_Yet more of the same battle._
By then came into field king Ban as fierce as a lion, with bands of
green and thereupon gold. Ha, ha, said king Lot, we must be
discomfited, for yonder I see the most valiant knight of the world, and
the man of the most renown: for such two brethren as is king Ban and
king Bors are not living, wherefore we must needs void or die; and but
if we avoid manly and wisely there is but death. When king Ban came
into the battle, he came in so fiercely that the strokes resounded
again from the wood and the water; wherefore king Lot wept for pity and
dole that he saw so many good knights take their end. But through the
great force of king Ban they made both the northern battles that were
parted to hurtle together for great dread, and the three kings with
their knights slew on ever, that it was pity to behold that multitude
of the people that fled. But king Lot and the king of the hundred
knights and king Morganore gathered the people together passing
knightly, and did great prowess of arms, and held the battle all that
day like hard. When the king of the hundred knights beheld the great
damage that king Ban did, he thrust unto him with his horse, and smote
him on high upon the helm a great stroke, and astonied him sore. Then
king Ban was wroth with him, and followed on him fiercely: the other
saw that, and cast up his shield and spurred his horse forward, but the
stroke of king Ban fell down and carved a cantel of the shield, and the
sword slid down by the hauberk behind his back, and cut through the
trapping of steel, and the horse even in two pieces, that the sword
felt the earth. Then the king of the hundred knights voided the horse
lightly, and with his sword he broched the horse of king Ban through
and through. With that king Ban voided lightly from the dead horse, and
then king Ban smote at the other so eagerly and smote him on the helm,
that he fell to the earth. Also in that ire he felled king Morganore,
and there was great slaughter of good knights and much people. By then
came into the press king Arthur, and found king Ban standing among dead
men and dead horses, fighting on foot as a wood lion, that there came
none nigh him as far as he might reach with his sword but that he
caught a grievous buffet; whereof king Arthur had great pity. And
Arthur was so bloody that by his shield there might no man know him,
for all was blood and brains on his sword. And as Arthur looked by him
he saw a knight that was passing well horsed, and therewith Sir Arthur
ran to him and smote him on the helm that his sword went unto his
teeth, and the knight sank down to the earth dead, and anon Arthur took
the horse by the rein and led him unto king Ban, and said, Fair brother
have this horse, for ye have great need thereof, and me repenteth sore
of your great damage. It shall be soon revenged, said king Ban, for I
trust mine use is not such but some of them may sore repent this. I
will well, said Arthur, for I see your deeds full actual; nevertheless,
I might not come at you at that time. But when king Ban was mounted on
horseback, then there began new battle the which was sore and hard, and
passing great slaughter. And so through great force king Arthur, and
king Ban, and king Bors made their knights a little to withdraw them.
But always the eleven kings with their chivalry never turned back, and
so withdrew them to a little wood, and so over a little river, and
there they rested them, for on the night they might have no rest in the
field. And then the eleven kings and knights put them on a heap all
together, as men adread and out of all comfort. But there was no man
might pass them, they held them so hard together, both behind and
before, that king Arthur had marvel of their deeds of arms, and was
passing wroth. Ah, Sir Arthur, said king Ban and king Bors, blame them
not, for they do as good men ought to do. For by my faith, said king
Ban, they are the best fighting men and knights of most prowess that
ever I saw or heard speak of, and those eleven kings are men of great
worship, and if they were belonging unto you there were no king under
the heaven had such eleven knights, and of such worship. I may not love
them, said Arthur, they would destroy me. That wot we well, said king
Ban and king Bors, for they are your mortal enemies, and that hath been
proved aforehand, and this day they have done their part, and that is
great pity of their wilfulness.
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.