havedspleasedmylordKngArthur，forthedeathofthsknght。Soastheytalkedtogether，therecameakngofCornwallrdng，thewhchhghtKngMark。Andwhenhesawthesetwobodesdead，andunderstoodhowtheyweredead，bythetwoknghtsabovesad，thenmadetheknggreatsorrowforthetruelovethatwasbetwxtthem，andsad，wllnotdeparttllhaveonthsearthmadeatomb，andtherehepghthspavlonsandsoughtthroughallthecountrytofndatomb，andnachurchtheyfoundonewasfarandrch，andthenthekngletputthembothntheearth，andputthetombuponthem，andwrotethenamesofthembothonthetomb。HowherelethLanceorthekng’ssonofreland，thatathsownrequestwasslanbythehandsofBaln；andhowhslady，Colombe，andparamour，slewherselfwthherlove’sswordfordoleandsorrow。
　　HowMerlnprophesedthattwothebestknghtsoftheworldshouldfghtthere，whchwereSrLancelotandSrTrstram。
　　THEmeanwhleasthswasa-dong，ncameMerlntoKngMark，andseengallhsdong，sad，Hereshallbenthssameplacethegreatestbattlebetwxttwoknghtsthatwasorevershallbe，andthetruestlovers，andyetnoneofthemshallslayother。
　　AndthereMerlnwrotethernamesuponthetombwthlettersofgoldthatshouldfghtnthatplace，whosenameswereLauncelotdeLake，andTrstram。Thouartamarvellousman，sadKngMarkuntoMerln，thatspeakestofsuchmarvels，thouartabostousmanandanunlkelytotellofsuchdeeds。Whatsthyname？
　　sadKngMark。Atthstme，sadMerln，wllnottell，butatthattmewhenSrTrstramstakenwthhssoveregnlady，thenyeshallhearandknowmyname，andatthattmeyeshallheartdngsthatshallnotpleaseyou。ThensadMerlntoBaln，Thouhastdonethyselfgreathurt，becausethatthousavestnotthsladythatslewherself，thatmghthavesavedheranthouwouldest。Bythefathofmybody，sadBaln，mghtnotsaveher，forsheslewherselfsuddenly。Merepenteth，sadMerln；becauseofthedeathofthatladythoushaltstrkeastrokemostdolorousthatevermanstruck，exceptthestrokeofourLord，forthoushalthurtthetruestknghtandthemanofmostworshpthatnowlveth，andthroughthatstrokethreekngdomsshallbengreatpoverty，mseryandwretchednesstwelveyears，andtheknghtshallnotbewholeofthatwoundformanyyears。ThenMerlntookhsleaveofBaln。AndBalnsad，fwsttweresooththatyesayshoulddosuchaperlousdeedasthat，wouldslaymyselftomaketheealar。
　　TherewthMerlnvanshedawaysuddenly。AndthenBalanandhsbrothertooktherleaveofKngMark。Frst，sadthekng，tellmeyourname。Sr，sadBalan，yemayseehebearethtwoswords，therebyyemaycallhmtheKnghtwththeTwoSwords。
　　AndsodepartedKngMarkuntoCamelottoKngArthur，andBalntookthewaytowardKngRence；andastheyrodetogethertheymetwthMerlndsgused，buttheyknewhmnot。Whtherrdeyou？sadMerln。Wehavelttletodo，sadthetwoknghts，totellthee。Butwhatsthyname？sadBaln。Atthstme，sadMerln，wllnottelltthee。tsevlseen，sadtheknghts，thatthouartatruemanthatthouwltnottellthyname。Asforthat，sadMerln，betastbemay，cantellyouwhereforeyerdethsway，fortomeetKngRence；buttwllnotavalyouwthoutyehavemycounsel。Ah!sadBaln，yeareMerln；wewllberuledbyyourcounsel。Comeon，sadMerln，yeshallhavegreatworshp，andlookthatyedoknghtly，foryeshallhavegreatneed。Asforthat，sadBaln，dreadyounot，wewlldowhatwemay。
　　HowBalnandhsbrother，bythecounselofMerln，tookKngRenceandbroughthmtoKngArthur。
　　THENMerlnlodgedthemnawoodamongleavesbesdethehghway，andtookoffthebrdlesoftherhorsesandputthemtograssandladthemdowntorestthemtlltwasnghmdnght。
　　ThenMerlnbadethemrse，andmakethemready，forthekngwasnghthem，thatwasstolenawayfromhshostwthathreescorehorsesofhsbestknghts，andtwentyofthemrodeto-foretowarntheLadydeVancethatthekngwascomng；forthatnghtKngRenceshouldhavelanwthher。Whchsthekng？sadBaln。Abde，sadMerln，herenastratwayyeshallmeetwthhm；andtherewthheshowedBalnandhsbrotherwhereherode。
