and say ye to my knights, that I will march forth-right." Trumpets
there were blown, horns there resounded; bliss was in the host with
the busy king, for each was solaced, and proceeded toward his land.
And the king forbade them, by their bare life, that no man in the
world should be so mad, nor person so unwise, that he should break his
peace; and if any man did it, he should suffer doom. Even with the
words the army marched, there sung warriors marvellous songs of Arthur
the king, and of his chieftains, and said in song, to this world's end
never more would be such a king as Arthur, through all things, king
nor caiser, in ever any realm!
Arthur proceeded to York, with folk very surprising (numerous), and
dwelt there six weeks with much joy. The burgh walls were broken and
fallen down, that Childric all consumed, and the halls all clean. Then
called the king a distinguished priest, Pirai,--he was an exceeding
wise man, and learned in book:--"Pirai, thou art mine own priest, the
easier it shall be for thee." The king took a rood, holy and most
good, and gave to Pirai in hand, and therewith very much land, and the
archbishop's staff he there gave to Pirai;--ere was Pirai a good
priest, now is he archbishop! Then bade him Arthur, noblest of kings,
that he should arear churches, and restore the hymns, and take charge
of God's folk, and rule them fair. And he bade all his knights to deem
right (just) dooms, and the earth-tillers to take to their craft, and
every man to greet other. And what man soever did worse than the king
had ordered, he would drive him to a bare burning, and if it were a
base man, he should for that hang. The yet spake Arthur, noblest of
kings, ordered that each man who had lost his land by whatsoever kind
of punishment he were bereaved, that he should come again, full
quickly and full soon--the rich and the low--and should have eft his
own, unless he were so foully conditioned, that he were traitor to his
lord, or toward his lord forsworn, whom the king should deem lost
(beyond the limit of pardon). There came three brethren, that were
royally born, Loth, and Angel, and Urien;—-well are such three men!
These three chieftains came to the king, and set on their knees before
the caiser:--"Hail be thou, Arthur, noblest of kings, and thy people
with thee; ever may they well be! We are three brethren, born of
kings. All our rightful land is gone out of our hand; for the heathen
men have made us poor, and wasted us all Leoneis, Scotland, and Moray.
And we pray thee, for God's love, that thou be to us in aid, and for
thy great honour, that thou be mild to us, and give us our rightful
land; and we shall love thee, and hold thee for lord, in each
land-wise." Arthur heard this, noblest of kings, how these three
knights fair besought him; he had compassion in heart, and began
speak, and said these words--best of all kings:--"Urien, become my
man; thou shalt to Moray again; thereof thou shalt be called king of
the land, and high in my court (or host), with thy forces. And to
Angel I set in hand Scotland altogether; to have it in hand, and be
king of the land, from the father to the son; thereof thou shalt my
man become. And thou, Loth, my dear friend--God be to thee mild!-—thou
hast my sister to wife; the better it shall be for thee. I give thee
Leoneis, that is a land fair; and I will lay (add) thereto lands most
good, beside the Humber, worth an hundred pounds. For my father Uther,
the while that he was king here, loved well his daughter, who was his
desire esteemed; and she is my sister, and sons she hath twain; they
are to me in land dearest of all children." Thus spake Arthur the
king. Then was Walwain a little child; so was the other, Modred his
brother. But alas! that Modred was born; much harm therefore came!
Arthur proceeded to London, and with him his people; he held in the
land a mickle husting, and established all the laws that stood in his
elders' days; all the good laws that era here stood; he set peace, he
set protection, and all freedoms.
From thence he marched to Cornwall, to Cador's territory; he found
there a maid extremely fair. This maiden's mother was of Romanish men,
Cador's relative; and the maid Cador on him bestowed, and he received
her fair, and softly her fed. She was of noble race, of Romanish men;
was in no land any maid so fair, of speech and of deeds, and of
manners most good; she was named Wenhaver, fairest of women. Arthur
took her to wife, and loved her wondrously much; this maiden he gan
wed, and took her to his bed. Arthur was in Cornwall all the winter
there; and all for Wenhaver's love, dearest of women to him.
When the winter was gone, and summer came there anon, Arthur bethought
him what he might do, that his good folk should not lie there inert.
