What is chivalry? What is chastity? Poor king....

Poor King Mark. He loves Isolde so deeply but has never receieved a love from her. He has to lead a life of suspcion about his wife. I was impressed how deep his love to Isolde is and how generous he is to hie nephew when he frogave her and tried to allow Tristan to serve him. Oh god, why would he deserve such a miserable life? Did you now punish the disloyalty of the couple? I no longer know what chivalry is. Tristan should have returned her to the king according to his loyalty to him. Also, Isolde should not have lied to him. Even after the effect of love portion ended, they still love each other and keep decieving the king. I pity the king.

Since the night when the mantle revealed the sin of my wife, I cannot believe women. And this incident in Cornwell, my suspicion against their chastity is greater than before. I feel sorry for the king. Are the chivalry and chastity forgetton?

Where Is The Justice!?

An execution serves them right I say. If Tristan was so much of a fool to get caught with another's lady, a KINGS QUEEN, no less, than off with his head, burn him at the stake, draw and quarter him what have you. It seems to me that there be no honest woman in all of this realm, what with that Lancelot fellow breaking the bars just so he could sleep with Lady Guinevere, WHILE I WAS IN THE SAME ROOM, MIND YOU! The disgrace of it all sickens me. I would've performed much more admirably in the face of such adversity I assure you. Potions and trickery have no hold over such a valiant warrior as I.

That's Nice

Well, I must say that I am utterly confused by these new-wave romances! In my day, if a young man was interested in a young lady, then he would make sure that she wasn't married to a family member!

But I do have a confession, this story of Tristian and Isolde do remind me so much of my romance novels that I am so fond of. Imagine being rescued by a handsome, strong man who was utterly in love with you ... just sends shivers down my spine! And running away together to live in the woods, how primitive and romantic! It is almost a cross between the story of Romeo and Juliet combined Robin Hood and Maid Marian (not that Beroul or Tristain and Isolde would know who those people are ... maybe more along the lines of the love triangle between King Arthur, Lancelot, and the Queen G.)

Alas, poor Tristian and Isolde, the love they felt for each other was caused by a love potion that wore off after three years. Just goes to show, maybe the romantic, passionate love between characters can only be caused by magic or end in misfortune. What does that say about love in general? Can it exist in "real life"? Makes this old lady happy to just live vicariously through her love stories.

To set the record staight...

I am not a simpleton. I have heard many a criticism from my fellow knights in regards to my behavior regarding the lovely Lady Isolde. Ah Isolde! She is the most beautiful and virtuous lady of the land. Many a man has criticized me for not taking her as mine when first we met on that arduous journey back to my uncle, King Mark. Ha! I am no fool – we would have been dead as soon as we set foot on land, should we have declared ourselves then. Luckily I had the good sense to explain this to my dear lady, who would have much preferred to be together openly. Alas! We could not, for it would not have been the intelligent thing to do. And I am nothing if not intelligent.


The King’s henchmen thought they would outsmart me by planting traps and turning my uncle, the king, against me. The trick with the flour was a nice touch and in truth it was only due to my lady’s insistence that I visit her that night that we were caught. And as for that imbecile, Beroul, I am insulted that he would portray me as such a simpleminded, lust-addled fool. My lady Isolde was beautiful, yes, and kind, but she was no where near as devious as the idiotic Beroul made her out to be. Indeed, many of the plans that “Isolde” thought up were mine – the Lord only knows what he was thinking when he rendered my Isolde as a devious viper and myself an addled fool. Rest assured that were the fool around me, I would set him straight in the most humiliating way possible. And let this be a warning, my friends, that I will do anything to defend my lady’s honor and my own.

To Tristan and Isolde

Due to the potion you both blame your fate, you can not be so blind not to see that the love is far more greater then you may think. For, after the potion had worn off, you and Isolde got back into King Mark's good graces. Still you both could not stop your-selves from really leaving one another. All you could do then was to have secret trysts and send messages to one another. For the whole city could see what needed to be. You an their dear queen together, But all may now be lost. When you held a court to establish your innocence. You've been lying to yourselves and it may now come to a battle between you dear Tristan and your uncle King Mark.

