Page:The Garden of Romance - 1897.djvu/73

Rh said Merlin, "that would please your lordship, and to-morrow ye shall know what they be." Anon after came the knight with the two swords, and Balan, his brother, and brought with them King Rience, and there delivered him to the porters, and charged them with him, and so they two returned again in the springing of the day. King Arthur came to King Rience and said, "Sir king, you are welcome; by what adventure came ye hither?" "Sir," said King Rience, "I came hither by a hard adventure." "Who won you?" said King Arthur. "Sir," said Rience, "the knight with the two swords and his brother, which are two marvellous knights of prowess." "I know them not," said King Arthur; "but much I am beholden unto them." "Ah!" said Merlin, "I shall tell you it is Balin that achieved the sword, and his brother Balan, a good knight; there liveth not a better in prowess and worthiness, and it shall be the greatest dole of him that ever was of knight, for he shall not long endure." "Alas!" said King Arthur, "that is a great pity; for I am greatly beholden unto him, and I have full evil deserved it unto him for his kindness." "Nay," said Merlin, "he shall do much more for you, and that shall ye know ere it be long. But, sir, are ye purveyed?" said Merlin; "for to-morrow the host of Nero, King Rience's brother, will set upon you afore dinner with a mighty host; therefore, make you ready, for I will depart from you."

Then King Arthur made ready his host in ten battles; and Nero was ready in the field, afore the Castle Terabil, with a mighty host; for he had ten battles, with much more people than King Arthur had. So Nero himself had the vanguard with the most party of his people: and Merlin came to King Lot of the Isle of the Orkney,