{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart050.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart050.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart050.htm","text":"CHAPTER V\nHow at feast of the wedding of King Arthur to Guenever,\na white hart came into the hall, and thirty couple\nhounds, and how a brachet pinched the hart which\nwas taken away.\nTHEN was the high feast made ready, and the king was wedded at\nCamelot unto Dame Guenever in the church of Saint Stephen's, with\ngreat solemnity. And as every man was set after his degree,\nMerlin went to all the knights of the Round Table, and bade them\nsit still, that none of them remove. For ye shall see a strange\nand a marvellous adventure. Right so as they sat there came\nrunning in a white hart into the hall, and a white brachet next\nhim, and thirty couple of black running hounds came after with a\ngreat cry, and the hart went about the Table Round as he went by\nother boards. The white brachet bit him by the buttock and\npulled out a piece, wherethrough the hart leapt a great leap and\noverthrew a knight that sat at the <85>board side; and therewith\nthe knight arose and took up the brachet, and so went forth out\nof the hall, and took his horse and rode his way with the\nbrachet. Right so anon came in a lady on a white palfrey, and\ncried aloud to King Arthur, Sir, suffer me not to have this\ndespite, for the brachet was mine that the knight led away. I\nmay not do therewith, said the king.\nWith this there came a knight riding all armed on a great horse,\nand took the lady away with him with force, and ever she cried\nand made great dole. When she was gone the king was glad, for\nshe made such a noise. Nay, said Merlin, ye may not leave these\nadventures so lightly; for these adventures must be brought again\nor else it would be disworship to you and to your feast. I will,\nsaid the king, that all be done by your advice. Then, said\nMerlin, let call Sir Gawaine, for he must bring again the white\nhart. Also, sir, ye must let call Sir Tor, for he must bring\nagain the brachet and the knight, or else slay him. Also let\ncall King Pellinore, for he must bring again the lady and the\nknight, or else slay him. And these three knights shall do\nmarvellous adventures or they come again. Then were they called\nall three as it rehearseth afore, and each of them took his\ncharge, and armed them surely. But Sir Gawaine had the first\nrequest, and therefore we will begin at him.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK III CHAPTER V","type":"page"}