Advice to Tristan

I hear that you are a brave and valiant knight, however I think you have grown soft. If you have such strong desire for this Isolde , why do you not simply obtain her? It was you who brought her to King Mark's court; why did'nt you just keep her for yourself from the beginning? Letting her marry another man was your first mistake, but our history shows that a king will not long stand between a strong man and the woman he desires. What of Uther Pendragon? My cousin, Arthur would not be here today had Uther idly stood by and pined for love. My own father took his second with from another king, though in my opinion he could have done better.

Who is Surprised?

I'm not surprised of the lack of loyalty you "knights of valor"experienced. This mantle only brought the truth to what you hide from behind your so called 'valor' and 'honor'. Tin cans on horses you are, just playing games. Your women see you are not worth the effort to keep from experimenting with other men. What is love anyway, I know nothing of it. I think it's something you have all made up, same as valor and honor. These women know the truth more than you knights. When you are hungry, you get food to eat. Thirsty, take water to drink. When you are in heat, you find someone to douse the flame. I take what I must to survive and more importantly to get what I want. You are all fools, and the mantle exposes that. I am not a fool. Perhaps you should hand all your woman to me, so they can get the needs they obviously are lacking. Ha ha! How sad is it when I knight drowns in the truth he so readily avoids, yet how bright it is in my eyes. You are now exposed for the little men you are...pun intended.

Love thy fellow man with loyalty

This mantle has made everyone gone mad. Before you can demand respect, you must give respect to others. It is of importance that you are loyal to others and respect the code of chivalry. You must not worry about who is faithful and who is unfaithful or whether you are getting enough respect. What matters is that you give all your loyalty and respect for those who deserve it and then maybe one day it will be returned. The mantle is a test of respect and loyalty. While the mantle is a test of loyalty and respect it is a symbol of purity. Only a person who is pure may deserve and have the mantle. You shall love thy fellow man and love thy fellow woman, respect the code of chivalry and respect each other in this court and one day you may be rewarded with the same respect that you have given out.

Honestly...

I find the events that occurred during this particular joyous and festive period of Pentecost (the same period at which I, myself first arrived at court) to be most curious and distressing. Although I have never felt a more passionate love than that for our almighty God, I can express sympathy towards those who should feel such pain and humiliation at the hands of those whom they so endeared and trusted. However, I do not feel it is right to condemn solely those unfaithful women who were tried. Would it not be also possible for there to be unfaithful men within such an immense gathering? With whom else should those women fornicate than those with whom they are close in proximity? I speak with conviction and experience when I say that it is possible for a man to remain chaste and sinless. Why should not the same standards be upheld for all men as they are for women? In my opinion the mantle should have been a test for all who gathered there on that day; it should have been an awakening for all who have strayed from sincerity and dedication to their beloveds and to God.

How can I restore my dignity....

Bodendr was so smart tonight. To avoid the charity-testing on his maiden, he wisely directed King Arthur to test my wife according to the order of authority.  If he had not said that, she might have prevented the test. And I could have avoided the humiliation in front of others. Oh, it was such a shame and hard to retreat my perfect renown. Moreover, Kay made the situation even worse when he interpreted the wrongdoing of my wife. I could not help but imagine that and became speechless.

Well, having thought about tonight's incident, I now think my behavior was not chivalric. I was being sarcastic. I should not have put a pressure on the maiden of Karadin to keep her charity. When I think about my maiden, I do not think it is right to say such thing. Oh, I showed not only my wife's wrongdoing but also my conceit. 

Anyways, it is the past and cannot be changed. I need to come up with a good solution. But I do not know how I can restore my dignity and people's respect to me. Oh, I wish I could edit the tale.

Oh, the Infidelity of Women

I forever curse that young man, who brought the mantle to Camelot, for his mission was one of the Devils. I still believe it not that my fair maiden, beautiful and true, could be dishonest. However, I now make it known to all that there is nary one woman amongst a thousand who be true to her husband, for all women desire novelty when they tire of their man, who performs valiant feats of honor in their name. Christ, I ask how this derision be brought down upon us, your most loyal servants, and most of all, upon King Arthur! Not even Guinevere, who I held as the purest and fairest of all maidens, could wear the mantle. Only one fair damosel in all of Camelot could wear the mantle true as it were meant to be. I lament at our unseeing eyes, and hope only that a day will come when I may soon redeem myself in the eyes of God and our King.