He marched to Exeter, at the midfeast (St. John Baptist?), and held
there his husting of his noble folk, and said that he would go into
Ireland, and win all the kingdom to his own hand; unless the King
Gillomar the sooner came ere to him, and spake with him with good
will, and yearned Arthur's peace, he would waste his land, and go to
him evilly in hand, with fire and with steel work hostile game, and
the land-folk slay, who would stand against him. Even with the words
that the king said, then answered the folk, fair to the king: "Lord
king, hold thy word, for we are all ready, to go and to ride over all
at thy need." There was many a bold Briton that had boar's glances;
heaved up their brows, enraged in their thought. They went toward
their inns, knights with their men: they got ready burnies, prepared
helms, they wiped their dear horses with linen cloths; they sheared,
they shod—-the men were bold! Some shaped (or shaved) horn; some
shaped bone; some prepared steel darts; some made thongs, good and
very strong; some bent spears, and made ready shields. Arthur caused
to be bidden over all his kingdom, that every good knight should come
to him forth-right, and every brave man should come forth-right anon;
and whoso should remain behind, his limbs he should lose, and whoso
should come gladly, he should become rich.
Seven nights after Easter, when men had fasted, then came all the
knights to ship forth-right; the wind stood to them in hand
(favourably), that drove them to Ireland. Arthur marched in the land,
and the people destroyed; much folk he there slew, and he took cattle
enow; and ever he ordered each man church-peace to hold. The tiding
came to the king, who was lord of the land, that Arthur the king was
come there, and much harm there wrought. He assembled all his people,
over his kingdom; and his Irish folk marched to the fight, against
Arthur the noble king. Arthur and his knights they weaponed them
forth-right, and advanced against them, a numerous folk. Arthur's men
were with arms all covered, the Irish men were nearly naked, with
spears and with axes, and with sæxes exceeding sharp. Arthur's men let
fly at them numerous darts, and killed the Irish folk; and greatly it
felled; they might not this sustain, through any kind of thing, but
fled away quickly, very many thousands. And Gillomar the king fled,
and awayward drew, and Arthur pursued after him, and caught the king;
he took by the hand the king of the land.
Arthur the noble sought lodging; in his mood it was the easier to him,
that Gillomar was so nigh him. Now did Arthur, noblest of kings, very
great friendship before all his folk, he caused the king to be clothed
with each pride (richly), and eke by Arthur he sate, and eke with
himself ate; with Arthur he drank wine—that to mm was mickle unthank.
Nevertheless when he saw that Arthur was most glad, then said Gillomar
to him—in his heart he was sore: "Lord Arthur, thy peace! Give me limb
and give me life, and I will become thy man, and deliver thee my three
sons, my dear sons, to do all thy will. And yet I will do more, if
thou wilt give me grace; I will deliver thee hostages exceeding rich,
children some sixty, noble and most mighty. And yet I will more, if
thou givest me grace; each year of my land seven thousand pounds, and
send them to thy land, and sixty marks of gold. And yet I will more,
if thou wilt give me grace; and all the steeds, with all their
trappings, the hawks, and the hounds, and my rich treasures I give
thee in hand, of all my land. And when thou hast this done, I will
take the reliques of Saint Columkille, who did God's will, and Saint
Brandan's head, that God himself hallowed, and Saint Bride's right
foot, that is holy and most good, and reliques enow, that came out of
Rome, and swear to thee in sooth, that I will thee not deceive; but I
will love thee, and hold thee for lord, hold thee for high king, and
myself be thy underling."
Arthur heard this, noblest of kings, and he gan laugh with loud voice,
and he gan answer with gracious words: "Be now glad, Gillomar; be not
thy heart sore; for thou art a wise man—-the better therefore shall it
be to thee, for ever one ought worthily a wise man to greet,--for thy
wisdom shall it not be the worse for thee, much thou me offerest, the
better it shall be to thee. Here forth right, before all my knights, I
forgive thee the more, all the half-part, of gold and of treasure; but
thou shalt become my man, and half the tribute send each year into my
land. Half the steeds, and half the weeds (garments), half the hawks,
and half the hounds, that thou me offerest, I will relinquish to thee,
but I will have the children of thy noble men, who are to them dearest
of all; I may the better believe thee. And so thou shalt dwell in thy
honour in thy kingdom, in thy right territory; and I will give to
thee, that the king shall not do wrong to thee, unless he pay for it
with his bare back!" Thus it said Arthur, noblest of kings. Then had
he all Ireland all together in his own hand, and the king became his
man, and delivered him his three sons.
