The Complete Works of
SIR THOMAS MALORY
(c.1434-1471)
Contents
Le Morte Darthur
LE MORTE DARTHUR – WINCHESTER MANUSCRIPT
LE MORTE DARTHUR – CAXTON MODERNISED VERSION
The Biography
MALORY AND LE MORTE DARTHUR by A. W. Pollard
The Delphi Classics Catalogue
© Delphi Classics 2014
Version 1
The Complete Works of
SIR THOMAS MALORY
By Delphi Classics, 2014
COPYRIGHT
Complete Works of Sir Thomas Malory
First published in the United Kingdom in 2014 by Delphi Classics.
© Delphi Classics, 2014.
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Le Morte Darthur
Newbold Revel, Warwickshire—generally agreed to be Sir Thomas Malory’s birthplace
LE MORTE DARTHUR – WINCHESTER MANUSCRIPT
First published in 1485 by William Caxton, Le Morte Darthur (‘the death of Arthur’) is a compilation by Sir Thomas Malory of romance-era tales concerning the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot and the other Knights of the Round Table. Malory interprets existing French and English stories about these figures and adds original material, including the Gareth story.
Historically recorded as a member of the landed gentry of Warwickshire in the English Midlands, Sir Thomas Malory was reportedly a knight that flourished in the 1440s. However, in spite of the chivalrous behaviour of the knights whose adventures and quests he recounts, Malory’s own life was punctuated with a series of terrible crimes, including attempted murder, cattle raids, poaching, extortion, robbery and rape. Twice he escaped from prison and twice he was excluded by name from general pardons, the last whilst completing his composition of Le Morte Darthur.
It is believed Malory started work on the collection of tales while he was in prison in the early 1450s, completing the collection of tales by 1470. The full title for the book was “The hoole booke of kyng Arthur & of his noble knyghtes of the rounde table”, but Caxton instead titled the work with Malory’s name for the final section of the cycle. The Middle English language used in Le Morte Darthur is much closer to Early Modern English than the Middle English of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, bearing a close resemblance, especially in a modernised spelling text, to an Elizabethan English work.
Only two copies of Caxton’s original 1485 printing are still known to exist, which are housed in the collections of the Morgan Library and Museum and the John Rylands Library. The work proved popular and was reprinted, with some additions and changes, in 1498 and 1529 by Wynkyn de Worde who succeeded Caxton’s press. Three more editions were published before the English Civil War: William Copland’s (1557), Thomas East’s (1585), and William Stansby’s (1634), each of which contained additional changes and errors, including the omission of an entire leaf. Thereafter Le Morte Darthur went out of fashion until the Romantic revival of interest in all things medieval in the nineteenth century.
In 1934, a manuscript of Le Morte Darthur was discovered in the library of Winchester College, which was found to be closer to Malory than Caxton’s printed edition of 1485. Neither text derives from the other and both are removed from Malory’s original holograph. Curiously, although Caxton did not use the Winchester manuscript in preparing his printed text, it was in his possession at the time, as can be determined by type smudges on the manuscript. The Winchester Manuscript is now judged by scholars to be the closest text to Malory’s translation and compilation.
Caxton separated Malory’s eight books into twenty-one books, dividing each into a total of 507 chapters, while adding a summary of each chapter and a colophon to the entire book. Malory’s original eight tales are:
The birth and rise of Arthur: “From the Marriage of King Uther unto King Arthur that Reigned After Him and Did Many Battles”
King Arthur’s war against the Romans: “The Noble Tale Between King Arthur and Lucius the Emperor of Rome”
The book of Lancelot: “The Tale of Sir Launcelot du Lac”
The book of Gareth (brother of Gawain): “The Tale of Sir Gareth”
Tristan and Isolde: “The Book of Sir Tristrams de Lyons”
The Quest for the Holy Grail: “The Noble Tale of the Sangreal”
The affair between Lancelot and Guinevere: “Sir Launcelot and Queen Gwynevere”
The breaking of the Knights of the Round Table and the death of Arthur: “Le Morte D’Arthur”
Most of the events in Le Morte Darthur take place in Britain and France in the latter half of the fifth century. In some parts, the story ventures farther afield, to Rome and Sarras, near Babylon, recalling Biblical tales from the ancient Near East.
