Legends of Excalibur Arthurian Adventures Part 2.pdf

Chapter 3: Guide to Arthurian Legend

The Training

of a Knight

The Squire’s Tale

At fourteen, if a page is worthy, he is elevated to

the rank of esquire. Here, military training begins in

earnest, and almost all of a squire’s exercises were

performed in armor, in order that he could become

accustomed to its weight and carry it with ease in

battle.

Horsemanship, vaulting into the saddle, running,

jumping ditches, climbing walls and fences, all in

full battle dress are performed by squires on a regular

basis. Older squires are assigned to assist knights

during tournaments and battles, carrying extra spears,

tending to horses, and the like.

During a squire’s free time his education

concentrated on reining the young man for his later

role, and a great deal of this “sensitivity training”

revolved around the opposite sex. When not on

campaign, squires were housed in castles thronging

with young girls of station undergoing a similar

training and reinement, and squires were encouraged

to choose a girl as an object of their affection, and to

wear some small token she would give them, such

as a scarf, during their jousting exercises against

other squires. Often these court dalliances turned into

wives, but this was seen as a secondary beneit to the

training of a young knight to ight on behalf of ladies

and treat them with gentleness.

The Knights of the Table Round

were universally regarded as the

inest collection of knights in the

world, and were composed of knights

from all over the known world. However, before one

could join the ranks of the Round Table, one irst had

to become a knight, no easy task in itself.

A Page’s Life For Me?

The irst step toward knighthood was to become a

page, also called a valet or varlet (this is one reason

the word varlet is commonly used as a slander toward

another knight- essentially you are referring to him

as a boy who needs over 10 years of seasoning to

become a true knight).

At age 7, a prospective knight was sent to live with

a governor or patron, to be introduced to life at court.

Their early education revolved around religion and

obedience to superiors, as well as education in the

history of England and all its kings and rulers.

Their duties involved waiting table and carving

meat at meals, working in the kitchen and stables,

and generally performing all manner of menial tasks.

During their free time, pages engaged in hunting,

falconry, ishing, wrestling, archery, horsemanship

and tilting (hitting a stationary object, such as a

wooden target with a spear on horseback). These

activities, while certainly fun and engaging to an

active young man, were also preparatory to the tasks

a knight would have to undertake in earnest later in

life.

Waiting for the squire in the chapel would be

a full-ledged knight, and the squire would kneel

before him, arms folded over his chest. The knight

would then question the squire about his motives for

becoming a knight, after which the knight would take

the squire’s oath of allegiance and name him a knight.

After this was done, the squire would remove the

white cloth and sword, and onlookers would assist

the squire in dressing as a knight: armor, spurs,

gauntlets, and inally the sword he had worn around

Dubbing

A young squire’s entry into the knighthood was

handled with utmost solemnity. The squire would

fast and pray for days, take confession and mass,

and clothe himself in a pure white cloth. Finally, a

sword was blessed by the confessional priest and tied

around the squire’s neck. After this was done, the

squire made his way to a nearby chapel.

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his neck would be belted to his waist. When this was

done, the squire would kneel before the presiding

knight once more, who would draw his own sword,

and perform “the accolade”, three strokes with the

lat of the blade on alternating shoulders, with each

stroke accompanying the words “In the name of God,

of Saint Michael, and St. George, I make thee knight;

be valiant, courteous, and loyal!”

When this was done, the presiding knight would

then give the squire his helmet, lance, and shield. The

squire was now a knight.

by the Irish, for these areas had few giants, but the

central area in later times called Britain was still

too heavily populated by the giant folk for man to

inhabit.

The Conquest of

Britain

After conquering Gaul, Julius Caesar cast his eye

across the English channel to Britain, and boldly

embarked across the water, hoping to take the island

and add it to his growing list of conquests. He moved

his forces up the Thames, intending to take London,

thereby decapitating the island nation and conquering

it quickly and easily.

Caesar was not destined to conquer Britain during

that campaign, however, and was met with stiff

resistance by King Cassibellaunus. At one point

he engaged Prince Nennius in single combat, and

Caesar’s sword became stuck in the British prince’s

shield. When Caesar was forced to withdraw, his

sword remained behind, much to the delight of the

Britons.

