The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights

James Knowles

Description

What starts as a rags to riches story transforms into an adventure as this collection of legends explores the triumphs and failures of a young king and his accomplices.

When Arthur, a young boy mistreated by his family, is put up to the challenge to remove a sword stuck in a stone, his moral character and embodiment of hope allows him to pass the test and win the sword, Excalibur. Artur is then named the king, and becomes the standard of leadership and the founder of Camelot. Wielding his prized sword, Excalibur, Arthur goes on to encounter enchantresses, assemble noble knights, and lead Britain’s defense against the Saxon invasion. King Arthur will join his notable allies, Lancelot, Merlin, and the Lady of the Lake, to solve mysteries, achieve quests, and fight battles.

The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights by Sir James Knowles has inspired modern film and literary adaptations, joining the vast collection of poetry, prose and art dedicated to King Arthur and his knights. These fantastical stories provide an escape into adventure, and bring lessons of overcoming adversity into the 21st century, while treating readers to experience the comradery of the round table and the magical adventures of Camelot.

Sir James Knowles’ The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights is vitalized with this artistic edition. This new, modern design and readable manuscript will allow readers to be immersed in the action, witnessing Merlin’s prophecies, aiding Lancelot’s quest for the Holy Grail, and fighting alongside Arthur in battle.

Sujets

• Romans historiques
• Moyen-Age
• Arthurian
• Lanzarote del Lago
• Lady of the Lake
• Lancelot
• Round Table
• Holy Grail
• Lancelot du Lac
• Excalibur
• Britain
• Fiction
• Fantasy

Informations

• Publié par: Mint Editions
• Date de parution: 01 décembre 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781513267043
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights
James Knowles
 
The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights was first published in 1860.
This edition published by Mint Editions 2020.
ISBN 9781513266602 | E-ISBN 9781513267043
Published by Mint Editions®

minteditionbooks.com
Publishing Director: Jennifer Newens
Project Manager: Gabrielle Maudiere
Design & Production: Rachel Lopez Metzger
Typesetting: Westchester Publishing Services
 
