Le Morte Darthur
the bushment. And there was a recounter, for the bushment brake on the
Romans, and slew and hewed down the Romans, and forced the Romans to
flee and return; whom the noble knights chased unto their tents. Then
the Romans gathered more people, and also footmen came on, and there
was a new battle, and so much people that Sir Bors and Sir Berel were
taken. But when Sir Gawaine saw that, he took with him Sir Idrus the
good knight, and said he would never see king Arthur but if he rescued
them, and pulled out Galatine his good sword, and followed them that
led those two knights away, and he smote him that led Sir Bors, and
took Sir Bors from him, and delivered him unto his fellows. And Sir
Idrus in like wise rescued Sir Berel. Then began the battle to be
great, that our knights were in great jeopardy, wherefore Sir Gawaine
sent to king Arthur for succour, and that he hie him, for I am sore
wounded, and that our prisoners may pay good out of number. And the
messager came to the king, and told him his message. And anon the king
did do assemble his army, but anon or he departed the prisoners were
come, and Sir Gawaine and his fellows gat the field and put the Romans
to flight, and after returned and came with their fellowship in such
wise that no man of worship was lost of them, save that Sir Gawaine was
sore hurt. Then the king did do ransack his wounds, and comforted him.
And thus was the beginning of the first day’s fighting of the Britons
and Romans. And there were slain of the Romans more than ten thousand,
and great joy and mirth was made that night in the host of king Arthur.
And on the morn he sent all the prisoners into Paris, under the guard
of Sir Launcelot, with many knights, and of Sir Cador.
CHAP. VII.
_How Lucius sent certain spies in a bushment for to have taken his
knights being prisoners, and how they were letted._
Now turn we to the emperor of Rome which espied that these prisoners
should be sent to Paris, and anon he sent to lie in a bushment certain
knights and princes with sixty thousand men for to rescue his knights
and lords that were prisoners. And so on the morn as Sir Launcelot and
Sir Cador, chieftains and governors of all them that conveyed the
prisoners, as they should pass through a wood, Sir Launcelot sent
certain knights to espy if any were in the woods to let them. And when
the said knights came into the wood, anon they espied and saw the great
enbushment, and returned and told Sir Launcelot that there lay in await
for them threescore thousand Romans. And then Sir Launcelot with such
knights as he had, and men of war to the number of ten thousand, put
them in array, and met with them, and fought with them manly, and slew
and cut to pieces many of the Romans, and slew many knights and
admirals of the party of the Romans and Saracens: there was slain the
king of Lyly and three great lords, Alakuke, Herawd, and Heringdale.
But Sir Launcelot fought so nobly that no man might endure a stroke of
his hand, but where he came he shewed his prowess and might, for he
slew down right on every side. And the Romans and Saracens fled from
him as the sheep from the wolf or from the lion, and put them all that
abode alive to flight. And so long they fought that tidings came to
king Arthur, and anon he made him ready and came to the battle, and saw
his knights how they had vanquished the battle: he embraced them knight
by knight in his arms, and said: Ye be worthy to bear all your honour
and worship, there was never king save myself that had so noble
knights. Sir, said Cador, there was none of us failed other, but of the
prowess and manhood of Sir Launcelot were more than wonder to tell, and
also of his cousins which did this day many noble feats of war. And
also Sir Cador told who of his knights were slain, as Sir Berel and
other Sir Moris and Sir Maurel, two good knights. Then the king wept,
and dried his eyes with a kerchief, and said, Your courage had near
hand destroyed you, for though ye had returned again ye had lost no
worship; for I call it folly, knights to abide when they be
over-matched. Nay, said Sir Launcelot and the other, for once shamed
may never be recovered.
CHAP. VIII.
_How a senator told to Lucius of their discomfiture, and also of the
great battle between Arthur and Lucius._
Now leave we king Arthur and his noble knights which had won the field,
and had brought their prisoners to Paris, and speak we of a senator
which escaped from the battle, and came to Lucius the emperor, and said
to him, Sir emperor, I advise thee to withdraw thee: what doest thou
here? thou shalt win nothing in these marches but great strokes out of
all measure. For this day one of Arthur’s knights was worth in the
battle an hundred of ours. Fie on thee, said Lucius, thou speakest
cowardly, for thy words grieve me more than all the loss that I had
this day. And anon he sent forth a king, which hight Sir Leomie, with a
great army, and bad him hie him fast tofore, and he would follow
hastily after. King Arthur was warned privily, and sent his people to
Sessoyne, and took up the towns and castles from the Romans. Then the
king commanded Sir Cador to take the rereward, and to take with him
certain knights of the Round Table,—and Sir Launcelot, Sir Bors, Sir
Kay, Sir Marrok, with Sir Marhaus, shall await on our person. Thus king
Arthur distributed his host in divers parts, to the end that his
enemies should not escape. When the emperor was entered into the vale
of Sessoyne, he might see where king Arthur was embattled and his
banner displayed: and he was beset round about with his enemies, that
needs he must fight or yield him, for he might not flee, but said
openly unto the Romans, Sirs, I admonish you that this day ye fight and
acquit you as men, and remember how Rome domineth, and is chief and
head over all the earth and universal world, and suffer not these
Britons this day to abide against us. And therewith he did command his
trumpets blow the bloody sounds, in such wise that the ground trembled
and shook. Then the battles approached, and shove and shouted on both
sides, and great strokes were smitten on both sides, many men
overthrown, hurt, and slain; and great valiances, prowesses, and feats
of war were that day shewed, which were over long to recount the noble
feats of every man, for they should contain a whole volume. But in
especial king Arthur rode in the battle, exhorting his knights to do
well, and himself did as nobly with his hands as was possible a man to
do; he drew out Excalibur his sword, and awaited ever where as the
Romans were thickest and most grieved his people; and anon he addressed
him on that part, and hewed and slew down right, and rescued his
people, and he slew a great giant named Galapas, which was a man of an
huge quantity and height, he shorted him and smote off both his legs by
the knees, saying, Now art thou better of a size to deal with than thou
were; and after smote off his head. There Sir Gawaine fought nobly, and
slew three admirals in that battle. And so did all the knights of the
Round Table. Thus the battle between king Arthur and Lucius the emperor
endured long. Lucius had on his side many Saracens which were slain.
