The Story of the Champions of the Round Table | Page 3

doeth battle with Sir Turquine Sir Launcelot sits with Sir Hilaire and Croisette Sir Launcelot and Elouise the Fair Sir Launcelot climbs to catch the lady's falcon Sir Launcelot takes the armor of Sir Kay Tail Piece--The Story of Launcelot
Sir Tristram of Lyonesse Head Piece--Prologue Tail Piece--Prologue Tristram succors the Lady Moeya Head Piece--The Story of Sir Tristram and the Lady Belle Isoult King Mark of Cornwall The Lady Belle Isoult The Queen of Ireland seeks to slay Sir Tristram Sir Tristram harpeth before King Mark Sir Tristram sits with Sir Launcelot Tail Piece Belle Isoult and Sir Tristram drink the love draught Tail Piece--The Story of Sir Tristram and the Lady Belle Isoult Sir Lamorack of Gales Head Piece--The Story of Sir Tristram and Sir Lamorack Sir Tristram cometh to ye castle of Sir Nabon Sir Lamorack herds the swine of Sir Nabon Tail Piece--The Story of Sir Tristram and Sir Lamorack Sir Tristram assaults King Mark Head Piece--The Madness of Sir Tristram Sir Kay and the Forest Madman Sir Tristram leaps into ye Sea King Mark broods mischief Tail Piece--The Madness of Sir Tristram
Sir Percival of Gales Head Piece--Prologue The Lady Yvette the Fair Sir Percival and Sir Lamorack ride together Sir Percival overcometh ye Enchantress Vivien The Demoiselle Blanchefleur Sir Kay interrupts ye meditations of Sir Percival Tail Piece--The Book of Sir Percival
[Illustration: The Lady Nymue beareth away Launcelot into the Lake]

Prologue.
It hath already been set forth in print in a volume written by me concerning the adventures of King Arthur when he first became king, how there were certain lesser kings who favored him and were friendly allies with him, and how there were certain others of the same sort who were his enemies.
Among those who were his friends was King Ban of Benwick, who was an exceedingly noble lord of high estate and great honor, and who was of a lineage so exalted that it is not likely that there was anyone in the world who was of a higher strain.
[Sidenote: Of King Ban and his misfortunes] Now, upon a certain time, King Ban of Benwick fell into great trouble; for there came against him a very powerful enemy, to wit, King Claudas of Scotland. King Claudas brought unto Benwick a huge army of knights and lords, and these sat down before the Castle of Trible with intent to take that strong fortress and destroy it.
This noble Castle of Trible was the chiefest and the strongest place of defence in all King Ban's dominions, wherefore he had intrenched himself there with all of his knights and with his Queen, hight Helen, and his youngest son, hight Launcelot.
Now this child, Launcelot, was dearer to Queen Helen than all the world besides, for he was not only large of limb but so extraordinarily beautiful of face that I do not believe an angel from Paradise could have been more beautiful than he. He had been born with a singular birth-mark upon his shoulder, which birth-mark had the appearance as of a golden star enstamped upon the skin; wherefore, because of this, the Queen would say: "Launcelot, by reason of that star upon thy shoulder I believe that thou shalt be the star of our house and that thou shalt shine with such remarkable glory that all the world shall behold thy lustre and shall marvel thereat for all time to come." So the Queen took extraordinary delight in Launcelot and loved him to the very core of her heart--albeit she knew not, at the time she spake, how that prophecy of hers concerning the star was to fall so perfectly true.
Now, though King Ban thought himself very well defended at his Castle of Trible, yet King Claudas brought so terribly big an army against that place that it covered the entire plain. A great many battles were fought under the walls of the castle, but ever King Claudas waxed greater and stronger, and King Ban's party grew weaker and more fearful.
[Sidenote: King Ban bethinks him of King Arthur] So by and by things came to such a pass that King Ban bethought him of King Arthur, and he said to himself: "I will go to my lord the King and beseech help and aid from him, for he will certainly give it me. Nor will I trust any messenger in this affair other than myself; for I myself will go to King Arthur and will speak to him with my own lips."
Having thus bethought him, he sent for Queen Helen to come into his privy closet and he said to her: "My dear love, nothing remaineth for me but to go unto the court of King Arthur and beseech him to lend his powerful aid in this extremity of our misfortunes; nor will I trust any messenger