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<h2> CHAPTER XVII. Yet more of the same battle, and how it was ended by Merlin. </h2>
<p>WHEN Sir Arthur and King Ban and Bors beheld them and all their knights,
they praised them much for their noble cheer of chivalry, for the hardiest
fighters that ever they heard or saw. With that, there dressed them a
forty noble knights, and said unto the three kings, they would break their
battle; these were their names: Lionses, Phariance, Ulfius, Brastias,
Ector, Kay, Lucas the butler, Griflet le Fise de Dieu, Mariet de la Roche,
Guinas de Bloi, Briant de la Forest Savage, Bellaus, Morians of the Castle
[of] Maidens, Flannedrius of the Castle of Ladies, Annecians that was King
Bors' godson, a noble knight, Ladinas de la Rouse, Emerause, Caulas,
Graciens le Castlein, one Blois de la Case, and Sir Colgrevaunce de Gorre;
all these knights rode on afore with spears on their thighs, and spurred
their horses mightily as the horses might run. And the eleven kings with
part of their knights rushed with their horses as fast as they might with
their spears, and there they did on both parties marvellous deeds of arms.
So came into the thick of the press, Arthur, Ban, and Bors, and slew down
right on both hands, that their horses went in blood up to the fetlocks.
But ever the eleven kings and their host was ever in the visage of Arthur.
Wherefore Ban and Bors had great marvel, considering the great slaughter
that there was, but at the last they were driven aback over a little
river. With that came Merlin on a great black horse, and said unto Arthur,
Thou hast never done! Hast thou not done enough? of three score thousand
this day hast thou left alive but fifteen thousand, and it is time to say
Ho! For God is wroth with thee, that thou wilt never have done; for yonder
eleven kings at this time will not be overthrown, but an thou tarry on
them any longer, thy fortune will turn and they shall increase. And
therefore withdraw you unto your lodging, and rest you as soon as ye may,
and reward your good knights with gold and with silver, for they have well
deserved it; there may no riches be too dear for them, for of so few men
as ye have, there were never men did more of prowess than they have done
today, for ye have matched this day with the best fighters of the world.
That is truth, said King Ban and Bors. Also said Merlin, withdraw you
where ye list, for this three year I dare undertake they shall not dere
you; and by then ye shall hear new tidings. And then Merlin said unto
Arthur, These eleven kings have more on hand than they are ware of, for
the Saracens are landed in their countries, more than forty thousand, that
burn and slay, and have laid siege at the castle Wandesborow, and make
great destruction; therefore dread you not this three year. Also, sir, all
the goods that be gotten at this battle, let it be searched, and when ye
have it in your hands, let it be given freely unto these two kings, Ban
and Bors, that they may reward their knights withal; and that shall cause
strangers to be of better will to do you service at need. Also you be able
to reward your own knights of your own goods whensomever it liketh you. It
is well said, quoth Arthur, and as thou hast devised, so shall it be done.
When it was delivered to Ban and Bors, they gave the goods as freely to
their knights as freely as it was given to them. Then Merlin took his
leave of Arthur and of the two kings, for to go and see his master Bleise,
that dwelt in Northumberland; and so he departed and came to his master,
that was passing glad of his coming; and there he told how Arthur and the
two kings had sped at the great battle, and how it was ended, and told the
names of every king and knight of worship that was there. And so Bleise
wrote the battle word by word, as Merlin told him, how it began, and by
whom, and in likewise how it was ended, and who had the worse. All the
battles that were done in Arthur's days Merlin did his master Bleise do
write; also he did do write all the battles that every worthy knight did
of Arthur's court.</p>
<p>After this Merlin departed from his master and came to King Arthur, that
was in the castle of Bedegraine, that was one of the castles that stand in
the forest of Sherwood. And Merlin was so disguised that King Arthur knew
him not, for he was all befurred in black sheep-skins, and a great pair of
boots, and a bow and arrows, in a russet gown, and brought wild geese in
his hand, and it was on the morn after Candlemas day; but King Arthur knew
him not. Sir, said Merlin unto the king, will ye give me a gift?
