Leodegrance

May all love, His love, unseen but felt, o'ershadow thee; The love of all thy sons encompass thee, The love of all thy daughters cherish thee, The love of all thy people comfort thee, Till God's love set thee at his side again! The Coming of Arthur.

Leodegran, the King of Cameliard, Had one fair daughter, and none other child, And she was fairest of all flesh on earth, Guinevere, and in her his one delight.

For many a petty King ere Arthur came Ruled in this isle; and ever waging war Each upon other, wasted all the land: And still from time to time the heathen host Swarm'd over seas, and harried what was left.

And so there grew great tracts of wilderness, Wherein the beast was ever more and more, But man was less and less.

Till Arthur came for first Aurelius lived and fought and died and after him King Uther fought and died but either failed to make the kingdom one and after these King Arthur for a space and through the puissance of his Table Round drew all their petty princedoms under him their king and head and made a realm and reigned and thus the land of Cameliard was waste thick with wet woods and many a beast therein and none or few to scare or chase the beast so that wild dog and wolf and boar and bear came night and day and rooted in the fields and wallowed in the gardens of the king and ever and anon the wolf would steal the children and devour but now and then her own brood lost or dead lend her fierce teat to human sucklings and the children housed in her foul den there at their meat would growl and mock their foster-mother on four feet till straitened they grew up to wolf-like men worse than wolves and King Leodegran groaned for the Roman legions here again and Caesar's eagle then his brother king Urien assailed him last a heathen horde reddening the sun with smoke and earth with blood and on the spike that split the mother's heart spitting the child break on him till amazed he knew not whither he should turn for aid but for he heard of Arthur newly crowned though not without an uproar made by those who cried he is not Uther's son the king sent to him saying arise and help us thou for here between the man and beast we die and Arthur yet had done no deed of arms but heard the call and came and Guinevere stood by the castle walls to watch him pass but since he neither wore on helm or shield the golden symbol of his kinglyhood but rode a simple knight among his knights and many of these in richer arms than he she saw him not or marked not if she saw one among many though his face was bare but Arthur looking downward as he passed felt the light of her eyes into his life smite on the sudden yet rode on and pitched his tents beside the forest then he drave the heathen after slew the beast and felled the forest letting in the sun and made broad pathways for the hunter and the knight and so returned for while he lingered there a doubt that ever smouldered in the hearts of those great lords and barons of his realm flashed forth and into war for most of these colleaguing with a score of petty kings made head against him crying who is he that he should rule us who hath proven him king Uther's son for lo we look at him and find nor face nor bearing limbs nor voice are like to those of Uther whom we knew this is the son of Gorlois not the king this is the son of Anton not the king and Arthur passing thence to battle felt travail and throes and agonies of the life desiring to be joined with Guinevere and thinking as he rode her father said that there between the man and beast they die shall I not lift her from this land of beasts up to my throne and side by side with me what happiness to reign a lonely king vexed O ye stars that shudder over me O earth that soundest hollow under me vexed with wasted dreams for saving I be joined to her that is the fairest under heaven I seem as nothing in the mighty world and cannot will my will nor work my work wholly nor make myself in mine own realm victor and lord but were I joined with her then might we live together as one life and reigning with one will in everything have power on this dark land to lighten it and power on this dead world to make it live thereafter as he speaks who tells the tale when Arthur reached a field of battle bright with pitched pavilions of his foe the world was all so clear about him that he saw the smallest rock far on the faintest hill and even in high day the morning star so when the king had set his banner broad at once from either side with trumpet blast and shouts and clarions shrilling unto blood the long-lanced battle let their horses run and now the barons and the kings prevailed and now the king as here and there that war went swaying but the powers who walk the world made lightnings and great thunders over him and dazed all eyes till Arthur by main might and mightier of his hands with every blow and leading all his knighthood through the kings Carados Urien Cradlemont of Wales Claudius and Clariance of Northumberland the king Brandagoras of Latengor and Anguisant of Arran Morganor and Lot of Orkney then before a voice as dreadful as the shout of one who sees to one who sins and deems himself alone and all the world asleep they swerved and brake flying and Arthur called to stay the brands that hacked among the flyers ho they yield so like a painted battle the war stood silenced the living quiet as the dead and in the heart of Arthur joy was lord He laughed upon his warrior whom he loved and honored most.

