with anger till his eyes shone like two torches, and then he swore a
mighty oath to rest no more until he had utterly destroyed those enemies
of God and man, and had rooted them forever out of the land of Britain.
Then marching hotly with his armies on to Bath, he cried aloud to them,
"Since these detestable and impious heathens disdain to keep their faith
with me, I, to keep faith with God, to whom I swear to cherish and
defend this realm, will now this day avenge on them the blood of all
that they have slain in Britain!"
In like manner after him spoke the archbishop, standing upon a hill, and
crying that to-day they should fight both for their country and for
Paradise, "For whoso," he said, "shall in this holy war be slain, the
angels shall forthwith receive him; for death in this cause shall be
penance and absolution for all sins."
At these words every man in the whole army raged with hatred, and
pressed eagerly to rush upon those savages.
Anon King Arthur, dressed in armor shining with gold and jewels, and
wearing on his head a helmet with a golden dragon, took a shield painted
with the likeness of the blessed Mary. Then girding on Excalibur and
taking in his right hand his great lance Ron, he placed his men in order
and led them out against the enemy, who stood for battle on the slope of
Badon Hill, ranged in the form of a wedge, as their custom was. And
they, resisting all the onslaughts of King Arthur and his host, made
that day a stout defense, and at night lay down upon the hill.
But on the next day Arthur led his army once again to the attack, and
with wounds and slaughter such as no man had ever seen before, he drove
the heathen step by step before him, backwards and upwards, till he
stood with all his noblest knights upon the summit of the hill.
And then men saw him, "red as the rising sun from spur to plume," lift
up his sword, and, kneeling, kiss the cross of it; and after, rising to
his feet, set might and main with all his fellowship upon the foe, till,
as a troop of lions roaring for their prey, they drove them like a
scattered herd along the plains, and cut them down till they could cut
no more for weariness.
That day King Arthur by himself alone slew with his sword Excalibur four
hundred and seventy heathens. Colgrin also, and his brother Baldulph,
were slain.
Then the king bade Cador, Duke of Cornwall, follow Cheldric, the chief
leader, and the remnant of his hosts, unto the uttermost. He, therefore,
when he had first seized their fleet, and filled it with chosen men, to
beat them back when they should fly to it at last, chased them and slew
them without mercy so long as he could overtake them. And though they
crept with trembling hearts for shelter to the coverts of the woods and
dens of mountains, yet even so they found no safety, for Cador slew
them, even one by one. Last of all he caught and slew Cheldric himself,
and slaughtering a great multitude took hostages for the surrender of
the rest.
Meanwhile, King Arthur turned from Badon Hill, and freed his nephew Hoel
from the Scots and Picts, who besieged him in Alculd. And when he had
defeated them in three sore battles, he drove them before him to a lake,
which was one of the most wondrous lakes in all the world, for it was
fed by sixty rivers, and had sixty islands, and sixty rocks, and on
every island sixty eagles' nests. But King Arthur with a great fleet
sailed round the rivers and besieged them in the lake for fifteen days,
so that many thousands died of hunger.
Anon the King of Ireland came with an army to relieve them; but Arthur,
turning on him fiercely, routed him, and compelled him to retreat in
terror to his land. Then he pursued his purpose, which was no less than
to destroy the race of Picts and Scots, who, beyond memory, had been a
ceaseless torment to the Britons by their barbarous malice.
So bitterly, therefore, did he treat them, giving quarter to none, that
at length the bishops of that miserable country with the clergy met
together, and, bearing all the holy relics, came barefooted to the king
to pray his mercy for their people. As soon as they were led before him
they fell down upon their knees, and piteously besought him to spare the
few survivors of their countrymen, and grant them any corner of the
land where they might live in peace. When he thus heard them, and knew
that he had now fully punished them, he consented to their prayer, and
withdrew his hosts from any further slaughter.
Then turned he back to his own realm, and came to York for Christmas,
and there with high solemnity observed that holy tide; and being passing
grieved to see the ruin of the churches and houses, which the rage of
the pagans had destroyed, he rebuilt them, and restored the city to its
ancient happy state.