The first book concerns the birth of Arthur, who was the offspring of Uther Pendragon and Igraine, due to the supernatural meddling of Merlin. Following his birth, Arthur is taken by Sir Ector to be fostered in the country. He later becomes the king of a leaderless England, after removing the fabled sword from the stone. Arthur goes on to win many battles due to his military prowess and Merlin’s counsel. He then begins to consolidate his kingdom.
This book also tells “The Tale of Balyn and Balan”, which ends in accidental fratricide and the begetting of Mordred, Arthur’s incestuous son by his half-sister, Morgause. Throughout the book, Malory addresses fifteenth century preoccupations with legitimacy and societal unrest, which themes often reoccur in Le Morte Darthur. Malory’s concern with legitimacy reflects the concerns of 15th century England, where many were claiming their rights to power through violence and bloodshed. Genealogy was a means to legitimise power in a less arbitrary manner and Malory often calls this into question. In the end, the book still holds out for hope even while the questions of legitimacy and morality continue in the books to follow. Arthur and his knights continually try and fail to live up to their chivalric codes, yet remain figures invested with Malory’s desperate optimism.
A page from the Winchester Manuscript
Detail from a fifteenth century French manuscript, portraying Arthur pulling the sword from the stone
CONTENTS
CAXTON’S PREFACE
BOOK I. THE TALE OF KING ARTHUR
I. MERLIN
II. BALIN OR THE KNIGHT WITH THE TWO SWORDS
III. TORRE AND PELLINOR
IV. THE WAR WITH THE FIVE KINGS
V. ARTHUR AND ACCOLON
VI. GAWAIN, YWAIN, AND MARHALT
BOOK II. THE TALE OF THE NOBLE KING ARTHUR THAT WAS EMPEROR HIMSELF THROUGH DIGNITY
OF HIS HANDS
BOOK III. THE NOBLE TALE OF SIR LAUNCELOT DU LAKE
BOOK IV. THE TALE OF SIR GARETH OF ORKENEY THAT WAS CALLED BEWMAYNES
BOOK V. THE BOOK OF SIR TRISTRAM DE LYONES
I. ISODE THE FAIR
II. SIR LAMEROK DE GALYS
III. LA COTE MALE TAYLE
IV. TRISTRAM’S MADNESS AND EXILE
V. THE MAIDENS’ CASTLE
VI. THE ROUND TABLE
VII. KING MARK
VIII. ALEXANDER THE ORPHAN
IX. THE TOURNAMENT AT SURLUSE
X. JOYOUS GARD
XI. THE RED CITY
XII. THE TOURNAMENT AT LONEZEP
XIII. SIR PALOMIDES
XIV. LAUNCELOT AND ELAINE
XV. CONCLUSION
BOOK VI. THE TALE OF THE SANKGREAL BRIEFLY DRAWN OUT OF FRENCH WHICH IS A TALE CHRONICLED FOR ONE OF THE TRUEST AND ONE OF THE HOLIEST THAT IS IN THIS WORLD
I. THE DEPARTURE
II. THE MIRACLES
III. SIR PERCEVAL
IV. SIR LAUNCELOT
V. SIR GAWAIN
VI. SIR BORS
VII. SIR GALAHAD
VIII. THE CASTLE OF CORBENIC
IX. THE MIRACLE OF GALAHAD
BOOK VII. THE BOOK OF SIR LAUNCELOT AND QUEEN GUINEVERE
I. THE POISONED APPLE
II. THE FAIR MAID OF ASTOLAT
III. THE GREAT TOURNAMENT
IV. THE KNIGHT OF THE CART
V. THE HEALING OF SIR URRY
BOOK VIII. THE MOST PITEOUS TALE OF THE MORTE ARTHUR SAUNZ GUERDON
I. SLANDER AND STRIFE
II. THE VENGEANCE OF SIR GAWAIN
III. THE SIEGE OF BENWICK
IV. THE DAY OF DESTINY
V. THE DOLOROUS DEATH AND DEPARTING OUT OF THIS WORLD OF SIR LAUNCELOT AND QUEEN GUINEVERE
Detail of ‘The Last Sleep of Arthur in Avalon’ by Edward Burne-Jones, 1881
CAXTON’S PREFACE
[1] AFTER that I had accomplysshed and fynysshed dyvers hystoryes as wel of contemplacyon as of other hystoryal and worldly actes of grete conquerours and prynces, and also certeyn bookes of ensaumples and doctryne, many noble and dyvers gentylmen of thys royame of Englond camen and demaunded me many and oftymes wherfore that I have not do made and enprynte the noble hystorye of the Saynt Greal and of the moost renomed Crysten kyng, fyrst and chyef of the thre best Crysten, and worthy, Kyng Arthur, whyche ought moost to be remembred emonge us Englysshemen tofore al other Crysten kynges.
