​Welcome to the 2021 Christmas Special!  In this set of episodes, we return once again to the Christmas Court of King Arthur at Camelot.  The Christmas Specials tell of the custom of King Arthur's Christmas Feast, where those in attendance must bring stories of marvellous wonders and great deeds, and often, marvels and deeds come to the very hall itself!

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Motto

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The latin motto in the illustration for this episode reads Cura pii diis sunt which translates as 'The gods care for the pious', or 'The gods care for the godly'.

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Towers & Treasures

In the opening of this episode, we hear about Arthur's Tower and the great store of treasure which he plans to distribute liberally to all at the Court.  This part of our tale is a bit of playful invention, drawn out of some other bits of Arthurian and Celtic lore, as a device for setting up the fourth story in our round (The Knights Who Stole Christmas).  King Arthur's Tower is mentioned in several Arthur narratives as a stronghold where Arthur sometimes take refuge: most notably, after pulling the Sword from the Stone, it is where the new King takes sanctuary when a strong faction of British Kings led by King Lot initially refuse his rule:

Wherefore, by the advice of his barons, he took him to a strong tower with five hundred good men with him. And all the kings aforesaid in a manner laid a siege to-fore him, but King Arthur was well victualed. And within fifteen days there came Merlin among them into the city of Carlion. Then all the kings were passing glad of Merlin, and asked him, For what cause is that boy Arthur made your king? Sirs, said Merlin, I shall tell you the cause, for he is King Uther Pendragon’s son, born in wedlock, gotten on Igraine, the duke’s wife of Tintagil. Then is he a bastard, they said all. Nay, said Merlin, after the death of the duke, more than three hours, was Arthur begotten, and thirteen days after King Uther wedded Igraine; and therefore I prove him he is no bastard. And who saith nay, he shall be king and overcome all his enemies; and, or he die, he shall be long king of all England, and have under his obeissance Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, and more realms than I will now rehearse. Some of the kings had marvel of Merlin’s words, and deemed well that it should be as he said; and some of them laughed him to scorn, as King Lot; and more other called him a witch. But then were they accorded with Merlin, that King Arthur should come out and speak with the kings, and to come safe and to go safe, such surance there was made. So Merlin went unto King Arthur, and told him how he had done, and bade him fear not, but come out boldly and speak with them, and spare them not, but answer them as their king and chieftain; for ye shall overcome them all, whether they will or nill.

CHAPTER IX.
Of the first war that King Arthur had, and how he won the field.
 

Then King Arthur came out of his tower, and had under his gown a jesseraunt of double mail, and there went with him the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Sir Baudwin of Britain, and Sir Kay, and Sir Brastias: these were the men of most worship that were with him. And when they were met there was no meekness, but stout words on both sides; but always King Arthur answered them, and said he would make them to bow an he lived. Wherefore they departed with wrath, and King Arthur bade keep them well, and they bade the king keep him well. So the king returned him to the tower again and armed him and all his knights.

- La Morte D'Arthur, Sir Thomas Mallory

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In our story, it becomes the location of King Arthur's treasure hoard, where he keeps the collected wealth amassed from the conquest and taxation of the British Isles, and, as depicted in some tales, his imperial conquests far beyond its shores.  It is also suggested that Arthur keeps here a stock of mythical and magical weapons.  These are the mythical Thirteen Treasures of the British Isles. Owned by a varied cast of characters from Welsh and Celtic myth, there is no suggestion that King Arthur in fact collected them all in his possession: but it seemed a fine conceit for a tale about a storehouse of treasures and gifts at Christmas time!

They are listed as follows by Wikipedia:

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    1. White-Hilt, the Sword of Rhydderch Hael (Dyrnwyn, gleddyf Rhydderch Hael): "if a well-born man drew it himself, it burst into flame from its hilt to its tip. And everyone who used to ask for it would receive; but because of this peculiarity everyone used to reject it. And therefore he was called Rhydderch the Generous."

  2. The Hamper of Gwyddno Garanhir (Mwys Gwyddno Garanir): food for one man would be put in it, and when it was opened, food for a hundred men would be found in it.

  3. The Horn of Brân Galed from the North (Corn Brân Galed o'r Gogledd): whatever drink might be wished for was found in it.

