CHAPTER II

How the letters were found written in the siege perilous, and of the marvellous adventure of the sword in A stone

Now fair sir, said Sir Launcelot, will ye come with me unto the court of King Arthur?  Nay, said he, I will not go with you as at this time.  Then he departed from them and took his two cousins with him, and so they came unto Camelot by the hour of underne on Whitsunday.  By that time the king and the queen were gone to the minster to hear their service.  Then the king and the queen were passing glad of Sir Bors and Sir Lionel, and so was all the fellowship.  So when the king and all the knights were come from service, the barons espied in the sieges of the Round Table all about, written with golden letters:  Here ought to sit he, and he ought to sit here.  And thus they went so long till that they came to the Siege Perilous, where they found letters newly written of gold which said:  Four hundred winters and four and fifty accomplished after the passion of our Lord Jesu Christ ought this siege to be fulfilled.  Then all they said:  This is a marvellous thing and an adventurous.  In the name of God, said Sir Launcelot; and then accounted the term of the writing from the birth of our Lord unto that day.  It seemeth me, said Sir Launcelot, this siege ought to be fulfilled this same day, for this is the feast of Pentecost after the four hundred and four and fifty year; and if it would please all parties, I would none of these letters were seen this day, till he be come that ought to achieve this adventure.  Then made they to ordain a cloth of silk, for to cover these letters in the Siege Perilous.  Then the king bad haste unto dinner.  Sir, said Sir Kay the Steward, if ye go now to your meat ye shall break your old custom of your court, for ye have not used on this day to sit at your meat or that ye have seen some adventure.  Ye say sooth, said the king, but I had so great joy of Sir Launcelot and of his cousins, which he come to the court whole and sound, so that I bethought me not of mine old custom.  So, as they stood speaking, in came a squire and said unto the king:  Sir, I bring unto you marvellous tidings.  What be they? said the king.  Sir, there is here beneath at the river a great stone which I saw fleet above the water, and therein I saw sticking a sword.  The king said:  I will see that marvel.  So all the knights went with him, and when they came to the river they found there a stone fleeting, as it were of red marble, and therein stuck a fair rich sword, and in the pommel thereof were precious stones wrought with subtil letters of gold.  Then the barons read the letters which said in this wise:  Never shall man take me hence, but only he by whose side I ought to hang, and he shall be the best knight of the world.  When the king had seen the letters,