The Story of King Arthur and his Knights
had seized it into his hands.
[Sidenote: _King Arthur overcometh Sir Accalon._]
Then it appeared to King Arthur that a great virtue had come into him
because of that sword. Wherefore he arose from his knees and ran at Sir
Accalon and smote him so sorely that the blade penetrated his armor to
the depth of half a palm’s breadth. And he smote him again and again and
Sir Accalon cried out in a loud voice, and fell down upon his hands and
knees. Then King Arthur ran to him and catched the sheath of Excalibur
and plucked it away from Sir Accalon and flung it away, and thereupon
the wounds of Sir Accalon burst out bleeding in great measure. Then King
Arthur catched the helmet of Sir Accalon and rushed it off his head with
intent to slay him.
Now because King Arthur was blinded with his own blood he did not know
Sir Accalon, wherefore he said, “Sir Knight, who art thou who hast
betrayed me?” And Sir Accalon said, “I have not betrayed thee. I am Sir
Accalon of Gaul and I am knight in good worship of King Arthur’s Court.”
But when King Arthur heard this he made great outcry and he said, “How
is this? Know you who I am?” And Sir Accalon said, “Nay, I know you
not.” Then King Arthur said, “I am King Arthur who am thy master.” And
upon this he took off his helmet and Sir Accalon knew him.
And when Sir Accalon beheld King Arthur he swooned away and lay like one
dead upon the ground, and King Arthur said, “Take him hence.”
Then when those who were there were aware who King Arthur was, they
burst over the barriers and ran toward him with great outcry of pity.
And King Arthur would have left this place but upon that he also swooned
away because of the great issue of blood that had come from him,
wherefore all those who were round about took great sorrow, thinking
that he was dying, wherefore they bewailed themselves without stint.
Then came Vivien out into that field and she said, “Let me have him, for
I believe that I shall be able to cure his hurts.” So she commanded that
two litters should be brought and she placed King Arthur in one of the
litters and she placed Sir Accalon in the other, and she bore them both
away to a priory of nuns that was at no great distance from that place.
[Sidenote: _Vivien healeth King Arthur._]
So when Vivien had come there she searched the wounds of King Arthur and
bathed them with a very precious balsam, so that they immediately began
to heal. As for Sir Accalon, she would not have to do with his wounds,
but let one of her attendants bathe him and dress his hurts.
Now when the next morning had come, King Arthur was so much recovered
that he was able to arise, though very weak and sick nigh unto death. So
he got up from his couch and he would not permit anyone to stay him, and
he wrapped a cloak about him and went to the place where Sir Accalon
lay. When he had come there he questioned Sir Accalon very narrowly and
Sir Accalon told him all that had happened to him after he had left that
ship, and how the strange damsel had given him a sword for to fight
with. So when King Arthur heard all that Sir Accalon had to tell him, he
said, “Messire, I think that thou art not to be blamed in this matter,
but I much do fear me that there is treachery here to compass my ruin.”
Then he went out from that place and he found Vivien and he said to her,
“Damsel, I beseech thee to dress the wounds of that knight with the same
balsam that thou didst use to dress my wounds.” “Lord,” said Vivien, “I
cannot do so, for I have no more of that balsam.” But what she said was
false, for she did have more of that balsam, but she did not choose to
use it upon Sir Accalon.
[Sidenote: _Sir Accalon dieth of his wounds._]
So that afternoon Sir Accalon died of his wounds which he had received
in his battle with King Arthur.
And that day King Arthur summoned Sir Domas and Sir Ontzlake into his
presence and they came and stood before him, so filled with the terror
of his majesty, that they had not the power to stand, but fell down upon
their knees unto him.
[Sidenote: _King Arthur dealeth with Sir Domas and Sir Ontzlake._]
Then King Arthur said, “I will pardon you, for ye knew not what ye did.
But thou, Sir Domas, I believe, art a very false and treasonable knight,
wherefore I shall deprive thee of all thy possessions but that one
single castle which thy brother had and that I shall give unto thee, but
all thy possessions I shall give unto Sir Ontzlake. And I shall further
ordain that thou shalt never hereafter have the right to ride upon any
horse but a palfrey, for thou art not worthy to ride upon a courser as a
true knight hath a right to do. And I command it of thee that thou shalt
presently liberate all those knights who were my companions in
captivity, and thou shalt recompense them for all the injury that thou
hast done to them according as it shall be decided by a Court of
Chivalry.”
Therewith he dismissed those two knights, and they were very glad that
he had dealt so mercifully with them.
[Illustration] CONCLUSION
[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana cometh to King Arthur._]
Now shortly after that combat betwixt King Arthur and Sir Accalon the
news thereof was brought to Queen Morgana le Fay, and the next day
thereafter she heard that Sir Accalon was dead, and she wist not how it
could be that her designs could have so miscarried. Then she was a-doubt
as to how much King Arthur might know of her treachery, so she said to
herself, “I will go and see my brother, the King, and if he is aware of
my treason I will beseech him to pardon my transgression.” So, having
made diligent inquiry as to where it was that King Arthur lay, she
gathered together her Court of knights and esquires and went
thitherward.
