upon a time, Arthur was holding his Court at Caerlleon upon Usk,
at Whitsuntide. And, behold, there came to him ambassadors, wise and
prudent, full of knowledge, and eloquent of speech, and they saluted
Arthur. "Heaven prosper you," said Arthur, "and the welcome of Heaven be
unto you. And whence do you come?" "We come, Lord," said they, "from
Cornwall; and we are ambassadors from Erbin the son of Custennin, thy
uncle, and our mission is unto thee. And he greets thee well, as an
uncle should greet his nephew, and as a vassal should greet his lord. And
he represents unto thee that he waxes heavy and feeble, and is advancing
in years. And the neighbouring chiefs knowing this, grow insolent
towards him, and covet his land and possessions. And he earnestly
beseeches thee, Lord, to permit Geraint his son to return to him, to
protect his possessions, and to become acquainted with his boundaries.
And unto him he represents that it were better for him to spend the
flower of his youth, and the prime of his age, in preserving his own
boundaries, than in tournaments, which are productive of no profit,
although he obtains glory in them."

"Well," said Arthur, "go, and divest yourselves of your accoutrements,
and take food, and refresh yourselves after your fatigues; and before you
go forth hence you shall have an answer." And they went to eat. And
Arthur considered that it would go hard with him to let Geraint depart
from him and from his Court; neither did he think it fair that his cousin
should be restrained from going to protect his dominions and his
boundaries, seeing that his father was unable to do so. No less was the
grief and regret of Gwenhwyvar, and all her women, and all her damsels,
through fear that the maiden would leave them. And that day and that
night were spent in abundance of feasting. And Arthur showed Geraint the
cause of the mission, and of the coming of the ambassadors to him out of
Cornwall. "Truly," said Geraint, "be it to my advantage or disadvantage,
Lord, I will do according to thy will concerning this embassy." "Behold,"
said Arthur, "though it grieves me to part with thee, it is my counsel
that thou go to dwell in thine own dominions, and to defend thy
boundaries, and to take with thee to accompany thee as many as thou wilt
of those thou lovest best among my faithful ones, and among thy friends,
and among thy companions in arms." "Heaven reward thee; and this will I
do," said Geraint. "W