For it is notoyrly knowen thorugh the unyversal world that there been nine worthy and the best that ever were, that is to wete, thre Paynyms, thre Jewes, and thre Crysten men. As for the Paynyms, they were tofore the Incarnacyon of Cryst, whiche were named, the fyrst Hector of Troye, of whome th’ystorye is comen bothe in balade and in prose, the second Alysaunder the Grete, and the thyrd Julyus Cezar, Emperour of Rome, of whome th’ystoryes ben wel knowen and had. And as for the thre Jewes whyche also were tofore th’Yncarnacyon of our Lord, of whome the fyrst was Duc Josué whyche brought the chyldren of Israhel into the londe of byheste, the second Davyd, kyng of Jerusalem, and the thyrd Judas Machabeus, of these thre the Byble reherceth al theyr noble hystoryes and actes. And sythe the sayd Incarnacyon have ben thre noble Crysten men stalled and admytted thorugh the unyversal world into the nombre of the nine beste and worthy, of whome was fyrst the noble Arthur, whos noble actes I purpose to wryte in thys present book here folowyng. The second was Charlemayn, or Charles the Grete, of whome th’ystorye is had in many places, bothe in Frensshe and Englysshe; and the thyrd and last was Godefray of Boloyn, of whos actes and lyf I made a book unto th’excellent prynce and kyng of noble memorye, Kyng Edward the Fourth.
The sayd noble jentylmen instantly requyred me t’emprynte th’ystorye of the sayd noble kyng and conquerour Kyng Arthur and of his knyghtes, wyth th’ystorye of the Saynt Greal and of the deth and endyng of the sayd Arthur, affermyng that I ought rather t’enprynte his actes and noble feates than of Godefroye of Boloyne or ony of the other eyght, consyderyng that he was a man borne wythin this royame and kyng and emperour of the same, and that there ben in Frensshe dyvers and many noble volumes of his actes, and also of his knyghtes.
To whome I answerd that dyvers men holde oppynyon that there was no suche Arthur and that alle suche bookes as been maad of hym ben but fayned and fables, bycause that somme cronycles make of hym no mencyon ne remembre hym noothynge, ne of his knyghtes.
Wherto they answerd, and one in specyal sayd, that in hym that shold say or thynke that there was never suche a kyng callyd Arthur myght wel be aretted grete folye and blyndenesse, for he sayd that there were many evydences of the contrarye. Fyrst, ye may see his sepulture in the monasterye of Glastyngburye; and also in Polycronycon, in the fifth book, the syxte chappytre, and in the seventh book, the twenty-thyrd chappytre, where his body was buryed, and after founden and translated into the sayd monasterye. Ye shal se also in th’ystorye of Bochas, in his book DE CASU PRINCIPUM, parte of his noble actes, and also of his falle. Also Galfrydus, in his Brutysshe book, recounteth his lyf. And in dyvers places of Englond many remembraunces ben yet of hym and shall remayne perpetuelly, and also of his knyghtes: fyrst, in the abbey of Westmestre, at Saynt Edwardes shryne, remayneth the prynte of his seal in reed waxe, closed in beryll, in whych is wryton PATRICIUS ARTHURUS BRITANNIE GALLIE GERMANIE DACIE IMPERATOR; item, in the castel of Dover ye may see Gauwayns skulle and Cradoks mantel; at Wynchester, the Rounde Table; in other places Launcelottes swerde and many other thynges.
Thenne, al these thynges consydered, there can no man resonably gaynsaye but there was a kyng of thys lande named Arthur. For in al places, Crysten and hethen, he is reputed and taken for one of the nine worthy, and the fyrst of the thre Crysten men. And also he is more spoken of beyonde the see, moo bookes made of his noble actes, than there be in Englond; as wel in Duche, Ytalyen, Spaynysshe, and Grekysshe, as in Frensshe. And yet of record remayne in wytnesse of hym in Wales, in the toune of Camelot, the grete stones and mervayllous werkys of yron lyeng under the grounde, and ryal vautes, which dyvers now lyvyng hath seen. Wherfor it is a mervayl why he is no more renomed in his owne contreye, sauf onelye it accordeth to the word of God, whyche sayth that no man is accept for a prophete in his owne contreye.
