{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart007.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart007.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart007.htm","text":"CHAPTER VIII\nHow King Arthur held in Wales, at a Pentecost, a great\nfeast, and what kings and lords came to his feast.\nTHEN the king removed into Wales, and let cry a great feast that\nit should be holden at Pentecost after the incoronation of him at\nthe city of Carlion. Unto the feast came King Lot of Lothian and\nof Orkney, with five hundred knights with him. Also there came\nto the feast King Uriens of Gore with four hundred knights with\nhim. Also there came to that feast King Nentres of Garlot, with\nseven hundred knights with him. Also there came to the feast the\nking of Scotland with six hundred knights with him, and he was\nbut a young man. Also there came to the feast a king that was\ncalled the King with the Hundred Knights, but he and his men were\npassing well beseen at all points. Also there came the king of\nCarados with five hundred knights. And King Arthur was glad of\ntheir coming, for he weened that all the kings and knights had\ncome for great love, and to have done him worship at his feast;\nwherefore the king made great joy, and sent the kings and knights\ngreat presents. But the kings would none receive, but rebuked\nthe messengers shamefully, and said they had no joy to receive no\ngifts of a beardless boy that was come of low blood, and sent him\nword they would none of his gifts, but that they were come to\ngive him gifts with hard swords betwixt the neck and the\nshoulders: and therefore they came thither, so they told to the\nmessengers plainly, for it was great shame to all them to see\nsuch a boy to have a rule of so noble a realm as this land was.\nWith this answer the messengers <13 CHAP.IX HOW KING ARTHUR HELD\nFEAST>departed and told to King Arthur this answer. Wherefore,\nby the advice of his barons, he took him to a strong tower with\nfive hundred good men with him. And all the kings aforesaid in a\nmanner laid a siege to-fore him, but King Arthur was well\nvictualed. And within fifteen days there came Merlin among them\ninto the city of Carlion. Then all the kings were passing glad\nof Merlin, and asked him, For what cause is that boy Arthur made\nyour king? Sirs, said Merlin, I shall tell you the cause, for he\nis King Uther Pendragon's son, born in wedlock, gotten on\nIgraine, the duke's wife of Tintagil. Then is he a bastard, they\nsaid all. Nay, said Merlin, after the death of the duke, more\nthan three hours, was Arthur begotten, and thirteen days after\nKing Uther wedded Igraine; and therefore I prove him he is no\nbastard. And who saith nay, he shall be king and overcome all\nhis enemies; and, or he die, he shall be long king of all\nEngland, and have under his obeissance Wales, Ireland, and\nScotland, and more realms than I will now rehearse. Some of the\nkings had marvel of Merlin's words, and deemed well that it\nshould be as he said; and some of them laughed him to scorn, as\nKing Lot; and more other called him a witch. But then were they\naccorded with Merlin, that King Arthur should come out and speak\nwith the kings, and to come safe and to go safe, such surance\nthere was made. So Merlin went unto King Arthur, and told him\nhow he had done, and bade him fear not, but come out boldly and\nspeak with them, and spare them not, but answer them as their\nking and chieftain; for ye shall overcome them all, whether they\nwill or nill.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK I CHAPTER VIII","type":"page"}