There is a mound in Penrith churchyard, in the Cumberland county of England, which is still called “The Giant’s Grave.” A pair of twelve-foot, round stone pillars stand for head and foot stone, fifteen feet apart—a prodigious suggestion as to the size of him who lies there.
Legend has it that there was buried here a fell giant named Tarquin, who ravaged the country far and wide, in defiance of King Arthur, until on a day he met with Sir Launcelot du Lake. Which takes us back at one leap some fifteen hundred years.
In all tournaments and jousts Sir Launcelot was never overcome, but it were by treason or enchantment. On a time, having long diverted him at the court he rode forth with his brother Sir Lionel to seek adventures.
So they mounted upon their horses armed at all points, and rode into a deep forest; and after they came into a great plain, and then the weather was hot about noon, and Sir Launcelot had great list to sleep.
Then Sir Lionel espied a great apple tree that stood by an hedge, and said: “Brother, yonder is a fair shadow, there may we rest us and our horses.”
“It is well said, fair brother,” said Sir Launcelot; “for of all this seven year I was not so sleepy as now.”
And as they there alighted and tied their horses under sundry trees, and so Sir Launcelot laid him down under the apple tree, and his helm he laid under his head. And Sir Lionel waked while he slept. So Sir Launcelot was asleep passing fast. And in the meanwhile there came three knights riding, fleeing as fast as ever they might ride. And there followed them three but one knight.
When Sir Lionel saw him, him thought he saw never so great a knight nor so well faring a man, neither so well apparelled unto all rights. (For he was truly a giant in size.) So within a while this strong knight had overtaken one of these knights, and then he smote him to the cold earth that he lay still. Then he rode unto the second knight and smote him as that man and horse fell down. And then straight to the third knight he rode, and he smote him behind his horse’s tail a spear’s length. And he alighted down, and reined his horse on the bridle, and bound all the three knights fast with the reins of their own bridles.
When Sir Lionel saw him do this, he thought to assay him, and made him ready, and stilly and privily he took his horse, and thought not for to awake Sir Launcelot. And when he was mounted on his horse he overtook this strong knight and bade him turn: and the other smote Sir Lionel so hard that horse and man he bare to the earth, and so he alighted and bound him fast, and threw him overthwart his own horse, and so he served them all four, and rode with them away to his own castle. And when he came there he made unarm them, and beat them with thorns all naked, and after put them in a deep prison where there were many more knights that made great dolor.
When Sir Ector de Maris wist that Sir Launcelot was past out of the court to seek adventures he was wroth with himself, and made him ready to seek Sir Launcelot, and as he had ridden long in a great forest, he met with a man that was like a forester. “Fair fellow,” said Sir Ector, “knowest thou in this country any adventures that be here nigh hand?”
“Sir,” said the forester, “this country know I well, and hereby within this mile is a strong manor, and well diked, and by that manor, on the left hand, there is a fair ford for horses to drink of, and over that ford there groweth a fair tree, and thereon hangeth many fair shields that wielded sometime good knights: and at the bole of the tree hangeth a basin of copper and brass. Strike upon that basin with the butt of thy spear thrice, and soon after thou shall hear new tidings, and else hast thou the fairest grace that many a year had ever knight that passed through this forest.”
“Gramercy,” said Sir Ector, and departed and came to the tree, and saw many fair shields, and among them he saw his brother’s shield, Sir Lionel, and many more that he knew that were his fellows of the Round Table, the which grieved his heart, and he promised to revenge his brother. Then anon Sir Ector beat upon the basin as he were wood, and then he gave his horse drink at the ford: and there came a very tall knight behind him and bade him come out of the water and make him ready; and Sir Ector anon turned him shortly and in rest placed his spear, and smote the knight a great buffet that his horse turned twice about.
“This was well done,” said the huge knight, “and knightly thou hast stricken me.”
Therewith he rushed his horse on Sir Ector and caught him under his right arm, and bare him clean out of the saddle, and rode with him away into his own hall, and threw him down in the midst of the floor. The name of this strong knight was Sir Tarquin.
Then he said to Sir Ector: “For thou hast done this day more unto me than any knight did these twelve years, now I will grant thee thy life, so thou wilt be sworn to be my prisoner all thy life days.”
“Nay,” said Sir Ector, “that will I never promise thee, but that I will do mine advantage.”
“That me repenteth,” said Sir Tarquin.
And then he made to unarm him, and beat him with thorns all naked, and after put him down in that same deep dungeon, where he knew many of his fellows. But when Sir Ector saw Sir Lionel, then made he great sorrow.