  4. The Chariot of Morgan Mwynfawr (Car Morgan Mwynfawr): if a man went in it, he might wish to be wherever he would, and he would be there quickly.

  5. The Halter of Clydno Eiddyn (Cebystr Clydno Eiddin), which was fixed to a staple at the foot of his bed: whatever horse he might wish for, he would find in the halter.

  6. The Knife of Llawfrodedd Farchog (Cyllell Llawfrodedd Farchog), which would serve for twenty-four men to eat at table.

  7. The Cauldron of Dyrnwch the Giant (Pair Dyrnwch Gawr): if meat for a coward were put in it to boil, it would never boil; but if meat for a brave man were put in it, it would boil quickly (and thus the brave could be distinguished from the cowardly).

  8. The Whetstone of Tudwal Tudglyd (Hogalen Tudwal Tudclyd): if a brave man sharpened his sword on the whetstone, then the sword would certainly kill any man from whom it drew blood. If a cowardly man used the whetstone, though, his sword would refuse to draw blood at all.

  9. The Coat of Padarn Beisrudd (Pais Badarn Beisrydd): if a well-born man put it on, it would be the right size for him; if a churl, it would not go upon him.

  10-11. The Crock and the Dish of Rhygenydd the Cleric (Gren a desgyl Rhygenydd Ysgolhaig): whatever food might be wished for in them, it would be found.

  12. The Chessboard of Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio (Gwyddbwyll Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio): if the pieces were set, they would play by themselves. The board was of gold, and the men of silver.

  13 The Mantle of Arthur in Cornwall (Llen Arthyr yng Nghernyw): whoever was under it could not be seen, and he could see everyone.

  14/15. Later lists also include two additional treasures, the Mantle of Tegau Eurfon, and Eluned's Stone and Ring. Where these appear, one of the other treasures is dropped and the Crock and the Dish of Rhygenydd the Cleric are counted as one item.The new items come from literary, rather than traditional, material; the Mantle comes from a version of the Caradoc story, while Eluned's stone and ring come from the prose tale Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain.

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Miracles & Minstrels

The first story told in the court and in our special is The Knight & The Cherry Tree.  This is our version of the late fourteenth/early fifteenth century minstrel's tale Sir Cleges. (Not to be confused with Sir Cligés, an earlier romance by the medieval French poet Chrétien de Troyes, and a love story rather than his comic tale).  Notably set in the court of Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon, it depicts the fall of a noble knight into poverty, a miraculous gift from heaven, and the obstacles set in the knight's way by corrupt servants and officials, on whom Cleges revenges himself.  This chronological setting sets up the arc of our four-part special, where the identity of Cliges and his history at Uther and Arthur's courts will be important later.

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Sir Cleges embodies the medieval literary motif of the Spendthrift Knight, a member of the nobility who falls into poverty and hardship due to profligate spending.  His tale highlights anxieties and tensions within the culture of chivalry and nobility, where it was important to spend money to demonstrate ones liberality, and even, as suggested here, faith in God to provide. Cleges is held up as a beacon of virtue; his excessive spending leads him to bankruptcy, but he portrayed as spending money in the cause of charity and honouring God.  Where Cleges is depicted as compelled by the force of his convictions, we must imagine the social pressure to live up to such models of virtue, and how they contributed to or provided a useful fig leaf for the conventions of social status and competition.  While we might find ourselves hard pressed to feel sympathy for the rich man who foolishly spends his way into poverty, we can surely appreciate the the social and financial pressures which come to bear on many families in the Christmas season.

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The miracle which rewards Cleges' good faith and character, the ripe cherries, are another motif which shows up in other medieval legends, especially those of Celtic saints. Another well-known and comic myth about the Cherry Tree appears in the form of a popular folk-song, The Cherry Tree Carol, in which the newly pregnant Mary delivers a stinging rebuke  to Joseph for doubting her story about the virgin conception:

Then Joseph flew in anger, in anger flew he
Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee!
Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee!

Then up spoke baby Jesus, from in Mary's womb:
Bend down the tallest branches, that my mother might have some
Bend down the tallest branches, that my mother might have some

And bend down the tallest branches, it touched Mary's hand
Cried she: "Oh look thou Joseph, I have cherries by command!"

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You can find several wonderful versions of this carol on Spotify and Youtube.

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