The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights

  "I thank you," said Pellinore, and he put his horse to a gallop and came soon to the pavilions, where sure enough they were still fighting while the lady watched them from the shelter of the tent.

  Pellinore came near to her and he said, "Fair lady, you must come with me to King Arthur's court. It is my quest to return you there."

  But the squires stood before her and one said, "Sir, you see for yourself two knights fighting for this lady. Go and part them, and if they agree you may have the lady to do with as you please. Otherwise we cannot let her go."

  "I can see that you are obeying orders," said Pellinore, and he rode out and put his horse between the fighting men and courteously asked them why they fought.

  One said, "Sir Knight, she is my cousin, and when I heard the cry that she was taken against her wish, I challenged this man who abducted her."

  The other said rudely, "My name is Sir Ontelake of Wenteland. I took this lady by my own bravery and by force of arms as is my right."

  "That is not true," said Pellinore. "I was there and I saw it. You came in armed to King Arthur's marriage feast, where weapons and violence were forbidden, and you took this lady before any of the company could run for a sword to stop you. And because you broke the law of the court of the king, it is my quest to bring her back and you also, if you are alive to go. For believe me, sir, I have promised King Arthur to bring her back. Therefore, stop your fighting, because neither of you will have the lady. Of course, if either of you wish to fight with me for her, I am quite willing to accommodate you."

  Then the two knights who had been painfully trying to kill each other joined forces, and they cried, "You must fight both of us before you can take her."

  As Sir Pellinore tried to move his mount from between them, Sir Ontelake drove his sword into the horse's side and killed it and shouted, "Now you will be afoot as we are."

  Sir Pellinore stepped lightly from his fallen beast and drew his sword, and he said bitterly, "That was a cowardly thing to do. Guard your health, my friend, for I have something here for a man who stabs a horse," and with that Pellinore loosed a swinging sword cut that sliced through Ontelake's helm and split his head down to the chin and he fell dead.

  Then Pellinore turned on the other, but that knight had seen the terrible strength of Pellinore's stroke and he kneeled on the ground and said, "Take my cousin and fulfill your quest, but I require you as a true knight to put no shame on her."

  "Will you not fight for her?"

  "No, not with such a knight as you after what I have seen."

  "Well," Pellinore said, "it is not my custom to dishonor my knighthood. The lady will not be molested--that I promise you. Now I need a horse. I will take Ontelake's horse."

  "No," said the knight, "come dine with me and lodge with me and I will give you a much better horse than that."

  "I will," said Pellinore. And that night he had good cheer and good wine and slept softly, and in the morning after Mass he breakfasted.

  "I should know your name," said his host. "You are taking my cousin as your quest."

  "That is reasonable. My name is Sir Pellinore, King of the Isles and knight of the Round Table."

  "I am honored that such a famous knight conducts my cousin. My name, sir, is Meliot of Logurs and my lady cousin is named Nyneve. The knight in the other pavilion and my sworn brother in arms is Sir Bryan of the Isles, a man of purity. He will not fight any man unless he is forced to."

  "I wondered why he did not come out to fight with me," said Pellinore. "Bring him to the court one day. You will be welcomed there."

  "We will come together," said Sir Meliot.

  And then Pellinore mounted and the lady accompanied him and they rode toward Camelot. But as they went through a stony valley, the lady's horse stumbled and then fell and the lady was badly bruised by the fall. "My arm is hurt. I cannot go on for a while."

  "Very well, we will rest here," said Pellinore, and he helped her to a pleasant grassy place under a spreading tree and lay down beside her and soon he fell asleep and did not waken until after dark. When he awakened, Pellinore was anxious to go on, but the lady said, "It is too dark. We could not find our way. Take off your armor and rest until dawn."

