3 KINg ARTHUR AND ExCALIBUR

BY SIR THOMAS MALORY

Sir Thomas Malory (1430–1471): A Welsh or English knight, who compiled and translated from the French the English “Morte d’Arthur.” It is a noble prose epic, giving the legends about Arthur, the semi-fabulous king of Britain, and his knights of the Round Table.

I. THE TAKINg OF ExCALIBUR

And as they rode, Arthur said, “I have no sword.” “No force, ” said Merlin, “hereby is a sword that shall be yours and I may.” So they rode till they came to a lake, the which was a fair water and broad, and in the midst of the lake Arthur was ware of an arm clothed in whitesamite , that held a fair sword in that hand. “Lo,” said Merlin, “yonder is that sword that I spake of.” With that they saw a damsel going upon the lake. “What damsel is that?” said Arthur. “That is the Ladyof the Lake, ” said Merlin; “and within that lake is a rock, and therein is as fair a place as any on earth and richlybeseen , and this damsel will come to you anon, and then speak ye fair to her that she will give you that sword.”

Anon withal came the damsel unto Arthur and saluted him, and he her again. “Damsel,” said Arthur, “what sword is that, that yonder the arm holdeth above the water? I would it were mine, for I have no sword.” “Sir Arthur king,” said the damsel, “that sword is mine, and if ye will give me a gift when I ask it you, ye shall have it.” “By my faith,” said Arthur, “I will give you what gift ye will ask.” “Well,” said the damsel, “go ye into yonder barge and row yourself to the sword and take it and the scabbard with you, and I will ask my gift when I see my time.”

So Sir Arthur and Merlin alight and tied their horses to two trees, and so they went into the ship, and when they came to the sword that the hand held, Sir Arthur took it up by the handles and took it with him.

Then Sir Arthur looked on the sword and liked itpassing well. “Whether liketh you better,” said Merlin, “the sword or the scabbard?” “Me liketh better the sword,” said Arthur. “Ye are more unwise,” said Merlin, “for the scabbard is worth ten of the sword, for while ye have the scabbard upon you ye shallneverloseno blood, be ye never so sore wounded, therefore keep well the scabbard always with you.”

II. THE CASTINg AWAy OF ExCALIBUR

Then were theycondescended that King Arthur andSir Mordred should meet betwixt both their hosts, and every each of them should bring fourteen persons. And they came with this word unto King Arthur. Then said he, “I am glad that this is done.” And so he went into the field. And when Arthur should depart, he warned all his host that and they see any sword drawn, “Look ye come on fiercely and slay thattraitor Sir Mordred, for I in no wise trust him.” In like wise Sir Mordred warned his host that, “And ye see any sword drawn, look that ye come on fiercely and so slay all that ever before you standeth: for in no wise I will not trust for this treaty.”

And so they met as theirpointment was, and so they were agreed and accorded thoroughly: and wine was fetched and they drank. Right so came an adder out of a little heath bush and it stung a knight on the foot. And when the knight felt him stungen, he looked down and saw the adder, and then he drew his sword to slay the adder and thought of none other harm. And when the host on both parties saw that sword drawn, then they blewbeames , trumpets, and horns, and shouted grimly. And so both hosts dressed them together. And King Arthur took his horse, and said, “Alas, this unhappy day!” and so rode to his party: and Sir Mordred in likewise.

And never was there seen a more dolefuller battle in no Christian land. For there was but rushing and riding,foining and striking, and many a grim word was there spoken either to other and many a deadly stroke. But ever King Arthur rode throughout the battle of Sir Mordred many times and did full nobly as a noble king should; and at all times he fainted never. And Sir Mordred that day put him indevoir and in great peril. And thus they fought all the long day and never stinted till the noble knights were laid to the cold ground, and ever they fought still, till it was near night, and by that time was there an hundred thousand laid dead upon the down.

Then was Arthur wroth out of measure, when he saw his people so slain from him. Then the king looked about him and then was he ware of all his host and of all his good knights, were left no more on live but two knights, that was Sir Lucan de butlere and his brother Sir Bedivere; and they full were sore wounded.

“Jesu mercy,” said the king, “where are all my noble knights becomen? Alas! that ever I should see this doleful day. For now,” said Arthur, “I am come to mine end. But would to God that Iwist where were that traitor, Sir Mordred, that hath caused all this mischief.”