And thus the battle was great, and oftsides that one party was at a
vantage, and anon at a disadvantage, which endured so long till at the
last king Arthur espied where Lucius the emperor fought and did wonder
with his own hands. And anon he rode to him, and either smote other
fiercely: and at the last Lucius smote Arthur thwart the visage, and
gave him a large wound. And when king Arthur felt himself hurt anon he
smote him again with Excalibur, that it cleft his head from the summit
of his head, and stinted not till it came to his breast. And then the
emperor fell down dead, and there ended his life. And when it was known
that the emperor was slain, anon all the Romans with all their host put
them to flight; and king Arthur with all his knights followed the
chase, and slew down right all them that they might attain. And thus
was the victory given to king Arthur, and the triumph. And there were
slain on the part of Lucius more than an hundred thousand. And after,
king Arthur did do ransack the dead bodies, and did do bury them that
were slain of his retinue, every man according to the state and degree
that he was of. And them that were hurt he let the surgeons do search
their hurts and wounds, and commanded to spare no salves nor medicines
till they were whole.
Then the king rode straight to the place where the emperor Lucius lay
dead, and with him he found slain the Sowdan of Surrey, the king of
Egypt and the king of Ethiope, which were two noble kings, with
seventeen other kings of divers regions, and also sixty senators of
Rome, all noble men, whom the noble king Arthur did do balm and gum
with many good gums aromatic, and after did do cere them in sixty fold
of cered cloth of Sendal, and laid them in chests of lead, because they
should not chafe nor savour; and upon all these bodies their shields
with their arms and banners were set, to the end they should be known
of what country they were. And after, he found three senators that were
onlive, to whom he said, For to save your lives I will that ye take
these dead bodies, and carry them with you unto great Rome, and present
them to the Potestate on my behalf, shewing him my letters, and tell
them that I in my person shall hastily be at Rome. And I suppose the
Romans shall be ware how they shall demand any tribute of me. And I
command you to say when ye shall come to Rome to the Potestate, and all
the Council and Senate, that I send to them these dead bodies for the
tribute that they have demanded. And if they be not content with these,
I shall pay more at my coming, for other tribute owe I none, nor none
other will I pay. And me thinketh this sufficeth for Britain, Ireland,
and all Almaine, with Germany. And furthermore I charge you to say to
them that I command them upon pain of their heads never to demand
tribute ne tax of me ne of my lands.
Then with this charge and commandment the three senators aforesaid
departed with all the said dead bodies lying, the body of Lucius in a
car covered with the arms of the empire all alone, and after alway two
bodies of kings in a chariot, and then the bodies of the senators after
them, and so went toward Rome, and shewed their legation and message to
the Potestate and Senate, recounting the battle done in France, and how
the field was lost, and much people and innumerable slain. Wherefore
they advised them in no wise to move no more war against that noble
conqueror, Arthur;—for his might and prowess is most to be doubted,
seeing the noble kings, and great multitude of knights of the Round
Table, to whom none earthly prince may compare.
CHAP. IX.
_How Arthur, after he had achieved the battle against the Romans,
entered into Almaine, and so into Italy._
Now turn we unto king Arthur and his noble knights, which, after the
great battle achieved against the Romans, entered into Loraine,
Brabant, and Flanders, and thence returned into high Almaine, and so
over the mountains into Lombardy, and after into Tuscany, wherein was a
city which in no wise would yield themselves nor obey, wherefore king
Arthur besieged it, and lay long about it, and gave many assaults to
the city. And they within defended them valiantly. Then, on a time, the
king called Sir Florence, a knight, and said to him they lacked
victual, and not far from hence be great forests and great woods,
wherein be many of mine enemies with much cattle: I will that thou make
thee ready, and go thither in foraging, and take with thee Sir Gawaine