Le Morte Darthur
desire him yourself, as he loveth you, that he will put his own child
to nourishing to another woman, and that his wife nourish yours. And
when the child is born let it be delivered unto me at yonder privy
postern unchristened. So like as Merlin devised it was done. And when
Sir Ector was come he made affiance to the king for to nourish the
child like as the king desired; and there the king granted Sir Ector
great rewards. Then when the lady was delivered, the king commanded two
knights and two ladies to take the child bound in a cloth of gold, and
that ye deliver him to what poor man ye meet at the postern gate of the
castle. So the child was delivered unto Merlin, and so he bare it forth
unto Sir Ector, and made an holy man to christen him, and named him
Arthur: and so Sir Ector’s wife nourished him with her own breast.
Then within two years king Uther fell sick of a great malady. And in
the meanwhile his enemies usurped upon him, and did a great battle upon
his men, and slew many of his people. Sir, said Merlin, ye may not lie
so as ye do, for ye must to the field, though ye ride on an
horse-litter; for ye shall never have the better of your enemies but if
your person be there, and then shall ye have the victory. So it was
done as Merlin had devised, and they carried the king forth in a
horse-litter with a great host towards his enemies. And at St. Albans
there met with the king a great host of the North. And that day Sir
Ulfius and Sir Brastias did great deeds of arms, and king Uther’s men
overcame the Northern battle, and slew many people, and put the remnant
to flight. And then the king returned unto London, and made great joy
of his victory. And then he fell passing sore sick, so that three days
and three nights he was speechless; wherefore all the barons made great
sorrow, and asked Merlin what counsel were best. There is none other
remedy, said Merlin, but God will have his will. But look ye all barons
be before king Uther to-morn, and God and I shall make him to speak. So
on the morn all the barons with Merlin came tofore the king: then
Merlin said aloud unto king Uther, Sir, shall your son Arthur be king
after your days, of this realm, with all the appurtenance? Then Uther
Pendragon turned him and said in hearing of them all, I give him God’s
blessing and mine, and bid him pray for my soul, and righteously and
worshipfully that he claim the crown upon forfeiture of my blessing.
And therewith he yielded up the ghost. And then was he interred as
longed to a king. Wherefore the queen, fair Igraine, made great sorrow
and all the barons. Then stood the realm in great jeopardy long while,
for every lord that was mighty of men made him strong, and many wend to
have been king. Then Merlin went to the archbishop of Canterbury, and
counselled him for to send for all the lords of the realm, and all the
gentlemen of arms, that they should to London come by Christmas upon
pain of cursing: and for this cause—that Jesus, that was born on that
night, that he would of his great mercy shew some miracle, as he was
come to be king of mankind, for to shew some miracle who should be
rightwise king of this realm. So the archbishop by the advice of Merlin
sent for all the lords and gentlemen of arms, that they should come by
Christmas even unto London. And many of them made them clean of their
life, that their prayer might be the more acceptable unto God. So in
the greatest church of London (whether it were Paul’s or not, the
French book maketh no mention) all the estates were long or day in the
church for to pray. And when matins and the first mass was done, there
was seen in the churchyard against the high altar a great stone four
square, like unto a marble stone, and in the midst thereof was like an
anvil of steel a foot on high, and therein stack a fair sword naked by
the point, and letters there were written in gold about the sword that
said thus: Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil is
rightwise king born of all England. Then the people marvelled, and told
it to the archbishop. I command, said the archbishop, that ye keep you
within your church, and pray unto God still; that no man touch the
sword till the high mass be all done. So when all masses were done all
the lords went to behold the stone and the sword. And when they saw the
scripture, some assayed—such as would have been king. But none might
stir the sword nor move it. He is not here, said the archbishop, that
shall achieve the sword, but doubt not God will make him known. But
this is my counsel, said the archbishop, that we let purvey ten
knights, men of good fame, and they to keep this sword. So it was
ordained, and then there was made a cry, that every man should assay
that would, for to win the sword. And upon New Year’s Day the barons
let make a justs and a tournament, that all knights that would just or
tourney there might play: and all this was ordained for to keep the
lords together and the commons, for the archbishop trusted that God
would make him known that should win the sword. So upon New Year’s Day
when the service was done the barons rode to the field, some to just,
and some to tourney; and so it happed that Sir Ector, that had great
livelihood about London, rode unto the justs, and with him rode Sir Kay
his son and young Arthur that was his nourished brother, and Sir Kay
was made knight at Allhallowmas afore. So as they rode to the
justs-ward Sir Kay had lost his sword, for he had left it at his
father’s lodging, and so he prayed young Arthur to ride for his sword.
