II.

The authority of the scripture telleth us that after the
crucifixion of Our Lord, no earthly King set forward the Law of
Jesus Christ so much as did King Arthur of Britain, both by
himself and by the good knights that made repair to his court.
Good King Arthur after the crucifixion of Our Lord, was such as I
tell you, and was a puissant King, and one that well believed in
God, and many were the good adventures that befel at his court.
And he had in his court the Table Round that was garnished of the
best knights in the world. King Arthur after the death of his
father led the highest life and most gracious that ever king led,
in such sort that all the princes and all the barons took
ensample of him in well-doing. For ten years was King Arthur in
such estate as I have told you, nor never was earthly king so
praised as he, until that a slothful will came upon him and he
began to lose the pleasure in doing largesse that he wont to
have, nor was he minded to hold court neither at Christmas-tide
nor at Easter nor at Pentecost. The knights of the Table Round
when they saw his well-doing wax slack departed thence and began
to hold aloof from his court, insomuch as that of three hundred
and three-score knights and six that he wont to have of his
household, there were now not more than a five-and-twenty at
most, nor did no adventure befal any more at his court. All the
other princes had slackened of their well-doing for that they saw
King Arthur maintain so feebly. Queen Guenievre was so sorrowful
thereof that she knew not what counsel to take with herself, nor
how she might so deal as to amend matters so God amended them
not. From this time beginneth the history.