance, whom in the end he married, as shall be told +hereafter. + +Then did Kings Ban and Bors take leave, and went to their own country, +where King Claudas worked great mischief. And King Arthur would have gone +with them, but they refused him, saying, "Nay, ye shall not at this time, +for ye have yet much to do in these lands of your own; and we with the +riches we have won here by your gifts shall hire many good knights, and, +by the grace of God, withstand the malice of King Claudas; and if we have +need we will send to ye for succour; and likewise ye, if ye have need, +send for us, and we will not tarry, by the faith of our bodies." + +When the two kings had left, King Arthur rode to Caerleon, and thither +came to him his half-sister Belisent, wife to King Lot, sent as a +messenger, but in truth to espy his power; and with her came a noble +retinue, and also her four sons--Gawain, Gaheris, Agravaine, and Gareth. +But when she saw King Arthur and his nobleness, and all the splendour of +his knights and service, she forbore to spy upon him as a foe, and told +him of her husband's plots against him and his throne. And the king, not +knowing that she was his half-sister, made great court to her; and being +full of admiration for her beauty, loved her out of measure, and kept her +a long season at Caerleon. Wherefore her husband, King Lot, was more than +ever King Arthur's enemy, and hated him till death with a passing great +hatred. + +At that time King Arthur had a marvellous dream, which gave him great +disquietness of heart. He dreamed that the whole land was full of many +fiery griffins and serpents, which burnt and slew the people everywhere; +and then that he himself fought with them, and that they did him mighty +injuries, and wounded him nigh to death, but that at last he overcame and +slew them all. When he woke, he sat in great heaviness of spirit and +pensiveness, thinking what this dream might signify, but by-and-by, when +he could by no means satisfy himself what it might mean, to rid himself of +all his thoughts of it, he made ready with a great company to ride out +hunting. + +As soon as he was in the forest, the king saw a great hart before him, and +spurred his horse, and rode long eagerly after it, and chased until his +horse lost breath and fell down dead from under him. Then, seeing the hart +escaped and his horse dead, he sat down by a fountain, and fell into deep +thought again. And as he sat there alone, he thought he heard the noise of +hounds, as it were some thirty couple in number, and looking up he saw +coming towards him the strangest beast that ever he had seen or heard tell +of, which ran towards the fountain and drank of the water. Its head was +like a serpent's, with a leopard's body and a lion's tail, and it was +footed like a stag; and the noise was in its belly, as it were the baying +or questing of thirty couple of hounds. While it drank there was no noise +within it; but presently, having finished, it departed with a greater +sound than ever. + +The king was amazed at all this; but being greatly wearied, he fell +asleep, and was before long waked up by a knight on foot, who said, +"Knight, full of thought and sleepy, tell me if thou sawest a strange +beast pass this way?" + +"Such a one I saw," said King Arthur to the knight, "but that is now two +miles distant at the least. What would you with that beast?" + +"Sir," said the knight, "I have followed it for a long time, and have +killed my horse, and would to heaven I had another to pursue my quest +withal." + +At that moment came a yeoman with another horse for the king, which, when +the knight saw, he earnestly prayed to be given him. "For I have followed +this quest," said he, "twelve months, and either I shall achieve him or +bleed of the best blood of my body." + +It was King Pellinore who at that time followed the questing beast, but +neither he nor King Arthur knew each other. + +"Sir Knight," said King Arthur, "leave that quest and suffer me to have +it, and I will follow it other twelve months." + +"Ah, fool," said the knight, "thy desire is utterly in vain, for it shall +never be achieved but by me, or by my next of kin." + +Therewith he started to the king's horse, and mounted to the saddle, +crying out, "Grammercy, this horse is mine!" + +"Well," said the king, "thou mayest take my horse by force, and I will not +say nay; but till we prove whether thou or I be best on horseback, I shall +not rest content." + +"Seek me here," said the knight, "whenever thou wilt, and here by this +fountain thou shalt find me;" and so he passed forth on his way. + +Then sat King Arthur in a deep fit of study, and bade his yeomen fetch him +yet another horse as quickly as they could. And when they left him all +alone came Merlin, disguised as a child of fourteen years of age, and +saluted the king, and asked him why he was so pensive and heavy. + +"I may well be pensive and heavy," he replied, "for here even now I have +seen the strangest sight I ever saw." + +"That know I well," said Merlin, "as well as thyself, and also all thy +thoughts; but thou art foolish to take thought, for it will not amend +thee. Also I know what thou art, and know thy father and thy mother." + +"That is false," said King Arthur; "how shouldst thou know? thy years are +not enough." + +"Yea," said Merlin, "but I know better than thou how thou wast born, and +better than any man living." + +"I will not believe thee," said King Arthur, and was wroth with the child. + +So Merlin departed, and came again in the likeness of an old man of +fourscore years of age; and the king was glad at his coming, for he seemed +wise and venerable. Then said the old man, "Why art thou so sad?" + +"For divers reasons," said King Arthur; "for I have seen strange things +to-day, and but this moment there was here a child who told me things +beyond his years to know." + +"Yea," said the old man, "but he told thee truth, and more he would have +told thee hadst thou suffered him. But I will tell thee wherefore thou art +sad, for thou hast done a thing of late for which God is displeased with +thee, and what it is thou knowest in thy heart, though no man else may +know." + +"What art thou," said King Arthur, starting up all pale, "that tellest me +these tidings?" + +"I am Merlin," said he, "and I was he in the child's likeness, also." + +"Ah," said King Arthur, "thou art a marvellous and right fearful man, and +I would ask and tell thee many things this day." + +As they talked came one with the king's horses, and so, King Arthur +mounting one, and Merlin another, they rode together to Caerleon; and +Merlin prophesied to Arthur of his death, and also foretold his own end. + +And now King Arthur, having utterly dispersed and overwhelmed those kings +who had so long delayed his coronation, turned all his mind to overthrow +the Saxon heathens who yet in many places spoiled the land. Calling +together, therefore, his knights and men-at-arms, he rode with all his +hosts to York, where Colgrin, the Saxon, lay with a great army; and there +he fought a mighty battle, long and bloody, and drove him into the city, +and besieged him. Then Baldulph, Colgrin's brother, came secretly with six +thousand men to assail King Arthur and to raise the siege. But King Arthur +was aware of him, and sent six hundred horsemen and three thousand foot to +meet and fall on him instead. This therefore they did, encountering them +at midnight, and utterly defeated them, till they fled away for life. But +Baldulph, full of grief, resolved to share his brother's peril; wherefore +he shaved his head and beard, and disguised himself as a jester, and so +passed through King Arthur's camp, singing and playing on a harp, till by +degrees he drew near to the city walls, where presently he made himself +known, and was drawn up by ropes into the town. + +Anon, while Arthur closely watched the city, came news that full six +hundred ships had landed countless swarms of Saxons, under Cheldric, on +the eastern coast. At that he raised the siege, and marched straight to +London, and there increased his army, and took counsel with his barons how +to drive the Saxons from the land for evermore. + +Then with his nephew, Hoel, King of the Armorican Britons, who came with a +great force to help him, King Arthur, with a mighty multitude of barons, +knights, and fighting men, went swiftly up to Lincoln, which the Saxons +lay besieging. And there he fought a passing fierce battle, and made +grievous slaughter, killing above six thousand men, till the main body of +them turned and fled. But he pursued them hotly into the wood of Celidon, +where, sheltering themselves among the trees from his arrows, they made a +stand, and for a long season bravely defended themselves. Anon, he ordered +all the trees in that part of the forest to be cut down, leaving no +shelter or ambush; and with their trunks and branches made a mighty +barricade, which shut them in and hindered their escape. After three days, +brought nigh to death by famine, they offered to give up their wealth of +gold and silver spoils, and to depart forthwith in their empty ships; +moreover, to pay tribute to King Arthur when they reached their home, and +to leave him hostages till all was paid. + +This offer, therefore, he accepted, and suffered them to depart. But when +they had been a few hours at sea, they repented of their shameful flight, +and turned their ships back again, and landing at Totnes, ravaged all the +land as far as the Severn, and, burning and slaying on all sides, bent +their steps towards Bath. + +When King Arthur heard of their treachery and their return, he burned with +anger till his eyes shone like two torches, and then he swore a mighty +oath to rest no more until he had utterly destroyed those enemies of God +and man, and had rooted them for ever out of the land of Britain. Then +marching hotly with his armies on to Bath, he cried aloud to them, "Since +these detestable impious heathens disdain to keep their faith with me, to +keep faith with God, to whom I sware to cherish and defend this realm, +will now this day avenge on them the blood of all that they have slain in +Britain!" + +In like manner after him spoke the archbishop, standing upon a hill, and +crying that to-day they should fight both for their country and for +Paradise, "For whoso," he said, "shall in this holy war be slain, the +angels shall forthwith receive him; for death in this cause shall be +penance and absolution for all sins." + +At these words every man in the whole army raged with hatred, and pressed +eagerly to rush upon those savages. + +Anon King Arthur, dressed in armour shining with gold and jewels, and +wearing on his head a helmet with a golden dragon, took a shield painted +with the likeness of the blessed Mary. Then girding on Excalibur and +taking in his right hand his great lance Ron, he placed his men in order +and led them out against the enemy, who stood for battle on the slope of +Badon Hill, ranged in the form of a wedge, as their custom was. And they, +resisting all the onslaughts of King Arthur and his host, made that day a +stout defence, and at night lay down upon the hill. + +But on the next day Arthur led his army once again to the attack, and with +wounds and slaughter such as no man had ever seen before, he drove the +heathen step by step before him, backwards and upwards, till he stood with +all his noblest knights upon the summit of the hill. + +And then men saw him, "red as the rising sun from spur to plume," lift up +his sword, and, kneeling, kiss the cross of it; and after, rising to his +feet, set might and main with all his fellowship upon the foe, till, as a +troop of lions roaring for their prey, they drove them like a scattered +herd along the plains, and cut them down till they could cut no more for +weariness. + +That day King Arthur by himself alone slew with his word Excalibur four +hundred and seventy heathens. Colgrin also, and his brother Baldulph, were +slain. + +Then the king bade Cador, Duke of Cornwall, follow Cheldric, the chief +leader, and the remnant of his hosts, unto the uttermost. He, therefore, +when he had first seized their fleet, and filled it with chosen men, to +beat them back when they should fly to it at last, chased them and slew +them without mercy so long as he could overtake them. And though they +crept with trembling hearts for shelter to the coverts of the woods and +dens of mountains, yet even so they found no safety, for Cador slew them, +even one by one. Last of all he caught and slew Cheldric himself, and +slaughtering a great multitude took hostages for the surrender of the +rest. + +Meanwhile, King Arthur turned from Badon Hill, and freed his nephew Hoel +from the Scots and Picts, who besieged him in Alclud. And when he had +defeated them in three sore battles, he drove them before him to a lake, +which was one of the most wondrous lakes in all the world, for it was fed +by sixty rivers, and had sixty islands, and sixty rocks, and on every +island sixty eagles' nests. But King Arthur with a great fleet sailed +round the rivers and besieged them in the lake for fifteen days, so that +many thousands died of hunger. + +Anon the King of Ireland came with an army to relieve them; but Arthur, +turning on him fiercely, routed him, and compelled him to retreat in +terror to his land. Then he pursued his purpose, which was no less to +destroy the race of Picts and Scots, who, beyond memory, had been a +ceaseless torment to the Britons by their barbarous malice. + +So bitterly, therefore, did he treat them, giving quarter to none, that at +length the bishops of that miserable country with the clergy met together, +and, bearing all the holy relics, came barefooted to the king to pray his +mercy for their people. As soon as they were led before him they fell down +upon their knees, and piteously besought him to spare the few survivors of +their countrymen, and grant them any corner of the land where they might +live in peace. When he thus heard them, and knew that he had now fully +punished them, he consented to their prayer, and withdrew his hosts from +any further slaughter. + +Then turned he back to his own realm, and came to York for Christmas, and +there with high solemnity observed that holy tide; and being passing +grieved to see the ruin of the churches and houses, which the rage or the +pagans had destroyed, he rebuilt them, and restored the city to its +ancient happy state. + +And on a certain day, as the king sat with his barons, there came into the +court a squire on horseback, carrying a knight before him wounded to the +death, and told the king that hard by in the forest was a knight who had +reared up a pavilion by the fountain, "and hath slain my master, a valiant +knight, whose name was Nirles; wherefore I beseech thee, Lord, my master +may be buried, and that some good knight may avenge his death." + +At that stepped forth a squire named Griflet, who was very young, being of +the same age with King Arthur, and besought the king, for all the service +he had done, to give him knighthood. + +"Thou art full young and tender of age," said King Arthur, "to take so +high an order upon thee." + +"Sir," said Griflet, "I beseech thee make me a knight;" and Merlin also +advising the king to grant his request, "Well," said Arthur, "be it then +so," and knighted him forthwith. Then said he to him, "Since I have +granted thee this favour, thou must in turn grant me a gift." + +"Whatsoever thou wilt, my lord," replied Sir Griflet. + +"Promise me," said King Arthur, "by the faith of thy body, that when thou +hast jousted with this knight at the fountain, thou wilt return to me +straightway, unless he slay thee." + +"I promise," said Sir Griflet; and taking his horse in haste, he dressed +his shield, and took a spear in his hand and rode full gallop till he came +to the fountain, by the side of which he saw a rich pavilion, and a great +horse standing well saddled and bridled, and on a tree close by there hung +a shield of many colours and a long lance. + +Then Sir Griflet smote upon the shield with the butt of his spear until he +cast it to the ground. At that a knight came out of the pavilion and said, +"Fair knight, why smote ye down my shield?" + +"Because," said Griflet, "I would joust with thee." + +"It were better not," replied the knight; "for thou art young and but +lately made a knight, and thy strength is small compared to mine." + +"For all that," said Sir Griflet, "I will joust with ye." + +"I am full loath," replied the knight; "but if I must I must." + +Then did they wheel their horses far apart, and running them together, +the strange knight shivered Sir Griflet's spear to fragments, and smote +him through the shield and the left side, and broke his own spear into Sir +Griflet's body, so that the truncheon stuck there, and Sir Griflet and his +horse fell down. But when the strange knight saw him overthrown, he was +sore grieved, and hastily alighted, for he thought that he had slain him. +Then he unlaced his helm and gave him air, and tended him carefully till +he came out of his swoon, and leaving the truncheon of his spear in his +body, he set him upon horse, and commended him to God, and said he had a +mighty heart, and if he lived would prove a passing good knight. And so +Sir Griflet rode to the court, where, by aid of good physicians, he was +healed in time and his life saved. + +At that same time there came before the king twelve old men, ambassadors +from Lucius Tiberius, Emperor of Rome, and demanded of Arthur tribute unto +Caesar for his realm, or else, said they, the emperor would destroy both +him and his land. To whom King Arthur answered that he owed the emperor no +tribute, nor would send him any; but said he, "On a fair field I will pay +him his proper tribute--with a sharp spear and sword; and by my father's +soul that tribute shall he take from me, whether he will or not." So the +ambassadors departed passing wroth, and King Arthur was as wroth as they. + +But on the morrow of Sir Griflet's hurt, the king commanded to take his +horse and armour secretly outside the city walls before sunrise of the +next morning, and, rising a long while before dawn, he mounted up and took +his shield and spear, and bade his chamberlain tarry till he came again; +but he forbore to take Excalibur, for he had given it for safety into +charge of his sister, Queen Morgan le Fay. And as the king rode at a soft +pace he saw suddenly three villains chasing Merlin and making to attack +and slay him. Clapping spurs to his horse, he rushed towards them, and +cried out in a terrible voice, "Flee, churls, or take your deaths;" but +they, as soon as they perceived a knight, fled away with the haste of +hares. + +"O Merlin," said the king; "here hadst thou been killed, despite thy many +crafts, had I not chanced to pass." + +"Not so," said Merlin, "for when I would, I could have saved myself; but +thou art nearer to thy death than I, for without special help from heaven +thou ridest now towards thy grave." + +And as they were thus talking, they came to the fountain and the rich +pavilion pitched beside it, and saw a knight sitting all armed on a chair +in the opening of the tent. "Sir knight," said King Arthur, "for what +cause abidest thou here? to joust with any knight that passeth by? If so, +I caution thee to quit that custom." + +"That custom," said the knight, "have I followed and will follow, let +whosoever will say nay, and if any is aggrieved at it, let him who will +amend it." + +"I will amend it," said King Arthur. + +"And I will defend it," answered the knight. + +Then the knight mounted his horse and made himself ready, and charging at +each other they met so hard that both their lances splintered into pieces. +Then King Arthur drew his sword, but the knight cried out, "Not so; but +let us run another tilt together with sharp spears." + +"I would with a good will," said King Arthur; "but I have no more spears." + +"I have enough of spears," replied the knight, and called a squire, who +brought two good new lances. + +Then spurring their horses, they rushed together with all their might, and +broke each one his own spear short off in his hand. Then the king again +put his hand to his sword, but the knight once more cried out, "Nay, yet +abide awhile; ye are the best jouster that I ever met with; for the love +of knighthood, let us joust yet once again." + +So once again they tilted with their fullest force, and this time King +Arthur's spear was shivered, but the knight's held whole, and drove so +furiously against the king that both his horse and he were hurled to the +ground. + +At that, King Arthur was enraged and drew his sword and said, "I will +attack thee now, Sir knight, on foot, for on horseback I have lost the +honour." + +"I will be on horseback," said the knight. But when he saw him come on +foot, he lighted from his horse, thinking it shame to have so great +advantage. + +And then began they a strong battle, with many great strokes and grievous +blows, and so hewed with their swords that the fragments of their armour +flew about the fields, and both so bled that all the ground around was +like a marsh of blood. Thus they fought long and mightily, and anon, after +brief rest fell to again, and so hurtled together like two wild boars that +they both rolled to the ground. At last their swords clashed furiously +together, and the knight's sword shivered the king's in two. + +Then said the knight, "Now art thou in my power, to save thee or to slay. +Yield therefore as defeated, and a recreant knight, or thou shall surely +die." + +"As for death," replied King Arthur, "welcome be it when it cometh; but as +for yielding me to thee as a recreant because of this poor accident upon +my sword, I had far liefer die than be so shamed." + +So saying, he sprang on the knight, and took him by the middle and threw +him down, and tore off his helm. But the knight, being a huge man, +wrestled and struggled in a frenzy with the king until he brought him +under, and tore off his helm in turn, and would have smitten off his head. + +At that came Merlin and said, "Knight, hold thy hand, for if thou slayest +yonder knight, thou puttest all this realm to greater loss and damage than +ever realm was in; for he is a man of greater worship than thou dreamest +of." + +"Who then is he?" cried the knight. + +"Arthur Pendragon!" answered Merlin. + +Then would he have slain him for dread of his wrath, but Merlin cast a +spell upon the knight, so that he fell suddenly to the earth in a deep +sleep. Then raising up the king, he took the knight's horse for himself +and rode away. + +"Alas," said King Arthur, "what hast thou done, Merlin? hast thou slain +this good knight by thy crafts? There never lived a better knight; I had +rather lose my kingdom for a year than have him dead." + +"Be not afraid," said Merlin; "he is more whole and sound than thou art, +and is but in a sleep, wherefrom in three hours' time he will awake. I +told thee what a knight he was, and how near thou wast to death. There +liveth not a better knight than he in all the world, and hereafter he +shall do thee good service. His name is King Pellinore, and he shall have +two sons, who shall be passing valiant men, and, save one another, shall +have no equal in prowess and in purity of life. The one shall be named +Percival, and the other Lamoracke of Wales." + +So they rode on to Caerleon, and all the knights grieved greatly when they +heard of this adventure, that the king would jeopardise his person thus +alone. Yet could they not hide their joy at serving under such a noble +chief, who adventured his own life as much as did the poorest knight among +them all. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +_King Arthur Conquers Ireland and Norway, Slays the Giant of St. Michael's +Mount, and Conquers Gaul--The Adventures of Sir Balin_ + + +The land of Britain being now in peace, and many great and valiant knights +therein ready to take part in whatsoever battles or adventures might +arise, King Arthur resolved to follow all his enemies to their own coasts. +Anon he fitted out a great fleet, and sailing first to Ireland, in one +battle he miserably routed the people of the country. The King of Ireland +also he took prisoner, and forced all earls and barons to pay him homage. + +Having conquered Ireland, he went next to Iceland and subdued it also, and +the winter being then arrived, returned to Britain. + +In the next year he set forth to Norway, whence many times the heathen had +descended on the British coasts; for he was determined to give so terrible +a lesson to those savages as should be told through all their tribes both +far and near, and make his name fearful to them. + +As soon as he was come, Riculf, the king, with all the power of that +country, met and gave him battle; but, after mighty slaughter, the Britons +had at length the advantage, and slew Riculf and a countless multitude +besides. + +Having thus defeated them, they set the cities on fire, dispersed the +country people, and pursued the victory till they had reduced all Norway, +as also Dacia, under the dominion of King Arthur. + +Now, therefore, having thus chastised those pagans who so long had +harassed Britain, and put his yoke upon them, he voyaged on to Gaul, being +steadfastly set upon defeating the Roman governor of that province, and so +beginning to make good the threats which he had sent the emperor by his +ambassadors. + +So soon as he was landed on the shores of Gaul, there came to him a +countryman who told him of a fearful giant in the land of Brittany, who +had slain, murdered, and devoured many people, and had lived for seven +years upon young children only, "insomuch," said the man, "that all the +children of the country are destroyed; and but the other day he seized +upon our duchess, as she rode out with her men, and took her away to his +lodging in a cave of a mountain, and though five hundred people followed +her, yet could they give her no help or rescue, but left her shrieking and +crying lamentably in the giant's hands; and, Lord, she is thy cousin +Hoel's wife, who is of thy near kindred; wherefore, as thou art a rightful +king, have pity on this lady; and as thou art a valiant conqueror, avenge +us and deliver us." + +"Alas!" said King Arthur, "this is a great mischief that ye tell of. I had +rather than the best realm I have, that I had rescued that lady ere the +giant laid his hand on her; but tell me now, good fellow, canst thou bring +me where this giant haunteth?" + +"Yea, Lord!" replied the man; "lo, yonder, where thou seest two great +fires, there shall thou find him, and more treasure also than is in all +Gaul besides." + +Then the king returned to his tent, and, calling Sir Key and Sir Bedwin, +desired them to get horses ready for himself and them, for that after +evensong he would ride a pilgrimage with them alone to St. Michael's +Mount. So in the evening they departed, and rode as fast as they could +till they came near the mount, and there alighted; and the king commanded +the two knights to await him at the hill foot, while he went up alone. + +Then he ascended the mountain till he came to a great fire. And there he +found a sorrowful widow wringing her hands and weeping miserably, sitting +by a new-made grave. And saluting her, King Arthur prayed her wherefore +she made such heavy lamentations. + +"Sir knight," she said, "speak softly, for yonder is a devil, who, if he +hear thy voice, will come and straightway slay thee. Alas! what dost thou +here? Fifty such men as thou were powerless to resist him. Here lieth dead +my lady, Duchess of Brittany, wife to Sir Hoel, who was the fairest lady +in the world, foully and shamefully slaughtered by that fiend! Beware that +thou go not too nigh, for he hath overcome and vanquished fifteen kings, +and hath made himself a coat of precious stones, embroidered with their +beards; but if thou art hardy, and wilt speak with him, at yonder great +fire he is at supper." + +"Well," said King Arthur, "I will accomplish mine errand, for all thy +fearful words;" and so went forth to the crest of the hill, and saw where +the giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge +frame by the fire, while three damsels turned three spits whereon were +spitted, like larks, twelve young children lately born. + +[Illustration: The giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and +baking his huge frame by the fire.] + +When King Arthur saw all that, his heart bled for sorrow, and he trembled +for rage and indignation; then lifting up his voice he cried aloud--"God, +that wieldeth all the world, give thee short life and shameful death, and +may the devil have thy soul! Why hast thou slain those children and that +fair lady? Wherefore arise, and prepare thee to perish, thou glutton and +fiend, for this day thou shalt die by my hands." + +Then the giant, mad with fury at these words, started up, and seizing a +great club, smote the king, and struck his crown from off his head. But +King Arthur smote him with his sword so mightily in return, that all his +blood gushed forth in streams. + +At that the giant, howling in great anguish, threw away his club of iron, +and caught the king in both his arms and strove to crush his ribs +together. But King Arthur struggled and writhed, and twisted him about, so +that the giant could not hold him tightly; and as they fiercely wrestled, +they both fell, and rolling over one another, tumbled--wrestling, and +struggling, and fighting frantically--from rock to rock, till they came to +the sea. + +And as they tore and strove and tumbled, the king ever and anon smote at +the giant with his dagger, till his arms stiffened in death around King +Arthur's body, and groaning horribly, he died. So presently the two +knights came and found the king locked fast in the giant's arms, and very +faint and weary, and loosed him from their hold. + +Then the king bade Sir Key to "smite off the giant's head and set it on +the truncheon of a spear, and bear it to Sir Hoel, and tell him that his +enemy is slain; and afterwards let it be fastened to the castle gate, that +all the people may behold it. And go ye two up on the mountain and fetch +me my shield and sword, and also the great club of iron ye will see there; +and as for the treasure, ye shall find there wealth beyond counting, but +take as much as ye will, for if I have his kirtle and the club, I desire +no more." + +Then the knights fetched the club and kirtle, as the king had ordered, and +took the treasure to themselves, as much as they could carry, and returned +to the army. But when this deed was noised abroad, all the people came in +multitudes to thank the king, who told them "to give thanks to God, and to +divide the giant's spoils amongst them equally." And King Arthur desired +Sir Hoel to build a church upon the mount, and dedicate it to the +Archangel Michael. + +On the morrow, all the host moved onwards into the country of Champagne, +and Flollo, the Roman tribune, retired before them into Paris. But while +he was preparing to collect more forces from the neighbouring countries, +King Arthur came upon him unawares, and besieged him in the town. + +And when a month had passed, Flollo--full of grief at the starvation of +his people, who died in hundreds day by day--sent to King Arthur, and +desired that they two might fight together; for he was a man of mighty +stature and courage, and thought himself sure of the victory. This +challenge, King Arthur, full weary the siege, accepted with great joy, and +sent back word to Flollo that he would meet him whensoever he appointed. + +And a truce being made on both sides, they met together the next day on +the island without the city, where all the people also were gathered to +see the issue. And as the king and Flollo rode up to the lists, each was +so nobly armed and horsed, and sat so mightily upon his saddle, that no +man could tell which way the battle would end. + +When they had saluted one another, and presented themselves against each +other with their lances aloft, they put spurs to their horses and began a +fierce encounter. But King Arthur, carrying his spear more warily, struck +it on the upper part of Flollo's breast, and flung him from his saddle to +the earth. Then drawing his sword, he cried to him to rise, and rushed +upon him; but Flollo, starting up, met him with his spear couched, and +pierced the breast of King Arthur's horse, and overthrew both horse and +man. + +The Britons, when they saw their king upon the ground, could scarcely keep +themselves from breaking up the truce and falling on the Gauls. But as +they were about to burst the barriers, and rush upon the lists, King +Arthur hastily arose, and, guarding himself with his shield, ran with +speed on Flollo. And now they renewed the assault with great rage, being +sorely bent upon each other's death. + +At length, Flollo, seizing his advantage, gave King Arthur a huge stroke +upon the helm, which nigh overthrew him, and drew forth his blood in +streams. + +But when King Arthur saw his armour and shield red with blood, he was +inflamed with fury, and lifting up Excalibur on high, with all his might, +he struck straight through the helmet into Flollo's head, and smote it +into halves; and Flollo falling backwards, and tearing up the ground with +his spurs, expired. + +As soon as this news spread, the citizens all ran together, and, opening +the gates, surrendered the city to the conqueror. + +And when he had overrun the whole province with his arms, and reduced it +everywhere to subjection, he returned again to Britain, and held his court +at Caerleon, with greater state than ever. + +Anon he invited thereto all the kings, dukes, earls, and barons, who owed +him homage, that he might treat them royally, and reconcile them to each +other, and to his rule. + +And never was there a city more fit and pleasant for such festivals. For +on one side it was washed by a noble river, so that the kings and princes +from the countries beyond sea might conveniently sail up to it; and on the +other side, the beauty of the groves and meadows, and the stateliness and +magnificence of the royal palaces, with lofty gilded roofs, made it even +rival the grandeur of Rome. It was famous also for two great and noble +churches, whereof one was built in honour of the martyr Julius, and +adorned with a choir of virgins who had devoted themselves wholly to the +service of God; and the other, founded in memory of St. Aaron, his +companion, maintained a convent of canons, and was the third metropolitan +church of Britain. Besides, there was a college of two hundred +philosophers, learned in astronomy, and all the other sciences and arts. + +In this place, therefore, full of such delights, King Arthur held his +court, with many jousts and tournaments, and royal huntings, and rested +for a season after all his wars. + +And on a certain day there came into the court a messenger from Ryence, +King of North Wales, bearing this message from his master: That King +Ryence had discomfited eleven kings, and had compelled each one of them to +cut off his beard; that he had trimmed a mantle with these beards, and +lacked but one more beard to finish it; and that he therefore now sent for +King Arthur's beard, which he required of him forthwith, or else he would +enter his lands and burn and slay, and never leave them till he had taken +by force not his beard only, but his head also. + +When King Arthur heard these words he flushed all scarlet, and rising in +great anger said, "Well is it for thee that thou speakest another man's +words with thy lips, and not thine own. Thou hast said thy message, which +is the most insolent and villainous that ever man heard sent to any king: +now hear my reply. My beard is yet too young to trim that mantle of thy +master's with; yet, young although I be, I owe no homage either to him or +any man--nor will ever owe. But, young although I be, I will have thy +master's homage upon both his knees before this year be past, or else he +shall lose his head, by the faith of my body, for this message is the +shamefullest I ever heard speak of. I see well thy king hath never yet met +with a worshipful man; but tell that King Arthur will have his head or his +worship right soon." + +Then the messenger departed, and Arthur, looking round upon his knights, +demanded of them if any there knew this King Ryence. "Yea," answered Sir +Noran, "I know him well, and there be few better or stronger knights upon +a field than he; and he is passing proud and haughty in his heart; +wherefore I doubt not, Lord, he will make war on thee with mighty power." + +"Well," said King Arthur, "I shall be ready for him, and that shall he +find." + +While the king thus spoke, there came into the hall a damsel having on a +mantle richly furred, which she let fall and showed herself to be girded +with a noble sword. The king being surprised at this, said, "Damsel, +wherefore art thou girt with that sword, for it beseemeth thee not?" +"Sir," said she, "I will tell thee. This sword wherewith I am thus girt +gives me great sorrow and encumbrance, for I may not be delivered from it +till I find a knight faithful and pure and true, strong of body and of +valiant deeds, without guile or treachery, who shall be able to draw it +from its scabbard, which no man else can do. And I have but just now come +from the court of King Ryence, for there they told me many great and good +knights were to be ever found; but he and all his knights have tried to +draw it forth in vain--for none of them can move it." + +"This is a great marvel," said King Arthur; "I will myself try to draw +forth this sword, not thinking in my heart that I am the best knight, but +rather to begin and give example that all may try after me." Saying this, +he took the sword and pulled at it with all his might, but could not shake +or move it. + +"Thou needest not strive so hard, Lord," said the damsel, "for whoever may +be able to pull it forth shall do so very easily." "Thou sayest well," +replied the king, remembering how he had himself drawn forth the sword +from the stone before St. Paul's. "Now try ye, all my barons; but beware +ye be not stained with shame, or any treachery, or guile." And turning +away his face from them, King Arthur mused full heavily of sins within his +breast he knew of, and which his failure brought to mind right sadly. + +Then all the barons present tried each after other, but could none of them +succeed; whereat the damsel greatly wept, and said, "Alas, alas! I thought +in this court to have found the best knight, without shame or treachery or +treason." + +Now by chance there was at that time a poor knight with King Arthur, who +had been prisoner at his court for half a year and more, charged with +slaying unawares a knight who was a cousin of the king's. He was named +Balin le Savage, and had been by the good offices of the barons delivered +from prison, for he was of good and valiant address and gentle blood. He +being secretly present at the court saw this adventure, and felt his heart +rise high within him, and longed to try the sword as did the others; but +being poor and poorly clad, he was ashamed to come forward in the press of +knights and nobles. But in his heart he felt assured that he could do +better--if Heaven willed--than any knight among them all. + +So as the damsel left the king, he called to her and said, "Damsel, I pray +thee of thy courtesy, suffer me to try the sword as well as all these +lords; for though I be but poorly clad, I feel assurance in my heart." + +The damsel looking at him, saw in him a likely an honest man, but because +of his poor garments could not think him to be any knight of worship, and +said, "Sir, there is no need to put me to any more pain or labour; why +shouldst thou succeed where so many worthy ones have failed?" + +"Ah, fair lady," answered Balin, "worthiness and brave deeds are not shown +by fair raiment, but manhood and truth lie hid within the heart. There be +many worshipful knights unknown to all the people." + +"By my faith, thou sayest truth," replied the damsel; "try therefore, if +thou wilt, what thou canst do." + +So Balin took the sword by the girdle and hilt, and drew it lightly out, +and looking on its workmanship and brightness, it pleased him greatly. + +But the king and all the barons marvelled at Sir Balin's fortune, and many +knights were envious of him, for, "Truly," said the damsel, "this is a +passing good knight, and the best man I have ever found, and the most +worshipfully free from treason, treachery, or villainy, and many wonders +shall he achieve." + +"Now, gentle and courteous knight," continued she, turning to Balin, "give +me the sword again." + +"Nay," said Sir Balin, "save it be taken from me by force, I shall +preserve this sword for evermore." + +"Thou art not wise," replied the damsel, "to keep it from me; for if thou +wilt do so, thou shalt slay with it the best friend thou hast, and the +sword shall be thine destruction also." + +"I will take whatever adventure God may send," said Balin; "but the sword +will I keep, by the faith of my body." + +"Thou will repent it shortly," said the damsel; "I would take the sword +for thy sake rather than for mine for I am passing grieved and heavy for +thy sake, who wilt not believe the peril I foretell thee." With that she +departed, making great lamentation. + +Then Balin sent for his horse and armour, and took his leave of King +Arthur, who urged him to stay at his court. "For," said he, "I believe +that thou art displeased that I showed thee unkindness; blame me not +overmuch, for I was misinformed against thee, and knew not truly what a +knight of worship thou art. Abide in this court with my good knights, and +I will so advance thee that thou shalt be well pleased." + +"God thank thee, Lord," said Balin, "for no man can reward thy bounty and +thy nobleness; but at this time I must needs depart, praying thee ever to +hold me in thy favour." + +"Truly," said King Arthur, "I am grieved for thy departure; but tarry not +long, and thou shalt be right welcome to me and all my knights when thou +returnest, and I will repair my neglect and all that I have done amiss +against thee." + +"God thank thee, Lord," again said Balin, and made ready to depart. + +But meanwhile came into the court a lady upon horseback, full richly +dressed, and saluted King Arthur, and asked him for the gift that he had +promised her when she gave him his sword Excalibur, "for," said she, "I am +the lady of the lake." + +"Ask what thou wilt," said the king, "and thou shalt have it, if I have +power to give." + +"I ask," said she, "the head of that knight who hath just achieved the +sword, or else the damsel's head who brought it, or else both; for the +knight slew my brother, and the lady caused my father's death." + +"Truly," said King Arthur, "I cannot grant thee this desire; it were +against my nature and against my name; but ask whatever else thou wilt, +and I will do it." + +"I will demand no other thing," said she. + +And as she spake came Balin, on his way to leave the court, and saw her +where she stood, and knew her straightway for his mother's murderess, whom +he had sought in vain three years. And when they told him that she had +asked King Arthur for his head, he went up straight to her and said, "May +evil have thee! Thou desirest my head, therefore shalt thou lose thine;" +and with his sword he lightly smote her head off, in the presence of the +king and all the court. + +"Alas, for shame!" cried out King Arthur, rising up in wrath; "why hast +thou done this, shaming both me and my court? I am beholden greatly to +this lady, and under my safe conduct came she here; thy deed is passing +shameful; never shall I forgive thy villainy." + +"Lord," cried Sir Balin, "hear me; this lady was the falsest living, and +by her witchcraft hath destroyed many, and caused my mother also to be +burnt to death by her false arts and treachery." + +"What cause soever thou mightest have had," said the king, "thou shouldst +have forborne her in my presence. Deceive not thyself, thou shalt repent +this sin, for such a shame was never brought upon my court; depart now +from my face with all the haste thou mayest." + +Then Balin took up the head of the lady and carried it to his lodgings, +and rode forth with his squire from out the town. Then said he, "Now must +we part; take ye this head and bear it to my friends in Northumberland, +and tell them how I speed, and that our worst foe is dead; also tell them +that I am free from prison, and of the adventure of my sword." + +"Alas!" said the squire, "ye are greatly to blame to have so displeased +King Arthur." + +"As for that," said Sir Balin, "I go now to find King Ryence, and destroy +him or lose my life; for should I take him prisoner, and lead him to the +court, perchance King Arthur would forgive me, and become my good and +gracious lord." + +"Where shall I meet thee again?" said the squire. + +"In King Arthur's court," said Balin. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +_Sir Balin Smites the Dolorous Stroke, and Fights with his Brother, Sir +Balan_ + + +Now there was a knight at the court more envious than the others of Sir +Balin, for he counted himself one of the best knights in Britain. His name +was Lancear; and going to the king, he begged leave to follow after Sir +Balin and avenge the insult he had put upon the court. "Do thy best," +replied the king, "for I am passing wroth with Balin." + +In the meantime came Merlin, and was told of this adventure of the sword +and lady of the lake. + +"Now hear me," said he, "when I tell ye that this lady who hath brought +the sword is the falsest damsel living." + +"Say not so," they answered, "for she hath a brother a good knight, who +slew another knight this damsel loved; so she, to be revenged upon her +brother, went to the Lady Lile, of Avilion, and besought her help. Then +Lady Lile gave her the sword, and told her that no man should draw it +forth but one, a valiant knight and strong, who should avenge her on her +brother. This, therefore, was the reason why the damsel came here." "I +know it all as well as ye do," answered Merlin; "and would to God she had +never come hither, for never came she into any company but to do harm; and +that good knight who hath achieved the sword shall be himself slain by it, +which shall be great harm and loss, for a better knight there liveth not; +and he shall do unto my lord the king great honour and service." + +Then Sir Lancear, having armed himself at all points, mounted, and rode +after Sir Balin, as fast as he could go, and overtaking him, he cried +aloud, "Abide, Sir knight! wait yet awhile, or I shall make thee do so." + +Hearing him cry, Sir Balin fiercely turned his horse, and said, "Fair +knight, what wilt thou with me? wilt thou joust?" + +"Yea," said Sir Lancear, "it is for that I have pursued thee." + +"Peradventure," answered Balin, "thou hadst best have staid at home, for +many a man who thinketh himself already victor, endeth by his own +downfall. Of what court art thou?" + +"Of King Arthur's court," cried Lancear, "and I am come to revenge the +insult thou hast put on it this day." + +"Well," said Sir Balin, "I see that I must fight thee, and I repent to be +obliged to grieve King Arthur or his knights; and thy quarrel seemeth full +foolish to me, for the damsel that is dead worked endless evils through +the land, or else I had been loath as any knight that liveth to have slain +a lady." + +"Make thee ready," shouted Lancear, "for one of us shall rest for ever in +this field." + +But at their first encounter Sir Lancear's spear flew into splinters from +Sir Balin's shield, and Sir Balin's lance pierced with such might through +Sir Lancear's shield that it rove the hauberk also, and passed through the +knight's body and the horse's crupper. And Sir Balin turning fiercely +round again, drew out his sword, and knew not that he had already slain +him; and then he saw him lie a corpse upon the ground. + +At that same moment came a damsel riding towards him as fast as her horse +could gallop, who, when she saw Sir Lancear dead, wept and sorrowed out of +measure, crying, "O, Sir Balin, two bodies hast thou slain, and one heart; +and two hearts in one body; and two souls also hast thou lost." + +Therewith she took the sword from her dead lover's side--for she was Sir +Lancear's lady-love--and setting the pommel of it on the ground, ran +herself through the body with the blade. + +When Sir Balin saw her dead he was sorely hurt and grieved in spirit, and +repented the death of Lancear, which had also caused so fair a lady's +death. And being unable to look on their bodies for sorrow, he turned +aside into a forest, where presently as he rode, he saw the arms of his +brother, Sir Balan. And when they were met they put off their helms, and +embraced each other, kissing, and weeping for joy and pity. Then Sir Balin +told Sir Balan all his late adventures, and that he was on his way to King +Ryence, who at that time was besieging Castle Terrabil. "I will be with +thee," answered Sir Balan, "and we will help each other, as brethren ought +to do." + +Anon by chance, as they were talking, came King Mark, of Cornwall, by that +way, and when he saw the two dead bodies of Sir Lancear and his lady lying +there, and heard the story of their death, he vowed to build a tomb to +them before he left that place. So pitching his pavilion there, he sought +through all the country round to find a monument, and found at last a rich +and fair one in a church, which he took and raised above the dead knight +and his damsel, writing on it--"Here lieth Lancear, son of the King of +Ireland, who, at his own request, was slain by Balin; and here beside him +also lieth his lady Colombe, who slew herself with her lover's sword for +grief and sorrow." + +Then as Sir Balin and Sir Balan rode away, Merlin met with them, and said +to Balin, "Thou hast done thyself great harm not to have saved that lady's +life who slew herself; and because of it, thou shalt strike the most +Dolorous Stroke that ever man struck, save he that smote our Lord. For +thou shalt smite the truest and most worshipful of living knights, who +shall not be recovered from his wounds for many years, and through that +stroke three kingdoms shall be overwhelmed in poverty and misery." + +"If I believed," said Balin, "what thou sayest, I would slay myself to +make thee a liar." + +At that Merlin vanished suddenly away; but afterwards he met them in +disguise towards night, and told them he could lead them to King Ryence, +whom they sought. "For this night he is to ride with sixty lances only +through a wood hard by." + +So Sir Balin and Sir Balan hid themselves within the wood, and at midnight +came out from their ambush among the leaves by the highway, and waited for +the king, whom presently they heard approaching with his company. Then did +they suddenly leap forth and smote at him and overthrew him and laid him +on the ground, and turning on his company wounded and slew forty of them, +and put the rest to flight. And returning to King Ryence they would have +slain him there, but he craved mercy, and yielded to their grace, crying, +"Knights full of prowess, slay me not; for by my life ye may win +something--but my death can avail ye nought." + +"Ye say truth," said the two knights, and put him in a horse-litter, and +went swiftly through all the night, till at cock-crow they came to King +Arthur's palace. There they delivered him to the warders and porters, to +be brought before the king, with this message--"That he was sent to King +Arthur by the knight of the two swords (for so was Balin known by name, +since his adventure with the damsel) and by his brother." And so they rode +away again ere sunrise. + +Within a month or two thereafter, King Arthur being somewhat sick, went +forth outside the town, and had his pavilion pitched in a meadow, and +there abode, and laid him down on a pallet to sleep, but could get no +rest. And as he lay he heard the sound of a great horse, and looking out +of the tent door, saw a knight ride by, making great lamentation. + +"Abide, fair sir," said King Arthur, "and tell me wherefore thou makest +this sorrow." + +"Ye may little amend it," said the knight, and so passed on. + +Presently after Sir Balin, rode, by chance, past that meadow, and when he +saw the king he alighted and came to him on foot, and kneeled and saluted +him. + +"By my head," said King Arthur, "ye be welcome, Sir Balin;" and then he +thanked him heartily for revenging him upon King Ryence, and for sending +him so speedily a prisoner to his castle, and told him how King Nero, +Ryence's brother, had attacked him afterwards to deliver Ryence from +prison; and how he had defeated him and slain him, and also King Lot, of +Orkney who was joined with Nero, and whom King Pellinore had killed in the +battle. Then when they had thus talked, King Arthur told Sir Balin of the +sullen knight that had just passed his tent, and desired him to pursue him +and to bring him back. + +So Sir Balin rode and overtook the knight in a forest with a damsel, and +said, "Sir knight, thou must come back with me unto my lord, King Arthur, +to tell him the cause of thy sorrow, which thou hast refused even now to +do." + +"That will I not," replied the knight, "for it would harm me much, and do +him no advantage." + +"Sir," said Sir Balin, "I pray thee make ready, for thou must needs go +with me--or else I must fight with thee and take thee by force." + +"Wilt thou be warrant for safe conduct, if I go with thee?" inquired the +knight. + +"Yea, surely," answered Balin, "I will die else." + +So the knight made ready to go with Sir Balin, and left the damsel in the +wood. + +But as they went, there came one invisible, and smote the knight through +the body with a spear. "Alas," cried Sir Herleus (for so was he named), "I +am slain under thy guard and conduct, by that traitor knight called +Garlon, who through magic and witchcraft rideth invisibly. Take, +therefore, my horse, which is better than thine, and ride to the damsel +whom we left, and the quest I had in hand, as she will lead thee--and +revenge my death when thou best mayest." + +"That will I do," said Sir Balin, "by my knighthood, and so I swear to +thee." + +Then went Sir Balin to the damsel, and rode forth with her; she carrying +ever with her the truncheon of the spear wherewith Sir Herleus had been +slain. And as they went, a good knight, Perin de Mountbelgard, joined +their company, and vowed to take adventure with them wheresoever they +might go. But presently as they passed a hermitage fast by a churchyard, +came the knight Garlon, again invisible, and smote Sir Perin through the +body with a spear, and slew him as he had slain Sir Herleus. Whereat, Sir +Balin greatly raged, and swore to have Sir Garlon's life, whenever next he +might encounter and behold him in his bodily shape. Anon, he and the +hermit buried the good knight Sir Perin, and rode on with the damsel till +they came to a great castle, whereinto they were about to enter. But when +Sir Balin had passed through the gateway, the portcullis fell behind him +suddenly, leaving the damsel on the outer side, with men around her, +drawing their swords as if to slay her. + +When he saw that, Sir Balin climbed with eager haste by wall and tower, +and leaped into the castle moat, and rushed towards the damsel and her +enemies, with his sword drawn, to fight and slay them. But they cried out, +"Put up thy sword, Sir knight, we will not fight thee in this quarrel, for +we do nothing but an ancient custom of this castle." + +Then they told him that the lady of the castle was sick, and had lain ill +for many years, and might never more be cured, unless she had a silver +dish full of the blood of a pure maid and a king's daughter. Wherefore the +custom of the castle was, that never should a damsel pass that way but she +must give a dish full of her blood. Then Sir Balin suffered them to bleed +the damsel with her own consent, but her blood helped not the lady of the +castle. So on the morrow they departed, after right good cheer and rest. + +Then they rode three or four days without adventure and came at last to +the abode of a rich man, who sumptuously lodged and fed them. And while +they sat at supper Sir Balin heard a voice of some one groaning +grievously. "What noise is this?" said he. + +"Forsooth," said the host, "I will tell you. I was lately at a tournament, +and there I fought a knight who is brother to King Pelles, and overthrew +him twice, for which he swore to be revenged on me through my best friend, +and so he wounded my son, who cannot be recovered till I have that +knight's blood, but he rideth through witchcraft always invisibly, and I +know not his name." + +"Ah," said Sir Balin, "but I know him; his name is Garlon, and he hath +slain two knights, companions of mine own, in the same fashion, and I +would rather than all the riches in this realm that I might meet him face +to face." + +"Well," said his host, "let me now tell thee that King Pelles hath +proclaimed in all the country a great festival, to be held at Listeniss, +in twenty days from now, whereto no knight may come without a lady. At +that great feast we might perchance find out this Garlon, for many will be +there; and if it please thee we will set forth together." + +So on the morrow they rode all three towards Listeniss, and travelled +fifteen days, and reached it on the day the feast began. Then they +alighted and stabled their horses, and went up to the castle, and Sir +Balin's host was denied entrance, having no lady with him. But Sir Balin +was right heartily received, and taken to a chamber, where they unarmed +him, and dressed him in rich robes, of any colour that he chose, and told +him he must lay aside his sword. This, however, he refused, and said, "It +is the custom of my country for a knight to keep his sword ever with him; +and if I may not keep it here, I will forthwith depart." Then they gave +him leave to wear his sword. So he went to the great hall, and was set +among knights of rank and worship, and his lady before him. + +Soon he found means to ask one who sat near him, "Is there not here a +knight whose name is Garlon?" + +"Yonder he goeth," said his neighbour, "he with that black face; he is the +most marvellous knight alive, for he rideth invisibly, and destroyeth whom +he will." + +"Ah, well," said Balin, drawing a long breath, "is that indeed the man? I +have aforetime heard of him." + +Then he mused long within himself, and thought, "If I shall slay him here +and now, I shall not escape myself; but if I leave him, peradventure I +shall never meet with him again at such advantage; and if he live, how +much more harm and mischief will he do!" + +But while he deeply thought, and cast his eyes from time to time upon Sir +Garlon, that false knight saw that he watched him, and thinking that he +could at such a time escape revenge, he came and smote Sir Balin on the +face with the back of his hand, and said, "Knight, why dost thou so watch +me? be ashamed, and eat thy meat, and do that which thou camest for." + +"Thou sayest well," cried Sir Balin, rising fiercely; "now will I +straightway do that which I came to do, as thou shalt find." With that he +whirled his sword aloft and struck him downright on the head, and clove +his skull asunder to the shoulder. + +"Give me the truncheon," cried out Sir Balin to his lady, "wherewith he +slew thy knight." And when she gave it him--for she had always carried it +about with her, wherever she had gone--he smote him through the body with +it, and said, "With that truncheon didst thou treacherously murder a good +knight, and now it sticketh in thy felon body." + +Then he called to the father of the wounded son, who had come with him to +Listeniss, and said, "Now take as much blood as thou wilt, to heal thy son +withal." + +But now arose a terrible confusion, and all the knights leaped from the +table to slay Balin, King Pelles himself the foremost, who cried out, +"Knight, thou hast slain my brother at my board; die, therefore, die, for +thou shalt never leave this castle." + +"Slay me, thyself, then," shouted Balin. + +"Yea," said the king, "that will I! for no other man shall touch thee, for +the love I bear my brother." + +Then King Pelles caught in his hand a grim weapon and smote eagerly at +Balin, but Balin put his sword between his head and the king's stroke, and +saved himself but lost his sword, which fell down smashed and shivered +into pieces by the blow. So being weaponless he ran to the next room to +find a sword, and so from room to room, with King Pelles after him, he in +vain ever eagerly casting his eyes round every place to find some weapon. + +At last he ran into a chamber wondrous richly decked, where was a bed all +dressed with cloth of gold, the richest that could be thought of, and one +who lay quite still within the bed; and by the bedside stood a table of +pure gold borne on four silver pillars, and on the table stood a +marvellous spear, strangely wrought. + +When Sir Balin saw the spear he seized it in his hand, and turned upon +King Pelles, and smote at him so fiercely and so sore that he dropped +swooning to the ground. + +But at that Dolorous and awful Stroke the castle rocked and rove +throughout, and all the walls fell crashed and breaking to the earth, and +Balin himself fell also in their midst, struck as it were to stone, and +powerless to move a hand or foot. And so three days he lay amidst the +ruins, until Merlin came and raised him up and brought him a good horse, +and bade him ride out of that land as swiftly as he could. + +[Illustration: The castle rocked and rove throughout, and all the walls +fell crashed and breaking to the earth.] + +"May I not take the damsel with me I brought hither?" said Sir Balin. + +"Lo! where she lieth dead," said Merlin. "Ah, little knowest thou, Sir +Balin, what thou hast done; for in this castle and that chamber which thou +didst defile, was the blood of our Lord Christ! and also that most holy +cup--the Sangreal--wherefrom the wine was drunk at the last supper of our +Lord. Joseph of Arimathea brought it to this land, when first he came here +to convert and save it. And on that bed of gold it was himself who lay, +and the strange spear beside him was the spear wherewith the soldier +Longus smote our Lord, which evermore had dripped with blood. King Pelles +is the nearest kin to Joseph in direct descent, wherefore he held these +holy things in trust; but now have they all gone at thy dolorous stroke, +no man knoweth whither; and great is the damage to this land, which until +now hath been the happiest of all lands, for by that stroke thou hast +slain thousands, and by the loss and parting of the Sangreal the safety of +this realm is put in peril, and its great happiness is gone for evermore." + +Then Balin departed from Merlin, struck to his soul with grief and sorrow, +and said, "In this world shall we meet never more." + +So he rode forth through the fair cities and the country, and found the +people lying dead on every side. And all the living cried out on him as he +passed, "O Balin, all this misery hast thou done! For the dolorous stroke +thou gavest King Pelles, three countries are destroyed, and doubt not but +revenge will fall on thee at last!" + +When he had passed the boundary of those countries, he was somewhat +comforted, and rode eight days without adventure. Anon he came to a cross, +whereon was written in letters of gold, "It is not for a knight alone to +ride towards this castle." Looking up, he saw a hoary ancient man come +towards him, who said, "Sir Balin le Savage, thou passest thy bounds this +way; therefore turn back again, it will be best for thee;" and with these +words he vanished. + +Then did he hear a horn blow as it were the deathnote of some hunted +beast. "That blast," said Balin, "is blown for me, for I am the prey; +though yet I be not dead." But as he spoke he saw a hundred ladies with a +great troop of knights come forth to meet him, with bright faces and +great welcome, who led him to the castle and made a great feast, with +dancing and minstrelsy and all manner of joy. + +Then the chief lady of the castle said, "Knight with the two swords, thou +must encounter and fight with a knight hard by, who dwelleth on an island, +for no man may pass this way without encountering him." + +"It is a grievous custom," answered Sir Balin. + +"There is but one knight to defeat," replied the lady. + +"Well," said Sir Balin, "be it as thou wilt. I am ready and quite willing, +and though my horse and my body be full weary, yet is my heart not weary, +save of life. And truly I were glad if I might meet my death." + +"Sir," said one standing by, "methinketh your shield is not good; I will +lend you a bigger." + +"I thank thee, sir," said Balin, and took the unknown shield and left his +own, and so rode forth, and put himself and horse into a boat and came to +the island. + +As soon as he had landed, he saw come riding towards him, a knight dressed +all in red, upon a horse trapped in the same colour. When the red knight +saw Sir Balin, and the two swords he wore, he thought it must have been +his brother (for the red knight was Sir Balan), but when he saw the +strange arms on his shield, he forgot the thought, and came against him +fiercely. At the first course they overthrew each other, and both lay +swooning on the ground; but Sir Balin was the most hurt and bruised, for +he was weary and spent with travelling. So Sir Balan rose up first to his +feet and drew his sword, and Sir Balin painfully rose against him and +raised his shield. + +Then Sir Balan smote him through the shield and brake his helmet; and Sir +Balin, in return, smote at him with his fated sword, and had wellnigh +slain his brother. So they fought till their breaths failed. + +Then Sir Balin, looking up, saw all the castle towers stand full of +ladies. So they went again to battle, and wounded each other full sore, +and paused, and breathed again, and then again began the fight; and this +for many times they did, till all the ground was red with blood. And by +now, each had full grievously wounded the other with seven great wounds, +the least of which might have destroyed the mightiest giant in the world. +But still they rose against each other, although their hauberks now were +all unnailed, and they smiting at each other's naked bodies with their +sharp swords. At the last, Sir Balan, the younger brother, withdrew a +little space and laid him down. + +Then said Sir Balin le Savage, "What knight art thou? for never before +have I found a knight to match me thus." + +"My name," said he, all faintly, "is Balan, brother to the good knight Sir +Balin." + +"Ah, God!" cried Balin, "that ever I should see this day!" and therewith +fell down backwards in a swoon. + +Then Sir Balan crept with pain upon his feet and hands, and put his +brother's helmet off his head, but could not know him by his face, it was +so hewed and bloody. But presently, when Sir Balin came to, he said, "Oh! +Balan, mine own brother, thou hast slain me, and I thee! All the wide +world saw never greater grief!" + +"Alas!" said Sir Balan, "that I ever saw this day; and through mishap +alone I knew thee not, for when I saw thy two swords, if it had not been +for thy strange shield, I should have known thee for my brother." + +"Alas!" said Balin, "all this sorrow lieth at the door of one unhappy +knight within the castle, who made me change my shield. If I might live, I +would destroy that castle and its evil customs." + +"It were well done," said Balan, "for since I first came hither I have +never been able to depart, for here they made me fight with one who kept +this island, whom I slew, and by enchantment I might never quit it more; +nor couldst thou, brother, hadst thou slain me, and escaped with thine own +life." + +Anon came the lady of the castle, and when she heard their talk, and saw +their evil case, she wrung her hands and wept bitterly. So Sir Balan +prayed the lady of her gentleness that, for his true service, she would +bury them both together in that place. This she granted, weeping full +sore, and said it should be done right solemnly and richly, and in the +noblest manner possible. Then did they send for a priest, and received the +holy sacrament at his hands. And Balin said, "Write over us upon our tomb, +that here two brethren slew each other; then shall never good knight or +pilgrim pass this way but he will pray for both our souls." And anon Sir +Balan died, but Sir Balin died not till the midnight after; and then they +both were buried. + +On the morrow of their death came Merlin, and took Sir Balin's sword and +fixed on it a new pommel, and set it in a mighty stone, which then, by +magic, he made float upon the water. And so, for many years, it floated to +and fro around the island, till it swam down the river to Camelot, where +young Sir Galahad achieved it, as shall be told hereafter. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +_The Marriage of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, and the Founding of the +Round Table--The Adventure of the Hart and Hound_ + + +It befell upon a certain day, that King Arthur said to Merlin, "My lords +and knights do daily pray me now to take a wife; but I will have none +without thy counsel, for thou hast ever helped me since I came first to +this crown." + +"It is well," said Merlin, "that thou shouldst take a wife, for no man of +bounteous and noble nature should live without one; but is there any lady +whom thou lovest better than another?" + +"Yea," said King Arthur, "I love Guinevere, the daughter of King +Leodegrance, of Camelgard, who also holdeth in his house the Round Table +that he had from my father Uther; and as I think, that damsel is the +gentlest and the fairest lady living." + +"Sir," answered Merlin, "as for her beauty, she is one of the fairest that +do live; but if ye had not loved her as ye do, I would fain have had ye +choose some other who was both fair and good. But where a man's heart is +set, he will be loath to leave." This Merlin said, knowing the misery +that should hereafter happen from this marriage. + +Then King Arthur sent word to King Leodegrance that he mightily desired to +wed his daughter, and how that he had loved her since he saw her first, +when with Kings Ban and Bors he rescued Leodegrance from King Ryence of +North Wales. + +When King Leodegrance heard the message, he cried out "These be the best +tidings I have heard in all my life--so great and worshipful a prince to +seek my daughter for his wife! I would fain give him half my lands with +her straightway, but that he needeth none--and better will it please him +that I send him the Round Table of King Uther, his father, with a hundred +good knights towards the furnishing of it with guests, for he will soon +find means to gather more, and make the table full." + +Then King Leodegrance delivered his daughter Guinevere to the messengers +of King Arthur, and also the Round Table with the hundred knights. + +So they rode royally and freshly, sometimes by water and sometimes by +land, towards Camelot. And as they rode along in the spring weather, they +made full many sports and pastimes. And, in all those sports and games, a +young knight lately come to Arthur's court, Sir Lancelot by name, was +passing strong, and won praise from all, being full of grace and +hardihood; and Guinevere also ever looked on him with joy. And always in +the eventide, when the tents were set beside some stream or forest, many +minstrels came and sang before the knights and ladies as they sat in the +tent-doors, and many knights would tell adventures; and still Sir Lancelot +was foremost, and told the knightliest tales, and sang the goodliest +songs, of all the company. + +And when they came to Camelot, King Arthur made great joy, and all the +city with him; and riding forth with a great retinue he met Guinevere and +her company, and led her through the streets all filled with people, and +in the midst of all their shoutings and the ringing of church bells, to a +palace hard by his own. + +Then, in all haste, the king commanded to prepare the marriage and the +coronation with the stateliest and most honourable pomp that could be +made. And when the day was come, the archbishops led the king to the +cathedral, whereto he walked, clad in his royal robes, and having four +kings, bearing four golden swords, before him; a choir of passing sweet +music going also with him. + +In another part, was the queen dressed in her richest ornaments, and led +by archbishops and bishops to the Chapel of the Virgins, the four queens +also of the four kings last mentioned walked before her, bearing four +white doves, according to ancient custom; and after her there followed +many damsels, singing and making every sign of joy. + +And when the two processions were come to the churches, so wondrous was +the music and the singing, that all the knights and barons who were there +pressed on each other, as in the crowd of battle, to hear and see the most +they might. + +When the king was crowned, he called together all the knights that came +with the Round Table from Camelgard, and twenty-eight others, great and +valiant men, chosen by Merlin out of all the realm, towards making up the +full number of the table. Then the Archbishop of Canterbury blessed the +seats of all the knights, and when they rose again therefrom to pay their +homage to King Arthur there was found upon the back of each knight's seat +his name, written in letters of gold. But upon one seat was found written, +"This is the Siege Perilous, wherein if any man shall sit save him whom +Heaven hath chosen, he shall be devoured by fire." + +Anon came young Gawain, the king's nephew, praying to be made a knight, +whom the king knighted then and there. Soon after came a poor man, leading +with him a tall fair lad of eighteen years of age, riding on a lean mare. +And falling at the king's feet, the poor man said, "Lord, it was told me, +that at this time of thy marriage thou wouldst give to any man the gift he +asked for, so it were not unreasonable." + +"That is the truth," replied King Arthur, "and I will make it good." + +"Thou sayest graciously and nobly," said the poor man. "Lord, I ask +nothing else but that thou wilt make my son here a knight." + +"It is a great thing that thou askest," said the king. "What is thy name?" + +"Aries, the cowherd," answered he. + +"Cometh this prayer from thee or from thy son?" inquired King Arthur. + +"Nay, lord, not from myself," said he, "but from him only, for I have +thirteen other sons, and all of them will fall to any labour that I put +them to. But this one will do no such work for anything that I or my wife +may do, but is for ever shooting or fighting, and running to see knights +and joustings, and torments me both night and day that he be made a +knight." + +"What is thy name?" said the king to the young man. + +"My name is Tor," said he. + +Then the king, looking at him steadfastly, was well pleased with his face +and figure, and with his look of nobleness and strength. + +"Fetch all thy other sons before me," said the king to Aries. But when he +brought them, none of them resembled Tor in size or shape or feature. + +Then the king knighted Tor, saying, "Be thou to thy life's end a good +knight and a true, as I pray God thou mayest be; and if thou provest +worthy, and of prowess, one day thou shall be counted in the Round Table." +Then turning to Merlin, Arthur said, "Prophesy now, O Merlin, shall Sir +Tor become a worthy knight, or not?" + +"Yea, lord," said Merlin, "so he ought to be, for he is the son of that +King Pellinore whom thou hast met, and proved to be one of the best +knights living. He is no cowherd's son." + +Presently after came in King Pellinore, and when he saw Sir Tor he knew +him for his son, and was more pleased than words can tell to find him +knighted by the king. And Pellinore did homage to King Arthur, and was +gladly and graciously accepted of the king; and then was led by Merlin to +a high seat at the Table Round, near to the Perilous Seat. + +But Sir Gawain was full of anger at the honour done King Pellinore, and +said to his brother Gaheris, "He slew our father, King Lot, therefore will +I slay him." + +"Do it not yet," said he; "wait till I also be a knight, then will I help +ye in it: it is best ye suffer him to go at this time, and not trouble +this high feast with bloodshed." + +"As ye will, be it," said Sir Gawain. + +Then rose the king and spake to all the Table Round, and charged them to +be ever true and noble knights, to do neither outrage nor murder, nor any +unjust violence, and always to flee treason; also by no means ever to be +cruel, but give mercy unto him that asked for mercy, upon pain of +forfeiting the liberty of his court for evermore. Moreover, at all times, +on pain of death, to give all succour unto ladies and young damsels; and +lastly, never to take part in any wrongful quarrel, for reward or payment. +And to all this he swore them knight by knight. + +Then he ordained that, every year at Pentecost, they should all come +before him, wheresoever he might appoint a place, and give account of all +their doings and adventures of the past twelvemonth. And so, with prayer +and blessing, and high words of cheer, he instituted the most noble order +of the Round Table, whereto the best and bravest knights in all the world +sought afterwards to find admission. + +Then was the high feast made ready, and the king and queen sat side by +side, before the whole assembly; and great and royal was the banquet and +the pomp. + +And as they sat, each man in his place, Merlin went round and said, "Sit +still awhile, for ye shall see a strange and marvellous adventure." + +So as they sat, there suddenly came running through the hall, a white +hart, with a white hound next after him, and thirty couple of black +running hounds, making full cry; and the hart made circuit of the Table +Round, and past the other tables; and suddenly the white hound flew upon +him and bit him fiercely, and tore out a piece from his haunch. Whereat +the hart sprang suddenly with a great leap, and overthrew a knight sitting +at the table, who rose forthwith, and, taking up the hound, mounted, and +rode fast away. + +But no sooner had he left, than there came in a lady, mounted on a white +palfrey, who cried out to the king, "Lord, suffer me not to have this +injury!--the hound is mine which that knight taketh." And as she spake, a +knight rode in all armed, on a great horse, and suddenly took up the lady +and rode away with her by force, although she greatly cried and moaned. + +Then the king desired Sir Gawain, Sir Tor, and King Pellinore to mount and +follow this adventure to the uttermost; and told Sir Gawain to bring back +the hart, Sir Tor the hound and knight, and King Pellinore the knight and +the lady. + +So Sir Gawain rode forth at a swift pace, and with him Gaheris, his +brother, for a squire. And as they went, they saw two knights fighting on +horseback, and when they reached them they divided them and asked the +reason of their quarrel. "We fight for a foolish matter," one replied, +"for we be brethren; but there came by a white hart this way, chased by +many hounds, and thinking it was an adventure for the high feast of King +Arthur, I would have followed it to have gained worship; whereat my +younger brother here declared he was the better knight and would go after +it instead, and so we fight to prove which of us be the better knight." + +"This is a foolish thing," said Sir Gawain. "Fight with all strangers, if +ye will, but not brother with brother. Take my advice, set on against me, +and if ye yield to me, as I shall do my best to make ye, ye shall go to +King Arthur and yield ye to his grace." + +"Sir knight," replied the brothers, "we are weary, and will do thy wish +without encountering thee; but by whom shall we tell the king that we were +sent?" + +"By the knight that followeth the quest of the white hart," said Sir +Gawain. "And now tell me your names, and let us part." + +"Sorlous and Brian of the Forest," they replied; and so they went their +way to the king's court. + +Then Sir Gawain, still following his quest by the distant baying of the +hounds, came to a great river, and saw the hart swimming over and near to +the further bank. And as he was about to plunge in and swim after, he saw +a knight upon the other side, who cried, "Come not over here, Sir knight, +after that hart, save thou wilt joust with me." + +"I will not fail for that," said Sir Gawain; and swam his horse across the +stream. + +Anon they got their spears, and ran against each other fiercely; and Sir +Gawain smote the stranger off his horse, and turning, bade him yield. + +"Nay," replied he, "not so; for though ye have the better of me on +horseback, I pray thee, valiant knight, alight, and let us match together +with our swords on foot." + +"What is thy name?" quoth Gawain. + +"Allardin of the Isles," replied the stranger. + +Then they fell on each other; but soon Sir Gawain struck him through the +helm, so deeply and so hard, that all his brains were scattered, and Sir +Allardin fell dead. "Ah," said Gaheris, "that was a mighty stroke for a +young knight!" + +Then did they turn again to follow the white hart, and let slip three +couple of greyhounds after him; and at the last they chased him to a +castle, and there they overtook and slew him, in the chief courtyard. + +At that there rushed a knight forth from a chamber, with a drawn sword in +his hand, and slew two of the hounds before their eyes, and chased the +others from the castle, crying, "Oh, my white hart! alas, that thou art +dead! for thee my sovereign lady gave to me, and evil have I kept thee; +but if I live, thy death shall be dear bought." Anon he went within and +armed, and came out fiercely, and met Sir Gawain face to face. + +"Why have ye slain my hounds?" said Sir Gawain; "they did but after their +nature: and ye had better have taken vengeance on me than on the poor dumb +beasts." + +"I will avenge me on thee, also," said the other, "ere thou depart this +place." + +Then did they fight with each other savagely and madly, till the blood ran +down to their feet. But at last Sir Gawain had the better, and felled the +knight of the castle to the ground. Then he cried out for mercy, and +yielded to Sir Gawain, and besought him as he was a knight and gentleman +to save his life. "Thou shalt die," said Sir Gawain, "for slaying my +hounds." + +"I will make thee all amends within my power," replied the knight. + +But Sir Gawain would have no mercy, and unlaced his helm to strike his +head off; and so blind was he with rage, that he saw not where a lady ran +out from her chamber and fell down upon his enemy. And making a fierce +blow at him, he smote off by mischance the lady's head. + +"Alas!" cried Gaheris, "foully and shamefully have ye done--the shame +shall never leave ye! Why give ye not your mercy unto them that ask it? a +knight without mercy is without worship also." + +Then Sir Gawain was sore amazed at that fair lady's death, and knew not +what to do, and said to the fallen knight, "Arise, for I will give thee +mercy." + +"Nay, nay," said he, "I care not for thy mercy now, for thou hast slain my +lady and my love--that of all earthly things I loved the best." + +"I repent me sorely of it," said Sir Gawain, "for I meant to have struck +thee: but now shalt thou go to King Arthur and tell him this adventure, +and how thou hast been overcome by the knight that followeth the quest of +the white hart." + +"I care not whether I live or die, or where I go," replied the knight. + +So Sir Gawain sent him to the court to Camelot, making him bear one dead +greyhound before and one behind him on his horse. "Tell me thy name before +we part," said he. + +"My name is Athmore of the Marsh," he answered. + +Then went Sir Gawain into the castle, and prepared to sleep there and +began to unarm; but Gaheris upbraided him, saying, "Will ye disarm in this +strange country? bethink ye, ye must needs have many enemies about." + +No sooner had he spoken than there came out suddenly four knights, well +armed, and assailed them hard, saying to Sir Gawain, "Thou new-made +knight, how hast thou shamed thy knighthood! a knight without mercy is +dishonoured! Slayer of fair ladies, shame to thee evermore! Doubt not thou +shalt thyself have need of mercy ere we leave thee." + +Then were the brothers in great jeopardy, and feared for their lives, for +they were but two to four, and weary with travelling; and one of the four +knights shot Sir Gawain with a bolt, and hit him through the arm, so that +he could fight no more. But when there was nothing left for them but +death, there came four ladies forth and prayed the four knights' mercy for +the strangers. So they gave Sir Gawain and Gaheris their lives, and made +them yield themselves prisoners. + +On the morrow, came one of the ladies to Sir Gawain, and talked with him, +saying, "Sir knight, what cheer?" + +"Not good," said he. + +"It is your own default, sir," said the lady, "for ye have done a passing +foul deed in slaying that fair damsel yesterday--and ever shall it be +great shame to you. But ye be not of King Arthur's kin." + +"Yea, truly am I," said he; "my name is Gawain, son of King Lot of Orkney, +whom King Pellinore slew--and my mother, Belisent, is half-sister to the +king." + +When the lady heard that, she went and presently got leave for him to quit +the castle; and they gave him the head of the white hart to take with him, +because it was in his quest; but made him also carry the dead lady with +him--her head hung round his neck and her body lay before him on his +horse's neck. + +So in that fashion he rode back to Camelot; and when the king and queen +saw him, and heard tell of his adventures, they were heavily displeased, +and, by the order of the queen, he was put upon his trial before a court +of ladies--who judged him to be evermore, for all his life, the knight of +ladies' quarrels, and to fight always on their side, and never against +any, except he fought for one lady and his adversary for another; also +they charged him never to refuse mercy to him that asked it, and swore him +to it on the Holy Gospels. Thus ended the adventure of the white hart. + +Meanwhile, Sir Tor had made him ready, and followed the knight who rode +away with the hound. And as he went, there suddenly met him in the road a +dwarf, who struck his horse so viciously upon the head with a great staff, +that he leaped backwards a spear's length. + +"Wherefore so smitest thou my horse, foul dwarf?" shouted Sir Tor. + +"Because thou shall not pass this way," replied the dwarf, "unless thou +fight for it with yonder knights in those pavilions," pointing to two +tents, where two great spears stood out, and two shields hung upon two +trees hard by. + +"I may not tarry, for I am on a quest I needs must follow," said Sir Tor. + +"Thou shalt not pass," replied the dwarf, and therewith blew his horn. +Then rode out quickly at Sir Tor one armed on horseback, but Sir Tor was +quick as he, and riding at him bore him from his horse, and made him +yield. Directly after came another still more fiercely, but with a few +great strokes and buffets Sir Tor unhorsed him also, and sent them both to +Camelot to King Arthur. Then came the dwarf and begged Sir Tor to take +him in his service, "for," said he, "I will serve no more recreant +knights." + +"Take then a horse, and come with me," said Tor. + +"Ride ye after the knight with the white hound?" said the dwarf; "I can +soon bring ye where he is." + +So they rode through the forest till they came to two more tents. And Sir +Tor alighting, went into the first, and saw three damsels lie there, +sleeping. Then went he to the other, and found another lady also sleeping, +and at her feet the white hound he sought for, which instantly began to +bay and bark so loudly, that the lady woke. But Sir Tor had seized the +hound and given it to the dwarfs charge. + +"What will ye do, Sir knight?" cried out the lady; "will ye take away my +hound from me by force?" + +"Yea, lady," said Sir Tor; "for so I must, having the king's command; and +I have followed it from King Arthur's court, at Camelot, to this place." + +"Well" said the lady, "ye will not go far before ye be ill handled, and +will repent ye of the quest." + +"I shall cheerfully abide whatsoever adventure cometh, by the grace of +God," said Sir Tor; and so mounted his horse and began to ride back on his +way. But night coming on, he turned aside to a hermitage that was in the +forest, and there abode till the next day, making but sorrowful cheer of +such poor food as the hermit had to give him, and hearing a Mass devoutly +before he left on the morrow. + +And in the early morning, as he rode forth with the dwarf towards Camelot, +he heard a knight call loudly after him, "Turn, turn! Abide, Sir knight, +and yield me up the hound thou tookest from my lady." At which he turned, +and saw a great and strong knight, armed full splendidly, riding down upon +him fiercely through a glade of the forest. + +Now Sir Tor was very ill provided, for he had but an old courser, which +was as weak as himself, because of the hermit's scanty fare. He waited, +nevertheless, for the strange knight to come, and at the first onset with +their spears, each unhorsed the other, and then fell to with their swords +like two mad lions. Then did they smite through one another's shields and +helmets till the fragments flew on all sides, and their blood ran out in +streams; but yet they carved and rove through the thick armour of the +hauberks, and gave each other great and ghastly wounds. But in the end, +Sir Tor, finding the strange knight faint, doubled his strokes until he +beat him to the earth. Then did he bid him yield to his mercy. + +"That will I not," replied Abellius, "while my life lasteth and my soul is +in my body, unless thou give me first the hound." + +"I cannot," said Sir Tor, "and will not, for it was my quest to bring +again that hound and thee unto King Arthur, or otherwise to slay thee." + +With that there came a damsel riding on a palfrey, as fast as she could +drive, and cried out to Sir Tor with a loud voice, "I pray thee, for King +Arthur's love, give me a gift." + +"Ask," said Sir Tor, "and I will give thee." + +"Grammercy," said the lady, "I ask the head of this false knight Abellius, +the most outrageous murderer that liveth." + +"I repent me of the gift I promised," said Sir Tor. "Let him make thee +amends for all his trespasses against thee." + +"He cannot make amends," replied the damsel, "for he hath slain my +brother, a far better knight than he, and scorned to give him mercy, +though I kneeled for half an hour before him in the mire, to beg it, and +though it was but by a chance they fought, and for no former injury or +quarrel. I require my gift of thee as a true knight, or else will I shame +thee in King Arthur's court; for this Abellius is the falsest knight +alive, and a murderer of many." + +When Abellius heard this, he trembled greatly, and was sore afraid, and +yielded to Sir Tor, and prayed his mercy. + +"I cannot now, Sir knight," said he, "lest I be false to my promise. Ye +would not take my mercy when I offered it; and now it is too late." + +Therewith he unlaced his helmet, and took it off; but Abellius, in dismal +fear, struggled to his feet, and fled, until Sir Tor overtook him, and +smote off his head entirely with one blow. + +"Now, sir," said the damsel, "it is near night, I pray ye come and lodge +at my castle hard by." + +"I will, with a good will," said he, for both his horse and he had fared +but poorly since they left Camelot. + +So he went to the lady's castle and fared sumptuously, and saw her +husband, an old knight, who greatly thanked him for his service, and urged +him oftentimes to come again. + +On the morrow he departed, and reached Camelot by noon, where the king and +queen rejoiced to see him, and the king made him Earl; and Merlin +prophesied that these adventures were but little to the things he should +achieve hereafter. + +Now while Sir Gawain and Sir Tor had fulfilled their quests, King +Pellinore pursued the lady whom the knight had seized away from the +wedding-feast. And as he rode through the woods, he saw in a valley a fair +young damsel sitting by a well-side, and a wounded knight lying in her +arms, and King Pellinore saluted her as he passed by. + +As soon as she perceived him she cried out, "Help, help me, knight, for +our Lord's sake!" But Pellinore was far too eager in his quest to stay or +turn, although she cried a hundred times to him for help; at which she +prayed to heaven he might have such sore need before he died as she had +now. And presently thereafter her knight died in her arms; and she, for +grief and love slew herself with his sword. + +But King Pellinore rode on till he met a poor man and asked him had he +seen a knight pass by that way leading by force a lady with him. + +"Yea, surely," said the man, "and greatly did she moan and cry; but even +now another knight is fighting with him to deliver the lady; ride on and +thou shalt find them fighting still." + +At that King Pellinore rode swiftly on, and came to where he saw the two +knights fighting, hard by where two pavilions stood. And when he looked in +one of them he saw the lady that was his quest, and with her the two +squires of the two knights who fought. + +"Fair lady," said he, "ye must come with me unto Arthur's court." + +"Sir knight," said the two squires, "yonder be two knights fighting for +this lady; go part them, and get their consent to take her, ere thou touch +her." + +"Ye say well," said King Pellinore, and rode between the combatants, and +asked them why they fought. + +"Sir knight," said the one, "yon lady is my cousin, mine aunt's daughter, +whom I met borne away against her will, by this knight here, with whom I +therefore fight to free her." + +"Sir knight," replied the other, whose name was Hantzlake of Wentland, +"this lady got I, by my arms and prowess, at King Arthur's court to-day." + +"That is false," said King Pellinore; "ye stole the lady suddenly, and +fled away with her, before any knight could arm to stay thee. But it is my +service to take her back again. Neither of ye shall therefore have her; +but if ye will fight for her, fight with me now and here." + +"Well," said the knights, "make ready, and we will assail thee with all +our might." + +Then Sir Hantzlake ran King Pellinore's horse through with his sword, so +that they might be all alike on foot. But King Pellinore at that was +passing wroth, and ran upon Sir Hantzlake, with a cry, "Keep well thy +head!" and gave him such a stroke upon the helm as clove him to the chin, +so that he fell dead to the ground. When he saw that, the other knight +refused to fight, and kneeling down said, "Take my cousin the lady with +thee, as thy quest is; but as thou art a true knight, suffer her to come +to neither shame nor harm." + +So the next day King Pellinore departed for Camelot, and took the lady +with him; and as they rode in a valley full of rough stones, the damsel's +horse stumbled and threw her, so that her arms were sorely bruised and +hurt. And as they rested in the forest for the pain to lessen, night came +on, and there they were compelled to make their lodging. A little before +midnight they heard the trotting of a horse. "Be ye still," said King +Pellinore, "for now we may hear of some adventure," and therewith he armed +him. Then he heard two knights meet and salute each other, in the dark; +one riding from Camelot, the other from the north. + +"What tidings at Camelot?" said one. + +"By my head," said the other, "I have but just left there, and have espied +King Arthur's court, and such a fellowship is there as never may be broke +or overcome; for wellnigh all the chivalry of the world is there, and all +full loyal to the king, and now I ride back homewards to the north to tell +our chiefs, that they waste not their strength in wars against him." + +"As for all that," replied the other knight, "I am but now from the north, +and bear with me a remedy, the deadliest poison that ever was heard tell +of, and to Camelot will I with it; for there we have a friend close to the +king, and greatly cherished of him, who hath received gifts from us to +poison him, as he hath promised soon to do." + +"Beware," said the first knight, "of Merlin, for he knoweth all things, by +the devil's craft." + +"I will not fear for that," replied the other, and so rode on his way. + +Anon King Pellinore and the lady passed on again; and when they came to +the well at which the lady with the wounded knight had sat, they found +both knight and Damsel utterly devoured by lions and wild beasts, all save +the lady's head. + +When King Pellinore saw that, he wept bitterly, saying, "Alas! I might +have saved her life had I but tarried a few moments in my quest." + +"Wherefore make so much sorrow now?" said the lady. + +"I know not," answered he, "but my heart grieveth greatly for this poor +lady's death, so fair she was and young." + +Then he required a hermit to bury the remains of the bodies, and bare the +lady's head with him to Camelot, to the court. + +When he was arrived, he was sworn to tell the truth of his quest before +the King and Queen, and when he had entered the Queen somewhat upbraided +him, saying, "Ye were much to blame that ye saved not that lady's life." + +"Madam," said he, "I shall repent it all my life." + +"Ay, king," quoth Merlin, who suddenly came in, "and so ye ought to do, +for that lady was your daughter, not seen since infancy by thee. And she +was on her way to court, with a right good young knight, who would have +been her husband, but was slain by treachery of a felon knight, Lorraine +le Savage, as they came; and because thou wouldst not abide and help her, +thy best friend shall fail thee in thine hour of greatest need, for such +is the penance ordained thee for that deed." + +Then did King Pellinore tell Merlin secretly of the treason he had heard +in the forest, and Merlin by his craft so ordered that the knight who bare +the poison was himself soon after slain by it, and so King Arthur's life +was saved. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +_King Arthur and Sir Accolon of Gaul_ + + +Being now happily married, King Arthur for a season took his pleasure, +with great tournaments, and jousts, and huntings. So once upon a time the +king and many of his knights rode hunting in a forest, and Arthur, King +Urience, and Sir Accolon of Gaul, followed after a great hart, and being +all three well mounted, they chased so fast that they outsped their +company, and left them many miles behind; but riding still as rapidly as +they could go, at length their horses fell dead under them. Then being all +three on foot, and seeing the stag not far before them, very weary and +nigh spent--"What shall we do," said King Arthur, "for we are hard +bested?" "Let us go on afoot," said King Urience, "till we can find some +lodging." At that they saw the stag lying upon the bank of a great lake, +with a hound springing at his throat, and many other hounds trooping +towards him. So, running forward, Arthur blew the death-note on his horn, +and slew the hart. Then lifting up his eyes he saw before him on the lake +a barge, all draped down to the water's edge, with silken folds and +curtains, which swiftly came towards him, and touched upon the sands; but +when he went up close and looked in, he saw no earthly creature. Then he +cried out to his companions, "Sirs, come ye hither, and let us see what +there is in this ship." So they all three went in, and found it everywhere +throughout furnished, and hung with rich draperies of silk and gold. + +By this time eventide had come, when suddenly a hundred torches were set +up on all sides of the barge, and gave a dazzling light, and at the same +time came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by his name, +kneeling on their knees, and telling him that he was welcome, and should +have their noblest cheer, for which the king thanked them courteously. +Then did they lead him and his fellows to a splendid chamber, where was a +table spread with all the richest furniture, and costliest wines and +viands; and there they served them with all kinds of wines and meats, till +Arthur wondered at the splendour of the feast, declaring he had never in +his life supped better, or more royally. After supper they led him to +another chamber, than which he had never beheld a richer, where he was +left to rest. King Urience, also, and Sir Accolon were each conducted into +rooms of like magnificence. And so they all three fell asleep, and being +very weary slept deeply all that night. + +[Illustration: Came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by +his name.] + +But when the morning broke, King Urience found himself in his own house in +Camelot, he knew not how; and Arthur awaking found himself in a dark +dungeon, and heard around him nothing but the groans of woful knights, +prisoners like himself. Then said King Arthur, "Who are ye, thus groaning +and complaining?" And some one answered him, "Alas, we be all prisoners, +even twenty good knights, and some of us have lain here seven years--some +more--nor seen the light of day for all that time." "For what cause?" said +King Arthur. "Know ye not then yourself?" they answered--"we will soon +tell you. The lord of this strong castle is Sir Damas, and is the falsest +and most traitorous knight that liveth; and he hath a younger brother, a +good and noble knight, whose name is Outzlake. This traitor Damas, +although passing rich, will give his brother nothing of his wealth, and +save what Outzlake keepeth to himself by force, he hath no share of the +inheritance. He owneth, nevertheless, one fair rich manor, whereupon he +liveth, loved of all men far and near. But Damas is as altogether hated as +his brother is beloved, for he is merciless and cowardly: and now for many +years there hath been war between these brothers, and Sir Outzlake +evermore defieth Damas to come forth and fight with him, body to body, for +the inheritance; and if he be too cowardly, to find some champion knight +that will fight for him. And Damas hath agreed to find some champion, but +never yet hath found a knight to take his evil cause in hand, or wager +battle for him. So with a strong band of men-at-arms he lieth ever in +ambush, and taketh captive every passing knight who may unwarily go near, +and bringeth him into this castle, and desireth him either to fight Sir +Outzlake, or to lie for evermore in durance. And thus hath he dealt with +all of us, for we all scorned to take up such a cause for such a false +foul knight--but rather one by one came here, where many a good knight +hath died of hunger and disease. But if one of us would fight, Sir Damas +would deliver all the rest." + +"God of his mercy send you deliverance," said King Arthur, and sat +turning in his mind how all these things should end, and how he might +himself gain freedom for so many noble hearts. + +Anon there came a damsel to the king, saying, "Sir if thou wilt fight for +my lord thou shalt be delivered out of prison, but else nevermore shalt +thou escape with thy life." "Nay," said King Arthur, "that is but a hard +choice, yet had I rather fight than die in prison, and if I may deliver +not myself alone, but all these others, I will do the battle." "Yea," said +the damsel, "it shall be even so." "Then," said King Arthur, "I am ready +now, if but I had a horse and armour." "Fear not," said she, "that shalt +thou have presently, and shalt lack nothing proper for the fight." "Have I +not seen thee," said the king, "at King Arthur's court? for it seemeth +that thy face is known to me." "Nay," said the damsel, "I was never there; +I am Sir Damas' daughter, and have never been but a day's journey from +this castle." But she spoke falsely, for she was one of the damsels of +Morgan le Fay, the great enchantress, who was King Arthur's half-sister. + +When Sir Damas knew that there had been at length a knight found who would +fight for him, he sent for Arthur, and finding him a man so tall and +strong, and straight of limb, he was passingly well pleased, and made a +covenant with him, that he should fight unto the uttermost for his cause, +and that all the other knights should be delivered. And when they were +sworn to each other on the holy gospels, all those imprisoned knights were +straightway led forth and delivered, but abode there one and all to see +the battle. + +In the meanwhile there had happened to Sir Accolon of Gaul a strange +adventure; for when he awoke from his deep sleep upon the silken barge, he +found himself upon the edge of a deep well, and in instant peril of +falling thereinto. Whereat, leaping up in great affright, he crossed +himself and cried aloud, "May God preserve my lord King Arthur and King +Urience, for those damsels in the ship have betrayed us, and were +doubtless devils and no women; and if I may escape this misadventure, I +will certainly destroy them wheresoever I may find them." With that there +came to him a dwarf with a great mouth, and a flat nose, and saluted him, +saying that he came from Queen Morgan le Fay. "And she greeteth you well," +said he, "and biddeth you be strong of heart, for to-morrow you shall do +battle with a strange knight, and therefore she hath sent you here +Excalibur, King Arthur's sword, and the scabbard likewise. And she +desireth you as you do love her to fight this battle to the uttermost, and +without any mercy, as you have promised her you would fight when she +should require it of you; and she will make a rich queen for ever of any +damsel that shall bring her that knight's head with whom you are to +fight." + +"Well," said Sir Accolon, "tell you my lady Queen Morgan, that I shall +hold to that I promised her, now that I have this sword--and," said he, "I +suppose it was to bring about this battle that she made all these +enchantments by her craft." "You have guessed rightly," said the dwarf, +and therewithal he left him. + +Then came a knight and lady, and six squires, to Sir Accolon, and took him +to a manor house hard by, and gave him noble cheer; and the house belonged +to Sir Outzlake, the brother of Sir Damas, for so had Morgan le Fay +contrived with her enchantments. Now Sir Outzlake himself was at that time +sorely wounded and disabled, having been pierced through both his thighs +by a spear-thrust. When, therefore, Sir Damas sent down messengers to his +brother, bidding him make ready by to-morrow morning, and be in the field +to fight with a good knight, for that he had found a champion ready to do +battle at all points, Sir Outzlake was sorely annoyed and distressed, for +he knew he had small chance of victory, while yet he was disabled by his +wounds; notwithstanding, he determined to take the battle in hand, +although he was so weak that he must needs be lifted to his saddle. But +when Sir Accolon of Gaul heard this, he sent a message to Sir Outzlake +offering to take the battle in his stead, which cheered Sir Outzlake +mightily, who thanked Sir Accolon with all his heart, and joyfully +accepted him. + +So, on the morrow, King Arthur was armed and well horsed, and asked Sir +Damas, "When shall we go to the field?" "Sir," said Sir Damas, "you shall +first hear mass." And when mass was done, there came a squire on a great +horse, and asked Sir Damas if his knight were ready, "for our knight is +already in the field." Then King Arthur mounted on horseback, and there +around were all the knights, and barons, and people of the country; and +twelve of them were chosen to wait upon the two knights who were about to +fight. And as King Arthur sat on horseback, there came a damsel from +Morgan le Fay, and brought to him a sword, made like Excalibur, and a +scabbard also, and said to him, "Morgan le Fay sendeth you here your sword +for her great love's sake." And the king thanked her, and believed it to +be as she said; but she traitorously deceived him, for both sword and +scabbard were counterfeit, brittle, and false, and the true sword +Excalibur was in the hands of Sir Accolon. Then, at the sound of a +trumpet, the champions set themselves on opposite sides of the field, and +giving rein and spur to their horses urged them to so great a speed that +each smiting the other in the middle of the shield, rolled his opponent to +the ground, both horse and man. Then starting up immediately, both drew +their swords and rushed swiftly together. And so they fell to eagerly, and +gave each other many great and mighty strokes. + +And as they were thus fighting, the damsel Vivien, lady of the lake, who +loved King Arthur, came upon the ground, for she knew by her enchantments +how Morgan le Fay had craftily devised to have King Arthur slain by his +own sword that day, and therefore came to save his life. And Arthur and +Sir Accolon were now grown hot against each other, and spared not strength +nor fury in their fierce assaults; but the king's sword gave way +continually before Sir Accolon's, so that at every stroke he was sore +wounded, and his blood ran from him so fast that it was a marvel he could +stand. When King Arthur saw the ground so sore be-blooded, he bethought +him in dismay that there was magic treason worked upon him, and that his +own true sword was changed, for it seemed to him that the sword in Sir +Accolon's hand was Excalibur, for fearfully it drew his blood at every +blow, while what he held himself kept no sharp edge, nor fell with any +force upon his foe. + +"Now, knight, look to thyself, and keep thee well from me," cried out Sir +Accolon. But King Arthur answered not, and gave him such a buffet on the +helm as made him stagger and nigh fall upon the ground. Then Sir Accolon +withdrew a little, and came on with Excalibur on high, and smote King +Arthur in return with such a mighty stroke as almost felled him; and both +being now in hottest wrath, they gave each other grievous and savage +blows. But Arthur all the time was losing so much blood that scarcely +could he keep upon his feet yet so full was he of knighthood, that +knightly he endured the pain, and still sustained himself, though now he +was so feeble that he thought himself about to die. Sir Accolon, as yet, +had lost no drop of blood, and being very bold and confident in Excalibur, +even grew more vigorous and hasty in his assaults. But all men who beheld +them said they never saw a knight fight half so well as did King Arthur; +and all the people were so grieved for him that they besought Sir Damas +and Sir Outzlake to make up their quarrel and so stay the fight; but they +would not. + +So still the battle raged, till Arthur drew a little back for breath and a +few moments' rest; but Accolon came on after him, following fiercely and +crying loud, "It is no time for me to suffer thee to rest," and therewith +set upon him. Then Arthur, full of scorn and rage, lifted up his sword and +struck Sir Accolon upon the helm so mightily that he drove him to his +knees; but with the force of that great stroke his brittle, treacherous +sword broke short off at the hilt, and fell down in the grass among the +blood, leaving the pommel only in his hand. At that, King Arthur thought +within himself that all was over, and secretly prepared his mind for +death, yet kept himself so knightly sheltered by his shield that he lost +no ground, and made as though he yet had hope and cheer. Then said Sir +Accolon, "Sir knight, thou now art overcome and canst endure no longer, +seeing thou art weaponless, and hast lost already so much blood. Yet am I +fully loth to slay thee; yield, then, therefore, to me as recreant." +"Nay," said King Arthur, "that may I not, for I have promised to do battle +to the uttermost by the faith of my body while my life lasteth; and I had +rather die with honour than live with shame; and if it were possible for +me to die an hundred times, I had rather die as often than yield me to +thee, for though I lack weapons, I shall lack no worship, and it shall be +to thy shame to slay me weaponless." "Aha," shouted then Sir Accolon, "as +for the shame, I will not spare; look to thyself, sir knight, for thou art +even now but a dead man." Therewith he drove at him with pitiless force, +and struck him nearly down; but Arthur evermore waxing in valour as he +waned in blood, pressed on Sir Accolon with his shield, and hit at him so +fiercely with the pommel in his hand, as hurled him three strides +backwards. + +This, therefore, so confused Sir Accolon, that rushing up, all dizzy, to +deliver once again a furious blow, even as he struck, Excalibur, by +Vivien's magic, fell from out his hands upon the earth. Beholding which, +King Arthur lightly sprang to it, and grasped it, and forthwith felt it +was his own good sword, and said to it, "Thou hast been from me all too +long, and done me too much damage." Then spying the scabbard hanging by +Sir Accolon's side, he sprang and pulled it from him, and cast it away as +far as he could throw it; for so long as he had worn it, Arthur new his +life would have been kept secure. "Oh, knight!" then said the king, "thou +hast this day wrought me much damage by this sword, but now art thou come +to thy death, for I shall not warrant thee but that thou shalt suffer, ere +we part, somewhat of that thou hast made me suffer." And therewithal King +Arthur flew at him with all his might, and pulled him to the earth, and +then struck off his helm, and gave him on the head a fearful buffet, till +the blood leaped forth. "Now will I slay thee!" cried King Arthur; for his +heart was hardened, and his body all on fire with fever, till for a moment +he forgot his knightly mercy. "Slay me thou mayest," said Sir Accolon, +"for thou art the best knight I ever found, and I see well that God is +with thee; and I, as thou hast, have promised to fight this battle to the +uttermost, and never to be recreant while I live; therefore shall I never +yield me with my mouth, and God must do with my body what he will." And as +Sir Accolon spoke, King Arthur thought he knew his voice; and parting all +his blood-stained hair from out his eyes, and leaning down towards him, +saw, indeed, it was his friend and own true knight. Then said he--keeping +his own visor down--"I pray thee tell me of what country art thou, and +what court?" "Sir knight," he answered, "I am of King Arthur's court, and +my name is Sir Accolon of Gaul." Then said the king, "Oh, sir knight! I +pray thee tell me who gave thee this sword? and from whom thou hadst it?" + +Then said Sir Accolon, "Woe worth this sword, for by it I have gotten my +death. This sword hath been in my keeping now for almost twelve months, +and yesterday Queen Morgan le Fay, wife of King Urience, sent it to me by +a dwarf, that therewith I might in some way slay her brother, King Arthur; +for thou must understand that King Arthur is the man she hateth most in +all the world, being full of envy and jealousy because he is of greater +worship and renown than any other of her blood. She loveth me also as much +as she doth hate him; and if she might contrive to slay King Arthur by her +craft and magic, then would she straightway kill her husband also, and +make me the king of all this land, and herself my queen, to reign with me; +but now," said he, "all that is over, for this day I am come to my death." + +"It would have been sore treason of thee to destroy thy lord," said +Arthur. "Thou sayest truly," answered he; "but now that I have told thee, +and openly confessed to thee all that foul treason whereof I now do +bitterly repent, tell me, I pray thee, whence art thou, and of what +court?" "O, Sir Accolon!" said King Arthur, "learn that I am myself King +Arthur." When Sir Accolon heard this he cried aloud, "Alas, my gracious +lord! have mercy on me, for I knew thee not." "Thou shalt have mercy," +said he, "for thou knewest not my person at this time; and though by thine +own confession thou art a traitor, yet do I blame thee less, because thou +hast been blinded by the false crafts of my sister Morgan le Fay, whom I +have trusted more than all others of my kin, and whom I now shall know +well how to punish." Then did Sir Accolon cry loudly, "O, lords, and all +good people! this noble knight that I have fought with is the noblest and +most worshipful in all the world; for it is King Arthur, our liege lord +and sovereign king; and full sorely I repent that I have ever lifted lance +against him, though in ignorance I did it." + +Then all the people fell down on their knees and prayed the pardon of the +king for suffering him to come to such a strait. But he replied, "Pardon +ye cannot have, for, truly, ye have nothing sinned; but here ye see what +ill adventure may ofttimes befall knights-errant, for to my own hurt, and +his danger also, I have fought with one of my own knights." + +Then the king commanded Sir Damas to surrender to his brother the whole +manor, Sir Outzlake only yielding him a palfrey every year; "for," said he +scornfully, "it would become thee better to ride on than a courser;" and +ordered Damas, upon pain of death, never again to touch or to distress +knights-errant riding on their adventures; and also to make full +compensation and satisfaction to the twenty knights whom he had held in +prison. "And if any of them," said the king, "come to my court complaining +that he hath not had full satisfaction of thee for his injuries, by my +head, thou shalt die therefor." + +Afterwards, King Arthur asked Sir Outzlake to come with him to his court, +where he should become a knight of his, and, if his deeds were noble, be +advanced to all he might desire. + +So then he took his leave of all the people and mounted upon horseback, +and Sir Accolon went with him to an abbey hard by, where both their wounds +were dressed. But Sir Accolon died within four days after. And when he was +dead, the king sent his body to Queen Morgan, to Camelot, saying that he +sent her a present in return for the sword Excalibur which she had sent +him by the damsel. + +So, on the morrow, there came a damsel from Queen Morgan to the king, and +brought with her the richest mantle that ever was seen, for it was set as +full of precious stones as they could stand against each other, and they +were the richest stones that ever the king saw. And the damsel said, "Your +sister sendeth you this mantle, and prayeth you to take her gift, and in +whatsoever thing she hath offended you, she will amend it at your +pleasure." To this the king replied not, although the mantle pleased him +much. With that came in the lady of the lake, and said, "Sir, put not on +this mantle till thou hast seen more; and in nowise let it be put upon +thee, or any of thy knights, till ye have made the bringer of it first put +it on her." "It shall be done as thou dost counsel," said the king. Then +said he to the damsel that came from his sister, "Damsel, I would see this +mantle ye have brought me upon yourself." "Sir," said she, "it will not +beseem me to wear a knight's garment." "By my head," said King Arthur, +"thou shall wear it ere it go on any other person's back!" And so they put +it on her by force, and forthwith the garment burst into a flame and +burned the damsel into cinders. When the king saw that, he hated that +false witch Morgan le Fay with all his heart, and evermore was deadly +quarrel between her and Arthur to their lives' end. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +_King Arthur conquers Rome, and is crowned Emperor_ + + +And now again the second time there came ambassadors from Lucius Tiberius, +Emperor of Rome, demanding, under pain of war, tribute and homage from +King Arthur, and the restoration of all Gaul, which he had conquered from +the tribune Flollo. + +When they had delivered their message, the king bade them withdraw while +he consulted with his knights and barons what reply to send. Then some of +the younger knights would have slain the ambassadors, saying that their +speech was a rebuke to all who heard the king insulted by it. But when +King Arthur heard that, he ordered none to touch them upon pain of death; +and sending officers, he had them taken to a noble lodging, and there +entertained with the best cheer. "And," said he, "let no dainty be spared, +for the Romans are great lords; and though their message please me not, +yet must I remember mine honour." + +Then the lords and knights of the Round Table were called on to declare +their counsel--what should be done upon this matter; and Sir Cador of +Cornwall speaking first, said, "Sir, this message is the best news I have +heard for a long time, for we have been now idle and at rest for many +days, and I trust that thou wilt make sharp war upon the Romans, wherein, +I doubt not, we shall all gain honour." + +"I believe well," said Arthur, "that thou art pleased, Sir Cador; but that +is scarce an answer to the Emperor of Rome, and his demand doth grieve me +sorely, for truly I will never pay him tribute; wherefore, lords, I pray +ye counsel me. Now, I have understood that Belinus and Brennius, knights +of Britain, held the Roman Empire in their hands for many days, and also +Constantine, the son of Helen, which is open evidence, not only that we +owe Rome no tribute, but that I, being descended from them, may, of right, +myself claim the empire." + +Then said King Anguish of Scotland, "Sir, thou oughtest of right to be +above all other kings, for in all Christendom is there not thine equal; +and I counsel thee never to obey the Romans. For when they reigned here +they grievously distressed us, and put the land to great and heavy +burdens; and here, for my part, I swear to avenge me on them when I may, +and will furnish thee with twenty thousand men-at-arms, whom I will pay +and keep, and who shall wait on thee with me, when it shall please thee." + +Then the King of Little Britain rose and promised King Arthur thirty +thousand men; and likewise many other kings, and dukes, and barons, +promised aid--as the lord of West Wales thirty thousand men, Sir Ewaine +and his cousin thirty thousand men, and so forth; Sir Lancelot also, and +every other knight of the Round Table, promised each man a great host. + +So the king, passing joyful at their courage and good will, thanked them +all heartily, and sent for the ambassadors again, to hear his answer. "I +will," said he, "that ye now go back straightway unto the Emperor your +master and tell him that I give no heed to his words, for I have conquered +all my kingdoms by the will of God and by my own right arm, and I am +strong enough to keep them, without paying tribute to any earthly +creature. But, on the other hand, I claim both tribute and submission from +himself, and also claim the sovereignty of all his empire, whereto I am +entitled by the right of my own ancestors--sometime kings of this land. +And say to him that I will shortly come to Rome, and by God's grace will +take possession of my empire and subdue all rebels. Wherefore, lastly, I +command him and all the lords of Rome that they forthwith pay me their +homage, under pain of my chastisement and wrath." + +Then he commanded his treasurers to give the ambassadors great gifts, and +defray all their charges, and appointed Sir Cador to convey them +worshipfully out of the land. + +So when they returned to Rome and came before Lucius, he was sore angry at +their words, and said, "I thought this Arthur would have instantly obeyed +my orders and have served me as humbly as any other king; but because of +his fortune in Gaul, he hath grown insolent." + +"Ah, lord," said one of the ambassadors, "refrain from such vain words, +for truly I and all with me were fearful at his royal majesty and angry +countenance. I fear me thou hast made a rod for thee more sharp than thou +hast counted on. He meaneth to be master of this empire; and is another +kind of man than thou supposest, and holdeth the most noble court of all +the world. We saw him on the new year's day, served at his table by nine +kings, and the noblest company of other princes, lords, and knights that +ever was in all the world; and in his person he is the most manly-seeming +man that liveth, and looketh like to conquer all the earth." + +Then Lucius sent messengers to all the subject countries of Rome, and +brought together a mighty army, and assembled sixteen kings, and many +dukes, princes, lords, and admirals, and a wondrous great multitude of +people. Fifty giants also, born of fiends, were set around him for a +body-guard. With all that host he straightway went from Rome, and passed +beyond the mountains into Gaul, and burned the towns and ravaged all the +country of that province, in rage for its submission to King Arthur. Then +he moved on towards Little Britain. + +Meanwhile, King Arthur having held a parliament at York, left the realm in +charge of Sir Badewine and Sir Constantine, and crossed the sea from +Sandwich to meet Lucius. And so soon as he was landed, he sent Sir Gawain, +Sir Bors, Sir Lionel, and Sir Bedivere to the Emperor, commanding him "to +move swiftly and in haste out of his land, and, if not, to make himself +ready for battle, and not continue ravaging the country and slaying +harmless people." Anon, those noble knights attired themselves and set +forth on horseback to where they saw, in a meadow, many silken tents of +divers colours, and the Emperor's pavilion in the midst, with a golden +eagle set above it. + +Then Sir Gawain and Sir Bors rode forward, leaving the other two behind +in ambush, and gave King Arthur's message. To which the Emperor replied, +"Return, and tell your lord that I am come to conquer him and all his +land." + +At this, Sir Gawain burned with anger, and cried out, "I had rather than +all France that I might fight with thee alone!" + +"And I also," said Sir Bors. + +Then a knight named Ganius, a near cousin of the Emperor, laughed out +aloud, and said, "Lo! how these Britons boast and are full of pride, +bragging as though they bare up all the world!" + +At these words, Sir Gawain could refrain no longer, but drew forth his +sword and with one blow shore oft Ganius' head; then with Sir Bors, he +turned his horse and rode over waters and through woods, back to the +ambush, where Sir Lionel and Sir Bedivere were waiting. The Romans +followed fast behind them till the knights turned and stood, and then Sir +Bors smote the foremost of them through the body with a spear, and slew +him on the spot. Then came on Calibere, a huge Pavian, but Sir Bors +overthrew him also. And then the company of Sir Lionel and Sir Bedivere +brake from their ambush and fell on the Romans, and slew and hewed them +down, and forced them to return and flee, chasing them to their tents. + +But as they neared the camp, a great host more rushed forth, and turned +the battle backwards, and in the turmoil, Sir Bors and Sir Berel fell into +the Romans' hands. When Sir Gawain saw that, he drew his good sword +Galotine, and swore to see King Arthur's face no more if those two knights +were not delivered; and then, with good Sir Idrus, made so sore an +onslaught that the Romans fled and left Sir Bors and Sir Berel to their +friends. So the Britons returned in triumph to King Arthur, having slain +more than ten thousand Romans, and lost no man of worship from amongst +themselves. + +When the Emperor Lucius heard of that discomfiture he arose, with all his +army, to crush King Arthur, and met him in the vale of Soissons. Then +speaking to all his host, he said, "Sirs, I admonish you that this day ye +fight and acquit yourselves as men; and remembering how Rome is chief of +all the earth, and mistress of the universal world, suffer not these +barbarous and savage Britons to abide our onset." At that, the trumpets +blew so loud, that the ground trembled and shook. + +Then did the rival hosts draw near each other with great shoutings; and +when they closed, no tongue can tell the fury of their smiting, and the +sore struggling, wounds, and slaughter. Then King Arthur, with his +mightiest knights, rode down into the thickest of the fight, and drew +Excalibur, and slew as lightning slays for swiftness and for force. And in +the midmost crowd he met a giant, Galapas by name, and struck off both his +legs at the knee-joints; then saying, "Now art thou a better size to deal +with!" smote his head off at a second blow: and the body killed six men in +falling down. + +Anon, King Arthur spied where Lucius fought and worked great deeds of +prowess with his own hands. Forthwith he rode at him, and each attacked +the other passing fiercely; till at the last, Lucius struck King Arthur +with a fearful wound across the face, and Arthur, in return, lifting up +Excalibur on high, drove it with all his force upon the Emperor's head, +shivering his helmet, crashing his head in halves, and splitting his body +to the breast. And when the Romans saw their Emperor dead they fled in +hosts of thousands; and King Arthur and his knights, and all his army +followed them, and slew one hundred thousand men. + +Then returning to the field, King Arthur rode to the place where Lucius +lay dead, and round him the kings of Egypt and Ethiopia, and seventeen +other kings, with sixty Roman senators, all noble men. All these he +ordered to be carefully embalmed with aromatic gums, and laid in leaden +coffins, covered with their shields and arms and banners. Then calling for +three senators who were taken prisoners, he said to them, "As the ransom +of your lives, I will that ye take these dead bodies and carry them to +Rome, and there present them for me, with these letters saying I will +myself be shortly there. And I suppose the Romans will beware how they +again ask tribute of me; for tell them, these dead bodies that I send them +are for the tribute they have dared to ask of me; and if they wish for +more, when I come I will pay them the rest." + +So, with that charge, the three senators departed with the dead bodies, +and went to Rome; the body of the Emperor being carried in a chariot +blazoned with the arms of the empire, all alone, and the bodies of the +kings two and two in chariots following. + +After the battle, King Arthur entered Lorraine, Brabant, and Flanders, and +thence, subduing all the countries as he went, passed into Germany, and so +beyond the mountains into Lombardy and Tuscany. At length he came before a +city which refused to obey him, wherefore he sat down before it to besiege +it. And after a long time thus spent, King Arthur called Sir Florence, +and told him they began to lack food for his hosts--"And not far from +hence," said he, "are great forests full of cattle belonging to my +enemies. Go then, and bring by force all that thou canst find; and take +with thee Sir Gawain, my nephew, and Sir Clegis, Sir Claremond the Captain +of Cardiff, and a strong band." + +Anon, those knights made ready, and rode over holts and hills, and through +forests and woods, till they came to a great meadow full of fair flowers +and grass, and there they rested themselves and their horses that night. +And at the dawn of the next day, Sir Gawain took his horse and rode away +from his fellows to seek some adventure. Soon he saw an armed knight +walking his horse by a wood's side, with his shield laced to his shoulder, +and no attendant with him save a page, bearing a mighty spear; and on his +shield were blazoned three gold griffins. When Sir Gawain spied him, he +put his spear in rest, and riding straight to him, asked who he was. "A +Tuscan," said he; "and they mayest prove me when thou wilt, for thou shalt +be my prisoner ere we part." + +Then said Sir Gawain, "Thou vauntest thee greatly, and speakest proud +words; yet I counsel thee, for all thy boastings, look to thyself the best +thou canst." + +At that they took their spears and ran at each other with all the might +they had, and smote each other through their shields into their shoulders; +and then drawing swords smote with great strokes, till the fire sprang out +of their helms. Then was Sir Gawain enraged, and with his good sword +Galotine struck his enerny through shield and hauberk, and splintered into +pieces all the precious stones of it, and made so huge a wound that men +might see both lungs and liver. At that the Tuscan, groaning loudly, +rushed on to Sir Gawain, and gave him a deep slanting stroke, and made a +mighty wound and cut a great vein asunder, so that he bled fast. Then he +cried out, "Bind thy wound quickly up, Sir knight, for thou be-bloodest +all thy horse and thy fair armour, and all the surgeons of the world shall +never staunch thy blood; for so shall it be to whomsoever is hurt with +this good sword." + +Then answered Sir Gawain, "It grieveth me but little, and thy boastful +words give me no fear, for thou shalt suffer greater grief and sorrow ere +we part; but tell me quickly who can staunch this blood." + +"That can I do," said the strange knight, "and will, if thou wilt aid and +succour me to become christened, and to believe on God, which now I do +require of thee upon thy manhood." + +"I am content," said Sir Gawain; "and may God help me to grant all thy +wishes. But tell mefirst, what soughtest thou thus here alone, and of what +land art thou?" + +"Sir," said the knight, "my name is Prianius, and my father is a great +prince, who hath rebelled against Rome. He is descended from Alexander and +Hector, and of our lineage also were Joshua and Maccabaeus. I am of right +the king of Alexandria, and Africa, and all the outer isles, yet I would +believe in the Lord thou worshippest, and for thy labour I will give thee +treasure enough. I was so proud in heart that I thought none my equal, but +now have I encountered with thee, who hast given me my fill of fighting; +wherefore, I pray thee, Sir knight, tell me of thyself." + +"I am no knight," said Sir Gawain; "I have been brought up many years in +the wardrobe of the noble prince King Arthur, to mind his armour and +array." + +"Ah," said Prianius, "if his varlets be so keen and fierce, his knights +must be passing good! Now, for the love of heaven, whether thou be knight +or knave, tell me thy name." + +"By heaven!" said Gawain, "now will I tell thee the truth. My name is Sir +Gawain, and I am a knight of the Round Table." + +"Now am I better pleased," said Prianius, "than if thou hadst given me all +the province of Paris the rich. I had rather have been torn by wild horses +than that any varlet should have won such victory over me as thou hast +done. But now, Sir knight, I warn thee that close by is the Duke of +Lorraine, with sixty thousand good men of war; and we had both best flee +at once, for he will find us else, and we be sorely wounded and never +likely to recover. And let my page be careful that he blow no horn, for +hard by are a hundred knights, my servants; and if they seize thee, no +ransom of gold or silver would acquit thee." + +Then Sir Gawain rode over a river to save himself, and Sir Prianius after +him, and so they both fled till they came to his companions who were in +the meadow, where they spent the night. When Sir Whishard saw Sir Gawain +so hurt, he ran to him weeping, and asked him who it was had wounded him; +and Sir Gawain told him how he had fought with that man--pointing to +Prianius--who had salves to heal them both. "But I can tell ye other +tidings," said he--"that soon we must encounter many enemies, for a great +army is close to us in our front." + +Then Prianius and Sir Gawain alighted and let their horses graze while +they unarmed, and when they took their armour and their clothing off, the +hot blood ran down freshly from their wounds till it was piteous to see. +But Prianius took from his page a vial filled from the four rivers that +flow out of Paradise, and anointed both their wounds with a certain balm, +and washed them with that water, and within an hour afterwards they were +both as sound and whole as ever they had been. Then, at the sound of a +trumpet, all the knights were assembled to council; and after much +talking, Prianius said, "Cease your words, for I warn you in yonder wood +ye shall find knights out of number, who will put out cattle for a decoy +to lead you on; and ye are not seven hundred!" + +"Nevertheless," said Sir Gawain, "let us at once encounter them, and see +what they can do; and may the best have the victory." + +Then they saw suddenly an earl named Sir Ethelwold, and the Duke of +Duchmen come leaping out of ambush of the woods in front, with many a +thousand after them, and all rode straight down to the battle. And Sir +Gawain, full of ardour and courage, comforted his knights, saying, "They +all are ours." Then the seven hundred knights, in one close company, set +spurs to their horses and began to gallop, and fiercely met their enemies. +And then were men and horses slain and overthrown on every side, and in +and out amidst them all, the knights of the Round Table pressed and +thrust, and smote down to the earth all who withstood them, till at length +the whole of them turned back and fled. + +"By heaven!" said Sir Gawain, "this gladdeneth well my heart, for now +behold them as they flee! they are full seventy thousand less in number +than they were an hour ago!" + +Thus was the battle quickly ended, and a great host of high lords and +knights of Lombardy and Saracens left dead upon the field. Then Sir Gawain +and his company collected a great plenty of cattle, and of gold and +silver, and all kind of treasure, and returned to King Arthur, where he +still kept the siege. + +"Now God be thanked," cried he; "but who is he that standeth yonder by +himself, and seemeth not a prisoner?" + +"Sir," said Sir Gawain, "he is a good man with his weapons, and hath +matched me; but cometh hither to be made a Christian. Had it not been for +his warnings, we none of us should have been here this day. I pray thee, +therefore, let him be baptized, for there can be few nobler men, or better +knights." + +So Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the Round Table. + +[Illustration: Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the +Round Table.] + +Presently afterwards, they made a last attack upon the city, and entered +by the walls on every side; and as the men were rushing to the pillage, +came the Duchess forth, with many ladies and damsels, and kneeled before +King Arthur; and besought him to receive their submission. To whom the +king made answer, with a noble countenance, "Madam, be well assured that +none shall harm ye, or your ladies; neither shall any that belong to thee +be hurt; but the Duke must abide my judgment." Then he commanded to stay +the assault and took the keys from the Duke's eldest son, who brought them +kneeling. Anon the Duke was sent a prisoner to Dover for his life, and +rents and taxes were assigned for dowry of the Duchess and her children. + +Then went he on with all his hosts, winning all towns and castles, and +wasting them that refused obedience, till he came to Viterbo. From thence +he sent to Rome, to ask the senators whether they would receive him for +their lord and governor. In answer, came out to him all the Senate who +remained alive, and the Cardinals, with a majestic retinue and procession; +and laying great treasures at his feet, they prayed him to come in at once +to Rome, and there be peaceably crowned as Emperor. "At this next +Christmas," said King Arthur, "will I be crowned, and hold my Round Table +in your city." + +Anon he entered Rome, in mighty pomp and state; and after him came all his +hosts, and his knights, and princes, and great lords, arrayed in gold and +jewels, such as never were beheld before. And then was he crowned Emperor +by the Pope's hands, with all the highest solemnity that could be made. + +Then after his coronation, he abode in Rome for a season, settling his +lands and giving kingdoms to his knights and servants, to each one after +his deserving, and in such wise fashion that no man among them all +complained. Also he made many dukes and earls, and loaded all his +men-at-arms with riches and great treasures. + +When all this was done, the lords and knights, and all the men of great +estate, came together before him, and said, "Noble Emperor! by the +blessing of Eternal God, thy mortal warfare is all finished, and thy +conquests all achieved; for now in all the world is none so great and +mighty as to dare make war with thee. Wherefore we beseech and heartily +pray thee of thy noble grace, to turn thee homeward, and to give us also +leave to see our wives and homes again, for now we have been from them a +long season, and all thy journey is completed with great honour and +worship." + +"Ye say well," replied he, "and to tempt God is no wisdom; therefore make +ready in all haste, and turn we home to England." + +So King Arthur returned with his knights and lords and armies, in great +triumph and joy, through all the countries he had conquered, and commanded +that no man, upon pain of death, should rob or do any violence by the way. +And crossing the sea, he came at length to Sandwich, where Queen Guinevere +received him, and made great joy at his arrival. And through all the realm +of Britain was there such rejoicing as no tongue can tell. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +_The Adventures of Sir Lancelot du Lake_ + + +Then, at the following Pentecost, was held a feast of the Round Table at +Caerleon, with high splendour; and all the knights thereof resorted to the +court, and held many games and jousts. And therein Sir Lancelot increased +in fame and worship above all men, for he overthrew all comers, and never +was unhorsed or worsted, save by treason and enchantment. + +When Queen Guinevere had seen his wondrous feats, she held him in great +favour, and smiled more on him than on any other knight. And ever since he +first had gone to bring her to King Arthur, had Lancelot thought on her as +fairest of all ladies, and done his best to win her grace. So the queen +often sent for him, and bade him tell of his birth and strange adventures: +how he was only son of great King Ban of Brittany, and how, one night, his +father, with his mother Helen and himself, fled from his burning castle; +how his father, groaning deeply, fell to the ground and died of grief and +wounds, and how his mother, running to her husband, left himself alone; +how, as he thus lay wailing, came the lady of the lake, and took him in +her arms and went with him into the midst of the waters, where, with his +cousins Lionel and Bors he had been cherished all his childhood until he +came to King Arthur's court; and how this was the reason why men called +him Lancelot du Lake. + +Anon it was ordained by King Arthur, that in every year at Pentecost there +should be held a festival of all the knights of the Round Table at +Caerleon, or such other place as he should choose. And at those festivals +should be told publicly the most famous adventures of any knight during +the past year. + +So, when Sir Lancelot saw Queen Guinevere rejoiced to hear his wanderings +and adventures, he resolved to set forth yet again, and win more worship +still, that he might more increase her favour. Then he bade his cousin Sir +Lionel make ready, "for," said he, "we two will seek adventure." So they +mounted their horses--armed at all points--and rode into a vast forest; +and when they had passed through it, they came to a great plain, and the +weather being very hot about noontide, Sir Lancelot greatly longed to +sleep. Then Sir Lionel espied a great apple-tree standing by a hedge, and +said, "Brother, yonder is a fair shadow where we may rest ourselves and +horses." + +"I am full glad of it," said Sir Lancelot, "for all these seven years I +have not been so sleepy." + +So they alighted there, and tied their horses up to sundry trees; and Sir +Lionel waked and watched while Sir Lancelot fell asleep, and slept passing +fast. + +In the meanwhile came three knights, riding as fast flying as ever they +could ride, and after them followed a single knight; but when Sir Lionel +looked at him, he thought he had never seen so great and strong a man, or +so well furnished and apparelled. Anon he saw him overtake the last of +those who fled, and smite him to the ground; then came he to the second, +and smote him such a stroke that horse and man went to the earth; then +rode he to the third, likewise, and struck him off his horse more than a +spear's length. With that he lighted from his horse, and bound all three +knights fast with the reins of their own bridles. + +When Sir Lionel saw this he thought the time was come to prove himself +against him, so quietly and cautiously, lest he should wake Sir Lancelot, +he took his horse and mounted and rode after him. Presently overtaking +him, he cried aloud to him to turn, which instantly he did, and smote Sir +Lionel so hard that horse and man went down forthwith. Then took he up Sir +Lionel, and threw him bound over his own horse's back; and so he served +the three other knights, and rode them away to his own castle. There they +were disarmed, stripped naked, and beaten with thorns, and afterwards +thrust into a deep prison, where many more knights, also, made great moans +and lamentations, saying, "Alas, alas! there is no man can help us but Sir +Lancelot, for no other knight can match this tyrant Turquine, our +conqueror." + +But all this while, Sir Lancelot lay sleeping soundly under the +apple-tree. And, as it chanced, there passed that way four queens, of high +estate, riding upon four white mules, under four canopies of green silk +borne on spears, to keep them from the sun. As they rode thus, they heard +a great horse grimly neigh, and, turning them about, soon saw a sleeping +knight that lay all armed under an apple-tree; and when they saw his +face, they knew it was Lancelot of the Lake. + +Then they began to strive which of them should have the care of him. But +Queen Morgan le Fay, King Arthur's half sister, the great sorceress, was +one of them, and said "We need not strive for him, I have enchanted him, +so that for six hours more he shall not wake. Let us take him to my +castle, and, when he wakes, himself shall choose which one of us he would +rather serve." So Sir Lancelot was laid upon his shield and borne on +horseback between two knights, to the castle, and there laid in a cold +chamber, till the spell should pass. + +Anon, they sent him a fair damsel, bearing his supper, who asked him, +"What cheer?" + +"I cannot tell, fair damsel," said he, "for I know not how I came into +this castle, if it were not by enchantment." + +"Sir," said she, "be of good heart, and to-morrow at the dawn of day, ye +shall know more." + +And so she left him alone, and there he lay all night. In the morning +early came the four queens to him, passing richly dressed; and said, "Sir +knight, thou must understand that thou art our prisoner, and that we know +thee well for King Ban's son, Sir Lancelot du Lake. And though we know +full well there is one lady only in this world may have thy love, and she +Queen Guinevere--King Arthur's wife--yet now are we resolved to have thee +to serve one of us; choose, therefore, of us four which thou wilt serve. I +am Queen Morgan le Fay, Queen of the land of Gore, and here also is the +Queen of Northgales, and the Queen of Eastland, and the Queen of the Out +Isles. Choose, then, at once, for else shall thou abide here, in this +prison, till thy death." + +"It is a hard case," said Sir Lancelot, "that either I must die, or choose +one of you for my mistress! Yet had I rather die in this prison than serve +any living creature against my will. So take this for my answer. I will +serve none of ye, for ye be false enchantresses. And as for my lady, Queen +Guinevere, whom lightly ye have spoken of, were I at liberty I would prove +it upon you or upon yours she is the truest lady living to her lord the +king." + +"Well," said the queen, "is this your answer, that ye refuse us all?" + +"Yea, on my life," said Lancelot, "refused ye be of me." + +So they departed from him in great wrath, and left him sorrowfully +grieving in his dungeon. + +At noon the damsel came to him and brought his dinner, and asked him as +before, "What cheer?" + +"Truly, fair damsel," said Sir Lancelot, "in all my life never so ill." + +"Sir," replied she, "I grieve to see ye so, but if ye do as I advise, I +can help ye out of this distress, and will do so if you promise me a +boon." + +"Fair damsel," said Sir Lancelot, "right willingly will I grant it thee, +for sorely do I dread these four witch-queens, who have destroyed and +slain many a good knight with their enchantments." + +Then said the damsel, "Sir, wilt thou promise me to help my father on next +Tuesday, for he hath a tournament with the King of Northgales, and last +Tuesday lost the field through three knights of King Arthur's court, who +came against him. And if next Tuesday thou wilt aid him, to-morrow, +before daylight, by God's grace, I will deliver thee." + +"Fair maiden," said Sir Lancelot, "tell me thy father's name and I will +answer thee." + +"My father is King Bagdemagus," said she. + +"I know him well," replied Sir Lancelot, "for a noble king and a good +knight; and by the faith of my body I will do him all the service I am +able on that day." + +"Grammercy to thee, Sir knight," said the damsel. + +"To-morrow, when thou art delivered from this place, ride ten miles hence +unto an abbey of white monks, and there abide until I bring my father to +thee." + +"So be it," said Sir Lancelot, "as I am a true knight." + +So she departed, and on the morrow, early, came again, and let him out of +twelve gates, differently locked, and brought him to his armour; and when +he was all armed, she brought him his horse also, and lightly he saddled +him, and took a great spear in his hand, and mounted and rode forth, +saying, as he went, "Fair damsel, I shall not fail thee, by the grace of +God." + +And all that day he rode in a great forest, and could find no highway, and +spent the night in the wood; but the next morning found his road, and came +to the abbey of white monks. And there he saw King Bagdemagus and his +daughter waiting for him. So when they were together in a chamber, Sir +Lancelot told the king how he had been betrayed by an enchantment, and how +his brother Lionel was gone he knew not where, and how the damsel had +delivered him from the castle of Queen Morgan le Fay. "Wherefore while I +live," said he, "I shall do service to herself and all her kindred." + +"Then am I sure of thy aid," said the king, "on Tuesday now next coming?" + +"Yea, sir, I shall not fail thee," said Sir Lancelot; "but what knights +were they who last week defeated thee, and took part with the King of +Northgales?" + +"Sir Mador de la Port, Sir Modred, and Sir Gahalatine," replied the king. + +"Sir," said Sir Lancelot, "as I understand, the tournament shall take +place but three miles from this abbey; send then to me here, three knights +of thine, the best thou hast, and let them all have plain white shields, +such as I also will; then will we four come suddenly into the midst +between both parties, and fall upon thy enemies, and grieve them all we +can, and none will know us who we are." + +So, on the Tuesday, Sir Lancelot and the three knights lodged themselves +in a small grove hard by the lists. Then came into the field the King of +Northgales, with one hundred and sixty helms, and the three knights of +King Arthur's court, who stood apart by themselves. And when King +Bagdemagus had arrived, with eighty helms, both companies set all their +spears in rest and came together with a mighty clash, wherein were slain +twelve knights of King Bagdemagus, and six of the King of Northgales; and +the party of King Bagdemagus was driven back. + +With that, came Sir Lancelot, and thrust into the thickest of the press, +and smote down with one spear five knights, and brake the backs of four, +and cast down the King of Northgales, and brake his thigh by the fall. +When the three knights of Arthur's court saw this, they rode at Sir +Lancelot, and each after other attacked him; but he overthrew them all, +and smote them nigh to death. Then taking a new spear, he bore down to the +ground sixteen more knights, and hurt them all so sorely, that they could +carry arms no more that day. And when his spear at length was broken, he +took yet another, and smote down twelve knights more, the most of whom he +wounded mortally, till in the end the party of the King of Northgales +would joust no more, and the victory was cried to King Bagdemagus. + +[Illustration: Sir Lancelot smote down with one spear five knights, and +brake the backs of four, and cast down the King of Northgales.] + +Then Sir Lancelot rode forth with King Bagdemagus to his castle, and there +he feasted with great cheer and welcome, and received many royal gifts. +And on the morrow he took leave and went to find his brother Lionel. + +Anon, by chance, he came to the same forest where the four queens had +found him sleeping, and there he met a damsel riding on a white palfrey. +When they had saluted each other, Sir Lancelot said, "Fair damsel, knowest +thou where any adventures may be had in this country?" + +"Sir knight," said she, "there are adventures great enough close by if +thou darest prove them." + +"Why should I not," said he, "since for that cause I came here?" + +"Sir," said the damsel, "hard by this place there dwelleth a knight that +cannot be defeated by any man, so great and perilously strong he is. His +name is Sir Turquine, and in the prisons of his castle lie three score +knights and four, mostly from King Arthur's court, whom he hath taken with +his own hands. But promise me, ere thou undertakest their deliverance, to +go and help me afterwards, and free me and many other ladies that are +distressed by a false knight." "Bring me but to this felon Turquine," +quoth Sir Lancelot, "and I will afterwards fulfil all your wishes." + +So the damsel went before, and brought him to a ford, and a tree whereon a +great brass basin hung; and Sir Lancelot beat with his spear-end upon the +basin, long and hard, until he beat the bottom of it out, but he saw +nothing. Then he rode to and fro before the castle gates for well-nigh +half an hour, and anon saw a great knight riding from the distance, +driving a horse before him, across which hung an armed man bound. And when +they came near, Sir Lancelot knew the prisoner for a knight of the Round +Table. By that time, the great knight who drove the prisoner saw Sir +Lancelot, and each of them began to settle his spear, and to make ready. + +"Fair sir," then said Sir Lancelot, "put off that wounded knight, I pray +thee, from his horse, and let him rest while thou and I shall prove our +strength upon each other; for, as I am told, thou doest, and hast done, +great shame and injury to knights of the Round Table. Wherefore, I warn +thee now, defend thyself." + +"If thou mayest be of the Round Table," answered Turquine, "I defy thee, +and all thy fellows." + +"That is saying overmuch," said Sir Lancelot. + +Then, setting their lances in rest, they spurred their horses towards each +other, as fast as they could go, and smote so fearfully upon each other's +shields, that both their horses' backs brake under them. As soon as they +could clear their saddles, they took their shields before them, and drew +their swords, and came together eagerly, and fought with great and +grievous strokes; and soon they both had many grim and fearful wounds, and +bled in streams. Thus they fought two hours and more, thrusting and +smiting at each other, wherever they could hit. + +Anon, they both were breathless, and stood leaning on their swords. + +"Now, comrade," said Sir Turquine, "let us wait awhile, and answer me what +I shall ask thee." + +"Say on," said Lancelot. + +"Thou art," said Turquine, "the best man I ever met, and seemest like one +that I hate above all other knights that live; but if thou be not he, I +will make peace with thee, and for sake of thy great valour, will deliver +all the three score prisoners and four who lie within my dungeons, and +thou and I will be companions evermore. Tell me, then, thy name." + +"Thou sayest well," replied Sir Lancelot; "but who is he thou hatest so +above all others?" + +"His name," said Turquine, "is Sir Lancelot of the Lake; and he slew my +brother Sir Carados, at the dolorous tower; wherefore, if ever I shall +meet with him, one of us two shall slay the other; and thereto I have +sworn by a great oath. And to discover and destroy him I have slain a +hundred knights, and crippled utterly as many more, and many have died in +my prisons; and now, as I have told thee, I have many more therein, who +all shall be delivered, if thou tell me thy name, and it be not Sir +Lancelot." + +"Well," said Lancelot, "I am that knight, son of King Ban of Benwick, and +Knight of the Round Table; so now I defy thee to do thy best!" + +"Aha!" said Turquine, with a shout, "is it then so at last! Thou art more +welcome to my sword than ever knight or lady was to feast, for never +shall we part till one of us be dead." + +Then did they hurtle together like two wild bulls, slashing and lashing +with their shields and swords, and sometimes falling both on to the +ground. For two more hours they fought so, and at the last Sir Turquine +grew very faint, and gave a little back, and bare his shield full low for +weariness. When Sir Lancelot saw him thus, he leaped upon him fiercely as +a lion, and took him by the crest of his helmet, and dragged him to his +knees; and then he tore his helmet off and smote his neck asunder. + +Then he arose, and went to the damsel who had brought him to Sir Turquine, +and said, "I am ready, fair lady, to go with thee upon thy service, but I +have no horse." + +"Fair sir," said she, "take ye this horse of the wounded knight whom +Turquine but just now was carrying to his prisons, and send that knight on +to deliver all the prisoners." + +So Sir Lancelot went to the knight and prayed him for the loan of his +horse. + +"Fair lord," said he, "ye are right welcome, for to-day ye have saved both +me and my horse; and I see that ye are the best knight in all the world, +for in my sight have ye slain the mightiest man and the best knight, +except thyself, I ever saw." + +"Sir," said Sir Lancelot, "I thank thee well; and now go into yonder +castle, where thou shall find many noble knights of the Round Table, for I +have seen their shields hung on the trees around. On yonder tree alone +there are Sir Key's, Sir Brandel's, Sir Marhaus', Sir Galind's, and Sir +Aliduke's, and many more; and also my two kinsmen's shields, Sir Ector de +Maris' and Sir Lionel's. And I pray you greet them all from me, Sir +Lancelot of the Lake, and tell them that I bid them help themselves to any +treasures they can find within the castle; and that I pray my brethren, +Lionel and Ector, to go to King Arthur's court and stay there till I come. +And by the high feast at Pentecost I must be there; but now I must ride +forth with this damsel to fulfil my promise." + +So, as they went, the damsel told him, "Sir, we are now near the place +where the foul knight haunteth, who robbeth and distresseth all ladies and +gentlewomen travelling past this way, against whom I have sought thy aid." + +Then they arranged that she should ride on foremost, and Sir Lancelot +should follow under cover of the trees by the roadside, and if he saw her +come to any mishap, he should ride forth and deal with him that troubled +her. And as the damsel rode on at a soft ambling pace, a knight and page +burst forth from the roadside and forced the damsel from her horse, till +she cried out for help. + +Then came Sir Lancelot rushing through the wood as fast as he might fly, +and all the branches of the trees crackled and waved around him. "O thou +false knight and traitor to all knighthood!" shouted he, "who taught thee +to distress fair ladies thus?" + +The foul knight answered nothing, but drew out his sword and rode at Sir +Lancelot, who threw his spear away and drew his own sword likewise, and +struck him such a mighty blow as clave his head down to the throat. "Now +hast thou the wages thou long hast earned!" said he; and so departed from +the damsel. + +Then for two days he rode in a great forest, and had but scanty food and +lodging, and on the third day he rode over a long bridge, when suddenly +there started up a passing foul churl, and smote his horse across the +nose, so that he started and turned back, rearing with pain. "Why ridest +thou over here without my leave?" said he. + +"Why should I not?" said Sir Lancelot; "there is no other way to ride." + +"Thou shalt not pass by here," cried out the churl, and dashed at him with +a great club full of iron spikes, till Sir Lancelot was fain to draw his +sword and smite him dead upon the earth. + +At the end of the bridge was a fair village, and all the people came and +cried, "Ah, sir! a worse deed for thyself thou never didst, for thou hast +slain the chief porter of the castle yonder!" But he let them talk as they +pleased, and rode straight forward to the castle. + +There he alighted, and tied his horse to a ring in the wall; and going in, +he saw a wide green court, and thought it seemed a noble place to fight +in. And as he looked about, he saw many people watching him from doors and +windows, making signs of warning, and saying, "Fair knight, thou art +unhappy." In the next moment came upon him two great giants, well armed +save their heads, and with two horrible clubs in their hands. Then he put +his shield before him, and with it warded off one giant's stroke, and +clove the other with his sword from the head downward to the chest. When +the first giant saw that, he ran away mad with fear; but Sir Lancelot ran +after him, and smote him through the shoulder, and shore him down his +back, so that he fell dead. + +Then he walked onward to the castle hall, and saw a band of sixty ladies +and young damsels coming forth, who knelt to him, and thanked him for +their freedom. "For, sir," said they, "the most of us have been prisoners +here these seven years; and have been kept at all manner of work to earn +our meat, though we be all great gentlewomen born. Blessed be the time +that thou wast born, for never did a knight a deed of greater worship than +thou hast this day, and thereto will we all bear witness in all times and +places! Tell us, therefore, noble knight, thy name and court, that we may +tell them to our friends!" And when they heard it, they all cried aloud, +"Well may it be so, for we knew that no knight save thou shouldst ever +overcome those giants; and many a long day have we sighed for thee; for +the giants feared no other name among all knights but thine." + +Then he told them to take the treasures of the castle as a reward for +their grievances, and to return to their homes, and so rode away into many +strange and wild countries. And at last, after many days, by chance he +came, near the night time, to a fair mansion, wherein he found an old +gentlewoman, who gave him and his horse good cheer. And when bed time was +come, his host brought him to a chamber over a gate, and there he unarmed, +and went to bed and fell asleep. + +But soon thereafter came one riding in great haste, and knocking +vehemently at the gate below, which when Sir Lancelot heard, he rose and +looked out of the window, and, by the moonlight, saw three knights come +riding fiercely after one man, and lashing on him all at once with their +swords, while the one knight nobly fought all. + +Then Sir Lancelot quickly armed himself, and getting through the window, +let himself down by a sheet into the midst of them, crying out, "Turn ye +on me, ye cowards, and leave fighting with that knight!" Then they all +left Sir Key, for the first knight was he, and began to fall upon Sir +Lancelot furiously. And when Sir Key would have come forward to assist +him, Sir Lancelot refused, and cried, "Leave me alone to deal with them." +And presently, with six great strokes, he felled them all. + +Then they cried out, "Sir knight, we yield us unto thee, as to a man of +might!" + +"I will not take your yielding!" said he; "yield ye to Sir Key, the +seneschal, or I will have your lives." + +"Fair knight," said they, "excuse us in that thing, for we have chased Sir +Key thus far, and should have overcome him but for thee." + +"Well," said Sir Lancelot, "do as ye will, for ye may live or die; but, if +ye live, ye shall be holden to Sir Key." + +Then they yielded to him; and Sir Lancelot commanded them to go unto King +Arthur's court at the next Pentecost, and say, Sir Key had sent them +prisoners to Queen Guinevere. And this they sware to do upon their swords. + +Then Sir Lancelot knocked at the gate with his sword-hilt till his hostess +came and let him in again, and Sir Key also. And when the light came, Sir +Key knew Sir Lancelot, and knelt and thanked him for his courtesy, and +gentleness, and kindness. "Sir," said he, "I have done no more than what I +ought to do, and ye are welcome; therefore let us now take rest." + +So when Sir Key had supped, they went to sleep, and Sir Lancelot and he +slept in the same bed. On the morrow, Sir Lancelot rose early, and took +Sir Key's shield and armour and set forth. When Sir Key arose, he found +Sir Lancelot's armour by his bedside, and his own arms gone. "Now, by my +faith," thought he, "I know that he will grieve some knights of our king's +court; for those who meet him will be bold to joust with him, mistaking +him for me, while I, dressed in his shield and armour, shall surely ride +in peace." + +Then Sir Lancelot, dressed in Sir Key's apparel, rode long in a great +forest, and came at last to a low country, full of rivers and fair +meadows, and saw a bridge before him, whereon were three silk tents of +divers colours, and to each tent was hung a white shield, and by each +shield stood a knight. So Sir Lancelot went by without speaking a word. +And when he had passed, the three knights said it was the proud Sir Key, +"who thinketh no knight equal to himself, although the contrary is full +often proved upon him." + +"By my faith!" said one of them, named Gaunter, "I will ride after and +attack him for all his pride, and ye shall watch my speed." + +Then, taking shield and spear, he mounted and rode after Sir Lancelot, and +cried, "Abide, proud knight, and turn, for thou shalt not pass free!" + +So Sir Lancelot turned, and each one put his spear in rest and came with +all his might against the other. And Sir Gaunter's spear brake short, but +Sir Lancelot smote him down, both horse and man. + +When the other knights saw this, they said, "Yonder is not Sir Key, but a +bigger man." + +"I dare wager my head," said Sir Gilmere, "yonder knight hath slain Sir +Key, and taken his horse and harness." + +"Be it so, or not," said Sir Reynold, the third brother; "let us now go to +our brother Gaunter's rescue; we shall have enough to do to match that +knight, for, by his stature, I believe it is Sir Lancelot or Sir +Tristram." + +Anon, they took their horses and galloped after Sir Lancelot; and Sir +Gilmere first assailed him, but was smitten down forthwith, and lay +stunned on the earth. Then said Sir Reynold, "Sir knight, thou art a +strong man, and, I believe, hast slain my two brothers, wherefore my heart +is sore against thee; yet, if I might with honour, I would avoid thee. +Nevertheless, that cannot be, so keep thyself." And so they hurtled +together with all their might, and each man shivered his spear to pieces; +and then they drew their swords and lashed out eagerly. + +And as they fought, Sir Gaunter and Sir Gilmere presently arose and +mounted once again, and came down at full tilt upon Sir Lancelot. But, +when he saw them coming, he put forth all his strength, and struck Sir +Reynold off his horse. Then, with two other strokes, he served the others +likewise. + +Anon, Sir Reynold crept along the ground, with his head all bloody, and +came towards Sir Lancelot. "It is enough," said Lancelot, "I was not far +from thee when thou wast made a knight, Sir Reynold, and know thee for a +good and valiant man, and was full loth to slay thee." + +"Grammercy for thy gentleness!" said Sir Reynold. "I and my brethren will +straightway yield to thee when we know thy name, for well we know that +thou art not Sir Key." + +"As for that," said Sir Lancelot, "be it as it may, but ye shall yield to +Queen Guinevere at the next feast of Pentecost as prisoners, and say that +Sir Key sent ye." + +Then they swore to him it should be done as he commanded. And so Sir +Lancelot passed on, and the three brethren helped each other's wounds as +best they might. + +Then rode Sir Lancelot forward into a deep forest, and came upon four +knights of King Arthur's court, under an oak tree--Sir Sagramour, Sir +Ector, Sir Gawain, and Sir Ewaine. And when they spied him, they thought +he was Sir Key. "Now by my faith," said Sir Sagramour, "I will prove Sir +Key's might!" and taking his spear he rode towards Sir Lancelot. + +But Sir Lancelot was aware of him, and, setting his spear in rest, smote +him so sorely, that horse and man fell to the earth. + +"Lo!" cried Sir Ector, "I see by the buffet that knight hath given our +fellow he is stronger than Sir Key. Now will I try what I can do against +him!" So Sir Ector took his spear, and galloped at Sir Lancelot; and Sir +Lancelot met him as he came, and smote him through shield and shoulder, so +that he fell, but his own spear was not broken. + +"By my faith," cried Sir Ewaine, "yonder is a strong knight, and must have +slain Sir Key, and taken his armour! By his strength, I see it will be +hard to match him." So saying he rode towards Sir Lancelot, who met him +halfway and struck him so fiercely, that at one blow he overthrew him +also. + +"Now," said Sir Gawain, "will I encounter him." So he took a good spear in +his hand, and guarded himself with his shield. And he and Sir Lancelot +rode against each other, with their horses at full speed, and furiously +smote each other on the middle of their shields; but Sir Gawain's spear +broke short asunder, and Sir Lancelot charged so mightily upon him, that +his horse and he both fell, and rolled upon the ground. + +"Ah," said Sir Lancelot, smiling, as he rode away from the four knights, +"heaven give joy to him who made this spear, for never held I better in my +hand." + +But the four knights said to each other, "Truly one spear hath felled us +all." + +"I dare lay my life," said Sir Gawain, "it is Sir Lancelot. I know him by +his riding." + +So they all departed for the court. + +And as Sir Lancelot rode still in the forest, he saw a black bloodhound, +running with its head towards the ground, as if it tracked a deer. And +following after it, he came to a great pool of blood. But the hound, ever +and anon looking behind, ran through a great marsh, and over a bridge, +towards an old manor house. So Sir Lancelot followed, and went into the +hall, and saw a dead knight lying there, whose wounds the hound licked. +And a lady stood behind him, weeping and wringing her hands, who cried, "O +knight! too great is the sorrow which thou hast brought me!" + +"Why say ye so?" replied Sir Lancelot; "for I never harmed this knight, +and am full sorely grieved to see thy sorrow." + +"Nay, sir," said the lady, "I see it is not thou hast slain my husband, +for he that truly did that deed is deeply wounded, and shall never more +recover." + +"What is thy husband's name?" said Sir Lancelot. + +"His name," she answered, "was Sir Gilbert--one of the best knights in all +the world; but I know not his name who hath slain him." + +"God send thee comfort," said Sir Lancelot, and departed again into the +forest. + +And as he rode, he met with a damsel who knew him, who cried out, "Well +found, my lord! I pray ye of your knighthood help my brother, who is sore +wounded and ceases not to bleed, for he fought this day with Sir Gilbert, +and slew him, but was himself well nigh slain. And there is a sorceress, +who dwelleth in a castle hard by, and she this day hath told me that my +brother's wound shall never be made whole until I find a knight to go into +the Chapel Perilous, and bring from thence a sword and the bloody cloth in +which the wounded knight was wrapped." + +"This is a marvellous thing!" said Sir Lancelot; "but what is your +brother's name?" + +"His name, sir," she replied, "is Sir Meliot de Logres." + +"He is a Fellow of the Round Table," said Sir Lancelot, "and truly will I +do my best to help him." + +"Then, sir," said she, "follow this way, and it will bring ye to the +Chapel Perilous. I will abide here till God send ye hither again; for if +ye speed not, there is no living knight who may achieve that adventure." + +So Sir Lancelot departed, and when he came to the Chapel Perilous he +alighted, and tied his horse to the gate. And as soon as he was within +the churchyard, he saw on the front of the chapel many shields of knights +whom he had known, turned upside down. Then saw he in the pathway thirty +mighty knights, taller than any men whom he had ever seen, all armed in +black armour, with their swords drawn; and they gnashed their teeth upon +him as he came. But he put his shield before him, and took his sword in +hand, ready to do battle with them. And when he would have cut his way +through them, they scattered on every side and let him pass. Then he went +into the chapel, and saw therein no light but of a dim lamp burning. Then +he was aware of a corpse in the midst of the chapel, covered with a silken +cloth, and so stooped down and cut off a piece of the cloth, whereat the +earth beneath him trembled. Then saw he a sword lying by the dead knight, +and taking it in his hand, he hied him from the chapel. As soon as he was +in the churchyard again, all the thirty knights cried out to him with +fierce voices, "Sir Lancelot! lay that sword from thee, or thou diest!" + +"Whether I live or die," said he, "ye shall fight for it ere ye take it +from me." + +With that they let him pass. + +And further on, beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, "Sir +Lancelot, leave that sword behind thee, or thou diest." + +[Illustration: Beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, "Sir +Lancelot, leave that sword behind thee, or thou diest."] + +"I will not leave it," said Sir Lancelot, "for any asking." + +"Then, gentle knight," said the damsel, "I pray thee kiss me once." + +"Nay," said Sir Lancelot, "that God forbid!" + +"Alas!" cried she, "I have lost all my labour! but hadst thou kissed me, +thy life's days had been all done!" + +"Heaven save me from thy subtle crafts!" said Sir Lancelot; and therewith +took his horse and galloped forth. + +And when he was departed, the damsel sorrowed greatly, and died in fifteen +days. Her name was Ellawes, the sorceress. + +Then came Sir Lancelot to Sir Meliot's sister, who, when she saw him, +clapped her hands and wept for joy, and took him to the castle hard by, +where Sir Meliot was. And when Sir Lancelot saw Sir Meliot, he knew him, +though he was pale as ashes for loss of blood. And Sir Meliot, when he saw +Sir Lancelot, kneeled to him and cried aloud, "O lord, Sir Lancelot! help +me!" + +And thereupon, Sir Lancelot went to him and touched his wounds with the +sword, and wiped them with the piece of bloody cloth. And immediately he +was as whole as though he had been never wounded. Then was there great joy +between him and Sir Meliot; and his sister made Sir Lancelot good cheer. +So on the morrow, he took his leave, that he might go to King Arthur's +court, "for," said he, "it draweth nigh the feast of Pentecost, and there, +by God's grace, shall ye then find me." + +And riding through many strange countries, over marshes and valleys, he +came at length before a castle. As he passed by he heard two little bells +ringing, and looking up, he saw a falcon flying overhead, with bells tied +to her feet, and long strings dangling from them. And as the falcon flew +past an elm-tree, the strings caught in the boughs, so that she could fly +no further. + +In the meanwhile, came a lady from the castle and cried, "Oh, Sir +Lancelot! as thou art the flower of all knights in the world, help me to +get my hawk, for she hath slipped away from me, and if she be lost, my +lord my husband is so hasty, he will surely slay me!" + +"What is thy lord's name?" said Sir Lancelot. + +"His name," said she, "is Sir Phelot, a knight of the King of Northgales." + +"Fair lady," said Sir Lancelot, "since you know my name, and require me, +on my knighthood, to help you, I will do what I can to get your hawk." + +And thereupon alighting, he tied his horse to the same tree, and prayed +the lady to unarm him. So when he was unarmed, he climbed up and reached +the falcon, and threw it to the lady. + +Then suddenly came down, out of the wood, her husband, Sir Phelot, all +armed, with a drawn sword in his hand, and said, "Oh, Sir Lancelot! now +have I found thee as I would have thee!" and stood at the trunk of the +tree to slay him. + +"Ah, lady!" cried Sir Lancelot, "why have ye betrayed me?" + +"She hath done as I commanded her," said Sir Phelot, "and thine hour is +come that thou must die." + +"It were shame," said Lancelot, "for an armed to slay an unarmed man." + +"Thou hast no other favour from me," said Sir Phelot. + +"Alas!" cried Sir Lancelot, "that ever any knight should die weaponless!" +And looking overhead, he saw a great bough without leaves, and wrenched it +off the tree, and suddenly leaped down. Then Sir Phelot struck at him +eagerly, thinking to have slain him, but Sir Lancelot put aside the stroke +with the bough, and therewith smote him on the side of the head, till he +fell swooning to the ground. And tearing his sword from out his hands, he +shore his neck through from the body. Then did the lady shriek dismally, +and swooned as though she would die. But Sir Lancelot put on his armour, +and with haste took his horse and departed thence, thanking God he had +escaped that peril. + +And as he rode through a valley, among many wild ways, he saw a knight, +with a drawn sword, chasing a lady to slay her. And seeing Sir Lancelot, +she cried and prayed to him to come and rescue her. + +At that he went up, saying, "Fie on thee, knight! why wilt thou slay this +lady? Thou doest shame to thyself and all knights." + +"What hast thou to do between me and my wife?" replied the knight. "I will +slay her in spite of thee." + +"Thou shall not harm her," said Sir Lancelot, "till we have first fought +together." + +"Sir," answered the knight, "thou doest ill, for this lady hath betrayed +me." + +"He speaketh falsely," said the lady, "for he is jealous of me without +cause, as I shall answer before Heaven; but as thou art named the most +worshipful knight in the world, I pray thee of thy true knighthood to save +me, for he is without mercy." + +"Be of good cheer," said Sir Lancelot; "it shall not lie within his power +to harm thee." + +"Sir," said the knight, "I will be ruled as ye will have me." + +So Sir Lancelot rode between the knight and the lady. And when they had +ridden awhile, the knight cried out suddenly to Sir Lancelot to turn and +see what men they were who came riding after them; and while Sir Lancelot, +thinking not of treason, turned to look, the knight, with one great +stroke, smote off the lady's head. + +Then was Sir Lancelot passing wroth, and cried, "Thou traitor! Thou hast +shamed me for ever!" and, alighting from his horse, he drew his sword to +have slain him instantly; but the knight fell on the ground and clasped +Sir Lancelot's knees, and cried out for mercy. "Thou shameful knight," +answered Lancelot, "thou mayest have no mercy, for thou showedst none, +therefore arise and fight with me." + +"Nay," said the knight, "I will not rise till thou dost grant me mercy." + +"Now will I deal fairly by thee," said Sir Lancelot; "I will unarm me to +my shirt, and have my sword only in my hand, and if thou canst slay me +thou shall be quit for ever." + +"That will I never do," said the knight. + +"Then," answered Sir Lancelot, "take this lady and the head, and bear it +with thee, and swear to me upon thy sword never to rest until thou comest +to Queen Guinevere." + +"That will I do," said he. + +"Now," said Sir Lancelot, "tell me thy name." + +"It is Pedivere," answered the knight. + +"In a shameful hour wert thou born," said Sir Lancelot. + +So Sir Pedivere departed, bearing with him the dead lady and her head. And +when he came to Winchester, where the Queen was with King Arthur, he told +them all the truth; and afterwards did great and heavy penance many +years, and became an holy hermit. + +"So, two days before the Feast of Pentecost, Sir Lancelot returned to the +court, and King Arthur was full glad of his coming. And when Sir Gawain, +Sir Ewaine, Sir Sagramour, and Sir Ector, saw him in Sir Key's armour, +they knew well it was he who had smitten them all down with one spear. +Anon, came all the knights Sir Turquine had taken prisoners, and gave +worship and honour to Sir Lancelot. Then Sir Key told the King how Sir +Lancelot had rescued him when he was in near danger of his death; "and," +said Sir Key, "he made the knights yield, not to himself, but me. And by +Heaven! because Sir Lancelot took my armour and left me his, I rode in +peace, and no man would have aught to do with me." Then came the knights +who fought with Sir Lancelot at the long bridge and yielded themselves +also to Sir Key, but he said nay, he had not fought with them. "It is Sir +Lancelot," said he, "that overcame ye." Next came Sir Meliot de Logres, +and told King Arthur how Sir Lancelot had saved him from death. + +And so all Sir Lancelot's deeds and great adventures were made known; how +the four sorceress-queens had him in prison; how he was delivered by the +daughter of King Bagdemagus, and what deeds of arms he did at the +tournament between the King of North Wales and King Bagdemagus. And so, at +that festival, Sir Lancelot had the greatest name of any knight in all the +world, and by high and low was he the most honoured of all men. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +_Adventures of Sir Beaumains or Sir Gareth_ + + +Again King Arthur held the Feast of Pentecost, with all the Table Round, +and after his custom sat in the banquet hall, before beginning meat, +waiting for some adventure. Then came there to the king a squire and said, +"Lord, now may ye go to meat, for here a damsel cometh with some strange +adventure." So the king was glad, and sat down to meat. + +Anon the damsel came in and saluted him, praying him for succour. "What +wilt thou?" said the king. "Lord," answered she, "my mistress is a lady of +great renown, but is at this time besieged by a tyrant, who will not +suffer her to go out of her castle; and because here in thy court the +knights are called the noblest in the world, I come to pray thee for thy +succour. "Where dwelleth your lady?" answered the king. "What is her name, +and who is he that hath besieged her?" "For her name," replied the damsel, +"as yet I may not tell it; but she is a lady of worship and great lands. +The tyrant that besiegeth her and wasteth her lands is called the Red +Knight of the Redlands." "I know him not," said Arthur. "But I know him, +lord," said Sir Gawain, "and he is one of the most perilous knights in all +the world. Men say he hath the strength of seven; and from him I myself +once hardly escaped with life." "Fair damsel," said the king, "there be +here many knights that would gladly do their uttermost to rescue your +lady, but unless ye tell me her name, and where she dwelleth, none of my +knights shall go with you by my leave." + +Now, there was a stripling at the court called Beaumains, who served in +the king's kitchen, a fair youth and of great stature. Twelve months +before this time he had come to the king as he sat at meat, at +Whitsuntide, and prayed three gifts of him. And being asked what gifts, he +answered, "As for the first gift I will ask it now, but the other two +gifts I will ask on this day twelve months, wheresoever ye hold your high +feast." Then said King Arthur, "What is thy first request?" "This, lord," +said he, "that thou wilt give me meat and drink enough for twelve months +from this time, and then will I ask my other two gifts." And the king +seeing that he was a goodly youth, and deeming that he was come of +honourable blood, had granted his desire, and given him into the charge of +Sir Key, the steward. But Sir Key scorned and mocked the youth, calling +him Beaumains, because his hands were large and fair, and putting him into +the kitchen, where he had served for twelve months as a scullion, and, in +spite of all his churlish treatment, had faithfully obeyed Sir Key. But +Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain were angered when they saw Sir Key so churlish +to a youth that had so worshipful a bearing, and ofttimes had they given +him gold and clothing. + +And now at this time came young Beaumains to the king, while the damsel +was there, and said, "Lord, now I thank thee well and heartily that I have +been twelve months kept in thy kitchen, and have had full sustenance. Now +will I ask my two remaining gifts." "Ask," said King Arthur, "on my good +faith." "These, lord," said he, "shall be my two gifts--the one, that thou +wilt grant me this adventure of the damsel, for to me of right it +belongeth; and the other, that thou wilt bid Sir Lancelot make me a +knight, for of him only will I have that honour; and I pray that he may +ride after me and make me a knight when I require him." "Be it as thou +wilt," replied the king. But thereupon the damsel was full wroth, and +said, "Shall I have a kitchen page for this adventure?" and so she took +horse and departed. + +Then came one to Beaumains, and told him that a dwarf with a horse and +armour were waiting for him. And all men marvelled whence these things +came. But when he was on horseback and armed, scarce any one at the court +was a goodlier man than he. And coming into the hall, he took his leave of +the king and Sir Gawain, and prayed Sir Lancelot to follow him. So he rode +after the damsel, and many of the court went out to see him, so richly +arrayed and horsed; yet he had neither shield nor spear. Then Sir Key +cried, "I also will ride after the kitchen boy, and see whether he will +obey me now." And taking his horse, he rode after him, and said, "Know ye +not me, Beaumains?" "Yea," said he, "I know thee for an ungentle knight, +therefore beware of me." Then Sir Key put his spear in rest and ran at +him, but Beaumains rushed upon him with his sword in his hand, and +therewith, putting aside the spear, struck Sir Key so sorely in the side, +that he fell down, as if dead. Then he alighted, and took his shield and +spear, and bade his dwarf ride upon Sir Key's horse. + +By this time, Sir Lancelot had come up, and Beaumains offering to tilt +with him, they both made ready. And their horses came together so fiercely +that both fell to the earth, full sorely bruised. Then they arose, and +Beaumains, putting up his shield before him, offered to fight Sir +Lancelot, on foot. So they rushed upon each other, striking, and +thrusting, and parrying, for the space of an hour. And Lancelot marvelled +at the strength of Beaumains, for he fought more like a giant than a man, +and his fighting was passing fierce and terrible. So, at the last, he +said, "Fight not so sorely, Beaumains; our quarrel is not such that we may +not now cease." "True," answered Beaumains; "yet it doth me good to feel +thy might, though I have not yet proved my uttermost." "By my faith," said +Lancelot, "I had as much as I could do to save myself from you unshamed, +therefore be in no doubt of any earthly knight." "May I, then, stand as a +proved knight?" said Beaumains. "For that will I be thy warrant," answered +Lancelot. "Then, I pray thee," said he, "give me the order of knighthood." +"First, then, must thou tell me of thy name and kindred," said Sir +Lancelot. "If thou wilt tell them to no other, I will tell thee," answered +he. "My name is Gareth of Orkney, and I am own brother to Sir Gawain." +"Ah!" said Sir Lancelot, "at that am I full glad; for, truly, I deemed +thee to be of gentle blood." So then he knighted Beaumains, and, after +that, they parted company, and Sir Lancelot, returning to the court, took +up Sir Key on his shield. And hardly did Sir Key escape with his life, +from the wound Beaumains had given him; but all men blamed him for his +ungentle treatment of so brave a knight. + +Then Sir Beaumains rode forward, and soon overtook the damsel; but she +said to him, in scorn, "Return again, base kitchen page! What art thou, +but a washer-up of dishes!" "Damsel," said he, "say to me what thou wilt, +I will not leave thee; for I have undertaken to King Arthur to relieve thy +adventure, and I will finish it to the end, or die." "Thou finish my +adventure!" said she--"anon, thou shalt meet one, whose face thou wilt not +even dare to look at." "I shall attempt it," answered he. So, as they rode +thus, into a wood, there met them a man, fleeing, as for his life. +"Whither fleest thou?" said Sir Beaumains. "O lord!" he answered, "help +me; for, in a valley hard by, there are six thieves, who have taken my +lord, and bound him, and I fear will slay him." "Bring me thither," said +Sir Beaumains. So they rode to the place, and Sir Beaumains rushed after +the thieves, and smote one, at the first stroke, so that he died; and +then, with two other blows, slew a second and third. Then fled the other +three, and Sir Beaumains rode after them, and overtook and slew them all. +Then he returned and unbound the knight. And the knight thanked him, and +prayed him to ride to his castle, where he would reward him. "Sir," +answered Sir Beaumains, "I will have no reward of thee, for but this day +was I made knight by the most noble Sir Lancelot; and besides, I must go +with this damsel." Then the knight begged the damsel to rest that night at +his castle. So they all rode thither, and ever the damsel scoffed at Sir +Beaumains as a kitchen boy, and laughed at him before the knight their +host, so that he set his meat before him at a lower table, as though he +were not of their company. + +And on the morrow, the damsel and Sir Beaumains took their leave of the +knight, and thanking him departed. Then they rode on their way till they +came to a great forest, through which flowed a river, and there was but +one passage over it, whereat stood two knights armed to hinder the way. +"Wilt thou match those two knights," said the damsel to Sir Beaumains, "or +return again?" "I would not return," said he, "though they were six." +Therewith he galloped into the water, and swam his horse into the middle +of the stream. And there, in the river, one of the knights met him, and +they brake their spears together, and then drew their swords, and smote +fiercely at each other. And at the last, Sir Beaumains struck the other +mightily upon the helm, so that he fell down stunned into the water, and +was drowned. Then Sir Beaumains spurred his horse on to the land, where +instantly the other knight fell on him. And they also brake their spears +upon each other, and then drew their swords, and fought savagely and long +together. And after many blows, Sir Beaumains clove through the knight's +skull down to the shoulders. Then rode Sir Beaumains to the damsel, but +ever she still scoffed at him, and said, "Alas! that a kitchen page should +chance to slay two such brave knights! Thou deemest now that thou hast +done a mighty deed, but it is not so; for the first knight's horse +stumbled, and thus was he drowned--not by thy strength; and as for the +second knight, thou wentest by chance behind him, and didst kill him +shamefully." "Damsel," said Sir Beaumains, "say what ye list, I care not +so I may win your lady; and wouldst thou give me but fair language, all +my care were past; for whatsoever knights I meet, I fear them not." "Thou +shalt see knights that shall abate thy boast, base kitchen knave," replied +she; "yet say I this for thine advantage, for if thou followest me thou +wilt be surely slain, since I see all thou doest is but by chance, and not +by thy own prowess." "Well damsel," said he, "say what ye will, wherever +ye go I will follow." + +So they rode on until the eventide, and still the damsel evermore kept +chiding Sir Beaumains. Then came they to a black space of land, whereon +was a black hawthorn tree, and on the tree there hung a black banner, and +on the other side was a black shield and spear, and by them a great black +horse, covered with silk; and hard by sat a knight armed in black armour, +whose name was the Knight of the Blacklands. When the damsel saw him, she +cried out to Beaumains, "Flee down the valley, for thy horse is not +saddled!" "Wilt thou for ever deem me coward?" answered he. With that came +the Black Knight to the damsel, and said, "Fair damsel, hast thou brought +this knight from Arthur's court to be thy champion?" "Not so, fair +knight," said she; "he is but a kitchen knave." "Then wherefore cometh he +in such array?" said he; "it is a shame that he should bear thee company." +"I cannot be delivered from him," answered she: "for in spite of me he +rideth with me; and would to Heaven you would put him from me, or now slay +him, for he hath slain two knights at the river passage yonder, and done +many marvellous deeds through pure mischance." "I marvel," said the Black +Knight, "that any man of worship will fight with him." "They know him +not," said the damsel, "and think, because he rideth with me, that he is +well born." "Truly, he hath a goodly person, and is likely to be a strong +man," replied the knight; "but since he is no man of worship, he shall +leave his horse and armour with me, for it were a shame for me to do him +more harm." + +When Sir Beaumains heard him speak thus, he said, "Horse or armour gettest +thou none of me, Sir knight, save thou winnest them with thy hands; +therefore defend thyself, and let me see what thou canst do." "How sayest +thou?" answered the Black Knight. "Now quit this lady also, for it +beseemeth not a kitchen knave like thee to ride with such a lady." "I am +of higher lineage than thou," said Sir Beaumains, "and will straightway +prove it on thy body." Then furiously they drove their horses at each +other, and came together as it had been thunder. But the Black Knight's +spear brake short, and Sir Beaumains thrust him through the side, and his +spear breaking at the head, left its point sticking fast in the Black +Knight's body. Yet did the Black Knight draw his sword, and smite at Sir +Beaumains with many fierce and bitter blows; but after they had fought an +hour and more, he fell down from his horse in a swoon, and forthwith died. +Then Sir Beaumains lighted down and armed himself in the Black Knight's +armour, and rode on after the damsel. But notwithstanding all his valour, +still she scoffed at him, and said, "Away! for thou savourest ever of the +kitchen. Alas! that such a knave should by mishap destroy so good a +knight; yet once again I counsel thee to flee, for hard by is a knight who +shall repay thee!" "It may chance that I am beaten or slain," answered Sir +Beaumains, "but I warn thee, fair damsel, that I will not flee away, nor +leave thy company or my quest, for all that ye can say." + +Anon, as they rode, they saw a knight come swiftly towards them, dressed +all in green, who, calling to the damsel said, "Is that my brother, the +Black Knight, that ye have brought with you?" "Nay, and alas!" said she, +"this kitchen knave hath slain thy brother through mischance." "Alas!" +said the Green Knight, "that such a noble knight as he was should be slain +by a knave's hand. Traitor!" cried he to Sir Beaumains, "thou shalt die +for this! Sir Pereard was my brother, and a full noble knight." "I defy +thee," said Sir Beaumains, "for I slew him knightly and not shamefully." +Then the Green Knight rode to a thorn whereon hung a green horn, and, when +he blew three notes, there came three damsels forth, who quickly armed +him, and brought him a great horse and a green shield and spear. Then did +they run at one another with their fullest might, and break their spears +asunder; and, drawing their swords, they closed in fight, and sorely smote +and wounded each other with many grievous blows. + +At last, Sir Beaumains' horse jostled against the Green Knight's horse, +and overthrew him. Then both alighted, and, hurtling together like mad +lions, fought a great while on foot. But the damsel cheered the Green +Knight, and said, "My lord, why wilt thou let a kitchen knave so long +stand up against thee?" Hearing these words, he was ashamed, and gave Sir +Beaumains such a mighty stroke as clave his shield asunder. When Sir +Beaumains heard the damsel's words, and felt that blow, he waxed passing +wroth, and gave the Green Knight such a buffet on the helm that he fell on +his knees, and with another blow Sir Beaumains threw him on the ground. +Then the Green Knight yielded, and prayed him to spare his life. "All thy +prayers are vain," said he, "unless this damsel who came with me pray for +thee." "That will I never do, base kitchen knave," said she. "Then shall +he die," said Beaumains. "Alas! fair lady," said the Green Knight, "suffer +me not to die for a word! O, Sir knight," cried he to Beaumains, "give me +my life, and I will ever do thee homage; and thirty knights, who owe me +service, shall give allegiance to thee." "All availeth not," answered Sir +Beaumains, "unless the damsel ask me for thy life;" and thereupon he made +as though he would have slain him. Then cried the damsel, "Slay him not; +for if thou do thou shalt repent it." "Damsel," said Sir Beaumains, "at +thy command, he shall obtain his life. Arise, Sir knight of the green +armour, I release thee!" Then the Green Knight knelt at his feet, and did +him homage with his words. "Lodge with me this night," said he, "and +to-morrow will I guide ye through the forest." So, taking their horses, +they rode to his castle, which was hard by. + +Yet still did the damsel rebuke and scoff at Sir Beaumains, and would not +suffer him to sit at her table. "I marvel," said the Green Knight to her, +"that ye thus chide so noble a knight, for truly I know none to match him; +and be sure, that whatsoever he appeareth now, he will prove, at the end, +of noble blood and royal lineage." But of all this would the damsel take +no heed, and ceased not to mock at Sir Beaumains. On the morrow, they +arose and heard mass; and when they had broken their fast, took their +horses and rode on their way, the Green Knight conveying them through the +forest. Then, when he had led them for a while, he said to Sir Beaumains, +"My lord, my thirty knights and I shall always be at thy command +whensoever thou shalt send for us." "It is well said," replied he; "and +when I call upon you, you shall yield yourself and all your knights unto +King Arthur." "That will we gladly do," said the Green Knight, and so +departed. + +And the damsel rode on before Sir Beaumains, and said to him, "Why dost +thou follow me, thou kitchen boy? I counsel thee to throw aside thy spear +and shield, and flee betimes, for wert thou as mighty as Sir Lancelot or +Sir Tristram, thou shouldest not pass a valley near this place, called the +Pass Perilous." "Damsel," answered he, "let him that feareth flee; as for +me, it were indeed a shameful thing to turn after so long a journey." As +he spake, they came upon a tower as white as snow, with mighty +battlements, and double moats round it, and over the tower-gate hung fifty +shields of divers colours. Before the tower walls, they saw a fair meadow, +wherein were many knights and squires in pavilions, for on the morrow +there was a tournament at that castle. + +Then the lord of the castle, seeing a knight armed at all points, with a +damsel and a page, riding towards the tower, came forth to meet them; and +his horse and harness, with his shield and spear, were all of a red +colour. When he came near Sir Beaumains, and saw his armour all of black, +he thought him his own brother, the Black Knight, and so cried aloud, +"Brother! what do ye here, within these borders?" "Nay!" said the damsel, +"it is not thy brother, but a kitchen knave of Arthur's court, who hath +slain thy brother, and overcome thy other brother also, the Green Knight." +"Now do I defy thee!" cried the Red Knight to Sir Beaumains, and put his +spear in rest and spurred his horse. Then both knights turned back a +little space, and ran together with all their might, till their horses +fell to the earth. Then, with their swords, they fought fiercely for the +space of three hours. And at last, Sir Beaumains overcame his foe, and +smote him to the ground. Then the Red Knight prayed his mercy, and said, +"Slay me not, noble knight, and I will yield to thee with sixty knights +that do my bidding." "All avails not," answered Sir Beaumains, "save this +damsel pray me to release thee." Then did he lift his sword to slay him; +but the damsel cried aloud, "Slay him not, Beaumains, for he is a noble +knight." Then Sir Beaumains bade him rise up and thank the damsel, which +straightway he did, and afterwards invited them to his castle, and made +them goodly cheer. + +But notwithstanding all Sir Beaumains' mighty deeds, the damsel ceased not +to revile and chide him, at which the Red Knight marvelled much; and +caused his sixty knights to watch Sir Beaumains, that no villainy might +happen to him. And on the morrow, they heard mass and broke their fast, +and the Red Knight came before Sir Beaumains, with his sixty knights, and +proffered him homage and fealty. "I thank thee," answered he; "and when I +call upon thee thou shalt come before my lord King Arthur at his court, +and yield yourselves to him." "That will we surely do," said the Red +Knight. So Sir Beaumains and the damsel departed. + +And as she constantly reviled him and tormented him, he said to her, +"Damsel, ye are discourteous thus always to rebuke me, for I have done you +service; and for all your threats of knights that shall destroy me, all +they who come lie in the dust before me. Now, therefore, I pray you +rebuke me no more till you see me beaten or a recreant, and then bid me go +from you." "There shall soon meet thee a knight who shall repay thee all +thy deeds, thou boaster," answered she, "for, save King Arthur, he is the +man of most worship in the world." "It will be the greater honour to +encounter him," said Sir Beaumains. + +Soon after, they saw before them a city passing fair, and between them and +the city was a meadow newly mown, wherein were many goodly tents. "Seest +thou yonder blue pavilion?" said the damsel to Sir Beaumains; "it is Sir +Perseant's, the lord of that great city, whose custom is, in all fair +weather, to lie in this meadow, and joust with his knights." + +And as she spake, Sir Perseant, who had espied them coming, sent a +messenger to meet Sir Beaumains, and to ask him if he came in war or +peace. "Say to thy lord," he answered, "that I care not whether of the +twain it be." So when the messenger gave this reply, Sir Perseant came out +to fight with Sir Beaumains. And making ready, they rode their steeds +against each other; and when their spears were shivered asunder, they +fought with their swords. And for more than two hours did they hack and +hew at each other, till their shields and hauberks were all dinted with +many blows, and they themselves were sorely wounded. And at the last, Sir +Beaumains smote Sir Perseant on the helm, so that he fell grovelling on +the earth. And when he unlaced his helm to slay him, the damsel prayed for +his life. "That will I grant gladly," answered Sir Beaumains, "for it were +pity such a noble knight should die." "Grammercy!" said Sir Perseant, +"for now I certainly know that it was thou who slewest my brother, the +Black Knight, Sir Pereard; and overcame my brothers, the Green Knight, Sir +Pertolope, and the Red Knight, Sir Perimones; and since thou hast overcome +me also, I will do thee homage and fealty, and place at thy command one +hundred knights to do thy bidding." + +But when the damsel saw Sir Perseant overthrown, she marvelled greatly at +the might of Sir Beaumains, and said, "What manner of man may ye be, for +now am I sure that ye be come of noble blood? And truly, never did woman +revile knight as I have done thee, and yet ye have ever courteously borne +with me, which surely never had been were ye not of gentle blood and +lineage." + +"Lady," replied Sir Beaumains, "a knight is little worth who may not bear +with a damsel; and so whatsoever ye said to me I took no heed, save only +that at times when your scorn angered me, it made me all the stronger +against those with whom I fought, and thus have ye furthered me in my +battles. But whether I be born of gentle blood or no, I have done you +gentle service, and peradventure will do better still, ere I depart from +you." + +[Illustration: "Lady," replied Sir Beaumains, "a knight is little worth +who may not bear with a damsel."] + +"Alas!" said she, weeping at his courtesy, "forgive me, fair Sir +Beaumains, all that I have missaid and misdone against you." "With all my +heart," said he; "and since you now speak fairly to me, I am passing glad +of heart, and methinks I have the strength to overcome whatever knights I +shall henceforth encounter." + +Then Sir Perseant prayed them to come to his pavilion, and set before them +wines and spices, and made them great cheer. So they rested that night; +and on the morrow, the damsel and Sir Beaumains rose, and heard mass. And +when they had broken their fast, they took their leave of Sir Perseant. +"Fair damsel," said he "whither lead ye this knight?" "Sir," answered she, +"to the Castle Dangerous, where my sister is besieged by the Knight of the +Redlands." "I know him well," said Sir Perseant, "for the most perilous +knight alive--a man without mercy, and with the strength of seven men. God +save thee, Sir Beaumains, from him! and enable thee to overcome him, for +the Lady Lyones, whom he besiegeth, is as fair a lady as there liveth in +this world." "Thou sayest truth, sir," said the damsel; "for I am her +sister; and men call me Linet, or the Wild Maiden." "Now, I would have +thee know," said Sir Perseant to Sir Beaumains, "that the Knight of the +Redlands hath kept that siege more than two years, and prolongeth the time +hoping that Sir Lancelot, or Sir Tristram, or Sir Lamoracke, may come and +battle with him; for these three knights divide between them all +knighthood; and thou if thou mayest match the Knight of the Redlands, +shall well be called the fourth knight of the world." "Sir," said Sir +Beaumains, "I would fain have that good fame; and truly, I am come of +great and honourable lineage. And so that you and this fair damsel will +conceal it, I will tell ye my descent." And when they swore to keep it +secret, he told them, "My name is Sir Gareth of Orkney, my father was King +Lot, and my mother the Lady Belisent, King Arthur's sister. Sir Gawain, +Sir Agravain, and Sir Gaheris, are my brethren, and I am the youngest of +them all. But, as yet King Arthur and the court know me not, who I am." +When he had thus told them, they both wondered greatly. + +And the damsel Linet sent the dwarf forward to her sister, to tell her of +their coming. Then did Dame Lyones inquire what manner of man the knight +was who was coming to her rescue. And the dwarf told her of all Sir +Beaumains' deeds by the way: how he had overthrown Sir Key, and left him +for dead; how he had battled with Sir Lancelot, and was knighted of him; +how he had fought with, and slain, the thieves; how he had overcome the +two knights who kept the river passage; how he had fought with, and slain, +the Black Knight; and how he had overcome the Green Knight, the Red +Knight, and last of all, the Blue Knight, Sir Perseant. Then was Dame +Lyones passing glad, and sent the dwarf back to Sir Beaumains with great +gifts, thanking him for his courtesy, in taking such a labour on him for +her sake, and praying him to be of good heart and courage. And as the +dwarf returned, he met the Knight of the Redlands, who asked him whence he +came. "I came here with the sister of my lady of the castle," said the +dwarf, "who hath been now to King Arthur's court and brought a knight with +her to take her battle on him." "Then is her travail lost," replied the +knight; "for, though she had brought Sir Lancelot, Sir Tristram, Sir +Lamoracke, or Sir Gawain, I count myself their equal, and who besides +shall be so called?" Then the dwarf told the knight what deeds Sir +Beaumains had done; but he answered, "I care not for him, whosoever he be, +for I shall shortly overcome him, and give him shameful death, as to so +many others I have done." + +Then the damsel Linet and Sir Beaumains left Sir Perseant, and rode on +through a forest to a large plain, where they saw many pavilions, and hard +by, a castle passing fair. + +But as they came near Sir Beaumains saw upon the branches of some trees +which grew there, the dead bodies of forty knights hanging, with rich +armour on them, their shields and swords about their necks, and golden +spurs upon their heels. "What meaneth this?" said he, amazed. "Lose not +thy courage, fair sir," replied the damsel, "at this shameful sight, for +all these knights came hither to rescue my sister; and when the Knight of +the Redlands had overcome them, he put them to this piteous death, without +mercy; and in such wise will he treat thee also unless thou bearest thee +more valiantly than they." "Truly he useth shameful customs," said Sir +Beaumains; "and it is a marvel that he hath endured so long." + +So they rode onward to the castle walls, and found them double-moated, and +heard the sea waves dashing on one side the walls. Then said the damsel, +"See you that ivory horn hanging upon the sycamore-tree? The Knight of the +Redlands hath hung it there, that any knight may blow thereon, and then +will he himself come out and fight with him. But I pray thee sound it not +till high noontide, for now it is but daybreak, and till noon his strength +increases to the might of seven men." "Let that be as it may, fair +damsel," answered he, "for were he stronger knight than ever lived, I +would not fail him. Either will I defeat him at his mightiest, or die +knightly in the field." With that he spurred his horse unto the sycamore, +and blew the ivory horn so eagerly, that all the castle rang its echoes. +Instantly, all the knights who were in the pavilions ran forth, and those +within the castle looked out from the windows, or above the walls. And the +Knight of the Redlands, arming himself quickly in blood-red armour, with +spear, and shield, and horse's trappings of like colour, rode forth into a +little valley by the castle walls, so that all in the castle, and at the +siege, might see the battle. + +"Be of good cheer," said the damsel Linet to Sir Beaumains, "for thy +deadly enemy now cometh; and at yonder window is my lady and sister, Dame +Lyones." "In good sooth," said Sir Beaumains, "she is the fairest lady I +have ever seen, and I would wish no better quarrel than to fight for her." +With that, he looked up to the window, and saw the Lady Lyones, who waved +her handkerchief to her sister and to him to cheer them. Then called the +Knight of the Redlands to Sir Beaumains, "Leave now thy gazing, Sir +knight, and turn to me, for I warn thee that lady is mine." "She loveth +none of thy fellowship," he answered; "but know this, that I love her, and +will rescue her from thee, or die." "Say ye so!" said the Red Knight. +"Take ye no warning from those knights that hang on yonder trees?" "For +shame that thou so boastest!" said Sir Beaumains. "Be sure that sight hath +raised a hatred for thee that will not lightly be put out, and given me +not fear, but rage." "Sir knight, defend thyself," said the Knight of the +Redlands, "for we will talk no longer." + +Then did they put their spears in rest, and came together at the fullest +speed of their horses, and smote each other in the midst of their shields, +so that their horses' harness sundered by the shock, and they fell to the +ground. And both lay there so long time, stunned, that many deemed their +necks were broken. And all men said the strange knight was a strong man, +and a noble jouster, for none had ever yet so matched the Knight of the +Redlands. Then, in a while, they rose, and putting up their shields before +them, drew their swords, and fought with fury, running at each other like +wild beasts--now striking such buffets that both reeled backwards, now +hewing at each other till they shore the harness off in pieces, and left +their bodies naked and unarmed. And thus they fought till noon was past, +when, for a time they rested to get breath, so sorely staggering and +bleeding, that many who beheld them wept for pity. Then they renewed the +battle--sometimes rushing so furiously together, that both fell to the +ground, and anon changing swords in their confusion. Thus they endured, +and lashed, and struggled, until eventide, and none who saw knew which was +the likeliest to win; for though the Knight of the Redlands was a wily and +subtle warrior, his subtlety made Sir Beaumains wilier and wiser too. So +once again they rested for a little space, and took their helms off to +find breath. + +But when Sir Beaumains' helm was off, he looked up to Dame Lyones, where +she leaned, gazing and weeping, from her window. And when he saw the +sweetness of her smiling, all his heart was light and joyful, and starting +up, he bade the Knight of the Redlands make ready. Then did they lace +their helms and fight together yet afresh, as though they had never fought +before. And at the last, the Knight of the Redlands with a sudden stroke +smote Sir Beaumains on the hand, so that his sword fell from it, and with +a second stroke upon the helm he drove him to the earth. Then cried aloud +the damsel Linet, "Alas! Sir Beaumains, see how my sister weepeth to +behold thee fallen!" And when Sir Beaumains heard her words, he sprang +upon his feet with strength, and leaping to his sword, he caught it; and +with many heavy blows pressed so sorely on the Knight of the Redlands, +that in the end he smote his sword from out his hand, and, with a mighty +blow upon the head, hurled him upon the ground. + +Then Sir Beaumains unlaced his helm, and would have straightway slain him, +but the Knight of the Redlands yielded, and prayed for mercy. "I may not +spare thee," answered he, "because of the shameful death which thou hast +given to so many noble knights." "Yet hold thy hand, Sir knight," said he, +"and hear the cause. I loved once a fair damsel, whose brother was slain, +as she told me, by a knight of Arthur's court, either Sir Lancelot, or Sir +Gawain; and she prayed me, as I truly loved her, and by the faith of my +knighthood, to labour daily in deeds of arms, till I should meet with him; +and to put all knights of the Round Table whom I should overcome to a +villainous death. And this I swore to her." Then prayed the earls, and +knights, and barons, who stood round Sir Beaumains, to spare the Red +Knight's life. "Truly," replied he, "I am loth to slay him, +notwithstanding he hath done such shameful deeds. And inasmuch as what he +did was done to please his lady and to gain her love, I blame him less, +and for your sakes I will release him. But on this agreement only shall he +hold his life--that straightway he depart into the castle, and yield him +to the lady there, and make her such amends as she shall ask, for all the +trespass he hath done upon her lands; and afterwards, that he shall go +unto King Arthur's court, and ask the pardon of Sir Lancelot and Sir +Gawain for all the evil he hath done against them." "All this, Sir knight, +I swear to do," said the Knight of the Redlands; and therewith he did him +homage and fealty. + +Then came the damsel Linet to Sir Beaumains and the Knight of the +Redlands, and disarmed them, and staunched their wounds. And when the +Knight of the Redlands had made amends for all his trespasses, he departed +for the court. + +Then Sir Beaumains, being healed of his wounds, armed himself, and took +his horse and spear and rode straight to the castle of Dame Lyones, for +greatly he desired to see her. But when he came to the gate they closed it +fast, and pulled the drawbridge up. And as he marvelled thereat, he saw +the Lady Lyones standing at a window, who said, "Go thy way as yet, Sir +Beaumains, for thou shalt not wholly have my love until thou be among the +worthiest knights of all the world. Go, therefore, and labour yet in arms +for twelve months more, and then return to me." "Alas! fair lady," said +Sir Beaumains, "I have scarce deserved this of thee, for sure I am that I +have bought thy love with all the best blood in my body." "Be not +aggrieved, fair knight," said she, "for none of thy service is forgot or +lost. Twelve months will soon be passed in noble deeds; and trust that to +my death I shall love thee and not another." With that she turned and left +the window. + +So Sir Beaumains rode away from the castle very sorrowrul at heart, and +rode he knew not whither, and lay that night in a poor man's cottage. On +the morrow he went forward, and came at noon to a broad lake, and thereby +he alighted, being very sad and weary, and rested his head upon his +shield, and told his dwarf to keep watch while he slept. + +Now, as soon as he had departed, the Lady Lyones repented, and greatly +longed to see him back, and asked her sister many times of what lineage he +was; but the damsel would not tell her, being bound by her oath to Sir +Beaumains, and said his dwarf best knew, So she called Sir Gringamors, +her brother, who dwelt with her, and prayed him to ride after Sir +Beaumains till he found him sleeping, and then to take his dwarf away and +bring him back to her. Anon Sir Gringamors departed, and rode till he came +to Sir Beaumains, and found him as he lay sleeping by the water-side. Then +stepping stealthily behind the dwarf he caught him in his arms and rode +off in haste. And though the dwarf cried loudly to his lord for help, and +woke Sir Beaumains, yet, though he rode full quickly after him, he could +not overtake Sir Gringamors. + +When Dame Lyones saw her brother come back, she was passing glad of heart, +and forthwith asked the dwarf his master's lineage. "He is a king's son," +said the dwarf, "and his mother is King Arthur's sister. His name is Sir +Gareth of Orkney, and he is brother to the good knight, Sir Gawain. But I +pray you suffer me to go back to my lord, for truly he will never leave +this country till he have me again." But when the Lady Lyones knew her +deliverer was come of such a kingly stock, she longed more than ever to +see him again. + +Now as Sir Beaumains rode in vain to rescue his dwarf, he came to a fair +green road and met a poor man of the country, and asked him had he seen a +knight on a black horse, riding with a dwarf of a sad countenance behind +him. "Yea," said the man, "I met with such a knight an hour agone, and his +name is Sir Gringamors. He liveth at a castle two miles from hence; but he +is a perilous knight, and I counsel ye not to follow him save ye bear him +goodwill." Then Sir Beaumains followed the path which the poor man showed +him, and came to the castle. And riding to the gate in great anger, he +drew his sword, and cried aloud, "Sir Gringamors, thou traitor! deliver +me my dwarf again, or by my knighthood it shall be ill for thee!" Then Sir +Gringamors looked out of a window and said, "Sir Gareth of Orkney, leave +thy boasting words, for thou wilt not get thy dwarf again." But the Lady +Lyones said to her brother, "Nay brother, but I will that he have his +dwarf, for he hath done much for me, and delivered me from the Knight of +the Redlands, and well do I love him above all other knights." So Sir +Gringamors went down to Sir Gareth and cried him mercy, and prayed him to +alight and take good cheer. + +Then he alighted, and his dwarf ran to him. And when he was in the hall +came the Lady Lyones dressed royally like a princess. And Sir Gareth was +right glad of heart when he saw her. Then she told him how she had made +her brother take away his dwarf and bring him back to her. And then she +promised him her love, and faithfully to cleave to him and none other all +the days of her life. And so they plighted their troth to each other. Then +Sir Gringamors prayed him to sojourn at the castle, which willingly he +did. "For," said he, "I have promised to quit the court for twelve months, +though sure I am that in the meanwhile I shall be sought and found by my +lord King Arthur and many others." So he sojourned long at the castle. + +Anon the knights, Sir Perseant, Sir Perimones, and Sir Pertolope, whom Sir +Gareth had overthrown, went to King Arthur's court with all the knights +who did them service, and told the king they had been conquered by a +knight of his named Beaumains. And as they yet were talking, it was told +the king there came another great lord with five hundred knights, who, +entering in, did homage, and declared himself to be the Knight of the +Redlands. "But my true name," said he, "is Ironside, and I am hither sent +by one Sir Beaumains, who conquered me, and charged me to yield unto your +grace." "Thou art welcome," said King Arthur, "for thou hast been long a +foe to me and mine, and truly I am much beholden to the knight who sent +thee. And now, Sir Ironside, if thou wilt amend thy life and hold of me, I +will entreat thee as a friend, and make thee Knight of the Round Table; +but thou mayst no more be a murderer of noble knights." Then the Knight of +the Redlands knelt to the king, and told him of his promise to Sir +Beaumains to use never more such shameful customs; and how he had so done +but at the prayer of a lady whom he loved. Then knelt he to Sir Lancelot +and Sir Gawain, and prayed their pardon for the hatred he had borne them. + +But the king and all the court marvelled greatly who Sir Beaumains was. +"For," said the king, "he is a full noble knight." Then said Sir Lancelot, +"Truly he is come of honourable blood, else had I not given him the order +of knighthood; but he charged me that I should conceal his secret." + +Now as they talked thus it was told King Arthur that his sister, the Queen +of Orkney, was come to the court with a great retinue of knights and +ladies. Then was there great rejoicing, and the king rose and saluted his +sister. And her sons, Sir Gawain, Sir Agravain, and Sir Gaheris knelt +before her and asked her blessing, for during fifteen years last past they +had not seen her. Anon she said, "Where is my youngest son, Sir Gareth? +for I know that he was here a twelvemonth with you, and that ye made a +kitchen knave of him. Then the king and all the knights knew that Sir +Beaumains and Sir Gareth were the same. "Truly," said the king, "I knew +him not." "Nor I," said Sir Gawain and both his brothers. Then said the +king, "God be thanked, fair sister, that he is proved as worshipful a +knight as any now alive, and by the grace of Heaven he shall be found +forthwith if he be anywhere within these seven realms." Then said Sir +Gawain and his brethren, "Lord, if ye will give us leave we will go seek +him." But Sir Lancelot said, "It were better that the king should send a +messenger to Dame Lyones and pray her to come hither with all speed, and +she will counsel where ye shall find him." "It is well said," replied the +king; and sent a messenger quickly unto Dame Lyones. + +When she heard the message she promised she would come forthwith, and told +Sir Gareth what the messenger had said, and asked him what to do. "I pray +you," said he, "tell them not where I am, but when my lord King Arthur +asketh for me, advise him thus--that he proclaim a tournament before this +castle on Assumption Day, and that the knight who proveth best shall win +yourself and all your lands." So the Lady Lyones departed and came to King +Arthur's court, and there was right nobly welcomed. And when they asked +her where Sir Gareth was, she said she could not tell. "But, lord," said +she, "with thy goodwill I will proclaim a tournament before my castle on +the Feast of the Assumption, whereof the prize shall be myself and all my +lands. Then if it be proclaimed that you, lord, and your knights will be +there, I will find knights on my side to fight you and yours, and thus am +I sure ye will hear tidings of Sir Gareth." "Be it so done," replied the +king. + +So Sir Gareth sent messengers privily to Sir Perseant and Sir Ironside, +and charged them to be ready on the day appointed, with their companies of +knights to aid him and his party against the king. And when they were +arrived he said, "Now be ye well assured that we shall be matched with the +best knights of the world, and therefore must we gather all the good +knights we can find." + +So proclamation was made throughout all England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, +and Cornwall, and in the out isles and other countries, that at the Feast +of the Assumption of our Lady, next coming, all knights who came to joust +at Castle Perilous should make choice whether they would side with the +king or with the castle. Then came many good knights on the side of the +castle. Sir Epinogris, the son of the King of Northumberland, and Sir +Palomedes the Saracen, and Sir Grummore Grummorsum, a good knight of +Scotland, and Sir Brian des Iles, a noble knight, and Sir Carados of the +Tower Dolorous, and Sir Tristram, who as yet was not a knight of the Round +Table, and many others. But none among them knew Sir Gareth, for he took +no more upon him than any mean person. + +And on King Arthur's side there came the King of Ireland and the King of +Scotland, the noble prince Sir Galahaut, Sir Gawain and his brothers Sir +Agravain and Sir Gaheris, Sir Ewaine, Sir Tor, Sir Perceval, and Sir +Lamoracke, Sir Lancelot also and his kindred, Sir Lionel, Sir Ector, Sir +Bors and Sir Bedivere, likewise Sir Key and the most part of the Table +Round. The two queens also, Queen Guinevere and the Queen of Orkney, Sir +Gareth's mother, came with the king. So there was a great array both +within and without the castle, with all manner of feasting and minstrelsy. + +Now before the tournament began, Sir Gareth privily prayed Dame Lyones, +Sir Gringamors, Sir Ironside, and Sir Perseant, that they would in nowise +disclose his name, nor make more of him than of any common knight. Then +said Dame Lyones, "Dear lord, I pray thee take this ring, which hath the +power to change the wearer's clothing into any colour he may will, and +guardeth him from any loss of blood. But give it me again, I pray thee, +when the tournament is done, for it greatly increaseth my beauty +whensoever I wear it." "Grammercy, mine own lady," said Sir Gareth, "I +wished for nothing better, for now I may be certainly disguised as long as +I will." Then Sir Gringamors gave Sir Gareth a bay courser that was a +passing good horse, with sure armour, and a noble sword, won by his father +from a heathen tyrant. And then every knight made him ready for the +tournament. + +So on the day of the Assumption, when mass and matins were said, the +heralds blew their trumpets and sounded for the tourney. Anon came out the +knights of the castle and the knights of King Arthur, and matched +themselves together. + +Then Sir Epinogris, son of the King of Northumberland, a knight of the +castle, encountered Sir Ewaine, and both broke off their spears short to +their hands. Then came Sir Palomedes from the castle, and met Sir Gawain, +and they so hardly smote each other, that both knights and horses fell to +the earth. Then Sir Tristram, from the castle, encountered with Sir +Bedivere, and smote him to the earth, horse and man. Then the Knight of +the Redlands and Sir Gareth met with Sir Bors and Sir Bleoberis; and the +Knight of the Redlands and Sir Bors smote together so hard that their +spears burst, and their horses fell grovelling to the ground. And Sir +Bleoberis brake his spear upon Sir Gareth, but himself was hurled upon +the ground. When Sir Galihodin saw that, he bade Sir Gareth keep him, but +Sir Gareth lightly smote him to the earth. Then Sir Galihud got a spear to +avenge his brother, but was served in like manner. And Sir Dinadam, and +his brother La-cote-male-taile, and Sir Sagramour le Desirous, and Dodinas +le Savage, he bore down all with one spear. + +When King Anguish of Ireland saw this, he marvelled what that knight could +be who seemed at one time green and at another blue; for so at every +course he changed his colour that none might know him. Then he ran towards +him and encountered him, and Sir Gareth smote the king from his horse, +saddle and all. And in like manner he served the King of Scotland, and +King Urience of Gore, and King Bagdemagus. + +Then Sir Galahaut, the noble prince, cried out, "Knight of the many +colours! thou hast jousted well; now make thee ready to joust with me." +When Sir Gareth heard him, he took a great spear and met him swiftly. And +the prince's spear broke off, but Sir Gareth smote him on the left side of +the helm, so that he reeled here and there, and had fallen down had not +his men recovered him. "By my faith," said King Arthur, "that knight of +the many colours is a good knight. I pray thee, Sir Lancelot du Lake, +encounter with him." "Lord," said Sir Lancelot, "by thy leave I will +forbear. I find it in my heart to spare him at this time, for he hath done +enough work for one day; and when a good knight doth so well it is no +knightly part to hinder him from this honour. And peradventure his quarrel +is here to-day, and he may be the best beloved of the Lady Lyones of all +that be here; for I see well he paineth and forceth himself to do great +deeds. Therefore, as for me, this day he shall have the honour; for +though I were able to put him from it, I would not." "You speak well and +truly," said the king. + +Then after the tilting, they drew swords, and there began a great +tournament, and there Sir Lancelot did marvellous deeds of arms, for first +he fought with both Sir Tristram and Sir Carados, albeit they were the +most perilous in all the world. Then came Sir Gareth and put them asunder, +but would not smite a stroke against Sir Lancelot, for by him he had been +knighted. Anon Sir Gareth's helm had need of mending, and he rode aside to +see to it and to drink water, for he was sore athirst with all his mighty +feats of strength. And while he drank, his dwarf said to him, "Give me +your ring, lest ye lose it while ye drink." So Sir Gareth took it off. And +when he had finished drinking, he rode back eagerly to the field, and in +his haste forgot to take the ring again. Then all the people saw that he +wore yellow armour. And King Arthur told a herald, "Ride and espy the +cognizance of that brave knight, for I have asked many who he is, and none +can tell me." + +Then the herald rode near, and saw written round about his helmet in +letters of gold, "Sir Gareth of Orkney." And instantly the herald cried +his name aloud, and all men pressed to see him. + +But when he saw he was discovered, he pushed with haste through all the +crowd, and cried to his dwarf, Boy, thou hast beguiled me foully in +keeping my ring; give it me again, that I may be hidden." And as soon as +he had put it on, his armour changed again, and no man knew where he had +gone. Then he passed forth from the field; but Sir Gawain, his brother, +rode after him. + +And when Sir Gareth had ridden far into the forest, he took off his ring, +and sent it back by the dwarf to the Lady Lyones, praying her to be true +and faithful to him while he was away. + +Then rode Sir Gareth long through the forest, till night fell, and coming +to a castle he went up to the gate, and prayed the porter to let him in. +But churlishly he answered "that he should not lodge there." Then said Sir +Gareth, "Tell thy lord and lady that I am a knight of King Arthur's court, +and for his sake I pray their shelter." With that the porter went to the +duchess who owned the castle. "Let him in straightway," cried she; "for +the king's sake he shall not be harbourless!" and went down to receive +him. When Sir Gareth saw her coming, he saluted her, and said, "Fair lady, +I pray you give me shelter for this night, and if there be here any +champion or giant with whom I must needs fight, spare me till to-morrow, +when I and my horse shall have rested, for we are full weary." "Sir +knight," she said, "thou speakest boldly; for the lord of this castle is a +foe to King Arthur and his court, and if thou wilt rest here to-night thou +must agree, that wheresoever thou mayest meet my lord, thou must yield to +him as a prisoner." "What is thy lord's name, lady?" said Sir Gareth. "The +Duke de la Rowse," said she. "I will promise thee," said he, "to yield to +him, if he promise to do me no harm; but if he refuse, I will release +myself with my sword and spear." + +"It is well," said the duchess; and commanded the drawbridge to be let +down. So he rode into the hall and alighted. And when he had taken off his +armour, the duchess and her ladies made him passing good cheer. And after +supper his bed was made in the hall, and there he rested that night. On +the morrow he rose and heard mass, and having broken his fast, took his +leave and departed. + +[Illustration: So he rode into the hall and alighted.] + +And as he rode past a certain mountain there met him a knight named Sir +Bendelaine, and cried unto him "Thou shalt not pass unless thou joust with +me or be my prisoner!" "Then will we joust," replied Sir Gareth. So they +let their horses run at full speed, and Sir Gareth smote Sir Bendelaine +through his body so sorely that he scarcely reached his castle ere he fell +dead. And as Sir Gareth presently came by the castle, Sir Bendelaine's +knights and servants rode out to revenge their lord. And twenty of them +fell on him at once, although his spear was broken. But drawing his sword +he put his shield before him. And though they brake their spears upon him, +one and all, and sorely pressed on him, yet ever he defended himself like +a noble knight. Anon, finding they could not overcome him, they agreed to +slay his horse; and having killed it with their spears, they set upon Sir +Gareth as he fought on foot. But every one he struck he slew, and drave at +them with fearful blows, till he had slain them all but four, who fled. +Then taking the horse of one of those that lay there dead, he rode upon +his way. + +Anon he came to another castle and heard from within a sound as of many +women moaning and weeping. Then said he to a page who stood without, "What +noise is this I hear?" "Sir knight," said he, "there be within thirty +ladies, the widows of thirty knights who have been slain by the lord of +this castle. He is called the Brown Knight without pity, and is the most +perilous knight living, wherefore I warn thee to flee." "That will I never +do," said Sir Gareth, "for I fear him not." Then the page saw the Brown +Knight coming and said to Gareth, "Lo! my lord is near." + +So both knights made them ready and galloped their horses towards each +other, and the Brown Knight brake his spear upon Sir Gareth's shield; but +Sir Gareth smote him through the body so that he fell dead. At that he +rode into the castle and told the ladies he had slain their foe. Then were +they right glad of heart and made him all the cheer they could, and +thanked him out of measure. But on the morrow as he went to mass he found +the ladies weeping in the chapel upon divers tombs that were there. And he +knew that in those tombs their husbands lay. Then he bade them be +comforted, and with noble and high words he desired and prayed them all to +be at Arthur's court on the next Feast of Pentecost. + +So he departed and rode past a mountain where was a goodly knight waiting, +who said to him, "Abide, Sir knight, and joust with me!" "How are ye +named?" said Sir Gareth. "I am the Duke de la Rowse," answered he. "In +good sooth," then said Sir Gareth, "not long ago I lodged within your +castle, and there promised I would yield to you whenever we might meet." +"Art thou that proud knight," said the duke, "who was ready to fight with +me? Guard thyself therefore and make ready." So they ran together, and Sir +Gareth smote the duke from his horse. Then they alighted and drew their +swords, and fought full sorely for the space of an hour; and at the last +Sir Gareth smote the duke to the earth and would have slain him, but he +yielded. "Then must ye go," said Sir Gareth, "to my lord King Arthur at +the next Feast of Pentecost and say that I, Sir Gareth, sent ye." "As ye +will be it," said the duke; and gave him up his shield for pledge. + +And as Sir Gareth rode alone he saw an armed knight coming towards him. +And putting the duke's shield before him he rode fast to tilt with him; +and so they ran together as it had been thunder, and brake their spears +upon each other. Then fought they fiercely with their swords and lashed +together with such mighty strokes that blood ran to the ground on every +side. And after they had fought together for two hours and more, it +chanced the damsel Linet passed that way; and when she saw them she cried +out, "Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth, leave your fighting, for ye are +brethren!" At that they threw away their shields and swords, and took each +other in their arms and wept a great while ere they could speak. And each +gave to the other the honour of the battle, and there was many a kind word +between them. Then said Sir Gawain, "O my brother, for your sake have I +had great sorrow and labour! But truly I would honour you though ye were +not my brother, for ye have done great worship to King Arthur and his +court, and sent more knights to him than any of the Table Round, except +Sir Lancelot." + +Then the damsel Linet staunched their wounds, and their horses being weary +she rode her palfrey to King Arthur and told him of this strange +adventure. When she had told her tidings, the king himself mounted his +horse and bade all come with him to meet them. So a great company of lords +and ladies went forth to meet the brothers. And when King Arthur saw them +he would have spoken hearty words, but for gladness he could not. And both +Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth fell down at their uncle's knees and did him +homage, and there was passing great joy and gladness among them all. + +Then said the king to the damsel Linet, "Why cometh not the Lady Lyones to +visit her knight, Sir Gareth, who hath had such travail for her love?" +"She knoweth not, my lord, that he is here," replied the damsel, "for +truly she desireth greatly to see him." "Go ye and bring her hither," +said the king. So the damsel rode to tell her sister where Sir Gareth was, +and when she heard it she rejoiced full heartily and came with all the +speed she could. And when Sir Gareth saw her, there was great joy and +comfort between them. + +Then the king asked Sir Gareth whether he would have that lady for his +wife? "My lord," replied Sir Gareth, "know well that I love her above all +ladies living." "Now, fair lady," said King Arthur, "what say ye?" "Most +noble king," she answered, "my lord, Sir Gareth, is my first love and +shall be my last, and if I may not have him for my husband I will have +none." Then said the king to them, "Be well assured that for my crown I +would not be the cause of parting your two hearts." + +Then was high preparation made for the marriage, for the king desired it +should be at the Michaelmas next following, at Kinkenadon-by-the-Sea. + +So Sir Gareth sent out messages to all the knights whom he had overcome in +battle that they should be there upon his marriage-day. + +Therefore, at the next Michaelmas, came a goodly company to +Kinkenadon-by-the-Sea. And there did the Archbishop of Canterbury marry +Sir Gareth and the Lady Lyones with all solemnity. And all the knights +whom Sir Gareth had overcome were at the feast; and every manner of revels +and games was held with music and minstrelsy. And there was a great +jousting for three days. But because of his bride the king would not +suffer Sir Gareth to joust. Then did King Arthur give great lands and +fair, with store of gold, to Sir Gareth and his wife, that so they might +live royally together to their lives' end. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +_The Adventures of Sir Tristram of Lyonesse_ + + +Again King Arthur held high festival at Caerleon, at Pentecost, and +gathered round him all the fellowship of the Round Table, and so, +according to his custom, sat and waited till some adventure should arise, +or some knight return to court whose deeds and perils might be told. + +Anon he saw Sir Lancelot and a crowd of knights coming through the doors +and leading in their midst the mighty knight, Sir Tristram. As soon as +King Arthur saw him, he rose up and went through half the hall, and held +out both his hands and cried, "Right welcome to thee, good Sir Tristram, +as welcome art thou as any knight that ever came before into this court. A +long time have I wished for thee amongst my fellowship." Then all the +knights and barons rose up with one accord and came around, and cried out, +"Welcome." Queen Guinevere came also, and many ladies with her, and all +with one voice said the same. + +Then the king took Sir Tristram by the hand and led him to the Round Table +and said, "Welcome again for one of the best and gentlest knights in all +the world; a chief in war, a chief in peace, a chief in field and forest, +a chief in the ladies' chamber--right heartily welcome to this court, and +mayest thou long abide in it." + +When he had so said he looked at every empty seat until he came to what +had been Sir Marhaus', and there he found written in gold letters, "This +is the seat of the noble knight, Sir Tristram." Whereat they made him, +with great cheer and gladness, a Fellow of the Round Table. + +Now the story of Sir Tristram was as follows:-- + +There was a king of Lyonesse, named Meliodas, married to the sister of +King Mark of Cornwall, a right fair lady and a good. And so it happened +that King Meliodas hunting in the woods was taken by enchantment and made +prisoner in a castle. When his wife Elizabeth heard it she was nigh mad +with grief, and ran into the forest to seek out her lord. But after many +days of wandering and sorrow she found no trace of him, and laid her down +in a deep valley and prayed to meet her death. And so indeed she did, but +ere she died she gave birth in the midst of all her sorrow to a child, a +boy, and called him with her latest breath Tristram; for she said, "His +name shall show how sadly he hath come into this world." + +Therewith she gave up her ghost, and the gentlewoman who was with her took +the child and wrapped it from the cold as well as she was able, and lay +down with it in her arms beneath the shadow of a tree hard by, expecting +death to come to her in turn. + +But shortly after came a company of lords and barons seeking for the +queen, and found the lady and the child and took them home. And on the +next day came King Meliodas, whom Merlin had delivered, and when he heard +of the queen's death his sorrow was greater than tongue can tell. And anon +he buried her solemnly and nobly, and called the child Tristram as she had +desired. + +Then for seven years King Meliodas mourned and took no comfort, and all +that time young Tristram was well nourished; but in a while he wedded with +the daughter of Howell, King of Brittany, who, that her own children might +enjoy the kingdom, cast about in her mind how she might destroy Tristram. +So on a certain day she put poison in a silver cup, where Tristram and her +children were together playing, that when he was athirst he might drink of +it and die. But so it happened that her own son saw the cup, and, thinking +it must hold good drink, he climbed and took it, and drank deeply of it, +and suddenly thereafter burst and fell down dead. + +When the queen heard that, her grief was very great, but her anger and +envy were fiercer than before, and soon again she put more poison in the +cup. And by chance one day her husband finding it when thirsty, took it up +and was about to drink therefrom, when, seeing him, she sprang up with a +mighty cry and dashed it from his hands. + +At that King Meliodas, wondering greatly, called to mind the sudden death +of his young child, and taking her fiercely by the hand he cried: + +"Traitress, tell me what drink is in this cup or I will slay thee in a +moment;" and therewith pulling out his sword he swore by a great oath to +slay her if she straightway told him not the truth. + +"Ah, mercy, lord," said she, and fell down at his feet; "mercy, and I will +tell thee all." + +And then she told him of her plot to murder Tristram, that her own sons +might enjoy the kingdom. + +"The law shall judge thee," said the king. + +And so anon she was tried before the barons, and condemned to be burnt to +death. + +But when the fire was made, and she brought out, came Tristram kneeling at +his father's feet and besought of him a favour. + +"Whatsoever thou desirest I will give thee," said the king. + +"Give me the life, then, of the queen, my stepmother," said he. + +"Thou doest wrong to ask it," said Meliodas; "for she would have slain +thee with her poisons if she could, and chiefly for thy sake she ought to +die." + +"Sir," said he, "as for that, I beseech thee of thy mercy to forgive it +her, and for my part may God pardon her as I do; and so I pray thee grant +me my boon, and for God's sake hold thee to thy promise." + +"If it must be so," said the king, "take thou her life, for to thee I give +it, and go and do with her as thou wilt." + +Then went young Tristram to the fire and loosed the queen from all her +bonds and delivered her from death. + +And after a great while by his good means the king again forgave and lived +in peace with her, though never more in the same lodgings. + +Anon was Tristram sent abroad to France in care of one named Governale. +And there for seven years he learned the language of the land, and all +knightly exercises and gentle crafts, and especially was he foremost in +music and in hunting, and was a harper beyond all others. And when at +nineteen years of age he came back to his father, he was as lusty and +strong of body and as noble of heart as ever man was seen. + +Now shortly after his return it befell that King Anguish of Ireland sent +to King Mark of Cornwall for the tribute due to Ireland, but which was now +seven years behindhand. To whom King Mark sent answer, if he would have it +he must send and fight for it, and they would find a champion to fight +against it. + +So King Anguish called for Sir Marhaus, his wife's brother, a good knight +of the Round Table, who lived then at his court, and sent him with a +knightly retinue in six great ships to Cornwall. And, casting anchor by +the castle of Tintagil, he sent up daily to King Mark for the tribute or +the champion. But no knight there would venture to assail him, for his +fame was very high in all the realm for strength and hardihood. + +Then made King Mark a proclamation throughout Cornwall, that if any knight +would fight Sir Marhaus he should stand at the king's right hand for +evermore, and have great honour and riches all the rest of his days. Anon +this news came to the land of Lyonesse, and when young Tristram heard it +he was angry and ashamed to think no knight of Cornwall durst assail the +Irish champion. "Alas," said he, "that I am not a knight, that I might +match this Marhaus! I pray you give me leave, sir, to depart to King +Mark's court and beg of his grace to make me knight." + +"Be ruled by thy own courage," said his father. + +So Tristram rode away forthwith to Tintagil to King Mark, and went up +boldly to him and said, "Sir, give me the order of knighthood and I will +fight to the uttermost with Sir Marhaus of Ireland." + +"What are ye, and whence come ye?" said the king, seeing he was but a +young man, though strong and well made both in body and limb. + +"My name is Tristram," said he, "and I was born in the country of +Lyonesse." + +"But know ye," said the king, "this Irish knight will fight with none who +be not come of royal blood and near of kin to kings or queens, as he +himself is, for his sister is the Queen of Ireland." + +Then said Tristram, "Let him know that I am come both on my father's and +my mother's side of blood as good as his, for my father is King Meliodas +and my mother was that Queen Elizabeth, thy sister, who died in the forest +at my birth." + +When King Mark heard that he welcomed him with all his heart, and knighted +him forthwith, and made him ready to go forth as soon as he would choose, +and armed him royally in armour covered with gold and silver. + +Then he sent Sir Marhaus word, "That a better man than he should fight +with him, Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, son of King Meliodas and of King +Mark's own sister." So the battle was ordained to be fought in an island +near Sir Marhaus' ships, and there Sir Tristram landed on the morrow, with +Governale alone attending him for squire, and him he sent back to the land +when he had made himself ready. + +When Sir Marhaus and Sir Tristram were thus left alone, Sir Marhaus said, +"Young knight Sir Tristram what doest thou here? I am full sorry for thy +rashness, for ofttimes have I been assailed in vain, and by the best +knights of the world. Be warned in time, return to them that sent thee." + +"Fair knight, and well-proved knight," replied Sir Tristram, "be sure that +I shall never quit this quarrel till one of us be overcome. For this cause +have I been made knight, and thou shalt know before we part that though as +yet unproved, I am a king's son and first-born of a queen. Moreover I have +promised to deliver Cornwall from this ancient burden, or to die. Also, +thou shouldst have known, Sir Marhaus, that thy valour and thy might are +but the better reasons why I should assail thee; for whether I win or lose +I shall gain honour to have met so great a knight as thou art." + +Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest against each +other, so that both knights and horses fell to the earth. But Sir Marhaus' +spear smote Sir Tristram a great wound in the side. Then, springing up +from their horses, they lashed together with their swords like two wild +boars. And when they had stricken together a great while they left off +strokes and lunged at one another's breasts and visors; but seeing this +availed not they hurtled together again to bear each other down. + +[Illustration: Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest +against each other.] + +Thus fought they more than half the day, till both were sorely spent and +blood ran from them to the ground on every side. But by this time Sir +Tristram remained fresher than Sir Marhaus and better winded, and with a +mighty stroke he smote him such a buffet as cut through his helm into his +brain-pan, and there his sword stuck in so fast that thrice Sir Tristram +pulled ere he could get it from his head. Then fell Sir Marhaus down upon +his knees, and the edge of Sir Tristram's sword broke off into his +brain-pan. And suddenly when he seemed dead, Sir Marhaus rose and threw +his sword and shield away from him and ran and fled into his ship. And +Tristram cried out after him, "Aha! Sir knight of the Round Table, dost +thou withdraw thee from so young a knight? it is a shame to thee and all +thy kin; I would rather have been hewn into a hundred pieces than have +fled from thee." + +But Sir Marhaus answered nothing, and sorely groaning fled away. + +"Farewell, Sir knight, farewell," laughed Tristram, whose own voice now +was hoarse and faint with loss of blood; "I have thy sword and shield in +my safe keeping, and will wear them in all places where I ride on my +adventures, and before King Arthur and the Table Round." + +Then was Sir Marhaus taken back to Ireland by his company; and as soon as +he arrived his wounds were searched, and when they searched his head they +found therein a piece of Tristram's sword; but all the skill of surgeons +was in vain to move it out. So anon Sir Marhaus died. + +But the queen, his sister, took the piece of sword-blade and put it safely +by, for she thought that some day it might help her to revenge her +brother's death. + +Meanwhile, Sir Tristram, being sorely wounded, sat down softly on a little +mound and bled passing fast; and in that evil case was found anon by +Governale and King Mark's knights. Then they gently took him up and +brought him in a barge back to the land, and lifted him into a bed within +the castle, and had his wounds dressed carefully. + +But for a great while he lay sorely sick, and was likely to have died of +the first stroke Sir Marhaus had given him with the spear, for the point +of it was poisoned. And, though the wisest surgeons and leeches--both men +and women--came from every part, yet could he be by no means cured. At +last came a wise lady, and said plainly that Sir Tristram never should be +healed, until he went and stayed in that same country whence the poison +came. When this was understood, the king sent Sir Tristram in a fair and +goodly ship to Ireland, and by fortune he arrived fast by a castle where +the king and queen were. And as the ship was being anchored, he sat upon +his bed and harped a merry lay, and made so sweet a music as was never +equalled. + +When the king heard that the sweet harper was a wounded knight, he sent +for him, and asked his name. "I am of the country of Lyonesse," he +answered, "and my name is Tramtrist;" for he dared not tell his true name +lest the vengeance of the queen should fall upon him for her brother's +death. + +"Well," said King Anguish, "thou art right welcome here, and shalt have +all the help this land can give thee; but be not anxious if I am at times +cast down and sad, for but lately in Cornwall the best knight in the +world, fighting for my cause, was slain; his name was Sir Marhaus, a +knight of King Arthur's Round Table." And then he told Sir Tristram all +the story of Sir Marhaus' battle, and Sir Tristram made pretence of great +surprise and sorrow, though he knew all far better than the king himself. + +Then was he put in charge of the king's daughter, La Belle Isault, to be +healed of his wound, and she was as fair and noble a lady as men's eyes +might see. And so marvellously was she skilled in medicine, that in a few +days she fully cured him; and in return Sir Tristram taught her the harp; +so, before long, they two began to love each other greatly. + +But at that time a heathen knight, Sir Palomedes, was in Ireland, and much +cherished by the king and queen. He also loved mightily La Belle Isault, +and never wearied of making her great gifts, and seeking for her favour, +and was ready even to be christened for her sake. Sir Tristram therefore +hated him out of measure, and Sir Palomedes was full of rage and envy +against Tristram. + +And so it befell that King Anguish proclaimed a great tournament to be +held, the prize whereof should be a lady called the Lady of the Launds, of +near kindred to the king: and her the winner of the tournament should wed +in three days afterwards, and possess all her lands. When La Belle Isault +told Sir Tristram of this tournament, he said, "Fair lady! I am yet a +feeble knight, and but for thee had been a dead man now: what wouldest +thou I should do? Thou knowest well I may not joust." + +"Ah, Tristram," said she, "why wilt thou not fight in this tournament? Sir +Palomedes will be there, and will do his mightiest; and therefore be thou +there, I pray thee, or else he will be winner of the prize." + +"Madam," said Tristram, "I will go, and for thy sake will do my best; but +let me go unknown to all men; and do thou, I pray thee, keep my counsel, +and help me to a disguise." + +So on the day of jousting came Sir Palomedes, with a black shield, and +overthrew many knights. And all the people wondered at his prowess; for on +the first day he put to the worse Sir Gawain, Sir Gaheris, Sir Agravaine, +Sir Key, and many more from far and near. And on the morrow he was +conqueror again, and overthrew the king with a hundred knights and the +King of Scotland. But presently Sir Tristram rode up to the lists, having +been let out at a privy postern of the castle, where none could see. La +Belle Isault had dressed him in white armour and given him a white horse +and shield, and so he came suddenly into the field as it had been a bright +angel. + +As soon as Sir Palomedes saw him he ran at him with a great spear in rest, +but Sir Tristram was ready, and at the first encounter hurled him to the +ground. Then there arose a great cry that the knight with the black shield +was overthrown. And Palomedes sorely hurt and shamed, sought out a secret +way and would have left the field; but Tristram watched him, and rode +after him, and bade him stay, for he had not yet done with him. Then did +Sir Palomedes turn with fury, and lash at Sir Tristram with his sword; but +at the first stroke Sir Tristram smote him to the earth, and cried, "Do +now all my commands, or take thy death." Then he yielded to Sir Tristram's +mercy, and promised to forsake La Belle Isault, and for twelve months to +wear no arms or armour. And rising up, he cut his armour off him into +shreds with rage and madness, and turned and left the field: and Sir +Tristram also left the lists, and rode back to the castle through the +postern gate. + +Then was Sir Tristram long cherished by the King and Queen of Ireland, and +ever with La Belle Isault. But on a certain day, while he was bathing, +came the queen with La Belle Isault by chance into his chamber, and saw +his sword lie naked on the bed: anon she drew it from the scabbard and +looked at it a long while, and both thought it a passing fair sword; but +within a foot and a half of the end there was a great piece broken out, +and while the queen was looking at the gap, she suddenly remembered the +piece of sword-blade that was found in the brain-pan of her brother Sir +Marhaus. + +Therewith she turned and cried, "By my faith, this is the felon knight who +slew thy uncle!" And running to her chamber she sought in her casket for +the piece of iron from Sir Marhaus' head and brought it back, and fitted +it in Tristram's sword; and surely did it fit therein as closely as it had +been but yesterday broke out. + +[Illustration: And running to her chamber, she sought in her casket for +the piece of iron ... and fitted it in Tristram's sword.] + +Then the queen caught the sword up fiercely in her hand, and ran into the +room where Sir Tristram was yet in his bath, and making straight for him, +had run him through the body, had not his squire, Sir Hebes, got her in +his arms, and pulled the sword away from her. + +Then ran she to the king, and fell upon her knees before him, saying, +"Lord and husband, thou hast here in thy house that felon knight who slew +my brother Marhaus!" + +"Who is it?" said the king. + +"It is Sir Tristram!" said she, "whom Isault hath healed." + +"Alas!" replied the king, "I am full grieved thereat, for he is a good +knight as ever I have seen in any field; but I charge thee leave thou him, +and let me deal with him." + +Then the king went to Sir Tristram's chamber and found him all armed and +ready to mount his horse, and said to him, "Sir Tristram, it is not to +prove me against thee I come, for it were shameful of thy host to seek thy +life. Depart in peace, but tell me first thy name, and whether thou +slewest my brother, Sir Marhaus." + +Then Sir Tristram told him all the truth, and how he had hid his name, to +be unknown in Ireland; and when he had ended, the king declared he held +him in no blame. "Howbeit, I cannot for mine honour's sake retain thee at +this court, for so I should displease my barons, and my wife, and all her +kin." + +"Sir," said Sir Tristram, "I thank thee for the goodness thou hast shown +me here, and for the great goodness my lady, thy daughter, hath shown me; +and it may chance to be more for thy advantage if I live than if I die; +for wheresoever I may be, I shall ever seek thy service, and shall be my +lady thy daughter's servant in all places, and her knight in right and +wrong, and shall never fail to do for her as much as knight can do." + +Then Sir Tristram went to La Belle Isault, and took his leave of her. "O +gentle knight," said she, "full of grief am I at your departing, for never +yet I saw a man to love so well." + +"Madam," said he, "I promise faithfully that all my life I shall be your +knight." + +Then Sir Tristram gave her a ring, and she gave him another, and after +that he left her, weeping and lamenting, and went among the barons, and +openly took his leave of them all, saying, "Fair lords, it so befalleth +that I now must depart hence; therefore, if there be any here whom I have +offended or who is grieved with me, let him now say it, and before I go I +will amend it to the utmost of my power. And if there be but one who +would speak shame of me behind my back, let him say it now or never, and +here is my body to prove it on--body against body." + +And all stood still and said no word, though some there were of the +queen's kindred who would have assailed him had they dared. + +So Sir Tristram departed from Ireland and took the sea and came with a +fair wind to Tintagil. And when the news came to King Mark that Sir +Tristram was returned, healed of his wound, he was passing glad, and so +were all his barons. And when he had visited the king his uncle, he rode +to his father, King Meliodas, and there had all the heartiest welcome that +could be made him. And both the king and queen gave largely to him of +their lands and goods. + +Anon he came again to King Mark's court, and there lived in great joy and +pleasure, till within a while the king grew jealous of his fame, and of +the love and favour shown him by all damsels. And as long as King Mark +lived, he never after loved Sir Tristram, though there was much fair +speech between them. + +Then it befell upon a certain day that the good knight Sir Bleoberis de +Ganis, brother to Sir Blamor de Ganis, and nigh cousin to Sir Lancelot of +the Lake, came to King Mark's court and asked of him a favour. And though +the king marvelled, seeing he was a man of great renown, and a knight of +the Round Table, he granted him all his asking. Then said Sir Bleoberis, +"I will have the fairest lady in your court, at my own choosing." + +"I may not say thee nay," replied the king; "choose therefore, but take +all the issues of thy choice." + +So when he had looked around, he chose the wife of Earl Segwarides, and +took her by the hand, and set her upon horseback behind his squire, and +rode forth on his way. + +Presently thereafter came in the earl, and rode out straightway after him +in rage. But all the ladies cried out shame upon Sir Tristram that he had +not gone, and one rebuked him foully and called him coward knight, that he +would stand and see a lady forced away from his uncle's court. But Sir +Tristram answered her, "Fair lady, it is not my place to take part in this +quarrel while her lord and husband is here to do it. Had he not been at +this court, peradventure I had been her champion. And if it so befall that +he speed ill, then may it happen that I speak with that foul knight before +he pass out of this realm." + +Anon ran in one of Sir Segwarides' squires, and told that his master was +sore wounded, and at the point of death. When Sir Tristram heard that, he +was soon armed and on his horse, and Governale, his servant, followed him +with shield and spear. + +And as he rode, he met his cousin Sir Andret, who had been commanded by +King Mark to bring home to him two knights of King Arthur's court who +roamed the country thereabouts seeking adventures. + +"What tidings?" said Sir Tristram. + +"God help me, never worse," replied his cousin; "for those I went to bring +have beaten and defeated me, and set my message at naught." + +"Fair cousin," said Sir Tristram, "ride ye on your way, perchance if I +should meet them ye may be revenged." + +So Sir Andret rode into Cornwall, but Sir Tristram rode after the two +knights who had misused him, namely, Sir Sagramour le Desirous, and Sir +Dodinas le Savage. And before long he saw them but a little way before +him. + +"Sir," said Governale, "by my advice thou wilt leave them alone, for they +be two well-proved knights of Arthur's court." + +"Shall I not therefore rather meet them?" said Sir Tristram, and, riding +swiftly after them, he called to them to stop, and asked them whence they +came, and whither they were going, and what they were doing in those +marches. + +Sir Sagramour looked haughtily at Sir Tristram, and made mocking of his +words, and said, "Fair knight, be ye a knight of Cornwall?" + +"Wherefore askest thou that?" said Tristram. + +"Truly, because it is full seldom seen," replied Sir Sagramour, "that +Cornish knights are valiant with their arms as with their tongues. It is +but two hours since there met us such a Cornish knight, who spoke great +words with might and prowess, but anon, with little mastery, he was laid +on earth, as I trow wilt thou be also." + +"Fair lords," said Sir Tristram, "it may chance I be a better man than he; +but, be that as it may, he was my cousin, and for his sake I will assail +ye both; one Cornish knight against ye two." + +When Sir Dodinas le Savage heard this speech, he caught at his spear and +said, "Sir knight, keep well thyself;" and then they parted and came +together as it had been thunder, and Sir Dodinas' spear split asunder; but +Sir Tristram smote him with so full a stroke as hurled him over his +horse's crupper, and nearly brake his neck. Sir Sagramour, seeing his +fellow's fall, marvelled who this new knight might be, and dressed his +spear, and came against Sir Tristram as a whirlwind; but Sir Tristram +smote him a mighty buffet, and rolled him with his horse down on the +ground; and in the falling he brake his thigh. + +Then, looking at them both as they lay grovelling on the grass, Sir +Tristram said, "Fair knights, will ye joust any more? Are there no bigger +knights in King Arthur's court? Will ye soon again speak shame of Cornish +knights?" + +"Thou hast defeated us, in truth," replied Sir Sagramour, "and on the +faith of knighthood I require thee tell us thy right name?" + +"Ye charge me by a great thing," said Sir Tristram, "and I will answer +ye." + +And when they heard his name the two knights were right glad that they had +met Sir Tristram, for his deeds were known through all the land, and they +prayed him to abide in their company. + +"Nay," said he, "I must find a fellow-knight of yours, Sir Bleoberis de +Ganis, whom I seek." + +"God speed you well," said the two knights; and Sir Tristram rode away. + +Soon he saw before him in a valley Sir Bleoberis with Sir Segwarides' wife +riding behind his squire upon a palfrey. At that he cried out aloud, +"Abide, Sir knight of King Arthur's court, bring back again that lady or +deliver her to me." + +"I will not," said Bleoberis, "for I dread no Cornish knight." + +"Why," said Sir Tristram, "may not a Cornish knight do well as any other? +This day, but three miles back, two knights of thy own court met me, and +found one Cornish knight enough for both before we parted." + +"What were their names?" said Sir Bleoberis. + +"Sir Sagramour le Desirous and Sir Dodinas le Savage," said Sir Tristram. + +"Ah," said Sir Bleoberis, amazed; "hast thou then met with them? By my +faith, they were two good knights and men of worship, and if thou hast +beat both thou must needs be a good knight; but for all that thou shalt +beat me also ere thou hast this lady." + +"Defend thee, then," cried out Sir Tristram, and came upon him swiftly +with his spear in rest. But Sir Bleoberis was as swift as he, and each +bore down the other, horse and all, on to the earth. + +Then they sprang clear of their horses, and lashed together full eagerly +and mightily with their swords, tracing and traversing on the right hand +and on the left more than two hours, and sometimes rushing together with +such fury that they both lay grovelling on the ground. At last Sir +Bleoberis started back and said, "Now, gentle knight, hold hard awhile, +and let us speak together." + +"Say on," said Sir Tristram, "and I will answer thee." + +"Sir," said Sir Bleoberis, "I would know thy name, and court, and +country." + +"I have no shame to tell them," said Sir Tristram. "I am King Meliodas' +son, and my mother was sister to King Mark, from whose court I now come. +My name is Sir Tristram de Lyonesse." "Truly," said Sir Bleoberis, "I am +right glad to hear it, for thou art he that slew Sir Marhaus hand-to-hand, +fighting for the Cornish tribute; and overcame Sir Palomedes at the great +Irish tournament, where also thou didst overthrow Sir Gawain and his nine +companions." + +"I am that knight," said Sir Tristram, "and now I pray thee tell me thy +name." + +"I am Sir Bleoberis de Ganis, cousin of Sir Lancelot of the Lake, one of +the best knights in all the world," he answered. + +"Thou sayest truth," said Sir Tristram; "for Sir Lancelot, as all men +know, is peerless in courtesy and knighthood, and for the great love I +bear to his name I will not willingly fight more with thee his kinsman." + +"In good faith, sir," said Sir Bleoberis, "I am as loth to fight thee +more; but since thou hast followed me to win this lady, I proffer thee +kindness, courtesy, and gentleness; this lady shall be free to go with +which of us she pleaseth best." + +"I am content," said Sir Tristram, "for I doubt not she will come to me." + +"That shalt thou shortly prove," said he, and called his squire, and set +the lady in the midst between them, who forthwith walked to Sir Bleoberis +and elected to abide with him. Which, when Sir Tristram saw, he was in +wondrous anger with her, and felt that he could scarce for shame return to +King Mark's court. But Sir Bleoberis said, "Hearken to me, good knight, +Sir Tristram, because King Mark gave me free choice of any gift, and +because this lady chose to go with me, I took her; but now I have +fulfilled my quest and my adventure, and for thy sake she shall be sent +back to her husband at the abbey where he lieth." + +So Sir Tristram rode back to Tintagil, and Sir Bleoberis to the abbey +where Sir Segwarides lay wounded, and there delivered up his lady, and +departed as a noble knight. + +After this adventure Sir Tristram abode still at his uncle's court, till +in the envy of his heart King Mark devised a plan to be rid of him. So on +a certain day he desired him to depart again for Ireland, and there demand +La Belle Isault on his behalf, to be his queen--for ever had Sir Tristram +praised her beauty and her goodness, till King Mark desired to wed her for +himself. Moreover, he believed his nephew surely would be slain by the +queen's kindred if he once were found again in Ireland. + +But Sir Tristram, scorning fear, made ready to depart, and took with him +the noblest knights that could be found, arrayed in the richest fashion. + +And when they were come to Ireland, upon a certain day Sir Tristram gave +his uncle's message, and King Anguish consented thereto. + +But when La Belle Isault was told the tidings she was very sorrowful and +loth--yet made she ready to set forth with Sir Tristram, and took with her +Dame Bragwaine, her chief gentlewoman. Then the queen gave Dame Bragwaine, +and Governale, Sir Tristram's servant, a little flask, and charged them +that La Belle Isault and King Mark should both drink of it on their +marriage day, and then should they surely love each other all their lives. + +Anon, Sir Tristram and Isault, with a great company, took the sea and +departed. And so it chanced that one day sitting in their cabin they were +athirst, and saw a little flask of gold which seemed to hold good wine. So +Sir Tristram took it up, and said, "Fair lady, this looketh to be the best +of wines, and your maid, Dame Bragwaine, and my servant, Governale, have +kept it for themselves." Thereat they both laughed merrily, and drank each +after other from the flask, and never before had they tasted any wine +which seemed so good and sweet. But by the time they had finished drinking +they loved each other so well that their love nevermore might leave them +for weal or woe. And thus it came to pass that though Sir Tristram might +never wed La Belle Isault, he did the mightiest deeds of arms for her sake +only all his life. + +[Illustration: By the time they had finished drinking they loved each +other so well that their love never more might leave them.] + +Then they sailed onwards till they came to a castle called Pluere, where +they would have rested. But anon there ran forth a great company and took +them prisoners. And when they were in prison, Sir Tristram asked a knight +and lady whom they found therein wherefore they were so shamefully dealt +with; "for," said he, "it was never the custom of any place of honour that +I ever came unto to seize a knight and lady asking shelter and thrust them +into prison, and a full evil and discourteous custom is it." + +"Sir," said the knight, "know ye not that this is called the Castle +Pluere, or the weeping castle, and that it is an ancient custom here that +whatsoever knight abideth in it must needs fight the lord of it, Sir +Brewnor, and he that is the weakest shall lose his head. And if the lady +he hath with him be less fair than the lord's wife, she shall lose her +head; but if she be fairer, then must the lady of the castle lose her +head." + +"Now Heaven help me," said Sir Tristram, "but this is a foul and shameful +custom. Yet have I one advantage, for my lady is the fairest that doth +live in all the world, so that I nothing fear for her; and as for me, I +will full gladly fight for my own head in a fair field." + +Then said the knight, "Look ye be up betimes to-morrow, and make you ready +and your lady." + +And on the morrow came Sir Brewnor to Sir Tristram, and put him and Isault +forth out of prison, and brought him a horse and armour, and bade him make +ready, for all the commons and estates of that lordship waited in the +field to see and judge the battle. + +Then Sir Brewnor, holding his lady by the hand, all muffled, came forth, +and Sir Tristram went to meet him with La Belle Isault beside him, muffled +also. Then said Sir Brewnor, "Sir knight, if thy lady be fairer than mine, +with thy sword smite off my lady's head; but if my lady be fairer than +thine, with my sword I will smite off thy lady's head. And if I overcome +thee thy lady shall be mine, and thou shalt lose thy head." + +"Sir knight," replied Sir Tristram, "this is a right foul and felon +custom, and rather than my lady shall lose her head will I lose my own." + +"Nay," said Sir Brewnor, "but the ladies shall be now compared together +and judgment shall be had." + +"I consent not," cried Sir Tristram, "for who is here that will give +rightful judgment? Yet doubt not that my lady is far fairer than thine +own, and that will I prove and make good." Therewith Sir Tristram lifted +up the veil from off La Belle Isault, and stood beside her with his naked +sword drawn in his hand. + +Then Sir Brewnor unmuffled his lady and did in like manner. But when he +saw La Belle Isault he knew that none could be so fair, and all there +present gave their judgment so. Then said Sir Tristram, "Because thou and +thy lady have long used this evil custom, and have slain many good knights +and ladies, it were a just thing to destroy thee both." + +"In good sooth," said Sir Brewnor, "thy lady is fairer than mine, and of +all women I never saw any so fair. Therefore, slay my lady if thou wilt, +and I doubt not but I shall slay thee and have thine." + +"Thou shalt win her," said Sir Tristram, "as dearly as ever knight won +lady; and because of thy own judgment and of the evil custom that thy lady +hath consented to, I will slay her as thou sayest." + +And therewithal Sir Tristram went to him and took his lady from him, and +smote off her head at a stroke. + +"Now take thy horse," cried out Sir Brewnor, "for since I have lost my +lady I will win thine and have thy life." + +So they took their horses and came together as fast as they could fly, and +Sir Tristram lightly smote Sir Brewnor from his horse. But he rose right +quickly, and when Sir Tristram came again he thrust his horse through both +the shoulders, so that it reeled and fell. But Sir Tristram was light and +nimble, and voided his horse, and rose up and dressed his shield before +him, though meanwhile, ere he could draw out his sword, Sir Brewnor gave +him three or four grievous strokes. Then they rushed furiously together +like two wild boars, and fought hurtling and hewing here and there for +nigh two hours, and wounded each other full sorely. Then at the last Sir +Brewnor rushed upon Sir Tristram and took him in his arms to throw him, +for he trusted greatly in his strength. But Sir Tristram was at that time +called the strongest and biggest knight of the world; for he was bigger +than Sir Lancelot, though Sir Lancelot was better breathed. So anon he +thrust Sir Brewnor grovelling to the earth, and then unlaced his helm and +struck off his head. Then all they that belonged to the castle came and +did him homage and fealty, and prayed him to abide there for a season and +put an end to that foul custom. + +But within a while he departed and came to Cornwall, and there King Mark +was forthwith wedded to La Belle Isault with great joy and splendour. + +And Sir Tristram had high honour, and ever lodged at the king's court. But +for all he had done him such services King Mark hated him, and on a +certain day he set two knights to fall upon him as he rode in the forest. +But Sir Tristram lightly smote one's head off, and sorely wounded the +other, and made him bear his fellow's body to the king. At that the king +dissembled and hid from Sir Tristram that the knights were sent by him; +yet more than ever he hated him in secret, and sought to slay him. + +So on a certain day, by the assent of Sir Andret, a false knight, and +forty other knights, Sir Tristram was taken prisoner in his sleep and +carried to a chapel on the rocks above the sea to be cast down. But as +they were about to cast him in, suddenly he brake his bonds asunder, and +rushing at Sir Andret, took his sword and smote him down therewith. Then, +leaping down the rocks where none could follow, he escaped them. But one +shot after him and wounded him full sorely with a poisoned arrow in the +arm. + +Anon, his servant Governale, with Sir Lambegus sought him and found him +safe among the rocks, and told him that King Mark had banished him and all +his followers to avenge Sir Andret's death. So they took ship and came to +Brittany. + +Now Sir Tristram, suffering great anguish from his wound, was told to seek +Isoude, the daughter of the King of Brittany, for she alone could cure +such wounds. Wherefore he went to King Howell's court, and said, "Lord, I +am come into this country to have help from thy daughter, for men tell me +none but she may help me." And Isoude gladly offering to do her best, +within a month he was made whole. + +While he abode still at that court, an earl named Grip made war upon King +Howell, and besieged him; and Sir Kay Hedius, the king's son, went forth +against him, but was beaten in battle and sore wounded. Then the king +praying Sir Tristram for his help, he took with him such knights as he +could find, and on the morrow, in another battle, did such deeds of arms +that all the land spake of him. For there he slew the earl with his own +hands, and more than a hundred knights besides. + +When he came back King Howell met him, and saluted him with every honour +and rejoicing that could be thought of, and took him in his arms, and +said, "Sir Tristram, all my kingdom will I resign to thee." + +"Nay," answered he, "God forbid, for truly am I beholden to you for ever +for your daughter's sake." + +Then the king prayed him to take Isoude in marriage, with a great dower of +lands and castles. To this Sir Tristram presently consenting anon they +were wedded at the court. + +But within a while Sir Tristram greatly longed to see Cornwall, and Sir +Kay Hedius desired to go with him. So they took ship; but as soon as they +were at sea the wind blew them upon the coast of North Wales, nigh to +Castle Perilous, hard by a forest wherein were many strange adventures +ofttimes to be met. Then said Sir Tristram to Sir Kay Hedius, "Let us +prove some of them ere we depart." So they took their horses and rode +forth. + +When they had ridden a mile or more, Sir Tristram spied a goodly knight +before him well armed, who sat by a clear fountain with a strong horse +near him, tied to an oak-tree. "Fair sir," said he, when they came near, +"ye seem to be a knight errant by your arms and harness, therefore make +ready now to joust with one of us, or both." + +Thereat the knight spake not, but took his shield and buckled it round his +neck, and leaping on his horse caught a spear from his squire's hand. + +Then said Sir Kay Hedius to Sir Tristram, "Let me assay him." + +"Do thy best," said he. + +So the two knights met, and Sir Kay Hedius fell sorely wounded in the +breast. + +"Thou hast well jousted," cried Sir Tristram to the knight; "now make +ready for me!" + +"I am ready," answered he, and encountered him, and smote him so heavily +that he fell down from his horse. Whereat, being ashamed, he put his +shield before him, and drew his sword, crying to the strange knight to do +likewise. Then they fought on foot for well nigh two hours, till they were +both weary. + +At last Sir Tristram said, "In all my life I never met a knight so strong +and well-breathed as ye be. It were a pity we should further hurt each +other. Hold thy hand, fair knight, and tell me thy name." + +"That will I," answered he, "if thou wilt tell me thine." + +"My name," said he, "is Sir Tristram of Lyonesse." + +"And mine, Sir Lamoracke of Gaul." + +Then both cried out together, "Well met;" and Sir Lamoracke said, "Sir, +for your great renown, I will that ye have all the worship of this battle, +and therefore will I yield me unto you." And therewith he took his sword +by the point to yield him. + +"Nay," said Sir Tristram, "ye shall not do so, for well I know ye do it of +courtesy, and not of dread." And therewith he offered his sword to Sir +Lamoracke, saying, "Sir, as an overcome knight, I yield me unto you as +unto the man of noblest powers I have ever met with." + +"Hold," said Sir Lamoracke, "let us now swear together nevermore to fight +against each other." + +Then did they swear as he said. + +Then Sir Tristram returned to Sir Kay Hedius, and when he was whole of his +wounds, they departed together in a ship, and landed on the coast of +Cornwall. And when they came ashore, Sir Tristram eagerly sought news of +La Belle Isault. And one told him in mistake that she was dead. Whereat, +for sore and grievous sorrow, he fell down in a swoon, and so lay for +three days and nights. + +When he awoke therefrom he was crazed, and ran into the forest and abode +there like a wild man many days; whereby he waxed lean and weak of body, +and would have died, but that a hermit laid some meat beside him as he +slept. Now in that forest was a giant named Tauleas, who, for fear of +Tristram, had hid himself within a castle, but when they told him he was +mad, came forth and went at large again. And on a certain day he saw a +knight of Cornwall, named Sir Dinaunt, pass by with a lady, and when he +had alighted by a well to rest, the giant leaped out from his ambush, and +took him by the throat to slay him. But Sir Tristram, as he wandered +through the forest, came upon them as they struggled; and when the knight +cried out for help, he rushed upon the giant, and taking up Sir Dinaunt's +sword, struck off therewith the giant's head, and straightway disappeared +among the trees. + +Anon, Sir Dinaunt took the head of Tauleas, and bare it with him to the +court of King Mark, whither he was bound, and told of his adventures. +"Where had ye this adventure?" said King Mark. + +"At a fair fountain in thy forest," answered he. + +"I would fain see that wild man," said the king. + +So within a day or two he commanded his knights to a great hunting in the +forest. And when the king came to the well, he saw a wild man lying there +asleep, having a sword beside him; but he knew not that it was Sir +Tristram. Then he blew his horn, and summoned all his knights to take him +gently up and bear him to the court. + +And when they came thereto they bathed and washed him, and brought him +somewhat to his right mind. Now La Belle Isault knew not that Sir Tristram +was in Cornwall; but when she heard that a wild man had been found in the +forest, she came to see him. And so sorely was he changed, she knew him +not. "Yet," said she to Dame Bragwaine, "in good faith I seem to have +beheld him ofttimes before." + +As she thus spoke a little hound, which Sir Tristram had given her when +she first came to Cornwall, and which was ever with her, saw Sir Tristram +lying there, and leapt upon him, licking his hands and face, and whined +and barked for joy. + +"Alas," cried out La Belle Isault, "it is my own true knight, Sir +Tristram." + +And at her voice Sir Tristram's senses wholly came again, and wellnigh he +wept for joy to see his lady living. + +But never would the hound depart from Tristram; and when King Mark and +other knights came up to see him, it sat upon his body and bayed at all +who came too near. Then one of the knights said, "Surely this is Sir +Tristram; I see it by the hound." + +"Nay," said the king, "it cannot be," and asked Sir Tristram on his faith +who he was. + +"My name," said he, "is Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, and now ye may do what +ye list with me." + +Then the king said, "It repents me that ye are recovered," and sought to +make his barons slay him. But most of them would not assent thereto, and +counselled him instead to banish Tristram for ten years again from +Cornwall, for returning without orders from the king. So he was sworn to +depart forthwith. + +And as he went towards the ship a knight of King Arthur, named Sir +Dinadan, who sought him, came and said, "Fair knight, ere that you pass +out of this country, I pray you joust with me!" + +"With a good will," said he. + +Then they ran together, and Sir Tristram lightly smote him from his horse. +Anon he prayed Sir Tristram's leave to bear him company, and when he had +consented they rode together to the ship. + +Then was Sir Tristram full of bitterness of heart, and said to all the +knights who took him to the shore, "Greet well King Mark and all mine +enemies from me, and tell them I will come again when I may. Well am I now +rewarded for slaying Sir Marhaus, and delivering this kingdom from its +bondage, and for the perils wherewithal I brought La Belle Isault from +Ireland to the king, and rescued her at the Castle Pluere, and for the +slaying of the giant Tauleas, and all the other deeds that I have done for +Cornwall and King Mark." Thus angrily and passing bitterly he spake, and +went his way. + +And after sailing awhile the ship stayed at a landing-place upon the coast +of Wales; and there Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan alighted, and on the +shore they met two knights, Sir Ector and Sir Bors. And Sir Ector +encountered with Sir Dinadan and smote him to the ground; but Sir Bors +would not encounter with Sir Tristram, "For," said he, "no Cornish knights +are men of worship." Thereat Sir Tristram was full wroth, but presently +there met them two more knights, Sir Bleoberis and Sir Driant; and Sir +Bleoberis proffered to joust with Sir Tristram, who shortly smote him +down. + +"I had not thought," cried out Sir Bors, "that any Cornish knight could do +so valiantly." + +Then Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan departed, and rode into a forest, and as +they rode a damsel met them, who for Sir Lancelot's sake was seeking any +noble knights to rescue him. For Queen Morgan le Fay, who hated him, had +ordered thirty men-at-arms to lie in ambush for him as he passed, with the +intent to kill him. So the damsel prayed them to rescue him. + +Then said Sir Tristram, "Bring me to that place, fair damsel." + +But Sir Dinadan cried out, "It is not possible for us to meet with thirty +knights! I will take no part in such a hardihood, for to match one or two +or three knights is enough; but to match fifteen I will never assay." + +"For shame," replied Sir Tristram, "do but your part." + +"That will I not," said he; "wherefore, I pray ye, lend me your shield, +for it is of Cornwall, and because men of that country are deemed cowards, +ye are but little troubled as ye ride with knights to joust with." + +"Nay," said Sir Tristram, "I will never give my shield up for her sake who +gave it me; but if thou wilt not stand by me to-day I will surely slay +thee; for I ask no more of thee than to fight one knight, and if thy heart +will not serve thee that much, thou shalt stand by and look on me and +them." + +"Would God that I had never met with ye!" cried Sir Dinadan; "but I +promise to look on and do all that I may to save myself." + +Anon they came to where the thirty knights lay waiting, and Sir Tristram +rushed upon them, saying, "Here is one who fights for love of Lancelot!" +Then slew he two of them at the first onset with his spear, and ten more +swiftly after with his sword. At that Sir Dinadan took courage, and +assailed the others with him, till they turned and fled. + +But Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan rode on till nightfall, and meeting with +a shepherd, asked him if he knew of any lodging thereabouts. + +"Truly, fair lords," said he, "there is good lodging in a castle hard by, +but it is a custom there that none shall lodge therein save ye first joust +with two knights, and as soon as ye be within, ye shall find your match." + +"That is an evil lodging," said Sir Dinadan; "lodge where ye will, I will +not lodge there." + +"Shame on thee!" said Sir Tristram; "art thou a knight at all?" + +Then he required him on his knighthood to go with him, and they rode +together to the castle. As soon as they were near, two knights came out +and ran full speed against them; but both of them they overthrew, and went +within the castle, and had noble cheer. Now, when they were unarmed and +ready to take rest, there came to the castle-gate two knights, Sir +Palomedes and Sir Gaheris, and desired the custom of the castle. + +"I would far rather rest than fight," said Sir Dinadan. + +"That may not be," replied Sir Tristram, "for we must needs defend the +custom of the castle, seeing we have overcome its lords; therefore, make +ready." + +"Alas that I ever came into your company," said Sir Dinadan. + +So they made ready, and Sir Gaheris encountered Sir Tristram and fell +before him; but Sir Palomedes overthrew Sir Dinadan. Then would all fight +on foot save Sir Dinadan, for he was sorely bruised and frighted by his +fall. And when Sir Tristram prayed him to fight, "I will not," answered +he, "for I was wounded by those thirty knights with whom we fought this +morning; and as to you, ye are in truth like one gone mad, and who would +cast himself away! There be but two knights in the world so mad, and the +other is Sir Lancelot, with whom I once rode forth, who kept me evermore +at battling so that for a quarter of a year thereafter I lay in my bed. +Heaven defend me again from either of your fellowships!" + +"Well," said Sir Tristram, "if it must be, I will fight them both." + +Therewith he drew his sword and assailed Sir Palomedes and Sir Gaheris +together; but Sir Palomedes said, "Nay, but it is a shame for two to fight +with one." So he bade Sir Gaheris stand by, and he and Sir Tristram fought +long together; but in the end Sir Tristram drave him backward, whereat Sir +Gaheris and Sir Dinadan with one accord sundered them. Then Sir Tristram +prayed the two knights to lodge there; but Sir Dinadan departed and rode +away into a priory hard by, and there he lodged that night. + +And on the morrow came Sir Tristram to the priory to find him, and seeing +him so weary that he could not ride, he left him, and departed. At that +same priory was lodged Sir Pellinore, who asked Sir Dinadan Sir Tristram's +name, but could not learn it, for Sir Tristram had charged that he should +remain unknown. Then said Sir Pellinore, "Since ye will not tell it me, I +will ride after him and find it myself." + +"Beware, Sir knight," said Sir Dinadan, "ye will repent it if ye follow +him." + +But Sir Pellinore straightway mounted and overtook him, and cried to him +to joust; whereat Sir Tristram forthwith turned and smote him down, and +wounded him full sorely in the shoulder. + +On the day after, Sir Tristram met a herald, who told him of a tournament +proclaimed between King Carados of Scotland, and the King of North Wales, +to be held at the Maiden's Castle. Now King Carados sought Sir Lancelot to +fight there on his side, and the King of North Wales sought Sir Tristram. +And Sir Tristram purposed to be there. So as he rode, he met Sir Key, the +seneschal, and Sir Sagramour, and Sir Key proffered to joust with him. But +he refused, desiring to keep himself unwearied for the tourney. Then Sir +Key cried, "Sir knight of Cornwall, joust with me, or yield as recreant." +When Sir Tristram heard that, he fiercely turned and set his spear in +rest, and spurred his horse towards him. But when Sir Key saw him so madly +coming on, he in his turn refused, whereat Sir Tristram called him coward, +till for shame he was compelled to meet him. Then Sir Tristram lightly +smote him down, and rode away. But Sir Sagramour pursued him, crying +loudly to joust with him also. So Sir Tristram turned and quickly +overthrew him likewise, and departed. + +Anon a damsel met him as he rode, and told him of a knight adventurous who +did great harm thereby, and prayed him for his help. But as he went with +her he met Sir Gawain, who knew the damsel for a maiden of Queen Morgan le +Fay. Knowing, therefore, that she needs must have evil plots against Sir +Tristram, Sir Gawain demanded of him courteously whither he went. + +"I know not whither," said he, "save as this damsel leadeth me." + +"Sir," said Sir Gawain, "ye shall not ride with her, for she and her lady +never yet did good to any;" and, drawing his sword, he said to the +damsel, "Tell me now straightway for what cause thou leadest this knight +or else shalt thou die; for I know of old thy lady's treason." + +"Mercy, Sir Gawain," cried the damsel, "and I will tell thee all." Then +she told him that Queen Morgan had ordained thirty fair damsels to seek +out Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristram, and by their wiles persuade them to her +castle, where she had thirty knights in wait to slay them. + +"Oh shame!" cried Sir Gawain, "that ever such foul treason should be +wrought by a queen, and a king's sister." Then said he to Sir Tristram, +"Sir knight, if ye will stand with me, we will together prove the malice +of these thirty knights." + +"I will not fail you," answered he, "for but few days since I had to do +with thirty knights of that same queen, and trust we may win honour as +lightly now as then." + +So they rode together, and when they came to the castle, Sir Gawain cried +aloud, "Queen Morgan le Fay, send out thy knights that we may fight with +them." + +Then the queen urged her knights to issue forth, but they durst not, for +they well knew Sir Tristram, and feared him greatly. + +So Sir Tristram and Sir Gawain went on their way, and as they rode they +saw a knight, named Sir Brewse-without-pity, chasing a lady, with intent +to slay her. Then Sir Gawain prayed Sir Tristram to hold still and let him +assail that knight. So he rode up between Sir Brewse and the lady, and +cried, "False knight, turn thee to me and leave that lady." Then Sir +Brewse turned and set his spear in rest, and rushed against Sir Gawain +and overthrew him, and rode his horse upon him as he lay, which when Sir +Tristram saw, he cried, "Forbear that villainy," and galloped at him. But +when Sir Brewse saw by the shield it was Sir Tristram, he turned and fled. +And though Sir Tristram followed swiftly after him, yet he was so well +horsed that he escaped. + +Anon Sir Tristram and Sir Gawain came nigh the Maiden's Castle, and there +an old knight named Sir Pellonnes gave them lodging. And Sir Persides, the +son of Sir Pellonnes, a good knight, came out to welcome them. And, as +they stood talking at a bay window of the castle, they saw a goodly knight +ride by on a black horse, and carrying a black shield. "What knight is +that?" asked Tristram. + +"One of the best knights in all the world," said Sir Persides. + +"Is he Sir Lancelot?" said Sir Tristram. + +"Nay," answered Sir Persides, "it is Sir Palomedes, who is yet +unchristened." + +Within a while one came and told them that a knight with a black shield +had smitten down thirteen knights. "Let us go and see this jousting," said +Sir Tristram. So they armed themselves and went down. And when Sir +Palomedes saw Sir Persides, he sent a squire to him and proffered him to +joust. So they jousted, and Sir Persides was overthrown. Then Sir Tristram +made ready to joust, but ere he had his spear in rest, Sir Palomedes took +him at advantage, and struck him on the shield so that he fell. At that +Sir Tristram was wroth out of measure and sore ashamed, wherefore he sent +a squire and prayed Sir Palomedes to joust once again. But he would not, +saying, "Tell thy master to revenge himself to-morrow at the Maiden's +Castle, where he shall see me again." + +So on the morrow Sir Tristram commanded his servant to give him a black +shield with no cognizance thereon, and he and Sir Persides rode into the +tournament and joined King Carados' side. + +Then the knights of the King of North Wales came forth, and there was a +great fighting and breaking of spears, and overthrow of men and horses. + +Now King Arthur sat above in a high gallery to see the tourney and give +the judgment, and Sir Lancelot sat beside him. Then came against Sir +Tristram and Sir Persides, two knights with them of North Wales, Sir +Bleoberis and Sir Gaheris; and Sir Persides was smitten down and nigh +slain, for four horsemen rode over him. But Sir Tristram rode against Sir +Gaheris and smote him from his horse, and when Sir Bleoberis next +encountered him, he overthrew him also. Anon they horsed themselves again, +and with them came Sir Dinadan, whom Sir Tristram forthwith smote so +sorely, that he reeled off his saddle. Then cried he, "Ah! Sir knight, I +know ye better than ye deem, and promise nevermore to come against ye." +Then rode Sir Bleoberis at him the second time, and had a buffet that +felled him to the earth. And soon thereafter the king commanded to cease +for that day, and all men marvelled who Sir Tristram was, for the prize of +the first day was given him in the name of the Knight of the Black Shield. + +Now Sir Palomedes was on the side of the King of North Wales, but knew not +Sir Tristram again. And, when he saw his marvellous deeds, he sent to ask +his name. "As to that," said Sir Tristram, "he shall not know at this +time, but tell him he shall know when I have broken two spears upon him, +for I am the knight he smote down yesterday, and whatever side he taketh, +I will take the other." + +So when they told him that Sir Palomedes would be on King Carados' +side--for he was kindred to King Arthur--"Then will I be on the King of +North Wales' side," said he, "but else would I be on my lord King +Arthur's." + +Then on the morrow, when King Arthur was come, the heralds blew unto the +tourney. And King Carados jousted with the King of a Hundred Knights and +fell before him, and then came in King Arthur's knights and bare back +those of North Wales. But anon Sir Tristram came to aid them and bare back +the battle, and fought so mightily that none could stand against him, for +he smote down on the right and on the left, so that all the knights and +common people shouted his praise. + +"Since I bare arms," said King Arthur, "never saw I a knight do more +marvellous deeds." + +Then the King of the Hundred Knights and those of North Wales, set upon +twenty knights who were of Sir Lancelot's kin, who fought all together, +none failing the others. When Sir Tristram beheld their nobleness and +valour, he marvelled much. "Well may he be valiant and full of prowess," +said he, "who hath such noble knights for kindred." So, when he had looked +on them awhile, he thought it shame to see two hundred men assailing +twenty, and riding to the King of a Hundred Knights, he said, "I pray +thee, Sir king, leave your fighting with those twenty knights, for ye be +too many and they be too few. For ye shall gain no honour if ye win, and +that I see verily ye will not do unless ye slay them; but if ye will not +stay, I will ride with them and help them." + +"Nay," said the king, "ye shall not do so; for full gladly I will do you +courtesy," and with that he withdrew his knights. + +Then Sir Tristram rode his way into the forest, that no man might know +him. And King Arthur caused the heralds to blow that the tourney should +end that day, and he gave the King of North Wales the prize, because Sir +Tristram was on his side. And in all the field there was such a cry that +the sound thereof was heard two miles away--"The knight with the black +shield hath won the field." + +"Alas!" said King Arthur, "where is that knight? it is shame to let him +thus escape us." Then he comforted his knights, and said, "Be not +dismayed, my friends, howbeit ye have lost the day; be of good cheer; +to-morrow I myself will be in the field, and fare with you." So they all +rested that night. + +And on the morrow the heralds blew unto the field. So the King of North +Wales and the King of a Hundred Knights encountered with King Carados and +the King of Ireland, and overthrew them. With that came King Arthur, and +did mighty deeds of arms, and overthrew the King of North Wales and his +fellows, and put twenty valiant knights to the worse. Anon came in Sir +Palomedes, and made great fight upon King Arthur's side. But Sir Tristram +rode furiously against him, and Sir Palomedes was thrown from his horse. +Then cried King Arthur, "Knight of the Black Shield, keep thyself." And as +he spake he came upon him, and smote him from his saddle to the ground, +and so passed on to other knights. Then Sir Palomedes having now another +horse rushed at Sir Tristram, as he was on foot, thinking to run over him. +But he was aware of him, and stepped aside, and grasped Sir Palomedes by +the arms, and pulled him off his horse. Then they rushed together with +their swords, and many stood still to gaze on them. And Sir Tristram smote +Sir Palomedes with three mighty strokes upon the helm, crying at each +stroke, "Take this for Sir Tristram's sake," and with that Sir Palomedes +fell to the earth. + +Anon the King of North Wales brought Sir Tristram another horse, and Sir +Palomedes found one also. Then did they joust again with passing rage, for +both by now were like mad lions. But Sir Tristram avoided his spear, and +seized Sir Palomedes by the neck, and pulled him from his saddle, and bore +him onward ten spears' length, and so let him fall. Then King Arthur drew +forth his sword and smote the spear asunder, and gave Sir Tristram two or +three sore strokes ere he could get at his own sword. But when he had it +in his hand he mightily assailed the king. With that eleven knights of +Lancelot's kin went forth against him, but he smote them all down to the +earth, so that men marvelled at his deeds. + +And the cry was now so great that Sir Lancelot got a spear in his hand, +and came down to assay Sir Tristram, saying, "Knight with the black +shield, make ready." When Sir Tristram heard him he levelled his spear, +and both stooping their heads, they ran together mightily, as it had been +thunder. And Sir Tristram's spear brake short, but Sir Lancelot struck him +with a deep wound in the side and broke his spear, yet overthrew him not. +Therewith Sir Tristram, smarting at his wound, drew forth his sword, and +rushing at Sir Lancelot, gave him mighty strokes upon the helm, so that +the sparks flew from it, and Sir Lancelot stooped his head down to the +saddle-bow. But then Sir Tristram turned and left the field, for he felt +his wound so grievous that he deemed he should soon die. Then did Sir +Lancelot hold the field against all comers, and put the King of North +Wales and his party to the worse. And because he was the last knight in +the field the prize was given him. + +But he refused to take it, and when the cry was raised, "Sir Lancelot hath +won the day," he cried out, "Nay, but Sir Tristram is the victor, for he +first began and last endured, and so hath he done each day." And all men +honoured Lancelot more for his knightly words than if he had taken the +prize. + +Thus was the tournament ended, and King Arthur departed to Caerleon, for +the Whitsun feast was now nigh come, and all the knights adventurous went +their ways. And many sought Sir Tristram in the forest whither he had +gone, and at last Sir Lancelot found him, and brought him to King Arthur's +court, as hath been told already. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +_The Quest of the Sangreal, and the Adventures of Sir Percival, Sir Bors, +and Sir Galahad_ + + +After these things, Merlin fell into a dotage of love for a damsel of the +Lady of the Lake, and would let her have no rest, but followed her in +every place. And ever she encouraged him, and made him welcome till she +had learned all his crafts that she desired to know. + +Then upon a time she went with him beyond the sea to the land of Benwicke, +and as they went he showed her many wonders, till at length she was +afraid, and would fain have been delivered from him. + +And as they were in the forest of Broceliande, they sat together under an +oak-tree, and the damsel prayed to see all that charm whereby men might be +shut up yet alive in rocks or trees. But he refused her a long time, +fearing to let her know, yet in the end, her prayers and kisses overcame +him, and he told her all. Then did she make him great cheer, but anon, as +he lay down to sleep, she softly rose, and walked about him waving her +hands and muttering the charm, and presently enclosed him fast within the +tree whereby he slept. And therefrom nevermore he could by any means come +out for all the crafts that he could do. And so she departed and left +Merlin. + +[Illustration: Waving her hands and muttering the charm, and presently +enclosed him fast within the tree.] + +At the vigil of the next Feast of Pentecost, when all the Knights of the +Round Table were met together at Camelot, and had heard mass, and were +about to sit down to meat, there rode into the hall a fair lady on +horseback, who went straight up to King Arthur where he sat upon his +throne, and reverently saluted him. + +"God be with thee, fair damsel," quoth the king; "what desirest thou of +me?" + +"I pray thee tell me, lord," she answered, "where Sir Lancelot is." + +"Yonder may ye see him," said King Arthur. + +Then went she to Sir Lancelot and said, "Sir, I salute thee in King +Pelles' name, and require thee to come with me into the forest hereby." + +Then asked he her with whom she dwelt, and what she wished of him. + +"I dwell with King Pelles," said she, "whom Balin erst so sorely wounded +when he smote the dolorous stroke. It is he who hath sent me to call +thee." + +"I will go with thee gladly," said Sir Lancelot, and bade his squire +straightway saddle his horse and bring his armour. + +Then came the queen to him and said, "Sir Lancelot, will ye leave me thus +at this high feast?" + +"Madam," replied the damsel, "by dinner-time to-morrow he shall be with +you." + +"If I thought not," said the queen, "he should not go with thee by my +goodwill." + +Then Sir Lancelot and the lady rode forth till they came to the forest, +and in a valley thereof found an abbey of nuns, whereby a squire stood +ready to open the gates. When they had entered, and descended from their +horses, a joyful crowd pressed round Sir Lancelot and heartily saluted +him, and led him to the abbess's chamber, and unarmed him. Anon he saw his +cousins likewise there, Sir Bors and Sir Lionel, who also made great joy +at seeing him, and said, "By what adventure art thou here, for we thought +to have seen thee at Camelot to-morrow?" + +"A damsel brought me here," said he, "but as yet I know not for what +service." + +As they thus talked twelve nuns came in, who brought with them a youth so +passing fair and well made, that in all the world his match could not be +found. His name was Galahad, and though he knew him not, nor Lancelot him, +Sir Lancelot was his father. + +"Sir," said the nuns, "we bring thee here this child whom we have +nourished from his youth, and pray thee to make him a knight, for from no +worthier hand can he receive that order." + +Then Sir Lancelot, looking on the youth, saw that he was seemly and demure +as a dove, with every feature good and noble, and thought he never had +beheld a better fashioned man of his years. "Cometh this desire from +himself?" said he. + +"Yea," answered Galahad and all the nuns. + +"To-morrow, then, in reverence for the feast, he shall have his wish," +said Sir Lancelot. + +And the next day at the hour of prime, he knighted him, and said, "God +make of thee as good a man as He hath made thee beautiful." + +Then with Sir Lionel and Sir Bors he returned to the court, and found all +gone to the minster to hear service. When they came into the banquet-hall +each knight and baron found his name written in some seat in letters of +gold, as "here ought to sit Sir Lionel," "here ought to sit Sir +Gawain,"--and so forth. And in the Perilous Seat, at the high centre of +the table, a name was also written, whereat they marvelled greatly, for no +living man had ever yet dared sit upon that seat, save one, and him a +flame leaped forth and drew down under earth, so that he was no more seen. + +Then came Sir Lancelot and read the letters in that seat, and said, "My +counsel is that this inscription be now covered up until the knight be +come who shall achieve this great adventure." So they made a veil of silk +and put it over the letters. + +In the meanwhile came Sir Gawain to the court and told the king he had a +message to him from beyond the sea, from Merlin. + +"For," said he, "as I rode through the forest of Broceliande but five days +since, I heard the voice of Merlin speaking to me from the midst of an +oak-tree, whereat, in great amazement, I besought him to come forth. But +he, with many groans, replied he never more might do so, for that none +could free him, save the damsel of the Lake, who had enclosed him there by +his own spells which he had taught her. 