Message #183133

[Jana Chand-Medlock]

* Guenever, the name of Arthur's queen, also written Genievre and
Geneuras, is familiar to all who are conversant with chivalric lore.
It is to her adventures, and those of her true knight, Sir
Launcelot, that Dante alludes in the beautiful episode of Francesca da
Rimini.

We must now relate what took place at or near London while Arthur
was absent from his capital. At this very time a band of young
heroes were on their way to Arthur's court, for the purpose of
receiving knighthood from him. They were Gawain and his three
brothers, nephews of Arthur, sons of King Lot, and Galachin, another
nephew, son of King Nanters. King Lot had been one of the rebel chiefs
whom Arthur had defeated, but he now hoped by means of the young men
to be reconciled to his brother-in-law. He equipped his sons and his
nephew with the utmost magnificence, giving them a splendid retinue of
young men, sons of earls and barons, all mounted on the best horses,
with complete suits of choice armor. They numbered in all seven
hundred, but only nine had yet received the order of knighthood; the
rest were candidates for that honor, and anxious to earn it by an
early encounter with the enemy. Gawain, the leader, was a knight of
wonderful strength; but what was most remarkable about him was that
his strength was greater at certain hours of the day than at others.
From nine o'clock till noon his strength was doubled, and so it was
from three to even-song; for the rest of the time it was less
remarkable, though at all times surpassing that of ordinary men.
After a march of three days they arrived in the vicinity of
London, where they expected to find Arthur and his court; and very
unexpectedly fell in with a large convoy belonging to the enemy,
consisting of numerous carts and wagons, all loaded with provisions,
and escorted by three thousand men, who had been collecting spoil from
all the country round. A single charge from Gawain's impetuous cavalry
was sufficient to disperse the escort and to recover the convoy, which
was instantly despatched to London. But before long a body of seven
thousand fresh soldiers advanced to the attack of the five princes and
their little army. Gawain, singling out a chief named Choas, of
gigantic size, began the battle by splitting him from the crown of the
head to the breast. Galachin encountered King Sanagran, who was also
very huge, and cut off his head. Agrivain and Gahariet also
performed prodigies of valor. Thus they kept the great army of
assailants at bay, though hard pressed, till of a sudden they
perceived a strong body of the citizens advancing from London, where
the convoy which had been recovered by Gawain had arrived, and
informed the mayor and citizens of the danger of their deliverer.
The arrival of the Londoners soon decided the contest. The enemy
fled in all directions, and Gawain and his friends, escorted by the
grateful citizens, entered London, and were received with
acclamations.
After the great victory of Mount Badon, by which the Saxons were for
the time effectually put down, Arthur turned his arms against the
Scots and Picts, whom he routed at Lake Lomond, and compelled to sue
for mercy. He then went to York to keep his Christmas, and employed
himself in restoring the Christian churches which the Pagans had
rifled and overthrown. The following summer he conquered Ireland,
and then made a voyage with his fleet to Iceland, which he also
subdued. The kings of Gothland and of the Orkneys came voluntarily and
made their submission, promising to pay tribute. Then he returned to
Britain, where, having established the kingdom, he dwelt twelve
years in peace.
During this time, he invited over to him all persons whatsoever that
were famous for valor in foreign nations, and augmented the number
of his domestics, and introduced such politeness into his court as
people of the remotest countries thought worthy of their imitation. So
that there was not a nobleman who thought himself of any consideration
unless his clothes and arms were made in the same fashion as those
of Arthur's knights.