Kay

( Sir ), son of Sir Ector, and foster-brother of Prince Arthur, who made him his seneschal or steward. Sir Kay was ill-tempered, mean-spirited, boastful, and overbearing. He had not strength of mind enough to be a villain like Hagen, nor strength of pa ion enough to be a traitor like Ganelon and Mordred; but he could detract and calumniate, could be envious and spiteful, could annoy and irritate. His wit consisted in giving nicknames: Thus he called young Gareth “Big Hands”( Beaumains ), “because his hands were the largest that ever anyone had seen.” He called Sir Brewnor “The Shocking Bad Coat”( La Cote Male-tailé ), because his doublet fitted him so badly, and was full of sword-cuts.—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur , i. 3, 4, 120, etc. (1470). (See Key ).