Then spake Arthur to his good knights: "Go we to Iceland, and take we
it in our hand." The host there marched, and to Iceland came. The king
was named Ælcus, high man of the land, he heard the tiding of Arthur
the king; he did all as a wiseman, and marched against him anon; anon
forth-right, with sixteen knights; he bare in his hand a mickle wand
(sceptre) of gold. So soon as he saw Arthur, he bent him on his knees,
and quoth these words to him—-the king was afraid: —-"Welcome, sir
Arthur! welcome, lord' Here I deliver thee in hand all together
Iceland, thou shalt be my high king, and I will be thy underling. I
will obey thee, as man shall do his master, and I will become here thy
man, and deliver thee my dear son, who is named Escol; and thou shalt
him honour (or reward), and dub him to knight, as thine own man. His
mother I have to wife, the king's choice daughter of Russia. And eke
each year I will give thee money, seven thousand pounds of silver and
gold, and in every counsel be ready at thy need. This I will swear to
thee, upon my sword; the relique is in the hilt, the noblest of this
land; like as me shall like, will I never be false to thee!"
Arthur heard this noblest of kings. Arthur was winsome where he had
his will, and he was exceeding stern with his enemies. Arthur heard
the mild words of the monarch; he granted him all that he yearned;
hostages and oaths, and all his proffers. Then heard say sooth words
the King of Orkney, exceeding keen, who was named Gonwais, a heathen
warrior, that Arthur the king would come to his land; with a mickle
fleet sail to his country. Gonwais proceeded towards him, with his
wise thanes, and set to Arthur in hand all Orkney's land, and
two-and-thirty islands, that thither in heth, and his homage, with
much reverence. And he had (made) to him in covenant, before all his
people, each year to wit, full sixty ships at his own cost to bring
them to London, filled truly with good sea-fish. This covenant he
confirmed, and hostages he found, and oaths he swore good, that he
would not deceive. And afterwards he took leave, and forth he gan
wend:--"Lord, have well good day! I will come when I may, for now thou
art my lord, dearest of all kings." When Arthur had done this, the yet
he would more undertake; he took his good writs, and sent to Gutlond;
and greeted the King Doldanim, and bade him soon come to him, and
himself become his man, and bring with him his two sons.—-"And if thou
wilt not that, do what thou wilt, and I will send thee sixteen
thousand noble warriors, to thy mickle harm, who shall waste thy land,
and slay thy people, and set the land as to them best seemeth, and
thyself bind, and to me bring." The king heard this, the threat of the
kaiser, and he speedily took his fair weeds, hounds and hawks, and his
good horses, much silver, much gold; his two sons in his hand. And
forth he gan wend to Arthur the king, and said these words Doldanim
the good: "Hail be thou, Arthur, noblest of kings' Here I bring twain,
my sons both; their mother is of king's race, she is mine own queen; I
won her with spoil, out of Russia. Here I deliver thee my dear sons,
and myself I will become thy man. And I will send thee tribute of my
land, every year as thin? bestowed, I will send thee into London seven
thousand pounds. That I will swear, that I will never be false, but
here I will become thy man—-thy honour is the greater--so long as is
ever, I will deceive thee never!"
Arthur took his messengers, and sent to Winetland, to Rumareth the
king, and bade him know in haste, that he had in his hand Britain and
Scotland, Gutland and Ireland, Orcany and Iceland. He ordered Rumareth
to come, and bring him his eldest son; and if he would not do that, he
would drive him from land, and if he might him capture, he would slay
him or hang, and destroy all his land, his people exterminate.
Rumareth heard this, the rich King of Winet; greatly he was afraid,
all as the others were ere; loath to him were the tidings from Arthur
the king. Nevertheless the King Rumareth hearkened counsels; he took
his eldest son, and twelve good earls, and proceeded to Arthur the
noble king, and sate at his feet, and gan him fair greet: "Hail be
thou, Arthur, noblest of Britons' I hight Rumareth, the King of
Winetland, enow I have heard declared of thy valour; that thou art
wide known, keenest of all kings. Thou hast won many kingdom all to
thine own hand, there is no king in land that may thee withstand, king
nor kaiser, in ever any combat; of all that thou beginnest, thou dost
thy will. Here am I to thee come, and brought thee my eldest son; here
I set thee in hand myself and my kingdom, and my dear son, and all my
people, my wife and my weeds, and all my possessions, on condition
that thou give me protection against thy fierce attacks. And be thou
my high king, and I will be thy underling, and send thee to hand five
hundred pounds of gold; these gifts I will thee find, every year."
