The Death of King Arthur (11 page)

‘I see that I am hard pressed,' Lancelot replied, ‘either to die here or marry one of you. But I would rather spend the rest of my life in prison than take one of you as my wife. You are all witches and false enchanters.'

‘Is that your answer?' Morgan le Fay asked him.

‘Yes it is. I will have none of you.'

So they left him alone in his cell, lamenting his fate. When the same young lady brought him his dinner, later that day, she asked him how he was. ‘I have never been so ill used,' he replied.

‘Sir,' she said, ‘I am prepared to help you. But you must make me a promise.'

‘Willingly. I am determined to escape from these four queens who have destroyed so many good knights.'

‘I will tell you what you must do. Next Tuesday my father must meet the King of North Wales in combat. If you help him to win, I will arrange your escape tomorrow.'

‘Tell me your father's name before I give you my answer.'

‘He is King Bagdemagus.'

‘I know him well. He is a noble knight indeed. I will be happy to serve him. And you.'

‘Thank you for that. Be ready at dawn tomorrow. I will bring your horse and armour to you. Ride for ten miles until you come to an abbey of white monks. Wait for me there. I will bring my father with me.'

So on the following morning she knocked at his door, and found him ready. She had the keys to the twelve doors that held him fast. She unlocked each one in turn, and led him out into the courtyard of the castle. His horse and armour were there, together with his sword and spear. Lancelot leaped into the saddle. ‘For this relief,' he said to her, ‘much thanks. I will not fail you, lady.' Then he rode off.

He came into a great forest where there was no track or path; at nightfall he found himself in a glade where there was pitched a tent of fine red silk. ‘I will rest here,' he said, ‘until the morning.' So he tied his horse to the tent, took off his armour, and lay down upon a soft bed that he found there. Soon he was sound asleep.

The knight who owned the tent came back an hour later. He believed that his lover slept in the bed, so he lay down and kissed the sleeping body. As soon as Lancelot felt the rough beard of a man he leaped from the bed, swiftly followed by the unfortunate knight. They took up their swords, and Lancelot wounded him so badly that he was forced to concede the fight.

‘Why did you come into the bed?' Lancelot asked him.

‘This tent is my own. I was expecting my lady to be here. But now I am likely to die.'

‘I regret your wound, sir. But I was afraid of treachery. I have lately been beguiled. Let us go into your tent, and I will help you staunch the flow of blood. What is your name?'

‘Belleus.'

‘Come, Belleus.'

Sir Lancelot was binding the wounds when the lover of Belleus arrived. When she saw the blood she cried out in alarm, and almost fainted in her distress. ‘Be calm,' Belleus told her. ‘This knight is a good man. He has helped me.' Then he told her the story of their meeting.

She turned to Lancelot. ‘Sir knight, from whose court have you come? Who are you?'

‘I am Lancelot du Lake.'

‘I thought so. I have often seen you at Arthur's court, and I know you better than you imagine. But now I ask you this. For all the dangers Sir Belleus has passed through, and for the wounds he has suffered at your hands, will you make a request to the king? Will you recommend that Belleus join the Round Table? He is worthy of it.'

‘Fair lady, let him come with you to the court at the time of the next high feast. There I will put him forward. If he triumphs in arms, he will be selected.'

When dawn broke Belleus showed Lancelot the direction to the abbey of the white monks. As soon as he arrived there, the daughter of King Bagdemagus came to a window and welcomed him. She led Lancelot into a comfortable chamber, where she urged him to rest. Then she sent word to her father, and the king rode to the abbey with many of his knights. He strode into the chamber and clasped Lancelot in his arms, greeting him with warm words.

Sir Lancelot explained how he had been beguiled by Morgan le Fay. ‘Your daughter saved me, sir,' he said, ‘so I have pledged my service to her and all her kindred.'

‘So you will help me on Tuesday?'

‘Willingly. I will not fail you. I am told that the tournament will take place two miles from this abbey. Let me have three of your best knights. Give them shields painted white. Provide me with one, too. We will wait in a small wood close to the field of battle. When I see your followers fighting those of the King of North Wales, I will come out in open combat against the king. Then you will see what kind of knight I am.' Bagdemagus embraced him again.

