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<h2> BOOK V. </h2>
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<h2> CHAPTER I. How twelve aged ambassadors of Rome came to King Arthur to demand truage for Britain. </h2>
<p>WHEN King Arthur had after long war rested, and held a royal feast and
Table Round with his allies of kings, princes, and noble knights all of
the Round Table, there came into his hall, he sitting in his throne royal,
twelve ancient men, bearing each of them a branch of olive, in token that
they came as ambassadors and messengers from the Emperor Lucius, which was
called at that time, Dictator or Procuror of the Public Weal of Rome.
Which said messengers, after their entering and coming into the presence
of King Arthur, did to him their obeisance in making to him reverence, and
said to him in this wise: The high and mighty Emperor Lucius sendeth to
the King of Britain greeting, commanding thee to acknowledge him for thy
lord, and to send him the truage due of this realm unto the Empire, which
thy father and other to-fore thy precessors have paid as is of record, and
thou as rebel not knowing him as thy sovereign, withholdest and retainest
contrary to the statutes and decrees made by the noble and worthy Julius
Cesar, conqueror of this realm, and first Emperor of Rome. And if thou
refuse his demand and commandment know thou for certain that he shall make
strong war against thee, thy realms and lands, and shall chastise thee and
thy subjects, that it shall be ensample perpetual unto all kings and
princes, for to deny their truage unto that noble empire which domineth
upon the universal world. Then when they had showed the effect of their
message, the king commanded them to withdraw them, and said he should take
advice of council and give to them an answer. Then some of the young
knights, hearing this their message, would have run on them to have slain
them, saying that it was a rebuke to all the knights there being present
to suffer them to say so to the king. And anon the king commanded that
none of them, upon pain of death, to missay them nor do them any harm, and
commanded a knight to bring them to their lodging, and see that they have
all that is necessary and requisite for them, with the best cheer, and
that no dainty be spared, for the Romans be great lords, and though their
message please me not nor my court, yet I must remember mine honour.</p>
<p>After this the king let call all his lords and knights of the Round Table
to counsel upon this matter, and desired them to say their advice. Then
Sir Cador of Cornwall spake first and said, Sir, this message liketh me
well, for we have many days rested us and have been idle, and now I hope
ye shall make sharp war on the Romans, where I doubt not we shall get
honour. I believe well, said Arthur, that this matter pleaseth thee well,
but these answers may not be answered, for the demand grieveth me sore,
for truly I will never pay truage to Rome, wherefore I pray you to counsel
me. I have understood that Belinus and Brenius, kings of Britain, have had
the empire in their hands many days, and also Constantine the son of
Heleine, which is an open evidence that we owe no tribute to Rome but of
right we that be descended of them have right to claim the title of the
empire.</p>
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<h2> CHAPTER II. How the kings and lords promised to King Arthur aid and help against the Romans. </h2>
<p>THEN answered King Anguish of Scotland, Sir, ye ought of right to be above
all other kings, for unto you is none like nor pareil in Christendom, of
knighthood nor of dignity, and I counsel you never to obey the Romans, for
when they reigned on us they distressed our elders, and put this land to
great extortions and tallies, wherefore I make here mine avow to avenge me
on them; and for to strengthen your quarrel I shall furnish twenty
thousand good men of war, and wage them on my costs, which shall await on
you with myself when it shall please you. And the king of Little Britain
granted him to the same thirty thousand; wherefore King Arthur thanked
them. And then every man agreed to make war, and to aid after their power;
that is to wit, the lord of West Wales promised to bring thirty thousand
men, and Sir Uwaine, Sir Ider his son, with their cousins, promised to
bring thirty thousand. Then Sir Launcelot with all other promised in
likewise every man a great multitude.</p>
<p>And when King Arthur understood their courages and good wills he thanked
them heartily, and after let call the ambassadors to hear their answer.