Then was King Arthur ware where Sir Mordred leaned upon his sword among a great heap of dead men. “Now give me my spear,” said Arthur unto Sir Lucan, “for yonder I have espied the traitor that all this woe hath wrought.” Then the king gat his spear in both his hands and ran towards Sir Mordred, crying, “Traitor, now is thy death day come.” And when Sir Mordred heard Sir Arthur, he ran until him with his sword drawn in his hand. And then King Arthur smote Sir Mordred under the shield, with a foin of his spear throughout the body more than a fathom. And when Sir Mordred felt that he had his death’s wound, he thrust himself, with the might that he had, up to the bur of King Arthur’s spear. And right so he smote his father Arthur with his sword holden in both his hands, on the side of the head, that the sword pierced the helmet and the brain-pan, and therewithal Sir Mordred fell stark dead to the earth. And the noble Arthur fell in a swoon to the earth and there he swooned ofttimes. And Sir Lucan de butlere and Sir Bedivere ofttimes heaved him up, and so weakly they led him betwixt them both to a little chapel not far from the seaside. And when the king was there, he thought him well eased.

Then Sir Lucan took up the king the one part and Sir Bedivere the other part, and in the lifting, the king swooned, and Sir Lucan fell in a swoon with the lift. And when King Arthur came to himself again, he beheld Sir Lucan how he lay foaming at the mouth. “Alas,” said the king, “this is unto me a full heavy sight to see this nobleduke so die for my sake, for he would have holpen me that had more need of help than I. Alas, he would not complain him, his heart was so set to help me. Now Jesu have mercy upon his soul.”

Then Sir Bedivere wept for the death of his brother. “Leave this mourning and weeping,” said the king, “for all this will not avail me: forwit thou well, and I might live myself the death of Sir Lucan would grieve me evermore: but my time hieth fast,” said the king. “Therefore,” said Arthur, “take thou Excalibur, my good sword, and go with it to yonder water side, and when thou comest there, I charge thee throw my sword in that water, and come again and tell me what thou there seest.” “My lord,” said Bedivere, “your commandment shall be done, and lightly bring you word again.”

So Sir Bedivere departed, and by the way he beheld that noble sword, that the pommel and haft were all of precious stones, and then he said to himself, “If I throw this rich sword in the water, thereof shall never come good, but harm and loss.” And then Sir Bedivere hid Excalibur under a tree.

And as soon as he might he came again unto the king, and said he had been at the water and had thrown the sword into the water. “What sawest thou there?” said the king. “Sir,” he said, “I saw nothing but waves and winds.” “That is untruly said of thee,” said the king; “therefore go thou lightly again, and do my command as thou art to melief and dear: spare not, but throw it in.”

Then Sir Bedivere returned again and took the sword in his hand; and then him thought sin and shame to throw away that noble sword: and soeft he hid the sword and returned again and told to the king that he had been at the water and done his commandment. “What saw thou there?” said the king. “Sir,” he said, “I saw nothing but the waterswap and the Waveswan .” “Ah traitor, untrue,” said King Arthur, “now hast thou betrayed me twice. Who would havewend that thou that hast been to me so lief and dear, and thou art named a noble knight, and would betray me for the riches of the sword? But now go again lightly, for thy long tarrying putteth me in great jeopardy of my life, for I have taken cold. And but if thou do now as I bid thee, if ever I may see thee, I shall slay thee with mine own hands, for thou wouldest for my rich sword see me dead.”

Then Sir Bedivere departed and went to the sword, and lightly took it up and went to the water side, and there he bound the girdle about the hilts and then he threw the sword as far into the water as he might, and there came an arm and hand above the water and met it and caught it and so shook it thrice and brandished, and then vanished away the hand with the sword in the water. So Sir Bedivere came again to the king and told him what he saw. “Alas,” said the king, “help me hence, for I dread me I have tarried over long.”

Then Sir Bedivere took the king upon his back, and so went with him to that water side. And when they were at the water side, even fast by the bank hoved a little barge, with many fair ladies in it and among them all was a queen, and all they had black hoods and all they wept and shrieked when they saw King Arthur. “Now put me into the barge,” said the king: and so he did softly. And there received him three queens with great mourning, and so they set him down and in one of their laps King Arthur laid his head, and then that queen said, “Ah, dear brother, why have you tarried so long from me? Alas, this wound on your head hath caught over much cold.” And so then they rowed from the land; and Sir Bedivere beheld all those ladies go from him. Then Sir Bedivere cried, “Ah, my Lord Arthur, what shall become of me now ye go from me and leave me here alone among mine enemies?” “Comfort thyself,” said the king, “and do as well as thou mayest, for in me is no trust for to trust in. For I will into thevale of Avilion , to heal me of my grievous wound. And if thou hear never more of me, pray for my soul.” But ever the queens and ladies wept and shrieked, that it was pity to hear. And as soon as Sir Bedivere had lost the sight of the barge, he wept and wailed.