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[Illustration: King Arthur and His Knights]
[Illustration: _King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table_]
KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS
By Maude L. Radford
Illustrated by
Walter J. Enright
[Illustration: The Holy Grail]
Rand, M^cNally & Company
CHICAGO · NEW YORK · LONDON
_Copyright_, 1903,
By MAUDE L. RADFORD
[Illustration] TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
_A List of Illustrations_ 8
How Arthur Became King 11
The Good Sword Excalibur 29
The Great Feast and What Followed 35
Arthur's Court and the Order of the Round Table 49
King Arthur and the Princess Guinevere 64
The Coming of Gareth 73
The Story of Sir Gareth and Lynette 85
Sir Ivaine 99
Sir Balin 120
Sir Geraint and Enid 131
Arthur and Sir Accalon 142
How Arthur Fought with a Giant 153
How Arthur Fought with Rome 160
The Knight with the Badly Made Coat 171
Sir Lancelot and Sir Brune 177
The Adventure of King Pellenore 193
Sir Lancelot and His Friends 199
How Sir Lancelot Saved the Queen 213
Sir Lancelot and Elaine 226
The Search for the Holy Grail 243
The Death of Arthur 260
[Illustration] A LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
_King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table_ Frontispiece
_"All about him old oaks stood like giant guardians"_ 10
_"He hardly more than touched the sword"_ 25
_Arthur and the Lady of the Lake_ 31
_King Bors and King Ban_ 41
_"Arthur saw Guinevere bending over the wall"_ 65
_"Gareth rode at him fiercely"_ 93
_"He dismounted and poured water into the fountain"_ 105
_"They fought till their breath failed"_ 129
_"King Arthur raising his hand for silence"_ 167
_"The king touched him lightly with his sword"_ 175
_"He pushed him until he was but a step from the edge"_ 191
_"He struck so fiercely the bottom fell out"_ 209
_"She staid near it all day long in the turret"_ 231
_"And across it slowly moved the Holy Grail"_ 253
TO
DWIGHT AND ROGER
[Illustration: The Holy Grail]
King Arthur and His Knights
[Illustration: _"All about him old oaks stood like giant
guardians"_]
[Illustration] HOW ARTHUR BECAME KING
Once upon a time, a thousand years before Columbus discovered
America, and when Rome was still the greatest city in the world,
there lived a brave and beautiful youth whose name was Arthur.
His home was in England, near London; and he lived with the good
knight Sir Hector, whom he always called father.
They dwelt in a great square castle of gray stone, with a round
tower at each corner. It was built about a courtyard, and was
surrounded by a moat, across which was a drawbridge that could be
raised or lowered. When it was raised the castle was practically
a little island and very hard for enemies to attack.
On one side of the moat was a large wood, and here Arthur spent a
great deal of his time. He liked to lie under the trees and gaze
up at the blue of the sky. All about him old oaks stood like
giant guardians watching sturdily over the soil where they had
grown for centuries. Arthur could look between the trunks and see
rabbits and squirrels whisking about. Sometimes a herd of brown
deer with shy dark eyes would pass, holding their graceful heads
high in the air; sometimes a flock of pheasants with brilliant
plumage rose from the bushes. Again there was no sound except the
tapping of a bright-crested woodpecker, and no motion but the
fluttering of leaves and the trembling of violets half buried in
green moss.
At times, when it was dim and silent in the wood, Arthur would
hear bursts of merry laughter, the tinkling of bells, and the
jingling of spurs. Then he would know that knights and ladies
were riding down the road which ran beside the trees. Soon the
knights would appear on horses, brown, black, and white, with
gaily ornamented saddles, and bridles from which hung silver
bells. Often the saddles were made of ivory or ebony, set with
rubies or emeralds. The knights wore helmets laced with slender
gold chains, and coats of mail made of tiny links of steel, so
fine and light that all together hardly weighed more than a coat
of cloth. Usually the legs of the knights were sheathed in steel
armor; and their spurs were steel, or even gold. The ladies sat
on horses with long trappings of silk, purple, white, or scarlet,
with ornamented saddles and swinging bells. The robes of the
ladies were very beautiful, being made of velvet or silk trimmed
with ermine. Arthur liked to watch them, flashing by; crimson,
and gold, and blue, and rose-colored. Better still, he liked to
see the pretty happy faces of the ladies, and hear their gay
voices. In those troublous times, however, the roads were so
insecure that such companies did not often pass.
Sometimes the knights and ladies came to visit Sir Hector. Then
Arthur would hurry from the forest to the castle. Sir Hector
would stand on the lowered drawbridge to greet his guests, and
would lead them, with many expressions of pleasure, into the
courtyard. Then he would take a huge hammer hanging from a post,
and beat with it on a table which stood in a corner of the
courtyard. Immediately from all parts of the castle the squires
and servants would come running to take the horses of the knights
and ladies. Sir Hector's wife and daughters would then appear,
and with their own hands remove the armor of the knights. They
would offer them golden basins of water, and towels for washing,
and after that put velvet mantles upon their shoulders. Then the
guests would be brought to the supper table.
But Arthur did not spend all his time dreaming in the woods or
gazing at knights and ladies. For many hours of the day he
practiced feats of arms in the courtyard. It was the custom in
England to train boys of noble birth to be knights. As soon as
they were old enough they were taught to ride. Later on, they
lived much among the ladies and maidens, learning gentle manners.
