Le Morte Darthur
CHAP. VII.
_How Sir Mordred rode hastily to the king to tell him of the affray and
death of Sir Agravaine and the other knights._
Now turn we again unto Sir Mordred, that when he was escaped from the
noble knight Sir Launcelot, he anon gat his horse and mounted upon him,
and rode unto king Arthur, sore wounded and smitten, and all for-bled.
And there he told the king all how it was, and how they were all slain
save himself all only. Mercy, how may this be, said the king; took ye
him in the queen’s chamber? Yea, truly, said Sir Mordred, there we
found him unarmed, and there he slew Colgrevance, and armed him in his
armour. And all this he told the king, from the beginning to the
ending. Ah, mercy, said the king, he is a marvellous knight of prowess.
Alas, me sore repenteth, said the king, that ever Sir Launcelot should
be against me. Now I am sure the noble fellowship of the Round Table is
broken for ever, for with him will many a noble knight hold: and now it
is fallen so, said the king, that I may not with my worship but the
queen must suffer the death. So then there was made great ordinance in
this heat, that the queen must be judged to the death. And the law was
such in those days, that whatsoever they were, of what estate or
degree, if they were found guilty of treason, there should be none
other remedy but death, and either the men or the taking with the deed
should be causer of their hasty judgment. And right so was it ordained
for queen Guenever, because Sir Mordred was escaped sore wounded, and
the death of thirteen knights of the Round Table:—these proofs and
experiences caused king Arthur to command the queen to the fire, there
to be burnt. Then spake Sir Gawaine and said: My lord Arthur, I would
counsel you not to be over hasty, but that ye would put it in respite,
this judgment of my lady the queen, for many causes. One it is, though
it were so that Sir Launcelot were found in the queen’s chamber, yet it
might be that he came thither for none evil, for ye know, my lord, said
Sir Gawaine, that the queen is much beholden unto Sir Launcelot, more
than unto any other knight, for oft-times he hath saved her life, and
done battle for her when all the court refused the queen, and,
peradventure, she sent for him for goodness and for none evil, to
reward him for his good deeds that he had done to her in time past.
And, peradventure, my lady the queen sent for him to that intent that
Sir Launcelot should come to her good grace privily and secretly,
weening to her that it was best so to do, in eschewing and dreading of
slander. For oft-times we do many things that we ween it be for the
best, and yet, peradventure, it turneth to the worst. For I dare say,
said Sir Gawaine, that my lady your queen is to you both good and true.
And as for Sir Launcelot, said Sir Gawaine, I dare say he will make it
good upon any knight living that will put upon himself villainy or
shame, and in likewise he will make good for my lady dame Guenever.
That I believe well, said king Arthur, but I will not that way with Sir
Launcelot, for he trusteth so much upon his hands and his might that he
doubteth no man, and therefore for my queen he shall never fight more,
for she shall have the law. And if I may get Sir Launcelot, wit ye well
he shall have a shameful death. Jesu defend, said Sir Gawaine, that I
may never see it. Why say ye so? said king Arthur, for sooth ye have no
cause to love Sir Launcelot, for this night last past he slew your
brother Sir Agravaine, a full good knight, and also almost he had slain
your other brother Sir Mordred; and also there he slew thirteen noble
knights; and also, Sir Gawaine, remember ye he slew two sons of yours,
Sir Florence and Sir Lovel. My lord, said Sir Gawaine, of all this I
have knowledge, of whose deaths I repent me sore, but insomuch I gave
them warning, and told my brethren and my sons aforehand, what would
fall in the end, insomuch they would not do by my counsel I will not
meddle me thereof, nor revenge me nothing of their deaths, for I told
them it was no bote to strive with Sir Launcelot; howbeit I am sorry of
the death of my brethren and of my sons, for they are the causers of
their own death. For oft-times I warned my brother Sir Agravaine, and I
told him the perils the which be now fallen.
CHAP. VIII.
_How Sir Launcelot and his kinsmen rescued the queen from the fire, and
how he slew many knights._
Then said the noble king Arthur to Sir Gawaine, Dear nephew, I pray you
make you ready in your best armour, with your brethren Sir Gaheris and
Sir Gareth, to bring my queen to the fire, there to have her judgment,
and receive the death. Nay, my most noble lord, said Sir Gawaine, that
will I never do, for, wit you well, I will never be in that place where
so noble a queen as is my lady dame Guenever shall take a shameful end.
