transcript

Speaker 1:
[00:01] Good evening, and welcome back to The Sleepy Bookshelf, where we put down our worries from the day and pick up a good book. I'm your host, Elizabeth, and I'm so glad you chose to be here tonight. This evening, we are returning to King Arthur and The Knights of the Round Table, but before that, we'll take a moment to relax and get ready for sleep. Concentrate on how your body feels, and where you are holding any tension. Take a big stretch, and allow those areas to fully relax and sink into your bed. Now let's take some nice deep breaths, inhale, and collect all your thoughts and concerns from the day. And exhale, letting them all go. Once more now, inhale, and exhale. Lovely. When King Vortigaun the Usurper was told that the rightful heirs were coming to reclaim the throne, he demanded a protective tower be built for him. But whenever they built it, the walls would come tumbling down. Vortigaun consulted the wizards, who told him he must smear the castle in the blood of a boy with no parentage, so his soldiers picked a boy off the street called Merlin who fit the description. Merlin told the wizards the tower was being built on an underground lake. And when they found that, to drain the lake, as there they would find two dragons, who each night awaken and fight each other, causing the ground to shake. He explained to Vortigaunt that the dragons represented the true heirs of Britain's throne, and that hide as Vortigaunt might, good would overcome sin, and he would burn in his tower. When the rightful king Aurelius arrived at the tower and could not gain entry, he did set fire to it, and reclaimed his throne. Many years later, when the Duke of Cornwall was killed in battle, Merlin was called on to assist Aurelius in getting his widow, the beautiful Igerna, to marry him. Merlin assented, under the condition that Aurelius would give his first-born son to Merlin, to be cared for by a knight named Sir Hector. Aurelius finally died from illness, and announced on his deathbed that Arthur would succeed him, but the noblemen were furious that some strange boy would be king. All the barons and knights met at St. Paul's on Christmas Eve, where a stone appeared in the doorway, holding a sword, bearing the note that he who shall remove the sword from the stone will be the next king of Britain. But none could pull it out. A jousting event was held on New Year's Eve, and Sir Hector came with Arthur and his oldest son, the newly knighted Sir Key. Sir Key had forgotten his sword, and so Arthur went to St Paul's, and pulled the sword from the stone with ease. News spread, and after many delays, Arthur was crowned king. There remained, however, a group of rebels who were very displeased. Whilst at the second coronation in Wales, Merlin took Arthur to meet the Lady of the Lake, who bestowed upon Arthur a special sword, as long as he promised to grant her a favor at some time in the future. We pick up tonight with Arthur and Merlin, riding back to Caerleon. So just lie back and relax, as I turn to the next pages of King Arthur and the Round Table. Chapter 2 continued. On the morrow, Merlin bade King Arthur to set fiercely on the enemy. And in the meanwhile, three hundred good knights went over to King Arthur from the rebel side. Then, King Lot, King Carrados, and the King of the Hundred Knights, who also was with them going round to the rear, set on King Arthur fiercely from behind. But King Arthur, turning to his knights, fought ever in the foremost press, until his horse was slain beneath him. At that, King Lot rode furiously at him, and smote him down. And therewith, falling on them afresh with all his knights, he drove them back, and slew them in great numbers. And Merlin, by his arts, scattered among them fire and pitchy smoke, so that they broke and fled. Thus won King Arthur his first battle, and put his enemies to shame. Then, with a host of 50,000 men at arms on horseback and 10,000 foot, they were soon ready, and sent forth their four riders, and drew from the northern country towards King Arthur, to the castle of Bedgrain. But he, by Merlin's council, had sent over sea to King Ban of Benwick, and King Bors of Gaul, praying them to come and help him in his wars, and promising to help them in return against King Claudus, their foe. To which those kings made answer that they would joyfully fulfill his wish, and shortly after came to London, with three hundred knights, well arrayed for both peace and war, leaving behind them a great army on the other side of the sea, till they had consulted with King Arthur and his ministers, how they might best dispose of it. And Merling, being asked for his advice and help, agreed to go himself and fetch it over sea to England, which in one night he did, and brought with him ten thousand horsemen, and led them northward, privately, to the forest of Bedgrain. And there lodged them in a valley, secretly. Then by the Council of Merlin, when they knew which way the eleven kings would ride and sleep, King Arthur, with kings Ban and Bors, made themselves ready with their army for the fight, having yet but thirty thousand men, counting the ten thousand who had come from Gaul.

