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Once upon a time, King Arthur held a mighty feast at Carlion. Our tale
saith that the king hath sent through all his realm; and from Esparlot
in Bretagne into Alemaigne, from the city of Boillande down even into
Ireland, the king, for fellowship, hath summoned his barons, that they
be at Carlion at Ascension tide. On this day all came, both high and
low; twenty thousand knights sat at the board, and thereto twenty
thousand damoiselles, maidens and dames. It was of great mark that each
man had his mate, for he who had no wife yet sat with a woman, whether
sister or friend: and herein lay great courtesy. But before they may eat
one and all shall be sore angered; for now, lo you, a youth, fair and
pleasing and mounted upon a swift horse, who cometh riding into the
palace.
In his hand he held a horn banded about four times with gold. Of ivory
was that horn, and wrought with inlay wherein amid the gold were set
stones of beryl and sardonyx and rich chalcedony; of elephant's ivory
was it made, and its like for size and beauty and strength was never
seen. Upon it was a ring inlaid with silver, and it had a hundred little
bells of pure gold,--a fairy, wise and skilful, wrought them in the
time of Constantine, and laid such a spell upon the horn as ye shall now
hear: whoever struck it lightly with his finger, the hundred bells rang
out so sweetly that neither harp nor viol, nor mirth of maidens, nor
syren of the sea were so joyous to hear. Rather would a man travel a
league on foot than lose that sound, and whoso hearkeneth thereto
straightway forgetteth all things.
So the messenger came into the palace and looked upon that great and
valiant company of barons. He was clad in a bliaut, and the horn was
hung about his neck, and he took it in his hand and raised it on high,
and struck upon it that all the palace resounded. The bells rang out in
so sweet accord that all the knights left eating. Not a damsel looked
down at her plate; and of the ready varlets who were serving drink, and
bore about cups of maplewood and beakers of fine gold filled with mulled
wine and hippocrass, with drinks spiced and aromatic, not one of these
but stopped where he was, and he who held aught scattered it abroad.
Nor was there any seneschal so strong or so skilful but if he carried
a plate, let it tremble or fall. He who would cut the bread cut his own
hand. All were astounded by the horn and fell into forgetfulness; all
ceased from speech to hearken to it; Arthur the great king grew silent,
and by reason of the horn both king and barons became so still that no
word was spoken.
The messenger goeth straightway to the king, bearing in his hand the
ivory horn; well knew he the ten kings by their rich array; and still
because of the horn's music all were silent about King Arthur. The
comely youth addressed him, greeted him fairly, and laughing, bespoke
him: "King Arthur, may God who dwells above save you and all your
baronage I see here assembled." And Arthur answered him: "May he give
you joy likewise." Saith the messenger: "Lord, now give heed to me for
a little space. The king of Moraine, the brave and courteous, sendeth
you this horn from out his treasure, on such a covenant--hearken to
his desire herein--that you give him neither love nor hate therefor."
"Friend," then saith the king, "courteous is thy lord, and I will take
the horn with its four bands of gold, but will return him neither
love nor hate therefor." So King Arthur took the horn which the varlet
proffered him: and he let fill with wine his cup of pure gold, and then
bespoke the youth: "Take this beaker, sit you down before me, and eat
and drink; and when we have eaten I will make you a knight, and on
the morrow I will give you a hundred _livres_ of pure gold." But
laughing the youth maketh answer: "It is not meet that the squire sit
at table with the knight, rather will I go to the inn and repose me;
and then when I am clothed and equipped and adorned I will come again
to you, and claim my promise." Thereupon the messenger goeth his way;
and forthright he issueth out of the city, for he feareth lest he be
followed.
The king was in his palace, and his barons were gathered about him:
never before was he in so deep a study. He still held the horn by its
ring, never had he seen one so fair; and he showeth it to Gawain and
Iwain and Giflet; the eighty brethren looked at it, and so likewise did
all the barons there gathered. Again the king took the horn, and on
it he saw letters in the gold, enameled with silver, and saith to his
chamberlain: "Take this horn, and show it to my chaplain, that he may
read this writing, for I would know what it saith." The chamberlain
taketh it, and gave it to the chaplain who read the writing. When he
saw it he laughed, and saith to the king: "Sir, give heed, and anon
I will tell you privately such a marvel that its like was never heard in
England or any other realm; but here and now it may not be spoken." None
the less the king will not so suffer it, rather he swore and declared
that the chaplain should speak out before them all, and that his barons
should hear it. "Nor shall a thing so desired be kept from the dames and
demoiselles and gentle maidens here assembled from many a far land," so
saith the king.
