from the church in great joy, for now they had a king
they loved, and they felt that the land was safe from civil strife and
the griefs of war.

When Arthur in his palace at London had received the homage of all the
lords and princes from the lands south of Humber, he appointed his
officers. Sir Kay he made seneschal or steward, and Sir Baudwin was
made constable, and Sir Ulfius he named chamberlain of his court. By
the counsel of Merlin he made Sir Bedevere Warden of the Northern
Marches, for the lands of the eleven kings lay mostly in the country
north of Trent, and though those princes had yielded lip service to
Arthur, Merlin knew that in their hearts they nurtured the seeds of
conspiracy.

King Arthur made a progress through all his territories, staying at the
halls of those who did service for the lands they held of him, and he
commanded all those who had suffered evil or wrong to come to him, and
many came. The king's wrath when he heard a tale of women and orphans
wronged or robbed or evilly treated by proud or powerful lords and
knights, was terrible to see. Many were the pale captives he released
from their deep dungeons, many were the tears he wiped away, and hard
and heavy was his punishment of evil lords who thought their power
would for ever shield them from penalty for their cruelties and
oppression.

When this was done, he caused a proclamation to be uttered, that he
would hold his coronation at the city of Caerleon-upon-Usk, at the
feast of Hallow-mass then following; and he commanded all his loyal
subjects to attend. When the time came, all the countryside on the
marches of Wales was filled with the trains of noblemen and their
knights and servants gathering towards the city.

As Arthur looked from the window of the palace which the Romans had
builded, and which looked far and wide over the crowded roads, word was
brought to him that six of the kings who had resented his kingship had
come to the city. At this Arthur was glad, for he was full gentle and
kindly, and would liefer be friendly with a man than his enemy.

Thinking that these kings and knights had come for love of him, and to
do him worship at his feast, King Arthur sent them many and rich
presents. But his messengers returned, saying that the kings and
knights had received them with insults, and had refused to take the
gifts of a beardless boy who had come, they said, of low blood.

Whereat the king's eyes flashed grimly, but at that