The power to make them weak

What an exciting adventure I have just lived.
My husband Sir Bertilak, asked me for a very peculiar thing.
Sir Gawain was expected to come to our castle asking for a place to stay.
And I, The host’s wife made sure he wouldn’t forget me, for the rest of his days.
Sir Gawain was after the Green Knight,
The thing he wasn’t aware of,
Is that the Green knight was my husband in disguise.
Yes, Morgan the Fay decided to give Arthur’s court a surprise,
And shock Guinevere whom she hates, all of this at the same time.
The Green knight paid a visit to Arthur’s court at the time of Christmas celebration,
Sir Gawain was the brave one, who decided to fight with no hesitation.
After defeating the Green knight, a deal was made.
One Year later exactly, Sir Gawain shall fight once again.
So Sir Gawain set off looking for the Green Knight,
And ended up in our castle where my job was to make him fall.
While my husband went out to hunt, I sneaked into his room.
I tried my best to seduce him seduce him, until his honor was disproved.
Mighty difficult Sir Gawain, he tried to be loyal and smart.
He declined my kisses, my affection and my warmth,
However he did not resist the power to save his life,
Made out of green silk, I offered him my magical sash,
He was glad to hear that by wearing it, he was safe from all harm.
Such an intelligent man he seemed to be
It seemed so difficult for him to give in to me
However there’s no bigger power over King Arthur’s Knights,
Than that power held by me.
The power of being female,
The power to make them weak.

I Only Have Eyes for Guinevere

I, Sir Lancelot, take the concept of chilvalry most seriously and hold it second highest to my dear lady, the Queen Guinevere. Although I regard my honor and reputation two of my most important features, I was willing to put them at risk just to find out where my lady, my one true love, the Queen was taken to. As everyone knows, to ride in the cart is one of the most heinous embarassments known to man, yet I did it because of my eternal love and devotion to my lady. I undertook the arduous task of traversing by the Underwater Bridge and the Sword Bridge all for the love of my fair Queen. At times I was so weak and confused by my task that I could not speak, forgot my own name and pledged promises to men and women alike that I would not have beed glad to carry out, for example, promising to sleep with a young lady solely to gain lodging for an night's rest. Yet, all throughout my many trials and tribulations, one thing remained constant; love. I believe I proved my unfaltering devotion to my lady when I completely set aside my honor and courage in battle to do poorly at the tournaments to please her. For the rest of my days, her wish was my command. Only by remebering and remaining loyal to my love was I able to accomplish such daring feats in battle and escape with my life from the evil prince Meleagant. Although I am supremely loyal to my liege King Arthur, I cannot deny the burning passion that permeates to the core of my being, for the only woman I will ever, wish to ever, and can ever love, my queen. Our love is a secret love that can only be expressed in private, but I fear that the overwhelming feeling that shows through our very eyes can be seen by all. One day I am sure our secret will be discovered, but until that day we shall perservere until our next our eyes meet across a room or my hand brushes hers as we cross paths. Never can we show to the world what we truly feel in our hearts.

Lancelot the Knight

It is with a heavy heart that I write this, for I am burdened with secrets and a love that surpasses that for my husband, King Arthur. The journey to Melegant's castle was arduous and dangerous. I was afraid of Melegant, my kidnapper. His father ensured my safety for which I will ever be grateful for. I prayed daily for my rescue. I grieved for missing Camelot and wondered if I would ever return. My faith and love kept my wits intact. My passion and longing for Lancelot knowing no boundaries transcended castle walls and spurred him to rescue me. I was overwhelmed when he arrived and dueled Melegant. Lancelot proved with his chivalrous acts that his heart he gave to me. I teased him not realizing he mistook my joke and both of us nearly died from believing the other lost. That pain was more than I had ever felt, it was if my heart had stopped when I heard of his death. The joy that I knew when hearing that he was in fact alive cannot compare to any other I have experienced. Reuniting with Lancelot solidified my love, I had to express it. Arranging our tryst took careful and patient planning. I never once questioned the burning desire I had for him. I was so overcome with want of him that my mind erased Arthur from all consciousness. I will not divulge any more about that night as my integrity and Sir Kay's came into question the next morning. Lancelot and Melegant again met in battle for the King to once again stop it. How I despised Melegant and wished for Lancelot to end his days. My hatred for Melegant grew after his cunning plan that tricked Lancelot as well as myself, Sir Kay, and Sir Gawain. For the second time I questioned Lancelot's disappearance and whether I would ever set my eyes upon his. Seeing him disguised as the Red Knight returned the hope I had lost. I used my wits to discover the Red Knights identity and his faithfulness to me. How he loves me! To do all that I bid! After returning to Arthur I tried to forget my love for Lancelot, but it will never perish. I was overcome with joy when Lancelot returned to fight Melegant. I worry that I showed him too much affection. I ponder if the King has any indication of what has passed between us. When Lancelot beheaded Melegant I was ecstatic. I want to keep our love a secret, but how? I cannot look at him and not think of all that has transpired since I was first kidnapped. Would another tryst be possible? I shan't think of such, but I cannot restrain my passion. Is it fate?