Speaker 2:
[11:19] Now, shall you do my advice?

Speaker 1:
[11:22] said Merlin.

Speaker 2:
[11:25] I would that King Ban and King Bors, with all their fellowship of ten thousand men, were led to ambush in this wood-air daylight, and stir not therefrom until the battle hath been long waged, and thou, Lord Arthur, at the spring of day, draw forth thine army before the enemy, and dress the battle so that they may at once see all thy hosts, for they will be more rash and hardy when they see that you have but twenty thousand men. To this, the Three Knights and the Barons heartily consented, and it was done as Merlin devised.

Speaker 1:
[12:08] So on the morrow, when the hosts beheld each other, the host of the north was greatly cheered to find so few led out against them. Then gave King Arthur the command to Sir Ulfius and Sir Brastius to take three thousand men at arms and to open battle. They therefore, setting fiercely on the enemy, slew them on the right hand and the left, till it was wonderful to see their slaughter. When the eleven kings beheld so small a band doing such mighty deeds of arms, they were ashamed and charged them fiercely in return. Then was Sir Ulfius' horse slain under him, but he fought well and marvellously on foot against Duke Eustace and King Clariants, who set upon him grievously, till Sir Brastius, seeing his great peril, pricked towards them swiftly, and so smote the duke through with his spear, that the wholesome man fell down and rolled over. Whereat, King Clariants turned upon Sir Brastius, and rushing him fiercely together, they each unhorsed the other and fell both to the ground, and there lay a long time stunned. Then came Sir Key, the censor shell, with six companions and did wondrous well, till the eleven kings went out against them and overthrew Sir Grifflett and Sir Lucas the butler. And when Sir Key saw Sir Grifflett unhorsed and on foot, he rode against King Nantas hotly and smote him down, and led his horse to Grifflett and horsed him again. With the same spear did Sir Key smite down King Lot, and wounded him full sore. And when Sir Grifflett saw Sir Key's mischance, he set his spear in rest, and riding at a mighty man at arms, he cast him down, headlong, and caught his horse, and led it straight away to Sir Key. By now the battle was growing perilous and hard, and both sides fought with rage and fury. And Sir Ophius and Sir Bastius were both afoot and in great danger of their death, and foully stained and trampled under horses' feet. Then King Arthur, putting spurs to his horse, rushed forward like a lion into the midst of all the melee, and singling out King Cradlemont of North Wales, smote him through the left side and overthrew him. And taking his horse by the rein, he brought it to Sir Ophius in haste, and said, Take this horse, mine old friend, for thou hast great need of honour, and charge by side of me. And even as he spoke, he saw Sir Hector, Sir Key's father, smitten to the earth by the King of the Hundred Knights, and his horse taken to King Cradlemont. But when King Arthur saw him ride upon Sir Hector's horse, his wrath was very great, and with his sword he smote King Cradlemont upon the helm, and shore off the fourth part thereof and of the shield, and drive the sword onward, and hurled the King upon the ground. And now the battle waxed so great and furious, that all the noise and sound thereof rang out by water and by wood, so that kings ban and bores, with all their knights and men-at-arms in ambush, hearing the tumult and the cries, trembled and shook for eagerness, and scarce could stay in secret, but made them ready for the fray, and dressed their shields and harness. But when King Arthur saw the fury of the enemy, he raged like a mad lion, and stirred and drove his horse now here, now there, to the right hand, and to the left, and stayed not in his wrath till he had slain full twenty knights. He wounded also King Glott, so sorely in the shoulder that he left the field, and in great pain, and Dollar cried out to the other kings, Do ye as I devise, or we shall be destroyed?

