Six Ballads About King Arthur - The Message

THE MESSAGE.

On battlemented Camelot
The moon was softly sleeping;
Within, King Arthur's noble knights
Their wassail late were keeping.

'What ho! Sir Wardour, ope the gate,
And let the drawbridge down;
I bear a message to your lord
From Ryence of renown.'

Then up and spake the white-haired thrall
That kept the castle gate,
'It ill befits our courtesy
To one who comes so late,

'Who travel-stained and weary seems,
To bar his entry free;
But tell me first your quest, I pray,
And who may Ryence be?'

'My quest I tell but to thy chief:
Enough for thee, I ween,
That Ryence reigns o'er Wales, and eke
O'er Ireland's mountains green,
And isles unnumbered round about,
Now glittering in the sheen.'

The wardour oped the castle door,
And let the drawbridge down;
The herald crossed in silence o'er,
And entered with a frown,

And when within the banquet hall,
He never bowed the head,
Nor bent the knee, but strode right on
And to King Arthur said:

'King Ryence vanquished in fair fight
Twice six good kings save one;
He summons thee that one to be,
Or proffers thee a boon.

'He bids thee here on bended knee
Thy lawful homage pay,
Or he will come with fire and sword
To waste, and burn, and slay.

'King Ryence hath a sammet cloak
All purfled round with hair --
With human hair torn from the chins
Of kings he slew in war.

'But still there is one little spot
Uncovered at the base:
Flay thou thy chin, and send thy beard
To fill the vacant place.'

Then started up King Arthur's knights
Indignant at this word;
Each stamped his mailèd heel in ire,
Each drew his trusty sword.

King Arthur rose with manly grace
And to the herald spake,
'Quail not before my noble knights,
But back this answer take:

'Say that of all the messages
E'er sent from king to king,
This is the shamefullest and worst
That herald e'er did bring.

' 'Tis plain Ryence has never been
In knightly company;
He lacks the soul -- he lacks the speech
Of common courtesy.

'Tell him, no homage do I owe,
Nor sire nor kith of mine;
As for my beard, it is too scant
To purfle cloak so fine;

'And if he come, as now he boasts,
With fire and sword to slay,
On both his bended knees he shall
To me his homage pay.'

The herald left the hall -- the King
Thus broke the deep silènce:
'Now is there any here,' he said,
'That knoweth King Ryence?'

Then answered him one night Naram,
'I know him passing well;
In body few can match his strength,
In pride none him excel.

'I doubt not he will war with you
Full strong and powerfully.'
'Well!' said the King, 'I will ordain
For him, as he shall see.