Uther Pendragon

Many a fledgling has criticized the way I obtained my wife. By ruse and trickery she became mine. It was a shame that the Lord of Cornwall Gorius had to die in his castle, but i cannot say that it troubles me greatly now that Igerna is mine. I say onto you, what right do you have to criticize your king. If not for my trickery in bedding my wife, you wouldn't have your King Arthur of the future. Remember it was my seed that brought his triumph. It's my rule that has brought this country prosperity. If not for my brother Aurelius and I this country would still be under control of a pagan by the name of Vortigern. I was destined to rule this country as was foretold by Merlin on the night of my brothers passing. It was prophesied that my son would become the greatest king this world would ever know, so i implore you to find fault in my doings. For surely your lives are worth less than mine or my kin. Open your mouths, spill your drivel, if mine ears here one word of contempt you'll see how ferocious a Pendragon's blade can bite.

Arthur, my most loyal friend and uncle, has my pledge to support him in any cause he believes or in any support needed against enemies. I came to his aid against Baldulf and the Saxons when he first assumed the power of his Kingdom, as he came to my aid in Aclud when I was violently ill and would have met a most certain death if it had not been for him. I fully support and believe in his quest for taking all of Europe and Rome under his rule, for it would be the best kingdom in all of the world as well as history. The liberty that is trying to be taken away from us from these Roman barbarians needs to be defeated and the only way to do so is to completely take over what is rightfully Arthur's. The fact that my poor niece Helena, has been captured and killed by the an ungodly giant grieves me everyday that I go on living, and further fuels me in Arthur's quest for conquer. He helped me to find her in every way that is humanly possible, and for that I owe him my life. He truly is my best friend, fellow King, and mentor in life.

Layamon the Liar

It angers me sorely to have my name bandied and my reputation sullied by these ridiculous Aenglish versifiers and their barbaric Frankish cousins. 'Tis true, I took my uncle's kingdom from him, allied myself with the Cornish, the Irish, even the Saxons at times, and yes, I took his queen as my consort. Yet what did he expect? While Arthur and my brother Walwain were gallivanting thru' Gaul, risking Roman wrath for the sake of renown - as if they thought to make my uncle a new Caeser! - I had a kingdom to run, a kingdom, mark you, which had lost the best of its strength and wealth to Arthur's Continental campaign. Is it then surprising that I had to resort to desperate measures, to hire mercenaries to protect Britain? Taking the kingdom into mine own hands seemed also the most expedient measure at this time, the best to assure my authority over my new troops. As for the queen, well, Wenhaver was willing - the blame is hardly mine. All this I did for Britain, and these tellers of tales name it treachery. Perhaps one day a romance will be written that does justice to my name, instead of spreading fictions about the arrogant Arthur.

For Those Lowly Men

For those who have taken the time to see the depths in my writing, I praise thee. Yet, I tire of countless inquiries as the nature and purpose of seemingly different religous allusions. I praise those who understand, and even as I do not deserve those who do not understand, I will explain. I do not mention god, I do not mention christ. Translation tends to, using a modern expresion, put words in the mouth. My eulogy honors the lord who went and returned, the one who made cowards couragous. Those who know the lord, know his name, for he went and returned with the spoils of Annwn. I sing the praise of the lord Arthur, and of the seven who returned. I honor these men who did not cower. I honor the lord, Arthur, the king of the land, who, with unspeakable valor illuminated the darkness for those who followed and returned victorious. For those lowly men who do not know the hour of midday the lord was born, I, nor he, does not deserve thee, for they miss the essence of this eulogy and in doing so, the lord Arthur himself.