  A little before midnight they heard the sound of a trotting horse. "Be quiet," said Pellinore. "Some strange thing is happening. Men do not ride at night." And quietly he slipped on his armor and buckled it and the two sat silent. Then in the near darkness, in the path beside their retreat, they dimly saw two knights meet, one from the direction of Camelot and the other from the north, and they spoke quietly. One said, "What is the news from Camelot?" and the other replied, "I have been in the court, and they did not know I came as a spy. And I tell you that King Arthur has gathered such a fellowship of knights as you will not find anywhere. And the fame of these knights of the Round Table is traveling throughout the world. I am riding north to tell our chieftains how strong King Arthur has become."

  "I have with me a remedy for his strength," said the other, "a little powder that will melt his power. We have a man trusted and near to the king who for a price has promised to put this poison in the king's cup--then we will see this power disappear."

  The first knight warned, "Beware of Merlin then. He can detect such things."

  "I will be careful, but I am not afraid," said the other and they separated and rode each his way.

  When they had gone, Pellinore quickly made ready and they picked their way along the path until dawn. It was light when they came to the spring where Pellinore had refused help to the lady and the wounded knight. Wild beasts had torn them to pieces and eaten them all save their heads.

  Pellinore wept when he saw them. "I might have saved her life," he said. "But I was hot on my quest and I would not listen to her pleading."

  "It was not your quest. Why are you so sad?" she asked with the detachment of ladies for other ladies.

  "I don't know," said Pellinore, "but my heart is torn to see this damsel, so fair and so young, destroyed when I could have helped her."

  "Then I advise you to bury what is left of the knight and take the lady's head to King Arthur, and let him judge what you should have done."

  "She called a frightful curse after me," said Pellinore.

  "Anyone may curse. You were sworn to a quest," Nyneve said primly. "I was your quest."

  Then Pellinore found a Holy Hermit nearby and asked him to bury the knight's bones in blessed ground and to pray for his soul. And he gave the knight's armor to the hermit for his trouble. Afterward Sir Pellinore took up the head of the damsel with golden hair and he grieved when he looked at the young and lovely face.

  By noon they came to Camelot, where Arthur and Guinevere and the noble fellowship sat at their noonday feast. And Pellinore told his quest to the company and swore by the four Evangelists that every word was true.

  Then Queen Guinevere said, "Sir Pellinore, you were greatly to blame that you did not save the lady's life."

  And the knight replied, "Madame, you would be to blame if you would not save your own life if you could. My sorrow is greater than your displeasure, for I was so intent on my quest that I would not wait, and that will be a weight on my conscience all the days of my life."

  Then all eyes turned to Merlin where he sat at the high table, for this tale had the sound of fate.

  Merlin's eyes were sad when he spoke. "You have every reason to repent your thoughtless haste," Merlin said. "This damsel was Alyne, your own daughter, born of your love for the Lady of Rule. And the knight was Sir Myles of the Lands, her affianced and a good man. They were coming to the court to be wedded when a cowardly knight, Loraine le Sauvage, attacked Sir Myles from behind and drove a spear through his back. When you refused your help, Alyne, in despair, killed herself with her lover's sword." Merlin paused and then he said, "You will remember that she cursed you. Well--that curse will be your fate. Your best friend will fail you in your greatest need as you failed your daughter. The man you trust most will leav
e you to be killed."

  "I am grieved at what you tell me," said Pellinore, "but I believe that God can change destiny. I must have faith in that."

  And thus was ended the quests of the Wedding of King Arthur, but at the last the laws of the Round Table were laid down and every knight of the fellowship swore to keep the laws. They swore never to use violence without good purpose, never to fall to murder or treason. They swore on their honor to be merciful when mercy was asked and to protect damsels, ladies, gentlewomen and widows, to enforce their rights and never enforce lust on them. And they promised never to fight in an unjust cause or to fight for personal gain. All the knights of the Round Table took this oath. And every year at the high feast of Pentecost they renewed the oath.

