Arthurian Romances (33 page)

On the appointed day the worthy barons gathered. King Arthur, with a company selected from among the very best, took up his position near Oxford, while the majority of the knights ranged themselves near Wallingford. Don't think I am going to draw out my story by telling you that such and such kings and counts were there, and that this one and that one and another came.

Just before the barons were to begin the fray, one of the most valiant knights from among King Arthur's company rode forth alone between the two lines, as was the custom in those days, to signal the start of the tournament. But no one dared come forward to joust against him and all stood silently watching. There were those on Arthur's side who asked: ‘What are these knights waiting for? Why does no one come forth from their ranks? Surely someone will begin soon!'

And the others were saying: ‘Don't you see who they've sent out against us? Be sure, if you didn't already know it, that he is a pillar to equal any of the four best knights known.'

‘Who is he then?'

‘Can't you see him? It's Sagremor the Unruly.'

‘Is it really?'

‘Beyond any doubt.'

Cligés, who listened and heard all this, was seated upon Morel, dressed in armour that was blacker than a ripe mulberry. Every piece of his armour was black. As he broke from the ranks and spurred on Morel to a furious charge, everyone who saw him exclaimed to their neighbours: ‘He's riding forth with his lance at the ready. This is a splendid knight who knows how to bear his arms, and the shield at his neck suits him perfectly. But he might be considered foolhardy to have undertaken to joust against what is surely one of the best knights known in this land. Who is he then? Where was he born? Who knows him?'

‘Not I.'

‘Nor I. But clearly it hasn't snowed where he comes from, for his armour is blacker than the cope of a priest or monk.'

While the others were busy talking, the two of them delayed no longer, but gave rein to their horses, for they were inflamed and eager to meet in the joust. With his first blow Cligés smashed Sagremor's shield against his arm and his arm against his body, stretching him out flat upon the ground. Cligés rode gallantly up to him and made Sagremor swear to become his prisoner, which Sagremor did. Then the battle began, with knights rushing upon one another pell-mell. Cligés plunged into the fray, seeking adversaries with whom to joust. Every knight he met he unhorsed or took captive. He won the glory on both sides, for wherever he went to joust, there he put an end to the fighting. Those who advanced to fight against him were not lacking in courage: there was more glory in standing to face him than in capturing any other knight. Even if Cligés led him away prisoner, just daring to joust against him was a mark of glory. Cligés was accorded the fame and glory of all the tournament.

At dusk Cligés returned in secret to his lodgings, so that no one on either side could question him. And should anyone come seeking the house displaying the black arms, he had them locked in a room where they could not be seen or found; and he had the green armour displayed at the street door for passers-by to see. Thus, if anyone came asking or looking for him, he would not know where his lodgings were, since he could discover no trace of the black arms he was seeking.

So by this ruse Cligés was able to remain hidden in the town. The men he had taken prisoner went from one end of town to the other asking for the black knight, but no one could give them any information. Even King Arthur had him sought high and low, but everyone said: ‘We have not seen him since we left the tournament and don't know what's become of him.'

The king sent more than twenty young knights to seek him, but Cligés
had concealed his tracks so well that they could find no trace of him. King Arthur signed himself with the cross when he learned that neither noble nor commoner could be found who knew where the knight was staying, any more than if he had been in Cæesarea, Toledo, or Candia in Crete.
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‘Upon my word,' he exclaimed, ‘I don't know what to say, but I am truly astonished. Perhaps this was some ghost that came among us. He has defeated many a knight today and taken pledges from the best of them; but if within the year they cannot find his door, his land or country, they will all have broken their oaths.'