For wit you well, said Sir Gawaine, my heart will never serve me to see
her die, and it shall never be said that even I was of your counsel of
her death. Then, said the king to Sir Gawaine, suffer your brothers Sir
Gaheris and Sir Gareth to be there. My lord, said Sir Gawaine, wit you
well they will be loth to be there present, because of many adventures
the which be like there to fall, but they are young and full unable to
say you nay. Then spake Sir Gaheris and the good knight Sir Gareth unto
Sir Arthur, Sir, ye may well command us to be there, but wit you well
it shall be sore against our will; but and we be there by your strait
commandment, ye shall plainly hold us there excused, we will be there
in peaceable wise, and bear none harness of war upon us. In the name of
God, said the king, then make you ready, for she shall soon have her
judgment anon. Alas, said Sir Gawaine, that ever I should endure to see
this woefull day. So Sir Gawaine turned him, and wept heartily, and so
he went into his chamber, and then the queen was led forth without
Carlisle, and there she was despoiled into her smock. And so then her
ghostly father was brought to her, to be shriven of her misdeeds. Then
was there weeping, and wailing, and wringing of hands, of many lords
and ladies. But there were but few in comparison that would bear any
armour for to strength the death of the queen. Then was there one that
Sir Launcelot had sent unto that place for to espy what time the queen
should go unto her death. And anon, as he saw the queen despoiled into
her smock, and so shriven, then he gave Sir Launcelot warning. Then was
there but spurring and plucking up of horses, and right so they came to
the fire, and who that stood against them, there they were slain, there
might none withstand Sir Launcelot, so all that bare arms and withstood
them, there were they slain—full many a noble knight. For there was
slain Sir Belias le Orgulous, Sir Segwarides, Sir Griflet, Sir
Brandiles, Sir Aglovale, Sir Tor, Sir Gauter, Sir Gillimer, Sir
Reynold’s three brethren, Sir Damas, Sir Priamus, Sir Kay the stranger,
Sir Driant, Sir Lambegus, Sir Herminde, Sir Pertilope, Sir Perimones,
two brethren, that were called the green knight and the red knight. And
so in this rashing and hurling as Sir Launcelot thrang here and there,
it mishapped him to slay Gaheris and Sir Gareth, the noble knight, for
they were unarmed and unaware, for, as the French book saith, Sir
Launcelot smote Sir Gareth and Sir Gaheris upon the brain pans, where
through they were slain in the field, howbeit in very truth Sir
Launcelot saw them not, and so were they found dead among the thickest
of the press. Then when Sir Launcelot had thus done and slain, and put
to flight all that would withstand him, then he rode straight unto dame
Guenever, and made a kirtle and a gown to be cast upon her, and then he
made her to be set behind him, and prayed her to be of good cheer. Wit
you well the queen was glad that she was escaped from the death, and
then she thanked God and Sir Launcelot. And so he rode his way with the
queen, as the French book saith, unto Joyous Gard, and there he kept
her as a noble knight should do, and many great lords and some kings
sent Sir Launcelot many good knights, and many noble knights drew unto
Sir Launcelot. When this was known openly, that king Arthur and Sir
Launcelot were at debate, and many were full heavy of their debate.
CHAP. IX.
_Of the sorrow and lamentation of king Arthur for the death of his
nephews and other good knights, and also for the queen his wife._
So turn we again unto king Arthur, that when it was told him how, and
in what manner of wise the queen was taken away from the fire, and when
he heard of the death of his noble knights, and in especial for Sir
Gaheris’ and Sir Gareth’s death, then the king swooned for pure sorrow.
And when he awoke of his swoon, then he said, Alas that ever I bare
crown upon my head, for now have I lost the fairest fellowship of noble
knights that ever held Christian king together. Alas, my good knights
be slain away from me, now within these two days I have lost forty
knights, and also the noble fellowship of Sir Launcelot and his blood,
for now I may never hold them together no more with my worship. Alas,
that ever this war began. Now, fair fellows, said the king, I charge
you that no man tell Sir Gawaine of the death of his two brethren, for
I am sure, said the king, when Sir Gawaine heareth tell that Sir Gareth
is dead, he will go nigh out of his mind. Mercy, said the king, why
slew he Sir Gareth and Sir Gaheris! for I dare say as for Sir Gareth he
loved Sir Launcelot above all men earthly. That is truth, said some
knights, but they were slain in the hurtling, as Sir Launcelot thrang
in the thick of the press, and as they were unarmed he smote them, and
wist not whom that he smote, and so unhappily they were slain. The
death of them, said Arthur, will cause the greatest mortal war that
ever was. I am sure, wist Sir Gawaine that Sir Gareth were slain, I
should never have rest of him till I had destroyed Sir Launcelot’s kin
and himself both, or else he to destroy me; and therefore, said the
king, wit you well my heart was never so heavy as it is now, and much
more I am sorrier for my good knights’ loss, than for the loss of my
fair queen, for queens I might have enow, but such a fellowship of good
knights shall never be together in no company; and now I dare say, said
king Arthur, that there was never Christian king held such a fellowship
together, and alas that ever Sir Launcelot and I should be at debate.
Ah, Agravaine, Agravaine, said the king, Jesu forgive it thy soul, for
thine evil will, that thou and thy brother Sir Mordred haddest unto Sir
Launcelot, hath caused all this sorrow. And ever among these complaints
the king wept and swooned.
Then there came one unto Sir Gawaine, and told him how the queen was
led away with Sir Launcelot, and nigh a twentyfour knights slain. O
Jesu defend my brethren, said Sir Gawaine, for full well wist I that
Sir Launcelot would rescue her, or else he would die in that field; and
to say the truth he had not been a man of worship, had he not rescued
the queen that day, in so much she should have been burnt for his sake:
and as in that, said Sir Gawaine, he hath done but knightly, and as I
would have done myself, and I had stood in like case. But where are my
brethren? said Sir Gawaine, I marvel I hear not of them. Truly, said
that man, Sir Gareth and Sir Gaheris be slain. Jesu defend, said Sir
Gawaine, for all the world I would not that they were slain, and in
especial my good brother Sir Gareth. Sir, said the man, he is slain,
and that is great pity. Who slew him? said Sir Gawaine. Sir, said the
man, Launcelot slew them both. That may I not believe, said Sir