Speaker 3:
[17:52] Ay, with the king of the hundred knights, King Anglican, King Edda, and the duke of Cambernet will take fifteen thousand men and make a circuit, meanwhile that ye do hold the battle with twelve thousand. Then coming suddenly, we will fall fiercely on them from behind and put them to the route, but else we shall never stand against them.

Speaker 1:
[18:25] So Lot and four kings departed with their party to one side, and the six other kings dressed their ranks against King Arthur and fought long and stoutly. But now, kings Ban and Bors, with all their army fresh and eager, broke from their ambush and met face to face the five kings and their host as they came around behind, and then began a frantic struggle with breaking of spears and clashing of swords and slaying of men and horses.

Speaker 3:
[19:07] A non-king lord, aspiring in the midst, King Bors, cried out in dismay, Our lady now defend us from our death, and fearful wounds, our peril groweth great, for yonder cometh one of the worshipfulest kings and best knights in all the world.

Speaker 2:
[19:30] Who is he?

Speaker 1:
[19:32] Said the king of the Hundred Knights. It is King Bors of Gaul, replied King Glott.

Speaker 3:
[19:39] Much I marvel how he might come with all his host into this land without our knowledge. Aha!

Speaker 1:
[19:48] Cried King Carrados.

Speaker 3:
[19:50] I will encounter this king if you will rescue me when there is need.

Speaker 1:
[19:55] Ride on, said they. So King Carrados and all his host rode softly till they came within bow shot of King Bors, and then both hosts, spurring their horses to their greatest swiftness, rushed at each other. And King Bors encountered in the onset with a knight, and struck him through with a spear, so that he fell dead upon the earth. Then drawing his sword, he did such mighty feats of arms, that all who saw him gazed with wonder. And on, King Ban came also forth upon the field, with all his knights, and added yet more fury, sound and slaughter. Till at length both hosts of the Eleven Kings began to quake, and drawing all together into one body, they prepared to meet the worst, while a great multitude already fled. See ye not what people we have lost in the waiting on the footmen, and that it cost ten horsemen to save one of them. Therefore, it is my council to put away our footmen from us, for it is almost night, and King Arthur will not stay to slaughter them, so they can save their lives in this great wood hard by. Then let us gather into one band all the horsemen that remain, and whoso breaketh rank or leaveth us, let him be straight away slain by him that seeth him.

Speaker 3:
[21:55] How say you?

Speaker 1:
[21:57] Said King Lot.

Speaker 3:
[21:59] Answer me all ye kings.

Speaker 1:
[22:03] It is well said, replied they all. And swearing they would never fail each other, they mended and set right their armor and their shields, and took new spears and set them steadfastly against their thighs, waiting. And so stood still as a clump of trees stands on the plain, and no assaults could shake them. And so said also King's bannermores, and praised them greatly for their noble chivalry. But now came forty noble knights out of King Arthur's host, and prayed that he would suffer them to break the enemy. And when they were allowed, they rode forth with their spears upon their thighs and spurred their horses to their hottest. Then the eleven kings, with a party of their knights, rushed with set spears as fast and mightily to meet them. And when they were encountered, all the crash and splinter of their spears and armor rang with a mighty din. And so fierce and bloody was their onset, that in all that day there had been no such cruel press and rage and smiting. At that same moment, rode fiercely into the thickest of the struggle King Arthur and Kings ban and oars, and slew downright on both hands right and left, until their horses went in blood up to the fetlocks. And while the slaughter and the noise in the shouting writ their greatest, suddenly there came down through the battle Merlin the Wizard, upon a great black horse. And riding to King Arthur, he cried out, Alas, my lord, will you never have done?

Speaker 2:
[24:53] Of sixty thousand have you left but fifteen thousand men alive? Is it not time to stay the slaying? For God is ill-pleased with ye that ye have never ended, and yonder kings shall not be altogether overthrown this time. But if ye fall upon them any more, the fortune of this day will turn and go to them. Withdraw, Lord, therefore, to thy lodging, and there now take thy rest. Today thou hast won a great victory and overcome the noblest chivalry of all the world. And now for many years those kings shall not disturb thee. Therefore I tell thee, fear them no more, for now they are sorely beaten, and they have nothing left but their honor. Why shouldest thou slay them to take that?

