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The Story of King Arthur and his Knights

Howard Pyle

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King Arthur of Britain.
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Illustration note [Illustration: _The Story of_ KING ARTHVR and his _Knights_ _Written and Illustrated by_ HOWARD PYLE. NEW YORK: _CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS_ 1903. ]
_Copyright, 1903, By CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS._ Published, November, 1903
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Foreword. _After several years of contemplation and of thought upon the matter herein contained, it has at last come about, by the Grace of God, that I have been able to write this work with such pleasure of spirit that, if it gives to you but a part of the joy that it hath afforded me, I shall be very well content with what I have done._ _For when, in pursuing this history, I have come to consider the high nobility of spirit that moved these excellent men to act as they did, I have felt that they have afforded such a perfect example of courage and humility that anyone might do exceedingly well to follow after their manner of behavior in such measure as he is able to do._ _For I believe that King Arthur was the most honorable, gentle Knight who ever lived in all the world. And those who were his fellows of the Round Table--taking him as their looking-glass of chivalry--made, altogether, such a company of noble knights that it is hardly to be supposed that their like will ever be seen again in this world. Wherefore it is that I have had such extraordinary pleasure in beholding how those famous knights behaved whenever circumstances called upon them to perform their endeavor. So in the year of grace one thousand nine hundred and two I began to write this history of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table and, if I am able so to do, I shall endeavor, with love of that task, to finish the same at some other time in another book and to the satisfaction of whosoever may care to read the story thereof._
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Contents The Book of King Arthur PART I THE WINNING OF KINGHOOD Chapter First _How Sir Kay did Combat in a Great Tournament at London Town and of How He Brake His Sword. Likewise, How Arthur Found a New Sword For Him_ 9 Chapter Second _How Arthur Twice Performed the Miracle of the Sword Before Sir Ector and of How His Birthright Was Discovered Unto Him_ 21 Chapter Third _How Several Kings and High Dukes Assayed to Draw the Sword Out of the Anvil and How They Failed. Likewise How Arthur Made the Assay and Succeeded Therein_ 29 PART II THE WINNING OF A SWORD Chapter First _How There Came a Certain Wounded Knight Unto the Court of King Arthur, How a Young Knight of the King’s Court Sought To Avenge Him and Failed and How the King Thereupon Took That Assay Upon Himself_ 41 Chapter Second _How King Arthur Fought With the Sable Knight and How He Was Sorely Wounded. Likewise How Merlin Brought Him Safe Away From the Field of Battle_ 53 Chapter Third _How King Arthur Found a Noble Sword In a Very Wonderful Manner. And How He Again Fought With It and Won That Battle_ 65 PART III THE WINNING OF A QUEEN Chapter First _How King Arthur Went to Tintagalon with Four of His Court, and How He Disguised Himself for a Certain Purpose_ 79 Chapter Second _How King Ryence Came to Cameliard and How King Arthur Fought With the Duke of North Umber_ 91 Chapter Third _How King Arthur Encountered Four Knights and of What Befell Thereby_ 101 Chapter Fourth _How the Four Knights Served the Lady Guinevere_ 113 Chapter Fifth _How King Arthur Overcame the Enemies of King Leodegrance, and How His Royalty Was Proclaimed_ 125 Chapter Sixth _How King Arthur Was Wedded in Royal State and How the Round Table Was Established_ 139 The Book of Three Worthies PART I THE STORY OF MERLIN Chapter First _How Queen Morgana le Fay Meditated Evil Against King Arthur and How She Sent a Damsel to Beguile the Enchanter, Merlin_ 163 Chapter Second _How Merlin Journeyed With Vivien Unto the Valley of Joyousness and How He Builded for Her a Castle at That Place. Also, How He Taught Her the Wisdom of Magic and of How She Compassed His Downfall Thereby_ 173 Chapter Third _How Queen Morgana le Fay Returned to Camelot and to the