Le Morte Darthur
side Igraine. So there she rested her a month, and at the last
departed. Then the king dreamed a marvellous dream whereof he was sore
adread. But all this time king Arthur knew not that king Lot’s wife was
his sister. Thus was the dream of Arthur. Him thought that there was
come into this land griffons and serpents, and him thought they burnt
and slew all the people in the land, and then him thought he fought
with them, and they did him passing great harm and wounded him full
sore, but at the last he slew them. When the king awaked he was passing
heavy of his dream, and so to put it out of thoughts he made him ready
with many knights to ride on hunting. As soon as he was in the forest
the king saw a great hart afore him. This hart will I chase, said king
Arthur, and so he spurred the horse and rode after long, and so by fine
force oft he was like to have smitten the hart, till the king had
chased the hart so long that his horse had lost his breath, and fell
down dead. Then a yeoman fetched the king another horse. So the king
saw the hart embushed and his horse dead; he sat him down by a
fountain, and there he fell in great thoughts; and as he sat so him
thought he heard a noise of hounds, to the sum of thirty. And with that
the king saw coming toward him the strangest beast that ever he saw or
heard of; so the beast went to the well and drank, and the noise was in
the beast’s belly like unto the questing of thirty couple hounds; but
all the while the beast drank there was no noise in the beast’s belly,
and therewith the beast departed with a great noise, whereof the king
had great marvel. And so he was in great thought, and therewith he fell
on sleep. Right so there came a knight afoot unto Arthur, and said,
Knight, full of thought and sleepy, tell me if thou sawest a strange
beast pass this way. Such one saw I, said king Arthur, that is past two
miles: what would you with the beast? said Arthur. Sir, I have followed
that beast long time, and have killed my horse; so would I had another
to follow my quest. Right so came one with the king’s horse, and when
the knight saw the horse he prayed the king to give him the horse, For
I have followed this quest this twelvemonth, and either I shall achieve
him or bleed of the best blood of my body. Pellinore that time king
followed the questing beast, and after his death Sir Palomides followed
it.
CHAP. XVIII.
_How king Pellinore took Arthur’s horse and followed the questing
beast, and how Merlin met with Arthur._
Sir knight, said the king, leave that quest and suffer me to have it,
and I will follow it another twelve month. Ah fool, said the knight
unto Arthur, it is in vain thy desire, for it shall never be achieved
but by me, or my next kin. Therewith he stert unto the king’s horse,
and mounted into the saddle, and said, Gramercy, this horse is mine
own. Well, said the king, thou mayest take my horse by force, but and I
might prove thee whether thou wert better on horseback or I. Well, said
the knight, seek me here when thou wilt, and here nigh this well thou
shalt find me; and so passed on his way. Then the king sat in a study,
and bad his men fetch his horse as fast as ever they might. Right so
came by him Merlin like a child of fourteen year of age, and saluted
the king, and asked him why he was so pensive? I may well be pensive,
said the king, for I have seen the marvellest sight that ever I saw.
That know I well, said Merlin, as well as thyself, and of all thy
thoughts; but thou art but a fool to take thought, for it will not
amend thee. Also I know what thou art, and who was thy father, and of
whom thou wert born; king Uther Pendragon was thy father, and had thee
of Igraine. That is false, said king Arthur; how shouldest thou know
it? for thou art not so old of years to know my father. Yes, said
Merlin, I know it better than ye or any man living. I will not believe
thee, said Arthur, and was wroth with the child. So departed Merlin;
and came again in the likeness of an old man of fourscore years of age,
whereof the king was right glad, for he seemed to be right wise.
Then said the old man, Why are ye so sad? I may well be heavy, said
Arthur, for many things. Also here was a child, and told me many things
that me seemeth he should not know, for he was not of age to know my
father. Yes, said the old man, the child told you truth, and more would
he have told you and ye would have suffered him. But ye have done a
thing late that God is displeased with you, and your sister shall have
a child that shall destroy you and all the knights of your realm. What
are ye, said Arthur, that tell me these tidings? I am Merlin, and I was
he in the child’s likeness. Ah, said king Arthur, ye are a marvellous
man, but I marvel much of thy words that I must die in battle. Marvel
not, said Merlin, for it is God’s will your body to be punished for
your foul deeds. But I may well be sorry, said Merlin, for I shall die
a shameful death, to be put in the earth quick, and ye shall die a
worshipful death. And as they talked this, came one with the king’s
horse, and so the king mounted on his horse and Merlin on another, and
so rode unto Carlion. And anon the king asked Ector and Ulfius how he
was born. And they told him that Uther Pendragon was his father, and
queen Igraine his mother: then he said to Merlin, I will that my mother
be sent for, that I may speak with her, and if she say so herself, then
will I believe it. In all haste the queen was sent for, and she came
and brought with her Morgan le Fay her daughter, that was as fair a
lady as any might be. And the king welcomed Igraine in the best manner.
CHAP. XIX.