One and all rejoiced when they heard from the king that they should know
what the writing said; but many a one made merry who thereafter repented
him, many a one was glad who thereafter was sorry. Now the chaplain, who
was neither fool nor churl, saith: "If I had been heeded what is here
written would not be read out in this place; but since it is your will,
hear it now openly: 'Thus saith to you Mangon of Moraine, the Fair: this
horn was wrought by an evil fay and a spiteful, who laid such a spell
upon it that no man, howsoever wise and valiant, shall drink therefrom
if he be either jealous or deceived, or if he hath a wife who has ever
in folly turned her thoughts towards any man save him only; never will
the horn suffer such a one to drink from it, rather will it spill out
upon him what it may contain; howsoever valiant he be, and howsoever
high, yet will it bespatter him and his garments, though they be worth
a thousand marks. For whoso would drink from this horn must have a wife
who has never thought, whether from disloyalty, or love of power, or
desire of fortune, that she would fain have another, better than her
lord; if his wife be wholly true, then only may he drink from it.' But
I do not believe that any knight from here to Montpelier who hath taken
to him a wife will ever drink any whit therefrom, if it so be that the
writing speaketh truth."
God! then was many a happy dame made sorrowful. Not one was there so
true but she bowed her head; even the queen sat with bent brow, and so
did all the barons around and about who had wives that they doubted. The
maidens talked and jested among themselves, and looked at their lovers,
and smiled courteously, saying: "Now will we see the jealous brought to
the test; now will we learn who is shamed and deceived."
Arthur was in great wrath, but made semblance of gladness, and he
calleth to Kay: "Now fill for me this rich horn, for I would make assay,
and know if I may drink therefrom." And Kay the seneschal straightway
filled it with a spiced wine, and offered it to the emperor. King Arthur
took it and set his lips to it, for he thought to drink, but the wine
poured out upon him, down even to his feet. Then was the king in sore
wrath. "This is the worst," crieth he, and he seized a knife, and would
have struck the queen in the heart below the breast, had not Gawain and
Iwain and Cadain wrung it from him; they three and Giflet between them
took the knife from his hand, and bitterly blamed him. "Lord," then
saith Iwain, "be not so churlish, for there is no woman born who, if she
be brought to the test, hath not sometime thought folly. No marvel is it
that the horn spilled its wine. All here that have wives shall try it,
to know if they can drink from it,--thereafter may ye blame the queen of
the fair face. Ye are of great valiance, and my lady is true; none ever
spoke blame of her." "Iwain," saith the queen, "now may my lord let
kindle a fire of thorns, and cast me into it, and if one hair of my head
burneth, or any of my garments, then may he let me be dragged to death
by horses. No man have I loved, and none will I ever love, save my lord
only. This horn is too veracious, it has attacked me for a small cause.
In years past I gave a ring to a damoiseau, a young boy who had slain
a giant, a hateful felon who here in the court accused Gawain of sore
treason. The boy, Gawain's cousin germain, gave him the lie, and did
battle with him, and cut off his head with his sword: and as soon as the
giant was slain the boy asked leave of us. I granted him my favour, and
gave him a ring, for I hoped to retain him to strengthen the court, but
even had he remained here, he had never been loved by me. Certes," saith
the queen, "since I was a maid and was given to thee--blessed was that
hour--no other evil have I done on any day of my life. On all the earth
is no man so mighty--no, not though he were king of Rome--that I would
love him, even for all the gold of Pavia, no, nor any count or amiral.
Great shame hath he done me who sent this horn; never did he love lady.
And until I be revenged, I shall never know gladness."
Then said Arthur, "Speak no more of this. Were any mighty neighbor, or
cousin or kinsman, to make war upon Mangon, never more would my heart
love him; for I made the king a covenant before all my folk, and by all
that is true, that I would hate him no hate for his gift. It is not meet
to gainsay my word,--that were great villany; I like not the king who
swiftly belies himself." "Lord," saith the queen, "blessed was I when
as a maiden I was given to you. When a lady of high parentry who hath a
good lord seeketh another friend, she doth great wrong. He who seeketh
a better wine than that of the grape, or better bread than that of
the wheat, such a one should be hung and his ashes given to the winds.