And in presence of all his lords and knights he said to them in this wise:
I will that ye return unto your lord and Procuror of the Common Weal for
the Romans, and say ye to him, Of his demand and commandment I set
nothing, and that I know of no truage nor tribute that I owe to him, nor
to none earthly prince, Christian nor heathen; but I pretend to have and
occupy the sovereignty of the empire, wherein I am entitled by the right
of my predecessors, sometime kings of this land; and say to him that I am
delibered and fully concluded, to go with mine army with strength and
power unto Rome, by the grace of God, to take possession in the empire and
subdue them that be rebel. Wherefore I command him and all them of Rome,
that incontinent they make to me their homage, and to acknowledge me for
their Emperor and Governor, upon pain that shall ensue. And then he
commanded his treasurer to give to them great and large gifts, and to pay
all their dispenses, and assigned Sir Cador to convey them out of the
land. And so they took their leave and departed, and took their shipping
at Sandwich, and passed forth by Flanders, Almaine, the mountains, and all
Italy, until they came unto Lucius. And after the reverence made, they
made relation of their answer, like as ye to-fore have heard.</p>
<p>When the Emperor Lucius had well understood their credence, he was sore
moved as he had been all araged, and said, I had supposed that Arthur
would have obeyed to my commandment, and have served you himself, as him
well beseemed or any other king to do. O Sir, said one of the senators,
let be such vain words, for we let you wit that I and my fellows were full
sore afeard to behold his countenance; I fear me ye have made a rod for
yourself, for he intendeth to be lord of this empire, which sore is to be
doubted if he come, for he is all another man than ye ween, and holdeth
the most noble court of the world, all other kings nor princes may not
compare unto his noble maintenance. On New Year's Day we saw him in his
estate, which was the royalest that ever we saw, for he was served at his
table with nine kings, and the noblest fellowship of other princes, lords,
and knights that be in the world, and every knight approved and like a
lord, and holdeth Table Round: and in his person the most manly man that
liveth, and is like to conquer all the world, for unto his courage it is
too little: wherefore I advise you to keep well your marches and straits
in the mountains; for certainly he is a lord to be doubted. Well, said
Lucius, before Easter I suppose to pass the mountains, and so forth into
France, and there bereave him his lands with Genoese and other mighty
warriors of Tuscany and Lombardy. And I shall send for them all that be
subjects and allied to the empire of Rome to come to mine aid. And
forthwith sent old wise knights unto these countries following: first to
Ambage and Arrage, to Alexandria, to India, to Armenia, whereas the river
of Euphrates runneth into Asia, to Africa, and Europe the Large, to
Ertayne and Elamye, to Araby, Egypt, and to Damascus, to Damietta and
Cayer, to Cappadocia, to Tarsus, Turkey, Pontus and Pamphylia, to Syria
and Galatia. And all these were subject to Rome and many more, as Greece,
Cyprus, Macedonia, Calabria, Cateland, Portugal, with many thousands of
Spaniards. Thus all these kings, dukes, and admirals, assembled about
Rome, with sixteen kings at once, with great multitude of people. When the
emperor understood their coming he made ready his Romans and all the
people between him and Flanders.</p>
<p>Also he had gotten with him fifty giants which had been engendered of
fiends; and they were ordained to guard his person, and to break the front
of the battle of King Arthur. And thus departed from Rome, and came down
the mountains for to destroy the lands that Arthur had conquered, and came
unto Cologne, and besieged a castle thereby, and won it soon, and stuffed
it with two hundred Saracens or Infidels, and after destroyed many fair
countries which Arthur had won of King Claudas. And thus Lucius came with
all his host, which were disperplyd sixty mile in breadth, and commanded
them to meet with him in Burgoyne, for he purposed to destroy the realm of
Little Britain.</p>
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<h2> CHAPTER III. How King Arthur held a parliament at York, and how he ordained the realm should be governed in his absence. </h2>
<p>NOW leave we of Lucius the Emperor and speak we of King Arthur, that
commanded all them of his retinue to be ready at the utas of Hilary for to
hold a parliament at York. And at that parliament was concluded to arrest
all the navy of the land, and to be ready within fifteen days at Sandwich,
and there he showed to his army how he purposed to conquer the empire
which he ought to have of right. And there he ordained two governors of
this realm, that is to say, Sir Baudwin of Britain, for to counsel to the
best, and Sir Constantine, son to Sir Cador of Cornwall, which after the
death of Arthur was king of this realm. And in the presence of all his
lords he resigned the rule of the realm and Guenever his queen to them,
wherefore Sir Launcelot was wroth, for he left Sir Tristram with King Mark
