Pellinore

King Pellinore of the Isles, also known as the Knight with the Strange Beast, he is a good man of prowess. (2,x) According to Merlin he is one of the best knights of the world, and the strongest man of arms. (1,XXII)

## Youth

When he was young he found a maid milking cows and forced himself on her and took her maidenhead. At that time he begat her son Tor. He took her greyhound and said that he would keep it as a token of her love. (3,iii)

## Meeting Arthur

King Pellinore was bound to hunt the Questing Beast and followed it for a year until it killed his horse. As he hunted it near Carlion he met King Arthur sleeping near a fountain who told him that he saw it and is 2 miles away. As he was on foot Pelinore asked for his horse. (1,XIX)

Arthur refused and offered to hunt the beast himself for another 12 months but Pellinore said it was impossible for anyone other than him or his kin, and took the horse by force. Arthur challenged him and Pellinore said that he can seek him again on this spot. (1,XX)

Later he put a rich pavillion near the fountain; under a cloth stood a fair horse well saddled and bridled, and on a tree a shield of divers colours and a great spear. (1,XXII)

He challenged and killed Sir Miles; his squire asked revenge and Griflet decided to avenge him. (1,XXI)

Pellinore heard a noise and came out of the pavilion, and saw Griflet challenging him to a joust. Pellinore pointed out that he is too young and inexperienced compared to him but Griflet insisted. Reluctantly he dressed himself. They ran together that Griflet's spear broke but Pellinore's smote through the shield and horse and knight fell down, with the truncheon stuck in his left side. (1,XXII) Seeing him down, he was scared that he killed him, he alighted, unlaced his helm and gat him wind, and set him on his horse, wishing that he will be safe and prove to be a good knight for he has a strong heart. So Griflet returned to the court. (1,xxiii)

Later, as he was sitting armed in a chair, Arthur and Merlin reached the fountain. Arthur inquired why he is sitting and forbids any knight to ride his way and demanded to leave. The knight was defiant saying that he will continue his custom. Arthur said that he will amend it. The knight armed himself and the two jousted, hitting each other's shields and breaking their spears. Arthur pulled his sword but the knight said to run more, and since Arthur had no more spears a squire brought two for him to choose. But again, they came together with all their might and they broke their spears to their hands. Arthur grabbed his sword but the knight said to try again, as he is the best jouster he met. They got 2 new great spears and ran together but Arthur's broke and was hit so hard on the shield that he fell with his horse. He pulled out his sword but Pellinore said he will remain on the horse; but seeing Arthur ready to fight, the knight dismounted as it would be honorless.

A great battle begun with great strokes, cantels flew in the fields that were filled with their blood. After fighting long they rested and then resumed, hurtled like two rams that either fell down. As their swords came together, Pellinore broke Excalibur to two. He demanded Arthur to yield or be slain. Arthur welcomed death rather than yielding as a recreant and be shamed. He leapt unto Pellinore's waist and threw him down, pulling out his helm. But Pellinore being big and mighty man, brought Arthur under him and removed his helmet to smite off his head. (1,XXIII)

Merlin came to stop him, saying that if he slays him the realm will be in the greatest damage. Pellinore asked, and Merlin sad he is king Arthur. Nonetheless fearing of his wrath he lifted up his sword, but Merlin enchanted him and he fell asleep for 3 hours. Merlin said his name and predicted that he will eventually do him good service, he will have two sons, Percivale and Lamerake, and will tell Arthur the name of his son who will destroy his realm. (1,XXIV)

3 or more days later, Arthur and Merlin passed by his pavillion and Merlin reminded him whose it is. He divined that he fought with Sir Egglame who fled, and Pellinore chased him all the way to Carlion and predicted that they will meet him soon upon the highway. But he councelled Arthur not to challenge him, as he would be weary and would be no honor in the challenge, and he wil not be lightly matched. And he also predicted that soon he and his sons would enter his service, and Arthur will give him his sister. Indeed on their way they met him, but Merlin did some magic and Pellinore didn't see him. (1,xxv)

## Battle of Terrabil

He smote a mighty stroke at King Lot, but missed and smote the horse's neck instead. As it fell down with Lot, right then Pellinore smote him through the helm and head unto the brows. All the host of Orkney fled. (2,x)

After the burial of the defeated, Arthur asked about Balin, Balan and Pellinore and Merlin predicted that he will meet him soon. (2,xi)

The prophecy that he will be killed by Gawaine to avenge his father appeared miraculously with golden letters on the tomb of Sir Perin. (2,xiii)

In London, Merlin revealed to all that Tor was Pellinore's son and his mother told their story. Merlin told them that his father is a good man and will advance both him and his mother. (3,iii)