The Coming Of Brutus

Brutus was the son of Silvius, who was the son of

Ascanius, who was the son of Aeneas. After killing

his father accidentally while hunting, he was forced

to lee Troy, and after seeking refuge in Greece,

Brutus and his followers led west with his wife

Imogen. Seeking guidance at a temple of Diana,

Brutus receives this message:

The

History Of

Arthurian

Britain

Brutus! far to the west, in the ocean wide,

Beyond the realm of Gaul, a land there lies,

Seagirt it lies, where giants dwelt of old;

Now, void, it its thy people: thither bend

Thy course; there shalt thou ind a lasting seat;

There to thy sons another Troy shall rise,

And kings be born of thee, whose dreaded might

Shall awe the world, and conquer nations bold

The famed Cassibelan, who was once at point

(O giglot fortune!) to master Caesar’s sword,

Made Lud’s town with rejoicing ires bright,

And Britons strut with courage.

Age Of Antiquity

In the earliest times, Britain was not inhabited by

man at all, but by several races of giants (one reason

why giants abound in Britain even after the time of

Arthur) ruled by Albion, a son of Poseidon, and built

numerous stone circles in which to perform bizarre

rites of sacriice and worship.

After many millennia, Hercules came to the island

during his exploration of the world, seeking passage

to the mysterious west. When Albion opposed him,

Hercules killed him in an epic battle. After Hercules’

departure, the giants set to tremendous wars with one

another over who would rule the island, and these

wars were so long and so terrible that the giants’

numbers dwindled and dwindled, and the forests

reclaimed the island, and the land grew wild.

Over time, the northern part of the island became

occupied by the ierce men later known as the Picts

and the Scots, while the Western Isle was settled

-Bullinch’s Mythology, Mythical History of

England

-William Shakespeare, Cymbeline

After a long journey west, the rag-tag band of

refugees landed at what is now Devonshire on an isle

they called Albion after the giant king who formerly

ruled it. Moving inland, Brutus established a capital,

called Trojanova (New Troy), on the site of present

day London.

After a reign of 24 years, Brutus died, leaving

England divided between his three sons, Locrine,

Albanect, and Camber.

According to legend these events took place

approximately 1,000 years before the invasion of

England by Julius Caesar.

However, on a second try, Caesar conquered Britain,

and forced the island to pay tribute to the Roman

Empire, and took young prince Cymbeline as ransom,

to be raised in Rome. When Cymbeline returned and

took the throne, he was a very sympathetic ruler to

Rome.

The Departure of the

Romans

Although the invasion of Rome was resisted bitterly,

the two peoples became very close over time. And

when the Empire began to fall, and forces were called

back from frontiers such as Britain in order to protect

interior parts of the Empire from barbarian invasions,

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How Merlin began his career in the magical arts we

do not know, however we are given a brief glimpse of

his master and teacher, old Blaise by Malory:

who seemed to it the prophecy, was brought before

Vortigern.

However, the young magician proclaimed this

prophecy false, and countered with one of his own.

The cause for the tower’s threefold collapse was that

it was built over the lairs of two dragons, constantly

at war with one another. And Merlin offered to prove

his prophecy, telling Vortigern where he should

dig. When the workers dug where he speciied, two

mighty dragons, one red, and one white, lew into the

air, continuing their battle above the ruined tower.

Vortigern and all his subjects led, while Merlin

merrily stayed, clapping and cheering the dragons on,

eager to see the winner. As the red dragon fell, no one

had remained to hear Merlin’s next prophecy, that the

dragons represented the brothers-in-exile Pendragon

and Uther, but that one brother, the red dragon, would

not survive long after his return.

While Vortigern and his men led the dragons,

they were greeted by Pendragon and Uther, who had

landed from Brittany with a mighty army, and who

quickly killed the usurper and his advisors, burning

them in the tower Vortigern had hoped would provide

him with sanctuary.

Then Merlin took his leave of Arthur and of

the two kings, for to go and see his master

Blaise, that dwelt in Northumberland; and so

he departed and came to his master, that was

passing glad of his coming; and there he told

how Arthur and the two kings had sped at the

great battle, and how it was ended, and told the

names of every king and knight of worship that

was there. And so Blaise wrote the battle word

by word, as Merlin told him, how it began, and

by whom, and in likewise how it was ended, and

who had the worse. All the battles that were done

in Arthur’s days Merlin did his master Blaise do

write; also he did do write all the battles that

every worthy knight did of Arthur’s court.

Vortigern The

Usurper

At the time Merlin was entering into the height of

his power, Vortigern killed the King, Moines, and

had driven his brothers, Pendragon and Uther into

exile. Vortigern was Moines’ Seneschal, and had

made a black bargain with the Saxons, allowing them

to entrench themselves throughout Britain in return

for a small piece of it which he could rule as a petty

iefdom.

