Ottilie A. Liljencrantz - "The Thrall of Leif the Lucky"

William Hazlitt - "Table Talk, Essays on Men and Manners"

John Greenleaf Whittier - "Snow Bound and Others, From Poems of Nature,"

William Shakespeare - "The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight"

Le Morte Darthur

T >> Thomas Malory >> Le Morte Darthur




When the duke had this warning, anon he went and furnished and
garnished two strong castles of his, of the which the one hight
Tintagil, and the other castle hight Terrabil. So his wife Dame
Igraine he put in the castle of Tintagil, and himself he put in
the castle of Terrabil, the which had many issues and posterns
out. Then in all haste came Uther with a great host, and laid a
siege about the castle of Terrabil. And there he pight many
pavilions, and there was great war made on both parties, and much
people slain. Then for pure anger and for great love of fair
Igraine the king Uther fell sick. So came to the king Uther Sir
Ulfius, a noble knight, and asked the king why he was sick. I
shall tell thee, said the king, I am sick for anger and for love
of fair Igraine, that I may not be whole. Well, my lord, said
Sir Ulfius, I shall seek Merlin, and he shall do you remedy, that
your heart shall be pleased. So Ulfius departed, and by
adventure he met Merlin in a beggar's array, and there Merlin
asked Ulfius whom he sought. And he said he had little ado to
tell him. Well, said Merlin, I know whom thou seekest, for thou
seekest Merlin; therefore seek no farther, for I am he; and if
King Uther will well reward me, and be sworn unto me to fulfil my
desire, that shall be his honour and profit more than mine; for I
shall cause him to have all his desire. All this will I
undertake, said Ulfius, that there shall be nothing reasonable
but thou shalt have thy desire. Well, said Merlin, he shall have
his intent and desire. And therefore, said Merlin, ride on your
way, for I will not be long behind.



<3>
CHAPTER II

How Uther Pendragon made war on the duke of Cornwall, and how by
the mean of Merlin he lay by the duchess and gat Arthur.

THEN Ulfius was glad, and rode on more than a pace till that he
came to King Uther Pendragon, and told him he had met with
Merlin. Where is he? said the king. Sir, said Ulfius, he will
not dwell long. Therewithal Ulfius was ware where Merlin stood
at the porch of the pavilion's door. And then Merlin was bound
to come to the king. When King Uther saw him, he said he was
welcome. Sir, said Merlin, I know all your heart every deal; so
ye will be sworn unto me as ye be a true king anointed, to fulfil
my desire, ye shall have your desire. Then the king was sworn
upon the Four Evangelists. Sir, said Merlin, this is my desire:
the first night that ye shall lie by Igraine ye shall get a child
on her, and when that is born, that it shall be delivered to me
for to nourish there as I will have it; for it shall be your
worship, and the child's avail, as mickle as the child is worth.
I will well, said the king, as thou wilt have it. Now make you
ready, said Merlin, this night ye shall lie with Igraine in the
castle of Tintagil; and ye shall be like the duke her husband,
Ulfius shall be like Sir Brastias, a knight of the duke's, and I
will be like a knight that hight Sir Jordanus, a knight of the
duke's. But wait ye make not many questions with her nor her
men, but say ye are diseased, and so hie you to bed, and rise not
on the morn till I come to you, for the castle of Tintagil is but
ten miles hence; so this was done as they devised. But the duke
of Tintagil espied how the king rode from the siege of Terrabil,
and therefore that night he issued out of the castle at a postern
for to have distressed the king's host. And so, through his own
issue, the duke himself was slain or ever the king came at the
castle of Tintagil.

<4>
So after the death of the duke, King Uther lay with Igraine more
than three hours after his death, and begat on her that night
Arthur, and on day came Merlin to the king, and bade him make him
ready, and so he kissed the lady Igraine and departed in all
haste. But when the lady heard tell of the duke her husband, and
by all record he was dead or ever King Uther came to her, then
she marvelled who that might be that lay with her in likeness of
her lord; so she mourned privily and held her peace. Then all
the barons by one assent prayed the king of accord betwixt the
lady Igraine and him; the king gave them leave, for fain would he
have been accorded with her. So the king put all the trust in
Ulfius to entreat between them, so by the entreaty at the last
the king and she met together. Now will we do well, said Ulfius,
our king is a lusty knight and wifeless, and my lady Igraine is a
passing fair lady; it were great joy unto us all, an it might
please the king to make her his queen. Unto that they all well
accorded and moved it to the king. And anon, like a lusty
knight, he assented thereto with good will, and so in all haste
they were married in a morning with great mirth and joy.