So she came to that place upon the fifth day after the battle, and when
she had come there she asked of those who were in attendance what cheer
the King had. They answered her, “He is asleep and he must not be
disturbed.” To the which Queen Morgana le Fay replied, “No matter, I am
not to be forbidden, for I must presently see him and speak with him.”
So they did not dare to stay her because she was the King’s sister.
[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana steals the sheath of Excalibur._]
So Queen Morgana went into the chamber where the King lay and he did not
waken at her coming. Then Queen Morgana was filled full of hatred and a
great desire for revenge, wherefore she said to herself, “I will take
Excalibur and his shield and will carry them away with me to Avalon, and
my brother shall never see them again.” So she went very softly to where
King Arthur lay, and she looked upon him as he slept and perceived that
he had Excalibur beside him and that he held the handle of the sword in
his hand while he slept. Then Queen Morgana said, “Alas, for this, for
if I try to take Excalibur away from him, haply he will awake and he
will slay me for my treason.” Then she looked and perceived where the
sheath of Excalibur lay at the foot of the couch. So she took the
sheath of Excalibur very softly and she wrapped it up in her mantle and
she went out thence, and King Arthur did not awaken at her going.
So Queen Morgana came out from the King’s chamber and she said to those
in attendance, “Do not waken the King, for he sleepeth very soundly.”
Therewith she mounted her horse and went her way from that place.
Now, after a considerable while, King Arthur awoke and he looked for the
sheath of Excalibur, but he perceived that it was gone, wherefore he
said immediately, “Who hath been here?” They in attendance made answer,
“Queen Morgana le Fay had been here and she came in and saw you and went
her way without waking you.” Then King Arthur’s heart misgave him, and
he said, “I fear me that she hath dealt treacherously with me from the
beginning to the end of these adventures.”
Whereupon he arose and summoned all his knights and esquires and mounted
his horse for pursuit of Queen Morgana, although he was still passing
sick and faint from his sore wounds and loss of blood.
Now, as the King was about ready to depart, Vivien came to him where he
was, and she said, “Lord, take me with thee, for if thou dost not do so
thou wilt never recover Excalibur his sheath, nor wilt thou ever
overtake Queen Morgana le Fay.” And King Arthur said, “Come with me,
damsel, in God’s name.” So Vivien went with him in pursuit of Queen
Morgana.
Now, by and by, as she fled, Queen Morgana le Fay looked behind her and
therewith she perceived that Vivien was with the party of King Arthur,
wherefore her heart failed her and she said, “I fear me that I am now
altogether ruined, for I have aided that damsel to acquire such
knowledge of magic that I shall have no spells to save myself from her
counter-spell. But at any rate it shall be that King Arthur shall never
have the sheath of Excalibur again for to help him in his hour of need.”
[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana throweth the sheath of Excalibur into the
lake._]
Now at that time they were passing beside the margin of a lake of
considerable size. So Queen Morgana le Fay took the sheath of Excalibur
in both her hands and swung it by its belt above her head and she threw
it a great distance out into the water.
Then, lo! a very singular miracle occurred, for there suddenly appeared
a woman’s arm out of the water and it was clad in white. And it was
adorned with many bracelets. And the hand of the arm catched the sheath
of Excalibur and drew it underneath the water and no one ever beheld
that sheath again.
So the sheath of Excalibur was lost, and that was a grievous thing for
King Arthur in after time, as you may some time read.
[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana exercises her magic._]
Now after Queen Morgana le Fay had thus thrown the sheath of Excalibur
into the lake, she went on a little farther to where was a very lonely
place with a great many rocks and stones lying about upon the ground.
And when she had come to that place she exercised very potent spells of
magic that Merlin had taught her. So, by means of those spells, she
transformed herself and all of her Court and all of their horses into
large round stones of divers sizes.
Then in a little while came King Arthur to that place with his knights
and esquires, and he was exceedingly heavy of heart, for he had beheld
from a great distance how Queen Morgana le Fay had thrown the sheath of
Excalibur into that lake.
Now when the King and his Court had come to that spot the damsel Vivien
called out upon him to stop and she said to him, “Lord, dost thou behold
all those great round stones?” “Yea,” said the King, “I do see them.”
Then Vivien said, “Lo! those stones are Queen Morgana le Fay and the
Court who were with her. For this magic that she hath done to change
herself and them into stones was a certain thing that Merlin had taught
her. Now I myself know that magic, and I also know how to remove that
magic at my will. Wherefore, if thou wilt promise to immediately punish
that wicked woman for all her treason by depriving her of her life, then
will I bring her back unto her true shape again so that thou mayst have
her in thy power.”
[Sidenote: _King Arthur chideth Vivien._]
Then King Arthur looked upon Vivien with great displeasure, and he said,
“Damsel, thou hast a cruel heart! Thou thyself hast suffered no injury
at the hands of Queen Morgana; wherefore, then, wouldst thou have me
slay her? Now, but for all thou hast done for me I would be very much
affronted with thee. As for her, I forgive her all of this, and I shall
forgive her again and again and yet again if she sin against me. For her
mother was my mother, and the blood which flows in her veins and in my
veins cometh from the same fountain-head, wherefore I will do no evil
thing against her. Let us return again whence we came.”