The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights Read online

  Now Merlin came riding in on a great black horse and he cried to King Arthur, "Will you never stop? Haven't you done enough? Out of threescore thousand who began the battle, only fifteen thousand are left alive. It is time to call a halt to the slaughter or God will be angry with you." And Merlin continued, "Those rebellious lords have sworn never to leave the field alive and when men are so disposed they can take many with them to their deaths. You cannot defeat them now. You can only kill them to your loss. Therefore, my lord, retire from the field as quickly as you can and let your men rest. Reward your knights with gold and silver, for they have deserved it. There are no riches too dear for them. Never have so few knights done more in honor and bravery against a greater enemy. Today your knights have matched themselves against the best fighters in the world."

  King Ban and King Bors cried, "He speaks the truth."

  Then Merlin bade them to go wherever they wished. "For three years, I can promise you, this enemy will not trouble you. These eleven lords have more on their hands than they know," Merlin said. "More than forty thousand Saracens have landed on their coasts and they ravage the country and burn and kill. They have laid siege to the castle of Wandesborow and devastated the land. Therefore, you need not fear these rebels for a long time. They will be very busy at home." And Merlin continued, "When you have gathered the spoils from the battlefield, give them to King Ban and King Bors so that they may reward their knights who fought for you. The news of this gift will go out, and when you have need of men in the future they will come to you. You can reward your own knights later."

  King Arthur said, "Your advice is good and I will follow it."

  Then the treasure of the bloody field was collected--armor and swords and jewels from the fallen men, saddles and harnesses and trappings from the war horses, the sad possessions of the dead. These valuable trophies were given to Ban and Bors, and they in turn distributed them among their knights.

  After that Merlin took his leave of King Arthur and of the brother kings from across the sea and he journeyed to Northumberland to Master Blayse, who kept a chronicle. Merlin told the story of the great battle and how it ended, and gave the names and deeds of every king and every brave knight who fought there and Master Blayse wrote it in his chronicle word for word as Merlin told it. And in Arthur's days to come Merlin carried the news of battles and adventures to Master Blayse to write in his book for future men to read and to remember.

  Having done this, Merlin returned to the castle of Bedgrayne in Sherwood Forest, where King Arthur was in residence. He arrived on the morning after Candlemas, disguised as was his delight. He came before Arthur wrapped in black sheepskin and dressed in a russet gown and with great boots on his feet. He carried a bow and a quiver of arrows and a brace of wild geese in his hand. He went before the king and said brusquely, "Sire, will you give me a gift?"

  Arthur was fooled by the disguise. He said angrily, "Why should I give a gift to a man like you?"

  And Merlin said, "You would be wise to give me a gift that is not in your hand rather than to lose riches. In the place where the battle was fought there is a treasure buried in the earth."

  "Who told you so, churl?" the king demanded.

  "My lord Merlin told me."

  Then Ulfius and Brastias knew him by his tricks and they laughed and said, "My lord, he has fooled you. It is Merlin himself."

  Then the king was abashed that he had not recognized him, and so were Ban and Bors, and they all laughed at the trick he had played. Merlin was as happy as a child at the success of his game.

  Now that the battle had fixed Arthur more nearly in his kingship, many great lords and ladies came to do him homage and among them the fair damsel Lyonors, daughter of Earl Sanam. When she came before the king he saw that she was beautiful and he loved her instantly and she returned his love and they were drawn together, and Lyonors conceived a child who was named Borre and years later he became a good knight of the Round Table.

  Now word was brought to Arthur that King Royns of North Wales had attacked King Lodegrance of Camylarde, King Arthur's friend, and the king decided to go to the aid of Lodegrance. But first the French knights who wished to go home were sent to Benwick to help defend that city against King Claudas.