Under the care of the knights, they learned to hunt, to carry a
lance properly, and to use the sword; and having gained this
skill, they were made squires if they had shown themselves to be
of good character.
Then, day by day, the squires practiced at the quintain. This was
an upright post, on the top of which turned a crosspiece, having
on one end a broad board, and on the other a bag of sand. The
object was to ride up at full gallop, strike the board with a
long lance, and get away without being hit by the sand bag.
Besides this, the squires had services to do for the knights, in
order that they might learn to be useful in as many ways as
possible, and to be always humble. For instance, they took care
of the armor of the knights, carried letters and messages for
them, accompanied them at joustings and tournaments, being ready
with extra weapons or assistance; and in the castle they helped
to serve the guests at table. After months of such service, they
went through a beautiful ceremony and were made knights. In the
country round about, Arthur, of all the squires, was the most
famous for his skill in the use of the lance and the sword, for
his keenness in the hunt, and for his courtesy to all people.
Now, at this time there was no ruler in England. The powerful
Uther of Wales, who had governed England, was dead, and all the
strong lords of the country were struggling to be king in his
place. This gave rise to a great deal of quarreling and
bloodshed.
There was in the land a wise magician named Merlin. He was so old
that his beard was as white as snow, but his eyes were as clear
as a little child's. He was very sorry to see all the fighting
that was going on, because he feared that it would do serious
harm to the kingdom.
In those days the great and good men who ruled in the church had
power almost equal to that of the monarch. The kings and the
great lords listened to their advice, and gave them much land,
and money for themselves and for the poor. So Merlin went to the
Archbishop of Canterbury, the churchman who in all England was
the most beloved, and said:
"Sir, it is my advice that you send to all the great lords of the
realm and bid them come to London by Christmas to choose a king."
The archbishop did as Merlin advised, and at Christmas all the
great lords came to London. The largest church in the city stood
not far from the north bank of the Thames. A churchyard
surrounded it, filled with yew trees, the trunks of which were
knotted with age. The powerful lords rode up in their clanking
armor to the gate, where they dismounted, and giving their horses
into the care of their squires, reverently entered the church.
There were so many of them that they quite filled the nave and
side-aisles of the building. The good archbishop, from where he
stood in the chancel, looked down on them all. Just behind him
was the altar covered with a cloth of crimson and gold, and
surmounted by a golden crucifix and ten burning candles. In front
of him, kneeling under the gray arches which spanned the church,
were the greatest men in the kingdom. He looked at their stern
bronzed faces, their heavy beards, their broad shoulders, and
their glittering armor, and prayed God to make the best man in
the land king.
Then began the service. At the close of the first prayer some of
the knights looked out of the window, and there in the churchyard
they saw a great square stone. In the middle of it was an anvil
of steel a foot high, and fixed therein was a beautiful sword. On
the sword was some writing set in with gold which said:
"Whosoever pulls this sword out of this stone and anvil is the
real king of all England."
The knights who read this told the archbishop, but he said:
"I command you all to keep within the church and still pray to
God. No man is to touch the sword until all the prayers are
said."
After the service was over, the lords went into the churchyard.
They each pulled at the sword, but none could stir it.
"The king is not here," said the archbishop, "but God will make
him known. Meantime, let ten good knights keep watch over this
sword."
The knights were soon chosen, and then the archbishop said that
on a fixed day every man in the kingdom should try to pull the
sword out of the anvil. He ordered that on New Year's day all the
people should be brought together for a great tournament to be
held on the south bank of the Thames, near London bridge. After a
few days spent in jousting among the knights, each man should
make the trial to find out whether or not he was to be king.
The brave youth Arthur did not know of the contest that was to be
made for the sword. Sir Hector told him that he was to go to a
tournament, but he did not tell him the reason for holding the
tournament. So Arthur rode to London with Sir Hector; and Sir
Kay, who was Sir Hector's oldest son, was with them.
Sir Hector and Sir Kay rode soberly in front. They were tall,
stalwart men and rode black horses, their dark figures making
shadows on the light snow that had fallen. Arthur, riding behind
them, felt exhilarated by the crisp winter air which caused the
blood to dance in his veins. Sometimes he stood up in his saddle
and flicked with his sword the dead leaves on the oaks. Again he
made his horse crush the thin crust of ice that had formed in
tiny pools on the road. He was so happy in the thought of the
tournament he was to see, that he could have sung for joy.
The road was not very wide, for few carts passed upon it, but it
had been well worn by riders. Sometimes it wound through a bit of
thick woods; again it rose up over a gently rolling hill. From
the hilltops the riders could see London far in the distance. It
looked at first like a gray haze; then, as the three came nearer,
the buildings, large and small, grew plain to the sight. The
castles and huts, barns and sheds, smithies, shops and mills,
stood out in the keen sunlight. A high wall surrounded them,
while on one side flowed the river Thames.
After they had entered the city, and had passed the churchyard,
and had almost reached London bridge, Sir Kay discovered that he
had left his sword at home.
"Will you go back for it?" he asked Arthur.
"That I will," said Arthur, glad of the chance to ride longer in
the delightful air.