Thenne, al these thynges forsayd aledged, I coude not wel denye but that there was suche a noble kyng named Arthur, and reputed one of the nine worthy, and fyrst and chyef of the Cristen men. And many noble volumes be made of hym and of his noble knyghtes in Frensshe, which I have seen and redde beyonde the see, which been not had in our maternal tongue. But in Walsshe ben many, and also in Frensshe, and somme in Englysshe, but nowher nygh alle. Wherfore, suche as have late ben drawen oute bryefly into Englysshe, I have, after the symple connynge that God hath sente to me, under the favour and correctyon of al noble lordes and gentylmen, enprysed to enprynte a book of the noble hystoryes of the sayd Kynge Arthur and of certeyn of his knyghtes, after a copye unto me delyverd, whyche copye Syr Thomas Malorye dyd take oute of certeyn bookes of Frensshe and reduced it into Englysshe.
And I, accordyng to my copye, have doon sette it in enprynte to the entente that noble men may see and lerne the noble actes of chyvalrye, the jentyl and vertuous dedes that somme knyghtes used in the dayes, by whyche they came to honour, and how they that were vycious were punysshed and ofte put to shame and rebuke; humbly bysechyng al noble lordes and ladyes wyth al other estates, of what estate or degree they been of, that shal see and rede in this sayd book and werke, that they take the good and honest actes in their remembraunce, and to folowe the same; wherin they shalle fynde many joyous and playsaunt hystoryes and noble and renomed actes of humanyté, gentylnesse, and chyvalryes. For herein may be seen noble chyvalrye, curtosye, humanyté, frendlynesse, hardynesse, love, frendshyp, cowardyse, murdre, hate, vertue, and synne. Doo after the good and leve the evyl, and it shal brynge you to good fame and renommee.
And for to passe the tyme thys book shal be plesaunte to
rede in, but for to gyve fayth and byleve that al is trewe that is conteyned herin, ye be at your lyberté. But al is wryton for our doctryne, and for to beware that we falle not to vyce ne synne, but t’exersyse and folowe vertu, by whyche we may come and atteyne to good fame and renommé in thys lyf, and after thys shorte and transytorye lyf to come unto everlastyng biysse in heven; the whyche He graunte us that reygneth in heven, the Blessyd Trynyté. AMEN.
Thenne, to procédé forth in thys sayd book, whyche I dyrecte unto alle noble prynces, lordes, and ladyes, gentylmen or gentylwymmen, that desyre to rede or here redde of the noble and joyous hystorye of the grete conquerour and excellent kyng, Kyng Arthur, somtyme kyng of thys noble royalme thenne callyd Brytaygne, I, Wyllyam Caxton, symple persone, present thys book folowyng whyche I have enprysed t’enprynte: and treateth of the noble actes, feates of armes of chyvalrye, prowesse, hardynesse, humanyté, love, curtosye, and veray gentylnesse, wyth many wonderful hystoryes and adventures.
BOOK I. THE TALE OF KING ARTHUR
I. MERLIN
[1] HIT befel in the dayes of Uther Pendragon, when he was kynge of all Englond and so regned, that there was a myghty duke in Cornewaill that helde warre ageynst hym long tyme, and the duke was called the duke of Tyntagil. And so by meanes kynge Uther send for this duk chargyng hym to brynge his wyf with hym, for she was called a fair lady and a passynge wyse, and her name was called Igrayne.
So whan the duke and his wyf were comyn unto the kynge, by the meanes of grete lordes they were accorded bothe. The kynge lyked and loved this lady wel, and he made them grete chere out of mesure and desyred to have lyen by her, but she was a passyng good woman and wold not assente unto the kynge. And thenne she told the duke her husband and said, ‘I suppose that we were sente for that I shold be dishonoured. Wherfor, husband, I counceille yow that we departe from hens sodenly, that we maye ryde all nyghte unto oure owne castell.’
Complete Works of Sir Thomas Malory Page 1