The Anturs of Arther: Part 8 (Epilogue)

The story so far: At the close of the hunting season, King Arthur’s retinue descend from the fells and prepare to herd the barren does into the hollows in order to slaughter them with bows and arrows. Sir Gawaine leads King Arthur’s wife Gaynore down the track, when suddenly the woods are cast into darkness, and they are separated from their companions. Whilst Gawaine endeavours to explain away the phenomenon as a solar eclipse, a decayed, animated corpse appears before them. Gawaine observes that it is crawling with snakes and toads, and draws his sword to defend his queen. The ghost tells Gawaine that it is all that remains of Gaynore’s mother, and that it once was more beautiful even than its daughter, but is now a rotting corpse. It commands him to bring Gaynore into its presence, and when he obeys, it tells her that it is in Purgatory, and can only be redeemed by her prayers. Gaynore asks whether there is any hope for her mother’s soul, and after giving a prescription for its own salvation, the ghost turns on Gaynore, accusing her of pride, and insisting that she too will suffer its fate, if she does not change her ways. Moreover, it suggests that King Arthur himself is doomed to destruction because of his pride, employing that favourite mediaeval metaphor, the Wheel of Fortune. Gawaine realises that if Gaynore’s sin is enough to send her to Hell, the sins of Arthur’s knights are far worse. The ghost predicts that although Arthur and his knights have been victorious in France, defeating Gian in battle, Arthur himself will fall at the battle of Camlann on the River Tamar. She says that Gawaine will be in Tuscany at the time, but will rush to Arthur’s aid when he hears the news, and will also be killed. The heraldic symbols on the usurping knight’s shield reveal him to be Mordred, currently still a boy in King Arthur’s court. The ghost disappears, leaving Gawaine and Guinevere alone together, but King Arthur’s knights take courage, because the darkness has gone, and lead Guinevere to Rondallsete, where dinner is prepared. King Arthur and his knights sit down to dinner, but it is interrupted by a woman, richly arrayed, leading a mounted knight. The knight identifies himself as Sir Galeron, defrauded of land by King Arthur – land which has, ironically, been given to Gawaine – and lays down his challenge. Arthur accepts it, but Gawaine marches into the hall, ready to champion his king, but not without doing Galeron the courtesy of a night’s hospitality first. Whilst Galeron rests in preparation for the next day’s jousting, King Arthur calls his lords together, and against his king’s better judgement, Gawaine volunteers to fight Galeron. The two knights are led to the lists the next day, while Gaynore looks on, weeping. They spur their horses, and clash. Gawaine’s horse is killed, and when Galeron gallantly offers him one of his own, Gawaine is offended. They fight on foot, and both knights receive blows which threaten their lives, until, in a sudden reversal of fortune, Gawaine has Galeron in his grip, and is ready to choke him to death. It is left to Galeron’s lady, and to Gaynore, to plead for his life. Now, in these final stanzas, the King pleads with Gawaine to spare Galeron’s life, offering him enormous swathes of land in return, and Gawaine relents, returning Galeron’s lands to him, and pledging his friendship. Once the wounds are healed, Galeron is made a knight of the Round Table – and only then, Gaynore remembers her promise to the ghost of her mother, and sends letters commanding that her soul be remembered in myriad masses.

 

The Anturs of Arther: Part 8

 

But then spoke Sir Galeron: “Sir Gawaine the Good,

I never knew that there was such a knight!

I relinquish my claim – I swear by the Rood!

To your Lord and his retinue I resign my right.

I am henceforth your vassal – a pledge made with blood –

Of all men on earth, you are greatest in might!”

And meekly he made for the King where he stood,

And surrendered his sword, which was burnished so bright,

Crying, “Of rents and of riches I make my release!”

And down knelt the knight,

Shouting up to the height,

And the King stood upright

And commanded the peace.

 

The King commanded peace as he stood upright,

And Gawaine relented, for the King’s sake,

And these were the lords who leapt up in his sight:

Yvayn and Uryayn and Arrake of the Lake,

Sir Meliaduke, Sir Marrake – all knights of great might –

And the two trenchant toilers, both barely could speak

Without burly helpers to keep them upright,

So bruised and so bloodless, their faces both bleak,

So pale of complexion, so weakened by wounds –

And each pledged for peace

As a God-sent release

That the bleeding should cease:

Pledged, and held up his hands.

 

“Behold, your King gives you, Gawaine the good,

All of Glamorgan, with its glades bright and green,

The worship of Wales, to wield as you would,

And Kirfre Castle, of bronze colour and sheen,

And all Ulster Hall, to have and to hold,

Wayforth and Waterforth, and all lands between,

Two baronies of Brittany, with burgesses bold,

With towers embattled, fit for a queen:

I endow you as duke, dubbed by my hands –

But make peace with this knight

Who put up such a fight,

And resign him your right

And give back his lands.”

 

“I give you, Galeron, and without any guile,

All lands that stretch between Logher and Layre:

Carrake, Cummake, Conyngame and Kile –

All for yourself, and thereafter, your heirs –

The Lother, the Lemmok, the Loynak, the Lile,

With wealds and with woodlands and waters so fair –

But bid you remain, and bide here awhile,

And at the Round Table, our wrongs to repair.

In this field I enfeoff you, as free as the air!”

And the King and the Queen

With Lords riding between

Weave the woodlands so green,

And to Carlisle they fare.

 

To Carlisle comes Arthur, with knights keen and bright,

Through glades so green, and in royal array,

To the Round Table, with two wounded knights,

Saved by the surgeons – so they all say –

The King and the Queen, all loving, as right,

Gawaine and Galeron made Dukes that same day.

He was wed with his lady – love supplanting the fight,

With gems for his gifts, Sir Galeron the gay.

Thus Gawaine and Galeron put difference away,

And when wounds congealed

And all grudges healed

His knighthood was sealed

Till his dying day.

 

And Gaynore wrote letters, forbearing the feast,

To monks and to nuns, to chant and to sing,

She pressed them to pray – both bishop and priest –

With myriad masses, her mother to bring

Out of burning. And scholars – learned and finest –

Were sent throughout Britain, the Mass-bell to ring.

And all of it happened in Inglewood forest

To knights and to ladies, to huntsmen and King.

And to catch such a quarry is not to be spurned:

That strength, pride and power

Are gone in an hour –

By chivalry’s flower

Let the lesson be learned.

 

Here is an end to the Adventures of Arthur.

 

Anonymous northern Middle English romance (15th century), paraphrased by Giles Watson.

 

The picture was taken in the churchyard at Ashbury, on the Oxfordshire-Wiltshire border.

Done