Complete Works of Sir Thomas Malory

by Thomas Malory

  ‘What tydynges at Camelot?’ seyde that one knyght.

  ‘Be my hede,’ seyde the other, ‘there have I bene and aspied the courte of kynge Arthure, and there ys such a felyshyp that they may never be brokyn, and well-nyghe all the world holdith with Arthure, for there ys the floure of chevalry. And now for thys cause am I rydyng into the Northe: to telle oure chyfftaynes of the felyship that ys withholdyn with kynge Arthure.’

  ‘As for that,’ seyde the othir knyght, ‘I have brought a remedy with me that ys the grettist poysen that ever ye herde speke off. And to Camelot woll I with hit, for we have a frende ryght nyghe the kynge, well cheryshed, that shall poysen kynge Arthur, for so hath he promysed oure chyfftaynes, and receyved grete gyfftis for to do hit.’

  ‘Beware,’ seyde the othir knyght, ‘of Merlion, for he knowith all thynges by the devylles craffte.’

  ‘As for that, woll I nat lett,’ seyde the knyght; and so they departed in sondir.

  And anone aftir that kynge Pellynor made hym redy, and hys lady, and rode towarde Camelot. And as they com by the welle thereas the wounded knyght was and the lady, there he founde the knyght and the lady etyn with lyons othir with wylde bestis, all save the hede, wherefore he made grete sorow and wepte passynge sore, and seyde, ‘Alas! hir lyff myght I have saved, but I was ferse in my queste that I wolde nat abyde.’

  ‘Wherefore make ye such doole?’ seyde the lady.

  ‘I wote nat,’ seyde kynge Pellinore, ‘but my herte rwyth sore of the deth of hir that lyeth yondir, for she was a passyng fayre lady, and a yonge.’

  ‘Now, woll ye do by myne advise? Take the knyght and lette hym be buryed in an ermytage, and than take the ladyes hede and bere hit with you unto kynge Arthure.’ So kynge Pellynor toke thys dede knyght on hys shyld and brought hym to the ermytage, and charged the heremyte with the corse, that servyse sholde be done for the soule.

  ‘And take ye hys harneyse for youre payne.’

  ‘Hit shall be done,’ seyde the hermyte, ‘as I woll answere to God.’

  [15] And therewith they departed and com thereas the lady lay with a fayre yalow here. Thatgreved kynge Pellynore passynge sore whan he loked on hit, for much hys herte caste unto that vysage. And so by noone they come unto Camelot, and the kynge and the quene was passyng fayne of hys commynge to the courte. And there he was made to swere uppon the four Evangelistes to telle the trouthe of hys queste frome the one ende to that other.

  ‘A, kynge Pellynor,’ seyde quene Gwenyver, ‘ye were gretly to blame that ye saved nat thys ladyes lyff.’

  ‘Madam,’ seyde kynge Pellynore, ‘ye were gretely to blame and ye wolde nat save youre owne lyff and ye myght. But, salf youre displesure, I was so furyous in my queste that I wolde nat abyde, and that repentis me and shall do dayes of my lyff.’

  ‘Truly ye ought sore to repente hit,’ seyde Merlion, ‘for that lady was youre owne doughtir, begotyn of the lady of the Rule, and that knyght that was dede was hir love and sholde have wedded hir, and he was a ryght good knyght of a yonge man, and wolde a proved a good man. And to this courte was he commynge, and hys name was sir Myles of the Laundis, and a knyght com behynde hym and slew hym with a spere, and hys name was Lorayne le Saveage, a false knyght and a cowherde. And she for grete sorow and dole slew hirselff with his swerde, and hyr name was Alyne. And because ye wolde nat abyde and helpe hir, ye shall se youre beste frende fayle you whan ye be in the grettist distresse that ever ye were othir shall be. And that penaunce God hath ordayned you for that dede, that he that ye sholde truste moste on of ony man on lyve, he shall leve you there ye shall be slayne.’

  ‘Me forthynkith hit,’ seyde kynge Pellynor, ‘that thus shall me betyde, but God may well fordo desteny.’