And on a certain day, as the king sat with his barons, there came into
the court a squire on horseback, carrying a knight before him wounded to
the death, and told the king that hard by in the forest was a knight who
had reared up a pavilion by the fountain, "and hath slain my master, a
valiant knight, whose name was Nirles; wherefore I beseech thee, Lord,
my master may be buried, and that some good knight may avenge his
death."
At that stepped forth a squire named Griflet, who was very young, being
of the same age with King Arthur, and besought the king, for all the
service he had done, to give him knighthood.
"Thou art full young and tender of age," said King Arthur, "to take so
high an order upon thee."
"Sir," said Griflet, "I beseech thee make me a knight;" and Merlin also
advising the king to grant his request, "Well," said Arthur, "be it then
so," and knighted him forthwith. Then said he to him, "Since I have
granted thee this favor, thou must in turn grant me a gift."
"Whatsoever thou wilt, my lord," replied Sir Griflet.
"Promise me," said King Arthur, "by the faith of thy body, that when
thou hast jousted with this knight at the fountain, thou wilt return to
me straightway, unless he slay thee."
"I promise," said Sir Griflet; and taking his horse in haste, he dressed
his shield, and took a spear in his hand and rode full gallop till he
came to the fountain, by the side of which he saw a rich pavilion, and a
great horse standing well saddled and bridled, and on a tree close by
there hung a shield of many colors and a long lance.
Then Sir Griflet smote upon the shield with the butt of his spear until
he cast it to the ground. At that a knight came out of the pavilion and
said, "Fair knight, why smote ye down my shield?"
"Because," said Griflet, "I would joust with thee."
"It were better not," replied the knight; "for thou art young and but
lately made a knight, and thy strength is small compared to mine."
"For all that," said Sir Griflet, "I will joust with ye."
"I am full loth," replied the knight; "but if I must I must."
Then did they wheel their horses far apart, and running them together,
the strange knight shivered Sir Griflet's spear to fragments, and smote
him through the shield and the left side, and broke his own spear into
Sir Griflet's body, so that the truncheon stuck there, and Sir Griflet
and his horse fell down. But when the strange knight saw him overthrown,
he was sore grieved, and hastily alighted, for he thought that he had
slain him. Then he unlaced his helm and gave him air, and tended him
carefully till he come out of his swoon, and leaving the truncheon of
his spear in his body, he set him upon horse, and commended him to God,
and said he had a mighty heart, and if he lived would prove a passing
good knight. And so Sir Griflet rode to the court, where, by aid of good
physicians, he was healed in time and his life saved.
At that same time there came before the king twelve old men, ambassadors
from Lucius Tiberius, Emperor of Rome, and demanded of Arthur tribute
unto Cæsar for his realm, or else, said they, the emperor would destroy
both him and his land. To whom King Arthur answered that he owed the
emperor no tribute, nor would send him any; but said he, "On a fair
field I will pay him his proper tribute--with a sharp spear and sword;
and by my father's soul that tribute shall he take from me, whether he
will or not." So the ambassadors departed passing wroth, and King Arthur
was as wroth as they.
But on the morrow of Sir Griflet's hurt, the king commanded to take his
horse and armor secretly outside the city walls before sunrise of the
next morning, and, rising a long while before dawn, he mounted up and
took his shield and spear, and bade his chamberlain tarry till he came
again; but he forbore to take Excalibur, for he had given it for safety
into charge of his sister, Queen Morgan le Fay. And as the king rode at
a soft pace he saw suddenly three villains chasing Merlin and making to
attack and slay him. Clapping spurs to his horse, he rushed towards
them, and cried out in a terrible voice, "Flee, churls, or take your
deaths;" but they, as soon as they perceived a knight, fled away with
the haste of hares.
"O Merlin," said the king; "here hadst thou been killed, despite thy
many crafts, had I not chanced to pass."
"Not so," said Merlin, "for when I would, I could have saved myself; but
thou art nearer to thy death than I, for without special help from
heaven thou ridest now towards thy grave."
And as they were thus talking, they came to the fountain and the rich
pavilion pitched beside it, and saw a knight sitting all armed on a
chair in the opening of the tent. "Sir knight," said King Arthur, "for
what cause abidest thou here? to joust with any knight that passeth by?
If so, I caution thee to quit that custom."
"That custom," said the knight, "have I followed and will follow, let
whosoever will say nay, and if any is aggrieved at it, let him who will
amend it."