Court With Intent to Do Ill to King Arthur. Also How King Arthur and Others Went a-Hunting and of What Befell Thereby_ 181 Chapter Fourth _What Befell Sir Accalon, and How King Arthur Fought an Affair-at-Arms With Swords, and How He Came Nigh to Losing His Life Thereby_ 191 PART II THE STORY OF SIR PELLIAS Chapter First _How Queen Guinevere Went a-Maying and of How Sir Pellias Took Upon Him a Quest in Her Behalf_ 205 Chapter Second _How Sir Pellias Overcame a Red Knight, Hight Sir Adresack, and of How He Liberated XXII Captives From That Knight’s Castle_ 215 Chapter Third _How Sir Pellias Did Battle With Sir Engamore, Otherwise the Knight of the Green Sleeves, and of What Befell the Lady Ettard_ 227 Chapter Fourth _How Queen Guinevere Quarrelled With Sir Gawaine, and How Sir Gawaine Left the Court of King Arthur For a While_ 241 Chapter Fifth _How Sir Gawaine Met Sir Pellias and How He Promised to Aid Him With the Lady Ettard_ 255 Chapter Sixth _How the Lady of the Lake Took Back Her Necklace From Sir Pellias_ 267 PART III THE STORY OF SIR GAWAINE Chapter First _How a White Hart Appeared Before King Arthur, and How Sir Gawaine and Gaheris, His Brother, Went in Pursuit Thereof, and of What Befell Them in That Quest_ 281 Chapter Second _How King Arthur Became Lost in the Forest, and How He Fell Into a Very Singular Adventure in a Castle Unto Which He Came_ 295 Chapter Third _How King Arthur Overcame the Knight-Enchanter, and How Sir Gawaine Manifested the High Nobility of His Knighthood_ 305
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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _Uther-Pendragon_ _Frontispiece_ _Head Piece--Table of Contents_ vii _Tail Piece--Table of Contents_ xii _Head Piece--List of Illustrations_ xiii _Tail Piece--List of Illustrations_ xvi _Head Piece--Prologue_ 3 _Tail Piece--Prologue_ 7 _Sir Kay breaketh his sword at ye Tournament_ 8 _Head Piece--Part I_ 9 _Sir Kay showeth the mystic Sword unto Sir Ector_ 20 _How Arthur drew forth ye Sword_ 28 _In the Valley of Delight_ 40 _Head Piece--Part II_ 41 _The Battle with the Sable Knight_ 52 _Excalibur the Sword_ 64 _Tail Piece--Part II_ 76 _The Lady Guinevere_ 78 _Head Piece--Part III_ 79 _Two Knights do battle before Cameliard_ 90 _The White Champion meets two Knights at the Mill_ 100 _Four Knights serve the Gardener Lad_ 112 _The Gardener Lad takes off his Cap_ 124 _King Arthur meets the Lady Guinevere_ 138 _Tail Piece--Part III_ 146 _Ornamented Title--The Book of Three Worthies_ 149 _The Lady of ye Lake_ 150 _Head Piece--Foreword_ 151 _The Enchanter Merlin_ 154 _Head Piece--Prologue_ 155 _Tail Piece--Prologue_ 160 _The Enchantress Vivien_ 162 _Head Piece--The Story of Merlin_ 163 _Vivien bewitches Merlin_ 172 _Queen Morgana le Fay_ 180 _Queen Morgana loses Excalibur his sheath_ 190 _Tail Piece--The Story of Merlin_ 202 _Sir Pellias, the Gentle Knight_ 204 _Head Piece--The Story of Sir Pellias_ 205 _Sir Pellias encounters the Sorrowful Lady in Arroy_ 214 _Parcenet covers Sir Pellias with a cloak_ 226 _The Lady of the Lake sits by the Fountain in Arroy_ 240 _Sir Gawaine sups with ye Lady Ettard_ 254 _The Lady of the Lake finds Sir Pellias wounded_ 266 _Sir Gawaine the Son of Lot, King of Orkney_ 280 _Head Piece--The Story of Sir Gawaine_ 281 _King Arthur findeth ye old woman in ye hut_ 294 _Sir Gawaine finds the beautiful Lady_ 304 _Tail Piece--The Story of Sir Gawaine_ 312
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Illustration note[Illustration: The BOOK of KING ARTHUR]
Illustration note[Illustration: Uther-Pendragon.]
[Illustration] Prologue. In ancient days there lived a very noble King, named Uther-Pendragon, and he became Overlord of all of Britain. This King was very greatly aided unto the achievement of the Pendragonship of the realm by the help of two men, who rendered him great assistance in all that he did. The one of these men was a certain very powerful enchanter and sometime prophet known to men as Merlin the Wise; and he gave very good counsel unto Uther-Pendragon. The other man was an excellent noble and renowned knight, hight Ulfius (who was thought by many to be the greatest leader in war of any man then alive); and he gave Uther-Pendragon aid and advice in battle. So, with the help of Merlin and Sir Ulfius, Uther-Pendragon was able to overcome all of his enemies and to become King of the entire realm.