after the feast and journey, King Arthur went to London, and by the counsel of Merlin the king called all his barons to a council; for Merlin had told the king that the six kings that made war on him wished to be avenged on him and his lands in all haste. Therefore the king asked all of them for counsel. They could give no advice, but said they were large enough.
“You say well, “ said Arthur, “I thank you for your good courage. But will all of you who love me speak with Merlin? You know well that he has done much for me and he knows many things. When he is before you, I would like it that you ask him heartily for his best advice.” All the barons said that they would ask and desire this of him. So Merlin was sent for and asked by the barons to give them his best counsel.
“I shall tell you,” said Merlin. “I warn you all, your enemies are passing strong for you, and they are as good men of arms as any that are alive, and by this time they have added to their number four more kings and a mighty duke. Unless it should be that our king has more knights with him than can be found within the bounds of this realm, if he fights with them in battle, he shall be overcome and slain.”
“What is the best thing to do in this case?” said all the barons.
“I shall tell you,” said Merlin, “my advice. There are two brothers beyond the sea and they are both kings and marvelous good men of their hands. The one is called King Ban of Benwick, and the other is called King Bors of Gaul, which is France. And on these two kings a mighty man with many men makes war—King Claudas—and strives with them over a castle. There is great war between them. But this Claudas is so mighty of wealth that he is able to attract good knights to him and for the most part put these two kings to the worse. Wherefore, this is my counsel: our king and sovereign lord should send to Kings Ban and Bors two trusty knights with carefully written letters, asking them to come and see King Arthur and his court. If they will help him in his wars, then he will swear to help them in their wars against King Claudas. Now what do you say to my counsel?” said Merlin.
“That is well counseled,” said the king. And in all haste two barons were ordained to take this message to these two kings. Letters were written in the most pleasing style according to King Arthur’s desire, and Ulphius and Brastias were made the messengers. So they rode forth well-horsed and well-armed in the style of that time, and crossed the sea and rode toward the city of Benwick. There at Benwick were eight knights who spied them, and at a narrow pass they met with Ulphius and Brastias and wished to take them prisoner. They asked that they might pass, for they were messengers unto King Ban and King Bors sent from King Arthur.
“Therefore,” said the knights, “you shall die or else become our prisoners, as we are knights of King Claudas.” Therewith two of them dressed their spears toward Ulphius and Brastias; then they dressed their spears and they ran together with great random. Claudas’ knights broke their spears; Ulphius and Brastias knocked these two knights out of their saddles onto the earth and left them lying there while they rode on their way. The other six knights rode ahead to another pass in order to meet with them again, and Ulphius and Brastias smote two of those down and so passed on their way. At the third and fourth passage, they met two for two, and both were laid out on the earth. All of the eight knights were thus badly hurt or else bruised.
When they came to Benwick, they were in luck: it happened that both kings, Ban and Bors, were there. Then it was told to the two kings how two messengers had come, and immediately they sent unto them two knights of worship; one was called Lionses, lord of the country of Payarne, and Sir Phariaunce, a worshipful knight. They asked immediately from whence they had come, and they said from King Arthur, the King of England. And so they took them in their arms and made great cheer of them. As soon as they knew they were messengers from Arthur there was no tarrying, but forthwith they spoke with the kings. They welcomed them most faithfully and said they were most welcome to them before all of the kings’ men who were living.
Therewith they kissed the letters and delivered them. When Kings Ban and Bors understood them and the letters, then were they even more welcome than they were before. And after quickly reading the letters they gave them this answer: that they would fulfill the desire of King Arthur as written in the letters. They bade Sir Ulphius and Sir Brastias to tarry there as long as they wished, for they should have such cheer as might be made for them in these borderlands. Then Ulphius and Brastias told the king of their adventures in the passes with the eight knights.
“Aha!” said Ban and Bors. “They were our good friends. I wished I had known about them; they would never have escaped.”
So these two knights had good cheer and great gifts—as much as they were able to carry away—and had their answer both by mouth and by writing that the two kings would come to Arthur with all the haste that they might.
These two knights rode on and crossed the sea and came to their lord. They told him how things had gone, wherefore King Arthur was passing glad and said, “When do you suppose the two kings will be here?”
“Sir,” they said, “before Allhallowsmass.”
Then the king had provision made for a great feast; he also announced tournaments and jousts throughout the realm, and the day appointed and set was at Allhallowsmass.
So time passed on and all things were made ready. These two noble kings entered the land and came over the sea with three hundred knights full well arrayed both for peace and also for war. So they were royally received and brought toward the city of London, and Arthur met them ten miles outside London, and there was made as much joy as could be thought.
On Allhallowsmass day at the great feast the three kings sat in the hall. Sir Kay the Seneschal served in the hall, as did Sir Lucan the Butler who was the son of Duke Corneus and Sir Grifflet who was the son of God of Cardal. These three knights had rule over the service that served the kings; and anon as they were ready and washed, all the knights that wished to joust made themselves ready. And when they were ready on horseback there were seven hundred knights. King Arthur, Ban, and Bors, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Sir Ector, Kay’s father were all in a place covered with cloths of gold like unto a hall, with ladies and gentlewomen there to behold who did best and thereupon to give a judgment.
CI.11
King Arthur with the two kings caused the seven hundred knights to depart in two parties; and there were three hundred knights of the realm of Benwick and Gaul that turned to the other side. They dressed their shields and couched their spears, the many good knights.
Sir Grifflet was the first that set out, and to him came a knight whose name was Sir Ladynas; they came so eagerly together that all men had wonder, and they fought so sore that their shields fell to pieces and both horses and men fell to the earth. Both the French knight and the English knight lay still so long that all men thought that they were dead. When Lucan the Butler saw Sir Grifflet lie so long, he horsed him again anon, and they two did many marvelous deeds of arms with many young knights.
Also Sir Kay came out of an ambush with five other knights, and they smote six others down. And Sir Kay did that day so many marvelous deeds of arms that there were no others who did as well as he that day.
Then there came Ladynas and Grastian, two knights of France, and they did so passing well that all men praised them. Then came in Sir Placidus, a good knight, who met with Sir Kay and smote him down, both horse and man, because of which Sir Grifflet was wroth and met with Sir Placidus so hard that horse and man fell to the earth. And when the five knights knew that Sir Kay had a fall they were wroth out of measure and therewithall each of the five bore down a knight.
When King Arthur and the two kings saw them begin to wax wroth on both sides, they leapt onto small hackneys and announced that all men should depart to their lodgings. So they went home and unarmed them, and then went to evensong and to supper.
After supper the three kings went into a garden and gave the prize to Sir Kay, Sir Lucan the Butler, and to Sir Grifflet. Then they went to a council meeting, and with them was Gwenbaus, brother to King Ban and King Bors, a wise clerk. Thither went Ulphius, Brastias, and Merlin. And after they had been in council they went to bed. In the morning they heard mass, went to dine, and so to their council, and had many arguments as to