Speaker 1:
[25:51] Then said King Arthur, Thou sayest well, and I will take thy council. With that he cried out, Ho! for the battle to cease, and sent forth heralds through the field to stay more fighting, and gathering all the spoil, he gave it not amongst his own host, but to King's ban and bores, and all their knights and men at arms, that he might treat them with the greater courtesy as strangers. Then Merlin took his leave of Arthur and the two other kings, and went to see his master, Blaise, a holy hermit, dwelling in Northumberland, who had nourished him through all his youth. And Blaise was passing glad to see him, for there was a great love ever between them. And Merlin told him how King Arthur had spared in the battle, and how it had ended, and told him the names of every king and knight of worship who was there. So Blaise wrote down the battle, word for word, as Merlin told him. And in the same way ever after, all the battles of King Arthur's days, Merlin caused Blaise, his master, to record. Chapter 3 Arthur Drives the Saxons from His Realm And none thereafter came word to King Arthur that Reynes, King of North Wales, was making war upon King Leodegrant's of Camelgaard, whereat he was passing wrath, for he loved Leodegrant's well and hated Reynes. So he departed with King's ban and bores and twenty thousand men, and came to Camelgaard and rescued Leodegrant's, and slew ten thousand of Reynes' men and put him to flight. Then Leodegrant's made a great festival to the three kings, and treated them with every manner of myrrh and pleasure which could be devised. And there had King Arthur the first sight of Guinevere, daughter of Leodegrant's, whom in the end he married, as shall be told hereafter. Then did kings Ban and Bors take leave, and went to their own country, where King Claudus worked great mischief. And King Arthur would have gone with them, but they refused him, saying, Ney, ye shall not at this time, ye have yet much to do in these lands of your own. And we with the riches we have won here by your gifts, shall hire a great many good knights, and by the grace of God, withstand the malice of King Claudus.

Speaker 2:
[29:24] And if we have need, we will send for you to succour.

Speaker 1:
[29:27] And likewise you, if you have need, send for us, and we will not tarry by the faith of our bodies. When the two kings had left, King Arthur rode to Carlyon, and Thither came to him his half-sister Bellesund, wife to King Lod, sent as a messenger, but in truth, to espy his power. And with her came a noble retinue, and also her four sons, Gawain, Gahras, Agravan, and Gareth. But when she saw King Arthur and his nobleness, and all the splendor of his knights and service, she forebore to spy upon him as a foe, and told him of her husband's plots against him and his throne. And the king, not knowing that she was his half-sister, made great court to her, and being full of admiration for her beauty, loved her out of measure, and kept her a long season at Carlyon, wherefore her husband, King Lot, was more than ever King Arthur's enemy, and hated him till death with a passing great hatred. At that time, King Arthur had a marvellous dream, which gave him great disquietness of heart. He dreamed that the whole land was full of many fiery griffins and serpents, which burned and slew the people everywhere, and then that he himself fought with them, and that they did him mighty injuries and wounded him nigh to death, but that at last he overcame and slew them all. When he woke, he sat in great heaviness of spirit and pensive-ness, thinking what this dream might signify. But by and by, when he could by no means satisfy himself what it might mean, to rid himself of all his thoughts of it, he made ready, with a great company, to ride out hunting. As soon as he was in the forest, the king saw a great hearth before him, and spurred his horse and rode long eagerly after it, and chased until his horse lost breath and fell down from under him. Then, seeing the hearth escaped, he sat down by a fountain, and fell into deep thought again. And as he sat there alone, he thought he heard the noise of hounds, as if it were some thirty couple in number. And looking up, he saw coming towards him the strangest beast that ever he had seen or heard tell of, which ran towards the fountain and drank of the water. Its head was like a serpent's, with a leopard's body and a lion's tail, and it was footed like a stag, and the noise was in its belly, as it were the baying or questing of thirty couple of hounds. While it drank, there was no noise within it, but presently, having finished, it departed with a greater sound than ever. The king was amazed at all this, but being greatly wearied, he fell asleep, and was before long waked up by a knight on foot, who said, Knight, full of thought and sleepy, tell me if thou sawest a strange beast pass this way. Such a one I saw, said King Arthur to the knight, that is now two miles distant at the least. What would you with that beast? Sir, said the knight, I have followed it for a long time, and have tired my horse, and would to heaven I had another to pursue my quest withal. At that moment came a yeoman with another horse for the king, which when the knight saw, he earnestly prayed to be given him. For I have followed this quest, said he, twelve months, and either I shall achieve him or bleed of the best blood of my body. It was King Pelanor who at the time followed the questing beast, but neither he nor King Arthur knew each other. Sir Knight, said King Arthur, leave that quest and suffer me to have it, and I will follow it another twelve months. Oh, fool, said the Knight, a desire is utterly in vain, which shall never be achieved but by me, or by my next of kin. Therewith he started to the King's horse and mounted to the saddle, crying out, Gramercy, this horse is mine. Well, said the King, thou mayst take my horse by force, and I will not say nay, till we prove whether thou or I be best on horseback I shall not rest content. Seek me here, said the Knight, whenever thy willed, and here by this fountain, thou shalt find me. And so he passed forth on his way. Then sat King Arthur in a deep fit of study, and bade his yeoman fetch him yet another horse as quickly as they could. And when they left him all alone, came Merlin, disguised as a child of fourteen years of age, and saluted the King, and asked him why he was so pensive and heavy. I may well be pensive and heavy, he replied, for here even now I have seen the strangest sight I ever saw. That know I well, said Merlin, as well as thyself, and also all thy thoughts. Thou art foolish to take thought, for it will not amend thee.