Wherefore, said King Arthur, should I give thee a gift, churl? Sir, said
Merlin, ye were better to give me a gift that is not in your hand than to
lose great riches, for here in the same place where the great battle was,
is great treasure hid in the earth. Who told thee so, churl? said Arthur.
Merlin told me so, said he. Then Ulfius and Brastias knew him well enough,
and smiled. Sir, said these two knights, it is Merlin that so speaketh
unto you. Then King Arthur was greatly abashed, and had marvel of Merlin,
and so had King Ban and King Bors, and so they had great disport at him.
So in the meanwhile there came a damosel that was an earl's daughter: his
name was Sanam, and her name was Lionors, a passing fair damosel; and so
she came thither for to do homage, as other lords did after the great
battle. And King Arthur set his love greatly upon her, and so did she upon
him, and the king had ado with her, and gat on her a child: his name was
Borre, that was after a good knight, and of the Table Round. Then there
came word that the King Rience of North Wales made great war on King
Leodegrance of Cameliard, for the which thing Arthur was wroth, for he
loved him well, and hated King Rience, for he was alway against him. So by
ordinance of the three kings that were sent home unto Benwick, all they
would depart for dread of King Claudas; and Phariance, and Antemes, and
Gratian, and Lionses [of] Payarne, with the leaders of those that should
keep the kings' lands.</p>
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<h2> CHAPTER XVIII. How King Arthur, King Ban, and King Bors rescued King Leodegrance, and other incidents. </h2>
<p>AND then King Arthur, and King Ban, and King Bors departed with their
fellowship, a twenty thousand, and came within six days into the country
of Cameliard, and there rescued King Leodegrance, and slew there much
people of King Rience, unto the number of ten thousand men, and put him to
flight. And then had these three kings great cheer of King Leodegrance,
that thanked them of their great goodness, that they would revenge him of
his enemies; and there had Arthur the first sight of Guenever, the king's
daughter of Cameliard, and ever after he loved her. After they were
wedded, as it telleth in the book. So, briefly to make an end, they took
their leave to go into their own countries, for King Claudas did great
destruction on their lands. Then said Arthur, I will go with you. Nay,
said the kings, ye shall not at this time, for ye have much to do yet in
these lands, therefore we will depart, and with the great goods that we
have gotten in these lands by your gifts, we shall wage good knights and
withstand the King Claudas' malice, for by the grace of God, an we have
need we will send to you for your succour; and if ye have need, send for
us, and we will not tarry, by the faith of our bodies. It shall not, said
Merlin, need that these two kings come again in the way of war, but I know
well King Arthur may not be long from you, for within a year or two ye
shall have great need, and then shall he revenge you on your enemies, as
ye have done on his. For these eleven kings shall die all in a day, by the
great might and prowess of arms of two valiant knights (as it telleth
after); their names be Balin le Savage, and Balan, his brother, that be
marvellous good knights as be any living.</p>
<p>Now turn we to the eleven kings that returned unto a city that hight
Sorhaute, the which city was within King Uriens', and there they refreshed
them as well as they might, and made leeches search their wounds, and
sorrowed greatly for the death of their people. With that there came a
messenger and told how there was come into their lands people that were
lawless as well as Saracens, a forty thousand, and have burnt and slain
all the people that they may come by, without mercy, and have laid siege
on the castle of Wandesborow. Alas, said the eleven kings, here is sorrow
upon sorrow, and if we had not warred against Arthur as we have done, he
would soon revenge us. As for King Leodegrance, he loveth Arthur better
than us, and as for King Rience, he hath enough to do with Leodegrance,
for he hath laid siege unto him. So they consented together to keep all
the marches of Cornwall, of Wales, and of the North. So first, they put
King Idres in the City of Nauntes in Britain, with four thousand men of
arms, to watch both the water and the land. Also they put in the city of
Windesan, King Nentres of Garlot, with four thousand knights to watch both
on water and on land. Also they had of other men of war more than eight
thousand, for to fortify all the fortresses in the marches of Cornwall.
