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CHAPTER XI
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, wherefore 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.
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