"Ye shall not do so by mine counsel," said Sir Bors, "unless that ye were disguised." "Ye shall see me disguised," said Sir Gareth. Therewithal he saw a Welsh knight, who was sore hurt 5 by Sir Gawain, and to him Gareth rode and prayed him of his knighthood to lend him his green shield in exchange for his own. "I will gladly," said the Welsh knight. Then Sir Gareth came driving to Sir Lancelot all he might and 10 said, "Knight, defend thyself, for yonder cometh King Arthur with nine knights with him to overcome you, and so I am come to bear you fellowship for old love ye have showed me." "I thank you greatly," said Sir Lancelot. "Sir," said Gareth, "encounter ye with Sir Gawain and I will 15 encounter with Sir Palomides and let Sir Lavaine match with the noble King Arthur." Then came King Arthur with his nine knights with him, and Sir Lancelot encountered with Sir Gawain and gave him such a buffet that Sir Gawain fell to the earth. Then Sir Gareth en20 countered with the good knight, Sir Palomides, and he gave him such a buffet that both he and his horse fell to the earth. Then encountered King Arthur with Sir Lavaine and there either of them smote the other to the earth, horse and all, so that they lay a great while. 25 Then Sir Lancelot smote down Sir Agravaine, Sir Gaheris, and Sir Modred, and Sir Gareth smote down Sir Kay, Sir Safere, and Sir Griflet. And then Sir Lavaine was horsed again and he smote down Sir Lucan and Sir Bedivere, and then there began a great press of good knights. Then Sir Lancelot dashed here and there 30 and smote off and pulled off helmets, so that none might strike him a blow with spear or with sword; and Sir Gareth did such deeds of arms that all men marveled what knight he was with the green shield, for he smote down that day and pulled down more than thirty knights. 35 And Sir Lancelot marveled, when he beheld Sir Gareth do such deeds, what knight he might be! and Sir Lavaine pulled down and smote down twenty knights. Also Sir Lancelot knew not Sir Gareth, for if Sir Tristam or Sir Lamorak had been alive, Sir Lancelot would have thought he had been one of the two. So this tournament continued till it was near night, for the Knights of the Round Table rallied ever unto King Arthur, for 5 the King was wroth that he and his knights might not prevail that day. Then Sir Gawain said to the King, "I marvel where all this day Sir Bors and his fellowship of Sir Lancelot's kindred have been. I marvel all this day they be not about you. It is for some cause," said Sir Gawain. 10 "By my head," said Sir Kay, "Sir Bors is yonder all this day upon the right hand of this field and there he and his kindred have won more honor than we have." "It may well be," said Sir Gawain, "but I believe this knight with the sleeve of gold is Sir Lancelot himself. I know it by his 15 riding and by his great strokes. And the other knight in the same colors is the good young knight, Sir Lavaine. Also, that knight with the green shield is my brother, Sir Gareth, and he has disguised himself, for no man shall ever make him be against Sir Lancelot, because he made him knight." 20 "Nephew, I believe you," said King Arthur; "therefore tell me now what is your best counsel." "Sir," said Gawain, "ye shall have my counsel. Let the heralds blow the close of the tournament, for if he be Sir Lancelot and my brother, Sir Gareth, with him, with the help of that good 25 young knight, Sir Lavaine, trust me, it will be no use to strive with them, unless we should fall ten or twelve upon one knight, and that were no glory, but shame." "Ye say truth," said the King; "it were shame to us, so many as we be, to set upon them any more; for they be three good 30 knights and, particularly, that knight with the sleeve of gold." So the trumpets blew and forthwith King Arthur sent to the four kings and to the mighty duke and prayed them that the knight with the sleeve of gold depart not from them, but that the King might speak with him. Then King Arthur unarmed him and 35 rode after Sir Lancelot. And so he found him with the four kings and the duke and there the King prayed them all unto supper and they said they would, with good will. 10 And when they were unarmed, then King Arthur knew Sir Lancelot, Sir Lavaine and Sir Gareth. "Ah, Sir Lancelot," said the King, "this day ye have heated me and my knights.' And so they went unto King Arthur's lodging all together, and there was a great feast and the prize was given unto Sir Lancelot; and the heralds announced that he had smitten down fifty knights, and Sir Gareth, five and thirty, and