_How Ulfius appeached queen Igraine, Arthur’s mother, of treason: and
how a knight came and desired to have the death of his master
revenged._
Right so came Ulfius and said openly, that the king and all might hear
that were feasted that day, Ye are the falsest lady of the world, and
the most traitress unto the king’s person. Beware, said Arthur, what
thou sayest; thou speakest a great word. I am well ware, said Sir
Ulfius, what I speak, and here is my glove to prove it upon any man
that will say the contrary, that this queen Igraine is causer of your
great damage, and of your great war. For, and she would have uttered it
in the life of king Uther Pendragon of the birth of you, ye had never
had half the mortal wars that ye have had: for the most part of your
barons of your realm knew never whose son ye were, nor of whom ye were
born. And she that bear you should have made it known openly in
excusing of her worship and yours, and in likewise to all the realm;
wherefore I prove her false to God and to you and to all your realm,
and who will say the contrary I will prove it upon his body.
Then spake Igraine and said, I am a woman, and I may not fight, but
rather than I should be dishonoured there would some good man take my
quarrel. More she said, Merlin knoweth well, and ye Sir Ulfius, how
king Uther came to me in the castle of Tintagel, in the likeness of my
lord that was dead three hours tofore. And after my lord was dead king
Uther wedded me, and by his commandment when the child was born it was
delivered unto Merlin, and nourished by him, and so I saw the child
never after, nor wot not what is his name, for I knew him never yet.
And there Ulfius said to the queen, Merlin is more to blame than ye.
Well I wot, said the queen, that I bare a child by my lord king Uther,
but I wot not where he is become. Then Merlin took the king by the
hand, saying, This is your mother. And therewith Sir Ector bare witness
how he nourished him by Uther’s commandment. And, therewith king Arthur
took his mother queen Igraine in his arms and kissed her and either
wept upon other. And then the king let make a feast that lasted eight
days. Then on a day there came into the court a squire on horseback,
leading a knight before him wounded to the death, and told him how
there was a knight in the forest had reared up a pavilion by a well,
and hath slain my master, a good knight, his name was Miles; wherefore
I beseech you that my master may be buried, and that some knight may
revenge my master’s death. Then the noise was great of that knight’s
death in the court, and every man said his advice: then came Griflet
that was but a squire, and he was but young, of the age of king Arthur;
so he besought the king for all his service that he had done him to
give him the order of knighthood.
CHAP. XX.
_How Griflet was made knight, and justed with a knight._
Thou art full young and tender of age, said Arthur, for to take so high
an order on thee. Sir, said Griflet, I beseech you make me knight. Sir,
said Merlin, it were great pity to lose Griflet, for he will be a
passing good man when he is of age, abiding with you the term of his
life. And if he adventure his body with yonder knight at the fountain
it is in great peril if ever he come again, for he is one of the best
knights of the world, and the strongest man of arms. Well, said king
Arthur. So at the desire of Griflet the king made him knight. Now, said
Arthur unto Sir Griflet, since I have made you knight, thou must give
me a gift. What ye will, said Griflet. Thou shalt promise me by the
faith of thy body, when thou hast justed with the knight at the
fountain, whether it fall ye be on foot or on horseback, that right so
ye shall come again unto me without making any more debate. I will
promise you, said Griflet, as you desire. Then took Griflet his horse
in great haste, and dressed his shield, and took a spear in his hand,
and so he rode a great wallop till he came to the fountain, and thereby
he saw a rich pavilion, and thereby under a cloth stood a fair horse
well saddled and bridled, and on a tree a shield of divers colours, and
a great spear. Then Griflet smote on the shield with the butt of his
spear that the shield fell down to the ground. With that the knight
came out of the pavilion and said, Fair knight, why smote ye down my
shield? For I will just with you, said Griflet. It is better ye do not,
said the knight, for ye are but young, and late made knight, and your
might is nothing to mine. As for that, said Griflet, I will just with
you. That is me loth, said the knight, but since I must needs I will
dress me thereto: of whence be ye? said the knight. Sir, I am of
Arthur’s court. So the two knights ran together, that Griflet’s spear
all to-shivered, and therewithal he smote Griflet through the shield
and the left side, and brake the spear, that the truncheon stack in his
body, that horse and knight fell down.
CHAP. XXI.
_How twelve knights came from Rome and asked truage for this land of
Arthur, and how Arthur fought with a knight._
When the knight saw him lie so on the ground he alighted, and was
passing heavy, for he wend he had slain him, and then he unlaced his
helm and gat him wind, and so with the truncheon he set him on his
horse and gat him wind, and so betook him to God, and said he had a
mighty heart, and if he might live he would prove a passing good
knight. And so Sir Griflet rode to the court, where great dole was made
for him. But through good leeches he was healed and saved.
Right so came into the court twelve knights, and were aged men, and
they came from the emperor of Rome, and they asked of Arthur truage for
this realm, other else the emperor would destroy him and his land.
Well, said king Arthur, ye are messagers, therefore may ye say what ye
will, other else ye should die therefore. But this is mine answer; I
owe the emperor no truage, nor none will I hold him; but on a fair
field I shall give him my truage, that shall be with a sharp spear or