{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart025.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart025.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart025.htm","text":"CHAPTER XXVI\nHow tidings came to Arthur that King Rience had overcome eleven\nkings, and how he desired Arthur's beard to trim his mantle.\nTHIS meanwhile came a messenger from King Rience of North Wales,\nand king he was of all Ireland, and of many isles. And this was\nhis message, greeting well King Arthur in this manner wise,\nsaying that King Rience had discomfited and overcome eleven\nkings, and everych of them did him homage, and that was this,\nthey gave him their beards clean flayed off, as much as there\nwas; wherefore the messenger came for King Arthur's beard. For\nKing Rience had purfled a mantle with kings' beards, and there\n<47>lacked one place of the mantle; wherefore he sent for his\nbeard, or else he would enter into his lands, and burn and slay,\nand never leave till he have the head and the beard. Well, said\nArthur, thou hast said thy message, the which is the most\nvillainous and lewdest message that ever man heard sent unto a\nking; also thou mayest see my beard is full young yet to make a\npurfle of it. But tell thou thy king this: I owe him none\nhomage, nor none of mine elders; but or it be long to, he shall\ndo me homage on both his knees, or else he shall lose his head,\nby the faith of my body, for this is the most shamefulest message\nthat ever I heard speak of. I have espied thy king met never yet\nwith worshipful man, but tell him, I will have his head without\nhe do me homage. Then the messenger departed.\nNow is there any here, said Arthur, that knoweth King Rience?\nThen answered a knight that hight Naram, Sir, I know the king\nwell; he is a passing good man of his body, as few be living, and\na passing proud man, and Sir, doubt ye not he will make war on\nyou with a mighty puissance. Well, said Arthur, I shall ordain\nfor him in short time.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK I CHAPTER XXVI","type":"page"}