Le Morte Darthur
the Morte of king Arthur, and that caused Sir Agravaine.
Explicit liber xix.
And here after foloweth the moost pytous history of the morte of
kynge Arthur, the whiche is the xx. book.
The Twentieth Book.
CHAP. I.
_How Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred were busy upon Sir Gawaine for to
disclose the love between Sir Launcelot and queen Guenever._
In May, when every lusty heart flourisheth and burgeneth; for as the
season is lusty to behold and comfortable, so man and woman rejoice and
gladden of summer coming with his fresh flowers: for winter, with his
rough winds and blasts, causeth a lusty man and woman to cower and sit
fast by the fire. So in this season, as in the month of May, it befell
a great anger and unhap that stinted not till the flower of chivalry of
all the world was destroyed and slain: and all was long upon two
unhappy knights, the which were named Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred
that were brethren unto Sir Gawaine. For this Sir Agravaine and Sir
Mordred had ever a privy hate unto the queen dame Guenever, and to Sir
Launcelot, and daily and nightly they ever watched upon Sir Launcelot.
So it mis-happed Sir Gawaine and all his brethren were in king Arthur’s
chamber, and then Sir Agravaine said thus openly, and not in no
counsel, that many knights might hear it, I marvel that we all be not
ashamed both to see and to know how Sir Launcelot goeth with the queen,
and all we know it so, and it is shamefully suffered of us all, that we
all should suffer so noble a king as king Arthur is so to be shamed.
Then spake Sir Gawaine, and said, Brother, Sir Agravaine, I pray you,
and charge you, move no such matters no more afore me; for wit ye well,
said Sir Gawaine, I will not be of your counsel. Truly, said Sir
Gaheris and Sir Gareth, we will not be knowing, brother Agravaine, of
your deeds. Then will I, said Sir Mordred. I believe well that, said
Sir Gawaine, for ever, unto all unhappiness, brother Sir Mordred,
thereto will ye grant, and I would that ye left all this, and made you
not so busy, for I know, said Sir Gawaine, what will fall of it. Fall
of it what fall may, said Sir Agravaine, I will disclose it to the
king. Not by my counsel, said Sir Gawaine, for and there rise war and
wrake betwixt Sir Launcelot and us, wit you well, brother, there will
many kings and great lords hold with Sir Launcelot. Also, brother Sir
Agravaine, said Sir Gawaine, ye must remember how ofttimes Sir
Launcelot hath rescued the king and the queen, and the best of us all
had been full cold at the heart-root, had not Sir Launcelot been better
than we; and that hath he proved himself full oft. And as for my part,
said Sir Gawaine, I will never be against Sir Launcelot, for one day’s
deed, when he rescued me from king Carados of the dolorous tower, and
slew him, and saved my life. Also, brother Sir Agravaine, and Sir
Mordred, in likewise Sir Launcelot rescued you both, and three-score
and two, from Sir Turquin. Me thinketh, brother, such kind deeds and
kindness should be remembered. Do as ye list, said Sir Agravaine, for I
will hide it no longer. With these words came to them king Arthur. Now,
brother, stint your noise, said Sir Gawaine. We will not, said Sir
Agravaine and Sir Mordred. Will ye so? said Sir Gawaine, then God speed
you, for I will not hear your tales, nor be of your counsel. No more
will I, said Sir Gareth and Sir Gaheris, for we will never say evil by
that man: for because, said Sir Gareth, Sir Launcelot made me knight,
by no manner ought I to say ill of him. And therewithal they three
departed, making great dole. Alas, said Sir Gawaine and Sir Gareth, now
is this realm wholly mischieved, and the noble fellowship of the Round
Table shall be dispersed. So they departed.
CHAP. II.
_How Sir Agravaine disclosed their love to king Arthur, and how king
Arthur gave them licence to take him._
And then Sir Arthur asked them what noise they made. My lord, said
Agravaine, I shall tell you that I may keep no longer. Here is I and my
brother, Sir Mordred, brake unto my brother Sir Gawaine, Sir Gaheris,
and to Sir Gareth, how this we know all, that Sir Launcelot holdeth
your queen, and hath done long, and we be your sister’s sons, and we
may suffer it no longer; and all we wot that ye should be above Sir
Launcelot, and ye are the king that made him knight, and, therefore, we
will prove it that he is a traitor to your person. If it be so, said
Sir Arthur, wit you well he is none other, but I would be loth to begin
such a thing, but I might have proofs upon it; for Sir Launcelot is an
hardy knight, and all ye know he is the best knight among us all, and,
but if he be taken with the deed, he will fight with him that bringeth
up the noise, and I know no knight that is able to match him.
Therefore, and it be sooth as ye say, I would he were taken with the
deed. For, as the French book saith, the king was full loth thereto,
that any noise should be upon Sir Launcelot and his queen; for the king
had a deeming, but he would not hear of it, for Sir Launcelot had done
so much for him and for the queen so many times, that, wit ye well, the
king loved him passingly well. My lord, said Sir Agravaine, ye shall
ride to-morrow on hunting, and doubt ye not, Sir Launcelot will not go
with you. Then when it draweth toward night, ye may send the queen word
that ye will lie out all that night, and so may ye send for your cooks;
and then, upon pain of death, we shall take him with the queen, and
either we shall bring him to you dead or quick. I will well, said the
king, then I counsel you, said the king, take with you sure fellowship.
