Sir Launcelot then departed with his cousins and returned to Camelot, and the king and queen and all the knights were exceeding glad to see them.
The Adventure of the Sword in the Stone
When the king and his knights entered the great hall for the feast, they were surprised to see on the seats about the Round Table their names in letters of gold, which told where each one ought to sit. When they came to the Perilous Seat, they saw letters newly-written which said:
“Four hundred and fifty-four winters have now passed since the birth of our Lord, and this seat ought to be filled.”
They all said, “This is a strange and a marvelous thing.”
Sir Launcelot then counted the time and said, “It seems to me this seat ought to be filled to-day; for this is the feast of Pentecost after the four hundred and fifty-fourth year; and, if it please all here, let no one see these words till he arrives who ought to achieve this adventure.”
Then they took a silken cloth and covered the letters in the Perilous Seat, and the king ordered the dinner to be served.
“Sir,” said Sir Kay, the steward, “if you go now to dinner you will break an old custom of your court, for you never sit down on this day until you have seen some adventure.”
“You speak the truth,” said King Arthur, “but I was so glad to see Sir Launcelot and his cousins that I forgot the custom.”
While they were still speaking, a squire came in and said to the king, “Sir, I bring you marvelous tidings.”