for the love of Beale Isould. Then the Queen Guenever made great sorrow
for the departing of her lord and other, and swooned in such wise that the
ladies bare her into her chamber. Thus the king with his great army
departed, leaving the queen and realm in the governance of Sir Baudwin and
Constantine. And when he was on his horse he said with an high voice, If I
die in this journey I will that Sir Constantine be mine heir and king
crowned of this realm as next of my blood. And after departed and entered
into the sea at Sandwich with all his army, with a great multitude of
ships, galleys, cogs, and dromounds, sailing on the sea.</p>
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<h2> CHAPTER IV. How King Arthur being shipped and lying in his cabin had a marvellous dream and of the exposition thereof. </h2>
<p>AND as the king lay in his cabin in the ship, he fell in a slumbering and
dreamed a marvellous dream: him seemed that a dreadful dragon did drown
much of his people, and he came flying out of the west, and his head was
enamelled with azure, and his shoulders shone as gold, his belly like
mails of a marvellous hue, his tail full of tatters, his feet full of fine
sable, and his claws like fine gold; and an hideous flame of fire flew out
of his mouth, like as the land and water had flamed all of fire. After,
him seemed there came out of the orient, a grimly boar all black in a
cloud, and his paws as big as a post; he was rugged looking roughly, he
was the foulest beast that ever man saw, he roared and romed so hideously
that it were marvel to hear. Then the dreadful dragon advanced him and
came in the wind like a falcon giving great strokes on the boar, and the
boar hit him again with his grizzly tusks that his breast was all bloody,
and that the hot blood made all the sea red of his blood. Then the dragon
flew away all on an height, and came down with such a swough, and smote
the boar on the ridge, which was ten foot large from the head to the tail,
and smote the boar all to powder both flesh and bones, that it flittered
all abroad on the sea.</p>
<p>And therewith the king awoke anon, and was sore abashed of this dream, and
sent anon for a wise philosopher, commanding to tell him the signification
of his dream. Sir, said the philosopher, the dragon that thou dreamedst of
betokeneth thine own person that sailest here, and the colours of his
wings be thy realms that thou hast won, and his tail which is all
to-tattered signifieth the noble knights of the Round Table; and the boar
that the dragon slew coming from the clouds betokeneth some tyrant that
tormenteth the people, or else thou art like to fight with some giant
thyself, being horrible and abominable, whose peer ye saw never in your
days, wherefore of this dreadful dream doubt thee nothing, but as a
conqueror come forth thyself.</p>
<p>Then after this soon they had sight of land, and sailed till they arrived
at Barflete in Flanders, and when they were there he found many of his
great lords ready, as they had been commanded to wait upon him.</p>
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<h2> CHAPTER V. How a man of the country told to him of a marvellous giant, and how he fought and conquered him. </h2>
<p>THEN came to him an husbandman of the country, and told him how there was
in the country of Constantine beside Brittany, a great giant which had
slain, murdered and devoured much people of the country, and had been
sustained seven year with the children of the commons of that land,
insomuch that all the children be all slain and destroyed; and now late he
hath taken the Duchess of Brittany as she rode with her meiny, and hath
led her to his lodging which is in a mountain, for to ravish and lie by
her to her life's end, and many people followed her, more than five
hundred, but all they might not rescue her, but they left her shrieking
and crying lamentably, wherefore I suppose that he hath slain her in
fulfilling his foul lust of lechery. She was wife unto thy cousin Sir
Howell, whom we call full nigh of thy blood. Now, as thou art a rightful
king, have pity on this lady, and revenge us all as thou art a noble
conqueror. Alas, said King Arthur, this is a great mischief, I had liefer
than the best realm that I have that I had been a furlong way to-fore him
for to have rescued that lady. Now, fellow, said King Arthur, canst thou
bring me thereas this giant haunteth? Yea, Sir, said the good man, look
yonder whereas thou seest those two great fires, there shalt thou find
him, and more treasure than I suppose is in all France. When the king had
understood this piteous case, he returned into his tent.</p>
<p>Then he called to him Sir Kay and Sir Bedivere, and commanded them
secretly to make ready horse and harness for himself and them twain; for
after evensong he would ride on pilgrimage with them two only unto Saint
Michael's mount. And then anon he made him ready, and armed him at all
points, and took his horse and his shield. And so they three departed
thence and rode forth as fast as ever they might till that they came to
the foreland of that mount. And there they alighted, and the king
commanded them to tarry there, for he would himself go up into that mount.