Arthur granted him all that the king yearned, and afterwards he held
communing with his good thanes, and said that he would return again
into this land, and see Wenhaver, the comely queen of the country.
Trumpets he caused to be blown, and his army to assemble; and to ship
marched the thanes wondrous blithe. The wind still stood them at will;
weather as they would; blithe they were all therefore; up they came to
Grumesby. That heard soon the highest of this land, and to the queen
came tiding of Arthur the king, that he was come in safety, and his
folk in prosperity. Then were in Britain joys enow! Here was fiddling
and song, here was harping among, pipes and trumps sang there merrily.
Poets there sung of Arthur the king, and of the great honour, that he
had won. Folk came in concourse of many kind of land; wide and far the
folk was in prosperity. All that Arthur saw, all it submitted to him,
rich men and poor, as the hail that falleth; was there no Briton so
wretched, that he was not enriched!
Here man may tell of Arthur the king, how he afterwards dwelt here
twelve years, in peace and in amity, in all fairness. No man fought
with him, nor made he any strife; might never any man bethink of bliss
that were greater in any country than in this; might never man know
any so mickle joy, as was with Arthur, and with his folk here!
I may say how it happened, wondrous though it seem. It was on a
yule-day, that Arthur lay in London; then were come to him men of all
his kingdoms, of Britain, of Scotland, of Ireland, of Iceland, and of
all the lands that Arthur had in hand; and all the highest thanes,
with horses and with swains. There were come seven kings' sons, with
seven hundred knights; without the folk that obeyed Arthur. Each had
in heart proud thoughts, and esteemed that he were better than his
companion. The folk was of many a land; there was mickle envy; for the
one accounted himself high, the other much higher. Then blew men the
trumpets, and spread the tables; water men brought on floor, with
golden bowls; next soft clothes, all of white silk. Then sate Arthur
down, and by him Wenhaver the queen; next sate the earls, and
thereafter the barons; next the knights, all as men them disposed. And
the high-born men bare the meat even forth-right then to the knights;
then toward the thanes, then toward the swains, then toward the
porters, forth at the board. The people became angered, and blows
there were rife; at first they threw the loaves, the while that they
lasted, and the silver bowls, filled with wine, and afterwards with
the fists approached to necks. Then leapt there forth a young man, who
came out of Winetland; he was given to Arthur to hold as hostage; he
was Rumareth's son, the King of Winet. Thus said the knight there to
Arthur the king: "Lord Arthur, go quickly into thy chamber, and thy
queen with thee, and thy known relatives, and we shall decide this
combat against these foreign warriors." Even with the words he leapt
to the board where lay the knives before the sovereign; three knives
he grasped, and with the one he smote the knight in the neck, that
first began the same fight, so that his head on the floor fell to the
ground. Soon he slew another, this same thane's brother; ere the
swords came, seven he felled. There was fight exceeding great; each
man smote other; there was much blood shed, mischief was among the
folk!
Then approached the king out of his chamber; with him an hundred
nobles, with helms and with burnies; each bare in his right hand a
white steel brand. Then called Arthur, noblest of kings: "Sit ye, sit
ye quickly, each man on his life! And whoso will not that do, he shall
be put to death. Take ye me the same man, that this fight first began,
and put withy on his neck, and draw him to a moor, and put him in a
low fen, there he shall lie. And take ye all his dearest kin, that ye
may find, and strike off the heads of them with your broad swords, the
women that ye may find of his nearest kindred, carve ye off their
noses, and let their beauty go to destruction; and so I will all
destroy the race that he of came. And if I evermore subsequently hear,
that any of my folk, of high or of low, eft arear strife on account of
this same slaughter, there shall ransom him neither gold nor any
treasure, fine horse nor war-garment, that he should not be dead, or
with horses drawn in pieces—-that is of each traitor the law! Bring ye
the reliques, and I will swear thereon; and so, knights, shall ye,
that were at this fight, earls and barons, that ye will not it break."