Speaker 3:
[36:38] Also I know what thou art, and I know thy father and thy mother.

Speaker 1:
[36:43] That is false, said King Arthur. How shouldest thou know? Thou years are not enough. Yea, said Merlin.

Speaker 3:
[36:52] But I know better than thou how thou'st was born, and better than any man living.

Speaker 1:
[36:58] I will not believe thee, said King Arthur, and was wroth with the child. So Merlin departed, and came again in the likeness of an old man of four score years of age. The king was glad at his coming, for he seemed wise and venerable. Then said the old man, Why art thou so sad?

Speaker 4:
[37:45] And more would he have told thee, hast thou suffered him? But I will tell thee wherefore thou art sad. For thou hast done a thing of late for which God is displeased with thee, and what it is thou knowest in thy heart, though no man else may know.

Speaker 1:
[38:07] What are thou, said King Arthur, starting up all pale? But tell us me these tidings. As they talked, came one with the king's horses, and so King Arthur mounting one, and Merlin another. They rode together to Carlyon, and Merlin prophesied to Arthur of his death, and also foretold his own end. And now, King Arthur, having utterly disbursed and overwhelmed those kings who had so long delayed his coronation, turned all his mind to overthrow the Saxon heathens, who yet in many places spoiled the land. Calling together, therefore, his knights and men-at-arms, he rode with all his hosts to York, where Colgrin, the Saxon, lay with a great army. And there he fought a mighty battle, long and bloody, and drove him into the city and besieged him. Then Baldr, Colgrin's brother, came secretly with six thousand men to assail King Arthur and to raise the siege. But King Arthur was aware of him, and sent six hundred horsemen and three thousand foot to meet and fall on him instead. This therefore they did, encountering them at midnight and utterly defeated them, till they fled away for life. But Baldulf, full of grief, resolved to share his brother's peril, wherefore he shaved his head and beard and disguised himself as a jester, and so passed through King Arthur's camp, singing and playing on a harp, till by degrees he grew near to the city walls, where presently he made himself known. And was drawn up by ropes into the town. And on, while Arthur closely watched the city, came news that full six hundred ships had landed, countless swarms of Saxons, under Cheldrick, on the eastern coast. And that he raised the siege, and marched straight to London, and there increased his army, and took council with his barons, how to drive the Saxons from the land evermore. Then with his nephew, Poel, King of the Armoric and Britons, who came with a great force to help him, King Arthur, with a mighty multitude of barons, knights, and fighting men, went swiftly up to Lincoln, which the Saxons lay besieging. And there he fought a passing fierce battle, and made grievous slaughter, killing above six thousand men, till the main body of them turned and fled. But he pursued them hotly into the wood of Celadon, where sheltering themselves among the trees from his arrows, they made a stand, and for a long season bravely defended themselves. And on, he ordered all the trees in that part of the forest to be cut down, leaving no shelter or ambush. And with their trunks and branches, made a mighty barricade, which shut them in and hindered their escape. After three days, brought nigh to death by famine, they offered to give up their wealth of gold and silver spoils, and to depart forthwith in their empty ships, moreover to pay tribute to King Arthur when they reached their home, and to leave him hostages till all was paid. This offer, therefore, he accepted, and suffered them to depart. But when they had been but a few hours at sea, they repented of their shameful flight, and turned their ships back again, and landing at Totness, ravaged all the land as far as the seven, and burning and slaying on all sides, bent their steps towards Bath. When King Arthur heard of their treachery and their return, he burned with anger, till his eyes shone like two torches. Then marching hotly with his armies on to Bath, he cried aloud to them, Since these detestable and impious heathens disdain to keep their faith with me, I, to keep faith with God, to whom I swear to cherish and defend this realm.