  Thus whan the queste was done of the whyght herte the whych folowed sir Gawayne, and the queste of the brachet whych folowed sir Torre, kynge Pellynors son, and the queste of the lady that the knyghte toke away, whych at that tyme folowed kynge Pellynor, than the kynge stablysshed all the knyghtes and gaff them rychesse and londys; and charged them never to do outerage nothir morthir, and allwayes to fle treson, and to gyff mercy unto hym that askith mercy, uppon payne of forfiture of their worship and lordship of kynge Arthure for evirmore; and allwayes to do ladyes, damesels, and jantilwomen and wydowes socour: strengthe hem in hir ryghtes, and never to enforce them, uppon payne of dethe. Also, that no man take no batayles in a wrongefull quarell for no love ne for no worldis goodis. So unto thys were all knyghtis sworne of the Table Rounde, both olde and yonge, and every yere so were they sworne at the hygh feste of Pentecoste.

  EXPLICIT THE WEDDYNG OF KYNG ARTHUR.

  IV. THE WAR WITH THE FIVE KINGS

  [1] So aftir thes questis of syr Gawayne, syr Tor, and kynge Pellynore, [1] than hit befelle that Merlyon felle in dotage on the damesell that kynge Pellynore brought to courte; and she was one of the damesels of the Lady of the Laake, that hyght Nyneve. But Merlion wolde nat lette her have no reste, but allwayes he wolde be wyth her. And ever she made Merlion good chere tylle sche had lerned of hym all maner of thynges that sche desyred; and he was assoted uppon hir, that he myght nat be from hir.

  So on a tyme he tolde to kynge Arthure that he scholde nat endure longe, but for all his craftes he scholde be putte into the erthe quyk. And so he tolde the kyng many thyngis that scholde befalle, but allwayes he warned the kyng to kepe well his swerde and the scawberde, for he told hym how the swerde and the scawberde scholde be stolyn by a woman frome hym that he moste trusted. Also he tolde kyng Arthure that he scholde mysse hym.

  And yett had ye levir than all youre londis have me agayne.’

  ‘A,’ sayde the kyng, ‘syn ye knowe of youre evil adventure, purvey for hit, and putt hit away by youre crauftes, that mysseadventure.”Nay,’ seyde Merlion, ‘hit woll not be.’

  He departed frome the kyng, and within a whyle the damesell of the Lake departed, and Merlyon went with her evermore wheresomever she yeode. And oftyntymes Merlion wolde have had hir prevayly away by his subtyle crauftes. Than she made hym to swere that he sholde never do none inchauntemente uppon hir if he wolde have his wil, and so he swore. Than she and Merlyon wente over the see unto the londe of Benwyke thereas kyng Ban was kyng, that had grete warre ayenste kyng Claudas.

  And there Merlion spake with kyng Bayans wyff, a fayre lady and a good; hir name was Elayne. And there he sawe yonge Launcelot. And there the queene made grete sorowe for the mortal werre that kyng Claudas made on hir londis.

  ‘Take none hevynesse,’ seyde Merlyon, ‘for this same chylde yonge Launcelot shall within this twenty yere revenge you on kyng Claudas, that all Crystendom shall speke of hit; and this same chylde shall be the moste man of worship of the worlde. And his fyrst name ys Galahad, that know I well,’ seyde Merlyon, ‘and syn ye have confermed hym Launcelot.’

  ‘That is trouth,’ seyde the quene, ‘his name was fyrst Galahad. A, Merlyon,’ seyde the quene, ‘shall I lyve to se my son suche a man of prouesse?’

  ‘Yee, hardely, lady, on my perelle ye shall se hit, and lyve many wyntirs aftir.’

  Than sone aftir the lady and Merlyon departed. And by weyes he shewed hir many wondyrs, and so come into Cornuayle. And allwayes he lay aboute to have hir maydynhode, and she was ever passynge wery of hym and wolde have bene delyverde of hym, for she was aferde of hym for cause he was a devyls son, and she cowde not be skyfte of hym by no meane. And so one a tyme Merlyon ded shew hir in a roche whereas was a grete wondir and wrought by enchauntement that went undir a grete stone. So by hir subtyle worchyng she made Merlyon to go undir that stone to latte hir wete of the mervayles there, but she wrought so there for hym that he come never oute for all the craufte he coude do, and so she departed and leffte Merlyon.

