Le Morte Darthur
Of the communication between Sir Gawaine and Sir Launcelot, with much
other language. Chap. xvi.
How Sir Launcelot departed from the king and from Joyous Gard over
seaward, and what knights went with him. Chap. xvii.
How Sir Launcelot passed over the sea, and how he made great lords of
the knights that went with him. Chap. xviii.
How king Arthur and Sir Gawaine made a great host ready to go over sea
to make war on Sir Launcelot. Chap. xix.
What message Sir Gawaine sent to Sir Launcelot, and king Arthur laid
siege to Benwick, and other matters. Chap. xx.
How Sir Gawaine and Sir Launcelot did battle together, and how Sir
Gawaine was overthrown and hurt. Chap. xxi.
Of the sorrow that king Arthur made for the war, and of another battle
where also Sir Gawaine had the worse. Chap. xxii.
Here follow the Chapters of the Twenty-first Book.
How Sir Mordred presumed and took on him to be king of England, and
would have married the queen, his uncle’s wife. Chap. i.
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. Chap. ii.
How after Sir Gawaine’s ghost appeared to king Arthur, and warned him
that he should not fight that day. Chap. iii.
How by misadventure of an adder the battle began, where Mordred was
slain, and Arthur hurt to the death. Chap. iv.
How king Arthur commanded to cast his sword Excalibur into the water,
and how he was delivered to ladies in a barge. Chap. v.
How Sir Bedivere found him on the morrow dead in an hermitage, and how
he abode there with the hermit. Chap. vi.
Of the opinion of some men of the death of king Arthur; and how queen
Guenever made her a nun in Almesbury. Chap. vii.
How when Sir Launcelot heard of the death of king Arthur, and of Sir
Gawaine, and other matters, he came into England. Chap. viii.
How Sir Launcelot departed to seek the queen Guenever, and how he found
at Almesbury. Chap. ix.
How Sir Launcelot came to the hermitage where the archbishop of
Canterbury was, and how he took the habit on him. Chap. x.
How Sir Launcelot went with his seven fellows to Almesbury, and found
there queen Guenever dead, whom they brought to Glastonbury. Chap. xi.
How Sir Launcelot began to sicken, and after died, whose body was borne
to Joyous Gard for to be buried. Chap. xii.
How Sir Ector found Sir Launcelot his brother dead. And how Constantine
reigned next after Arthur, and of the end of this Book. Chap. xiii.
Explicit the Table.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BOOK OF
KING ARTHUR
AND OF HIS NOBLE
KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE.
The First Book of King Arthur.
CHAP. I.
_First how Uther Pendragon sent for the duke of Cornwall and Igraine
his wife, and of their departing suddenly again._
It befell in the days of Uther Pendragon, when he was king of all
England, and so reigned, that there was a mighty duke in Cornwall that
held war against him long time. And the duke was named the duke of
Tintagil. And so by means king Uther sent for this duke, charging him
to bring his wife with him, for she was called a fair lady, and a
passing wise, and her name was called Igraine. So when the duke and his
wife were come unto the king, by the means of great lords they were
accorded both: the king liked and loved this lady well, and he made
them great cheer out of measure, and desired to have had her love. But
she was a passing good woman, and would not assent unto the king. And
then she told the duke her husband, and said, I suppose that we were
sent for that I should be dishonoured, wherefore, husband, I counsel
you that we depart from hence suddenly, that we may ride all night to
our own castle. And in like wise as she said so they departed, that
neither the king nor none of his council were ware of their departing.
All so soon as king Uther knew of their departing so suddenly, he was
wonderly wroth. Then he called to him his privy council, and told them
of the sudden departing of the duke and his wife. Then they advised the
king to send for the duke and his wife by a great charge: and if he
will not come at your summons, then may ye do your best; then have ye
cause to make mighty war upon him. So that was done, and the messengers
had their answers, and that was this, shortly, that neither he nor his
wife would not come at him. Then was the king wonderly wroth. And then
the king sent him plain word again, and bade him be ready and stuff him
and garnish him, for within forty days he would fetch him out of the
biggest castle that he hath. When the duke had this warning, anon he
went and furnished and garnished two strong castles of his, of the
which the one hight Tintagil and the other castle hight Terrabil. So
his wife, dame Igraine, he put in the castle of Tintagil, and himself
he put in the castle of Terrabil, the which had many issues and
posterns out. Then in all haste came Uther with a great host, and laid
a siege about the castle of Terrabil. And there he pight many
pavilions, and there was great war made on both parties, and much
people slain. Then for pure anger and for great love of fair Igraine
the king Uther fell sick. So came to the king Uther Sir Ulfius, a noble
knight, and asked the king why he was sick. I shall tell thee, said the
king; I am sick for anger and for love of fair Igraine, that I may not
be whole. Well, my lord, said Sir Ulfius, I shall seek Merlin, and he
shall do you remedy that your heart shall be pleased. So Ulfius
departed, and by adventure he met Merlin in a beggar’s array, and there
Merlin asked Ulfius whom he sought? and he said he had little ado to
tell him. Well, said Merlin, I know whom thou seekest, for thou seekest
Merlin; therefore seek no further, for I am he, and if king Uther will
well reward me, and be sworn unto me to fulfil my desire, that shall be
his honour and profit more than mine, for I shall cause him to have all
his desire. All this will I undertake, said Ulfius, that there shall be
nothing reasonable but thou shalt have thy desire. Well, said Merlin,
he shall have his intent and desire. And therefore, said Merlin, ride
on your way, for I will not be long behind.
