he princely pageants which King Arthur
held at Windsor in the sixth century, and of the sumptuous Christmas
banquetings at his Round Table--the very Round Table (so we are to
believe, on the authority of Dr. Milner)[7] which has been preserved
in the old chapel, now termed the county hall, at Winchester. It
consists of stout oak plank, perforated with many bullets, supposed to
have been shot by Cromwell's soldiers. It is painted with a figure to
represent King Arthur, and with the names of his twenty-four knights
as they are stated in the romances of the old chroniclers. This famous
Prince, who instituted the military order of the Knights of the Round
Table, is also credited with the reintroduction of Christianity at
York after the Saxon invaders had destroyed the first churches built
there. He was unwearying in his warfare against enemies of the
religion of Christ. His first great enterprise was the siege of a
Saxon army at York, and, having afterwards won brilliant victories in
Somersetshire and other parts of southern England, he again marched
northward and penetrated Scotland to attack the Picts and Scots, who
had long harassed the border. On returning from Scotland, Arthur
rested his wearied army at York and kept Christmas with great
bountifulness. Geoffrey of Monmouth says he was a prince of
"unparalleled courage and generosity," and his Christmas at York was
kept with the greatest joy and festivity. Then was the round table
filled with jocund guests, and the minstrels, gleemen, harpers,
pipe-players, jugglers, and dancers were as happy round about their
log-fires as if they had shone in the blaze of a thousand gas-lights.

[Illustration: THE WILD BOAR HUNT: KILLING THE BOAR.]

King Arthur and his Knights also indulged in out-door amusements, as
hunting, hawking, running, leaping, wrestling, jousts, and tourneys.
"So," says Sir Thomas Malory,[8] "passed forth all the winter with all
manner of hunting and hawking, and jousts and tourneys were many
between many great lords. And ever, in all manner of places, Sir
Lavaine got great worship, that he was nobly renowned among many of
the knights of the Round Table. Thus it passed on until Christmas, and
every day there were jousts made for a diamond, that whosoever joust
best should have a diamond. But Sir Launcelot would not joust, but if
it were a great joust cried; but Sir Lavaine jousted there all the
Christmas passing well, and most was praised; for there were few