The thought seems to be originally taken from Jeff. Monmouth's _Hist._ b. x. c. 3. which is alluded to by Drayton in his _Poly-Olb. Song._ 4 and by Spenser in _Faer. Qu._ 6. 1. 13. 15. See the Observations on Spenser, vol. ii. p. 223.
The following text is composed of the best readings selected from three different copies. The first in Enderbie's _Cambria Triumphans_, p. 197. The second in the Letter abovementioned. And the third inserted in MS. in a copy of _Morte Arthur_, 1632, in the Bodleian Library.
Stow tells us, that king Arthur kept his round table at "diverse places, but especially at Carlion, Winchester, and Camalet in Somersetshire." This _Camalet_, sometimes a famous towne or castle, is situate on a very high tor or hill, &c. (See an exact description in Stowe's _Annals_, ed. 1631, p. 55.)
As it fell out on a Pentecost day, King Arthur at Camelot kept his court royall, With his faire queene dame Guenever the gay; And many bold barons sitting in hall; With ladies attired in purple and pall; 5 And heraults in hewkes,[47] hooting on high, Cryed, _Largesse, Largesse, Chevaliers tres-hardie_.[48]
A doughty dwarfe to the uppermost deas[49] Right pertlye gan pricke, kneeling on knee; With steven[50] fulle stoute amids all the preas,[51] 10 Sayd, Nowe sir king Arthur, God save thee, and see! Sir Ryence of North-gales[52] greeteth well thee, And bids thee thy beard anon to him send, Or else from thy jaws he will it off rend.
For his robe of state is a rich scarlet mantle, 15 With eleven kings beards bordered[53] about, And there is room lefte yet in a kantle,[54] For thine to stande, to make the twelfth out: This must be done, be thou never so stout; This must be done, I tell thee no fable, 20 Maugre[55] the teethe of all thy round table.
When this mortal message from his mouthe past, Great was the noyse bothe in hall and in bower: The king fum'd; the queene screecht; ladies were aghast; Princes puffd; barons blustred; lords began lower; Knights stormed; squires startled, like steeds in a stower; 26 Pages and yeomen yell'd out in the hall, Then in came sir Kay, the 'king's' seneschal.
Silence, my soveraignes, quoth this courteous knight, And in that stound the stowre[56] began still: 30 'Then' the dwarfe's dinner full deerely was dight;[57] Of wine and wassel he had his wille: And, when he had eaten and drunken his fill, An hundred pieces of fine coyned gold Were given this dwarf for his message bold. 35