I have the best one of the three who were ever king under God, why then
should I go seeking a fairer or a braver? I promise you, lord, that
wrongfully are you angry with me. Never should a noble knight be offered
this horn to the shaming of his lady." But the king saith, "Let them do
it. All shall try it, kings and counts and dukes; I alone will not have
shame herein."
So Arthur giveth it to the king of Sinadone, but so soon as he took it,
the wine spilled out upon him; then King Nuz taketh it, and it spilled
out upon him; and Angus of Scotland would fain drink from it by force,
but the wine all poured out upon him, at which he was sore angered. The
king of Cornwall thought certes to drink from it, but it splashed all
over him that he was in great wrath; and the horn splashed over King
Gahor, and spilled great plenty upon King Glovien, and it spilled out
upon King Cadain as soon as he took it in his hands. Then King Lot
taketh it, and looketh on himself as a fool; and it splashed the beard
of Caraton; and of the two kings of Ireland there was not one it did not
bespatter; and it splashed all the thirty counts, who had great shame
thereof; nor of all the barons present who tried the horn was there one
who might take a drop therefrom. It poured out over each king, and each
was in great wrath; they passed it on and were in great sorrow by reason
of it; and they all said, may the horn, and he who brought it and he who
sent it, be given over to the devils, for whoso believeth this horn
shameth his wife.
Now when King Arthur saw it spilled out upon all, he forgot his sorrow
and wrath, and began to laugh and made great joy. "Lords," he saith to
his barons, "now hear me. I am not the only one bemocked. He who sent
me this horn gave me a good gift: by the faith I owe all those here
gathered, I will never part with it for all the gold of Pavia; no man
shall have it save he who shall drink from it." The queen grew bright
red because of the marvel whereof she dared not speak; fairer than the
rose was she. The king looked on her and found her most fair; he drew
her to him and three times he kissed her: "Gladly, dame, I forget my
ill will." "Lord, gramercy," saith she.
Then all, high and low, tried the ivory horn. A knight took it and
laughed across at his wife; he was the most joyous of all the court,
and the most courteous; none boasted less, yet when he was armed none
was more feared; for in Arthur's court there was no better warrior, none
mightier of his hands, save only my lord Gawain. Fair was his hair, his
beard russet, his eyes gray-blue and laughing, his body comely, his feet
straight and well arched; Caradoc was his name, a well skilled knight,
and of full good renown. His wife sat at his left; she was sister to
King Galahal and was born at Cirencester. Full true was she, and thereto
comely and gracious, featly fashioned and like unto a fay; her hair was
long and golden; fairer woman was there none, save the queen only. She
looked upon Caradoc, nor changed colour, but bespoke him, saying: "Fair
friend, fear not to drink from the horn at this high feast; lift up your
head and do me honour. I would not take any man for lord however mighty;
no, though he were amiral, I would not have him for my husband and leave
you, friend; rather would I become a nun and wear the veil. For every
woman should be as the turtle dove, who after she has had one mate will
never take another: thus should a lady do if she be of good lineage."
Full glad was Caradoc, and he sprang to his feet; fair he was, a well
skilled and a courteous knight. When they had filled the horn it held
a _lot_ and a half; full to the brim it was of red wine; "Wassail," he
saith to the king. He was tall and strong, and he set the horn to his
lips, and I tell you truly that he tasted the wine and drank it all
down. Right glad was he thereof, but all the table started in wonder.
Straightway he goeth before Arthur, and as he goeth he saith to him, nor
did he speak low-voiced: "Lord, I have emptied the horn, be ye certain
thereof." "Caradoc," saith the king, "brave and courteous are you; of
a sooth ye have drunk it, as was seen of more than a hundred. Keep you
Cirencester; two years is it since I gave it in charge to you, and never
will I take it from you, I give it to you for life and to your children;
and for your wife--who is of great worth--I will give you this horn
which is prized at a hundred pounds of gold." "Lord, I give you good
thanks," Caradoc made answer, and sat down again at the board beside his
wife of the fair face. Now when they had eaten, each man took leave and
went back to his own domain whence he had come, taking with him the
woman he best loved.
Lords, this lay was first sung by Caradoc, who wrought its adventure.
And whoso goeth to a high feast at Cirencester, will, of a sooth,
see there the horn: so say I, Robert Biquet, who have learned much
concerning the matter from an abbot, and do now, by his bidding, tell
the tale,--how in this wise the horn was tested at Carlion.