"Thou dost not doubt me, King, so well thine arm hath wrought for me to-day." "Sir, and my liege," he cried, "the fire of God descends upon thee in the battlefield.

I know thee for my king." Whereat the two, for each had warded either in the fight, swear on the field of death a deathless love.

And Arthur said, "Man's word is God in man.

King Arthur and the Princess Guinevere.

After Arthur had been established in his court for some time, his neighbor, Leodogran, the king of Cameliard, asked him for help in a battle.

To this Arthur cheerfully consented, and gathered his warrior men about him.

It chanced as he and his men were marching past the castle of Leodogran to meet the enemy, the king's daughter Guinevere, who was the most beautiful lady in all that land, stood on the castle wall to watch her father's allies pass.

Now she did not know of all the knights who rode by, which was Arthur.

Many wore gold and jewels on their armor, while the king's armor was plain.

They were very glad, because they too had seen her.

and thought her the most beautiful lady they had ever beheld.

Thus it came to pass that soon the peasant ploughed his fields in safety, and where there had been wastes, men dwelt again in peace and prosperity.

Amongst the lesser kings whom Arthur helped to rebuild their towns and restore order was King Leodegrance of Carneliard.

Now Leodegrance had one fair child, his daughter Guinevere, and from the time that first he saw her, Arthur gave her all his love.

So he sought counsel of Merlin, his chief advisor.

Merlin heard the king sorrowfully, and said, Sir King, when a man's heart is set, he may not change.

Yet had it been well if he had loved another.

So the king sent his knights to Leodegrance to ask him of his daughter, and Leodegrance consented, rejoicing to wed her to so good and knightly a king.

With great pomp the princess was conducted to Canterbury, and there the king met her, and they too were wed by the archbishop in the great cathedral, amid the rejoicings of the people.

part one story two of tales of king arthur and the round table the sword excalibur king arthur accompanied by merlin the magician had left the comfort of the court to seek adventures he had fought a hard battle with the tallest knight in all the land and though he struck hard and well he would have been slain had not merlin enchanted the knight and cast him into a deep sleep and brought the king to a hermit who had studied the art of healing and cured all his wounds in three days then arthur and merlin waited no longer but gave the hermit thanks and departed as they rode together arthur said i have no sword but merlin bade him be patient and he would soon give him one in a little while they came to a large lake and in the midst of the lake arthur beheld an arm rising out of the water holding up a sword look said merlin that is the sword i spoke of and the king looked again and the maiden stood upon the water that is the lady of the lake said merlin and she is coming to you and if you ask her courteously she will give you the sword so when the maiden drew near arthur saluted her and said maiden i pray you tell me whose sword is that which an arm is holding out of the water i wish it were mine for i have lost my sword that sword is mine king arthur answered she and i will give it to you if you in return will give me a gift when i ask you by my faith said the king i will give you whatever gift you ask well said the maiden get into the barge yonder and row yourself to the sword and take it and the scabbard with you for this was the sword excalibur as for my gift i will ask it in my own time then king arthur and merlin dismounted from their horses and tied them up safely and went into the barge and when they came to the place where the arm was holding the sword arthur took it by the handle and the arm disappeared and they brought the sword back to land as they rode the king looked lovingly on his sword which merlin saw and smiling said which do you like best the sword or the scabbard i like the sword answered arthur you are not wise to say that replied merlin for the scabbard is worth ten of the sword and as long as it is buckled on you you will lose no blood however sorely you may be wounded So they rode into the town of Carleon, and Arthur's knights gave them a glad welcome, and said it was a joy to serve under a king who risks his life as much as any common man.

