{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart034.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart034.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart034.htm","text":"CHAPTER VIII\nHow Merlin prophesied that two the best knights of the world\nshould fight there, which were Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristram.\nTHE meanwhile as this was a-doing, in came Merlin to King Mark,\nand seeing all his doing, said, Here shall be in this same place\nthe greatest battle betwixt two knights that was or ever shall\nbe, and the truest lovers, and yet none of them shall slay other.\nAnd there Merlin wrote their names upon the tomb with letters of\ngold that should fight in that place, whose names were Launcelot\nde Lake, and Tristram. Thou art a marvellous man, said King Mark\nunto Merlin, that speakest of such marvels, thou art a boistous\nman and an unlikely to tell of such deeds. What is thy name?\nsaid King Mark. At this time, said Merlin, I will not tell, but\nat that time when Sir Tristram is taken with his sovereign lady,\nthen ye shall hear and know my name, and at that time ye shall\nhear tidings that shall not please you. Then said Merlin to\nBalin, Thou <60>hast done thyself great hurt, because that thou\nsavest not this lady that slew herself, that might have saved her\nan thou wouldest. By the faith of my body, said Balin, I might\nnot save her, for she slew herself suddenly. Me repenteth, said\nMerlin; because of the death of that lady thou shalt strike a\nstroke most dolorous that ever man struck, except the stroke of\nour Lord, for thou shalt hurt the truest knight and the man of\nmost worship that now liveth, and through that stroke three\nkingdoms shall be in great poverty, misery and wretchedness\ntwelve years, and the knight shall not be whole of that wound for\nmany years. Then Merlin took his leave of Balin. And Balin\nsaid, If I wist it were sooth that ye say I should do such a\nperilous deed as that, I would slay myself to make thee a liar.\nTherewith Merlin vanished away suddenly. And then Balan and his\nbrother took their leave of King Mark. First, said the king,\ntell me your name. Sir, said Balan, ye may see he beareth two\nswords, thereby ye may call him the Knight with the Two Swords.\nAnd so departed King Mark unto Camelot to King Arthur, and Balin\ntook the way toward King Rience; and as they rode together they\nmet with Merlin disguised, but they knew him not. Whither ride\nyou? said Merlin. We have little to do, said the two knights, to\ntell thee. But what is thy name? said Balin. At this time, said\nMerlin, I will not tell it thee. It is evil seen, said the\nknights, that thou art a true man that thou wilt not tell thy\nname. As for that, said Merlin, be it as it be may, I can tell\nyou wherefore ye ride this way, for to meet King Rience; but it\nwill not avail you without ye have my counsel. Ah! said Balin,\nye are Merlin; we will be ruled by your counsel. Come on, said\nMerlin, ye shall have great worship, and look that ye do\nknightly, for ye shall have great need. As for that, said Balin,\ndread you not, we will do what we may.\n<61>","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK II CHAPTER VIII","type":"page"}