"I will amend it," said King Arthur.
"And I will defend it," answered the knight.
Then the knight mounted his horse and made himself ready, and charging
at each other they met so hard that both their lances splintered into
pieces. Then King Arthur drew his sword, but the knight cried out, "Not
so; but let us run another tilt together with sharp spears."
"I would with a good will," said King Arthur; "but I have no more
spears."
"I have enough of spears," replied the knight, and called a squire, who
brought two good new lances.
Then spurring their horses, they rushed together with all their might,
and broke each one his own spear short off in his hand. Then the king
again put his hand to his sword, but the knight once more cried out,
"Nay, yet abide awhile; ye are the best jouster that I ever met with;
for the love of knighthood, let us joust yet once again."
So once again they tilted with their fullest force, and this time King
Arthur's spear was shivered, but the knight's held whole, and drove so
furiously against the king that both his horse and he were hurled to the
ground.
At that, King Arthur was enraged and drew his sword and said, "I will
attack thee now, Sir knight, on foot, for on horseback I have lost the
honor."
"I will be on horseback," said the knight. But when he saw him come on
foot, he lighted from his horse, thinking it shame to have so great
advantage.
And then began they a strong battle, with many great strokes and
grievous blows, and so hewed with their swords that the fragments of
their armor flew about the fields, and both so bled that all the ground
around was like a marsh of blood. Thus they fought long and mightily,
and anon, after brief rest fell to again, and so hurtled together like
two wild boars that they both rolled to the ground. At last their swords
clashed furiously together, and the knight's sword shivered the king's
in two.
Then said the knight, "Now art thou in my power, to save thee or to
slay. Yield therefore as defeated, and a recreant knight, or thou shalt
surely die."
"As for death," replied King Arthur, "welcome be it when it cometh; but
as for yielding me to thee as a recreant because of this poor accident
upon my sword, I had far liefer die than be so shamed."
So saying, he sprang on the knight, and took him by the middle and threw
him down, and tore off his helm. But the knight, being a huge man,
wrestled and struggled in a frenzy with the king until he brought him
under, and tore off his helm in turn, and would have smitten off his
head.
At that came Merlin and said, "Knight, hold thy hand, for if thou
slayest yonder knight, thou puttest all this realm to greater loss and
damage than ever realm was in; for he is a man of greater worship than
thou dreamest of."
"Who then is he?" cried the knight.
Then would he have slain him for dread of his wrath, but Merlin cast a
spell upon the knight, so that he fell suddenly to the earth in a deep
sleep. Then raising up the king, he took the knight's horse for himself
and rode away.
"Alas," said King Arthur, "what hast thou done, Merlin? hast thou slain
this good knight by thy crafts? There never lived a better knight; I had
rather lose my kingdom for a year than have him dead."
"Be not afraid," said Merlin; "he is more whole and sound than thou art,
and is but in a sleep, wherefrom in three hours' time he will awake. I
told thee what a knight he was, and how near thou was to death. There
liveth not a better knight than he in all the world, and hereafter he
shall do thee good service. His name is King Pellinore, and he shall
have two sons, who shall be passing valiant men, and, save one another,
shall have no equal in prowess and in purity of life. The one shall be
named Percival, and the other Lamoracke of Wales."
So they rode on to Caerleon, and all the knights grieved greatly when
they heard of this adventure, that the king would jeopardize his person
thus alone. Yet could they not hide their joy at serving under such a
noble chief, who adventured his own life as much as did the poorest
knight among them all.
IV
THE KING'S MANY AND GREAT ADVENTURES
The land of Britain being now in peace, and many great and valiant
knights therein ready to take part in whatsoever battles or adventures
might arise, King Arthur resolved to follow all his enemies to their own
coasts. Anon he fitted out a great fleet, and sailing first to Ireland,
in one battle he miserably routed the people of the country. The King of
Ireland also he took prisoner, and forced all earls and barons to pay
him homage.
Having conquered Ireland, he went next to Iceland and subdued it also,
and the winter being then arrived, returned to Britain.
In the next year he set forth to Norway, whence many times the heathen
had descended on the British coasts; for he was determined to give so
terrible a lesson to those savages as should be told through all their
tribes both far and near, and make his name fearful to them.
