|
|
Horn of Chastity and Fidelity
Horn of Chastity and Fidelity. Morgan la Faye sent king Arthur a drinking-horn, from which no lady could drink who was not true to her husband, and no knight who was not feal to his liege lord. Sir Lamorake sent this horn as a taunt to sir Mark king of Cornwall.
"So he departed from him with Sir Driant, and by the way they
met with a knight that was sent from Morgan le Fay unto King
Arthur; and this knight had a fair horn harnessed with gold, and
the horn had such a virtue that there might no lady nor
gentlewoman drink of that horn but if she were true to her
husband, and if she were false she should spill all the drink,
and if she were true to her lord she might drink peaceable. And
because of the Queen Guenever, and in the despite of Sir
Launcelot, this horn was sent unto King Arthur; and by force Sir
Lamorak made that knight to tell all the cause why he bare that
horn. Now shalt thou bear this horn, said Lamorak, unto King
Mark, or else choose thou to die for it; for I tell thee plainly,
in despite and reproof of Sir Tristram thou shalt bear that horn
unto King Mark, his uncle, and say thou to him that I sent it him
for to assay his lady, and if she be true to him he shall prove
her. So the knight went his way unto King Mark, and brought him
that rich horn, and said that Sir Lamorak sent it him, and
thereto he told him the virtue of that horn. Then the king made
Queen Isoud to drink thereof, and an hundred ladies, and there
were but four ladies of all those that drank clean. Alas, said
King Mark, this is a great despite, and sware a great oath that
she should be burnt and the other ladies."
Le
Morte d'Arthur By Sir Thomas Malory. Book
VIII Chapter XXXIV
Ariosto’s enchanted cup had the same property.
