of the Round Table. 279
TJie History of King Artus.
4. In the time of the King Uter Pendragon there was in the Kingdom of Logris a mighty Duke, whose name was Melil Tomeil. He had a very beautiful wife, called Izerna. On a certain day the King Uter ordered a great tourney of all the knights of Logris to be held at the town of Camelot. At the same time he ordered the knights and dukes to bring their womenfolk with them, to encourage the men and to amuse the women. All the knights did so, and the Duke Melil Tomeil brought the Duchess with him. This Duke had four daughters by the Duchess, fair and beautiful as no other damsel was in the whole Kingdom.
5. The tournament was very great and fierce. After that the King prepared a great banquet for all the princes and all who had come. There he beheld fair Izerna, and the fire of love was kindled in his breast, so that he well-nigh became ill. As he could not hide his passion any longer, he sent her a golden cup through one of his servants, and charged him to tell her of his desire and of the burning love he felt for her, and so on. The end of the tale was that the Duchess told her husband the words of the King Uter Pendragon. When he heard of it, he was sore afraid for his wife's sake. He arose early in the morning, ordered his men to have his horses ready, and he rode away together with his knights, his friends, and his wife, without taking leave of the King.
6. It was told to the King that he had secretly gone away, and the King waxed w^oth, and sent word to the Duke to return immediately to court with the Duchess, for otherwise he would be outlawed. The Duke laughed at these threats, and returned to his country. There he strengthened his fortresses and erected new towers, for he knew that the King would wage war against him. In three months the King gathered his whole army, and ordered it to march against the Duke. He beleaguered a fortress