Sir, said Agravaine, my brother, Sir Mordred, and I will take with us
twelve knights of the Round Table. Beware, said king Arthur, for I warn
you ye shall find him wight. Let us deal, said Sir Agravaine and Sir
Mordred. So on the morn, king Arthur rode on hunting, and sent word to
the queen that he would be out all that night. Then Sir Agravaine and
Sir Mordred gat to them twelve knights, and did themselves in a
chamber, in the castle of Carlisle, and these were their names: Sir
Colgrevance, Sir Mador de la Porte, Sir Gingaline, Sir Meliot de
Logris, Sir Petipase of Winchelsea, Sir Galleron of Galway, Sir Melion
of the mountain, Sir Astamore, Sir Gromore Somir Joure, Sir Curselaine,
Sir Florence, Sir Lovel. So these twelve knights were with Sir Mordred
and Sir Agravaine. And all they were of Scotland, either of Sir
Gawaine’s kin, either well willers to his brethren. So when the night
came, Sir Launcelot told Sir Bors how he would go that night, and speak
with the queen. Sir, said Sir Bors, ye shall not go this night, by my
counsel. Why? said Sir Launcelot. Sir, said Sir Bors, I dread me ever
of Sir Agravaine, that waiteth you daily, to do you shame, and us all,
and never gave my heart against no going that ever ye went to the
queen, so much as now, for I mistrust that the king is out this night
from the queen, because, peradventure, he hath lain some watch for you
and the queen, and therefore I dread me sore of treason. Have ye no
dread, said Sir Launcelot, for I shall go, and come again, and make no
tarrying. Sir, said Sir Bors, that me sore repenteth, for I dread me
sore that your going out this night shall wrath us all. Fair nephew,
said Sir Launcelot, I marvel me much why ye say thus, sithen the queen
hath sent for me, and wit ye well that I will not be so much a coward,
but she shall understand I will see her good grace. God speed you well,
said Sir Bors, and send you sound and safe again.
CHAP. III.
_How Sir Launcelot was espied in the queen’s chamber, and how Sir
Agravaine and Sir Mordred came with twelve knights to slay him._
So Sir Launcelot departed, and took his sword under his arm, and so in
his mantle that noble knight put himself in great jeopardy, and so he
passed till he came to the queen’s chamber. And then, as the French
book saith, there came Sir Agravaine, and Sir Mordred, with twelve
knights with them of the Round Table, and they said with crying voice,
Traitor knight, Sir Launcelot du Lake, now art thou taken. And thus
they cried with a loud voice that all the court might hear it: and they
all fourteen were armed at all points as they should fight in a battle.
Alas, said queen Guenever, now are we mischieved both. Madam, said Sir
Launcelot, is there here any armour within your chamber that I might
cover my poor body withal, and if there be any, give it me, and I shall
soon stint their malice. Truly, said the queen, I have none armour,
shield, sword, nor spear, wherefore I dread me sore our long love is
come to a mischievous end; for, I hear by their noise, there be many
noble knights, and well I wot they be surely armed, against them ye may
make no resistance; wherefore ye are likely to be slain, and then shall
I be burnt. For, and ye might escape them, said the queen, I would not
doubt but that ye would rescue me in what danger that ever I stood in.
Alas, said Sir Launcelot, in all my life was I never bested that I
should be thus shamefully slain for lack of mine armour. But ever in
one Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred cried, Traitor knight, come out of
the queen’s chamber, for wit thou well thou art so beset that thou
shalt not escape. Oh mercy, said Sir Launcelot, this shameful cry and
noise I may not suffer, for better were death at once, than thus to
endure this pain. Then he took the queen in his arms, and kissed her,
and said, Most noble christian queen, I beseech you, as ye have ever
been my special good lady, and I at all times your true poor knight
unto my power, and as I never failed you in right nor in wrong, since
the first day that king Arthur made me knight, that ye will pray for my
soul if that I here be slain. For well I am well assured that Sir Bors
my nephew and all the remnant of my kin, with Sir Lavaine and Sir Urre,
that they will not fail you to rescue you from the fire, and therefore,
mine own lady, recomfort yourself whatsoever come of me, that ye go
with Sir Bors my nephew, and Sir Urre, and they all will do you all the
pleasure that they can or may, that ye shall live like a queen upon my
lands. Nay, Launcelot, said the queen, wit thou well I will never live
after thy days, but, and thou be slain, I will take my death as meekly
for Jesu Christ’s sake, as ever did any Christian queen. Well, madam,
said Launcelot, sith it is so that the day is come that our love must
depart, wit you well I shall sell my life as dear as I may, and a
thousand fold, said Sir Launcelot, I am more heavier for you than for
myself. And now I had lever than to be lord of all Christendom, that I
had sure armour upon me, that men might speak of my deeds or ever I
were slain. Truly, said the queen, I would and it might please God that
they would take me and slay me, and suffer you to escape. That shall
never be, said Sir Launcelot. God defend me from such a shame, but Jesu
be thou my shield and mine armour.
CHAP. IV.
_How Sir Launcelot slew Sir Colgrevance, and armed him in his harness,
and after slew Sir Agravaine and twelve of his fellows._
And therewith Sir Launcelot wrapped his mantle about his arm well and
surely; and by then they had gotten a great form out of the hall, and
therewithal they rashed at the door. Fair lords, said Sir Launcelot,
leave your noise and your rashing, and I shall set open this door, and
then may ye do with me what it liketh you. Come off then, said they
all, and do it, for it availeth thee not to strive against us all, and
therefore let us into this chamber, and we shall save thy life until