Bab Bab 37 · How Balin and his brother, by the counsel of Merlin, took

. How Balin and his brother, by the counsel of Merlin, took

King Rience and brought him to King Arthur.

Then Merlin lodged them in a wood among leaves beside the highway, and

took off the bridles of their horses and put them to grass and laid

them down to rest them till it was nigh midnight. Then Merlin bade them

rise, and make them ready, for the king was nigh them, that was stolen

away from his host with a three score horses of his best knights, and

twenty of them rode to-fore to warn the Lady de Vance that the king was

coming; for that night King Rience should have lain with her. Which is

the king? said Balin. Abide, said Merlin, here in a strait way ye shall

meet with him; and therewith he showed Balin and his brother where he

rode.

Anon Balin and his brother met with the king, and smote him down, and

wounded him fiercely, and laid him to the ground; and there they slew

on the right hand and the left hand, and slew more than forty of his

men, and the remnant fled. Then went they again to King Rience and

would have slain him had he not yielded him unto their grace. Then said

he thus: Knights full of prowess, slay me not, for by my life ye may

win, and by my death ye shall win nothing. Then said these two knights,

Ye say sooth and truth, and so laid him on a horse-litter. With that

Merlin was vanished, and came to King Arthur aforehand, and told him

how his most enemy was taken and discomfited. By whom? said King

Arthur. By two knights, said Merlin, that would please your lordship,

and to-morrow ye shall know what knights they are. Anon after came the

Knight with the Two Swords and Balan his brother, and brought with them

King Rience of North Wales, and there delivered him to the porters, and

charged them with him; and so they two returned again in the dawning of

the day. King Arthur came then to King Rience, and said, Sir king, ye

are welcome: by what adventure come ye hither? Sir, said King Rience, I

came hither by an hard adventure. Who won you? said King Arthur. Sir,

said the king, the Knight with the Two Swords and his brother, which

are two marvellous knights of prowess. I know them not, said Arthur,

but much I am beholden to them. Ah, said Merlin, I shall tell you: it

is Balin that achieved the sword, and his brother Balan, a good knight,

there liveth not a better of prowess and of worthiness, and it shall be

the greatest dole of him that ever I knew of knight, for he shall not

long endure. Alas, said King Arthur, that is great pity; for I am much

beholden unto him, and I have ill deserved it unto him for his

kindness. Nay, said Merlin, he shall do much more for you, and that

shall ye know in haste. But, sir, are ye purveyed, said Merlin, for

to-morn the host of Nero, King Rience’s brother, will set on you or

noon with a great host, and therefore make you ready, for I will depart

from you.