But when he reached their dwelling, he could not get in. The
drawbridge was raised, and he could not make the warden hear his
calling. Then Arthur was disturbed and said to himself:
"I will hasten to the churchyard we passed, and take the
beautiful sword which I saw in the stone. It does not seem to
belong to anyone, and my brother Kay must have a weapon."
So he rode on till he reached the churchyard, dismounted, and
tied his horse to a sapling. The ten knights who guarded the
sword had gone away to see the combats in the tournament. Arthur
ran up and pulled lightly but eagerly at the sword. It came at
once from the anvil. He hurried to Sir Kay, who was waiting for
him on London bridge. Sir Kay knew that the weapon was the one
that had been fixed fast in the stone, but he said nothing to
Arthur, and the two soon overtook Sir Hector, who had ridden
slowly to the field where the tournament was taking place. Sir
Kay immediately told his father what had happened.
The good knight at once spoke with great respect to Arthur.
"Sir," he said, "you must be the king of this land."
"What mean you, sir?" asked Arthur.
Sir Hector told the wondering youth the reason why he was
destined to be king. Then he said:
"Can you put this sword back in its place and pull it out again?"
"Easily," replied Arthur.
The three returned to the great stone, and Arthur put back the
sword. Sir Hector tried to take it out, but failed.
"Now, you try," he said to Sir Kay.
But Sir Kay, in spite of great efforts, also failed. Then Arthur,
at Sir Hector's bidding, tried, and at once pulled forth the
sword. At that Sir Hector and Sir Kay knelt before Arthur.
"Alas," said Arthur, raising them from the ground, "my own dear
father and my brother, why do you kneel to me?"
"Nay, my lord Arthur," said Sir Hector, "I am not your father.
You are of higher blood than I am. Long ago, when you were a
little baby, Merlin brought you to me to take care of, telling me
that you were to be the king."
"Then whose son am I?" cried Arthur.
"There are two stories: the one that Merlin tells, and the one
that old Bleys, the master of Merlin, tells. Merlin brought you
to me, saying that you were the son of King Uther and Yguerne his
wife. But because the king was dead and the lords powerful and
jealous, he told me to guard you in secrecy lest your life be
taken. I did not know whether the story was true or false then,
but you were a helpless child, and Merlin was a wise sage, and so
I took you and brought you up as my own."
Arthur was so astonished that he did not ask to hear the tale
that Bleys told. He stood gazing at Sir Hector, who said:
"And now, my gracious lord, will you be good to me and mine when
you are king?"
"I will, indeed," replied Arthur, "for I am more beholden to you
than to any one else in the world, and also to my good lady and
foster mother, your wife, who has reared me as if I were her own
child. If it be God's will that I shall sometime become king, ask
of me then what you will."
"Sir," said Sir Hector, "I ask that you make my son Sir Kay, your
foster brother, the steward of all your lands."
"That shall be done," said Arthur, "and more. He shall have that
office as long as I live."
Then the three went to the Archbishop of Canterbury and related
to him the story of Merlin and all that had occurred. At his
request they told no one else.
At the command of the archbishop on Twelfth day, which is the
sixth of January, all the great lords assembled in the churchyard.
Each tried to draw forth the sword, and each failed. Then the
untitled people came and tried. Everyone failed until at last
Arthur stepped forward. He hardly more than touched the sword
when it came away in his hand.
At this many of the great lords were angry.
[Illustration: _"He hardly more than touched the sword"_]
"He is but a boy," they said, "and not of high blood."
They refused to believe the story of his birth told by Merlin and
Sir Hector. And because of all the quarreling, it was decided to
have another trial at Candlemas, which fell in the month of
February. Again Arthur was victorious. Then the great lords
decreed that there should be another trial at Easter, and again
Arthur succeeded. Next they decided to have a final trial at the
feast of the Pentecost, which fell in May.
Meanwhile, Merlin advised the archbishop to see that Arthur had a
bodyguard. So the archbishop selected several knights whom the
former king, Uther, had trusted. These were Sir Ulfius and Sir
Brastias and Sir Bedivere; Sir Geraint and Sir Hector and Sir Kay
were also chosen. These brave men formed a bodyguard for Arthur
until the feast of the Pentecost.
At this time Arthur again drew out the sword from the anvil. Then
the common people, who had so far let the lords have their will,
cried out:
"We will have Arthur for our king, and we will have no more
delay, for we see that it is God's will that he shall be our
ruler."
Then all the people knelt down, high and low, rich and poor, and
begged Arthur's pardon for the delay he had undergone. Arthur
forgave them, and taking his sword, reverently placed it on the
great altar beside which the archbishop stood. This was a sign
that he meant to dedicate himself and his sword to God.
Afterward the crowning was held, and all the brave men and fair
ladies in the land were present. The lords wore beautiful robes
of velvet and ermine, with gold and jewels on their breast-plates.
The ladies' robes were of purple and white and scarlet and gold
and blue, and they wore many pearls and rubies and diamonds, so
that all the place where they were assembled was glowing with
light and color.