　　AnonBalnandhsbrothermetwththekng，andsmotehmdown，andwoundedhmfercely，andladhmtotheground；andtheretheyslewontherghthandandthelefthand，andslewmorethanfortyofhsmen，andtheremnantfled。ThenwenttheyagantoKngRenceandwouldhaveslanhmhadhenotyeldedhmuntothergrace。Thensadhethus：Knghtsfullofprowess，slaymenot，forbymylfeyemaywn，andbymydeathyeshallwnnothng。Thensadthesetwoknghts，Yesaysoothandtruth，andsoladhmonahorse-ltter。WththatMerlnwasvanshed，andcametoKngArthuraforehand，andtoldhmhowhsmostenemywastakenanddscomfted。Bywhom？sadKngArthur。
　　Bytwoknghts，sadMerln，thatwouldpleaseyourlordshp，andto-morrowyeshallknowwhatknghtstheyare。AnonaftercametheKnghtwththeTwoSwordsandBalanhsbrother，andbroughtwththemKngRenceofNorthWales，andtheredelveredhmtotheporters，andchargedthemwthhm；andsotheytworeturnedagannthedawnngoftheday。KngArthurcamethentoKngRence，andsad，Srkng，yearewelcome：bywhatadventurecomeyehther？Sr，sadKngRence，camehtherbyanhardadventure。Whowonyou？sadKngArthur。Sr，sadthekng，theKnghtwththeTwoSwordsandhsbrother，whcharetwomarvellousknghtsofprowess。knowthemnot，sadArthur，butmuchambeholdentothem。Ah，sadMerln，shalltellyou：tsBalnthatachevedthesword，andhsbrotherBalan，agoodknght，therelvethnotabetterofprowessandofworthness，andtshallbethegreatestdoleofhmthatever
　　knewofknght，forheshallnotlongendure。Alas，sadKngArthur，thatsgreatpty；forammuchbeholdenuntohm，andhavelldeservedtuntohmforhskndness。Nay，sadMerln，heshalldomuchmoreforyou，andthatshallyeknownhaste。But，sr，areyepurveyed，sadMerln，forto-mornthehostofNero，KngRence’sbrother，wllsetonyouornoonwthagreathost，andthereforemakeyouready，forwlldepartfromyou。
　　HowKngArthurhadabattleaganstNeroandKngLotofOrkney，andhowKngLotwasdecevedbyMerln，andhowtwelvekngswereslan。
　　THENKngArthurmadereadyhshostntenbattlesandNerowasreadynthefeldaforetheCastleTerrablwthagreathost，andhehadtenbattles，wthmanymorepeoplethanArthurhad。
　　ThenNerohadthevanguardwththemostpartofhspeople，andMerlncametoKngLotofthesleofOrkney，andheldhmwthataleofprophecy，tllNeroandhspeopleweredestroyed。AndthereSrKaytheseneschalddpassnglywell，thatthedaysofhslfetheworshpwentneverfromhm；andSrHervsdeRevelddmarvellousdeedswthKngArthur，andKngArthurslewthatdaytwentyknghtsandmamedforty。AtthattmecamentheKnghtwththeTwoSwordsandhsbrotherBalan，buttheytwoddsomarvellouslythatthekngandalltheknghtsmarvelledofthem，andalltheythatbeheldthemsadtheyweresentfromheavenasangels，ordevlsfromhell；andKngArthursadhmselftheywerethebestknghtsthateverhesaw，fortheygavesuchstrokesthatallmenhadwonderofthem。
　　nthemeanwhlecameonetoKngLot，andtoldhmwhlehetarredthereNerowasdestroyedandslanwthallhspeople。
　　Alas，sadKngLot，amashamed，forbymydefaulttheresmanyaworshpfulmanslan，foranwehadbeentogethertherehadbeennonehostundertheheaventhathadbeenablefortohavematchedwthus；thsfaterwthhsprophecyhathmockedme。AllthatddMerln，forheknewwellthatanKngLothadbeenwthhsbodythereatthefrstbattle，KngArthurhadbeenslan，andallhspeopledestroyed；andwellMerlnknewthatoneofthekngsshouldbedeadthatday，andloathwasMerlnthatanyofthembothshouldbeslan；butofthetwan，hehadleferKngLothadbeenslanthanKngArthur。Nowwhatsbesttodo？sadKngLotofOrkney；whethersmebettertotreatwthKngArthurortofght，forthegreaterpartofourpeopleareslananddestroyed？