'But go,' said he, 'to King +Arthur, and tell him, that he now prepare his knights and all his Table +Round to seek the Sangreal, for the time is come when it shall be +achieved.'" + +When Sir Gawain had spoken thus, King Arthur sat pensive in spirit, and +mused deeply of the Holy Grale an what saintly knight should come who +might achieve it. + +Anon he bade them hasten to set on the banquet. "Sir," said Sir Key, the +seneschal, "if ye go now to meat ye will break the ancient custom of your +court, for never have ye dined at this high feast till ye have seen some +strange adventure." + +"Thou sayest truly," said the king, "but my mind was full of wonders and +musings, till I bethought me not of mine old custom." + +As they stood speaking thus, a squire ran in and cried, "Lord, I bring +thee marvellous tidings." + +"What be they?" said King Arthur. + +"Lord," said he, "hereby at the river is a marvellous great stone, which I +myself saw swim down hitherwards upon the water, and in it there is set a +sword, and ever the stone heaveth and swayeth on the water, but floateth +down no further with the stream." + +"I will go and see it," said the king. So all the knights went with him, +and when they came to the river, there surely found they a mighty stone of +red marble floating on the water, as the squire had said, and therein +stuck a fair and rich sword, on the pommel whereof were precious stones +wrought skilfully with gold into these words: "No man shall take me hence +but he by whose side I should hang, and he shall be the best knight in the +world." + +When the king read this, he turned round to Sir Lancelot, and said, "Fair +sir, this sword ought surely to be thine, for thou art the best knight in +all the world." + +But Lancelot answered soberly, "Certainly, sir, it is not for me; nor will +I have the hardihood to set my hand upon it. For he that toucheth it and +faileth to achieve it shall one day be wounded by it mortally. But I doubt +not, lord, this day will show the greatest marvels that we yet have seen, +for now the time is fully come, as Merlin hath forewarned us, when all the +prophecies about the Sangreal shall be fulfilled." + +Then stepped Sir Gawain forward and pulled at the sword, but could not +move it, and after him Sir Percival, to keep him fellowship in any peril +he might suffer. But no other knight durst be so hardy as to try. + +"Now may ye go to your dinner," said Sir Key, "for a marvellous adventure +ye have had." + +So all returned from the river, and every knight sat down in his own +place, and the high feast and banquet then was sumptuously begun, and all +the hall was full of laughter and loud talk and jests, and running to and +fro of squires who served their knights, and noise of jollity and mirth. + +Then suddenly befell a wondrous thing, for all the doors and windows of +the hall shut violently of themselves, and made thick darkness; and +presently there came a fair and gentle light from out the Perilous Seat, +and filled the palace with its beams. Then a dead silence fell on all the +knights, and each man anxiously beheld his neighbour. + +But King Arthur rose and said, "Lords and fair knights, have ye no fear, +but rejoice; we have seen strange things to-day, but stranger yet remain. +For now I know we shall to-day see him who may sit in the Siege Perilous, +and shall achieve the Sangreal. For as ye all well know, that holy vessel, +wherefrom at the Supper of our Lord before His death He drank the wine +with His disciples, hath been held ever since the holiest treasure of the +world, and wheresoever it hath rested peace and prosperity have rested +with it on the land. But since the dolorous stroke which Balin gave King +Pelles none have seen it, for Heaven, wroth with that presumptuous blow, +hath hid it none know where. Yet somewhere in the world it still may be, +and may be it is left to us, and to this noble order of the Table Round, +to find and bring it home, and make of this our realm the happiest in the +earth. Many great quests and perilous adventures have ye all taken and +achieved, but this high quest he only shall attain who hath clean hands +and a pure heart, and valour and hardihood beyond all othermen." + +While the king spoke there came in softly an old man robed all in white, +leading with him a young knight clad in red from top to toe, but without +armour or shield, and having by his side an empty scabbard. + +The old man went up to the king, and said, "Lord, here I bring thee this +young knight of royal lineage, and of the blood of Joseph of Arimathea, by +whom the marvels of thy court shall fully be accomplished." + +The king was right glad at his words, and said, "Sir, ye be right heartily +welcome, and the young knight also." + +Then the old man put on Sir Galahad (for it was he) a crimson robe trimmed +with fine ermine, and took him by the hand and led him to the Perilous +Seat, and lifting up the silken cloth which hung upon it, read these words +written in gold letters, "This is the seat of Sir Galahad, the good +knight." + +"Sir," said the old man, "this place is thine." + +Then sat Sir Galahad down firmly and surely, and said to the old man, +"Sir, ye may now go your way, for ye have done well and truly all ye were +commanded, and commend me to my grandsire, King Pelles, and say that I +shall see him soon." So the old man departed with a retinue of twenty +noble squires. + +But all the knights of the Round Table marvelled at Sir Galahad, and at +his tender age, and at his sitting there so surely in the Perilous Seat. + +Then the king led Sir Galahad forth from the palace, to show him the +adventure of the floating stone. "Here" said he, "is as great a marvel as +I ever saw, and right good knights have tried and failed to gain that +sword." + +"I marvel not thereat," said Galahad, "for this adventure is not theirs, +but mine; and for the certainty I had thereof, I brought no sword with me, +as thou mayst see here by this empty scabbard." + +Anon he laid his hand upon the sword, and lightly drew it from the stone, +and put it in his sheath, and said, "This sword was that enchanted one +which erst belonged to the good knight, Sir Balin, wherewith he slew +through piteous mistake his brother Balan; who also slew him at the same +time: all which great woe befell him through the dolorous stroke he gave +my grandsire, King Pelles, the wound whereof is not yet whole, nor shall +be till I heal him." + +As he stood speaking thus, they saw a lady riding swiftly down the river's +bank towards them, on a white palfrey; who, saluting the king and queen, +said, "Lord king, Nacien the hermit sendeth thee word that to thee shall +come to-day the greatest honour and worship that hath yet ever befallen a +king of Britain; for this day shall the Sangreal appear in thy house." + +With that the damsel took her leave, and departed the same way she came. + +"Now," said the king, "I know that from to-day the quest of the Sangreal +shall begin, and all ye of the Round Table will be scattered so that +nevermore shall I see ye again together as ye are now; let me then see a +joust and tournament amongst ye for the last time before ye go." + +So they all took their harness and met together in the meadows by Camelot, +and the queen and all her ladies sat in a tower to see. + +Then Sir Galahad, at the prayer of the king and queen, put on a coat of +light armour, and a helmet, but shield he would take none, and grasping a +lance, he drove into the middle of the press of knights, and began to +break spears marvellously, so that all men were full of wonder. And in so +short a time he had surmounted and exceeded the rest, save Sir Lancelot +and Sir Percival, that he took the chief worship of the field. + +Then the king and all the court and fellowship of knights went back to the +palace, and so to evensong in the great minster, a royal and goodly +company, and after that sat down to supper in the hall, every knight in +his own seat, as they had been before. + +Anon suddenly burst overhead the cracking and crying of great peals of +thunder, till the palace walls were shaken sorely, and they thought to see +them riven all to pieces. + +And in the midst of the blast there entered in a sunbeam, clearer by seven +times than ever they saw day, and a marvellous great glory fell upon them +all. Then each knight, looking on his neighbour, found his face fairer +than he had ever seen, and so--all standing on their feet--they gazed as +dumb men on each other, not knowing what to say. + +Then entered into the hall the Sangreal, borne aloft without hands through +the midst of the sunbeam, and covered with white samite, so that none +might see it. And all the hall was filled with perfume and incense, and +every knight was fed with the food he best loved. And when the holy vessel +had been thus borne through the hall, it suddenly departed, no man saw +whither. + +When they recovered breath to speak, King Arthur first rose up, and +yielded thanks to God and to our Lord. + +Then Sir Gawain sprang up and said, "Now have we all been fed by miracle +with whatsoever food we thought of or desired; but with our eyes we have +not seen the blessed vessel whence it came, so carefully and preciously it +was concealed. Therefore, I make a vow, that from to-morrow I shall labour +twelve months and a day in quest of the Sangreal, and longer if need be; +nor will I come again into this court until mine eyes have seen it +evidently." + +When he had spoken thus, knight after knight rose up and vowed himself to +the same quest, till the most part of the Round Table had thus sworn. + +But when King Arthur heard them all, he could not refrain his eyes from +tears, and said, "Sir Gawain, Sir Gawain, thou hast set me in great +sorrow, for I fear me my true fellowship shall never meet together here +again; and surely never Christian king had such a company of worthy +knights around his table at one time." + +And when the queen and her ladies and gentlewomen heard the vows, they had +such grief and sorrow as no tongue could tell; and Queen Guinevere cried +out, "I marvel that my lord will suffer them to depart from him." And many +of the ladies who loved knights would have gone with them, but were +forbidden by the hermit Nacien, who sent this message to all who had sworn +themselves to the quest: "Take with ye no lady nor gentlewoman, for into +so high a service as ye go in, no thought but of our Lord and heaven may +enter." + +On the morrow morning all the knights rose early, and when they were fully +armed, save shields and helms, they went in with the king and queen to +service in the minster. Then the king counted all who had taken the +adventure on themselves, and found them a hundred and fifty knights of the +Round Table; and so they all put on their helms, and rode away together in +the midst of cries and lamentations from the court, and from the ladies, +and from all the town. + +But the queen went alone to her chamber, that no man might see her sorrow; +and Sir Lancelot followed her to say farewell. + +When she saw him she cried out, "Oh, Sir Lancelot, thou hast betrayed me; +thou hast put me to death thus to depart and leave my lord the king." + +"Ah, madam," said he, "be not displeased or angry, for I shall come again +as soon as I can with honour." + +"Alas!" said she, "that ever I saw thee; but He that suffered death upon +the cross for all mankind be to thee safety and good conduct, and to all +thy company." + +Then Sir Lancelot saluted her and the king, and went forth with the rest, +and came with them that night to Castle Vagon, where they abode, and on +the morrow they departed from each other on their separate ways, every +knight taking the way that pleased him best. + +Now Sir Galahad went forth without a shield, and rode so four days without +adventure; and on the fourth day, after evensong, he came to an abbey of +white monks, where he was received in the house, and led into a chamber. +And there he was unarmed, and met two knights of the Round Table, King +Bagdemagus, and Sir Uwaine. + +"Sirs," said Sir Galahad, "what adventure hath brought ye here?" + +"Within this place, as we are told," they answered, "there is a shield no +man may bear around his neck without receiving sore mischance, or death +within three days." + +"To-morrow," said King Bagdemagus, "I shall attempt the adventure; and if +I fail, do thou, Sir Galahad, take it up after me." + +"I will willingly," said he; "for as ye see I have no shield as yet." + +So on the morrow they arose and heard mass, and afterwards King Bagdemagus +asked where the shield was kept. Then a monk led him behind the altar, +where the shield hung, as white as any snow, and with a blood-red cross in +the midst of it. + +"Sir," said the monk, "this shield should hang from no knight's neck +unless he be the worthiest in the world. I warn ye, therefore, knights; +consider well before ye dare to touch it." + +"Well," said King Bagdemagus, "I know well that I am far from the best +knight in all the world, yet shall I make the trial;" and so he took the +shield, and bore it from the monastery. + +"If it please thee," said he to Sir Galahad, "abide here till thou hearest +how I speed." + +"I will abide thee," said he. + +Then taking with him a squire who might return with any tidings to Sir +Galahad, the king rode forth; and before he had gone two miles, he saw in +a fair valley a hermitage, and a knight who came forth dressed in white +armour, horse and all, who rode fast against him. When they encountered, +Bagdemagus brake his spear upon the White Knight's shield, but was himself +struck through the shoulder with a sore wound, and hurled down from his +horse. Then the White Knight alighting, came and took the white shield +from the king, and said, "Thou hast done great folly, for this shield +ought never to be borne but by one who hath no living peer." And turning +to the squire, he said, "Bear thou this shield to the good knight, Sir +Galahad, and greet him well from me." + +"In whose name shall I greet him?" said the squire. + +"Take thou no heed of that," he answered; "it is not for thee or any +earthly man to know." + +"Now tell me, fair sir, at the least," said the squire, "why may this +shield be never borne except its wearer come to injury or death?" + +"Because it shall belong to no man save its rightful owner, Galahad," +replied the knight. + +Then the squire went to his master, and found him wounded nigh to death, +wherefore he fetched his horse, and bore him back with him to the abbey. +And there they laid him in a bed, and looked to his wounds; and when he +had lain many days grievously sick, he at the last barely escaped with his +life. + +"Sir Galahad," said the squire, "the knight who overthrew King Bagdemagus +sent you greeting, and bade you bear this shield." + +"Now blessed be God and fortune," said Sir Galahad, and hung the shield +about his neck, and armed him, and rode forth. + +Anon he met the White Knight by the hermitage, and each saluted +courteously the other. + +"Sir," said Sir Galahad, "this shield I bear hath surely a full marvellous +history." + +"Thou sayest rightly," answered he. "That shield was made in the days of +Joseph of Arimathea, the gentle knight who took our Lord down from the +cross. He, when he left Jerusalem with his kindred, came to the country of +King Evelake, who warred continually with one Tollome; and when, by the +teaching of Joseph, King Evelake became a Christian, this shield was made +for him in our Lord's name; and through its aid King Tollome was defeated. +For when King Evelake met him next in battle, he hid it in a veil, and +suddenly uncovering it, he showed his enemies the figure of a bleeding man +nailed to a cross, at sight of which they were discomfited and fled. +Presently after that, a man whose hand was smitten off touched the cross +upon the shield, and had his hand restored to him; and many other miracles +it worked. But suddenly the cross that was upon it vanished away. Anon +both Joseph and King Evelake came to Britain, and by the preaching of +Joseph the people were made Christians. And when at length he lay upon his +death-bed, King Evelake begged of him some token ere he died. Then, +calling for his shield, he dipped his finger in his own blood, for he was +bleeding fast, and none could staunch the wound, and marked that cross +upon it, saying, 'This cross shall ever show as bright as now, and the +last of my lineage shall wear this shield about his neck, and go forth to +all the marvellous deeds he will achieve.'" + +When the White Knight had thus spoken he vanished suddenly away, and Sir +Galahad returned to the abbey. + +As he alighted, came a monk, and prayed him to go see a tomb in the +churchyard, wherefrom came such a great and hideous noise, that none could +hear it but they went nigh mad, or lost all strength. "And sir," said he, +"I deem it is a fiend." + +"Lead me thither," said Sir Galahad. + +When they were come near the place, "Now," said the monk, "go thou to the +tomb, and lift it up." + +And Galahad, nothing afraid, quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith +came out a foul smoke, and from the midst thereof leaped up the loathliest +figure that ever he had seen in the likeness of man; and Galahad blessed +himself, for he knew it was a fiend of hell. Then he heard a voice crying +out, "Oh, Galahad, I cannot tear thee as I would; I see so many angels +round thee, that I may not come at thee." + +[Illustration: Galahad ... quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith came +out a foul smoke.] + +Then the fiend suddenly disappeared with a marvellous great cry; and Sir +Galahad, looking in the tomb, saw there a body all armed, with a sword +beside it. "Now, fair brother," said he to the monk, "let us remove this +cursed body, which is not fit to lie in a churchyard, for when it lived, a +false and perjured Christian man dwelt in it. Cast it away, and there +shall come no more hideous noises from the tomb." + +"And now must I depart," he added, "for I have much in hand, and am upon +the holy quest of the Sangreal, with many more good knights." + +So he took his leave, and rode many journeys backwards and forwards as +adventure would lead him; and at last one day he departed from a castle +without first hearing mass, which was it ever his custom to hear before he +left his lodging. Anon he found a ruined chapel on a mountain, and went in +and kneeled before the altar, and prayed for wholesome counsel what to do; +and as he prayed he heard a voice, which said, "Depart, adventurous +knight, unto the Maiden's Castle, and redress the violence and wrongs +there done!" + +Hearing these words he cheerfully arose, and mounted his horse, and rode +but half a mile, when he saw before him a strong castle, with deep ditches +round it, and a fair river running past. And seeing an old churl hard by, +he asked him what men called that castle. + +"Fair sir," said he, "it is the Maiden's Castle." + +"It is a cursed place," said Galahad, "and all its masters are but felons, +full of mischief and hardness and shame." + +"For that good reason," said the old man, "thou wert well-advised to turn +thee back." + +"For that same reason," quoth Sir Galahad, "will I the more certainly ride +on." + +Then, looking at his armour carefully, to see that nothing failed him, he +went forward, and presently there met him seven damsels, who cried out, +"Sir knight, thou ridest in great peril, for thou hast two waters to pass +over." + +"Why should I not pass over them?" said he, and rode straight on. + +Anon he met a squire, who said, "Sir knight, the masters of this castle +defy thee, and bid thee go no further, till thou showest them thy business +here." + +"Fair fellow," said Sir Galahad, "I am come here to destroy their wicked +customs." + +"If that be thy purpose," answered he, "thou wilt have much to do." + +"Go thou," said Galahad, "and hasten with my message." + +In a few minutes after rode forth furiously from the gateways of the +castle seven knights, all brothers, and crying out, "Knight, keep thee," +bore down all at once upon Sir Galahad. But thrusting forth his spear, he +smote the foremost to the earth, so that his neck was almost broken, and +warded with his shield the spears of all the others, which every one brake +off from it, and shivered into pieces. Then he drew out his sword, and set +upon them hard and fiercely, and by his wondrous force drave them before +him, and chased them to the castle gate, and there he slew them. + +At that came out to him an ancient man, in priest's vestments, saying, +"Behold, sir, here, the keys of this castle." + +Then he unlocked the gates, and found within a multitude of people, who +cried out, "Sir knight, ye be welcome, for long have we waited thy +deliverance," and told him that the seven felons he had slain had long +enslaved the people round about, and killed all knights who passed that +way, because the maiden whom they had robbed of the castle had foretold +that by one knight they should themselves be overthrown. + +"Where is the maiden?" asked Sir Galahad. + +"She lingereth below in a dungeon," said they. + +So Sir Galahad went down and released her, and restored her her +inheritance; and when he had summoned the barons of the country to do her +homage, he took his leave, and departed. + +Presently thereafter, as he rode, he entered a great forest, and in a +glade thereof met two knights, disguised, who proffered him to joust. +These were Sir Lancelot, his father, and Sir Percival, but neither knew +the other. So he and Sir Lancelot encountered first, and Sir Galahad smote +down his father. Then drawing his sword, for his spear was broken, he +fought with Sir Percival, and struck so mightily that he clave Sir +Percival's helm, and smote him from his horse. + +Now hard by where they fought there was a hermitage, where dwelt a pious +woman, a recluse, who, when she heard the sound, came forth, and seeing +Sir Galahad ride, she cried, "God be with thee, the best knight in the +world; had yonder knights known thee as well as I do, they would not have +encountered with thee." + +When Sir Galahad heard that, fearing to be made known, he forthwith smote +his horse with his spurs, and departed at a great pace. + +Sir Lancelot and Sir Percival heard her words also, and rode fast after +him, but within awhile he was out of their sight. Then Sir Percival rode +back to ask his name of the recluse; but Sir Lancelot went forward on his +quest, and following any path his horse would take, he came by-and-by +after nightfall to a stone cross hard by an ancient chapel. When he had +alighted and tied his horse up to a tree, he went and looked in through +the chapel door, which was all ruinous and wasted, and there within he saw +an altar, richly decked with silk, whereon there stood a fair candlestick +of silver, bearing six great lights. And when Sir Lancelot saw the light, +he tried to get within the chapel, but could find no place. So, being +passing weary and heavy, he came again to his horse, and when he had +unsaddled him, and set him free to pasture, he unlaced his helm, and +ungirded his sword, and laid him down to sleep upon his shield before the +cross. + +And while he lay between waking and sleeping, he saw come by him two white +palfreys bearing a litter, wherein a sick knight lay, and the palfreys +stood still by the cross. Then Sir Lancelot heard the sick man say, "O +sweet Lord, when shall this sorrow leave me, and the holy vessel pass by +me, wherethrough I shall be blessed? for I have long endured." + +With that Sir Lancelot saw the chapel open, and the candlestick with the +six tapers come before the cross, but he could see none who bare it. Then +came there also a table of silver, and thereon the holy vessel of the +Sangreal. And when the sick knight saw that, he sat up, and lifting both +his hands, said, "Fair Lord, sweet Lord, who art here within this holy +vessel, have mercy on me, that I may be whole;" and therewith he crept +upon his hands and knees so nigh, that he might touch the vessel; and when +he had kissed it, he leaped up, and stood and cried aloud, "Lord God, I +thank Thee, for I am made whole." Then the Holy Grale departed with the +table and the silver candlestick into the chapel, so that Sir Lancelot saw +it no more, nor for his sins' sake could he follow it. And the knight who +was healed went on his way. + +Then Sir Lancelot awake, and marvelled whether he had seen aught but a +dream. And as he marvelled, he heard a voice saying, "Sir Lancelot, thou +are unworthy, go thou hence, and withdraw thee from this holy place." And +when he heard that, he was passing heavy, for he bethought him of his +sins. + +So he departed weeping, and cursed the day of his birth, for the words +went into his heart, and he knew wherefore he was thus driven forth. Then +he went to seek his arms and horse, but could not find them; and then he +called himself the wretchedest and most unhappy of all knights, and said, +"My sin hath brought me unto great dishonour: for when I sought earthly +honours, I achieved them ever; but now I take upon me holy things, my +guilt doth hinder me, and shameth me; therefore had I no power to stir or +speak when the holy blood appeared before me." + +So thus he sorrowed till it was day, and he heard the birds sing; then was +he somewhat comforted, and departing from the cross on foot, he came into +a wild forest, and to a high mountain, and there he found a hermitage; +and, kneeling before the hermit down upon both his knees, he cried for +mercy for his wicked works, and prayed him to hear his confession. But +when he told his name, the hermit marvelled to see him in so sore a case, +and said, "Sir, ye ought to thank God more than any knight living, for He +hath given thee more honour than any; yet for thy presumption, while in +deadly sin to come into the presence of His flesh and blood, He suffered +thee neither to see nor follow it. Wherefore, believe that all thy +strength and manhood will avail thee little, when God is against thee." + +Then Sir Lancelot wept and said, "Now know I well ye tell me truth." + +Then he confessed to him, and told him all his sins, and how he had for +fourteen years served but Queen Guinevere only, and forgotten God, and +done great deeds of arms for her, and not for Heaven, and had little or +nothing thanked God for the honour that he won. And then Sir Lancelot +said, "I pray you counsel me." + +"I will counsel thee," said he: "never more enter into that queen's +company when ye can avoid it." + +So Sir Lancelot promised him. + +"Look that your heart and your mouth accord," said the good man, "and ye +shall have more honour and more nobleness than ever ye have had." + +Then were his arms and horse restored to him, and so he took his leave, +and rode forth, repenting greatly. + +Now Sir Percival had ridden back to the recluse, to learn who that knight +was whom she had called the best in the world. And when he had told her +that he was Sir Percival, she made passing great joy of him, for she was +his mother's sister, wherefore she opened her door to him, and made him +good cheer. And on the morrow she told him of her kindred to him, and they +both made great rejoicing. Then he asked her who that knight was, and she +told him, "He it is who on Whit Sunday last was clad in the red robe, and +bare the red arms; and he hath no peer, for he worketh all by miracle, and +shall be never overcome by any earthly hands." + +"By my goodwill," said Sir Percival, "I will never after these tidings +have to do with Sir Galahad but in the way of kindness; and I would fain +learn where I may find him." + +"Fair nephew," said she, "ye must ride to the Castle of Goth, where he +hath a cousin; by him ye may be lodged, and he will teach you the way to +go; but if he can tell you no tidings, ride straight to the Castle of +Carbonek, where the wounded king is lying, for there shall ye surely hear +true tidings of him." + +So Sir Percival departed from his aunt, and rode till evensong time, when +he was ware of a monastery closed round with walls and deep ditches, where +he knocked at the gate, and anon was let in. And there he had good cheer +that night, and on the morrow heard mass. And beside the altar where the +priest stood, was a rich bed of silk and cloth of gold; and on the bed +there lay a man passing old, having a crown of gold upon his head, and all +his body was full of great wounds, and his eyes almost wholly blind; and +ever he held up his hands and said, "Sweet Lord, forget not me!" + +Then Sir Percival asked one of the brethren who he was. + +"Sir," said the good man, "ye have heard of Joseph of Arimathea, how he +was sent of Jesus Christ into this land to preach and teach the Christian +faith. Now, in the city of Sarras he converted a king named Evelake, and +this is he. He came with Joseph to this land, and ever desired greatly to +see the Sangreal; so on a time he came nigh thereto, and was struck almost +blind. Then he cried out for mercy, and said, 'Fair Lord, I pray thee let +me never die until a good knight of my blood achieve the Sangreal, and I +may see and kiss him.' When he had thus prayed, he heard a voice that +said, 'Thy prayers be heard and answered, for thou shalt not die till that +knight kiss thee; and when he cometh shall thine eyes be opened and thy +wounds be healed.' And now hath he lived here for three hundred winters in +a holy life, and men say a certain knight of King Arthur's court shall +shortly heal him." + +Thereat Sir Percival marvelled greatly, for he well knew who that knight +should be; and so, taking his leave of the monk, departed. + +Then he rode on till noon, and came into a valley where he met twenty +men-at-arms bearing a dead knight on a bier. And they cried to him, +"Whence comest thou?" + +"From King Arthur's court," he answered. + +Then they all cried together, "Slay him," and set upon him. + +But he smote down the first man to the ground, and his horse upon him; +whereat seven of them all at once assailed him, and others slew his horse. +Thus he had been either taken or slain, but by good chance Sir Galahad was +passing by that way, who, seeing twenty men attacking one, cried, "Slay +him not," and rushed upon them; and, as fast as his horse could drive, he +encountered with the foremost man, and smote him down. Then, his spear +being broken, he drew forth his sword and struck out on the right hand and +on the left, at each blow smiting down a man, till the remainder fled, and +he pursued them. + +Then Sir Percival, knowing that it was Sir Galahad, would fain have +overtaken him, but could not, for his horse was slain. Yet followed he on +foot as fast as he could go; and as he went there met him a yeoman riding +on a palfrey, and leading in his hand a great black steed. So Sir Percival +prayed him to lend him the steed, that he might overtake Sir Galahad. But +he replied, "That can I not do, fair sir, for the horse is my master's, +and should I lend it he would slay me." So he departed, and Sir Percival +sat down beneath a tree in heaviness of heart. And as he sat, anon a +knight went riding past on the black steed which the yeoman had led. And +presently after came the yeoman back in haste, and asked Sir Percival if +he had seen a knight riding his horse. + +"Yea," said Sir Percival. + +"Alas," said the yeoman, "he hath reft him from me by strength, and my +master will slay me." + +Then he besought Sir Percival to take his hackney and follow, and get back +his steed. So he rode quickly, and overtook the knight, and cried, +"Knight, turn again." Whereat he turned and set his spear, and smote Sir +Percival's hackney in the breast, so that it fell dead, and then went on +his way. Then cried Sir Percival after him, "Turn now, false knight, and +fight with me on foot;" but he would not, and rode out of sight. + +Then was Sir Percival passing wroth and heavy of heart, and lay down to +rest beneath a tree, and slept till midnight. When he awoke he saw a woman +standing by him, who said to him right fiercely, "Sir Percival, what doest +thou here?" + +"I do neither good nor evil," said he. + +"If thou wilt promise me," said she, "to do my will whenever I shall ask +thee, I will bring thee here a horse that will bear thee wheresoever thou +desirest." + +At that he was full glad, and promised as she asked. Then anon she came +again, with a great black steed, strong and well apparelled. So Sir +Percival mounted, and rode through the clear moonlight, and within less +than an hour had gone a four days' journey, till he came to a rough water +that roared; and his horse would have borne him into it, but Sir Percival +would not suffer him, yet could he scarce restrain him. And seeing the +water so furious, he made the sign of the cross upon his forehead, whereat +the horse suddenly shook him off, and with a terrible sound leaped into +the water and disappeared, the waves all burning up in flames around him. +Then Sir Percival knew it was a fiend which had brought him the horse; so +he commended himself to God, and prayed that he might escape temptations, +and continued in prayer till it was day. + +Then he saw that he was on a wild mountain, nigh surrounded on all sides +by the sea, and filled with wild beasts; and going on into a valley, he +saw a serpent carrying a young lion by the neck. With that came another +lion, crying and roaring after the serpent, and anon overtook him, and +began to battle with him. And Sir Percival helped the lion, and drew his +sword, and gave the serpent such a stroke that it fell dead. Thereat the +lion fawned upon him like a dog, licking his hands, and crouching at his +feet, and at night lay down by him and slept at his side. + +And at noon the next day Sir Percival saw a ship come sailing before a +strong wind upon the sea towards him, and he rose and went towards it. And +when it came to shore, he found it covered with white samite, and on the +deck there stood an old man dressed in priest's robes, who said, "God be +with you, fair sir; whence come ye?" + +"I am a knight of King Arthur's court," said he, "and follow the quest of +the Sangreal; but here have I lost myself in this wilderness." + +"Fear nothing," said the old man, "for I have come from a strange country +to comfort thee." + +Then he told Sir Percival it was a fiend of hell upon which he had ridden +to the sea, and that the lion, whom he had delivered from the serpent, +meant the Church. And Sir Percival rejoiced at these tidings, and entered +into the ship, which presently sailed from the shore into the sea. + +Now when Sir Bors rode forth from Camelot to seek the Sangreal, anon he +met a holy man riding on an ass, and courteously saluted him. + +"Who are ye, son?" said the good man. + +"I am a knight," said he, "in quest of the Sangreal, and would fain have +thy counsel, for he shall have much earthly honour who may bring it to a +favourable end." + +"That is truth," said the good man, "for he shall be the best knight of +the world; yet know that none shall gain it save by sinless living." + +So they rode to his hermitage together, and there he prayed Sir Bors to +abide that night, and anon they went into the chapel, and Sir Bors was +confessed. And they eat bread and drank water together. + +"Now," said the hermit, "I pray thee eat no other food till thou sit at +the table where the Sangreal shall be." Thereto Sir Bors agreed. + +"Also," said the hermit, "it were wise that ye should wear a sackcloth +garment next your skin, for penance;" and in this also did Sir Bors as he +was counselled. And afterwards he armed himself and took his leave. + +Then rode he onwards all that day, and as he rode he saw a passing great +bird sit in an old dry tree, whereon no leaves were left; and many little +birds lay round the great one, nigh dead with hunger. Then did the big +bird smite himself with his own bill, and bled till he died amongst his +little ones, and they recovered life in drinking up his blood. When Sir +Bors saw this he knew it was a token, and rode on full of thought. And +about eventide he came to a tower, whereto he prayed admission, and he was +received gladly by the lady of the castle. But when a supper of many meats +and dainties was set before him, he remembered his vow, and bade a squire +to bring him water, and therein he dipped his bread, and ate. + +Then said the lady, "Sir Bors, I fear ye like not my meat." + +"Yea, truly," said he; "God thank thee, madam; but I may eat no other meat +this day." + +After supper came a squire, and said, "Madam, bethink thee to provide a +champion for thee to-morrow for the tourney, or else shall thy sister have +thy castle." + +At that the lady wept, and made great sorrow. But Sir Bors prayed her to +be comforted, and asked her why the tournament was held. Then she told him +how she and her sister were the daughters of King Anianse, who left them +all his lands between them; and how her sister was the wife of a strong +knight, named Sir Pridan le Noir, who had taken from herself all her +lands, save the one tower wherein she dwelt. "And now," said she, "this +also will they take, unless I find a champion by to-morrow." + +Then said Sir Bors, "Be comforted; to-morrow I will fight for thee;" +whereat she rejoiced not a little, and sent word to Sir Pridan that she +was provided and ready. And Sir Bors lay on the floor, and in no bed, nor +ever would do otherwise till he had achieved his quest. + +On the morrow he arose and clothed himself, and went into the chapel, +where the lady met him, and they heard mass together. Anon he called for +his armour, and went with a goodly company of knights to the battle. And +the lady prayed him to refresh himself ere he should fight, but he refused +to break his fast until the tournament were done. So they all rode +together to the lists, and there they saw the lady's eldest sister, and +her husband, Sir Pridan le Noir. And a cry was made by the heralds that, +whichever should win, his lady should have all the other's lands. + +Then the two knights departed asunder a little space, and came together +with such force, that both their spears were shivered, and their shields +and hauberks pierced through; and both fell to the ground sorely wounded, +with their horses under them. But swiftly they arose, and drew their +swords, and smote each other on the head with many great and heavy blows, +till the blood ran down their bodies; and Sir Pridan was a full good +knight, so that Sir Bors had more ado than he had thought for to overcome +him. + +But at last Sir Pridan grew a little faint; that instantly perceived Sir +Bors, and rushed upon him the more vehemently, and smote him fiercely, +till he rent off his helm, and then gave him great strokes upon his visage +with the flat of his sword, and bade him yield or be slain. + +And then Sir Pridan cried him mercy, and said, "For God's sake slay me +not, and I will never war against thy lady more." So Sir Bors let him go, +and his wife fled away with all her knights. + +Then all those who had held lands of the lady of the tower came and did +homage to her again, and swore fealty. And when the country was at peace +Sir Bors departed, and rode forth into a forest until it was midday, and +there befell him a marvellous adventure. + +For at a place where two ways parted, there met him two knights, bearing +Sir Lionel, his brother, all naked, bound on a horse, and as they rode, +they beat him sorely with thorns, so that the blood trailed down in more +than a hundred places from his body; but for all this he uttered no word +or groan, so great he was of heart. As soon as Sir Bors knew his brother, +he put his spear in rest to run and rescue him; but in the same moment +heard a woman's voice cry close beside him in the wood, "St. Mary, succour +thy maid;" and, looking round, he saw a damsel whom a felon knight dragged +after him into the thickets; and she, perceiving him, cried piteously for +help, and adjured him to deliver her as he was a sworn knight. Then was +Sir Bors sore troubled, and knew not what to do, for he thought within +himself, "If I let my brother be, he will be murdered; but if I help not +the maid, she is shamed for ever, and my vow compelleth me to set her +free; wherefore must I first help her, and trust my brother unto God." + +So, riding to the knight who held the damsel, he cried out, "Sir knight, +lay your hand off that maid, or else ye be but dead." + +At that the knight set down the maid, and dropped his shield, and drew +forth his sword against Sir Bors, who ran at him, and smote him through +both shield and shoulder, and threw him to the earth; and when he pulled +his spear forth, the knight swooned. Then the maid thanked Sir Bors +heartily, and he set her on the knight's horse, and brought her to her +men-at-arms, who presently came riding after her. And they made much joy, +and besought him to come to her father, a great lord, and he should be +right welcome. But "truly," said he, "I may not at this time, for I have a +great adventure yet to do;" and commending them to God, he departed in +great haste to find his brother. + +So he rode, seeking him by the track of the horses a great while. Anon he +met a seeming holy man riding upon a strong black horse, and asked him, +had he seen pass by that way a knight led bound and beaten with thorns by +two others. + +"Yea, truly, such an one I saw," said the man; "but he is dead, and lo! +his body is hard by in a bush." + +Then he showed him a newly slain body lying in a thick bush, which seemed +indeed to be Sir Lionel. Then made Sir Bors such mourning and sorrow that +by-and-by he fell into a swoon upon the ground. And when he came to +himself again, he took the body in his arms and put it on his horse's +saddle, and bore it to a chapel hard by, and would have buried it. But +when he made the sign of the cross, he heard a full great noise and cry as +though all the fiends of hell had been about him, and suddenly the body +and the chapel and the old man vanished all away. Then he knew that it was +the devil who had thus beguiled him, and that his brother yet lived. + +Then held he up his hands to heaven, and thanked God for his own escape +from hurt, and rode onwards; and anon, as he passed by an hermitage in a +forest, he saw his brother sitting armed by the door. And when he saw him +he was filled with joy, and lighted from his horse, and ran to him and +said, "Fair brother, when came ye hither?" + +But Sir Lionel answered, with an angry face, "What vain words be these, +when for you I might have been slain? Did ye not see me bound and led away +to death, and left me in that peril to go succouring a gentlewoman, the +like whereof no brother ever yet hath done? Now, for thy false misdeed, I +do defy thee, and ensure thee speedy death." + +Then Sir Bors prayed his brother to abate his anger, and said, "Fair +brother, remember the love that should be between us twain." + +But Sir Lionel would not hear, and prepared to fight and mounted his horse +and came before him, crying, "Sir Bors, keep thee from me, for I shall do +to thee as a felon and a traitor; therefore, start upon thy horse, for if +thou wilt not, I will run upon thee as thou standest." + +But for all his words Sir Bors would not defend himself against his +brother. And anon the fiend stirred up Sir Lionel to such rage, that he +rushed over him and overthrew him with his horse's hoofs, so that he lay +swooning on the ground. Then would he have rent off his helm and slain +him, but the hermit of that place ran out, and prayed him to forbear, and +shielded Sir Bors with his body. + +Then Sir Lionel cried out, "Now, God so help me, sir priest, but I shall +slay thee else thou depart, and him too after thee." + +And when the good man utterly refused to leave Sir Bors, he smote him on +the head until he died, and then he took his brother by the helm and +unlaced it, to have stricken off his head, and so he would have done, but +suddenly was pulled off backwards by a knight of the Round Table, who, by +the will of Heaven, was passing by that place--Sir Colgrevance by name. + +"Sir Lionel," he cried, "will ye slay your brother, one of the best +knights of all the world? That ought no man to suffer." + +"Why," said Sir Lionel, "will ye hinder me and meddle in this strife? +beware, lest I shall slay both thee and him." + +And when Sir Colgrevance refused to let them be, Sir Lionel defied him, +and gave him a great stroke through the helmet, whereat Sir Colgrevance +drew his sword, and smote again right manfully. And so long they fought +together that Sir Bors awoke from his swoon, and tried to rise and part +them, but had no strength to stand upon his feet. + +Anon Sir Colgrevance saw him, and cried out to him for help, for now Sir +Lionel had nigh defeated him. When Sir Bors heard that, he struggled to +his feet, and put his helmet on, and took his sword. But before he could +come to him, Sir Lionel had smitten off Sir Colgrevance's helm, and thrown +him to the earth and slain him. Then turned he to his brother as a man +possessed by fiends, and gave him such a stroke as bent him nearly double. + +But still Sir Bors prayed him for God's sake to quit that battle, "For if +it befell us that we either slew the other we should die for care of that +sin." + +"Never will I spare thee if I master thee," cried out Sir Lionel. + +Then Sir Bors drew his sword all weeping, and said, "Now, God have mercy +on me, though I defend my life against my brother;" with that he lifted up +his sword to strike, but suddenly he heard a mighty voice, "Put up thy +sword, Sir Bors, and flee, or thou shalt surely slay him." And then there +fell upon them both a fiery cloud, which flamed and burned their shields, +and they fell to the earth in sore dread. + +Anon Sir Bors rose to his feet, and saw that Sir Lionel had taken no harm. +Then came the voice again, and said, "Sir Bors, go hence and leave thy +brother, and ride thou forward to the sea, for there Sir Percival abideth +thee." + +Then he said to his brother, "Brother, forgive me all my trespass against +thee." + +And Sir Lionel answered, "God forgive it thee, as I do." + +Then he departed and rode to the sea, and on the strand he found a ship +all covered with white samite, and as soon as he had entered thereinto, +it put forth from the shore. And in the midst of the ship there stood an +armed knight, whom he knew to be Sir Percival. Then they rejoiced greatly +over each other, and said, "We lack nothing now but the good knight Sir +Galahad." + +Now when Sir Galahad had rescued Sir Percival from the twenty knights he +rode into a vast forest. And after many days it befell that he came to a +castle whereat was a tournament. And the knights of the castle were put to +the worse; which when he saw, he set his spear in rest and ran to help +them, and smote down many of their adversaries. And as it chanced, Sir +Gawain was amongst the stranger knights, and when he saw the white shield +with the red cross, he knew it was Sir Galahad, and proffered to joust +with him. So they encountered, and having broken their spears, they drew +their swords, and Sir Galahad smote Sir Gawain so sorely on the helm that +he clove it through, and struck on slanting to the earth, carving the +horse's shoulder in twain, and Sir Gawain fell to the earth. Then Sir +Galahad beat back all who warred against the castle, yet would he not wait +for thanks, but rode away that no man might know him. + +And he rested that night at a hermitage, and when he was asleep, he heard +a knocking at the door. So he rose, and found a damsel there, who said, +"Sir Galahad, I will that ye arm you, and mount upon your horse and follow +me, for I will show you within these three days the highest adventure that +ever any knight saw." + +Anon Sir Galahad armed him, and took his horse, and commended himself to +God, and bade the gentlewoman go, and he would follow where she liked. + +So they rode onwards to the sea as fast as their horses might gallop, and +at night they came to a castle in a valley, inclosed by running water, and +by strong and high walls, whereinto they entered and had great cheer, for +the lady of the castle was the damsel's mistress. + +And when he was unarmed, the damsel said to her lady, "Madam, shall we +abide here this night?" + +"Nay," said she, "but only till he hath dined and slept a little." + +So he ate and slept a while, till the maid called him, and armed him by +torchlight; and when he had saluted the lady of the castle, the damsel and +Sir Galahad rode on. + +Anon they came to the seaside, and lo! the ship, wherein were Sir Percival +and Sir Bors, abode by the shore. Then they cried, "Welcome, Sir Galahad, +for we have awaited thee long." + +Then they rejoiced to see each other, and told of all their adventures and +temptations. And the damsel went into the ship with them, and spake to Sir +Percival: "Sir Percival, know ye not who I am?" + +And he replied, "Nay, certainly, I know thee not." + +Then said she, "I am thy sister, the daughter of King Pellinore, and am +sent to help thee and these knights, thy fellows, to achieve the quest +which ye all follow." + +So Sir Percival rejoiced to see his sister, and they departed from the +shore. And after a while they came upon a whirlpool, where their ship +could not live. Then saw they another greater ship hard by and went +towards it, but saw neither man nor woman therein. And on the end of it +these words were written, "Thou who shalt enter me, beware that thou be in +steadfast belief, for I am Faith; and if thou doubtest, I cannot help +thee." Then were they all adread, but, commending themselves to God, they +entered in. + +As soon as they were on board they saw a fair bed; whereon lay a crown of +silk, and at the foot was a fair and rich sword drawn from its scabbard +half a foot and more. The pommel was of precious stones of many colours, +every colour having a different virtue, and the scales of the haft were of +two ribs of different beasts. The one was bone of a serpent from Calidone +forest, named the serpent of the fiend; and its virtue saveth all men who +hold it from weariness. The other was of a fish that haunteth the floods +of Euphrates, named Ertanax; and its virtue causeth whoever holdeth it to +forget all other things, whether of joy or pain, save the thing he seeth +before him. + +"In the name of God," said Sir Percival, "I shall assay to handle this +sword; "and set his hand to it, but could not grasp it. "By my faith," +said he, "now have I failed." + +Sir Bors set his hand to it, and failed also. + +Then came Sir Galahad, and saw these letters written red as blood, "None +shall draw me forth save the hardiest of all men; but he that draweth me +shall never be shamed or wounded to death." "By my faith," said Sir +Galahad, "I would draw it forth, but dare not try." + +"Ye may try safely," said the gentlewoman, Sir Percival's sister, "for be +ye well assured the drawing of this sword is forbid to all but you. For +this was the sword of David, King of Israel, and Solomon his son made for +it this marvellous pommel and this wondrous sheath, and laid it on this +bed till thou shouldest come and take it up; and though before thee some +have dared to raise it, yet have they all been maimed or wounded for their +daring." + +"Where," said Sir Galahad, "shall we find a girdle for it?" + +"Fair sir," said she, "dismay you not;" and therewith took from out a box +a girdle, nobly wrought with golden thread, set full of precious stones +and with a rich gold buckle. "This girdle, lords," said she, "is made for +the most part of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I +loved full well; but when I knew that this adventure was ordained me, I +cut off and wove as ye now see." + +[Illustration: "This girdle, lords," said she, "is made for the most part +of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I loved full +well."] + +Then they all prayed Sir Galahad to take the sword, and so anon he gripped +it in his fingers; and the maiden girt it round his waist, saying, "Now +reck I not though I die, for I have made thee the worthiest knight of all +the world." + +"Fair damsel," said Sir Galahad, "ye have done so much that I shall be +your knight all the days of my life." + +Then the ship sailed a great way on the sea, and brought them to land near +the Castle of Carteloise. When they were landed came a squire and asked +them, "Be ye of King Arthur's court?" + +"We are," said they. + +"In an evil hour are ye come," said he, and went back swiftly to the +castle. + +Within a while they heard a great horn blow, and saw a multitude of +well-armed knights come forth, who bade them yield or die. At that they +ran together, and Sir Percival smote one to the earth and mounted his +horse, and so likewise did Sir Bors and Sir Galahad, and soon had they +routed all their enemies and alighted on foot, and with their swords slew +them downright, and entered into the castle. + +Then came there forth a priest, to whom Sir Galahad kneeled and said, "In +sooth, good father, I repent me of this slaughter; but we were first +assailed, or else it had not been." + +"Repent ye not," said the good man, "for if ye lived as long as the world +lasted ye could do no better deed, for these were all the felon sons of a +good knight, Earl Hernox, whom they have thrown into a dungeon, and in his +name have slain priests and clerks, and beat down chapels far and near." + +Then Sir Galahad prayed the priest to bring him to the earl; who, when he +saw Sir Galahad, cried out, "Long have I waited for thy coming, and now I +pray thee hold me in thine arms that I may die in peace." + +And therewith, when Sir Galahad had taken him in his arms, his soul +departed from his body. + +Then came a voice in the hearing of them all, "Depart now, Sir Galahad, +and go quickly to the maimed king, for he hath long abided to receive +health from thy hand." + +So the three knights departed, and Sir Percival's sister with them, and +came to a vast forest, and saw before them a white hart, exceeding fair, +led by four lions; and marvelling greatly at that sight, they followed. + +Anon they came to a hermitage and a chapel, whereunto the hart entered, +and the lions with it. Then a priest offered mass, and presently they saw +the hart change into the figure of a man, most sweet and comely to behold; +and the four lions also changed and became a man, an eagle, a lion, and an +ox. And suddenly all those five figures vanished without sound. Then the +knights marvelled greatly, and fell upon their knees, and when they rose +they prayed the priest to tell them what that sight might mean. + +"What saw ye, sirs?" said he, "for I saw nothing." Then they told him. + +"Ah, lords!" said he, "ye are full welcome; now know I well ye be the +knights who shall achieve the Sangreal, for unto them alone such +mysteries are revealed. The hart ye saw is One above all men, white and +without blemish, and the four lions with Him are the four evangelists." + +When they heard that they heartily rejoiced, and thanking the priest, +departed. + +Anon, as they passed by a certain castle, an armed knight suddenly came +after them, and cried out to the damsel, "By the holy cross, ye shall not +go till ye have yielded to the custom of the castle." + +"Let her go," said Sir Percival, "for a maiden, wheresoever she cometh, is +free." + +"Whatever maiden passeth here," replied the knight, "must give a dishful +of her blood from her right arm." + +"It is a foul and shameful custom," cried Sir Galahad and both his +fellows, "and sooner will we die than let this maiden yield thereto." + +"Then shall ye die," replied the knight, and as he spake there came out +from a gate hard by, ten or twelve more, and encountered with them, +running upon them vehemently with a great cry. But the three knights +withstood them, and set their hands to their swords, and beat them down +and slew them. + +At that came forth a company of threescore knights, all armed. "Fair +lords," said Sir Galahad, "have mercy on yourselves and keep from us." + +"Nay, fair lords," they answered, "rather be advised by us, and yield ye +to our custom." + +"It is an idle word," said Galahad, "in vain ye speak it." + +"Well," said they, "will ye die?" + +"We be not come thereto as yet," replied Sir Galahad. + +Then did they fall upon each other, and Sir Galahad drew forth his sword, +and smote on the right hand and on the left, and slew so mightily that +all who saw him thought he was a monster and no earthly man. And both his +comrades helped him well, and so they held the field against that +multitude till it was night. Then came a good knight forward from the +enemy and said, "Fair knights, abide with us to-night and be right +welcome; by the faith of our bodies as we are true knights, to-morrow ye +shall rise unharmed, and meanwhile maybe ye will, of your own accord, +accept the custom of the castle when ye know it better." + +So they entered and alighted and made great cheer. Anon, they asked them +whence that custom came. "The lady of this castle is a leper," said they, +"and can be no way cured save by the blood of a pure virgin and a king's +daughter; therefore to save her life are we her servants bound to stay +every maid that passeth by, and try if her blood may not cure our +mistress." + +Then said the damsel, "Take ye of my blood as much as ye will, if it may +avail your lady." + +And though the three knights urged her not to put her life in that great +peril, she replied, "If I die to heal another's body, I shall get health +to my soul," and would not be persuaded to refuse. + +So on the morrow she was brought to the sick lady, and her arm was bared, +and a vein thereof was opened, and the dish filled with her blood. Then +the sick lady was anointed therewith, and anon she was whole of her +malady. With that Sir Percival's sister lifted up her hand and blessed +her, saying, "Madam, I am come to my death to make you whole; for God's +love pray for me;" and thus saying she fell down in a swoon. + +Then Sir Galahad, Sir Percival, and Sir Bors started to lift her up and +staunch her blood, but she had lost too much to live. So when she came to +herself she said to Sir Percival, "Fair brother, I must die for the +healing of this lady, and now, I pray thee, bury me not here, but when I +am dead put me in a boat at the next haven and let me float at venture on +the sea. And when ye come to the city of Sarras, to achieve the Sangreal, +shall ye find me waiting by a tower, and there I pray thee bury me, for +there shall Sir Galahad and ye also be laid." Thus having said, she died. + +Then Sir Percival wrote all the story of her life and put it in her right +hand, and so laid her in a barge and covered it with silk. And the wind +arising drove the barge from land, and all the knights stood watching it +till it was out of sight. + +Anon they returned to the castle, and forthwith fell a sudden tempest of +thunder and lightning and rain, as if the earth were broken up: and half +the castle was thrown down. Then came a voice to the three knights which +said, "Depart ye now asunder till ye meet again where the maimed king is +lying." So they parted and rode divers ways. + +Now after Sir Lancelot had left the hermit, he rode a long while till he +knew not whither to turn, and so he lay down to sleep, if haply he might +dream whither to go. + +And in his sleep a vision came to him saying, "Lancelot, rise up and take +thine armour, and enter the first ship that thou shalt find." + +When he awoke he obeyed the vision, and rode till he came to the +sea-shore, and found there a ship without sails or oars, and as soon as he +was in it he smelt the sweetest savour he had ever known, and seemed +filled with all things he could think of or desire. And looking round he +saw a fair bed, and thereon a gentlewoman lying dead, who was Sir +Percival's sister. And as Sir Lancelot looked on her he spied the writing +in her right hand, and, taking it, he read therein her story. And more +than a month thereafter he abode in that ship and was nourished by the +grace of Heaven, as Israel was fed with manna in the desert. + +And on a certain night he went ashore to pass the time, for he was +somewhat weary, and, listening, he heard a horse come towards him, from +which a knight alighted and went up into the ship; who, when he saw Sir +Lancelot, said, "Fair sir, ye be right welcome to mine eyes, for I am thy +son Galahad, and long time I have sought for thee." With that he kneeled +and asked his blessing, and took off his helm and kissed him, and the +great joy there was between them no tongue can tell. + +Then for half a year they dwelt together in the ship, and served God night +and day with all their powers, and went to many unknown islands, where none +but wild beasts haunted, and there found many strange and perilous +adventures. + +And upon a time they came to the edge of a forest, before a cross of +stone, and saw a knight armed all in white, leading a white horse. Then +the knight saluted them, and said to Galahad, "Ye have been long time +enough with your father; now, therefore, leave him and ride this horse +till ye achieve the Holy Quest." + +Then went Sir Galahad to his father and kissed him full courteously, and +said, "Fair father, I know not when I shall see thee again." + +And as he took his horse a voice spake in their hearing, "Ye shall meet no +more in this life." + +"Now, my son, Sir Galahad," said Sir Lancelot, "since we must so part and +see each other never more, I pray the High Father of Heaven to preserve +both you and me." + +Then they bade farewell, and Sir Galahad entered the forest, and Sir +Lancelot returned to the ship, and the wind rose and drove him more than a +month through the sea, whereby he slept but little, yet ever prayed that +he might see the Sangreal. + +So it befell upon a certain midnight, the moon shining clear, he came +before a fair and rich castle, whereof the postern gate was open towards +the sea, having no keeper save two lions in the entry. + +Anon Sir Lancelot heard a voice: "Leave now thy ship and go within the +castle, and thou shalt see a part of thy desire." + +Then he armed and went towards the gate, and coming to the lions he drew +out his sword, but suddenly a dwarf rushed out and smote him on the arm, +so that he dropt his sword, and heard again the voice, "Oh, man of evil +faith, and poor belief, wherefore trustest thou thine arms above thy +Maker?" Then he put up his sword and signed the cross upon his forehead, +and so passed by the lions without hurt. + +And going in, he found a chamber with the door shut, which in vain he +tried to open. And listening thereat he heard a voice within, which sang +so sweetly that it seemed no earthly thing, "Joy and honour be to the +Father of Heaven!" Then he kneeled down at the door, for he knew well the +Sangreal was there within. + +Anon the door was opened without hands, and forthwith came thereout so +great a splendour as if all the torches of the world had been alight +together. But when he would have entered in, a voice forbad him; wherefore +he drew back, and looked, standing upon the threshold of the door. And +there he saw a table of silver, and the holy vessel covered with red +samite, and many angels round it holding burning candles and a cross and +all the ornaments of the altar. + +Then a priest stood up and offered mass, and when he took the vessel up, +he seemed to sink beneath that burden. At that Sir Lancelot cried, "O +Father, take it not for sin that I go in to help the priest, who hath much +need thereof." So saying, he went in, but when he came towards the table +he felt a breath of fire which issued out therefrom and smote him to the +ground, so that he had no power to rise. + +Then felt he many hands about him, which took him up and laid him down +outside the chapel door. There lay he in a swoon all through that night, +and on the morrow certain people found him senseless, and bore him to an +inner chamber and laid him on a bed. And there he rested, living, but +moving no limbs, twenty-four days and nights. + +On the twenty-fifth day he opened his eyes and saw those standing round, +and said, "Why have ye waked me? for I have seen marvels that no tongue +can tell, and more than any heart can think." + +Then he asked where he was, and they told him, "In the Castle of +Carbonek." + +"Tell your lord, King Pelles," said he, "that I am Sir Lancelot." + +At that they marvelled greatly, and told their lord it was Sir Lancelot +who had lain there so long. + +Then was King Pelles wondrous glad and went to see him, and prayed him to +abide there for a season. But Sir Lancelot said, "I know well that I have +now seen as much as mine eyes may behold of the Sangreal; wherefore I will +return to my own country." So he took leave of King Pelles, and departed +towards Logris. + +Now after Sir Galahad had parted from Sir Lancelot, he rode many days, +till he came to the monastery where the blind King Evelake lay, whom Sir +Percival had seen. And on the morrow, when he had heard mass, Sir Galahad +desired to see the king, who cried out, "Welcome, Sir Galahad, servant of +the Lord! long have I abided thy coming. Take me now in thine arms, that I +may die in peace." + +At that Sir Galahad embraced him; and when he had so done the king's eyes +were opened, and he said, "Fair Lord Jesus, suffer me now to come to +Thee;" and anon his soul departed. + +Then they buried him royally, as a king should be; and Sir Galahad went on +his way. + +Within a while he came to a chapel in a forest, in the crypt whereof he +saw a tomb which always blazed and burnt. And asking the brethren what +that might mean, they told him, "Joseph of Arimathea's son did found this +monastery, and one who wronged him hath lain here these three hundred and +fifty years and burneth evermore, until that perfect knight who shall +achieve the Sangreal doth quench the fire." + +Then said he, "I pray ye bring me to the tomb." + +And when he touched the place immediately the fire was quenched, and a +voice came from the grave and cried, "Thanks be to God, who now hath +purged me of my sin, and draweth me from earthly pains into the joys of +paradise." + +Then Sir Galahad took the body in his arms and bore it to the abbey, and +on the morrow put it in the earth before the high altar. + +Anon he departed from thence and rode five days in a great forest; and +after that he met Sir Percival, and a little further on Sir Bors. When +they had told each other their adventures, they rode together to the +Castle of Carbonek: and there King Pelles gave them hearty welcome, for he +knew they should achieve the Holy Quest. + +As soon as they were come into the castle, a voice cried in the midst of +the chamber, "Let them who ought not now to sit at the table of the Lord +rise and depart hence!" Then all, save those three knights, departed. + +Anon they saw other knights come in with haste at the hall doors and take +their harness off, who said to Sir Galahad, "Sir, we have tried sore to be +with you at this table." + +"Ye be welcome," said he, "but whence are ye?" + +So three of them said they were from Gaul; and three from Ireland; and +three from Denmark. + +Then came forth the likeness of a bishop, with a cross in his hand, and +four angels stood by him, and a table of silver was before them, whereon +was set the vessel of the Sangreal. Then came forth other angels also--two +bearing burning candles, and the third a towel, and the fourth a spear +which bled marvellously, the drops wherefrom fell into a box he held in +his left hand. Anon the bishop took the wafer up to consecrate it, and at +the lifting up, they saw the figure of a Child, whose visage was as bright +as any fire, which smote itself into the midst of the wafer and vanished, +so that all saw the flesh made bread. + +Thereat the bishop went to Galahad and kissed him, and bade him go and +kiss his fellows; and said, "Now, servants of the Lord, prepare for food +such as none ever yet were fed with since the world began." + +With that he vanished, and the knights were filled with a great dread and +prayed devoutly. + +Then saw they come forth from the holy vessel the vision of a man bleeding +all openly, whom they knew well by the tokens of His passion for the Lord +Himself. At that they fell upon their faces and were dumb. Anon he brought +the Holy Grale to them and spake high words of comfort, and, when they +drank therefrom, the taste thereof was sweeter than any tongue could tell +or heart desire. Then a voice said to Galahad, "Son, with this blood which +drippeth from the spear anoint thou the maimed king and heal him. And when +thou hast this done, depart hence with thy brethren in a ship that ye +shall find, and go to the city of Sarras. And bear with thee the holy +vessel, for it shall no more be seen in the realm of Logris." + +At that Sir Galahad walked to the bleeding spear, and therefrom anointing +his fingers went out straightway to the maimed King Pelles, and touched +his wound. Then suddenly he uprose from his bed as whole a man as ever he +was, and praised God passing thankfully with all his heart. + +Then Sir Galahad, Sir Bors, and Sir Percival departed as they had been +told; and when they had ridden three days they came to the sea-shore, and +found the ship awaiting them. Therein they entered, and saw in the midst +the silver table and the vessel of the Sangreal, covered with red samite. +Then were they passing glad, and made great reverence thereto. And Sir +Galahad prayed that now he might leave the world and pass to God. And +presently, the while he prayed, a voice said to him, "Galahad, thy prayer +is heard, and when thou asketh the death of the body thou shalt have it, +and find the life of thy soul." + +But while they prayed and slept the ship sailed on, and when they woke +they saw the city of Sarras before them, and the other ship wherein was +Sir Percival's sister. Then the three knights took up the holy table and +the Sangreal and went into the city; and there, in a chapel, they buried +Sir Percival's sister right solemnly. + +Now at the gate of the town they saw an old cripple sitting, whom Sir +Galahad called to help them bear their weight. + +"Truly," said the old man, "it is ten years since I have gone a step +without these crutches." + +"Care ye not," said Sir Galahad; "rise now and show goodwill." + +So he assayed to move, and found his limbs as strong as any man's might +be, and running to the table helped to carry it. + +Anon there rose a rumour in the city that a cripple had been healed by +certain marvellous strange knights. + +But the king, named Estouranse, who was a heathen tyrant, when he heard +thereof took Sir Galahad and his fellows, and put them in prison in a deep +hole. Therein they abode a great while, but ever the Sangreal was with +them and fed them with marvellous sweet food, so that they fainted not, +but had all joy and comfort they could wish. + +At the year's end the king fell sick and felt that he should die. Then +sent he for the three knights, and when they came before him prayed their +mercy for his trespasses against them. So they forgave him gladly, and +anon he died. + +Then the chief men of the city took counsel together who should be king in +his stead, and as they talked, a voice cried in their midst, "Choose ye +the youngest of the three knights King Estouranse cast into prison for +your king." At that they sought Sir Galahad and made him king with the +assent of all the city, and else they would have slain him. + +But within a twelvemonth came to him, upon a certain day, as he prayed +before the Sangreal, a man in likeness of a bishop, with a great company +of angels round about him, who offered mass, and afterwards called to Sir +Galahad, "Come forth, thou servant of the Lord, for the time hath come +thou hast desired so long." + +Then Sir Galahad lifted up his hands and prayed, "Now, blessed Lord! would +I no longer live if it might please Thee." + +Anon the bishop gave him the sacrament, and when he had received it with +unspeakable gladness, he said, "Who art thou, father?" + +"I am Joseph of Arimathea," answered he, "whom our Lord hath sent to bear +thee fellowship." + +When he heard that, Sir Galahad went to Sir Percival and Sir Bors and +kissed them and commended them to God, saying, "Salute for me Sir +Lancelot, my father, and bid him remember this unstable world." + +Therewith he kneeled down and prayed, and suddenly his soul departed, and +a multitude of angels bare it up to heaven. Then came a hand from heaven +and took the vessel and the spear and bare them out of sight. + +Since then was never man so hardy as to say that he had seen the Sangreal. + +And after all these things, Sir Percival put off his armour and betook him +to an hermitage, and within a little while passed out of this world. And +Sir Bors, when he had buried him beside his sister, returned, weeping sore +for the loss of his two brethren, to King Arthur, at Camelot. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +_Sir Lancelot and the Fair Maid of Astolat_ + + +Now after the quest of the Sangreal was fulfilled and all the knights who +were left alive were come again to the Round Table, there was great joy in +the court. And passing glad were King Arthur and Queen Guinevere to see +Sir Lancelot and Sir Bors, for they had been long absent in that quest. + +And so greatly was Sir Lancelot's fame now spread abroad that many ladies +and damsels daily resorted to him and besought him for their champion; and +all right quarrels did he gladly undertake for the pleasure of our Lord +Christ. And always as much as he might he withdrew him from the queen. + +Wherefore Queen Guinevere, who counted him for her own knight, grew wroth +with him, and on a certain day she called him to her chamber, and said +thus: "Sir Lancelot, I daily see thy loyalty to me doth slack, for ever +thou art absent from this court, and takest other ladies' quarrels on thee +more than ever thou wert wont. Now do I understand thee, false knight, and +therefore shall I never trust thee more. Depart now from my sight, and +come no more within this court upon pain of thy head." With that she +turned from him and would hear no excuses. + +So Sir Lancelot departed in heaviness of heart, and calling Sir Bors, Sir +Ector, and Sir Lionel, he told them how the queen had dealt with him. + +"Fair sir," replied Sir Bors, "remember what honour ye have in this +country, and how ye are called the noblest knight in the world; wherefore +go not, for women are hasty, and do often what they sore repent of +afterwards. Be ruled by my advice. Take horse and ride to the hermitage +beside Windsor, and there abide till I send ye better tidings." + +To that Sir Lancelot consented, and departed with a sorrowful countenance. + +Now when the queen heard of his leaving she was inwardly sorry, but made +no show of grief, bearing a proud visage outwardly. And on a certain day +she made a costly banquet to all the knights of the Round Table, to show +she had as great joy in all others as in Sir Lancelot. And at the banquet +were Sir Gawain, and his brothers Sir Agravaine, Sir Gaheris, and Sir +Gareth; also Sir Modred, Sir Bors, Sir Blamor, Sir Bleoberis, Sir Ector, +Sir Lionel, Sir Palomedes, Sir Mador de la Port, and his cousin Sir +Patrice--a knight of Ireland, Sir Pinell le Savage, and many more. + +Now Sir Pinell hated Sir Gawain because he had slain one of his kinsmen by +treason; and Sir Gawain had a great love for all kinds of fruit, which, +when Sir Pinell knew, he poisoned certain apples that were set upon the +table, with intent to slay him. And so it chanced as they ate and made +merry, Sir Patrice, who sat next to Sir Gawain, took one of the poisoned +apples and eat it, and when he had eaten he suddenly swelled up and fell +down dead. + +At that every knight leapt from the board ashamed and enraged nigh out of +their wits, for they knew not what to say, yet seeing that the queen had +made the banquet they all had suspicion of her. + +"My lady the queen," said Sir Gawain, "I wit well this fruit was meant for +me, for all men know my love for it, and now had I been nearly slain; +wherefore, I fear me, ye will be ashamed." + +"This shall not end so," cried Sir Mador de la Port; "now have I lost a +noble knight of my own blood, and for this despite and shame I will be +revenged to the uttermost." + +Then he challenged Queen Guinevere concerning the death of his cousin, but +she stood still, sore abashed, and anon with her sorrow and dread, she +swooned. + +At the noise and sudden cry came in King Arthur, and to him appealed Sir +Mador, and impeached the queen. + +"Fair lords," said he, "full sorely am I troubled at this matter, for I +must be rightful judge, and therein it repenteth me I may not do battle +for my wife, for, as I deem, this deed was none of hers. But I suppose she +will not lack a champion, and some good knight surely will put his body in +jeopardy to save her." + +But all who had been bidden to the banquet said they could not hold the +queen excused, or be her champions, for she had made the feast, and either +by herself or servants must it have come. + +"Alas!" said the queen, "I made this dinner for a good intent, and no +evil, so God help me in my need." + +"My lord the king," said Sir Mador, "I require you heartily as you be a +righteous king give me a day when I may have justice." + +"Well," said the king, "I give ye this day fifteen days, when ye shall be +ready and armed in the meadow beside Westminster, and if there be a +knight to fight with you, God speed the right, and if not, then must my +queen be burnt." + +When the king and queen were alone together he asked her how this case +befell. + +"I wot not how or in what manner," answered she. + +"Where is Sir Lancelot?" said King Arthur, "for he would not grudge to do +battle for thee." + +"Sir," said she, "I cannot tell you, but all his kinsmen deem he is not in +this realm." + +"These be sad tidings," said the king; "I counsel ye to find Sir Bors, and +pray him for Sir Lancelot's sake to do this battle for you." + +So the queen departed and sent for Sir Bors to her chamber, and besought +his succour. + +"Madam," said he, "what would you have me do? for I may not with my honour +take this matter on me, for I was at that same dinner, and all the other +knights would have me ever in suspicion. Now do ye miss Sir Lancelot, for +he would not have failed you in right nor yet in wrong, as ye have often +proved, but now ye have driven him from the country." + +"Alas! fair knight," said the queen, "I put me wholly at your mercy, and +all that is done amiss I will amend as ye will counsel me." + +And therewith she kneeled down upon both her knees before Sir Bors, and +besought him to have mercy on her. + +Anon came in King Arthur also, and prayed him of his courtesy to help her, +saying, "I require you for the love of Lancelot." + +"My lord," said he, "ye require the greatest thing of me that any man can +ask, for if I do this battle for the queen I shall anger all my fellows of +the Table Round; nevertheless, for my lord Sir Lancelot's sake, and for +yours, I will that day be the queen's champion, unless there chance to +come a better knight than I am to do battle for her." And this he promised +on his faith. + +Then were the king and queen passing glad, and thanked him heartily, and +so departed. + +But Sir Bors rode in secret to the hermitage where Sir Lancelot was, and +told him all these tidings. + +"It has chanced as I would have it," said Sir Lancelot; "yet make ye ready +for the battle, but tarry till ye see me come." + +"Sir," said Sir Bors, "doubt not but ye shall have your will." + +But many of the knights were greatly wroth with him when they heard he was +to be the queen's champion, for there were few in the court but deemed her +guilty. + +Then said Sir Bors, "Wit ye well, fair lords, it were a shame to us all to +suffer so fair and noble a lady to be burnt for lack of a champion, for +ever hath she proved herself a lover of good knights; wherefore I doubt +not she is guiltless of this treason." + +At that were some well pleased, but others rested passing wroth. + +And when the day was come, the king and queen and all the knights went to +the meadow beside Westminster, where the battle should be fought. Then the +queen was put in ward, and a great fire was made round the iron stake, +where she must be burnt if Sir Mador won the day. + +So when the heralds blew, Sir Mador rode forth, and took oath that Queen +Guinevere was guilty of Sir Patrice's death, and his oath he would prove +with his body against any who would say the contrary. Then came forth Sir +Bors, and said, "Queen Guinevere is in the right, and that will I prove +with my hands." + +With that they both departed to their tents to make ready for the battle. +But Sir Bors tarried long, hoping Sir Lancelot would come, till Sir Mador +cried out to King Arthur, "Bid thy champion come forth, unless he dare +not." Then was Sir Bors ashamed, and took his horse and rode to the end of +the lists. + +But ere he could meet Sir Mador he was ware of a knight upon a white +horse, armed at all points, and with a strange shield, who rode to him and +said, "I pray you withdraw from this quarrel, for it is mine, and I have +ridden far to fight in it." + +Thereat Sir Bors rode to King Arthur, and told him that another knight was +come who would do battle for the queen. + +"Who is he?" said King Arthur. + +"I may not tell you," said Sir Bors; "but he made a covenant with me to be +here to-day, wherefore I am discharged." + +Then the king called that knight, and asked him if he would fight for the +queen. + +"Therefore came I hither, Sir king," answered he; "but let us tarry no +longer, for anon I have other matters to do. But wit ye well," said he to +the Knights of the Round Table, "it is shame to ye for such a courteous +queen to suffer this dishonour." + +And all men marvelled who this knight might be, for none knew him save Sir +Bors. + +Then Sir Mador and the knight rode to either end of the lists, and +couching their spears, ran one against the other with all their might; and +Sir Mador's spear broke short, but the strange knight bore both him and +his horse down to the ground. Then lightly they leaped from their saddles +and drew their swords, and so came eagerly to the battle, and either gave +the other many sad strokes and sore and deep wounds. + +Thus they fought nigh an hour, for Sir Mador was a full strong and valiant +knight. But at last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave +him such a buffet on the helm as wellnigh killed him. Then did Sir Mador +yield, and prayed his life. + +[Illustration: At last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave +him such a buffet on the helm as well-nigh killed him. ] + +"I will but grant it thee," said the strange knight, "if thou wilt release +the queen from this quarrel for ever, and promise that no mention shall be +made upon Sir Patrice's tomb that ever she consented to that treason." + +"All this shall be done," said Sir Mador. + +Then the knights parters took up Sir Mador and led him to his tent, and +the other knight went straight to the stair foot of King Arthur's throne; +and by that time was the queen come to the king again, and kissed him +lovingly. + +Then both the king and she stooped down, and thanked the knight, and +prayed him to put off his helm and rest him, and to take a cup of wine. +And when he put his helmet off to drink, all people saw it was Sir +Lancelot. But when the queen beheld him she sank almost to the ground +weeping for sorrow and for joy, that he had done her such great goodness +when she had showed him such unkindness. + +Then the knights of his blood gathered round him, and there was great joy +and mirth in the court. And Sir Mador and Sir Lancelot were soon healed of +their wounds; and not long after came the Lady of the Lake to the court, +and told all there by her enchantments how Sir Pinell, and not the queen, +was guilty of Sir Patrice's death. Whereat the queen was held excused of +all men, and Sir Pinell fled the country. + +So Sir Patrice was buried in the church of Winchester, and it was written +on his tomb that Sir Pinell slew him with a poisoned apple, in error for +Sir Gawain. Then, through Sir Lancelot's favour, the queen was reconciled +to Sir Mador, and all was forgiven. + +Now fifteen days before the Feast of the Assumption of our Lady, the king +proclaimed a tourney to be held that feast-day at Camelot, whereat himself +and the King of Scotland would joust with all who should come against +them. So thither went the King of North Wales, and King Anguish of +Ireland, and Sir Galahaut the noble prince, and many other nobles of +divers countries. + +And King Arthur made ready to go, and would have had the queen go with +him, but she said that she was sick. Sir Lancelot, also, made excuses, +saying he was not yet whole of his wounds. + +At that the king was passing heavy and grieved, and so departed alone +towards Camelot. And by the way he lodged in a town called Astolat, and +lay that night in the castle. + +As soon as he had gone, Sir Lancelot said to the queen, "This night I will +rest, and to-morrow betimes will I take my way to Camelot; for at these +jousts I will be against the king and his fellowship." + +"Ye may do as ye list," said Queen Guinevere; "but by my counsel ye will +not be against the king, for in his company are many hardy knights, as ye +well know." + +"Madam," said Sir Lancelot, "I pray ye be not displeased with me, for I +will take the adventure that God may send me." + +And on the morrow he went to the church and heard mass, and took his leave +of the queen, and so departed. + +Then he rode long till he came to Astolat, and there lodged at the castle +of an old baron called Sir Bernard of Astolat, which was near the castle +where King Arthur lodged. And as Sir Lancelot entered the king espied him, +and knew him. Then said he to the knights, "I have just seen a knight who +will fight full well at the joust toward which we go." + +"Who is it?" asked they. + +"As yet ye shall not know," he answered smiling. + +When Sir Lancelot was in his chamber unarming, the old baron came to him +saluting him, though as yet he knew not who he was. + +Now Sir Bernard had a daughter passing beautiful, called the Fair Maid of +Astolat, and when she saw Sir Lancelot she loved him from that instant +with her whole heart, and could not stay from gazing on him. + +On the morrow, Sir Lancelot asked the old baron to lend him a strange +shield. "For," said he, "I would be unknown." + +"Sir," said his host, "ye shall have your desire, for here is the shield +of my eldest son, Sir Torre, who was hurt the day he was made knight, so +that he cannot ride; and his shield, therefore, is not known. And, if it +please you, my youngest son, Sir Lavaine, shall ride with you to the +jousts, for he is of his age full strong and mighty; and I deem ye be a +noble knight, wherefore I pray ye tell me your name." + +"As to that," said Sir Lancelot, "ye must hold me excused at this time, +but if I speed well at the jousts, I will come again and tell you; but in +anywise let me have your son, Sir Lavaine, with me, and lend me his +brother's shield." + +Then, ere they departed, came Elaine, the baron's daughter, and said to +Sir Lancelot, "I pray thee, gentle knight, to wear my token at to-morrow's +tourney." + +"If I should grant you that, fair damsel," said he, "ye might say that I +did more for you than ever I have done for lady or damsel." + +Then he bethought him that if he granted her request he would be the more +disguised, for never before had he worn any lady's token. So anon he said, +"Fair damsel, I will wear thy token on my helmet if thou wilt show it me." + +Thereat was she passing glad, and brought him a scarlet sleeve broidered +with pearls, which Sir Lancelot took, and put upon his helm. Then he +prayed her to keep his shield for him until he came again, and taking Sir +Torre's shield instead, rode forth with Sir Lavaine towards Camelot. + +On the morrow the trumpets blew for the tourney, and there was a great +press of dukes and earls and barons and many noble knights; and King +Arthur sat in a gallery to behold who did the best. So the King of +Scotland and his knights, and King Anguish of Ireland rode forth on King +Arthur's side; and against them came the King of North Wales, the King of +a Hundred Knights, the King of Northumberland, and the noble prince Sir +Galahaut. + +But Sir Lancelot and Sir Lavaine rode into a little wood behind the party +which was against King Arthur, to watch which side should prove the +weakest. + +Then was there a strong fight between the two parties, for the King of a +Hundred Knights smote down the King of Scotland; and Sir Palomedes, who +was on King Arthur's side, overthrew Sir Galahaut. Then came fifteen +Knights of the Round Table and beat back the Kings of Northumberland and +North Wales with their knights. + +"Now," said Sir Lancelot to Sir Lavaine, "if ye will help me, ye shall +see yonder fellowship go back as fast as they came." + +"Sir," said Sir Lavaine, "I will do what I can." + +Then they rode together into the thickest of the press, and there, with +one spear, Sir Lancelot smote down five Knights of the Round Table, one +after other, and Sir Lavaine overthrew two. And taking another spear, for +his own was broken, Sir Lancelot smote down four more knights, and Sir +Lavaine a fifth. Then, drawing his sword, Sir Lancelot fought fiercely on +the right hand and the left, and unhorsed Sir Safire, Sir Epinogris, and +Sir Galleron. At that the Knights of the Round Table withdrew themselves +as well as they were able. + +"Now, mercy," said Sir Gawain, who sat by King Arthur; "what knight is +that who doth such marvellous deeds of arms? I should deem him by his +force to be Sir Lancelot, but that he wears a lady's token on his helm as +never Lancelot doth." + +"Let him be," said King Arthur; "he will be better known, and do more ere +he depart." + +Thus the party against King Arthur prospered at this time, and his knights +were sore ashamed. Then Sir Bors, Sir Ector, and Sir Lionel called +together the knights of their blood, nine in number, and agreed to join +together in one band against the two strange knights. So they encountered +Sir Lancelot all at once, and by main force smote his horse to the ground; +and by misfortune Sir Bors struck Sir Lancelot through the shield into the +side, and the spear broke off and left the head in the wound. + +When Sir Lavaine saw that, he ran to the King of Scotland and struck him +off his horse, and brought it to Sir Lancelot, and helped him to mount. +Then Sir Lancelot bore Sir Bors and his horse to the ground, and in like +manner served Sir Ector and Sir Lionel; and turning upon three other +knights he smote them down also; while Sir Lavaine did many gallant deeds. + +But feeling himself now sorely wounded Sir Lancelot drew his sword, and +proffered to fight with Sir Bors, who, by this time, was mounted anew. And +as they met, Sir Ector and Sir Lionel came also, and the swords of all +three drave fiercely against him. When he felt their buffets, and his +wound that was so grievous, he determined to do all his best while he +could yet endure, and smote Sir Bors a blow that bent his head down nearly +to the ground and razed his helmet off and pulled him from his horse. + +Then rushing at Sir Ector and Sir Lionel, he smote them down, and might +have slain all three, but when he saw their faces his heart forbade him. +Leaving them, therefore, on the field, he hurled into the thickest of the +press, and did such feats of arms as never were beheld before. + +And Sir Lavaine was with him through it all, and overthrew ten knights; +but Sir Lancelot smote down more than thirty, and most of them Knights of +the Round Table. + +Then the king ordered the trumpets to blow for the end of the tourney, and +the prize to be given by the heralds to the knight with the white shield +who bore the red sleeve. + +But ere Sir Lancelot was found by the heralds, came the King of the +Hundred Knights, the King of North Wales, the King of Northumberland, and +Sir Galahaut, and said to him, "Fair knight, God bless thee, for much have +ye done this day for us; wherefore we pray ye come with us and receive +the honour and the prize as ye have worshipfully deserved it." + +"My fair lords," said Sir Lancelot, "wit ye well if I have deserved +thanks, I have sore bought them, for I am like never to escape with my +life; therefore I pray ye let me depart, for I am sore hurt. I take no +thought of honour, for I had rather rest me than be lord of all the +world." And therewith he groaned piteously, and rode a great gallop away +from them. + +And Sir Lavaine rode after him, sad at heart, for the broken spear still +stuck fast in Sir Lancelot's side, and the blood streamed sorely from the +wound. Anon they came near a wood more than a mile from the lists, where +he knew he could be hidden. + +Then said he to Sir Lavaine, "O gentle knight, help me to pull out this +spear-head from my side, for the pain thereof nigh killeth me." + +"Dear lord," said he, "I fain would help ye; but I dread to draw it forth, +lest ye should die for loss of blood." + +"I charge you as you love me," said Sir Lancelot, "draw it out." + +So they dismounted, and with a mighty wrench Sir Lavaine drew the spear +forth from Sir Lancelot's side; whereat he gave a marvellous great shriek +and ghastly groan, and all his blood leaped forth in a full stream. Then +he sank swooning to the earth, with a visage pale as death. + +"Alas!" cried Sir Lavaine, "what shall I do now?" + +And then he turned his master's face towards the wind, and sat by him nigh +half an hour while he lay quiet as one dead. But at the last he lifted up +his eyes, and said, "I pray ye bear me on my horse again, and lead me to a + hermit who dwelleth within two miles hence, for he was formerly a knight +of Arthur's court, and now hath mighty skill in medicine and herbs." + +So with great pain Sir Lavaine got him to his horse, and led him to the +hermitage within the wood, beside a stream. Then knocked he with his spear +upon the door, and prayed to enter. At that a child came out, to whom he +said, "Fair child, pray the good man thy master to come hither and let in +a knight who is sore wounded." + +Anon came out the knight-hermit, whose name was Sir Baldwin, and asked, +"Who is this wounded knight?" + +"I know not," said Sir Lavaine, "save that he is the noblest knight I ever +met with, and hath done this day such marvellous deeds of arms against +King Arthur that he hath won the prize of the tourney." + +Then the hermit gazed long on Sir Lancelot, and hardly knew him, so pale +he was with bleeding, yet said he at the last, "Who art thou, lord?" + +Sir Lancelot answered feebly, "I am a stranger knight adventurous, who +laboureth through many realms to win worship." + +"Why hidest thou thy name, dear lord, from me?" cried Sir Baldwin; "for in +sooth I know thee now to be the noblest knight in all the world--my lord +Sir Lancelot du Lake, with whom I long had fellowship at the Round Table." + +"Since ye know me, fair sir," said he, "I pray ye, for Christ's sake, to +help me if ye may." + +"Doubt not," replied he, "that ye shall live and fare right well." + +Then he staunched his wound, and gave him strong medicines and cordials +till he was refreshed from his faintness and came to himself again. + +Now after the jousting was done King Arthur held a feast, and asked to see +the knight with the red sleeve that he might take the prize. So they told +him how that knight had ridden from the field wounded nigh to death. +"These be the worst tidings I have heard for many years," cried out the +king; "I would not for my kingdom he were slain." + +Then all men asked, "Know ye him, lord?" + +"I may not tell ye at this time," said he; "but would to God we had good +tidings of him." + +Then Sir Gawain prayed leave to go and seek that knight, which the king +gladly gave him. So forthwith he mounted and rode many leagues round +Camelot, but could hear no tidings. + +Within two days thereafter King Arthur and his knights returned from +Camelot, and Sir Gawain chanced to lodge at Astolat, in the house of Sir +Bernard. And there came in the fair Elaine to him, and prayed him news of +the tournament, and who won the prize. "A knight with a white shield," +said he, "who bare a red sleeve in his helm, smote down all comers and won +the day." + +At that the visage of Elaine changed suddenly from white to red, and +heartily she thanked our Lady. + +Then said Sir Gawain, "Know ye that knight?" and urged her till she told +him that it was her sleeve he wore. So Sir Gawain knew it was for love +that she had given it; and when he heard she kept his proper shield he +prayed to see it. + +As soon as it was brought he saw Sir Lancelot's arms thereon, and cried, +"Alas! now am I heavier of heart than ever yet." + +"Wherefore?" said fair Elaine. + +"Fair damsel," answered he, "know ye not that the knight ye love is of +all knights the noblest in the world, Sir Lancelot du Lake? With all my +heart I pray ye may have joy of each other, but hardly dare I think that +ye shall see him in this world again, for he is so sore wounded he may +scarcely live, and is gone out of sight where none can find him." + +Then was Elaine nigh mad with grief and sorrow, and with piteous words she +prayed her father that she might go seek Sir Lancelot and her brother. So +in the end her father gave her leave, and she departed. + +And on the morrow came Sir Gawain to the court, and told how he had found +Sir Lancelot's shield in Elaine's keeping, and how it was her sleeve which +he had worn; whereat all marvelled, for Sir Lancelot had done for her more +than he had ever done for any woman. + +But when Queen Guinevere heard it she was beside herself with wrath, and +sending privily for Sir Bors, who sorrowed sorely that through him Sir +Lancelot had been hurt--"Have ye now heard," said she, "how falsely Sir +Lancelot hath betrayed me?" + +"I beseech thee, madam," said he, "speak not so, for else I may not hear +thee." + +"Shall I not call him traitor," cried she, "who hath worn another lady's +token at the jousting?" + +"Be sure he did it, madam, for no ill intent," replied Sir Bors, "but that +he might be better hidden, for never did he in that wise before." + +"Now shame on him, and thee who wouldest help him," cried the queen. + +"Madam, say what ye will," said he; "but I must haste to seek him, and God +send me soon good tidings of him." + +So with that he departed to find Sir Lancelot. + +Now Elaine had ridden with full haste from Astolat, and come to Camelot, +and there she sought throughout the country for any news of Lancelot. And +so it chanced that Sir Lavaine was riding near the hermitage to exercise +his horse, and when she saw him she ran up and cried aloud, "How doth my +lord Sir Lancelot fare?" + +Then said Sir Lavaine, marvelling greatly, "How know ye my lord's name, +fair sister?" + +So she told him how Sir Gawain had lodged with Sir Bernard, and knew Sir +Lancelot's shield. + +Then prayed she to see his lord forthwith, and when she came to the +hermitage and found him lying there sore sick and bleeding, she swooned +for sorrow. Anon, as she revived, Sir Lancelot kissed her, and said, "Fair +maid, I pray ye take comfort, for, by God's grace, I shall be shortly +whole of this wound, and if ye be come to tend me, I am heartily bounden +to your great kindness." Yet was he sore vexed to hear Sir Gawain had +discovered him, for he knew Queen Guinevere would be full wroth because of +the red sleeve. + +So Elaine rested in the hermitage, and ever night and day she watched and +waited on Sir Lancelot, and would let none other tend him. And as she saw +him more, the more she set her love upon him, and could by no means +withdraw it. Then said Sir Lancelot to Sir Lavaine, "I pray thee set some +to watch for the good knight Sir Bors, for as he hurt me, so will he +surely seek for me." + +Now Sir Bors by this time had come to Camelot, and was seeking for Sir +Lancelot everywhere, so Sir Lavaine soon found him, and brought him to the +hermitage. + +And when he saw Sir Lancelot pale and feeble, he wept for pity and sorrow +that he had given him that grievous wound. "God send thee a right speedy +cure, dear lord," said he; "for I am of all men most unhappy to have +wounded thee, who art our leader, and the noblest knight in all the +world." + +"Fair cousin," said Sir Lancelot, "be comforted, for I have but gained +what I sought, and it was through pride that I was hurt, for had I warned +ye of my coming it had not been; wherefore let us speak of other things." + +So they talked long together, and Sir Bors told him of the queen's anger. +Then he asked Sir Lancelot, "Was it from this maid who tendeth you so +lovingly ye had the token?" + +"Yea," said Sir Lancelot; "and would I could persuade her to withdraw her +love from me." + +"Why should ye do so?" said Sir Bors; "for she is passing fair and loving. +I would to heaven ye could love her." + +"That may not be," replied he; "but it repenteth me in sooth to grieve +her." + +Then they talked of other matters, and of the great jousting at +Allhallowtide next coming, between King Arthur and the King of North +Wales. + +"Abide with me till then," said Sir Lancelot, "for by that time I trust to +be all whole again, and we will go together." + +So Elaine daily and nightly tending him, within a month he felt so strong +he deemed himself full cured. Then on a day, when Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine +were from the hermitage, and the knight-hermit also was gone forth, Sir +Lancelot prayed Elaine to bring him some herbs from the forest. + +When she was gone he rose and made haste to arm himself, and try if he +were whole enough to joust, and mounted on his horse, which was fresh with +lack of labour for so long a time. But when he set his spear in the rest +and tried his armour, the horse bounded and leapt beneath him, so that Sir +Lancelot strained to keep him back. And therewith his wound, which was not +wholly healed, burst forth again, and with a mighty groan he sank down +swooning on the ground. + +At that came fair Elaine and wept and piteously moaned to see him lying +so. And when Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine came back, she called them traitors +to let him rise, or to know any rumour of the tournament. Anon the hermit +returned and was wroth to see Sir Lancelot risen, but within a while he +recovered him from his swoon and staunched the wound. Then Sir Lancelot +told him how he had risen of his own will to assay his strength for the +tournament. But the hermit bad him rest and let Sir Bors go alone, for +else would he sorely peril his life. And Elaine, with tears, prayed him in +the same wise, so that Sir Lancelot in the end consented. + +So Sir Bors departed to the tournament, and there he did such feats of +arms that the prize was given between him and Sir Gawain, who did like +valiantly. + +And when all was over he came back and told Sir Lancelot, and found him so +nigh well that he could rise and walk. And within a while thereafter he +departed from the hermitage and went with Sir Bors, Sir Lavaine, and fair +Elaine to Astolat, where Sir Bernard joyfully received them. + +But after they had lodged there a few days Sir Lancelot and Sir Bors must +needs depart and return to King Arthur's court. + +So when Elaine knew Sir Lancelot must go, she came to him and said, "Have +mercy on me, fair knight, and let me not die for your love." + +Then said Sir Lancelot, very sad at heart, "Fair maid, what would ye that +I should do for you?" + +"If I may not be your wife, dear lord," she answered, "I must die." + +"Alas!" said he, "I pray heaven that may not be; for in sooth I may not be +your husband. But fain would I show ye what thankfulness I can for all +your love and kindness to me. And ever will I be your knight, fair maiden; +and if it chance that ye shall ever wed some noble knight, right heartily +will I give ye such a dower as half my lands will bring." + +"Alas! what shall that aid me?" answered she; "for I must die," and +therewith she fell to the earth in a deep swoon. + +Then was Sir Lancelot passing heavy of heart, and said to Sir Bernard and +Sir Lavaine, "What shall I do for her?" + +"Alas!" said Sir Bernard, "I know well that she will die for your sake." + +And Sir Lavaine said, "I marvel not that she so sorely mourneth your +departure, for truly I do as she doth, and since I once have seen you, +lord, I cannot leave you." + +So anon, with a full sorrowful heart, Sir Lancelot took his leave, and Sir +Lavaine rode with him to the court. And King Arthur and the Knights of the +Round Table joyed greatly to see him whole of his wound, but Queen +Guinevere was sorely wroth, and neither spake with him nor greeted him. + +Now when Sir Lancelot had departed, the Maid of Astolat could neither eat, +nor drink, not sleep for sorrow; and having thus endured ten days, she +felt within herself that she must die. + +Then sent she for a holy man, and was shriven and received the sacrament. +But when he told her she must leave her earthly thoughts, she answered, +"Am I not an earthly woman? What sin is it to love the noblest knight of +all the world? And, by my truth, I am not able to withstand the love +whereof I die; wherefore, I pray the High Father of Heaven to have mercy +on my soul." + +Then she besought Sir Bernard to indite a letter as she should devise, and +said, "When I am dead put this within my hand, and dress me in my fairest +clothes, and lay me in a barge all covered with black samite, and steer it +down the river till it reach the court. Thus, father, I beseech thee let +it be." + +Then, full of grief, he promised her it should be so. And anon she died, +and all the household made a bitter lamentation over her. + +Then did they as she had desired, and laid her body, richly dressed, upon +a bed within the barge, and a trusty servant steered it down the river +towards the court. + +Now King Arthur and Queen Guinevere sat at a window of the palace, and saw +the barge come floating with the tide, and marvelled what was laid +therein, and sent a messenger to see, who, soon returning, prayed them to +come forth. + +When they came to the shore they marvelled greatly, and the king asked of +the serving-men who steered the barge what this might mean. But he made +signs that he was dumb, and pointed to the letter in the damsel's hands. +So King Arthur took the letter from the hand of the corpse, and found +thereon written, "To the noble knight, Sir Lancelot du Lake." + +Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk, and +thus it was written:-- + +[Illustration: Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud +by a clerk.] + +"Most noble knight, my lord Sir Lancelot, now hath death for ever parted +us. I, whom men call the Maid of Astolat, set my love upon you, and have +died for your sake. This is my last request, that ye pray for my soul and +give me burial. Grant me this, Sir Lancelot, as thou art a peerless +knight." + +At these words the queen and all the knights wept sore for pity. + +Then said Sir Lancelot, "My lord, I am right heavy for the death of this +fair damsel; and God knoweth that right unwillingly I caused it, for she +was good as she was fair, and much was I beholden to her; but she loved me +beyond measure, and asked me that I could not give her." + +"Ye might have shown her gentleness enough to save her life," answered the +queen. + +"Madam," said he, "she would but be repaid by my taking her to wife, and +that I could not grant her, for love cometh of the heart and not by +constraint." + +"That is true," said the king; "for love is free." + +"I pray you," said Sir Lancelot, "let me now grant her last asking, to be +buried by me." + +So on the morrow, he caused her body to be buried richly and solemnly, and +ordained masses for her soul, and made great sorrow over her. + +Then the queen sent for Sir Lancelot, and prayed his pardon for her wrath +against him without cause. "This is not the first time it hath been so," +answered he; "yet must I ever bear with ye, and so do I now forgive you." + +So Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot were made friends again; but anon such +favour did she show him, as in the end brought many evils on them both and +all the realm. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +_The War between King Arthur and Sir Lancelot and the Death of King +Arthur_ + + +Within a while thereafter was a jousting at the court, wherein Sir +Lancelot won the prize. And two of those he smote down were Sir Agravaine, +the brother of Sir Gawain, and Sir Modred, his false brother--King +Arthur's son by Belisent. And because of his victory they hated Sir +Lancelot, and sought how they might injure him. + +So on a night, when King Arthur was hunting in the forest, and the queen +sent for Sir Lancelot to her chamber, they two espied him; and thinking +now to make a scandal and a quarrel between Lancelot and the king, they +found twelve others, and said Sir Lancelot was ever now in the queen's +chamber, and King Arthur was dishonoured. + +Then, all armed, they came suddenly round the queen's door, and cried, +"Traitor! now art thou taken." + +"Madam, we be betrayed," said Sir Lancelot; "yet shall my life cost these +men dear." + +Then did the queen weep sore, and dismally she cried, "Alas! there is no +armour here whereby ye might withstand so many; wherefore ye will be +slain, and I be burnt for the dread crime they will charge on me." + +But while she spake the shouting of the knights was heard without, +"Traitor, come forth, for now thou art snared!" + +"Better were twenty deaths at once than this vile outcry," said Sir +Lancelot. + +Then he kissed her and said, "Most noble lady, I beseech ye, as I have +ever been your own true knight, take courage; pray for my soul if I be now +slain, and trust my faithful friends, Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine, to save +you from the fire." + +But ever bitterly she wept and moaned, and cried, "Would God that they +would take and slay me, and that thou couldest escape." + +"That shall never be," said he. And wrapping his mantle round his arm he +unbarred the door a little space, so that but one could enter. + +Then first rushed in Sir Chalaunce, a full strong knight, and lifted up +his sword to smite Sir Lancelot; but lightly he avoided him, and struck +Sir Chalaunce, with his hand, such a sore buffet on the head as felled him +dead upon the floor. + +Then Sir Lancelot pulled in his body and barred the door again, and +dressed himself in his armour, and took his drawn sword in his hand. + +But still the knights cried mightily without the door, "Traitor, come +forth!" + +[Illustration: But still the knights cried mightily without the door, +"Traitor, come forth!"] + +"Be silent and depart," replied Sir Lancelot; "for be ye sure ye will not +take me, and to-morrow will I meet ye face to face before the king." + +"Ye shall have no such grace," they cried; "but we will slay thee, or take +thee as we list." + +"Then save yourselves who may," he thundered, and therewith suddenly +unbarred the door and rushed forth at them. And at the first blow he slew +Sir Agravaine, and after him twelve other knights, with twelve more mighty +buffets. And none of all escaped him save Sir Modred, who, sorely wounded, +fled away for life. + +Then returned he to the queen, and said, "Now, madam, will I depart, and +if ye be in any danger I pray ye come to me." + +"Surely will I stay here, for I am queen," she answered; "yet if to-morrow +any harm come to me I trust to thee for rescue." + +"Have ye no doubt of me," said he, "for ever while I live am I your own +true knight." + +Therewith he took his leave, and went and told Sir Bors and all his +kindred of this adventure. "We will be with thee in this quarrel," said +they all; "and if the queen be sentenced to the fire, we certainly will +save her." + +Meanwhile Sir Modred, in great fear and pain, fled from the court, and +rode until he found King Arthur, and told him all that had befallen. But +the king would scarce believe him till he came and saw the bodies of Sir +Agravaine and all the other knights. + +Then felt he in himself that all was true, and with his passing grief his +heart nigh broke. "Alas!" cried he, "now is the fellowship of the Round +Table for ever broken: yea, woe is me! I may not with my honour spare my +queen." + +Anon it was ordained that Queen Guinevere should be burned to death, +because she had dishonoured King Arthur. + +But when Sir Gawain heard thereof, he came before the king, and said, "My +lord, I counsel thee be not too hasty in this matter, but stay the +judgment of the queen a season, for it may well be that Sir Lancelot was +in her chamber for no evil, seeing she is greatly beholden to him for so +many deeds done for her sake, and peradventure she had sent to him to +thank him, and did it secretly that she might avoid slander." + +But King Arthur answered, full of grief, "Alas! I may not help her; she is +judged as any other woman." + +Then he required Sir Gawain and his brethren, Sir Gaheris and Sir Gareth, +to be ready to bear the queen to-morrow to the place of execution. + +"Nay, noble lord," replied Sir Gawain, "that can I never do; for neither +will my heart suffer me to see the queen die, nor shall men ever say I was +of your counsel in this matter." + +Then said his brothers, "Ye may command us to be there, but since it is +against our will, we will be without arms, that we may do no battle +against her." + +So on the morrow was Queen Guinevere led forth to die by fire, and a +mighty crowd was there, of knights and nobles, armed and unarmed. And all +the lords and ladies wept sore at that piteous sight. Then was she shriven +by a priest, and the men came nigh to bind her to the stake and light the +fire. + +At that Sir Lancelot's spies rode hastily and told him and his kindred, +who lay hidden in a wood hard by; and suddenly, with twenty knights, he +rushed into the midst of all the throng to rescue her. + +But certain of King Arthur's knights rose up and fought with them, and +there was a full great battle and confusion. And Sir Lancelot drave +fiercely here and there among the press, and smote on every side, and at +every blow struck down a knight, so that many were slain by him and his +fellows. + +Then was the queen set free, and caught up on Sir Lancelot's saddle and +fled away with him and all his company to the Castle of La Joyous Garde. + +Now so it chanced that, in the turmoil of the fighting, Sir Lancelot had +unawares struck down and slain the two good knights Sir Gareth and Sir +Gaheris, knowing it not, for he fought wildly, and saw not that they were +unarmed. + +When King Arthur heard thereof, and of all that battle, and the rescue of +the queen, he sorrowed heavily for those good knights, and was passing +wroth with Lancelot and the queen. + +But when Sir Gawain heard of his brethren's death he swooned for sorrow +and wrath, for he wist that Sir Lancelot had killed them in malice. And as +soon as he recovered he ran in to the king, and said, "Lord king and +uncle, hear this oath which now I swear, that from this day I will not +fail Sir Lancelot till one of us hath slain the other. And now, unless ye +haste to war with him, that we may be avenged, will I myself alone go +after him." + +Then the king, full of wrath and grief, agreed thereto, and sent letters +throughout the realm to summon all his knights, and went with a vast army +to besiege the Castle of La Joyous Garde. And Sir Lancelot, with his +knights, mightily defended it; but never would he suffer any to go forth +and attack one of the king's army, for he was right loth to fight against +him. + +So when fifteen weeks were passed, and King Arthur's army wasted itself in +vain against the castle, for it was passing strong, it chanced upon a day +Sir Lancelot was looking from the walls and espied King Arthur and Sir +Gawain close beside. + +"Come forth, Sir Lancelot," said King Arthur right fiercely, "and let us +two meet in the midst of the field." + +"God forbid that I should encounter with thee, lord, for thou didst make +me a knight," replied Sir Lancelot. + +Then cried Sir Gawain, "Shame on thee, traitor and false knight, yet be ye +well assured we will regain the queen and slay thee and thy company; yea, +double shame on ye to slay my brother Gaheris unarmed, Sir Gareth also, +who loved ye so well. For that treachery, be sure I am thine enemy till +death." + +"Alas!" cried Sir Lancelot, "that I hear such tidings, for I knew not I +had slain those noble knights, and right sorely now do I repent it with a +heavy heart. Yet abate thy wrath, Sir Gawain, for ye know full well I did +it by mischance, for I loved them ever as my own brothers." + +"Thou liest, false recreant," cried Sir Gawain, fiercely. + +At that Sir Lancelot was wroth, and said, "I well see thou art now mine +enemy, and that there can be no more peace with thee, or with my lord the +king, else would I gladly give back the queen." + +Then the king would fain have listened to Sir Lancelot, for more than all +his own wrong did he grieve at the sore waste and damage of the realm, but +Sir Gawain persuaded him against it, and ever cried out foully on Sir +Lancelot. + +When Sir Bors and the other knights of Lancelot's party heard the fierce +words of Sir Gawain, they were passing wroth, and prayed to ride forth and +be avenged on him, for they were weary of so long waiting to no good. And +in the end Sir Lancelot, with a heavy heart, consented. + +So on the morrow the hosts on either side met in the field, and there was +a great battle. And Sir Gawain prayed his knights chiefly to set upon Sir +Lancelot; but Sir Lancelot commanded his company to forbear King Arthur +and Sir Gawain. + +So the two armies jousted together right fiercely, and Sir Gawain +proffered to encounter with Sir Lionel, and overthrew him. But Sir Bors, +and Sir Blamor, and Sir Palomedes, who were on Sir Lancelot's side, did +great feats of arms, and overthrew many of King Arthur's knights. + +Then the king came forth against Sir Lancelot, but Sir Lancelot forbore +him and would not strike again. + +At that Sir Bors rode up against the king and smote him down. But Sir +Lancelot cried, "Touch him not on pain of thy head," and going to King +Arthur he alighted and gave him his own horse, saying, "My lord, I pray +thee forbear this strife, for it can bring to neither of us any honour." + +And when King Arthur looked on him the tears came to his eyes as he +thought of his noble courtesy, and he said within himself, "Alas! that +ever this war began." + +But on the morrow Sir Gawain led forth the army again, and Sir Bors +commanded on Sir Lancelot's side. And they two struck together so fiercely +that both fell to the ground sorely wounded; and all the day they fought +till night fell, and many were slain on both sides, yet in the end neither +gained the victory. + +But by now the fame of this fierce war spread through all Christendom, and +when the Pope heard thereof he sent a Bull, and charged King Arthur to +make peace with Lancelot, and receive back Queen Guinevere; and for the +offence imputed to her absolution should be given by the Pope. + +Thereto would King Arthur straightway have obeyed, but Sir Gawain ever +urged him to refuse. + +When Sir Lancelot heard thereof, he wrote thus to the king: "It was never +in my thought, lord, to withhold thy queen from thee; but since she was +condemned for my sake to death, I deemed it but a just and knightly part +to rescue her therefrom; wherefore I recommend me to your grace, and +within eight days will I come to thee and bring the queen in safety." + +Then, within eight days, as he had said, Sir Lancelot rode from out the +castle with Queen Guinevere, and a hundred knights for company, each +carrying an olive branch, in sign of peace. And so they came to the court, +and found King Arthur sitting on his throne, with Sir Gawain and many +other knights around him. And when Sir Lancelot entered with the queen, +they both kneeled down before the king. + +Anon Sir Lancelot rose and said, "My lord, I have brought hither my lady +the queen again, as right requireth, and by commandment of the Pope and +you. I pray ye take her to your heart again and forget the past. For +myself I may ask nothing, and for my sin I shall have sorrow and sore +punishment; yet I would to heaven I might have your grace." + +But ere the king could answer, for he was moved with pity at his words, +Sir Gawain cried aloud, "Let the king do as he will, but be sure, Sir +Lancelot, thou and I shall never be accorded while we live, for thou has +slain my brethren traitorously and unarmed." + +"As heaven is my help," replied Sir Lancelot, "I did it ignorantly, for I +loved them well, and while I live I shall bewail their death; but to make +war with me were no avail, for I must needs fight with thee if thou +assailest, and peradventure I might kill thee also, which I were right +loth to do." + +"I will forgive thee never," cried Sir Gawain, "and if the king accordeth +with thee he shall lose my service." + +Then the knights who stood near tried to reconcile Sir Gawain to Sir +Lancelot, but he would not hear them. So, at the last, Sir Lancelot said, +"Since peace is vain, I will depart, lest I bring more evil on my +fellowship." + +And as he turned to go, the tears fell from him, and he said, "Alas, most +noble Christian realm, which I have loved above all others, now shall I +see thee never more!" Then said he to the queen, "Madam, now must I leave +ye and this noble fellowship for ever. And, I beseech ye, pray for me, and +if ye ever be defamed of any, let me hear thereof, and as I have been ever +thy true knight in right and wrong, so will I be again." + +With that he kneeled and kissed King Arthur's hands, and departed on his +way. And there was none in all that court, save Sir Gawain alone, but wept +to see him go. + +So he returned with all his knights to the Castle of La Joyous Garde, and, +for his sorrow's sake, he named it Dolorous Garde thenceforth. + +Anon he left the realm, and went with many of his fellowship beyond the +sea to France, and there divided all his lands among them equally, he +sharing but as the rest. + +And from that time forward peace had been between him and King Arthur, but +for Sir Gawain, who left the king no rest, but constantly persuaded him +that Lancelot was raising mighty hosts against him. + +So in the end his malice overcame the king, who left the government in +charge of Modred, and made him guardian of the queen, and went with a +great army to invade Sir Lancelot's lands. + +Yet Sir Lancelot would make no war upon the king, and sent a message to +gain peace on any terms King Arthur chose. But Sir Gawain met the herald +ere he reached the king, and sent him back with taunting and bitter words. +Whereat Sir Lancelot sorrowfully called his knights together and fortified +the Castle of Benwicke, and there was shortly besieged by the army of King +Arthur. + +And every day Sir Gawain rode up to the walls, and cried out foully on Sir +Lancelot, till, upon a time, Sir Lancelot answered him that he would meet +him in the field and put his boasting to the proof. So it was agreed on +both sides that there should none come nigh them or separate them till one +had fallen or yielded; and they two rode forth. + +Then did they wheel their horses apart, and turning, came together as it +had been thunder, so that both horses fell, and both their lances broke. +At that they drew their swords and set upon each other fiercely, with +passing grievous strokes. + +Now Sir Gawain had through magic a marvellous great gift. For every day, +from morning till noon, his strength waxed to the might of seven men, but +after that waned to his natural force. Therefore till noon he gave Sir +Lancelot many mighty buffets, which scarcely he endured. Yet greatly he +forbore Sir Gawain, for he was aware of his enchantment, and smote him +slightly till his own knights marvelled. But after noon Sir Gawain's +strength sank fast, and then, with one full blow, Sir Lancelot laid him on +the earth. Then Sir Gawain cried out, "Turn not away, thou traitor knight, + but slay me if thou wilt, or else I will arise and fight with thee again +some other time." + +"Sir knight," replied Sir Lancelot, "I never yet smote a fallen man." + +At that they bore Sir Gawain sorely wounded to his tent, and King Arthur +withdrew his men, for he was loth to shed the blood of so many knights of +his own fellowship. + +But now came tidings to King Arthur from across the sea, which caused him +to return in haste. For thus the news ran, that no sooner was Sir Modred +set up in his regency, than he had forged false tidings from abroad that +the king had fallen in a battle with Sir Lancelot. Whereat he had +proclaimed himself the king, and had been crowned at Canterbury, where he +had held a coronation feast for fifteen days. Then he had gone to +Winchester, where Queen Guinevere abode, and had commanded her to be his +wife; whereto, for fear and sore perplexity, she had feigned consent, but, +under pretext of preparing for the marriage, had fled in haste to London +and taken shelter in the Tower, fortifying it and providing it with all +manner of victuals, and defending it against Sir Modred, and answering to +all his threats that she would rather slay herself than be his queen. + +Thus was it written to King Arthur. Then, in passing great wrath and +haste, he came with all his army swiftly back from France and sailed to +England. But when Sir Modred heard thereof, he left the Tower and marched +with all his host to meet the king at Dover. + +Then fled Queen Guinevere to Amesbury to a nunnery, and there she clothed +herself in sackcloth, and spent her time in praying for the king and in +good deeds and fasting. And in that nunnery evermore she lived, sorely +repenting and mourning for her sin, and for the ruin she had brought on +all the realm. And there anon she died. + +And when Sir Lancelot heard thereof, he put his knightly armour off, and +bade farewell to all his kin, and went a mighty pilgrimage for many years, +and after lived a hermit till his death. + +When Sir Modred came to Dover, he found King Arthur and his army but just +landed; and there they fought a fierce and bloody battle, and many great +and noble knights fell on both sides. + +But the king's side had the victory, for he was beyond himself with might +and passion, and all his knights so fiercely followed him, that, in spite +of all their multitude, they drove Sir Modred's army back with fearful +wounds and slaughter, and slept that night upon the battle-field. + +But Sir Gawain was smitten by an arrow in the wound Sir Lancelot gave him, +and wounded to the death. Then was he borne to the king's tent, and King +Arthur sorrowed over him as it had been his own son. "Alas!" said he; "in +Sir Lancelot and in you I had my greatest earthly joy, and now is all gone +from me." + +And Sir Gawain answered, with a feeble voice, "My lord and king, I know +well my death is come, and through my own wilfulness, for I am smitten in +the wound Sir Lancelot gave me. Alas! that I have been the cause of all +this war, for but for me thou hadst been now at peace with Lancelot, and +then had Modred never done this treason. I pray ye, therefore, my dear +lord, be now agreed with Lancelot, and tell him, that although he gave me +my death-wound, it was through my own seeking; wherefore I beseech him to +come back to England, and here to visit my tomb, and pray for my soul." + +When he had thus spoken, Sir Gawain gave up his ghost, and the king +grievously mourned for him. + +Then they told him that the enemy had camped on Barham Downs, whereat, +with all his hosts, he straightway marched there, and fought again a +bloody battle, and overthrew Sir Modred utterly. Howbeit, he raised yet +another army, and retreating ever from before the king, increased his +numbers as he went, till at the farthest west in Lyonesse, he once more +made a stand. + +Now, on the night of Trinity Sunday, being the eve of the battle, King +Arthur had a vision, and saw Sir Gawain in a dream, who warned him not to +fight with Modred on the morrow, else he would be surely slain; and prayed +him to delay till Lancelot and his knights should come to aid him. + +So when King Arthur woke he told his lords and knights that vision, and +all agreed to wait the coming of Sir Lancelot. Then a herald was sent with +a message of truce to Sir Modred, and a treaty was made that neither army +should assail the other. + +But when the treaty was agreed upon, and the heralds returned, King Arthur +said to his knights, "Beware, lest Sir Modred deceive us, for I in no wise +trust him, and if swords be drawn be ready to encounter!" And Sir Modred +likewise gave an order, that if any man of the king's army drew his sword, +they should begin to fight. + +And as it chanced, a knight of the king's side was bitten by an adder in +the foot, and hastily drew forth his sword to slay it. That saw Sir +Modred, and forthwith commanded all his army to assail the king's. + +So both sides rushed to battle, and fought passing fiercely. And when the +king saw there was no hope to stay them, he did right mightily and nobly +as a king should do, and ever, like a lion, raged in the thickest of the +press, and slew on the right hand and on the left, till his horse went +fetlock deep in blood. So all day long they fought, and stinted not till +many a noble knight was slain. + +But the king was passing sorrowful to see his trusty knights lie dead on +every side. And at the last but two remained beside him, Sir Lucan, and +his brother, Sir Bedivere, and both were sorely wounded. + +"Now am I come to mine end," said King Arthur; "but, lo! that traitor +Modred liveth yet, and I may not die till I have slain him. Now, give me +my spear, Sir Lucan." + +"Lord, let him be," replied Sir Lucan; "for if ye pass through this +unhappy day, ye shall be right well revenged upon him. My good lord, +remember well your dream, and what the spirit of Sir Gawain did forewarn +ye." + +"Betide me life, betide me death," said the king; "now I see him yonder +alone, he shall never escape my hands, for at a better vantage shall I +never have him." + +"God speed you well," said Sir Bedivere. + +Then King Arthur got his spear in both his hands, and ran towards Sir +Modred, crying, "Traitor, now is thy death-day come!" And when Sir Modred +heard his words, and saw him come, he drew his sword and stood to meet +him. Then King Arthur smote Sir Modred through the body more than a +fathom. And when Sir Modred felt he had his death wound, he thrust himself +with all his might up to the end of King Arthur's spear, and smote his +father, Arthur, with his sword upon the head, so that it pierced both helm +and brain-pan. + +And therewith Sir Modred fell down stark dead to the earth, and King +Arthur fell down also in a swoon, and swooned many times. + +Then Sir Lucan and Sir Bedivere came and bare him away to a little chapel +by the sea-shore. And there Sir Lucan sank down with the bleeding of his +own wounds, and fell dead. + +And King Arthur lay long in a swoon, and when he came to himself, he found +Sir Lucan lying dead beside him, and Sir Bedivere weeping over the body of +his brother. + +Then said the king to Sir Bedivere, "Weeping will avail no longer, else +would I grieve for evermore. Alas! now is the fellowship of the Round +Table dissolved for ever, and all my realm I have so loved is wasted with +war. But my time hieth fast, wherefore take thou Excalibur, my good sword, +and go therewith to yonder water-side and throw it in, and bring me word +what thing thou seest." + +So Sir Bedivere departed; but as he went he looked upon the sword, the +hilt whereof was all inlaid with precious stones exceeding rich. And +presently he said within himself, "If I now throw this sword into the +water, what good should come of it?" So he hid the sword among the reeds, +and came again to the king. + +"What sawest thou?" said he to Sir Bedivere. + +"Lord," said he, "I saw nothing else but wind and waves." + +"Thou hast untruly spoken," said the king; "wherefore go lightly back and +throw it in, and spare not." + +Then Sir Bedivere returned again, and took the sword up in his hand; but +when he looked on it, he thought it sin and shame to throw away a thing so +noble. Wherefore he hid it yet again, and went back to the king. + +"What saw ye?" said King Arthur. + +"Lord," answered he, "I saw nothing but the water ebbing and flowing." + +"Oh, traitor and untrue!" cried out the king; "twice hast thou now +betrayed me. Art thou called of men a noble knight, and wouldest betray me +for a jewelled sword? Now, therefore, go again for the last time, for thy +tarrying hath put me in sore peril of my life, and I fear my wound hath +taken cold; and if thou do it not this time, by my faith I will arise and +slay thee with my hands." + +Then Sir Bedivere ran quickly and took up the sword, and went down to the +water's edge, and bound the girdle round the hilt and threw it far into +the water. And lo! an arm and hand came forth above the water, and caught +the sword, and brandished it three times, and vanished. + +So Sir Bedivere came again to the king and told him what he had seen. + +"Help me from hence," said King Arthur; "for I dread me I have tarried +over long." + +Then Sir Bedivere took the king up in his arms, and bore him to the +water's edge. And by the shore they saw a barge with three fair queens +therein, all dressed in black, and when they saw King Arthur they wept and +wailed. + +"Now put me in the barge," said he to Sir Bedivere, and tenderly he did +so. + +Then the three queens received him, and he laid his head upon the lap of +one of them, who cried, "Alas! dear brother, why have ye tarried so long, +for your wound hath taken cold?" + +With that the barge put from the land, and when Sir Bedivere saw it +departing, he cried with a bitter cry, "Alas! my lord King Arthur, what +shall become of me now ye have gone from me?" + +"Comfort ye," said King Arthur, "and be strong, for I may no more help ye. +I go to the Vale of Avilion to heal me of my grievous wound, and if ye see +me no more, pray for my soul." + +Then the three queens kneeled down around the king and sorely wept and +wailed, and the barge went forth to sea, and departed slowly out of Sir +Bedivere's sight. + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS *** + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the +United States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online +at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: The Legends Of King Arthur And His Knights</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: James Knowles</div> +<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: June 28, 2004 [eBook #12753]<br> +[Most recently updated: November 23, 2022]</p> +<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> + <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Zoran Stefanovic, GF Untermeyer and Distributed +Proofreaders Europe, http://dp.rastko.net.</p> +<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS ***</div> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h2>The Legends of</h2> +<h1>KING ARTHUR</h1> +<h2>and his</h2> +<h1>KNIGHTS</h1> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h3>Sir James Knowles</h3> +<h4>Illustrated by Lancelot Speed</h4> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h5>TO</h5> +<h4>ALFRED TENNYSON, D.C.L.</h4> +<h5>POET LAUREATE</h5> +<p><br></p> +<h5>THIS ATTEMPT AT A POPULAR VERSION OF</h5> +<h5>THE ARTHUR LEGENDS</h5> +<h5>IS BY HIS PERMISSION DEDICATED</h5> +<h5>AS A TRIBUTE</h5> +<h5>OF THE SINCEREST AND WARMEST RESPECT</h5> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h5>1862</h5> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<p><br></p> +<p class="ctr"> +<img src="images/figure01.jpg" width="50%" name="figure01" id="figure01" + title="The Marriage of King Arthur" + alt="The Marriage of King Arthur"> +</p> +<p class="caption">The Marriage of King Arthur</p> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h2>PREFACE TO THE EIGHTH EDITION</h2> + +<img src="images/t.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="t1" id="t1" Title="T" alt="Drop Case T"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +he Publishers have asked me to authorise a new edition, in my own name, +of this little book—now long out of print—which was written by me +thirty-five years ago under the initials J.T.K. +</p> + +<p> +In acceding to their request I wish to say that the book as now published +is merely a word-for-word reprint of my early effort to help to popularise +the Arthur legends. +</p> + +<p> +It is little else than an abridgment of Sir Thomas Malory’s version of +them as printed by Caxton—with a few additions from Geoffrey of Monmouth +and other sources—and an endeavour to arrange the many tales into a more +or less consecutive story. +</p> + +<p> +The chief pleasure which came to me from it was, and is, that it began for +me a long and intimate acquaintance with Lord Tennyson, to whom, by his +permission, I Dedicated it before I was personally known to him. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +JAMES KNOWLES. +</p> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p> +<i>Addendum by Lady Knowles</i> +</p> + +<p> +In response to a widely expressed wish for a fresh edition of this little +book—now for some years out of print—a new and ninth edition has been +prepared. +</p> + +<p> +In his preface my husband says that the intimacy with Lord Tennyson to +which it led was the chief pleasure the book brought him. I have been +asked to furnish a few more particulars on this point that may be +generally interesting, and feel that I cannot do better than give some +extracts from a letter written by himself to a friend in July 1896. +</p> + +<p> +“DEAR ——, +</p> + +<p> +“I am so <i>very</i> glad you approve of my little effort to popularise the +Arthur Legends. Tennyson had written his first four ‘Idylls of the King’ +before my book appeared, which was in 1861. Indeed, it was in consequence +of the first four Idylls that I sought and obtained, while yet a stranger +to him, leave to dedicate my venture to him. He was extremely kind about +it—declared ‘it ought to go through forty editions’—and when I came to +know him personally talked very frequently about it and Arthur with me, +and made constant use of it when he at length yielded to my perpetual +urgency and took up again his forsaken project of treating the whole +subject of King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +“He discussed and rediscussed at any amount of length the way in which +this could now be done—and the Symbolism, which had from his earliest +time haunted him as the inner meaning to be given to it, brought him back +to the Poem in its changed shape of separate pictures. +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<p> +“He used often to say that it was entirely my doing that he revived his +old plan, and added, ‘I know more about Arthur than any other man in +England, and I think you know next most.’ It would amuse you to see in +what intimate detail he used to consult with me—and often with my little +book in front of us—over the various tales, and when I wrote an article +(in the shape of a long letter) in the <i>Spectator</i> of January 1870 he +asked to reprint it, and published it with the collected Idylls. +</p> + +<p> +“For years, while his boys were at school and college, I acted as his +confidential friend in business and many other matters, and I suppose he +told me more about himself and his life than any other man now living +knows.” +</p> + +<p class="right"> +ISABEL KNOWLES. +</p> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<ul class="none"> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_i"><b>CHAPTER I</b></a><br> +The Finding of Merlin — The Fight of the Dragons — The Giants’ Dance — The +Prophecies of Merlin and the Birth of Arthur — Uther attacks the +Saxons — The Death of Uther +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li><a href="#chapter_ii"><b>CHAPTER II</b></a><br> +Merlin’s Advice to the Archbishop — The Miracle of the Sword and Stone — The +Coronation of King Arthur — The Opposition of the Six Kings — The Sword +Excalibur — The Defeat of the Six Kings — The War with the Eleven Kings +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_iii"><b>CHAPTER III</b></a><br> +The Adventure of the Questing Beast — The Siege of York — The Battles of +Celidon Forest and Badon Hill — King Arthur drives the Saxons from the +Realm — The Embassy from Rome — The King rescues Merlin — The Knight of the +Fountain +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_iv"><b>CHAPTER IV</b></a><br> +King Arthur conquers Ireland and Norway — Slays the Giant of St. Michael’s +Mount and conquers Gaul — King Ryence’s Insolent Message — The Damsel and +the Sword — The Lady of the Lake — The Adventures of Sir Balin +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_v"><b>CHAPTER V</b></a><br> +Sir Balin kills Sir Lancear — The Sullen Knight — The Knight Invisible is +killed — Sir Balin smites the Dolorous Stroke, and fights with his brother +Sir Balan +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_vi"><b>CHAPTER VI</b></a><br> +The Marriage of King Arthur and Guinevere — The Coronation of the +Queen — The Founding of the Round Table — The Quest of the White Hart — The +Adventures of Sir Gawain — The Quest of the White Hound — Sir Tor kills +Abellius — The Adventures of Sir Pellinore — The Death of Sir +Hantzlake — Merlin saves King Arthur +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_vii"><b>CHAPTER VII</b></a><br> +King Arthur and Sir Accolon of Gaul are entrapped by Sir Damas — They fight +each other through Enchantment of Queen Morgan le Fay — Sir Damas is +compelled to surrender all his Lands to Sir Outzlake his Brother their +Rightful Owner — Queen Morgan essays to kill King Arthur with a Magic +Garment — Her Damsel is compelled to wear it and is thereby burned to +Cinders +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_viii"><b>CHAPTER VIII</b></a><br> +A Second Embassy from Rome — King Arthur’s Answer — The Emperor assembles +his Armies — King Arthur slays the Emperor — Sir Gawain and Sir +Prianius — The Lombards are defeated — King Arthur crowned at Rome +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_ix"><b>CHAPTER IX</b></a><br> +The Adventures of Sir Lancelot — He and his Cousin Sir Lionel set +forth — The Four Witch-Queens — King Bagdemagus — Sir Lancelot slays Sir +Turquine and delivers his Captive Knights — The Foul Knight — Sir Gaunter +attacks Sir Lancelot — The Four Knights — Sir Lancelot comes to the Chapel +Perilous — Ellawes the Sorceress — The Lady and the Falcon — Sir Bedivere and +the Dead Lady +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_x"><b>CHAPTER X</b></a><br> +Beaumains is made a Kitchen Page by Sir Key — He claims the Adventure of +the Damsel Linet — He fights with Sir Lancelot and is knighted by him in +his True Name of Gareth — Is flouted by the Damsel Linet — But overthrows +all Knights he meets and sends them to King Arthur’s Court — He delivers +the Lady Lyones from the Knight of the Redlands — The Tournament before +Castle Perilous — Marriage of Sir Gareth and the Lady Lyones +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_xi"><b>CHAPTER XI</b></a><br> +The Adventures of Sir Tristram — His Stepmother — He is knighted — Fights +with Sir Marhaus — Sir Palomedes and La Belle Isault — Sir Bleoberis and Sir +Segwarides — Sir Tristram’s Quest — His Return — The Castle Pluere — Sir +Brewnor is slain — Sir Kay Hedius — La Belle Isault’s Hound — Sir Dinedan +refuses to fight — Sir Pellinore follows Sir Tristram — Sir +Brewse-without-pity — The Tournament at the Maiden’s Castle — Sir Palomedes +and Sir Tristram +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_xii"><b>CHAPTER XII</b></a><br> +Merlin is bewitched by a Damsel of the Lady of the Lake — Galahad knighted +by Sir Lancelot — The Perilous Seat — The Marvellous Sword — Sir Galahad in +the Perilous Seat — The Sangreal — The Knights vow themselves to its +Quest — The Shield of the White Knight — The Fiend of the Tomb — Sir Galahad +at the Maiden’s Castle — The Sick Knight and the Sangreal — Sir Lancelot +declared unworthy to find the Holy Vessel — Sir Percival seeks Sir +Galahad — The Black Steed — Sir Bors and the Hermit — Sir Pridan le Noir — Sir +Lionel’s Anger — He meets Sir Percival — The ship “Faith” — Sir Galahad and +Earl Hernox — The Leprous Lady — Sir Galahad discloses himself to Sir +Lancelot — They part — The Blind King Evelake — Sir Galahad finds the +Sangreal — His Death +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_xiii"><b>CHAPTER XIII</b></a><br> +The Queen quarrels with Sir Lancelot — She is accused of Murder — Her +Champion proves her innocence — The Tourney at Camelot — Sir Lancelot in the +Tourney — Sir Baldwin the Knight-Hermit — Elaine, the Maid of Astolat, seeks +for Sir Lancelot — She tends his Wounds — Her Death — The Queen and Sir +Lancelot are reconciled +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_xiv"><b>CHAPTER XIV</b></a><br> +Sir Lancelot attacked by Sir Agravaine, Sir Modred, and thirteen other +Knights — He slays them all but Sir Modred — He leaves the Court — Sir Modred +accuses him to the King — The Queen condemned to be burnt — Her rescue by +Sir Lancelot and flight with him — The War between Sir Lancelot and the +King — The Enmity of Sir Gawain — The Usurpation of Sir Modred — The Queen +retires to a Nunnery — Sir Lancelot goes on Pilgrimage — The Battle of +Barham Downs — Sir Bedivere and the Sword Excalibur — The Death of King +Arthur +</li> +</ul> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h2>ILLUSTRATOR’S NOTE</h2> + +<img src="images/o.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="o1" id="o1" title="O" alt="Drop Case O"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +f scenes from the Legends of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round +Table many lovely pictures have been painted, showing much diversity of +figures and surroundings, some being definitely sixth-century British or +Saxon, as in Blair Leighton’s fine painting of the dead Elaine; +others—for example, Watts’ Sir Galahad—show knight and charger in +fifteenth-century armour; while the warriors of Burne Jones wear strangely +impracticable armour of some mystic period. Each of these painters was +free to follow his own conception, putting the figures into whatever +period most appealed to his imagination; for he was not illustrating the +actual tales written by Sir Thomas Malory, otherwise he would have found +himself face to face with a difficulty. +</p> + +<p> +King Arthur and his knights fought, endured, and toiled in the sixth +century, when the Saxons were overrunning Britain; but their achievements +were not chronicled by Sir Thomas Malory until late in the fifteenth +century. +</p> + +<p> +Sir Thomas, as Froissart has done before him, described the habits of +life, the dresses, weapons, and armour that his own eyes looked upon in +the every-day scenes about him, regardless of the fact that almost every +detail mentioned was something like a thousand years too late. +</p> + +<p> +Had Malory undertaken an account of the landing of Julius Caesar he would, +as a matter of course, have protected the Roman legions with bascinet or +salade, breastplate, pauldron and palette, coudiére, taces and the rest, +and have armed them with lance and shield, jewel-hilted sword and slim +misericorde; while the Emperor himself might have been given the very suit +of armour stripped from the Duke of Clarence before his fateful encounter +with the butt of malmsey. +</p> + +<p> +Did not even Shakespeare calmly give cannon to the Romans and suppose +every continental city to lie majestically beside the sea? By the old +writers, accuracy in these matters was disregarded, and anachronisms were +not so much tolerated as unperceived. +</p> + +<p> +In illustrating this edition of “The Legends of King Arthur and his +Knights,” it has seemed best, and indeed unavoidable if the text and the +pictures are to tally, to draw what Malory describes, to place the fashion +of the costumes and armour somewhere about A.D. 1460, and to arm the +knights in accordance with the Tabard Period. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +LANCELOT SPEED. +</p> + +<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + +<ul class="none"> +<li> +<a href="#figure01">The Marriage of King Arthur</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure02">Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground before young Arthur, and Sir Key also with him.</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure03">The Lady of the Lake</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure04">The giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge frame by the fire</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure05">The castle rocked and rove throughout, and all the walls fell crashed and breaking to the earth</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure06">Came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by his name</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure07">Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the Round Table</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure08">Sir Lancelot smote down with one spear five knights, and brake the backs of four, and cast down the King of Northgales</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure09">Beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, “Sir Lancelot, leave that sword behind thee, or thou diest”</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure10">“Lady,” replied Sir Beaumains, “a knight is little worth who may not bear with a damsel”</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure11">So he rode into the hall and alighted</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure12">Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest against each other</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure13">And running to her chamber, she sought in her casket for the piece of iron ... and fitted it in Tristram’s sword</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure14">By the time they had finished drinking they loved each other so well that their love never more might leave them</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure15">Waving her hands and muttering the charm, and presently enclosed him fast within the tree</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure16">Galahad ... quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith came out a foul smoke</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure17">“This girdle, lords,” said she, “is made for the most part of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I loved full well”</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure18">At last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave him such a buffet on the helm as wellnigh killed him</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure19">Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure20">But still the knights cried mightily without the door, “Traitor, come forth!”</a> +</li> +</ul> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page001" id="page001" title="001"></a> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h1>THE LEGENDS OF KING ARTHUR</h1> + +<a name="chapter_i" id="chapter_i"></a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The Prophecies of Merlin, and the Birth of Arthur</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/k.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="k1" id="k1" title="K" alt="Drop Case K"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +ing Vortigern the usurper sat upon his throne in London, when, suddenly, +upon a certain day, ran in a breathless messenger, and cried aloud— +</p> + +<p> +“Arise, Lord King, for the enemy is come; even Ambrosius and Uther, upon +whose throne thou sittest—and full twenty thousand with them—and they +have sworn by a great oath, Lord, to slay thee, ere this year be done; and +even now they march towards thee as the north wind of winter for +bitterness and haste.” +</p> + +<p> +At those words Vortigern’s face grew white as ashes, and, rising in +confusion and disorder, he sent for all the best artificers and craftsmen +and mechanics, and commanded them vehemently to go and build him +straightway in the furthest west of his lands a great and strong castle, +where he might fly for refuge and escape the <a class="pagenum" name="page002" id="page002" title="002"></a> vengeance of his master’s +sons—“and, moreover,” cried he, “let the work be done within a hundred +days from now, or I will surely spare no life amongst you all.” +</p> + +<p> +Then all the host of craftsmen, fearing for their lives, found out a +proper site whereon to build the tower, and eagerly began to lay in the +foundations. But no sooner were the walls raised up above the ground than +all their work was overwhelmed and broken down by night invisibly, no man +perceiving how, or by whom, or what. And the same thing happening again, +and yet again, all the workmen, full of terror, sought out the king, and +threw themselves upon their faces before him, beseeching him to interfere +and help them or to deliver them from their dreadful work. +</p> + +<p> +Filled with mixed rage and fear, the king called for the astrologers and +wizards, and took counsel with them what these things might be, and how to +overcome them. The wizards worked their spells and incantations, and in +the end declared that nothing but the blood of a youth born without mortal +father, smeared on the foundations of the castle, could avail to make it +stand. Messengers were therefore sent forthwith through all the land to +find, if it were possible, such a child. And, as some of them went down a +certain village street, they saw a band of lads fighting and quarrelling, +and heard them shout at one—“Avaunt, thou imp!—avaunt! Son of no mortal +man! go, find thy father, and leave us in peace.” +</p> + +<p> +At that the messengers looked steadfastly on the lad, and asked who he +was. One said his name was Merlin; another, that his birth and parentage +were known by no man; a third, that the foul fiend alone was his <a class="pagenum" name="page003" id="page003" title="003"></a> father. +Hearing the things, the officers seized Merlin, and carried him before the +king by force. +</p> + +<p> +But no sooner was he brought to him than he asked in a loud voice, for +what cause he was thus dragged there? +</p> + +<p> +“My magicians,” answered Vortigern, “told me to seek out a man that had no +human father, and to sprinkle my castle with his blood, that it may +stand.” +</p> + +<p> +“Order those magicians,” said Merlin, “to come before me, and I will +convict them of a lie.” +</p> + +<p> +The king was astonished at his words, but commanded the magicians to come +and sit down before Merlin, who cried to them— +</p> + +<p> +“Because ye know not what it is that hinders the foundation of the castle, +ye have advised my blood for a cement to it, as if that would avail; but +tell me now rather what there is below that ground, for something there is +surely underneath that will not suffer the tower to stand?” +</p> + +<p> +The wizards at these words began to fear, and made no answer. Then said +Merlin to the king— +</p> + +<p> +“I pray, Lord, that workmen may be ordered to dig deep down into the +ground till they shall come to a great pool of water.” +</p> + +<p> +This then was done, and the pool discovered far beneath the surface of the +ground. +</p> + +<p> +Then, turning again to the magicians, Merlin said, “Tell me now, false +sycophants, what there is underneath that pool?”—but they were silent. +Then said he to the king, “Command this pool to be drained, and at the +bottom shall be found two dragons, great and huge, which now are sleeping, +but which at night awake and <a class="pagenum" name="page004" id="page004" title="004"></a> fight and tear each other. At their great +struggle all the ground shakes and trembles, and so casts down thy towers, +which, therefore, never yet could find secure foundations.” +</p> + +<p> +The king was amazed at these words, but commanded the pool to be forthwith +drained; and surely at the bottom of it did they presently discover the +two dragons, fast asleep, as Merlin had declared. +</p> + +<p> +But Vortigern sat upon the brink of the pool till night to see what else +would happen. +</p> + +<p> +Then those two dragons, one of which was white, the other red, rose up and +came near one another, and began a sore fight, and cast forth fire with +their breath. But the white dragon had the advantage, and chased the other +to the end of the lake. And he, for grief at his flight, turned back upon +his foe, and renewed the combat, and forced him to retire in turn. But in +the end the red dragon was worsted, and the white dragon disappeared no +man knew where. +</p> + +<p> +When their battle was done, the king desired Merlin to tell him what it +meant. Whereat he, bursting into tears, cried out this prophecy, which +first foretold the coming of King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +“Woe to the red dragon, which figureth the British nation, for his +banishment cometh quickly; his lurkingholes shall be seized by the white +dragon—the Saxon whom thou, O king, hast called to the land. The +mountains shall be levelled as the valleys, and the rivers of the valleys +shall run blood; cities shall be burned, and churches laid in ruins; till +at length the oppressed shall turn for a season and prevail against the +strangers. For a Boar of Cornwall shall arise and rend them, and <a class="pagenum" name="page005" id="page005" title="005"></a> trample +their necks beneath his feet. The island shall be subject to his power, +and he shall take the forests of Gaul. The house of Romulus shall dread +him—all the world shall fear him—and his end shall no man know; he shall +be immortal in the mouths of the people, and his works shall be food to +those that tell them. +</p> + +<p> +“But as for thee, O Vortigern, flee thou the sons of Constantine, for they +shall burn thee in thy tower. For thine own ruin wast thou traitor to +their father, and didst bring the Saxon heathens to the land. Aurelius and +Uther are even now upon thee to revenge their father’s murder; and the +brood of the white dragon shall waste thy country, and shall lick thy +blood. Find out some refuge, if thou wilt! but who may escape the doom of +God?” +</p> + +<p> +The king heard all this, trembling greatly; and, convicted of his sins, +said nothing in reply. Only he hasted the builders of his tower by day and +night, and rested not till he had fled thereto. +</p> + +<p> +In the meantime, Aurelius, the rightful king, was hailed with joy by the +Britons, who flocked to his standard, and prayed to be led against the +Saxons. But he, till he had first killed Vortigern, would begin no other +war. He marched therefore to Cambria, and came before the tower which the +usurper had built. Then, crying out to all his knights, “Avenge ye on him +who hath ruined Britain and slain my father and your king!” he rushed with +many thousands at the castle walls. But, being driven back again and yet +again, at length he thought of fire, and ordered blazing brands to be cast +into the building from all sides. These finding soon a proper fuel, ceased +not to rage, till <a class="pagenum" name="page006" id="page006" title="006"></a> spreading to a mighty conflagration, they burned down +the tower and Vortigern within it. +</p> + +<p> +Then did Aurelius turn his strength against Hengist and the Saxons, and, +defeating them in many places, weakened their power for a long season, so +that the land had peace. +</p> + +<p> +Anon the king, making many journeys to and fro, restoring ruined churches +and, creating order, came to the monastery near Salisbury, where all those +British knights lay buried who had been slain there by the treachery of +Hengist. For when in former times Hengist had made a solemn truce with +Vortigern, to meet in peace and settle terms, whereby himself and all his +Saxons should depart from Britain, the Saxon soldiers carried every one of +them beneath his garment a long dagger, and, at a given signal, fell upon +the Britons, and slew them, to the number of nearly five hundred. +</p> + +<p> +The sight of the place where the dead lay moved Aurelius to great sorrow, +and he cast about in his mind how to make a worthy tomb over so many noble +martyrs, who had died there for their country. +</p> + +<p> +When he had in vain consulted many craftsmen and builders, he sent, by the +advice of the archbishop, for Merlin, and asked him what to do. “If you +would honour the burying-place of these men,” said Merlin, “with an +everlasting monument, send for the Giants’ Dance which is in Killaraus, a +mountain in Ireland; for there is a structure of stone there which none of +this age could raise without a perfect knowledge of the arts. They are +stones of a vast size and wondrous nature, and if they can be placed here +as they are there, round this spot of ground, they will stand for ever.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page007" id="page007" title="007"></a> + +<p> +At these words of Merlin, Aurelius burst into laughter, and said, “How is +it possible to remove such vast stones from so great a distance, as if +Britain, also, had no stones fit for the work?” +</p> + +<p> +“I pray the king,” said Merlin, “to forbear vain laughter; what I have +said is true, for those stones are mystical and have healing virtues. The +giants of old brought them from the furthest coast of Africa, and placed +them in Ireland while they lived in that country: and their design was to +make baths in them, for use in time of grievous illness. For if they +washed the stones and put the sick into the water, it certainly healed +them, as also it did them that were wounded in battle; and there is no +stone among them but hath the same virtue still.” +</p> + +<p> +When the Britons heard this, they resolved to send for the stones, and to +make war upon the people of Ireland if they offered to withhold them. So, +when they had chosen Uther the king’s brother for their chief, they set +sail, to the number of 15,000 men, and came to Ireland. There Gillomanius, +the king, withstood them fiercely, and not till after a great battle could +they approach the Giants’ Dance, the sight of which filled them with joy +and admiration. But when they sought to move the stones, the strength of +all the army was in vain, until Merlin, laughing at their failures, +contrived machines of wondrous cunning, which took them down with ease, +and placed them in the ships. +</p> + +<p> +When they had brought the whole to Salisbury, Aurelius, with the crown +upon his head, kept for four days the feast of Pentecost with royal pomp; +and in the midst of all the clergy and the people, Merlin raised <a class="pagenum" name="page008" id="page008" title="008"></a> up the +stones, and set them round the sepulchre of the knights and barons, as +they stood in the mountains of Ireland. +</p> + +<p> +Then was the monument called “Stonehenge,” which stands, as all men know, +upon the plain of Salisbury to this very day. +</p> + +<p> +Soon thereafter it befell that Aurelius was slain by poison at Winchester, +and was himself buried within the Giants’ Dance. +</p> + +<p> +At the same time came forth a comet of amazing size and brightness, +darting out a beam, at the end whereof was a cloud of fire shaped like a +dragon, from whose mouth went out two rays, one stretching over Gaul, the +other ending in seven lesser rays over the Irish sea. +</p> + +<p> +At the appearance of this star a great dread fell upon the people, and +Uther, marching into Cambria against the son of Vortigern, himself was +very troubled to learn what it might mean. Then Merlin, being called +before him, cried with a loud voice: “O mighty loss! O stricken Britain! +Alas! the great prince is gone from us. Aurelius Ambrosius is dead, whose +death will be ours also, unless God help us. Haste, therefore, noble +Uther, to destroy the enemy; the victory shall be thine, and thou shalt be +king of all Britain. For the star with the fiery dragon signifies thyself; +and the ray over Gaul portends that thou shalt have a son, most mighty, +whom all those kingdoms shall obey which the ray covers.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus, for the second time, did Merlin foretell the coming of King Arthur. +And Uther, when he was made king, remembered Merlin’s words, and caused +two dragons to be made in gold, in likeness of the dragon he <a class="pagenum" name="page009" id="page009" title="009"></a> had seen in +the star. One of these he gave to Winchester Cathedral, and had the other +carried into all his wars before him, whence he was ever after called +Uther Pendragon, or the dragon’s head. +</p> + +<p> +Now, when Uther Pendragon had passed through all the land, and settled +it—and even voyaged into all the countries of the Scots, and tamed the +fierceness of that rebel people—he came to London, and ministered justice +there. And it befell at a certain great banquet and high feast which the +king made at Easter-tide, there came, with many other earls and barons, +Gorloïs, Duke of Cornwall, and his wife Igerna, who was the most famous +beauty in all Britain. And soon thereafter, Gorloïs being slain in battle, +Uther determined to make Igerna his own wife. But in order to do this, and +enable him to come to her—for she was shut up in the high castle of +Tintagil, on the furthest coast of Cornwall—the king sent for Merlin, to +take counsel with him and to pray his help. This, therefore, Merlin +promised him on one condition—namely, that the king should give him up +the first son born of the marriage. For Merlin by his arts foreknew that +this firstborn should be the long-wished prince, King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +When Uther, therefore, was at length happily wedded, Merlin came to the +castle on a certain day, and said, “Sir, thou must now provide thee for +the nourishing of thy child.” +</p> + +<p> +And the king, nothing doubting, said, “Be it as thou wilt.” +</p> + +<p> +“I know a lord of thine in this land,” said Merlin, “who is a man both +true and faithful; let him have the nourishing of the child. His name is +Sir Ector, and he <a class="pagenum" name="page010" id="page010" title="010"></a> hath fair possessions both in England and in Wales. +When, therefore, the child is born, let him be delivered unto me, +unchristened, at yonder postern-gate, and I will bestow him in the care of +this good knight.” +</p> + +<p> +So when the child was born, the king bid two knights and two ladies to +take it, bound in rich cloth of gold, and deliver it to a poor man whom +they should discover at the postern-gate. And the child being delivered +thus to Merlin, who himself took the guise of a poor man, was carried by +him to a holy priest and christened by the name of Arthur, and then was +taken to Sir Ector’s house, and nourished at Sir Ector’s wife’s own +breasts. And in the same house he remained privily for many years, no man +soever knowing where he was, save Merlin and the king. +</p> + +<p> +Anon it befell that the king was seized by a lingering distemper, and the +Saxon heathens, taking their occasion, came back from over sea, and +swarmed upon the land, wasting it with fire and sword. When Uther heard +thereof, he fell into a greater rage than his weakness could bear, and +commanded all his nobles to come before him, that he might upbraid them +for their cowardice. And when he had sharply and hotly rebuked them, he +swore that he himself, nigh unto death although he lay, would lead them +forth against the enemy. Then causing a horse-litter to be made, in which +he might be carried—for he was too faint and weak to ride—he went up +with all his army swiftly against the Saxons. +</p> + +<p> +But they, when they heard that Uther was coming in a litter, disdained to +fight with him, saying it would be shame for brave men to fight with one +half dead. So they retired into their city; and, as it were in scorn of <a class="pagenum" name="page011" id="page011" title="011"></a> +danger, left the gates wide open. But Uther straightway commanding his men +to assault the town, they did so without loss of time, and had already +reached the gates, when the Saxons, repenting too late of their haughty +pride, rushed forth to the defence. The battle raged till night, and was +begun again next day; but at last, their leaders, Octa and Eosa, being +slain, the Saxons turned their backs and fled, leaving the Britons a full +triumph. +</p> + +<p> +The king at this felt so great joy, that, whereas before he could scarce +raise himself without help, he now sat upright in his litter by himself, +and said, with a laughing and merry face, “They called me the half-dead +king, and so indeed I was; but victory to me half dead is better than +defeat and the best health. For to die with honour is far better than to +live disgraced.” +</p> + +<p> +But the Saxons, although thus defeated, were ready still for war. Uther +would have pursued them; but his illness had by now so grown, that his +knights and barons kept him from the adventure. Whereat the enemy took +courage, and left nothing undone to destroy the land; until, descending to +the vilest treachery, they resolved to kill the king by poison. +</p> + +<p> +To this end, as he lay sick at Verulam, they sent and poisoned stealthily +a spring of clear water, whence he was wont to drink daily; and so, on the +very next day, he was taken with the pains of death, as were also a +hundred others after him, before the villainy was discovered, and heaps of +earth thrown over the well. +</p> + +<p> +The knights and barons, full of sorrow, now took counsel together, and +came to Merlin for his help to learn the king’s will before he died, for +he was by this time speechless. “Sirs, there is no remedy,” said <a class="pagenum" name="page012" id="page012" title="012"></a> Merlin, +“and God’s will must be done; but be ye all to-morrow before him, for God +will make him speak before he die.” +</p> + +<p> +So on the morrow all the barons, with Merlin, stood round the bedside of +the king; and Merlin said aloud to Uther, “Lord, shall thy son Arthur be +the king of all this realm after thy days?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Uther Pendragon turned him about, and said, in the hearing of them +all, “God’s blessing and mine be upon him. I bid him pray for my soul, and +also that he claim my crown, or forfeit all my blessing;” and with those +words he died. +</p> + +<p> +Then came together all the bishops and the clergy, and great multitudes of +people, and bewailed the king; and carrying his body to the convent of +Ambrius, they buried it close by his brother’s grave, within the “Giants’ +Dance.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page013" id="page013" title="013"></a> + +<a name="chapter_ii" id="chapter_ii"></a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The Miracle of the Sword and Stone, and the Coronation of King +Arthur — The Sword Excalilur — The War with the Eleven Kings</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/n.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="n1" id="n1" title="N" alt="Drop Case N"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +ow Arthur the prince had all this time been nourished in Sir Ector’s +house as his own son, and was fair and tall and comely, being of the age +of fifteen years, great in strength, gentle in manner, and accomplished in +all exercises proper for the training of a knight. +</p> + +<p> +But as yet he knew not of his father; for Merlin had so dealt, that none +save Uther and himself knew aught about him. Wherefore it befell, that +many of the knights and barons who heard King Uther speak before his +death, and call his son Arthur his successor, were in great amazement; and +some doubted, and others were displeased. +</p> + +<p> +Anon the chief lords and princes set forth each to his own land, and, +raising armed men and multitudes of followers, determined every one to +gain the crown for himself; for they said in their hearts, “If there be +any such a son at all as he of whom this wizard forced the king to speak, +who are we that a beardless boy should have rule over us?” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page014" id="page014" title="014"></a> + +<p> +So the land stood long in great peril, for every lord and baron sought but +his own advantage; and the Saxons, growing ever more adventurous, wasted +and overran the towns and villages in every part. +</p> + +<p> +Then Merlin went to Brice, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and advised him +to require all the earls and barons of the realm and all knights and +gentlemen-at-arms to come to him at London, before Christmas, under pain +of cursing, that they might learn the will of Heaven who should be king. +This, therefore, the archbishop did, and upon Christmas Eve were met +together in London all the greatest princes, lords, and barons; and long +before day they prayed in St. Paul’s Church, and the archbishop besought +Heaven for a sign who should be lawful king of all the realm. +</p> + +<p> +And as they prayed, there was seen in the churchyard, set straight before +the doorways of the church, a huge square stone having a naked sword stuck +in the midst of it. And on the sword was written in letters of gold, +“Whoso pulleth out the sword from this stone is born the rightful King of +Britain.” +</p> + +<p> +At this all the people wondered greatly; and, when Mass was over, the +nobles, knights, and princes ran out eagerly from the church to see the +stone and sword; and a law was forthwith made that whoso should pull out +the sword should be acknowledged straightway King of Britain. +</p> + +<p> +Then many knights and barons pulled at the sword with all their might, and +some of them tried many times, but none could stir or move it. +</p> + +<p> +When all had tried in vain, the archbishop declared the man whom Heaven +had chosen was not yet there. <a class="pagenum" name="page015" id="page015" title="015"></a> “But God,” said he, “will doubtless make +him known ere many days.” +</p> + +<p> +So ten knights were chosen, being men of high renown, to watch and keep +the sword; and there was proclamation made through all the land that +whosoever would, had leave and liberty to try and pull it from the stone. +But though great multitudes of people came, both gentle and simple, for +many days, no man could ever move the sword a hair’s breadth from its +place. +</p> + +<p> +Now, at the New Year’s Eve a great tournament was to be held in London, +which the archbishop had devised to keep together lords and commons, lest +they should grow estranged in the troublous and unsettled times. To the +which tournament there came, with many other knights, Sir Ector, Arthur’s +foster-father, who had great possessions near to London; and with him came +his son, Sir Key, but recently made knight, to take his part in the +jousting, and young Arthur also to witness all the sports and fighting. +</p> + +<p> +But as they rode towards the jousts, Sir Key found suddenly he had no +sword, for he had left it at his father’s house; and turning to young +Arthur, he prayed him to ride back and fetch it for him. “I will with a +good will,” said Arthur; and rode fast back after the sword. +</p> + +<p> +But when he came to the house he found it locked and empty, for all were +gone forth to see the tournament. Whereat, being angry and impatient, he +said within himself, “I will ride to the churchyard and take with me the +sword that sticketh in the stone, for my brother shall not go without a +sword this day.” +</p> + +<p> +So he rode and came to the churchyard, and alighting from his horse he +tied him to the gate, and went to the <a class="pagenum" name="page016" id="page016" title="016"></a> pavilion, which was pitched near +the stone, wherein abode the ten knights who watched and kept it; but he +found no knights there, for all were gone to see the jousting. +</p> + +<p> +Then he took the sword by its handle, and lightly and fiercely he pulled +it out of the stone, and took his horse and rode until he came to Sir Key +and delivered him the sword. But as soon as Sir Key saw it he knew well it +was the sword of the stone, and, riding swiftly to his father, he cried +out, “Lo! here, sir, is the sword of the stone, wherefore it is I who must +be king of all this land.” +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Ector saw the sword, he turned back straight with Arthur and Sir +Key and came to the churchyard, and there alighting, they went all three +into the church, and Sir Key was sworn to tell truly how he came by the +sword. Then he confessed it was his brother Arthur who had brought it to +him. +</p> + +<p> +Whereat Sir Ector, turning to young Arthur, asked him—“How gottest thou +the sword?” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said he, “I will tell you. When I went home to fetch my brother’s +sword, I found nobody to deliver it to me, for all were abroad to the +jousts. Yet was I loath to leave my brother swordless, and, bethinking me +of this one, I came hither eagerly to fetch it for him, and pulled it out +of the stone without any pain.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Ector, much amazed and looking steadfastly on Arthur, “If +this indeed be thus, ’tis thou who shalt be king of all this land—and God +will have it so—for none but he who should be rightful Lord of Britain +might ever draw this sword forth from that stone. But let me now with mine +own eyes see thee put back the sword into its place and draw it forth +again.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page017" id="page017" title="017"></a> + +<p> +“That is no mystery,” said Arthur; and straightway set it in the stone. +And then Sir Ector pulled at it himself, and after him Sir Key, with all +his might, but both of them in vain: then Arthur reaching forth his hand +and grasping at the pommel, pulled it out easily, and at once. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure02.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure02" id="figure02" + title="Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground before young Arthur, and Sir Key also with him." + alt="Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground before young Arthur, and Sir Key also with him."> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure02.jpg">Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground before young +Arthur, and Sir Key also with him,</a> and straightway did him homage as their +sovereign lord. +</p> + +<p> +But Arthur cried aloud, “Alas! mine own dear father and my brother, why +kneel ye thus to me?” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, my Lord Arthur,” answered then Sir Ector, “we are of no +blood-kinship with thee, and little though I thought how high thy kin +might be, yet wast thou never more than foster-child of mine.” And then he +told him all he knew about his infancy, and how a stranger had delivered +him, with a great sum of gold, into his hands to be brought up and +nourished as his own born child, and then had disappeared. +</p> + +<p> +But when young Arthur heard of it, he fell upon Sir Ector’s neck, and +wept, and made great lamentation, “For now,” said he, “I have in one day +lost my father and my mother and my brother.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Ector presently, “when thou shalt be made king be good and +gracious unto me and mine.” +</p> + +<p> +“If not,” said Arthur, “I were no true man’s son at all, for thou art he +in all the world to whom I owe the most; and my good lady and mother, thy +wife, hath ever kept and fostered me as though I were her own; so if it be +God’s will that I be king hereafter as thou sayest, desire of me whatever +thing thou wilt and I <a class="pagenum" name="page018" id="page018" title="018"></a> will do it; and God forbid that I should fail thee +in it.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will but pray,” replied Sir Ector, “that thou wilt make my son Sir Key, +thy foster-brother, seneschal of all the lands.” +</p> + +<p> +“That shall he be,” said Arthur; “and never shall another hold that +office, save thy son, while he and I do live.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon, they left the church and went to the archbishop to tell him that the +sword had been achieved. And when he saw the sword in Arthur’s hand he set +a day and summoned all the princes, knights, and barons to meet again at +St. Paul’s Church and see the will of Heaven signified. So when they came +together, the sword was put back in the stone, and all tried, from the +greatest to the least, to move it; but there before them all not one could +take it out save Arthur only. +</p> + +<p> +But then befell a great confusion and dispute, for some cried out it was +the will of Heaven, and, “Long live King Arthur,” but many more were full +of wrath and said, “What! would ye give the ancient sceptre of this land +unto a boy born none know how?” And the contention growing greatly, till +nothing could be done to pacify their rage, the meeting was at length +broken up by the archbishop and adjourned till Candlemas, when all should +meet again. +</p> + +<p> +But when Candlemas was come, Arthur alone again pulled forth the sword, +though more than ever came to win it; and the barons, sorely vexed and +angry, put it in delay till Easter. But as he had sped before so he did at +Easter, and the barons yet once more contrived delays till Pentecost. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page019" id="page019" title="019"></a> + +<p> +But now the archbishop, fully seeing God’s will, called together, by +Merlin’s counsel, a band of knights and gentlemen-at-arms, and set them +about Arthur to keep him safely till the feast of Pentecost. And when at +the feast Arthur still again alone prevailed to move the sword, the people +all with one accord cried out, “Long live King Arthur! we will have no +more delay, nor any other king, for so it is God’s will; and we will slay +whoso resisteth Him and Arthur;” and wherewithal they kneeled down all at +once, and cried for Arthur’s grace and pardon that they had so long +delayed him from his crown. Then he full sweetly and majestically pardoned +them; and taking in his hand the sword, he offered it upon the high altar +of the church. +</p> + +<p> +Anon was he solemnly knighted with great pomp by the most famous knight +there present, and the crown was placed upon his head; and, having taken +oath to all the people, lords and commons, to be true king and deal in +justice only unto his life’s end, he received homage and service from all +the barons who held lands and castles from the crown. Then he made Sir +Key, High Steward of England, and Sir Badewaine of Britain, Constable, and +Sir Ulfius, Chamberlain: and after this, with all his court and a great +retinue of knights and armed men, he journeyed into Wales, and was crowned +again in the old city of Caerleon-upon-Usk. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile those knights and barons who had so long delayed him from the +crown, met together and went up to the coronation feast at Caerleon, as if +to do him homage; and there they ate and drank such things as were set +before them at the royal banquet, sitting with the others in the great +hall. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page020" id="page020" title="020"></a> + +<p> +But when after the banquet Arthur began, according to the ancient royal +custom, to bestow great boons and fiefs on whom he would, they all with +one accord rose up, and scornfully refused his gifts, crying that they +would take nothing from a beardless boy come of low or unknown birth, but +would instead give him good gifts of hard sword-strokes between neck and +shoulders. +</p> + +<p> +Whereat arose a deadly tumult in the hall, and every man there made him +ready to fight. But Arthur leaped up as a flame of fire against them, and +all his knights and barons drawing their swords, rushed after him upon +them and began a full sore battle; and presently the king’s party +prevailed, and drave the rebels from the hall and from the city, closing +the gates behind them; and King Arthur brake his sword upon them in his +eagerness and rage. +</p> + +<p> +But amongst them were six kings of great renown and might, who more than +all raged against Arthur and determined to destroy him, namely, King Lot, +King Nanters, King Urien, King Carados, King Yder, and King Anguisant. +These six, therefore, joining their armies together, laid close siege to +the city of Caerleon, wherefrom King Arthur had so shamefully driven them. +</p> + +<p> +And after fifteen days Merlin came suddenly into their camp and asked them +what this treason meant. Then he declared to them that Arthur was no base +adventurer, but King Uther’s son, whom they were bound to serve and honour +even though Heaven had not vouchsafed the wondrous miracle of the sword. +Some of the kings, when they heard Merlin speak thus, marvelled and +believed him; but others, as King Lot, laughed him and his words to scorn, +and mocked him for a conjurer and <a class="pagenum" name="page021" id="page021" title="021"></a> wizard. But it was agreed with Merlin +that Arthur should come forth and speak with the kings. +</p> + +<p> +So he went forth to them to the city gate, and with him the archbishop and +Merlin, and Sir Key, Sir Brastias, and a great company of others. And he +spared them not in his speech, but spoke to them as king and chieftain +telling them plainly he would make them all bow to him if he lived, unless +they choose to do him homage there and then; and so they parted in great +wrath, and each side armed in haste. +</p> + +<p> +“What will ye do?” said Merlin to the kings; “ye had best hold your hands, +for were ye ten times as many ye should not prevail.” +</p> + +<p> +“Shall we be afraid of a dream-reader?” quoth King Lot in scorn. +</p> + +<p> +With that Merlin vanished away and came to King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +Then Arthur said to Merlin, “I have need now of a sword that shall +chastise these rebels terribly.” +</p> + +<p> +“Come then with me,” said Merlin, “for hard by there is a sword that I can +gain for thee.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rode out that night till they came to a fair and broad lake, and +in the midst of it King Arthur saw an arm thrust up, clothed in white +samite, and holding a great sword in the hand. +</p> + +<p> +“Lo! yonder is the sword I spoke of,” said Merlin. +</p> + +<p> +Then saw they a damsel floating on the lake in the Moonlight. “What damsel +is that?” said the king. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure03.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure03" id="figure03" + title="The lady of the lake." + alt="The lady of the lake."> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure03.jpg">“The lady of the lake,”</a> said Merlin; “for upon this lake there is a rock, +and on the rock a noble palace, where she abideth, and she will come +towards thee presently, thou shalt ask her courteously for the sword.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page022" id="page022" title="022"></a> + +<p> +Therewith the damsel came to King Arthur, and saluted him, and he saluted +her, and said, “Lady, what sword is that the arm holdeth above the water? +I would that it were mine, for I have no sword.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir King,” said the lady of the lake, “that sword is mine, and if thou +wilt give me in return a gift whenever I shall ask it of thee, thou shalt +have it.” +</p> + +<p> +“By my faith,” said he, “I will give thee any gift that thou shalt ask.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said the damsel, “go into yonder barge, and row thyself unto the +sword, and take it and the scabbard with thee, and I will ask my gift of +thee when I see my time.” +</p> + +<p> +So King Arthur and Merlin alighted, and tied their horses to two trees, +and went into the barge; and when they came to the sword that the hand +held, King Arthur took it by the handle and bore it with him, and the arm +and hand went down under the water; and so they came back to land, and +rode again to Caerleon. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow Merlin bade King Arthur to set fiercely on the enemy; and in +the meanwhile three hundred good knights went over to King Arthur from the +rebels’ side. Then at the spring of day, when they had scarce left their +tents, he fell on them with might and main, and Sir Badewaine, Sir Key, +and Sir Brastias slew on the right hand and on the left marvellously; and +ever in the thickest of the fight King Arthur raged like a young lion, and +laid on with his sword, and did wondrous deeds of arms, to the joy and +admiration of the knights and barons who beheld him. +</p> + +<p> +Then King Lot, King Carados, and the King of the Hundred Knights—who also +rode with them—going <a class="pagenum" name="page023" id="page023" title="023"></a> round to the rear, set on King Arthur fiercely from +behind; but Arthur, turning to his knights, fought ever in the foremost +press until his horse was slain beneath him. At that, King Lot rode +furiously at him, and smote him down; but rising straightway, and being +set again on horseback, he drew his sword Excalibur that he had gained by +Merlin from the lady of the lake, which, shining brightly as the light of +thirty torches, dazzled the eyes of his enemies. And therewith falling on +them afresh with all his knights, he drove them back and slew them in +great numbers, and Merlin by his arts scattered among them fire and pitchy +smoke, so that they broke and fled. Then all the common people of +Caerleon, seeing them give way, rose up with one accord, and rushed at +them with clubs and staves, and chased them far and wide, and slew many +great knights and lords, and the remainder of them fled and were seen no +more. Thus won King Arthur his first battle and put his enemies to shame. +</p> + +<p> +But the six kings, though sorely routed, prepared for a new war, and +joining to themselves five others swore together that, whether for weal or +woe, they would keep steadfast alliance till they had destroyed King +Arthur. Then, with a host of 50,000 men-at-arms on horseback, and 10,000 +foot, they were soon ready, and sent forth their fore-riders, and drew +from the northern country towards King Arthur, to the castle of Bedgraine. +</p> + +<p> +But he by Merlin’s counsel had sent over sea to King Ban of Benwick and +King Bors of Gaul, praying them to come and help him in his wars, and +promising to help in return against King Claudas, their foe. To which +those kings made answer that they would joyfully <a class="pagenum" name="page024" id="page024" title="024"></a> fulfil his wish, and +shortly after came to London with 300 knights, well arrayed for both peace +and war, leaving behind them a great army on the other side of the sea +till they had consulted with King Arthur and his ministers how they might +best dispose of it. +</p> + +<p> +And Merlin being asked for his advice and help, agreed to go himself and +fetch it over sea to England, which in one night he did; and brought with +him 10,000 horsemen and led them northward privately to the forest of +Bedgraine, and there lodged them in a valley secretly. +</p> + +<p> +Then, by the counsel of Merlin, when they knew which way the eleven kings +would ride and sleep, King Arthur with Kings Ban and Bors made themselves +ready with their army for the fight, having yet but 30,000 men, counting +the 10,000 who had come from Gaul. +</p> + +<p> +“Now shall ye do my advice,” said Merlin; “I would that King Ban and King +Bors, with all their fellowship of 10,000 men, were led to ambush in this +wood ere daylight, and stir not therefrom until the battle hath been long +waged. And thou, Lord Arthur, at the spring of day draw forth thine army +before the enemy, and dress the battle so that they may at once see all +thy host, for they will be the more rash and hardy when they see you have +but 20,000 men.” +</p> + +<p> +To this the three knights and the barons heartily consented, and it was +done as Merlin had devised. So on the morrow when the hosts beheld each +other, the host of the north was greatly cheered to find so few led out +against them. +</p> + +<p> +Then gave King Arthur the command to Sir Ulfius and Sir Brastias to take +3000 men-at-arms, and to open <a class="pagenum" name="page025" id="page025" title="025"></a> battle. They therefore setting fiercely on +the enemy slew them on the right hand and the left till it was wonderful +to see their slaughter. +</p> + +<p> +When the eleven kings beheld so small a band doing such mighty deeds of +arms they were ashamed, and charged them fiercely in return. Then was Sir +Ulfius’ horse slain under him; but he fought well and marvellously on foot +against Duke Eustace and King Clarience, who set upon him grievously, till +Sir Brastias, seeing his great peril, pricked towards them swiftly, and so +smote the duke through with his spear that horse and man fell down and +rolled over. Whereat King Clarience turned upon Sir Brastias, and rushing +furiously together they each unhorsed the other and fell both to the +ground, and there lay a long time stunned, their horses’ knees being cut +to the bone. Then came Sir Key the seneschal with six companions, and did +wondrous well, till the eleven kings went out against them and overthrew +Sir Griflet and Sir Lucas the butler. And when Sir Key saw Sir Griflet +unhorsed and on foot, he rode against King Nanters hotly and smote him +down, and led his horse to Griflet and horsed him again; with the same +spear did Sir Key smite down King Lot and wounded him full sore. +</p> + +<p> +But seeing that, the King of the Hundred Knights rushed at Sir Key and +overthrew him in return, and took his horse and gave it to King Lot. And +when Sir Griflet saw Sir Key’s mischance, he set his spear in rest, and +riding at a mighty man-at-arms, he cast him down headlong and caught his +horse and led it straightway to Sir Key. +</p> + +<p> +By now the battle was growing perilous and hard, and both sides fought +with rage and fury. And Sir Ulfius <a class="pagenum" name="page026" id="page026" title="026"></a> and Sir Brastias were both afoot and +in great danger of their death, and foully stained and trampled under +horses’ feet. Then King Arthur, putting spurs to his horse, rushed forward +like a lion into the midst of all the <i>mêlée</i>, and singling out King +Cradlemont of North Wales, smote him through the left side and overthrew +him, and taking his horse by the rein he brought it to Sir Ulfius in haste +and said, “Take this horse, mine old friend, for thou hast great need of +one, and charge by side of me.” And even as he spoke he saw Sir Ector, Sir +Key’s father, smitten to the earth by the King of the Hundred Knights, and +his horse taken to King Cradlemont. +</p> + +<p> +But when King Arthur saw him ride upon Sir Ector’s horse his wrath was +very great, and with his sword he smote King Cradlemont upon the helm, and +shore off the fourth part thereof and of the shield, and drave the sword +onward to the horse’s neck and slew the horse, and hurled the king upon +the ground. +</p> + +<p> +And now the battle waxed so great and furious that all the noise and sound +thereof rang out by water and by wood, so that Kings Ban and Bors, with +all their knights and men-at-arms in ambush, hearing the tumult and the +cries, trembled and shook for eagerness, and scarce could stay in secret, +but made them ready for the fray and dressed their shields and harness. +</p> + +<p> +But when King Arthur saw the fury of the enemy, he raged like a mad lion, +and stirred and drove his horse now here, now there, to the right hand and +to the left, and stayed not in his wrath till he had slain full twenty +knights. He wounded also King Lot so sorely in the shoulder that he left +the field, and in great pain and dolour cried out to the other kings, “Do +ye as I devise, <a class="pagenum" name="page027" id="page027" title="027"></a> or we shall be destroyed. I, with the King of the Hundred +Knights, King Anguisant, King Yder, and the Duke of Cambinet, will take +fifteen thousand men and make a circuit, meanwhile that ye do hold the +battle with twelve thousand. Then coming suddenly we will fall fiercely on +them from behind and put them to the rout, but else shall we never stand +against them.” +</p> + +<p> +So Lot and four kings departed with their party to one side, and the six +other kings dressed their ranks against King Arthur and fought long and +stoutly. +</p> + +<p> +But now Kings Ban and Bors, with all their army fresh and eager, broke +from their ambush and met face to face the five kings and their host as +they came round behind, and then began a frantic struggle with breaking of +spears and clashing of swords and slaying of men and horses. Anon King +Lot, espying in the midst King Bors, cried out in great dismay, “Our Lady +now defend us from our death and fearful wounds; our peril groweth great, +for yonder cometh one of the worshipfullest kings and best knights in all +the world.” +</p> + +<p> +“Who is he?” said the King of the Hundred Knights. +</p> + +<p> +“It is King Bors of Gaul,” replied King Lot, “and much I marvel how he may +have come with all his host into this land without our knowledge.” +</p> + +<p> +“Aha!” cried King Carados, “I will encounter with this king if ye will +rescue me when there is need.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ride on,” said they. +</p> + +<p> +So King Carados and all his host rode softly till they came within a +bow-shot of King Bors, and then both hosts, spurring their horses to their +greatest swiftness, rushed at each other. And King Bors encountered in <a class="pagenum" name="page028" id="page028" title="028"></a> +the onset with a knight, and struck him through with a spear, so that he +fell dead upon the earth; then drawing his sword, he did such mighty feats +of arms that all who saw him gazed with wonder. Anon King Ban came also +forth upon the field with all his knights, and added yet more fury, sound, +and slaughter, till at length both hosts of the eleven kings began to +quake, and drawing all together into one body, they prepared to meet the +worst, while a great multitude already fled. +</p> + +<p> +Then said King Lot, “Lords, we must take yet other means, or worse loss +still awaits us. See ye not what people we have lost in waiting on the +footmen, and that it costs ten horsemen to save one of them? Therefore it +is my counsel to put away our footmen from us, for it is almost night, and +King Arthur will not stay to slaughter them. So they can save their lives +in this great wood hard by. Then let us gather into one band all the +horsemen that remain, and whoso breaketh rank or leaveth us, let him be +straightway slain by him that seeth him, for it is better that we slay a +coward than through a coward be all slain. How say ye?” said King Lot; +“answer me, all ye kings.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is well said,” replied they all. +</p> + +<p> +And swearing they would never fail each other, they mended and set right +their armour and their shields, and took new spears and set them +steadfastly against their thighs, waiting, and so stood still as a clump +of trees stands on the plain; and no assaults could shake them, they held +so hard together; which when King Arthur saw he marvelled greatly, and was +very wroth. “Yet,” cried he, “I may not blame them, by my faith, for they +do as brave men ought to do, and are the best fighting <a class="pagenum" name="page029" id="page029" title="029"></a> men and knights of +most prowess that I ever saw or heard tell of.” And so said also Kings Ban +and Bors, and praised them greatly for their noble chivalry. +</p> + +<p> +But now came forty noble knights out of King Arthur’s host, and prayed +that he would suffer them to break the enemy. And when they were allowed, +they rode forth with their spears upon their thighs, and spurred their +horses to their hottest. Then the eleven kings, with a party of their +knights, rushed with set spears as fast and mightily to meet them; and +when they were encountered, all the crash and splinter of their spears and +armour rang with a mighty din, and so fierce and bloody was their onset +that in all that day there had been no such cruel press, and rage, and +smiting. At that same moment rode fiercely into the thickest of the +struggle King Arthur and Kings Ban and Bors, and slew downright on both +hands right and left, until their horses went in blood up to the fetlocks. +</p> + +<p> +And while the slaughter and the noise and shouting were at their greatest, +suddenly there came down through the battle Merlin the Wizard, upon a +great black horse, and riding to King Arthur, he cried out, “Alas, my +Lord! will ye have never done? Of sixty thousand have ye left but fifteen +thousand men alive. Is it not time to stay this slaying? for God is ill +pleased with ye that ye have never ended, and yonder kings shall not be +altogether overthrown this time. But if ye fall upon them any more, the +fortune of this day will turn, and go to them. Withdraw, Lord, therefore, +to thy lodging, and there now take thy rest, for to-day thou hast won a +great victory, and overcome the noblest chivalry of all the world. And now +for many years those kings shall <a class="pagenum" name="page030" id="page030" title="030"></a> not disturb thee. Therefore, I tell +thee, fear them no more, for now they are sore beaten, and have nothing +left them but their honour; and why shouldest thou slay them to take +that?” +</p> + +<p> +Then said King Arthur, “Thou sayest well, and I will take thy counsel.” +With that he cried out, “Ho!” for the battle to cease, and sent forth +heralds through the field to stay more fighting. And gathering all the +spoil, he gave it not amongst his own host, but to Kings Ban and Bors and +all their knights and men-at-arms, that he might treat them with the +greater courtesy as strangers. +</p> + +<p> +Then Merlin took his leave of Arthur and the two other kings, and went to +see his master, Blaise, a holy hermit, dwelling in Northumberland, who had +nourished him through all his youth. And Blaise was passing glad to see +him, for there was a great love ever between them; and Merlin told him how +King Arthur had sped in the battle, and how it had ended; and told him the +names of every king and knight of worship who was there. So Blaise wrote +down the battle, word for word, as Merlin told him; and in the same way +ever after, all the battles of King Arthur’s days Merlin caused Blaise, +his master, to record. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page031" id="page031" title="031"></a> + +<a name="chapter_iii" id="chapter_iii"></a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The Adventure of the Questing Beast — King Arthur drives the Saxons from +the Realm — The Battles of Celidon Forest and Badon Hill</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/a.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="a1" id="a1" Title="A" alt="Drop Case A"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +non, thereafter, came word to King Arthur that Ryence, King of North +Wales, was making war upon King Leodegrance of Camelgard; whereat he was +passing wroth, for he loved Leodegrance well, and hated Ryence. So he +departed with Kings Ban and Bors and twenty thousand men, and came to +Camelgard, and rescued Leodegrance, and slew ten thousand of Ryence’s men +and put him to flight. Then Leodegrance made a great festival to the three +kings, and treated them with every manner of mirth and pleasure which +could be devised. And there had King Arthur the first sight of Guinevere, +daughter of Leodegrance, whom in the end he married, as shall be told +hereafter. +</p> + +<p> +Then did Kings Ban and Bors take leave, and went to their own country, +where King Claudas worked great mischief. And King Arthur would have gone +with them, but they refused him, saying, “Nay, ye shall not at this time, +for ye have yet much to do in these lands of your own; and we with the +riches we have won here by <a class="pagenum" name="page032" id="page032" title="032"></a> your gifts shall hire many good knights, and, +by the grace of God, withstand the malice of King Claudas; and if we have +need we will send to ye for succour; and likewise ye, if ye have need, +send for us, and we will not tarry, by the faith of our bodies.” +</p> + +<p> +When the two kings had left, King Arthur rode to Caerleon, and thither +came to him his half-sister Belisent, wife to King Lot, sent as a +messenger, but in truth to espy his power; and with her came a noble +retinue, and also her four sons—Gawain, Gaheris, Agravaine, and Gareth. +But when she saw King Arthur and his nobleness, and all the splendour of +his knights and service, she forbore to spy upon him as a foe, and told +him of her husband’s plots against him and his throne. And the king, not +knowing that she was his half-sister, made great court to her; and being +full of admiration for her beauty, loved her out of measure, and kept her +a long season at Caerleon. Wherefore her husband, King Lot, was more than +ever King Arthur’s enemy, and hated him till death with a passing great +hatred. +</p> + +<p> +At that time King Arthur had a marvellous dream, which gave him great +disquietness of heart. He dreamed that the whole land was full of many +fiery griffins and serpents, which burnt and slew the people everywhere; +and then that he himself fought with them, and that they did him mighty +injuries, and wounded him nigh to death, but that at last he overcame and +slew them all. When he woke, he sat in great heaviness of spirit and +pensiveness, thinking what this dream might signify, but by-and-by, when +he could by no means satisfy himself what it might mean, to rid himself of +all his thoughts of it, he made ready with a great company to ride out +hunting. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page033" id="page033" title="033"></a> + +<p> +As soon as he was in the forest, the king saw a great hart before him, and +spurred his horse, and rode long eagerly after it, and chased until his +horse lost breath and fell down dead from under him. Then, seeing the hart +escaped and his horse dead, he sat down by a fountain, and fell into deep +thought again. And as he sat there alone, he thought he heard the noise of +hounds, as it were some thirty couple in number, and looking up he saw +coming towards him the strangest beast that ever he had seen or heard tell +of, which ran towards the fountain and drank of the water. Its head was +like a serpent’s, with a leopard’s body and a lion’s tail, and it was +footed like a stag; and the noise was in its belly, as it were the baying +or questing of thirty couple of hounds. While it drank there was no noise +within it; but presently, having finished, it departed with a greater +sound than ever. +</p> + +<p> +The king was amazed at all this; but being greatly wearied, he fell +asleep, and was before long waked up by a knight on foot, who said, +“Knight, full of thought and sleepy, tell me if thou sawest a strange +beast pass this way?” +</p> + +<p> +“Such a one I saw,” said King Arthur to the knight, “but that is now two +miles distant at the least. What would you with that beast?” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the knight, “I have followed it for a long time, and have +killed my horse, and would to heaven I had another to pursue my quest +withal.” +</p> + +<p> +At that moment came a yeoman with another horse for the king, which, when +the knight saw, he earnestly prayed to be given him. “For I have followed +this quest,” said he, “twelve months, and either I shall achieve him or +bleed of the best blood of my body.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page034" id="page034" title="034"></a> + +<p> +It was King Pellinore who at that time followed the questing beast, but +neither he nor King Arthur knew each other. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir Knight,” said King Arthur, “leave that quest and suffer me to have +it, and I will follow it other twelve months.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, fool,” said the knight, “thy desire is utterly in vain, for it shall +never be achieved but by me, or by my next of kin.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he started to the king’s horse, and mounted to the saddle, +crying out, “Grammercy, this horse is mine!” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said the king, “thou mayest take my horse by force, and I will not +say nay; but till we prove whether thou or I be best on horseback, I shall +not rest content.” +</p> + +<p> +“Seek me here,” said the knight, “whenever thou wilt, and here by this +fountain thou shalt find me;” and so he passed forth on his way. +</p> + +<p> +Then sat King Arthur in a deep fit of study, and bade his yeomen fetch him +yet another horse as quickly as they could. And when they left him all +alone came Merlin, disguised as a child of fourteen years of age, and +saluted the king, and asked him why he was so pensive and heavy. +</p> + +<p> +“I may well be pensive and heavy,” he replied, “for here even now I have +seen the strangest sight I ever saw.” +</p> + +<p> +“That know I well,” said Merlin, “as well as thyself, and also all thy +thoughts; but thou art foolish to take thought, for it will not amend +thee. Also I know what thou art, and know thy father and thy mother.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page035" id="page035" title="035"></a> + +<p> +“That is false,” said King Arthur; “how shouldst thou know? thy years are +not enough.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” said Merlin, “but I know better than thou how thou wast born, and +better than any man living.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not believe thee,” said King Arthur, and was wroth with the child. +</p> + +<p> +So Merlin departed, and came again in the likeness of an old man of +fourscore years of age; and the king was glad at his coming, for he seemed +wise and venerable. Then said the old man, “Why art thou so sad?” +</p> + +<p> +“For divers reasons,” said King Arthur; “for I have seen strange things +to-day, and but this moment there was here a child who told me things +beyond his years to know.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” said the old man, “but he told thee truth, and more he would have +told thee hadst thou suffered him. But I will tell thee wherefore thou art +sad, for thou hast done a thing of late for which God is displeased with +thee, and what it is thou knowest in thy heart, though no man else may +know.” +</p> + +<p> +“What art thou,” said King Arthur, starting up all pale, “that tellest me +these tidings?” +</p> + +<p> +“I am Merlin,” said he, “and I was he in the child’s likeness, also.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” said King Arthur, “thou art a marvellous and right fearful man, and +I would ask and tell thee many things this day.” +</p> + +<p> +As they talked came one with the king’s horses, and so, King Arthur +mounting one, and Merlin another, they rode together to Caerleon; and +Merlin prophesied to Arthur of his death, and also foretold his own end. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page036" id="page036" title="036"></a> + +<p> +And now King Arthur, having utterly dispersed and overwhelmed those kings +who had so long delayed his coronation, turned all his mind to overthrow +the Saxon heathens who yet in many places spoiled the land. Calling +together, therefore, his knights and men-at-arms, he rode with all his +hosts to York, where Colgrin, the Saxon, lay with a great army; and there +he fought a mighty battle, long and bloody, and drove him into the city, +and besieged him. Then Baldulph, Colgrin’s brother, came secretly with six +thousand men to assail King Arthur and to raise the siege. But King Arthur +was aware of him, and sent six hundred horsemen and three thousand foot to +meet and fall on him instead. This therefore they did, encountering them +at midnight, and utterly defeated them, till they fled away for life. But +Baldulph, full of grief, resolved to share his brother’s peril; wherefore +he shaved his head and beard, and disguised himself as a jester, and so +passed through King Arthur’s camp, singing and playing on a harp, till by +degrees he drew near to the city walls, where presently he made himself +known, and was drawn up by ropes into the town. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, while Arthur closely watched the city, came news that full six +hundred ships had landed countless swarms of Saxons, under Cheldric, on +the eastern coast. At that he raised the siege, and marched straight to +London, and there increased his army, and took counsel with his barons how +to drive the Saxons from the land for evermore. +</p> + +<p> +Then with his nephew, Hoel, King of the Armorican Britons, who came with a +great force to help him, King Arthur, with a mighty multitude of barons, +knights, and <a class="pagenum" name="page037" id="page037" title="037"></a> fighting men, went swiftly up to Lincoln, which the Saxons +lay besieging. And there he fought a passing fierce battle, and made +grievous slaughter, killing above six thousand men, till the main body of +them turned and fled. But he pursued them hotly into the wood of Celidon, +where, sheltering themselves among the trees from his arrows, they made a +stand, and for a long season bravely defended themselves. Anon, he ordered +all the trees in that part of the forest to be cut down, leaving no +shelter or ambush; and with their trunks and branches made a mighty +barricade, which shut them in and hindered their escape. After three days, +brought nigh to death by famine, they offered to give up their wealth of +gold and silver spoils, and to depart forthwith in their empty ships; +moreover, to pay tribute to King Arthur when they reached their home, and +to leave him hostages till all was paid. +</p> + +<p> +This offer, therefore, he accepted, and suffered them to depart. But when +they had been a few hours at sea, they repented of their shameful flight, +and turned their ships back again, and landing at Totnes, ravaged all the +land as far as the Severn, and, burning and slaying on all sides, bent +their steps towards Bath. +</p> + +<p> +When King Arthur heard of their treachery and their return, he burned with +anger till his eyes shone like two torches, and then he swore a mighty +oath to rest no more until he had utterly destroyed those enemies of God +and man, and had rooted them for ever out of the land of Britain. Then +marching hotly with his armies on to Bath, he cried aloud to them, “Since +these detestable impious heathens disdain to keep their faith with me, to +keep faith with God, to whom I sware to cherish <a class="pagenum" name="page038" id="page038" title="038"></a> and defend this realm, +will now this day avenge on them the blood of all that they have slain in +Britain!” +</p> + +<p> +In like manner after him spoke the archbishop, standing upon a hill, and +crying that to-day they should fight both for their country and for +Paradise, “For whoso,” he said, “shall in this holy war be slain, the +angels shall forthwith receive him; for death in this cause shall be +penance and absolution for all sins.” +</p> + +<p> +At these words every man in the whole army raged with hatred, and pressed +eagerly to rush upon those savages. +</p> + +<p> +Anon King Arthur, dressed in armour shining with gold and jewels, and +wearing on his head a helmet with a golden dragon, took a shield painted +with the likeness of the blessed Mary. Then girding on Excalibur and +taking in his right hand his great lance Ron, he placed his men in order +and led them out against the enemy, who stood for battle on the slope of +Badon Hill, ranged in the form of a wedge, as their custom was. And they, +resisting all the onslaughts of King Arthur and his host, made that day a +stout defence, and at night lay down upon the hill. +</p> + +<p> +But on the next day Arthur led his army once again to the attack, and with +wounds and slaughter such as no man had ever seen before, he drove the +heathen step by step before him, backwards and upwards, till he stood with +all his noblest knights upon the summit of the hill. +</p> + +<p> +And then men saw him, “red as the rising sun from spur to plume,” lift up +his sword, and, kneeling, kiss the cross of it; and after, rising to his +feet, set might and main with all his fellowship upon the foe, till, as a +troop of lions roaring for their prey, they drove them like a <a class="pagenum" name="page039" id="page039" title="039"></a> scattered +herd along the plains, and cut them down till they could cut no more for +weariness. +</p> + +<p> +That day King Arthur by himself alone slew with his word Excalibur four +hundred and seventy heathens. Colgrin also, and his brother Baldulph, were +slain. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king bade Cador, Duke of Cornwall, follow Cheldric, the chief +leader, and the remnant of his hosts, unto the uttermost. He, therefore, +when he had first seized their fleet, and filled it with chosen men, to +beat them back when they should fly to it at last, chased them and slew +them without mercy so long as he could overtake them. And though they +crept with trembling hearts for shelter to the coverts of the woods and +dens of mountains, yet even so they found no safety, for Cador slew them, +even one by one. Last of all he caught and slew Cheldric himself, and +slaughtering a great multitude took hostages for the surrender of the +rest. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, King Arthur turned from Badon Hill, and freed his nephew Hoel +from the Scots and Picts, who besieged him in Alclud. And when he had +defeated them in three sore battles, he drove them before him to a lake, +which was one of the most wondrous lakes in all the world, for it was fed +by sixty rivers, and had sixty islands, and sixty rocks, and on every +island sixty eagles’ nests. But King Arthur with a great fleet sailed +round the rivers and besieged them in the lake for fifteen days, so that +many thousands died of hunger. +</p> + +<p> +Anon the King of Ireland came with an army to relieve them; but Arthur, +turning on him fiercely, routed him, and compelled him to retreat in +terror to his land. Then he pursued his purpose, which was no less to +destroy the race of Picts and Scots, who, beyond <a class="pagenum" name="page040" id="page040" title="040"></a> memory, had been a +ceaseless torment to the Britons by their barbarous malice. +</p> + +<p> +So bitterly, therefore, did he treat them, giving quarter to none, that at +length the bishops of that miserable country with the clergy met together, +and, bearing all the holy relics, came barefooted to the king to pray his +mercy for their people. As soon as they were led before him they fell down +upon their knees, and piteously besought him to spare the few survivors of +their countrymen, and grant them any corner of the land where they might +live in peace. When he thus heard them, and knew that he had now fully +punished them, he consented to their prayer, and withdrew his hosts from +any further slaughter. +</p> + +<p> +Then turned he back to his own realm, and came to York for Christmas, and +there with high solemnity observed that holy tide; and being passing +grieved to see the ruin of the churches and houses, which the rage or the +pagans had destroyed, he rebuilt them, and restored the city to its +ancient happy state. +</p> + +<p> +And on a certain day, as the king sat with his barons, there came into the +court a squire on horseback, carrying a knight before him wounded to the +death, and told the king that hard by in the forest was a knight who had +reared up a pavilion by the fountain, “and hath slain my master, a valiant +knight, whose name was Nirles; wherefore I beseech thee, Lord, my master +may be buried, and that some good knight may avenge his death.” +</p> + +<p> +At that stepped forth a squire named Griflet, who was very young, being of +the same age with King Arthur, and besought the king, for all the service +he had done, to give him knighthood. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page041" id="page041" title="041"></a> + +<p> +“Thou art full young and tender of age,” said King Arthur, “to take so +high an order upon thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Griflet, “I beseech thee make me a knight;” and Merlin also +advising the king to grant his request, “Well,” said Arthur, “be it then +so,” and knighted him forthwith. Then said he to him, “Since I have +granted thee this favour, thou must in turn grant me a gift.” +</p> + +<p> +“Whatsoever thou wilt, my lord,” replied Sir Griflet. +</p> + +<p> +“Promise me,” said King Arthur, “by the faith of thy body, that when thou +hast jousted with this knight at the fountain, thou wilt return to me +straightway, unless he slay thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“I promise,” said Sir Griflet; and taking his horse in haste, he dressed +his shield, and took a spear in his hand and rode full gallop till he came +to the fountain, by the side of which he saw a rich pavilion, and a great +horse standing well saddled and bridled, and on a tree close by there hung +a shield of many colours and a long lance. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Griflet smote upon the shield with the butt of his spear until he +cast it to the ground. At that a knight came out of the pavilion and said, +“Fair knight, why smote ye down my shield?” +</p> + +<p> +“Because,” said Griflet, “I would joust with thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“It were better not,” replied the knight; “for thou art young and but +lately made a knight, and thy strength is small compared to mine.” +</p> + +<p> +“For all that,” said Sir Griflet, “I will joust with ye.” +</p> + +<p> +“I am full loath,” replied the knight; “but if I must I must.” +</p> + +<p> +Then did they wheel their horses far apart, and running <a class="pagenum" name="page042" id="page042" title="042"></a> them together, +the strange knight shivered Sir Griflet’s spear to fragments, and smote +him through the shield and the left side, and broke his own spear into Sir +Griflet’s body, so that the truncheon stuck there, and Sir Griflet and his +horse fell down. But when the strange knight saw him overthrown, he was +sore grieved, and hastily alighted, for he thought that he had slain him. +Then he unlaced his helm and gave him air, and tended him carefully till +he came out of his swoon, and leaving the truncheon of his spear in his +body, he set him upon horse, and commended him to God, and said he had a +mighty heart, and if he lived would prove a passing good knight. And so +Sir Griflet rode to the court, where, by aid of good physicians, he was +healed in time and his life saved. +</p> + +<p> +At that same time there came before the king twelve old men, ambassadors +from Lucius Tiberius, Emperor of Rome, and demanded of Arthur tribute unto +Caesar for his realm, or else, said they, the emperor would destroy both +him and his land. To whom King Arthur answered that he owed the emperor no +tribute, nor would send him any; but said he, “On a fair field I will pay +him his proper tribute—with a sharp spear and sword; and by my father’s +soul that tribute shall he take from me, whether he will or not.” So the +ambassadors departed passing wroth, and King Arthur was as wroth as they. +</p> + +<p> +But on the morrow of Sir Griflet’s hurt, the king commanded to take his +horse and armour secretly outside the city walls before sunrise of the +next morning, and, rising a long while before dawn, he mounted up and took +his shield and spear, and bade his chamberlain tarry till he came again; +but he forbore to take Excalibur, for he <a class="pagenum" name="page043" id="page043" title="043"></a> had given it for safety into +charge of his sister, Queen Morgan le Fay. And as the king rode at a soft +pace he saw suddenly three villains chasing Merlin and making to attack +and slay him. Clapping spurs to his horse, he rushed towards them, and +cried out in a terrible voice, “Flee, churls, or take your deaths;” but +they, as soon as they perceived a knight, fled away with the haste of +hares. +</p> + +<p> +“O Merlin,” said the king; “here hadst thou been killed, despite thy many +crafts, had I not chanced to pass.” +</p> + +<p> +“Not so,” said Merlin, “for when I would, I could have saved myself; but +thou art nearer to thy death than I, for without special help from heaven +thou ridest now towards thy grave.” +</p> + +<p> +And as they were thus talking, they came to the fountain and the rich +pavilion pitched beside it, and saw a knight sitting all armed on a chair +in the opening of the tent. “Sir knight,” said King Arthur, “for what +cause abidest thou here? to joust with any knight that passeth by? If so, +I caution thee to quit that custom.” +</p> + +<p> +“That custom,” said the knight, “have I followed and will follow, let +whosoever will say nay, and if any is aggrieved at it, let him who will +amend it.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will amend it,” said King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +“And I will defend it,” answered the knight. +</p> + +<p> +Then the knight mounted his horse and made himself ready, and charging at +each other they met so hard that both their lances splintered into pieces. +Then King Arthur drew his sword, but the knight cried out, “Not so; but +let us run another tilt together with sharp spears.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page044" id="page044" title="044"></a> + +<p> +“I would with a good will,” said King Arthur; “but I have no more spears.” +</p> + +<p> +“I have enough of spears,” replied the knight, and called a squire, who +brought two good new lances. +</p> + +<p> +Then spurring their horses, they rushed together with all their might, and +broke each one his own spear short off in his hand. Then the king again +put his hand to his sword, but the knight once more cried out, “Nay, yet +abide awhile; ye are the best jouster that I ever met with; for the love +of knighthood, let us joust yet once again.” +</p> + +<p> +So once again they tilted with their fullest force, and this time King +Arthur’s spear was shivered, but the knight’s held whole, and drove so +furiously against the king that both his horse and he were hurled to the +ground. +</p> + +<p> +At that, King Arthur was enraged and drew his sword and said, “I will +attack thee now, Sir knight, on foot, for on horseback I have lost the +honour.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will be on horseback,” said the knight. But when he saw him come on +foot, he lighted from his horse, thinking it shame to have so great +advantage. +</p> + +<p> +And then began they a strong battle, with many great strokes and grievous +blows, and so hewed with their swords that the fragments of their armour +flew about the fields, and both so bled that all the ground around was +like a marsh of blood. Thus they fought long and mightily, and anon, after +brief rest fell to again, and so hurtled together like two wild boars that +they both rolled to the ground. At last their swords clashed furiously +together, and the knight’s sword shivered the king’s in two. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page045" id="page045" title="045"></a> + +<p> +Then said the knight, “Now art thou in my power, to save thee or to slay. +Yield therefore as defeated, and a recreant knight, or thou shall surely +die.” +</p> + +<p> +“As for death,” replied King Arthur, “welcome be it when it cometh; but as +for yielding me to thee as a recreant because of this poor accident upon +my sword, I had far liefer die than be so shamed.” +</p> + +<p> +So saying, he sprang on the knight, and took him by the middle and threw +him down, and tore off his helm. But the knight, being a huge man, +wrestled and struggled in a frenzy with the king until he brought him +under, and tore off his helm in turn, and would have smitten off his head. +</p> + +<p> +At that came Merlin and said, “Knight, hold thy hand, for if thou slayest +yonder knight, thou puttest all this realm to greater loss and damage than +ever realm was in; for he is a man of greater worship than thou dreamest +of.” +</p> + +<p> +“Who then is he?” cried the knight. +</p> + +<p> +“Arthur Pendragon!” answered Merlin. +</p> + +<p> +Then would he have slain him for dread of his wrath, but Merlin cast a +spell upon the knight, so that he fell suddenly to the earth in a deep +sleep. Then raising up the king, he took the knight’s horse for himself +and rode away. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas,” said King Arthur, “what hast thou done, Merlin? hast thou slain +this good knight by thy crafts? There never lived a better knight; I had +rather lose my kingdom for a year than have him dead.” +</p> + +<p> +“Be not afraid,” said Merlin; “he is more whole and sound than thou art, +and is but in a sleep, wherefrom in three hours’ time he will awake. I +told thee what a <a class="pagenum" name="page046" id="page046" title="046"></a> knight he was, and how near thou wast to death. There +liveth not a better knight than he in all the world, and hereafter he +shall do thee good service. His name is King Pellinore, and he shall have +two sons, who shall be passing valiant men, and, save one another, shall +have no equal in prowess and in purity of life. The one shall be named +Percival, and the other Lamoracke of Wales.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rode on to Caerleon, and all the knights grieved greatly when they +heard of this adventure, that the king would jeopardise his person thus +alone. Yet could they not hide their joy at serving under such a noble +chief, who adventured his own life as much as did the poorest knight among +them all. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page047" id="page047" title="047"></a> + +<a name="chapter_iv" id="chapter_iv"></a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>King Arthur Conquers Ireland and Norway, Slays the Giant of St. Michael’s +Mount, and Conquers Gaul — The Adventures of Sir Balin</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/t.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="t2" id="t2" Title="T" alt="Drop Case T"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +he land of Britain being now in peace, and many great and valiant knights +therein ready to take part in whatsoever battles or adventures might +arise, King Arthur resolved to follow all his enemies to their own coasts. +Anon he fitted out a great fleet, and sailing first to Ireland, in one +battle he miserably routed the people of the country. The King of Ireland +also he took prisoner, and forced all earls and barons to pay him homage. +</p> + +<p> +Having conquered Ireland, he went next to Iceland and subdued it also, and +the winter being then arrived, returned to Britain. +</p> + +<p> +In the next year he set forth to Norway, whence many times the heathen had +descended on the British coasts; for he was determined to give so terrible +a lesson to those savages as should be told through all their tribes both +far and near, and make his name fearful to them. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as he was come, Riculf, the king, with all the power of that +country, met and gave him battle; but, after mighty slaughter, the Britons +had at length the <a class="pagenum" name="page048" id="page048" title="048"></a> advantage, and slew Riculf and a countless multitude +besides. +</p> + +<p> +Having thus defeated them, they set the cities on fire, dispersed the +country people, and pursued the victory till they had reduced all Norway, +as also Dacia, under the dominion of King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +Now, therefore, having thus chastised those pagans who so long had +harassed Britain, and put his yoke upon them, he voyaged on to Gaul, being +steadfastly set upon defeating the Roman governor of that province, and so +beginning to make good the threats which he had sent the emperor by his +ambassadors. +</p> + +<p> +So soon as he was landed on the shores of Gaul, there came to him a +countryman who told him of a fearful giant in the land of Brittany, who +had slain, murdered, and devoured many people, and had lived for seven +years upon young children only, “insomuch,” said the man, “that all the +children of the country are destroyed; and but the other day he seized +upon our duchess, as she rode out with her men, and took her away to his +lodging in a cave of a mountain, and though five hundred people followed +her, yet could they give her no help or rescue, but left her shrieking and +crying lamentably in the giant’s hands; and, Lord, she is thy cousin +Hoel’s wife, who is of thy near kindred; wherefore, as thou art a rightful +king, have pity on this lady; and as thou art a valiant conqueror, avenge +us and deliver us.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said King Arthur, “this is a great mischief that ye tell of. I had +rather than the best realm I have, that I had rescued that lady ere the +giant laid his hand on her; but tell me now, good fellow, canst thou bring +me where this giant haunteth?” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page049" id="page049" title="049"></a> + +<p> +“Yea, Lord!” replied the man; “lo, yonder, where thou seest two great +fires, there shall thou find him, and more treasure also than is in all +Gaul besides.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king returned to his tent, and, calling Sir Key and Sir Bedwin, +desired them to get horses ready for himself and them, for that after +evensong he would ride a pilgrimage with them alone to St. Michael’s +Mount. So in the evening they departed, and rode as fast as they could +till they came near the mount, and there alighted; and the king commanded +the two knights to await him at the hill foot, while he went up alone. +</p> + +<p> +Then he ascended the mountain till he came to a great fire. And there he +found a sorrowful widow wringing her hands and weeping miserably, sitting +by a new-made grave. And saluting her, King Arthur prayed her wherefore +she made such heavy lamentations. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” she said, “speak softly, for yonder is a devil, who, if he +hear thy voice, will come and straightway slay thee. Alas! what dost thou +here? Fifty such men as thou were powerless to resist him. Here lieth dead +my lady, Duchess of Brittany, wife to Sir Hoel, who was the fairest lady +in the world, foully and shamefully slaughtered by that fiend! Beware that +thou go not too nigh, for he hath overcome and vanquished fifteen kings, +and hath made himself a coat of precious stones, embroidered with their +beards; but if thou art hardy, and wilt speak with him, at yonder great +fire he is at supper.” +</p> + +<img src="images/figure04.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure04" id="figure04" + title="The giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge frame by the fire." + alt="The giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge frame by the fire."> + +<p> +“Well,” said King Arthur, “I will accomplish mine errand, for all thy +fearful words;” and so went forth to the crest of the hill, and saw where +<a class="pagenum" name="page050" id="page050" title="050"></a> +<a href="images/figure04.jpg">the giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge +frame by the fire,</a> while three damsels turned three spits whereon were +spitted, like larks, twelve young children lately born. +</p> + +<p> +When King Arthur saw all that, his heart bled for sorrow, and he trembled +for rage and indignation; then lifting up his voice he cried aloud—“God, +that wieldeth all the world, give thee short life and shameful death, and +may the devil have thy soul! Why hast thou slain those children and that +fair lady? Wherefore arise, and prepare thee to perish, thou glutton and +fiend, for this day thou shalt die by my hands.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the giant, mad with fury at these words, started up, and seizing a +great club, smote the king, and struck his crown from off his head. But +King Arthur smote him with his sword so mightily in return, that all his +blood gushed forth in streams. +</p> + +<p> +At that the giant, howling in great anguish, threw away his club of iron, +and caught the king in both his arms and strove to crush his ribs +together. But King Arthur struggled and writhed, and twisted him about, so +that the giant could not hold him tightly; and as they fiercely wrestled, +they both fell, and rolling over one another, tumbled—wrestling, and +struggling, and fighting frantically—from rock to rock, till they came to +the sea. +</p> + +<p> +And as they tore and strove and tumbled, the king ever and anon smote at +the giant with his dagger, till his arms stiffened in death around King +Arthur’s body, and groaning horribly, he died. So presently the two +knights came and found the king locked fast in the giant’s arms, and very +faint and weary, and loosed him from their hold. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page051" id="page051" title="051"></a> + +<p> +Then the king bade Sir Key to “smite off the giant’s head and set it on +the truncheon of a spear, and bear it to Sir Hoel, and tell him that his +enemy is slain; and afterwards let it be fastened to the castle gate, that +all the people may behold it. And go ye two up on the mountain and fetch +me my shield and sword, and also the great club of iron ye will see there; +and as for the treasure, ye shall find there wealth beyond counting, but +take as much as ye will, for if I have his kirtle and the club, I desire +no more.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the knights fetched the club and kirtle, as the king had ordered, and +took the treasure to themselves, as much as they could carry, and returned +to the army. But when this deed was noised abroad, all the people came in +multitudes to thank the king, who told them “to give thanks to God, and to +divide the giant’s spoils amongst them equally.” And King Arthur desired +Sir Hoel to build a church upon the mount, and dedicate it to the +Archangel Michael. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow, all the host moved onwards into the country of Champagne, +and Flollo, the Roman tribune, retired before them into Paris. But while +he was preparing to collect more forces from the neighbouring countries, +King Arthur came upon him unawares, and besieged him in the town. +</p> + +<p> +And when a month had passed, Flollo—full of grief at the starvation of +his people, who died in hundreds day by day—sent to King Arthur, and +desired that they two might fight together; for he was a man of mighty +stature and courage, and thought himself sure of the victory. This +challenge, King Arthur, full weary the siege, accepted with great joy, and +sent back <a class="pagenum" name="page052" id="page052" title="052"></a> word to Flollo that he would meet him whensoever he appointed. +</p> + +<p> +And a truce being made on both sides, they met together the next day on +the island without the city, where all the people also were gathered to +see the issue. And as the king and Flollo rode up to the lists, each was +so nobly armed and horsed, and sat so mightily upon his saddle, that no +man could tell which way the battle would end. +</p> + +<p> +When they had saluted one another, and presented themselves against each +other with their lances aloft, they put spurs to their horses and began a +fierce encounter. But King Arthur, carrying his spear more warily, struck +it on the upper part of Flollo’s breast, and flung him from his saddle to +the earth. Then drawing his sword, he cried to him to rise, and rushed +upon him; but Flollo, starting up, met him with his spear couched, and +pierced the breast of King Arthur’s horse, and overthrew both horse and +man. +</p> + +<p> +The Britons, when they saw their king upon the ground, could scarcely keep +themselves from breaking up the truce and falling on the Gauls. But as +they were about to burst the barriers, and rush upon the lists, King +Arthur hastily arose, and, guarding himself with his shield, ran with +speed on Flollo. And now they renewed the assault with great rage, being +sorely bent upon each other’s death. +</p> + +<p> +At length, Flollo, seizing his advantage, gave King Arthur a huge stroke +upon the helm, which nigh overthrew him, and drew forth his blood in +streams. +</p> + +<p> +But when King Arthur saw his armour and shield red with blood, he was +inflamed with fury, and lifting up <a class="pagenum" name="page053" id="page053" title="053"></a> Excalibur on high, with all his might, +he struck straight through the helmet into Flollo’s head, and smote it +into halves; and Flollo falling backwards, and tearing up the ground with +his spurs, expired. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as this news spread, the citizens all ran together, and, opening +the gates, surrendered the city to the conqueror. +</p> + +<p> +And when he had overrun the whole province with his arms, and reduced it +everywhere to subjection, he returned again to Britain, and held his court +at Caerleon, with greater state than ever. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he invited thereto all the kings, dukes, earls, and barons, who owed +him homage, that he might treat them royally, and reconcile them to each +other, and to his rule. +</p> + +<p> +And never was there a city more fit and pleasant for such festivals. For +on one side it was washed by a noble river, so that the kings and princes +from the countries beyond sea might conveniently sail up to it; and on the +other side, the beauty of the groves and meadows, and the stateliness and +magnificence of the royal palaces, with lofty gilded roofs, made it even +rival the grandeur of Rome. It was famous also for two great and noble +churches, whereof one was built in honour of the martyr Julius, and +adorned with a choir of virgins who had devoted themselves wholly to the +service of God; and the other, founded in memory of St. Aaron, his +companion, maintained a convent of canons, and was the third metropolitan +church of Britain. Besides, there was a college of two hundred +philosophers, learned in astronomy, and all the other sciences and arts. +</p> + +<p> +In this place, therefore, full of such delights, King <a class="pagenum" name="page054" id="page054" title="054"></a> Arthur held his +court, with many jousts and tournaments, and royal huntings, and rested +for a season after all his wars. +</p> + +<p> +And on a certain day there came into the court a messenger from Ryence, +King of North Wales, bearing this message from his master: That King +Ryence had discomfited eleven kings, and had compelled each one of them to +cut off his beard; that he had trimmed a mantle with these beards, and +lacked but one more beard to finish it; and that he therefore now sent for +King Arthur’s beard, which he required of him forthwith, or else he would +enter his lands and burn and slay, and never leave them till he had taken +by force not his beard only, but his head also. +</p> + +<p> +When King Arthur heard these words he flushed all scarlet, and rising in +great anger said, “Well is it for thee that thou speakest another man’s +words with thy lips, and not thine own. Thou hast said thy message, which +is the most insolent and villainous that ever man heard sent to any king: +now hear my reply. My beard is yet too young to trim that mantle of thy +master’s with; yet, young although I be, I owe no homage either to him or +any man—nor will ever owe. But, young although I be, I will have thy +master’s homage upon both his knees before this year be past, or else he +shall lose his head, by the faith of my body, for this message is the +shamefullest I ever heard speak of. I see well thy king hath never yet met +with a worshipful man; but tell that King Arthur will have his head or his +worship right soon.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the messenger departed, and Arthur, looking round upon his knights, +demanded of them if any there <a class="pagenum" name="page055" id="page055" title="055"></a> knew this King Ryence. “Yea,” answered Sir +Noran, “I know him well, and there be few better or stronger knights upon +a field than he; and he is passing proud and haughty in his heart; +wherefore I doubt not, Lord, he will make war on thee with mighty power.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said King Arthur, “I shall be ready for him, and that shall he +find.” +</p> + +<p> +While the king thus spoke, there came into the hall a damsel having on a +mantle richly furred, which she let fall and showed herself to be girded +with a noble sword. The king being surprised at this, said, “Damsel, +wherefore art thou girt with that sword, for it beseemeth thee not?” +“Sir,” said she, “I will tell thee. This sword wherewith I am thus girt +gives me great sorrow and encumbrance, for I may not be delivered from it +till I find a knight faithful and pure and true, strong of body and of +valiant deeds, without guile or treachery, who shall be able to draw it +from its scabbard, which no man else can do. And I have but just now come +from the court of King Ryence, for there they told me many great and good +knights were to be ever found; but he and all his knights have tried to +draw it forth in vain—for none of them can move it.” +</p> + +<p> +“This is a great marvel,” said King Arthur; “I will myself try to draw +forth this sword, not thinking in my heart that I am the best knight, but +rather to begin and give example that all may try after me.” Saying this, +he took the sword and pulled at it with all his might, but could not shake +or move it. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou needest not strive so hard, Lord,” said the damsel, “for whoever may +be able to pull it forth shall do so very easily.” <a class="pagenum" name="page056" id="page056" title="056"></a> “Thou sayest well,” +replied the king, remembering how he had himself drawn forth the sword +from the stone before St. Paul’s. “Now try ye, all my barons; but beware +ye be not stained with shame, or any treachery, or guile.” And turning +away his face from them, King Arthur mused full heavily of sins within his +breast he knew of, and which his failure brought to mind right sadly. +</p> + +<p> +Then all the barons present tried each after other, but could none of them +succeed; whereat the damsel greatly wept, and said, “Alas, alas! I thought +in this court to have found the best knight, without shame or treachery or +treason.” +</p> + +<p> +Now by chance there was at that time a poor knight with King Arthur, who +had been prisoner at his court for half a year and more, charged with +slaying unawares a knight who was a cousin of the king’s. He was named +Balin le Savage, and had been by the good offices of the barons delivered +from prison, for he was of good and valiant address and gentle blood. He +being secretly present at the court saw this adventure, and felt his heart +rise high within him, and longed to try the sword as did the others; but +being poor and poorly clad, he was ashamed to come forward in the press of +knights and nobles. But in his heart he felt assured that he could do +better—if Heaven willed—than any knight among them all. +</p> + +<p> +So as the damsel left the king, he called to her and said, “Damsel, I pray +thee of thy courtesy, suffer me to try the sword as well as all these +lords; for though I be but poorly clad, I feel assurance in my heart.” +</p> + +<p> +The damsel looking at him, saw in him a likely <a class="pagenum" name="page057" id="page057" title="057"></a> an honest man, but because +of his poor garments could not think him to be any knight of worship, and +said, “Sir, there is no need to put me to any more pain or labour; why +shouldst thou succeed where so many worthy ones have failed?” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, fair lady,” answered Balin, “worthiness and brave deeds are not shown +by fair raiment, but manhood and truth lie hid within the heart. There be +many worshipful knights unknown to all the people.” +</p> + +<p> +“By my faith, thou sayest truth,” replied the damsel; “try therefore, if +thou wilt, what thou canst do.” +</p> + +<p> +So Balin took the sword by the girdle and hilt, and drew it lightly out, +and looking on its workmanship and brightness, it pleased him greatly. +</p> + +<p> +But the king and all the barons marvelled at Sir Balin’s fortune, and many +knights were envious of him, for, “Truly,” said the damsel, “this is a +passing good knight, and the best man I have ever found, and the most +worshipfully free from treason, treachery, or villainy, and many wonders +shall he achieve.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now, gentle and courteous knight,” continued she, turning to Balin, “give +me the sword again.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said Sir Balin, “save it be taken from me by force, I shall +preserve this sword for evermore.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou art not wise,” replied the damsel, “to keep it from me; for if thou +wilt do so, thou shalt slay with it the best friend thou hast, and the +sword shall be thine destruction also.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will take whatever adventure God may send,” said Balin; “but the sword +will I keep, by the faith of my body.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou will repent it shortly,” said the damsel; “I <a class="pagenum" name="page058" id="page058" title="058"></a> would take the sword +for thy sake rather than for mine for I am passing grieved and heavy for +thy sake, who wilt not believe the peril I foretell thee.” With that she +departed, making great lamentation. +</p> + +<p> +Then Balin sent for his horse and armour, and took his leave of King +Arthur, who urged him to stay at his court. “For,” said he, “I believe +that thou art displeased that I showed thee unkindness; blame me not +overmuch, for I was misinformed against thee, and knew not truly what a +knight of worship thou art. Abide in this court with my good knights, and +I will so advance thee that thou shalt be well pleased.” +</p> + +<p> +“God thank thee, Lord,” said Balin, “for no man can reward thy bounty and +thy nobleness; but at this time I must needs depart, praying thee ever to +hold me in thy favour.” +</p> + +<p> +“Truly,” said King Arthur, “I am grieved for thy departure; but tarry not +long, and thou shalt be right welcome to me and all my knights when thou +returnest, and I will repair my neglect and all that I have done amiss +against thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“God thank thee, Lord,” again said Balin, and made ready to depart. +</p> + +<p> +But meanwhile came into the court a lady upon horseback, full richly +dressed, and saluted King Arthur, and asked him for the gift that he had +promised her when she gave him his sword Excalibur, “for,” said she, “I am +the lady of the lake.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ask what thou wilt,” said the king, “and thou shalt have it, if I have +power to give.” +</p> + +<p> +“I ask,” said she, “the head of that knight who hath just achieved the +sword, or else the damsel’s head who <a class="pagenum" name="page059" id="page059" title="059"></a> brought it, or else both; for the +knight slew my brother, and the lady caused my father’s death.” +</p> + +<p> +“Truly,” said King Arthur, “I cannot grant thee this desire; it were +against my nature and against my name; but ask whatever else thou wilt, +and I will do it.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will demand no other thing,” said she. +</p> + +<p> +And as she spake came Balin, on his way to leave the court, and saw her +where she stood, and knew her straightway for his mother’s murderess, whom +he had sought in vain three years. And when they told him that she had +asked King Arthur for his head, he went up straight to her and said, “May +evil have thee! Thou desirest my head, therefore shalt thou lose thine;” +and with his sword he lightly smote her head off, in the presence of the +king and all the court. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas, for shame!” cried out King Arthur, rising up in wrath; “why hast +thou done this, shaming both me and my court? I am beholden greatly to +this lady, and under my safe conduct came she here; thy deed is passing +shameful; never shall I forgive thy villainy.” +</p> + +<p> +“Lord,” cried Sir Balin, “hear me; this lady was the falsest living, and +by her witchcraft hath destroyed many, and caused my mother also to be +burnt to death by her false arts and treachery.” +</p> + +<p> +“What cause soever thou mightest have had,” said the king, “thou shouldst +have forborne her in my presence. Deceive not thyself, thou shalt repent +this sin, for such a shame was never brought upon my court; depart now +from my face with all the haste thou mayest.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Balin took up the head of the lady and carried it to his lodgings, +and rode forth with his squire from out <a class="pagenum" name="page060" id="page060" title="060"></a> the town. Then said he, “Now must +we part; take ye this head and bear it to my friends in Northumberland, +and tell them how I speed, and that our worst foe is dead; also tell them +that I am free from prison, and of the adventure of my sword.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said the squire, “ye are greatly to blame to have so displeased +King Arthur.” +</p> + +<p> +“As for that,” said Sir Balin, “I go now to find King Ryence, and destroy +him or lose my life; for should I take him prisoner, and lead him to the +court, perchance King Arthur would forgive me, and become my good and +gracious lord.” +</p> + +<p> +“Where shall I meet thee again?” said the squire. +</p> + +<p> +“In King Arthur’s court,” said Balin. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page061" id="page061" title="061"></a> + +<a name="chapter_v" id="chapter_v"></a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>Sir Balin Smites the Dolorous Stroke, and Fights with his Brother, Sir +Balan</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/n.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="n2" id="n2" Title="N" alt="Drop Case N"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +ow there was a knight at the court more envious than the others of Sir +Balin, for he counted himself one of the best knights in Britain. His name +was Lancear; and going to the king, he begged leave to follow after Sir +Balin and avenge the insult he had put upon the court. “Do thy best,” +replied the king, “for I am passing wroth with Balin.” +</p> + +<p> +In the meantime came Merlin, and was told of this adventure of the sword +and lady of the lake. +</p> + +<p> +“Now hear me,” said he, “when I tell ye that this lady who hath brought +the sword is the falsest damsel living.” +</p> + +<p> +“Say not so,” they answered, “for she hath a brother a good knight, who +slew another knight this damsel loved; so she, to be revenged upon her +brother, went to the Lady Lile, of Avilion, and besought her help. Then +Lady Lile gave her the sword, and told her that no man should draw it +forth but one, a valiant knight and strong, who should avenge her on her +brother. This, therefore, was the reason why the damsel came here.” <a class="pagenum" name="page062" id="page062" title="062"></a> “I +know it all as well as ye do,” answered Merlin; “and would to God she had +never come hither, for never came she into any company but to do harm; and +that good knight who hath achieved the sword shall be himself slain by it, +which shall be great harm and loss, for a better knight there liveth not; +and he shall do unto my lord the king great honour and service.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancear, having armed himself at all points, mounted, and rode +after Sir Balin, as fast as he could go, and overtaking him, he cried +aloud, “Abide, Sir knight! wait yet awhile, or I shall make thee do so.” +</p> + +<p> +Hearing him cry, Sir Balin fiercely turned his horse, and said, “Fair +knight, what wilt thou with me? wilt thou joust?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” said Sir Lancear, “it is for that I have pursued thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Peradventure,” answered Balin, “thou hadst best have staid at home, for +many a man who thinketh himself already victor, endeth by his own +downfall. Of what court art thou?” +</p> + +<p> +“Of King Arthur’s court,” cried Lancear, “and I am come to revenge the +insult thou hast put on it this day.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said Sir Balin, “I see that I must fight thee, and I repent to be +obliged to grieve King Arthur or his knights; and thy quarrel seemeth full +foolish to me, for the damsel that is dead worked endless evils through +the land, or else I had been loath as any knight that liveth to have slain +a lady.” +</p> + +<p> +“Make thee ready,” shouted Lancear, “for one of us shall rest for ever in +this field.” +</p> + +<p> +But at their first encounter Sir Lancear’s spear flew <a class="pagenum" name="page063" id="page063" title="063"></a> into splinters from +Sir Balin’s shield, and Sir Balin’s lance pierced with such might through +Sir Lancear’s shield that it rove the hauberk also, and passed through the +knight’s body and the horse’s crupper. And Sir Balin turning fiercely +round again, drew out his sword, and knew not that he had already slain +him; and then he saw him lie a corpse upon the ground. +</p> + +<p> +At that same moment came a damsel riding towards him as fast as her horse +could gallop, who, when she saw Sir Lancear dead, wept and sorrowed out of +measure, crying, “O, Sir Balin, two bodies hast thou slain, and one heart; +and two hearts in one body; and two souls also hast thou lost.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith she took the sword from her dead lover’s side—for she was Sir +Lancear’s lady-love—and setting the pommel of it on the ground, ran +herself through the body with the blade. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Balin saw her dead he was sorely hurt and grieved in spirit, and +repented the death of Lancear, which had also caused so fair a lady’s +death. And being unable to look on their bodies for sorrow, he turned +aside into a forest, where presently as he rode, he saw the arms of his +brother, Sir Balan. And when they were met they put off their helms, and +embraced each other, kissing, and weeping for joy and pity. Then Sir Balin +told Sir Balan all his late adventures, and that he was on his way to King +Ryence, who at that time was besieging Castle Terrabil. “I will be with +thee,” answered Sir Balan, “and we will help each other, as brethren ought +to do.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon by chance, as they were talking, came King Mark, of Cornwall, by that +way, and when he saw the two dead bodies of Sir Lancear and his lady lying +there, <a class="pagenum" name="page064" id="page064" title="064"></a> and heard the story of their death, he vowed to build a tomb to +them before he left that place. So pitching his pavilion there, he sought +through all the country round to find a monument, and found at last a rich +and fair one in a church, which he took and raised above the dead knight +and his damsel, writing on it—“Here lieth Lancear, son of the King of +Ireland, who, at his own request, was slain by Balin; and here beside him +also lieth his lady Colombe, who slew herself with her lover’s sword for +grief and sorrow.” +</p> + +<p> +Then as Sir Balin and Sir Balan rode away, Merlin met with them, and said +to Balin, “Thou hast done thyself great harm not to have saved that lady’s +life who slew herself; and because of it, thou shalt strike the most +Dolorous Stroke that ever man struck, save he that smote our Lord. For +thou shalt smite the truest and most worshipful of living knights, who +shall not be recovered from his wounds for many years, and through that +stroke three kingdoms shall be overwhelmed in poverty and misery.” +</p> + +<p> +“If I believed,” said Balin, “what thou sayest, I would slay myself to +make thee a liar.” +</p> + +<p> +At that Merlin vanished suddenly away; but afterwards he met them in +disguise towards night, and told them he could lead them to King Ryence, +whom they sought. “For this night he is to ride with sixty lances only +through a wood hard by.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Balin and Sir Balan hid themselves within the wood, and at midnight +came out from their ambush among the leaves by the highway, and waited for +the king, whom presently they heard approaching with his company. Then did +they suddenly leap forth and smote at him and <a class="pagenum" name="page065" id="page065" title="065"></a> overthrew him and laid him +on the ground, and turning on his company wounded and slew forty of them, +and put the rest to flight. And returning to King Ryence they would have +slain him there, but he craved mercy, and yielded to their grace, crying, +“Knights full of prowess, slay me not; for by my life ye may win +something—but my death can avail ye nought.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye say truth,” said the two knights, and put him in a horse-litter, and +went swiftly through all the night, till at cock-crow they came to King +Arthur’s palace. There they delivered him to the warders and porters, to +be brought before the king, with this message—“That he was sent to King +Arthur by the knight of the two swords (for so was Balin known by name, +since his adventure with the damsel) and by his brother.” And so they rode +away again ere sunrise. +</p> + +<p> +Within a month or two thereafter, King Arthur being somewhat sick, went +forth outside the town, and had his pavilion pitched in a meadow, and +there abode, and laid him down on a pallet to sleep, but could get no +rest. And as he lay he heard the sound of a great horse, and looking out +of the tent door, saw a knight ride by, making great lamentation. +</p> + +<p> +“Abide, fair sir,” said King Arthur, “and tell me wherefore thou makest +this sorrow.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye may little amend it,” said the knight, and so passed on. +</p> + +<p> +Presently after Sir Balin, rode, by chance, past that meadow, and when he +saw the king he alighted and came to him on foot, and kneeled and saluted +him. +</p> + +<p> +“By my head,” said King Arthur, “ye be welcome, Sir Balin;” and then he +thanked him heartily for <a class="pagenum" name="page066" id="page066" title="066"></a> revenging him upon King Ryence, and for sending +him so speedily a prisoner to his castle, and told him how King Nero, +Ryence’s brother, had attacked him afterwards to deliver Ryence from +prison; and how he had defeated him and slain him, and also King Lot, of +Orkney who was joined with Nero, and whom King Pellinore had killed in the +battle. Then when they had thus talked, King Arthur told Sir Balin of the +sullen knight that had just passed his tent, and desired him to pursue him +and to bring him back. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Balin rode and overtook the knight in a forest with a damsel, and +said, “Sir knight, thou must come back with me unto my lord, King Arthur, +to tell him the cause of thy sorrow, which thou hast refused even now to +do.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will I not,” replied the knight, “for it would harm me much, and do +him no advantage.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Balin, “I pray thee make ready, for thou must needs go +with me—or else I must fight with thee and take thee by force.” +</p> + +<p> +“Wilt thou be warrant for safe conduct, if I go with thee?” inquired the +knight. +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, surely,” answered Balin, “I will die else.” +</p> + +<p> +So the knight made ready to go with Sir Balin, and left the damsel in the +wood. +</p> + +<p> +But as they went, there came one invisible, and smote the knight through +the body with a spear. “Alas,” cried Sir Herleus (for so was he named), “I +am slain under thy guard and conduct, by that traitor knight called +Garlon, who through magic and witchcraft rideth invisibly. Take, +therefore, my horse, which is better than thine, and ride to the damsel +whom we left, and <a class="pagenum" name="page067" id="page067" title="067"></a> the quest I had in hand, as she will lead thee—and +revenge my death when thou best mayest.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will I do,” said Sir Balin, “by my knighthood, and so I swear to +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then went Sir Balin to the damsel, and rode forth with her; she carrying +ever with her the truncheon of the spear wherewith Sir Herleus had been +slain. And as they went, a good knight, Perin de Mountbelgard, joined +their company, and vowed to take adventure with them wheresoever they +might go. But presently as they passed a hermitage fast by a churchyard, +came the knight Garlon, again invisible, and smote Sir Perin through the +body with a spear, and slew him as he had slain Sir Herleus. Whereat, Sir +Balin greatly raged, and swore to have Sir Garlon’s life, whenever next he +might encounter and behold him in his bodily shape. Anon, he and the +hermit buried the good knight Sir Perin, and rode on with the damsel till +they came to a great castle, whereinto they were about to enter. But when +Sir Balin had passed through the gateway, the portcullis fell behind him +suddenly, leaving the damsel on the outer side, with men around her, +drawing their swords as if to slay her. +</p> + +<p> +When he saw that, Sir Balin climbed with eager haste by wall and tower, +and leaped into the castle moat, and rushed towards the damsel and her +enemies, with his sword drawn, to fight and slay them. But they cried out, +“Put up thy sword, Sir knight, we will not fight thee in this quarrel, for +we do nothing but an ancient custom of this castle.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they told him that the lady of the castle was sick, and had lain ill +for many years, and might <a class="pagenum" name="page068" id="page068" title="068"></a> never more be cured, unless she had a silver +dish full of the blood of a pure maid and a king’s daughter. Wherefore the +custom of the castle was, that never should a damsel pass that way but she +must give a dish full of her blood. Then Sir Balin suffered them to bleed +the damsel with her own consent, but her blood helped not the lady of the +castle. So on the morrow they departed, after right good cheer and rest. +</p> + +<p> +Then they rode three or four days without adventure and came at last to +the abode of a rich man, who sumptuously lodged and fed them. And while +they sat at supper Sir Balin heard a voice of some one groaning +grievously. “What noise is this?” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“Forsooth,” said the host, “I will tell you. I was lately at a tournament, +and there I fought a knight who is brother to King Pelles, and overthrew +him twice, for which he swore to be revenged on me through my best friend, +and so he wounded my son, who cannot be recovered till I have that +knight’s blood, but he rideth through witchcraft always invisibly, and I +know not his name.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” said Sir Balin, “but I know him; his name is Garlon, and he hath +slain two knights, companions of mine own, in the same fashion, and I +would rather than all the riches in this realm that I might meet him face +to face.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said his host, “let me now tell thee that King Pelles hath +proclaimed in all the country a great festival, to be held at Listeniss, +in twenty days from now, whereto no knight may come without a lady. At +that great feast we might perchance find out this Garlon, for many will be +there; and if it please thee we will set forth together.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page069" id="page069" title="069"></a> + +<p> +So on the morrow they rode all three towards Listeniss, and travelled +fifteen days, and reached it on the day the feast began. Then they +alighted and stabled their horses, and went up to the castle, and Sir +Balin’s host was denied entrance, having no lady with him. But Sir Balin +was right heartily received, and taken to a chamber, where they unarmed +him, and dressed him in rich robes, of any colour that he chose, and told +him he must lay aside his sword. This, however, he refused, and said, “It +is the custom of my country for a knight to keep his sword ever with him; +and if I may not keep it here, I will forthwith depart.” Then they gave +him leave to wear his sword. So he went to the great hall, and was set +among knights of rank and worship, and his lady before him. +</p> + +<p> +Soon he found means to ask one who sat near him, “Is there not here a +knight whose name is Garlon?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yonder he goeth,” said his neighbour, “he with that black face; he is the +most marvellous knight alive, for he rideth invisibly, and destroyeth whom +he will.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, well,” said Balin, drawing a long breath, “is that indeed the man? I +have aforetime heard of him.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he mused long within himself, and thought, “If I shall slay him here +and now, I shall not escape myself; but if I leave him, peradventure I +shall never meet with him again at such advantage; and if he live, how +much more harm and mischief will he do!” +</p> + +<p> +But while he deeply thought, and cast his eyes from time to time upon Sir +Garlon, that false knight saw that he watched him, and thinking that he +could at such a time escape revenge, he came and smote Sir Balin on the +face with the back of his hand, and said, “Knight, why <a class="pagenum" name="page070" id="page070" title="070"></a> dost thou so watch +me? be ashamed, and eat thy meat, and do that which thou camest for.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou sayest well,” cried Sir Balin, rising fiercely; “now will I +straightway do that which I came to do, as thou shalt find.” With that he +whirled his sword aloft and struck him downright on the head, and clove +his skull asunder to the shoulder. +</p> + +<p> +“Give me the truncheon,” cried out Sir Balin to his lady, “wherewith he +slew thy knight.” And when she gave it him—for she had always carried it +about with her, wherever she had gone—he smote him through the body with +it, and said, “With that truncheon didst thou treacherously murder a good +knight, and now it sticketh in thy felon body.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he called to the father of the wounded son, who had come with him to +Listeniss, and said, “Now take as much blood as thou wilt, to heal thy son +withal.” +</p> + +<p> +But now arose a terrible confusion, and all the knights leaped from the +table to slay Balin, King Pelles himself the foremost, who cried out, +“Knight, thou hast slain my brother at my board; die, therefore, die, for +thou shalt never leave this castle.” +</p> + +<p> +“Slay me, thyself, then,” shouted Balin. +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” said the king, “that will I! for no other man shall touch thee, for +the love I bear my brother.” +</p> + +<p> +Then King Pelles caught in his hand a grim weapon and smote eagerly at +Balin, but Balin put his sword between his head and the king’s stroke, and +saved himself but lost his sword, which fell down smashed and shivered +into pieces by the blow. So being weaponless he ran to the next room to +find a sword, and so from room to room, with King Pelles after him, he in +vain <a class="pagenum" name="page071" id="page071" title="071"></a> ever eagerly casting his eyes round every place to find some weapon. +</p> + +<p> +At last he ran into a chamber wondrous richly decked, where was a bed all +dressed with cloth of gold, the richest that could be thought of, and one +who lay quite still within the bed; and by the bedside stood a table of +pure gold borne on four silver pillars, and on the table stood a +marvellous spear, strangely wrought. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Balin saw the spear he seized it in his hand, and turned upon +King Pelles, and smote at him so fiercely and so sore that he dropped +swooning to the ground. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure05.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure05" id="figure05" + title="The castle rocked and rove throughout, and all the walls fell crashed and breaking to the earth." + alt="The castle rocked and rove throughout, and all the walls fell crashed and breaking to the earth."> + +<p> +But at that Dolorous and awful Stroke <a href="images/figure05.jpg">the castle rocked and rove +throughout, and all the walls fell crashed and breaking to the earth,</a> and +Balin himself fell also in their midst, struck as it were to stone, and +powerless to move a hand or foot. And so three days he lay amidst the +ruins, until Merlin came and raised him up and brought him a good horse, +and bade him ride out of that land as swiftly as he could. +</p> + +<p> +“May I not take the damsel with me I brought hither?” said Sir Balin. +</p> + +<p> +“Lo! where she lieth dead,” said Merlin. “Ah, little knowest thou, Sir +Balin, what thou hast done; for in this castle and that chamber which thou +didst defile, was the blood of our Lord Christ! and also that most holy +cup—the Sangreal—wherefrom the wine was drunk at the last supper of our +Lord. Joseph of Arimathea brought it to this land, when first he came here +to convert and save it. And on that bed of gold it was himself who lay, +and tne strange spear beside him was the spear wherewith the soldier +Longus smote our Lord, which evermore <a class="pagenum" name="page072" id="page072" title="072"></a> had dripped with blood. King Pelles +is the nearest kin to Joseph in direct descent, wherefore he held these +holy things in trust; but now have they all gone at thy dolorous stroke, +no man knoweth whither; and great is the damage to this land, which until +now hath been the happiest of all lands, for by that stroke thou hast +slain thousands, and by the loss and parting of the Sangreal the safety of +this realm is put in peril, and its great happiness is gone for evermore.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Balin departed from Merlin, struck to his soul with grief and sorrow, +and said, “In this world shall we meet never more.” +</p> + +<p> +So he rode forth through the fair cities and the country, and found the +people lying dead on every side. And all the living cried out on him as he +passed, “O Balin, all this misery hast thou done! For the dolorous stroke +thou gavest King Pelles, three countries are destroyed, and doubt not but +revenge will fall on thee at last!” +</p> + +<p> +When he had passed the boundary of those countries, he was somewhat +comforted, and rode eight days without adventure. Anon he came to a cross, +whereon was written in letters of gold, “It is not for a knight alone to +ride towards this castle.” Looking up, he saw a hoary ancient man come +towards him, who said, “Sir Balin le Savage, thou passest thy bounds this +way; therefore turn back again, it will be best for thee;” and with these +words he vanished. +</p> + +<p> +Then did he hear a horn blow as it were the deathnote of some hunted +beast. “That blast,” said Balin, “is blown for me, for I am the prey; +though yet I be not dead.” But as he spoke he saw a hundred ladies with a +great troop of knights come forth to meet him, <a class="pagenum" name="page073" id="page073" title="073"></a> with bright faces and +great welcome, who led him to the castle and made a great feast, with +dancing and minstrelsy and all manner of joy. +</p> + +<p> +Then the chief lady of the castle said, “Knight with the two swords, thou +must encounter and fight with a knight hard by, who dwelleth on an island, +for no man may pass this way without encountering him.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is a grievous custom,” answered Sir Balin. +</p> + +<p> +“There is but one knight to defeat,” replied the lady. +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said Sir Balin, “be it as thou wilt. I am ready and quite willing, +and though my horse and my body be full weary, yet is my heart not weary, +save of life. And truly I were glad if I might meet my death.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said one standing by, “methinketh your shield is not good; I will +lend you a bigger.” +</p> + +<p> +“I thank thee, sir,” said Balin, and took the unknown shield and left his +own, and so rode forth, and put himself and horse into a boat and came to +the island. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as he had landed, he saw come riding towards him, a knight dressed +all in red, upon a horse trapped in the same colour. When the red knight +saw Sir Balin, and the two swords he wore, he thought it must have been +his brother (for the red knight was Sir Balan), but when he saw the +strange arms on his shield, he forgot the thought, and came against him +fiercely. At the first course they overthrew each other, and both lay +swooning on the ground; but Sir Balin was the most hurt and bruised, for +he was weary and spent with travelling. So Sir Balan rose up first to his +feet and drew his sword, and Sir Balin painfully rose against him and +raised his shield. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Balan smote him through the shield and brake his helmet; and Sir +Balin, in return, smote at him with <a class="pagenum" name="page074" id="page074" title="074"></a> his fated sword, and had wellnigh +slain his brother. So they fought till their breaths failed. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Balin, looking up, saw all the castle towers stand full of +ladies. So they went again to battle, and wounded each other full sore, +and paused, and breathed again, and then again began the fight; and this +for many times they did, till all the ground was red with blood. And by +now, each had full grievously wounded the other with seven great wounds, +the least of which might have destroyed the mightiest giant in the world. +But still they rose against each other, although their hauberks now were +all unnailed, and they smiting at each other’s naked bodies with their +sharp swords. At the last, Sir Balan, the younger brother, withdrew a +little space and laid him down. +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Balin le Savage, “What knight art thou? for never before +have I found a knight to match me thus.” +</p> + +<p> +“My name,” said he, all faintly, “is Balan, brother to the good knight Sir +Balin.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, God!” cried Balin, “that ever I should see this day!” and therewith +fell down backwards in a swoon. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Balan crept with pain upon his feet and hands, and put his +brother’s helmet off his head, but could not know him by his face, it was +so hewed and bloody. But presently, when Sir Balin came to, he said, “Oh! +Balan, mine own brother, thou hast slain me, and I thee! All the wide +world saw never greater grief!” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said Sir Balan, “that I ever saw this day; and through mishap +alone I knew thee not, for when I saw thy two swords, if it had not been +for thy strange shield, I should have known thee for my brother.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page075" id="page075" title="075"></a> + +<p> +“Alas!” said Balin, “all this sorrow lieth at the door of one unhappy +knight within the castle, who made me change my shield. If I might live, I +would destroy that castle and its evil customs.” +</p> + +<p> +“It were well done,” said Balan, “for since I first came hither I have +never been able to depart, for here they made me fight with one who kept +this island, whom I slew, and by enchantment I might never quit it more; +nor couldst thou, brother, hadst thou slain me, and escaped with thine own +life.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon came the lady of the castle, and when she heard their talk, and saw +their evil case, she wrung her hands and wept bitterly. So Sir Balan +prayed the lady of her gentleness that, for his true service, she would +bury them both together in that place. This she granted, weeping full +sore, and said it should be done right solemnly and richly, and in the +noblest manner possible. Then did they send for a priest, and received the +holy sacrament at his hands. And Balin said, “Write over us upon our tomb, +that here two brethren slew each other; then shall never good knight or +pilgrim pass this way but he will pray for both our souls.” And anon Sir +Balan died, but Sir Balin died not till the midnight after; and then they +both were buried. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow of their death came Merlin, and took Sir Balin’s sword and +fixed on it a new pommel, and set it in a mighty stone, which then, by +magic, he made float upon the water. And so, for many years, it floated to +and fro around the island, till it swam down the river to Camelot, where +young Sir Galahad achieved it, as shall be told hereafter. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page076" id="page076" title="076"></a> + +<a name="chapter_vi" id="chapter_vi"></a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The Marriage of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, and the Founding of the +Round Table — The Adventure of the Hart and Hound</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/i.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="i1" id="i1" Title="I" alt="Drop Case I"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +t befell upon a certain day, that King Arthur said to Merlin, “My lords +and knights do daily pray me now to take a wife; but I will have none +without thy counsel, for thou hast ever helped me since I came first to +this crown.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is well,” said Merlin, “that thou shouldst take a wife, for no man of +bounteous and noble nature should live without one; but is there any lady +whom thou lovest better than another?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” said King Arthur, “I love Guinevere, the daughter of King +Leodegrance, of Camelgard, who also holdeth in his house the Round Table +that he had from my father Uther; and as I think, that damsel is the +gentlest and the fairest lady living.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” answered Merlin, “as for her beauty, she is one of the fairest that +do live; but if ye had not loved her as ye do, I would fain have had ye +choose some other who was both fair and good. But where a man’s heart is +set, he will be loath to leave.” This Merlin said, knowing <a class="pagenum" name="page077" id="page077" title="077"></a> the misery +that should hereafter happen from this marriage. +</p> + +<p> +Then King Arthur sent word to King Leodegrance that he mightily desired to +wed his daughter, and how that he had loved her since he saw her first, +when with Kings Ban and Bors he rescued Leodegrance from King Ryence of +North Wales. +</p> + +<p> +When King Leodegrance heard the message, he cried out “These be the best +tidings I have heard in all my life—so great and worshipful a prince to +seek my daughter for his wife! I would fain give him half my lands with +her straightway, but that he needeth none—and better will it please him +that I send him the Round Table of King Uther, his father, with a hundred +good knights towards the furnishing of it with guests, for he will soon +find means to gather more, and make the table full.” +</p> + +<p> +Then King Leodegrance delivered his daughter Guinevere to the messengers +of King Arthur, and also the Round Table with the hundred knights. +</p> + +<p> +So they rode royally and freshly, sometimes by water and sometimes by +land, towards Camelot. And as they rode along in the spring weather, they +made full many sports and pastimes. And, in all those sports and games, a +young knight lately come to Arthur’s court, Sir Lancelot by name, was +passing strong, and won praise from all, being full of grace and +hardihood; and Guinevere also ever looked on him with joy. And always in +the eventide, when the tents were set beside some stream or forest, many +minstrels came and sang before the knights and ladies as they sat in the +tent-doors, and many knights would tell adventures; and still Sir Lancelot +was <a class="pagenum" name="page078" id="page078" title="078"></a> foremost, and told the knightliest tales, and sang the goodliest +songs, of all the company. +</p> + +<p> +And when they came to Camelot, King Arthur made great joy, and all the +city with him; and riding forth with a great retinue he met Guinevere and +her company, and led her through the streets all filled with people, and +in the midst of all their shoutings and the ringing of church bells, to a +palace hard by his own. +</p> + +<p> +Then, in all haste, the king commanded to prepare the marriage and the +coronation with the stateliest and most honourable pomp that could be +made. And when the day was come, the archbishops led the king to the +cathedral, whereto he walked, clad in his royal robes, and having four +kings, bearing four golden swords, before him; a choir of passing sweet +music going also with him. +</p> + +<p> +In another part, was the queen dressed in her richest ornaments, and led +by archbishops and bishops to the Chapel of the Virgins, the four queens +also of the four kings last mentioned walked before her, bearing four +white doves, according to ancient custom; and after her there followed +many damsels, singing and making every sign of joy. +</p> + +<p> +And when the two processions were come to the churches, so wondrous was +the music and the singing, that all the knights and barons who were there +pressed on each other, as in the crowd of battle, to hear and see the most +they might. +</p> + +<p> +When the king was crowned, he called together all the knights that came +with the Round Table from Camelgard, and twenty-eight others, great and +valiant men, chosen by Merlin out of all the realm, towards making up the <a class="pagenum" name="page079" id="page079" title="079"></a> +full number of the table. Then the Archbishop of Canterbury blessed the +seats of all the knights, and when they rose again therefrom to pay their +homage to King Arthur there was found upon the back of each knight’s seat +his name, written in letters of gold. But upon one seat was found written, +“This is the Siege Perilous, wherein if any man shall sit save him whom +Heaven hath chosen, he shall be devoured by fire.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon came young Gawain, the king’s nephew, praying to be made a knight, +whom the king knighted then and there. Soon after came a poor man, leading +with him a tall fair lad of eighteen years of age, riding on a lean mare. +And falling at the king’s feet, the poor man said, “Lord, it was told me, +that at this time of thy marriage thou wouldst give to any man the gift he +asked for, so it were not unreasonable.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is the truth,” replied King Arthur, “and I will make it good.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou sayest graciously and nobly,” said the poor man. “Lord, I ask +nothing else but that thou wilt make my son here a knight.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is a great thing that thou askest,” said the king. “What is thy name?” +</p> + +<p> +“Aries, the cowherd,” answered he. +</p> + +<p> +“Cometh this prayer from thee or from thy son?” inquired King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, lord, not from myself,” said he, “but from him only, for I have +thirteen other sons, and all of them will fall to any labour that I put +them to. But this one will do no such work for anything that I or my wife +may do, but is for ever shooting or fighting, and running to see knights +and joustings, and <a class="pagenum" name="page080" id="page080" title="080"></a> torments me both night and day that he be made a +knight.” +</p> + +<p> +“What is thy name?” said the king to the young man. +</p> + +<p> +“My name is Tor,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king, looking at him steadfastly, was well pleased with his face +and figure, and with his look of nobleness and strength. +</p> + +<p> +“Fetch all thy other sons before me,” said the king to Aries. But when he +brought them, none of them resembled Tor in size or shape or feature. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king knighted Tor, saying, “Be thou to thy life’s end a good +knight and a true, as I pray God thou mayest be; and if thou provest +worthy, and of prowess, one day thou shall be counted in the Round Table.” +Then turning to Merlin, Arthur said, “Prophesy now, O Merlin, shall Sir +Tor become a worthy knight, or not?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, lord,” said Merlin, “so he ought to be, for he is the son of that +King Pellinore whom thou hast met, and proved to be one of the best +knights living. He is no cowherd’s son.” +</p> + +<p> +Presently after came in King Pellinore, and when he saw Sir Tor he knew +him for his son, and was more pleased than words can tell to find him +knighted by the king. And Pellinore did homage to King Arthur, and was +gladly and graciously accepted of the king; and then was led by Merlin to +a high seat at the Table Round, near to the Perilous Seat. +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Gawain was full of anger at the honour done King Pellinore, and +said to his brother Gaheris, “He slew our father, King Lot, therefore will +I slay him.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page081" id="page081" title="081"></a> + +<p> +“Do it not yet,” said he; “wait till I also be a knight, then will I help +ye in it: it is best ye suffer him to go at this time, and not trouble +this high feast with bloodshed.” +</p> + +<p> +“As ye will, be it,” said Sir Gawain. +</p> + +<p> +Then rose the king and spake to all the Table Round, and charged them to +be ever true and noble knights, to do neither outrage nor murder, nor any +unjust violence, and always to flee treason; also by no means ever to be +cruel, but give mercy unto him that asked for mercy, upon pain of +forfeiting the liberty of his court for evermore. Moreover, at all times, +on pain of death, to give all succour unto ladies and young damsels; and +lastly, never to take part in any wrongful quarrel, for reward or payment. +And to all this he swore them knight by knight. +</p> + +<p> +Then he ordained that, every year at Pentecost, they should all come +before him, wheresoever he might appoint a place, and give account of all +their doings and adventures of the past twelvemonth. And so, with prayer +and blessing, and high words of cheer, he instituted the most noble order +of the Round Table, whereto the best and bravest knights in all the world +sought afterwards to find admission. +</p> + +<p> +Then was the high feast made ready, and the king and queen sat side by +side, before the whole assembly; and great and royal was the banquet and +the pomp. +</p> + +<p> +And as they sat, each man in his place, Merlin went round and said, “Sit +still awhile, for ye shall see a strange and marvellous adventure.” +</p> + +<p> +So as they sat, there suddenly came running through the hall, a white +hart, with a white hound next after him, <a class="pagenum" name="page082" id="page082" title="082"></a> and thirty couple of black +running hounds, making full cry; and the hart made circuit of the Table +Round, and past the other tables; and suddenly the white hound flew upon +him and bit him fiercely, and tore out a piece from his haunch. Whereat +the hart sprang suddenly with a great leap, and overthrew a knight sitting +at the table, who rose forthwith, and, taking up the hound, mounted, and +rode fast away. +</p> + +<p> +But no sooner had he left, than there came in a lady, mounted on a white +palfrey, who cried out to the king, “Lord, suffer me not to have this +injury!—the hound is mine which that knight taketh.” And as she spake, a +knight rode in all armed, on a great horse, and suddenly took up the lady +and rode away with her by force, although she greatly cried and moaned. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king desired Sir Gawain, Sir Tor, and King Pellinore to mount and +follow this adventure to the uttermost; and told Sir Gawain to bring back +the hart, Sir Tor the hound and knight, and King Pellinore the knight and +the lady. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Gawain rode forth at a swift pace, and with him Gaheris, his +brother, for a squire. And as they went, they saw two knights fighting on +horseback, and when they reached them they divided them and asked the +reason of their quarrel. “We fight for a foolish matter,” one replied, +“for we be brethren; but there came by a white hart this way, chased by +many hounds, and thinking it was an adventure for the high feast of King +Arthur, I would have followed it to have gained worship; whereat my +younger brother here declared he was the better knight and would go after +it instead, and so we fight to prove which of us be the better knight.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page083" id="page083" title="083"></a> + +<p> +“This is a foolish thing,” said Sir Gawain. “Fight with all strangers, if +ye will, but not brother with brother. Take my advice, set on against me, +and if ye yield to me, as I shall do my best to make ye, ye shall go to +King Arthur and yield ye to his grace.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” replied the brothers, “we are weary, and will do thy wish +without encountering thee; but by whom shall we tell the king that we were +sent?” +</p> + +<p> +“By the knight that followeth the quest of the white hart,” said Sir +Gawain. “And now tell me your names, and let us part.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sorlous and Brian of the Forest,” they replied; and so they went their +way to the king’s court. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Gawain, still following his quest by the distant baying of the +hounds, came to a great river, and saw the hart swimming over and near to +the further bank. And as he was about to plunge in and swim after, he saw +a knight upon the other side, who cried, “Come not over here, Sir knight, +after that hart, save thou wilt joust with me.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not fail for that,” said Sir Gawain; and swam his horse across the +stream. +</p> + +<p> +Anon they got their spears, and ran against each other fiercely; and Sir +Gawain smote the stranger off his horse, and turning, bade him yield. +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” replied he, “not so; for though ye have the better of me on +horseback, I pray thee, valiant knight, alight, and let us match together +with our swords on foot.” +</p> + +<p> +“What is thy name?” quoth Gawain. +</p> + +<p> +“Allardin of the Isles,” replied the stranger. +</p> + +<p> +Then they fell on each other; but soon Sir Gawain <a class="pagenum" name="page084" id="page084" title="084"></a> struck him through the +helm, so deeply and so hard, that all his brains were scattered, and Sir +Allardin fell dead. “Ah,” said Gaheris, “that was a mighty stroke for a +young knight!” +</p> + +<p> +Then did they turn again to follow the white hart, and let slip three +couple of greyhounds after him; and at the last they chased him to a +castle, and there they overtook and slew him, in the chief courtyard. +</p> + +<p> +At that there rushed a knight forth from a chamber, with a drawn sword in +his hand, and slew two of the hounds before their eyes, and chased the +others from the castle, crying, “Oh, my white hart! alas, that thou art +dead! for thee my sovereign lady gave to me, and evil have I kept thee; +but if I live, thy death shall be dear bought.” Anon he went within and +armed, and came out fiercely, and met Sir Gawain face to face. +</p> + +<p> +“Why have ye slain my hounds?” said Sir Gawain; “they did but after their +nature: and ye had better have taken vengeance on me than on the poor dumb +beasts.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will avenge me on thee, also,” said the other, “ere thou depart this +place.” +</p> + +<p> +Then did they fight with each other savagely and madly, till the blood ran +down to their feet. But at last Sir Gawain had the better, and felled the +knight of the castle to the ground. Then he cried out for mercy, and +yielded to Sir Gawain, and besought him as he was a knight and gentleman +to save his life. “Thou shalt die,” said Sir Gawain, “for slaying my +hounds.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will make thee all amends within my power,” replied the knight. +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Gawain would have no mercy, and unlaced his helm to strike his +head off; and so blind was he with <a class="pagenum" name="page085" id="page085" title="085"></a> rage, that he saw not where a lady ran +out from her chamber and fell down upon his enemy. And making a fierce +blow at him, he smote off by mischance the lady’s head. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” cried Gaheris, “foully and shamefully have ye done—the shame +shall never leave ye! Why give ye not your mercy unto them that ask it? a +knight without mercy is without worship also.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Gawain was sore amazed at that fair lady’s death, and knew not +what to do, and said to the fallen knight, “Arise, for I will give thee +mercy.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, nay,” said he, “I care not for thy mercy now, for thou hast slain my +lady and my love—that of all earthly things I loved the best.” +</p> + +<p> +“I repent me sorely of it,” said Sir Gawain, “for I meant to have struck +thee: but now shalt thou go to King Arthur and tell him this adventure, +and how thou hast been overcome by the knight that followeth the quest of +the white hart.” +</p> + +<p> +“I care not whether I live or die, or where I go,” replied the knight. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Gawain sent him to the court to Camelot, making him bear one dead +greyhound before and one behind him on his horse. “Tell me thy name before +we part,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“My name is Athmore of the Marsh,” he answered. +</p> + +<p> +Then went Sir Gawain into the castle, and prepared to sleep there and +began to unarm; but Gaheris upbraided him, saying, “Will ye disarm in this +strange country? bethink ye, ye must needs have many enemies about.” +</p> + +<p> +No sooner had he spoken than there came out suddenly four knights, well +armed, and assailed them hard, saying <a class="pagenum" name="page086" id="page086" title="086"></a> to Sir Gawain, “Thou new-made +knight, how hast thou shamed thy knighthood! a knight without mercy is +dishonoured! Slayer of fair ladies, shame to thee evermore! Doubt not thou +shalt thyself have need of mercy ere we leave thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then were the brothers in great jeopardy, and feared for their lives, for +they were but two to four, and weary with travelling; and one of the four +knights shot Sir Gawain with a bolt, and hit him through the arm, so that +he could fight no more. But when there was nothing left for them but +death, there came four ladies forth and prayed the four knights’ mercy for +the strangers. So they gave Sir Gawain and Gaheris their lives, and made +them yield themselves prisoners. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow, came one of the ladies to Sir Gawain, and talked with him, +saying, “Sir knight, what cheer?” +</p> + +<p> +“Not good,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“It is your own default, sir,” said the lady, “for ye have done a passing +foul deed in slaying that fair damsel yesterday—and ever shall it be +great shame to you. But ye be not of King Arthur’s kin.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, truly am I,” said he; “my name is Gawain, son of King Lot of Orkney, +whom King Pellinore slew—and my mother, Belisent, is half-sister to the +king.” +</p> + +<p> +When the lady heard that, she went and presently got leave for him to quit +the castle; and they gave him the head of the white hart to take with him, +because it was in his quest; but made him also carry the dead lady with +him—her head hung round his neck and her body lay before him on his +horse’s neck. +</p> + +<p> +So in that fashion he rode back to Camelot; and when the king and queen +saw him, and heard tell of his adventures, <a class="pagenum" name="page087" id="page087" title="087"></a> they were heavily displeased, +and, by the order of the queen, he was put upon his trial before a court +of ladies—who judged him to be evermore, for all his life, the knight of +ladies’ quarrels, and to fight always on their side, and never against +any, except he fought for one lady and his adversary for another; also +they charged him never to refuse mercy to him that asked it, and swore him +to it on the Holy Gospels. Thus ended the adventure of the white hart. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, Sir Tor had made him ready, and followed the knight who rode +away with the hound. And as he went, there suddenly met him in the road a +dwarf, who struck his horse so viciously upon the head with a great staff, +that he leaped backwards a spear’s length. +</p> + +<p> +“Wherefore so smitest thou my horse, foul dwarf?” shouted Sir Tor. +</p> + +<p> +“Because thou shall not pass this way,” replied the dwarf, “unless thou +fight for it with yonder knights in those pavilions,” pointing to two +tents, where two great spears stood out, and two shields hung upon two +trees hard by. +</p> + +<p> +“I may not tarry, for I am on a quest I needs must follow,” said Sir Tor. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou shalt not pass,” replied the dwarf, and therewith blew his horn. +Then rode out quickly at Sir Tor one armed on horseback, but Sir Tor was +quick as he, and riding at him bore him from his horse, and made him +yield. Directly after came another still more fiercely, but with a few +great strokes and buffets Sir Tor unhorsed him also, and sent them both to +Camelot to King Arthur. Then came the dwarf and begged Sir Tor to <a class="pagenum" name="page088" id="page088" title="088"></a> take +him in his service, “for,” said he, “I will serve no more recreant +knights.” +</p> + +<p> +“Take then a horse, and come with me,” said Tor. +</p> + +<p> +“Ride ye after the knight with the white hound?” said the dwarf; “I can +soon bring ye where he is.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rode through the forest till they came to two more tents. And Sir +Tor alighting, went into the first, and saw three damsels lie there, +sleeping. Then went he to the other, and found another lady also sleeping, +and at her feet the white hound he sought for, which instantly began to +bay and bark so loudly, that the lady woke. But Sir Tor had seized the +hound and given it to the dwarfs charge. +</p> + +<p> +“What will ye do, Sir knight?” cried out the lady; “will ye take away my +hound from me by force?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, lady,” said Sir Tor; “for so I must, having the king’s command; and +I have followed it from King Arthur’s court, at Camelot, to this place.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well” said the lady, “ye will not go far before ye be ill handled, and +will repent ye of the quest.” +</p> + +<p> +“I shall cheerfully abide whatsoever adventure cometh, by the grace of +God,” said Sir Tor; and so mounted his horse and began to ride back on his +way. But night coming on, he turned aside to a hermitage that was in the +forest, and there abode till the next day, making but sorrowful cheer of +such poor food as the hermit had to give him, and hearing a Mass devoutly +before he left on the morrow. +</p> + +<p> +And in the early morning, as he rode forth with the dwarf towards Camelot, +he heard a knight call loudly after him, “Turn, turn! Abide, Sir knight, +and yield me up the hound thou tookest from my lady.” At <a class="pagenum" name="page089" id="page089" title="089"></a> which he turned, +and saw a great and strong knight, armed full splendidly, riding down upon +him fiercely through a glade of the forest. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Tor was very ill provided, for he had but an old courser, which +was as weak as himself, because of the hermit’s scanty fare. He waited, +nevertheless, for the strange knight to come, and at the first onset with +their spears, each unhorsed the other, and then fell to with their swords +like two mad lions. Then did they smite through one another’s shields and +helmets till the fragments flew on all sides, and their blood ran out in +streams; but yet they carved and rove through the thick armour of the +hauberks, and gave each other great and ghastly wounds. But in the end, +Sir Tor, finding the strange knight faint, doubled his strokes until he +beat him to the earth. Then did he bid him yield to his mercy. +</p> + +<p> +“That will I not,” replied Abellius, “while my life lasteth and my soul is +in my body, unless thou give me first the hound.” +</p> + +<p> +“I cannot,” said Sir Tor, “and will not, for it was my quest to bring +again that hound and thee unto King Arthur, or otherwise to slay thee.” +</p> + +<p> +With that there came a damsel riding on a palfrey, as fast as she could +drive, and cried out to Sir Tor with a loud voice, “I pray thee, for King +Arthur’s love, give me a gift.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ask,” said Sir Tor, “and I will give thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Grammercy,” said the lady, “I ask the head of this false knight Abellius, +the most outrageous murderer that liveth.” +</p> + +<p> +“I repent me of the gift I promised,” said Sir Tor. <a class="pagenum" name="page090" id="page090" title="090"></a> “Let him make thee +amends for all his trespasses against thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“He cannot make amends,” replied the damsel, “for he hath slain my +brother, a far better knight than he, and scorned to give him mercy, +though I kneeled for half an hour before him in the mire, to beg it, and +though it was but by a chance they fought, and for no former injury or +quarrel. I require my gift of thee as a true knight, or else will I shame +thee in King Arthur’s court; for this Abellius is the falsest knight +alive, and a murderer of many.” +</p> + +<p> +When Abellius heard this, he trembled greatly, and was sore afraid, and +yielded to Sir Tor, and prayed his mercy. +</p> + +<p> +“I cannot now, Sir knight,” said he, “lest I be false to my promise. Ye +would not take my mercy when I offered it; and now it is too late.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he unlaced his helmet, and took it off; but Abellius, in dismal +fear, struggled to his feet, and fled, until Sir Tor overtook him, and +smote off his head entirely with one blow. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, sir,” said the damsel, “it is near night, I pray ye come and lodge +at my castle hard by.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will, with a good will,” said he, for both his horse and he had fared +but poorly since they left Camelot. +</p> + +<p> +So he went to the lady’s castle and fared sumptuously, and saw her +husband, an old knight, who greatly thanked him for his service, and urged +him oftentimes to come again. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow he departed, and reached Camelot by noon, where the king and +queen rejoiced to see him, and <a class="pagenum" name="page091" id="page091" title="091"></a> the king made him Earl; and Merlin +prophesied that these adventures were but little to the things he should +achieve hereafter. +</p> + +<p> +Now while Sir Gawain and Sir Tor had fulfilled their quests, King +Pellinore pursued the lady whom the knight had seized away from the +wedding-feast. And as he rode through the woods, he saw in a valley a fair +young damsel sitting by a well-side, and a wounded knight lying in her +arms, and King Pellinore saluted her as he passed by. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as she perceived him she cried out, “Help, help me, knight, for +our Lord’s sake!” But Pellinore was far too eager in his quest to stay or +turn, although she cried a hundred times to him for help; at which she +prayed to heaven he might have such sore need before he died as she had +now. And presently thereafter her knight died in her arms; and she, for +grief and love slew herself with his sword. +</p> + +<p> +But King Pellinore rode on till he met a poor man and asked him had he +seen a knight pass by that way leading by force a lady with him. +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, surely,” said the man, “and greatly did she moan and cry; but even +now another knight is fighting with him to deliver the lady; ride on and +thou shalt find them fighting still.” +</p> + +<p> +At that King Pellinore rode swiftly on, and came to where he saw the two +knights fighting, hard by where two pavilions stood. And when he looked in +one of them he saw the lady that was his quest, and with her the two +squires of the two knights who fought. +</p> + +<p> +“Fair lady,” said he, “ye must come with me unto Arthur’s court.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page092" id="page092" title="092"></a> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” said the two squires, “yonder be two knights fighting for +this lady; go part them, and get their consent to take her, ere thou touch +her.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye say well,” said King Pellinore, and rode between the combatants, and +asked them why they fought. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” said the one, “yon lady is my cousin, mine aunt’s daughter, +whom I met borne away against her will, by this knight here, with whom I +therefore fight to free her.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” replied the other, whose name was Hantzlake of Wentland, +“this lady got I, by my arms and prowess, at King Arthur’s court to-day.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is false,” said King Pellinore; “ye stole the lady suddenly, and +fled away with her, before any knight could arm to stay thee. But it is my +service to take her back again. Neither of ye shall therefore have her; +but if ye will fight for her, fight with me now and here.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said the knights, “make ready, and we will assail thee with all +our might.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Hantzlake ran King Pellinore’s horse through with his sword, so +that they might be all alike on foot. But King Pellinore at that was +passing wroth, and ran upon Sir Hantzlake, with a cry, “Keep well thy +head!” and gave him such a stroke upon the helm as clove him to the chin, +so that he fell dead to the ground. When he saw that, the other knight +refused to fight, and kneeling down said, “Take my cousin the lady with +thee, as thy quest is; but as thou art a true knight, suffer her to come +to neither shame nor harm.” +</p> + +<p> +So the next day King Pellinore departed for Camelot, and took the lady +with him; and as they rode in a valley full of rough stones, the damsel’s +horse stumbled and <a class="pagenum" name="page093" id="page093" title="093"></a> threw her, so that her arms were sorely bruised and +hurt. And as they rested in the forest for the pain to lessen, night came +on, and there they were compelled to make their lodging. A little before +midnight they heard the trotting of a horse. “Be ye still,” said King +Pellinore, “for now we may hear of some adventure,” and therewith he armed +him. Then he heard two knights meet and salute each other, in the dark; +one riding from Camelot, the other from the north. +</p> + +<p> +“What tidings at Camelot?” said one. +</p> + +<p> +“By my head,” said the other, “I have but just left there, and have espied +King Arthur’s court, and such a fellowship is there as never may be broke +or overcome; for wellnigh all the chivalry of the world is there, and all +full loyal to the king, and now I ride back homewards to the north to tell +our chiefs, that they waste not their strength in wars against him.” +</p> + +<p> +“As for all that,” replied the other knight, “I am but now from the north, +and bear with me a remedy, the deadliest poison that ever was heard tell +of, and to Camelot will I with it; for there we have a friend close to the +king, and greatly cherished of him, who hath received gifts from us to +poison him, as he hath promised soon to do.” +</p> + +<p> +“Beware,” said the first knight, “of Merlin, for he knoweth all things, by +the devil’s craft.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not fear for that,” replied the other, and so rode on his way. +</p> + +<p> +Anon King Pellinore and the lady passed on again; and when they came to +the well at which the lady with the wounded knight had sat, they found +both knight and Damsel utterly devoured by lions and wild beasts, all save +the lady’s head. <a class="pagenum" name="page094" id="page094" title="094"></a> + +<p> +When King Pellinore saw that, he wept bitterly, saying, “Alas! I might +have saved her life had I but tarried a few moments in my quest.” +</p> + +<p> +“Wherefore make so much sorrow now?” said the lady. +</p> + +<p> +“I know not,” answered he, “but my heart grieveth greatly for this poor +lady’s death, so fair she was and young.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he required a hermit to bury the remains of the bodies, and bare the +lady’s head with him to Camelot, to the court. +</p> + +<p> +When he was arrived, he was sworn to tell the truth of his quest before +the King and Queen, and when he had entered the Queen somewhat upbraided +him, saying, “Ye were much to blame that ye saved not that lady’s life.” +</p> + +<p> +“Madam,” said he, “I shall repent it all my life.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ay, king,” quoth Merlin, who suddenly came in, “and so ye ought to do, +for that lady was your daughter, not seen since infancy by thee. And she +was on her way to court, with a right good young knight, who would have +been her husband, but was slain by treachery of a felon knight, Lorraine +le Savage, as they came; and because thou wouldst not abide and help her, +thy best friend shall fail thee in thine hour of greatest need, for such +is the penance ordained thee for that deed.” +</p> + +<p> +Then did King Pellinore tell Merlin secretly of the treason he had heard +in the forest, and Merlin by his craft so ordered that the knight who bare +the poison was himself soon after slain by it, and so King Arthur’s life +was saved. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page095" id="page095" title="095"></a> + +<a name="chapter_vii" id="chapter_vii"></a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>King Arthur and Sir Accolon of Gaul</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/b.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="b1" id="b1" Title="B" alt="Drop Case B"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +eing now happily married, King Arthur for a season took his pleasure, +with great tournaments, and jousts, and huntings. So once upon a time the +king and many of his knights rode hunting in a forest, and Arthur, King +Urience, and Sir Accolon of Gaul, followed after a great hart, and being +all three well mounted, they chased so fast that they outsped their +company, and left them many miles behind; but riding still as rapidly as +they could go, at length their horses fell dead under them. Then being all +three on foot, and seeing the stag not far before them, very weary and +nigh spent—“What shall we do,” said King Arthur, “for we are hard +bested?” “Let us go on afoot,” said King Urience, “till we can find some +lodging.” At that they saw the stag lying upon the bank of a great lake, +with a hound springing at his throat, and many other hounds trooping +towards him. So, running forward, Arthur blew the death-note on his horn, +and slew the hart. Then lifting up his eyes he saw before him on the lake +a barge, all draped down to the water’s edge, with silken folds and +curtains, which <a class="pagenum" name="page096" id="page096" title="096"></a> swiftly came towards him, and touched upon the sands; but +when he went up close and looked in, he saw no earthly creature. Then he +cried out to his companions, “Sirs, come ye hither, and let us see what +there is in this ship.” So they all three went in, and found it everywhere +throughout furnished, and hung with rich draperies of silk and gold. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure06.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure06" id="figure06" + title="Came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by his name." + alt="Came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by his name."> + +<p> +By this time eventide had come, when suddenly a hundred torches were set +up on all sides of the barge, and gave a dazzling light, and at the same +time <a href="images/figure06.jpg">came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by his name,</a> +kneeling on their knees, and telling him that he was welcome, and should +have their noblest cheer, for which the king thanked them courteously. +Then did they lead him and his fellows to a splendid chamber, where was a +table spread with all the richest furniture, and costliest wines and +viands; and there they served them with all kinds of wines and meats, till +Arthur wondered at the splendour of the feast, declaring he had never in +his life supped better, or more royally. After supper they led him to +another chamber, than which he had never beheld a richer, where he was +left to rest. King Urience, also, and Sir Accolon were each conducted into +rooms of like magnificence. And so they all three fell asleep, and being +very weary slept deeply all that night. +</p> + +<p> +But when the morning broke, King Urience found himself in his own house in +Camelot, he knew not how; and Arthur awaking found himself in a dark +dungeon, and heard around him nothing but the groans of woful knights, +prisoners like himself. Then said King Arthur, “Who are ye, thus groaning +and complaining?” And some one answered him, “Alas, we be all prisoners, +even <a class="pagenum" name="page097" id="page097" title="097"></a> twenty good knights, and some of us have lain here seven years—some +more—nor seen the light of day for all that time.” “For what cause?” said +King Arthur. “Know ye not then yourself?” they answered—“we will soon +tell you. The lord of this strong castle is Sir Damas, and is the falsest +and most traitorous knight that liveth; and he hath a younger brother, a +good and noble knight, whose name is Outzlake. This traitor Damas, +although passing rich, will give his brother nothing of his wealth, and +save what Outzlake keepeth to himself by force, he hath no share of the +inheritance. He owneth, nevertheless, one fair rich manor, whereupon he +liveth, loved of all men far and near. But Damas is as altogether hated as +his brother is beloved, for he is merciless and cowardly: and now for many +years there hath been war between these brothers, and Sir Outzlake +evermore defieth Damas to come forth and fight with him, body to body, for +the inheritance; and if he be too cowardly, to find some champion knight +that will fight for him. And Damas hath agreed to find some champion, but +never yet hath found a knight to take his evil cause in hand, or wager +battle for him. So with a strong band of men-at-arms he lieth ever in +ambush, and taketh captive every passing knight who may unwarily go near, +and bringeth him into this castle, and desireth him either to fight Sir +Outzlake, or to lie for evermore in durance. And thus hath he dealt with +all of us, for we all scorned to take up such a cause for such a false +foul knight—but rather one by one came here, where many a good knight +hath died of hunger and disease. But if one of us would fight, Sir Damas +would deliver all the rest.” +</p> + +<p> +“God of his mercy send you deliverance,” said King <a class="pagenum" name="page098" id="page098" title="098"></a> Arthur, and sat +turning in his mind how all these things should end, and how he might +himself gain freedom for so many noble hearts. +</p> + +<p> +Anon there came a damsel to the king, saying, “Sir if thou wilt fight for +my lord thou shalt be delivered out of prison, but else nevermore shalt +thou escape with thy life.” “Nay,” said King Arthur, “that is but a hard +choice, yet had I rather fight than die in prison, and if I may deliver +not myself alone, but all these others, I will do the battle.” “Yea,” said +the damsel, “it shall be even so.” “Then,” said King Arthur, “I am ready +now, if but I had a horse and armour.” “Fear not,” said she, “that shalt +thou have presently, and shalt lack nothing proper for the fight.” “Have I +not seen thee,” said the king, “at King Arthur’s court? for it seemeth +that thy face is known to me.” “Nay,” said the damsel, “I was never there; +I am Sir Damas’ daughter, and have never been but a day’s journey from +this castle.” But she spoke falsely, for she was one of the damsels of +Morgan le Fay, the great enchantress, who was King Arthur’s half-sister. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Damas knew that there had been at length a knight found who would +fight for him, he sent for Arthur, and finding him a man so tall and +strong, and straight of limb, he was passingly well pleased, and made a +covenant with him, that he should fight unto the uttermost for his cause, +and that all the other knights should be delivered. And when they were +sworn to each other on the holy gospels, all those imprisoned knights were +straightway led forth and delivered, but abode there one and all to see +the battle. +</p> + +<p> +In the meanwhile there had happened to Sir Accolon <a class="pagenum" name="page099" id="page099" title="099"></a> of Gaul a strange +adventure; for when he awoke from his deep sleep upon the silken barge, he +found himself upon the edge of a deep well, and in instant peril of +falling thereinto. Whereat, leaping up in great affright, he crossed +himself and cried aloud, “May God preserve my lord King Arthur and King +Urience, for those damsels in the ship have betrayed us, and were +doubtless devils and no women; and if I may escape this misadventure, I +will certainly destroy them wheresoever I may find them.” With that there +came to him a dwarf with a great mouth, and a flat nose, and saluted him, +saying that he came from Queen Morgan le Fay. “And she greeteth you well,” +said he, “and biddeth you be strong of heart, for to-morrow you shall do +battle with a strange knight, and therefore she hath sent you here +Excalibur, King Arthur’s sword, and the scabbard likewise. And she +desireth you as you do love her to fight this battle to the uttermost, and +without any mercy, as you have promised her you would fight when she +should require it of you; and she will make a rich queen for ever of any +damsel that shall bring her that knight’s head with whom you are to +fight.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said Sir Accolon, “tell you my lady Queen Morgan, that I shall +hold to that I promised her, now that I have this sword—and,” said he, “I +suppose it was to bring about this battle that she made all these +enchantments by her craft.” “You have guessed rightly,” said the dwarf, +and therewithal he left him. +</p> + +<p> +Then came a knight and lady, and six squires, to Sir Accolon, and took him +to a manor house hard by, and gave him noble cheer; and the house belonged +to Sir Outzlake, the brother of Sir Damas, for so had Morgan <a class="pagenum" name="page100" id="page100" title="100"></a> le Fay +contrived with her enchantments. Now Sir Outzlake himself was at that time +sorely wounded and disabled, having been pierced through both his thighs +by a spear-thrust. When, therefore, Sir Damas sent down messengers to his +brother, bidding him make ready by to-morrow morning, and be in the field +to fight with a good knight, for that he had found a champion ready to do +battle at all points, Sir Outzlake was sorely annoyed and distressed, for +he knew he had small chance of victory, while yet he was disabled by his +wounds; notwithstanding, he determined to take the battle in hand, +although he was so weak that he must needs be lifted to his saddle. But +when Sir Accolon of Gaul heard this, he sent a message to Sir Outzlake +offering to take the battle in his stead, which cheered Sir Outzlake +mightily, who thanked Sir Accolon with all his heart, and joyfully +accepted him. +</p> + +<p> +So, on the morrow, King Arthur was armed and well horsed, and asked Sir +Damas, “When shall we go to the field?” “Sir,” said Sir Damas, “you shall +first hear mass.” And when mass was done, there came a squire on a great +horse, and asked Sir Damas if his knight were ready, “for our knight is +already in the field.” Then King Arthur mounted on horseback, and there +around were all the knights, and barons, and people of the country; and +twelve of them were chosen to wait upon the two knights who were about to +fight. And as King Arthur sat on horseback, there came a damsel from +Morgan le Fay, and brought to him a sword, made like Excalibur, and a +scabbard also, and said to him, “Morgan le Fay sendeth you here your sword +for her great love’s sake.” And the king thanked her, and believed it to +be as she said; but she traitorously deceived him, for both <a class="pagenum" name="page101" id="page101" title="101"></a> sword and +scabbard were counterfeit, brittle, and false, and the true sword +Excalibur was in the hands of Sir Accolon. Then, at the sound of a +trumpet, the champions set themselves on opposite sides of the field, and +giving rein and spur to their horses urged them to so great a speed that +each smiting the other in the middle of the shield, rolled his opponent to +the ground, both horse and man. Then starting up immediately, both drew +their swords and rushed swiftly together. And so they fell to eagerly, and +gave each other many great and mighty strokes. +</p> + +<p> +And as they were thus fighting, the damsel Vivien, lady of the lake, who +loved King Arthur, came upon the ground, for she knew by her enchantments +how Morgan le Fay had craftily devised to have King Arthur slain by his +own sword that day, and therefore came to save his life. And Arthur and +Sir Accolon were now grown hot against each other, and spared not strength +nor fury in their fierce assaults; but the king’s sword gave way +continually before Sir Accolon’s, so that at every stroke he was sore +wounded, and his blood ran from him so fast that it was a marvel he could +stand. When King Arthur saw the ground so sore be-blooded, he bethought +him in dismay that there was magic treason worked upon him, and that his +own true sword was changed, for it seemed to him that the sword in Sir +Accolon’s hand was Excalibur, for fearfully it drew his blood at every +blow, while what he held himself kept no sharp edge, nor fell with any +force upon his foe. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, knight, look to thyself, and keep thee well from me,” cried out Sir +Accolon. But King Arthur answered not, and gave him such a buffet on the +helm as <a class="pagenum" name="page102" id="page102" title="102"></a> made him stagger and nigh fall upon the ground. Then Sir Accolon +withdrew a little, and came on with Excalibur on high, and smote King +Arthur in return with such a mighty stroke as almost felled him; and both +being now in hottest wrath, they gave each other grievous and savage +blows. But Arthur all the time was losing so much blood that scarcely +could he keep upon his feet yet so full was he of knighthood, that +knightly he endured the pain, and still sustained himself, though now he +was so feeble that he thought himself about to die. Sir Accolon, as yet, +had lost no drop of blood, and being very bold and confident in Excalibur, +even grew more vigorous and hasty in his assaults. But all men who beheld +them said they never saw a knight fight half so well as did King Arthur; +and all the people were so grieved for him that they besought Sir Damas +and Sir Outzlake to make up their quarrel and so stay the fight; but they +would not. +</p> + +<p> +So still the battle raged, till Arthur drew a little back for breath and a +few moments’ rest; but Accolon came on after him, following fiercely and +crying loud, “It is no time for me to suffer thee to rest,” and therewith +set upon him. Then Arthur, full of scorn and rage, lifted up his sword and +struck Sir Accolon upon the helm so mightily that he drove him to his +knees; but with the force of that great stroke his brittle, treacherous +sword broke short off at the hilt, and fell down in the grass among the +blood, leaving the pommel only in his hand. At that, King Arthur thought +within himself that all was over, and secretly prepared his mind for +death, yet kept himself so knightly sheltered by his shield that he lost +no ground, and made as though he yet had hope and <a class="pagenum" name="page103" id="page103" title="103"></a> cheer. Then said Sir +Accolon, “Sir knight, thou now art overcome and canst endure no longer, +seeing thou art weaponless, and hast lost already so much blood. Yet am I +fully loth to slay thee; yield, then, therefore, to me as recreant.” +“Nay,” said King Arthur, “that may I not, for I have promised to do battle +to the uttermost by the faith of my body while my life lasteth; and I had +rather die with honour than live with shame; and if it were possible for +me to die an hundred times, I had rather die as often than yield me to +thee, for though I lack weapons, I shall lack no worship, and it shall be +to thy shame to slay me weaponless.” “Aha,” shouted then Sir Accolon, “as +for the shame, I will not spare; look to thyself, sir knight, for thou art +even now but a dead man.” Therewith he drove at him with pitiless force, +and struck him nearly down; but Arthur evermore waxing in valour as he +waned in blood, pressed on Sir Accolon with his shield, and hit at him so +fiercely with the pommel in his hand, as hurled him three strides +backwards. +</p> + +<p> +This, therefore, so confused Sir Accolon, that rushing up, all dizzy, to +deliver once again a furious blow, even as he struck, Excalibur, by +Vivien’s magic, fell from out his hands upon the earth. Beholding which, +King Arthur lightly sprang to it, and grasped it, and forthwith felt it +was his own good sword, and said to it, “Thou hast been from me all too +long, and done me too much damage.” Then spying the scabbard hanging by +Sir Accolon’s side, he sprang and pulled it from him, and cast it away as +far as he could throw it; for so long as he had worn it, Arthur new his +life would have been kept secure. “Oh, knight!” then said the king, “thou +hast this day wrought me much damage by this sword, but now art thou come <a class="pagenum" name="page104" id="page104" title="104"></a> +to thy death, for I shall not warrant thee but that thou shalt suffer, ere +we part, somewhat of that thou hast made me suffer.” And therewithal King +Arthur flew at him with all his might, and pulled him to the earth, and +then struck off his helm, and gave him on the head a fearful buffet, till +the blood leaped forth. “Now will I slay thee!” cried King Arthur; for his +heart was hardened, and his body all on fire with fever, till for a moment +he forgot his knightly mercy. “Slay me thou mayest,” said Sir Accolon, +“for thou art the best knight I ever found, and I see well that God is +with thee; and I, as thou hast, have promised to fight this battle to the +uttermost, and never to be recreant while I live; therefore shall I never +yield me with my mouth, and God must do with my body what he will.” And as +Sir Accolon spoke, King Arthur thought he knew his voice; and parting all +his blood-stained hair from out his eyes, and leaning down towards him, +saw, indeed, it was his friend and own true knight. Then said he—keeping +his own visor down—“I pray thee tell me of what country art thou, and +what court?” “Sir knight,” he answered, “I am of King Arthur’s court, and +my name is Sir Accolon of Gaul.” Then said the king, “Oh, sir knight! I +pray thee tell me who gave thee this sword? and from whom thou hadst it?” +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Accolon, “Woe worth this sword, for by it I have gotten my +death. This sword hath been in my keeping now for almost twelve months, +and yesterday Queen Morgan le Fay, wife of King Urience, sent it to me by +a dwarf, that therewith I might in some way slay her brother, King Arthur; +for thou must understand that King Arthur is the man she hateth most in +all the <a class="pagenum" name="page105" id="page105" title="105"></a> world, being full of envy and jealousy because he is of greater +worship and renown than any other of her blood. She loveth me also as much +as she doth hate him; and if she might contrive to slay King Arthur by her +craft and magic, then would she straightway kill her husband also, and +make me the king of all this land, and herself my queen, to reign with me; +but now,” said he, “all that is over, for this day I am come to my death.” +</p> + +<p> +“It would have been sore treason of thee to destroy thy lord,” said +Arthur. “Thou sayest truly,” answered he; “but now that I have told thee, +and openly confessed to thee all that foul treason whereof I now do +bitterly repent, tell me, I pray thee, whence art thou, and of what +court?” “O, Sir Accolon!” said King Arthur, “learn that I am myself King +Arthur.” When Sir Accolon heard this he cried aloud, “Alas, my gracious +lord! have mercy on me, for I knew thee not.” “Thou shalt have mercy,” +said he, “for thou knewest not my person at this time; and though by thine +own confession thou art a traitor, yet do I blame thee less, because thou +hast been blinded by the false crafts of my sister Morgan le Fay, whom I +have trusted more than all others of my kin, and whom I now shall know +well how to punish.” Then did Sir Accolon cry loudly, “O, lords, and all +good people! this noble knight that I have fought with is the noblest and +most worshipful in all the world; for it is King Arthur, our liege lord +and sovereign king; and full sorely I repent that I have ever lifted lance +against him, though in ignorance I did it.” +</p> + +<p> +Then all the people fell down on their knees and prayed the pardon of the +king for suffering him to come to such a strait. But he replied, “Pardon +ye cannot <a class="pagenum" name="page106" id="page106" title="106"></a> have, for, truly, ye have nothing sinned; but here ye see what +ill adventure may ofttimes befall knights-errant, for to my own hurt, and +his danger also, I have fought with one of my own knights.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king commanded Sir Damas to surrender to his brother the whole +manor, Sir Outzlake only yielding him a palfrey every year; “for,” said he +scornfully, “it would become thee better to ride on than a courser;” and +ordered Damas, upon pain of death, never again to touch or to distress +knights-errant riding on their adventures; and also to make full +compensation and satisfaction to the twenty knights whom he had held in +prison. “And if any of them,” said the king, “come to my court complaining +that he hath not had full satisfaction of thee for his injuries, by my +head, thou shalt die therefor.” +</p> + +<p> +Afterwards, King Arthur asked Sir Outzlake to come with him to his court, +where he should become a knight of his, and, if his deeds were noble, be +advanced to all he might desire. +</p> + +<p> +So then he took his leave of all the people and mounted upon horseback, +and Sir Accolon went with him to an abbey hard by, where both their wounds +were dressed. But Sir Accolon died within four days after. And when he was +dead, the king sent his body to Queen Morgan, to Camelot, saying that he +sent her a present in return for the sword Excalibur which she had sent +him by the damsel. +</p> + +<p> +So, on the morrow, there came a damsel from Queen Morgan to the king, and +brought with her the richest mantle that ever was seen, for it was set as +full of precious stones as they could stand against each other, and they <a class="pagenum" name="page107" id="page107" title="107"></a> +were the richest stones that ever the king saw. And the damsel said, “Your +sister sendeth you this mantle, and prayeth you to take her gift, and in +whatsoever thing she hath offended you, she will amend it at your +pleasure.” To this the king replied not, although the mantle pleased him +much. With that came in the lady of the lake, and said, “Sir, put not on +this mantle till thou hast seen more; and in nowise let it be put upon +thee, or any of thy knights, till ye have made the bringer of it first put +it on her.” “It shall be done as thou dost counsel,” said the king. Then +said he to the damsel that came from his sister, “Damsel, I would see this +mantle ye have brought me upon yourself.” “Sir,” said she, “it will not +beseem me to wear a knight’s garment.” “By my head,” said King Arthur, +“thou shall wear it ere it go on any other person’s back!” And so they put +it on her by force, and forthwith the garment burst into a flame and +burned the damsel into cinders. When the king saw that, he hated that +false witch Morgan le Fay with all his heart, and evermore was deadly +quarrel between her and Arthur to their lives’ end. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page108" id="page108" title="108"></a> + +<a name="chapter_viii" id="chapter_viii"></a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>King Arthur conquers Rome, and is crowned Emperor</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/a.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="a2" id="a2" Title="A" alt="Drop Case A"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +nd now again the second time there came ambassadors from Lucius Tiberius, +Emperor of Rome, demanding, under pain of war, tribute and homage from +King Arthur, and the restoration of all Gaul, which he had conquered from +the tribune Flollo. +</p> + +<p> +When they had delivered their message, the king bade them withdraw while +he consulted with his knights and barons what reply to send. Then some of +the younger knights would have slain the ambassadors, saying that their +speech was a rebuke to all who heard the king insulted by it. But when +King Arthur heard that, he ordered none to touch them upon pain of death; +and sending officers, he had them taken to a noble lodging, and there +entertained with the best cheer. “And,” said he, “let no dainty be spared, +for the Romans are great lords; and though their message please me not, +yet must I remember mine honour.