La Chanson du Beau Danseur III (486)

The arms of Sir Gorvannon

Wherein he doth find the warlock Merlin at traverse, lose a companion, and be stricken sore by a baleful giserne.

Now it came to pass that a new knight was betaught unto Sir Benesek and his companions, hight Sir Pedivere, and he was a big soul who fought wood in meddle. Great bruit was his for his appurtence shewn in his demesne, for he gave no little meed in his courts to a somewhat galliard priest of actual temperament, and thus although a paynim ever was he a friend of the Church.

Thusly were these four knights of Salisbury whom Earl Roderick sent forth in service upon his roads to defend wanhope's passage. In the van drove the well-faired banneret Sir Benesek, his weeds and harness goodly purfiled and beseen. Then came cleanest-mighted Sir Gorvannon, that haut-carped and rude paynim Sir Dafydd, and that breme personage Sir Pedivere.

Muchly astill were the roads, with naught to await but the occasional peddlar in his chariot, sought for Sarum, or villeins few set for market, who gave their worship. Thereupon did the knights come at traverse upon one such mean and decrepit churl, sadly beseen and in much dole. As he awaited the banner approaching, he cackled "Gentle knights, pardie, but I beg that ye will do me large, for that shrewd goat of mine is succeeded up yon hill! Ye shall know it well, for it is passing big for such, and is arrayed as swart as a paynim of launds orient!"

At this Sir Gorvannon, in the feute to-hent as well as any, cried "Stay thine ado, old villein, for I shall assay myself so and recover thy goat," and abraided his horse up the slope. But a minute had passed ere Sir Gorvannon returned, his vise astonied.

"'Zounds and 'zooks, gentle knights," he uttered in wonder, "I bid ye busk hence, for said goat 'tis a freke of marvel, and ye must await yourselves also!"

So did Sir Benesek, Sir Dafydd and Sir Pedivere succeed upon Sir Gorvannon's feute, and awaited upon said goat, a freke bear-sized but alive, gayly-tripping about branch and brook in all disport. Or ever had the knights witnessed upon its body ere a thrice-eyed and passing gigantic cove came upon the goat and swapped it a sad brunt. Araged, but doubting the giant not, the knights aventred and dighted for meddle, and Sir Benesek spered of the beast thusly, "Wherefore art thou to be about a humble villein's goat so, thou recrayed Bashinite? Wost thou that this be Salisbury land, so get thee hence!"

The giant paid him no heed and spiteously cast a goodly sized boulder in Sir Benesek's direction, which the knight shunted gainly; whence Sir Gorvannon and Sir Dafydd drove wood at the giant with spears in fewter cast for rasure. But alas! the freke was fully wight, and hent a great branch from yonder ground with which he shaped at Sir Dafydd, and swapped him most dole with such a brunt that he was cast bodily from his charger and slain anon.

Awaiting upon the passing of that rude galliard of note, Sir Benesek and Sir Pedivere seethed wood, and succeeded stiffly at the shrewd and breme giant, whereupon it was broached sore by the their spears, and all fell to meddle. All strained themselves wightly and held the giant hot, though it unhorsed such as Sir Benesek and brunted his companions both, and all were to razing most closely in the raundom with glaive.

Now accompanying the knights had been a young bachelor hight Sir Evan of Woodford, a cousin of Sir Dafydd who remained by the road with the Earl's soldiers. Upon hearing the clamour and ado he did venture to its source, and was astonied sore when he avised the form of his lief cuz so sorely handled by the gigantic freke. Uneath had he awaited so when he abraided at the giant wroth and wood, and broached him straitly with his spear so that the monster was slain anon, and his head was taken as gree by Sir Evan.

Thereupon the old villein appeared again, cackling with disport, and the knights were full astonied, for they avised that it was no baleful churl, but that warlock that did service to the king, that haut sorcerer, Merlin. "Ye will do," he carped, "I bid ye come with me hence."