Part 1 Story 3 How the Round Table Began After King Arthur had fought and conquered many enemies, he said one day to Merlin, whose counsel he took all the days of his life, "'My barons will let me have no rest, but bid me take a wife, and I have answered them that I shall take none except you advise me.' "'It is well,' replied Merlin, "'that you should take a wife, but is there any woman that you love better than another?' yes said arthur i love guinevere daughter of leodegrance king of cameliard in whose house is the round table that my father gave him this maiden is the fairest that i have ever seen or ever shall see sir answered merlin what you say as to her beauty is true but if your heart was not set on her i could find you another as fair and of more goodness than she but if a man's heart is once set it is idle to try to turn him then merlin asked the king to give him a company of knights and esquires that he might go to the court of king leodegrance and tell him that king arthur desired to wed his daughter which arthur did gladly therefore merlin rode forth and made all the haste he could till he came to the castle of cameliard and told king leodegrance who had sent him and why that is the best news i have ever had replied leadegrance for little did i think that so great a noble a king should seek to marry my daughter as for lands to endow her with i would give whatever he chose but he has lands enough of his own so i will give him instead something that will please him much more the round table which uther pendragon gave me where a hundred and fifty knights can sit at one time i myself can call to my side a hundred good knights but i lack fifty for the wars have slain many and some are absent and without more words king leodegrance gave his consent that his daughter should wed king arthur and merlin returned with his knights and esquires journeying partly by water and partly by land till they drew near to london when king arthur heard of the coming of merlin and of the knights with the round table he was filled with joy and said to those that stood about him this news that merlin has brought me is welcome indeed for i have long loved this fair lady and the round table is dearer to me than great riches then he ordered that sir lancelot should ride to fetch the queen and that preparations for the marriage and her coronation should be made which was done now merlin said the king go and look about my kingdom and bring fifty of the bravest and most famous knights that can be found throughout the land but no more than eight-and-twenty knights could merlin find with these arthur had to be content and the bishop of canterbury was fetched and he blessed the seats that were placed by the round table and the knights sat in them fair sirs said merlin when the bishop had ended his blessing arise all of you and pay your homage to the king so the knights arose to do his bidding and in every seat was the name of the knight who had sat on it written in letters of gold but two seats were empty after that young gawain came to the king and prayed him to make him a knight on the day that he should wed guinevere that i will gladly replied the king for you are my sister's son as the king was speaking a poor man entered the court bringing with him a youth about eighteen years old riding on a lean mare though it was not the custom for gentlemen to ride on mares where is king arthur asked the man yonder answered the knights have you business with him yes said the man and he went and bowed low before the king i have heard o king arthur flower of knights and kings that at the time of your marriage you would give any man the gift he would ask for that is truth answered the king as long as i do no wrong to other men or to my kingdom i thank you for your gracious words said the poor man the boon i would ask is that you would make my son a knight it is a great boon to ask answered the king what is your name sir my name is ares the cowherd is it you or your son that has thought of this honour it is my son who desires it and not i replied the man i have thirteen sons who tend cattle and work in the fields if i bid them but this boy will do nothing but shoot and cast darts or go to watch battles and look on knights and all day long he beseeches me to bring him to you that he may be knighted also what is your name said arthur turning to the young man sir my name is tor where is your sword that i may knight you said the king it is here my lord take it out of its sheath said the king and require me to make you a knight then tor jumped off his mare and pulled out his sword and knelt before the king praying that he might be made a knight and a knight of the round table as for a knight that i will make you said arthur smiting him in the neck with his sword and if you are worthy of it you shall be a knight of the round table then was the high feast made ready and the king was wedded to fair guinevere at camelot in the church of st stephen with all due observance and the next day gawaine was made a knight also sir tor proved before long by his gallant deeds that he was well worthy to sit in one of the empty seats at the round table part one story part one story four of tales of king arthur and the round table by andrew lang the story of sir in those days many kings reigned in the islands of the sea and they constantly waged war upon each other and on their liege lord and news came to arthur that ryans king of north wales had collected a large host and had ravaged his lands and slain some of his people when he heard this arthur rose in anger and commanded that all lords knights and gentlemen of arms should meet him at camelot where he would call a council