On the following day he sent Lancelot the three knights he had requested, and their shields were painted white. They took themselves off to the wood close to the tournament and there waited their turn. First on the field came the King of North Wales; he had with him one hundred and eighty warriors, together with three knights of the Round Table. They were Sir Mordred, Sir Marhalt and Sir Gahalantine. Lancelot knew them well. You may recall that Sir Mordred was the son of King Arthur himself, fruit of the incestuous union between the king and his half-sister. King Bagdemagus entered the field with only eighty knights, and at the first challenge they were pushed back; twelve of them were killed, with only slight casualties on the side of the King of North Wales.

So Lancelot gave his men the signal to advance; they rode out together into the thickest of the press. Lancelot thrust his spear into five knights, and broke the backs of six more. Then he bore down upon the King of North Wales, who fell from his horse and broke his thigh. The three knights of the Round Table witnessed the deeds of this knight with the white shield, and wondered who he might be. ‘This is a valiant man,' Sir Marhalt said. ‘I will advance against him.' So he charged but Lancelot caught him with his sword; Marhalt fell and injured his shoulder.

‘I will bring vengeance on him,' Sir Mordred called out. He galloped forward but Lancelot forestalled him; he struck at him with his shield so forcefully that Mordred fell into a swoon.

It was now the turn of Gahalantine. He fell upon Lancelot, and they fought long and hard. But Lancelot proved the stronger. Gahalantine bowed his head in surrender, and his horse bore him away. Then Lancelot turned to the other knights, but none of them would joust against him. So King Bagdemagus was awarded the victory. He took Lancelot back to his castle, where they revelled into the night. Lancelot himself was rewarded with rich gifts.

On the following morning he said farewell to his hosts. ‘I must find my brother, Sir Lionel,' he told them, ‘who disappeared as I slept beneath an apple tree. When I woke he was gone, I do not know where.' He turned to the king's daughter. ‘Fair lady,' he said, ‘if at any time you need my service, let me know. I will not fail you. Now God be with you all.'

So Lancelot left them, and before long, he found himself upon the wide plain close to the apple tree where he had slumbered. A young woman was coming towards him on a white palfrey. ‘Can you tell me this, lady,' he called out to her, ‘where in this land will I find adventures?'

‘They are closer than you think, sir. Are you a valiant knight?'

‘Why else would I be here?'

‘I can take you to the castle of the fiercest and most powerful knight that ever lived. But first you must tell me your name.'

‘I am Lancelot du Lake.'

‘Well, Lancelot du Lake, your chance has come. Close to us here dwells Sir Tarquin, who boasts that he can beat any knight in battle. I believe that he holds many of Arthur's knights in prison, where they are tightly bound. But if you succeed, sir, you must promise me this. You will help me, and other young women, who are in daily distress from the actions of a false knight.'

‘I swear to assist you, lady.'

‘Then come with me.'

She led him to the ford and to the tree from which hung the silver basin; there he also saw the shields of Sir Lionel and the others. He beat the basin with his spear for some time, but no knight came. So Lancelot galloped with the lady around the moat and, on the other side, he saw coming towards him Sir Tarquin with another knight bound to his horse. He recognized the captured man at once: it was Sir Gaheris, a knight of the Round Table and brother of Sir Gawain.

‘I know that knight,' he told the lady. ‘By God's grace I will rescue him. And if I can wreak vengeance on his captor, I will deliver all the prisoners in the dungeon here.'

Having caught sight of Lancelot, Sir Tarquin raised his spear in defiance.

‘Put down the man you have bound,' Lancelot called to him, ‘and match your might with mine! I will avenge the knights of the Round Table!'

‘If you are of that fellowship, sir, then I defy you. Do your worst.'

So they rode against each other, exchanging many strong blows. Finding no sure victory, they leaped down from their saddles and raised their swords against each other. For two hours they fought, hot and furious, and there was no end in sight. Sir Tarquin stopped for a moment. ‘Hold your hand for a while,' he told Lancelot. ‘Listen to what I have to say.'

‘Speak.'