  When they had gone, Arthur and Bors and Ban with twenty thousand men marched seven days to the country of Camylarde, and they killed ten thousand of King Royns's men and put the rest to flight and rescued King Lodegrance from his enemy. Lodegrance thanked them and feasted them in his castle and gave them gifts. And at the feasting King Arthur for the first time saw the daughter of King Lodegrance. Her name was Guinevere and Arthur loved her then and always, and later he made her his queen.

  Now the time had come for the French kings to depart, for word had come that King Claudas was actively at war against their lands. And Arthur offered to go with them.

  But the kings replied, "No, you must not come at this time, for you have much to do here to settle and pacify your kingdom. And we do not need your help now because, with all the gifts you have given us, we can hire good knights to help us against Claudas." And they said, "We promise you, by the grace of God, that if we need help we will send for you, and we also promise that if you have need, you have only to send for us and we will not be slow in coming to your aid. This we swear."

  Then Merlin, who was nearby, spoke a prophecy:

  "These two kings need never return to England to fight. Nevertheless, they will not be long parted from King Arthur. Within a year or two they will need his help and he will aid against their enemies as they have against his. The eleven lords of the north will all die in one day, destroyed by two valiant knights, Balin le Savage and his brother Balan." And Merlin fell silent.

  Now when the rebel lords retreated from the battlefield they went to the city of Surhaute in King Uryens's land, and there they rested and refreshed themselves and bound up their wounds, and their hearts were heavy at the loss of so many of their followers. They had not been long there when news came to them of the forty thousand Saracens who burned and ravaged their lands and of certain lawless men who took advantage of their absence to rob and burn and pillage without mercy.

  The eleven complained, saying, "Now sorrow is laid on sorrow. If we had not fought against Arthur he would help us now. We cannot hope for help from King Lodegrance because he is Arthur's friend, and Royns is too busy with his private war to help us."

  After consulting further, they decided to guard the borders of Cornwall and Wales and the north. King Idres with four thousand men was placed in the city of Nauntis in Bretagne to guard against attack by land or sea. King Nentres of Garlot with four thousand knights held the city of Windesan. Eight thousand manned the fortresses of Cornwall's boundaries, while others were detailed to defend the borders of Wales and Scotland. Thus they held together and mended their fortunes, drawing new men and new allies into their fellowship. King Royns came over to them after his defeat by Arthur. And all the while the northern lords built up their armies and gathered warlike implements and stored food against the future, for they were determined to revenge themselves on Arthur for their defeat at Bedgrayne.

  To go back to Arthur: After the departure of Ban and Bors, he went with his followers to the city of Caerleon. Then to his court came the wife of King Lot of Orkney, pretending to bring a message, but really to spy on Arthur. She came richly dressed and royally attended by knights and ladies. This wife of King Lot was a very fair lady and Arthur desired her and made love to her and she conceived a child by him who was to be Sir Mordred. The lady remained a month in Arthur's court and then departed homeward. And Arthur did not know that she was his half-sister and that, unwitting, he had fallen into sin.

  After the lady had gone from the court, and the simplicity of war was done and the mild and active fellowship of the French kings was withdrawn, there remained the realm of England, which had not really accepted Arthur as king. In war and fellowship and love he had avoided thinking of it, but now in his le
isure he was troubled and uncertain. And he dreamed a dream which frightened him, because Arthur believed dreams to be important, which they are. He dreamed that dragons and serpents crawled and slithered into his land, killing the people and burning crops and harvests with their fiery breaths. And he dreamed that he fought against them with a sick futility and they stung him and burned him and wounded him, but he fought on and on, and in the end it seemed to him that he killed many and drove the rest away.

  When Arthur awakened, his dream lay heavily upon him, black and foreboding. The day was darkened by his dream. To cast it out, he gathered a few knights and followers and rode out to hunt in the forest.

