King Arthur's Adventure.
Arthur, son of Uthyr, Pendragon of Great Britain, organised that high
order of Christian chivalry, commonly known as the knighthood of the
Round Table. The companions of this Order bound themselves by oath to
oppose the progress of paganism, to be loyal to the British throne, to
fight--not for self-glory, but for the redressing of human wrong, to
protect the defenceless, to show mercy to the fallen, to honour
womanhood, and never to turn their backs upon a foe in battle.
It is said that God raised up King Arthur that he might render Britain
free, drive out the heathen, purify his realm, and spread Christ among
men. For this purpose, the Lady of the Lake, "clothed in white samite,
mystic, wonderful," gave to the king the huge cross-hilted sword,
"Excalibur," which was forged beneath the sea, whose blade was so
bright that men were blinded by it, and before whose sweep no man
might stand. With this blade, Arthur led his knighthood, and in twelve
great battles overcame the Saxon heathen hordes. It is said that four
of these great victories of the young Pendragon were fought in
Lancashire, and that after the battles the knights of the Round Table
rode through the country, redressing the wrongs of the people, and
putting tyrants to the sword.
At this time there were great castles on the hills of Longdendale, and
in one of these strongholds dwelt a cruel and treacherous knight of
gigantic stature and enormous strength. On account of his many
cruelties he was known as Sir Terrible. His fortress was built upon a
commanding eminence; it was defended by ramparts surmounted by massive
towers of stone, and was so strong a place that it had never yet been
taken by a foe.
Sir Terrible was not married, though he was now in the prime of life.
It was said that no woman would mate with him, so black were his
deeds. Strange tales were told of his love passages, and many a
country maiden had mysteriously disappeared. Rumour said that the
knight carried off the maidens to his dreadful dwelling under cover of
the darkness, and it was certain that when morning came, the cottage
of each victim was found in ashes, and the dead bodies of the kinsfolk
lay around. No trace of the maids could be found, and they were never
seen again, though shrieks and cries of agony floated on the air from
the direction of the castle walls.
Now King Arthur held Court after one of his great victories, which he
won near Wigan, and to him flocked the people from far and near,
laying their grievances before the King, and beseeching help at his
hands. Among the rest came an old dame from Longdendale, who wept
bitterly as she told her story, bewailing the loss of the fairest maid
in all Cheshire. For it seemed that the maiden was the old dame's
grandchild, that they two lived in a lonely spot in the valley of
Longdendale, that Sir Terrible had become enamoured of the maid, and
had carried her to his castle, where he kept her a prisoner, neither
suffering her to go out, nor yet anyone to hold converse with her.
Also he had slain two noble knight-errants to whom the dame had told
her tale, and who had chivalrously sought to rescue the maiden.
It was towards the close of the day when the old dame told her story,
for there had been a large attendance of petitioners to see the King;
moreover all the knights had left the court on some quest or other in
keeping with their oaths as members of the Round Table. But when the
King heard of the cruelty of Sir Terrible, he rose at once, the gentle
look passed from his face, and in its place gleamed the determined
light of battle. He donned his war-gear, and buckled the great sword
"Excalibur" to his side. Then, accompanied only by a young squire, and
dressed only as a simple knight, he rode away towards Longdendale.
The King rested for the night at the hut of a poor peasant, from whom
he gleaned tidings of many fresh cruelties of Sir Terrible. Early in
the morning he set out and soon came in sight of the Castle.
Now, as they rode, the young squire had been silent. But when the
Castle towers hove in sight he spoke to the King.
"My liege," said he, "My father was a knight at the court of Uthyr
Pendragon, and was esteemed meet company for brave men. I, his son,
have not yet done a deed worthy of mine ancestry. Grant, I pray, that
this quest be mine to follow. 'Tis true I am untried, and the foe is
strong, yet the cause is just, and, mayhap, God will nerve my arm."
So he pleaded, for he desired above all else the chance to do some
Christian deed that might win for him the fellowship of the Round
Table.
After much persuasion the king at last granted him his prayer, and the
Squire rode with a glad heart to the castle gate, while Arthur hid
himself among the trees.
Reaching the gate, the squire thundered at it with his lance, and then
drew back to wait. In answer to his knocking, the knight Sir Terrible
appeared, ready mounted, armed with lance and sword.
"Villain and treacherous knight," cried the squire. "How darest thou
abduct innocent and defenceless maidens, whom all thy Order are bound
to protect, keeping them as slaves within thy castle? I am come to
make thee rue this foul insult to the order of our good King Arthur;
for thy cruelties are a stain upon the honour of his knighthood, and a
blotch upon the fair fame of his kingdom."
"Thou discourteous churl," answered Sir Terrible. "Do but lead on to
yon level piece of green, and I will first meet thee in fair fight,
and then send thy carcase to thy base born king."
Now the squire, used to the honour of noble knights, turned to ride to
the greensward indicated, but no sooner was his back turned than the
treacherous Sir Terrible, couching his lance, drove at him between the
shoulders, striking him so fierce a blow that the squire fell
senseless to the ground.
Then the knight laughed loudly, and would have hacked off the head of
his fallen foe, had not the king, who was now dismounted, stepped from
the shelter of the trees, and stood above the prostrate squire.
[Illustration: "A COUNTRY MAID OF LONGDENDALE."]
"Thou cruel traitor," cried the king. "That foul stroke shall cost
thee thy life. Never have I seen a blow more foul."
On seeing this new foe, Sir Terrible--who did not recognise the
king--again couched his lance, and, without waiting to give his
opponent chance to mount, and meet him in fair combat, charged down
upon the king.
But Arthur stood calm and firm, and drawing Excalibur from its sheath,
he stepped aside as the horseman charged, and smote with all his
might. The blow cut clean through the lance close to the haft, and
falling on the steed, brought it to the ground. Instantly the knight
sprang up in terror.
"Now I know thee," he cried. "Thou art Arthur Pendragon. No sword save
the brand Excalibur could have struck so great a blow as that."
"Thou speakest truly," answered the king. "I am indeed Pendragon."
Then the coward knight turned to fly, for well he knew that none
might stand before Excalibur and live.
But the king stepped forward. He raised the great sword aloft. The
blade flashed in the sunlight. It cut clean through the iron helm, and
the head of Sir Terrible rolled on the sward.
After slaying the tyrant--so the story tells us--King Arthur restored
the squire, who was merely wounded, and then the two, mounting their
steeds, rode up to the castle gates. The king rode in front, and at
his saddle bow there hung the bloody head of the dead tyrant.
Arthur raised his lance, and with it thundered on the outer gate.
"Ho! warder," cried the king, "open instantly!"