  And as king Arthure rode to Camelot and helde there a grete [2] feste with myrth and joy, and sone aftir he returned unto Cardolle. And there come unto Arthure newe tydynges that the kyng of Denmarke and the kyng of Irelonde, that was his brothir, and the kyng of the Vale and the kynge of Sorleyse and
the kyng of the lie of Longtaynse, all these fyve kynges with a grete oste was entirde into the londis of kyng Arthure and brent and slewe and distroyed clene byfore hem bothe the citeis and castels, that hit was pité to here.

  ‘Alas!’ seyde Arthure, yet had I never reste one monethe syne I was kyng crowned of this londe. Now shall I never reste tylle I mete with the kyngis in a fayre felde, that I make myne avow; for my trwe lyege peple shall not be destroyed in my defaughte. Therefore go with me who so woll, and abyde who that wyll.’

  Than kyng Arthure lette wryte unto kyng Pellynor and prayde hym in all haste to make hym redy ‘with suche peple as we myght lyghtlyeste arere,’ and to hyghe hym aftir in haste. Than all the barownes were wrothe prevayly that the kynge wolde departe so suddaynly; but the kynge by no meane wolde abyde, but made wrytyng unto them that were nat ther and bade hyghe them aftir hym suche as were nat at that tyme at that courte. Than the kynge come to quene Gwenyver and seyde unto her, ‘Madame, make you redy, for ye shall go with me, for I may nat longe mysse you. Ye shall cause me to be the more hardy, what adventure so befalle me; yette woll I nat wyghte my lady to be in no joupardye.’

  ‘Sir,’ she seyde, ‘I am at youre commaundemente, and shall be redy at all tymes.’

  So on the morne the kyng and the quene departed with suche felyship as they had and come into the North, into a forerste besyde Humbir, and there lodged hem. So whan this worde come unto the fyve kynges, abovynseyde that Arthure was besyde Humbir in a foreste, so there was a knyght, brothir unto one of the fyve kynges, that gaff hem suche counseyle:

  ‘Ye knowe well that sir Arthur hath the floure of chevalry of the worlde with hym, and hit preved by the grete batayle he did with the eleven kynges. And therefore hyghe ye unto hym nyght and day tyll that we be nyghe hym, for the lenger he taryeth the bygger he is, and we ever the weyker. And he is so corageous of hymself that he is com to the felde with lytyll peple, and therefore lette us sette uppon hym or day, and we shall sle downe of his knyghtes that none shall helpe other of them.’

  [3] Soo unto this counseyle these five kynges assented, and so they passed forth with hir oste thorow North Walys and come uppon Arthure be nyght and sette uppon his oste as the kynge and his knyghtes were in theire pavylyons. So kynge Arthure was unarmed and leyde hym to reste with his quene Gwenyvere.

  ‘Sir,’ seyde Kayyus, ‘hit is nat beste we be unarmed.’

  ‘We shall have no nede,’ seyde sir Gawayne and sir Gryflet that lay in a lytyll pavylyon by the kynge.

  So with that they harde a grete noyse and many cryed ‘Treson!”Alas!’ seyde Arthure, ‘we be betrayed! Unto armys, felowys!’ than he cryed. So they were armed anone at all poyntes.

  Than come there a wounded knyght unto the kynge and seyde, ‘Sir, save youreself and my lady the quene, for oure oste is destroyed, and slayne is much of our people.’

  So anone the kynge and the quene and the three knyghtes toke hir horses and rode toward Humbir to passe over hit, and the water was so rowgh that they were aferde to passe over hit.

  ‘Now may ye chose,’ seyde kynge Arthure, ‘whethir ye woll abyde and take the adventure on this syde, for and ye be takyn they wol sle you.’

  ‘Yet were me lever to dey in this watir than to falle in youre enemyes handis,’ seyde the quene, ‘and there to be slayne.’