“Alas, brother,” said Sir Ector, “where is my brother Sir Launcelot?”
“Fair brother, I left him on sleep when that I from him went, under an apple tree; and what is become of him I cannot tell you.”
“Alas,” said the knights, “but Sir Launcelot help us we may never be delivered, for we know now no knight that is able to match our master Tarquin.”
While these knights were thus prisoners Sir Launcelot du Lake lay under the apple tree sleeping.
Even about the noon, there came by him four queens of great estate; and, for the heat of the sun should not annoy them, there rode four knights about them and bare a cloth of green silk on four spears, betwixt them and the sun, and the queens rode on four white mules.
Thus as they rode they heard by them a great horse grimly neigh, and then they were ware of a sleeping knight that lay all armed under an apple tree; anon as these queens looked on his face they knew that it was Sir Launcelot. Then they began to strive for that knight; every one said she would have him to her love.
“We shall not strive,” said Morgan le Fay that was King Arthur’s sister; “I shall put an enchantment upon him that he shall not awake in six hours, and then I will lead him away unto my castle, and when he is surely within my hold I shall take the enchantment from him, and then let him choose which of us he will have for his love.”
So this enchantment was cast upon Sir Launcelot, and then they laid him upon his shield, and bare him so on horseback betwixt two knights, and brought him unto the castle Chariot, and there they laid him in a chamber cold, and at night they sent unto him a fair damsel with his supper ready dight. By that the enchantment was past, and when she came she saluted him, and asked him what cheer?
“I cannot say, fair damsel,” said Sir Launcelot, “for I wot not how I came into this castle but it be by an enchantment.”
“Sir,” said she, “ye must make good cheer, and if ye be such a knight as it is said ye be. I shall tell you more tomorn by prime of the day.”
“Gramercy, fair damsel,” said Sir Launcelot, “of your good will I requite you.”
And so she departed. And there he lay all that night without comfort of anybody.
And on the morn early came these four queens, passingly well beseen, all they bidding him good morn, and he them again.
“Sir knight,” the four queens said, “thou must understand thou art here our prisoner; and we here know thee well, that thou art Sir Launcelot du Lake, King Ban’s son. And truly we understand your worthiness that thou art the noblest knight living; and therefore thee behoveth now to choose one of us four. I am the queen Morgan le Fay, queen of the land of Gore, and here is the queen of Northgalis, and the queen of Eastland, and the queen of the Out Isles; now choose ye one of us which thou wilt have to thy love, for thou mayst not but choose or else in this prison to die.”
“This is an hard case,” said Sir Launcelot, “that either I must die or else choose one of you, yet had I liever to die in this prison with worship, than to have one of you to my love maugre my head. And therefore ye be answered, for I will have none of you, for ye be false enchantresses.”
“Well,” said the queens, “is this your answer, that you will refuse us?”
“Yea, upon my life,” said Sir Launcelot, “refused ye be of me.”
So they departed and left him there alone that made great sorrow!
Right so at noon came the damsel to him, and brought him his dinner, and asked him what cheer.
“Truly, fair damsel,” said Sir Launcelot, “in all my life-days never so ill.”
“Sir,” said she, “that me repenteth; but an ye will be ruled by me, I shall keep you out of this distress, and ye shall have no shame nor villainy, so that ye hold me a promise.”
“Fair damsel, that I will grant you, and sore I am afeared of these queen’s witches, for they have destroyed many a good knight.”
“Sir,” said she, “that is sooth, and for the renoun and bounty they hear of you they would have your love, and, sir, they say that your name is Sir Launcelot du Lake, the flower of all the knights that been living, and they been passing wroth with you that ye have refused them; but, sir, an ye would promise me for to help my father on Tuesday next coming, that hath made a tournament between him and the king of Northgalis; for the Tuesday last past my father lost the field through three knights of King Arthur’s court, and if ye will be there upon Tuesday next coming and help my father, tomorrow or prime, by the grace of God, I shall deliver you clean.”
“Fair maiden,” said Sir Launcelot, “tell me what is your father’s name, and then I shall give you an answer.”
“Sir Knight,” said the damsel, “my father is King Bagdemagus, that was foully rebuked at the last tournament.”
“I know your father well,” said Sir Launcelot, “for a noble king and a good knight, and by the faith of my body, ye shall have my body ready to do your father and you service that day.”
“Sir,” said the damsel, “gramercy; tomorrow await that ye be ready betimes, and I shall deliver you; and take you your armor and your horse, shield and spear; and hereby within these ten miles is an abbey of white monks, and there I pray you to abide, and thither shall I bring my father unto you.”
