Now after these things had happened there was much talk among men and great confusion and tumult4. For while some of the kings and nearly all the multitude said, “Lo! here is a king come to us, as it were, from out of Heaven for to bring peace unto our distracted land,” yet other kings (and they were of greater number) said, “Who is this beardless boy who cometh with a claim to be High King of Britain? Who ever heard of him before? We will have none of him except upon further trial and upon greater avouchment5.” So, for the sake of peace, the Archbishop ordained6 that another assay2 of the sword should be made at Candlemas; and here again all those who endeavored to draw forth7 the sword failed thereat, but Arthur drew it forth several times, very easily, in the sight of all. And after that a third trial was made at Easter and after that a fourth trial was made at Pentecost. And at all these trials Arthur repeatedly drew out the sword from the anvil8, and no one but he could draw it forth.
Arthur is crowned King of Britain.
And, after that fourth trial, sundry of the kings and many of the lesser9 barons10 and knights12 and all of the commons cried out that these were trials enough, and that Arthur had assuredly approved himself to be rightwise King; wherefore they demanded that he should be made King indeed so that he might rule over them. For it had come to pass that whithersoever Arthur went great crowds followed after him hailing him as the true son of Uther-Pendragon, and rightwise overlord of Britain. Wherefore, the Archbishop (seeing how the people loved Arthur and how greatly they desired him for their King) ordained that he should be anointed and crowned unto royal estate; and so it was done at the great Cathedral. And some say that that Cathedral was St. Paul’s and some say that it was not.
Arthur overcometh his enemies.
But when Arthur had thus been crowned, all those who were opposed unto his Kingship withdrew themselves in great anger, and immediately set about to prepare war against him. But the people were with Arthur and joined with him, and so also did several Kings and many of the lesser barons and knights. And, with the advice of Merlin, Arthur made friends and allies of sundry other kings and they and he fought two great wars with his enemies and won both of these wars. And in the second war was fought a very famous battle nigh{37} to the Forest of Bedegraine (wherefore it was called the Battle of Bedegraine), and in that battle Arthur overthrew13 his enemies so entirely14 that it was not possible for them ever to hope to unite in war against him again.
Arthur bringeth his nephews to court.
And of King Lot, his brother-in-law, King Arthur brought two of his sons to Court for to dwell there and to serve as hostages of peace thereafter. And these two were Gawaine and Geharris and they became, after awhile, very famous and accomplished15 knights. And of King Urien, his other brother-in-law, Arthur brought unto Court his one son, Ewaine, for to hold as an hostage of peace; and he also became in time a very famous and accomplished knight11. And because of these hostages there was peace thereafter betwixt those three kingly brothers for all time. And a certain very famous king and knight hight King Pellinore (who was one of his enemies) Arthur drove out of his possessions and away from the habitations of men and into the forest. And King Ryence (who was another of his enemies) he drave into the mountains of North Wales. And other kings who were his enemies he subjugated16 to his will, so that all the land was at such peace that it had not enjoyed the like since the days of Uther-Pendragon.
And King Arthur made Sir Kay his Seneschal as he had promised to do; and he made Sir Ulfius his Chamberlain; and Merlin he made his Counsellor; and Sir Bodwain of Britain he made his Constable17. And these men were all of such a sort as greatly enhanced the glory and renown18 of his reign19 and established him upon his throne with entire security.
Now when the reign of King Arthur became thus entirely established, and when the renown of his greatness began to be known in the world, many men of noble souls and of large spirit and of high knightly20 prowess—knights who desired above all things to achieve glory at arms in Courts of Chivalry—perceived that great credit and exaltation of estate were likely to be won under such a king. So it fell out that, from all parts, by little and little, there began to gather together such a Court of noble, honorable knights about King Arthur as men never beheld21 before that time, and shall haply never behold22 again.
For even to this day the history of these good knights is known to the greater part of mankind. Yea; the names of many kings and emperors have passed away and have been forgotten, but the names of Sir Galahad, and of Sir Launcelot of the Lake, and of Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, and of Sir Percival of Gales23, and of Sir Gawaine, and of Sir Ewaine, and of Sir Bors de Ganis, and of many others of that noble household of worthy24 brotherhood25, is still remembered by men. Wherefore, I think that it is{38} very likely that so long as words shall be written, the performances of these worthies26 shall be remembered.
So in this history yet to be written, I have set it for my task to inform him who reads this book of many of these adventures, telling him, besides, such several circumstances as I do not believe are known unto everybody. And by and by, when I shall tell of the establishment of the Round Table, I shall set forth a tabulated27 list of a number of those worthies who at this time assembled at the Court of Arthur as men chosen to found that order of the Round Table, and who, for that reason, were entitled “The Ancient and Honorable Companions of the Round Table.”
For though this entire history chiefly concerneth King Arthur, yet the glory of these great honorable knights was his glory, and his glory was their glory, wherefore one cannot tell of the glory of King Arthur without also telling of the glory of those noble gentlemen aforesaid.
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1
sundry
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| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
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2
assay
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| n.试验，测定 | |
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assays
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| n.化验( assay的名词复数 )；试验；尝试；试金 | |
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tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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avouchment
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| n.断言，保证 | |
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6
ordained
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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7
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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8
anvil
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| n.铁钻 | |
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lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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barons
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| 男爵( baron的名词复数 )； 巨头； 大王； 大亨 | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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13
overthrew
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| overthrow的过去式 | |
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14
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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15
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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subjugated
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| v.征服，降伏( subjugate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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18
renown
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| n.声誉，名望 | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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knightly
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| adj. 骑士般的 adv. 骑士般地 | |
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21
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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22
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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gales
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| 龙猫 | |
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24
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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brotherhood
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| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
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worthies
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| 应得某事物( worthy的名词复数 )； 值得做某事； 可尊敬的； 有（某人或事物）的典型特征 | |
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tabulated
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| 把（数字、事实）列成表( tabulate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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