The Age of Chivalry

onors of knighthood, King Arthur held a grand court for the purpose of knighting him. On this occasion a strange knight presented himself, and challenged the knights of Arthur's court to exchange b

ger. "No," he replied, "but as one of the most foolish." The stranger lays his head upon the block, receives a blow which sends it rolling from his shoulders, walks after it, picks it up, replaces it with great success, and says he will return when the court shall be assembled next year, and claim his turn. When the anniversary arrived, both parties were punctual to their engagement. Great entreaties were used by the king and queen, and the whole court, in behalf o

tisfy her pique against Caradoc, persuaded the enchanter to fasten on his arm a serpent, which remained there sucking at

long wandering, Cador discovered his friend in the hermitage, reduced almost to a skeleton, and apparently near his death. All other means of relief having already been tried in vain, Cador at last prevailed on the enchanter Eliaures to disclose the only method which could avail for his rescue. A maiden must be found, his equal in birth and beauty, and loving him better than herself, so that she would expose herself to the same torment to deliver him. Two vessels were then to be provided, the one filled with sour wine, and the other with milk. Caradoc must enter the first, so that the wine should reach his neck, and the maiden must get into the other, and, exposing her bosom upon the edge of the v

re the hero and heroi

Mantle," wh

Y AND T

le dwelt K

of pass

intained his

th many

he kept his

and princ

strange and

him did

le and

y had h

es, rings,

intily

a sash

is midd

with seem

ing Arth

thee, brave

ting in t

er, thy go

and peerle

t lords and

ou all t

e deem a bl

ve a canke

ightway fr

e wand

it eke

ous shap

thou here,

is here

nto thy co

pen as

e it sha

hath been

knight in A

ced at h

came Lady

le she m

he was new-

a rov

had taken

with it

toe it shi

with shear

e it was

while to

ed on her

unseem

, now red

l of sa

e,' quoth

hou be'st

threw th

r would

rming li

hamber f

d the rasc

the mantl

cursed the

er had it

her live

he greenw

ase king, am

of them

alled fort

her to

, if thou

hee now

y, pertly

ward ste

y to the

less face

had taken

pose for

up to he

her back

ery merr

in Arthur

laughed an

at pleasa

threw th

er bold

face all p

hamber s

h came an

ng o'er h

red to the

les to h

the time o

idge shal

ilt let m

he mantl

his lad

p demure

ely to t

cing fac

the same

so fine

lled all

d her dai

le did he

ng prayer

o more hu

ssel and

threw th

rror an

a face

hamber h

ock calle

her to

this man

me cred

n this ma

it shall

st never d

t I made t

, gently

est grac

try the won

ously i

had ta'en

it on

he hem

le and t

,' she crie

me not f

y own what

ul I have

kissed Si

he greenw

ed Sir Crad

he marr

had thus h

orst faul

e soon be

mely as

h and fai

it glitter

knights in

her ev

ew-fangled-fon

f a boar's head and a drinking horn, in both of which the result was equally fav

s head, hor

fair cou

uch const

them well

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