The Story of King Arthur and his KnightsPyle, Howard
General
The Story of King Arthur and his Knights
Pyle, Howard
Arthur, King -- Legends; Arthurian romances -- Adaptations; Folklore -- England; Knights and knighthood -- Folklore
So the esquire fetched unto Sir Pellias his armor as he had commanded,
and he clad Sir Pellias in it so that he was altogether armed from head
to foot. Thereupon straightway Sir Pellias mounted his horse and rode
out toward the castle of Grantmesnle.
Now when the Lady Ettard beheld Sir Pellias again parading the meadow
below the castle, she called unto her six of her best knights, and she
said unto them, “Behold, Messires, yonder is that knight who brought so
much shame upon us yesterday. Now I bid ye for to go forth against him
and to punish him as he deserveth.”
So those six knights went and armed themselves, and when they had done
so they straightway rode forth against Sir Pellias.
[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias overcometh six knights._]
Now, when Sir Pellias beheld these approach, his heart overflowed with
fury and he shouted in a great voice and drave forward against them. And
for a while they withstood him, but he was not to be withstood, but
fought with surpassing fury, wherefore they presently brake from before
him and fled. So he pursued them with great fury about that field and
smote four of them down from their horses. Then, when there were but two
of those knights remaining, Sir Pellias of a sudden ceased to fight, and
he cried out unto those two knights, “Messires, I surrender myself unto
ye.”
[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias yields himself prisoner._]
Now at that those two knights were greatly astonished, for they were
entirely filled with the fear of his strength, and wist not why he
should yield to them. Nevertheless they came and laid hands upon him and
took him toward the castle. Upon this Sir Pellias said unto himself,
“Now they will bring me unto the Lady Ettard, and I shall have speech
with her.” For it was for this that he had suffered himself to be taken
by those two knights.
But it was not to be as Sir Pellias willed it. For when they had brought
him close under the castle, the Lady Ettard called unto them from a
window in the wall. And she said, “What do you with that knight?” They
say, “We bring him to you, Lady.” Upon this she cried out very
vehemently, “Bring him not to me, but take him and tie his hands behind
his back and tie his feet beneath his horse’s belly, and send him back
unto his companions.”
Then Sir Pellias lifted up his eyes unto that window and he cried out in
a great passion of despair, “Lady, it was unto thee I surrendered, and
not unto these unworthy knights.”
But the Lady Ettard cried out all the more vehemently, “Drive him hence,
for I do hate the sight of him.”
[Sidenote: _The Lady Ettard puts shame upon Sir Pellias._]
So those two knights did as the Lady Ettard said; they took Sir Pellias
and bound him hand and foot upon his horse. And when they had done so
they allowed his horse for to bear him back again unto his companions in
that wise.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account