“All this shall be done,” said Launcelot, “as I am a true knight.”
And so she departed, and came on the morrow early and found him ready. Then she brought him out of twelve locks, and brought him unto his armor. And when he was all armed and arrayed, she brought him unto his own horse, and lightly he saddled him, and took a great spear in his hand, and so rode forth, and said, “Fair damsel, I shall not fail you, by the grace of God.”
So the knight rode forth and performed that adventure, according as he had promised; and Sir Launcelot overthrew the three knights of King Arthur’s court, one after the other; and with one great spear he bare down sixteen knights of the king of Northgalis' party, and with another spear he smote down twelve knights. Then the knights of Northgalis would joust no more, and the prize was given unto King Bagdemagus.
And so Sir Launcelot departed, and by adventures he came into the same forest where he was taken sleeping. And in the midst of an highway he met a damsel riding on a white palfrey, and there either saluted other.
“Fair damsel,” said Launcelot, “know ye in this country any adventures?”
“Sir knight,” said the damsel, “here are adventures near hand, an thou durst prove them.”
“Why should I not prove adventures?” said Sir Launcelot; “for that cause came I hither.”
“Well,” said she, “thou seemest well to be a good knight, and if thou dare meet with a good knight, I shall bring thee where is the best knight and the mightiest that ever thou foundest, so thou wilt tell me what is thy name, and what knight thou art.”
“Damsel, as for to tell thee my name, I take no great force: truly my name is Sir Launcelot du Lake.”
“Sir, thou beseemest well, here he adventures by that fall for thee, for hereby dwelleth a knight that will not be overmatched for no man that I know, unless ye overmatch him, and his name is Sir Tarquin. And, as I understand, he hath in his prison of Arthur’s court good knights three-score and four that he hath won with his own hands. But when ye have done that day’s work ye shall promise me as ye are a true knight for to go with me, and to help me and other damsels that are distressed daily with a false knight.”
“All your intent, damsel, and desire I will fulfill, so ye will bring me unto this knight.”
“Now, fair knight, come on your way.”
And so she brought him unto the ford, and unto the tree where hung the basin. So Sir Launcelot let his horse drink, and then he beat on the basin with the butt of his spear so hard with all his might till the bottom fell out, and long he did so, but he saw nothing.
Then he rode along the gates of that manor nigh half an hour. And then he was ware of a great knight that drove on horse before him, and overthwart the horse there lay an armed knight bound. And ever as they came near and near, Sir Launcelot thought he should know him; then he was ware that it was Sir Gaheris, Gawain’s brother, a knight of the Table Round.
“Now, fair damsel,” said Sir Launcelot, “I see yonder cometh a knight fast bound that is a fellow of mine. And at the first beginning I promise you, by the leave of God, to rescue that knight; and unless his master sit better in the saddle I shall deliver all the prisoners that he hath out of danger, for I am sure that he hath two brethren of mine prisoners with him.”
By that time that either had seen other they gripped their spears unto them.
“Now, fair knight,” said Sir Launcelot, “put that wounded knight off the horse, and let him rest awhile, and let us two prove our strengths. For as it is informed me, thou doest and hast done great despite and shame unto knights of the Round Table, and therefore now defend thee.”
“And thou be of the Table Round,” said Tarquin, “I defy thee and all thy fellowship.”
“That is overmuch said,” said Sir Launcelot.
Then they put their spears in the rests, and came together with their horses as fast as they might run, and either smote other in the midst of their shields, that both their horses' backs brast under them; and the knights were both astonied, and as soon as they might avoid their horses they took their shields afore them, and drew out their swords and came together eagerly, and either gave other many strong strokes, for there might neither shields nor harness hold their strokes. And so they had both grimly wounds, and bled passing grievously.
Thus they fared two hours or more, trasing and rasing each other where they might hit any bare place. Then at the last they were breathless both, and stood leaning on their swords.
“Now, fellow,” said Sir Tarquin, “hold thy hand awhile, and tell me what I shall ask thee.”
“Say on.”
Then Tarquin said: “Thou art the stoutest man that ever I met withal, and the best breathed, and like one knight that I hate above all other knights; so be it that thou be not he I will lightly accord with thee, and for thy love I will deliver all the prisoners that I have, that is three-score and four, so thou wilt tell me thy name. And thou and I will be fellows together, and never to fail the while that I live.”