Vortigern was constantly afraid the brothers, who

were mighty knights of great renown, would return

and reclaim their birthright, so he tried to build

a mighty tower for his defense the like of which

the world had never seen. Three times the tower

collapsed to the ground of its own weight.

Vortigern consulted his court astrologer, who told

him that only the blood of a child born without a

mortal father poured into the foundation of the tower

would make it stand. After much searching, Merlin,

the Arthurian Age oficially begins, with a newly

independent, and newly defenseless, Britain at the

mercy of invading Picts, Scots, and Saxons.

The Brother Kings,

Saxon Counterattack

Pendragon, the eldest of the two brothers, took

Merlin as his advisor, and Merlin irst advised him to

rule jointly with his brother, and for the two knights

to swear an oath of mutual idelity. However, the

two brothers were not long to rule, as the Saxons

immediately launched a full scale attack, seeking to

snuff out the native Briton kings before they had a

chance to grow in power or reputation.

During the battle, the Saxons were repelled, but

Pendragon was killed, as Merlin had predicted. Uther,

assuming full kingship alone, nonetheless assumed

the surname Pendragon, forever remembering his

oath to rule Britain jointly with Pendragon.

The Birth of Merlin

Born of an incubus and a virtuous woman, Merlin

seemed destined for a life of wickedness and deceit.

However, his mother was able to avert most of his

father’s lineage through the help of a priest, who

baptized the child immediately after his birth.

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Under Merlin’s wise counsel, which included

securing for him the sword Excalibur from the

Ladies of the Lake, Uther unites the bickering British

warlords under his banner, and eventually drives all

the Saxon, Pict, and Scot invaders north of Hadrian’s

Wall, making the land free and united. It should have

been the beginning of a golden age for Britain, but

fate then did something that not even mighty Merlin

could foresee.

At a mighty castle in Carlisle, Merlin unveils

another of his great miracles, the Table Round, and

advises Uther to invite all the kings and barons united

under him to join a great fellowship and permanently

unite Britain under his rule. All the lords and their

wives attend, and at this council, Uther falls in love

with Igraine, wife of the second most powerful lord

in attendance, Gorloise of Cornwall, and makes an

advance toward her, offering to make her his queen.

She spurns him, and when her husband learns of

Uther’s treachery, he immediately leaves, and begins

to prepare for war. Worse still, seeing that Uther

is not a man to be trusted, all the other warlords

withdraw as well, and the golden age ends before

a single council is held at the Round Table in the

preparation for civil war.

and his wife in the most powerful, the legendary

Tintagel.

During the battle, when Uther falls sick with love,

his attendant knight, Ulius, seeks out the wizard

Merlin, who promises to aid Uther, changing him into

the likeness of Cornwall so he may have one night

with Igraine.

A Pact with Merlin

Sir, said Merlin, I know all your heart; so ye will

be sworn to me as ye be a true king anointed, to

fulill my desire, ye shall have your desire.

Soon came Merlin unto the king, and said, Sir,

ye must purvey you for the nourishing of your

child. As thou wilt, said the king, be it. Well, said

Merlin, I know a lord of yours in this land, that

is a passing true man and a faithful, and he shall

have the nourishing of your child, and his name

is Sir Ector…

-Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur

Merlin changes Uther’s form to that of the Duke of

Cornwall, and Uther travels the ten miles to Tintagel

castle where for a night, he is with Igraine.

Cornwall, seeing what he thinks is Uther leeing

the siege of Terrabil, leaves his castle with a group of

men and attacks Uther’s troops in an attempt to break

the siege. During this battle, while Uther lays with

the unsuspecting Igraine, Cornwall is killed.

When it is learned that Cornwall has died during

the night, Igraine realizes the man she slept with was

not her husband, however she tells no one. Soon after,

Uther offers to marry Igraine, and end the siege.

At a group wedding, Uther marries Igraine, and

arranges the marriages of her daughters by Gorloise

like so many trophy pieces to reward nobles who

have been loyal to him in the past. King Lot of

King Uther

Merlin, during this time, performs one of his

greatest miracles, bringing the most powerful stone

circle across the waters from Ireland to England and

forming Stonehenge. This massive giant’s circle

forms a magical hub for Britain, strengthening the

magic of the land and allowing Merlin to perform

magical feats never known before in the history of

the world. As a inal solemnity, Uther buries his

brother in the center of the great stone circle.