But Arthur, who wore a plain white robe, did not think of the
beauty and richness. He was very grave, knowing that he was about
to take a solemn oath. He bowed his head, while the archbishop
set upon it the golden crown, which gleamed with jewels. Then he
stood up before his people, and vowed that he would be a good
king and always do justice. All the people uncovered their heads
and vowed to serve and obey him; and when he smiled kindly on
them as he rode slowly through the throng, they threw up their
caps and shouted joyfully: "Long live King Arthur! Long live the
King!"
King Arthur chose worthy men for his officers, making Sir Kay
steward as he had promised; Sir Ulfius he made chamberlain, and
Sir Brastias warden. Arthur gave offices also to Sir Hector and
Sir Bedivere and Sir Geraint.
After his crowning the king set about righting all the wrongs
that had been done since the death of King Uther. He gave back
the lands and money that had been taken from widows and orphans,
and would permit no unkindness to any of his subjects. Thus, at
the very beginning of his reign, his people began to call him
="Good King Arthur"=
[Illustration] THE GOOD SWORD EXCALIBUR
Soon after the crowning of King Arthur, he was journeying through
the land with Merlin, the wise old magician, when they met a
knight who challenged Arthur to a combat. The two fought, and at
last the knight wounded Arthur severely. In the end the king was
victorious, but he had lost so much blood that he could go no
farther. Merlin took him to a good hermit who healed his wound in
three days. Then the king departed with Merlin, and as they were
slowly riding along he said:
"I am still weak from the blood I have lost, and my sword is
broken."
"Do not fear," said Merlin. "You shall lose no more blood and
you shall have a good sword. Ride on trustfully with me."
They rode in silence until they came to a lake, large and quiet,
and as beautiful in color as a pearl. While Arthur was looking at
its beauty, he became suddenly aware of three tall women, with
fair, sweet faces, standing on the bank.
"Who are they?" the king asked.
"Three queens who shall help you at your worst need," answered
Merlin. "Now look out upon the lake again."
Arthur turned his eyes upon the lake and saw that in the distance
a slight mist had arisen. Through it the figure of a lady glided
over the surface of the water. Her robe appeared to be made of
waves which streamed away in flowing curves from her body. Her
head and shoulders seemed wrapped in foam tinted with the colors
of the rainbow, and her arms glittered with sparkles which came
from bubbles of water. She was so wonderful that Arthur looked at
her for some time before he asked softly:
"Who is she?"
[Illustration: _Arthur and the Lady of the Lake_]
"She is the Lady of the Lake," said Merlin. "She lives in a rock
in the middle of the lake. See, she is coming toward us. Look at
what is beyond her in the water."
Arthur looked and saw rising above the surface of the water an
arm clothed in pure white. This arm held a huge cross-hilted
sword, so brilliant that Arthur's eyes were dazzled.
When the Lady of the Lake approached nearer, he said:
"Damsel, what sword is that? I wish it were mine, for I have
none."
The lady smiled, saying:
"Step into yonder boat, row to the sword, and take it, together
with the scabbard."
So Arthur entered a little boat that was tied to the shore, and
rowed out to the sword. As he took it and the scabbard, all
gleaming with jewels, the hand and arm vanished into the water.
And when Arthur looked about, the three queens and the Lady of
the Lake were also gone.
As Arthur, still gazing at the sword, rowed to shore, Merlin said
to him:
"My lord Arthur, which pleases you more, sword or scabbard?"
"In truth, the sword," replied the king.
"Let me assure you," said Merlin, smiling gravely, "that the
scabbard is worth ten of the sword. While you have it with you
you shall never lose blood, no, no matter how sorely you are
wounded. So see that you guard it well."
The king, who was looking at the sword, sighed.
"There is writing on the sword," he said.
"True, my lord, written in the oldest tongue in the world."
"_Take me_ on one side," said Arthur, "and _Cast me away_ on the
other. I am glad to take the sword, but it saddens me to think of
casting it away."
Merlin's face grew sad, too. He was so wise that he knew what was
going to happen in the future, and he was well aware that when
the time came to cast the sword away, much evil would have
befallen the good King Arthur. But he knew that the time was yet
very far off; so he said:
"You have taken the sword. Now use it to make justice and right
prevail in all the land. Do not think of casting it away until
you must."
Arthur grew joyful again as he felt the strength of the good
sword in his hand, and the two rode cheerfully forward through
the country.
[Illustration: The Shield]
[Illustration] THE GREAT FEAST & WHAT FOLLOWED
Although Arthur had been crowned king, he was by no means sure
that all the nobles of the land would accept him as ruler. In
accordance with the custom of the time, he gave a feast in order
to find out who were his friends and who his enemies. All who
came to the feast would, he supposed, consent to be his
followers.
He chose the largest hall in London, and had the walls hung with
rich cloths. Upon the floor, strewn with rushes, were placed
trestles, and across these, boards were laid. Upon them fine
white linen was spread, and golden saltcellars, wine-bowls, and
water-jugs set about.
When the guests assembled there were so many that Arthur was
delighted, for he thought they were all his friends. He sat at
the head of one table, and Sir Hector sat at the head of the
other. Arthur wore a gold crown on his head, but it was no
brighter than his hair, and the blue turquoises with which it was
set were no bluer than his eyes. From his shoulders to the ground
hung a magnificent red robe with gold dragons embroidered upon
it.
