Chapter 23

CHAPTER XXIII.
GERAINT, THE SON OF ERBIN. ARTHUR was accustomed to hold his court at Caerleon upon Usk. And
there he held it seven Easters and five Christmases. And once upon a
time he held his court there at Whitsuntide. For Caerleon was the
place most easy of access in his dominions, both by sea and by land.
And there were assembled nine crowned kings, who were his tributaries,
and likewise earls and barons. For they were his invited guests at all
the high festivals, unless they were prevented by any great
hinderance. And when he was at Caerleon holding his court, thirteen
churches were set apart for mass. And thus they were appointed: one
church for Arthur and his kings, and his guests; and the second for
Guenever and her ladies; and the third for the steward of the
household and the suitors; and the fourth for the Franks and the other
officers; and the other nine churches were for the nine masters of the
household, and chiefly for Gawain, for he, from the eminence of his
warlike fame, and from the nobleness of his birth, was the most
exalted of the nine. And there was no other arrangement respecting the
churches than that which we have here mentioned.
And on Whit-Tuesday, as the king sat at the banquet, lo, there
entered a tall, fair-headed youth, clad in a coat and surcoat of
satin, and a golden-hilted sword about his neck, and low shoes of
leather upon his feet. And he came and stood before Arthur. "Hail to
thee, lord," said he. "Heaven prosper thee," he answered, "and be thou
welcome." "Dost thou bring any new tidings?" "I do, lord," he said. "I
am one of thy foresters, lord, in the forest of Dean, and my name is
Madoc, son of Turgadarn. In the forest I saw a stag, the like of which
beheld I never yet." "What is there about him," asked Arthur, "that
thou never yet didst see his like?" "He is of pure white, lord, and he
does not herd with any other animal, through stateliness and pride, so
royal is his bearing. And I come to seek thy counsel, lord, and to
know thy will concerning him. "It seems best to me," said Arthur,
"to go and hunt him to-morrow at break of day, and to cause general
notice thereof to be given to-night, in all quarters of the court."
And Arryfuerys was Arthur's chief huntsman, and Arelivri his chief
page. And all received notice; and thus it was arranged.
Then Guenever said to Arthur, "Wilt thou permit me, lord, to go
to-morrow to see and hear the hunt of the stag of which the young
man spoke?" "I will gladly," said Arthur. And Gawain said to Arthur,
"Lord, if it seem well to thee, permit that into whose hunt soever the
stag shall come, that one, be he a knight or one on foot, may cut
off his head, and give it to whom he pleases, whether to his own
lady-love, or to the lady of