HowMerlnsavedArthur’slfe，andthrewanenchantmentonKngPellnoreandmadehmtosleep。
　　THEREWTHALcameMerlnandsad，Knght，holdthyhand，foranthouslaythatknghtthouputtestthsrealmnthegreatestdamagethateverwasrealm：forthsknghtsamanofmoreworshpthanthouwotestof。Why，whoshe？sadtheknght。
　　tsKngArthur。Thenwouldhehaveslanhmfordreadofhswrath，andheaveduphssword，andtherewthMerlncastanenchantmenttotheknght，thathefelltotheearthnagreatsleep。ThenMerlntookupKngArthur，androdeforthontheknght’shorse。Alas!sadArthur，whathastthoudone，Merln？
　　hastthouslanthsgoodknghtbythycrafts？Therelvethnotsoworshpfulaknghtashewas；hadleferthanthestntofmylandayearthathewerealve。Careyenot，sadMerln，forheswholerthanye；forhesbutasleep，andwllawakewthnthreehours。toldyou，sadMerln，whataknghthewas；herehadyebeenslanhadnotbeen。Alsotherelvethnotabggerknghtthanhesone，andheshallhereafterdoyourghtgoodservce；andhsnamesPellnore，andheshallhavetwosonsthatshallbepassnggoodmen；saveonetheyshallhavenofellowofprowessandofgoodlvng，andthernamesshallbePercvaleofWalesandLamerakeofWales，andheshalltellyouthenameofyourownson，begottenofyoursster，thatshallbethedestructonofallthsrealm。
　　HowArthurbythemeanofMerlngatExcalburhsswordoftheLadyoftheLake。
　　RGHTSOthekngandhedeparted，andwentuntoanhermtthatwasagoodmanandagreatleech。Sothehermtsearchedallhswoundsandgavehmgoodsalves；sothekngwastherethreedays，andthenwerehswoundswellamendedthathemghtrdeandgo，andsodeparted。Andastheyrode，Arthursad，havenosword。Noforce，sadMerln，herebysaswordthatshallbeyours，anmay。Sotheyrodetlltheycametoalake，thewhchwasafarwaterandbroad，andnthemdstofthelakeArthurwaswareofanarmclothednwhtesamte，thatheldafarswordnthathand。Lo!sadMerln，yondersthatswordthatspakeof。Wththattheysawadamoselgonguponthelake。Whatdamoselsthat？sadArthur。ThatstheLadyoftheLake，sadMerln；andwthnthatlakesarock，andtherensasfaraplaceasanyonearth，andrchlybeseen；
　　andthsdamoselwllcometoyouanon，andthenspeakyefartoherthatshewllgveyouthatsword。AnonwthalcamethedamoseluntoArthur，andsalutedhm，andheheragan。Damosel，sadArthur，whatswordsthat，thatyonderthearmholdethabovethewater？wouldtweremne，forhavenosword。SrArthur，kng，sadthedamosel，thatswordsmne，andfyewllgvemeagftwhenasktyou，yeshallhavet。Bymyfath，sadArthur，wllgveyouwhatgftyewllask。Well!
　　sadthedamosel，goyentoyonderbarge，androwyourselftothesword，andtaketandthescabbardwthyou，andwllaskmygftwhenseemytme。SoSrArthurandMerlnalghtedandtedtherhorsestotwotrees，andsotheywentntotheshp，andwhentheycametotheswordthatthehandheld，SrArthurtooktupbythehandles，andtooktwthhm，andthearmandthehandwentunderthewater。Andso[they]cameuntothelandandrodeforth，andthenSrArthursawarchpavlon。
　　Whatsgnfethyonderpavlon？tstheknght’spavlon，sadMerln，thatyefoughtwthlast，SrPellnore；buthesout，hesnotthere。HehathadowthaknghtofyoursthathghtEgglame，andtheyhavefoughtentogether，butatthelastEgglamefled，andelsehehadbeendead，andhehathchasedhmeventoCarlon，andweshallmeetwthhmanonnthehghway。
　　Thatswellsad，sadArthur，nowhaveasword，nowwll
　　wagebattlewthhm，andbeavengedonhm。Sr，youshallnotso，sadMerln，fortheknghtswearyoffghtngandchasng，sothatyeshallhavenoworshptohaveadowthhm；alsohewllnotbelghtlymatchedofoneknghtlvng，andthereforetsmycounsel，lethmpass，forheshalldoyougoodservcenshorttme，andhssonsafterhsdays。Alsoyeshallseethatdaynshortspace，youshallberghtgladtogvehmyoursstertowed。Whenseehm，wlldoasyeadvse，sadArthur。
　　ThenSrArthurlookedonthesword，andlkedtpassngwell。