and hold a tourney from every part the knights flocked to camelot and the town was full to overflowing of armed men and their horses and when they were all assembled there rode in a damsel who said that she had come with a message from the great lady leal of avelion and begged that they would bring her before king arthur when she was led into his presence she let her mantle of fur slip off her shoulders and they saw that by her side a richly wrought sword was buckled the king was silent with wonder at the strange sight but at last he said damsel why do you wear this sword for swords are not the ornaments of women o my lord answered she i would i could find some knight to rid me of this sword which weighs me down and causes me much sorrow but the man who will deliver me of it must be one who is mighty of his hands and pure in his deeds without villainy or treason if i find a knight such as this he will draw this sword out of its sheath and he only for i have been at the court of king ryans and he and his knights tried with all their strength to draw the sword and they could not let me see if i can draw it said arthur not because i think myself the best knight for well i know how far i am outdone by others but to set them an example that they may follow me with that the king took the sword by the sheath and by the girdle and pulled at it with all his force but the sword stuck fast sir said the damsel you need not pull half so hard for he that shall pull it out shall do it with little strength it is not for me answered arthur and now my barons let each man try his fortune so most of the knights of the round table there present pulled one after another at the sword but none could stir it from its sheath alas cried the damsel in great grief i thought to find in this court knights that were blameless and true of heart and now i know not where to look for them by my faith said arthur there are no better knights in the world than these of mine but i am sore displeased that they cannot help me in this matter now at this time there was a poor knight at arthur's court who had been kept prisoner for a year and a half because he had slain the king's cousin he was of high birth and his name was balin and after he had suffered eighteen months the punishment of his misdeed the barons prayed the king to set him free which arthur did willingly when balin standing apart beheld the knights one by one try the sword and fail to draw it his heart beat fast yet he shrank from taking his turn for he was meanly dressed and could not compare with the other barons but after the damsel had bid farewell to arthur and his court and was setting out on her journey homewards he called to her and said damsel i pray you to suffer me to try your sword as well as these lords for though i am so poorly clothed my heart is as high as theirs the damsel stopped and looked at him and answered sir it is not needful to put you to such trouble for where so many have failed it is hardly likely that you will succeed ah fair damsel said balin it is not fine clothes that make good deeds you speak truly replied the damsel therefore do what you can then balin took the sword by the girdle and sheath and pulled it out easily and when he looked at the sword he was greatly pleased with it the king and the knights were dumb with surprise that it was balin who had triumphed over them and many of them envied him and felt anger towards him in truth said the damsel this is the best knight that i ever found but sir i pray you give me the sword again no answered balin i will keep it till it is taken from me by force it is for your sake not mine that i ask for it said the damsel for with that sword you shall slay the man you love best and it will bring about your own ruin i will take what befalls me replied balin but the sword i will not give up by the faith of my body so the damsel departed in great sorrow the next day sir balin left the court and armed with his sword set forth in search of adventures which he found in many places where he had not thought to meet with them in all the fights that he fought sir balin was the victor and arthur and merlin his friend knew that there was no knight living of greater deeds or more worthy of worship and he was known to all as sir balin le sauvage the knight of the two swords one day he was riding forth when at the turning of a road he saw a cross and on it was written in letters of gold let no knight ride towards this castle sir balin was still reading the writing when there came towards him an old man with white hair who said sir balin le sauvage this is not the way for you so turn again and choose some other path and so he vanished and a horn blew loudly as a horn is blown at the death of a beast that blast said balin is for me but i am still alive and he rode to the castle where a great company of knights and ladies met him and welcomed him and made him a feast then the lady of the castle said to him knight with the two swords you must now fight a knight that guards an island for it is our law that no man may leave us without he first fight a tourney that is a bad custom said balin but if i must i am ready for though my horse is weary my heart is strong sir said a knight to him your shield does not look whole to me i will lend you another so balin listened to him and took the shield that was offered and left his own with his own coat of arms behind him he rowed down to the shore and led his horse into a boat which took them across when he reached the other side a damsel came to him crying O knight Balin, why have you left your own shield behind you? Alas, you have put yourself in great danger, for by your shield you should have been known.