Afore they left he saw to their wracks with no common leechcraft, but alas! the rude galliard Sir Dafydd was full slain, and no tatch of weed or hand could revive him. Merlin led them onward so, unhorsed and unsquired, with glaive and targe alone. They made journey through a forest most passing fey, until the sorcerer gave stint to his journey and cried forth to the knights "There! Protect me now, good knights, for the sake of your king and your lives!"

Now, the knights were wroth and wood at the loss of their companion, and verily made so.

"Protect thee and thy scheme, haut warlock?" spered Sir Benesek. "Forsooth, have we not already assayed so, and to much dere, by a mal engine of thine?"

"Aye, Sir Benesek," upbraided Sir Gorvannon, "so sayeth this sorcerer little well of his own wite in our devoir, and that of Sir Dafydd, and to what end?"

Yet such discourse was stinted, for busking gainly from yonder reaches of the forest came a knight most slimy beseen, trussed with wretched harness and malodorous charger both, and fully four arms grasped his clubs and glaives well aventred. With a doubtful bellow, he gave charge and treated the knights sore, for he meddled wightly until they were attaint, and they could give him no plaie or swap him dole. Sir Pedivere and Sir Evan were both sorely wracked, ere Sir Benesek and Sir Gorvannon did dere, and that cleanest-mighted knight did the fell freke's utterance.

The raundom over, Sir Benesek and Sir Gorvannon, forfoughten both, sought for Merlin without success, ere they awaited upon him at a nearby lake, verily shrouded in a fog of what engine they knew not. There, within a barge on the waters stood that haut warlock, carping strangely until a shining arm broke its placid surface, a glaive most trenchant and well beseen aclasp in its hand. Thereupon did Merlin hent said glaive in all reverence and worship, and return thence to the shore, and all was wonder. Sir Pedivere and Sir Evan were well leeched, and all returned to Salisbury to speak to great bruit of such as they had seen.

[After the adventure, Sir Benesek and Sir Gorvannon both asked for, and gained, a directed trait of +5 Suspicious vs Merlin...]

*****

Later that summer was Sir Pedivere's manor was araided by breme Saxons, who found but little stuffing therefrom, for it had been a poor year for said knight and his weeds and meat were of bale proportion. Yet still the foes were intent upon their raundom, and Sir Pedivere succeeded thence, accompanied by Sir Benesek, Sir Gorvannon and Sir Evan, to fleme such foes from Salisbury lands.

Eight Saxons they found, trussed with spears and gisernes both, and araged as was their wont. Freshly did the knights assay to overcharge them all, though outnumbered, and thus fain did Sir Benesek and Sir Gorvannon in all valour set about gainly the orgulous champion and leader of that host, putting their bodies in full devoir of Sir Pedivere. Sad and strait indeed was the meddle and strife that followed, but to little meed for any party.

The galliard knights overcharged the Saxons wightly at first, but in the meddle was much plaie made on all. Sir Benesek broached that breme-giserned knave and a paynim warrior alike with the same spear, but his mazed foe was passing rude, and of sad dere was the well faired knight more receit, and all for-bled his loyal charger avoided him thence. Likewise was Sir Pedivere, who fought so wood and wightly, wracked sorely, while Sir Gorvannon and Sir Dafydd were borne up by their hands until all were attaint.

Thus did both hosts do parley, and yielded themselves from the stour but that further rasure of Sir Pedivere's launds was forbade. Thereupon did Sir Gorvannon an Sir Dafydd let fetched leeches, for dole indeed were brunts their fellows had received in the meddle. Thereafter Sir Benesek was returned to Netheravon, whereupon the fair Lady Adwen was ado with raging at such dere as she awaited upon her lord, until a dozen and one weeks had passed and Sir Benesek was again hale.

Thus endeth the third part of the tale of Sir Benesek.

Sir Benesek (Winter Phase 486, aged 25), Glory 2,859
SIZ 14, DEX 13, STR 13, CON 11, APP 16
Main Skills: Compose 11, Courtesy 10, Dancing 22, Flirting 15, Orate 10; Horsemanship 15, Lance 15, Sword 17.
Famous Traits and Passions: Energetic 16, Valorous 17; Love (Adwen) 16.