　　Whetherlkethyoubetter，sadMerln，theswordorthescabbard？Melkethbetterthesword，sadArthur。Yearemoreunwse，sadMerln，forthescabbardsworthtenoftheswords，forwhlesyehavethescabbarduponyou，yeshallneverlosenoblood，beyeneversosorewounded；thereforekeepwellthescabbardalwayswthyou。SotheyrodeuntoCarlon，andbythewaytheymetwthSrPellnore；butMerlnhaddonesuchacraft，thatPellnoresawnotArthur，andhepassedbywthoutanywords。marvel，sadArthur，thattheknghtwouldnotspeak。Sr，sadMerln，hesawyounot，foranhehadseenyou，yehadnotlghtlydeparted。SotheycameuntoCarlon，whereofhsknghtswerepassngglad。Andwhentheyheardofhsadventures，theymarvelledthathewouldjeopardhspersonso，alone。Butallmenofworshpsadtwasmerrytobeundersuchacheftan，thatwouldputhspersonnadventureasotherpoorknghtsdd。
　　HowtdngscametoArthurthatKngRencehadovercomeelevenkngs，andhowhedesredArthur’sbeardtotrmhsmantle。
　　THSmeanwhlecameamessengerfromKngRenceofNorthWales，andknghewasofallreland，andofmanysles。Andthswashsmessage，greetngwellKngArthurnthsmannerwse，sayngthatKngRencehaddscomftedandovercomeelevenkngs，andeverychofthemddhmhomage，andthatwasths，theygavehmtherbeardscleanflayedoff，asmuchastherewas；whereforethemessengercameforKngArthur’sbeard。ForKngRencehadpurfledamantlewthkngs’beards，andtherelackedoneplaceofthemantle；whereforehesentforhsbeard，orelsehewouldenterntohslands，andburnandslay，andneverleavetllhehavetheheadandthebeard。Well，sadArthur，thouhastsadthymessage，thewhchsthemostvllanousandlewdestmessagethatevermanheardsentuntoakng；alsothoumayestseemybeardsfullyoungyettomakeapurfleoft。Buttellthouthykngths：owehmnonehomage，nornoneofmneelders；butortbelongto，heshalldomehomageonbothhsknees，orelseheshalllosehshead，bythefathofmybody，forthssthemostshamefulestmessagethateverheardspeakof。haveespedthykngmetneveryetwthworshpfulman，buttellhm，wllhavehsheadwthouthedomehomage。Thenthemessengerdeparted。
　　Nowsthereanyhere，sadArthur，thatknowethKngRence？
　　ThenansweredaknghtthathghtNaram，Sr，knowthekngwell；hesapassnggoodmanofhsbody，asfewbelvng，andapassngproudman，andSr，doubtyenothewllmakewaronyouwthamghtypussance。Well，sadArthur，shallordanforhmnshorttme。
　　HowallthechldrenweresentforthatwerebornonMay-day，andhowMordredwassaved。
　　THENKngArthurletsendforallthechldrenbornonMay-day，begottenoflordsandbornoflades；forMerlntoldKngArthurthathethatshoulddestroyhmshouldbebornonMay-day，whereforehesentforthemall，uponpanofdeath；andsotherewerefoundmanylords’sons，andallweresentuntothekng，andsowasMordredsentbyKngLot’swfe，andallwereputnashptothesea，andsomewerefourweeksold，andsomeless。
　　Andsobyfortunetheshpdraveuntoacastle，andwasallto-
　　rven，anddestroyedthemostpart，savethatMordredwascastup，andagoodmanfoundhm，andnourshedhmtllhewasfourteenyearold，andthenhebroughthmtothecourt，astrehearsethafterward，towardtheendoftheDeathofArthur。Somanylordsandbaronsofthsrealmweredspleased，fortherchldrenweresolost，andmanyputthewteonMerlnmorethanonArthur；sowhatfordreadandforlove，theyheldtherpeace。
　　ButwhenthemessengercametoKngRence，thenwashewoodoutofmeasure，andpurveyedhmforagreathost，astrehearsethafternthebookofBalnleSavage，thatfollowethnextafter，howbyadventureBalngatthesword。
　　Explctlberprmus。ncptlbersecundusBOOK
　　Ofadamoselwhchcamegrtwthaswordfortofndamanofsuchvrtuetodrawtoutofthescabbard。
　　AFTERthedeathofUtherPendragonregnedArthurhsson，thewhchhadgreatwarnhsdaysfortogetallEnglandntohshand。ForthereweremanykngswthntherealmofEngland，andnWales，Scotland，andCornwall。SotbefellonatmewhenKngArthurwasatLondon，therecameaknghtandtoldthekngtdngshowthattheKngRenceofNorthWaleshadrearedagreatnumberofpeople，andwereenteredntotheland，andburntandslewthekng’struelegepeople。fthsbetrue，sadArthur，tweregreatshameuntomneestatebutthatheweremghtlywthstood。tstruth，sadtheknght，forsawthehostmyself。Well，sadthekng，letmakeacry，thatallthelords，knghts，andgentlemenofarms，shoulddrawuntoacastlecalledCamelotnthosedays，andtherethekngwouldletmakeacouncl-generalandagreatjousts。
