_Of a great tourney made by king Arthur and the two kings Ban and Bors,
and how they went over the Sea._
And king Arthur and the two kings let part the seven hundred knights in
two parties. And there were three hundred knights of the realm of
Benwick and of Gaul turned on the other side. Then they dressed their
shields, and began to couch their spears many good knights. So Griflet
was the first that met with a knight, one Ladinas, and they met so
eagerly that all men had wonder; and they so fought that their shields
fell to pieces, and horse and man fell to the earth, and both the
French knight and the English knight lay so long, that all men wend
they had been dead. When Lucas the butler saw Griflet so lie, he horsed
him again anon, and they two did marvellous deeds of arms with many
bachelors. Also Sir Kay came out of an embushment with five knights
with him, and they six smote other six down. But Sir Kay did that day
marvellous deeds of arms, that there was none did so well as he that
day. Then there came Ladinas and Grastian, two knights of France, and
did passing well, that all men praised them. Then came there Sir
Placidas, a good knight, and met with Sir Kay and smote him down, horse
and man, wherefore Sir Griflet was wroth, and met with Sir Placidas so
hard that horse and man fell to the earth. But when the five knights
wist that Sir Kay had a fall they were wroth out of wit, and therewith
each of them five bare down a knight. When king Arthur and the two
kings saw them begin to wax wroth on both parts, they leapt on small
hackneys, and let cry that all men should depart unto their lodging.
And so they went home and unarmed them, and so to even-song and supper.
And after the three kings went into a garden, and gave the prize unto
Sir Kay, and to Lucas the butler, and unto Sir Griflet. And then they
went unto council, and with them Gwenbaus, the brother unto Sir Ban and
Bors, a wise clerk, and thither went Ulfius, and Brastias, and Merlin.
And after they had been in council they went unto bed. And on the morn
they heard mass, and to dinner, and so to their council, and made many
arguments what were best to do. At the last they were concluded, that
Merlin should go with a token of king Ban, (and that was a ring,) unto
his men and king Bors’s: and Gracian and Placidas should go again and
keep their castles and their countries, as king Ban of Benwick and king
Bors of Gaul had ordained them; and so they passed the sea and came to
Benwick. And when the people saw king Ban’s ring, and Gracian and
Placidas, they were glad, and asked how the kings fared, and made great
joy of their welfare and according. And according unto the sovereign
lords’ desire, the men of war made them ready in all haste possible, so
that they were fifteen thousand on horse and foot, and they had great
plenty of victual with them by Merlin’s provision. But Gracian and
Placidas were left to furnish and garnish the castles for dread of king
Claudas. Right so Merlin passed the sea, well victualled both by water
and by land. And when he came to the sea he sent home the footmen
again, and took no more with him but ten thousand men on horseback, the
most part men of arms, and so shipped and passed the sea into England,
and landed at Dover: and through the wit of Merlin he led the host
northward, the priviest way that could be thought, unto the forest of
Bedegraine, and there in a valley he lodged them secretly.
Then rode Merlin unto king Arthur and the two kings and told them how
he had sped, whereof they had great marvel, that man on earth might
speed so soon, and go and come. So Merlin told them ten thousand were
in the forest of Bedegraine, well armed at all points. Then was there
no more to say, but to horseback went all the host as Arthur had afore
purveyed. So with twenty thousand he passed by night and day. But there
was made such an ordinance afore by Merlin, that there should no man of
war ride nor go in no country on this side Trent water, but if he had a
token from king Arthur, where through the king’s enemies durst not
ride, as they did tofore, to espy.