Le Morte Darthur
noise where my lord Arthur is slain, and that is not so, and therefore
ye will make a foul work in this land. Peace, thou false priest, said
Sir Mordred, for, and thou chafe me any more, I shall make strike off
thy head. So the bishop departed, and did the curse in the most
orgulous wise that might be done. And then Sir Mordred sought the
bishop of Canterbury for to have slain him. Then the bishop fled, and
took part of his goods with him, and went nigh unto Glastonbury, and
there he was as priest hermit in a chapel, and lived in poverty and in
holy prayers: for well he understood that mischievous war was at hand.
Then Sir Mordred sought on queen Guenever by letters and sondes, and by
fair means and foul means, for to have her to come out of the tower of
London, but all this availed not, for she answered him shortly, openly
and privily, that she had lever slay herself than to be married with
him. Then came word to Sir Mordred that king Arthur had raised the
siege from Sir Launcelot, and he was coming homeward with a great host,
to be avenged upon Sir Mordred. Wherefore Sir Mordred made write writs
to all the barony of this land, and much people drew to him. For then
was the common voice among them, that with Arthur was none other life
but war and strife, and with Sir Mordred was great joy and bliss. Thus
was Sir Arthur depraved and evil said of. And many there were that king
Arthur had made up of nought, and given them lands, might not then say
of him a good word.
Lo ye, all Englishmen, see ye not what a mischief here was, for he that
was the most king and knight of the world, and most loved the
fellowship of noble knights, and by him they were all upholden. Now
might not these Englishmen hold us content with him. Lo, thus was the
old custom and usage of this land. And also men say, that we of this
land have not yet lost nor forgotten that custom and usage. Alas, this
is a great default of all Englishmen, for there may no thing please us
no term. And so fared the people at that time; they were better pleased
with Sir Mordred than they were with king Arthur, and much people drew
unto Sir Mordred, and said they would abide with him for better and for
worse. And so Sir Mordred drew with a great host to Dover, for there he
heard say that Sir Arthur would arrive, and so he thought to beat his
own father from his lands. And the most party of all England held with
Sir Mordred, the people were so new fangle.
CHAP. II.
_How after that king Arthur had tidings he returned and came to Dover,
where Sir Mordred met him to let his landing, and of the death of Sir
Gawaine._
And so as Sir Mordred was at Dover with his host, there came king
Arthur with a great navy of ships, galleys, and carracks. And there was
Sir Mordred ready awaiting upon his landage, to let his own father to
land upon the land that he was king over. Then there was launching of
great boats and small, and full of noble men of arms, and there was
much slaughter of gentle knights, and many a full bold baron was laid
full low on both parties. But king Arthur was so courageous, that there
might no manner of knights let him to land, and his knights fiercely
followed him. And so they landed, maugre Sir Mordred and all his power,
and put Sir Mordred aback, that he fled and all his people. So when
this battle was done, king Arthur let bury his people that were dead,
and then was the noble knight Sir Gawaine found in a great boat lying
more than half dead. When Sir Arthur wist that Sir Gawaine was laid so
low, he went unto him, and there the king made sorrow out of measure,
and took Sir Gawaine in his arms, and thrice he there swooned. And when
he awaked he said, Alas, Sir Gawaine, my sister’s son, here now thou
liest, the man in the world that I loved most, and now is my joy gone:
for now, my nephew Sir Gawaine, I will discover me unto your person; in
Sir Launcelot and you I most had my joy, and mine affiance, and now
have I lost my joy of you both, wherefore all mine earthly joy is gone
from me. Mine uncle king Arthur, said Sir Gawaine, wit you well, my
death day is come, and all is through mine own hastiness and
wilfulness, for I am smitten upon the old wound the which Sir Launcelot
gave me, on the which I feel well I must die, and had Sir Launcelot
been with you as he was, this unhappy war had never begun, and of all
this am I causer, for Sir Launcelot and his blood through their prowess
held all your cankered enemies in subjection and danger: and now, said
Sir Gawaine, ye shall miss Sir Launcelot. But, alas, I would not accord
with him, and therefore, said Sir Gawaine, I pray you, fair uncle, that
I may have paper, pen, and ink, that I may write to Sir Launcelot a
schedule with mine own hands. And then when paper and ink was brought,
then Gawaine was set up weakly by king Arthur, for he was shriven a
little tofore, and then he wrote thus, as the French book maketh
mention,—Unto Sir Launcelot, flower of all noble knights that ever I
heard of, or saw by my days, I Sir Gawaine, king Lot’s son, of Orkney,
sister’s son unto the noble king Arthur, send thee greeting, and let
thee have knowledge, that the tenth day of May I was smitten upon the
old wound that thou gavest me afore the city of Benwick, and through
the same wound that thou gavest me I am come to my death-day. And I
will that all the world wit that I, Sir Gawaine, knight of the Table
Round, sought my death, and not through thy deserving, but it was mine
own seeking, wherefore I beseech thee, Sir Launcelot, to return again
unto this realm, and see my tomb, and pray some prayer, more or less,
for my soul. And this same day that I wrote this schedule, I was hurt
to the death in the same wound, the which I had of thy hand, Sir
Launcelot. For of a more nobler man might I not be slain. Also, Sir
Launcelot, for all the love that ever was betwixt us, make no tarrying,
but come over the sea in all haste, that thou mayest with thy noble
knights rescue that noble king that made thee knight, that is my lord
Arthur, for he is full straitly bestad with a false traitor, that is my
half brother Sir Mordred, and he hath let crown him king, and would
have wedded my lady queen Guenever, and so had he done, had she not put
herself in the tower of London. And so the tenth day of May last past,
my lord Arthur and we all landed upon them at Dover, and there we put
that false traitor Sir Mordred to flight, and there it misfortuned me
to be stricken upon thy stroke, and at the date of this letter was
written but two hours and an half afore my death, written with mine own
hand, and so subscribed with part of my heart’s blood. And I require
thee, most famous knight of the world, that thou wilt see my tomb.—And
then Sir Gawaine wept, and king Arthur wept, and then they swooned
both. And when they awaked both, the king made Sir Gawaine to receive
his Saviour. And then Sir Gawaine prayed the king to send for Sir
Launcelot, and to cherish him above all other knights. And so at the
hour of noon, Sir Gawaine yielded up the spirit. And then the king let
inter him in a chapel within Dover castle; and there yet all men may
see the skull of him, and the same wound is seen that Sir Launcelot
gave him in battle. Then was it told king Arthur that Sir Mordred had
pitched a new field upon Barham Down. And upon the morn the king rode
thither to him, and there was a great battle betwixt them, and much
people were slain on both parties. But at the last Sir Arthur’s party
stood best, and Sir Mordred and his party fled unto Canterbury.
