Kabanata Kabanata 38 · How King Arthur had a battle against Nero and King Lot of

. How King Arthur had a battle against Nero and King Lot of

Orkney, and how King Lot was deceived by Merlin, and how twelve kings

were slain.

Then King Arthur made ready his host in ten battles and Nero was ready

in the field afore the Castle Terrabil with a great host, and he had

ten battles, with many more people than Arthur had. Then Nero had the

vanguard with the most part of his people, and Merlin came to King Lot

of the Isle of Orkney, and held him with a tale of prophecy, till Nero

and his people were destroyed. And there Sir Kay the seneschal did

passingly well, that the days of his life the worship went never from

him; and Sir Hervis de Revel did marvellous deeds with King Arthur, and

King Arthur slew that day twenty knights and maimed forty. At that time

came in the Knight with the Two Swords and his brother Balan, but they

two did so marvellously that the king and all the knights marvelled of

them, and all they that beheld them said they were sent from heaven as

angels, or devils from hell; and King Arthur said himself they were the

best knights that ever he saw, for they gave such strokes that all men

had wonder of them.

In the meanwhile came one to King Lot, and told him while he tarried

there Nero was destroyed and slain with all his people. Alas, said King

Lot, I am ashamed, for by my default there is many a worshipful man

slain, for an we had been together there had been none host under the

heaven that had been able for to have matched with us; this faiter with

his prophecy hath mocked me. All that did Merlin, for he knew well that

an King Lot had been with his body there at the first battle, King

Arthur had been slain, and all his people destroyed; and well Merlin

knew that one of the kings should be dead that day, and loath was

Merlin that any of them both should be slain; but of the twain, he had

liefer King Lot had been slain than King Arthur. Now what is best to

do? said King Lot of Orkney; whether is me better to treat with King

Arthur or to fight, for the greater part of our people are slain and

destroyed? Sir, said a knight, set on Arthur for they are weary and

forfoughten and we be fresh. As for me, said King Lot, I would every

knight would do his part as I would do mine. And then they advanced

banners and smote together and all to-shivered their spears; and

Arthur’s knights, with the help of the Knight with the Two Swords and

his brother Balan put King Lot and his host to the worse. But always

King Lot held him in the foremost front, and did marvellous deeds of

arms, for all his host was borne up by his hands, for he abode all

knights. Alas he might not endure, the which was great pity, that so

worthy a knight as he was one should be overmatched, that of late time

afore had been a knight of King Arthur’s, and wedded the sister of King

Arthur; and for King Arthur lay by King Lot’s wife, the which was

Arthur’s sister, and gat on her Mordred, therefore King Lot held

against Arthur. So there was a knight that was called the Knight with

the Strange Beast, and at that time his right name was called

Pellinore, the which was a good man of prowess, and he smote a mighty

stroke at King Lot as he fought with all his enemies, and he failed of

his stroke, and smote the horse’s neck, that he fell to the ground with

King Lot. And therewith anon Pellinore smote him a great stroke through

the helm and head unto the brows. And then all the host of Orkney fled

for the death of King Lot, and there were slain many mothers’ sons. But

King Pellinore bare the wite of the death of King Lot, wherefore Sir

Gawaine revenged the death of his father the tenth year after he was

made knight, and slew King Pellinore with his own hands. Also there

were slain at that battle twelve kings on the side of King Lot with

Nero, and all were buried in the Church of Saint Stephen’s in Camelot,

and the remnant of knights and of others were buried in a great rock.