How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Page)
Quote #7
'Fair Yseut told him that she would justify herself only in your presence. She begs and beseeches you, as your dear friend, to be at Gué Aventurous at the appointed time, and to have a hundred friends with you; may your court be loyal then and your household sincere.' (14.124)
Yseut asks Arthur to fulfill the obligations of friendship by serving as her surety when she takes an oath. In other words, Arthur must witness the oath and be willing to testify to its truth with his sword, if necessary. Yseut is wise to call upon a friend who has lots of other "friends" with swords for this purpose. Enlisting Arthur and his knights as her surety guarantees that no one will question her oath, since they will make enemies of the Round Table if they do. Yseut's use of Arthur's household as her surety demonstrates the way in which medieval justice depends upon a network of loyalties for it to work.