I grieve over your doom, for there is no man living that can rival you for courage and bold deeds.

I repent, answered Balin, ever having come into this country, but for very shame I must go on.

As he sat in his throne room one day in the castle at Camelot, two messengers arrived and were ushered into his presence.

"We come," said they, "from King Leodogran of Cameliard, who pays tribute to you as he paid it to your royal father, Uther Pendragon." "Our king is aged, and his knights, too, are well advanced in years, so that they can no longer fight as in the days of old.

And now our kingdom is threatened by one Riance, King of North Wales, for he has sent a message to our master saying that he has in preparation a mantle whose only trimming shall be the beards of kings.

Eleven of these beards he has already, but he needs one more, and he insolently demands that our good master send him his.

Then he looked about among his knights and saw the fire of his own enthusiasm leap into the eyes of first one and then another.

The next moment, the whole room presented the appearance of a forest of glittering swords, for every weapon had been drawn from its scabbard and was being pointed upward as a sign that its owner was ready to follow his liege lord into battle, while a cry arose from all as from one man, "The quest, Sir King." In an incredibly short time, the army was on the march northward through the deep snows, for it was winter.

Nevertheless, it so happened that, by Merlin's aid, it reached Camelard even before the return of the messengers from Leodogran had sent.

Strangely unwearied by the journey, it arrived at the gate of the city one evening when the sun was sinking in the west and found, as was but natural in time of war, that all was tightly closed.

And in the same way ever after, all the battles of King Arthur's days Merlin caused Blaise, his master, to record.

End of Chapter 2 Chapter 3 of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table By Sir Thomas Malory Edited by Rupert S. Holland This LibriVox recording is in the public domain Arthur drives the Saxons from his realm Anon thereafter came word to King Arthur that Ryance, King of North Wales, was making war upon King Leodegrance of Camolgard, whereat he was passing wrath, for he loved Leodegrance well, and hated Ryance.

So he departed with Kings Ban and Bors and twenty thousand men, and came to Camolgard, and rescued Leodegrance, and slew ten thousand of Ryance's men, and put him to flight.

Then Leodegrance made a great festival to the three kings, and treated them with every manner of mirth and pleasure which could be devised.

It is well, said Merlin, that thou shouldst take a wife, for no man of bounteous and noble nature should live without one.

But is there any lady whom thou lovest better than another? Yea, said King Arthur.

I love Guinevere, the daughter of King Leodegrance of Camelot.

Who also holdeth in his house the round table that he had from my father Uther, and as I think, that damsel is the gentlest and fairest lady living.

Arthur drives the Saxons from his realm.

Anon thereafter came word to King Arthur that Ryance, King of North Wales, was making war upon King Leodegrance of Camelgard, whereat he was passing wrath, for he loved Leodegrance well, and hated Ryance.

So he departed with Kings Ban and Bors and twenty thousand men, and came to Camelgard, and rescued Leodegrance, and slew ten thousand of Ryance's men, and put him to flight.

Then Leodegrance made a great festival to the three kings, and treated them with every manner of mirth and pleasure which could be devised.

The Marriage of Arthur and Guinevere, and the Founding of the Round Table It befell upon a certain day that King Arthur said to Merlin, "My lords and knights do daily pray me now to take a wife, but I will have none without thy counsel, for thou hast ever helped me since I came first to this crown." "It is well," said Merlin, "that thou shouldst take a wife, for no man of bounteous and noble nature should live without one.

But is there any lady whom thou lovest better than another?" "Yea," said King Arthur.

"I love Guinevere, the daughter of King Leodegrance of Camelot.

Who also holdeth in his house the round table that he had from my father Uther, and as I think, that damsel is the gentlest and the fairest lady living." "Sir," answered Merlin, "as for her beauty, she is one of the fairest that do live.

Yet had it been well if ye had loved another.

So the king sent his knights to Leodegrance to ask of him his daughter, and Leodegrance consented, rejoicing to wed her to so good and knightly a king.

With great pomp the princess was conducted to Canterbury, and there the king met her, and they too were wed by the archbishop in the great cathedral amid the rejoicings of the people.

On that same day did Arthur found his order of the round table, the fame of which was to spread throughout Christendom and endure through all time.

Now the round table had been made for King Uther Pendragon by Merlin, who had meant thereby to set forth plainly to all men the roundness of the earth.

After Uther died, King Leodegrance had possessed it, but when Arthur was wed, he sent it to him as a gift, and great was the king's joy at receiving it.

One hundred and fifty knights might take their places about it, and for them Merlin made sieges or seats.

One hundred and twenty-eight did Arthur knight at that great feast.

Thus it came to pass that soon the peasant plowed his fields in safety, and where had been wastes, men dwelt again in peace and prosperity.

Among the lesser kings whom Arthur helped to rebuild their towns and restore order was King Leodegrance of Camelard.

Now, Leodegrance had one fair child, his daughter Guinevere.

And from the time that first he saw her, Arthur gave her all his love.

So he sought counsel of Merlin, his chief advisor.

Merlin heard the king sorrowfully, and he said, "Sir King, when a man's heart is set, he may not change.

Yet had it been well if ye had loved another." So the king sent his knights to Leodegrance to ask of him his daughter, and Leodegrance consented, rejoicing to wed her to so good and knightly a king.

With great pomp, the princess was conducted to Canterbury, and there the king met her, and they two were wed by the archbishop in the great cathedral amid the rejoicings of the people.