La Chanson du Beau Danseur II (485)

Lady Adwen of Netheravon

Wherein he doth seize a banner from the orgulous and lewdest Saxon host, and win a wife.

Sith the paynim Saxon foes held hot the marches of Britain, the noble estates were made dight for skirmish and stour. Knights so dressed and aventred sought the muster, with their levies to sue, and all was ado. In Salisbury well-faired and haut-trod Sir Benesek, cleanest-mighted Sir Gorvannon and the better carping galliard Sir Dafydd made their service ere they busked to war, and betaught their body unto bruit or leech.

Many ladies of the court were noyous at such as had come to pass, and the knights gave their worship in comfort. There in Sarum, did Sir Dafydd grow raging for the thrice-widowed Lady Indeg, and clean Sir Gorvannon court Gwiona of Laverstock, fair daughter of Sir John. It was thus that Sir Gorvannon came upon young Sir Jaradan, who was avised stilly and with merit by a handmaiden of the fair pucelle of Laverstock.

Both were knights actual and wight, given to bobaunce and bourding avaunt, and weened they might win a lady's favour by such display. Thusly did Sir Gorvannon and Sir Jaradan dress to meddle for love, in weal rather than wood. So did they set upon each other with glaive and shield, and soon Sir Gorvannon swapped his foe a passing sad brunt that reached a box even-informed, so that harness and targe alike were to-brast, and he did dere Sir Jaradan dolorously. To his bruit Sir Jaradan remained standing but astonied, for he was soon all for-bled.

Upon seeing his craft and his foe awrack, Sir Gorvannon cast down his arms in dole, and cried for the leeches. Sir Jaradan recovered goodly well, but would take no part in the stour to come, and Sir Gorvannon bemoaned such a piteous meed.

Whilst such noble knights were afought, Sir Benesek did give his worship to the Lady Adwen, and on the feast afore the knights sought King Uther's host, he led her in a dance of such passing life and raging that the maid's leres were aflame as she said unto Sir Benesek, "Goodly knight, thou art truly le beau danseur!"

"Mildest maid," Sir Benesek replied, "verily, thou dost me too great an honour. Would I misdo thy largeness if I assayed to beg of thee a token that I might take unto the field of stour?"

"Nay, Sir Benesek, that thou wouldst not," she replied, and from her neck removed a scarf of azure, which was passed in done to the knight.

*****

From Salisbury did Lord Roderick's battle yede with the king's well-furnished band, and assayed to meet the paynim Saxons at Mearcred Creek, in the South Saxon lands. To this field sought Duke Ulfius of Silchester with the vanguard, followed hence by the king and his son, Prince Madoc, with the main battle. Salisbury's knights rode among the last, to rearward, to be about the left battle, and thus forbid the enemy's greatest wight with their endeavour. Sir Benesek, Sir Dafydd and Sir Gorvannon were betaken to the banner of noble Sir Ambig, and espied their enemies freshly.

King Ælle's host was orgulous set, pitiful in its arrayment but for its gisernes most breme, wielded by the biggest and araged paynim, uncouth and unbeseen. Others were but churs and villeins, though even the meanest and lewdest Saxon was a rude freke, stuffed with drink. Uneath the horns had sounded when the horses abraided forth, and the knights of Salisbury drove stiffly at this enemy, spears in fewter cast, as they succeeded wightly to bruit and meddle. Each strained and eagered him to be the gainest, to sue none but his banneret.

By the first charge were the Saxons put muchly to wrack and appair, their lines to-riven and to-brast, as spears aplenty broached them bodily but if they were overcharged by horse and hoof. Sir Benesek swapped a foe sore with such a sad foin that he was slain anon, and Sir Gorvannon and Sir Dafydd alike brought their foes to grief, so overjousted. Once the battles were joined all was wood, and glaives and truncheons were wielded until all were forfaughten or for-bled.

So noyous was the raundomous meddle that Sir Gorvannon and Sir Dafydd were unhorsed both, and were held so hot to dere by those breme and mazed Saxon lords with their gisernes, that all were plaied sore. Sir Dafydd was ultimately brought low after haut endeavour; but still was Sir Gorvannon borne up by his own hands and wight, so that he relieved others also, and avoided noble Sir Dafydd of the field when all was spent.

Severally Sir Ambig's knights were wounded to grief or slain, 'til of his banner there were but he and Sir Benesek who alone maintained the stour, razing, dashing and foining the foe with great wood until they were attaint. Yet they were borne upon a great surge of victory that did fortify their arms but stooned the Saxon battle, and borne again, so that Sir Ambig and Sir Benesek broached deep into the enemy line, and in the meddle espied a standard of that paynim host. Wightly and freshly indeed did they cast their brunts upon the churs that forbade the banner, until it was theirs by conquest unto bruit. Theirs also was a Saxon lord of some parage, who brought a fitting warison of bezants indeed.

By eve all were forfoughten, and those not flemed, or slain, or sadly wracked, were relieved to their kings' banners, and the stour was stinted. The day belonged to neither host, though no mean glory had been won by the knights of Salisbury, or even the knights of Silchester, who in Sir Dalan ap Gout had alike hent a standard from the Saxon battles. It was thusly girded with bruit and gree that galliard Sir Benesek, who had forjousted his foes heavily, came upon his lord, and said unto Roderick:

"Noble liege, I have done thy service this day as beseemed, my body put so as in full devoir, and have won with the Lord's grace this paynim banner for thine honour! Nillst thou grant me meed, my lord, and by thy leave and largeness behotest unto me the hand of the lady Adwen, shouldst thou think my worship so worthy?"

"Grantmercy, Sir Benesek," Lord Roderick replied," Her hand is thine indeed, and I shall defend it not."

And so, the knights repaired to Salisbury, whereupon their arrival was the lady Adwen betrothed to Sir Benesek, with common weal. In worship did the knight gift his affianced a mantle of finest furs, well-purfiled and fair, and the marriage followed forthly, to much celebration. Thusly did Sir Benesek become a banneret, and lord of the lands of Netheravon.

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

Sir Benesek (Winter Phase 485, aged 24), Glory 2,588
SIZ 14, DEX 14, STR 12, CON 11, APP 16
Main Skills: Compose 11, Courtesy 10, Dancing 22, Flirting 15, Orate 10; Horsemanship 15, Lance15, Sword 17.
Famous Traits & Passions: Energetic 16, Valorous 16; Love (Adwen) 16.