Speaker 2:
[44:34] Will now this day avenge on them the blood of all that they have slain in Britain?

Speaker 1:
[44:43] In like manner after him spoke the Archbishop, standing upon a hill, and crying that today they should fight, for both their country and for paradise.

Speaker 2:
[44:57] For whoso, said he, shall in this holy war be slain, the angels shall forthwith receive him. For death in this cause shall be penance, and absolution for all sins.

Speaker 1:
[45:16] At these words every man in the whole army raged with hatred, and pressed eagerly to rush upon those savages. And on, King Arthur, dressed in armor shining with golden jewels, and wearing on his head a helmet with a golden dragon, took a shield painted with the likeness of the Blessed Mary, then, girding on Excalibur and taking in his right hand his great lance, Ron, he placed his men in order and led them out against the enemy, who stood for battle on the slope of Baden Hill, ranged in the form of a wedge as their custom was. And they, resisting all the onslaughts of King Arthur and his host, made that day a stout defense, and at night lay down upon the hill. But on the next day, Arthur led his army once again to the attack, and with wounds and slaughter such as no man had ever seen before, he drove the heathen step by step before him, backwards and upwards, till he stood with all his noblest knights upon the summit of the hill. And then men saw him, red as the rising sun from spur to plume lift up his sword, and kneeling kiss the cross of it. And after, rising to his feet, set might and mane with all his fellowship upon the foe, till as a troop of lions roaring for their prey, they drove them like a scattered herd along the plains, and cut them down till they could cut no more for weariness. That day, King Arthur by himself alone slew with his sword Excalibur 470 heathens. Colgrin also, and his brother Baldil were slain. Then the king bade Cader, Duke of Cornwall, follow Cheldrick, the chief leader, and the remnant of his hosts unto the uttermost. He therefore, when he had first seized their fleet and filled it with chosen men to beat them back when they should fly to it at last, chased them and slew them without mercy so long as they could overtake them. And though they crept with trembling hearts for shelter to the covets of the woods and dens of mountains, yet even so they found no safety, for Cador slew them, even one by one. Last of all, he caught and slew Childric himself, and slaughtering a great multitude took hostages for the surrender of the rest. Meanwhile, King Arthur turned from Baden Hill and freed his nephew Hull from the Scots and Picts who besieged him in Alcold. And when he had defeated them in three sore battles, he drove them before him to a lake, which was one of the most wondrous lakes in all the world, for it was fed by sixty rivers, and had sixty islands, and sixty rocks, and on every island, sixty eagles' nests. But King Arthur, with a great fleet, sailed round the rivers, and besieged them in the lake for fifteen days, so that many thousands died of hunger.