  Explicit the Weddyng of Kyng Arthur

  THE DEATH OF MERLIN

  WHEN MERLIN SAW THE DAMSEL Nyneve, whom Sir Pellinore brought to court, he knew that his fate was on him, for his heart swelled like a boy's heart in his aged breast and his desire overcame his years and his knowledge. Merlin wanted Nyneve more than his life, as he had foreseen. He pursued her with his wishes and would not let her rest. And Nyneve used her power over the besotted old Merlin and traded her company for his magic arts, for she was one of the damsels of the Lady of the Lake and schooled in wonders.

  Merlin knew what was happening to him and knew its fatal end, and still he could not help himself, for his heart doted on the Damsel of the Lake.

  He went to King Arthur and told him that the time he once spoke of had come and that his end was not far off. He spoke to the king about things to come and instructed him in what he should do to meet his future. And particularly he warned him to guard well the sword Excalibur and even more its scabbard. "It will be stolen from you by one you trust," Merlin said. "You have enemies you do not know." And Merlin said, "You will miss me and wish for my advice. The time will come when you would give up your kingdom to have me with you again."

  "This is beyond understanding," said the king. "You are the wisest man alive. You know what is preparing. Why do you not make a plan to save yourself?"

  And Merlin said quietly, "Because I am wise. In the combat between wisdom and feeling, wisdom never wins. I have told you your certain future, my lord, but knowing will not change it by a hair. When the time comes, your feeling will conduct you to your fate." And Merlin bade farewell to the king he had created.

  And he rode with Nyneve from the court, and whatever path she took he took also. Knowing her power over him, she refused him the favor of her person, so that in his yearning he invoked his magic craft to overcome her reluctance. But Nyneve knew he would try his secret arts and she told him that if he wanted to possess her, he must swear to use no necromancy to that end. And Merlin, burning with the desire of his dotage, took that oath and sealed his fate.

  The mismatched two went restlessly. They crossed the Channel to France and came to Benwick, where Ban was king and the war with King Claudas still continued.

  Queen Elaine was King Ban's wife, a good and fair lady, and she begged Merlin's help to end the war. And as they spoke, Elaine's young son came in, and Merlin looked at him.

  "Do not worry," Merlin said. "This boy here within twenty years will settle Claudas and, more than that, this child is destined to be the greatest knight in all the world, and his memory and fame will sweeten and strengthen the ages to come. I know you first called him Galahad, but at his christening you named him Lancelot."

  "Why, that is true," said Queen Elaine. "I did first call him Galahad. But tell me, Merlin, will I live to see his greatness?"

  "You will see it, I swear to you, and you will live many years after."

  Nyneve was bored and restless and she left Ban's court with Merlin panting after her, begging her to lie with him and stanch his yearning, but she was weary of him, and impatient with an old man as a damsel must be, and also she was afraid of him because he was said to be the Devil's son, but she could not be rid of him, for he followed her, pleading and whimpering, wherever she went.

  Then Nyneve, with the inborn craft of maidens, began to question Merlin about his magic arts, half promising to trade her favors for his knowledge. And Merlin, with the inborn helplessness of men, even though he foresaw her purpose, could not forbear to teach her. And as they crossed back to England and rode slowly from the coast toward Cornwall, Merlin showed her many wonders, and when at last he found that he interested her, he showed her how the magic was accomplished and put in her hands the tools of enchantment, gave her the antidotes of magic against magic, and finally, in his aged folly, taught her those spells which cannot be broken by any means. And when she clapped her hands in maidenly joy, the old man, to please her, created a room of unbelievable wonders under a great rock cliff, and with his crafts he furnished it with comfort and richness and beauty to be the glorious apartment for the consummation of their love. And they two went through a passage in the rock to the room of wonders, hung with gold and lighted with many candles. Merlin stepped in to show it to her, but Nyneve leaped back and cast the awful spell that cannot be broken by any means, and the passage closed and Merlin was trapped inside for all time to come. She could hear his voice faintly through the rock, pleading for release. And Nyneve mounted her horse and rode away. And Merlin remains there to this day, as he knew he would be.