And King Lot of Lothian and of Orkney then wedded Margawse that
was Gawaine's mother, and King Nentres of the land of Garlot
wedded Elaine. All this was done at the request of King Uther.
And the third sister Morgan le Fay was put to school in a
nunnery, and there she learned so much that she was a great clerk
of necromancy. And after she was wedded to King Uriens of the
land of Gore, that was Sir Ewain's le Blanchemain's father.


CHAPTER III

Of the birth of King Arthur and of his nurture.

THEN Queen Igraine waxed daily greater and greater, so
it befell after within half a year, as King Uther lay by his
queen, he asked her, by the faith she owed to him, whose was
<5 CH. III OF THE BIRTH OF KING ARTHUR>the child within her
body; then she sore abashed to give answer. Dismay you not, said
the king, but tell me the truth, and I shall love you the better,
by the faith of my body. Sir, said she, I shall tell you the
truth. The same night that my lord was dead, the hour of his
death, as his knights record, there came into my castle of
Tintagil a man like my lord in speech and in countenance, and two
knights with him in likeness of his two knights Brastias and
Jordanus, and so I went unto bed with him as I ought to do with
my lord, and the same night, as I shall answer unto God, this
child was begotten upon me. That is truth, said the king, as ye
say; for it was I myself that came in the likeness, and therefore
dismay you not, for I am father of the child; and there he told
her all the cause, how it was by Merlin's counsel. Then the
queen made great joy when she knew who was the father of her
child.

Soon came Merlin unto the king, and said, Sir, ye must purvey you
for the nourishing of your child. As thou wilt, said the king,
be it. Well, said Merlin, I know a lord of yours in this land,
that is a passing true man and a faithful, and he shall have the
nourishing of your child, and his name is Sir Ector, and he is a
lord of fair livelihood in many parts in England and Wales; and
this lord, Sir Ector, let him be sent for, for to come and speak
with you, and 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 to me at yonder privy postern unchristened. So like as
Merlin devised it was done. And when Sir Ector was come he made
fiaunce 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 pap.


<6>
CHAPTER IV

Of the death of King Uther Pendragon.

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 an 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 to-fore 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.



<7>
CHAPTER V

How Arthur was chosen king, and of wonders and marvels
of a sword taken out of a stone by the said Arthur.

THEN stood the realm in great jeopardy long while, for every lord
that was mighty of men made him strong, and many weened 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
show some miracle, as he was come to be king of mankind, for to
show 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 midst thereof was like an anvil of steel a foot on high, and
therein stuck 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 <8>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
jousts and a tournament, that all knights that would joust 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 unto the field, some to joust and some to tourney, and so it
happened that Sir Ector, that had great livelihood about London,
rode unto the jousts, and with him rode Sir Kay his son, and
young Arthur that was his nourished brother; and Sir Kay was made
knight at All Hallowmass afore. So as they rode to the jousts-
ward, Sir Kay lost his sword, for he had left it at his father's
lodging, and so he prayed young Arthur for 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 jousting.
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 jousting. 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 until 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 <9 CH. VI HOW HE
PULLED OUT THE SWORD>returned again and came to the church, and
there they alighted all three, and went into the church. And
anon he made Sir Kay 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 in the stone; wherewithal Sir Ector
assayed to pull out the sword and failed.


CHAPTER VI

How King Arthur pulled out the sword divers times.

Now assay, said Sir Ector unto 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 knelt down to
the earth, and Sir Kay. Alas, said Arthur, my 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 wot well
ye are of an higher blood than I weened 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.

<10>
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 beholden
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 ye 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
overgoverned 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 before,
so did he at Easter; yet there were some of the great lords had
indignation that Arthur should be 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 Uther Pendragon loved best <11 CH. VII HOW KING
ARTHUR WAS CROWNED>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.


CHAPTER VII

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 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 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 unto Sir Arthur of great wrongs that
were done since the death of King Uther, of many lands that were
bereaved lords, knights, ladies, and gentlemen. Wherefore King
Arthur made the lands to be given again unto them that owned
them.

When this was done, that the king had stablished all the
countries about London, then he let make Sir Kay seneschal of
England; and Sir Baudwin of Britain was made constable; and Sir
Ulfius was made chamberlain; and Sir Brastias was made warden to
wait upon the north from Trent forwards, for it was that time the
most party <12>the king's enemies. But within few years after
Arthur won all the north, Scotland, and all that were under their
obeissance. Also Wales, a part of it, held against Arthur, but
he overcame them all, as he did the remnant, through the noble
prowess of himself and his knights of the Round Table.



CHAPTER VIII

How King Arthur held in Wales, at a Pentecost, a great
feast, and what kings and lords came to his feast.

