Kabanata Kabanata 101 · How Sir Gawaine returned to King Arthur with his

. How Sir Gawaine returned to King Arthur with his

prisoners, and how the King won a city, and how he was crowned Emperor.

Now thanked be God, said the noble King Arthur. But what manner man is

he that standeth by himself, him seemeth no prisoner. Sir, said

Gawaine, this is a good man of arms, he hath matched me, but he is

yielden unto God, and to me, for to become Christian; had not he have

been we should never have returned, wherefore I pray you that he may be

baptised, for there liveth not a nobler man nor better knight of his

hands. Then the king let him anon be christened, and did do call him

his first name Priamus, and made him a duke and knight of the Table

Round. And then anon the king let do cry assault to the city, and there

was rearing of ladders, breaking of walls, and the ditch filled, that

men with little pain might enter into the city. Then came out a

duchess, and Clarisin the countess, with many ladies and damosels, and

kneeling before King Arthur, required him for the love of God to

receive the city, and not to take it by assault, for then should many

guiltless be slain. Then the king avaled his visor with a meek and

noble countenance, and said, Madam, there shall none of my subjects

misdo you nor your maidens, nor to none that to you belong, but the

duke shall abide my judgment. Then anon the king commanded to leave the

assault, and anon the duke’s oldest son brought out the keys, and

kneeling delivered them to the king, and besought him of grace; and the

king seized the town by assent of his lords, and took the duke and sent

him to Dover, there for to abide prisoner term of his life, and

assigned certain rents for the dower of the duchess and for her

children.

Then he made lords to rule those lands, and laws as a lord ought to do

in his own country; and after he took his journey toward Rome, and sent

Sir Floris and Sir Floridas to-fore, with five hundred men of arms, and

they came to the city of Urbino and laid there a bushment, thereas them

seemed most best for them, and rode to-fore the town, where anon issued

out much people and skirmished with the fore-riders. Then brake out the

bushment and won the bridge, and after the town, and set upon the walls

the king’s banner. Then came the king upon an hill, and saw the city

and his banner on the walls, by which he knew that the city was won.

And anon he sent and commanded that none of his liege men should defoul

nor lie by no lady, wife nor maid; and when he came into the city, he

passed to the castle, and comforted them that were in sorrow, and

ordained there a captain, a knight of his own country.

And when they of Milan heard that thilk city was won, they sent to King

Arthur great sums of money, and besought him as their lord to have pity

on them, promising to be his subjects for ever, and yield to him homage

and fealty for the lands of Pleasance and Pavia, Petersaint, and the

Port of Tremble, and to give him yearly a million of gold all his

lifetime. Then he rideth into Tuscany, and winneth towns and castles,

and wasted all in his way that to him will not obey, and so to Spolute

and Viterbe, and from thence he rode into the Vale of Vicecount among

the vines. And from thence he sent to the senators, to wit whether they

would know him for their lord. But soon after on a Saturday came unto

King Arthur all the senators that were left alive, and the noblest

cardinals that then dwelt in Rome, and prayed him of peace, and

proferred him full large, and besought him as governor to give licence

for six weeks for to assemble all the Romans, and then to crown him

emperor with chrism as it belongeth to so high estate. I assent, said

the king, like as ye have devised, and at Christmas there to be

crowned, and to hold my Round Table with my knights as me liketh. And

then the senators made ready for his enthronization. And at the day

appointed, as the romance telleth, he came into Rome, and was crowned

emperor by the pope’s hand, with all the royalty that could be made,

and sojourned there a time, and established all his lands from Rome

into France, and gave lands and realms unto his servants and knights,

to everych after his desert, in such wise that none complained, rich

nor poor. And he gave to Sir Priamus the duchy of Lorraine; and he

thanked him, and said he would serve him the days of his life; and

after made dukes and earls, and made every man rich.

Then after this all his knights and lords assembled them afore him, and

said: Blessed be God, your war is finished and your conquest achieved,

in so much that we know none so great nor mighty that dare make war

against you: wherefore we beseech you to return homeward, and give us

licence to go home to our wives, from whom we have been long, and to

rest us, for your journey is finished with honour and worship. Then

said the king, Ye say truth, and for to tempt God it is no wisdom, and

therefore make you ready and return we into England. Then there was

trussing of harness and baggage and great carriage. And after licence

given, he returned and commanded that no man in pain of death should

not rob nor take victual, nor other thing by the way but that he should

pay therefore. And thus he came over the sea and landed at Sandwich,

against whom Queen Guenever his wife came and met him, and he was nobly

received of all his commons in every city and burgh, and great gifts

presented to him at his home-coming to welcome him with.

Thus endeth the fifth book of the conquest that King Arthur had against

Lucius the Emperor of Rome, and here followeth the sixth book, which is

of Sir Launcelot du Lake.

BOOK VI.