King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

ror of Rome, demanding, under pain of war, tribute and homage from King Arthur,

ing that their speech was a rebuke to all who heard the king insulted by it. But when King Arthur heard that, he ordered none to touch them upon pain of death; and sending officers, he had them taken to a

Cador of Cornwall speaking first, said, "Sir, this message is the best news I have heard for a long time, for we have been now idle

pay him tribute; wherefore, lords, I pray ye counsel me. Now, I have understood that Belinus and Brennius, knights of Britain, held the Roman Empire in their hands for many days, a

r to obey the Romans. For when they reigned here they grievously distressed us, and put the land to great and heavy burdens; and here, for my part, I swear to avenge

dukes, and barons, promised aid-as the lord of West Wales thirty thousand men, Sir Ewaine and his cousin thirty thou

doms by the will of God and by my own right arm, and I am strong enough to keep them, without paying tribute to any earthly creature. But, on the other hand, I claim both tribute and submission from himself, and also claim the sovereignty of all his empire, whereto I am entitled by the right of my own a

great gifts, and defray all their charges, and appointe

nd said, "I thought this Arthur would have instantly obeyed my orders and have served me

hou hast counted on. He meaneth to be master of this empire; and is another kind of man than thou supposest, and holdeth the most noble court of all the world. We saw him on the new year's day, served at his table

nd a wondrous great multitude of people. Fifty giants also, born of fiends, were set around him for a body-guard. With all that host he straightway went from Rome, and passed bey

r Bors, Sir Lionel, and Sir Bedivere to the Emperor, commanding him "to move swiftly and in haste out of his land, and, if not, to make himself ready for battle, and not continue ravaging the country and slaying harmless

n ambush, and gave King Arthur's message. To which the Emperor replied, "

nd cried out, "I had rather than all Fra

so," said

hed out aloud, and said, "Lo! how these Britons boast and are

nd Sir Bedivere were waiting. The Romans followed fast behind them till the knights turned and stood, and then Sir Bors smote the foremost of them through the body with a spear, and slew him on the spot. Then came on Calibere, a huge Pav

drew his good sword Galotine, and swore to see King Arthur's face no more if those two knights were not delivered; and then, with good Sir Idrus, made so sore an onslaught that the Romans fled

his host, he said, "Sirs, I admonish you that this day ye fight and acquit yourselves as men; and remembering how Rome is chief of all the earth, and mistress o

hur, with his mightiest knights, rode down into the thickest of the fight, and drew Excalibur, and slew as lightning slays for swiftness and for force. And in the midmost crowd he met a giant, Gala

Arthur with a fearful wound across the face, and Arthur, in return, lifting up Excalibur on high, drove it with all his force upon the Emperor's head, shivering his helmet, crashing his head in halves, and s

eaden coffins, covered with their shields and arms and banners. Then calling for three senators who were taken prisoners, he said to them, "As the ransom of your lives, I will that ye take these dead bodies and carry them to Rome, and there present them for me, with these lett

Rome; the body of the Emperor being carried in a chariot blazoned with the arms of t

y which refused to obey him, wherefore he sat down before it to besiege it. And after a long time thus spent, King Arthur called Sir Florence, and told him they began to lack food for his hosts-"And not far from hence," said he,

Sir Gawain took his horse and rode away from his fellows to seek some adventure. Soon he saw an armed knight walking his horse by a wood's side, with his shield laced to his shoulder, and no attendant with him save a page, bearing a mighty spear; and o

nd speakest proud words; yet I counsel thee, for all

tine struck his enemy through shield and hauberk, and splintered into piece all the precious stones of it, and made so huge a wound that men might see both lungs and liver. At that the Tuscan, groaning loudly, rushed on to Sir Gawain, and gave him a deep slanting stroke, and made a mighty wound

ful words give me no fear, for thou shalt suffer greater grief and

u wilt aid and succor me to become christened, and to belie

to grant all thy wishes. But tell me first, what sough

and Maccab?us. I am of right the king of Alexandria, and Africa, and all the outer isles, yet I would believe in the Lord thou worshipest, and for thy labor I will give thee treasure enoug

rought up many years in the wardrobe of the noble

, his knights must be passing good! Now, for the love of h

ll thee the truth. My name is Sir Gawain

e as thou hast done. But now, Sir knight, I warn thee that close by is the Duke of Lorraine, with sixty thousand good men of war; and we had both best flee at once, for he will find us else, and we be sorel

night. When Sir Whishard saw Sir Gawain so hurt, he ran to him weeping, and asked him who it was had wounded him; and Sir Gawain told him how he had fought with that man-pointin

filled from the four rivers that flow out of Paradise, and anointed both their wounds with a certain balm, and washed them with that water, and within an hour afterwards they were both as sound and whole as ever they had been. Then, at the sound of a trum

t once encounter them, and see what they c

dor and courage, comforted his knights, saying, "They all are ours." Then the seven hundred knights, in one close company, set spurs to their horses and began to gallop, and fiercely met their enemies. And then were men and hor

eart, for now behold them as they flee! they are full se

left dead upon the field. Then Sir Gawain and his company collected a great plenty of cattle, and of

who is he that standeth yonder by h

o be made a Christian. Had it not been for his warnings, we none of us should have been here this da

ed, and made a duke and

t him to receive their submission. To whom the king made answer, with a noble countenance, "Madam, be well assured that none shall harm ye, or your ladies; neither shall any that belong to thee be hurt; but the Duke must abide my judgment." T

uld receive him for their lord and governor. In answer, came out to him all the Senate who remained alive, and the Cardinals, with a majestic retinue and procession; and laying great treasures at h

and princes, and great lords, arrayed in gold and jewels, such as never were beheld before. And t

ghts and servants, to each one after his deserving, and in such wise fashion that no man among them all com

finished, and thy conquests all achieved; for now in all the world is none so great and mighty as to dare make war with thee. Wherefore we beseech and heartily pray thee of thy noble grace

God is no wisdom; therefore make ready in

ded that no man, upon pain of death, should rob or do any violence by the way. And crossing the sea, he came at length to Sandwich, where Queen