Pellinore came to London on the morning during the feast of Arthur's and Guenever's wedding. Arthur had great joy and told him of his son, and that he knighted him at the request of Aries. Pellinore saw him and was pleased. Later Merlin took him by his hand and sat him on the Round Table next to the void seats, and said that he is the most worthy of anyone to sit there. This sight angered Gawaine, who decided to kill him, and said to his brother Gaheris. (3,iv)

During Arthur's ceremony a white hart hunted by a white brachet appeared at the Round Table, followed by Nimue who was after her brachet; then Sir Hontzlake came in and took her. Merlin said that Pellinore should go and fetch the lady and the knight, or slay him, so to not dishonor the ceremony. (3,v) Before Tor left for his own quest to fetch the brachet, Pellinore provided him with an old courser as he had no other equipment. (3,xi)

## The Quest

Pellinore armed him upon his horse and rode fastly after the knight who took Nimue. Then by a well he saw a lady with a wounded knight in her arms, crying. He saluted her and went on, not wanting to tarry for his quest, while she asked for his help, but he ignored her pleas. Seeing his stance, she cursed him hontto be found in the same need.

Farther in the valley he met a poor labourer and asked about the knight. He told him that he is fighting with a cousin of a lady nearby. Indeed he saw 2 pavilions and the 2 knights fighting, and Nimue guarded by their squires. He told Nimue to go together to Camelot, but the squires told him to talk with the knights who fight for her. So he went between them and asked why they fight. One said he is her cousin and wanted to rescue her; Hontzlake claimed that he won her by his prowess at Arthur's court, but Pellinore corrected him that he came suddenly and just stole her, so he was tasked to free her with his life. Then as he tried to put his horse away, Hontzlake killed his horse with his sword. Pellinore leapt and drew out his, and gave him a single stroke upon the helm and he clave his head down to the chin. (3,xii)

When Pellinore turned, Meliot kneeled and offered Nimue to him, having seen his prowess. Pellinore reassured that he is a true knight and won't shame her. As his horse was killed, he thought taking Hontzlake's, but Meliot offered him another one and invited him to lodge with him as it was near night. They rested all night and on the morning they heard a mass and after breakfast, Meliot brought him a fair bay courser. They exchanged their names and before leaving Pellinore invited Meliot and his sworn brother to the court of Camelot.

As they rode in a valley full of stones, Nimue's horse stumbled and she fell wounding her arm. Pellinore agreed to stop to rest and he alighted under a fair tree and pur his horse to fair grass, and he slept. He woke up at near night and Nimue said they shouldn't ride now so they camped and Pellinore removed his armour. Before midnight they heard a horse coming. (3,xiii)

Pellinore armed himself and he saw the meeting of 2 knights. The one was coming from Camelot spyng on Arthur's court, and was going to the north to tell their chieftains about the people's loyalty to Arthur. The other was coming from the north, bringing a poison to Camelot, where a friend of theirs, was bribed to poison Arthur. Once they left, Pellinore and Nimue prepared themselves, and passed by the well with the dead knight and the damsel, whose body was mutilated by wild beasts. Unable to explain why, his heart mourned, surprising Nimue. According to her advice, he took the lady's head to Camelot, and on his shoulders he brought the dead knight to a hermitage, and gave Miles's harness to the hermit for his services. (3,xiv)

As they rode, Pellinore was much grieved looking at the lady's visage. By noon they came to Camelot and was made by the king and queen to swear upon the Four Evangelists, to tell the truth of his quest; Guenever blamed him for not saving them and Pellinore said he was too furious for his quest and he repents it. Merlin said that Pellinore would really repent for this, revealing that the damsel was his daughter; and for not saving her, in the time of his greatest distress his best friend will fail him. (3,xv)

## Battle of Humber

In Cardoile, Arthur learned that his lands were invaded by an alliance. He wrote to Pellinore asking him to rear as many people as he could and hurry to him. (4,ii)

Pellinore gathered a great host but Arthur already won the battle when he was still 3 miles away. A messenger from Arthur went to him telling how they did, and when Pellinore came and saluted them, everyone had great joy. Back in Camelot, Arthur asked his advice to replace the 8 knights of the Round Table that were killed in the battle, and Pellinore suggested 4 from the old and 3 from the young knights. (4,iv) For the eighth knight, Pellinore put Arthur to choose between two, Sir Bagdemagus and Sir Tor. As Tor is his son Pellinore didn't praise him, but if he wasn't, he'd say that there is no better knight in the land nor of better conditions and loath to do or take any wrong; Arthur agreed and chose Tor. (4,v)

## Death

Gawaine blamed Pellinore for the death of his father and 10 years after he became a knight, he slew him with his own hands. (2,x)

After his death Palamides continued the hunt of the Questing Beast. (1,XIX)

1. ↑ [https://www.heraldica.org/topics/arthur.htm