CHAP. II.
_How Uther Pendragon made war on the duke of Cornwall, and how by the
means of Merlin he made the duchess his queen._
Then Ulfius was glad, and rode on more than a pace till that he came to
Uther Pendragon, and told him he had met with Merlin. Where is he? said
the king. Sir, said Ulfius, he will not dwell long. Therewithal Ulfius
was ware where Merlin stood at the porch of the pavilion’s door. And
then Merlin was bound to come to the king. When king Uther saw him he
said he was welcome. Sir, said Merlin, I know all your heart every
deal; so ye will be sworn unto me, as ye be a true king anointed, to
fulfil my desire, ye shall have your desire. Then the king was sworn
upon the four Evangelists. Sir, said Merlin, this is my desire: after
ye shall win Igraine ye shall have a child by her, and when that is
born that it shall be delivered to me for to nourish there as I will
have it; for it shall be your worship and the child’s avail, as mickle
as the child is worth. I will well, said the king, as thou wilt have
it. Now make you ready, said Merlin: this night shall you see Igraine
in the castle of Tintagil, and ye shall be like the duke her husband,
Ulfius shall be like Sir Brastias, a knight of the duke’s, and I will
be like a knight that hight Sir Jordanus, a knight of the duke’s. But
wait ye make not many questions with her nor with her men, but say you
are diseased, and so hie you to bed, and rise not on the morn till I
come to you, for the castle of Tintagil is but ten mile hence. So this
was done as they had devised. But the duke of Tintagil espied how the
king rode from the siege of Terrabil, and therefore that night he
issued out of the castle at a postern, for to have distressed the
king’s host. And so, through his own issue, the duke himself was slain
or ever the king came at the castle of Tintagil. So after the death of
the duke king Uther came to the castle, more than three hours after his
death; and there he found Igraine. And or day came Merlin came to the
king and bade him make him ready, and so he kissed the lady Igraine and
departed in all haste. But when the lady heard tell of the duke her
husband, and by all record he was dead or ever king Uther came to her,
then she marvelled who that might be that came to her in likeness of
her lord; so she mourned privily and held her peace. Then all the
barons by one assent prayed the king of accord between the lady Igraine
and him. The king gave them leave, for fain would he have been accorded
with her. So the king put all the trust in Ulfius to entreat between
them; so, by the entreat, at the last the king and she met together.
Now will we do well, said Ulfius: our king is a lusty knight and
wifeless, and my lady Igraine is a passing fair lady; it were great joy
unto us all and it might please the king to make her his queen. Unto
that they were all well accorded, and moved it to the king: and anon,
like a lusty knight, he assented thereto with good will, and so in all
haste they were married in a morning with great mirth and joy.
And king Lot of Lothian and of Orkney then wedded Margawse that was
Gawaine’s mother: and king Nentres of the land of Garlot wedded Elaine.
All this was done at the request of king Uther. And the third sister,
Morgan le Fay, was put to school in a nunnery: and there she learned so
much that she was a great clerk of nigromancy. And after she was wedded
to king Uriens of the land of Gore, that was Sir Ewaine’s le
Blanchemains father.
CHAP. III.
_Of the birth of king Arthur, and of his nouriture; and of the death of
king Uther Pendragon; and how Arthur was chosen king; and of wonders
and marvels of a sword that was taken out of a stone by the said
Arthur._
Then the time came that the queen Igraine should bear a child. So it
fell within half a year, as king Uther was with his queen, he asked
her, by the faith she owed unto him, whose was the child that should be
born: then was she sore abashed to give answer. Dismay you not, said
the king, but tell me the truth, and I shall love you the better, by
the faith of my body. Sir, said she, I shall tell you the truth. The
same night that my lord was dead, the hour of his death, as his knights
record, there came into my castle of Tintagil a man like my lord in
speech and countenance, and two knights with him in likeness of his two
knights Brastias and Jordans, and so I welcomed him as I ought to
welcome my lord: and thus, as I shall answer unto God, this child was
begotten. That is truth, said the king, as you say, for it was I myself
that came in the likeness, and therefore dismay you not, for I am
father to the child. And there he told her all the cause how it was by
Merlin’s counsel. Then the Queen made great joy when she knew who was
the father of her child. Soon came Merlin unto the king and said, Sir,
ye must purvey you for the nourishing of your child. As thou wilt, said
the king, be it. Well, said Merlin, I know a lord of yours in this
land, that is a passing true man and a faithful, and he shall have the
nourishing of your child, and his name is Sir Ector, and he is a lord
of fair livelihood in many parts in England and Wales. And this lord,
Sir Ector, let him be sent for, for to come and speak with you, and