Chương Chương 12 · Of a great tourney made by King Arthur and the two kings

. Of a great tourney made by King Arthur and the two kings

Ban and Bors, and how they went over the sea.

And King Arthur and the two kings let depart the seven hundred knights

in two parties. And there were three hundred knights of the realm of

Benwick and of Gaul turned on the other side. Then they dressed their

shields, and began to couch their spears many good knights. So Griflet

was the first that met with a knight, one Ladinas, and they met so

eagerly that all men had wonder; and they so fought that their shields

fell to pieces, and horse and man fell to the earth; and both the

French knight and the English knight lay so long that all men weened

they had been dead. When Lucas the butler saw Griflet so lie, he horsed

him again anon, and they two did marvellous deeds of arms with many

bachelors. Also Sir Kay came out of an ambushment with five knights

with him, and they six smote other six down. But Sir Kay did that day

marvellous deeds of arms, that there was none did so well as he that

day. Then there came Ladinas and Gracian, two knights of France, and

did passing well, that all men praised them.

Then came there Sir Placidas, a good knight, and met with Sir Kay, and

smote him down horse and man, where fore Sir Griflet was wroth, and met

with Sir Placidas so hard, that horse and man fell to the earth. But

when the five knights wist that Sir Kay had a fall, they were wroth out

of wit, and therewith each of them five bare down a knight. When King

Arthur and the two kings saw them begin to wax wroth on both parties,

they leapt on small hackneys, and let cry that all men should depart

unto their lodging. And so they went home and unarmed them, and so to

evensong and supper. And after, the three kings went into a garden, and

gave the prize unto Sir Kay, and to Lucas the butler, and unto Sir

Griflet. And then they went unto council, and with them Gwenbaus, the

brother unto Sir Ban and Bors, a wise clerk, and thither went Ulfius

and Brastias, and Merlin. And after they had been in council, they went

unto bed. And on the morn they heard mass, and to dinner, and so to

their council, and made many arguments what were best to do. At the

last they were concluded, that Merlin should go with a token of King

Ban, and that was a ring, unto his men and King Bors’; and Gracian and

Placidas should go again and keep their castles and their countries, as

for [dread of King Claudas] King Ban of Benwick, and King Bors of Gaul

had ordained them, and so passed the sea and came to Benwick. And when

the people saw King Ban’s ring, and Gracian and Placidas, they were

glad, and asked how the kings fared, and made great joy of their

welfare and cording, and according unto the sovereign lords desire, the

men of war made them ready in all haste possible, so that they were

fifteen thousand on horse and foot, and they had great plenty of

victual with them, by Merlin’s provision. But Gracian and Placidas were

left to furnish and garnish the castles, for dread of King Claudas.

Right so Merlin passed the sea, well victualled both by water and by

land. And when he came to the sea he sent home the footmen again, and

took no more with him but ten thousand men on horseback, the most part

men of arms, and so shipped and passed the sea into England, and landed

at Dover; and through the wit of Merlin, he had the host northward, the

priviest way that could be thought, unto the forest of Bedegraine, and

there in a valley he lodged them secretly.

Then rode Merlin unto Arthur and the two kings, and told them how he

had sped; whereof they had great marvel, that man on earth might speed

so soon, and go and come. So Merlin told them ten thousand were in the

forest of Bedegraine, well armed at all points. Then was there no more

to say, but to horseback went all the host as Arthur had afore

purveyed. So with twenty thousand he passed by night and day, but there

was made such an ordinance afore by Merlin, that there should no man of

war ride nor go in no country on this side Trent water, but if he had a

token from King Arthur, where through the king’s enemies durst not ride

as they did to-fore to espy.