I will well, said Arthur, and rode fast after the sword; and when he
came home the lady and all were out to see the justing. Then was Arthur
wroth, and said to himself, I will ride to the churchyard and take the
sword with me that sticketh in the stone, for my brother Sir Kay shall
not be without a sword this day. So when he came to the churchyard Sir
Arthur alighted, and tied his horse to the stile, and so he went to the
tent, and found no knights there, for they were at the justing; and so
he handled the sword by the handles, and lightly and fiercely pulled it
out of the stone, and took his horse and rode his way till he came to
his brother Sir Kay, and delivered him the sword. And as soon as Sir
Kay saw the sword he wist well it was the sword of the stone, and so he
rode to his father Sir Ector, and said: Sir, lo here is the sword of
the stone; wherefore I must be king of this land. When Sir Ector beheld
the sword he returned again and came to the church, and there they
alighted all three and went into the church, and anon he made Sir Kay
to swear upon a book how he came to that sword. Sir, said Sir Kay, by
my brother Arthur, for he brought it to me. How gat ye this sword? said
Sir Ector to Arthur. Sir, I will tell you: when I came home for my
brother’s sword, I found nobody at home to deliver me his sword, and so
I thought my brother Sir Kay should not be swordless, and so I came
hither eagerly and pulled it out of the stone without any pain. Found
ye any knights about this sword? said Sir Ector. Nay, said Arthur. Now,
said Sir Ector to Arthur, I understand ye must be king of this land.
Wherefore I, said Arthur, and for what cause? Sir, said Ector, for God
will have it so: for there should never man have drawn out this sword
but he that shall be rightwise king of this land. Now let me see
whether ye can put the sword there as it was, and pull it out again.
That is no mastery, said Arthur: and so he put it into the stone.
Therewith Sir Ector assayed to pull out the sword and failed.
CHAP. IV.
_How king Arthur pulled out the sword divers times._
Now assay, said Sir Ector to Sir Kay. And anon he pulled at the sword
with all his might, but it would not be. Now shall ye assay, said Sir
Ector to Arthur. I will well, said Arthur, and pulled it out easily.
And therewithal Sir Ector kneeled down to the earth, and Sir Kay. Alas,
said Arthur, mine own dear father and brother, why kneel ye to me. Nay,
nay, my lord Arthur, it is not so: I was never your father nor of your
blood, but I wote well ye are of an higher blood than I wend ye were.
And then Sir Ector told him all, how he was betaken him for to nourish
him, and by whose commandment, and by Merlin’s deliverance. Then Arthur
made great dole when he understood that Sir Ector was not his father.
Sir, said Ector unto Arthur, will ye be my good and gracious lord when
ye are king? Else were I to blame, said Arthur, for ye are the man in
the world that I am most beholding to, and my good lady and mother your
wife, that as well as her own hath fostered me and kept. And if ever it
be God’s will that I be king, as ye say, ye shall desire of me what I
may do, and I shall not fail you: God forbid I should fail you. Sir,
said Sir Ector, I will ask no more of you but that you will make my
son, your foster-brother Sir Kay, seneschal of all your lands. That
shall be done, said Arthur, and more by the faith of my body, that
never man shall have that office but he while he and I live.
Therewithal they went unto the archbishop, and told him how the sword
was achieved, and by whom. And on Twelfth Day all the barons came
thither, and to assay to take the sword who that would assay. But there
afore them all there might none take it out but Arthur, wherefore there
were many lords wroth, and said it was great shame unto them all and
the realm, to be over governed with a boy of no high blood born. And so
they fell out at that time that it was put off till Candlemas, and then
all the barons should meet there again. But always the ten knights were
ordained to watch the sword day and night, and so they set a pavilion
over the stone and the sword, and five always watched. So at Candlemas
many more great lords came thither for to have won the sword, but there
might none prevail. And right as Arthur did at Christmas he did at
Candlemas, and pulled out the sword easily, whereof the barons were
sore aggrieved, and put it off in delay till the high feast of Easter.
And as Arthur sped afore, so did he at Easter: yet there were some of
the great lords had indignation that Arthur should be their king, and
put it off in a delay till the feast of Pentecost. Then the archbishop
of Canterbury by Merlin’s providence let purvey then of the best
knights that they might get, and such knights as king Uther Pendragon
loved best and most trusted in his days, and such knights were put
about Arthur, as Sir Baudwin of Britain, Sir Kay, Sir Ulfius, Sir
Brastias. All these, with many other, were always about Arthur, day and
night, till the feast of Pentecost.
CHAP. V.
_How King Arthur was crowned, and how he made officers._
And at the feast of Pentecost all manner of men assayed to pull at the
sword that would assay, but none might prevail but Arthur; and he
pulled it out afore all the lords and commons that were there,
wherefore all the commons cried at once, We will have Arthur unto our
king; we will put him no more in delay, for we all see that it is God’s
will that he shall be our king, and who that holdeth against it we will
slay him. And therewithal they kneeled down all at once, both rich and
poor, and cried Arthur mercy, because they had delayed him so long. And
Arthur forgave them, and took the sword between both his hands, and
offered it upon the altar where the archbishop was, and so was he made
knight of the best man that was there. And so anon was the coronation
made, and there was he sworn unto his lords and the commons for to be a
true king, to stand with true justice from thenceforth the days of this
life. Also then he made all lords that held of the crown to come in,
and to do service as they ought to do. And many complaints were made