Meliot of the Rock
Meliot de Logurs, Meliot of Logres, Melyot
A Knight of the Round Table, sometimes called Meliot of the Rock.
After rescuing Nimue from Hontzlake of Wendland, King Pellinore met her cousin, Sir Meliot of Logres, and his “sworn brother”, Sir Brian of the Isles. Meliot was happy to see his cousin in such good hands as Pellinore’s. At this time, Meliot does not seem to have been a knight of Arthur’s court, but he later became a companion of the Round Table.
He appears in Perlesvaus and in Malory. In the former, his father, Marin the Jealous, murders his mother. Meliot fled from his father to a hermitage owned by his uncle. He was later knighted, and he inhabited a property called the Field of the Lion. He killed Clamadoz of the Shadows in revenge for the death of his pet lion. Meliot’s father was killed by Nabigan of the Rock, who then tried to deprive Meliot of his lands. Gawain championed him against Nabigan and succeeded.
Meliot repaid this service by rescuing Gawain and Arthur when they were beseiged by Anurez the Bastard. He was wounded in the battle (or, in Malory, after fighting Gylbert the Bastard), and could not be healed until Lancelot traveled to the Perilous Chapel and brought back a holy sword or cloth.
Meliot later killed the pagan Knight of the Galley and rescued Gawain from execution by heathens. Meliot is named as having fought in the Winchester tournament and as trying to heal Sir Urre of Hungary. Perlesvaus relates that he was murdered by Sir Brudan, but in Malory he is killed – with ten other knights – by the escaping Lancelot when they trapped Lancelot in Guienevere’s chamber.
He may be identical with Mellot of Logres, also found in Malory.
Sources
Perlesvaus | Early 13th century
Le Morte Darthur | Sir Thomas Malory, 1469-1470