As soon as he was come, Riculf, the king, with all the power of that
country, met and gave him battle; but, after mighty slaughter, the
Britons had at length the advantage, and slew Riculf and a countless
multitude besides.
Having thus defeated them, they set the cities on fire, dispersed the
country people, and pursued the victory till they had reduced all
Norway, as also Dacia, under the dominion of King Arthur.
Now, therefore, having thus chastised those pagans who so long had
harassed Britain, and put his yoke upon them, he voyaged on to Gaul,
being steadfastly set upon defeating the Roman governor of that
province, and so beginning to make good the threats which he had sent
the emperor by his ambassadors.
So soon as he was landed on the shores of Gaul, there came to him a
countryman who told him of a fearful giant in the land of Brittany, who
had slain, murdered, and devoured many people, and had lived for seven
years upon young children only, "insomuch," said the man, "that all the
children of the country are destroyed; and but the other day he seized
upon our duchess, as she rode out with her men, and took her away to his
lodging in a cave of a mountain, and though five hundred people followed
her, yet could they give her no help or rescue, but left her shrieking
and crying lamentably in the giant's hands; and, Lord, she is thy cousin
Hoel's wife, who is of thy near kindred; wherefore, as thou art a
rightful king, have pity on this lady; and as thou art a valiant
conqueror, avenge us and deliver us."
"Alas!" said King Arthur, "this is a great mischief that ye tell of. I
had rather than the best realm I have, that I had rescued that lady ere
the giant laid his hand on her; but tell me now, good fellow, canst thou
bring me where this giant haunteth?"
"Yea, Lord!" replied the man; "lo, yonder, where thou seest two great
fires, there shalt thou find him, and more treasure also than is in all
Gaul besides."
Then the king returned to his tent, and, calling Sir Key and Sir Bedwin,
desired them to get horses ready for himself and them, for that after
evensong he would ride a pilgrimage with them alone to St. Michael's
Mount. So in the evening they departed, and rode as fast as they could
till they came near the mount, and there alighted; and the king
commanded the two knights to await him at the hill foot, while he went
up alone.
Then he ascended the mountain till he came to a great fire. And there he
found a sorrowful widow wringing her hands and weeping miserably,
sitting by a new-made grave. And saluting her, King Arthur prayed her
wherefore she made such heavy lamentations.
"Sir knight," she said, "speak softly, for yonder is a devil, who, if he
hear thy voice, will come and straightway slay thee. Alas! what dost
thou here? Fifty such men as thou were powerless to resist him. Here
lieth dead my lady, Duchess of Brittany, wife to Sir Hoel, who was the
fairest lady in the world, foully and shamefully slaughtered by that
fiend! Beware that thou go not too nigh, for he hath overcome and
vanquished fifteen kings, and hath made himself a coat of precious
stones, embroidered with their beards; but if thou art so hardy, and
wilt speak with him, at yonder great fire he is at supper."
"Well," said King Arthur, "I will accomplish mine errand, for all thy
fearful words;" and so went forth to the crest of the hill, and saw
where the giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking
his huge frame by the fire, while three damsels turned three spits,
whereon were spitted, like larks, twelve young children lately born.
When King Arthur saw all that, his heart bled for sorrow, and he
trembled for rage and indignation; then lifting up his voice he cried
aloud--"God, that wieldeth all the world, give thee short life and
shameful death, and may the devil have thy soul! Why hast thou slain
those children and that fair lady! Wherefore arise, and prepare thee to
perish, thou glutton and fiend, for this day thou shalt die by my
hands."
Then the giant, mad with fury at these words, started up, and seizing a
great club, smote the king, and struck his crown from off his head. But
King Arthur smote him with his sword so mightily in return, that all his
blood gushed forth in streams.
At that the giant, howling in great anguish, threw away his club of
iron, and caught the king in both his arms and strove to crush his ribs
together. But King Arthur struggled and writhed, and twisted him about
so that the giant could not hold him tightly; and as they fiercely
wrestled, they both fell, and rolling over one another,
tumbled--wrestling, and struggling, and fighting frantically--from rock
to rock, till they came to the sea.
And as they tore and strove and tumbled, the king ever and anon smote at
the giant with his dagger, till his arms stiffened in death around King
Arthur's body, and groaning horribly, he died. So presently the two
knights came and found the king locked fast in the giant's arms, and
very faint and weary, and loosed him from their hold.