CONTENTS
     I  The Finding of Merlin—The Fight of the Dragons—The Giants’ Dance—The Prophecies of Merlin and the Birth of Arthur—Uther Attacks the Saxons—The Death of Uther
    II  Merlin’s Advice to the Archbishop—The Miracle of the Sword and Stone—The Coronation of King Arthur—The Opposition of the Six Kings—The Sword Excalibur—The Defeat of the Six Kings—The War with the Eleven Kings
   III  The Adventure of the Questing Beast—The Siege of York—The Battles of Celidon Forest and Badon Hill—King Arthur Drives the Saxons from the Realm—The Embassy from Rome—The King Rescues Merlin—The Knight of the Fountain
   IV  King Arthur Conquers Ireland and Norway—Slays the Giant of St. Michael’s Mount and Conquers Gaul—King Ryence’s Insolent Message—The Damsel and the Sword—The Lady of the Lake—The Adventures of Sir Balin
    V  Sir Balin kills Sir Lancear—The Sullen Knight—The Knight Invisible is Killed—Sir Balin Smites the Dolorous Stroke, and Fights with His Brother Sir Balan
   VI  The Marriage of King Arthur and Guinevere—The Coronation of the Queen—The Founding of the Round Table—The Quest of the White Hart—The Adventures of Sir Gawain—The Quest of the White Hound—Sir Tor Kills Abellius—The Adventures of Sir Pellinore—The Death of Sir Hantzlake—Merlin Saves King Arthur
  VII  King Arthur and Sir Accolon of Gaul are Entrapped by Sir Damas—They Fight Each Other Through Enchantment of Queen Morgan le Fay—Sir Damas is Compelled to Surrender All His Lands to Sir Outzlake his Brother Their Rightful Owner—Queen Morgan Essays to Kill King Arthur with a Magic Garment—Her Damsel is Compelled to Wear it and is Thereby Burned to Cinders
VIII  A Second Embassy from Rome—King Arthur’s Answer—The Emperor Assembles his Armies—King Arthur Slays the Emperor—Sir Gawain and Sir Prianius—The Lombards are Defeated—King Arthur Crowned at Rome
   IX  The Adventures of Sir Lancelot—He and His Cousin Sir Lionel Set Forth—The Four Witch-Queens—King Bagdemagus—Sir Lancelot Slays Sir Turquine and Delivers His Captive Knights—The Foul Knight—Sir Gaunter Attacks Sir Lancelot—The Four Knights—Sir Lancelot Comes to the Chapel Perilous—Ellawes the Sorceress—The Lady and the Falcon—Sir Bedivere and the Dead Lady
    X  Beaumains is Made a Kitchen Page by Sir Key—He Claims the Adventure of the Damsel Linet—He Fights with Sir Lancelot and is Knighted by him in his True Name of Gareth—Is Flouted by the Damsel Linet—But Overthrows all Knights He Meets and Sends Them to King Arthur’s Court—He Delivers the Lady Lyones from the Knight of the Redlands—The Tournament Before Castle Perilous—Marriage of Sir Gareth and the Lady Lyones
  XI  The Adventures of Sir Tristram—His Stepmother—He is Knighted—Fights with Sir Marhaus—Sir Palomedes and La Belle Isault—Sir Bleoberis and Sir Segwarides—Sir Tristram’s Quest—His Return—The Castle Pluere—Sir Brewnor is Slain—Sir Kay Hedius—La Belle Isault’s Hound—Sir Dinedan Refuses to Fight—Sir Pellinore Follows Sir Tristram—Sir Brewse-without-pity—The Tournament at the Maiden’s Castle—Sir Palomedes and Sir Tristram
 XII  Merlin is Bewitched by a Damsel of the Lady of the Lake—Galahad Knighted by Sir Lancelot—The Perilous Seat—The Marvellous Sword—Sir Galahad in the Perilous Seat—The Sangreal—The Knights Vow Themselves to its Quest—The Shield of the White Knight—The Fiend of the Tomb—Sir Galahad at the Maiden’s Castle—The Sick Knight and the Sangreal—Sir Lancelot Declared Unworthy to Find the Holy Vessel—Sir Percival Seeks Sir Galahad—The Black Steed—Sir Bors and the Hermit—Sir Pridan le Noir—Sir Lionel’s Anger—He Meets Sir Percival—The Ship “Faith”—Sir Galahad and Earl Hernox—The Leprous Lady—Sir Galahad Discloses Himself to Sir Lancelot—They Part—The Blind King Evelake—Sir Galahad Finds the Sangreal—His Death
XIII  The Queen Quarrels with Sir Lancelot—She is Accused of Murder—Her Champion Proves Her Innocence—The Tourney at Camelot—Sir Lancelot in the Tourney—Sir Baldwin the Knight-Hermit—Elaine, the Maid of Astolat, Seeks for Sir Lancelot—She Tends his Wounds—Her Death—The Queen and Sir Lancelot are Reconciled
XIV  Sir Lancelot Attacked by Sir Agravaine, Sir Modred, and Thirteen Other Knights—He Slays Them All But Sir Modred—He Leaves the Court—Sir Modred Accuses Him to the King—The Queen Condemned to Be Burnt—Her Rescue by Sir Lancelot and Flight with Him—The War Between Sir Lancelot and the King—The Enmity of Sir Gawain—The Usurpation of Sir Modred—The Queen Retires to a Nunnery—Sir Lancelot Goes on Pilgrimage—The Battle of Barham Downs—Sir Bedivere and the Sword Excalibur—The Death of King Arthur
 