‘You are the strongest and most powerful knight I have ever fought. You are very like one I hate above all others. If you are not he, I make you this promise. I will release all the knights in my prison, if you tell me your name. Then the two of us will live in fellowship. I will never fail you while I have life.'

‘You speak fair words, sir. But tell me this. Who is the knight you hate above all others?'

‘His name is Sir Lancelot du Lake. He killed my brother, Sir Carados, at the Dolorous Tower. I have sworn to seek him out and slay him. I have already slaughtered a hundred knights, and wounded a hundred more, so that they could not help Lancelot. I have thrown others of his fellowship into a foul prison. Now, sir, tell me your name.'

‘I could go in peace now, or I could fight you. Prepare yourself. I am Lancelot du Lake, son of King Ban and knight of the Round Table. I killed your brother beside the Dolorous Tower. I defy you. Do your worst.'

‘Ah, Sir Lancelot. I have longed for this day. Welcome indeed. You will not depart from this place until one of us is dead.'

So they fought long and hard for more than two hours; they were like wild bulls in battle for their lives, the ground soaked with their blood. Sir Tarquin seemed to tire first; he stepped back and let down the guard of his shield. Lancelot seized the moment and slashed at his helmet with his sword; the helmet broke, and then with one blow Lancelot took off his head. Tarquin was dead.

When Sir Lancelot saw this, he went over to the lady who had led him here. ‘Fair lady, I am ready now to go wherever you wish.'

The wounded knight, Sir Gaheris, now saluted him. ‘Sir,' he said, ‘you have this day defeated the strongest and most ferocious knight in the world. Will you tell me your name?'

‘I am Lancelot du Lake. I have defended you for the sake of King Arthur, and for the sake of your brother, Gawain. When you enter this manor house, you will find many knights of the Round Table confined there. I believe that among them are my two brothers, Sir Lionel and Sir Ector, who rode this way and were never seen afterwards. When you free them, give them all my greetings. Tell Ector and Lionel to ride to the king's court and wait for me there. I will return by Pentecost, after I have fulfilled my promise to this lady.'

Then he and the lady rode off. Gaheris returned to the manor house, and went down into the dungeons. He released the knights from their cells and, seeing him wounded, they all believed that it was he who had slain Sir Tarquin. ‘Not so,' he told them. ‘Sir Lancelot du Lake is your saviour. He sends you his greetings. Are Sir Lionel and Sir Ector among you?'

‘Here!' Ector called out. ‘Still alive and now rejoicing.'

‘Sir Lancelot asks you to meet him at the court of King Arthur. He requests you to wait for him there.'

‘Oh no. We will not wait without purpose,' Sir Lionel replied. ‘While we have life and breath, we will make haste to find him.'

So after a fine supper of venison, and a night of rest, the two brothers rode out in quest of Lancelot.

Now we return to Lancelot, and the lady riding beside him. They had come to a path that led into a dark wood. ‘This is the place,' she said, ‘where a knight of ill fame attacks all women that pass. He robs them, and then he ravishes them.'

‘Robs them? And rapes them? Such a knight shames his order and dishonours his oath. He should not live. Ride on a little way, lady, and I will hide myself in the bracken here. If he comes to trouble you, I will break cover and rescue you.'

So the lady went on at a slow, ambling pace and, within a short time, a rider came out of the wood and confronted her. She cried out in fear and at once Lancelot rode from his hiding place. ‘False knight and traitor,' he called out, ‘who taught you to trouble maidens and gentlewomen?' The man pulled out his sword and charged Lancelot. But the knight hurled a spear that caught the man in the throat and instantly killed him. ‘You have suffered the punishment,' he said, ‘you have long deserved.'

‘That is the truth,' the lady told him. ‘Just as Sir Tarquin injured good knights, so this man harmed good women. His name was Sir Peris of the Savage Forest.'

‘Is there anything else I can do for you, madam?'

‘Not at this time, sir. May Almighty Jesus protect and preserve you, for you are the meekest and most gentle knight I have ever met. You lack only one thing, sir. You must find a wife. It is rumoured that you love Queen Guinevere, and that she has put an enchantment upon you; it is said that you can love no woman but her. For that reason, the great lords of the land are in deep distress.'