“It is well said,” said Sir Launcelot; “but since it is so that I may have thy friendship, what knight is he that thou so hatest above all other?”
“Truly,” said Sir Tarquin, “his name is Launcelot du Lake, for he slew my brother Sir Carados at the Dolorous Tower, which was one of the best knights then living; and therefore him I except of all knights, for an I may once meet with him, that one of us shall make an end of another, and to that I make a vow. And for Sir Launcelot’s sake I have slain an hundred good knights, and as many I have utterly maimed, that never after they might help themselves, and many have died in my prison; and yet I have three-score and four, and all shall be delivered so thou wilt tell me thy name, and so it be that thou be not Sir Launcelot.”
“Now see I well,” said Sir Launcelot, “that such a man I might be I might have peace, and such a man I might be there should be between us two mortal war; and now, sir knight, at thy request, I will that thou wit and know that I am Sir Launcelot du Lake, King Ban’s son of Berwick, and knight of the Round Table. And now I defy thee do thy best.”
“Ah!” said Sir Tarquin. “Launcelot, thou art unto me most welcome, as ever was any knight, for we shall never depart till the one of us be dead.”
Then hurtled they together as two wild bulls, rashing and lashing with their shields and swords, that sometime they fell both on their faces. Thus they fought still two hours and more, and never would rest, and Sir Tarquin gave Sir Launcelot many wounds that all the ground there as they fought was all besprinkled with blood.
Then at last Sir Tarquin waxed very faint, and gave somewhat back, and bare his shield full low for weariness.
That soon espied Sir Launcelot, and then leaped upon him fiercely as a lion, and got him by the banner of his helmet, and as he plucked him down on his knees, and anon he raised his helm, and then he smote his neck asunder.
Sir Launcelot freed all the prisoners from that loathsome prison; and despite his grievous wounds on the third day after he rode forth in quest of further adventures.
As he rode over a long bridge, there started upon him suddenly a passing foul churl, and he smote his horse on the nose that he turned about, and asked him why he rode over that bridge without his license.
“Why should I not ride this way?” said Sir Launcelot. “I may not ride beside.”
“Thou shalt not choose,” said the churl, and lashed at him with a great club shod with iron. Then Sir Launcelot drew a sword, and put the stroke aback, and clave his head unto the breast.
At the end of the bridge was a fair village, and all the people, men and women, cried on Sir Launcelot, and said: “A worse deed didst thou never for thyself, for thou hast slain the chief porter of our castle.”
Sir Launcelot let them say what they would, and straight he went into the castle; and when he came into the castle he alighted, and tied his horse to a ring on the wall; and there he saw a fair green court, and thither he dressed himself, for there him thought was a fair place to fight in.
So he looked about, and saw much people in doors and windows, that said, “Fair knight, thou art unhappy.”
Anon withal came there upon him two great giants, well armed all save the heads, with two horrible clubs in their hands.
Sir Launcelot put his shield afore him, and put the stroke away of the one giant, and with his sword he clave his head asunder. When his fellow saw that he ran away as he were wood, for fear of the horrible strokes; and Sir Launcelot after him with all his might, and smote him on the shoulder, and clave him to the middle.
Then Sir Launcelot went into the hall, and there came before him threescore ladies and damsels, and all kneeled unto him, and thanked God and him of their deliverance.
“For, sir,” said they, “the most part of us have been here this seven year their prisoners, and we have worked all manner of silk works for our meat, and we are all great gentlewomen born; for thou hast done the most worship that ever knight did in the world, that will we bear record, and we all pray you to tell us your name, that we may tell our friends who delivered us out of prison.”
“Fair damsels,” he said, “my name is Sir Launcelot du Lake.”
“Ah, sir,” said they all, “well mayst thou be he, for else save yourself, as we deemed, there might never knight have the better of these two giants, for many fair knights have assayed it, and here have ended; and many times have we wished after you, and these two giants dread never knight but you.”
“Now may you say,” said Sir Launcelot, “unto your friends how and who hath delivered you, and greet them all for me; and if that I come in any of your marches show me such cheer as ye have cause; and what treasure that there is in this castle I give it you for a reward for your grievances. And the lord that is the owner of this castle I would that he received it as is right.”
“Fair sir,” said they, “the name of this castle is Tintagil, and a duke owned it that some time wedded fair Igraine, and after wedded her Uther Pendragon.”
“Well,” said Sir Launcelot, “I understand to whom this castle belongeth.”
And so he departed and betaught them unto God. And then he mounted upon his horse and rode into many strange and wild countries and through many waters and valleys.