CHAP. III.
_How after Sir Gawaine’s ghost appeared to king Arthur, and warned him
that he should not fight that day._
And then the king let search all the towns for his knights that were
slain, and interred them; and salved them with soft salves that so sore
were wounded. Then much people drew unto king Arthur. And then they
said that Sir Mordred warred upon king Arthur with wrong. And then king
Arthur drew him with his host down by the sea side, westward toward
Salisbury, and there was a day assigned between king Arthur and Sir
Mordred, and they should meet upon a down beside Salisbury, and not far
from the sea side, and this day was assigned on a Monday after Trinity
Sunday, whereof king Arthur was passing glad, that he might be avenged
upon Sir Mordred. Then Sir Mordred araised much people about London,
for they of Kent, Southsex, and Surrey, Estsex, and Southfolk, and of
Northfolk, held the most party with Sir Mordred, and many a full noble
knight drew unto Sir Mordred and to the king; but they that loved Sir
Launcelot drew unto Sir Mordred. So upon Trinity Sunday at night king
Arthur dreamed a wonderful dream, and that was this, that him seemed he
sat upon a chaflet in a chair, and the chair was fast to a wheel, and
thereupon sat king Arthur in the richest cloth of gold that might be
made: and the king thought there was under him, far from him, an
hideous deep black water, and therein were all manner of serpents, and
worms, and wild beasts, fowl and horrible: and suddenly the king
thought the wheel turned up so down, and he fell among the serpents,
and every beast took him by a limb. And then the king cried as he lay
in his bed and slept, Help! And then knights, squires, and yeomen
awaked the king; and then he was so amazed that he wist not where he
was. And then he fell on slumbering again, not sleeping nor thoroughly
waking. So the king seemed verily that there came Sir Gawaine unto him
with a number of fair ladies with him. And when king Arthur saw him,
then he said, Welcome, my sister’s son, I wend thou hadst been dead,
and now I see thee on live, much am I beholding unto Almighty Jesu. Oh,
fair nephew, and my sister’s son, what be these ladies that hither be
come with you? Sir, said Sir Gawaine, all these be ladies for whom I
have foughten when I was man living: and all these are those that I did
battle for in righteous quarrel. And God hath given them that grace at
their great prayer, because I did battle for them, that they should
bring me hither unto you, thus much had God given me leave, for to warn
you of your death; for and ye fight as to-morn with Sir Mordred, as ye
both have assigned, doubt ye not ye must be slain, and the most part of
your people on both parties. And for the great grace and goodness that
Almighty Jesu hath unto you, and for pity of you and many more other
good men there shall be slain, God hath sent me to you, of his special
grace, to give you warning, that in no wise ye do battle as to-morn,
but that ye take a treaty for a month day; and proffer you largely, so
as to-morn to be put in a delay. For within a month shall come Sir
Launcelot, with all his noble knights, and rescue you worshipfully, and
slay Sir Mordred and all that ever will hold with him. Then Sir Gawaine
and all the ladies vanished. And anon the king called upon his knights,
squires, and yeomen, and charged them wightly to fetch his noble lords
and wise bishops unto him. And when they were come, the king told them
his vision, what Sir Gawaine had told him, and warned him that if he
fought on the morn he should be slain. Then the king commanded Sir
Lucan de butlere, and his brother Sir Bedivere, with two bishops with
them, and charged them in any wise and they might take a treaty for a
month day with Sir Mordred;—And spare not, proffer him lands and
goods, as much as ye think best. So then they departed, and came to Sir
Mordred, where he had a grim host of an hundred thousand men. And there
they intreated Sir Mordred long time, and at the last Sir Mordred was
agreed for to have Cornwall and Kent, by king Arthur’s days:—after,
all England, after the days of king Arthur.
CHAP. IV.