First swore Arthur, noblest of kings; then swore earls, then swore
barons; then swore thanes, then swore swains, that they nevermore the
strife would arear. Men took all the dead, and carried them to
burial-place. Afterwards men blew the trumpets, with noise exceeding
merry; were he lief, were he loath, each there took water and cloth,
and then sate down reconciled to the board, all for Arthur's dread,
noblest of kings. Cupbearers there thronged, gleemen there sung; harps
gan resound, the people was in joy. Thus full seven nights was all the
folk treated.
Afterwards it saith in the tale, that the king went to Cornwall; there
came to him anon one that was a crafty workman, and met the king, and
fair him greeted:—-"Hail be thou, Arthur, noblest of kings' I am thine
own man; through many land I have gone; I know of tree-works
(carpentry) wondrous many crafts. I heard say beyond the sea new
tidings, that thy knights gan to fight at thy board, on a midwinter's
day many there fell; for their mickle mood wrought murderous play, and
for their high lineage each would be within. But I will thee work a
board exceeding fair, that thereat may sit sixteen hundred and more,
all turn about, so that none be without; without and within, man
against man. And when thou wilt ride, with thee thou mightest it
carry, and set it where thou wilt, after thy will, and then thou
needest never fear, to the world's end, that ever any moody knight at
thy board may make fight, for there shall the high be even with the
low." Timber was caused to be brought, and the board to be begun; in
four weeks' time the work was completed.
At a high day the folk was assembled, and Arthur himself approached
soon to the board, and ordered all his knights to the board
forth-right. When all were seated, knights to their meat, then spake
each with other, as if it were his brother; all they sate about; was
there none without. Every sort of knight was there exceeding well
disposed, all they were one by one (seated), the high and the low,
might none there boast of other kind of drink other than his comrades,
that were at the board. This was the same board that Britons boast of,
and say many sorts of leasing, respecting Arthur the king. So doth
every man, that another can love; if he is to him too dear, then will
he lie, and say of him more honour than he is worth; no man is he so
wicked, that his friend will not act well to him. Eft if among folk
enmity areareth, in ever any time between two men, men can say leasing
of the hateful one, though he were the best man that ever ate at
board, the man that to him were loath, he can him last find! It is not
all sooth nor all falsehood that minstrels sing; but this is the sooth
respecting Arthur the king. Was never ere such king, so doughty
through all things! For the sooth stands in the writings how it is
befallen, from beginning to the end, of Arthur the king, no more nor
less but as his laws (or acts) were.
But Britons loved him greatly, and oft of him lie, and say many things
respecting Arthur the king that never was transacted in this
worlds-realm! Enow may he say, who the sooth will frame, marvellous
things respecting Arthur the king. Then was Arthur most high, his folk
most fair, so that there was no knight well esteemed, nor of his
manners (or deeds) much assured, in Wales nor in England, in Scotland
nor in Ireland, in Normandy nor in France, in Flanders nor in Denmark,
nor in ever any land, that on this side of Muntgiu standeth, that were
esteemed good knight, nor his deeds accounted (brave or aught), unless
he could discourse of Arthur, and of his noble court, his weapons, and
his garments, and his horsemen, say and sing of Arthur the young, and
of his strong knights, and of their great might, and of their wealth,
and how well it them became. Then were he welcome in this
worlds-realm, come whereso he came, and though he were at Rome, all
that heard of Arthur tell, it seemed to them great marvel of the good
king!
And so it was foreboded, ere he were born; so said him Merlin, that
was a prophet great, that a king should come of Uther Pendragon, that
gleemen should make a board of this king's breast, and thereto should
sit poets most good, and eat their will, ere they thence departed, and
wine-draughts out draw from this king's tongue, and drink and revel
day and night; this game should last them to the world's end.
And yet said him Merlin more that was to come, that all that he looked
on to his feet to him should bow. The yet said him Merlin, a marvel
that was greater, that there should be immoderate care (sorrow) at
this king's departure. And of this king's end will no Briton believe
it, except it be the last death, at the great doom, when our Lord
judgeth all folk. Else we cannot deem of Arthur's death, for he
himself said to his good Britons, south in Cornwall, where Walwain was
slain, and himself was wounded wondrously much, that he would fare
into Avalon, into the island, to Argante the fair, for she would with
balm heal his wounds,--and when he were all whole, he would soon come
to them. This believed the Britons, that he will thus come, and look
ever when he shall come to his land, as he promised them, ere he hence
went.