It befell in the days of Uther Pendragon, when

he was King of all England, and so reigned, that

there was a mighty duke in Cornwall that held

war against him long time.

-Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur Book I

Chapter I

The war between Uther and Cornwall provides the

backdrop of Arthur’s birth, and as Uther marches

south to Cornwall, Gorloise puts himself in the

second most powerful castle in Cornwall, Terrabil,

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Lothian marries Morgawse, King Nentres of Garlot

marries Elaine, and Morgan le Fay, who is not yet of

age, is sent to a nunnery.

Lot and Morgawse are the parents of Sir Gawain,

who will become one of the greatest of Arthur’s

knights.

In this way, Uther ends the war with Gorloise and

brings peace anew to Britain, however, his reign will

ind no peace between rebellion, sickness, and new

barbarian invasions.

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…

this will cause some common ground to be forged

between the quarreling warlords.

So upon New Year’s Day, when the service

was done, the barons unto the ield, some to

joust and some to tourney, and so it happened

that Sir Ector, that had great livelihood about

London, rode unto the jousts, and with him rode

Sir Kay his son, and young Arthur that was his

nourished brother; and Sir Kay was made knight

at All Hallowmass afore. So as they rode to the

joustsward, Sir Kay lost his sword, for he had left

it at his father’s lodging, and so he prayed young

Arthur for to ride for his sword. I will well, said

Arthur, and rode fast after the sword, and when

he came home, the lady and all were out to see

the jousting. Then was Arthur wroth, and said to

himself, I will ride to the churchyard, and take

the sword with me that sticketh in the stone, for

my brother Sir Kay shall not be without a sword

this day.

-Alfred Lord Tennyson, Idylls of the King

After the death of Uther, a new dark age descends

upon Britain, with each petty warlord styling himself

a king, numerous barbarian incursions, and the rise

of monsters and wild beasts with no fear of mankind.

Merlin, having seen what is to come, begins to

prepare for the ascent of Arthur, having seen that vast

lands and fortunes were given to Sir Ector prior to

Uther’s death, having assigned Ulius and Brastias

to the court of Ector to ensure the boy’s safety, and

lastly, preparing the sword Excalibur a new resting

place, where it would remain until the boy was ready

to become the king.

The Death of Uther

Then within two years King Uther fell sick of a

great malady.

-Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur Book I

Chapter IV

When Uther falls sick in Arthur’s second year, the

barbarians attack again, moving swiftly from the

north. Merlin advises Uther that he must take the

ield, even though he is too sick to ride, so Uther is

carried out to St. Albans, where his army has a inal

confrontation with the barbarian host. Sir Ulius and

Sir Brastias are especially heroic and pivotal igures

in the battle, which sees the defeat of the barbarians.

After the battle, Uther becomes even more sick,

unable to speak, but Merlin calls all the barons loyal

to Uther before him, and, after declaring Arthur heir

to the throne of Britain, Uther dies, and is mourned

by all his subjects.

The Sword in the

Stone

-Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur

And when matins and the irst mass was done,

there was seen in the churchyard, against the

high altar, a great stone four square, like unto a

marble stone; and in midst thereof was like an

anvil of steel a foot on high, and therein stuck a

fair sword naked by the point, and letters there

were written in gold about the sword that said

thus: Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone

and anvil, is rightwise king born of all England.

After Arthur draws the sword, he is told to reinsert

it into the stone, and an ever-increasing line of

petty barons and warlords attempt to draw it from

the stone, to no avail. Finally, Merlin invites the

most powerful Barons to witness Arthur draw the

sword lanked by Sir Ulius and Sir Brastias, the

two greatest living knights who served under Uther.

Unable to inally deny that the sword has chosen a

low-born boy, the robber barons go to war with the

ledgling king and his small group of knights.

The Archbishop of Canterbury holds a small

coronation on the eve of war, at which Arthur names

Sir Kay Seneschal, Sir Baudwin Constable, Sir

Ulius Chamberlain, and Sir Brastias Warden of the

Northlands.

Between Uther and

Arthur

-Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur

For many a petty king ere Arthur came

Ruled in this isle and, ever waging war

Each upon the other, wasted all the land;

Around this stone, by the decree of the Archbishop

of Canterbury, forms a great tournament and joust,

held at New Year’s, at which ten knights will win the

right to attempt the sword. The Archbishop hopes that

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