The cooks and squires came in from the kitchen carrying food,
their ruddy faces beaming from the heat of the fires. First of
all, sixty boars' heads were borne in on silver platters. Then
followed, on golden dishes, peacocks and plovers which had been
so skillfully cooked that their bright colors were preserved.
After the guests had eaten all they cared for of this food, tiny
roasted pigs were brought in, and set on all fours upon the
tables. By this time, all the gold and silver goblets which had
been filled with wine needed refilling. Then the squires carried
in beautiful white swans on silver platters, and roasted cranes
and curlews on plates that glowed like the sun. After that came
rabbits stewed in sweet sauce, and hams and curries. The last
course consisted of tarts and preserves, dates and figs and
pomegranates.
The supper began about five o'clock, and the guests ate and drank
into the night. Although it was past Easter time, the weather was
a little cold, and so upon the stone flagging between the two
long tables the king ordered fires to be lighted. The bright
flames darted up, flashing on the gold threads woven in the
hangings of the walls, and on the steel armor of the lords, and
gleaming on the jewels set in the gold and silver goblets which
the squires were carrying about. At one side sat a band of
musicians singing of the glories of King Arthur, and of the
folk-tales of his ancestors and people, accompanying themselves
on their harps.
After the guests had risen from the tables and gone to their
camps, Arthur sent messengers to them with rich gifts of horses
and furs and gold. But most of the lords received the messengers
scornfully.
"Take back these gifts to the beardless boy who has come of low
blood," they said; "we do not want them. We have come here to
give him gifts of hard blows with our hard swords."
The messengers were astonished to hear these things spoken of
their good king. Nevertheless, they told Arthur all that had been
said to them. He sent no answer back, but he called together all
the lords whom he was sure were loyal to him, and asked their
advice. They said to him:
"We cannot give you advice, but we can fight."
"You speak well, my lords," answered Arthur, "and I thank you for
your courage. Will you take the advice of Merlin? You know that
he has done much for me, and he is very wise."
The lords and barons answered that they would do whatever Merlin
advised. When Merlin came to the council hall he said:
"I warn you that your enemies are very strong. They have added to
their numbers so that now you have against you eleven mighty
kings."
At this the lords looked dismayed.
"Unless our lord Arthur has more men than he can find in his own
realm," said Merlin, "he will be overcome and slain. Therefore I
give you this counsel. There are two brothers across the sea;
both are monarchs and both very strong. One is King Ban of
Benwick, and the other is King Bors of Gaul. Now these two have
an enemy, also a powerful ruler. Therefore, send to the brothers,
King Bors and King Ban who are now both in Benwick, and say to
them that if they will help Arthur in his war against the eleven
kings, Arthur will help them against their common enemy."
"That is very good counsel," said the king and the lords.
So they chose Sir Ulfius and Sir Brastias as messengers, and
these two hurried away, hopeful of success. When they reached the
town in Benwick where King Bors and King Ban were, knights came
forth to receive them and to hear their message. As soon as it
was learned from whom they had come they were led into the
presence of the brothers. Both were very large men. King Bors
was dark, and was dressed in black armor. King Ban was dark, too;
the colors that he wore on his shield were green and gold. He was
the father of Sir Lancelot, the knight who afterwards became the
most powerful of the followers of Arthur.
The two kings received Sir Ulfius and Sir Brastias with much
favor.
"Tell King Arthur," they said, "that we will come to him as
quickly as we can."
Then they gave splendid gifts to Sir Ulfius and Sir Brastias, who
hurried back to Arthur with the message.
In a short time King Bors and King Ban arrived with ten thousand
of their soldiers, and as Arthur had ten thousand, they felt
certain of victory. They went into Wales, a country which
Arthur's followers knew well, and waited confidently for the
enemy.
The eleven kings collected a great host of sixty thousand men,
fifty thousand on horseback and ten thousand on foot. They
marched towards the place where Arthur was, and set up their camp
near a wood about a mile distant. When Merlin knew this, he said
to Arthur and the two kings:
[Illustration: _King Bors and King Ban_]
"This is my advice: Set upon your enemies at midnight when they
are unprepared, and then you will have the advantage."
So Arthur and the two royal brothers and the twenty thousand
soldiers crept up to where the eleven kings and their men lay.
They took a road circling round the wood. Moving with great
caution, they drew nearer and nearer until they could see first
the camp fires in a circle around the white tents; and then,
against the flashing flames, the dark figures of the men who were
keeping guard. Sometimes they were afraid that the noise they
made would alarm their enemies, but on account of a heavy
windstorm, they were unheard. When his men were quite near,
Arthur gave the word of command. The whole army uttered a great
shout, and ran forward in companies upon their enemies. In a few
minutes they had knocked down most of the tents, and killed many
soldiers.
It was a dreadful thing to be attacked in the dark without
warning. But the eleven kings were brave men, even though they
were so unjust to Arthur in trying to take his kingdom from him,
and made a good fight. Perhaps they would have made a better one
if they had known how few the men were under Arthur.
Before day dawned, Merlin told Arthur to draw back his troops.
This he did, leaving about ten thousand of the enemy dead behind
him. He, however, had not lost very many men.
At daybreak Arthur and his followers saw that the lay of the land
could be used to their advantage. Between them and the enemy was
a narrow road, bounded on one side by a lake, and on the other
side by a dense wood. One part of this wood, however, was thin
enough to allow men to hide in it.