  And soon the king started a great stag, and he set spurs to his horse and gave chase. But even the chase had the quality of his dream. A number of times he came almost near enough to cast his spear at the stag, only to see it draw away from him. In his urge to kill it, he drove his horse past exhaustion, until it stumbled and foundered and fell dead, and the stag escaped. Then the king sent a servant to fetch another horse. He went to sit beside a little spring of water, and the dream feeling was still on him and his eyes drooped toward sleep. And, as he sat, he seemed to hear the baying of hounds. Then from the forest there came a strange and unnatural beast of a kind he did not know and the sound of baying hounds came from the beast's belly. The beast came to the fountain to drink, and while it was lapping water the baying stopped, but when it moved off into the deep cover of the trees, the sound of many hounds on scent came again from its belly. And the king was astonished in the dream-darkened day and his thoughts were heavy and black, and he fell asleep.

  Then it seemed to Arthur that a knight approached him on foot who said, "Knight full of thought and sleep, tell me if you saw a strange beast pass this way."

  "That I did," said the king. "But he went on into the forest. But tell me, what is your interest in this beast?"

  "Sir," said the knight, "the beast is my quest, and I have followed him for very long and killed my horse. I would to God I had another horse to follow my quest."

  Then there came a servant of Arthur's leading a horse for him and the knight begged for the horse, saying, "I have followed my quest twelve months, and I must go on."

  "Sir Knight," said Arthur, "give your quest to me and I will follow it another twelve months, for I have need of such a thing to clear me of my heavy heart."

  "You ask a foolish thing," said the knight. "It is my quest and cannot be given. Only my next of kin may take it from me." Then the knight moved quickly to the king's horse and mounted it, and he said, "Thank you, sir. This horse is now mine."

  The king cried out, "Surely you can take my mount by force, but let us decide with arms whether you deserve him more than I."

  The knight moved away, calling over his shoulder, "Not now, but at any other time you may find me here at this fountain, ready and glad to give you satisfaction." And with that he disappeared into the forest. The king ordered his man to fetch another horse, and then he fell into dark dreaming thought again.

  It was a day with a spell cast on it, a day when reality is distorted like a reflection in disturbed water. And the day continued so--for now a child of fourteen years approached and asked the king why he was pensive.

  "I have every reason," said the king, "for I have seen and felt strange and marvelous things."

  The child said, "I know what you have seen. I know all your thoughts. Also I know that only a fool worries about things he cannot cure. I know more than this. I know who you are and that King Uther was your father and Igraine your mother."

  "That is false," said Arthur angrily. "How could you know these things? You are not old enough."

  The child said, "I know these things better than you--better than anyone."

  "I don't believe you," said the king, and he was so angry at the impertinence that the child went away, and the black mood fell again on the king.

  An old man approached, a man fully fourscore years of age, with a face full of wisdom, and Arthur was glad because he needed help against his moody thoughts.

  The old man asked, "Why are you sad?"

  And the king replied, "I am sad and puzzled by many things past, but just now a child came to me and told me things he could not and should not know."

  "The child told you the truth," said the old man. "You must learn to listen to children. He would have told you much more if you had permitted. But your mind is black and closed because you have committed a sin and God is displeased with you. You have made love to your sister and got her with child. And that child will grow up to destroy your knights and your kingdom and you."

  "What are you telling me?" Arthur cried. "Who are you?"

  "I am Merlin the old man. But I was also Merlin the child to teach you to pay heed to everyone."

  "You are a man of marvels," said the king. "Always you move in mystery like a dream. As a prophecy, tell me--is it true that I must die in battle?"

  "It is God's will that you be punished for your sins," said Merlin. "But you should be glad that you will have a clean and honorable death. I am the one who should be sad, for my death is to be shameful and ugly and ridiculous."

  A heavy cloud blotted out the sky and a quick wind rattled in the tops of the forest trees.

  The king asked, "If you know the manner of your death, perhaps you can avoid it."

  "No," said Merlin. "It is there as surely as if it had already happened."

  Arthur looked upward and he said, "It's a black day, a troubled day."

  "It is a day, simply a day. You have a black and troubled mind, my lord."