Sr，sadaknght，setonArthurfortheyarewearyandforfoughtenandwebefresh。Asforme，sadKngLot，wouldeveryknghtwoulddohspartaswoulddomne。Andthentheyadvancedbannersandsmotetogetherandallto-shveredtherspears；andArthur’sknghts，wththehelpoftheKnghtwththeTwoSwordsandhsbrotherBalanputKngLotandhshosttotheworse。ButalwaysKngLotheldhmntheforemostfront，andddmarvellousdeedsofarms，forallhshostwasborneupbyhshands，forheabodeallknghts。Alashemghtnotendure，thewhchwasgreatpty，thatsoworthyaknghtashewasoneshouldbeovermatched，thatoflatetmeaforehadbeenaknghtofKngArthur’s，andweddedthessterofKngArthur；andforKngArthurlaybyKngLot’swfe，thewhchwasArthur’ssster，andgatonherMordred，thereforeKngLotheldaganstArthur。SotherewasaknghtthatwascalledtheKnghtwththeStrangeBeast，andatthattmehsrghtnamewascalledPellnore，thewhchwasagoodmanofprowess，andhesmoteamghtystrokeatKngLotashefoughtwthallhsenemes，andhefaledofhsstroke，andsmotethehorse’sneck，thathefelltothegroundwthKngLot。
　　AndtherewthanonPellnoresmotehmagreatstrokethroughthehelmandheaduntothebrows。AndthenallthehostofOrkneyfledforthedeathofKngLot，andtherewereslanmanymothers’sons。ButKngPellnorebarethewteofthedeathofKngLot，whereforeSrGawanerevengedthedeathofhsfatherthetenthyearafterhewasmadeknght，andslewKngPellnorewthhsownhands。AlsotherewereslanatthatbattletwelvekngsonthesdeofKngLotwthNero，andallwereburedntheChurchofSantStephen’snCamelot，andtheremnantofknghtsandofotherswereburednagreatrock。
　　Ofthentermentoftwelvekngs，andoftheprophecyofMerln，andhowBalnshouldgvethedolorousstroke。
　　SOatthentermentcameKngLot’swfeMargawsewthherfoursons，Gawane，Agravane，Gahers，andGareth。AlsotherecameththerKngUrens，SrEwane’sfather，andMorganleFayhswfethatwasKngArthur’ssster。Allthesecametothenterment。ButofallthesetwelvekngsKngArthurletmakethetombofKngLotpassngrchly，andmadehstombbyhsown；andthenArthurletmaketwelvemagesoflattenandcopper，andover-glttwthgold，nthesgnoftwelvekngs，andeachoneofthemheldataperofwathatburntdayandnght；andKngArthurwasmadensgnofafgurestandngabovethemwthasworddrawnnhshand，andallthetwelvefgureshadcountenancelkeuntomenthatwereovercome。AllthsmadeMerlnbyhssubtlecraft，andtherehetoldthekng，Whenamdeadthesetapersshallburnnolonger，andsoonaftertheadventuresoftheSangrealshallcomeamongyouandbeacheved。
　　AlsohetoldArthurhowBalntheworshpfulknghtshallgvethedolorousstroke，whereofshallfallgreatvengeance。Oh，wheresBalnandBalanandPellnore？sadKngArthur。AsforPellnore，sadMerln，hewllmeetwthyousoon；andasforBalnhewllnotbelongfromyou；buttheotherbrotherwlldepart，yeshallseehmnomore。Bymyfath，sadArthur，theyaretwomarvellousknghts，andnamelyBalnpassethofprowessofanyknghtthateverfound，formuchbeholdenamuntohm；
　　wouldGodhewouldabdewthme。Sr，sadMerln，lookyekeepwellthescabbardofExcalbur，foryeshalllosenobloodwhleyehavethescabbarduponyou，thoughyehaveasmanywoundsuponyouasyemayhave。Soafter，forgreattrust，ArthurbetookthescabbardtoMorganleFayhssster，andshelovedanotherknghtbetterthanherhusbandKngUrensorKngArthur，andshewouldhavehadArthurherbrotherslan，andthereforesheletmakeanotherscabbardlketbyenchantment，andgavethescabbardExcalburtoherlove；andtheknght’snamewascalledAccolon，thatafterhadnearslanKngArthur。AfterthsMerlntolduntoKngArthuroftheprophecythatthereshouldbeagreatbattlebesdeSalsbury，andMordredhsownsonshouldbeagansthm。AlsohetoldhmthatBagdemeguswashscousn，andgermanuntoKngUrens。