CHAPTER IX. SIR BEAUMAINS’ QUEST

SOON after this, it befell that King Arthur chose to keep the Feast of Pentecost at a fair city and castle of his, named Kinkenadon, that was on the sea-side near the Welsh border. And about noon on the Day of Pentecost, as the king and all his knights were going to their meat, there came into the hall two men richly attired, and between them, leaning on their shoulders, there walked a young man, tall and well made, with very broad shoulders and a comely countenance, and the fairest and largest hands that ever man saw. Room was made for him to go up to the high dais where sat King Arthur and Queen Guenever, and when he stood there he said,--

“God bless thee, O King, and all thy fellowship, and in especial the fellowship of the Round Table. For this cause am I come hither--to pray that thou wilt give me three gifts, the which shall not be unreasonable, but such as may be worshipfully and honourably granted. And as for the first gift, I will ask it now, and the other two on this day twelve months.”

“Now ask,” said King Arthur, “and you shall have your request.”

“Then, sir,” said the young man, “this is now my petition--that you will give me meat and drink sufficient during these twelve months.”

“Ask better, my fair son, I counsel thee,” quoth the king, “for this is but a simple request, and my heart giveth to thee greatly; for, if I be not greatly mistaken, thou art come of men of worship, and wilt thyself prove a worshipful knight.”

“Sir,” answered the other, “let that be as it may; I have asked all that I will ask.”

“Well,” said Arthur, “you shall have meat and drink enough; that I never refused to friend or foe. But what is thy name?”

“That I cannot tell you,” he answered.

“I marvel greatly at thee,” said the king, “that thou knowest not thy name; and yet thou art one of the goodliest young men that ever I saw.”

Then he called up Sir Kay the Seneschal, and charged him to give the youth meat and drink of the best, and to treat him in all respects as though he were a lord’s son.

“There is little need to go to such cost for him,” said Kay, “for I dare undertake that he is a villein born, and will never be a good man. Had he come of gentle blood, he would have asked for horse and harness; but even as he is, so hath he asked. Since he has no name, I will give him one, and that is Beaumains, because he hath such fair hands. Into the kitchen I will bring him, and there he shall have good meat and broth every day, so that by the twelvemonth’s end he will be as fat as a pork hog.”

Then the two squires that had brought the young man departed, and left him with Sir Kay, who scorned and mocked him. At this was Sir Gawaine wroth; and so was Sir Lancelot, who bade Sir Kay leave his mocking, for, said he, “I dare lay my head he will prove a man of great worship.”

“That cannot be,” said Sir Kay, “else he would not have asked for bread and drink. Pain of my life, he hath been brought up in some abbey, where they have fallen short of sustenance; so he has come for it hither.”

Then the king and all the court sat down to the banquet, and Beaumains went to the bottom of the table among the squires and boys, and there he ate sadly. Afterwards both Lancelot and Gawaine invited him to their chambers, and would have made much of him; but he refused them, and would do nothing save as Sir Kay commanded. So he was put into the kitchen, and lay every night as the scullions did; and so he endured for the whole year, and never displeased any, but was always gentle and