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the lords and knights of the Round Table were called on to declare +their counsel—what should be done upon this matter; and Sir Cador of +Cornwall speaking <a class="pagenum" name="page109" id="page109" title="109"></a> first, said, “Sir, this message is the best news I have +heard for a long time, for we have been now idle and at rest for many +days, and I trust that thou wilt make sharp war upon the Romans, wherein, +I doubt not, we shall all gain honour.” +</p> + +<p> +“I believe well,” said Arthur, “that thou art pleased, Sir Cador; but that +is scarce an answer to the Emperor of Rome, and his demand doth grieve me +sorely, for truly I will never pay him tribute; wherefore, lords, I pray +ye counsel me. Now, I have understood that Belinus and Brennius, knights +of Britain, held the Roman Empire in their hands for many days, and also +Constantine, the son of Helen, which is open evidence, not only that we +owe Rome no tribute, but that I, being descended from them, may, of right, +myself claim the empire.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said King Anguish of Scotland, “Sir, thou oughtest of right to be +above all other kings, for in all Christendom is there not thine equal; +and I counsel thee never to obey the Romans. For when they reigned here +they grievously distressed us, and put the land to great and heavy +burdens; and here, for my part, I swear to avenge me on them when I may, +and will furnish thee with twenty thousand men-at-arms, whom I will pay +and keep, and who shall wait on thee with me, when it shall please thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the King of Little Britain rose and promised King Arthur thirty +thousand men; and likewise many other kings, and dukes, and barons, +promised aid—as the lord of West Wales thirty thousand men, Sir Ewaine +and his cousin thirty thousand men, and so forth; Sir Lancelot also, and +every other knight of the Round Table, promised each man a great host. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page110" id="page110" title="110"></a> + +<p> +So the king, passing joyful at their courage and good will, thanked them +all heartily, and sent for the ambassadors again, to hear his answer. “I +will,” said he, “that ye now go back straightway unto the Emperor your +master and tell him that I give no heed to his words, for I have conquered +all my kingdoms by the will of God and by my own right arm, and I am +strong enough to keep them, without paying tribute to any earthly +creature. But, on the other hand, I claim both tribute and submission from +himself, and also claim the sovereignty of all his empire, whereto I am +entitled by the right of my own ancestors—sometime kings of this land. +And say to him that I will shortly come to Rome, and by God’s grace will +take possession of my empire and subdue all rebels. Wherefore, lastly, I +command him and all the lords of Rome that they forthwith pay me their +homage, under pain of my chastisement and wrath.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he commanded his treasurers to give the ambassadors great gifts, and +defray all their charges, and appointed Sir Cador to convey them +worshipfully out of the land. +</p> + +<p> +So when they returned to Rome and came before Lucius, he was sore angry at +their words, and said, “I thought this Arthur would have instantly obeyed +my orders and have served me as humbly as any other king; but because of +his fortune in Gaul, he hath grown insolent.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, lord,” said one of the ambassadors, “refrain from such vain words, +for truly I and all with me were fearful at his royal majesty and angry +countenance. I fear me thou hast made a rod for thee more sharp than thou +hast counted on. He meaneth to be master of this empire; <a class="pagenum" name="page111" id="page111" title="111"></a> and is another +kind of man than thou supposest, and holdeth the most noble court of all +the world. We saw him on the new year’s day, served at his table by nine +kings, and the noblest company of other princes, lords, and knights that +ever was in all the world; and in his person he is the most manly-seeming +man that liveth, and looketh like to conquer all the earth.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Lucius sent messengers to all the subject countries of Rome, and +brought together a mighty army, and assembled sixteen kings, and many +dukes, princes, lords, and admirals, and a wondrous great multitude of +people. Fifty giants also, born of fiends, were set around him for a +body-guard. With all that host he straightway went from Rome, and passed +beyond the mountains into Gaul, and burned the towns and ravaged all the +country of that province, in rage for its submission to King Arthur. Then +he moved on towards Little Britain. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, King Arthur having held a parliament at York, left the realm in +charge of Sir Badewine and Sir Constantine, and crossed the sea from +Sandwich to meet Lucius. And so soon as he was landed, he sent Sir Gawain, +Sir Bors, Sir Lionel, and Sir Bedivere to the Emperor, commanding him “to +move swiftly and in haste out of his land, and, if not, to make himself +ready for battle, and not continue ravaging the country and slaying +harmless people.” Anon, those noble knights attired themselves and set +forth on horseback to where they saw, in a meadow, many silken tents of +divers colours, and the Emperor’s pavilion in the midst, with a golden +eagle set above it. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Gawain and Sir Bors rode forward, leaving <a class="pagenum" name="page112" id="page112" title="112"></a> the other two behind +in ambush, and gave King Arthur’s message. To which the Emperor replied, +“Return, and tell your lord that I am come to conquer him and all his +land.” +</p> + +<p> +At this, Sir Gawain burned with anger, and cried out, “I had rather than +all France that I might fight with thee alone!” +</p> + +<p> +“And I also,” said Sir Bors. +</p> + +<p> +Then a knight named Ganius, a near cousin of the Emperor, laughed out +aloud, and said, “Lo! how these Britons boast and are full of pride, +bragging as though they bare up all the world!” +</p> + +<p> +At these words, Sir Gawain could refrain no longer, but drew forth his +sword and with one blow shore oft Ganius’ head; then with Sir Bors, he +turned his horse and rode over waters and through woods, back to the +ambush, where Sir Lionel and Sir Bedivere were waiting. The Romans +followed fast behind them till the knights turned and stood, and then Sir +Bors smote the foremost of them through the body with a spear, and slew +him on the spot. Then came on Calibere, a huge Pavian, but Sir Bors +overthrew him also. And then the company of Sir Lionel and Sir Bedivere +brake from their ambush and fell on the Romans, and slew and hewed them +down, and forced them to return and flee, chasing them to their tents. +</p> + +<p> +But as they neared the camp, a great host more rushed forth, and turned +the battle backwards, and in the turmoil, Sir Bors and Sir Berel fell into +the Romans’ hands. When Sir Gawain saw that, he drew his good sword +Galotine, and swore to see King Arthur’s face no more if those two knights +were not delivered; and then, with <a class="pagenum" name="page113" id="page113" title="113"></a> good Sir Idrus, made so sore an +onslaught that the Romans fled and left Sir Bors and Sir Berel to their +friends. So the Britons returned in triumph to King Arthur, having slain +more than ten thousand Romans, and lost no man of worship from amongst +themselves. +</p> + +<p> +When the Emperor Lucius heard of that discomfiture he arose, with all his +army, to crush King Arthur, and met him in the vale of Soissons. Then +speaking to all his host, he said, “Sirs, I admonish you that this day ye +fight and acquit yourselves as men; and remembering how Rome is chief of +all the earth, and mistress of the universal world, suffer not these +barbarous and savage Britons to abide our onset.” At that, the trumpets +blew so loud, that the ground trembled and shook. +</p> + +<p> +Then did the rival hosts draw near each other with great shoutings; and +when they closed, no tongue can tell the fury of their smiting, and the +sore struggling, wounds, and slaughter. Then King Arthur, with his +mightiest knights, rode down into the thickest of the fight, and drew +Excalibur, and slew as lightning slays for swiftness and for force. And in +the midmost crowd he met a giant, Galapas by name, and struck off both his +legs at the knee-joints; then saying, “Now art thou a better size to deal +with!” smote his head off at a second blow: and the body killed six men in +falling down. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, King Arthur spied where Lucius fought and worked great deeds of +prowess with his own hands. Forthwith he rode at him, and each attacked +the other passing fiercely; till at the last, Lucius struck King Arthur +with a fearful wound across the face, and Arthur, in return, lifting up +Excalibur on high, drove it with all his force upon the Emperor’s head, +shivering his helmet, <a class="pagenum" name="page114" id="page114" title="114"></a> crashing his head in halves, and splitting his body +to the breast. And when the Romans saw their Emperor dead they fled in +hosts of thousands; and King Arthur and his knights, and all his army +followed them, and slew one hundred thousand men. +</p> + +<p> +Then returning to the field, King Arthur rode to the place where Lucius +lay dead, and round him the kings of Egypt and Ethiopia, and seventeen +other kings, with sixty Roman senators, all noble men. All these he +ordered to be carefully embalmed with aromatic gums, and laid in leaden +coffins, covered with their shields and arms and banners. Then calling for +three senators who were taken prisoners, he said to them, “As the ransom +of your lives, I will that ye take these dead bodies and carry them to +Rome, and there present them for me, with these letters saying I will +myself be shortly there. And I suppose the Romans will beware how they +again ask tribute of me; for tell them, these dead bodies that I send them +are for the tribute they have dared to ask of me; and if they wish for +more, when I come I will pay them the rest.” +</p> + +<p> +So, with that charge, the three senators departed with the dead bodies, +and went to Rome; the body of the Emperor being carried in a chariot +blazoned with the arms of the empire, all alone, and the bodies of the +kings two and two in chariots following. +</p> + +<p> +After the battle, King Arthur entered Lorraine, Brabant, and Flanders, and +thence, subduing all the countries as he went, passed into Germany, and so +beyond the mountains into Lombardy and Tuscany. At length he came before a +city which refused to obey him, wherefore he sat down before it to besiege +it. And after <a class="pagenum" name="page115" id="page115" title="115"></a> a long time thus spent, King Arthur called Sir Florence, +and told him they began to lack food for his hosts—“And not far from +hence,” said he, “are great forests full of cattle belonging to my +enemies. Go then, and bring by force all that thou canst find; and take +with thee Sir Gawain, my nephew, and Sir Clegis, Sir Claremond the Captain +of Cardiff, and a strong band.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon, those knights made ready, and rode over holts and hills, and through +forests and woods, till they came to a great meadow full of fair flowers +and grass, and there they rested themselves and their horses that night. +And at the dawn of the next day, Sir Gawain took his horse and rode away +from his fellows to seek some adventure. Soon he saw an armed knight +walking his horse by a wood’s side, with his shield laced to his shoulder, +and no attendant with him save a page, bearing a mighty spear; and on his +shield were blazoned three gold griffins. When Sir Gawain spied him, he +put his spear in rest, and riding straight to him, asked who he was. “A +Tuscan,” said he; “and they mayest prove me when thou wilt, for thou shalt +be my prisoner ere we part.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Gawain, “Thou vauntest thee greatly, and speakest proud +words; yet I counsel thee, for all thy boastings, look to thyself the best +thou canst.” +</p> + +<p> +At that they took their spears and ran at each other with all the might +they had, and smote each other through their shields into their shoulders; +and then drawing swords smote with great strokes, till the fire sprang out +of their helms. Then was Sir Gawain enraged, and with his good sword +Galotine struck his enerny through shield and hauberk, and splintered into +pieces all the precious stones of it, and made so huge <a class="pagenum" name="page116" id="page116" title="116"></a> a wound that men +might see both lungs and liver. At that the Tuscan, groaning loudly, +rushed on to Sir Gawain, and gave him a deep slanting stroke, and made a +mighty wound and cut a great vein asunder, so that he bled fast. Then he +cried out, “Bind thy wound quickly up, Sir knight, for thou be-bloodest +all thy horse and thy fair armour, and all the surgeons of the world shall +never staunch thy blood; for so shall it be to whomsoever is hurt with +this good sword.” +</p> + +<p> +Then answered Sir Gawain, “It grieveth me but little, and thy boastful +words give me no fear, for thou shalt suffer greater grief and sorrow ere +we part; but tell me quickly who can staunch this blood.” +</p> + +<p> +“That can I do,” said the strange knight, “and will, if thou wilt aid and +succour me to become christened, and to believe on God, which now I do +require of thee upon thy manhood.” +</p> + +<p> +“I am content,” said Sir Gawain; “and may God help me to grant all thy +wishes. But tell mefirst, what soughtest thou thus here alone, and of what +land art thou?” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the knight, “my name is Prianius, and my father is a great +prince, who hath rebelled against Rome. He is descended from Alexander and +Hector, and of our lineage also were Joshua and Maccabaeus. I am of right +the king of Alexandria, and Africa, and all the outer isles, yet I would +believe in the Lord thou worshippest, and for thy labour I will give thee +treasure enough. I was so proud in heart that I thought none my equal, but +now have I encountered with thee, who hast given me my fill of fighting; +wherefore, I pray thee, Sir knight, tell me of thyself.” +</p> + +<p> +“I am no knight,” said Sir Gawain; “I have been <a class="pagenum" name="page117" id="page117" title="117"></a> brought up many years in +the wardrobe of the noble prince King Arthur, to mind his armour and +array.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” said Prianius, “if his varlets be so keen and fierce, his knights +must be passing good! Now, for the love of heaven, whether thou be knight +or knave, tell me thy name.” +</p> + +<p> +“By heaven!” said Gawain, “now will I tell thee the truth. My name is Sir +Gawain, and I am a knight of the Round Table.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now am I better pleased,” said Prianius, “than if thou hadst given me all +the province of Paris the rich. I had rather have been torn by wild horses +than that any varlet should have won such victory over me as thou hast +done. But now, Sir knight, I warn thee that close by is the Duke of +Lorraine, with sixty thousand good men of war; and we had both best flee +at once, for he will find us else, and we be sorely wounded and never +likely to recover. And let my page be careful that he blow no horn, for +hard by are a hundred knights, my servants; and if they seize thee, no +ransom of gold or silver would acquit thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Gawain rode over a river to save himself, and Sir Prianius after +him, and so they both fled till they came to his companions who were in +the meadow, where they spent the night. When Sir Whishard saw Sir Gawain +so hurt, he ran to him weeping, and asked him who it was had wounded him; +and Sir Gawain told him how he had fought with that man—pointing to +Prianius—who had salves to heal them both. “But I can tell ye other +tidings,” said he—“that soon we must encounter many enemies, for a great +army is close to us in our front.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page118" id="page118" title="118"></a> + +<p> +Then Prianius and Sir Gawain alighted and let their horses graze while +they unarmed, and when they took their armour and their clothing off, the +hot blood ran down freshly from their wounds till it was piteous to see. +But Prianius took from his page a vial filled from the four rivers that +flow out of Paradise, and anointed both their wounds with a certain balm, +and washed them with that water, and within an hour afterwards they were +both as sound and whole as ever they had been. Then, at the sound of a +trumpet, all the knights were assembled to council; and after much +talking, Prianius said, “Cease your words, for I warn you in yonder wood +ye shall find knights out of number, who will put out cattle for a decoy +to lead you on; and ye are not seven hundred!” +</p> + +<p> +“Nevertheless,” said Sir Gawain, “let us at once encounter them, and see +what they can do; and may the best have the victory.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they saw suddenly an earl named Sir Ethelwold, and the Duke of +Duchmen come leaping out of ambush of the woods in front, with many a +thousand after them, and all rode straight down to the battle. And Sir +Gawain, full of ardour and courage, comforted his knights, saying, “They +all are ours.” Then the seven hundred knights, in one close company, set +spurs to their horses and began to gallop, and fiercely met their enemies. +And then were men and horses slain and overthrown on every side, and in +and out amidst them all, the knights of the Round Table pressed and +thrust, and smote down to the earth all who withstood them, till at length +the whole of them turned back and fled. +</p> + +<p> +“By heaven!” said Sir Gawain, “this gladdeneth well <a class="pagenum" name="page119" id="page119" title="119"></a> my heart, for now +behold them as they flee! they are full seventy thousand less in number +than they were an hour ago!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus was the battle quickly ended, and a great host of high lords and +knights of Lombardy and Saracens left dead upon the field. Then Sir Gawain +and his company collected a great plenty of cattle, and of gold and +silver, and all kind of treasure, and returned to King Arthur, where he +still kept the siege. +</p> + +<p> +“Now God be thanked,” cried he; “but who is he that standeth yonder by +himself, and seemeth not a prisoner?” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Gawain, “he is a good man with his weapons, and hath +matched me; but cometh hither to be made a Christian. Had it not been for +his warnings, we none of us should have been here this day. I pray thee, +therefore, let him be baptized, for there can be few nobler men, or better +knights.” +</p> + +<img src="images/figure07.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure07" id="figure07" + title="Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the Round Table." + alt="Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the Round Table."> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure07.jpg">So Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the Round Table.</a> +</p> + +<p> +Presently afterwards, they made a last attack upon the city, and entered +by the walls on every side; and as the men were rushing to the pillage, +came the Duchess forth, with many ladies and damsels, and kneeled before +King Arthur; and besought him to receive their submission. To whom the +king made answer, with a noble countenance, “Madam, be well assured that +none shall harm ye, or your ladies; neither shall any that belong to thee +be hurt; but the Duke must abide my judgment.” Then he commanded to stay +the assault and took the keys from the Duke’s eldest son, who brought them +kneeling. Anon the Duke was sent a prisoner to Dover for his life, <a class="pagenum" name="page120" id="page120" title="120"></a> and +rents and taxes were assigned for dowry of the Duchess and her children. +</p> + +<p> +Then went he on with all his hosts, winning all towns and castles, and +wasting them that refused obedience, till he came to Viterbo. From thence +he sent to Rome, to ask the senators whether they would receive him for +their lord and governor. In answer, came out to him all the Senate who +remained alive, and the Cardinals, with a majestic retinue and procession; +and laying great treasures at his feet, they prayed him to come in at once +to Rome, and there be peaceably crowned as Emperor. “At this next +Christmas,” said King Arthur, “will I be crowned, and hold my Round Table +in your city.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon he entered Rome, in mighty pomp and state; and after him came all his +hosts, and his knights, and princes, and great lords, arrayed in gold and +jewels, such as never were beheld before. And then was he crowned Emperor +by the Pope’s hands, with all the highest solemnity that could be made. +</p> + +<p> +Then after his coronation, he abode in Rome for a season, settling his +lands and giving kingdoms to his knights and servants, to each one after +his deserving, and in such wise fashion that no man among them all +complained. Also he made many dukes and earls, and loaded all his +men-at-arms with riches and great treasures. +</p> + +<p> +When all this was done, the lords and knights, and all the men of great +estate, came together before him, and said, “Noble Emperor! by the +blessing of Eternal God, thy mortal warfare is all finished, and thy +conquests all achieved; for now in all the world is none so great and +mighty as to dare make war with thee. Wherefore we beseech and heartily +pray thee of thy noble grace, to turn <a class="pagenum" name="page121" id="page121" title="121"></a> thee homeward, and to give us also +leave to see our wives and homes again, for now we have been from them a +long season, and all thy journey is completed with great honour and +worship.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye say well,” replied he, “and to tempt God is no wisdom; therefore make +ready in all haste, and turn we home to England.” +</p> + +<p> +So King Arthur returned with his knights and lords and armies, in great +triumph and joy, through all the countries he had conquered, and commanded +that no man, upon pain of death, should rob or do any violence by the way. +And crossing the sea, he came at length to Sandwich, where Queen Guinevere +received him, and made great joy at his arrival. And through all the realm +of Britain was there such rejoicing as no tongue can tell. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page122" id="page122" title="122"></a> + +<a name="chapter_ix" id="chapter_ix"></a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The Adventures of Sir Lancelot du Lake</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/t.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="t3" id="t3" Title="T" alt="Drop Case T"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +hen, at the following Pentecost, was held a feast of the Round Table at +Caerleon, with high splendour; and all the knights thereof resorted to the +court, and held many games and jousts. And therein Sir Lancelot increased +in fame and worship above all men, for he overthrew all comers, and never +was unhorsed or worsted, save by treason and enchantment. +</p> + +<p> +When Queen Guinevere had seen his wondrous feats, she held him in great +favour, and smiled more on him than on any other knight. And ever since he +first had gone to bring her to King Arthur, had Lancelot thought on her as +fairest of all ladies, and done his best to win her grace. So the queen +often sent for him, and bade him tell of his birth and strange adventures: +how he was only son of great King Ban of Brittany, and how, one night, his +father, with his mother Helen and himself, fled from his burning castle; +how his father, groaning deeply, fell to the ground and died of grief and +wounds, and how his mother, running to her husband, left himself alone; +how, as he thus lay wailing, came the lady of the lake, <a class="pagenum" name="page123" id="page123" title="123"></a> and took him in +her arms and went with him into the midst of the waters, where, with his +cousins Lionel and Bors he had been cherished all his childhood until he +came to King Arthur’s court; and how this was the reason why men called +him Lancelot du Lake. +</p> + +<p> +Anon it was ordained by King Arthur, that in every year at Pentecost there +should be held a festival of all the knights of the Round Table at +Caerleon, or such other place as he should choose. And at those festivals +should be told publicly the most famous adventures of any knight during +the past year. +</p> + +<p> +So, when Sir Lancelot saw Queen Guinevere rejoiced to hear his wanderings +and adventures, he resolved to set forth yet again, and win more worship +still, that he might more increase her favour. Then he bade his cousin Sir +Lionel make ready, “for,” said he, “we two will seek adventure.” So they +mounted their horses—armed at all points—and rode into a vast forest; +and when they had passed through it, they came to a great plain, and the +weather being very hot about noontide, Sir Lancelot greatly longed to +sleep. Then Sir Lionel espied a great apple-tree standing by a hedge, and +said, “Brother, yonder is a fair shadow where we may rest ourselves and +horses.” +</p> + +<p> +“I am full glad of it,” said Sir Lancelot, “for all these seven years I +have not been so sleepy.” +</p> + +<p> +So they alighted there, and tied their horses up to sundry trees; and Sir +Lionel waked and watched while Sir Lancelot fell asleep, and slept passing +fast. +</p> + +<p> +In the meanwhile came three knights, riding as fast flying as ever they +could ride, and after them followed a single knight; but when Sir Lionel +looked at him, he <a class="pagenum" name="page124" id="page124" title="124"></a> thought he had never seen so great and strong a man, or +so well furnished and apparelled. Anon he saw him overtake the last of +those who fled, and smite him to the ground; then came he to the second, +and smote him such a stroke that horse and man went to the earth; then +rode he to the third, likewise, and struck him off his horse more than a +spear’s length. With that he lighted from his horse, and bound all three +knights fast with the reins of their own bridles. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Lionel saw this he thought the time was come to prove himself +against him, so quietly and cautiously, lest he should wake Sir Lancelot, +he took his horse and mounted and rode after him. Presently overtaking +him, he cried aloud to him to turn, which instantly he did, and smote Sir +Lionel so hard that horse and man went down forthwith. Then took he up Sir +Lionel, and threw him bound over his own horse’s back; and so he served +the three other knights, and rode them away to his own castle. There they +were disarmed, stripped naked, and beaten with thorns, and afterwards +thrust into a deep prison, where many more knights, also, made great moans +and lamentations, saying, “Alas, alas! there is no man can help us but Sir +Lancelot, for no other knight can match this tyrant Turquine, our +conqueror.” +</p> + +<p> +But all this while, Sir Lancelot lay sleeping soundly under the +apple-tree. And, as it chanced, there passed that way four queens, of high +estate, riding upon four white mules, under four canopies of green silk +borne on spears, to keep them from the sun. As they rode thus, they heard +a great horse grimly neigh, and, turning them about, soon saw a sleeping +knight that lay all armed under <a class="pagenum" name="page125" id="page125" title="125"></a> an apple-tree; and when they saw his +face, they knew it was Lancelot of the Lake. +</p> + +<p> +Then they began to strive which of them should have the care of him. But +Queen Morgan le Fay, King Arthur’s half sister, the great sorceress, was +one of them, and said “We need not strive for him, I have enchanted him, +so that for six hours more he shall not wake. Let us take him to my +castle, and, when he wakes, himself shall choose which one of us he would +rather serve.” So Sir Lancelot was laid upon his shield and borne on +horseback between two knights, to the castle, and there laid in a cold +chamber, till the spell should pass. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, they sent him a fair damsel, bearing his supper, who asked him, +“What cheer?” +</p> + +<p> +“I cannot tell, fair damsel,” said he, “for I know not how I came into +this castle, if it were not by enchantment.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said she, “be of good heart, and to-morrow at the dawn of day, ye +shall know more.” +</p> + +<p> +And so she left him alone, and there he lay all night. In the morning +early came the four queens to him, passing richly dressed; and said, “Sir +knight, thou must understand that thou art our prisoner, and that we know +thee well for King Ban’s son, Sir Lancelot du Lake. And though we know +full well there is one lady only in this world may have thy love, and she +Queen Guinevere—King Arthur’s wife—yet now are we resolved to have thee +to serve one of us; choose, therefore, of us four which thou wilt serve. I +am Queen Morgan le Fay, Queen of the land of Gore, and here also is the +Queen of Northgales, and the Queen of Eastland, and the Queen of the Out +Isles. Choose, then, at once, for <a class="pagenum" name="page126" id="page126" title="126"></a> else shall thou abide here, in this +prison, till thy death.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is a hard case,” said Sir Lancelot, “that either I must die, or choose +one of you for my mistress! Yet had I rather die in this prison than serve +any living creature against my will. So take this for my answer. I will +serve none of ye, for ye be false enchantresses. And as for my lady, Queen +Guinevere, whom lightly ye have spoken of, were I at liberty I would prove +it upon you or upon yours she is the truest lady living to her lord the +king.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said the queen, “is this your answer, that ye refuse us all?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, on my life,” said Lancelot, “refused ye be of me.” +</p> + +<p> +So they departed from him in great wrath, and left him sorrowfully +grieving in his dungeon. +</p> + +<p> +At noon the damsel came to him and brought his dinner, and asked him as +before, “What cheer?” +</p> + +<p> +“Truly, fair damsel,” said Sir Lancelot, “in all my life never so ill.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” replied she, “I grieve to see ye so, but if ye do as I advise, I +can help ye out of this distress, and will do so if you promise me a +boon.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair damsel,” said Sir Lancelot, “right willingly will I grant it thee, +for sorely do I dread these four witch-queens, who have destroyed and +slain many a good knight with their enchantments.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said the damsel, “Sir, wilt thou promise me to help my father on next +Tuesday, for he hath a tournament with the King of Northgales, and last +Tuesday lost the field through three knights of King Arthur’s court, who +came against him. And if next Tuesday thou wilt <a class="pagenum" name="page127" id="page127" title="127"></a> aid him, to-morrow, +before daylight, by God’s grace, I will deliver thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair maiden,” said Sir Lancelot, “tell me thy father’s name and I will +answer thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“My father is King Bagdemagus,” said she. +</p> + +<p> +“I know him well,” replied Sir Lancelot, “for a noble king and a good +knight; and by the faith of my body I will do him all the service I am +able on that day.” +</p> + +<p> +“Grammercy to thee, Sir knight,” said the damsel. +</p> + +<p> +“To-morrow, when thou art delivered from this place, ride ten miles hence +unto an abbey of white monks, and there abide until I bring my father to +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“So be it,” said Sir Lancelot, “as I am a true knight.” +</p> + +<p> +So she departed, and on the morrow, early, came again, and let him out of +twelve gates, differently locked, and brought him to his armour; and when +he was all armed, she brought him his horse also, and lightly he saddled +him, and took a great spear in his hand, and mounted and rode forth, +saying, as he went, “Fair damsel, I shall not fail thee, by the grace of +God.” +</p> + +<p> +And all that day he rode in a great forest, and could find no highway, and +spent the night in the wood; but the next morning found his road, and came +to the abbey of white monks. And there he saw King Bagdemagus and his +daughter waiting for him. So when they were together in a chamber, Sir +Lancelot told the king how he had been betrayed by an enchantment, and how +his brother Lionel was gone he knew not where, and how the damsel had +delivered him from the castle of Queen Morgan le Fay. “Wherefore while I +live,” said he, “I shall do service to herself and all her kindred.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page128" id="page128" title="128"></a> + +<p> +“Then am I sure of thy aid,” said the king, “on Tuesday now next coming?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, sir, I shall not fail thee,” said Sir Lancelot; “but what knights +were they who last week defeated thee, and took part with the King of +Northgales?” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir Mador de la Port, Sir Modred, and Sir Gahalatine,” replied the king. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Lancelot, “as I understand, the tournament shall take +place but three miles from this abbey; send then to me here, three knights +of thine, the best thou hast, and let them all have plain white shields, +such as I also will; then will we four come suddenly into the midst +between both parties, and fall upon thy enemies, and grieve them all we +can, and none will know us who we are.” +</p> + +<p> +So, on the Tuesday, Sir Lancelot and the three knights lodged themselves +in a small grove hard by the lists. Then came into the field the King of +Northgales, with one hundred and sixty helms, and the three knights of +King Arthur’s court, who stood apart by themselves. And when King +Bagdemagus had arrived, with eighty helms, both companies set all their +spears in rest and came together with a mighty clash, wherein were slain +twelve knights of King Bagdemagus, and six of the King of Northgales; and +the party of King Bagdemagus was driven back. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure08.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure08" id="figure08" + title="Sir Lancelot smote down with one spear five knights, and brake the backs of four, and cast down the King of Northgales." + alt="Sir Lancelot smote down with one spear five knights, and brake the backs of four, and cast down the King of Northgales."> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure08.jpg">With that, came Sir Lancelot, and thrust into the thickest of the press, +and smote down with one spear five knights, and brake the backs of four, +and cast down the King of Northgales,</a> and brake his thigh by the fall. +When the three knights of Arthur’s court saw this, they rode at Sir +Lancelot, and each after other attacked him; <a class="pagenum" name="page129" id="page129" title="129"></a> but he overthrew them all, +and smote them nigh to death. Then taking a new spear, he bore down to the +ground sixteen more knights, and hurt them all so sorely, that they could +carry arms no more that day. And when his spear at length was broken, he +took yet another, and smote down twelve knights more, the most of whom he +wounded mortally, till in the end the party of the King of Northgales +would joust no more, and the victory was cried to King Bagdemagus. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot rode forth with King Bagdemagus to his castle, and there +he feasted with great cheer and welcome, and received many royal gifts. +And on the morrow he took leave and went to find his brother Lionel. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, by chance, he came to the same forest where the four queens had +found him sleeping, and there he met a damsel riding on a white palfrey. +When they had saluted each other, Sir Lancelot said, “Fair damsel, knowest +thou where any adventures may be had in this country?” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” said she, “there are adventures great enough close by if +thou darest prove them.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why should I not,” said he, “since for that cause I came here?” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the damsel, “hard by this place there dwelleth a knight that +cannot be defeated by any man, so great and perilously strong he is. His +name is Sir Turquine, and in the prisons of his castle lie three score +knights and four, mostly from King Arthur’s court, whom he hath taken with +his own hands. But promise me, ere thou undertakest their deliverance, to +go and help me afterwards, and free me and many other ladies that are +distressed by a false knight.” <a class="pagenum" name="page130" id="page130" title="130"></a> “Bring me but to this felon Turquine,” +quoth Sir Lancelot, “and I will afterwards fulfil all your wishes.” +</p> + +<p> +So the damsel went before, and brought him to a ford, and a tree whereon a +great brass basin hung; and Sir Lancelot beat with his spear-end upon the +basin, long and hard, until he beat the bottom of it out, but he saw +nothing. Then he rode to and fro before the castle gates for well-nigh +half an hour, and anon saw a great knight riding from the distance, +driving a horse before him, across which hung an armed man bound. And when +they came near, Sir Lancelot knew the prisoner for a knight of the Round +Table. By that time, the great knight who drove the prisoner saw Sir +Lancelot, and each of them began to settle his spear, and to make ready. +</p> + +<p> +“Fair sir,” then said Sir Lancelot, “put off that wounded knight, I pray +thee, from his horse, and let him rest while thou and I shall prove our +strength upon each other; for, as I am told, thou doest, and hast done, +great shame and injury to knights of the Round Table. Wherefore, I warn +thee now, defend thyself.” +</p> + +<p> +“If thou mayest be of the Round Table,” answered Turquine, “I defy thee, +and all thy fellows.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is saying overmuch,” said Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +Then, setting their lances in rest, they spurred their horses towards each +other, as fast as they could go, and smote so fearfully upon each other’s +shields, that both their horses’ backs brake under them. As soon as they +could clear their saddles, they took their shields before them, and drew +their swords, and came together eagerly, and fought with great and +grievous strokes; and soon they both had many grim and fearful wounds, and +bled in <a class="pagenum" name="page131" id="page131" title="131"></a> streams. Thus they fought two hours and more, thrusting and +smiting at each other, wherever they could hit. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, they both were breathless, and stood leaning on their swords. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, comrade,” said Sir Turquine, “let us wait awhile, and answer me what +I shall ask thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Say on,” said Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou art,” said Turquine, “the best man I ever met, and seemest like one +that I hate above all other knights that live; but if thou be not he, I +will make peace with thee, and for sake of thy great valour, will deliver +all the three score prisoners and four who lie within my dungeons, and +thou and I will be companions evermore. Tell me, then, thy name.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou sayest well,” replied Sir Lancelot; “but who is he thou hatest so +above all others?” +</p> + +<p> +“His name,” said Turquine, “is Sir Lancelot of the Lake; and he slew my +brother Sir Carados, at the dolorous tower; wherefore, if ever I shall +meet with him, one of us two shall slay the other; and thereto I have +sworn by a great oath. And to discover and destroy him I have slain a +hundred knights, and crippled utterly as many more, and many have died in +my prisons; and now, as I have told thee, I have many more therein, who +all shall be delivered, if thou tell me thy name, and it be not Sir +Lancelot.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said Lancelot, “I am that knight, son of King Ban of Benwick, and +Knight of the Round Table; so now I defy thee to do thy best!” +</p> + +<p> +“Aha!” said Turquine, with a shout, “is it then so at last! Thou art more +welcome to my sword than ever <a class="pagenum" name="page132" id="page132" title="132"></a> knight or lady was to feast, for never +shall we part till one of us be dead.” +</p> + +<p> +Then did they hurtle together like two wild bulls, slashing and lashing +with their shields and swords, and sometimes falling both on to the +ground. For two more hours they fought so, and at the last Sir Turquine +grew very faint, and gave a little back, and bare his shield full low for +weariness. When Sir Lancelot saw him thus, he leaped upon him fiercely as +a lion, and took him by the crest of his helmet, and dragged him to his +knees; and then he tore his helmet off and smote his neck asunder. +</p> + +<p> +Then he arose, and went to the damsel who had brought him to Sir Turquine, +and said, “I am ready, fair lady, to go with thee upon thy service, but I +have no horse.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair sir,” said she, “take ye this horse of the wounded knight whom +Turquine but just now was carrying to his prisons, and send that knight on +to deliver all the prisoners.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Lancelot went to the knight and prayed him for the loan of his +horse. +</p> + +<p> +“Fair lord,” said he, “ye are right welcome, for to-day ye have saved both +me and my horse; and I see that ye are the best knight in all the world, +for in my sight have ye slain the mightiest man and the best knight, +except thyself, I ever saw.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Lancelot, “I thank thee well; and now go into yonder +castle, where thou shall find many noble knights of the Round Table, for I +have seen their shields hung on the trees around. On yonder tree alone +there are Sir Key’s, Sir Brandel’s, Sir Marhaus’, Sir Galind’s, <a class="pagenum" name="page133" id="page133" title="133"></a> and Sir +Aliduke’s, and many more; and also my two kinsmen’s shields, Sir Ector de +Maris’ and Sir Lionel’s. And I pray you greet them all from me, Sir +Lancelot of the Lake, and tell them that I bid them help themselves to any +treasures they can find within the castle; and that I pray my brethren, +Lionel and Ector, to go to King Arthur’s court and stay there till I come. +And by the high feast at Pentecost I must be there; but now I must ride +forth with this damsel to fulfil my promise.” +</p> + +<p> +So, as they went, the damsel told him, “Sir, we are now near the place +where the foul knight haunteth, who robbeth and distresseth all ladies and +gentlewomen travelling past this way, against whom I have sought thy aid.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they arranged that she should ride on foremost, and Sir Lancelot +should follow under cover of the trees by the roadside, and if he saw her +come to any mishap, he should ride forth and deal with him that troubled +her. And as the damsel rode on at a soft ambling pace, a knight and page +burst forth from the roadside and forced the damsel from her horse, till +she cried out for help. +</p> + +<p> +Then came Sir Lancelot rushing through the wood as fast as he might fly, +and all the branches of the trees crackled and waved around him. “O thou +false knight and traitor to all knighthood!” shouted he, “who taught thee +to distress fair ladies thus?” +</p> + +<p> +The foul knight answered nothing, but drew out his sword and rode at Sir +Lancelot, who threw his spear away and drew his own sword likewise, and +struck him such a mighty blow as clave his head down to the throat. “Now +hast thou the wages thou long hast earned!” said he; and so departed from +the damsel. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page134" id="page134" title="134"></a> + +<p> +Then for two days he rode in a great forest, and had but scanty food and +lodging, and on the third day he rode over a long bridge, when suddenly +there started up a passing foul churl, and smote his horse across the +nose, so that he started and turned back, rearing with pain. “Why ridest +thou over here without my leave?” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“Why should I not?” said Sir Lancelot; “there is no other way to ride.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou shalt not pass by here,” cried out the churl, and dashed at him with +a great club full of iron spikes, till Sir Lancelot was fain to draw his +sword and smite him dead upon the earth. +</p> + +<p> +At the end of the bridge was a fair village, and all the people came and +cried, “Ah, sir! a worse deed for thyself thou never didst, for thou hast +slain the chief porter of the castle yonder!” But he let them talk as they +pleased, and rode straight forward to the castle. +</p> + +<p> +There he alighted, and tied his horse to a ring in the wall; and going in, +he saw a wide green court, and thought it seemed a noble place to fight +in. And as he looked about, he saw many people watching him from doors and +windows, making signs of warning, and saying, “Fair knight, thou art +unhappy.” In the next moment came upon him two great giants, well armed +save their heads, and with two horrible clubs in their hands. Then he put +his shield before him, and with it warded off one giant’s stroke, and +clove the other with his sword from the head downward to the chest. When +the first giant saw that, he ran away mad with fear; but Sir Lancelot ran +after him, and smote him through the shoulder, and shore him down his +back, so that he fell dead. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page135" id="page135" title="135"></a> + +<p> +Then he walked onward to the castle hall, and saw a band of sixty ladies +and young damsels coming forth, who knelt to him, and thanked him for +their freedom. “For, sir,” said they, “the most of us have been prisoners +here these seven years; and have been kept at all manner of work to earn +our meat, though we be all great gentlewomen born. Blessed be the time +that thou wast born, for never did a knight a deed of greater worship than +thou hast this day, and thereto will we all bear witness in all times and +places! Tell us, therefore, noble knight, thy name and court, that we may +tell them to our friends!” And when they heard it, they all cried aloud, +“Well may it be so, for we knew that no knight save thou shouldst ever +overcome those giants; and many a long day have we sighed for thee; for +the giants feared no other name among all knights but thine.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he told them to take the treasures of the castle as a reward for +their grievances, and to return to their homes, and so rode away into many +strange and wild countries. And at last, after many days, by chance he +came, near the night time, to a fair mansion, wherein he found an old +gentlewoman, who gave him and his horse good cheer. And when bed time was +come, his host brought him to a chamber over a gate, and there he unarmed, +and went to bed and fell asleep. +</p> + +<p> +But soon thereafter came one riding in great haste, and knocking +vehemently at the gate below, which when Sir Lancelot heard, he rose and +looked out of the window, and, by the moonlight, saw three knights come +riding fiercely after one man, and lashing on him all at once with their +swords, while the one knight nobly fought all. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page136" id="page136" title="136"></a> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot quickly armed himself, and getting through the window, +let himself down by a sheet into the midst of them, crying out, “Turn ye +on me, ye cowards, and leave fighting with that knight!” Then they all +left Sir Key, for the first knight was he, and began to fall upon Sir +Lancelot furiously. And when Sir Key would have come forward to assist +him, Sir Lancelot refused, and cried, “Leave me alone to deal with them.” +And presently, with six great strokes, he felled them all. +</p> + +<p> +Then they cried out, “Sir knight, we yield us unto thee, as to a man of +might!” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not take your yielding!” said he; “yield ye to Sir Key, the +seneschal, or I will have your lives.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair knight,” said they, “excuse us in that thing, for we have chased Sir +Key thus far, and should have overcome him but for thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said Sir Lancelot, “do as ye will, for ye may live or die; but, if +ye live, ye shall be holden to Sir Key.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they yielded to him; and Sir Lancelot commanded them to go unto King +Arthur’s court at the next Pentecost, and say, Sir Key had sent them +prisoners to Queen Guinevere. And this they sware to do upon their swords. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot knocked at the gate with his sword-hilt till his hostess +came and let him in again, and Sir Key also. And when the light came, Sir +Key knew Sir Lancelot, and knelt and thanked him for his courtesy, and +gentleness, and kindness. “Sir,” said he, “I have done no more than what I +ought to do, and ye are welcome; therefore let us now take rest.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page137" id="page137" title="137"></a> + +<p> +So when Sir Key had supped, they went to sleep, and Sir Lancelot and he +slept in the same bed. On the morrow, Sir Lancelot rose early, and took +Sir Key’s shield and armour and set forth. When Sir Key arose, he found +Sir Lancelot’s armour by his bedside, and his own arms gone. “Now, by my +faith,” thought he, “I know that he will grieve some knights of our king’s +court; for those who meet him will be bold to joust with him, mistaking +him for me, while I, dressed in his shield and armour, shall surely ride +in peace.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot, dressed in Sir Key’s apparel, rode long in a great +forest, and came at last to a low country, full of rivers and fair +meadows, and saw a bridge before him, whereon were three silk tents of +divers colours, and to each tent was hung a white shield, and by each +shield stood a knight. So Sir Lancelot went by without speaking a word. +And when he had passed, the three knights said it was the proud Sir Key, +“who thinketh no knight equal to himself, although the contrary is full +often proved upon him.” +</p> + +<p> +“By my faith!” said one of them, named Gaunter, “I will ride after and +attack him for all his pride, and ye shall watch my speed.” +</p> + +<p> +Then, taking shield and spear, he mounted and rode after Sir Lancelot, and +cried, “Abide, proud knight, and turn, for thou shalt not pass free!” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Lancelot turned, and each one put his spear in rest and came with +all his might against the other. And Sir Gaunter’s spear brake short, but +Sir Lancelot smote him down, both horse and man. +</p> + +<p> +When the other knights saw this, they said, “Yonder is not Sir Key, but a +bigger man.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page138" id="page138" title="138"></a> + +<p> +“I dare wager my head,” said Sir Gilmere, “yonder knight hath slain Sir +Key, and taken his horse and harness.” +</p> + +<p> +“Be it so, or not,” said Sir Reynold, the third brother; “let us now go to +our brother Gaunter’s rescue; we shall have enough to do to match that +knight, for, by his stature, I believe it is Sir Lancelot or Sir +Tristram.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon, they took their horses and galloped after Sir Lancelot; and Sir +Gilmere first assailed him, but was smitten down forthwith, and lay +stunned on the earth. Then said Sir Reynold, “Sir knight, thou art a +strong man, and, I believe, hast slain my two brothers, wherefore my heart +is sore against thee; yet, if I might with honour, I would avoid thee. +Nevertheless, that cannot be, so keep thyself.” And so they hurtled +together with all their might, and each man shivered his spear to pieces; +and then they drew their swords and lashed out eagerly. +</p> + +<p> +And as they fought, Sir Gaunter and Sir Gilmere presently arose and +mounted once again, and came down at full tilt upon Sir Lancelot. But, +when he saw them coming, he put forth all his strength, and struck Sir +Reynold off his horse. Then, with two other strokes, he served the others +likewise. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, Sir Reynold crept along the ground, with his head all bloody, and +came towards Sir Lancelot. “It is enough,” said Lancelot, “I was not far +from thee when thou wast made a knight, Sir Reynold, and know thee for a +good and valiant man, and was full loth to slay thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Grammercy for thy gentleness!” said Sir Reynold. <a class="pagenum" name="page139" id="page139" title="139"></a> “I and my brethren will +straightway yield to thee when we know thy name, for well we know that +thou art not Sir Key.” +</p> + +<p> +“As for that,” said Sir Lancelot, “be it as it may, but ye shall yield to +Queen Guinevere at the next feast of Pentecost as prisoners, and say that +Sir Key sent ye.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they swore to him it should be done as he commanded. And so Sir +Lancelot passed on, and the three brethren helped each other’s wounds as +best they might. +</p> + +<p> +Then rode Sir Lancelot forward into a deep forest, and came upon four +knights of King Arthur’s court, under an oak tree—Sir Sagramour, Sir +Ector, Sir Gawain, and Sir Ewaine. And when they spied him, they thought +he was Sir Key. “Now by my faith,” said Sir Sagramour, “I will prove Sir +Key’s might!” and taking his spear he rode towards Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Lancelot was aware of him, and, setting his spear in rest, smote +him so sorely, that horse and man fell to the earth. +</p> + +<p> +“Lo!” cried Sir Ector, “I see by the buffet that knight hath given our +fellow he is stronger than Sir Key. Now will I try what I can do against +him!” So Sir Ector took his spear, and galloped at Sir Lancelot; and Sir +Lancelot met him as he came, and smote him through shield and shoulder, so +that he fell, but his own spear was not broken. +</p> + +<p> +“By my faith,” cried Sir Ewaine, “yonder is a strong knight, and must have +slain Sir Key, and taken his armour! By his strength, I see it will be +hard to match him.” So saying he rode towards Sir Lancelot, who met <a class="pagenum" name="page140" id="page140" title="140"></a> him +halfway and struck him so fiercely, that at one blow he overthrew him +also. +</p> + +<p> +“Now,” said Sir Gawain, “will I encounter him.” So he took a good spear in +his hand, and guarded himself with his shield. And he and Sir Lancelot +rode against each other, with their horses at full speed, and furiously +smote each other on the middle of their shields; but Sir Gawain’s spear +broke short asunder, and Sir Lancelot charged so mightily upon him, that +his horse and he both fell, and rolled upon the ground. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” said Sir Lancelot, smiling, as he rode away from the four knights, +“heaven give joy to him who made this spear, for never held I better in my +hand.” +</p> + +<p> +But the four knights said to each other, “Truly one spear hath felled us +all.” +</p> + +<p> +“I dare lay my life,” said Sir Gawain, “it is Sir Lancelot. I know him by +his riding.” +</p> + +<p> +So they all departed for the court. +</p> + +<p> +And as Sir Lancelot rode still in the forest, he saw a black bloodhound, +running with its head towards the ground, as if it tracked a deer. And +following after it, he came to a great pool of blood. But the hound, ever +and anon looking behind, ran through a great marsh, and over a bridge, +towards an old manor house. So Sir Lancelot followed, and went into the +hall, and saw a dead knight lying there, whose wounds the hound licked. +And a lady stood behind him, weeping and wringing her hands, who cried, “O +knight! too great is the sorrow which thou hast brought me!” +</p> + +<p> +“Why say ye so?” replied Sir Lancelot; “for I never harmed this knight, +and am full sorely grieved to see thy sorrow.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page141" id="page141" title="141"></a> + +<p> +“Nay, sir,” said the lady, “I see it is not thou hast slain my husband, +for he that truly did that deed is deeply wounded, and shall never more +recover.” +</p> + +<p> +“What is thy husband’s name?” said Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +“His name,” she answered, “was Sir Gilbert—one of the best knights in all +the world; but I know not his name who hath slain him.” +</p> + +<p> +“God send thee comfort,” said Sir Lancelot, and departed again into the +forest. +</p> + +<p> +And as he rode, he met with a damsel who knew him, who cried out, “Well +found, my lord! I pray ye of your knighthood help my brother, who is sore +wounded and ceases not to bleed, for he fought this day with Sir Gilbert, +and slew him, but was himself well nigh slain. And there is a sorceress, +who dwelleth in a castle hard by, and she this day hath told me that my +brother’s wound shall never be made whole until I find a knight to go into +the Chapel Perilous, and bring from thence a sword and the bloody cloth in +which the wounded knight was wrapped.” +</p> + +<p> +“This is a marvellous thing!” said Sir Lancelot; “but what is your +brother’s name?” +</p> + +<p> +“His name, sir,” she replied, “is Sir Meliot de Logres.” +</p> + +<p> +“He is a Fellow of the Round Table,” said Sir Lancelot, “and truly will I +do my best to help him.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then, sir,” said she, “follow this way, and it will bring ye to the +Chapel Perilous. I will abide here till God send ye hither again; for if +ye speed not, there is no living knight who may achieve that adventure.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Lancelot departed, and when he came to the Chapel Perilous he +alighted, and tied his horse to the <a class="pagenum" name="page142" id="page142" title="142"></a> gate. And as soon as he was within +the churchyard, he saw on the front of the chapel many shields of knights +whom he had known, turned upside down. Then saw he in the pathway thirty +mighty knights, taller than any men whom he had ever seen, all armed in +black armour, with their swords drawn; and they gnashed their teeth upon +him as he came. But he put his shield before him, and took his sword in +hand, ready to do battle with them. And when he would have cut his way +through them, they scattered on every side and let him pass. Then he went +into the chapel, and saw therein no light but of a dim lamp burning. Then +he was aware of a corpse in the midst of the chapel, covered with a silken +cloth, and so stooped down and cut off a piece of the cloth, whereat the +earth beneath him trembled. Then saw he a sword lying by the dead knight, +and taking it in his hand, he hied him from the chapel. As soon as he was +in the churchyard again, all the thirty knights cried out to him with +fierce voices, “Sir Lancelot! lay that sword from thee, or thou diest!” +</p> + +<p> +“Whether I live or die,” said he, “ye shall fight for it ere ye take it +from me.” +</p> + +<p> +With that they let him pass. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure09.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure09" id="figure09" + title="Beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, “Sir Lancelot, leave that sword behind thee, or thou diest.”" + alt="Beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, “Sir Lancelot, leave that sword behind thee, or thou diest.”"> + +<p> +And further on, <a href="images/figure09.jpg">beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, “Sir +Lancelot, leave that sword behind thee, or thou diest.”</a> +</p> + +<p> +“I will not leave it,” said Sir Lancelot, “for any asking.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then, gentle knight,” said the damsel, “I pray thee kiss me once.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said Sir Lancelot, “that God forbid!” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” cried she, “I have lost all my labour! <a class="pagenum" name="page143" id="page143" title="143"></a> but hadst thou kissed me, +thy life’s days had been all done!” +</p> + +<p> +“Heaven save me from thy subtle crafts!” said Sir Lancelot; and therewith +took his horse and galloped forth. +</p> + +<p> +And when he was departed, the damsel sorrowed greatly, and died in fifteen +days. Her name was Ellawes, the sorceress. +</p> + +<p> +Then came Sir Lancelot to Sir Meliot’s sister, who, when she saw him, +clapped her hands and wept for joy, and took him to the castle hard by, +where Sir Meliot was. And when Sir Lancelot saw Sir Meliot, he knew him, +though he was pale as ashes for loss of blood. And Sir Meliot, when he saw +Sir Lancelot, kneeled to him and cried aloud, “O lord, Sir Lancelot! help +me!” +</p> + +<p> +And thereupon, Sir Lancelot went to him and touched his wounds with the +sword, and wiped them with the piece of bloody cloth. And immediately he +was as whole as though he had been never wounded. Then was there great joy +between him and Sir Meliot; and his sister made Sir Lancelot good cheer. +So on the morrow, he took his leave, that he might go to King Arthur’s +court, “for,” said he, “it draweth nigh the feast of Pentecost, and there, +by God’s grace, shall ye then find me.” +</p> + +<p> +And riding through many strange countries, over marshes and valleys, he +came at length before a castle. As he passed by he heard two little bells +ringing, and looking up, he saw a falcon flying overhead, with bells tied +to her feet, and long strings dangling from them. And as the falcon flew +past an elm-tree, the strings caught in the boughs, so that she could fly +no further. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page144" id="page144" title="144"></a> + +<p> +In the meanwhile, came a lady from the castle and cried, “Oh, Sir +Lancelot! as thou art the flower of all knights in the world, help me to +get my hawk, for she hath slipped away from me, and if she be lost, my +lord my husband is so hasty, he will surely slay me!” +</p> + +<p> +“What is thy lord’s name?” said Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +“His name,” said she, “is Sir Phelot, a knight of the King of Northgales.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair lady,” said Sir Lancelot, “since you know my name, and require me, +on my knighthood, to help you, I will do what I can to get your hawk.” +</p> + +<p> +And thereupon alighting, he tied his horse to the same tree, and prayed +the lady to unarm him. So when he was unarmed, he climbed up and reached +the falcon, and threw it to the lady. +</p> + +<p> +Then suddenly came down, out of the wood, her husband, Sir Phelot, all +armed, with a drawn sword in his hand, and said, “Oh, Sir Lancelot! now +have I found thee as I would have thee!” and stood at the trunk of the +tree to slay him. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, lady!” cried Sir Lancelot, “why have ye betrayed me?” +</p> + +<p> +“She hath done as I commanded her,” said Sir Phelot, “and thine hour is +come that thou must die.” +</p> + +<p> +“It were shame,” said Lancelot, “for an armed to slay an unarmed man.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou hast no other favour from me,” said Sir Phelot. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” cried Sir Lancelot, “that ever any knight should die weaponless!” +And looking overhead, he saw a great bough without leaves, and wrenched it +off the tree, and suddenly leaped down. Then Sir Phelot struck at <a class="pagenum" name="page145" id="page145" title="145"></a> him +eagerly, thinking to have slain him, but Sir Lancelot put aside the stroke +with the bough, and therewith smote him on the side of the head, till he +fell swooning to the ground. And tearing his sword from out his hands, he +shore his neck through from the body. Then did the lady shriek dismally, +and swooned as though she would die. But Sir Lancelot put on his armour, +and with haste took his horse and departed thence, thanking God he had +escaped that peril. +</p> + +<p> +And as he rode through a valley, among many wild ways, he saw a knight, +with a drawn sword, chasing a lady to slay her. And seeing Sir Lancelot, +she cried and prayed to him to come and rescue her. +</p> + +<p> +At that he went up, saying, “Fie on thee, knight! why wilt thou slay this +lady? Thou doest shame to thyself and all knights.” +</p> + +<p> +“What hast thou to do between me and my wife?” replied the knight. “I will +slay her in spite of thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou shall not harm her,” said Sir Lancelot, “till we have first fought +together.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” answered the knight, “thou doest ill, for this lady hath betrayed +me.” +</p> + +<p> +“He speaketh falsely,” said the lady, “for he is jealous of me without +cause, as I shall answer before Heaven; but as thou art named the most +worshipful knight in the world, I pray thee of thy true knighthood to save +me, for he is without mercy.” +</p> + +<p> +“Be of good cheer,” said Sir Lancelot; “it shall not lie within his power +to harm thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the knight, “I will be ruled as ye will have me.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Lancelot rode between the knight and the lady. <a class="pagenum" name="page146" id="page146" title="146"></a> And when they had +ridden awhile, the knight cried out suddenly to Sir Lancelot to turn and +see what men they were who came riding after them; and while Sir Lancelot, +thinking not of treason, turned to look, the knight, with one great +stroke, smote off the lady’s head. +</p> + +<p> +Then was Sir Lancelot passing wroth, and cried, “Thou traitor! Thou hast +shamed me for ever!” and, alighting from his horse, he drew his sword to +have slain him instantly; but the knight fell on the ground and clasped +Sir Lancelot’s knees, and cried out for mercy. “Thou shameful knight,” +answered Lancelot, “thou mayest have no mercy, for thou showedst none, +therefore arise and fight with me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said the knight, “I will not rise till thou dost grant me mercy.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now will I deal fairly by thee,” said Sir Lancelot; “I will unarm me to +my shirt, and have my sword only in my hand, and if thou canst slay me +thou shall be quit for ever.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will I never do,” said the knight. +</p> + +<p> +“Then,” answered Sir Lancelot, “take this lady and the head, and bear it +with thee, and swear to me upon thy sword never to rest until thou comest +to Queen Guinevere.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will I do,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“Now,” said Sir Lancelot, “tell me thy name.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is Pedivere,” answered the knight. +</p> + +<p> +“In a shameful hour wert thou born,” said Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Pedivere departed, bearing with him the dead lady and her head. And +when he came to Winchester, where the Queen was with King Arthur, he told +them <a class="pagenum" name="page147" id="page147" title="147"></a> all the truth; and afterwards did great and heavy penance many +years, and became an holy hermit. +</p> + +<p> +So, two days before the Feast of Pentecost, Sir Lancelot returned to the +court, and King Arthur was full glad of his coming. And when Sir Gawain, +Sir Ewaine, Sir Sagramour, and Sir Ector, saw him in Sir Key’s armour, +they knew well it was he who had smitten them all down with one spear. +Anon, came all the knights Sir Turquine had taken prisoners, and gave +worship and honour to Sir Lancelot. Then Sir Key told the King how Sir +Lancelot had rescued him when he was in near danger of his death; “and,” +said Sir Key, “he made the knights yield, not to himself, but me. And by +Heaven! because Sir Lancelot took my armour and left me his, I rode in +peace, and no man would have aught to do with me.” Then came the knights +who fought with Sir Lancelot at the long bridge and yielded themselves +also to Sir Key, but he said nay, he had not fought with them. “It is Sir +Lancelot,” said he, “that overcame ye.” Next came Sir Meliot de Logres, +and told King Arthur how Sir Lancelot had saved him from death. +</p> + +<p> +And so all Sir Lancelot’s deeds and great adventures were made known; how +the four sorceress-queens had him in prison; how he was delivered by the +daughter of King Bagdemagus, and what deeds of arms he did at the +tournament between the King of North Wales and King Bagdemagus. And so, at +that festival, Sir Lancelot had the greatest name of any knight in all the +world, and by high and low was he the most honoured of all men. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page148" id="page148" title="148"></a> + +<a name="chapter_x" id="chapter_x"></a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>Adventures of Sir Beaumains or Sir Gareth</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/a.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="a3" id="a3" Title="A" alt="Drop Case A"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +gain King Arthur held the Feast of Pentecost, with all the Table Round, +and after his custom sat in the banquet hall, before beginning meat, +waiting for some adventure. Then came there to the king a squire and said, +“Lord, now may ye go to meat, for here a damsel cometh with some strange +adventure.” So the king was glad, and sat down to meat. +</p> + +<p> +Anon the damsel came in and saluted him, praying him for succour. “What +wilt thou?” said the king. “Lord,” answered she, “my mistress is a lady of +great renown, but is at this time besieged by a tyrant, who will not +suffer her to go out of her castle; and because here in thy court the +knights are called the noblest in the world, I come to pray thee for thy +succour.” “Where dwelleth your lady?” answered the king. “What is her name, +and who is he that hath besieged her?” “For her name,” replied the damsel, +“as yet I may not tell it; but she is a lady of worship and great lands. +The tyrant that besiegeth her and wasteth her lands is called the Red +Knight of the Redlands.” “I know him not,” said <a class="pagenum" name="page149" id="page149" title="149"></a> Arthur. “But I know him, +lord,” said Sir Gawain, “and he is one of the most perilous knights in all +the world. Men say he hath the strength of seven; and from him I myself +once hardly escaped with life.” “Fair damsel,” said the king, “there be +here many knights that would gladly do their uttermost to rescue your +lady, but unless ye tell me her name, and where she dwelleth, none of my +knights shall go with you by my leave.” +</p> + +<p> +Now, there was a stripling at the court called Beaumains, who served in +the king’s kitchen, a fair youth and of great stature. Twelve months +before this time he had come to the king as he sat at meat, at +Whitsuntide, and prayed three gifts of him. And being asked what gifts, he +answered, “As for the first gift I will ask it now, but the other two +gifts I will ask on this day twelve months, wheresoever ye hold your high +feast.” Then said King Arthur, “What is thy first request?” “This, lord,” +said he, “that thou wilt give me meat and drink enough for twelve months +from this time, and then will I ask my other two gifts.” And the king +seeing that he was a goodly youth, and deeming that he was come of +honourable blood, had granted his desire, and given him into the charge of +Sir Key, the steward. But Sir Key scorned and mocked the youth, calling +him Beaumains, because his hands were large and fair, and putting him into +the kitchen, where he had served for twelve months as a scullion, and, in +spite of all his churlish treatment, had faithfully obeyed Sir Key. But +Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain were angered when they saw Sir Key so churlish +to a youth that had so worshipful a bearing, and ofttimes had they given +him gold and clothing. +</p> + +<p> +And now at this time came young Beaumains to the <a class="pagenum" name="page150" id="page150" title="150"></a> king, while the damsel +was there, and said, “Lord, now I thank thee well and heartily that I have +been twelve months kept in thy kitchen, and have had full sustenance. Now +will I ask my two remaining gifts.” “Ask,” said King Arthur, “on my good +faith.” “These, lord,” said he, “shall be my two gifts—the one, that thou +wilt grant me this adventure of the damsel, for to me of right it +belongeth; and the other, that thou wilt bid Sir Lancelot make me a +knight, for of him only will I have that honour; and I pray that he may +ride after me and make me a knight when I require him.” “Be it as thou +wilt,” replied the king. But thereupon the damsel was full wroth, and +said, “Shall I have a kitchen page for this adventure?” and so she took +horse and departed. +</p> + +<p> +Then came one to Beaumains, and told him that a dwarf with a horse and +armour were waiting for him. And all men marvelled whence these things +came. But when he was on horseback and armed, scarce any one at the court +was a goodlier man than he. And coming into the hall, he took his leave of +the king and Sir Gawain, and prayed Sir Lancelot to follow him. So he rode +after the damsel, and many of the court went out to see him, so richly +arrayed and horsed; yet he had neither shield nor spear. Then Sir Key +cried, “I also will ride after the kitchen boy, and see whether he will +obey me now.” And taking his horse, he rode after him, and said, “Know ye +not me, Beaumains?” “Yea,” said he, “I know thee for an ungentle knight, +therefore beware of me.” Then Sir Key put his spear in rest and ran at +him, but Beaumains rushed upon him with his sword in his hand, and +therewith, putting aside the spear, struck Sir Key so sorely in the side, +that he fell down, as <a class="pagenum" name="page151" id="page151" title="151"></a> if dead. Then he alighted, and took his shield and +spear, and bade his dwarf ride upon Sir Key’s horse. +</p> + +<p> +By this time, Sir Lancelot had come up, and Beaumains offering to tilt +with him, they both made ready. And their horses came together so fiercely +that both fell to the earth, full sorely bruised. Then they arose, and +Beaumains, putting up his shield before him, offered to fight Sir +Lancelot, on foot. So they rushed upon each other, striking, and +thrusting, and parrying, for the space of an hour. And Lancelot marvelled +at the strength of Beaumains, for he fought more like a giant than a man, +and his fighting was passing fierce and terrible. So, at the last, he +said, “Fight not so sorely, Beaumains; our quarrel is not such that we may +not now cease.” “True,” answered Beaumains; “yet it doth me good to feel +thy might, though I have not yet proved my uttermost.” “By my faith,” said +Lancelot, “I had as much as I could do to save myself from you unshamed, +therefore be in no doubt of any earthly knight.” “May I, then, stand as a +proved knight?” said Beaumains. “For that will I be thy warrant,” answered +Lancelot. “Then, I pray thee,” said he, “give me the order of knighthood.” +“First, then, must thou tell me of thy name and kindred,” said Sir +Lancelot. “If thou wilt tell them to no other, I will tell thee,” answered +he. “My name is Gareth of Orkney, and I am own brother to Sir Gawain.” +“Ah!” said Sir Lancelot, “at that am I full glad; for, truly, I deemed +thee to be of gentle blood.” So then he knighted Beaumains, and, after +that, they parted company, and Sir Lancelot, returning to the court, took +up Sir Key on his shield. And hardly did Sir Key escape with his life, +from the wound Beaumains had given him; but all men <a class="pagenum" name="page152" id="page152" title="152"></a> blamed him for his +ungentle treatment of so brave a knight. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Beaumains rode forward, and soon overtook the damsel; but she +said to him, in scorn, “Return again, base kitchen page! What art thou, +but a washer-up of dishes!” “Damsel,” said he, “say to me what thou wilt, +I will not leave thee; for I have undertaken to King Arthur to relieve thy +adventure, and I will finish it to the end, or die.” “Thou finish my +adventure!” said she—“anon, thou shalt meet one, whose face thou wilt not +even dare to look at.” “I shall attempt it,” answered he. So, as they rode +thus, into a wood, there met them a man, fleeing, as for his life. +“Whither fleest thou?” said Sir Beaumains. “O lord!” he answered, “help +me; for, in a valley hard by, there are six thieves, who have taken my +lord, and bound him, and I fear will slay him.” “Bring me thither,” said +Sir Beaumains. So they rode to the place, and Sir Beaumains rushed after +the thieves, and smote one, at the first stroke, so that he died; and +then, with two other blows, slew a second and third. Then fled the other +three, and Sir Beaumains rode after them, and overtook and slew them all. +Then he returned and unbound the knight. And the knight thanked him, and +prayed him to ride to his castle, where he would reward him. “Sir,” +answered Sir Beaumains, “I will have no reward of thee, for but this day +was I made knight by the most noble Sir Lancelot; and besides, I must go +with this damsel.” Then the knight begged the damsel to rest that night at +his castle. So they all rode thither, and ever the damsel scoffed at Sir +Beaumains as a kitchen boy, and laughed at him before the knight their +host, so that he set his meat <a class="pagenum" name="page153" id="page153" title="153"></a> before him at a lower table, as though he +were not of their company. +</p> + +<p> +And on the morrow, the damsel and Sir Beaumains took their leave of the +knight, and thanking him departed. Then they rode on their way till they +came to a great forest, through which flowed a river, and there was but +one passage over it, whereat stood two knights armed to hinder the way. +“Wilt thou match those two knights,” said the damsel to Sir Beaumains, “or +return again?” “I would not return,” said he, “though they were six.” +Therewith he galloped into the water, and swam his horse into the middle +of the stream. And there, in the river, one of the knights met him, and +they brake their spears together, and then drew their swords, and smote +fiercely at each other. And at the last, Sir Beaumains struck the other +mightily upon the helm, so that he fell down stunned into the water, and +was drowned. Then Sir Beaumains spurred his horse on to the land, where +instantly the other knight fell on him. And they also brake their spears +upon each other, and then drew their swords, and fought savagely and long +together. And after many blows, Sir Beaumains clove through the knight’s +skull down to the shoulders. Then rode Sir Beaumains to the damsel, but +ever she still scoffed at him, and said, “Alas! that a kitchen page should +chance to slay two such brave knights! Thou deemest now that thou hast +done a mighty deed, but it is not so; for the first knight’s horse +stumbled, and thus was he drowned—not by thy strength; and as for the +second knight, thou wentest by chance behind him, and didst kill him +shamefully.” “Damsel,” said Sir Beaumains, “say what ye list, I care not +so I may win your lady; <a class="pagenum" name="page154" id="page154" title="154"></a> and wouldst thou give me but fair language, all +my care were past; for whatsoever knights I meet, I fear them not.” “Thou +shalt see knights that shall abate thy boast, base kitchen knave,” replied +she; “yet say I this for thine advantage, for if thou followest me thou +wilt be surely slain, since I see all thou doest is but by chance, and not +by thy own prowess.” “Well damsel,” said he, “say what ye will, wherever +ye go I will follow.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rode on until the eventide, and still the damsel evermore kept +chiding Sir Beaumains. Then came they to a black space of land, whereon +was a black hawthorn tree, and on the tree there hung a black banner, and +on the other side was a black shield and spear, and by them a great black +horse, covered with silk; and hard by sat a knight armed in black armour, +whose name was the Knight of the Blacklands. When the damsel saw him, she +cried out to Beaumains, “Flee down the valley, for thy horse is not +saddled!” “Wilt thou for ever deem me coward?” answered he. With that came +the Black Knight to the damsel, and said, “Fair damsel, hast thou brought +this knight from Arthur’s court to be thy champion?” “Not so, fair +knight,” said she; “he is but a kitchen knave.” “Then wherefore cometh he +in such array?” said he; “it is a shame that he should bear thee company.” +“I cannot be delivered from him,” answered she: “for in spite of me he +rideth with me; and would to Heaven you would put him from me, or now slay +him, for he hath slain two knights at the river passage yonder, and done +many marvellous deeds through pure mischance.” “I marvel,” said the Black +Knight, “that any man of worship will fight with him.” “They know him +not,” said <a class="pagenum" name="page155" id="page155" title="155"></a> the damsel, “and think, because he rideth with me, that he is +well born.” “Truly, he hath a goodly person, and is likely to be a strong +man,” replied the knight; “but since he is no man of worship, he shall +leave his horse and armour with me, for it were a shame for me to do him +more harm.” +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Beaumains heard him speak thus, he said, “Horse or armour gettest +thou none of me, Sir knight, save thou winnest them with thy hands; +therefore defend thyself, and let me see what thou canst do.” “How sayest +thou?” answered the Black Knight. “Now quit this lady also, for it +beseemeth not a kitchen knave like thee to ride with such a lady.” “I am +of higher lineage than thou,” said Sir Beaumains, “and will straightway +prove it on thy body.” Then furiously they drove their horses at each +other, and came together as it had been thunder. But the Black Knight’s +spear brake short, and Sir Beaumains thrust him through the side, and his +spear breaking at the head, left its point sticking fast in the Black +Knight’s body. Yet did the Black Knight draw his sword, and smite at Sir +Beaumains with many fierce and bitter blows; but after they had fought an +hour and more, he fell down from his horse in a swoon, and forthwith died. +Then Sir Beaumains lighted down and armed himself in the Black Knight’s +armour, and rode on after the damsel. But notwithstanding all his valour, +still she scoffed at him, and said, “Away! for thou savourest ever of the +kitchen. Alas! that such a knave should by mishap destroy so good a +knight; yet once again I counsel thee to flee, for hard by is a knight who +shall repay thee!” “It may chance that I am beaten or slain,” answered Sir +Beaumains, “but I warn thee, fair <a class="pagenum" name="page156" id="page156" title="156"></a> damsel, that I will not flee away, nor +leave thy company or my quest, for all that ye can say.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon, as they rode, they saw a knight come swiftly towards them, dressed +all in green, who, calling to the damsel said, “Is that my brother, the +Black Knight, that ye have brought with you?” “Nay, and alas!” said she, +“this kitchen knave hath slain thy brother through mischance.” “Alas!” +said the Green Knight, “that such a noble knight as he was should be slain +by a knave’s hand. Traitor!” cried he to Sir Beaumains, “thou shalt die +for this! Sir Pereard was my brother, and a full noble knight.” “I defy +thee,” said Sir Beaumains, “for I slew him knightly and not shamefully.” +Then the Green Knight rode to a thorn whereon hung a green horn, and, when +he blew three notes, there came three damsels forth, who quickly armed +him, and brought him a great horse and a green shield and spear. Then did +they run at one another with their fullest might, and break their spears +asunder; and, drawing their swords, they closed in fight, and sorely smote +and wounded each other with many grievous blows. +</p> + +<p> +At last, Sir Beaumains’ horse jostled against the Green Knight’s horse, +and overthrew him. Then both alighted, and, hurtling together like mad +lions, fought a great while on foot. But the damsel cheered the Green +Knight, and said, “My lord, why wilt thou let a kitchen knave so long +stand up against thee?” Hearing these words, he was ashamed, and gave Sir +Beaumains such a mighty stroke as clave his shield asunder. When Sir +Beaumains heard the damsel’s words, and felt that blow, he waxed passing +wroth, and gave the Green Knight such a buffet on the helm that he fell on +his knees, and with another <a class="pagenum" name="page157" id="page157" title="157"></a> blow Sir Beaumains threw him on the ground. +Then the Green Knight yielded, and prayed him to spare his life. “All thy +prayers are vain,” said he, “unless this damsel who came with me pray for +thee.” “That will I never do, base kitchen knave,” said she. “Then shall +he die,” said Beaumains. “Alas! fair lady,” said the Green Knight, “suffer +me not to die for a word! O, Sir knight,” cried he to Beaumains, “give me +my life, and I will ever do thee homage; and thirty knights, who owe me +service, shall give allegiance to thee.” “All availeth not,” answered Sir +Beaumains, “unless the damsel ask me for thy life;” and thereupon he made +as though he would have slain him. Then cried the damsel, “Slay him not; +for if thou do thou shalt repent it.” “Damsel,” said Sir Beaumains, “at +thy command, he shall obtain his life. Arise, Sir knight of the green +armour, I release thee!” Then the Green Knight knelt at his feet, and did +him homage with his words. “Lodge with me this night,” said he, “and +to-morrow will I guide ye through the forest.” So, taking their horses, +they rode to his castle, which was hard by. +</p> + +<p> +Yet still did the damsel rebuke and scoff at Sir Beaumains, and would not +suffer him to sit at her table. “I marvel,” said the Green Knight to her, +“that ye thus chide so noble a knight, for truly I know none to match him; +and be sure, that whatsoever he appeareth now, he will prove, at the end, +of noble blood and royal lineage.” But of all this would the damsel take +no heed, and ceased not to mock at Sir Beaumains. On the morrow, they +arose and heard mass; and when they had broken their fast, took their +horses and rode on their way, the Green Knight conveying them through the +forest. <a class="pagenum" name="page158" id="page158" title="158"></a> Then, when he had led them for a while, he said to Sir Beaumains, +“My lord, my thirty knights and I shall always be at thy command +whensoever thou shalt send for us.” “It is well said,” replied he; “and +when I call upon you, you shall yield yourself and all your knights unto +King Arthur.” “That will we gladly do,” said the Green Knight, and so +departed. +</p> + +<p> +And the damsel rode on before Sir Beaumains, and said to him, “Why dost +thou follow me, thou kitchen boy? I counsel thee to throw aside thy spear +and shield, and flee betimes, for wert thou as mighty as Sir Lancelot or +Sir Tristram, thou shouldest not pass a valley near this place, called the +Pass Perilous.” “Damsel,” answered he, “let him that feareth flee; as for +me, it were indeed a shameful thing to turn after so long a journey.” As +he spake, they came upon a tower as white as snow, with mighty +battlements, and double moats round it, and over the tower-gate hung fifty +shields of divers colours. Before the tower walls, they saw a fair meadow, +wherein were many knights and squires in pavilions, for on the morrow +there was a tournament at that castle. +</p> + +<p> +Then the lord of the castle, seeing a knight armed at all points, with a +damsel and a page, riding towards the tower, came forth to meet them; and +his horse and harness, with his shield and spear, were all of a red +colour. When he came near Sir Beaumains, and saw his armour all of black, +he thought him his own brother, the Black Knight, and so cried aloud, +“Brother! what do ye here, within these borders?” “Nay!” said the damsel, +“it is not thy brother, but a kitchen knave of Arthur’s court, who hath +slain thy brother, and overcome thy other brother also, the Green Knight.” +“Now do I defy <a class="pagenum" name="page159" id="page159" title="159"></a> thee!” cried the Red Knight to Sir Beaumains, and put his +spear in rest and spurred his horse. Then both knights turned back a +little space, and ran together with all their might, till their horses +fell to the earth. Then, with their swords, they fought fiercely for the +space of three hours. And at last, Sir Beaumains overcame his foe, and +smote him to the ground. Then the Red Knight prayed his mercy, and said, +“Slay me not, noble knight, and I will yield to thee with sixty knights +that do my bidding.” “All avails not,” answered Sir Beaumains, “save this +damsel pray me to release thee.” Then did he lift his sword to slay him; +but the damsel cried aloud, “Slay him not, Beaumains, for he is a noble +knight.” Then Sir Beaumains bade him rise up and thank the damsel, which +straightway he did, and afterwards invited them to his castle, and made +them goodly cheer. +</p> + +<p> +But notwithstanding all Sir Beaumains’ mighty deeds, the damsel ceased not +to revile and chide him, at which the Red Knight marvelled much; and +caused his sixty knights to watch Sir Beaumains, that no villainy might +happen to him. And on the morrow, they heard mass and broke their fast, +and the Red Knight came before Sir Beaumains, with his sixty knights, and +proffered him homage and fealty. “I thank thee,” answered he; “and when I +call upon thee thou shalt come before my lord King Arthur at his court, +and yield yourselves to him.” “That will we surely do,” said the Red +Knight. So Sir Beaumains and the damsel departed. +</p> + +<p> +And as she constantly reviled him and tormented him, he said to her, +“Damsel, ye are discourteous thus always to rebuke me, for I have done you +service; and for all your threats of knights that shall destroy me, all +they <a class="pagenum" name="page160" id="page160" title="160"></a> who come lie in the dust before me. Now, therefore, I pray you +rebuke me no more till you see me beaten or a recreant, and then bid me go +from you.” “There shall soon meet thee a knight who shall repay thee all +thy deeds, thou boaster,” answered she, “for, save King Arthur, he is the +man of most worship in the world.” “It will be the greater honour to +encounter him,” said Sir Beaumains. +</p> + +<p> +Soon after, they saw before them a city passing fair, and between them and +the city was a meadow newly mown, wherein were many goodly tents. “Seest +thou yonder blue pavilion?” said the damsel to Sir Beaumains; “it is Sir +Perseant’s, the lord of that great city, whose custom is, in all fair +weather, to lie in this meadow, and joust with his knights.” +</p> + +<p> +And as she spake, Sir Perseant, who had espied them coming, sent a +messenger to meet Sir Beaumains, and to ask him if he came in war or +peace. “Say to thy lord,” he answered, “that I care not whether of the +twain it be.” So when the messenger gave this reply, Sir Perseant came out +to fight with Sir Beaumains. And making ready, they rode their steeds +against each other; and when their spears were shivered asunder, they +fought with their swords. And for more than two hours did they hack and +hew at each other, till their shields and hauberks were all dinted with +many blows, and they themselves were sorely wounded. And at the last, Sir +Beaumains smote Sir Perseant on the helm, so that he fell grovelling on +the earth. And when he unlaced his helm to slay him, the damsel prayed for +his life. “That will I grant gladly,” answered Sir Beaumains, “for it were +pity such a noble knight should die.” “Grammercy!” <a class="pagenum" name="page161" id="page161" title="161"></a> said Sir Perseant, +“for now I certainly know that it was thou who slewest my brother, the +Black Knight, Sir Pereard; and overcame my brothers, the Green Knight, Sir +Pertolope, and the Red Knight, Sir Perimones; and since thou hast overcome +me also, I will do thee homage and fealty, and place at thy command one +hundred knights to do thy bidding.” +</p> + +<p> +But when the damsel saw Sir Perseant overthrown, she marvelled greatly at +the might of Sir Beaumains, and said, “What manner of man may ye be, for +now am I sure that ye be come of noble blood? And truly, never did woman +revile knight as I have done thee, and yet ye have ever courteously borne +with me, which surely never had been were ye not of gentle blood and +lineage.” +</p> + +<img src="images/figure10.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure10" id="figure10" + title="“Lady,” replied Sir Beaumains, “a knight is little worth who may not bear with a damsel.”" + alt="“Lady,” replied Sir Beaumains, “a knight is little worth who may not bear with a damsel.”"> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure10.jpg">“Lady,” replied Sir Beaumains, “a knight is little worth who may not bear +with a damsel;</a> and so whatsoever ye said to me I took no heed, save only +that at times when your scorn angered me, it made me all the stronger +against those with whom I fought, and thus have ye furthered me in my +battles. But whether I be born of gentle blood or no, I have done you +gentle service, and peradventure will do better still, ere I depart from +you.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said she, weeping at his courtesy, “forgive me, fair Sir +Beaumains, all that I have missaid and misdone against you.” “With all my +heart,” said he; “and since you now speak fairly to me, I am passing glad +of heart, and methinks I have the strength to overcome whatever knights I +shall henceforth encounter.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Perseant prayed them to come to his pavilion, and set before them +wines and spices, and made them great cheer. So they rested that night; +and on the morrow, the damsel and Sir Beaumains rose, and heard <a class="pagenum" name="page162" id="page162" title="162"></a> mass. And +when they had broken their fast, they took their leave of Sir Perseant. +“Fair damsel,” said he “whither lead ye this knight?” “Sir,” answered she, +“to the Castle Dangerous, where my sister is besieged by the Knight of the +Redlands.” “I know him well,” said Sir Perseant, “for the most perilous +knight alive—a man without mercy, and with the strength of seven men. God +save thee, Sir Beaumains, from him! and enable thee to overcome him, for +the Lady Lyones, whom he besiegeth, is as fair a lady as there liveth in +this world.” “Thou sayest truth, sir,” said the damsel; “for I am her +sister; and men call me Linet, or the Wild Maiden.” “Now, I would have +thee know,” said Sir Perseant to Sir Beaumains, “that the Knight of the +Redlands hath kept that siege more than two years, and prolongeth the time +hoping that Sir Lancelot, or Sir Tristram, or Sir Lamoracke, may come and +battle with him; for these three knights divide between them all +knighthood; and thou if thou mayest match the Knight of the Redlands, +shall well be called the fourth knight of the world.” “Sir,” said Sir +Beaumains, “I would fain have that good fame; and truly, I am come of +great and honourable lineage. And so that you and this fair damsel will +conceal it, I will tell ye my descent.” And when they swore to keep it +secret, he told them, “My name is Sir Gareth of Orkney, my father was King +Lot, and my mother the Lady Belisent, King Arthur’s sister. Sir Gawain, +Sir Agravain, and Sir Gaheris, are my brethren, and I am the youngest of +them all. But, as yet King Arthur and the court know me not, who I am.” +When he had thus told them, they both wondered greatly. +</p> + +<p> +And the damsel Linet sent the dwarf forward to her <a class="pagenum" name="page163" id="page163" title="163"></a> sister, to tell her of +their coming. Then did Dame Lyones inquire what manner of man the knight +was who was coming to her rescue. And the dwarf told her of all Sir +Beaumains’ deeds by the way: how he had overthrown Sir Key, and left him +for dead; how he had battled with Sir Lancelot, and was knighted of him; +how he had fought with, and slain, the thieves; how he had overcome the +two knights who kept the river passage; how he had fought with, and slain, +the Black Knight; and how he had overcome the Green Knight, the Red +Knight, and last of all, the Blue Knight, Sir Perseant. Then was Dame +Lyones passing glad, and sent the dwarf back to Sir Beaumains with great +gifts, thanking him for his courtesy, in taking such a labour on him for +her sake, and praying him to be of good heart and courage. And as the +dwarf returned, he met the Knight of the Redlands, who asked him whence he +came. “I came here with the sister of my lady of the castle,” said the +dwarf, “who hath been now to King Arthur’s court and brought a knight with +her to take her battle on him.” “Then is her travail lost,” replied the +knight; “for, though she had brought Sir Lancelot, Sir Tristram, Sir +Lamoracke, or Sir Gawain, I count myself their equal, and who besides +shall be so called?” Then the dwarf told the knight what deeds Sir +Beaumains had done; but he answered, “I care not for him, whosoever he be, +for I shall shortly overcome him, and give him shameful death, as to so +many others I have done.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the damsel Linet and Sir Beaumains left Sir Perseant, and rode on +through a forest to a large plain, where they saw many pavilions, and hard +by, a castle passing fair. +</p> + +<p> +But as they came near Sir Beaumains saw upon the <a class="pagenum" name="page164" id="page164" title="164"></a> branches of some trees +which grew there, the dead bodies of forty knights hanging, with rich +armour on them, their shields and swords about their necks, and golden +spurs upon their heels. “What meaneth this?” said he, amazed. “Lose not +thy courage, fair sir,” replied the damsel, “at this shameful sight, for +all these knights came hither to rescue my sister; and when the Knight of +the Redlands had overcome them, he put them to this piteous death, without +mercy; and in such wise will he treat thee also unless thou bearest thee +more valiantly than they.” “Truly he useth shameful customs,” said Sir +Beaumains; “and it is a marvel that he hath endured so long.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rode onward to the castle walls, and found them double-moated, and +heard the sea waves dashing on one side the walls. Then said the damsel, +“See you that ivory horn hanging upon the sycamore-tree? The Knight of the +Redlands hath hung it there, that any knight may blow thereon, and then +will he himself come out and fight with him. But I pray thee sound it not +till high noontide, for now it is but daybreak, and till noon his strength +increases to the might of seven men.” “Let that be as it may, fair +damsel,” answered he, “for were he stronger knight than ever lived, I +would not fail him. Either will I defeat him at his mightiest, or die +knightly in the field.” With that he spurred his horse unto the sycamore, +and blew the ivory horn so eagerly, that all the castle rang its echoes. +Instantly, all the knights who were in the pavilions ran forth, and those +within the castle looked out from the windows, or above the walls. And the +Knight of the Redlands, arming himself quickly in blood-red armour, with +spear, and shield, and horse’s trappings of like colour, rode forth into a +little <a class="pagenum" name="page165" id="page165" title="165"></a> valley by the castle walls, so that all in the castle, and at the +siege, might see the battle. +</p> + +<p> +“Be of good cheer,” said the damsel Linet to Sir Beaumains, “for thy +deadly enemy now cometh; and at yonder window is my lady and sister, Dame +Lyones.” “In good sooth,” said Sir Beaumains, “she is the fairest lady I +have ever seen, and I would wish no better quarrel than to fight for her.” +With that, he looked up to the window, and saw the Lady Lyones, who waved +her handkerchief to her sister and to him to cheer them. Then called the +Knight of the Redlands to Sir Beaumains, “Leave now thy gazing, Sir +knight, and turn to me, for I warn thee that lady is mine.” “She loveth +none of thy fellowship,” he answered; “but know this, that I love her, and +will rescue her from thee, or die.” “Say ye so!” said the Red Knight. +“Take ye no warning from those knights that hang on yonder trees?” “For +shame that thou so boastest!” said Sir Beaumains. “Be sure that sight hath +raised a hatred for thee that will not lightly be put out, and given me +not fear, but rage.” “Sir knight, defend thyself,” said the Knight of the +Redlands, “for we will talk no longer.” +</p> + +<p> +Then did they put their spears in rest, and came together at the fullest +speed of their horses, and smote each other in the midst of their shields, +so that their horses’ harness sundered by the shock, and they fell to the +ground. And both lay there so long time, stunned, that many deemed their +necks were broken. And all men said the strange knight was a strong man, +and a noble jouster, for none had ever yet so matched the Knight of the +Redlands. Then, in a while, they rose, and putting up their shields before +them, drew their swords, and <a class="pagenum" name="page166" id="page166" title="166"></a> fought with fury, running at each other like +wild beasts—now striking such buffets that both reeled backwards, now +hewing at each other till they shore the harness off in pieces, and left +their bodies naked and unarmed. And thus they fought till noon was past, +when, for a time they rested to get breath, so sorely staggering and +bleeding, that many who beheld them wept for pity. Then they renewed the +battle—sometimes rushing so furiously together, that both fell to the +ground, and anon changing swords in their confusion. Thus they endured, +and lashed, and struggled, until eventide, and none who saw knew which was +the likeliest to win; for though the Knight of the Redlands was a wily and +subtle warrior, his subtlety made Sir Beaumains wilier and wiser too. So +once again they rested for a little space, and took their helms off to +find breath. +</p> + +<p> +But when Sir Beaumains’ helm was off, he looked up to Dame Lyones, where +she leaned, gazing and weeping, from her window. And when he saw the +sweetness of her smiling, all his heart was light and joyful, and starting +up, he bade the Knight of the Redlands make ready. Then did they lace +their helms and fight together yet afresh, as though they had never fought +before. And at the last, the Knight of the Redlands with a sudden stroke +smote Sir Beaumains on the hand, so that his sword fell from it, and with +a second stroke upon the helm he drove him to the earth. Then cried aloud +the damsel Linet, “Alas! Sir Beaumains, see how my sister weepeth to +behold thee fallen!” And when Sir Beaumains heard her words, he sprang +upon his feet with strength, and leaping to his sword, he caught it; and +with many heavy blows pressed so sorely on the Knight of the Redlands, +that in the <a class="pagenum" name="page167" id="page167" title="167"></a> end he smote his sword from out his hand, and, with a mighty +blow upon the head, hurled him upon the ground. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Beaumains unlaced his helm, and would have straightway slain him, +but the Knight of the Redlands yielded, and prayed for mercy. “I may not +spare thee,” answered he, “because of the shameful death which thou hast +given to so many noble knights.” “Yet hold thy hand, Sir knight,” said he, +“and hear the cause. I loved once a fair damsel, whose brother was slain, +as she told me, by a knight of Arthur’s court, either Sir Lancelot, or Sir +Gawain; and she prayed me, as I truly loved her, and by the faith of my +knighthood, to labour daily in deeds of arms, till I should meet with him; +and to put all knights of the Round Table whom I should overcome to a +villainous death. And this I swore to her.” Then prayed the earls, and +knights, and barons, who stood round Sir Beaumains, to spare the Red +Knight’s life. “Truly,” replied he, “I am loth to slay him, +notwithstanding he hath done such shameful deeds. And inasmuch as what he +did was done to please his lady and to gain her love, I blame him less, +and for your sakes I will release him. But on this agreement only shall he +hold his life—that straightway he depart into the castle, and yield him +to the lady there, and make her such amends as she shall ask, for all the +trespass he hath done upon her lands; and afterwards, that he shall go +unto King Arthur’s court, and ask the pardon of Sir Lancelot and Sir +Gawain for all the evil he hath done against them.” “All this, Sir knight, +I swear to do,” said the Knight of the Redlands; and therewith he did him +homage and fealty. +</p> + +<p> +Then came the damsel Linet to Sir Beaumains and the Knight of the +Redlands, and disarmed them, and <a class="pagenum" name="page168" id="page168" title="168"></a> staunched their wounds. And when the +Knight of the Redlands had made amends for all his trespasses, he departed +for the court. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Beaumains, being healed of his wounds, armed himself, and took +his horse and spear and rode straight to the castle of Dame Lyones, for +greatly he desired to see her. But when he came to the gate they closed it +fast, and pulled the drawbridge up. And as he marvelled thereat, he saw +the Lady Lyones standing at a window, who said, “Go thy way as yet, Sir +Beaumains, for thou shalt not wholly have my love until thou be among the +worthiest knights of all the world. Go, therefore, and labour yet in arms +for twelve months more, and then return to me.” “Alas! fair lady,” said +Sir Beaumains, “I have scarce deserved this of thee, for sure I am that I +have bought thy love with all the best blood in my body.” “Be not +aggrieved, fair knight,” said she, “for none of thy service is forgot or +lost. Twelve months will soon be passed in noble deeds; and trust that to +my death I shall love thee and not another.” With that she turned and left +the window. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Beaumains rode away from the castle very sorrowrul at heart, and +rode he knew not whither, and lay that night in a poor man’s cottage. On +the morrow he went forward, and came at noon to a broad lake, and thereby +he alighted, being very sad and weary, and rested his head upon his +shield, and told his dwarf to keep watch while he slept. +</p> + +<p> +Now, as soon as he had departed, the Lady Lyones repented, and greatly +longed to see him back, and asked her sister many times of what lineage he +was; but the damsel would not tell her, being bound by her oath to Sir +Beaumains, and said his dwarf best knew, So she <a class="pagenum" name="page169" id="page169" title="169"></a> called Sir Gringamors, +her brother, who dwelt with her, and prayed him to ride after Sir +Beaumains till he found him sleeping, and then to take his dwarf away and +bring him back to her. Anon Sir Gringamors departed, and rode till he came +to Sir Beaumains, and found him as he lay sleeping by the water-side. Then +stepping stealthily behind the dwarf he caught him in his arms and rode +off in haste. And though the dwarf cried loudly to his lord for help, and +woke Sir Beaumains, yet, though he rode full quickly after him, he could +not overtake Sir Gringamors. +</p> + +<p> +When Dame Lyones saw her brother come back, she was passing glad of heart, +and forthwith asked the dwarf his master’s lineage. “He is a king’s son,” +said the dwarf, “and his mother is King Arthur’s sister. His name is Sir +Gareth of Orkney, and he is brother to the good knight, Sir Gawain. But I +pray you suffer me to go back to my lord, for truly he will never leave +this country till he have me again.” But when the Lady Lyones knew her +deliverer was come of such a kingly stock, she longed more than ever to +see him again. +</p> + +<p> +Now as Sir Beaumains rode in vain to rescue his dwarf, he came to a fair +green road and met a poor man of the country, and asked him had he seen a +knight on a black horse, riding with a dwarf of a sad countenance behind +him. “Yea,” said the man, “I met with such a knight an hour agone, and his +name is Sir Gringamors. He liveth at a castle two miles from hence; but he +is a perilous knight, and I counsel ye not to follow him save ye bear him +goodwill.” Then Sir Beaumains followed the path which the poor man showed +him, and came to the castle. And riding to the gate in great anger, he +drew his sword, and cried aloud, “Sir Gringamors, thou <a class="pagenum" name="page170" id="page170" title="170"></a> traitor! deliver +me my dwarf again, or by my knighthood it shall be ill for thee!” Then Sir +Gringamors looked out of a window and said, “Sir Gareth of Orkney, leave +thy boasting words, for thou wilt not get thy dwarf again.” But the Lady +Lyones said to her brother, “Nay brother, but I will that he have his +dwarf, for he hath done much for me, and delivered me from the Knight of +the Redlands, and well do I love him above all other knights.” So Sir +Gringamors went down to Sir Gareth and cried him mercy, and prayed him to +alight and take good cheer. +</p> + +<p> +Then he alighted, and his dwarf ran to him. And when he was in the hall +came the Lady Lyones dressed royally like a princess. And Sir Gareth was +right glad of heart when he saw her. Then she told him how she had made +her brother take away his dwarf and bring him back to her. And then she +promised him her love, and faithfully to cleave to him and none other all +the days of her life. And so they plighted their troth to each other. Then +Sir Gringamors prayed him to sojourn at the castle, which willingly he +did. “For,” said he, “I have promised to quit the court for twelve months, +though sure I am that in the meanwhile I shall be sought and found by my +lord King Arthur and many others.” So he sojourned long at the castle. +</p> + +<p> +Anon the knights, Sir Perseant, Sir Perimones, and Sir Pertolope, whom Sir +Gareth had overthrown, went to King Arthur’s court with all the knights +who did them service, and told the king they had been conquered by a +knight of his named Beaumains. And as they yet were talking, it was told +the king there came another great lord with five hundred knights, who, +entering in, did homage, and declared himself to be the Knight of the +Redlands. “But my true <a class="pagenum" name="page171" id="page171" title="171"></a> name,” said he, “is Ironside, and I am hither sent +by one Sir Beaumains, who conquered me, and charged me to yield unto your +grace.” “Thou art welcome,” said King Arthur, “for thou hast been long a +foe to me and mine, and truly I am much beholden to the knight who sent +thee. And now, Sir Ironside, if thou wilt amend thy life and hold of me, I +will entreat thee as a friend, and make thee Knight of the Round Table; +but thou mayst no more be a murderer of noble knights.” Then the Knight of +the Redlands knelt to the king, and told him of his promise to Sir +Beaumains to use never more such shameful customs; and how he had so done +but at the prayer of a lady whom he loved. Then knelt he to Sir Lancelot +and Sir Gawain, and prayed their pardon for the hatred he had borne them. +</p> + +<p> +But the king and all the court marvelled greatly who Sir Beaumains was. +“For,” said the king, “he is a full noble knight.” Then said Sir Lancelot, +“Truly he is come of honourable blood, else had I not given him the order +of knighthood; but he charged me that I should conceal his secret.” +</p> + +<p> +Now as they talked thus it was told King Arthur that his sister, the Queen +of Orkney, was come to the court with a great retinue of knights and +ladies. Then was there great rejoicing, and the king rose and saluted his +sister. And her sons, Sir Gawain, Sir Agravain, and Sir Gaheris knelt +before her and asked her blessing, for during fifteen years last past they +had not seen her. Anon she said, “Where is my youngest son, Sir Gareth? +for I know that he was here a twelvemonth with you, and that ye made a +kitchen knave of him.” Then the king and all the knights knew that Sir +Beaumains and Sir Gareth <a class="pagenum" name="page172" id="page172" title="172"></a> were the same. “Truly,” said the king, “I knew +him not.” “Nor I,” said Sir Gawain and both his brothers. Then said the +king, “God be thanked, fair sister, that he is proved as worshipful a +knight as any now alive, and by the grace of Heaven he shall be found +forthwith if he be anywhere within these seven realms.” Then said Sir +Gawain and his brethren, “Lord, if ye will give us leave we will go seek +him.” But Sir Lancelot said, “It were better that the king should send a +messenger to Dame Lyones and pray her to come hither with all speed, and +she will counsel where ye shall find him.” “It is well said,” replied the +king; and sent a messenger quickly unto Dame Lyones. +</p> + +<p> +When she heard the message she promised she would come forthwith, and told +Sir Gareth what the messenger had said, and asked him what to do. “I pray +you,” said he, “tell them not where I am, but when my lord King Arthur +asketh for me, advise him thus—that he proclaim a tournament before this +castle on Assumption Day, and that the knight who proveth best shall win +yourself and all your lands.” So the Lady Lyones departed and came to King +Arthur’s court, and there was right nobly welcomed. And when they asked +her where Sir Gareth was, she said she could not tell. “But, lord,” said +she, “with thy goodwill I will proclaim a tournament before my castle on +the Feast of the Assumption, whereof the prize shall be myself and all my +lands. Then if it be proclaimed that you, lord, and your knights will be +there, I will find knights on my side to fight you and yours, and thus am +I sure ye will hear tidings of Sir Gareth.” “Be it so done,” replied the +king. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Gareth sent messengers privily to Sir Perseant <a class="pagenum" name="page173" id="page173" title="173"></a> and Sir Ironside, +and charged them to be ready on the day appointed, with their companies of +knights to aid him and his party against the king. And when they were +arrived he said, “Now be ye well assured that we shall be matched with the +best knights of the world, and therefore must we gather all the good +knights we can find.” +</p> + +<p> +So proclamation was made throughout all England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, +and Cornwall, and in the out isles and other countries, that at the Feast +of the Assumption of our Lady, next coming, all knights who came to joust +at Castle Perilous should make choice whether they would side with the +king or with the castle. Then came many good knights on the side of the +castle. Sir Epinogris, the son of the King of Northumberland, and Sir +Palomedes the Saracen, and Sir Grummore Grummorsum, a good knight of +Scotland, and Sir Brian des Iles, a noble knight, and Sir Carados of the +Tower Dolorous, and Sir Tristram, who as yet was not a knight of the Round +Table, and many others. But none among them knew Sir Gareth, for he took +no more upon him than any mean person. +</p> + +<p> +And on King Arthur’s side there came the King of Ireland and the King of +Scotland, the noble prince Sir Galahaut, Sir Gawain and his brothers Sir +Agravain and Sir Gaheris, Sir Ewaine, Sir Tor, Sir Perceval, and Sir +Lamoracke, Sir Lancelot also and his kindred, Sir Lionel, Sir Ector, Sir +Bors and Sir Bedivere, likewise Sir Key and the most part of the Table +Round. The two queens also, Queen Guinevere and the Queen of Orkney, Sir +Gareth’s mother, came with the king. So there was a great array both +within and without the castle, with all manner of feasting and minstrelsy. +</p> + +<p> +Now before the tournament began, Sir Gareth privily <a class="pagenum" name="page174" id="page174" title="174"></a> prayed Dame Lyones, +Sir Gringamors, Sir Ironside, and Sir Perseant, that they would in nowise +disclose his name, nor make more of him than of any common knight. Then +said Dame Lyones, “Dear lord, I pray thee take this ring, which hath the +power to change the wearer’s clothing into any colour he may will, and +guardeth him from any loss of blood. But give it me again, I pray thee, +when the tournament is done, for it greatly increaseth my beauty +whensoever I wear it.” “Grammercy, mine own lady,” said Sir Gareth, “I +wished for nothing better, for now I may be certainly disguised as long as +I will.” Then Sir Gringamors gave Sir Gareth a bay courser that was a +passing good horse, with sure armour, and a noble sword, won by his father +from a heathen tyrant. And then every knight made him ready for the +tournament. +</p> + +<p> +So on the day of the Assumption, when mass and matins were said, the +heralds blew their trumpets and sounded for the tourney. Anon came out the +knights of the castle and the knights of King Arthur, and matched +themselves together. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Epinogris, son of the King of Northumberland, a knight of the +castle, encountered Sir Ewaine, and both broke off their spears short to +their hands. Then came Sir Palomedes from the castle, and met Sir Gawain, +and they so hardly smote each other, that both knights and horses fell to +the earth. Then Sir Tristram, from the castle, encountered with Sir +Bedivere, and smote him to the earth, horse and man. Then the Knight of +the Redlands and Sir Gareth met with Sir Bors and Sir Bleoberis; and the +Knight of the Redlands and Sir Bors smote together so hard that their +spears burst, and their horses fell grovelling to the ground. And Sir +Bleoberis brake his <a class="pagenum" name="page175" id="page175" title="175"></a> spear upon Sir Gareth, but himself was hurled upon +the ground. When Sir Galihodin saw that, he bade Sir Gareth keep him, but +Sir Gareth lightly smote him to the earth. Then Sir Galihud got a spear to +avenge his brother, but was served in like manner. And Sir Dinadam, and +his brother La-cote-male-taile, and Sir Sagramour le Desirous, and Dodinas +le Savage, he bore down all with one spear. +</p> + +<p> +When King Anguish of Ireland saw this, he marvelled what that knight could +be who seemed at one time green and at another blue; for so at every +course he changed his colour that none might know him. Then he ran towards +him and encountered him, and Sir Gareth smote the king from his horse, +saddle and all. And in like manner he served the King of Scotland, and +King Urience of Gore, and King Bagdemagus. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Galahaut, the noble prince, cried out, “Knight of the many +colours! thou hast jousted well; now make thee ready to joust with me.” +When Sir Gareth heard him, he took a great spear and met him swiftly. And +the prince’s spear broke off, but Sir Gareth smote him on the left side of +the helm, so that he reeled here and there, and had fallen down had not +his men recovered him. “By my faith,” said King Arthur, “that knight of +the many colours is a good knight. I pray thee, Sir Lancelot du Lake, +encounter with him.” “Lord,” said Sir Lancelot, “by thy leave I will +forbear. I find it in my heart to spare him at this time, for he hath done +enough work for one day; and when a good knight doth so well it is no +knightly part to hinder him from this honour. And peradventure his quarrel +is here to-day, and he may be the best beloved of the Lady Lyones of all +that be here; for I see well he paineth and forceth himself to do great +deeds. Therefore, <a class="pagenum" name="page176" id="page176" title="176"></a> as for me, this day he shall have the honour; for +though I were able to put him from it, I would not.” “You speak well and +truly,” said the king. +</p> + +<p> +Then after the tilting, they drew swords, and there began a great +tournament, and there Sir Lancelot did marvellous deeds of arms, for first +he fought with both Sir Tristram and Sir Carados, albeit they were the +most perilous in all the world. Then came Sir Gareth and put them asunder, +but would not smite a stroke against Sir Lancelot, for by him he had been +knighted. Anon Sir Gareth’s helm had need of mending, and he rode aside to +see to it and to drink water, for he was sore athirst with all his mighty +feats of strength. And while he drank, his dwarf said to him, “Give me +your ring, lest ye lose it while ye drink.” So Sir Gareth took it off. And +when he had finished drinking, he rode back eagerly to the field, and in +his haste forgot to take the ring again. Then all the people saw that he +wore yellow armour. And King Arthur told a herald, “Ride and espy the +cognizance of that brave knight, for I have asked many who he is, and none +can tell me.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the herald rode near, and saw written round about his helmet in +letters of gold, “Sir Gareth of Orkney.” And instantly the herald cried +his name aloud, and all men pressed to see him. +</p> + +<p> +But when he saw he was discovered, he pushed with haste through all the +crowd, and cried to his dwarf, “Boy, thou hast beguiled me foully in +keeping my ring; give it me again, that I may be hidden.” And as soon as +he had put it on, his armour changed again, and no man knew where he had +gone. Then he passed forth from the field; but Sir Gawain, his brother, +rode after him. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page177" id="page177" title="177"></a> + +<p> +And when Sir Gareth had ridden far into the forest, he took off his ring, +and sent it back by the dwarf to the Lady Lyones, praying her to be true +and faithful to him while he was away. +</p> + +<p> +Then rode Sir Gareth long through the forest, till night fell, and coming +to a castle he went up to the gate, and prayed the porter to let him in. +But churlishly he answered “that he should not lodge there.” Then said Sir +Gareth, “Tell thy lord and lady that I am a knight of King Arthur’s court, +and for his sake I pray their shelter.” With that the porter went to the +duchess who owned the castle. “Let him in straightway,” cried she; “for +the king’s sake he shall not be harbourless!” and went down to receive +him. When Sir Gareth saw her coming, he saluted her, and said, “Fair lady, +I pray you give me shelter for this night, and if there be here any +champion or giant with whom I must needs fight, spare me till to-morrow, +when I and my horse shall have rested, for we are full weary.” “Sir +knight,” she said, “thou speakest boldly; for the lord of this castle is a +foe to King Arthur and his court, and if thou wilt rest here to-night thou +must agree, that wheresoever thou mayest meet my lord, thou must yield to +him as a prisoner.” “What is thy lord’s name, lady?” said Sir Gareth. “The +Duke de la Rowse,” said she. “I will promise thee,” said he, “to yield to +him, if he promise to do me no harm; but if he refuse, I will release +myself with my sword and spear.” +</p> + +<img src="images/figure11.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure11" id="figure11" + title="So he rode into the hall and alighted." + alt="So he rode into the hall and alighted."> + +<p> +“It is well,” said the duchess; and commanded the drawbridge to be let +down. <a href="images/figure11.jpg">So he rode into the hall and alighted.</a> And when he had taken off his +armour, the duchess and her ladies made him passing good cheer. And after +supper his bed was made in the hall, and there he <a class="pagenum" name="page178" id="page178" title="178"></a> rested that night. On +the morrow he rose and heard mass, and having broken his fast, took his +leave and departed. +</p> + +<p> +And as he rode past a certain mountain there met him a knight named Sir +Bendelaine, and cried unto him “Thou shalt not pass unless thou joust with +me or be my prisoner!” “Then will we joust,” replied Sir Gareth. So they +let their horses run at full speed, and Sir Gareth smote Sir Bendelaine +through his body so sorely that he scarcely reached his castle ere he fell +dead. And as Sir Gareth presently came by the castle, Sir Bendelaine’s +knights and servants rode out to revenge their lord. And twenty of them +fell on him at once, although his spear was broken. But drawing his sword +he put his shield before him. And though they brake their spears upon him, +one and all, and sorely pressed on him, yet ever he defended himself like +a noble knight. Anon, finding they could not overcome him, they agreed to +slay his horse; and having killed it with their spears, they set upon Sir +Gareth as he fought on foot. But every one he struck he slew, and drave at +them with fearful blows, till he had slain them all but four, who fled. +Then taking the horse of one of those that lay there dead, he rode upon +his way. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he came to another castle and heard from within a sound as of many +women moaning and weeping. Then said he to a page who stood without, “What +noise is this I hear?” “Sir knight,” said he, “there be within thirty +ladies, the widows of thirty knights who have been slain by the lord of +this castle. He is called the Brown Knight without pity, and is the most +perilous knight living, wherefore I warn thee to flee.” “That will I never +do,” said Sir Gareth, “for I fear him not.” Then the page saw the Brown +Knight coming and said to Gareth, “Lo! my lord is near.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page179" id="page179" title="179"></a> + +<p> +So both knights made them ready and galloped their horses towards each +other, and the Brown Knight brake his spear upon Sir Gareth’s shield; but +Sir Gareth smote him through the body so that he fell dead. At that he +rode into the castle and told the ladies he had slain their foe. Then were +they right glad of heart and made him all the cheer they could, and +thanked him out of measure. But on the morrow as he went to mass he found +the ladies weeping in the chapel upon divers tombs that were there. And he +knew that in those tombs their husbands lay. Then he bade them be +comforted, and with noble and high words he desired and prayed them all to +be at Arthur’s court on the next Feast of Pentecost. +</p> + +<p> +So he departed and rode past a mountain where was a goodly knight waiting, +who said to him, “Abide, Sir knight, and joust with me!” “How are ye +named?” said Sir Gareth. “I am the Duke de la Rowse,” answered he. “In +good sooth,” then said Sir Gareth, “not long ago I lodged within your +castle, and there promised I would yield to you whenever we might meet.” +“Art thou that proud knight,” said the duke, “who was ready to fight with +me? Guard thyself therefore and make ready.” So they ran together, and Sir +Gareth smote the duke from his horse. Then they alighted and drew their +swords, and fought full sorely for the space of an hour; and at the last +Sir Gareth smote the duke to the earth and would have slain him, but he +yielded. “Then must ye go,” said Sir Gareth, “to my lord King Arthur at +the next Feast of Pentecost and say that I, Sir Gareth, sent ye.” “As ye +will be it,” said the duke; and gave him up his shield for pledge. +</p> + +<p> +And as Sir Gareth rode alone he saw an armed knight coming towards him. +And putting the duke’s shield before him he rode fast to tilt with him; +and so they ran <a class="pagenum" name="page180" id="page180" title="180"></a> together as it had been thunder, and brake their spears +upon each other. Then fought they fiercely with their swords and lashed +together with such mighty strokes that blood ran to the ground on every +side. And after they had fought together for two hours and more, it +chanced the damsel Linet passed that way; and when she saw them she cried +out, “Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth, leave your fighting, for ye are +brethren!” At that they threw away their shields and swords, and took each +other in their arms and wept a great while ere they could speak. And each +gave to the other the honour of the battle, and there was many a kind word +between them. Then said Sir Gawain, “O my brother, for your sake have I +had great sorrow and labour! But truly I would honour you though ye were +not my brother, for ye have done great worship to King Arthur and his +court, and sent more knights to him than any of the Table Round, except +Sir Lancelot.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the damsel Linet staunched their wounds, and their horses being weary +she rode her palfrey to King Arthur and told him of this strange +adventure. When she had told her tidings, the king himself mounted his +horse and bade all come with him to meet them. So a great company of lords +and ladies went forth to meet the brothers. And when King Arthur saw them +he would have spoken hearty words, but for gladness he could not. And both +Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth fell down at their uncle’s knees and did him +homage, and there was passing great joy and gladness among them all. +</p> + +<p> +Then said the king to the damsel Linet, “Why cometh not the Lady Lyones to +visit her knight, Sir Gareth, who hath had such travail for her love?” +“She knoweth not, my lord, that he is here,” replied the damsel, “for +truly <a class="pagenum" name="page181" id="page181" title="181"></a> she desireth greatly to see him.” “Go ye and bring her hither,” +said the king. So the damsel rode to tell her sister where Sir Gareth was, +and when she heard it she rejoiced full heartily and came with all the +speed she could. And when Sir Gareth saw her, there was great joy and +comfort between them. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king asked Sir Gareth whether he would have that lady for his +wife? “My lord,” replied Sir Gareth, “know well that I love her above all +ladies living.” “Now, fair lady,” said King Arthur, “what say ye?” “Most +noble king,” she answered, “my lord, Sir Gareth, is my first love and +shall be my last, and if I may not have him for my husband I will have +none.” Then said the king to them, “Be well assured that for my crown I +would not be the cause of parting your two hearts.” +</p> + +<p> +Then was high preparation made for the marriage, for the king desired it +should be at the Michaelmas next following, at Kinkenadon-by-the-Sea. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Gareth sent out messages to all the knights whom he had overcome in +battle that they should be there upon his marriage-day. +</p> + +<p> +Therefore, at the next Michaelmas, came a goodly company to +Kinkenadon-by-the-Sea. And there did the Archbishop of Canterbury marry +Sir Gareth and the Lady Lyones with all solemnity. And all the knights +whom Sir Gareth had overcome were at the feast; and every manner of revels +and games was held with music and minstrelsy. And there was a great +jousting for three days. But because of his bride the king would not +suffer Sir Gareth to joust. Then did King Arthur give great lands and +fair, with store of gold, to Sir Gareth and his wife, that so they might +live royally together to their lives’ end. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page182" id="page182" title="182"></a> + +<a name="chapter_xi" id="chapter_xi"></a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The Adventures of Sir Tristram of Lyonesse</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/a.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="a4" id="a4" Title="A" alt="Drop Case A"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +gain King Arthur held high festival at Caerleon, at Pentecost, and +gathered round him all the fellowship of the Round Table, and so, +according to his custom, sat and waited till some adventure should arise, +or some knight return to court whose deeds and perils might be told. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he saw Sir Lancelot and a crowd of knights coming through the doors +and leading in their midst the mighty knight, Sir Tristram. As soon as +King Arthur saw him, he rose up and went through half the hall, and held +out both his hands and cried, “Right welcome to thee, good Sir Tristram, +as welcome art thou as any knight that ever came before into this court. A +long time have I wished for thee amongst my fellowship.” Then all the +knights and barons rose up with one accord and came around, and cried out, +“Welcome.” Queen Guinevere came also, and many ladies with her, and all +with one voice said the same. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king took Sir Tristram by the hand and led him to the Round Table +and said, “Welcome again for one of the best and gentlest knights in all +the world; <a class="pagenum" name="page183" id="page183" title="183"></a> a chief in war, a chief in peace, a chief in field and forest, +a chief in the ladies’ chamber—right heartily welcome to this court, and +mayest thou long abide in it.” +</p> + +<p> +When he had so said he looked at every empty seat until he came to what +had been Sir Marhaus’, and there he found written in gold letters, “This +is the seat of the noble knight, Sir Tristram.” Whereat they made him, +with great cheer and gladness, a Fellow of the Round Table. +</p> + +<p> +Now the story of Sir Tristram was as follows:— +</p> + +<p> +There was a king of Lyonesse, named Meliodas, married to the sister of +King Mark of Cornwall, a right fair lady and a good. And so it happened +that King Meliodas hunting in the woods was taken by enchantment and made +prisoner in a castle. When his wife Elizabeth heard it she was nigh mad +with grief, and ran into the forest to seek out her lord. But after many +days of wandering and sorrow she found no trace of him, and laid her down +in a deep valley and prayed to meet her death. And so indeed she did, but +ere she died she gave birth in the midst of all her sorrow to a child, a +boy, and called him with her latest breath Tristram; for she said, “His +name shall show how sadly he hath come into this world.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith she gave up her ghost, and the gentlewoman who was with her took +the child and wrapped it from the cold as well as she was able, and lay +down with it in her arms beneath the shadow of a tree hard by, expecting +death to come to her in turn. +</p> + +<p> +But shortly after came a company of lords and barons seeking for the +queen, and found the lady and the child and took them home. And on the +next day came King <a class="pagenum" name="page184" id="page184" title="184"></a> Meliodas, whom Merlin had delivered, and when he heard +of the queen’s death his sorrow was greater than tongue can tell. And anon +he buried her solemnly and nobly, and called the child Tristram as she had +desired. +</p> + +<p> +Then for seven years King Meliodas mourned and took no comfort, and all +that time young Tristram was well nourished; but in a while he wedded with +the daughter of Howell, King of Brittany, who, that her own children might +enjoy the kingdom, cast about in her mind how she might destroy Tristram. +So on a certain day she put poison in a silver cup, where Tristram and her +children were together playing, that when he was athirst he might drink of +it and die. But so it happened that her own son saw the cup, and, thinking +it must hold good drink, he climbed and took it, and drank deeply of it, +and suddenly thereafter burst and fell down dead. +</p> + +<p> +When the queen heard that, her grief was very great, but her anger and +envy were fiercer than before, and soon again she put more poison in the +cup. And by chance one day her husband finding it when thirsty, took it up +and was about to drink therefrom, when, seeing him, she sprang up with a +mighty cry and dashed it from his hands. +</p> + +<p> +At that King Meliodas, wondering greatly, called to mind the sudden death +of his young child, and taking her fiercely by the hand he cried: +</p> + +<p> +“Traitress, tell me what drink is in this cup or I will slay thee in a +moment;” and therewith pulling out his sword he swore by a great oath to +slay her if she straightway told him not the truth. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page185" id="page185" title="185"></a> + +<p> +“Ah, mercy, lord,” said she, and fell down at his feet; “mercy, and I will +tell thee all.” +</p> + +<p> +And then she told him of her plot to murder Tristram, that her own sons +might enjoy the kingdom. +</p> + +<p> +“The law shall judge thee,” said the king. +</p> + +<p> +And so anon she was tried before the barons, and condemned to be burnt to +death. +</p> + +<p> +But when the fire was made, and she brought out, came Tristram kneeling at +his father’s feet and besought of him a favour. +</p> + +<p> +“Whatsoever thou desirest I will give thee,” said the king. +</p> + +<p> +“Give me the life, then, of the queen, my stepmother,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou doest wrong to ask it,” said Meliodas; “for she would have slain +thee with her poisons if she could, and chiefly for thy sake she ought to +die.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said he, “as for that, I beseech thee of thy mercy to forgive it +her, and for my part may God pardon her as I do; and so I pray thee grant +me my boon, and for God’s sake hold thee to thy promise.” +</p> + +<p> +“If it must be so,” said the king, “take thou her life, for to thee I give +it, and go and do with her as thou wilt.” +</p> + +<p> +Then went young Tristram to the fire and loosed the queen from all her +bonds and delivered her from death. +</p> + +<p> +And after a great while by his good means the king again forgave and lived +in peace with her, though never more in the same lodgings. +</p> + +<p> +Anon was Tristram sent abroad to France in care of one named Governale. +And there for seven years he <a class="pagenum" name="page186" id="page186" title="186"></a> learned the language of the land, and all +knightly exercises and gentle crafts, and especially was he foremost in +music and in hunting, and was a harper beyond all others. And when at +nineteen years of age he came back to his father, he was as lusty and +strong of body and as noble of heart as ever man was seen. +</p> + +<p> +Now shortly after his return it befell that King Anguish of Ireland sent +to King Mark of Cornwall for the tribute due to Ireland, but which was now +seven years behindhand. To whom King Mark sent answer, if he would have it +he must send and fight for it, and they would find a champion to fight +against it. +</p> + +<p> +So King Anguish called for Sir Marhaus, his wife’s brother, a good knight +of the Round Table, who lived then at his court, and sent him with a +knightly retinue in six great ships to Cornwall. And, casting anchor by +the castle of Tintagil, he sent up daily to King Mark for the tribute or +the champion. But no knight there would venture to assail him, for his +fame was very high in all the realm for strength and hardihood. +</p> + +<p> +Then made King Mark a proclamation throughout Cornwall, that if any knight +would fight Sir Marhaus he should stand at the king’s right hand for +evermore, and have great honour and riches all the rest of his days. Anon +this news came to the land of Lyonesse, and when young Tristram heard it +he was angry and ashamed to think no knight of Cornwall durst assail the +Irish champion. “Alas,” said he, “that I am not a knight, that I might +match this Marhaus! I pray you give me leave, sir, to depart to King +Mark’s court and beg of his grace to make me knight.” +</p> + +<p> +“Be ruled by thy own courage,” said his father. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page187" id="page187" title="187"></a> + +<p> +So Tristram rode away forthwith to Tintagil to King Mark, and went up +boldly to him and said, “Sir, give me the order of knighthood and I will +fight to the uttermost with Sir Marhaus of Ireland.” +</p> + +<p> +“What are ye, and whence come ye?” said the king, seeing he was but a +young man, though strong and well made both in body and limb. +</p> + +<p> +“My name is Tristram,” said he, “and I was born in the country of +Lyonesse.” +</p> + +<p> +“But know ye,” said the king, “this Irish knight will fight with none who +be not come of royal blood and near of kin to kings or queens, as he +himself is, for his sister is the Queen of Ireland.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said Tristram, “Let him know that I am come both on my father’s and +my mother’s side of blood as good as his, for my father is King Meliodas +and my mother was that Queen Elizabeth, thy sister, who died in the forest +at my birth.” +</p> + +<p> +When King Mark heard that he welcomed him with all his heart, and knighted +him forthwith, and made him ready to go forth as soon as he would choose, +and armed him royally in armour covered with gold and silver. +</p> + +<p> +Then he sent Sir Marhaus word, “That a better man than he should fight +with him, Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, son of King Meliodas and of King +Mark’s own sister.” So the battle was ordained to be fought in an island +near Sir Marhaus’ ships, and there Sir Tristram landed on the morrow, with +Governale alone attending him for squire, and him he sent back to the land +when he had made himself ready. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Marhaus and Sir Tristram were thus left <a class="pagenum" name="page188" id="page188" title="188"></a> alone, Sir Marhaus said, +“Young knight Sir Tristram what doest thou here? I am full sorry for thy +rashness, for ofttimes have I been assailed in vain, and by the best +knights of the world. Be warned in time, return to them that sent thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair knight, and well-proved knight,” replied Sir Tristram, “be sure that +I shall never quit this quarrel till one of us be overcome. For this cause +have I been made knight, and thou shalt know before we part that though as +yet unproved, I am a king’s son and first-born of a queen. Moreover I have +promised to deliver Cornwall from this ancient burden, or to die. Also, +thou shouldst have known, Sir Marhaus, that thy valour and thy might are +but the better reasons why I should assail thee; for whether I win or lose +I shall gain honour to have met so great a knight as thou art.” +</p> + +<img src="images/figure12.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure12" id="figure12" + title="Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest against each other." + alt="Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest against each other."> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure12.jpg">Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest against each +other,</a> so that both knights and horses fell to the earth. But Sir Marhaus’ +spear smote Sir Tristram a great wound in the side. Then, springing up +from their horses, they lashed together with their swords like two wild +boars. And when they had stricken together a great while they left off +strokes and lunged at one another’s breasts and visors; but seeing this +availed not they hurtled together again to bear each other down. +</p> + +<p> +Thus fought they more than half the day, till both were sorely spent and +blood ran from them to the ground on every side. But by this time Sir +Tristram remained fresher than Sir Marhaus and better winded, and with a +mighty stroke he smote him such a buffet as cut through his helm into his +brain-pan, and there his sword stuck in <a class="pagenum" name="page189" id="page189" title="189"></a> so fast that thrice Sir Tristram +pulled ere he could get it from his head. Then fell Sir Marhaus down upon +his knees, and the edge of Sir Tristram’s sword broke off into his +brain-pan. And suddenly when he seemed dead, Sir Marhaus rose and threw +his sword and shield away from him and ran and fled into his ship. And +Tristram cried out after him, “Aha! Sir knight of the Round Table, dost +thou withdraw thee from so young a knight? it is a shame to thee and all +thy kin; I would rather have been hewn into a hundred pieces than have +fled from thee.” +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Marhaus answered nothing, and sorely groaning fled away. +</p> + +<p> +“Farewell, Sir knight, farewell,” laughed Tristram, whose own voice now +was hoarse and faint with loss of blood; “I have thy sword and shield in +my safe keeping, and will wear them in all places where I ride on my +adventures, and before King Arthur and the Table Round.” +</p> + +<p> +Then was Sir Marhaus taken back to Ireland by his company; and as soon as +he arrived his wounds were searched, and when they searched his head they +found therein a piece of Tristram’s sword; but all the skill of surgeons +was in vain to move it out. So anon Sir Marhaus died. +</p> + +<p> +But the queen, his sister, took the piece of sword-blade and put it safely +by, for she thought that some day it might help her to revenge her +brother’s death. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, Sir Tristram, being sorely wounded, sat down softly on a little +mound and bled passing fast; and in that evil case was found anon by +Governale and King Mark’s knights. Then they gently took him up and +brought him in a barge back to the land, and lifted him <a class="pagenum" name="page190" id="page190" title="190"></a> into a bed within +the castle, and had his wounds dressed carefully. +</p> + +<p> +But for a great while he lay sorely sick, and was likely to have died of +the first stroke Sir Marhaus had given him with the spear, for the point +of it was poisoned. And, though the wisest surgeons and leeches—both men +and women—came from every part, yet could he be by no means cured. At +last came a wise lady, and said plainly that Sir Tristram never should be +healed, until he went and stayed in that same country whence the poison +came. When this was understood, the king sent Sir Tristram in a fair and +goodly ship to Ireland, and by fortune he arrived fast by a castle where +the king and queen were. And as the ship was being anchored, he sat upon +his bed and harped a merry lay, and made so sweet a music as was never +equalled. +</p> + +<p> +When the king heard that the sweet harper was a wounded knight, he sent +for him, and asked his name. “I am of the country of Lyonesse,” he +answered, “and my name is Tramtrist;” for he dared not tell his true name +lest the vengeance of the queen should fall upon him for her brother’s +death. +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said King Anguish, “thou art right welcome here, and shalt have +all the help this land can give thee; but be not anxious if I am at times +cast down and sad, for but lately in Cornwall the best knight in the +world, fighting for my cause, was slain; his name was Sir Marhaus, a +knight of King Arthur’s Round Table.” And then he told Sir Tristram all +the story of Sir Marhaus’ battle, and Sir Tristram made pretence of great +surprise and sorrow, though he knew all far better than the king himself. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page191" id="page191" title="191"></a> + +<p> +Then was he put in charge of the king’s daughter, La Belle Isault, to be +healed of his wound, and she was as fair and noble a lady as men’s eyes +might see. And so marvellously was she skilled in medicine, that in a few +days she fully cured him; and in return Sir Tristram taught her the harp; +so, before long, they two began to love each other greatly. +</p> + +<p> +But at that time a heathen knight, Sir Palomedes, was in Ireland, and much +cherished by the king and queen. He also loved mightily La Belle Isault, +and never wearied of making her great gifts, and seeking for her favour, +and was ready even to be christened for her sake. Sir Tristram therefore +hated him out of measure, and Sir Palomedes was full of rage and envy +against Tristram. +</p> + +<p> +And so it befell that King Anguish proclaimed a great tournament to be +held, the prize whereof should be a lady called the Lady of the Launds, of +near kindred to the king: and her the winner of the tournament should wed +in three days afterwards, and possess all her lands. When La Belle Isault +told Sir Tristram of this tournament, he said, “Fair lady! I am yet a +feeble knight, and but for thee had been a dead man now: what wouldest +thou I should do? Thou knowest well I may not joust.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, Tristram,” said she, “why wilt thou not fight in this tournament? Sir +Palomedes will be there, and will do his mightiest; and therefore be thou +there, I pray thee, or else he will be winner of the prize.” +</p> + +<p> +“Madam,” said Tristram, “I will go, and for thy sake will do my best; but +let me go unknown to all men; and do thou, I pray thee, keep my counsel, +and help me to a disguise.” +</p> + +<p> +So on the day of jousting came Sir Palomedes, with a <a class="pagenum" name="page192" id="page192" title="192"></a> black shield, and +overthrew many knights. And all the people wondered at his prowess; for on +the first day he put to the worse Sir Gawain, Sir Gaheris, Sir Agravaine, +Sir Key, and many more from far and near. And on the morrow he was +conqueror again, and overthrew the king with a hundred knights and the +King of Scotland. But presently Sir Tristram rode up to the lists, having +been let out at a privy postern of the castle, where none could see. La +Belle Isault had dressed him in white armour and given him a white horse +and shield, and so he came suddenly into the field as it had been a bright +angel. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as Sir Palomedes saw him he ran at him with a great spear in rest, +but Sir Tristram was ready, and at the first encounter hurled him to the +ground. Then there arose a great cry that the knight with the black shield +was overthrown. And Palomedes sorely hurt and shamed, sought out a secret +way and would have left the field; but Tristram watched him, and rode +after him, and bade him stay, for he had not yet done with him. Then did +Sir Palomedes turn with fury, and lash at Sir Tristram with his sword; but +at the first stroke Sir Tristram smote him to the earth, and cried, “Do +now all my commands, or take thy death.” Then he yielded to Sir Tristram’s +mercy, and promised to forsake La Belle Isault, and for twelve months to +wear no arms or armour. And rising up, he cut his armour off him into +shreds with rage and madness, and turned and left the field: and Sir +Tristram also left the lists, and rode back to the castle through the +postern gate. +</p> + +<p> +Then was Sir Tristram long cherished by the King and Queen of Ireland, and +ever with La Belle Isault. But on a certain day, while he was bathing, +came the <a class="pagenum" name="page193" id="page193" title="193"></a> queen with La Belle Isault by chance into his chamber, and saw +his sword lie naked on the bed: anon she drew it from the scabbard and +looked at it a long while, and both thought it a passing fair sword; but +within a foot and a half of the end there was a great piece broken out, +and while the queen was looking at the gap, she suddenly remembered the +piece of sword-blade that was found in the brain-pan of her brother Sir +Marhaus. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure13.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure13" id="figure13" + title="And running to her chamber, she sought in her casket for the piece of iron ... and fitted it in Tristram’s sword." + alt="And running to her chamber, she sought in her casket for the piece of iron ... and fitted it in Tristram’s sword."> + +<p> +Therewith she turned and cried, “By my faith, this is the felon knight who +slew thy uncle!” <a href="images/figure13.jpg">And running to her chamber she sought in her casket for +the piece of iron from Sir Marhaus’ head and brought it back, and fitted +it in Tristram’s sword;</a> and surely did it fit therein as closely as it had +been but yesterday broke out. +</p> + +<p> +Then the queen caught the sword up fiercely in her hand, and ran into the +room where Sir Tristram was yet in his bath, and making straight for him, +had run him through the body, had not his squire, Sir Hebes, got her in +his arms, and pulled the sword away from her. +</p> + +<p> +Then ran she to the king, and fell upon her knees before him, saying, +“Lord and husband, thou hast here in thy house that felon knight who slew +my brother Marhaus!” +</p> + +<p> +“Who is it?” said the king. +</p> + +<p> +“It is Sir Tristram!” said she, “whom Isault hath healed.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” replied the king, “I am full grieved thereat, for he is a good +knight as ever I have seen in any field; but I charge thee leave thou him, +and let me deal with him.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king went to Sir Tristram’s chamber and <a class="pagenum" name="page194" id="page194" title="194"></a> found him all armed and +ready to mount his horse, and said to him, “Sir Tristram, it is not to +prove me against thee I come, for it were shameful of thy host to seek thy +life. Depart in peace, but tell me first thy name, and whether thou +slewest my brother, Sir Marhaus.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Tristram told him all the truth, and how he had hid his name, to +be unknown in Ireland; and when he had ended, the king declared he held +him in no blame. “Howbeit, I cannot for mine honour’s sake retain thee at +this court, for so I should displease my barons, and my wife, and all her +kin.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Tristram, “I thank thee for the goodness thou hast shown +me here, and for the great goodness my lady, thy daughter, hath shown me; +and it may chance to be more for thy advantage if I live than if I die; +for wheresoever I may be, I shall ever seek thy service, and shall be my +lady thy daughter’s servant in all places, and her knight in right and +wrong, and shall never fail to do for her as much as knight can do.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Tristram went to La Belle Isault, and took his leave of her. “O +gentle knight,” said she, “full of grief am I at your departing, for never +yet I saw a man to love so well.” +</p> + +<p> +“Madam,” said he, “I promise faithfully that all my life I shall be your +knight.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Tristram gave her a ring, and she gave him another, and after +that he left her, weeping and lamenting, and went among the barons, and +openly took his leave of them all, saying, “Fair lords, it so befalleth +that I now must depart hence; therefore, if there be any here whom I have +offended or who is grieved with me, let him now say it, and before I go I +will amend it to the utmost <a class="pagenum" name="page195" id="page195" title="195"></a> of my power. And if there be but one who +would speak shame of me behind my back, let him say it now or never, and +here is my body to prove it on—body against body.” +</p> + +<p> +And all stood still and said no word, though some there were of the +queen’s kindred who would have assailed him had they dared. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Tristram departed from Ireland and took the sea and came with a +fair wind to Tintagil. And when the news came to King Mark that Sir +Tristram was returned, healed of his wound, he was passing glad, and so +were all his barons. And when he had visited the king his uncle, he rode +to his father, King Meliodas, and there had all the heartiest welcome that +could be made him. And both the king and queen gave largely to him of +their lands and goods. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he came again to King Mark’s court, and there lived in great joy and +pleasure, till within a while the king grew jealous of his fame, and of +the love and favour shown him by all damsels. And as long as King Mark +lived, he never after loved Sir Tristram, though there was much fair +speech between them. +</p> + +<p> +Then it befell upon a certain day that the good knight Sir Bleoberis de +Ganis, brother to Sir Blamor de Ganis, and nigh cousin to Sir Lancelot of +the Lake, came to King Mark’s court and asked of him a favour. And though +the king marvelled, seeing he was a man of great renown, and a knight of +the Round Table, he granted him all his asking. Then said Sir Bleoberis, +“I will have the fairest lady in your court, at my own choosing.” +</p> + +<p> +“I may not say thee nay,” replied the king; “choose therefore, but take +all the issues of thy choice.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page196" id="page196" title="196"></a> + +<p> +So when he had looked around, he chose the wife of Earl Segwarides, and +took her by the hand, and set her upon horseback behind his squire, and +rode forth on his way. +</p> + +<p> +Presently thereafter came in the earl, and rode out straightway after him +in rage. But all the ladies cried out shame upon Sir Tristram that he had +not gone, and one rebuked him foully and called him coward knight, that he +would stand and see a lady forced away from his uncle’s court. But Sir +Tristram answered her, “Fair lady, it is not my place to take part in this +quarrel while her lord and husband is here to do it. Had he not been at +this court, peradventure I had been her champion. And if it so befall that +he speed ill, then may it happen that I speak with that foul knight before +he pass out of this realm.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon ran in one of Sir Segwarides’ squires, and told that his master was +sore wounded, and at the point of death. When Sir Tristram heard that, he +was soon armed and on his horse, and Governale, his servant, followed him +with shield and spear. +</p> + +<p> +And as he rode, he met his cousin Sir Andret, who had been commanded by +King Mark to bring home to him two knights of King Arthur’s court who +roamed the country thereabouts seeking adventures. +</p> + +<p> +“What tidings?” said Sir Tristram. +</p> + +<p> +“God help me, never worse,” replied his cousin; “for those I went to bring +have beaten and defeated me, and set my message at naught.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair cousin,” said Sir Tristram, “ride ye on your way, perchance if I +should meet them ye may be revenged.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page197" id="page197" title="197"></a> + +<p> +So Sir Andret rode into Cornwall, but Sir Tristram rode after the two +knights who had misused him, namely, Sir Sagramour le Desirous, and Sir +Dodinas le Savage. And before long he saw them but a little way before +him. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Governale, “by my advice thou wilt leave them alone, for they +be two well-proved knights of Arthur’s court.” +</p> + +<p> +“Shall I not therefore rather meet them?” said Sir Tristram, and, riding +swiftly after them, he called to them to stop, and asked them whence they +came, and whither they were going, and what they were doing in those +marches. +</p> + +<p> +Sir Sagramour looked haughtily at Sir Tristram, and made mocking of his +words, and said, “Fair knight, be ye a knight of Cornwall?” +</p> + +<p> +“Wherefore askest thou that?” said Tristram. +</p> + +<p> +“Truly, because it is full seldom seen,” replied Sir Sagramour, “that +Cornish knights are valiant with their arms as with their tongues. It is +but two hours since there met us such a Cornish knight, who spoke great +words with might and prowess, but anon, with little mastery, he was laid +on earth, as I trow wilt thou be also.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair lords,” said Sir Tristram, “it may chance I be a better man than he; +but, be that as it may, he was my cousin, and for his sake I will assail +ye both; one Cornish knight against ye two.” +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Dodinas le Savage heard this speech, he caught at his spear and +said, “Sir knight, keep well thyself;” and then they parted and came +together as it had been thunder, and Sir Dodinas’ spear split asunder; but +Sir Tristram smote him with so full a stroke as <a class="pagenum" name="page198" id="page198" title="198"></a> hurled him over his +horse’s crupper, and nearly brake his neck. Sir Sagramour, seeing his +fellow’s fall, marvelled who this new knight might be, and dressed his +spear, and came against Sir Tristram as a whirlwind; but Sir Tristram +smote him a mighty buffet, and rolled him with his horse down on the +ground; and in the falling he brake his thigh. +</p> + +<p> +Then, looking at them both as they lay grovelling on the grass, Sir +Tristram said, “Fair knights, will ye joust any more? Are there no bigger +knights in King Arthur’s court? Will ye soon again speak shame of Cornish +knights?” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou hast defeated us, in truth,” replied Sir Sagramour, “and on the +faith of knighthood I require thee tell us thy right name?” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye charge me by a great thing,” said Sir Tristram, “and I will answer +ye.” +</p> + +<p> +And when they heard his name the two knights were right glad that they had +met Sir Tristram, for his deeds were known through all the land, and they +prayed him to abide in their company. +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said he, “I must find a fellow-knight of yours, Sir Bleoberis de +Ganis, whom I seek.” +</p> + +<p> +“God speed you well,” said the two knights; and Sir Tristram rode away. +</p> + +<p> +Soon he saw before him in a valley Sir Bleoberis with Sir Segwarides’ wife +riding behind his squire upon a palfrey. At that he cried out aloud, +“Abide, Sir knight of King Arthur’s court, bring back again that lady or +deliver her to me.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not,” said Bleoberis, “for I dread no Cornish knight.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page199" id="page199" title="199"></a> + +<p> +“Why,” said Sir Tristram, “may not a Cornish knight do well as any other? +This day, but three miles back, two knights of thy own court met me, and +found one Cornish knight enough for both before we parted.” +</p> + +<p> +“What were their names?” said Sir Bleoberis. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir Sagramour le Desirous and Sir Dodinas le Savage,” said Sir Tristram. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” said Sir Bleoberis, amazed; “hast thou then met with them? By my +faith, they were two good knights and men of worship, and if thou hast +beat both thou must needs be a good knight; but for all that thou shalt +beat me also ere thou hast this lady.” +</p> + +<p> +“Defend thee, then,” cried out Sir Tristram, and came upon him swiftly +with his spear in rest. But Sir Bleoberis was as swift as he, and each +bore down the other, horse and all, on to the earth. +</p> + +<p> +Then they sprang clear of their horses, and lashed together full eagerly +and mightily with their swords, tracing and traversing on the right hand +and on the left more than two hours, and sometimes rushing together with +such fury that they both lay grovelling on the ground. At last Sir +Bleoberis started back and said, “Now, gentle knight, hold hard awhile, +and let us speak together.” +</p> + +<p> +“Say on,” said Sir Tristram, “and I will answer thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Bleoberis, “I would know thy name, and court, and +country.” +</p> + +<p> +“I have no shame to tell them,” said Sir Tristram. “I am King Meliodas’ +son, and my mother was sister to King Mark, from whose court I now come. +My name is Sir Tristram de Lyonesse.” <a class="pagenum" name="page200" id="page200" title="200"></a> “Truly,” said Sir Bleoberis, “I am +right glad to hear it, for thou art he that slew Sir Marhaus hand-to-hand, +fighting for the Cornish tribute; and overcame Sir Palomedes at the great +Irish tournament, where also thou didst overthrow Sir Gawain and his nine +companions.” +</p> + +<p> +“I am that knight,” said Sir Tristram, “and now I pray thee tell me thy +name.” +</p> + +<p> +“I am Sir Bleoberis de Ganis, cousin of Sir Lancelot of the Lake, one of +the best knights in all the world,” he answered. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou sayest truth,” said Sir Tristram; “for Sir Lancelot, as all men +know, is peerless in courtesy and knighthood, and for the great love I +bear to his name I will not willingly fight more with thee his kinsman.” +</p> + +<p> +“In good faith, sir,” said Sir Bleoberis, “I am as loth to fight thee +more; but since thou hast followed me to win this lady, I proffer thee +kindness, courtesy, and gentleness; this lady shall be free to go with +which of us she pleaseth best.” +</p> + +<p> +“I am content,” said Sir Tristram, “for I doubt not she will come to me.” +</p> + +<p> +“That shalt thou shortly prove,” said he, and called his squire, and set +the lady in the midst between them, who forthwith walked to Sir Bleoberis +and elected to abide with him. Which, when Sir Tristram saw, he was in +wondrous anger with her, and felt that he could scarce for shame return to +King Mark’s court. But Sir Bleoberis said, “Hearken to me, good knight, +Sir Tristram, because King Mark gave me free choice of any gift, and +because this lady chose to go with me, I took her; but now I have +fulfilled my quest and <a class="pagenum" name="page201" id="page201" title="201"></a> my adventure, and for thy sake she shall be sent +back to her husband at the abbey where he lieth.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Tristram rode back to Tintagil, and Sir Bleoberis to the abbey +where Sir Segwarides lay wounded, and there delivered up his lady, and +departed as a noble knight. +</p> + +<p> +After this adventure Sir Tristram abode still at his uncle’s court, till +in the envy of his heart King Mark devised a plan to be rid of him. So on +a certain day he desired him to depart again for Ireland, and there demand +La Belle Isault on his behalf, to be his queen—for ever had Sir Tristram +praised her beauty and her goodness, till King Mark desired to wed her for +himself. Moreover, he believed his nephew surely would be slain by the +queen’s kindred if he once were found again in Ireland. +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Tristram, scorning fear, made ready to depart, and took with him +the noblest knights that could be found, arrayed in the richest fashion. +</p> + +<p> +And when they were come to Ireland, upon a certain day Sir Tristram gave +his uncle’s message, and King Anguish consented thereto. +</p> + +<p> +But when La Belle Isault was told the tidings she was very sorrowful and +loth—yet made she ready to set forth with Sir Tristram, and took with her +Dame Bragwaine, her chief gentlewoman. Then the queen gave Dame Bragwaine, +and Governale, Sir Tristram’s servant, a little flask, and charged them +that La Belle Isault and King Mark should both drink of it on their +marriage day, and then should they surely love each other all their lives. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure14.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure14" id="figure14" + title="By the time they had finished drinking they loved each other so well that their love never more might leave them." + alt="By the time they had finished drinking they loved each other so well that their love never more might leave them."> + +<p> +Anon, Sir Tristram and Isault, with a great company, took the sea and +departed. And so it chanced that one <a class="pagenum" name="page202" id="page202" title="202"></a> day sitting in their cabin they were +athirst, and saw a little flask of gold which seemed to hold good wine. So +Sir Tristram took it up, and said, “Fair lady, this looketh to be the best +of wines, and your maid, Dame Bragwaine, and my servant, Governale, have +kept it for themselves.” Thereat they both laughed merrily, and drank each +after other from the flask, and never before had they tasted any wine +which seemed so good and sweet. <a href="images/figure14.jpg">But by the time they had finished drinking +they loved each other so well that their love nevermore might leave them</a> +for weal or woe. And thus it came to pass that though Sir Tristram might +never wed La Belle Isault, he did the mightiest deeds of arms for her sake +only all his life. +</p> + +<p> +Then they sailed onwards till they came to a castle called Pluere, where +they would have rested. But anon there ran forth a great company and took +them prisoners. And when they were in prison, Sir Tristram asked a knight +and lady whom they found therein wherefore they were so shamefully dealt +with; “for,” said he, “it was never the custom of any place of honour that +I ever came unto to seize a knight and lady asking shelter and thrust them +into prison, and a full evil and discourteous custom is it.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the knight, “know ye not that this is called the Castle +Pluere, or the weeping castle, and that it is an ancient custom here that +whatsoever knight abideth in it must needs fight the lord of it, Sir +Brewnor, and he that is the weakest shall lose his head. And if the lady +he hath with him be less fair than the lord’s wife, she shall lose her +head; but if she be fairer, then must the lady of the castle lose her +head.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page203" id="page203" title="203"></a> + +<p> +“Now Heaven help me,” said Sir Tristram, “but this is a foul and shameful +custom. Yet have I one advantage, for my lady is the fairest that doth +live in all the world, so that I nothing fear for her; and as for me, I +will full gladly fight for my own head in a fair field.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said the knight, “Look ye be up betimes to-morrow, and make you ready +and your lady.” +</p> + +<p> +And on the morrow came Sir Brewnor to Sir Tristram, and put him and Isault +forth out of prison, and brought him a horse and armour, and bade him make +ready, for all the commons and estates of that lordship waited in the +field to see and judge the battle. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Brewnor, holding his lady by the hand, all muffled, came forth, +and Sir Tristram went to meet him with La Belle Isault beside him, muffled +also. Then said Sir Brewnor, “Sir knight, if thy lady be fairer than mine, +with thy sword smite off my lady’s head; but if my lady be fairer than +thine, with my sword I will smite off thy lady’s head. And if I overcome +thee thy lady shall be mine, and thou shalt lose thy head.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” replied Sir Tristram, “this is a right foul and felon +custom, and rather than my lady shall lose her head will I lose my own.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said Sir Brewnor, “but the ladies shall be now compared together +and judgment shall be had.” +</p> + +<p> +“I consent not,” cried Sir Tristram, “for who is here that will give +rightful judgment? Yet doubt not that my lady is far fairer than thine +own, and that will I prove and make good.” Therewith Sir Tristram lifted +up the veil from off La Belle Isault, and stood beside her with his naked +sword drawn in his hand. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Brewnor unmuffled his lady and did in like <a class="pagenum" name="page204" id="page204" title="204"></a> manner. But when he +saw La Belle Isault he knew that none could be so fair, and all there +present gave their judgment so. Then said Sir Tristram, “Because thou and +thy lady have long used this evil custom, and have slain many good knights +and ladies, it were a just thing to destroy thee both.” +</p> + +<p> +“In good sooth,” said Sir Brewnor, “thy lady is fairer than mine, and of +all women I never saw any so fair. Therefore, slay my lady if thou wilt, +and I doubt not but I shall slay thee and have thine.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou shalt win her,” said Sir Tristram, “as dearly as ever knight won +lady; and because of thy own judgment and of the evil custom that thy lady +hath consented to, I will slay her as thou sayest.” +</p> + +<p> +And therewithal Sir Tristram went to him and took his lady from him, and +smote off her head at a stroke. +</p> + +<p> +“Now take thy horse,” cried out Sir Brewnor, “for since I have lost my +lady I will win thine and have thy life.” +</p> + +<p> +So they took their horses and came together as fast as they could fly, and +Sir Tristram lightly smote Sir Brewnor from his horse. But he rose right +quickly, and when Sir Tristram came again he thrust his horse through both +the shoulders, so that it reeled and fell. But Sir Tristram was light and +nimble, and voided his horse, and rose up and dressed his shield before +him, though meanwhile, ere he could draw out his sword, Sir Brewnor gave +him three or four grievous strokes. Then they rushed furiously together +like two wild boars, and fought hurtling and hewing here and there for +nigh two hours, and wounded each other full sorely. Then at the last Sir +Brewnor rushed upon Sir Tristram and took him in his <a class="pagenum" name="page205" id="page205" title="205"></a> arms to throw him, +for he trusted greatly in his strength. But Sir Tristram was at that time +called the strongest and biggest knight of the world; for he was bigger +than Sir Lancelot, though Sir Lancelot was better breathed. So anon he +thrust Sir Brewnor grovelling to the earth, and then unlaced his helm and +struck off his head. Then all they that belonged to the castle came and +did him homage and fealty, and prayed him to abide there for a season and +put an end to that foul custom. +</p> + +<p> +But within a while he departed and came to Cornwall, and there King Mark +was forthwith wedded to La Belle Isault with great joy and splendour. +</p> + +<p> +And Sir Tristram had high honour, and ever lodged at the king’s court. But +for all he had done him such services King Mark hated him, and on a +certain day he set two knights to fall upon him as he rode in the forest. +But Sir Tristram lightly smote one’s head off, and sorely wounded the +other, and made him bear his fellow’s body to the king. At that the king +dissembled and hid from Sir Tristram that the knights were sent by him; +yet more than ever he hated him in secret, and sought to slay him. +</p> + +<p> +So on a certain day, by the assent of Sir Andret, a false knight, and +forty other knights, Sir Tristram was taken prisoner in his sleep and +carried to a chapel on the rocks above the sea to be cast down. But as +they were about to cast him in, suddenly he brake his bonds asunder, and +rushing at Sir Andret, took his sword and smote him down therewith. Then, +leaping down the rocks where none could follow, he escaped them. But one +shot after him and wounded him full sorely with a poisoned arrow in the +arm. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page206" id="page206" title="206"></a> + +<p> +Anon, his servant Governale, with Sir Lambegus sought him and found him +safe among the rocks, and told him that King Mark had banished him and all +his followers to avenge Sir Andret’s death. So they took ship and came to +Brittany. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Tristram, suffering great anguish from his wound, was told to seek +Isoude, the daughter of the King of Brittany, for she alone could cure +such wounds. Wherefore he went to King Howell’s court, and said, “Lord, I +am come into this country to have help from thy daughter, for men tell me +none but she may help me.” And Isoude gladly offering to do her best, +within a month he was made whole. +</p> + +<p> +While he abode still at that court, an earl named Grip made war upon King +Howell, and besieged him; and Sir Kay Hedius, the king’s son, went forth +against him, but was beaten in battle and sore wounded. Then the king +praying Sir Tristram for his help, he took with him such knights as he +could find, and on the morrow, in another battle, did such deeds of arms +that all the land spake of him. For there he slew the earl with his own +hands, and more than a hundred knights besides. +</p> + +<p> +When he came back King Howell met him, and saluted him with every honour +and rejoicing that could be thought of, and took him in his arms, and +said, “Sir Tristram, all my kingdom will I resign to thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” answered he, “God forbid, for truly am I beholden to you for ever +for your daughter’s sake.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king prayed him to take Isoude in marriage, with a great dower of +lands and castles. To this Sir Tristram presently consenting anon they +were wedded at the court. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page207" id="page207" title="207"></a> + +<p> +But within a while Sir Tristram greatly longed to see Cornwall, and Sir +Kay Hedius desired to go with him. So they took ship; but as soon as they +were at sea the wind blew them upon the coast of North Wales, nigh to +Castle Perilous, hard by a forest wherein were many strange adventures +ofttimes to be met. Then said Sir Tristram to Sir Kay Hedius, “Let us +prove some of them ere we depart.” So they took their horses and rode +forth. +</p> + +<p> +When they had ridden a mile or more, Sir Tristram spied a goodly knight +before him well armed, who sat by a clear fountain with a strong horse +near him, tied to an oak-tree. “Fair sir,” said he, when they came near, +“ye seem to be a knight errant by your arms and harness, therefore make +ready now to joust with one of us, or both.” +</p> + +<p> +Thereat the knight spake not, but took his shield and buckled it round his +neck, and leaping on his horse caught a spear from his squire’s hand. +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Kay Hedius to Sir Tristram, “Let me assay him.” +</p> + +<p> +“Do thy best,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +So the two knights met, and Sir Kay Hedius fell sorely wounded in the +breast. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou hast well jousted,” cried Sir Tristram to the knight; “now make +ready for me!” +</p> + +<p> +“I am ready,” answered he, and encountered him, and smote him so heavily +that he fell down from his horse. Whereat, being ashamed, he put his +shield before him, and drew his sword, crying to the strange knight to do +likewise. Then they fought on foot for well nigh two hours, till they were +both weary. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page208" id="page208" title="208"></a> + +<p> +At last Sir Tristram said, “In all my life I never met a knight so strong +and well-breathed as ye be. It were a pity we should further hurt each +other. Hold thy hand, fair knight, and tell me thy name.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will I,” answered he, “if thou wilt tell me thine.” +</p> + +<p> +“My name,” said he, “is Sir Tristram of Lyonesse.” +</p> + +<p> +“And mine, Sir Lamoracke of Gaul.” +</p> + +<p> +Then both cried out together, “Well met;” and Sir Lamoracke said, “Sir, +for your great renown, I will that ye have all the worship of this battle, +and therefore will I yield me unto you.” And therewith he took his sword +by the point to yield him. +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said Sir Tristram, “ye shall not do so, for well I know ye do it of +courtesy, and not of dread.” And therewith he offered his sword to Sir +Lamoracke, saying, “Sir, as an overcome knight, I yield me unto you as +unto the man of noblest powers I have ever met with.” +</p> + +<p> +“Hold,” said Sir Lamoracke, “let us now swear together nevermore to fight +against each other.” +</p> + +<p> +Then did they swear as he said. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Tristram returned to Sir Kay Hedius, and when he was whole of his +wounds, they departed together in a ship, and landed on the coast of +Cornwall. And when they came ashore, Sir Tristram eagerly sought news of +La Belle Isault. And one told him in mistake that she was dead. Whereat, +for sore and grievous sorrow, he fell down in a swoon, and so lay for +three days and nights. +</p> + +<p> +When he awoke therefrom he was crazed, and ran into the forest and abode +there like a wild man many days; whereby he waxed lean and weak of body, +and <a class="pagenum" name="page209" id="page209" title="209"></a> would have died, but that a hermit laid some meat beside him as he +slept. Now in that forest was a giant named Tauleas, who, for fear of +Tristram, had hid himself within a castle, but when they told him he was +mad, came forth and went at large again. And on a certain day he saw a +knight of Cornwall, named Sir Dinaunt, pass by with a lady, and when he +had alighted by a well to rest, the giant leaped out from his ambush, and +took him by the throat to slay him. But Sir Tristram, as he wandered +through the forest, came upon them as they struggled; and when the knight +cried out for help, he rushed upon the giant, and taking up Sir Dinaunt’s +sword, struck off therewith the giant’s head, and straightway disappeared +among the trees. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, Sir Dinaunt took the head of Tauleas, and bare it with him to the +court of King Mark, whither he was bound, and told of his adventures. +“Where had ye this adventure?” said King Mark. +</p> + +<p> +“At a fair fountain in thy forest,” answered he. +</p> + +<p> +“I would fain see that wild man,” said the king. +</p> + +<p> +So within a day or two he commanded his knights to a great hunting in the +forest. And when the king came to the well, he saw a wild man lying there +asleep, having a sword beside him; but he knew not that it was Sir +Tristram. Then he blew his horn, and summoned all his knights to take him +gently up and bear him to the court. +</p> + +<p> +And when they came thereto they bathed and washed him, and brought him +somewhat to his right mind. Now La Belle Isault knew not that Sir Tristram +was in Cornwall; but when she heard that a wild man had been found in the +forest, she came to see him. And so <a class="pagenum" name="page210" id="page210" title="210"></a> sorely was he changed, she knew him +not. “Yet,” said she to Dame Bragwaine, “in good faith I seem to have +beheld him ofttimes before.” +</p> + +<p> +As she thus spoke a little hound, which Sir Tristram had given her when +she first came to Cornwall, and which was ever with her, saw Sir Tristram +lying there, and leapt upon him, licking his hands and face, and whined +and barked for joy. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas,” cried out La Belle Isault, “it is my own true knight, Sir +Tristram.” +</p> + +<p> +And at her voice Sir Tristram’s senses wholly came again, and wellnigh he +wept for joy to see his lady living. +</p> + +<p> +But never would the hound depart from Tristram; and when King Mark and +other knights came up to see him, it sat upon his body and bayed at all +who came too near. Then one of the knights said, “Surely this is Sir +Tristram; I see it by the hound.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said the king, “it cannot be,” and asked Sir Tristram on his faith +who he was. +</p> + +<p> +“My name,” said he, “is Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, and now ye may do what +ye list with me.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king said, “It repents me that ye are recovered,” and sought to +make his barons slay him. But most of them would not assent thereto, and +counselled him instead to banish Tristram for ten years again from +Cornwall, for returning without orders from the king. So he was sworn to +depart forthwith. +</p> + +<p> +And as he went towards the ship a knight of King Arthur, named Sir +Dinadan, who sought him, came and said, “Fair knight, ere that you pass +out of this country, I pray you joust with me!” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page211" id="page211" title="211"></a> + +<p> +“With a good will,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +Then they ran together, and Sir Tristram lightly smote him from his horse. +Anon he prayed Sir Tristram’s leave to bear him company, and when he had +consented they rode together to the ship. +</p> + +<p> +Then was Sir Tristram full of bitterness of heart, and said to all the +knights who took him to the shore, “Greet well King Mark and all mine +enemies from me, and tell them I will come again when I may. Well am I now +rewarded for slaying Sir Marhaus, and delivering this kingdom from its +bondage, and for the perils wherewithal I brought La Belle Isault from +Ireland to the king, and rescued her at the Castle Pluere, and for the +slaying of the giant Tauleas, and all the other deeds that I have done for +Cornwall and King Mark.” Thus angrily and passing bitterly he spake, and +went his way. +</p> + +<p> +And after sailing awhile the ship stayed at a landing-place upon the coast +of Wales; and there Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan alighted, and on the +shore they met two knights, Sir Ector and Sir Bors. And Sir Ector +encountered with Sir Dinadan and smote him to the ground; but Sir Bors +would not encounter with Sir Tristram, “For,” said he, “no Cornish knights +are men of worship.” Thereat Sir Tristram was full wroth, but presently +there met them two more knights, Sir Bleoberis and Sir Driant; and Sir +Bleoberis proffered to joust with Sir Tristram, who shortly smote him +down. +</p> + +<p> +“I had not thought,” cried out Sir Bors, “that any Cornish knight could do +so valiantly.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan departed, and rode into a forest, and as +they rode a damsel met them, who <a class="pagenum" name="page212" id="page212" title="212"></a> for Sir Lancelot’s sake was seeking any +noble knights to rescue him. For Queen Morgan le Fay, who hated him, had +ordered thirty men-at-arms to lie in ambush for him as he passed, with the +intent to kill him. So the damsel prayed them to rescue him. +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Tristram, “Bring me to that place, fair damsel.” +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Dinadan cried out, “It is not possible for us to meet with thirty +knights! I will take no part in such a hardihood, for to match one or two +or three knights is enough; but to match fifteen I will never assay.” +</p> + +<p> +“For shame,” replied Sir Tristram, “do but your part.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will I not,” said he; “wherefore, I pray ye, lend me your shield, +for it is of Cornwall, and because men of that country are deemed cowards, +ye are but little troubled as ye ride with knights to joust with.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said Sir Tristram, “I will never give my shield up for her sake who +gave it me; but if thou wilt not stand by me to-day I will surely slay +thee; for I ask no more of thee than to fight one knight, and if thy heart +will not serve thee that much, thou shalt stand by and look on me and +them.” +</p> + +<p> +“Would God that I had never met with ye!” cried Sir Dinadan; “but I +promise to look on and do all that I may to save myself.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon they came to where the thirty knights lay waiting, and Sir Tristram +rushed upon them, saying, “Here is one who fights for love of Lancelot!” +Then slew he two of them at the first onset with his spear, and ten more +swiftly after with his sword. At that Sir Dinadan took courage, and +assailed the others with him, till they turned and fled. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page213" id="page213" title="213"></a> + +<p> +But Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan rode on till nightfall, and meeting with +a shepherd, asked him if he knew of any lodging thereabouts. +</p> + +<p> +“Truly, fair lords,” said he, “there is good lodging in a castle hard by, +but it is a custom there that none shall lodge therein save ye first joust +with two knights, and as soon as ye be within, ye shall find your match.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is an evil lodging,” said Sir Dinadan; “lodge where ye will, I will +not lodge there.” +</p> + +<p> +“Shame on thee!” said Sir Tristram; “art thou a knight at all?” +</p> + +<p> +Then he required him on his knighthood to go with him, and they rode +together to the castle. As soon as they were near, two knights came out +and ran full speed against them; but both of them they overthrew, and went +within the castle, and had noble cheer. Now, when they were unarmed and +ready to take rest, there came to the castle-gate two knights, Sir +Palomedes and Sir Gaheris, and desired the custom of the castle. +</p> + +<p> +“I would far rather rest than fight,” said Sir Dinadan. +</p> + +<p> +“That may not be,” replied Sir Tristram, “for we must needs defend the +custom of the castle, seeing we have overcome its lords; therefore, make +ready.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas that I ever came into your company,” said Sir Dinadan. +</p> + +<p> +So they made ready, and Sir Gaheris encountered Sir Tristram and fell +before him; but Sir Palomedes overthrew Sir Dinadan. Then would all fight +on foot save Sir Dinadan, for he was sorely bruised and frighted by his +fall. And when Sir Tristram prayed him to fight, “I will not,” answered +he, “for I was wounded by those thirty knights with whom we fought this +morning; and <a class="pagenum" name="page214" id="page214" title="214"></a> as to you, ye are in truth like one gone mad, and who would +cast himself away! There be but two knights in the world so mad, and the +other is Sir Lancelot, with whom I once rode forth, who kept me evermore +at battling so that for a quarter of a year thereafter I lay in my bed. +Heaven defend me again from either of your fellowships!” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said Sir Tristram, “if it must be, I will fight them both.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he drew his sword and assailed Sir Palomedes and Sir Gaheris +together; but Sir Palomedes said, “Nay, but it is a shame for two to fight +with one.” So he bade Sir Gaheris stand by, and he and Sir Tristram fought +long together; but in the end Sir Tristram drave him backward, whereat Sir +Gaheris and Sir Dinadan with one accord sundered them. Then Sir Tristram +prayed the two knights to lodge there; but Sir Dinadan departed and rode +away into a priory hard by, and there he lodged that night. +</p> + +<p> +And on the morrow came Sir Tristram to the priory to find him, and seeing +him so weary that he could not ride, he left him, and departed. At that +same priory was lodged Sir Pellinore, who asked Sir Dinadan Sir Tristram’s +name, but could not learn it, for Sir Tristram had charged that he should +remain unknown. Then said Sir Pellinore, “Since ye will not tell it me, I +will ride after him and find it myself.” +</p> + +<p> +“Beware, Sir knight,” said Sir Dinadan, “ye will repent it if ye follow +him.” +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Pellinore straightway mounted and overtook him, and cried to him +to joust; whereat Sir Tristram forthwith turned and smote him down, and +wounded him full sorely in the shoulder. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page215" id="page215" title="215"></a> + +<p> +On the day after, Sir Tristram met a herald, who told him of a tournament +proclaimed between King Carados of Scotland, and the King of North Wales, +to be held at the Maiden’s Castle. Now King Carados sought Sir Lancelot to +fight there on his side, and the King of North Wales sought Sir Tristram. +And Sir Tristram purposed to be there. So as he rode, he met Sir Key, the +seneschal, and Sir Sagramour, and Sir Key proffered to joust with him. But +he refused, desiring to keep himself unwearied for the tourney. Then Sir +Key cried, “Sir knight of Cornwall, joust with me, or yield as recreant.” +When Sir Tristram heard that, he fiercely turned and set his spear in +rest, and spurred his horse towards him. But when Sir Key saw him so madly +coming on, he in his turn refused, whereat Sir Tristram called him coward, +till for shame he was compelled to meet him. Then Sir Tristram lightly +smote him down, and rode away. But Sir Sagramour pursued him, crying +loudly to joust with him also. So Sir Tristram turned and quickly +overthrew him likewise, and departed. +</p> + +<p> +Anon a damsel met him as he rode, and told him of a knight adventurous who +did great harm thereby, and prayed him for his help. But as he went with +her he met Sir Gawain, who knew the damsel for a maiden of Queen Morgan le +Fay. Knowing, therefore, that she needs must have evil plots against Sir +Tristram, Sir Gawain demanded of him courteously whither he went. +</p> + +<p> +“I know not whither,” said he, “save as this damsel leadeth me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Gawain, “ye shall not ride with her, for she and her lady +never yet did good to any;” and, <a class="pagenum" name="page216" id="page216" title="216"></a> drawing his sword, he said to the +damsel, “Tell me now straightway for what cause thou leadest this knight +or else shalt thou die; for I know of old thy lady’s treason.” +</p> + +<p> +“Mercy, Sir Gawain,” cried the damsel, “and I will tell thee all.” Then +she told him that Queen Morgan had ordained thirty fair damsels to seek +out Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristram, and by their wiles persuade them to her +castle, where she had thirty knights in wait to slay them. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh shame!” cried Sir Gawain, “that ever such foul treason should be +wrought by a queen, and a king’s sister.” Then said he to Sir Tristram, +“Sir knight, if ye will stand with me, we will together prove the malice +of these thirty knights.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not fail you,” answered he, “for but few days since I had to do +with thirty knights of that same queen, and trust we may win honour as +lightly now as then.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rode together, and when they came to the castle, Sir Gawain cried +aloud, “Queen Morgan le Fay, send out thy knights that we may fight with +them.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the queen urged her knights to issue forth, but they durst not, for +they well knew Sir Tristram, and feared him greatly. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Tristram and Sir Gawain went on their way, and as they rode they +saw a knight, named Sir Brewse-without-pity, chasing a lady, with intent +to slay her. Then Sir Gawain prayed Sir Tristram to hold still and let him +assail that knight. So he rode up between Sir Brewse and the lady, and +cried, “False knight, turn thee to me and leave that lady.” Then Sir +Brewse turned and <a class="pagenum" name="page217" id="page217" title="217"></a> set his spear in rest, and rushed against Sir Gawain +and overthrew him, and rode his horse upon him as he lay, which when Sir +Tristram saw, he cried, “Forbear that villainy,” and galloped at him. But +when Sir Brewse saw by the shield it was Sir Tristram, he turned and fled. +And though Sir Tristram followed swiftly after him, yet he was so well +horsed that he escaped. +</p> + +<p> +Anon Sir Tristram and Sir Gawain came nigh the Maiden’s Castle, and there +an old knight named Sir Pellonnes gave them lodging. And Sir Persides, the +son of Sir Pellonnes, a good knight, came out to welcome them. And, as +they stood talking at a bay window of the castle, they saw a goodly knight +ride by on a black horse, and carrying a black shield. “What knight is +that?” asked Tristram. +</p> + +<p> +“One of the best knights in all the world,” said Sir Persides. +</p> + +<p> +“Is he Sir Lancelot?” said Sir Tristram. +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” answered Sir Persides, “it is Sir Palomedes, who is yet +unchristened.” +</p> + +<p> +Within a while one came and told them that a knight with a black shield +had smitten down thirteen knights. “Let us go and see this jousting,” said +Sir Tristram. So they armed themselves and went down. And when Sir +Palomedes saw Sir Persides, he sent a squire to him and proffered him to +joust. So they jousted, and Sir Persides was overthrown. Then Sir Tristram +made ready to joust, but ere he had his spear in rest, Sir Palomedes took +him at advantage, and struck him on the shield so that he fell. At that +Sir Tristram was wroth out of measure and sore ashamed, wherefore he sent +a squire and prayed Sir Palomedes to joust once again. But he would not, <a class="pagenum" name="page218" id="page218" title="218"></a> +saying, “Tell thy master to revenge himself to-morrow at the Maiden’s +Castle, where he shall see me again.” +</p> + +<p> +So on the morrow Sir Tristram commanded his servant to give him a black +shield with no cognizance thereon, and he and Sir Persides rode into the +tournament and joined King Carados’ side. +</p> + +<p> +Then the knights of the King of North Wales came forth, and there was a +great fighting and breaking of spears, and overthrow of men and horses. +</p> + +<p> +Now King Arthur sat above in a high gallery to see the tourney and give +the judgment, and Sir Lancelot sat beside him. Then came against Sir +Tristram and Sir Persides, two knights with them of North Wales, Sir +Bleoberis and Sir Gaheris; and Sir Persides was smitten down and nigh +slain, for four horsemen rode over him. But Sir Tristram rode against Sir +Gaheris and smote him from his horse, and when Sir Bleoberis next +encountered him, he overthrew him also. Anon they horsed themselves again, +and with them came Sir Dinadan, whom Sir Tristram forthwith smote so +sorely, that he reeled off his saddle. Then cried he, “Ah! Sir knight, I +know ye better than ye deem, and promise nevermore to come against ye.” +Then rode Sir Bleoberis at him the second time, and had a buffet that +felled him to the earth. And soon thereafter the king commanded to cease +for that day, and all men marvelled who Sir Tristram was, for the prize of +the first day was given him in the name of the Knight of the Black Shield. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Palomedes was on the side of the King of North Wales, but knew not +Sir Tristram again. And, when he saw his marvellous deeds, he sent to ask +his name. “As to that,” said Sir Tristram, “he shall not <a class="pagenum" name="page219" id="page219" title="219"></a> know at this +time, but tell him he shall know when I have broken two spears upon him, +for I am the knight he smote down yesterday, and whatever side he taketh, +I will take the other.” +</p> + +<p> +So when they told him that Sir Palomedes would be on King Carados’ +side—for he was kindred to King Arthur—“Then will I be on the King of +North Wales’ side,” said he, “but else would I be on my lord King +Arthur’s.” +</p> + +<p> +Then on the morrow, when King Arthur was come, the heralds blew unto the +tourney. And King Carados jousted with the King of a Hundred Knights and +fell before him, and then came in King Arthur’s knights and bare back +those of North Wales. But anon Sir Tristram came to aid them and bare back +the battle, and fought so mightily that none could stand against him, for +he smote down on the right and on the left, so that all the knights and +common people shouted his praise. +</p> + +<p> +“Since I bare arms,” said King Arthur, “never saw I a knight do more +marvellous deeds.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the King of the Hundred Knights and those of North Wales, set upon +twenty knights who were of Sir Lancelot’s kin, who fought all together, +none failing the others. When Sir Tristram beheld their nobleness and +valour, he marvelled much. “Well may he be valiant and full of prowess,” +said he, “who hath such noble knights for kindred.” So, when he had looked +on them awhile, he thought it shame to see two hundred men assailing +twenty, and riding to the King of a Hundred Knights, he said, “I pray +thee, Sir king, leave your fighting with those twenty knights, for ye be +too many and they be too few. For ye shall gain no honour if ye win, <a class="pagenum" name="page220" id="page220" title="220"></a> and +that I see verily ye will not do unless ye slay them; but if ye will not +stay, I will ride with them and help them.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said the king, “ye shall not do so; for full gladly I will do you +courtesy,” and with that he withdrew his knights. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Tristram rode his way into the forest, that no man might know +him. And King Arthur caused the heralds to blow that the tourney should +end that day, and he gave the King of North Wales the prize, because Sir +Tristram was on his side. And in all the field there was such a cry that +the sound thereof was heard two miles away—“The knight with the black +shield hath won the field.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said King Arthur, “where is that knight? it is shame to let him +thus escape us.” Then he comforted his knights, and said, “Be not +dismayed, my friends, howbeit ye have lost the day; be of good cheer; +to-morrow I myself will be in the field, and fare with you.” So they all +rested that night. +</p> + +<p> +And on the morrow the heralds blew unto the field. So the King of North +Wales and the King of a Hundred Knights encountered with King Carados and +the King of Ireland, and overthrew them. With that came King Arthur, and +did mighty deeds of arms, and overthrew the King of North Wales and his +fellows, and put twenty valiant knights to the worse. Anon came in Sir +Palomedes, and made great fight upon King Arthur’s side. But Sir Tristram +rode furiously against him, and Sir Palomedes was thrown from his horse. +Then cried King Arthur, “Knight of the Black Shield, keep thyself.” And as +he spake he came upon him, and smote him from <a class="pagenum" name="page221" id="page221" title="221"></a> his saddle to the ground, +and so passed on to other knights. Then Sir Palomedes having now another +horse rushed at Sir Tristram, as he was on foot, thinking to run over him. +But he was aware of him, and stepped aside, and grasped Sir Palomedes by +the arms, and pulled him off his horse. Then they rushed together with +their swords, and many stood still to gaze on them. And Sir Tristram smote +Sir Palomedes with three mighty strokes upon the helm, crying at each +stroke, “Take this for Sir Tristram’s sake,” and with that Sir Palomedes +fell to the earth. +</p> + +<p> +Anon the King of North Wales brought Sir Tristram another horse, and Sir +Palomedes found one also. Then did they joust again with passing rage, for +both by now were like mad lions. But Sir Tristram avoided his spear, and +seized Sir Palomedes by the neck, and pulled him from his saddle, and bore +him onward ten spears’ length, and so let him fall. Then King Arthur drew +forth his sword and smote the spear asunder, and gave Sir Tristram two or +three sore strokes ere he could get at his own sword. But when he had it +in his hand he mightily assailed the king. With that eleven knights of +Lancelot’s kin went forth against him, but he smote them all down to the +earth, so that men marvelled at his deeds. +</p> + +<p> +And the cry was now so great that Sir Lancelot got a spear in his hand, +and came down to assay Sir Tristram, saying, “Knight with the black +shield, make ready.” When Sir Tristram heard him he levelled his spear, +and both stooping their heads, they ran together mightily, as it had been +thunder. And Sir Tristram’s spear brake short, but Sir Lancelot struck him +with a deep wound in the side and broke his spear, yet overthrew him not. <a class="pagenum" name="page222" id="page222" title="222"></a> +Therewith Sir Tristram, smarting at his wound, drew forth his sword, and +rushing at Sir Lancelot, gave him mighty strokes upon the helm, so that +the sparks flew from it, and Sir Lancelot stooped his head down to the +saddle-bow. But then Sir Tristram turned and left the field, for he felt +his wound so grievous that he deemed he should soon die. Then did Sir +Lancelot hold the field against all comers, and put the King of North +Wales and his party to the worse. And because he was the last knight in +the field the prize was given him. +</p> + +<p> +But he refused to take it, and when the cry was raised, “Sir Lancelot hath +won the day,” he cried out, “Nay, but Sir Tristram is the victor, for he +first began and last endured, and so hath he done each day.” And all men +honoured Lancelot more for his knightly words than if he had taken the +prize. +</p> + +<p> +Thus was the tournament ended, and King Arthur departed to Caerleon, for +the Whitsun feast was now nigh come, and all the knights adventurous went +their ways. And many sought Sir Tristram in the forest whither he had +gone, and at last Sir Lancelot found him, and brought him to King Arthur’s +court, as hath been told already. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page223" id="page223" title="223"></a> + +<a name="chapter_xii" id="chapter_xii"></a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The Quest of the Sangreal, and the Adventures of Sir Percival, Sir Bors, +and Sir Galahad</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/a.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="a5" id="a5" Title="A" alt="Drop Case A"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +fter these things, Merlin fell into a dotage of love for a damsel of the +Lady of the Lake, and would let her have no rest, but followed her in +every place. And ever she encouraged him, and made him welcome till she +had learned all his crafts that she desired to know. +</p> + +<p> +Then upon a time she went with him beyond the sea to the land of Benwicke, +and as they went he showed her many wonders, till at length she was +afraid, and would fain have been delivered from him. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure15.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure15" id="figure15" + title="Waving her hands and muttering the charm, and presently enclosed him fast within the tree." + alt="Waving her hands and muttering the charm, and presently enclosed him fast within the tree."> + +<p> +And as they were in the forest of Broceliande, they sat together under an +oak-tree, and the damsel prayed to see all that charm whereby men might be +shut up yet alive in rocks or trees. But he refused her a long time, +fearing to let her know, yet in the end, her prayers and kisses overcame +him, and he told her all. Then did she make him great cheer, but anon, as +he lay down to sleep, she softly rose, and walked about him <a class="pagenum" name="page224" id="page224" title="224"></a> <a href="images/figure15.jpg">waving her +hands and muttering the charm, and presently enclosed him fast within the +tree</a> whereby he slept. And therefrom nevermore he could by any means come +out for all the crafts that he could do. And so she departed and left +Merlin. +</p> + +<p> +At the vigil of the next Feast of Pentecost, when all the Knights of the +Round Table were met together at Camelot, and had heard mass, and were +about to sit down to meat, there rode into the hall a fair lady on +horseback, who went straight up to King Arthur where he sat upon his +throne, and reverently saluted him. +</p> + +<p> +“God be with thee, fair damsel,” quoth the king; “what desirest thou of +me?” +</p> + +<p> +“I pray thee tell me, lord,” she answered, “where Sir Lancelot is.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yonder may ye see him,” said King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +Then went she to Sir Lancelot and said, “Sir, I salute thee in King +Pelles’ name, and require thee to come with me into the forest hereby.” +</p> + +<p> +Then asked he her with whom she dwelt, and what she wished of him. +</p> + +<p> +“I dwell with King Pelles,” said she, “whom Balin erst so sorely wounded +when he smote the dolorous stroke. It is he who hath sent me to call +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will go with thee gladly,” said Sir Lancelot, and bade his squire +straightway saddle his horse and bring his armour. +</p> + +<p> +Then came the queen to him and said, “Sir Lancelot, will ye leave me thus +at this high feast?” +</p> + +<p> +“Madam,” replied the damsel, “by dinner-time to-morrow he shall be with +you.” +</p> + +<p> +“If I thought not,” said the queen, “he should not go with thee by my +goodwill.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot and the lady rode forth till they came to the forest, +and in a valley thereof found an abbey <a class="pagenum" name="page225" id="page225" title="225"></a> of nuns, whereby a squire stood +ready to open the gates. When they had entered, and descended from their +horses, a joyful crowd pressed round Sir Lancelot and heartily saluted +him, and led him to the abbess’s chamber, and unarmed him. Anon he saw his +cousins likewise there, Sir Bors and Sir Lionel, who also made great joy +at seeing him, and said, “By what adventure art thou here, for we thought +to have seen thee at Camelot to-morrow?” +</p> + +<p> +“A damsel brought me here,” said he, “but as yet I know not for what +service.” +</p> + +<p> +As they thus talked twelve nuns came in, who brought with them a youth so +passing fair and well made, that in all the world his match could not be +found. His name was Galahad, and though he knew him not, nor Lancelot him, +Sir Lancelot was his father. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the nuns, “we bring thee here this child whom we have +nourished from his youth, and pray thee to make him a knight, for from no +worthier hand can he receive that order.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot, looking on the youth, saw that he was seemly and demure +as a dove, with every feature good and noble, and thought he never had +beheld a better fashioned man of his years. “Cometh this desire from +himself?” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” answered Galahad and all the nuns. +</p> + +<p> +“To-morrow, then, in reverence for the feast, he shall have his wish,” +said Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +And the next day at the hour of prime, he knighted him, and said, “God +make of thee as good a man as He hath made thee beautiful.” +</p> + +<p> +Then with Sir Lionel and Sir Bors he returned to the court, and found all +gone to the minster to hear service. When they came into the banquet-hall +each knight and <a class="pagenum" name="page226" id="page226" title="226"></a> baron found his name written in some seat in letters of +gold, as “here ought to sit Sir Lionel,” “here ought to sit Sir +Gawain,”—and so forth. And in the Perilous Seat, at the high centre of +the table, a name was also written, whereat they marvelled greatly, for no +living man had ever yet dared sit upon that seat, save one, and him a +flame leaped forth and drew down under earth, so that he was no more seen. +</p> + +<p> +Then came Sir Lancelot and read the letters in that seat, and said, “My +counsel is that this inscription be now covered up until the knight be +come who shall achieve this great adventure.” So they made a veil of silk +and put it over the letters. +</p> + +<p> +In the meanwhile came Sir Gawain to the court and told the king he had a +message to him from beyond the sea, from Merlin. +</p> + +<p> +“For,” said he, “as I rode through the forest of Broceliande but five days +since, I heard the voice of Merlin speaking to me from the midst of an +oak-tree, whereat, in great amazement, I besought him to come forth. But +he, with many groans, replied he never more might do so, for that none +could free him, save the damsel of the Lake, who had enclosed him there by +his own spells which he had taught her. ‘But go,’ said he, ‘to King +Arthur, and tell him, that he now prepare his knights and all his Table +Round to seek the Sangreal, for the time is come when it shall be +achieved.’” +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Gawain had spoken thus, King Arthur sat pensive in spirit, and +mused deeply of the Holy Grale an what saintly knight should come who +might achieve it. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he bade them hasten to set on the banquet. “Sir,” said Sir Key, the +seneschal, “if ye go now to meat ye will break the ancient custom of your +court, for never <a class="pagenum" name="page227" id="page227" title="227"></a> have ye dined at this high feast till ye have seen some +strange adventure.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou sayest truly,” said the king, “but my mind was full of wonders and +musings, till I bethought me not of mine old custom.” +</p> + +<p> +As they stood speaking thus, a squire ran in and cried, “Lord, I bring +thee marvellous tidings.” +</p> + +<p> +“What be they?” said King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +“Lord,” said he, “hereby at the river is a marvellous great stone, which I +myself saw swim down hitherwards upon the water, and in it there is set a +sword, and ever the stone heaveth and swayeth on the water, but floateth +down no further with the stream.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will go and see it,” said the king. So all the knights went with him, +and when they came to the river, there surely found they a mighty stone of +red marble floating on the water, as the squire had said, and therein +stuck a fair and rich sword, on the pommel whereof were precious stones +wrought skilfully with gold into these words: “No man shall take me hence +but he by whose side I should hang, and he shall be the best knight in the +world.” +</p> + +<p> +When the king read this, he turned round to Sir Lancelot, and said, “Fair +sir, this sword ought surely to be thine, for thou art the best knight in +all the world.” +</p> + +<p> +But Lancelot answered soberly, “Certainly, sir, it is not for me; nor will +I have the hardihood to set my hand upon it. For he that toucheth it and +faileth to achieve it shall one day be wounded by it mortally. But I doubt +not, lord, this day will show the greatest marvels that we yet have seen, +for now the time is fully come, as Merlin hath forewarned us, when all the +prophecies about the Sangreal shall be fulfilled.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page228" id="page228" title="228"></a> + +<p> +Then stepped Sir Gawain forward and pulled at the sword, but could not +move it, and after him Sir Percival, to keep him fellowship in any peril +he might suffer. But no other knight durst be so hardy as to try. +</p> + +<p> +“Now may ye go to your dinner,” said Sir Key, “for a marvellous adventure +ye have had.” +</p> + +<p> +So all returned from the river, and every knight sat down in his own +place, and the high feast and banquet then was sumptuously begun, and all +the hall was full of laughter and loud talk and jests, and running to and +fro of squires who served their knights, and noise of jollity and mirth. +</p> + +<p> +Then suddenly befell a wondrous thing, for all the doors and windows of +the hall shut violently of themselves, and made thick darkness; and +presently there came a fair and gentle light from out the Perilous Seat, +and filled the palace with its beams. Then a dead silence fell on all the +knights, and each man anxiously beheld his neighbour. +</p> + +<p> +But King Arthur rose and said, “Lords and fair knights, have ye no fear, +but rejoice; we have seen strange things to-day, but stranger yet remain. +For now I know we shall to-day see him who may sit in the Siege Perilous, +and shall achieve the Sangreal. For as ye all well know, that holy vessel, +wherefrom at the Supper of our Lord before His death He drank the wine +with His disciples, hath been held ever since the holiest treasure of the +world, and wheresoever it hath rested peace and prosperity have rested +with it on the land. But since the dolorous stroke which Balin gave King +Pelles none have seen it, for Heaven, wroth with that presumptuous blow, +hath hid it none know where. Yet somewhere in the world it still may be, +and may be <a class="pagenum" name="page229" id="page229" title="229"></a> it is left to us, and to this noble order of the Table Round, +to find and bring it home, and make of this our realm the happiest in the +earth. Many great quests and perilous adventures have ye all taken and +achieved, but this high quest he only shall attain who hath clean hands +and a pure heart, and valour and hardihood beyond all othermen.” +</p> + +<p> +While the king spoke there came in softly an old man robed all in white, +leading with him a young knight clad in red from top to toe, but without +armour or shield, and having by his side an empty scabbard. +</p> + +<p> +The old man went up to the king, and said, “Lord, here I bring thee this +young knight of royal lineage, and of the blood of Joseph of Arimathea, by +whom the marvels of thy court shall fully be accomplished.” +</p> + +<p> +The king was right glad at his words, and said, “Sir, ye be right heartily +welcome, and the young knight also.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the old man put on Sir Galahad (for it was he) a crimson robe trimmed +with fine ermine, and took him by the hand and led him to the Perilous +Seat, and lifting up the silken cloth which hung upon it, read these words +written in gold letters, “This is the seat of Sir Galahad, the good +knight.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the old man, “this place is thine.” +</p> + +<p> +Then sat Sir Galahad down firmly and surely, and said to the old man, +“Sir, ye may now go your way, for ye have done well and truly all ye were +commanded, and commend me to my grandsire, King Pelles, and say that I +shall see him soon.” So the old man departed with a retinue of twenty +noble squires. +</p> + +<p> +But all the knights of the Round Table marvelled at Sir Galahad, and at +his tender age, and at his sitting there so surely in the Perilous Seat. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king led Sir Galahad forth from the palace, to <a class="pagenum" name="page230" id="page230" title="230"></a> show him the +adventure of the floating stone. “Here” said he, “is as great a marvel as +I ever saw, and right good knights have tried and failed to gain that +sword.” +</p> + +<p> +“I marvel not thereat,” said Galahad, “for this adventure is not theirs, +but mine; and for the certainty I had thereof, I brought no sword with me, +as thou mayst see here by this empty scabbard.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon he laid his hand upon the sword, and lightly drew it from the stone, +and put it in his sheath, and said, “This sword was that enchanted one +which erst belonged to the good knight, Sir Balin, wherewith he slew +through piteous mistake his brother Balan; who also slew him at the same +time: all which great woe befell him through the dolorous stroke he gave +my grandsire, King Pelles, the wound whereof is not yet whole, nor shall +be till I heal him.” +</p> + +<p> +As he stood speaking thus, they saw a lady riding swiftly down the river’s +bank towards them, on a white palfrey; who, saluting the king and queen, +said, “Lord king, Nacien the hermit sendeth thee word that to thee shall +come to-day the greatest honour and worship that hath yet ever befallen a +king of Britain; for this day shall the Sangreal appear in thy house.” +</p> + +<p> +With that the damsel took her leave, and departed the same way she came. +</p> + +<p> +“Now,” said the king, “I know that from to-day the quest of the Sangreal +shall begin, and all ye of the Round Table will be scattered so that +nevermore shall I see ye again together as ye are now; let me then see a +joust and tournament amongst ye for the last time before ye go.” +</p> + +<p> +So they all took their harness and met together in the meadows by Camelot, +and the queen and all her ladies sat in a tower to see. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page231" id="page231" title="231"></a> + +<p> +Then Sir Galahad, at the prayer of the king and queen, put on a coat of +light armour, and a helmet, but shield he would take none, and grasping a +lance, he drove into the middle of the press of knights, and began to +break spears marvellously, so that all men were full of wonder. And in so +short a time he had surmounted and exceeded the rest, save Sir Lancelot +and Sir Percival, that he took the chief worship of the field. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king and all the court and fellowship of knights went back to the +palace, and so to evensong in the great minster, a royal and goodly +company, and after that sat down to supper in the hall, every knight in +his own seat, as they had been before. +</p> + +<p> +Anon suddenly burst overhead the cracking and crying of great peals of +thunder, till the palace walls were shaken sorely, and they thought to see +them riven all to pieces. +</p> + +<p> +And in the midst of the blast there entered in a sunbeam, clearer by seven +times than ever they saw day, and a marvellous great glory fell upon them +all. Then each knight, looking on his neighbour, found his face fairer +than he had ever seen, and so—all standing on their feet—they gazed as +dumb men on each other, not knowing what to say. +</p> + +<p> +Then entered into the hall the Sangreal, borne aloft without hands through +the midst of the sunbeam, and covered with white samite, so that none +might see it. And all the hall was filled with perfume and incense, and +every knight was fed with the food he best loved. And when the holy vessel +had been thus borne through the hall, it suddenly departed, no man saw +whither. +</p> + +<p> +When they recovered breath to speak, King Arthur first rose up, and +yielded thanks to God and to our Lord. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Gawain sprang up and said, “Now have we <a class="pagenum" name="page232" id="page232" title="232"></a> all been fed by miracle +with whatsoever food we thought of or desired; but with our eyes we have +not seen the blessed vessel whence it came, so carefully and preciously it +was concealed. Therefore, I make a vow, that from to-morrow I shall labour +twelve months and a day in quest of the Sangreal, and longer if need be; +nor will I come again into this court until mine eyes have seen it +evidently.” +</p> + +<p> +When he had spoken thus, knight after knight rose up and vowed himself to +the same quest, till the most part of the Round Table had thus sworn. +</p> + +<p> +But when King Arthur heard them all, he could not refrain his eyes from +tears, and said, “Sir Gawain, Sir Gawain, thou hast set me in great +sorrow, for I fear me my true fellowship shall never meet together here +again; and surely never Christian king had such a company of worthy +knights around his table at one time.” +</p> + +<p> +And when the queen and her ladies and gentlewomen heard the vows, they had +such grief and sorrow as no tongue could tell; and Queen Guinevere cried +out, “I marvel that my lord will suffer them to depart from him.” And many +of the ladies who loved knights would have gone with them, but were +forbidden by the hermit Nacien, who sent this message to all who had sworn +themselves to the quest: “Take with ye no lady nor gentlewoman, for into +so high a service as ye go in, no thought but of our Lord and heaven may +enter.” +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow morning all the knights rose early, and when they were fully +armed, save shields and helms, they went in with the king and queen to +service in the minster. Then the king counted all who had taken the +adventure on themselves, and found them a hundred and fifty knights of the +Round Table; and so they all put on their helms, and rode away together in +the midst of cries and lamentations <a class="pagenum" name="page233" id="page233" title="233"></a> from the court, and from the ladies, +and from all the town. +</p> + +<p> +But the queen went alone to her chamber, that no man might see her sorrow; +and Sir Lancelot followed her to say farewell. +</p> + +<p> +When she saw him she cried out, “Oh, Sir Lancelot, thou hast betrayed me; +thou hast put me to death thus to depart and leave my lord the king.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, madam,” said he, “be not displeased or angry, for I shall come again +as soon as I can with honour.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said she, “that ever I saw thee; but He that suffered death upon +the cross for all mankind be to thee safety and good conduct, and to all +thy company.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot saluted her and the king, and went forth with the rest, +and came with them that night to Castle Vagon, where they abode, and on +the morrow they departed from each other on their separate ways, every +knight taking the way that pleased him best. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Galahad went forth without a shield, and rode so four days without +adventure; and on the fourth day, after evensong, he came to an abbey of +white monks, where he was received in the house, and led into a chamber. +And there he was unarmed, and met two knights of the Round Table, King +Bagdemagus, and Sir Uwaine. +</p> + +<p> +“Sirs,” said Sir Galahad, “what adventure hath brought ye here?” +</p> + +<p> +“Within this place, as we are told,” they answered, “there is a shield no +man may bear around his neck without receiving sore mischance, or death +within three days.” +</p> + +<p> +“To-morrow,” said King Bagdemagus, “I shall attempt the adventure; and if +I fail, do thou, Sir Galahad, take it up after me.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page234" id="page234" title="234"></a> + +<p> +“I will willingly,” said he; “for as ye see I have no shield as yet.” +</p> + +<p> +So on the morrow they arose and heard mass, and afterwards King Bagdemagus +asked where the shield was kept. Then a monk led him behind the altar, +where the shield hung, as white as any snow, and with a blood-red cross in +the midst of it. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the monk, “this shield should hang from no knight’s neck +unless he be the worthiest in the world. I warn ye, therefore, knights; +consider well before ye dare to touch it.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said King Bagdemagus, “I know well that I am far from the best +knight in all the world, yet shall I make the trial;” and so he took the +shield, and bore it from the monastery. +</p> + +<p> +“If it please thee,” said he to Sir Galahad, “abide here till thou hearest +how I speed.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will abide thee,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +Then taking with him a squire who might return with any tidings to Sir +Galahad, the king rode forth; and before he had gone two miles, he saw in +a fair valley a hermitage, and a knight who came forth dressed in white +armour, horse and all, who rode fast against him. When they encountered, +Bagdemagus brake his spear upon the White Knight’s shield, but was himself +struck through the shoulder with a sore wound, and hurled down from his +horse. Then the White Knight alighting, came and took the white shield +from the king, and said, “Thou hast done great folly, for this shield +ought never to be borne but by one who hath no living peer.” And turning +to the squire, he said, “Bear thou this shield to the good knight, Sir +Galahad, and greet him well from me.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page235" id="page235" title="235"></a> + +<p> +“In whose name shall I greet him?” said the squire. +</p> + +<p> +“Take thou no heed of that,” he answered; “it is not for thee or any +earthly man to know.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now tell me, fair sir, at the least,” said the squire, “why may this +shield be never borne except its wearer come to injury or death?” +</p> + +<p> +“Because it shall belong to no man save its rightful owner, Galahad,” +replied the knight. +</p> + +<p> +Then the squire went to his master, and found him wounded nigh to death, +wherefore he fetched his horse, and bore him back with him to the abbey. +And there they laid him in a bed, and looked to his wounds; and when he +had lain many days grievously sick, he at the last barely escaped with his +life. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir Galahad,” said the squire, “the knight who overthrew King Bagdemagus +sent you greeting, and bade you bear this shield.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now blessed be God and fortune,” said Sir Galahad, and hung the shield +about his neck, and armed him, and rode forth. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he met the White Knight by the hermitage, and each saluted +courteously the other. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Galahad, “this shield I bear hath surely a full marvellous +history.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou sayest rightly,” answered he. “That shield was made in the days of +Joseph of Arimathea, the gentle knight who took our Lord down from the +cross. He, when he left Jerusalem with his kindred, came to the country of +King Evelake, who warred continually with one Tollome; and when, by the +teaching of Joseph, King Evelake became a Christian, this shield was made +for him in our Lord’s name; and through its aid King Tollome was defeated. +For when <a class="pagenum" name="page236" id="page236" title="236"></a> King Evelake met him next in battle, he hid it in a veil, and +suddenly uncovering it, he showed his enemies the figure of a bleeding man +nailed to a cross, at sight of which they were discomfited and fled. +Presently after that, a man whose hand was smitten off touched the cross +upon the shield, and had his hand restored to him; and many other miracles +it worked. But suddenly the cross that was upon it vanished away. Anon +both Joseph and King Evelake came to Britain, and by the preaching of +Joseph the people were made Christians. And when at length he lay upon his +death-bed, King Evelake begged of him some token ere he died. Then, +calling for his shield, he dipped his finger in his own blood, for he was +bleeding fast, and none could staunch the wound, and marked that cross +upon it, saying, ‘This cross shall ever show as bright as now, and the +last of my lineage shall wear this shield about his neck, and go forth to +all the marvellous deeds he will achieve.’” +</p> + +<p> +When the White Knight had thus spoken he vanished suddenly away, and Sir +Galahad returned to the abbey. +</p> + +<p> +As he alighted, came a monk, and prayed him to go see a tomb in the +churchyard, wherefrom came such a great and hideous noise, that none could +hear it but they went nigh mad, or lost all strength. “And sir,” said he, +“I deem it is a fiend.” +</p> + +<p> +“Lead me thither,” said Sir Galahad. +</p> + +<p> +When they were come near the place, “Now,” said the monk, “go thou to the +tomb, and lift it up.” +</p> + +<img src="images/figure16.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure16" id="figure16" + title="Galahad ... quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith came out a foul smoke." + alt="Galahad ... quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith came out a foul smoke."> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure16.jpg">And Galahad, nothing afraid, quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith +came out a foul smoke,</a> and from the midst thereof leaped up the loathliest +figure that ever he had seen in the likeness of man; and Galahad blessed +himself, for he knew it was a fiend of hell. Then he <a class="pagenum" name="page237" id="page237" title="237"></a> heard a voice crying +out, “Oh, Galahad, I cannot tear thee as I would; I see so many angels +round thee, that I may not come at thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the fiend suddenly disappeared with a marvellous great cry; and Sir +Galahad, looking in the tomb, saw there a body all armed, with a sword +beside it. “Now, fair brother,” said he to the monk, “let us remove this +cursed body, which is not fit to lie in a churchyard, for when it lived, a +false and perjured Christian man dwelt in it. Cast it away, and there +shall come no more hideous noises from the tomb.” +</p> + +<p> +“And now must I depart,” he added, “for I have much in hand, and am upon +the holy quest of the Sangreal, with many more good knights.” +</p> + +<p> +So he took his leave, and rode many journeys backwards and forwards as +adventure would lead him; and at last one day he departed from a castle +without first hearing mass, which was it ever his custom to hear before he +left his lodging. Anon he found a ruined chapel on a mountain, and went in +and kneeled before the altar, and prayed for wholesome counsel what to do; +and as he prayed he heard a voice, which said, “Depart, adventurous +knight, unto the Maiden’s Castle, and redress the violence and wrongs +there done!” +</p> + +<p> +Hearing these words he cheerfully arose, and mounted his horse, and rode +but half a mile, when he saw before him a strong castle, with deep ditches +round it, and a fair river running past. And seeing an old churl hard by, +he asked him what men called that castle. +</p> + +<p> +“Fair sir,” said he, “it is the Maiden’s Castle.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is a cursed place,” said Galahad, “and all its masters are but felons, +full of mischief and hardness and shame.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page238" id="page238" title="238"></a> + +<p> +“For that good reason,” said the old man, “thou wert well-advised to turn +thee back.” +</p> + +<p> +“For that same reason,” quoth Sir Galahad, “will I the more certainly ride +on.” +</p> + +<p> +Then, looking at his armour carefully, to see that nothing failed him, he +went forward, and presently there met him seven damsels, who cried out, +“Sir knight, thou ridest in great peril, for thou hast two waters to pass +over.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why should I not pass over them?” said he, and rode straight on. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he met a squire, who said, “Sir knight, the masters of this castle +defy thee, and bid thee go no further, till thou showest them thy business +here.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair fellow,” said Sir Galahad, “I am come here to destroy their wicked +customs.” +</p> + +<p> +“If that be thy purpose,” answered he, “thou wilt have much to do.” +</p> + +<p> +“Go thou,” said Galahad, “and hasten with my message.” +</p> + +<p> +In a few minutes after rode forth furiously from the gateways of the +castle seven knights, all brothers, and crying out, “Knight, keep thee,” +bore down all at once upon Sir Galahad. But thrusting forth his spear, he +smote the foremost to the earth, so that his neck was almost broken, and +warded with his shield the spears of all the others, which every one brake +off from it, and shivered into pieces. Then he drew out his sword, and set +upon them hard and fiercely, and by his wondrous force drave them before +him, and chased them to the castle gate, and there he slew them. +</p> + +<p> +At that came out to him an ancient man, in priest’s vestments, saying, +“Behold, sir, here, the keys of this castle.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page239" id="page239" title="239"></a> + +<p> +Then he unlocked the gates, and found within a multitude of people, who +cried out, “Sir knight, ye be welcome, for long have we waited thy +deliverance,” and told him that the seven felons he had slain had long +enslaved the people round about, and killed all knights who passed that +way, because the maiden whom they had robbed of the castle had foretold +that by one knight they should themselves be overthrown. +</p> + +<p> +“Where is the maiden?” asked Sir Galahad. +</p> + +<p> +“She lingereth below in a dungeon,” said they. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Galahad went down and released her, and restored her her +inheritance; and when he had summoned the barons of the country to do her +homage, he took his leave, and departed. +</p> + +<p> +Presently thereafter, as he rode, he entered a great forest, and in a +glade thereof met two knights, disguised, who proffered him to joust. +These were Sir Lancelot, his father, and Sir Percival, but neither knew +the other. So he and Sir Lancelot encountered first, and Sir Galahad smote +down his father. Then drawing his sword, for his spear was broken, he +fought with Sir Percival, and struck so mightily that he clave Sir +Percival’s helm, and smote him from his horse. +</p> + +<p> +Now hard by where they fought there was a hermitage, where dwelt a pious +woman, a recluse, who, when she heard the sound, came forth, and seeing +Sir Galahad ride, she cried, “God be with thee, the best knight in the +world; had yonder knights known thee as well as I do, they would not have +encountered with thee.” +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Galahad heard that, fearing to be made known, he forthwith smote +his horse with his spurs, and departed at a great pace. +</p> + +<p> +Sir Lancelot and Sir Percival heard her words also, and <a class="pagenum" name="page240" id="page240" title="240"></a> rode fast after +him, but within awhile he was out of their sight. Then Sir Percival rode +back to ask his name of the recluse; but Sir Lancelot went forward on his +quest, and following any path his horse would take, he came by-and-by +after nightfall to a stone cross hard by an ancient chapel. When he had +alighted and tied his horse up to a tree, he went and looked in through +the chapel door, which was all ruinous and wasted, and there within he saw +an altar, richly decked with silk, whereon there stood a fair candlestick +of silver, bearing six great lights. And when Sir Lancelot saw the light, +he tried to get within the chapel, but could find no place. So, being +passing weary and heavy, he came again to his horse, and when he had +unsaddled him, and set him free to pasture, he unlaced his helm, and +ungirded his sword, and laid him down to sleep upon his shield before the +cross. +</p> + +<p> +And while he lay between waking and sleeping, he saw come by him two white +palfreys bearing a litter, wherein a sick knight lay, and the palfreys +stood still by the cross. Then Sir Lancelot heard the sick man say, “O +sweet Lord, when shall this sorrow leave me, and the holy vessel pass by +me, wherethrough I shall be blessed? for I have long endured.” +</p> + +<p> +With that Sir Lancelot saw the chapel open, and the candlestick with the +six tapers come before the cross, but he could see none who bare it. Then +came there also a table of silver, and thereon the holy vessel of the +Sangreal. And when the sick knight saw that, he sat up, and lifting both +his hands, said, “Fair Lord, sweet Lord, who art here within this holy +vessel, have mercy on me, that I may be whole;” and therewith he crept +upon his hands and knees so nigh, that he might touch the vessel; and when +he had kissed it, he leaped up, and stood and cried <a class="pagenum" name="page241" id="page241" title="241"></a> aloud, “Lord God, I +thank Thee, for I am made whole.” Then the Holy Grale departed with the +table and the silver candlestick into the chapel, so that Sir Lancelot saw +it no more, nor for his sins’ sake could he follow it. And the knight who +was healed went on his way. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot awake, and marvelled whether he had seen aught but a +dream. And as he marvelled, he heard a voice saying, “Sir Lancelot, thou +are unworthy, go thou hence, and withdraw thee from this holy place.” And +when he heard that, he was passing heavy, for he bethought him of his +sins. +</p> + +<p> +So he departed weeping, and cursed the day of his birth, for the words +went into his heart, and he knew wherefore he was thus driven forth. Then +he went to seek his arms and horse, but could not find them; and then he +called himself the wretchedest and most unhappy of all knights, and said, +“My sin hath brought me unto great dishonour: for when I sought earthly +honours, I achieved them ever; but now I take upon me holy things, my +guilt doth hinder me, and shameth me; therefore had I no power to stir or +speak when the holy blood appeared before me.” +</p> + +<p> +So thus he sorrowed till it was day, and he heard the birds sing; then was +he somewhat comforted, and departing from the cross on foot, he came into +a wild forest, and to a high mountain, and there he found a hermitage; +and, kneeling before the hermit down upon both his knees, he cried for +mercy for his wicked works, and prayed him to hear his confession. But +when he told his name, the hermit marvelled to see him in so sore a case, +and said, “Sir, ye ought to thank God more than any knight living, for He +hath given thee more honour than any; yet for thy presumption, while in +deadly sin to come into the presence of His flesh and blood, He suffered +thee <a class="pagenum" name="page242" id="page242" title="242"></a> neither to see nor follow it. Wherefore, believe that all thy +strength and manhood will avail thee little, when God is against thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot wept and said, “Now know I well ye tell me truth.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he confessed to him, and told him all his sins, and how he had for +fourteen years served but Queen Guinevere only, and forgotten God, and +done great deeds of arms for her, and not for Heaven, and had little or +nothing thanked God for the honour that he won. And then Sir Lancelot +said, “I pray you counsel me.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will counsel thee,” said he: “never more enter into that queen’s +company when ye can avoid it.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Lancelot promised him. +</p> + +<p> +“Look that your heart and your mouth accord,” said the good man, “and ye +shall have more honour and more nobleness than ever ye have had.” +</p> + +<p> +Then were his arms and horse restored to him, and so he took his leave, +and rode forth, repenting greatly. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Percival had ridden back to the recluse, to learn who that knight +was whom she had called the best in the world. And when he had told her +that he was Sir Percival, she made passing great joy of him, for she was +his mother’s sister, wherefore she opened her door to him, and made him +good cheer. And on the morrow she told him of her kindred to him, and they +both made great rejoicing. Then he asked her who that knight was, and she +told him, “He it is who on Whit Sunday last was clad in the red robe, and +bare the red arms; and he hath no peer, for he worketh all by miracle, and +shall be never overcome by any earthly hands.” +</p> + +<p> +“By my goodwill,” said Sir Percival, “I will never after these tidings +have to do with Sir Galahad but in the way <a class="pagenum" name="page243" id="page243" title="243"></a> of kindness; and I would fain +learn where I may find him.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair nephew,” said she, “ye must ride to the Castle of Goth, where he +hath a cousin; by him ye may be lodged, and he will teach you the way to +go; but if he can tell you no tidings, ride straight to the Castle of +Carbonek, where the wounded king is lying, for there shall ye surely hear +true tidings of him.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Percival departed from his aunt, and rode till evensong time, when +he was ware of a monastery closed round with walls and deep ditches, where +he knocked at the gate, and anon was let in. And there he had good cheer +that night, and on the morrow heard mass. And beside the altar where the +priest stood, was a rich bed of silk and cloth of gold; and on the bed +there lay a man passing old, having a crown of gold upon his head, and all +his body was full of great wounds, and his eyes almost wholly blind; and +ever he held up his hands and said, “Sweet Lord, forget not me!” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Percival asked one of the brethren who he was. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the good man, “ye have heard of Joseph of Arimathea, how he +was sent of Jesus Christ into this land to preach and teach the Christian +faith. Now, in the city of Sarras he converted a king named Evelake, and +this is he. He came with Joseph to this land, and ever desired greatly to +see the Sangreal; so on a time he came nigh thereto, and was struck almost +blind. Then he cried out for mercy, and said, ‘Fair Lord, I pray thee let +me never die until a good knight of my blood achieve the Sangreal, and I +may see and kiss him.’ When he had thus prayed, he heard a voice that +said, ‘Thy prayers be heard and answered, for thou shalt not die till that +knight <a class="pagenum" name="page244" id="page244" title="244"></a> kiss thee; and when he cometh shall thine eyes be opened and thy +wounds be healed.’ And now hath he lived here for three hundred winters in +a holy life, and men say a certain knight of King Arthur’s court shall +shortly heal him.” +</p> + +<p> +Thereat Sir Percival marvelled greatly, for he well knew who that knight +should be; and so, taking his leave of the monk, departed. +</p> + +<p> +Then he rode on till noon, and came into a valley where he met twenty +men-at-arms bearing a dead knight on a bier. And they cried to him, +“Whence comest thou?” +</p> + +<p> +“From King Arthur’s court,” he answered. +</p> + +<p> +Then they all cried together, “Slay him,” and set upon him. +</p> + +<p> +But he smote down the first man to the ground, and his horse upon him; +whereat seven of them all at once assailed him, and others slew his horse. +Thus he had been either taken or slain, but by good chance Sir Galahad was +passing by that way, who, seeing twenty men attacking one, cried, “Slay +him not,” and rushed upon them; and, as fast as his horse could drive, he +encountered with the foremost man, and smote him down. Then, his spear +being broken, he drew forth his sword and struck out on the right hand and +on the left, at each blow smiting down a man, till the remainder fled, and +he pursued them. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Percival, knowing that it was Sir Galahad, would fain have +overtaken him, but could not, for his horse was slain. Yet followed he on +foot as fast as he could go; and as he went there met him a yeoman riding +on a palfrey, and leading in his hand a great black steed. So Sir Percival +prayed him to lend him the steed, that he might overtake Sir Galahad. But +he replied, <a class="pagenum" name="page245" id="page245" title="245"></a> “That can I not do, fair sir, for the horse is my master’s, +and should I lend it he would slay me.” So he departed, and Sir Percival +sat down beneath a tree in heaviness of heart. And as he sat, anon a +knight went riding past on the black steed which the yeoman had led. And +presently after came the yeoman back in haste, and asked Sir Percival if +he had seen a knight riding his horse. +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” said Sir Percival. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas,” said the yeoman, “he hath reft him from me by strength, and my +master will slay me.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he besought Sir Percival to take his hackney and follow, and get back +his steed. So he rode quickly, and overtook the knight, and cried, +“Knight, turn again.” Whereat he turned and set his spear, and smote Sir +Percival’s hackney in the breast, so that it fell dead, and then went on +his way. Then cried Sir Percival after him, “Turn now, false knight, and +fight with me on foot;” but he would not, and rode out of sight. +</p> + +<p> +Then was Sir Percival passing wroth and heavy of heart, and lay down to +rest beneath a tree, and slept till midnight. When he awoke he saw a woman +standing by him, who said to him right fiercely, “Sir Percival, what doest +thou here?” +</p> + +<p> +“I do neither good nor evil,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“If thou wilt promise me,” said she, “to do my will whenever I shall ask +thee, I will bring thee here a horse that will bear thee wheresoever thou +desirest.” +</p> + +<p> +At that he was full glad, and promised as she asked. Then anon she came +again, with a great black steed, strong and well apparelled. So Sir +Percival mounted, and rode through the clear moonlight, and within less +than an hour had gone a four days’ journey, till he came to a rough water +that roared; and his horse would have <a class="pagenum" name="page246" id="page246" title="246"></a> borne him into it, but Sir Percival +would not suffer him, yet could he scarce restrain him. And seeing the +water so furious, he made the sign of the cross upon his forehead, whereat +the horse suddenly shook him off, and with a terrible sound leaped into +the water and disappeared, the waves all burning up in flames around him. +Then Sir Percival knew it was a fiend which had brought him the horse; so +he commended himself to God, and prayed that he might escape temptations, +and continued in prayer till it was day. +</p> + +<p> +Then he saw that he was on a wild mountain, nigh surrounded on all sides +by the sea, and filled with wild beasts; and going on into a valley, he +saw a serpent carrying a young lion by the neck. With that came another +lion, crying and roaring after the serpent, and anon overtook him, and +began to battle with him. And Sir Percival helped the lion, and drew his +sword, and gave the serpent such a stroke that it fell dead. Thereat the +lion fawned upon him like a dog, licking his hands, and crouching at his +feet, and at night lay down by him and slept at his side. +</p> + +<p> +And at noon the next day Sir Percival saw a ship come sailing before a +strong wind upon the sea towards him, and he rose and went towards it. And +when it came to shore, he found it covered with white samite, and on the +deck there stood an old man dressed in priest’s robes, who said, “God be +with you, fair sir; whence come ye?” +</p> + +<p> +“I am a knight of King Arthur’s court,” said he, “and follow the quest of +the Sangreal; but here have I lost myself in this wilderness.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fear nothing,” said the old man, “for I have come from a strange country +to comfort thee.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page247" id="page247" title="247"></a> + +<p> +Then he told Sir Percival it was a fiend of hell upon which he had ridden +to the sea, and that the lion, whom he had delivered from the serpent, +meant the Church. And Sir Percival rejoiced at these tidings, and entered +into the ship, which presently sailed from the shore into the sea. +</p> + +<p> +Now when Sir Bors rode forth from Camelot to seek the Sangreal, anon he +met a holy man riding on an ass, and courteously saluted him. +</p> + +<p> +“Who are ye, son?” said the good man. +</p> + +<p> +“I am a knight,” said he, “in quest of the Sangreal, and would fain have +thy counsel, for he shall have much earthly honour who may bring it to a +favourable end.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is truth,” said the good man, “for he shall be the best knight of +the world; yet know that none shall gain it save by sinless living.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rode to his hermitage together, and there he prayed Sir Bors to +abide that night, and anon they went into the chapel, and Sir Bors was +confessed. And they eat bread and drank water together. +</p> + +<p> +“Now,” said the hermit, “I pray thee eat no other food till thou sit at +the table where the Sangreal shall be.” Thereto Sir Bors agreed. +</p> + +<p> +“Also,” said the hermit, “it were wise that ye should wear a sackcloth +garment next your skin, for penance;” and in this also did Sir Bors as he +was counselled. And afterwards he armed himself and took his leave. +</p> + +<p> +Then rode he onwards all that day, and as he rode he saw a passing great +bird sit in an old dry tree, whereon no leaves were left; and many little +birds lay round the great one, nigh dead with hunger. Then did the big +bird smite himself with his own bill, and bled till he died amongst his +little ones, and they recovered life in drinking <a class="pagenum" name="page248" id="page248" title="248"></a> up his blood. When Sir +Bors saw this he knew it was a token, and rode on full of thought. And +about eventide he came to a tower, whereto he prayed admission, and he was +received gladly by the lady of the castle. But when a supper of many meats +and dainties was set before him, he remembered his vow, and bade a squire +to bring him water, and therein he dipped his bread, and ate. +</p> + +<p> +Then said the lady, “Sir Bors, I fear ye like not my meat.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, truly,” said he; “God thank thee, madam; but I may eat no other meat +this day.” +</p> + +<p> +After supper came a squire, and said, “Madam, bethink thee to provide a +champion for thee to-morrow for the tourney, or else shall thy sister have +thy castle.” +</p> + +<p> +At that the lady wept, and made great sorrow. But Sir Bors prayed her to +be comforted, and asked her why the tournament was held. Then she told him +how she and her sister were the daughters of King Anianse, who left them +all his lands between them; and how her sister was the wife of a strong +knight, named Sir Pridan le Noir, who had taken from herself all her +lands, save the one tower wherein she dwelt. “And now,” said she, “this +also will they take, unless I find a champion by to-morrow.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Bors, “Be comforted; to-morrow I will fight for thee;” +whereat she rejoiced not a little, and sent word to Sir Pridan that she +was provided and ready. And Sir Bors lay on the floor, and in no bed, nor +ever would do otherwise till he had achieved his quest. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow he arose and clothed himself, and went into the chapel, +where the lady met him, and they heard mass together. Anon he called for +his armour, and went with a goodly company of knights to the <a class="pagenum" name="page249" id="page249" title="249"></a> battle. And +the lady prayed him to refresh himself ere he should fight, but he refused +to break his fast until the tournament were done. So they all rode +together to the lists, and there they saw the lady’s eldest sister, and +her husband, Sir Pridan le Noir. And a cry was made by the heralds that, +whichever should win, his lady should have all the other’s lands. +</p> + +<p> +Then the two knights departed asunder a little space, and came together +with such force, that both their spears were shivered, and their shields +and hauberks pierced through; and both fell to the ground sorely wounded, +with their horses under them. But swiftly they arose, and drew their +swords, and smote each other on the head with many great and heavy blows, +till the blood ran down their bodies; and Sir Pridan was a full good +knight, so that Sir Bors had more ado than he had thought for to overcome +him. +</p> + +<p> +But at last Sir Pridan grew a little faint; that instantly perceived Sir +Bors, and rushed upon him the more vehemently, and smote him fiercely, +till he rent off his helm, and then gave him great strokes upon his visage +with the flat of his sword, and bade him yield or be slain. +</p> + +<p> +And then Sir Pridan cried him mercy, and said, “For God’s sake slay me +not, and I will never war against thy lady more.” So Sir Bors let him go, +and his wife fled away with all her knights. +</p> + +<p> +Then all those who had held lands of the lady of the tower came and did +homage to her again, and swore fealty. And when the country was at peace +Sir Bors departed, and rode forth into a forest until it was midday, and +there befell him a marvellous adventure. +</p> + +<p> +For at a place where two ways parted, there met him two knights, bearing +Sir Lionel, his brother, all naked, <a class="pagenum" name="page250" id="page250" title="250"></a> bound on a horse, and as they rode, +they beat him sorely with thorns, so that the blood trailed down in more +than a hundred places from his body; but for all this he uttered no word +or groan, so great he was of heart. As soon as Sir Bors knew his brother, +he put his spear in rest to run and rescue him; but in the same moment +heard a woman’s voice cry close beside him in the wood, “St. Mary, succour +thy maid;” and, looking round, he saw a damsel whom a felon knight dragged +after him into the thickets; and she, perceiving him, cried piteously for +help, and adjured him to deliver her as he was a sworn knight. Then was +Sir Bors sore troubled, and knew not what to do, for he thought within +himself, “If I let my brother be, he will be murdered; but if I help not +the maid, she is shamed for ever, and my vow compelleth me to set her +free; wherefore must I first help her, and trust my brother unto God.” +</p> + +<p> +So, riding to the knight who held the damsel, he cried out, “Sir knight, +lay your hand off that maid, or else ye be but dead.” +</p> + +<p> +At that the knight set down the maid, and dropped his shield, and drew +forth his sword against Sir Bors, who ran at him, and smote him through +both shield and shoulder, and threw him to the earth; and when he pulled +his spear forth, the knight swooned. Then the maid thanked Sir Bors +heartily, and he set her on the knight’s horse, and brought her to her +men-at-arms, who presently came riding after her. And they made much joy, +and besought him to come to her father, a great lord, and he should be +right welcome. But “truly,” said he, “I may not at this time, for I have a +great adventure yet to do;” and commending them to God, he departed in +great haste to find his brother. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page251" id="page251" title="251"></a> + +<p> +So he rode, seeking him by the track of the horses a great while. Anon he +met a seeming holy man riding upon a strong black horse, and asked him, +had he seen pass by that way a knight led bound and beaten with thorns by +two others. +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, truly, such an one I saw,” said the man; “but he is dead, and lo! +his body is hard by in a bush.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he showed him a newly slain body lying in a thick bush, which seemed +indeed to be Sir Lionel. Then made Sir Bors such mourning and sorrow that +by-and-by he fell into a swoon upon the ground. And when he came to +himself again, he took the body in his arms and put it on his horse’s +saddle, and bore it to a chapel hard by, and would have buried it. But +when he made the sign of the cross, he heard a full great noise and cry as +though all the fiends of hell had been about him, and suddenly the body +and the chapel and the old man vanished all away. Then he knew that it was +the devil who had thus beguiled him, and that his brother yet lived. +</p> + +<p> +Then held he up his hands to heaven, and thanked God for his own escape +from hurt, and rode onwards; and anon, as he passed by an hermitage in a +forest, he saw his brother sitting armed by the door. And when he saw him +he was filled with joy, and lighted from his horse, and ran to him and +said, “Fair brother, when came ye hither?” +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Lionel answered, with an angry face, “What vain words be these, +when for you I might have been slain? Did ye not see me bound and led away +to death, and left me in that peril to go succouring a gentlewoman, the +like whereof no brother ever yet hath done? Now, for thy false misdeed, I +do defy thee, and ensure thee speedy death.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page252" id="page252" title="252"></a> + +<p> +Then Sir Bors prayed his brother to abate his anger, and said, “Fair +brother, remember the love that should be between us twain.” +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Lionel would not hear, and prepared to fight and mounted his horse +and came before him, crying, “Sir Bors, keep thee from me, for I shall do +to thee as a felon and a traitor; therefore, start upon thy horse, for if +thou wilt not, I will run upon thee as thou standest.” +</p> + +<p> +But for all his words Sir Bors would not defend himself against his +brother. And anon the fiend stirred up Sir Lionel to such rage, that he +rushed over him and overthrew him with his horse’s hoofs, so that he lay +swooning on the ground. Then would he have rent off his helm and slain +him, but the hermit of that place ran out, and prayed him to forbear, and +shielded Sir Bors with his body. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lionel cried out, “Now, God so help me, sir priest, but I shall +slay thee else thou depart, and him too after thee.” +</p> + +<p> +And when the good man utterly refused to leave Sir Bors, he smote him on +the head until he died, and then he took his brother by the helm and +unlaced it, to have stricken off his head, and so he would have done, but +suddenly was pulled off backwards by a knight of the Round Table, who, by +the will of Heaven, was passing by that place—Sir Colgrevance by name. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir Lionel,” he cried, “will ye slay your brother, one of the best +knights of all the world? That ought no man to suffer.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why,” said Sir Lionel, “will ye hinder me and meddle in this strife? +beware, lest I shall slay both thee and him.” +</p> + +<p> +And when Sir Colgrevance refused to let them be, Sir Lionel defied him, +and gave him a great stroke through the helmet, whereat Sir Colgrevance +drew his sword, and smote <a class="pagenum" name="page253" id="page253" title="253"></a> again right manfully. And so long they fought +together that Sir Bors awoke from his swoon, and tried to rise and part +them, but had no strength to stand upon his feet. +</p> + +<p> +Anon Sir Colgrevance saw him, and cried out to him for help, for now Sir +Lionel had nigh defeated him. When Sir Bors heard that, he struggled to +his feet, and put his helmet on, and took his sword. But before he could +come to him, Sir Lionel had smitten off Sir Colgrevance’s helm, and thrown +him to the earth and slain him. Then turned he to his brother as a man +possessed by fiends, and gave him such a stroke as bent him nearly double. +</p> + +<p> +But still Sir Bors prayed him for God’s sake to quit that battle, “For if +it befell us that we either slew the other we should die for care of that +sin.” +</p> + +<p> +“Never will I spare thee if I master thee,” cried out Sir Lionel. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Bors drew his sword all weeping, and said, “Now, God have mercy +on me, though I defend my life against my brother;” with that he lifted up +his sword to strike, but suddenly he heard a mighty voice, “Put up thy +sword, Sir Bors, and flee, or thou shalt surely slay him.” And then there +fell upon them both a fiery cloud, which flamed and burned their shields, +and they fell to the earth in sore dread. +</p> + +<p> +Anon Sir Bors rose to his feet, and saw that Sir Lionel had taken no harm. +Then came the voice again, and said, “Sir Bors, go hence and leave thy +brother, and ride thou forward to the sea, for there Sir Percival abideth +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he said to his brother, “Brother, forgive me all my trespass against +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +And Sir Lionel answered, “God forgive it thee, as I do.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he departed and rode to the sea, and on the strand he found a ship +all covered with white samite, and <a class="pagenum" name="page254" id="page254" title="254"></a> as soon as he had entered thereinto, +it put forth from the shore. And in the midst of the ship there stood an +armed knight, whom he knew to be Sir Percival. Then they rejoiced greatly +over each other, and said, “We lack nothing now but the good knight Sir +Galahad.” +</p> + +<p> +Now when Sir Galahad had rescued Sir Percival from the twenty knights he +rode into a vast forest. And after many days it befell that he came to a +castle whereat was a tournament. And the knights of the castle were put to +the worse; which when he saw, he set his spear in rest and ran to help +them, and smote down many of their adversaries. And as it chanced, Sir +Gawain was amongst the stranger knights, and when he saw the white shield +with the red cross, he knew it was Sir Galahad, and proffered to joust +with him. So they encountered, and having broken their spears, they drew +their swords, and Sir Galahad smote Sir Gawain so sorely on the helm that +he clove it through, and struck on slanting to the earth, carving the +horse’s shoulder in twain, and Sir Gawain fell to the earth. Then Sir +Galahad beat back all who warred against the castle, yet would he not wait +for thanks, but rode away that no man might know him. +</p> + +<p> +And he rested that night at a hermitage, and when he was asleep, he heard +a knocking at the door. So he rose, and found a damsel there, who said, +“Sir Galahad, I will that ye arm you, and mount upon your horse and follow +me, for I will show you within these three days the highest adventure that +ever any knight saw.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon Sir Galahad armed him, and took his horse, and commended himself to +God, and bade the gentlewoman go, and he would follow where she liked. +</p> + +<p> +So they rode onwards to the sea as fast as their <a class="pagenum" name="page255" id="page255" title="255"></a> horses might gallop, and +at night they came to a castle in a valley, inclosed by running water, and +by strong and high walls, whereinto they entered and had great cheer, for +the lady of the castle was the damsel’s mistress. +</p> + +<p> +And when he was unarmed, the damsel said to her lady, “Madam, shall we +abide here this night?” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said she, “but only till he hath dined and slept a little.” +</p> + +<p> +So he ate and slept a while, till the maid called him, and armed him by +torchlight; and when he had saluted the lady of the castle, the damsel and +Sir Galahad rode on. +</p> + +<p> +Anon they came to the seaside, and lo! the ship, wherein were Sir Percival +and Sir Bors, abode by the shore. Then they cried, “Welcome, Sir Galahad, +for we have awaited thee long.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they rejoiced to see each other, and told of all their adventures and +temptations. And the damsel went into the ship with them, and spake to Sir +Percival: “Sir Percival, know ye not who I am?” +</p> + +<p> +And he replied, “Nay, certainly, I know thee not.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said she, “I am thy sister, the daughter of King Pellinore, and am +sent to help thee and these knights, thy fellows, to achieve the quest +which ye all follow.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Percival rejoiced to see his sister, and they departed from the +shore. And after a while they came upon a whirlpool, where their ship +could not live. Then saw they another greater ship hard by and went +towards it, but saw neither man nor woman therein. And on the end of it +these words were written, “Thou who shalt enter me, beware that thou be in +steadfast belief, for I am Faith; and if thou doubtest, I cannot help +thee.” Then were they all adread, but, commending themselves to God, they +entered in. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page256" id="page256" title="256"></a> + +<p> +As soon as they were on board they saw a fair bed; whereon lay a crown of +silk, and at the foot was a fair and rich sword drawn from its scabbard +half a foot and more. The pommel was of precious stones of many colours, +every colour having a different virtue, and the scales of the haft were of +two ribs of different beasts. The one was bone of a serpent from Calidone +forest, named the serpent of the fiend; and its virtue saveth all men who +hold it from weariness. The other was of a fish that haunteth the floods +of Euphrates, named Ertanax; and its virtue causeth whoever holdeth it to +forget all other things, whether of joy or pain, save the thing he seeth +before him. +</p> + +<p> +“In the name of God,” said Sir Percival, “I shall assay to handle this +sword;” and set his hand to it, but could not grasp it. “By my faith,” +said he, “now have I failed.” +</p> + +<p> +Sir Bors set his hand to it, and failed also. +</p> + +<p> +Then came Sir Galahad, and saw these letters written red as blood, “None +shall draw me forth save the hardiest of all men; but he that draweth me +shall never be shamed or wounded to death.” “By my faith,” said Sir +Galahad, “I would draw it forth, but dare not try.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye may try safely,” said the gentlewoman, Sir Percival’s sister, “for be +ye well assured the drawing of this sword is forbid to all but you. For +this was the sword of David, King of Israel, and Solomon his son made for +it this marvellous pommel and this wondrous sheath, and laid it on this +bed till thou shouldest come and take it up; and though before thee some +have dared to raise it, yet have they all been maimed or wounded for their +daring.” +</p> + +<p> +“Where,” said Sir Galahad, “shall we find a girdle for it?” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page257" id="page257" title="257"></a> + +<img src="images/figure17.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure17" id="figure17" + title="“This girdle, lords,” said she, “is made for the most part of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I loved full well.”" + alt="“This girdle, lords,” said she, “is made for the most part of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I loved full well.”"> + +<p> +“Fair sir,” said she, “dismay you not;” and therewith took from out a box +a girdle, nobly wrought with golden thread, set full of precious stones +and with a rich gold buckle. <a href="images/figure17.jpg">“This girdle, lords,” said she, “is made for +the most part of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I +loved full well;</a> but when I knew that this adventure was ordained me, I +cut off and wove as ye now see.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they all prayed Sir Galahad to take the sword, and so anon he gripped +it in his fingers; and the maiden girt it round his waist, saying, “Now +reck I not though I die, for I have made thee the worthiest knight of all +the world.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair damsel,” said Sir Galahad, “ye have done so much that I shall be +your knight all the days of my life.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the ship sailed a great way on the sea, and brought them to land near +the Castle of Carteloise. When they were landed came a squire and asked +them, “Be ye of King Arthur’s court?” +</p> + +<p> +“We are,” said they. +</p> + +<p> +“In an evil hour are ye come,” said he, and went back swiftly to the +castle. +</p> + +<p> +Within a while they heard a great horn blow, and saw a multitude of +well-armed knights come forth, who bade them yield or die. At that they +ran together, and Sir Percival smote one to the earth and mounted his +horse, and so likewise did Sir Bors and Sir Galahad, and soon had they +routed all their enemies and alighted on foot, and with their swords slew +them downright, and entered into the castle. +</p> + +<p> +Then came there forth a priest, to whom Sir Galahad kneeled and said, “In +sooth, good father, I repent me of this slaughter; but we were first +assailed, or else it had not been.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page258" id="page258" title="258"></a> + +<p> +“Repent ye not,” said the good man, “for if ye lived as long as the world +lasted ye could do no better deed, for these were all the felon sons of a +good knight, Earl Hernox, whom they have thrown into a dungeon, and in his +name have slain priests and clerks, and beat down chapels far and near.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Galahad prayed the priest to bring him to the earl; who, when he +saw Sir Galahad, cried out, “Long have I waited for thy coming, and now I +pray thee hold me in thine arms that I may die in peace.” +</p> + +<p> +And therewith, when Sir Galahad had taken him in his arms, his soul +departed from his body. +</p> + +<p> +Then came a voice in the hearing of them all, “Depart now, Sir Galahad, +and go quickly to the maimed king, for he hath long abided to receive +health from thy hand.” +</p> + +<p> +So the three knights departed, and Sir Percival’s sister with them, and +came to a vast forest, and saw before them a white hart, exceeding fair, +led by four lions; and marvelling greatly at that sight, they followed. +</p> + +<p> +Anon they came to a hermitage and a chapel, whereunto the hart entered, +and the lions with it. Then a priest offered mass, and presently they saw +the hart change into the figure of a man, most sweet and comely to behold; +and the four lions also changed and became a man, an eagle, a lion, and an +ox. And suddenly all those five figures vanished without sound. Then the +knights marvelled greatly, and fell upon their knees, and when they rose +they prayed the priest to tell them what that sight might mean. +</p> + +<p> +“What saw ye, sirs?” said he, “for I saw nothing.” Then they told him. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, lords!” said he, “ye are full welcome; now know I well ye be the +knights who shall achieve the <a class="pagenum" name="page259" id="page259" title="259"></a> Sangreal, for unto them alone such +mysteries are revealed. The hart ye saw is One above all men, white and +without blemish, and the four lions with Him are the four evangelists.” +</p> + +<p> +When they heard that they heartily rejoiced, and thanking the priest, +departed. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, as they passed by a certain castle, an armed knight suddenly came +after them, and cried out to the damsel, “By the holy cross, ye shall not +go till ye have yielded to the custom of the castle.” +</p> + +<p> +“Let her go,” said Sir Percival, “for a maiden, wheresoever she cometh, is +free.” +</p> + +<p> +“Whatever maiden passeth here,” replied the knight, “must give a dishful +of her blood from her right arm.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is a foul and shameful custom,” cried Sir Galahad and both his +fellows, “and sooner will we die than let this maiden yield thereto.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then shall ye die,” replied the knight, and as he spake there came out +from a gate hard by, ten or twelve more, and encountered with them, +running upon them vehemently with a great cry. But the three knights +withstood them, and set their hands to their swords, and beat them down +and slew them. +</p> + +<p> +At that came forth a company of threescore knights, all armed. “Fair +lords,” said Sir Galahad, “have mercy on yourselves and keep from us.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, fair lords,” they answered, “rather be advised by us, and yield ye +to our custom.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is an idle word,” said Galahad, “in vain ye speak it.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said they, “will ye die?” +</p> + +<p> +“We be not come thereto as yet,” replied Sir Galahad. +</p> + +<p> +Then did they fall upon each other, and Sir Galahad drew forth his sword, +and smote on the right hand and on <a class="pagenum" name="page260" id="page260" title="260"></a> the left, and slew so mightily that +all who saw him thought he was a monster and no earthly man. And both his +comrades helped him well, and so they held the field against that +multitude till it was night. Then came a good knight forward from the +enemy and said, “Fair knights, abide with us to-night and be right +welcome; by the faith of our bodies as we are true knights, to-morrow ye +shall rise unharmed, and meanwhile maybe ye will, of your own accord, +accept the custom of the castle when ye know it better.” +</p> + +<p> +So they entered and alighted and made great cheer. Anon, they asked them +whence that custom came. “The lady of this castle is a leper,” said they, +“and can be no way cured save by the blood of a pure virgin and a king’s +daughter; therefore to save her life are we her servants bound to stay +every maid that passeth by, and try if her blood may not cure our +mistress.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said the damsel, “Take ye of my blood as much as ye will, if it may +avail your lady.” +</p> + +<p> +And though the three knights urged her not to put her life in that great +peril, she replied, “If I die to heal another’s body, I shall get health +to my soul,” and would not be persuaded to refuse. +</p> + +<p> +So on the morrow she was brought to the sick lady, and her arm was bared, +and a vein thereof was opened, and the dish filled with her blood. Then +the sick lady was anointed therewith, and anon she was whole of her +malady. With that Sir Percival’s sister lifted up her hand and blessed +her, saying, “Madam, I am come to my death to make you whole; for God’s +love pray for me;” and thus saying she fell down in a swoon. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Galahad, Sir Percival, and Sir Bors started to lift her up and +staunch her blood, but she had lost too <a class="pagenum" name="page261" id="page261" title="261"></a> much to live. So when she came to +herself she said to Sir Percival, “Fair brother, I must die for the +healing of this lady, and now, I pray thee, bury me not here, but when I +am dead put me in a boat at the next haven and let me float at venture on +the sea. And when ye come to the city of Sarras, to achieve the Sangreal, +shall ye find me waiting by a tower, and there I pray thee bury me, for +there shall Sir Galahad and ye also be laid.” Thus having said, she died. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Percival wrote all the story of her life and put it in her right +hand, and so laid her in a barge and covered it with silk. And the wind +arising drove the barge from land, and all the knights stood watching it +till it was out of sight. +</p> + +<p> +Anon they returned to the castle, and forthwith fell a sudden tempest of +thunder and lightning and rain, as if the earth were broken up: and half +the castle was thrown down. Then came a voice to the three knights which +said, “Depart ye now asunder till ye meet again where the maimed king is +lying.” So they parted and rode divers ways. +</p> + +<p> +Now after Sir Lancelot had left the hermit, he rode a long while till he +knew not whither to turn, and so he lay down to sleep, if haply he might +dream whither to go. +</p> + +<p> +And in his sleep a vision came to him saying, “Lancelot, rise up and take +thine armour, and enter the first ship that thou shalt find.” +</p> + +<p> +When he awoke he obeyed the vision, and rode till he came to the +sea-shore, and found there a ship without sails or oars, and as soon as he +was in it he smelt the sweetest savour he had ever known, and seemed +filled with all things he could think of or desire. And looking round he +saw a fair bed, and thereon a gentlewoman <a class="pagenum" name="page262" id="page262" title="262"></a> lying dead, who was Sir +Percival’s sister. And as Sir Lancelot looked on her he spied the writing +in her right hand, and, taking it, he read therein her story. And more +than a month thereafter he abode in that ship and was nourished by the +grace of Heaven, as Israel was fed with manna in the desert. +</p> + +<p> +And on a certain night he went ashore to pass the time, for he was +somewhat weary, and, listening, he heard a horse come towards him, from +which a knight alighted and went up into the ship; who, when he saw Sir +Lancelot, said, “Fair sir, ye be right welcome to mine eyes, for I am thy +son Galahad, and long time I have sought for thee.” With that he kneeled +and asked his blessing, and took off his helm and kissed him, and the +great joy there was between them no tongue can tell. +</p> + +<p> +Then for half a year they dwelt together in the ship, and served God night +and day with all their powers, and went to many unknown islands, where none +but wild beasts haunted, and there found many strange and perilous +adventures. +</p> + +<p> +And upon a time they came to the edge of a forest, before a cross of +stone, and saw a knight armed all in white, leading a white horse. Then +the knight saluted them, and said to Galahad, “Ye have been long time +enough with your father; now, therefore, leave him and ride this horse +till ye achieve the Holy Quest.” +</p> + +<p> +Then went Sir Galahad to his father and kissed him full courteously, and +said, “Fair father, I know not when I shall see thee again.” +</p> + +<p> +And as he took his horse a voice spake in their hearing, “Ye shall meet no +more in this life.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now, my son, Sir Galahad,” said Sir Lancelot, “since we must so part and +see each other never more, I pray the High Father of Heaven to preserve +both you and me.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page263" id="page263" title="263"></a> + +<p> +Then they bade farewell, and Sir Galahad entered the forest, and Sir +Lancelot returned to the ship, and the wind rose and drove him more than a +month through the sea, whereby he slept but little, yet ever prayed that +he might see the Sangreal. +</p> + +<p> +So it befell upon a certain midnight, the moon shining clear, he came +before a fair and rich castle, whereof the postern gate was open towards +the sea, having no keeper save two lions in the entry. +</p> + +<p> +Anon Sir Lancelot heard a voice: “Leave now thy ship and go within the +castle, and thou shalt see a part of thy desire.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he armed and went towards the gate, and coming to the lions he drew +out his sword, but suddenly a dwarf rushed out and smote him on the arm, +so that he dropt his sword, and heard again the voice, “Oh, man of evil +faith, and poor belief, wherefore trustest thou thine arms above thy +Maker?” Then he put up his sword and signed the cross upon his forehead, +and so passed by the lions without hurt. +</p> + +<p> +And going in, he found a chamber with the door shut, which in vain he +tried to open. And listening thereat he heard a voice within, which sang +so sweetly that it seemed no earthly thing, “Joy and honour be to the +Father of Heaven!” Then he kneeled down at the door, for he knew well the +Sangreal was there within. +</p> + +<p> +Anon the door was opened without hands, and forthwith came thereout so +great a splendour as if all the torches of the world had been alight +together. But when he would have entered in, a voice forbad him; wherefore +he drew back, and looked, standing upon the threshold of the door. And +there he saw a table of silver, and the holy vessel covered with red +samite, and many angels round it holding <a class="pagenum" name="page264" id="page264" title="264"></a> burning candles and a cross and +all the ornaments of the altar. +</p> + +<p> +Then a priest stood up and offered mass, and when he took the vessel up, +he seemed to sink beneath that burden. At that Sir Lancelot cried, “O +Father, take it not for sin that I go in to help the priest, who hath much +need thereof.” So saying, he went in, but when he came towards the table +he felt a breath of fire which issued out therefrom and smote him to the +ground, so that he had no power to rise. +</p> + +<p> +Then felt he many hands about him, which took him up and laid him down +outside the chapel door. There lay he in a swoon all through that night, +and on the morrow certain people found him senseless, and bore him to an +inner chamber and laid him on a bed. And there he rested, living, but +moving no limbs, twenty-four days and nights. +</p> + +<p> +On the twenty-fifth day he opened his eyes and saw those standing round, +and said, “Why have ye waked me? for I have seen marvels that no tongue +can tell, and more than any heart can think.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he asked where he was, and they told him, “In the Castle of +Carbonek.” +</p> + +<p> +“Tell your lord, King Pelles,” said he, “that I am Sir Lancelot.” +</p> + +<p> +At that they marvelled greatly, and told their lord it was Sir Lancelot +who had lain there so long. +</p> + +<p> +Then was King Pelles wondrous glad and went to see him, and prayed him to +abide there for a season. But Sir Lancelot said, “I know well that I have +now seen as much as mine eyes may behold of the Sangreal; wherefore I will +return to my own country.” So he took leave of King Pelles, and departed +towards Logris. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page265" id="page265" title="265"></a> + +<p> +Now after Sir Galahad had parted from Sir Lancelot, he rode many days, +till he came to the monastery where the blind King Evelake lay, whom Sir +Percival had seen. And on the morrow, when he had heard mass, Sir Galahad +desired to see the king, who cried out, “Welcome, Sir Galahad, servant of +the Lord! long have I abided thy coming. Take me now in thine arms, that I +may die in peace.” +</p> + +<p> +At that Sir Galahad embraced him; and when he had so done the king’s eyes +were opened, and he said, “Fair Lord Jesus, suffer me now to come to +Thee;” and anon his soul departed. +</p> + +<p> +Then they buried him royally, as a king should be; and Sir Galahad went on +his way. +</p> + +<p> +Within a while he came to a chapel in a forest, in the crypt whereof he +saw a tomb which always blazed and burnt. And asking the brethren what +that might mean, they told him, “Joseph of Arimathea’s son did found this +monastery, and one who wronged him hath lain here these three hundred and +fifty years and burneth evermore, until that perfect knight who shall +achieve the Sangreal doth quench the fire.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said he, “I pray ye bring me to the tomb.” +</p> + +<p> +And when he touched the place immediately the fire was quenched, and a +voice came from the grave and cried, “Thanks be to God, who now hath +purged me of my sin, and draweth me from earthly pains into the joys of +paradise.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Galahad took the body in his arms and bore it to the abbey, and +on the morrow put it in the earth before the high altar. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he departed from thence and rode five days in a great forest; and +after that he met Sir Percival, and <a class="pagenum" name="page266" id="page266" title="266"></a> a little further on Sir Bors. When +they had told each other their adventures, they rode together to the +Castle of Carbonek: and there King Pelles gave them hearty welcome, for he +knew they should achieve the Holy Quest. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as they were come into the castle, a voice cried in the midst of +the chamber, “Let them who ought not now to sit at the table of the Lord +rise and depart hence!” Then all, save those three knights, departed. +</p> + +<p> +Anon they saw other knights come in with haste at the hall doors and take +their harness off, who said to Sir Galahad, “Sir, we have tried sore to be +with you at this table.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye be welcome,” said he, “but whence are ye?” +</p> + +<p> +So three of them said they were from Gaul; and three from Ireland; and +three from Denmark. +</p> + +<p> +Then came forth the likeness of a bishop, with a cross in his hand, and +four angels stood by him, and a table of silver was before them, whereon +was set the vessel of the Sangreal. Then came forth other angels also—two +bearing burning candles, and the third a towel, and the fourth a spear +which bled marvellously, the drops wherefrom fell into a box he held in +his left hand. Anon the bishop took the wafer up to consecrate it, and at +the lifting up, they saw the figure of a Child, whose visage was as bright +as any fire, which smote itself into the midst of the wafer and vanished, +so that all saw the flesh made bread. +</p> + +<p> +Thereat the bishop went to Galahad and kissed him, and bade him go and +kiss his fellows; and said, “Now, servants of the Lord, prepare for food +such as none ever yet were fed with since the world began.” +</p> + +<p> +With that he vanished, and the knights were filled with a great dread and +prayed devoutly. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page267" id="page267" title="267"></a> + +<p> +Then saw they come forth from the holy vessel the vision of a man bleeding +all openly, whom they knew well by the tokens of His passion for the Lord +Himself. At that they fell upon their faces and were dumb. Anon he brought +the Holy Grale to them and spake high words of comfort, and, when they +drank therefrom, the taste thereof was sweeter than any tongue could tell +or heart desire. Then a voice said to Galahad, “Son, with this blood which +drippeth from the spear anoint thou the maimed king and heal him. And when +thou hast this done, depart hence with thy brethren in a ship that ye +shall find, and go to the city of Sarras. And bear with thee the holy +vessel, for it shall no more be seen in the realm of Logris.” +</p> + +<p> +At that Sir Galahad walked to the bleeding spear, and therefrom anointing +his fingers went out straightway to the maimed King Pelles, and touched +his wound. Then suddenly he uprose from his bed as whole a man as ever he +was, and praised God passing thankfully with all his heart. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Galahad, Sir Bors, and Sir Percival departed as they had been +told; and when they had ridden three days they came to the sea-shore, and +found the ship awaiting them. Therein they entered, and saw in the midst +the silver table and the vessel of the Sangreal, covered with red samite. +Then were they passing glad, and made great reverence thereto. And Sir +Galahad prayed that now he might leave the world and pass to God. And +presently, the while he prayed, a voice said to him, “Galahad, thy prayer +is heard, and when thou asketh the death of the body thou shalt have it, +and find the life of thy soul.” +</p> + +<p> +But while they prayed and slept the ship sailed on, and when they woke +they saw the city of Sarras before <a class="pagenum" name="page268" id="page268" title="268"></a> them, and the other ship wherein was +Sir Percival’s sister. Then the three knights took up the holy table and +the Sangreal and went into the city; and there, in a chapel, they buried +Sir Percival’s sister right solemnly. +</p> + +<p> +Now at the gate of the town they saw an old cripple sitting, whom Sir +Galahad called to help them bear their weight. +</p> + +<p> +“Truly,” said the old man, “it is ten years since I have gone a step +without these crutches.” +</p> + +<p> +“Care ye not,” said Sir Galahad; “rise now and show goodwill.” +</p> + +<p> +So he assayed to move, and found his limbs as strong as any man’s might +be, and running to the table helped to carry it. +</p> + +<p> +Anon there rose a rumour in the city that a cripple had been healed by +certain marvellous strange knights. +</p> + +<p> +But the king, named Estouranse, who was a heathen tyrant, when he heard +thereof took Sir Galahad and his fellows, and put them in prison in a deep +hole. Therein they abode a great while, but ever the Sangreal was with +them and fed them with marvellous sweet food, so that they fainted not, +but had all joy and comfort they could wish. +</p> + +<p> +At the year’s end the king fell sick and felt that he should die. Then +sent he for the three knights, and when they came before him prayed their +mercy for his trespasses against them. So they forgave him gladly, and +anon he died. +</p> + +<p> +Then the chief men of the city took counsel together who should be king in +his stead, and as they talked, a voice cried in their midst, “Choose ye +the youngest of the three knights King Estouranse cast into prison for +your king.” At that they sought Sir Galahad and made him <a class="pagenum" name="page269" id="page269" title="269"></a> king with the +assent of all the city, and else they would have slain him. +</p> + +<p> +But within a twelvemonth came to him, upon a certain day, as he prayed +before the Sangreal, a man in likeness of a bishop, with a great company +of angels round about him, who offered mass, and afterwards called to Sir +Galahad, “Come forth, thou servant of the Lord, for the time hath come +thou hast desired so long.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Galahad lifted up his hands and prayed, “Now, blessed Lord! would +I no longer live if it might please Thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon the bishop gave him the sacrament, and when he had received it with +unspeakable gladness, he said, “Who art thou, father?” +</p> + +<p> +“I am Joseph of Arimathea,” answered he, “whom our Lord hath sent to bear +thee fellowship.” +</p> + +<p> +When he heard that, Sir Galahad went to Sir Percival and Sir Bors and +kissed them and commended them to God, saying, “Salute for me Sir +Lancelot, my father, and bid him remember this unstable world.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he kneeled down and prayed, and suddenly his soul departed, and +a multitude of angels bare it up to heaven. Then came a hand from heaven +and took the vessel and the spear and bare them out of sight. +</p> + +<p> +Since then was never man so hardy as to say that he had seen the Sangreal. +</p> + +<p> +And after all these things, Sir Percival put off his armour and betook him +to an hermitage, and within a little while passed out of this world. And +Sir Bors, when he had buried him beside his sister, returned, weeping sore +for the loss of his two brethren, to King Arthur, at Camelot. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page270" id="page270" title="270"></a> + +<a name="chapter_xiii" id="chapter_xiii"></a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>Sir Lancelot and the Fair Maid of Astolat</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/n.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="n3" id="n3" Title="N" alt="Drop Case N"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +ow after the quest of the Sangreal was fulfilled and all the knights who +were left alive were come again to the Round Table, there was great joy in +the court. And passing glad were King Arthur and Queen Guinevere to see +Sir Lancelot and Sir Bors, for they had been long absent in that quest. +</p> + +<p> +And so greatly was Sir Lancelot’s fame now spread abroad that many ladies +and damsels daily resorted to him and besought him for their champion; and +all right quarrels did he gladly undertake for the pleasure of our Lord +Christ. And always as much as he might he withdrew him from the queen. +</p> + +<p> +Wherefore Queen Guinevere, who counted him for her own knight, grew wroth +with him, and on a certain day she called him to her chamber, and said +thus: “Sir Lancelot, I daily see thy loyalty to me doth slack, for ever +thou art absent from this court, and takest other ladies’ quarrels on thee +more than ever thou wert wont. Now do I understand thee, false knight, and +therefore shall I never trust thee more. Depart now from my sight, and +come no more within this court upon pain of thy head.” With that she +turned from him and would hear no excuses. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page271" id="page271" title="271"></a> + +<p> +So Sir Lancelot departed in heaviness of heart, and calling Sir Bors, Sir +Ector, and Sir Lionel, he told them how the queen had dealt with him. +</p> + +<p> +“Fair sir,” replied Sir Bors, “remember what honour ye have in this +country, and how ye are called the noblest knight in the world; wherefore +go not, for women are hasty, and do often what they sore repent of +afterwards. Be ruled by my advice. Take horse and ride to the hermitage +beside Windsor, and there abide till I send ye better tidings.” +</p> + +<p> +To that Sir Lancelot consented, and departed with a sorrowful countenance. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the queen heard of his leaving she was inwardly sorry, but made +no show of grief, bearing a proud visage outwardly. And on a certain day +she made a costly banquet to all the knights of the Round Table, to show +she had as great joy in all others as in Sir Lancelot. And at the banquet +were Sir Gawain, and his brothers Sir Agravaine, Sir Gaheris, and Sir +Gareth; also Sir Modred, Sir Bors, Sir Blamor, Sir Bleoberis, Sir Ector, +Sir Lionel, Sir Palomedes, Sir Mador de la Port, and his cousin Sir +Patrice—a knight of Ireland, Sir Pinell le Savage, and many more. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Pinell hated Sir Gawain because he had slain one of his kinsmen by +treason; and Sir Gawain had a great love for all kinds of fruit, which, +when Sir Pinell knew, he poisoned certain apples that were set upon the +table, with intent to slay him. And so it chanced as they ate and made +merry, Sir Patrice, who sat next to Sir Gawain, took one of the poisoned +apples and eat it, and when he had eaten he suddenly swelled up and fell +down dead. +</p> + +<p> +At that every knight leapt from the board ashamed <a class="pagenum" name="page272" id="page272" title="272"></a> and enraged nigh out of +their wits, for they knew not what to say, yet seeing that the queen had +made the banquet they all had suspicion of her. +</p> + +<p> +“My lady the queen,” said Sir Gawain, “I wit well this fruit was meant for +me, for all men know my love for it, and now had I been nearly slain; +wherefore, I fear me, ye will be ashamed.” +</p> + +<p> +“This shall not end so,” cried Sir Mador de la Port; “now have I lost a +noble knight of my own blood, and for this despite and shame I will be +revenged to the uttermost.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he challenged Queen Guinevere concerning the death of his cousin, but +she stood still, sore abashed, and anon with her sorrow and dread, she +swooned. +</p> + +<p> +At the noise and sudden cry came in King Arthur, and to him appealed Sir +Mador, and impeached the queen. +</p> + +<p> +“Fair lords,” said he, “full sorely am I troubled at this matter, for I +must be rightful judge, and therein it repenteth me I may not do battle +for my wife, for, as I deem, this deed was none of hers. But I suppose she +will not lack a champion, and some good knight surely will put his body in +jeopardy to save her.” +</p> + +<p> +But all who had been bidden to the banquet said they could not hold the +queen excused, or be her champions, for she had made the feast, and either +by herself or servants must it have come. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said the queen, “I made this dinner for a good intent, and no +evil, so God help me in my need.” +</p> + +<p> +“My lord the king,” said Sir Mador, “I require you heartily as you be a +righteous king give me a day when I may have justice.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said the king, “I give ye this day fifteen days, when ye shall be +ready and armed in the meadow beside <a class="pagenum" name="page273" id="page273" title="273"></a> Westminster, and if there be a +knight to fight with you, God speed the right, and if not, then must my +queen be burnt.” +</p> + +<p> +When the king and queen were alone together he asked her how this case +befell. +</p> + +<p> +“I wot not how or in what manner,” answered she. +</p> + +<p> +“Where is Sir Lancelot?” said King Arthur, “for he would not grudge to do +battle for thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said she, “I cannot tell you, but all his kinsmen deem he is not in +this realm.” +</p> + +<p> +“These be sad tidings,” said the king; “I counsel ye to find Sir Bors, and +pray him for Sir Lancelot’s sake to do this battle for you.” +</p> + +<p> +So the queen departed and sent for Sir Bors to her chamber, and besought +his succour. +</p> + +<p> +“Madam,” said he, “what would you have me do? for I may not with my honour +take this matter on me, for I was at that same dinner, and all the other +knights would have me ever in suspicion. Now do ye miss Sir Lancelot, for +he would not have failed you in right nor yet in wrong, as ye have often +proved, but now ye have driven him from the country.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas! fair knight,” said the queen, “I put me wholly at your mercy, and +all that is done amiss I will amend as ye will counsel me.” +</p> + +<p> +And therewith she kneeled down upon both her knees before Sir Bors, and +besought him to have mercy on her. +</p> + +<p> +Anon came in King Arthur also, and prayed him of his courtesy to help her, +saying, “I require you for the love of Lancelot.” +</p> + +<p> +“My lord,” said he, “ye require the greatest thing of me that any man can +ask, for if I do this battle for the queen I shall anger all my fellows of +the Table Round; <a class="pagenum" name="page274" id="page274" title="274"></a> nevertheless, for my lord Sir Lancelot’s sake, and for +yours, I will that day be the queen’s champion, unless there chance to +come a better knight than I am to do battle for her.” And this he promised +on his faith. +</p> + +<p> +Then were the king and queen passing glad, and thanked him heartily, and +so departed. +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Bors rode in secret to the hermitage where Sir Lancelot was, and +told him all these tidings. +</p> + +<p> +“It has chanced as I would have it,” said Sir Lancelot; “yet make ye ready +for the battle, but tarry till ye see me come.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Bors, “doubt not but ye shall have your will.” +</p> + +<p> +But many of the knights were greatly wroth with him when they heard he was +to be the queen’s champion, for there were few in the court but deemed her +guilty. +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Bors, “Wit ye well, fair lords, it were a shame to us all to +suffer so fair and noble a lady to be burnt for lack of a champion, for +ever hath she proved herself a lover of good knights; wherefore I doubt +not she is guiltless of this treason.” +</p> + +<p> +At that were some well pleased, but others rested passing wroth. +</p> + +<p> +And when the day was come, the king and queen and all the knights went to +the meadow beside Westminster, where the battle should be fought. Then the +queen was put in ward, and a great fire was made round the iron stake, +where she must be burnt if Sir Mador won the day. +</p> + +<p> +So when the heralds blew, Sir Mador rode forth, and took oath that Queen +Guinevere was guilty of Sir Patrice’s death, and his oath he would prove +with his body against any who would say the contrary. Then came forth Sir <a class="pagenum" name="page275" id="page275" title="275"></a> +Bors, and said, “Queen Guinevere is in the right, and that will I prove +with my hands.” +</p> + +<p> +With that they both departed to their tents to make ready for the battle. +But Sir Bors tarried long, hoping Sir Lancelot would come, till Sir Mador +cried out to King Arthur, “Bid thy champion come forth, unless he dare +not.” Then was Sir Bors ashamed, and took his horse and rode to the end of +the lists. +</p> + +<p> +But ere he could meet Sir Mador he was ware of a knight upon a white +horse, armed at all points, and with a strange shield, who rode to him and +said, “I pray you withdraw from this quarrel, for it is mine, and I have +ridden far to fight in it.” +</p> + +<p> +Thereat Sir Bors rode to King Arthur, and told him that another knight was +come who would do battle for the queen. +</p> + +<p> +“Who is he?” said King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +“I may not tell you,” said Sir Bors; “but he made a covenant with me to be +here to-day, wherefore I am discharged.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king called that knight, and asked him if he would fight for the +queen. +</p> + +<p> +“Therefore came I hither, Sir king,” answered he; “but let us tarry no +longer, for anon I have other matters to do. But wit ye well,” said he to +the Knights of the Round Table, “it is shame to ye for such a courteous +queen to suffer this dishonour.” +</p> + +<p> +And all men marvelled who this knight might be, for none knew him save Sir +Bors. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Mador and the knight rode to either end of the lists, and +couching their spears, ran one against the other with all their might; and +Sir Mador’s spear broke short, but the strange knight bore both him and +his horse <a class="pagenum" name="page276" id="page276" title="276"></a> down to the ground. Then lightly they leaped from their saddles +and drew their swords, and so came eagerly to the battle, and either gave +the other many sad strokes and sore and deep wounds. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure18.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure18" id="figure18" + title="At last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave him such a buffet on the helm as well-nigh killed him." + alt="At last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave him such a buffet on the helm as well-nigh killed him."> + +<p> +Thus they fought nigh an hour, for Sir Mador was a full strong and valiant +knight. <a href="images/figure18.jpg">But at last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave +him such a buffet on the helm as wellnigh killed him.</a> Then did Sir Mador +yield, and prayed his life. +</p> + +<p> +“I will but grant it thee,” said the strange knight, “if thou wilt release +the queen from this quarrel for ever, and promise that no mention shall be +made upon Sir Patrice’s tomb that ever she consented to that treason.” +</p> + +<p> +“All this shall be done,” said Sir Mador. +</p> + +<p> +Then the knights parters took up Sir Mador and led him to his tent, and +the other knight went straight to the stair foot of King Arthur’s throne; +and by that time was the queen come to the king again, and kissed him +lovingly. +</p> + +<p> +Then both the king and she stooped down, and thanked the knight, and +prayed him to put off his helm and rest him, and to take a cup of wine. +And when he put his helmet off to drink, all people saw it was Sir +Lancelot. But when the queen beheld him she sank almost to the ground +weeping for sorrow and for joy, that he had done her such great goodness +when she had showed him such unkindness. +</p> + +<p> +Then the knights of his blood gathered round him, and there was great joy +and mirth in the court. And Sir Mador and Sir Lancelot were soon healed of +their wounds; and not long after came the Lady of the Lake to the court, +and told all there by her enchantments how Sir Pinell, and not the queen, +was guilty of Sir Patrice’s death. Whereat the queen was held excused of +all men, and Sir Pinell fled the country. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page277" id="page277" title="277"></a> + +<p> +So Sir Patrice was buried in the church of Winchester, and it was written +on his tomb that Sir Pinell slew him with a poisoned apple, in error for +Sir Gawain. Then, through Sir Lancelot’s favour, the queen was reconciled +to Sir Mador, and all was forgiven. +</p> + +<p> +Now fifteen days before the Feast of the Assumption of our Lady, the king +proclaimed a tourney to be held that feast-day at Camelot, whereat himself +and the King of Scotland would joust with all who should come against +them. So thither went the King of North Wales, and King Anguish of +Ireland, and Sir Galahaut the noble prince, and many other nobles of +divers countries. +</p> + +<p> +And King Arthur made ready to go, and would have had the queen go with +him, but she said that she was sick. Sir Lancelot, also, made excuses, +saying he was not yet whole of his wounds. +</p> + +<p> +At that the king was passing heavy and grieved, and so departed alone +towards Camelot. And by the way he lodged in a town called Astolat, and +lay that night in the castle. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as he had gone, Sir Lancelot said to the queen, “This night I will +rest, and to-morrow betimes will I take my way to Camelot; for at these +jousts I will be against the king and his fellowship.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye may do as ye list,” said Queen Guinevere; “but by my counsel ye will +not be against the king, for in his company are many hardy knights, as ye +well know.” +</p> + +<p> +“Madam,” said Sir Lancelot, “I pray ye be not displeased with me, for I +will take the adventure that God may send me.” +</p> + +<p> +And on the morrow he went to the church and heard mass, and took his leave +of the queen, and so departed. +</p> + +<p> +Then he rode long till he came to Astolat, and there <a class="pagenum" name="page278" id="page278" title="278"></a> lodged at the castle +of an old baron called Sir Bernard of Astolat, which was near the castle +where King Arthur lodged. And as Sir Lancelot entered the king espied him, +and knew him. Then said he to the knights, “I have just seen a knight who +will fight full well at the joust toward which we go.” +</p> + +<p> +“Who is it?” asked they. +</p> + +<p> +“As yet ye shall not know,” he answered smiling. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Lancelot was in his chamber unarming, the old baron came to him +saluting him, though as yet he knew not who he was. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Bernard had a daughter passing beautiful, called the Fair Maid of +Astolat, and when she saw Sir Lancelot she loved him from that instant +with her whole heart, and could not stay from gazing on him. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow, Sir Lancelot asked the old baron to lend him a strange +shield. “For,” said he, “I would be unknown.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said his host, “ye shall have your desire, for here is the shield +of my eldest son, Sir Torre, who was hurt the day he was made knight, so +that he cannot ride; and his shield, therefore, is not known. And, if it +please you, my youngest son, Sir Lavaine, shall ride with you to the +jousts, for he is of his age full strong and mighty; and I deem ye be a +noble knight, wherefore I pray ye tell me your name.” +</p> + +<p> +“As to that,” said Sir Lancelot, “ye must hold me excused at this time, +but if I speed well at the jousts, I will come again and tell you; but in +anywise let me have your son, Sir Lavaine, with me, and lend me his +brother’s shield.” +</p> + +<p> +Then, ere they departed, came Elaine, the baron’s daughter, and said to +Sir Lancelot, “I pray thee, gentle knight, to wear my token at to-morrow’s +tourney.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page279" id="page279" title="279"></a> + +<p> +“If I should grant you that, fair damsel,” said he, “ye might say that I +did more for you than ever I have done for lady or damsel.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he bethought him that if he granted her request he would be the more +disguised, for never before had he worn any lady’s token. So anon he said, +“Fair damsel, I will wear thy token on my helmet if thou wilt show it me.” +</p> + +<p> +Thereat was she passing glad, and brought him a scarlet sleeve broidered +with pearls, which Sir Lancelot took, and put upon his helm. Then he +prayed her to keep his shield for him until he came again, and taking Sir +Torre’s shield instead, rode forth with Sir Lavaine towards Camelot. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow the trumpets blew for the tourney, and there was a great +press of dukes and earls and barons and many noble knights; and King +Arthur sat in a gallery to behold who did the best. So the King of +Scotland and his knights, and King Anguish of Ireland rode forth on King +Arthur’s side; and against them came the King of North Wales, the King of +a Hundred Knights, the King of Northumberland, and the noble prince Sir +Galahaut. +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Lancelot and Sir Lavaine rode into a little wood behind the party +which was against King Arthur, to watch which side should prove the +weakest. +</p> + +<p> +Then was there a strong fight between the two parties, for the King of a +Hundred Knights smote down the King of Scotland; and Sir Palomedes, who +was on King Arthur’s side, overthrew Sir Galahaut. Then came fifteen +Knights of the Round Table and beat back the Kings of Northumberland and +North Wales with their knights. +</p> + +<p> +“Now,” said Sir Lancelot to Sir Lavaine, “if ye will <a class="pagenum" name="page280" id="page280" title="280"></a> help me, ye shall +see yonder fellowship go back as fast as they came.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Lavaine, “I will do what I can.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they rode together into the thickest of the press, and there, with +one spear, Sir Lancelot smote down five Knights of the Round Table, one +after other, and Sir Lavaine overthrew two. And taking another spear, for +his own was broken, Sir Lancelot smote down four more knights, and Sir +Lavaine a fifth. Then, drawing his sword, Sir Lancelot fought fiercely on +the right hand and the left, and unhorsed Sir Safire, Sir Epinogris, and +Sir Galleron. At that the Knights of the Round Table withdrew themselves +as well as they were able. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, mercy,” said Sir Gawain, who sat by King Arthur; “what knight is +that who doth such marvellous deeds of arms? I should deem him by his +force to be Sir Lancelot, but that he wears a lady’s token on his helm as +never Lancelot doth.” +</p> + +<p> +“Let him be,” said King Arthur; “he will be better known, and do more ere +he depart.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus the party against King Arthur prospered at this time, and his knights +were sore ashamed. Then Sir Bors, Sir Ector, and Sir Lionel called +together the knights of their blood, nine in number, and agreed to join +together in one band against the two strange knights. So they encountered +Sir Lancelot all at once, and by main force smote his horse to the ground; +and by misfortune Sir Bors struck Sir Lancelot through the shield into the +side, and the spear broke off and left the head in the wound. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Lavaine saw that, he ran to the King of Scotland and struck him +off his horse, and brought it to Sir Lancelot, and helped him to mount. +Then Sir <a class="pagenum" name="page281" id="page281" title="281"></a> Lancelot bore Sir Bors and his horse to the ground, and in like +manner served Sir Ector and Sir Lionel; and turning upon three other +knights he smote them down also; while Sir Lavaine did many gallant deeds. +</p> + +<p> +But feeling himself now sorely wounded Sir Lancelot drew his sword, and +proffered to fight with Sir Bors, who, by this time, was mounted anew. And +as they met, Sir Ector and Sir Lionel came also, and the swords of all +three drave fiercely against him. When he felt their buffets, and his +wound that was so grievous, he determined to do all his best while he +could yet endure, and smote Sir Bors a blow that bent his head down nearly +to the ground and razed his helmet off and pulled him from his horse. +</p> + +<p> +Then rushing at Sir Ector and Sir Lionel, he smote them down, and might +have slain all three, but when he saw their faces his heart forbade him. +Leaving them, therefore, on the field, he hurled into the thickest of the +press, and did such feats of arms as never were beheld before. +</p> + +<p> +And Sir Lavaine was with him through it all, and overthrew ten knights; +but Sir Lancelot smote down more than thirty, and most of them Knights of +the Round Table. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king ordered the trumpets to blow for the end of the tourney, and +the prize to be given by the heralds to the knight with the white shield +who bore the red sleeve. +</p> + +<p> +But ere Sir Lancelot was found by the heralds, came the King of the +Hundred Knights, the King of North Wales, the King of Northumberland, and +Sir Galahaut, and said to him, “Fair knight, God bless thee, for much have +ye done this day for us; wherefore we pray ye come <a class="pagenum" name="page282" id="page282" title="282"></a> with us and receive +the honour and the prize as ye have worshipfully deserved it.” +</p> + +<p> +“My fair lords,” said Sir Lancelot, “wit ye well if I have deserved +thanks, I have sore bought them, for I am like never to escape with my +life; therefore I pray ye let me depart, for I am sore hurt. I take no +thought of honour, for I had rather rest me than be lord of all the +world.” And therewith he groaned piteously, and rode a great gallop away +from them. +</p> + +<p> +And Sir Lavaine rode after him, sad at heart, for the broken spear still +stuck fast in Sir Lancelot’s side, and the blood streamed sorely from the +wound. Anon they came near a wood more than a mile from the lists, where +he knew he could be hidden. +</p> + +<p> +Then said he to Sir Lavaine, “O gentle knight, help me to pull out this +spear-head from my side, for the pain thereof nigh killeth me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Dear lord,” said he, “I fain would help ye; but I dread to draw it forth, +lest ye should die for loss of blood.” +</p> + +<p> +“I charge you as you love me,” said Sir Lancelot, “draw it out.” +</p> + +<p> +So they dismounted, and with a mighty wrench Sir Lavaine drew the spear +forth from Sir Lancelot’s side; whereat he gave a marvellous great shriek +and ghastly groan, and all his blood leaped forth in a full stream. Then +he sank swooning to the earth, with a visage pale as death. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” cried Sir Lavaine, “what shall I do now?” +</p> + +<p> +And then he turned his master’s face towards the wind, and sat by him nigh +half an hour while he lay quiet as one dead. But at the last he lifted up +his eyes, and said, “I pray ye bear me on my horse again, and lead me to a +<a class="pagenum" name="page283" id="page283" title="283"></a> hermit who dwelleth within two miles hence, for he was formerly a knight +of Arthur’s court, and now hath mighty skill in medicine and herbs.” +</p> + +<p> +So with great pain Sir Lavaine got him to his horse, and led him to the +hermitage within the wood, beside a stream. Then knocked he with his spear +upon the door, and prayed to enter. At that a child came out, to whom he +said, “Fair child, pray the good man thy master to come hither and let in +a knight who is sore wounded.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon came out the knight-hermit, whose name was Sir Baldwin, and asked, +“Who is this wounded knight?” +</p> + +<p> +“I know not,” said Sir Lavaine, “save that he is the noblest knight I ever +met with, and hath done this day such marvellous deeds of arms against +King Arthur that he hath won the prize of the tourney.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the hermit gazed long on Sir Lancelot, and hardly knew him, so pale +he was with bleeding, yet said he at the last, “Who art thou, lord?” +</p> + +<p> +Sir Lancelot answered feebly, “I am a stranger knight adventurous, who +laboureth through many realms to win worship.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why hidest thou thy name, dear lord, from me?” cried Sir Baldwin; “for in +sooth I know thee now to be the noblest knight in all the world—my lord +Sir Lancelot du Lake, with whom I long had fellowship at the Round Table.” +</p> + +<p> +“Since ye know me, fair sir,” said he, “I pray ye, for Christ’s sake, to +help me if ye may.” +</p> + +<p> +“Doubt not,” replied he, “that ye shall live and fare right well.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he staunched his wound, and gave him strong medicines and cordials +till he was refreshed from his faintness and came to himself again. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page284" id="page284" title="284"></a> + +<p> +Now after the jousting was done King Arthur held a feast, and asked to see +the knight with the red sleeve that he might take the prize. So they told +him how that knight had ridden from the field wounded nigh to death. +“These be the worst tidings I have heard for many years,” cried out the +king; “I would not for my kingdom he were slain.” +</p> + +<p> +Then all men asked, “Know ye him, lord?” +</p> + +<p> +“I may not tell ye at this time,” said he; “but would to God we had good +tidings of him.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Gawain prayed leave to go and seek that knight, which the king +gladly gave him. So forthwith he mounted and rode many leagues round +Camelot, but could hear no tidings. +</p> + +<p> +Within two days thereafter King Arthur and his knights returned from +Camelot, and Sir Gawain chanced to lodge at Astolat, in the house of Sir +Bernard. And there came in the fair Elaine to him, and prayed him news of +the tournament, and who won the prize. “A knight with a white shield,” +said he, “who bare a red sleeve in his helm, smote down all comers and won +the day.” +</p> + +<p> +At that the visage of Elaine changed suddenly from white to red, and +heartily she thanked our Lady. +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Gawain, “Know ye that knight?” and urged her till she told +him that it was her sleeve he wore. So Sir Gawain knew it was for love +that she had given it; and when he heard she kept his proper shield he +prayed to see it. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as it was brought he saw Sir Lancelot’s arms thereon, and cried, +“Alas! now am I heavier of heart than ever yet.” +</p> + +<p> +“Wherefore?” said fair Elaine. +</p> + +<p> +“Fair damsel,” answered he, “know ye not that the <a class="pagenum" name="page285" id="page285" title="285"></a> knight ye love is of +all knights the noblest in the world, Sir Lancelot du Lake? With all my +heart I pray ye may have joy of each other, but hardly dare I think that +ye shall see him in this world again, for he is so sore wounded he may +scarcely live, and is gone out of sight where none can find him.” +</p> + +<p> +Then was Elaine nigh mad with grief and sorrow, and with piteous words she +prayed her father that she might go seek Sir Lancelot and her brother. So +in the end her father gave her leave, and she departed. +</p> + +<p> +And on the morrow came Sir Gawain to the court, and told how he had found +Sir Lancelot’s shield in Elaine’s keeping, and how it was her sleeve which +he had worn; whereat all marvelled, for Sir Lancelot had done for her more +than he had ever done for any woman. +</p> + +<p> +But when Queen Guinevere heard it she was beside herself with wrath, and +sending privily for Sir Bors, who sorrowed sorely that through him Sir +Lancelot had been hurt—“Have ye now heard,” said she, “how falsely Sir +Lancelot hath betrayed me?” +</p> + +<p> +“I beseech thee, madam,” said he, “speak not so, for else I may not hear +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Shall I not call him traitor,” cried she, “who hath worn another lady’s +token at the jousting?” +</p> + +<p> +“Be sure he did it, madam, for no ill intent,” replied Sir Bors, “but that +he might be better hidden, for never did he in that wise before.