Thus the king expressed his thoughts, but he might as well have kept silent. That night all the barons could speak of nothing except the black knight. The next morning they all took up their arms again, without having been summoned or requested to do so. Lancelot of the Lake, who was not at all weak of heart, rode out for the first joust.
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Cligés, in armour greener than meadow grass, immediately galloped forward on a fawn-coloured charger with flowing mane. As Cligés spurred forward on the fawn-coloured steed, young and old alike looked on in wonder, and on every side people exclaimed: ‘This knight is nobler and more skilled in every respect than yesterday's black knight, just as the pine tree is fairer than the hornbeam, and the laurel than the elderberry. Though we still don't know who yesterday's knight was, we'll learn who this one is before the day is out. If anyone recognizes him let him say so.'

But each one said: ‘I don't recognize him at all; I don't think I've ever seen him before. But he is more handsome than yesterday's knight, and fairer than Lancelot of the Lake. Were he armed in a sack and Lancelot in silver and gold, still this knight would be more handsome.' Thus they all favoured Cligés.

The two knights spurred their horses and charged at one another as fast as their horses would run. Cligés struck Lancelot a blow to his golden shield with the painted lion that knocked him from his saddle. He came up to receive his surrender and Lancelot, unable to defend himself, swore to become his prisoner. Then the strife began with a clatter and breaking of lances. Those on Cligés's side placed all their trust in him, for none of those he challenged was strong enough to keep from being thrown from his horse to the ground. This day Cligés did so well, and unhorsed and captured so many knights, that he pleased those on his side twice as much and won twice the glory that he had the day before.

At dusk he returned with all due haste to his lodgings and immediately had the red shield and trappings brought out. He ordered the arms he had
worn that day to be hidden, which his host carefully did. That evening the knights he had captured searched far and wide, but could find no news of him. Most of the knights in their lodgings spoke of him with words of praise and admiration. The next day the eager and mighty knights took up their arms again. From the Oxford ranks a knight of great renown rode forth; his name was Perceval the Welshman. As soon as Cligés saw him move forward and heard that he was truly Perceval, he was eager to joust with him. Wearing red armour, he came swiftly forward from among his own ranks upon a chestnut Spanish charger. Then everyone gazed upon him with even more astonishment than before, saying they had never seen such a perfect knight. Without a moment's hesitation, the two charged towards one another. They spurred on until they landed mighty blows upon their shields; their short, thick lances arched and split. For all to see, Cligés struck Perceval a blow that knocked him from his horse, and without a long fight or much ado made him pledge himself as his prisoner.

As soon as Perceval surrendered, the two camps rushed together to begin the tournament. Every knight Cligés met he forced to the ground. He did not leave the battle for a single hour all that day. They struck against him as against a tower, but not by twos and threes, for that was not the custom or usage in those days. His shield was like an anvil on which the others forged and hammered, splitting and quartering it; but all who attacked him paid the price of losing their stirrups and saddles. And unless one were willing to lie, you could not say in parting that the knight with the red shield had failed to carry the day. The best and most courtly knights wanted to make his acquaintance, but that would not be soon to happen, for he had ridden off secretly the moment he saw the sun go down. He had his red shield and the rest of his trappings removed and had the white arms brought forward, those in which he had been knighted, and placed with the white horse at the front door.

Now many of the knights, as they mulled over it, began to realize and exclaim that they had all been defeated and undone by a single knight, except that each day he changed his horse and arms to appear as a different person. They realized this now for the first time. And my lord Gawain stated that he had never seen such a champion. Because he wished to make his acquaintance and learn his name, he said that he himself would sally forth first on the following day when the knights gathered. But he made no boast, saying rather that he thought and presumed the unknown knight would have the advantage and honour in the breaking of lances, but that
perhaps he would not master him in the swordplay, for Gawain had not yet found his master there. So he is ready now to test himself on the morrow against the stranger knight who changes his armour and his horse and harness every day. He'll soon be a bird of many moultings if he continues to shed his feathers and put on new plumage with each day! Gawain spoke with words like these; and the next day he saw Cligés return to the field, whiter than a lily, grasping his shield by its straps and riding the rested white Arabian, as had been arranged the night before. Gawain, bold and illustrious, scarcely slowed as he took the field, but spurred and urged on his horse, striving as best he could to win honour in the joust, if an opponent could be found.

