could choose better
for you. Yet when a man's heart is set, he will be loath to change."

So Merlin was sent forth to King Leodegrance, and he told him of King
Arthur's desire. King Leodegrance was glad that so worthy a king of
prowess and of nobleness would wed his daughter, and promised him as
wedding gift,--not lands, for he had enough and needed none,--but what
would please him much more, the Table Round, which Uther Pendragon had
given to the King of Cameliard,--a table made by Merlin at which an
hundred and fifty knights might be seated.

So Guenever, attended by Merlin and an hundred good knights (all King
Leodegrance could spare, so many had been slain in his wars) with the
Round Table rode with great pomp by water and by land to London. There
King Arthur made great joy of their coming, for he had long loved
Guenever. Also the gift pleased him more than right great riches. And
the marriage and the coronation were ordained with all speed in the
most honourable wise that could be devised.

Merlin was sent to espy out in all the land fifty knights of most
prowess and honour, who should make up the full number for the Round
Table. Only twenty-eight could he find worthy enough, and these Merlin
fetched to Arthur's court. And Merlin made sieges (seats), an hundred
and fifty in all, for the knights, and he placed in every knight's
siege his name in letters of gold.

On that same day King Arthur founded the great order of the Round
Table, the fame of which was to last for all time. An hundred and
twenty-eight were then sworn as Knights of the Table Round, and every
year at the high feast of Pentecost others were to be added as they
showed themselves worthy. Only one siege was long empty, the Siege
Perilous, for no man should sit therein but one, and if any one of
unworthy life were so hardy as to sit therein, he should be destroyed.

With great ceremony each one took the vows of true knighthood, solemnly
promising to do no wicked deed, to be loyal to the King, to give mercy
to those asking it, always to be courteous and helpful to ladies, and
to fight in no wrongful quarrel for wordly gain, upon pain of death or
forfeiture of knighthood and King Arthur's favour. Unto this were all
the knights of the Round Table sworn, both old and young. To dishonour
knighthood was the greatest disgrace; to prove themselves worthy of
knightly honour by strong, brave, courteous, loyal bearing under great
difficulties was