Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IV CHAPTER IV

CHAPTER IV

How the battle was finished or he came, and how King
Arthur founded an abbey where the battle was.

THEREWITHAL came one to King Arthur, and told him that King
Pellinore was within three mile with a great host; and he said,
Go unto him, and let him understand how we have sped.  So within
a while King Pellinore came with a great host, and saluted the
people and the king, and there was great joy made on every side. 
Then the king let search how much people of his party there was
slain; and there were found but little past two hundred men slain
and eight knights of the Table Round in their pavilions.  Then
the king let rear and devise in the same place whereat the battle
was done a fair abbey, and endowed it with great livelihood, and
let it call the Abbey of La Beale Adventure.  But when some of
them came into their countries, whereof the five kings were
kings, and told them how they were slain, there was made great
dole.  And all King Arthur's enemies, as the King of North Wales,
and the kings of the North, [when they] wist of the battle, they
were passing heavy.  And so the king returned unto Camelot in
haste.

And when he was come to Camelot he called King Pellinore unto
him, and said, Ye understand well that we have lost eight knights
of the best of the Table Round, and by your advice we will choose
eight again of the best we may find in this court.  Sir, said
Pellinore, I shall counsel you after my conceit the best: there
are in your court full noble knights both of old and young; and
<108>therefore by mine advice ye shall choose half of the old and
half of the young.  Which be the old? said King Arthur.  Sir,
said King Pellinore, meseemeth that King Uriens that hath wedded
your sister Morgan le Fay, and the King of the Lake, and Sir
Hervise de Revel, a noble knight, and Sir Galagars, the fourth. 
This is well devised, said King Arthur, and right so shall it be. 
Now, which are the four young knights? said Arthur.  Sir, said
Pellinore, the first is Sir Gawaine, your nephew, that is as good
a knight of his time as any is in this land; and the second as
meseemeth best is Sir Griflet le Fise de Dieu, that is a good
knight and full desirous in arms, and who may see him live he
shall prove a good knight; and the third as meseemeth is well to
be one of the knights of the Round Table, Sir Kay the Seneschal,
for many times he hath done full worshipfully, and now at your
last battle he did full honourably for to undertake to slay two
kings.  By my head, said Arthur, he is best worth to be a knight
of the Round Table of any that ye have rehearsed, an he had done
no more prowess in his life days.