"Now," said Merlin, "let King Bors and King Ban take their
soldiers and hide in the wood for a long time. Then, my lord
Arthur, stand up before the enemy with your men."
"Why shall we do this?" asked Arthur.
"Because," said the wise old man, "when the eleven kings see how
few in number your troops are, they will let you proceed down the
passage. They will think that if you march close to them they can
overcome you. But you can fill up this narrow road with more and
more men from the wood. Then the enemy cannot surround you."
"That seems very good," said Arthur.
"And at last," continued Merlin, "when the eleven kings are
weary, let King Bors and King Ban come forth. Then surely the
courage of our enemies will fail."
The plan was carried out. Arthur's men marched down the passage.
The green wood was on one side, and on the other was the lake,
the water of which was so clear that it reflected the bodies of
the soldiers with their shields and helmets. The sun shone on
their armor. The little birds in the woods sang as they passed.
But the men were thinking of nothing but the expected battle.
When they had come close to the enemy, they saw the eleven kings
all in a row, mounted on big handsome horses. Their fifty
thousand men were behind them. Suddenly these rode forward and
the battle began.
It was a fierce fight. In a very short time the field was covered
with overthrown men and horses. Broken shields and helmets lay on
the ground, and many of the knights who had been fighting on
horseback were unhorsed, and were fighting on foot. Arthur
galloped here and there among his enemies, conquering with his
trusty sword all with whom he fought. The woods and the water
rang with his sword strokes. The noise drowned the sweet songs of
the birds, but still they sang, and flew about gaily, all unaware
of the grim death-struggle going on beneath them.
Finally the time arrived for bringing forward King Bors and his
men. The great dark king went thundering down upon his enemies.
When the King of Orkney saw him coming, he cried:
"Oh, we are in great danger! I see King Bors, one of the best and
bravest kings in the world, and he is helping our enemy."
Then the other kings were astonished, for they did not know that
Arthur had sent outside his country for help.
"But we will fight on," they said, "no matter how powerful he
is."
While they were still fighting, but with great loss of courage,
they heard the loud sounds made by the hoofs of other tramping
horses, and King Ban rode down on them, followed by his men. His
black brows were frowning, and his green and gold colors
glittered in the sun.
"Alas, alas!" cried the King of Orkney, "now in truth are we
lost, for here is another king, no less great than his brother
Bors. But we must neither flee nor yield."
The eleven kings, being agreed to this, continued the battle,
though so many of their men were killed that the King of Orkney
wept. When he saw some of his men running away, he wept still
more, for he thought it was better to die than to be a coward.
Though they did not intend to run away, the eleven kings thought
it would be wise to retreat to a little copse near by. It was
late and they were tired and wished to rest before fighting
again. King Bors and King Ban could not help admiring these
rulers.
"In truth," said King Ban, "they are the bravest men I ever saw.
I would they were your friends."
"Indeed, so would I," replied Arthur; "but I have no hope of
that, for they are determined to destroy me, and so we must fight
on."
At this moment Merlin rode up on his great black horse.
"Have you not done enough?" he cried to Arthur. "Of their sixty
thousand men there are left but fifteen thousand. It is time to
stop, I say. If you fight on, they will win the day. The tide
will turn against you."
Arthur hesitated and Merlin said:
"The eleven kings have a great trouble coming of which they are
ignorant. The Saracens have landed in their countries to the
number of over forty thousand. So your enemies will have so much
fighting to do that they will not attack you again for three
years."
Then Arthur was glad, for it had grieved him deeply to fight so
long and to lose his good soldiers.
"We will fight no more," he said.
"That is well," replied Merlin. "Now give presents to your
soldiers, for to-day they have proved themselves equal to the
best fighters in the world."
"True, indeed!" exclaimed King Bors and King Ban.
So Arthur gave gifts to his own men; and a great deal of gold to
the brother kings, both for themselves and for their soldiers.
And the two kings went home rejoicing.
[Illustration: The Two Horses]
[Illustration] ARTHUR'S COURT & THE ORDER OF THE ROUND TABLE
After Arthur had proved his prowess in his contest with the
eleven kings, he decided to establish his Court and the Order of
the Round Table. The place he chose was the city of Camelot in
Wales, which had a good situation, being built upon a hill. He
called the wise Merlin and ordered him to make a great palace on
the summit of the hill. Through his powers of enchantment, Merlin
was able to do this very quickly, and within a week the king and
his personal attendants were settled in the palace.
The main part consisted of a great Assembly Hall built of white
marble, the roof of which seemed to be upheld by pillars of green
and red porphyry, and was surmounted by magnificent towers. The
outside walls of the hall were covered with beautiful rows of
sculpture. The lowest row represented wild beasts slaying men.
The second row represented men slaying wild beasts. The third
represented warriors who were peaceful, good men. The fourth
showed men with growing wings. Over all was a winged statue with
the face of Arthur. Merlin meant to show by means of the first
row that formerly evil in men was greater than good; by the
second that men began to conquer the evil in themselves, which in
time caused them to become really good, noble, and peace-loving
men, as in the third row. And finally, through the refining
influence of Good King Arthur and his wise helpers, men would
grow to be almost as perfect as the angels.
