{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart016.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart016.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart016.htm","text":"CHAPTER XVII\nYet more of the same battle, and how it was ended by Merlin.\nWHEN Sir Arthur and King Ban and Bors beheld them and all their\nknights, they praised them much for their noble cheer of\nchivalry, for the hardiest fighters that ever they heard or saw.\nWith that, there dressed them a forty noble knights, and said\nunto the three kings, they would break their battle; these were\ntheir names: Lionses, Phariance, Ulfius, Brastias, Ector, Kay,\nLucas the butler, Griflet le Fise de Dieu, Mariet de la Roche,\nGuinas de Bloi, Briant de la Forest Savage, Bellaus, Morians of\nthe Castle [of] Maidens, Flannedrius of the Castle of Ladies,\nAnnecians that was King Bors' godson, a noble knight, Ladinas de\nla Rouse, Emerause, Caulas, Graciens le Castlein, one Blois de la\nCase, and Sir Colgrevaunce de Gorre; all these knights rode on\nafore with spears on their thighs, and spurred their horses\nmightily as the horses might run. And the eleven kings with part\nof their knights rushed with their horses as fast as they might\nwith their spears, and there they did on both parties marvellous\ndeeds of <31>arms. So came into the thick of the press, Arthur,\nBan, and Bors, and slew down right on both hands, that their\nhorses went in blood up to the fetlocks. But ever the eleven\nkings and their host was ever in the visage of Arthur. Wherefore\nBan and Bors had great marvel, considering the great slaughter\nthat there was, but at the last they were driven aback over a\nlittle river. With that came Merlin on a great black horse, and\nsaid unto Arthur, Thou hast never done! Hast thou not done\nenough? of three score thousand this day hast thou left alive but\nfifteen thousand, and it is time to say Ho! For God is wroth\nwith thee, that thou wilt never have done; for yonder eleven\nkings at this time will not be overthrown, but an thou tarry on\nthem any longer, thy fortune will turn and they shall increase.\nAnd therefore withdraw you unto your lodging, and rest you as\nsoon as ye may, and reward your good knights with gold and with\nsilver, for they have well deserved it; there may no riches be\ntoo dear for them, for of so few men as ye have, there were never\nmen did more of prowess than they have done today, for ye have\nmatched this day with the best fighters of the world. That is\ntruth, said King Ban and Bors. Also said Merlin, withdraw you\nwhere ye list, for this three year I dare undertake they shall\nnot dere you; and by then ye shall hear new tidings. And then\nMerlin said unto Arthur, These eleven kings have more on hand\nthan they are ware of, for the Saracens are landed in their\ncountries, more than forty thousand, that burn and slay, and have\nlaid siege at the castle Wandesborow, and make great destruction;\ntherefore dread you not this three year. Also, sir, all the\ngoods that be gotten at this battle, let it be searched, and when\nye have it in your hands, let it be given freely unto these two\nkings, Ban and Bors, that they may reward their knights withal;\nand that shall cause strangers to be of better will to do you\nservice at need. Also you be able to reward your own knights of\nyour own goods whensomever it liketh you. It is well said, quoth\nArthur, and as thou hast devised, so shall it be done. When it\nwas delivered to Ban and Bors, they gave the <32>goods as freely\nto their knights as freely as it was given to them. Then Merlin\ntook his leave of Arthur and of the two kings, for to go and see\nhis master Bleise, that dwelt in Northumberland; and so he\ndeparted and came to his master, that was passing glad of his\ncoming; and there he told how Arthur and the two kings had sped\nat the great battle, and how it was ended, and told the names of\nevery king and knight of worship that was there. And so Bleise\nwrote the battle word by word, as Merlin told him, how it began,\nand by whom, and in likewise how it was ended, and who had the\nworse. All the battles that were done in Arthur's days Merlin\ndid his master Bleise do write; also he did do write all the\nbattles that every worthy knight did of Arthur's court.\nAfter this Merlin departed from his master and came to King\nArthur, that was in the castle of Bedegraine, that was one of the\ncastles that stand in the forest of Sherwood. And Merlin was so\ndisguised that King Arthur knew him not, for he was all befurred\nin black sheep-skins, and a great pair of boots, and a bow and\narrows, in a russet gown, and brought wild geese in his hand, and\nit was on the morn after Candlemas day; but King Arthur knew him\nnot. Sir, said Merlin unto the king, will ye give me a gift?\nWherefore, said King Arthur, should I give thee a gift, churl?\nSir, said Merlin, ye were better to give me a gift that is not in\nyour hand than to lose great riches, for here in the same place\nwhere the great battle was, is great treasure hid in the earth.\nWho told thee so, churl? said Arthur. Merlin told me so, said\nhe. Then Ulfius and Brastias knew him well enough, and smiled.\nSir, said these two knights, it is Merlin that so speaketh unto\nyou. Then King Arthur was greatly abashed, and had marvel of\nMerlin, and so had King Ban and King Bors, and so they had great\ndisport at him. So in the meanwhile there came a damosel that\nwas an earl's daughter: his name was Sanam, and her name was\nLionors, a passing fair damosel; and so she came thither for to\ndo homage, as other lords did after the great battle. And King\nArthur set his love greatly upon her, and so did she upon him,\nand the king <33>had ado with her, and gat on her a child: his\nname was Borre, that was after a good knight, and of the Table\nRound. Then there came word that the King Rience of North Wales\nmade great war on King Leodegrance of Cameliard, for the which\nthing Arthur was wroth, for he loved him well, and hated King\nRience, for he was alway against him. So by ordinance of the\nthree kings that were sent home unto Benwick, all they would\ndepart for dread of King Claudas; and Phariance, and Antemes, and\nGratian, and Lionses [of] Payarne, with the leaders of those that\nshould keep the kings' lands.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK I CHAPTER XVII","type":"page"}