Also they put more knights in all the marches of Wales and Scotland, with
many good men of arms, and so they kept them together the space of three
year, and ever allied them with mighty kings and dukes and lords. And to
them fell King Rience of North Wales, the which and Nero that was a mighty
man of men. And all this while they furnished them and garnished them of
good men of arms, and victual, and of all manner of habiliment that
pretendeth to the war, to avenge them for the battle of Bedegraine, as it
telleth in the book of adventures following.</p>
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<h2> CHAPTER XIX. How King Arthur rode to Carlion, and of his dream, and how he saw the questing beast. </h2>
<p>THEN after the departing of King Ban and of King Bors, King Arthur rode
into Carlion. And thither came to him, King Lot's wife, of Orkney, in
manner of a message, but she was sent thither to espy the court of King
Arthur; and she came richly beseen, with her four sons, Gawaine, Gaheris,
Agravine, and Gareth, with many other knights and ladies. For she was a
passing fair lady, therefore the king cast great love unto her, and
desired to lie by her; so they were agreed, and he begat upon her Mordred,
and she was his sister, on his mother's side, Igraine. So there she rested
her a month, and at the last departed. Then the king dreamed a marvellous
dream whereof he was sore adread. But all this time King Arthur knew not
that King Lot's wife was his sister. Thus was the dream of Arthur: Him
thought there was come into this land griffins and serpents, and him
thought they burnt and slew all the people in the land, and then him
thought he fought with them, and they did him passing great harm, and
wounded him full sore, but at the last he slew them. When the king awaked,
he was passing heavy of his dream, and so to put it out of thoughts, he
made him ready with many knights to ride a-hunting. As soon as he was in
the forest the king saw a great hart afore him. This hart will I chase,
said King Arthur, and so he spurred the horse, and rode after long, and so
by fine force oft he was like to have smitten the hart; whereas the king
had chased the hart so long, that his horse lost his breath, and fell down
dead. Then a yeoman fetched the king another horse.</p>
<p>So the king saw the hart enbushed, and his horse dead, he set him down by
a fountain, and there he fell in great thoughts. And as he sat so, him
thought he heard a noise of hounds, to the sum of thirty. And with that
the king saw coming toward him the strangest beast that ever he saw or
heard of; so the beast went to the well and drank, and the noise was in
the beast's belly like unto the questing of thirty couple hounds; but all
the while the beast drank there was no noise in the beast's belly: and
there with the beast departed with a great noise, whereof the king had
great marvel. And so he was in a great thought, and therewith he fell
asleep. Right so there came a knight afoot unto Arthur and said, Knight
full of thought and sleepy, tell me if thou sawest a strange beast pass
this way. Such one saw I, said King Arthur, that is past two mile; what
would ye with the beast? said Arthur. Sir, I have followed that beast long
time, and killed mine horse, so would God I had another to follow my
quest. Right so came one with the king's horse, and when the knight saw
the horse, he prayed the king to give him the horse: for I have followed
this quest this twelvemonth, and either I shall achieve him, or bleed of
the best blood of my body. Pellinore, that time king, followed the
Questing Beast, and after his death Sir Palamides followed it.</p>
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<h2> CHAPTER XX. How King Pellinore took Arthur's horse and followed the Questing Beast, and how Merlin met with Arthur. </h2>
<p>SIR knight, said the king, leave that quest, and suffer me to have it, and
I will follow it another twelvemonth. Ah, fool, said the knight unto
Arthur, it is in vain thy desire, for it shall never be achieved but by
me, or my next kin. Therewith he started unto the king's horse and mounted
into the saddle, and said, Gramercy, this horse is my own. Well, said the
king, thou mayst take my horse by force, but an I might prove thee whether
thou were better on horseback or I.—Well, said the knight, seek me
here when thou wilt, and here nigh this well thou shalt find me, and so
passed on his way. Then the king sat in a study, and bade his men fetch
his horse as fast as ever they might. Right so came by him Merlin like a
child of fourteen year of age, and saluted the king, and asked him why he
was so pensive. I may well be pensive, said the king, for I have seen the
marvellest sight that ever I saw. That know I well, said Merlin, as well
as thyself, and of all thy thoughts, but thou art but a fool to take
thought, for it will not amend thee. Also I know what thou art, and who
was thy father, and of whom thou wert begotten; King Uther Pendragon was
