Le Morte Darthur
Then all the eleven kings drew them together, and then said king Lot:
Lords, ye must other ways than ye do, or else the great loss is behind:
ye may see what people we have lost, and what good men we lose, because
we wait always upon these footmen, and ever in saving of one of the
footmen we lose ten horsemen for him; therefore this is mine advice,
let us put our footmen from us, for it is near night, for the noble
Arthur will not tarry on the footmen, for they may save themselves, the
wood is near hand. And when we horsemen be together, look every each of
you kings let make such ordinance that none break upon pain of death.
And who that seeth any man dress him to flee, lightly that he be slain,
for it is better that we slay a coward than through a coward all we to
be slain. How say ye? said king Lot, answer me, all ye kings. It is
well said, quoth king Nentres; so said the king of the hundred knights;
the same said the king Carados, and king Uriens; so did king Idres, and
king Brandegoris; and so did king Cradelmas, and the duke of Cambenet;
the same said king Clariance, and king Agwisance;—and sware they would
never fail other, neither for life nor for death. And whoso that fled,
but did as they did, should be slain. Then they amended their harness,
and righted their shields, and took new spears and set them on their
thighs, and stood still as it had been a plump of wood.
CHAP. XV.
_Yet more of the said battle, and how it was ended by Merlin._
When Sir Arthur and King Ban and Bors beheld them and all their
knights, they praised them much for their noble cheer of chivalry, for
the hardiest fighters that ever they heard or saw. With that there
dressed them a forty noble knights, and said unto the three kings they
would break their battle: these were their names: Lionses, Phariance,
Ulfius, Brastias, Ector, Kay, Lucas the butler, Griflet la Fise de
Dieu, Mariet de la Roche, Guynas de Bloy, Briant de la Forest Savage,
Bellaus, Morians of the Castle of Maidens, Flannedrius of the Castle of
Ladies, Annecians that was king Bors’s godson, a noble knight, Ladinas
de la Rouse, Emerause, Caulas, and Graciens le Castlein, one Bloise de
la Case, and Sir Colgrevaunce de Gorre. All these knights rode on afore
with spears on their thighs, and spurred their horses mightily as the
horses might run. And the eleven kings with part of their knights
rushed with their horses as fast as they might with their spears, and
there they did on both parties marvellous deeds of arms. So came into
the thick of the press Arthur, Ban, and Bors, and slew down right on
both hands, that their horses went in blood up to the fetlocks. But
ever the eleven kings and their host were ever in the visage of Arthur.
Wherefore Ban and Bors had great marvel, considering the great
slaughter that there was, but at the last they were driven aback over a
little river. With that came Merlin on a great black horse, and said
unto Arthur: Thou hast never done: hast thou not done enough? of
three-score thousand this day hast thou left on live but fifteen
thousand, and it is time to say Ho! For God is wroth with thee that
thou wilt never have done, for yonder eleven kings at this time will
not be overthrown, but and thou tarry on them any longer thy fortune
will turn and they shall increase. And therefore withdraw you unto your
lodging, and rest you as soon as ye may, and reward your good knights
with gold and with silver, for they have well deserved it; there may no
riches be too dear for them, for of so few men as ye have there were
never men did more of prowess than they have done to day, for ye have
matched this day with the best fighters of the world. That is truth,
said king Ban and Bors. Also said Merlin, withdraw you where ye list,
for this three year I dare undertake they shall not dare you; and by
then ye shall hear new tidings. And then Merlin said unto Arthur: These
eleven kings have more on hand than they are ware of, for the Saracens
are landed in their countries, more than forty thousand that burn and
slay, and have laid siege at the castle Wandesborow, and made great
destruction; therefore dread you not this three year. Also Sir, all the
goods that be gotten at this battle let it be searched: and when ye
have it in your hands let it be given freely unto these two kings, Ban
and Bors, that they may reward their knights withal; and that shall
cause strangers to be of better will to do you service at need. Also ye
be able to reward your own knights of your own goods whensoever it
liketh you. It is well said, quoth Arthur, and as thou hast devised so
shall it be done. When it was delivered to Ban and Bors, they gave the
goods as freely to their knights as it was given them.
Then Merlin took his leave of Arthur and of the two kings, for to go
and see his master Bleise that dwelt in Northumberland, and so he
departed and came to his master, that was passing glad of his coming.
And there he told how Arthur and the two kings had sped at the great
battle, and how it was ended, and told the names of every king and
knight of worship that was there. And so Bleise wrote the battle, word
by word, as Merlin told him, how it began, and by whom, and in likewise
how it was ended, and who had the worse. All the battles that were done
in Arthur’s days Merlin did his master Bleise do write. Also, he did do
write all the battles that every worthy knight did of Arthur’s court.