　　Sowhenthekngwascomeththerwthallhsbaronage，andlodgedastheyseemedbest，therewascomeadamoselthewhchwassentonmessagefromthegreatladyLleofAvelon。AndwhenshecamebeforeKngArthur，shetoldfromwhomshecame，andhowshewassentonmessageuntohmforthesecauses。Thenshelethermantlefallthatwasrchlyfurred；andthenwasshegrtwthanobleswordwhereoftheknghadmarvel，andsad，Damosel，forwhatcauseareyegrtwththatsword？tbeseemethyounot。Nowshalltellyou，sadthedamosel；thsswordthatamgrtwthaldothmegreatsorrowandcumbrance，formaynotbedelveredofthsswordbutbyaknght，buthemustbeapassnggoodmanofhshandsandofhsdeeds，andwthoutvllanyortreachery，andwthouttreason。Andfmayfndsuchaknghtthathathallthesevrtues，hemaydrawoutthsswordoutofthesheath，forhavebeenatKngRence’stwastoldmetherewerepassnggoodknghts，andheandallhsknghtshaveassayedtandnonecanspeed。Thssagreatmarvel，sadArthur，fthsbesooth；wllmyselfassaytodrawoutthesword，notpresumnguponmyselfthatamthebestknght，butthatwllbegntodrawatyourswordngvngexampletoallthebaronsthattheyshallassayeverychoneafterotherwhenhaveassayedt。ThenArthurtooktheswordbythesheathandbythegrdleandpulledatteagerly，buttheswordwouldnotout。
　　Sr，sadthedamosel，youneednottopullhalfsohard，forhethatshallpulltoutshalldotwthlttlemght。Yesaywell，sadArthur；nowassayyeallmybarons；butbewareyebenotdefledwthshame，treachery，norgule。Thentwllnotaval，sadthedamosel，forhemustbeacleanknghtwthoutvllany，andofagentlestranoffathersdeandmothersde。
　　MostofallthebaronsoftheRoundTablethatwerethereatthattmeassayedallbyrow，buttheremghtnonespeed；whereforethedamoselmadegreatsorrowoutofmeasure，andsad，Alas!
　　weenednthscourthadbeenthebestknghtswthouttreacheryortreason。Bymyfath，sadArthur，herearegoodknghts，asdeem，asanybentheworld，butthergracesnottohelpyou，whereforeamdspleased。
　　HowBaln，arrayedlkeapoorknght，pulledoutthesword，whchafterwardwasthecauseofhsdeath。
　　THENfelltsothattmetherewasapoorknghtwthKngArthur，thathadbeenprsonerwthhmhalfayearandmoreforslayngofaknght，thewhchwascousnuntoKngArthur。ThenameofthsknghtwascalledBaln，andbygoodmeansofthebaronshewasdelveredoutofprson，forhewasagoodmannamedofhsbody，andhewasbornnNorthumberland。Andsohewentprvlyntothecourt，andsawthsadventure，whereoftrasedhsheart，andhewouldassaytasotherknghtsdd，butforhewaspoorandpoorlyarrayedheputhmnotfarnpress。
　　Butnhshearthewasfullyassuredtodoaswell，fhsgracehappedhm，asanyknghtthattherewas。AndasthedamoseltookherleaveofArthurandofallthebarons，sodepartng，thsknghtBalncalleduntoher，andsad，Damosel，prayyouofyourcourtesy，suffermeaswelltoassayastheselords；
　　thoughthatbesopoorlyclothed，nmyheartmeseemethamfullyassuredassomeoftheseothers，andmeseemethnmyhearttospeedrghtwell。Thedamoselbeheldthepoorknght，andsawhewasalkelyman，butforhspoorarraymentshethoughtheshouldbeofnoworshpwthoutvllanyortreachery。Andthenshesaduntotheknght，Sr，tneedethnottoputmetomorepanorlabour，fortseemethnotyoutospeedthereasotherhavefaled。Ah!fardamosel，sadBaln，worthness，andgoodtatches，andgooddeeds，arenotonlynarrayment，butmanhoodandworshpshdwthnman’sperson，andmanyaworshpfulknghtsnotknownuntoallpeople，andthereforeworshpandhardnesssnotnarrayment。ByGod，sadthedamosel，yesaysooth；thereforeyeshallassaytodowhatyemay。ThenBalntooktheswordbythegrdleandsheath，anddrewtouteasly；andwhenhelookedontheswordtpleasedhmmuch。