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now shame on him, and thee who wouldest help him,” cried the queen. +</p> + +<p> +“Madam, say what ye will,” said he; “but I must haste to seek him, and God +send me soon good tidings of him.” +</p> + +<p> +So with that he departed to find Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page286" id="page286" title="286"></a> + +<p> +Now Elaine had ridden with full haste from Astolat, and come to Camelot, +and there she sought throughout the country for any news of Lancelot. And +so it chanced that Sir Lavaine was riding near the hermitage to exercise +his horse, and when she saw him she ran up and cried aloud, “How doth my +lord Sir Lancelot fare?” +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Lavaine, marvelling greatly, “How know ye my lord’s name, +fair sister?” +</p> + +<p> +So she told him how Sir Gawain had lodged with Sir Bernard, and knew Sir +Lancelot’s shield. +</p> + +<p> +Then prayed she to see his lord forthwith, and when she came to the +hermitage and found him lying there sore sick and bleeding, she swooned +for sorrow. Anon, as she revived, Sir Lancelot kissed her, and said, “Fair +maid, I pray ye take comfort, for, by God’s grace, I shall be shortly +whole of this wound, and if ye be come to tend me, I am heartily bounden +to your great kindness.” Yet was he sore vexed to hear Sir Gawain had +discovered him, for he knew Queen Guinevere would be full wroth because of +the red sleeve. +</p> + +<p> +So Elaine rested in the hermitage, and ever night and day she watched and +waited on Sir Lancelot, and would let none other tend him. And as she saw +him more, the more she set her love upon him, and could by no means +withdraw it. Then said Sir Lancelot to Sir Lavaine, “I pray thee set some +to watch for the good knight Sir Bors, for as he hurt me, so will he +surely seek for me.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Bors by this time had come to Camelot, and was seeking for Sir +Lancelot everywhere, so Sir Lavaine soon found him, and brought him to the +hermitage. +</p> + +<p> +And when he saw Sir Lancelot pale and feeble, he wept for pity and sorrow +that he had given him that grievous wound. “God send thee a right speedy +cure, dear <a class="pagenum" name="page287" id="page287" title="287"></a> lord,” said he; “for I am of all men most unhappy to have +wounded thee, who art our leader, and the noblest knight in all the +world.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair cousin,” said Sir Lancelot, “be comforted, for I have but gained +what I sought, and it was through pride that I was hurt, for had I warned +ye of my coming it had not been; wherefore let us speak of other things.” +</p> + +<p> +So they talked long together, and Sir Bors told him of the queen’s anger. +Then he asked Sir Lancelot, “Was it from this maid who tendeth you so +lovingly ye had the token?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” said Sir Lancelot; “and would I could persuade her to withdraw her +love from me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why should ye do so?” said Sir Bors; “for she is passing fair and loving. +I would to heaven ye could love her.” +</p> + +<p> +“That may not be,” replied he; “but it repenteth me in sooth to grieve +her.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they talked of other matters, and of the great jousting at +Allhallowtide next coming, between King Arthur and the King of North +Wales. +</p> + +<p> +“Abide with me till then,” said Sir Lancelot, “for by that time I trust to +be all whole again, and we will go together.” +</p> + +<p> +So Elaine daily and nightly tending him, within a month he felt so strong +he deemed himself full cured. Then on a day, when Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine +were from the hermitage, and the knight-hermit also was gone forth, Sir +Lancelot prayed Elaine to bring him some herbs from the forest. +</p> + +<p> +When she was gone he rose and made haste to arm himself, and try if he +were whole enough to joust, and mounted on his horse, which was fresh with +lack of <a class="pagenum" name="page288" id="page288" title="288"></a> labour for so long a time. But when he set his spear in the rest +and tried his armour, the horse bounded and leapt beneath him, so that Sir +Lancelot strained to keep him back. And therewith his wound, which was not +wholly healed, burst forth again, and with a mighty groan he sank down +swooning on the ground. +</p> + +<p> +At that came fair Elaine and wept and piteously moaned to see him lying +so. And when Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine came back, she called them traitors +to let him rise, or to know any rumour of the tournament. Anon the hermit +returned and was wroth to see Sir Lancelot risen, but within a while he +recovered him from his swoon and staunched the wound. Then Sir Lancelot +told him how he had risen of his own will to assay his strength for the +tournament. But the hermit bad him rest and let Sir Bors go alone, for +else would he sorely peril his life. And Elaine, with tears, prayed him in +the same wise, so that Sir Lancelot in the end consented. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Bors departed to the tournament, and there he did such feats of +arms that the prize was given between him and Sir Gawain, who did like +valiantly. +</p> + +<p> +And when all was over he came back and told Sir Lancelot, and found him so +nigh well that he could rise and walk. And within a while thereafter he +departed from the hermitage and went with Sir Bors, Sir Lavaine, and fair +Elaine to Astolat, where Sir Bernard joyfully received them. +</p> + +<p> +But after they had lodged there a few days Sir Lancelot and Sir Bors must +needs depart and return to King Arthur’s court. +</p> + +<p> +So when Elaine knew Sir Lancelot must go, she came to him and said, “Have +mercy on me, fair knight, and let me not die for your love.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page289" id="page289" title="289"></a> + +<p> +Then said Sir Lancelot, very sad at heart, “Fair maid, what would ye that +I should do for you?” +</p> + +<p> +“If I may not be your wife, dear lord,” she answered, “I must die.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said he, “I pray heaven that may not be; for in sooth I may not be +your husband. But fain would I show ye what thankfulness I can for all +your love and kindness to me. And ever will I be your knight, fair maiden; +and if it chance that ye shall ever wed some noble knight, right heartily +will I give ye such a dower as half my lands will bring.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas! what shall that aid me?” answered she; “for I must die,” and +therewith she fell to the earth in a deep swoon. +</p> + +<p> +Then was Sir Lancelot passing heavy of heart, and said to Sir Bernard and +Sir Lavaine, “What shall I do for her?” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said Sir Bernard, “I know well that she will die for your sake.” +</p> + +<p> +And Sir Lavaine said, “I marvel not that she so sorely mourneth your +departure, for truly I do as she doth, and since I once have seen you, +lord, I cannot leave you.” +</p> + +<p> +So anon, with a full sorrowful heart, Sir Lancelot took his leave, and Sir +Lavaine rode with him to the court. And King Arthur and the Knights of the +Round Table joyed greatly to see him whole of his wound, but Queen +Guinevere was sorely wroth, and neither spake with him nor greeted him. +</p> + +<p> +Now when Sir Lancelot had departed, the Maid of Astolat could neither eat, +nor drink, not sleep for sorrow; and having thus endured ten days, she +felt within herself that she must die. +</p> + +<p> +Then sent she for a holy man, and was shriven and <a class="pagenum" name="page290" id="page290" title="290"></a> received the sacrament. +But when he told her she must leave her earthly thoughts, she answered, +“Am I not an earthly woman? What sin is it to love the noblest knight of +all the world? And, by my truth, I am not able to withstand the love +whereof I die; wherefore, I pray the High Father of Heaven to have mercy +on my soul.” +</p> + +<p> +Then she besought Sir Bernard to indite a letter as she should devise, and +said, “When I am dead put this within my hand, and dress me in my fairest +clothes, and lay me in a barge all covered with black samite, and steer it +down the river till it reach the court. Thus, father, I beseech thee let +it be.” +</p> + +<p> +Then, full of grief, he promised her it should be so. And anon she died, +and all the household made a bitter lamentation over her. +</p> + +<p> +Then did they as she had desired, and laid her body, richly dressed, upon +a bed within the barge, and a trusty servant steered it down the river +towards the court. +</p> + +<p> +Now King Arthur and Queen Guinevere sat at a window of the palace, and saw +the barge come floating with the tide, and marvelled what was laid +therein, and sent a messenger to see, who, soon returning, prayed them to +come forth. +</p> + +<p> +When they came to the shore they marvelled greatly, and the king asked of +the serving-men who steered the barge what this might mean. But he made +signs that he was dumb, and pointed to the letter in the damsel’s hands. +So King Arthur took the letter from the hand of the corpse, and found +thereon written, “To the noble knight, Sir Lancelot du Lake.” +</p> + +<img src="images/figure19.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure19" id="figure19" + title="Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk." + alt="Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk."> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure19.jpg">Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk,</a> and +thus it was written:— +</p> + +<p> +“Most noble knight, my lord Sir Lancelot, now hath <a class="pagenum" name="page291" id="page291" title="291"></a> death for ever parted +us. I, whom men call the Maid of Astolat, set my love upon you, and have +died for your sake. This is my last request, that ye pray for my soul and +give me burial. Grant me this, Sir Lancelot, as thou art a peerless +knight.” +</p> + +<p> +At these words the queen and all the knights wept sore for pity. +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Lancelot, “My lord, I am right heavy for the death of this +fair damsel; and God knoweth that right unwillingly I caused it, for she +was good as she was fair, and much was I beholden to her; but she loved me +beyond measure, and asked me that I could not give her.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye might have shown her gentleness enough to save her life,” answered the +queen. +</p> + +<p> +“Madam,” said he, “she would but be repaid by my taking her to wife, and +that I could not grant her, for love cometh of the heart and not by +constraint.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is true,” said the king; “for love is free.” +</p> + +<p> +“I pray you,” said Sir Lancelot, “let me now grant her last asking, to be +buried by me.” +</p> + +<p> +So on the morrow, he caused her body to be buried richly and solemnly, and +ordained masses for her soul, and made great sorrow over her. +</p> + +<p> +Then the queen sent for Sir Lancelot, and prayed his pardon for her wrath +against him without cause. “This is not the first time it hath been so,” +answered he; “yet must I ever bear with ye, and so do I now forgive you.” +</p> + +<p> +So Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot were made friends again; but anon such +favour did she show him, as in the end brought many evils on them both and +all the realm. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page292" id="page292" title="292"></a> + +<a name="chapter_xiv" id="chapter_xiv"></a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The War between King Arthur and Sir Lancelot and the Death of King +Arthur</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/w.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="w1" id="w1" Title="W" alt="Drop Case W"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +ithin a while thereafter was a jousting at the court, wherein Sir +Lancelot won the prize. And two of those he smote down were Sir Agravaine, +the brother of Sir Gawain, and Sir Modred, his false brother—King +Arthur’s son by Belisent. And because of his victory they hated Sir +Lancelot, and sought how they might injure him. +</p> + +<p> +So on a night, when King Arthur was hunting in the forest, and the queen +sent for Sir Lancelot to her chamber, they two espied him; and thinking +now to make a scandal and a quarrel between Lancelot and the king, they +found twelve others, and said Sir Lancelot was ever now in the queen’s +chamber, and King Arthur was dishonoured. +</p> + +<p> +Then, all armed, they came suddenly round the queen’s door, and cried, +“Traitor! now art thou taken.” +</p> + +<p> +“Madam, we be betrayed,” said Sir Lancelot; “yet shall my life cost these +men dear.” +</p> + +<p> +Then did the queen weep sore, and dismally she cried, “Alas! there is no +armour here whereby ye might withstand <a class="pagenum" name="page293" id="page293" title="293"></a> so many; wherefore ye will be +slain, and I be burnt for the dread crime they will charge on me.” +</p> + +<p> +But while she spake the shouting of the knights was heard without, +“Traitor, come forth, for now thou art snared!” +</p> + +<p> +“Better were twenty deaths at once than this vile outcry,” said Sir +Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +Then he kissed her and said, “Most noble lady, I beseech ye, as I have +ever been your own true knight, take courage; pray for my soul if I be now +slain, and trust my faithful friends, Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine, to save +you from the fire.” +</p> + +<p> +But ever bitterly she wept and moaned, and cried, “Would God that they +would take and slay me, and that thou couldest escape.” +</p> + +<p> +“That shall never be,” said he. And wrapping his mantle round his arm he +unbarred the door a little space, so that but one could enter. +</p> + +<p> +Then first rushed in Sir Chalaunce, a full strong knight, and lifted up +his sword to smite Sir Lancelot; but lightly he avoided him, and struck +Sir Chalaunce, with his hand, such a sore buffet on the head as felled him +dead upon the floor. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot pulled in his body and barred the door again, and +dressed himself in his armour, and took his drawn sword in his hand. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure20.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure20" id="figure20" + title="But still the knights cried mightily without the door, “Traitor, come forth!”" + alt="But still the knights cried mightily without the door, “Traitor, come forth!”"> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure20.jpg">But still the knights cried mightily without the door, “Traitor, come +forth!”</a> +</p> + +<p> +“Be silent and depart,” replied Sir Lancelot; “for be ye sure ye will not +take me, and to-morrow will I meet ye face to face before the king.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye shall have no such grace,” they cried; “but we will slay thee, or take +thee as we list.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page294" id="page294" title="294"></a> + +<p> +“Then save yourselves who may,” he thundered, and therewith suddenly +unbarred the door and rushed forth at them. And at the first blow he slew +Sir Agravaine, and after him twelve other knights, with twelve more mighty +buffets. And none of all escaped him save Sir Modred, who, sorely wounded, +fled away for life. +</p> + +<p> +Then returned he to the queen, and said, “Now, madam, will I depart, and +if ye be in any danger I pray ye come to me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Surely will I stay here, for I am queen,” she answered; “yet if to-morrow +any harm come to me I trust to thee for rescue.” +</p> + +<p> +“Have ye no doubt of me,” said he, “for ever while I live am I your own +true knight.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he took his leave, and went and told Sir Bors and all his +kindred of this adventure. “We will be with thee in this quarrel,” said +they all; “and if the queen be sentenced to the fire, we certainly will +save her.” +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile Sir Modred, in great fear and pain, fled from the court, and +rode until he found King Arthur, and told him all that had befallen. But +the king would scarce believe him till he came and saw the bodies of Sir +Agravaine and all the other knights. +</p> + +<p> +Then felt he in himself that all was true, and with his passing grief his +heart nigh broke. “Alas!” cried he, “now is the fellowship of the Round +Table for ever broken: yea, woe is me! I may not with my honour spare my +queen.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon it was ordained that Queen Guinevere should be burned to death, +because she had dishonoured King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +But when Sir Gawain heard thereof, he came before the king, and said, “My +lord, I counsel thee be not too hasty in this matter, but stay the +judgment of the queen <a class="pagenum" name="page295" id="page295" title="295"></a> a season, for it may well be that Sir Lancelot was +in her chamber for no evil, seeing she is greatly beholden to him for so +many deeds done for her sake, and peradventure she had sent to him to +thank him, and did it secretly that she might avoid slander.” +</p> + +<p> +But King Arthur answered, full of grief, “Alas! I may not help her; she is +judged as any other woman.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he required Sir Gawain and his brethren, Sir Gaheris and Sir Gareth, +to be ready to bear the queen to-morrow to the place of execution. +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, noble lord,” replied Sir Gawain, “that can I never do; for neither +will my heart suffer me to see the queen die, nor shall men ever say I was +of your counsel in this matter.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said his brothers, “Ye may command us to be there, but since it is +against our will, we will be without arms, that we may do no battle +against her.” +</p> + +<p> +So on the morrow was Queen Guinevere led forth to die by fire, and a +mighty crowd was there, of knights and nobles, armed and unarmed. And all +the lords and ladies wept sore at that piteous sight. Then was she shriven +by a priest, and the men came nigh to bind her to the stake and light the +fire. +</p> + +<p> +At that Sir Lancelot’s spies rode hastily and told him and his kindred, +who lay hidden in a wood hard by; and suddenly, with twenty knights, he +rushed into the midst of all the throng to rescue her. +</p> + +<p> +But certain of King Arthur’s knights rose up and fought with them, and +there was a full great battle and confusion. And Sir Lancelot drave +fiercely here and there among the press, and smote on every side, and at +every blow struck down a knight, so that many were slain by him and his +fellows. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page296" id="page296" title="296"></a> + +<p> +Then was the queen set free, and caught up on Sir Lancelot’s saddle and +fled away with him and all his company to the Castle of La Joyous Garde. +</p> + +<p> +Now so it chanced that, in the turmoil of the fighting, Sir Lancelot had +unawares struck down and slain the two good knights Sir Gareth and Sir +Gaheris, knowing it not, for he fought wildly, and saw not that they were +unarmed. +</p> + +<p> +When King Arthur heard thereof, and of all that battle, and the rescue of +the queen, he sorrowed heavily for those good knights, and was passing +wroth with Lancelot and the queen. +</p> + +<p> +But when Sir Gawain heard of his brethren’s death he swooned for sorrow +and wrath, for he wist that Sir Lancelot had killed them in malice. And as +soon as he recovered he ran in to the king, and said, “Lord king and +uncle, hear this oath which now I swear, that from this day I will not +fail Sir Lancelot till one of us hath slain the other. And now, unless ye +haste to war with him, that we may be avenged, will I myself alone go +after him.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king, full of wrath and grief, agreed thereto, and sent letters +throughout the realm to summon all his knights, and went with a vast army +to besiege the Castle of La Joyous Garde. And Sir Lancelot, with his +knights, mightily defended it; but never would he suffer any to go forth +and attack one of the king’s army, for he was right loth to fight against +him. +</p> + +<p> +So when fifteen weeks were passed, and King Arthur’s army wasted itself in +vain against the castle, for it was passing strong, it chanced upon a day +Sir Lancelot was looking from the walls and espied King Arthur and Sir +Gawain close beside. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page297" id="page297" title="297"></a> + +<p> +“Come forth, Sir Lancelot,” said King Arthur right fiercely, “and let us +two meet in the midst of the field.” +</p> + +<p> +“God forbid that I should encounter with thee, lord, for thou didst make +me a knight,” replied Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +Then cried Sir Gawain, “Shame on thee, traitor and false knight, yet be ye +well assured we will regain the queen and slay thee and thy company; yea, +double shame on ye to slay my brother Gaheris unarmed, Sir Gareth also, +who loved ye so well. For that treachery, be sure I am thine enemy till +death.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” cried Sir Lancelot, “that I hear such tidings, for I knew not I +had slain those noble knights, and right sorely now do I repent it with a +heavy heart. Yet abate thy wrath, Sir Gawain, for ye know full well I did +it by mischance, for I loved them ever as my own brothers.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou liest, false recreant,” cried Sir Gawain, fiercely. +</p> + +<p> +At that Sir Lancelot was wroth, and said, “I well see thou art now mine +enemy, and that there can be no more peace with thee, or with my lord the +king, else would I gladly give back the queen.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king would fain have listened to Sir Lancelot, for more than all +his own wrong did he grieve at the sore waste and damage of the realm, but +Sir Gawain persuaded him against it, and ever cried out foully on Sir +Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Bors and the other knights of Lancelot’s party heard the fierce +words of Sir Gawain, they were passing wroth, and prayed to ride forth and +be avenged on him, for they were weary of so long waiting to no good. And +in the end Sir Lancelot, with a heavy heart, consented. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page298" id="page298" title="298"></a> + +<p> +So on the morrow the hosts on either side met in the field, and there was +a great battle. And Sir Gawain prayed his knights chiefly to set upon Sir +Lancelot; but Sir Lancelot commanded his company to forbear King Arthur +and Sir Gawain. +</p> + +<p> +So the two armies jousted together right fiercely, and Sir Gawain +proffered to encounter with Sir Lionel, and overthrew him. But Sir Bors, +and Sir Blamor, and Sir Palomedes, who were on Sir Lancelot’s side, did +great feats of arms, and overthrew many of King Arthur’s knights. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king came forth against Sir Lancelot, but Sir Lancelot forbore +him and would not strike again. +</p> + +<p> +At that Sir Bors rode up against the king and smote him down. But Sir +Lancelot cried, “Touch him not on pain of thy head,” and going to King +Arthur he alighted and gave him his own horse, saying, “My lord, I pray +thee forbear this strife, for it can bring to neither of us any honour.” +</p> + +<p> +And when King Arthur looked on him the tears came to his eyes as he +thought of his noble courtesy, and he said within himself, “Alas! that +ever this war began.” +</p> + +<p> +But on the morrow Sir Gawain led forth the army again, and Sir Bors +commanded on Sir Lancelot’s side. And they two struck together so fiercely +that both fell to the ground sorely wounded; and all the day they fought +till night fell, and many were slain on both sides, yet in the end neither +gained the victory. +</p> + +<p> +But by now the fame of this fierce war spread through all Christendom, and +when the Pope heard thereof he sent a Bull, and charged King Arthur to +make peace with Lancelot, and receive back Queen Guinevere; and for the +offence imputed to her absolution should be given by the Pope. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page299" id="page299" title="299"></a> + +<p> +Thereto would King Arthur straightway have obeyed, but Sir Gawain ever +urged him to refuse. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Lancelot heard thereof, he wrote thus to the king: “It was never +in my thought, lord, to withhold thy queen from thee; but since she was +condemned for my sake to death, I deemed it but a just and knightly part +to rescue her therefrom; wherefore I recommend me to your grace, and +within eight days will I come to thee and bring the queen in safety.” +</p> + +<p> +Then, within eight days, as he had said, Sir Lancelot rode from out the +castle with Queen Guinevere, and a hundred knights for company, each +carrying an olive branch, in sign of peace. And so they came to the court, +and found King Arthur sitting on his throne, with Sir Gawain and many +other knights around him. And when Sir Lancelot entered with the queen, +they both kneeled down before the king. +</p> + +<p> +Anon Sir Lancelot rose and said, “My lord, I have brought hither my lady +the queen again, as right requireth, and by commandment of the Pope and +you. I pray ye take her to your heart again and forget the past. For +myself I may ask nothing, and for my sin I shall have sorrow and sore +punishment; yet I would to heaven I might have your grace.” +</p> + +<p> +But ere the king could answer, for he was moved with pity at his words, +Sir Gawain cried aloud, “Let the king do as he will, but be sure, Sir +Lancelot, thou and I shall never be accorded while we live, for thou has +slain my brethren traitorously and unarmed.” +</p> + +<p> +“As heaven is my help,” replied Sir Lancelot, “I did it ignorantly, for I +loved them well, and while I live I shall bewail their death; but to make +war with me were no avail, for I must needs fight with thee if thou +assailest, <a class="pagenum" name="page300" id="page300" title="300"></a> and peradventure I might kill thee also, which I were right +loth to do.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will forgive thee never,” cried Sir Gawain, “and if the king accordeth +with thee he shall lose my service.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the knights who stood near tried to reconcile Sir Gawain to Sir +Lancelot, but he would not hear them. So, at the last, Sir Lancelot said, +“Since peace is vain, I will depart, lest I bring more evil on my +fellowship.” +</p> + +<p> +And as he turned to go, the tears fell from him, and he said, “Alas, most +noble Christian realm, which I have loved above all others, now shall I +see thee never more!” Then said he to the queen, “Madam, now must I leave +ye and this noble fellowship for ever. And, I beseech ye, pray for me, and +if ye ever be defamed of any, let me hear thereof, and as I have been ever +thy true knight in right and wrong, so will I be again.” +</p> + +<p> +With that he kneeled and kissed King Arthur’s hands, and departed on his +way. And there was none in all that court, save Sir Gawain alone, but wept +to see him go. +</p> + +<p> +So he returned with all his knights to the Castle of La Joyous Garde, and, +for his sorrow’s sake, he named it Dolorous Garde thenceforth. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he left the realm, and went with many of his fellowship beyond the +sea to France, and there divided all his lands among them equally, he +sharing but as the rest. +</p> + +<p> +And from that time forward peace had been between him and King Arthur, but +for Sir Gawain, who left the king no rest, but constantly persuaded him +that Lancelot was raising mighty hosts against him. +</p> + +<p> +So in the end his malice overcame the king, who left the government in +charge of Modred, and made him <a class="pagenum" name="page301" id="page301" title="301"></a> guardian of the queen, and went with a +great army to invade Sir Lancelot’s lands. +</p> + +<p> +Yet Sir Lancelot would make no war upon the king, and sent a message to +gain peace on any terms King Arthur chose. But Sir Gawain met the herald +ere he reached the king, and sent him back with taunting and bitter words. +Whereat Sir Lancelot sorrowfully called his knights together and fortified +the Castle of Benwicke, and there was shortly besieged by the army of King +Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +And every day Sir Gawain rode up to the walls, and cried out foully on Sir +Lancelot, till, upon a time, Sir Lancelot answered him that he would meet +him in the field and put his boasting to the proof. So it was agreed on +both sides that there should none come nigh them or separate them till one +had fallen or yielded; and they two rode forth. +</p> + +<p> +Then did they wheel their horses apart, and turning, came together as it +had been thunder, so that both horses fell, and both their lances broke. +At that they drew their swords and set upon each other fiercely, with +passing grievous strokes. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Gawain had through magic a marvellous great gift. For every day, +from morning till noon, his strength waxed to the might of seven men, but +after that waned to his natural force. Therefore till noon he gave Sir +Lancelot many mighty buffets, which scarcely he endured. Yet greatly he +forbore Sir Gawain, for he was aware of his enchantment, and smote him +slightly till his own knights marvelled. But after noon Sir Gawain’s +strength sank fast, and then, with one full blow, Sir Lancelot laid him on +the earth. Then Sir Gawain cried out, “Turn not away, thou traitor knight, +<a class="pagenum" name="page302" id="page302" title="302"></a> but slay me if thou wilt, or else I will arise and fight with thee again +some other time.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” replied Sir Lancelot, “I never yet smote a fallen man.” +</p> + +<p> +At that they bore Sir Gawain sorely wounded to his tent, and King Arthur +withdrew his men, for he was loth to shed the blood of so many knights of +his own fellowship. +</p> + +<p> +But now came tidings to King Arthur from across the sea, which caused him +to return in haste. For thus the news ran, that no sooner was Sir Modred +set up in his regency, than he had forged false tidings from abroad that +the king had fallen in a battle with Sir Lancelot. Whereat he had +proclaimed himself the king, and had been crowned at Canterbury, where he +had held a coronation feast for fifteen days. Then he had gone to +Winchester, where Queen Guinevere abode, and had commanded her to be his +wife; whereto, for fear and sore perplexity, she had feigned consent, but, +under pretext of preparing for the marriage, had fled in haste to London +and taken shelter in the Tower, fortifying it and providing it with all +manner of victuals, and defending it against Sir Modred, and answering to +all his threats that she would rather slay herself than be his queen. +</p> + +<p> +Thus was it written to King Arthur. Then, in passing great wrath and +haste, he came with all his army swiftly back from France and sailed to +England. But when Sir Modred heard thereof, he left the Tower and marched +with all his host to meet the king at Dover. +</p> + +<p> +Then fled Queen Guinevere to Amesbury to a nunnery, and there she clothed +herself in sackcloth, and spent her time in praying for the king and in +good deeds and fasting. And in that nunnery evermore she lived, sorely +repenting and mourning for her sin, and for the <a class="pagenum" name="page303" id="page303" title="303"></a> ruin she had brought on +all the realm. And there anon she died. +</p> + +<p> +And when Sir Lancelot heard thereof, he put his knightly armour off, and +bade farewell to all his kin, and went a mighty pilgrimage for many years, +and after lived a hermit till his death. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Modred came to Dover, he found King Arthur and his army but just +landed; and there they fought a fierce and bloody battle, and many great +and noble knights fell on both sides. +</p> + +<p> +But the king’s side had the victory, for he was beyond himself with might +and passion, and all his knights so fiercely followed him, that, in spite +of all their multitude, they drove Sir Modred’s army back with fearful +wounds and slaughter, and slept that night upon the battle-field. +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Gawain was smitten by an arrow in the wound Sir Lancelot gave him, +and wounded to the death. Then was he borne to the king’s tent, and King +Arthur sorrowed over him as it had been his own son. “Alas!” said he; “in +Sir Lancelot and in you I had my greatest earthly joy, and now is all gone +from me.” +</p> + +<p> +And Sir Gawain answered, with a feeble voice, “My lord and king, I know +well my death is come, and through my own wilfulness, for I am smitten in +the wound Sir Lancelot gave me. Alas! that I have been the cause of all +this war, for but for me thou hadst been now at peace with Lancelot, and +then had Modred never done this treason. I pray ye, therefore, my dear +lord, be now agreed with Lancelot, and tell him, that although he gave me +my death-wound, it was through my own seeking; wherefore I beseech him to +come back <a class="pagenum" name="page304" id="page304" title="304"></a> to England, and here to visit my tomb, and pray for my soul.” +</p> + +<p> +When he had thus spoken, Sir Gawain gave up his ghost, and the king +grievously mourned for him. +</p> + +<p> +Then they told him that the enemy had camped on Barham Downs, whereat, +with all his hosts, he straightway marched there, and fought again a +bloody battle, and overthrew Sir Modred utterly. Howbeit, he raised yet +another army, and retreating ever from before the king, increased his +numbers as he went, till at the farthest west in Lyonesse, he once more +made a stand. +</p> + +<p> +Now, on the night of Trinity Sunday, being the eve of the battle, King +Arthur had a vision, and saw Sir Gawain in a dream, who warned him not to +fight with Modred on the morrow, else he would be surely slain; and prayed +him to delay till Lancelot and his knights should come to aid him. +</p> + +<p> +So when King Arthur woke he told his lords and knights that vision, and +all agreed to wait the coming of Sir Lancelot. Then a herald was sent with +a message of truce to Sir Modred, and a treaty was made that neither army +should assail the other. +</p> + +<p> +But when the treaty was agreed upon, and the heralds returned, King Arthur +said to his knights, “Beware, lest Sir Modred deceive us, for I in no wise +trust him, and if swords be drawn be ready to encounter!” And Sir Modred +likewise gave an order, that if any man of the king’s army drew his sword, +they should begin to fight. +</p> + +<p> +And as it chanced, a knight of the king’s side was bitten by an adder in +the foot, and hastily drew forth his sword to slay it. That saw Sir +Modred, and forthwith commanded all his army to assail the king’s. +</p> + +<p> +So both sides rushed to battle, and fought passing <a class="pagenum" name="page305" id="page305" title="305"></a> fiercely. And when the +king saw there was no hope to stay them, he did right mightily and nobly +as a king should do, and ever, like a lion, raged in the thickest of the +press, and slew on the right hand and on the left, till his horse went +fetlock deep in blood. So all day long they fought, and stinted not till +many a noble knight was slain. +</p> + +<p> +But the king was passing sorrowful to see his trusty knights lie dead on +every side. And at the last but two remained beside him, Sir Lucan, and +his brother, Sir Bedivere, and both were sorely wounded. +</p> + +<p> +“Now am I come to mine end,” said King Arthur; “but, lo! that traitor +Modred liveth yet, and I may not die till I have slain him. Now, give me +my spear, Sir Lucan.” +</p> + +<p> +“Lord, let him be,” replied Sir Lucan; “for if ye pass through this +unhappy day, ye shall be right well revenged upon him. My good lord, +remember well your dream, and what the spirit of Sir Gawain did forewarn +ye.” +</p> + +<p> +“Betide me life, betide me death,” said the king; “now I see him yonder +alone, he shall never escape my hands, for at a better vantage shall I +never have him.” +</p> + +<p> +“God speed you well,” said Sir Bedivere. +</p> + +<p> +Then King Arthur got his spear in both his hands, and ran towards Sir +Modred, crying, “Traitor, now is thy death-day come!” And when Sir Modred +heard his words, and saw him come, he drew his sword and stood to meet +him. Then King Arthur smote Sir Modred through the body more than a +fathom. And when Sir Modred felt he had his death wound, he thrust himself +with all his might up to the end of King <a class="pagenum" name="page306" id="page306" title="306"></a> Arthur’s spear, and smote his +father, Arthur, with his sword upon the head, so that it pierced both helm +and brain-pan. +</p> + +<p> +And therewith Sir Modred fell down stark dead to the earth, and King +Arthur fell down also in a swoon, and swooned many times. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lucan and Sir Bedivere came and bare him away to a little chapel +by the sea-shore. And there Sir Lucan sank down with the bleeding of his +own wounds, and fell dead. +</p> + +<p> +And King Arthur lay long in a swoon, and when he came to himself, he found +Sir Lucan lying dead beside him, and Sir Bedivere weeping over the body of +his brother. +</p> + +<p> +Then said the king to Sir Bedivere, “Weeping will avail no longer, else +would I grieve for evermore. Alas! now is the fellowship of the Round +Table dissolved for ever, and all my realm I have so loved is wasted with +war. But my time hieth fast, wherefore take thou Excalibur, my good sword, +and go therewith to yonder water-side and throw it in, and bring me word +what thing thou seest.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Bedivere departed; but as he went he looked upon the sword, the +hilt whereof was all inlaid with precious stones exceeding rich. And +presently he said within himself, “If I now throw this sword into the +water, what good should come of it?” So he hid the sword among the reeds, +and came again to the king. +</p> + +<p> +“What sawest thou?” said he to Sir Bedivere. +</p> + +<p> +“Lord,” said he, “I saw nothing else but wind and waves.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou hast untruly spoken,” said the king; “wherefore go lightly back and +throw it in, and spare not.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page307" id="page307" title="307"></a> + +<p> +Then Sir Bedivere returned again, and took the sword up in his hand; but +when he looked on it, he thought it sin and shame to throw away a thing so +noble. Wherefore he hid it yet again, and went back to the king. +</p> + +<p> +“What saw ye?” said King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +“Lord,” answered he, “I saw nothing but the water ebbing and flowing.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, traitor and untrue!” cried out the king; “twice hast thou now +betrayed me. Art thou called of men a noble knight, and wouldest betray me +for a jewelled sword? Now, therefore, go again for the last time, for thy +tarrying hath put me in sore peril of my life, and I fear my wound hath +taken cold; and if thou do it not this time, by my faith I will arise and +slay thee with my hands.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Bedivere ran quickly and took up the sword, and went down to the +water’s edge, and bound the girdle round the hilt and threw it far into +the water. And lo! an arm and hand came forth above the water, and caught +the sword, and brandished it three times, and vanished. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Bedivere came again to the king and told him what he had seen. +</p> + +<p> +“Help me from hence,” said King Arthur; “for I dread me I have tarried +over long.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Bedivere took the king up in his arms, and bore him to the +water’s edge. And by the shore they saw a barge with three fair queens +therein, all dressed in black, and when they saw King Arthur they wept and +wailed. +</p> + +<p> +“Now put me in the barge,“ said he to Sir Bedivere, and tenderly he did +so. +</p> + +<p> +Then the three queens received him, and he laid his <a class="pagenum" name="page308" id="page308" title="308"></a> head upon the lap of +one of them, who cried, “Alas! dear brother, why have ye tarried so long, +for your wound hath taken cold?” +</p> + +<p> +With that the barge put from the land, and when Sir Bedivere saw it +departing, he cried with a bitter cry, “Alas! my lord King Arthur, what +shall become of me now ye have gone from me?” +</p> + +<p> +“Comfort ye,” said King Arthur, “and be strong, for I may no more help ye. +I go to the Vale of Avilion to heal me of my grievous wound, and if ye see +me no more, pray for my soul.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the three queens kneeled down around the king and sorely wept and +wailed, and the barge went forth to sea, and departed slowly out of Sir +Bedivere’s sight. +</p> + +<h3>THE END</h3> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + + +<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS ***</div> +<div style='text-align:left'> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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index 0000000..d5453d8 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/12753-h/images/o.png diff --git a/old/12753-h/images/t.png b/old/12753-h/images/t.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c649daf --- /dev/null +++ b/old/12753-h/images/t.png diff --git a/old/12753-h/images/w.png b/old/12753-h/images/w.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..db3e617 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/12753-h/images/w.png diff --git a/old/old/2020-12-15-12753-8.txt b/old/old/2020-12-15-12753-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..88bbc0b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/old/2020-12-15-12753-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9931 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Legends Of King Arthur And His Knights +by James Knowles + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Legends Of King Arthur And His Knights + +Author: James Knowles + +Release Date: June 28, 2004 [EBook #12753] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS *** + + + + +Produced by Zoran Stefanovic, GF Untermeyer and Distributed +Proofreaders Europe, http://dp.rastko.net. + + + + + + + +The Legends of KING ARTHUR and his KNIGHTS + +Sir James Knowles + +Illustrated by Lancelot Speed + + +TO +ALFRED TENNYSON, D.C.L. +POET LAUREATE + +THIS ATTEMPT AT A POPULAR VERSION OF +THE ARTHUR LEGENDS +IS BY HIS PERMISSION DEDICATED +AS A TRIBUTE +OF THE SINCEREST AND WARMEST RESPECT + + +1862 + + + + +PREFACE TO THE EIGHTH EDITION + + +The Publishers have asked me to authorise a new edition, in my own name, +of this little book--now long out of print--which was written by me +thirty-five years ago under the initials J.T.K. + +In acceding to their request I wish to say that the book as now published +is merely a word-for-word reprint of my early effort to help to popularise +the Arthur legends. + +It is little else than an abridgment of Sir Thomas Malory's version of +them as printed by Caxton--with a few additions from Geoffrey of Monmouth +and other sources--and an endeavour to arrange the many tales into a more +or less consecutive story. + +The chief pleasure which came to me from it was, and is, that it began for +me a long and intimate acquaintance with Lord Tennyson, to whom, by his +permission, I Dedicated it before I was personally known to him. + +JAMES KNOWLES. + + + + +_Addendum by Lady Knowles_ + + +In response to a widely expressed wish for a fresh edition of this little +book--now for some years out of print--a new and ninth edition has been +prepared. + +In his preface my husband says that the intimacy with Lord Tennyson to +which it led was the chief pleasure the book brought him. I have been +asked to furnish a few more particulars on this point that may be +generally interesting, and feel that I cannot do better than give some +extracts from a letter written by himself to a friend in July 1896. + +"DEAR ----, + +"I am so _very_ glad you approve of my little effort to popularise the +Arthur Legends. Tennyson had written his first four 'Idylls of the King' +before my book appeared, which was in 1861. Indeed, it was in consequence +of the first four Idylls that I sought and obtained, while yet a stranger +to him, leave to dedicate my venture to him. He was extremely kind about +it--declared 'it ought to go through forty editions'--and when I came to +know him personally talked very frequently about it and Arthur with me, +and made constant use of it when he at length yielded to my perpetual +urgency and took up again his forsaken project of treating the whole +subject of King Arthur. + +"He discussed and rediscussed at any amount of length the way in which +this could now be done--and the Symbolism, which had from his earliest +time haunted him as the inner meaning to be given to it, brought him back +to the Poem in its changed shape of separate pictures. + +"He used often to say that it was entirely my doing that he revived his +old plan, and added, 'I know more about Arthur than any other man in +England, and I think you know next most.' It would amuse you to see in +what intimate detail he used to consult with me--and often with my little +book in front of us--over the various tales, and when I wrote an article +(in the shape of a long letter) in the _Spectator_ of January 1870 he +asked to reprint it, and published it with the collected Idylls. + +"For years, while his boys were at school and college, I acted as his +confidential friend in business and many other matters, and I suppose he +told me more about himself and his life than any other man now living +knows." + +ISABEL KNOWLES. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER I + +The Finding of Merlin--The Fight of the Dragons--The Giants' Dance--The +Prophecies of Merlin and the Birth of Arthur--Uther attacks the +Saxons--The Death of Uther + +CHAPTER II + +Merlin's Advice to the Archbishop--The Miracle of the Sword and Stone--The +Coronation of King Arthur--The Opposition of the Six Kings--The Sword +Excalibur--The Defeat of the Six Kings--The War with the Eleven Kings + +CHAPTER III + +The Adventure of the Questing Beast--The Siege of York--The Battles of +Celidon Forest and Badon Hill--King Arthur drives the Saxons from the +Realm--The Embassy from Rome--The King rescues Merlin--The Knight of the +Fountain + +CHAPTER IV + +King Arthur conquers Ireland and Norway--Slays the Giant of St. Michael's +Mount and conquers Gaul--King Ryence's Insolent Message--The Damsel and +the Sword--The Lady of the Lake--The Adventures of Sir Balin + +CHAPTER V + +Sir Balin kills Sir Lancear--The Sullen Knight--The Knight Invisible is +killed--Sir Balin smites the Dolorous Stroke, and fights with his brother +Sir Balan + +CHAPTER VI + +The Marriage of King Arthur and Guinevere--The Coronation of the +Queen--The Founding of the Round Table--The Quest of the White Hart--The +Adventures of Sir Gawain--The Quest of the White Hound--Sir Tor kills +Abellius--The Adventures of Sir Pellinore--The Death of Sir +Hantzlake--Merlin saves King Arthur + +CHAPTER VII + +King Arthur and Sir Accolon of Gaul are entrapped by Sir Damas--They fight +each other through Enchantment of Queen Morgan le Fay--Sir Damas is +compelled to surrender all his Lands to Sir Outzlake his Brother their +Rightful Owner--Queen Morgan essays to kill King Arthur with a Magic +Garment--Her Damsel is compelled to wear it and is thereby burned to +Cinders + +CHAPTER VIII + +A Second Embassy from Rome--King Arthur's Answer--The Emperor assembles +his Armies--King Arthur slays the Emperor--Sir Gawain and Sir +Prianius--The Lombards are defeated--King Arthur crowned at Rome + +CHAPTER IX + +The Adventures of Sir Lancelot--He and his Cousin Sir Lionel set +forth--The Four Witch-Queens--King Bagdemagus--Sir Lancelot slays Sir +Turquine and delivers his Captive Knights--The Foul Knight--Sir Gaunter +attacks Sir Lancelot--The Four Knights--Sir Lancelot comes to the Chapel +Perilous--Ellawes the Sorceress--The Lady and the Falcon--Sir Bedivere and +the Dead Lady + +CHAPTER X + +Beaumains is made a Kitchen Page by Sir Key--He claims the Adventure of +the Damsel Linet--He fights with Sir Lancelot and is knighted by him in +his True Name of Gareth--Is flouted by the Damsel Linet--But overthrows +all Knights he meets and sends them to King Arthur's Court--He delivers +the Lady Lyones from the Knight of the Redlands--The Tournament before +Castle Perilous--Marriage of Sir Gareth and the Lady Lyones + +CHAPTER XI + +The Adventures of Sir Tristram--His Stepmother--He is knighted--Fights +with Sir Marhaus--Sir Palomedes and La Belle Isault--Sir Bleoberis and Sir +Segwarides--Sir Tristram's Quest--His Return--The Castle Pluere--Sir +Brewnor is slain--Sir Kay Hedius--La Belle Isault's Hound--Sir Dinedan +refuses to fight--Sir Pellinore follows Sir Tristram--Sir +Brewse-without-pity--The Tournament at the Maiden's Castle--Sir Palomedes +and Sir Tristram + +CHAPTER XII + +Merlin is bewitched by a Damsel of the Lady of the Lake--Galahad knighted +by Sir Lancelot--The Perilous Seat--The Marvellous Sword--Sir Galahad in +the Perilous Seat--The Sangreal--The Knights vow themselves to its +Quest--The Shield of the White Knight--The Fiend of the Tomb--Sir Galahad +at the Maiden's Castle--The Sick Knight and the Sangreal--Sir Lancelot +declared unworthy to find the Holy Vessel--Sir Percival seeks Sir +Galahad--The Black Steed--Sir Bors and the Hermit--Sir Pridan le Noir--Sir +Lionel's Anger--He meets Sir Percival--The ship "Faith"--Sir Galahad and +Earl Hernox--The Leprous Lady--Sir Galahad discloses himself to Sir +Lancelot--They part--The Blind King Evelake--Sir Galahad finds the +Sangreal--His Death + +CHAPTER XIII + +The Queen quarrels with Sir Lancelot--She is accused of Murder--Her +Champion proves her innocence--The Tourney at Camelot--Sir Lancelot in the +Tourney--Sir Baldwin the Knight-Hermit--Elaine, the Maid of Astolat, seeks +for Sir Lancelot--She tends his Wounds--Her Death--The Queen and Sir +Lancelot are reconciled + +CHAPTER XIV + +Sir Lancelot attacked by Sir Agravaine, Sir Modred, and thirteen other +Knights--He slays them all but Sir Modred--He leaves the Court--Sir Modred +accuses him to the King--The Queen condemned to be burnt--Her rescue by +Sir Lancelot and flight with him--The War between Sir Lancelot and the +King--The Enmity of Sir Gawain--The Usurpation of Sir Modred--The Queen +retires to a Nunnery--Sir Lancelot goes on Pilgrimage--The Battle of +Barham Downs--Sir Bedivere and the Sword Excalibur--The Death of King +Arthur + + + + +ILLUSTRATOR'S NOTE + + +Of scenes from the Legends of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round +Table many lovely pictures have been painted, showing much diversity of +figures and surroundings, some being definitely sixth-century British or +Saxon, as in Blair Leighton's fine painting of the dead Elaine; +others--for example, Watts' Sir Galahad--show knight and charger in +fifteenth-century armour; while the warriors of Burne Jones wear strangely +impracticable armour of some mystic period. Each of these painters was +free to follow his own conception, putting the figures into whatever +period most appealed to his imagination; for he was not illustrating the +actual tales written by Sir Thomas Malory, otherwise he would have found +himself face to face with a difficulty. + +King Arthur and his knights fought, endured, and toiled in the sixth +century, when the Saxons were overrunning Britain; but their achievements +were not chronicled by Sir Thomas Malory until late in the fifteenth +century. + +Sir Thomas, as Froissart has done before him, described the habits of +life, the dresses, weapons, and armour that his own eyes looked upon in +the every-day scenes about him, regardless of the fact that almost every +detail mentioned was something like a thousand years too late. + +Had Malory undertaken an account of the landing of Julius Caesar he would, +as a matter of course, have protected the Roman legions with bascinet or +salade, breastplate, pauldron and palette, coudiére, taces and the rest, +and have armed them with lance and shield, jewel-hilted sword and slim +misericorde; while the Emperor himself might have been given the very suit +of armour stripped from the Duke of Clarence before his fateful encounter +with the butt of malmsey. + +Did not even Shakespeare calmly give cannon to the Romans and suppose +every continental city to lie majestically beside the sea? By the old +writers, accuracy in these matters was disregarded, and anachronisms were +not so much tolerated as unperceived. + +In illustrating this edition of "The Legends of King Arthur and his +Knights," it has seemed best, and indeed unavoidable if the text and the +pictures are to tally, to draw what Malory describes, to place the fashion +of the costumes and armour somewhere about A.D. 1460, and to arm the +knights in accordance with the Tabard Period. + +LANCELOT SPEED. + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + +The Marriage of King Arthur + +Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground before young +Arthur, and Sir Key also with him. + +The Lady of the Lake + +The giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge +frame by the fire + +The castle rocked and rove throughout, and all the walls fell crashed and +breaking to the earth + +Came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by his name + +Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the Round Table + +Sir Lancelot smote down with one spear five knights, and brake the backs +of four, and cast down the King of Northgales + +Beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, "Sir Lancelot, leave +that sword behind thee, or thou diest" + +"Lady," replied Sir Beaumains, "a knight is little worth who may not bear +with a damsel" + +So he rode into the hall and alighted + +Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest against each other + +And running to her chamber, she sought in her casket for the piece of +iron ... and fitted it in Tristram's sword + +By the time they had finished drinking they loved each other so well that +their love never more might leave them + +Waving her hands and muttering the charm, and presently enclosed him fast +within the tree + +Galahad ... quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith came out a foul +smoke + +"This girdle, lords," said she, "is made for the most part of mine own +hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I loved full well" + +At last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave him such a +buffet on the helm as wellnigh killed him + +Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk + +But still the knights cried mightily without the door, "Traitor, come +forth!" + + + + +THE LEGENDS OF KING ARTHUR + + + + +CHAPTER I + +_The Prophecies of Merlin, and the Birth of Arthur_ + + +King Vortigern the usurper sat upon his throne in London, when, suddenly, +upon a certain day, ran in a breathless messenger, and cried aloud-- + +"Arise, Lord King, for the enemy is come; even Ambrosius and Uther, upon +whose throne thou sittest--and full twenty thousand with them--and they +have sworn by a great oath, Lord, to slay thee, ere this year be done; and +even now they march towards thee as the north wind of winter for +bitterness and haste." + +At those words Vortigern's face grew white as ashes, and, rising in +confusion and disorder, he sent for all the best artificers and craftsmen +and mechanics, and commanded them vehemently to go and build him +straightway in the furthest west of his lands a great and strong castle, +where he might fly for refuge and escape the vengeance of his master's +sons--"and, moreover," cried he, "let the work be done within a hundred +days from now, or I will surely spare no life amongst you all." + +Then all the host of craftsmen, fearing for their lives, found out a +proper site whereon to build the tower, and eagerly began to lay in the +foundations. But no sooner were the walls raised up above the ground than +all their work was overwhelmed and broken down by night invisibly, no man +perceiving how, or by whom, or what. And the same thing happening again, +and yet again, all the workmen, full of terror, sought out the king, and +threw themselves upon their faces before him, beseeching him to interfere +and help them or to deliver them from their dreadful work. + +Filled with mixed rage and fear, the king called for the astrologers and +wizards, and took counsel with them what these things might be, and how to +overcome them. The wizards worked their spells and incantations, and in +the end declared that nothing but the blood of a youth born without mortal +father, smeared on the foundations of the castle, could avail to make it +stand. Messengers were therefore sent forthwith through all the land to +find, if it were possible, such a child. And, as some of them went down a +certain village street, they saw a band of lads fighting and quarrelling, +and heard them shout at one--"Avaunt, thou imp!--avaunt! Son of no mortal +man! go, find thy father, and leave us in peace." + +At that the messengers looked steadfastly on the lad, and asked who he +was. One said his name was Merlin; another, that his birth and parentage +were known by no man; a third, that the foul fiend alone was his father. +Hearing the things, the officers seized Merlin, and carried him before the +king by force. + +But no sooner was he brought to him than he asked in a loud voice, for +what cause he was thus dragged there? + +"My magicians," answered Vortigern, "told me to seek out a man that had no +human father, and to sprinkle my castle with his blood, that it may +stand." + +"Order those magicians," said Merlin, "to come before me, and I will +convict them of a lie." + +The king was astonished at his words, but commanded the magicians to come +and sit down before Merlin, who cried to them-- + +"Because ye know not what it is that hinders the foundation of the castle, +ye have advised my blood for a cement to it, as if that would avail; but +tell me now rather what there is below that ground, for something there is +surely underneath that will not suffer the tower to stand?" + +The wizards at these words began to fear, and made no answer. Then said +Merlin to the king-- + +"I pray, Lord, that workmen may be ordered to dig deep down into the +ground till they shall come to a great pool of water." + +This then was done, and the pool discovered far beneath the surface of the +ground. + +Then, turning again to the magicians, Merlin said, "Tell me now, false +sycophants, what there is underneath that pool?"--but they were silent. +Then said he to the king, "Command this pool to be drained, and at the +bottom shall be found two dragons, great and huge, which now are sleeping, +but which at night awake and fight and tear each other. At their great +struggle all the ground shakes and trembles, and so casts down thy towers, +which, therefore, never yet could find secure foundations." + +The king was amazed at these words, but commanded the pool to be forthwith +drained; and surely at the bottom of it did they presently discover the +two dragons, fast asleep, as Merlin had declared. + +But Vortigern sat upon the brink of the pool till night to see what else +would happen. + +Then those two dragons, one of which was white, the other red, rose up and +came near one another, and began a sore fight, and cast forth fire with +their breath. But the white dragon had the advantage, and chased the other +to the end of the lake. And he, for grief at his flight, turned back upon +his foe, and renewed the combat, and forced him to retire in turn. But in +the end the red dragon was worsted, and the white dragon disappeared no +man knew where. + +When their battle was done, the king desired Merlin to tell him what it +meant. Whereat he, bursting into tears, cried out this prophecy, which +first foretold the coming of King Arthur. + +"Woe to the red dragon, which figureth the British nation, for his +banishment cometh quickly; his lurkingholes shall be seized by the white +dragon--the Saxon whom thou, O king, hast called to the land. The +mountains shall be levelled as the valleys, and the rivers of the valleys +shall run blood; cities shall be burned, and churches laid in ruins; till +at length the oppressed shall turn for a season and prevail against the +strangers. For a Boar of Cornwall shall arise and rend them, and trample +their necks beneath his feet. The island shall be subject to his power, +and he shall take the forests of Gaul. The house of Romulus shall dread +him--all the world shall fear him--and his end shall no man know; he shall +be immortal in the mouths of the people, and his works shall be food to +those that tell them. + +"But as for thee, O Vortigern, flee thou the sons of Constantine, for they +shall burn thee in thy tower. For thine own ruin wast thou traitor to +their father, and didst bring the Saxon heathens to the land. Aurelius and +Uther are even now upon thee to revenge their father's murder; and the +brood of the white dragon shall waste thy country, and shall lick thy +blood. Find out some refuge, if thou wilt! but who may escape the doom of +God?" + +The king heard all this, trembling greatly; and, convicted of his sins, +said nothing in reply. Only he hasted the builders of his tower by day and +night, and rested not till he had fled thereto. + +In the meantime, Aurelius, the rightful king, was hailed with joy by the +Britons, who flocked to his standard, and prayed to be led against the +Saxons. But he, till he had first killed Vortigern, would begin no other +war. He marched therefore to Cambria, and came before the tower which the +usurper had built. Then, crying out to all his knights, "Avenge ye on him +who hath ruined Britain and slain my father and your king!" he rushed with +many thousands at the castle walls. But, being driven back again and yet +again, at length he thought of fire, and ordered blazing brands to be cast +into the building from all sides. These finding soon a proper fuel, ceased +not to rage, till spreading to a mighty conflagration, they burned down +the tower and Vortigern within it. + +Then did Aurelius turn his strength against Hengist and the Saxons, and, +defeating them in many places, weakened their power for a long season, so +that the land had peace. + +Anon the king, making many journeys to and fro, restoring ruined churches +and, creating order, came to the monastery near Salisbury, where all those +British knights lay buried who had been slain there by the treachery of +Hengist. For when in former times Hengist had made a solemn truce with +Vortigern, to meet in peace and settle terms, whereby himself and all his +Saxons should depart from Britain, the Saxon soldiers carried every one of +them beneath his garment a long dagger, and, at a given signal, fell upon +the Britons, and slew them, to the number of nearly five hundred. + +The sight of the place where the dead lay moved Aurelius to great sorrow, +and he cast about in his mind how to make a worthy tomb over so many noble +martyrs, who had died there for their country. + +When he had in vain consulted many craftsmen and builders, he sent, by the +advice of the archbishop, for Merlin, and asked him what to do. "If you +would honour the burying-place of these men," said Merlin, "with an +everlasting monument, send for the Giants' Dance which is in Killaraus, a +mountain in Ireland; for there is a structure of stone there which none of +this age could raise without a perfect knowledge of the arts. They are +stones of a vast size and wondrous nature, and if they can be placed here +as they are there, round this spot of ground, they will stand for ever." + +At these words of Merlin, Aurelius burst into laughter, and said, "How is +it possible to remove such vast stones from so great a distance, as if +Britain, also, had no stones fit for the work?" + +"I pray the king," said Merlin, "to forbear vain laughter; what I have +said is true, for those stones are mystical and have healing virtues. The +giants of old brought them from the furthest coast of Africa, and placed +them in Ireland while they lived in that country: and their design was to +make baths in them, for use in time of grievous illness. For if they +washed the stones and put the sick into the water, it certainly healed +them, as also it did them that were wounded in battle; and there is no +stone among them but hath the same virtue still." + +When the Britons heard this, they resolved to send for the stones, and to +make war upon the people of Ireland if they offered to withhold them. So, +when they had chosen Uther the king's brother for their chief, they set +sail, to the number of 15,000 men, and came to Ireland. There Gillomanius, +the king, withstood them fiercely, and not till after a great battle could +they approach the Giants' Dance, the sight of which filled them with joy +and admiration. But when they sought to move the stones, the strength of +all the army was in vain, until Merlin, laughing at their failures, +contrived machines of wondrous cunning, which took them down with ease, +and placed them in the ships. + +When they had brought the whole to Salisbury, Aurelius, with the crown +upon his head, kept for four days the feast of Pentecost with royal pomp; +and in the midst of all the clergy and the people, Merlin raised up the +stones, and set them round the sepulchre of the knights and barons, as +they stood in the mountains of Ireland. + +Then was the monument called "Stonehenge," which stands, as all men know, +upon the plain of Salisbury to this very day. + +Soon thereafter it befell that Aurelius was slain by poison at Winchester, +and was himself buried within the Giants' Dance. + +At the same time came forth a comet of amazing size and brightness, +darting out a beam, at the end whereof was a cloud of fire shaped like a +dragon, from whose mouth went out two rays, one stretching over Gaul, the +other ending in seven lesser rays over the Irish sea. + +At the appearance of this star a great dread fell upon the people, and +Uther, marching into Cambria against the son of Vortigern, himself was +very troubled to learn what it might mean. Then Merlin, being called +before him, cried with a loud voice: "O mighty loss! O stricken Britain! +Alas! the great prince is gone from us. Aurelius Ambrosius is dead, whose +death will be ours also, unless God help us. Haste, therefore, noble +Uther, to destroy the enemy; the victory shall be thine, and thou shalt be +king of all Britain. For the star with the fiery dragon signifies thyself; +and the ray over Gaul portends that thou shalt have a son, most mighty, +whom all those kingdoms shall obey which the ray covers." + +Thus, for the second time, did Merlin foretell the coming of King Arthur. +And Uther, when he was made king, remembered Merlin's words, and caused +two dragons to be made in gold, in likeness of the dragon he had seen in +the star. One of these he gave to Winchester Cathedral, and had the other +carried into all his wars before him, whence he was ever after called +Uther Pendragon, or the dragon's head. + +Now, when Uther Pendragon had passed through all the land, and settled +it--and even voyaged into all the countries of the Scots, and tamed the +fierceness of that rebel people--he came to London, and ministered justice +there. And it befell at a certain great banquet and high feast which the +king made at Easter-tide, there came, with many other earls and barons, +Gorloïs, Duke of Cornwall, and his wife Igerna, who was the most famous +beauty in all Britain. And soon thereafter, Gorloïs being slain in battle, +Uther determined to make Igerna his own wife. But in order to do this, and +enable him to come to her--for she was shut up in the high castle of +Tintagil, on the furthest coast of Cornwall--the king sent for Merlin, to +take counsel with him and to pray his help. This, therefore, Merlin +promised him on one condition--namely, that the king should give him up +the first son born of the marriage. For Merlin by his arts foreknew that +this firstborn should be the long-wished prince, King Arthur. + +When Uther, therefore, was at length happily wedded, Merlin came to the +castle on a certain day, and said, "Sir, thou must now provide thee for +the nourishing of thy child." + +And the king, nothing doubting, said, "Be it as thou wilt." + +"I know a lord of thine in this land," said Merlin, "who is a man both +true and faithful; let him have the nourishing of the child. His name is +Sir Ector, and he hath fair possessions both in England and in Wales. +When, therefore, the child is born, let him be delivered unto me, +unchristened, at yonder postern-gate, and I will bestow him in the care of +this good knight." + +So when the child was born, the king bid two knights and two ladies to +take it, bound in rich cloth of gold, and deliver it to a poor man whom +they should discover at the postern-gate. And the child being delivered +thus to Merlin, who himself took the guise of a poor man, was carried by +him to a holy priest and christened by the name of Arthur, and then was +taken to Sir Ector's house, and nourished at Sir Ector's wife's own +breasts. And in the same house he remained privily for many years, no man +soever knowing where he was, save Merlin and the king. + +Anon it befell that the king was seized by a lingering distemper, and the +Saxon heathens, taking their occasion, came back from over sea, and +swarmed upon the land, wasting it with fire and sword. When Uther heard +thereof, he fell into a greater rage than his weakness could bear, and +commanded all his nobles to come before him, that he might upbraid them +for their cowardice. And when he had sharply and hotly rebuked them, he +swore that he himself, nigh unto death although he lay, would lead them +forth against the enemy. Then causing a horse-litter to be made, in which +he might be carried--for he was too faint and weak to ride--he went up +with all his army swiftly against the Saxons. + +But they, when they heard that Uther was coming in a litter, disdained to +fight with him, saying it would be shame for brave men to fight with one +half dead. So they retired into their city; and, as it were in scorn of +danger, left the gates wide open. But Uther straightway commanding his men +to assault the town, they did so without loss of time, and had already +reached the gates, when the Saxons, repenting too late of their haughty +pride, rushed forth to the defence. The battle raged till night, and was +begun again next day; but at last, their leaders, Octa and Eosa, being +slain, the Saxons turned their backs and fled, leaving the Britons a full +triumph. + +The king at this felt so great joy, that, whereas before he could scarce +raise himself without help, he now sat upright in his litter by himself, +and said, with a laughing and merry face, "They called me the half-dead +king, and so indeed I was; but victory to me half dead is better than +defeat and the best health. For to die with honour is far better than to +live disgraced." + +But the Saxons, although thus defeated, were ready still for war. Uther +would have pursued them; but his illness had by now so grown, that his +knights and barons kept him from the adventure. Whereat the enemy took +courage, and left nothing undone to destroy the land; until, descending to +the vilest treachery, they resolved to kill the king by poison. + +To this end, as he lay sick at Verulam, they sent and poisoned stealthily +a spring of clear water, whence he was wont to drink daily; and so, on the +very next day, he was taken with the pains of death, as were also a +hundred others after him, before the villainy was discovered, and heaps of +earth thrown over the well. + +The knights and barons, full of sorrow, now took counsel together, and +came to Merlin for his help to learn the king's will before he died, for +he was by this time speechless. "Sirs, there is no remedy," said Merlin, +"and God's will must be done; but be ye all to-morrow before him, for God +will make him speak before he die." + +So on the morrow all the barons, with Merlin, stood round the bedside of +the king; and Merlin said aloud to Uther, "Lord, shall thy son Arthur be +the king of all this realm after thy days?" + +Then Uther Pendragon turned him about, and said, in the hearing of them +all, "God's blessing and mine be upon him. I bid him pray for my soul, and +also that he claim my crown, or forfeit all my blessing;" and with those +words he died. + +Then came together all the bishops and the clergy, and great multitudes of +people, and bewailed the king; and carrying his body to the convent of +Ambrius, they buried it close by his brother's grave, within the "Giants' +Dance." + + + + +CHAPTER II + +_The Miracle of the Sword and Stone, and the Coronation of King +Arthur--The Sword Excalilur--The War with the Eleven Kings_ + + +Now Arthur the prince had all this time been nourished in Sir Ector's +house as his own son, and was fair and tall and comely, being of the age +of fifteen years, great in strength, gentle in manner, and accomplished in +all exercises proper for the training of a knight. + +But as yet he knew not of his father; for Merlin had so dealt, that none +save Uther and himself knew aught about him. Wherefore it befell, that +many of the knights and barons who heard King Uther speak before his +death, and call his son Arthur his successor, were in great amazement; and +some doubted, and others were displeased. + +Anon the chief lords and princes set forth each to his own land, and, +raising armed men and multitudes of followers, determined every one to +gain the crown for himself; for they said in their hearts, "If there be +any such a son at all as he of whom this wizard forced the king to speak, +who are we that a beardless boy should have rule over us?" + +So the land stood long in great peril, for every lord and baron sought but +his own advantage; and the Saxons, growing ever more adventurous, wasted +and overran the towns and villages in every part. + +Then Merlin went to Brice, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and advised him +to require all the earls and barons of the realm and all knights and +gentlemen-at-arms to come to him at London, before Christmas, under pain +of cursing, that they might learn the will of Heaven who should be king. +This, therefore, the archbishop did, and upon Christmas Eve were met +together in London all the greatest princes, lords, and barons; and long +before day they prayed in St. Paul's Church, and the archbishop besought +Heaven for a sign who should be lawful king of all the realm. + +And as they prayed, there was seen in the churchyard, set straight before +the doorways of the church, a huge square stone having a naked sword stuck +in the midst of it. And on the sword was written in letters of gold, +"Whoso pulleth out the sword from this stone is born the rightful King of +Britain." + +At this all the people wondered greatly; and, when Mass was over, the +nobles, knights, and princes ran out eagerly from the church to see the +stone and sword; and a law was forthwith made that whoso should pull out +the sword should be acknowledged straightway King of Britain. + +Then many knights and barons pulled at the sword with all their might, and +some of them tried many times, but none could stir or move it. + +When all had tried in vain, the archbishop declared the man whom Heaven +had chosen was not yet there. "But God," said he, "will doubtless make +him known ere many days." + +So ten knights were chosen, being men of high renown, to watch and keep +the sword; and there was proclamation made through all the land that +whosoever would, had leave and liberty to try and pull it from the stone. +But though great multitudes of people came, both gentle and simple, for +many days, no man could ever move the sword a hair's breadth from its +place. + +Now, at the New Year's Eve a great tournament was to be held in London, +which the archbishop had devised to keep together lords and commons, lest +they should grow estranged in the troublous and unsettled times. To the +which tournament there came, with many other knights, Sir Ector, Arthur's +foster-father, who had great possessions near to London; and with him came +his son, Sir Key, but recently made knight, to take his part in the +jousting, and young Arthur also to witness all the sports and fighting. + +But as they rode towards the jousts, Sir Key found suddenly he had no +sword, for he had left it at his father's house; and turning to young +Arthur, he prayed him to ride back and fetch it for him. "I will with a +good will," said Arthur; and rode fast back after the sword. + +But when he came to the house he found it locked and empty, for all were +gone forth to see the tournament. Whereat, being angry and impatient, he +said within himself, "I will ride to the churchyard and take with me the +sword that sticketh in the stone, for my brother shall not go without a +sword this day." + +So he rode and came to the churchyard, and alighting from his horse he +tied him to the gate, and went to the pavilion, which was pitched near +the stone, wherein abode the ten knights who watched and kept it; but he +found no knights there, for all were gone to see the jousting. + +Then he took the sword by its handle, and lightly and fiercely he pulled +it out of the stone, and took his horse and rode until he came to Sir Key +and delivered him the sword. But as soon as Sir Key saw it he knew well it +was the sword of the stone, and, riding swiftly to his father, he cried +out, "Lo! here, sir, is the sword of the stone, wherefore it is I who must +be king of all this land." + +When Sir Ector saw the sword, he turned back straight with Arthur and Sir +Key and came to the churchyard, and there alighting, they went all three +into the church, and Sir Key was sworn to tell truly how he came by the +sword. Then he confessed it was his brother Arthur who had brought it to +him. + +Whereat Sir Ector, turning to young Arthur, asked him--"How gottest thou +the sword?" + +"Sir," said he, "I will tell you. When I went home to fetch my brother's +sword, I found nobody to deliver it to me, for all were abroad to the +jousts. Yet was I loath to leave my brother swordless, and, bethinking me +of this one, I came hither eagerly to fetch it for him, and pulled it out +of the stone without any pain." + +Then said Sir Ector, much amazed and looking steadfastly on Arthur, "If +this indeed be thus, 'tis thou who shalt be king of all this land--and God +will have it so--for none but he who should be rightful Lord of Britain +might ever draw this sword forth from that stone. But let me now with mine +own eyes see thee put back the sword into its place and draw it forth +again." + +"That is no mystery," said Arthur; and straightway set it in the stone. +And then Sir Ector pulled at it himself, and after him Sir Key, with all +his might, but both of them in vain: then Arthur reaching forth his hand +and grasping at the pommel, pulled it out easily, and at once. + +Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground before young +Arthur, and Sir Key also with him, and straightway did him homage as their +sovereign lord. + +[Illustration: Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground +before young Arthur, and Sir Key also with him.] + +But Arthur cried aloud, "Alas! mine own dear father and my brother, why +kneel ye thus to me?" + +"Nay, my Lord Arthur," answered then Sir Ector, "we are of no +blood-kinship with thee, and little though I thought how high thy kin +might be, yet wast thou never more than foster-child of mine." And then he +told him all he knew about his infancy, and how a stranger had delivered +him, with a great sum of gold, into his hands to be brought up and +nourished as his own born child, and then had disappeared. + +But when young Arthur heard of it, he fell upon Sir Ector's neck, and +wept, and made great lamentation, "For now," said he, "I have in one day +lost my father and my mother and my brother." + +"Sir," said Sir Ector presently, "when thou shalt be made king be good and +gracious unto me and mine." + +"If not," said Arthur, "I were no true man's son at all, for thou art he +in all the world to whom I owe the most; and my good lady and mother, thy +wife, hath ever kept and fostered me as though I were her own; so if it be +God's will that I be king hereafter as thou sayest, desire of me whatever +thing thou wilt and I will do it; and God forbid that I should fail thee +in it." + +"I will but pray," replied Sir Ector, "that thou wilt make my son Sir Key, +thy foster-brother, seneschal of all the lands." + +"That shall he be," said Arthur; "and never shall another hold that +office, save thy son, while he and I do live." + +Anon, they left the church and went to the archbishop to tell him that the +sword had been achieved. And when he saw the sword in Arthur's hand he set +a day and summoned all the princes, knights, and barons to meet again at +St. Paul's Church and see the will of Heaven signified. So when they came +together, the sword was put back in the stone, and all tried, from the +greatest to the least, to move it; but there before them all not one could +take it out save Arthur only. + +But then befell a great confusion and dispute, for some cried out it was +the will of Heaven, and, "Long live King Arthur," but many more were full +of wrath and said, "What! would ye give the ancient sceptre of this land +unto a boy born none know how?" And the contention growing greatly, till +nothing could be done to pacify their rage, the meeting was at length +broken up by the archbishop and adjourned till Candlemas, when all should +meet again. + +But when Candlemas was come, Arthur alone again pulled forth the sword, +though more than ever came to win it; and the barons, sorely vexed and +angry, put it in delay till Easter. But as he had sped before so he did at +Easter, and the barons yet once more contrived delays till Pentecost. + +But now the archbishop, fully seeing God's will, called together, by +Merlin's counsel, a band of knights and gentlemen-at-arms, and set them +about Arthur to keep him safely till the feast of Pentecost. And when at +the feast Arthur still again alone prevailed to move the sword, the people +all with one accord cried out, "Long live King Arthur! we will have no +more delay, nor any other king, for so it is God's will; and we will slay +whoso resisteth Him and Arthur;" and wherewithal they kneeled down all at +once, and cried for Arthur's grace and pardon that they had so long +delayed him from his crown. Then he full sweetly and majestically pardoned +them; and taking in his hand the sword, he offered it upon the high altar +of the church. + +Anon was he solemnly knighted with great pomp by the most famous knight +there present, and the crown was placed upon his head; and, having taken +oath to all the people, lords and commons, to be true king and deal in +justice only unto his life's end, he received homage and service from all +the barons who held lands and castles from the crown. Then he made Sir +Key, High Steward of England, and Sir Badewaine of Britain, Constable, and +Sir Ulfius, Chamberlain: and after this, with all his court and a great +retinue of knights and armed men, he journeyed into Wales, and was crowned +again in the old city of Caerleon-upon-Usk. + +Meanwhile those knights and barons who had so long delayed him from the +crown, met together and went up to the coronation feast at Caerleon, as if +to do him homage; and there they ate and drank such things as were set +before them at the royal banquet, sitting with the others in the great +hall. + +But when after the banquet Arthur began, according to the ancient royal +custom, to bestow great boons and fiefs on whom he would, they all with +one accord rose up, and scornfully refused his gifts, crying that they +would take nothing from a beardless boy come of low or unknown birth, but +would instead give him good gifts of hard sword-strokes between neck and +shoulders. + +Whereat arose a deadly tumult in the hall, and every man there made him +ready to fight. But Arthur leaped up as a flame of fire against them, and +all his knights and barons drawing their swords, rushed after him upon +them and began a full sore battle; and presently the king's party +prevailed, and drave the rebels from the hall and from the city, closing +the gates behind them; and King Arthur brake his sword upon them in his +eagerness and rage. + +But amongst them were six kings of great renown and might, who more than +all raged against Arthur and determined to destroy him, namely, King Lot, +King Nanters, King Urien, King Carados, King Yder, and King Anguisant. +These six, therefore, joining their armies together, laid close siege to +the city of Caerleon, wherefrom King Arthur had so shamefully driven them. + +And after fifteen days Merlin came suddenly into their camp and asked them +what this treason meant. Then he declared to them that Arthur was no base +adventurer, but King Uther's son, whom they were bound to serve and honour +even though Heaven had not vouchsafed the wondrous miracle of the sword. +Some of the kings, when they heard Merlin speak thus, marvelled and +believed him; but others, as King Lot, laughed him and his words to scorn, +and mocked him for a conjurer and wizard. But it was agreed with Merlin +that Arthur should come forth and speak with the kings. + +So he went forth to them to the city gate, and with him the archbishop and +Merlin, and Sir Key, Sir Brastias, and a great company of others. And he +spared them not in his speech, but spoke to them as king and chieftain +telling them plainly he would make them all bow to him if he lived, unless +they choose to do him homage there and then; and so they parted in great +wrath, and each side armed in haste. + +"What will ye do?" said Merlin to the kings; "ye had best hold your hands, +for were ye ten times as many ye should not prevail." + +"Shall we be afraid of a dream-reader?" quoth King Lot in scorn. + +With that Merlin vanished away and came to King Arthur. + +Then Arthur said to Merlin, "I have need now of a sword that shall +chastise these rebels terribly." + +"Come then with me," said Merlin, "for hard by there is a sword that I can +gain for thee." + +So they rode out that night till they came to a fair and broad lake, and +in the midst of it King Arthur saw an arm thrust up, clothed in white +samite, and holding a great sword in the hand. + +"Lo! yonder is the sword I spoke of," said Merlin. + +Then saw they a damsel floating on the lake in the Moonlight. "What damsel +is that?" said the king. + +"The lady of the lake," said Merlin; "for upon this lake there is a rock, +and on the rock a noble palace, where she abideth, and she will come +towards thee presently, thou shalt ask her courteously for the sword." + +[Illustration: The lady of the lake.] + +Therewith the damsel came to King Arthur, and saluted him, and he saluted +her, and said, "Lady, what sword is that the arm holdeth above the water? +I would that it were mine, for I have no sword." + +"Sir King," said the lady of the lake, "that sword is mine, and if thou +wilt give me in return a gift whenever I shall ask it of thee, thou shalt +have it." + +"By my faith," said he, "I will give thee any gift that thou shalt ask." + +"Well," said the damsel, "go into yonder barge, and row thyself unto the +sword, and take it and the scabbard with thee, and I will ask my gift of +thee when I see my time." + +So King Arthur and Merlin alighted, and tied their horses to two trees, +and went into the barge; and when they came to the sword that the hand +held, King Arthur took it by the handle and bore it with him, and the arm +and hand went down under the water; and so they came back to land, and +rode again to Caerleon. + +On the morrow Merlin bade King Arthur to set fiercely on the enemy; and in +the meanwhile three hundred good knights went over to King Arthur from the +rebels' side. Then at the spring of day, when they had scarce left their +tents, he fell on them with might and main, and Sir Badewaine, Sir Key, +and Sir Brastias slew on the right hand and on the left marvellously; and +ever in the thickest of the fight King Arthur raged like a young lion, and +laid on with his sword, and did wondrous deeds of arms, to the joy and +admiration of the knights and barons who beheld him. + +Then King Lot, King Carados, and the King of the Hundred Knights--who also +rode with them--going round to the rear, set on King Arthur fiercely from +behind; but Arthur, turning to his knights, fought ever in the foremost +press until his horse was slain beneath him. At that, King Lot rode +furiously at him, and smote him down; but rising straightway, and being +set again on horseback, he drew his sword Excalibur that he had gained by +Merlin from the lady of the lake, which, shining brightly as the light of +thirty torches, dazzled the eyes of his enemies. And therewith falling on +them afresh with all his knights, he drove them back and slew them in +great numbers, and Merlin by his arts scattered among them fire and pitchy +smoke, so that they broke and fled. Then all the common people of +Caerleon, seeing them give way, rose up with one accord, and rushed at +them with clubs and staves, and chased them far and wide, and slew many +great knights and lords, and the remainder of them fled and were seen no +more. Thus won King Arthur his first battle and put his enemies to shame. + +But the six kings, though sorely routed, prepared for a new war, and +joining to themselves five others swore together that, whether for weal or +woe, they would keep steadfast alliance till they had destroyed King +Arthur. Then, with a host of 50,000 men-at-arms on horseback, and 10,000 +foot, they were soon ready, and sent forth their fore-riders, and drew +from the northern country towards King Arthur, to the castle of Bedgraine. + +But he by Merlin's counsel had sent over sea to King Ban of Benwick and +King Bors of Gaul, praying them to come and help him in his wars, and +promising to help in return against King Claudas, their foe. To which +those kings made answer that they would joyfully fulfil his wish, and +shortly after came to London with 300 knights, well arrayed for both peace +and war, leaving behind them a great army on the other side of the sea +till they had consulted with King Arthur and his ministers how they might +best dispose of it. + +And Merlin being asked for his advice and help, agreed to go himself and +fetch it over sea to England, which in one night he did; and brought with +him 10,000 horsemen and led them northward privately to the forest of +Bedgraine, and there lodged them in a valley secretly. + +Then, by the counsel of Merlin, when they knew which way the eleven kings +would ride and sleep, King Arthur with Kings Ban and Bors made themselves +ready with their army for the fight, having yet but 30,000 men, counting +the 10,000 who had come from Gaul. + +"Now shall ye do my advice," said Merlin; "I would that King Ban and King +Bors, with all their fellowship of 10,000 men, were led to ambush in this +wood ere daylight, and stir not therefrom until the battle hath been long +waged. And thou, Lord Arthur, at the spring of day draw forth thine army +before the enemy, and dress the battle so that they may at once see all +thy host, for they will be the more rash and hardy when they see you have +but 20,000 men." + +To this the three knights and the barons heartily consented, and it was +done as Merlin had devised. So on the morrow when the hosts beheld each +other, the host of the north was greatly cheered to find so few led out +against them. + +Then gave King Arthur the command to Sir Ulfius and Sir Brastias to take +3000 men-at-arms, and to open battle. They therefore setting fiercely on +the enemy slew them on the right hand and the left till it was wonderful +to see their slaughter. + +When the eleven kings beheld so small a band doing such mighty deeds of +arms they were ashamed, and charged them fiercely in return. Then was Sir +Ulfius' horse slain under him; but he fought well and marvellously on foot +against Duke Eustace and King Clarience, who set upon him grievously, till +Sir Brastias, seeing his great peril, pricked towards them swiftly, and so +smote the duke through with his spear that horse and man fell down and +rolled over. Whereat King Clarience turned upon Sir Brastias, and rushing +furiously together they each unhorsed the other and fell both to the +ground, and there lay a long time stunned, their horses' knees being cut +to the bone. Then came Sir Key the seneschal with six companions, and did +wondrous well, till the eleven kings went out against them and overthrew +Sir Griflet and Sir Lucas the butler. And when Sir Key saw Sir Griflet +unhorsed and on foot, he rode against King Nanters hotly and smote him +down, and led his horse to Griflet and horsed him again; with the same +spear did Sir Key smite down King Lot and wounded him full sore. + +But seeing that, the King of the Hundred Knights rushed at Sir Key and +overthrew him in return, and took his horse and gave it to King Lot. And +when Sir Griflet saw Sir Key's mischance, he set his spear in rest, and +riding at a mighty man-at-arms, he cast him down headlong and caught his +horse and led it straightway to Sir Key. + +By now the battle was growing perilous and hard, and both sides fought +with rage and fury. And Sir Ulfius and Sir Brastias were both afoot and +in great danger of their death, and foully stained and trampled under +horses' feet. Then King Arthur, putting spurs to his horse, rushed forward +like a lion into the midst of all the _mêlée_, and singling out King +Cradlemont of North Wales, smote him through the left side and overthrew +him, and taking his horse by the rein he brought it to Sir Ulfius in haste +and said, "Take this horse, mine old friend, for thou hast great need of +one, and charge by side of me." And even as he spoke he saw Sir Ector, Sir +Key's father, smitten to the earth by the King of the Hundred Knights, and +his horse taken to King Cradlemont. + +But when King Arthur saw him ride upon Sir Ector's horse his wrath was +very great, and with his sword he smote King Cradlemont upon the helm, and +shore off the fourth part thereof and of the shield, and drave the sword +onward to the horse's neck and slew the horse, and hurled the king upon +the ground. + +And now the battle waxed so great and furious that all the noise and sound +thereof rang out by water and by wood, so that Kings Ban and Bors, with +all their knights and men-at-arms in ambush, hearing the tumult and the +cries, trembled and shook for eagerness, and scarce could stay in secret, +but made them ready for the fray and dressed their shields and harness. + +But when King Arthur saw the fury of the enemy, he raged like a mad lion, +and stirred and drove his horse now here, now there, to the right hand and +to the left, and stayed not in his wrath till he had slain full twenty +knights. He wounded also King Lot so sorely in the shoulder that he left +the field, and in great pain and dolour cried out to the other kings, "Do +ye as I devise, or we shall be destroyed. I, with the King of the Hundred +Knights, King Anguisant, King Yder, and the Duke of Cambinet, will take +fifteen thousand men and make a circuit, meanwhile that ye do hold the +battle with twelve thousand. Then coming suddenly we will fall fiercely on +them from behind and put them to the rout, but else shall we never stand +against them." + +So Lot and four kings departed with their party to one side, and the six +other kings dressed their ranks against King Arthur and fought long and +stoutly. + +But now Kings Ban and Bors, with all their army fresh and eager, broke +from their ambush and met face to face the five kings and their host as +they came round behind, and then began a frantic struggle with breaking of +spears and clashing of swords and slaying of men and horses. Anon King +Lot, espying in the midst King Bors, cried out in great dismay, "Our Lady +now defend us from our death and fearful wounds; our peril groweth great, +for yonder cometh one of the worshipfullest kings and best knights in all +the world." + +"Who is he?" said the King of the Hundred Knights. + +"It is King Bors of Gaul," replied King Lot, "and much I marvel how he may +have come with all his host into this land without our knowledge." + +"Aha!" cried King Carados, "I will encounter with this king if ye will +rescue me when there is need." + +"Ride on," said they. + +So King Carados and all his host rode softly till they came within a +bow-shot of King Bors, and then both hosts, spurring their horses to their +greatest swiftness, rushed at each other. And King Bors encountered in +the onset with a knight, and struck him through with a spear, so that he +fell dead upon the earth; then drawing his sword, he did such mighty feats +of arms that all who saw him gazed with wonder. Anon King Ban came also +forth upon the field with all his knights, and added yet more fury, sound, +and slaughter, till at length both hosts of the eleven kings began to +quake, and drawing all together into one body, they prepared to meet the +worst, while a great multitude already fled. + +Then said King Lot, "Lords, we must take yet other means, or worse loss +still awaits us. See ye not what people we have lost in waiting on the +footmen, and that it costs ten horsemen to save one of them? Therefore it +is my counsel to put away our footmen from us, for it is almost night, and +King Arthur will not stay to slaughter them. So they can save their lives +in this great wood hard by. Then let us gather into one band all the +horsemen that remain, and whoso breaketh rank or leaveth us, let him be +straightway slain by him that seeth him, for it is better that we slay a +coward than through a coward be all slain. How say ye?" said King Lot; +"answer me, all ye kings." + +"It is well said," replied they all. + +And swearing they would never fail each other, they mended and set right +their armour and their shields, and took new spears and set them +steadfastly against their thighs, waiting, and so stood still as a clump +of trees stands on the plain; and no assaults could shake them, they held +so hard together; which when King Arthur saw he marvelled greatly, and was +very wroth. "Yet," cried he, "I may not blame them, by my faith, for they +do as brave men ought to do, and are the best fighting men and knights of +most prowess that I ever saw or heard tell of." And so said also Kings Ban +and Bors, and praised them greatly for their noble chivalry. + +But now came forty noble knights out of King Arthur's host, and prayed +that he would suffer them to break the enemy. And when they were allowed, +they rode forth with their spears upon their thighs, and spurred their +horses to their hottest. Then the eleven kings, with a party of their +knights, rushed with set spears as fast and mightily to meet them; and +when they were encountered, all the crash and splinter of their spears and +armour rang with a mighty din, and so fierce and bloody was their onset +that in all that day there had been no such cruel press, and rage, and +smiting. At that same moment rode fiercely into the thickest of the +struggle King Arthur and Kings Ban and Bors, and slew downright on both +hands right and left, until their horses went in blood up to the fetlocks. + +And while the slaughter and the noise and shouting were at their greatest, +suddenly there came down through the battle Merlin the Wizard, upon a +great black horse, and riding to King Arthur, he cried out, "Alas, my +Lord! will ye have never done? Of sixty thousand have ye left but fifteen +thousand men alive. Is it not time to stay this slaying? for God is ill +pleased with ye that ye have never ended, and yonder kings shall not be +altogether overthrown this time. But if ye fall upon them any more, the +fortune of this day will turn, and go to them. Withdraw, Lord, therefore, +to thy lodging, and there now take thy rest, for to-day thou hast won a +great victory, and overcome the noblest chivalry of all the world. And now +for many years those kings shall not disturb thee. Therefore, I tell +thee, fear them no more, for now they are sore beaten, and have nothing +left them but their honour; and why shouldest thou slay them to take +that?" + +Then said King Arthur, "Thou sayest well, and I will take thy counsel." +With that he cried out, "Ho!" for the battle to cease, and sent forth +heralds through the field to stay more fighting. And gathering all the +spoil, he gave it not amongst his own host, but to Kings Ban and Bors and +all their knights and men-at-arms, that he might treat them with the +greater courtesy as strangers. + +Then Merlin took his leave of Arthur and the two other kings, and went to +see his master, Blaise, a holy hermit, dwelling in Northumberland, who had +nourished him through all his youth. And Blaise was passing glad to see +him, for there was a great love ever between them; and Merlin told him how +King Arthur had sped in the battle, and how it had ended; and told him the +names of every king and knight of worship who was there. So Blaise wrote +down the battle, word for word, as Merlin told him; and in the same way +ever after, all the battles of King Arthur's days Merlin caused Blaise, +his master, to record. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +_The Adventure of the Questing Beast--King Arthur drives the Saxons from +the Realm--The Battles of Celidon Forest and Badon Hill_ + + +Anon, thereafter, came word to King Arthur that Ryence, King of North +Wales, was making war upon King Leodegrance of Camelgard; whereat he was +passing wroth, for he loved Leodegrance well, and hated Ryence. So he +departed with Kings Ban and Bors and twenty thousand men, and came to +Camelgard, and rescued Leodegrance, and slew ten thousand of Ryence's men +and put him to flight. Then Leodegrance made a great festival to the three +kings, and treated them with every manner of mirth and pleasure which +could be devised. And there had King Arthur the first sight of Guinevere, +daughter of Leodegrance, whom in the end he married, as shall be told +hereafter. + +Then did Kings Ban and Bors take leave, and went to their own country, +where King Claudas worked great mischief. And King Arthur would have gone +with them, but they refused him, saying, "Nay, ye shall not at this time, +for ye have yet much to do in these lands of your own; and we with the +riches we have won here by your gifts shall hire many good knights, and, +by the grace of God, withstand the malice of King Claudas; and if we have +need we will send to ye for succour; and likewise ye, if ye have need, +send for us, and we will not tarry, by the faith of our bodies." + +When the two kings had left, King Arthur rode to Caerleon, and thither +came to him his half-sister Belisent, wife to King Lot, sent as a +messenger, but in truth to espy his power; and with her came a noble +retinue, and also her four sons--Gawain, Gaheris, Agravaine, and Gareth. +But when she saw King Arthur and his nobleness, and all the splendour of +his knights and service, she forbore to spy upon him as a foe, and told +him of her husband's plots against him and his throne. And the king, not +knowing that she was his half-sister, made great court to her; and being +full of admiration for her beauty, loved her out of measure, and kept her +a long season at Caerleon. Wherefore her husband, King Lot, was more than +ever King Arthur's enemy, and hated him till death with a passing great +hatred. + +At that time King Arthur had a marvellous dream, which gave him great +disquietness of heart. He dreamed that the whole land was full of many +fiery griffins and serpents, which burnt and slew the people everywhere; +and then that he himself fought with them, and that they did him mighty +injuries, and wounded him nigh to death, but that at last he overcame and +slew them all. When he woke, he sat in great heaviness of spirit and +pensiveness, thinking what this dream might signify, but by-and-by, when +he could by no means satisfy himself what it might mean, to rid himself of +all his thoughts of it, he made ready with a great company to ride out +hunting. + +As soon as he was in the forest, the king saw a great hart before him, and +spurred his horse, and rode long eagerly after it, and chased until his +horse lost breath and fell down dead from under him. Then, seeing the hart +escaped and his horse dead, he sat down by a fountain, and fell into deep +thought again. And as he sat there alone, he thought he heard the noise of +hounds, as it were some thirty couple in number, and looking up he saw +coming towards him the strangest beast that ever he had seen or heard tell +of, which ran towards the fountain and drank of the water. Its head was +like a serpent's, with a leopard's body and a lion's tail, and it was +footed like a stag; and the noise was in its belly, as it were the baying +or questing of thirty couple of hounds. While it drank there was no noise +within it; but presently, having finished, it departed with a greater +sound than ever. + +The king was amazed at all this; but being greatly wearied, he fell +asleep, and was before long waked up by a knight on foot, who said, +"Knight, full of thought and sleepy, tell me if thou sawest a strange +beast pass this way?" + +"Such a one I saw," said King Arthur to the knight, "but that is now two +miles distant at the least. What would you with that beast?" + +"Sir," said the knight, "I have followed it for a long time, and have +killed my horse, and would to heaven I had another to pursue my quest +withal." + +At that moment came a yeoman with another horse for the king, which, when +the knight saw, he earnestly prayed to be given him. "For I have followed +this quest," said he, "twelve months, and either I shall achieve him or +bleed of the best blood of my body." + +It was King Pellinore who at that time followed the questing beast, but +neither he nor King Arthur knew each other. + +"Sir Knight," said King Arthur, "leave that quest and suffer me to have +it, and I will follow it other twelve months." + +"Ah, fool," said the knight, "thy desire is utterly in vain, for it shall +never be achieved but by me, or by my next of kin." + +Therewith he started to the king's horse, and mounted to the saddle, +crying out, "Grammercy, this horse is mine!" + +"Well," said the king, "thou mayest take my horse by force, and I will not +say nay; but till we prove whether thou or I be best on horseback, I shall +not rest content." + +"Seek me here," said the knight, "whenever thou wilt, and here by this +fountain thou shalt find me;" and so he passed forth on his way. + +Then sat King Arthur in a deep fit of study, and bade his yeomen fetch him +yet another horse as quickly as they could. And when they left him all +alone came Merlin, disguised as a child of fourteen years of age, and +saluted the king, and asked him why he was so pensive and heavy. + +"I may well be pensive and heavy," he replied, "for here even now I have +seen the strangest sight I ever saw." + +"That know I well," said Merlin, "as well as thyself, and also all thy +thoughts; but thou art foolish to take thought, for it will not amend +thee. Also I know what thou art, and know thy father and thy mother." + +"That is false," said King Arthur; "how shouldst thou know? thy years are +not enough." + +"Yea," said Merlin, "but I know better than thou how thou wast born, and +better than any man living." + +"I will not believe thee," said King Arthur, and was wroth with the child. + +So Merlin departed, and came again in the likeness of an old man of +fourscore years of age; and the king was glad at his coming, for he seemed +wise and venerable. Then said the old man, "Why art thou so sad?" + +"For divers reasons," said King Arthur; "for I have seen strange things +to-day, and but this moment there was here a child who told me things +beyond his years to know." + +"Yea," said the old man, "but he told thee truth, and more he would have +told thee hadst thou suffered him. But I will tell thee wherefore thou art +sad, for thou hast done a thing of late for which God is displeased with +thee, and what it is thou knowest in thy heart, though no man else may +know." + +"What art thou," said King Arthur, starting up all pale, "that tellest me +these tidings?" + +"I am Merlin," said he, "and I was he in the child's likeness, also." + +"Ah," said King Arthur, "thou art a marvellous and right fearful man, and +I would ask and tell thee many things this day." + +As they talked came one with the king's horses, and so, King Arthur +mounting one, and Merlin another, they rode together to Caerleon; and +Merlin prophesied to Arthur of his death, and also foretold his own end. + +And now King Arthur, having utterly dispersed and overwhelmed those kings +who had so long delayed his coronation, turned all his mind to overthrow +the Saxon heathens who yet in many places spoiled the land. Calling +together, therefore, his knights and men-at-arms, he rode with all his +hosts to York, where Colgrin, the Saxon, lay with a great army; and there +he fought a mighty battle, long and bloody, and drove him into the city, +and besieged him. Then Baldulph, Colgrin's brother, came secretly with six +thousand men to assail King Arthur and to raise the siege. But King Arthur +was aware of him, and sent six hundred horsemen and three thousand foot to +meet and fall on him instead. This therefore they did, encountering them +at midnight, and utterly defeated them, till they fled away for life. But +Baldulph, full of grief, resolved to share his brother's peril; wherefore +he shaved his head and beard, and disguised himself as a jester, and so +passed through King Arthur's camp, singing and playing on a harp, till by +degrees he drew near to the city walls, where presently he made himself +known, and was drawn up by ropes into the town. + +Anon, while Arthur closely watched the city, came news that full six +hundred ships had landed countless swarms of Saxons, under Cheldric, on +the eastern coast. At that he raised the siege, and marched straight to +London, and there increased his army, and took counsel with his barons how +to drive the Saxons from the land for evermore. + +Then with his nephew, Hoel, King of the Armorican Britons, who came with a +great force to help him, King Arthur, with a mighty multitude of barons, +knights, and fighting men, went swiftly up to Lincoln, which the Saxons +lay besieging. And there he fought a passing fierce battle, and made +grievous slaughter, killing above six thousand men, till the main body of +them turned and fled. But he pursued them hotly into the wood of Celidon, +where, sheltering themselves among the trees from his arrows, they made a +stand, and for a long season bravely defended themselves. Anon, he ordered +all the trees in that part of the forest to be cut down, leaving no +shelter or ambush; and with their trunks and branches made a mighty +barricade, which shut them in and hindered their escape. After three days, +brought nigh to death by famine, they offered to give up their wealth of +gold and silver spoils, and to depart forthwith in their empty ships; +moreover, to pay tribute to King Arthur when they reached their home, and +to leave him hostages till all was paid. + +This offer, therefore, he accepted, and suffered them to depart. But when +they had been a few hours at sea, they repented of their shameful flight, +and turned their ships back again, and landing at Totnes, ravaged all the +land as far as the Severn, and, burning and slaying on all sides, bent +their steps towards Bath. + +When King Arthur heard of their treachery and their return, he burned with +anger till his eyes shone like two torches, and then he swore a mighty +oath to rest no more until he had utterly destroyed those enemies of God +and man, and had rooted them for ever out of the land of Britain. Then +marching hotly with his armies on to Bath, he cried aloud to them, "Since +these detestable impious heathens disdain to keep their faith with me, to +keep faith with God, to whom I sware to cherish and defend this realm, +will now this day avenge on them the blood of all that they have slain in +Britain!" + +In like manner after him spoke the archbishop, standing upon a hill, and +crying that to-day they should fight both for their country and for +Paradise, "For whoso," he said, "shall in this holy war be slain, the +angels shall forthwith receive him; for death in this cause shall be +penance and absolution for all sins." + +At these words every man in the whole army raged with hatred, and pressed +eagerly to rush upon those savages. + +Anon King Arthur, dressed in armour shining with gold and jewels, and +wearing on his head a helmet with a golden dragon, took a shield painted +with the likeness of the blessed Mary. Then girding on Excalibur and +taking in his right hand his great lance Ron, he placed his men in order +and led them out against the enemy, who stood for battle on the slope of +Badon Hill, ranged in the form of a wedge, as their custom was. And they, +resisting all the onslaughts of King Arthur and his host, made that day a +stout defence, and at night lay down upon the hill. + +But on the next day Arthur led his army once again to the attack, and with +wounds and slaughter such as no man had ever seen before, he drove the +heathen step by step before him, backwards and upwards, till he stood with +all his noblest knights upon the summit of the hill. + +And then men saw him, "red as the rising sun from spur to plume," lift up +his sword, and, kneeling, kiss the cross of it; and after, rising to his +feet, set might and main with all his fellowship upon the foe, till, as a +troop of lions roaring for their prey, they drove them like a scattered +herd along the plains, and cut them down till they could cut no more for +weariness. + +That day King Arthur by himself alone slew with his word Excalibur four +hundred and seventy heathens. Colgrin also, and his brother Baldulph, were +slain. + +Then the king bade Cador, Duke of Cornwall, follow Cheldric, the chief +leader, and the remnant of his hosts, unto the uttermost. He, therefore, +when he had first seized their fleet, and filled it with chosen men, to +beat them back when they should fly to it at last, chased them and slew +them without mercy so long as he could overtake them. And though they +crept with trembling hearts for shelter to the coverts of the woods and +dens of mountains, yet even so they found no safety, for Cador slew them, +even one by one. Last of all he caught and slew Cheldric himself, and +slaughtering a great multitude took hostages for the surrender of the +rest. + +Meanwhile, King Arthur turned from Badon Hill, and freed his nephew Hoel +from the Scots and Picts, who besieged him in Alclud. And when he had +defeated them in three sore battles, he drove them before him to a lake, +which was one of the most wondrous lakes in all the world, for it was fed +by sixty rivers, and had sixty islands, and sixty rocks, and on every +island sixty eagles' nests. But King Arthur with a great fleet sailed +round the rivers and besieged them in the lake for fifteen days, so that +many thousands died of hunger. + +Anon the King of Ireland came with an army to relieve them; but Arthur, +turning on him fiercely, routed him, and compelled him to retreat in +terror to his land. Then he pursued his purpose, which was no less to +destroy the race of Picts and Scots, who, beyond memory, had been a +ceaseless torment to the Britons by their barbarous malice. + +So bitterly, therefore, did he treat them, giving quarter to none, that at +length the bishops of that miserable country with the clergy met together, +and, bearing all the holy relics, came barefooted to the king to pray his +mercy for their people. As soon as they were led before him they fell down +upon their knees, and piteously besought him to spare the few survivors of +their countrymen, and grant them any corner of the land where they might +live in peace. When he thus heard them, and knew that he had now fully +punished them, he consented to their prayer, and withdrew his hosts from +any further slaughter. + +Then turned he back to his own realm, and came to York for Christmas, and +there with high solemnity observed that holy tide; and being passing +grieved to see the ruin of the churches and houses, which the rage or the +pagans had destroyed, he rebuilt them, and restored the city to its +ancient happy state. + +And on a certain day, as the king sat with his barons, there came into the +court a squire on horseback, carrying a knight before him wounded to the +death, and told the king that hard by in the forest was a knight who had +reared up a pavilion by the fountain, "and hath slain my master, a valiant +knight, whose name was Nirles; wherefore I beseech thee, Lord, my master +may be buried, and that some good knight may avenge his death." + +At that stepped forth a squire named Griflet, who was very young, being of +the same age with King Arthur, and besought the king, for all the service +he had done, to give him knighthood. + +"Thou art full young and tender of age," said King Arthur, "to take so +high an order upon thee." + +"Sir," said Griflet, "I beseech thee make me a knight;" and Merlin also +advising the king to grant his request, "Well," said Arthur, "be it then +so," and knighted him forthwith. Then said he to him, "Since I have +granted thee this favour, thou must in turn grant me a gift." + +"Whatsoever thou wilt, my lord," replied Sir Griflet. + +"Promise me," said King Arthur, "by the faith of thy body, that when thou +hast jousted with this knight at the fountain, thou wilt return to me +straightway, unless he slay thee." + +"I promise," said Sir Griflet; and taking his horse in haste, he dressed +his shield, and took a spear in his hand and rode full gallop till he came +to the fountain, by the side of which he saw a rich pavilion, and a great +horse standing well saddled and bridled, and on a tree close by there hung +a shield of many colours and a long lance. + +Then Sir Griflet smote upon the shield with the butt of his spear until he +cast it to the ground. At that a knight came out of the pavilion and said, +"Fair knight, why smote ye down my shield?" + +"Because," said Griflet, "I would joust with thee." + +"It were better not," replied the knight; "for thou art young and but +lately made a knight, and thy strength is small compared to mine." + +"For all that," said Sir Griflet, "I will joust with ye." + +"I am full loath," replied the knight; "but if I must I must." + +Then did they wheel their horses far apart, and running them together, +the strange knight shivered Sir Griflet's spear to fragments, and smote +him through the shield and the left side, and broke his own spear into Sir +Griflet's body, so that the truncheon stuck there, and Sir Griflet and his +horse fell down. But when the strange knight saw him overthrown, he was +sore grieved, and hastily alighted, for he thought that he had slain him. +Then he unlaced his helm and gave him air, and tended him carefully till +he came out of his swoon, and leaving the truncheon of his spear in his +body, he set him upon horse, and commended him to God, and said he had a +mighty heart, and if he lived would prove a passing good knight. And so +Sir Griflet rode to the court, where, by aid of good physicians, he was +healed in time and his life saved. + +At that same time there came before the king twelve old men, ambassadors +from Lucius Tiberius, Emperor of Rome, and demanded of Arthur tribute unto +Caesar for his realm, or else, said they, the emperor would destroy both +him and his land. To whom King Arthur answered that he owed the emperor no +tribute, nor would send him any; but said he, "On a fair field I will pay +him his proper tribute--with a sharp spear and sword; and by my father's +soul that tribute shall he take from me, whether he will or not." So the +ambassadors departed passing wroth, and King Arthur was as wroth as they. + +But on the morrow of Sir Griflet's hurt, the king commanded to take his +horse and armour secretly outside the city walls before sunrise of the +next morning, and, rising a long while before dawn, he mounted up and took +his shield and spear, and bade his chamberlain tarry till he came again; +but he forbore to take Excalibur, for he had given it for safety into +charge of his sister, Queen Morgan le Fay. And as the king rode at a soft +pace he saw suddenly three villains chasing Merlin and making to attack +and slay him. Clapping spurs to his horse, he rushed towards them, and +cried out in a terrible voice, "Flee, churls, or take your deaths;" but +they, as soon as they perceived a knight, fled away with the haste of +hares. + +"O Merlin," said the king; "here hadst thou been killed, despite thy many +crafts, had I not chanced to pass." + +"Not so," said Merlin, "for when I would, I could have saved myself; but +thou art nearer to thy death than I, for without special help from heaven +thou ridest now towards thy grave." + +And as they were thus talking, they came to the fountain and the rich +pavilion pitched beside it, and saw a knight sitting all armed on a chair +in the opening of the tent. "Sir knight," said King Arthur, "for what +cause abidest thou here? to joust with any knight that passeth by? If so, +I caution thee to quit that custom." + +"That custom," said the knight, "have I followed and will follow, let +whosoever will say nay, and if any is aggrieved at it, let him who will +amend it." + +"I will amend it," said King Arthur. + +"And I will defend it," answered the knight. + +Then the knight mounted his horse and made himself ready, and charging at +each other they met so hard that both their lances splintered into pieces. +Then King Arthur drew his sword, but the knight cried out, "Not so; but +let us run another tilt together with sharp spears." + +"I would with a good will," said King Arthur; "but I have no more spears." + +"I have enough of spears," replied the knight, and called a squire, who +brought two good new lances. + +Then spurring their horses, they rushed together with all their might, and +broke each one his own spear short off in his hand. Then the king again +put his hand to his sword, but the knight once more cried out, "Nay, yet +abide awhile; ye are the best jouster that I ever met with; for the love +of knighthood, let us joust yet once again." + +So once again they tilted with their fullest force, and this time King +Arthur's spear was shivered, but the knight's held whole, and drove so +furiously against the king that both his horse and he were hurled to the +ground. + +At that, King Arthur was enraged and drew his sword and said, "I will +attack thee now, Sir knight, on foot, for on horseback I have lost the +honour." + +"I will be on horseback," said the knight. But when he saw him come on +foot, he lighted from his horse, thinking it shame to have so great +advantage. + +And then began they a strong battle, with many great strokes and grievous +blows, and so hewed with their swords that the fragments of their armour +flew about the fields, and both so bled that all the ground around was +like a marsh of blood. Thus they fought long and mightily, and anon, after +brief rest fell to again, and so hurtled together like two wild boars that +they both rolled to the ground. At last their swords clashed furiously +together, and the knight's sword shivered the king's in two. + +Then said the knight, "Now art thou in my power, to save thee or to slay. +Yield therefore as defeated, and a recreant knight, or thou shall surely +die." + +"As for death," replied King Arthur, "welcome be it when it cometh; but as +for yielding me to thee as a recreant because of this poor accident upon +my sword, I had far liefer die than be so shamed." + +So saying, he sprang on the knight, and took him by the middle and threw +him down, and tore off his helm. But the knight, being a huge man, +wrestled and struggled in a frenzy with the king until he brought him +under, and tore off his helm in turn, and would have smitten off his head. + +At that came Merlin and said, "Knight, hold thy hand, for if thou slayest +yonder knight, thou puttest all this realm to greater loss and damage than +ever realm was in; for he is a man of greater worship than thou dreamest +of." + +"Who then is he?" cried the knight. + +"Arthur Pendragon!" answered Merlin. + +Then would he have slain him for dread of his wrath, but Merlin cast a +spell upon the knight, so that he fell suddenly to the earth in a deep +sleep. Then raising up the king, he took the knight's horse for himself +and rode away. + +"Alas," said King Arthur, "what hast thou done, Merlin? hast thou slain +this good knight by thy crafts? There never lived a better knight; I had +rather lose my kingdom for a year than have him dead." + +"Be not afraid," said Merlin; "he is more whole and sound than thou art, +and is but in a sleep, wherefrom in three hours' time he will awake. I +told thee what a knight he was, and how near thou wast to death. There +liveth not a better knight than he in all the world, and hereafter he +shall do thee good service. His name is King Pellinore, and he shall have +two sons, who shall be passing valiant men, and, save one another, shall +have no equal in prowess and in purity of life. The one shall be named +Percival, and the other Lamoracke of Wales." + +So they rode on to Caerleon, and all the knights grieved greatly when they +heard of this adventure, that the king would jeopardise his person thus +alone. Yet could they not hide their joy at serving under such a noble +chief, who adventured his own life as much as did the poorest knight among +them all. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +_King Arthur Conquers Ireland and Norway, Slays the Giant of St. Michael's +Mount, and Conquers Gaul--The Adventures of Sir Balin_ + + +The land of Britain being now in peace, and many great and valiant knights +therein ready to take part in whatsoever battles or adventures might +arise, King Arthur resolved to follow all his enemies to their own coasts. +Anon he fitted out a great fleet, and sailing first to Ireland, in one +battle he miserably routed the people of the country. The King of Ireland +also he took prisoner, and forced all earls and barons to pay him homage. + +Having conquered Ireland, he went next to Iceland and subdued it also, and +the winter being then arrived, returned to Britain. + +In the next year he set forth to Norway, whence many times the heathen had +descended on the British coasts; for he was determined to give so terrible +a lesson to those savages as should be told through all their tribes both +far and near, and make his name fearful to them. + +As soon as he was come, Riculf, the king, with all the power of that +country, met and gave him battle; but, after mighty slaughter, the Britons +had at length the advantage, and slew Riculf and a countless multitude +besides. + +Having thus defeated them, they set the cities on fire, dispersed the +country people, and pursued the victory till they had reduced all Norway, +as also Dacia, under the dominion of King Arthur. + +Now, therefore, having thus chastised those pagans who so long had +harassed Britain, and put his yoke upon them, he voyaged on to Gaul, being +steadfastly set upon defeating the Roman governor of that province, and so +beginning to make good the threats which he had sent the emperor by his +ambassadors. + +So soon as he was landed on the shores of Gaul, there came to him a +countryman who told him of a fearful giant in the land of Brittany, who +had slain, murdered, and devoured many people, and had lived for seven +years upon young children only, "insomuch," said the man, "that all the +children of the country are destroyed; and but the other day he seized +upon our duchess, as she rode out with her men, and took her away to his +lodging in a cave of a mountain, and though five hundred people followed +her, yet could they give her no help or rescue, but left her shrieking and +crying lamentably in the giant's hands; and, Lord, she is thy cousin +Hoel's wife, who is of thy near kindred; wherefore, as thou art a rightful +king, have pity on this lady; and as thou art a valiant conqueror, avenge +us and deliver us." + +"Alas!" said King Arthur, "this is a great mischief that ye tell of. I had +rather than the best realm I have, that I had rescued that lady ere the +giant laid his hand on her; but tell me now, good fellow, canst thou bring +me where this giant haunteth?" + +"Yea, Lord!" replied the man; "lo, yonder, where thou seest two great +fires, there shall thou find him, and more treasure also than is in all +Gaul besides." + +Then the king returned to his tent, and, calling Sir Key and Sir Bedwin, +desired them to get horses ready for himself and them, for that after +evensong he would ride a pilgrimage with them alone to St. Michael's +Mount. So in the evening they departed, and rode as fast as they could +till they came near the mount, and there alighted; and the king commanded +the two knights to await him at the hill foot, while he went up alone. + +Then he ascended the mountain till he came to a great fire. And there he +found a sorrowful widow wringing her hands and weeping miserably, sitting +by a new-made grave. And saluting her, King Arthur prayed her wherefore +she made such heavy lamentations. + +"Sir knight," she said, "speak softly, for yonder is a devil, who, if he +hear thy voice, will come and straightway slay thee. Alas! what dost thou +here? Fifty such men as thou were powerless to resist him. Here lieth dead +my lady, Duchess of Brittany, wife to Sir Hoel, who was the fairest lady +in the world, foully and shamefully slaughtered by that fiend! Beware that +thou go not too nigh, for he hath overcome and vanquished fifteen kings, +and hath made himself a coat of precious stones, embroidered with their +beards; but if thou art hardy, and wilt speak with him, at yonder great +fire he is at supper." + +"Well," said King Arthur, "I will accomplish mine errand, for all thy +fearful words;" and so went forth to the crest of the hill, and saw where +the giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge +frame by the fire, while three damsels turned three spits whereon were +spitted, like larks, twelve young children lately born. + +[Illustration: The giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and +baking his huge frame by the fire.] + +When King Arthur saw all that, his heart bled for sorrow, and he trembled +for rage and indignation; then lifting up his voice he cried aloud--"God, +that wieldeth all the world, give thee short life and shameful death, and +may the devil have thy soul! Why hast thou slain those children and that +fair lady? Wherefore arise, and prepare thee to perish, thou glutton and +fiend, for this day thou shalt die by my hands." + +Then the giant, mad with fury at these words, started up, and seizing a +great club, smote the king, and struck his crown from off his head. But +King Arthur smote him with his sword so mightily in return, that all his +blood gushed forth in streams. + +At that the giant, howling in great anguish, threw away his club of iron, +and caught the king in both his arms and strove to crush his ribs +together. But King Arthur struggled and writhed, and twisted him about, so +that the giant could not hold him tightly; and as they fiercely wrestled, +they both fell, and rolling over one another, tumbled--wrestling, and +struggling, and fighting frantically--from rock to rock, till they came to +the sea. + +And as they tore and strove and tumbled, the king ever and anon smote at +the giant with his dagger, till his arms stiffened in death around King +Arthur's body, and groaning horribly, he died. So presently the two +knights came and found the king locked fast in the giant's arms, and very +faint and weary, and loosed him from their hold. + +Then the king bade Sir Key to "smite off the giant's head and set it on +the truncheon of a spear, and bear it to Sir Hoel, and tell him that his +enemy is slain; and afterwards let it be fastened to the castle gate, that +all the people may behold it. And go ye two up on the mountain and fetch +me my shield and sword, and also the great club of iron ye will see there; +and as for the treasure, ye shall find there wealth beyond counting, but +take as much as ye will, for if I have his kirtle and the club, I desire +no more." + +Then the knights fetched the club and kirtle, as the king had ordered, and +took the treasure to themselves, as much as they could carry, and returned +to the army. But when this deed was noised abroad, all the people came in +multitudes to thank the king, who told them "to give thanks to God, and to +divide the giant's spoils amongst them equally." And King Arthur desired +Sir Hoel to build a church upon the mount, and dedicate it to the +Archangel Michael. + +On the morrow, all the host moved onwards into the country of Champagne, +and Flollo, the Roman tribune, retired before them into Paris. But while +he was preparing to collect more forces from the neighbouring countries, +King Arthur came upon him unawares, and besieged him in the town. + +And when a month had passed, Flollo--full of grief at the starvation of +his people, who died in hundreds day by day--sent to King Arthur, and +desired that they two might fight together; for he was a man of mighty +stature and courage, and thought himself sure of the victory. This +challenge, King Arthur, full weary the siege, accepted with great joy, and +sent back word to Flollo that he would meet him whensoever he appointed. + +And a truce being made on both sides, they met together the next day on +the island without the city, where all the people also were gathered to +see the issue. And as the king and Flollo rode up to the lists, each was +so nobly armed and horsed, and sat so mightily upon his saddle, that no +man could tell which way the battle would end. + +When they had saluted one another, and presented themselves against each +other with their lances aloft, they put spurs to their horses and began a +fierce encounter. But King Arthur, carrying his spear more warily, struck +it on the upper part of Flollo's breast, and flung him from his saddle to +the earth. Then drawing his sword, he cried to him to rise, and rushed +upon him; but Flollo, starting up, met him with his spear couched, and +pierced the breast of King Arthur's horse, and overthrew both horse and +man. + +The Britons, when they saw their king upon the ground, could scarcely keep +themselves from breaking up the truce and falling on the Gauls. But as +they were about to burst the barriers, and rush upon the lists, King +Arthur hastily arose, and, guarding himself with his shield, ran with +speed on Flollo. And now they renewed the assault with great rage, being +sorely bent upon each other's death. + +At length, Flollo, seizing his advantage, gave King Arthur a huge stroke +upon the helm, which nigh overthrew him, and drew forth his blood in +streams. + +But when King Arthur saw his armour and shield red with blood, he was +inflamed with fury, and lifting up Excalibur on high, with all his might, +he struck straight through the helmet into Flollo's head, and smote it +into halves; and Flollo falling backwards, and tearing up the ground with +his spurs, expired. + +As soon as this news spread, the citizens all ran together, and, opening +the gates, surrendered the city to the conqueror. + +And when he had overrun the whole province with his arms, and reduced it +everywhere to subjection, he returned again to Britain, and held his court +at Caerleon, with greater state than ever. + +Anon he invited thereto all the kings, dukes, earls, and barons, who owed +him homage, that he might treat them royally, and reconcile them to each +other, and to his rule. + +And never was there a city more fit and pleasant for such festivals. For +on one side it was washed by a noble river, so that the kings and princes +from the countries beyond sea might conveniently sail up to it; and on the +other side, the beauty of the groves and meadows, and the stateliness and +magnificence of the royal palaces, with lofty gilded roofs, made it even +rival the grandeur of Rome. It was famous also for two great and noble +churches, whereof one was built in honour of the martyr Julius, and +adorned with a choir of virgins who had devoted themselves wholly to the +service of God; and the other, founded in memory of St. Aaron, his +companion, maintained a convent of canons, and was the third metropolitan +church of Britain. Besides, there was a college of two hundred +philosophers, learned in astronomy, and all the other sciences and arts. + +In this place, therefore, full of such delights, King Arthur held his +court, with many jousts and tournaments, and royal huntings, and rested +for a season after all his wars. + +And on a certain day there came into the court a messenger from Ryence, +King of North Wales, bearing this message from his master: That King +Ryence had discomfited eleven kings, and had compelled each one of them to +cut off his beard; that he had trimmed a mantle with these beards, and +lacked but one more beard to finish it; and that he therefore now sent for +King Arthur's beard, which he required of him forthwith, or else he would +enter his lands and burn and slay, and never leave them till he had taken +by force not his beard only, but his head also. + +When King Arthur heard these words he flushed all scarlet, and rising in +great anger said, "Well is it for thee that thou speakest another man's +words with thy lips, and not thine own. Thou hast said thy message, which +is the most insolent and villainous that ever man heard sent to any king: +now hear my reply. My beard is yet too young to trim that mantle of thy +master's with; yet, young although I be, I owe no homage either to him or +any man--nor will ever owe. But, young although I be, I will have thy +master's homage upon both his knees before this year be past, or else he +shall lose his head, by the faith of my body, for this message is the +shamefullest I ever heard speak of. I see well thy king hath never yet met +with a worshipful man; but tell that King Arthur will have his head or his +worship right soon." + +Then the messenger departed, and Arthur, looking round upon his knights, +demanded of them if any there knew this King Ryence. "Yea," answered Sir +Noran, "I know him well, and there be few better or stronger knights upon +a field than he; and he is passing proud and haughty in his heart; +wherefore I doubt not, Lord, he will make war on thee with mighty power." + +"Well," said King Arthur, "I shall be ready for him, and that shall he +find." + +While the king thus spoke, there came into the hall a damsel having on a +mantle richly furred, which she let fall and showed herself to be girded +with a noble sword. The king being surprised at this, said, "Damsel, +wherefore art thou girt with that sword, for it beseemeth thee not?" +"Sir," said she, "I will tell thee. This sword wherewith I am thus girt +gives me great sorrow and encumbrance, for I may not be delivered from it +till I find a knight faithful and pure and true, strong of body and of +valiant deeds, without guile or treachery, who shall be able to draw it +from its scabbard, which no man else can do. And I have but just now come +from the court of King Ryence, for there they told me many great and good +knights were to be ever found; but he and all his knights have tried to +draw it forth in vain--for none of them can move it." + +"This is a great marvel," said King Arthur; "I will myself try to draw +forth this sword, not thinking in my heart that I am the best knight, but +rather to begin and give example that all may try after me." Saying this, +he took the sword and pulled at it with all his might, but could not shake +or move it. + +"Thou needest not strive so hard, Lord," said the damsel, "for whoever may +be able to pull it forth shall do so very easily." "Thou sayest well," +replied the king, remembering how he had himself drawn forth the sword +from the stone before St. Paul's. "Now try ye, all my barons; but beware +ye be not stained with shame, or any treachery, or guile." And turning +away his face from them, King Arthur mused full heavily of sins within his +breast he knew of, and which his failure brought to mind right sadly. + +Then all the barons present tried each after other, but could none of them +succeed; whereat the damsel greatly wept, and said, "Alas, alas! I thought +in this court to have found the best knight, without shame or treachery or +treason." + +Now by chance there was at that time a poor knight with King Arthur, who +had been prisoner at his court for half a year and more, charged with +slaying unawares a knight who was a cousin of the king's. He was named +Balin le Savage, and had been by the good offices of the barons delivered +from prison, for he was of good and valiant address and gentle blood. He +being secretly present at the court saw this adventure, and felt his heart +rise high within him, and longed to try the sword as did the others; but +being poor and poorly clad, he was ashamed to come forward in the press of +knights and nobles. But in his heart he felt assured that he could do +better--if Heaven willed--than any knight among them all. + +So as the damsel left the king, he called to her and said, "Damsel, I pray +thee of thy courtesy, suffer me to try the sword as well as all these +lords; for though I be but poorly clad, I feel assurance in my heart." + +The damsel looking at him, saw in him a likely an honest man, but because +of his poor garments could not think him to be any knight of worship, and +said, "Sir, there is no need to put me to any more pain or labour; why +shouldst thou succeed where so many worthy ones have failed?" + +"Ah, fair lady," answered Balin, "worthiness and brave deeds are not shown +by fair raiment, but manhood and truth lie hid within the heart. There be +many worshipful knights unknown to all the people." + +"By my faith, thou sayest truth," replied the damsel; "try therefore, if +thou wilt, what thou canst do." + +So Balin took the sword by the girdle and hilt, and drew it lightly out, +and looking on its workmanship and brightness, it pleased him greatly. + +But the king and all the barons marvelled at Sir Balin's fortune, and many +knights were envious of him, for, "Truly," said the damsel, "this is a +passing good knight, and the best man I have ever found, and the most +worshipfully free from treason, treachery, or villainy, and many wonders +shall he achieve." + +"Now, gentle and courteous knight," continued she, turning to Balin, "give +me the sword again." + +"Nay," said Sir Balin, "save it be taken from me by force, I shall +preserve this sword for evermore." + +"Thou art not wise," replied the damsel, "to keep it from me; for if thou +wilt do so, thou shalt slay with it the best friend thou hast, and the +sword shall be thine destruction also." + +"I will take whatever adventure God may send," said Balin; "but the sword +will I keep, by the faith of my body." + +"Thou will repent it shortly," said the damsel; "I would take the sword +for thy sake rather than for mine for I am passing grieved and heavy for +thy sake, who wilt not believe the peril I foretell thee." With that she +departed, making great lamentation. + +Then Balin sent for his horse and armour, and took his leave of King +Arthur, who urged him to stay at his court. "For," said he, "I believe +that thou art displeased that I showed thee unkindness; blame me not +overmuch, for I was misinformed against thee, and knew not truly what a +knight of worship thou art. Abide in this court with my good knights, and +I will so advance thee that thou shalt be well pleased." + +"God thank thee, Lord," said Balin, "for no man can reward thy bounty and +thy nobleness; but at this time I must needs depart, praying thee ever to +hold me in thy favour." + +"Truly," said King Arthur, "I am grieved for thy departure; but tarry not +long, and thou shalt be right welcome to me and all my knights when thou +returnest, and I will repair my neglect and all that I have done amiss +against thee." + +"God thank thee, Lord," again said Balin, and made ready to depart. + +But meanwhile came into the court a lady upon horseback, full richly +dressed, and saluted King Arthur, and asked him for the gift that he had +promised her when she gave him his sword Excalibur, "for," said she, "I am +the lady of the lake." + +"Ask what thou wilt," said the king, "and thou shalt have it, if I have +power to give." + +"I ask," said she, "the head of that knight who hath just achieved the +sword, or else the damsel's head who brought it, or else both; for the +knight slew my brother, and the lady caused my father's death." + +"Truly," said King Arthur, "I cannot grant thee this desire; it were +against my nature and against my name; but ask whatever else thou wilt, +and I will do it." + +"I will demand no other thing," said she. + +And as she spake came Balin, on his way to leave the court, and saw her +where she stood, and knew her straightway for his mother's murderess, whom +he had sought in vain three years. And when they told him that she had +asked King Arthur for his head, he went up straight to her and said, "May +evil have thee! Thou desirest my head, therefore shalt thou lose thine;" +and with his sword he lightly smote her head off, in the presence of the +king and all the court. + +"Alas, for shame!" cried out King Arthur, rising up in wrath; "why hast +thou done this, shaming both me and my court? I am beholden greatly to +this lady, and under my safe conduct came she here; thy deed is passing +shameful; never shall I forgive thy villainy." + +"Lord," cried Sir Balin, "hear me; this lady was the falsest living, and +by her witchcraft hath destroyed many, and caused my mother also to be +burnt to death by her false arts and treachery." + +"What cause soever thou mightest have had," said the king, "thou shouldst +have forborne her in my presence. Deceive not thyself, thou shalt repent +this sin, for such a shame was never brought upon my court; depart now +from my face with all the haste thou mayest." + +Then Balin took up the head of the lady and carried it to his lodgings, +and rode forth with his squire from out the town. Then said he, "Now must +we part; take ye this head and bear it to my friends in Northumberland, +and tell them how I speed, and that our worst foe is dead; also tell them +that I am free from prison, and of the adventure of my sword." + +"Alas!" said the squire, "ye are greatly to blame to have so displeased +King Arthur." + +"As for that," said Sir Balin, "I go now to find King Ryence, and destroy +him or lose my life; for should I take him prisoner, and lead him to the +court, perchance King Arthur would forgive me, and become my good and +gracious lord." + +"Where shall I meet thee again?" said the squire. + +"In King Arthur's court," said Balin. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +_Sir Balin Smites the Dolorous Stroke, and Fights with his Brother, Sir +Balan_ + + +Now there was a knight at the court more envious than the others of Sir +Balin, for he counted himself one of the best knights in Britain. His name +was Lancear; and going to the king, he begged leave to follow after Sir +Balin and avenge the insult he had put upon the court. "Do thy best," +replied the king, "for I am passing wroth with Balin." + +In the meantime came Merlin, and was told of this adventure of the sword +and lady of the lake. + +"Now hear me," said he, "when I tell ye that this lady who hath brought +the sword is the falsest damsel living." + +"Say not so," they answered, "for she hath a brother a good knight, who +slew another knight this damsel loved; so she, to be revenged upon her +brother, went to the Lady Lile, of Avilion, and besought her help. Then +Lady Lile gave her the sword, and told her that no man should draw it +forth but one, a valiant knight and strong, who should avenge her on her +brother. This, therefore, was the reason why the damsel came here." "I +know it all as well as ye do," answered Merlin; "and would to God she had +never come hither, for never came she into any company but to do harm; and +that good knight who hath achieved the sword shall be himself slain by it, +which shall be great harm and loss, for a better knight there liveth not; +and he shall do unto my lord the king great honour and service." + +Then Sir Lancear, having armed himself at all points, mounted, and rode +after Sir Balin, as fast as he could go, and overtaking him, he cried +aloud, "Abide, Sir knight! wait yet awhile, or I shall make thee do so." + +Hearing him cry, Sir Balin fiercely turned his horse, and said, "Fair +knight, what wilt thou with me? wilt thou joust?" + +"Yea," said Sir Lancear, "it is for that I have pursued thee." + +"Peradventure," answered Balin, "thou hadst best have staid at home, for +many a man who thinketh himself already victor, endeth by his own +downfall. Of what court art thou?" + +"Of King Arthur's court," cried Lancear, "and I am come to revenge the +insult thou hast put on it this day." + +"Well," said Sir Balin, "I see that I must fight thee, and I repent to be +obliged to grieve King Arthur or his knights; and thy quarrel seemeth full +foolish to me, for the damsel that is dead worked endless evils through +the land, or else I had been loath as any knight that liveth to have slain +a lady." + +"Make thee ready," shouted Lancear, "for one of us shall rest for ever in +this field." + +But at their first encounter Sir Lancear's spear flew into splinters from +Sir Balin's shield, and Sir Balin's lance pierced with such might through +Sir Lancear's shield that it rove the hauberk also, and passed through the +knight's body and the horse's crupper. And Sir Balin turning fiercely +round again, drew out his sword, and knew not that he had already slain +him; and then he saw him lie a corpse upon the ground. + +At that same moment came a damsel riding towards him as fast as her horse +could gallop, who, when she saw Sir Lancear dead, wept and sorrowed out of +measure, crying, "O, Sir Balin, two bodies hast thou slain, and one heart; +and two hearts in one body; and two souls also hast thou lost." + +Therewith she took the sword from her dead lover's side--for she was Sir +Lancear's lady-love--and setting the pommel of it on the ground, ran +herself through the body with the blade. + +When Sir Balin saw her dead he was sorely hurt and grieved in spirit, and +repented the death of Lancear, which had also caused so fair a lady's +death. And being unable to look on their bodies for sorrow, he turned +aside into a forest, where presently as he rode, he saw the arms of his +brother, Sir Balan. And when they were met they put off their helms, and +embraced each other, kissing, and weeping for joy and pity. Then Sir Balin +told Sir Balan all his late adventures, and that he was on his way to King +Ryence, who at that time was besieging Castle Terrabil. "I will be with +thee," answered Sir Balan, "and we will help each other, as brethren ought +to do." + +Anon by chance, as they were talking, came King Mark, of Cornwall, by that +way, and when he saw the two dead bodies of Sir Lancear and his lady lying +there, and heard the story of their death, he vowed to build a tomb to +them before he left that place. So pitching his pavilion there, he sought +through all the country round to find a monument, and found at last a rich +and fair one in a church, which he took and raised above the dead knight +and his damsel, writing on it--"Here lieth Lancear, son of the King of +Ireland, who, at his own request, was slain by Balin; and here beside him +also lieth his lady Colombe, who slew herself with her lover's sword for +grief and sorrow." + +Then as Sir Balin and Sir Balan rode away, Merlin met with them, and said +to Balin, "Thou hast done thyself great harm not to have saved that lady's +life who slew herself; and because of it, thou shalt strike the most +Dolorous Stroke that ever man struck, save he that smote our Lord. For +thou shalt smite the truest and most worshipful of living knights, who +shall not be recovered from his wounds for many years, and through that +stroke three kingdoms shall be overwhelmed in poverty and misery." + +"If I believed," said Balin, "what thou sayest, I would slay myself to +make thee a liar." + +At that Merlin vanished suddenly away; but afterwards he met them in +disguise towards night, and told them he could lead them to King Ryence, +whom they sought. "For this night he is to ride with sixty lances only +through a wood hard by." + +So Sir Balin and Sir Balan hid themselves within the wood, and at midnight +came out from their ambush among the leaves by the highway, and waited for +the king, whom presently they heard approaching with his company. Then did +they suddenly leap forth and smote at him and overthrew him and laid him +on the ground, and turning on his company wounded and slew forty of them, +and put the rest to flight. And returning to King Ryence they would have +slain him there, but he craved mercy, and yielded to their grace, crying, +"Knights full of prowess, slay me not; for by my life ye may win +something--but my death can avail ye nought." + +"Ye say truth," said the two knights, and put him in a horse-litter, and +went swiftly through all the night, till at cock-crow they came to King +Arthur's palace. There they delivered him to the warders and porters, to +be brought before the king, with this message--"That he was sent to King +Arthur by the knight of the two swords (for so was Balin known by name, +since his adventure with the damsel) and by his brother." And so they rode +away again ere sunrise. + +Within a month or two thereafter, King Arthur being somewhat sick, went +forth outside the town, and had his pavilion pitched in a meadow, and +there abode, and laid him down on a pallet to sleep, but could get no +rest. And as he lay he heard the sound of a great horse, and looking out +of the tent door, saw a knight ride by, making great lamentation. + +"Abide, fair sir," said King Arthur, "and tell me wherefore thou makest +this sorrow." + +"Ye may little amend it," said the knight, and so passed on. + +Presently after Sir Balin, rode, by chance, past that meadow, and when he +saw the king he alighted and came to him on foot, and kneeled and saluted +him. + +"By my head," said King Arthur, "ye be welcome, Sir Balin;" and then he +thanked him heartily for revenging him upon King Ryence, and for sending +him so speedily a prisoner to his castle, and told him how King Nero, +Ryence's brother, had attacked him afterwards to deliver Ryence from +prison; and how he had defeated him and slain him, and also King Lot, of +Orkney who was joined with Nero, and whom King Pellinore had killed in the +battle. Then when they had thus talked, King Arthur told Sir Balin of the +sullen knight that had just passed his tent, and desired him to pursue him +and to bring him back. + +So Sir Balin rode and overtook the knight in a forest with a damsel, and +said, "Sir knight, thou must come back with me unto my lord, King Arthur, +to tell him the cause of thy sorrow, which thou hast refused even now to +do." + +"That will I not," replied the knight, "for it would harm me much, and do +him no advantage." + +"Sir," said Sir Balin, "I pray thee make ready, for thou must needs go +with me--or else I must fight with thee and take thee by force." + +"Wilt thou be warrant for safe conduct, if I go with thee?" inquired the +knight. + +"Yea, surely," answered Balin, "I will die else." + +So the knight made ready to go with Sir Balin, and left the damsel in the +wood. + +But as they went, there came one invisible, and smote the knight through +the body with a spear. "Alas," cried Sir Herleus (for so was he named), "I +am slain under thy guard and conduct, by that traitor knight called +Garlon, who through magic and witchcraft rideth invisibly. Take, +therefore, my horse, which is better than thine, and ride to the damsel +whom we left, and the quest I had in hand, as she will lead thee--and +revenge my death when thou best mayest." + +"That will I do," said Sir Balin, "by my knighthood, and so I swear to +thee." + +Then went Sir Balin to the damsel, and rode forth with her; she carrying +ever with her the truncheon of the spear wherewith Sir Herleus had been +slain. And as they went, a good knight, Perin de Mountbelgard, joined +their company, and vowed to take adventure with them wheresoever they +might go. But presently as they passed a hermitage fast by a churchyard, +came the knight Garlon, again invisible, and smote Sir Perin through the +body with a spear, and slew him as he had slain Sir Herleus. Whereat, Sir +Balin greatly raged, and swore to have Sir Garlon's life, whenever next he +might encounter and behold him in his bodily shape. Anon, he and the +hermit buried the good knight Sir Perin, and rode on with the damsel till +they came to a great castle, whereinto they were about to enter. But when +Sir Balin had passed through the gateway, the portcullis fell behind him +suddenly, leaving the damsel on the outer side, with men around her, +drawing their swords as if to slay her. + +When he saw that, Sir Balin climbed with eager haste by wall and tower, +and leaped into the castle moat, and rushed towards the damsel and her +enemies, with his sword drawn, to fight and slay them. But they cried out, +"Put up thy sword, Sir knight, we will not fight thee in this quarrel, for +we do nothing but an ancient custom of this castle." + +Then they told him that the lady of the castle was sick, and had lain ill +for many years, and might never more be cured, unless she had a silver +dish full of the blood of a pure maid and a king's daughter. Wherefore the +custom of the castle was, that never should a damsel pass that way but she +must give a dish full of her blood. Then Sir Balin suffered them to bleed +the damsel with her own consent, but her blood helped not the lady of the +castle. So on the morrow they departed, after right good cheer and rest. + +Then they rode three or four days without adventure and came at last to +the abode of a rich man, who sumptuously lodged and fed them. And while +they sat at supper Sir Balin heard a voice of some one groaning +grievously. "What noise is this?" said he. + +"Forsooth," said the host, "I will tell you. I was lately at a tournament, +and there I fought a knight who is brother to King Pelles, and overthrew +him twice, for which he swore to be revenged on me through my best friend, +and so he wounded my son, who cannot be recovered till I have that +knight's blood, but he rideth through witchcraft always invisibly, and I +know not his name." + +"Ah," said Sir Balin, "but I know him; his name is Garlon, and he hath +slain two knights, companions of mine own, in the same fashion, and I +would rather than all the riches in this realm that I might meet him face +to face." + +"Well," said his host, "let me now tell thee that King Pelles hath +proclaimed in all the country a great festival, to be held at Listeniss, +in twenty days from now, whereto no knight may come without a lady. At +that great feast we might perchance find out this Garlon, for many will be +there; and if it please thee we will set forth together." + +So on the morrow they rode all three towards Listeniss, and travelled +fifteen days, and reached it on the day the feast began. Then they +alighted and stabled their horses, and went up to the castle, and Sir +Balin's host was denied entrance, having no lady with him. But Sir Balin +was right heartily received, and taken to a chamber, where they unarmed +him, and dressed him in rich robes, of any colour that he chose, and told +him he must lay aside his sword. This, however, he refused, and said, "It +is the custom of my country for a knight to keep his sword ever with him; +and if I may not keep it here, I will forthwith depart." Then they gave +him leave to wear his sword. So he went to the great hall, and was set +among knights of rank and worship, and his lady before him. + +Soon he found means to ask one who sat near him, "Is there not here a +knight whose name is Garlon?" + +"Yonder he goeth," said his neighbour, "he with that black face; he is the +most marvellous knight alive, for he rideth invisibly, and destroyeth whom +he will." + +"Ah, well," said Balin, drawing a long breath, "is that indeed the man? I +have aforetime heard of him." + +Then he mused long within himself, and thought, "If I shall slay him here +and now, I shall not escape myself; but if I leave him, peradventure I +shall never meet with him again at such advantage; and if he live, how +much more harm and mischief will he do!" + +But while he deeply thought, and cast his eyes from time to time upon Sir +Garlon, that false knight saw that he watched him, and thinking that he +could at such a time escape revenge, he came and smote Sir Balin on the +face with the back of his hand, and said, "Knight, why dost thou so watch +me? be ashamed, and eat thy meat, and do that which thou camest for." + +"Thou sayest well," cried Sir Balin, rising fiercely; "now will I +straightway do that which I came to do, as thou shalt find." With that he +whirled his sword aloft and struck him downright on the head, and clove +his skull asunder to the shoulder. + +"Give me the truncheon," cried out Sir Balin to his lady, "wherewith he +slew thy knight." And when she gave it him--for she had always carried it +about with her, wherever she had gone--he smote him through the body with +it, and said, "With that truncheon didst thou treacherously murder a good +knight, and now it sticketh in thy felon body." + +Then he called to the father of the wounded son, who had come with him to +Listeniss, and said, "Now take as much blood as thou wilt, to heal thy son +withal." + +But now arose a terrible confusion, and all the knights leaped from the +table to slay Balin, King Pelles himself the foremost, who cried out, +"Knight, thou hast slain my brother at my board; die, therefore, die, for +thou shalt never leave this castle." + +"Slay me, thyself, then," shouted Balin. + +"Yea," said the king, "that will I! for no other man shall touch thee, for +the love I bear my brother." + +Then King Pelles caught in his hand a grim weapon and smote eagerly at +Balin, but Balin put his sword between his head and the king's stroke, and +saved himself but lost his sword, which fell down smashed and shivered +into pieces by the blow. So being weaponless he ran to the next room to +find a sword, and so from room to room, with King Pelles after him, he in +vain ever eagerly casting his eyes round every place to find some weapon. + +At last he ran into a chamber wondrous richly decked, where was a bed all +dressed with cloth of gold, the richest that could be thought of, and one +who lay quite still within the bed; and by the bedside stood a table of +pure gold borne on four silver pillars, and on the table stood a +marvellous spear, strangely wrought. + +When Sir Balin saw the spear he seized it in his hand, and turned upon +King Pelles, and smote at him so fiercely and so sore that he dropped +swooning to the ground. + +But at that Dolorous and awful Stroke the castle rocked and rove +throughout, and all the walls fell crashed and breaking to the earth, and +Balin himself fell also in their midst, struck as it were to stone, and +powerless to move a hand or foot. And so three days he lay amidst the +ruins, until Merlin came and raised him up and brought him a good horse, +and bade him ride out of that land as swiftly as he could. + +[Illustration: The castle rocked and rove throughout, and all the walls +fell crashed and breaking to the earth.] + +"May I not take the damsel with me I brought hither?" said Sir Balin. + +"Lo! where she lieth dead," said Merlin. "Ah, little knowest thou, Sir +Balin, what thou hast done; for in this castle and that chamber which thou +didst defile, was the blood of our Lord Christ! and also that most holy +cup--the Sangreal--wherefrom the wine was drunk at the last supper of our +Lord. Joseph of Arimathea brought it to this land, when first he came here +to convert and save it. And on that bed of gold it was himself who lay, +and the strange spear beside him was the spear wherewith the soldier +Longus smote our Lord, which evermore had dripped with blood. King Pelles +is the nearest kin to Joseph in direct descent, wherefore he held these +holy things in trust; but now have they all gone at thy dolorous stroke, +no man knoweth whither; and great is the damage to this land, which until +now hath been the happiest of all lands, for by that stroke thou hast +slain thousands, and by the loss and parting of the Sangreal the safety of +this realm is put in peril, and its great happiness is gone for evermore." + +Then Balin departed from Merlin, struck to his soul with grief and sorrow, +and said, "In this world shall we meet never more." + +So he rode forth through the fair cities and the country, and found the +people lying dead on every side. And all the living cried out on him as he +passed, "O Balin, all this misery hast thou done! For the dolorous stroke +thou gavest King Pelles, three countries are destroyed, and doubt not but +revenge will fall on thee at last!" + +When he had passed the boundary of those countries, he was somewhat +comforted, and rode eight days without adventure. Anon he came to a cross, +whereon was written in letters of gold, "It is not for a knight alone to +ride towards this castle." Looking up, he saw a hoary ancient man come +towards him, who said, "Sir Balin le Savage, thou passest thy bounds this +way; therefore turn back again, it will be best for thee;" and with these +words he vanished. + +Then did he hear a horn blow as it were the deathnote of some hunted +beast. "That blast," said Balin, "is blown for me, for I am the prey; +though yet I be not dead." But as he spoke he saw a hundred ladies with a +great troop of knights come forth to meet him, with bright faces and +great welcome, who led him to the castle and made a great feast, with +dancing and minstrelsy and all manner of joy. + +Then the chief lady of the castle said, "Knight with the two swords, thou +must encounter and fight with a knight hard by, who dwelleth on an island, +for no man may pass this way without encountering him." + +"It is a grievous custom," answered Sir Balin. + +"There is but one knight to defeat," replied the lady. + +"Well," said Sir Balin, "be it as thou wilt. I am ready and quite willing, +and though my horse and my body be full weary, yet is my heart not weary, +save of life. And truly I were glad if I might meet my death." + +"Sir," said one standing by, "methinketh your shield is not good; I will +lend you a bigger." + +"I thank thee, sir," said Balin, and took the unknown shield and left his +own, and so rode forth, and put himself and horse into a boat and came to +the island. + +As soon as he had landed, he saw come riding towards him, a knight dressed +all in red, upon a horse trapped in the same colour. When the red knight +saw Sir Balin, and the two swords he wore, he thought it must have been +his brother (for the red knight was Sir Balan), but when he saw the +strange arms on his shield, he forgot the thought, and came against him +fiercely. At the first course they overthrew each other, and both lay +swooning on the ground; but Sir Balin was the most hurt and bruised, for +he was weary and spent with travelling. So Sir Balan rose up first to his +feet and drew his sword, and Sir Balin painfully rose against him and +raised his shield. + +Then Sir Balan smote him through the shield and brake his helmet; and Sir +Balin, in return, smote at him with his fated sword, and had wellnigh +slain his brother. So they fought till their breaths failed. + +Then Sir Balin, looking up, saw all the castle towers stand full of +ladies. So they went again to battle, and wounded each other full sore, +and paused, and breathed again, and then again began the fight; and this +for many times they did, till all the ground was red with blood. And by +now, each had full grievously wounded the other with seven great wounds, +the least of which might have destroyed the mightiest giant in the world. +But still they rose against each other, although their hauberks now were +all unnailed, and they smiting at each other's naked bodies with their +sharp swords. At the last, Sir Balan, the younger brother, withdrew a +little space and laid him down. + +Then said Sir Balin le Savage, "What knight art thou? for never before +have I found a knight to match me thus." + +"My name," said he, all faintly, "is Balan, brother to the good knight Sir +Balin." + +"Ah, God!" cried Balin, "that ever I should see this day!" and therewith +fell down backwards in a swoon. + +Then Sir Balan crept with pain upon his feet and hands, and put his +brother's helmet off his head, but could not know him by his face, it was +so hewed and bloody. But presently, when Sir Balin came to, he said, "Oh! +Balan, mine own brother, thou hast slain me, and I thee! All the wide +world saw never greater grief!" + +"Alas!" said Sir Balan, "that I ever saw this day; and through mishap +alone I knew thee not, for when I saw thy two swords, if it had not been +for thy strange shield, I should have known thee for my brother." + +"Alas!" said Balin, "all this sorrow lieth at the door of one unhappy +knight within the castle, who made me change my shield. If I might live, I +would destroy that castle and its evil customs." + +"It were well done," said Balan, "for since I first came hither I have +never been able to depart, for here they made me fight with one who kept +this island, whom I slew, and by enchantment I might never quit it more; +nor couldst thou, brother, hadst thou slain me, and escaped with thine own +life." + +Anon came the lady of the castle, and when she heard their talk, and saw +their evil case, she wrung her hands and wept bitterly. So Sir Balan +prayed the lady of her gentleness that, for his true service, she would +bury them both together in that place. This she granted, weeping full +sore, and said it should be done right solemnly and richly, and in the +noblest manner possible. Then did they send for a priest, and received the +holy sacrament at his hands. And Balin said, "Write over us upon our tomb, +that here two brethren slew each other; then shall never good knight or +pilgrim pass this way but he will pray for both our souls." And anon Sir +Balan died, but Sir Balin died not till the midnight after; and then they +both were buried. + +On the morrow of their death came Merlin, and took Sir Balin's sword and +fixed on it a new pommel, and set it in a mighty stone, which then, by +magic, he made float upon the water. And so, for many years, it floated to +and fro around the island, till it swam down the river to Camelot, where +young Sir Galahad achieved it, as shall be told hereafter. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +_The Marriage of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, and the Founding of the +Round Table--The Adventure of the Hart and Hound_ + + +It befell upon a certain day, that King Arthur said to Merlin, "My lords +and knights do daily pray me now to take a wife; but I will have none +without thy counsel, for thou hast ever helped me since I came first to +this crown." + +"It is well," said Merlin, "that thou shouldst take a wife, for no man of +bounteous and noble nature should live without one; but is there any lady +whom thou lovest better than another?" + +"Yea," said King Arthur, "I love Guinevere, the daughter of King +Leodegrance, of Camelgard, who also holdeth in his house the Round Table +that he had from my father Uther; and as I think, that damsel is the +gentlest and the fairest lady living." + +"Sir," answered Merlin, "as for her beauty, she is one of the fairest that +do live; but if ye had not loved her as ye do, I would fain have had ye +choose some other who was both fair and good. But where a man's heart is +set, he will be loath to leave." This Merlin said, knowing the misery +that should hereafter happen from this marriage. + +Then King Arthur sent word to King Leodegrance that he mightily desired to +wed his daughter, and how that he had loved her since he saw her first, +when with Kings Ban and Bors he rescued Leodegrance from King Ryence of +North Wales. + +When King Leodegrance heard the message, he cried out "These be the best +tidings I have heard in all my life--so great and worshipful a prince to +seek my daughter for his wife! I would fain give him half my lands with +her straightway, but that he needeth none--and better will it please him +that I send him the Round Table of King Uther, his father, with a hundred +good knights towards the furnishing of it with guests, for he will soon +find means to gather more, and make the table full." + +Then King Leodegrance delivered his daughter Guinevere to the messengers +of King Arthur, and also the Round Table with the hundred knights. + +So they rode royally and freshly, sometimes by water and sometimes by +land, towards Camelot. And as they rode along in the spring weather, they +made full many sports and pastimes. And, in all those sports and games, a +young knight lately come to Arthur's court, Sir Lancelot by name, was +passing strong, and won praise from all, being full of grace and +hardihood; and Guinevere also ever looked on him with joy. And always in +the eventide, when the tents were set beside some stream or forest, many +minstrels came and sang before the knights and ladies as they sat in the +tent-doors, and many knights would tell adventures; and still Sir Lancelot +was foremost, and told the knightliest tales, and sang the goodliest +songs, of all the company. + +And when they came to Camelot, King Arthur made great joy, and all the +city with him; and riding forth with a great retinue he met Guinevere and +her company, and led her through the streets all filled with people, and +in the midst of all their shoutings and the ringing of church bells, to a +palace hard by his own. + +Then, in all haste, the king commanded to prepare the marriage and the +coronation with the stateliest and most honourable pomp that could be +made. And when the day was come, the archbishops led the king to the +cathedral, whereto he walked, clad in his royal robes, and having four +kings, bearing four golden swords, before him; a choir of passing sweet +music going also with him. + +In another part, was the queen dressed in her richest ornaments, and led +by archbishops and bishops to the Chapel of the Virgins, the four queens +also of the four kings last mentioned walked before her, bearing four +white doves, according to ancient custom; and after her there followed +many damsels, singing and making every sign of joy. + +And when the two processions were come to the churches, so wondrous was +the music and the singing, that all the knights and barons who were there +pressed on each other, as in the crowd of battle, to hear and see the most +they might. + +When the king was crowned, he called together all the knights that came +with the Round Table from Camelgard, and twenty-eight others, great and +valiant men, chosen by Merlin out of all the realm, towards making up the +full number of the table. Then the Archbishop of Canterbury blessed the +seats of all the knights, and when they rose again therefrom to pay their +homage to King Arthur there was found upon the back of each knight's seat +his name, written in letters of gold. But upon one seat was found written, +"This is the Siege Perilous, wherein if any man shall sit save him whom +Heaven hath chosen, he shall be devoured by fire." + +Anon came young Gawain, the king's nephew, praying to be made a knight, +whom the king knighted then and there. Soon after came a poor man, leading +with him a tall fair lad of eighteen years of age, riding on a lean mare. +And falling at the king's feet, the poor man said, "Lord, it was told me, +that at this time of thy marriage thou wouldst give to any man the gift he +asked for, so it were not unreasonable." + +"That is the truth," replied King Arthur, "and I will make it good." + +"Thou sayest graciously and nobly," said the poor man. "Lord, I ask +nothing else but that thou wilt make my son here a knight." + +"It is a great thing that thou askest," said the king. "What is thy name?" + +"Aries, the cowherd," answered he. + +"Cometh this prayer from thee or from thy son?" inquired King Arthur. + +"Nay, lord, not from myself," said he, "but from him only, for I have +thirteen other sons, and all of them will fall to any labour that I put +them to. But this one will do no such work for anything that I or my wife +may do, but is for ever shooting or fighting, and running to see knights +and joustings, and torments me both night and day that he be made a +knight." + +"What is thy name?" said the king to the young man. + +"My name is Tor," said he. + +Then the king, looking at him steadfastly, was well pleased with his face +and figure, and with his look of nobleness and strength. + +"Fetch all thy other sons before me," said the king to Aries. But when he +brought them, none of them resembled Tor in size or shape or feature. + +Then the king knighted Tor, saying, "Be thou to thy life's end a good +knight and a true, as I pray God thou mayest be; and if thou provest +worthy, and of prowess, one day thou shall be counted in the Round Table." +Then turning to Merlin, Arthur said, "Prophesy now, O Merlin, shall Sir +Tor become a worthy knight, or not?" + +"Yea, lord," said Merlin, "so he ought to be, for he is the son of that +King Pellinore whom thou hast met, and proved to be one of the best +knights living. He is no cowherd's son." + +Presently after came in King Pellinore, and when he saw Sir Tor he knew +him for his son, and was more pleased than words can tell to find him +knighted by the king. And Pellinore did homage to King Arthur, and was +gladly and graciously accepted of the king; and then was led by Merlin to +a high seat at the Table Round, near to the Perilous Seat. + +But Sir Gawain was full of anger at the honour done King Pellinore, and +said to his brother Gaheris, "He slew our father, King Lot, therefore will +I slay him." + +"Do it not yet," said he; "wait till I also be a knight, then will I help +ye in it: it is best ye suffer him to go at this time, and not trouble +this high feast with bloodshed." + +"As ye will, be it," said Sir Gawain. + +Then rose the king and spake to all the Table Round, and charged them to +be ever true and noble knights, to do neither outrage nor murder, nor any +unjust violence, and always to flee treason; also by no means ever to be +cruel, but give mercy unto him that asked for mercy, upon pain of +forfeiting the liberty of his court for evermore. Moreover, at all times, +on pain of death, to give all succour unto ladies and young damsels; and +lastly, never to take part in any wrongful quarrel, for reward or payment. +And to all this he swore them knight by knight. + +Then he ordained that, every year at Pentecost, they should all come +before him, wheresoever he might appoint a place, and give account of all +their doings and adventures of the past twelvemonth. And so, with prayer +and blessing, and high words of cheer, he instituted the most noble order +of the Round Table, whereto the best and bravest knights in all the world +sought afterwards to find admission. + +Then was the high feast made ready, and the king and queen sat side by +side, before the whole assembly; and great and royal was the banquet and +the pomp. + +And as they sat, each man in his place, Merlin went round and said, "Sit +still awhile, for ye shall see a strange and marvellous adventure." + +So as they sat, there suddenly came running through the hall, a white +hart, with a white hound next after him, and thirty couple of black +running hounds, making full cry; and the hart made circuit of the Table +Round, and past the other tables; and suddenly the white hound flew upon +him and bit him fiercely, and tore out a piece from his haunch. Whereat +the hart sprang suddenly with a great leap, and overthrew a knight sitting +at the table, who rose forthwith, and, taking up the hound, mounted, and +rode fast away. + +But no sooner had he left, than there came in a lady, mounted on a white +palfrey, who cried out to the king, "Lord, suffer me not to have this +injury!--the hound is mine which that knight taketh." And as she spake, a +knight rode in all armed, on a great horse, and suddenly took up the lady +and rode away with her by force, although she greatly cried and moaned. + +Then the king desired Sir Gawain, Sir Tor, and King Pellinore to mount and +follow this adventure to the uttermost; and told Sir Gawain to bring back +the hart, Sir Tor the hound and knight, and King Pellinore the knight and +the lady. + +So Sir Gawain rode forth at a swift pace, and with him Gaheris, his +brother, for a squire. And as they went, they saw two knights fighting on +horseback, and when they reached them they divided them and asked the +reason of their quarrel. "We fight for a foolish matter," one replied, +"for we be brethren; but there came by a white hart this way, chased by +many hounds, and thinking it was an adventure for the high feast of King +Arthur, I would have followed it to have gained worship; whereat my +younger brother here declared he was the better knight and would go after +it instead, and so we fight to prove which of us be the better knight." + +"This is a foolish thing," said Sir Gawain. "Fight with all strangers, if +ye will, but not brother with brother. Take my advice, set on against me, +and if ye yield to me, as I shall do my best to make ye, ye shall go to +King Arthur and yield ye to his grace." + +"Sir knight," replied the brothers, "we are weary, and will do thy wish +without encountering thee; but by whom shall we tell the king that we were +sent?" + +"By the knight that followeth the quest of the white hart," said Sir +Gawain. "And now tell me your names, and let us part." + +"Sorlous and Brian of the Forest," they replied; and so they went their +way to the king's court. + +Then Sir Gawain, still following his quest by the distant baying of the +hounds, came to a great river, and saw the hart swimming over and near to +the further bank. And as he was about to plunge in and swim after, he saw +a knight upon the other side, who cried, "Come not over here, Sir knight, +after that hart, save thou wilt joust with me." + +"I will not fail for that," said Sir Gawain; and swam his horse across the +stream. + +Anon they got their spears, and ran against each other fiercely; and Sir +Gawain smote the stranger off his horse, and turning, bade him yield. + +"Nay," replied he, "not so; for though ye have the better of me on +horseback, I pray thee, valiant knight, alight, and let us match together +with our swords on foot." + +"What is thy name?" quoth Gawain. + +"Allardin of the Isles," replied the stranger. + +Then they fell on each other; but soon Sir Gawain struck him through the +helm, so deeply and so hard, that all his brains were scattered, and Sir +Allardin fell dead. "Ah," said Gaheris, "that was a mighty stroke for a +young knight!" + +Then did they turn again to follow the white hart, and let slip three +couple of greyhounds after him; and at the last they chased him to a +castle, and there they overtook and slew him, in the chief courtyard. + +At that there rushed a knight forth from a chamber, with a drawn sword in +his hand, and slew two of the hounds before their eyes, and chased the +others from the castle, crying, "Oh, my white hart! alas, that thou art +dead! for thee my sovereign lady gave to me, and evil have I kept thee; +but if I live, thy death shall be dear bought." Anon he went within and +armed, and came out fiercely, and met Sir Gawain face to face. + +"Why have ye slain my hounds?" said Sir Gawain; "they did but after their +nature: and ye had better have taken vengeance on me than on the poor dumb +beasts." + +"I will avenge me on thee, also," said the other, "ere thou depart this +place." + +Then did they fight with each other savagely and madly, till the blood ran +down to their feet. But at last Sir Gawain had the better, and felled the +knight of the castle to the ground. Then he cried out for mercy, and +yielded to Sir Gawain, and besought him as he was a knight and gentleman +to save his life. "Thou shalt die," said Sir Gawain, "for slaying my +hounds." + +"I will make thee all amends within my power," replied the knight. + +But Sir Gawain would have no mercy, and unlaced his helm to strike his +head off; and so blind was he with rage, that he saw not where a lady ran +out from her chamber and fell down upon his enemy. And making a fierce +blow at him, he smote off by mischance the lady's head. + +"Alas!" cried Gaheris, "foully and shamefully have ye done--the shame +shall never leave ye! Why give ye not your mercy unto them that ask it? a +knight without mercy is without worship also." + +Then Sir Gawain was sore amazed at that fair lady's death, and knew not +what to do, and said to the fallen knight, "Arise, for I will give thee +mercy." + +"Nay, nay," said he, "I care not for thy mercy now, for thou hast slain my +lady and my love--that of all earthly things I loved the best." + +"I repent me sorely of it," said Sir Gawain, "for I meant to have struck +thee: but now shalt thou go to King Arthur and tell him this adventure, +and how thou hast been overcome by the knight that followeth the quest of +the white hart." + +"I care not whether I live or die, or where I go," replied the knight. + +So Sir Gawain sent him to the court to Camelot, making him bear one dead +greyhound before and one behind him on his horse. "Tell me thy name before +we part," said he. + +"My name is Athmore of the Marsh," he answered. + +Then went Sir Gawain into the castle, and prepared to sleep there and +began to unarm; but Gaheris upbraided him, saying, "Will ye disarm in this +strange country? bethink ye, ye must needs have many enemies about." + +No sooner had he spoken than there came out suddenly four knights, well +armed, and assailed them hard, saying to Sir Gawain, "Thou new-made +knight, how hast thou shamed thy knighthood! a knight without mercy is +dishonoured! Slayer of fair ladies, shame to thee evermore! Doubt not thou +shalt thyself have need of mercy ere we leave thee." + +Then were the brothers in great jeopardy, and feared for their lives, for +they were but two to four, and weary with travelling; and one of the four +knights shot Sir Gawain with a bolt, and hit him through the arm, so that +he could fight no more. But when there was nothing left for them but +death, there came four ladies forth and prayed the four knights' mercy for +the strangers. So they gave Sir Gawain and Gaheris their lives, and made +them yield themselves prisoners. + +On the morrow, came one of the ladies to Sir Gawain, and talked with him, +saying, "Sir knight, what cheer?" + +"Not good," said he. + +"It is your own default, sir," said the lady, "for ye have done a passing +foul deed in slaying that fair damsel yesterday--and ever shall it be +great shame to you. But ye be not of King Arthur's kin." + +"Yea, truly am I," said he; "my name is Gawain, son of King Lot of Orkney, +whom King Pellinore slew--and my mother, Belisent, is half-sister to the +king." + +When the lady heard that, she went and presently got leave for him to quit +the castle; and they gave him the head of the white hart to take with him, +because it was in his quest; but made him also carry the dead lady with +him--her head hung round his neck and her body lay before him on his +horse's neck. + +So in that fashion he rode back to Camelot; and when the king and queen +saw him, and heard tell of his adventures, they were heavily displeased, +and, by the order of the queen, he was put upon his trial before a court +of ladies--who judged him to be evermore, for all his life, the knight of +ladies' quarrels, and to fight always on their side, and never against +any, except he fought for one lady and his adversary for another; also +they charged him never to refuse mercy to him that asked it, and swore him +to it on the Holy Gospels. Thus ended the adventure of the white hart. + +Meanwhile, Sir Tor had made him ready, and followed the knight who rode +away with the hound. And as he went, there suddenly met him in the road a +dwarf, who struck his horse so viciously upon the head with a great staff, +that he leaped backwards a spear's length. + +"Wherefore so smitest thou my horse, foul dwarf?" shouted Sir Tor. + +"Because thou shall not pass this way," replied the dwarf, "unless thou +fight for it with yonder knights in those pavilions," pointing to two +tents, where two great spears stood out, and two shields hung upon two +trees hard by. + +"I may not tarry, for I am on a quest I needs must follow," said Sir Tor. + +"Thou shalt not pass," replied the dwarf, and therewith blew his horn. +Then rode out quickly at Sir Tor one armed on horseback, but Sir Tor was +quick as he, and riding at him bore him from his horse, and made him +yield. Directly after came another still more fiercely, but with a few +great strokes and buffets Sir Tor unhorsed him also, and sent them both to +Camelot to King Arthur. Then came the dwarf and begged Sir Tor to take +him in his service, "for," said he, "I will serve no more recreant +knights." + +"Take then a horse, and come with me," said Tor. + +"Ride ye after the knight with the white hound?" said the dwarf; "I can +soon bring ye where he is." + +So they rode through the forest till they came to two more tents. And Sir +Tor alighting, went into the first, and saw three damsels lie there, +sleeping. Then went he to the other, and found another lady also sleeping, +and at her feet the white hound he sought for, which instantly began to +bay and bark so loudly, that the lady woke. But Sir Tor had seized the +hound and given it to the dwarfs charge. + +"What will ye do, Sir knight?" cried out the lady; "will ye take away my +hound from me by force?" + +"Yea, lady," said Sir Tor; "for so I must, having the king's command; and +I have followed it from King Arthur's court, at Camelot, to this place." + +"Well" said the lady, "ye will not go far before ye be ill handled, and +will repent ye of the quest." + +"I shall cheerfully abide whatsoever adventure cometh, by the grace of +God," said Sir Tor; and so mounted his horse and began to ride back on his +way. But night coming on, he turned aside to a hermitage that was in the +forest, and there abode till the next day, making but sorrowful cheer of +such poor food as the hermit had to give him, and hearing a Mass devoutly +before he left on the morrow. + +And in the early morning, as he rode forth with the dwarf towards Camelot, +he heard a knight call loudly after him, "Turn, turn! Abide, Sir knight, +and yield me up the hound thou tookest from my lady." At which he turned, +and saw a great and strong knight, armed full splendidly, riding down upon +him fiercely through a glade of the forest. + +Now Sir Tor was very ill provided, for he had but an old courser, which +was as weak as himself, because of the hermit's scanty fare. He waited, +nevertheless, for the strange knight to come, and at the first onset with +their spears, each unhorsed the other, and then fell to with their swords +like two mad lions. Then did they smite through one another's shields and +helmets till the fragments flew on all sides, and their blood ran out in +streams; but yet they carved and rove through the thick armour of the +hauberks, and gave each other great and ghastly wounds. But in the end, +Sir Tor, finding the strange knight faint, doubled his strokes until he +beat him to the earth. Then did he bid him yield to his mercy. + +"That will I not," replied Abellius, "while my life lasteth and my soul is +in my body, unless thou give me first the hound." + +"I cannot," said Sir Tor, "and will not, for it was my quest to bring +again that hound and thee unto King Arthur, or otherwise to slay thee." + +With that there came a damsel riding on a palfrey, as fast as she could +drive, and cried out to Sir Tor with a loud voice, "I pray thee, for King +Arthur's love, give me a gift." + +"Ask," said Sir Tor, "and I will give thee." + +"Grammercy," said the lady, "I ask the head of this false knight Abellius, +the most outrageous murderer that liveth." + +"I repent me of the gift I promised," said Sir Tor. "Let him make thee +amends for all his trespasses against thee." + +"He cannot make amends," replied the damsel, "for he hath slain my +brother, a far better knight than he, and scorned to give him mercy, +though I kneeled for half an hour before him in the mire, to beg it, and +though it was but by a chance they fought, and for no former injury or +quarrel. I require my gift of thee as a true knight, or else will I shame +thee in King Arthur's court; for this Abellius is the falsest knight +alive, and a murderer of many." + +When Abellius heard this, he trembled greatly, and was sore afraid, and +yielded to Sir Tor, and prayed his mercy. + +"I cannot now, Sir knight," said he, "lest I be false to my promise. Ye +would not take my mercy when I offered it; and now it is too late." + +Therewith he unlaced his helmet, and took it off; but Abellius, in dismal +fear, struggled to his feet, and fled, until Sir Tor overtook him, and +smote off his head entirely with one blow. + +"Now, sir," said the damsel, "it is near night, I pray ye come and lodge +at my castle hard by." + +"I will, with a good will," said he, for both his horse and he had fared +but poorly since they left Camelot. + +So he went to the lady's castle and fared sumptuously, and saw her +husband, an old knight, who greatly thanked him for his service, and urged +him oftentimes to come again. + +On the morrow he departed, and reached Camelot by noon, where the king and +queen rejoiced to see him, and the king made him Earl; and Merlin +prophesied that these adventures were but little to the things he should +achieve hereafter. + +Now while Sir Gawain and Sir Tor had fulfilled their quests, King +Pellinore pursued the lady whom the knight had seized away from the +wedding-feast. And as he rode through the woods, he saw in a valley a fair +young damsel sitting by a well-side, and a wounded knight lying in her +arms, and King Pellinore saluted her as he passed by. + +As soon as she perceived him she cried out, "Help, help me, knight, for +our Lord's sake!" But Pellinore was far too eager in his quest to stay or +turn, although she cried a hundred times to him for help; at which she +prayed to heaven he might have such sore need before he died as she had +now. And presently thereafter her knight died in her arms; and she, for +grief and love slew herself with his sword. + +But King Pellinore rode on till he met a poor man and asked him had he +seen a knight pass by that way leading by force a lady with him. + +"Yea, surely," said the man, "and greatly did she moan and cry; but even +now another knight is fighting with him to deliver the lady; ride on and +thou shalt find them fighting still." + +At that King Pellinore rode swiftly on, and came to where he saw the two +knights fighting, hard by where two pavilions stood. And when he looked in +one of them he saw the lady that was his quest, and with her the two +squires of the two knights who fought. + +"Fair lady," said he, "ye must come with me unto Arthur's court." + +"Sir knight," said the two squires, "yonder be two knights fighting for +this lady; go part them, and get their consent to take her, ere thou touch +her." + +"Ye say well," said King Pellinore, and rode between the combatants, and +asked them why they fought. + +"Sir knight," said the one, "yon lady is my cousin, mine aunt's daughter, +whom I met borne away against her will, by this knight here, with whom I +therefore fight to free her." + +"Sir knight," replied the other, whose name was Hantzlake of Wentland, +"this lady got I, by my arms and prowess, at King Arthur's court to-day." + +"That is false," said King Pellinore; "ye stole the lady suddenly, and +fled away with her, before any knight could arm to stay thee. But it is my +service to take her back again. Neither of ye shall therefore have her; +but if ye will fight for her, fight with me now and here." + +"Well," said the knights, "make ready, and we will assail thee with all +our might." + +Then Sir Hantzlake ran King Pellinore's horse through with his sword, so +that they might be all alike on foot. But King Pellinore at that was +passing wroth, and ran upon Sir Hantzlake, with a cry, "Keep well thy +head!" and gave him such a stroke upon the helm as clove him to the chin, +so that he fell dead to the ground. When he saw that, the other knight +refused to fight, and kneeling down said, "Take my cousin the lady with +thee, as thy quest is; but as thou art a true knight, suffer her to come +to neither shame nor harm." + +So the next day King Pellinore departed for Camelot, and took the lady +with him; and as they rode in a valley full of rough stones, the damsel's +horse stumbled and threw her, so that her arms were sorely bruised and +hurt. And as they rested in the forest for the pain to lessen, night came +on, and there they were compelled to make their lodging. A little before +midnight they heard the trotting of a horse. "Be ye still," said King +Pellinore, "for now we may hear of some adventure," and therewith he armed +him. Then he heard two knights meet and salute each other, in the dark; +one riding from Camelot, the other from the north. + +"What tidings at Camelot?" said one. + +"By my head," said the other, "I have but just left there, and have espied +King Arthur's court, and such a fellowship is there as never may be broke +or overcome; for wellnigh all the chivalry of the world is there, and all +full loyal to the king, and now I ride back homewards to the north to tell +our chiefs, that they waste not their strength in wars against him." + +"As for all that," replied the other knight, "I am but now from the north, +and bear with me a remedy, the deadliest poison that ever was heard tell +of, and to Camelot will I with it; for there we have a friend close to the +king, and greatly cherished of him, who hath received gifts from us to +poison him, as he hath promised soon to do." + +"Beware," said the first knight, "of Merlin, for he knoweth all things, by +the devil's craft." + +"I will not fear for that," replied the other, and so rode on his way. + +Anon King Pellinore and the lady passed on again; and when they came to +the well at which the lady with the wounded knight had sat, they found +both knight and Damsel utterly devoured by lions and wild beasts, all save +the lady's head. + +When King Pellinore saw that, he wept bitterly, saying, "Alas! I might +have saved her life had I but tarried a few moments in my quest." + +"Wherefore make so much sorrow now?" said the lady. + +"I know not," answered he, "but my heart grieveth greatly for this poor +lady's death, so fair she was and young." + +Then he required a hermit to bury the remains of the bodies, and bare the +lady's head with him to Camelot, to the court. + +When he was arrived, he was sworn to tell the truth of his quest before +the King and Queen, and when he had entered the Queen somewhat upbraided +him, saying, "Ye were much to blame that ye saved not that lady's life." + +"Madam," said he, "I shall repent it all my life." + +"Ay, king," quoth Merlin, who suddenly came in, "and so ye ought to do, +for that lady was your daughter, not seen since infancy by thee. And she +was on her way to court, with a right good young knight, who would have +been her husband, but was slain by treachery of a felon knight, Lorraine +le Savage, as they came; and because thou wouldst not abide and help her, +thy best friend shall fail thee in thine hour of greatest need, for such +is the penance ordained thee for that deed." + +Then did King Pellinore tell Merlin secretly of the treason he had heard +in the forest, and Merlin by his craft so ordered that the knight who bare +the poison was himself soon after slain by it, and so King Arthur's life +was saved. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +_King Arthur and Sir Accolon of Gaul_ + + +Being now happily married, King Arthur for a season took his pleasure, +with great tournaments, and jousts, and huntings. So once upon a time the +king and many of his knights rode hunting in a forest, and Arthur, King +Urience, and Sir Accolon of Gaul, followed after a great hart, and being +all three well mounted, they chased so fast that they outsped their +company, and left them many miles behind; but riding still as rapidly as +they could go, at length their horses fell dead under them. Then being all +three on foot, and seeing the stag not far before them, very weary and +nigh spent--"What shall we do," said King Arthur, "for we are hard +bested?" "Let us go on afoot," said King Urience, "till we can find some +lodging." At that they saw the stag lying upon the bank of a great lake, +with a hound springing at his throat, and many other hounds trooping +towards him. So, running forward, Arthur blew the death-note on his horn, +and slew the hart. Then lifting up his eyes he saw before him on the lake +a barge, all draped down to the water's edge, with silken folds and +curtains, which swiftly came towards him, and touched upon the sands; but +when he went up close and looked in, he saw no earthly creature. Then he +cried out to his companions, "Sirs, come ye hither, and let us see what +there is in this ship." So they all three went in, and found it everywhere +throughout furnished, and hung with rich draperies of silk and gold. + +By this time eventide had come, when suddenly a hundred torches were set +up on all sides of the barge, and gave a dazzling light, and at the same +time came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by his name, +kneeling on their knees, and telling him that he was welcome, and should +have their noblest cheer, for which the king thanked them courteously. +Then did they lead him and his fellows to a splendid chamber, where was a +table spread with all the richest furniture, and costliest wines and +viands; and there they served them with all kinds of wines and meats, till +Arthur wondered at the splendour of the feast, declaring he had never in +his life supped better, or more royally. After supper they led him to +another chamber, than which he had never beheld a richer, where he was +left to rest. King Urience, also, and Sir Accolon were each conducted into +rooms of like magnificence. And so they all three fell asleep, and being +very weary slept deeply all that night. + +[Illustration: Came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by +his name.] + +But when the morning broke, King Urience found himself in his own house in +Camelot, he knew not how; and Arthur awaking found himself in a dark +dungeon, and heard around him nothing but the groans of woful knights, +prisoners like himself. Then said King Arthur, "Who are ye, thus groaning +and complaining?" And some one answered him, "Alas, we be all prisoners, +even twenty good knights, and some of us have lain here seven years--some +more--nor seen the light of day for all that time." "For what cause?" said +King Arthur. "Know ye not then yourself?" they answered--"we will soon +tell you. The lord of this strong castle is Sir Damas, and is the falsest +and most traitorous knight that liveth; and he hath a younger brother, a +good and noble knight, whose name is Outzlake. This traitor Damas, +although passing rich, will give his brother nothing of his wealth, and +save what Outzlake keepeth to himself by force, he hath no share of the +inheritance. He owneth, nevertheless, one fair rich manor, whereupon he +liveth, loved of all men far and near. But Damas is as altogether hated as +his brother is beloved, for he is merciless and cowardly: and now for many +years there hath been war between these brothers, and Sir Outzlake +evermore defieth Damas to come forth and fight with him, body to body, for +the inheritance; and if he be too cowardly, to find some champion knight +that will fight for him. And Damas hath agreed to find some champion, but +never yet hath found a knight to take his evil cause in hand, or wager +battle for him. So with a strong band of men-at-arms he lieth ever in +ambush, and taketh captive every passing knight who may unwarily go near, +and bringeth him into this castle, and desireth him either to fight Sir +Outzlake, or to lie for evermore in durance. And thus hath he dealt with +all of us, for we all scorned to take up such a cause for such a false +foul knight--but rather one by one came here, where many a good knight +hath died of hunger and disease. But if one of us would fight, Sir Damas +would deliver all the rest." + +"God of his mercy send you deliverance," said King Arthur, and sat +turning in his mind how all these things should end, and how he might +himself gain freedom for so many noble hearts. + +Anon there came a damsel to the king, saying, "Sir if thou wilt fight for +my lord thou shalt be delivered out of prison, but else nevermore shalt +thou escape with thy life." "Nay," said King Arthur, "that is but a hard +choice, yet had I rather fight than die in prison, and if I may deliver +not myself alone, but all these others, I will do the battle." "Yea," said +the damsel, "it shall be even so." "Then," said King Arthur, "I am ready +now, if but I had a horse and armour." "Fear not," said she, "that shalt +thou have presently, and shalt lack nothing proper for the fight." "Have I +not seen thee," said the king, "at King Arthur's court? for it seemeth +that thy face is known to me." "Nay," said the damsel, "I was never there; +I am Sir Damas' daughter, and have never been but a day's journey from +this castle." But she spoke falsely, for she was one of the damsels of +Morgan le Fay, the great enchantress, who was King Arthur's half-sister. + +When Sir Damas knew that there had been at length a knight found who would +fight for him, he sent for Arthur, and finding him a man so tall and +strong, and straight of limb, he was passingly well pleased, and made a +covenant with him, that he should fight unto the uttermost for his cause, +and that all the other knights should be delivered. And when they were +sworn to each other on the holy gospels, all those imprisoned knights were +straightway led forth and delivered, but abode there one and all to see +the battle. + +In the meanwhile there had happened to Sir Accolon of Gaul a strange +adventure; for when he awoke from his deep sleep upon the silken barge, he +found himself upon the edge of a deep well, and in instant peril of +falling thereinto. Whereat, leaping up in great affright, he crossed +himself and cried aloud, "May God preserve my lord King Arthur and King +Urience, for those damsels in the ship have betrayed us, and were +doubtless devils and no women; and if I may escape this misadventure, I +will certainly destroy them wheresoever I may find them." With that there +came to him a dwarf with a great mouth, and a flat nose, and saluted him, +saying that he came from Queen Morgan le Fay. "And she greeteth you well," +said he, "and biddeth you be strong of heart, for to-morrow you shall do +battle with a strange knight, and therefore she hath sent you here +Excalibur, King Arthur's sword, and the scabbard likewise. And she +desireth you as you do love her to fight this battle to the uttermost, and +without any mercy, as you have promised her you would fight when she +should require it of you; and she will make a rich queen for ever of any +damsel that shall bring her that knight's head with whom you are to +fight." + +"Well," said Sir Accolon, "tell you my lady Queen Morgan, that I shall +hold to that I promised her, now that I have this sword--and," said he, "I +suppose it was to bring about this battle that she made all these +enchantments by her craft." "You have guessed rightly," said the dwarf, +and therewithal he left him. + +Then came a knight and lady, and six squires, to Sir Accolon, and took him +to a manor house hard by, and gave him noble cheer; and the house belonged +to Sir Outzlake, the brother of Sir Damas, for so had Morgan le Fay +contrived with her enchantments. Now Sir Outzlake himself was at that time +sorely wounded and disabled, having been pierced through both his thighs +by a spear-thrust. When, therefore, Sir Damas sent down messengers to his +brother, bidding him make ready by to-morrow morning, and be in the field +to fight with a good knight, for that he had found a champion ready to do +battle at all points, Sir Outzlake was sorely annoyed and distressed, for +he knew he had small chance of victory, while yet he was disabled by his +wounds; notwithstanding, he determined to take the battle in hand, +although he was so weak that he must needs be lifted to his saddle. But +when Sir Accolon of Gaul heard this, he sent a message to Sir Outzlake +offering to take the battle in his stead, which cheered Sir Outzlake +mightily, who thanked Sir Accolon with all his heart, and joyfully +accepted him. + +So, on the morrow, King Arthur was armed and well horsed, and asked Sir +Damas, "When shall we go to the field?" "Sir," said Sir Damas, "you shall +first hear mass." And when mass was done, there came a squire on a great +horse, and asked Sir Damas if his knight were ready, "for our knight is +already in the field." Then King Arthur mounted on horseback, and there +around were all the knights, and barons, and people of the country; and +twelve of them were chosen to wait upon the two knights who were about to +fight. And as King Arthur sat on horseback, there came a damsel from +Morgan le Fay, and brought to him a sword, made like Excalibur, and a +scabbard also, and said to him, "Morgan le Fay sendeth you here your sword +for her great love's sake." And the king thanked her, and believed it to +be as she said; but she traitorously deceived him, for both sword and +scabbard were counterfeit, brittle, and false, and the true sword +Excalibur was in the hands of Sir Accolon. Then, at the sound of a +trumpet, the champions set themselves on opposite sides of the field, and +giving rein and spur to their horses urged them to so great a speed that +each smiting the other in the middle of the shield, rolled his opponent to +the ground, both horse and man. Then starting up immediately, both drew +their swords and rushed swiftly together. And so they fell to eagerly, and +gave each other many great and mighty strokes. + +And as they were thus fighting, the damsel Vivien, lady of the lake, who +loved King Arthur, came upon the ground, for she knew by her enchantments +how Morgan le Fay had craftily devised to have King Arthur slain by his +own sword that day, and therefore came to save his life. And Arthur and +Sir Accolon were now grown hot against each other, and spared not strength +nor fury in their fierce assaults; but the king's sword gave way +continually before Sir Accolon's, so that at every stroke he was sore +wounded, and his blood ran from him so fast that it was a marvel he could +stand. When King Arthur saw the ground so sore be-blooded, he bethought +him in dismay that there was magic treason worked upon him, and that his +own true sword was changed, for it seemed to him that the sword in Sir +Accolon's hand was Excalibur, for fearfully it drew his blood at every +blow, while what he held himself kept no sharp edge, nor fell with any +force upon his foe. + +"Now, knight, look to thyself, and keep thee well from me," cried out Sir +Accolon. But King Arthur answered not, and gave him such a buffet on the +helm as made him stagger and nigh fall upon the ground. Then Sir Accolon +withdrew a little, and came on with Excalibur on high, and smote King +Arthur in return with such a mighty stroke as almost felled him; and both +being now in hottest wrath, they gave each other grievous and savage +blows. But Arthur all the time was losing so much blood that scarcely +could he keep upon his feet yet so full was he of knighthood, that +knightly he endured the pain, and still sustained himself, though now he +was so feeble that he thought himself about to die. Sir Accolon, as yet, +had lost no drop of blood, and being very bold and confident in Excalibur, +even grew more vigorous and hasty in his assaults. But all men who beheld +them said they never saw a knight fight half so well as did King Arthur; +and all the people were so grieved for him that they besought Sir Damas +and Sir Outzlake to make up their quarrel and so stay the fight; but they +would not. + +So still the battle raged, till Arthur drew a little back for breath and a +few moments' rest; but Accolon came on after him, following fiercely and +crying loud, "It is no time for me to suffer thee to rest," and therewith +set upon him. Then Arthur, full of scorn and rage, lifted up his sword and +struck Sir Accolon upon the helm so mightily that he drove him to his +knees; but with the force of that great stroke his brittle, treacherous +sword broke short off at the hilt, and fell down in the grass among the +blood, leaving the pommel only in his hand. At that, King Arthur thought +within himself that all was over, and secretly prepared his mind for +death, yet kept himself so knightly sheltered by his shield that he lost +no ground, and made as though he yet had hope and cheer. Then said Sir +Accolon, "Sir knight, thou now art overcome and canst endure no longer, +seeing thou art weaponless, and hast lost already so much blood. Yet am I +fully loth to slay thee; yield, then, therefore, to me as recreant." +"Nay," said King Arthur, "that may I not, for I have promised to do battle +to the uttermost by the faith of my body while my life lasteth; and I had +rather die with honour than live with shame; and if it were possible for +me to die an hundred times, I had rather die as often than yield me to +thee, for though I lack weapons, I shall lack no worship, and it shall be +to thy shame to slay me weaponless." "Aha," shouted then Sir Accolon, "as +for the shame, I will not spare; look to thyself, sir knight, for thou art +even now but a dead man." Therewith he drove at him with pitiless force, +and struck him nearly down; but Arthur evermore waxing in valour as he +waned in blood, pressed on Sir Accolon with his shield, and hit at him so +fiercely with the pommel in his hand, as hurled him three strides +backwards. + +This, therefore, so confused Sir Accolon, that rushing up, all dizzy, to +deliver once again a furious blow, even as he struck, Excalibur, by +Vivien's magic, fell from out his hands upon the earth. Beholding which, +King Arthur lightly sprang to it, and grasped it, and forthwith felt it +was his own good sword, and said to it, "Thou hast been from me all too +long, and done me too much damage." Then spying the scabbard hanging by +Sir Accolon's side, he sprang and pulled it from him, and cast it away as +far as he could throw it; for so long as he had worn it, Arthur new his +life would have been kept secure. "Oh, knight!" then said the king, "thou +hast this day wrought me much damage by this sword, but now art thou come +to thy death, for I shall not warrant thee but that thou shalt suffer, ere +we part, somewhat of that thou hast made me suffer." And therewithal King +Arthur flew at him with all his might, and pulled him to the earth, and +then struck off his helm, and gave him on the head a fearful buffet, till +the blood leaped forth. "Now will I slay thee!" cried King Arthur; for his +heart was hardened, and his body all on fire with fever, till for a moment +he forgot his knightly mercy. "Slay me thou mayest," said Sir Accolon, +"for thou art the best knight I ever found, and I see well that God is +with thee; and I, as thou hast, have promised to fight this battle to the +uttermost, and never to be recreant while I live; therefore shall I never +yield me with my mouth, and God must do with my body what he will." And as +Sir Accolon spoke, King Arthur thought he knew his voice; and parting all +his blood-stained hair from out his eyes, and leaning down towards him, +saw, indeed, it was his friend and own true knight. Then said he--keeping +his own visor down--"I pray thee tell me of what country art thou, and +what court?" "Sir knight," he answered, "I am of King Arthur's court, and +my name is Sir Accolon of Gaul." Then said the king, "Oh, sir knight! I +pray thee tell me who gave thee this sword? and from whom thou hadst it?" + +Then said Sir Accolon, "Woe worth this sword, for by it I have gotten my +death. This sword hath been in my keeping now for almost twelve months, +and yesterday Queen Morgan le Fay, wife of King Urience, sent it to me by +a dwarf, that therewith I might in some way slay her brother, King Arthur; +for thou must understand that King Arthur is the man she hateth most in +all the world, being full of envy and jealousy because he is of greater +worship and renown than any other of her blood. She loveth me also as much +as she doth hate him; and if she might contrive to slay King Arthur by her +craft and magic, then would she straightway kill her husband also, and +make me the king of all this land, and herself my queen, to reign with me; +but now," said he, "all that is over, for this day I am come to my death." + +"It would have been sore treason of thee to destroy thy lord," said +Arthur. "Thou sayest truly," answered he; "but now that I have told thee, +and openly confessed to thee all that foul treason whereof I now do +bitterly repent, tell me, I pray thee, whence art thou, and of what +court?" "O, Sir Accolon!" said King Arthur, "learn that I am myself King +Arthur." When Sir Accolon heard this he cried aloud, "Alas, my gracious +lord! have mercy on me, for I knew thee not." "Thou shalt have mercy," +said he, "for thou knewest not my person at this time; and though by thine +own confession thou art a traitor, yet do I blame thee less, because thou +hast been blinded by the false crafts of my sister Morgan le Fay, whom I +have trusted more than all others of my kin, and whom I now shall know +well how to punish." Then did Sir Accolon cry loudly, "O, lords, and all +good people! this noble knight that I have fought with is the noblest and +most worshipful in all the world; for it is King Arthur, our liege lord +and sovereign king; and full sorely I repent that I have ever lifted lance +against him, though in ignorance I did it." + +Then all the people fell down on their knees and prayed the pardon of the +king for suffering him to come to such a strait. But he replied, "Pardon +ye cannot have, for, truly, ye have nothing sinned; but here ye see what +ill adventure may ofttimes befall knights-errant, for to my own hurt, and +his danger also, I have fought with one of my own knights." + +Then the king commanded Sir Damas to surrender to his brother the whole +manor, Sir Outzlake only yielding him a palfrey every year; "for," said he +scornfully, "it would become thee better to ride on than a courser;" and +ordered Damas, upon pain of death, never again to touch or to distress +knights-errant riding on their adventures; and also to make full +compensation and satisfaction to the twenty knights whom he had held in +prison. "And if any of them," said the king, "come to my court complaining +that he hath not had full satisfaction of thee for his injuries, by my +head, thou shalt die therefor." + +Afterwards, King Arthur asked Sir Outzlake to come with him to his court, +where he should become a knight of his, and, if his deeds were noble, be +advanced to all he might desire. + +So then he took his leave of all the people and mounted upon horseback, +and Sir Accolon went with him to an abbey hard by, where both their wounds +were dressed. But Sir Accolon died within four days after. And when he was +dead, the king sent his body to Queen Morgan, to Camelot, saying that he +sent her a present in return for the sword Excalibur which she had sent +him by the damsel. + +So, on the morrow, there came a damsel from Queen Morgan to the king, and +brought with her the richest mantle that ever was seen, for it was set as +full of precious stones as they could stand against each other, and they +were the richest stones that ever the king saw. And the damsel said, "Your +sister sendeth you this mantle, and prayeth you to take her gift, and in +whatsoever thing she hath offended you, she will amend it at your +pleasure." To this the king replied not, although the mantle pleased him +much. With that came in the lady of the lake, and said, "Sir, put not on +this mantle till thou hast seen more; and in nowise let it be put upon +thee, or any of thy knights, till ye have made the bringer of it first put +it on her." "It shall be done as thou dost counsel," said the king. Then +said he to the damsel that came from his sister, "Damsel, I would see this +mantle ye have brought me upon yourself." "Sir," said she, "it will not +beseem me to wear a knight's garment." "By my head," said King Arthur, +"thou shall wear it ere it go on any other person's back!" And so they put +it on her by force, and forthwith the garment burst into a flame and +burned the damsel into cinders. When the king saw that, he hated that +false witch Morgan le Fay with all his heart, and evermore was deadly +quarrel between her and Arthur to their lives' end. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +_King Arthur conquers Rome, and is crowned Emperor_ + + +And now again the second time there came ambassadors from Lucius Tiberius, +Emperor of Rome, demanding, under pain of war, tribute and homage from +King Arthur, and the restoration of all Gaul, which he had conquered from +the tribune Flollo. + +When they had delivered their message, the king bade them withdraw while +he consulted with his knights and barons what reply to send. Then some of +the younger knights would have slain the ambassadors, saying that their +speech was a rebuke to all who heard the king insulted by it. But when +King Arthur heard that, he ordered none to touch them upon pain of death; +and sending officers, he had them taken to a noble lodging, and there +entertained with the best cheer. "And," said he, "let no dainty be spared, +for the Romans are great lords; and though their message please me not, +yet must I remember mine honour." + +Then the lords and knights of the Round Table were called on to declare +their counsel--what should be done upon this matter; and Sir Cador of +Cornwall speaking first, said, "Sir, this message is the best news I have +heard for a long time, for we have been now idle and at rest for many +days, and I trust that thou wilt make sharp war upon the Romans, wherein, +I doubt not, we shall all gain honour." + +"I believe well," said Arthur, "that thou art pleased, Sir Cador; but that +is scarce an answer to the Emperor of Rome, and his demand doth grieve me +sorely, for truly I will never pay him tribute; wherefore, lords, I pray +ye counsel me. Now, I have understood that Belinus and Brennius, knights +of Britain, held the Roman Empire in their hands for many days, and also +Constantine, the son of Helen, which is open evidence, not only that we +owe Rome no tribute, but that I, being descended from them, may, of right, +myself claim the empire." + +Then said King Anguish of Scotland, "Sir, thou oughtest of right to be +above all other kings, for in all Christendom is there not thine equal; +and I counsel thee never to obey the Romans. For when they reigned here +they grievously distressed us, and put the land to great and heavy +burdens; and here, for my part, I swear to avenge me on them when I may, +and will furnish thee with twenty thousand men-at-arms, whom I will pay +and keep, and who shall wait on thee with me, when it shall please thee." + +Then the King of Little Britain rose and promised King Arthur thirty +thousand men; and likewise many other kings, and dukes, and barons, +promised aid--as the lord of West Wales thirty thousand men, Sir Ewaine +and his cousin thirty thousand men, and so forth; Sir Lancelot also, and +every other knight of the Round Table, promised each man a great host. + +So the king, passing joyful at their courage and good will, thanked them +all heartily, and sent for the ambassadors again, to hear his answer. "I +will," said he, "that ye now go back straightway unto the Emperor your +master and tell him that I give no heed to his words, for I have conquered +all my kingdoms by the will of God and by my own right arm, and I am +strong enough to keep them, without paying tribute to any earthly +creature. But, on the other hand, I claim both tribute and submission from +himself, and also claim the sovereignty of all his empire, whereto I am +entitled by the right of my own ancestors--sometime kings of this land. +And say to him that I will shortly come to Rome, and by God's grace will +take possession of my empire and subdue all rebels. Wherefore, lastly, I +command him and all the lords of Rome that they forthwith pay me their +homage, under pain of my chastisement and wrath." + +Then he commanded his treasurers to give the ambassadors great gifts, and +defray all their charges, and appointed Sir Cador to convey them +worshipfully out of the land. + +So when they returned to Rome and came before Lucius, he was sore angry at +their words, and said, "I thought this Arthur would have instantly obeyed +my orders and have served me as humbly as any other king; but because of +his fortune in Gaul, he hath grown insolent." + +"Ah, lord," said one of the ambassadors, "refrain from such vain words, +for truly I and all with me were fearful at his royal majesty and angry +countenance. I fear me thou hast made a rod for thee more sharp than thou +hast counted on. He meaneth to be master of this empire; and is another +kind of man than thou supposest, and holdeth the most noble court of all +the world. We saw him on the new year's day, served at his table by nine +kings, and the noblest company of other princes, lords, and knights that +ever was in all the world; and in his person he is the most manly-seeming +man that liveth, and looketh like to conquer all the earth." + +Then Lucius sent messengers to all the subject countries of Rome, and +brought together a mighty army, and assembled sixteen kings, and many +dukes, princes, lords, and admirals, and a wondrous great multitude of +people. Fifty giants also, born of fiends, were set around him for a +body-guard. With all that host he straightway went from Rome, and passed +beyond the mountains into Gaul, and burned the towns and ravaged all the +country of that province, in rage for its submission to King Arthur. Then +he moved on towards Little Britain. + +Meanwhile, King Arthur having held a parliament at York, left the realm in +charge of Sir Badewine and Sir Constantine, and crossed the sea from +Sandwich to meet Lucius. And so soon as he was landed, he sent Sir Gawain, +Sir Bors, Sir Lionel, and Sir Bedivere to the Emperor, commanding him "to +move swiftly and in haste out of his land, and, if not, to make himself +ready for battle, and not continue ravaging the country and slaying +harmless people." Anon, those noble knights attired themselves and set +forth on horseback to where they saw, in a meadow, many silken tents of +divers colours, and the Emperor's pavilion in the midst, with a golden +eagle set above it. + +Then Sir Gawain and Sir Bors rode forward, leaving the other two behind +in ambush, and gave King Arthur's message. To which the Emperor replied, +"Return, and tell your lord that I am come to conquer him and all his +land." + +At this, Sir Gawain burned with anger, and cried out, "I had rather than +all France that I might fight with thee alone!" + +"And I also," said Sir Bors. + +Then a knight named Ganius, a near cousin of the Emperor, laughed out +aloud, and said, "Lo! how these Britons boast and are full of pride, +bragging as though they bare up all the world!" + +At these words, Sir Gawain could refrain no longer, but drew forth his +sword and with one blow shore oft Ganius' head; then with Sir Bors, he +turned his horse and rode over waters and through woods, back to the +ambush, where Sir Lionel and Sir Bedivere were waiting. The Romans +followed fast behind them till the knights turned and stood, and then Sir +Bors smote the foremost of them through the body with a spear, and slew +him on the spot. Then came on Calibere, a huge Pavian, but Sir Bors +overthrew him also. And then the company of Sir Lionel and Sir Bedivere +brake from their ambush and fell on the Romans, and slew and hewed them +down, and forced them to return and flee, chasing them to their tents. + +But as they neared the camp, a great host more rushed forth, and turned +the battle backwards, and in the turmoil, Sir Bors and Sir Berel fell into +the Romans' hands. When Sir Gawain saw that, he drew his good sword +Galotine, and swore to see King Arthur's face no more if those two knights +were not delivered; and then, with good Sir Idrus, made so sore an +onslaught that the Romans fled and left Sir Bors and Sir Berel to their +friends. So the Britons returned in triumph to King Arthur, having slain +more than ten thousand Romans, and lost no man of worship from amongst +themselves. + +When the Emperor Lucius heard of that discomfiture he arose, with all his +army, to crush King Arthur, and met him in the vale of Soissons. Then +speaking to all his host, he said, "Sirs, I admonish you that this day ye +fight and acquit yourselves as men; and remembering how Rome is chief of +all the earth, and mistress of the universal world, suffer not these +barbarous and savage Britons to abide our onset." At that, the trumpets +blew so loud, that the ground trembled and shook. + +Then did the rival hosts draw near each other with great shoutings; and +when they closed, no tongue can tell the fury of their smiting, and the +sore struggling, wounds, and slaughter. Then King Arthur, with his +mightiest knights, rode down into the thickest of the fight, and drew +Excalibur, and slew as lightning slays for swiftness and for force. And in +the midmost crowd he met a giant, Galapas by name, and struck off both his +legs at the knee-joints; then saying, "Now art thou a better size to deal +with!" smote his head off at a second blow: and the body killed six men in +falling down. + +Anon, King Arthur spied where Lucius fought and worked great deeds of +prowess with his own hands. Forthwith he rode at him, and each attacked +the other passing fiercely; till at the last, Lucius struck King Arthur +with a fearful wound across the face, and Arthur, in return, lifting up +Excalibur on high, drove it with all his force upon the Emperor's head, +shivering his helmet, crashing his head in halves, and splitting his body +to the breast. And when the Romans saw their Emperor dead they fled in +hosts of thousands; and King Arthur and his knights, and all his army +followed them, and slew one hundred thousand men. + +Then returning to the field, King Arthur rode to the place where Lucius +lay dead, and round him the kings of Egypt and Ethiopia, and seventeen +other kings, with sixty Roman senators, all noble men. All these he +ordered to be carefully embalmed with aromatic gums, and laid in leaden +coffins, covered with their shields and arms and banners. Then calling for +three senators who were taken prisoners, he said to them, "As the ransom +of your lives, I will that ye take these dead bodies and carry them to +Rome, and there present them for me, with these letters saying I will +myself be shortly there. And I suppose the Romans will beware how they +again ask tribute of me; for tell them, these dead bodies that I send them +are for the tribute they have dared to ask of me; and if they wish for +more, when I come I will pay them the rest." + +So, with that charge, the three senators departed with the dead bodies, +and went to Rome; the body of the Emperor being carried in a chariot +blazoned with the arms of the empire, all alone, and the bodies of the +kings two and two in chariots following. + +After the battle, King Arthur entered Lorraine, Brabant, and Flanders, and +thence, subduing all the countries as he went, passed into Germany, and so +beyond the mountains into Lombardy and Tuscany. At length he came before a +city which refused to obey him, wherefore he sat down before it to besiege +it. And after a long time thus spent, King Arthur called Sir Florence, +and told him they began to lack food for his hosts--"And not far from +hence," said he, "are great forests full of cattle belonging to my +enemies. Go then, and bring by force all that thou canst find; and take +with thee Sir Gawain, my nephew, and Sir Clegis, Sir Claremond the Captain +of Cardiff, and a strong band." + +Anon, those knights made ready, and rode over holts and hills, and through +forests and woods, till they came to a great meadow full of fair flowers +and grass, and there they rested themselves and their horses that night. +And at the dawn of the next day, Sir Gawain took his horse and rode away +from his fellows to seek some adventure. Soon he saw an armed knight +walking his horse by a wood's side, with his shield laced to his shoulder, +and no attendant with him save a page, bearing a mighty spear; and on his +shield were blazoned three gold griffins. When Sir Gawain spied him, he +put his spear in rest, and riding straight to him, asked who he was. "A +Tuscan," said he; "and they mayest prove me when thou wilt, for thou shalt +be my prisoner ere we part." + +Then said Sir Gawain, "Thou vauntest thee greatly, and speakest proud +words; yet I counsel thee, for all thy boastings, look to thyself the best +thou canst." + +At that they took their spears and ran at each other with all the might +they had, and smote each other through their shields into their shoulders; +and then drawing swords smote with great strokes, till the fire sprang out +of their helms. Then was Sir Gawain enraged, and with his good sword +Galotine struck his enerny through shield and hauberk, and splintered into +pieces all the precious stones of it, and made so huge a wound that men +might see both lungs and liver. At that the Tuscan, groaning loudly, +rushed on to Sir Gawain, and gave him a deep slanting stroke, and made a +mighty wound and cut a great vein asunder, so that he bled fast. Then he +cried out, "Bind thy wound quickly up, Sir knight, for thou be-bloodest +all thy horse and thy fair armour, and all the surgeons of the world shall +never staunch thy blood; for so shall it be to whomsoever is hurt with +this good sword." + +Then answered Sir Gawain, "It grieveth me but little, and thy boastful +words give me no fear, for thou shalt suffer greater grief and sorrow ere +we part; but tell me quickly who can staunch this blood." + +"That can I do," said the strange knight, "and will, if thou wilt aid and +succour me to become christened, and to believe on God, which now I do +require of thee upon thy manhood." + +"I am content," said Sir Gawain; "and may God help me to grant all thy +wishes. But tell mefirst, what soughtest thou thus here alone, and of what +land art thou?" + +"Sir," said the knight, "my name is Prianius, and my father is a great +prince, who hath rebelled against Rome. He is descended from Alexander and +Hector, and of our lineage also were Joshua and Maccabaeus. I am of right +the king of Alexandria, and Africa, and all the outer isles, yet I would +believe in the Lord thou worshippest, and for thy labour I will give thee +treasure enough. I was so proud in heart that I thought none my equal, but +now have I encountered with thee, who hast given me my fill of fighting; +wherefore, I pray thee, Sir knight, tell me of thyself." + +"I am no knight," said Sir Gawain; "I have been brought up many years in +the wardrobe of the noble prince King Arthur, to mind his armour and +array." + +"Ah," said Prianius, "if his varlets be so keen and fierce, his knights +must be passing good! Now, for the love of heaven, whether thou be knight +or knave, tell me thy name." + +"By heaven!" said Gawain, "now will I tell thee the truth. My name is Sir +Gawain, and I am a knight of the Round Table." + +"Now am I better pleased," said Prianius, "than if thou hadst given me all +the province of Paris the rich. I had rather have been torn by wild horses +than that any varlet should have won such victory over me as thou hast +done. But now, Sir knight, I warn thee that close by is the Duke of +Lorraine, with sixty thousand good men of war; and we had both best flee +at once, for he will find us else, and we be sorely wounded and never +likely to recover. And let my page be careful that he blow no horn, for +hard by are a hundred knights, my servants; and if they seize thee, no +ransom of gold or silver would acquit thee." + +Then Sir Gawain rode over a river to save himself, and Sir Prianius after +him, and so they both fled till they came to his companions who were in +the meadow, where they spent the night. When Sir Whishard saw Sir Gawain +so hurt, he ran to him weeping, and asked him who it was had wounded him; +and Sir Gawain told him how he had fought with that man--pointing to +Prianius--who had salves to heal them both. "But I can tell ye other +tidings," said he--"that soon we must encounter many enemies, for a great +army is close to us in our front." + +Then Prianius and Sir Gawain alighted and let their horses graze while +they unarmed, and when they took their armour and their clothing off, the +hot blood ran down freshly from their wounds till it was piteous to see. +But Prianius took from his page a vial filled from the four rivers that +flow out of Paradise, and anointed both their wounds with a certain balm, +and washed them with that water, and within an hour afterwards they were +both as sound and whole as ever they had been. Then, at the sound of a +trumpet, all the knights were assembled to council; and after much +talking, Prianius said, "Cease your words, for I warn you in yonder wood +ye shall find knights out of number, who will put out cattle for a decoy +to lead you on; and ye are not seven hundred!" + +"Nevertheless," said Sir Gawain, "let us at once encounter them, and see +what they can do; and may the best have the victory." + +Then they saw suddenly an earl named Sir Ethelwold, and the Duke of +Duchmen come leaping out of ambush of the woods in front, with many a +thousand after them, and all rode straight down to the battle. And Sir +Gawain, full of ardour and courage, comforted his knights, saying, "They +all are ours." Then the seven hundred knights, in one close company, set +spurs to their horses and began to gallop, and fiercely met their enemies. +And then were men and horses slain and overthrown on every side, and in +and out amidst them all, the knights of the Round Table pressed and +thrust, and smote down to the earth all who withstood them, till at length +the whole of them turned back and fled. + +"By heaven!" said Sir Gawain, "this gladdeneth well my heart, for now +behold them as they flee! they are full seventy thousand less in number +than they were an hour ago!" + +Thus was the battle quickly ended, and a great host of high lords and +knights of Lombardy and Saracens left dead upon the field. Then Sir Gawain +and his company collected a great plenty of cattle, and of gold and +silver, and all kind of treasure, and returned to King Arthur, where he +still kept the siege. + +"Now God be thanked," cried he; "but who is he that standeth yonder by +himself, and seemeth not a prisoner?" + +"Sir," said Sir Gawain, "he is a good man with his weapons, and hath +matched me; but cometh hither to be made a Christian. Had it not been for +his warnings, we none of us should have been here this day. I pray thee, +therefore, let him be baptized, for there can be few nobler men, or better +knights." + +So Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the Round Table. + +[Illustration: Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the +Round Table.] + +Presently afterwards, they made a last attack upon the city, and entered +by the walls on every side; and as the men were rushing to the pillage, +came the Duchess forth, with many ladies and damsels, and kneeled before +King Arthur; and besought him to receive their submission. To whom the +king made answer, with a noble countenance, "Madam, be well assured that +none shall harm ye, or your ladies; neither shall any that belong to thee +be hurt; but the Duke must abide my judgment." Then he commanded to stay +the assault and took the keys from the Duke's eldest son, who brought them +kneeling. Anon the Duke was sent a prisoner to Dover for his life, and +rents and taxes were assigned for dowry of the Duchess and her children. + +Then went he on with all his hosts, winning all towns and castles, and +wasting them that refused obedience, till he came to Viterbo. From thence +he sent to Rome, to ask the senators whether they would receive him for +their lord and governor. In answer, came out to him all the Senate who +remained alive, and the Cardinals, with a majestic retinue and procession; +and laying great treasures at his feet, they prayed him to come in at once +to Rome, and there be peaceably crowned as Emperor. "At this next +Christmas," said King Arthur, "will I be crowned, and hold my Round Table +in your city." + +Anon he entered Rome, in mighty pomp and state; and after him came all his +hosts, and his knights, and princes, and great lords, arrayed in gold and +jewels, such as never were beheld before. And then was he crowned Emperor +by the Pope's hands, with all the highest solemnity that could be made. + +Then after his coronation, he abode in Rome for a season, settling his +lands and giving kingdoms to his knights and servants, to each one after +his deserving, and in such wise fashion that no man among them all +complained. Also he made many dukes and earls, and loaded all his +men-at-arms with riches and great treasures. + +When all this was done, the lords and knights, and all the men of great +estate, came together before him, and said, "Noble Emperor! by the +blessing of Eternal God, thy mortal warfare is all finished, and thy +conquests all achieved; for now in all the world is none so great and +mighty as to dare make war with thee. Wherefore we beseech and heartily +pray thee of thy noble grace, to turn thee homeward, and to give us also +leave to see our wives and homes again, for now we have been from them a +long season, and all thy journey is completed with great honour and +worship." + +"Ye say well," replied he, "and to tempt God is no wisdom; therefore make +ready in all haste, and turn we home to England." + +So King Arthur returned with his knights and lords and armies, in great +triumph and joy, through all the countries he had conquered, and commanded +that no man, upon pain of death, should rob or do any violence by the way. +And crossing the sea, he came at length to Sandwich, where Queen Guinevere +received him, and made great joy at his arrival. And through all the realm +of Britain was there such rejoicing as no tongue can tell. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +_The Adventures of Sir Lancelot du Lake_ + + +Then, at the following Pentecost, was held a feast of the Round Table at +Caerleon, with high splendour; and all the knights thereof resorted to the +court, and held many games and jousts. And therein Sir Lancelot increased +in fame and worship above all men, for he overthrew all comers, and never +was unhorsed or worsted, save by treason and enchantment. + +When Queen Guinevere had seen his wondrous feats, she held him in great +favour, and smiled more on him than on any other knight. And ever since he +first had gone to bring her to King Arthur, had Lancelot thought on her as +fairest of all ladies, and done his best to win her grace. So the queen +often sent for him, and bade him tell of his birth and strange adventures: +how he was only son of great King Ban of Brittany, and how, one night, his +father, with his mother Helen and himself, fled from his burning castle; +how his father, groaning deeply, fell to the ground and died of grief and +wounds, and how his mother, running to her husband, left himself alone; +how, as he thus lay wailing, came the lady of the lake, and took him in +her arms and went with him into the midst of the waters, where, with his +cousins Lionel and Bors he had been cherished all his childhood until he +came to King Arthur's court; and how this was the reason why men called +him Lancelot du Lake. + +Anon it was ordained by King Arthur, that in every year at Pentecost there +should be held a festival of all the knights of the Round Table at +Caerleon, or such other place as he should choose. And at those festivals +should be told publicly the most famous adventures of any knight during +the past year. + +So, when Sir Lancelot saw Queen Guinevere rejoiced to hear his wanderings +and adventures, he resolved to set forth yet again, and win more worship +still, that he might more increase her favour. Then he bade his cousin Sir +Lionel make ready, "for," said he, "we two will seek adventure." So they +mounted their horses--armed at all points--and rode into a vast forest; +and when they had passed through it, they came to a great plain, and the +weather being very hot about noontide, Sir Lancelot greatly longed to +sleep. Then Sir Lionel espied a great apple-tree standing by a hedge, and +said, "Brother, yonder is a fair shadow where we may rest ourselves and +horses." + +"I am full glad of it," said Sir Lancelot, "for all these seven years I +have not been so sleepy." + +So they alighted there, and tied their horses up to sundry trees; and Sir +Lionel waked and watched while Sir Lancelot fell asleep, and slept passing +fast. + +In the meanwhile came three knights, riding as fast flying as ever they +could ride, and after them followed a single knight; but when Sir Lionel +looked at him, he thought he had never seen so great and strong a man, or +so well furnished and apparelled. Anon he saw him overtake the last of +those who fled, and smite him to the ground; then came he to the second, +and smote him such a stroke that horse and man went to the earth; then +rode he to the third, likewise, and struck him off his horse more than a +spear's length. With that he lighted from his horse, and bound all three +knights fast with the reins of their own bridles. + +When Sir Lionel saw this he thought the time was come to prove himself +against him, so quietly and cautiously, lest he should wake Sir Lancelot, +he took his horse and mounted and rode after him. Presently overtaking +him, he cried aloud to him to turn, which instantly he did, and smote Sir +Lionel so hard that horse and man went down forthwith. Then took he up Sir +Lionel, and threw him bound over his own horse's back; and so he served +the three other knights, and rode them away to his own castle. There they +were disarmed, stripped naked, and beaten with thorns, and afterwards +thrust into a deep prison, where many more knights, also, made great moans +and lamentations, saying, "Alas, alas! there is no man can help us but Sir +Lancelot, for no other knight can match this tyrant Turquine, our +conqueror." + +But all this while, Sir Lancelot lay sleeping soundly under the +apple-tree. And, as it chanced, there passed that way four queens, of high +estate, riding upon four white mules, under four canopies of green silk +borne on spears, to keep them from the sun. As they rode thus, they heard +a great horse grimly neigh, and, turning them about, soon saw a sleeping +knight that lay all armed under an apple-tree; and when they saw his +face, they knew it was Lancelot of the Lake. + +Then they began to strive which of them should have the care of him. But +Queen Morgan le Fay, King Arthur's half sister, the great sorceress, was +one of them, and said "We need not strive for him, I have enchanted him, +so that for six hours more he shall not wake. Let us take him to my +castle, and, when he wakes, himself shall choose which one of us he would +rather serve." So Sir Lancelot was laid upon his shield and borne on +horseback between two knights, to the castle, and there laid in a cold +chamber, till the spell should pass. + +Anon, they sent him a fair damsel, bearing his supper, who asked him, +"What cheer?" + +"I cannot tell, fair damsel," said he, "for I know not how I came into +this castle, if it were not by enchantment." + +"Sir," said she, "be of good heart, and to-morrow at the dawn of day, ye +shall know more." + +And so she left him alone, and there he lay all night. In the morning +early came the four queens to him, passing richly dressed; and said, "Sir +knight, thou must understand that thou art our prisoner, and that we know +thee well for King Ban's son, Sir Lancelot du Lake. And though we know +full well there is one lady only in this world may have thy love, and she +Queen Guinevere--King Arthur's wife--yet now are we resolved to have thee +to serve one of us; choose, therefore, of us four which thou wilt serve. I +am Queen Morgan le Fay, Queen of the land of Gore, and here also is the +Queen of Northgales, and the Queen of Eastland, and the Queen of the Out +Isles. Choose, then, at once, for else shall thou abide here, in this +prison, till thy death." + +"It is a hard case," said Sir Lancelot, "that either I must die, or choose +one of you for my mistress! Yet had I rather die in this prison than serve +any living creature against my will. So take this for my answer. I will +serve none of ye, for ye be false enchantresses. And as for my lady, Queen +Guinevere, whom lightly ye have spoken of, were I at liberty I would prove +it upon you or upon yours she is the truest lady living to her lord the +king." + +"Well," said the queen, "is this your answer, that ye refuse us all?" + +"Yea, on my life," said Lancelot, "refused ye be of me." + +So they departed from him in great wrath, and left him sorrowfully +grieving in his dungeon. + +At noon the damsel came to him and brought his dinner, and asked him as +before, "What cheer?" + +"Truly, fair damsel," said Sir Lancelot, "in all my life never so ill." + +"Sir," replied she, "I grieve to see ye so, but if ye do as I advise, I +can help ye out of this distress, and will do so if you promise me a +boon." + +"Fair damsel," said Sir Lancelot, "right willingly will I grant it thee, +for sorely do I dread these four witch-queens, who have destroyed and +slain many a good knight with their enchantments." + +Then said the damsel, "Sir, wilt thou promise me to help my father on next +Tuesday, for he hath a tournament with the King of Northgales, and last +Tuesday lost the field through three knights of King Arthur's court, who +came against him. And if next Tuesday thou wilt aid him, to-morrow, +before daylight, by God's grace, I will deliver thee." + +"Fair maiden," said Sir Lancelot, "tell me thy father's name and I will +answer thee." + +"My father is King Bagdemagus," said she. + +"I know him well," replied Sir Lancelot, "for a noble king and a good +knight; and by the faith of my body I will do him all the service I am +able on that day." + +"Grammercy to thee, Sir knight," said the damsel. + +"To-morrow, when thou art delivered from this place, ride ten miles hence +unto an abbey of white monks, and there abide until I bring my father to +thee." + +"So be it," said Sir Lancelot, "as I am a true knight." + +So she departed, and on the morrow, early, came again, and let him out of +twelve gates, differently locked, and brought him to his armour; and when +he was all armed, she brought him his horse also, and lightly he saddled +him, and took a great spear in his hand, and mounted and rode forth, +saying, as he went, "Fair damsel, I shall not fail thee, by the grace of +God." + +And all that day he rode in a great forest, and could find no highway, and +spent the night in the wood; but the next morning found his road, and came +to the abbey of white monks. And there he saw King Bagdemagus and his +daughter waiting for him. So when they were together in a chamber, Sir +Lancelot told the king how he had been betrayed by an enchantment, and how +his brother Lionel was gone he knew not where, and how the damsel had +delivered him from the castle of Queen Morgan le Fay. "Wherefore while I +live," said he, "I shall do service to herself and all her kindred." + +"Then am I sure of thy aid," said the king, "on Tuesday now next coming?" + +"Yea, sir, I shall not fail thee," said Sir Lancelot; "but what knights +were they who last week defeated thee, and took part with the King of +Northgales?" + +"Sir Mador de la Port, Sir Modred, and Sir Gahalatine," replied the king. + +"Sir," said Sir Lancelot, "as I understand, the tournament shall take +place but three miles from this abbey; send then to me here, three knights +of thine, the best thou hast, and let them all have plain white shields, +such as I also will; then will we four come suddenly into the midst +between both parties, and fall upon thy enemies, and grieve them all we +can, and none will know us who we are." + +So, on the Tuesday, Sir Lancelot and the three knights lodged themselves +in a small grove hard by the lists. Then came into the field the King of +Northgales, with one hundred and sixty helms, and the three knights of +King Arthur's court, who stood apart by themselves. And when King +Bagdemagus had arrived, with eighty helms, both companies set all their +spears in rest and came together with a mighty clash, wherein were slain +twelve knights of King Bagdemagus, and six of the King of Northgales; and +the party of King Bagdemagus was driven back. + +With that, came Sir Lancelot, and thrust into the thickest of the press, +and smote down with one spear five knights, and brake the backs of four, +and cast down the King of Northgales, and brake his thigh by the fall. +When the three knights of Arthur's court saw this, they rode at Sir +Lancelot, and each after other attacked him; but he overthrew them all, +and smote them nigh to death. Then taking a new spear, he bore down to the +ground sixteen more knights, and hurt them all so sorely, that they could +carry arms no more that day. And when his spear at length was broken, he +took yet another, and smote down twelve knights more, the most of whom he +wounded mortally, till in the end the party of the King of Northgales +would joust no more, and the victory was cried to King Bagdemagus. + +[Illustration: Sir Lancelot smote down with one spear five knights, and +brake the backs of four, and cast down the King of Northgales.] + +Then Sir Lancelot rode forth with King Bagdemagus to his castle, and there +he feasted with great cheer and welcome, and received many royal gifts. +And on the morrow he took leave and went to find his brother Lionel. + +Anon, by chance, he came to the same forest where the four queens had +found him sleeping, and there he met a damsel riding on a white palfrey. +When they had saluted each other, Sir Lancelot said, "Fair damsel, knowest +thou where any adventures may be had in this country?" + +"Sir knight," said she, "there are adventures great enough close by if +thou darest prove them." + +"Why should I not," said he, "since for that cause I came here?" + +"Sir," said the damsel, "hard by this place there dwelleth a knight that +cannot be defeated by any man, so great and perilously strong he is. His +name is Sir Turquine, and in the prisons of his castle lie three score +knights and four, mostly from King Arthur's court, whom he hath taken with +his own hands. But promise me, ere thou undertakest their deliverance, to +go and help me afterwards, and free me and many other ladies that are +distressed by a false knight." "Bring me but to this felon Turquine," +quoth Sir Lancelot, "and I will afterwards fulfil all your wishes." + +So the damsel went before, and brought him to a ford, and a tree whereon a +great brass basin hung; and Sir Lancelot beat with his spear-end upon the +basin, long and hard, until he beat the bottom of it out, but he saw +nothing. Then he rode to and fro before the castle gates for well-nigh +half an hour, and anon saw a great knight riding from the distance, +driving a horse before him, across which hung an armed man bound. And when +they came near, Sir Lancelot knew the prisoner for a knight of the Round +Table. By that time, the great knight who drove the prisoner saw Sir +Lancelot, and each of them began to settle his spear, and to make ready. + +"Fair sir," then said Sir Lancelot, "put off that wounded knight, I pray +thee, from his horse, and let him rest while thou and I shall prove our +strength upon each other; for, as I am told, thou doest, and hast done, +great shame and injury to knights of the Round Table. Wherefore, I warn +thee now, defend thyself." + +"If thou mayest be of the Round Table," answered Turquine, "I defy thee, +and all thy fellows." + +"That is saying overmuch," said Sir Lancelot. + +Then, setting their lances in rest, they spurred their horses towards each +other, as fast as they could go, and smote so fearfully upon each other's +shields, that both their horses' backs brake under them. As soon as they +could clear their saddles, they took their shields before them, and drew +their swords, and came together eagerly, and fought with great and +grievous strokes; and soon they both had many grim and fearful wounds, and +bled in streams. Thus they fought two hours and more, thrusting and +smiting at each other, wherever they could hit. + +Anon, they both were breathless, and stood leaning on their swords. + +"Now, comrade," said Sir Turquine, "let us wait awhile, and answer me what +I shall ask thee." + +"Say on," said Lancelot. + +"Thou art," said Turquine, "the best man I ever met, and seemest like one +that I hate above all other knights that live; but if thou be not he, I +will make peace with thee, and for sake of thy great valour, will deliver +all the three score prisoners and four who lie within my dungeons, and +thou and I will be companions evermore. Tell me, then, thy name." + +"Thou sayest well," replied Sir Lancelot; "but who is he thou hatest so +above all others?" + +"His name," said Turquine, "is Sir Lancelot of the Lake; and he slew my +brother Sir Carados, at the dolorous tower; wherefore, if ever I shall +meet with him, one of us two shall slay the other; and thereto I have +sworn by a great oath. And to discover and destroy him I have slain a +hundred knights, and crippled utterly as many more, and many have died in +my prisons; and now, as I have told thee, I have many more therein, who +all shall be delivered, if thou tell me thy name, and it be not Sir +Lancelot." + +"Well," said Lancelot, "I am that knight, son of King Ban of Benwick, and +Knight of the Round Table; so now I defy thee to do thy best!" + +"Aha!" said Turquine, with a shout, "is it then so at last! Thou art more +welcome to my sword than ever knight or lady was to feast, for never +shall we part till one of us be dead." + +Then did they hurtle together like two wild bulls, slashing and lashing +with their shields and swords, and sometimes falling both on to the +ground. For two more hours they fought so, and at the last Sir Turquine +grew very faint, and gave a little back, and bare his shield full low for +weariness. When Sir Lancelot saw him thus, he leaped upon him fiercely as +a lion, and took him by the crest of his helmet, and dragged him to his +knees; and then he tore his helmet off and smote his neck asunder. + +Then he arose, and went to the damsel who had brought him to Sir Turquine, +and said, "I am ready, fair lady, to go with thee upon thy service, but I +have no horse." + +"Fair sir," said she, "take ye this horse of the wounded knight whom +Turquine but just now was carrying to his prisons, and send that knight on +to deliver all the prisoners." + +So Sir Lancelot went to the knight and prayed him for the loan of his +horse. + +"Fair lord," said he, "ye are right welcome, for to-day ye have saved both +me and my horse; and I see that ye are the best knight in all the world, +for in my sight have ye slain the mightiest man and the best knight, +except thyself, I ever saw." + +"Sir," said Sir Lancelot, "I thank thee well; and now go into yonder +castle, where thou shall find many noble knights of the Round Table, for I +have seen their shields hung on the trees around. On yonder tree alone +there are Sir Key's, Sir Brandel's, Sir Marhaus', Sir Galind's, and Sir +Aliduke's, and many more; and also my two kinsmen's shields, Sir Ector de +Maris' and Sir Lionel's. And I pray you greet them all from me, Sir +Lancelot of the Lake, and tell them that I bid them help themselves to any +treasures they can find within the castle; and that I pray my brethren, +Lionel and Ector, to go to King Arthur's court and stay there till I come. +And by the high feast at Pentecost I must be there; but now I must ride +forth with this damsel to fulfil my promise." + +So, as they went, the damsel told him, "Sir, we are now near the place +where the foul knight haunteth, who robbeth and distresseth all ladies and +gentlewomen travelling past this way, against whom I have sought thy aid." + +Then they arranged that she should ride on foremost, and Sir Lancelot +should follow under cover of the trees by the roadside, and if he saw her +come to any mishap, he should ride forth and deal with him that troubled +her. And as the damsel rode on at a soft ambling pace, a knight and page +burst forth from the roadside and forced the damsel from her horse, till +she cried out for help. + +Then came Sir Lancelot rushing through the wood as fast as he might fly, +and all the branches of the trees crackled and waved around him. "O thou +false knight and traitor to all knighthood!" shouted he, "who taught thee +to distress fair ladies thus?" + +The foul knight answered nothing, but drew out his sword and rode at Sir +Lancelot, who threw his spear away and drew his own sword likewise, and +struck him such a mighty blow as clave his head down to the throat. "Now +hast thou the wages thou long hast earned!" said he; and so departed from +the damsel. + +Then for two days he rode in a great forest, and had but scanty food and +lodging, and on the third day he rode over a long bridge, when suddenly +there started up a passing foul churl, and smote his horse across the +nose, so that he started and turned back, rearing with pain. "Why ridest +thou over here without my leave?" said he. + +"Why should I not?" said Sir Lancelot; "there is no other way to ride." + +"Thou shalt not pass by here," cried out the churl, and dashed at him with +a great club full of iron spikes, till Sir Lancelot was fain to draw his +sword and smite him dead upon the earth. + +At the end of the bridge was a fair village, and all the people came and +cried, "Ah, sir! a worse deed for thyself thou never didst, for thou hast +slain the chief porter of the castle yonder!" But he let them talk as they +pleased, and rode straight forward to the castle. + +There he alighted, and tied his horse to a ring in the wall; and going in, +he saw a wide green court, and thought it seemed a noble place to fight +in. And as he looked about, he saw many people watching him from doors and +windows, making signs of warning, and saying, "Fair knight, thou art +unhappy." In the next moment came upon him two great giants, well armed +save their heads, and with two horrible clubs in their hands. Then he put +his shield before him, and with it warded off one giant's stroke, and +clove the other with his sword from the head downward to the chest. When +the first giant saw that, he ran away mad with fear; but Sir Lancelot ran +after him, and smote him through the shoulder, and shore him down his +back, so that he fell dead. + +Then he walked onward to the castle hall, and saw a band of sixty ladies +and young damsels coming forth, who knelt to him, and thanked him for +their freedom. "For, sir," said they, "the most of us have been prisoners +here these seven years; and have been kept at all manner of work to earn +our meat, though we be all great gentlewomen born. Blessed be the time +that thou wast born, for never did a knight a deed of greater worship than +thou hast this day, and thereto will we all bear witness in all times and +places! Tell us, therefore, noble knight, thy name and court, that we may +tell them to our friends!" And when they heard it, they all cried aloud, +"Well may it be so, for we knew that no knight save thou shouldst ever +overcome those giants; and many a long day have we sighed for thee; for +the giants feared no other name among all knights but thine." + +Then he told them to take the treasures of the castle as a reward for +their grievances, and to return to their homes, and so rode away into many +strange and wild countries. And at last, after many days, by chance he +came, near the night time, to a fair mansion, wherein he found an old +gentlewoman, who gave him and his horse good cheer. And when bed time was +come, his host brought him to a chamber over a gate, and there he unarmed, +and went to bed and fell asleep. + +But soon thereafter came one riding in great haste, and knocking +vehemently at the gate below, which when Sir Lancelot heard, he rose and +looked out of the window, and, by the moonlight, saw three knights come +riding fiercely after one man, and lashing on him all at once with their +swords, while the one knight nobly fought all. + +Then Sir Lancelot quickly armed himself, and getting through the window, +let himself down by a sheet into the midst of them, crying out, "Turn ye +on me, ye cowards, and leave fighting with that knight!" Then they all +left Sir Key, for the first knight was he, and began to fall upon Sir +Lancelot furiously. And when Sir Key would have come forward to assist +him, Sir Lancelot refused, and cried, "Leave me alone to deal with them." +And presently, with six great strokes, he felled them all. + +Then they cried out, "Sir knight, we yield us unto thee, as to a man of +might!" + +"I will not take your yielding!" said he; "yield ye to Sir Key, the +seneschal, or I will have your lives." + +"Fair knight," said they, "excuse us in that thing, for we have chased Sir +Key thus far, and should have overcome him but for thee." + +"Well," said Sir Lancelot, "do as ye will, for ye may live or die; but, if +ye live, ye shall be holden to Sir Key." + +Then they yielded to him; and Sir Lancelot commanded them to go unto King +Arthur's court at the next Pentecost, and say, Sir Key had sent them +prisoners to Queen Guinevere. And this they sware to do upon their swords. + +Then Sir Lancelot knocked at the gate with his sword-hilt till his hostess +came and let him in again, and Sir Key also. And when the light came, Sir +Key knew Sir Lancelot, and knelt and thanked him for his courtesy, and +gentleness, and kindness. "Sir," said he, "I have done no more than what I +ought to do, and ye are welcome; therefore let us now take rest." + +So when Sir Key had supped, they went to sleep, and Sir Lancelot and he +slept in the same bed. On the morrow, Sir Lancelot rose early, and took +Sir Key's shield and armour and set forth. When Sir Key arose, he found +Sir Lancelot's armour by his bedside, and his own arms gone. "Now, by my +faith," thought he, "I know that he will grieve some knights of our king's +court; for those who meet him will be bold to joust with him, mistaking +him for me, while I, dressed in his shield and armour, shall surely ride +in peace." + +Then Sir Lancelot, dressed in Sir Key's apparel, rode long in a great +forest, and came at last to a low country, full of rivers and fair +meadows, and saw a bridge before him, whereon were three silk tents of +divers colours, and to each tent was hung a white shield, and by each +shield stood a knight. So Sir Lancelot went by without speaking a word. +And when he had passed, the three knights said it was the proud Sir Key, +"who thinketh no knight equal to himself, although the contrary is full +often proved upon him." + +"By my faith!" said one of them, named Gaunter, "I will ride after and +attack him for all his pride, and ye shall watch my speed." + +Then, taking shield and spear, he mounted and rode after Sir Lancelot, and +cried, "Abide, proud knight, and turn, for thou shalt not pass free!" + +So Sir Lancelot turned, and each one put his spear in rest and came with +all his might against the other. And Sir Gaunter's spear brake short, but +Sir Lancelot smote him down, both horse and man. + +When the other knights saw this, they said, "Yonder is not Sir Key, but a +bigger man." + +"I dare wager my head," said Sir Gilmere, "yonder knight hath slain Sir +Key, and taken his horse and harness." + +"Be it so, or not," said Sir Reynold, the third brother; "let us now go to +our brother Gaunter's rescue; we shall have enough to do to match that +knight, for, by his stature, I believe it is Sir Lancelot or Sir +Tristram." + +Anon, they took their horses and galloped after Sir Lancelot; and Sir +Gilmere first assailed him, but was smitten down forthwith, and lay +stunned on the earth. Then said Sir Reynold, "Sir knight, thou art a +strong man, and, I believe, hast slain my two brothers, wherefore my heart +is sore against thee; yet, if I might with honour, I would avoid thee. +Nevertheless, that cannot be, so keep thyself." And so they hurtled +together with all their might, and each man shivered his spear to pieces; +and then they drew their swords and lashed out eagerly. + +And as they fought, Sir Gaunter and Sir Gilmere presently arose and +mounted once again, and came down at full tilt upon Sir Lancelot. But, +when he saw them coming, he put forth all his strength, and struck Sir +Reynold off his horse. Then, with two other strokes, he served the others +likewise. + +Anon, Sir Reynold crept along the ground, with his head all bloody, and +came towards Sir Lancelot. "It is enough," said Lancelot, "I was not far +from thee when thou wast made a knight, Sir Reynold, and know thee for a +good and valiant man, and was full loth to slay thee." + +"Grammercy for thy gentleness!" said Sir Reynold. "I and my brethren will +straightway yield to thee when we know thy name, for well we know that +thou art not Sir Key." + +"As for that," said Sir Lancelot, "be it as it may, but ye shall yield to +Queen Guinevere at the next feast of Pentecost as prisoners, and say that +Sir Key sent ye." + +Then they swore to him it should be done as he commanded. And so Sir +Lancelot passed on, and the three brethren helped each other's wounds as +best they might. + +Then rode Sir Lancelot forward into a deep forest, and came upon four +knights of King Arthur's court, under an oak tree--Sir Sagramour, Sir +Ector, Sir Gawain, and Sir Ewaine. And when they spied him, they thought +he was Sir Key. "Now by my faith," said Sir Sagramour, "I will prove Sir +Key's might!" and taking his spear he rode towards Sir Lancelot. + +But Sir Lancelot was aware of him, and, setting his spear in rest, smote +him so sorely, that horse and man fell to the earth. + +"Lo!" cried Sir Ector, "I see by the buffet that knight hath given our +fellow he is stronger than Sir Key. Now will I try what I can do against +him!" So Sir Ector took his spear, and galloped at Sir Lancelot; and Sir +Lancelot met him as he came, and smote him through shield and shoulder, so +that he fell, but his own spear was not broken. + +"By my faith," cried Sir Ewaine, "yonder is a strong knight, and must have +slain Sir Key, and taken his armour! By his strength, I see it will be +hard to match him." So saying he rode towards Sir Lancelot, who met him +halfway and struck him so fiercely, that at one blow he overthrew him +also. + +"Now," said Sir Gawain, "will I encounter him." So he took a good spear in +his hand, and guarded himself with his shield. And he and Sir Lancelot +rode against each other, with their horses at full speed, and furiously +smote each other on the middle of their shields; but Sir Gawain's spear +broke short asunder, and Sir Lancelot charged so mightily upon him, that +his horse and he both fell, and rolled upon the ground. + +"Ah," said Sir Lancelot, smiling, as he rode away from the four knights, +"heaven give joy to him who made this spear, for never held I better in my +hand." + +But the four knights said to each other, "Truly one spear hath felled us +all." + +"I dare lay my life," said Sir Gawain, "it is Sir Lancelot. I know him by +his riding." + +So they all departed for the court. + +And as Sir Lancelot rode still in the forest, he saw a black bloodhound, +running with its head towards the ground, as if it tracked a deer. And +following after it, he came to a great pool of blood. But the hound, ever +and anon looking behind, ran through a great marsh, and over a bridge, +towards an old manor house. So Sir Lancelot followed, and went into the +hall, and saw a dead knight lying there, whose wounds the hound licked. +And a lady stood behind him, weeping and wringing her hands, who cried, "O +knight! too great is the sorrow which thou hast brought me!" + +"Why say ye so?" replied Sir Lancelot; "for I never harmed this knight, +and am full sorely grieved to see thy sorrow." + +"Nay, sir," said the lady, "I see it is not thou hast slain my husband, +for he that truly did that deed is deeply wounded, and shall never more +recover." + +"What is thy husband's name?" said Sir Lancelot. + +"His name," she answered, "was Sir Gilbert--one of the best knights in all +the world; but I know not his name who hath slain him." + +"God send thee comfort," said Sir Lancelot, and departed again into the +forest. + +And as he rode, he met with a damsel who knew him, who cried out, "Well +found, my lord! I pray ye of your knighthood help my brother, who is sore +wounded and ceases not to bleed, for he fought this day with Sir Gilbert, +and slew him, but was himself well nigh slain. And there is a sorceress, +who dwelleth in a castle hard by, and she this day hath told me that my +brother's wound shall never be made whole until I find a knight to go into +the Chapel Perilous, and bring from thence a sword and the bloody cloth in +which the wounded knight was wrapped." + +"This is a marvellous thing!" said Sir Lancelot; "but what is your +brother's name?" + +"His name, sir," she replied, "is Sir Meliot de Logres." + +"He is a Fellow of the Round Table," said Sir Lancelot, "and truly will I +do my best to help him." + +"Then, sir," said she, "follow this way, and it will bring ye to the +Chapel Perilous. I will abide here till God send ye hither again; for if +ye speed not, there is no living knight who may achieve that adventure." + +So Sir Lancelot departed, and when he came to the Chapel Perilous he +alighted, and tied his horse to the gate. And as soon as he was within +the churchyard, he saw on the front of the chapel many shields of knights +whom he had known, turned upside down. Then saw he in the pathway thirty +mighty knights, taller than any men whom he had ever seen, all armed in +black armour, with their swords drawn; and they gnashed their teeth upon +him as he came. But he put his shield before him, and took his sword in +hand, ready to do battle with them. And when he would have cut his way +through them, they scattered on every side and let him pass. Then he went +into the chapel, and saw therein no light but of a dim lamp burning. Then +he was aware of a corpse in the midst of the chapel, covered with a silken +cloth, and so stooped down and cut off a piece of the cloth, whereat the +earth beneath him trembled. Then saw he a sword lying by the dead knight, +and taking it in his hand, he hied him from the chapel. As soon as he was +in the churchyard again, all the thirty knights cried out to him with +fierce voices, "Sir Lancelot! lay that sword from thee, or thou diest!" + +"Whether I live or die," said he, "ye shall fight for it ere ye take it +from me." + +With that they let him pass. + +And further on, beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, "Sir +Lancelot, leave that sword behind thee, or thou diest." + +[Illustration: Beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, "Sir +Lancelot, leave that sword behind thee, or thou diest."] + +"I will not leave it," said Sir Lancelot, "for any asking." + +"Then, gentle knight," said the damsel, "I pray thee kiss me once." + +"Nay," said Sir Lancelot, "that God forbid!" + +"Alas!" cried she, "I have lost all my labour! but hadst thou kissed me, +thy life's days had been all done!" + +"Heaven save me from thy subtle crafts!" said Sir Lancelot; and therewith +took his horse and galloped forth. + +And when he was departed, the damsel sorrowed greatly, and died in fifteen +days. Her name was Ellawes, the sorceress. + +Then came Sir Lancelot to Sir Meliot's sister, who, when she saw him, +clapped her hands and wept for joy, and took him to the castle hard by, +where Sir Meliot was. And when Sir Lancelot saw Sir Meliot, he knew him, +though he was pale as ashes for loss of blood. And Sir Meliot, when he saw +Sir Lancelot, kneeled to him and cried aloud, "O lord, Sir Lancelot! help +me!" + +And thereupon, Sir Lancelot went to him and touched his wounds with the +sword, and wiped them with the piece of bloody cloth. And immediately he +was as whole as though he had been never wounded. Then was there great joy +between him and Sir Meliot; and his sister made Sir Lancelot good cheer. +So on the morrow, he took his leave, that he might go to King Arthur's +court, "for," said he, "it draweth nigh the feast of Pentecost, and there, +by God's grace, shall ye then find me." + +And riding through many strange countries, over marshes and valleys, he +came at length before a castle. As he passed by he heard two little bells +ringing, and looking up, he saw a falcon flying overhead, with bells tied +to her feet, and long strings dangling from them. And as the falcon flew +past an elm-tree, the strings caught in the boughs, so that she could fly +no further. + +In the meanwhile, came a lady from the castle and cried, "Oh, Sir +Lancelot! as thou art the flower of all knights in the world, help me to +get my hawk, for she hath slipped away from me, and if she be lost, my +lord my husband is so hasty, he will surely slay me!" + +"What is thy lord's name?" said Sir Lancelot. + +"His name," said she, "is Sir Phelot, a knight of the King of Northgales." + +"Fair lady," said Sir Lancelot, "since you know my name, and require me, +on my knighthood, to help you, I will do what I can to get your hawk." + +And thereupon alighting, he tied his horse to the same tree, and prayed +the lady to unarm him. So when he was unarmed, he climbed up and reached +the falcon, and threw it to the lady. + +Then suddenly came down, out of the wood, her husband, Sir Phelot, all +armed, with a drawn sword in his hand, and said, "Oh, Sir Lancelot! now +have I found thee as I would have thee!" and stood at the trunk of the +tree to slay him. + +"Ah, lady!" cried Sir Lancelot, "why have ye betrayed me?" + +"She hath done as I commanded her," said Sir Phelot, "and thine hour is +come that thou must die." + +"It were shame," said Lancelot, "for an armed to slay an unarmed man." + +"Thou hast no other favour from me," said Sir Phelot. + +"Alas!" cried Sir Lancelot, "that ever any knight should die weaponless!" +And looking overhead, he saw a great bough without leaves, and wrenched it +off the tree, and suddenly leaped down. Then Sir Phelot struck at him +eagerly, thinking to have slain him, but Sir Lancelot put aside the stroke +with the bough, and therewith smote him on the side of the head, till he +fell swooning to the ground. And tearing his sword from out his hands, he +shore his neck through from the body. Then did the lady shriek dismally, +and swooned as though she would die. But Sir Lancelot put on his armour, +and with haste took his horse and departed thence, thanking God he had +escaped that peril. + +And as he rode through a valley, among many wild ways, he saw a knight, +with a drawn sword, chasing a lady to slay her. And seeing Sir Lancelot, +she cried and prayed to him to come and rescue her. + +At that he went up, saying, "Fie on thee, knight! why wilt thou slay this +lady? Thou doest shame to thyself and all knights." + +"What hast thou to do between me and my wife?" replied the knight. "I will +slay her in spite of thee." + +"Thou shall not harm her," said Sir Lancelot, "till we have first fought +together." + +"Sir," answered the knight, "thou doest ill, for this lady hath betrayed +me." + +"He speaketh falsely," said the lady, "for he is jealous of me without +cause, as I shall answer before Heaven; but as thou art named the most +worshipful knight in the world, I pray thee of thy true knighthood to save +me, for he is without mercy." + +"Be of good cheer," said Sir Lancelot; "it shall not lie within his power +to harm thee." + +"Sir," said the knight, "I will be ruled as ye will have me." + +So Sir Lancelot rode between the knight and the lady. And when they had +ridden awhile, the knight cried out suddenly to Sir Lancelot to turn and +see what men they were who came riding after them; and while Sir Lancelot, +thinking not of treason, turned to look, the knight, with one great +stroke, smote off the lady's head. + +Then was Sir Lancelot passing wroth, and cried, "Thou traitor! Thou hast +shamed me for ever!" and, alighting from his horse, he drew his sword to +have slain him instantly; but the knight fell on the ground and clasped +Sir Lancelot's knees, and cried out for mercy. "Thou shameful knight," +answered Lancelot, "thou mayest have no mercy, for thou showedst none, +therefore arise and fight with me." + +"Nay," said the knight, "I will not rise till thou dost grant me mercy." + +"Now will I deal fairly by thee," said Sir Lancelot; "I will unarm me to +my shirt, and have my sword only in my hand, and if thou canst slay me +thou shall be quit for ever." + +"That will I never do," said the knight. + +"Then," answered Sir Lancelot, "take this lady and the head, and bear it +with thee, and swear to me upon thy sword never to rest until thou comest +to Queen Guinevere." + +"That will I do," said he. + +"Now," said Sir Lancelot, "tell me thy name." + +"It is Pedivere," answered the knight. + +"In a shameful hour wert thou born," said Sir Lancelot. + +So Sir Pedivere departed, bearing with him the dead lady and her head. And +when he came to Winchester, where the Queen was with King Arthur, he told +them all the truth; and afterwards did great and heavy penance many +years, and became an holy hermit. + +"So, two days before the Feast of Pentecost, Sir Lancelot returned to the +court, and King Arthur was full glad of his coming. And when Sir Gawain, +Sir Ewaine, Sir Sagramour, and Sir Ector, saw him in Sir Key's armour, +they knew well it was he who had smitten them all down with one spear. +Anon, came all the knights Sir Turquine had taken prisoners, and gave +worship and honour to Sir Lancelot. Then Sir Key told the King how Sir +Lancelot had rescued him when he was in near danger of his death; "and," +said Sir Key, "he made the knights yield, not to himself, but me. And by +Heaven! because Sir Lancelot took my armour and left me his, I rode in +peace, and no man would have aught to do with me." Then came the knights +who fought with Sir Lancelot at the long bridge and yielded themselves +also to Sir Key, but he said nay, he had not fought with them. "It is Sir +Lancelot," said he, "that overcame ye." Next came Sir Meliot de Logres, +and told King Arthur how Sir Lancelot had saved him from death. + +And so all Sir Lancelot's deeds and great adventures were made known; how +the four sorceress-queens had him in prison; how he was delivered by the +daughter of King Bagdemagus, and what deeds of arms he did at the +tournament between the King of North Wales and King Bagdemagus. And so, at +that festival, Sir Lancelot had the greatest name of any knight in all the +world, and by high and low was he the most honoured of all men. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +_Adventures of Sir Beaumains or Sir Gareth_ + + +Again King Arthur held the Feast of Pentecost, with all the Table Round, +and after his custom sat in the banquet hall, before beginning meat, +waiting for some adventure. Then came there to the king a squire and said, +"Lord, now may ye go to meat, for here a damsel cometh with some strange +adventure." So the king was glad, and sat down to meat. + +Anon the damsel came in and saluted him, praying him for succour. "What +wilt thou?" said the king. "Lord," answered she, "my mistress is a lady of +great renown, but is at this time besieged by a tyrant, who will not +suffer her to go out of her castle; and because here in thy court the +knights are called the noblest in the world, I come to pray thee for thy +succour. "Where dwelleth your lady?" answered the king. "What is her name, +and who is he that hath besieged her?" "For her name," replied the damsel, +"as yet I may not tell it; but she is a lady of worship and great lands. +The tyrant that besiegeth her and wasteth her lands is called the Red +Knight of the Redlands." "I know him not," said Arthur. "But I know him, +lord," said Sir Gawain, "and he is one of the most perilous knights in all +the world. Men say he hath the strength of seven; and from him I myself +once hardly escaped with life." "Fair damsel," said the king, "there be +here many knights that would gladly do their uttermost to rescue your +lady, but unless ye tell me her name, and where she dwelleth, none of my +knights shall go with you by my leave." + +Now, there was a stripling at the court called Beaumains, who served in +the king's kitchen, a fair youth and of great stature. Twelve months +before this time he had come to the king as he sat at meat, at +Whitsuntide, and prayed three gifts of him. And being asked what gifts, he +answered, "As for the first gift I will ask it now, but the other two +gifts I will ask on this day twelve months, wheresoever ye hold your high +feast." Then said King Arthur, "What is thy first request?" "This, lord," +said he, "that thou wilt give me meat and drink enough for twelve months +from this time, and then will I ask my other two gifts." And the king +seeing that he was a goodly youth, and deeming that he was come of +honourable blood, had granted his desire, and given him into the charge of +Sir Key, the steward. But Sir Key scorned and mocked the youth, calling +him Beaumains, because his hands were large and fair, and putting him into +the kitchen, where he had served for twelve months as a scullion, and, in +spite of all his churlish treatment, had faithfully obeyed Sir Key. But +Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain were angered when they saw Sir Key so churlish +to a youth that had so worshipful a bearing, and ofttimes had they given +him gold and clothing. + +And now at this time came young Beaumains to the king, while the damsel +was there, and said, "Lord, now I thank thee well and heartily that I have +been twelve months kept in thy kitchen, and have had full sustenance. Now +will I ask my two remaining gifts." "Ask," said King Arthur, "on my good +faith." "These, lord," said he, "shall be my two gifts--the one, that thou +wilt grant me this adventure of the damsel, for to me of right it +belongeth; and the other, that thou wilt bid Sir Lancelot make me a +knight, for of him only will I have that honour; and I pray that he may +ride after me and make me a knight when I require him." "Be it as thou +wilt," replied the king. But thereupon the damsel was full wroth, and +said, "Shall I have a kitchen page for this adventure?" and so she took +horse and departed. + +Then came one to Beaumains, and told him that a dwarf with a horse and +armour were waiting for him. And all men marvelled whence these things +came. But when he was on horseback and armed, scarce any one at the court +was a goodlier man than he. And coming into the hall, he took his leave of +the king and Sir Gawain, and prayed Sir Lancelot to follow him. So he rode +after the damsel, and many of the court went out to see him, so richly +arrayed and horsed; yet he had neither shield nor spear. Then Sir Key +cried, "I also will ride after the kitchen boy, and see whether he will +obey me now." And taking his horse, he rode after him, and said, "Know ye +not me, Beaumains?" "Yea," said he, "I know thee for an ungentle knight, +therefore beware of me." Then Sir Key put his spear in rest and ran at +him, but Beaumains rushed upon him with his sword in his hand, and +therewith, putting aside the spear, struck Sir Key so sorely in the side, +that he fell down, as if dead. Then he alighted, and took his shield and +spear, and bade his dwarf ride upon Sir Key's horse. + +By this time, Sir Lancelot had come up, and Beaumains offering to tilt +with him, they both made ready. And their horses came together so fiercely +that both fell to the earth, full sorely bruised. Then they arose, and +Beaumains, putting up his shield before him, offered to fight Sir +Lancelot, on foot. So they rushed upon each other, striking, and +thrusting, and parrying, for the space of an hour. And Lancelot marvelled +at the strength of Beaumains, for he fought more like a giant than a man, +and his fighting was passing fierce and terrible. So, at the last, he +said, "Fight not so sorely, Beaumains; our quarrel is not such that we may +not now cease." "True," answered Beaumains; "yet it doth me good to feel +thy might, though I have not yet proved my uttermost." "By my faith," said +Lancelot, "I had as much as I could do to save myself from you unshamed, +therefore be in no doubt of any earthly knight." "May I, then, stand as a +proved knight?" said Beaumains. "For that will I be thy warrant," answered +Lancelot. "Then, I pray thee," said he, "give me the order of knighthood." +"First, then, must thou tell me of thy name and kindred," said Sir +Lancelot. "If thou wilt tell them to no other, I will tell thee," answered +he. "My name is Gareth of Orkney, and I am own brother to Sir Gawain." +"Ah!" said Sir Lancelot, "at that am I full glad; for, truly, I deemed +thee to be of gentle blood." So then he knighted Beaumains, and, after +that, they parted company, and Sir Lancelot, returning to the court, took +up Sir Key on his shield. And hardly did Sir Key escape with his life, +from the wound Beaumains had given him; but all men blamed him for his +ungentle treatment of so brave a knight. + +Then Sir Beaumains rode forward, and soon overtook the damsel; but she +said to him, in scorn, "Return again, base kitchen page! What art thou, +but a washer-up of dishes!" "Damsel," said he, "say to me what thou wilt, +I will not leave thee; for I have undertaken to King Arthur to relieve thy +adventure, and I will finish it to the end, or die." "Thou finish my +adventure!" said she--"anon, thou shalt meet one, whose face thou wilt not +even dare to look at." "I shall attempt it," answered he. So, as they rode +thus, into a wood, there met them a man, fleeing, as for his life. +"Whither fleest thou?" said Sir Beaumains. "O lord!" he answered, "help +me; for, in a valley hard by, there are six thieves, who have taken my +lord, and bound him, and I fear will slay him." "Bring me thither," said +Sir Beaumains. So they rode to the place, and Sir Beaumains rushed after +the thieves, and smote one, at the first stroke, so that he died; and +then, with two other blows, slew a second and third. Then fled the other +three, and Sir Beaumains rode after them, and overtook and slew them all. +Then he returned and unbound the knight. And the knight thanked him, and +prayed him to ride to his castle, where he would reward him. "Sir," +answered Sir Beaumains, "I will have no reward of thee, for but this day +was I made knight by the most noble Sir Lancelot; and besides, I must go +with this damsel." Then the knight begged the damsel to rest that night at +his castle. So they all rode thither, and ever the damsel scoffed at Sir +Beaumains as a kitchen boy, and laughed at him before the knight their +host, so that he set his meat before him at a lower table, as though he +were not of their company. + +And on the morrow, the damsel and Sir Beaumains took their leave of the +knight, and thanking him departed. Then they rode on their way till they +came to a great forest, through which flowed a river, and there was but +one passage over it, whereat stood two knights armed to hinder the way. +"Wilt thou match those two knights," said the damsel to Sir Beaumains, "or +return again?" "I would not return," said he, "though they were six." +Therewith he galloped into the water, and swam his horse into the middle +of the stream. And there, in the river, one of the knights met him, and +they brake their spears together, and then drew their swords, and smote +fiercely at each other. And at the last, Sir Beaumains struck the other +mightily upon the helm, so that he fell down stunned into the water, and +was drowned. Then Sir Beaumains spurred his horse on to the land, where +instantly the other knight fell on him. And they also brake their spears +upon each other, and then drew their swords, and fought savagely and long +together. And after many blows, Sir Beaumains clove through the knight's +skull down to the shoulders. Then rode Sir Beaumains to the damsel, but +ever she still scoffed at him, and said, "Alas! that a kitchen page should +chance to slay two such brave knights! Thou deemest now that thou hast +done a mighty deed, but it is not so; for the first knight's horse +stumbled, and thus was he drowned--not by thy strength; and as for the +second knight, thou wentest by chance behind him, and didst kill him +shamefully." "Damsel," said Sir Beaumains, "say what ye list, I care not +so I may win your lady; and wouldst thou give me but fair language, all +my care were past; for whatsoever knights I meet, I fear them not." "Thou +shalt see knights that shall abate thy boast, base kitchen knave," replied +she; "yet say I this for thine advantage, for if thou followest me thou +wilt be surely slain, since I see all thou doest is but by chance, and not +by thy own prowess." "Well damsel," said he, "say what ye will, wherever +ye go I will follow." + +So they rode on until the eventide, and still the damsel evermore kept +chiding Sir Beaumains. Then came they to a black space of land, whereon +was a black hawthorn tree, and on the tree there hung a black banner, and +on the other side was a black shield and spear, and by them a great black +horse, covered with silk; and hard by sat a knight armed in black armour, +whose name was the Knight of the Blacklands. When the damsel saw him, she +cried out to Beaumains, "Flee down the valley, for thy horse is not +saddled!" "Wilt thou for ever deem me coward?" answered he. With that came +the Black Knight to the damsel, and said, "Fair damsel, hast thou brought +this knight from Arthur's court to be thy champion?" "Not so, fair +knight," said she; "he is but a kitchen knave." "Then wherefore cometh he +in such array?" said he; "it is a shame that he should bear thee company." +"I cannot be delivered from him," answered she: "for in spite of me he +rideth with me; and would to Heaven you would put him from me, or now slay +him, for he hath slain two knights at the river passage yonder, and done +many marvellous deeds through pure mischance." "I marvel," said the Black +Knight, "that any man of worship will fight with him." "They know him +not," said the damsel, "and think, because he rideth with me, that he is +well born." "Truly, he hath a goodly person, and is likely to be a strong +man," replied the knight; "but since he is no man of worship, he shall +leave his horse and armour with me, for it were a shame for me to do him +more harm." + +When Sir Beaumains heard him speak thus, he said, "Horse or armour gettest +thou none of me, Sir knight, save thou winnest them with thy hands; +therefore defend thyself, and let me see what thou canst do." "How sayest +thou?" answered the Black Knight. "Now quit this lady also, for it +beseemeth not a kitchen knave like thee to ride with such a lady." "I am +of higher lineage than thou," said Sir Beaumains, "and will straightway +prove it on thy body." Then furiously they drove their horses at each +other, and came together as it had been thunder. But the Black Knight's +spear brake short, and Sir Beaumains thrust him through the side, and his +spear breaking at the head, left its point sticking fast in the Black +Knight's body. Yet did the Black Knight draw his sword, and smite at Sir +Beaumains with many fierce and bitter blows; but after they had fought an +hour and more, he fell down from his horse in a swoon, and forthwith died. +Then Sir Beaumains lighted down and armed himself in the Black Knight's +armour, and rode on after the damsel. But notwithstanding all his valour, +still she scoffed at him, and said, "Away! for thou savourest ever of the +kitchen. Alas! that such a knave should by mishap destroy so good a +knight; yet once again I counsel thee to flee, for hard by is a knight who +shall repay thee!" "It may chance that I am beaten or slain," answered Sir +Beaumains, "but I warn thee, fair damsel, that I will not flee away, nor +leave thy company or my quest, for all that ye can say." + +Anon, as they rode, they saw a knight come swiftly towards them, dressed +all in green, who, calling to the damsel said, "Is that my brother, the +Black Knight, that ye have brought with you?" "Nay, and alas!" said she, +"this kitchen knave hath slain thy brother through mischance." "Alas!" +said the Green Knight, "that such a noble knight as he was should be slain +by a knave's hand. Traitor!" cried he to Sir Beaumains, "thou shalt die +for this! Sir Pereard was my brother, and a full noble knight." "I defy +thee," said Sir Beaumains, "for I slew him knightly and not shamefully." +Then the Green Knight rode to a thorn whereon hung a green horn, and, when +he blew three notes, there came three damsels forth, who quickly armed +him, and brought him a great horse and a green shield and spear. Then did +they run at one another with their fullest might, and break their spears +asunder; and, drawing their swords, they closed in fight, and sorely smote +and wounded each other with many grievous blows. + +At last, Sir Beaumains' horse jostled against the Green Knight's horse, +and overthrew him. Then both alighted, and, hurtling together like mad +lions, fought a great while on foot. But the damsel cheered the Green +Knight, and said, "My lord, why wilt thou let a kitchen knave so long +stand up against thee?" Hearing these words, he was ashamed, and gave Sir +Beaumains such a mighty stroke as clave his shield asunder. When Sir +Beaumains heard the damsel's words, and felt that blow, he waxed passing +wroth, and gave the Green Knight such a buffet on the helm that he fell on +his knees, and with another blow Sir Beaumains threw him on the ground. +Then the Green Knight yielded, and prayed him to spare his life. "All thy +prayers are vain," said he, "unless this damsel who came with me pray for +thee." "That will I never do, base kitchen knave," said she. "Then shall +he die," said Beaumains. "Alas! fair lady," said the Green Knight, "suffer +me not to die for a word! O, Sir knight," cried he to Beaumains, "give me +my life, and I will ever do thee homage; and thirty knights, who owe me +service, shall give allegiance to thee." "All availeth not," answered Sir +Beaumains, "unless the damsel ask me for thy life;" and thereupon he made +as though he would have slain him. Then cried the damsel, "Slay him not; +for if thou do thou shalt repent it." "Damsel," said Sir Beaumains, "at +thy command, he shall obtain his life. Arise, Sir knight of the green +armour, I release thee!" Then the Green Knight knelt at his feet, and did +him homage with his words. "Lodge with me this night," said he, "and +to-morrow will I guide ye through the forest." So, taking their horses, +they rode to his castle, which was hard by. + +Yet still did the damsel rebuke and scoff at Sir Beaumains, and would not +suffer him to sit at her table. "I marvel," said the Green Knight to her, +"that ye thus chide so noble a knight, for truly I know none to match him; +and be sure, that whatsoever he appeareth now, he will prove, at the end, +of noble blood and royal lineage." But of all this would the damsel take +no heed, and ceased not to mock at Sir Beaumains. On the morrow, they +arose and heard mass; and when they had broken their fast, took their +horses and rode on their way, the Green Knight conveying them through the +forest. Then, when he had led them for a while, he said to Sir Beaumains, +"My lord, my thirty knights and I shall always be at thy command +whensoever thou shalt send for us." "It is well said," replied he; "and +when I call upon you, you shall yield yourself and all your knights unto +King Arthur." "That will we gladly do," said the Green Knight, and so +departed. + +And the damsel rode on before Sir Beaumains, and said to him, "Why dost +thou follow me, thou kitchen boy? I counsel thee to throw aside thy spear +and shield, and flee betimes, for wert thou as mighty as Sir Lancelot or +Sir Tristram, thou shouldest not pass a valley near this place, called the +Pass Perilous." "Damsel," answered he, "let him that feareth flee; as for +me, it were indeed a shameful thing to turn after so long a journey." As +he spake, they came upon a tower as white as snow, with mighty +battlements, and double moats round it, and over the tower-gate hung fifty +shields of divers colours. Before the tower walls, they saw a fair meadow, +wherein were many knights and squires in pavilions, for on the morrow +there was a tournament at that castle. + +Then the lord of the castle, seeing a knight armed at all points, with a +damsel and a page, riding towards the tower, came forth to meet them; and +his horse and harness, with his shield and spear, were all of a red +colour. When he came near Sir Beaumains, and saw his armour all of black, +he thought him his own brother, the Black Knight, and so cried aloud, +"Brother! what do ye here, within these borders?" "Nay!" said the damsel, +"it is not thy brother, but a kitchen knave of Arthur's court, who hath +slain thy brother, and overcome thy other brother also, the Green Knight." +"Now do I defy thee!" cried the Red Knight to Sir Beaumains, and put his +spear in rest and spurred his horse. Then both knights turned back a +little space, and ran together with all their might, till their horses +fell to the earth. Then, with their swords, they fought fiercely for the +space of three hours. And at last, Sir Beaumains overcame his foe, and +smote him to the ground. Then the Red Knight prayed his mercy, and said, +"Slay me not, noble knight, and I will yield to thee with sixty knights +that do my bidding." "All avails not," answered Sir Beaumains, "save this +damsel pray me to release thee." Then did he lift his sword to slay him; +but the damsel cried aloud, "Slay him not, Beaumains, for he is a noble +knight." Then Sir Beaumains bade him rise up and thank the damsel, which +straightway he did, and afterwards invited them to his castle, and made +them goodly cheer. + +But notwithstanding all Sir Beaumains' mighty deeds, the damsel ceased not +to revile and chide him, at which the Red Knight marvelled much; and +caused his sixty knights to watch Sir Beaumains, that no villainy might +happen to him. And on the morrow, they heard mass and broke their fast, +and the Red Knight came before Sir Beaumains, with his sixty knights, and +proffered him homage and fealty. "I thank thee," answered he; "and when I +call upon thee thou shalt come before my lord King Arthur at his court, +and yield yourselves to him." "That will we surely do," said the Red +Knight. So Sir Beaumains and the damsel departed. + +And as she constantly reviled him and tormented him, he said to her, +"Damsel, ye are discourteous thus always to rebuke me, for I have done you +service; and for all your threats of knights that shall destroy me, all +they who come lie in the dust before me. Now, therefore, I pray you +rebuke me no more till you see me beaten or a recreant, and then bid me go +from you." "There shall soon meet thee a knight who shall repay thee all +thy deeds, thou boaster," answered she, "for, save King Arthur, he is the +man of most worship in the world." "It will be the greater honour to +encounter him," said Sir Beaumains. + +Soon after, they saw before them a city passing fair, and between them and +the city was a meadow newly mown, wherein were many goodly tents. "Seest +thou yonder blue pavilion?" said the damsel to Sir Beaumains; "it is Sir +Perseant's, the lord of that great city, whose custom is, in all fair +weather, to lie in this meadow, and joust with his knights." + +And as she spake, Sir Perseant, who had espied them coming, sent a +messenger to meet Sir Beaumains, and to ask him if he came in war or +peace. "Say to thy lord," he answered, "that I care not whether of the +twain it be." So when the messenger gave this reply, Sir Perseant came out +to fight with Sir Beaumains. And making ready, they rode their steeds +against each other; and when their spears were shivered asunder, they +fought with their swords. And for more than two hours did they hack and +hew at each other, till their shields and hauberks were all dinted with +many blows, and they themselves were sorely wounded. And at the last, Sir +Beaumains smote Sir Perseant on the helm, so that he fell grovelling on +the earth. And when he unlaced his helm to slay him, the damsel prayed for +his life. "That will I grant gladly," answered Sir Beaumains, "for it were +pity such a noble knight should die." "Grammercy!" said Sir Perseant, +"for now I certainly know that it was thou who slewest my brother, the +Black Knight, Sir Pereard; and overcame my brothers, the Green Knight, Sir +Pertolope, and the Red Knight, Sir Perimones; and since thou hast overcome +me also, I will do thee homage and fealty, and place at thy command one +hundred knights to do thy bidding." + +But when the damsel saw Sir Perseant overthrown, she marvelled greatly at +the might of Sir Beaumains, and said, "What manner of man may ye be, for +now am I sure that ye be come of noble blood? And truly, never did woman +revile knight as I have done thee, and yet ye have ever courteously borne +with me, which surely never had been were ye not of gentle blood and +lineage." + +"Lady," replied Sir Beaumains, "a knight is little worth who may not bear +with a damsel; and so whatsoever ye said to me I took no heed, save only +that at times when your scorn angered me, it made me all the stronger +against those with whom I fought, and thus have ye furthered me in my +battles. But whether I be born of gentle blood or no, I have done you +gentle service, and peradventure will do better still, ere I depart from +you." + +[Illustration: "Lady," replied Sir Beaumains, "a knight is little worth +who may not bear with a damsel."] + +"Alas!" said she, weeping at his courtesy, "forgive me, fair Sir +Beaumains, all that I have missaid and misdone against you." "With all my +heart," said he; "and since you now speak fairly to me, I am passing glad +of heart, and methinks I have the strength to overcome whatever knights I +shall henceforth encounter." + +Then Sir Perseant prayed them to come to his pavilion, and set before them +wines and spices, and made them great cheer. So they rested that night; +and on the morrow, the damsel and Sir Beaumains rose, and heard mass. And +when they had broken their fast, they took their leave of Sir Perseant. +"Fair damsel," said he "whither lead ye this knight?" "Sir," answered she, +"to the Castle Dangerous, where my sister is besieged by the Knight of the +Redlands." "I know him well," said Sir Perseant, "for the most perilous +knight alive--a man without mercy, and with the strength of seven men. God +save thee, Sir Beaumains, from him! and enable thee to overcome him, for +the Lady Lyones, whom he besiegeth, is as fair a lady as there liveth in +this world." "Thou sayest truth, sir," said the damsel; "for I am her +sister; and men call me Linet, or the Wild Maiden." "Now, I would have +thee know," said Sir Perseant to Sir Beaumains, "that the Knight of the +Redlands hath kept that siege more than two years, and prolongeth the time +hoping that Sir Lancelot, or Sir Tristram, or Sir Lamoracke, may come and +battle with him; for these three knights divide between them all +knighthood; and thou if thou mayest match the Knight of the Redlands, +shall well be called the fourth knight of the world." "Sir," said Sir +Beaumains, "I would fain have that good fame; and truly, I am come of +great and honourable lineage. And so that you and this fair damsel will +conceal it, I will tell ye my descent." And when they swore to keep it +secret, he told them, "My name is Sir Gareth of Orkney, my father was King +Lot, and my mother the Lady Belisent, King Arthur's sister. Sir Gawain, +Sir Agravain, and Sir Gaheris, are my brethren, and I am the youngest of +them all. But, as yet King Arthur and the court know me not, who I am." +When he had thus told them, they both wondered greatly. + +And the damsel Linet sent the dwarf forward to her sister, to tell her of +their coming. Then did Dame Lyones inquire what manner of man the knight +was who was coming to her rescue. And the dwarf told her of all Sir +Beaumains' deeds by the way: how he had overthrown Sir Key, and left him +for dead; how he had battled with Sir Lancelot, and was knighted of him; +how he had fought with, and slain, the thieves; how he had overcome the +two knights who kept the river passage; how he had fought with, and slain, +the Black Knight; and how he had overcome the Green Knight, the Red +Knight, and last of all, the Blue Knight, Sir Perseant. Then was Dame +Lyones passing glad, and sent the dwarf back to Sir Beaumains with great +gifts, thanking him for his courtesy, in taking such a labour on him for +her sake, and praying him to be of good heart and courage. And as the +dwarf returned, he met the Knight of the Redlands, who asked him whence he +came. "I came here with the sister of my lady of the castle," said the +dwarf, "who hath been now to King Arthur's court and brought a knight with +her to take her battle on him." "Then is her travail lost," replied the +knight; "for, though she had brought Sir Lancelot, Sir Tristram, Sir +Lamoracke, or Sir Gawain, I count myself their equal, and who besides +shall be so called?" Then the dwarf told the knight what deeds Sir +Beaumains had done; but he answered, "I care not for him, whosoever he be, +for I shall shortly overcome him, and give him shameful death, as to so +many others I have done." + +Then the damsel Linet and Sir Beaumains left Sir Perseant, and rode on +through a forest to a large plain, where they saw many pavilions, and hard +by, a castle passing fair. + +But as they came near Sir Beaumains saw upon the branches of some trees +which grew there, the dead bodies of forty knights hanging, with rich +armour on them, their shields and swords about their necks, and golden +spurs upon their heels. "What meaneth this?" said he, amazed. "Lose not +thy courage, fair sir," replied the damsel, "at this shameful sight, for +all these knights came hither to rescue my sister; and when the Knight of +the Redlands had overcome them, he put them to this piteous death, without +mercy; and in such wise will he treat thee also unless thou bearest thee +more valiantly than they." "Truly he useth shameful customs," said Sir +Beaumains; "and it is a marvel that he hath endured so long." + +So they rode onward to the castle walls, and found them double-moated, and +heard the sea waves dashing on one side the walls. Then said the damsel, +"See you that ivory horn hanging upon the sycamore-tree? The Knight of the +Redlands hath hung it there, that any knight may blow thereon, and then +will he himself come out and fight with him. But I pray thee sound it not +till high noontide, for now it is but daybreak, and till noon his strength +increases to the might of seven men." "Let that be as it may, fair +damsel," answered he, "for were he stronger knight than ever lived, I +would not fail him. Either will I defeat him at his mightiest, or die +knightly in the field." With that he spurred his horse unto the sycamore, +and blew the ivory horn so eagerly, that all the castle rang its echoes. +Instantly, all the knights who were in the pavilions ran forth, and those +within the castle looked out from the windows, or above the walls. And the +Knight of the Redlands, arming himself quickly in blood-red armour, with +spear, and shield, and horse's trappings of like colour, rode forth into a +little valley by the castle walls, so that all in the castle, and at the +siege, might see the battle. + +"Be of good cheer," said the damsel Linet to Sir Beaumains, "for thy +deadly enemy now cometh; and at yonder window is my lady and sister, Dame +Lyones." "In good sooth," said Sir Beaumains, "she is the fairest lady I +have ever seen, and I would wish no better quarrel than to fight for her." +With that, he looked up to the window, and saw the Lady Lyones, who waved +her handkerchief to her sister and to him to cheer them. Then called the +Knight of the Redlands to Sir Beaumains, "Leave now thy gazing, Sir +knight, and turn to me, for I warn thee that lady is mine." "She loveth +none of thy fellowship," he answered; "but know this, that I love her, and +will rescue her from thee, or die." "Say ye so!" said the Red Knight. +"Take ye no warning from those knights that hang on yonder trees?" "For +shame that thou so boastest!" said Sir Beaumains. "Be sure that sight hath +raised a hatred for thee that will not lightly be put out, and given me +not fear, but rage." "Sir knight, defend thyself," said the Knight of the +Redlands, "for we will talk no longer." + +Then did they put their spears in rest, and came together at the fullest +speed of their horses, and smote each other in the midst of their shields, +so that their horses' harness sundered by the shock, and they fell to the +ground. And both lay there so long time, stunned, that many deemed their +necks were broken. And all men said the strange knight was a strong man, +and a noble jouster, for none had ever yet so matched the Knight of the +Redlands. Then, in a while, they rose, and putting up their shields before +them, drew their swords, and fought with fury, running at each other like +wild beasts--now striking such buffets that both reeled backwards, now +hewing at each other till they shore the harness off in pieces, and left +their bodies naked and unarmed. And thus they fought till noon was past, +when, for a time they rested to get breath, so sorely staggering and +bleeding, that many who beheld them wept for pity. Then they renewed the +battle--sometimes rushing so furiously together, that both fell to the +ground, and anon changing swords in their confusion. Thus they endured, +and lashed, and struggled, until eventide, and none who saw knew which was +the likeliest to win; for though the Knight of the Redlands was a wily and +subtle warrior, his subtlety made Sir Beaumains wilier and wiser too. So +once again they rested for a little space, and took their helms off to +find breath. + +But when Sir Beaumains' helm was off, he looked up to Dame Lyones, where +she leaned, gazing and weeping, from her window. And when he saw the +sweetness of her smiling, all his heart was light and joyful, and starting +up, he bade the Knight of the Redlands make ready. Then did they lace +their helms and fight together yet afresh, as though they had never fought +before. And at the last, the Knight of the Redlands with a sudden stroke +smote Sir Beaumains on the hand, so that his sword fell from it, and with +a second stroke upon the helm he drove him to the earth. Then cried aloud +the damsel Linet, "Alas! Sir Beaumains, see how my sister weepeth to +behold thee fallen!" And when Sir Beaumains heard her words, he sprang +upon his feet with strength, and leaping to his sword, he caught it; and +with many heavy blows pressed so sorely on the Knight of the Redlands, +that in the end he smote his sword from out his hand, and, with a mighty +blow upon the head, hurled him upon the ground. + +Then Sir Beaumains unlaced his helm, and would have straightway slain him, +but the Knight of the Redlands yielded, and prayed for mercy. "I may not +spare thee," answered he, "because of the shameful death which thou hast +given to so many noble knights." "Yet hold thy hand, Sir knight," said he, +"and hear the cause. I loved once a fair damsel, whose brother was slain, +as she told me, by a knight of Arthur's court, either Sir Lancelot, or Sir +Gawain; and she prayed me, as I truly loved her, and by the faith of my +knighthood, to labour daily in deeds of arms, till I should meet with him; +and to put all knights of the Round Table whom I should overcome to a +villainous death. And this I swore to her." Then prayed the earls, and +knights, and barons, who stood round Sir Beaumains, to spare the Red +Knight's life. "Truly," replied he, "I am loth to slay him, +notwithstanding he hath done such shameful deeds. And inasmuch as what he +did was done to please his lady and to gain her love, I blame him less, +and for your sakes I will release him. But on this agreement only shall he +hold his life--that straightway he depart into the castle, and yield him +to the lady there, and make her such amends as she shall ask, for all the +trespass he hath done upon her lands; and afterwards, that he shall go +unto King Arthur's court, and ask the pardon of Sir Lancelot and Sir +Gawain for all the evil he hath done against them." "All this, Sir knight, +I swear to do," said the Knight of the Redlands; and therewith he did him +homage and fealty. + +Then came the damsel Linet to Sir Beaumains and the Knight of the +Redlands, and disarmed them, and staunched their wounds. And when the +Knight of the Redlands had made amends for all his trespasses, he departed +for the court. + +Then Sir Beaumains, being healed of his wounds, armed himself, and took +his horse and spear and rode straight to the castle of Dame Lyones, for +greatly he desired to see her. But when he came to the gate they closed it +fast, and pulled the drawbridge up. And as he marvelled thereat, he saw +the Lady Lyones standing at a window, who said, "Go thy way as yet, Sir +Beaumains, for thou shalt not wholly have my love until thou be among the +worthiest knights of all the world. Go, therefore, and labour yet in arms +for twelve months more, and then return to me." "Alas! fair lady," said +Sir Beaumains, "I have scarce deserved this of thee, for sure I am that I +have bought thy love with all the best blood in my body." "Be not +aggrieved, fair knight," said she, "for none of thy service is forgot or +lost. Twelve months will soon be passed in noble deeds; and trust that to +my death I shall love thee and not another." With that she turned and left +the window. + +So Sir Beaumains rode away from the castle very sorrowrul at heart, and +rode he knew not whither, and lay that night in a poor man's cottage. On +the morrow he went forward, and came at noon to a broad lake, and thereby +he alighted, being very sad and weary, and rested his head upon his +shield, and told his dwarf to keep watch while he slept. + +Now, as soon as he had departed, the Lady Lyones repented, and greatly +longed to see him back, and asked her sister many times of what lineage he +was; but the damsel would not tell her, being bound by her oath to Sir +Beaumains, and said his dwarf best knew, So she called Sir Gringamors, +her brother, who dwelt with her, and prayed him to ride after Sir +Beaumains till he found him sleeping, and then to take his dwarf away and +bring him back to her. Anon Sir Gringamors departed, and rode till he came +to Sir Beaumains, and found him as he lay sleeping by the water-side. Then +stepping stealthily behind the dwarf he caught him in his arms and rode +off in haste. And though the dwarf cried loudly to his lord for help, and +woke Sir Beaumains, yet, though he rode full quickly after him, he could +not overtake Sir Gringamors. + +When Dame Lyones saw her brother come back, she was passing glad of heart, +and forthwith asked the dwarf his master's lineage. "He is a king's son," +said the dwarf, "and his mother is King Arthur's sister. His name is Sir +Gareth of Orkney, and he is brother to the good knight, Sir Gawain. But I +pray you suffer me to go back to my lord, for truly he will never leave +this country till he have me again." But when the Lady Lyones knew her +deliverer was come of such a kingly stock, she longed more than ever to +see him again. + +Now as Sir Beaumains rode in vain to rescue his dwarf, he came to a fair +green road and met a poor man of the country, and asked him had he seen a +knight on a black horse, riding with a dwarf of a sad countenance behind +him. "Yea," said the man, "I met with such a knight an hour agone, and his +name is Sir Gringamors. He liveth at a castle two miles from hence; but he +is a perilous knight, and I counsel ye not to follow him save ye bear him +goodwill." Then Sir Beaumains followed the path which the poor man showed +him, and came to the castle. And riding to the gate in great anger, he +drew his sword, and cried aloud, "Sir Gringamors, thou traitor! deliver +me my dwarf again, or by my knighthood it shall be ill for thee!" Then Sir +Gringamors looked out of a window and said, "Sir Gareth of Orkney, leave +thy boasting words, for thou wilt not get thy dwarf again." But the Lady +Lyones said to her brother, "Nay brother, but I will that he have his +dwarf, for he hath done much for me, and delivered me from the Knight of +the Redlands, and well do I love him above all other knights." So Sir +Gringamors went down to Sir Gareth and cried him mercy, and prayed him to +alight and take good cheer. + +Then he alighted, and his dwarf ran to him. And when he was in the hall +came the Lady Lyones dressed royally like a princess. And Sir Gareth was +right glad of heart when he saw her. Then she told him how she had made +her brother take away his dwarf and bring him back to her. And then she +promised him her love, and faithfully to cleave to him and none other all +the days of her life. And so they plighted their troth to each other. Then +Sir Gringamors prayed him to sojourn at the castle, which willingly he +did. "For," said he, "I have promised to quit the court for twelve months, +though sure I am that in the meanwhile I shall be sought and found by my +lord King Arthur and many others." So he sojourned long at the castle. + +Anon the knights, Sir Perseant, Sir Perimones, and Sir Pertolope, whom Sir +Gareth had overthrown, went to King Arthur's court with all the knights +who did them service, and told the king they had been conquered by a +knight of his named Beaumains. And as they yet were talking, it was told +the king there came another great lord with five hundred knights, who, +entering in, did homage, and declared himself to be the Knight of the +Redlands. "But my true name," said he, "is Ironside, and I am hither sent +by one Sir Beaumains, who conquered me, and charged me to yield unto your +grace." "Thou art welcome," said King Arthur, "for thou hast been long a +foe to me and mine, and truly I am much beholden to the knight who sent +thee. And now, Sir Ironside, if thou wilt amend thy life and hold of me, I +will entreat thee as a friend, and make thee Knight of the Round Table; +but thou mayst no more be a murderer of noble knights." Then the Knight of +the Redlands knelt to the king, and told him of his promise to Sir +Beaumains to use never more such shameful customs; and how he had so done +but at the prayer of a lady whom he loved. Then knelt he to Sir Lancelot +and Sir Gawain, and prayed their pardon for the hatred he had borne them. + +But the king and all the court marvelled greatly who Sir Beaumains was. +"For," said the king, "he is a full noble knight." Then said Sir Lancelot, +"Truly he is come of honourable blood, else had I not given him the order +of knighthood; but he charged me that I should conceal his secret." + +Now as they talked thus it was told King Arthur that his sister, the Queen +of Orkney, was come to the court with a great retinue of knights and +ladies. Then was there great rejoicing, and the king rose and saluted his +sister. And her sons, Sir Gawain, Sir Agravain, and Sir Gaheris knelt +before her and asked her blessing, for during fifteen years last past they +had not seen her. Anon she said, "Where is my youngest son, Sir Gareth? +for I know that he was here a twelvemonth with you, and that ye made a +kitchen knave of him. Then the king and all the knights knew that Sir +Beaumains and Sir Gareth were the same. "Truly," said the king, "I knew +him not." "Nor I," said Sir Gawain and both his brothers. Then said the +king, "God be thanked, fair sister, that he is proved as worshipful a +knight as any now alive, and by the grace of Heaven he shall be found +forthwith if he be anywhere within these seven realms." Then said Sir +Gawain and his brethren, "Lord, if ye will give us leave we will go seek +him." But Sir Lancelot said, "It were better that the king should send a +messenger to Dame Lyones and pray her to come hither with all speed, and +she will counsel where ye shall find him." "It is well said," replied the +king; and sent a messenger quickly unto Dame Lyones. + +When she heard the message she promised she would come forthwith, and told +Sir Gareth what the messenger had said, and asked him what to do. "I pray +you," said he, "tell them not where I am, but when my lord King Arthur +asketh for me, advise him thus--that he proclaim a tournament before this +castle on Assumption Day, and that the knight who proveth best shall win +yourself and all your lands." So the Lady Lyones departed and came to King +Arthur's court, and there was right nobly welcomed. And when they asked +her where Sir Gareth was, she said she could not tell. "But, lord," said +she, "with thy goodwill I will proclaim a tournament before my castle on +the Feast of the Assumption, whereof the prize shall be myself and all my +lands. Then if it be proclaimed that you, lord, and your knights will be +there, I will find knights on my side to fight you and yours, and thus am +I sure ye will hear tidings of Sir Gareth." "Be it so done," replied the +king. + +So Sir Gareth sent messengers privily to Sir Perseant and Sir Ironside, +and charged them to be ready on the day appointed, with their companies of +knights to aid him and his party against the king. And when they were +arrived he said, "Now be ye well assured that we shall be matched with the +best knights of the world, and therefore must we gather all the good +knights we can find." + +So proclamation was made throughout all England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, +and Cornwall, and in the out isles and other countries, that at the Feast +of the Assumption of our Lady, next coming, all knights who came to joust +at Castle Perilous should make choice whether they would side with the +king or with the castle. Then came many good knights on the side of the +castle. Sir Epinogris, the son of the King of Northumberland, and Sir +Palomedes the Saracen, and Sir Grummore Grummorsum, a good knight of +Scotland, and Sir Brian des Iles, a noble knight, and Sir Carados of the +Tower Dolorous, and Sir Tristram, who as yet was not a knight of the Round +Table, and many others. But none among them knew Sir Gareth, for he took +no more upon him than any mean person. + +And on King Arthur's side there came the King of Ireland and the King of +Scotland, the noble prince Sir Galahaut, Sir Gawain and his brothers Sir +Agravain and Sir Gaheris, Sir Ewaine, Sir Tor, Sir Perceval, and Sir +Lamoracke, Sir Lancelot also and his kindred, Sir Lionel, Sir Ector, Sir +Bors and Sir Bedivere, likewise Sir Key and the most part of the Table +Round. The two queens also, Queen Guinevere and the Queen of Orkney, Sir +Gareth's mother, came with the king. So there was a great array both +within and without the castle, with all manner of feasting and minstrelsy. + +Now before the tournament began, Sir Gareth privily prayed Dame Lyones, +Sir Gringamors, Sir Ironside, and Sir Perseant, that they would in nowise +disclose his name, nor make more of him than of any common knight. Then +said Dame Lyones, "Dear lord, I pray thee take this ring, which hath the +power to change the wearer's clothing into any colour he may will, and +guardeth him from any loss of blood. But give it me again, I pray thee, +when the tournament is done, for it greatly increaseth my beauty +whensoever I wear it." "Grammercy, mine own lady," said Sir Gareth, "I +wished for nothing better, for now I may be certainly disguised as long as +I will." Then Sir Gringamors gave Sir Gareth a bay courser that was a +passing good horse, with sure armour, and a noble sword, won by his father +from a heathen tyrant. And then every knight made him ready for the +tournament. + +So on the day of the Assumption, when mass and matins were said, the +heralds blew their trumpets and sounded for the tourney. Anon came out the +knights of the castle and the knights of King Arthur, and matched +themselves together. + +Then Sir Epinogris, son of the King of Northumberland, a knight of the +castle, encountered Sir Ewaine, and both broke off their spears short to +their hands. Then came Sir Palomedes from the castle, and met Sir Gawain, +and they so hardly smote each other, that both knights and horses fell to +the earth. Then Sir Tristram, from the castle, encountered with Sir +Bedivere, and smote him to the earth, horse and man. Then the Knight of +the Redlands and Sir Gareth met with Sir Bors and Sir Bleoberis; and the +Knight of the Redlands and Sir Bors smote together so hard that their +spears burst, and their horses fell grovelling to the ground. And Sir +Bleoberis brake his spear upon Sir Gareth, but himself was hurled upon +the ground. When Sir Galihodin saw that, he bade Sir Gareth keep him, but +Sir Gareth lightly smote him to the earth. Then Sir Galihud got a spear to +avenge his brother, but was served in like manner. And Sir Dinadam, and +his brother La-cote-male-taile, and Sir Sagramour le Desirous, and Dodinas +le Savage, he bore down all with one spear. + +When King Anguish of Ireland saw this, he marvelled what that knight could +be who seemed at one time green and at another blue; for so at every +course he changed his colour that none might know him. Then he ran towards +him and encountered him, and Sir Gareth smote the king from his horse, +saddle and all. And in like manner he served the King of Scotland, and +King Urience of Gore, and King Bagdemagus. + +Then Sir Galahaut, the noble prince, cried out, "Knight of the many +colours! thou hast jousted well; now make thee ready to joust with me." +When Sir Gareth heard him, he took a great spear and met him swiftly. And +the prince's spear broke off, but Sir Gareth smote him on the left side of +the helm, so that he reeled here and there, and had fallen down had not +his men recovered him. "By my faith," said King Arthur, "that knight of +the many colours is a good knight. I pray thee, Sir Lancelot du Lake, +encounter with him." "Lord," said Sir Lancelot, "by thy leave I will +forbear. I find it in my heart to spare him at this time, for he hath done +enough work for one day; and when a good knight doth so well it is no +knightly part to hinder him from this honour. And peradventure his quarrel +is here to-day, and he may be the best beloved of the Lady Lyones of all +that be here; for I see well he paineth and forceth himself to do great +deeds. Therefore, as for me, this day he shall have the honour; for +though I were able to put him from it, I would not." "You speak well and +truly," said the king. + +Then after the tilting, they drew swords, and there began a great +tournament, and there Sir Lancelot did marvellous deeds of arms, for first +he fought with both Sir Tristram and Sir Carados, albeit they were the +most perilous in all the world. Then came Sir Gareth and put them asunder, +but would not smite a stroke against Sir Lancelot, for by him he had been +knighted. Anon Sir Gareth's helm had need of mending, and he rode aside to +see to it and to drink water, for he was sore athirst with all his mighty +feats of strength. And while he drank, his dwarf said to him, "Give me +your ring, lest ye lose it while ye drink." So Sir Gareth took it off. And +when he had finished drinking, he rode back eagerly to the field, and in +his haste forgot to take the ring again. Then all the people saw that he +wore yellow armour. And King Arthur told a herald, "Ride and espy the +cognizance of that brave knight, for I have asked many who he is, and none +can tell me." + +Then the herald rode near, and saw written round about his helmet in +letters of gold, "Sir Gareth of Orkney." And instantly the herald cried +his name aloud, and all men pressed to see him. + +But when he saw he was discovered, he pushed with haste through all the +crowd, and cried to his dwarf, Boy, thou hast beguiled me foully in +keeping my ring; give it me again, that I may be hidden." And as soon as +he had put it on, his armour changed again, and no man knew where he had +gone. Then he passed forth from the field; but Sir Gawain, his brother, +rode after him. + +And when Sir Gareth had ridden far into the forest, he took off his ring, +and sent it back by the dwarf to the Lady Lyones, praying her to be true +and faithful to him while he was away. + +Then rode Sir Gareth long through the forest, till night fell, and coming +to a castle he went up to the gate, and prayed the porter to let him in. +But churlishly he answered "that he should not lodge there." Then said Sir +Gareth, "Tell thy lord and lady that I am a knight of King Arthur's court, +and for his sake I pray their shelter." With that the porter went to the +duchess who owned the castle. "Let him in straightway," cried she; "for +the king's sake he shall not be harbourless!" and went down to receive +him. When Sir Gareth saw her coming, he saluted her, and said, "Fair lady, +I pray you give me shelter for this night, and if there be here any +champion or giant with whom I must needs fight, spare me till to-morrow, +when I and my horse shall have rested, for we are full weary." "Sir +knight," she said, "thou speakest boldly; for the lord of this castle is a +foe to King Arthur and his court, and if thou wilt rest here to-night thou +must agree, that wheresoever thou mayest meet my lord, thou must yield to +him as a prisoner." "What is thy lord's name, lady?" said Sir Gareth. "The +Duke de la Rowse," said she. "I will promise thee," said he, "to yield to +him, if he promise to do me no harm; but if he refuse, I will release +myself with my sword and spear." + +"It is well," said the duchess; and commanded the drawbridge to be let +down. So he rode into the hall and alighted. And when he had taken off his +armour, the duchess and her ladies made him passing good cheer. And after +supper his bed was made in the hall, and there he rested that night. On +the morrow he rose and heard mass, and having broken his fast, took his +leave and departed. + +[Illustration: So he rode into the hall and alighted.] + +And as he rode past a certain mountain there met him a knight named Sir +Bendelaine, and cried unto him "Thou shalt not pass unless thou joust with +me or be my prisoner!" "Then will we joust," replied Sir Gareth. So they +let their horses run at full speed, and Sir Gareth smote Sir Bendelaine +through his body so sorely that he scarcely reached his castle ere he fell +dead. And as Sir Gareth presently came by the castle, Sir Bendelaine's +knights and servants rode out to revenge their lord. And twenty of them +fell on him at once, although his spear was broken. But drawing his sword +he put his shield before him. And though they brake their spears upon him, +one and all, and sorely pressed on him, yet ever he defended himself like +a noble knight. Anon, finding they could not overcome him, they agreed to +slay his horse; and having killed it with their spears, they set upon Sir +Gareth as he fought on foot. But every one he struck he slew, and drave at +them with fearful blows, till he had slain them all but four, who fled. +Then taking the horse of one of those that lay there dead, he rode upon +his way. + +Anon he came to another castle and heard from within a sound as of many +women moaning and weeping. Then said he to a page who stood without, "What +noise is this I hear?" "Sir knight," said he, "there be within thirty +ladies, the widows of thirty knights who have been slain by the lord of +this castle. He is called the Brown Knight without pity, and is the most +perilous knight living, wherefore I warn thee to flee." "That will I never +do," said Sir Gareth, "for I fear him not." Then the page saw the Brown +Knight coming and said to Gareth, "Lo! my lord is near." + +So both knights made them ready and galloped their horses towards each +other, and the Brown Knight brake his spear upon Sir Gareth's shield; but +Sir Gareth smote him through the body so that he fell dead. At that he +rode into the castle and told the ladies he had slain their foe. Then were +they right glad of heart and made him all the cheer they could, and +thanked him out of measure. But on the morrow as he went to mass he found +the ladies weeping in the chapel upon divers tombs that were there. And he +knew that in those tombs their husbands lay. Then he bade them be +comforted, and with noble and high words he desired and prayed them all to +be at Arthur's court on the next Feast of Pentecost. + +So he departed and rode past a mountain where was a goodly knight waiting, +who said to him, "Abide, Sir knight, and joust with me!" "How are ye +named?" said Sir Gareth. "I am the Duke de la Rowse," answered he. "In +good sooth," then said Sir Gareth, "not long ago I lodged within your +castle, and there promised I would yield to you whenever we might meet." +"Art thou that proud knight," said the duke, "who was ready to fight with +me? Guard thyself therefore and make ready." So they ran together, and Sir +Gareth smote the duke from his horse. Then they alighted and drew their +swords, and fought full sorely for the space of an hour; and at the last +Sir Gareth smote the duke to the earth and would have slain him, but he +yielded. "Then must ye go," said Sir Gareth, "to my lord King Arthur at +the next Feast of Pentecost and say that I, Sir Gareth, sent ye." "As ye +will be it," said the duke; and gave him up his shield for pledge. + +And as Sir Gareth rode alone he saw an armed knight coming towards him. +And putting the duke's shield before him he rode fast to tilt with him; +and so they ran together as it had been thunder, and brake their spears +upon each other. Then fought they fiercely with their swords and lashed +together with such mighty strokes that blood ran to the ground on every +side. And after they had fought together for two hours and more, it +chanced the damsel Linet passed that way; and when she saw them she cried +out, "Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth, leave your fighting, for ye are +brethren!" At that they threw away their shields and swords, and took each +other in their arms and wept a great while ere they could speak. And each +gave to the other the honour of the battle, and there was many a kind word +between them. Then said Sir Gawain, "O my brother, for your sake have I +had great sorrow and labour! But truly I would honour you though ye were +not my brother, for ye have done great worship to King Arthur and his +court, and sent more knights to him than any of the Table Round, except +Sir Lancelot." + +Then the damsel Linet staunched their wounds, and their horses being weary +she rode her palfrey to King Arthur and told him of this strange +adventure. When she had told her tidings, the king himself mounted his +horse and bade all come with him to meet them. So a great company of lords +and ladies went forth to meet the brothers. And when King Arthur saw them +he would have spoken hearty words, but for gladness he could not. And both +Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth fell down at their uncle's knees and did him +homage, and there was passing great joy and gladness among them all. + +Then said the king to the damsel Linet, "Why cometh not the Lady Lyones to +visit her knight, Sir Gareth, who hath had such travail for her love?" +"She knoweth not, my lord, that he is here," replied the damsel, "for +truly she desireth greatly to see him." "Go ye and bring her hither," +said the king. So the damsel rode to tell her sister where Sir Gareth was, +and when she heard it she rejoiced full heartily and came with all the +speed she could. And when Sir Gareth saw her, there was great joy and +comfort between them. + +Then the king asked Sir Gareth whether he would have that lady for his +wife? "My lord," replied Sir Gareth, "know well that I love her above all +ladies living." "Now, fair lady," said King Arthur, "what say ye?" "Most +noble king," she answered, "my lord, Sir Gareth, is my first love and +shall be my last, and if I may not have him for my husband I will have +none." Then said the king to them, "Be well assured that for my crown I +would not be the cause of parting your two hearts." + +Then was high preparation made for the marriage, for the king desired it +should be at the Michaelmas next following, at Kinkenadon-by-the-Sea. + +So Sir Gareth sent out messages to all the knights whom he had overcome in +battle that they should be there upon his marriage-day. + +Therefore, at the next Michaelmas, came a goodly company to +Kinkenadon-by-the-Sea. And there did the Archbishop of Canterbury marry +Sir Gareth and the Lady Lyones with all solemnity. And all the knights +whom Sir Gareth had overcome were at the feast; and every manner of revels +and games was held with music and minstrelsy. And there was a great +jousting for three days. But because of his bride the king would not +suffer Sir Gareth to joust. Then did King Arthur give great lands and +fair, with store of gold, to Sir Gareth and his wife, that so they might +live royally together to their lives' end. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +_The Adventures of Sir Tristram of Lyonesse_ + + +Again King Arthur held high festival at Caerleon, at Pentecost, and +gathered round him all the fellowship of the Round Table, and so, +according to his custom, sat and waited till some adventure should arise, +or some knight return to court whose deeds and perils might be told. + +Anon he saw Sir Lancelot and a crowd of knights coming through the doors +and leading in their midst the mighty knight, Sir Tristram. As soon as +King Arthur saw him, he rose up and went through half the hall, and held +out both his hands and cried, "Right welcome to thee, good Sir Tristram, +as welcome art thou as any knight that ever came before into this court. A +long time have I wished for thee amongst my fellowship." Then all the +knights and barons rose up with one accord and came around, and cried out, +"Welcome." Queen Guinevere came also, and many ladies with her, and all +with one voice said the same. + +Then the king took Sir Tristram by the hand and led him to the Round Table +and said, "Welcome again for one of the best and gentlest knights in all +the world; a chief in war, a chief in peace, a chief in field and forest, +a chief in the ladies' chamber--right heartily welcome to this court, and +mayest thou long abide in it." + +When he had so said he looked at every empty seat until he came to what +had been Sir Marhaus', and there he found written in gold letters, "This +is the seat of the noble knight, Sir Tristram." Whereat they made him, +with great cheer and gladness, a Fellow of the Round Table. + +Now the story of Sir Tristram was as follows:-- + +There was a king of Lyonesse, named Meliodas, married to the sister of +King Mark of Cornwall, a right fair lady and a good. And so it happened +that King Meliodas hunting in the woods was taken by enchantment and made +prisoner in a castle. When his wife Elizabeth heard it she was nigh mad +with grief, and ran into the forest to seek out her lord. But after many +days of wandering and sorrow she found no trace of him, and laid her down +in a deep valley and prayed to meet her death. And so indeed she did, but +ere she died she gave birth in the midst of all her sorrow to a child, a +boy, and called him with her latest breath Tristram; for she said, "His +name shall show how sadly he hath come into this world." + +Therewith she gave up her ghost, and the gentlewoman who was with her took +the child and wrapped it from the cold as well as she was able, and lay +down with it in her arms beneath the shadow of a tree hard by, expecting +death to come to her in turn. + +But shortly after came a company of lords and barons seeking for the +queen, and found the lady and the child and took them home. And on the +next day came King Meliodas, whom Merlin had delivered, and when he heard +of the queen's death his sorrow was greater than tongue can tell. And anon +he buried her solemnly and nobly, and called the child Tristram as she had +desired. + +Then for seven years King Meliodas mourned and took no comfort, and all +that time young Tristram was well nourished; but in a while he wedded with +the daughter of Howell, King of Brittany, who, that her own children might +enjoy the kingdom, cast about in her mind how she might destroy Tristram. +So on a certain day she put poison in a silver cup, where Tristram and her +children were together playing, that when he was athirst he might drink of +it and die. But so it happened that her own son saw the cup, and, thinking +it must hold good drink, he climbed and took it, and drank deeply of it, +and suddenly thereafter burst and fell down dead. + +When the queen heard that, her grief was very great, but her anger and +envy were fiercer than before, and soon again she put more poison in the +cup. And by chance one day her husband finding it when thirsty, took it up +and was about to drink therefrom, when, seeing him, she sprang up with a +mighty cry and dashed it from his hands. + +At that King Meliodas, wondering greatly, called to mind the sudden death +of his young child, and taking her fiercely by the hand he cried: + +"Traitress, tell me what drink is in this cup or I will slay thee in a +moment;" and therewith pulling out his sword he swore by a great oath to +slay her if she straightway told him not the truth. + +"Ah, mercy, lord," said she, and fell down at his feet; "mercy, and I will +tell thee all." + +And then she told him of her plot to murder Tristram, that her own sons +might enjoy the kingdom. + +"The law shall judge thee," said the king. + +And so anon she was tried before the barons, and condemned to be burnt to +death. + +But when the fire was made, and she brought out, came Tristram kneeling at +his father's feet and besought of him a favour. + +"Whatsoever thou desirest I will give thee," said the king. + +"Give me the life, then, of the queen, my stepmother," said he. + +"Thou doest wrong to ask it," said Meliodas; "for she would have slain +thee with her poisons if she could, and chiefly for thy sake she ought to +die." + +"Sir," said he, "as for that, I beseech thee of thy mercy to forgive it +her, and for my part may God pardon her as I do; and so I pray thee grant +me my boon, and for God's sake hold thee to thy promise." + +"If it must be so," said the king, "take thou her life, for to thee I give +it, and go and do with her as thou wilt." + +Then went young Tristram to the fire and loosed the queen from all her +bonds and delivered her from death. + +And after a great while by his good means the king again forgave and lived +in peace with her, though never more in the same lodgings. + +Anon was Tristram sent abroad to France in care of one named Governale. +And there for seven years he learned the language of the land, and all +knightly exercises and gentle crafts, and especially was he foremost in +music and in hunting, and was a harper beyond all others. And when at +nineteen years of age he came back to his father, he was as lusty and +strong of body and as noble of heart as ever man was seen. + +Now shortly after his return it befell that King Anguish of Ireland sent +to King Mark of Cornwall for the tribute due to Ireland, but which was now +seven years behindhand. To whom King Mark sent answer, if he would have it +he must send and fight for it, and they would find a champion to fight +against it. + +So King Anguish called for Sir Marhaus, his wife's brother, a good knight +of the Round Table, who lived then at his court, and sent him with a +knightly retinue in six great ships to Cornwall. And, casting anchor by +the castle of Tintagil, he sent up daily to King Mark for the tribute or +the champion. But no knight there would venture to assail him, for his +fame was very high in all the realm for strength and hardihood. + +Then made King Mark a proclamation throughout Cornwall, that if any knight +would fight Sir Marhaus he should stand at the king's right hand for +evermore, and have great honour and riches all the rest of his days. Anon +this news came to the land of Lyonesse, and when young Tristram heard it +he was angry and ashamed to think no knight of Cornwall durst assail the +Irish champion. "Alas," said he, "that I am not a knight, that I might +match this Marhaus! I pray you give me leave, sir, to depart to King +Mark's court and beg of his grace to make me knight." + +"Be ruled by thy own courage," said his father. + +So Tristram rode away forthwith to Tintagil to King Mark, and went up +boldly to him and said, "Sir, give me the order of knighthood and I will +fight to the uttermost with Sir Marhaus of Ireland." + +"What are ye, and whence come ye?" said the king, seeing he was but a +young man, though strong and well made both in body and limb. + +"My name is Tristram," said he, "and I was born in the country of +Lyonesse." + +"But know ye," said the king, "this Irish knight will fight with none who +be not come of royal blood and near of kin to kings or queens, as he +himself is, for his sister is the Queen of Ireland." + +Then said Tristram, "Let him know that I am come both on my father's and +my mother's side of blood as good as his, for my father is King Meliodas +and my mother was that Queen Elizabeth, thy sister, who died in the forest +at my birth." + +When King Mark heard that he welcomed him with all his heart, and knighted +him forthwith, and made him ready to go forth as soon as he would choose, +and armed him royally in armour covered with gold and silver. + +Then he sent Sir Marhaus word, "That a better man than he should fight +with him, Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, son of King Meliodas and of King +Mark's own sister." So the battle was ordained to be fought in an island +near Sir Marhaus' ships, and there Sir Tristram landed on the morrow, with +Governale alone attending him for squire, and him he sent back to the land +when he had made himself ready. + +When Sir Marhaus and Sir Tristram were thus left alone, Sir Marhaus said, +"Young knight Sir Tristram what doest thou here? I am full sorry for thy +rashness, for ofttimes have I been assailed in vain, and by the best +knights of the world. Be warned in time, return to them that sent thee." + +"Fair knight, and well-proved knight," replied Sir Tristram, "be sure that +I shall never quit this quarrel till one of us be overcome. For this cause +have I been made knight, and thou shalt know before we part that though as +yet unproved, I am a king's son and first-born of a queen. Moreover I have +promised to deliver Cornwall from this ancient burden, or to die. Also, +thou shouldst have known, Sir Marhaus, that thy valour and thy might are +but the better reasons why I should assail thee; for whether I win or lose +I shall gain honour to have met so great a knight as thou art." + +Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest against each +other, so that both knights and horses fell to the earth. But Sir Marhaus' +spear smote Sir Tristram a great wound in the side. Then, springing up +from their horses, they lashed together with their swords like two wild +boars. And when they had stricken together a great while they left off +strokes and lunged at one another's breasts and visors; but seeing this +availed not they hurtled together again to bear each other down. + +[Illustration: Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest +against each other.] + +Thus fought they more than half the day, till both were sorely spent and +blood ran from them to the ground on every side. But by this time Sir +Tristram remained fresher than Sir Marhaus and better winded, and with a +mighty stroke he smote him such a buffet as cut through his helm into his +brain-pan, and there his sword stuck in so fast that thrice Sir Tristram +pulled ere he could get it from his head. Then fell Sir Marhaus down upon +his knees, and the edge of Sir Tristram's sword broke off into his +brain-pan. And suddenly when he seemed dead, Sir Marhaus rose and threw +his sword and shield away from him and ran and fled into his ship. And +Tristram cried out after him, "Aha! Sir knight of the Round Table, dost +thou withdraw thee from so young a knight? it is a shame to thee and all +thy kin; I would rather have been hewn into a hundred pieces than have +fled from thee." + +But Sir Marhaus answered nothing, and sorely groaning fled away. + +"Farewell, Sir knight, farewell," laughed Tristram, whose own voice now +was hoarse and faint with loss of blood; "I have thy sword and shield in +my safe keeping, and will wear them in all places where I ride on my +adventures, and before King Arthur and the Table Round." + +Then was Sir Marhaus taken back to Ireland by his company; and as soon as +he arrived his wounds were searched, and when they searched his head they +found therein a piece of Tristram's sword; but all the skill of surgeons +was in vain to move it out. So anon Sir Marhaus died. + +But the queen, his sister, took the piece of sword-blade and put it safely +by, for she thought that some day it might help her to revenge her +brother's death. + +Meanwhile, Sir Tristram, being sorely wounded, sat down softly on a little +mound and bled passing fast; and in that evil case was found anon by +Governale and King Mark's knights. Then they gently took him up and +brought him in a barge back to the land, and lifted him into a bed within +the castle, and had his wounds dressed carefully. + +But for a great while he lay sorely sick, and was likely to have died of +the first stroke Sir Marhaus had given him with the spear, for the point +of it was poisoned. And, though the wisest surgeons and leeches--both men +and women--came from every part, yet could he be by no means cured. At +last came a wise lady, and said plainly that Sir Tristram never should be +healed, until he went and stayed in that same country whence the poison +came. When this was understood, the king sent Sir Tristram in a fair and +goodly ship to Ireland, and by fortune he arrived fast by a castle where +the king and queen were. And as the ship was being anchored, he sat upon +his bed and harped a merry lay, and made so sweet a music as was never +equalled. + +When the king heard that the sweet harper was a wounded knight, he sent +for him, and asked his name. "I am of the country of Lyonesse," he +answered, "and my name is Tramtrist;" for he dared not tell his true name +lest the vengeance of the queen should fall upon him for her brother's +death. + +"Well," said King Anguish, "thou art right welcome here, and shalt have +all the help this land can give thee; but be not anxious if I am at times +cast down and sad, for but lately in Cornwall the best knight in the +world, fighting for my cause, was slain; his name was Sir Marhaus, a +knight of King Arthur's Round Table." And then he told Sir Tristram all +the story of Sir Marhaus' battle, and Sir Tristram made pretence of great +surprise and sorrow, though he knew all far better than the king himself. + +Then was he put in charge of the king's daughter, La Belle Isault, to be +healed of his wound, and she was as fair and noble a lady as men's eyes +might see. And so marvellously was she skilled in medicine, that in a few +days she fully cured him; and in return Sir Tristram taught her the harp; +so, before long, they two began to love each other greatly. + +But at that time a heathen knight, Sir Palomedes, was in Ireland, and much +cherished by the king and queen. He also loved mightily La Belle Isault, +and never wearied of making her great gifts, and seeking for her favour, +and was ready even to be christened for her sake. Sir Tristram therefore +hated him out of measure, and Sir Palomedes was full of rage and envy +against Tristram. + +And so it befell that King Anguish proclaimed a great tournament to be +held, the prize whereof should be a lady called the Lady of the Launds, of +near kindred to the king: and her the winner of the tournament should wed +in three days afterwards, and possess all her lands. When La Belle Isault +told Sir Tristram of this tournament, he said, "Fair lady! I am yet a +feeble knight, and but for thee had been a dead man now: what wouldest +thou I should do? Thou knowest well I may not joust." + +"Ah, Tristram," said she, "why wilt thou not fight in this tournament? Sir +Palomedes will be there, and will do his mightiest; and therefore be thou +there, I pray thee, or else he will be winner of the prize." + +"Madam," said Tristram, "I will go, and for thy sake will do my best; but +let me go unknown to all men; and do thou, I pray thee, keep my counsel, +and help me to a disguise." + +So on the day of jousting came Sir Palomedes, with a black shield, and +overthrew many knights. And all the people wondered at his prowess; for on +the first day he put to the worse Sir Gawain, Sir Gaheris, Sir Agravaine, +Sir Key, and many more from far and near. And on the morrow he was +conqueror again, and overthrew the king with a hundred knights and the +King of Scotland. But presently Sir Tristram rode up to the lists, having +been let out at a privy postern of the castle, where none could see. La +Belle Isault had dressed him in white armour and given him a white horse +and shield, and so he came suddenly into the field as it had been a bright +angel. + +As soon as Sir Palomedes saw him he ran at him with a great spear in rest, +but Sir Tristram was ready, and at the first encounter hurled him to the +ground. Then there arose a great cry that the knight with the black shield +was overthrown. And Palomedes sorely hurt and shamed, sought out a secret +way and would have left the field; but Tristram watched him, and rode +after him, and bade him stay, for he had not yet done with him. Then did +Sir Palomedes turn with fury, and lash at Sir Tristram with his sword; but +at the first stroke Sir Tristram smote him to the earth, and cried, "Do +now all my commands, or take thy death." Then he yielded to Sir Tristram's +mercy, and promised to forsake La Belle Isault, and for twelve months to +wear no arms or armour. And rising up, he cut his armour off him into +shreds with rage and madness, and turned and left the field: and Sir +Tristram also left the lists, and rode back to the castle through the +postern gate. + +Then was Sir Tristram long cherished by the King and Queen of Ireland, and +ever with La Belle Isault. But on a certain day, while he was bathing, +came the queen with La Belle Isault by chance into his chamber, and saw +his sword lie naked on the bed: anon she drew it from the scabbard and +looked at it a long while, and both thought it a passing fair sword; but +within a foot and a half of the end there was a great piece broken out, +and while the queen was looking at the gap, she suddenly remembered the +piece of sword-blade that was found in the brain-pan of her brother Sir +Marhaus. + +Therewith she turned and cried, "By my faith, this is the felon knight who +slew thy uncle!" And running to her chamber she sought in her casket for +the piece of iron from Sir Marhaus' head and brought it back, and fitted +it in Tristram's sword; and surely did it fit therein as closely as it had +been but yesterday broke out. + +[Illustration: And running to her chamber, she sought in her casket for +the piece of iron ... and fitted it in Tristram's sword.] + +Then the queen caught the sword up fiercely in her hand, and ran into the +room where Sir Tristram was yet in his bath, and making straight for him, +had run him through the body, had not his squire, Sir Hebes, got her in +his arms, and pulled the sword away from her. + +Then ran she to the king, and fell upon her knees before him, saying, +"Lord and husband, thou hast here in thy house that felon knight who slew +my brother Marhaus!" + +"Who is it?" said the king. + +"It is Sir Tristram!" said she, "whom Isault hath healed." + +"Alas!" replied the king, "I am full grieved thereat, for he is a good +knight as ever I have seen in any field; but I charge thee leave thou him, +and let me deal with him." + +Then the king went to Sir Tristram's chamber and found him all armed and +ready to mount his horse, and said to him, "Sir Tristram, it is not to +prove me against thee I come, for it were shameful of thy host to seek thy +life. Depart in peace, but tell me first thy name, and whether thou +slewest my brother, Sir Marhaus." + +Then Sir Tristram told him all the truth, and how he had hid his name, to +be unknown in Ireland; and when he had ended, the king declared he held +him in no blame. "Howbeit, I cannot for mine honour's sake retain thee at +this court, for so I should displease my barons, and my wife, and all her +kin." + +"Sir," said Sir Tristram, "I thank thee for the goodness thou hast shown +me here, and for the great goodness my lady, thy daughter, hath shown me; +and it may chance to be more for thy advantage if I live than if I die; +for wheresoever I may be, I shall ever seek thy service, and shall be my +lady thy daughter's servant in all places, and her knight in right and +wrong, and shall never fail to do for her as much as knight can do." + +Then Sir Tristram went to La Belle Isault, and took his leave of her. "O +gentle knight," said she, "full of grief am I at your departing, for never +yet I saw a man to love so well." + +"Madam," said he, "I promise faithfully that all my life I shall be your +knight." + +Then Sir Tristram gave her a ring, and she gave him another, and after +that he left her, weeping and lamenting, and went among the barons, and +openly took his leave of them all, saying, "Fair lords, it so befalleth +that I now must depart hence; therefore, if there be any here whom I have +offended or who is grieved with me, let him now say it, and before I go I +will amend it to the utmost of my power. And if there be but one who +would speak shame of me behind my back, let him say it now or never, and +here is my body to prove it on--body against body." + +And all stood still and said no word, though some there were of the +queen's kindred who would have assailed him had they dared. + +So Sir Tristram departed from Ireland and took the sea and came with a +fair wind to Tintagil. And when the news came to King Mark that Sir +Tristram was returned, healed of his wound, he was passing glad, and so +were all his barons. And when he had visited the king his uncle, he rode +to his father, King Meliodas, and there had all the heartiest welcome that +could be made him. And both the king and queen gave largely to him of +their lands and goods. + +Anon he came again to King Mark's court, and there lived in great joy and +pleasure, till within a while the king grew jealous of his fame, and of +the love and favour shown him by all damsels. And as long as King Mark +lived, he never after loved Sir Tristram, though there was much fair +speech between them. + +Then it befell upon a certain day that the good knight Sir Bleoberis de +Ganis, brother to Sir Blamor de Ganis, and nigh cousin to Sir Lancelot of +the Lake, came to King Mark's court and asked of him a favour. And though +the king marvelled, seeing he was a man of great renown, and a knight of +the Round Table, he granted him all his asking. Then said Sir Bleoberis, +"I will have the fairest lady in your court, at my own choosing." + +"I may not say thee nay," replied the king; "choose therefore, but take +all the issues of thy choice." + +So when he had looked around, he chose the wife of Earl Segwarides, and +took her by the hand, and set her upon horseback behind his squire, and +rode forth on his way. + +Presently thereafter came in the earl, and rode out straightway after him +in rage. But all the ladies cried out shame upon Sir Tristram that he had +not gone, and one rebuked him foully and called him coward knight, that he +would stand and see a lady forced away from his uncle's court. But Sir +Tristram answered her, "Fair lady, it is not my place to take part in this +quarrel while her lord and husband is here to do it. Had he not been at +this court, peradventure I had been her champion. And if it so befall that +he speed ill, then may it happen that I speak with that foul knight before +he pass out of this realm." + +Anon ran in one of Sir Segwarides' squires, and told that his master was +sore wounded, and at the point of death. When Sir Tristram heard that, he +was soon armed and on his horse, and Governale, his servant, followed him +with shield and spear. + +And as he rode, he met his cousin Sir Andret, who had been commanded by +King Mark to bring home to him two knights of King Arthur's court who +roamed the country thereabouts seeking adventures. + +"What tidings?" said Sir Tristram. + +"God help me, never worse," replied his cousin; "for those I went to bring +have beaten and defeated me, and set my message at naught." + +"Fair cousin," said Sir Tristram, "ride ye on your way, perchance if I +should meet them ye may be revenged." + +So Sir Andret rode into Cornwall, but Sir Tristram rode after the two +knights who had misused him, namely, Sir Sagramour le Desirous, and Sir +Dodinas le Savage. And before long he saw them but a little way before +him. + +"Sir," said Governale, "by my advice thou wilt leave them alone, for they +be two well-proved knights of Arthur's court." + +"Shall I not therefore rather meet them?" said Sir Tristram, and, riding +swiftly after them, he called to them to stop, and asked them whence they +came, and whither they were going, and what they were doing in those +marches. + +Sir Sagramour looked haughtily at Sir Tristram, and made mocking of his +words, and said, "Fair knight, be ye a knight of Cornwall?" + +"Wherefore askest thou that?" said Tristram. + +"Truly, because it is full seldom seen," replied Sir Sagramour, "that +Cornish knights are valiant with their arms as with their tongues. It is +but two hours since there met us such a Cornish knight, who spoke great +words with might and prowess, but anon, with little mastery, he was laid +on earth, as I trow wilt thou be also." + +"Fair lords," said Sir Tristram, "it may chance I be a better man than he; +but, be that as it may, he was my cousin, and for his sake I will assail +ye both; one Cornish knight against ye two." + +When Sir Dodinas le Savage heard this speech, he caught at his spear and +said, "Sir knight, keep well thyself;" and then they parted and came +together as it had been thunder, and Sir Dodinas' spear split asunder; but +Sir Tristram smote him with so full a stroke as hurled him over his +horse's crupper, and nearly brake his neck. Sir Sagramour, seeing his +fellow's fall, marvelled who this new knight might be, and dressed his +spear, and came against Sir Tristram as a whirlwind; but Sir Tristram +smote him a mighty buffet, and rolled him with his horse down on the +ground; and in the falling he brake his thigh. + +Then, looking at them both as they lay grovelling on the grass, Sir +Tristram said, "Fair knights, will ye joust any more? Are there no bigger +knights in King Arthur's court? Will ye soon again speak shame of Cornish +knights?" + +"Thou hast defeated us, in truth," replied Sir Sagramour, "and on the +faith of knighthood I require thee tell us thy right name?" + +"Ye charge me by a great thing," said Sir Tristram, "and I will answer +ye." + +And when they heard his name the two knights were right glad that they had +met Sir Tristram, for his deeds were known through all the land, and they +prayed him to abide in their company. + +"Nay," said he, "I must find a fellow-knight of yours, Sir Bleoberis de +Ganis, whom I seek." + +"God speed you well," said the two knights; and Sir Tristram rode away. + +Soon he saw before him in a valley Sir Bleoberis with Sir Segwarides' wife +riding behind his squire upon a palfrey. At that he cried out aloud, +"Abide, Sir knight of King Arthur's court, bring back again that lady or +deliver her to me." + +"I will not," said Bleoberis, "for I dread no Cornish knight." + +"Why," said Sir Tristram, "may not a Cornish knight do well as any other? +This day, but three miles back, two knights of thy own court met me, and +found one Cornish knight enough for both before we parted." + +"What were their names?" said Sir Bleoberis. + +"Sir Sagramour le Desirous and Sir Dodinas le Savage," said Sir Tristram. + +"Ah," said Sir Bleoberis, amazed; "hast thou then met with them? By my +faith, they were two good knights and men of worship, and if thou hast +beat both thou must needs be a good knight; but for all that thou shalt +beat me also ere thou hast this lady." + +"Defend thee, then," cried out Sir Tristram, and came upon him swiftly +with his spear in rest. But Sir Bleoberis was as swift as he, and each +bore down the other, horse and all, on to the earth. + +Then they sprang clear of their horses, and lashed together full eagerly +and mightily with their swords, tracing and traversing on the right hand +and on the left more than two hours, and sometimes rushing together with +such fury that they both lay grovelling on the ground. At last Sir +Bleoberis started back and said, "Now, gentle knight, hold hard awhile, +and let us speak together." + +"Say on," said Sir Tristram, "and I will answer thee." + +"Sir," said Sir Bleoberis, "I would know thy name, and court, and +country." + +"I have no shame to tell them," said Sir Tristram. "I am King Meliodas' +son, and my mother was sister to King Mark, from whose court I now come. +My name is Sir Tristram de Lyonesse." "Truly," said Sir Bleoberis, "I am +right glad to hear it, for thou art he that slew Sir Marhaus hand-to-hand, +fighting for the Cornish tribute; and overcame Sir Palomedes at the great +Irish tournament, where also thou didst overthrow Sir Gawain and his nine +companions." + +"I am that knight," said Sir Tristram, "and now I pray thee tell me thy +name." + +"I am Sir Bleoberis de Ganis, cousin of Sir Lancelot of the Lake, one of +the best knights in all the world," he answered. + +"Thou sayest truth," said Sir Tristram; "for Sir Lancelot, as all men +know, is peerless in courtesy and knighthood, and for the great love I +bear to his name I will not willingly fight more with thee his kinsman." + +"In good faith, sir," said Sir Bleoberis, "I am as loth to fight thee +more; but since thou hast followed me to win this lady, I proffer thee +kindness, courtesy, and gentleness; this lady shall be free to go with +which of us she pleaseth best." + +"I am content," said Sir Tristram, "for I doubt not she will come to me." + +"That shalt thou shortly prove," said he, and called his squire, and set +the lady in the midst between them, who forthwith walked to Sir Bleoberis +and elected to abide with him. Which, when Sir Tristram saw, he was in +wondrous anger with her, and felt that he could scarce for shame return to +King Mark's court. But Sir Bleoberis said, "Hearken to me, good knight, +Sir Tristram, because King Mark gave me free choice of any gift, and +because this lady chose to go with me, I took her; but now I have +fulfilled my quest and my adventure, and for thy sake she shall be sent +back to her husband at the abbey where he lieth." + +So Sir Tristram rode back to Tintagil, and Sir Bleoberis to the abbey +where Sir Segwarides lay wounded, and there delivered up his lady, and +departed as a noble knight. + +After this adventure Sir Tristram abode still at his uncle's court, till +in the envy of his heart King Mark devised a plan to be rid of him. So on +a certain day he desired him to depart again for Ireland, and there demand +La Belle Isault on his behalf, to be his queen--for ever had Sir Tristram +praised her beauty and her goodness, till King Mark desired to wed her for +himself. Moreover, he believed his nephew surely would be slain by the +queen's kindred if he once were found again in Ireland. + +But Sir Tristram, scorning fear, made ready to depart, and took with him +the noblest knights that could be found, arrayed in the richest fashion. + +And when they were come to Ireland, upon a certain day Sir Tristram gave +his uncle's message, and King Anguish consented thereto. + +But when La Belle Isault was told the tidings she was very sorrowful and +loth--yet made she ready to set forth with Sir Tristram, and took with her +Dame Bragwaine, her chief gentlewoman. Then the queen gave Dame Bragwaine, +and Governale, Sir Tristram's servant, a little flask, and charged them +that La Belle Isault and King Mark should both drink of it on their +marriage day, and then should they surely love each other all their lives. + +Anon, Sir Tristram and Isault, with a great company, took the sea and +departed. And so it chanced that one day sitting in their cabin they were +athirst, and saw a little flask of gold which seemed to hold good wine. So +Sir Tristram took it up, and said, "Fair lady, this looketh to be the best +of wines, and your maid, Dame Bragwaine, and my servant, Governale, have +kept it for themselves." Thereat they both laughed merrily, and drank each +after other from the flask, and never before had they tasted any wine +which seemed so good and sweet. But by the time they had finished drinking +they loved each other so well that their love nevermore might leave them +for weal or woe. And thus it came to pass that though Sir Tristram might +never wed La Belle Isault, he did the mightiest deeds of arms for her sake +only all his life. + +[Illustration: By the time they had finished drinking they loved each +other so well that their love never more might leave them.] + +Then they sailed onwards till they came to a castle called Pluere, where +they would have rested. But anon there ran forth a great company and took +them prisoners. And when they were in prison, Sir Tristram asked a knight +and lady whom they found therein wherefore they were so shamefully dealt +with; "for," said he, "it was never the custom of any place of honour that +I ever came unto to seize a knight and lady asking shelter and thrust them +into prison, and a full evil and discourteous custom is it." + +"Sir," said the knight, "know ye not that this is called the Castle +Pluere, or the weeping castle, and that it is an ancient custom here that +whatsoever knight abideth in it must needs fight the lord of it, Sir +Brewnor, and he that is the weakest shall lose his head. And if the lady +he hath with him be less fair than the lord's wife, she shall lose her +head; but if she be fairer, then must the lady of the castle lose her +head." + +"Now Heaven help me," said Sir Tristram, "but this is a foul and shameful +custom. Yet have I one advantage, for my lady is the fairest that doth +live in all the world, so that I nothing fear for her; and as for me, I +will full gladly fight for my own head in a fair field." + +Then said the knight, "Look ye be up betimes to-morrow, and make you ready +and your lady." + +And on the morrow came Sir Brewnor to Sir Tristram, and put him and Isault +forth out of prison, and brought him a horse and armour, and bade him make +ready, for all the commons and estates of that lordship waited in the +field to see and judge the battle. + +Then Sir Brewnor, holding his lady by the hand, all muffled, came forth, +and Sir Tristram went to meet him with La Belle Isault beside him, muffled +also. Then said Sir Brewnor, "Sir knight, if thy lady be fairer than mine, +with thy sword smite off my lady's head; but if my lady be fairer than +thine, with my sword I will smite off thy lady's head. And if I overcome +thee thy lady shall be mine, and thou shalt lose thy head." + +"Sir knight," replied Sir Tristram, "this is a right foul and felon +custom, and rather than my lady shall lose her head will I lose my own." + +"Nay," said Sir Brewnor, "but the ladies shall be now compared together +and judgment shall be had." + +"I consent not," cried Sir Tristram, "for who is here that will give +rightful judgment? Yet doubt not that my lady is far fairer than thine +own, and that will I prove and make good." Therewith Sir Tristram lifted +up the veil from off La Belle Isault, and stood beside her with his naked +sword drawn in his hand. + +Then Sir Brewnor unmuffled his lady and did in like manner. But when he +saw La Belle Isault he knew that none could be so fair, and all there +present gave their judgment so. Then said Sir Tristram, "Because thou and +thy lady have long used this evil custom, and have slain many good knights +and ladies, it were a just thing to destroy thee both." + +"In good sooth," said Sir Brewnor, "thy lady is fairer than mine, and of +all women I never saw any so fair. Therefore, slay my lady if thou wilt, +and I doubt not but I shall slay thee and have thine." + +"Thou shalt win her," said Sir Tristram, "as dearly as ever knight won +lady; and because of thy own judgment and of the evil custom that thy lady +hath consented to, I will slay her as thou sayest." + +And therewithal Sir Tristram went to him and took his lady from him, and +smote off her head at a stroke. + +"Now take thy horse," cried out Sir Brewnor, "for since I have lost my +lady I will win thine and have thy life." + +So they took their horses and came together as fast as they could fly, and +Sir Tristram lightly smote Sir Brewnor from his horse. But he rose right +quickly, and when Sir Tristram came again he thrust his horse through both +the shoulders, so that it reeled and fell. But Sir Tristram was light and +nimble, and voided his horse, and rose up and dressed his shield before +him, though meanwhile, ere he could draw out his sword, Sir Brewnor gave +him three or four grievous strokes. Then they rushed furiously together +like two wild boars, and fought hurtling and hewing here and there for +nigh two hours, and wounded each other full sorely. Then at the last Sir +Brewnor rushed upon Sir Tristram and took him in his arms to throw him, +for he trusted greatly in his strength. But Sir Tristram was at that time +called the strongest and biggest knight of the world; for he was bigger +than Sir Lancelot, though Sir Lancelot was better breathed. So anon he +thrust Sir Brewnor grovelling to the earth, and then unlaced his helm and +struck off his head. Then all they that belonged to the castle came and +did him homage and fealty, and prayed him to abide there for a season and +put an end to that foul custom. + +But within a while he departed and came to Cornwall, and there King Mark +was forthwith wedded to La Belle Isault with great joy and splendour. + +And Sir Tristram had high honour, and ever lodged at the king's court. But +for all he had done him such services King Mark hated him, and on a +certain day he set two knights to fall upon him as he rode in the forest. +But Sir Tristram lightly smote one's head off, and sorely wounded the +other, and made him bear his fellow's body to the king. At that the king +dissembled and hid from Sir Tristram that the knights were sent by him; +yet more than ever he hated him in secret, and sought to slay him. + +So on a certain day, by the assent of Sir Andret, a false knight, and +forty other knights, Sir Tristram was taken prisoner in his sleep and +carried to a chapel on the rocks above the sea to be cast down. But as +they were about to cast him in, suddenly he brake his bonds asunder, and +rushing at Sir Andret, took his sword and smote him down therewith. Then, +leaping down the rocks where none could follow, he escaped them. But one +shot after him and wounded him full sorely with a poisoned arrow in the +arm. + +Anon, his servant Governale, with Sir Lambegus sought him and found him +safe among the rocks, and told him that King Mark had banished him and all +his followers to avenge Sir Andret's death. So they took ship and came to +Brittany. + +Now Sir Tristram, suffering great anguish from his wound, was told to seek +Isoude, the daughter of the King of Brittany, for she alone could cure +such wounds. Wherefore he went to King Howell's court, and said, "Lord, I +am come into this country to have help from thy daughter, for men tell me +none but she may help me." And Isoude gladly offering to do her best, +within a month he was made whole. + +While he abode still at that court, an earl named Grip made war upon King +Howell, and besieged him; and Sir Kay Hedius, the king's son, went forth +against him, but was beaten in battle and sore wounded. Then the king +praying Sir Tristram for his help, he took with him such knights as he +could find, and on the morrow, in another battle, did such deeds of arms +that all the land spake of him. For there he slew the earl with his own +hands, and more than a hundred knights besides. + +When he came back King Howell met him, and saluted him with every honour +and rejoicing that could be thought of, and took him in his arms, and +said, "Sir Tristram, all my kingdom will I resign to thee." + +"Nay," answered he, "God forbid, for truly am I beholden to you for ever +for your daughter's sake." + +Then the king prayed him to take Isoude in marriage, with a great dower of +lands and castles. To this Sir Tristram presently consenting anon they +were wedded at the court. + +But within a while Sir Tristram greatly longed to see Cornwall, and Sir +Kay Hedius desired to go with him. So they took ship; but as soon as they +were at sea the wind blew them upon the coast of North Wales, nigh to +Castle Perilous, hard by a forest wherein were many strange adventures +ofttimes to be met. Then said Sir Tristram to Sir Kay Hedius, "Let us +prove some of them ere we depart." So they took their horses and rode +forth. + +When they had ridden a mile or more, Sir Tristram spied a goodly knight +before him well armed, who sat by a clear fountain with a strong horse +near him, tied to an oak-tree. "Fair sir," said he, when they came near, +"ye seem to be a knight errant by your arms and harness, therefore make +ready now to joust with one of us, or both." + +Thereat the knight spake not, but took his shield and buckled it round his +neck, and leaping on his horse caught a spear from his squire's hand. + +Then said Sir Kay Hedius to Sir Tristram, "Let me assay him." + +"Do thy best," said he. + +So the two knights met, and Sir Kay Hedius fell sorely wounded in the +breast. + +"Thou hast well jousted," cried Sir Tristram to the knight; "now make +ready for me!" + +"I am ready," answered he, and encountered him, and smote him so heavily +that he fell down from his horse. Whereat, being ashamed, he put his +shield before him, and drew his sword, crying to the strange knight to do +likewise. Then they fought on foot for well nigh two hours, till they were +both weary. + +At last Sir Tristram said, "In all my life I never met a knight so strong +and well-breathed as ye be. It were a pity we should further hurt each +other. Hold thy hand, fair knight, and tell me thy name." + +"That will I," answered he, "if thou wilt tell me thine." + +"My name," said he, "is Sir Tristram of Lyonesse." + +"And mine, Sir Lamoracke of Gaul." + +Then both cried out together, "Well met;" and Sir Lamoracke said, "Sir, +for your great renown, I will that ye have all the worship of this battle, +and therefore will I yield me unto you." And therewith he took his sword +by the point to yield him. + +"Nay," said Sir Tristram, "ye shall not do so, for well I know ye do it of +courtesy, and not of dread." And therewith he offered his sword to Sir +Lamoracke, saying, "Sir, as an overcome knight, I yield me unto you as +unto the man of noblest powers I have ever met with." + +"Hold," said Sir Lamoracke, "let us now swear together nevermore to fight +against each other." + +Then did they swear as he said. + +Then Sir Tristram returned to Sir Kay Hedius, and when he was whole of his +wounds, they departed together in a ship, and landed on the coast of +Cornwall. And when they came ashore, Sir Tristram eagerly sought news of +La Belle Isault. And one told him in mistake that she was dead. Whereat, +for sore and grievous sorrow, he fell down in a swoon, and so lay for +three days and nights. + +When he awoke therefrom he was crazed, and ran into the forest and abode +there like a wild man many days; whereby he waxed lean and weak of body, +and would have died, but that a hermit laid some meat beside him as he +slept. Now in that forest was a giant named Tauleas, who, for fear of +Tristram, had hid himself within a castle, but when they told him he was +mad, came forth and went at large again. And on a certain day he saw a +knight of Cornwall, named Sir Dinaunt, pass by with a lady, and when he +had alighted by a well to rest, the giant leaped out from his ambush, and +took him by the throat to slay him. But Sir Tristram, as he wandered +through the forest, came upon them as they struggled; and when the knight +cried out for help, he rushed upon the giant, and taking up Sir Dinaunt's +sword, struck off therewith the giant's head, and straightway disappeared +among the trees. + +Anon, Sir Dinaunt took the head of Tauleas, and bare it with him to the +court of King Mark, whither he was bound, and told of his adventures. +"Where had ye this adventure?" said King Mark. + +"At a fair fountain in thy forest," answered he. + +"I would fain see that wild man," said the king. + +So within a day or two he commanded his knights to a great hunting in the +forest. And when the king came to the well, he saw a wild man lying there +asleep, having a sword beside him; but he knew not that it was Sir +Tristram. Then he blew his horn, and summoned all his knights to take him +gently up and bear him to the court. + +And when they came thereto they bathed and washed him, and brought him +somewhat to his right mind. Now La Belle Isault knew not that Sir Tristram +was in Cornwall; but when she heard that a wild man had been found in the +forest, she came to see him. And so sorely was he changed, she knew him +not. "Yet," said she to Dame Bragwaine, "in good faith I seem to have +beheld him ofttimes before." + +As she thus spoke a little hound, which Sir Tristram had given her when +she first came to Cornwall, and which was ever with her, saw Sir Tristram +lying there, and leapt upon him, licking his hands and face, and whined +and barked for joy. + +"Alas," cried out La Belle Isault, "it is my own true knight, Sir +Tristram." + +And at her voice Sir Tristram's senses wholly came again, and wellnigh he +wept for joy to see his lady living. + +But never would the hound depart from Tristram; and when King Mark and +other knights came up to see him, it sat upon his body and bayed at all +who came too near. Then one of the knights said, "Surely this is Sir +Tristram; I see it by the hound." + +"Nay," said the king, "it cannot be," and asked Sir Tristram on his faith +who he was. + +"My name," said he, "is Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, and now ye may do what +ye list with me." + +Then the king said, "It repents me that ye are recovered," and sought to +make his barons slay him. But most of them would not assent thereto, and +counselled him instead to banish Tristram for ten years again from +Cornwall, for returning without orders from the king. So he was sworn to +depart forthwith. + +And as he went towards the ship a knight of King Arthur, named Sir +Dinadan, who sought him, came and said, "Fair knight, ere that you pass +out of this country, I pray you joust with me!" + +"With a good will," said he. + +Then they ran together, and Sir Tristram lightly smote him from his horse. +Anon he prayed Sir Tristram's leave to bear him company, and when he had +consented they rode together to the ship. + +Then was Sir Tristram full of bitterness of heart, and said to all the +knights who took him to the shore, "Greet well King Mark and all mine +enemies from me, and tell them I will come again when I may. Well am I now +rewarded for slaying Sir Marhaus, and delivering this kingdom from its +bondage, and for the perils wherewithal I brought La Belle Isault from +Ireland to the king, and rescued her at the Castle Pluere, and for the +slaying of the giant Tauleas, and all the other deeds that I have done for +Cornwall and King Mark." Thus angrily and passing bitterly he spake, and +went his way. + +And after sailing awhile the ship stayed at a landing-place upon the coast +of Wales; and there Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan alighted, and on the +shore they met two knights, Sir Ector and Sir Bors. And Sir Ector +encountered with Sir Dinadan and smote him to the ground; but Sir Bors +would not encounter with Sir Tristram, "For," said he, "no Cornish knights +are men of worship." Thereat Sir Tristram was full wroth, but presently +there met them two more knights, Sir Bleoberis and Sir Driant; and Sir +Bleoberis proffered to joust with Sir Tristram, who shortly smote him +down. + +"I had not thought," cried out Sir Bors, "that any Cornish knight could do +so valiantly." + +Then Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan departed, and rode into a forest, and as +they rode a damsel met them, who for Sir Lancelot's sake was seeking any +noble knights to rescue him. For Queen Morgan le Fay, who hated him, had +ordered thirty men-at-arms to lie in ambush for him as he passed, with the +intent to kill him. So the damsel prayed them to rescue him. + +Then said Sir Tristram, "Bring me to that place, fair damsel." + +But Sir Dinadan cried out, "It is not possible for us to meet with thirty +knights! I will take no part in such a hardihood, for to match one or two +or three knights is enough; but to match fifteen I will never assay." + +"For shame," replied Sir Tristram, "do but your part." + +"That will I not," said he; "wherefore, I pray ye, lend me your shield, +for it is of Cornwall, and because men of that country are deemed cowards, +ye are but little troubled as ye ride with knights to joust with." + +"Nay," said Sir Tristram, "I will never give my shield up for her sake who +gave it me; but if thou wilt not stand by me to-day I will surely slay +thee; for I ask no more of thee than to fight one knight, and if thy heart +will not serve thee that much, thou shalt stand by and look on me and +them." + +"Would God that I had never met with ye!" cried Sir Dinadan; "but I +promise to look on and do all that I may to save myself." + +Anon they came to where the thirty knights lay waiting, and Sir Tristram +rushed upon them, saying, "Here is one who fights for love of Lancelot!" +Then slew he two of them at the first onset with his spear, and ten more +swiftly after with his sword. At that Sir Dinadan took courage, and +assailed the others with him, till they turned and fled. + +But Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan rode on till nightfall, and meeting with +a shepherd, asked him if he knew of any lodging thereabouts. + +"Truly, fair lords," said he, "there is good lodging in a castle hard by, +but it is a custom there that none shall lodge therein save ye first joust +with two knights, and as soon as ye be within, ye shall find your match." + +"That is an evil lodging," said Sir Dinadan; "lodge where ye will, I will +not lodge there." + +"Shame on thee!" said Sir Tristram; "art thou a knight at all?" + +Then he required him on his knighthood to go with him, and they rode +together to the castle. As soon as they were near, two knights came out +and ran full speed against them; but both of them they overthrew, and went +within the castle, and had noble cheer. Now, when they were unarmed and +ready to take rest, there came to the castle-gate two knights, Sir +Palomedes and Sir Gaheris, and desired the custom of the castle. + +"I would far rather rest than fight," said Sir Dinadan. + +"That may not be," replied Sir Tristram, "for we must needs defend the +custom of the castle, seeing we have overcome its lords; therefore, make +ready." + +"Alas that I ever came into your company," said Sir Dinadan. + +So they made ready, and Sir Gaheris encountered Sir Tristram and fell +before him; but Sir Palomedes overthrew Sir Dinadan. Then would all fight +on foot save Sir Dinadan, for he was sorely bruised and frighted by his +fall. And when Sir Tristram prayed him to fight, "I will not," answered +he, "for I was wounded by those thirty knights with whom we fought this +morning; and as to you, ye are in truth like one gone mad, and who would +cast himself away! There be but two knights in the world so mad, and the +other is Sir Lancelot, with whom I once rode forth, who kept me evermore +at battling so that for a quarter of a year thereafter I lay in my bed. +Heaven defend me again from either of your fellowships!" + +"Well," said Sir Tristram, "if it must be, I will fight them both." + +Therewith he drew his sword and assailed Sir Palomedes and Sir Gaheris +together; but Sir Palomedes said, "Nay, but it is a shame for two to fight +with one." So he bade Sir Gaheris stand by, and he and Sir Tristram fought +long together; but in the end Sir Tristram drave him backward, whereat Sir +Gaheris and Sir Dinadan with one accord sundered them. Then Sir Tristram +prayed the two knights to lodge there; but Sir Dinadan departed and rode +away into a priory hard by, and there he lodged that night. + +And on the morrow came Sir Tristram to the priory to find him, and seeing +him so weary that he could not ride, he left him, and departed. At that +same priory was lodged Sir Pellinore, who asked Sir Dinadan Sir Tristram's +name, but could not learn it, for Sir Tristram had charged that he should +remain unknown. Then said Sir Pellinore, "Since ye will not tell it me, I +will ride after him and find it myself." + +"Beware, Sir knight," said Sir Dinadan, "ye will repent it if ye follow +him." + +But Sir Pellinore straightway mounted and overtook him, and cried to him +to joust; whereat Sir Tristram forthwith turned and smote him down, and +wounded him full sorely in the shoulder. + +On the day after, Sir Tristram met a herald, who told him of a tournament +proclaimed between King Carados of Scotland, and the King of North Wales, +to be held at the Maiden's Castle. Now King Carados sought Sir Lancelot to +fight there on his side, and the King of North Wales sought Sir Tristram. +And Sir Tristram purposed to be there. So as he rode, he met Sir Key, the +seneschal, and Sir Sagramour, and Sir Key proffered to joust with him. But +he refused, desiring to keep himself unwearied for the tourney. Then Sir +Key cried, "Sir knight of Cornwall, joust with me, or yield as recreant." +When Sir Tristram heard that, he fiercely turned and set his spear in +rest, and spurred his horse towards him. But when Sir Key saw him so madly +coming on, he in his turn refused, whereat Sir Tristram called him coward, +till for shame he was compelled to meet him. Then Sir Tristram lightly +smote him down, and rode away. But Sir Sagramour pursued him, crying +loudly to joust with him also. So Sir Tristram turned and quickly +overthrew him likewise, and departed. + +Anon a damsel met him as he rode, and told him of a knight adventurous who +did great harm thereby, and prayed him for his help. But as he went with +her he met Sir Gawain, who knew the damsel for a maiden of Queen Morgan le +Fay. Knowing, therefore, that she needs must have evil plots against Sir +Tristram, Sir Gawain demanded of him courteously whither he went. + +"I know not whither," said he, "save as this damsel leadeth me." + +"Sir," said Sir Gawain, "ye shall not ride with her, for she and her lady +never yet did good to any;" and, drawing his sword, he said to the +damsel, "Tell me now straightway for what cause thou leadest this knight +or else shalt thou die; for I know of old thy lady's treason." + +"Mercy, Sir Gawain," cried the damsel, "and I will tell thee all." Then +she told him that Queen Morgan had ordained thirty fair damsels to seek +out Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristram, and by their wiles persuade them to her +castle, where she had thirty knights in wait to slay them. + +"Oh shame!" cried Sir Gawain, "that ever such foul treason should be +wrought by a queen, and a king's sister." Then said he to Sir Tristram, +"Sir knight, if ye will stand with me, we will together prove the malice +of these thirty knights." + +"I will not fail you," answered he, "for but few days since I had to do +with thirty knights of that same queen, and trust we may win honour as +lightly now as then." + +So they rode together, and when they came to the castle, Sir Gawain cried +aloud, "Queen Morgan le Fay, send out thy knights that we may fight with +them." + +Then the queen urged her knights to issue forth, but they durst not, for +they well knew Sir Tristram, and feared him greatly. + +So Sir Tristram and Sir Gawain went on their way, and as they rode they +saw a knight, named Sir Brewse-without-pity, chasing a lady, with intent +to slay her. Then Sir Gawain prayed Sir Tristram to hold still and let him +assail that knight. So he rode up between Sir Brewse and the lady, and +cried, "False knight, turn thee to me and leave that lady." Then Sir +Brewse turned and set his spear in rest, and rushed against Sir Gawain +and overthrew him, and rode his horse upon him as he lay, which when Sir +Tristram saw, he cried, "Forbear that villainy," and galloped at him. But +when Sir Brewse saw by the shield it was Sir Tristram, he turned and fled. +And though Sir Tristram followed swiftly after him, yet he was so well +horsed that he escaped. + +Anon Sir Tristram and Sir Gawain came nigh the Maiden's Castle, and there +an old knight named Sir Pellonnes gave them lodging. And Sir Persides, the +son of Sir Pellonnes, a good knight, came out to welcome them. And, as +they stood talking at a bay window of the castle, they saw a goodly knight +ride by on a black horse, and carrying a black shield. "What knight is +that?" asked Tristram. + +"One of the best knights in all the world," said Sir Persides. + +"Is he Sir Lancelot?" said Sir Tristram. + +"Nay," answered Sir Persides, "it is Sir Palomedes, who is yet +unchristened." + +Within a while one came and told them that a knight with a black shield +had smitten down thirteen knights. "Let us go and see this jousting," said +Sir Tristram. So they armed themselves and went down. And when Sir +Palomedes saw Sir Persides, he sent a squire to him and proffered him to +joust. So they jousted, and Sir Persides was overthrown. Then Sir Tristram +made ready to joust, but ere he had his spear in rest, Sir Palomedes took +him at advantage, and struck him on the shield so that he fell. At that +Sir Tristram was wroth out of measure and sore ashamed, wherefore he sent +a squire and prayed Sir Palomedes to joust once again. But he would not, +saying, "Tell thy master to revenge himself to-morrow at the Maiden's +Castle, where he shall see me again." + +So on the morrow Sir Tristram commanded his servant to give him a black +shield with no cognizance thereon, and he and Sir Persides rode into the +tournament and joined King Carados' side. + +Then the knights of the King of North Wales came forth, and there was a +great fighting and breaking of spears, and overthrow of men and horses. + +Now King Arthur sat above in a high gallery to see the tourney and give +the judgment, and Sir Lancelot sat beside him. Then came against Sir +Tristram and Sir Persides, two knights with them of North Wales, Sir +Bleoberis and Sir Gaheris; and Sir Persides was smitten down and nigh +slain, for four horsemen rode over him. But Sir Tristram rode against Sir +Gaheris and smote him from his horse, and when Sir Bleoberis next +encountered him, he overthrew him also. Anon they horsed themselves again, +and with them came Sir Dinadan, whom Sir Tristram forthwith smote so +sorely, that he reeled off his saddle. Then cried he, "Ah! Sir knight, I +know ye better than ye deem, and promise nevermore to come against ye." +Then rode Sir Bleoberis at him the second time, and had a buffet that +felled him to the earth. And soon thereafter the king commanded to cease +for that day, and all men marvelled who Sir Tristram was, for the prize of +the first day was given him in the name of the Knight of the Black Shield. + +Now Sir Palomedes was on the side of the King of North Wales, but knew not +Sir Tristram again. And, when he saw his marvellous deeds, he sent to ask +his name. "As to that," said Sir Tristram, "he shall not know at this +time, but tell him he shall know when I have broken two spears upon him, +for I am the knight he smote down yesterday, and whatever side he taketh, +I will take the other." + +So when they told him that Sir Palomedes would be on King Carados' +side--for he was kindred to King Arthur--"Then will I be on the King of +North Wales' side," said he, "but else would I be on my lord King +Arthur's." + +Then on the morrow, when King Arthur was come, the heralds blew unto the +tourney. And King Carados jousted with the King of a Hundred Knights and +fell before him, and then came in King Arthur's knights and bare back +those of North Wales. But anon Sir Tristram came to aid them and bare back +the battle, and fought so mightily that none could stand against him, for +he smote down on the right and on the left, so that all the knights and +common people shouted his praise. + +"Since I bare arms," said King Arthur, "never saw I a knight do more +marvellous deeds." + +Then the King of the Hundred Knights and those of North Wales, set upon +twenty knights who were of Sir Lancelot's kin, who fought all together, +none failing the others. When Sir Tristram beheld their nobleness and +valour, he marvelled much. "Well may he be valiant and full of prowess," +said he, "who hath such noble knights for kindred." So, when he had looked +on them awhile, he thought it shame to see two hundred men assailing +twenty, and riding to the King of a Hundred Knights, he said, "I pray +thee, Sir king, leave your fighting with those twenty knights, for ye be +too many and they be too few. For ye shall gain no honour if ye win, and +that I see verily ye will not do unless ye slay them; but if ye will not +stay, I will ride with them and help them." + +"Nay," said the king, "ye shall not do so; for full gladly I will do you +courtesy," and with that he withdrew his knights. + +Then Sir Tristram rode his way into the forest, that no man might know +him. And King Arthur caused the heralds to blow that the tourney should +end that day, and he gave the King of North Wales the prize, because Sir +Tristram was on his side. And in all the field there was such a cry that +the sound thereof was heard two miles away--"The knight with the black +shield hath won the field." + +"Alas!" said King Arthur, "where is that knight? it is shame to let him +thus escape us." Then he comforted his knights, and said, "Be not +dismayed, my friends, howbeit ye have lost the day; be of good cheer; +to-morrow I myself will be in the field, and fare with you." So they all +rested that night. + +And on the morrow the heralds blew unto the field. So the King of North +Wales and the King of a Hundred Knights encountered with King Carados and +the King of Ireland, and overthrew them. With that came King Arthur, and +did mighty deeds of arms, and overthrew the King of North Wales and his +fellows, and put twenty valiant knights to the worse. Anon came in Sir +Palomedes, and made great fight upon King Arthur's side. But Sir Tristram +rode furiously against him, and Sir Palomedes was thrown from his horse. +Then cried King Arthur, "Knight of the Black Shield, keep thyself." And as +he spake he came upon him, and smote him from his saddle to the ground, +and so passed on to other knights. Then Sir Palomedes having now another +horse rushed at Sir Tristram, as he was on foot, thinking to run over him. +But he was aware of him, and stepped aside, and grasped Sir Palomedes by +the arms, and pulled him off his horse. Then they rushed together with +their swords, and many stood still to gaze on them. And Sir Tristram smote +Sir Palomedes with three mighty strokes upon the helm, crying at each +stroke, "Take this for Sir Tristram's sake," and with that Sir Palomedes +fell to the earth. + +Anon the King of North Wales brought Sir Tristram another horse, and Sir +Palomedes found one also. Then did they joust again with passing rage, for +both by now were like mad lions. But Sir Tristram avoided his spear, and +seized Sir Palomedes by the neck, and pulled him from his saddle, and bore +him onward ten spears' length, and so let him fall. Then King Arthur drew +forth his sword and smote the spear asunder, and gave Sir Tristram two or +three sore strokes ere he could get at his own sword. But when he had it +in his hand he mightily assailed the king. With that eleven knights of +Lancelot's kin went forth against him, but he smote them all down to the +earth, so that men marvelled at his deeds. + +And the cry was now so great that Sir Lancelot got a spear in his hand, +and came down to assay Sir Tristram, saying, "Knight with the black +shield, make ready." When Sir Tristram heard him he levelled his spear, +and both stooping their heads, they ran together mightily, as it had been +thunder. And Sir Tristram's spear brake short, but Sir Lancelot struck him +with a deep wound in the side and broke his spear, yet overthrew him not. +Therewith Sir Tristram, smarting at his wound, drew forth his sword, and +rushing at Sir Lancelot, gave him mighty strokes upon the helm, so that +the sparks flew from it, and Sir Lancelot stooped his head down to the +saddle-bow. But then Sir Tristram turned and left the field, for he felt +his wound so grievous that he deemed he should soon die. Then did Sir +Lancelot hold the field against all comers, and put the King of North +Wales and his party to the worse. And because he was the last knight in +the field the prize was given him. + +But he refused to take it, and when the cry was raised, "Sir Lancelot hath +won the day," he cried out, "Nay, but Sir Tristram is the victor, for he +first began and last endured, and so hath he done each day." And all men +honoured Lancelot more for his knightly words than if he had taken the +prize. + +Thus was the tournament ended, and King Arthur departed to Caerleon, for +the Whitsun feast was now nigh come, and all the knights adventurous went +their ways. And many sought Sir Tristram in the forest whither he had +gone, and at last Sir Lancelot found him, and brought him to King Arthur's +court, as hath been told already. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +_The Quest of the Sangreal, and the Adventures of Sir Percival, Sir Bors, +and Sir Galahad_ + + +After these things, Merlin fell into a dotage of love for a damsel of the +Lady of the Lake, and would let her have no rest, but followed her in +every place. And ever she encouraged him, and made him welcome till she +had learned all his crafts that she desired to know. + +Then upon a time she went with him beyond the sea to the land of Benwicke, +and as they went he showed her many wonders, till at length she was +afraid, and would fain have been delivered from him. + +And as they were in the forest of Broceliande, they sat together under an +oak-tree, and the damsel prayed to see all that charm whereby men might be +shut up yet alive in rocks or trees. But he refused her a long time, +fearing to let her know, yet in the end, her prayers and kisses overcame +him, and he told her all. Then did she make him great cheer, but anon, as +he lay down to sleep, she softly rose, and walked about him waving her +hands and muttering the charm, and presently enclosed him fast within the +tree whereby he slept. And therefrom nevermore he could by any means come +out for all the crafts that he could do. And so she departed and left +Merlin. + +[Illustration: Waving her hands and muttering the charm, and presently +enclosed him fast within the tree.] + +At the vigil of the next Feast of Pentecost, when all the Knights of the +Round Table were met together at Camelot, and had heard mass, and were +about to sit down to meat, there rode into the hall a fair lady on +horseback, who went straight up to King Arthur where he sat upon his +throne, and reverently saluted him. + +"God be with thee, fair damsel," quoth the king; "what desirest thou of +me?" + +"I pray thee tell me, lord," she answered, "where Sir Lancelot is." + +"Yonder may ye see him," said King Arthur. + +Then went she to Sir Lancelot and said, "Sir, I salute thee in King +Pelles' name, and require thee to come with me into the forest hereby." + +Then asked he her with whom she dwelt, and what she wished of him. + +"I dwell with King Pelles," said she, "whom Balin erst so sorely wounded +when he smote the dolorous stroke. It is he who hath sent me to call +thee." + +"I will go with thee gladly," said Sir Lancelot, and bade his squire +straightway saddle his horse and bring his armour. + +Then came the queen to him and said, "Sir Lancelot, will ye leave me thus +at this high feast?" + +"Madam," replied the damsel, "by dinner-time to-morrow he shall be with +you." + +"If I thought not," said the queen, "he should not go with thee by my +goodwill." + +Then Sir Lancelot and the lady rode forth till they came to the forest, +and in a valley thereof found an abbey of nuns, whereby a squire stood +ready to open the gates. When they had entered, and descended from their +horses, a joyful crowd pressed round Sir Lancelot and heartily saluted +him, and led him to the abbess's chamber, and unarmed him. Anon he saw his +cousins likewise there, Sir Bors and Sir Lionel, who also made great joy +at seeing him, and said, "By what adventure art thou here, for we thought +to have seen thee at Camelot to-morrow?" + +"A damsel brought me here," said he, "but as yet I know not for what +service." + +As they thus talked twelve nuns came in, who brought with them a youth so +passing fair and well made, that in all the world his match could not be +found. His name was Galahad, and though he knew him not, nor Lancelot him, +Sir Lancelot was his father. + +"Sir," said the nuns, "we bring thee here this child whom we have +nourished from his youth, and pray thee to make him a knight, for from no +worthier hand can he receive that order." + +Then Sir Lancelot, looking on the youth, saw that he was seemly and demure +as a dove, with every feature good and noble, and thought he never had +beheld a better fashioned man of his years. "Cometh this desire from +himself?" said he. + +"Yea," answered Galahad and all the nuns. + +"To-morrow, then, in reverence for the feast, he shall have his wish," +said Sir Lancelot. + +And the next day at the hour of prime, he knighted him, and said, "God +make of thee as good a man as He hath made thee beautiful." + +Then with Sir Lionel and Sir Bors he returned to the court, and found all +gone to the minster to hear service. When they came into the banquet-hall +each knight and baron found his name written in some seat in letters of +gold, as "here ought to sit Sir Lionel," "here ought to sit Sir +Gawain,"--and so forth. And in the Perilous Seat, at the high centre of +the table, a name was also written, whereat they marvelled greatly, for no +living man had ever yet dared sit upon that seat, save one, and him a +flame leaped forth and drew down under earth, so that he was no more seen. + +Then came Sir Lancelot and read the letters in that seat, and said, "My +counsel is that this inscription be now covered up until the knight be +come who shall achieve this great adventure." So they made a veil of silk +and put it over the letters. + +In the meanwhile came Sir Gawain to the court and told the king he had a +message to him from beyond the sea, from Merlin. + +"For," said he, "as I rode through the forest of Broceliande but five days +since, I heard the voice of Merlin speaking to me from the midst of an +oak-tree, whereat, in great amazement, I besought him to come forth. But +he, with many groans, replied he never more might do so, for that none +could free him, save the damsel of the Lake, who had enclosed him there by +his own spells which he had taught her. 'But go,' said he, 'to King +Arthur, and tell him, that he now prepare his knights and all his Table +Round to seek the Sangreal, for the time is come when it shall be +achieved.'" + +When Sir Gawain had spoken thus, King Arthur sat pensive in spirit, and +mused deeply of the Holy Grale an what saintly knight should come who +might achieve it. + +Anon he bade them hasten to set on the banquet. "Sir," said Sir Key, the +seneschal, "if ye go now to meat ye will break the ancient custom of your +court, for never have ye dined at this high feast till ye have seen some +strange adventure." + +"Thou sayest truly," said the king, "but my mind was full of wonders and +musings, till I bethought me not of mine old custom." + +As they stood speaking thus, a squire ran in and cried, "Lord, I bring +thee marvellous tidings." + +"What be they?" said King Arthur. + +"Lord," said he, "hereby at the river is a marvellous great stone, which I +myself saw swim down hitherwards upon the water, and in it there is set a +sword, and ever the stone heaveth and swayeth on the water, but floateth +down no further with the stream." + +"I will go and see it," said the king. So all the knights went with him, +and when they came to the river, there surely found they a mighty stone of +red marble floating on the water, as the squire had said, and therein +stuck a fair and rich sword, on the pommel whereof were precious stones +wrought skilfully with gold into these words: "No man shall take me hence +but he by whose side I should hang, and he shall be the best knight in the +world." + +When the king read this, he turned round to Sir Lancelot, and said, "Fair +sir, this sword ought surely to be thine, for thou art the best knight in +all the world." + +But Lancelot answered soberly, "Certainly, sir, it is not for me; nor will +I have the hardihood to set my hand upon it. For he that toucheth it and +faileth to achieve it shall one day be wounded by it mortally. But I doubt +not, lord, this day will show the greatest marvels that we yet have seen, +for now the time is fully come, as Merlin hath forewarned us, when all the +prophecies about the Sangreal shall be fulfilled." + +Then stepped Sir Gawain forward and pulled at the sword, but could not +move it, and after him Sir Percival, to keep him fellowship in any peril +he might suffer. But no other knight durst be so hardy as to try. + +"Now may ye go to your dinner," said Sir Key, "for a marvellous adventure +ye have had." + +So all returned from the river, and every knight sat down in his own +place, and the high feast and banquet then was sumptuously begun, and all +the hall was full of laughter and loud talk and jests, and running to and +fro of squires who served their knights, and noise of jollity and mirth. + +Then suddenly befell a wondrous thing, for all the doors and windows of +the hall shut violently of themselves, and made thick darkness; and +presently there came a fair and gentle light from out the Perilous Seat, +and filled the palace with its beams. Then a dead silence fell on all the +knights, and each man anxiously beheld his neighbour. + +But King Arthur rose and said, "Lords and fair knights, have ye no fear, +but rejoice; we have seen strange things to-day, but stranger yet remain. +For now I know we shall to-day see him who may sit in the Siege Perilous, +and shall achieve the Sangreal. For as ye all well know, that holy vessel, +wherefrom at the Supper of our Lord before His death He drank the wine +with His disciples, hath been held ever since the holiest treasure of the +world, and wheresoever it hath rested peace and prosperity have rested +with it on the land. But since the dolorous stroke which Balin gave King +Pelles none have seen it, for Heaven, wroth with that presumptuous blow, +hath hid it none know where. Yet somewhere in the world it still may be, +and may be it is left to us, and to this noble order of the Table Round, +to find and bring it home, and make of this our realm the happiest in the +earth. Many great quests and perilous adventures have ye all taken and +achieved, but this high quest he only shall attain who hath clean hands +and a pure heart, and valour and hardihood beyond all othermen." + +While the king spoke there came in softly an old man robed all in white, +leading with him a young knight clad in red from top to toe, but without +armour or shield, and having by his side an empty scabbard. + +The old man went up to the king, and said, "Lord, here I bring thee this +young knight of royal lineage, and of the blood of Joseph of Arimathea, by +whom the marvels of thy court shall fully be accomplished." + +The king was right glad at his words, and said, "Sir, ye be right heartily +welcome, and the young knight also." + +Then the old man put on Sir Galahad (for it was he) a crimson robe trimmed +with fine ermine, and took him by the hand and led him to the Perilous +Seat, and lifting up the silken cloth which hung upon it, read these words +written in gold letters, "This is the seat of Sir Galahad, the good +knight." + +"Sir," said the old man, "this place is thine." + +Then sat Sir Galahad down firmly and surely, and said to the old man, +"Sir, ye may now go your way, for ye have done well and truly all ye were +commanded, and commend me to my grandsire, King Pelles, and say that I +shall see him soon." So the old man departed with a retinue of twenty +noble squires. + +But all the knights of the Round Table marvelled at Sir Galahad, and at +his tender age, and at his sitting there so surely in the Perilous Seat. + +Then the king led Sir Galahad forth from the palace, to show him the +adventure of the floating stone. "Here" said he, "is as great a marvel as +I ever saw, and right good knights have tried and failed to gain that +sword." + +"I marvel not thereat," said Galahad, "for this adventure is not theirs, +but mine; and for the certainty I had thereof, I brought no sword with me, +as thou mayst see here by this empty scabbard." + +Anon he laid his hand upon the sword, and lightly drew it from the stone, +and put it in his sheath, and said, "This sword was that enchanted one +which erst belonged to the good knight, Sir Balin, wherewith he slew +through piteous mistake his brother Balan; who also slew him at the same +time: all which great woe befell him through the dolorous stroke he gave +my grandsire, King Pelles, the wound whereof is not yet whole, nor shall +be till I heal him." + +As he stood speaking thus, they saw a lady riding swiftly down the river's +bank towards them, on a white palfrey; who, saluting the king and queen, +said, "Lord king, Nacien the hermit sendeth thee word that to thee shall +come to-day the greatest honour and worship that hath yet ever befallen a +king of Britain; for this day shall the Sangreal appear in thy house." + +With that the damsel took her leave, and departed the same way she came. + +"Now," said the king, "I know that from to-day the quest of the Sangreal +shall begin, and all ye of the Round Table will be scattered so that +nevermore shall I see ye again together as ye are now; let me then see a +joust and tournament amongst ye for the last time before ye go." + +So they all took their harness and met together in the meadows by Camelot, +and the queen and all her ladies sat in a tower to see. + +Then Sir Galahad, at the prayer of the king and queen, put on a coat of +light armour, and a helmet, but shield he would take none, and grasping a +lance, he drove into the middle of the press of knights, and began to +break spears marvellously, so that all men were full of wonder. And in so +short a time he had surmounted and exceeded the rest, save Sir Lancelot +and Sir Percival, that he took the chief worship of the field. + +Then the king and all the court and fellowship of knights went back to the +palace, and so to evensong in the great minster, a royal and goodly +company, and after that sat down to supper in the hall, every knight in +his own seat, as they had been before. + +Anon suddenly burst overhead the cracking and crying of great peals of +thunder, till the palace walls were shaken sorely, and they thought to see +them riven all to pieces. + +And in the midst of the blast there entered in a sunbeam, clearer by seven +times than ever they saw day, and a marvellous great glory fell upon them +all. Then each knight, looking on his neighbour, found his face fairer +than he had ever seen, and so--all standing on their feet--they gazed as +dumb men on each other, not knowing what to say. + +Then entered into the hall the Sangreal, borne aloft without hands through +the midst of the sunbeam, and covered with white samite, so that none +might see it. And all the hall was filled with perfume and incense, and +every knight was fed with the food he best loved. And when the holy vessel +had been thus borne through the hall, it suddenly departed, no man saw +whither. + +When they recovered breath to speak, King Arthur first rose up, and +yielded thanks to God and to our Lord. + +Then Sir Gawain sprang up and said, "Now have we all been fed by miracle +with whatsoever food we thought of or desired; but with our eyes we have +not seen the blessed vessel whence it came, so carefully and preciously it +was concealed. Therefore, I make a vow, that from to-morrow I shall labour +twelve months and a day in quest of the Sangreal, and longer if need be; +nor will I come again into this court until mine eyes have seen it +evidently." + +When he had spoken thus, knight after knight rose up and vowed himself to +the same quest, till the most part of the Round Table had thus sworn. + +But when King Arthur heard them all, he could not refrain his eyes from +tears, and said, "Sir Gawain, Sir Gawain, thou hast set me in great +sorrow, for I fear me my true fellowship shall never meet together here +again; and surely never Christian king had such a company of worthy +knights around his table at one time." + +And when the queen and her ladies and gentlewomen heard the vows, they had +such grief and sorrow as no tongue could tell; and Queen Guinevere cried +out, "I marvel that my lord will suffer them to depart from him." And many +of the ladies who loved knights would have gone with them, but were +forbidden by the hermit Nacien, who sent this message to all who had sworn +themselves to the quest: "Take with ye no lady nor gentlewoman, for into +so high a service as ye go in, no thought but of our Lord and heaven may +enter." + +On the morrow morning all the knights rose early, and when they were fully +armed, save shields and helms, they went in with the king and queen to +service in the minster. Then the king counted all who had taken the +adventure on themselves, and found them a hundred and fifty knights of the +Round Table; and so they all put on their helms, and rode away together in +the midst of cries and lamentations from the court, and from the ladies, +and from all the town. + +But the queen went alone to her chamber, that no man might see her sorrow; +and Sir Lancelot followed her to say farewell. + +When she saw him she cried out, "Oh, Sir Lancelot, thou hast betrayed me; +thou hast put me to death thus to depart and leave my lord the king." + +"Ah, madam," said he, "be not displeased or angry, for I shall come again +as soon as I can with honour." + +"Alas!" said she, "that ever I saw thee; but He that suffered death upon +the cross for all mankind be to thee safety and good conduct, and to all +thy company." + +Then Sir Lancelot saluted her and the king, and went forth with the rest, +and came with them that night to Castle Vagon, where they abode, and on +the morrow they departed from each other on their separate ways, every +knight taking the way that pleased him best. + +Now Sir Galahad went forth without a shield, and rode so four days without +adventure; and on the fourth day, after evensong, he came to an abbey of +white monks, where he was received in the house, and led into a chamber. +And there he was unarmed, and met two knights of the Round Table, King +Bagdemagus, and Sir Uwaine. + +"Sirs," said Sir Galahad, "what adventure hath brought ye here?" + +"Within this place, as we are told," they answered, "there is a shield no +man may bear around his neck without receiving sore mischance, or death +within three days." + +"To-morrow," said King Bagdemagus, "I shall attempt the adventure; and if +I fail, do thou, Sir Galahad, take it up after me." + +"I will willingly," said he; "for as ye see I have no shield as yet." + +So on the morrow they arose and heard mass, and afterwards King Bagdemagus +asked where the shield was kept. Then a monk led him behind the altar, +where the shield hung, as white as any snow, and with a blood-red cross in +the midst of it. + +"Sir," said the monk, "this shield should hang from no knight's neck +unless he be the worthiest in the world. I warn ye, therefore, knights; +consider well before ye dare to touch it." + +"Well," said King Bagdemagus, "I know well that I am far from the best +knight in all the world, yet shall I make the trial;" and so he took the +shield, and bore it from the monastery. + +"If it please thee," said he to Sir Galahad, "abide here till thou hearest +how I speed." + +"I will abide thee," said he. + +Then taking with him a squire who might return with any tidings to Sir +Galahad, the king rode forth; and before he had gone two miles, he saw in +a fair valley a hermitage, and a knight who came forth dressed in white +armour, horse and all, who rode fast against him. When they encountered, +Bagdemagus brake his spear upon the White Knight's shield, but was himself +struck through the shoulder with a sore wound, and hurled down from his +horse. Then the White Knight alighting, came and took the white shield +from the king, and said, "Thou hast done great folly, for this shield +ought never to be borne but by one who hath no living peer." And turning +to the squire, he said, "Bear thou this shield to the good knight, Sir +Galahad, and greet him well from me." + +"In whose name shall I greet him?" said the squire. + +"Take thou no heed of that," he answered; "it is not for thee or any +earthly man to know." + +"Now tell me, fair sir, at the least," said the squire, "why may this +shield be never borne except its wearer come to injury or death?" + +"Because it shall belong to no man save its rightful owner, Galahad," +replied the knight. + +Then the squire went to his master, and found him wounded nigh to death, +wherefore he fetched his horse, and bore him back with him to the abbey. +And there they laid him in a bed, and looked to his wounds; and when he +had lain many days grievously sick, he at the last barely escaped with his +life. + +"Sir Galahad," said the squire, "the knight who overthrew King Bagdemagus +sent you greeting, and bade you bear this shield." + +"Now blessed be God and fortune," said Sir Galahad, and hung the shield +about his neck, and armed him, and rode forth. + +Anon he met the White Knight by the hermitage, and each saluted +courteously the other. + +"Sir," said Sir Galahad, "this shield I bear hath surely a full marvellous +history." + +"Thou sayest rightly," answered he. "That shield was made in the days of +Joseph of Arimathea, the gentle knight who took our Lord down from the +cross. He, when he left Jerusalem with his kindred, came to the country of +King Evelake, who warred continually with one Tollome; and when, by the +teaching of Joseph, King Evelake became a Christian, this shield was made +for him in our Lord's name; and through its aid King Tollome was defeated. +For when King Evelake met him next in battle, he hid it in a veil, and +suddenly uncovering it, he showed his enemies the figure of a bleeding man +nailed to a cross, at sight of which they were discomfited and fled. +Presently after that, a man whose hand was smitten off touched the cross +upon the shield, and had his hand restored to him; and many other miracles +it worked. But suddenly the cross that was upon it vanished away. Anon +both Joseph and King Evelake came to Britain, and by the preaching of +Joseph the people were made Christians. And when at length he lay upon his +death-bed, King Evelake begged of him some token ere he died. Then, +calling for his shield, he dipped his finger in his own blood, for he was +bleeding fast, and none could staunch the wound, and marked that cross +upon it, saying, 'This cross shall ever show as bright as now, and the +last of my lineage shall wear this shield about his neck, and go forth to +all the marvellous deeds he will achieve.'" + +When the White Knight had thus spoken he vanished suddenly away, and Sir +Galahad returned to the abbey. + +As he alighted, came a monk, and prayed him to go see a tomb in the +churchyard, wherefrom came such a great and hideous noise, that none could +hear it but they went nigh mad, or lost all strength. "And sir," said he, +"I deem it is a fiend." + +"Lead me thither," said Sir Galahad. + +When they were come near the place, "Now," said the monk, "go thou to the +tomb, and lift it up." + +And Galahad, nothing afraid, quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith +came out a foul smoke, and from the midst thereof leaped up the loathliest +figure that ever he had seen in the likeness of man; and Galahad blessed +himself, for he knew it was a fiend of hell. Then he heard a voice crying +out, "Oh, Galahad, I cannot tear thee as I would; I see so many angels +round thee, that I may not come at thee." + +[Illustration: Galahad ... quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith came +out a foul smoke.] + +Then the fiend suddenly disappeared with a marvellous great cry; and Sir +Galahad, looking in the tomb, saw there a body all armed, with a sword +beside it. "Now, fair brother," said he to the monk, "let us remove this +cursed body, which is not fit to lie in a churchyard, for when it lived, a +false and perjured Christian man dwelt in it. Cast it away, and there +shall come no more hideous noises from the tomb." + +"And now must I depart," he added, "for I have much in hand, and am upon +the holy quest of the Sangreal, with many more good knights." + +So he took his leave, and rode many journeys backwards and forwards as +adventure would lead him; and at last one day he departed from a castle +without first hearing mass, which was it ever his custom to hear before he +left his lodging. Anon he found a ruined chapel on a mountain, and went in +and kneeled before the altar, and prayed for wholesome counsel what to do; +and as he prayed he heard a voice, which said, "Depart, adventurous +knight, unto the Maiden's Castle, and redress the violence and wrongs +there done!" + +Hearing these words he cheerfully arose, and mounted his horse, and rode +but half a mile, when he saw before him a strong castle, with deep ditches +round it, and a fair river running past. And seeing an old churl hard by, +he asked him what men called that castle. + +"Fair sir," said he, "it is the Maiden's Castle." + +"It is a cursed place," said Galahad, "and all its masters are but felons, +full of mischief and hardness and shame." + +"For that good reason," said the old man, "thou wert well-advised to turn +thee back." + +"For that same reason," quoth Sir Galahad, "will I the more certainly ride +on." + +Then, looking at his armour carefully, to see that nothing failed him, he +went forward, and presently there met him seven damsels, who cried out, +"Sir knight, thou ridest in great peril, for thou hast two waters to pass +over." + +"Why should I not pass over them?" said he, and rode straight on. + +Anon he met a squire, who said, "Sir knight, the masters of this castle +defy thee, and bid thee go no further, till thou showest them thy business +here." + +"Fair fellow," said Sir Galahad, "I am come here to destroy their wicked +customs." + +"If that be thy purpose," answered he, "thou wilt have much to do." + +"Go thou," said Galahad, "and hasten with my message." + +In a few minutes after rode forth furiously from the gateways of the +castle seven knights, all brothers, and crying out, "Knight, keep thee," +bore down all at once upon Sir Galahad. But thrusting forth his spear, he +smote the foremost to the earth, so that his neck was almost broken, and +warded with his shield the spears of all the others, which every one brake +off from it, and shivered into pieces. Then he drew out his sword, and set +upon them hard and fiercely, and by his wondrous force drave them before +him, and chased them to the castle gate, and there he slew them. + +At that came out to him an ancient man, in priest's vestments, saying, +"Behold, sir, here, the keys of this castle." + +Then he unlocked the gates, and found within a multitude of people, who +cried out, "Sir knight, ye be welcome, for long have we waited thy +deliverance," and told him that the seven felons he had slain had long +enslaved the people round about, and killed all knights who passed that +way, because the maiden whom they had robbed of the castle had foretold +that by one knight they should themselves be overthrown. + +"Where is the maiden?" asked Sir Galahad. + +"She lingereth below in a dungeon," said they. + +So Sir Galahad went down and released her, and restored her her +inheritance; and when he had summoned the barons of the country to do her +homage, he took his leave, and departed. + +Presently thereafter, as he rode, he entered a great forest, and in a +glade thereof met two knights, disguised, who proffered him to joust. +These were Sir Lancelot, his father, and Sir Percival, but neither knew +the other. So he and Sir Lancelot encountered first, and Sir Galahad smote +down his father. Then drawing his sword, for his spear was broken, he +fought with Sir Percival, and struck so mightily that he clave Sir +Percival's helm, and smote him from his horse. + +Now hard by where they fought there was a hermitage, where dwelt a pious +woman, a recluse, who, when she heard the sound, came forth, and seeing +Sir Galahad ride, she cried, "God be with thee, the best knight in the +world; had yonder knights known thee as well as I do, they would not have +encountered with thee." + +When Sir Galahad heard that, fearing to be made known, he forthwith smote +his horse with his spurs, and departed at a great pace. + +Sir Lancelot and Sir Percival heard her words also, and rode fast after +him, but within awhile he was out of their sight. Then Sir Percival rode +back to ask his name of the recluse; but Sir Lancelot went forward on his +quest, and following any path his horse would take, he came by-and-by +after nightfall to a stone cross hard by an ancient chapel. When he had +alighted and tied his horse up to a tree, he went and looked in through +the chapel door, which was all ruinous and wasted, and there within he saw +an altar, richly decked with silk, whereon there stood a fair candlestick +of silver, bearing six great lights. And when Sir Lancelot saw the light, +he tried to get within the chapel, but could find no place. So, being +passing weary and heavy, he came again to his horse, and when he had +unsaddled him, and set him free to pasture, he unlaced his helm, and +ungirded his sword, and laid him down to sleep upon his shield before the +cross. + +And while he lay between waking and sleeping, he saw come by him two white +palfreys bearing a litter, wherein a sick knight lay, and the palfreys +stood still by the cross. Then Sir Lancelot heard the sick man say, "O +sweet Lord, when shall this sorrow leave me, and the holy vessel pass by +me, wherethrough I shall be blessed? for I have long endured." + +With that Sir Lancelot saw the chapel open, and the candlestick with the +six tapers come before the cross, but he could see none who bare it. Then +came there also a table of silver, and thereon the holy vessel of the +Sangreal. And when the sick knight saw that, he sat up, and lifting both +his hands, said, "Fair Lord, sweet Lord, who art here within this holy +vessel, have mercy on me, that I may be whole;" and therewith he crept +upon his hands and knees so nigh, that he might touch the vessel; and when +he had kissed it, he leaped up, and stood and cried aloud, "Lord God, I +thank Thee, for I am made whole." Then the Holy Grale departed with the +table and the silver candlestick into the chapel, so that Sir Lancelot saw +it no more, nor for his sins' sake could he follow it. And the knight who +was healed went on his way. + +Then Sir Lancelot awake, and marvelled whether he had seen aught but a +dream. And as he marvelled, he heard a voice saying, "Sir Lancelot, thou +are unworthy, go thou hence, and withdraw thee from this holy place." And +when he heard that, he was passing heavy, for he bethought him of his +sins. + +So he departed weeping, and cursed the day of his birth, for the words +went into his heart, and he knew wherefore he was thus driven forth. Then +he went to seek his arms and horse, but could not find them; and then he +called himself the wretchedest and most unhappy of all knights, and said, +"My sin hath brought me unto great dishonour: for when I sought earthly +honours, I achieved them ever; but now I take upon me holy things, my +guilt doth hinder me, and shameth me; therefore had I no power to stir or +speak when the holy blood appeared before me." + +So thus he sorrowed till it was day, and he heard the birds sing; then was +he somewhat comforted, and departing from the cross on foot, he came into +a wild forest, and to a high mountain, and there he found a hermitage; +and, kneeling before the hermit down upon both his knees, he cried for +mercy for his wicked works, and prayed him to hear his confession. But +when he told his name, the hermit marvelled to see him in so sore a case, +and said, "Sir, ye ought to thank God more than any knight living, for He +hath given thee more honour than any; yet for thy presumption, while in +deadly sin to come into the presence of His flesh and blood, He suffered +thee neither to see nor follow it. Wherefore, believe that all thy +strength and manhood will avail thee little, when God is against thee." + +Then Sir Lancelot wept and said, "Now know I well ye tell me truth." + +Then he confessed to him, and told him all his sins, and how he had for +fourteen years served but Queen Guinevere only, and forgotten God, and +done great deeds of arms for her, and not for Heaven, and had little or +nothing thanked God for the honour that he won. And then Sir Lancelot +said, "I pray you counsel me." + +"I will counsel thee," said he: "never more enter into that queen's +company when ye can avoid it." + +So Sir Lancelot promised him. + +"Look that your heart and your mouth accord," said the good man, "and ye +shall have more honour and more nobleness than ever ye have had." + +Then were his arms and horse restored to him, and so he took his leave, +and rode forth, repenting greatly. + +Now Sir Percival had ridden back to the recluse, to learn who that knight +was whom she had called the best in the world. And when he had told her +that he was Sir Percival, she made passing great joy of him, for she was +his mother's sister, wherefore she opened her door to him, and made him +good cheer. And on the morrow she told him of her kindred to him, and they +both made great rejoicing. Then he asked her who that knight was, and she +told him, "He it is who on Whit Sunday last was clad in the red robe, and +bare the red arms; and he hath no peer, for he worketh all by miracle, and +shall be never overcome by any earthly hands." + +"By my goodwill," said Sir Percival, "I will never after these tidings +have to do with Sir Galahad but in the way of kindness; and I would fain +learn where I may find him." + +"Fair nephew," said she, "ye must ride to the Castle of Goth, where he +hath a cousin; by him ye may be lodged, and he will teach you the way to +go; but if he can tell you no tidings, ride straight to the Castle of +Carbonek, where the wounded king is lying, for there shall ye surely hear +true tidings of him." + +So Sir Percival departed from his aunt, and rode till evensong time, when +he was ware of a monastery closed round with walls and deep ditches, where +he knocked at the gate, and anon was let in. And there he had good cheer +that night, and on the morrow heard mass. And beside the altar where the +priest stood, was a rich bed of silk and cloth of gold; and on the bed +there lay a man passing old, having a crown of gold upon his head, and all +his body was full of great wounds, and his eyes almost wholly blind; and +ever he held up his hands and said, "Sweet Lord, forget not me!" + +Then Sir Percival asked one of the brethren who he was. + +"Sir," said the good man, "ye have heard of Joseph of Arimathea, how he +was sent of Jesus Christ into this land to preach and teach the Christian +faith. Now, in the city of Sarras he converted a king named Evelake, and +this is he. He came with Joseph to this land, and ever desired greatly to +see the Sangreal; so on a time he came nigh thereto, and was struck almost +blind. Then he cried out for mercy, and said, 'Fair Lord, I pray thee let +me never die until a good knight of my blood achieve the Sangreal, and I +may see and kiss him.' When he had thus prayed, he heard a voice that +said, 'Thy prayers be heard and answered, for thou shalt not die till that +knight kiss thee; and when he cometh shall thine eyes be opened and thy +wounds be healed.' And now hath he lived here for three hundred winters in +a holy life, and men say a certain knight of King Arthur's court shall +shortly heal him." + +Thereat Sir Percival marvelled greatly, for he well knew who that knight +should be; and so, taking his leave of the monk, departed. + +Then he rode on till noon, and came into a valley where he met twenty +men-at-arms bearing a dead knight on a bier. And they cried to him, +"Whence comest thou?" + +"From King Arthur's court," he answered. + +Then they all cried together, "Slay him," and set upon him. + +But he smote down the first man to the ground, and his horse upon him; +whereat seven of them all at once assailed him, and others slew his horse. +Thus he had been either taken or slain, but by good chance Sir Galahad was +passing by that way, who, seeing twenty men attacking one, cried, "Slay +him not," and rushed upon them; and, as fast as his horse could drive, he +encountered with the foremost man, and smote him down. Then, his spear +being broken, he drew forth his sword and struck out on the right hand and +on the left, at each blow smiting down a man, till the remainder fled, and +he pursued them. + +Then Sir Percival, knowing that it was Sir Galahad, would fain have +overtaken him, but could not, for his horse was slain. Yet followed he on +foot as fast as he could go; and as he went there met him a yeoman riding +on a palfrey, and leading in his hand a great black steed. So Sir Percival +prayed him to lend him the steed, that he might overtake Sir Galahad. But +he replied, "That can I not do, fair sir, for the horse is my master's, +and should I lend it he would slay me." So he departed, and Sir Percival +sat down beneath a tree in heaviness of heart. And as he sat, anon a +knight went riding past on the black steed which the yeoman had led. And +presently after came the yeoman back in haste, and asked Sir Percival if +he had seen a knight riding his horse. + +"Yea," said Sir Percival. + +"Alas," said the yeoman, "he hath reft him from me by strength, and my +master will slay me." + +Then he besought Sir Percival to take his hackney and follow, and get back +his steed. So he rode quickly, and overtook the knight, and cried, +"Knight, turn again." Whereat he turned and set his spear, and smote Sir +Percival's hackney in the breast, so that it fell dead, and then went on +his way. Then cried Sir Percival after him, "Turn now, false knight, and +fight with me on foot;" but he would not, and rode out of sight. + +Then was Sir Percival passing wroth and heavy of heart, and lay down to +rest beneath a tree, and slept till midnight. When he awoke he saw a woman +standing by him, who said to him right fiercely, "Sir Percival, what doest +thou here?" + +"I do neither good nor evil," said he. + +"If thou wilt promise me," said she, "to do my will whenever I shall ask +thee, I will bring thee here a horse that will bear thee wheresoever thou +desirest." + +At that he was full glad, and promised as she asked. Then anon she came +again, with a great black steed, strong and well apparelled. So Sir +Percival mounted, and rode through the clear moonlight, and within less +than an hour had gone a four days' journey, till he came to a rough water +that roared; and his horse would have borne him into it, but Sir Percival +would not suffer him, yet could he scarce restrain him. And seeing the +water so furious, he made the sign of the cross upon his forehead, whereat +the horse suddenly shook him off, and with a terrible sound leaped into +the water and disappeared, the waves all burning up in flames around him. +Then Sir Percival knew it was a fiend which had brought him the horse; so +he commended himself to God, and prayed that he might escape temptations, +and continued in prayer till it was day. + +Then he saw that he was on a wild mountain, nigh surrounded on all sides +by the sea, and filled with wild beasts; and going on into a valley, he +saw a serpent carrying a young lion by the neck. With that came another +lion, crying and roaring after the serpent, and anon overtook him, and +began to battle with him. And Sir Percival helped the lion, and drew his +sword, and gave the serpent such a stroke that it fell dead. Thereat the +lion fawned upon him like a dog, licking his hands, and crouching at his +feet, and at night lay down by him and slept at his side. + +And at noon the next day Sir Percival saw a ship come sailing before a +strong wind upon the sea towards him, and he rose and went towards it. And +when it came to shore, he found it covered with white samite, and on the +deck there stood an old man dressed in priest's robes, who said, "God be +with you, fair sir; whence come ye?" + +"I am a knight of King Arthur's court," said he, "and follow the quest of +the Sangreal; but here have I lost myself in this wilderness." + +"Fear nothing," said the old man, "for I have come from a strange country +to comfort thee." + +Then he told Sir Percival it was a fiend of hell upon which he had ridden +to the sea, and that the lion, whom he had delivered from the serpent, +meant the Church. And Sir Percival rejoiced at these tidings, and entered +into the ship, which presently sailed from the shore into the sea. + +Now when Sir Bors rode forth from Camelot to seek the Sangreal, anon he +met a holy man riding on an ass, and courteously saluted him. + +"Who are ye, son?" said the good man. + +"I am a knight," said he, "in quest of the Sangreal, and would fain have +thy counsel, for he shall have much earthly honour who may bring it to a +favourable end." + +"That is truth," said the good man, "for he shall be the best knight of +the world; yet know that none shall gain it save by sinless living." + +So they rode to his hermitage together, and there he prayed Sir Bors to +abide that night, and anon they went into the chapel, and Sir Bors was +confessed. And they eat bread and drank water together. + +"Now," said the hermit, "I pray thee eat no other food till thou sit at +the table where the Sangreal shall be." Thereto Sir Bors agreed. + +"Also," said the hermit, "it were wise that ye should wear a sackcloth +garment next your skin, for penance;" and in this also did Sir Bors as he +was counselled. And afterwards he armed himself and took his leave. + +Then rode he onwards all that day, and as he rode he saw a passing great +bird sit in an old dry tree, whereon no leaves were left; and many little +birds lay round the great one, nigh dead with hunger. Then did the big +bird smite himself with his own bill, and bled till he died amongst his +little ones, and they recovered life in drinking up his blood. When Sir +Bors saw this he knew it was a token, and rode on full of thought. And +about eventide he came to a tower, whereto he prayed admission, and he was +received gladly by the lady of the castle. But when a supper of many meats +and dainties was set before him, he remembered his vow, and bade a squire +to bring him water, and therein he dipped his bread, and ate. + +Then said the lady, "Sir Bors, I fear ye like not my meat." + +"Yea, truly," said he; "God thank thee, madam; but I may eat no other meat +this day." + +After supper came a squire, and said, "Madam, bethink thee to provide a +champion for thee to-morrow for the tourney, or else shall thy sister have +thy castle." + +At that the lady wept, and made great sorrow. But Sir Bors prayed her to +be comforted, and asked her why the tournament was held. Then she told him +how she and her sister were the daughters of King Anianse, who left them +all his lands between them; and how her sister was the wife of a strong +knight, named Sir Pridan le Noir, who had taken from herself all her +lands, save the one tower wherein she dwelt. "And now," said she, "this +also will they take, unless I find a champion by to-morrow." + +Then said Sir Bors, "Be comforted; to-morrow I will fight for thee;" +whereat she rejoiced not a little, and sent word to Sir Pridan that she +was provided and ready. And Sir Bors lay on the floor, and in no bed, nor +ever would do otherwise till he had achieved his quest. + +On the morrow he arose and clothed himself, and went into the chapel, +where the lady met him, and they heard mass together. Anon he called for +his armour, and went with a goodly company of knights to the battle. And +the lady prayed him to refresh himself ere he should fight, but he refused +to break his fast until the tournament were done. So they all rode +together to the lists, and there they saw the lady's eldest sister, and +her husband, Sir Pridan le Noir. And a cry was made by the heralds that, +whichever should win, his lady should have all the other's lands. + +Then the two knights departed asunder a little space, and came together +with such force, that both their spears were shivered, and their shields +and hauberks pierced through; and both fell to the ground sorely wounded, +with their horses under them. But swiftly they arose, and drew their +swords, and smote each other on the head with many great and heavy blows, +till the blood ran down their bodies; and Sir Pridan was a full good +knight, so that Sir Bors had more ado than he had thought for to overcome +him. + +But at last Sir Pridan grew a little faint; that instantly perceived Sir +Bors, and rushed upon him the more vehemently, and smote him fiercely, +till he rent off his helm, and then gave him great strokes upon his visage +with the flat of his sword, and bade him yield or be slain. + +And then Sir Pridan cried him mercy, and said, "For God's sake slay me +not, and I will never war against thy lady more." So Sir Bors let him go, +and his wife fled away with all her knights. + +Then all those who had held lands of the lady of the tower came and did +homage to her again, and swore fealty. And when the country was at peace +Sir Bors departed, and rode forth into a forest until it was midday, and +there befell him a marvellous adventure. + +For at a place where two ways parted, there met him two knights, bearing +Sir Lionel, his brother, all naked, bound on a horse, and as they rode, +they beat him sorely with thorns, so that the blood trailed down in more +than a hundred places from his body; but for all this he uttered no word +or groan, so great he was of heart. As soon as Sir Bors knew his brother, +he put his spear in rest to run and rescue him; but in the same moment +heard a woman's voice cry close beside him in the wood, "St. Mary, succour +thy maid;" and, looking round, he saw a damsel whom a felon knight dragged +after him into the thickets; and she, perceiving him, cried piteously for +help, and adjured him to deliver her as he was a sworn knight. Then was +Sir Bors sore troubled, and knew not what to do, for he thought within +himself, "If I let my brother be, he will be murdered; but if I help not +the maid, she is shamed for ever, and my vow compelleth me to set her +free; wherefore must I first help her, and trust my brother unto God." + +So, riding to the knight who held the damsel, he cried out, "Sir knight, +lay your hand off that maid, or else ye be but dead." + +At that the knight set down the maid, and dropped his shield, and drew +forth his sword against Sir Bors, who ran at him, and smote him through +both shield and shoulder, and threw him to the earth; and when he pulled +his spear forth, the knight swooned. Then the maid thanked Sir Bors +heartily, and he set her on the knight's horse, and brought her to her +men-at-arms, who presently came riding after her. And they made much joy, +and besought him to come to her father, a great lord, and he should be +right welcome. But "truly," said he, "I may not at this time, for I have a +great adventure yet to do;" and commending them to God, he departed in +great haste to find his brother. + +So he rode, seeking him by the track of the horses a great while. Anon he +met a seeming holy man riding upon a strong black horse, and asked him, +had he seen pass by that way a knight led bound and beaten with thorns by +two others. + +"Yea, truly, such an one I saw," said the man; "but he is dead, and lo! +his body is hard by in a bush." + +Then he showed him a newly slain body lying in a thick bush, which seemed +indeed to be Sir Lionel. Then made Sir Bors such mourning and sorrow that +by-and-by he fell into a swoon upon the ground. And when he came to +himself again, he took the body in his arms and put it on his horse's +saddle, and bore it to a chapel hard by, and would have buried it. But +when he made the sign of the cross, he heard a full great noise and cry as +though all the fiends of hell had been about him, and suddenly the body +and the chapel and the old man vanished all away. Then he knew that it was +the devil who had thus beguiled him, and that his brother yet lived. + +Then held he up his hands to heaven, and thanked God for his own escape +from hurt, and rode onwards; and anon, as he passed by an hermitage in a +forest, he saw his brother sitting armed by the door. And when he saw him +he was filled with joy, and lighted from his horse, and ran to him and +said, "Fair brother, when came ye hither?" + +But Sir Lionel answered, with an angry face, "What vain words be these, +when for you I might have been slain? Did ye not see me bound and led away +to death, and left me in that peril to go succouring a gentlewoman, the +like whereof no brother ever yet hath done? Now, for thy false misdeed, I +do defy thee, and ensure thee speedy death." + +Then Sir Bors prayed his brother to abate his anger, and said, "Fair +brother, remember the love that should be between us twain." + +But Sir Lionel would not hear, and prepared to fight and mounted his horse +and came before him, crying, "Sir Bors, keep thee from me, for I shall do +to thee as a felon and a traitor; therefore, start upon thy horse, for if +thou wilt not, I will run upon thee as thou standest." + +But for all his words Sir Bors would not defend himself against his +brother. And anon the fiend stirred up Sir Lionel to such rage, that he +rushed over him and overthrew him with his horse's hoofs, so that he lay +swooning on the ground. Then would he have rent off his helm and slain +him, but the hermit of that place ran out, and prayed him to forbear, and +shielded Sir Bors with his body. + +Then Sir Lionel cried out, "Now, God so help me, sir priest, but I shall +slay thee else thou depart, and him too after thee." + +And when the good man utterly refused to leave Sir Bors, he smote him on +the head until he died, and then he took his brother by the helm and +unlaced it, to have stricken off his head, and so he would have done, but +suddenly was pulled off backwards by a knight of the Round Table, who, by +the will of Heaven, was passing by that place--Sir Colgrevance by name. + +"Sir Lionel," he cried, "will ye slay your brother, one of the best +knights of all the world? That ought no man to suffer." + +"Why," said Sir Lionel, "will ye hinder me and meddle in this strife? +beware, lest I shall slay both thee and him." + +And when Sir Colgrevance refused to let them be, Sir Lionel defied him, +and gave him a great stroke through the helmet, whereat Sir Colgrevance +drew his sword, and smote again right manfully. And so long they fought +together that Sir Bors awoke from his swoon, and tried to rise and part +them, but had no strength to stand upon his feet. + +Anon Sir Colgrevance saw him, and cried out to him for help, for now Sir +Lionel had nigh defeated him. When Sir Bors heard that, he struggled to +his feet, and put his helmet on, and took his sword. But before he could +come to him, Sir Lionel had smitten off Sir Colgrevance's helm, and thrown +him to the earth and slain him. Then turned he to his brother as a man +possessed by fiends, and gave him such a stroke as bent him nearly double. + +But still Sir Bors prayed him for God's sake to quit that battle, "For if +it befell us that we either slew the other we should die for care of that +sin." + +"Never will I spare thee if I master thee," cried out Sir Lionel. + +Then Sir Bors drew his sword all weeping, and said, "Now, God have mercy +on me, though I defend my life against my brother;" with that he lifted up +his sword to strike, but suddenly he heard a mighty voice, "Put up thy +sword, Sir Bors, and flee, or thou shalt surely slay him." And then there +fell upon them both a fiery cloud, which flamed and burned their shields, +and they fell to the earth in sore dread. + +Anon Sir Bors rose to his feet, and saw that Sir Lionel had taken no harm. +Then came the voice again, and said, "Sir Bors, go hence and leave thy +brother, and ride thou forward to the sea, for there Sir Percival abideth +thee." + +Then he said to his brother, "Brother, forgive me all my trespass against +thee." + +And Sir Lionel answered, "God forgive it thee, as I do." + +Then he departed and rode to the sea, and on the strand he found a ship +all covered with white samite, and as soon as he had entered thereinto, +it put forth from the shore. And in the midst of the ship there stood an +armed knight, whom he knew to be Sir Percival. Then they rejoiced greatly +over each other, and said, "We lack nothing now but the good knight Sir +Galahad." + +Now when Sir Galahad had rescued Sir Percival from the twenty knights he +rode into a vast forest. And after many days it befell that he came to a +castle whereat was a tournament. And the knights of the castle were put to +the worse; which when he saw, he set his spear in rest and ran to help +them, and smote down many of their adversaries. And as it chanced, Sir +Gawain was amongst the stranger knights, and when he saw the white shield +with the red cross, he knew it was Sir Galahad, and proffered to joust +with him. So they encountered, and having broken their spears, they drew +their swords, and Sir Galahad smote Sir Gawain so sorely on the helm that +he clove it through, and struck on slanting to the earth, carving the +horse's shoulder in twain, and Sir Gawain fell to the earth. Then Sir +Galahad beat back all who warred against the castle, yet would he not wait +for thanks, but rode away that no man might know him. + +And he rested that night at a hermitage, and when he was asleep, he heard +a knocking at the door. So he rose, and found a damsel there, who said, +"Sir Galahad, I will that ye arm you, and mount upon your horse and follow +me, for I will show you within these three days the highest adventure that +ever any knight saw." + +Anon Sir Galahad armed him, and took his horse, and commended himself to +God, and bade the gentlewoman go, and he would follow where she liked. + +So they rode onwards to the sea as fast as their horses might gallop, and +at night they came to a castle in a valley, inclosed by running water, and +by strong and high walls, whereinto they entered and had great cheer, for +the lady of the castle was the damsel's mistress. + +And when he was unarmed, the damsel said to her lady, "Madam, shall we +abide here this night?" + +"Nay," said she, "but only till he hath dined and slept a little." + +So he ate and slept a while, till the maid called him, and armed him by +torchlight; and when he had saluted the lady of the castle, the damsel and +Sir Galahad rode on. + +Anon they came to the seaside, and lo! the ship, wherein were Sir Percival +and Sir Bors, abode by the shore. Then they cried, "Welcome, Sir Galahad, +for we have awaited thee long." + +Then they rejoiced to see each other, and told of all their adventures and +temptations. And the damsel went into the ship with them, and spake to Sir +Percival: "Sir Percival, know ye not who I am?" + +And he replied, "Nay, certainly, I know thee not." + +Then said she, "I am thy sister, the daughter of King Pellinore, and am +sent to help thee and these knights, thy fellows, to achieve the quest +which ye all follow." + +So Sir Percival rejoiced to see his sister, and they departed from the +shore. And after a while they came upon a whirlpool, where their ship +could not live. Then saw they another greater ship hard by and went +towards it, but saw neither man nor woman therein. And on the end of it +these words were written, "Thou who shalt enter me, beware that thou be in +steadfast belief, for I am Faith; and if thou doubtest, I cannot help +thee." Then were they all adread, but, commending themselves to God, they +entered in. + +As soon as they were on board they saw a fair bed; whereon lay a crown of +silk, and at the foot was a fair and rich sword drawn from its scabbard +half a foot and more. The pommel was of precious stones of many colours, +every colour having a different virtue, and the scales of the haft were of +two ribs of different beasts. The one was bone of a serpent from Calidone +forest, named the serpent of the fiend; and its virtue saveth all men who +hold it from weariness. The other was of a fish that haunteth the floods +of Euphrates, named Ertanax; and its virtue causeth whoever holdeth it to +forget all other things, whether of joy or pain, save the thing he seeth +before him. + +"In the name of God," said Sir Percival, "I shall assay to handle this +sword; "and set his hand to it, but could not grasp it. "By my faith," +said he, "now have I failed." + +Sir Bors set his hand to it, and failed also. + +Then came Sir Galahad, and saw these letters written red as blood, "None +shall draw me forth save the hardiest of all men; but he that draweth me +shall never be shamed or wounded to death." "By my faith," said Sir +Galahad, "I would draw it forth, but dare not try." + +"Ye may try safely," said the gentlewoman, Sir Percival's sister, "for be +ye well assured the drawing of this sword is forbid to all but you. For +this was the sword of David, King of Israel, and Solomon his son made for +it this marvellous pommel and this wondrous sheath, and laid it on this +bed till thou shouldest come and take it up; and though before thee some +have dared to raise it, yet have they all been maimed or wounded for their +daring." + +"Where," said Sir Galahad, "shall we find a girdle for it?" + +"Fair sir," said she, "dismay you not;" and therewith took from out a box +a girdle, nobly wrought with golden thread, set full of precious stones +and with a rich gold buckle. "This girdle, lords," said she, "is made for +the most part of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I +loved full well; but when I knew that this adventure was ordained me, I +cut off and wove as ye now see." + +[Illustration: "This girdle, lords," said she, "is made for the most part +of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I loved full +well."] + +Then they all prayed Sir Galahad to take the sword, and so anon he gripped +it in his fingers; and the maiden girt it round his waist, saying, "Now +reck I not though I die, for I have made thee the worthiest knight of all +the world." + +"Fair damsel," said Sir Galahad, "ye have done so much that I shall be +your knight all the days of my life." + +Then the ship sailed a great way on the sea, and brought them to land near +the Castle of Carteloise. When they were landed came a squire and asked +them, "Be ye of King Arthur's court?" + +"We are," said they. + +"In an evil hour are ye come," said he, and went back swiftly to the +castle. + +Within a while they heard a great horn blow, and saw a multitude of +well-armed knights come forth, who bade them yield or die. At that they +ran together, and Sir Percival smote one to the earth and mounted his +horse, and so likewise did Sir Bors and Sir Galahad, and soon had they +routed all their enemies and alighted on foot, and with their swords slew +them downright, and entered into the castle. + +Then came there forth a priest, to whom Sir Galahad kneeled and said, "In +sooth, good father, I repent me of this slaughter; but we were first +assailed, or else it had not been." + +"Repent ye not," said the good man, "for if ye lived as long as the world +lasted ye could do no better deed, for these were all the felon sons of a +good knight, Earl Hernox, whom they have thrown into a dungeon, and in his +name have slain priests and clerks, and beat down chapels far and near." + +Then Sir Galahad prayed the priest to bring him to the earl; who, when he +saw Sir Galahad, cried out, "Long have I waited for thy coming, and now I +pray thee hold me in thine arms that I may die in peace." + +And therewith, when Sir Galahad had taken him in his arms, his soul +departed from his body. + +Then came a voice in the hearing of them all, "Depart now, Sir Galahad, +and go quickly to the maimed king, for he hath long abided to receive +health from thy hand." + +So the three knights departed, and Sir Percival's sister with them, and +came to a vast forest, and saw before them a white hart, exceeding fair, +led by four lions; and marvelling greatly at that sight, they followed. + +Anon they came to a hermitage and a chapel, whereunto the hart entered, +and the lions with it. Then a priest offered mass, and presently they saw +the hart change into the figure of a man, most sweet and comely to behold; +and the four lions also changed and became a man, an eagle, a lion, and an +ox. And suddenly all those five figures vanished without sound. Then the +knights marvelled greatly, and fell upon their knees, and when they rose +they prayed the priest to tell them what that sight might mean. + +"What saw ye, sirs?" said he, "for I saw nothing." Then they told him. + +"Ah, lords!" said he, "ye are full welcome; now know I well ye be the +knights who shall achieve the Sangreal, for unto them alone such +mysteries are revealed. The hart ye saw is One above all men, white and +without blemish, and the four lions with Him are the four evangelists." + +When they heard that they heartily rejoiced, and thanking the priest, +departed. + +Anon, as they passed by a certain castle, an armed knight suddenly came +after them, and cried out to the damsel, "By the holy cross, ye shall not +go till ye have yielded to the custom of the castle." + +"Let her go," said Sir Percival, "for a maiden, wheresoever she cometh, is +free." + +"Whatever maiden passeth here," replied the knight, "must give a dishful +of her blood from her right arm." + +"It is a foul and shameful custom," cried Sir Galahad and both his +fellows, "and sooner will we die than let this maiden yield thereto." + +"Then shall ye die," replied the knight, and as he spake there came out +from a gate hard by, ten or twelve more, and encountered with them, +running upon them vehemently with a great cry. But the three knights +withstood them, and set their hands to their swords, and beat them down +and slew them. + +At that came forth a company of threescore knights, all armed. "Fair +lords," said Sir Galahad, "have mercy on yourselves and keep from us." + +"Nay, fair lords," they answered, "rather be advised by us, and yield ye +to our custom." + +"It is an idle word," said Galahad, "in vain ye speak it." + +"Well," said they, "will ye die?" + +"We be not come thereto as yet," replied Sir Galahad. + +Then did they fall upon each other, and Sir Galahad drew forth his sword, +and smote on the right hand and on the left, and slew so mightily that +all who saw him thought he was a monster and no earthly man. And both his +comrades helped him well, and so they held the field against that +multitude till it was night. Then came a good knight forward from the +enemy and said, "Fair knights, abide with us to-night and be right +welcome; by the faith of our bodies as we are true knights, to-morrow ye +shall rise unharmed, and meanwhile maybe ye will, of your own accord, +accept the custom of the castle when ye know it better." + +So they entered and alighted and made great cheer. Anon, they asked them +whence that custom came. "The lady of this castle is a leper," said they, +"and can be no way cured save by the blood of a pure virgin and a king's +daughter; therefore to save her life are we her servants bound to stay +every maid that passeth by, and try if her blood may not cure our +mistress." + +Then said the damsel, "Take ye of my blood as much as ye will, if it may +avail your lady." + +And though the three knights urged her not to put her life in that great +peril, she replied, "If I die to heal another's body, I shall get health +to my soul," and would not be persuaded to refuse. + +So on the morrow she was brought to the sick lady, and her arm was bared, +and a vein thereof was opened, and the dish filled with her blood. Then +the sick lady was anointed therewith, and anon she was whole of her +malady. With that Sir Percival's sister lifted up her hand and blessed +her, saying, "Madam, I am come to my death to make you whole; for God's +love pray for me;" and thus saying she fell down in a swoon. + +Then Sir Galahad, Sir Percival, and Sir Bors started to lift her up and +staunch her blood, but she had lost too much to live. So when she came to +herself she said to Sir Percival, "Fair brother, I must die for the +healing of this lady, and now, I pray thee, bury me not here, but when I +am dead put me in a boat at the next haven and let me float at venture on +the sea. And when ye come to the city of Sarras, to achieve the Sangreal, +shall ye find me waiting by a tower, and there I pray thee bury me, for +there shall Sir Galahad and ye also be laid." Thus having said, she died. + +Then Sir Percival wrote all the story of her life and put it in her right +hand, and so laid her in a barge and covered it with silk. And the wind +arising drove the barge from land, and all the knights stood watching it +till it was out of sight. + +Anon they returned to the castle, and forthwith fell a sudden tempest of +thunder and lightning and rain, as if the earth were broken up: and half +the castle was thrown down. Then came a voice to the three knights which +said, "Depart ye now asunder till ye meet again where the maimed king is +lying." So they parted and rode divers ways. + +Now after Sir Lancelot had left the hermit, he rode a long while till he +knew not whither to turn, and so he lay down to sleep, if haply he might +dream whither to go. + +And in his sleep a vision came to him saying, "Lancelot, rise up and take +thine armour, and enter the first ship that thou shalt find." + +When he awoke he obeyed the vision, and rode till he came to the +sea-shore, and found there a ship without sails or oars, and as soon as he +was in it he smelt the sweetest savour he had ever known, and seemed +filled with all things he could think of or desire. And looking round he +saw a fair bed, and thereon a gentlewoman lying dead, who was Sir +Percival's sister. And as Sir Lancelot looked on her he spied the writing +in her right hand, and, taking it, he read therein her story. And more +than a month thereafter he abode in that ship and was nourished by the +grace of Heaven, as Israel was fed with manna in the desert. + +And on a certain night he went ashore to pass the time, for he was +somewhat weary, and, listening, he heard a horse come towards him, from +which a knight alighted and went up into the ship; who, when he saw Sir +Lancelot, said, "Fair sir, ye be right welcome to mine eyes, for I am thy +son Galahad, and long time I have sought for thee." With that he kneeled +and asked his blessing, and took off his helm and kissed him, and the +great joy there was between them no tongue can tell. + +Then for half a year they dwelt together in the ship, and served God night +and day with all their powers, and went to many unknown islands, where none +but wild beasts haunted, and there found many strange and perilous +adventures. + +And upon a time they came to the edge of a forest, before a cross of +stone, and saw a knight armed all in white, leading a white horse. Then +the knight saluted them, and said to Galahad, "Ye have been long time +enough with your father; now, therefore, leave him and ride this horse +till ye achieve the Holy Quest." + +Then went Sir Galahad to his father and kissed him full courteously, and +said, "Fair father, I know not when I shall see thee again." + +And as he took his horse a voice spake in their hearing, "Ye shall meet no +more in this life." + +"Now, my son, Sir Galahad," said Sir Lancelot, "since we must so part and +see each other never more, I pray the High Father of Heaven to preserve +both you and me." + +Then they bade farewell, and Sir Galahad entered the forest, and Sir +Lancelot returned to the ship, and the wind rose and drove him more than a +month through the sea, whereby he slept but little, yet ever prayed that +he might see the Sangreal. + +So it befell upon a certain midnight, the moon shining clear, he came +before a fair and rich castle, whereof the postern gate was open towards +the sea, having no keeper save two lions in the entry. + +Anon Sir Lancelot heard a voice: "Leave now thy ship and go within the +castle, and thou shalt see a part of thy desire." + +Then he armed and went towards the gate, and coming to the lions he drew +out his sword, but suddenly a dwarf rushed out and smote him on the arm, +so that he dropt his sword, and heard again the voice, "Oh, man of evil +faith, and poor belief, wherefore trustest thou thine arms above thy +Maker?" Then he put up his sword and signed the cross upon his forehead, +and so passed by the lions without hurt. + +And going in, he found a chamber with the door shut, which in vain he +tried to open. And listening thereat he heard a voice within, which sang +so sweetly that it seemed no earthly thing, "Joy and honour be to the +Father of Heaven!" Then he kneeled down at the door, for he knew well the +Sangreal was there within. + +Anon the door was opened without hands, and forthwith came thereout so +great a splendour as if all the torches of the world had been alight +together. But when he would have entered in, a voice forbad him; wherefore +he drew back, and looked, standing upon the threshold of the door. And +there he saw a table of silver, and the holy vessel covered with red +samite, and many angels round it holding burning candles and a cross and +all the ornaments of the altar. + +Then a priest stood up and offered mass, and when he took the vessel up, +he seemed to sink beneath that burden. At that Sir Lancelot cried, "O +Father, take it not for sin that I go in to help the priest, who hath much +need thereof." So saying, he went in, but when he came towards the table +he felt a breath of fire which issued out therefrom and smote him to the +ground, so that he had no power to rise. + +Then felt he many hands about him, which took him up and laid him down +outside the chapel door. There lay he in a swoon all through that night, +and on the morrow certain people found him senseless, and bore him to an +inner chamber and laid him on a bed. And there he rested, living, but +moving no limbs, twenty-four days and nights. + +On the twenty-fifth day he opened his eyes and saw those standing round, +and said, "Why have ye waked me? for I have seen marvels that no tongue +can tell, and more than any heart can think." + +Then he asked where he was, and they told him, "In the Castle of +Carbonek." + +"Tell your lord, King Pelles," said he, "that I am Sir Lancelot." + +At that they marvelled greatly, and told their lord it was Sir Lancelot +who had lain there so long. + +Then was King Pelles wondrous glad and went to see him, and prayed him to +abide there for a season. But Sir Lancelot said, "I know well that I have +now seen as much as mine eyes may behold of the Sangreal; wherefore I will +return to my own country." So he took leave of King Pelles, and departed +towards Logris. + +Now after Sir Galahad had parted from Sir Lancelot, he rode many days, +till he came to the monastery where the blind King Evelake lay, whom Sir +Percival had seen. And on the morrow, when he had heard mass, Sir Galahad +desired to see the king, who cried out, "Welcome, Sir Galahad, servant of +the Lord! long have I abided thy coming. Take me now in thine arms, that I +may die in peace." + +At that Sir Galahad embraced him; and when he had so done the king's eyes +were opened, and he said, "Fair Lord Jesus, suffer me now to come to +Thee;" and anon his soul departed. + +Then they buried him royally, as a king should be; and Sir Galahad went on +his way. + +Within a while he came to a chapel in a forest, in the crypt whereof he +saw a tomb which always blazed and burnt. And asking the brethren what +that might mean, they told him, "Joseph of Arimathea's son did found this +monastery, and one who wronged him hath lain here these three hundred and +fifty years and burneth evermore, until that perfect knight who shall +achieve the Sangreal doth quench the fire." + +Then said he, "I pray ye bring me to the tomb." + +And when he touched the place immediately the fire was quenched, and a +voice came from the grave and cried, "Thanks be to God, who now hath +purged me of my sin, and draweth me from earthly pains into the joys of +paradise." + +Then Sir Galahad took the body in his arms and bore it to the abbey, and +on the morrow put it in the earth before the high altar. + +Anon he departed from thence and rode five days in a great forest; and +after that he met Sir Percival, and a little further on Sir Bors. When +they had told each other their adventures, they rode together to the +Castle of Carbonek: and there King Pelles gave them hearty welcome, for he +knew they should achieve the Holy Quest. + +As soon as they were come into the castle, a voice cried in the midst of +the chamber, "Let them who ought not now to sit at the table of the Lord +rise and depart hence!" Then all, save those three knights, departed. + +Anon they saw other knights come in with haste at the hall doors and take +their harness off, who said to Sir Galahad, "Sir, we have tried sore to be +with you at this table." + +"Ye be welcome," said he, "but whence are ye?" + +So three of them said they were from Gaul; and three from Ireland; and +three from Denmark. + +Then came forth the likeness of a bishop, with a cross in his hand, and +four angels stood by him, and a table of silver was before them, whereon +was set the vessel of the Sangreal. Then came forth other angels also--two +bearing burning candles, and the third a towel, and the fourth a spear +which bled marvellously, the drops wherefrom fell into a box he held in +his left hand. Anon the bishop took the wafer up to consecrate it, and at +the lifting up, they saw the figure of a Child, whose visage was as bright +as any fire, which smote itself into the midst of the wafer and vanished, +so that all saw the flesh made bread. + +Thereat the bishop went to Galahad and kissed him, and bade him go and +kiss his fellows; and said, "Now, servants of the Lord, prepare for food +such as none ever yet were fed with since the world began." + +With that he vanished, and the knights were filled with a great dread and +prayed devoutly. + +Then saw they come forth from the holy vessel the vision of a man bleeding +all openly, whom they knew well by the tokens of His passion for the Lord +Himself. At that they fell upon their faces and were dumb. Anon he brought +the Holy Grale to them and spake high words of comfort, and, when they +drank therefrom, the taste thereof was sweeter than any tongue could tell +or heart desire. Then a voice said to Galahad, "Son, with this blood which +drippeth from the spear anoint thou the maimed king and heal him. And when +thou hast this done, depart hence with thy brethren in a ship that ye +shall find, and go to the city of Sarras. And bear with thee the holy +vessel, for it shall no more be seen in the realm of Logris." + +At that Sir Galahad walked to the bleeding spear, and therefrom anointing +his fingers went out straightway to the maimed King Pelles, and touched +his wound. Then suddenly he uprose from his bed as whole a man as ever he +was, and praised God passing thankfully with all his heart. + +Then Sir Galahad, Sir Bors, and Sir Percival departed as they had been +told; and when they had ridden three days they came to the sea-shore, and +found the ship awaiting them. Therein they entered, and saw in the midst +the silver table and the vessel of the Sangreal, covered with red samite. +Then were they passing glad, and made great reverence thereto. And Sir +Galahad prayed that now he might leave the world and pass to God. And +presently, the while he prayed, a voice said to him, "Galahad, thy prayer +is heard, and when thou asketh the death of the body thou shalt have it, +and find the life of thy soul." + +But while they prayed and slept the ship sailed on, and when they woke +they saw the city of Sarras before them, and the other ship wherein was +Sir Percival's sister. Then the three knights took up the holy table and +the Sangreal and went into the city; and there, in a chapel, they buried +Sir Percival's sister right solemnly. + +Now at the gate of the town they saw an old cripple sitting, whom Sir +Galahad called to help them bear their weight. + +"Truly," said the old man, "it is ten years since I have gone a step +without these crutches." + +"Care ye not," said Sir Galahad; "rise now and show goodwill." + +So he assayed to move, and found his limbs as strong as any man's might +be, and running to the table helped to carry it. + +Anon there rose a rumour in the city that a cripple had been healed by +certain marvellous strange knights. + +But the king, named Estouranse, who was a heathen tyrant, when he heard +thereof took Sir Galahad and his fellows, and put them in prison in a deep +hole. Therein they abode a great while, but ever the Sangreal was with +them and fed them with marvellous sweet food, so that they fainted not, +but had all joy and comfort they could wish. + +At the year's end the king fell sick and felt that he should die. Then +sent he for the three knights, and when they came before him prayed their +mercy for his trespasses against them. So they forgave him gladly, and +anon he died. + +Then the chief men of the city took counsel together who should be king in +his stead, and as they talked, a voice cried in their midst, "Choose ye +the youngest of the three knights King Estouranse cast into prison for +your king." At that they sought Sir Galahad and made him king with the +assent of all the city, and else they would have slain him. + +But within a twelvemonth came to him, upon a certain day, as he prayed +before the Sangreal, a man in likeness of a bishop, with a great company +of angels round about him, who offered mass, and afterwards called to Sir +Galahad, "Come forth, thou servant of the Lord, for the time hath come +thou hast desired so long." + +Then Sir Galahad lifted up his hands and prayed, "Now, blessed Lord! would +I no longer live if it might please Thee." + +Anon the bishop gave him the sacrament, and when he had received it with +unspeakable gladness, he said, "Who art thou, father?" + +"I am Joseph of Arimathea," answered he, "whom our Lord hath sent to bear +thee fellowship." + +When he heard that, Sir Galahad went to Sir Percival and Sir Bors and +kissed them and commended them to God, saying, "Salute for me Sir +Lancelot, my father, and bid him remember this unstable world." + +Therewith he kneeled down and prayed, and suddenly his soul departed, and +a multitude of angels bare it up to heaven. Then came a hand from heaven +and took the vessel and the spear and bare them out of sight. + +Since then was never man so hardy as to say that he had seen the Sangreal. + +And after all these things, Sir Percival put off his armour and betook him +to an hermitage, and within a little while passed out of this world. And +Sir Bors, when he had buried him beside his sister, returned, weeping sore +for the loss of his two brethren, to King Arthur, at Camelot. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +_Sir Lancelot and the Fair Maid of Astolat_ + + +Now after the quest of the Sangreal was fulfilled and all the knights who +were left alive were come again to the Round Table, there was great joy in +the court. And passing glad were King Arthur and Queen Guinevere to see +Sir Lancelot and Sir Bors, for they had been long absent in that quest. + +And so greatly was Sir Lancelot's fame now spread abroad that many ladies +and damsels daily resorted to him and besought him for their champion; and +all right quarrels did he gladly undertake for the pleasure of our Lord +Christ. And always as much as he might he withdrew him from the queen. + +Wherefore Queen Guinevere, who counted him for her own knight, grew wroth +with him, and on a certain day she called him to her chamber, and said +thus: "Sir Lancelot, I daily see thy loyalty to me doth slack, for ever +thou art absent from this court, and takest other ladies' quarrels on thee +more than ever thou wert wont. Now do I understand thee, false knight, and +therefore shall I never trust thee more. Depart now from my sight, and +come no more within this court upon pain of thy head." With that she +turned from him and would hear no excuses. + +So Sir Lancelot departed in heaviness of heart, and calling Sir Bors, Sir +Ector, and Sir Lionel, he told them how the queen had dealt with him. + +"Fair sir," replied Sir Bors, "remember what honour ye have in this +country, and how ye are called the noblest knight in the world; wherefore +go not, for women are hasty, and do often what they sore repent of +afterwards. Be ruled by my advice. Take horse and ride to the hermitage +beside Windsor, and there abide till I send ye better tidings." + +To that Sir Lancelot consented, and departed with a sorrowful countenance. + +Now when the queen heard of his leaving she was inwardly sorry, but made +no show of grief, bearing a proud visage outwardly. And on a certain day +she made a costly banquet to all the knights of the Round Table, to show +she had as great joy in all others as in Sir Lancelot. And at the banquet +were Sir Gawain, and his brothers Sir Agravaine, Sir Gaheris, and Sir +Gareth; also Sir Modred, Sir Bors, Sir Blamor, Sir Bleoberis, Sir Ector, +Sir Lionel, Sir Palomedes, Sir Mador de la Port, and his cousin Sir +Patrice--a knight of Ireland, Sir Pinell le Savage, and many more. + +Now Sir Pinell hated Sir Gawain because he had slain one of his kinsmen by +treason; and Sir Gawain had a great love for all kinds of fruit, which, +when Sir Pinell knew, he poisoned certain apples that were set upon the +table, with intent to slay him. And so it chanced as they ate and made +merry, Sir Patrice, who sat next to Sir Gawain, took one of the poisoned +apples and eat it, and when he had eaten he suddenly swelled up and fell +down dead. + +At that every knight leapt from the board ashamed and enraged nigh out of +their wits, for they knew not what to say, yet seeing that the queen had +made the banquet they all had suspicion of her. + +"My lady the queen," said Sir Gawain, "I wit well this fruit was meant for +me, for all men know my love for it, and now had I been nearly slain; +wherefore, I fear me, ye will be ashamed." + +"This shall not end so," cried Sir Mador de la Port; "now have I lost a +noble knight of my own blood, and for this despite and shame I will be +revenged to the uttermost." + +Then he challenged Queen Guinevere concerning the death of his cousin, but +she stood still, sore abashed, and anon with her sorrow and dread, she +swooned. + +At the noise and sudden cry came in King Arthur, and to him appealed Sir +Mador, and impeached the queen. + +"Fair lords," said he, "full sorely am I troubled at this matter, for I +must be rightful judge, and therein it repenteth me I may not do battle +for my wife, for, as I deem, this deed was none of hers. But I suppose she +will not lack a champion, and some good knight surely will put his body in +jeopardy to save her." + +But all who had been bidden to the banquet said they could not hold the +queen excused, or be her champions, for she had made the feast, and either +by herself or servants must it have come. + +"Alas!" said the queen, "I made this dinner for a good intent, and no +evil, so God help me in my need." + +"My lord the king," said Sir Mador, "I require you heartily as you be a +righteous king give me a day when I may have justice." + +"Well," said the king, "I give ye this day fifteen days, when ye shall be +ready and armed in the meadow beside Westminster, and if there be a +knight to fight with you, God speed the right, and if not, then must my +queen be burnt." + +When the king and queen were alone together he asked her how this case +befell. + +"I wot not how or in what manner," answered she. + +"Where is Sir Lancelot?" said King Arthur, "for he would not grudge to do +battle for thee." + +"Sir," said she, "I cannot tell you, but all his kinsmen deem he is not in +this realm." + +"These be sad tidings," said the king; "I counsel ye to find Sir Bors, and +pray him for Sir Lancelot's sake to do this battle for you." + +So the queen departed and sent for Sir Bors to her chamber, and besought +his succour. + +"Madam," said he, "what would you have me do? for I may not with my honour +take this matter on me, for I was at that same dinner, and all the other +knights would have me ever in suspicion. Now do ye miss Sir Lancelot, for +he would not have failed you in right nor yet in wrong, as ye have often +proved, but now ye have driven him from the country." + +"Alas! fair knight," said the queen, "I put me wholly at your mercy, and +all that is done amiss I will amend as ye will counsel me." + +And therewith she kneeled down upon both her knees before Sir Bors, and +besought him to have mercy on her. + +Anon came in King Arthur also, and prayed him of his courtesy to help her, +saying, "I require you for the love of Lancelot." + +"My lord," said he, "ye require the greatest thing of me that any man can +ask, for if I do this battle for the queen I shall anger all my fellows of +the Table Round; nevertheless, for my lord Sir Lancelot's sake, and for +yours, I will that day be the queen's champion, unless there chance to +come a better knight than I am to do battle for her." And this he promised +on his faith. + +Then were the king and queen passing glad, and thanked him heartily, and +so departed. + +But Sir Bors rode in secret to the hermitage where Sir Lancelot was, and +told him all these tidings. + +"It has chanced as I would have it," said Sir Lancelot; "yet make ye ready +for the battle, but tarry till ye see me come." + +"Sir," said Sir Bors, "doubt not but ye shall have your will." + +But many of the knights were greatly wroth with him when they heard he was +to be the queen's champion, for there were few in the court but deemed her +guilty. + +Then said Sir Bors, "Wit ye well, fair lords, it were a shame to us all to +suffer so fair and noble a lady to be burnt for lack of a champion, for +ever hath she proved herself a lover of good knights; wherefore I doubt +not she is guiltless of this treason." + +At that were some well pleased, but others rested passing wroth. + +And when the day was come, the king and queen and all the knights went to +the meadow beside Westminster, where the battle should be fought. Then the +queen was put in ward, and a great fire was made round the iron stake, +where she must be burnt if Sir Mador won the day. + +So when the heralds blew, Sir Mador rode forth, and took oath that Queen +Guinevere was guilty of Sir Patrice's death, and his oath he would prove +with his body against any who would say the contrary. Then came forth Sir +Bors, and said, "Queen Guinevere is in the right, and that will I prove +with my hands." + +With that they both departed to their tents to make ready for the battle. +But Sir Bors tarried long, hoping Sir Lancelot would come, till Sir Mador +cried out to King Arthur, "Bid thy champion come forth, unless he dare +not." Then was Sir Bors ashamed, and took his horse and rode to the end of +the lists. + +But ere he could meet Sir Mador he was ware of a knight upon a white +horse, armed at all points, and with a strange shield, who rode to him and +said, "I pray you withdraw from this quarrel, for it is mine, and I have +ridden far to fight in it." + +Thereat Sir Bors rode to King Arthur, and told him that another knight was +come who would do battle for the queen. + +"Who is he?" said King Arthur. + +"I may not tell you," said Sir Bors; "but he made a covenant with me to be +here to-day, wherefore I am discharged." + +Then the king called that knight, and asked him if he would fight for the +queen. + +"Therefore came I hither, Sir king," answered he; "but let us tarry no +longer, for anon I have other matters to do. But wit ye well," said he to +the Knights of the Round Table, "it is shame to ye for such a courteous +queen to suffer this dishonour." + +And all men marvelled who this knight might be, for none knew him save Sir +Bors. + +Then Sir Mador and the knight rode to either end of the lists, and +couching their spears, ran one against the other with all their might; and +Sir Mador's spear broke short, but the strange knight bore both him and +his horse down to the ground. Then lightly they leaped from their saddles +and drew their swords, and so came eagerly to the battle, and either gave +the other many sad strokes and sore and deep wounds. + +Thus they fought nigh an hour, for Sir Mador was a full strong and valiant +knight. But at last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave +him such a buffet on the helm as wellnigh killed him. Then did Sir Mador +yield, and prayed his life. + +[Illustration: At last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave +him such a buffet on the helm as well-nigh killed him. ] + +"I will but grant it thee," said the strange knight, "if thou wilt release +the queen from this quarrel for ever, and promise that no mention shall be +made upon Sir Patrice's tomb that ever she consented to that treason." + +"All this shall be done," said Sir Mador. + +Then the knights parters took up Sir Mador and led him to his tent, and +the other knight went straight to the stair foot of King Arthur's throne; +and by that time was the queen come to the king again, and kissed him +lovingly. + +Then both the king and she stooped down, and thanked the knight, and +prayed him to put off his helm and rest him, and to take a cup of wine. +And when he put his helmet off to drink, all people saw it was Sir +Lancelot. But when the queen beheld him she sank almost to the ground +weeping for sorrow and for joy, that he had done her such great goodness +when she had showed him such unkindness. + +Then the knights of his blood gathered round him, and there was great joy +and mirth in the court. And Sir Mador and Sir Lancelot were soon healed of +their wounds; and not long after came the Lady of the Lake to the court, +and told all there by her enchantments how Sir Pinell, and not the queen, +was guilty of Sir Patrice's death. Whereat the queen was held excused of +all men, and Sir Pinell fled the country. + +So Sir Patrice was buried in the church of Winchester, and it was written +on his tomb that Sir Pinell slew him with a poisoned apple, in error for +Sir Gawain. Then, through Sir Lancelot's favour, the queen was reconciled +to Sir Mador, and all was forgiven. + +Now fifteen days before the Feast of the Assumption of our Lady, the king +proclaimed a tourney to be held that feast-day at Camelot, whereat himself +and the King of Scotland would joust with all who should come against +them. So thither went the King of North Wales, and King Anguish of +Ireland, and Sir Galahaut the noble prince, and many other nobles of +divers countries. + +And King Arthur made ready to go, and would have had the queen go with +him, but she said that she was sick. Sir Lancelot, also, made excuses, +saying he was not yet whole of his wounds. + +At that the king was passing heavy and grieved, and so departed alone +towards Camelot. And by the way he lodged in a town called Astolat, and +lay that night in the castle. + +As soon as he had gone, Sir Lancelot said to the queen, "This night I will +rest, and to-morrow betimes will I take my way to Camelot; for at these +jousts I will be against the king and his fellowship." + +"Ye may do as ye list," said Queen Guinevere; "but by my counsel ye will +not be against the king, for in his company are many hardy knights, as ye +well know." + +"Madam," said Sir Lancelot, "I pray ye be not displeased with me, for I +will take the adventure that God may send me." + +And on the morrow he went to the church and heard mass, and took his leave +of the queen, and so departed. + +Then he rode long till he came to Astolat, and there lodged at the castle +of an old baron called Sir Bernard of Astolat, which was near the castle +where King Arthur lodged. And as Sir Lancelot entered the king espied him, +and knew him. Then said he to the knights, "I have just seen a knight who +will fight full well at the joust toward which we go." + +"Who is it?" asked they. + +"As yet ye shall not know," he answered smiling. + +When Sir Lancelot was in his chamber unarming, the old baron came to him +saluting him, though as yet he knew not who he was. + +Now Sir Bernard had a daughter passing beautiful, called the Fair Maid of +Astolat, and when she saw Sir Lancelot she loved him from that instant +with her whole heart, and could not stay from gazing on him. + +On the morrow, Sir Lancelot asked the old baron to lend him a strange +shield. "For," said he, "I would be unknown." + +"Sir," said his host, "ye shall have your desire, for here is the shield +of my eldest son, Sir Torre, who was hurt the day he was made knight, so +that he cannot ride; and his shield, therefore, is not known. And, if it +please you, my youngest son, Sir Lavaine, shall ride with you to the +jousts, for he is of his age full strong and mighty; and I deem ye be a +noble knight, wherefore I pray ye tell me your name." + +"As to that," said Sir Lancelot, "ye must hold me excused at this time, +but if I speed well at the jousts, I will come again and tell you; but in +anywise let me have your son, Sir Lavaine, with me, and lend me his +brother's shield." + +Then, ere they departed, came Elaine, the baron's daughter, and said to +Sir Lancelot, "I pray thee, gentle knight, to wear my token at to-morrow's +tourney." + +"If I should grant you that, fair damsel," said he, "ye might say that I +did more for you than ever I have done for lady or damsel." + +Then he bethought him that if he granted her request he would be the more +disguised, for never before had he worn any lady's token. So anon he said, +"Fair damsel, I will wear thy token on my helmet if thou wilt show it me." + +Thereat was she passing glad, and brought him a scarlet sleeve broidered +with pearls, which Sir Lancelot took, and put upon his helm. Then he +prayed her to keep his shield for him until he came again, and taking Sir +Torre's shield instead, rode forth with Sir Lavaine towards Camelot. + +On the morrow the trumpets blew for the tourney, and there was a great +press of dukes and earls and barons and many noble knights; and King +Arthur sat in a gallery to behold who did the best. So the King of +Scotland and his knights, and King Anguish of Ireland rode forth on King +Arthur's side; and against them came the King of North Wales, the King of +a Hundred Knights, the King of Northumberland, and the noble prince Sir +Galahaut. + +But Sir Lancelot and Sir Lavaine rode into a little wood behind the party +which was against King Arthur, to watch which side should prove the +weakest. + +Then was there a strong fight between the two parties, for the King of a +Hundred Knights smote down the King of Scotland; and Sir Palomedes, who +was on King Arthur's side, overthrew Sir Galahaut. Then came fifteen +Knights of the Round Table and beat back the Kings of Northumberland and +North Wales with their knights. + +"Now," said Sir Lancelot to Sir Lavaine, "if ye will help me, ye shall +see yonder fellowship go back as fast as they came." + +"Sir," said Sir Lavaine, "I will do what I can." + +Then they rode together into the thickest of the press, and there, with +one spear, Sir Lancelot smote down five Knights of the Round Table, one +after other, and Sir Lavaine overthrew two. And taking another spear, for +his own was broken, Sir Lancelot smote down four more knights, and Sir +Lavaine a fifth. Then, drawing his sword, Sir Lancelot fought fiercely on +the right hand and the left, and unhorsed Sir Safire, Sir Epinogris, and +Sir Galleron. At that the Knights of the Round Table withdrew themselves +as well as they were able. + +"Now, mercy," said Sir Gawain, who sat by King Arthur; "what knight is +that who doth such marvellous deeds of arms? I should deem him by his +force to be Sir Lancelot, but that he wears a lady's token on his helm as +never Lancelot doth." + +"Let him be," said King Arthur; "he will be better known, and do more ere +he depart." + +Thus the party against King Arthur prospered at this time, and his knights +were sore ashamed. Then Sir Bors, Sir Ector, and Sir Lionel called +together the knights of their blood, nine in number, and agreed to join +together in one band against the two strange knights. So they encountered +Sir Lancelot all at once, and by main force smote his horse to the ground; +and by misfortune Sir Bors struck Sir Lancelot through the shield into the +side, and the spear broke off and left the head in the wound. + +When Sir Lavaine saw that, he ran to the King of Scotland and struck him +off his horse, and brought it to Sir Lancelot, and helped him to mount. +Then Sir Lancelot bore Sir Bors and his horse to the ground, and in like +manner served Sir Ector and Sir Lionel; and turning upon three other +knights he smote them down also; while Sir Lavaine did many gallant deeds. + +But feeling himself now sorely wounded Sir Lancelot drew his sword, and +proffered to fight with Sir Bors, who, by this time, was mounted anew. And +as they met, Sir Ector and Sir Lionel came also, and the swords of all +three drave fiercely against him. When he felt their buffets, and his +wound that was so grievous, he determined to do all his best while he +could yet endure, and smote Sir Bors a blow that bent his head down nearly +to the ground and razed his helmet off and pulled him from his horse. + +Then rushing at Sir Ector and Sir Lionel, he smote them down, and might +have slain all three, but when he saw their faces his heart forbade him. +Leaving them, therefore, on the field, he hurled into the thickest of the +press, and did such feats of arms as never were beheld before. + +And Sir Lavaine was with him through it all, and overthrew ten knights; +but Sir Lancelot smote down more than thirty, and most of them Knights of +the Round Table. + +Then the king ordered the trumpets to blow for the end of the tourney, and +the prize to be given by the heralds to the knight with the white shield +who bore the red sleeve. + +But ere Sir Lancelot was found by the heralds, came the King of the +Hundred Knights, the King of North Wales, the King of Northumberland, and +Sir Galahaut, and said to him, "Fair knight, God bless thee, for much have +ye done this day for us; wherefore we pray ye come with us and receive +the honour and the prize as ye have worshipfully deserved it." + +"My fair lords," said Sir Lancelot, "wit ye well if I have deserved +thanks, I have sore bought them, for I am like never to escape with my +life; therefore I pray ye let me depart, for I am sore hurt. I take no +thought of honour, for I had rather rest me than be lord of all the +world." And therewith he groaned piteously, and rode a great gallop away +from them. + +And Sir Lavaine rode after him, sad at heart, for the broken spear still +stuck fast in Sir Lancelot's side, and the blood streamed sorely from the +wound. Anon they came near a wood more than a mile from the lists, where +he knew he could be hidden. + +Then said he to Sir Lavaine, "O gentle knight, help me to pull out this +spear-head from my side, for the pain thereof nigh killeth me." + +"Dear lord," said he, "I fain would help ye; but I dread to draw it forth, +lest ye should die for loss of blood." + +"I charge you as you love me," said Sir Lancelot, "draw it out." + +So they dismounted, and with a mighty wrench Sir Lavaine drew the spear +forth from Sir Lancelot's side; whereat he gave a marvellous great shriek +and ghastly groan, and all his blood leaped forth in a full stream. Then +he sank swooning to the earth, with a visage pale as death. + +"Alas!" cried Sir Lavaine, "what shall I do now?" + +And then he turned his master's face towards the wind, and sat by him nigh +half an hour while he lay quiet as one dead. But at the last he lifted up +his eyes, and said, "I pray ye bear me on my horse again, and lead me to a + hermit who dwelleth within two miles hence, for he was formerly a knight +of Arthur's court, and now hath mighty skill in medicine and herbs." + +So with great pain Sir Lavaine got him to his horse, and led him to the +hermitage within the wood, beside a stream. Then knocked he with his spear +upon the door, and prayed to enter. At that a child came out, to whom he +said, "Fair child, pray the good man thy master to come hither and let in +a knight who is sore wounded." + +Anon came out the knight-hermit, whose name was Sir Baldwin, and asked, +"Who is this wounded knight?" + +"I know not," said Sir Lavaine, "save that he is the noblest knight I ever +met with, and hath done this day such marvellous deeds of arms against +King Arthur that he hath won the prize of the tourney." + +Then the hermit gazed long on Sir Lancelot, and hardly knew him, so pale +he was with bleeding, yet said he at the last, "Who art thou, lord?" + +Sir Lancelot answered feebly, "I am a stranger knight adventurous, who +laboureth through many realms to win worship." + +"Why hidest thou thy name, dear lord, from me?" cried Sir Baldwin; "for in +sooth I know thee now to be the noblest knight in all the world--my lord +Sir Lancelot du Lake, with whom I long had fellowship at the Round Table." + +"Since ye know me, fair sir," said he, "I pray ye, for Christ's sake, to +help me if ye may." + +"Doubt not," replied he, "that ye shall live and fare right well." + +Then he staunched his wound, and gave him strong medicines and cordials +till he was refreshed from his faintness and came to himself again. + +Now after the jousting was done King Arthur held a feast, and asked to see +the knight with the red sleeve that he might take the prize. So they told +him how that knight had ridden from the field wounded nigh to death. +"These be the worst tidings I have heard for many years," cried out the +king; "I would not for my kingdom he were slain." + +Then all men asked, "Know ye him, lord?" + +"I may not tell ye at this time," said he; "but would to God we had good +tidings of him." + +Then Sir Gawain prayed leave to go and seek that knight, which the king +gladly gave him. So forthwith he mounted and rode many leagues round +Camelot, but could hear no tidings. + +Within two days thereafter King Arthur and his knights returned from +Camelot, and Sir Gawain chanced to lodge at Astolat, in the house of Sir +Bernard. And there came in the fair Elaine to him, and prayed him news of +the tournament, and who won the prize. "A knight with a white shield," +said he, "who bare a red sleeve in his helm, smote down all comers and won +the day." + +At that the visage of Elaine changed suddenly from white to red, and +heartily she thanked our Lady. + +Then said Sir Gawain, "Know ye that knight?" and urged her till she told +him that it was her sleeve he wore. So Sir Gawain knew it was for love +that she had given it; and when he heard she kept his proper shield he +prayed to see it. + +As soon as it was brought he saw Sir Lancelot's arms thereon, and cried, +"Alas! now am I heavier of heart than ever yet." + +"Wherefore?" said fair Elaine. + +"Fair damsel," answered he, "know ye not that the knight ye love is of +all knights the noblest in the world, Sir Lancelot du Lake? With all my +heart I pray ye may have joy of each other, but hardly dare I think that +ye shall see him in this world again, for he is so sore wounded he may +scarcely live, and is gone out of sight where none can find him." + +Then was Elaine nigh mad with grief and sorrow, and with piteous words she +prayed her father that she might go seek Sir Lancelot and her brother. So +in the end her father gave her leave, and she departed. + +And on the morrow came Sir Gawain to the court, and told how he had found +Sir Lancelot's shield in Elaine's keeping, and how it was her sleeve which +he had worn; whereat all marvelled, for Sir Lancelot had done for her more +than he had ever done for any woman. + +But when Queen Guinevere heard it she was beside herself with wrath, and +sending privily for Sir Bors, who sorrowed sorely that through him Sir +Lancelot had been hurt--"Have ye now heard," said she, "how falsely Sir +Lancelot hath betrayed me?" + +"I beseech thee, madam," said he, "speak not so, for else I may not hear +thee." + +"Shall I not call him traitor," cried she, "who hath worn another lady's +token at the jousting?" + +"Be sure he did it, madam, for no ill intent," replied Sir Bors, "but that +he might be better hidden, for never did he in that wise before." + +"Now shame on him, and thee who wouldest help him," cried the queen. + +"Madam, say what ye will," said he; "but I must haste to seek him, and God +send me soon good tidings of him." + +So with that he departed to find Sir Lancelot. + +Now Elaine had ridden with full haste from Astolat, and come to Camelot, +and there she sought throughout the country for any news of Lancelot. And +so it chanced that Sir Lavaine was riding near the hermitage to exercise +his horse, and when she saw him she ran up and cried aloud, "How doth my +lord Sir Lancelot fare?" + +Then said Sir Lavaine, marvelling greatly, "How know ye my lord's name, +fair sister?" + +So she told him how Sir Gawain had lodged with Sir Bernard, and knew Sir +Lancelot's shield. + +Then prayed she to see his lord forthwith, and when she came to the +hermitage and found him lying there sore sick and bleeding, she swooned +for sorrow. Anon, as she revived, Sir Lancelot kissed her, and said, "Fair +maid, I pray ye take comfort, for, by God's grace, I shall be shortly +whole of this wound, and if ye be come to tend me, I am heartily bounden +to your great kindness." Yet was he sore vexed to hear Sir Gawain had +discovered him, for he knew Queen Guinevere would be full wroth because of +the red sleeve. + +So Elaine rested in the hermitage, and ever night and day she watched and +waited on Sir Lancelot, and would let none other tend him. And as she saw +him more, the more she set her love upon him, and could by no means +withdraw it. Then said Sir Lancelot to Sir Lavaine, "I pray thee set some +to watch for the good knight Sir Bors, for as he hurt me, so will he +surely seek for me." + +Now Sir Bors by this time had come to Camelot, and was seeking for Sir +Lancelot everywhere, so Sir Lavaine soon found him, and brought him to the +hermitage. + +And when he saw Sir Lancelot pale and feeble, he wept for pity and sorrow +that he had given him that grievous wound. "God send thee a right speedy +cure, dear lord," said he; "for I am of all men most unhappy to have +wounded thee, who art our leader, and the noblest knight in all the +world." + +"Fair cousin," said Sir Lancelot, "be comforted, for I have but gained +what I sought, and it was through pride that I was hurt, for had I warned +ye of my coming it had not been; wherefore let us speak of other things." + +So they talked long together, and Sir Bors told him of the queen's anger. +Then he asked Sir Lancelot, "Was it from this maid who tendeth you so +lovingly ye had the token?" + +"Yea," said Sir Lancelot; "and would I could persuade her to withdraw her +love from me." + +"Why should ye do so?" said Sir Bors; "for she is passing fair and loving. +I would to heaven ye could love her." + +"That may not be," replied he; "but it repenteth me in sooth to grieve +her." + +Then they talked of other matters, and of the great jousting at +Allhallowtide next coming, between King Arthur and the King of North +Wales. + +"Abide with me till then," said Sir Lancelot, "for by that time I trust to +be all whole again, and we will go together." + +So Elaine daily and nightly tending him, within a month he felt so strong +he deemed himself full cured. Then on a day, when Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine +were from the hermitage, and the knight-hermit also was gone forth, Sir +Lancelot prayed Elaine to bring him some herbs from the forest. + +When she was gone he rose and made haste to arm himself, and try if he +were whole enough to joust, and mounted on his horse, which was fresh with +lack of labour for so long a time. But when he set his spear in the rest +and tried his armour, the horse bounded and leapt beneath him, so that Sir +Lancelot strained to keep him back. And therewith his wound, which was not +wholly healed, burst forth again, and with a mighty groan he sank down +swooning on the ground. + +At that came fair Elaine and wept and piteously moaned to see him lying +so. And when Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine came back, she called them traitors +to let him rise, or to know any rumour of the tournament. Anon the hermit +returned and was wroth to see Sir Lancelot risen, but within a while he +recovered him from his swoon and staunched the wound. Then Sir Lancelot +told him how he had risen of his own will to assay his strength for the +tournament. But the hermit bad him rest and let Sir Bors go alone, for +else would he sorely peril his life. And Elaine, with tears, prayed him in +the same wise, so that Sir Lancelot in the end consented. + +So Sir Bors departed to the tournament, and there he did such feats of +arms that the prize was given between him and Sir Gawain, who did like +valiantly. + +And when all was over he came back and told Sir Lancelot, and found him so +nigh well that he could rise and walk. And within a while thereafter he +departed from the hermitage and went with Sir Bors, Sir Lavaine, and fair +Elaine to Astolat, where Sir Bernard joyfully received them. + +But after they had lodged there a few days Sir Lancelot and Sir Bors must +needs depart and return to King Arthur's court. + +So when Elaine knew Sir Lancelot must go, she came to him and said, "Have +mercy on me, fair knight, and let me not die for your love." + +Then said Sir Lancelot, very sad at heart, "Fair maid, what would ye that +I should do for you?" + +"If I may not be your wife, dear lord," she answered, "I must die." + +"Alas!" said he, "I pray heaven that may not be; for in sooth I may not be +your husband. But fain would I show ye what thankfulness I can for all +your love and kindness to me. And ever will I be your knight, fair maiden; +and if it chance that ye shall ever wed some noble knight, right heartily +will I give ye such a dower as half my lands will bring." + +"Alas! what shall that aid me?" answered she; "for I must die," and +therewith she fell to the earth in a deep swoon. + +Then was Sir Lancelot passing heavy of heart, and said to Sir Bernard and +Sir Lavaine, "What shall I do for her?" + +"Alas!" said Sir Bernard, "I know well that she will die for your sake." + +And Sir Lavaine said, "I marvel not that she so sorely mourneth your +departure, for truly I do as she doth, and since I once have seen you, +lord, I cannot leave you." + +So anon, with a full sorrowful heart, Sir Lancelot took his leave, and Sir +Lavaine rode with him to the court. And King Arthur and the Knights of the +Round Table joyed greatly to see him whole of his wound, but Queen +Guinevere was sorely wroth, and neither spake with him nor greeted him. + +Now when Sir Lancelot had departed, the Maid of Astolat could neither eat, +nor drink, not sleep for sorrow; and having thus endured ten days, she +felt within herself that she must die. + +Then sent she for a holy man, and was shriven and received the sacrament. +But when he told her she must leave her earthly thoughts, she answered, +"Am I not an earthly woman? What sin is it to love the noblest knight of +all the world? And, by my truth, I am not able to withstand the love +whereof I die; wherefore, I pray the High Father of Heaven to have mercy +on my soul." + +Then she besought Sir Bernard to indite a letter as she should devise, and +said, "When I am dead put this within my hand, and dress me in my fairest +clothes, and lay me in a barge all covered with black samite, and steer it +down the river till it reach the court. Thus, father, I beseech thee let +it be." + +Then, full of grief, he promised her it should be so. And anon she died, +and all the household made a bitter lamentation over her. + +Then did they as she had desired, and laid her body, richly dressed, upon +a bed within the barge, and a trusty servant steered it down the river +towards the court. + +Now King Arthur and Queen Guinevere sat at a window of the palace, and saw +the barge come floating with the tide, and marvelled what was laid +therein, and sent a messenger to see, who, soon returning, prayed them to +come forth. + +When they came to the shore they marvelled greatly, and the king asked of +the serving-men who steered the barge what this might mean. But he made +signs that he was dumb, and pointed to the letter in the damsel's hands. +So King Arthur took the letter from the hand of the corpse, and found +thereon written, "To the noble knight, Sir Lancelot du Lake." + +Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk, and +thus it was written:-- + +[Illustration: Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud +by a clerk.] + +"Most noble knight, my lord Sir Lancelot, now hath death for ever parted +us. I, whom men call the Maid of Astolat, set my love upon you, and have +died for your sake. This is my last request, that ye pray for my soul and +give me burial. Grant me this, Sir Lancelot, as thou art a peerless +knight." + +At these words the queen and all the knights wept sore for pity. + +Then said Sir Lancelot, "My lord, I am right heavy for the death of this +fair damsel; and God knoweth that right unwillingly I caused it, for she +was good as she was fair, and much was I beholden to her; but she loved me +beyond measure, and asked me that I could not give her." + +"Ye might have shown her gentleness enough to save her life," answered the +queen. + +"Madam," said he, "she would but be repaid by my taking her to wife, and +that I could not grant her, for love cometh of the heart and not by +constraint." + +"That is true," said the king; "for love is free." + +"I pray you," said Sir Lancelot, "let me now grant her last asking, to be +buried by me." + +So on the morrow, he caused her body to be buried richly and solemnly, and +ordained masses for her soul, and made great sorrow over her. + +Then the queen sent for Sir Lancelot, and prayed his pardon for her wrath +against him without cause. "This is not the first time it hath been so," +answered he; "yet must I ever bear with ye, and so do I now forgive you." + +So Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot were made friends again; but anon such +favour did she show him, as in the end brought many evils on them both and +all the realm. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +_The War between King Arthur and Sir Lancelot and the Death of King +Arthur_ + + +Within a while thereafter was a jousting at the court, wherein Sir +Lancelot won the prize. And two of those he smote down were Sir Agravaine, +the brother of Sir Gawain, and Sir Modred, his false brother--King +Arthur's son by Belisent. And because of his victory they hated Sir +Lancelot, and sought how they might injure him. + +So on a night, when King Arthur was hunting in the forest, and the queen +sent for Sir Lancelot to her chamber, they two espied him; and thinking +now to make a scandal and a quarrel between Lancelot and the king, they +found twelve others, and said Sir Lancelot was ever now in the queen's +chamber, and King Arthur was dishonoured. + +Then, all armed, they came suddenly round the queen's door, and cried, +"Traitor! now art thou taken." + +"Madam, we be betrayed," said Sir Lancelot; "yet shall my life cost these +men dear." + +Then did the queen weep sore, and dismally she cried, "Alas! there is no +armour here whereby ye might withstand so many; wherefore ye will be +slain, and I be burnt for the dread crime they will charge on me." + +But while she spake the shouting of the knights was heard without, +"Traitor, come forth, for now thou art snared!" + +"Better were twenty deaths at once than this vile outcry," said Sir +Lancelot. + +Then he kissed her and said, "Most noble lady, I beseech ye, as I have +ever been your own true knight, take courage; pray for my soul if I be now +slain, and trust my faithful friends, Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine, to save +you from the fire." + +But ever bitterly she wept and moaned, and cried, "Would God that they +would take and slay me, and that thou couldest escape." + +"That shall never be," said he. And wrapping his mantle round his arm he +unbarred the door a little space, so that but one could enter. + +Then first rushed in Sir Chalaunce, a full strong knight, and lifted up +his sword to smite Sir Lancelot; but lightly he avoided him, and struck +Sir Chalaunce, with his hand, such a sore buffet on the head as felled him +dead upon the floor. + +Then Sir Lancelot pulled in his body and barred the door again, and +dressed himself in his armour, and took his drawn sword in his hand. + +But still the knights cried mightily without the door, "Traitor, come +forth!" + +[Illustration: But still the knights cried mightily without the door, +"Traitor, come forth!"] + +"Be silent and depart," replied Sir Lancelot; "for be ye sure ye will not +take me, and to-morrow will I meet ye face to face before the king." + +"Ye shall have no such grace," they cried; "but we will slay thee, or take +thee as we list." + +"Then save yourselves who may," he thundered, and therewith suddenly +unbarred the door and rushed forth at them. And at the first blow he slew +Sir Agravaine, and after him twelve other knights, with twelve more mighty +buffets. And none of all escaped him save Sir Modred, who, sorely wounded, +fled away for life. + +Then returned he to the queen, and said, "Now, madam, will I depart, and +if ye be in any danger I pray ye come to me." + +"Surely will I stay here, for I am queen," she answered; "yet if to-morrow +any harm come to me I trust to thee for rescue." + +"Have ye no doubt of me," said he, "for ever while I live am I your own +true knight." + +Therewith he took his leave, and went and told Sir Bors and all his +kindred of this adventure. "We will be with thee in this quarrel," said +they all; "and if the queen be sentenced to the fire, we certainly will +save her." + +Meanwhile Sir Modred, in great fear and pain, fled from the court, and +rode until he found King Arthur, and told him all that had befallen. But +the king would scarce believe him till he came and saw the bodies of Sir +Agravaine and all the other knights. + +Then felt he in himself that all was true, and with his passing grief his +heart nigh broke. "Alas!" cried he, "now is the fellowship of the Round +Table for ever broken: yea, woe is me! I may not with my honour spare my +queen." + +Anon it was ordained that Queen Guinevere should be burned to death, +because she had dishonoured King Arthur. + +But when Sir Gawain heard thereof, he came before the king, and said, "My +lord, I counsel thee be not too hasty in this matter, but stay the +judgment of the queen a season, for it may well be that Sir Lancelot was +in her chamber for no evil, seeing she is greatly beholden to him for so +many deeds done for her sake, and peradventure she had sent to him to +thank him, and did it secretly that she might avoid slander." + +But King Arthur answered, full of grief, "Alas! I may not help her; she is +judged as any other woman." + +Then he required Sir Gawain and his brethren, Sir Gaheris and Sir Gareth, +to be ready to bear the queen to-morrow to the place of execution. + +"Nay, noble lord," replied Sir Gawain, "that can I never do; for neither +will my heart suffer me to see the queen die, nor shall men ever say I was +of your counsel in this matter." + +Then said his brothers, "Ye may command us to be there, but since it is +against our will, we will be without arms, that we may do no battle +against her." + +So on the morrow was Queen Guinevere led forth to die by fire, and a +mighty crowd was there, of knights and nobles, armed and unarmed. And all +the lords and ladies wept sore at that piteous sight. Then was she shriven +by a priest, and the men came nigh to bind her to the stake and light the +fire. + +At that Sir Lancelot's spies rode hastily and told him and his kindred, +who lay hidden in a wood hard by; and suddenly, with twenty knights, he +rushed into the midst of all the throng to rescue her. + +But certain of King Arthur's knights rose up and fought with them, and +there was a full great battle and confusion. And Sir Lancelot drave +fiercely here and there among the press, and smote on every side, and at +every blow struck down a knight, so that many were slain by him and his +fellows. + +Then was the queen set free, and caught up on Sir Lancelot's saddle and +fled away with him and all his company to the Castle of La Joyous Garde. + +Now so it chanced that, in the turmoil of the fighting, Sir Lancelot had +unawares struck down and slain the two good knights Sir Gareth and Sir +Gaheris, knowing it not, for he fought wildly, and saw not that they were +unarmed. + +When King Arthur heard thereof, and of all that battle, and the rescue of +the queen, he sorrowed heavily for those good knights, and was passing +wroth with Lancelot and the queen. + +But when Sir Gawain heard of his brethren's death he swooned for sorrow +and wrath, for he wist that Sir Lancelot had killed them in malice. And as +soon as he recovered he ran in to the king, and said, "Lord king and +uncle, hear this oath which now I swear, that from this day I will not +fail Sir Lancelot till one of us hath slain the other. And now, unless ye +haste to war with him, that we may be avenged, will I myself alone go +after him." + +Then the king, full of wrath and grief, agreed thereto, and sent letters +throughout the realm to summon all his knights, and went with a vast army +to besiege the Castle of La Joyous Garde. And Sir Lancelot, with his +knights, mightily defended it; but never would he suffer any to go forth +and attack one of the king's army, for he was right loth to fight against +him. + +So when fifteen weeks were passed, and King Arthur's army wasted itself in +vain against the castle, for it was passing strong, it chanced upon a day +Sir Lancelot was looking from the walls and espied King Arthur and Sir +Gawain close beside. + +"Come forth, Sir Lancelot," said King Arthur right fiercely, "and let us +two meet in the midst of the field." + +"God forbid that I should encounter with thee, lord, for thou didst make +me a knight," replied Sir Lancelot. + +Then cried Sir Gawain, "Shame on thee, traitor and false knight, yet be ye +well assured we will regain the queen and slay thee and thy company; yea, +double shame on ye to slay my brother Gaheris unarmed, Sir Gareth also, +who loved ye so well. For that treachery, be sure I am thine enemy till +death." + +"Alas!" cried Sir Lancelot, "that I hear such tidings, for I knew not I +had slain those noble knights, and right sorely now do I repent it with a +heavy heart. Yet abate thy wrath, Sir Gawain, for ye know full well I did +it by mischance, for I loved them ever as my own brothers." + +"Thou liest, false recreant," cried Sir Gawain, fiercely. + +At that Sir Lancelot was wroth, and said, "I well see thou art now mine +enemy, and that there can be no more peace with thee, or with my lord the +king, else would I gladly give back the queen." + +Then the king would fain have listened to Sir Lancelot, for more than all +his own wrong did he grieve at the sore waste and damage of the realm, but +Sir Gawain persuaded him against it, and ever cried out foully on Sir +Lancelot. + +When Sir Bors and the other knights of Lancelot's party heard the fierce +words of Sir Gawain, they were passing wroth, and prayed to ride forth and +be avenged on him, for they were weary of so long waiting to no good. And +in the end Sir Lancelot, with a heavy heart, consented. + +So on the morrow the hosts on either side met in the field, and there was +a great battle. And Sir Gawain prayed his knights chiefly to set upon Sir +Lancelot; but Sir Lancelot commanded his company to forbear King Arthur +and Sir Gawain. + +So the two armies jousted together right fiercely, and Sir Gawain +proffered to encounter with Sir Lionel, and overthrew him. But Sir Bors, +and Sir Blamor, and Sir Palomedes, who were on Sir Lancelot's side, did +great feats of arms, and overthrew many of King Arthur's knights. + +Then the king came forth against Sir Lancelot, but Sir Lancelot forbore +him and would not strike again. + +At that Sir Bors rode up against the king and smote him down. But Sir +Lancelot cried, "Touch him not on pain of thy head," and going to King +Arthur he alighted and gave him his own horse, saying, "My lord, I pray +thee forbear this strife, for it can bring to neither of us any honour." + +And when King Arthur looked on him the tears came to his eyes as he +thought of his noble courtesy, and he said within himself, "Alas! that +ever this war began." + +But on the morrow Sir Gawain led forth the army again, and Sir Bors +commanded on Sir Lancelot's side. And they two struck together so fiercely +that both fell to the ground sorely wounded; and all the day they fought +till night fell, and many were slain on both sides, yet in the end neither +gained the victory. + +But by now the fame of this fierce war spread through all Christendom, and +when the Pope heard thereof he sent a Bull, and charged King Arthur to +make peace with Lancelot, and receive back Queen Guinevere; and for the +offence imputed to her absolution should be given by the Pope. + +Thereto would King Arthur straightway have obeyed, but Sir Gawain ever +urged him to refuse. + +When Sir Lancelot heard thereof, he wrote thus to the king: "It was never +in my thought, lord, to withhold thy queen from thee; but since she was +condemned for my sake to death, I deemed it but a just and knightly part +to rescue her therefrom; wherefore I recommend me to your grace, and +within eight days will I come to thee and bring the queen in safety." + +Then, within eight days, as he had said, Sir Lancelot rode from out the +castle with Queen Guinevere, and a hundred knights for company, each +carrying an olive branch, in sign of peace. And so they came to the court, +and found King Arthur sitting on his throne, with Sir Gawain and many +other knights around him. And when Sir Lancelot entered with the queen, +they both kneeled down before the king. + +Anon Sir Lancelot rose and said, "My lord, I have brought hither my lady +the queen again, as right requireth, and by commandment of the Pope and +you. I pray ye take her to your heart again and forget the past. For +myself I may ask nothing, and for my sin I shall have sorrow and sore +punishment; yet I would to heaven I might have your grace." + +But ere the king could answer, for he was moved with pity at his words, +Sir Gawain cried aloud, "Let the king do as he will, but be sure, Sir +Lancelot, thou and I shall never be accorded while we live, for thou has +slain my brethren traitorously and unarmed." + +"As heaven is my help," replied Sir Lancelot, "I did it ignorantly, for I +loved them well, and while I live I shall bewail their death; but to make +war with me were no avail, for I must needs fight with thee if thou +assailest, and peradventure I might kill thee also, which I were right +loth to do." + +"I will forgive thee never," cried Sir Gawain, "and if the king accordeth +with thee he shall lose my service." + +Then the knights who stood near tried to reconcile Sir Gawain to Sir +Lancelot, but he would not hear them. So, at the last, Sir Lancelot said, +"Since peace is vain, I will depart, lest I bring more evil on my +fellowship." + +And as he turned to go, the tears fell from him, and he said, "Alas, most +noble Christian realm, which I have loved above all others, now shall I +see thee never more!" Then said he to the queen, "Madam, now must I leave +ye and this noble fellowship for ever. And, I beseech ye, pray for me, and +if ye ever be defamed of any, let me hear thereof, and as I have been ever +thy true knight in right and wrong, so will I be again." + +With that he kneeled and kissed King Arthur's hands, and departed on his +way. And there was none in all that court, save Sir Gawain alone, but wept +to see him go. + +So he returned with all his knights to the Castle of La Joyous Garde, and, +for his sorrow's sake, he named it Dolorous Garde thenceforth. + +Anon he left the realm, and went with many of his fellowship beyond the +sea to France, and there divided all his lands among them equally, he +sharing but as the rest. + +And from that time forward peace had been between him and King Arthur, but +for Sir Gawain, who left the king no rest, but constantly persuaded him +that Lancelot was raising mighty hosts against him. + +So in the end his malice overcame the king, who left the government in +charge of Modred, and made him guardian of the queen, and went with a +great army to invade Sir Lancelot's lands. + +Yet Sir Lancelot would make no war upon the king, and sent a message to +gain peace on any terms King Arthur chose. But Sir Gawain met the herald +ere he reached the king, and sent him back with taunting and bitter words. +Whereat Sir Lancelot sorrowfully called his knights together and fortified +the Castle of Benwicke, and there was shortly besieged by the army of King +Arthur. + +And every day Sir Gawain rode up to the walls, and cried out foully on Sir +Lancelot, till, upon a time, Sir Lancelot answered him that he would meet +him in the field and put his boasting to the proof. So it was agreed on +both sides that there should none come nigh them or separate them till one +had fallen or yielded; and they two rode forth. + +Then did they wheel their horses apart, and turning, came together as it +had been thunder, so that both horses fell, and both their lances broke. +At that they drew their swords and set upon each other fiercely, with +passing grievous strokes. + +Now Sir Gawain had through magic a marvellous great gift. For every day, +from morning till noon, his strength waxed to the might of seven men, but +after that waned to his natural force. Therefore till noon he gave Sir +Lancelot many mighty buffets, which scarcely he endured. Yet greatly he +forbore Sir Gawain, for he was aware of his enchantment, and smote him +slightly till his own knights marvelled. But after noon Sir Gawain's +strength sank fast, and then, with one full blow, Sir Lancelot laid him on +the earth. Then Sir Gawain cried out, "Turn not away, thou traitor knight, + but slay me if thou wilt, or else I will arise and fight with thee again +some other time." + +"Sir knight," replied Sir Lancelot, "I never yet smote a fallen man." + +At that they bore Sir Gawain sorely wounded to his tent, and King Arthur +withdrew his men, for he was loth to shed the blood of so many knights of +his own fellowship. + +But now came tidings to King Arthur from across the sea, which caused him +to return in haste. For thus the news ran, that no sooner was Sir Modred +set up in his regency, than he had forged false tidings from abroad that +the king had fallen in a battle with Sir Lancelot. Whereat he had +proclaimed himself the king, and had been crowned at Canterbury, where he +had held a coronation feast for fifteen days. Then he had gone to +Winchester, where Queen Guinevere abode, and had commanded her to be his +wife; whereto, for fear and sore perplexity, she had feigned consent, but, +under pretext of preparing for the marriage, had fled in haste to London +and taken shelter in the Tower, fortifying it and providing it with all +manner of victuals, and defending it against Sir Modred, and answering to +all his threats that she would rather slay herself than be his queen. + +Thus was it written to King Arthur. Then, in passing great wrath and +haste, he came with all his army swiftly back from France and sailed to +England. But when Sir Modred heard thereof, he left the Tower and marched +with all his host to meet the king at Dover. + +Then fled Queen Guinevere to Amesbury to a nunnery, and there she clothed +herself in sackcloth, and spent her time in praying for the king and in +good deeds and fasting. And in that nunnery evermore she lived, sorely +repenting and mourning for her sin, and for the ruin she had brought on +all the realm. And there anon she died. + +And when Sir Lancelot heard thereof, he put his knightly armour off, and +bade farewell to all his kin, and went a mighty pilgrimage for many years, +and after lived a hermit till his death. + +When Sir Modred came to Dover, he found King Arthur and his army but just +landed; and there they fought a fierce and bloody battle, and many great +and noble knights fell on both sides. + +But the king's side had the victory, for he was beyond himself with might +and passion, and all his knights so fiercely followed him, that, in spite +of all their multitude, they drove Sir Modred's army back with fearful +wounds and slaughter, and slept that night upon the battle-field. + +But Sir Gawain was smitten by an arrow in the wound Sir Lancelot gave him, +and wounded to the death. Then was he borne to the king's tent, and King +Arthur sorrowed over him as it had been his own son. "Alas!" said he; "in +Sir Lancelot and in you I had my greatest earthly joy, and now is all gone +from me." + +And Sir Gawain answered, with a feeble voice, "My lord and king, I know +well my death is come, and through my own wilfulness, for I am smitten in +the wound Sir Lancelot gave me. Alas! that I have been the cause of all +this war, for but for me thou hadst been now at peace with Lancelot, and +then had Modred never done this treason. I pray ye, therefore, my dear +lord, be now agreed with Lancelot, and tell him, that although he gave me +my death-wound, it was through my own seeking; wherefore I beseech him to +come back to England, and here to visit my tomb, and pray for my soul." + +When he had thus spoken, Sir Gawain gave up his ghost, and the king +grievously mourned for him. + +Then they told him that the enemy had camped on Barham Downs, whereat, +with all his hosts, he straightway marched there, and fought again a +bloody battle, and overthrew Sir Modred utterly. Howbeit, he raised yet +another army, and retreating ever from before the king, increased his +numbers as he went, till at the farthest west in Lyonesse, he once more +made a stand. + +Now, on the night of Trinity Sunday, being the eve of the battle, King +Arthur had a vision, and saw Sir Gawain in a dream, who warned him not to +fight with Modred on the morrow, else he would be surely slain; and prayed +him to delay till Lancelot and his knights should come to aid him. + +So when King Arthur woke he told his lords and knights that vision, and +all agreed to wait the coming of Sir Lancelot. Then a herald was sent with +a message of truce to Sir Modred, and a treaty was made that neither army +should assail the other. + +But when the treaty was agreed upon, and the heralds returned, King Arthur +said to his knights, "Beware, lest Sir Modred deceive us, for I in no wise +trust him, and if swords be drawn be ready to encounter!" And Sir Modred +likewise gave an order, that if any man of the king's army drew his sword, +they should begin to fight. + +And as it chanced, a knight of the king's side was bitten by an adder in +the foot, and hastily drew forth his sword to slay it. That saw Sir +Modred, and forthwith commanded all his army to assail the king's. + +So both sides rushed to battle, and fought passing fiercely. And when the +king saw there was no hope to stay them, he did right mightily and nobly +as a king should do, and ever, like a lion, raged in the thickest of the +press, and slew on the right hand and on the left, till his horse went +fetlock deep in blood. So all day long they fought, and stinted not till +many a noble knight was slain. + +But the king was passing sorrowful to see his trusty knights lie dead on +every side. And at the last but two remained beside him, Sir Lucan, and +his brother, Sir Bedivere, and both were sorely wounded. + +"Now am I come to mine end," said King Arthur; "but, lo! that traitor +Modred liveth yet, and I may not die till I have slain him. Now, give me +my spear, Sir Lucan." + +"Lord, let him be," replied Sir Lucan; "for if ye pass through this +unhappy day, ye shall be right well revenged upon him. My good lord, +remember well your dream, and what the spirit of Sir Gawain did forewarn +ye." + +"Betide me life, betide me death," said the king; "now I see him yonder +alone, he shall never escape my hands, for at a better vantage shall I +never have him." + +"God speed you well," said Sir Bedivere. + +Then King Arthur got his spear in both his hands, and ran towards Sir +Modred, crying, "Traitor, now is thy death-day come!" And when Sir Modred +heard his words, and saw him come, he drew his sword and stood to meet +him. Then King Arthur smote Sir Modred through the body more than a +fathom. And when Sir Modred felt he had his death wound, he thrust himself +with all his might up to the end of King Arthur's spear, and smote his +father, Arthur, with his sword upon the head, so that it pierced both helm +and brain-pan. + +And therewith Sir Modred fell down stark dead to the earth, and King +Arthur fell down also in a swoon, and swooned many times. + +Then Sir Lucan and Sir Bedivere came and bare him away to a little chapel +by the sea-shore. And there Sir Lucan sank down with the bleeding of his +own wounds, and fell dead. + +And King Arthur lay long in a swoon, and when he came to himself, he found +Sir Lucan lying dead beside him, and Sir Bedivere weeping over the body of +his brother. + +Then said the king to Sir Bedivere, "Weeping will avail no longer, else +would I grieve for evermore. Alas! now is the fellowship of the Round +Table dissolved for ever, and all my realm I have so loved is wasted with +war. But my time hieth fast, wherefore take thou Excalibur, my good sword, +and go therewith to yonder water-side and throw it in, and bring me word +what thing thou seest." + +So Sir Bedivere departed; but as he went he looked upon the sword, the +hilt whereof was all inlaid with precious stones exceeding rich. And +presently he said within himself, "If I now throw this sword into the +water, what good should come of it?" So he hid the sword among the reeds, +and came again to the king. + +"What sawest thou?" said he to Sir Bedivere. + +"Lord," said he, "I saw nothing else but wind and waves." + +"Thou hast untruly spoken," said the king; "wherefore go lightly back and +throw it in, and spare not." + +Then Sir Bedivere returned again, and took the sword up in his hand; but +when he looked on it, he thought it sin and shame to throw away a thing so +noble. Wherefore he hid it yet again, and went back to the king. + +"What saw ye?" said King Arthur. + +"Lord," answered he, "I saw nothing but the water ebbing and flowing." + +"Oh, traitor and untrue!" cried out the king; "twice hast thou now +betrayed me. Art thou called of men a noble knight, and wouldest betray me +for a jewelled sword? Now, therefore, go again for the last time, for thy +tarrying hath put me in sore peril of my life, and I fear my wound hath +taken cold; and if thou do it not this time, by my faith I will arise and +slay thee with my hands." + +Then Sir Bedivere ran quickly and took up the sword, and went down to the +water's edge, and bound the girdle round the hilt and threw it far into +the water. And lo! an arm and hand came forth above the water, and caught +the sword, and brandished it three times, and vanished. + +So Sir Bedivere came again to the king and told him what he had seen. + +"Help me from hence," said King Arthur; "for I dread me I have tarried +over long." + +Then Sir Bedivere took the king up in his arms, and bore him to the +water's edge. And by the shore they saw a barge with three fair queens +therein, all dressed in black, and when they saw King Arthur they wept and +wailed. + +"Now put me in the barge," said he to Sir Bedivere, and tenderly he did +so. + +Then the three queens received him, and he laid his head upon the lap of +one of them, who cried, "Alas! dear brother, why have ye tarried so long, +for your wound hath taken cold?" + +With that the barge put from the land, and when Sir Bedivere saw it +departing, he cried with a bitter cry, "Alas! my lord King Arthur, what +shall become of me now ye have gone from me?" + +"Comfort ye," said King Arthur, "and be strong, for I may no more help ye. +I go to the Vale of Avilion to heal me of my grievous wound, and if ye see +me no more, pray for my soul." + +Then the three queens kneeled down around the king and sorely wept and +wailed, and the barge went forth to sea, and departed slowly out of Sir +Bedivere's sight. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Legends Of King Arthur And His +Knights, by James Knowles + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS *** + +***** This file should be named 12753-8.txt or 12753-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/7/5/12753/ + +Produced by Zoran Stefanovic, GF Untermeyer and Distributed +Proofreaders Europe, http://dp.rastko.net. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Legends Of King Arthur And His Knights + +Author: James Knowles + +Release Date: June 28, 2004 [EBook #12753] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS *** + + + + +Produced by Zoran Stefanovic, GF Untermeyer and Distributed +Proofreaders Europe, http://dp.rastko.net. + + + + + + +</pre> + +<pre> + +Produced by Project Rastko, Zoran Stefanovic, GF Untermeyer +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + +</pre> +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h2>The Legends of</h2> +<h1>KING ARTHUR</h1> +<h2>and his</h2> +<h1>KNIGHTS</h1> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h3>Sir James Knowles</h3> +<h4>Illustrated by Lancelot Speed</h4> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h5>TO</h5> +<h4>ALFRED TENNYSON, D.C.L.</h4> +<h5>POET LAUREATE</h5> +<p><br></p> +<h5>THIS ATTEMPT AT A POPULAR VERSION OF</h5> +<h5>THE ARTHUR LEGENDS</h5> +<h5>IS BY HIS PERMISSION DEDICATED</h5> +<h5>AS A TRIBUTE</h5> +<h5>OF THE SINCEREST AND WARMEST RESPECT</h5> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h5>1862</h5> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<p><br></p> +<p class="ctr"> +<img src="images/figure01.jpg" width="50%" name="figure01" id="figure01" + title="The Marriage of King Arthur" + alt="The Marriage of King Arthur"> +</p> +<p class="caption">The Marriage of King Arthur</p> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h2>PREFACE TO THE EIGHTH EDITION</h2> + +<img src="images/t.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="t1" id="t1" Title="T" alt="Drop Case T"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +he Publishers have asked me to authorise a new edition, in my own name, +of this little book—now long out of print—which was written by me +thirty-five years ago under the initials J.T.K. +</p> + +<p> +In acceding to their request I wish to say that the book as now published +is merely a word-for-word reprint of my early effort to help to popularise +the Arthur legends. +</p> + +<p> +It is little else than an abridgment of Sir Thomas Malory’s version of +them as printed by Caxton—with a few additions from Geoffrey of Monmouth +and other sources—and an endeavour to arrange the many tales into a more +or less consecutive story. +</p> + +<p> +The chief pleasure which came to me from it was, and is, that it began for +me a long and intimate acquaintance with Lord Tennyson, to whom, by his +permission, I Dedicated it before I was personally known to him. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +JAMES KNOWLES. +</p> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p> +<i>Addendum by Lady Knowles</i> +</p> + +<p> +In response to a widely expressed wish for a fresh edition of this little +book—now for some years out of print—a new and ninth edition has been +prepared. +</p> + +<p> +In his preface my husband says that the intimacy with Lord Tennyson to +which it led was the chief pleasure the book brought him. I have been +asked to furnish a few more particulars on this point that may be +generally interesting, and feel that I cannot do better than give some +extracts from a letter written by himself to a friend in July 1896. +</p> + +<p> +“DEAR ——, +</p> + +<p> +“I am so <i>very</i> glad you approve of my little effort to popularise the +Arthur Legends. Tennyson had written his first four ‘Idylls of the King’ +before my book appeared, which was in 1861. Indeed, it was in consequence +of the first four Idylls that I sought and obtained, while yet a stranger +to him, leave to dedicate my venture to him. He was extremely kind about +it—declared ‘it ought to go through forty editions’—and when I came to +know him personally talked very frequently about it and Arthur with me, +and made constant use of it when he at length yielded to my perpetual +urgency and took up again his forsaken project of treating the whole +subject of King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +“He discussed and rediscussed at any amount of length the way in which +this could now be done—and the Symbolism, which had from his earliest +time haunted him as the inner meaning to be given to it, brought him back +to the Poem in its changed shape of separate pictures. +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<p> +“He used often to say that it was entirely my doing that he revived his +old plan, and added, ‘I know more about Arthur than any other man in +England, and I think you know next most.’ It would amuse you to see in +what intimate detail he used to consult with me—and often with my little +book in front of us—over the various tales, and when I wrote an article +(in the shape of a long letter) in the <i>Spectator</i> of January 1870 he +asked to reprint it, and published it with the collected Idylls. +</p> + +<p> +“For years, while his boys were at school and college, I acted as his +confidential friend in business and many other matters, and I suppose he +told me more about himself and his life than any other man now living +knows.” +</p> + +<p class="right"> +ISABEL KNOWLES. +</p> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<ul class="none"> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_i"><b>CHAPTER I</b></a><br> +The Finding of Merlin — The Fight of the Dragons — The Giants’ Dance — The +Prophecies of Merlin and the Birth of Arthur — Uther attacks the +Saxons — The Death of Uther +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li><a href="#chapter_ii"><b>CHAPTER II</b></a><br> +Merlin’s Advice to the Archbishop — The Miracle of the Sword and Stone — The +Coronation of King Arthur — The Opposition of the Six Kings — The Sword +Excalibur — The Defeat of the Six Kings — The War with the Eleven Kings +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_iii"><b>CHAPTER III</b></a><br> +The Adventure of the Questing Beast — The Siege of York — The Battles of +Celidon Forest and Badon Hill — King Arthur drives the Saxons from the +Realm — The Embassy from Rome — The King rescues Merlin — The Knight of the +Fountain +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_iv"><b>CHAPTER IV</b></a><br> +King Arthur conquers Ireland and Norway — Slays the Giant of St. Michael’s +Mount and conquers Gaul — King Ryence’s Insolent Message — The Damsel and +the Sword — The Lady of the Lake — The Adventures of Sir Balin +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_v"><b>CHAPTER V</b></a><br> +Sir Balin kills Sir Lancear — The Sullen Knight — The Knight Invisible is +killed — Sir Balin smites the Dolorous Stroke, and fights with his brother +Sir Balan +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_vi"><b>CHAPTER VI</b></a><br> +The Marriage of King Arthur and Guinevere — The Coronation of the +Queen — The Founding of the Round Table — The Quest of the White Hart — The +Adventures of Sir Gawain — The Quest of the White Hound — Sir Tor kills +Abellius — The Adventures of Sir Pellinore — The Death of Sir +Hantzlake — Merlin saves King Arthur +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_vii"><b>CHAPTER VII</b></a><br> +King Arthur and Sir Accolon of Gaul are entrapped by Sir Damas — They fight +each other through Enchantment of Queen Morgan le Fay — Sir Damas is +compelled to surrender all his Lands to Sir Outzlake his Brother their +Rightful Owner — Queen Morgan essays to kill King Arthur with a Magic +Garment — Her Damsel is compelled to wear it and is thereby burned to +Cinders +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_viii"><b>CHAPTER VIII</b></a><br> +A Second Embassy from Rome — King Arthur’s Answer — The Emperor assembles +his Armies — King Arthur slays the Emperor — Sir Gawain and Sir +Prianius — The Lombards are defeated — King Arthur crowned at Rome +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_ix"><b>CHAPTER IX</b></a><br> +The Adventures of Sir Lancelot — He and his Cousin Sir Lionel set +forth — The Four Witch-Queens — King Bagdemagus — Sir Lancelot slays Sir +Turquine and delivers his Captive Knights — The Foul Knight — Sir Gaunter +attacks Sir Lancelot — The Four Knights — Sir Lancelot comes to the Chapel +Perilous — Ellawes the Sorceress — The Lady and the Falcon — Sir Bedivere and +the Dead Lady +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_x"><b>CHAPTER X</b></a><br> +Beaumains is made a Kitchen Page by Sir Key — He claims the Adventure of +the Damsel Linet — He fights with Sir Lancelot and is knighted by him in +his True Name of Gareth — Is flouted by the Damsel Linet — But overthrows +all Knights he meets and sends them to King Arthur’s Court — He delivers +the Lady Lyones from the Knight of the Redlands — The Tournament before +Castle Perilous — Marriage of Sir Gareth and the Lady Lyones +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_xi"><b>CHAPTER XI</b></a><br> +The Adventures of Sir Tristram — His Stepmother — He is knighted — Fights +with Sir Marhaus — Sir Palomedes and La Belle Isault — Sir Bleoberis and Sir +Segwarides — Sir Tristram’s Quest — His Return — The Castle Pluere — Sir +Brewnor is slain — Sir Kay Hedius — La Belle Isault’s Hound — Sir Dinedan +refuses to fight — Sir Pellinore follows Sir Tristram — Sir +Brewse-without-pity — The Tournament at the Maiden’s Castle — Sir Palomedes +and Sir Tristram +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_xii"><b>CHAPTER XII</b></a><br> +Merlin is bewitched by a Damsel of the Lady of the Lake — Galahad knighted +by Sir Lancelot — The Perilous Seat — The Marvellous Sword — Sir Galahad in +the Perilous Seat — The Sangreal — The Knights vow themselves to its +Quest — The Shield of the White Knight — The Fiend of the Tomb — Sir Galahad +at the Maiden’s Castle — The Sick Knight and the Sangreal — Sir Lancelot +declared unworthy to find the Holy Vessel — Sir Percival seeks Sir +Galahad — The Black Steed — Sir Bors and the Hermit — Sir Pridan le Noir — Sir +Lionel’s Anger — He meets Sir Percival — The ship “Faith” — Sir Galahad and +Earl Hernox — The Leprous Lady — Sir Galahad discloses himself to Sir +Lancelot — They part — The Blind King Evelake — Sir Galahad finds the +Sangreal — His Death +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_xiii"><b>CHAPTER XIII</b></a><br> +The Queen quarrels with Sir Lancelot — She is accused of Murder — Her +Champion proves her innocence — The Tourney at Camelot — Sir Lancelot in the +Tourney — Sir Baldwin the Knight-Hermit — Elaine, the Maid of Astolat, seeks +for Sir Lancelot — She tends his Wounds — Her Death — The Queen and Sir +Lancelot are reconciled +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#chapter_xiv"><b>CHAPTER XIV</b></a><br> +Sir Lancelot attacked by Sir Agravaine, Sir Modred, and thirteen other +Knights — He slays them all but Sir Modred — He leaves the Court — Sir Modred +accuses him to the King — The Queen condemned to be burnt — Her rescue by +Sir Lancelot and flight with him — The War between Sir Lancelot and the +King — The Enmity of Sir Gawain — The Usurpation of Sir Modred — The Queen +retires to a Nunnery — Sir Lancelot goes on Pilgrimage — The Battle of +Barham Downs — Sir Bedivere and the Sword Excalibur — The Death of King +Arthur +</li> +</ul> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h2>ILLUSTRATOR’S NOTE</h2> + +<img src="images/o.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="o1" id="o1" title="O" alt="Drop Case O"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +f scenes from the Legends of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round +Table many lovely pictures have been painted, showing much diversity of +figures and surroundings, some being definitely sixth-century British or +Saxon, as in Blair Leighton’s fine painting of the dead Elaine; +others—for example, Watts’ Sir Galahad—show knight and charger in +fifteenth-century armour; while the warriors of Burne Jones wear strangely +impracticable armour of some mystic period. Each of these painters was +free to follow his own conception, putting the figures into whatever +period most appealed to his imagination; for he was not illustrating the +actual tales written by Sir Thomas Malory, otherwise he would have found +himself face to face with a difficulty. +</p> + +<p> +King Arthur and his knights fought, endured, and toiled in the sixth +century, when the Saxons were overrunning Britain; but their achievements +were not chronicled by Sir Thomas Malory until late in the fifteenth +century. +</p> + +<p> +Sir Thomas, as Froissart has done before him, described the habits of +life, the dresses, weapons, and armour that his own eyes looked upon in +the every-day scenes about him, regardless of the fact that almost every +detail mentioned was something like a thousand years too late. +</p> + +<p> +Had Malory undertaken an account of the landing of Julius Caesar he would, +as a matter of course, have protected the Roman legions with bascinet or +salade, breastplate, pauldron and palette, coudiére, taces and the rest, +and have armed them with lance and shield, jewel-hilted sword and slim +misericorde; while the Emperor himself might have been given the very suit +of armour stripped from the Duke of Clarence before his fateful encounter +with the butt of malmsey. +</p> + +<p> +Did not even Shakespeare calmly give cannon to the Romans and suppose +every continental city to lie majestically beside the sea? By the old +writers, accuracy in these matters was disregarded, and anachronisms were +not so much tolerated as unperceived. +</p> + +<p> +In illustrating this edition of “The Legends of King Arthur and his +Knights,” it has seemed best, and indeed unavoidable if the text and the +pictures are to tally, to draw what Malory describes, to place the fashion +of the costumes and armour somewhere about A.D. 1460, and to arm the +knights in accordance with the Tabard Period. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +LANCELOT SPEED. +</p> + +<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + +<ul class="none"> +<li> +<a href="#figure01">The Marriage of King Arthur</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure02">Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground before young Arthur, and Sir Key also with him.</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure03">The Lady of the Lake</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure04">The giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge frame by the fire</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure05">The castle rocked and rove throughout, and all the walls fell crashed and breaking to the earth</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure06">Came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by his name</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure07">Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the Round Table</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure08">Sir Lancelot smote down with one spear five knights, and brake the backs of four, and cast down the King of Northgales</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure09">Beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, “Sir Lancelot, leave that sword behind thee, or thou diest”</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure10">“Lady,” replied Sir Beaumains, “a knight is little worth who may not bear with a damsel”</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure11">So he rode into the hall and alighted</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure12">Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest against each other</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure13">And running to her chamber, she sought in her casket for the piece of iron ... and fitted it in Tristram’s sword</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure14">By the time they had finished drinking they loved each other so well that their love never more might leave them</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure15">Waving her hands and muttering the charm, and presently enclosed him fast within the tree</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure16">Galahad ... quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith came out a foul smoke</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure17">“This girdle, lords,” said she, “is made for the most part of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I loved full well”</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure18">At last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave him such a buffet on the helm as wellnigh killed him</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure19">Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk</a> +</li> +<li><br></li> +<li> +<a href="#figure20">But still the knights cried mightily without the door, “Traitor, come forth!”</a> +</li> +</ul> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page001" id="page001" title="001"></a> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + +<h1>THE LEGENDS OF KING ARTHUR</h1> + +<a name="chapter_i" id="chapter_i"</a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The Prophecies of Merlin, and the Birth of Arthur</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/k.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="k1" id="k1" title="K" alt="Drop Case K"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +ing Vortigern the usurper sat upon his throne in London, when, suddenly, +upon a certain day, ran in a breathless messenger, and cried aloud— +</p> + +<p> +“Arise, Lord King, for the enemy is come; even Ambrosius and Uther, upon +whose throne thou sittest—and full twenty thousand with them—and they +have sworn by a great oath, Lord, to slay thee, ere this year be done; and +even now they march towards thee as the north wind of winter for +bitterness and haste.” +</p> + +<p> +At those words Vortigern’s face grew white as ashes, and, rising in +confusion and disorder, he sent for all the best artificers and craftsmen +and mechanics, and commanded them vehemently to go and build him +straightway in the furthest west of his lands a great and strong castle, +where he might fly for refuge and escape the <a class="pagenum" name="page002" id="page002" title="002"></a> vengeance of his master’s +sons—“and, moreover,” cried he, “let the work be done within a hundred +days from now, or I will surely spare no life amongst you all.” +</p> + +<p> +Then all the host of craftsmen, fearing for their lives, found out a +proper site whereon to build the tower, and eagerly began to lay in the +foundations. But no sooner were the walls raised up above the ground than +all their work was overwhelmed and broken down by night invisibly, no man +perceiving how, or by whom, or what. And the same thing happening again, +and yet again, all the workmen, full of terror, sought out the king, and +threw themselves upon their faces before him, beseeching him to interfere +and help them or to deliver them from their dreadful work. +</p> + +<p> +Filled with mixed rage and fear, the king called for the astrologers and +wizards, and took counsel with them what these things might be, and how to +overcome them. The wizards worked their spells and incantations, and in +the end declared that nothing but the blood of a youth born without mortal +father, smeared on the foundations of the castle, could avail to make it +stand. Messengers were therefore sent forthwith through all the land to +find, if it were possible, such a child. And, as some of them went down a +certain village street, they saw a band of lads fighting and quarrelling, +and heard them shout at one—“Avaunt, thou imp!—avaunt! Son of no mortal +man! go, find thy father, and leave us in peace.” +</p> + +<p> +At that the messengers looked steadfastly on the lad, and asked who he +was. One said his name was Merlin; another, that his birth and parentage +were known by no man; a third, that the foul fiend alone was his <a class="pagenum" name="page003" id="page003" title="003"></a> father. +Hearing the things, the officers seized Merlin, and carried him before the +king by force. +</p> + +<p> +But no sooner was he brought to him than he asked in a loud voice, for +what cause he was thus dragged there? +</p> + +<p> +“My magicians,” answered Vortigern, “told me to seek out a man that had no +human father, and to sprinkle my castle with his blood, that it may +stand.” +</p> + +<p> +“Order those magicians,” said Merlin, “to come before me, and I will +convict them of a lie.” +</p> + +<p> +The king was astonished at his words, but commanded the magicians to come +and sit down before Merlin, who cried to them— +</p> + +<p> +“Because ye know not what it is that hinders the foundation of the castle, +ye have advised my blood for a cement to it, as if that would avail; but +tell me now rather what there is below that ground, for something there is +surely underneath that will not suffer the tower to stand?” +</p> + +<p> +The wizards at these words began to fear, and made no answer. Then said +Merlin to the king— +</p> + +<p> +“I pray, Lord, that workmen may be ordered to dig deep down into the +ground till they shall come to a great pool of water.” +</p> + +<p> +This then was done, and the pool discovered far beneath the surface of the +ground. +</p> + +<p> +Then, turning again to the magicians, Merlin said, “Tell me now, false +sycophants, what there is underneath that pool?”—but they were silent. +Then said he to the king, “Command this pool to be drained, and at the +bottom shall be found two dragons, great and huge, which now are sleeping, +but which at night awake and <a class="pagenum" name="page004" id="page004" title="004"></a> fight and tear each other. At their great +struggle all the ground shakes and trembles, and so casts down thy towers, +which, therefore, never yet could find secure foundations.” +</p> + +<p> +The king was amazed at these words, but commanded the pool to be forthwith +drained; and surely at the bottom of it did they presently discover the +two dragons, fast asleep, as Merlin had declared. +</p> + +<p> +But Vortigern sat upon the brink of the pool till night to see what else +would happen. +</p> + +<p> +Then those two dragons, one of which was white, the other red, rose up and +came near one another, and began a sore fight, and cast forth fire with +their breath. But the white dragon had the advantage, and chased the other +to the end of the lake. And he, for grief at his flight, turned back upon +his foe, and renewed the combat, and forced him to retire in turn. But in +the end the red dragon was worsted, and the white dragon disappeared no +man knew where. +</p> + +<p> +When their battle was done, the king desired Merlin to tell him what it +meant. Whereat he, bursting into tears, cried out this prophecy, which +first foretold the coming of King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +“Woe to the red dragon, which figureth the British nation, for his +banishment cometh quickly; his lurkingholes shall be seized by the white +dragon—the Saxon whom thou, O king, hast called to the land. The +mountains shall be levelled as the valleys, and the rivers of the valleys +shall run blood; cities shall be burned, and churches laid in ruins; till +at length the oppressed shall turn for a season and prevail against the +strangers. For a Boar of Cornwall shall arise and rend them, and <a class="pagenum" name="page005" id="page005" title="005"></a> trample +their necks beneath his feet. The island shall be subject to his power, +and he shall take the forests of Gaul. The house of Romulus shall dread +him—all the world shall fear him—and his end shall no man know; he shall +be immortal in the mouths of the people, and his works shall be food to +those that tell them. +</p> + +<p> +“But as for thee, O Vortigern, flee thou the sons of Constantine, for they +shall burn thee in thy tower. For thine own ruin wast thou traitor to +their father, and didst bring the Saxon heathens to the land. Aurelius and +Uther are even now upon thee to revenge their father’s murder; and the +brood of the white dragon shall waste thy country, and shall lick thy +blood. Find out some refuge, if thou wilt! but who may escape the doom of +God?” +</p> + +<p> +The king heard all this, trembling greatly; and, convicted of his sins, +said nothing in reply. Only he hasted the builders of his tower by day and +night, and rested not till he had fled thereto. +</p> + +<p> +In the meantime, Aurelius, the rightful king, was hailed with joy by the +Britons, who flocked to his standard, and prayed to be led against the +Saxons. But he, till he had first killed Vortigern, would begin no other +war. He marched therefore to Cambria, and came before the tower which the +usurper had built. Then, crying out to all his knights, “Avenge ye on him +who hath ruined Britain and slain my father and your king!” he rushed with +many thousands at the castle walls. But, being driven back again and yet +again, at length he thought of fire, and ordered blazing brands to be cast +into the building from all sides. These finding soon a proper fuel, ceased +not to rage, till <a class="pagenum" name="page006" id="page006" title="006"></a> spreading to a mighty conflagration, they burned down +the tower and Vortigern within it. +</p> + +<p> +Then did Aurelius turn his strength against Hengist and the Saxons, and, +defeating them in many places, weakened their power for a long season, so +that the land had peace. +</p> + +<p> +Anon the king, making many journeys to and fro, restoring ruined churches +and, creating order, came to the monastery near Salisbury, where all those +British knights lay buried who had been slain there by the treachery of +Hengist. For when in former times Hengist had made a solemn truce with +Vortigern, to meet in peace and settle terms, whereby himself and all his +Saxons should depart from Britain, the Saxon soldiers carried every one of +them beneath his garment a long dagger, and, at a given signal, fell upon +the Britons, and slew them, to the number of nearly five hundred. +</p> + +<p> +The sight of the place where the dead lay moved Aurelius to great sorrow, +and he cast about in his mind how to make a worthy tomb over so many noble +martyrs, who had died there for their country. +</p> + +<p> +When he had in vain consulted many craftsmen and builders, he sent, by the +advice of the archbishop, for Merlin, and asked him what to do. “If you +would honour the burying-place of these men,” said Merlin, “with an +everlasting monument, send for the Giants’ Dance which is in Killaraus, a +mountain in Ireland; for there is a structure of stone there which none of +this age could raise without a perfect knowledge of the arts. They are +stones of a vast size and wondrous nature, and if they can be placed here +as they are there, round this spot of ground, they will stand for ever.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page007" id="page007" title="007"></a> + +<p> +At these words of Merlin, Aurelius burst into laughter, and said, “How is +it possible to remove such vast stones from so great a distance, as if +Britain, also, had no stones fit for the work?” +</p> + +<p> +“I pray the king,” said Merlin, “to forbear vain laughter; what I have +said is true, for those stones are mystical and have healing virtues. The +giants of old brought them from the furthest coast of Africa, and placed +them in Ireland while they lived in that country: and their design was to +make baths in them, for use in time of grievous illness. For if they +washed the stones and put the sick into the water, it certainly healed +them, as also it did them that were wounded in battle; and there is no +stone among them but hath the same virtue still.” +</p> + +<p> +When the Britons heard this, they resolved to send for the stones, and to +make war upon the people of Ireland if they offered to withhold them. So, +when they had chosen Uther the king’s brother for their chief, they set +sail, to the number of 15,000 men, and came to Ireland. There Gillomanius, +the king, withstood them fiercely, and not till after a great battle could +they approach the Giants’ Dance, the sight of which filled them with joy +and admiration. But when they sought to move the stones, the strength of +all the army was in vain, until Merlin, laughing at their failures, +contrived machines of wondrous cunning, which took them down with ease, +and placed them in the ships. +</p> + +<p> +When they had brought the whole to Salisbury, Aurelius, with the crown +upon his head, kept for four days the feast of Pentecost with royal pomp; +and in the midst of all the clergy and the people, Merlin raised <a class="pagenum" name="page008" id="page008" title="008"></a> up the +stones, and set them round the sepulchre of the knights and barons, as +they stood in the mountains of Ireland. +</p> + +<p> +Then was the monument called “Stonehenge,” which stands, as all men know, +upon the plain of Salisbury to this very day. +</p> + +<p> +Soon thereafter it befell that Aurelius was slain by poison at Winchester, +and was himself buried within the Giants’ Dance. +</p> + +<p> +At the same time came forth a comet of amazing size and brightness, +darting out a beam, at the end whereof was a cloud of fire shaped like a +dragon, from whose mouth went out two rays, one stretching over Gaul, the +other ending in seven lesser rays over the Irish sea. +</p> + +<p> +At the appearance of this star a great dread fell upon the people, and +Uther, marching into Cambria against the son of Vortigern, himself was +very troubled to learn what it might mean. Then Merlin, being called +before him, cried with a loud voice: “O mighty loss! O stricken Britain! +Alas! the great prince is gone from us. Aurelius Ambrosius is dead, whose +death will be ours also, unless God help us. Haste, therefore, noble +Uther, to destroy the enemy; the victory shall be thine, and thou shalt be +king of all Britain. For the star with the fiery dragon signifies thyself; +and the ray over Gaul portends that thou shalt have a son, most mighty, +whom all those kingdoms shall obey which the ray covers.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus, for the second time, did Merlin foretell the coming of King Arthur. +And Uther, when he was made king, remembered Merlin’s words, and caused +two dragons to be made in gold, in likeness of the dragon he <a class="pagenum" name="page009" id="page009" title="009"></a> had seen in +the star. One of these he gave to Winchester Cathedral, and had the other +carried into all his wars before him, whence he was ever after called +Uther Pendragon, or the dragon’s head. +</p> + +<p> +Now, when Uther Pendragon had passed through all the land, and settled +it—and even voyaged into all the countries of the Scots, and tamed the +fierceness of that rebel people—he came to London, and ministered justice +there. And it befell at a certain great banquet and high feast which the +king made at Easter-tide, there came, with many other earls and barons, +Gorloïs, Duke of Cornwall, and his wife Igerna, who was the most famous +beauty in all Britain. And soon thereafter, Gorloïs being slain in battle, +Uther determined to make Igerna his own wife. But in order to do this, and +enable him to come to her—for she was shut up in the high castle of +Tintagil, on the furthest coast of Cornwall—the king sent for Merlin, to +take counsel with him and to pray his help. This, therefore, Merlin +promised him on one condition—namely, that the king should give him up +the first son born of the marriage. For Merlin by his arts foreknew that +this firstborn should be the long-wished prince, King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +When Uther, therefore, was at length happily wedded, Merlin came to the +castle on a certain day, and said, “Sir, thou must now provide thee for +the nourishing of thy child.” +</p> + +<p> +And the king, nothing doubting, said, “Be it as thou wilt.” +</p> + +<p> +“I know a lord of thine in this land,” said Merlin, “who is a man both +true and faithful; let him have the nourishing of the child. His name is +Sir Ector, and he <a class="pagenum" name="page010" id="page010" title="010"></a> hath fair possessions both in England and in Wales. +When, therefore, the child is born, let him be delivered unto me, +unchristened, at yonder postern-gate, and I will bestow him in the care of +this good knight.” +</p> + +<p> +So when the child was born, the king bid two knights and two ladies to +take it, bound in rich cloth of gold, and deliver it to a poor man whom +they should discover at the postern-gate. And the child being delivered +thus to Merlin, who himself took the guise of a poor man, was carried by +him to a holy priest and christened by the name of Arthur, and then was +taken to Sir Ector’s house, and nourished at Sir Ector’s wife’s own +breasts. And in the same house he remained privily for many years, no man +soever knowing where he was, save Merlin and the king. +</p> + +<p> +Anon it befell that the king was seized by a lingering distemper, and the +Saxon heathens, taking their occasion, came back from over sea, and +swarmed upon the land, wasting it with fire and sword. When Uther heard +thereof, he fell into a greater rage than his weakness could bear, and +commanded all his nobles to come before him, that he might upbraid them +for their cowardice. And when he had sharply and hotly rebuked them, he +swore that he himself, nigh unto death although he lay, would lead them +forth against the enemy. Then causing a horse-litter to be made, in which +he might be carried—for he was too faint and weak to ride—he went up +with all his army swiftly against the Saxons. +</p> + +<p> +But they, when they heard that Uther was coming in a litter, disdained to +fight with him, saying it would be shame for brave men to fight with one +half dead. So they retired into their city; and, as it were in scorn of <a class="pagenum" name="page011" id="page011" title="011"></a> +danger, left the gates wide open. But Uther straightway commanding his men +to assault the town, they did so without loss of time, and had already +reached the gates, when the Saxons, repenting too late of their haughty +pride, rushed forth to the defence. The battle raged till night, and was +begun again next day; but at last, their leaders, Octa and Eosa, being +slain, the Saxons turned their backs and fled, leaving the Britons a full +triumph. +</p> + +<p> +The king at this felt so great joy, that, whereas before he could scarce +raise himself without help, he now sat upright in his litter by himself, +and said, with a laughing and merry face, “They called me the half-dead +king, and so indeed I was; but victory to me half dead is better than +defeat and the best health. For to die with honour is far better than to +live disgraced.” +</p> + +<p> +But the Saxons, although thus defeated, were ready still for war. Uther +would have pursued them; but his illness had by now so grown, that his +knights and barons kept him from the adventure. Whereat the enemy took +courage, and left nothing undone to destroy the land; until, descending to +the vilest treachery, they resolved to kill the king by poison. +</p> + +<p> +To this end, as he lay sick at Verulam, they sent and poisoned stealthily +a spring of clear water, whence he was wont to drink daily; and so, on the +very next day, he was taken with the pains of death, as were also a +hundred others after him, before the villainy was discovered, and heaps of +earth thrown over the well. +</p> + +<p> +The knights and barons, full of sorrow, now took counsel together, and +came to Merlin for his help to learn the king’s will before he died, for +he was by this time speechless. “Sirs, there is no remedy,” said <a class="pagenum" name="page012" id="page012" title="012"></a> Merlin, +“and God’s will must be done; but be ye all to-morrow before him, for God +will make him speak before he die.” +</p> + +<p> +So on the morrow all the barons, with Merlin, stood round the bedside of +the king; and Merlin said aloud to Uther, “Lord, shall thy son Arthur be +the king of all this realm after thy days?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Uther Pendragon turned him about, and said, in the hearing of them +all, “God’s blessing and mine be upon him. I bid him pray for my soul, and +also that he claim my crown, or forfeit all my blessing;” and with those +words he died. +</p> + +<p> +Then came together all the bishops and the clergy, and great multitudes of +people, and bewailed the king; and carrying his body to the convent of +Ambrius, they buried it close by his brother’s grave, within the “Giants’ +Dance.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page013" id="page013" title="013"></a> + +<a name="chapter_ii" id="chapter_ii"</a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The Miracle of the Sword and Stone, and the Coronation of King +Arthur — The Sword Excalilur — The War with the Eleven Kings</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/n.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="n1" id="n1" title="N" alt="Drop Case N"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +ow Arthur the prince had all this time been nourished in Sir Ector’s +house as his own son, and was fair and tall and comely, being of the age +of fifteen years, great in strength, gentle in manner, and accomplished in +all exercises proper for the training of a knight. +</p> + +<p> +But as yet he knew not of his father; for Merlin had so dealt, that none +save Uther and himself knew aught about him. Wherefore it befell, that +many of the knights and barons who heard King Uther speak before his +death, and call his son Arthur his successor, were in great amazement; and +some doubted, and others were displeased. +</p> + +<p> +Anon the chief lords and princes set forth each to his own land, and, +raising armed men and multitudes of followers, determined every one to +gain the crown for himself; for they said in their hearts, “If there be +any such a son at all as he of whom this wizard forced the king to speak, +who are we that a beardless boy should have rule over us?” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page014" id="page014" title="014"></a> + +<p> +So the land stood long in great peril, for every lord and baron sought but +his own advantage; and the Saxons, growing ever more adventurous, wasted +and overran the towns and villages in every part. +</p> + +<p> +Then Merlin went to Brice, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and advised him +to require all the earls and barons of the realm and all knights and +gentlemen-at-arms to come to him at London, before Christmas, under pain +of cursing, that they might learn the will of Heaven who should be king. +This, therefore, the archbishop did, and upon Christmas Eve were met +together in London all the greatest princes, lords, and barons; and long +before day they prayed in St. Paul’s Church, and the archbishop besought +Heaven for a sign who should be lawful king of all the realm. +</p> + +<p> +And as they prayed, there was seen in the churchyard, set straight before +the doorways of the church, a huge square stone having a naked sword stuck +in the midst of it. And on the sword was written in letters of gold, +“Whoso pulleth out the sword from this stone is born the rightful King of +Britain.” +</p> + +<p> +At this all the people wondered greatly; and, when Mass was over, the +nobles, knights, and princes ran out eagerly from the church to see the +stone and sword; and a law was forthwith made that whoso should pull out +the sword should be acknowledged straightway King of Britain. +</p> + +<p> +Then many knights and barons pulled at the sword with all their might, and +some of them tried many times, but none could stir or move it. +</p> + +<p> +When all had tried in vain, the archbishop declared the man whom Heaven +had chosen was not yet there. <a class="pagenum" name="page015" id="page015" title="015"></a> “But God,” said he, “will doubtless make +him known ere many days.” +</p> + +<p> +So ten knights were chosen, being men of high renown, to watch and keep +the sword; and there was proclamation made through all the land that +whosoever would, had leave and liberty to try and pull it from the stone. +But though great multitudes of people came, both gentle and simple, for +many days, no man could ever move the sword a hair’s breadth from its +place. +</p> + +<p> +Now, at the New Year’s Eve a great tournament was to be held in London, +which the archbishop had devised to keep together lords and commons, lest +they should grow estranged in the troublous and unsettled times. To the +which tournament there came, with many other knights, Sir Ector, Arthur’s +foster-father, who had great possessions near to London; and with him came +his son, Sir Key, but recently made knight, to take his part in the +jousting, and young Arthur also to witness all the sports and fighting. +</p> + +<p> +But as they rode towards the jousts, Sir Key found suddenly he had no +sword, for he had left it at his father’s house; and turning to young +Arthur, he prayed him to ride back and fetch it for him. “I will with a +good will,” said Arthur; and rode fast back after the sword. +</p> + +<p> +But when he came to the house he found it locked and empty, for all were +gone forth to see the tournament. Whereat, being angry and impatient, he +said within himself, “I will ride to the churchyard and take with me the +sword that sticketh in the stone, for my brother shall not go without a +sword this day.” +</p> + +<p> +So he rode and came to the churchyard, and alighting from his horse he +tied him to the gate, and went to the <a class="pagenum" name="page016" id="page016" title="016"></a> pavilion, which was pitched near +the stone, wherein abode the ten knights who watched and kept it; but he +found no knights there, for all were gone to see the jousting. +</p> + +<p> +Then he took the sword by its handle, and lightly and fiercely he pulled +it out of the stone, and took his horse and rode until he came to Sir Key +and delivered him the sword. But as soon as Sir Key saw it he knew well it +was the sword of the stone, and, riding swiftly to his father, he cried +out, “Lo! here, sir, is the sword of the stone, wherefore it is I who must +be king of all this land.” +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Ector saw the sword, he turned back straight with Arthur and Sir +Key and came to the churchyard, and there alighting, they went all three +into the church, and Sir Key was sworn to tell truly how he came by the +sword. Then he confessed it was his brother Arthur who had brought it to +him. +</p> + +<p> +Whereat Sir Ector, turning to young Arthur, asked him—“How gottest thou +the sword?” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said he, “I will tell you. When I went home to fetch my brother’s +sword, I found nobody to deliver it to me, for all were abroad to the +jousts. Yet was I loath to leave my brother swordless, and, bethinking me +of this one, I came hither eagerly to fetch it for him, and pulled it out +of the stone without any pain.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Ector, much amazed and looking steadfastly on Arthur, “If +this indeed be thus, ’tis thou who shalt be king of all this land—and God +will have it so—for none but he who should be rightful Lord of Britain +might ever draw this sword forth from that stone. But let me now with mine +own eyes see thee put back the sword into its place and draw it forth +again.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page017" id="page017" title="017"></a> + +<p> +“That is no mystery,” said Arthur; and straightway set it in the stone. +And then Sir Ector pulled at it himself, and after him Sir Key, with all +his might, but both of them in vain: then Arthur reaching forth his hand +and grasping at the pommel, pulled it out easily, and at once. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure02.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure02" id="figure02" + title="Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground before young Arthur, and Sir Key also with him." + alt="Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground before young Arthur, and Sir Key also with him."> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure02.jpg">Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground before young +Arthur, and Sir Key also with him,</a> and straightway did him homage as their +sovereign lord. +</p> + +<p> +But Arthur cried aloud, “Alas! mine own dear father and my brother, why +kneel ye thus to me?” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, my Lord Arthur,” answered then Sir Ector, “we are of no +blood-kinship with thee, and little though I thought how high thy kin +might be, yet wast thou never more than foster-child of mine.” And then he +told him all he knew about his infancy, and how a stranger had delivered +him, with a great sum of gold, into his hands to be brought up and +nourished as his own born child, and then had disappeared. +</p> + +<p> +But when young Arthur heard of it, he fell upon Sir Ector’s neck, and +wept, and made great lamentation, “For now,” said he, “I have in one day +lost my father and my mother and my brother.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Ector presently, “when thou shalt be made king be good and +gracious unto me and mine.” +</p> + +<p> +“If not,” said Arthur, “I were no true man’s son at all, for thou art he +in all the world to whom I owe the most; and my good lady and mother, thy +wife, hath ever kept and fostered me as though I were her own; so if it be +God’s will that I be king hereafter as thou sayest, desire of me whatever +thing thou wilt and I <a class="pagenum" name="page018" id="page018" title="018"></a> will do it; and God forbid that I should fail thee +in it.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will but pray,” replied Sir Ector, “that thou wilt make my son Sir Key, +thy foster-brother, seneschal of all the lands.” +</p> + +<p> +“That shall he be,” said Arthur; “and never shall another hold that +office, save thy son, while he and I do live.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon, they left the church and went to the archbishop to tell him that the +sword had been achieved. And when he saw the sword in Arthur’s hand he set +a day and summoned all the princes, knights, and barons to meet again at +St. Paul’s Church and see the will of Heaven signified. So when they came +together, the sword was put back in the stone, and all tried, from the +greatest to the least, to move it; but there before them all not one could +take it out save Arthur only. +</p> + +<p> +But then befell a great confusion and dispute, for some cried out it was +the will of Heaven, and, “Long live King Arthur,” but many more were full +of wrath and said, “What! would ye give the ancient sceptre of this land +unto a boy born none know how?” And the contention growing greatly, till +nothing could be done to pacify their rage, the meeting was at length +broken up by the archbishop and adjourned till Candlemas, when all should +meet again. +</p> + +<p> +But when Candlemas was come, Arthur alone again pulled forth the sword, +though more than ever came to win it; and the barons, sorely vexed and +angry, put it in delay till Easter. But as he had sped before so he did at +Easter, and the barons yet once more contrived delays till Pentecost. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page019" id="page019" title="019"></a> + +<p> +But now the archbishop, fully seeing God’s will, called together, by +Merlin’s counsel, a band of knights and gentlemen-at-arms, and set them +about Arthur to keep him safely till the feast of Pentecost. And when at +the feast Arthur still again alone prevailed to move the sword, the people +all with one accord cried out, “Long live King Arthur! we will have no +more delay, nor any other king, for so it is God’s will; and we will slay +whoso resisteth Him and Arthur;” and wherewithal they kneeled down all at +once, and cried for Arthur’s grace and pardon that they had so long +delayed him from his crown. Then he full sweetly and majestically pardoned +them; and taking in his hand the sword, he offered it upon the high altar +of the church. +</p> + +<p> +Anon was he solemnly knighted with great pomp by the most famous knight +there present, and the crown was placed upon his head; and, having taken +oath to all the people, lords and commons, to be true king and deal in +justice only unto his life’s end, he received homage and service from all +the barons who held lands and castles from the crown. Then he made Sir +Key, High Steward of England, and Sir Badewaine of Britain, Constable, and +Sir Ulfius, Chamberlain: and after this, with all his court and a great +retinue of knights and armed men, he journeyed into Wales, and was crowned +again in the old city of Caerleon-upon-Usk. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile those knights and barons who had so long delayed him from the +crown, met together and went up to the coronation feast at Caerleon, as if +to do him homage; and there they ate and drank such things as were set +before them at the royal banquet, sitting with the others in the great +hall. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page020" id="page020" title="020"></a> + +<p> +But when after the banquet Arthur began, according to the ancient royal +custom, to bestow great boons and fiefs on whom he would, they all with +one accord rose up, and scornfully refused his gifts, crying that they +would take nothing from a beardless boy come of low or unknown birth, but +would instead give him good gifts of hard sword-strokes between neck and +shoulders. +</p> + +<p> +Whereat arose a deadly tumult in the hall, and every man there made him +ready to fight. But Arthur leaped up as a flame of fire against them, and +all his knights and barons drawing their swords, rushed after him upon +them and began a full sore battle; and presently the king’s party +prevailed, and drave the rebels from the hall and from the city, closing +the gates behind them; and King Arthur brake his sword upon them in his +eagerness and rage. +</p> + +<p> +But amongst them were six kings of great renown and might, who more than +all raged against Arthur and determined to destroy him, namely, King Lot, +King Nanters, King Urien, King Carados, King Yder, and King Anguisant. +These six, therefore, joining their armies together, laid close siege to +the city of Caerleon, wherefrom King Arthur had so shamefully driven them. +</p> + +<p> +And after fifteen days Merlin came suddenly into their camp and asked them +what this treason meant. Then he declared to them that Arthur was no base +adventurer, but King Uther’s son, whom they were bound to serve and honour +even though Heaven had not vouchsafed the wondrous miracle of the sword. +Some of the kings, when they heard Merlin speak thus, marvelled and +believed him; but others, as King Lot, laughed him and his words to scorn, +and mocked him for a conjurer and <a class="pagenum" name="page021" id="page021" title="021"></a> wizard. But it was agreed with Merlin +that Arthur should come forth and speak with the kings. +</p> + +<p> +So he went forth to them to the city gate, and with him the archbishop and +Merlin, and Sir Key, Sir Brastias, and a great company of others. And he +spared them not in his speech, but spoke to them as king and chieftain +telling them plainly he would make them all bow to him if he lived, unless +they choose to do him homage there and then; and so they parted in great +wrath, and each side armed in haste. +</p> + +<p> +“What will ye do?” said Merlin to the kings; “ye had best hold your hands, +for were ye ten times as many ye should not prevail.” +</p> + +<p> +“Shall we be afraid of a dream-reader?” quoth King Lot in scorn. +</p> + +<p> +With that Merlin vanished away and came to King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +Then Arthur said to Merlin, “I have need now of a sword that shall +chastise these rebels terribly.” +</p> + +<p> +“Come then with me,” said Merlin, “for hard by there is a sword that I can +gain for thee.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rode out that night till they came to a fair and broad lake, and +in the midst of it King Arthur saw an arm thrust up, clothed in white +samite, and holding a great sword in the hand. +</p> + +<p> +“Lo! yonder is the sword I spoke of,” said Merlin. +</p> + +<p> +Then saw they a damsel floating on the lake in the Moonlight. “What damsel +is that?” said the king. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure03.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure03" id="figure03" + title="The lady of the lake." + alt="The lady of the lake."> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure03.jpg">“The lady of the lake,”</a> said Merlin; “for upon this lake there is a rock, +and on the rock a noble palace, where she abideth, and she will come +towards thee presently, thou shalt ask her courteously for the sword.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page022" id="page022" title="022"></a> + +<p> +Therewith the damsel came to King Arthur, and saluted him, and he saluted +her, and said, “Lady, what sword is that the arm holdeth above the water? +I would that it were mine, for I have no sword.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir King,” said the lady of the lake, “that sword is mine, and if thou +wilt give me in return a gift whenever I shall ask it of thee, thou shalt +have it.” +</p> + +<p> +“By my faith,” said he, “I will give thee any gift that thou shalt ask.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said the damsel, “go into yonder barge, and row thyself unto the +sword, and take it and the scabbard with thee, and I will ask my gift of +thee when I see my time.” +</p> + +<p> +So King Arthur and Merlin alighted, and tied their horses to two trees, +and went into the barge; and when they came to the sword that the hand +held, King Arthur took it by the handle and bore it with him, and the arm +and hand went down under the water; and so they came back to land, and +rode again to Caerleon. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow Merlin bade King Arthur to set fiercely on the enemy; and in +the meanwhile three hundred good knights went over to King Arthur from the +rebels’ side. Then at the spring of day, when they had scarce left their +tents, he fell on them with might and main, and Sir Badewaine, Sir Key, +and Sir Brastias slew on the right hand and on the left marvellously; and +ever in the thickest of the fight King Arthur raged like a young lion, and +laid on with his sword, and did wondrous deeds of arms, to the joy and +admiration of the knights and barons who beheld him. +</p> + +<p> +Then King Lot, King Carados, and the King of the Hundred Knights—who also +rode with them—going <a class="pagenum" name="page023" id="page023" title="023"></a> round to the rear, set on King Arthur fiercely from +behind; but Arthur, turning to his knights, fought ever in the foremost +press until his horse was slain beneath him. At that, King Lot rode +furiously at him, and smote him down; but rising straightway, and being +set again on horseback, he drew his sword Excalibur that he had gained by +Merlin from the lady of the lake, which, shining brightly as the light of +thirty torches, dazzled the eyes of his enemies. And therewith falling on +them afresh with all his knights, he drove them back and slew them in +great numbers, and Merlin by his arts scattered among them fire and pitchy +smoke, so that they broke and fled. Then all the common people of +Caerleon, seeing them give way, rose up with one accord, and rushed at +them with clubs and staves, and chased them far and wide, and slew many +great knights and lords, and the remainder of them fled and were seen no +more. Thus won King Arthur his first battle and put his enemies to shame. +</p> + +<p> +But the six kings, though sorely routed, prepared for a new war, and +joining to themselves five others swore together that, whether for weal or +woe, they would keep steadfast alliance till they had destroyed King +Arthur. Then, with a host of 50,000 men-at-arms on horseback, and 10,000 +foot, they were soon ready, and sent forth their fore-riders, and drew +from the northern country towards King Arthur, to the castle of Bedgraine. +</p> + +<p> +But he by Merlin’s counsel had sent over sea to King Ban of Benwick and +King Bors of Gaul, praying them to come and help him in his wars, and +promising to help in return against King Claudas, their foe. To which +those kings made answer that they would joyfully <a class="pagenum" name="page024" id="page024" title="024"></a> fulfil his wish, and +shortly after came to London with 300 knights, well arrayed for both peace +and war, leaving behind them a great army on the other side of the sea +till they had consulted with King Arthur and his ministers how they might +best dispose of it. +</p> + +<p> +And Merlin being asked for his advice and help, agreed to go himself and +fetch it over sea to England, which in one night he did; and brought with +him 10,000 horsemen and led them northward privately to the forest of +Bedgraine, and there lodged them in a valley secretly. +</p> + +<p> +Then, by the counsel of Merlin, when they knew which way the eleven kings +would ride and sleep, King Arthur with Kings Ban and Bors made themselves +ready with their army for the fight, having yet but 30,000 men, counting +the 10,000 who had come from Gaul. +</p> + +<p> +“Now shall ye do my advice,” said Merlin; “I would that King Ban and King +Bors, with all their fellowship of 10,000 men, were led to ambush in this +wood ere daylight, and stir not therefrom until the battle hath been long +waged. And thou, Lord Arthur, at the spring of day draw forth thine army +before the enemy, and dress the battle so that they may at once see all +thy host, for they will be the more rash and hardy when they see you have +but 20,000 men.” +</p> + +<p> +To this the three knights and the barons heartily consented, and it was +done as Merlin had devised. So on the morrow when the hosts beheld each +other, the host of the north was greatly cheered to find so few led out +against them. +</p> + +<p> +Then gave King Arthur the command to Sir Ulfius and Sir Brastias to take +3000 men-at-arms, and to open <a class="pagenum" name="page025" id="page025" title="025"></a> battle. They therefore setting fiercely on +the enemy slew them on the right hand and the left till it was wonderful +to see their slaughter. +</p> + +<p> +When the eleven kings beheld so small a band doing such mighty deeds of +arms they were ashamed, and charged them fiercely in return. Then was Sir +Ulfius’ horse slain under him; but he fought well and marvellously on foot +against Duke Eustace and King Clarience, who set upon him grievously, till +Sir Brastias, seeing his great peril, pricked towards them swiftly, and so +smote the duke through with his spear that horse and man fell down and +rolled over. Whereat King Clarience turned upon Sir Brastias, and rushing +furiously together they each unhorsed the other and fell both to the +ground, and there lay a long time stunned, their horses’ knees being cut +to the bone. Then came Sir Key the seneschal with six companions, and did +wondrous well, till the eleven kings went out against them and overthrew +Sir Griflet and Sir Lucas the butler. And when Sir Key saw Sir Griflet +unhorsed and on foot, he rode against King Nanters hotly and smote him +down, and led his horse to Griflet and horsed him again; with the same +spear did Sir Key smite down King Lot and wounded him full sore. +</p> + +<p> +But seeing that, the King of the Hundred Knights rushed at Sir Key and +overthrew him in return, and took his horse and gave it to King Lot. And +when Sir Griflet saw Sir Key’s mischance, he set his spear in rest, and +riding at a mighty man-at-arms, he cast him down headlong and caught his +horse and led it straightway to Sir Key. +</p> + +<p> +By now the battle was growing perilous and hard, and both sides fought +with rage and fury. And Sir Ulfius <a class="pagenum" name="page026" id="page026" title="026"></a> and Sir Brastias were both afoot and +in great danger of their death, and foully stained and trampled under +horses’ feet. Then King Arthur, putting spurs to his horse, rushed forward +like a lion into the midst of all the <i>mêlée</i>, and singling out King +Cradlemont of North Wales, smote him through the left side and overthrew +him, and taking his horse by the rein he brought it to Sir Ulfius in haste +and said, “Take this horse, mine old friend, for thou hast great need of +one, and charge by side of me.” And even as he spoke he saw Sir Ector, Sir +Key’s father, smitten to the earth by the King of the Hundred Knights, and +his horse taken to King Cradlemont. +</p> + +<p> +But when King Arthur saw him ride upon Sir Ector’s horse his wrath was +very great, and with his sword he smote King Cradlemont upon the helm, and +shore off the fourth part thereof and of the shield, and drave the sword +onward to the horse’s neck and slew the horse, and hurled the king upon +the ground. +</p> + +<p> +And now the battle waxed so great and furious that all the noise and sound +thereof rang out by water and by wood, so that Kings Ban and Bors, with +all their knights and men-at-arms in ambush, hearing the tumult and the +cries, trembled and shook for eagerness, and scarce could stay in secret, +but made them ready for the fray and dressed their shields and harness. +</p> + +<p> +But when King Arthur saw the fury of the enemy, he raged like a mad lion, +and stirred and drove his horse now here, now there, to the right hand and +to the left, and stayed not in his wrath till he had slain full twenty +knights. He wounded also King Lot so sorely in the shoulder that he left +the field, and in great pain and dolour cried out to the other kings, “Do +ye as I devise, <a class="pagenum" name="page027" id="page027" title="027"></a> or we shall be destroyed. I, with the King of the Hundred +Knights, King Anguisant, King Yder, and the Duke of Cambinet, will take +fifteen thousand men and make a circuit, meanwhile that ye do hold the +battle with twelve thousand. Then coming suddenly we will fall fiercely on +them from behind and put them to the rout, but else shall we never stand +against them.” +</p> + +<p> +So Lot and four kings departed with their party to one side, and the six +other kings dressed their ranks against King Arthur and fought long and +stoutly. +</p> + +<p> +But now Kings Ban and Bors, with all their army fresh and eager, broke +from their ambush and met face to face the five kings and their host as +they came round behind, and then began a frantic struggle with breaking of +spears and clashing of swords and slaying of men and horses. Anon King +Lot, espying in the midst King Bors, cried out in great dismay, “Our Lady +now defend us from our death and fearful wounds; our peril groweth great, +for yonder cometh one of the worshipfullest kings and best knights in all +the world.” +</p> + +<p> +“Who is he?” said the King of the Hundred Knights. +</p> + +<p> +“It is King Bors of Gaul,” replied King Lot, “and much I marvel how he may +have come with all his host into this land without our knowledge.” +</p> + +<p> +“Aha!” cried King Carados, “I will encounter with this king if ye will +rescue me when there is need.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ride on,” said they. +</p> + +<p> +So King Carados and all his host rode softly till they came within a +bow-shot of King Bors, and then both hosts, spurring their horses to their +greatest swiftness, rushed at each other. And King Bors encountered in <a class="pagenum" name="page028" id="page028" title="028"></a> +the onset with a knight, and struck him through with a spear, so that he +fell dead upon the earth; then drawing his sword, he did such mighty feats +of arms that all who saw him gazed with wonder. Anon King Ban came also +forth upon the field with all his knights, and added yet more fury, sound, +and slaughter, till at length both hosts of the eleven kings began to +quake, and drawing all together into one body, they prepared to meet the +worst, while a great multitude already fled. +</p> + +<p> +Then said King Lot, “Lords, we must take yet other means, or worse loss +still awaits us. See ye not what people we have lost in waiting on the +footmen, and that it costs ten horsemen to save one of them? Therefore it +is my counsel to put away our footmen from us, for it is almost night, and +King Arthur will not stay to slaughter them. So they can save their lives +in this great wood hard by. Then let us gather into one band all the +horsemen that remain, and whoso breaketh rank or leaveth us, let him be +straightway slain by him that seeth him, for it is better that we slay a +coward than through a coward be all slain. How say ye?” said King Lot; +“answer me, all ye kings.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is well said,” replied they all. +</p> + +<p> +And swearing they would never fail each other, they mended and set right +their armour and their shields, and took new spears and set them +steadfastly against their thighs, waiting, and so stood still as a clump +of trees stands on the plain; and no assaults could shake them, they held +so hard together; which when King Arthur saw he marvelled greatly, and was +very wroth. “Yet,” cried he, “I may not blame them, by my faith, for they +do as brave men ought to do, and are the best fighting <a class="pagenum" name="page029" id="page029" title="029"></a> men and knights of +most prowess that I ever saw or heard tell of.” And so said also Kings Ban +and Bors, and praised them greatly for their noble chivalry. +</p> + +<p> +But now came forty noble knights out of King Arthur’s host, and prayed +that he would suffer them to break the enemy. And when they were allowed, +they rode forth with their spears upon their thighs, and spurred their +horses to their hottest. Then the eleven kings, with a party of their +knights, rushed with set spears as fast and mightily to meet them; and +when they were encountered, all the crash and splinter of their spears and +armour rang with a mighty din, and so fierce and bloody was their onset +that in all that day there had been no such cruel press, and rage, and +smiting. At that same moment rode fiercely into the thickest of the +struggle King Arthur and Kings Ban and Bors, and slew downright on both +hands right and left, until their horses went in blood up to the fetlocks. +</p> + +<p> +And while the slaughter and the noise and shouting were at their greatest, +suddenly there came down through the battle Merlin the Wizard, upon a +great black horse, and riding to King Arthur, he cried out, “Alas, my +Lord! will ye have never done? Of sixty thousand have ye left but fifteen +thousand men alive. Is it not time to stay this slaying? for God is ill +pleased with ye that ye have never ended, and yonder kings shall not be +altogether overthrown this time. But if ye fall upon them any more, the +fortune of this day will turn, and go to them. Withdraw, Lord, therefore, +to thy lodging, and there now take thy rest, for to-day thou hast won a +great victory, and overcome the noblest chivalry of all the world. And now +for many years those kings shall <a class="pagenum" name="page030" id="page030" title="030"></a> not disturb thee. Therefore, I tell +thee, fear them no more, for now they are sore beaten, and have nothing +left them but their honour; and why shouldest thou slay them to take +that?” +</p> + +<p> +Then said King Arthur, “Thou sayest well, and I will take thy counsel.” +With that he cried out, “Ho!” for the battle to cease, and sent forth +heralds through the field to stay more fighting. And gathering all the +spoil, he gave it not amongst his own host, but to Kings Ban and Bors and +all their knights and men-at-arms, that he might treat them with the +greater courtesy as strangers. +</p> + +<p> +Then Merlin took his leave of Arthur and the two other kings, and went to +see his master, Blaise, a holy hermit, dwelling in Northumberland, who had +nourished him through all his youth. And Blaise was passing glad to see +him, for there was a great love ever between them; and Merlin told him how +King Arthur had sped in the battle, and how it had ended; and told him the +names of every king and knight of worship who was there. So Blaise wrote +down the battle, word for word, as Merlin told him; and in the same way +ever after, all the battles of King Arthur’s days Merlin caused Blaise, +his master, to record. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page031" id="page031" title="031"></a> + +<a name="chapter_iii" id="chapter_iii"</a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The Adventure of the Questing Beast — King Arthur drives the Saxons from +the Realm — The Battles of Celidon Forest and Badon Hill</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/a.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="a1" id="a1" Title="A" alt="Drop Case A"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +non, thereafter, came word to King Arthur that Ryence, King of North +Wales, was making war upon King Leodegrance of Camelgard; whereat he was +passing wroth, for he loved Leodegrance well, and hated Ryence. So he +departed with Kings Ban and Bors and twenty thousand men, and came to +Camelgard, and rescued Leodegrance, and slew ten thousand of Ryence’s men +and put him to flight. Then Leodegrance made a great festival to the three +kings, and treated them with every manner of mirth and pleasure which +could be devised. And there had King Arthur the first sight of Guinevere, +daughter of Leodegrance, whom in the end he married, as shall be told +hereafter. +</p> + +<p> +Then did Kings Ban and Bors take leave, and went to their own country, +where King Claudas worked great mischief. And King Arthur would have gone +with them, but they refused him, saying, “Nay, ye shall not at this time, +for ye have yet much to do in these lands of your own; and we with the +riches we have won here by <a class="pagenum" name="page032" id="page032" title="032"></a> your gifts shall hire many good knights, and, +by the grace of God, withstand the malice of King Claudas; and if we have +need we will send to ye for succour; and likewise ye, if ye have need, +send for us, and we will not tarry, by the faith of our bodies.” +</p> + +<p> +When the two kings had left, King Arthur rode to Caerleon, and thither +came to him his half-sister Belisent, wife to King Lot, sent as a +messenger, but in truth to espy his power; and with her came a noble +retinue, and also her four sons—Gawain, Gaheris, Agravaine, and Gareth. +But when she saw King Arthur and his nobleness, and all the splendour of +his knights and service, she forbore to spy upon him as a foe, and told +him of her husband’s plots against him and his throne. And the king, not +knowing that she was his half-sister, made great court to her; and being +full of admiration for her beauty, loved her out of measure, and kept her +a long season at Caerleon. Wherefore her husband, King Lot, was more than +ever King Arthur’s enemy, and hated him till death with a passing great +hatred. +</p> + +<p> +At that time King Arthur had a marvellous dream, which gave him great +disquietness of heart. He dreamed that the whole land was full of many +fiery griffins and serpents, which burnt and slew the people everywhere; +and then that he himself fought with them, and that they did him mighty +injuries, and wounded him nigh to death, but that at last he overcame and +slew them all. When he woke, he sat in great heaviness of spirit and +pensiveness, thinking what this dream might signify, but by-and-by, when +he could by no means satisfy himself what it might mean, to rid himself of +all his thoughts of it, he made ready with a great company to ride out +hunting. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page033" id="page033" title="033"></a> + +<p> +As soon as he was in the forest, the king saw a great hart before him, and +spurred his horse, and rode long eagerly after it, and chased until his +horse lost breath and fell down dead from under him. Then, seeing the hart +escaped and his horse dead, he sat down by a fountain, and fell into deep +thought again. And as he sat there alone, he thought he heard the noise of +hounds, as it were some thirty couple in number, and looking up he saw +coming towards him the strangest beast that ever he had seen or heard tell +of, which ran towards the fountain and drank of the water. Its head was +like a serpent’s, with a leopard’s body and a lion’s tail, and it was +footed like a stag; and the noise was in its belly, as it were the baying +or questing of thirty couple of hounds. While it drank there was no noise +within it; but presently, having finished, it departed with a greater +sound than ever. +</p> + +<p> +The king was amazed at all this; but being greatly wearied, he fell +asleep, and was before long waked up by a knight on foot, who said, +“Knight, full of thought and sleepy, tell me if thou sawest a strange +beast pass this way?” +</p> + +<p> +“Such a one I saw,” said King Arthur to the knight, “but that is now two +miles distant at the least. What would you with that beast?” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the knight, “I have followed it for a long time, and have +killed my horse, and would to heaven I had another to pursue my quest +withal.” +</p> + +<p> +At that moment came a yeoman with another horse for the king, which, when +the knight saw, he earnestly prayed to be given him. “For I have followed +this quest,” said he, “twelve months, and either I shall achieve him or +bleed of the best blood of my body.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page034" id="page034" title="034"></a> + +<p> +It was King Pellinore who at that time followed the questing beast, but +neither he nor King Arthur knew each other. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir Knight,” said King Arthur, “leave that quest and suffer me to have +it, and I will follow it other twelve months.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, fool,” said the knight, “thy desire is utterly in vain, for it shall +never be achieved but by me, or by my next of kin.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he started to the king’s horse, and mounted to the saddle, +crying out, “Grammercy, this horse is mine!” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said the king, “thou mayest take my horse by force, and I will not +say nay; but till we prove whether thou or I be best on horseback, I shall +not rest content.” +</p> + +<p> +“Seek me here,” said the knight, “whenever thou wilt, and here by this +fountain thou shalt find me;” and so he passed forth on his way. +</p> + +<p> +Then sat King Arthur in a deep fit of study, and bade his yeomen fetch him +yet another horse as quickly as they could. And when they left him all +alone came Merlin, disguised as a child of fourteen years of age, and +saluted the king, and asked him why he was so pensive and heavy. +</p> + +<p> +“I may well be pensive and heavy,” he replied, “for here even now I have +seen the strangest sight I ever saw.” +</p> + +<p> +“That know I well,” said Merlin, “as well as thyself, and also all thy +thoughts; but thou art foolish to take thought, for it will not amend +thee. Also I know what thou art, and know thy father and thy mother.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page035" id="page035" title="035"></a> + +<p> +“That is false,” said King Arthur; “how shouldst thou know? thy years are +not enough.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” said Merlin, “but I know better than thou how thou wast born, and +better than any man living.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not believe thee,” said King Arthur, and was wroth with the child. +</p> + +<p> +So Merlin departed, and came again in the likeness of an old man of +fourscore years of age; and the king was glad at his coming, for he seemed +wise and venerable. Then said the old man, “Why art thou so sad?” +</p> + +<p> +“For divers reasons,” said King Arthur; “for I have seen strange things +to-day, and but this moment there was here a child who told me things +beyond his years to know.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” said the old man, “but he told thee truth, and more he would have +told thee hadst thou suffered him. But I will tell thee wherefore thou art +sad, for thou hast done a thing of late for which God is displeased with +thee, and what it is thou knowest in thy heart, though no man else may +know.” +</p> + +<p> +“What art thou,” said King Arthur, starting up all pale, “that tellest me +these tidings?” +</p> + +<p> +“I am Merlin,” said he, “and I was he in the child’s likeness, also.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” said King Arthur, “thou art a marvellous and right fearful man, and +I would ask and tell thee many things this day.” +</p> + +<p> +As they talked came one with the king’s horses, and so, King Arthur +mounting one, and Merlin another, they rode together to Caerleon; and +Merlin prophesied to Arthur of his death, and also foretold his own end. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page036" id="page036" title="036"></a> + +<p> +And now King Arthur, having utterly dispersed and overwhelmed those kings +who had so long delayed his coronation, turned all his mind to overthrow +the Saxon heathens who yet in many places spoiled the land. Calling +together, therefore, his knights and men-at-arms, he rode with all his +hosts to York, where Colgrin, the Saxon, lay with a great army; and there +he fought a mighty battle, long and bloody, and drove him into the city, +and besieged him. Then Baldulph, Colgrin’s brother, came secretly with six +thousand men to assail King Arthur and to raise the siege. But King Arthur +was aware of him, and sent six hundred horsemen and three thousand foot to +meet and fall on him instead. This therefore they did, encountering them +at midnight, and utterly defeated them, till they fled away for life. But +Baldulph, full of grief, resolved to share his brother’s peril; wherefore +he shaved his head and beard, and disguised himself as a jester, and so +passed through King Arthur’s camp, singing and playing on a harp, till by +degrees he drew near to the city walls, where presently he made himself +known, and was drawn up by ropes into the town. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, while Arthur closely watched the city, came news that full six +hundred ships had landed countless swarms of Saxons, under Cheldric, on +the eastern coast. At that he raised the siege, and marched straight to +London, and there increased his army, and took counsel with his barons how +to drive the Saxons from the land for evermore. +</p> + +<p> +Then with his nephew, Hoel, King of the Armorican Britons, who came with a +great force to help him, King Arthur, with a mighty multitude of barons, +knights, and <a class="pagenum" name="page037" id="page037" title="037"></a> fighting men, went swiftly up to Lincoln, which the Saxons +lay besieging. And there he fought a passing fierce battle, and made +grievous slaughter, killing above six thousand men, till the main body of +them turned and fled. But he pursued them hotly into the wood of Celidon, +where, sheltering themselves among the trees from his arrows, they made a +stand, and for a long season bravely defended themselves. Anon, he ordered +all the trees in that part of the forest to be cut down, leaving no +shelter or ambush; and with their trunks and branches made a mighty +barricade, which shut them in and hindered their escape. After three days, +brought nigh to death by famine, they offered to give up their wealth of +gold and silver spoils, and to depart forthwith in their empty ships; +moreover, to pay tribute to King Arthur when they reached their home, and +to leave him hostages till all was paid. +</p> + +<p> +This offer, therefore, he accepted, and suffered them to depart. But when +they had been a few hours at sea, they repented of their shameful flight, +and turned their ships back again, and landing at Totnes, ravaged all the +land as far as the Severn, and, burning and slaying on all sides, bent +their steps towards Bath. +</p> + +<p> +When King Arthur heard of their treachery and their return, he burned with +anger till his eyes shone like two torches, and then he swore a mighty +oath to rest no more until he had utterly destroyed those enemies of God +and man, and had rooted them for ever out of the land of Britain. Then +marching hotly with his armies on to Bath, he cried aloud to them, “Since +these detestable impious heathens disdain to keep their faith with me, to +keep faith with God, to whom I sware to cherish <a class="pagenum" name="page038" id="page038" title="038"></a> and defend this realm, +will now this day avenge on them the blood of all that they have slain in +Britain!” +</p> + +<p> +In like manner after him spoke the archbishop, standing upon a hill, and +crying that to-day they should fight both for their country and for +Paradise, “For whoso,” he said, “shall in this holy war be slain, the +angels shall forthwith receive him; for death in this cause shall be +penance and absolution for all sins.” +</p> + +<p> +At these words every man in the whole army raged with hatred, and pressed +eagerly to rush upon those savages. +</p> + +<p> +Anon King Arthur, dressed in armour shining with gold and jewels, and +wearing on his head a helmet with a golden dragon, took a shield painted +with the likeness of the blessed Mary. Then girding on Excalibur and +taking in his right hand his great lance Ron, he placed his men in order +and led them out against the enemy, who stood for battle on the slope of +Badon Hill, ranged in the form of a wedge, as their custom was. And they, +resisting all the onslaughts of King Arthur and his host, made that day a +stout defence, and at night lay down upon the hill. +</p> + +<p> +But on the next day Arthur led his army once again to the attack, and with +wounds and slaughter such as no man had ever seen before, he drove the +heathen step by step before him, backwards and upwards, till he stood with +all his noblest knights upon the summit of the hill. +</p> + +<p> +And then men saw him, “red as the rising sun from spur to plume,” lift up +his sword, and, kneeling, kiss the cross of it; and after, rising to his +feet, set might and main with all his fellowship upon the foe, till, as a +troop of lions roaring for their prey, they drove them like a <a class="pagenum" name="page039" id="page039" title="039"></a> scattered +herd along the plains, and cut them down till they could cut no more for +weariness. +</p> + +<p> +That day King Arthur by himself alone slew with his word Excalibur four +hundred and seventy heathens. Colgrin also, and his brother Baldulph, were +slain. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king bade Cador, Duke of Cornwall, follow Cheldric, the chief +leader, and the remnant of his hosts, unto the uttermost. He, therefore, +when he had first seized their fleet, and filled it with chosen men, to +beat them back when they should fly to it at last, chased them and slew +them without mercy so long as he could overtake them. And though they +crept with trembling hearts for shelter to the coverts of the woods and +dens of mountains, yet even so they found no safety, for Cador slew them, +even one by one. Last of all he caught and slew Cheldric himself, and +slaughtering a great multitude took hostages for the surrender of the +rest. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, King Arthur turned from Badon Hill, and freed his nephew Hoel +from the Scots and Picts, who besieged him in Alclud. And when he had +defeated them in three sore battles, he drove them before him to a lake, +which was one of the most wondrous lakes in all the world, for it was fed +by sixty rivers, and had sixty islands, and sixty rocks, and on every +island sixty eagles’ nests. But King Arthur with a great fleet sailed +round the rivers and besieged them in the lake for fifteen days, so that +many thousands died of hunger. +</p> + +<p> +Anon the King of Ireland came with an army to relieve them; but Arthur, +turning on him fiercely, routed him, and compelled him to retreat in +terror to his land. Then he pursued his purpose, which was no less to +destroy the race of Picts and Scots, who, beyond <a class="pagenum" name="page040" id="page040" title="040"></a> memory, had been a +ceaseless torment to the Britons by their barbarous malice. +</p> + +<p> +So bitterly, therefore, did he treat them, giving quarter to none, that at +length the bishops of that miserable country with the clergy met together, +and, bearing all the holy relics, came barefooted to the king to pray his +mercy for their people. As soon as they were led before him they fell down +upon their knees, and piteously besought him to spare the few survivors of +their countrymen, and grant them any corner of the land where they might +live in peace. When he thus heard them, and knew that he had now fully +punished them, he consented to their prayer, and withdrew his hosts from +any further slaughter. +</p> + +<p> +Then turned he back to his own realm, and came to York for Christmas, and +there with high solemnity observed that holy tide; and being passing +grieved to see the ruin of the churches and houses, which the rage or the +pagans had destroyed, he rebuilt them, and restored the city to its +ancient happy state. +</p> + +<p> +And on a certain day, as the king sat with his barons, there came into the +court a squire on horseback, carrying a knight before him wounded to the +death, and told the king that hard by in the forest was a knight who had +reared up a pavilion by the fountain, “and hath slain my master, a valiant +knight, whose name was Nirles; wherefore I beseech thee, Lord, my master +may be buried, and that some good knight may avenge his death.” +</p> + +<p> +At that stepped forth a squire named Griflet, who was very young, being of +the same age with King Arthur, and besought the king, for all the service +he had done, to give him knighthood. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page041" id="page041" title="041"></a> + +<p> +“Thou art full young and tender of age,” said King Arthur, “to take so +high an order upon thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Griflet, “I beseech thee make me a knight;” and Merlin also +advising the king to grant his request, “Well,” said Arthur, “be it then +so,” and knighted him forthwith. Then said he to him, “Since I have +granted thee this favour, thou must in turn grant me a gift.” +</p> + +<p> +“Whatsoever thou wilt, my lord,” replied Sir Griflet. +</p> + +<p> +“Promise me,” said King Arthur, “by the faith of thy body, that when thou +hast jousted with this knight at the fountain, thou wilt return to me +straightway, unless he slay thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“I promise,” said Sir Griflet; and taking his horse in haste, he dressed +his shield, and took a spear in his hand and rode full gallop till he came +to the fountain, by the side of which he saw a rich pavilion, and a great +horse standing well saddled and bridled, and on a tree close by there hung +a shield of many colours and a long lance. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Griflet smote upon the shield with the butt of his spear until he +cast it to the ground. At that a knight came out of the pavilion and said, +“Fair knight, why smote ye down my shield?” +</p> + +<p> +“Because,” said Griflet, “I would joust with thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“It were better not,” replied the knight; “for thou art young and but +lately made a knight, and thy strength is small compared to mine.” +</p> + +<p> +“For all that,” said Sir Griflet, “I will joust with ye.” +</p> + +<p> +“I am full loath,” replied the knight; “but if I must I must.” +</p> + +<p> +Then did they wheel their horses far apart, and running <a class="pagenum" name="page042" id="page042" title="042"></a> them together, +the strange knight shivered Sir Griflet’s spear to fragments, and smote +him through the shield and the left side, and broke his own spear into Sir +Griflet’s body, so that the truncheon stuck there, and Sir Griflet and his +horse fell down. But when the strange knight saw him overthrown, he was +sore grieved, and hastily alighted, for he thought that he had slain him. +Then he unlaced his helm and gave him air, and tended him carefully till +he came out of his swoon, and leaving the truncheon of his spear in his +body, he set him upon horse, and commended him to God, and said he had a +mighty heart, and if he lived would prove a passing good knight. And so +Sir Griflet rode to the court, where, by aid of good physicians, he was +healed in time and his life saved. +</p> + +<p> +At that same time there came before the king twelve old men, ambassadors +from Lucius Tiberius, Emperor of Rome, and demanded of Arthur tribute unto +Caesar for his realm, or else, said they, the emperor would destroy both +him and his land. To whom King Arthur answered that he owed the emperor no +tribute, nor would send him any; but said he, “On a fair field I will pay +him his proper tribute—with a sharp spear and sword; and by my father’s +soul that tribute shall he take from me, whether he will or not.” So the +ambassadors departed passing wroth, and King Arthur was as wroth as they. +</p> + +<p> +But on the morrow of Sir Griflet’s hurt, the king commanded to take his +horse and armour secretly outside the city walls before sunrise of the +next morning, and, rising a long while before dawn, he mounted up and took +his shield and spear, and bade his chamberlain tarry till he came again; +but he forbore to take Excalibur, for he <a class="pagenum" name="page043" id="page043" title="043"></a> had given it for safety into +charge of his sister, Queen Morgan le Fay. And as the king rode at a soft +pace he saw suddenly three villains chasing Merlin and making to attack +and slay him. Clapping spurs to his horse, he rushed towards them, and +cried out in a terrible voice, “Flee, churls, or take your deaths;” but +they, as soon as they perceived a knight, fled away with the haste of +hares. +</p> + +<p> +“O Merlin,” said the king; “here hadst thou been killed, despite thy many +crafts, had I not chanced to pass.” +</p> + +<p> +“Not so,” said Merlin, “for when I would, I could have saved myself; but +thou art nearer to thy death than I, for without special help from heaven +thou ridest now towards thy grave.” +</p> + +<p> +And as they were thus talking, they came to the fountain and the rich +pavilion pitched beside it, and saw a knight sitting all armed on a chair +in the opening of the tent. “Sir knight,” said King Arthur, “for what +cause abidest thou here? to joust with any knight that passeth by? If so, +I caution thee to quit that custom.” +</p> + +<p> +“That custom,” said the knight, “have I followed and will follow, let +whosoever will say nay, and if any is aggrieved at it, let him who will +amend it.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will amend it,” said King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +“And I will defend it,” answered the knight. +</p> + +<p> +Then the knight mounted his horse and made himself ready, and charging at +each other they met so hard that both their lances splintered into pieces. +Then King Arthur drew his sword, but the knight cried out, “Not so; but +let us run another tilt together with sharp spears.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page044" id="page044" title="044"></a> + +<p> +“I would with a good will,” said King Arthur; “but I have no more spears.” +</p> + +<p> +“I have enough of spears,” replied the knight, and called a squire, who +brought two good new lances. +</p> + +<p> +Then spurring their horses, they rushed together with all their might, and +broke each one his own spear short off in his hand. Then the king again +put his hand to his sword, but the knight once more cried out, “Nay, yet +abide awhile; ye are the best jouster that I ever met with; for the love +of knighthood, let us joust yet once again.” +</p> + +<p> +So once again they tilted with their fullest force, and this time King +Arthur’s spear was shivered, but the knight’s held whole, and drove so +furiously against the king that both his horse and he were hurled to the +ground. +</p> + +<p> +At that, King Arthur was enraged and drew his sword and said, “I will +attack thee now, Sir knight, on foot, for on horseback I have lost the +honour.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will be on horseback,” said the knight. But when he saw him come on +foot, he lighted from his horse, thinking it shame to have so great +advantage. +</p> + +<p> +And then began they a strong battle, with many great strokes and grievous +blows, and so hewed with their swords that the fragments of their armour +flew about the fields, and both so bled that all the ground around was +like a marsh of blood. Thus they fought long and mightily, and anon, after +brief rest fell to again, and so hurtled together like two wild boars that +they both rolled to the ground. At last their swords clashed furiously +together, and the knight’s sword shivered the king’s in two. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page045" id="page045" title="045"></a> + +<p> +Then said the knight, “Now art thou in my power, to save thee or to slay. +Yield therefore as defeated, and a recreant knight, or thou shall surely +die.” +</p> + +<p> +“As for death,” replied King Arthur, “welcome be it when it cometh; but as +for yielding me to thee as a recreant because of this poor accident upon +my sword, I had far liefer die than be so shamed.” +</p> + +<p> +So saying, he sprang on the knight, and took him by the middle and threw +him down, and tore off his helm. But the knight, being a huge man, +wrestled and struggled in a frenzy with the king until he brought him +under, and tore off his helm in turn, and would have smitten off his head. +</p> + +<p> +At that came Merlin and said, “Knight, hold thy hand, for if thou slayest +yonder knight, thou puttest all this realm to greater loss and damage than +ever realm was in; for he is a man of greater worship than thou dreamest +of.” +</p> + +<p> +“Who then is he?” cried the knight. +</p> + +<p> +“Arthur Pendragon!” answered Merlin. +</p> + +<p> +Then would he have slain him for dread of his wrath, but Merlin cast a +spell upon the knight, so that he fell suddenly to the earth in a deep +sleep. Then raising up the king, he took the knight’s horse for himself +and rode away. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas,” said King Arthur, “what hast thou done, Merlin? hast thou slain +this good knight by thy crafts? There never lived a better knight; I had +rather lose my kingdom for a year than have him dead.” +</p> + +<p> +“Be not afraid,” said Merlin; “he is more whole and sound than thou art, +and is but in a sleep, wherefrom in three hours’ time he will awake. I +told thee what a <a class="pagenum" name="page046" id="page046" title="046"></a> knight he was, and how near thou wast to death. There +liveth not a better knight than he in all the world, and hereafter he +shall do thee good service. His name is King Pellinore, and he shall have +two sons, who shall be passing valiant men, and, save one another, shall +have no equal in prowess and in purity of life. The one shall be named +Percival, and the other Lamoracke of Wales.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rode on to Caerleon, and all the knights grieved greatly when they +heard of this adventure, that the king would jeopardise his person thus +alone. Yet could they not hide their joy at serving under such a noble +chief, who adventured his own life as much as did the poorest knight among +them all. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page047" id="page047" title="047"></a> + +<a name="chapter_iv" id="chapter_iv"</a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>King Arthur Conquers Ireland and Norway, Slays the Giant of St. Michael’s +Mount, and Conquers Gaul — The Adventures of Sir Balin</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/t.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="t2" id="t2" Title="T" alt="Drop Case T"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +he land of Britain being now in peace, and many great and valiant knights +therein ready to take part in whatsoever battles or adventures might +arise, King Arthur resolved to follow all his enemies to their own coasts. +Anon he fitted out a great fleet, and sailing first to Ireland, in one +battle he miserably routed the people of the country. The King of Ireland +also he took prisoner, and forced all earls and barons to pay him homage. +</p> + +<p> +Having conquered Ireland, he went next to Iceland and subdued it also, and +the winter being then arrived, returned to Britain. +</p> + +<p> +In the next year he set forth to Norway, whence many times the heathen had +descended on the British coasts; for he was determined to give so terrible +a lesson to those savages as should be told through all their tribes both +far and near, and make his name fearful to them. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as he was come, Riculf, the king, with all the power of that +country, met and gave him battle; but, after mighty slaughter, the Britons +had at length the <a class="pagenum" name="page048" id="page048" title="048"></a> advantage, and slew Riculf and a countless multitude +besides. +</p> + +<p> +Having thus defeated them, they set the cities on fire, dispersed the +country people, and pursued the victory till they had reduced all Norway, +as also Dacia, under the dominion of King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +Now, therefore, having thus chastised those pagans who so long had +harassed Britain, and put his yoke upon them, he voyaged on to Gaul, being +steadfastly set upon defeating the Roman governor of that province, and so +beginning to make good the threats which he had sent the emperor by his +ambassadors. +</p> + +<p> +So soon as he was landed on the shores of Gaul, there came to him a +countryman who told him of a fearful giant in the land of Brittany, who +had slain, murdered, and devoured many people, and had lived for seven +years upon young children only, “insomuch,” said the man, “that all the +children of the country are destroyed; and but the other day he seized +upon our duchess, as she rode out with her men, and took her away to his +lodging in a cave of a mountain, and though five hundred people followed +her, yet could they give her no help or rescue, but left her shrieking and +crying lamentably in the giant’s hands; and, Lord, she is thy cousin +Hoel’s wife, who is of thy near kindred; wherefore, as thou art a rightful +king, have pity on this lady; and as thou art a valiant conqueror, avenge +us and deliver us.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said King Arthur, “this is a great mischief that ye tell of. I had +rather than the best realm I have, that I had rescued that lady ere the +giant laid his hand on her; but tell me now, good fellow, canst thou bring +me where this giant haunteth?” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page049" id="page049" title="049"></a> + +<p> +“Yea, Lord!” replied the man; “lo, yonder, where thou seest two great +fires, there shall thou find him, and more treasure also than is in all +Gaul besides.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king returned to his tent, and, calling Sir Key and Sir Bedwin, +desired them to get horses ready for himself and them, for that after +evensong he would ride a pilgrimage with them alone to St. Michael’s +Mount. So in the evening they departed, and rode as fast as they could +till they came near the mount, and there alighted; and the king commanded +the two knights to await him at the hill foot, while he went up alone. +</p> + +<p> +Then he ascended the mountain till he came to a great fire. And there he +found a sorrowful widow wringing her hands and weeping miserably, sitting +by a new-made grave. And saluting her, King Arthur prayed her wherefore +she made such heavy lamentations. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” she said, “speak softly, for yonder is a devil, who, if he +hear thy voice, will come and straightway slay thee. Alas! what dost thou +here? Fifty such men as thou were powerless to resist him. Here lieth dead +my lady, Duchess of Brittany, wife to Sir Hoel, who was the fairest lady +in the world, foully and shamefully slaughtered by that fiend! Beware that +thou go not too nigh, for he hath overcome and vanquished fifteen kings, +and hath made himself a coat of precious stones, embroidered with their +beards; but if thou art hardy, and wilt speak with him, at yonder great +fire he is at supper.” +</p> + +<img src="images/figure04.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure04" id="figure04" + title="The giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge frame by the fire." + alt="The giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge frame by the fire."> + +<p> +“Well,” said King Arthur, “I will accomplish mine errand, for all thy +fearful words;” and so went forth to the crest of the hill, and saw where +<a class="pagenum" name="page050" id="page050" title="050"></a> +<a href="images/figure04.jpg">the giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge +frame by the fire,</a> while three damsels turned three spits whereon were +spitted, like larks, twelve young children lately born. +</p> + +<p> +When King Arthur saw all that, his heart bled for sorrow, and he trembled +for rage and indignation; then lifting up his voice he cried aloud—“God, +that wieldeth all the world, give thee short life and shameful death, and +may the devil have thy soul! Why hast thou slain those children and that +fair lady? Wherefore arise, and prepare thee to perish, thou glutton and +fiend, for this day thou shalt die by my hands.