And so he ascended up into that hill till he came to a great fire, and
there he found a careful widow wringing her hands and making great sorrow,
sitting by a grave new made. And then King Arthur saluted her, and
demanded of her wherefore she made such lamentation, to whom she answered
and said, Sir knight, speak soft, for yonder is a devil, if he hear thee
speak he will come and destroy thee; I hold thee unhappy; what dost thou
here in this mountain? for if ye were such fifty as ye be, ye were not
able to make resistance against this devil: here lieth a duchess dead, the
which was the fairest of all the world, wife to Sir Howell, Duke of
Brittany, he hath murdered her in forcing her, and hath slit her unto the
navel.</p>
<p>Dame, said the king, I come from the noble conqueror King Arthur, for to
treat with that tyrant for his liege people. Fie on such treaties, said
she, he setteth not by the king nor by no man else; but an if thou have
brought Arthur's wife, dame Guenever, he shall be gladder than thou hadst
given to him half France. Beware, approach him not too nigh, for he hath
vanquished fifteen kings, and hath made him a coat full of precious stones
embroidered with their beards, which they sent him to have his love for
salvation of their people at this last Christmas. And if thou wilt, speak
with him at yonder great fire at supper. Well, said Arthur, I will
accomplish my message for all your fearful words; and went forth by the
crest of that hill, and saw where he sat at supper gnawing on a limb of a
man, baking his broad limbs by the fire, and breechless, and three fair
damosels turning three broaches whereon were broached twelve young
children late born, like young birds.</p>
<p>When King Arthur beheld that piteous sight he had great compassion on
them, so that his heart bled for sorrow, and hailed him, saying in this
wise: He that all the world wieldeth give thee short life and shameful
death; and the devil have thy soul; why hast thou murdered these young
innocent children, and murdered this duchess? Therefore, arise and dress
thee, thou glutton, for this day shalt thou die of my hand. Then the
glutton anon started up, and took a great club in his hand, and smote at
the king that his coronal fell to the earth. And the king hit him again
that he carved his belly and cut off his genitours, that his guts and his
entrails fell down to the ground. Then the giant threw away his club, and
caught the king in his arms that he crushed his ribs. Then the three
maidens kneeled down and called to Christ for help and comfort of Arthur.
And then Arthur weltered and wrung, that he was other while under and
another time above. And so weltering and wallowing they rolled down the
hill till they came to the sea mark, and ever as they so weltered Arthur
smote him with his dagger.</p>
<p>And it fortuned they came to the place whereas the two knights were and
kept Arthur's horse; then when they saw the king fast in the giant's arms
they came and loosed him. And then the king commanded Sir Kay to smite off
the giant's head, and to set it upon a truncheon of a spear, and bear it
to Sir Howell, and tell him that his enemy was slain; and after let this
head be bound to a barbican that all the people may see and behold it; and
go ye two up to the mountain, and fetch me my shield, my sword, and the
club of iron; and as for the treasure, take ye it, for ye shall find there
goods out of number; so I have the kirtle and the club I desire no more.
This was the fiercest giant that ever I met with, save one in the mount of
Araby, which I overcame, but this was greater and fiercer. Then the
knights fetched the club and the kirtle, and some of the treasure they
took to themselves, and returned again to the host. And anon this was
known through all the country, wherefore the people came and thanked the
king. And he said again, Give the thanks to God, and depart the goods
among you.</p>
<p>And after that King Arthur said and commanded his cousin Howell, that he
should ordain for a church to be builded on the same hill in the worship
of Saint Michael. And on the morn the king removed with his great battle,
and came into Champayne and in a valley, and there they pight their tents;
and the king being set at his dinner, there came in two messengers, of
whom that one was Marshal of France, and said to the king that the emperor
was entered into France, and had destroyed a great part, and was in
Burgoyne, and had destroyed and made great slaughter of people, and burnt
towns and boroughs; wherefore, if thou come not hastily, they must yield
up their bodies and goods.</p>
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