  And as they talked, retainers brought up fresh horses, and the king and Merlin mounted and made their way to Caerleon, and the dark sky fringed and steely rain fell sullenly. As soon as he could the troubled king called Sir Ector and Sir Ulfius to him and questioned them about his birth and forebears. They told him that King Uther Pendragon was his father and Igraine his mother.

  "That is what Merlin told me," Arthur said. "I want you to send for Igraine. I must speak with her. And if she herself says she is my mother, only then can I believe it."

  Then quickly the queen was sent for and she came bringing her daughter Morgan le Fay, a strange fair lady. King Arthur received them and made them welcome.

  And as they sat in the great hall with all the court and the retainers seated at the long tables, Sir Ulfius arose and spoke to Queen Igraine in a loud voice so that everyone could hear. "You are a false lady," he cried. "You are a traitor to the king."

  Arthur said, "Beware what you say. You make a serious charge--one you can't withdraw."

  And Ulfius said, "My lord, I am well aware of what I say, and here is my glove to challenge any man who disapproves. I charge that this Queen Igraine is the cause of all your trouble, the cause of the discontent and rebellion in your kingdom, and the real cause of the terrible war. If while King Uther was alive she had admitted that she was your mother, the troubles and mortal wars would not have come. Your subjects and your barons have never been sure of your parentage or believed your clear claim to be king. But if your mother had been willing to take a little shame to herself for your sake and the sake of the country, these troubled times would not be on us. Therefore, I charge that she is false to you and to your kingdom, and I offer my body in combat against anyone who says contrary."

  Then all eyes turned to Igraine beside the king at the high table. She sat silent for a while with her eyes cast down. Then she raised her head and spoke gently, "I am a lone woman and I cannot fight for my honor. Is there perhaps some good man here to defend me? This is my answer to the charge. Merlin knows well, and you Sir Ulfius know how King Uther by Merlin's magic contrivance came to me in the likeness of my husband, who was already three hours dead. That night I conceived a child by King Uther, and after the thirteenth day he married me and made me his queen. By Uther's command, when my child was born, it was taken from me and given to Merlin. I was never told what had become of him, never knew his
name, never saw his face or knew his fate. I swear that this is true."

  Then Sir Ulfius turned on Merlin and said, "If what she says is true, you are more to blame than she."

  And the queen cried, "I bore a child by my lord King Uther, but I never knew what happened to him--ever."

  Then King Arthur stood up and he went to Merlin and took him by the hand and led him to Queen Igraine. He asked quietly, "Is this my mother?"

  And Merlin said, "Yes, my lord, she is your mother."

  Then King Arthur took his mother in his arms and kissed her, and he wept and she comforted him. After a time the king threw up his head and his eyes shone and he cried out that there should be a feast of gladness--a great feast to last eight days.

  It was the custom then that all of the barons and knights and retainers feasted in the great hall seated at two long tables on either side in order of their nobility and importance, while the king and great officers and ladies sat at a raised table at the end facing the assembled court. And as they feasted and drank, men came to entertain the king--singers and musicians and tellers of stories--and these stood between the long tables and faced the high seat of the king. But also to the feasts came people bringing gifts and honors or begging justice from the king's hand against malefactors. Here also stood the knights asking permission to go questing, and returning, they stood in the same place and told of their adventures. There was much more than eating and drinking at a feast.

  To Arthur's feast a squire rode into the great hall on horseback and he carried before him in his arms a dead knight. He told how in the forest a knight had set up a pavilion by a well and challenged every passing knight. The squire said, "This man has slain this good knight, Sir Miles, who was my master. I beg you, my lord, that Sir Miles may be buried honorably and that some knight may go out to revenge him." Then there was a great noise in the court and everyone shouted his advice.

  Young Gryfflet, who was only a squire, stepped before the king and asked in recognition of his service in the war that Arthur might give him knighthood.

  The king protested, "You are too young, too tender of age to take so high and stern an order on you."