thy father, and begat thee on Igraine. That is false, said King Arthur,
how shouldest thou know it, for thou art not so old of years to know my
father? Yes, said Merlin, I know it better than ye or any man living. I
will not believe thee, said Arthur, and was wroth with the child. So
departed Merlin, and came again in the likeness of an old man of fourscore
year of age, whereof the king was right glad, for he seemed to be right
wise.</p>
<p>Then said the old man, Why are ye so sad? I may well be heavy, said
Arthur, for many things. Also here was a child, and told me many things
that meseemeth he should not know, for he was not of age to know my
father. Yes, said the old man, the child told you truth, and more would he
have told you an ye would have suffered him. But ye have done a thing late
that God is displeased with you, for ye have lain by your sister, and on
her ye have gotten a child that shall destroy you and all the knights of
your realm. What are ye, said Arthur, that tell me these tidings? I am
Merlin, and I was he in the child's likeness. Ah, said King Arthur, ye are
a marvellous man, but I marvel much of thy words that I must die in
battle. Marvel not, said Merlin, for it is God's will your body to be
punished for your foul deeds; but I may well be sorry, said Merlin, for I
shall die a shameful death, to be put in the earth quick, and ye shall die
a worshipful death. And as they talked this, came one with the king's
horse, and so the king mounted on his horse, and Merlin on another, and so
rode unto Carlion. And anon the king asked Ector and Ulfius how he was
begotten, and they told him Uther Pendragon was his father and Queen
Igraine his mother. Then he said to Merlin, I will that my mother be sent
for that I may speak with her; and if she say so herself then will I
believe it. In all haste, the queen was sent for, and she came and brought
with her Morgan le Fay, her daughter, that was as fair a lady as any might
be, and the king welcomed Igraine in the best manner.</p>
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<h2> CHAPTER XXI. How Ulfius impeached Queen Igraine, Arthur's mother, of treason; and how a knight came and desired to have the death of his master </h2>
<p>revenged.</p>
<p>RIGHT SO came Ulfius, and said openly, that the king and all might hear
that were feasted that day, Ye are the falsest lady of the world, and the
most traitress unto the king's person. Beware, said Arthur, what thou
sayest; thou speakest a great word. I am well ware, said Ulfius, what I
speak, and here is my glove to prove it upon any man that will say the
contrary, that this Queen Igraine is causer of your great damage, and of
your great war. For, an she would have uttered it in the life of King
Uther Pendragon, of the birth of you, and how ye were begotten ye had
never had the mortal wars that ye have had; for the most part of your
barons of your realm knew never whose son ye were, nor of whom ye were
begotten; and she that bare you of her body should have made it known
openly in excusing of her worship and yours, and in like wise to all the
realm, wherefore I prove her false to God and to you and to all your
realm, and who will say the contrary I will prove it on his body.</p>
<p>Then spake Igraine and said, I am a woman and I may not fight, but rather
than I should be dishonoured, there would some good man take my quarrel.
More, she said, Merlin knoweth well, and ye Sir Ulfius, how King Uther
came to me in the Castle of Tintagil in the likeness of my lord, that was
dead three hours to-fore, and thereby gat a child that night upon me. And
after the thirteenth day King Uther wedded me, and by his commandment when
the child was born it was delivered unto Merlin and nourished by him, and
so I saw the child never after, nor wot not what is his name, for I knew
him never yet. And there, Ulfius said to the queen, Merlin is more to
blame than ye. Well I wot, said the queen, I bare a child by my lord King
Uther, but I wot not where he is become. Then Merlin took the king by the
hand, saying, This is your mother. And therewith Sir Ector bare witness
how he nourished him by Uther's commandment. And therewith King Arthur
took his mother, Queen Igraine, in his arms and kissed her, and either
wept upon other. And then the king let make a feast that lasted eight
days.</p>
<p>Then on a day there came in the court a squire on horseback, leading a
knight before him wounded to the death, and told him how there was a
knight in the forest had reared up a pavilion by a well, and hath slain my
master, a good knight, his name was Miles; wherefore I beseech you that my
master may be buried, and that some knight may revenge my master's death.
Then the noise was great of that knight's death in the court, and every
man said his advice. Then came Griflet that was but a squire, and he was
but young, of the age of the king Arthur, so he besought the king for all
his service that he had done him to give the order of knighthood.</p>
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