After this Merlin departed from his master and came to king Arthur,
that was in the castle of Bedegraine, that was one of the castles that
stood in the forest of Sherwood. And Merlin was so disguised that king
Arthur knew him not, for he was all befurred in black sheepskins, and a
great pair of boots, and a bow and arrows, in a russet gown, and
brought wild geese in his hand, and it was on the morn after Candlemas
Day, but king Arthur knew him not. Sir, said Merlin unto the king, will
ye give me a gift? Wherefore said king Arthur should I give thee a
gift, churl? Sir, said Merlin, ye were better to give me a gift that is
not in your hand, than to lose great riches; for here, in the same
place where the great battle was, is great treasure hid in the earth.
Who told thee so, churl? said Arthur. Merlin told me so, said he. Then
Ulfius and Brastias knew him well enough, and smiled. Sir, said these
two knights, it is Merlin that so speaketh unto you. Then king Arthur
was greatly abashed, and had marvel of Merlin, and so had king Ban and
king Bors, and so they had great disport at him.
So, in the mean while, there came a damsel which was an earl’s
daughter, and his name was Sanam, and her name was Lionors, a passing
fair damsel, and so she came thither for to do homage, as other lords
did after the great battle. And king Arthur set his love greatly upon
her, and so did she upon him, and she bare a child and his name was
Borre, that was after a good knight, and of the Table Round. Then there
came word that the king Rience of North Wales made great war upon king
Leodegrance of Cameliard, for the which thing Arthur was wroth, for he
loved him well and hated king Rience, for he was always against him. So
by ordinance of the three kings that was sent home to Benwick, all they
would depart for dread of king Claudas; Phariance, and Antemes, and
Gratian, and Lionses of Payarne, with the leaders of those that should
keep the kings’ lands.
CHAP. XVI.
_How king Arthur, king Ban, and king Bors rescued king Leodegrance, and
other incidents._
And then king Arthur and king Ban and king Bors departed with their
fellowship, a twenty thousand, and came within six days into the
country of Cameliard, and there rescued king Leodegrance and slew there
much people of king Rience unto the number of ten thousand men, and put
him to flight. And then had these three kings great cheer of king
Leodegrance that thanked them of their great goodness, that they would
revenge him of his enemies. And there had Arthur the first sight of
Guenever, the king’s daughter of Cameliard, and ever after he loved
her. After they were wedded, as it telleth in the book. So, briefly to
make an end, they took their leave to go into their own countries, for
king Claudas did great destruction on their lands. Then said Arthur, I
will go with you. Nay, said the kings, ye shall not at this time, for
ye have much to do yet in these lands, therefore we will depart, and
with the great goods that we have gotten in these lands by your gifts,
we shall wage good knights, and withstand the king Claudas’s malice,
for, by the grace of God, and we have need we will send to you for your
succour; and if ye have need, send for us, and we will not tarry, by
the faith of our bodies. It shall not, said Merlin, need that these two
kings come again in the way of war: but I know well king Arthur may not
be long from you, for within a year or two ye shall have great need,
and then shall he revenge you on your enemies, as ye have done on his.
For these eleven kings shall die all in a day, by the great might and
prowess of arms of two valiant knights (as it telleth after) their
names being Balin le Savage, and Balan his brother, which be marvellous
good knights as be any living.
Now turn we to the eleven kings, that returned unto a city that hight
Sorhaute, the which city was within king Uriens, and there they
refreshed them as well as they might, and made leeches search their
wounds, and sorrowed greatly for the death of their people. With that
there came a messager and told how there was come into their lands
people that were lawless as well as Saracens a forty thousand, and have
burnt and slain all the people that they may come by without mercy and
have laid siege on the castle of Wandesborow. Alas! said the eleven
kings, here is sorrow on sorrow, and if we had not warred against
Arthur as we had done, he would soon revenge us: as for king
Leodegrance, he loveth king Arthur better than us, and as for king
Rience he hath enough to do with king Leodegrance, for he hath laid
siege unto him. So they consented together to keep all the marches of
Cornwall, of Wales, and of the North. So first they put king Idres in
the city of Nauntes in Britain with four thousand men of arms, to watch
both the water and the land. Also they put in the city of Windesan king
Nentres of Garlot with four thousand knights, to watch both on water
and on land. Also they had of other men of war more than eight
thousand, for to fortify all the fortresses in the marches of Cornwall.
Also they put more knights in all the marches of Wales and Scotland
with many good men of arms. And so they kept them together the space of
three years, and ever allied them with mighty kings, and dukes, and
lords. And to them fell king Rience of North Wales, the which was a
mighty man of men, and Nero that was a mighty man of men. And all this
while they furnished them and garnished them of good men of arms and
victual, and of all manner of habiliment that pretendeth to the war, to
avenge them for the battle of Bedegraine, as it telleth in the book of
adventures following.
CHAP. XVII.
_How king Arthur rode to Carlion, and of his dream, and how he saw the
questing beast._
Then after the departing of king Ban and of king Bors king Arthur rode
unto Carlion. And thither came to him Lot’s wife of Orkney, in manner
of a messenger, but she was sent thither to espy the court of king
Arthur; and she came richly beseen with her four sons, Gawaine,
Gaheris, Agravaine, and Gareth, with many other knights and ladies, and
she was a passing fair lady, wherefore the king cast great love unto
her, and so was Mordred born, and she was his sister, on the mother