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King Arthur's Round Table. Bishop Percy tells us that the term
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is not a speciality of the King Arthur legends, but that it is common to all the ages of chivalry. In support of this he refers to Dugdale's description of a grand tournament given by Roger de Mortimer, at Kenilworth, in the reign of Edward the First. Dugdale says,--
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Then began the Round Table, so called by reason that the place wherein they practised those feats was environed with a strong wall made in a round form. This is confirmed by an expression common with Matthew Paris, when describing jousts and tournaments. He styles them
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Wace makes mention of the Round Table of Arthur in his metrical romance, but Geoffrey of Monmouth has no reference to it, either in his pretended
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History, or in his
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Life of Merlin. Nevertheless in the romance, the
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Morte Darthur, it is expressly stated that Merlin made it
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It is evidently, like other circular forms, a sun type, or phallic symbol. Ellis, in his
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Specimens of the Early English Romances, on the authority of the metrical one of which Merlin is the hero, says,--
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The Round Table was intended to assemble the best knights in the world. High birth, great strength, activity and skill, fearless valour, and firm fidelity to their suzerain were indispensably requisite for an admission into this order. They were bound by oath to assist each other at the hazard of their own lives; to attempt singly the most perilous adventures; to lead, when necessary, a life of monastic solitude; to fly to arms on the first summons; and never to retire from battle till they had defeated the enemy, unless when night interfered and separated the combatants.