THEN the king removed into Wales, and let cry a great feast that
it should be holden at Pentecost after the incoronation of him at
the city of Carlion. Unto the feast came King Lot of Lothian and
of Orkney, with five hundred knights with him. Also there came
to the feast King Uriens of Gore with four hundred knights with
him. Also there came to that feast King Nentres of Garlot, with
seven hundred knights with him. Also there came to the feast the
king of Scotland with six hundred knights with him, and he was
but a young man. Also there came to the feast a king that was
called the King with the Hundred Knights, but he and his men were
passing well beseen at all points. Also there came the king of
Carados with five hundred knights. And King Arthur was glad of
their coming, for he weened that all the kings and knights had
come for great love, and to have done him worship at his feast;
wherefore the king made great joy, and sent the kings and knights
great presents. But the kings would none receive, but rebuked
the messengers shamefully, and said they had no joy to receive no
gifts of a beardless boy that was come of low blood, and sent him
word they would none of his gifts, but that they were come to
give him gifts with hard swords betwixt the neck and the
shoulders: and therefore they came thither, so they told to the
messengers plainly, for it was great shame to all them to see
such a boy to have a rule of so noble a realm as this land was.
With this answer the messengers <13 CHAP.IX HOW KING ARTHUR HELD
FEAST>departed and told to King Arthur this answer. Wherefore,
by the advice of his barons, he took him to a strong tower with
five hundred good men with him. And all the kings aforesaid in a
manner laid a siege to-fore him, but King Arthur was well
victualed. And within fifteen days there came Merlin among them
into the city of Carlion. Then all the kings were passing glad
of Merlin, and asked him, For what cause is that boy Arthur made
your king? Sirs, said Merlin, I shall tell you the cause, for he
is King Uther Pendragon's son, born in wedlock, gotten on
Igraine, the duke's wife of Tintagil. Then is he a bastard, they
said all. Nay, said Merlin, after the death of the duke, more
than three hours, was Arthur begotten, and thirteen days after
King Uther wedded Igraine; and therefore I prove him he is no
bastard. And who saith nay, he shall be king and overcome all
his enemies; and, or he die, he shall be long king of all
England, and have under his obeissance Wales, Ireland, and
Scotland, and more realms than I will now rehearse. Some of the
kings had marvel of Merlin's words, and deemed well that it
should be as he said; and some of them laughed him to scorn, as
King Lot; and more other called him a witch. But then were they
accorded with Merlin, that King Arthur should come out and speak
with the kings, and to come safe and to go safe, such surance
there was made. So Merlin went unto King Arthur, and told him
how he had done, and bade him fear not, but come out boldly and
speak with them, and spare them not, but answer them as their
king and chieftain; for ye shall overcome them all, whether they
will or nill.



CHAPTER IX

Of the first war that King Arthur had, and
how he won the field.

THEN King Arthur came out of his tower, and had under his gown a
jesseraunt of double mail, and there went with <14>him the
Archbishop of Canterbury, and Sir Baudwin of Britain, and Sir
Kay, and Sir Brastias: these were the men of most worship that
were with him. And when they were met there was no meekness, but
stout words on both sides; but always King Arthur answered them,
and said he would make them to bow an he lived. Wherefore they
departed with wrath, and King Arthur bade keep them well, and
they bade the king keep him well. So the king returned him to
the tower again and armed him and all his knights. What will ye
do? said Merlin to the kings; ye were better for to stint, for ye
shall not here prevail though ye were ten times so many. Be we
well advised to be afeared of a dream-reader? said King Lot.
With that Merlin vanished away, and came to King Arthur, and bade
him set on them fiercely; and in the meanwhile there were three
hundred good men, of the best that were with the kings, that went
straight unto King Arthur, and that comforted him greatly. Sir,
said Merlin to Arthur, fight not with the sword that ye had by
miracle, till that ye see ye go unto the worse, then draw it out
and do your best. So forthwithal King Arthur set upon them in
their lodging. And Sir Baudwin, Sir Kay, and Sir Brastias slew
on the right hand and on the left hand that it was marvel; and
always King Arthur on horseback laid on with a sword, and did
marvellous deeds of arms, that many of the kings had great joy of
his deeds and hardiness.

Then King Lot brake out on the back side, and the King with the
Hundred Knights, and King Carados, and set on Arthur fiercely
behind him. With that Sir Arthur turned with his knights, and
smote behind and before, and ever Sir Arthur was in the foremost
press till his horse was slain underneath him. And therewith
King Lot smote down King Arthur. With that his four knights
received him and set him on horseback. Then he drew his sword
Excalibur, but it was so bright in his enemies' eyes, that it
gave light like thirty torches. And therewith he put them a-
back, and slew much people. And then the commons of Carlion
arose with clubs and staves <15 CHAP. X OF KING BAN AND KING
BORS>and slew many knights; but all the kings held them together
with their knights that were left alive, and so fled and
departed. And Merlin came unto Arthur, and counselled him to
follow them no further.

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