I
K ing Vortigern the usurper sat upon his throne in London, when, suddenly, upon a certain day, ran in a breathless messenger, and cried aloud—
“Arise, Lord King, for the enemy is come; even Ambrosius and Uther, upon whose throne thou sittest—and full twenty thousand with them—and they have sworn by a great oath, Lord, to slay thee, ere this year be done; and even now they march towards thee as the north wind of winter for bitterness and haste.”
At those words Vortigern’s face grew white as ashes, and, rising in confusion and disorder, he sent for all the best artificers and craftsmen and mechanics, and commanded them vehemently to go and build him straightway in the furthest west of his lands a great and strong castle, where he might fly for refuge and escape the vengeance of his master’s sons—“and, moreover,” cried he, “let the work be done within a hundred days from now, or I will surely spare no life amongst you all.”
Then all the host of craftsmen, fearing for their lives, found out a proper site whereon to build the tower, and eagerly began to lay in the foundations. But no sooner were the walls raised up above the ground than all their work was overwhelmed and broken down by night invisibly, no man perceiving how, or by whom, or what. And the same thing happening again, and yet again, all the workmen, full of terror, sought out the king, and threw themselves upon their faces before him, beseeching him to interfere and help them or to deliver them from their dreadful work.
Filled with mixed rage and fear, the king called for the astrologers and wizards, and took counsel with them what these things might be, and how to overcome them. The wizards worked their spells and incantations, and in the end declared that nothing but the blood of a youth born without mortal father, smeared on the foundations of the castle, could avail to make it stand. Messengers were therefore sent forthwith through all the land to find, if it were possible, such a child. And, as some of them went down a certain village street, they saw a band of lads fighting and quarrelling, and heard them shout at one—“Avaunt, thou imp!—avaunt! Son of no mortal man! go, find thy father, and leave us in peace.”
At that the messengers looked steadfastly on the lad, and asked who he was. One said his name was Merlin; another, that his birth and parentage were known by no man; a third, that the foul fiend alone was his father. Hearing the things, the officers seized Merlin, and carried him before the king by force.
But no sooner was he brought to him than he asked in a loud voice, for what cause he was thus dragged there?
“My magicians,” answered Vortigern, “told me to seek out a man that had no human father, and to sprinkle my castle with his blood, that it may stand.”
“Order those magicians,” said Merlin, “to come before me, and I will convict them of a lie.”
The king was astonished at his words, but commanded the magicians to come and sit down before Merlin, who cried to them—
“Because ye know not what it is that hinders the foundation of the castle, ye have advised my blood for a cement to it, as if that would avail; but tell me now rather what there is below that ground, for something there is surely underneath that will not suffer the tower to stand?”
The wizards at these words began to fear, and made no answer. Then said Merlin to the king—
“I pray, Lord, that workmen may be ordered to dig deep down into the ground till they shall come to a great pool of water.”
This then was done, and the pool discovered far beneath the surface of the ground.
Then, turning again to the magicians, Merlin said, “Tell me now, false sycophants, what there is underneath that pool?”—but they were silent. Then said he to the king, “Command this pool to be drained, and at the bottom shall be found two dragons, great and huge, which now are sleeping, but which at night awake and fight and tear each other. At their great struggle all the ground shakes and trembles, and so casts down thy towers, which, therefore, never yet could find secure foundations.”
The king was amazed at these words, but commanded the pool to be forthwith drained; and surely at the bottom of it did they presently discover the two dragons, fast asleep, as Merlin had declared.
But Vortigern sat upon the brink of the pool till night to see what else would happen.
Then those two dragons, one of which was white, the other red, rose up and came near one another, and began a sore fight, and cast forth fire with their breath. But the white dragon had the advantage, and chased the other to the end of the lake. And he, for grief at his flight, turned back upon his foe, and renewed the combat, and forced him to retire in turn. But in the end the red dragon was worsted, and the white dragon disappeared no man knew where.
When their battle was done, the king desired Merlin to tell him what it meant. Whereat he, bursting into