  Not long after his great marriage feast, King Arthur moved his court to Cardolle, and there he received bitter news. Five kings--he of Denmark and his brother, King of Ireland, together with the Kings of the Vale, of Sorleyse, and of the Isle of Longtaynse, had joined forces and with a large army invaded England, destroying everything in their path; castles, towns, cattle, and killing the people who could not flee.

  When he heard this report Arthur said wearily, "Since I have been king I have not had one month of rest from trouble. And now I cannot rest until I have met and destroyed these invaders. I cannot permit my people to be destroyed. All you who will come with me, make ready."

  Then some of the barons were secretly angry because they wished to live in comfort. But Arthur sent a message to Sir Pellinore asking him to gather what forces of men at arms he could and to hurry to join him. And also he sent letters to all of his barons who were not at court to join him as quickly as they could. Finally, he went to Guinevere and told her to make ready to go with him. "I cannot bear to be away from you," he said. "Your presence with me will make me braver in the field, but I do not want to endanger you, my lady."

  The queen replied, "Sir, I will obey your desires. I am ready when you wish."

  The next morning the king and queen started on their way with all the fellowship who were at the court, and they made their way rapidly northward by forced marches until they came to the Humber River on the border, and there they encamped.

  A spy carried word to the five kings that Arthur was already in the north, and the brother of one of the kings spoke in council. "You must know," he said, "this Arthur has the flower of knighthood with him, as he proved when he fought the eleven rebel lords. At present he has not great numbers with him, but his men will flock to him. Therefore, we must meet him soon, for the longer we wait, the stronger he will be and we weaker. I tell you that he is so brave a king that he will accept battle even against a larger force. Let us attack him before daylight and cut down his knights before the reinforcements arrive."

  The five kings agreed and they moved quickly through North Wales and fell upon King Arthur in the night when his retainers slept in their tents. King Arthur lay with Queen Guinevere in his tent. When the attack came he started up, crying, "To arms! We are betrayed!" And he hurried to buckle his armor while the noise and shouting and clash of arms sounded in the darkness.

  Then a wounded knight came to his tent and cried, "My lord, save yourself and your queen. We are overwhelmed and many of our fellowship are killed."

  Then Arthur mounted with Guinevere beside him, and with only three knights, Sir Kay, Sir Gawain, and Sir Gryfflet, he rode to the Humber to try to cross to
the other side for safety, but the water was so rough that they could not get across. And Arthur said, "We must choose either to defend ourselves or risk the crossing. Be sure our enemies will kill us if they can."

  The queen said, "I would rather die in the water than be captured and killed by our enemies."

  As they spoke, Sir Kay saw the five kings riding alone without retainers. "Look," he said, "there are the leaders. Let us attack them."

  "That would be foolish," Sir Gawain said. "They are five and we only four."

  But Sir Kay said, "I will fight two if you will each engage one of them." And with that he couched his spear and thundered against them, and his point found its mark and pierced the body of a king and dropped him dead on the ground. Then Sir Gawain engaged a second king and killed him with his lance. Sir Gryfflet unhorsed a third with such a stroke that he broke his neck in falling. King Arthur toppled and killed the fourth, and then, as he had promised, Sir Kay engaged the fifth and with a sword stroke cut through his helmet and beheaded him.

  "That was well done," said Arthur. "You have kept your promise and I shall see you rewarded."

  Then they found on the shore a barge to take the queen to safety, and she said to Sir Kay, "If you love any lady and she does not return your love, she is a fool. You made a great promise and fulfilled it greatly, and I shall see that your fame is spread over the land." Then the barge was launched and carried the queen across the Humber.

  Then Arthur and his three knights rode into the forest to look for any of their men who had escaped the sudden attack, and they found a large number and told them that the five kings were dead. And Arthur said, "Let us remain hidden here until full daylight comes. When the enemy find their leaders dead, the heart will go out of them."