The main doorway was in the shape of an arch, upheld by pillars
of dark yellow marble. The hall was lighted by fourteen great
windows, through which the light streamed in soft colors upon the
marble floors. Between these windows, and along the cornices,
were beautiful decorations. There were carvings in white marble
of birds and beasts and twining vines. There was mosaic work of
black and yellow and pink marble and of lapis lazuli, as blue as
a lake when the clear sun shines full upon its surface. Under the
windows were many stone shields, beneath each of which was the
name of a knight. Some shields were blazoned with gold, some were
carved, and some were blank. The walls were hung with beautiful
tapestries which had been woven by the ladies of the land for
Arthur's new palace. On each had been pictured some episode from
the life of King Arthur; the drawing of the magic sword from the
anvil, the finding of the good sword Excalibur, his deeds of
justice and acts of kindness, and his many battles and wars.
The two wings of the palace contained the dining hall and kitchen
and the living apartments of all the members of the court who
made their home with the king. The dining hall was only a little
less beautiful than Arthur's great Assembly Hall. The walls were
hung with cloths of scarlet and gold. The deep fireplace was
supported by four bronze pillars. In the middle of the room were
long tables made of oak boards set on ivory trestles. At a
banquet the walls were hung with garlands of flowers or festoons
of branches.
The great kitchen had stone walls and stone flagging. The
fireplace was so large that there was room for a whole ox to be
roasted, and above hung cranes from which half a dozen kettles
could be suspended, and pots of such a size that pigs could be
boiled whole in them. All about the walls were cupboards. Some
were full of plates of wood, iron, steel, silver, and gold, and
flagons, cups, bowls, and saltcellars of gold and silver. Others
were used for the storing of cold meats and fruits. There were
several tables on which the cooked food was cut, and benches upon
which the cooks rested when they were tired of serving the hungry
eaters.
Well might they have grown tired.
Supper, the most important meal of the day, lasted from three
until six, and often longer. But the cooks, and the little
scullion boys who washed the pots and pans, and the attendants
who carried in the food to the dining hall, all wore contentment
and happiness on their faces as they hurried about with their
long blouses tucked out of harm's way; for to serve King Arthur
and his guests was considered a real privilege.
The sleeping rooms were furnished with chests, and chairs, and
beds spread with fine linen and with ermine-lined covers.
Hangings of various colors were upon the walls. On the floors
were strewn rushes, and among them was thrown mint which gave
forth an agreeable odor.
After Arthur, his officers, and his servants had been in the
palace a few days, the king formally established his Court. He
invited all the knights who cared to do so to come with their
families and retinues and live with him. Some preferred to remain
in their own castles, but others gladly went to live with the
king. Soon all were comfortably settled.
The king's officers were very important members of Arthur's
court. First of these came the Archbishop of Canterbury, who
held the highest place in the king's regard. It was his duty to
conduct the church services for Arthur and his followers, and to
christen, marry, and bury the people of Camelot. Next, Sir Ulfius
as chamberlain superintended the care of the king's rooms. Sir
Brastias, who was warden, superintended the servants. Sir Kay,
who was steward, had charge of all the food and the kitchen. Sir
Hector, as treasurer, took care of the king's gold and rendered
the accounts. Sir Geraint managed all the tournaments and outdoor
sports of the knights and squires. There were other officers to
help these, and all did their work faithfully and lovingly.
The knights whom Arthur chose to be members of his Round Table
were mostly selected from these officers. As members of this
order there were one hundred and fifty of the knights who had
shown themselves especially brave in battle and who were devoted
followers of the king. Next to being king, the greatest honor
which could fall to a warrior was to be made a member of the
Round Table, for all who belonged to the order were dedicated to
the service of God and mankind. There is no glory greater than
such a dedication.
In his great hall Arthur had placed a huge table, made round in
shape so that there should be neither head nor foot, a higher
place nor a lower place. Arthur wished all who sat there to be
equals. These chosen knights were to give him council in times of
peace and of war.
It was a solemn hour when the knights took their places. The
Archbishop of Canterbury blessed them and their seats. Then each
one came to Arthur, who stood at the top of the Assembly Hall,
and did him homage. Next they took their vows. They promised to
be brave and good, never false, or mean, or cruel. If anyone with
whom they fought begged for mercy, they would show him mercy. And
they vowed never to fight for a wrong cause or for money. Each
year at the feast of the Pentecost they were to repeat these
vows.
Other members of Arthur's Court were old, brave knights who could
no longer fight, but who liked to be near the king and his
warriors, and gave the wisdom of age and experience to his
councils; young, ambitious, and promising knights who had had but
little real experience in battle; and faithful squires who had
had no real experience at all. Boys from six to fourteen years
were pages. There were others who transformed Arthur's Court to a
place of grace and beauty,--the mothers, wives, sisters, and
daughters of the warriors.
Although they did not help in the councils of war, these ladies
were of great assistance in training the knights to be tender and
courteous. They taught the little pages good manners and
unselfishness. They assisted the knights in removing their armor
when they came in tired from riding or fighting. They sat with
Arthur and the knights in the evening in the dining-hall, singing
or playing upon harps, or listening to the tales that were told.