Soon the two of them would be together on the field, for Cligés was eager for action as soon as he heard the crowd saying: ‘There's Gawain, a great fighter on horse or afoot. No one can match him.'

Hearing these words, Cligés charged across the field towards him. Each rushed towards the other and they rode together with more speed than the stag who hears the baying of hounds at his hooves. Lances smashed against shields, and the blows struck with such fury that the lances splintered, split, and broke right down to their chamois-covered grips. Saddle-backs gave way as girths and breast-straps snapped. They hit the ground as one and drew their flashing swords. People gathered around to watch the battle. King Arthur stepped forward to separate them and make peace; but their white hauberks would be ripped to shreds, their shields split and hacked to bits, and their helmets crushed before there would be any talk of peace.

After the king had observed the battle as long as he wished – along with many others who were saying they found the white knight no less valiant in arms than my lord Gawain – they did not know how to say which was better, which worse, or which would defeat the other if the battle were allowed to continue until one was dead.

But it did not please the king for them to do more than they had done, so he stepped forward to separate them, saying: ‘Step back! I forbid you to strike another blow. Make peace and be friends! My dear nephew Gawain, I ask you this, because without just quarrel or hatred it is not becoming for a worthy man to prolong a battle or combat. But if this knight would consent to come and indulge his pleasure with us at my court, he would not find it hostile or disagreeable. Beg him to come, nephew.'

‘Gladly, my lord.'

Cligés was of no mind to refuse and willingly agreed to come as soon as the tournament was over, for now he had scrupulously carried out all that
his father had commanded. And the king said he did not care for tournaments that lasted too long, so they could call an immediate end to it. Since it was the king's desire and request, the knights separated at once.

Cligés sent for all his equipment, since he was to follow the king; he came as soon as he could to court, but not before he had dressed himself in the French style. No sooner had he reached court than everyone ran out to greet him, making much ado over him and showing more happiness at his coming than had ever before been seen, and all those who had been captured by him in the tournament addressed him as lord. He tried to deny this before them all, saying they might all be released from their pledges, if they truly thought and believed that it was he who had taken them prisoner.

They all responded as one: ‘We know it was you! We are honoured to know you and it is right for us to love and esteem you and call you lord, for there is none of us to equal you. Just as the sun outshines those tiny stars whose light can no longer be seen in the heavens when its rays appear, so our fame fades and dwindles before yours, though ours was once widely renowned throughout the world.'

Cligés did not know what to reply, for it seemed to him that they all praised him more than his due. But it both pleased and embarrassed him; the blood rose to his face, and they could see his embarrassment. Once they had escorted him through the great hall and brought him before the king, they finally ceased praising and extolling him.

By now it was time for the meal, so those whose duty it was hastened to set up the tables. Once the tables were placed in the palace, some took towels and others held the basins and offered water to those who approached. When all were washed and seated, the king took Cligés by the hand and had him sit across from him, for he greatly desired to learn more about this day, if he could. There is no point in speaking of the meal, for the courses were as copious as if cattle were a penny a head.

When they had finished all of the courses, the king broke his silence. ‘Friend,' he said, ‘I wish to know whether it was out of pride that you did not deign to come to my court as soon as you arrived in this land, and why you kept apart from people and changed your armour. Tell me also your name and from what lineage you are descended.'

Cligés replied: ‘It shall not be hidden.'

He told the king everything he wished to know, and when the king had heard it, he embraced him and welcomed him joyfully; there was no one who was not happy to have him. My lord Gawain, too, heard his story and
embraced and welcomed him even more than the others. But they all made him welcome, and everyone who spoke of him praised him for his beauty and valour. The king loved and honoured him above all his nephews. Cligés stayed with the king until early summer, accompanying him through all of Britain, and through France and Normandy, performing many deeds of chivalry and proving his worth in many ways.