Sir Lavaine, four and twenty knights. Then King Arthur blamed Sir Gareth, because he left his fellowship and held with Sir Lancelot. "My lord," said Sir Gareth, "he made me a knight and when I saw him so hard pressed, methought it was my duty to help him, for I saw him do so much and so many noble knights against 15 him; and when I understood that he was Sir Lancelot, I was ashamed to see so many knights against him alone." "Truly," said King Arthur unto Sir Gareth, "ye say well, and manfully have you done and won for yourself great honor, and all the days of my life I shall love you and trust you more and 20 more. For ever it is an honorable knight's deed to help another honorable knight when he seeth him in great danger; for ever an honorable man will be sorry to see a brave man shamed. But he that hath no honor, and acts with cowardice, never shall he show gentleness nor any manner of goodness, where he seeth a 25 man in any danger; for then ever will a coward show no mercy. And always a good man will do ever to another man as he would be done to himself." So then there were great feasts and games and play, and all manner of noble deeds were done; and he that was courteous, 30 true, and faithful to his friend, was that time cherished. NOTES AND QUESTIONS Discussion. 1. What was the condition of Arthur's kingdom when he began to reign? 2. What was Arthur's purpose in founding the Order of the Round Table? 3. Why was a training in strength and bravery in battle necessary to these knights? 4. What way of supplying this training is described in this story? 5. Tell what you know of this custom. 6. Have we any contests of skill that bear any resemblance to this in method or purpose? 7. Give a brief account of the tournament at Winchester. 8. What plan had Lancelot for disguising himself? 9. What reasons had he for such a plan? 10. How was Lancelot's personality shown in the impression he made on the baron? 11. What custom of the joust is indicated by Elaine's request? 12. Picture the scene as the tournament opened; where was the King? Where were the opposing knights? 13. What knightly qualities did Lancelot show in this contest? 14. How would a "full noble surgeon" of King Arthur's time compare with a present-day surgeon? 15. Why did Lancelot call his injury "a little hurt" when speaking to Elaine? 16. What qualities are we told were most admired in the days of chivalry? 17. Is this true of the present time? 18. What quality of Lancelot do you admire most? with his fellowship, 126, 9 undertake he will do marvels, 126, 18 my heart giveth unto you, 127, 7 might not serve him thereto, 130, 19 Phrases suffer me, 131, 6 a full noble surgeon, 131, 27 THE PASSING OF ARTHUR HOW SIR MODRED PLOTTED AGAINST SIR LANCELOT AND OF THE DEATH OF SIR GAWAIN AND TWELVE KNIGHTS Before Merlin passed from the world of men, he uttered many marvelous prophecies and one that boded ill for King Arthur. He foretold that a son of Arthur's sister should stir up bitter war against the King and that a great battle should be fought in the 5 West when many brave men should find their doom. Among the nephews of King Arthur was one most dishonorable; his name was Modred. No knightly deed had he ever done and he hated even to hear the good report of others. Of all who sat at the Round Table there was none that Modred hated more 10 than Sir Lancelot du Lac, whom all true knights held in most honor. In his jealous rage he spoke evil of the Queen and Sir Lancelot. Now Modred's brothers, Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth, refused to listen to these slanders, holding that Sir Lancelot, in his knightly service to the Queen, did honor to King Arthur 15 also. When these evil tales reached King Arthur, he rebuked the tale bearers and declared his faith in Sir Lancelot and his lady, the Queen. But Modred, enraged by the rebuke, determined to find cause against them, and not long after it seemed that the 20 occasion had come. For when King Arthur had ridden forth to hunt far from Carlisle, where he then held court, the Queen sent for Lancelot to speak with her in her bower. Modred and his brother, Sir Agravaine, got together twelve knights, persuading them that they were doing the King a service. They waited until 25 they saw Lancelot enter all unarmed and then called to him to come forth. The whole court echoed with their cries of "Traitor." Lancelot, arming himself in haste, rushed out upon them and soon the entire company lay cold in death upon the earth. Only Modred escaped, for he fled, but even so he was 30 sore wounded. |