When the knights were away the ladies stayed in their own
chambers, hearing wise readings from the Archbishop of Canterbury,
or other learned men, listening to Merlin's words of wisdom, and
embroidering the beautiful hangings and cushions which were to
adorn the palace.
It was a month before Arthur's Court was established, and during
that time the city of Camelot was a scene of continual merriment.
The people of the place were glad that the king had come, for
that meant much gain for them. Those of them who did not live in
the palace had their houses or shops on the streets which wound
about the foot of the hill. Many of the shops belonged to
armorers, who had armor of all sorts for any one who would buy.
They were glad in their turn to buy the swords of famous knights
which had been used in great battles, for such weapons they could
always sell again at a good price. These shopkeepers and the
servants and the squires and the warriors all united to make the
city of Camelot a beautiful one, for the sake of their king. The
streets were kept strewn with rushes and flowers. Rich awnings
and silken draperies were hung from the houses.
All day long processions passed, made up of the followers of all
those lords who gave allegiance to the king. They carried the
banners of their masters, crimson, white, or scarlet, gold,
silver, or azure, making the streets glow with color. The
marching squires wore ornamented blouses, drawn in at the waist,
long silk stockings, and shoes of embroidered leather. The bowmen
were dressed in green kirtles, rather shorter than those of the
squires, and wore dark woolen hose; they carried their bows and
arrows slung across their shoulders. The servants were dressed in
much the same way, except that their blouses were longer and of
various colors. Many knights rode in the processions, their long
plumes waving in the wind, their armor shining, and their falcons
perched upon their wrists.
All day long, too, bands of musicians played on flutes and
timbrels and tabors and harps; bands of young men and women sang
songs in praise of the king; story-tellers went about relating
old tales of famous heroes. The young men showed their strength
by tumbling and wrestling, and their grace by dancing; the young
women also danced.
The wise Merlin often passed along the streets, walking silently
among the merry throngs of people. Sometimes the little Dagonet
danced at his side, Dagonet the king's jester, a tiny man who
made merriment for the Court with his witty sayings. He always
wore a tight-fitting red blouse and a peaked cap ornamented with
bells, and he carried a mock scepter in the shape of a carved
ivory stick.
Whenever Arthur appeared before his people, church-bells were
joyously rung and trumpets were sounded. The king, as he rode,
distributed presents to the poor people:--capes, coats, and
mantles of serge, and bushels of pence. In a dining-hall at the
palace, feasts were held on those days for them, and they were
also open for all the people who might come.
When the weather was beautiful, tables were placed on the sward
outside the palace, and those who cared to, ate under the shade
of the trees, listening to the music of the blackbirds, whose
singing was almost as loud as that of the chorus of damsels who
sang in the palace. Every hour the servants carried in and out
great quarters of venison, roasted pheasants and herons, and
young hawks, ducks, and geese, all on silver platters. Curries
and stews and tarts were innumerable. In the midst of the sward a
silver fountain had been set from which flowed sweet wine. Even
the great feasts of the year, which were held at Christmas, upon
the day of the Passover, at Pentecost, upon Ascension day, and
upon St. John's day, were not as wonderful as these feasts, when
the king held holiday with his people.
On these days of merriment, when the people were not eating or
drinking or marching in processions, they were at the tournament
field, watching the combats. Here the best of Arthur's knights,
mounted on strong horses and wearing heavy armor, were ranged on
two sides of the field. Behind each row was a pavilion filled
with ladies. Four heralds stood ready to blow the trumpets which
gave the signal for the combats. Each herald wore crimson silk
stockings and crimson velvet kirtles, tight at the waist, and
reaching half-way to the knee.
When it was time to begin the heralds blew the trumpets, the
ladies bent over eagerly, and the knights spurred their horses
forward, riding with their lances in rest. In a moment clouds of
dust arose, circling up as high as the plumes on the knights'
helmets, and their lances crashed against each other's shields.
Many of the lances broke. Sometimes the shock of contact
overthrew a knight. But no one was hurt, for the good King Arthur
had ordered that the combats should be friendly.
When the jousting had lasted for several hours, those knights who
had shown themselves the stronger, received prizes from the
ladies. The prizes were suits of armor ornamented with gold, and
swords with jeweled hilts. The knight who, of all, was the
strongest, chose the lady whom he considered most beautiful, and
crowned her "The Queen of Love and Beauty."
During the month of feasting, Arthur made knights of some of the
squires. A young squire was first obliged to show his skill in
tilting at the quintain. Then his father presented him with
falcons and sparrowhawks for hunting, and arms and robes. He also
gave robes and arms to his son's companions, and, to their
mothers and sisters, furs and embroidered robes, and belts of
gold. Finally he gave money to the singers and players, and
servants, and to the poor people of Camelot.
At about sunset the young squire went into the church, where the
Archbishop of Canterbury held a solemn service. The youth took
the armor which he had chosen, and placed it on the floor in
front of the altar. He was then left alone, and all night long he
prayed fervently to God to give him strength to be a noble and
true knight. In the morning the king came to the church, attended
by his nobles and by the archbishop. The squire laid his sword on
the altar, thus signifying his devotion to Christ and his
determination to lead a holy life. King Arthur bound the sword
and spurs on the young man, and, taking Excalibur, he smote him
lightly on the shoulder with it, saying, "Be thou a true and
faithful knight."