NIGHTBRINGER | The Arthurian Encyclopedia

Castle of the Uncourteous Lady


A knight who accepted the hospitality of this castle would do well to keep his sword handy at all times.

And so Sir Percivale ... came upon a bridge of stone, and there he found a knight that was bound with a chain fast about the waist unto a pillar of stone ... said that knight: I am a knight of the Table Round, and my name is Sir Persides; and thus by adventure I came this way, and here I lodged in this castle at the bridge foot, and therein dwelleth an uncourteous lady; and because she proffered me to be her paramour, and I refused her, she set her men upon me suddely or ever I might come to my weapon; and thus they bound me, and here I wot well I shall die but if some man of worship break my bands.

Percivale broke his bonds, despite the efforts of an armed knight who came riding out of the castle onto the bridge to prevent him. He then made the Uncourteous Lady, who stood in the tower watching them, deliver up all of Persides’ servants, and threatened to stay around and fordo her evil customs. Deciding, however, that his present business (looking for Lancelot) was more pressing, he left her alone and spent the night at Persides’ castle, which must have been nearby.

The castle of the Uncourteous Lady was in the vicinity of Cardican Castle (Cardigan). From Vulgate V, it appears that the name of this castle may be Garantan (Galanton). The Vulgate account, however, differs enough from Malory’s to make me uncertain.