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the giant, mad with fury at these words, started up, and seizing a +great club, smote the king, and struck his crown from off his head. But +King Arthur smote him with his sword so mightily in return, that all his +blood gushed forth in streams. +</p> + +<p> +At that the giant, howling in great anguish, threw away his club of iron, +and caught the king in both his arms and strove to crush his ribs +together. But King Arthur struggled and writhed, and twisted him about, so +that the giant could not hold him tightly; and as they fiercely wrestled, +they both fell, and rolling over one another, tumbled—wrestling, and +struggling, and fighting frantically—from rock to rock, till they came to +the sea. +</p> + +<p> +And as they tore and strove and tumbled, the king ever and anon smote at +the giant with his dagger, till his arms stiffened in death around King +Arthur’s body, and groaning horribly, he died. So presently the two +knights came and found the king locked fast in the giant’s arms, and very +faint and weary, and loosed him from their hold. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page051" id="page051" title="051"></a> + +<p> +Then the king bade Sir Key to “smite off the giant’s head and set it on +the truncheon of a spear, and bear it to Sir Hoel, and tell him that his +enemy is slain; and afterwards let it be fastened to the castle gate, that +all the people may behold it. And go ye two up on the mountain and fetch +me my shield and sword, and also the great club of iron ye will see there; +and as for the treasure, ye shall find there wealth beyond counting, but +take as much as ye will, for if I have his kirtle and the club, I desire +no more.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the knights fetched the club and kirtle, as the king had ordered, and +took the treasure to themselves, as much as they could carry, and returned +to the army. But when this deed was noised abroad, all the people came in +multitudes to thank the king, who told them “to give thanks to God, and to +divide the giant’s spoils amongst them equally.” And King Arthur desired +Sir Hoel to build a church upon the mount, and dedicate it to the +Archangel Michael. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow, all the host moved onwards into the country of Champagne, +and Flollo, the Roman tribune, retired before them into Paris. But while +he was preparing to collect more forces from the neighbouring countries, +King Arthur came upon him unawares, and besieged him in the town. +</p> + +<p> +And when a month had passed, Flollo—full of grief at the starvation of +his people, who died in hundreds day by day—sent to King Arthur, and +desired that they two might fight together; for he was a man of mighty +stature and courage, and thought himself sure of the victory. This +challenge, King Arthur, full weary the siege, accepted with great joy, and +sent back <a class="pagenum" name="page052" id="page052" title="052"></a> word to Flollo that he would meet him whensoever he appointed. +</p> + +<p> +And a truce being made on both sides, they met together the next day on +the island without the city, where all the people also were gathered to +see the issue. And as the king and Flollo rode up to the lists, each was +so nobly armed and horsed, and sat so mightily upon his saddle, that no +man could tell which way the battle would end. +</p> + +<p> +When they had saluted one another, and presented themselves against each +other with their lances aloft, they put spurs to their horses and began a +fierce encounter. But King Arthur, carrying his spear more warily, struck +it on the upper part of Flollo’s breast, and flung him from his saddle to +the earth. Then drawing his sword, he cried to him to rise, and rushed +upon him; but Flollo, starting up, met him with his spear couched, and +pierced the breast of King Arthur’s horse, and overthrew both horse and +man. +</p> + +<p> +The Britons, when they saw their king upon the ground, could scarcely keep +themselves from breaking up the truce and falling on the Gauls. But as +they were about to burst the barriers, and rush upon the lists, King +Arthur hastily arose, and, guarding himself with his shield, ran with +speed on Flollo. And now they renewed the assault with great rage, being +sorely bent upon each other’s death. +</p> + +<p> +At length, Flollo, seizing his advantage, gave King Arthur a huge stroke +upon the helm, which nigh overthrew him, and drew forth his blood in +streams. +</p> + +<p> +But when King Arthur saw his armour and shield red with blood, he was +inflamed with fury, and lifting up <a class="pagenum" name="page053" id="page053" title="053"></a> Excalibur on high, with all his might, +he struck straight through the helmet into Flollo’s head, and smote it +into halves; and Flollo falling backwards, and tearing up the ground with +his spurs, expired. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as this news spread, the citizens all ran together, and, opening +the gates, surrendered the city to the conqueror. +</p> + +<p> +And when he had overrun the whole province with his arms, and reduced it +everywhere to subjection, he returned again to Britain, and held his court +at Caerleon, with greater state than ever. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he invited thereto all the kings, dukes, earls, and barons, who owed +him homage, that he might treat them royally, and reconcile them to each +other, and to his rule. +</p> + +<p> +And never was there a city more fit and pleasant for such festivals. For +on one side it was washed by a noble river, so that the kings and princes +from the countries beyond sea might conveniently sail up to it; and on the +other side, the beauty of the groves and meadows, and the stateliness and +magnificence of the royal palaces, with lofty gilded roofs, made it even +rival the grandeur of Rome. It was famous also for two great and noble +churches, whereof one was built in honour of the martyr Julius, and +adorned with a choir of virgins who had devoted themselves wholly to the +service of God; and the other, founded in memory of St. Aaron, his +companion, maintained a convent of canons, and was the third metropolitan +church of Britain. Besides, there was a college of two hundred +philosophers, learned in astronomy, and all the other sciences and arts. +</p> + +<p> +In this place, therefore, full of such delights, King <a class="pagenum" name="page054" id="page054" title="054"></a> Arthur held his +court, with many jousts and tournaments, and royal huntings, and rested +for a season after all his wars. +</p> + +<p> +And on a certain day there came into the court a messenger from Ryence, +King of North Wales, bearing this message from his master: That King +Ryence had discomfited eleven kings, and had compelled each one of them to +cut off his beard; that he had trimmed a mantle with these beards, and +lacked but one more beard to finish it; and that he therefore now sent for +King Arthur’s beard, which he required of him forthwith, or else he would +enter his lands and burn and slay, and never leave them till he had taken +by force not his beard only, but his head also. +</p> + +<p> +When King Arthur heard these words he flushed all scarlet, and rising in +great anger said, “Well is it for thee that thou speakest another man’s +words with thy lips, and not thine own. Thou hast said thy message, which +is the most insolent and villainous that ever man heard sent to any king: +now hear my reply. My beard is yet too young to trim that mantle of thy +master’s with; yet, young although I be, I owe no homage either to him or +any man—nor will ever owe. But, young although I be, I will have thy +master’s homage upon both his knees before this year be past, or else he +shall lose his head, by the faith of my body, for this message is the +shamefullest I ever heard speak of. I see well thy king hath never yet met +with a worshipful man; but tell that King Arthur will have his head or his +worship right soon.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the messenger departed, and Arthur, looking round upon his knights, +demanded of them if any there <a class="pagenum" name="page055" id="page055" title="055"></a> knew this King Ryence. “Yea,” answered Sir +Noran, “I know him well, and there be few better or stronger knights upon +a field than he; and he is passing proud and haughty in his heart; +wherefore I doubt not, Lord, he will make war on thee with mighty power.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said King Arthur, “I shall be ready for him, and that shall he +find.” +</p> + +<p> +While the king thus spoke, there came into the hall a damsel having on a +mantle richly furred, which she let fall and showed herself to be girded +with a noble sword. The king being surprised at this, said, “Damsel, +wherefore art thou girt with that sword, for it beseemeth thee not?” +“Sir,” said she, “I will tell thee. This sword wherewith I am thus girt +gives me great sorrow and encumbrance, for I may not be delivered from it +till I find a knight faithful and pure and true, strong of body and of +valiant deeds, without guile or treachery, who shall be able to draw it +from its scabbard, which no man else can do. And I have but just now come +from the court of King Ryence, for there they told me many great and good +knights were to be ever found; but he and all his knights have tried to +draw it forth in vain—for none of them can move it.” +</p> + +<p> +“This is a great marvel,” said King Arthur; “I will myself try to draw +forth this sword, not thinking in my heart that I am the best knight, but +rather to begin and give example that all may try after me.” Saying this, +he took the sword and pulled at it with all his might, but could not shake +or move it. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou needest not strive so hard, Lord,” said the damsel, “for whoever may +be able to pull it forth shall do so very easily.” <a class="pagenum" name="page056" id="page056" title="056"></a> “Thou sayest well,” +replied the king, remembering how he had himself drawn forth the sword +from the stone before St. Paul’s. “Now try ye, all my barons; but beware +ye be not stained with shame, or any treachery, or guile.” And turning +away his face from them, King Arthur mused full heavily of sins within his +breast he knew of, and which his failure brought to mind right sadly. +</p> + +<p> +Then all the barons present tried each after other, but could none of them +succeed; whereat the damsel greatly wept, and said, “Alas, alas! I thought +in this court to have found the best knight, without shame or treachery or +treason.” +</p> + +<p> +Now by chance there was at that time a poor knight with King Arthur, who +had been prisoner at his court for half a year and more, charged with +slaying unawares a knight who was a cousin of the king’s. He was named +Balin le Savage, and had been by the good offices of the barons delivered +from prison, for he was of good and valiant address and gentle blood. He +being secretly present at the court saw this adventure, and felt his heart +rise high within him, and longed to try the sword as did the others; but +being poor and poorly clad, he was ashamed to come forward in the press of +knights and nobles. But in his heart he felt assured that he could do +better—if Heaven willed—than any knight among them all. +</p> + +<p> +So as the damsel left the king, he called to her and said, “Damsel, I pray +thee of thy courtesy, suffer me to try the sword as well as all these +lords; for though I be but poorly clad, I feel assurance in my heart.” +</p> + +<p> +The damsel looking at him, saw in him a likely <a class="pagenum" name="page057" id="page057" title="057"></a> an honest man, but because +of his poor garments could not think him to be any knight of worship, and +said, “Sir, there is no need to put me to any more pain or labour; why +shouldst thou succeed where so many worthy ones have failed?” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, fair lady,” answered Balin, “worthiness and brave deeds are not shown +by fair raiment, but manhood and truth lie hid within the heart. There be +many worshipful knights unknown to all the people.” +</p> + +<p> +“By my faith, thou sayest truth,” replied the damsel; “try therefore, if +thou wilt, what thou canst do.” +</p> + +<p> +So Balin took the sword by the girdle and hilt, and drew it lightly out, +and looking on its workmanship and brightness, it pleased him greatly. +</p> + +<p> +But the king and all the barons marvelled at Sir Balin’s fortune, and many +knights were envious of him, for, “Truly,” said the damsel, “this is a +passing good knight, and the best man I have ever found, and the most +worshipfully free from treason, treachery, or villainy, and many wonders +shall he achieve.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now, gentle and courteous knight,” continued she, turning to Balin, “give +me the sword again.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said Sir Balin, “save it be taken from me by force, I shall +preserve this sword for evermore.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou art not wise,” replied the damsel, “to keep it from me; for if thou +wilt do so, thou shalt slay with it the best friend thou hast, and the +sword shall be thine destruction also.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will take whatever adventure God may send,” said Balin; “but the sword +will I keep, by the faith of my body.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou will repent it shortly,” said the damsel; “I <a class="pagenum" name="page058" id="page058" title="058"></a> would take the sword +for thy sake rather than for mine for I am passing grieved and heavy for +thy sake, who wilt not believe the peril I foretell thee.” With that she +departed, making great lamentation. +</p> + +<p> +Then Balin sent for his horse and armour, and took his leave of King +Arthur, who urged him to stay at his court. “For,” said he, “I believe +that thou art displeased that I showed thee unkindness; blame me not +overmuch, for I was misinformed against thee, and knew not truly what a +knight of worship thou art. Abide in this court with my good knights, and +I will so advance thee that thou shalt be well pleased.” +</p> + +<p> +“God thank thee, Lord,” said Balin, “for no man can reward thy bounty and +thy nobleness; but at this time I must needs depart, praying thee ever to +hold me in thy favour.” +</p> + +<p> +“Truly,” said King Arthur, “I am grieved for thy departure; but tarry not +long, and thou shalt be right welcome to me and all my knights when thou +returnest, and I will repair my neglect and all that I have done amiss +against thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“God thank thee, Lord,” again said Balin, and made ready to depart. +</p> + +<p> +But meanwhile came into the court a lady upon horseback, full richly +dressed, and saluted King Arthur, and asked him for the gift that he had +promised her when she gave him his sword Excalibur, “for,” said she, “I am +the lady of the lake.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ask what thou wilt,” said the king, “and thou shalt have it, if I have +power to give.” +</p> + +<p> +“I ask,” said she, “the head of that knight who hath just achieved the +sword, or else the damsel’s head who <a class="pagenum" name="page059" id="page059" title="059"></a> brought it, or else both; for the +knight slew my brother, and the lady caused my father’s death.” +</p> + +<p> +“Truly,” said King Arthur, “I cannot grant thee this desire; it were +against my nature and against my name; but ask whatever else thou wilt, +and I will do it.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will demand no other thing,” said she. +</p> + +<p> +And as she spake came Balin, on his way to leave the court, and saw her +where she stood, and knew her straightway for his mother’s murderess, whom +he had sought in vain three years. And when they told him that she had +asked King Arthur for his head, he went up straight to her and said, “May +evil have thee! Thou desirest my head, therefore shalt thou lose thine;” +and with his sword he lightly smote her head off, in the presence of the +king and all the court. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas, for shame!” cried out King Arthur, rising up in wrath; “why hast +thou done this, shaming both me and my court? I am beholden greatly to +this lady, and under my safe conduct came she here; thy deed is passing +shameful; never shall I forgive thy villainy.” +</p> + +<p> +“Lord,” cried Sir Balin, “hear me; this lady was the falsest living, and +by her witchcraft hath destroyed many, and caused my mother also to be +burnt to death by her false arts and treachery.” +</p> + +<p> +“What cause soever thou mightest have had,” said the king, “thou shouldst +have forborne her in my presence. Deceive not thyself, thou shalt repent +this sin, for such a shame was never brought upon my court; depart now +from my face with all the haste thou mayest.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Balin took up the head of the lady and carried it to his lodgings, +and rode forth with his squire from out <a class="pagenum" name="page060" id="page060" title="060"></a> the town. Then said he, “Now must +we part; take ye this head and bear it to my friends in Northumberland, +and tell them how I speed, and that our worst foe is dead; also tell them +that I am free from prison, and of the adventure of my sword.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said the squire, “ye are greatly to blame to have so displeased +King Arthur.” +</p> + +<p> +“As for that,” said Sir Balin, “I go now to find King Ryence, and destroy +him or lose my life; for should I take him prisoner, and lead him to the +court, perchance King Arthur would forgive me, and become my good and +gracious lord.” +</p> + +<p> +“Where shall I meet thee again?” said the squire. +</p> + +<p> +“In King Arthur’s court,” said Balin. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page061" id="page061" title="061"></a> + +<a name="chapter_v" id="chapter_v"</a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>Sir Balin Smites the Dolorous Stroke, and Fights with his Brother, Sir +Balan</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/n.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="n2" id="n2" Title="N" alt="Drop Case N"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +ow there was a knight at the court more envious than the others of Sir +Balin, for he counted himself one of the best knights in Britain. His name +was Lancear; and going to the king, he begged leave to follow after Sir +Balin and avenge the insult he had put upon the court. “Do thy best,” +replied the king, “for I am passing wroth with Balin.” +</p> + +<p> +In the meantime came Merlin, and was told of this adventure of the sword +and lady of the lake. +</p> + +<p> +“Now hear me,” said he, “when I tell ye that this lady who hath brought +the sword is the falsest damsel living.” +</p> + +<p> +“Say not so,” they answered, “for she hath a brother a good knight, who +slew another knight this damsel loved; so she, to be revenged upon her +brother, went to the Lady Lile, of Avilion, and besought her help. Then +Lady Lile gave her the sword, and told her that no man should draw it +forth but one, a valiant knight and strong, who should avenge her on her +brother. This, therefore, was the reason why the damsel came here.” <a class="pagenum" name="page062" id="page062" title="062"></a> “I +know it all as well as ye do,” answered Merlin; “and would to God she had +never come hither, for never came she into any company but to do harm; and +that good knight who hath achieved the sword shall be himself slain by it, +which shall be great harm and loss, for a better knight there liveth not; +and he shall do unto my lord the king great honour and service.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancear, having armed himself at all points, mounted, and rode +after Sir Balin, as fast as he could go, and overtaking him, he cried +aloud, “Abide, Sir knight! wait yet awhile, or I shall make thee do so.” +</p> + +<p> +Hearing him cry, Sir Balin fiercely turned his horse, and said, “Fair +knight, what wilt thou with me? wilt thou joust?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” said Sir Lancear, “it is for that I have pursued thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Peradventure,” answered Balin, “thou hadst best have staid at home, for +many a man who thinketh himself already victor, endeth by his own +downfall. Of what court art thou?” +</p> + +<p> +“Of King Arthur’s court,” cried Lancear, “and I am come to revenge the +insult thou hast put on it this day.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said Sir Balin, “I see that I must fight thee, and I repent to be +obliged to grieve King Arthur or his knights; and thy quarrel seemeth full +foolish to me, for the damsel that is dead worked endless evils through +the land, or else I had been loath as any knight that liveth to have slain +a lady.” +</p> + +<p> +“Make thee ready,” shouted Lancear, “for one of us shall rest for ever in +this field.” +</p> + +<p> +But at their first encounter Sir Lancear’s spear flew <a class="pagenum" name="page063" id="page063" title="063"></a> into splinters from +Sir Balin’s shield, and Sir Balin’s lance pierced with such might through +Sir Lancear’s shield that it rove the hauberk also, and passed through the +knight’s body and the horse’s crupper. And Sir Balin turning fiercely +round again, drew out his sword, and knew not that he had already slain +him; and then he saw him lie a corpse upon the ground. +</p> + +<p> +At that same moment came a damsel riding towards him as fast as her horse +could gallop, who, when she saw Sir Lancear dead, wept and sorrowed out of +measure, crying, “O, Sir Balin, two bodies hast thou slain, and one heart; +and two hearts in one body; and two souls also hast thou lost.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith she took the sword from her dead lover’s side—for she was Sir +Lancear’s lady-love—and setting the pommel of it on the ground, ran +herself through the body with the blade. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Balin saw her dead he was sorely hurt and grieved in spirit, and +repented the death of Lancear, which had also caused so fair a lady’s +death. And being unable to look on their bodies for sorrow, he turned +aside into a forest, where presently as he rode, he saw the arms of his +brother, Sir Balan. And when they were met they put off their helms, and +embraced each other, kissing, and weeping for joy and pity. Then Sir Balin +told Sir Balan all his late adventures, and that he was on his way to King +Ryence, who at that time was besieging Castle Terrabil. “I will be with +thee,” answered Sir Balan, “and we will help each other, as brethren ought +to do.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon by chance, as they were talking, came King Mark, of Cornwall, by that +way, and when he saw the two dead bodies of Sir Lancear and his lady lying +there, <a class="pagenum" name="page064" id="page064" title="064"></a> and heard the story of their death, he vowed to build a tomb to +them before he left that place. So pitching his pavilion there, he sought +through all the country round to find a monument, and found at last a rich +and fair one in a church, which he took and raised above the dead knight +and his damsel, writing on it—“Here lieth Lancear, son of the King of +Ireland, who, at his own request, was slain by Balin; and here beside him +also lieth his lady Colombe, who slew herself with her lover’s sword for +grief and sorrow.” +</p> + +<p> +Then as Sir Balin and Sir Balan rode away, Merlin met with them, and said +to Balin, “Thou hast done thyself great harm not to have saved that lady’s +life who slew herself; and because of it, thou shalt strike the most +Dolorous Stroke that ever man struck, save he that smote our Lord. For +thou shalt smite the truest and most worshipful of living knights, who +shall not be recovered from his wounds for many years, and through that +stroke three kingdoms shall be overwhelmed in poverty and misery.” +</p> + +<p> +“If I believed,” said Balin, “what thou sayest, I would slay myself to +make thee a liar.” +</p> + +<p> +At that Merlin vanished suddenly away; but afterwards he met them in +disguise towards night, and told them he could lead them to King Ryence, +whom they sought. “For this night he is to ride with sixty lances only +through a wood hard by.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Balin and Sir Balan hid themselves within the wood, and at midnight +came out from their ambush among the leaves by the highway, and waited for +the king, whom presently they heard approaching with his company. Then did +they suddenly leap forth and smote at him and <a class="pagenum" name="page065" id="page065" title="065"></a> overthrew him and laid him +on the ground, and turning on his company wounded and slew forty of them, +and put the rest to flight. And returning to King Ryence they would have +slain him there, but he craved mercy, and yielded to their grace, crying, +“Knights full of prowess, slay me not; for by my life ye may win +something—but my death can avail ye nought.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye say truth,” said the two knights, and put him in a horse-litter, and +went swiftly through all the night, till at cock-crow they came to King +Arthur’s palace. There they delivered him to the warders and porters, to +be brought before the king, with this message—“That he was sent to King +Arthur by the knight of the two swords (for so was Balin known by name, +since his adventure with the damsel) and by his brother.” And so they rode +away again ere sunrise. +</p> + +<p> +Within a month or two thereafter, King Arthur being somewhat sick, went +forth outside the town, and had his pavilion pitched in a meadow, and +there abode, and laid him down on a pallet to sleep, but could get no +rest. And as he lay he heard the sound of a great horse, and looking out +of the tent door, saw a knight ride by, making great lamentation. +</p> + +<p> +“Abide, fair sir,” said King Arthur, “and tell me wherefore thou makest +this sorrow.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye may little amend it,” said the knight, and so passed on. +</p> + +<p> +Presently after Sir Balin, rode, by chance, past that meadow, and when he +saw the king he alighted and came to him on foot, and kneeled and saluted +him. +</p> + +<p> +“By my head,” said King Arthur, “ye be welcome, Sir Balin;” and then he +thanked him heartily for <a class="pagenum" name="page066" id="page066" title="066"></a> revenging him upon King Ryence, and for sending +him so speedily a prisoner to his castle, and told him how King Nero, +Ryence’s brother, had attacked him afterwards to deliver Ryence from +prison; and how he had defeated him and slain him, and also King Lot, of +Orkney who was joined with Nero, and whom King Pellinore had killed in the +battle. Then when they had thus talked, King Arthur told Sir Balin of the +sullen knight that had just passed his tent, and desired him to pursue him +and to bring him back. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Balin rode and overtook the knight in a forest with a damsel, and +said, “Sir knight, thou must come back with me unto my lord, King Arthur, +to tell him the cause of thy sorrow, which thou hast refused even now to +do.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will I not,” replied the knight, “for it would harm me much, and do +him no advantage.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Balin, “I pray thee make ready, for thou must needs go +with me—or else I must fight with thee and take thee by force.” +</p> + +<p> +“Wilt thou be warrant for safe conduct, if I go with thee?” inquired the +knight. +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, surely,” answered Balin, “I will die else.” +</p> + +<p> +So the knight made ready to go with Sir Balin, and left the damsel in the +wood. +</p> + +<p> +But as they went, there came one invisible, and smote the knight through +the body with a spear. “Alas,” cried Sir Herleus (for so was he named), “I +am slain under thy guard and conduct, by that traitor knight called +Garlon, who through magic and witchcraft rideth invisibly. Take, +therefore, my horse, which is better than thine, and ride to the damsel +whom we left, and <a class="pagenum" name="page067" id="page067" title="067"></a> the quest I had in hand, as she will lead thee—and +revenge my death when thou best mayest.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will I do,” said Sir Balin, “by my knighthood, and so I swear to +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then went Sir Balin to the damsel, and rode forth with her; she carrying +ever with her the truncheon of the spear wherewith Sir Herleus had been +slain. And as they went, a good knight, Perin de Mountbelgard, joined +their company, and vowed to take adventure with them wheresoever they +might go. But presently as they passed a hermitage fast by a churchyard, +came the knight Garlon, again invisible, and smote Sir Perin through the +body with a spear, and slew him as he had slain Sir Herleus. Whereat, Sir +Balin greatly raged, and swore to have Sir Garlon’s life, whenever next he +might encounter and behold him in his bodily shape. Anon, he and the +hermit buried the good knight Sir Perin, and rode on with the damsel till +they came to a great castle, whereinto they were about to enter. But when +Sir Balin had passed through the gateway, the portcullis fell behind him +suddenly, leaving the damsel on the outer side, with men around her, +drawing their swords as if to slay her. +</p> + +<p> +When he saw that, Sir Balin climbed with eager haste by wall and tower, +and leaped into the castle moat, and rushed towards the damsel and her +enemies, with his sword drawn, to fight and slay them. But they cried out, +“Put up thy sword, Sir knight, we will not fight thee in this quarrel, for +we do nothing but an ancient custom of this castle.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they told him that the lady of the castle was sick, and had lain ill +for many years, and might <a class="pagenum" name="page068" id="page068" title="068"></a> never more be cured, unless she had a silver +dish full of the blood of a pure maid and a king’s daughter. Wherefore the +custom of the castle was, that never should a damsel pass that way but she +must give a dish full of her blood. Then Sir Balin suffered them to bleed +the damsel with her own consent, but her blood helped not the lady of the +castle. So on the morrow they departed, after right good cheer and rest. +</p> + +<p> +Then they rode three or four days without adventure and came at last to +the abode of a rich man, who sumptuously lodged and fed them. And while +they sat at supper Sir Balin heard a voice of some one groaning +grievously. “What noise is this?” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“Forsooth,” said the host, “I will tell you. I was lately at a tournament, +and there I fought a knight who is brother to King Pelles, and overthrew +him twice, for which he swore to be revenged on me through my best friend, +and so he wounded my son, who cannot be recovered till I have that +knight’s blood, but he rideth through witchcraft always invisibly, and I +know not his name.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” said Sir Balin, “but I know him; his name is Garlon, and he hath +slain two knights, companions of mine own, in the same fashion, and I +would rather than all the riches in this realm that I might meet him face +to face.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said his host, “let me now tell thee that King Pelles hath +proclaimed in all the country a great festival, to be held at Listeniss, +in twenty days from now, whereto no knight may come without a lady. At +that great feast we might perchance find out this Garlon, for many will be +there; and if it please thee we will set forth together.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page069" id="page069" title="069"></a> + +<p> +So on the morrow they rode all three towards Listeniss, and travelled +fifteen days, and reached it on the day the feast began. Then they +alighted and stabled their horses, and went up to the castle, and Sir +Balin’s host was denied entrance, having no lady with him. But Sir Balin +was right heartily received, and taken to a chamber, where they unarmed +him, and dressed him in rich robes, of any colour that he chose, and told +him he must lay aside his sword. This, however, he refused, and said, “It +is the custom of my country for a knight to keep his sword ever with him; +and if I may not keep it here, I will forthwith depart.” Then they gave +him leave to wear his sword. So he went to the great hall, and was set +among knights of rank and worship, and his lady before him. +</p> + +<p> +Soon he found means to ask one who sat near him, “Is there not here a +knight whose name is Garlon?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yonder he goeth,” said his neighbour, “he with that black face; he is the +most marvellous knight alive, for he rideth invisibly, and destroyeth whom +he will.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, well,” said Balin, drawing a long breath, “is that indeed the man? I +have aforetime heard of him.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he mused long within himself, and thought, “If I shall slay him here +and now, I shall not escape myself; but if I leave him, peradventure I +shall never meet with him again at such advantage; and if he live, how +much more harm and mischief will he do!” +</p> + +<p> +But while he deeply thought, and cast his eyes from time to time upon Sir +Garlon, that false knight saw that he watched him, and thinking that he +could at such a time escape revenge, he came and smote Sir Balin on the +face with the back of his hand, and said, “Knight, why <a class="pagenum" name="page070" id="page070" title="070"></a> dost thou so watch +me? be ashamed, and eat thy meat, and do that which thou camest for.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou sayest well,” cried Sir Balin, rising fiercely; “now will I +straightway do that which I came to do, as thou shalt find.” With that he +whirled his sword aloft and struck him downright on the head, and clove +his skull asunder to the shoulder. +</p> + +<p> +“Give me the truncheon,” cried out Sir Balin to his lady, “wherewith he +slew thy knight.” And when she gave it him—for she had always carried it +about with her, wherever she had gone—he smote him through the body with +it, and said, “With that truncheon didst thou treacherously murder a good +knight, and now it sticketh in thy felon body.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he called to the father of the wounded son, who had come with him to +Listeniss, and said, “Now take as much blood as thou wilt, to heal thy son +withal.” +</p> + +<p> +But now arose a terrible confusion, and all the knights leaped from the +table to slay Balin, King Pelles himself the foremost, who cried out, +“Knight, thou hast slain my brother at my board; die, therefore, die, for +thou shalt never leave this castle.” +</p> + +<p> +“Slay me, thyself, then,” shouted Balin. +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” said the king, “that will I! for no other man shall touch thee, for +the love I bear my brother.” +</p> + +<p> +Then King Pelles caught in his hand a grim weapon and smote eagerly at +Balin, but Balin put his sword between his head and the king’s stroke, and +saved himself but lost his sword, which fell down smashed and shivered +into pieces by the blow. So being weaponless he ran to the next room to +find a sword, and so from room to room, with King Pelles after him, he in +vain <a class="pagenum" name="page071" id="page071" title="071"></a> ever eagerly casting his eyes round every place to find some weapon. +</p> + +<p> +At last he ran into a chamber wondrous richly decked, where was a bed all +dressed with cloth of gold, the richest that could be thought of, and one +who lay quite still within the bed; and by the bedside stood a table of +pure gold borne on four silver pillars, and on the table stood a +marvellous spear, strangely wrought. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Balin saw the spear he seized it in his hand, and turned upon +King Pelles, and smote at him so fiercely and so sore that he dropped +swooning to the ground. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure05.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure05" id="figure05" + title="The castle rocked and rove throughout, and all the walls fell crashed and breaking to the earth." + alt="The castle rocked and rove throughout, and all the walls fell crashed and breaking to the earth."> + +<p> +But at that Dolorous and awful Stroke <a href="images/figure05.jpg">the castle rocked and rove +throughout, and all the walls fell crashed and breaking to the earth,</a> and +Balin himself fell also in their midst, struck as it were to stone, and +powerless to move a hand or foot. And so three days he lay amidst the +ruins, until Merlin came and raised him up and brought him a good horse, +and bade him ride out of that land as swiftly as he could. +</p> + +<p> +“May I not take the damsel with me I brought hither?” said Sir Balin. +</p> + +<p> +“Lo! where she lieth dead,” said Merlin. “Ah, little knowest thou, Sir +Balin, what thou hast done; for in this castle and that chamber which thou +didst defile, was the blood of our Lord Christ! and also that most holy +cup—the Sangreal—wherefrom the wine was drunk at the last supper of our +Lord. Joseph of Arimathea brought it to this land, when first he came here +to convert and save it. And on that bed of gold it was himself who lay, +and tne strange spear beside him was the spear wherewith the soldier +Longus smote our Lord, which evermore <a class="pagenum" name="page072" id="page072" title="072"></a> had dripped with blood. King Pelles +is the nearest kin to Joseph in direct descent, wherefore he held these +holy things in trust; but now have they all gone at thy dolorous stroke, +no man knoweth whither; and great is the damage to this land, which until +now hath been the happiest of all lands, for by that stroke thou hast +slain thousands, and by the loss and parting of the Sangreal the safety of +this realm is put in peril, and its great happiness is gone for evermore.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Balin departed from Merlin, struck to his soul with grief and sorrow, +and said, “In this world shall we meet never more.” +</p> + +<p> +So he rode forth through the fair cities and the country, and found the +people lying dead on every side. And all the living cried out on him as he +passed, “O Balin, all this misery hast thou done! For the dolorous stroke +thou gavest King Pelles, three countries are destroyed, and doubt not but +revenge will fall on thee at last!” +</p> + +<p> +When he had passed the boundary of those countries, he was somewhat +comforted, and rode eight days without adventure. Anon he came to a cross, +whereon was written in letters of gold, “It is not for a knight alone to +ride towards this castle.” Looking up, he saw a hoary ancient man come +towards him, who said, “Sir Balin le Savage, thou passest thy bounds this +way; therefore turn back again, it will be best for thee;” and with these +words he vanished. +</p> + +<p> +Then did he hear a horn blow as it were the deathnote of some hunted +beast. “That blast,” said Balin, “is blown for me, for I am the prey; +though yet I be not dead.” But as he spoke he saw a hundred ladies with a +great troop of knights come forth to meet him, <a class="pagenum" name="page073" id="page073" title="073"></a> with bright faces and +great welcome, who led him to the castle and made a great feast, with +dancing and minstrelsy and all manner of joy. +</p> + +<p> +Then the chief lady of the castle said, “Knight with the two swords, thou +must encounter and fight with a knight hard by, who dwelleth on an island, +for no man may pass this way without encountering him.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is a grievous custom,” answered Sir Balin. +</p> + +<p> +“There is but one knight to defeat,” replied the lady. +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said Sir Balin, “be it as thou wilt. I am ready and quite willing, +and though my horse and my body be full weary, yet is my heart not weary, +save of life. And truly I were glad if I might meet my death.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said one standing by, “methinketh your shield is not good; I will +lend you a bigger.” +</p> + +<p> +“I thank thee, sir,” said Balin, and took the unknown shield and left his +own, and so rode forth, and put himself and horse into a boat and came to +the island. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as he had landed, he saw come riding towards him, a knight dressed +all in red, upon a horse trapped in the same colour. When the red knight +saw Sir Balin, and the two swords he wore, he thought it must have been +his brother (for the red knight was Sir Balan), but when he saw the +strange arms on his shield, he forgot the thought, and came against him +fiercely. At the first course they overthrew each other, and both lay +swooning on the ground; but Sir Balin was the most hurt and bruised, for +he was weary and spent with travelling. So Sir Balan rose up first to his +feet and drew his sword, and Sir Balin painfully rose against him and +raised his shield. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Balan smote him through the shield and brake his helmet; and Sir +Balin, in return, smote at him with <a class="pagenum" name="page074" id="page074" title="074"></a> his fated sword, and had wellnigh +slain his brother. So they fought till their breaths failed. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Balin, looking up, saw all the castle towers stand full of +ladies. So they went again to battle, and wounded each other full sore, +and paused, and breathed again, and then again began the fight; and this +for many times they did, till all the ground was red with blood. And by +now, each had full grievously wounded the other with seven great wounds, +the least of which might have destroyed the mightiest giant in the world. +But still they rose against each other, although their hauberks now were +all unnailed, and they smiting at each other’s naked bodies with their +sharp swords. At the last, Sir Balan, the younger brother, withdrew a +little space and laid him down. +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Balin le Savage, “What knight art thou? for never before +have I found a knight to match me thus.” +</p> + +<p> +“My name,” said he, all faintly, “is Balan, brother to the good knight Sir +Balin.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, God!” cried Balin, “that ever I should see this day!” and therewith +fell down backwards in a swoon. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Balan crept with pain upon his feet and hands, and put his +brother’s helmet off his head, but could not know him by his face, it was +so hewed and bloody. But presently, when Sir Balin came to, he said, “Oh! +Balan, mine own brother, thou hast slain me, and I thee! All the wide +world saw never greater grief!” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said Sir Balan, “that I ever saw this day; and through mishap +alone I knew thee not, for when I saw thy two swords, if it had not been +for thy strange shield, I should have known thee for my brother.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page075" id="page075" title="075"></a> + +<p> +“Alas!” said Balin, “all this sorrow lieth at the door of one unhappy +knight within the castle, who made me change my shield. If I might live, I +would destroy that castle and its evil customs.” +</p> + +<p> +“It were well done,” said Balan, “for since I first came hither I have +never been able to depart, for here they made me fight with one who kept +this island, whom I slew, and by enchantment I might never quit it more; +nor couldst thou, brother, hadst thou slain me, and escaped with thine own +life.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon came the lady of the castle, and when she heard their talk, and saw +their evil case, she wrung her hands and wept bitterly. So Sir Balan +prayed the lady of her gentleness that, for his true service, she would +bury them both together in that place. This she granted, weeping full +sore, and said it should be done right solemnly and richly, and in the +noblest manner possible. Then did they send for a priest, and received the +holy sacrament at his hands. And Balin said, “Write over us upon our tomb, +that here two brethren slew each other; then shall never good knight or +pilgrim pass this way but he will pray for both our souls.” And anon Sir +Balan died, but Sir Balin died not till the midnight after; and then they +both were buried. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow of their death came Merlin, and took Sir Balin’s sword and +fixed on it a new pommel, and set it in a mighty stone, which then, by +magic, he made float upon the water. And so, for many years, it floated to +and fro around the island, till it swam down the river to Camelot, where +young Sir Galahad achieved it, as shall be told hereafter. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page076" id="page076" title="076"></a> + +<a name="chapter_vi" id="chapter_vi"</a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The Marriage of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, and the Founding of the +Round Table — The Adventure of the Hart and Hound</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/i.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="i1" id="i1" Title="I" alt="Drop Case I"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +t befell upon a certain day, that King Arthur said to Merlin, “My lords +and knights do daily pray me now to take a wife; but I will have none +without thy counsel, for thou hast ever helped me since I came first to +this crown.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is well,” said Merlin, “that thou shouldst take a wife, for no man of +bounteous and noble nature should live without one; but is there any lady +whom thou lovest better than another?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” said King Arthur, “I love Guinevere, the daughter of King +Leodegrance, of Camelgard, who also holdeth in his house the Round Table +that he had from my father Uther; and as I think, that damsel is the +gentlest and the fairest lady living.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” answered Merlin, “as for her beauty, she is one of the fairest that +do live; but if ye had not loved her as ye do, I would fain have had ye +choose some other who was both fair and good. But where a man’s heart is +set, he will be loath to leave.” This Merlin said, knowing <a class="pagenum" name="page077" id="page077" title="077"></a> the misery +that should hereafter happen from this marriage. +</p> + +<p> +Then King Arthur sent word to King Leodegrance that he mightily desired to +wed his daughter, and how that he had loved her since he saw her first, +when with Kings Ban and Bors he rescued Leodegrance from King Ryence of +North Wales. +</p> + +<p> +When King Leodegrance heard the message, he cried out “These be the best +tidings I have heard in all my life—so great and worshipful a prince to +seek my daughter for his wife! I would fain give him half my lands with +her straightway, but that he needeth none—and better will it please him +that I send him the Round Table of King Uther, his father, with a hundred +good knights towards the furnishing of it with guests, for he will soon +find means to gather more, and make the table full.” +</p> + +<p> +Then King Leodegrance delivered his daughter Guinevere to the messengers +of King Arthur, and also the Round Table with the hundred knights. +</p> + +<p> +So they rode royally and freshly, sometimes by water and sometimes by +land, towards Camelot. And as they rode along in the spring weather, they +made full many sports and pastimes. And, in all those sports and games, a +young knight lately come to Arthur’s court, Sir Lancelot by name, was +passing strong, and won praise from all, being full of grace and +hardihood; and Guinevere also ever looked on him with joy. And always in +the eventide, when the tents were set beside some stream or forest, many +minstrels came and sang before the knights and ladies as they sat in the +tent-doors, and many knights would tell adventures; and still Sir Lancelot +was <a class="pagenum" name="page078" id="page078" title="078"></a> foremost, and told the knightliest tales, and sang the goodliest +songs, of all the company. +</p> + +<p> +And when they came to Camelot, King Arthur made great joy, and all the +city with him; and riding forth with a great retinue he met Guinevere and +her company, and led her through the streets all filled with people, and +in the midst of all their shoutings and the ringing of church bells, to a +palace hard by his own. +</p> + +<p> +Then, in all haste, the king commanded to prepare the marriage and the +coronation with the stateliest and most honourable pomp that could be +made. And when the day was come, the archbishops led the king to the +cathedral, whereto he walked, clad in his royal robes, and having four +kings, bearing four golden swords, before him; a choir of passing sweet +music going also with him. +</p> + +<p> +In another part, was the queen dressed in her richest ornaments, and led +by archbishops and bishops to the Chapel of the Virgins, the four queens +also of the four kings last mentioned walked before her, bearing four +white doves, according to ancient custom; and after her there followed +many damsels, singing and making every sign of joy. +</p> + +<p> +And when the two processions were come to the churches, so wondrous was +the music and the singing, that all the knights and barons who were there +pressed on each other, as in the crowd of battle, to hear and see the most +they might. +</p> + +<p> +When the king was crowned, he called together all the knights that came +with the Round Table from Camelgard, and twenty-eight others, great and +valiant men, chosen by Merlin out of all the realm, towards making up the <a class="pagenum" name="page079" id="page079" title="079"></a> +full number of the table. Then the Archbishop of Canterbury blessed the +seats of all the knights, and when they rose again therefrom to pay their +homage to King Arthur there was found upon the back of each knight’s seat +his name, written in letters of gold. But upon one seat was found written, +“This is the Siege Perilous, wherein if any man shall sit save him whom +Heaven hath chosen, he shall be devoured by fire.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon came young Gawain, the king’s nephew, praying to be made a knight, +whom the king knighted then and there. Soon after came a poor man, leading +with him a tall fair lad of eighteen years of age, riding on a lean mare. +And falling at the king’s feet, the poor man said, “Lord, it was told me, +that at this time of thy marriage thou wouldst give to any man the gift he +asked for, so it were not unreasonable.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is the truth,” replied King Arthur, “and I will make it good.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou sayest graciously and nobly,” said the poor man. “Lord, I ask +nothing else but that thou wilt make my son here a knight.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is a great thing that thou askest,” said the king. “What is thy name?” +</p> + +<p> +“Aries, the cowherd,” answered he. +</p> + +<p> +“Cometh this prayer from thee or from thy son?” inquired King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, lord, not from myself,” said he, “but from him only, for I have +thirteen other sons, and all of them will fall to any labour that I put +them to. But this one will do no such work for anything that I or my wife +may do, but is for ever shooting or fighting, and running to see knights +and joustings, and <a class="pagenum" name="page080" id="page080" title="080"></a> torments me both night and day that he be made a +knight.” +</p> + +<p> +“What is thy name?” said the king to the young man. +</p> + +<p> +“My name is Tor,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king, looking at him steadfastly, was well pleased with his face +and figure, and with his look of nobleness and strength. +</p> + +<p> +“Fetch all thy other sons before me,” said the king to Aries. But when he +brought them, none of them resembled Tor in size or shape or feature. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king knighted Tor, saying, “Be thou to thy life’s end a good +knight and a true, as I pray God thou mayest be; and if thou provest +worthy, and of prowess, one day thou shall be counted in the Round Table.” +Then turning to Merlin, Arthur said, “Prophesy now, O Merlin, shall Sir +Tor become a worthy knight, or not?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, lord,” said Merlin, “so he ought to be, for he is the son of that +King Pellinore whom thou hast met, and proved to be one of the best +knights living. He is no cowherd’s son.” +</p> + +<p> +Presently after came in King Pellinore, and when he saw Sir Tor he knew +him for his son, and was more pleased than words can tell to find him +knighted by the king. And Pellinore did homage to King Arthur, and was +gladly and graciously accepted of the king; and then was led by Merlin to +a high seat at the Table Round, near to the Perilous Seat. +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Gawain was full of anger at the honour done King Pellinore, and +said to his brother Gaheris, “He slew our father, King Lot, therefore will +I slay him.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page081" id="page081" title="081"></a> + +<p> +“Do it not yet,” said he; “wait till I also be a knight, then will I help +ye in it: it is best ye suffer him to go at this time, and not trouble +this high feast with bloodshed.” +</p> + +<p> +“As ye will, be it,” said Sir Gawain. +</p> + +<p> +Then rose the king and spake to all the Table Round, and charged them to +be ever true and noble knights, to do neither outrage nor murder, nor any +unjust violence, and always to flee treason; also by no means ever to be +cruel, but give mercy unto him that asked for mercy, upon pain of +forfeiting the liberty of his court for evermore. Moreover, at all times, +on pain of death, to give all succour unto ladies and young damsels; and +lastly, never to take part in any wrongful quarrel, for reward or payment. +And to all this he swore them knight by knight. +</p> + +<p> +Then he ordained that, every year at Pentecost, they should all come +before him, wheresoever he might appoint a place, and give account of all +their doings and adventures of the past twelvemonth. And so, with prayer +and blessing, and high words of cheer, he instituted the most noble order +of the Round Table, whereto the best and bravest knights in all the world +sought afterwards to find admission. +</p> + +<p> +Then was the high feast made ready, and the king and queen sat side by +side, before the whole assembly; and great and royal was the banquet and +the pomp. +</p> + +<p> +And as they sat, each man in his place, Merlin went round and said, “Sit +still awhile, for ye shall see a strange and marvellous adventure.” +</p> + +<p> +So as they sat, there suddenly came running through the hall, a white +hart, with a white hound next after him, <a class="pagenum" name="page082" id="page082" title="082"></a> and thirty couple of black +running hounds, making full cry; and the hart made circuit of the Table +Round, and past the other tables; and suddenly the white hound flew upon +him and bit him fiercely, and tore out a piece from his haunch. Whereat +the hart sprang suddenly with a great leap, and overthrew a knight sitting +at the table, who rose forthwith, and, taking up the hound, mounted, and +rode fast away. +</p> + +<p> +But no sooner had he left, than there came in a lady, mounted on a white +palfrey, who cried out to the king, “Lord, suffer me not to have this +injury!—the hound is mine which that knight taketh.” And as she spake, a +knight rode in all armed, on a great horse, and suddenly took up the lady +and rode away with her by force, although she greatly cried and moaned. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king desired Sir Gawain, Sir Tor, and King Pellinore to mount and +follow this adventure to the uttermost; and told Sir Gawain to bring back +the hart, Sir Tor the hound and knight, and King Pellinore the knight and +the lady. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Gawain rode forth at a swift pace, and with him Gaheris, his +brother, for a squire. And as they went, they saw two knights fighting on +horseback, and when they reached them they divided them and asked the +reason of their quarrel. “We fight for a foolish matter,” one replied, +“for we be brethren; but there came by a white hart this way, chased by +many hounds, and thinking it was an adventure for the high feast of King +Arthur, I would have followed it to have gained worship; whereat my +younger brother here declared he was the better knight and would go after +it instead, and so we fight to prove which of us be the better knight.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page083" id="page083" title="083"></a> + +<p> +“This is a foolish thing,” said Sir Gawain. “Fight with all strangers, if +ye will, but not brother with brother. Take my advice, set on against me, +and if ye yield to me, as I shall do my best to make ye, ye shall go to +King Arthur and yield ye to his grace.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” replied the brothers, “we are weary, and will do thy wish +without encountering thee; but by whom shall we tell the king that we were +sent?” +</p> + +<p> +“By the knight that followeth the quest of the white hart,” said Sir +Gawain. “And now tell me your names, and let us part.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sorlous and Brian of the Forest,” they replied; and so they went their +way to the king’s court. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Gawain, still following his quest by the distant baying of the +hounds, came to a great river, and saw the hart swimming over and near to +the further bank. And as he was about to plunge in and swim after, he saw +a knight upon the other side, who cried, “Come not over here, Sir knight, +after that hart, save thou wilt joust with me.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not fail for that,” said Sir Gawain; and swam his horse across the +stream. +</p> + +<p> +Anon they got their spears, and ran against each other fiercely; and Sir +Gawain smote the stranger off his horse, and turning, bade him yield. +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” replied he, “not so; for though ye have the better of me on +horseback, I pray thee, valiant knight, alight, and let us match together +with our swords on foot.” +</p> + +<p> +“What is thy name?” quoth Gawain. +</p> + +<p> +“Allardin of the Isles,” replied the stranger. +</p> + +<p> +Then they fell on each other; but soon Sir Gawain <a class="pagenum" name="page084" id="page084" title="084"></a> struck him through the +helm, so deeply and so hard, that all his brains were scattered, and Sir +Allardin fell dead. “Ah,” said Gaheris, “that was a mighty stroke for a +young knight!” +</p> + +<p> +Then did they turn again to follow the white hart, and let slip three +couple of greyhounds after him; and at the last they chased him to a +castle, and there they overtook and slew him, in the chief courtyard. +</p> + +<p> +At that there rushed a knight forth from a chamber, with a drawn sword in +his hand, and slew two of the hounds before their eyes, and chased the +others from the castle, crying, “Oh, my white hart! alas, that thou art +dead! for thee my sovereign lady gave to me, and evil have I kept thee; +but if I live, thy death shall be dear bought.” Anon he went within and +armed, and came out fiercely, and met Sir Gawain face to face. +</p> + +<p> +“Why have ye slain my hounds?” said Sir Gawain; “they did but after their +nature: and ye had better have taken vengeance on me than on the poor dumb +beasts.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will avenge me on thee, also,” said the other, “ere thou depart this +place.” +</p> + +<p> +Then did they fight with each other savagely and madly, till the blood ran +down to their feet. But at last Sir Gawain had the better, and felled the +knight of the castle to the ground. Then he cried out for mercy, and +yielded to Sir Gawain, and besought him as he was a knight and gentleman +to save his life. “Thou shalt die,” said Sir Gawain, “for slaying my +hounds.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will make thee all amends within my power,” replied the knight. +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Gawain would have no mercy, and unlaced his helm to strike his +head off; and so blind was he with <a class="pagenum" name="page085" id="page085" title="085"></a> rage, that he saw not where a lady ran +out from her chamber and fell down upon his enemy. And making a fierce +blow at him, he smote off by mischance the lady’s head. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” cried Gaheris, “foully and shamefully have ye done—the shame +shall never leave ye! Why give ye not your mercy unto them that ask it? a +knight without mercy is without worship also.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Gawain was sore amazed at that fair lady’s death, and knew not +what to do, and said to the fallen knight, “Arise, for I will give thee +mercy.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, nay,” said he, “I care not for thy mercy now, for thou hast slain my +lady and my love—that of all earthly things I loved the best.” +</p> + +<p> +“I repent me sorely of it,” said Sir Gawain, “for I meant to have struck +thee: but now shalt thou go to King Arthur and tell him this adventure, +and how thou hast been overcome by the knight that followeth the quest of +the white hart.” +</p> + +<p> +“I care not whether I live or die, or where I go,” replied the knight. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Gawain sent him to the court to Camelot, making him bear one dead +greyhound before and one behind him on his horse. “Tell me thy name before +we part,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“My name is Athmore of the Marsh,” he answered. +</p> + +<p> +Then went Sir Gawain into the castle, and prepared to sleep there and +began to unarm; but Gaheris upbraided him, saying, “Will ye disarm in this +strange country? bethink ye, ye must needs have many enemies about.” +</p> + +<p> +No sooner had he spoken than there came out suddenly four knights, well +armed, and assailed them hard, saying <a class="pagenum" name="page086" id="page086" title="086"></a> to Sir Gawain, “Thou new-made +knight, how hast thou shamed thy knighthood! a knight without mercy is +dishonoured! Slayer of fair ladies, shame to thee evermore! Doubt not thou +shalt thyself have need of mercy ere we leave thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then were the brothers in great jeopardy, and feared for their lives, for +they were but two to four, and weary with travelling; and one of the four +knights shot Sir Gawain with a bolt, and hit him through the arm, so that +he could fight no more. But when there was nothing left for them but +death, there came four ladies forth and prayed the four knights’ mercy for +the strangers. So they gave Sir Gawain and Gaheris their lives, and made +them yield themselves prisoners. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow, came one of the ladies to Sir Gawain, and talked with him, +saying, “Sir knight, what cheer?” +</p> + +<p> +“Not good,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“It is your own default, sir,” said the lady, “for ye have done a passing +foul deed in slaying that fair damsel yesterday—and ever shall it be +great shame to you. But ye be not of King Arthur’s kin.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, truly am I,” said he; “my name is Gawain, son of King Lot of Orkney, +whom King Pellinore slew—and my mother, Belisent, is half-sister to the +king.” +</p> + +<p> +When the lady heard that, she went and presently got leave for him to quit +the castle; and they gave him the head of the white hart to take with him, +because it was in his quest; but made him also carry the dead lady with +him—her head hung round his neck and her body lay before him on his +horse’s neck. +</p> + +<p> +So in that fashion he rode back to Camelot; and when the king and queen +saw him, and heard tell of his adventures, <a class="pagenum" name="page087" id="page087" title="087"></a> they were heavily displeased, +and, by the order of the queen, he was put upon his trial before a court +of ladies—who judged him to be evermore, for all his life, the knight of +ladies’ quarrels, and to fight always on their side, and never against +any, except he fought for one lady and his adversary for another; also +they charged him never to refuse mercy to him that asked it, and swore him +to it on the Holy Gospels. Thus ended the adventure of the white hart. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, Sir Tor had made him ready, and followed the knight who rode +away with the hound. And as he went, there suddenly met him in the road a +dwarf, who struck his horse so viciously upon the head with a great staff, +that he leaped backwards a spear’s length. +</p> + +<p> +“Wherefore so smitest thou my horse, foul dwarf?” shouted Sir Tor. +</p> + +<p> +“Because thou shall not pass this way,” replied the dwarf, “unless thou +fight for it with yonder knights in those pavilions,” pointing to two +tents, where two great spears stood out, and two shields hung upon two +trees hard by. +</p> + +<p> +“I may not tarry, for I am on a quest I needs must follow,” said Sir Tor. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou shalt not pass,” replied the dwarf, and therewith blew his horn. +Then rode out quickly at Sir Tor one armed on horseback, but Sir Tor was +quick as he, and riding at him bore him from his horse, and made him +yield. Directly after came another still more fiercely, but with a few +great strokes and buffets Sir Tor unhorsed him also, and sent them both to +Camelot to King Arthur. Then came the dwarf and begged Sir Tor to <a class="pagenum" name="page088" id="page088" title="088"></a> take +him in his service, “for,” said he, “I will serve no more recreant +knights.” +</p> + +<p> +“Take then a horse, and come with me,” said Tor. +</p> + +<p> +“Ride ye after the knight with the white hound?” said the dwarf; “I can +soon bring ye where he is.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rode through the forest till they came to two more tents. And Sir +Tor alighting, went into the first, and saw three damsels lie there, +sleeping. Then went he to the other, and found another lady also sleeping, +and at her feet the white hound he sought for, which instantly began to +bay and bark so loudly, that the lady woke. But Sir Tor had seized the +hound and given it to the dwarfs charge. +</p> + +<p> +“What will ye do, Sir knight?” cried out the lady; “will ye take away my +hound from me by force?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, lady,” said Sir Tor; “for so I must, having the king’s command; and +I have followed it from King Arthur’s court, at Camelot, to this place.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well” said the lady, “ye will not go far before ye be ill handled, and +will repent ye of the quest.” +</p> + +<p> +“I shall cheerfully abide whatsoever adventure cometh, by the grace of +God,” said Sir Tor; and so mounted his horse and began to ride back on his +way. But night coming on, he turned aside to a hermitage that was in the +forest, and there abode till the next day, making but sorrowful cheer of +such poor food as the hermit had to give him, and hearing a Mass devoutly +before he left on the morrow. +</p> + +<p> +And in the early morning, as he rode forth with the dwarf towards Camelot, +he heard a knight call loudly after him, “Turn, turn! Abide, Sir knight, +and yield me up the hound thou tookest from my lady.” At <a class="pagenum" name="page089" id="page089" title="089"></a> which he turned, +and saw a great and strong knight, armed full splendidly, riding down upon +him fiercely through a glade of the forest. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Tor was very ill provided, for he had but an old courser, which +was as weak as himself, because of the hermit’s scanty fare. He waited, +nevertheless, for the strange knight to come, and at the first onset with +their spears, each unhorsed the other, and then fell to with their swords +like two mad lions. Then did they smite through one another’s shields and +helmets till the fragments flew on all sides, and their blood ran out in +streams; but yet they carved and rove through the thick armour of the +hauberks, and gave each other great and ghastly wounds. But in the end, +Sir Tor, finding the strange knight faint, doubled his strokes until he +beat him to the earth. Then did he bid him yield to his mercy. +</p> + +<p> +“That will I not,” replied Abellius, “while my life lasteth and my soul is +in my body, unless thou give me first the hound.” +</p> + +<p> +“I cannot,” said Sir Tor, “and will not, for it was my quest to bring +again that hound and thee unto King Arthur, or otherwise to slay thee.” +</p> + +<p> +With that there came a damsel riding on a palfrey, as fast as she could +drive, and cried out to Sir Tor with a loud voice, “I pray thee, for King +Arthur’s love, give me a gift.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ask,” said Sir Tor, “and I will give thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Grammercy,” said the lady, “I ask the head of this false knight Abellius, +the most outrageous murderer that liveth.” +</p> + +<p> +“I repent me of the gift I promised,” said Sir Tor. <a class="pagenum" name="page090" id="page090" title="090"></a> “Let him make thee +amends for all his trespasses against thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“He cannot make amends,” replied the damsel, “for he hath slain my +brother, a far better knight than he, and scorned to give him mercy, +though I kneeled for half an hour before him in the mire, to beg it, and +though it was but by a chance they fought, and for no former injury or +quarrel. I require my gift of thee as a true knight, or else will I shame +thee in King Arthur’s court; for this Abellius is the falsest knight +alive, and a murderer of many.” +</p> + +<p> +When Abellius heard this, he trembled greatly, and was sore afraid, and +yielded to Sir Tor, and prayed his mercy. +</p> + +<p> +“I cannot now, Sir knight,” said he, “lest I be false to my promise. Ye +would not take my mercy when I offered it; and now it is too late.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he unlaced his helmet, and took it off; but Abellius, in dismal +fear, struggled to his feet, and fled, until Sir Tor overtook him, and +smote off his head entirely with one blow. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, sir,” said the damsel, “it is near night, I pray ye come and lodge +at my castle hard by.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will, with a good will,” said he, for both his horse and he had fared +but poorly since they left Camelot. +</p> + +<p> +So he went to the lady’s castle and fared sumptuously, and saw her +husband, an old knight, who greatly thanked him for his service, and urged +him oftentimes to come again. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow he departed, and reached Camelot by noon, where the king and +queen rejoiced to see him, and <a class="pagenum" name="page091" id="page091" title="091"></a> the king made him Earl; and Merlin +prophesied that these adventures were but little to the things he should +achieve hereafter. +</p> + +<p> +Now while Sir Gawain and Sir Tor had fulfilled their quests, King +Pellinore pursued the lady whom the knight had seized away from the +wedding-feast. And as he rode through the woods, he saw in a valley a fair +young damsel sitting by a well-side, and a wounded knight lying in her +arms, and King Pellinore saluted her as he passed by. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as she perceived him she cried out, “Help, help me, knight, for +our Lord’s sake!” But Pellinore was far too eager in his quest to stay or +turn, although she cried a hundred times to him for help; at which she +prayed to heaven he might have such sore need before he died as she had +now. And presently thereafter her knight died in her arms; and she, for +grief and love slew herself with his sword. +</p> + +<p> +But King Pellinore rode on till he met a poor man and asked him had he +seen a knight pass by that way leading by force a lady with him. +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, surely,” said the man, “and greatly did she moan and cry; but even +now another knight is fighting with him to deliver the lady; ride on and +thou shalt find them fighting still.” +</p> + +<p> +At that King Pellinore rode swiftly on, and came to where he saw the two +knights fighting, hard by where two pavilions stood. And when he looked in +one of them he saw the lady that was his quest, and with her the two +squires of the two knights who fought. +</p> + +<p> +“Fair lady,” said he, “ye must come with me unto Arthur’s court.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page092" id="page092" title="092"></a> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” said the two squires, “yonder be two knights fighting for +this lady; go part them, and get their consent to take her, ere thou touch +her.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye say well,” said King Pellinore, and rode between the combatants, and +asked them why they fought. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” said the one, “yon lady is my cousin, mine aunt’s daughter, +whom I met borne away against her will, by this knight here, with whom I +therefore fight to free her.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” replied the other, whose name was Hantzlake of Wentland, +“this lady got I, by my arms and prowess, at King Arthur’s court to-day.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is false,” said King Pellinore; “ye stole the lady suddenly, and +fled away with her, before any knight could arm to stay thee. But it is my +service to take her back again. Neither of ye shall therefore have her; +but if ye will fight for her, fight with me now and here.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said the knights, “make ready, and we will assail thee with all +our might.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Hantzlake ran King Pellinore’s horse through with his sword, so +that they might be all alike on foot. But King Pellinore at that was +passing wroth, and ran upon Sir Hantzlake, with a cry, “Keep well thy +head!” and gave him such a stroke upon the helm as clove him to the chin, +so that he fell dead to the ground. When he saw that, the other knight +refused to fight, and kneeling down said, “Take my cousin the lady with +thee, as thy quest is; but as thou art a true knight, suffer her to come +to neither shame nor harm.” +</p> + +<p> +So the next day King Pellinore departed for Camelot, and took the lady +with him; and as they rode in a valley full of rough stones, the damsel’s +horse stumbled and <a class="pagenum" name="page093" id="page093" title="093"></a> threw her, so that her arms were sorely bruised and +hurt. And as they rested in the forest for the pain to lessen, night came +on, and there they were compelled to make their lodging. A little before +midnight they heard the trotting of a horse. “Be ye still,” said King +Pellinore, “for now we may hear of some adventure,” and therewith he armed +him. Then he heard two knights meet and salute each other, in the dark; +one riding from Camelot, the other from the north. +</p> + +<p> +“What tidings at Camelot?” said one. +</p> + +<p> +“By my head,” said the other, “I have but just left there, and have espied +King Arthur’s court, and such a fellowship is there as never may be broke +or overcome; for wellnigh all the chivalry of the world is there, and all +full loyal to the king, and now I ride back homewards to the north to tell +our chiefs, that they waste not their strength in wars against him.” +</p> + +<p> +“As for all that,” replied the other knight, “I am but now from the north, +and bear with me a remedy, the deadliest poison that ever was heard tell +of, and to Camelot will I with it; for there we have a friend close to the +king, and greatly cherished of him, who hath received gifts from us to +poison him, as he hath promised soon to do.” +</p> + +<p> +“Beware,” said the first knight, “of Merlin, for he knoweth all things, by +the devil’s craft.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not fear for that,” replied the other, and so rode on his way. +</p> + +<p> +Anon King Pellinore and the lady passed on again; and when they came to +the well at which the lady with the wounded knight had sat, they found +both knight and Damsel utterly devoured by lions and wild beasts, all save +the lady’s head. <a class="pagenum" name="page094" id="page094" title="094"></a> + +<p> +When King Pellinore saw that, he wept bitterly, saying, “Alas! I might +have saved her life had I but tarried a few moments in my quest.” +</p> + +<p> +“Wherefore make so much sorrow now?” said the lady. +</p> + +<p> +“I know not,” answered he, “but my heart grieveth greatly for this poor +lady’s death, so fair she was and young.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he required a hermit to bury the remains of the bodies, and bare the +lady’s head with him to Camelot, to the court. +</p> + +<p> +When he was arrived, he was sworn to tell the truth of his quest before +the King and Queen, and when he had entered the Queen somewhat upbraided +him, saying, “Ye were much to blame that ye saved not that lady’s life.” +</p> + +<p> +“Madam,” said he, “I shall repent it all my life.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ay, king,” quoth Merlin, who suddenly came in, “and so ye ought to do, +for that lady was your daughter, not seen since infancy by thee. And she +was on her way to court, with a right good young knight, who would have +been her husband, but was slain by treachery of a felon knight, Lorraine +le Savage, as they came; and because thou wouldst not abide and help her, +thy best friend shall fail thee in thine hour of greatest need, for such +is the penance ordained thee for that deed.” +</p> + +<p> +Then did King Pellinore tell Merlin secretly of the treason he had heard +in the forest, and Merlin by his craft so ordered that the knight who bare +the poison was himself soon after slain by it, and so King Arthur’s life +was saved. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page095" id="page095" title="095"></a> + +<a name="chapter_vii" id="chapter_vii"</a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>King Arthur and Sir Accolon of Gaul</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/b.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="b1" id="b1" Title="B" alt="Drop Case B"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +eing now happily married, King Arthur for a season took his pleasure, +with great tournaments, and jousts, and huntings. So once upon a time the +king and many of his knights rode hunting in a forest, and Arthur, King +Urience, and Sir Accolon of Gaul, followed after a great hart, and being +all three well mounted, they chased so fast that they outsped their +company, and left them many miles behind; but riding still as rapidly as +they could go, at length their horses fell dead under them. Then being all +three on foot, and seeing the stag not far before them, very weary and +nigh spent—“What shall we do,” said King Arthur, “for we are hard +bested?” “Let us go on afoot,” said King Urience, “till we can find some +lodging.” At that they saw the stag lying upon the bank of a great lake, +with a hound springing at his throat, and many other hounds trooping +towards him. So, running forward, Arthur blew the death-note on his horn, +and slew the hart. Then lifting up his eyes he saw before him on the lake +a barge, all draped down to the water’s edge, with silken folds and +curtains, which <a class="pagenum" name="page096" id="page096" title="096"></a> swiftly came towards him, and touched upon the sands; but +when he went up close and looked in, he saw no earthly creature. Then he +cried out to his companions, “Sirs, come ye hither, and let us see what +there is in this ship.” So they all three went in, and found it everywhere +throughout furnished, and hung with rich draperies of silk and gold. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure06.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure06" id="figure06" + title="Came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by his name." + alt="Came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by his name."> + +<p> +By this time eventide had come, when suddenly a hundred torches were set +up on all sides of the barge, and gave a dazzling light, and at the same +time <a href="images/figure06.jpg">came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by his name,</a> +kneeling on their knees, and telling him that he was welcome, and should +have their noblest cheer, for which the king thanked them courteously. +Then did they lead him and his fellows to a splendid chamber, where was a +table spread with all the richest furniture, and costliest wines and +viands; and there they served them with all kinds of wines and meats, till +Arthur wondered at the splendour of the feast, declaring he had never in +his life supped better, or more royally. After supper they led him to +another chamber, than which he had never beheld a richer, where he was +left to rest. King Urience, also, and Sir Accolon were each conducted into +rooms of like magnificence. And so they all three fell asleep, and being +very weary slept deeply all that night. +</p> + +<p> +But when the morning broke, King Urience found himself in his own house in +Camelot, he knew not how; and Arthur awaking found himself in a dark +dungeon, and heard around him nothing but the groans of woful knights, +prisoners like himself. Then said King Arthur, “Who are ye, thus groaning +and complaining?” And some one answered him, “Alas, we be all prisoners, +even <a class="pagenum" name="page097" id="page097" title="097"></a> twenty good knights, and some of us have lain here seven years—some +more—nor seen the light of day for all that time.” “For what cause?” said +King Arthur. “Know ye not then yourself?” they answered—“we will soon +tell you. The lord of this strong castle is Sir Damas, and is the falsest +and most traitorous knight that liveth; and he hath a younger brother, a +good and noble knight, whose name is Outzlake. This traitor Damas, +although passing rich, will give his brother nothing of his wealth, and +save what Outzlake keepeth to himself by force, he hath no share of the +inheritance. He owneth, nevertheless, one fair rich manor, whereupon he +liveth, loved of all men far and near. But Damas is as altogether hated as +his brother is beloved, for he is merciless and cowardly: and now for many +years there hath been war between these brothers, and Sir Outzlake +evermore defieth Damas to come forth and fight with him, body to body, for +the inheritance; and if he be too cowardly, to find some champion knight +that will fight for him. And Damas hath agreed to find some champion, but +never yet hath found a knight to take his evil cause in hand, or wager +battle for him. So with a strong band of men-at-arms he lieth ever in +ambush, and taketh captive every passing knight who may unwarily go near, +and bringeth him into this castle, and desireth him either to fight Sir +Outzlake, or to lie for evermore in durance. And thus hath he dealt with +all of us, for we all scorned to take up such a cause for such a false +foul knight—but rather one by one came here, where many a good knight +hath died of hunger and disease. But if one of us would fight, Sir Damas +would deliver all the rest.” +</p> + +<p> +“God of his mercy send you deliverance,” said King <a class="pagenum" name="page098" id="page098" title="098"></a> Arthur, and sat +turning in his mind how all these things should end, and how he might +himself gain freedom for so many noble hearts. +</p> + +<p> +Anon there came a damsel to the king, saying, “Sir if thou wilt fight for +my lord thou shalt be delivered out of prison, but else nevermore shalt +thou escape with thy life.” “Nay,” said King Arthur, “that is but a hard +choice, yet had I rather fight than die in prison, and if I may deliver +not myself alone, but all these others, I will do the battle.” “Yea,” said +the damsel, “it shall be even so.” “Then,” said King Arthur, “I am ready +now, if but I had a horse and armour.” “Fear not,” said she, “that shalt +thou have presently, and shalt lack nothing proper for the fight.” “Have I +not seen thee,” said the king, “at King Arthur’s court? for it seemeth +that thy face is known to me.” “Nay,” said the damsel, “I was never there; +I am Sir Damas’ daughter, and have never been but a day’s journey from +this castle.” But she spoke falsely, for she was one of the damsels of +Morgan le Fay, the great enchantress, who was King Arthur’s half-sister. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Damas knew that there had been at length a knight found who would +fight for him, he sent for Arthur, and finding him a man so tall and +strong, and straight of limb, he was passingly well pleased, and made a +covenant with him, that he should fight unto the uttermost for his cause, +and that all the other knights should be delivered. And when they were +sworn to each other on the holy gospels, all those imprisoned knights were +straightway led forth and delivered, but abode there one and all to see +the battle. +</p> + +<p> +In the meanwhile there had happened to Sir Accolon <a class="pagenum" name="page099" id="page099" title="099"></a> of Gaul a strange +adventure; for when he awoke from his deep sleep upon the silken barge, he +found himself upon the edge of a deep well, and in instant peril of +falling thereinto. Whereat, leaping up in great affright, he crossed +himself and cried aloud, “May God preserve my lord King Arthur and King +Urience, for those damsels in the ship have betrayed us, and were +doubtless devils and no women; and if I may escape this misadventure, I +will certainly destroy them wheresoever I may find them.” With that there +came to him a dwarf with a great mouth, and a flat nose, and saluted him, +saying that he came from Queen Morgan le Fay. “And she greeteth you well,” +said he, “and biddeth you be strong of heart, for to-morrow you shall do +battle with a strange knight, and therefore she hath sent you here +Excalibur, King Arthur’s sword, and the scabbard likewise. And she +desireth you as you do love her to fight this battle to the uttermost, and +without any mercy, as you have promised her you would fight when she +should require it of you; and she will make a rich queen for ever of any +damsel that shall bring her that knight’s head with whom you are to +fight.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said Sir Accolon, “tell you my lady Queen Morgan, that I shall +hold to that I promised her, now that I have this sword—and,” said he, “I +suppose it was to bring about this battle that she made all these +enchantments by her craft.” “You have guessed rightly,” said the dwarf, +and therewithal he left him. +</p> + +<p> +Then came a knight and lady, and six squires, to Sir Accolon, and took him +to a manor house hard by, and gave him noble cheer; and the house belonged +to Sir Outzlake, the brother of Sir Damas, for so had Morgan <a class="pagenum" name="page100" id="page100" title="100"></a> le Fay +contrived with her enchantments. Now Sir Outzlake himself was at that time +sorely wounded and disabled, having been pierced through both his thighs +by a spear-thrust. When, therefore, Sir Damas sent down messengers to his +brother, bidding him make ready by to-morrow morning, and be in the field +to fight with a good knight, for that he had found a champion ready to do +battle at all points, Sir Outzlake was sorely annoyed and distressed, for +he knew he had small chance of victory, while yet he was disabled by his +wounds; notwithstanding, he determined to take the battle in hand, +although he was so weak that he must needs be lifted to his saddle. But +when Sir Accolon of Gaul heard this, he sent a message to Sir Outzlake +offering to take the battle in his stead, which cheered Sir Outzlake +mightily, who thanked Sir Accolon with all his heart, and joyfully +accepted him. +</p> + +<p> +So, on the morrow, King Arthur was armed and well horsed, and asked Sir +Damas, “When shall we go to the field?” “Sir,” said Sir Damas, “you shall +first hear mass.” And when mass was done, there came a squire on a great +horse, and asked Sir Damas if his knight were ready, “for our knight is +already in the field.” Then King Arthur mounted on horseback, and there +around were all the knights, and barons, and people of the country; and +twelve of them were chosen to wait upon the two knights who were about to +fight. And as King Arthur sat on horseback, there came a damsel from +Morgan le Fay, and brought to him a sword, made like Excalibur, and a +scabbard also, and said to him, “Morgan le Fay sendeth you here your sword +for her great love’s sake.” And the king thanked her, and believed it to +be as she said; but she traitorously deceived him, for both <a class="pagenum" name="page101" id="page101" title="101"></a> sword and +scabbard were counterfeit, brittle, and false, and the true sword +Excalibur was in the hands of Sir Accolon. Then, at the sound of a +trumpet, the champions set themselves on opposite sides of the field, and +giving rein and spur to their horses urged them to so great a speed that +each smiting the other in the middle of the shield, rolled his opponent to +the ground, both horse and man. Then starting up immediately, both drew +their swords and rushed swiftly together. And so they fell to eagerly, and +gave each other many great and mighty strokes. +</p> + +<p> +And as they were thus fighting, the damsel Vivien, lady of the lake, who +loved King Arthur, came upon the ground, for she knew by her enchantments +how Morgan le Fay had craftily devised to have King Arthur slain by his +own sword that day, and therefore came to save his life. And Arthur and +Sir Accolon were now grown hot against each other, and spared not strength +nor fury in their fierce assaults; but the king’s sword gave way +continually before Sir Accolon’s, so that at every stroke he was sore +wounded, and his blood ran from him so fast that it was a marvel he could +stand. When King Arthur saw the ground so sore be-blooded, he bethought +him in dismay that there was magic treason worked upon him, and that his +own true sword was changed, for it seemed to him that the sword in Sir +Accolon’s hand was Excalibur, for fearfully it drew his blood at every +blow, while what he held himself kept no sharp edge, nor fell with any +force upon his foe. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, knight, look to thyself, and keep thee well from me,” cried out Sir +Accolon. But King Arthur answered not, and gave him such a buffet on the +helm as <a class="pagenum" name="page102" id="page102" title="102"></a> made him stagger and nigh fall upon the ground. Then Sir Accolon +withdrew a little, and came on with Excalibur on high, and smote King +Arthur in return with such a mighty stroke as almost felled him; and both +being now in hottest wrath, they gave each other grievous and savage +blows. But Arthur all the time was losing so much blood that scarcely +could he keep upon his feet yet so full was he of knighthood, that +knightly he endured the pain, and still sustained himself, though now he +was so feeble that he thought himself about to die. Sir Accolon, as yet, +had lost no drop of blood, and being very bold and confident in Excalibur, +even grew more vigorous and hasty in his assaults. But all men who beheld +them said they never saw a knight fight half so well as did King Arthur; +and all the people were so grieved for him that they besought Sir Damas +and Sir Outzlake to make up their quarrel and so stay the fight; but they +would not. +</p> + +<p> +So still the battle raged, till Arthur drew a little back for breath and a +few moments’ rest; but Accolon came on after him, following fiercely and +crying loud, “It is no time for me to suffer thee to rest,” and therewith +set upon him. Then Arthur, full of scorn and rage, lifted up his sword and +struck Sir Accolon upon the helm so mightily that he drove him to his +knees; but with the force of that great stroke his brittle, treacherous +sword broke short off at the hilt, and fell down in the grass among the +blood, leaving the pommel only in his hand. At that, King Arthur thought +within himself that all was over, and secretly prepared his mind for +death, yet kept himself so knightly sheltered by his shield that he lost +no ground, and made as though he yet had hope and <a class="pagenum" name="page103" id="page103" title="103"></a> cheer. Then said Sir +Accolon, “Sir knight, thou now art overcome and canst endure no longer, +seeing thou art weaponless, and hast lost already so much blood. Yet am I +fully loth to slay thee; yield, then, therefore, to me as recreant.” +“Nay,” said King Arthur, “that may I not, for I have promised to do battle +to the uttermost by the faith of my body while my life lasteth; and I had +rather die with honour than live with shame; and if it were possible for +me to die an hundred times, I had rather die as often than yield me to +thee, for though I lack weapons, I shall lack no worship, and it shall be +to thy shame to slay me weaponless.” “Aha,” shouted then Sir Accolon, “as +for the shame, I will not spare; look to thyself, sir knight, for thou art +even now but a dead man.” Therewith he drove at him with pitiless force, +and struck him nearly down; but Arthur evermore waxing in valour as he +waned in blood, pressed on Sir Accolon with his shield, and hit at him so +fiercely with the pommel in his hand, as hurled him three strides +backwards. +</p> + +<p> +This, therefore, so confused Sir Accolon, that rushing up, all dizzy, to +deliver once again a furious blow, even as he struck, Excalibur, by +Vivien’s magic, fell from out his hands upon the earth. Beholding which, +King Arthur lightly sprang to it, and grasped it, and forthwith felt it +was his own good sword, and said to it, “Thou hast been from me all too +long, and done me too much damage.” Then spying the scabbard hanging by +Sir Accolon’s side, he sprang and pulled it from him, and cast it away as +far as he could throw it; for so long as he had worn it, Arthur new his +life would have been kept secure. “Oh, knight!” then said the king, “thou +hast this day wrought me much damage by this sword, but now art thou come <a class="pagenum" name="page104" id="page104" title="104"></a> +to thy death, for I shall not warrant thee but that thou shalt suffer, ere +we part, somewhat of that thou hast made me suffer.” And therewithal King +Arthur flew at him with all his might, and pulled him to the earth, and +then struck off his helm, and gave him on the head a fearful buffet, till +the blood leaped forth. “Now will I slay thee!” cried King Arthur; for his +heart was hardened, and his body all on fire with fever, till for a moment +he forgot his knightly mercy. “Slay me thou mayest,” said Sir Accolon, +“for thou art the best knight I ever found, and I see well that God is +with thee; and I, as thou hast, have promised to fight this battle to the +uttermost, and never to be recreant while I live; therefore shall I never +yield me with my mouth, and God must do with my body what he will.” And as +Sir Accolon spoke, King Arthur thought he knew his voice; and parting all +his blood-stained hair from out his eyes, and leaning down towards him, +saw, indeed, it was his friend and own true knight. Then said he—keeping +his own visor down—“I pray thee tell me of what country art thou, and +what court?” “Sir knight,” he answered, “I am of King Arthur’s court, and +my name is Sir Accolon of Gaul.” Then said the king, “Oh, sir knight! I +pray thee tell me who gave thee this sword? and from whom thou hadst it?” +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Accolon, “Woe worth this sword, for by it I have gotten my +death. This sword hath been in my keeping now for almost twelve months, +and yesterday Queen Morgan le Fay, wife of King Urience, sent it to me by +a dwarf, that therewith I might in some way slay her brother, King Arthur; +for thou must understand that King Arthur is the man she hateth most in +all the <a class="pagenum" name="page105" id="page105" title="105"></a> world, being full of envy and jealousy because he is of greater +worship and renown than any other of her blood. She loveth me also as much +as she doth hate him; and if she might contrive to slay King Arthur by her +craft and magic, then would she straightway kill her husband also, and +make me the king of all this land, and herself my queen, to reign with me; +but now,” said he, “all that is over, for this day I am come to my death.” +</p> + +<p> +“It would have been sore treason of thee to destroy thy lord,” said +Arthur. “Thou sayest truly,” answered he; “but now that I have told thee, +and openly confessed to thee all that foul treason whereof I now do +bitterly repent, tell me, I pray thee, whence art thou, and of what +court?” “O, Sir Accolon!” said King Arthur, “learn that I am myself King +Arthur.” When Sir Accolon heard this he cried aloud, “Alas, my gracious +lord! have mercy on me, for I knew thee not.” “Thou shalt have mercy,” +said he, “for thou knewest not my person at this time; and though by thine +own confession thou art a traitor, yet do I blame thee less, because thou +hast been blinded by the false crafts of my sister Morgan le Fay, whom I +have trusted more than all others of my kin, and whom I now shall know +well how to punish.” Then did Sir Accolon cry loudly, “O, lords, and all +good people! this noble knight that I have fought with is the noblest and +most worshipful in all the world; for it is King Arthur, our liege lord +and sovereign king; and full sorely I repent that I have ever lifted lance +against him, though in ignorance I did it.” +</p> + +<p> +Then all the people fell down on their knees and prayed the pardon of the +king for suffering him to come to such a strait. But he replied, “Pardon +ye cannot <a class="pagenum" name="page106" id="page106" title="106"></a> have, for, truly, ye have nothing sinned; but here ye see what +ill adventure may ofttimes befall knights-errant, for to my own hurt, and +his danger also, I have fought with one of my own knights.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king commanded Sir Damas to surrender to his brother the whole +manor, Sir Outzlake only yielding him a palfrey every year; “for,” said he +scornfully, “it would become thee better to ride on than a courser;” and +ordered Damas, upon pain of death, never again to touch or to distress +knights-errant riding on their adventures; and also to make full +compensation and satisfaction to the twenty knights whom he had held in +prison. “And if any of them,” said the king, “come to my court complaining +that he hath not had full satisfaction of thee for his injuries, by my +head, thou shalt die therefor.” +</p> + +<p> +Afterwards, King Arthur asked Sir Outzlake to come with him to his court, +where he should become a knight of his, and, if his deeds were noble, be +advanced to all he might desire. +</p> + +<p> +So then he took his leave of all the people and mounted upon horseback, +and Sir Accolon went with him to an abbey hard by, where both their wounds +were dressed. But Sir Accolon died within four days after. And when he was +dead, the king sent his body to Queen Morgan, to Camelot, saying that he +sent her a present in return for the sword Excalibur which she had sent +him by the damsel. +</p> + +<p> +So, on the morrow, there came a damsel from Queen Morgan to the king, and +brought with her the richest mantle that ever was seen, for it was set as +full of precious stones as they could stand against each other, and they <a class="pagenum" name="page107" id="page107" title="107"></a> +were the richest stones that ever the king saw. And the damsel said, “Your +sister sendeth you this mantle, and prayeth you to take her gift, and in +whatsoever thing she hath offended you, she will amend it at your +pleasure.” To this the king replied not, although the mantle pleased him +much. With that came in the lady of the lake, and said, “Sir, put not on +this mantle till thou hast seen more; and in nowise let it be put upon +thee, or any of thy knights, till ye have made the bringer of it first put +it on her.” “It shall be done as thou dost counsel,” said the king. Then +said he to the damsel that came from his sister, “Damsel, I would see this +mantle ye have brought me upon yourself.” “Sir,” said she, “it will not +beseem me to wear a knight’s garment.” “By my head,” said King Arthur, +“thou shall wear it ere it go on any other person’s back!” And so they put +it on her by force, and forthwith the garment burst into a flame and +burned the damsel into cinders. When the king saw that, he hated that +false witch Morgan le Fay with all his heart, and evermore was deadly +quarrel between her and Arthur to their lives’ end. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page108" id="page108" title="108"></a> + +<a name="chapter_viii" id="chapter_viii"</a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>King Arthur conquers Rome, and is crowned Emperor</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/a.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="a2" id="a2" Title="A" alt="Drop Case A"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +nd now again the second time there came ambassadors from Lucius Tiberius, +Emperor of Rome, demanding, under pain of war, tribute and homage from +King Arthur, and the restoration of all Gaul, which he had conquered from +the tribune Flollo. +</p> + +<p> +When they had delivered their message, the king bade them withdraw while +he consulted with his knights and barons what reply to send. Then some of +the younger knights would have slain the ambassadors, saying that their +speech was a rebuke to all who heard the king insulted by it. But when +King Arthur heard that, he ordered none to touch them upon pain of death; +and sending officers, he had them taken to a noble lodging, and there +entertained with the best cheer. “And,” said he, “let no dainty be spared, +for the Romans are great lords; and though their message please me not, +yet must I remember mine honour.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the lords and knights of the Round Table were called on to declare +their counsel—what should be done upon this matter; and Sir Cador of +Cornwall speaking <a class="pagenum" name="page109" id="page109" title="109"></a> first, said, “Sir, this message is the best news I have +heard for a long time, for we have been now idle and at rest for many +days, and I trust that thou wilt make sharp war upon the Romans, wherein, +I doubt not, we shall all gain honour.” +</p> + +<p> +“I believe well,” said Arthur, “that thou art pleased, Sir Cador; but that +is scarce an answer to the Emperor of Rome, and his demand doth grieve me +sorely, for truly I will never pay him tribute; wherefore, lords, I pray +ye counsel me. Now, I have understood that Belinus and Brennius, knights +of Britain, held the Roman Empire in their hands for many days, and also +Constantine, the son of Helen, which is open evidence, not only that we +owe Rome no tribute, but that I, being descended from them, may, of right, +myself claim the empire.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said King Anguish of Scotland, “Sir, thou oughtest of right to be +above all other kings, for in all Christendom is there not thine equal; +and I counsel thee never to obey the Romans. For when they reigned here +they grievously distressed us, and put the land to great and heavy +burdens; and here, for my part, I swear to avenge me on them when I may, +and will furnish thee with twenty thousand men-at-arms, whom I will pay +and keep, and who shall wait on thee with me, when it shall please thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the King of Little Britain rose and promised King Arthur thirty +thousand men; and likewise many other kings, and dukes, and barons, +promised aid—as the lord of West Wales thirty thousand men, Sir Ewaine +and his cousin thirty thousand men, and so forth; Sir Lancelot also, and +every other knight of the Round Table, promised each man a great host. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page110" id="page110" title="110"></a> + +<p> +So the king, passing joyful at their courage and good will, thanked them +all heartily, and sent for the ambassadors again, to hear his answer. “I +will,” said he, “that ye now go back straightway unto the Emperor your +master and tell him that I give no heed to his words, for I have conquered +all my kingdoms by the will of God and by my own right arm, and I am +strong enough to keep them, without paying tribute to any earthly +creature. But, on the other hand, I claim both tribute and submission from +himself, and also claim the sovereignty of all his empire, whereto I am +entitled by the right of my own ancestors—sometime kings of this land. +And say to him that I will shortly come to Rome, and by God’s grace will +take possession of my empire and subdue all rebels. Wherefore, lastly, I +command him and all the lords of Rome that they forthwith pay me their +homage, under pain of my chastisement and wrath.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he commanded his treasurers to give the ambassadors great gifts, and +defray all their charges, and appointed Sir Cador to convey them +worshipfully out of the land. +</p> + +<p> +So when they returned to Rome and came before Lucius, he was sore angry at +their words, and said, “I thought this Arthur would have instantly obeyed +my orders and have served me as humbly as any other king; but because of +his fortune in Gaul, he hath grown insolent.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, lord,” said one of the ambassadors, “refrain from such vain words, +for truly I and all with me were fearful at his royal majesty and angry +countenance. I fear me thou hast made a rod for thee more sharp than thou +hast counted on. He meaneth to be master of this empire; <a class="pagenum" name="page111" id="page111" title="111"></a> and is another +kind of man than thou supposest, and holdeth the most noble court of all +the world. We saw him on the new year’s day, served at his table by nine +kings, and the noblest company of other princes, lords, and knights that +ever was in all the world; and in his person he is the most manly-seeming +man that liveth, and looketh like to conquer all the earth.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Lucius sent messengers to all the subject countries of Rome, and +brought together a mighty army, and assembled sixteen kings, and many +dukes, princes, lords, and admirals, and a wondrous great multitude of +people. Fifty giants also, born of fiends, were set around him for a +body-guard. With all that host he straightway went from Rome, and passed +beyond the mountains into Gaul, and burned the towns and ravaged all the +country of that province, in rage for its submission to King Arthur. Then +he moved on towards Little Britain. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, King Arthur having held a parliament at York, left the realm in +charge of Sir Badewine and Sir Constantine, and crossed the sea from +Sandwich to meet Lucius. And so soon as he was landed, he sent Sir Gawain, +Sir Bors, Sir Lionel, and Sir Bedivere to the Emperor, commanding him “to +move swiftly and in haste out of his land, and, if not, to make himself +ready for battle, and not continue ravaging the country and slaying +harmless people.” Anon, those noble knights attired themselves and set +forth on horseback to where they saw, in a meadow, many silken tents of +divers colours, and the Emperor’s pavilion in the midst, with a golden +eagle set above it. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Gawain and Sir Bors rode forward, leaving <a class="pagenum" name="page112" id="page112" title="112"></a> the other two behind +in ambush, and gave King Arthur’s message. To which the Emperor replied, +“Return, and tell your lord that I am come to conquer him and all his +land.” +</p> + +<p> +At this, Sir Gawain burned with anger, and cried out, “I had rather than +all France that I might fight with thee alone!” +</p> + +<p> +“And I also,” said Sir Bors. +</p> + +<p> +Then a knight named Ganius, a near cousin of the Emperor, laughed out +aloud, and said, “Lo! how these Britons boast and are full of pride, +bragging as though they bare up all the world!” +</p> + +<p> +At these words, Sir Gawain could refrain no longer, but drew forth his +sword and with one blow shore oft Ganius’ head; then with Sir Bors, he +turned his horse and rode over waters and through woods, back to the +ambush, where Sir Lionel and Sir Bedivere were waiting. The Romans +followed fast behind them till the knights turned and stood, and then Sir +Bors smote the foremost of them through the body with a spear, and slew +him on the spot. Then came on Calibere, a huge Pavian, but Sir Bors +overthrew him also. And then the company of Sir Lionel and Sir Bedivere +brake from their ambush and fell on the Romans, and slew and hewed them +down, and forced them to return and flee, chasing them to their tents. +</p> + +<p> +But as they neared the camp, a great host more rushed forth, and turned +the battle backwards, and in the turmoil, Sir Bors and Sir Berel fell into +the Romans’ hands. When Sir Gawain saw that, he drew his good sword +Galotine, and swore to see King Arthur’s face no more if those two knights +were not delivered; and then, with <a class="pagenum" name="page113" id="page113" title="113"></a> good Sir Idrus, made so sore an +onslaught that the Romans fled and left Sir Bors and Sir Berel to their +friends. So the Britons returned in triumph to King Arthur, having slain +more than ten thousand Romans, and lost no man of worship from amongst +themselves. +</p> + +<p> +When the Emperor Lucius heard of that discomfiture he arose, with all his +army, to crush King Arthur, and met him in the vale of Soissons. Then +speaking to all his host, he said, “Sirs, I admonish you that this day ye +fight and acquit yourselves as men; and remembering how Rome is chief of +all the earth, and mistress of the universal world, suffer not these +barbarous and savage Britons to abide our onset.” At that, the trumpets +blew so loud, that the ground trembled and shook. +</p> + +<p> +Then did the rival hosts draw near each other with great shoutings; and +when they closed, no tongue can tell the fury of their smiting, and the +sore struggling, wounds, and slaughter. Then King Arthur, with his +mightiest knights, rode down into the thickest of the fight, and drew +Excalibur, and slew as lightning slays for swiftness and for force. And in +the midmost crowd he met a giant, Galapas by name, and struck off both his +legs at the knee-joints; then saying, “Now art thou a better size to deal +with!” smote his head off at a second blow: and the body killed six men in +falling down. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, King Arthur spied where Lucius fought and worked great deeds of +prowess with his own hands. Forthwith he rode at him, and each attacked +the other passing fiercely; till at the last, Lucius struck King Arthur +with a fearful wound across the face, and Arthur, in return, lifting up +Excalibur on high, drove it with all his force upon the Emperor’s head, +shivering his helmet, <a class="pagenum" name="page114" id="page114" title="114"></a> crashing his head in halves, and splitting his body +to the breast. And when the Romans saw their Emperor dead they fled in +hosts of thousands; and King Arthur and his knights, and all his army +followed them, and slew one hundred thousand men. +</p> + +<p> +Then returning to the field, King Arthur rode to the place where Lucius +lay dead, and round him the kings of Egypt and Ethiopia, and seventeen +other kings, with sixty Roman senators, all noble men. All these he +ordered to be carefully embalmed with aromatic gums, and laid in leaden +coffins, covered with their shields and arms and banners. Then calling for +three senators who were taken prisoners, he said to them, “As the ransom +of your lives, I will that ye take these dead bodies and carry them to +Rome, and there present them for me, with these letters saying I will +myself be shortly there. And I suppose the Romans will beware how they +again ask tribute of me; for tell them, these dead bodies that I send them +are for the tribute they have dared to ask of me; and if they wish for +more, when I come I will pay them the rest.” +</p> + +<p> +So, with that charge, the three senators departed with the dead bodies, +and went to Rome; the body of the Emperor being carried in a chariot +blazoned with the arms of the empire, all alone, and the bodies of the +kings two and two in chariots following. +</p> + +<p> +After the battle, King Arthur entered Lorraine, Brabant, and Flanders, and +thence, subduing all the countries as he went, passed into Germany, and so +beyond the mountains into Lombardy and Tuscany. At length he came before a +city which refused to obey him, wherefore he sat down before it to besiege +it. And after <a class="pagenum" name="page115" id="page115" title="115"></a> a long time thus spent, King Arthur called Sir Florence, +and told him they began to lack food for his hosts—“And not far from +hence,” said he, “are great forests full of cattle belonging to my +enemies. Go then, and bring by force all that thou canst find; and take +with thee Sir Gawain, my nephew, and Sir Clegis, Sir Claremond the Captain +of Cardiff, and a strong band.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon, those knights made ready, and rode over holts and hills, and through +forests and woods, till they came to a great meadow full of fair flowers +and grass, and there they rested themselves and their horses that night. +And at the dawn of the next day, Sir Gawain took his horse and rode away +from his fellows to seek some adventure. Soon he saw an armed knight +walking his horse by a wood’s side, with his shield laced to his shoulder, +and no attendant with him save a page, bearing a mighty spear; and on his +shield were blazoned three gold griffins. When Sir Gawain spied him, he +put his spear in rest, and riding straight to him, asked who he was. “A +Tuscan,” said he; “and they mayest prove me when thou wilt, for thou shalt +be my prisoner ere we part.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Gawain, “Thou vauntest thee greatly, and speakest proud +words; yet I counsel thee, for all thy boastings, look to thyself the best +thou canst.” +</p> + +<p> +At that they took their spears and ran at each other with all the might +they had, and smote each other through their shields into their shoulders; +and then drawing swords smote with great strokes, till the fire sprang out +of their helms. Then was Sir Gawain enraged, and with his good sword +Galotine struck his enerny through shield and hauberk, and splintered into +pieces all the precious stones of it, and made so huge <a class="pagenum" name="page116" id="page116" title="116"></a> a wound that men +might see both lungs and liver. At that the Tuscan, groaning loudly, +rushed on to Sir Gawain, and gave him a deep slanting stroke, and made a +mighty wound and cut a great vein asunder, so that he bled fast. Then he +cried out, “Bind thy wound quickly up, Sir knight, for thou be-bloodest +all thy horse and thy fair armour, and all the surgeons of the world shall +never staunch thy blood; for so shall it be to whomsoever is hurt with +this good sword.” +</p> + +<p> +Then answered Sir Gawain, “It grieveth me but little, and thy boastful +words give me no fear, for thou shalt suffer greater grief and sorrow ere +we part; but tell me quickly who can staunch this blood.” +</p> + +<p> +“That can I do,” said the strange knight, “and will, if thou wilt aid and +succour me to become christened, and to believe on God, which now I do +require of thee upon thy manhood.” +</p> + +<p> +“I am content,” said Sir Gawain; “and may God help me to grant all thy +wishes. But tell mefirst, what soughtest thou thus here alone, and of what +land art thou?” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the knight, “my name is Prianius, and my father is a great +prince, who hath rebelled against Rome. He is descended from Alexander and +Hector, and of our lineage also were Joshua and Maccabaeus. I am of right +the king of Alexandria, and Africa, and all the outer isles, yet I would +believe in the Lord thou worshippest, and for thy labour I will give thee +treasure enough. I was so proud in heart that I thought none my equal, but +now have I encountered with thee, who hast given me my fill of fighting; +wherefore, I pray thee, Sir knight, tell me of thyself.” +</p> + +<p> +“I am no knight,” said Sir Gawain; “I have been <a class="pagenum" name="page117" id="page117" title="117"></a> brought up many years in +the wardrobe of the noble prince King Arthur, to mind his armour and +array.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” said Prianius, “if his varlets be so keen and fierce, his knights +must be passing good! Now, for the love of heaven, whether thou be knight +or knave, tell me thy name.” +</p> + +<p> +“By heaven!” said Gawain, “now will I tell thee the truth. My name is Sir +Gawain, and I am a knight of the Round Table.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now am I better pleased,” said Prianius, “than if thou hadst given me all +the province of Paris the rich. I had rather have been torn by wild horses +than that any varlet should have won such victory over me as thou hast +done. But now, Sir knight, I warn thee that close by is the Duke of +Lorraine, with sixty thousand good men of war; and we had both best flee +at once, for he will find us else, and we be sorely wounded and never +likely to recover. And let my page be careful that he blow no horn, for +hard by are a hundred knights, my servants; and if they seize thee, no +ransom of gold or silver would acquit thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Gawain rode over a river to save himself, and Sir Prianius after +him, and so they both fled till they came to his companions who were in +the meadow, where they spent the night. When Sir Whishard saw Sir Gawain +so hurt, he ran to him weeping, and asked him who it was had wounded him; +and Sir Gawain told him how he had fought with that man—pointing to +Prianius—who had salves to heal them both. “But I can tell ye other +tidings,” said he—“that soon we must encounter many enemies, for a great +army is close to us in our front.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page118" id="page118" title="118"></a> + +<p> +Then Prianius and Sir Gawain alighted and let their horses graze while +they unarmed, and when they took their armour and their clothing off, the +hot blood ran down freshly from their wounds till it was piteous to see. +But Prianius took from his page a vial filled from the four rivers that +flow out of Paradise, and anointed both their wounds with a certain balm, +and washed them with that water, and within an hour afterwards they were +both as sound and whole as ever they had been. Then, at the sound of a +trumpet, all the knights were assembled to council; and after much +talking, Prianius said, “Cease your words, for I warn you in yonder wood +ye shall find knights out of number, who will put out cattle for a decoy +to lead you on; and ye are not seven hundred!” +</p> + +<p> +“Nevertheless,” said Sir Gawain, “let us at once encounter them, and see +what they can do; and may the best have the victory.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they saw suddenly an earl named Sir Ethelwold, and the Duke of +Duchmen come leaping out of ambush of the woods in front, with many a +thousand after them, and all rode straight down to the battle. And Sir +Gawain, full of ardour and courage, comforted his knights, saying, “They +all are ours.” Then the seven hundred knights, in one close company, set +spurs to their horses and began to gallop, and fiercely met their enemies. +And then were men and horses slain and overthrown on every side, and in +and out amidst them all, the knights of the Round Table pressed and +thrust, and smote down to the earth all who withstood them, till at length +the whole of them turned back and fled. +</p> + +<p> +“By heaven!” said Sir Gawain, “this gladdeneth well <a class="pagenum" name="page119" id="page119" title="119"></a> my heart, for now +behold them as they flee! they are full seventy thousand less in number +than they were an hour ago!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus was the battle quickly ended, and a great host of high lords and +knights of Lombardy and Saracens left dead upon the field. Then Sir Gawain +and his company collected a great plenty of cattle, and of gold and +silver, and all kind of treasure, and returned to King Arthur, where he +still kept the siege. +</p> + +<p> +“Now God be thanked,” cried he; “but who is he that standeth yonder by +himself, and seemeth not a prisoner?” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Gawain, “he is a good man with his weapons, and hath +matched me; but cometh hither to be made a Christian. Had it not been for +his warnings, we none of us should have been here this day. I pray thee, +therefore, let him be baptized, for there can be few nobler men, or better +knights.” +</p> + +<img src="images/figure07.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure07" id="figure07" + title="Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the Round Table." + alt="Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the Round Table."> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure07.jpg">So Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the Round Table.</a> +</p> + +<p> +Presently afterwards, they made a last attack upon the city, and entered +by the walls on every side; and as the men were rushing to the pillage, +came the Duchess forth, with many ladies and damsels, and kneeled before +King Arthur; and besought him to receive their submission. To whom the +king made answer, with a noble countenance, “Madam, be well assured that +none shall harm ye, or your ladies; neither shall any that belong to thee +be hurt; but the Duke must abide my judgment.” Then he commanded to stay +the assault and took the keys from the Duke’s eldest son, who brought them +kneeling. Anon the Duke was sent a prisoner to Dover for his life, <a class="pagenum" name="page120" id="page120" title="120"></a> and +rents and taxes were assigned for dowry of the Duchess and her children. +</p> + +<p> +Then went he on with all his hosts, winning all towns and castles, and +wasting them that refused obedience, till he came to Viterbo. From thence +he sent to Rome, to ask the senators whether they would receive him for +their lord and governor. In answer, came out to him all the Senate who +remained alive, and the Cardinals, with a majestic retinue and procession; +and laying great treasures at his feet, they prayed him to come in at once +to Rome, and there be peaceably crowned as Emperor. “At this next +Christmas,” said King Arthur, “will I be crowned, and hold my Round Table +in your city.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon he entered Rome, in mighty pomp and state; and after him came all his +hosts, and his knights, and princes, and great lords, arrayed in gold and +jewels, such as never were beheld before. And then was he crowned Emperor +by the Pope’s hands, with all the highest solemnity that could be made. +</p> + +<p> +Then after his coronation, he abode in Rome for a season, settling his +lands and giving kingdoms to his knights and servants, to each one after +his deserving, and in such wise fashion that no man among them all +complained. Also he made many dukes and earls, and loaded all his +men-at-arms with riches and great treasures. +</p> + +<p> +When all this was done, the lords and knights, and all the men of great +estate, came together before him, and said, “Noble Emperor! by the +blessing of Eternal God, thy mortal warfare is all finished, and thy +conquests all achieved; for now in all the world is none so great and +mighty as to dare make war with thee. Wherefore we beseech and heartily +pray thee of thy noble grace, to turn <a class="pagenum" name="page121" id="page121" title="121"></a> thee homeward, and to give us also +leave to see our wives and homes again, for now we have been from them a +long season, and all thy journey is completed with great honour and +worship.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye say well,” replied he, “and to tempt God is no wisdom; therefore make +ready in all haste, and turn we home to England.” +</p> + +<p> +So King Arthur returned with his knights and lords and armies, in great +triumph and joy, through all the countries he had conquered, and commanded +that no man, upon pain of death, should rob or do any violence by the way. +And crossing the sea, he came at length to Sandwich, where Queen Guinevere +received him, and made great joy at his arrival. And through all the realm +of Britain was there such rejoicing as no tongue can tell. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page122" id="page122" title="122"></a> + +<a name="chapter_ix" id="chapter_ix"</a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The Adventures of Sir Lancelot du Lake</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/t.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="t3" id="t3" Title="T" alt="Drop Case T"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +hen, at the following Pentecost, was held a feast of the Round Table at +Caerleon, with high splendour; and all the knights thereof resorted to the +court, and held many games and jousts. And therein Sir Lancelot increased +in fame and worship above all men, for he overthrew all comers, and never +was unhorsed or worsted, save by treason and enchantment. +</p> + +<p> +When Queen Guinevere had seen his wondrous feats, she held him in great +favour, and smiled more on him than on any other knight. And ever since he +first had gone to bring her to King Arthur, had Lancelot thought on her as +fairest of all ladies, and done his best to win her grace. So the queen +often sent for him, and bade him tell of his birth and strange adventures: +how he was only son of great King Ban of Brittany, and how, one night, his +father, with his mother Helen and himself, fled from his burning castle; +how his father, groaning deeply, fell to the ground and died of grief and +wounds, and how his mother, running to her husband, left himself alone; +how, as he thus lay wailing, came the lady of the lake, <a class="pagenum" name="page123" id="page123" title="123"></a> and took him in +her arms and went with him into the midst of the waters, where, with his +cousins Lionel and Bors he had been cherished all his childhood until he +came to King Arthur’s court; and how this was the reason why men called +him Lancelot du Lake. +</p> + +<p> +Anon it was ordained by King Arthur, that in every year at Pentecost there +should be held a festival of all the knights of the Round Table at +Caerleon, or such other place as he should choose. And at those festivals +should be told publicly the most famous adventures of any knight during +the past year. +</p> + +<p> +So, when Sir Lancelot saw Queen Guinevere rejoiced to hear his wanderings +and adventures, he resolved to set forth yet again, and win more worship +still, that he might more increase her favour. Then he bade his cousin Sir +Lionel make ready, “for,” said he, “we two will seek adventure.” So they +mounted their horses—armed at all points—and rode into a vast forest; +and when they had passed through it, they came to a great plain, and the +weather being very hot about noontide, Sir Lancelot greatly longed to +sleep. Then Sir Lionel espied a great apple-tree standing by a hedge, and +said, “Brother, yonder is a fair shadow where we may rest ourselves and +horses.” +</p> + +<p> +“I am full glad of it,” said Sir Lancelot, “for all these seven years I +have not been so sleepy.” +</p> + +<p> +So they alighted there, and tied their horses up to sundry trees; and Sir +Lionel waked and watched while Sir Lancelot fell asleep, and slept passing +fast. +</p> + +<p> +In the meanwhile came three knights, riding as fast flying as ever they +could ride, and after them followed a single knight; but when Sir Lionel +looked at him, he <a class="pagenum" name="page124" id="page124" title="124"></a> thought he had never seen so great and strong a man, or +so well furnished and apparelled. Anon he saw him overtake the last of +those who fled, and smite him to the ground; then came he to the second, +and smote him such a stroke that horse and man went to the earth; then +rode he to the third, likewise, and struck him off his horse more than a +spear’s length. With that he lighted from his horse, and bound all three +knights fast with the reins of their own bridles. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Lionel saw this he thought the time was come to prove himself +against him, so quietly and cautiously, lest he should wake Sir Lancelot, +he took his horse and mounted and rode after him. Presently overtaking +him, he cried aloud to him to turn, which instantly he did, and smote Sir +Lionel so hard that horse and man went down forthwith. Then took he up Sir +Lionel, and threw him bound over his own horse’s back; and so he served +the three other knights, and rode them away to his own castle. There they +were disarmed, stripped naked, and beaten with thorns, and afterwards +thrust into a deep prison, where many more knights, also, made great moans +and lamentations, saying, “Alas, alas! there is no man can help us but Sir +Lancelot, for no other knight can match this tyrant Turquine, our +conqueror.” +</p> + +<p> +But all this while, Sir Lancelot lay sleeping soundly under the +apple-tree. And, as it chanced, there passed that way four queens, of high +estate, riding upon four white mules, under four canopies of green silk +borne on spears, to keep them from the sun. As they rode thus, they heard +a great horse grimly neigh, and, turning them about, soon saw a sleeping +knight that lay all armed under <a class="pagenum" name="page125" id="page125" title="125"></a> an apple-tree; and when they saw his +face, they knew it was Lancelot of the Lake. +</p> + +<p> +Then they began to strive which of them should have the care of him. But +Queen Morgan le Fay, King Arthur’s half sister, the great sorceress, was +one of them, and said “We need not strive for him, I have enchanted him, +so that for six hours more he shall not wake. Let us take him to my +castle, and, when he wakes, himself shall choose which one of us he would +rather serve.” So Sir Lancelot was laid upon his shield and borne on +horseback between two knights, to the castle, and there laid in a cold +chamber, till the spell should pass. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, they sent him a fair damsel, bearing his supper, who asked him, +“What cheer?” +</p> + +<p> +“I cannot tell, fair damsel,” said he, “for I know not how I came into +this castle, if it were not by enchantment.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said she, “be of good heart, and to-morrow at the dawn of day, ye +shall know more.” +</p> + +<p> +And so she left him alone, and there he lay all night. In the morning +early came the four queens to him, passing richly dressed; and said, “Sir +knight, thou must understand that thou art our prisoner, and that we know +thee well for King Ban’s son, Sir Lancelot du Lake. And though we know +full well there is one lady only in this world may have thy love, and she +Queen Guinevere—King Arthur’s wife—yet now are we resolved to have thee +to serve one of us; choose, therefore, of us four which thou wilt serve. I +am Queen Morgan le Fay, Queen of the land of Gore, and here also is the +Queen of Northgales, and the Queen of Eastland, and the Queen of the Out +Isles. Choose, then, at once, for <a class="pagenum" name="page126" id="page126" title="126"></a> else shall thou abide here, in this +prison, till thy death.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is a hard case,” said Sir Lancelot, “that either I must die, or choose +one of you for my mistress! Yet had I rather die in this prison than serve +any living creature against my will. So take this for my answer. I will +serve none of ye, for ye be false enchantresses. And as for my lady, Queen +Guinevere, whom lightly ye have spoken of, were I at liberty I would prove +it upon you or upon yours she is the truest lady living to her lord the +king.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said the queen, “is this your answer, that ye refuse us all?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, on my life,” said Lancelot, “refused ye be of me.” +</p> + +<p> +So they departed from him in great wrath, and left him sorrowfully +grieving in his dungeon. +</p> + +<p> +At noon the damsel came to him and brought his dinner, and asked him as +before, “What cheer?” +</p> + +<p> +“Truly, fair damsel,” said Sir Lancelot, “in all my life never so ill.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” replied she, “I grieve to see ye so, but if ye do as I advise, I +can help ye out of this distress, and will do so if you promise me a +boon.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair damsel,” said Sir Lancelot, “right willingly will I grant it thee, +for sorely do I dread these four witch-queens, who have destroyed and +slain many a good knight with their enchantments.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said the damsel, “Sir, wilt thou promise me to help my father on next +Tuesday, for he hath a tournament with the King of Northgales, and last +Tuesday lost the field through three knights of King Arthur’s court, who +came against him. And if next Tuesday thou wilt <a class="pagenum" name="page127" id="page127" title="127"></a> aid him, to-morrow, +before daylight, by God’s grace, I will deliver thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair maiden,” said Sir Lancelot, “tell me thy father’s name and I will +answer thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“My father is King Bagdemagus,” said she. +</p> + +<p> +“I know him well,” replied Sir Lancelot, “for a noble king and a good +knight; and by the faith of my body I will do him all the service I am +able on that day.” +</p> + +<p> +“Grammercy to thee, Sir knight,” said the damsel. +</p> + +<p> +“To-morrow, when thou art delivered from this place, ride ten miles hence +unto an abbey of white monks, and there abide until I bring my father to +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“So be it,” said Sir Lancelot, “as I am a true knight.” +</p> + +<p> +So she departed, and on the morrow, early, came again, and let him out of +twelve gates, differently locked, and brought him to his armour; and when +he was all armed, she brought him his horse also, and lightly he saddled +him, and took a great spear in his hand, and mounted and rode forth, +saying, as he went, “Fair damsel, I shall not fail thee, by the grace of +God.” +</p> + +<p> +And all that day he rode in a great forest, and could find no highway, and +spent the night in the wood; but the next morning found his road, and came +to the abbey of white monks. And there he saw King Bagdemagus and his +daughter waiting for him. So when they were together in a chamber, Sir +Lancelot told the king how he had been betrayed by an enchantment, and how +his brother Lionel was gone he knew not where, and how the damsel had +delivered him from the castle of Queen Morgan le Fay. “Wherefore while I +live,” said he, “I shall do service to herself and all her kindred.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page128" id="page128" title="128"></a> + +<p> +“Then am I sure of thy aid,” said the king, “on Tuesday now next coming?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, sir, I shall not fail thee,” said Sir Lancelot; “but what knights +were they who last week defeated thee, and took part with the King of +Northgales?” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir Mador de la Port, Sir Modred, and Sir Gahalatine,” replied the king. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Lancelot, “as I understand, the tournament shall take +place but three miles from this abbey; send then to me here, three knights +of thine, the best thou hast, and let them all have plain white shields, +such as I also will; then will we four come suddenly into the midst +between both parties, and fall upon thy enemies, and grieve them all we +can, and none will know us who we are.” +</p> + +<p> +So, on the Tuesday, Sir Lancelot and the three knights lodged themselves +in a small grove hard by the lists. Then came into the field the King of +Northgales, with one hundred and sixty helms, and the three knights of +King Arthur’s court, who stood apart by themselves. And when King +Bagdemagus had arrived, with eighty helms, both companies set all their +spears in rest and came together with a mighty clash, wherein were slain +twelve knights of King Bagdemagus, and six of the King of Northgales; and +the party of King Bagdemagus was driven back. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure08.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure08" id="figure08" + title="Sir Lancelot smote down with one spear five knights, and brake the backs of four, and cast down the King of Northgales." + alt="Sir Lancelot smote down with one spear five knights, and brake the backs of four, and cast down the King of Northgales."> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure08.jpg">With that, came Sir Lancelot, and thrust into the thickest of the press, +and smote down with one spear five knights, and brake the backs of four, +and cast down the King of Northgales,</a> and brake his thigh by the fall. +When the three knights of Arthur’s court saw this, they rode at Sir +Lancelot, and each after other attacked him; <a class="pagenum" name="page129" id="page129" title="129"></a> but he overthrew them all, +and smote them nigh to death. Then taking a new spear, he bore down to the +ground sixteen more knights, and hurt them all so sorely, that they could +carry arms no more that day. And when his spear at length was broken, he +took yet another, and smote down twelve knights more, the most of whom he +wounded mortally, till in the end the party of the King of Northgales +would joust no more, and the victory was cried to King Bagdemagus. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot rode forth with King Bagdemagus to his castle, and there +he feasted with great cheer and welcome, and received many royal gifts. +And on the morrow he took leave and went to find his brother Lionel. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, by chance, he came to the same forest where the four queens had +found him sleeping, and there he met a damsel riding on a white palfrey. +When they had saluted each other, Sir Lancelot said, “Fair damsel, knowest +thou where any adventures may be had in this country?” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” said she, “there are adventures great enough close by if +thou darest prove them.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why should I not,” said he, “since for that cause I came here?” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the damsel, “hard by this place there dwelleth a knight that +cannot be defeated by any man, so great and perilously strong he is. His +name is Sir Turquine, and in the prisons of his castle lie three score +knights and four, mostly from King Arthur’s court, whom he hath taken with +his own hands. But promise me, ere thou undertakest their deliverance, to +go and help me afterwards, and free me and many other ladies that are +distressed by a false knight.” <a class="pagenum" name="page130" id="page130" title="130"></a> “Bring me but to this felon Turquine,” +quoth Sir Lancelot, “and I will afterwards fulfil all your wishes.” +</p> + +<p> +So the damsel went before, and brought him to a ford, and a tree whereon a +great brass basin hung; and Sir Lancelot beat with his spear-end upon the +basin, long and hard, until he beat the bottom of it out, but he saw +nothing. Then he rode to and fro before the castle gates for well-nigh +half an hour, and anon saw a great knight riding from the distance, +driving a horse before him, across which hung an armed man bound. And when +they came near, Sir Lancelot knew the prisoner for a knight of the Round +Table. By that time, the great knight who drove the prisoner saw Sir +Lancelot, and each of them began to settle his spear, and to make ready. +</p> + +<p> +“Fair sir,” then said Sir Lancelot, “put off that wounded knight, I pray +thee, from his horse, and let him rest while thou and I shall prove our +strength upon each other; for, as I am told, thou doest, and hast done, +great shame and injury to knights of the Round Table. Wherefore, I warn +thee now, defend thyself.” +</p> + +<p> +“If thou mayest be of the Round Table,” answered Turquine, “I defy thee, +and all thy fellows.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is saying overmuch,” said Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +Then, setting their lances in rest, they spurred their horses towards each +other, as fast as they could go, and smote so fearfully upon each other’s +shields, that both their horses’ backs brake under them. As soon as they +could clear their saddles, they took their shields before them, and drew +their swords, and came together eagerly, and fought with great and +grievous strokes; and soon they both had many grim and fearful wounds, and +bled in <a class="pagenum" name="page131" id="page131" title="131"></a> streams. Thus they fought two hours and more, thrusting and +smiting at each other, wherever they could hit. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, they both were breathless, and stood leaning on their swords. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, comrade,” said Sir Turquine, “let us wait awhile, and answer me what +I shall ask thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Say on,” said Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou art,” said Turquine, “the best man I ever met, and seemest like one +that I hate above all other knights that live; but if thou be not he, I +will make peace with thee, and for sake of thy great valour, will deliver +all the three score prisoners and four who lie within my dungeons, and +thou and I will be companions evermore. Tell me, then, thy name.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou sayest well,” replied Sir Lancelot; “but who is he thou hatest so +above all others?” +</p> + +<p> +“His name,” said Turquine, “is Sir Lancelot of the Lake; and he slew my +brother Sir Carados, at the dolorous tower; wherefore, if ever I shall +meet with him, one of us two shall slay the other; and thereto I have +sworn by a great oath. And to discover and destroy him I have slain a +hundred knights, and crippled utterly as many more, and many have died in +my prisons; and now, as I have told thee, I have many more therein, who +all shall be delivered, if thou tell me thy name, and it be not Sir +Lancelot.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said Lancelot, “I am that knight, son of King Ban of Benwick, and +Knight of the Round Table; so now I defy thee to do thy best!” +</p> + +<p> +“Aha!” said Turquine, with a shout, “is it then so at last! Thou art more +welcome to my sword than ever <a class="pagenum" name="page132" id="page132" title="132"></a> knight or lady was to feast, for never +shall we part till one of us be dead.” +</p> + +<p> +Then did they hurtle together like two wild bulls, slashing and lashing +with their shields and swords, and sometimes falling both on to the +ground. For two more hours they fought so, and at the last Sir Turquine +grew very faint, and gave a little back, and bare his shield full low for +weariness. When Sir Lancelot saw him thus, he leaped upon him fiercely as +a lion, and took him by the crest of his helmet, and dragged him to his +knees; and then he tore his helmet off and smote his neck asunder. +</p> + +<p> +Then he arose, and went to the damsel who had brought him to Sir Turquine, +and said, “I am ready, fair lady, to go with thee upon thy service, but I +have no horse.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair sir,” said she, “take ye this horse of the wounded knight whom +Turquine but just now was carrying to his prisons, and send that knight on +to deliver all the prisoners.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Lancelot went to the knight and prayed him for the loan of his +horse. +</p> + +<p> +“Fair lord,” said he, “ye are right welcome, for to-day ye have saved both +me and my horse; and I see that ye are the best knight in all the world, +for in my sight have ye slain the mightiest man and the best knight, +except thyself, I ever saw.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Lancelot, “I thank thee well; and now go into yonder +castle, where thou shall find many noble knights of the Round Table, for I +have seen their shields hung on the trees around. On yonder tree alone +there are Sir Key’s, Sir Brandel’s, Sir Marhaus’, Sir Galind’s, <a class="pagenum" name="page133" id="page133" title="133"></a> and Sir +Aliduke’s, and many more; and also my two kinsmen’s shields, Sir Ector de +Maris’ and Sir Lionel’s. And I pray you greet them all from me, Sir +Lancelot of the Lake, and tell them that I bid them help themselves to any +treasures they can find within the castle; and that I pray my brethren, +Lionel and Ector, to go to King Arthur’s court and stay there till I come. +And by the high feast at Pentecost I must be there; but now I must ride +forth with this damsel to fulfil my promise.” +</p> + +<p> +So, as they went, the damsel told him, “Sir, we are now near the place +where the foul knight haunteth, who robbeth and distresseth all ladies and +gentlewomen travelling past this way, against whom I have sought thy aid.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they arranged that she should ride on foremost, and Sir Lancelot +should follow under cover of the trees by the roadside, and if he saw her +come to any mishap, he should ride forth and deal with him that troubled +her. And as the damsel rode on at a soft ambling pace, a knight and page +burst forth from the roadside and forced the damsel from her horse, till +she cried out for help. +</p> + +<p> +Then came Sir Lancelot rushing through the wood as fast as he might fly, +and all the branches of the trees crackled and waved around him. “O thou +false knight and traitor to all knighthood!” shouted he, “who taught thee +to distress fair ladies thus?” +</p> + +<p> +The foul knight answered nothing, but drew out his sword and rode at Sir +Lancelot, who threw his spear away and drew his own sword likewise, and +struck him such a mighty blow as clave his head down to the throat. “Now +hast thou the wages thou long hast earned!” said he; and so departed from +the damsel. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page134" id="page134" title="134"></a> + +<p> +Then for two days he rode in a great forest, and had but scanty food and +lodging, and on the third day he rode over a long bridge, when suddenly +there started up a passing foul churl, and smote his horse across the +nose, so that he started and turned back, rearing with pain. “Why ridest +thou over here without my leave?” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“Why should I not?” said Sir Lancelot; “there is no other way to ride.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou shalt not pass by here,” cried out the churl, and dashed at him with +a great club full of iron spikes, till Sir Lancelot was fain to draw his +sword and smite him dead upon the earth. +</p> + +<p> +At the end of the bridge was a fair village, and all the people came and +cried, “Ah, sir! a worse deed for thyself thou never didst, for thou hast +slain the chief porter of the castle yonder!” But he let them talk as they +pleased, and rode straight forward to the castle. +</p> + +<p> +There he alighted, and tied his horse to a ring in the wall; and going in, +he saw a wide green court, and thought it seemed a noble place to fight +in. And as he looked about, he saw many people watching him from doors and +windows, making signs of warning, and saying, “Fair knight, thou art +unhappy.” In the next moment came upon him two great giants, well armed +save their heads, and with two horrible clubs in their hands. Then he put +his shield before him, and with it warded off one giant’s stroke, and +clove the other with his sword from the head downward to the chest. When +the first giant saw that, he ran away mad with fear; but Sir Lancelot ran +after him, and smote him through the shoulder, and shore him down his +back, so that he fell dead. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page135" id="page135" title="135"></a> + +<p> +Then he walked onward to the castle hall, and saw a band of sixty ladies +and young damsels coming forth, who knelt to him, and thanked him for +their freedom. “For, sir,” said they, “the most of us have been prisoners +here these seven years; and have been kept at all manner of work to earn +our meat, though we be all great gentlewomen born. Blessed be the time +that thou wast born, for never did a knight a deed of greater worship than +thou hast this day, and thereto will we all bear witness in all times and +places! Tell us, therefore, noble knight, thy name and court, that we may +tell them to our friends!” And when they heard it, they all cried aloud, +“Well may it be so, for we knew that no knight save thou shouldst ever +overcome those giants; and many a long day have we sighed for thee; for +the giants feared no other name among all knights but thine.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he told them to take the treasures of the castle as a reward for +their grievances, and to return to their homes, and so rode away into many +strange and wild countries. And at last, after many days, by chance he +came, near the night time, to a fair mansion, wherein he found an old +gentlewoman, who gave him and his horse good cheer. And when bed time was +come, his host brought him to a chamber over a gate, and there he unarmed, +and went to bed and fell asleep. +</p> + +<p> +But soon thereafter came one riding in great haste, and knocking +vehemently at the gate below, which when Sir Lancelot heard, he rose and +looked out of the window, and, by the moonlight, saw three knights come +riding fiercely after one man, and lashing on him all at once with their +swords, while the one knight nobly fought all. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page136" id="page136" title="136"></a> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot quickly armed himself, and getting through the window, +let himself down by a sheet into the midst of them, crying out, “Turn ye +on me, ye cowards, and leave fighting with that knight!” Then they all +left Sir Key, for the first knight was he, and began to fall upon Sir +Lancelot furiously. And when Sir Key would have come forward to assist +him, Sir Lancelot refused, and cried, “Leave me alone to deal with them.” +And presently, with six great strokes, he felled them all. +</p> + +<p> +Then they cried out, “Sir knight, we yield us unto thee, as to a man of +might!” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not take your yielding!” said he; “yield ye to Sir Key, the +seneschal, or I will have your lives.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair knight,” said they, “excuse us in that thing, for we have chased Sir +Key thus far, and should have overcome him but for thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said Sir Lancelot, “do as ye will, for ye may live or die; but, if +ye live, ye shall be holden to Sir Key.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they yielded to him; and Sir Lancelot commanded them to go unto King +Arthur’s court at the next Pentecost, and say, Sir Key had sent them +prisoners to Queen Guinevere. And this they sware to do upon their swords. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot knocked at the gate with his sword-hilt till his hostess +came and let him in again, and Sir Key also. And when the light came, Sir +Key knew Sir Lancelot, and knelt and thanked him for his courtesy, and +gentleness, and kindness. “Sir,” said he, “I have done no more than what I +ought to do, and ye are welcome; therefore let us now take rest.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page137" id="page137" title="137"></a> + +<p> +So when Sir Key had supped, they went to sleep, and Sir Lancelot and he +slept in the same bed. On the morrow, Sir Lancelot rose early, and took +Sir Key’s shield and armour and set forth. When Sir Key arose, he found +Sir Lancelot’s armour by his bedside, and his own arms gone. “Now, by my +faith,” thought he, “I know that he will grieve some knights of our king’s +court; for those who meet him will be bold to joust with him, mistaking +him for me, while I, dressed in his shield and armour, shall surely ride +in peace.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot, dressed in Sir Key’s apparel, rode long in a great +forest, and came at last to a low country, full of rivers and fair +meadows, and saw a bridge before him, whereon were three silk tents of +divers colours, and to each tent was hung a white shield, and by each +shield stood a knight. So Sir Lancelot went by without speaking a word. +And when he had passed, the three knights said it was the proud Sir Key, +“who thinketh no knight equal to himself, although the contrary is full +often proved upon him.” +</p> + +<p> +“By my faith!” said one of them, named Gaunter, “I will ride after and +attack him for all his pride, and ye shall watch my speed.” +</p> + +<p> +Then, taking shield and spear, he mounted and rode after Sir Lancelot, and +cried, “Abide, proud knight, and turn, for thou shalt not pass free!” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Lancelot turned, and each one put his spear in rest and came with +all his might against the other. And Sir Gaunter’s spear brake short, but +Sir Lancelot smote him down, both horse and man. +</p> + +<p> +When the other knights saw this, they said, “Yonder is not Sir Key, but a +bigger man.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page138" id="page138" title="138"></a> + +<p> +“I dare wager my head,” said Sir Gilmere, “yonder knight hath slain Sir +Key, and taken his horse and harness.” +</p> + +<p> +“Be it so, or not,” said Sir Reynold, the third brother; “let us now go to +our brother Gaunter’s rescue; we shall have enough to do to match that +knight, for, by his stature, I believe it is Sir Lancelot or Sir +Tristram.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon, they took their horses and galloped after Sir Lancelot; and Sir +Gilmere first assailed him, but was smitten down forthwith, and lay +stunned on the earth. Then said Sir Reynold, “Sir knight, thou art a +strong man, and, I believe, hast slain my two brothers, wherefore my heart +is sore against thee; yet, if I might with honour, I would avoid thee. +Nevertheless, that cannot be, so keep thyself.” And so they hurtled +together with all their might, and each man shivered his spear to pieces; +and then they drew their swords and lashed out eagerly. +</p> + +<p> +And as they fought, Sir Gaunter and Sir Gilmere presently arose and +mounted once again, and came down at full tilt upon Sir Lancelot. But, +when he saw them coming, he put forth all his strength, and struck Sir +Reynold off his horse. Then, with two other strokes, he served the others +likewise. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, Sir Reynold crept along the ground, with his head all bloody, and +came towards Sir Lancelot. “It is enough,” said Lancelot, “I was not far +from thee when thou wast made a knight, Sir Reynold, and know thee for a +good and valiant man, and was full loth to slay thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Grammercy for thy gentleness!” said Sir Reynold. <a class="pagenum" name="page139" id="page139" title="139"></a> “I and my brethren will +straightway yield to thee when we know thy name, for well we know that +thou art not Sir Key.” +</p> + +<p> +“As for that,” said Sir Lancelot, “be it as it may, but ye shall yield to +Queen Guinevere at the next feast of Pentecost as prisoners, and say that +Sir Key sent ye.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they swore to him it should be done as he commanded. And so Sir +Lancelot passed on, and the three brethren helped each other’s wounds as +best they might. +</p> + +<p> +Then rode Sir Lancelot forward into a deep forest, and came upon four +knights of King Arthur’s court, under an oak tree—Sir Sagramour, Sir +Ector, Sir Gawain, and Sir Ewaine. And when they spied him, they thought +he was Sir Key. “Now by my faith,” said Sir Sagramour, “I will prove Sir +Key’s might!” and taking his spear he rode towards Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Lancelot was aware of him, and, setting his spear in rest, smote +him so sorely, that horse and man fell to the earth. +</p> + +<p> +“Lo!” cried Sir Ector, “I see by the buffet that knight hath given our +fellow he is stronger than Sir Key. Now will I try what I can do against +him!” So Sir Ector took his spear, and galloped at Sir Lancelot; and Sir +Lancelot met him as he came, and smote him through shield and shoulder, so +that he fell, but his own spear was not broken. +</p> + +<p> +“By my faith,” cried Sir Ewaine, “yonder is a strong knight, and must have +slain Sir Key, and taken his armour! By his strength, I see it will be +hard to match him.” So saying he rode towards Sir Lancelot, who met <a class="pagenum" name="page140" id="page140" title="140"></a> him +halfway and struck him so fiercely, that at one blow he overthrew him +also. +</p> + +<p> +“Now,” said Sir Gawain, “will I encounter him.” So he took a good spear in +his hand, and guarded himself with his shield. And he and Sir Lancelot +rode against each other, with their horses at full speed, and furiously +smote each other on the middle of their shields; but Sir Gawain’s spear +broke short asunder, and Sir Lancelot charged so mightily upon him, that +his horse and he both fell, and rolled upon the ground. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” said Sir Lancelot, smiling, as he rode away from the four knights, +“heaven give joy to him who made this spear, for never held I better in my +hand.” +</p> + +<p> +But the four knights said to each other, “Truly one spear hath felled us +all.” +</p> + +<p> +“I dare lay my life,” said Sir Gawain, “it is Sir Lancelot. I know him by +his riding.” +</p> + +<p> +So they all departed for the court. +</p> + +<p> +And as Sir Lancelot rode still in the forest, he saw a black bloodhound, +running with its head towards the ground, as if it tracked a deer. And +following after it, he came to a great pool of blood. But the hound, ever +and anon looking behind, ran through a great marsh, and over a bridge, +towards an old manor house. So Sir Lancelot followed, and went into the +hall, and saw a dead knight lying there, whose wounds the hound licked. +And a lady stood behind him, weeping and wringing her hands, who cried, “O +knight! too great is the sorrow which thou hast brought me!” +</p> + +<p> +“Why say ye so?” replied Sir Lancelot; “for I never harmed this knight, +and am full sorely grieved to see thy sorrow.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page141" id="page141" title="141"></a> + +<p> +“Nay, sir,” said the lady, “I see it is not thou hast slain my husband, +for he that truly did that deed is deeply wounded, and shall never more +recover.” +</p> + +<p> +“What is thy husband’s name?” said Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +“His name,” she answered, “was Sir Gilbert—one of the best knights in all +the world; but I know not his name who hath slain him.” +</p> + +<p> +“God send thee comfort,” said Sir Lancelot, and departed again into the +forest. +</p> + +<p> +And as he rode, he met with a damsel who knew him, who cried out, “Well +found, my lord! I pray ye of your knighthood help my brother, who is sore +wounded and ceases not to bleed, for he fought this day with Sir Gilbert, +and slew him, but was himself well nigh slain. And there is a sorceress, +who dwelleth in a castle hard by, and she this day hath told me that my +brother’s wound shall never be made whole until I find a knight to go into +the Chapel Perilous, and bring from thence a sword and the bloody cloth in +which the wounded knight was wrapped.” +</p> + +<p> +“This is a marvellous thing!” said Sir Lancelot; “but what is your +brother’s name?” +</p> + +<p> +“His name, sir,” she replied, “is Sir Meliot de Logres.” +</p> + +<p> +“He is a Fellow of the Round Table,” said Sir Lancelot, “and truly will I +do my best to help him.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then, sir,” said she, “follow this way, and it will bring ye to the +Chapel Perilous. I will abide here till God send ye hither again; for if +ye speed not, there is no living knight who may achieve that adventure.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Lancelot departed, and when he came to the Chapel Perilous he +alighted, and tied his horse to the <a class="pagenum" name="page142" id="page142" title="142"></a> gate. And as soon as he was within +the churchyard, he saw on the front of the chapel many shields of knights +whom he had known, turned upside down. Then saw he in the pathway thirty +mighty knights, taller than any men whom he had ever seen, all armed in +black armour, with their swords drawn; and they gnashed their teeth upon +him as he came. But he put his shield before him, and took his sword in +hand, ready to do battle with them. And when he would have cut his way +through them, they scattered on every side and let him pass. Then he went +into the chapel, and saw therein no light but of a dim lamp burning. Then +he was aware of a corpse in the midst of the chapel, covered with a silken +cloth, and so stooped down and cut off a piece of the cloth, whereat the +earth beneath him trembled. Then saw he a sword lying by the dead knight, +and taking it in his hand, he hied him from the chapel. As soon as he was +in the churchyard again, all the thirty knights cried out to him with +fierce voices, “Sir Lancelot! lay that sword from thee, or thou diest!” +</p> + +<p> +“Whether I live or die,” said he, “ye shall fight for it ere ye take it +from me.” +</p> + +<p> +With that they let him pass. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure09.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure09" id="figure09" + title="Beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, “Sir Lancelot, leave that sword behind thee, or thou diest.”" + alt="Beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, “Sir Lancelot, leave that sword behind thee, or thou diest.”"> + +<p> +And further on, <a href="images/figure09.jpg">beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, “Sir +Lancelot, leave that sword behind thee, or thou diest.”</a> +</p> + +<p> +“I will not leave it,” said Sir Lancelot, “for any asking.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then, gentle knight,” said the damsel, “I pray thee kiss me once.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said Sir Lancelot, “that God forbid!” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” cried she, “I have lost all my labour! <a class="pagenum" name="page143" id="page143" title="143"></a> but hadst thou kissed me, +thy life’s days had been all done!” +</p> + +<p> +“Heaven save me from thy subtle crafts!” said Sir Lancelot; and therewith +took his horse and galloped forth. +</p> + +<p> +And when he was departed, the damsel sorrowed greatly, and died in fifteen +days. Her name was Ellawes, the sorceress. +</p> + +<p> +Then came Sir Lancelot to Sir Meliot’s sister, who, when she saw him, +clapped her hands and wept for joy, and took him to the castle hard by, +where Sir Meliot was. And when Sir Lancelot saw Sir Meliot, he knew him, +though he was pale as ashes for loss of blood. And Sir Meliot, when he saw +Sir Lancelot, kneeled to him and cried aloud, “O lord, Sir Lancelot! help +me!” +</p> + +<p> +And thereupon, Sir Lancelot went to him and touched his wounds with the +sword, and wiped them with the piece of bloody cloth. And immediately he +was as whole as though he had been never wounded. Then was there great joy +between him and Sir Meliot; and his sister made Sir Lancelot good cheer. +So on the morrow, he took his leave, that he might go to King Arthur’s +court, “for,” said he, “it draweth nigh the feast of Pentecost, and there, +by God’s grace, shall ye then find me.” +</p> + +<p> +And riding through many strange countries, over marshes and valleys, he +came at length before a castle. As he passed by he heard two little bells +ringing, and looking up, he saw a falcon flying overhead, with bells tied +to her feet, and long strings dangling from them. And as the falcon flew +past an elm-tree, the strings caught in the boughs, so that she could fly +no further. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page144" id="page144" title="144"></a> + +<p> +In the meanwhile, came a lady from the castle and cried, “Oh, Sir +Lancelot! as thou art the flower of all knights in the world, help me to +get my hawk, for she hath slipped away from me, and if she be lost, my +lord my husband is so hasty, he will surely slay me!” +</p> + +<p> +“What is thy lord’s name?” said Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +“His name,” said she, “is Sir Phelot, a knight of the King of Northgales.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair lady,” said Sir Lancelot, “since you know my name, and require me, +on my knighthood, to help you, I will do what I can to get your hawk.” +</p> + +<p> +And thereupon alighting, he tied his horse to the same tree, and prayed +the lady to unarm him. So when he was unarmed, he climbed up and reached +the falcon, and threw it to the lady. +</p> + +<p> +Then suddenly came down, out of the wood, her husband, Sir Phelot, all +armed, with a drawn sword in his hand, and said, “Oh, Sir Lancelot! now +have I found thee as I would have thee!” and stood at the trunk of the +tree to slay him. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, lady!” cried Sir Lancelot, “why have ye betrayed me?” +</p> + +<p> +“She hath done as I commanded her,” said Sir Phelot, “and thine hour is +come that thou must die.” +</p> + +<p> +“It were shame,” said Lancelot, “for an armed to slay an unarmed man.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou hast no other favour from me,” said Sir Phelot. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” cried Sir Lancelot, “that ever any knight should die weaponless!” +And looking overhead, he saw a great bough without leaves, and wrenched it +off the tree, and suddenly leaped down. Then Sir Phelot struck at <a class="pagenum" name="page145" id="page145" title="145"></a> him +eagerly, thinking to have slain him, but Sir Lancelot put aside the stroke +with the bough, and therewith smote him on the side of the head, till he +fell swooning to the ground. And tearing his sword from out his hands, he +shore his neck through from the body. Then did the lady shriek dismally, +and swooned as though she would die. But Sir Lancelot put on his armour, +and with haste took his horse and departed thence, thanking God he had +escaped that peril. +</p> + +<p> +And as he rode through a valley, among many wild ways, he saw a knight, +with a drawn sword, chasing a lady to slay her. And seeing Sir Lancelot, +she cried and prayed to him to come and rescue her. +</p> + +<p> +At that he went up, saying, “Fie on thee, knight! why wilt thou slay this +lady? Thou doest shame to thyself and all knights.” +</p> + +<p> +“What hast thou to do between me and my wife?” replied the knight. “I will +slay her in spite of thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou shall not harm her,” said Sir Lancelot, “till we have first fought +together.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” answered the knight, “thou doest ill, for this lady hath betrayed +me.” +</p> + +<p> +“He speaketh falsely,” said the lady, “for he is jealous of me without +cause, as I shall answer before Heaven; but as thou art named the most +worshipful knight in the world, I pray thee of thy true knighthood to save +me, for he is without mercy.” +</p> + +<p> +“Be of good cheer,” said Sir Lancelot; “it shall not lie within his power +to harm thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the knight, “I will be ruled as ye will have me.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Lancelot rode between the knight and the lady. <a class="pagenum" name="page146" id="page146" title="146"></a> And when they had +ridden awhile, the knight cried out suddenly to Sir Lancelot to turn and +see what men they were who came riding after them; and while Sir Lancelot, +thinking not of treason, turned to look, the knight, with one great +stroke, smote off the lady’s head. +</p> + +<p> +Then was Sir Lancelot passing wroth, and cried, “Thou traitor! Thou hast +shamed me for ever!” and, alighting from his horse, he drew his sword to +have slain him instantly; but the knight fell on the ground and clasped +Sir Lancelot’s knees, and cried out for mercy. “Thou shameful knight,” +answered Lancelot, “thou mayest have no mercy, for thou showedst none, +therefore arise and fight with me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said the knight, “I will not rise till thou dost grant me mercy.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now will I deal fairly by thee,” said Sir Lancelot; “I will unarm me to +my shirt, and have my sword only in my hand, and if thou canst slay me +thou shall be quit for ever.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will I never do,” said the knight. +</p> + +<p> +“Then,” answered Sir Lancelot, “take this lady and the head, and bear it +with thee, and swear to me upon thy sword never to rest until thou comest +to Queen Guinevere.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will I do,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“Now,” said Sir Lancelot, “tell me thy name.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is Pedivere,” answered the knight. +</p> + +<p> +“In a shameful hour wert thou born,” said Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Pedivere departed, bearing with him the dead lady and her head. And +when he came to Winchester, where the Queen was with King Arthur, he told +them <a class="pagenum" name="page147" id="page147" title="147"></a> all the truth; and afterwards did great and heavy penance many +years, and became an holy hermit. +</p> + +<p> +So, two days before the Feast of Pentecost, Sir Lancelot returned to the +court, and King Arthur was full glad of his coming. And when Sir Gawain, +Sir Ewaine, Sir Sagramour, and Sir Ector, saw him in Sir Key’s armour, +they knew well it was he who had smitten them all down with one spear. +Anon, came all the knights Sir Turquine had taken prisoners, and gave +worship and honour to Sir Lancelot. Then Sir Key told the King how Sir +Lancelot had rescued him when he was in near danger of his death; “and,” +said Sir Key, “he made the knights yield, not to himself, but me. And by +Heaven! because Sir Lancelot took my armour and left me his, I rode in +peace, and no man would have aught to do with me.” Then came the knights +who fought with Sir Lancelot at the long bridge and yielded themselves +also to Sir Key, but he said nay, he had not fought with them. “It is Sir +Lancelot,” said he, “that overcame ye.” Next came Sir Meliot de Logres, +and told King Arthur how Sir Lancelot had saved him from death. +</p> + +<p> +And so all Sir Lancelot’s deeds and great adventures were made known; how +the four sorceress-queens had him in prison; how he was delivered by the +daughter of King Bagdemagus, and what deeds of arms he did at the +tournament between the King of North Wales and King Bagdemagus. And so, at +that festival, Sir Lancelot had the greatest name of any knight in all the +world, and by high and low was he the most honoured of all men. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page148" id="page148" title="148"></a> + +<a name="chapter_x" id="chapter_x"</a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>Adventures of Sir Beaumains or Sir Gareth</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/a.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="a3" id="a3" Title="A" alt="Drop Case A"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +gain King Arthur held the Feast of Pentecost, with all the Table Round, +and after his custom sat in the banquet hall, before beginning meat, +waiting for some adventure. Then came there to the king a squire and said, +“Lord, now may ye go to meat, for here a damsel cometh with some strange +adventure.” So the king was glad, and sat down to meat. +</p> + +<p> +Anon the damsel came in and saluted him, praying him for succour. “What +wilt thou?” said the king. “Lord,” answered she, “my mistress is a lady of +great renown, but is at this time besieged by a tyrant, who will not +suffer her to go out of her castle; and because here in thy court the +knights are called the noblest in the world, I come to pray thee for thy +succour.” “Where dwelleth your lady?” answered the king. “What is her name, +and who is he that hath besieged her?” “For her name,” replied the damsel, +“as yet I may not tell it; but she is a lady of worship and great lands. +The tyrant that besiegeth her and wasteth her lands is called the Red +Knight of the Redlands.” “I know him not,” said <a class="pagenum" name="page149" id="page149" title="149"></a> Arthur. “But I know him, +lord,” said Sir Gawain, “and he is one of the most perilous knights in all +the world. Men say he hath the strength of seven; and from him I myself +once hardly escaped with life.” “Fair damsel,” said the king, “there be +here many knights that would gladly do their uttermost to rescue your +lady, but unless ye tell me her name, and where she dwelleth, none of my +knights shall go with you by my leave.” +</p> + +<p> +Now, there was a stripling at the court called Beaumains, who served in +the king’s kitchen, a fair youth and of great stature. Twelve months +before this time he had come to the king as he sat at meat, at +Whitsuntide, and prayed three gifts of him. And being asked what gifts, he +answered, “As for the first gift I will ask it now, but the other two +gifts I will ask on this day twelve months, wheresoever ye hold your high +feast.” Then said King Arthur, “What is thy first request?” “This, lord,” +said he, “that thou wilt give me meat and drink enough for twelve months +from this time, and then will I ask my other two gifts.” And the king +seeing that he was a goodly youth, and deeming that he was come of +honourable blood, had granted his desire, and given him into the charge of +Sir Key, the steward. But Sir Key scorned and mocked the youth, calling +him Beaumains, because his hands were large and fair, and putting him into +the kitchen, where he had served for twelve months as a scullion, and, in +spite of all his churlish treatment, had faithfully obeyed Sir Key. But +Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain were angered when they saw Sir Key so churlish +to a youth that had so worshipful a bearing, and ofttimes had they given +him gold and clothing. +</p> + +<p> +And now at this time came young Beaumains to the <a class="pagenum" name="page150" id="page150" title="150"></a> king, while the damsel +was there, and said, “Lord, now I thank thee well and heartily that I have +been twelve months kept in thy kitchen, and have had full sustenance. Now +will I ask my two remaining gifts.” “Ask,” said King Arthur, “on my good +faith.” “These, lord,” said he, “shall be my two gifts—the one, that thou +wilt grant me this adventure of the damsel, for to me of right it +belongeth; and the other, that thou wilt bid Sir Lancelot make me a +knight, for of him only will I have that honour; and I pray that he may +ride after me and make me a knight when I require him.” “Be it as thou +wilt,” replied the king. But thereupon the damsel was full wroth, and +said, “Shall I have a kitchen page for this adventure?” and so she took +horse and departed. +</p> + +<p> +Then came one to Beaumains, and told him that a dwarf with a horse and +armour were waiting for him. And all men marvelled whence these things +came. But when he was on horseback and armed, scarce any one at the court +was a goodlier man than he. And coming into the hall, he took his leave of +the king and Sir Gawain, and prayed Sir Lancelot to follow him. So he rode +after the damsel, and many of the court went out to see him, so richly +arrayed and horsed; yet he had neither shield nor spear. Then Sir Key +cried, “I also will ride after the kitchen boy, and see whether he will +obey me now.” And taking his horse, he rode after him, and said, “Know ye +not me, Beaumains?” “Yea,” said he, “I know thee for an ungentle knight, +therefore beware of me.” Then Sir Key put his spear in rest and ran at +him, but Beaumains rushed upon him with his sword in his hand, and +therewith, putting aside the spear, struck Sir Key so sorely in the side, +that he fell down, as <a class="pagenum" name="page151" id="page151" title="151"></a> if dead. Then he alighted, and took his shield and +spear, and bade his dwarf ride upon Sir Key’s horse. +</p> + +<p> +By this time, Sir Lancelot had come up, and Beaumains offering to tilt +with him, they both made ready. And their horses came together so fiercely +that both fell to the earth, full sorely bruised. Then they arose, and +Beaumains, putting up his shield before him, offered to fight Sir +Lancelot, on foot. So they rushed upon each other, striking, and +thrusting, and parrying, for the space of an hour. And Lancelot marvelled +at the strength of Beaumains, for he fought more like a giant than a man, +and his fighting was passing fierce and terrible. So, at the last, he +said, “Fight not so sorely, Beaumains; our quarrel is not such that we may +not now cease.” “True,” answered Beaumains; “yet it doth me good to feel +thy might, though I have not yet proved my uttermost.” “By my faith,” said +Lancelot, “I had as much as I could do to save myself from you unshamed, +therefore be in no doubt of any earthly knight.” “May I, then, stand as a +proved knight?” said Beaumains. “For that will I be thy warrant,” answered +Lancelot. “Then, I pray thee,” said he, “give me the order of knighthood.” +“First, then, must thou tell me of thy name and kindred,” said Sir +Lancelot. “If thou wilt tell them to no other, I will tell thee,” answered +he. “My name is Gareth of Orkney, and I am own brother to Sir Gawain.” +“Ah!” said Sir Lancelot, “at that am I full glad; for, truly, I deemed +thee to be of gentle blood.” So then he knighted Beaumains, and, after +that, they parted company, and Sir Lancelot, returning to the court, took +up Sir Key on his shield. And hardly did Sir Key escape with his life, +from the wound Beaumains had given him; but all men <a class="pagenum" name="page152" id="page152" title="152"></a> blamed him for his +ungentle treatment of so brave a knight. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Beaumains rode forward, and soon overtook the damsel; but she +said to him, in scorn, “Return again, base kitchen page! What art thou, +but a washer-up of dishes!” “Damsel,” said he, “say to me what thou wilt, +I will not leave thee; for I have undertaken to King Arthur to relieve thy +adventure, and I will finish it to the end, or die.” “Thou finish my +adventure!” said she—“anon, thou shalt meet one, whose face thou wilt not +even dare to look at.” “I shall attempt it,” answered he. So, as they rode +thus, into a wood, there met them a man, fleeing, as for his life. +“Whither fleest thou?” said Sir Beaumains. “O lord!” he answered, “help +me; for, in a valley hard by, there are six thieves, who have taken my +lord, and bound him, and I fear will slay him.” “Bring me thither,” said +Sir Beaumains. So they rode to the place, and Sir Beaumains rushed after +the thieves, and smote one, at the first stroke, so that he died; and +then, with two other blows, slew a second and third. Then fled the other +three, and Sir Beaumains rode after them, and overtook and slew them all. +Then he returned and unbound the knight. And the knight thanked him, and +prayed him to ride to his castle, where he would reward him. “Sir,” +answered Sir Beaumains, “I will have no reward of thee, for but this day +was I made knight by the most noble Sir Lancelot; and besides, I must go +with this damsel.” Then the knight begged the damsel to rest that night at +his castle. So they all rode thither, and ever the damsel scoffed at Sir +Beaumains as a kitchen boy, and laughed at him before the knight their +host, so that he set his meat <a class="pagenum" name="page153" id="page153" title="153"></a> before him at a lower table, as though he +were not of their company. +</p> + +<p> +And on the morrow, the damsel and Sir Beaumains took their leave of the +knight, and thanking him departed. Then they rode on their way till they +came to a great forest, through which flowed a river, and there was but +one passage over it, whereat stood two knights armed to hinder the way. +“Wilt thou match those two knights,” said the damsel to Sir Beaumains, “or +return again?” “I would not return,” said he, “though they were six.” +Therewith he galloped into the water, and swam his horse into the middle +of the stream. And there, in the river, one of the knights met him, and +they brake their spears together, and then drew their swords, and smote +fiercely at each other. And at the last, Sir Beaumains struck the other +mightily upon the helm, so that he fell down stunned into the water, and +was drowned. Then Sir Beaumains spurred his horse on to the land, where +instantly the other knight fell on him. And they also brake their spears +upon each other, and then drew their swords, and fought savagely and long +together. And after many blows, Sir Beaumains clove through the knight’s +skull down to the shoulders. Then rode Sir Beaumains to the damsel, but +ever she still scoffed at him, and said, “Alas! that a kitchen page should +chance to slay two such brave knights! Thou deemest now that thou hast +done a mighty deed, but it is not so; for the first knight’s horse +stumbled, and thus was he drowned—not by thy strength; and as for the +second knight, thou wentest by chance behind him, and didst kill him +shamefully.” “Damsel,” said Sir Beaumains, “say what ye list, I care not +so I may win your lady; <a class="pagenum" name="page154" id="page154" title="154"></a> and wouldst thou give me but fair language, all +my care were past; for whatsoever knights I meet, I fear them not.” “Thou +shalt see knights that shall abate thy boast, base kitchen knave,” replied +she; “yet say I this for thine advantage, for if thou followest me thou +wilt be surely slain, since I see all thou doest is but by chance, and not +by thy own prowess.” “Well damsel,” said he, “say what ye will, wherever +ye go I will follow.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rode on until the eventide, and still the damsel evermore kept +chiding Sir Beaumains. Then came they to a black space of land, whereon +was a black hawthorn tree, and on the tree there hung a black banner, and +on the other side was a black shield and spear, and by them a great black +horse, covered with silk; and hard by sat a knight armed in black armour, +whose name was the Knight of the Blacklands. When the damsel saw him, she +cried out to Beaumains, “Flee down the valley, for thy horse is not +saddled!” “Wilt thou for ever deem me coward?” answered he. With that came +the Black Knight to the damsel, and said, “Fair damsel, hast thou brought +this knight from Arthur’s court to be thy champion?” “Not so, fair +knight,” said she; “he is but a kitchen knave.” “Then wherefore cometh he +in such array?” said he; “it is a shame that he should bear thee company.” +“I cannot be delivered from him,” answered she: “for in spite of me he +rideth with me; and would to Heaven you would put him from me, or now slay +him, for he hath slain two knights at the river passage yonder, and done +many marvellous deeds through pure mischance.” “I marvel,” said the Black +Knight, “that any man of worship will fight with him.” “They know him +not,” said <a class="pagenum" name="page155" id="page155" title="155"></a> the damsel, “and think, because he rideth with me, that he is +well born.” “Truly, he hath a goodly person, and is likely to be a strong +man,” replied the knight; “but since he is no man of worship, he shall +leave his horse and armour with me, for it were a shame for me to do him +more harm.” +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Beaumains heard him speak thus, he said, “Horse or armour gettest +thou none of me, Sir knight, save thou winnest them with thy hands; +therefore defend thyself, and let me see what thou canst do.” “How sayest +thou?” answered the Black Knight. “Now quit this lady also, for it +beseemeth not a kitchen knave like thee to ride with such a lady.” “I am +of higher lineage than thou,” said Sir Beaumains, “and will straightway +prove it on thy body.” Then furiously they drove their horses at each +other, and came together as it had been thunder. But the Black Knight’s +spear brake short, and Sir Beaumains thrust him through the side, and his +spear breaking at the head, left its point sticking fast in the Black +Knight’s body. Yet did the Black Knight draw his sword, and smite at Sir +Beaumains with many fierce and bitter blows; but after they had fought an +hour and more, he fell down from his horse in a swoon, and forthwith died. +Then Sir Beaumains lighted down and armed himself in the Black Knight’s +armour, and rode on after the damsel. But notwithstanding all his valour, +still she scoffed at him, and said, “Away! for thou savourest ever of the +kitchen. Alas! that such a knave should by mishap destroy so good a +knight; yet once again I counsel thee to flee, for hard by is a knight who +shall repay thee!” “It may chance that I am beaten or slain,” answered Sir +Beaumains, “but I warn thee, fair <a class="pagenum" name="page156" id="page156" title="156"></a> damsel, that I will not flee away, nor +leave thy company or my quest, for all that ye can say.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon, as they rode, they saw a knight come swiftly towards them, dressed +all in green, who, calling to the damsel said, “Is that my brother, the +Black Knight, that ye have brought with you?” “Nay, and alas!” said she, +“this kitchen knave hath slain thy brother through mischance.” “Alas!” +said the Green Knight, “that such a noble knight as he was should be slain +by a knave’s hand. Traitor!” cried he to Sir Beaumains, “thou shalt die +for this! Sir Pereard was my brother, and a full noble knight.” “I defy +thee,” said Sir Beaumains, “for I slew him knightly and not shamefully.” +Then the Green Knight rode to a thorn whereon hung a green horn, and, when +he blew three notes, there came three damsels forth, who quickly armed +him, and brought him a great horse and a green shield and spear. Then did +they run at one another with their fullest might, and break their spears +asunder; and, drawing their swords, they closed in fight, and sorely smote +and wounded each other with many grievous blows. +</p> + +<p> +At last, Sir Beaumains’ horse jostled against the Green Knight’s horse, +and overthrew him. Then both alighted, and, hurtling together like mad +lions, fought a great while on foot. But the damsel cheered the Green +Knight, and said, “My lord, why wilt thou let a kitchen knave so long +stand up against thee?” Hearing these words, he was ashamed, and gave Sir +Beaumains such a mighty stroke as clave his shield asunder. When Sir +Beaumains heard the damsel’s words, and felt that blow, he waxed passing +wroth, and gave the Green Knight such a buffet on the helm that he fell on +his knees, and with another <a class="pagenum" name="page157" id="page157" title="157"></a> blow Sir Beaumains threw him on the ground. +Then the Green Knight yielded, and prayed him to spare his life. “All thy +prayers are vain,” said he, “unless this damsel who came with me pray for +thee.” “That will I never do, base kitchen knave,” said she. “Then shall +he die,” said Beaumains. “Alas! fair lady,” said the Green Knight, “suffer +me not to die for a word! O, Sir knight,” cried he to Beaumains, “give me +my life, and I will ever do thee homage; and thirty knights, who owe me +service, shall give allegiance to thee.” “All availeth not,” answered Sir +Beaumains, “unless the damsel ask me for thy life;” and thereupon he made +as though he would have slain him. Then cried the damsel, “Slay him not; +for if thou do thou shalt repent it.” “Damsel,” said Sir Beaumains, “at +thy command, he shall obtain his life. Arise, Sir knight of the green +armour, I release thee!” Then the Green Knight knelt at his feet, and did +him homage with his words. “Lodge with me this night,” said he, “and +to-morrow will I guide ye through the forest.” So, taking their horses, +they rode to his castle, which was hard by. +</p> + +<p> +Yet still did the damsel rebuke and scoff at Sir Beaumains, and would not +suffer him to sit at her table. “I marvel,” said the Green Knight to her, +“that ye thus chide so noble a knight, for truly I know none to match him; +and be sure, that whatsoever he appeareth now, he will prove, at the end, +of noble blood and royal lineage.” But of all this would the damsel take +no heed, and ceased not to mock at Sir Beaumains. On the morrow, they +arose and heard mass; and when they had broken their fast, took their +horses and rode on their way, the Green Knight conveying them through the +forest. <a class="pagenum" name="page158" id="page158" title="158"></a> Then, when he had led them for a while, he said to Sir Beaumains, +“My lord, my thirty knights and I shall always be at thy command +whensoever thou shalt send for us.” “It is well said,” replied he; “and +when I call upon you, you shall yield yourself and all your knights unto +King Arthur.” “That will we gladly do,” said the Green Knight, and so +departed. +</p> + +<p> +And the damsel rode on before Sir Beaumains, and said to him, “Why dost +thou follow me, thou kitchen boy? I counsel thee to throw aside thy spear +and shield, and flee betimes, for wert thou as mighty as Sir Lancelot or +Sir Tristram, thou shouldest not pass a valley near this place, called the +Pass Perilous.” “Damsel,” answered he, “let him that feareth flee; as for +me, it were indeed a shameful thing to turn after so long a journey.” As +he spake, they came upon a tower as white as snow, with mighty +battlements, and double moats round it, and over the tower-gate hung fifty +shields of divers colours. Before the tower walls, they saw a fair meadow, +wherein were many knights and squires in pavilions, for on the morrow +there was a tournament at that castle. +</p> + +<p> +Then the lord of the castle, seeing a knight armed at all points, with a +damsel and a page, riding towards the tower, came forth to meet them; and +his horse and harness, with his shield and spear, were all of a red +colour. When he came near Sir Beaumains, and saw his armour all of black, +he thought him his own brother, the Black Knight, and so cried aloud, +“Brother! what do ye here, within these borders?” “Nay!” said the damsel, +“it is not thy brother, but a kitchen knave of Arthur’s court, who hath +slain thy brother, and overcome thy other brother also, the Green Knight.” +“Now do I defy <a class="pagenum" name="page159" id="page159" title="159"></a> thee!” cried the Red Knight to Sir Beaumains, and put his +spear in rest and spurred his horse. Then both knights turned back a +little space, and ran together with all their might, till their horses +fell to the earth. Then, with their swords, they fought fiercely for the +space of three hours. And at last, Sir Beaumains overcame his foe, and +smote him to the ground. Then the Red Knight prayed his mercy, and said, +“Slay me not, noble knight, and I will yield to thee with sixty knights +that do my bidding.” “All avails not,” answered Sir Beaumains, “save this +damsel pray me to release thee.” Then did he lift his sword to slay him; +but the damsel cried aloud, “Slay him not, Beaumains, for he is a noble +knight.” Then Sir Beaumains bade him rise up and thank the damsel, which +straightway he did, and afterwards invited them to his castle, and made +them goodly cheer. +</p> + +<p> +But notwithstanding all Sir Beaumains’ mighty deeds, the damsel ceased not +to revile and chide him, at which the Red Knight marvelled much; and +caused his sixty knights to watch Sir Beaumains, that no villainy might +happen to him. And on the morrow, they heard mass and broke their fast, +and the Red Knight came before Sir Beaumains, with his sixty knights, and +proffered him homage and fealty. “I thank thee,” answered he; “and when I +call upon thee thou shalt come before my lord King Arthur at his court, +and yield yourselves to him.” “That will we surely do,” said the Red +Knight. So Sir Beaumains and the damsel departed. +</p> + +<p> +And as she constantly reviled him and tormented him, he said to her, +“Damsel, ye are discourteous thus always to rebuke me, for I have done you +service; and for all your threats of knights that shall destroy me, all +they <a class="pagenum" name="page160" id="page160" title="160"></a> who come lie in the dust before me. Now, therefore, I pray you +rebuke me no more till you see me beaten or a recreant, and then bid me go +from you.” “There shall soon meet thee a knight who shall repay thee all +thy deeds, thou boaster,” answered she, “for, save King Arthur, he is the +man of most worship in the world.” “It will be the greater honour to +encounter him,” said Sir Beaumains. +</p> + +<p> +Soon after, they saw before them a city passing fair, and between them and +the city was a meadow newly mown, wherein were many goodly tents. “Seest +thou yonder blue pavilion?” said the damsel to Sir Beaumains; “it is Sir +Perseant’s, the lord of that great city, whose custom is, in all fair +weather, to lie in this meadow, and joust with his knights.” +</p> + +<p> +And as she spake, Sir Perseant, who had espied them coming, sent a +messenger to meet Sir Beaumains, and to ask him if he came in war or +peace. “Say to thy lord,” he answered, “that I care not whether of the +twain it be.” So when the messenger gave this reply, Sir Perseant came out +to fight with Sir Beaumains. And making ready, they rode their steeds +against each other; and when their spears were shivered asunder, they +fought with their swords. And for more than two hours did they hack and +hew at each other, till their shields and hauberks were all dinted with +many blows, and they themselves were sorely wounded. And at the last, Sir +Beaumains smote Sir Perseant on the helm, so that he fell grovelling on +the earth. And when he unlaced his helm to slay him, the damsel prayed for +his life. “That will I grant gladly,” answered Sir Beaumains, “for it were +pity such a noble knight should die.” “Grammercy!” <a class="pagenum" name="page161" id="page161" title="161"></a> said Sir Perseant, +“for now I certainly know that it was thou who slewest my brother, the +Black Knight, Sir Pereard; and overcame my brothers, the Green Knight, Sir +Pertolope, and the Red Knight, Sir Perimones; and since thou hast overcome +me also, I will do thee homage and fealty, and place at thy command one +hundred knights to do thy bidding.” +</p> + +<p> +But when the damsel saw Sir Perseant overthrown, she marvelled greatly at +the might of Sir Beaumains, and said, “What manner of man may ye be, for +now am I sure that ye be come of noble blood? And truly, never did woman +revile knight as I have done thee, and yet ye have ever courteously borne +with me, which surely never had been were ye not of gentle blood and +lineage.” +</p> + +<img src="images/figure10.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure10" id="figure10" + title="“Lady,” replied Sir Beaumains, “a knight is little worth who may not bear with a damsel.”" + alt="“Lady,” replied Sir Beaumains, “a knight is little worth who may not bear with a damsel.”"> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure10.jpg">“Lady,” replied Sir Beaumains, “a knight is little worth who may not bear +with a damsel;</a> and so whatsoever ye said to me I took no heed, save only +that at times when your scorn angered me, it made me all the stronger +against those with whom I fought, and thus have ye furthered me in my +battles. But whether I be born of gentle blood or no, I have done you +gentle service, and peradventure will do better still, ere I depart from +you.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said she, weeping at his courtesy, “forgive me, fair Sir +Beaumains, all that I have missaid and misdone against you.” “With all my +heart,” said he; “and since you now speak fairly to me, I am passing glad +of heart, and methinks I have the strength to overcome whatever knights I +shall henceforth encounter.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Perseant prayed them to come to his pavilion, and set before them +wines and spices, and made them great cheer. So they rested that night; +and on the morrow, the damsel and Sir Beaumains rose, and heard <a class="pagenum" name="page162" id="page162" title="162"></a> mass. And +when they had broken their fast, they took their leave of Sir Perseant. +“Fair damsel,” said he “whither lead ye this knight?” “Sir,” answered she, +“to the Castle Dangerous, where my sister is besieged by the Knight of the +Redlands.” “I know him well,” said Sir Perseant, “for the most perilous +knight alive—a man without mercy, and with the strength of seven men. God +save thee, Sir Beaumains, from him! and enable thee to overcome him, for +the Lady Lyones, whom he besiegeth, is as fair a lady as there liveth in +this world.” “Thou sayest truth, sir,” said the damsel; “for I am her +sister; and men call me Linet, or the Wild Maiden.” “Now, I would have +thee know,” said Sir Perseant to Sir Beaumains, “that the Knight of the +Redlands hath kept that siege more than two years, and prolongeth the time +hoping that Sir Lancelot, or Sir Tristram, or Sir Lamoracke, may come and +battle with him; for these three knights divide between them all +knighthood; and thou if thou mayest match the Knight of the Redlands, +shall well be called the fourth knight of the world.” “Sir,” said Sir +Beaumains, “I would fain have that good fame; and truly, I am come of +great and honourable lineage. And so that you and this fair damsel will +conceal it, I will tell ye my descent.” And when they swore to keep it +secret, he told them, “My name is Sir Gareth of Orkney, my father was King +Lot, and my mother the Lady Belisent, King Arthur’s sister. Sir Gawain, +Sir Agravain, and Sir Gaheris, are my brethren, and I am the youngest of +them all. But, as yet King Arthur and the court know me not, who I am.” +When he had thus told them, they both wondered greatly. +</p> + +<p> +And the damsel Linet sent the dwarf forward to her <a class="pagenum" name="page163" id="page163" title="163"></a> sister, to tell her of +their coming. Then did Dame Lyones inquire what manner of man the knight +was who was coming to her rescue. And the dwarf told her of all Sir +Beaumains’ deeds by the way: how he had overthrown Sir Key, and left him +for dead; how he had battled with Sir Lancelot, and was knighted of him; +how he had fought with, and slain, the thieves; how he had overcome the +two knights who kept the river passage; how he had fought with, and slain, +the Black Knight; and how he had overcome the Green Knight, the Red +Knight, and last of all, the Blue Knight, Sir Perseant. Then was Dame +Lyones passing glad, and sent the dwarf back to Sir Beaumains with great +gifts, thanking him for his courtesy, in taking such a labour on him for +her sake, and praying him to be of good heart and courage. And as the +dwarf returned, he met the Knight of the Redlands, who asked him whence he +came. “I came here with the sister of my lady of the castle,” said the +dwarf, “who hath been now to King Arthur’s court and brought a knight with +her to take her battle on him.” “Then is her travail lost,” replied the +knight; “for, though she had brought Sir Lancelot, Sir Tristram, Sir +Lamoracke, or Sir Gawain, I count myself their equal, and who besides +shall be so called?” Then the dwarf told the knight what deeds Sir +Beaumains had done; but he answered, “I care not for him, whosoever he be, +for I shall shortly overcome him, and give him shameful death, as to so +many others I have done.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the damsel Linet and Sir Beaumains left Sir Perseant, and rode on +through a forest to a large plain, where they saw many pavilions, and hard +by, a castle passing fair. +</p> + +<p> +But as they came near Sir Beaumains saw upon the <a class="pagenum" name="page164" id="page164" title="164"></a> branches of some trees +which grew there, the dead bodies of forty knights hanging, with rich +armour on them, their shields and swords about their necks, and golden +spurs upon their heels. “What meaneth this?” said he, amazed. “Lose not +thy courage, fair sir,” replied the damsel, “at this shameful sight, for +all these knights came hither to rescue my sister; and when the Knight of +the Redlands had overcome them, he put them to this piteous death, without +mercy; and in such wise will he treat thee also unless thou bearest thee +more valiantly than they.” “Truly he useth shameful customs,” said Sir +Beaumains; “and it is a marvel that he hath endured so long.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rode onward to the castle walls, and found them double-moated, and +heard the sea waves dashing on one side the walls. Then said the damsel, +“See you that ivory horn hanging upon the sycamore-tree? The Knight of the +Redlands hath hung it there, that any knight may blow thereon, and then +will he himself come out and fight with him. But I pray thee sound it not +till high noontide, for now it is but daybreak, and till noon his strength +increases to the might of seven men.” “Let that be as it may, fair +damsel,” answered he, “for were he stronger knight than ever lived, I +would not fail him. Either will I defeat him at his mightiest, or die +knightly in the field.” With that he spurred his horse unto the sycamore, +and blew the ivory horn so eagerly, that all the castle rang its echoes. +Instantly, all the knights who were in the pavilions ran forth, and those +within the castle looked out from the windows, or above the walls. And the +Knight of the Redlands, arming himself quickly in blood-red armour, with +spear, and shield, and horse’s trappings of like colour, rode forth into a +little <a class="pagenum" name="page165" id="page165" title="165"></a> valley by the castle walls, so that all in the castle, and at the +siege, might see the battle. +</p> + +<p> +“Be of good cheer,” said the damsel Linet to Sir Beaumains, “for thy +deadly enemy now cometh; and at yonder window is my lady and sister, Dame +Lyones.” “In good sooth,” said Sir Beaumains, “she is the fairest lady I +have ever seen, and I would wish no better quarrel than to fight for her.” +With that, he looked up to the window, and saw the Lady Lyones, who waved +her handkerchief to her sister and to him to cheer them. Then called the +Knight of the Redlands to Sir Beaumains, “Leave now thy gazing, Sir +knight, and turn to me, for I warn thee that lady is mine.” “She loveth +none of thy fellowship,” he answered; “but know this, that I love her, and +will rescue her from thee, or die.” “Say ye so!” said the Red Knight. +“Take ye no warning from those knights that hang on yonder trees?” “For +shame that thou so boastest!” said Sir Beaumains. “Be sure that sight hath +raised a hatred for thee that will not lightly be put out, and given me +not fear, but rage.” “Sir knight, defend thyself,” said the Knight of the +Redlands, “for we will talk no longer.” +</p> + +<p> +Then did they put their spears in rest, and came together at the fullest +speed of their horses, and smote each other in the midst of their shields, +so that their horses’ harness sundered by the shock, and they fell to the +ground. And both lay there so long time, stunned, that many deemed their +necks were broken. And all men said the strange knight was a strong man, +and a noble jouster, for none had ever yet so matched the Knight of the +Redlands. Then, in a while, they rose, and putting up their shields before +them, drew their swords, and <a class="pagenum" name="page166" id="page166" title="166"></a> fought with fury, running at each other like +wild beasts—now striking such buffets that both reeled backwards, now +hewing at each other till they shore the harness off in pieces, and left +their bodies naked and unarmed. And thus they fought till noon was past, +when, for a time they rested to get breath, so sorely staggering and +bleeding, that many who beheld them wept for pity. Then they renewed the +battle—sometimes rushing so furiously together, that both fell to the +ground, and anon changing swords in their confusion. Thus they endured, +and lashed, and struggled, until eventide, and none who saw knew which was +the likeliest to win; for though the Knight of the Redlands was a wily and +subtle warrior, his subtlety made Sir Beaumains wilier and wiser too. So +once again they rested for a little space, and took their helms off to +find breath. +</p> + +<p> +But when Sir Beaumains’ helm was off, he looked up to Dame Lyones, where +she leaned, gazing and weeping, from her window. And when he saw the +sweetness of her smiling, all his heart was light and joyful, and starting +up, he bade the Knight of the Redlands make ready. Then did they lace +their helms and fight together yet afresh, as though they had never fought +before. And at the last, the Knight of the Redlands with a sudden stroke +smote Sir Beaumains on the hand, so that his sword fell from it, and with +a second stroke upon the helm he drove him to the earth. Then cried aloud +the damsel Linet, “Alas! Sir Beaumains, see how my sister weepeth to +behold thee fallen!” And when Sir Beaumains heard her words, he sprang +upon his feet with strength, and leaping to his sword, he caught it; and +with many heavy blows pressed so sorely on the Knight of the Redlands, +that in the <a class="pagenum" name="page167" id="page167" title="167"></a> end he smote his sword from out his hand, and, with a mighty +blow upon the head, hurled him upon the ground. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Beaumains unlaced his helm, and would have straightway slain him, +but the Knight of the Redlands yielded, and prayed for mercy. “I may not +spare thee,” answered he, “because of the shameful death which thou hast +given to so many noble knights.” “Yet hold thy hand, Sir knight,” said he, +“and hear the cause. I loved once a fair damsel, whose brother was slain, +as she told me, by a knight of Arthur’s court, either Sir Lancelot, or Sir +Gawain; and she prayed me, as I truly loved her, and by the faith of my +knighthood, to labour daily in deeds of arms, till I should meet with him; +and to put all knights of the Round Table whom I should overcome to a +villainous death. And this I swore to her.” Then prayed the earls, and +knights, and barons, who stood round Sir Beaumains, to spare the Red +Knight’s life. “Truly,” replied he, “I am loth to slay him, +notwithstanding he hath done such shameful deeds. And inasmuch as what he +did was done to please his lady and to gain her love, I blame him less, +and for your sakes I will release him. But on this agreement only shall he +hold his life—that straightway he depart into the castle, and yield him +to the lady there, and make her such amends as she shall ask, for all the +trespass he hath done upon her lands; and afterwards, that he shall go +unto King Arthur’s court, and ask the pardon of Sir Lancelot and Sir +Gawain for all the evil he hath done against them.” “All this, Sir knight, +I swear to do,” said the Knight of the Redlands; and therewith he did him +homage and fealty. +</p> + +<p> +Then came the damsel Linet to Sir Beaumains and the Knight of the +Redlands, and disarmed them, and <a class="pagenum" name="page168" id="page168" title="168"></a> staunched their wounds. And when the +Knight of the Redlands had made amends for all his trespasses, he departed +for the court. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Beaumains, being healed of his wounds, armed himself, and took +his horse and spear and rode straight to the castle of Dame Lyones, for +greatly he desired to see her. But when he came to the gate they closed it +fast, and pulled the drawbridge up. And as he marvelled thereat, he saw +the Lady Lyones standing at a window, who said, “Go thy way as yet, Sir +Beaumains, for thou shalt not wholly have my love until thou be among the +worthiest knights of all the world. Go, therefore, and labour yet in arms +for twelve months more, and then return to me.” “Alas! fair lady,” said +Sir Beaumains, “I have scarce deserved this of thee, for sure I am that I +have bought thy love with all the best blood in my body.” “Be not +aggrieved, fair knight,” said she, “for none of thy service is forgot or +lost. Twelve months will soon be passed in noble deeds; and trust that to +my death I shall love thee and not another.” With that she turned and left +the window. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Beaumains rode away from the castle very sorrowrul at heart, and +rode he knew not whither, and lay that night in a poor man’s cottage. On +the morrow he went forward, and came at noon to a broad lake, and thereby +he alighted, being very sad and weary, and rested his head upon his +shield, and told his dwarf to keep watch while he slept. +</p> + +<p> +Now, as soon as he had departed, the Lady Lyones repented, and greatly +longed to see him back, and asked her sister many times of what lineage he +was; but the damsel would not tell her, being bound by her oath to Sir +Beaumains, and said his dwarf best knew, So she <a class="pagenum" name="page169" id="page169" title="169"></a> called Sir Gringamors, +her brother, who dwelt with her, and prayed him to ride after Sir +Beaumains till he found him sleeping, and then to take his dwarf away and +bring him back to her. Anon Sir Gringamors departed, and rode till he came +to Sir Beaumains, and found him as he lay sleeping by the water-side. Then +stepping stealthily behind the dwarf he caught him in his arms and rode +off in haste. And though the dwarf cried loudly to his lord for help, and +woke Sir Beaumains, yet, though he rode full quickly after him, he could +not overtake Sir Gringamors. +</p> + +<p> +When Dame Lyones saw her brother come back, she was passing glad of heart, +and forthwith asked the dwarf his master’s lineage. “He is a king’s son,” +said the dwarf, “and his mother is King Arthur’s sister. His name is Sir +Gareth of Orkney, and he is brother to the good knight, Sir Gawain. But I +pray you suffer me to go back to my lord, for truly he will never leave +this country till he have me again.” But when the Lady Lyones knew her +deliverer was come of such a kingly stock, she longed more than ever to +see him again. +</p> + +<p> +Now as Sir Beaumains rode in vain to rescue his dwarf, he came to a fair +green road and met a poor man of the country, and asked him had he seen a +knight on a black horse, riding with a dwarf of a sad countenance behind +him. “Yea,” said the man, “I met with such a knight an hour agone, and his +name is Sir Gringamors. He liveth at a castle two miles from hence; but he +is a perilous knight, and I counsel ye not to follow him save ye bear him +goodwill.” Then Sir Beaumains followed the path which the poor man showed +him, and came to the castle. And riding to the gate in great anger, he +drew his sword, and cried aloud, “Sir Gringamors, thou <a class="pagenum" name="page170" id="page170" title="170"></a> traitor! deliver +me my dwarf again, or by my knighthood it shall be ill for thee!” Then Sir +Gringamors looked out of a window and said, “Sir Gareth of Orkney, leave +thy boasting words, for thou wilt not get thy dwarf again.” But the Lady +Lyones said to her brother, “Nay brother, but I will that he have his +dwarf, for he hath done much for me, and delivered me from the Knight of +the Redlands, and well do I love him above all other knights.” So Sir +Gringamors went down to Sir Gareth and cried him mercy, and prayed him to +alight and take good cheer. +</p> + +<p> +Then he alighted, and his dwarf ran to him. And when he was in the hall +came the Lady Lyones dressed royally like a princess. And Sir Gareth was +right glad of heart when he saw her. Then she told him how she had made +her brother take away his dwarf and bring him back to her. And then she +promised him her love, and faithfully to cleave to him and none other all +the days of her life. And so they plighted their troth to each other. Then +Sir Gringamors prayed him to sojourn at the castle, which willingly he +did. “For,” said he, “I have promised to quit the court for twelve months, +though sure I am that in the meanwhile I shall be sought and found by my +lord King Arthur and many others.” So he sojourned long at the castle. +</p> + +<p> +Anon the knights, Sir Perseant, Sir Perimones, and Sir Pertolope, whom Sir +Gareth had overthrown, went to King Arthur’s court with all the knights +who did them service, and told the king they had been conquered by a +knight of his named Beaumains. And as they yet were talking, it was told +the king there came another great lord with five hundred knights, who, +entering in, did homage, and declared himself to be the Knight of the +Redlands. “But my true <a class="pagenum" name="page171" id="page171" title="171"></a> name,” said he, “is Ironside, and I am hither sent +by one Sir Beaumains, who conquered me, and charged me to yield unto your +grace.” “Thou art welcome,” said King Arthur, “for thou hast been long a +foe to me and mine, and truly I am much beholden to the knight who sent +thee. And now, Sir Ironside, if thou wilt amend thy life and hold of me, I +will entreat thee as a friend, and make thee Knight of the Round Table; +but thou mayst no more be a murderer of noble knights.” Then the Knight of +the Redlands knelt to the king, and told him of his promise to Sir +Beaumains to use never more such shameful customs; and how he had so done +but at the prayer of a lady whom he loved. Then knelt he to Sir Lancelot +and Sir Gawain, and prayed their pardon for the hatred he had borne them. +</p> + +<p> +But the king and all the court marvelled greatly who Sir Beaumains was. +“For,” said the king, “he is a full noble knight.” Then said Sir Lancelot, +“Truly he is come of honourable blood, else had I not given him the order +of knighthood; but he charged me that I should conceal his secret.” +</p> + +<p> +Now as they talked thus it was told King Arthur that his sister, the Queen +of Orkney, was come to the court with a great retinue of knights and +ladies. Then was there great rejoicing, and the king rose and saluted his +sister. And her sons, Sir Gawain, Sir Agravain, and Sir Gaheris knelt +before her and asked her blessing, for during fifteen years last past they +had not seen her. Anon she said, “Where is my youngest son, Sir Gareth? +for I know that he was here a twelvemonth with you, and that ye made a +kitchen knave of him.” Then the king and all the knights knew that Sir +Beaumains and Sir Gareth <a class="pagenum" name="page172" id="page172" title="172"></a> were the same. “Truly,” said the king, “I knew +him not.” “Nor I,” said Sir Gawain and both his brothers. Then said the +king, “God be thanked, fair sister, that he is proved as worshipful a +knight as any now alive, and by the grace of Heaven he shall be found +forthwith if he be anywhere within these seven realms.” Then said Sir +Gawain and his brethren, “Lord, if ye will give us leave we will go seek +him.” But Sir Lancelot said, “It were better that the king should send a +messenger to Dame Lyones and pray her to come hither with all speed, and +she will counsel where ye shall find him.” “It is well said,” replied the +king; and sent a messenger quickly unto Dame Lyones. +</p> + +<p> +When she heard the message she promised she would come forthwith, and told +Sir Gareth what the messenger had said, and asked him what to do. “I pray +you,” said he, “tell them not where I am, but when my lord King Arthur +asketh for me, advise him thus—that he proclaim a tournament before this +castle on Assumption Day, and that the knight who proveth best shall win +yourself and all your lands.” So the Lady Lyones departed and came to King +Arthur’s court, and there was right nobly welcomed. And when they asked +her where Sir Gareth was, she said she could not tell. “But, lord,” said +she, “with thy goodwill I will proclaim a tournament before my castle on +the Feast of the Assumption, whereof the prize shall be myself and all my +lands. Then if it be proclaimed that you, lord, and your knights will be +there, I will find knights on my side to fight you and yours, and thus am +I sure ye will hear tidings of Sir Gareth.” “Be it so done,” replied the +king. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Gareth sent messengers privily to Sir Perseant <a class="pagenum" name="page173" id="page173" title="173"></a> and Sir Ironside, +and charged them to be ready on the day appointed, with their companies of +knights to aid him and his party against the king. And when they were +arrived he said, “Now be ye well assured that we shall be matched with the +best knights of the world, and therefore must we gather all the good +knights we can find.” +</p> + +<p> +So proclamation was made throughout all England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, +and Cornwall, and in the out isles and other countries, that at the Feast +of the Assumption of our Lady, next coming, all knights who came to joust +at Castle Perilous should make choice whether they would side with the +king or with the castle. Then came many good knights on the side of the +castle. Sir Epinogris, the son of the King of Northumberland, and Sir +Palomedes the Saracen, and Sir Grummore Grummorsum, a good knight of +Scotland, and Sir Brian des Iles, a noble knight, and Sir Carados of the +Tower Dolorous, and Sir Tristram, who as yet was not a knight of the Round +Table, and many others. But none among them knew Sir Gareth, for he took +no more upon him than any mean person. +</p> + +<p> +And on King Arthur’s side there came the King of Ireland and the King of +Scotland, the noble prince Sir Galahaut, Sir Gawain and his brothers Sir +Agravain and Sir Gaheris, Sir Ewaine, Sir Tor, Sir Perceval, and Sir +Lamoracke, Sir Lancelot also and his kindred, Sir Lionel, Sir Ector, Sir +Bors and Sir Bedivere, likewise Sir Key and the most part of the Table +Round. The two queens also, Queen Guinevere and the Queen of Orkney, Sir +Gareth’s mother, came with the king. So there was a great array both +within and without the castle, with all manner of feasting and minstrelsy. +</p> + +<p> +Now before the tournament began, Sir Gareth privily <a class="pagenum" name="page174" id="page174" title="174"></a> prayed Dame Lyones, +Sir Gringamors, Sir Ironside, and Sir Perseant, that they would in nowise +disclose his name, nor make more of him than of any common knight. Then +said Dame Lyones, “Dear lord, I pray thee take this ring, which hath the +power to change the wearer’s clothing into any colour he may will, and +guardeth him from any loss of blood. But give it me again, I pray thee, +when the tournament is done, for it greatly increaseth my beauty +whensoever I wear it.” “Grammercy, mine own lady,” said Sir Gareth, “I +wished for nothing better, for now I may be certainly disguised as long as +I will.” Then Sir Gringamors gave Sir Gareth a bay courser that was a +passing good horse, with sure armour, and a noble sword, won by his father +from a heathen tyrant. And then every knight made him ready for the +tournament. +</p> + +<p> +So on the day of the Assumption, when mass and matins were said, the +heralds blew their trumpets and sounded for the tourney. Anon came out the +knights of the castle and the knights of King Arthur, and matched +themselves together. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Epinogris, son of the King of Northumberland, a knight of the +castle, encountered Sir Ewaine, and both broke off their spears short to +their hands. Then came Sir Palomedes from the castle, and met Sir Gawain, +and they so hardly smote each other, that both knights and horses fell to +the earth. Then Sir Tristram, from the castle, encountered with Sir +Bedivere, and smote him to the earth, horse and man. Then the Knight of +the Redlands and Sir Gareth met with Sir Bors and Sir Bleoberis; and the +Knight of the Redlands and Sir Bors smote together so hard that their +spears burst, and their horses fell grovelling to the ground. And Sir +Bleoberis brake his <a class="pagenum" name="page175" id="page175" title="175"></a> spear upon Sir Gareth, but himself was hurled upon +the ground. When Sir Galihodin saw that, he bade Sir Gareth keep him, but +Sir Gareth lightly smote him to the earth. Then Sir Galihud got a spear to +avenge his brother, but was served in like manner. And Sir Dinadam, and +his brother La-cote-male-taile, and Sir Sagramour le Desirous, and Dodinas +le Savage, he bore down all with one spear. +</p> + +<p> +When King Anguish of Ireland saw this, he marvelled what that knight could +be who seemed at one time green and at another blue; for so at every +course he changed his colour that none might know him. Then he ran towards +him and encountered him, and Sir Gareth smote the king from his horse, +saddle and all. And in like manner he served the King of Scotland, and +King Urience of Gore, and King Bagdemagus. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Galahaut, the noble prince, cried out, “Knight of the many +colours! thou hast jousted well; now make thee ready to joust with me.” +When Sir Gareth heard him, he took a great spear and met him swiftly. And +the prince’s spear broke off, but Sir Gareth smote him on the left side of +the helm, so that he reeled here and there, and had fallen down had not +his men recovered him. “By my faith,” said King Arthur, “that knight of +the many colours is a good knight. I pray thee, Sir Lancelot du Lake, +encounter with him.” “Lord,” said Sir Lancelot, “by thy leave I will +forbear. I find it in my heart to spare him at this time, for he hath done +enough work for one day; and when a good knight doth so well it is no +knightly part to hinder him from this honour. And peradventure his quarrel +is here to-day, and he may be the best beloved of the Lady Lyones of all +that be here; for I see well he paineth and forceth himself to do great +deeds. Therefore, <a class="pagenum" name="page176" id="page176" title="176"></a> as for me, this day he shall have the honour; for +though I were able to put him from it, I would not.” “You speak well and +truly,” said the king. +</p> + +<p> +Then after the tilting, they drew swords, and there began a great +tournament, and there Sir Lancelot did marvellous deeds of arms, for first +he fought with both Sir Tristram and Sir Carados, albeit they were the +most perilous in all the world. Then came Sir Gareth and put them asunder, +but would not smite a stroke against Sir Lancelot, for by him he had been +knighted. Anon Sir Gareth’s helm had need of mending, and he rode aside to +see to it and to drink water, for he was sore athirst with all his mighty +feats of strength. And while he drank, his dwarf said to him, “Give me +your ring, lest ye lose it while ye drink.” So Sir Gareth took it off. And +when he had finished drinking, he rode back eagerly to the field, and in +his haste forgot to take the ring again. Then all the people saw that he +wore yellow armour. And King Arthur told a herald, “Ride and espy the +cognizance of that brave knight, for I have asked many who he is, and none +can tell me.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the herald rode near, and saw written round about his helmet in +letters of gold, “Sir Gareth of Orkney.” And instantly the herald cried +his name aloud, and all men pressed to see him. +</p> + +<p> +But when he saw he was discovered, he pushed with haste through all the +crowd, and cried to his dwarf, “Boy, thou hast beguiled me foully in +keeping my ring; give it me again, that I may be hidden.” And as soon as +he had put it on, his armour changed again, and no man knew where he had +gone. Then he passed forth from the field; but Sir Gawain, his brother, +rode after him. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page177" id="page177" title="177"></a> + +<p> +And when Sir Gareth had ridden far into the forest, he took off his ring, +and sent it back by the dwarf to the Lady Lyones, praying her to be true +and faithful to him while he was away. +</p> + +<p> +Then rode Sir Gareth long through the forest, till night fell, and coming +to a castle he went up to the gate, and prayed the porter to let him in. +But churlishly he answered “that he should not lodge there.” Then said Sir +Gareth, “Tell thy lord and lady that I am a knight of King Arthur’s court, +and for his sake I pray their shelter.” With that the porter went to the +duchess who owned the castle. “Let him in straightway,” cried she; “for +the king’s sake he shall not be harbourless!” and went down to receive +him. When Sir Gareth saw her coming, he saluted her, and said, “Fair lady, +I pray you give me shelter for this night, and if there be here any +champion or giant with whom I must needs fight, spare me till to-morrow, +when I and my horse shall have rested, for we are full weary.” “Sir +knight,” she said, “thou speakest boldly; for the lord of this castle is a +foe to King Arthur and his court, and if thou wilt rest here to-night thou +must agree, that wheresoever thou mayest meet my lord, thou must yield to +him as a prisoner.” “What is thy lord’s name, lady?” said Sir Gareth. “The +Duke de la Rowse,” said she. “I will promise thee,” said he, “to yield to +him, if he promise to do me no harm; but if he refuse, I will release +myself with my sword and spear.” +</p> + +<img src="images/figure11.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure11" id="figure11" + title="So he rode into the hall and alighted." + alt="So he rode into the hall and alighted."> + +<p> +“It is well,” said the duchess; and commanded the drawbridge to be let +down. <a href="images/figure11.jpg">So he rode into the hall and alighted.</a> And when he had taken off his +armour, the duchess and her ladies made him passing good cheer. And after +supper his bed was made in the hall, and there he <a class="pagenum" name="page178" id="page178" title="178"></a> rested that night. On +the morrow he rose and heard mass, and having broken his fast, took his +leave and departed. +</p> + +<p> +And as he rode past a certain mountain there met him a knight named Sir +Bendelaine, and cried unto him “Thou shalt not pass unless thou joust with +me or be my prisoner!” “Then will we joust,” replied Sir Gareth. So they +let their horses run at full speed, and Sir Gareth smote Sir Bendelaine +through his body so sorely that he scarcely reached his castle ere he fell +dead. And as Sir Gareth presently came by the castle, Sir Bendelaine’s +knights and servants rode out to revenge their lord. And twenty of them +fell on him at once, although his spear was broken. But drawing his sword +he put his shield before him. And though they brake their spears upon him, +one and all, and sorely pressed on him, yet ever he defended himself like +a noble knight. Anon, finding they could not overcome him, they agreed to +slay his horse; and having killed it with their spears, they set upon Sir +Gareth as he fought on foot. But every one he struck he slew, and drave at +them with fearful blows, till he had slain them all but four, who fled. +Then taking the horse of one of those that lay there dead, he rode upon +his way. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he came to another castle and heard from within a sound as of many +women moaning and weeping. Then said he to a page who stood without, “What +noise is this I hear?” “Sir knight,” said he, “there be within thirty +ladies, the widows of thirty knights who have been slain by the lord of +this castle. He is called the Brown Knight without pity, and is the most +perilous knight living, wherefore I warn thee to flee.” “That will I never +do,” said Sir Gareth, “for I fear him not.” Then the page saw the Brown +Knight coming and said to Gareth, “Lo! my lord is near.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page179" id="page179" title="179"></a> + +<p> +So both knights made them ready and galloped their horses towards each +other, and the Brown Knight brake his spear upon Sir Gareth’s shield; but +Sir Gareth smote him through the body so that he fell dead. At that he +rode into the castle and told the ladies he had slain their foe. Then were +they right glad of heart and made him all the cheer they could, and +thanked him out of measure. But on the morrow as he went to mass he found +the ladies weeping in the chapel upon divers tombs that were there. And he +knew that in those tombs their husbands lay. Then he bade them be +comforted, and with noble and high words he desired and prayed them all to +be at Arthur’s court on the next Feast of Pentecost. +</p> + +<p> +So he departed and rode past a mountain where was a goodly knight waiting, +who said to him, “Abide, Sir knight, and joust with me!” “How are ye +named?” said Sir Gareth. “I am the Duke de la Rowse,” answered he. “In +good sooth,” then said Sir Gareth, “not long ago I lodged within your +castle, and there promised I would yield to you whenever we might meet.” +“Art thou that proud knight,” said the duke, “who was ready to fight with +me? Guard thyself therefore and make ready.” So they ran together, and Sir +Gareth smote the duke from his horse. Then they alighted and drew their +swords, and fought full sorely for the space of an hour; and at the last +Sir Gareth smote the duke to the earth and would have slain him, but he +yielded. “Then must ye go,” said Sir Gareth, “to my lord King Arthur at +the next Feast of Pentecost and say that I, Sir Gareth, sent ye.” “As ye +will be it,” said the duke; and gave him up his shield for pledge. +</p> + +<p> +And as Sir Gareth rode alone he saw an armed knight coming towards him. +And putting the duke’s shield before him he rode fast to tilt with him; +and so they ran <a class="pagenum" name="page180" id="page180" title="180"></a> together as it had been thunder, and brake their spears +upon each other. Then fought they fiercely with their swords and lashed +together with such mighty strokes that blood ran to the ground on every +side. And after they had fought together for two hours and more, it +chanced the damsel Linet passed that way; and when she saw them she cried +out, “Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth, leave your fighting, for ye are +brethren!” At that they threw away their shields and swords, and took each +other in their arms and wept a great while ere they could speak. And each +gave to the other the honour of the battle, and there was many a kind word +between them. Then said Sir Gawain, “O my brother, for your sake have I +had great sorrow and labour! But truly I would honour you though ye were +not my brother, for ye have done great worship to King Arthur and his +court, and sent more knights to him than any of the Table Round, except +Sir Lancelot.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the damsel Linet staunched their wounds, and their horses being weary +she rode her palfrey to King Arthur and told him of this strange +adventure. When she had told her tidings, the king himself mounted his +horse and bade all come with him to meet them. So a great company of lords +and ladies went forth to meet the brothers. And when King Arthur saw them +he would have spoken hearty words, but for gladness he could not. And both +Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth fell down at their uncle’s knees and did him +homage, and there was passing great joy and gladness among them all. +</p> + +<p> +Then said the king to the damsel Linet, “Why cometh not the Lady Lyones to +visit her knight, Sir Gareth, who hath had such travail for her love?” +“She knoweth not, my lord, that he is here,” replied the damsel, “for +truly <a class="pagenum" name="page181" id="page181" title="181"></a> she desireth greatly to see him.” “Go ye and bring her hither,” +said the king. So the damsel rode to tell her sister where Sir Gareth was, +and when she heard it she rejoiced full heartily and came with all the +speed she could. And when Sir Gareth saw her, there was great joy and +comfort between them. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king asked Sir Gareth whether he would have that lady for his +wife? “My lord,” replied Sir Gareth, “know well that I love her above all +ladies living.” “Now, fair lady,” said King Arthur, “what say ye?” “Most +noble king,” she answered, “my lord, Sir Gareth, is my first love and +shall be my last, and if I may not have him for my husband I will have +none.” Then said the king to them, “Be well assured that for my crown I +would not be the cause of parting your two hearts.” +</p> + +<p> +Then was high preparation made for the marriage, for the king desired it +should be at the Michaelmas next following, at Kinkenadon-by-the-Sea. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Gareth sent out messages to all the knights whom he had overcome in +battle that they should be there upon his marriage-day. +</p> + +<p> +Therefore, at the next Michaelmas, came a goodly company to +Kinkenadon-by-the-Sea. And there did the Archbishop of Canterbury marry +Sir Gareth and the Lady Lyones with all solemnity. And all the knights +whom Sir Gareth had overcome were at the feast; and every manner of revels +and games was held with music and minstrelsy. And there was a great +jousting for three days. But because of his bride the king would not +suffer Sir Gareth to joust. Then did King Arthur give great lands and +fair, with store of gold, to Sir Gareth and his wife, that so they might +live royally together to their lives’ end. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page182" id="page182" title="182"></a> + +<a name="chapter_xi" id="chapter_xi"</a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The Adventures of Sir Tristram of Lyonesse</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/a.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="a4" id="a4" Title="A" alt="Drop Case A"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +gain King Arthur held high festival at Caerleon, at Pentecost, and +gathered round him all the fellowship of the Round Table, and so, +according to his custom, sat and waited till some adventure should arise, +or some knight return to court whose deeds and perils might be told. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he saw Sir Lancelot and a crowd of knights coming through the doors +and leading in their midst the mighty knight, Sir Tristram. As soon as +King Arthur saw him, he rose up and went through half the hall, and held +out both his hands and cried, “Right welcome to thee, good Sir Tristram, +as welcome art thou as any knight that ever came before into this court. A +long time have I wished for thee amongst my fellowship.” Then all the +knights and barons rose up with one accord and came around, and cried out, +“Welcome.” Queen Guinevere came also, and many ladies with her, and all +with one voice said the same. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king took Sir Tristram by the hand and led him to the Round Table +and said, “Welcome again for one of the best and gentlest knights in all +the world; <a class="pagenum" name="page183" id="page183" title="183"></a> a chief in war, a chief in peace, a chief in field and forest, +a chief in the ladies’ chamber—right heartily welcome to this court, and +mayest thou long abide in it.” +</p> + +<p> +When he had so said he looked at every empty seat until he came to what +had been Sir Marhaus’, and there he found written in gold letters, “This +is the seat of the noble knight, Sir Tristram.” Whereat they made him, +with great cheer and gladness, a Fellow of the Round Table. +</p> + +<p> +Now the story of Sir Tristram was as follows:— +</p> + +<p> +There was a king of Lyonesse, named Meliodas, married to the sister of +King Mark of Cornwall, a right fair lady and a good. And so it happened +that King Meliodas hunting in the woods was taken by enchantment and made +prisoner in a castle. When his wife Elizabeth heard it she was nigh mad +with grief, and ran into the forest to seek out her lord. But after many +days of wandering and sorrow she found no trace of him, and laid her down +in a deep valley and prayed to meet her death. And so indeed she did, but +ere she died she gave birth in the midst of all her sorrow to a child, a +boy, and called him with her latest breath Tristram; for she said, “His +name shall show how sadly he hath come into this world.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith she gave up her ghost, and the gentlewoman who was with her took +the child and wrapped it from the cold as well as she was able, and lay +down with it in her arms beneath the shadow of a tree hard by, expecting +death to come to her in turn. +</p> + +<p> +But shortly after came a company of lords and barons seeking for the +queen, and found the lady and the child and took them home. And on the +next day came King <a class="pagenum" name="page184" id="page184" title="184"></a> Meliodas, whom Merlin had delivered, and when he heard +of the queen’s death his sorrow was greater than tongue can tell. And anon +he buried her solemnly and nobly, and called the child Tristram as she had +desired. +</p> + +<p> +Then for seven years King Meliodas mourned and took no comfort, and all +that time young Tristram was well nourished; but in a while he wedded with +the daughter of Howell, King of Brittany, who, that her own children might +enjoy the kingdom, cast about in her mind how she might destroy Tristram. +So on a certain day she put poison in a silver cup, where Tristram and her +children were together playing, that when he was athirst he might drink of +it and die. But so it happened that her own son saw the cup, and, thinking +it must hold good drink, he climbed and took it, and drank deeply of it, +and suddenly thereafter burst and fell down dead. +</p> + +<p> +When the queen heard that, her grief was very great, but her anger and +envy were fiercer than before, and soon again she put more poison in the +cup. And by chance one day her husband finding it when thirsty, took it up +and was about to drink therefrom, when, seeing him, she sprang up with a +mighty cry and dashed it from his hands. +</p> + +<p> +At that King Meliodas, wondering greatly, called to mind the sudden death +of his young child, and taking her fiercely by the hand he cried: +</p> + +<p> +“Traitress, tell me what drink is in this cup or I will slay thee in a +moment;” and therewith pulling out his sword he swore by a great oath to +slay her if she straightway told him not the truth. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page185" id="page185" title="185"></a> + +<p> +“Ah, mercy, lord,” said she, and fell down at his feet; “mercy, and I will +tell thee all.” +</p> + +<p> +And then she told him of her plot to murder Tristram, that her own sons +might enjoy the kingdom. +</p> + +<p> +“The law shall judge thee,” said the king. +</p> + +<p> +And so anon she was tried before the barons, and condemned to be burnt to +death. +</p> + +<p> +But when the fire was made, and she brought out, came Tristram kneeling at +his father’s feet and besought of him a favour. +</p> + +<p> +“Whatsoever thou desirest I will give thee,” said the king. +</p> + +<p> +“Give me the life, then, of the queen, my stepmother,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou doest wrong to ask it,” said Meliodas; “for she would have slain +thee with her poisons if she could, and chiefly for thy sake she ought to +die.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said he, “as for that, I beseech thee of thy mercy to forgive it +her, and for my part may God pardon her as I do; and so I pray thee grant +me my boon, and for God’s sake hold thee to thy promise.” +</p> + +<p> +“If it must be so,” said the king, “take thou her life, for to thee I give +it, and go and do with her as thou wilt.” +</p> + +<p> +Then went young Tristram to the fire and loosed the queen from all her +bonds and delivered her from death. +</p> + +<p> +And after a great while by his good means the king again forgave and lived +in peace with her, though never more in the same lodgings. +</p> + +<p> +Anon was Tristram sent abroad to France in care of one named Governale. +And there for seven years he <a class="pagenum" name="page186" id="page186" title="186"></a> learned the language of the land, and all +knightly exercises and gentle crafts, and especially was he foremost in +music and in hunting, and was a harper beyond all others. And when at +nineteen years of age he came back to his father, he was as lusty and +strong of body and as noble of heart as ever man was seen. +</p> + +<p> +Now shortly after his return it befell that King Anguish of Ireland sent +to King Mark of Cornwall for the tribute due to Ireland, but which was now +seven years behindhand. To whom King Mark sent answer, if he would have it +he must send and fight for it, and they would find a champion to fight +against it. +</p> + +<p> +So King Anguish called for Sir Marhaus, his wife’s brother, a good knight +of the Round Table, who lived then at his court, and sent him with a +knightly retinue in six great ships to Cornwall. And, casting anchor by +the castle of Tintagil, he sent up daily to King Mark for the tribute or +the champion. But no knight there would venture to assail him, for his +fame was very high in all the realm for strength and hardihood. +</p> + +<p> +Then made King Mark a proclamation throughout Cornwall, that if any knight +would fight Sir Marhaus he should stand at the king’s right hand for +evermore, and have great honour and riches all the rest of his days. Anon +this news came to the land of Lyonesse, and when young Tristram heard it +he was angry and ashamed to think no knight of Cornwall durst assail the +Irish champion. “Alas,” said he, “that I am not a knight, that I might +match this Marhaus! I pray you give me leave, sir, to depart to King +Mark’s court and beg of his grace to make me knight.” +</p> + +<p> +“Be ruled by thy own courage,” said his father. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page187" id="page187" title="187"></a> + +<p> +So Tristram rode away forthwith to Tintagil to King Mark, and went up +boldly to him and said, “Sir, give me the order of knighthood and I will +fight to the uttermost with Sir Marhaus of Ireland.” +</p> + +<p> +“What are ye, and whence come ye?” said the king, seeing he was but a +young man, though strong and well made both in body and limb. +</p> + +<p> +“My name is Tristram,” said he, “and I was born in the country of +Lyonesse.” +</p> + +<p> +“But know ye,” said the king, “this Irish knight will fight with none who +be not come of royal blood and near of kin to kings or queens, as he +himself is, for his sister is the Queen of Ireland.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said Tristram, “Let him know that I am come both on my father’s and +my mother’s side of blood as good as his, for my father is King Meliodas +and my mother was that Queen Elizabeth, thy sister, who died in the forest +at my birth.” +</p> + +<p> +When King Mark heard that he welcomed him with all his heart, and knighted +him forthwith, and made him ready to go forth as soon as he would choose, +and armed him royally in armour covered with gold and silver. +</p> + +<p> +Then he sent Sir Marhaus word, “That a better man than he should fight +with him, Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, son of King Meliodas and of King +Mark’s own sister.” So the battle was ordained to be fought in an island +near Sir Marhaus’ ships, and there Sir Tristram landed on the morrow, with +Governale alone attending him for squire, and him he sent back to the land +when he had made himself ready. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Marhaus and Sir Tristram were thus left <a class="pagenum" name="page188" id="page188" title="188"></a> alone, Sir Marhaus said, +“Young knight Sir Tristram what doest thou here? I am full sorry for thy +rashness, for ofttimes have I been assailed in vain, and by the best +knights of the world. Be warned in time, return to them that sent thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair knight, and well-proved knight,” replied Sir Tristram, “be sure that +I shall never quit this quarrel till one of us be overcome. For this cause +have I been made knight, and thou shalt know before we part that though as +yet unproved, I am a king’s son and first-born of a queen. Moreover I have +promised to deliver Cornwall from this ancient burden, or to die. Also, +thou shouldst have known, Sir Marhaus, that thy valour and thy might are +but the better reasons why I should assail thee; for whether I win or lose +I shall gain honour to have met so great a knight as thou art.” +</p> + +<img src="images/figure12.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure12" id="figure12" + title="Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest against each other." + alt="Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest against each other."> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure12.jpg">Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest against each +other,</a> so that both knights and horses fell to the earth. But Sir Marhaus’ +spear smote Sir Tristram a great wound in the side. Then, springing up +from their horses, they lashed together with their swords like two wild +boars. And when they had stricken together a great while they left off +strokes and lunged at one another’s breasts and visors; but seeing this +availed not they hurtled together again to bear each other down. +</p> + +<p> +Thus fought they more than half the day, till both were sorely spent and +blood ran from them to the ground on every side. But by this time Sir +Tristram remained fresher than Sir Marhaus and better winded, and with a +mighty stroke he smote him such a buffet as cut through his helm into his +brain-pan, and there his sword stuck in <a class="pagenum" name="page189" id="page189" title="189"></a> so fast that thrice Sir Tristram +pulled ere he could get it from his head. Then fell Sir Marhaus down upon +his knees, and the edge of Sir Tristram’s sword broke off into his +brain-pan. And suddenly when he seemed dead, Sir Marhaus rose and threw +his sword and shield away from him and ran and fled into his ship. And +Tristram cried out after him, “Aha! Sir knight of the Round Table, dost +thou withdraw thee from so young a knight? it is a shame to thee and all +thy kin; I would rather have been hewn into a hundred pieces than have +fled from thee.” +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Marhaus answered nothing, and sorely groaning fled away. +</p> + +<p> +“Farewell, Sir knight, farewell,” laughed Tristram, whose own voice now +was hoarse and faint with loss of blood; “I have thy sword and shield in +my safe keeping, and will wear them in all places where I ride on my +adventures, and before King Arthur and the Table Round.” +</p> + +<p> +Then was Sir Marhaus taken back to Ireland by his company; and as soon as +he arrived his wounds were searched, and when they searched his head they +found therein a piece of Tristram’s sword; but all the skill of surgeons +was in vain to move it out. So anon Sir Marhaus died. +</p> + +<p> +But the queen, his sister, took the piece of sword-blade and put it safely +by, for she thought that some day it might help her to revenge her +brother’s death. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, Sir Tristram, being sorely wounded, sat down softly on a little +mound and bled passing fast; and in that evil case was found anon by +Governale and King Mark’s knights. Then they gently took him up and +brought him in a barge back to the land, and lifted him <a class="pagenum" name="page190" id="page190" title="190"></a> into a bed within +the castle, and had his wounds dressed carefully. +</p> + +<p> +But for a great while he lay sorely sick, and was likely to have died of +the first stroke Sir Marhaus had given him with the spear, for the point +of it was poisoned. And, though the wisest surgeons and leeches—both men +and women—came from every part, yet could he be by no means cured. At +last came a wise lady, and said plainly that Sir Tristram never should be +healed, until he went and stayed in that same country whence the poison +came. When this was understood, the king sent Sir Tristram in a fair and +goodly ship to Ireland, and by fortune he arrived fast by a castle where +the king and queen were. And as the ship was being anchored, he sat upon +his bed and harped a merry lay, and made so sweet a music as was never +equalled. +</p> + +<p> +When the king heard that the sweet harper was a wounded knight, he sent +for him, and asked his name. “I am of the country of Lyonesse,” he +answered, “and my name is Tramtrist;” for he dared not tell his true name +lest the vengeance of the queen should fall upon him for her brother’s +death. +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said King Anguish, “thou art right welcome here, and shalt have +all the help this land can give thee; but be not anxious if I am at times +cast down and sad, for but lately in Cornwall the best knight in the +world, fighting for my cause, was slain; his name was Sir Marhaus, a +knight of King Arthur’s Round Table.” And then he told Sir Tristram all +the story of Sir Marhaus’ battle, and Sir Tristram made pretence of great +surprise and sorrow, though he knew all far better than the king himself. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page191" id="page191" title="191"></a> + +<p> +Then was he put in charge of the king’s daughter, La Belle Isault, to be +healed of his wound, and she was as fair and noble a lady as men’s eyes +might see. And so marvellously was she skilled in medicine, that in a few +days she fully cured him; and in return Sir Tristram taught her the harp; +so, before long, they two began to love each other greatly. +</p> + +<p> +But at that time a heathen knight, Sir Palomedes, was in Ireland, and much +cherished by the king and queen. He also loved mightily La Belle Isault, +and never wearied of making her great gifts, and seeking for her favour, +and was ready even to be christened for her sake. Sir Tristram therefore +hated him out of measure, and Sir Palomedes was full of rage and envy +against Tristram. +</p> + +<p> +And so it befell that King Anguish proclaimed a great tournament to be +held, the prize whereof should be a lady called the Lady of the Launds, of +near kindred to the king: and her the winner of the tournament should wed +in three days afterwards, and possess all her lands. When La Belle Isault +told Sir Tristram of this tournament, he said, “Fair lady! I am yet a +feeble knight, and but for thee had been a dead man now: what wouldest +thou I should do? Thou knowest well I may not joust.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, Tristram,” said she, “why wilt thou not fight in this tournament? Sir +Palomedes will be there, and will do his mightiest; and therefore be thou +there, I pray thee, or else he will be winner of the prize.” +</p> + +<p> +“Madam,” said Tristram, “I will go, and for thy sake will do my best; but +let me go unknown to all men; and do thou, I pray thee, keep my counsel, +and help me to a disguise.” +</p> + +<p> +So on the day of jousting came Sir Palomedes, with a <a class="pagenum" name="page192" id="page192" title="192"></a> black shield, and +overthrew many knights. And all the people wondered at his prowess; for on +the first day he put to the worse Sir Gawain, Sir Gaheris, Sir Agravaine, +Sir Key, and many more from far and near. And on the morrow he was +conqueror again, and overthrew the king with a hundred knights and the +King of Scotland. But presently Sir Tristram rode up to the lists, having +been let out at a privy postern of the castle, where none could see. La +Belle Isault had dressed him in white armour and given him a white horse +and shield, and so he came suddenly into the field as it had been a bright +angel. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as Sir Palomedes saw him he ran at him with a great spear in rest, +but Sir Tristram was ready, and at the first encounter hurled him to the +ground. Then there arose a great cry that the knight with the black shield +was overthrown. And Palomedes sorely hurt and shamed, sought out a secret +way and would have left the field; but Tristram watched him, and rode +after him, and bade him stay, for he had not yet done with him. Then did +Sir Palomedes turn with fury, and lash at Sir Tristram with his sword; but +at the first stroke Sir Tristram smote him to the earth, and cried, “Do +now all my commands, or take thy death.” Then he yielded to Sir Tristram’s +mercy, and promised to forsake La Belle Isault, and for twelve months to +wear no arms or armour. And rising up, he cut his armour off him into +shreds with rage and madness, and turned and left the field: and Sir +Tristram also left the lists, and rode back to the castle through the +postern gate. +</p> + +<p> +Then was Sir Tristram long cherished by the King and Queen of Ireland, and +ever with La Belle Isault. But on a certain day, while he was bathing, +came the <a class="pagenum" name="page193" id="page193" title="193"></a> queen with La Belle Isault by chance into his chamber, and saw +his sword lie naked on the bed: anon she drew it from the scabbard and +looked at it a long while, and both thought it a passing fair sword; but +within a foot and a half of the end there was a great piece broken out, +and while the queen was looking at the gap, she suddenly remembered the +piece of sword-blade that was found in the brain-pan of her brother Sir +Marhaus. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure13.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure13" id="figure13" + title="And running to her chamber, she sought in her casket for the piece of iron ... and fitted it in Tristram’s sword." + alt="And running to her chamber, she sought in her casket for the piece of iron ... and fitted it in Tristram’s sword."> + +<p> +Therewith she turned and cried, “By my faith, this is the felon knight who +slew thy uncle!” <a href="images/figure13.jpg">And running to her chamber she sought in her casket for +the piece of iron from Sir Marhaus’ head and brought it back, and fitted +it in Tristram’s sword;</a> and surely did it fit therein as closely as it had +been but yesterday broke out. +</p> + +<p> +Then the queen caught the sword up fiercely in her hand, and ran into the +room where Sir Tristram was yet in his bath, and making straight for him, +had run him through the body, had not his squire, Sir Hebes, got her in +his arms, and pulled the sword away from her. +</p> + +<p> +Then ran she to the king, and fell upon her knees before him, saying, +“Lord and husband, thou hast here in thy house that felon knight who slew +my brother Marhaus!” +</p> + +<p> +“Who is it?” said the king. +</p> + +<p> +“It is Sir Tristram!” said she, “whom Isault hath healed.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” replied the king, “I am full grieved thereat, for he is a good +knight as ever I have seen in any field; but I charge thee leave thou him, +and let me deal with him.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king went to Sir Tristram’s chamber and <a class="pagenum" name="page194" id="page194" title="194"></a> found him all armed and +ready to mount his horse, and said to him, “Sir Tristram, it is not to +prove me against thee I come, for it were shameful of thy host to seek thy +life. Depart in peace, but tell me first thy name, and whether thou +slewest my brother, Sir Marhaus.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Tristram told him all the truth, and how he had hid his name, to +be unknown in Ireland; and when he had ended, the king declared he held +him in no blame. “Howbeit, I cannot for mine honour’s sake retain thee at +this court, for so I should displease my barons, and my wife, and all her +kin.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Tristram, “I thank thee for the goodness thou hast shown +me here, and for the great goodness my lady, thy daughter, hath shown me; +and it may chance to be more for thy advantage if I live than if I die; +for wheresoever I may be, I shall ever seek thy service, and shall be my +lady thy daughter’s servant in all places, and her knight in right and +wrong, and shall never fail to do for her as much as knight can do.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Tristram went to La Belle Isault, and took his leave of her. “O +gentle knight,” said she, “full of grief am I at your departing, for never +yet I saw a man to love so well.” +</p> + +<p> +“Madam,” said he, “I promise faithfully that all my life I shall be your +knight.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Tristram gave her a ring, and she gave him another, and after +that he left her, weeping and lamenting, and went among the barons, and +openly took his leave of them all, saying, “Fair lords, it so befalleth +that I now must depart hence; therefore, if there be any here whom I have +offended or who is grieved with me, let him now say it, and before I go I +will amend it to the utmost <a class="pagenum" name="page195" id="page195" title="195"></a> of my power. And if there be but one who +would speak shame of me behind my back, let him say it now or never, and +here is my body to prove it on—body against body.” +</p> + +<p> +And all stood still and said no word, though some there were of the +queen’s kindred who would have assailed him had they dared. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Tristram departed from Ireland and took the sea and came with a +fair wind to Tintagil. And when the news came to King Mark that Sir +Tristram was returned, healed of his wound, he was passing glad, and so +were all his barons. And when he had visited the king his uncle, he rode +to his father, King Meliodas, and there had all the heartiest welcome that +could be made him. And both the king and queen gave largely to him of +their lands and goods. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he came again to King Mark’s court, and there lived in great joy and +pleasure, till within a while the king grew jealous of his fame, and of +the love and favour shown him by all damsels. And as long as King Mark +lived, he never after loved Sir Tristram, though there was much fair +speech between them. +</p> + +<p> +Then it befell upon a certain day that the good knight Sir Bleoberis de +Ganis, brother to Sir Blamor de Ganis, and nigh cousin to Sir Lancelot of +the Lake, came to King Mark’s court and asked of him a favour. And though +the king marvelled, seeing he was a man of great renown, and a knight of +the Round Table, he granted him all his asking. Then said Sir Bleoberis, +“I will have the fairest lady in your court, at my own choosing.” +</p> + +<p> +“I may not say thee nay,” replied the king; “choose therefore, but take +all the issues of thy choice.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page196" id="page196" title="196"></a> + +<p> +So when he had looked around, he chose the wife of Earl Segwarides, and +took her by the hand, and set her upon horseback behind his squire, and +rode forth on his way. +</p> + +<p> +Presently thereafter came in the earl, and rode out straightway after him +in rage. But all the ladies cried out shame upon Sir Tristram that he had +not gone, and one rebuked him foully and called him coward knight, that he +would stand and see a lady forced away from his uncle’s court. But Sir +Tristram answered her, “Fair lady, it is not my place to take part in this +quarrel while her lord and husband is here to do it. Had he not been at +this court, peradventure I had been her champion. And if it so befall that +he speed ill, then may it happen that I speak with that foul knight before +he pass out of this realm.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon ran in one of Sir Segwarides’ squires, and told that his master was +sore wounded, and at the point of death. When Sir Tristram heard that, he +was soon armed and on his horse, and Governale, his servant, followed him +with shield and spear. +</p> + +<p> +And as he rode, he met his cousin Sir Andret, who had been commanded by +King Mark to bring home to him two knights of King Arthur’s court who +roamed the country thereabouts seeking adventures. +</p> + +<p> +“What tidings?” said Sir Tristram. +</p> + +<p> +“God help me, never worse,” replied his cousin; “for those I went to bring +have beaten and defeated me, and set my message at naught.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair cousin,” said Sir Tristram, “ride ye on your way, perchance if I +should meet them ye may be revenged.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page197" id="page197" title="197"></a> + +<p> +So Sir Andret rode into Cornwall, but Sir Tristram rode after the two +knights who had misused him, namely, Sir Sagramour le Desirous, and Sir +Dodinas le Savage. And before long he saw them but a little way before +him. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Governale, “by my advice thou wilt leave them alone, for they +be two well-proved knights of Arthur’s court.” +</p> + +<p> +“Shall I not therefore rather meet them?” said Sir Tristram, and, riding +swiftly after them, he called to them to stop, and asked them whence they +came, and whither they were going, and what they were doing in those +marches. +</p> + +<p> +Sir Sagramour looked haughtily at Sir Tristram, and made mocking of his +words, and said, “Fair knight, be ye a knight of Cornwall?” +</p> + +<p> +“Wherefore askest thou that?” said Tristram. +</p> + +<p> +“Truly, because it is full seldom seen,” replied Sir Sagramour, “that +Cornish knights are valiant with their arms as with their tongues. It is +but two hours since there met us such a Cornish knight, who spoke great +words with might and prowess, but anon, with little mastery, he was laid +on earth, as I trow wilt thou be also.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair lords,” said Sir Tristram, “it may chance I be a better man than he; +but, be that as it may, he was my cousin, and for his sake I will assail +ye both; one Cornish knight against ye two.” +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Dodinas le Savage heard this speech, he caught at his spear and +said, “Sir knight, keep well thyself;” and then they parted and came +together as it had been thunder, and Sir Dodinas’ spear split asunder; but +Sir Tristram smote him with so full a stroke as <a class="pagenum" name="page198" id="page198" title="198"></a> hurled him over his +horse’s crupper, and nearly brake his neck. Sir Sagramour, seeing his +fellow’s fall, marvelled who this new knight might be, and dressed his +spear, and came against Sir Tristram as a whirlwind; but Sir Tristram +smote him a mighty buffet, and rolled him with his horse down on the +ground; and in the falling he brake his thigh. +</p> + +<p> +Then, looking at them both as they lay grovelling on the grass, Sir +Tristram said, “Fair knights, will ye joust any more? Are there no bigger +knights in King Arthur’s court? Will ye soon again speak shame of Cornish +knights?” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou hast defeated us, in truth,” replied Sir Sagramour, “and on the +faith of knighthood I require thee tell us thy right name?” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye charge me by a great thing,” said Sir Tristram, “and I will answer +ye.” +</p> + +<p> +And when they heard his name the two knights were right glad that they had +met Sir Tristram, for his deeds were known through all the land, and they +prayed him to abide in their company. +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said he, “I must find a fellow-knight of yours, Sir Bleoberis de +Ganis, whom I seek.” +</p> + +<p> +“God speed you well,” said the two knights; and Sir Tristram rode away. +</p> + +<p> +Soon he saw before him in a valley Sir Bleoberis with Sir Segwarides’ wife +riding behind his squire upon a palfrey. At that he cried out aloud, +“Abide, Sir knight of King Arthur’s court, bring back again that lady or +deliver her to me.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not,” said Bleoberis, “for I dread no Cornish knight.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page199" id="page199" title="199"></a> + +<p> +“Why,” said Sir Tristram, “may not a Cornish knight do well as any other? +This day, but three miles back, two knights of thy own court met me, and +found one Cornish knight enough for both before we parted.” +</p> + +<p> +“What were their names?” said Sir Bleoberis. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir Sagramour le Desirous and Sir Dodinas le Savage,” said Sir Tristram. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” said Sir Bleoberis, amazed; “hast thou then met with them? By my +faith, they were two good knights and men of worship, and if thou hast +beat both thou must needs be a good knight; but for all that thou shalt +beat me also ere thou hast this lady.” +</p> + +<p> +“Defend thee, then,” cried out Sir Tristram, and came upon him swiftly +with his spear in rest. But Sir Bleoberis was as swift as he, and each +bore down the other, horse and all, on to the earth. +</p> + +<p> +Then they sprang clear of their horses, and lashed together full eagerly +and mightily with their swords, tracing and traversing on the right hand +and on the left more than two hours, and sometimes rushing together with +such fury that they both lay grovelling on the ground. At last Sir +Bleoberis started back and said, “Now, gentle knight, hold hard awhile, +and let us speak together.” +</p> + +<p> +“Say on,” said Sir Tristram, “and I will answer thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Bleoberis, “I would know thy name, and court, and +country.” +</p> + +<p> +“I have no shame to tell them,” said Sir Tristram. “I am King Meliodas’ +son, and my mother was sister to King Mark, from whose court I now come. +My name is Sir Tristram de Lyonesse.” <a class="pagenum" name="page200" id="page200" title="200"></a> “Truly,” said Sir Bleoberis, “I am +right glad to hear it, for thou art he that slew Sir Marhaus hand-to-hand, +fighting for the Cornish tribute; and overcame Sir Palomedes at the great +Irish tournament, where also thou didst overthrow Sir Gawain and his nine +companions.” +</p> + +<p> +“I am that knight,” said Sir Tristram, “and now I pray thee tell me thy +name.” +</p> + +<p> +“I am Sir Bleoberis de Ganis, cousin of Sir Lancelot of the Lake, one of +the best knights in all the world,” he answered. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou sayest truth,” said Sir Tristram; “for Sir Lancelot, as all men +know, is peerless in courtesy and knighthood, and for the great love I +bear to his name I will not willingly fight more with thee his kinsman.” +</p> + +<p> +“In good faith, sir,” said Sir Bleoberis, “I am as loth to fight thee +more; but since thou hast followed me to win this lady, I proffer thee +kindness, courtesy, and gentleness; this lady shall be free to go with +which of us she pleaseth best.” +</p> + +<p> +“I am content,” said Sir Tristram, “for I doubt not she will come to me.” +</p> + +<p> +“That shalt thou shortly prove,” said he, and called his squire, and set +the lady in the midst between them, who forthwith walked to Sir Bleoberis +and elected to abide with him. Which, when Sir Tristram saw, he was in +wondrous anger with her, and felt that he could scarce for shame return to +King Mark’s court. But Sir Bleoberis said, “Hearken to me, good knight, +Sir Tristram, because King Mark gave me free choice of any gift, and +because this lady chose to go with me, I took her; but now I have +fulfilled my quest and <a class="pagenum" name="page201" id="page201" title="201"></a> my adventure, and for thy sake she shall be sent +back to her husband at the abbey where he lieth.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Tristram rode back to Tintagil, and Sir Bleoberis to the abbey +where Sir Segwarides lay wounded, and there delivered up his lady, and +departed as a noble knight. +</p> + +<p> +After this adventure Sir Tristram abode still at his uncle’s court, till +in the envy of his heart King Mark devised a plan to be rid of him. So on +a certain day he desired him to depart again for Ireland, and there demand +La Belle Isault on his behalf, to be his queen—for ever had Sir Tristram +praised her beauty and her goodness, till King Mark desired to wed her for +himself. Moreover, he believed his nephew surely would be slain by the +queen’s kindred if he once were found again in Ireland. +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Tristram, scorning fear, made ready to depart, and took with him +the noblest knights that could be found, arrayed in the richest fashion. +</p> + +<p> +And when they were come to Ireland, upon a certain day Sir Tristram gave +his uncle’s message, and King Anguish consented thereto. +</p> + +<p> +But when La Belle Isault was told the tidings she was very sorrowful and +loth—yet made she ready to set forth with Sir Tristram, and took with her +Dame Bragwaine, her chief gentlewoman. Then the queen gave Dame Bragwaine, +and Governale, Sir Tristram’s servant, a little flask, and charged them +that La Belle Isault and King Mark should both drink of it on their +marriage day, and then should they surely love each other all their lives. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure14.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure14" id="figure14" + title="By the time they had finished drinking they loved each other so well that their love never more might leave them." + alt="By the time they had finished drinking they loved each other so well that their love never more might leave them."> + +<p> +Anon, Sir Tristram and Isault, with a great company, took the sea and +departed. And so it chanced that one <a class="pagenum" name="page202" id="page202" title="202"></a> day sitting in their cabin they were +athirst, and saw a little flask of gold which seemed to hold good wine. So +Sir Tristram took it up, and said, “Fair lady, this looketh to be the best +of wines, and your maid, Dame Bragwaine, and my servant, Governale, have +kept it for themselves.” Thereat they both laughed merrily, and drank each +after other from the flask, and never before had they tasted any wine +which seemed so good and sweet. <a href="images/figure14.jpg">But by the time they had finished drinking +they loved each other so well that their love nevermore might leave them</a> +for weal or woe. And thus it came to pass that though Sir Tristram might +never wed La Belle Isault, he did the mightiest deeds of arms for her sake +only all his life. +</p> + +<p> +Then they sailed onwards till they came to a castle called Pluere, where +they would have rested. But anon there ran forth a great company and took +them prisoners. And when they were in prison, Sir Tristram asked a knight +and lady whom they found therein wherefore they were so shamefully dealt +with; “for,” said he, “it was never the custom of any place of honour that +I ever came unto to seize a knight and lady asking shelter and thrust them +into prison, and a full evil and discourteous custom is it.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the knight, “know ye not that this is called the Castle +Pluere, or the weeping castle, and that it is an ancient custom here that +whatsoever knight abideth in it must needs fight the lord of it, Sir +Brewnor, and he that is the weakest shall lose his head. And if the lady +he hath with him be less fair than the lord’s wife, she shall lose her +head; but if she be fairer, then must the lady of the castle lose her +head.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page203" id="page203" title="203"></a> + +<p> +“Now Heaven help me,” said Sir Tristram, “but this is a foul and shameful +custom. Yet have I one advantage, for my lady is the fairest that doth +live in all the world, so that I nothing fear for her; and as for me, I +will full gladly fight for my own head in a fair field.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said the knight, “Look ye be up betimes to-morrow, and make you ready +and your lady.” +</p> + +<p> +And on the morrow came Sir Brewnor to Sir Tristram, and put him and Isault +forth out of prison, and brought him a horse and armour, and bade him make +ready, for all the commons and estates of that lordship waited in the +field to see and judge the battle. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Brewnor, holding his lady by the hand, all muffled, came forth, +and Sir Tristram went to meet him with La Belle Isault beside him, muffled +also. Then said Sir Brewnor, “Sir knight, if thy lady be fairer than mine, +with thy sword smite off my lady’s head; but if my lady be fairer than +thine, with my sword I will smite off thy lady’s head. And if I overcome +thee thy lady shall be mine, and thou shalt lose thy head.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” replied Sir Tristram, “this is a right foul and felon +custom, and rather than my lady shall lose her head will I lose my own.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said Sir Brewnor, “but the ladies shall be now compared together +and judgment shall be had.” +</p> + +<p> +“I consent not,” cried Sir Tristram, “for who is here that will give +rightful judgment? Yet doubt not that my lady is far fairer than thine +own, and that will I prove and make good.” Therewith Sir Tristram lifted +up the veil from off La Belle Isault, and stood beside her with his naked +sword drawn in his hand. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Brewnor unmuffled his lady and did in like <a class="pagenum" name="page204" id="page204" title="204"></a> manner. But when he +saw La Belle Isault he knew that none could be so fair, and all there +present gave their judgment so. Then said Sir Tristram, “Because thou and +thy lady have long used this evil custom, and have slain many good knights +and ladies, it were a just thing to destroy thee both.” +</p> + +<p> +“In good sooth,” said Sir Brewnor, “thy lady is fairer than mine, and of +all women I never saw any so fair. Therefore, slay my lady if thou wilt, +and I doubt not but I shall slay thee and have thine.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou shalt win her,” said Sir Tristram, “as dearly as ever knight won +lady; and because of thy own judgment and of the evil custom that thy lady +hath consented to, I will slay her as thou sayest.” +</p> + +<p> +And therewithal Sir Tristram went to him and took his lady from him, and +smote off her head at a stroke. +</p> + +<p> +“Now take thy horse,” cried out Sir Brewnor, “for since I have lost my +lady I will win thine and have thy life.” +</p> + +<p> +So they took their horses and came together as fast as they could fly, and +Sir Tristram lightly smote Sir Brewnor from his horse. But he rose right +quickly, and when Sir Tristram came again he thrust his horse through both +the shoulders, so that it reeled and fell. But Sir Tristram was light and +nimble, and voided his horse, and rose up and dressed his shield before +him, though meanwhile, ere he could draw out his sword, Sir Brewnor gave +him three or four grievous strokes. Then they rushed furiously together +like two wild boars, and fought hurtling and hewing here and there for +nigh two hours, and wounded each other full sorely. Then at the last Sir +Brewnor rushed upon Sir Tristram and took him in his <a class="pagenum" name="page205" id="page205" title="205"></a> arms to throw him, +for he trusted greatly in his strength. But Sir Tristram was at that time +called the strongest and biggest knight of the world; for he was bigger +than Sir Lancelot, though Sir Lancelot was better breathed. So anon he +thrust Sir Brewnor grovelling to the earth, and then unlaced his helm and +struck off his head. Then all they that belonged to the castle came and +did him homage and fealty, and prayed him to abide there for a season and +put an end to that foul custom. +</p> + +<p> +But within a while he departed and came to Cornwall, and there King Mark +was forthwith wedded to La Belle Isault with great joy and splendour. +</p> + +<p> +And Sir Tristram had high honour, and ever lodged at the king’s court. But +for all he had done him such services King Mark hated him, and on a +certain day he set two knights to fall upon him as he rode in the forest. +But Sir Tristram lightly smote one’s head off, and sorely wounded the +other, and made him bear his fellow’s body to the king. At that the king +dissembled and hid from Sir Tristram that the knights were sent by him; +yet more than ever he hated him in secret, and sought to slay him. +</p> + +<p> +So on a certain day, by the assent of Sir Andret, a false knight, and +forty other knights, Sir Tristram was taken prisoner in his sleep and +carried to a chapel on the rocks above the sea to be cast down. But as +they were about to cast him in, suddenly he brake his bonds asunder, and +rushing at Sir Andret, took his sword and smote him down therewith. Then, +leaping down the rocks where none could follow, he escaped them. But one +shot after him and wounded him full sorely with a poisoned arrow in the +arm. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page206" id="page206" title="206"></a> + +<p> +Anon, his servant Governale, with Sir Lambegus sought him and found him +safe among the rocks, and told him that King Mark had banished him and all +his followers to avenge Sir Andret’s death. So they took ship and came to +Brittany. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Tristram, suffering great anguish from his wound, was told to seek +Isoude, the daughter of the King of Brittany, for she alone could cure +such wounds. Wherefore he went to King Howell’s court, and said, “Lord, I +am come into this country to have help from thy daughter, for men tell me +none but she may help me.” And Isoude gladly offering to do her best, +within a month he was made whole. +</p> + +<p> +While he abode still at that court, an earl named Grip made war upon King +Howell, and besieged him; and Sir Kay Hedius, the king’s son, went forth +against him, but was beaten in battle and sore wounded. Then the king +praying Sir Tristram for his help, he took with him such knights as he +could find, and on the morrow, in another battle, did such deeds of arms +that all the land spake of him. For there he slew the earl with his own +hands, and more than a hundred knights besides. +</p> + +<p> +When he came back King Howell met him, and saluted him with every honour +and rejoicing that could be thought of, and took him in his arms, and +said, “Sir Tristram, all my kingdom will I resign to thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” answered he, “God forbid, for truly am I beholden to you for ever +for your daughter’s sake.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king prayed him to take Isoude in marriage, with a great dower of +lands and castles. To this Sir Tristram presently consenting anon they +were wedded at the court. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page207" id="page207" title="207"></a> + +<p> +But within a while Sir Tristram greatly longed to see Cornwall, and Sir +Kay Hedius desired to go with him. So they took ship; but as soon as they +were at sea the wind blew them upon the coast of North Wales, nigh to +Castle Perilous, hard by a forest wherein were many strange adventures +ofttimes to be met. Then said Sir Tristram to Sir Kay Hedius, “Let us +prove some of them ere we depart.” So they took their horses and rode +forth. +</p> + +<p> +When they had ridden a mile or more, Sir Tristram spied a goodly knight +before him well armed, who sat by a clear fountain with a strong horse +near him, tied to an oak-tree. “Fair sir,” said he, when they came near, +“ye seem to be a knight errant by your arms and harness, therefore make +ready now to joust with one of us, or both.” +</p> + +<p> +Thereat the knight spake not, but took his shield and buckled it round his +neck, and leaping on his horse caught a spear from his squire’s hand. +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Kay Hedius to Sir Tristram, “Let me assay him.” +</p> + +<p> +“Do thy best,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +So the two knights met, and Sir Kay Hedius fell sorely wounded in the +breast. +</p> + +<p> +“Thou hast well jousted,” cried Sir Tristram to the knight; “now make +ready for me!” +</p> + +<p> +“I am ready,” answered he, and encountered him, and smote him so heavily +that he fell down from his horse. Whereat, being ashamed, he put his +shield before him, and drew his sword, crying to the strange knight to do +likewise. Then they fought on foot for well nigh two hours, till they were +both weary. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page208" id="page208" title="208"></a> + +<p> +At last Sir Tristram said, “In all my life I never met a knight so strong +and well-breathed as ye be. It were a pity we should further hurt each +other. Hold thy hand, fair knight, and tell me thy name.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will I,” answered he, “if thou wilt tell me thine.” +</p> + +<p> +“My name,” said he, “is Sir Tristram of Lyonesse.” +</p> + +<p> +“And mine, Sir Lamoracke of Gaul.” +</p> + +<p> +Then both cried out together, “Well met;” and Sir Lamoracke said, “Sir, +for your great renown, I will that ye have all the worship of this battle, +and therefore will I yield me unto you.” And therewith he took his sword +by the point to yield him. +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said Sir Tristram, “ye shall not do so, for well I know ye do it of +courtesy, and not of dread.” And therewith he offered his sword to Sir +Lamoracke, saying, “Sir, as an overcome knight, I yield me unto you as +unto the man of noblest powers I have ever met with.” +</p> + +<p> +“Hold,” said Sir Lamoracke, “let us now swear together nevermore to fight +against each other.” +</p> + +<p> +Then did they swear as he said. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Tristram returned to Sir Kay Hedius, and when he was whole of his +wounds, they departed together in a ship, and landed on the coast of +Cornwall. And when they came ashore, Sir Tristram eagerly sought news of +La Belle Isault. And one told him in mistake that she was dead. Whereat, +for sore and grievous sorrow, he fell down in a swoon, and so lay for +three days and nights. +</p> + +<p> +When he awoke therefrom he was crazed, and ran into the forest and abode +there like a wild man many days; whereby he waxed lean and weak of body, +and <a class="pagenum" name="page209" id="page209" title="209"></a> would have died, but that a hermit laid some meat beside him as he +slept. Now in that forest was a giant named Tauleas, who, for fear of +Tristram, had hid himself within a castle, but when they told him he was +mad, came forth and went at large again. And on a certain day he saw a +knight of Cornwall, named Sir Dinaunt, pass by with a lady, and when he +had alighted by a well to rest, the giant leaped out from his ambush, and +took him by the throat to slay him. But Sir Tristram, as he wandered +through the forest, came upon them as they struggled; and when the knight +cried out for help, he rushed upon the giant, and taking up Sir Dinaunt’s +sword, struck off therewith the giant’s head, and straightway disappeared +among the trees. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, Sir Dinaunt took the head of Tauleas, and bare it with him to the +court of King Mark, whither he was bound, and told of his adventures. +“Where had ye this adventure?” said King Mark. +</p> + +<p> +“At a fair fountain in thy forest,” answered he. +</p> + +<p> +“I would fain see that wild man,” said the king. +</p> + +<p> +So within a day or two he commanded his knights to a great hunting in the +forest. And when the king came to the well, he saw a wild man lying there +asleep, having a sword beside him; but he knew not that it was Sir +Tristram. Then he blew his horn, and summoned all his knights to take him +gently up and bear him to the court. +</p> + +<p> +And when they came thereto they bathed and washed him, and brought him +somewhat to his right mind. Now La Belle Isault knew not that Sir Tristram +was in Cornwall; but when she heard that a wild man had been found in the +forest, she came to see him. And so <a class="pagenum" name="page210" id="page210" title="210"></a> sorely was he changed, she knew him +not. “Yet,” said she to Dame Bragwaine, “in good faith I seem to have +beheld him ofttimes before.” +</p> + +<p> +As she thus spoke a little hound, which Sir Tristram had given her when +she first came to Cornwall, and which was ever with her, saw Sir Tristram +lying there, and leapt upon him, licking his hands and face, and whined +and barked for joy. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas,” cried out La Belle Isault, “it is my own true knight, Sir +Tristram.” +</p> + +<p> +And at her voice Sir Tristram’s senses wholly came again, and wellnigh he +wept for joy to see his lady living. +</p> + +<p> +But never would the hound depart from Tristram; and when King Mark and +other knights came up to see him, it sat upon his body and bayed at all +who came too near. Then one of the knights said, “Surely this is Sir +Tristram; I see it by the hound.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said the king, “it cannot be,” and asked Sir Tristram on his faith +who he was. +</p> + +<p> +“My name,” said he, “is Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, and now ye may do what +ye list with me.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king said, “It repents me that ye are recovered,” and sought to +make his barons slay him. But most of them would not assent thereto, and +counselled him instead to banish Tristram for ten years again from +Cornwall, for returning without orders from the king. So he was sworn to +depart forthwith. +</p> + +<p> +And as he went towards the ship a knight of King Arthur, named Sir +Dinadan, who sought him, came and said, “Fair knight, ere that you pass +out of this country, I pray you joust with me!” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page211" id="page211" title="211"></a> + +<p> +“With a good will,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +Then they ran together, and Sir Tristram lightly smote him from his horse. +Anon he prayed Sir Tristram’s leave to bear him company, and when he had +consented they rode together to the ship. +</p> + +<p> +Then was Sir Tristram full of bitterness of heart, and said to all the +knights who took him to the shore, “Greet well King Mark and all mine +enemies from me, and tell them I will come again when I may. Well am I now +rewarded for slaying Sir Marhaus, and delivering this kingdom from its +bondage, and for the perils wherewithal I brought La Belle Isault from +Ireland to the king, and rescued her at the Castle Pluere, and for the +slaying of the giant Tauleas, and all the other deeds that I have done for +Cornwall and King Mark.” Thus angrily and passing bitterly he spake, and +went his way. +</p> + +<p> +And after sailing awhile the ship stayed at a landing-place upon the coast +of Wales; and there Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan alighted, and on the +shore they met two knights, Sir Ector and Sir Bors. And Sir Ector +encountered with Sir Dinadan and smote him to the ground; but Sir Bors +would not encounter with Sir Tristram, “For,” said he, “no Cornish knights +are men of worship.” Thereat Sir Tristram was full wroth, but presently +there met them two more knights, Sir Bleoberis and Sir Driant; and Sir +Bleoberis proffered to joust with Sir Tristram, who shortly smote him +down. +</p> + +<p> +“I had not thought,” cried out Sir Bors, “that any Cornish knight could do +so valiantly.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan departed, and rode into a forest, and as +they rode a damsel met them, who <a class="pagenum" name="page212" id="page212" title="212"></a> for Sir Lancelot’s sake was seeking any +noble knights to rescue him. For Queen Morgan le Fay, who hated him, had +ordered thirty men-at-arms to lie in ambush for him as he passed, with the +intent to kill him. So the damsel prayed them to rescue him. +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Tristram, “Bring me to that place, fair damsel.” +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Dinadan cried out, “It is not possible for us to meet with thirty +knights! I will take no part in such a hardihood, for to match one or two +or three knights is enough; but to match fifteen I will never assay.” +</p> + +<p> +“For shame,” replied Sir Tristram, “do but your part.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will I not,” said he; “wherefore, I pray ye, lend me your shield, +for it is of Cornwall, and because men of that country are deemed cowards, +ye are but little troubled as ye ride with knights to joust with.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said Sir Tristram, “I will never give my shield up for her sake who +gave it me; but if thou wilt not stand by me to-day I will surely slay +thee; for I ask no more of thee than to fight one knight, and if thy heart +will not serve thee that much, thou shalt stand by and look on me and +them.” +</p> + +<p> +“Would God that I had never met with ye!” cried Sir Dinadan; “but I +promise to look on and do all that I may to save myself.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon they came to where the thirty knights lay waiting, and Sir Tristram +rushed upon them, saying, “Here is one who fights for love of Lancelot!” +Then slew he two of them at the first onset with his spear, and ten more +swiftly after with his sword. At that Sir Dinadan took courage, and +assailed the others with him, till they turned and fled. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page213" id="page213" title="213"></a> + +<p> +But Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan rode on till nightfall, and meeting with +a shepherd, asked him if he knew of any lodging thereabouts. +</p> + +<p> +“Truly, fair lords,” said he, “there is good lodging in a castle hard by, +but it is a custom there that none shall lodge therein save ye first joust +with two knights, and as soon as ye be within, ye shall find your match.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is an evil lodging,” said Sir Dinadan; “lodge where ye will, I will +not lodge there.” +</p> + +<p> +“Shame on thee!” said Sir Tristram; “art thou a knight at all?” +</p> + +<p> +Then he required him on his knighthood to go with him, and they rode +together to the castle. As soon as they were near, two knights came out +and ran full speed against them; but both of them they overthrew, and went +within the castle, and had noble cheer. Now, when they were unarmed and +ready to take rest, there came to the castle-gate two knights, Sir +Palomedes and Sir Gaheris, and desired the custom of the castle. +</p> + +<p> +“I would far rather rest than fight,” said Sir Dinadan. +</p> + +<p> +“That may not be,” replied Sir Tristram, “for we must needs defend the +custom of the castle, seeing we have overcome its lords; therefore, make +ready.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas that I ever came into your company,” said Sir Dinadan. +</p> + +<p> +So they made ready, and Sir Gaheris encountered Sir Tristram and fell +before him; but Sir Palomedes overthrew Sir Dinadan. Then would all fight +on foot save Sir Dinadan, for he was sorely bruised and frighted by his +fall. And when Sir Tristram prayed him to fight, “I will not,” answered +he, “for I was wounded by those thirty knights with whom we fought this +morning; and <a class="pagenum" name="page214" id="page214" title="214"></a> as to you, ye are in truth like one gone mad, and who would +cast himself away! There be but two knights in the world so mad, and the +other is Sir Lancelot, with whom I once rode forth, who kept me evermore +at battling so that for a quarter of a year thereafter I lay in my bed. +Heaven defend me again from either of your fellowships!” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said Sir Tristram, “if it must be, I will fight them both.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he drew his sword and assailed Sir Palomedes and Sir Gaheris +together; but Sir Palomedes said, “Nay, but it is a shame for two to fight +with one.” So he bade Sir Gaheris stand by, and he and Sir Tristram fought +long together; but in the end Sir Tristram drave him backward, whereat Sir +Gaheris and Sir Dinadan with one accord sundered them. Then Sir Tristram +prayed the two knights to lodge there; but Sir Dinadan departed and rode +away into a priory hard by, and there he lodged that night. +</p> + +<p> +And on the morrow came Sir Tristram to the priory to find him, and seeing +him so weary that he could not ride, he left him, and departed. At that +same priory was lodged Sir Pellinore, who asked Sir Dinadan Sir Tristram’s +name, but could not learn it, for Sir Tristram had charged that he should +remain unknown. Then said Sir Pellinore, “Since ye will not tell it me, I +will ride after him and find it myself.” +</p> + +<p> +“Beware, Sir knight,” said Sir Dinadan, “ye will repent it if ye follow +him.” +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Pellinore straightway mounted and overtook him, and cried to him +to joust; whereat Sir Tristram forthwith turned and smote him down, and +wounded him full sorely in the shoulder. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page215" id="page215" title="215"></a> + +<p> +On the day after, Sir Tristram met a herald, who told him of a tournament +proclaimed between King Carados of Scotland, and the King of North Wales, +to be held at the Maiden’s Castle. Now King Carados sought Sir Lancelot to +fight there on his side, and the King of North Wales sought Sir Tristram. +And Sir Tristram purposed to be there. So as he rode, he met Sir Key, the +seneschal, and Sir Sagramour, and Sir Key proffered to joust with him. But +he refused, desiring to keep himself unwearied for the tourney. Then Sir +Key cried, “Sir knight of Cornwall, joust with me, or yield as recreant.” +When Sir Tristram heard that, he fiercely turned and set his spear in +rest, and spurred his horse towards him. But when Sir Key saw him so madly +coming on, he in his turn refused, whereat Sir Tristram called him coward, +till for shame he was compelled to meet him. Then Sir Tristram lightly +smote him down, and rode away. But Sir Sagramour pursued him, crying +loudly to joust with him also. So Sir Tristram turned and quickly +overthrew him likewise, and departed. +</p> + +<p> +Anon a damsel met him as he rode, and told him of a knight adventurous who +did great harm thereby, and prayed him for his help. But as he went with +her he met Sir Gawain, who knew the damsel for a maiden of Queen Morgan le +Fay. Knowing, therefore, that she needs must have evil plots against Sir +Tristram, Sir Gawain demanded of him courteously whither he went. +</p> + +<p> +“I know not whither,” said he, “save as this damsel leadeth me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Gawain, “ye shall not ride with her, for she and her lady +never yet did good to any;” and, <a class="pagenum" name="page216" id="page216" title="216"></a> drawing his sword, he said to the +damsel, “Tell me now straightway for what cause thou leadest this knight +or else shalt thou die; for I know of old thy lady’s treason.” +</p> + +<p> +“Mercy, Sir Gawain,” cried the damsel, “and I will tell thee all.” Then +she told him that Queen Morgan had ordained thirty fair damsels to seek +out Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristram, and by their wiles persuade them to her +castle, where she had thirty knights in wait to slay them. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh shame!” cried Sir Gawain, “that ever such foul treason should be +wrought by a queen, and a king’s sister.” Then said he to Sir Tristram, +“Sir knight, if ye will stand with me, we will together prove the malice +of these thirty knights.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not fail you,” answered he, “for but few days since I had to do +with thirty knights of that same queen, and trust we may win honour as +lightly now as then.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rode together, and when they came to the castle, Sir Gawain cried +aloud, “Queen Morgan le Fay, send out thy knights that we may fight with +them.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the queen urged her knights to issue forth, but they durst not, for +they well knew Sir Tristram, and feared him greatly. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Tristram and Sir Gawain went on their way, and as they rode they +saw a knight, named Sir Brewse-without-pity, chasing a lady, with intent +to slay her. Then Sir Gawain prayed Sir Tristram to hold still and let him +assail that knight. So he rode up between Sir Brewse and the lady, and +cried, “False knight, turn thee to me and leave that lady.” Then Sir +Brewse turned and <a class="pagenum" name="page217" id="page217" title="217"></a> set his spear in rest, and rushed against Sir Gawain +and overthrew him, and rode his horse upon him as he lay, which when Sir +Tristram saw, he cried, “Forbear that villainy,” and galloped at him. But +when Sir Brewse saw by the shield it was Sir Tristram, he turned and fled. +And though Sir Tristram followed swiftly after him, yet he was so well +horsed that he escaped. +</p> + +<p> +Anon Sir Tristram and Sir Gawain came nigh the Maiden’s Castle, and there +an old knight named Sir Pellonnes gave them lodging. And Sir Persides, the +son of Sir Pellonnes, a good knight, came out to welcome them. And, as +they stood talking at a bay window of the castle, they saw a goodly knight +ride by on a black horse, and carrying a black shield. “What knight is +that?” asked Tristram. +</p> + +<p> +“One of the best knights in all the world,” said Sir Persides. +</p> + +<p> +“Is he Sir Lancelot?” said Sir Tristram. +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” answered Sir Persides, “it is Sir Palomedes, who is yet +unchristened.” +</p> + +<p> +Within a while one came and told them that a knight with a black shield +had smitten down thirteen knights. “Let us go and see this jousting,” said +Sir Tristram. So they armed themselves and went down. And when Sir +Palomedes saw Sir Persides, he sent a squire to him and proffered him to +joust. So they jousted, and Sir Persides was overthrown. Then Sir Tristram +made ready to joust, but ere he had his spear in rest, Sir Palomedes took +him at advantage, and struck him on the shield so that he fell. At that +Sir Tristram was wroth out of measure and sore ashamed, wherefore he sent +a squire and prayed Sir Palomedes to joust once again. But he would not, <a class="pagenum" name="page218" id="page218" title="218"></a> +saying, “Tell thy master to revenge himself to-morrow at the Maiden’s +Castle, where he shall see me again.” +</p> + +<p> +So on the morrow Sir Tristram commanded his servant to give him a black +shield with no cognizance thereon, and he and Sir Persides rode into the +tournament and joined King Carados’ side. +</p> + +<p> +Then the knights of the King of North Wales came forth, and there was a +great fighting and breaking of spears, and overthrow of men and horses. +</p> + +<p> +Now King Arthur sat above in a high gallery to see the tourney and give +the judgment, and Sir Lancelot sat beside him. Then came against Sir +Tristram and Sir Persides, two knights with them of North Wales, Sir +Bleoberis and Sir Gaheris; and Sir Persides was smitten down and nigh +slain, for four horsemen rode over him. But Sir Tristram rode against Sir +Gaheris and smote him from his horse, and when Sir Bleoberis next +encountered him, he overthrew him also. Anon they horsed themselves again, +and with them came Sir Dinadan, whom Sir Tristram forthwith smote so +sorely, that he reeled off his saddle. Then cried he, “Ah! Sir knight, I +know ye better than ye deem, and promise nevermore to come against ye.” +Then rode Sir Bleoberis at him the second time, and had a buffet that +felled him to the earth. And soon thereafter the king commanded to cease +for that day, and all men marvelled who Sir Tristram was, for the prize of +the first day was given him in the name of the Knight of the Black Shield. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Palomedes was on the side of the King of North Wales, but knew not +Sir Tristram again. And, when he saw his marvellous deeds, he sent to ask +his name. “As to that,” said Sir Tristram, “he shall not <a class="pagenum" name="page219" id="page219" title="219"></a> know at this +time, but tell him he shall know when I have broken two spears upon him, +for I am the knight he smote down yesterday, and whatever side he taketh, +I will take the other.” +</p> + +<p> +So when they told him that Sir Palomedes would be on King Carados’ +side—for he was kindred to King Arthur—“Then will I be on the King of +North Wales’ side,” said he, “but else would I be on my lord King +Arthur’s.” +</p> + +<p> +Then on the morrow, when King Arthur was come, the heralds blew unto the +tourney. And King Carados jousted with the King of a Hundred Knights and +fell before him, and then came in King Arthur’s knights and bare back +those of North Wales. But anon Sir Tristram came to aid them and bare back +the battle, and fought so mightily that none could stand against him, for +he smote down on the right and on the left, so that all the knights and +common people shouted his praise. +</p> + +<p> +“Since I bare arms,” said King Arthur, “never saw I a knight do more +marvellous deeds.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the King of the Hundred Knights and those of North Wales, set upon +twenty knights who were of Sir Lancelot’s kin, who fought all together, +none failing the others. When Sir Tristram beheld their nobleness and +valour, he marvelled much. “Well may he be valiant and full of prowess,” +said he, “who hath such noble knights for kindred.” So, when he had looked +on them awhile, he thought it shame to see two hundred men assailing +twenty, and riding to the King of a Hundred Knights, he said, “I pray +thee, Sir king, leave your fighting with those twenty knights, for ye be +too many and they be too few. For ye shall gain no honour if ye win, <a class="pagenum" name="page220" id="page220" title="220"></a> and +that I see verily ye will not do unless ye slay them; but if ye will not +stay, I will ride with them and help them.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said the king, “ye shall not do so; for full gladly I will do you +courtesy,” and with that he withdrew his knights. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Tristram rode his way into the forest, that no man might know +him. And King Arthur caused the heralds to blow that the tourney should +end that day, and he gave the King of North Wales the prize, because Sir +Tristram was on his side. And in all the field there was such a cry that +the sound thereof was heard two miles away—“The knight with the black +shield hath won the field.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said King Arthur, “where is that knight? it is shame to let him +thus escape us.” Then he comforted his knights, and said, “Be not +dismayed, my friends, howbeit ye have lost the day; be of good cheer; +to-morrow I myself will be in the field, and fare with you.” So they all +rested that night. +</p> + +<p> +And on the morrow the heralds blew unto the field. So the King of North +Wales and the King of a Hundred Knights encountered with King Carados and +the King of Ireland, and overthrew them. With that came King Arthur, and +did mighty deeds of arms, and overthrew the King of North Wales and his +fellows, and put twenty valiant knights to the worse. Anon came in Sir +Palomedes, and made great fight upon King Arthur’s side. But Sir Tristram +rode furiously against him, and Sir Palomedes was thrown from his horse. +Then cried King Arthur, “Knight of the Black Shield, keep thyself.” And as +he spake he came upon him, and smote him from <a class="pagenum" name="page221" id="page221" title="221"></a> his saddle to the ground, +and so passed on to other knights. Then Sir Palomedes having now another +horse rushed at Sir Tristram, as he was on foot, thinking to run over him. +But he was aware of him, and stepped aside, and grasped Sir Palomedes by +the arms, and pulled him off his horse. Then they rushed together with +their swords, and many stood still to gaze on them. And Sir Tristram smote +Sir Palomedes with three mighty strokes upon the helm, crying at each +stroke, “Take this for Sir Tristram’s sake,” and with that Sir Palomedes +fell to the earth. +</p> + +<p> +Anon the King of North Wales brought Sir Tristram another horse, and Sir +Palomedes found one also. Then did they joust again with passing rage, for +both by now were like mad lions. But Sir Tristram avoided his spear, and +seized Sir Palomedes by the neck, and pulled him from his saddle, and bore +him onward ten spears’ length, and so let him fall. Then King Arthur drew +forth his sword and smote the spear asunder, and gave Sir Tristram two or +three sore strokes ere he could get at his own sword. But when he had it +in his hand he mightily assailed the king. With that eleven knights of +Lancelot’s kin went forth against him, but he smote them all down to the +earth, so that men marvelled at his deeds. +</p> + +<p> +And the cry was now so great that Sir Lancelot got a spear in his hand, +and came down to assay Sir Tristram, saying, “Knight with the black +shield, make ready.” When Sir Tristram heard him he levelled his spear, +and both stooping their heads, they ran together mightily, as it had been +thunder. And Sir Tristram’s spear brake short, but Sir Lancelot struck him +with a deep wound in the side and broke his spear, yet overthrew him not. <a class="pagenum" name="page222" id="page222" title="222"></a> +Therewith Sir Tristram, smarting at his wound, drew forth his sword, and +rushing at Sir Lancelot, gave him mighty strokes upon the helm, so that +the sparks flew from it, and Sir Lancelot stooped his head down to the +saddle-bow. But then Sir Tristram turned and left the field, for he felt +his wound so grievous that he deemed he should soon die. Then did Sir +Lancelot hold the field against all comers, and put the King of North +Wales and his party to the worse. And because he was the last knight in +the field the prize was given him. +</p> + +<p> +But he refused to take it, and when the cry was raised, “Sir Lancelot hath +won the day,” he cried out, “Nay, but Sir Tristram is the victor, for he +first began and last endured, and so hath he done each day.” And all men +honoured Lancelot more for his knightly words than if he had taken the +prize. +</p> + +<p> +Thus was the tournament ended, and King Arthur departed to Caerleon, for +the Whitsun feast was now nigh come, and all the knights adventurous went +their ways. And many sought Sir Tristram in the forest whither he had +gone, and at last Sir Lancelot found him, and brought him to King Arthur’s +court, as hath been told already. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page223" id="page223" title="223"></a> + +<a name="chapter_xii" id="chapter_xii"</a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The Quest of the Sangreal, and the Adventures of Sir Percival, Sir Bors, +and Sir Galahad</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/a.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="a5" id="a5" Title="A" alt="Drop Case A"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +fter these things, Merlin fell into a dotage of love for a damsel of the +Lady of the Lake, and would let her have no rest, but followed her in +every place. And ever she encouraged him, and made him welcome till she +had learned all his crafts that she desired to know. +</p> + +<p> +Then upon a time she went with him beyond the sea to the land of Benwicke, +and as they went he showed her many wonders, till at length she was +afraid, and would fain have been delivered from him. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure15.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure15" id="figure15" + title="Waving her hands and muttering the charm, and presently enclosed him fast within the tree." + alt="Waving her hands and muttering the charm, and presently enclosed him fast within the tree."> + +<p> +And as they were in the forest of Broceliande, they sat together under an +oak-tree, and the damsel prayed to see all that charm whereby men might be +shut up yet alive in rocks or trees. But he refused her a long time, +fearing to let her know, yet in the end, her prayers and kisses overcame +him, and he told her all. Then did she make him great cheer, but anon, as +he lay down to sleep, she softly rose, and walked about him <a class="pagenum" name="page224" id="page224" title="224"></a> <a href="images/figure15.jpg">waving her +hands and muttering the charm, and presently enclosed him fast within the +tree</a> whereby he slept. And therefrom nevermore he could by any means come +out for all the crafts that he could do. And so she departed and left +Merlin. +</p> + +<p> +At the vigil of the next Feast of Pentecost, when all the Knights of the +Round Table were met together at Camelot, and had heard mass, and were +about to sit down to meat, there rode into the hall a fair lady on +horseback, who went straight up to King Arthur where he sat upon his +throne, and reverently saluted him. +</p> + +<p> +“God be with thee, fair damsel,” quoth the king; “what desirest thou of +me?” +</p> + +<p> +“I pray thee tell me, lord,” she answered, “where Sir Lancelot is.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yonder may ye see him,” said King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +Then went she to Sir Lancelot and said, “Sir, I salute thee in King +Pelles’ name, and require thee to come with me into the forest hereby.” +</p> + +<p> +Then asked he her with whom she dwelt, and what she wished of him. +</p> + +<p> +“I dwell with King Pelles,” said she, “whom Balin erst so sorely wounded +when he smote the dolorous stroke. It is he who hath sent me to call +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will go with thee gladly,” said Sir Lancelot, and bade his squire +straightway saddle his horse and bring his armour. +</p> + +<p> +Then came the queen to him and said, “Sir Lancelot, will ye leave me thus +at this high feast?” +</p> + +<p> +“Madam,” replied the damsel, “by dinner-time to-morrow he shall be with +you.” +</p> + +<p> +“If I thought not,” said the queen, “he should not go with thee by my +goodwill.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot and the lady rode forth till they came to the forest, +and in a valley thereof found an abbey <a class="pagenum" name="page225" id="page225" title="225"></a> of nuns, whereby a squire stood +ready to open the gates. When they had entered, and descended from their +horses, a joyful crowd pressed round Sir Lancelot and heartily saluted +him, and led him to the abbess’s chamber, and unarmed him. Anon he saw his +cousins likewise there, Sir Bors and Sir Lionel, who also made great joy +at seeing him, and said, “By what adventure art thou here, for we thought +to have seen thee at Camelot to-morrow?” +</p> + +<p> +“A damsel brought me here,” said he, “but as yet I know not for what +service.” +</p> + +<p> +As they thus talked twelve nuns came in, who brought with them a youth so +passing fair and well made, that in all the world his match could not be +found. His name was Galahad, and though he knew him not, nor Lancelot him, +Sir Lancelot was his father. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the nuns, “we bring thee here this child whom we have +nourished from his youth, and pray thee to make him a knight, for from no +worthier hand can he receive that order.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot, looking on the youth, saw that he was seemly and demure +as a dove, with every feature good and noble, and thought he never had +beheld a better fashioned man of his years. “Cometh this desire from +himself?” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” answered Galahad and all the nuns. +</p> + +<p> +“To-morrow, then, in reverence for the feast, he shall have his wish,” +said Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +And the next day at the hour of prime, he knighted him, and said, “God +make of thee as good a man as He hath made thee beautiful.” +</p> + +<p> +Then with Sir Lionel and Sir Bors he returned to the court, and found all +gone to the minster to hear service. When they came into the banquet-hall +each knight and <a class="pagenum" name="page226" id="page226" title="226"></a> baron found his name written in some seat in letters of +gold, as “here ought to sit Sir Lionel,” “here ought to sit Sir +Gawain,”—and so forth. And in the Perilous Seat, at the high centre of +the table, a name was also written, whereat they marvelled greatly, for no +living man had ever yet dared sit upon that seat, save one, and him a +flame leaped forth and drew down under earth, so that he was no more seen. +</p> + +<p> +Then came Sir Lancelot and read the letters in that seat, and said, “My +counsel is that this inscription be now covered up until the knight be +come who shall achieve this great adventure.” So they made a veil of silk +and put it over the letters. +</p> + +<p> +In the meanwhile came Sir Gawain to the court and told the king he had a +message to him from beyond the sea, from Merlin. +</p> + +<p> +“For,” said he, “as I rode through the forest of Broceliande but five days +since, I heard the voice of Merlin speaking to me from the midst of an +oak-tree, whereat, in great amazement, I besought him to come forth. But +he, with many groans, replied he never more might do so, for that none +could free him, save the damsel of the Lake, who had enclosed him there by +his own spells which he had taught her. ‘But go,’ said he, ‘to King +Arthur, and tell him, that he now prepare his knights and all his Table +Round to seek the Sangreal, for the time is come when it shall be +achieved.’” +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Gawain had spoken thus, King Arthur sat pensive in spirit, and +mused deeply of the Holy Grale an what saintly knight should come who +might achieve it. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he bade them hasten to set on the banquet. “Sir,” said Sir Key, the +seneschal, “if ye go now to meat ye will break the ancient custom of your +court, for never <a class="pagenum" name="page227" id="page227" title="227"></a> have ye dined at this high feast till ye have seen some +strange adventure.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou sayest truly,” said the king, “but my mind was full of wonders and +musings, till I bethought me not of mine old custom.” +</p> + +<p> +As they stood speaking thus, a squire ran in and cried, “Lord, I bring +thee marvellous tidings.” +</p> + +<p> +“What be they?” said King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +“Lord,” said he, “hereby at the river is a marvellous great stone, which I +myself saw swim down hitherwards upon the water, and in it there is set a +sword, and ever the stone heaveth and swayeth on the water, but floateth +down no further with the stream.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will go and see it,” said the king. So all the knights went with him, +and when they came to the river, there surely found they a mighty stone of +red marble floating on the water, as the squire had said, and therein +stuck a fair and rich sword, on the pommel whereof were precious stones +wrought skilfully with gold into these words: “No man shall take me hence +but he by whose side I should hang, and he shall be the best knight in the +world.” +</p> + +<p> +When the king read this, he turned round to Sir Lancelot, and said, “Fair +sir, this sword ought surely to be thine, for thou art the best knight in +all the world.” +</p> + +<p> +But Lancelot answered soberly, “Certainly, sir, it is not for me; nor will +I have the hardihood to set my hand upon it. For he that toucheth it and +faileth to achieve it shall one day be wounded by it mortally. But I doubt +not, lord, this day will show the greatest marvels that we yet have seen, +for now the time is fully come, as Merlin hath forewarned us, when all the +prophecies about the Sangreal shall be fulfilled.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page228" id="page228" title="228"></a> + +<p> +Then stepped Sir Gawain forward and pulled at the sword, but could not +move it, and after him Sir Percival, to keep him fellowship in any peril +he might suffer. But no other knight durst be so hardy as to try. +</p> + +<p> +“Now may ye go to your dinner,” said Sir Key, “for a marvellous adventure +ye have had.” +</p> + +<p> +So all returned from the river, and every knight sat down in his own +place, and the high feast and banquet then was sumptuously begun, and all +the hall was full of laughter and loud talk and jests, and running to and +fro of squires who served their knights, and noise of jollity and mirth. +</p> + +<p> +Then suddenly befell a wondrous thing, for all the doors and windows of +the hall shut violently of themselves, and made thick darkness; and +presently there came a fair and gentle light from out the Perilous Seat, +and filled the palace with its beams. Then a dead silence fell on all the +knights, and each man anxiously beheld his neighbour. +</p> + +<p> +But King Arthur rose and said, “Lords and fair knights, have ye no fear, +but rejoice; we have seen strange things to-day, but stranger yet remain. +For now I know we shall to-day see him who may sit in the Siege Perilous, +and shall achieve the Sangreal. For as ye all well know, that holy vessel, +wherefrom at the Supper of our Lord before His death He drank the wine +with His disciples, hath been held ever since the holiest treasure of the +world, and wheresoever it hath rested peace and prosperity have rested +with it on the land. But since the dolorous stroke which Balin gave King +Pelles none have seen it, for Heaven, wroth with that presumptuous blow, +hath hid it none know where. Yet somewhere in the world it still may be, +and may be <a class="pagenum" name="page229" id="page229" title="229"></a> it is left to us, and to this noble order of the Table Round, +to find and bring it home, and make of this our realm the happiest in the +earth. Many great quests and perilous adventures have ye all taken and +achieved, but this high quest he only shall attain who hath clean hands +and a pure heart, and valour and hardihood beyond all othermen.” +</p> + +<p> +While the king spoke there came in softly an old man robed all in white, +leading with him a young knight clad in red from top to toe, but without +armour or shield, and having by his side an empty scabbard. +</p> + +<p> +The old man went up to the king, and said, “Lord, here I bring thee this +young knight of royal lineage, and of the blood of Joseph of Arimathea, by +whom the marvels of thy court shall fully be accomplished.” +</p> + +<p> +The king was right glad at his words, and said, “Sir, ye be right heartily +welcome, and the young knight also.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the old man put on Sir Galahad (for it was he) a crimson robe trimmed +with fine ermine, and took him by the hand and led him to the Perilous +Seat, and lifting up the silken cloth which hung upon it, read these words +written in gold letters, “This is the seat of Sir Galahad, the good +knight.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the old man, “this place is thine.” +</p> + +<p> +Then sat Sir Galahad down firmly and surely, and said to the old man, +“Sir, ye may now go your way, for ye have done well and truly all ye were +commanded, and commend me to my grandsire, King Pelles, and say that I +shall see him soon.” So the old man departed with a retinue of twenty +noble squires. +</p> + +<p> +But all the knights of the Round Table marvelled at Sir Galahad, and at +his tender age, and at his sitting there so surely in the Perilous Seat. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king led Sir Galahad forth from the palace, to <a class="pagenum" name="page230" id="page230" title="230"></a> show him the +adventure of the floating stone. “Here” said he, “is as great a marvel as +I ever saw, and right good knights have tried and failed to gain that +sword.” +</p> + +<p> +“I marvel not thereat,” said Galahad, “for this adventure is not theirs, +but mine; and for the certainty I had thereof, I brought no sword with me, +as thou mayst see here by this empty scabbard.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon he laid his hand upon the sword, and lightly drew it from the stone, +and put it in his sheath, and said, “This sword was that enchanted one +which erst belonged to the good knight, Sir Balin, wherewith he slew +through piteous mistake his brother Balan; who also slew him at the same +time: all which great woe befell him through the dolorous stroke he gave +my grandsire, King Pelles, the wound whereof is not yet whole, nor shall +be till I heal him.” +</p> + +<p> +As he stood speaking thus, they saw a lady riding swiftly down the river’s +bank towards them, on a white palfrey; who, saluting the king and queen, +said, “Lord king, Nacien the hermit sendeth thee word that to thee shall +come to-day the greatest honour and worship that hath yet ever befallen a +king of Britain; for this day shall the Sangreal appear in thy house.” +</p> + +<p> +With that the damsel took her leave, and departed the same way she came. +</p> + +<p> +“Now,” said the king, “I know that from to-day the quest of the Sangreal +shall begin, and all ye of the Round Table will be scattered so that +nevermore shall I see ye again together as ye are now; let me then see a +joust and tournament amongst ye for the last time before ye go.” +</p> + +<p> +So they all took their harness and met together in the meadows by Camelot, +and the queen and all her ladies sat in a tower to see. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page231" id="page231" title="231"></a> + +<p> +Then Sir Galahad, at the prayer of the king and queen, put on a coat of +light armour, and a helmet, but shield he would take none, and grasping a +lance, he drove into the middle of the press of knights, and began to +break spears marvellously, so that all men were full of wonder. And in so +short a time he had surmounted and exceeded the rest, save Sir Lancelot +and Sir Percival, that he took the chief worship of the field. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king and all the court and fellowship of knights went back to the +palace, and so to evensong in the great minster, a royal and goodly +company, and after that sat down to supper in the hall, every knight in +his own seat, as they had been before. +</p> + +<p> +Anon suddenly burst overhead the cracking and crying of great peals of +thunder, till the palace walls were shaken sorely, and they thought to see +them riven all to pieces. +</p> + +<p> +And in the midst of the blast there entered in a sunbeam, clearer by seven +times than ever they saw day, and a marvellous great glory fell upon them +all. Then each knight, looking on his neighbour, found his face fairer +than he had ever seen, and so—all standing on their feet—they gazed as +dumb men on each other, not knowing what to say. +</p> + +<p> +Then entered into the hall the Sangreal, borne aloft without hands through +the midst of the sunbeam, and covered with white samite, so that none +might see it. And all the hall was filled with perfume and incense, and +every knight was fed with the food he best loved. And when the holy vessel +had been thus borne through the hall, it suddenly departed, no man saw +whither. +</p> + +<p> +When they recovered breath to speak, King Arthur first rose up, and +yielded thanks to God and to our Lord. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Gawain sprang up and said, “Now have we <a class="pagenum" name="page232" id="page232" title="232"></a> all been fed by miracle +with whatsoever food we thought of or desired; but with our eyes we have +not seen the blessed vessel whence it came, so carefully and preciously it +was concealed. Therefore, I make a vow, that from to-morrow I shall labour +twelve months and a day in quest of the Sangreal, and longer if need be; +nor will I come again into this court until mine eyes have seen it +evidently.” +</p> + +<p> +When he had spoken thus, knight after knight rose up and vowed himself to +the same quest, till the most part of the Round Table had thus sworn. +</p> + +<p> +But when King Arthur heard them all, he could not refrain his eyes from +tears, and said, “Sir Gawain, Sir Gawain, thou hast set me in great +sorrow, for I fear me my true fellowship shall never meet together here +again; and surely never Christian king had such a company of worthy +knights around his table at one time.” +</p> + +<p> +And when the queen and her ladies and gentlewomen heard the vows, they had +such grief and sorrow as no tongue could tell; and Queen Guinevere cried +out, “I marvel that my lord will suffer them to depart from him.” And many +of the ladies who loved knights would have gone with them, but were +forbidden by the hermit Nacien, who sent this message to all who had sworn +themselves to the quest: “Take with ye no lady nor gentlewoman, for into +so high a service as ye go in, no thought but of our Lord and heaven may +enter.” +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow morning all the knights rose early, and when they were fully +armed, save shields and helms, they went in with the king and queen to +service in the minster. Then the king counted all who had taken the +adventure on themselves, and found them a hundred and fifty knights of the +Round Table; and so they all put on their helms, and rode away together in +the midst of cries and lamentations <a class="pagenum" name="page233" id="page233" title="233"></a> from the court, and from the ladies, +and from all the town. +</p> + +<p> +But the queen went alone to her chamber, that no man might see her sorrow; +and Sir Lancelot followed her to say farewell. +</p> + +<p> +When she saw him she cried out, “Oh, Sir Lancelot, thou hast betrayed me; +thou hast put me to death thus to depart and leave my lord the king.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, madam,” said he, “be not displeased or angry, for I shall come again +as soon as I can with honour.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said she, “that ever I saw thee; but He that suffered death upon +the cross for all mankind be to thee safety and good conduct, and to all +thy company.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot saluted her and the king, and went forth with the rest, +and came with them that night to Castle Vagon, where they abode, and on +the morrow they departed from each other on their separate ways, every +knight taking the way that pleased him best. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Galahad went forth without a shield, and rode so four days without +adventure; and on the fourth day, after evensong, he came to an abbey of +white monks, where he was received in the house, and led into a chamber. +And there he was unarmed, and met two knights of the Round Table, King +Bagdemagus, and Sir Uwaine. +</p> + +<p> +“Sirs,” said Sir Galahad, “what adventure hath brought ye here?” +</p> + +<p> +“Within this place, as we are told,” they answered, “there is a shield no +man may bear around his neck without receiving sore mischance, or death +within three days.” +</p> + +<p> +“To-morrow,” said King Bagdemagus, “I shall attempt the adventure; and if +I fail, do thou, Sir Galahad, take it up after me.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page234" id="page234" title="234"></a> + +<p> +“I will willingly,” said he; “for as ye see I have no shield as yet.” +</p> + +<p> +So on the morrow they arose and heard mass, and afterwards King Bagdemagus +asked where the shield was kept. Then a monk led him behind the altar, +where the shield hung, as white as any snow, and with a blood-red cross in +the midst of it. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the monk, “this shield should hang from no knight’s neck +unless he be the worthiest in the world. I warn ye, therefore, knights; +consider well before ye dare to touch it.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said King Bagdemagus, “I know well that I am far from the best +knight in all the world, yet shall I make the trial;” and so he took the +shield, and bore it from the monastery. +</p> + +<p> +“If it please thee,” said he to Sir Galahad, “abide here till thou hearest +how I speed.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will abide thee,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +Then taking with him a squire who might return with any tidings to Sir +Galahad, the king rode forth; and before he had gone two miles, he saw in +a fair valley a hermitage, and a knight who came forth dressed in white +armour, horse and all, who rode fast against him. When they encountered, +Bagdemagus brake his spear upon the White Knight’s shield, but was himself +struck through the shoulder with a sore wound, and hurled down from his +horse. Then the White Knight alighting, came and took the white shield +from the king, and said, “Thou hast done great folly, for this shield +ought never to be borne but by one who hath no living peer.” And turning +to the squire, he said, “Bear thou this shield to the good knight, Sir +Galahad, and greet him well from me.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page235" id="page235" title="235"></a> + +<p> +“In whose name shall I greet him?” said the squire. +</p> + +<p> +“Take thou no heed of that,” he answered; “it is not for thee or any +earthly man to know.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now tell me, fair sir, at the least,” said the squire, “why may this +shield be never borne except its wearer come to injury or death?” +</p> + +<p> +“Because it shall belong to no man save its rightful owner, Galahad,” +replied the knight. +</p> + +<p> +Then the squire went to his master, and found him wounded nigh to death, +wherefore he fetched his horse, and bore him back with him to the abbey. +And there they laid him in a bed, and looked to his wounds; and when he +had lain many days grievously sick, he at the last barely escaped with his +life. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir Galahad,” said the squire, “the knight who overthrew King Bagdemagus +sent you greeting, and bade you bear this shield.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now blessed be God and fortune,” said Sir Galahad, and hung the shield +about his neck, and armed him, and rode forth. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he met the White Knight by the hermitage, and each saluted +courteously the other. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Galahad, “this shield I bear hath surely a full marvellous +history.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou sayest rightly,” answered he. “That shield was made in the days of +Joseph of Arimathea, the gentle knight who took our Lord down from the +cross. He, when he left Jerusalem with his kindred, came to the country of +King Evelake, who warred continually with one Tollome; and when, by the +teaching of Joseph, King Evelake became a Christian, this shield was made +for him in our Lord’s name; and through its aid King Tollome was defeated. +For when <a class="pagenum" name="page236" id="page236" title="236"></a> King Evelake met him next in battle, he hid it in a veil, and +suddenly uncovering it, he showed his enemies the figure of a bleeding man +nailed to a cross, at sight of which they were discomfited and fled. +Presently after that, a man whose hand was smitten off touched the cross +upon the shield, and had his hand restored to him; and many other miracles +it worked. But suddenly the cross that was upon it vanished away. Anon +both Joseph and King Evelake came to Britain, and by the preaching of +Joseph the people were made Christians. And when at length he lay upon his +death-bed, King Evelake begged of him some token ere he died. Then, +calling for his shield, he dipped his finger in his own blood, for he was +bleeding fast, and none could staunch the wound, and marked that cross +upon it, saying, ‘This cross shall ever show as bright as now, and the +last of my lineage shall wear this shield about his neck, and go forth to +all the marvellous deeds he will achieve.’” +</p> + +<p> +When the White Knight had thus spoken he vanished suddenly away, and Sir +Galahad returned to the abbey. +</p> + +<p> +As he alighted, came a monk, and prayed him to go see a tomb in the +churchyard, wherefrom came such a great and hideous noise, that none could +hear it but they went nigh mad, or lost all strength. “And sir,” said he, +“I deem it is a fiend.” +</p> + +<p> +“Lead me thither,” said Sir Galahad. +</p> + +<p> +When they were come near the place, “Now,” said the monk, “go thou to the +tomb, and lift it up.” +</p> + +<img src="images/figure16.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure16" id="figure16" + title="Galahad ... quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith came out a foul smoke." + alt="Galahad ... quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith came out a foul smoke."> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure16.jpg">And Galahad, nothing afraid, quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith +came out a foul smoke,</a> and from the midst thereof leaped up the loathliest +figure that ever he had seen in the likeness of man; and Galahad blessed +himself, for he knew it was a fiend of hell. Then he <a class="pagenum" name="page237" id="page237" title="237"></a> heard a voice crying +out, “Oh, Galahad, I cannot tear thee as I would; I see so many angels +round thee, that I may not come at thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the fiend suddenly disappeared with a marvellous great cry; and Sir +Galahad, looking in the tomb, saw there a body all armed, with a sword +beside it. “Now, fair brother,” said he to the monk, “let us remove this +cursed body, which is not fit to lie in a churchyard, for when it lived, a +false and perjured Christian man dwelt in it. Cast it away, and there +shall come no more hideous noises from the tomb.” +</p> + +<p> +“And now must I depart,” he added, “for I have much in hand, and am upon +the holy quest of the Sangreal, with many more good knights.” +</p> + +<p> +So he took his leave, and rode many journeys backwards and forwards as +adventure would lead him; and at last one day he departed from a castle +without first hearing mass, which was it ever his custom to hear before he +left his lodging. Anon he found a ruined chapel on a mountain, and went in +and kneeled before the altar, and prayed for wholesome counsel what to do; +and as he prayed he heard a voice, which said, “Depart, adventurous +knight, unto the Maiden’s Castle, and redress the violence and wrongs +there done!” +</p> + +<p> +Hearing these words he cheerfully arose, and mounted his horse, and rode +but half a mile, when he saw before him a strong castle, with deep ditches +round it, and a fair river running past. And seeing an old churl hard by, +he asked him what men called that castle. +</p> + +<p> +“Fair sir,” said he, “it is the Maiden’s Castle.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is a cursed place,” said Galahad, “and all its masters are but felons, +full of mischief and hardness and shame.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page238" id="page238" title="238"></a> + +<p> +“For that good reason,” said the old man, “thou wert well-advised to turn +thee back.” +</p> + +<p> +“For that same reason,” quoth Sir Galahad, “will I the more certainly ride +on.” +</p> + +<p> +Then, looking at his armour carefully, to see that nothing failed him, he +went forward, and presently there met him seven damsels, who cried out, +“Sir knight, thou ridest in great peril, for thou hast two waters to pass +over.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why should I not pass over them?” said he, and rode straight on. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he met a squire, who said, “Sir knight, the masters of this castle +defy thee, and bid thee go no further, till thou showest them thy business +here.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair fellow,” said Sir Galahad, “I am come here to destroy their wicked +customs.” +</p> + +<p> +“If that be thy purpose,” answered he, “thou wilt have much to do.” +</p> + +<p> +“Go thou,” said Galahad, “and hasten with my message.” +</p> + +<p> +In a few minutes after rode forth furiously from the gateways of the +castle seven knights, all brothers, and crying out, “Knight, keep thee,” +bore down all at once upon Sir Galahad. But thrusting forth his spear, he +smote the foremost to the earth, so that his neck was almost broken, and +warded with his shield the spears of all the others, which every one brake +off from it, and shivered into pieces. Then he drew out his sword, and set +upon them hard and fiercely, and by his wondrous force drave them before +him, and chased them to the castle gate, and there he slew them. +</p> + +<p> +At that came out to him an ancient man, in priest’s vestments, saying, +“Behold, sir, here, the keys of this castle.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page239" id="page239" title="239"></a> + +<p> +Then he unlocked the gates, and found within a multitude of people, who +cried out, “Sir knight, ye be welcome, for long have we waited thy +deliverance,” and told him that the seven felons he had slain had long +enslaved the people round about, and killed all knights who passed that +way, because the maiden whom they had robbed of the castle had foretold +that by one knight they should themselves be overthrown. +</p> + +<p> +“Where is the maiden?” asked Sir Galahad. +</p> + +<p> +“She lingereth below in a dungeon,” said they. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Galahad went down and released her, and restored her her +inheritance; and when he had summoned the barons of the country to do her +homage, he took his leave, and departed. +</p> + +<p> +Presently thereafter, as he rode, he entered a great forest, and in a +glade thereof met two knights, disguised, who proffered him to joust. +These were Sir Lancelot, his father, and Sir Percival, but neither knew +the other. So he and Sir Lancelot encountered first, and Sir Galahad smote +down his father. Then drawing his sword, for his spear was broken, he +fought with Sir Percival, and struck so mightily that he clave Sir +Percival’s helm, and smote him from his horse. +</p> + +<p> +Now hard by where they fought there was a hermitage, where dwelt a pious +woman, a recluse, who, when she heard the sound, came forth, and seeing +Sir Galahad ride, she cried, “God be with thee, the best knight in the +world; had yonder knights known thee as well as I do, they would not have +encountered with thee.” +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Galahad heard that, fearing to be made known, he forthwith smote +his horse with his spurs, and departed at a great pace. +</p> + +<p> +Sir Lancelot and Sir Percival heard her words also, and <a class="pagenum" name="page240" id="page240" title="240"></a> rode fast after +him, but within awhile he was out of their sight. Then Sir Percival rode +back to ask his name of the recluse; but Sir Lancelot went forward on his +quest, and following any path his horse would take, he came by-and-by +after nightfall to a stone cross hard by an ancient chapel. When he had +alighted and tied his horse up to a tree, he went and looked in through +the chapel door, which was all ruinous and wasted, and there within he saw +an altar, richly decked with silk, whereon there stood a fair candlestick +of silver, bearing six great lights. And when Sir Lancelot saw the light, +he tried to get within the chapel, but could find no place. So, being +passing weary and heavy, he came again to his horse, and when he had +unsaddled him, and set him free to pasture, he unlaced his helm, and +ungirded his sword, and laid him down to sleep upon his shield before the +cross. +</p> + +<p> +And while he lay between waking and sleeping, he saw come by him two white +palfreys bearing a litter, wherein a sick knight lay, and the palfreys +stood still by the cross. Then Sir Lancelot heard the sick man say, “O +sweet Lord, when shall this sorrow leave me, and the holy vessel pass by +me, wherethrough I shall be blessed? for I have long endured.” +</p> + +<p> +With that Sir Lancelot saw the chapel open, and the candlestick with the +six tapers come before the cross, but he could see none who bare it. Then +came there also a table of silver, and thereon the holy vessel of the +Sangreal. And when the sick knight saw that, he sat up, and lifting both +his hands, said, “Fair Lord, sweet Lord, who art here within this holy +vessel, have mercy on me, that I may be whole;” and therewith he crept +upon his hands and knees so nigh, that he might touch the vessel; and when +he had kissed it, he leaped up, and stood and cried <a class="pagenum" name="page241" id="page241" title="241"></a> aloud, “Lord God, I +thank Thee, for I am made whole.” Then the Holy Grale departed with the +table and the silver candlestick into the chapel, so that Sir Lancelot saw +it no more, nor for his sins’ sake could he follow it. And the knight who +was healed went on his way. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot awake, and marvelled whether he had seen aught but a +dream. And as he marvelled, he heard a voice saying, “Sir Lancelot, thou +are unworthy, go thou hence, and withdraw thee from this holy place.” And +when he heard that, he was passing heavy, for he bethought him of his +sins. +</p> + +<p> +So he departed weeping, and cursed the day of his birth, for the words +went into his heart, and he knew wherefore he was thus driven forth. Then +he went to seek his arms and horse, but could not find them; and then he +called himself the wretchedest and most unhappy of all knights, and said, +“My sin hath brought me unto great dishonour: for when I sought earthly +honours, I achieved them ever; but now I take upon me holy things, my +guilt doth hinder me, and shameth me; therefore had I no power to stir or +speak when the holy blood appeared before me.” +</p> + +<p> +So thus he sorrowed till it was day, and he heard the birds sing; then was +he somewhat comforted, and departing from the cross on foot, he came into +a wild forest, and to a high mountain, and there he found a hermitage; +and, kneeling before the hermit down upon both his knees, he cried for +mercy for his wicked works, and prayed him to hear his confession. But +when he told his name, the hermit marvelled to see him in so sore a case, +and said, “Sir, ye ought to thank God more than any knight living, for He +hath given thee more honour than any; yet for thy presumption, while in +deadly sin to come into the presence of His flesh and blood, He suffered +thee <a class="pagenum" name="page242" id="page242" title="242"></a> neither to see nor follow it. Wherefore, believe that all thy +strength and manhood will avail thee little, when God is against thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot wept and said, “Now know I well ye tell me truth.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he confessed to him, and told him all his sins, and how he had for +fourteen years served but Queen Guinevere only, and forgotten God, and +done great deeds of arms for her, and not for Heaven, and had little or +nothing thanked God for the honour that he won. And then Sir Lancelot +said, “I pray you counsel me.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will counsel thee,” said he: “never more enter into that queen’s +company when ye can avoid it.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Lancelot promised him. +</p> + +<p> +“Look that your heart and your mouth accord,” said the good man, “and ye +shall have more honour and more nobleness than ever ye have had.” +</p> + +<p> +Then were his arms and horse restored to him, and so he took his leave, +and rode forth, repenting greatly. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Percival had ridden back to the recluse, to learn who that knight +was whom she had called the best in the world. And when he had told her +that he was Sir Percival, she made passing great joy of him, for she was +his mother’s sister, wherefore she opened her door to him, and made him +good cheer. And on the morrow she told him of her kindred to him, and they +both made great rejoicing. Then he asked her who that knight was, and she +told him, “He it is who on Whit Sunday last was clad in the red robe, and +bare the red arms; and he hath no peer, for he worketh all by miracle, and +shall be never overcome by any earthly hands.” +</p> + +<p> +“By my goodwill,” said Sir Percival, “I will never after these tidings +have to do with Sir Galahad but in the way <a class="pagenum" name="page243" id="page243" title="243"></a> of kindness; and I would fain +learn where I may find him.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair nephew,” said she, “ye must ride to the Castle of Goth, where he +hath a cousin; by him ye may be lodged, and he will teach you the way to +go; but if he can tell you no tidings, ride straight to the Castle of +Carbonek, where the wounded king is lying, for there shall ye surely hear +true tidings of him.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Percival departed from his aunt, and rode till evensong time, when +he was ware of a monastery closed round with walls and deep ditches, where +he knocked at the gate, and anon was let in. And there he had good cheer +that night, and on the morrow heard mass. And beside the altar where the +priest stood, was a rich bed of silk and cloth of gold; and on the bed +there lay a man passing old, having a crown of gold upon his head, and all +his body was full of great wounds, and his eyes almost wholly blind; and +ever he held up his hands and said, “Sweet Lord, forget not me!” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Percival asked one of the brethren who he was. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said the good man, “ye have heard of Joseph of Arimathea, how he +was sent of Jesus Christ into this land to preach and teach the Christian +faith. Now, in the city of Sarras he converted a king named Evelake, and +this is he. He came with Joseph to this land, and ever desired greatly to +see the Sangreal; so on a time he came nigh thereto, and was struck almost +blind. Then he cried out for mercy, and said, ‘Fair Lord, I pray thee let +me never die until a good knight of my blood achieve the Sangreal, and I +may see and kiss him.’ When he had thus prayed, he heard a voice that +said, ‘Thy prayers be heard and answered, for thou shalt not die till that +knight <a class="pagenum" name="page244" id="page244" title="244"></a> kiss thee; and when he cometh shall thine eyes be opened and thy +wounds be healed.’ And now hath he lived here for three hundred winters in +a holy life, and men say a certain knight of King Arthur’s court shall +shortly heal him.” +</p> + +<p> +Thereat Sir Percival marvelled greatly, for he well knew who that knight +should be; and so, taking his leave of the monk, departed. +</p> + +<p> +Then he rode on till noon, and came into a valley where he met twenty +men-at-arms bearing a dead knight on a bier. And they cried to him, +“Whence comest thou?” +</p> + +<p> +“From King Arthur’s court,” he answered. +</p> + +<p> +Then they all cried together, “Slay him,” and set upon him. +</p> + +<p> +But he smote down the first man to the ground, and his horse upon him; +whereat seven of them all at once assailed him, and others slew his horse. +Thus he had been either taken or slain, but by good chance Sir Galahad was +passing by that way, who, seeing twenty men attacking one, cried, “Slay +him not,” and rushed upon them; and, as fast as his horse could drive, he +encountered with the foremost man, and smote him down. Then, his spear +being broken, he drew forth his sword and struck out on the right hand and +on the left, at each blow smiting down a man, till the remainder fled, and +he pursued them. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Percival, knowing that it was Sir Galahad, would fain have +overtaken him, but could not, for his horse was slain. Yet followed he on +foot as fast as he could go; and as he went there met him a yeoman riding +on a palfrey, and leading in his hand a great black steed. So Sir Percival +prayed him to lend him the steed, that he might overtake Sir Galahad. But +he replied, <a class="pagenum" name="page245" id="page245" title="245"></a> “That can I not do, fair sir, for the horse is my master’s, +and should I lend it he would slay me.” So he departed, and Sir Percival +sat down beneath a tree in heaviness of heart. And as he sat, anon a +knight went riding past on the black steed which the yeoman had led. And +presently after came the yeoman back in haste, and asked Sir Percival if +he had seen a knight riding his horse. +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” said Sir Percival. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas,” said the yeoman, “he hath reft him from me by strength, and my +master will slay me.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he besought Sir Percival to take his hackney and follow, and get back +his steed. So he rode quickly, and overtook the knight, and cried, +“Knight, turn again.” Whereat he turned and set his spear, and smote Sir +Percival’s hackney in the breast, so that it fell dead, and then went on +his way. Then cried Sir Percival after him, “Turn now, false knight, and +fight with me on foot;” but he would not, and rode out of sight. +</p> + +<p> +Then was Sir Percival passing wroth and heavy of heart, and lay down to +rest beneath a tree, and slept till midnight. When he awoke he saw a woman +standing by him, who said to him right fiercely, “Sir Percival, what doest +thou here?” +</p> + +<p> +“I do neither good nor evil,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“If thou wilt promise me,” said she, “to do my will whenever I shall ask +thee, I will bring thee here a horse that will bear thee wheresoever thou +desirest.” +</p> + +<p> +At that he was full glad, and promised as she asked. Then anon she came +again, with a great black steed, strong and well apparelled. So Sir +Percival mounted, and rode through the clear moonlight, and within less +than an hour had gone a four days’ journey, till he came to a rough water +that roared; and his horse would have <a class="pagenum" name="page246" id="page246" title="246"></a> borne him into it, but Sir Percival +would not suffer him, yet could he scarce restrain him. And seeing the +water so furious, he made the sign of the cross upon his forehead, whereat +the horse suddenly shook him off, and with a terrible sound leaped into +the water and disappeared, the waves all burning up in flames around him. +Then Sir Percival knew it was a fiend which had brought him the horse; so +he commended himself to God, and prayed that he might escape temptations, +and continued in prayer till it was day. +</p> + +<p> +Then he saw that he was on a wild mountain, nigh surrounded on all sides +by the sea, and filled with wild beasts; and going on into a valley, he +saw a serpent carrying a young lion by the neck. With that came another +lion, crying and roaring after the serpent, and anon overtook him, and +began to battle with him. And Sir Percival helped the lion, and drew his +sword, and gave the serpent such a stroke that it fell dead. Thereat the +lion fawned upon him like a dog, licking his hands, and crouching at his +feet, and at night lay down by him and slept at his side. +</p> + +<p> +And at noon the next day Sir Percival saw a ship come sailing before a +strong wind upon the sea towards him, and he rose and went towards it. And +when it came to shore, he found it covered with white samite, and on the +deck there stood an old man dressed in priest’s robes, who said, “God be +with you, fair sir; whence come ye?” +</p> + +<p> +“I am a knight of King Arthur’s court,” said he, “and follow the quest of +the Sangreal; but here have I lost myself in this wilderness.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fear nothing,” said the old man, “for I have come from a strange country +to comfort thee.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page247" id="page247" title="247"></a> + +<p> +Then he told Sir Percival it was a fiend of hell upon which he had ridden +to the sea, and that the lion, whom he had delivered from the serpent, +meant the Church. And Sir Percival rejoiced at these tidings, and entered +into the ship, which presently sailed from the shore into the sea. +</p> + +<p> +Now when Sir Bors rode forth from Camelot to seek the Sangreal, anon he +met a holy man riding on an ass, and courteously saluted him. +</p> + +<p> +“Who are ye, son?” said the good man. +</p> + +<p> +“I am a knight,” said he, “in quest of the Sangreal, and would fain have +thy counsel, for he shall have much earthly honour who may bring it to a +favourable end.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is truth,” said the good man, “for he shall be the best knight of +the world; yet know that none shall gain it save by sinless living.” +</p> + +<p> +So they rode to his hermitage together, and there he prayed Sir Bors to +abide that night, and anon they went into the chapel, and Sir Bors was +confessed. And they eat bread and drank water together. +</p> + +<p> +“Now,” said the hermit, “I pray thee eat no other food till thou sit at +the table where the Sangreal shall be.” Thereto Sir Bors agreed. +</p> + +<p> +“Also,” said the hermit, “it were wise that ye should wear a sackcloth +garment next your skin, for penance;” and in this also did Sir Bors as he +was counselled. And afterwards he armed himself and took his leave. +</p> + +<p> +Then rode he onwards all that day, and as he rode he saw a passing great +bird sit in an old dry tree, whereon no leaves were left; and many little +birds lay round the great one, nigh dead with hunger. Then did the big +bird smite himself with his own bill, and bled till he died amongst his +little ones, and they recovered life in drinking <a class="pagenum" name="page248" id="page248" title="248"></a> up his blood. When Sir +Bors saw this he knew it was a token, and rode on full of thought. And +about eventide he came to a tower, whereto he prayed admission, and he was +received gladly by the lady of the castle. But when a supper of many meats +and dainties was set before him, he remembered his vow, and bade a squire +to bring him water, and therein he dipped his bread, and ate. +</p> + +<p> +Then said the lady, “Sir Bors, I fear ye like not my meat.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, truly,” said he; “God thank thee, madam; but I may eat no other meat +this day.” +</p> + +<p> +After supper came a squire, and said, “Madam, bethink thee to provide a +champion for thee to-morrow for the tourney, or else shall thy sister have +thy castle.” +</p> + +<p> +At that the lady wept, and made great sorrow. But Sir Bors prayed her to +be comforted, and asked her why the tournament was held. Then she told him +how she and her sister were the daughters of King Anianse, who left them +all his lands between them; and how her sister was the wife of a strong +knight, named Sir Pridan le Noir, who had taken from herself all her +lands, save the one tower wherein she dwelt. “And now,” said she, “this +also will they take, unless I find a champion by to-morrow.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Bors, “Be comforted; to-morrow I will fight for thee;” +whereat she rejoiced not a little, and sent word to Sir Pridan that she +was provided and ready. And Sir Bors lay on the floor, and in no bed, nor +ever would do otherwise till he had achieved his quest. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow he arose and clothed himself, and went into the chapel, +where the lady met him, and they heard mass together. Anon he called for +his armour, and went with a goodly company of knights to the <a class="pagenum" name="page249" id="page249" title="249"></a> battle. And +the lady prayed him to refresh himself ere he should fight, but he refused +to break his fast until the tournament were done. So they all rode +together to the lists, and there they saw the lady’s eldest sister, and +her husband, Sir Pridan le Noir. And a cry was made by the heralds that, +whichever should win, his lady should have all the other’s lands. +</p> + +<p> +Then the two knights departed asunder a little space, and came together +with such force, that both their spears were shivered, and their shields +and hauberks pierced through; and both fell to the ground sorely wounded, +with their horses under them. But swiftly they arose, and drew their +swords, and smote each other on the head with many great and heavy blows, +till the blood ran down their bodies; and Sir Pridan was a full good +knight, so that Sir Bors had more ado than he had thought for to overcome +him. +</p> + +<p> +But at last Sir Pridan grew a little faint; that instantly perceived Sir +Bors, and rushed upon him the more vehemently, and smote him fiercely, +till he rent off his helm, and then gave him great strokes upon his visage +with the flat of his sword, and bade him yield or be slain. +</p> + +<p> +And then Sir Pridan cried him mercy, and said, “For God’s sake slay me +not, and I will never war against thy lady more.” So Sir Bors let him go, +and his wife fled away with all her knights. +</p> + +<p> +Then all those who had held lands of the lady of the tower came and did +homage to her again, and swore fealty. And when the country was at peace +Sir Bors departed, and rode forth into a forest until it was midday, and +there befell him a marvellous adventure. +</p> + +<p> +For at a place where two ways parted, there met him two knights, bearing +Sir Lionel, his brother, all naked, <a class="pagenum" name="page250" id="page250" title="250"></a> bound on a horse, and as they rode, +they beat him sorely with thorns, so that the blood trailed down in more +than a hundred places from his body; but for all this he uttered no word +or groan, so great he was of heart. As soon as Sir Bors knew his brother, +he put his spear in rest to run and rescue him; but in the same moment +heard a woman’s voice cry close beside him in the wood, “St. Mary, succour +thy maid;” and, looking round, he saw a damsel whom a felon knight dragged +after him into the thickets; and she, perceiving him, cried piteously for +help, and adjured him to deliver her as he was a sworn knight. Then was +Sir Bors sore troubled, and knew not what to do, for he thought within +himself, “If I let my brother be, he will be murdered; but if I help not +the maid, she is shamed for ever, and my vow compelleth me to set her +free; wherefore must I first help her, and trust my brother unto God.” +</p> + +<p> +So, riding to the knight who held the damsel, he cried out, “Sir knight, +lay your hand off that maid, or else ye be but dead.” +</p> + +<p> +At that the knight set down the maid, and dropped his shield, and drew +forth his sword against Sir Bors, who ran at him, and smote him through +both shield and shoulder, and threw him to the earth; and when he pulled +his spear forth, the knight swooned. Then the maid thanked Sir Bors +heartily, and he set her on the knight’s horse, and brought her to her +men-at-arms, who presently came riding after her. And they made much joy, +and besought him to come to her father, a great lord, and he should be +right welcome. But “truly,” said he, “I may not at this time, for I have a +great adventure yet to do;” and commending them to God, he departed in +great haste to find his brother. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page251" id="page251" title="251"></a> + +<p> +So he rode, seeking him by the track of the horses a great while. Anon he +met a seeming holy man riding upon a strong black horse, and asked him, +had he seen pass by that way a knight led bound and beaten with thorns by +two others. +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, truly, such an one I saw,” said the man; “but he is dead, and lo! +his body is hard by in a bush.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he showed him a newly slain body lying in a thick bush, which seemed +indeed to be Sir Lionel. Then made Sir Bors such mourning and sorrow that +by-and-by he fell into a swoon upon the ground. And when he came to +himself again, he took the body in his arms and put it on his horse’s +saddle, and bore it to a chapel hard by, and would have buried it. But +when he made the sign of the cross, he heard a full great noise and cry as +though all the fiends of hell had been about him, and suddenly the body +and the chapel and the old man vanished all away. Then he knew that it was +the devil who had thus beguiled him, and that his brother yet lived. +</p> + +<p> +Then held he up his hands to heaven, and thanked God for his own escape +from hurt, and rode onwards; and anon, as he passed by an hermitage in a +forest, he saw his brother sitting armed by the door. And when he saw him +he was filled with joy, and lighted from his horse, and ran to him and +said, “Fair brother, when came ye hither?” +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Lionel answered, with an angry face, “What vain words be these, +when for you I might have been slain? Did ye not see me bound and led away +to death, and left me in that peril to go succouring a gentlewoman, the +like whereof no brother ever yet hath done? Now, for thy false misdeed, I +do defy thee, and ensure thee speedy death.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page252" id="page252" title="252"></a> + +<p> +Then Sir Bors prayed his brother to abate his anger, and said, “Fair +brother, remember the love that should be between us twain.” +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Lionel would not hear, and prepared to fight and mounted his horse +and came before him, crying, “Sir Bors, keep thee from me, for I shall do +to thee as a felon and a traitor; therefore, start upon thy horse, for if +thou wilt not, I will run upon thee as thou standest.” +</p> + +<p> +But for all his words Sir Bors would not defend himself against his +brother. And anon the fiend stirred up Sir Lionel to such rage, that he +rushed over him and overthrew him with his horse’s hoofs, so that he lay +swooning on the ground. Then would he have rent off his helm and slain +him, but the hermit of that place ran out, and prayed him to forbear, and +shielded Sir Bors with his body. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lionel cried out, “Now, God so help me, sir priest, but I shall +slay thee else thou depart, and him too after thee.” +</p> + +<p> +And when the good man utterly refused to leave Sir Bors, he smote him on +the head until he died, and then he took his brother by the helm and +unlaced it, to have stricken off his head, and so he would have done, but +suddenly was pulled off backwards by a knight of the Round Table, who, by +the will of Heaven, was passing by that place—Sir Colgrevance by name. +</p> + +<p> +“Sir Lionel,” he cried, “will ye slay your brother, one of the best +knights of all the world? That ought no man to suffer.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why,” said Sir Lionel, “will ye hinder me and meddle in this strife? +beware, lest I shall slay both thee and him.” +</p> + +<p> +And when Sir Colgrevance refused to let them be, Sir Lionel defied him, +and gave him a great stroke through the helmet, whereat Sir Colgrevance +drew his sword, and smote <a class="pagenum" name="page253" id="page253" title="253"></a> again right manfully. And so long they fought +together that Sir Bors awoke from his swoon, and tried to rise and part +them, but had no strength to stand upon his feet. +</p> + +<p> +Anon Sir Colgrevance saw him, and cried out to him for help, for now Sir +Lionel had nigh defeated him. When Sir Bors heard that, he struggled to +his feet, and put his helmet on, and took his sword. But before he could +come to him, Sir Lionel had smitten off Sir Colgrevance’s helm, and thrown +him to the earth and slain him. Then turned he to his brother as a man +possessed by fiends, and gave him such a stroke as bent him nearly double. +</p> + +<p> +But still Sir Bors prayed him for God’s sake to quit that battle, “For if +it befell us that we either slew the other we should die for care of that +sin.” +</p> + +<p> +“Never will I spare thee if I master thee,” cried out Sir Lionel. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Bors drew his sword all weeping, and said, “Now, God have mercy +on me, though I defend my life against my brother;” with that he lifted up +his sword to strike, but suddenly he heard a mighty voice, “Put up thy +sword, Sir Bors, and flee, or thou shalt surely slay him.” And then there +fell upon them both a fiery cloud, which flamed and burned their shields, +and they fell to the earth in sore dread. +</p> + +<p> +Anon Sir Bors rose to his feet, and saw that Sir Lionel had taken no harm. +Then came the voice again, and said, “Sir Bors, go hence and leave thy +brother, and ride thou forward to the sea, for there Sir Percival abideth +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he said to his brother, “Brother, forgive me all my trespass against +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +And Sir Lionel answered, “God forgive it thee, as I do.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he departed and rode to the sea, and on the strand he found a ship +all covered with white samite, and <a class="pagenum" name="page254" id="page254" title="254"></a> as soon as he had entered thereinto, +it put forth from the shore. And in the midst of the ship there stood an +armed knight, whom he knew to be Sir Percival. Then they rejoiced greatly +over each other, and said, “We lack nothing now but the good knight Sir +Galahad.” +</p> + +<p> +Now when Sir Galahad had rescued Sir Percival from the twenty knights he +rode into a vast forest. And after many days it befell that he came to a +castle whereat was a tournament. And the knights of the castle were put to +the worse; which when he saw, he set his spear in rest and ran to help +them, and smote down many of their adversaries. And as it chanced, Sir +Gawain was amongst the stranger knights, and when he saw the white shield +with the red cross, he knew it was Sir Galahad, and proffered to joust +with him. So they encountered, and having broken their spears, they drew +their swords, and Sir Galahad smote Sir Gawain so sorely on the helm that +he clove it through, and struck on slanting to the earth, carving the +horse’s shoulder in twain, and Sir Gawain fell to the earth. Then Sir +Galahad beat back all who warred against the castle, yet would he not wait +for thanks, but rode away that no man might know him. +</p> + +<p> +And he rested that night at a hermitage, and when he was asleep, he heard +a knocking at the door. So he rose, and found a damsel there, who said, +“Sir Galahad, I will that ye arm you, and mount upon your horse and follow +me, for I will show you within these three days the highest adventure that +ever any knight saw.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon Sir Galahad armed him, and took his horse, and commended himself to +God, and bade the gentlewoman go, and he would follow where she liked. +</p> + +<p> +So they rode onwards to the sea as fast as their <a class="pagenum" name="page255" id="page255" title="255"></a> horses might gallop, and +at night they came to a castle in a valley, inclosed by running water, and +by strong and high walls, whereinto they entered and had great cheer, for +the lady of the castle was the damsel’s mistress. +</p> + +<p> +And when he was unarmed, the damsel said to her lady, “Madam, shall we +abide here this night?” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay,” said she, “but only till he hath dined and slept a little.” +</p> + +<p> +So he ate and slept a while, till the maid called him, and armed him by +torchlight; and when he had saluted the lady of the castle, the damsel and +Sir Galahad rode on. +</p> + +<p> +Anon they came to the seaside, and lo! the ship, wherein were Sir Percival +and Sir Bors, abode by the shore. Then they cried, “Welcome, Sir Galahad, +for we have awaited thee long.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they rejoiced to see each other, and told of all their adventures and +temptations. And the damsel went into the ship with them, and spake to Sir +Percival: “Sir Percival, know ye not who I am?” +</p> + +<p> +And he replied, “Nay, certainly, I know thee not.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said she, “I am thy sister, the daughter of King Pellinore, and am +sent to help thee and these knights, thy fellows, to achieve the quest +which ye all follow.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Percival rejoiced to see his sister, and they departed from the +shore. And after a while they came upon a whirlpool, where their ship +could not live. Then saw they another greater ship hard by and went +towards it, but saw neither man nor woman therein. And on the end of it +these words were written, “Thou who shalt enter me, beware that thou be in +steadfast belief, for I am Faith; and if thou doubtest, I cannot help +thee.” Then were they all adread, but, commending themselves to God, they +entered in. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page256" id="page256" title="256"></a> + +<p> +As soon as they were on board they saw a fair bed; whereon lay a crown of +silk, and at the foot was a fair and rich sword drawn from its scabbard +half a foot and more. The pommel was of precious stones of many colours, +every colour having a different virtue, and the scales of the haft were of +two ribs of different beasts. The one was bone of a serpent from Calidone +forest, named the serpent of the fiend; and its virtue saveth all men who +hold it from weariness. The other was of a fish that haunteth the floods +of Euphrates, named Ertanax; and its virtue causeth whoever holdeth it to +forget all other things, whether of joy or pain, save the thing he seeth +before him. +</p> + +<p> +“In the name of God,” said Sir Percival, “I shall assay to handle this +sword;” and set his hand to it, but could not grasp it. “By my faith,” +said he, “now have I failed.” +</p> + +<p> +Sir Bors set his hand to it, and failed also. +</p> + +<p> +Then came Sir Galahad, and saw these letters written red as blood, “None +shall draw me forth save the hardiest of all men; but he that draweth me +shall never be shamed or wounded to death.” “By my faith,” said Sir +Galahad, “I would draw it forth, but dare not try.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye may try safely,” said the gentlewoman, Sir Percival’s sister, “for be +ye well assured the drawing of this sword is forbid to all but you. For +this was the sword of David, King of Israel, and Solomon his son made for +it this marvellous pommel and this wondrous sheath, and laid it on this +bed till thou shouldest come and take it up; and though before thee some +have dared to raise it, yet have they all been maimed or wounded for their +daring.” +</p> + +<p> +“Where,” said Sir Galahad, “shall we find a girdle for it?” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page257" id="page257" title="257"></a> + +<img src="images/figure17.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure17" id="figure17" + title="“This girdle, lords,” said she, “is made for the most part of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I loved full well.”" + alt="“This girdle, lords,” said she, “is made for the most part of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I loved full well.”"> + +<p> +“Fair sir,” said she, “dismay you not;” and therewith took from out a box +a girdle, nobly wrought with golden thread, set full of precious stones +and with a rich gold buckle. <a href="images/figure17.jpg">“This girdle, lords,” said she, “is made for +the most part of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I +loved full well;</a> but when I knew that this adventure was ordained me, I +cut off and wove as ye now see.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they all prayed Sir Galahad to take the sword, and so anon he gripped +it in his fingers; and the maiden girt it round his waist, saying, “Now +reck I not though I die, for I have made thee the worthiest knight of all +the world.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair damsel,” said Sir Galahad, “ye have done so much that I shall be +your knight all the days of my life.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the ship sailed a great way on the sea, and brought them to land near +the Castle of Carteloise. When they were landed came a squire and asked +them, “Be ye of King Arthur’s court?” +</p> + +<p> +“We are,” said they. +</p> + +<p> +“In an evil hour are ye come,” said he, and went back swiftly to the +castle. +</p> + +<p> +Within a while they heard a great horn blow, and saw a multitude of +well-armed knights come forth, who bade them yield or die. At that they +ran together, and Sir Percival smote one to the earth and mounted his +horse, and so likewise did Sir Bors and Sir Galahad, and soon had they +routed all their enemies and alighted on foot, and with their swords slew +them downright, and entered into the castle. +</p> + +<p> +Then came there forth a priest, to whom Sir Galahad kneeled and said, “In +sooth, good father, I repent me of this slaughter; but we were first +assailed, or else it had not been.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page258" id="page258" title="258"></a> + +<p> +“Repent ye not,” said the good man, “for if ye lived as long as the world +lasted ye could do no better deed, for these were all the felon sons of a +good knight, Earl Hernox, whom they have thrown into a dungeon, and in his +name have slain priests and clerks, and beat down chapels far and near.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Galahad prayed the priest to bring him to the earl; who, when he +saw Sir Galahad, cried out, “Long have I waited for thy coming, and now I +pray thee hold me in thine arms that I may die in peace.” +</p> + +<p> +And therewith, when Sir Galahad had taken him in his arms, his soul +departed from his body. +</p> + +<p> +Then came a voice in the hearing of them all, “Depart now, Sir Galahad, +and go quickly to the maimed king, for he hath long abided to receive +health from thy hand.” +</p> + +<p> +So the three knights departed, and Sir Percival’s sister with them, and +came to a vast forest, and saw before them a white hart, exceeding fair, +led by four lions; and marvelling greatly at that sight, they followed. +</p> + +<p> +Anon they came to a hermitage and a chapel, whereunto the hart entered, +and the lions with it. Then a priest offered mass, and presently they saw +the hart change into the figure of a man, most sweet and comely to behold; +and the four lions also changed and became a man, an eagle, a lion, and an +ox. And suddenly all those five figures vanished without sound. Then the +knights marvelled greatly, and fell upon their knees, and when they rose +they prayed the priest to tell them what that sight might mean. +</p> + +<p> +“What saw ye, sirs?” said he, “for I saw nothing.” Then they told him. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, lords!” said he, “ye are full welcome; now know I well ye be the +knights who shall achieve the <a class="pagenum" name="page259" id="page259" title="259"></a> Sangreal, for unto them alone such +mysteries are revealed. The hart ye saw is One above all men, white and +without blemish, and the four lions with Him are the four evangelists.” +</p> + +<p> +When they heard that they heartily rejoiced, and thanking the priest, +departed. +</p> + +<p> +Anon, as they passed by a certain castle, an armed knight suddenly came +after them, and cried out to the damsel, “By the holy cross, ye shall not +go till ye have yielded to the custom of the castle.” +</p> + +<p> +“Let her go,” said Sir Percival, “for a maiden, wheresoever she cometh, is +free.” +</p> + +<p> +“Whatever maiden passeth here,” replied the knight, “must give a dishful +of her blood from her right arm.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is a foul and shameful custom,” cried Sir Galahad and both his +fellows, “and sooner will we die than let this maiden yield thereto.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then shall ye die,” replied the knight, and as he spake there came out +from a gate hard by, ten or twelve more, and encountered with them, +running upon them vehemently with a great cry. But the three knights +withstood them, and set their hands to their swords, and beat them down +and slew them. +</p> + +<p> +At that came forth a company of threescore knights, all armed. “Fair +lords,” said Sir Galahad, “have mercy on yourselves and keep from us.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, fair lords,” they answered, “rather be advised by us, and yield ye +to our custom.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is an idle word,” said Galahad, “in vain ye speak it.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said they, “will ye die?” +</p> + +<p> +“We be not come thereto as yet,” replied Sir Galahad. +</p> + +<p> +Then did they fall upon each other, and Sir Galahad drew forth his sword, +and smote on the right hand and on <a class="pagenum" name="page260" id="page260" title="260"></a> the left, and slew so mightily that +all who saw him thought he was a monster and no earthly man. And both his +comrades helped him well, and so they held the field against that +multitude till it was night. Then came a good knight forward from the +enemy and said, “Fair knights, abide with us to-night and be right +welcome; by the faith of our bodies as we are true knights, to-morrow ye +shall rise unharmed, and meanwhile maybe ye will, of your own accord, +accept the custom of the castle when ye know it better.” +</p> + +<p> +So they entered and alighted and made great cheer. Anon, they asked them +whence that custom came. “The lady of this castle is a leper,” said they, +“and can be no way cured save by the blood of a pure virgin and a king’s +daughter; therefore to save her life are we her servants bound to stay +every maid that passeth by, and try if her blood may not cure our +mistress.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said the damsel, “Take ye of my blood as much as ye will, if it may +avail your lady.” +</p> + +<p> +And though the three knights urged her not to put her life in that great +peril, she replied, “If I die to heal another’s body, I shall get health +to my soul,” and would not be persuaded to refuse. +</p> + +<p> +So on the morrow she was brought to the sick lady, and her arm was bared, +and a vein thereof was opened, and the dish filled with her blood. Then +the sick lady was anointed therewith, and anon she was whole of her +malady. With that Sir Percival’s sister lifted up her hand and blessed +her, saying, “Madam, I am come to my death to make you whole; for God’s +love pray for me;” and thus saying she fell down in a swoon. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Galahad, Sir Percival, and Sir Bors started to lift her up and +staunch her blood, but she had lost too <a class="pagenum" name="page261" id="page261" title="261"></a> much to live. So when she came to +herself she said to Sir Percival, “Fair brother, I must die for the +healing of this lady, and now, I pray thee, bury me not here, but when I +am dead put me in a boat at the next haven and let me float at venture on +the sea. And when ye come to the city of Sarras, to achieve the Sangreal, +shall ye find me waiting by a tower, and there I pray thee bury me, for +there shall Sir Galahad and ye also be laid.” Thus having said, she died. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Percival wrote all the story of her life and put it in her right +hand, and so laid her in a barge and covered it with silk. And the wind +arising drove the barge from land, and all the knights stood watching it +till it was out of sight. +</p> + +<p> +Anon they returned to the castle, and forthwith fell a sudden tempest of +thunder and lightning and rain, as if the earth were broken up: and half +the castle was thrown down. Then came a voice to the three knights which +said, “Depart ye now asunder till ye meet again where the maimed king is +lying.” So they parted and rode divers ways. +</p> + +<p> +Now after Sir Lancelot had left the hermit, he rode a long while till he +knew not whither to turn, and so he lay down to sleep, if haply he might +dream whither to go. +</p> + +<p> +And in his sleep a vision came to him saying, “Lancelot, rise up and take +thine armour, and enter the first ship that thou shalt find.” +</p> + +<p> +When he awoke he obeyed the vision, and rode till he came to the +sea-shore, and found there a ship without sails or oars, and as soon as he +was in it he smelt the sweetest savour he had ever known, and seemed +filled with all things he could think of or desire. And looking round he +saw a fair bed, and thereon a gentlewoman <a class="pagenum" name="page262" id="page262" title="262"></a> lying dead, who was Sir +Percival’s sister. And as Sir Lancelot looked on her he spied the writing +in her right hand, and, taking it, he read therein her story. And more +than a month thereafter he abode in that ship and was nourished by the +grace of Heaven, as Israel was fed with manna in the desert. +</p> + +<p> +And on a certain night he went ashore to pass the time, for he was +somewhat weary, and, listening, he heard a horse come towards him, from +which a knight alighted and went up into the ship; who, when he saw Sir +Lancelot, said, “Fair sir, ye be right welcome to mine eyes, for I am thy +son Galahad, and long time I have sought for thee.” With that he kneeled +and asked his blessing, and took off his helm and kissed him, and the +great joy there was between them no tongue can tell. +</p> + +<p> +Then for half a year they dwelt together in the ship, and served God night +and day with all their powers, and went to many unknown islands, where none +but wild beasts haunted, and there found many strange and perilous +adventures. +</p> + +<p> +And upon a time they came to the edge of a forest, before a cross of +stone, and saw a knight armed all in white, leading a white horse. Then +the knight saluted them, and said to Galahad, “Ye have been long time +enough with your father; now, therefore, leave him and ride this horse +till ye achieve the Holy Quest.” +</p> + +<p> +Then went Sir Galahad to his father and kissed him full courteously, and +said, “Fair father, I know not when I shall see thee again.” +</p> + +<p> +And as he took his horse a voice spake in their hearing, “Ye shall meet no +more in this life.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now, my son, Sir Galahad,” said Sir Lancelot, “since we must so part and +see each other never more, I pray the High Father of Heaven to preserve +both you and me.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page263" id="page263" title="263"></a> + +<p> +Then they bade farewell, and Sir Galahad entered the forest, and Sir +Lancelot returned to the ship, and the wind rose and drove him more than a +month through the sea, whereby he slept but little, yet ever prayed that +he might see the Sangreal. +</p> + +<p> +So it befell upon a certain midnight, the moon shining clear, he came +before a fair and rich castle, whereof the postern gate was open towards +the sea, having no keeper save two lions in the entry. +</p> + +<p> +Anon Sir Lancelot heard a voice: “Leave now thy ship and go within the +castle, and thou shalt see a part of thy desire.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he armed and went towards the gate, and coming to the lions he drew +out his sword, but suddenly a dwarf rushed out and smote him on the arm, +so that he dropt his sword, and heard again the voice, “Oh, man of evil +faith, and poor belief, wherefore trustest thou thine arms above thy +Maker?” Then he put up his sword and signed the cross upon his forehead, +and so passed by the lions without hurt. +</p> + +<p> +And going in, he found a chamber with the door shut, which in vain he +tried to open. And listening thereat he heard a voice within, which sang +so sweetly that it seemed no earthly thing, “Joy and honour be to the +Father of Heaven!” Then he kneeled down at the door, for he knew well the +Sangreal was there within. +</p> + +<p> +Anon the door was opened without hands, and forthwith came thereout so +great a splendour as if all the torches of the world had been alight +together. But when he would have entered in, a voice forbad him; wherefore +he drew back, and looked, standing upon the threshold of the door. And +there he saw a table of silver, and the holy vessel covered with red +samite, and many angels round it holding <a class="pagenum" name="page264" id="page264" title="264"></a> burning candles and a cross and +all the ornaments of the altar. +</p> + +<p> +Then a priest stood up and offered mass, and when he took the vessel up, +he seemed to sink beneath that burden. At that Sir Lancelot cried, “O +Father, take it not for sin that I go in to help the priest, who hath much +need thereof.” So saying, he went in, but when he came towards the table +he felt a breath of fire which issued out therefrom and smote him to the +ground, so that he had no power to rise. +</p> + +<p> +Then felt he many hands about him, which took him up and laid him down +outside the chapel door. There lay he in a swoon all through that night, +and on the morrow certain people found him senseless, and bore him to an +inner chamber and laid him on a bed. And there he rested, living, but +moving no limbs, twenty-four days and nights. +</p> + +<p> +On the twenty-fifth day he opened his eyes and saw those standing round, +and said, “Why have ye waked me? for I have seen marvels that no tongue +can tell, and more than any heart can think.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he asked where he was, and they told him, “In the Castle of +Carbonek.” +</p> + +<p> +“Tell your lord, King Pelles,” said he, “that I am Sir Lancelot.” +</p> + +<p> +At that they marvelled greatly, and told their lord it was Sir Lancelot +who had lain there so long. +</p> + +<p> +Then was King Pelles wondrous glad and went to see him, and prayed him to +abide there for a season. But Sir Lancelot said, “I know well that I have +now seen as much as mine eyes may behold of the Sangreal; wherefore I will +return to my own country.” So he took leave of King Pelles, and departed +towards Logris. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page265" id="page265" title="265"></a> + +<p> +Now after Sir Galahad had parted from Sir Lancelot, he rode many days, +till he came to the monastery where the blind King Evelake lay, whom Sir +Percival had seen. And on the morrow, when he had heard mass, Sir Galahad +desired to see the king, who cried out, “Welcome, Sir Galahad, servant of +the Lord! long have I abided thy coming. Take me now in thine arms, that I +may die in peace.” +</p> + +<p> +At that Sir Galahad embraced him; and when he had so done the king’s eyes +were opened, and he said, “Fair Lord Jesus, suffer me now to come to +Thee;” and anon his soul departed. +</p> + +<p> +Then they buried him royally, as a king should be; and Sir Galahad went on +his way. +</p> + +<p> +Within a while he came to a chapel in a forest, in the crypt whereof he +saw a tomb which always blazed and burnt. And asking the brethren what +that might mean, they told him, “Joseph of Arimathea’s son did found this +monastery, and one who wronged him hath lain here these three hundred and +fifty years and burneth evermore, until that perfect knight who shall +achieve the Sangreal doth quench the fire.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said he, “I pray ye bring me to the tomb.” +</p> + +<p> +And when he touched the place immediately the fire was quenched, and a +voice came from the grave and cried, “Thanks be to God, who now hath +purged me of my sin, and draweth me from earthly pains into the joys of +paradise.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Galahad took the body in his arms and bore it to the abbey, and +on the morrow put it in the earth before the high altar. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he departed from thence and rode five days in a great forest; and +after that he met Sir Percival, and <a class="pagenum" name="page266" id="page266" title="266"></a> a little further on Sir Bors. When +they had told each other their adventures, they rode together to the +Castle of Carbonek: and there King Pelles gave them hearty welcome, for he +knew they should achieve the Holy Quest. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as they were come into the castle, a voice cried in the midst of +the chamber, “Let them who ought not now to sit at the table of the Lord +rise and depart hence!” Then all, save those three knights, departed. +</p> + +<p> +Anon they saw other knights come in with haste at the hall doors and take +their harness off, who said to Sir Galahad, “Sir, we have tried sore to be +with you at this table.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye be welcome,” said he, “but whence are ye?” +</p> + +<p> +So three of them said they were from Gaul; and three from Ireland; and +three from Denmark. +</p> + +<p> +Then came forth the likeness of a bishop, with a cross in his hand, and +four angels stood by him, and a table of silver was before them, whereon +was set the vessel of the Sangreal. Then came forth other angels also—two +bearing burning candles, and the third a towel, and the fourth a spear +which bled marvellously, the drops wherefrom fell into a box he held in +his left hand. Anon the bishop took the wafer up to consecrate it, and at +the lifting up, they saw the figure of a Child, whose visage was as bright +as any fire, which smote itself into the midst of the wafer and vanished, +so that all saw the flesh made bread. +</p> + +<p> +Thereat the bishop went to Galahad and kissed him, and bade him go and +kiss his fellows; and said, “Now, servants of the Lord, prepare for food +such as none ever yet were fed with since the world began.” +</p> + +<p> +With that he vanished, and the knights were filled with a great dread and +prayed devoutly. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page267" id="page267" title="267"></a> + +<p> +Then saw they come forth from the holy vessel the vision of a man bleeding +all openly, whom they knew well by the tokens of His passion for the Lord +Himself. At that they fell upon their faces and were dumb. Anon he brought +the Holy Grale to them and spake high words of comfort, and, when they +drank therefrom, the taste thereof was sweeter than any tongue could tell +or heart desire. Then a voice said to Galahad, “Son, with this blood which +drippeth from the spear anoint thou the maimed king and heal him. And when +thou hast this done, depart hence with thy brethren in a ship that ye +shall find, and go to the city of Sarras. And bear with thee the holy +vessel, for it shall no more be seen in the realm of Logris.” +</p> + +<p> +At that Sir Galahad walked to the bleeding spear, and therefrom anointing +his fingers went out straightway to the maimed King Pelles, and touched +his wound. Then suddenly he uprose from his bed as whole a man as ever he +was, and praised God passing thankfully with all his heart. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Galahad, Sir Bors, and Sir Percival departed as they had been +told; and when they had ridden three days they came to the sea-shore, and +found the ship awaiting them. Therein they entered, and saw in the midst +the silver table and the vessel of the Sangreal, covered with red samite. +Then were they passing glad, and made great reverence thereto. And Sir +Galahad prayed that now he might leave the world and pass to God. And +presently, the while he prayed, a voice said to him, “Galahad, thy prayer +is heard, and when thou asketh the death of the body thou shalt have it, +and find the life of thy soul.” +</p> + +<p> +But while they prayed and slept the ship sailed on, and when they woke +they saw the city of Sarras before <a class="pagenum" name="page268" id="page268" title="268"></a> them, and the other ship wherein was +Sir Percival’s sister. Then the three knights took up the holy table and +the Sangreal and went into the city; and there, in a chapel, they buried +Sir Percival’s sister right solemnly. +</p> + +<p> +Now at the gate of the town they saw an old cripple sitting, whom Sir +Galahad called to help them bear their weight. +</p> + +<p> +“Truly,” said the old man, “it is ten years since I have gone a step +without these crutches.” +</p> + +<p> +“Care ye not,” said Sir Galahad; “rise now and show goodwill.” +</p> + +<p> +So he assayed to move, and found his limbs as strong as any man’s might +be, and running to the table helped to carry it. +</p> + +<p> +Anon there rose a rumour in the city that a cripple had been healed by +certain marvellous strange knights. +</p> + +<p> +But the king, named Estouranse, who was a heathen tyrant, when he heard +thereof took Sir Galahad and his fellows, and put them in prison in a deep +hole. Therein they abode a great while, but ever the Sangreal was with +them and fed them with marvellous sweet food, so that they fainted not, +but had all joy and comfort they could wish. +</p> + +<p> +At the year’s end the king fell sick and felt that he should die. Then +sent he for the three knights, and when they came before him prayed their +mercy for his trespasses against them. So they forgave him gladly, and +anon he died. +</p> + +<p> +Then the chief men of the city took counsel together who should be king in +his stead, and as they talked, a voice cried in their midst, “Choose ye +the youngest of the three knights King Estouranse cast into prison for +your king.” At that they sought Sir Galahad and made him <a class="pagenum" name="page269" id="page269" title="269"></a> king with the +assent of all the city, and else they would have slain him. +</p> + +<p> +But within a twelvemonth came to him, upon a certain day, as he prayed +before the Sangreal, a man in likeness of a bishop, with a great company +of angels round about him, who offered mass, and afterwards called to Sir +Galahad, “Come forth, thou servant of the Lord, for the time hath come +thou hast desired so long.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Galahad lifted up his hands and prayed, “Now, blessed Lord! would +I no longer live if it might please Thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon the bishop gave him the sacrament, and when he had received it with +unspeakable gladness, he said, “Who art thou, father?” +</p> + +<p> +“I am Joseph of Arimathea,” answered he, “whom our Lord hath sent to bear +thee fellowship.” +</p> + +<p> +When he heard that, Sir Galahad went to Sir Percival and Sir Bors and +kissed them and commended them to God, saying, “Salute for me Sir +Lancelot, my father, and bid him remember this unstable world.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he kneeled down and prayed, and suddenly his soul departed, and +a multitude of angels bare it up to heaven. Then came a hand from heaven +and took the vessel and the spear and bare them out of sight. +</p> + +<p> +Since then was never man so hardy as to say that he had seen the Sangreal. +</p> + +<p> +And after all these things, Sir Percival put off his armour and betook him +to an hermitage, and within a little while passed out of this world. And +Sir Bors, when he had buried him beside his sister, returned, weeping sore +for the loss of his two brethren, to King Arthur, at Camelot. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page270" id="page270" title="270"></a> + +<a name="chapter_xiii" id="chapter_xiii"</a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>Sir Lancelot and the Fair Maid of Astolat</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/n.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="n3" id="n3" Title="N" alt="Drop Case N"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +ow after the quest of the Sangreal was fulfilled and all the knights who +were left alive were come again to the Round Table, there was great joy in +the court. And passing glad were King Arthur and Queen Guinevere to see +Sir Lancelot and Sir Bors, for they had been long absent in that quest. +</p> + +<p> +And so greatly was Sir Lancelot’s fame now spread abroad that many ladies +and damsels daily resorted to him and besought him for their champion; and +all right quarrels did he gladly undertake for the pleasure of our Lord +Christ. And always as much as he might he withdrew him from the queen. +</p> + +<p> +Wherefore Queen Guinevere, who counted him for her own knight, grew wroth +with him, and on a certain day she called him to her chamber, and said +thus: “Sir Lancelot, I daily see thy loyalty to me doth slack, for ever +thou art absent from this court, and takest other ladies’ quarrels on thee +more than ever thou wert wont. Now do I understand thee, false knight, and +therefore shall I never trust thee more. Depart now from my sight, and +come no more within this court upon pain of thy head.” With that she +turned from him and would hear no excuses. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page271" id="page271" title="271"></a> + +<p> +So Sir Lancelot departed in heaviness of heart, and calling Sir Bors, Sir +Ector, and Sir Lionel, he told them how the queen had dealt with him. +</p> + +<p> +“Fair sir,” replied Sir Bors, “remember what honour ye have in this +country, and how ye are called the noblest knight in the world; wherefore +go not, for women are hasty, and do often what they sore repent of +afterwards. Be ruled by my advice. Take horse and ride to the hermitage +beside Windsor, and there abide till I send ye better tidings.” +</p> + +<p> +To that Sir Lancelot consented, and departed with a sorrowful countenance. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the queen heard of his leaving she was inwardly sorry, but made +no show of grief, bearing a proud visage outwardly. And on a certain day +she made a costly banquet to all the knights of the Round Table, to show +she had as great joy in all others as in Sir Lancelot. And at the banquet +were Sir Gawain, and his brothers Sir Agravaine, Sir Gaheris, and Sir +Gareth; also Sir Modred, Sir Bors, Sir Blamor, Sir Bleoberis, Sir Ector, +Sir Lionel, Sir Palomedes, Sir Mador de la Port, and his cousin Sir +Patrice—a knight of Ireland, Sir Pinell le Savage, and many more. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Pinell hated Sir Gawain because he had slain one of his kinsmen by +treason; and Sir Gawain had a great love for all kinds of fruit, which, +when Sir Pinell knew, he poisoned certain apples that were set upon the +table, with intent to slay him. And so it chanced as they ate and made +merry, Sir Patrice, who sat next to Sir Gawain, took one of the poisoned +apples and eat it, and when he had eaten he suddenly swelled up and fell +down dead. +</p> + +<p> +At that every knight leapt from the board ashamed <a class="pagenum" name="page272" id="page272" title="272"></a> and enraged nigh out of +their wits, for they knew not what to say, yet seeing that the queen had +made the banquet they all had suspicion of her. +</p> + +<p> +“My lady the queen,” said Sir Gawain, “I wit well this fruit was meant for +me, for all men know my love for it, and now had I been nearly slain; +wherefore, I fear me, ye will be ashamed.” +</p> + +<p> +“This shall not end so,” cried Sir Mador de la Port; “now have I lost a +noble knight of my own blood, and for this despite and shame I will be +revenged to the uttermost.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he challenged Queen Guinevere concerning the death of his cousin, but +she stood still, sore abashed, and anon with her sorrow and dread, she +swooned. +</p> + +<p> +At the noise and sudden cry came in King Arthur, and to him appealed Sir +Mador, and impeached the queen. +</p> + +<p> +“Fair lords,” said he, “full sorely am I troubled at this matter, for I +must be rightful judge, and therein it repenteth me I may not do battle +for my wife, for, as I deem, this deed was none of hers. But I suppose she +will not lack a champion, and some good knight surely will put his body in +jeopardy to save her.” +</p> + +<p> +But all who had been bidden to the banquet said they could not hold the +queen excused, or be her champions, for she had made the feast, and either +by herself or servants must it have come. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said the queen, “I made this dinner for a good intent, and no +evil, so God help me in my need.” +</p> + +<p> +“My lord the king,” said Sir Mador, “I require you heartily as you be a +righteous king give me a day when I may have justice.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said the king, “I give ye this day fifteen days, when ye shall be +ready and armed in the meadow beside <a class="pagenum" name="page273" id="page273" title="273"></a> Westminster, and if there be a +knight to fight with you, God speed the right, and if not, then must my +queen be burnt.” +</p> + +<p> +When the king and queen were alone together he asked her how this case +befell. +</p> + +<p> +“I wot not how or in what manner,” answered she. +</p> + +<p> +“Where is Sir Lancelot?” said King Arthur, “for he would not grudge to do +battle for thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said she, “I cannot tell you, but all his kinsmen deem he is not in +this realm.” +</p> + +<p> +“These be sad tidings,” said the king; “I counsel ye to find Sir Bors, and +pray him for Sir Lancelot’s sake to do this battle for you.” +</p> + +<p> +So the queen departed and sent for Sir Bors to her chamber, and besought +his succour. +</p> + +<p> +“Madam,” said he, “what would you have me do? for I may not with my honour +take this matter on me, for I was at that same dinner, and all the other +knights would have me ever in suspicion. Now do ye miss Sir Lancelot, for +he would not have failed you in right nor yet in wrong, as ye have often +proved, but now ye have driven him from the country.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas! fair knight,” said the queen, “I put me wholly at your mercy, and +all that is done amiss I will amend as ye will counsel me.” +</p> + +<p> +And therewith she kneeled down upon both her knees before Sir Bors, and +besought him to have mercy on her. +</p> + +<p> +Anon came in King Arthur also, and prayed him of his courtesy to help her, +saying, “I require you for the love of Lancelot.” +</p> + +<p> +“My lord,” said he, “ye require the greatest thing of me that any man can +ask, for if I do this battle for the queen I shall anger all my fellows of +the Table Round; <a class="pagenum" name="page274" id="page274" title="274"></a> nevertheless, for my lord Sir Lancelot’s sake, and for +yours, I will that day be the queen’s champion, unless there chance to +come a better knight than I am to do battle for her.” And this he promised +on his faith. +</p> + +<p> +Then were the king and queen passing glad, and thanked him heartily, and +so departed. +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Bors rode in secret to the hermitage where Sir Lancelot was, and +told him all these tidings. +</p> + +<p> +“It has chanced as I would have it,” said Sir Lancelot; “yet make ye ready +for the battle, but tarry till ye see me come.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Bors, “doubt not but ye shall have your will.” +</p> + +<p> +But many of the knights were greatly wroth with him when they heard he was +to be the queen’s champion, for there were few in the court but deemed her +guilty. +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Bors, “Wit ye well, fair lords, it were a shame to us all to +suffer so fair and noble a lady to be burnt for lack of a champion, for +ever hath she proved herself a lover of good knights; wherefore I doubt +not she is guiltless of this treason.” +</p> + +<p> +At that were some well pleased, but others rested passing wroth. +</p> + +<p> +And when the day was come, the king and queen and all the knights went to +the meadow beside Westminster, where the battle should be fought. Then the +queen was put in ward, and a great fire was made round the iron stake, +where she must be burnt if Sir Mador won the day. +</p> + +<p> +So when the heralds blew, Sir Mador rode forth, and took oath that Queen +Guinevere was guilty of Sir Patrice’s death, and his oath he would prove +with his body against any who would say the contrary. Then came forth Sir <a class="pagenum" name="page275" id="page275" title="275"></a> +Bors, and said, “Queen Guinevere is in the right, and that will I prove +with my hands.” +</p> + +<p> +With that they both departed to their tents to make ready for the battle. +But Sir Bors tarried long, hoping Sir Lancelot would come, till Sir Mador +cried out to King Arthur, “Bid thy champion come forth, unless he dare +not.” Then was Sir Bors ashamed, and took his horse and rode to the end of +the lists. +</p> + +<p> +But ere he could meet Sir Mador he was ware of a knight upon a white +horse, armed at all points, and with a strange shield, who rode to him and +said, “I pray you withdraw from this quarrel, for it is mine, and I have +ridden far to fight in it.” +</p> + +<p> +Thereat Sir Bors rode to King Arthur, and told him that another knight was +come who would do battle for the queen. +</p> + +<p> +“Who is he?” said King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +“I may not tell you,” said Sir Bors; “but he made a covenant with me to be +here to-day, wherefore I am discharged.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king called that knight, and asked him if he would fight for the +queen. +</p> + +<p> +“Therefore came I hither, Sir king,” answered he; “but let us tarry no +longer, for anon I have other matters to do. But wit ye well,” said he to +the Knights of the Round Table, “it is shame to ye for such a courteous +queen to suffer this dishonour.” +</p> + +<p> +And all men marvelled who this knight might be, for none knew him save Sir +Bors. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Mador and the knight rode to either end of the lists, and +couching their spears, ran one against the other with all their might; and +Sir Mador’s spear broke short, but the strange knight bore both him and +his horse <a class="pagenum" name="page276" id="page276" title="276"></a> down to the ground. Then lightly they leaped from their saddles +and drew their swords, and so came eagerly to the battle, and either gave +the other many sad strokes and sore and deep wounds. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure18.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure18" id="figure18" + title="At last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave him such a buffet on the helm as well-nigh killed him." + alt="At last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave him such a buffet on the helm as well-nigh killed him."> + +<p> +Thus they fought nigh an hour, for Sir Mador was a full strong and valiant +knight. <a href="images/figure18.jpg">But at last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave +him such a buffet on the helm as wellnigh killed him.</a> Then did Sir Mador +yield, and prayed his life. +</p> + +<p> +“I will but grant it thee,” said the strange knight, “if thou wilt release +the queen from this quarrel for ever, and promise that no mention shall be +made upon Sir Patrice’s tomb that ever she consented to that treason.” +</p> + +<p> +“All this shall be done,” said Sir Mador. +</p> + +<p> +Then the knights parters took up Sir Mador and led him to his tent, and +the other knight went straight to the stair foot of King Arthur’s throne; +and by that time was the queen come to the king again, and kissed him +lovingly. +</p> + +<p> +Then both the king and she stooped down, and thanked the knight, and +prayed him to put off his helm and rest him, and to take a cup of wine. +And when he put his helmet off to drink, all people saw it was Sir +Lancelot. But when the queen beheld him she sank almost to the ground +weeping for sorrow and for joy, that he had done her such great goodness +when she had showed him such unkindness. +</p> + +<p> +Then the knights of his blood gathered round him, and there was great joy +and mirth in the court. And Sir Mador and Sir Lancelot were soon healed of +their wounds; and not long after came the Lady of the Lake to the court, +and told all there by her enchantments how Sir Pinell, and not the queen, +was guilty of Sir Patrice’s death. Whereat the queen was held excused of +all men, and Sir Pinell fled the country. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page277" id="page277" title="277"></a> + +<p> +So Sir Patrice was buried in the church of Winchester, and it was written +on his tomb that Sir Pinell slew him with a poisoned apple, in error for +Sir Gawain. Then, through Sir Lancelot’s favour, the queen was reconciled +to Sir Mador, and all was forgiven. +</p> + +<p> +Now fifteen days before the Feast of the Assumption of our Lady, the king +proclaimed a tourney to be held that feast-day at Camelot, whereat himself +and the King of Scotland would joust with all who should come against +them. So thither went the King of North Wales, and King Anguish of +Ireland, and Sir Galahaut the noble prince, and many other nobles of +divers countries. +</p> + +<p> +And King Arthur made ready to go, and would have had the queen go with +him, but she said that she was sick. Sir Lancelot, also, made excuses, +saying he was not yet whole of his wounds. +</p> + +<p> +At that the king was passing heavy and grieved, and so departed alone +towards Camelot. And by the way he lodged in a town called Astolat, and +lay that night in the castle. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as he had gone, Sir Lancelot said to the queen, “This night I will +rest, and to-morrow betimes will I take my way to Camelot; for at these +jousts I will be against the king and his fellowship.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye may do as ye list,” said Queen Guinevere; “but by my counsel ye will +not be against the king, for in his company are many hardy knights, as ye +well know.” +</p> + +<p> +“Madam,” said Sir Lancelot, “I pray ye be not displeased with me, for I +will take the adventure that God may send me.” +</p> + +<p> +And on the morrow he went to the church and heard mass, and took his leave +of the queen, and so departed. +</p> + +<p> +Then he rode long till he came to Astolat, and there <a class="pagenum" name="page278" id="page278" title="278"></a> lodged at the castle +of an old baron called Sir Bernard of Astolat, which was near the castle +where King Arthur lodged. And as Sir Lancelot entered the king espied him, +and knew him. Then said he to the knights, “I have just seen a knight who +will fight full well at the joust toward which we go.” +</p> + +<p> +“Who is it?” asked they. +</p> + +<p> +“As yet ye shall not know,” he answered smiling. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Lancelot was in his chamber unarming, the old baron came to him +saluting him, though as yet he knew not who he was. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Bernard had a daughter passing beautiful, called the Fair Maid of +Astolat, and when she saw Sir Lancelot she loved him from that instant +with her whole heart, and could not stay from gazing on him. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow, Sir Lancelot asked the old baron to lend him a strange +shield. “For,” said he, “I would be unknown.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said his host, “ye shall have your desire, for here is the shield +of my eldest son, Sir Torre, who was hurt the day he was made knight, so +that he cannot ride; and his shield, therefore, is not known. And, if it +please you, my youngest son, Sir Lavaine, shall ride with you to the +jousts, for he is of his age full strong and mighty; and I deem ye be a +noble knight, wherefore I pray ye tell me your name.” +</p> + +<p> +“As to that,” said Sir Lancelot, “ye must hold me excused at this time, +but if I speed well at the jousts, I will come again and tell you; but in +anywise let me have your son, Sir Lavaine, with me, and lend me his +brother’s shield.” +</p> + +<p> +Then, ere they departed, came Elaine, the baron’s daughter, and said to +Sir Lancelot, “I pray thee, gentle knight, to wear my token at to-morrow’s +tourney.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page279" id="page279" title="279"></a> + +<p> +“If I should grant you that, fair damsel,” said he, “ye might say that I +did more for you than ever I have done for lady or damsel.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he bethought him that if he granted her request he would be the more +disguised, for never before had he worn any lady’s token. So anon he said, +“Fair damsel, I will wear thy token on my helmet if thou wilt show it me.” +</p> + +<p> +Thereat was she passing glad, and brought him a scarlet sleeve broidered +with pearls, which Sir Lancelot took, and put upon his helm. Then he +prayed her to keep his shield for him until he came again, and taking Sir +Torre’s shield instead, rode forth with Sir Lavaine towards Camelot. +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow the trumpets blew for the tourney, and there was a great +press of dukes and earls and barons and many noble knights; and King +Arthur sat in a gallery to behold who did the best. So the King of +Scotland and his knights, and King Anguish of Ireland rode forth on King +Arthur’s side; and against them came the King of North Wales, the King of +a Hundred Knights, the King of Northumberland, and the noble prince Sir +Galahaut. +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Lancelot and Sir Lavaine rode into a little wood behind the party +which was against King Arthur, to watch which side should prove the +weakest. +</p> + +<p> +Then was there a strong fight between the two parties, for the King of a +Hundred Knights smote down the King of Scotland; and Sir Palomedes, who +was on King Arthur’s side, overthrew Sir Galahaut. Then came fifteen +Knights of the Round Table and beat back the Kings of Northumberland and +North Wales with their knights. +</p> + +<p> +“Now,” said Sir Lancelot to Sir Lavaine, “if ye will <a class="pagenum" name="page280" id="page280" title="280"></a> help me, ye shall +see yonder fellowship go back as fast as they came.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir,” said Sir Lavaine, “I will do what I can.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they rode together into the thickest of the press, and there, with +one spear, Sir Lancelot smote down five Knights of the Round Table, one +after other, and Sir Lavaine overthrew two. And taking another spear, for +his own was broken, Sir Lancelot smote down four more knights, and Sir +Lavaine a fifth. Then, drawing his sword, Sir Lancelot fought fiercely on +the right hand and the left, and unhorsed Sir Safire, Sir Epinogris, and +Sir Galleron. At that the Knights of the Round Table withdrew themselves +as well as they were able. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, mercy,” said Sir Gawain, who sat by King Arthur; “what knight is +that who doth such marvellous deeds of arms? I should deem him by his +force to be Sir Lancelot, but that he wears a lady’s token on his helm as +never Lancelot doth.” +</p> + +<p> +“Let him be,” said King Arthur; “he will be better known, and do more ere +he depart.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus the party against King Arthur prospered at this time, and his knights +were sore ashamed. Then Sir Bors, Sir Ector, and Sir Lionel called +together the knights of their blood, nine in number, and agreed to join +together in one band against the two strange knights. So they encountered +Sir Lancelot all at once, and by main force smote his horse to the ground; +and by misfortune Sir Bors struck Sir Lancelot through the shield into the +side, and the spear broke off and left the head in the wound. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Lavaine saw that, he ran to the King of Scotland and struck him +off his horse, and brought it to Sir Lancelot, and helped him to mount. +Then Sir <a class="pagenum" name="page281" id="page281" title="281"></a> Lancelot bore Sir Bors and his horse to the ground, and in like +manner served Sir Ector and Sir Lionel; and turning upon three other +knights he smote them down also; while Sir Lavaine did many gallant deeds. +</p> + +<p> +But feeling himself now sorely wounded Sir Lancelot drew his sword, and +proffered to fight with Sir Bors, who, by this time, was mounted anew. And +as they met, Sir Ector and Sir Lionel came also, and the swords of all +three drave fiercely against him. When he felt their buffets, and his +wound that was so grievous, he determined to do all his best while he +could yet endure, and smote Sir Bors a blow that bent his head down nearly +to the ground and razed his helmet off and pulled him from his horse. +</p> + +<p> +Then rushing at Sir Ector and Sir Lionel, he smote them down, and might +have slain all three, but when he saw their faces his heart forbade him. +Leaving them, therefore, on the field, he hurled into the thickest of the +press, and did such feats of arms as never were beheld before. +</p> + +<p> +And Sir Lavaine was with him through it all, and overthrew ten knights; +but Sir Lancelot smote down more than thirty, and most of them Knights of +the Round Table. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king ordered the trumpets to blow for the end of the tourney, and +the prize to be given by the heralds to the knight with the white shield +who bore the red sleeve. +</p> + +<p> +But ere Sir Lancelot was found by the heralds, came the King of the +Hundred Knights, the King of North Wales, the King of Northumberland, and +Sir Galahaut, and said to him, “Fair knight, God bless thee, for much have +ye done this day for us; wherefore we pray ye come <a class="pagenum" name="page282" id="page282" title="282"></a> with us and receive +the honour and the prize as ye have worshipfully deserved it.” +</p> + +<p> +“My fair lords,” said Sir Lancelot, “wit ye well if I have deserved +thanks, I have sore bought them, for I am like never to escape with my +life; therefore I pray ye let me depart, for I am sore hurt. I take no +thought of honour, for I had rather rest me than be lord of all the +world.” And therewith he groaned piteously, and rode a great gallop away +from them. +</p> + +<p> +And Sir Lavaine rode after him, sad at heart, for the broken spear still +stuck fast in Sir Lancelot’s side, and the blood streamed sorely from the +wound. Anon they came near a wood more than a mile from the lists, where +he knew he could be hidden. +</p> + +<p> +Then said he to Sir Lavaine, “O gentle knight, help me to pull out this +spear-head from my side, for the pain thereof nigh killeth me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Dear lord,” said he, “I fain would help ye; but I dread to draw it forth, +lest ye should die for loss of blood.” +</p> + +<p> +“I charge you as you love me,” said Sir Lancelot, “draw it out.” +</p> + +<p> +So they dismounted, and with a mighty wrench Sir Lavaine drew the spear +forth from Sir Lancelot’s side; whereat he gave a marvellous great shriek +and ghastly groan, and all his blood leaped forth in a full stream. Then +he sank swooning to the earth, with a visage pale as death. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” cried Sir Lavaine, “what shall I do now?” +</p> + +<p> +And then he turned his master’s face towards the wind, and sat by him nigh +half an hour while he lay quiet as one dead. But at the last he lifted up +his eyes, and said, “I pray ye bear me on my horse again, and lead me to a +<a class="pagenum" name="page283" id="page283" title="283"></a> hermit who dwelleth within two miles hence, for he was formerly a knight +of Arthur’s court, and now hath mighty skill in medicine and herbs.” +</p> + +<p> +So with great pain Sir Lavaine got him to his horse, and led him to the +hermitage within the wood, beside a stream. Then knocked he with his spear +upon the door, and prayed to enter. At that a child came out, to whom he +said, “Fair child, pray the good man thy master to come hither and let in +a knight who is sore wounded.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon came out the knight-hermit, whose name was Sir Baldwin, and asked, +“Who is this wounded knight?” +</p> + +<p> +“I know not,” said Sir Lavaine, “save that he is the noblest knight I ever +met with, and hath done this day such marvellous deeds of arms against +King Arthur that he hath won the prize of the tourney.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the hermit gazed long on Sir Lancelot, and hardly knew him, so pale +he was with bleeding, yet said he at the last, “Who art thou, lord?” +</p> + +<p> +Sir Lancelot answered feebly, “I am a stranger knight adventurous, who +laboureth through many realms to win worship.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why hidest thou thy name, dear lord, from me?” cried Sir Baldwin; “for in +sooth I know thee now to be the noblest knight in all the world—my lord +Sir Lancelot du Lake, with whom I long had fellowship at the Round Table.” +</p> + +<p> +“Since ye know me, fair sir,” said he, “I pray ye, for Christ’s sake, to +help me if ye may.” +</p> + +<p> +“Doubt not,” replied he, “that ye shall live and fare right well.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he staunched his wound, and gave him strong medicines and cordials +till he was refreshed from his faintness and came to himself again. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page284" id="page284" title="284"></a> + +<p> +Now after the jousting was done King Arthur held a feast, and asked to see +the knight with the red sleeve that he might take the prize. So they told +him how that knight had ridden from the field wounded nigh to death. +“These be the worst tidings I have heard for many years,” cried out the +king; “I would not for my kingdom he were slain.” +</p> + +<p> +Then all men asked, “Know ye him, lord?” +</p> + +<p> +“I may not tell ye at this time,” said he; “but would to God we had good +tidings of him.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Gawain prayed leave to go and seek that knight, which the king +gladly gave him. So forthwith he mounted and rode many leagues round +Camelot, but could hear no tidings. +</p> + +<p> +Within two days thereafter King Arthur and his knights returned from +Camelot, and Sir Gawain chanced to lodge at Astolat, in the house of Sir +Bernard. And there came in the fair Elaine to him, and prayed him news of +the tournament, and who won the prize. “A knight with a white shield,” +said he, “who bare a red sleeve in his helm, smote down all comers and won +the day.” +</p> + +<p> +At that the visage of Elaine changed suddenly from white to red, and +heartily she thanked our Lady. +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Gawain, “Know ye that knight?” and urged her till she told +him that it was her sleeve he wore. So Sir Gawain knew it was for love +that she had given it; and when he heard she kept his proper shield he +prayed to see it. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as it was brought he saw Sir Lancelot’s arms thereon, and cried, +“Alas! now am I heavier of heart than ever yet.” +</p> + +<p> +“Wherefore?” said fair Elaine. +</p> + +<p> +“Fair damsel,” answered he, “know ye not that the <a class="pagenum" name="page285" id="page285" title="285"></a> knight ye love is of +all knights the noblest in the world, Sir Lancelot du Lake? With all my +heart I pray ye may have joy of each other, but hardly dare I think that +ye shall see him in this world again, for he is so sore wounded he may +scarcely live, and is gone out of sight where none can find him.” +</p> + +<p> +Then was Elaine nigh mad with grief and sorrow, and with piteous words she +prayed her father that she might go seek Sir Lancelot and her brother. So +in the end her father gave her leave, and she departed. +</p> + +<p> +And on the morrow came Sir Gawain to the court, and told how he had found +Sir Lancelot’s shield in Elaine’s keeping, and how it was her sleeve which +he had worn; whereat all marvelled, for Sir Lancelot had done for her more +than he had ever done for any woman. +</p> + +<p> +But when Queen Guinevere heard it she was beside herself with wrath, and +sending privily for Sir Bors, who sorrowed sorely that through him Sir +Lancelot had been hurt—“Have ye now heard,” said she, “how falsely Sir +Lancelot hath betrayed me?” +</p> + +<p> +“I beseech thee, madam,” said he, “speak not so, for else I may not hear +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +“Shall I not call him traitor,” cried she, “who hath worn another lady’s +token at the jousting?” +</p> + +<p> +“Be sure he did it, madam, for no ill intent,” replied Sir Bors, “but that +he might be better hidden, for never did he in that wise before.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now shame on him, and thee who wouldest help him,” cried the queen. +</p> + +<p> +“Madam, say what ye will,” said he; “but I must haste to seek him, and God +send me soon good tidings of him.” +</p> + +<p> +So with that he departed to find Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page286" id="page286" title="286"></a> + +<p> +Now Elaine had ridden with full haste from Astolat, and come to Camelot, +and there she sought throughout the country for any news of Lancelot. And +so it chanced that Sir Lavaine was riding near the hermitage to exercise +his horse, and when she saw him she ran up and cried aloud, “How doth my +lord Sir Lancelot fare?” +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Lavaine, marvelling greatly, “How know ye my lord’s name, +fair sister?” +</p> + +<p> +So she told him how Sir Gawain had lodged with Sir Bernard, and knew Sir +Lancelot’s shield. +</p> + +<p> +Then prayed she to see his lord forthwith, and when she came to the +hermitage and found him lying there sore sick and bleeding, she swooned +for sorrow. Anon, as she revived, Sir Lancelot kissed her, and said, “Fair +maid, I pray ye take comfort, for, by God’s grace, I shall be shortly +whole of this wound, and if ye be come to tend me, I am heartily bounden +to your great kindness.” Yet was he sore vexed to hear Sir Gawain had +discovered him, for he knew Queen Guinevere would be full wroth because of +the red sleeve. +</p> + +<p> +So Elaine rested in the hermitage, and ever night and day she watched and +waited on Sir Lancelot, and would let none other tend him. And as she saw +him more, the more she set her love upon him, and could by no means +withdraw it. Then said Sir Lancelot to Sir Lavaine, “I pray thee set some +to watch for the good knight Sir Bors, for as he hurt me, so will he +surely seek for me.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Bors by this time had come to Camelot, and was seeking for Sir +Lancelot everywhere, so Sir Lavaine soon found him, and brought him to the +hermitage. +</p> + +<p> +And when he saw Sir Lancelot pale and feeble, he wept for pity and sorrow +that he had given him that grievous wound. “God send thee a right speedy +cure, dear <a class="pagenum" name="page287" id="page287" title="287"></a> lord,” said he; “for I am of all men most unhappy to have +wounded thee, who art our leader, and the noblest knight in all the +world.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fair cousin,” said Sir Lancelot, “be comforted, for I have but gained +what I sought, and it was through pride that I was hurt, for had I warned +ye of my coming it had not been; wherefore let us speak of other things.” +</p> + +<p> +So they talked long together, and Sir Bors told him of the queen’s anger. +Then he asked Sir Lancelot, “Was it from this maid who tendeth you so +lovingly ye had the token?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yea,” said Sir Lancelot; “and would I could persuade her to withdraw her +love from me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why should ye do so?” said Sir Bors; “for she is passing fair and loving. +I would to heaven ye could love her.” +</p> + +<p> +“That may not be,” replied he; “but it repenteth me in sooth to grieve +her.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they talked of other matters, and of the great jousting at +Allhallowtide next coming, between King Arthur and the King of North +Wales. +</p> + +<p> +“Abide with me till then,” said Sir Lancelot, “for by that time I trust to +be all whole again, and we will go together.” +</p> + +<p> +So Elaine daily and nightly tending him, within a month he felt so strong +he deemed himself full cured. Then on a day, when Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine +were from the hermitage, and the knight-hermit also was gone forth, Sir +Lancelot prayed Elaine to bring him some herbs from the forest. +</p> + +<p> +When she was gone he rose and made haste to arm himself, and try if he +were whole enough to joust, and mounted on his horse, which was fresh with +lack of <a class="pagenum" name="page288" id="page288" title="288"></a> labour for so long a time. But when he set his spear in the rest +and tried his armour, the horse bounded and leapt beneath him, so that Sir +Lancelot strained to keep him back. And therewith his wound, which was not +wholly healed, burst forth again, and with a mighty groan he sank down +swooning on the ground. +</p> + +<p> +At that came fair Elaine and wept and piteously moaned to see him lying +so. And when Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine came back, she called them traitors +to let him rise, or to know any rumour of the tournament. Anon the hermit +returned and was wroth to see Sir Lancelot risen, but within a while he +recovered him from his swoon and staunched the wound. Then Sir Lancelot +told him how he had risen of his own will to assay his strength for the +tournament. But the hermit bad him rest and let Sir Bors go alone, for +else would he sorely peril his life. And Elaine, with tears, prayed him in +the same wise, so that Sir Lancelot in the end consented. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Bors departed to the tournament, and there he did such feats of +arms that the prize was given between him and Sir Gawain, who did like +valiantly. +</p> + +<p> +And when all was over he came back and told Sir Lancelot, and found him so +nigh well that he could rise and walk. And within a while thereafter he +departed from the hermitage and went with Sir Bors, Sir Lavaine, and fair +Elaine to Astolat, where Sir Bernard joyfully received them. +</p> + +<p> +But after they had lodged there a few days Sir Lancelot and Sir Bors must +needs depart and return to King Arthur’s court. +</p> + +<p> +So when Elaine knew Sir Lancelot must go, she came to him and said, “Have +mercy on me, fair knight, and let me not die for your love.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page289" id="page289" title="289"></a> + +<p> +Then said Sir Lancelot, very sad at heart, “Fair maid, what would ye that +I should do for you?” +</p> + +<p> +“If I may not be your wife, dear lord,” she answered, “I must die.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said he, “I pray heaven that may not be; for in sooth I may not be +your husband. But fain would I show ye what thankfulness I can for all +your love and kindness to me. And ever will I be your knight, fair maiden; +and if it chance that ye shall ever wed some noble knight, right heartily +will I give ye such a dower as half my lands will bring.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas! what shall that aid me?” answered she; “for I must die,” and +therewith she fell to the earth in a deep swoon. +</p> + +<p> +Then was Sir Lancelot passing heavy of heart, and said to Sir Bernard and +Sir Lavaine, “What shall I do for her?” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” said Sir Bernard, “I know well that she will die for your sake.” +</p> + +<p> +And Sir Lavaine said, “I marvel not that she so sorely mourneth your +departure, for truly I do as she doth, and since I once have seen you, +lord, I cannot leave you.” +</p> + +<p> +So anon, with a full sorrowful heart, Sir Lancelot took his leave, and Sir +Lavaine rode with him to the court. And King Arthur and the Knights of the +Round Table joyed greatly to see him whole of his wound, but Queen +Guinevere was sorely wroth, and neither spake with him nor greeted him. +</p> + +<p> +Now when Sir Lancelot had departed, the Maid of Astolat could neither eat, +nor drink, not sleep for sorrow; and having thus endured ten days, she +felt within herself that she must die. +</p> + +<p> +Then sent she for a holy man, and was shriven and <a class="pagenum" name="page290" id="page290" title="290"></a> received the sacrament. +But when he told her she must leave her earthly thoughts, she answered, +“Am I not an earthly woman? What sin is it to love the noblest knight of +all the world? And, by my truth, I am not able to withstand the love +whereof I die; wherefore, I pray the High Father of Heaven to have mercy +on my soul.” +</p> + +<p> +Then she besought Sir Bernard to indite a letter as she should devise, and +said, “When I am dead put this within my hand, and dress me in my fairest +clothes, and lay me in a barge all covered with black samite, and steer it +down the river till it reach the court. Thus, father, I beseech thee let +it be.” +</p> + +<p> +Then, full of grief, he promised her it should be so. And anon she died, +and all the household made a bitter lamentation over her. +</p> + +<p> +Then did they as she had desired, and laid her body, richly dressed, upon +a bed within the barge, and a trusty servant steered it down the river +towards the court. +</p> + +<p> +Now King Arthur and Queen Guinevere sat at a window of the palace, and saw +the barge come floating with the tide, and marvelled what was laid +therein, and sent a messenger to see, who, soon returning, prayed them to +come forth. +</p> + +<p> +When they came to the shore they marvelled greatly, and the king asked of +the serving-men who steered the barge what this might mean. But he made +signs that he was dumb, and pointed to the letter in the damsel’s hands. +So King Arthur took the letter from the hand of the corpse, and found +thereon written, “To the noble knight, Sir Lancelot du Lake.” +</p> + +<img src="images/figure19.jpg" width="50%" align="right" name="figure19" id="figure19" + title="Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk." + alt="Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk."> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure19.jpg">Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk,</a> and +thus it was written:— +</p> + +<p> +“Most noble knight, my lord Sir Lancelot, now hath <a class="pagenum" name="page291" id="page291" title="291"></a> death for ever parted +us. I, whom men call the Maid of Astolat, set my love upon you, and have +died for your sake. This is my last request, that ye pray for my soul and +give me burial. Grant me this, Sir Lancelot, as thou art a peerless +knight.” +</p> + +<p> +At these words the queen and all the knights wept sore for pity. +</p> + +<p> +Then said Sir Lancelot, “My lord, I am right heavy for the death of this +fair damsel; and God knoweth that right unwillingly I caused it, for she +was good as she was fair, and much was I beholden to her; but she loved me +beyond measure, and asked me that I could not give her.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye might have shown her gentleness enough to save her life,” answered the +queen. +</p> + +<p> +“Madam,” said he, “she would but be repaid by my taking her to wife, and +that I could not grant her, for love cometh of the heart and not by +constraint.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is true,” said the king; “for love is free.” +</p> + +<p> +“I pray you,” said Sir Lancelot, “let me now grant her last asking, to be +buried by me.” +</p> + +<p> +So on the morrow, he caused her body to be buried richly and solemnly, and +ordained masses for her soul, and made great sorrow over her. +</p> + +<p> +Then the queen sent for Sir Lancelot, and prayed his pardon for her wrath +against him without cause. “This is not the first time it hath been so,” +answered he; “yet must I ever bear with ye, and so do I now forgive you.” +</p> + +<p> +So Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot were made friends again; but anon such +favour did she show him, as in the end brought many evils on them both and +all the realm. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page292" id="page292" title="292"></a> + +<a name="chapter_xiv" id="chapter_xiv"</a> +<hr class="majorbreak"> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2> + +<hr class="mediumbreak"> + +<p class="chaptertitle"> +<i>The War between King Arthur and Sir Lancelot and the Death of King +Arthur</i> +</p> + +<hr class="minorbreak"> + +<img src="images/w.png" height="100px" width="100px" align="left" name="w1" id="w1" Title="W" alt="Drop Case W"> + +<p class="firstparagraph"> +ithin a while thereafter was a jousting at the court, wherein Sir +Lancelot won the prize. And two of those he smote down were Sir Agravaine, +the brother of Sir Gawain, and Sir Modred, his false brother—King +Arthur’s son by Belisent. And because of his victory they hated Sir +Lancelot, and sought how they might injure him. +</p> + +<p> +So on a night, when King Arthur was hunting in the forest, and the queen +sent for Sir Lancelot to her chamber, they two espied him; and thinking +now to make a scandal and a quarrel between Lancelot and the king, they +found twelve others, and said Sir Lancelot was ever now in the queen’s +chamber, and King Arthur was dishonoured. +</p> + +<p> +Then, all armed, they came suddenly round the queen’s door, and cried, +“Traitor! now art thou taken.” +</p> + +<p> +“Madam, we be betrayed,” said Sir Lancelot; “yet shall my life cost these +men dear.” +</p> + +<p> +Then did the queen weep sore, and dismally she cried, “Alas! there is no +armour here whereby ye might withstand <a class="pagenum" name="page293" id="page293" title="293"></a> so many; wherefore ye will be +slain, and I be burnt for the dread crime they will charge on me.” +</p> + +<p> +But while she spake the shouting of the knights was heard without, +“Traitor, come forth, for now thou art snared!” +</p> + +<p> +“Better were twenty deaths at once than this vile outcry,” said Sir +Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +Then he kissed her and said, “Most noble lady, I beseech ye, as I have +ever been your own true knight, take courage; pray for my soul if I be now +slain, and trust my faithful friends, Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine, to save +you from the fire.” +</p> + +<p> +But ever bitterly she wept and moaned, and cried, “Would God that they +would take and slay me, and that thou couldest escape.” +</p> + +<p> +“That shall never be,” said he. And wrapping his mantle round his arm he +unbarred the door a little space, so that but one could enter. +</p> + +<p> +Then first rushed in Sir Chalaunce, a full strong knight, and lifted up +his sword to smite Sir Lancelot; but lightly he avoided him, and struck +Sir Chalaunce, with his hand, such a sore buffet on the head as felled him +dead upon the floor. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lancelot pulled in his body and barred the door again, and +dressed himself in his armour, and took his drawn sword in his hand. +</p> + +<img src="images/figure20.jpg" width="50%" align="left" name="figure20" id="figure20" + title="But still the knights cried mightily without the door, “Traitor, come forth!”" + alt="But still the knights cried mightily without the door, “Traitor, come forth!”"> + +<p> +<a href="images/figure20.jpg">But still the knights cried mightily without the door, “Traitor, come +forth!”</a> +</p> + +<p> +“Be silent and depart,” replied Sir Lancelot; “for be ye sure ye will not +take me, and to-morrow will I meet ye face to face before the king.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ye shall have no such grace,” they cried; “but we will slay thee, or take +thee as we list.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page294" id="page294" title="294"></a> + +<p> +“Then save yourselves who may,” he thundered, and therewith suddenly +unbarred the door and rushed forth at them. And at the first blow he slew +Sir Agravaine, and after him twelve other knights, with twelve more mighty +buffets. And none of all escaped him save Sir Modred, who, sorely wounded, +fled away for life. +</p> + +<p> +Then returned he to the queen, and said, “Now, madam, will I depart, and +if ye be in any danger I pray ye come to me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Surely will I stay here, for I am queen,” she answered; “yet if to-morrow +any harm come to me I trust to thee for rescue.” +</p> + +<p> +“Have ye no doubt of me,” said he, “for ever while I live am I your own +true knight.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he took his leave, and went and told Sir Bors and all his +kindred of this adventure. “We will be with thee in this quarrel,” said +they all; “and if the queen be sentenced to the fire, we certainly will +save her.” +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile Sir Modred, in great fear and pain, fled from the court, and +rode until he found King Arthur, and told him all that had befallen. But +the king would scarce believe him till he came and saw the bodies of Sir +Agravaine and all the other knights. +</p> + +<p> +Then felt he in himself that all was true, and with his passing grief his +heart nigh broke. “Alas!” cried he, “now is the fellowship of the Round +Table for ever broken: yea, woe is me! I may not with my honour spare my +queen.” +</p> + +<p> +Anon it was ordained that Queen Guinevere should be burned to death, +because she had dishonoured King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +But when Sir Gawain heard thereof, he came before the king, and said, “My +lord, I counsel thee be not too hasty in this matter, but stay the +judgment of the queen <a class="pagenum" name="page295" id="page295" title="295"></a> a season, for it may well be that Sir Lancelot was +in her chamber for no evil, seeing she is greatly beholden to him for so +many deeds done for her sake, and peradventure she had sent to him to +thank him, and did it secretly that she might avoid slander.” +</p> + +<p> +But King Arthur answered, full of grief, “Alas! I may not help her; she is +judged as any other woman.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he required Sir Gawain and his brethren, Sir Gaheris and Sir Gareth, +to be ready to bear the queen to-morrow to the place of execution. +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, noble lord,” replied Sir Gawain, “that can I never do; for neither +will my heart suffer me to see the queen die, nor shall men ever say I was +of your counsel in this matter.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said his brothers, “Ye may command us to be there, but since it is +against our will, we will be without arms, that we may do no battle +against her.” +</p> + +<p> +So on the morrow was Queen Guinevere led forth to die by fire, and a +mighty crowd was there, of knights and nobles, armed and unarmed. And all +the lords and ladies wept sore at that piteous sight. Then was she shriven +by a priest, and the men came nigh to bind her to the stake and light the +fire. +</p> + +<p> +At that Sir Lancelot’s spies rode hastily and told him and his kindred, +who lay hidden in a wood hard by; and suddenly, with twenty knights, he +rushed into the midst of all the throng to rescue her. +</p> + +<p> +But certain of King Arthur’s knights rose up and fought with them, and +there was a full great battle and confusion. And Sir Lancelot drave +fiercely here and there among the press, and smote on every side, and at +every blow struck down a knight, so that many were slain by him and his +fellows. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page296" id="page296" title="296"></a> + +<p> +Then was the queen set free, and caught up on Sir Lancelot’s saddle and +fled away with him and all his company to the Castle of La Joyous Garde. +</p> + +<p> +Now so it chanced that, in the turmoil of the fighting, Sir Lancelot had +unawares struck down and slain the two good knights Sir Gareth and Sir +Gaheris, knowing it not, for he fought wildly, and saw not that they were +unarmed. +</p> + +<p> +When King Arthur heard thereof, and of all that battle, and the rescue of +the queen, he sorrowed heavily for those good knights, and was passing +wroth with Lancelot and the queen. +</p> + +<p> +But when Sir Gawain heard of his brethren’s death he swooned for sorrow +and wrath, for he wist that Sir Lancelot had killed them in malice. And as +soon as he recovered he ran in to the king, and said, “Lord king and +uncle, hear this oath which now I swear, that from this day I will not +fail Sir Lancelot till one of us hath slain the other. And now, unless ye +haste to war with him, that we may be avenged, will I myself alone go +after him.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king, full of wrath and grief, agreed thereto, and sent letters +throughout the realm to summon all his knights, and went with a vast army +to besiege the Castle of La Joyous Garde. And Sir Lancelot, with his +knights, mightily defended it; but never would he suffer any to go forth +and attack one of the king’s army, for he was right loth to fight against +him. +</p> + +<p> +So when fifteen weeks were passed, and King Arthur’s army wasted itself in +vain against the castle, for it was passing strong, it chanced upon a day +Sir Lancelot was looking from the walls and espied King Arthur and Sir +Gawain close beside. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page297" id="page297" title="297"></a> + +<p> +“Come forth, Sir Lancelot,” said King Arthur right fiercely, “and let us +two meet in the midst of the field.” +</p> + +<p> +“God forbid that I should encounter with thee, lord, for thou didst make +me a knight,” replied Sir Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +Then cried Sir Gawain, “Shame on thee, traitor and false knight, yet be ye +well assured we will regain the queen and slay thee and thy company; yea, +double shame on ye to slay my brother Gaheris unarmed, Sir Gareth also, +who loved ye so well. For that treachery, be sure I am thine enemy till +death.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” cried Sir Lancelot, “that I hear such tidings, for I knew not I +had slain those noble knights, and right sorely now do I repent it with a +heavy heart. Yet abate thy wrath, Sir Gawain, for ye know full well I did +it by mischance, for I loved them ever as my own brothers.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou liest, false recreant,” cried Sir Gawain, fiercely. +</p> + +<p> +At that Sir Lancelot was wroth, and said, “I well see thou art now mine +enemy, and that there can be no more peace with thee, or with my lord the +king, else would I gladly give back the queen.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king would fain have listened to Sir Lancelot, for more than all +his own wrong did he grieve at the sore waste and damage of the realm, but +Sir Gawain persuaded him against it, and ever cried out foully on Sir +Lancelot. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Bors and the other knights of Lancelot’s party heard the fierce +words of Sir Gawain, they were passing wroth, and prayed to ride forth and +be avenged on him, for they were weary of so long waiting to no good. And +in the end Sir Lancelot, with a heavy heart, consented. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page298" id="page298" title="298"></a> + +<p> +So on the morrow the hosts on either side met in the field, and there was +a great battle. And Sir Gawain prayed his knights chiefly to set upon Sir +Lancelot; but Sir Lancelot commanded his company to forbear King Arthur +and Sir Gawain. +</p> + +<p> +So the two armies jousted together right fiercely, and Sir Gawain +proffered to encounter with Sir Lionel, and overthrew him. But Sir Bors, +and Sir Blamor, and Sir Palomedes, who were on Sir Lancelot’s side, did +great feats of arms, and overthrew many of King Arthur’s knights. +</p> + +<p> +Then the king came forth against Sir Lancelot, but Sir Lancelot forbore +him and would not strike again. +</p> + +<p> +At that Sir Bors rode up against the king and smote him down. But Sir +Lancelot cried, “Touch him not on pain of thy head,” and going to King +Arthur he alighted and gave him his own horse, saying, “My lord, I pray +thee forbear this strife, for it can bring to neither of us any honour.” +</p> + +<p> +And when King Arthur looked on him the tears came to his eyes as he +thought of his noble courtesy, and he said within himself, “Alas! that +ever this war began.” +</p> + +<p> +But on the morrow Sir Gawain led forth the army again, and Sir Bors +commanded on Sir Lancelot’s side. And they two struck together so fiercely +that both fell to the ground sorely wounded; and all the day they fought +till night fell, and many were slain on both sides, yet in the end neither +gained the victory. +</p> + +<p> +But by now the fame of this fierce war spread through all Christendom, and +when the Pope heard thereof he sent a Bull, and charged King Arthur to +make peace with Lancelot, and receive back Queen Guinevere; and for the +offence imputed to her absolution should be given by the Pope. +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page299" id="page299" title="299"></a> + +<p> +Thereto would King Arthur straightway have obeyed, but Sir Gawain ever +urged him to refuse. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Lancelot heard thereof, he wrote thus to the king: “It was never +in my thought, lord, to withhold thy queen from thee; but since she was +condemned for my sake to death, I deemed it but a just and knightly part +to rescue her therefrom; wherefore I recommend me to your grace, and +within eight days will I come to thee and bring the queen in safety.” +</p> + +<p> +Then, within eight days, as he had said, Sir Lancelot rode from out the +castle with Queen Guinevere, and a hundred knights for company, each +carrying an olive branch, in sign of peace. And so they came to the court, +and found King Arthur sitting on his throne, with Sir Gawain and many +other knights around him. And when Sir Lancelot entered with the queen, +they both kneeled down before the king. +</p> + +<p> +Anon Sir Lancelot rose and said, “My lord, I have brought hither my lady +the queen again, as right requireth, and by commandment of the Pope and +you. I pray ye take her to your heart again and forget the past. For +myself I may ask nothing, and for my sin I shall have sorrow and sore +punishment; yet I would to heaven I might have your grace.” +</p> + +<p> +But ere the king could answer, for he was moved with pity at his words, +Sir Gawain cried aloud, “Let the king do as he will, but be sure, Sir +Lancelot, thou and I shall never be accorded while we live, for thou has +slain my brethren traitorously and unarmed.” +</p> + +<p> +“As heaven is my help,” replied Sir Lancelot, “I did it ignorantly, for I +loved them well, and while I live I shall bewail their death; but to make +war with me were no avail, for I must needs fight with thee if thou +assailest, <a class="pagenum" name="page300" id="page300" title="300"></a> and peradventure I might kill thee also, which I were right +loth to do.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will forgive thee never,” cried Sir Gawain, “and if the king accordeth +with thee he shall lose my service.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the knights who stood near tried to reconcile Sir Gawain to Sir +Lancelot, but he would not hear them. So, at the last, Sir Lancelot said, +“Since peace is vain, I will depart, lest I bring more evil on my +fellowship.” +</p> + +<p> +And as he turned to go, the tears fell from him, and he said, “Alas, most +noble Christian realm, which I have loved above all others, now shall I +see thee never more!” Then said he to the queen, “Madam, now must I leave +ye and this noble fellowship for ever. And, I beseech ye, pray for me, and +if ye ever be defamed of any, let me hear thereof, and as I have been ever +thy true knight in right and wrong, so will I be again.” +</p> + +<p> +With that he kneeled and kissed King Arthur’s hands, and departed on his +way. And there was none in all that court, save Sir Gawain alone, but wept +to see him go. +</p> + +<p> +So he returned with all his knights to the Castle of La Joyous Garde, and, +for his sorrow’s sake, he named it Dolorous Garde thenceforth. +</p> + +<p> +Anon he left the realm, and went with many of his fellowship beyond the +sea to France, and there divided all his lands among them equally, he +sharing but as the rest. +</p> + +<p> +And from that time forward peace had been between him and King Arthur, but +for Sir Gawain, who left the king no rest, but constantly persuaded him +that Lancelot was raising mighty hosts against him. +</p> + +<p> +So in the end his malice overcame the king, who left the government in +charge of Modred, and made him <a class="pagenum" name="page301" id="page301" title="301"></a> guardian of the queen, and went with a +great army to invade Sir Lancelot’s lands. +</p> + +<p> +Yet Sir Lancelot would make no war upon the king, and sent a message to +gain peace on any terms King Arthur chose. But Sir Gawain met the herald +ere he reached the king, and sent him back with taunting and bitter words. +Whereat Sir Lancelot sorrowfully called his knights together and fortified +the Castle of Benwicke, and there was shortly besieged by the army of King +Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +And every day Sir Gawain rode up to the walls, and cried out foully on Sir +Lancelot, till, upon a time, Sir Lancelot answered him that he would meet +him in the field and put his boasting to the proof. So it was agreed on +both sides that there should none come nigh them or separate them till one +had fallen or yielded; and they two rode forth. +</p> + +<p> +Then did they wheel their horses apart, and turning, came together as it +had been thunder, so that both horses fell, and both their lances broke. +At that they drew their swords and set upon each other fiercely, with +passing grievous strokes. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sir Gawain had through magic a marvellous great gift. For every day, +from morning till noon, his strength waxed to the might of seven men, but +after that waned to his natural force. Therefore till noon he gave Sir +Lancelot many mighty buffets, which scarcely he endured. Yet greatly he +forbore Sir Gawain, for he was aware of his enchantment, and smote him +slightly till his own knights marvelled. But after noon Sir Gawain’s +strength sank fast, and then, with one full blow, Sir Lancelot laid him on +the earth. Then Sir Gawain cried out, “Turn not away, thou traitor knight, +<a class="pagenum" name="page302" id="page302" title="302"></a> but slay me if thou wilt, or else I will arise and fight with thee again +some other time.” +</p> + +<p> +“Sir knight,” replied Sir Lancelot, “I never yet smote a fallen man.” +</p> + +<p> +At that they bore Sir Gawain sorely wounded to his tent, and King Arthur +withdrew his men, for he was loth to shed the blood of so many knights of +his own fellowship. +</p> + +<p> +But now came tidings to King Arthur from across the sea, which caused him +to return in haste. For thus the news ran, that no sooner was Sir Modred +set up in his regency, than he had forged false tidings from abroad that +the king had fallen in a battle with Sir Lancelot. Whereat he had +proclaimed himself the king, and had been crowned at Canterbury, where he +had held a coronation feast for fifteen days. Then he had gone to +Winchester, where Queen Guinevere abode, and had commanded her to be his +wife; whereto, for fear and sore perplexity, she had feigned consent, but, +under pretext of preparing for the marriage, had fled in haste to London +and taken shelter in the Tower, fortifying it and providing it with all +manner of victuals, and defending it against Sir Modred, and answering to +all his threats that she would rather slay herself than be his queen. +</p> + +<p> +Thus was it written to King Arthur. Then, in passing great wrath and +haste, he came with all his army swiftly back from France and sailed to +England. But when Sir Modred heard thereof, he left the Tower and marched +with all his host to meet the king at Dover. +</p> + +<p> +Then fled Queen Guinevere to Amesbury to a nunnery, and there she clothed +herself in sackcloth, and spent her time in praying for the king and in +good deeds and fasting. And in that nunnery evermore she lived, sorely +repenting and mourning for her sin, and for the <a class="pagenum" name="page303" id="page303" title="303"></a> ruin she had brought on +all the realm. And there anon she died. +</p> + +<p> +And when Sir Lancelot heard thereof, he put his knightly armour off, and +bade farewell to all his kin, and went a mighty pilgrimage for many years, +and after lived a hermit till his death. +</p> + +<p> +When Sir Modred came to Dover, he found King Arthur and his army but just +landed; and there they fought a fierce and bloody battle, and many great +and noble knights fell on both sides. +</p> + +<p> +But the king’s side had the victory, for he was beyond himself with might +and passion, and all his knights so fiercely followed him, that, in spite +of all their multitude, they drove Sir Modred’s army back with fearful +wounds and slaughter, and slept that night upon the battle-field. +</p> + +<p> +But Sir Gawain was smitten by an arrow in the wound Sir Lancelot gave him, +and wounded to the death. Then was he borne to the king’s tent, and King +Arthur sorrowed over him as it had been his own son. “Alas!” said he; “in +Sir Lancelot and in you I had my greatest earthly joy, and now is all gone +from me.” +</p> + +<p> +And Sir Gawain answered, with a feeble voice, “My lord and king, I know +well my death is come, and through my own wilfulness, for I am smitten in +the wound Sir Lancelot gave me. Alas! that I have been the cause of all +this war, for but for me thou hadst been now at peace with Lancelot, and +then had Modred never done this treason. I pray ye, therefore, my dear +lord, be now agreed with Lancelot, and tell him, that although he gave me +my death-wound, it was through my own seeking; wherefore I beseech him to +come back <a class="pagenum" name="page304" id="page304" title="304"></a> to England, and here to visit my tomb, and pray for my soul.” +</p> + +<p> +When he had thus spoken, Sir Gawain gave up his ghost, and the king +grievously mourned for him. +</p> + +<p> +Then they told him that the enemy had camped on Barham Downs, whereat, +with all his hosts, he straightway marched there, and fought again a +bloody battle, and overthrew Sir Modred utterly. Howbeit, he raised yet +another army, and retreating ever from before the king, increased his +numbers as he went, till at the farthest west in Lyonesse, he once more +made a stand. +</p> + +<p> +Now, on the night of Trinity Sunday, being the eve of the battle, King +Arthur had a vision, and saw Sir Gawain in a dream, who warned him not to +fight with Modred on the morrow, else he would be surely slain; and prayed +him to delay till Lancelot and his knights should come to aid him. +</p> + +<p> +So when King Arthur woke he told his lords and knights that vision, and +all agreed to wait the coming of Sir Lancelot. Then a herald was sent with +a message of truce to Sir Modred, and a treaty was made that neither army +should assail the other. +</p> + +<p> +But when the treaty was agreed upon, and the heralds returned, King Arthur +said to his knights, “Beware, lest Sir Modred deceive us, for I in no wise +trust him, and if swords be drawn be ready to encounter!” And Sir Modred +likewise gave an order, that if any man of the king’s army drew his sword, +they should begin to fight. +</p> + +<p> +And as it chanced, a knight of the king’s side was bitten by an adder in +the foot, and hastily drew forth his sword to slay it. That saw Sir +Modred, and forthwith commanded all his army to assail the king’s. +</p> + +<p> +So both sides rushed to battle, and fought passing <a class="pagenum" name="page305" id="page305" title="305"></a> fiercely. And when the +king saw there was no hope to stay them, he did right mightily and nobly +as a king should do, and ever, like a lion, raged in the thickest of the +press, and slew on the right hand and on the left, till his horse went +fetlock deep in blood. So all day long they fought, and stinted not till +many a noble knight was slain. +</p> + +<p> +But the king was passing sorrowful to see his trusty knights lie dead on +every side. And at the last but two remained beside him, Sir Lucan, and +his brother, Sir Bedivere, and both were sorely wounded. +</p> + +<p> +“Now am I come to mine end,” said King Arthur; “but, lo! that traitor +Modred liveth yet, and I may not die till I have slain him. Now, give me +my spear, Sir Lucan.” +</p> + +<p> +“Lord, let him be,” replied Sir Lucan; “for if ye pass through this +unhappy day, ye shall be right well revenged upon him. My good lord, +remember well your dream, and what the spirit of Sir Gawain did forewarn +ye.” +</p> + +<p> +“Betide me life, betide me death,” said the king; “now I see him yonder +alone, he shall never escape my hands, for at a better vantage shall I +never have him.” +</p> + +<p> +“God speed you well,” said Sir Bedivere. +</p> + +<p> +Then King Arthur got his spear in both his hands, and ran towards Sir +Modred, crying, “Traitor, now is thy death-day come!” And when Sir Modred +heard his words, and saw him come, he drew his sword and stood to meet +him. Then King Arthur smote Sir Modred through the body more than a +fathom. And when Sir Modred felt he had his death wound, he thrust himself +with all his might up to the end of King <a class="pagenum" name="page306" id="page306" title="306"></a> Arthur’s spear, and smote his +father, Arthur, with his sword upon the head, so that it pierced both helm +and brain-pan. +</p> + +<p> +And therewith Sir Modred fell down stark dead to the earth, and King +Arthur fell down also in a swoon, and swooned many times. +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Lucan and Sir Bedivere came and bare him away to a little chapel +by the sea-shore. And there Sir Lucan sank down with the bleeding of his +own wounds, and fell dead. +</p> + +<p> +And King Arthur lay long in a swoon, and when he came to himself, he found +Sir Lucan lying dead beside him, and Sir Bedivere weeping over the body of +his brother. +</p> + +<p> +Then said the king to Sir Bedivere, “Weeping will avail no longer, else +would I grieve for evermore. Alas! now is the fellowship of the Round +Table dissolved for ever, and all my realm I have so loved is wasted with +war. But my time hieth fast, wherefore take thou Excalibur, my good sword, +and go therewith to yonder water-side and throw it in, and bring me word +what thing thou seest.” +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Bedivere departed; but as he went he looked upon the sword, the +hilt whereof was all inlaid with precious stones exceeding rich. And +presently he said within himself, “If I now throw this sword into the +water, what good should come of it?” So he hid the sword among the reeds, +and came again to the king. +</p> + +<p> +“What sawest thou?” said he to Sir Bedivere. +</p> + +<p> +“Lord,” said he, “I saw nothing else but wind and waves.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thou hast untruly spoken,” said the king; “wherefore go lightly back and +throw it in, and spare not.” +</p> + +<a class="pagenum" name="page307" id="page307" title="307"></a> + +<p> +Then Sir Bedivere returned again, and took the sword up in his hand; but +when he looked on it, he thought it sin and shame to throw away a thing so +noble. Wherefore he hid it yet again, and went back to the king. +</p> + +<p> +“What saw ye?” said King Arthur. +</p> + +<p> +“Lord,” answered he, “I saw nothing but the water ebbing and flowing.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, traitor and untrue!” cried out the king; “twice hast thou now +betrayed me. Art thou called of men a noble knight, and wouldest betray me +for a jewelled sword? Now, therefore, go again for the last time, for thy +tarrying hath put me in sore peril of my life, and I fear my wound hath +taken cold; and if thou do it not this time, by my faith I will arise and +slay thee with my hands.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Bedivere ran quickly and took up the sword, and went down to the +water’s edge, and bound the girdle round the hilt and threw it far into +the water. And lo! an arm and hand came forth above the water, and caught +the sword, and brandished it three times, and vanished. +</p> + +<p> +So Sir Bedivere came again to the king and told him what he had seen. +</p> + +<p> +“Help me from hence,” said King Arthur; “for I dread me I have tarried +over long.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sir Bedivere took the king up in his arms, and bore him to the +water’s edge. And by the shore they saw a barge with three fair queens +therein, all dressed in black, and when they saw King Arthur they wept and +wailed. +</p> + +<p> +“Now put me in the barge,“ said he to Sir Bedivere, and tenderly he did +so. +</p> + +<p> +Then the three queens received him, and he laid his <a class="pagenum" name="page308" id="page308" title="308"></a> head upon the lap of +one of them, who cried, “Alas! dear brother, why have ye tarried so long, +for your wound hath taken cold?” +</p> + +<p> +With that the barge put from the land, and when Sir Bedivere saw it +departing, he cried with a bitter cry, “Alas! my lord King Arthur, what +shall become of me now ye have gone from me?” +</p> + +<p> +“Comfort ye,” said King Arthur, “and be strong, for I may no more help ye. +I go to the Vale of Avilion to heal me of my grievous wound, and if ye see +me no more, pray for my soul.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the three queens kneeled down around the king and sorely wept and +wailed, and the barge went forth to sea, and departed slowly out of Sir +Bedivere’s sight. +</p> + +<h3>THE END</h3> + +<hr class="majorbreak"> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Legends Of King Arthur And His +Knights, by James Knowles + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS *** + +***** This file should be named 12753-h.htm or 12753-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/7/5/12753/ + +Produced by Zoran Stefanovic, GF Untermeyer and Distributed +Proofreaders Europe, http://dp.rastko.net. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Legends Of King Arthur And His Knights + +Author: James Knowles + +Release Date: June 28, 2004 [EBook #12753] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS *** + + + + +Produced by Zoran Stefanovic, GF Untermeyer and Distributed +Proofreaders Europe, http://dp.rastko.net. + + + + + + + +The Legends of KING ARTHUR and his KNIGHTS + +Sir James Knowles + +Illustrated by Lancelot Speed + + +TO +ALFRED TENNYSON, D.C.L. +POET LAUREATE + +THIS ATTEMPT AT A POPULAR VERSION OF +THE ARTHUR LEGENDS +IS BY HIS PERMISSION DEDICATED +AS A TRIBUTE +OF THE SINCEREST AND WARMEST RESPECT + + +1862 + + + + +PREFACE TO THE EIGHTH EDITION + + +The Publishers have asked me to authorise a new edition, in my own name, +of this little book--now long out of print--which was written by me +thirty-five years ago under the initials J.T.K. + +In acceding to their request I wish to say that the book as now published +is merely a word-for-word reprint of my early effort to help to popularise +the Arthur legends. + +It is little else than an abridgment of Sir Thomas Malory's version of +them as printed by Caxton--with a few additions from Geoffrey of Monmouth +and other sources--and an endeavour to arrange the many tales into a more +or less consecutive story. + +The chief pleasure which came to me from it was, and is, that it began for +me a long and intimate acquaintance with Lord Tennyson, to whom, by his +permission, I Dedicated it before I was personally known to him. + +JAMES KNOWLES. + + + + +_Addendum by Lady Knowles_ + + +In response to a widely expressed wish for a fresh edition of this little +book--now for some years out of print--a new and ninth edition has been +prepared. + +In his preface my husband says that the intimacy with Lord Tennyson to +which it led was the chief pleasure the book brought him. I have been +asked to furnish a few more particulars on this point that may be +generally interesting, and feel that I cannot do better than give some +extracts from a letter written by himself to a friend in July 1896. + +"DEAR ----, + +"I am so _very_ glad you approve of my little effort to popularise the +Arthur Legends. Tennyson had written his first four 'Idylls of the King' +before my book appeared, which was in 1861. Indeed, it was in consequence +of the first four Idylls that I sought and obtained, while yet a stranger +to him, leave to dedicate my venture to him. He was extremely kind about +it--declared 'it ought to go through forty editions'--and when I came to +know him personally talked very frequently about it and Arthur with me, +and made constant use of it when he at length yielded to my perpetual +urgency and took up again his forsaken project of treating the whole +subject of King Arthur. + +"He discussed and rediscussed at any amount of length the way in which +this could now be done--and the Symbolism, which had from his earliest +time haunted him as the inner meaning to be given to it, brought him back +to the Poem in its changed shape of separate pictures. + +"He used often to say that it was entirely my doing that he revived his +old plan, and added, 'I know more about Arthur than any other man in +England, and I think you know next most.' It would amuse you to see in +what intimate detail he used to consult with me--and often with my little +book in front of us--over the various tales, and when I wrote an article +(in the shape of a long letter) in the _Spectator_ of January 1870 he +asked to reprint it, and published it with the collected Idylls. + +"For years, while his boys were at school and college, I acted as his +confidential friend in business and many other matters, and I suppose he +told me more about himself and his life than any other man now living +knows." + +ISABEL KNOWLES. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER I + +The Finding of Merlin--The Fight of the Dragons--The Giants' Dance--The +Prophecies of Merlin and the Birth of Arthur--Uther attacks the +Saxons--The Death of Uther + +CHAPTER II + +Merlin's Advice to the Archbishop--The Miracle of the Sword and Stone--The +Coronation of King Arthur--The Opposition of the Six Kings--The Sword +Excalibur--The Defeat of the Six Kings--The War with the Eleven Kings + +CHAPTER III + +The Adventure of the Questing Beast--The Siege of York--The Battles of +Celidon Forest and Badon Hill--King Arthur drives the Saxons from the +Realm--The Embassy from Rome--The King rescues Merlin--The Knight of the +Fountain + +CHAPTER IV + +King Arthur conquers Ireland and Norway--Slays the Giant of St. Michael's +Mount and conquers Gaul--King Ryence's Insolent Message--The Damsel and +the Sword--The Lady of the Lake--The Adventures of Sir Balin + +CHAPTER V + +Sir Balin kills Sir Lancear--The Sullen Knight--The Knight Invisible is +killed--Sir Balin smites the Dolorous Stroke, and fights with his brother +Sir Balan + +CHAPTER VI + +The Marriage of King Arthur and Guinevere--The Coronation of the +Queen--The Founding of the Round Table--The Quest of the White Hart--The +Adventures of Sir Gawain--The Quest of the White Hound--Sir Tor kills +Abellius--The Adventures of Sir Pellinore--The Death of Sir +Hantzlake--Merlin saves King Arthur + +CHAPTER VII + +King Arthur and Sir Accolon of Gaul are entrapped by Sir Damas--They fight +each other through Enchantment of Queen Morgan le Fay--Sir Damas is +compelled to surrender all his Lands to Sir Outzlake his Brother their +Rightful Owner--Queen Morgan essays to kill King Arthur with a Magic +Garment--Her Damsel is compelled to wear it and is thereby burned to +Cinders + +CHAPTER VIII + +A Second Embassy from Rome--King Arthur's Answer--The Emperor assembles +his Armies--King Arthur slays the Emperor--Sir Gawain and Sir +Prianius--The Lombards are defeated--King Arthur crowned at Rome + +CHAPTER IX + +The Adventures of Sir Lancelot--He and his Cousin Sir Lionel set +forth--The Four Witch-Queens--King Bagdemagus--Sir Lancelot slays Sir +Turquine and delivers his Captive Knights--The Foul Knight--Sir Gaunter +attacks Sir Lancelot--The Four Knights--Sir Lancelot comes to the Chapel +Perilous--Ellawes the Sorceress--The Lady and the Falcon--Sir Bedivere and +the Dead Lady + +CHAPTER X + +Beaumains is made a Kitchen Page by Sir Key--He claims the Adventure of +the Damsel Linet--He fights with Sir Lancelot and is knighted by him in +his True Name of Gareth--Is flouted by the Damsel Linet--But overthrows +all Knights he meets and sends them to King Arthur's Court--He delivers +the Lady Lyones from the Knight of the Redlands--The Tournament before +Castle Perilous--Marriage of Sir Gareth and the Lady Lyones + +CHAPTER XI + +The Adventures of Sir Tristram--His Stepmother--He is knighted--Fights +with Sir Marhaus--Sir Palomedes and La Belle Isault--Sir Bleoberis and Sir +Segwarides--Sir Tristram's Quest--His Return--The Castle Pluere--Sir +Brewnor is slain--Sir Kay Hedius--La Belle Isault's Hound--Sir Dinedan +refuses to fight--Sir Pellinore follows Sir Tristram--Sir +Brewse-without-pity--The Tournament at the Maiden's Castle--Sir Palomedes +and Sir Tristram + +CHAPTER XII + +Merlin is bewitched by a Damsel of the Lady of the Lake--Galahad knighted +by Sir Lancelot--The Perilous Seat--The Marvellous Sword--Sir Galahad in +the Perilous Seat--The Sangreal--The Knights vow themselves to its +Quest--The Shield of the White Knight--The Fiend of the Tomb--Sir Galahad +at the Maiden's Castle--The Sick Knight and the Sangreal--Sir Lancelot +declared unworthy to find the Holy Vessel--Sir Percival seeks Sir +Galahad--The Black Steed--Sir Bors and the Hermit--Sir Pridan le Noir--Sir +Lionel's Anger--He meets Sir Percival--The ship "Faith"--Sir Galahad and +Earl Hernox--The Leprous Lady--Sir Galahad discloses himself to Sir +Lancelot--They part--The Blind King Evelake--Sir Galahad finds the +Sangreal--His Death + +CHAPTER XIII + +The Queen quarrels with Sir Lancelot--She is accused of Murder--Her +Champion proves her innocence--The Tourney at Camelot--Sir Lancelot in the +Tourney--Sir Baldwin the Knight-Hermit--Elaine, the Maid of Astolat, seeks +for Sir Lancelot--She tends his Wounds--Her Death--The Queen and Sir +Lancelot are reconciled + +CHAPTER XIV + +Sir Lancelot attacked by Sir Agravaine, Sir Modred, and thirteen other +Knights--He slays them all but Sir Modred--He leaves the Court--Sir Modred +accuses him to the King--The Queen condemned to be burnt--Her rescue by +Sir Lancelot and flight with him--The War between Sir Lancelot and the +King--The Enmity of Sir Gawain--The Usurpation of Sir Modred--The Queen +retires to a Nunnery--Sir Lancelot goes on Pilgrimage--The Battle of +Barham Downs--Sir Bedivere and the Sword Excalibur--The Death of King +Arthur + + + + +ILLUSTRATOR'S NOTE + + +Of scenes from the Legends of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round +Table many lovely pictures have been painted, showing much diversity of +figures and surroundings, some being definitely sixth-century British or +Saxon, as in Blair Leighton's fine painting of the dead Elaine; +others--for example, Watts' Sir Galahad--show knight and charger in +fifteenth-century armour; while the warriors of Burne Jones wear strangely +impracticable armour of some mystic period. Each of these painters was +free to follow his own conception, putting the figures into whatever +period most appealed to his imagination; for he was not illustrating the +actual tales written by Sir Thomas Malory, otherwise he would have found +himself face to face with a difficulty. + +King Arthur and his knights fought, endured, and toiled in the sixth +century, when the Saxons were overrunning Britain; but their achievements +were not chronicled by Sir Thomas Malory until late in the fifteenth +century. + +Sir Thomas, as Froissart has done before him, described the habits of +life, the dresses, weapons, and armour that his own eyes looked upon in +the every-day scenes about him, regardless of the fact that almost every +detail mentioned was something like a thousand years too late. + +Had Malory undertaken an account of the landing of Julius Caesar he would, +as a matter of course, have protected the Roman legions with bascinet or +salade, breastplate, pauldron and palette, coudiere, taces and the rest, +and have armed them with lance and shield, jewel-hilted sword and slim +misericorde; while the Emperor himself might have been given the very suit +of armour stripped from the Duke of Clarence before his fateful encounter +with the butt of malmsey. + +Did not even Shakespeare calmly give cannon to the Romans and suppose +every continental city to lie majestically beside the sea? By the old +writers, accuracy in these matters was disregarded, and anachronisms were +not so much tolerated as unperceived. + +In illustrating this edition of "The Legends of King Arthur and his +Knights," it has seemed best, and indeed unavoidable if the text and the +pictures are to tally, to draw what Malory describes, to place the fashion +of the costumes and armour somewhere about A.D. 1460, and to arm the +knights in accordance with the Tabard Period. + +LANCELOT SPEED. + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + +The Marriage of King Arthur + +Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground before young +Arthur, and Sir Key also with him. + +The Lady of the Lake + +The giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge +frame by the fire + +The castle rocked and rove throughout, and all the walls fell crashed and +breaking to the earth + +Came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by his name + +Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the Round Table + +Sir Lancelot smote down with one spear five knights, and brake the backs +of four, and cast down the King of Northgales + +Beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, "Sir Lancelot, leave +that sword behind thee, or thou diest" + +"Lady," replied Sir Beaumains, "a knight is little worth who may not bear +with a damsel" + +So he rode into the hall and alighted + +Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest against each other + +And running to her chamber, she sought in her casket for the piece of +iron ... and fitted it in Tristram's sword + +By the time they had finished drinking they loved each other so well that +their love never more might leave them + +Waving her hands and muttering the charm, and presently enclosed him fast +within the tree + +Galahad ... quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith came out a foul +smoke + +"This girdle, lords," said she, "is made for the most part of mine own +hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I loved full well" + +At last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave him such a +buffet on the helm as wellnigh killed him + +Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk + +But still the knights cried mightily without the door, "Traitor, come +forth!" + + + + +THE LEGENDS OF KING ARTHUR + + + + +CHAPTER I + +_The Prophecies of Merlin, and the Birth of Arthur_ + + +King Vortigern the usurper sat upon his throne in London, when, suddenly, +upon a certain day, ran in a breathless messenger, and cried aloud-- + +"Arise, Lord King, for the enemy is come; even Ambrosius and Uther, upon +whose throne thou sittest--and full twenty thousand with them--and they +have sworn by a great oath, Lord, to slay thee, ere this year be done; and +even now they march towards thee as the north wind of winter for +bitterness and haste." + +At those words Vortigern's face grew white as ashes, and, rising in +confusion and disorder, he sent for all the best artificers and craftsmen +and mechanics, and commanded them vehemently to go and build him +straightway in the furthest west of his lands a great and strong castle, +where he might fly for refuge and escape the vengeance of his master's +sons--"and, moreover," cried he, "let the work be done within a hundred +days from now, or I will surely spare no life amongst you all." + +Then all the host of craftsmen, fearing for their lives, found out a +proper site whereon to build the tower, and eagerly began to lay in the +foundations. But no sooner were the walls raised up above the ground than +all their work was overwhelmed and broken down by night invisibly, no man +perceiving how, or by whom, or what. And the same thing happening again, +and yet again, all the workmen, full of terror, sought out the king, and +threw themselves upon their faces before him, beseeching him to interfere +and help them or to deliver them from their dreadful work. + +Filled with mixed rage and fear, the king called for the astrologers and +wizards, and took counsel with them what these things might be, and how to +overcome them. The wizards worked their spells and incantations, and in +the end declared that nothing but the blood of a youth born without mortal +father, smeared on the foundations of the castle, could avail to make it +stand. Messengers were therefore sent forthwith through all the land to +find, if it were possible, such a child. And, as some of them went down a +certain village street, they saw a band of lads fighting and quarrelling, +and heard them shout at one--"Avaunt, thou imp!--avaunt! Son of no mortal +man! go, find thy father, and leave us in peace." + +At that the messengers looked steadfastly on the lad, and asked who he +was. One said his name was Merlin; another, that his birth and parentage +were known by no man; a third, that the foul fiend alone was his father. +Hearing the things, the officers seized Merlin, and carried him before the +king by force. + +But no sooner was he brought to him than he asked in a loud voice, for +what cause he was thus dragged there? + +"My magicians," answered Vortigern, "told me to seek out a man that had no +human father, and to sprinkle my castle with his blood, that it may +stand." + +"Order those magicians," said Merlin, "to come before me, and I will +convict them of a lie." + +The king was astonished at his words, but commanded the magicians to come +and sit down before Merlin, who cried to them-- + +"Because ye know not what it is that hinders the foundation of the castle, +ye have advised my blood for a cement to it, as if that would avail; but +tell me now rather what there is below that ground, for something there is +surely underneath that will not suffer the tower to stand?" + +The wizards at these words began to fear, and made no answer. Then said +Merlin to the king-- + +"I pray, Lord, that workmen may be ordered to dig deep down into the +ground till they shall come to a great pool of water." + +This then was done, and the pool discovered far beneath the surface of the +ground. + +Then, turning again to the magicians, Merlin said, "Tell me now, false +sycophants, what there is underneath that pool?"--but they were silent. +Then said he to the king, "Command this pool to be drained, and at the +bottom shall be found two dragons, great and huge, which now are sleeping, +but which at night awake and fight and tear each other. At their great +struggle all the ground shakes and trembles, and so casts down thy towers, +which, therefore, never yet could find secure foundations." + +The king was amazed at these words, but commanded the pool to be forthwith +drained; and surely at the bottom of it did they presently discover the +two dragons, fast asleep, as Merlin had declared. + +But Vortigern sat upon the brink of the pool till night to see what else +would happen. + +Then those two dragons, one of which was white, the other red, rose up and +came near one another, and began a sore fight, and cast forth fire with +their breath. But the white dragon had the advantage, and chased the other +to the end of the lake. And he, for grief at his flight, turned back upon +his foe, and renewed the combat, and forced him to retire in turn. But in +the end the red dragon was worsted, and the white dragon disappeared no +man knew where. + +When their battle was done, the king desired Merlin to tell him what it +meant. Whereat he, bursting into tears, cried out this prophecy, which +first foretold the coming of King Arthur. + +"Woe to the red dragon, which figureth the British nation, for his +banishment cometh quickly; his lurkingholes shall be seized by the white +dragon--the Saxon whom thou, O king, hast called to the land. The +mountains shall be levelled as the valleys, and the rivers of the valleys +shall run blood; cities shall be burned, and churches laid in ruins; till +at length the oppressed shall turn for a season and prevail against the +strangers. For a Boar of Cornwall shall arise and rend them, and trample +their necks beneath his feet. The island shall be subject to his power, +and he shall take the forests of Gaul. The house of Romulus shall dread +him--all the world shall fear him--and his end shall no man know; he shall +be immortal in the mouths of the people, and his works shall be food to +those that tell them. + +"But as for thee, O Vortigern, flee thou the sons of Constantine, for they +shall burn thee in thy tower. For thine own ruin wast thou traitor to +their father, and didst bring the Saxon heathens to the land. Aurelius and +Uther are even now upon thee to revenge their father's murder; and the +brood of the white dragon shall waste thy country, and shall lick thy +blood. Find out some refuge, if thou wilt! but who may escape the doom of +God?" + +The king heard all this, trembling greatly; and, convicted of his sins, +said nothing in reply. Only he hasted the builders of his tower by day and +night, and rested not till he had fled thereto. + +In the meantime, Aurelius, the rightful king, was hailed with joy by the +Britons, who flocked to his standard, and prayed to be led against the +Saxons. But he, till he had first killed Vortigern, would begin no other +war. He marched therefore to Cambria, and came before the tower which the +usurper had built. Then, crying out to all his knights, "Avenge ye on him +who hath ruined Britain and slain my father and your king!" he rushed with +many thousands at the castle walls. But, being driven back again and yet +again, at length he thought of fire, and ordered blazing brands to be cast +into the building from all sides. These finding soon a proper fuel, ceased +not to rage, till spreading to a mighty conflagration, they burned down +the tower and Vortigern within it. + +Then did Aurelius turn his strength against Hengist and the Saxons, and, +defeating them in many places, weakened their power for a long season, so +that the land had peace. + +Anon the king, making many journeys to and fro, restoring ruined churches +and, creating order, came to the monastery near Salisbury, where all those +British knights lay buried who had been slain there by the treachery of +Hengist. For when in former times Hengist had made a solemn truce with +Vortigern, to meet in peace and settle terms, whereby himself and all his +Saxons should depart from Britain, the Saxon soldiers carried every one of +them beneath his garment a long dagger, and, at a given signal, fell upon +the Britons, and slew them, to the number of nearly five hundred. + +The sight of the place where the dead lay moved Aurelius to great sorrow, +and he cast about in his mind how to make a worthy tomb over so many noble +martyrs, who had died there for their country. + +When he had in vain consulted many craftsmen and builders, he sent, by the +advice of the archbishop, for Merlin, and asked him what to do. "If you +would honour the burying-place of these men," said Merlin, "with an +everlasting monument, send for the Giants' Dance which is in Killaraus, a +mountain in Ireland; for there is a structure of stone there which none of +this age could raise without a perfect knowledge of the arts. They are +stones of a vast size and wondrous nature, and if they can be placed here +as they are there, round this spot of ground, they will stand for ever." + +At these words of Merlin, Aurelius burst into laughter, and said, "How is +it possible to remove such vast stones from so great a distance, as if +Britain, also, had no stones fit for the work?" + +"I pray the king," said Merlin, "to forbear vain laughter; what I have +said is true, for those stones are mystical and have healing virtues. The +giants of old brought them from the furthest coast of Africa, and placed +them in Ireland while they lived in that country: and their design was to +make baths in them, for use in time of grievous illness. For if they +washed the stones and put the sick into the water, it certainly healed +them, as also it did them that were wounded in battle; and there is no +stone among them but hath the same virtue still." + +When the Britons heard this, they resolved to send for the stones, and to +make war upon the people of Ireland if they offered to withhold them. So, +when they had chosen Uther the king's brother for their chief, they set +sail, to the number of 15,000 men, and came to Ireland. There Gillomanius, +the king, withstood them fiercely, and not till after a great battle could +they approach the Giants' Dance, the sight of which filled them with joy +and admiration. But when they sought to move the stones, the strength of +all the army was in vain, until Merlin, laughing at their failures, +contrived machines of wondrous cunning, which took them down with ease, +and placed them in the ships. + +When they had brought the whole to Salisbury, Aurelius, with the crown +upon his head, kept for four days the feast of Pentecost with royal pomp; +and in the midst of all the clergy and the people, Merlin raised up the +stones, and set them round the sepulchre of the knights and barons, as +they stood in the mountains of Ireland. + +Then was the monument called "Stonehenge," which stands, as all men know, +upon the plain of Salisbury to this very day. + +Soon thereafter it befell that Aurelius was slain by poison at Winchester, +and was himself buried within the Giants' Dance. + +At the same time came forth a comet of amazing size and brightness, +darting out a beam, at the end whereof was a cloud of fire shaped like a +dragon, from whose mouth went out two rays, one stretching over Gaul, the +other ending in seven lesser rays over the Irish sea. + +At the appearance of this star a great dread fell upon the people, and +Uther, marching into Cambria against the son of Vortigern, himself was +very troubled to learn what it might mean. Then Merlin, being called +before him, cried with a loud voice: "O mighty loss! O stricken Britain! +Alas! the great prince is gone from us. Aurelius Ambrosius is dead, whose +death will be ours also, unless God help us. Haste, therefore, noble +Uther, to destroy the enemy; the victory shall be thine, and thou shalt be +king of all Britain. For the star with the fiery dragon signifies thyself; +and the ray over Gaul portends that thou shalt have a son, most mighty, +whom all those kingdoms shall obey which the ray covers." + +Thus, for the second time, did Merlin foretell the coming of King Arthur. +And Uther, when he was made king, remembered Merlin's words, and caused +two dragons to be made in gold, in likeness of the dragon he had seen in +the star. One of these he gave to Winchester Cathedral, and had the other +carried into all his wars before him, whence he was ever after called +Uther Pendragon, or the dragon's head. + +Now, when Uther Pendragon had passed through all the land, and settled +it--and even voyaged into all the countries of the Scots, and tamed the +fierceness of that rebel people--he came to London, and ministered justice +there. And it befell at a certain great banquet and high feast which the +king made at Easter-tide, there came, with many other earls and barons, +Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, and his wife Igerna, who was the most famous +beauty in all Britain. And soon thereafter, Gorlois being slain in battle, +Uther determined to make Igerna his own wife. But in order to do this, and +enable him to come to her--for she was shut up in the high castle of +Tintagil, on the furthest coast of Cornwall--the king sent for Merlin, to +take counsel with him and to pray his help. This, therefore, Merlin +promised him on one condition--namely, that the king should give him up +the first son born of the marriage. For Merlin by his arts foreknew that +this firstborn should be the long-wished prince, King Arthur. + +When Uther, therefore, was at length happily wedded, Merlin came to the +castle on a certain day, and said, "Sir, thou must now provide thee for +the nourishing of thy child." + +And the king, nothing doubting, said, "Be it as thou wilt." + +"I know a lord of thine in this land," said Merlin, "who is a man both +true and faithful; let him have the nourishing of the child. His name is +Sir Ector, and he hath fair possessions both in England and in Wales. +When, therefore, the child is born, let him be delivered unto me, +unchristened, at yonder postern-gate, and I will bestow him in the care of +this good knight." + +So when the child was born, the king bid two knights and two ladies to +take it, bound in rich cloth of gold, and deliver it to a poor man whom +they should discover at the postern-gate. And the child being delivered +thus to Merlin, who himself took the guise of a poor man, was carried by +him to a holy priest and christened by the name of Arthur, and then was +taken to Sir Ector's house, and nourished at Sir Ector's wife's own +breasts. And in the same house he remained privily for many years, no man +soever knowing where he was, save Merlin and the king. + +Anon it befell that the king was seized by a lingering distemper, and the +Saxon heathens, taking their occasion, came back from over sea, and +swarmed upon the land, wasting it with fire and sword. When Uther heard +thereof, he fell into a greater rage than his weakness could bear, and +commanded all his nobles to come before him, that he might upbraid them +for their cowardice. And when he had sharply and hotly rebuked them, he +swore that he himself, nigh unto death although he lay, would lead them +forth against the enemy. Then causing a horse-litter to be made, in which +he might be carried--for he was too faint and weak to ride--he went up +with all his army swiftly against the Saxons. + +But they, when they heard that Uther was coming in a litter, disdained to +fight with him, saying it would be shame for brave men to fight with one +half dead. So they retired into their city; and, as it were in scorn of +danger, left the gates wide open. But Uther straightway commanding his men +to assault the town, they did so without loss of time, and had already +reached the gates, when the Saxons, repenting too late of their haughty +pride, rushed forth to the defence. The battle raged till night, and was +begun again next day; but at last, their leaders, Octa and Eosa, being +slain, the Saxons turned their backs and fled, leaving the Britons a full +triumph. + +The king at this felt so great joy, that, whereas before he could scarce +raise himself without help, he now sat upright in his litter by himself, +and said, with a laughing and merry face, "They called me the half-dead +king, and so indeed I was; but victory to me half dead is better than +defeat and the best health. For to die with honour is far better than to +live disgraced." + +But the Saxons, although thus defeated, were ready still for war. Uther +would have pursued them; but his illness had by now so grown, that his +knights and barons kept him from the adventure. Whereat the enemy took +courage, and left nothing undone to destroy the land; until, descending to +the vilest treachery, they resolved to kill the king by poison. + +To this end, as he lay sick at Verulam, they sent and poisoned stealthily +a spring of clear water, whence he was wont to drink daily; and so, on the +very next day, he was taken with the pains of death, as were also a +hundred others after him, before the villainy was discovered, and heaps of +earth thrown over the well. + +The knights and barons, full of sorrow, now took counsel together, and +came to Merlin for his help to learn the king's will before he died, for +he was by this time speechless. "Sirs, there is no remedy," said Merlin, +"and God's will must be done; but be ye all to-morrow before him, for God +will make him speak before he die." + +So on the morrow all the barons, with Merlin, stood round the bedside of +the king; and Merlin said aloud to Uther, "Lord, shall thy son Arthur be +the king of all this realm after thy days?" + +Then Uther Pendragon turned him about, and said, in the hearing of them +all, "God's blessing and mine be upon him. I bid him pray for my soul, and +also that he claim my crown, or forfeit all my blessing;" and with those +words he died. + +Then came together all the bishops and the clergy, and great multitudes of +people, and bewailed the king; and carrying his body to the convent of +Ambrius, they buried it close by his brother's grave, within the "Giants' +Dance." + + + + +CHAPTER II + +_The Miracle of the Sword and Stone, and the Coronation of King +Arthur--The Sword Excalilur--The War with the Eleven Kings_ + + +Now Arthur the prince had all this time been nourished in Sir Ector's +house as his own son, and was fair and tall and comely, being of the age +of fifteen years, great in strength, gentle in manner, and accomplished in +all exercises proper for the training of a knight. + +But as yet he knew not of his father; for Merlin had so dealt, that none +save Uther and himself knew aught about him. Wherefore it befell, that +many of the knights and barons who heard King Uther speak before his +death, and call his son Arthur his successor, were in great amazement; and +some doubted, and others were displeased. + +Anon the chief lords and princes set forth each to his own land, and, +raising armed men and multitudes of followers, determined every one to +gain the crown for himself; for they said in their hearts, "If there be +any such a son at all as he of whom this wizard forced the king to speak, +who are we that a beardless boy should have rule over us?" + +So the land stood long in great peril, for every lord and baron sought but +his own advantage; and the Saxons, growing ever more adventurous, wasted +and overran the towns and villages in every part. + +Then Merlin went to Brice, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and advised him +to require all the earls and barons of the realm and all knights and +gentlemen-at-arms to come to him at London, before Christmas, under pain +of cursing, that they might learn the will of Heaven who should be king. +This, therefore, the archbishop did, and upon Christmas Eve were met +together in London all the greatest princes, lords, and barons; and long +before day they prayed in St. Paul's Church, and the archbishop besought +Heaven for a sign who should be lawful king of all the realm. + +And as they prayed, there was seen in the churchyard, set straight before +the doorways of the church, a huge square stone having a naked sword stuck +in the midst of it. And on the sword was written in letters of gold, +"Whoso pulleth out the sword from this stone is born the rightful King of +Britain." + +At this all the people wondered greatly; and, when Mass was over, the +nobles, knights, and princes ran out eagerly from the church to see the +stone and sword; and a law was forthwith made that whoso should pull out +the sword should be acknowledged straightway King of Britain. + +Then many knights and barons pulled at the sword with all their might, and +some of them tried many times, but none could stir or move it. + +When all had tried in vain, the archbishop declared the man whom Heaven +had chosen was not yet there. "But God," said he, "will doubtless make +him known ere many days." + +So ten knights were chosen, being men of high renown, to watch and keep +the sword; and there was proclamation made through all the land that +whosoever would, had leave and liberty to try and pull it from the stone. +But though great multitudes of people came, both gentle and simple, for +many days, no man could ever move the sword a hair's breadth from its +place. + +Now, at the New Year's Eve a great tournament was to be held in London, +which the archbishop had devised to keep together lords and commons, lest +they should grow estranged in the troublous and unsettled times. To the +which tournament there came, with many other knights, Sir Ector, Arthur's +foster-father, who had great possessions near to London; and with him came +his son, Sir Key, but recently made knight, to take his part in the +jousting, and young Arthur also to witness all the sports and fighting. + +But as they rode towards the jousts, Sir Key found suddenly he had no +sword, for he had left it at his father's house; and turning to young +Arthur, he prayed him to ride back and fetch it for him. "I will with a +good will," said Arthur; and rode fast back after the sword. + +But when he came to the house he found it locked and empty, for all were +gone forth to see the tournament. Whereat, being angry and impatient, he +said within himself, "I will ride to the churchyard and take with me the +sword that sticketh in the stone, for my brother shall not go without a +sword this day." + +So he rode and came to the churchyard, and alighting from his horse he +tied him to the gate, and went to the pavilion, which was pitched near +the stone, wherein abode the ten knights who watched and kept it; but he +found no knights there, for all were gone to see the jousting. + +Then he took the sword by its handle, and lightly and fiercely he pulled +it out of the stone, and took his horse and rode until he came to Sir Key +and delivered him the sword. But as soon as Sir Key saw it he knew well it +was the sword of the stone, and, riding swiftly to his father, he cried +out, "Lo! here, sir, is the sword of the stone, wherefore it is I who must +be king of all this land." + +When Sir Ector saw the sword, he turned back straight with Arthur and Sir +Key and came to the churchyard, and there alighting, they went all three +into the church, and Sir Key was sworn to tell truly how he came by the +sword. Then he confessed it was his brother Arthur who had brought it to +him. + +Whereat Sir Ector, turning to young Arthur, asked him--"How gottest thou +the sword?" + +"Sir," said he, "I will tell you. When I went home to fetch my brother's +sword, I found nobody to deliver it to me, for all were abroad to the +jousts. Yet was I loath to leave my brother swordless, and, bethinking me +of this one, I came hither eagerly to fetch it for him, and pulled it out +of the stone without any pain." + +Then said Sir Ector, much amazed and looking steadfastly on Arthur, "If +this indeed be thus, 'tis thou who shalt be king of all this land--and God +will have it so--for none but he who should be rightful Lord of Britain +might ever draw this sword forth from that stone. But let me now with mine +own eyes see thee put back the sword into its place and draw it forth +again." + +"That is no mystery," said Arthur; and straightway set it in the stone. +And then Sir Ector pulled at it himself, and after him Sir Key, with all +his might, but both of them in vain: then Arthur reaching forth his hand +and grasping at the pommel, pulled it out easily, and at once. + +Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground before young +Arthur, and Sir Key also with him, and straightway did him homage as their +sovereign lord. + +[Illustration: Then fell Sir Ector down upon his knees upon the ground +before young Arthur, and Sir Key also with him.] + +But Arthur cried aloud, "Alas! mine own dear father and my brother, why +kneel ye thus to me?" + +"Nay, my Lord Arthur," answered then Sir Ector, "we are of no +blood-kinship with thee, and little though I thought how high thy kin +might be, yet wast thou never more than foster-child of mine." And then he +told him all he knew about his infancy, and how a stranger had delivered +him, with a great sum of gold, into his hands to be brought up and +nourished as his own born child, and then had disappeared. + +But when young Arthur heard of it, he fell upon Sir Ector's neck, and +wept, and made great lamentation, "For now," said he, "I have in one day +lost my father and my mother and my brother." + +"Sir," said Sir Ector presently, "when thou shalt be made king be good and +gracious unto me and mine." + +"If not," said Arthur, "I were no true man's son at all, for thou art he +in all the world to whom I owe the most; and my good lady and mother, thy +wife, hath ever kept and fostered me as though I were her own; so if it be +God's will that I be king hereafter as thou sayest, desire of me whatever +thing thou wilt and I will do it; and God forbid that I should fail thee +in it." + +"I will but pray," replied Sir Ector, "that thou wilt make my son Sir Key, +thy foster-brother, seneschal of all the lands." + +"That shall he be," said Arthur; "and never shall another hold that +office, save thy son, while he and I do live." + +Anon, they left the church and went to the archbishop to tell him that the +sword had been achieved. And when he saw the sword in Arthur's hand he set +a day and summoned all the princes, knights, and barons to meet again at +St. Paul's Church and see the will of Heaven signified. So when they came +together, the sword was put back in the stone, and all tried, from the +greatest to the least, to move it; but there before them all not one could +take it out save Arthur only. + +But then befell a great confusion and dispute, for some cried out it was +the will of Heaven, and, "Long live King Arthur," but many more were full +of wrath and said, "What! would ye give the ancient sceptre of this land +unto a boy born none know how?" And the contention growing greatly, till +nothing could be done to pacify their rage, the meeting was at length +broken up by the archbishop and adjourned till Candlemas, when all should +meet again. + +But when Candlemas was come, Arthur alone again pulled forth the sword, +though more than ever came to win it; and the barons, sorely vexed and +angry, put it in delay till Easter. But as he had sped before so he did at +Easter, and the barons yet once more contrived delays till Pentecost. + +But now the archbishop, fully seeing God's will, called together, by +Merlin's counsel, a band of knights and gentlemen-at-arms, and set them +about Arthur to keep him safely till the feast of Pentecost. And when at +the feast Arthur still again alone prevailed to move the sword, the people +all with one accord cried out, "Long live King Arthur! we will have no +more delay, nor any other king, for so it is God's will; and we will slay +whoso resisteth Him and Arthur;" and wherewithal they kneeled down all at +once, and cried for Arthur's grace and pardon that they had so long +delayed him from his crown. Then he full sweetly and majestically pardoned +them; and taking in his hand the sword, he offered it upon the high altar +of the church. + +Anon was he solemnly knighted with great pomp by the most famous knight +there present, and the crown was placed upon his head; and, having taken +oath to all the people, lords and commons, to be true king and deal in +justice only unto his life's end, he received homage and service from all +the barons who held lands and castles from the crown. Then he made Sir +Key, High Steward of England, and Sir Badewaine of Britain, Constable, and +Sir Ulfius, Chamberlain: and after this, with all his court and a great +retinue of knights and armed men, he journeyed into Wales, and was crowned +again in the old city of Caerleon-upon-Usk. + +Meanwhile those knights and barons who had so long delayed him from the +crown, met together and went up to the coronation feast at Caerleon, as if +to do him homage; and there they ate and drank such things as were set +before them at the royal banquet, sitting with the others in the great +hall. + +But when after the banquet Arthur began, according to the ancient royal +custom, to bestow great boons and fiefs on whom he would, they all with +one accord rose up, and scornfully refused his gifts, crying that they +would take nothing from a beardless boy come of low or unknown birth, but +would instead give him good gifts of hard sword-strokes between neck and +shoulders. + +Whereat arose a deadly tumult in the hall, and every man there made him +ready to fight. But Arthur leaped up as a flame of fire against them, and +all his knights and barons drawing their swords, rushed after him upon +them and began a full sore battle; and presently the king's party +prevailed, and drave the rebels from the hall and from the city, closing +the gates behind them; and King Arthur brake his sword upon them in his +eagerness and rage. + +But amongst them were six kings of great renown and might, who more than +all raged against Arthur and determined to destroy him, namely, King Lot, +King Nanters, King Urien, King Carados, King Yder, and King Anguisant. +These six, therefore, joining their armies together, laid close siege to +the city of Caerleon, wherefrom King Arthur had so shamefully driven them. + +And after fifteen days Merlin came suddenly into their camp and asked them +what this treason meant. Then he declared to them that Arthur was no base +adventurer, but King Uther's son, whom they were bound to serve and honour +even though Heaven had not vouchsafed the wondrous miracle of the sword. +Some of the kings, when they heard Merlin speak thus, marvelled and +believed him; but others, as King Lot, laughed him and his words to scorn, +and mocked him for a conjurer and wizard. But it was agreed with Merlin +that Arthur should come forth and speak with the kings. + +So he went forth to them to the city gate, and with him the archbishop and +Merlin, and Sir Key, Sir Brastias, and a great company of others. And he +spared them not in his speech, but spoke to them as king and chieftain +telling them plainly he would make them all bow to him if he lived, unless +they choose to do him homage there and then; and so they parted in great +wrath, and each side armed in haste. + +"What will ye do?" said Merlin to the kings; "ye had best hold your hands, +for were ye ten times as many ye should not prevail." + +"Shall we be afraid of a dream-reader?" quoth King Lot in scorn. + +With that Merlin vanished away and came to King Arthur. + +Then Arthur said to Merlin, "I have need now of a sword that shall +chastise these rebels terribly." + +"Come then with me," said Merlin, "for hard by there is a sword that I can +gain for thee." + +So they rode out that night till they came to a fair and broad lake, and +in the midst of it King Arthur saw an arm thrust up, clothed in white +samite, and holding a great sword in the hand. + +"Lo! yonder is the sword I spoke of," said Merlin. + +Then saw they a damsel floating on the lake in the Moonlight. "What damsel +is that?" said the king. + +"The lady of the lake," said Merlin; "for upon this lake there is a rock, +and on the rock a noble palace, where she abideth, and she will come +towards thee presently, thou shalt ask her courteously for the sword." + +[Illustration: The lady of the lake.] + +Therewith the damsel came to King Arthur, and saluted him, and he saluted +her, and said, "Lady, what sword is that the arm holdeth above the water? +I would that it were mine, for I have no sword." + +"Sir King," said the lady of the lake, "that sword is mine, and if thou +wilt give me in return a gift whenever I shall ask it of thee, thou shalt +have it." + +"By my faith," said he, "I will give thee any gift that thou shalt ask." + +"Well," said the damsel, "go into yonder barge, and row thyself unto the +sword, and take it and the scabbard with thee, and I will ask my gift of +thee when I see my time." + +So King Arthur and Merlin alighted, and tied their horses to two trees, +and went into the barge; and when they came to the sword that the hand +held, King Arthur took it by the handle and bore it with him, and the arm +and hand went down under the water; and so they came back to land, and +rode again to Caerleon. + +On the morrow Merlin bade King Arthur to set fiercely on the enemy; and in +the meanwhile three hundred good knights went over to King Arthur from the +rebels' side. Then at the spring of day, when they had scarce left their +tents, he fell on them with might and main, and Sir Badewaine, Sir Key, +and Sir Brastias slew on the right hand and on the left marvellously; and +ever in the thickest of the fight King Arthur raged like a young lion, and +laid on with his sword, and did wondrous deeds of arms, to the joy and +admiration of the knights and barons who beheld him. + +Then King Lot, King Carados, and the King of the Hundred Knights--who also +rode with them--going round to the rear, set on King Arthur fiercely from +behind; but Arthur, turning to his knights, fought ever in the foremost +press until his horse was slain beneath him. At that, King Lot rode +furiously at him, and smote him down; but rising straightway, and being +set again on horseback, he drew his sword Excalibur that he had gained by +Merlin from the lady of the lake, which, shining brightly as the light of +thirty torches, dazzled the eyes of his enemies. And therewith falling on +them afresh with all his knights, he drove them back and slew them in +great numbers, and Merlin by his arts scattered among them fire and pitchy +smoke, so that they broke and fled. Then all the common people of +Caerleon, seeing them give way, rose up with one accord, and rushed at +them with clubs and staves, and chased them far and wide, and slew many +great knights and lords, and the remainder of them fled and were seen no +more. Thus won King Arthur his first battle and put his enemies to shame. + +But the six kings, though sorely routed, prepared for a new war, and +joining to themselves five others swore together that, whether for weal or +woe, they would keep steadfast alliance till they had destroyed King +Arthur. Then, with a host of 50,000 men-at-arms on horseback, and 10,000 +foot, they were soon ready, and sent forth their fore-riders, and drew +from the northern country towards King Arthur, to the castle of Bedgraine. + +But he by Merlin's counsel had sent over sea to King Ban of Benwick and +King Bors of Gaul, praying them to come and help him in his wars, and +promising to help in return against King Claudas, their foe. To which +those kings made answer that they would joyfully fulfil his wish, and +shortly after came to London with 300 knights, well arrayed for both peace +and war, leaving behind them a great army on the other side of the sea +till they had consulted with King Arthur and his ministers how they might +best dispose of it. + +And Merlin being asked for his advice and help, agreed to go himself and +fetch it over sea to England, which in one night he did; and brought with +him 10,000 horsemen and led them northward privately to the forest of +Bedgraine, and there lodged them in a valley secretly. + +Then, by the counsel of Merlin, when they knew which way the eleven kings +would ride and sleep, King Arthur with Kings Ban and Bors made themselves +ready with their army for the fight, having yet but 30,000 men, counting +the 10,000 who had come from Gaul. + +"Now shall ye do my advice," said Merlin; "I would that King Ban and King +Bors, with all their fellowship of 10,000 men, were led to ambush in this +wood ere daylight, and stir not therefrom until the battle hath been long +waged. And thou, Lord Arthur, at the spring of day draw forth thine army +before the enemy, and dress the battle so that they may at once see all +thy host, for they will be the more rash and hardy when they see you have +but 20,000 men." + +To this the three knights and the barons heartily consented, and it was +done as Merlin had devised. So on the morrow when the hosts beheld each +other, the host of the north was greatly cheered to find so few led out +against them. + +Then gave King Arthur the command to Sir Ulfius and Sir Brastias to take +3000 men-at-arms, and to open battle. They therefore setting fiercely on +the enemy slew them on the right hand and the left till it was wonderful +to see their slaughter. + +When the eleven kings beheld so small a band doing such mighty deeds of +arms they were ashamed, and charged them fiercely in return. Then was Sir +Ulfius' horse slain under him; but he fought well and marvellously on foot +against Duke Eustace and King Clarience, who set upon him grievously, till +Sir Brastias, seeing his great peril, pricked towards them swiftly, and so +smote the duke through with his spear that horse and man fell down and +rolled over. Whereat King Clarience turned upon Sir Brastias, and rushing +furiously together they each unhorsed the other and fell both to the +ground, and there lay a long time stunned, their horses' knees being cut +to the bone. Then came Sir Key the seneschal with six companions, and did +wondrous well, till the eleven kings went out against them and overthrew +Sir Griflet and Sir Lucas the butler. And when Sir Key saw Sir Griflet +unhorsed and on foot, he rode against King Nanters hotly and smote him +down, and led his horse to Griflet and horsed him again; with the same +spear did Sir Key smite down King Lot and wounded him full sore. + +But seeing that, the King of the Hundred Knights rushed at Sir Key and +overthrew him in return, and took his horse and gave it to King Lot. And +when Sir Griflet saw Sir Key's mischance, he set his spear in rest, and +riding at a mighty man-at-arms, he cast him down headlong and caught his +horse and led it straightway to Sir Key. + +By now the battle was growing perilous and hard, and both sides fought +with rage and fury. And Sir Ulfius and Sir Brastias were both afoot and +in great danger of their death, and foully stained and trampled under +horses' feet. Then King Arthur, putting spurs to his horse, rushed forward +like a lion into the midst of all the _melee_, and singling out King +Cradlemont of North Wales, smote him through the left side and overthrew +him, and taking his horse by the rein he brought it to Sir Ulfius in haste +and said, "Take this horse, mine old friend, for thou hast great need of +one, and charge by side of me." And even as he spoke he saw Sir Ector, Sir +Key's father, smitten to the earth by the King of the Hundred Knights, and +his horse taken to King Cradlemont. + +But when King Arthur saw him ride upon Sir Ector's horse his wrath was +very great, and with his sword he smote King Cradlemont upon the helm, and +shore off the fourth part thereof and of the shield, and drave the sword +onward to the horse's neck and slew the horse, and hurled the king upon +the ground. + +And now the battle waxed so great and furious that all the noise and sound +thereof rang out by water and by wood, so that Kings Ban and Bors, with +all their knights and men-at-arms in ambush, hearing the tumult and the +cries, trembled and shook for eagerness, and scarce could stay in secret, +but made them ready for the fray and dressed their shields and harness. + +But when King Arthur saw the fury of the enemy, he raged like a mad lion, +and stirred and drove his horse now here, now there, to the right hand and +to the left, and stayed not in his wrath till he had slain full twenty +knights. He wounded also King Lot so sorely in the shoulder that he left +the field, and in great pain and dolour cried out to the other kings, "Do +ye as I devise, or we shall be destroyed. I, with the King of the Hundred +Knights, King Anguisant, King Yder, and the Duke of Cambinet, will take +fifteen thousand men and make a circuit, meanwhile that ye do hold the +battle with twelve thousand. Then coming suddenly we will fall fiercely on +them from behind and put them to the rout, but else shall we never stand +against them." + +So Lot and four kings departed with their party to one side, and the six +other kings dressed their ranks against King Arthur and fought long and +stoutly. + +But now Kings Ban and Bors, with all their army fresh and eager, broke +from their ambush and met face to face the five kings and their host as +they came round behind, and then began a frantic struggle with breaking of +spears and clashing of swords and slaying of men and horses. Anon King +Lot, espying in the midst King Bors, cried out in great dismay, "Our Lady +now defend us from our death and fearful wounds; our peril groweth great, +for yonder cometh one of the worshipfullest kings and best knights in all +the world." + +"Who is he?" said the King of the Hundred Knights. + +"It is King Bors of Gaul," replied King Lot, "and much I marvel how he may +have come with all his host into this land without our knowledge." + +"Aha!" cried King Carados, "I will encounter with this king if ye will +rescue me when there is need." + +"Ride on," said they. + +So King Carados and all his host rode softly till they came within a +bow-shot of King Bors, and then both hosts, spurring their horses to their +greatest swiftness, rushed at each other. And King Bors encountered in +the onset with a knight, and struck him through with a spear, so that he +fell dead upon the earth; then drawing his sword, he did such mighty feats +of arms that all who saw him gazed with wonder. Anon King Ban came also +forth upon the field with all his knights, and added yet more fury, sound, +and slaughter, till at length both hosts of the eleven kings began to +quake, and drawing all together into one body, they prepared to meet the +worst, while a great multitude already fled. + +Then said King Lot, "Lords, we must take yet other means, or worse loss +still awaits us. See ye not what people we have lost in waiting on the +footmen, and that it costs ten horsemen to save one of them? Therefore it +is my counsel to put away our footmen from us, for it is almost night, and +King Arthur will not stay to slaughter them. So they can save their lives +in this great wood hard by. Then let us gather into one band all the +horsemen that remain, and whoso breaketh rank or leaveth us, let him be +straightway slain by him that seeth him, for it is better that we slay a +coward than through a coward be all slain. How say ye?" said King Lot; +"answer me, all ye kings." + +"It is well said," replied they all. + +And swearing they would never fail each other, they mended and set right +their armour and their shields, and took new spears and set them +steadfastly against their thighs, waiting, and so stood still as a clump +of trees stands on the plain; and no assaults could shake them, they held +so hard together; which when King Arthur saw he marvelled greatly, and was +very wroth. "Yet," cried he, "I may not blame them, by my faith, for they +do as brave men ought to do, and are the best fighting men and knights of +most prowess that I ever saw or heard tell of." And so said also Kings Ban +and Bors, and praised them greatly for their noble chivalry. + +But now came forty noble knights out of King Arthur's host, and prayed +that he would suffer them to break the enemy. And when they were allowed, +they rode forth with their spears upon their thighs, and spurred their +horses to their hottest. Then the eleven kings, with a party of their +knights, rushed with set spears as fast and mightily to meet them; and +when they were encountered, all the crash and splinter of their spears and +armour rang with a mighty din, and so fierce and bloody was their onset +that in all that day there had been no such cruel press, and rage, and +smiting. At that same moment rode fiercely into the thickest of the +struggle King Arthur and Kings Ban and Bors, and slew downright on both +hands right and left, until their horses went in blood up to the fetlocks. + +And while the slaughter and the noise and shouting were at their greatest, +suddenly there came down through the battle Merlin the Wizard, upon a +great black horse, and riding to King Arthur, he cried out, "Alas, my +Lord! will ye have never done? Of sixty thousand have ye left but fifteen +thousand men alive. Is it not time to stay this slaying? for God is ill +pleased with ye that ye have never ended, and yonder kings shall not be +altogether overthrown this time. But if ye fall upon them any more, the +fortune of this day will turn, and go to them. Withdraw, Lord, therefore, +to thy lodging, and there now take thy rest, for to-day thou hast won a +great victory, and overcome the noblest chivalry of all the world. And now +for many years those kings shall not disturb thee. Therefore, I tell +thee, fear them no more, for now they are sore beaten, and have nothing +left them but their honour; and why shouldest thou slay them to take +that?" + +Then said King Arthur, "Thou sayest well, and I will take thy counsel." +With that he cried out, "Ho!" for the battle to cease, and sent forth +heralds through the field to stay more fighting. And gathering all the +spoil, he gave it not amongst his own host, but to Kings Ban and Bors and +all their knights and men-at-arms, that he might treat them with the +greater courtesy as strangers. + +Then Merlin took his leave of Arthur and the two other kings, and went to +see his master, Blaise, a holy hermit, dwelling in Northumberland, who had +nourished him through all his youth. And Blaise was passing glad to see +him, for there was a great love ever between them; and Merlin told him how +King Arthur had sped in the battle, and how it had ended; and told him the +names of every king and knight of worship who was there. So Blaise wrote +down the battle, word for word, as Merlin told him; and in the same way +ever after, all the battles of King Arthur's days Merlin caused Blaise, +his master, to record. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +_The Adventure of the Questing Beast--King Arthur drives the Saxons from +the Realm--The Battles of Celidon Forest and Badon Hill_ + + +Anon, thereafter, came word to King Arthur that Ryence, King of North +Wales, was making war upon King Leodegrance of Camelgard; whereat he was +passing wroth, for he loved Leodegrance well, and hated Ryence. So he +departed with Kings Ban and Bors and twenty thousand men, and came to +Camelgard, and rescued Leodegrance, and slew ten thousand of Ryence's men +and put him to flight. Then Leodegrance made a great festival to the three +kings, and treated them with every manner of mirth and pleasure which +could be devised. And there had King Arthur the first sight of Guinevere, +daughter of Leodegrance, whom in the end he married, as shall be told +hereafter. + +Then did Kings Ban and Bors take leave, and went to their own country, +where King Claudas worked great mischief. And King Arthur would have gone +with them, but they refused him, saying, "Nay, ye shall not at this time, +for ye have yet much to do in these lands of your own; and we with the +riches we have won here by your gifts shall hire many good knights, and, +by the grace of God, withstand the malice of King Claudas; and if we have +need we will send to ye for succour; and likewise ye, if ye have need, +send for us, and we will not tarry, by the faith of our bodies." + +When the two kings had left, King Arthur rode to Caerleon, and thither +came to him his half-sister Belisent, wife to King Lot, sent as a +messenger, but in truth to espy his power; and with her came a noble +retinue, and also her four sons--Gawain, Gaheris, Agravaine, and Gareth. +But when she saw King Arthur and his nobleness, and all the splendour of +his knights and service, she forbore to spy upon him as a foe, and told +him of her husband's plots against him and his throne. And the king, not +knowing that she was his half-sister, made great court to her; and being +full of admiration for her beauty, loved her out of measure, and kept her +a long season at Caerleon. Wherefore her husband, King Lot, was more than +ever King Arthur's enemy, and hated him till death with a passing great +hatred. + +At that time King Arthur had a marvellous dream, which gave him great +disquietness of heart. He dreamed that the whole land was full of many +fiery griffins and serpents, which burnt and slew the people everywhere; +and then that he himself fought with them, and that they did him mighty +injuries, and wounded him nigh to death, but that at last he overcame and +slew them all. When he woke, he sat in great heaviness of spirit and +pensiveness, thinking what this dream might signify, but by-and-by, when +he could by no means satisfy himself what it might mean, to rid himself of +all his thoughts of it, he made ready with a great company to ride out +hunting. + +As soon as he was in the forest, the king saw a great hart before him, and +spurred his horse, and rode long eagerly after it, and chased until his +horse lost breath and fell down dead from under him. Then, seeing the hart +escaped and his horse dead, he sat down by a fountain, and fell into deep +thought again. And as he sat there alone, he thought he heard the noise of +hounds, as it were some thirty couple in number, and looking up he saw +coming towards him the strangest beast that ever he had seen or heard tell +of, which ran towards the fountain and drank of the water. Its head was +like a serpent's, with a leopard's body and a lion's tail, and it was +footed like a stag; and the noise was in its belly, as it were the baying +or questing of thirty couple of hounds. While it drank there was no noise +within it; but presently, having finished, it departed with a greater +sound than ever. + +The king was amazed at all this; but being greatly wearied, he fell +asleep, and was before long waked up by a knight on foot, who said, +"Knight, full of thought and sleepy, tell me if thou sawest a strange +beast pass this way?" + +"Such a one I saw," said King Arthur to the knight, "but that is now two +miles distant at the least. What would you with that beast?" + +"Sir," said the knight, "I have followed it for a long time, and have +killed my horse, and would to heaven I had another to pursue my quest +withal." + +At that moment came a yeoman with another horse for the king, which, when +the knight saw, he earnestly prayed to be given him. "For I have followed +this quest," said he, "twelve months, and either I shall achieve him or +bleed of the best blood of my body." + +It was King Pellinore who at that time followed the questing beast, but +neither he nor King Arthur knew each other. + +"Sir Knight," said King Arthur, "leave that quest and suffer me to have +it, and I will follow it other twelve months." + +"Ah, fool," said the knight, "thy desire is utterly in vain, for it shall +never be achieved but by me, or by my next of kin." + +Therewith he started to the king's horse, and mounted to the saddle, +crying out, "Grammercy, this horse is mine!" + +"Well," said the king, "thou mayest take my horse by force, and I will not +say nay; but till we prove whether thou or I be best on horseback, I shall +not rest content." + +"Seek me here," said the knight, "whenever thou wilt, and here by this +fountain thou shalt find me;" and so he passed forth on his way. + +Then sat King Arthur in a deep fit of study, and bade his yeomen fetch him +yet another horse as quickly as they could. And when they left him all +alone came Merlin, disguised as a child of fourteen years of age, and +saluted the king, and asked him why he was so pensive and heavy. + +"I may well be pensive and heavy," he replied, "for here even now I have +seen the strangest sight I ever saw." + +"That know I well," said Merlin, "as well as thyself, and also all thy +thoughts; but thou art foolish to take thought, for it will not amend +thee. Also I know what thou art, and know thy father and thy mother." + +"That is false," said King Arthur; "how shouldst thou know? thy years are +not enough." + +"Yea," said Merlin, "but I know better than thou how thou wast born, and +better than any man living." + +"I will not believe thee," said King Arthur, and was wroth with the child. + +So Merlin departed, and came again in the likeness of an old man of +fourscore years of age; and the king was glad at his coming, for he seemed +wise and venerable. Then said the old man, "Why art thou so sad?" + +"For divers reasons," said King Arthur; "for I have seen strange things +to-day, and but this moment there was here a child who told me things +beyond his years to know." + +"Yea," said the old man, "but he told thee truth, and more he would have +told thee hadst thou suffered him. But I will tell thee wherefore thou art +sad, for thou hast done a thing of late for which God is displeased with +thee, and what it is thou knowest in thy heart, though no man else may +know." + +"What art thou," said King Arthur, starting up all pale, "that tellest me +these tidings?" + +"I am Merlin," said he, "and I was he in the child's likeness, also." + +"Ah," said King Arthur, "thou art a marvellous and right fearful man, and +I would ask and tell thee many things this day." + +As they talked came one with the king's horses, and so, King Arthur +mounting one, and Merlin another, they rode together to Caerleon; and +Merlin prophesied to Arthur of his death, and also foretold his own end. + +And now King Arthur, having utterly dispersed and overwhelmed those kings +who had so long delayed his coronation, turned all his mind to overthrow +the Saxon heathens who yet in many places spoiled the land. Calling +together, therefore, his knights and men-at-arms, he rode with all his +hosts to York, where Colgrin, the Saxon, lay with a great army; and there +he fought a mighty battle, long and bloody, and drove him into the city, +and besieged him. Then Baldulph, Colgrin's brother, came secretly with six +thousand men to assail King Arthur and to raise the siege. But King Arthur +was aware of him, and sent six hundred horsemen and three thousand foot to +meet and fall on him instead. This therefore they did, encountering them +at midnight, and utterly defeated them, till they fled away for life. But +Baldulph, full of grief, resolved to share his brother's peril; wherefore +he shaved his head and beard, and disguised himself as a jester, and so +passed through King Arthur's camp, singing and playing on a harp, till by +degrees he drew near to the city walls, where presently he made himself +known, and was drawn up by ropes into the town. + +Anon, while Arthur closely watched the city, came news that full six +hundred ships had landed countless swarms of Saxons, under Cheldric, on +the eastern coast. At that he raised the siege, and marched straight to +London, and there increased his army, and took counsel with his barons how +to drive the Saxons from the land for evermore. + +Then with his nephew, Hoel, King of the Armorican Britons, who came with a +great force to help him, King Arthur, with a mighty multitude of barons, +knights, and fighting men, went swiftly up to Lincoln, which the Saxons +lay besieging. And there he fought a passing fierce battle, and made +grievous slaughter, killing above six thousand men, till the main body of +them turned and fled. But he pursued them hotly into the wood of Celidon, +where, sheltering themselves among the trees from his arrows, they made a +stand, and for a long season bravely defended themselves. Anon, he ordered +all the trees in that part of the forest to be cut down, leaving no +shelter or ambush; and with their trunks and branches made a mighty +barricade, which shut them in and hindered their escape. After three days, +brought nigh to death by famine, they offered to give up their wealth of +gold and silver spoils, and to depart forthwith in their empty ships; +moreover, to pay tribute to King Arthur when they reached their home, and +to leave him hostages till all was paid. + +This offer, therefore, he accepted, and suffered them to depart. But when +they had been a few hours at sea, they repented of their shameful flight, +and turned their ships back again, and landing at Totnes, ravaged all the +land as far as the Severn, and, burning and slaying on all sides, bent +their steps towards Bath. + +When King Arthur heard of their treachery and their return, he burned with +anger till his eyes shone like two torches, and then he swore a mighty +oath to rest no more until he had utterly destroyed those enemies of God +and man, and had rooted them for ever out of the land of Britain. Then +marching hotly with his armies on to Bath, he cried aloud to them, "Since +these detestable impious heathens disdain to keep their faith with me, to +keep faith with God, to whom I sware to cherish and defend this realm, +will now this day avenge on them the blood of all that they have slain in +Britain!" + +In like manner after him spoke the archbishop, standing upon a hill, and +crying that to-day they should fight both for their country and for +Paradise, "For whoso," he said, "shall in this holy war be slain, the +angels shall forthwith receive him; for death in this cause shall be +penance and absolution for all sins." + +At these words every man in the whole army raged with hatred, and pressed +eagerly to rush upon those savages. + +Anon King Arthur, dressed in armour shining with gold and jewels, and +wearing on his head a helmet with a golden dragon, took a shield painted +with the likeness of the blessed Mary. Then girding on Excalibur and +taking in his right hand his great lance Ron, he placed his men in order +and led them out against the enemy, who stood for battle on the slope of +Badon Hill, ranged in the form of a wedge, as their custom was. And they, +resisting all the onslaughts of King Arthur and his host, made that day a +stout defence, and at night lay down upon the hill. + +But on the next day Arthur led his army once again to the attack, and with +wounds and slaughter such as no man had ever seen before, he drove the +heathen step by step before him, backwards and upwards, till he stood with +all his noblest knights upon the summit of the hill. + +And then men saw him, "red as the rising sun from spur to plume," lift up +his sword, and, kneeling, kiss the cross of it; and after, rising to his +feet, set might and main with all his fellowship upon the foe, till, as a +troop of lions roaring for their prey, they drove them like a scattered +herd along the plains, and cut them down till they could cut no more for +weariness. + +That day King Arthur by himself alone slew with his word Excalibur four +hundred and seventy heathens. Colgrin also, and his brother Baldulph, were +slain. + +Then the king bade Cador, Duke of Cornwall, follow Cheldric, the chief +leader, and the remnant of his hosts, unto the uttermost. He, therefore, +when he had first seized their fleet, and filled it with chosen men, to +beat them back when they should fly to it at last, chased them and slew +them without mercy so long as he could overtake them. And though they +crept with trembling hearts for shelter to the coverts of the woods and +dens of mountains, yet even so they found no safety, for Cador slew them, +even one by one. Last of all he caught and slew Cheldric himself, and +slaughtering a great multitude took hostages for the surrender of the +rest. + +Meanwhile, King Arthur turned from Badon Hill, and freed his nephew Hoel +from the Scots and Picts, who besieged him in Alclud. And when he had +defeated them in three sore battles, he drove them before him to a lake, +which was one of the most wondrous lakes in all the world, for it was fed +by sixty rivers, and had sixty islands, and sixty rocks, and on every +island sixty eagles' nests. But King Arthur with a great fleet sailed +round the rivers and besieged them in the lake for fifteen days, so that +many thousands died of hunger. + +Anon the King of Ireland came with an army to relieve them; but Arthur, +turning on him fiercely, routed him, and compelled him to retreat in +terror to his land. Then he pursued his purpose, which was no less to +destroy the race of Picts and Scots, who, beyond memory, had been a +ceaseless torment to the Britons by their barbarous malice. + +So bitterly, therefore, did he treat them, giving quarter to none, that at +length the bishops of that miserable country with the clergy met together, +and, bearing all the holy relics, came barefooted to the king to pray his +mercy for their people. As soon as they were led before him they fell down +upon their knees, and piteously besought him to spare the few survivors of +their countrymen, and grant them any corner of the land where they might +live in peace. When he thus heard them, and knew that he had now fully +punished them, he consented to their prayer, and withdrew his hosts from +any further slaughter. + +Then turned he back to his own realm, and came to York for Christmas, and +there with high solemnity observed that holy tide; and being passing +grieved to see the ruin of the churches and houses, which the rage or the +pagans had destroyed, he rebuilt them, and restored the city to its +ancient happy state. + +And on a certain day, as the king sat with his barons, there came into the +court a squire on horseback, carrying a knight before him wounded to the +death, and told the king that hard by in the forest was a knight who had +reared up a pavilion by the fountain, "and hath slain my master, a valiant +knight, whose name was Nirles; wherefore I beseech thee, Lord, my master +may be buried, and that some good knight may avenge his death." + +At that stepped forth a squire named Griflet, who was very young, being of +the same age with King Arthur, and besought the king, for all the service +he had done, to give him knighthood. + +"Thou art full young and tender of age," said King Arthur, "to take so +high an order upon thee." + +"Sir," said Griflet, "I beseech thee make me a knight;" and Merlin also +advising the king to grant his request, "Well," said Arthur, "be it then +so," and knighted him forthwith. Then said he to him, "Since I have +granted thee this favour, thou must in turn grant me a gift." + +"Whatsoever thou wilt, my lord," replied Sir Griflet. + +"Promise me," said King Arthur, "by the faith of thy body, that when thou +hast jousted with this knight at the fountain, thou wilt return to me +straightway, unless he slay thee." + +"I promise," said Sir Griflet; and taking his horse in haste, he dressed +his shield, and took a spear in his hand and rode full gallop till he came +to the fountain, by the side of which he saw a rich pavilion, and a great +horse standing well saddled and bridled, and on a tree close by there hung +a shield of many colours and a long lance. + +Then Sir Griflet smote upon the shield with the butt of his spear until he +cast it to the ground. At that a knight came out of the pavilion and said, +"Fair knight, why smote ye down my shield?" + +"Because," said Griflet, "I would joust with thee." + +"It were better not," replied the knight; "for thou art young and but +lately made a knight, and thy strength is small compared to mine." + +"For all that," said Sir Griflet, "I will joust with ye." + +"I am full loath," replied the knight; "but if I must I must." + +Then did they wheel their horses far apart, and running them together, +the strange knight shivered Sir Griflet's spear to fragments, and smote +him through the shield and the left side, and broke his own spear into Sir +Griflet's body, so that the truncheon stuck there, and Sir Griflet and his +horse fell down. But when the strange knight saw him overthrown, he was +sore grieved, and hastily alighted, for he thought that he had slain him. +Then he unlaced his helm and gave him air, and tended him carefully till +he came out of his swoon, and leaving the truncheon of his spear in his +body, he set him upon horse, and commended him to God, and said he had a +mighty heart, and if he lived would prove a passing good knight. And so +Sir Griflet rode to the court, where, by aid of good physicians, he was +healed in time and his life saved. + +At that same time there came before the king twelve old men, ambassadors +from Lucius Tiberius, Emperor of Rome, and demanded of Arthur tribute unto +Caesar for his realm, or else, said they, the emperor would destroy both +him and his land. To whom King Arthur answered that he owed the emperor no +tribute, nor would send him any; but said he, "On a fair field I will pay +him his proper tribute--with a sharp spear and sword; and by my father's +soul that tribute shall he take from me, whether he will or not." So the +ambassadors departed passing wroth, and King Arthur was as wroth as they. + +But on the morrow of Sir Griflet's hurt, the king commanded to take his +horse and armour secretly outside the city walls before sunrise of the +next morning, and, rising a long while before dawn, he mounted up and took +his shield and spear, and bade his chamberlain tarry till he came again; +but he forbore to take Excalibur, for he had given it for safety into +charge of his sister, Queen Morgan le Fay. And as the king rode at a soft +pace he saw suddenly three villains chasing Merlin and making to attack +and slay him. Clapping spurs to his horse, he rushed towards them, and +cried out in a terrible voice, "Flee, churls, or take your deaths;" but +they, as soon as they perceived a knight, fled away with the haste of +hares. + +"O Merlin," said the king; "here hadst thou been killed, despite thy many +crafts, had I not chanced to pass." + +"Not so," said Merlin, "for when I would, I could have saved myself; but +thou art nearer to thy death than I, for without special help from heaven +thou ridest now towards thy grave." + +And as they were thus talking, they came to the fountain and the rich +pavilion pitched beside it, and saw a knight sitting all armed on a chair +in the opening of the tent. "Sir knight," said King Arthur, "for what +cause abidest thou here? to joust with any knight that passeth by? If so, +I caution thee to quit that custom." + +"That custom," said the knight, "have I followed and will follow, let +whosoever will say nay, and if any is aggrieved at it, let him who will +amend it." + +"I will amend it," said King Arthur. + +"And I will defend it," answered the knight. + +Then the knight mounted his horse and made himself ready, and charging at +each other they met so hard that both their lances splintered into pieces. +Then King Arthur drew his sword, but the knight cried out, "Not so; but +let us run another tilt together with sharp spears." + +"I would with a good will," said King Arthur; "but I have no more spears." + +"I have enough of spears," replied the knight, and called a squire, who +brought two good new lances. + +Then spurring their horses, they rushed together with all their might, and +broke each one his own spear short off in his hand. Then the king again +put his hand to his sword, but the knight once more cried out, "Nay, yet +abide awhile; ye are the best jouster that I ever met with; for the love +of knighthood, let us joust yet once again." + +So once again they tilted with their fullest force, and this time King +Arthur's spear was shivered, but the knight's held whole, and drove so +furiously against the king that both his horse and he were hurled to the +ground. + +At that, King Arthur was enraged and drew his sword and said, "I will +attack thee now, Sir knight, on foot, for on horseback I have lost the +honour." + +"I will be on horseback," said the knight. But when he saw him come on +foot, he lighted from his horse, thinking it shame to have so great +advantage. + +And then began they a strong battle, with many great strokes and grievous +blows, and so hewed with their swords that the fragments of their armour +flew about the fields, and both so bled that all the ground around was +like a marsh of blood. Thus they fought long and mightily, and anon, after +brief rest fell to again, and so hurtled together like two wild boars that +they both rolled to the ground. At last their swords clashed furiously +together, and the knight's sword shivered the king's in two. + +Then said the knight, "Now art thou in my power, to save thee or to slay. +Yield therefore as defeated, and a recreant knight, or thou shall surely +die." + +"As for death," replied King Arthur, "welcome be it when it cometh; but as +for yielding me to thee as a recreant because of this poor accident upon +my sword, I had far liefer die than be so shamed." + +So saying, he sprang on the knight, and took him by the middle and threw +him down, and tore off his helm. But the knight, being a huge man, +wrestled and struggled in a frenzy with the king until he brought him +under, and tore off his helm in turn, and would have smitten off his head. + +At that came Merlin and said, "Knight, hold thy hand, for if thou slayest +yonder knight, thou puttest all this realm to greater loss and damage than +ever realm was in; for he is a man of greater worship than thou dreamest +of." + +"Who then is he?" cried the knight. + +"Arthur Pendragon!" answered Merlin. + +Then would he have slain him for dread of his wrath, but Merlin cast a +spell upon the knight, so that he fell suddenly to the earth in a deep +sleep. Then raising up the king, he took the knight's horse for himself +and rode away. + +"Alas," said King Arthur, "what hast thou done, Merlin? hast thou slain +this good knight by thy crafts? There never lived a better knight; I had +rather lose my kingdom for a year than have him dead." + +"Be not afraid," said Merlin; "he is more whole and sound than thou art, +and is but in a sleep, wherefrom in three hours' time he will awake. I +told thee what a knight he was, and how near thou wast to death. There +liveth not a better knight than he in all the world, and hereafter he +shall do thee good service. His name is King Pellinore, and he shall have +two sons, who shall be passing valiant men, and, save one another, shall +have no equal in prowess and in purity of life. The one shall be named +Percival, and the other Lamoracke of Wales." + +So they rode on to Caerleon, and all the knights grieved greatly when they +heard of this adventure, that the king would jeopardise his person thus +alone. Yet could they not hide their joy at serving under such a noble +chief, who adventured his own life as much as did the poorest knight among +them all. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +_King Arthur Conquers Ireland and Norway, Slays the Giant of St. Michael's +Mount, and Conquers Gaul--The Adventures of Sir Balin_ + + +The land of Britain being now in peace, and many great and valiant knights +therein ready to take part in whatsoever battles or adventures might +arise, King Arthur resolved to follow all his enemies to their own coasts. +Anon he fitted out a great fleet, and sailing first to Ireland, in one +battle he miserably routed the people of the country. The King of Ireland +also he took prisoner, and forced all earls and barons to pay him homage. + +Having conquered Ireland, he went next to Iceland and subdued it also, and +the winter being then arrived, returned to Britain. + +In the next year he set forth to Norway, whence many times the heathen had +descended on the British coasts; for he was determined to give so terrible +a lesson to those savages as should be told through all their tribes both +far and near, and make his name fearful to them. + +As soon as he was come, Riculf, the king, with all the power of that +country, met and gave him battle; but, after mighty slaughter, the Britons +had at length the advantage, and slew Riculf and a countless multitude +besides. + +Having thus defeated them, they set the cities on fire, dispersed the +country people, and pursued the victory till they had reduced all Norway, +as also Dacia, under the dominion of King Arthur. + +Now, therefore, having thus chastised those pagans who so long had +harassed Britain, and put his yoke upon them, he voyaged on to Gaul, being +steadfastly set upon defeating the Roman governor of that province, and so +beginning to make good the threats which he had sent the emperor by his +ambassadors. + +So soon as he was landed on the shores of Gaul, there came to him a +countryman who told him of a fearful giant in the land of Brittany, who +had slain, murdered, and devoured many people, and had lived for seven +years upon young children only, "insomuch," said the man, "that all the +children of the country are destroyed; and but the other day he seized +upon our duchess, as she rode out with her men, and took her away to his +lodging in a cave of a mountain, and though five hundred people followed +her, yet could they give her no help or rescue, but left her shrieking and +crying lamentably in the giant's hands; and, Lord, she is thy cousin +Hoel's wife, who is of thy near kindred; wherefore, as thou art a rightful +king, have pity on this lady; and as thou art a valiant conqueror, avenge +us and deliver us." + +"Alas!" said King Arthur, "this is a great mischief that ye tell of. I had +rather than the best realm I have, that I had rescued that lady ere the +giant laid his hand on her; but tell me now, good fellow, canst thou bring +me where this giant haunteth?" + +"Yea, Lord!" replied the man; "lo, yonder, where thou seest two great +fires, there shall thou find him, and more treasure also than is in all +Gaul besides." + +Then the king returned to his tent, and, calling Sir Key and Sir Bedwin, +desired them to get horses ready for himself and them, for that after +evensong he would ride a pilgrimage with them alone to St. Michael's +Mount. So in the evening they departed, and rode as fast as they could +till they came near the mount, and there alighted; and the king commanded +the two knights to await him at the hill foot, while he went up alone. + +Then he ascended the mountain till he came to a great fire. And there he +found a sorrowful widow wringing her hands and weeping miserably, sitting +by a new-made grave. And saluting her, King Arthur prayed her wherefore +she made such heavy lamentations. + +"Sir knight," she said, "speak softly, for yonder is a devil, who, if he +hear thy voice, will come and straightway slay thee. Alas! what dost thou +here? Fifty such men as thou were powerless to resist him. Here lieth dead +my lady, Duchess of Brittany, wife to Sir Hoel, who was the fairest lady +in the world, foully and shamefully slaughtered by that fiend! Beware that +thou go not too nigh, for he hath overcome and vanquished fifteen kings, +and hath made himself a coat of precious stones, embroidered with their +beards; but if thou art hardy, and wilt speak with him, at yonder great +fire he is at supper." + +"Well," said King Arthur, "I will accomplish mine errand, for all thy +fearful words;" and so went forth to the crest of the hill, and saw where +the giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge +frame by the fire, while three damsels turned three spits whereon were +spitted, like larks, twelve young children lately born. + +[Illustration: The giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and +baking his huge frame by the fire.] + +When King Arthur saw all that, his heart bled for sorrow, and he trembled +for rage and indignation; then lifting up his voice he cried aloud--"God, +that wieldeth all the world, give thee short life and shameful death, and +may the devil have thy soul! Why hast thou slain those children and that +fair lady? Wherefore arise, and prepare thee to perish, thou glutton and +fiend, for this day thou shalt die by my hands." + +Then the giant, mad with fury at these words, started up, and seizing a +great club, smote the king, and struck his crown from off his head. But +King Arthur smote him with his sword so mightily in return, that all his +blood gushed forth in streams. + +At that the giant, howling in great anguish, threw away his club of iron, +and caught the king in both his arms and strove to crush his ribs +together. But King Arthur struggled and writhed, and twisted him about, so +that the giant could not hold him tightly; and as they fiercely wrestled, +they both fell, and rolling over one another, tumbled--wrestling, and +struggling, and fighting frantically--from rock to rock, till they came to +the sea. + +And as they tore and strove and tumbled, the king ever and anon smote at +the giant with his dagger, till his arms stiffened in death around King +Arthur's body, and groaning horribly, he died. So presently the two +knights came and found the king locked fast in the giant's arms, and very +faint and weary, and loosed him from their hold. + +Then the king bade Sir Key to "smite off the giant's head and set it on +the truncheon of a spear, and bear it to Sir Hoel, and tell him that his +enemy is slain; and afterwards let it be fastened to the castle gate, that +all the people may behold it. And go ye two up on the mountain and fetch +me my shield and sword, and also the great club of iron ye will see there; +and as for the treasure, ye shall find there wealth beyond counting, but +take as much as ye will, for if I have his kirtle and the club, I desire +no more." + +Then the knights fetched the club and kirtle, as the king had ordered, and +took the treasure to themselves, as much as they could carry, and returned +to the army. But when this deed was noised abroad, all the people came in +multitudes to thank the king, who told them "to give thanks to God, and to +divide the giant's spoils amongst them equally." And King Arthur desired +Sir Hoel to build a church upon the mount, and dedicate it to the +Archangel Michael. + +On the morrow, all the host moved onwards into the country of Champagne, +and Flollo, the Roman tribune, retired before them into Paris. But while +he was preparing to collect more forces from the neighbouring countries, +King Arthur came upon him unawares, and besieged him in the town. + +And when a month had passed, Flollo--full of grief at the starvation of +his people, who died in hundreds day by day--sent to King Arthur, and +desired that they two might fight together; for he was a man of mighty +stature and courage, and thought himself sure of the victory. This +challenge, King Arthur, full weary the siege, accepted with great joy, and +sent back word to Flollo that he would meet him whensoever he appointed. + +And a truce being made on both sides, they met together the next day on +the island without the city, where all the people also were gathered to +see the issue. And as the king and Flollo rode up to the lists, each was +so nobly armed and horsed, and sat so mightily upon his saddle, that no +man could tell which way the battle would end. + +When they had saluted one another, and presented themselves against each +other with their lances aloft, they put spurs to their horses and began a +fierce encounter. But King Arthur, carrying his spear more warily, struck +it on the upper part of Flollo's breast, and flung him from his saddle to +the earth. Then drawing his sword, he cried to him to rise, and rushed +upon him; but Flollo, starting up, met him with his spear couched, and +pierced the breast of King Arthur's horse, and overthrew both horse and +man. + +The Britons, when they saw their king upon the ground, could scarcely keep +themselves from breaking up the truce and falling on the Gauls. But as +they were about to burst the barriers, and rush upon the lists, King +Arthur hastily arose, and, guarding himself with his shield, ran with +speed on Flollo. And now they renewed the assault with great rage, being +sorely bent upon each other's death. + +At length, Flollo, seizing his advantage, gave King Arthur a huge stroke +upon the helm, which nigh overthrew him, and drew forth his blood in +streams. + +But when King Arthur saw his armour and shield red with blood, he was +inflamed with fury, and lifting up Excalibur on high, with all his might, +he struck straight through the helmet into Flollo's head, and smote it +into halves; and Flollo falling backwards, and tearing up the ground with +his spurs, expired. + +As soon as this news spread, the citizens all ran together, and, opening +the gates, surrendered the city to the conqueror. + +And when he had overrun the whole province with his arms, and reduced it +everywhere to subjection, he returned again to Britain, and held his court +at Caerleon, with greater state than ever. + +Anon he invited thereto all the kings, dukes, earls, and barons, who owed +him homage, that he might treat them royally, and reconcile them to each +other, and to his rule. + +And never was there a city more fit and pleasant for such festivals. For +on one side it was washed by a noble river, so that the kings and princes +from the countries beyond sea might conveniently sail up to it; and on the +other side, the beauty of the groves and meadows, and the stateliness and +magnificence of the royal palaces, with lofty gilded roofs, made it even +rival the grandeur of Rome. It was famous also for two great and noble +churches, whereof one was built in honour of the martyr Julius, and +adorned with a choir of virgins who had devoted themselves wholly to the +service of God; and the other, founded in memory of St. Aaron, his +companion, maintained a convent of canons, and was the third metropolitan +church of Britain. Besides, there was a college of two hundred +philosophers, learned in astronomy, and all the other sciences and arts. + +In this place, therefore, full of such delights, King Arthur held his +court, with many jousts and tournaments, and royal huntings, and rested +for a season after all his wars. + +And on a certain day there came into the court a messenger from Ryence, +King of North Wales, bearing this message from his master: That King +Ryence had discomfited eleven kings, and had compelled each one of them to +cut off his beard; that he had trimmed a mantle with these beards, and +lacked but one more beard to finish it; and that he therefore now sent for +King Arthur's beard, which he required of him forthwith, or else he would +enter his lands and burn and slay, and never leave them till he had taken +by force not his beard only, but his head also. + +When King Arthur heard these words he flushed all scarlet, and rising in +great anger said, "Well is it for thee that thou speakest another man's +words with thy lips, and not thine own. Thou hast said thy message, which +is the most insolent and villainous that ever man heard sent to any king: +now hear my reply. My beard is yet too young to trim that mantle of thy +master's with; yet, young although I be, I owe no homage either to him or +any man--nor will ever owe. But, young although I be, I will have thy +master's homage upon both his knees before this year be past, or else he +shall lose his head, by the faith of my body, for this message is the +shamefullest I ever heard speak of. I see well thy king hath never yet met +with a worshipful man; but tell that King Arthur will have his head or his +worship right soon." + +Then the messenger departed, and Arthur, looking round upon his knights, +demanded of them if any there knew this King Ryence. "Yea," answered Sir +Noran, "I know him well, and there be few better or stronger knights upon +a field than he; and he is passing proud and haughty in his heart; +wherefore I doubt not, Lord, he will make war on thee with mighty power." + +"Well," said King Arthur, "I shall be ready for him, and that shall he +find." + +While the king thus spoke, there came into the hall a damsel having on a +mantle richly furred, which she let fall and showed herself to be girded +with a noble sword. The king being surprised at this, said, "Damsel, +wherefore art thou girt with that sword, for it beseemeth thee not?" +"Sir," said she, "I will tell thee. This sword wherewith I am thus girt +gives me great sorrow and encumbrance, for I may not be delivered from it +till I find a knight faithful and pure and true, strong of body and of +valiant deeds, without guile or treachery, who shall be able to draw it +from its scabbard, which no man else can do. And I have but just now come +from the court of King Ryence, for there they told me many great and good +knights were to be ever found; but he and all his knights have tried to +draw it forth in vain--for none of them can move it." + +"This is a great marvel," said King Arthur; "I will myself try to draw +forth this sword, not thinking in my heart that I am the best knight, but +rather to begin and give example that all may try after me." Saying this, +he took the sword and pulled at it with all his might, but could not shake +or move it. + +"Thou needest not strive so hard, Lord," said the damsel, "for whoever may +be able to pull it forth shall do so very easily." "Thou sayest well," +replied the king, remembering how he had himself drawn forth the sword +from the stone before St. Paul's. "Now try ye, all my barons; but beware +ye be not stained with shame, or any treachery, or guile." And turning +away his face from them, King Arthur mused full heavily of sins within his +breast he knew of, and which his failure brought to mind right sadly. + +Then all the barons present tried each after other, but could none of them +succeed; whereat the damsel greatly wept, and said, "Alas, alas! I thought +in this court to have found the best knight, without shame or treachery or +treason." + +Now by chance there was at that time a poor knight with King Arthur, who +had been prisoner at his court for half a year and more, charged with +slaying unawares a knight who was a cousin of the king's. He was named +Balin le Savage, and had been by the good offices of the barons delivered +from prison, for he was of good and valiant address and gentle blood. He +being secretly present at the court saw this adventure, and felt his heart +rise high within him, and longed to try the sword as did the others; but +being poor and poorly clad, he was ashamed to come forward in the press of +knights and nobles. But in his heart he felt assured that he could do +better--if Heaven willed--than any knight among them all. + +So as the damsel left the king, he called to her and said, "Damsel, I pray +thee of thy courtesy, suffer me to try the sword as well as all these +lords; for though I be but poorly clad, I feel assurance in my heart." + +The damsel looking at him, saw in him a likely an honest man, but because +of his poor garments could not think him to be any knight of worship, and +said, "Sir, there is no need to put me to any more pain or labour; why +shouldst thou succeed where so many worthy ones have failed?" + +"Ah, fair lady," answered Balin, "worthiness and brave deeds are not shown +by fair raiment, but manhood and truth lie hid within the heart. There be +many worshipful knights unknown to all the people." + +"By my faith, thou sayest truth," replied the damsel; "try therefore, if +thou wilt, what thou canst do." + +So Balin took the sword by the girdle and hilt, and drew it lightly out, +and looking on its workmanship and brightness, it pleased him greatly. + +But the king and all the barons marvelled at Sir Balin's fortune, and many +knights were envious of him, for, "Truly," said the damsel, "this is a +passing good knight, and the best man I have ever found, and the most +worshipfully free from treason, treachery, or villainy, and many wonders +shall he achieve." + +"Now, gentle and courteous knight," continued she, turning to Balin, "give +me the sword again." + +"Nay," said Sir Balin, "save it be taken from me by force, I shall +preserve this sword for evermore." + +"Thou art not wise," replied the damsel, "to keep it from me; for if thou +wilt do so, thou shalt slay with it the best friend thou hast, and the +sword shall be thine destruction also." + +"I will take whatever adventure God may send," said Balin; "but the sword +will I keep, by the faith of my body." + +"Thou will repent it shortly," said the damsel; "I would take the sword +for thy sake rather than for mine for I am passing grieved and heavy for +thy sake, who wilt not believe the peril I foretell thee." With that she +departed, making great lamentation. + +Then Balin sent for his horse and armour, and took his leave of King +Arthur, who urged him to stay at his court. "For," said he, "I believe +that thou art displeased that I showed thee unkindness; blame me not +overmuch, for I was misinformed against thee, and knew not truly what a +knight of worship thou art. Abide in this court with my good knights, and +I will so advance thee that thou shalt be well pleased." + +"God thank thee, Lord," said Balin, "for no man can reward thy bounty and +thy nobleness; but at this time I must needs depart, praying thee ever to +hold me in thy favour." + +"Truly," said King Arthur, "I am grieved for thy departure; but tarry not +long, and thou shalt be right welcome to me and all my knights when thou +returnest, and I will repair my neglect and all that I have done amiss +against thee." + +"God thank thee, Lord," again said Balin, and made ready to depart. + +But meanwhile came into the court a lady upon horseback, full richly +dressed, and saluted King Arthur, and asked him for the gift that he had +promised her when she gave him his sword Excalibur, "for," said she, "I am +the lady of the lake." + +"Ask what thou wilt," said the king, "and thou shalt have it, if I have +power to give." + +"I ask," said she, "the head of that knight who hath just achieved the +sword, or else the damsel's head who brought it, or else both; for the +knight slew my brother, and the lady caused my father's death." + +"Truly," said King Arthur, "I cannot grant thee this desire; it were +against my nature and against my name; but ask whatever else thou wilt, +and I will do it." + +"I will demand no other thing," said she. + +And as she spake came Balin, on his way to leave the court, and saw her +where she stood, and knew her straightway for his mother's murderess, whom +he had sought in vain three years. And when they told him that she had +asked King Arthur for his head, he went up straight to her and said, "May +evil have thee! Thou desirest my head, therefore shalt thou lose thine;" +and with his sword he lightly smote her head off, in the presence of the +king and all the court. + +"Alas, for shame!" cried out King Arthur, rising up in wrath; "why hast +thou done this, shaming both me and my court? I am beholden greatly to +this lady, and under my safe conduct came she here; thy deed is passing +shameful; never shall I forgive thy villainy." + +"Lord," cried Sir Balin, "hear me; this lady was the falsest living, and +by her witchcraft hath destroyed many, and caused my mother also to be +burnt to death by her false arts and treachery." + +"What cause soever thou mightest have had," said the king, "thou shouldst +have forborne her in my presence. Deceive not thyself, thou shalt repent +this sin, for such a shame was never brought upon my court; depart now +from my face with all the haste thou mayest." + +Then Balin took up the head of the lady and carried it to his lodgings, +and rode forth with his squire from out the town. Then said he, "Now must +we part; take ye this head and bear it to my friends in Northumberland, +and tell them how I speed, and that our worst foe is dead; also tell them +that I am free from prison, and of the adventure of my sword." + +"Alas!" said the squire, "ye are greatly to blame to have so displeased +King Arthur." + +"As for that," said Sir Balin, "I go now to find King Ryence, and destroy +him or lose my life; for should I take him prisoner, and lead him to the +court, perchance King Arthur would forgive me, and become my good and +gracious lord." + +"Where shall I meet thee again?" said the squire. + +"In King Arthur's court," said Balin. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +_Sir Balin Smites the Dolorous Stroke, and Fights with his Brother, Sir +Balan_ + + +Now there was a knight at the court more envious than the others of Sir +Balin, for he counted himself one of the best knights in Britain. His name +was Lancear; and going to the king, he begged leave to follow after Sir +Balin and avenge the insult he had put upon the court. "Do thy best," +replied the king, "for I am passing wroth with Balin." + +In the meantime came Merlin, and was told of this adventure of the sword +and lady of the lake. + +"Now hear me," said he, "when I tell ye that this lady who hath brought +the sword is the falsest damsel living." + +"Say not so," they answered, "for she hath a brother a good knight, who +slew another knight this damsel loved; so she, to be revenged upon her +brother, went to the Lady Lile, of Avilion, and besought her help. Then +Lady Lile gave her the sword, and told her that no man should draw it +forth but one, a valiant knight and strong, who should avenge her on her +brother. This, therefore, was the reason why the damsel came here." "I +know it all as well as ye do," answered Merlin; "and would to God she had +never come hither, for never came she into any company but to do harm; and +that good knight who hath achieved the sword shall be himself slain by it, +which shall be great harm and loss, for a better knight there liveth not; +and he shall do unto my lord the king great honour and service." + +Then Sir Lancear, having armed himself at all points, mounted, and rode +after Sir Balin, as fast as he could go, and overtaking him, he cried +aloud, "Abide, Sir knight! wait yet awhile, or I shall make thee do so." + +Hearing him cry, Sir Balin fiercely turned his horse, and said, "Fair +knight, what wilt thou with me? wilt thou joust?" + +"Yea," said Sir Lancear, "it is for that I have pursued thee." + +"Peradventure," answered Balin, "thou hadst best have staid at home, for +many a man who thinketh himself already victor, endeth by his own +downfall. Of what court art thou?" + +"Of King Arthur's court," cried Lancear, "and I am come to revenge the +insult thou hast put on it this day." + +"Well," said Sir Balin, "I see that I must fight thee, and I repent to be +obliged to grieve King Arthur or his knights; and thy quarrel seemeth full +foolish to me, for the damsel that is dead worked endless evils through +the land, or else I had been loath as any knight that liveth to have slain +a lady." + +"Make thee ready," shouted Lancear, "for one of us shall rest for ever in +this field." + +But at their first encounter Sir Lancear's spear flew into splinters from +Sir Balin's shield, and Sir Balin's lance pierced with such might through +Sir Lancear's shield that it rove the hauberk also, and passed through the +knight's body and the horse's crupper. And Sir Balin turning fiercely +round again, drew out his sword, and knew not that he had already slain +him; and then he saw him lie a corpse upon the ground. + +At that same moment came a damsel riding towards him as fast as her horse +could gallop, who, when she saw Sir Lancear dead, wept and sorrowed out of +measure, crying, "O, Sir Balin, two bodies hast thou slain, and one heart; +and two hearts in one body; and two souls also hast thou lost." + +Therewith she took the sword from her dead lover's side--for she was Sir +Lancear's lady-love--and setting the pommel of it on the ground, ran +herself through the body with the blade. + +When Sir Balin saw her dead he was sorely hurt and grieved in spirit, and +repented the death of Lancear, which had also caused so fair a lady's +death. And being unable to look on their bodies for sorrow, he turned +aside into a forest, where presently as he rode, he saw the arms of his +brother, Sir Balan. And when they were met they put off their helms, and +embraced each other, kissing, and weeping for joy and pity. Then Sir Balin +told Sir Balan all his late adventures, and that he was on his way to King +Ryence, who at that time was besieging Castle Terrabil. "I will be with +thee," answered Sir Balan, "and we will help each other, as brethren ought +to do." + +Anon by chance, as they were talking, came King Mark, of Cornwall, by that +way, and when he saw the two dead bodies of Sir Lancear and his lady lying +there, and heard the story of their death, he vowed to build a tomb to +them before he left that place. So pitching his pavilion there, he sought +through all the country round to find a monument, and found at last a rich +and fair one in a church, which he took and raised above the dead knight +and his damsel, writing on it--"Here lieth Lancear, son of the King of +Ireland, who, at his own request, was slain by Balin; and here beside him +also lieth his lady Colombe, who slew herself with her lover's sword for +grief and sorrow." + +Then as Sir Balin and Sir Balan rode away, Merlin met with them, and said +to Balin, "Thou hast done thyself great harm not to have saved that lady's +life who slew herself; and because of it, thou shalt strike the most +Dolorous Stroke that ever man struck, save he that smote our Lord. For +thou shalt smite the truest and most worshipful of living knights, who +shall not be recovered from his wounds for many years, and through that +stroke three kingdoms shall be overwhelmed in poverty and misery." + +"If I believed," said Balin, "what thou sayest, I would slay myself to +make thee a liar." + +At that Merlin vanished suddenly away; but afterwards he met them in +disguise towards night, and told them he could lead them to King Ryence, +whom they sought. "For this night he is to ride with sixty lances only +through a wood hard by." + +So Sir Balin and Sir Balan hid themselves within the wood, and at midnight +came out from their ambush among the leaves by the highway, and waited for +the king, whom presently they heard approaching with his company. Then did +they suddenly leap forth and smote at him and overthrew him and laid him +on the ground, and turning on his company wounded and slew forty of them, +and put the rest to flight. And returning to King Ryence they would have +slain him there, but he craved mercy, and yielded to their grace, crying, +"Knights full of prowess, slay me not; for by my life ye may win +something--but my death can avail ye nought." + +"Ye say truth," said the two knights, and put him in a horse-litter, and +went swiftly through all the night, till at cock-crow they came to King +Arthur's palace. There they delivered him to the warders and porters, to +be brought before the king, with this message--"That he was sent to King +Arthur by the knight of the two swords (for so was Balin known by name, +since his adventure with the damsel) and by his brother." And so they rode +away again ere sunrise. + +Within a month or two thereafter, King Arthur being somewhat sick, went +forth outside the town, and had his pavilion pitched in a meadow, and +there abode, and laid him down on a pallet to sleep, but could get no +rest. And as he lay he heard the sound of a great horse, and looking out +of the tent door, saw a knight ride by, making great lamentation. + +"Abide, fair sir," said King Arthur, "and tell me wherefore thou makest +this sorrow." + +"Ye may little amend it," said the knight, and so passed on. + +Presently after Sir Balin, rode, by chance, past that meadow, and when he +saw the king he alighted and came to him on foot, and kneeled and saluted +him. + +"By my head," said King Arthur, "ye be welcome, Sir Balin;" and then he +thanked him heartily for revenging him upon King Ryence, and for sending +him so speedily a prisoner to his castle, and told him how King Nero, +Ryence's brother, had attacked him afterwards to deliver Ryence from +prison; and how he had defeated him and slain him, and also King Lot, of +Orkney who was joined with Nero, and whom King Pellinore had killed in the +battle. Then when they had thus talked, King Arthur told Sir Balin of the +sullen knight that had just passed his tent, and desired him to pursue him +and to bring him back. + +So Sir Balin rode and overtook the knight in a forest with a damsel, and +said, "Sir knight, thou must come back with me unto my lord, King Arthur, +to tell him the cause of thy sorrow, which thou hast refused even now to +do." + +"That will I not," replied the knight, "for it would harm me much, and do +him no advantage." + +"Sir," said Sir Balin, "I pray thee make ready, for thou must needs go +with me--or else I must fight with thee and take thee by force." + +"Wilt thou be warrant for safe conduct, if I go with thee?" inquired the +knight. + +"Yea, surely," answered Balin, "I will die else." + +So the knight made ready to go with Sir Balin, and left the damsel in the +wood. + +But as they went, there came one invisible, and smote the knight through +the body with a spear. "Alas," cried Sir Herleus (for so was he named), "I +am slain under thy guard and conduct, by that traitor knight called +Garlon, who through magic and witchcraft rideth invisibly. Take, +therefore, my horse, which is better than thine, and ride to the damsel +whom we left, and the quest I had in hand, as she will lead thee--and +revenge my death when thou best mayest." + +"That will I do," said Sir Balin, "by my knighthood, and so I swear to +thee." + +Then went Sir Balin to the damsel, and rode forth with her; she carrying +ever with her the truncheon of the spear wherewith Sir Herleus had been +slain. And as they went, a good knight, Perin de Mountbelgard, joined +their company, and vowed to take adventure with them wheresoever they +might go. But presently as they passed a hermitage fast by a churchyard, +came the knight Garlon, again invisible, and smote Sir Perin through the +body with a spear, and slew him as he had slain Sir Herleus. Whereat, Sir +Balin greatly raged, and swore to have Sir Garlon's life, whenever next he +might encounter and behold him in his bodily shape. Anon, he and the +hermit buried the good knight Sir Perin, and rode on with the damsel till +they came to a great castle, whereinto they were about to enter. But when +Sir Balin had passed through the gateway, the portcullis fell behind him +suddenly, leaving the damsel on the outer side, with men around her, +drawing their swords as if to slay her. + +When he saw that, Sir Balin climbed with eager haste by wall and tower, +and leaped into the castle moat, and rushed towards the damsel and her +enemies, with his sword drawn, to fight and slay them. But they cried out, +"Put up thy sword, Sir knight, we will not fight thee in this quarrel, for +we do nothing but an ancient custom of this castle." + +Then they told him that the lady of the castle was sick, and had lain ill +for many years, and might never more be cured, unless she had a silver +dish full of the blood of a pure maid and a king's daughter. Wherefore the +custom of the castle was, that never should a damsel pass that way but she +must give a dish full of her blood. Then Sir Balin suffered them to bleed +the damsel with her own consent, but her blood helped not the lady of the +castle. So on the morrow they departed, after right good cheer and rest. + +Then they rode three or four days without adventure and came at last to +the abode of a rich man, who sumptuously lodged and fed them. And while +they sat at supper Sir Balin heard a voice of some one groaning +grievously. "What noise is this?" said he. + +"Forsooth," said the host, "I will tell you. I was lately at a tournament, +and there I fought a knight who is brother to King Pelles, and overthrew +him twice, for which he swore to be revenged on me through my best friend, +and so he wounded my son, who cannot be recovered till I have that +knight's blood, but he rideth through witchcraft always invisibly, and I +know not his name." + +"Ah," said Sir Balin, "but I know him; his name is Garlon, and he hath +slain two knights, companions of mine own, in the same fashion, and I +would rather than all the riches in this realm that I might meet him face +to face." + +"Well," said his host, "let me now tell thee that King Pelles hath +proclaimed in all the country a great festival, to be held at Listeniss, +in twenty days from now, whereto no knight may come without a lady. At +that great feast we might perchance find out this Garlon, for many will be +there; and if it please thee we will set forth together." + +So on the morrow they rode all three towards Listeniss, and travelled +fifteen days, and reached it on the day the feast began. Then they +alighted and stabled their horses, and went up to the castle, and Sir +Balin's host was denied entrance, having no lady with him. But Sir Balin +was right heartily received, and taken to a chamber, where they unarmed +him, and dressed him in rich robes, of any colour that he chose, and told +him he must lay aside his sword. This, however, he refused, and said, "It +is the custom of my country for a knight to keep his sword ever with him; +and if I may not keep it here, I will forthwith depart." Then they gave +him leave to wear his sword. So he went to the great hall, and was set +among knights of rank and worship, and his lady before him. + +Soon he found means to ask one who sat near him, "Is there not here a +knight whose name is Garlon?" + +"Yonder he goeth," said his neighbour, "he with that black face; he is the +most marvellous knight alive, for he rideth invisibly, and destroyeth whom +he will." + +"Ah, well," said Balin, drawing a long breath, "is that indeed the man? I +have aforetime heard of him." + +Then he mused long within himself, and thought, "If I shall slay him here +and now, I shall not escape myself; but if I leave him, peradventure I +shall never meet with him again at such advantage; and if he live, how +much more harm and mischief will he do!" + +But while he deeply thought, and cast his eyes from time to time upon Sir +Garlon, that false knight saw that he watched him, and thinking that he +could at such a time escape revenge, he came and smote Sir Balin on the +face with the back of his hand, and said, "Knight, why dost thou so watch +me? be ashamed, and eat thy meat, and do that which thou camest for." + +"Thou sayest well," cried Sir Balin, rising fiercely; "now will I +straightway do that which I came to do, as thou shalt find." With that he +whirled his sword aloft and struck him downright on the head, and clove +his skull asunder to the shoulder. + +"Give me the truncheon," cried out Sir Balin to his lady, "wherewith he +slew thy knight." And when she gave it him--for she had always carried it +about with her, wherever she had gone--he smote him through the body with +it, and said, "With that truncheon didst thou treacherously murder a good +knight, and now it sticketh in thy felon body." + +Then he called to the father of the wounded son, who had come with him to +Listeniss, and said, "Now take as much blood as thou wilt, to heal thy son +withal." + +But now arose a terrible confusion, and all the knights leaped from the +table to slay Balin, King Pelles himself the foremost, who cried out, +"Knight, thou hast slain my brother at my board; die, therefore, die, for +thou shalt never leave this castle." + +"Slay me, thyself, then," shouted Balin. + +"Yea," said the king, "that will I! for no other man shall touch thee, for +the love I bear my brother." + +Then King Pelles caught in his hand a grim weapon and smote eagerly at +Balin, but Balin put his sword between his head and the king's stroke, and +saved himself but lost his sword, which fell down smashed and shivered +into pieces by the blow. So being weaponless he ran to the next room to +find a sword, and so from room to room, with King Pelles after him, he in +vain ever eagerly casting his eyes round every place to find some weapon. + +At last he ran into a chamber wondrous richly decked, where was a bed all +dressed with cloth of gold, the richest that could be thought of, and one +who lay quite still within the bed; and by the bedside stood a table of +pure gold borne on four silver pillars, and on the table stood a +marvellous spear, strangely wrought. + +When Sir Balin saw the spear he seized it in his hand, and turned upon +King Pelles, and smote at him so fiercely and so sore that he dropped +swooning to the ground. + +But at that Dolorous and awful Stroke the castle rocked and rove +throughout, and all the walls fell crashed and breaking to the earth, and +Balin himself fell also in their midst, struck as it were to stone, and +powerless to move a hand or foot. And so three days he lay amidst the +ruins, until Merlin came and raised him up and brought him a good horse, +and bade him ride out of that land as swiftly as he could. + +[Illustration: The castle rocked and rove throughout, and all the walls +fell crashed and breaking to the earth.] + +"May I not take the damsel with me I brought hither?" said Sir Balin. + +"Lo! where she lieth dead," said Merlin. "Ah, little knowest thou, Sir +Balin, what thou hast done; for in this castle and that chamber which thou +didst defile, was the blood of our Lord Christ! and also that most holy +cup--the Sangreal--wherefrom the wine was drunk at the last supper of our +Lord. Joseph of Arimathea brought it to this land, when first he came here +to convert and save it. And on that bed of gold it was himself who lay, +and the strange spear beside him was the spear wherewith the soldier +Longus smote our Lord, which evermore had dripped with blood. King Pelles +is the nearest kin to Joseph in direct descent, wherefore he held these +holy things in trust; but now have they all gone at thy dolorous stroke, +no man knoweth whither; and great is the damage to this land, which until +now hath been the happiest of all lands, for by that stroke thou hast +slain thousands, and by the loss and parting of the Sangreal the safety of +this realm is put in peril, and its great happiness is gone for evermore." + +Then Balin departed from Merlin, struck to his soul with grief and sorrow, +and said, "In this world shall we meet never more." + +So he rode forth through the fair cities and the country, and found the +people lying dead on every side. And all the living cried out on him as he +passed, "O Balin, all this misery hast thou done! For the dolorous stroke +thou gavest King Pelles, three countries are destroyed, and doubt not but +revenge will fall on thee at last!" + +When he had passed the boundary of those countries, he was somewhat +comforted, and rode eight days without adventure. Anon he came to a cross, +whereon was written in letters of gold, "It is not for a knight alone to +ride towards this castle." Looking up, he saw a hoary ancient man come +towards him, who said, "Sir Balin le Savage, thou passest thy bounds this +way; therefore turn back again, it will be best for thee;" and with these +words he vanished. + +Then did he hear a horn blow as it were the deathnote of some hunted +beast. "That blast," said Balin, "is blown for me, for I am the prey; +though yet I be not dead." But as he spoke he saw a hundred ladies with a +great troop of knights come forth to meet him, with bright faces and +great welcome, who led him to the castle and made a great feast, with +dancing and minstrelsy and all manner of joy. + +Then the chief lady of the castle said, "Knight with the two swords, thou +must encounter and fight with a knight hard by, who dwelleth on an island, +for no man may pass this way without encountering him." + +"It is a grievous custom," answered Sir Balin. + +"There is but one knight to defeat," replied the lady. + +"Well," said Sir Balin, "be it as thou wilt. I am ready and quite willing, +and though my horse and my body be full weary, yet is my heart not weary, +save of life. And truly I were glad if I might meet my death." + +"Sir," said one standing by, "methinketh your shield is not good; I will +lend you a bigger." + +"I thank thee, sir," said Balin, and took the unknown shield and left his +own, and so rode forth, and put himself and horse into a boat and came to +the island. + +As soon as he had landed, he saw come riding towards him, a knight dressed +all in red, upon a horse trapped in the same colour. When the red knight +saw Sir Balin, and the two swords he wore, he thought it must have been +his brother (for the red knight was Sir Balan), but when he saw the +strange arms on his shield, he forgot the thought, and came against him +fiercely. At the first course they overthrew each other, and both lay +swooning on the ground; but Sir Balin was the most hurt and bruised, for +he was weary and spent with travelling. So Sir Balan rose up first to his +feet and drew his sword, and Sir Balin painfully rose against him and +raised his shield. + +Then Sir Balan smote him through the shield and brake his helmet; and Sir +Balin, in return, smote at him with his fated sword, and had wellnigh +slain his brother. So they fought till their breaths failed. + +Then Sir Balin, looking up, saw all the castle towers stand full of +ladies. So they went again to battle, and wounded each other full sore, +and paused, and breathed again, and then again began the fight; and this +for many times they did, till all the ground was red with blood. And by +now, each had full grievously wounded the other with seven great wounds, +the least of which might have destroyed the mightiest giant in the world. +But still they rose against each other, although their hauberks now were +all unnailed, and they smiting at each other's naked bodies with their +sharp swords. At the last, Sir Balan, the younger brother, withdrew a +little space and laid him down. + +Then said Sir Balin le Savage, "What knight art thou? for never before +have I found a knight to match me thus." + +"My name," said he, all faintly, "is Balan, brother to the good knight Sir +Balin." + +"Ah, God!" cried Balin, "that ever I should see this day!" and therewith +fell down backwards in a swoon. + +Then Sir Balan crept with pain upon his feet and hands, and put his +brother's helmet off his head, but could not know him by his face, it was +so hewed and bloody. But presently, when Sir Balin came to, he said, "Oh! +Balan, mine own brother, thou hast slain me, and I thee! All the wide +world saw never greater grief!" + +"Alas!" said Sir Balan, "that I ever saw this day; and through mishap +alone I knew thee not, for when I saw thy two swords, if it had not been +for thy strange shield, I should have known thee for my brother." + +"Alas!" said Balin, "all this sorrow lieth at the door of one unhappy +knight within the castle, who made me change my shield. If I might live, I +would destroy that castle and its evil customs." + +"It were well done," said Balan, "for since I first came hither I have +never been able to depart, for here they made me fight with one who kept +this island, whom I slew, and by enchantment I might never quit it more; +nor couldst thou, brother, hadst thou slain me, and escaped with thine own +life." + +Anon came the lady of the castle, and when she heard their talk, and saw +their evil case, she wrung her hands and wept bitterly. So Sir Balan +prayed the lady of her gentleness that, for his true service, she would +bury them both together in that place. This she granted, weeping full +sore, and said it should be done right solemnly and richly, and in the +noblest manner possible. Then did they send for a priest, and received the +holy sacrament at his hands. And Balin said, "Write over us upon our tomb, +that here two brethren slew each other; then shall never good knight or +pilgrim pass this way but he will pray for both our souls." And anon Sir +Balan died, but Sir Balin died not till the midnight after; and then they +both were buried. + +On the morrow of their death came Merlin, and took Sir Balin's sword and +fixed on it a new pommel, and set it in a mighty stone, which then, by +magic, he made float upon the water. And so, for many years, it floated to +and fro around the island, till it swam down the river to Camelot, where +young Sir Galahad achieved it, as shall be told hereafter. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +_The Marriage of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, and the Founding of the +Round Table--The Adventure of the Hart and Hound_ + + +It befell upon a certain day, that King Arthur said to Merlin, "My lords +and knights do daily pray me now to take a wife; but I will have none +without thy counsel, for thou hast ever helped me since I came first to +this crown." + +"It is well," said Merlin, "that thou shouldst take a wife, for no man of +bounteous and noble nature should live without one; but is there any lady +whom thou lovest better than another?" + +"Yea," said King Arthur, "I love Guinevere, the daughter of King +Leodegrance, of Camelgard, who also holdeth in his house the Round Table +that he had from my father Uther; and as I think, that damsel is the +gentlest and the fairest lady living." + +"Sir," answered Merlin, "as for her beauty, she is one of the fairest that +do live; but if ye had not loved her as ye do, I would fain have had ye +choose some other who was both fair and good. But where a man's heart is +set, he will be loath to leave." This Merlin said, knowing the misery +that should hereafter happen from this marriage. + +Then King Arthur sent word to King Leodegrance that he mightily desired to +wed his daughter, and how that he had loved her since he saw her first, +when with Kings Ban and Bors he rescued Leodegrance from King Ryence of +North Wales. + +When King Leodegrance heard the message, he cried out "These be the best +tidings I have heard in all my life--so great and worshipful a prince to +seek my daughter for his wife! I would fain give him half my lands with +her straightway, but that he needeth none--and better will it please him +that I send him the Round Table of King Uther, his father, with a hundred +good knights towards the furnishing of it with guests, for he will soon +find means to gather more, and make the table full." + +Then King Leodegrance delivered his daughter Guinevere to the messengers +of King Arthur, and also the Round Table with the hundred knights. + +So they rode royally and freshly, sometimes by water and sometimes by +land, towards Camelot. And as they rode along in the spring weather, they +made full many sports and pastimes. And, in all those sports and games, a +young knight lately come to Arthur's court, Sir Lancelot by name, was +passing strong, and won praise from all, being full of grace and +hardihood; and Guinevere also ever looked on him with joy. And always in +the eventide, when the tents were set beside some stream or forest, many +minstrels came and sang before the knights and ladies as they sat in the +tent-doors, and many knights would tell adventures; and still Sir Lancelot +was foremost, and told the knightliest tales, and sang the goodliest +songs, of all the company. + +And when they came to Camelot, King Arthur made great joy, and all the +city with him; and riding forth with a great retinue he met Guinevere and +her company, and led her through the streets all filled with people, and +in the midst of all their shoutings and the ringing of church bells, to a +palace hard by his own. + +Then, in all haste, the king commanded to prepare the marriage and the +coronation with the stateliest and most honourable pomp that could be +made. And when the day was come, the archbishops led the king to the +cathedral, whereto he walked, clad in his royal robes, and having four +kings, bearing four golden swords, before him; a choir of passing sweet +music going also with him. + +In another part, was the queen dressed in her richest ornaments, and led +by archbishops and bishops to the Chapel of the Virgins, the four queens +also of the four kings last mentioned walked before her, bearing four +white doves, according to ancient custom; and after her there followed +many damsels, singing and making every sign of joy. + +And when the two processions were come to the churches, so wondrous was +the music and the singing, that all the knights and barons who were there +pressed on each other, as in the crowd of battle, to hear and see the most +they might. + +When the king was crowned, he called together all the knights that came +with the Round Table from Camelgard, and twenty-eight others, great and +valiant men, chosen by Merlin out of all the realm, towards making up the +full number of the table. Then the Archbishop of Canterbury blessed the +seats of all the knights, and when they rose again therefrom to pay their +homage to King Arthur there was found upon the back of each knight's seat +his name, written in letters of gold. But upon one seat was found written, +"This is the Siege Perilous, wherein if any man shall sit save him whom +Heaven hath chosen, he shall be devoured by fire." + +Anon came young Gawain, the king's nephew, praying to be made a knight, +whom the king knighted then and there. Soon after came a poor man, leading +with him a tall fair lad of eighteen years of age, riding on a lean mare. +And falling at the king's feet, the poor man said, "Lord, it was told me, +that at this time of thy marriage thou wouldst give to any man the gift he +asked for, so it were not unreasonable." + +"That is the truth," replied King Arthur, "and I will make it good." + +"Thou sayest graciously and nobly," said the poor man. "Lord, I ask +nothing else but that thou wilt make my son here a knight." + +"It is a great thing that thou askest," said the king. "What is thy name?" + +"Aries, the cowherd," answered he. + +"Cometh this prayer from thee or from thy son?" inquired King Arthur. + +"Nay, lord, not from myself," said he, "but from him only, for I have +thirteen other sons, and all of them will fall to any labour that I put +them to. But this one will do no such work for anything that I or my wife +may do, but is for ever shooting or fighting, and running to see knights +and joustings, and torments me both night and day that he be made a +knight." + +"What is thy name?" said the king to the young man. + +"My name is Tor," said he. + +Then the king, looking at him steadfastly, was well pleased with his face +and figure, and with his look of nobleness and strength. + +"Fetch all thy other sons before me," said the king to Aries. But when he +brought them, none of them resembled Tor in size or shape or feature. + +Then the king knighted Tor, saying, "Be thou to thy life's end a good +knight and a true, as I pray God thou mayest be; and if thou provest +worthy, and of prowess, one day thou shall be counted in the Round Table." +Then turning to Merlin, Arthur said, "Prophesy now, O Merlin, shall Sir +Tor become a worthy knight, or not?" + +"Yea, lord," said Merlin, "so he ought to be, for he is the son of that +King Pellinore whom thou hast met, and proved to be one of the best +knights living. He is no cowherd's son." + +Presently after came in King Pellinore, and when he saw Sir Tor he knew +him for his son, and was more pleased than words can tell to find him +knighted by the king. And Pellinore did homage to King Arthur, and was +gladly and graciously accepted of the king; and then was led by Merlin to +a high seat at the Table Round, near to the Perilous Seat. + +But Sir Gawain was full of anger at the honour done King Pellinore, and +said to his brother Gaheris, "He slew our father, King Lot, therefore will +I slay him." + +"Do it not yet," said he; "wait till I also be a knight, then will I help +ye in it: it is best ye suffer him to go at this time, and not trouble +this high feast with bloodshed." + +"As ye will, be it," said Sir Gawain. + +Then rose the king and spake to all the Table Round, and charged them to +be ever true and noble knights, to do neither outrage nor murder, nor any +unjust violence, and always to flee treason; also by no means ever to be +cruel, but give mercy unto him that asked for mercy, upon pain of +forfeiting the liberty of his court for evermore. Moreover, at all times, +on pain of death, to give all succour unto ladies and young damsels; and +lastly, never to take part in any wrongful quarrel, for reward or payment. +And to all this he swore them knight by knight. + +Then he ordained that, every year at Pentecost, they should all come +before him, wheresoever he might appoint a place, and give account of all +their doings and adventures of the past twelvemonth. And so, with prayer +and blessing, and high words of cheer, he instituted the most noble order +of the Round Table, whereto the best and bravest knights in all the world +sought afterwards to find admission. + +Then was the high feast made ready, and the king and queen sat side by +side, before the whole assembly; and great and royal was the banquet and +the pomp. + +And as they sat, each man in his place, Merlin went round and said, "Sit +still awhile, for ye shall see a strange and marvellous adventure." + +So as they sat, there suddenly came running through the hall, a white +hart, with a white hound next after him, and thirty couple of black +running hounds, making full cry; and the hart made circuit of the Table +Round, and past the other tables; and suddenly the white hound flew upon +him and bit him fiercely, and tore out a piece from his haunch. Whereat +the hart sprang suddenly with a great leap, and overthrew a knight sitting +at the table, who rose forthwith, and, taking up the hound, mounted, and +rode fast away. + +But no sooner had he left, than there came in a lady, mounted on a white +palfrey, who cried out to the king, "Lord, suffer me not to have this +injury!--the hound is mine which that knight taketh." And as she spake, a +knight rode in all armed, on a great horse, and suddenly took up the lady +and rode away with her by force, although she greatly cried and moaned. + +Then the king desired Sir Gawain, Sir Tor, and King Pellinore to mount and +follow this adventure to the uttermost; and told Sir Gawain to bring back +the hart, Sir Tor the hound and knight, and King Pellinore the knight and +the lady. + +So Sir Gawain rode forth at a swift pace, and with him Gaheris, his +brother, for a squire. And as they went, they saw two knights fighting on +horseback, and when they reached them they divided them and asked the +reason of their quarrel. "We fight for a foolish matter," one replied, +"for we be brethren; but there came by a white hart this way, chased by +many hounds, and thinking it was an adventure for the high feast of King +Arthur, I would have followed it to have gained worship; whereat my +younger brother here declared he was the better knight and would go after +it instead, and so we fight to prove which of us be the better knight." + +"This is a foolish thing," said Sir Gawain. "Fight with all strangers, if +ye will, but not brother with brother. Take my advice, set on against me, +and if ye yield to me, as I shall do my best to make ye, ye shall go to +King Arthur and yield ye to his grace." + +"Sir knight," replied the brothers, "we are weary, and will do thy wish +without encountering thee; but by whom shall we tell the king that we were +sent?" + +"By the knight that followeth the quest of the white hart," said Sir +Gawain. "And now tell me your names, and let us part." + +"Sorlous and Brian of the Forest," they replied; and so they went their +way to the king's court. + +Then Sir Gawain, still following his quest by the distant baying of the +hounds, came to a great river, and saw the hart swimming over and near to +the further bank. And as he was about to plunge in and swim after, he saw +a knight upon the other side, who cried, "Come not over here, Sir knight, +after that hart, save thou wilt joust with me." + +"I will not fail for that," said Sir Gawain; and swam his horse across the +stream. + +Anon they got their spears, and ran against each other fiercely; and Sir +Gawain smote the stranger off his horse, and turning, bade him yield. + +"Nay," replied he, "not so; for though ye have the better of me on +horseback, I pray thee, valiant knight, alight, and let us match together +with our swords on foot." + +"What is thy name?" quoth Gawain. + +"Allardin of the Isles," replied the stranger. + +Then they fell on each other; but soon Sir Gawain struck him through the +helm, so deeply and so hard, that all his brains were scattered, and Sir +Allardin fell dead. "Ah," said Gaheris, "that was a mighty stroke for a +young knight!" + +Then did they turn again to follow the white hart, and let slip three +couple of greyhounds after him; and at the last they chased him to a +castle, and there they overtook and slew him, in the chief courtyard. + +At that there rushed a knight forth from a chamber, with a drawn sword in +his hand, and slew two of the hounds before their eyes, and chased the +others from the castle, crying, "Oh, my white hart! alas, that thou art +dead! for thee my sovereign lady gave to me, and evil have I kept thee; +but if I live, thy death shall be dear bought." Anon he went within and +armed, and came out fiercely, and met Sir Gawain face to face. + +"Why have ye slain my hounds?" said Sir Gawain; "they did but after their +nature: and ye had better have taken vengeance on me than on the poor dumb +beasts." + +"I will avenge me on thee, also," said the other, "ere thou depart this +place." + +Then did they fight with each other savagely and madly, till the blood ran +down to their feet. But at last Sir Gawain had the better, and felled the +knight of the castle to the ground. Then he cried out for mercy, and +yielded to Sir Gawain, and besought him as he was a knight and gentleman +to save his life. "Thou shalt die," said Sir Gawain, "for slaying my +hounds." + +"I will make thee all amends within my power," replied the knight. + +But Sir Gawain would have no mercy, and unlaced his helm to strike his +head off; and so blind was he with rage, that he saw not where a lady ran +out from her chamber and fell down upon his enemy. And making a fierce +blow at him, he smote off by mischance the lady's head. + +"Alas!" cried Gaheris, "foully and shamefully have ye done--the shame +shall never leave ye! Why give ye not your mercy unto them that ask it? a +knight without mercy is without worship also." + +Then Sir Gawain was sore amazed at that fair lady's death, and knew not +what to do, and said to the fallen knight, "Arise, for I will give thee +mercy." + +"Nay, nay," said he, "I care not for thy mercy now, for thou hast slain my +lady and my love--that of all earthly things I loved the best." + +"I repent me sorely of it," said Sir Gawain, "for I meant to have struck +thee: but now shalt thou go to King Arthur and tell him this adventure, +and how thou hast been overcome by the knight that followeth the quest of +the white hart." + +"I care not whether I live or die, or where I go," replied the knight. + +So Sir Gawain sent him to the court to Camelot, making him bear one dead +greyhound before and one behind him on his horse. "Tell me thy name before +we part," said he. + +"My name is Athmore of the Marsh," he answered. + +Then went Sir Gawain into the castle, and prepared to sleep there and +began to unarm; but Gaheris upbraided him, saying, "Will ye disarm in this +strange country? bethink ye, ye must needs have many enemies about." + +No sooner had he spoken than there came out suddenly four knights, well +armed, and assailed them hard, saying to Sir Gawain, "Thou new-made +knight, how hast thou shamed thy knighthood! a knight without mercy is +dishonoured! Slayer of fair ladies, shame to thee evermore! Doubt not thou +shalt thyself have need of mercy ere we leave thee." + +Then were the brothers in great jeopardy, and feared for their lives, for +they were but two to four, and weary with travelling; and one of the four +knights shot Sir Gawain with a bolt, and hit him through the arm, so that +he could fight no more. But when there was nothing left for them but +death, there came four ladies forth and prayed the four knights' mercy for +the strangers. So they gave Sir Gawain and Gaheris their lives, and made +them yield themselves prisoners. + +On the morrow, came one of the ladies to Sir Gawain, and talked with him, +saying, "Sir knight, what cheer?" + +"Not good," said he. + +"It is your own default, sir," said the lady, "for ye have done a passing +foul deed in slaying that fair damsel yesterday--and ever shall it be +great shame to you. But ye be not of King Arthur's kin." + +"Yea, truly am I," said he; "my name is Gawain, son of King Lot of Orkney, +whom King Pellinore slew--and my mother, Belisent, is half-sister to the +king." + +When the lady heard that, she went and presently got leave for him to quit +the castle; and they gave him the head of the white hart to take with him, +because it was in his quest; but made him also carry the dead lady with +him--her head hung round his neck and her body lay before him on his +horse's neck. + +So in that fashion he rode back to Camelot; and when the king and queen +saw him, and heard tell of his adventures, they were heavily displeased, +and, by the order of the queen, he was put upon his trial before a court +of ladies--who judged him to be evermore, for all his life, the knight of +ladies' quarrels, and to fight always on their side, and never against +any, except he fought for one lady and his adversary for another; also +they charged him never to refuse mercy to him that asked it, and swore him +to it on the Holy Gospels. Thus ended the adventure of the white hart. + +Meanwhile, Sir Tor had made him ready, and followed the knight who rode +away with the hound. And as he went, there suddenly met him in the road a +dwarf, who struck his horse so viciously upon the head with a great staff, +that he leaped backwards a spear's length. + +"Wherefore so smitest thou my horse, foul dwarf?" shouted Sir Tor. + +"Because thou shall not pass this way," replied the dwarf, "unless thou +fight for it with yonder knights in those pavilions," pointing to two +tents, where two great spears stood out, and two shields hung upon two +trees hard by. + +"I may not tarry, for I am on a quest I needs must follow," said Sir Tor. + +"Thou shalt not pass," replied the dwarf, and therewith blew his horn. +Then rode out quickly at Sir Tor one armed on horseback, but Sir Tor was +quick as he, and riding at him bore him from his horse, and made him +yield. Directly after came another still more fiercely, but with a few +great strokes and buffets Sir Tor unhorsed him also, and sent them both to +Camelot to King Arthur. Then came the dwarf and begged Sir Tor to take +him in his service, "for," said he, "I will serve no more recreant +knights." + +"Take then a horse, and come with me," said Tor. + +"Ride ye after the knight with the white hound?" said the dwarf; "I can +soon bring ye where he is." + +So they rode through the forest till they came to two more tents. And Sir +Tor alighting, went into the first, and saw three damsels lie there, +sleeping. Then went he to the other, and found another lady also sleeping, +and at her feet the white hound he sought for, which instantly began to +bay and bark so loudly, that the lady woke. But Sir Tor had seized the +hound and given it to the dwarfs charge. + +"What will ye do, Sir knight?" cried out the lady; "will ye take away my +hound from me by force?" + +"Yea, lady," said Sir Tor; "for so I must, having the king's command; and +I have followed it from King Arthur's court, at Camelot, to this place." + +"Well" said the lady, "ye will not go far before ye be ill handled, and +will repent ye of the quest." + +"I shall cheerfully abide whatsoever adventure cometh, by the grace of +God," said Sir Tor; and so mounted his horse and began to ride back on his +way. But night coming on, he turned aside to a hermitage that was in the +forest, and there abode till the next day, making but sorrowful cheer of +such poor food as the hermit had to give him, and hearing a Mass devoutly +before he left on the morrow. + +And in the early morning, as he rode forth with the dwarf towards Camelot, +he heard a knight call loudly after him, "Turn, turn! Abide, Sir knight, +and yield me up the hound thou tookest from my lady." At which he turned, +and saw a great and strong knight, armed full splendidly, riding down upon +him fiercely through a glade of the forest. + +Now Sir Tor was very ill provided, for he had but an old courser, which +was as weak as himself, because of the hermit's scanty fare. He waited, +nevertheless, for the strange knight to come, and at the first onset with +their spears, each unhorsed the other, and then fell to with their swords +like two mad lions. Then did they smite through one another's shields and +helmets till the fragments flew on all sides, and their blood ran out in +streams; but yet they carved and rove through the thick armour of the +hauberks, and gave each other great and ghastly wounds. But in the end, +Sir Tor, finding the strange knight faint, doubled his strokes until he +beat him to the earth. Then did he bid him yield to his mercy. + +"That will I not," replied Abellius, "while my life lasteth and my soul is +in my body, unless thou give me first the hound." + +"I cannot," said Sir Tor, "and will not, for it was my quest to bring +again that hound and thee unto King Arthur, or otherwise to slay thee." + +With that there came a damsel riding on a palfrey, as fast as she could +drive, and cried out to Sir Tor with a loud voice, "I pray thee, for King +Arthur's love, give me a gift." + +"Ask," said Sir Tor, "and I will give thee." + +"Grammercy," said the lady, "I ask the head of this false knight Abellius, +the most outrageous murderer that liveth." + +"I repent me of the gift I promised," said Sir Tor. "Let him make thee +amends for all his trespasses against thee." + +"He cannot make amends," replied the damsel, "for he hath slain my +brother, a far better knight than he, and scorned to give him mercy, +though I kneeled for half an hour before him in the mire, to beg it, and +though it was but by a chance they fought, and for no former injury or +quarrel. I require my gift of thee as a true knight, or else will I shame +thee in King Arthur's court; for this Abellius is the falsest knight +alive, and a murderer of many." + +When Abellius heard this, he trembled greatly, and was sore afraid, and +yielded to Sir Tor, and prayed his mercy. + +"I cannot now, Sir knight," said he, "lest I be false to my promise. Ye +would not take my mercy when I offered it; and now it is too late." + +Therewith he unlaced his helmet, and took it off; but Abellius, in dismal +fear, struggled to his feet, and fled, until Sir Tor overtook him, and +smote off his head entirely with one blow. + +"Now, sir," said the damsel, "it is near night, I pray ye come and lodge +at my castle hard by." + +"I will, with a good will," said he, for both his horse and he had fared +but poorly since they left Camelot. + +So he went to the lady's castle and fared sumptuously, and saw her +husband, an old knight, who greatly thanked him for his service, and urged +him oftentimes to come again. + +On the morrow he departed, and reached Camelot by noon, where the king and +queen rejoiced to see him, and the king made him Earl; and Merlin +prophesied that these adventures were but little to the things he should +achieve hereafter. + +Now while Sir Gawain and Sir Tor had fulfilled their quests, King +Pellinore pursued the lady whom the knight had seized away from the +wedding-feast. And as he rode through the woods, he saw in a valley a fair +young damsel sitting by a well-side, and a wounded knight lying in her +arms, and King Pellinore saluted her as he passed by. + +As soon as she perceived him she cried out, "Help, help me, knight, for +our Lord's sake!" But Pellinore was far too eager in his quest to stay or +turn, although she cried a hundred times to him for help; at which she +prayed to heaven he might have such sore need before he died as she had +now. And presently thereafter her knight died in her arms; and she, for +grief and love slew herself with his sword. + +But King Pellinore rode on till he met a poor man and asked him had he +seen a knight pass by that way leading by force a lady with him. + +"Yea, surely," said the man, "and greatly did she moan and cry; but even +now another knight is fighting with him to deliver the lady; ride on and +thou shalt find them fighting still." + +At that King Pellinore rode swiftly on, and came to where he saw the two +knights fighting, hard by where two pavilions stood. And when he looked in +one of them he saw the lady that was his quest, and with her the two +squires of the two knights who fought. + +"Fair lady," said he, "ye must come with me unto Arthur's court." + +"Sir knight," said the two squires, "yonder be two knights fighting for +this lady; go part them, and get their consent to take her, ere thou touch +her." + +"Ye say well," said King Pellinore, and rode between the combatants, and +asked them why they fought. + +"Sir knight," said the one, "yon lady is my cousin, mine aunt's daughter, +whom I met borne away against her will, by this knight here, with whom I +therefore fight to free her." + +"Sir knight," replied the other, whose name was Hantzlake of Wentland, +"this lady got I, by my arms and prowess, at King Arthur's court to-day." + +"That is false," said King Pellinore; "ye stole the lady suddenly, and +fled away with her, before any knight could arm to stay thee. But it is my +service to take her back again. Neither of ye shall therefore have her; +but if ye will fight for her, fight with me now and here." + +"Well," said the knights, "make ready, and we will assail thee with all +our might." + +Then Sir Hantzlake ran King Pellinore's horse through with his sword, so +that they might be all alike on foot. But King Pellinore at that was +passing wroth, and ran upon Sir Hantzlake, with a cry, "Keep well thy +head!" and gave him such a stroke upon the helm as clove him to the chin, +so that he fell dead to the ground. When he saw that, the other knight +refused to fight, and kneeling down said, "Take my cousin the lady with +thee, as thy quest is; but as thou art a true knight, suffer her to come +to neither shame nor harm." + +So the next day King Pellinore departed for Camelot, and took the lady +with him; and as they rode in a valley full of rough stones, the damsel's +horse stumbled and threw her, so that her arms were sorely bruised and +hurt. And as they rested in the forest for the pain to lessen, night came +on, and there they were compelled to make their lodging. A little before +midnight they heard the trotting of a horse. "Be ye still," said King +Pellinore, "for now we may hear of some adventure," and therewith he armed +him. Then he heard two knights meet and salute each other, in the dark; +one riding from Camelot, the other from the north. + +"What tidings at Camelot?" said one. + +"By my head," said the other, "I have but just left there, and have espied +King Arthur's court, and such a fellowship is there as never may be broke +or overcome; for wellnigh all the chivalry of the world is there, and all +full loyal to the king, and now I ride back homewards to the north to tell +our chiefs, that they waste not their strength in wars against him." + +"As for all that," replied the other knight, "I am but now from the north, +and bear with me a remedy, the deadliest poison that ever was heard tell +of, and to Camelot will I with it; for there we have a friend close to the +king, and greatly cherished of him, who hath received gifts from us to +poison him, as he hath promised soon to do." + +"Beware," said the first knight, "of Merlin, for he knoweth all things, by +the devil's craft." + +"I will not fear for that," replied the other, and so rode on his way. + +Anon King Pellinore and the lady passed on again; and when they came to +the well at which the lady with the wounded knight had sat, they found +both knight and Damsel utterly devoured by lions and wild beasts, all save +the lady's head. + +When King Pellinore saw that, he wept bitterly, saying, "Alas! I might +have saved her life had I but tarried a few moments in my quest." + +"Wherefore make so much sorrow now?" said the lady. + +"I know not," answered he, "but my heart grieveth greatly for this poor +lady's death, so fair she was and young." + +Then he required a hermit to bury the remains of the bodies, and bare the +lady's head with him to Camelot, to the court. + +When he was arrived, he was sworn to tell the truth of his quest before +the King and Queen, and when he had entered the Queen somewhat upbraided +him, saying, "Ye were much to blame that ye saved not that lady's life." + +"Madam," said he, "I shall repent it all my life." + +"Ay, king," quoth Merlin, who suddenly came in, "and so ye ought to do, +for that lady was your daughter, not seen since infancy by thee. And she +was on her way to court, with a right good young knight, who would have +been her husband, but was slain by treachery of a felon knight, Lorraine +le Savage, as they came; and because thou wouldst not abide and help her, +thy best friend shall fail thee in thine hour of greatest need, for such +is the penance ordained thee for that deed." + +Then did King Pellinore tell Merlin secretly of the treason he had heard +in the forest, and Merlin by his craft so ordered that the knight who bare +the poison was himself soon after slain by it, and so King Arthur's life +was saved. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +_King Arthur and Sir Accolon of Gaul_ + + +Being now happily married, King Arthur for a season took his pleasure, +with great tournaments, and jousts, and huntings. So once upon a time the +king and many of his knights rode hunting in a forest, and Arthur, King +Urience, and Sir Accolon of Gaul, followed after a great hart, and being +all three well mounted, they chased so fast that they outsped their +company, and left them many miles behind; but riding still as rapidly as +they could go, at length their horses fell dead under them. Then being all +three on foot, and seeing the stag not far before them, very weary and +nigh spent--"What shall we do," said King Arthur, "for we are hard +bested?" "Let us go on afoot," said King Urience, "till we can find some +lodging." At that they saw the stag lying upon the bank of a great lake, +with a hound springing at his throat, and many other hounds trooping +towards him. So, running forward, Arthur blew the death-note on his horn, +and slew the hart. Then lifting up his eyes he saw before him on the lake +a barge, all draped down to the water's edge, with silken folds and +curtains, which swiftly came towards him, and touched upon the sands; but +when he went up close and looked in, he saw no earthly creature. Then he +cried out to his companions, "Sirs, come ye hither, and let us see what +there is in this ship." So they all three went in, and found it everywhere +throughout furnished, and hung with rich draperies of silk and gold. + +By this time eventide had come, when suddenly a hundred torches were set +up on all sides of the barge, and gave a dazzling light, and at the same +time came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by his name, +kneeling on their knees, and telling him that he was welcome, and should +have their noblest cheer, for which the king thanked them courteously. +Then did they lead him and his fellows to a splendid chamber, where was a +table spread with all the richest furniture, and costliest wines and +viands; and there they served them with all kinds of wines and meats, till +Arthur wondered at the splendour of the feast, declaring he had never in +his life supped better, or more royally. After supper they led him to +another chamber, than which he had never beheld a richer, where he was +left to rest. King Urience, also, and Sir Accolon were each conducted into +rooms of like magnificence. And so they all three fell asleep, and being +very weary slept deeply all that night. + +[Illustration: Came forth twelve fair damsels, and saluted King Arthur by +his name.] + +But when the morning broke, King Urience found himself in his own house in +Camelot, he knew not how; and Arthur awaking found himself in a dark +dungeon, and heard around him nothing but the groans of woful knights, +prisoners like himself. Then said King Arthur, "Who are ye, thus groaning +and complaining?" And some one answered him, "Alas, we be all prisoners, +even twenty good knights, and some of us have lain here seven years--some +more--nor seen the light of day for all that time." "For what cause?" said +King Arthur. "Know ye not then yourself?" they answered--"we will soon +tell you. The lord of this strong castle is Sir Damas, and is the falsest +and most traitorous knight that liveth; and he hath a younger brother, a +good and noble knight, whose name is Outzlake. This traitor Damas, +although passing rich, will give his brother nothing of his wealth, and +save what Outzlake keepeth to himself by force, he hath no share of the +inheritance. He owneth, nevertheless, one fair rich manor, whereupon he +liveth, loved of all men far and near. But Damas is as altogether hated as +his brother is beloved, for he is merciless and cowardly: and now for many +years there hath been war between these brothers, and Sir Outzlake +evermore defieth Damas to come forth and fight with him, body to body, for +the inheritance; and if he be too cowardly, to find some champion knight +that will fight for him. And Damas hath agreed to find some champion, but +never yet hath found a knight to take his evil cause in hand, or wager +battle for him. So with a strong band of men-at-arms he lieth ever in +ambush, and taketh captive every passing knight who may unwarily go near, +and bringeth him into this castle, and desireth him either to fight Sir +Outzlake, or to lie for evermore in durance. And thus hath he dealt with +all of us, for we all scorned to take up such a cause for such a false +foul knight--but rather one by one came here, where many a good knight +hath died of hunger and disease. But if one of us would fight, Sir Damas +would deliver all the rest." + +"God of his mercy send you deliverance," said King Arthur, and sat +turning in his mind how all these things should end, and how he might +himself gain freedom for so many noble hearts. + +Anon there came a damsel to the king, saying, "Sir if thou wilt fight for +my lord thou shalt be delivered out of prison, but else nevermore shalt +thou escape with thy life." "Nay," said King Arthur, "that is but a hard +choice, yet had I rather fight than die in prison, and if I may deliver +not myself alone, but all these others, I will do the battle." "Yea," said +the damsel, "it shall be even so." "Then," said King Arthur, "I am ready +now, if but I had a horse and armour." "Fear not," said she, "that shalt +thou have presently, and shalt lack nothing proper for the fight." "Have I +not seen thee," said the king, "at King Arthur's court? for it seemeth +that thy face is known to me." "Nay," said the damsel, "I was never there; +I am Sir Damas' daughter, and have never been but a day's journey from +this castle." But she spoke falsely, for she was one of the damsels of +Morgan le Fay, the great enchantress, who was King Arthur's half-sister. + +When Sir Damas knew that there had been at length a knight found who would +fight for him, he sent for Arthur, and finding him a man so tall and +strong, and straight of limb, he was passingly well pleased, and made a +covenant with him, that he should fight unto the uttermost for his cause, +and that all the other knights should be delivered. And when they were +sworn to each other on the holy gospels, all those imprisoned knights were +straightway led forth and delivered, but abode there one and all to see +the battle. + +In the meanwhile there had happened to Sir Accolon of Gaul a strange +adventure; for when he awoke from his deep sleep upon the silken barge, he +found himself upon the edge of a deep well, and in instant peril of +falling thereinto. Whereat, leaping up in great affright, he crossed +himself and cried aloud, "May God preserve my lord King Arthur and King +Urience, for those damsels in the ship have betrayed us, and were +doubtless devils and no women; and if I may escape this misadventure, I +will certainly destroy them wheresoever I may find them." With that there +came to him a dwarf with a great mouth, and a flat nose, and saluted him, +saying that he came from Queen Morgan le Fay. "And she greeteth you well," +said he, "and biddeth you be strong of heart, for to-morrow you shall do +battle with a strange knight, and therefore she hath sent you here +Excalibur, King Arthur's sword, and the scabbard likewise. And she +desireth you as you do love her to fight this battle to the uttermost, and +without any mercy, as you have promised her you would fight when she +should require it of you; and she will make a rich queen for ever of any +damsel that shall bring her that knight's head with whom you are to +fight." + +"Well," said Sir Accolon, "tell you my lady Queen Morgan, that I shall +hold to that I promised her, now that I have this sword--and," said he, "I +suppose it was to bring about this battle that she made all these +enchantments by her craft." "You have guessed rightly," said the dwarf, +and therewithal he left him. + +Then came a knight and lady, and six squires, to Sir Accolon, and took him +to a manor house hard by, and gave him noble cheer; and the house belonged +to Sir Outzlake, the brother of Sir Damas, for so had Morgan le Fay +contrived with her enchantments. Now Sir Outzlake himself was at that time +sorely wounded and disabled, having been pierced through both his thighs +by a spear-thrust. When, therefore, Sir Damas sent down messengers to his +brother, bidding him make ready by to-morrow morning, and be in the field +to fight with a good knight, for that he had found a champion ready to do +battle at all points, Sir Outzlake was sorely annoyed and distressed, for +he knew he had small chance of victory, while yet he was disabled by his +wounds; notwithstanding, he determined to take the battle in hand, +although he was so weak that he must needs be lifted to his saddle. But +when Sir Accolon of Gaul heard this, he sent a message to Sir Outzlake +offering to take the battle in his stead, which cheered Sir Outzlake +mightily, who thanked Sir Accolon with all his heart, and joyfully +accepted him. + +So, on the morrow, King Arthur was armed and well horsed, and asked Sir +Damas, "When shall we go to the field?" "Sir," said Sir Damas, "you shall +first hear mass." And when mass was done, there came a squire on a great +horse, and asked Sir Damas if his knight were ready, "for our knight is +already in the field." Then King Arthur mounted on horseback, and there +around were all the knights, and barons, and people of the country; and +twelve of them were chosen to wait upon the two knights who were about to +fight. And as King Arthur sat on horseback, there came a damsel from +Morgan le Fay, and brought to him a sword, made like Excalibur, and a +scabbard also, and said to him, "Morgan le Fay sendeth you here your sword +for her great love's sake." And the king thanked her, and believed it to +be as she said; but she traitorously deceived him, for both sword and +scabbard were counterfeit, brittle, and false, and the true sword +Excalibur was in the hands of Sir Accolon. Then, at the sound of a +trumpet, the champions set themselves on opposite sides of the field, and +giving rein and spur to their horses urged them to so great a speed that +each smiting the other in the middle of the shield, rolled his opponent to +the ground, both horse and man. Then starting up immediately, both drew +their swords and rushed swiftly together. And so they fell to eagerly, and +gave each other many great and mighty strokes. + +And as they were thus fighting, the damsel Vivien, lady of the lake, who +loved King Arthur, came upon the ground, for she knew by her enchantments +how Morgan le Fay had craftily devised to have King Arthur slain by his +own sword that day, and therefore came to save his life. And Arthur and +Sir Accolon were now grown hot against each other, and spared not strength +nor fury in their fierce assaults; but the king's sword gave way +continually before Sir Accolon's, so that at every stroke he was sore +wounded, and his blood ran from him so fast that it was a marvel he could +stand. When King Arthur saw the ground so sore be-blooded, he bethought +him in dismay that there was magic treason worked upon him, and that his +own true sword was changed, for it seemed to him that the sword in Sir +Accolon's hand was Excalibur, for fearfully it drew his blood at every +blow, while what he held himself kept no sharp edge, nor fell with any +force upon his foe. + +"Now, knight, look to thyself, and keep thee well from me," cried out Sir +Accolon. But King Arthur answered not, and gave him such a buffet on the +helm as made him stagger and nigh fall upon the ground. Then Sir Accolon +withdrew a little, and came on with Excalibur on high, and smote King +Arthur in return with such a mighty stroke as almost felled him; and both +being now in hottest wrath, they gave each other grievous and savage +blows. But Arthur all the time was losing so much blood that scarcely +could he keep upon his feet yet so full was he of knighthood, that +knightly he endured the pain, and still sustained himself, though now he +was so feeble that he thought himself about to die. Sir Accolon, as yet, +had lost no drop of blood, and being very bold and confident in Excalibur, +even grew more vigorous and hasty in his assaults. But all men who beheld +them said they never saw a knight fight half so well as did King Arthur; +and all the people were so grieved for him that they besought Sir Damas +and Sir Outzlake to make up their quarrel and so stay the fight; but they +would not. + +So still the battle raged, till Arthur drew a little back for breath and a +few moments' rest; but Accolon came on after him, following fiercely and +crying loud, "It is no time for me to suffer thee to rest," and therewith +set upon him. Then Arthur, full of scorn and rage, lifted up his sword and +struck Sir Accolon upon the helm so mightily that he drove him to his +knees; but with the force of that great stroke his brittle, treacherous +sword broke short off at the hilt, and fell down in the grass among the +blood, leaving the pommel only in his hand. At that, King Arthur thought +within himself that all was over, and secretly prepared his mind for +death, yet kept himself so knightly sheltered by his shield that he lost +no ground, and made as though he yet had hope and cheer. Then said Sir +Accolon, "Sir knight, thou now art overcome and canst endure no longer, +seeing thou art weaponless, and hast lost already so much blood. Yet am I +fully loth to slay thee; yield, then, therefore, to me as recreant." +"Nay," said King Arthur, "that may I not, for I have promised to do battle +to the uttermost by the faith of my body while my life lasteth; and I had +rather die with honour than live with shame; and if it were possible for +me to die an hundred times, I had rather die as often than yield me to +thee, for though I lack weapons, I shall lack no worship, and it shall be +to thy shame to slay me weaponless." "Aha," shouted then Sir Accolon, "as +for the shame, I will not spare; look to thyself, sir knight, for thou art +even now but a dead man." Therewith he drove at him with pitiless force, +and struck him nearly down; but Arthur evermore waxing in valour as he +waned in blood, pressed on Sir Accolon with his shield, and hit at him so +fiercely with the pommel in his hand, as hurled him three strides +backwards. + +This, therefore, so confused Sir Accolon, that rushing up, all dizzy, to +deliver once again a furious blow, even as he struck, Excalibur, by +Vivien's magic, fell from out his hands upon the earth. Beholding which, +King Arthur lightly sprang to it, and grasped it, and forthwith felt it +was his own good sword, and said to it, "Thou hast been from me all too +long, and done me too much damage." Then spying the scabbard hanging by +Sir Accolon's side, he sprang and pulled it from him, and cast it away as +far as he could throw it; for so long as he had worn it, Arthur new his +life would have been kept secure. "Oh, knight!" then said the king, "thou +hast this day wrought me much damage by this sword, but now art thou come +to thy death, for I shall not warrant thee but that thou shalt suffer, ere +we part, somewhat of that thou hast made me suffer." And therewithal King +Arthur flew at him with all his might, and pulled him to the earth, and +then struck off his helm, and gave him on the head a fearful buffet, till +the blood leaped forth. "Now will I slay thee!" cried King Arthur; for his +heart was hardened, and his body all on fire with fever, till for a moment +he forgot his knightly mercy. "Slay me thou mayest," said Sir Accolon, +"for thou art the best knight I ever found, and I see well that God is +with thee; and I, as thou hast, have promised to fight this battle to the +uttermost, and never to be recreant while I live; therefore shall I never +yield me with my mouth, and God must do with my body what he will." And as +Sir Accolon spoke, King Arthur thought he knew his voice; and parting all +his blood-stained hair from out his eyes, and leaning down towards him, +saw, indeed, it was his friend and own true knight. Then said he--keeping +his own visor down--"I pray thee tell me of what country art thou, and +what court?" "Sir knight," he answered, "I am of King Arthur's court, and +my name is Sir Accolon of Gaul." Then said the king, "Oh, sir knight! I +pray thee tell me who gave thee this sword? and from whom thou hadst it?" + +Then said Sir Accolon, "Woe worth this sword, for by it I have gotten my +death. This sword hath been in my keeping now for almost twelve months, +and yesterday Queen Morgan le Fay, wife of King Urience, sent it to me by +a dwarf, that therewith I might in some way slay her brother, King Arthur; +for thou must understand that King Arthur is the man she hateth most in +all the world, being full of envy and jealousy because he is of greater +worship and renown than any other of her blood. She loveth me also as much +as she doth hate him; and if she might contrive to slay King Arthur by her +craft and magic, then would she straightway kill her husband also, and +make me the king of all this land, and herself my queen, to reign with me; +but now," said he, "all that is over, for this day I am come to my death." + +"It would have been sore treason of thee to destroy thy lord," said +Arthur. "Thou sayest truly," answered he; "but now that I have told thee, +and openly confessed to thee all that foul treason whereof I now do +bitterly repent, tell me, I pray thee, whence art thou, and of what +court?" "O, Sir Accolon!" said King Arthur, "learn that I am myself King +Arthur." When Sir Accolon heard this he cried aloud, "Alas, my gracious +lord! have mercy on me, for I knew thee not." "Thou shalt have mercy," +said he, "for thou knewest not my person at this time; and though by thine +own confession thou art a traitor, yet do I blame thee less, because thou +hast been blinded by the false crafts of my sister Morgan le Fay, whom I +have trusted more than all others of my kin, and whom I now shall know +well how to punish." Then did Sir Accolon cry loudly, "O, lords, and all +good people! this noble knight that I have fought with is the noblest and +most worshipful in all the world; for it is King Arthur, our liege lord +and sovereign king; and full sorely I repent that I have ever lifted lance +against him, though in ignorance I did it." + +Then all the people fell down on their knees and prayed the pardon of the +king for suffering him to come to such a strait. But he replied, "Pardon +ye cannot have, for, truly, ye have nothing sinned; but here ye see what +ill adventure may ofttimes befall knights-errant, for to my own hurt, and +his danger also, I have fought with one of my own knights." + +Then the king commanded Sir Damas to surrender to his brother the whole +manor, Sir Outzlake only yielding him a palfrey every year; "for," said he +scornfully, "it would become thee better to ride on than a courser;" and +ordered Damas, upon pain of death, never again to touch or to distress +knights-errant riding on their adventures; and also to make full +compensation and satisfaction to the twenty knights whom he had held in +prison. "And if any of them," said the king, "come to my court complaining +that he hath not had full satisfaction of thee for his injuries, by my +head, thou shalt die therefor." + +Afterwards, King Arthur asked Sir Outzlake to come with him to his court, +where he should become a knight of his, and, if his deeds were noble, be +advanced to all he might desire. + +So then he took his leave of all the people and mounted upon horseback, +and Sir Accolon went with him to an abbey hard by, where both their wounds +were dressed. But Sir Accolon died within four days after. And when he was +dead, the king sent his body to Queen Morgan, to Camelot, saying that he +sent her a present in return for the sword Excalibur which she had sent +him by the damsel. + +So, on the morrow, there came a damsel from Queen Morgan to the king, and +brought with her the richest mantle that ever was seen, for it was set as +full of precious stones as they could stand against each other, and they +were the richest stones that ever the king saw. And the damsel said, "Your +sister sendeth you this mantle, and prayeth you to take her gift, and in +whatsoever thing she hath offended you, she will amend it at your +pleasure." To this the king replied not, although the mantle pleased him +much. With that came in the lady of the lake, and said, "Sir, put not on +this mantle till thou hast seen more; and in nowise let it be put upon +thee, or any of thy knights, till ye have made the bringer of it first put +it on her." "It shall be done as thou dost counsel," said the king. Then +said he to the damsel that came from his sister, "Damsel, I would see this +mantle ye have brought me upon yourself." "Sir," said she, "it will not +beseem me to wear a knight's garment." "By my head," said King Arthur, +"thou shall wear it ere it go on any other person's back!" And so they put +it on her by force, and forthwith the garment burst into a flame and +burned the damsel into cinders. When the king saw that, he hated that +false witch Morgan le Fay with all his heart, and evermore was deadly +quarrel between her and Arthur to their lives' end. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +_King Arthur conquers Rome, and is crowned Emperor_ + + +And now again the second time there came ambassadors from Lucius Tiberius, +Emperor of Rome, demanding, under pain of war, tribute and homage from +King Arthur, and the restoration of all Gaul, which he had conquered from +the tribune Flollo. + +When they had delivered their message, the king bade them withdraw while +he consulted with his knights and barons what reply to send. Then some of +the younger knights would have slain the ambassadors, saying that their +speech was a rebuke to all who heard the king insulted by it. But when +King Arthur heard that, he ordered none to touch them upon pain of death; +and sending officers, he had them taken to a noble lodging, and there +entertained with the best cheer. "And," said he, "let no dainty be spared, +for the Romans are great lords; and though their message please me not, +yet must I remember mine honour." + +Then the lords and knights of the Round Table were called on to declare +their counsel--what should be done upon this matter; and Sir Cador of +Cornwall speaking first, said, "Sir, this message is the best news I have +heard for a long time, for we have been now idle and at rest for many +days, and I trust that thou wilt make sharp war upon the Romans, wherein, +I doubt not, we shall all gain honour." + +"I believe well," said Arthur, "that thou art pleased, Sir Cador; but that +is scarce an answer to the Emperor of Rome, and his demand doth grieve me +sorely, for truly I will never pay him tribute; wherefore, lords, I pray +ye counsel me. Now, I have understood that Belinus and Brennius, knights +of Britain, held the Roman Empire in their hands for many days, and also +Constantine, the son of Helen, which is open evidence, not only that we +owe Rome no tribute, but that I, being descended from them, may, of right, +myself claim the empire." + +Then said King Anguish of Scotland, "Sir, thou oughtest of right to be +above all other kings, for in all Christendom is there not thine equal; +and I counsel thee never to obey the Romans. For when they reigned here +they grievously distressed us, and put the land to great and heavy +burdens; and here, for my part, I swear to avenge me on them when I may, +and will furnish thee with twenty thousand men-at-arms, whom I will pay +and keep, and who shall wait on thee with me, when it shall please thee." + +Then the King of Little Britain rose and promised King Arthur thirty +thousand men; and likewise many other kings, and dukes, and barons, +promised aid--as the lord of West Wales thirty thousand men, Sir Ewaine +and his cousin thirty thousand men, and so forth; Sir Lancelot also, and +every other knight of the Round Table, promised each man a great host. + +So the king, passing joyful at their courage and good will, thanked them +all heartily, and sent for the ambassadors again, to hear his answer. "I +will," said he, "that ye now go back straightway unto the Emperor your +master and tell him that I give no heed to his words, for I have conquered +all my kingdoms by the will of God and by my own right arm, and I am +strong enough to keep them, without paying tribute to any earthly +creature. But, on the other hand, I claim both tribute and submission from +himself, and also claim the sovereignty of all his empire, whereto I am +entitled by the right of my own ancestors--sometime kings of this land. +And say to him that I will shortly come to Rome, and by God's grace will +take possession of my empire and subdue all rebels. Wherefore, lastly, I +command him and all the lords of Rome that they forthwith pay me their +homage, under pain of my chastisement and wrath." + +Then he commanded his treasurers to give the ambassadors great gifts, and +defray all their charges, and appointed Sir Cador to convey them +worshipfully out of the land. + +So when they returned to Rome and came before Lucius, he was sore angry at +their words, and said, "I thought this Arthur would have instantly obeyed +my orders and have served me as humbly as any other king; but because of +his fortune in Gaul, he hath grown insolent." + +"Ah, lord," said one of the ambassadors, "refrain from such vain words, +for truly I and all with me were fearful at his royal majesty and angry +countenance. I fear me thou hast made a rod for thee more sharp than thou +hast counted on. He meaneth to be master of this empire; and is another +kind of man than thou supposest, and holdeth the most noble court of all +the world. We saw him on the new year's day, served at his table by nine +kings, and the noblest company of other princes, lords, and knights that +ever was in all the world; and in his person he is the most manly-seeming +man that liveth, and looketh like to conquer all the earth." + +Then Lucius sent messengers to all the subject countries of Rome, and +brought together a mighty army, and assembled sixteen kings, and many +dukes, princes, lords, and admirals, and a wondrous great multitude of +people. Fifty giants also, born of fiends, were set around him for a +body-guard. With all that host he straightway went from Rome, and passed +beyond the mountains into Gaul, and burned the towns and ravaged all the +country of that province, in rage for its submission to King Arthur. Then +he moved on towards Little Britain. + +Meanwhile, King Arthur having held a parliament at York, left the realm in +charge of Sir Badewine and Sir Constantine, and crossed the sea from +Sandwich to meet Lucius. And so soon as he was landed, he sent Sir Gawain, +Sir Bors, Sir Lionel, and Sir Bedivere to the Emperor, commanding him "to +move swiftly and in haste out of his land, and, if not, to make himself +ready for battle, and not continue ravaging the country and slaying +harmless people." Anon, those noble knights attired themselves and set +forth on horseback to where they saw, in a meadow, many silken tents of +divers colours, and the Emperor's pavilion in the midst, with a golden +eagle set above it. + +Then Sir Gawain and Sir Bors rode forward, leaving the other two behind +in ambush, and gave King Arthur's message. To which the Emperor replied, +"Return, and tell your lord that I am come to conquer him and all his +land." + +At this, Sir Gawain burned with anger, and cried out, "I had rather than +all France that I might fight with thee alone!" + +"And I also," said Sir Bors. + +Then a knight named Ganius, a near cousin of the Emperor, laughed out +aloud, and said, "Lo! how these Britons boast and are full of pride, +bragging as though they bare up all the world!" + +At these words, Sir Gawain could refrain no longer, but drew forth his +sword and with one blow shore oft Ganius' head; then with Sir Bors, he +turned his horse and rode over waters and through woods, back to the +ambush, where Sir Lionel and Sir Bedivere were waiting. The Romans +followed fast behind them till the knights turned and stood, and then Sir +Bors smote the foremost of them through the body with a spear, and slew +him on the spot. Then came on Calibere, a huge Pavian, but Sir Bors +overthrew him also. And then the company of Sir Lionel and Sir Bedivere +brake from their ambush and fell on the Romans, and slew and hewed them +down, and forced them to return and flee, chasing them to their tents. + +But as they neared the camp, a great host more rushed forth, and turned +the battle backwards, and in the turmoil, Sir Bors and Sir Berel fell into +the Romans' hands. When Sir Gawain saw that, he drew his good sword +Galotine, and swore to see King Arthur's face no more if those two knights +were not delivered; and then, with good Sir Idrus, made so sore an +onslaught that the Romans fled and left Sir Bors and Sir Berel to their +friends. So the Britons returned in triumph to King Arthur, having slain +more than ten thousand Romans, and lost no man of worship from amongst +themselves. + +When the Emperor Lucius heard of that discomfiture he arose, with all his +army, to crush King Arthur, and met him in the vale of Soissons. Then +speaking to all his host, he said, "Sirs, I admonish you that this day ye +fight and acquit yourselves as men; and remembering how Rome is chief of +all the earth, and mistress of the universal world, suffer not these +barbarous and savage Britons to abide our onset." At that, the trumpets +blew so loud, that the ground trembled and shook. + +Then did the rival hosts draw near each other with great shoutings; and +when they closed, no tongue can tell the fury of their smiting, and the +sore struggling, wounds, and slaughter. Then King Arthur, with his +mightiest knights, rode down into the thickest of the fight, and drew +Excalibur, and slew as lightning slays for swiftness and for force. And in +the midmost crowd he met a giant, Galapas by name, and struck off both his +legs at the knee-joints; then saying, "Now art thou a better size to deal +with!" smote his head off at a second blow: and the body killed six men in +falling down. + +Anon, King Arthur spied where Lucius fought and worked great deeds of +prowess with his own hands. Forthwith he rode at him, and each attacked +the other passing fiercely; till at the last, Lucius struck King Arthur +with a fearful wound across the face, and Arthur, in return, lifting up +Excalibur on high, drove it with all his force upon the Emperor's head, +shivering his helmet, crashing his head in halves, and splitting his body +to the breast. And when the Romans saw their Emperor dead they fled in +hosts of thousands; and King Arthur and his knights, and all his army +followed them, and slew one hundred thousand men. + +Then returning to the field, King Arthur rode to the place where Lucius +lay dead, and round him the kings of Egypt and Ethiopia, and seventeen +other kings, with sixty Roman senators, all noble men. All these he +ordered to be carefully embalmed with aromatic gums, and laid in leaden +coffins, covered with their shields and arms and banners. Then calling for +three senators who were taken prisoners, he said to them, "As the ransom +of your lives, I will that ye take these dead bodies and carry them to +Rome, and there present them for me, with these letters saying I will +myself be shortly there. And I suppose the Romans will beware how they +again ask tribute of me; for tell them, these dead bodies that I send them +are for the tribute they have dared to ask of me; and if they wish for +more, when I come I will pay them the rest." + +So, with that charge, the three senators departed with the dead bodies, +and went to Rome; the body of the Emperor being carried in a chariot +blazoned with the arms of the empire, all alone, and the bodies of the +kings two and two in chariots following. + +After the battle, King Arthur entered Lorraine, Brabant, and Flanders, and +thence, subduing all the countries as he went, passed into Germany, and so +beyond the mountains into Lombardy and Tuscany. At length he came before a +city which refused to obey him, wherefore he sat down before it to besiege +it. And after a long time thus spent, King Arthur called Sir Florence, +and told him they began to lack food for his hosts--"And not far from +hence," said he, "are great forests full of cattle belonging to my +enemies. Go then, and bring by force all that thou canst find; and take +with thee Sir Gawain, my nephew, and Sir Clegis, Sir Claremond the Captain +of Cardiff, and a strong band." + +Anon, those knights made ready, and rode over holts and hills, and through +forests and woods, till they came to a great meadow full of fair flowers +and grass, and there they rested themselves and their horses that night. +And at the dawn of the next day, Sir Gawain took his horse and rode away +from his fellows to seek some adventure. Soon he saw an armed knight +walking his horse by a wood's side, with his shield laced to his shoulder, +and no attendant with him save a page, bearing a mighty spear; and on his +shield were blazoned three gold griffins. When Sir Gawain spied him, he +put his spear in rest, and riding straight to him, asked who he was. "A +Tuscan," said he; "and they mayest prove me when thou wilt, for thou shalt +be my prisoner ere we part." + +Then said Sir Gawain, "Thou vauntest thee greatly, and speakest proud +words; yet I counsel thee, for all thy boastings, look to thyself the best +thou canst." + +At that they took their spears and ran at each other with all the might +they had, and smote each other through their shields into their shoulders; +and then drawing swords smote with great strokes, till the fire sprang out +of their helms. Then was Sir Gawain enraged, and with his good sword +Galotine struck his enerny through shield and hauberk, and splintered into +pieces all the precious stones of it, and made so huge a wound that men +might see both lungs and liver. At that the Tuscan, groaning loudly, +rushed on to Sir Gawain, and gave him a deep slanting stroke, and made a +mighty wound and cut a great vein asunder, so that he bled fast. Then he +cried out, "Bind thy wound quickly up, Sir knight, for thou be-bloodest +all thy horse and thy fair armour, and all the surgeons of the world shall +never staunch thy blood; for so shall it be to whomsoever is hurt with +this good sword." + +Then answered Sir Gawain, "It grieveth me but little, and thy boastful +words give me no fear, for thou shalt suffer greater grief and sorrow ere +we part; but tell me quickly who can staunch this blood." + +"That can I do," said the strange knight, "and will, if thou wilt aid and +succour me to become christened, and to believe on God, which now I do +require of thee upon thy manhood." + +"I am content," said Sir Gawain; "and may God help me to grant all thy +wishes. But tell mefirst, what soughtest thou thus here alone, and of what +land art thou?" + +"Sir," said the knight, "my name is Prianius, and my father is a great +prince, who hath rebelled against Rome. He is descended from Alexander and +Hector, and of our lineage also were Joshua and Maccabaeus. I am of right +the king of Alexandria, and Africa, and all the outer isles, yet I would +believe in the Lord thou worshippest, and for thy labour I will give thee +treasure enough. I was so proud in heart that I thought none my equal, but +now have I encountered with thee, who hast given me my fill of fighting; +wherefore, I pray thee, Sir knight, tell me of thyself." + +"I am no knight," said Sir Gawain; "I have been brought up many years in +the wardrobe of the noble prince King Arthur, to mind his armour and +array." + +"Ah," said Prianius, "if his varlets be so keen and fierce, his knights +must be passing good! Now, for the love of heaven, whether thou be knight +or knave, tell me thy name." + +"By heaven!" said Gawain, "now will I tell thee the truth. My name is Sir +Gawain, and I am a knight of the Round Table." + +"Now am I better pleased," said Prianius, "than if thou hadst given me all +the province of Paris the rich. I had rather have been torn by wild horses +than that any varlet should have won such victory over me as thou hast +done. But now, Sir knight, I warn thee that close by is the Duke of +Lorraine, with sixty thousand good men of war; and we had both best flee +at once, for he will find us else, and we be sorely wounded and never +likely to recover. And let my page be careful that he blow no horn, for +hard by are a hundred knights, my servants; and if they seize thee, no +ransom of gold or silver would acquit thee." + +Then Sir Gawain rode over a river to save himself, and Sir Prianius after +him, and so they both fled till they came to his companions who were in +the meadow, where they spent the night. When Sir Whishard saw Sir Gawain +so hurt, he ran to him weeping, and asked him who it was had wounded him; +and Sir Gawain told him how he had fought with that man--pointing to +Prianius--who had salves to heal them both. "But I can tell ye other +tidings," said he--"that soon we must encounter many enemies, for a great +army is close to us in our front." + +Then Prianius and Sir Gawain alighted and let their horses graze while +they unarmed, and when they took their armour and their clothing off, the +hot blood ran down freshly from their wounds till it was piteous to see. +But Prianius took from his page a vial filled from the four rivers that +flow out of Paradise, and anointed both their wounds with a certain balm, +and washed them with that water, and within an hour afterwards they were +both as sound and whole as ever they had been. Then, at the sound of a +trumpet, all the knights were assembled to council; and after much +talking, Prianius said, "Cease your words, for I warn you in yonder wood +ye shall find knights out of number, who will put out cattle for a decoy +to lead you on; and ye are not seven hundred!" + +"Nevertheless," said Sir Gawain, "let us at once encounter them, and see +what they can do; and may the best have the victory." + +Then they saw suddenly an earl named Sir Ethelwold, and the Duke of +Duchmen come leaping out of ambush of the woods in front, with many a +thousand after them, and all rode straight down to the battle. And Sir +Gawain, full of ardour and courage, comforted his knights, saying, "They +all are ours." Then the seven hundred knights, in one close company, set +spurs to their horses and began to gallop, and fiercely met their enemies. +And then were men and horses slain and overthrown on every side, and in +and out amidst them all, the knights of the Round Table pressed and +thrust, and smote down to the earth all who withstood them, till at length +the whole of them turned back and fled. + +"By heaven!" said Sir Gawain, "this gladdeneth well my heart, for now +behold them as they flee! they are full seventy thousand less in number +than they were an hour ago!" + +Thus was the battle quickly ended, and a great host of high lords and +knights of Lombardy and Saracens left dead upon the field. Then Sir Gawain +and his company collected a great plenty of cattle, and of gold and +silver, and all kind of treasure, and returned to King Arthur, where he +still kept the siege. + +"Now God be thanked," cried he; "but who is he that standeth yonder by +himself, and seemeth not a prisoner?" + +"Sir," said Sir Gawain, "he is a good man with his weapons, and hath +matched me; but cometh hither to be made a Christian. Had it not been for +his warnings, we none of us should have been here this day. I pray thee, +therefore, let him be baptized, for there can be few nobler men, or better +knights." + +So Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the Round Table. + +[Illustration: Prianius was christened, and made a duke and knight of the +Round Table.] + +Presently afterwards, they made a last attack upon the city, and entered +by the walls on every side; and as the men were rushing to the pillage, +came the Duchess forth, with many ladies and damsels, and kneeled before +King Arthur; and besought him to receive their submission. To whom the +king made answer, with a noble countenance, "Madam, be well assured that +none shall harm ye, or your ladies; neither shall any that belong to thee +be hurt; but the Duke must abide my judgment." Then he commanded to stay +the assault and took the keys from the Duke's eldest son, who brought them +kneeling. Anon the Duke was sent a prisoner to Dover for his life, and +rents and taxes were assigned for dowry of the Duchess and her children. + +Then went he on with all his hosts, winning all towns and castles, and +wasting them that refused obedience, till he came to Viterbo. From thence +he sent to Rome, to ask the senators whether they would receive him for +their lord and governor. In answer, came out to him all the Senate who +remained alive, and the Cardinals, with a majestic retinue and procession; +and laying great treasures at his feet, they prayed him to come in at once +to Rome, and there be peaceably crowned as Emperor. "At this next +Christmas," said King Arthur, "will I be crowned, and hold my Round Table +in your city." + +Anon he entered Rome, in mighty pomp and state; and after him came all his +hosts, and his knights, and princes, and great lords, arrayed in gold and +jewels, such as never were beheld before. And then was he crowned Emperor +by the Pope's hands, with all the highest solemnity that could be made. + +Then after his coronation, he abode in Rome for a season, settling his +lands and giving kingdoms to his knights and servants, to each one after +his deserving, and in such wise fashion that no man among them all +complained. Also he made many dukes and earls, and loaded all his +men-at-arms with riches and great treasures. + +When all this was done, the lords and knights, and all the men of great +estate, came together before him, and said, "Noble Emperor! by the +blessing of Eternal God, thy mortal warfare is all finished, and thy +conquests all achieved; for now in all the world is none so great and +mighty as to dare make war with thee. Wherefore we beseech and heartily +pray thee of thy noble grace, to turn thee homeward, and to give us also +leave to see our wives and homes again, for now we have been from them a +long season, and all thy journey is completed with great honour and +worship." + +"Ye say well," replied he, "and to tempt God is no wisdom; therefore make +ready in all haste, and turn we home to England." + +So King Arthur returned with his knights and lords and armies, in great +triumph and joy, through all the countries he had conquered, and commanded +that no man, upon pain of death, should rob or do any violence by the way. +And crossing the sea, he came at length to Sandwich, where Queen Guinevere +received him, and made great joy at his arrival. And through all the realm +of Britain was there such rejoicing as no tongue can tell. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +_The Adventures of Sir Lancelot du Lake_ + + +Then, at the following Pentecost, was held a feast of the Round Table at +Caerleon, with high splendour; and all the knights thereof resorted to the +court, and held many games and jousts. And therein Sir Lancelot increased +in fame and worship above all men, for he overthrew all comers, and never +was unhorsed or worsted, save by treason and enchantment. + +When Queen Guinevere had seen his wondrous feats, she held him in great +favour, and smiled more on him than on any other knight. And ever since he +first had gone to bring her to King Arthur, had Lancelot thought on her as +fairest of all ladies, and done his best to win her grace. So the queen +often sent for him, and bade him tell of his birth and strange adventures: +how he was only son of great King Ban of Brittany, and how, one night, his +father, with his mother Helen and himself, fled from his burning castle; +how his father, groaning deeply, fell to the ground and died of grief and +wounds, and how his mother, running to her husband, left himself alone; +how, as he thus lay wailing, came the lady of the lake, and took him in +her arms and went with him into the midst of the waters, where, with his +cousins Lionel and Bors he had been cherished all his childhood until he +came to King Arthur's court; and how this was the reason why men called +him Lancelot du Lake. + +Anon it was ordained by King Arthur, that in every year at Pentecost there +should be held a festival of all the knights of the Round Table at +Caerleon, or such other place as he should choose. And at those festivals +should be told publicly the most famous adventures of any knight during +the past year. + +So, when Sir Lancelot saw Queen Guinevere rejoiced to hear his wanderings +and adventures, he resolved to set forth yet again, and win more worship +still, that he might more increase her favour. Then he bade his cousin Sir +Lionel make ready, "for," said he, "we two will seek adventure." So they +mounted their horses--armed at all points--and rode into a vast forest; +and when they had passed through it, they came to a great plain, and the +weather being very hot about noontide, Sir Lancelot greatly longed to +sleep. Then Sir Lionel espied a great apple-tree standing by a hedge, and +said, "Brother, yonder is a fair shadow where we may rest ourselves and +horses." + +"I am full glad of it," said Sir Lancelot, "for all these seven years I +have not been so sleepy." + +So they alighted there, and tied their horses up to sundry trees; and Sir +Lionel waked and watched while Sir Lancelot fell asleep, and slept passing +fast. + +In the meanwhile came three knights, riding as fast flying as ever they +could ride, and after them followed a single knight; but when Sir Lionel +looked at him, he thought he had never seen so great and strong a man, or +so well furnished and apparelled. Anon he saw him overtake the last of +those who fled, and smite him to the ground; then came he to the second, +and smote him such a stroke that horse and man went to the earth; then +rode he to the third, likewise, and struck him off his horse more than a +spear's length. With that he lighted from his horse, and bound all three +knights fast with the reins of their own bridles. + +When Sir Lionel saw this he thought the time was come to prove himself +against him, so quietly and cautiously, lest he should wake Sir Lancelot, +he took his horse and mounted and rode after him. Presently overtaking +him, he cried aloud to him to turn, which instantly he did, and smote Sir +Lionel so hard that horse and man went down forthwith. Then took he up Sir +Lionel, and threw him bound over his own horse's back; and so he served +the three other knights, and rode them away to his own castle. There they +were disarmed, stripped naked, and beaten with thorns, and afterwards +thrust into a deep prison, where many more knights, also, made great moans +and lamentations, saying, "Alas, alas! there is no man can help us but Sir +Lancelot, for no other knight can match this tyrant Turquine, our +conqueror." + +But all this while, Sir Lancelot lay sleeping soundly under the +apple-tree. And, as it chanced, there passed that way four queens, of high +estate, riding upon four white mules, under four canopies of green silk +borne on spears, to keep them from the sun. As they rode thus, they heard +a great horse grimly neigh, and, turning them about, soon saw a sleeping +knight that lay all armed under an apple-tree; and when they saw his +face, they knew it was Lancelot of the Lake. + +Then they began to strive which of them should have the care of him. But +Queen Morgan le Fay, King Arthur's half sister, the great sorceress, was +one of them, and said "We need not strive for him, I have enchanted him, +so that for six hours more he shall not wake. Let us take him to my +castle, and, when he wakes, himself shall choose which one of us he would +rather serve." So Sir Lancelot was laid upon his shield and borne on +horseback between two knights, to the castle, and there laid in a cold +chamber, till the spell should pass. + +Anon, they sent him a fair damsel, bearing his supper, who asked him, +"What cheer?" + +"I cannot tell, fair damsel," said he, "for I know not how I came into +this castle, if it were not by enchantment." + +"Sir," said she, "be of good heart, and to-morrow at the dawn of day, ye +shall know more." + +And so she left him alone, and there he lay all night. In the morning +early came the four queens to him, passing richly dressed; and said, "Sir +knight, thou must understand that thou art our prisoner, and that we know +thee well for King Ban's son, Sir Lancelot du Lake. And though we know +full well there is one lady only in this world may have thy love, and she +Queen Guinevere--King Arthur's wife--yet now are we resolved to have thee +to serve one of us; choose, therefore, of us four which thou wilt serve. I +am Queen Morgan le Fay, Queen of the land of Gore, and here also is the +Queen of Northgales, and the Queen of Eastland, and the Queen of the Out +Isles. Choose, then, at once, for else shall thou abide here, in this +prison, till thy death." + +"It is a hard case," said Sir Lancelot, "that either I must die, or choose +one of you for my mistress! Yet had I rather die in this prison than serve +any living creature against my will. So take this for my answer. I will +serve none of ye, for ye be false enchantresses. And as for my lady, Queen +Guinevere, whom lightly ye have spoken of, were I at liberty I would prove +it upon you or upon yours she is the truest lady living to her lord the +king." + +"Well," said the queen, "is this your answer, that ye refuse us all?" + +"Yea, on my life," said Lancelot, "refused ye be of me." + +So they departed from him in great wrath, and left him sorrowfully +grieving in his dungeon. + +At noon the damsel came to him and brought his dinner, and asked him as +before, "What cheer?" + +"Truly, fair damsel," said Sir Lancelot, "in all my life never so ill." + +"Sir," replied she, "I grieve to see ye so, but if ye do as I advise, I +can help ye out of this distress, and will do so if you promise me a +boon." + +"Fair damsel," said Sir Lancelot, "right willingly will I grant it thee, +for sorely do I dread these four witch-queens, who have destroyed and +slain many a good knight with their enchantments." + +Then said the damsel, "Sir, wilt thou promise me to help my father on next +Tuesday, for he hath a tournament with the King of Northgales, and last +Tuesday lost the field through three knights of King Arthur's court, who +came against him. And if next Tuesday thou wilt aid him, to-morrow, +before daylight, by God's grace, I will deliver thee." + +"Fair maiden," said Sir Lancelot, "tell me thy father's name and I will +answer thee." + +"My father is King Bagdemagus," said she. + +"I know him well," replied Sir Lancelot, "for a noble king and a good +knight; and by the faith of my body I will do him all the service I am +able on that day." + +"Grammercy to thee, Sir knight," said the damsel. + +"To-morrow, when thou art delivered from this place, ride ten miles hence +unto an abbey of white monks, and there abide until I bring my father to +thee." + +"So be it," said Sir Lancelot, "as I am a true knight." + +So she departed, and on the morrow, early, came again, and let him out of +twelve gates, differently locked, and brought him to his armour; and when +he was all armed, she brought him his horse also, and lightly he saddled +him, and took a great spear in his hand, and mounted and rode forth, +saying, as he went, "Fair damsel, I shall not fail thee, by the grace of +God." + +And all that day he rode in a great forest, and could find no highway, and +spent the night in the wood; but the next morning found his road, and came +to the abbey of white monks. And there he saw King Bagdemagus and his +daughter waiting for him. So when they were together in a chamber, Sir +Lancelot told the king how he had been betrayed by an enchantment, and how +his brother Lionel was gone he knew not where, and how the damsel had +delivered him from the castle of Queen Morgan le Fay. "Wherefore while I +live," said he, "I shall do service to herself and all her kindred." + +"Then am I sure of thy aid," said the king, "on Tuesday now next coming?" + +"Yea, sir, I shall not fail thee," said Sir Lancelot; "but what knights +were they who last week defeated thee, and took part with the King of +Northgales?" + +"Sir Mador de la Port, Sir Modred, and Sir Gahalatine," replied the king. + +"Sir," said Sir Lancelot, "as I understand, the tournament shall take +place but three miles from this abbey; send then to me here, three knights +of thine, the best thou hast, and let them all have plain white shields, +such as I also will; then will we four come suddenly into the midst +between both parties, and fall upon thy enemies, and grieve them all we +can, and none will know us who we are." + +So, on the Tuesday, Sir Lancelot and the three knights lodged themselves +in a small grove hard by the lists. Then came into the field the King of +Northgales, with one hundred and sixty helms, and the three knights of +King Arthur's court, who stood apart by themselves. And when King +Bagdemagus had arrived, with eighty helms, both companies set all their +spears in rest and came together with a mighty clash, wherein were slain +twelve knights of King Bagdemagus, and six of the King of Northgales; and +the party of King Bagdemagus was driven back. + +With that, came Sir Lancelot, and thrust into the thickest of the press, +and smote down with one spear five knights, and brake the backs of four, +and cast down the King of Northgales, and brake his thigh by the fall. +When the three knights of Arthur's court saw this, they rode at Sir +Lancelot, and each after other attacked him; but he overthrew them all, +and smote them nigh to death. Then taking a new spear, he bore down to the +ground sixteen more knights, and hurt them all so sorely, that they could +carry arms no more that day. And when his spear at length was broken, he +took yet another, and smote down twelve knights more, the most of whom he +wounded mortally, till in the end the party of the King of Northgales +would joust no more, and the victory was cried to King Bagdemagus. + +[Illustration: Sir Lancelot smote down with one spear five knights, and +brake the backs of four, and cast down the King of Northgales.] + +Then Sir Lancelot rode forth with King Bagdemagus to his castle, and there +he feasted with great cheer and welcome, and received many royal gifts. +And on the morrow he took leave and went to find his brother Lionel. + +Anon, by chance, he came to the same forest where the four queens had +found him sleeping, and there he met a damsel riding on a white palfrey. +When they had saluted each other, Sir Lancelot said, "Fair damsel, knowest +thou where any adventures may be had in this country?" + +"Sir knight," said she, "there are adventures great enough close by if +thou darest prove them." + +"Why should I not," said he, "since for that cause I came here?" + +"Sir," said the damsel, "hard by this place there dwelleth a knight that +cannot be defeated by any man, so great and perilously strong he is. His +name is Sir Turquine, and in the prisons of his castle lie three score +knights and four, mostly from King Arthur's court, whom he hath taken with +his own hands. But promise me, ere thou undertakest their deliverance, to +go and help me afterwards, and free me and many other ladies that are +distressed by a false knight." "Bring me but to this felon Turquine," +quoth Sir Lancelot, "and I will afterwards fulfil all your wishes." + +So the damsel went before, and brought him to a ford, and a tree whereon a +great brass basin hung; and Sir Lancelot beat with his spear-end upon the +basin, long and hard, until he beat the bottom of it out, but he saw +nothing. Then he rode to and fro before the castle gates for well-nigh +half an hour, and anon saw a great knight riding from the distance, +driving a horse before him, across which hung an armed man bound. And when +they came near, Sir Lancelot knew the prisoner for a knight of the Round +Table. By that time, the great knight who drove the prisoner saw Sir +Lancelot, and each of them began to settle his spear, and to make ready. + +"Fair sir," then said Sir Lancelot, "put off that wounded knight, I pray +thee, from his horse, and let him rest while thou and I shall prove our +strength upon each other; for, as I am told, thou doest, and hast done, +great shame and injury to knights of the Round Table. Wherefore, I warn +thee now, defend thyself." + +"If thou mayest be of the Round Table," answered Turquine, "I defy thee, +and all thy fellows." + +"That is saying overmuch," said Sir Lancelot. + +Then, setting their lances in rest, they spurred their horses towards each +other, as fast as they could go, and smote so fearfully upon each other's +shields, that both their horses' backs brake under them. As soon as they +could clear their saddles, they took their shields before them, and drew +their swords, and came together eagerly, and fought with great and +grievous strokes; and soon they both had many grim and fearful wounds, and +bled in streams. Thus they fought two hours and more, thrusting and +smiting at each other, wherever they could hit. + +Anon, they both were breathless, and stood leaning on their swords. + +"Now, comrade," said Sir Turquine, "let us wait awhile, and answer me what +I shall ask thee." + +"Say on," said Lancelot. + +"Thou art," said Turquine, "the best man I ever met, and seemest like one +that I hate above all other knights that live; but if thou be not he, I +will make peace with thee, and for sake of thy great valour, will deliver +all the three score prisoners and four who lie within my dungeons, and +thou and I will be companions evermore. Tell me, then, thy name." + +"Thou sayest well," replied Sir Lancelot; "but who is he thou hatest so +above all others?" + +"His name," said Turquine, "is Sir Lancelot of the Lake; and he slew my +brother Sir Carados, at the dolorous tower; wherefore, if ever I shall +meet with him, one of us two shall slay the other; and thereto I have +sworn by a great oath. And to discover and destroy him I have slain a +hundred knights, and crippled utterly as many more, and many have died in +my prisons; and now, as I have told thee, I have many more therein, who +all shall be delivered, if thou tell me thy name, and it be not Sir +Lancelot." + +"Well," said Lancelot, "I am that knight, son of King Ban of Benwick, and +Knight of the Round Table; so now I defy thee to do thy best!" + +"Aha!" said Turquine, with a shout, "is it then so at last! Thou art more +welcome to my sword than ever knight or lady was to feast, for never +shall we part till one of us be dead." + +Then did they hurtle together like two wild bulls, slashing and lashing +with their shields and swords, and sometimes falling both on to the +ground. For two more hours they fought so, and at the last Sir Turquine +grew very faint, and gave a little back, and bare his shield full low for +weariness. When Sir Lancelot saw him thus, he leaped upon him fiercely as +a lion, and took him by the crest of his helmet, and dragged him to his +knees; and then he tore his helmet off and smote his neck asunder. + +Then he arose, and went to the damsel who had brought him to Sir Turquine, +and said, "I am ready, fair lady, to go with thee upon thy service, but I +have no horse." + +"Fair sir," said she, "take ye this horse of the wounded knight whom +Turquine but just now was carrying to his prisons, and send that knight on +to deliver all the prisoners." + +So Sir Lancelot went to the knight and prayed him for the loan of his +horse. + +"Fair lord," said he, "ye are right welcome, for to-day ye have saved both +me and my horse; and I see that ye are the best knight in all the world, +for in my sight have ye slain the mightiest man and the best knight, +except thyself, I ever saw." + +"Sir," said Sir Lancelot, "I thank thee well; and now go into yonder +castle, where thou shall find many noble knights of the Round Table, for I +have seen their shields hung on the trees around. On yonder tree alone +there are Sir Key's, Sir Brandel's, Sir Marhaus', Sir Galind's, and Sir +Aliduke's, and many more; and also my two kinsmen's shields, Sir Ector de +Maris' and Sir Lionel's. And I pray you greet them all from me, Sir +Lancelot of the Lake, and tell them that I bid them help themselves to any +treasures they can find within the castle; and that I pray my brethren, +Lionel and Ector, to go to King Arthur's court and stay there till I come. +And by the high feast at Pentecost I must be there; but now I must ride +forth with this damsel to fulfil my promise." + +So, as they went, the damsel told him, "Sir, we are now near the place +where the foul knight haunteth, who robbeth and distresseth all ladies and +gentlewomen travelling past this way, against whom I have sought thy aid." + +Then they arranged that she should ride on foremost, and Sir Lancelot +should follow under cover of the trees by the roadside, and if he saw her +come to any mishap, he should ride forth and deal with him that troubled +her. And as the damsel rode on at a soft ambling pace, a knight and page +burst forth from the roadside and forced the damsel from her horse, till +she cried out for help. + +Then came Sir Lancelot rushing through the wood as fast as he might fly, +and all the branches of the trees crackled and waved around him. "O thou +false knight and traitor to all knighthood!" shouted he, "who taught thee +to distress fair ladies thus?" + +The foul knight answered nothing, but drew out his sword and rode at Sir +Lancelot, who threw his spear away and drew his own sword likewise, and +struck him such a mighty blow as clave his head down to the throat. "Now +hast thou the wages thou long hast earned!" said he; and so departed from +the damsel. + +Then for two days he rode in a great forest, and had but scanty food and +lodging, and on the third day he rode over a long bridge, when suddenly +there started up a passing foul churl, and smote his horse across the +nose, so that he started and turned back, rearing with pain. "Why ridest +thou over here without my leave?" said he. + +"Why should I not?" said Sir Lancelot; "there is no other way to ride." + +"Thou shalt not pass by here," cried out the churl, and dashed at him with +a great club full of iron spikes, till Sir Lancelot was fain to draw his +sword and smite him dead upon the earth. + +At the end of the bridge was a fair village, and all the people came and +cried, "Ah, sir! a worse deed for thyself thou never didst, for thou hast +slain the chief porter of the castle yonder!" But he let them talk as they +pleased, and rode straight forward to the castle. + +There he alighted, and tied his horse to a ring in the wall; and going in, +he saw a wide green court, and thought it seemed a noble place to fight +in. And as he looked about, he saw many people watching him from doors and +windows, making signs of warning, and saying, "Fair knight, thou art +unhappy." In the next moment came upon him two great giants, well armed +save their heads, and with two horrible clubs in their hands. Then he put +his shield before him, and with it warded off one giant's stroke, and +clove the other with his sword from the head downward to the chest. When +the first giant saw that, he ran away mad with fear; but Sir Lancelot ran +after him, and smote him through the shoulder, and shore him down his +back, so that he fell dead. + +Then he walked onward to the castle hall, and saw a band of sixty ladies +and young damsels coming forth, who knelt to him, and thanked him for +their freedom. "For, sir," said they, "the most of us have been prisoners +here these seven years; and have been kept at all manner of work to earn +our meat, though we be all great gentlewomen born. Blessed be the time +that thou wast born, for never did a knight a deed of greater worship than +thou hast this day, and thereto will we all bear witness in all times and +places! Tell us, therefore, noble knight, thy name and court, that we may +tell them to our friends!" And when they heard it, they all cried aloud, +"Well may it be so, for we knew that no knight save thou shouldst ever +overcome those giants; and many a long day have we sighed for thee; for +the giants feared no other name among all knights but thine." + +Then he told them to take the treasures of the castle as a reward for +their grievances, and to return to their homes, and so rode away into many +strange and wild countries. And at last, after many days, by chance he +came, near the night time, to a fair mansion, wherein he found an old +gentlewoman, who gave him and his horse good cheer. And when bed time was +come, his host brought him to a chamber over a gate, and there he unarmed, +and went to bed and fell asleep. + +But soon thereafter came one riding in great haste, and knocking +vehemently at the gate below, which when Sir Lancelot heard, he rose and +looked out of the window, and, by the moonlight, saw three knights come +riding fiercely after one man, and lashing on him all at once with their +swords, while the one knight nobly fought all. + +Then Sir Lancelot quickly armed himself, and getting through the window, +let himself down by a sheet into the midst of them, crying out, "Turn ye +on me, ye cowards, and leave fighting with that knight!" Then they all +left Sir Key, for the first knight was he, and began to fall upon Sir +Lancelot furiously. And when Sir Key would have come forward to assist +him, Sir Lancelot refused, and cried, "Leave me alone to deal with them." +And presently, with six great strokes, he felled them all. + +Then they cried out, "Sir knight, we yield us unto thee, as to a man of +might!" + +"I will not take your yielding!" said he; "yield ye to Sir Key, the +seneschal, or I will have your lives." + +"Fair knight," said they, "excuse us in that thing, for we have chased Sir +Key thus far, and should have overcome him but for thee." + +"Well," said Sir Lancelot, "do as ye will, for ye may live or die; but, if +ye live, ye shall be holden to Sir Key." + +Then they yielded to him; and Sir Lancelot commanded them to go unto King +Arthur's court at the next Pentecost, and say, Sir Key had sent them +prisoners to Queen Guinevere. And this they sware to do upon their swords. + +Then Sir Lancelot knocked at the gate with his sword-hilt till his hostess +came and let him in again, and Sir Key also. And when the light came, Sir +Key knew Sir Lancelot, and knelt and thanked him for his courtesy, and +gentleness, and kindness. "Sir," said he, "I have done no more than what I +ought to do, and ye are welcome; therefore let us now take rest." + +So when Sir Key had supped, they went to sleep, and Sir Lancelot and he +slept in the same bed. On the morrow, Sir Lancelot rose early, and took +Sir Key's shield and armour and set forth. When Sir Key arose, he found +Sir Lancelot's armour by his bedside, and his own arms gone. "Now, by my +faith," thought he, "I know that he will grieve some knights of our king's +court; for those who meet him will be bold to joust with him, mistaking +him for me, while I, dressed in his shield and armour, shall surely ride +in peace." + +Then Sir Lancelot, dressed in Sir Key's apparel, rode long in a great +forest, and came at last to a low country, full of rivers and fair +meadows, and saw a bridge before him, whereon were three silk tents of +divers colours, and to each tent was hung a white shield, and by each +shield stood a knight. So Sir Lancelot went by without speaking a word. +And when he had passed, the three knights said it was the proud Sir Key, +"who thinketh no knight equal to himself, although the contrary is full +often proved upon him." + +"By my faith!" said one of them, named Gaunter, "I will ride after and +attack him for all his pride, and ye shall watch my speed." + +Then, taking shield and spear, he mounted and rode after Sir Lancelot, and +cried, "Abide, proud knight, and turn, for thou shalt not pass free!" + +So Sir Lancelot turned, and each one put his spear in rest and came with +all his might against the other. And Sir Gaunter's spear brake short, but +Sir Lancelot smote him down, both horse and man. + +When the other knights saw this, they said, "Yonder is not Sir Key, but a +bigger man." + +"I dare wager my head," said Sir Gilmere, "yonder knight hath slain Sir +Key, and taken his horse and harness." + +"Be it so, or not," said Sir Reynold, the third brother; "let us now go to +our brother Gaunter's rescue; we shall have enough to do to match that +knight, for, by his stature, I believe it is Sir Lancelot or Sir +Tristram." + +Anon, they took their horses and galloped after Sir Lancelot; and Sir +Gilmere first assailed him, but was smitten down forthwith, and lay +stunned on the earth. Then said Sir Reynold, "Sir knight, thou art a +strong man, and, I believe, hast slain my two brothers, wherefore my heart +is sore against thee; yet, if I might with honour, I would avoid thee. +Nevertheless, that cannot be, so keep thyself." And so they hurtled +together with all their might, and each man shivered his spear to pieces; +and then they drew their swords and lashed out eagerly. + +And as they fought, Sir Gaunter and Sir Gilmere presently arose and +mounted once again, and came down at full tilt upon Sir Lancelot. But, +when he saw them coming, he put forth all his strength, and struck Sir +Reynold off his horse. Then, with two other strokes, he served the others +likewise. + +Anon, Sir Reynold crept along the ground, with his head all bloody, and +came towards Sir Lancelot. "It is enough," said Lancelot, "I was not far +from thee when thou wast made a knight, Sir Reynold, and know thee for a +good and valiant man, and was full loth to slay thee." + +"Grammercy for thy gentleness!" said Sir Reynold. "I and my brethren will +straightway yield to thee when we know thy name, for well we know that +thou art not Sir Key." + +"As for that," said Sir Lancelot, "be it as it may, but ye shall yield to +Queen Guinevere at the next feast of Pentecost as prisoners, and say that +Sir Key sent ye." + +Then they swore to him it should be done as he commanded. And so Sir +Lancelot passed on, and the three brethren helped each other's wounds as +best they might. + +Then rode Sir Lancelot forward into a deep forest, and came upon four +knights of King Arthur's court, under an oak tree--Sir Sagramour, Sir +Ector, Sir Gawain, and Sir Ewaine. And when they spied him, they thought +he was Sir Key. "Now by my faith," said Sir Sagramour, "I will prove Sir +Key's might!" and taking his spear he rode towards Sir Lancelot. + +But Sir Lancelot was aware of him, and, setting his spear in rest, smote +him so sorely, that horse and man fell to the earth. + +"Lo!" cried Sir Ector, "I see by the buffet that knight hath given our +fellow he is stronger than Sir Key. Now will I try what I can do against +him!" So Sir Ector took his spear, and galloped at Sir Lancelot; and Sir +Lancelot met him as he came, and smote him through shield and shoulder, so +that he fell, but his own spear was not broken. + +"By my faith," cried Sir Ewaine, "yonder is a strong knight, and must have +slain Sir Key, and taken his armour! By his strength, I see it will be +hard to match him." So saying he rode towards Sir Lancelot, who met him +halfway and struck him so fiercely, that at one blow he overthrew him +also. + +"Now," said Sir Gawain, "will I encounter him." So he took a good spear in +his hand, and guarded himself with his shield. And he and Sir Lancelot +rode against each other, with their horses at full speed, and furiously +smote each other on the middle of their shields; but Sir Gawain's spear +broke short asunder, and Sir Lancelot charged so mightily upon him, that +his horse and he both fell, and rolled upon the ground. + +"Ah," said Sir Lancelot, smiling, as he rode away from the four knights, +"heaven give joy to him who made this spear, for never held I better in my +hand." + +But the four knights said to each other, "Truly one spear hath felled us +all." + +"I dare lay my life," said Sir Gawain, "it is Sir Lancelot. I know him by +his riding." + +So they all departed for the court. + +And as Sir Lancelot rode still in the forest, he saw a black bloodhound, +running with its head towards the ground, as if it tracked a deer. And +following after it, he came to a great pool of blood. But the hound, ever +and anon looking behind, ran through a great marsh, and over a bridge, +towards an old manor house. So Sir Lancelot followed, and went into the +hall, and saw a dead knight lying there, whose wounds the hound licked. +And a lady stood behind him, weeping and wringing her hands, who cried, "O +knight! too great is the sorrow which thou hast brought me!" + +"Why say ye so?" replied Sir Lancelot; "for I never harmed this knight, +and am full sorely grieved to see thy sorrow." + +"Nay, sir," said the lady, "I see it is not thou hast slain my husband, +for he that truly did that deed is deeply wounded, and shall never more +recover." + +"What is thy husband's name?" said Sir Lancelot. + +"His name," she answered, "was Sir Gilbert--one of the best knights in all +the world; but I know not his name who hath slain him." + +"God send thee comfort," said Sir Lancelot, and departed again into the +forest. + +And as he rode, he met with a damsel who knew him, who cried out, "Well +found, my lord! I pray ye of your knighthood help my brother, who is sore +wounded and ceases not to bleed, for he fought this day with Sir Gilbert, +and slew him, but was himself well nigh slain. And there is a sorceress, +who dwelleth in a castle hard by, and she this day hath told me that my +brother's wound shall never be made whole until I find a knight to go into +the Chapel Perilous, and bring from thence a sword and the bloody cloth in +which the wounded knight was wrapped." + +"This is a marvellous thing!" said Sir Lancelot; "but what is your +brother's name?" + +"His name, sir," she replied, "is Sir Meliot de Logres." + +"He is a Fellow of the Round Table," said Sir Lancelot, "and truly will I +do my best to help him." + +"Then, sir," said she, "follow this way, and it will bring ye to the +Chapel Perilous. I will abide here till God send ye hither again; for if +ye speed not, there is no living knight who may achieve that adventure." + +So Sir Lancelot departed, and when he came to the Chapel Perilous he +alighted, and tied his horse to the gate. And as soon as he was within +the churchyard, he saw on the front of the chapel many shields of knights +whom he had known, turned upside down. Then saw he in the pathway thirty +mighty knights, taller than any men whom he had ever seen, all armed in +black armour, with their swords drawn; and they gnashed their teeth upon +him as he came. But he put his shield before him, and took his sword in +hand, ready to do battle with them. And when he would have cut his way +through them, they scattered on every side and let him pass. Then he went +into the chapel, and saw therein no light but of a dim lamp burning. Then +he was aware of a corpse in the midst of the chapel, covered with a silken +cloth, and so stooped down and cut off a piece of the cloth, whereat the +earth beneath him trembled. Then saw he a sword lying by the dead knight, +and taking it in his hand, he hied him from the chapel. As soon as he was +in the churchyard again, all the thirty knights cried out to him with +fierce voices, "Sir Lancelot! lay that sword from thee, or thou diest!" + +"Whether I live or die," said he, "ye shall fight for it ere ye take it +from me." + +With that they let him pass. + +And further on, beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, "Sir +Lancelot, leave that sword behind thee, or thou diest." + +[Illustration: Beyond the chapel, he met a fair damsel, who said, "Sir +Lancelot, leave that sword behind thee, or thou diest."] + +"I will not leave it," said Sir Lancelot, "for any asking." + +"Then, gentle knight," said the damsel, "I pray thee kiss me once." + +"Nay," said Sir Lancelot, "that God forbid!" + +"Alas!" cried she, "I have lost all my labour! but hadst thou kissed me, +thy life's days had been all done!" + +"Heaven save me from thy subtle crafts!" said Sir Lancelot; and therewith +took his horse and galloped forth. + +And when he was departed, the damsel sorrowed greatly, and died in fifteen +days. Her name was Ellawes, the sorceress. + +Then came Sir Lancelot to Sir Meliot's sister, who, when she saw him, +clapped her hands and wept for joy, and took him to the castle hard by, +where Sir Meliot was. And when Sir Lancelot saw Sir Meliot, he knew him, +though he was pale as ashes for loss of blood. And Sir Meliot, when he saw +Sir Lancelot, kneeled to him and cried aloud, "O lord, Sir Lancelot! help +me!" + +And thereupon, Sir Lancelot went to him and touched his wounds with the +sword, and wiped them with the piece of bloody cloth. And immediately he +was as whole as though he had been never wounded. Then was there great joy +between him and Sir Meliot; and his sister made Sir Lancelot good cheer. +So on the morrow, he took his leave, that he might go to King Arthur's +court, "for," said he, "it draweth nigh the feast of Pentecost, and there, +by God's grace, shall ye then find me." + +And riding through many strange countries, over marshes and valleys, he +came at length before a castle. As he passed by he heard two little bells +ringing, and looking up, he saw a falcon flying overhead, with bells tied +to her feet, and long strings dangling from them. And as the falcon flew +past an elm-tree, the strings caught in the boughs, so that she could fly +no further. + +In the meanwhile, came a lady from the castle and cried, "Oh, Sir +Lancelot! as thou art the flower of all knights in the world, help me to +get my hawk, for she hath slipped away from me, and if she be lost, my +lord my husband is so hasty, he will surely slay me!" + +"What is thy lord's name?" said Sir Lancelot. + +"His name," said she, "is Sir Phelot, a knight of the King of Northgales." + +"Fair lady," said Sir Lancelot, "since you know my name, and require me, +on my knighthood, to help you, I will do what I can to get your hawk." + +And thereupon alighting, he tied his horse to the same tree, and prayed +the lady to unarm him. So when he was unarmed, he climbed up and reached +the falcon, and threw it to the lady. + +Then suddenly came down, out of the wood, her husband, Sir Phelot, all +armed, with a drawn sword in his hand, and said, "Oh, Sir Lancelot! now +have I found thee as I would have thee!" and stood at the trunk of the +tree to slay him. + +"Ah, lady!" cried Sir Lancelot, "why have ye betrayed me?" + +"She hath done as I commanded her," said Sir Phelot, "and thine hour is +come that thou must die." + +"It were shame," said Lancelot, "for an armed to slay an unarmed man." + +"Thou hast no other favour from me," said Sir Phelot. + +"Alas!" cried Sir Lancelot, "that ever any knight should die weaponless!" +And looking overhead, he saw a great bough without leaves, and wrenched it +off the tree, and suddenly leaped down. Then Sir Phelot struck at him +eagerly, thinking to have slain him, but Sir Lancelot put aside the stroke +with the bough, and therewith smote him on the side of the head, till he +fell swooning to the ground. And tearing his sword from out his hands, he +shore his neck through from the body. Then did the lady shriek dismally, +and swooned as though she would die. But Sir Lancelot put on his armour, +and with haste took his horse and departed thence, thanking God he had +escaped that peril. + +And as he rode through a valley, among many wild ways, he saw a knight, +with a drawn sword, chasing a lady to slay her. And seeing Sir Lancelot, +she cried and prayed to him to come and rescue her. + +At that he went up, saying, "Fie on thee, knight! why wilt thou slay this +lady? Thou doest shame to thyself and all knights." + +"What hast thou to do between me and my wife?" replied the knight. "I will +slay her in spite of thee." + +"Thou shall not harm her," said Sir Lancelot, "till we have first fought +together." + +"Sir," answered the knight, "thou doest ill, for this lady hath betrayed +me." + +"He speaketh falsely," said the lady, "for he is jealous of me without +cause, as I shall answer before Heaven; but as thou art named the most +worshipful knight in the world, I pray thee of thy true knighthood to save +me, for he is without mercy." + +"Be of good cheer," said Sir Lancelot; "it shall not lie within his power +to harm thee." + +"Sir," said the knight, "I will be ruled as ye will have me." + +So Sir Lancelot rode between the knight and the lady. And when they had +ridden awhile, the knight cried out suddenly to Sir Lancelot to turn and +see what men they were who came riding after them; and while Sir Lancelot, +thinking not of treason, turned to look, the knight, with one great +stroke, smote off the lady's head. + +Then was Sir Lancelot passing wroth, and cried, "Thou traitor! Thou hast +shamed me for ever!" and, alighting from his horse, he drew his sword to +have slain him instantly; but the knight fell on the ground and clasped +Sir Lancelot's knees, and cried out for mercy. "Thou shameful knight," +answered Lancelot, "thou mayest have no mercy, for thou showedst none, +therefore arise and fight with me." + +"Nay," said the knight, "I will not rise till thou dost grant me mercy." + +"Now will I deal fairly by thee," said Sir Lancelot; "I will unarm me to +my shirt, and have my sword only in my hand, and if thou canst slay me +thou shall be quit for ever." + +"That will I never do," said the knight. + +"Then," answered Sir Lancelot, "take this lady and the head, and bear it +with thee, and swear to me upon thy sword never to rest until thou comest +to Queen Guinevere." + +"That will I do," said he. + +"Now," said Sir Lancelot, "tell me thy name." + +"It is Pedivere," answered the knight. + +"In a shameful hour wert thou born," said Sir Lancelot. + +So Sir Pedivere departed, bearing with him the dead lady and her head. And +when he came to Winchester, where the Queen was with King Arthur, he told +them all the truth; and afterwards did great and heavy penance many +years, and became an holy hermit. + +"So, two days before the Feast of Pentecost, Sir Lancelot returned to the +court, and King Arthur was full glad of his coming. And when Sir Gawain, +Sir Ewaine, Sir Sagramour, and Sir Ector, saw him in Sir Key's armour, +they knew well it was he who had smitten them all down with one spear. +Anon, came all the knights Sir Turquine had taken prisoners, and gave +worship and honour to Sir Lancelot. Then Sir Key told the King how Sir +Lancelot had rescued him when he was in near danger of his death; "and," +said Sir Key, "he made the knights yield, not to himself, but me. And by +Heaven! because Sir Lancelot took my armour and left me his, I rode in +peace, and no man would have aught to do with me." Then came the knights +who fought with Sir Lancelot at the long bridge and yielded themselves +also to Sir Key, but he said nay, he had not fought with them. "It is Sir +Lancelot," said he, "that overcame ye." Next came Sir Meliot de Logres, +and told King Arthur how Sir Lancelot had saved him from death. + +And so all Sir Lancelot's deeds and great adventures were made known; how +the four sorceress-queens had him in prison; how he was delivered by the +daughter of King Bagdemagus, and what deeds of arms he did at the +tournament between the King of North Wales and King Bagdemagus. And so, at +that festival, Sir Lancelot had the greatest name of any knight in all the +world, and by high and low was he the most honoured of all men. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +_Adventures of Sir Beaumains or Sir Gareth_ + + +Again King Arthur held the Feast of Pentecost, with all the Table Round, +and after his custom sat in the banquet hall, before beginning meat, +waiting for some adventure. Then came there to the king a squire and said, +"Lord, now may ye go to meat, for here a damsel cometh with some strange +adventure." So the king was glad, and sat down to meat. + +Anon the damsel came in and saluted him, praying him for succour. "What +wilt thou?" said the king. "Lord," answered she, "my mistress is a lady of +great renown, but is at this time besieged by a tyrant, who will not +suffer her to go out of her castle; and because here in thy court the +knights are called the noblest in the world, I come to pray thee for thy +succour. "Where dwelleth your lady?" answered the king. "What is her name, +and who is he that hath besieged her?" "For her name," replied the damsel, +"as yet I may not tell it; but she is a lady of worship and great lands. +The tyrant that besiegeth her and wasteth her lands is called the Red +Knight of the Redlands." "I know him not," said Arthur. "But I know him, +lord," said Sir Gawain, "and he is one of the most perilous knights in all +the world. Men say he hath the strength of seven; and from him I myself +once hardly escaped with life." "Fair damsel," said the king, "there be +here many knights that would gladly do their uttermost to rescue your +lady, but unless ye tell me her name, and where she dwelleth, none of my +knights shall go with you by my leave." + +Now, there was a stripling at the court called Beaumains, who served in +the king's kitchen, a fair youth and of great stature. Twelve months +before this time he had come to the king as he sat at meat, at +Whitsuntide, and prayed three gifts of him. And being asked what gifts, he +answered, "As for the first gift I will ask it now, but the other two +gifts I will ask on this day twelve months, wheresoever ye hold your high +feast." Then said King Arthur, "What is thy first request?" "This, lord," +said he, "that thou wilt give me meat and drink enough for twelve months +from this time, and then will I ask my other two gifts." And the king +seeing that he was a goodly youth, and deeming that he was come of +honourable blood, had granted his desire, and given him into the charge of +Sir Key, the steward. But Sir Key scorned and mocked the youth, calling +him Beaumains, because his hands were large and fair, and putting him into +the kitchen, where he had served for twelve months as a scullion, and, in +spite of all his churlish treatment, had faithfully obeyed Sir Key. But +Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain were angered when they saw Sir Key so churlish +to a youth that had so worshipful a bearing, and ofttimes had they given +him gold and clothing. + +And now at this time came young Beaumains to the king, while the damsel +was there, and said, "Lord, now I thank thee well and heartily that I have +been twelve months kept in thy kitchen, and have had full sustenance. Now +will I ask my two remaining gifts." "Ask," said King Arthur, "on my good +faith." "These, lord," said he, "shall be my two gifts--the one, that thou +wilt grant me this adventure of the damsel, for to me of right it +belongeth; and the other, that thou wilt bid Sir Lancelot make me a +knight, for of him only will I have that honour; and I pray that he may +ride after me and make me a knight when I require him." "Be it as thou +wilt," replied the king. But thereupon the damsel was full wroth, and +said, "Shall I have a kitchen page for this adventure?" and so she took +horse and departed. + +Then came one to Beaumains, and told him that a dwarf with a horse and +armour were waiting for him. And all men marvelled whence these things +came. But when he was on horseback and armed, scarce any one at the court +was a goodlier man than he. And coming into the hall, he took his leave of +the king and Sir Gawain, and prayed Sir Lancelot to follow him. So he rode +after the damsel, and many of the court went out to see him, so richly +arrayed and horsed; yet he had neither shield nor spear. Then Sir Key +cried, "I also will ride after the kitchen boy, and see whether he will +obey me now." And taking his horse, he rode after him, and said, "Know ye +not me, Beaumains?" "Yea," said he, "I know thee for an ungentle knight, +therefore beware of me." Then Sir Key put his spear in rest and ran at +him, but Beaumains rushed upon him with his sword in his hand, and +therewith, putting aside the spear, struck Sir Key so sorely in the side, +that he fell down, as if dead. Then he alighted, and took his shield and +spear, and bade his dwarf ride upon Sir Key's horse. + +By this time, Sir Lancelot had come up, and Beaumains offering to tilt +with him, they both made ready. And their horses came together so fiercely +that both fell to the earth, full sorely bruised. Then they arose, and +Beaumains, putting up his shield before him, offered to fight Sir +Lancelot, on foot. So they rushed upon each other, striking, and +thrusting, and parrying, for the space of an hour. And Lancelot marvelled +at the strength of Beaumains, for he fought more like a giant than a man, +and his fighting was passing fierce and terrible. So, at the last, he +said, "Fight not so sorely, Beaumains; our quarrel is not such that we may +not now cease." "True," answered Beaumains; "yet it doth me good to feel +thy might, though I have not yet proved my uttermost." "By my faith," said +Lancelot, "I had as much as I could do to save myself from you unshamed, +therefore be in no doubt of any earthly knight." "May I, then, stand as a +proved knight?" said Beaumains. "For that will I be thy warrant," answered +Lancelot. "Then, I pray thee," said he, "give me the order of knighthood." +"First, then, must thou tell me of thy name and kindred," said Sir +Lancelot. "If thou wilt tell them to no other, I will tell thee," answered +he. "My name is Gareth of Orkney, and I am own brother to Sir Gawain." +"Ah!" said Sir Lancelot, "at that am I full glad; for, truly, I deemed +thee to be of gentle blood." So then he knighted Beaumains, and, after +that, they parted company, and Sir Lancelot, returning to the court, took +up Sir Key on his shield. And hardly did Sir Key escape with his life, +from the wound Beaumains had given him; but all men blamed him for his +ungentle treatment of so brave a knight. + +Then Sir Beaumains rode forward, and soon overtook the damsel; but she +said to him, in scorn, "Return again, base kitchen page! What art thou, +but a washer-up of dishes!" "Damsel," said he, "say to me what thou wilt, +I will not leave thee; for I have undertaken to King Arthur to relieve thy +adventure, and I will finish it to the end, or die." "Thou finish my +adventure!" said she--"anon, thou shalt meet one, whose face thou wilt not +even dare to look at." "I shall attempt it," answered he. So, as they rode +thus, into a wood, there met them a man, fleeing, as for his life. +"Whither fleest thou?" said Sir Beaumains. "O lord!" he answered, "help +me; for, in a valley hard by, there are six thieves, who have taken my +lord, and bound him, and I fear will slay him." "Bring me thither," said +Sir Beaumains. So they rode to the place, and Sir Beaumains rushed after +the thieves, and smote one, at the first stroke, so that he died; and +then, with two other blows, slew a second and third. Then fled the other +three, and Sir Beaumains rode after them, and overtook and slew them all. +Then he returned and unbound the knight. And the knight thanked him, and +prayed him to ride to his castle, where he would reward him. "Sir," +answered Sir Beaumains, "I will have no reward of thee, for but this day +was I made knight by the most noble Sir Lancelot; and besides, I must go +with this damsel." Then the knight begged the damsel to rest that night at +his castle. So they all rode thither, and ever the damsel scoffed at Sir +Beaumains as a kitchen boy, and laughed at him before the knight their +host, so that he set his meat before him at a lower table, as though he +were not of their company. + +And on the morrow, the damsel and Sir Beaumains took their leave of the +knight, and thanking him departed. Then they rode on their way till they +came to a great forest, through which flowed a river, and there was but +one passage over it, whereat stood two knights armed to hinder the way. +"Wilt thou match those two knights," said the damsel to Sir Beaumains, "or +return again?" "I would not return," said he, "though they were six." +Therewith he galloped into the water, and swam his horse into the middle +of the stream. And there, in the river, one of the knights met him, and +they brake their spears together, and then drew their swords, and smote +fiercely at each other. And at the last, Sir Beaumains struck the other +mightily upon the helm, so that he fell down stunned into the water, and +was drowned. Then Sir Beaumains spurred his horse on to the land, where +instantly the other knight fell on him. And they also brake their spears +upon each other, and then drew their swords, and fought savagely and long +together. And after many blows, Sir Beaumains clove through the knight's +skull down to the shoulders. Then rode Sir Beaumains to the damsel, but +ever she still scoffed at him, and said, "Alas! that a kitchen page should +chance to slay two such brave knights! Thou deemest now that thou hast +done a mighty deed, but it is not so; for the first knight's horse +stumbled, and thus was he drowned--not by thy strength; and as for the +second knight, thou wentest by chance behind him, and didst kill him +shamefully." "Damsel," said Sir Beaumains, "say what ye list, I care not +so I may win your lady; and wouldst thou give me but fair language, all +my care were past; for whatsoever knights I meet, I fear them not." "Thou +shalt see knights that shall abate thy boast, base kitchen knave," replied +she; "yet say I this for thine advantage, for if thou followest me thou +wilt be surely slain, since I see all thou doest is but by chance, and not +by thy own prowess." "Well damsel," said he, "say what ye will, wherever +ye go I will follow." + +So they rode on until the eventide, and still the damsel evermore kept +chiding Sir Beaumains. Then came they to a black space of land, whereon +was a black hawthorn tree, and on the tree there hung a black banner, and +on the other side was a black shield and spear, and by them a great black +horse, covered with silk; and hard by sat a knight armed in black armour, +whose name was the Knight of the Blacklands. When the damsel saw him, she +cried out to Beaumains, "Flee down the valley, for thy horse is not +saddled!" "Wilt thou for ever deem me coward?" answered he. With that came +the Black Knight to the damsel, and said, "Fair damsel, hast thou brought +this knight from Arthur's court to be thy champion?" "Not so, fair +knight," said she; "he is but a kitchen knave." "Then wherefore cometh he +in such array?" said he; "it is a shame that he should bear thee company." +"I cannot be delivered from him," answered she: "for in spite of me he +rideth with me; and would to Heaven you would put him from me, or now slay +him, for he hath slain two knights at the river passage yonder, and done +many marvellous deeds through pure mischance." "I marvel," said the Black +Knight, "that any man of worship will fight with him." "They know him +not," said the damsel, "and think, because he rideth with me, that he is +well born." "Truly, he hath a goodly person, and is likely to be a strong +man," replied the knight; "but since he is no man of worship, he shall +leave his horse and armour with me, for it were a shame for me to do him +more harm." + +When Sir Beaumains heard him speak thus, he said, "Horse or armour gettest +thou none of me, Sir knight, save thou winnest them with thy hands; +therefore defend thyself, and let me see what thou canst do." "How sayest +thou?" answered the Black Knight. "Now quit this lady also, for it +beseemeth not a kitchen knave like thee to ride with such a lady." "I am +of higher lineage than thou," said Sir Beaumains, "and will straightway +prove it on thy body." Then furiously they drove their horses at each +other, and came together as it had been thunder. But the Black Knight's +spear brake short, and Sir Beaumains thrust him through the side, and his +spear breaking at the head, left its point sticking fast in the Black +Knight's body. Yet did the Black Knight draw his sword, and smite at Sir +Beaumains with many fierce and bitter blows; but after they had fought an +hour and more, he fell down from his horse in a swoon, and forthwith died. +Then Sir Beaumains lighted down and armed himself in the Black Knight's +armour, and rode on after the damsel. But notwithstanding all his valour, +still she scoffed at him, and said, "Away! for thou savourest ever of the +kitchen. Alas! that such a knave should by mishap destroy so good a +knight; yet once again I counsel thee to flee, for hard by is a knight who +shall repay thee!" "It may chance that I am beaten or slain," answered Sir +Beaumains, "but I warn thee, fair damsel, that I will not flee away, nor +leave thy company or my quest, for all that ye can say." + +Anon, as they rode, they saw a knight come swiftly towards them, dressed +all in green, who, calling to the damsel said, "Is that my brother, the +Black Knight, that ye have brought with you?" "Nay, and alas!" said she, +"this kitchen knave hath slain thy brother through mischance." "Alas!" +said the Green Knight, "that such a noble knight as he was should be slain +by a knave's hand. Traitor!" cried he to Sir Beaumains, "thou shalt die +for this! Sir Pereard was my brother, and a full noble knight." "I defy +thee," said Sir Beaumains, "for I slew him knightly and not shamefully." +Then the Green Knight rode to a thorn whereon hung a green horn, and, when +he blew three notes, there came three damsels forth, who quickly armed +him, and brought him a great horse and a green shield and spear. Then did +they run at one another with their fullest might, and break their spears +asunder; and, drawing their swords, they closed in fight, and sorely smote +and wounded each other with many grievous blows. + +At last, Sir Beaumains' horse jostled against the Green Knight's horse, +and overthrew him. Then both alighted, and, hurtling together like mad +lions, fought a great while on foot. But the damsel cheered the Green +Knight, and said, "My lord, why wilt thou let a kitchen knave so long +stand up against thee?" Hearing these words, he was ashamed, and gave Sir +Beaumains such a mighty stroke as clave his shield asunder. When Sir +Beaumains heard the damsel's words, and felt that blow, he waxed passing +wroth, and gave the Green Knight such a buffet on the helm that he fell on +his knees, and with another blow Sir Beaumains threw him on the ground. +Then the Green Knight yielded, and prayed him to spare his life. "All thy +prayers are vain," said he, "unless this damsel who came with me pray for +thee." "That will I never do, base kitchen knave," said she. "Then shall +he die," said Beaumains. "Alas! fair lady," said the Green Knight, "suffer +me not to die for a word! O, Sir knight," cried he to Beaumains, "give me +my life, and I will ever do thee homage; and thirty knights, who owe me +service, shall give allegiance to thee." "All availeth not," answered Sir +Beaumains, "unless the damsel ask me for thy life;" and thereupon he made +as though he would have slain him. Then cried the damsel, "Slay him not; +for if thou do thou shalt repent it." "Damsel," said Sir Beaumains, "at +thy command, he shall obtain his life. Arise, Sir knight of the green +armour, I release thee!" Then the Green Knight knelt at his feet, and did +him homage with his words. "Lodge with me this night," said he, "and +to-morrow will I guide ye through the forest." So, taking their horses, +they rode to his castle, which was hard by. + +Yet still did the damsel rebuke and scoff at Sir Beaumains, and would not +suffer him to sit at her table. "I marvel," said the Green Knight to her, +"that ye thus chide so noble a knight, for truly I know none to match him; +and be sure, that whatsoever he appeareth now, he will prove, at the end, +of noble blood and royal lineage." But of all this would the damsel take +no heed, and ceased not to mock at Sir Beaumains. On the morrow, they +arose and heard mass; and when they had broken their fast, took their +horses and rode on their way, the Green Knight conveying them through the +forest. Then, when he had led them for a while, he said to Sir Beaumains, +"My lord, my thirty knights and I shall always be at thy command +whensoever thou shalt send for us." "It is well said," replied he; "and +when I call upon you, you shall yield yourself and all your knights unto +King Arthur." "That will we gladly do," said the Green Knight, and so +departed. + +And the damsel rode on before Sir Beaumains, and said to him, "Why dost +thou follow me, thou kitchen boy? I counsel thee to throw aside thy spear +and shield, and flee betimes, for wert thou as mighty as Sir Lancelot or +Sir Tristram, thou shouldest not pass a valley near this place, called the +Pass Perilous." "Damsel," answered he, "let him that feareth flee; as for +me, it were indeed a shameful thing to turn after so long a journey." As +he spake, they came upon a tower as white as snow, with mighty +battlements, and double moats round it, and over the tower-gate hung fifty +shields of divers colours. Before the tower walls, they saw a fair meadow, +wherein were many knights and squires in pavilions, for on the morrow +there was a tournament at that castle. + +Then the lord of the castle, seeing a knight armed at all points, with a +damsel and a page, riding towards the tower, came forth to meet them; and +his horse and harness, with his shield and spear, were all of a red +colour. When he came near Sir Beaumains, and saw his armour all of black, +he thought him his own brother, the Black Knight, and so cried aloud, +"Brother! what do ye here, within these borders?" "Nay!" said the damsel, +"it is not thy brother, but a kitchen knave of Arthur's court, who hath +slain thy brother, and overcome thy other brother also, the Green Knight." +"Now do I defy thee!" cried the Red Knight to Sir Beaumains, and put his +spear in rest and spurred his horse. Then both knights turned back a +little space, and ran together with all their might, till their horses +fell to the earth. Then, with their swords, they fought fiercely for the +space of three hours. And at last, Sir Beaumains overcame his foe, and +smote him to the ground. Then the Red Knight prayed his mercy, and said, +"Slay me not, noble knight, and I will yield to thee with sixty knights +that do my bidding." "All avails not," answered Sir Beaumains, "save this +damsel pray me to release thee." Then did he lift his sword to slay him; +but the damsel cried aloud, "Slay him not, Beaumains, for he is a noble +knight." Then Sir Beaumains bade him rise up and thank the damsel, which +straightway he did, and afterwards invited them to his castle, and made +them goodly cheer. + +But notwithstanding all Sir Beaumains' mighty deeds, the damsel ceased not +to revile and chide him, at which the Red Knight marvelled much; and +caused his sixty knights to watch Sir Beaumains, that no villainy might +happen to him. And on the morrow, they heard mass and broke their fast, +and the Red Knight came before Sir Beaumains, with his sixty knights, and +proffered him homage and fealty. "I thank thee," answered he; "and when I +call upon thee thou shalt come before my lord King Arthur at his court, +and yield yourselves to him." "That will we surely do," said the Red +Knight. So Sir Beaumains and the damsel departed. + +And as she constantly reviled him and tormented him, he said to her, +"Damsel, ye are discourteous thus always to rebuke me, for I have done you +service; and for all your threats of knights that shall destroy me, all +they who come lie in the dust before me. Now, therefore, I pray you +rebuke me no more till you see me beaten or a recreant, and then bid me go +from you." "There shall soon meet thee a knight who shall repay thee all +thy deeds, thou boaster," answered she, "for, save King Arthur, he is the +man of most worship in the world." "It will be the greater honour to +encounter him," said Sir Beaumains. + +Soon after, they saw before them a city passing fair, and between them and +the city was a meadow newly mown, wherein were many goodly tents. "Seest +thou yonder blue pavilion?" said the damsel to Sir Beaumains; "it is Sir +Perseant's, the lord of that great city, whose custom is, in all fair +weather, to lie in this meadow, and joust with his knights." + +And as she spake, Sir Perseant, who had espied them coming, sent a +messenger to meet Sir Beaumains, and to ask him if he came in war or +peace. "Say to thy lord," he answered, "that I care not whether of the +twain it be." So when the messenger gave this reply, Sir Perseant came out +to fight with Sir Beaumains. And making ready, they rode their steeds +against each other; and when their spears were shivered asunder, they +fought with their swords. And for more than two hours did they hack and +hew at each other, till their shields and hauberks were all dinted with +many blows, and they themselves were sorely wounded. And at the last, Sir +Beaumains smote Sir Perseant on the helm, so that he fell grovelling on +the earth. And when he unlaced his helm to slay him, the damsel prayed for +his life. "That will I grant gladly," answered Sir Beaumains, "for it were +pity such a noble knight should die." "Grammercy!" said Sir Perseant, +"for now I certainly know that it was thou who slewest my brother, the +Black Knight, Sir Pereard; and overcame my brothers, the Green Knight, Sir +Pertolope, and the Red Knight, Sir Perimones; and since thou hast overcome +me also, I will do thee homage and fealty, and place at thy command one +hundred knights to do thy bidding." + +But when the damsel saw Sir Perseant overthrown, she marvelled greatly at +the might of Sir Beaumains, and said, "What manner of man may ye be, for +now am I sure that ye be come of noble blood? And truly, never did woman +revile knight as I have done thee, and yet ye have ever courteously borne +with me, which surely never had been were ye not of gentle blood and +lineage." + +"Lady," replied Sir Beaumains, "a knight is little worth who may not bear +with a damsel; and so whatsoever ye said to me I took no heed, save only +that at times when your scorn angered me, it made me all the stronger +against those with whom I fought, and thus have ye furthered me in my +battles. But whether I be born of gentle blood or no, I have done you +gentle service, and peradventure will do better still, ere I depart from +you." + +[Illustration: "Lady," replied Sir Beaumains, "a knight is little worth +who may not bear with a damsel."] + +"Alas!" said she, weeping at his courtesy, "forgive me, fair Sir +Beaumains, all that I have missaid and misdone against you." "With all my +heart," said he; "and since you now speak fairly to me, I am passing glad +of heart, and methinks I have the strength to overcome whatever knights I +shall henceforth encounter." + +Then Sir Perseant prayed them to come to his pavilion, and set before them +wines and spices, and made them great cheer. So they rested that night; +and on the morrow, the damsel and Sir Beaumains rose, and heard mass. And +when they had broken their fast, they took their leave of Sir Perseant. +"Fair damsel," said he "whither lead ye this knight?" "Sir," answered she, +"to the Castle Dangerous, where my sister is besieged by the Knight of the +Redlands." "I know him well," said Sir Perseant, "for the most perilous +knight alive--a man without mercy, and with the strength of seven men. God +save thee, Sir Beaumains, from him! and enable thee to overcome him, for +the Lady Lyones, whom he besiegeth, is as fair a lady as there liveth in +this world." "Thou sayest truth, sir," said the damsel; "for I am her +sister; and men call me Linet, or the Wild Maiden." "Now, I would have +thee know," said Sir Perseant to Sir Beaumains, "that the Knight of the +Redlands hath kept that siege more than two years, and prolongeth the time +hoping that Sir Lancelot, or Sir Tristram, or Sir Lamoracke, may come and +battle with him; for these three knights divide between them all +knighthood; and thou if thou mayest match the Knight of the Redlands, +shall well be called the fourth knight of the world." "Sir," said Sir +Beaumains, "I would fain have that good fame; and truly, I am come of +great and honourable lineage. And so that you and this fair damsel will +conceal it, I will tell ye my descent." And when they swore to keep it +secret, he told them, "My name is Sir Gareth of Orkney, my father was King +Lot, and my mother the Lady Belisent, King Arthur's sister. Sir Gawain, +Sir Agravain, and Sir Gaheris, are my brethren, and I am the youngest of +them all. But, as yet King Arthur and the court know me not, who I am." +When he had thus told them, they both wondered greatly. + +And the damsel Linet sent the dwarf forward to her sister, to tell her of +their coming. Then did Dame Lyones inquire what manner of man the knight +was who was coming to her rescue. And the dwarf told her of all Sir +Beaumains' deeds by the way: how he had overthrown Sir Key, and left him +for dead; how he had battled with Sir Lancelot, and was knighted of him; +how he had fought with, and slain, the thieves; how he had overcome the +two knights who kept the river passage; how he had fought with, and slain, +the Black Knight; and how he had overcome the Green Knight, the Red +Knight, and last of all, the Blue Knight, Sir Perseant. Then was Dame +Lyones passing glad, and sent the dwarf back to Sir Beaumains with great +gifts, thanking him for his courtesy, in taking such a labour on him for +her sake, and praying him to be of good heart and courage. And as the +dwarf returned, he met the Knight of the Redlands, who asked him whence he +came. "I came here with the sister of my lady of the castle," said the +dwarf, "who hath been now to King Arthur's court and brought a knight with +her to take her battle on him." "Then is her travail lost," replied the +knight; "for, though she had brought Sir Lancelot, Sir Tristram, Sir +Lamoracke, or Sir Gawain, I count myself their equal, and who besides +shall be so called?" Then the dwarf told the knight what deeds Sir +Beaumains had done; but he answered, "I care not for him, whosoever he be, +for I shall shortly overcome him, and give him shameful death, as to so +many others I have done." + +Then the damsel Linet and Sir Beaumains left Sir Perseant, and rode on +through a forest to a large plain, where they saw many pavilions, and hard +by, a castle passing fair. + +But as they came near Sir Beaumains saw upon the branches of some trees +which grew there, the dead bodies of forty knights hanging, with rich +armour on them, their shields and swords about their necks, and golden +spurs upon their heels. "What meaneth this?" said he, amazed. "Lose not +thy courage, fair sir," replied the damsel, "at this shameful sight, for +all these knights came hither to rescue my sister; and when the Knight of +the Redlands had overcome them, he put them to this piteous death, without +mercy; and in such wise will he treat thee also unless thou bearest thee +more valiantly than they." "Truly he useth shameful customs," said Sir +Beaumains; "and it is a marvel that he hath endured so long." + +So they rode onward to the castle walls, and found them double-moated, and +heard the sea waves dashing on one side the walls. Then said the damsel, +"See you that ivory horn hanging upon the sycamore-tree? The Knight of the +Redlands hath hung it there, that any knight may blow thereon, and then +will he himself come out and fight with him. But I pray thee sound it not +till high noontide, for now it is but daybreak, and till noon his strength +increases to the might of seven men." "Let that be as it may, fair +damsel," answered he, "for were he stronger knight than ever lived, I +would not fail him. Either will I defeat him at his mightiest, or die +knightly in the field." With that he spurred his horse unto the sycamore, +and blew the ivory horn so eagerly, that all the castle rang its echoes. +Instantly, all the knights who were in the pavilions ran forth, and those +within the castle looked out from the windows, or above the walls. And the +Knight of the Redlands, arming himself quickly in blood-red armour, with +spear, and shield, and horse's trappings of like colour, rode forth into a +little valley by the castle walls, so that all in the castle, and at the +siege, might see the battle. + +"Be of good cheer," said the damsel Linet to Sir Beaumains, "for thy +deadly enemy now cometh; and at yonder window is my lady and sister, Dame +Lyones." "In good sooth," said Sir Beaumains, "she is the fairest lady I +have ever seen, and I would wish no better quarrel than to fight for her." +With that, he looked up to the window, and saw the Lady Lyones, who waved +her handkerchief to her sister and to him to cheer them. Then called the +Knight of the Redlands to Sir Beaumains, "Leave now thy gazing, Sir +knight, and turn to me, for I warn thee that lady is mine." "She loveth +none of thy fellowship," he answered; "but know this, that I love her, and +will rescue her from thee, or die." "Say ye so!" said the Red Knight. +"Take ye no warning from those knights that hang on yonder trees?" "For +shame that thou so boastest!" said Sir Beaumains. "Be sure that sight hath +raised a hatred for thee that will not lightly be put out, and given me +not fear, but rage." "Sir knight, defend thyself," said the Knight of the +Redlands, "for we will talk no longer." + +Then did they put their spears in rest, and came together at the fullest +speed of their horses, and smote each other in the midst of their shields, +so that their horses' harness sundered by the shock, and they fell to the +ground. And both lay there so long time, stunned, that many deemed their +necks were broken. And all men said the strange knight was a strong man, +and a noble jouster, for none had ever yet so matched the Knight of the +Redlands. Then, in a while, they rose, and putting up their shields before +them, drew their swords, and fought with fury, running at each other like +wild beasts--now striking such buffets that both reeled backwards, now +hewing at each other till they shore the harness off in pieces, and left +their bodies naked and unarmed. And thus they fought till noon was past, +when, for a time they rested to get breath, so sorely staggering and +bleeding, that many who beheld them wept for pity. Then they renewed the +battle--sometimes rushing so furiously together, that both fell to the +ground, and anon changing swords in their confusion. Thus they endured, +and lashed, and struggled, until eventide, and none who saw knew which was +the likeliest to win; for though the Knight of the Redlands was a wily and +subtle warrior, his subtlety made Sir Beaumains wilier and wiser too. So +once again they rested for a little space, and took their helms off to +find breath. + +But when Sir Beaumains' helm was off, he looked up to Dame Lyones, where +she leaned, gazing and weeping, from her window. And when he saw the +sweetness of her smiling, all his heart was light and joyful, and starting +up, he bade the Knight of the Redlands make ready. Then did they lace +their helms and fight together yet afresh, as though they had never fought +before. And at the last, the Knight of the Redlands with a sudden stroke +smote Sir Beaumains on the hand, so that his sword fell from it, and with +a second stroke upon the helm he drove him to the earth. Then cried aloud +the damsel Linet, "Alas! Sir Beaumains, see how my sister weepeth to +behold thee fallen!" And when Sir Beaumains heard her words, he sprang +upon his feet with strength, and leaping to his sword, he caught it; and +with many heavy blows pressed so sorely on the Knight of the Redlands, +that in the end he smote his sword from out his hand, and, with a mighty +blow upon the head, hurled him upon the ground. + +Then Sir Beaumains unlaced his helm, and would have straightway slain him, +but the Knight of the Redlands yielded, and prayed for mercy. "I may not +spare thee," answered he, "because of the shameful death which thou hast +given to so many noble knights." "Yet hold thy hand, Sir knight," said he, +"and hear the cause. I loved once a fair damsel, whose brother was slain, +as she told me, by a knight of Arthur's court, either Sir Lancelot, or Sir +Gawain; and she prayed me, as I truly loved her, and by the faith of my +knighthood, to labour daily in deeds of arms, till I should meet with him; +and to put all knights of the Round Table whom I should overcome to a +villainous death. And this I swore to her." Then prayed the earls, and +knights, and barons, who stood round Sir Beaumains, to spare the Red +Knight's life. "Truly," replied he, "I am loth to slay him, +notwithstanding he hath done such shameful deeds. And inasmuch as what he +did was done to please his lady and to gain her love, I blame him less, +and for your sakes I will release him. But on this agreement only shall he +hold his life--that straightway he depart into the castle, and yield him +to the lady there, and make her such amends as she shall ask, for all the +trespass he hath done upon her lands; and afterwards, that he shall go +unto King Arthur's court, and ask the pardon of Sir Lancelot and Sir +Gawain for all the evil he hath done against them." "All this, Sir knight, +I swear to do," said the Knight of the Redlands; and therewith he did him +homage and fealty. + +Then came the damsel Linet to Sir Beaumains and the Knight of the +Redlands, and disarmed them, and staunched their wounds. And when the +Knight of the Redlands had made amends for all his trespasses, he departed +for the court. + +Then Sir Beaumains, being healed of his wounds, armed himself, and took +his horse and spear and rode straight to the castle of Dame Lyones, for +greatly he desired to see her. But when he came to the gate they closed it +fast, and pulled the drawbridge up. And as he marvelled thereat, he saw +the Lady Lyones standing at a window, who said, "Go thy way as yet, Sir +Beaumains, for thou shalt not wholly have my love until thou be among the +worthiest knights of all the world. Go, therefore, and labour yet in arms +for twelve months more, and then return to me." "Alas! fair lady," said +Sir Beaumains, "I have scarce deserved this of thee, for sure I am that I +have bought thy love with all the best blood in my body." "Be not +aggrieved, fair knight," said she, "for none of thy service is forgot or +lost. Twelve months will soon be passed in noble deeds; and trust that to +my death I shall love thee and not another." With that she turned and left +the window. + +So Sir Beaumains rode away from the castle very sorrowrul at heart, and +rode he knew not whither, and lay that night in a poor man's cottage. On +the morrow he went forward, and came at noon to a broad lake, and thereby +he alighted, being very sad and weary, and rested his head upon his +shield, and told his dwarf to keep watch while he slept. + +Now, as soon as he had departed, the Lady Lyones repented, and greatly +longed to see him back, and asked her sister many times of what lineage he +was; but the damsel would not tell her, being bound by her oath to Sir +Beaumains, and said his dwarf best knew, So she called Sir Gringamors, +her brother, who dwelt with her, and prayed him to ride after Sir +Beaumains till he found him sleeping, and then to take his dwarf away and +bring him back to her. Anon Sir Gringamors departed, and rode till he came +to Sir Beaumains, and found him as he lay sleeping by the water-side. Then +stepping stealthily behind the dwarf he caught him in his arms and rode +off in haste. And though the dwarf cried loudly to his lord for help, and +woke Sir Beaumains, yet, though he rode full quickly after him, he could +not overtake Sir Gringamors. + +When Dame Lyones saw her brother come back, she was passing glad of heart, +and forthwith asked the dwarf his master's lineage. "He is a king's son," +said the dwarf, "and his mother is King Arthur's sister. His name is Sir +Gareth of Orkney, and he is brother to the good knight, Sir Gawain. But I +pray you suffer me to go back to my lord, for truly he will never leave +this country till he have me again." But when the Lady Lyones knew her +deliverer was come of such a kingly stock, she longed more than ever to +see him again. + +Now as Sir Beaumains rode in vain to rescue his dwarf, he came to a fair +green road and met a poor man of the country, and asked him had he seen a +knight on a black horse, riding with a dwarf of a sad countenance behind +him. "Yea," said the man, "I met with such a knight an hour agone, and his +name is Sir Gringamors. He liveth at a castle two miles from hence; but he +is a perilous knight, and I counsel ye not to follow him save ye bear him +goodwill." Then Sir Beaumains followed the path which the poor man showed +him, and came to the castle. And riding to the gate in great anger, he +drew his sword, and cried aloud, "Sir Gringamors, thou traitor! deliver +me my dwarf again, or by my knighthood it shall be ill for thee!" Then Sir +Gringamors looked out of a window and said, "Sir Gareth of Orkney, leave +thy boasting words, for thou wilt not get thy dwarf again." But the Lady +Lyones said to her brother, "Nay brother, but I will that he have his +dwarf, for he hath done much for me, and delivered me from the Knight of +the Redlands, and well do I love him above all other knights." So Sir +Gringamors went down to Sir Gareth and cried him mercy, and prayed him to +alight and take good cheer. + +Then he alighted, and his dwarf ran to him. And when he was in the hall +came the Lady Lyones dressed royally like a princess. And Sir Gareth was +right glad of heart when he saw her. Then she told him how she had made +her brother take away his dwarf and bring him back to her. And then she +promised him her love, and faithfully to cleave to him and none other all +the days of her life. And so they plighted their troth to each other. Then +Sir Gringamors prayed him to sojourn at the castle, which willingly he +did. "For," said he, "I have promised to quit the court for twelve months, +though sure I am that in the meanwhile I shall be sought and found by my +lord King Arthur and many others." So he sojourned long at the castle. + +Anon the knights, Sir Perseant, Sir Perimones, and Sir Pertolope, whom Sir +Gareth had overthrown, went to King Arthur's court with all the knights +who did them service, and told the king they had been conquered by a +knight of his named Beaumains. And as they yet were talking, it was told +the king there came another great lord with five hundred knights, who, +entering in, did homage, and declared himself to be the Knight of the +Redlands. "But my true name," said he, "is Ironside, and I am hither sent +by one Sir Beaumains, who conquered me, and charged me to yield unto your +grace." "Thou art welcome," said King Arthur, "for thou hast been long a +foe to me and mine, and truly I am much beholden to the knight who sent +thee. And now, Sir Ironside, if thou wilt amend thy life and hold of me, I +will entreat thee as a friend, and make thee Knight of the Round Table; +but thou mayst no more be a murderer of noble knights." Then the Knight of +the Redlands knelt to the king, and told him of his promise to Sir +Beaumains to use never more such shameful customs; and how he had so done +but at the prayer of a lady whom he loved. Then knelt he to Sir Lancelot +and Sir Gawain, and prayed their pardon for the hatred he had borne them. + +But the king and all the court marvelled greatly who Sir Beaumains was. +"For," said the king, "he is a full noble knight." Then said Sir Lancelot, +"Truly he is come of honourable blood, else had I not given him the order +of knighthood; but he charged me that I should conceal his secret." + +Now as they talked thus it was told King Arthur that his sister, the Queen +of Orkney, was come to the court with a great retinue of knights and +ladies. Then was there great rejoicing, and the king rose and saluted his +sister. And her sons, Sir Gawain, Sir Agravain, and Sir Gaheris knelt +before her and asked her blessing, for during fifteen years last past they +had not seen her. Anon she said, "Where is my youngest son, Sir Gareth? +for I know that he was here a twelvemonth with you, and that ye made a +kitchen knave of him. Then the king and all the knights knew that Sir +Beaumains and Sir Gareth were the same. "Truly," said the king, "I knew +him not." "Nor I," said Sir Gawain and both his brothers. Then said the +king, "God be thanked, fair sister, that he is proved as worshipful a +knight as any now alive, and by the grace of Heaven he shall be found +forthwith if he be anywhere within these seven realms." Then said Sir +Gawain and his brethren, "Lord, if ye will give us leave we will go seek +him." But Sir Lancelot said, "It were better that the king should send a +messenger to Dame Lyones and pray her to come hither with all speed, and +she will counsel where ye shall find him." "It is well said," replied the +king; and sent a messenger quickly unto Dame Lyones. + +When she heard the message she promised she would come forthwith, and told +Sir Gareth what the messenger had said, and asked him what to do. "I pray +you," said he, "tell them not where I am, but when my lord King Arthur +asketh for me, advise him thus--that he proclaim a tournament before this +castle on Assumption Day, and that the knight who proveth best shall win +yourself and all your lands." So the Lady Lyones departed and came to King +Arthur's court, and there was right nobly welcomed. And when they asked +her where Sir Gareth was, she said she could not tell. "But, lord," said +she, "with thy goodwill I will proclaim a tournament before my castle on +the Feast of the Assumption, whereof the prize shall be myself and all my +lands. Then if it be proclaimed that you, lord, and your knights will be +there, I will find knights on my side to fight you and yours, and thus am +I sure ye will hear tidings of Sir Gareth." "Be it so done," replied the +king. + +So Sir Gareth sent messengers privily to Sir Perseant and Sir Ironside, +and charged them to be ready on the day appointed, with their companies of +knights to aid him and his party against the king. And when they were +arrived he said, "Now be ye well assured that we shall be matched with the +best knights of the world, and therefore must we gather all the good +knights we can find." + +So proclamation was made throughout all England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, +and Cornwall, and in the out isles and other countries, that at the Feast +of the Assumption of our Lady, next coming, all knights who came to joust +at Castle Perilous should make choice whether they would side with the +king or with the castle. Then came many good knights on the side of the +castle. Sir Epinogris, the son of the King of Northumberland, and Sir +Palomedes the Saracen, and Sir Grummore Grummorsum, a good knight of +Scotland, and Sir Brian des Iles, a noble knight, and Sir Carados of the +Tower Dolorous, and Sir Tristram, who as yet was not a knight of the Round +Table, and many others. But none among them knew Sir Gareth, for he took +no more upon him than any mean person. + +And on King Arthur's side there came the King of Ireland and the King of +Scotland, the noble prince Sir Galahaut, Sir Gawain and his brothers Sir +Agravain and Sir Gaheris, Sir Ewaine, Sir Tor, Sir Perceval, and Sir +Lamoracke, Sir Lancelot also and his kindred, Sir Lionel, Sir Ector, Sir +Bors and Sir Bedivere, likewise Sir Key and the most part of the Table +Round. The two queens also, Queen Guinevere and the Queen of Orkney, Sir +Gareth's mother, came with the king. So there was a great array both +within and without the castle, with all manner of feasting and minstrelsy. + +Now before the tournament began, Sir Gareth privily prayed Dame Lyones, +Sir Gringamors, Sir Ironside, and Sir Perseant, that they would in nowise +disclose his name, nor make more of him than of any common knight. Then +said Dame Lyones, "Dear lord, I pray thee take this ring, which hath the +power to change the wearer's clothing into any colour he may will, and +guardeth him from any loss of blood. But give it me again, I pray thee, +when the tournament is done, for it greatly increaseth my beauty +whensoever I wear it." "Grammercy, mine own lady," said Sir Gareth, "I +wished for nothing better, for now I may be certainly disguised as long as +I will." Then Sir Gringamors gave Sir Gareth a bay courser that was a +passing good horse, with sure armour, and a noble sword, won by his father +from a heathen tyrant. And then every knight made him ready for the +tournament. + +So on the day of the Assumption, when mass and matins were said, the +heralds blew their trumpets and sounded for the tourney. Anon came out the +knights of the castle and the knights of King Arthur, and matched +themselves together. + +Then Sir Epinogris, son of the King of Northumberland, a knight of the +castle, encountered Sir Ewaine, and both broke off their spears short to +their hands. Then came Sir Palomedes from the castle, and met Sir Gawain, +and they so hardly smote each other, that both knights and horses fell to +the earth. Then Sir Tristram, from the castle, encountered with Sir +Bedivere, and smote him to the earth, horse and man. Then the Knight of +the Redlands and Sir Gareth met with Sir Bors and Sir Bleoberis; and the +Knight of the Redlands and Sir Bors smote together so hard that their +spears burst, and their horses fell grovelling to the ground. And Sir +Bleoberis brake his spear upon Sir Gareth, but himself was hurled upon +the ground. When Sir Galihodin saw that, he bade Sir Gareth keep him, but +Sir Gareth lightly smote him to the earth. Then Sir Galihud got a spear to +avenge his brother, but was served in like manner. And Sir Dinadam, and +his brother La-cote-male-taile, and Sir Sagramour le Desirous, and Dodinas +le Savage, he bore down all with one spear. + +When King Anguish of Ireland saw this, he marvelled what that knight could +be who seemed at one time green and at another blue; for so at every +course he changed his colour that none might know him. Then he ran towards +him and encountered him, and Sir Gareth smote the king from his horse, +saddle and all. And in like manner he served the King of Scotland, and +King Urience of Gore, and King Bagdemagus. + +Then Sir Galahaut, the noble prince, cried out, "Knight of the many +colours! thou hast jousted well; now make thee ready to joust with me." +When Sir Gareth heard him, he took a great spear and met him swiftly. And +the prince's spear broke off, but Sir Gareth smote him on the left side of +the helm, so that he reeled here and there, and had fallen down had not +his men recovered him. "By my faith," said King Arthur, "that knight of +the many colours is a good knight. I pray thee, Sir Lancelot du Lake, +encounter with him." "Lord," said Sir Lancelot, "by thy leave I will +forbear. I find it in my heart to spare him at this time, for he hath done +enough work for one day; and when a good knight doth so well it is no +knightly part to hinder him from this honour. And peradventure his quarrel +is here to-day, and he may be the best beloved of the Lady Lyones of all +that be here; for I see well he paineth and forceth himself to do great +deeds. Therefore, as for me, this day he shall have the honour; for +though I were able to put him from it, I would not." "You speak well and +truly," said the king. + +Then after the tilting, they drew swords, and there began a great +tournament, and there Sir Lancelot did marvellous deeds of arms, for first +he fought with both Sir Tristram and Sir Carados, albeit they were the +most perilous in all the world. Then came Sir Gareth and put them asunder, +but would not smite a stroke against Sir Lancelot, for by him he had been +knighted. Anon Sir Gareth's helm had need of mending, and he rode aside to +see to it and to drink water, for he was sore athirst with all his mighty +feats of strength. And while he drank, his dwarf said to him, "Give me +your ring, lest ye lose it while ye drink." So Sir Gareth took it off. And +when he had finished drinking, he rode back eagerly to the field, and in +his haste forgot to take the ring again. Then all the people saw that he +wore yellow armour. And King Arthur told a herald, "Ride and espy the +cognizance of that brave knight, for I have asked many who he is, and none +can tell me." + +Then the herald rode near, and saw written round about his helmet in +letters of gold, "Sir Gareth of Orkney." And instantly the herald cried +his name aloud, and all men pressed to see him. + +But when he saw he was discovered, he pushed with haste through all the +crowd, and cried to his dwarf, Boy, thou hast beguiled me foully in +keeping my ring; give it me again, that I may be hidden." And as soon as +he had put it on, his armour changed again, and no man knew where he had +gone. Then he passed forth from the field; but Sir Gawain, his brother, +rode after him. + +And when Sir Gareth had ridden far into the forest, he took off his ring, +and sent it back by the dwarf to the Lady Lyones, praying her to be true +and faithful to him while he was away. + +Then rode Sir Gareth long through the forest, till night fell, and coming +to a castle he went up to the gate, and prayed the porter to let him in. +But churlishly he answered "that he should not lodge there." Then said Sir +Gareth, "Tell thy lord and lady that I am a knight of King Arthur's court, +and for his sake I pray their shelter." With that the porter went to the +duchess who owned the castle. "Let him in straightway," cried she; "for +the king's sake he shall not be harbourless!" and went down to receive +him. When Sir Gareth saw her coming, he saluted her, and said, "Fair lady, +I pray you give me shelter for this night, and if there be here any +champion or giant with whom I must needs fight, spare me till to-morrow, +when I and my horse shall have rested, for we are full weary." "Sir +knight," she said, "thou speakest boldly; for the lord of this castle is a +foe to King Arthur and his court, and if thou wilt rest here to-night thou +must agree, that wheresoever thou mayest meet my lord, thou must yield to +him as a prisoner." "What is thy lord's name, lady?" said Sir Gareth. "The +Duke de la Rowse," said she. "I will promise thee," said he, "to yield to +him, if he promise to do me no harm; but if he refuse, I will release +myself with my sword and spear." + +"It is well," said the duchess; and commanded the drawbridge to be let +down. So he rode into the hall and alighted. And when he had taken off his +armour, the duchess and her ladies made him passing good cheer. And after +supper his bed was made in the hall, and there he rested that night. On +the morrow he rose and heard mass, and having broken his fast, took his +leave and departed. + +[Illustration: So he rode into the hall and alighted.] + +And as he rode past a certain mountain there met him a knight named Sir +Bendelaine, and cried unto him "Thou shalt not pass unless thou joust with +me or be my prisoner!" "Then will we joust," replied Sir Gareth. So they +let their horses run at full speed, and Sir Gareth smote Sir Bendelaine +through his body so sorely that he scarcely reached his castle ere he fell +dead. And as Sir Gareth presently came by the castle, Sir Bendelaine's +knights and servants rode out to revenge their lord. And twenty of them +fell on him at once, although his spear was broken. But drawing his sword +he put his shield before him. And though they brake their spears upon him, +one and all, and sorely pressed on him, yet ever he defended himself like +a noble knight. Anon, finding they could not overcome him, they agreed to +slay his horse; and having killed it with their spears, they set upon Sir +Gareth as he fought on foot. But every one he struck he slew, and drave at +them with fearful blows, till he had slain them all but four, who fled. +Then taking the horse of one of those that lay there dead, he rode upon +his way. + +Anon he came to another castle and heard from within a sound as of many +women moaning and weeping. Then said he to a page who stood without, "What +noise is this I hear?" "Sir knight," said he, "there be within thirty +ladies, the widows of thirty knights who have been slain by the lord of +this castle. He is called the Brown Knight without pity, and is the most +perilous knight living, wherefore I warn thee to flee." "That will I never +do," said Sir Gareth, "for I fear him not." Then the page saw the Brown +Knight coming and said to Gareth, "Lo! my lord is near." + +So both knights made them ready and galloped their horses towards each +other, and the Brown Knight brake his spear upon Sir Gareth's shield; but +Sir Gareth smote him through the body so that he fell dead. At that he +rode into the castle and told the ladies he had slain their foe. Then were +they right glad of heart and made him all the cheer they could, and +thanked him out of measure. But on the morrow as he went to mass he found +the ladies weeping in the chapel upon divers tombs that were there. And he +knew that in those tombs their husbands lay. Then he bade them be +comforted, and with noble and high words he desired and prayed them all to +be at Arthur's court on the next Feast of Pentecost. + +So he departed and rode past a mountain where was a goodly knight waiting, +who said to him, "Abide, Sir knight, and joust with me!" "How are ye +named?" said Sir Gareth. "I am the Duke de la Rowse," answered he. "In +good sooth," then said Sir Gareth, "not long ago I lodged within your +castle, and there promised I would yield to you whenever we might meet." +"Art thou that proud knight," said the duke, "who was ready to fight with +me? Guard thyself therefore and make ready." So they ran together, and Sir +Gareth smote the duke from his horse. Then they alighted and drew their +swords, and fought full sorely for the space of an hour; and at the last +Sir Gareth smote the duke to the earth and would have slain him, but he +yielded. "Then must ye go," said Sir Gareth, "to my lord King Arthur at +the next Feast of Pentecost and say that I, Sir Gareth, sent ye." "As ye +will be it," said the duke; and gave him up his shield for pledge. + +And as Sir Gareth rode alone he saw an armed knight coming towards him. +And putting the duke's shield before him he rode fast to tilt with him; +and so they ran together as it had been thunder, and brake their spears +upon each other. Then fought they fiercely with their swords and lashed +together with such mighty strokes that blood ran to the ground on every +side. And after they had fought together for two hours and more, it +chanced the damsel Linet passed that way; and when she saw them she cried +out, "Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth, leave your fighting, for ye are +brethren!" At that they threw away their shields and swords, and took each +other in their arms and wept a great while ere they could speak. And each +gave to the other the honour of the battle, and there was many a kind word +between them. Then said Sir Gawain, "O my brother, for your sake have I +had great sorrow and labour! But truly I would honour you though ye were +not my brother, for ye have done great worship to King Arthur and his +court, and sent more knights to him than any of the Table Round, except +Sir Lancelot." + +Then the damsel Linet staunched their wounds, and their horses being weary +she rode her palfrey to King Arthur and told him of this strange +adventure. When she had told her tidings, the king himself mounted his +horse and bade all come with him to meet them. So a great company of lords +and ladies went forth to meet the brothers. And when King Arthur saw them +he would have spoken hearty words, but for gladness he could not. And both +Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth fell down at their uncle's knees and did him +homage, and there was passing great joy and gladness among them all. + +Then said the king to the damsel Linet, "Why cometh not the Lady Lyones to +visit her knight, Sir Gareth, who hath had such travail for her love?" +"She knoweth not, my lord, that he is here," replied the damsel, "for +truly she desireth greatly to see him." "Go ye and bring her hither," +said the king. So the damsel rode to tell her sister where Sir Gareth was, +and when she heard it she rejoiced full heartily and came with all the +speed she could. And when Sir Gareth saw her, there was great joy and +comfort between them. + +Then the king asked Sir Gareth whether he would have that lady for his +wife? "My lord," replied Sir Gareth, "know well that I love her above all +ladies living." "Now, fair lady," said King Arthur, "what say ye?" "Most +noble king," she answered, "my lord, Sir Gareth, is my first love and +shall be my last, and if I may not have him for my husband I will have +none." Then said the king to them, "Be well assured that for my crown I +would not be the cause of parting your two hearts." + +Then was high preparation made for the marriage, for the king desired it +should be at the Michaelmas next following, at Kinkenadon-by-the-Sea. + +So Sir Gareth sent out messages to all the knights whom he had overcome in +battle that they should be there upon his marriage-day. + +Therefore, at the next Michaelmas, came a goodly company to +Kinkenadon-by-the-Sea. And there did the Archbishop of Canterbury marry +Sir Gareth and the Lady Lyones with all solemnity. And all the knights +whom Sir Gareth had overcome were at the feast; and every manner of revels +and games was held with music and minstrelsy. And there was a great +jousting for three days. But because of his bride the king would not +suffer Sir Gareth to joust. Then did King Arthur give great lands and +fair, with store of gold, to Sir Gareth and his wife, that so they might +live royally together to their lives' end. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +_The Adventures of Sir Tristram of Lyonesse_ + + +Again King Arthur held high festival at Caerleon, at Pentecost, and +gathered round him all the fellowship of the Round Table, and so, +according to his custom, sat and waited till some adventure should arise, +or some knight return to court whose deeds and perils might be told. + +Anon he saw Sir Lancelot and a crowd of knights coming through the doors +and leading in their midst the mighty knight, Sir Tristram. As soon as +King Arthur saw him, he rose up and went through half the hall, and held +out both his hands and cried, "Right welcome to thee, good Sir Tristram, +as welcome art thou as any knight that ever came before into this court. A +long time have I wished for thee amongst my fellowship." Then all the +knights and barons rose up with one accord and came around, and cried out, +"Welcome." Queen Guinevere came also, and many ladies with her, and all +with one voice said the same. + +Then the king took Sir Tristram by the hand and led him to the Round Table +and said, "Welcome again for one of the best and gentlest knights in all +the world; a chief in war, a chief in peace, a chief in field and forest, +a chief in the ladies' chamber--right heartily welcome to this court, and +mayest thou long abide in it." + +When he had so said he looked at every empty seat until he came to what +had been Sir Marhaus', and there he found written in gold letters, "This +is the seat of the noble knight, Sir Tristram." Whereat they made him, +with great cheer and gladness, a Fellow of the Round Table. + +Now the story of Sir Tristram was as follows:-- + +There was a king of Lyonesse, named Meliodas, married to the sister of +King Mark of Cornwall, a right fair lady and a good. And so it happened +that King Meliodas hunting in the woods was taken by enchantment and made +prisoner in a castle. When his wife Elizabeth heard it she was nigh mad +with grief, and ran into the forest to seek out her lord. But after many +days of wandering and sorrow she found no trace of him, and laid her down +in a deep valley and prayed to meet her death. And so indeed she did, but +ere she died she gave birth in the midst of all her sorrow to a child, a +boy, and called him with her latest breath Tristram; for she said, "His +name shall show how sadly he hath come into this world." + +Therewith she gave up her ghost, and the gentlewoman who was with her took +the child and wrapped it from the cold as well as she was able, and lay +down with it in her arms beneath the shadow of a tree hard by, expecting +death to come to her in turn. + +But shortly after came a company of lords and barons seeking for the +queen, and found the lady and the child and took them home. And on the +next day came King Meliodas, whom Merlin had delivered, and when he heard +of the queen's death his sorrow was greater than tongue can tell. And anon +he buried her solemnly and nobly, and called the child Tristram as she had +desired. + +Then for seven years King Meliodas mourned and took no comfort, and all +that time young Tristram was well nourished; but in a while he wedded with +the daughter of Howell, King of Brittany, who, that her own children might +enjoy the kingdom, cast about in her mind how she might destroy Tristram. +So on a certain day she put poison in a silver cup, where Tristram and her +children were together playing, that when he was athirst he might drink of +it and die. But so it happened that her own son saw the cup, and, thinking +it must hold good drink, he climbed and took it, and drank deeply of it, +and suddenly thereafter burst and fell down dead. + +When the queen heard that, her grief was very great, but her anger and +envy were fiercer than before, and soon again she put more poison in the +cup. And by chance one day her husband finding it when thirsty, took it up +and was about to drink therefrom, when, seeing him, she sprang up with a +mighty cry and dashed it from his hands. + +At that King Meliodas, wondering greatly, called to mind the sudden death +of his young child, and taking her fiercely by the hand he cried: + +"Traitress, tell me what drink is in this cup or I will slay thee in a +moment;" and therewith pulling out his sword he swore by a great oath to +slay her if she straightway told him not the truth. + +"Ah, mercy, lord," said she, and fell down at his feet; "mercy, and I will +tell thee all." + +And then she told him of her plot to murder Tristram, that her own sons +might enjoy the kingdom. + +"The law shall judge thee," said the king. + +And so anon she was tried before the barons, and condemned to be burnt to +death. + +But when the fire was made, and she brought out, came Tristram kneeling at +his father's feet and besought of him a favour. + +"Whatsoever thou desirest I will give thee," said the king. + +"Give me the life, then, of the queen, my stepmother," said he. + +"Thou doest wrong to ask it," said Meliodas; "for she would have slain +thee with her poisons if she could, and chiefly for thy sake she ought to +die." + +"Sir," said he, "as for that, I beseech thee of thy mercy to forgive it +her, and for my part may God pardon her as I do; and so I pray thee grant +me my boon, and for God's sake hold thee to thy promise." + +"If it must be so," said the king, "take thou her life, for to thee I give +it, and go and do with her as thou wilt." + +Then went young Tristram to the fire and loosed the queen from all her +bonds and delivered her from death. + +And after a great while by his good means the king again forgave and lived +in peace with her, though never more in the same lodgings. + +Anon was Tristram sent abroad to France in care of one named Governale. +And there for seven years he learned the language of the land, and all +knightly exercises and gentle crafts, and especially was he foremost in +music and in hunting, and was a harper beyond all others. And when at +nineteen years of age he came back to his father, he was as lusty and +strong of body and as noble of heart as ever man was seen. + +Now shortly after his return it befell that King Anguish of Ireland sent +to King Mark of Cornwall for the tribute due to Ireland, but which was now +seven years behindhand. To whom King Mark sent answer, if he would have it +he must send and fight for it, and they would find a champion to fight +against it. + +So King Anguish called for Sir Marhaus, his wife's brother, a good knight +of the Round Table, who lived then at his court, and sent him with a +knightly retinue in six great ships to Cornwall. And, casting anchor by +the castle of Tintagil, he sent up daily to King Mark for the tribute or +the champion. But no knight there would venture to assail him, for his +fame was very high in all the realm for strength and hardihood. + +Then made King Mark a proclamation throughout Cornwall, that if any knight +would fight Sir Marhaus he should stand at the king's right hand for +evermore, and have great honour and riches all the rest of his days. Anon +this news came to the land of Lyonesse, and when young Tristram heard it +he was angry and ashamed to think no knight of Cornwall durst assail the +Irish champion. "Alas," said he, "that I am not a knight, that I might +match this Marhaus! I pray you give me leave, sir, to depart to King +Mark's court and beg of his grace to make me knight." + +"Be ruled by thy own courage," said his father. + +So Tristram rode away forthwith to Tintagil to King Mark, and went up +boldly to him and said, "Sir, give me the order of knighthood and I will +fight to the uttermost with Sir Marhaus of Ireland." + +"What are ye, and whence come ye?" said the king, seeing he was but a +young man, though strong and well made both in body and limb. + +"My name is Tristram," said he, "and I was born in the country of +Lyonesse." + +"But know ye," said the king, "this Irish knight will fight with none who +be not come of royal blood and near of kin to kings or queens, as he +himself is, for his sister is the Queen of Ireland." + +Then said Tristram, "Let him know that I am come both on my father's and +my mother's side of blood as good as his, for my father is King Meliodas +and my mother was that Queen Elizabeth, thy sister, who died in the forest +at my birth." + +When King Mark heard that he welcomed him with all his heart, and knighted +him forthwith, and made him ready to go forth as soon as he would choose, +and armed him royally in armour covered with gold and silver. + +Then he sent Sir Marhaus word, "That a better man than he should fight +with him, Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, son of King Meliodas and of King +Mark's own sister." So the battle was ordained to be fought in an island +near Sir Marhaus' ships, and there Sir Tristram landed on the morrow, with +Governale alone attending him for squire, and him he sent back to the land +when he had made himself ready. + +When Sir Marhaus and Sir Tristram were thus left alone, Sir Marhaus said, +"Young knight Sir Tristram what doest thou here? I am full sorry for thy +rashness, for ofttimes have I been assailed in vain, and by the best +knights of the world. Be warned in time, return to them that sent thee." + +"Fair knight, and well-proved knight," replied Sir Tristram, "be sure that +I shall never quit this quarrel till one of us be overcome. For this cause +have I been made knight, and thou shalt know before we part that though as +yet unproved, I am a king's son and first-born of a queen. Moreover I have +promised to deliver Cornwall from this ancient burden, or to die. Also, +thou shouldst have known, Sir Marhaus, that thy valour and thy might are +but the better reasons why I should assail thee; for whether I win or lose +I shall gain honour to have met so great a knight as thou art." + +Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest against each +other, so that both knights and horses fell to the earth. But Sir Marhaus' +spear smote Sir Tristram a great wound in the side. Then, springing up +from their horses, they lashed together with their swords like two wild +boars. And when they had stricken together a great while they left off +strokes and lunged at one another's breasts and visors; but seeing this +availed not they hurtled together again to bear each other down. + +[Illustration: Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest +against each other.] + +Thus fought they more than half the day, till both were sorely spent and +blood ran from them to the ground on every side. But by this time Sir +Tristram remained fresher than Sir Marhaus and better winded, and with a +mighty stroke he smote him such a buffet as cut through his helm into his +brain-pan, and there his sword stuck in so fast that thrice Sir Tristram +pulled ere he could get it from his head. Then fell Sir Marhaus down upon +his knees, and the edge of Sir Tristram's sword broke off into his +brain-pan. And suddenly when he seemed dead, Sir Marhaus rose and threw +his sword and shield away from him and ran and fled into his ship. And +Tristram cried out after him, "Aha! Sir knight of the Round Table, dost +thou withdraw thee from so young a knight? it is a shame to thee and all +thy kin; I would rather have been hewn into a hundred pieces than have +fled from thee." + +But Sir Marhaus answered nothing, and sorely groaning fled away. + +"Farewell, Sir knight, farewell," laughed Tristram, whose own voice now +was hoarse and faint with loss of blood; "I have thy sword and shield in +my safe keeping, and will wear them in all places where I ride on my +adventures, and before King Arthur and the Table Round." + +Then was Sir Marhaus taken back to Ireland by his company; and as soon as +he arrived his wounds were searched, and when they searched his head they +found therein a piece of Tristram's sword; but all the skill of surgeons +was in vain to move it out. So anon Sir Marhaus died. + +But the queen, his sister, took the piece of sword-blade and put it safely +by, for she thought that some day it might help her to revenge her +brother's death. + +Meanwhile, Sir Tristram, being sorely wounded, sat down softly on a little +mound and bled passing fast; and in that evil case was found anon by +Governale and King Mark's knights. Then they gently took him up and +brought him in a barge back to the land, and lifted him into a bed within +the castle, and had his wounds dressed carefully. + +But for a great while he lay sorely sick, and was likely to have died of +the first stroke Sir Marhaus had given him with the spear, for the point +of it was poisoned. And, though the wisest surgeons and leeches--both men +and women--came from every part, yet could he be by no means cured. At +last came a wise lady, and said plainly that Sir Tristram never should be +healed, until he went and stayed in that same country whence the poison +came. When this was understood, the king sent Sir Tristram in a fair and +goodly ship to Ireland, and by fortune he arrived fast by a castle where +the king and queen were. And as the ship was being anchored, he sat upon +his bed and harped a merry lay, and made so sweet a music as was never +equalled. + +When the king heard that the sweet harper was a wounded knight, he sent +for him, and asked his name. "I am of the country of Lyonesse," he +answered, "and my name is Tramtrist;" for he dared not tell his true name +lest the vengeance of the queen should fall upon him for her brother's +death. + +"Well," said King Anguish, "thou art right welcome here, and shalt have +all the help this land can give thee; but be not anxious if I am at times +cast down and sad, for but lately in Cornwall the best knight in the +world, fighting for my cause, was slain; his name was Sir Marhaus, a +knight of King Arthur's Round Table." And then he told Sir Tristram all +the story of Sir Marhaus' battle, and Sir Tristram made pretence of great +surprise and sorrow, though he knew all far better than the king himself. + +Then was he put in charge of the king's daughter, La Belle Isault, to be +healed of his wound, and she was as fair and noble a lady as men's eyes +might see. And so marvellously was she skilled in medicine, that in a few +days she fully cured him; and in return Sir Tristram taught her the harp; +so, before long, they two began to love each other greatly. + +But at that time a heathen knight, Sir Palomedes, was in Ireland, and much +cherished by the king and queen. He also loved mightily La Belle Isault, +and never wearied of making her great gifts, and seeking for her favour, +and was ready even to be christened for her sake. Sir Tristram therefore +hated him out of measure, and Sir Palomedes was full of rage and envy +against Tristram. + +And so it befell that King Anguish proclaimed a great tournament to be +held, the prize whereof should be a lady called the Lady of the Launds, of +near kindred to the king: and her the winner of the tournament should wed +in three days afterwards, and possess all her lands. When La Belle Isault +told Sir Tristram of this tournament, he said, "Fair lady! I am yet a +feeble knight, and but for thee had been a dead man now: what wouldest +thou I should do? Thou knowest well I may not joust." + +"Ah, Tristram," said she, "why wilt thou not fight in this tournament? Sir +Palomedes will be there, and will do his mightiest; and therefore be thou +there, I pray thee, or else he will be winner of the prize." + +"Madam," said Tristram, "I will go, and for thy sake will do my best; but +let me go unknown to all men; and do thou, I pray thee, keep my counsel, +and help me to a disguise." + +So on the day of jousting came Sir Palomedes, with a black shield, and +overthrew many knights. And all the people wondered at his prowess; for on +the first day he put to the worse Sir Gawain, Sir Gaheris, Sir Agravaine, +Sir Key, and many more from far and near. And on the morrow he was +conqueror again, and overthrew the king with a hundred knights and the +King of Scotland. But presently Sir Tristram rode up to the lists, having +been let out at a privy postern of the castle, where none could see. La +Belle Isault had dressed him in white armour and given him a white horse +and shield, and so he came suddenly into the field as it had been a bright +angel. + +As soon as Sir Palomedes saw him he ran at him with a great spear in rest, +but Sir Tristram was ready, and at the first encounter hurled him to the +ground. Then there arose a great cry that the knight with the black shield +was overthrown. And Palomedes sorely hurt and shamed, sought out a secret +way and would have left the field; but Tristram watched him, and rode +after him, and bade him stay, for he had not yet done with him. Then did +Sir Palomedes turn with fury, and lash at Sir Tristram with his sword; but +at the first stroke Sir Tristram smote him to the earth, and cried, "Do +now all my commands, or take thy death." Then he yielded to Sir Tristram's +mercy, and promised to forsake La Belle Isault, and for twelve months to +wear no arms or armour. And rising up, he cut his armour off him into +shreds with rage and madness, and turned and left the field: and Sir +Tristram also left the lists, and rode back to the castle through the +postern gate. + +Then was Sir Tristram long cherished by the King and Queen of Ireland, and +ever with La Belle Isault. But on a certain day, while he was bathing, +came the queen with La Belle Isault by chance into his chamber, and saw +his sword lie naked on the bed: anon she drew it from the scabbard and +looked at it a long while, and both thought it a passing fair sword; but +within a foot and a half of the end there was a great piece broken out, +and while the queen was looking at the gap, she suddenly remembered the +piece of sword-blade that was found in the brain-pan of her brother Sir +Marhaus. + +Therewith she turned and cried, "By my faith, this is the felon knight who +slew thy uncle!" And running to her chamber she sought in her casket for +the piece of iron from Sir Marhaus' head and brought it back, and fitted +it in Tristram's sword; and surely did it fit therein as closely as it had +been but yesterday broke out. + +[Illustration: And running to her chamber, she sought in her casket for +the piece of iron ... and fitted it in Tristram's sword.] + +Then the queen caught the sword up fiercely in her hand, and ran into the +room where Sir Tristram was yet in his bath, and making straight for him, +had run him through the body, had not his squire, Sir Hebes, got her in +his arms, and pulled the sword away from her. + +Then ran she to the king, and fell upon her knees before him, saying, +"Lord and husband, thou hast here in thy house that felon knight who slew +my brother Marhaus!" + +"Who is it?" said the king. + +"It is Sir Tristram!" said she, "whom Isault hath healed." + +"Alas!" replied the king, "I am full grieved thereat, for he is a good +knight as ever I have seen in any field; but I charge thee leave thou him, +and let me deal with him." + +Then the king went to Sir Tristram's chamber and found him all armed and +ready to mount his horse, and said to him, "Sir Tristram, it is not to +prove me against thee I come, for it were shameful of thy host to seek thy +life. Depart in peace, but tell me first thy name, and whether thou +slewest my brother, Sir Marhaus." + +Then Sir Tristram told him all the truth, and how he had hid his name, to +be unknown in Ireland; and when he had ended, the king declared he held +him in no blame. "Howbeit, I cannot for mine honour's sake retain thee at +this court, for so I should displease my barons, and my wife, and all her +kin." + +"Sir," said Sir Tristram, "I thank thee for the goodness thou hast shown +me here, and for the great goodness my lady, thy daughter, hath shown me; +and it may chance to be more for thy advantage if I live than if I die; +for wheresoever I may be, I shall ever seek thy service, and shall be my +lady thy daughter's servant in all places, and her knight in right and +wrong, and shall never fail to do for her as much as knight can do." + +Then Sir Tristram went to La Belle Isault, and took his leave of her. "O +gentle knight," said she, "full of grief am I at your departing, for never +yet I saw a man to love so well." + +"Madam," said he, "I promise faithfully that all my life I shall be your +knight." + +Then Sir Tristram gave her a ring, and she gave him another, and after +that he left her, weeping and lamenting, and went among the barons, and +openly took his leave of them all, saying, "Fair lords, it so befalleth +that I now must depart hence; therefore, if there be any here whom I have +offended or who is grieved with me, let him now say it, and before I go I +will amend it to the utmost of my power. And if there be but one who +would speak shame of me behind my back, let him say it now or never, and +here is my body to prove it on--body against body." + +And all stood still and said no word, though some there were of the +queen's kindred who would have assailed him had they dared. + +So Sir Tristram departed from Ireland and took the sea and came with a +fair wind to Tintagil. And when the news came to King Mark that Sir +Tristram was returned, healed of his wound, he was passing glad, and so +were all his barons. And when he had visited the king his uncle, he rode +to his father, King Meliodas, and there had all the heartiest welcome that +could be made him. And both the king and queen gave largely to him of +their lands and goods. + +Anon he came again to King Mark's court, and there lived in great joy and +pleasure, till within a while the king grew jealous of his fame, and of +the love and favour shown him by all damsels. And as long as King Mark +lived, he never after loved Sir Tristram, though there was much fair +speech between them. + +Then it befell upon a certain day that the good knight Sir Bleoberis de +Ganis, brother to Sir Blamor de Ganis, and nigh cousin to Sir Lancelot of +the Lake, came to King Mark's court and asked of him a favour. And though +the king marvelled, seeing he was a man of great renown, and a knight of +the Round Table, he granted him all his asking. Then said Sir Bleoberis, +"I will have the fairest lady in your court, at my own choosing." + +"I may not say thee nay," replied the king; "choose therefore, but take +all the issues of thy choice." + +So when he had looked around, he chose the wife of Earl Segwarides, and +took her by the hand, and set her upon horseback behind his squire, and +rode forth on his way. + +Presently thereafter came in the earl, and rode out straightway after him +in rage. But all the ladies cried out shame upon Sir Tristram that he had +not gone, and one rebuked him foully and called him coward knight, that he +would stand and see a lady forced away from his uncle's court. But Sir +Tristram answered her, "Fair lady, it is not my place to take part in this +quarrel while her lord and husband is here to do it. Had he not been at +this court, peradventure I had been her champion. And if it so befall that +he speed ill, then may it happen that I speak with that foul knight before +he pass out of this realm." + +Anon ran in one of Sir Segwarides' squires, and told that his master was +sore wounded, and at the point of death. When Sir Tristram heard that, he +was soon armed and on his horse, and Governale, his servant, followed him +with shield and spear. + +And as he rode, he met his cousin Sir Andret, who had been commanded by +King Mark to bring home to him two knights of King Arthur's court who +roamed the country thereabouts seeking adventures. + +"What tidings?" said Sir Tristram. + +"God help me, never worse," replied his cousin; "for those I went to bring +have beaten and defeated me, and set my message at naught." + +"Fair cousin," said Sir Tristram, "ride ye on your way, perchance if I +should meet them ye may be revenged." + +So Sir Andret rode into Cornwall, but Sir Tristram rode after the two +knights who had misused him, namely, Sir Sagramour le Desirous, and Sir +Dodinas le Savage. And before long he saw them but a little way before +him. + +"Sir," said Governale, "by my advice thou wilt leave them alone, for they +be two well-proved knights of Arthur's court." + +"Shall I not therefore rather meet them?" said Sir Tristram, and, riding +swiftly after them, he called to them to stop, and asked them whence they +came, and whither they were going, and what they were doing in those +marches. + +Sir Sagramour looked haughtily at Sir Tristram, and made mocking of his +words, and said, "Fair knight, be ye a knight of Cornwall?" + +"Wherefore askest thou that?" said Tristram. + +"Truly, because it is full seldom seen," replied Sir Sagramour, "that +Cornish knights are valiant with their arms as with their tongues. It is +but two hours since there met us such a Cornish knight, who spoke great +words with might and prowess, but anon, with little mastery, he was laid +on earth, as I trow wilt thou be also." + +"Fair lords," said Sir Tristram, "it may chance I be a better man than he; +but, be that as it may, he was my cousin, and for his sake I will assail +ye both; one Cornish knight against ye two." + +When Sir Dodinas le Savage heard this speech, he caught at his spear and +said, "Sir knight, keep well thyself;" and then they parted and came +together as it had been thunder, and Sir Dodinas' spear split asunder; but +Sir Tristram smote him with so full a stroke as hurled him over his +horse's crupper, and nearly brake his neck. Sir Sagramour, seeing his +fellow's fall, marvelled who this new knight might be, and dressed his +spear, and came against Sir Tristram as a whirlwind; but Sir Tristram +smote him a mighty buffet, and rolled him with his horse down on the +ground; and in the falling he brake his thigh. + +Then, looking at them both as they lay grovelling on the grass, Sir +Tristram said, "Fair knights, will ye joust any more? Are there no bigger +knights in King Arthur's court? Will ye soon again speak shame of Cornish +knights?" + +"Thou hast defeated us, in truth," replied Sir Sagramour, "and on the +faith of knighthood I require thee tell us thy right name?" + +"Ye charge me by a great thing," said Sir Tristram, "and I will answer +ye." + +And when they heard his name the two knights were right glad that they had +met Sir Tristram, for his deeds were known through all the land, and they +prayed him to abide in their company. + +"Nay," said he, "I must find a fellow-knight of yours, Sir Bleoberis de +Ganis, whom I seek." + +"God speed you well," said the two knights; and Sir Tristram rode away. + +Soon he saw before him in a valley Sir Bleoberis with Sir Segwarides' wife +riding behind his squire upon a palfrey. At that he cried out aloud, +"Abide, Sir knight of King Arthur's court, bring back again that lady or +deliver her to me." + +"I will not," said Bleoberis, "for I dread no Cornish knight." + +"Why," said Sir Tristram, "may not a Cornish knight do well as any other? +This day, but three miles back, two knights of thy own court met me, and +found one Cornish knight enough for both before we parted." + +"What were their names?" said Sir Bleoberis. + +"Sir Sagramour le Desirous and Sir Dodinas le Savage," said Sir Tristram. + +"Ah," said Sir Bleoberis, amazed; "hast thou then met with them? By my +faith, they were two good knights and men of worship, and if thou hast +beat both thou must needs be a good knight; but for all that thou shalt +beat me also ere thou hast this lady." + +"Defend thee, then," cried out Sir Tristram, and came upon him swiftly +with his spear in rest. But Sir Bleoberis was as swift as he, and each +bore down the other, horse and all, on to the earth. + +Then they sprang clear of their horses, and lashed together full eagerly +and mightily with their swords, tracing and traversing on the right hand +and on the left more than two hours, and sometimes rushing together with +such fury that they both lay grovelling on the ground. At last Sir +Bleoberis started back and said, "Now, gentle knight, hold hard awhile, +and let us speak together." + +"Say on," said Sir Tristram, "and I will answer thee." + +"Sir," said Sir Bleoberis, "I would know thy name, and court, and +country." + +"I have no shame to tell them," said Sir Tristram. "I am King Meliodas' +son, and my mother was sister to King Mark, from whose court I now come. +My name is Sir Tristram de Lyonesse." "Truly," said Sir Bleoberis, "I am +right glad to hear it, for thou art he that slew Sir Marhaus hand-to-hand, +fighting for the Cornish tribute; and overcame Sir Palomedes at the great +Irish tournament, where also thou didst overthrow Sir Gawain and his nine +companions." + +"I am that knight," said Sir Tristram, "and now I pray thee tell me thy +name." + +"I am Sir Bleoberis de Ganis, cousin of Sir Lancelot of the Lake, one of +the best knights in all the world," he answered. + +"Thou sayest truth," said Sir Tristram; "for Sir Lancelot, as all men +know, is peerless in courtesy and knighthood, and for the great love I +bear to his name I will not willingly fight more with thee his kinsman." + +"In good faith, sir," said Sir Bleoberis, "I am as loth to fight thee +more; but since thou hast followed me to win this lady, I proffer thee +kindness, courtesy, and gentleness; this lady shall be free to go with +which of us she pleaseth best." + +"I am content," said Sir Tristram, "for I doubt not she will come to me." + +"That shalt thou shortly prove," said he, and called his squire, and set +the lady in the midst between them, who forthwith walked to Sir Bleoberis +and elected to abide with him. Which, when Sir Tristram saw, he was in +wondrous anger with her, and felt that he could scarce for shame return to +King Mark's court. But Sir Bleoberis said, "Hearken to me, good knight, +Sir Tristram, because King Mark gave me free choice of any gift, and +because this lady chose to go with me, I took her; but now I have +fulfilled my quest and my adventure, and for thy sake she shall be sent +back to her husband at the abbey where he lieth." + +So Sir Tristram rode back to Tintagil, and Sir Bleoberis to the abbey +where Sir Segwarides lay wounded, and there delivered up his lady, and +departed as a noble knight. + +After this adventure Sir Tristram abode still at his uncle's court, till +in the envy of his heart King Mark devised a plan to be rid of him. So on +a certain day he desired him to depart again for Ireland, and there demand +La Belle Isault on his behalf, to be his queen--for ever had Sir Tristram +praised her beauty and her goodness, till King Mark desired to wed her for +himself. Moreover, he believed his nephew surely would be slain by the +queen's kindred if he once were found again in Ireland. + +But Sir Tristram, scorning fear, made ready to depart, and took with him +the noblest knights that could be found, arrayed in the richest fashion. + +And when they were come to Ireland, upon a certain day Sir Tristram gave +his uncle's message, and King Anguish consented thereto. + +But when La Belle Isault was told the tidings she was very sorrowful and +loth--yet made she ready to set forth with Sir Tristram, and took with her +Dame Bragwaine, her chief gentlewoman. Then the queen gave Dame Bragwaine, +and Governale, Sir Tristram's servant, a little flask, and charged them +that La Belle Isault and King Mark should both drink of it on their +marriage day, and then should they surely love each other all their lives. + +Anon, Sir Tristram and Isault, with a great company, took the sea and +departed. And so it chanced that one day sitting in their cabin they were +athirst, and saw a little flask of gold which seemed to hold good wine. So +Sir Tristram took it up, and said, "Fair lady, this looketh to be the best +of wines, and your maid, Dame Bragwaine, and my servant, Governale, have +kept it for themselves." Thereat they both laughed merrily, and drank each +after other from the flask, and never before had they tasted any wine +which seemed so good and sweet. But by the time they had finished drinking +they loved each other so well that their love nevermore might leave them +for weal or woe. And thus it came to pass that though Sir Tristram might +never wed La Belle Isault, he did the mightiest deeds of arms for her sake +only all his life. + +[Illustration: By the time they had finished drinking they loved each +other so well that their love never more might leave them.] + +Then they sailed onwards till they came to a castle called Pluere, where +they would have rested. But anon there ran forth a great company and took +them prisoners. And when they were in prison, Sir Tristram asked a knight +and lady whom they found therein wherefore they were so shamefully dealt +with; "for," said he, "it was never the custom of any place of honour that +I ever came unto to seize a knight and lady asking shelter and thrust them +into prison, and a full evil and discourteous custom is it." + +"Sir," said the knight, "know ye not that this is called the Castle +Pluere, or the weeping castle, and that it is an ancient custom here that +whatsoever knight abideth in it must needs fight the lord of it, Sir +Brewnor, and he that is the weakest shall lose his head. And if the lady +he hath with him be less fair than the lord's wife, she shall lose her +head; but if she be fairer, then must the lady of the castle lose her +head." + +"Now Heaven help me," said Sir Tristram, "but this is a foul and shameful +custom. Yet have I one advantage, for my lady is the fairest that doth +live in all the world, so that I nothing fear for her; and as for me, I +will full gladly fight for my own head in a fair field." + +Then said the knight, "Look ye be up betimes to-morrow, and make you ready +and your lady." + +And on the morrow came Sir Brewnor to Sir Tristram, and put him and Isault +forth out of prison, and brought him a horse and armour, and bade him make +ready, for all the commons and estates of that lordship waited in the +field to see and judge the battle. + +Then Sir Brewnor, holding his lady by the hand, all muffled, came forth, +and Sir Tristram went to meet him with La Belle Isault beside him, muffled +also. Then said Sir Brewnor, "Sir knight, if thy lady be fairer than mine, +with thy sword smite off my lady's head; but if my lady be fairer than +thine, with my sword I will smite off thy lady's head. And if I overcome +thee thy lady shall be mine, and thou shalt lose thy head." + +"Sir knight," replied Sir Tristram, "this is a right foul and felon +custom, and rather than my lady shall lose her head will I lose my own." + +"Nay," said Sir Brewnor, "but the ladies shall be now compared together +and judgment shall be had." + +"I consent not," cried Sir Tristram, "for who is here that will give +rightful judgment? Yet doubt not that my lady is far fairer than thine +own, and that will I prove and make good." Therewith Sir Tristram lifted +up the veil from off La Belle Isault, and stood beside her with his naked +sword drawn in his hand. + +Then Sir Brewnor unmuffled his lady and did in like manner. But when he +saw La Belle Isault he knew that none could be so fair, and all there +present gave their judgment so. Then said Sir Tristram, "Because thou and +thy lady have long used this evil custom, and have slain many good knights +and ladies, it were a just thing to destroy thee both." + +"In good sooth," said Sir Brewnor, "thy lady is fairer than mine, and of +all women I never saw any so fair. Therefore, slay my lady if thou wilt, +and I doubt not but I shall slay thee and have thine." + +"Thou shalt win her," said Sir Tristram, "as dearly as ever knight won +lady; and because of thy own judgment and of the evil custom that thy lady +hath consented to, I will slay her as thou sayest." + +And therewithal Sir Tristram went to him and took his lady from him, and +smote off her head at a stroke. + +"Now take thy horse," cried out Sir Brewnor, "for since I have lost my +lady I will win thine and have thy life." + +So they took their horses and came together as fast as they could fly, and +Sir Tristram lightly smote Sir Brewnor from his horse. But he rose right +quickly, and when Sir Tristram came again he thrust his horse through both +the shoulders, so that it reeled and fell. But Sir Tristram was light and +nimble, and voided his horse, and rose up and dressed his shield before +him, though meanwhile, ere he could draw out his sword, Sir Brewnor gave +him three or four grievous strokes. Then they rushed furiously together +like two wild boars, and fought hurtling and hewing here and there for +nigh two hours, and wounded each other full sorely. Then at the last Sir +Brewnor rushed upon Sir Tristram and took him in his arms to throw him, +for he trusted greatly in his strength. But Sir Tristram was at that time +called the strongest and biggest knight of the world; for he was bigger +than Sir Lancelot, though Sir Lancelot was better breathed. So anon he +thrust Sir Brewnor grovelling to the earth, and then unlaced his helm and +struck off his head. Then all they that belonged to the castle came and +did him homage and fealty, and prayed him to abide there for a season and +put an end to that foul custom. + +But within a while he departed and came to Cornwall, and there King Mark +was forthwith wedded to La Belle Isault with great joy and splendour. + +And Sir Tristram had high honour, and ever lodged at the king's court. But +for all he had done him such services King Mark hated him, and on a +certain day he set two knights to fall upon him as he rode in the forest. +But Sir Tristram lightly smote one's head off, and sorely wounded the +other, and made him bear his fellow's body to the king. At that the king +dissembled and hid from Sir Tristram that the knights were sent by him; +yet more than ever he hated him in secret, and sought to slay him. + +So on a certain day, by the assent of Sir Andret, a false knight, and +forty other knights, Sir Tristram was taken prisoner in his sleep and +carried to a chapel on the rocks above the sea to be cast down. But as +they were about to cast him in, suddenly he brake his bonds asunder, and +rushing at Sir Andret, took his sword and smote him down therewith. Then, +leaping down the rocks where none could follow, he escaped them. But one +shot after him and wounded him full sorely with a poisoned arrow in the +arm. + +Anon, his servant Governale, with Sir Lambegus sought him and found him +safe among the rocks, and told him that King Mark had banished him and all +his followers to avenge Sir Andret's death. So they took ship and came to +Brittany. + +Now Sir Tristram, suffering great anguish from his wound, was told to seek +Isoude, the daughter of the King of Brittany, for she alone could cure +such wounds. Wherefore he went to King Howell's court, and said, "Lord, I +am come into this country to have help from thy daughter, for men tell me +none but she may help me." And Isoude gladly offering to do her best, +within a month he was made whole. + +While he abode still at that court, an earl named Grip made war upon King +Howell, and besieged him; and Sir Kay Hedius, the king's son, went forth +against him, but was beaten in battle and sore wounded. Then the king +praying Sir Tristram for his help, he took with him such knights as he +could find, and on the morrow, in another battle, did such deeds of arms +that all the land spake of him. For there he slew the earl with his own +hands, and more than a hundred knights besides. + +When he came back King Howell met him, and saluted him with every honour +and rejoicing that could be thought of, and took him in his arms, and +said, "Sir Tristram, all my kingdom will I resign to thee." + +"Nay," answered he, "God forbid, for truly am I beholden to you for ever +for your daughter's sake." + +Then the king prayed him to take Isoude in marriage, with a great dower of +lands and castles. To this Sir Tristram presently consenting anon they +were wedded at the court. + +But within a while Sir Tristram greatly longed to see Cornwall, and Sir +Kay Hedius desired to go with him. So they took ship; but as soon as they +were at sea the wind blew them upon the coast of North Wales, nigh to +Castle Perilous, hard by a forest wherein were many strange adventures +ofttimes to be met. Then said Sir Tristram to Sir Kay Hedius, "Let us +prove some of them ere we depart." So they took their horses and rode +forth. + +When they had ridden a mile or more, Sir Tristram spied a goodly knight +before him well armed, who sat by a clear fountain with a strong horse +near him, tied to an oak-tree. "Fair sir," said he, when they came near, +"ye seem to be a knight errant by your arms and harness, therefore make +ready now to joust with one of us, or both." + +Thereat the knight spake not, but took his shield and buckled it round his +neck, and leaping on his horse caught a spear from his squire's hand. + +Then said Sir Kay Hedius to Sir Tristram, "Let me assay him." + +"Do thy best," said he. + +So the two knights met, and Sir Kay Hedius fell sorely wounded in the +breast. + +"Thou hast well jousted," cried Sir Tristram to the knight; "now make +ready for me!" + +"I am ready," answered he, and encountered him, and smote him so heavily +that he fell down from his horse. Whereat, being ashamed, he put his +shield before him, and drew his sword, crying to the strange knight to do +likewise. Then they fought on foot for well nigh two hours, till they were +both weary. + +At last Sir Tristram said, "In all my life I never met a knight so strong +and well-breathed as ye be. It were a pity we should further hurt each +other. Hold thy hand, fair knight, and tell me thy name." + +"That will I," answered he, "if thou wilt tell me thine." + +"My name," said he, "is Sir Tristram of Lyonesse." + +"And mine, Sir Lamoracke of Gaul." + +Then both cried out together, "Well met;" and Sir Lamoracke said, "Sir, +for your great renown, I will that ye have all the worship of this battle, +and therefore will I yield me unto you." And therewith he took his sword +by the point to yield him. + +"Nay," said Sir Tristram, "ye shall not do so, for well I know ye do it of +courtesy, and not of dread." And therewith he offered his sword to Sir +Lamoracke, saying, "Sir, as an overcome knight, I yield me unto you as +unto the man of noblest powers I have ever met with." + +"Hold," said Sir Lamoracke, "let us now swear together nevermore to fight +against each other." + +Then did they swear as he said. + +Then Sir Tristram returned to Sir Kay Hedius, and when he was whole of his +wounds, they departed together in a ship, and landed on the coast of +Cornwall. And when they came ashore, Sir Tristram eagerly sought news of +La Belle Isault. And one told him in mistake that she was dead. Whereat, +for sore and grievous sorrow, he fell down in a swoon, and so lay for +three days and nights. + +When he awoke therefrom he was crazed, and ran into the forest and abode +there like a wild man many days; whereby he waxed lean and weak of body, +and would have died, but that a hermit laid some meat beside him as he +slept. Now in that forest was a giant named Tauleas, who, for fear of +Tristram, had hid himself within a castle, but when they told him he was +mad, came forth and went at large again. And on a certain day he saw a +knight of Cornwall, named Sir Dinaunt, pass by with a lady, and when he +had alighted by a well to rest, the giant leaped out from his ambush, and +took him by the throat to slay him. But Sir Tristram, as he wandered +through the forest, came upon them as they struggled; and when the knight +cried out for help, he rushed upon the giant, and taking up Sir Dinaunt's +sword, struck off therewith the giant's head, and straightway disappeared +among the trees. + +Anon, Sir Dinaunt took the head of Tauleas, and bare it with him to the +court of King Mark, whither he was bound, and told of his adventures. +"Where had ye this adventure?" said King Mark. + +"At a fair fountain in thy forest," answered he. + +"I would fain see that wild man," said the king. + +So within a day or two he commanded his knights to a great hunting in the +forest. And when the king came to the well, he saw a wild man lying there +asleep, having a sword beside him; but he knew not that it was Sir +Tristram. Then he blew his horn, and summoned all his knights to take him +gently up and bear him to the court. + +And when they came thereto they bathed and washed him, and brought him +somewhat to his right mind. Now La Belle Isault knew not that Sir Tristram +was in Cornwall; but when she heard that a wild man had been found in the +forest, she came to see him. And so sorely was he changed, she knew him +not. "Yet," said she to Dame Bragwaine, "in good faith I seem to have +beheld him ofttimes before." + +As she thus spoke a little hound, which Sir Tristram had given her when +she first came to Cornwall, and which was ever with her, saw Sir Tristram +lying there, and leapt upon him, licking his hands and face, and whined +and barked for joy. + +"Alas," cried out La Belle Isault, "it is my own true knight, Sir +Tristram." + +And at her voice Sir Tristram's senses wholly came again, and wellnigh he +wept for joy to see his lady living. + +But never would the hound depart from Tristram; and when King Mark and +other knights came up to see him, it sat upon his body and bayed at all +who came too near. Then one of the knights said, "Surely this is Sir +Tristram; I see it by the hound." + +"Nay," said the king, "it cannot be," and asked Sir Tristram on his faith +who he was. + +"My name," said he, "is Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, and now ye may do what +ye list with me." + +Then the king said, "It repents me that ye are recovered," and sought to +make his barons slay him. But most of them would not assent thereto, and +counselled him instead to banish Tristram for ten years again from +Cornwall, for returning without orders from the king. So he was sworn to +depart forthwith. + +And as he went towards the ship a knight of King Arthur, named Sir +Dinadan, who sought him, came and said, "Fair knight, ere that you pass +out of this country, I pray you joust with me!" + +"With a good will," said he. + +Then they ran together, and Sir Tristram lightly smote him from his horse. +Anon he prayed Sir Tristram's leave to bear him company, and when he had +consented they rode together to the ship. + +Then was Sir Tristram full of bitterness of heart, and said to all the +knights who took him to the shore, "Greet well King Mark and all mine +enemies from me, and tell them I will come again when I may. Well am I now +rewarded for slaying Sir Marhaus, and delivering this kingdom from its +bondage, and for the perils wherewithal I brought La Belle Isault from +Ireland to the king, and rescued her at the Castle Pluere, and for the +slaying of the giant Tauleas, and all the other deeds that I have done for +Cornwall and King Mark." Thus angrily and passing bitterly he spake, and +went his way. + +And after sailing awhile the ship stayed at a landing-place upon the coast +of Wales; and there Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan alighted, and on the +shore they met two knights, Sir Ector and Sir Bors. And Sir Ector +encountered with Sir Dinadan and smote him to the ground; but Sir Bors +would not encounter with Sir Tristram, "For," said he, "no Cornish knights +are men of worship." Thereat Sir Tristram was full wroth, but presently +there met them two more knights, Sir Bleoberis and Sir Driant; and Sir +Bleoberis proffered to joust with Sir Tristram, who shortly smote him +down. + +"I had not thought," cried out Sir Bors, "that any Cornish knight could do +so valiantly." + +Then Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan departed, and rode into a forest, and as +they rode a damsel met them, who for Sir Lancelot's sake was seeking any +noble knights to rescue him. For Queen Morgan le Fay, who hated him, had +ordered thirty men-at-arms to lie in ambush for him as he passed, with the +intent to kill him. So the damsel prayed them to rescue him. + +Then said Sir Tristram, "Bring me to that place, fair damsel." + +But Sir Dinadan cried out, "It is not possible for us to meet with thirty +knights! I will take no part in such a hardihood, for to match one or two +or three knights is enough; but to match fifteen I will never assay." + +"For shame," replied Sir Tristram, "do but your part." + +"That will I not," said he; "wherefore, I pray ye, lend me your shield, +for it is of Cornwall, and because men of that country are deemed cowards, +ye are but little troubled as ye ride with knights to joust with." + +"Nay," said Sir Tristram, "I will never give my shield up for her sake who +gave it me; but if thou wilt not stand by me to-day I will surely slay +thee; for I ask no more of thee than to fight one knight, and if thy heart +will not serve thee that much, thou shalt stand by and look on me and +them." + +"Would God that I had never met with ye!" cried Sir Dinadan; "but I +promise to look on and do all that I may to save myself." + +Anon they came to where the thirty knights lay waiting, and Sir Tristram +rushed upon them, saying, "Here is one who fights for love of Lancelot!" +Then slew he two of them at the first onset with his spear, and ten more +swiftly after with his sword. At that Sir Dinadan took courage, and +assailed the others with him, till they turned and fled. + +But Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan rode on till nightfall, and meeting with +a shepherd, asked him if he knew of any lodging thereabouts. + +"Truly, fair lords," said he, "there is good lodging in a castle hard by, +but it is a custom there that none shall lodge therein save ye first joust +with two knights, and as soon as ye be within, ye shall find your match." + +"That is an evil lodging," said Sir Dinadan; "lodge where ye will, I will +not lodge there." + +"Shame on thee!" said Sir Tristram; "art thou a knight at all?" + +Then he required him on his knighthood to go with him, and they rode +together to the castle. As soon as they were near, two knights came out +and ran full speed against them; but both of them they overthrew, and went +within the castle, and had noble cheer. Now, when they were unarmed and +ready to take rest, there came to the castle-gate two knights, Sir +Palomedes and Sir Gaheris, and desired the custom of the castle. + +"I would far rather rest than fight," said Sir Dinadan. + +"That may not be," replied Sir Tristram, "for we must needs defend the +custom of the castle, seeing we have overcome its lords; therefore, make +ready." + +"Alas that I ever came into your company," said Sir Dinadan. + +So they made ready, and Sir Gaheris encountered Sir Tristram and fell +before him; but Sir Palomedes overthrew Sir Dinadan. Then would all fight +on foot save Sir Dinadan, for he was sorely bruised and frighted by his +fall. And when Sir Tristram prayed him to fight, "I will not," answered +he, "for I was wounded by those thirty knights with whom we fought this +morning; and as to you, ye are in truth like one gone mad, and who would +cast himself away! There be but two knights in the world so mad, and the +other is Sir Lancelot, with whom I once rode forth, who kept me evermore +at battling so that for a quarter of a year thereafter I lay in my bed. +Heaven defend me again from either of your fellowships!" + +"Well," said Sir Tristram, "if it must be, I will fight them both." + +Therewith he drew his sword and assailed Sir Palomedes and Sir Gaheris +together; but Sir Palomedes said, "Nay, but it is a shame for two to fight +with one." So he bade Sir Gaheris stand by, and he and Sir Tristram fought +long together; but in the end Sir Tristram drave him backward, whereat Sir +Gaheris and Sir Dinadan with one accord sundered them. Then Sir Tristram +prayed the two knights to lodge there; but Sir Dinadan departed and rode +away into a priory hard by, and there he lodged that night. + +And on the morrow came Sir Tristram to the priory to find him, and seeing +him so weary that he could not ride, he left him, and departed. At that +same priory was lodged Sir Pellinore, who asked Sir Dinadan Sir Tristram's +name, but could not learn it, for Sir Tristram had charged that he should +remain unknown. Then said Sir Pellinore, "Since ye will not tell it me, I +will ride after him and find it myself." + +"Beware, Sir knight," said Sir Dinadan, "ye will repent it if ye follow +him." + +But Sir Pellinore straightway mounted and overtook him, and cried to him +to joust; whereat Sir Tristram forthwith turned and smote him down, and +wounded him full sorely in the shoulder. + +On the day after, Sir Tristram met a herald, who told him of a tournament +proclaimed between King Carados of Scotland, and the King of North Wales, +to be held at the Maiden's Castle. Now King Carados sought Sir Lancelot to +fight there on his side, and the King of North Wales sought Sir Tristram. +And Sir Tristram purposed to be there. So as he rode, he met Sir Key, the +seneschal, and Sir Sagramour, and Sir Key proffered to joust with him. But +he refused, desiring to keep himself unwearied for the tourney. Then Sir +Key cried, "Sir knight of Cornwall, joust with me, or yield as recreant." +When Sir Tristram heard that, he fiercely turned and set his spear in +rest, and spurred his horse towards him. But when Sir Key saw him so madly +coming on, he in his turn refused, whereat Sir Tristram called him coward, +till for shame he was compelled to meet him. Then Sir Tristram lightly +smote him down, and rode away. But Sir Sagramour pursued him, crying +loudly to joust with him also. So Sir Tristram turned and quickly +overthrew him likewise, and departed. + +Anon a damsel met him as he rode, and told him of a knight adventurous who +did great harm thereby, and prayed him for his help. But as he went with +her he met Sir Gawain, who knew the damsel for a maiden of Queen Morgan le +Fay. Knowing, therefore, that she needs must have evil plots against Sir +Tristram, Sir Gawain demanded of him courteously whither he went. + +"I know not whither," said he, "save as this damsel leadeth me." + +"Sir," said Sir Gawain, "ye shall not ride with her, for she and her lady +never yet did good to any;" and, drawing his sword, he said to the +damsel, "Tell me now straightway for what cause thou leadest this knight +or else shalt thou die; for I know of old thy lady's treason." + +"Mercy, Sir Gawain," cried the damsel, "and I will tell thee all." Then +she told him that Queen Morgan had ordained thirty fair damsels to seek +out Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristram, and by their wiles persuade them to her +castle, where she had thirty knights in wait to slay them. + +"Oh shame!" cried Sir Gawain, "that ever such foul treason should be +wrought by a queen, and a king's sister." Then said he to Sir Tristram, +"Sir knight, if ye will stand with me, we will together prove the malice +of these thirty knights." + +"I will not fail you," answered he, "for but few days since I had to do +with thirty knights of that same queen, and trust we may win honour as +lightly now as then." + +So they rode together, and when they came to the castle, Sir Gawain cried +aloud, "Queen Morgan le Fay, send out thy knights that we may fight with +them." + +Then the queen urged her knights to issue forth, but they durst not, for +they well knew Sir Tristram, and feared him greatly. + +So Sir Tristram and Sir Gawain went on their way, and as they rode they +saw a knight, named Sir Brewse-without-pity, chasing a lady, with intent +to slay her. Then Sir Gawain prayed Sir Tristram to hold still and let him +assail that knight. So he rode up between Sir Brewse and the lady, and +cried, "False knight, turn thee to me and leave that lady." Then Sir +Brewse turned and set his spear in rest, and rushed against Sir Gawain +and overthrew him, and rode his horse upon him as he lay, which when Sir +Tristram saw, he cried, "Forbear that villainy," and galloped at him. But +when Sir Brewse saw by the shield it was Sir Tristram, he turned and fled. +And though Sir Tristram followed swiftly after him, yet he was so well +horsed that he escaped. + +Anon Sir Tristram and Sir Gawain came nigh the Maiden's Castle, and there +an old knight named Sir Pellonnes gave them lodging. And Sir Persides, the +son of Sir Pellonnes, a good knight, came out to welcome them. And, as +they stood talking at a bay window of the castle, they saw a goodly knight +ride by on a black horse, and carrying a black shield. "What knight is +that?" asked Tristram. + +"One of the best knights in all the world," said Sir Persides. + +"Is he Sir Lancelot?" said Sir Tristram. + +"Nay," answered Sir Persides, "it is Sir Palomedes, who is yet +unchristened." + +Within a while one came and told them that a knight with a black shield +had smitten down thirteen knights. "Let us go and see this jousting," said +Sir Tristram. So they armed themselves and went down. And when Sir +Palomedes saw Sir Persides, he sent a squire to him and proffered him to +joust. So they jousted, and Sir Persides was overthrown. Then Sir Tristram +made ready to joust, but ere he had his spear in rest, Sir Palomedes took +him at advantage, and struck him on the shield so that he fell. At that +Sir Tristram was wroth out of measure and sore ashamed, wherefore he sent +a squire and prayed Sir Palomedes to joust once again. But he would not, +saying, "Tell thy master to revenge himself to-morrow at the Maiden's +Castle, where he shall see me again." + +So on the morrow Sir Tristram commanded his servant to give him a black +shield with no cognizance thereon, and he and Sir Persides rode into the +tournament and joined King Carados' side. + +Then the knights of the King of North Wales came forth, and there was a +great fighting and breaking of spears, and overthrow of men and horses. + +Now King Arthur sat above in a high gallery to see the tourney and give +the judgment, and Sir Lancelot sat beside him. Then came against Sir +Tristram and Sir Persides, two knights with them of North Wales, Sir +Bleoberis and Sir Gaheris; and Sir Persides was smitten down and nigh +slain, for four horsemen rode over him. But Sir Tristram rode against Sir +Gaheris and smote him from his horse, and when Sir Bleoberis next +encountered him, he overthrew him also. Anon they horsed themselves again, +and with them came Sir Dinadan, whom Sir Tristram forthwith smote so +sorely, that he reeled off his saddle. Then cried he, "Ah! Sir knight, I +know ye better than ye deem, and promise nevermore to come against ye." +Then rode Sir Bleoberis at him the second time, and had a buffet that +felled him to the earth. And soon thereafter the king commanded to cease +for that day, and all men marvelled who Sir Tristram was, for the prize of +the first day was given him in the name of the Knight of the Black Shield. + +Now Sir Palomedes was on the side of the King of North Wales, but knew not +Sir Tristram again. And, when he saw his marvellous deeds, he sent to ask +his name. "As to that," said Sir Tristram, "he shall not know at this +time, but tell him he shall know when I have broken two spears upon him, +for I am the knight he smote down yesterday, and whatever side he taketh, +I will take the other." + +So when they told him that Sir Palomedes would be on King Carados' +side--for he was kindred to King Arthur--"Then will I be on the King of +North Wales' side," said he, "but else would I be on my lord King +Arthur's." + +Then on the morrow, when King Arthur was come, the heralds blew unto the +tourney. And King Carados jousted with the King of a Hundred Knights and +fell before him, and then came in King Arthur's knights and bare back +those of North Wales. But anon Sir Tristram came to aid them and bare back +the battle, and fought so mightily that none could stand against him, for +he smote down on the right and on the left, so that all the knights and +common people shouted his praise. + +"Since I bare arms," said King Arthur, "never saw I a knight do more +marvellous deeds." + +Then the King of the Hundred Knights and those of North Wales, set upon +twenty knights who were of Sir Lancelot's kin, who fought all together, +none failing the others. When Sir Tristram beheld their nobleness and +valour, he marvelled much. "Well may he be valiant and full of prowess," +said he, "who hath such noble knights for kindred." So, when he had looked +on them awhile, he thought it shame to see two hundred men assailing +twenty, and riding to the King of a Hundred Knights, he said, "I pray +thee, Sir king, leave your fighting with those twenty knights, for ye be +too many and they be too few. For ye shall gain no honour if ye win, and +that I see verily ye will not do unless ye slay them; but if ye will not +stay, I will ride with them and help them." + +"Nay," said the king, "ye shall not do so; for full gladly I will do you +courtesy," and with that he withdrew his knights. + +Then Sir Tristram rode his way into the forest, that no man might know +him. And King Arthur caused the heralds to blow that the tourney should +end that day, and he gave the King of North Wales the prize, because Sir +Tristram was on his side. And in all the field there was such a cry that +the sound thereof was heard two miles away--"The knight with the black +shield hath won the field." + +"Alas!" said King Arthur, "where is that knight? it is shame to let him +thus escape us." Then he comforted his knights, and said, "Be not +dismayed, my friends, howbeit ye have lost the day; be of good cheer; +to-morrow I myself will be in the field, and fare with you." So they all +rested that night. + +And on the morrow the heralds blew unto the field. So the King of North +Wales and the King of a Hundred Knights encountered with King Carados and +the King of Ireland, and overthrew them. With that came King Arthur, and +did mighty deeds of arms, and overthrew the King of North Wales and his +fellows, and put twenty valiant knights to the worse. Anon came in Sir +Palomedes, and made great fight upon King Arthur's side. But Sir Tristram +rode furiously against him, and Sir Palomedes was thrown from his horse. +Then cried King Arthur, "Knight of the Black Shield, keep thyself." And as +he spake he came upon him, and smote him from his saddle to the ground, +and so passed on to other knights. Then Sir Palomedes having now another +horse rushed at Sir Tristram, as he was on foot, thinking to run over him. +But he was aware of him, and stepped aside, and grasped Sir Palomedes by +the arms, and pulled him off his horse. Then they rushed together with +their swords, and many stood still to gaze on them. And Sir Tristram smote +Sir Palomedes with three mighty strokes upon the helm, crying at each +stroke, "Take this for Sir Tristram's sake," and with that Sir Palomedes +fell to the earth. + +Anon the King of North Wales brought Sir Tristram another horse, and Sir +Palomedes found one also. Then did they joust again with passing rage, for +both by now were like mad lions. But Sir Tristram avoided his spear, and +seized Sir Palomedes by the neck, and pulled him from his saddle, and bore +him onward ten spears' length, and so let him fall. Then King Arthur drew +forth his sword and smote the spear asunder, and gave Sir Tristram two or +three sore strokes ere he could get at his own sword. But when he had it +in his hand he mightily assailed the king. With that eleven knights of +Lancelot's kin went forth against him, but he smote them all down to the +earth, so that men marvelled at his deeds. + +And the cry was now so great that Sir Lancelot got a spear in his hand, +and came down to assay Sir Tristram, saying, "Knight with the black +shield, make ready." When Sir Tristram heard him he levelled his spear, +and both stooping their heads, they ran together mightily, as it had been +thunder. And Sir Tristram's spear brake short, but Sir Lancelot struck him +with a deep wound in the side and broke his spear, yet overthrew him not. +Therewith Sir Tristram, smarting at his wound, drew forth his sword, and +rushing at Sir Lancelot, gave him mighty strokes upon the helm, so that +the sparks flew from it, and Sir Lancelot stooped his head down to the +saddle-bow. But then Sir Tristram turned and left the field, for he felt +his wound so grievous that he deemed he should soon die. Then did Sir +Lancelot hold the field against all comers, and put the King of North +Wales and his party to the worse. And because he was the last knight in +the field the prize was given him. + +But he refused to take it, and when the cry was raised, "Sir Lancelot hath +won the day," he cried out, "Nay, but Sir Tristram is the victor, for he +first began and last endured, and so hath he done each day." And all men +honoured Lancelot more for his knightly words than if he had taken the +prize. + +Thus was the tournament ended, and King Arthur departed to Caerleon, for +the Whitsun feast was now nigh come, and all the knights adventurous went +their ways. And many sought Sir Tristram in the forest whither he had +gone, and at last Sir Lancelot found him, and brought him to King Arthur's +court, as hath been told already. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +_The Quest of the Sangreal, and the Adventures of Sir Percival, Sir Bors, +and Sir Galahad_ + + +After these things, Merlin fell into a dotage of love for a damsel of the +Lady of the Lake, and would let her have no rest, but followed her in +every place. And ever she encouraged him, and made him welcome till she +had learned all his crafts that she desired to know. + +Then upon a time she went with him beyond the sea to the land of Benwicke, +and as they went he showed her many wonders, till at length she was +afraid, and would fain have been delivered from him. + +And as they were in the forest of Broceliande, they sat together under an +oak-tree, and the damsel prayed to see all that charm whereby men might be +shut up yet alive in rocks or trees. But he refused her a long time, +fearing to let her know, yet in the end, her prayers and kisses overcame +him, and he told her all. Then did she make him great cheer, but anon, as +he lay down to sleep, she softly rose, and walked about him waving her +hands and muttering the charm, and presently enclosed him fast within the +tree whereby he slept. And therefrom nevermore he could by any means come +out for all the crafts that he could do. And so she departed and left +Merlin. + +[Illustration: Waving her hands and muttering the charm, and presently +enclosed him fast within the tree.] + +At the vigil of the next Feast of Pentecost, when all the Knights of the +Round Table were met together at Camelot, and had heard mass, and were +about to sit down to meat, there rode into the hall a fair lady on +horseback, who went straight up to King Arthur where he sat upon his +throne, and reverently saluted him. + +"God be with thee, fair damsel," quoth the king; "what desirest thou of +me?" + +"I pray thee tell me, lord," she answered, "where Sir Lancelot is." + +"Yonder may ye see him," said King Arthur. + +Then went she to Sir Lancelot and said, "Sir, I salute thee in King +Pelles' name, and require thee to come with me into the forest hereby." + +Then asked he her with whom she dwelt, and what she wished of him. + +"I dwell with King Pelles," said she, "whom Balin erst so sorely wounded +when he smote the dolorous stroke. It is he who hath sent me to call +thee." + +"I will go with thee gladly," said Sir Lancelot, and bade his squire +straightway saddle his horse and bring his armour. + +Then came the queen to him and said, "Sir Lancelot, will ye leave me thus +at this high feast?" + +"Madam," replied the damsel, "by dinner-time to-morrow he shall be with +you." + +"If I thought not," said the queen, "he should not go with thee by my +goodwill." + +Then Sir Lancelot and the lady rode forth till they came to the forest, +and in a valley thereof found an abbey of nuns, whereby a squire stood +ready to open the gates. When they had entered, and descended from their +horses, a joyful crowd pressed round Sir Lancelot and heartily saluted +him, and led him to the abbess's chamber, and unarmed him. Anon he saw his +cousins likewise there, Sir Bors and Sir Lionel, who also made great joy +at seeing him, and said, "By what adventure art thou here, for we thought +to have seen thee at Camelot to-morrow?" + +"A damsel brought me here," said he, "but as yet I know not for what +service." + +As they thus talked twelve nuns came in, who brought with them a youth so +passing fair and well made, that in all the world his match could not be +found. His name was Galahad, and though he knew him not, nor Lancelot him, +Sir Lancelot was his father. + +"Sir," said the nuns, "we bring thee here this child whom we have +nourished from his youth, and pray thee to make him a knight, for from no +worthier hand can he receive that order." + +Then Sir Lancelot, looking on the youth, saw that he was seemly and demure +as a dove, with every feature good and noble, and thought he never had +beheld a better fashioned man of his years. "Cometh this desire from +himself?" said he. + +"Yea," answered Galahad and all the nuns. + +"To-morrow, then, in reverence for the feast, he shall have his wish," +said Sir Lancelot. + +And the next day at the hour of prime, he knighted him, and said, "God +make of thee as good a man as He hath made thee beautiful." + +Then with Sir Lionel and Sir Bors he returned to the court, and found all +gone to the minster to hear service. When they came into the banquet-hall +each knight and baron found his name written in some seat in letters of +gold, as "here ought to sit Sir Lionel," "here ought to sit Sir +Gawain,"--and so forth. And in the Perilous Seat, at the high centre of +the table, a name was also written, whereat they marvelled greatly, for no +living man had ever yet dared sit upon that seat, save one, and him a +flame leaped forth and drew down under earth, so that he was no more seen. + +Then came Sir Lancelot and read the letters in that seat, and said, "My +counsel is that this inscription be now covered up until the knight be +come who shall achieve this great adventure." So they made a veil of silk +and put it over the letters. + +In the meanwhile came Sir Gawain to the court and told the king he had a +message to him from beyond the sea, from Merlin. + +"For," said he, "as I rode through the forest of Broceliande but five days +since, I heard the voice of Merlin speaking to me from the midst of an +oak-tree, whereat, in great amazement, I besought him to come forth. But +he, with many groans, replied he never more might do so, for that none +could free him, save the damsel of the Lake, who had enclosed him there by +his own spells which he had taught her. 'But go,' said he, 'to King +Arthur, and tell him, that he now prepare his knights and all his Table +Round to seek the Sangreal, for the time is come when it shall be +achieved.'" + +When Sir Gawain had spoken thus, King Arthur sat pensive in spirit, and +mused deeply of the Holy Grale an what saintly knight should come who +might achieve it. + +Anon he bade them hasten to set on the banquet. "Sir," said Sir Key, the +seneschal, "if ye go now to meat ye will break the ancient custom of your +court, for never have ye dined at this high feast till ye have seen some +strange adventure." + +"Thou sayest truly," said the king, "but my mind was full of wonders and +musings, till I bethought me not of mine old custom." + +As they stood speaking thus, a squire ran in and cried, "Lord, I bring +thee marvellous tidings." + +"What be they?" said King Arthur. + +"Lord," said he, "hereby at the river is a marvellous great stone, which I +myself saw swim down hitherwards upon the water, and in it there is set a +sword, and ever the stone heaveth and swayeth on the water, but floateth +down no further with the stream." + +"I will go and see it," said the king. So all the knights went with him, +and when they came to the river, there surely found they a mighty stone of +red marble floating on the water, as the squire had said, and therein +stuck a fair and rich sword, on the pommel whereof were precious stones +wrought skilfully with gold into these words: "No man shall take me hence +but he by whose side I should hang, and he shall be the best knight in the +world." + +When the king read this, he turned round to Sir Lancelot, and said, "Fair +sir, this sword ought surely to be thine, for thou art the best knight in +all the world." + +But Lancelot answered soberly, "Certainly, sir, it is not for me; nor will +I have the hardihood to set my hand upon it. For he that toucheth it and +faileth to achieve it shall one day be wounded by it mortally. But I doubt +not, lord, this day will show the greatest marvels that we yet have seen, +for now the time is fully come, as Merlin hath forewarned us, when all the +prophecies about the Sangreal shall be fulfilled." + +Then stepped Sir Gawain forward and pulled at the sword, but could not +move it, and after him Sir Percival, to keep him fellowship in any peril +he might suffer. But no other knight durst be so hardy as to try. + +"Now may ye go to your dinner," said Sir Key, "for a marvellous adventure +ye have had." + +So all returned from the river, and every knight sat down in his own +place, and the high feast and banquet then was sumptuously begun, and all +the hall was full of laughter and loud talk and jests, and running to and +fro of squires who served their knights, and noise of jollity and mirth. + +Then suddenly befell a wondrous thing, for all the doors and windows of +the hall shut violently of themselves, and made thick darkness; and +presently there came a fair and gentle light from out the Perilous Seat, +and filled the palace with its beams. Then a dead silence fell on all the +knights, and each man anxiously beheld his neighbour. + +But King Arthur rose and said, "Lords and fair knights, have ye no fear, +but rejoice; we have seen strange things to-day, but stranger yet remain. +For now I know we shall to-day see him who may sit in the Siege Perilous, +and shall achieve the Sangreal. For as ye all well know, that holy vessel, +wherefrom at the Supper of our Lord before His death He drank the wine +with His disciples, hath been held ever since the holiest treasure of the +world, and wheresoever it hath rested peace and prosperity have rested +with it on the land. But since the dolorous stroke which Balin gave King +Pelles none have seen it, for Heaven, wroth with that presumptuous blow, +hath hid it none know where. Yet somewhere in the world it still may be, +and may be it is left to us, and to this noble order of the Table Round, +to find and bring it home, and make of this our realm the happiest in the +earth. Many great quests and perilous adventures have ye all taken and +achieved, but this high quest he only shall attain who hath clean hands +and a pure heart, and valour and hardihood beyond all othermen." + +While the king spoke there came in softly an old man robed all in white, +leading with him a young knight clad in red from top to toe, but without +armour or shield, and having by his side an empty scabbard. + +The old man went up to the king, and said, "Lord, here I bring thee this +young knight of royal lineage, and of the blood of Joseph of Arimathea, by +whom the marvels of thy court shall fully be accomplished." + +The king was right glad at his words, and said, "Sir, ye be right heartily +welcome, and the young knight also." + +Then the old man put on Sir Galahad (for it was he) a crimson robe trimmed +with fine ermine, and took him by the hand and led him to the Perilous +Seat, and lifting up the silken cloth which hung upon it, read these words +written in gold letters, "This is the seat of Sir Galahad, the good +knight." + +"Sir," said the old man, "this place is thine." + +Then sat Sir Galahad down firmly and surely, and said to the old man, +"Sir, ye may now go your way, for ye have done well and truly all ye were +commanded, and commend me to my grandsire, King Pelles, and say that I +shall see him soon." So the old man departed with a retinue of twenty +noble squires. + +But all the knights of the Round Table marvelled at Sir Galahad, and at +his tender age, and at his sitting there so surely in the Perilous Seat. + +Then the king led Sir Galahad forth from the palace, to show him the +adventure of the floating stone. "Here" said he, "is as great a marvel as +I ever saw, and right good knights have tried and failed to gain that +sword." + +"I marvel not thereat," said Galahad, "for this adventure is not theirs, +but mine; and for the certainty I had thereof, I brought no sword with me, +as thou mayst see here by this empty scabbard." + +Anon he laid his hand upon the sword, and lightly drew it from the stone, +and put it in his sheath, and said, "This sword was that enchanted one +which erst belonged to the good knight, Sir Balin, wherewith he slew +through piteous mistake his brother Balan; who also slew him at the same +time: all which great woe befell him through the dolorous stroke he gave +my grandsire, King Pelles, the wound whereof is not yet whole, nor shall +be till I heal him." + +As he stood speaking thus, they saw a lady riding swiftly down the river's +bank towards them, on a white palfrey; who, saluting the king and queen, +said, "Lord king, Nacien the hermit sendeth thee word that to thee shall +come to-day the greatest honour and worship that hath yet ever befallen a +king of Britain; for this day shall the Sangreal appear in thy house." + +With that the damsel took her leave, and departed the same way she came. + +"Now," said the king, "I know that from to-day the quest of the Sangreal +shall begin, and all ye of the Round Table will be scattered so that +nevermore shall I see ye again together as ye are now; let me then see a +joust and tournament amongst ye for the last time before ye go." + +So they all took their harness and met together in the meadows by Camelot, +and the queen and all her ladies sat in a tower to see. + +Then Sir Galahad, at the prayer of the king and queen, put on a coat of +light armour, and a helmet, but shield he would take none, and grasping a +lance, he drove into the middle of the press of knights, and began to +break spears marvellously, so that all men were full of wonder. And in so +short a time he had surmounted and exceeded the rest, save Sir Lancelot +and Sir Percival, that he took the chief worship of the field. + +Then the king and all the court and fellowship of knights went back to the +palace, and so to evensong in the great minster, a royal and goodly +company, and after that sat down to supper in the hall, every knight in +his own seat, as they had been before. + +Anon suddenly burst overhead the cracking and crying of great peals of +thunder, till the palace walls were shaken sorely, and they thought to see +them riven all to pieces. + +And in the midst of the blast there entered in a sunbeam, clearer by seven +times than ever they saw day, and a marvellous great glory fell upon them +all. Then each knight, looking on his neighbour, found his face fairer +than he had ever seen, and so--all standing on their feet--they gazed as +dumb men on each other, not knowing what to say. + +Then entered into the hall the Sangreal, borne aloft without hands through +the midst of the sunbeam, and covered with white samite, so that none +might see it. And all the hall was filled with perfume and incense, and +every knight was fed with the food he best loved. And when the holy vessel +had been thus borne through the hall, it suddenly departed, no man saw +whither. + +When they recovered breath to speak, King Arthur first rose up, and +yielded thanks to God and to our Lord. + +Then Sir Gawain sprang up and said, "Now have we all been fed by miracle +with whatsoever food we thought of or desired; but with our eyes we have +not seen the blessed vessel whence it came, so carefully and preciously it +was concealed. Therefore, I make a vow, that from to-morrow I shall labour +twelve months and a day in quest of the Sangreal, and longer if need be; +nor will I come again into this court until mine eyes have seen it +evidently." + +When he had spoken thus, knight after knight rose up and vowed himself to +the same quest, till the most part of the Round Table had thus sworn. + +But when King Arthur heard them all, he could not refrain his eyes from +tears, and said, "Sir Gawain, Sir Gawain, thou hast set me in great +sorrow, for I fear me my true fellowship shall never meet together here +again; and surely never Christian king had such a company of worthy +knights around his table at one time." + +And when the queen and her ladies and gentlewomen heard the vows, they had +such grief and sorrow as no tongue could tell; and Queen Guinevere cried +out, "I marvel that my lord will suffer them to depart from him." And many +of the ladies who loved knights would have gone with them, but were +forbidden by the hermit Nacien, who sent this message to all who had sworn +themselves to the quest: "Take with ye no lady nor gentlewoman, for into +so high a service as ye go in, no thought but of our Lord and heaven may +enter." + +On the morrow morning all the knights rose early, and when they were fully +armed, save shields and helms, they went in with the king and queen to +service in the minster. Then the king counted all who had taken the +adventure on themselves, and found them a hundred and fifty knights of the +Round Table; and so they all put on their helms, and rode away together in +the midst of cries and lamentations from the court, and from the ladies, +and from all the town. + +But the queen went alone to her chamber, that no man might see her sorrow; +and Sir Lancelot followed her to say farewell. + +When she saw him she cried out, "Oh, Sir Lancelot, thou hast betrayed me; +thou hast put me to death thus to depart and leave my lord the king." + +"Ah, madam," said he, "be not displeased or angry, for I shall come again +as soon as I can with honour." + +"Alas!" said she, "that ever I saw thee; but He that suffered death upon +the cross for all mankind be to thee safety and good conduct, and to all +thy company." + +Then Sir Lancelot saluted her and the king, and went forth with the rest, +and came with them that night to Castle Vagon, where they abode, and on +the morrow they departed from each other on their separate ways, every +knight taking the way that pleased him best. + +Now Sir Galahad went forth without a shield, and rode so four days without +adventure; and on the fourth day, after evensong, he came to an abbey of +white monks, where he was received in the house, and led into a chamber. +And there he was unarmed, and met two knights of the Round Table, King +Bagdemagus, and Sir Uwaine. + +"Sirs," said Sir Galahad, "what adventure hath brought ye here?" + +"Within this place, as we are told," they answered, "there is a shield no +man may bear around his neck without receiving sore mischance, or death +within three days." + +"To-morrow," said King Bagdemagus, "I shall attempt the adventure; and if +I fail, do thou, Sir Galahad, take it up after me." + +"I will willingly," said he; "for as ye see I have no shield as yet." + +So on the morrow they arose and heard mass, and afterwards King Bagdemagus +asked where the shield was kept. Then a monk led him behind the altar, +where the shield hung, as white as any snow, and with a blood-red cross in +the midst of it. + +"Sir," said the monk, "this shield should hang from no knight's neck +unless he be the worthiest in the world. I warn ye, therefore, knights; +consider well before ye dare to touch it." + +"Well," said King Bagdemagus, "I know well that I am far from the best +knight in all the world, yet shall I make the trial;" and so he took the +shield, and bore it from the monastery. + +"If it please thee," said he to Sir Galahad, "abide here till thou hearest +how I speed." + +"I will abide thee," said he. + +Then taking with him a squire who might return with any tidings to Sir +Galahad, the king rode forth; and before he had gone two miles, he saw in +a fair valley a hermitage, and a knight who came forth dressed in white +armour, horse and all, who rode fast against him. When they encountered, +Bagdemagus brake his spear upon the White Knight's shield, but was himself +struck through the shoulder with a sore wound, and hurled down from his +horse. Then the White Knight alighting, came and took the white shield +from the king, and said, "Thou hast done great folly, for this shield +ought never to be borne but by one who hath no living peer." And turning +to the squire, he said, "Bear thou this shield to the good knight, Sir +Galahad, and greet him well from me." + +"In whose name shall I greet him?" said the squire. + +"Take thou no heed of that," he answered; "it is not for thee or any +earthly man to know." + +"Now tell me, fair sir, at the least," said the squire, "why may this +shield be never borne except its wearer come to injury or death?" + +"Because it shall belong to no man save its rightful owner, Galahad," +replied the knight. + +Then the squire went to his master, and found him wounded nigh to death, +wherefore he fetched his horse, and bore him back with him to the abbey. +And there they laid him in a bed, and looked to his wounds; and when he +had lain many days grievously sick, he at the last barely escaped with his +life. + +"Sir Galahad," said the squire, "the knight who overthrew King Bagdemagus +sent you greeting, and bade you bear this shield." + +"Now blessed be God and fortune," said Sir Galahad, and hung the shield +about his neck, and armed him, and rode forth. + +Anon he met the White Knight by the hermitage, and each saluted +courteously the other. + +"Sir," said Sir Galahad, "this shield I bear hath surely a full marvellous +history." + +"Thou sayest rightly," answered he. "That shield was made in the days of +Joseph of Arimathea, the gentle knight who took our Lord down from the +cross. He, when he left Jerusalem with his kindred, came to the country of +King Evelake, who warred continually with one Tollome; and when, by the +teaching of Joseph, King Evelake became a Christian, this shield was made +for him in our Lord's name; and through its aid King Tollome was defeated. +For when King Evelake met him next in battle, he hid it in a veil, and +suddenly uncovering it, he showed his enemies the figure of a bleeding man +nailed to a cross, at sight of which they were discomfited and fled. +Presently after that, a man whose hand was smitten off touched the cross +upon the shield, and had his hand restored to him; and many other miracles +it worked. But suddenly the cross that was upon it vanished away. Anon +both Joseph and King Evelake came to Britain, and by the preaching of +Joseph the people were made Christians. And when at length he lay upon his +death-bed, King Evelake begged of him some token ere he died. Then, +calling for his shield, he dipped his finger in his own blood, for he was +bleeding fast, and none could staunch the wound, and marked that cross +upon it, saying, 'This cross shall ever show as bright as now, and the +last of my lineage shall wear this shield about his neck, and go forth to +all the marvellous deeds he will achieve.'" + +When the White Knight had thus spoken he vanished suddenly away, and Sir +Galahad returned to the abbey. + +As he alighted, came a monk, and prayed him to go see a tomb in the +churchyard, wherefrom came such a great and hideous noise, that none could +hear it but they went nigh mad, or lost all strength. "And sir," said he, +"I deem it is a fiend." + +"Lead me thither," said Sir Galahad. + +When they were come near the place, "Now," said the monk, "go thou to the +tomb, and lift it up." + +And Galahad, nothing afraid, quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith +came out a foul smoke, and from the midst thereof leaped up the loathliest +figure that ever he had seen in the likeness of man; and Galahad blessed +himself, for he knew it was a fiend of hell. Then he heard a voice crying +out, "Oh, Galahad, I cannot tear thee as I would; I see so many angels +round thee, that I may not come at thee." + +[Illustration: Galahad ... quickly lifted up the stone, and forthwith came +out a foul smoke.] + +Then the fiend suddenly disappeared with a marvellous great cry; and Sir +Galahad, looking in the tomb, saw there a body all armed, with a sword +beside it. "Now, fair brother," said he to the monk, "let us remove this +cursed body, which is not fit to lie in a churchyard, for when it lived, a +false and perjured Christian man dwelt in it. Cast it away, and there +shall come no more hideous noises from the tomb." + +"And now must I depart," he added, "for I have much in hand, and am upon +the holy quest of the Sangreal, with many more good knights." + +So he took his leave, and rode many journeys backwards and forwards as +adventure would lead him; and at last one day he departed from a castle +without first hearing mass, which was it ever his custom to hear before he +left his lodging. Anon he found a ruined chapel on a mountain, and went in +and kneeled before the altar, and prayed for wholesome counsel what to do; +and as he prayed he heard a voice, which said, "Depart, adventurous +knight, unto the Maiden's Castle, and redress the violence and wrongs +there done!" + +Hearing these words he cheerfully arose, and mounted his horse, and rode +but half a mile, when he saw before him a strong castle, with deep ditches +round it, and a fair river running past. And seeing an old churl hard by, +he asked him what men called that castle. + +"Fair sir," said he, "it is the Maiden's Castle." + +"It is a cursed place," said Galahad, "and all its masters are but felons, +full of mischief and hardness and shame." + +"For that good reason," said the old man, "thou wert well-advised to turn +thee back." + +"For that same reason," quoth Sir Galahad, "will I the more certainly ride +on." + +Then, looking at his armour carefully, to see that nothing failed him, he +went forward, and presently there met him seven damsels, who cried out, +"Sir knight, thou ridest in great peril, for thou hast two waters to pass +over." + +"Why should I not pass over them?" said he, and rode straight on. + +Anon he met a squire, who said, "Sir knight, the masters of this castle +defy thee, and bid thee go no further, till thou showest them thy business +here." + +"Fair fellow," said Sir Galahad, "I am come here to destroy their wicked +customs." + +"If that be thy purpose," answered he, "thou wilt have much to do." + +"Go thou," said Galahad, "and hasten with my message." + +In a few minutes after rode forth furiously from the gateways of the +castle seven knights, all brothers, and crying out, "Knight, keep thee," +bore down all at once upon Sir Galahad. But thrusting forth his spear, he +smote the foremost to the earth, so that his neck was almost broken, and +warded with his shield the spears of all the others, which every one brake +off from it, and shivered into pieces. Then he drew out his sword, and set +upon them hard and fiercely, and by his wondrous force drave them before +him, and chased them to the castle gate, and there he slew them. + +At that came out to him an ancient man, in priest's vestments, saying, +"Behold, sir, here, the keys of this castle." + +Then he unlocked the gates, and found within a multitude of people, who +cried out, "Sir knight, ye be welcome, for long have we waited thy +deliverance," and told him that the seven felons he had slain had long +enslaved the people round about, and killed all knights who passed that +way, because the maiden whom they had robbed of the castle had foretold +that by one knight they should themselves be overthrown. + +"Where is the maiden?" asked Sir Galahad. + +"She lingereth below in a dungeon," said they. + +So Sir Galahad went down and released her, and restored her her +inheritance; and when he had summoned the barons of the country to do her +homage, he took his leave, and departed. + +Presently thereafter, as he rode, he entered a great forest, and in a +glade thereof met two knights, disguised, who proffered him to joust. +These were Sir Lancelot, his father, and Sir Percival, but neither knew +the other. So he and Sir Lancelot encountered first, and Sir Galahad smote +down his father. Then drawing his sword, for his spear was broken, he +fought with Sir Percival, and struck so mightily that he clave Sir +Percival's helm, and smote him from his horse. + +Now hard by where they fought there was a hermitage, where dwelt a pious +woman, a recluse, who, when she heard the sound, came forth, and seeing +Sir Galahad ride, she cried, "God be with thee, the best knight in the +world; had yonder knights known thee as well as I do, they would not have +encountered with thee." + +When Sir Galahad heard that, fearing to be made known, he forthwith smote +his horse with his spurs, and departed at a great pace. + +Sir Lancelot and Sir Percival heard her words also, and rode fast after +him, but within awhile he was out of their sight. Then Sir Percival rode +back to ask his name of the recluse; but Sir Lancelot went forward on his +quest, and following any path his horse would take, he came by-and-by +after nightfall to a stone cross hard by an ancient chapel. When he had +alighted and tied his horse up to a tree, he went and looked in through +the chapel door, which was all ruinous and wasted, and there within he saw +an altar, richly decked with silk, whereon there stood a fair candlestick +of silver, bearing six great lights. And when Sir Lancelot saw the light, +he tried to get within the chapel, but could find no place. So, being +passing weary and heavy, he came again to his horse, and when he had +unsaddled him, and set him free to pasture, he unlaced his helm, and +ungirded his sword, and laid him down to sleep upon his shield before the +cross. + +And while he lay between waking and sleeping, he saw come by him two white +palfreys bearing a litter, wherein a sick knight lay, and the palfreys +stood still by the cross. Then Sir Lancelot heard the sick man say, "O +sweet Lord, when shall this sorrow leave me, and the holy vessel pass by +me, wherethrough I shall be blessed? for I have long endured." + +With that Sir Lancelot saw the chapel open, and the candlestick with the +six tapers come before the cross, but he could see none who bare it. Then +came there also a table of silver, and thereon the holy vessel of the +Sangreal. And when the sick knight saw that, he sat up, and lifting both +his hands, said, "Fair Lord, sweet Lord, who art here within this holy +vessel, have mercy on me, that I may be whole;" and therewith he crept +upon his hands and knees so nigh, that he might touch the vessel; and when +he had kissed it, he leaped up, and stood and cried aloud, "Lord God, I +thank Thee, for I am made whole." Then the Holy Grale departed with the +table and the silver candlestick into the chapel, so that Sir Lancelot saw +it no more, nor for his sins' sake could he follow it. And the knight who +was healed went on his way. + +Then Sir Lancelot awake, and marvelled whether he had seen aught but a +dream. And as he marvelled, he heard a voice saying, "Sir Lancelot, thou +are unworthy, go thou hence, and withdraw thee from this holy place." And +when he heard that, he was passing heavy, for he bethought him of his +sins. + +So he departed weeping, and cursed the day of his birth, for the words +went into his heart, and he knew wherefore he was thus driven forth. Then +he went to seek his arms and horse, but could not find them; and then he +called himself the wretchedest and most unhappy of all knights, and said, +"My sin hath brought me unto great dishonour: for when I sought earthly +honours, I achieved them ever; but now I take upon me holy things, my +guilt doth hinder me, and shameth me; therefore had I no power to stir or +speak when the holy blood appeared before me." + +So thus he sorrowed till it was day, and he heard the birds sing; then was +he somewhat comforted, and departing from the cross on foot, he came into +a wild forest, and to a high mountain, and there he found a hermitage; +and, kneeling before the hermit down upon both his knees, he cried for +mercy for his wicked works, and prayed him to hear his confession. But +when he told his name, the hermit marvelled to see him in so sore a case, +and said, "Sir, ye ought to thank God more than any knight living, for He +hath given thee more honour than any; yet for thy presumption, while in +deadly sin to come into the presence of His flesh and blood, He suffered +thee neither to see nor follow it. Wherefore, believe that all thy +strength and manhood will avail thee little, when God is against thee." + +Then Sir Lancelot wept and said, "Now know I well ye tell me truth." + +Then he confessed to him, and told him all his sins, and how he had for +fourteen years served but Queen Guinevere only, and forgotten God, and +done great deeds of arms for her, and not for Heaven, and had little or +nothing thanked God for the honour that he won. And then Sir Lancelot +said, "I pray you counsel me." + +"I will counsel thee," said he: "never more enter into that queen's +company when ye can avoid it." + +So Sir Lancelot promised him. + +"Look that your heart and your mouth accord," said the good man, "and ye +shall have more honour and more nobleness than ever ye have had." + +Then were his arms and horse restored to him, and so he took his leave, +and rode forth, repenting greatly. + +Now Sir Percival had ridden back to the recluse, to learn who that knight +was whom she had called the best in the world. And when he had told her +that he was Sir Percival, she made passing great joy of him, for she was +his mother's sister, wherefore she opened her door to him, and made him +good cheer. And on the morrow she told him of her kindred to him, and they +both made great rejoicing. Then he asked her who that knight was, and she +told him, "He it is who on Whit Sunday last was clad in the red robe, and +bare the red arms; and he hath no peer, for he worketh all by miracle, and +shall be never overcome by any earthly hands." + +"By my goodwill," said Sir Percival, "I will never after these tidings +have to do with Sir Galahad but in the way of kindness; and I would fain +learn where I may find him." + +"Fair nephew," said she, "ye must ride to the Castle of Goth, where he +hath a cousin; by him ye may be lodged, and he will teach you the way to +go; but if he can tell you no tidings, ride straight to the Castle of +Carbonek, where the wounded king is lying, for there shall ye surely hear +true tidings of him." + +So Sir Percival departed from his aunt, and rode till evensong time, when +he was ware of a monastery closed round with walls and deep ditches, where +he knocked at the gate, and anon was let in. And there he had good cheer +that night, and on the morrow heard mass. And beside the altar where the +priest stood, was a rich bed of silk and cloth of gold; and on the bed +there lay a man passing old, having a crown of gold upon his head, and all +his body was full of great wounds, and his eyes almost wholly blind; and +ever he held up his hands and said, "Sweet Lord, forget not me!" + +Then Sir Percival asked one of the brethren who he was. + +"Sir," said the good man, "ye have heard of Joseph of Arimathea, how he +was sent of Jesus Christ into this land to preach and teach the Christian +faith. Now, in the city of Sarras he converted a king named Evelake, and +this is he. He came with Joseph to this land, and ever desired greatly to +see the Sangreal; so on a time he came nigh thereto, and was struck almost +blind. Then he cried out for mercy, and said, 'Fair Lord, I pray thee let +me never die until a good knight of my blood achieve the Sangreal, and I +may see and kiss him.' When he had thus prayed, he heard a voice that +said, 'Thy prayers be heard and answered, for thou shalt not die till that +knight kiss thee; and when he cometh shall thine eyes be opened and thy +wounds be healed.' And now hath he lived here for three hundred winters in +a holy life, and men say a certain knight of King Arthur's court shall +shortly heal him." + +Thereat Sir Percival marvelled greatly, for he well knew who that knight +should be; and so, taking his leave of the monk, departed. + +Then he rode on till noon, and came into a valley where he met twenty +men-at-arms bearing a dead knight on a bier. And they cried to him, +"Whence comest thou?" + +"From King Arthur's court," he answered. + +Then they all cried together, "Slay him," and set upon him. + +But he smote down the first man to the ground, and his horse upon him; +whereat seven of them all at once assailed him, and others slew his horse. +Thus he had been either taken or slain, but by good chance Sir Galahad was +passing by that way, who, seeing twenty men attacking one, cried, "Slay +him not," and rushed upon them; and, as fast as his horse could drive, he +encountered with the foremost man, and smote him down. Then, his spear +being broken, he drew forth his sword and struck out on the right hand and +on the left, at each blow smiting down a man, till the remainder fled, and +he pursued them. + +Then Sir Percival, knowing that it was Sir Galahad, would fain have +overtaken him, but could not, for his horse was slain. Yet followed he on +foot as fast as he could go; and as he went there met him a yeoman riding +on a palfrey, and leading in his hand a great black steed. So Sir Percival +prayed him to lend him the steed, that he might overtake Sir Galahad. But +he replied, "That can I not do, fair sir, for the horse is my master's, +and should I lend it he would slay me." So he departed, and Sir Percival +sat down beneath a tree in heaviness of heart. And as he sat, anon a +knight went riding past on the black steed which the yeoman had led. And +presently after came the yeoman back in haste, and asked Sir Percival if +he had seen a knight riding his horse. + +"Yea," said Sir Percival. + +"Alas," said the yeoman, "he hath reft him from me by strength, and my +master will slay me." + +Then he besought Sir Percival to take his hackney and follow, and get back +his steed. So he rode quickly, and overtook the knight, and cried, +"Knight, turn again." Whereat he turned and set his spear, and smote Sir +Percival's hackney in the breast, so that it fell dead, and then went on +his way. Then cried Sir Percival after him, "Turn now, false knight, and +fight with me on foot;" but he would not, and rode out of sight. + +Then was Sir Percival passing wroth and heavy of heart, and lay down to +rest beneath a tree, and slept till midnight. When he awoke he saw a woman +standing by him, who said to him right fiercely, "Sir Percival, what doest +thou here?" + +"I do neither good nor evil," said he. + +"If thou wilt promise me," said she, "to do my will whenever I shall ask +thee, I will bring thee here a horse that will bear thee wheresoever thou +desirest." + +At that he was full glad, and promised as she asked. Then anon she came +again, with a great black steed, strong and well apparelled. So Sir +Percival mounted, and rode through the clear moonlight, and within less +than an hour had gone a four days' journey, till he came to a rough water +that roared; and his horse would have borne him into it, but Sir Percival +would not suffer him, yet could he scarce restrain him. And seeing the +water so furious, he made the sign of the cross upon his forehead, whereat +the horse suddenly shook him off, and with a terrible sound leaped into +the water and disappeared, the waves all burning up in flames around him. +Then Sir Percival knew it was a fiend which had brought him the horse; so +he commended himself to God, and prayed that he might escape temptations, +and continued in prayer till it was day. + +Then he saw that he was on a wild mountain, nigh surrounded on all sides +by the sea, and filled with wild beasts; and going on into a valley, he +saw a serpent carrying a young lion by the neck. With that came another +lion, crying and roaring after the serpent, and anon overtook him, and +began to battle with him. And Sir Percival helped the lion, and drew his +sword, and gave the serpent such a stroke that it fell dead. Thereat the +lion fawned upon him like a dog, licking his hands, and crouching at his +feet, and at night lay down by him and slept at his side. + +And at noon the next day Sir Percival saw a ship come sailing before a +strong wind upon the sea towards him, and he rose and went towards it. And +when it came to shore, he found it covered with white samite, and on the +deck there stood an old man dressed in priest's robes, who said, "God be +with you, fair sir; whence come ye?" + +"I am a knight of King Arthur's court," said he, "and follow the quest of +the Sangreal; but here have I lost myself in this wilderness." + +"Fear nothing," said the old man, "for I have come from a strange country +to comfort thee." + +Then he told Sir Percival it was a fiend of hell upon which he had ridden +to the sea, and that the lion, whom he had delivered from the serpent, +meant the Church. And Sir Percival rejoiced at these tidings, and entered +into the ship, which presently sailed from the shore into the sea. + +Now when Sir Bors rode forth from Camelot to seek the Sangreal, anon he +met a holy man riding on an ass, and courteously saluted him. + +"Who are ye, son?" said the good man. + +"I am a knight," said he, "in quest of the Sangreal, and would fain have +thy counsel, for he shall have much earthly honour who may bring it to a +favourable end." + +"That is truth," said the good man, "for he shall be the best knight of +the world; yet know that none shall gain it save by sinless living." + +So they rode to his hermitage together, and there he prayed Sir Bors to +abide that night, and anon they went into the chapel, and Sir Bors was +confessed. And they eat bread and drank water together. + +"Now," said the hermit, "I pray thee eat no other food till thou sit at +the table where the Sangreal shall be." Thereto Sir Bors agreed. + +"Also," said the hermit, "it were wise that ye should wear a sackcloth +garment next your skin, for penance;" and in this also did Sir Bors as he +was counselled. And afterwards he armed himself and took his leave. + +Then rode he onwards all that day, and as he rode he saw a passing great +bird sit in an old dry tree, whereon no leaves were left; and many little +birds lay round the great one, nigh dead with hunger. Then did the big +bird smite himself with his own bill, and bled till he died amongst his +little ones, and they recovered life in drinking up his blood. When Sir +Bors saw this he knew it was a token, and rode on full of thought. And +about eventide he came to a tower, whereto he prayed admission, and he was +received gladly by the lady of the castle. But when a supper of many meats +and dainties was set before him, he remembered his vow, and bade a squire +to bring him water, and therein he dipped his bread, and ate. + +Then said the lady, "Sir Bors, I fear ye like not my meat." + +"Yea, truly," said he; "God thank thee, madam; but I may eat no other meat +this day." + +After supper came a squire, and said, "Madam, bethink thee to provide a +champion for thee to-morrow for the tourney, or else shall thy sister have +thy castle." + +At that the lady wept, and made great sorrow. But Sir Bors prayed her to +be comforted, and asked her why the tournament was held. Then she told him +how she and her sister were the daughters of King Anianse, who left them +all his lands between them; and how her sister was the wife of a strong +knight, named Sir Pridan le Noir, who had taken from herself all her +lands, save the one tower wherein she dwelt. "And now," said she, "this +also will they take, unless I find a champion by to-morrow." + +Then said Sir Bors, "Be comforted; to-morrow I will fight for thee;" +whereat she rejoiced not a little, and sent word to Sir Pridan that she +was provided and ready. And Sir Bors lay on the floor, and in no bed, nor +ever would do otherwise till he had achieved his quest. + +On the morrow he arose and clothed himself, and went into the chapel, +where the lady met him, and they heard mass together. Anon he called for +his armour, and went with a goodly company of knights to the battle. And +the lady prayed him to refresh himself ere he should fight, but he refused +to break his fast until the tournament were done. So they all rode +together to the lists, and there they saw the lady's eldest sister, and +her husband, Sir Pridan le Noir. And a cry was made by the heralds that, +whichever should win, his lady should have all the other's lands. + +Then the two knights departed asunder a little space, and came together +with such force, that both their spears were shivered, and their shields +and hauberks pierced through; and both fell to the ground sorely wounded, +with their horses under them. But swiftly they arose, and drew their +swords, and smote each other on the head with many great and heavy blows, +till the blood ran down their bodies; and Sir Pridan was a full good +knight, so that Sir Bors had more ado than he had thought for to overcome +him. + +But at last Sir Pridan grew a little faint; that instantly perceived Sir +Bors, and rushed upon him the more vehemently, and smote him fiercely, +till he rent off his helm, and then gave him great strokes upon his visage +with the flat of his sword, and bade him yield or be slain. + +And then Sir Pridan cried him mercy, and said, "For God's sake slay me +not, and I will never war against thy lady more." So Sir Bors let him go, +and his wife fled away with all her knights. + +Then all those who had held lands of the lady of the tower came and did +homage to her again, and swore fealty. And when the country was at peace +Sir Bors departed, and rode forth into a forest until it was midday, and +there befell him a marvellous adventure. + +For at a place where two ways parted, there met him two knights, bearing +Sir Lionel, his brother, all naked, bound on a horse, and as they rode, +they beat him sorely with thorns, so that the blood trailed down in more +than a hundred places from his body; but for all this he uttered no word +or groan, so great he was of heart. As soon as Sir Bors knew his brother, +he put his spear in rest to run and rescue him; but in the same moment +heard a woman's voice cry close beside him in the wood, "St. Mary, succour +thy maid;" and, looking round, he saw a damsel whom a felon knight dragged +after him into the thickets; and she, perceiving him, cried piteously for +help, and adjured him to deliver her as he was a sworn knight. Then was +Sir Bors sore troubled, and knew not what to do, for he thought within +himself, "If I let my brother be, he will be murdered; but if I help not +the maid, she is shamed for ever, and my vow compelleth me to set her +free; wherefore must I first help her, and trust my brother unto God." + +So, riding to the knight who held the damsel, he cried out, "Sir knight, +lay your hand off that maid, or else ye be but dead." + +At that the knight set down the maid, and dropped his shield, and drew +forth his sword against Sir Bors, who ran at him, and smote him through +both shield and shoulder, and threw him to the earth; and when he pulled +his spear forth, the knight swooned. Then the maid thanked Sir Bors +heartily, and he set her on the knight's horse, and brought her to her +men-at-arms, who presently came riding after her. And they made much joy, +and besought him to come to her father, a great lord, and he should be +right welcome. But "truly," said he, "I may not at this time, for I have a +great adventure yet to do;" and commending them to God, he departed in +great haste to find his brother. + +So he rode, seeking him by the track of the horses a great while. Anon he +met a seeming holy man riding upon a strong black horse, and asked him, +had he seen pass by that way a knight led bound and beaten with thorns by +two others. + +"Yea, truly, such an one I saw," said the man; "but he is dead, and lo! +his body is hard by in a bush." + +Then he showed him a newly slain body lying in a thick bush, which seemed +indeed to be Sir Lionel. Then made Sir Bors such mourning and sorrow that +by-and-by he fell into a swoon upon the ground. And when he came to +himself again, he took the body in his arms and put it on his horse's +saddle, and bore it to a chapel hard by, and would have buried it. But +when he made the sign of the cross, he heard a full great noise and cry as +though all the fiends of hell had been about him, and suddenly the body +and the chapel and the old man vanished all away. Then he knew that it was +the devil who had thus beguiled him, and that his brother yet lived. + +Then held he up his hands to heaven, and thanked God for his own escape +from hurt, and rode onwards; and anon, as he passed by an hermitage in a +forest, he saw his brother sitting armed by the door. And when he saw him +he was filled with joy, and lighted from his horse, and ran to him and +said, "Fair brother, when came ye hither?" + +But Sir Lionel answered, with an angry face, "What vain words be these, +when for you I might have been slain? Did ye not see me bound and led away +to death, and left me in that peril to go succouring a gentlewoman, the +like whereof no brother ever yet hath done? Now, for thy false misdeed, I +do defy thee, and ensure thee speedy death." + +Then Sir Bors prayed his brother to abate his anger, and said, "Fair +brother, remember the love that should be between us twain." + +But Sir Lionel would not hear, and prepared to fight and mounted his horse +and came before him, crying, "Sir Bors, keep thee from me, for I shall do +to thee as a felon and a traitor; therefore, start upon thy horse, for if +thou wilt not, I will run upon thee as thou standest." + +But for all his words Sir Bors would not defend himself against his +brother. And anon the fiend stirred up Sir Lionel to such rage, that he +rushed over him and overthrew him with his horse's hoofs, so that he lay +swooning on the ground. Then would he have rent off his helm and slain +him, but the hermit of that place ran out, and prayed him to forbear, and +shielded Sir Bors with his body. + +Then Sir Lionel cried out, "Now, God so help me, sir priest, but I shall +slay thee else thou depart, and him too after thee." + +And when the good man utterly refused to leave Sir Bors, he smote him on +the head until he died, and then he took his brother by the helm and +unlaced it, to have stricken off his head, and so he would have done, but +suddenly was pulled off backwards by a knight of the Round Table, who, by +the will of Heaven, was passing by that place--Sir Colgrevance by name. + +"Sir Lionel," he cried, "will ye slay your brother, one of the best +knights of all the world? That ought no man to suffer." + +"Why," said Sir Lionel, "will ye hinder me and meddle in this strife? +beware, lest I shall slay both thee and him." + +And when Sir Colgrevance refused to let them be, Sir Lionel defied him, +and gave him a great stroke through the helmet, whereat Sir Colgrevance +drew his sword, and smote again right manfully. And so long they fought +together that Sir Bors awoke from his swoon, and tried to rise and part +them, but had no strength to stand upon his feet. + +Anon Sir Colgrevance saw him, and cried out to him for help, for now Sir +Lionel had nigh defeated him. When Sir Bors heard that, he struggled to +his feet, and put his helmet on, and took his sword. But before he could +come to him, Sir Lionel had smitten off Sir Colgrevance's helm, and thrown +him to the earth and slain him. Then turned he to his brother as a man +possessed by fiends, and gave him such a stroke as bent him nearly double. + +But still Sir Bors prayed him for God's sake to quit that battle, "For if +it befell us that we either slew the other we should die for care of that +sin." + +"Never will I spare thee if I master thee," cried out Sir Lionel. + +Then Sir Bors drew his sword all weeping, and said, "Now, God have mercy +on me, though I defend my life against my brother;" with that he lifted up +his sword to strike, but suddenly he heard a mighty voice, "Put up thy +sword, Sir Bors, and flee, or thou shalt surely slay him." And then there +fell upon them both a fiery cloud, which flamed and burned their shields, +and they fell to the earth in sore dread. + +Anon Sir Bors rose to his feet, and saw that Sir Lionel had taken no harm. +Then came the voice again, and said, "Sir Bors, go hence and leave thy +brother, and ride thou forward to the sea, for there Sir Percival abideth +thee." + +Then he said to his brother, "Brother, forgive me all my trespass against +thee." + +And Sir Lionel answered, "God forgive it thee, as I do." + +Then he departed and rode to the sea, and on the strand he found a ship +all covered with white samite, and as soon as he had entered thereinto, +it put forth from the shore. And in the midst of the ship there stood an +armed knight, whom he knew to be Sir Percival. Then they rejoiced greatly +over each other, and said, "We lack nothing now but the good knight Sir +Galahad." + +Now when Sir Galahad had rescued Sir Percival from the twenty knights he +rode into a vast forest. And after many days it befell that he came to a +castle whereat was a tournament. And the knights of the castle were put to +the worse; which when he saw, he set his spear in rest and ran to help +them, and smote down many of their adversaries. And as it chanced, Sir +Gawain was amongst the stranger knights, and when he saw the white shield +with the red cross, he knew it was Sir Galahad, and proffered to joust +with him. So they encountered, and having broken their spears, they drew +their swords, and Sir Galahad smote Sir Gawain so sorely on the helm that +he clove it through, and struck on slanting to the earth, carving the +horse's shoulder in twain, and Sir Gawain fell to the earth. Then Sir +Galahad beat back all who warred against the castle, yet would he not wait +for thanks, but rode away that no man might know him. + +And he rested that night at a hermitage, and when he was asleep, he heard +a knocking at the door. So he rose, and found a damsel there, who said, +"Sir Galahad, I will that ye arm you, and mount upon your horse and follow +me, for I will show you within these three days the highest adventure that +ever any knight saw." + +Anon Sir Galahad armed him, and took his horse, and commended himself to +God, and bade the gentlewoman go, and he would follow where she liked. + +So they rode onwards to the sea as fast as their horses might gallop, and +at night they came to a castle in a valley, inclosed by running water, and +by strong and high walls, whereinto they entered and had great cheer, for +the lady of the castle was the damsel's mistress. + +And when he was unarmed, the damsel said to her lady, "Madam, shall we +abide here this night?" + +"Nay," said she, "but only till he hath dined and slept a little." + +So he ate and slept a while, till the maid called him, and armed him by +torchlight; and when he had saluted the lady of the castle, the damsel and +Sir Galahad rode on. + +Anon they came to the seaside, and lo! the ship, wherein were Sir Percival +and Sir Bors, abode by the shore. Then they cried, "Welcome, Sir Galahad, +for we have awaited thee long." + +Then they rejoiced to see each other, and told of all their adventures and +temptations. And the damsel went into the ship with them, and spake to Sir +Percival: "Sir Percival, know ye not who I am?" + +And he replied, "Nay, certainly, I know thee not." + +Then said she, "I am thy sister, the daughter of King Pellinore, and am +sent to help thee and these knights, thy fellows, to achieve the quest +which ye all follow." + +So Sir Percival rejoiced to see his sister, and they departed from the +shore. And after a while they came upon a whirlpool, where their ship +could not live. Then saw they another greater ship hard by and went +towards it, but saw neither man nor woman therein. And on the end of it +these words were written, "Thou who shalt enter me, beware that thou be in +steadfast belief, for I am Faith; and if thou doubtest, I cannot help +thee." Then were they all adread, but, commending themselves to God, they +entered in. + +As soon as they were on board they saw a fair bed; whereon lay a crown of +silk, and at the foot was a fair and rich sword drawn from its scabbard +half a foot and more. The pommel was of precious stones of many colours, +every colour having a different virtue, and the scales of the haft were of +two ribs of different beasts. The one was bone of a serpent from Calidone +forest, named the serpent of the fiend; and its virtue saveth all men who +hold it from weariness. The other was of a fish that haunteth the floods +of Euphrates, named Ertanax; and its virtue causeth whoever holdeth it to +forget all other things, whether of joy or pain, save the thing he seeth +before him. + +"In the name of God," said Sir Percival, "I shall assay to handle this +sword; "and set his hand to it, but could not grasp it. "By my faith," +said he, "now have I failed." + +Sir Bors set his hand to it, and failed also. + +Then came Sir Galahad, and saw these letters written red as blood, "None +shall draw me forth save the hardiest of all men; but he that draweth me +shall never be shamed or wounded to death." "By my faith," said Sir +Galahad, "I would draw it forth, but dare not try." + +"Ye may try safely," said the gentlewoman, Sir Percival's sister, "for be +ye well assured the drawing of this sword is forbid to all but you. For +this was the sword of David, King of Israel, and Solomon his son made for +it this marvellous pommel and this wondrous sheath, and laid it on this +bed till thou shouldest come and take it up; and though before thee some +have dared to raise it, yet have they all been maimed or wounded for their +daring." + +"Where," said Sir Galahad, "shall we find a girdle for it?" + +"Fair sir," said she, "dismay you not;" and therewith took from out a box +a girdle, nobly wrought with golden thread, set full of precious stones +and with a rich gold buckle. "This girdle, lords," said she, "is made for +the most part of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I +loved full well; but when I knew that this adventure was ordained me, I +cut off and wove as ye now see." + +[Illustration: "This girdle, lords," said she, "is made for the most part +of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I loved full +well."] + +Then they all prayed Sir Galahad to take the sword, and so anon he gripped +it in his fingers; and the maiden girt it round his waist, saying, "Now +reck I not though I die, for I have made thee the worthiest knight of all +the world." + +"Fair damsel," said Sir Galahad, "ye have done so much that I shall be +your knight all the days of my life." + +Then the ship sailed a great way on the sea, and brought them to land near +the Castle of Carteloise. When they were landed came a squire and asked +them, "Be ye of King Arthur's court?" + +"We are," said they. + +"In an evil hour are ye come," said he, and went back swiftly to the +castle. + +Within a while they heard a great horn blow, and saw a multitude of +well-armed knights come forth, who bade them yield or die. At that they +ran together, and Sir Percival smote one to the earth and mounted his +horse, and so likewise did Sir Bors and Sir Galahad, and soon had they +routed all their enemies and alighted on foot, and with their swords slew +them downright, and entered into the castle. + +Then came there forth a priest, to whom Sir Galahad kneeled and said, "In +sooth, good father, I repent me of this slaughter; but we were first +assailed, or else it had not been." + +"Repent ye not," said the good man, "for if ye lived as long as the world +lasted ye could do no better deed, for these were all the felon sons of a +good knight, Earl Hernox, whom they have thrown into a dungeon, and in his +name have slain priests and clerks, and beat down chapels far and near." + +Then Sir Galahad prayed the priest to bring him to the earl; who, when he +saw Sir Galahad, cried out, "Long have I waited for thy coming, and now I +pray thee hold me in thine arms that I may die in peace." + +And therewith, when Sir Galahad had taken him in his arms, his soul +departed from his body. + +Then came a voice in the hearing of them all, "Depart now, Sir Galahad, +and go quickly to the maimed king, for he hath long abided to receive +health from thy hand." + +So the three knights departed, and Sir Percival's sister with them, and +came to a vast forest, and saw before them a white hart, exceeding fair, +led by four lions; and marvelling greatly at that sight, they followed. + +Anon they came to a hermitage and a chapel, whereunto the hart entered, +and the lions with it. Then a priest offered mass, and presently they saw +the hart change into the figure of a man, most sweet and comely to behold; +and the four lions also changed and became a man, an eagle, a lion, and an +ox. And suddenly all those five figures vanished without sound. Then the +knights marvelled greatly, and fell upon their knees, and when they rose +they prayed the priest to tell them what that sight might mean. + +"What saw ye, sirs?" said he, "for I saw nothing." Then they told him. + +"Ah, lords!" said he, "ye are full welcome; now know I well ye be the +knights who shall achieve the Sangreal, for unto them alone such +mysteries are revealed. The hart ye saw is One above all men, white and +without blemish, and the four lions with Him are the four evangelists." + +When they heard that they heartily rejoiced, and thanking the priest, +departed. + +Anon, as they passed by a certain castle, an armed knight suddenly came +after them, and cried out to the damsel, "By the holy cross, ye shall not +go till ye have yielded to the custom of the castle." + +"Let her go," said Sir Percival, "for a maiden, wheresoever she cometh, is +free." + +"Whatever maiden passeth here," replied the knight, "must give a dishful +of her blood from her right arm." + +"It is a foul and shameful custom," cried Sir Galahad and both his +fellows, "and sooner will we die than let this maiden yield thereto." + +"Then shall ye die," replied the knight, and as he spake there came out +from a gate hard by, ten or twelve more, and encountered with them, +running upon them vehemently with a great cry. But the three knights +withstood them, and set their hands to their swords, and beat them down +and slew them. + +At that came forth a company of threescore knights, all armed. "Fair +lords," said Sir Galahad, "have mercy on yourselves and keep from us." + +"Nay, fair lords," they answered, "rather be advised by us, and yield ye +to our custom." + +"It is an idle word," said Galahad, "in vain ye speak it." + +"Well," said they, "will ye die?" + +"We be not come thereto as yet," replied Sir Galahad. + +Then did they fall upon each other, and Sir Galahad drew forth his sword, +and smote on the right hand and on the left, and slew so mightily that +all who saw him thought he was a monster and no earthly man. And both his +comrades helped him well, and so they held the field against that +multitude till it was night. Then came a good knight forward from the +enemy and said, "Fair knights, abide with us to-night and be right +welcome; by the faith of our bodies as we are true knights, to-morrow ye +shall rise unharmed, and meanwhile maybe ye will, of your own accord, +accept the custom of the castle when ye know it better." + +So they entered and alighted and made great cheer. Anon, they asked them +whence that custom came. "The lady of this castle is a leper," said they, +"and can be no way cured save by the blood of a pure virgin and a king's +daughter; therefore to save her life are we her servants bound to stay +every maid that passeth by, and try if her blood may not cure our +mistress." + +Then said the damsel, "Take ye of my blood as much as ye will, if it may +avail your lady." + +And though the three knights urged her not to put her life in that great +peril, she replied, "If I die to heal another's body, I shall get health +to my soul," and would not be persuaded to refuse. + +So on the morrow she was brought to the sick lady, and her arm was bared, +and a vein thereof was opened, and the dish filled with her blood. Then +the sick lady was anointed therewith, and anon she was whole of her +malady. With that Sir Percival's sister lifted up her hand and blessed +her, saying, "Madam, I am come to my death to make you whole; for God's +love pray for me;" and thus saying she fell down in a swoon. + +Then Sir Galahad, Sir Percival, and Sir Bors started to lift her up and +staunch her blood, but she had lost too much to live. So when she came to +herself she said to Sir Percival, "Fair brother, I must die for the +healing of this lady, and now, I pray thee, bury me not here, but when I +am dead put me in a boat at the next haven and let me float at venture on +the sea. And when ye come to the city of Sarras, to achieve the Sangreal, +shall ye find me waiting by a tower, and there I pray thee bury me, for +there shall Sir Galahad and ye also be laid." Thus having said, she died. + +Then Sir Percival wrote all the story of her life and put it in her right +hand, and so laid her in a barge and covered it with silk. And the wind +arising drove the barge from land, and all the knights stood watching it +till it was out of sight. + +Anon they returned to the castle, and forthwith fell a sudden tempest of +thunder and lightning and rain, as if the earth were broken up: and half +the castle was thrown down. Then came a voice to the three knights which +said, "Depart ye now asunder till ye meet again where the maimed king is +lying." So they parted and rode divers ways. + +Now after Sir Lancelot had left the hermit, he rode a long while till he +knew not whither to turn, and so he lay down to sleep, if haply he might +dream whither to go. + +And in his sleep a vision came to him saying, "Lancelot, rise up and take +thine armour, and enter the first ship that thou shalt find." + +When he awoke he obeyed the vision, and rode till he came to the +sea-shore, and found there a ship without sails or oars, and as soon as he +was in it he smelt the sweetest savour he had ever known, and seemed +filled with all things he could think of or desire. And looking round he +saw a fair bed, and thereon a gentlewoman lying dead, who was Sir +Percival's sister. And as Sir Lancelot looked on her he spied the writing +in her right hand, and, taking it, he read therein her story. And more +than a month thereafter he abode in that ship and was nourished by the +grace of Heaven, as Israel was fed with manna in the desert. + +And on a certain night he went ashore to pass the time, for he was +somewhat weary, and, listening, he heard a horse come towards him, from +which a knight alighted and went up into the ship; who, when he saw Sir +Lancelot, said, "Fair sir, ye be right welcome to mine eyes, for I am thy +son Galahad, and long time I have sought for thee." With that he kneeled +and asked his blessing, and took off his helm and kissed him, and the +great joy there was between them no tongue can tell. + +Then for half a year they dwelt together in the ship, and served God night +and day with all their powers, and went to many unknown islands, where none +but wild beasts haunted, and there found many strange and perilous +adventures. + +And upon a time they came to the edge of a forest, before a cross of +stone, and saw a knight armed all in white, leading a white horse. Then +the knight saluted them, and said to Galahad, "Ye have been long time +enough with your father; now, therefore, leave him and ride this horse +till ye achieve the Holy Quest." + +Then went Sir Galahad to his father and kissed him full courteously, and +said, "Fair father, I know not when I shall see thee again." + +And as he took his horse a voice spake in their hearing, "Ye shall meet no +more in this life." + +"Now, my son, Sir Galahad," said Sir Lancelot, "since we must so part and +see each other never more, I pray the High Father of Heaven to preserve +both you and me." + +Then they bade farewell, and Sir Galahad entered the forest, and Sir +Lancelot returned to the ship, and the wind rose and drove him more than a +month through the sea, whereby he slept but little, yet ever prayed that +he might see the Sangreal. + +So it befell upon a certain midnight, the moon shining clear, he came +before a fair and rich castle, whereof the postern gate was open towards +the sea, having no keeper save two lions in the entry. + +Anon Sir Lancelot heard a voice: "Leave now thy ship and go within the +castle, and thou shalt see a part of thy desire." + +Then he armed and went towards the gate, and coming to the lions he drew +out his sword, but suddenly a dwarf rushed out and smote him on the arm, +so that he dropt his sword, and heard again the voice, "Oh, man of evil +faith, and poor belief, wherefore trustest thou thine arms above thy +Maker?" Then he put up his sword and signed the cross upon his forehead, +and so passed by the lions without hurt. + +And going in, he found a chamber with the door shut, which in vain he +tried to open. And listening thereat he heard a voice within, which sang +so sweetly that it seemed no earthly thing, "Joy and honour be to the +Father of Heaven!" Then he kneeled down at the door, for he knew well the +Sangreal was there within. + +Anon the door was opened without hands, and forthwith came thereout so +great a splendour as if all the torches of the world had been alight +together. But when he would have entered in, a voice forbad him; wherefore +he drew back, and looked, standing upon the threshold of the door. And +there he saw a table of silver, and the holy vessel covered with red +samite, and many angels round it holding burning candles and a cross and +all the ornaments of the altar. + +Then a priest stood up and offered mass, and when he took the vessel up, +he seemed to sink beneath that burden. At that Sir Lancelot cried, "O +Father, take it not for sin that I go in to help the priest, who hath much +need thereof." So saying, he went in, but when he came towards the table +he felt a breath of fire which issued out therefrom and smote him to the +ground, so that he had no power to rise. + +Then felt he many hands about him, which took him up and laid him down +outside the chapel door. There lay he in a swoon all through that night, +and on the morrow certain people found him senseless, and bore him to an +inner chamber and laid him on a bed. And there he rested, living, but +moving no limbs, twenty-four days and nights. + +On the twenty-fifth day he opened his eyes and saw those standing round, +and said, "Why have ye waked me? for I have seen marvels that no tongue +can tell, and more than any heart can think." + +Then he asked where he was, and they told him, "In the Castle of +Carbonek." + +"Tell your lord, King Pelles," said he, "that I am Sir Lancelot." + +At that they marvelled greatly, and told their lord it was Sir Lancelot +who had lain there so long. + +Then was King Pelles wondrous glad and went to see him, and prayed him to +abide there for a season. But Sir Lancelot said, "I know well that I have +now seen as much as mine eyes may behold of the Sangreal; wherefore I will +return to my own country." So he took leave of King Pelles, and departed +towards Logris. + +Now after Sir Galahad had parted from Sir Lancelot, he rode many days, +till he came to the monastery where the blind King Evelake lay, whom Sir +Percival had seen. And on the morrow, when he had heard mass, Sir Galahad +desired to see the king, who cried out, "Welcome, Sir Galahad, servant of +the Lord! long have I abided thy coming. Take me now in thine arms, that I +may die in peace." + +At that Sir Galahad embraced him; and when he had so done the king's eyes +were opened, and he said, "Fair Lord Jesus, suffer me now to come to +Thee;" and anon his soul departed. + +Then they buried him royally, as a king should be; and Sir Galahad went on +his way. + +Within a while he came to a chapel in a forest, in the crypt whereof he +saw a tomb which always blazed and burnt. And asking the brethren what +that might mean, they told him, "Joseph of Arimathea's son did found this +monastery, and one who wronged him hath lain here these three hundred and +fifty years and burneth evermore, until that perfect knight who shall +achieve the Sangreal doth quench the fire." + +Then said he, "I pray ye bring me to the tomb." + +And when he touched the place immediately the fire was quenched, and a +voice came from the grave and cried, "Thanks be to God, who now hath +purged me of my sin, and draweth me from earthly pains into the joys of +paradise." + +Then Sir Galahad took the body in his arms and bore it to the abbey, and +on the morrow put it in the earth before the high altar. + +Anon he departed from thence and rode five days in a great forest; and +after that he met Sir Percival, and a little further on Sir Bors. When +they had told each other their adventures, they rode together to the +Castle of Carbonek: and there King Pelles gave them hearty welcome, for he +knew they should achieve the Holy Quest. + +As soon as they were come into the castle, a voice cried in the midst of +the chamber, "Let them who ought not now to sit at the table of the Lord +rise and depart hence!" Then all, save those three knights, departed. + +Anon they saw other knights come in with haste at the hall doors and take +their harness off, who said to Sir Galahad, "Sir, we have tried sore to be +with you at this table." + +"Ye be welcome," said he, "but whence are ye?" + +So three of them said they were from Gaul; and three from Ireland; and +three from Denmark. + +Then came forth the likeness of a bishop, with a cross in his hand, and +four angels stood by him, and a table of silver was before them, whereon +was set the vessel of the Sangreal. Then came forth other angels also--two +bearing burning candles, and the third a towel, and the fourth a spear +which bled marvellously, the drops wherefrom fell into a box he held in +his left hand. Anon the bishop took the wafer up to consecrate it, and at +the lifting up, they saw the figure of a Child, whose visage was as bright +as any fire, which smote itself into the midst of the wafer and vanished, +so that all saw the flesh made bread. + +Thereat the bishop went to Galahad and kissed him, and bade him go and +kiss his fellows; and said, "Now, servants of the Lord, prepare for food +such as none ever yet were fed with since the world began." + +With that he vanished, and the knights were filled with a great dread and +prayed devoutly. + +Then saw they come forth from the holy vessel the vision of a man bleeding +all openly, whom they knew well by the tokens of His passion for the Lord +Himself. At that they fell upon their faces and were dumb. Anon he brought +the Holy Grale to them and spake high words of comfort, and, when they +drank therefrom, the taste thereof was sweeter than any tongue could tell +or heart desire. Then a voice said to Galahad, "Son, with this blood which +drippeth from the spear anoint thou the maimed king and heal him. And when +thou hast this done, depart hence with thy brethren in a ship that ye +shall find, and go to the city of Sarras. And bear with thee the holy +vessel, for it shall no more be seen in the realm of Logris." + +At that Sir Galahad walked to the bleeding spear, and therefrom anointing +his fingers went out straightway to the maimed King Pelles, and touched +his wound. Then suddenly he uprose from his bed as whole a man as ever he +was, and praised God passing thankfully with all his heart. + +Then Sir Galahad, Sir Bors, and Sir Percival departed as they had been +told; and when they had ridden three days they came to the sea-shore, and +found the ship awaiting them. Therein they entered, and saw in the midst +the silver table and the vessel of the Sangreal, covered with red samite. +Then were they passing glad, and made great reverence thereto. And Sir +Galahad prayed that now he might leave the world and pass to God. And +presently, the while he prayed, a voice said to him, "Galahad, thy prayer +is heard, and when thou asketh the death of the body thou shalt have it, +and find the life of thy soul." + +But while they prayed and slept the ship sailed on, and when they woke +they saw the city of Sarras before them, and the other ship wherein was +Sir Percival's sister. Then the three knights took up the holy table and +the Sangreal and went into the city; and there, in a chapel, they buried +Sir Percival's sister right solemnly. + +Now at the gate of the town they saw an old cripple sitting, whom Sir +Galahad called to help them bear their weight. + +"Truly," said the old man, "it is ten years since I have gone a step +without these crutches." + +"Care ye not," said Sir Galahad; "rise now and show goodwill." + +So he assayed to move, and found his limbs as strong as any man's might +be, and running to the table helped to carry it. + +Anon there rose a rumour in the city that a cripple had been healed by +certain marvellous strange knights. + +But the king, named Estouranse, who was a heathen tyrant, when he heard +thereof took Sir Galahad and his fellows, and put them in prison in a deep +hole. Therein they abode a great while, but ever the Sangreal was with +them and fed them with marvellous sweet food, so that they fainted not, +but had all joy and comfort they could wish. + +At the year's end the king fell sick and felt that he should die. Then +sent he for the three knights, and when they came before him prayed their +mercy for his trespasses against them. So they forgave him gladly, and +anon he died. + +Then the chief men of the city took counsel together who should be king in +his stead, and as they talked, a voice cried in their midst, "Choose ye +the youngest of the three knights King Estouranse cast into prison for +your king." At that they sought Sir Galahad and made him king with the +assent of all the city, and else they would have slain him. + +But within a twelvemonth came to him, upon a certain day, as he prayed +before the Sangreal, a man in likeness of a bishop, with a great company +of angels round about him, who offered mass, and afterwards called to Sir +Galahad, "Come forth, thou servant of the Lord, for the time hath come +thou hast desired so long." + +Then Sir Galahad lifted up his hands and prayed, "Now, blessed Lord! would +I no longer live if it might please Thee." + +Anon the bishop gave him the sacrament, and when he had received it with +unspeakable gladness, he said, "Who art thou, father?" + +"I am Joseph of Arimathea," answered he, "whom our Lord hath sent to bear +thee fellowship." + +When he heard that, Sir Galahad went to Sir Percival and Sir Bors and +kissed them and commended them to God, saying, "Salute for me Sir +Lancelot, my father, and bid him remember this unstable world." + +Therewith he kneeled down and prayed, and suddenly his soul departed, and +a multitude of angels bare it up to heaven. Then came a hand from heaven +and took the vessel and the spear and bare them out of sight. + +Since then was never man so hardy as to say that he had seen the Sangreal. + +And after all these things, Sir Percival put off his armour and betook him +to an hermitage, and within a little while passed out of this world. And +Sir Bors, when he had buried him beside his sister, returned, weeping sore +for the loss of his two brethren, to King Arthur, at Camelot. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +_Sir Lancelot and the Fair Maid of Astolat_ + + +Now after the quest of the Sangreal was fulfilled and all the knights who +were left alive were come again to the Round Table, there was great joy in +the court. And passing glad were King Arthur and Queen Guinevere to see +Sir Lancelot and Sir Bors, for they had been long absent in that quest. + +And so greatly was Sir Lancelot's fame now spread abroad that many ladies +and damsels daily resorted to him and besought him for their champion; and +all right quarrels did he gladly undertake for the pleasure of our Lord +Christ. And always as much as he might he withdrew him from the queen. + +Wherefore Queen Guinevere, who counted him for her own knight, grew wroth +with him, and on a certain day she called him to her chamber, and said +thus: "Sir Lancelot, I daily see thy loyalty to me doth slack, for ever +thou art absent from this court, and takest other ladies' quarrels on thee +more than ever thou wert wont. Now do I understand thee, false knight, and +therefore shall I never trust thee more. Depart now from my sight, and +come no more within this court upon pain of thy head." With that she +turned from him and would hear no excuses. + +So Sir Lancelot departed in heaviness of heart, and calling Sir Bors, Sir +Ector, and Sir Lionel, he told them how the queen had dealt with him. + +"Fair sir," replied Sir Bors, "remember what honour ye have in this +country, and how ye are called the noblest knight in the world; wherefore +go not, for women are hasty, and do often what they sore repent of +afterwards. Be ruled by my advice. Take horse and ride to the hermitage +beside Windsor, and there abide till I send ye better tidings." + +To that Sir Lancelot consented, and departed with a sorrowful countenance. + +Now when the queen heard of his leaving she was inwardly sorry, but made +no show of grief, bearing a proud visage outwardly. And on a certain day +she made a costly banquet to all the knights of the Round Table, to show +she had as great joy in all others as in Sir Lancelot. And at the banquet +were Sir Gawain, and his brothers Sir Agravaine, Sir Gaheris, and Sir +Gareth; also Sir Modred, Sir Bors, Sir Blamor, Sir Bleoberis, Sir Ector, +Sir Lionel, Sir Palomedes, Sir Mador de la Port, and his cousin Sir +Patrice--a knight of Ireland, Sir Pinell le Savage, and many more. + +Now Sir Pinell hated Sir Gawain because he had slain one of his kinsmen by +treason; and Sir Gawain had a great love for all kinds of fruit, which, +when Sir Pinell knew, he poisoned certain apples that were set upon the +table, with intent to slay him. And so it chanced as they ate and made +merry, Sir Patrice, who sat next to Sir Gawain, took one of the poisoned +apples and eat it, and when he had eaten he suddenly swelled up and fell +down dead. + +At that every knight leapt from the board ashamed and enraged nigh out of +their wits, for they knew not what to say, yet seeing that the queen had +made the banquet they all had suspicion of her. + +"My lady the queen," said Sir Gawain, "I wit well this fruit was meant for +me, for all men know my love for it, and now had I been nearly slain; +wherefore, I fear me, ye will be ashamed." + +"This shall not end so," cried Sir Mador de la Port; "now have I lost a +noble knight of my own blood, and for this despite and shame I will be +revenged to the uttermost." + +Then he challenged Queen Guinevere concerning the death of his cousin, but +she stood still, sore abashed, and anon with her sorrow and dread, she +swooned. + +At the noise and sudden cry came in King Arthur, and to him appealed Sir +Mador, and impeached the queen. + +"Fair lords," said he, "full sorely am I troubled at this matter, for I +must be rightful judge, and therein it repenteth me I may not do battle +for my wife, for, as I deem, this deed was none of hers. But I suppose she +will not lack a champion, and some good knight surely will put his body in +jeopardy to save her." + +But all who had been bidden to the banquet said they could not hold the +queen excused, or be her champions, for she had made the feast, and either +by herself or servants must it have come. + +"Alas!" said the queen, "I made this dinner for a good intent, and no +evil, so God help me in my need." + +"My lord the king," said Sir Mador, "I require you heartily as you be a +righteous king give me a day when I may have justice." + +"Well," said the king, "I give ye this day fifteen days, when ye shall be +ready and armed in the meadow beside Westminster, and if there be a +knight to fight with you, God speed the right, and if not, then must my +queen be burnt." + +When the king and queen were alone together he asked her how this case +befell. + +"I wot not how or in what manner," answered she. + +"Where is Sir Lancelot?" said King Arthur, "for he would not grudge to do +battle for thee." + +"Sir," said she, "I cannot tell you, but all his kinsmen deem he is not in +this realm." + +"These be sad tidings," said the king; "I counsel ye to find Sir Bors, and +pray him for Sir Lancelot's sake to do this battle for you." + +So the queen departed and sent for Sir Bors to her chamber, and besought +his succour. + +"Madam," said he, "what would you have me do? for I may not with my honour +take this matter on me, for I was at that same dinner, and all the other +knights would have me ever in suspicion. Now do ye miss Sir Lancelot, for +he would not have failed you in right nor yet in wrong, as ye have often +proved, but now ye have driven him from the country." + +"Alas! fair knight," said the queen, "I put me wholly at your mercy, and +all that is done amiss I will amend as ye will counsel me." + +And therewith she kneeled down upon both her knees before Sir Bors, and +besought him to have mercy on her. + +Anon came in King Arthur also, and prayed him of his courtesy to help her, +saying, "I require you for the love of Lancelot." + +"My lord," said he, "ye require the greatest thing of me that any man can +ask, for if I do this battle for the queen I shall anger all my fellows of +the Table Round; nevertheless, for my lord Sir Lancelot's sake, and for +yours, I will that day be the queen's champion, unless there chance to +come a better knight than I am to do battle for her." And this he promised +on his faith. + +Then were the king and queen passing glad, and thanked him heartily, and +so departed. + +But Sir Bors rode in secret to the hermitage where Sir Lancelot was, and +told him all these tidings. + +"It has chanced as I would have it," said Sir Lancelot; "yet make ye ready +for the battle, but tarry till ye see me come." + +"Sir," said Sir Bors, "doubt not but ye shall have your will." + +But many of the knights were greatly wroth with him when they heard he was +to be the queen's champion, for there were few in the court but deemed her +guilty. + +Then said Sir Bors, "Wit ye well, fair lords, it were a shame to us all to +suffer so fair and noble a lady to be burnt for lack of a champion, for +ever hath she proved herself a lover of good knights; wherefore I doubt +not she is guiltless of this treason." + +At that were some well pleased, but others rested passing wroth. + +And when the day was come, the king and queen and all the knights went to +the meadow beside Westminster, where the battle should be fought. Then the +queen was put in ward, and a great fire was made round the iron stake, +where she must be burnt if Sir Mador won the day. + +So when the heralds blew, Sir Mador rode forth, and took oath that Queen +Guinevere was guilty of Sir Patrice's death, and his oath he would prove +with his body against any who would say the contrary. Then came forth Sir +Bors, and said, "Queen Guinevere is in the right, and that will I prove +with my hands." + +With that they both departed to their tents to make ready for the battle. +But Sir Bors tarried long, hoping Sir Lancelot would come, till Sir Mador +cried out to King Arthur, "Bid thy champion come forth, unless he dare +not." Then was Sir Bors ashamed, and took his horse and rode to the end of +the lists. + +But ere he could meet Sir Mador he was ware of a knight upon a white +horse, armed at all points, and with a strange shield, who rode to him and +said, "I pray you withdraw from this quarrel, for it is mine, and I have +ridden far to fight in it." + +Thereat Sir Bors rode to King Arthur, and told him that another knight was +come who would do battle for the queen. + +"Who is he?" said King Arthur. + +"I may not tell you," said Sir Bors; "but he made a covenant with me to be +here to-day, wherefore I am discharged." + +Then the king called that knight, and asked him if he would fight for the +queen. + +"Therefore came I hither, Sir king," answered he; "but let us tarry no +longer, for anon I have other matters to do. But wit ye well," said he to +the Knights of the Round Table, "it is shame to ye for such a courteous +queen to suffer this dishonour." + +And all men marvelled who this knight might be, for none knew him save Sir +Bors. + +Then Sir Mador and the knight rode to either end of the lists, and +couching their spears, ran one against the other with all their might; and +Sir Mador's spear broke short, but the strange knight bore both him and +his horse down to the ground. Then lightly they leaped from their saddles +and drew their swords, and so came eagerly to the battle, and either gave +the other many sad strokes and sore and deep wounds. + +Thus they fought nigh an hour, for Sir Mador was a full strong and valiant +knight. But at last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave +him such a buffet on the helm as wellnigh killed him. Then did Sir Mador +yield, and prayed his life. + +[Illustration: At last the strange knight smote him to the earth, and gave +him such a buffet on the helm as well-nigh killed him. ] + +"I will but grant it thee," said the strange knight, "if thou wilt release +the queen from this quarrel for ever, and promise that no mention shall be +made upon Sir Patrice's tomb that ever she consented to that treason." + +"All this shall be done," said Sir Mador. + +Then the knights parters took up Sir Mador and led him to his tent, and +the other knight went straight to the stair foot of King Arthur's throne; +and by that time was the queen come to the king again, and kissed him +lovingly. + +Then both the king and she stooped down, and thanked the knight, and +prayed him to put off his helm and rest him, and to take a cup of wine. +And when he put his helmet off to drink, all people saw it was Sir +Lancelot. But when the queen beheld him she sank almost to the ground +weeping for sorrow and for joy, that he had done her such great goodness +when she had showed him such unkindness. + +Then the knights of his blood gathered round him, and there was great joy +and mirth in the court. And Sir Mador and Sir Lancelot were soon healed of +their wounds; and not long after came the Lady of the Lake to the court, +and told all there by her enchantments how Sir Pinell, and not the queen, +was guilty of Sir Patrice's death. Whereat the queen was held excused of +all men, and Sir Pinell fled the country. + +So Sir Patrice was buried in the church of Winchester, and it was written +on his tomb that Sir Pinell slew him with a poisoned apple, in error for +Sir Gawain. Then, through Sir Lancelot's favour, the queen was reconciled +to Sir Mador, and all was forgiven. + +Now fifteen days before the Feast of the Assumption of our Lady, the king +proclaimed a tourney to be held that feast-day at Camelot, whereat himself +and the King of Scotland would joust with all who should come against +them. So thither went the King of North Wales, and King Anguish of +Ireland, and Sir Galahaut the noble prince, and many other nobles of +divers countries. + +And King Arthur made ready to go, and would have had the queen go with +him, but she said that she was sick. Sir Lancelot, also, made excuses, +saying he was not yet whole of his wounds. + +At that the king was passing heavy and grieved, and so departed alone +towards Camelot. And by the way he lodged in a town called Astolat, and +lay that night in the castle. + +As soon as he had gone, Sir Lancelot said to the queen, "This night I will +rest, and to-morrow betimes will I take my way to Camelot; for at these +jousts I will be against the king and his fellowship." + +"Ye may do as ye list," said Queen Guinevere; "but by my counsel ye will +not be against the king, for in his company are many hardy knights, as ye +well know." + +"Madam," said Sir Lancelot, "I pray ye be not displeased with me, for I +will take the adventure that God may send me." + +And on the morrow he went to the church and heard mass, and took his leave +of the queen, and so departed. + +Then he rode long till he came to Astolat, and there lodged at the castle +of an old baron called Sir Bernard of Astolat, which was near the castle +where King Arthur lodged. And as Sir Lancelot entered the king espied him, +and knew him. Then said he to the knights, "I have just seen a knight who +will fight full well at the joust toward which we go." + +"Who is it?" asked they. + +"As yet ye shall not know," he answered smiling. + +When Sir Lancelot was in his chamber unarming, the old baron came to him +saluting him, though as yet he knew not who he was. + +Now Sir Bernard had a daughter passing beautiful, called the Fair Maid of +Astolat, and when she saw Sir Lancelot she loved him from that instant +with her whole heart, and could not stay from gazing on him. + +On the morrow, Sir Lancelot asked the old baron to lend him a strange +shield. "For," said he, "I would be unknown." + +"Sir," said his host, "ye shall have your desire, for here is the shield +of my eldest son, Sir Torre, who was hurt the day he was made knight, so +that he cannot ride; and his shield, therefore, is not known. And, if it +please you, my youngest son, Sir Lavaine, shall ride with you to the +jousts, for he is of his age full strong and mighty; and I deem ye be a +noble knight, wherefore I pray ye tell me your name." + +"As to that," said Sir Lancelot, "ye must hold me excused at this time, +but if I speed well at the jousts, I will come again and tell you; but in +anywise let me have your son, Sir Lavaine, with me, and lend me his +brother's shield." + +Then, ere they departed, came Elaine, the baron's daughter, and said to +Sir Lancelot, "I pray thee, gentle knight, to wear my token at to-morrow's +tourney." + +"If I should grant you that, fair damsel," said he, "ye might say that I +did more for you than ever I have done for lady or damsel." + +Then he bethought him that if he granted her request he would be the more +disguised, for never before had he worn any lady's token. So anon he said, +"Fair damsel, I will wear thy token on my helmet if thou wilt show it me." + +Thereat was she passing glad, and brought him a scarlet sleeve broidered +with pearls, which Sir Lancelot took, and put upon his helm. Then he +prayed her to keep his shield for him until he came again, and taking Sir +Torre's shield instead, rode forth with Sir Lavaine towards Camelot. + +On the morrow the trumpets blew for the tourney, and there was a great +press of dukes and earls and barons and many noble knights; and King +Arthur sat in a gallery to behold who did the best. So the King of +Scotland and his knights, and King Anguish of Ireland rode forth on King +Arthur's side; and against them came the King of North Wales, the King of +a Hundred Knights, the King of Northumberland, and the noble prince Sir +Galahaut. + +But Sir Lancelot and Sir Lavaine rode into a little wood behind the party +which was against King Arthur, to watch which side should prove the +weakest. + +Then was there a strong fight between the two parties, for the King of a +Hundred Knights smote down the King of Scotland; and Sir Palomedes, who +was on King Arthur's side, overthrew Sir Galahaut. Then came fifteen +Knights of the Round Table and beat back the Kings of Northumberland and +North Wales with their knights. + +"Now," said Sir Lancelot to Sir Lavaine, "if ye will help me, ye shall +see yonder fellowship go back as fast as they came." + +"Sir," said Sir Lavaine, "I will do what I can." + +Then they rode together into the thickest of the press, and there, with +one spear, Sir Lancelot smote down five Knights of the Round Table, one +after other, and Sir Lavaine overthrew two. And taking another spear, for +his own was broken, Sir Lancelot smote down four more knights, and Sir +Lavaine a fifth. Then, drawing his sword, Sir Lancelot fought fiercely on +the right hand and the left, and unhorsed Sir Safire, Sir Epinogris, and +Sir Galleron. At that the Knights of the Round Table withdrew themselves +as well as they were able. + +"Now, mercy," said Sir Gawain, who sat by King Arthur; "what knight is +that who doth such marvellous deeds of arms? I should deem him by his +force to be Sir Lancelot, but that he wears a lady's token on his helm as +never Lancelot doth." + +"Let him be," said King Arthur; "he will be better known, and do more ere +he depart." + +Thus the party against King Arthur prospered at this time, and his knights +were sore ashamed. Then Sir Bors, Sir Ector, and Sir Lionel called +together the knights of their blood, nine in number, and agreed to join +together in one band against the two strange knights. So they encountered +Sir Lancelot all at once, and by main force smote his horse to the ground; +and by misfortune Sir Bors struck Sir Lancelot through the shield into the +side, and the spear broke off and left the head in the wound. + +When Sir Lavaine saw that, he ran to the King of Scotland and struck him +off his horse, and brought it to Sir Lancelot, and helped him to mount. +Then Sir Lancelot bore Sir Bors and his horse to the ground, and in like +manner served Sir Ector and Sir Lionel; and turning upon three other +knights he smote them down also; while Sir Lavaine did many gallant deeds. + +But feeling himself now sorely wounded Sir Lancelot drew his sword, and +proffered to fight with Sir Bors, who, by this time, was mounted anew. And +as they met, Sir Ector and Sir Lionel came also, and the swords of all +three drave fiercely against him. When he felt their buffets, and his +wound that was so grievous, he determined to do all his best while he +could yet endure, and smote Sir Bors a blow that bent his head down nearly +to the ground and razed his helmet off and pulled him from his horse. + +Then rushing at Sir Ector and Sir Lionel, he smote them down, and might +have slain all three, but when he saw their faces his heart forbade him. +Leaving them, therefore, on the field, he hurled into the thickest of the +press, and did such feats of arms as never were beheld before. + +And Sir Lavaine was with him through it all, and overthrew ten knights; +but Sir Lancelot smote down more than thirty, and most of them Knights of +the Round Table. + +Then the king ordered the trumpets to blow for the end of the tourney, and +the prize to be given by the heralds to the knight with the white shield +who bore the red sleeve. + +But ere Sir Lancelot was found by the heralds, came the King of the +Hundred Knights, the King of North Wales, the King of Northumberland, and +Sir Galahaut, and said to him, "Fair knight, God bless thee, for much have +ye done this day for us; wherefore we pray ye come with us and receive +the honour and the prize as ye have worshipfully deserved it." + +"My fair lords," said Sir Lancelot, "wit ye well if I have deserved +thanks, I have sore bought them, for I am like never to escape with my +life; therefore I pray ye let me depart, for I am sore hurt. I take no +thought of honour, for I had rather rest me than be lord of all the +world." And therewith he groaned piteously, and rode a great gallop away +from them. + +And Sir Lavaine rode after him, sad at heart, for the broken spear still +stuck fast in Sir Lancelot's side, and the blood streamed sorely from the +wound. Anon they came near a wood more than a mile from the lists, where +he knew he could be hidden. + +Then said he to Sir Lavaine, "O gentle knight, help me to pull out this +spear-head from my side, for the pain thereof nigh killeth me." + +"Dear lord," said he, "I fain would help ye; but I dread to draw it forth, +lest ye should die for loss of blood." + +"I charge you as you love me," said Sir Lancelot, "draw it out." + +So they dismounted, and with a mighty wrench Sir Lavaine drew the spear +forth from Sir Lancelot's side; whereat he gave a marvellous great shriek +and ghastly groan, and all his blood leaped forth in a full stream. Then +he sank swooning to the earth, with a visage pale as death. + +"Alas!" cried Sir Lavaine, "what shall I do now?" + +And then he turned his master's face towards the wind, and sat by him nigh +half an hour while he lay quiet as one dead. But at the last he lifted up +his eyes, and said, "I pray ye bear me on my horse again, and lead me to a + hermit who dwelleth within two miles hence, for he was formerly a knight +of Arthur's court, and now hath mighty skill in medicine and herbs." + +So with great pain Sir Lavaine got him to his horse, and led him to the +hermitage within the wood, beside a stream. Then knocked he with his spear +upon the door, and prayed to enter. At that a child came out, to whom he +said, "Fair child, pray the good man thy master to come hither and let in +a knight who is sore wounded." + +Anon came out the knight-hermit, whose name was Sir Baldwin, and asked, +"Who is this wounded knight?" + +"I know not," said Sir Lavaine, "save that he is the noblest knight I ever +met with, and hath done this day such marvellous deeds of arms against +King Arthur that he hath won the prize of the tourney." + +Then the hermit gazed long on Sir Lancelot, and hardly knew him, so pale +he was with bleeding, yet said he at the last, "Who art thou, lord?" + +Sir Lancelot answered feebly, "I am a stranger knight adventurous, who +laboureth through many realms to win worship." + +"Why hidest thou thy name, dear lord, from me?" cried Sir Baldwin; "for in +sooth I know thee now to be the noblest knight in all the world--my lord +Sir Lancelot du Lake, with whom I long had fellowship at the Round Table." + +"Since ye know me, fair sir," said he, "I pray ye, for Christ's sake, to +help me if ye may." + +"Doubt not," replied he, "that ye shall live and fare right well." + +Then he staunched his wound, and gave him strong medicines and cordials +till he was refreshed from his faintness and came to himself again. + +Now after the jousting was done King Arthur held a feast, and asked to see +the knight with the red sleeve that he might take the prize. So they told +him how that knight had ridden from the field wounded nigh to death. +"These be the worst tidings I have heard for many years," cried out the +king; "I would not for my kingdom he were slain." + +Then all men asked, "Know ye him, lord?" + +"I may not tell ye at this time," said he; "but would to God we had good +tidings of him." + +Then Sir Gawain prayed leave to go and seek that knight, which the king +gladly gave him. So forthwith he mounted and rode many leagues round +Camelot, but could hear no tidings. + +Within two days thereafter King Arthur and his knights returned from +Camelot, and Sir Gawain chanced to lodge at Astolat, in the house of Sir +Bernard. And there came in the fair Elaine to him, and prayed him news of +the tournament, and who won the prize. "A knight with a white shield," +said he, "who bare a red sleeve in his helm, smote down all comers and won +the day." + +At that the visage of Elaine changed suddenly from white to red, and +heartily she thanked our Lady. + +Then said Sir Gawain, "Know ye that knight?" and urged her till she told +him that it was her sleeve he wore. So Sir Gawain knew it was for love +that she had given it; and when he heard she kept his proper shield he +prayed to see it. + +As soon as it was brought he saw Sir Lancelot's arms thereon, and cried, +"Alas! now am I heavier of heart than ever yet." + +"Wherefore?" said fair Elaine. + +"Fair damsel," answered he, "know ye not that the knight ye love is of +all knights the noblest in the world, Sir Lancelot du Lake? With all my +heart I pray ye may have joy of each other, but hardly dare I think that +ye shall see him in this world again, for he is so sore wounded he may +scarcely live, and is gone out of sight where none can find him." + +Then was Elaine nigh mad with grief and sorrow, and with piteous words she +prayed her father that she might go seek Sir Lancelot and her brother. So +in the end her father gave her leave, and she departed. + +And on the morrow came Sir Gawain to the court, and told how he had found +Sir Lancelot's shield in Elaine's keeping, and how it was her sleeve which +he had worn; whereat all marvelled, for Sir Lancelot had done for her more +than he had ever done for any woman. + +But when Queen Guinevere heard it she was beside herself with wrath, and +sending privily for Sir Bors, who sorrowed sorely that through him Sir +Lancelot had been hurt--"Have ye now heard," said she, "how falsely Sir +Lancelot hath betrayed me?" + +"I beseech thee, madam," said he, "speak not so, for else I may not hear +thee." + +"Shall I not call him traitor," cried she, "who hath worn another lady's +token at the jousting?" + +"Be sure he did it, madam, for no ill intent," replied Sir Bors, "but that +he might be better hidden, for never did he in that wise before." + +"Now shame on him, and thee who wouldest help him," cried the queen. + +"Madam, say what ye will," said he; "but I must haste to seek him, and God +send me soon good tidings of him." + +So with that he departed to find Sir Lancelot. + +Now Elaine had ridden with full haste from Astolat, and come to Camelot, +and there she sought throughout the country for any news of Lancelot. And +so it chanced that Sir Lavaine was riding near the hermitage to exercise +his horse, and when she saw him she ran up and cried aloud, "How doth my +lord Sir Lancelot fare?" + +Then said Sir Lavaine, marvelling greatly, "How know ye my lord's name, +fair sister?" + +So she told him how Sir Gawain had lodged with Sir Bernard, and knew Sir +Lancelot's shield. + +Then prayed she to see his lord forthwith, and when she came to the +hermitage and found him lying there sore sick and bleeding, she swooned +for sorrow. Anon, as she revived, Sir Lancelot kissed her, and said, "Fair +maid, I pray ye take comfort, for, by God's grace, I shall be shortly +whole of this wound, and if ye be come to tend me, I am heartily bounden +to your great kindness." Yet was he sore vexed to hear Sir Gawain had +discovered him, for he knew Queen Guinevere would be full wroth because of +the red sleeve. + +So Elaine rested in the hermitage, and ever night and day she watched and +waited on Sir Lancelot, and would let none other tend him. And as she saw +him more, the more she set her love upon him, and could by no means +withdraw it. Then said Sir Lancelot to Sir Lavaine, "I pray thee set some +to watch for the good knight Sir Bors, for as he hurt me, so will he +surely seek for me." + +Now Sir Bors by this time had come to Camelot, and was seeking for Sir +Lancelot everywhere, so Sir Lavaine soon found him, and brought him to the +hermitage. + +And when he saw Sir Lancelot pale and feeble, he wept for pity and sorrow +that he had given him that grievous wound. "God send thee a right speedy +cure, dear lord," said he; "for I am of all men most unhappy to have +wounded thee, who art our leader, and the noblest knight in all the +world." + +"Fair cousin," said Sir Lancelot, "be comforted, for I have but gained +what I sought, and it was through pride that I was hurt, for had I warned +ye of my coming it had not been; wherefore let us speak of other things." + +So they talked long together, and Sir Bors told him of the queen's anger. +Then he asked Sir Lancelot, "Was it from this maid who tendeth you so +lovingly ye had the token?" + +"Yea," said Sir Lancelot; "and would I could persuade her to withdraw her +love from me." + +"Why should ye do so?" said Sir Bors; "for she is passing fair and loving. +I would to heaven ye could love her." + +"That may not be," replied he; "but it repenteth me in sooth to grieve +her." + +Then they talked of other matters, and of the great jousting at +Allhallowtide next coming, between King Arthur and the King of North +Wales. + +"Abide with me till then," said Sir Lancelot, "for by that time I trust to +be all whole again, and we will go together." + +So Elaine daily and nightly tending him, within a month he felt so strong +he deemed himself full cured. Then on a day, when Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine +were from the hermitage, and the knight-hermit also was gone forth, Sir +Lancelot prayed Elaine to bring him some herbs from the forest. + +When she was gone he rose and made haste to arm himself, and try if he +were whole enough to joust, and mounted on his horse, which was fresh with +lack of labour for so long a time. But when he set his spear in the rest +and tried his armour, the horse bounded and leapt beneath him, so that Sir +Lancelot strained to keep him back. And therewith his wound, which was not +wholly healed, burst forth again, and with a mighty groan he sank down +swooning on the ground. + +At that came fair Elaine and wept and piteously moaned to see him lying +so. And when Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine came back, she called them traitors +to let him rise, or to know any rumour of the tournament. Anon the hermit +returned and was wroth to see Sir Lancelot risen, but within a while he +recovered him from his swoon and staunched the wound. Then Sir Lancelot +told him how he had risen of his own will to assay his strength for the +tournament. But the hermit bad him rest and let Sir Bors go alone, for +else would he sorely peril his life. And Elaine, with tears, prayed him in +the same wise, so that Sir Lancelot in the end consented. + +So Sir Bors departed to the tournament, and there he did such feats of +arms that the prize was given between him and Sir Gawain, who did like +valiantly. + +And when all was over he came back and told Sir Lancelot, and found him so +nigh well that he could rise and walk. And within a while thereafter he +departed from the hermitage and went with Sir Bors, Sir Lavaine, and fair +Elaine to Astolat, where Sir Bernard joyfully received them. + +But after they had lodged there a few days Sir Lancelot and Sir Bors must +needs depart and return to King Arthur's court. + +So when Elaine knew Sir Lancelot must go, she came to him and said, "Have +mercy on me, fair knight, and let me not die for your love." + +Then said Sir Lancelot, very sad at heart, "Fair maid, what would ye that +I should do for you?" + +"If I may not be your wife, dear lord," she answered, "I must die." + +"Alas!" said he, "I pray heaven that may not be; for in sooth I may not be +your husband. But fain would I show ye what thankfulness I can for all +your love and kindness to me. And ever will I be your knight, fair maiden; +and if it chance that ye shall ever wed some noble knight, right heartily +will I give ye such a dower as half my lands will bring." + +"Alas! what shall that aid me?" answered she; "for I must die," and +therewith she fell to the earth in a deep swoon. + +Then was Sir Lancelot passing heavy of heart, and said to Sir Bernard and +Sir Lavaine, "What shall I do for her?" + +"Alas!" said Sir Bernard, "I know well that she will die for your sake." + +And Sir Lavaine said, "I marvel not that she so sorely mourneth your +departure, for truly I do as she doth, and since I once have seen you, +lord, I cannot leave you." + +So anon, with a full sorrowful heart, Sir Lancelot took his leave, and Sir +Lavaine rode with him to the court. And King Arthur and the Knights of the +Round Table joyed greatly to see him whole of his wound, but Queen +Guinevere was sorely wroth, and neither spake with him nor greeted him. + +Now when Sir Lancelot had departed, the Maid of Astolat could neither eat, +nor drink, not sleep for sorrow; and having thus endured ten days, she +felt within herself that she must die. + +Then sent she for a holy man, and was shriven and received the sacrament. +But when he told her she must leave her earthly thoughts, she answered, +"Am I not an earthly woman? What sin is it to love the noblest knight of +all the world? And, by my truth, I am not able to withstand the love +whereof I die; wherefore, I pray the High Father of Heaven to have mercy +on my soul." + +Then she besought Sir Bernard to indite a letter as she should devise, and +said, "When I am dead put this within my hand, and dress me in my fairest +clothes, and lay me in a barge all covered with black samite, and steer it +down the river till it reach the court. Thus, father, I beseech thee let +it be." + +Then, full of grief, he promised her it should be so. And anon she died, +and all the household made a bitter lamentation over her. + +Then did they as she had desired, and laid her body, richly dressed, upon +a bed within the barge, and a trusty servant steered it down the river +towards the court. + +Now King Arthur and Queen Guinevere sat at a window of the palace, and saw +the barge come floating with the tide, and marvelled what was laid +therein, and sent a messenger to see, who, soon returning, prayed them to +come forth. + +When they came to the shore they marvelled greatly, and the king asked of +the serving-men who steered the barge what this might mean. But he made +signs that he was dumb, and pointed to the letter in the damsel's hands. +So King Arthur took the letter from the hand of the corpse, and found +thereon written, "To the noble knight, Sir Lancelot du Lake." + +Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk, and +thus it was written:-- + +[Illustration: Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud +by a clerk.] + +"Most noble knight, my lord Sir Lancelot, now hath death for ever parted +us. I, whom men call the Maid of Astolat, set my love upon you, and have +died for your sake. This is my last request, that ye pray for my soul and +give me burial. Grant me this, Sir Lancelot, as thou art a peerless +knight." + +At these words the queen and all the knights wept sore for pity. + +Then said Sir Lancelot, "My lord, I am right heavy for the death of this +fair damsel; and God knoweth that right unwillingly I caused it, for she +was good as she was fair, and much was I beholden to her; but she loved me +beyond measure, and asked me that I could not give her." + +"Ye might have shown her gentleness enough to save her life," answered the +queen. + +"Madam," said he, "she would but be repaid by my taking her to wife, and +that I could not grant her, for love cometh of the heart and not by +constraint." + +"That is true," said the king; "for love is free." + +"I pray you," said Sir Lancelot, "let me now grant her last asking, to be +buried by me." + +So on the morrow, he caused her body to be buried richly and solemnly, and +ordained masses for her soul, and made great sorrow over her. + +Then the queen sent for Sir Lancelot, and prayed his pardon for her wrath +against him without cause. "This is not the first time it hath been so," +answered he; "yet must I ever bear with ye, and so do I now forgive you." + +So Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot were made friends again; but anon such +favour did she show him, as in the end brought many evils on them both and +all the realm. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +_The War between King Arthur and Sir Lancelot and the Death of King +Arthur_ + + +Within a while thereafter was a jousting at the court, wherein Sir +Lancelot won the prize. And two of those he smote down were Sir Agravaine, +the brother of Sir Gawain, and Sir Modred, his false brother--King +Arthur's son by Belisent. And because of his victory they hated Sir +Lancelot, and sought how they might injure him. + +So on a night, when King Arthur was hunting in the forest, and the queen +sent for Sir Lancelot to her chamber, they two espied him; and thinking +now to make a scandal and a quarrel between Lancelot and the king, they +found twelve others, and said Sir Lancelot was ever now in the queen's +chamber, and King Arthur was dishonoured. + +Then, all armed, they came suddenly round the queen's door, and cried, +"Traitor! now art thou taken." + +"Madam, we be betrayed," said Sir Lancelot; "yet shall my life cost these +men dear." + +Then did the queen weep sore, and dismally she cried, "Alas! there is no +armour here whereby ye might withstand so many; wherefore ye will be +slain, and I be burnt for the dread crime they will charge on me." + +But while she spake the shouting of the knights was heard without, +"Traitor, come forth, for now thou art snared!" + +"Better were twenty deaths at once than this vile outcry," said Sir +Lancelot. + +Then he kissed her and said, "Most noble lady, I beseech ye, as I have +ever been your own true knight, take courage; pray for my soul if I be now +slain, and trust my faithful friends, Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine, to save +you from the fire." + +But ever bitterly she wept and moaned, and cried, "Would God that they +would take and slay me, and that thou couldest escape." + +"That shall never be," said he. And wrapping his mantle round his arm he +unbarred the door a little space, so that but one could enter. + +Then first rushed in Sir Chalaunce, a full strong knight, and lifted up +his sword to smite Sir Lancelot; but lightly he avoided him, and struck +Sir Chalaunce, with his hand, such a sore buffet on the head as felled him +dead upon the floor. + +Then Sir Lancelot pulled in his body and barred the door again, and +dressed himself in his armour, and took his drawn sword in his hand. + +But still the knights cried mightily without the door, "Traitor, come +forth!" + +[Illustration: But still the knights cried mightily without the door, +"Traitor, come forth!"] + +"Be silent and depart," replied Sir Lancelot; "for be ye sure ye will not +take me, and to-morrow will I meet ye face to face before the king." + +"Ye shall have no such grace," they cried; "but we will slay thee, or take +thee as we list." + +"Then save yourselves who may," he thundered, and therewith suddenly +unbarred the door and rushed forth at them. And at the first blow he slew +Sir Agravaine, and after him twelve other knights, with twelve more mighty +buffets. And none of all escaped him save Sir Modred, who, sorely wounded, +fled away for life. + +Then returned he to the queen, and said, "Now, madam, will I depart, and +if ye be in any danger I pray ye come to me." + +"Surely will I stay here, for I am queen," she answered; "yet if to-morrow +any harm come to me I trust to thee for rescue." + +"Have ye no doubt of me," said he, "for ever while I live am I your own +true knight." + +Therewith he took his leave, and went and told Sir Bors and all his +kindred of this adventure. "We will be with thee in this quarrel," said +they all; "and if the queen be sentenced to the fire, we certainly will +save her." + +Meanwhile Sir Modred, in great fear and pain, fled from the court, and +rode until he found King Arthur, and told him all that had befallen. But +the king would scarce believe him till he came and saw the bodies of Sir +Agravaine and all the other knights. + +Then felt he in himself that all was true, and with his passing grief his +heart nigh broke. "Alas!" cried he, "now is the fellowship of the Round +Table for ever broken: yea, woe is me! I may not with my honour spare my +queen." + +Anon it was ordained that Queen Guinevere should be burned to death, +because she had dishonoured King Arthur. + +But when Sir Gawain heard thereof, he came before the king, and said, "My +lord, I counsel thee be not too hasty in this matter, but stay the +judgment of the queen a season, for it may well be that Sir Lancelot was +in her chamber for no evil, seeing she is greatly beholden to him for so +many deeds done for her sake, and peradventure she had sent to him to +thank him, and did it secretly that she might avoid slander." + +But King Arthur answered, full of grief, "Alas! I may not help her; she is +judged as any other woman." + +Then he required Sir Gawain and his brethren, Sir Gaheris and Sir Gareth, +to be ready to bear the queen to-morrow to the place of execution. + +"Nay, noble lord," replied Sir Gawain, "that can I never do; for neither +will my heart suffer me to see the queen die, nor shall men ever say I was +of your counsel in this matter." + +Then said his brothers, "Ye may command us to be there, but since it is +against our will, we will be without arms, that we may do no battle +against her." + +So on the morrow was Queen Guinevere led forth to die by fire, and a +mighty crowd was there, of knights and nobles, armed and unarmed. And all +the lords and ladies wept sore at that piteous sight. Then was she shriven +by a priest, and the men came nigh to bind her to the stake and light the +fire. + +At that Sir Lancelot's spies rode hastily and told him and his kindred, +who lay hidden in a wood hard by; and suddenly, with twenty knights, he +rushed into the midst of all the throng to rescue her. + +But certain of King Arthur's knights rose up and fought with them, and +there was a full great battle and confusion. And Sir Lancelot drave +fiercely here and there among the press, and smote on every side, and at +every blow struck down a knight, so that many were slain by him and his +fellows. + +Then was the queen set free, and caught up on Sir Lancelot's saddle and +fled away with him and all his company to the Castle of La Joyous Garde. + +Now so it chanced that, in the turmoil of the fighting, Sir Lancelot had +unawares struck down and slain the two good knights Sir Gareth and Sir +Gaheris, knowing it not, for he fought wildly, and saw not that they were +unarmed. + +When King Arthur heard thereof, and of all that battle, and the rescue of +the queen, he sorrowed heavily for those good knights, and was passing +wroth with Lancelot and the queen. + +But when Sir Gawain heard of his brethren's death he swooned for sorrow +and wrath, for he wist that Sir Lancelot had killed them in malice. And as +soon as he recovered he ran in to the king, and said, "Lord king and +uncle, hear this oath which now I swear, that from this day I will not +fail Sir Lancelot till one of us hath slain the other. And now, unless ye +haste to war with him, that we may be avenged, will I myself alone go +after him." + +Then the king, full of wrath and grief, agreed thereto, and sent letters +throughout the realm to summon all his knights, and went with a vast army +to besiege the Castle of La Joyous Garde. And Sir Lancelot, with his +knights, mightily defended it; but never would he suffer any to go forth +and attack one of the king's army, for he was right loth to fight against +him. + +So when fifteen weeks were passed, and King Arthur's army wasted itself in +vain against the castle, for it was passing strong, it chanced upon a day +Sir Lancelot was looking from the walls and espied King Arthur and Sir +Gawain close beside. + +"Come forth, Sir Lancelot," said King Arthur right fiercely, "and let us +two meet in the midst of the field." + +"God forbid that I should encounter with thee, lord, for thou didst make +me a knight," replied Sir Lancelot. + +Then cried Sir Gawain, "Shame on thee, traitor and false knight, yet be ye +well assured we will regain the queen and slay thee and thy company; yea, +double shame on ye to slay my brother Gaheris unarmed, Sir Gareth also, +who loved ye so well. For that treachery, be sure I am thine enemy till +death." + +"Alas!" cried Sir Lancelot, "that I hear such tidings, for I knew not I +had slain those noble knights, and right sorely now do I repent it with a +heavy heart. Yet abate thy wrath, Sir Gawain, for ye know full well I did +it by mischance, for I loved them ever as my own brothers." + +"Thou liest, false recreant," cried Sir Gawain, fiercely. + +At that Sir Lancelot was wroth, and said, "I well see thou art now mine +enemy, and that there can be no more peace with thee, or with my lord the +king, else would I gladly give back the queen." + +Then the king would fain have listened to Sir Lancelot, for more than all +his own wrong did he grieve at the sore waste and damage of the realm, but +Sir Gawain persuaded him against it, and ever cried out foully on Sir +Lancelot. + +When Sir Bors and the other knights of Lancelot's party heard the fierce +words of Sir Gawain, they were passing wroth, and prayed to ride forth and +be avenged on him, for they were weary of so long waiting to no good. And +in the end Sir Lancelot, with a heavy heart, consented. + +So on the morrow the hosts on either side met in the field, and there was +a great battle. And Sir Gawain prayed his knights chiefly to set upon Sir +Lancelot; but Sir Lancelot commanded his company to forbear King Arthur +and Sir Gawain. + +So the two armies jousted together right fiercely, and Sir Gawain +proffered to encounter with Sir Lionel, and overthrew him. But Sir Bors, +and Sir Blamor, and Sir Palomedes, who were on Sir Lancelot's side, did +great feats of arms, and overthrew many of King Arthur's knights. + +Then the king came forth against Sir Lancelot, but Sir Lancelot forbore +him and would not strike again. + +At that Sir Bors rode up against the king and smote him down. But Sir +Lancelot cried, "Touch him not on pain of thy head," and going to King +Arthur he alighted and gave him his own horse, saying, "My lord, I pray +thee forbear this strife, for it can bring to neither of us any honour." + +And when King Arthur looked on him the tears came to his eyes as he +thought of his noble courtesy, and he said within himself, "Alas! that +ever this war began." + +But on the morrow Sir Gawain led forth the army again, and Sir Bors +commanded on Sir Lancelot's side. And they two struck together so fiercely +that both fell to the ground sorely wounded; and all the day they fought +till night fell, and many were slain on both sides, yet in the end neither +gained the victory. + +But by now the fame of this fierce war spread through all Christendom, and +when the Pope heard thereof he sent a Bull, and charged King Arthur to +make peace with Lancelot, and receive back Queen Guinevere; and for the +offence imputed to her absolution should be given by the Pope. + +Thereto would King Arthur straightway have obeyed, but Sir Gawain ever +urged him to refuse. + +When Sir Lancelot heard thereof, he wrote thus to the king: "It was never +in my thought, lord, to withhold thy queen from thee; but since she was +condemned for my sake to death, I deemed it but a just and knightly part +to rescue her therefrom; wherefore I recommend me to your grace, and +within eight days will I come to thee and bring the queen in safety." + +Then, within eight days, as he had said, Sir Lancelot rode from out the +castle with Queen Guinevere, and a hundred knights for company, each +carrying an olive branch, in sign of peace. And so they came to the court, +and found King Arthur sitting on his throne, with Sir Gawain and many +other knights around him. And when Sir Lancelot entered with the queen, +they both kneeled down before the king. + +Anon Sir Lancelot rose and said, "My lord, I have brought hither my lady +the queen again, as right requireth, and by commandment of the Pope and +you. I pray ye take her to your heart again and forget the past. For +myself I may ask nothing, and for my sin I shall have sorrow and sore +punishment; yet I would to heaven I might have your grace." + +But ere the king could answer, for he was moved with pity at his words, +Sir Gawain cried aloud, "Let the king do as he will, but be sure, Sir +Lancelot, thou and I shall never be accorded while we live, for thou has +slain my brethren traitorously and unarmed." + +"As heaven is my help," replied Sir Lancelot, "I did it ignorantly, for I +loved them well, and while I live I shall bewail their death; but to make +war with me were no avail, for I must needs fight with thee if thou +assailest, and peradventure I might kill thee also, which I were right +loth to do." + +"I will forgive thee never," cried Sir Gawain, "and if the king accordeth +with thee he shall lose my service." + +Then the knights who stood near tried to reconcile Sir Gawain to Sir +Lancelot, but he would not hear them. So, at the last, Sir Lancelot said, +"Since peace is vain, I will depart, lest I bring more evil on my +fellowship." + +And as he turned to go, the tears fell from him, and he said, "Alas, most +noble Christian realm, which I have loved above all others, now shall I +see thee never more!" Then said he to the queen, "Madam, now must I leave +ye and this noble fellowship for ever. And, I beseech ye, pray for me, and +if ye ever be defamed of any, let me hear thereof, and as I have been ever +thy true knight in right and wrong, so will I be again." + +With that he kneeled and kissed King Arthur's hands, and departed on his +way. And there was none in all that court, save Sir Gawain alone, but wept +to see him go. + +So he returned with all his knights to the Castle of La Joyous Garde, and, +for his sorrow's sake, he named it Dolorous Garde thenceforth. + +Anon he left the realm, and went with many of his fellowship beyond the +sea to France, and there divided all his lands among them equally, he +sharing but as the rest. + +And from that time forward peace had been between him and King Arthur, but +for Sir Gawain, who left the king no rest, but constantly persuaded him +that Lancelot was raising mighty hosts against him. + +So in the end his malice overcame the king, who left the government in +charge of Modred, and made him guardian of the queen, and went with a +great army to invade Sir Lancelot's lands. + +Yet Sir Lancelot would make no war upon the king, and sent a message to +gain peace on any terms King Arthur chose. But Sir Gawain met the herald +ere he reached the king, and sent him back with taunting and bitter words. +Whereat Sir Lancelot sorrowfully called his knights together and fortified +the Castle of Benwicke, and there was shortly besieged by the army of King +Arthur. + +And every day Sir Gawain rode up to the walls, and cried out foully on Sir +Lancelot, till, upon a time, Sir Lancelot answered him that he would meet +him in the field and put his boasting to the proof. So it was agreed on +both sides that there should none come nigh them or separate them till one +had fallen or yielded; and they two rode forth. + +Then did they wheel their horses apart, and turning, came together as it +had been thunder, so that both horses fell, and both their lances broke. +At that they drew their swords and set upon each other fiercely, with +passing grievous strokes. + +Now Sir Gawain had through magic a marvellous great gift. For every day, +from morning till noon, his strength waxed to the might of seven men, but +after that waned to his natural force. Therefore till noon he gave Sir +Lancelot many mighty buffets, which scarcely he endured. Yet greatly he +forbore Sir Gawain, for he was aware of his enchantment, and smote him +slightly till his own knights marvelled. But after noon Sir Gawain's +strength sank fast, and then, with one full blow, Sir Lancelot laid him on +the earth. Then Sir Gawain cried out, "Turn not away, thou traitor knight, + but slay me if thou wilt, or else I will arise and fight with thee again +some other time." + +"Sir knight," replied Sir Lancelot, "I never yet smote a fallen man." + +At that they bore Sir Gawain sorely wounded to his tent, and King Arthur +withdrew his men, for he was loth to shed the blood of so many knights of +his own fellowship. + +But now came tidings to King Arthur from across the sea, which caused him +to return in haste. For thus the news ran, that no sooner was Sir Modred +set up in his regency, than he had forged false tidings from abroad that +the king had fallen in a battle with Sir Lancelot. Whereat he had +proclaimed himself the king, and had been crowned at Canterbury, where he +had held a coronation feast for fifteen days. Then he had gone to +Winchester, where Queen Guinevere abode, and had commanded her to be his +wife; whereto, for fear and sore perplexity, she had feigned consent, but, +under pretext of preparing for the marriage, had fled in haste to London +and taken shelter in the Tower, fortifying it and providing it with all +manner of victuals, and defending it against Sir Modred, and answering to +all his threats that she would rather slay herself than be his queen. + +Thus was it written to King Arthur. Then, in passing great wrath and +haste, he came with all his army swiftly back from France and sailed to +England. But when Sir Modred heard thereof, he left the Tower and marched +with all his host to meet the king at Dover. + +Then fled Queen Guinevere to Amesbury to a nunnery, and there she clothed +herself in sackcloth, and spent her time in praying for the king and in +good deeds and fasting. And in that nunnery evermore she lived, sorely +repenting and mourning for her sin, and for the ruin she had brought on +all the realm. And there anon she died. + +And when Sir Lancelot heard thereof, he put his knightly armour off, and +bade farewell to all his kin, and went a mighty pilgrimage for many years, +and after lived a hermit till his death. + +When Sir Modred came to Dover, he found King Arthur and his army but just +landed; and there they fought a fierce and bloody battle, and many great +and noble knights fell on both sides. + +But the king's side had the victory, for he was beyond himself with might +and passion, and all his knights so fiercely followed him, that, in spite +of all their multitude, they drove Sir Modred's army back with fearful +wounds and slaughter, and slept that night upon the battle-field. + +But Sir Gawain was smitten by an arrow in the wound Sir Lancelot gave him, +and wounded to the death. Then was he borne to the king's tent, and King +Arthur sorrowed over him as it had been his own son. "Alas!" said he; "in +Sir Lancelot and in you I had my greatest earthly joy, and now is all gone +from me." + +And Sir Gawain answered, with a feeble voice, "My lord and king, I know +well my death is come, and through my own wilfulness, for I am smitten in +the wound Sir Lancelot gave me. Alas! that I have been the cause of all +this war, for but for me thou hadst been now at peace with Lancelot, and +then had Modred never done this treason. I pray ye, therefore, my dear +lord, be now agreed with Lancelot, and tell him, that although he gave me +my death-wound, it was through my own seeking; wherefore I beseech him to +come back to England, and here to visit my tomb, and pray for my soul." + +When he had thus spoken, Sir Gawain gave up his ghost, and the king +grievously mourned for him. + +Then they told him that the enemy had camped on Barham Downs, whereat, +with all his hosts, he straightway marched there, and fought again a +bloody battle, and overthrew Sir Modred utterly. Howbeit, he raised yet +another army, and retreating ever from before the king, increased his +numbers as he went, till at the farthest west in Lyonesse, he once more +made a stand. + +Now, on the night of Trinity Sunday, being the eve of the battle, King +Arthur had a vision, and saw Sir Gawain in a dream, who warned him not to +fight with Modred on the morrow, else he would be surely slain; and prayed +him to delay till Lancelot and his knights should come to aid him. + +So when King Arthur woke he told his lords and knights that vision, and +all agreed to wait the coming of Sir Lancelot. Then a herald was sent with +a message of truce to Sir Modred, and a treaty was made that neither army +should assail the other. + +But when the treaty was agreed upon, and the heralds returned, King Arthur +said to his knights, "Beware, lest Sir Modred deceive us, for I in no wise +trust him, and if swords be drawn be ready to encounter!" And Sir Modred +likewise gave an order, that if any man of the king's army drew his sword, +they should begin to fight. + +And as it chanced, a knight of the king's side was bitten by an adder in +the foot, and hastily drew forth his sword to slay it. That saw Sir +Modred, and forthwith commanded all his army to assail the king's. + +So both sides rushed to battle, and fought passing fiercely. And when the +king saw there was no hope to stay them, he did right mightily and nobly +as a king should do, and ever, like a lion, raged in the thickest of the +press, and slew on the right hand and on the left, till his horse went +fetlock deep in blood. So all day long they fought, and stinted not till +many a noble knight was slain. + +But the king was passing sorrowful to see his trusty knights lie dead on +every side. And at the last but two remained beside him, Sir Lucan, and +his brother, Sir Bedivere, and both were sorely wounded. + +"Now am I come to mine end," said King Arthur; "but, lo! that traitor +Modred liveth yet, and I may not die till I have slain him. Now, give me +my spear, Sir Lucan." + +"Lord, let him be," replied Sir Lucan; "for if ye pass through this +unhappy day, ye shall be right well revenged upon him. My good lord, +remember well your dream, and what the spirit of Sir Gawain did forewarn +ye." + +"Betide me life, betide me death," said the king; "now I see him yonder +alone, he shall never escape my hands, for at a better vantage shall I +never have him." + +"God speed you well," said Sir Bedivere. + +Then King Arthur got his spear in both his hands, and ran towards Sir +Modred, crying, "Traitor, now is thy death-day come!" And when Sir Modred +heard his words, and saw him come, he drew his sword and stood to meet +him. Then King Arthur smote Sir Modred through the body more than a +fathom. And when Sir Modred felt he had his death wound, he thrust himself +with all his might up to the end of King Arthur's spear, and smote his +father, Arthur, with his sword upon the head, so that it pierced both helm +and brain-pan. + +And therewith Sir Modred fell down stark dead to the earth, and King +Arthur fell down also in a swoon, and swooned many times. + +Then Sir Lucan and Sir Bedivere came and bare him away to a little chapel +by the sea-shore. And there Sir Lucan sank down with the bleeding of his +own wounds, and fell dead. + +And King Arthur lay long in a swoon, and when he came to himself, he found +Sir Lucan lying dead beside him, and Sir Bedivere weeping over the body of +his brother. + +Then said the king to Sir Bedivere, "Weeping will avail no longer, else +would I grieve for evermore. Alas! now is the fellowship of the Round +Table dissolved for ever, and all my realm I have so loved is wasted with +war. But my time hieth fast, wherefore take thou Excalibur, my good sword, +and go therewith to yonder water-side and throw it in, and bring me word +what thing thou seest." + +So Sir Bedivere departed; but as he went he looked upon the sword, the +hilt whereof was all inlaid with precious stones exceeding rich. And +presently he said within himself, "If I now throw this sword into the +water, what good should come of it?" So he hid the sword among the reeds, +and came again to the king. + +"What sawest thou?" said he to Sir Bedivere. + +"Lord," said he, "I saw nothing else but wind and waves." + +"Thou hast untruly spoken," said the king; "wherefore go lightly back and +throw it in, and spare not." + +Then Sir Bedivere returned again, and took the sword up in his hand; but +when he looked on it, he thought it sin and shame to throw away a thing so +noble. Wherefore he hid it yet again, and went back to the king. + +"What saw ye?" said King Arthur. + +"Lord," answered he, "I saw nothing but the water ebbing and flowing." + +"Oh, traitor and untrue!" cried out the king; "twice hast thou now +betrayed me. Art thou called of men a noble knight, and wouldest betray me +for a jewelled sword? Now, therefore, go again for the last time, for thy +tarrying hath put me in sore peril of my life, and I fear my wound hath +taken cold; and if thou do it not this time, by my faith I will arise and +slay thee with my hands." + +Then Sir Bedivere ran quickly and took up the sword, and went down to the +water's edge, and bound the girdle round the hilt and threw it far into +the water. And lo! an arm and hand came forth above the water, and caught +the sword, and brandished it three times, and vanished. + +So Sir Bedivere came again to the king and told him what he had seen. + +"Help me from hence," said King Arthur; "for I dread me I have tarried +over long." + +Then Sir Bedivere took the king up in his arms, and bore him to the +water's edge. And by the shore they saw a barge with three fair queens +therein, all dressed in black, and when they saw King Arthur they wept and +wailed. + +"Now put me in the barge," said he to Sir Bedivere, and tenderly he did +so. + +Then the three queens received him, and he laid his head upon the lap of +one of them, who cried, "Alas! dear brother, why have ye tarried so long, +for your wound hath taken cold?" + +With that the barge put from the land, and when Sir Bedivere saw it +departing, he cried with a bitter cry, "Alas! my lord King Arthur, what +shall become of me now ye have gone from me?" + +"Comfort ye," said King Arthur, "and be strong, for I may no more help ye. +I go to the Vale of Avilion to heal me of my grievous wound, and if ye see +me no more, pray for my soul." + +Then the three queens kneeled down around the king and sorely wept and +wailed, and the barge went forth to sea, and departed slowly out of Sir +Bedivere's sight. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Legends Of King Arthur And His +Knights, by James Knowles + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS *** + +***** This file should be named 12753.txt or 12753.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/7/5/12753/ + +Produced by Zoran Stefanovic, GF Untermeyer and Distributed +Proofreaders Europe, http://dp.rastko.net. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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