Then the king bade Sir Key to "smite off the giant's head, and set it on
the truncheon of a spear, and bear it to Sir Hoel, and tell him that his
enemy is slain; and afterwards let it be fastened to the castle gate,
that all the people may behold it. And go ye two up on the mountain and
fetch me my shield and sword, and also the great club of iron ye will
see there; and as for the treasure, ye shall find there wealth beyond
counting, but take as much as ye will, for I have his kirtle and the
club, I desire no more."
Then the knights fetched the club and kirtle, as the king had ordered,
and took the treasure to themselves, as much as they could carry, and
returned to the army. But when this deed was noised abroad, all the
people came in multitudes to thank the king, who told them "to give
thanks to God, and to divide the giant's spoils amongst them equally."
And King Arthur desired Sir Hoel to build a church upon the mount, and
dedicate it to the Archangel Michael.
On the morrow, all the host moved onwards into the country of Champagne,
and Flollo, the Roman tribune, retired before them into Paris. But
while he was preparing to collect more forces from the neighboring
countries, King Arthur came upon him unawares; and besieged him in the
town.
And when a month had passed, Flollo--full of grief at the starvation of
his people, who died in hundreds day by day--sent to King Arthur, and
desired that they two might fight together; for he was a man of mighty
stature and courage, and thought himself sure of the victory. This
challenge, King Arthur, full weary of the siege, accepted with great
joy, and sent back word to Flollo that he would meet him whensoever he
appointed.
And a truce being made on both sides, they met together the next day on
the island without the city, where all the people also were gathered to
see the issue. And as the king and Flollo rode up to the lists, each was
so nobly armed and horsed, and sat so mightily upon his saddle, that no
man could tell which way the battle would end.
When they had saluted one another, and presented themselves against each
other with their lances aloft, they put spurs to their horses and began
a fierce encounter. But King Arthur, carrying his spear more warily,
struck it on the upper part of Flollo's breast, and flung him from his
saddle to the earth. Then drawing his sword, he cried to him to rise,
and rushed upon him; but Flollo, starting up, met him with his spear
couched, and pierced the breast of King Arthur's horse, and overthrew
both horse and man.
The Britons, when they saw their king upon the ground, could scarcely
keep themselves from breaking up the truce and falling on the Gauls. But
as they were about to burst the barriers, and rush upon the lists, King
Arthur hastily arose, and, guarding himself with his shield, ran with
speed on Flollo. And now they renewed the assault with great rage, being
sorely bent upon each other's death.
At length, Flollo, seizing his advantage, gave King Arthur a huge stroke
upon the helm, which nigh overthrew him, and drew forth his blood in
streams.
But when King Arthur saw his armor and shield all red with blood, he was
inflamed with fury, and lifting up Excalibur on high, with all his
might, he struck straight through the helmet into Flollo's head, and
smote it into halves; and Flollo falling backwards, and tearing up the
ground with his spurs, expired.
As soon as this news spread, the citizens all ran together, and, opening
the gates, surrendered the city to the conqueror.
And when he had overrun the whole province with his arms, and reduced it
everywhere to subjection, he returned again to Britain, and held his
court at Caerleon, with greater state than ever.
Anon he invited thereto all the kings, dukes, earls, and barons, who
owed him homage, that he might treat them royally, and reconcile them to
each other, and to his rule.
And never was there a city more fit and pleasant for such festivals. For
on one side it was washed by a noble river, so that the kings and
princes from the countries beyond sea might conveniently sail up to it;
and on the other side, the beauty of the groves and meadows, and the
stateliness and magnificence of the royal palaces, with lofty gilded
roofs, made it even rival the grandeur of Rome. It was famous also for
two great and noble churches, whereof one was built in honor of the
martyr Julius, and adorned with a choir of virgins who had devoted
themselves wholly to the service of God; and the other, founded in
memory of St. Aaron, his companion, maintained a convent of canons, and
was the third metropolitan church of Britain. Besides, there was a
college of two hundred philosophers, learned in astronomy, and all the
other sciences and arts.
In this place, therefore, full of such delights, King Arthur held his
court, with many jousts and tournaments, and royal huntings, and rested
for a season after all his wars.