  And as they stode talkyng sir Kayus saw the fyve kynges commynge on horsebak by hemself alone, wyth hir sperys in hir hondis, evyn towarde hem.

  ‘Lo,’ seyde sir Kayus, ‘yondir be the fyve kynges. Lette us go to them and macche hem.’

  ‘That were foly,’ seyde sir Gawayne, ‘for we ar but four, and they be fyve.’

  That is trouth,’ seyde sir Gryfflette.

  ‘No force,’ seyd sir Kayus. ‘I woll undirtake for two of the beste of hem, and than may ye three undirtake for all the othir three.’

  And therewithal sir Kay lette his horse renne as faste as he myght to encountir with one of them, and strake one of the kynges thorow the shelde and also the body a fadom, that the kyng felle to the erthe starke dede. That saw sir Gawayne and ran unto anothir kyng so harde that he smote hym downe and thorow the body with a spere, that he felle to the erthe dede. Anone sir Arthure ran to anothir and smote hym thorow the body with a spere, that he fell to the erthe dede. Than sir Gryfflet ran to the fourth kynge and gaff hym suche a falle that his necke brake in sondir. Than sir Kay ran unto the fyfth kynge and smote hym so harde on the helme that the stroke clave the helme and hede to the erthe.

  ‘That was well stryken,’ seyde kynge Arthure, ‘and worshipfully haste thou holde thy promyse; therefore I shall honoure the whyle that I lyve.’

  And therewithall they sette the quene in a barge into Humbir. But allwayes quene Gwinyvere praysed sir Kay for his dedis and seyde, ‘What lady that ye love and she love you nat agayne, she were gretly to blame. And amonge all ladyes,’ seyde the quene, ‘I shall bere your noble fame, for ye spake a grete worde and fulfylled hit worshipfully.’

  And therewith the quene departed. Than the kynge and the three knyghtes rode into the foreste, for there they supposed to here of them that were ascapid, and there founde the moste party of his peple, and tolde hem how the fyve kynges were dede.

  ‘And therefore lette us holde us togedyrs tyll hit be day, and whan hir oste have aspyed that their chyfteynes be slayne they woll make such dole that they shall nat helpe hemself.’

  And ryght as the kynge seyde, so hit was, for whan they founde the fyve kynges dede they made such dole that they felle downe of there horsis. And therewithal! com in kyng Arthure but with a fewe peple and slewe on the ryght honde and the lyffte honde, that well nye there ascaped no man, but all were slayne to the numbir of thirty thousand. And whan the batayle was all ended the kynge kneled downe and thanked God mekely. And than he sente for the quene. And anone she was com and made grete joy of the overcommynge of that batayle.

  [4] Therewithall come one to kynge Arthure and tolde hym that kynge Pellynore was within three myle with a grete oste. And so he seyde, Go unto hym and let hym undirstonde how we have spedde.’ So within a whyle kyng Pellynore com with a grete oste and salewed the peple and the kynge, and there was grete joy on every syde. Than the kynge let serch how many peple he had slayne, and there was founde but lytyll paste two hondred men slayne and eyght knyghtes of the Table Rounde in their pavylyons.

  Than the kynge lat rere and devyse, in the same place thereas the batayle was done and made, a fayre abbay, and endewed hit with grete lyvelode, and let calle hit the Abbay of La Beale Adventure. But whan som of them come into there contrayes thereas the fyve kynges were kynges, and tolde hem how they were slayne, there was made grete dole. And all the kynge Arthurs enemyes, as the kynge of North Walis and the kynges of the Northe, knewe of this batayle; they were passynge hevy.

  And so the kynge retourned unto Camelot in haste. And whan he was com to Camelot he called kyng Pellynore unto hym and seyde, ‘Ye undirstonde well that we have loste eyght knyghtes of the beste of the Table Rounde, and by youre advyse we must chose eyght knyghtes of the beste we may fynde in this courte.’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde Pellynore, ‘I shall counsayle you aftir my conceyte the beste wyse. There ar in youre courte full noble knyghtes bothe of olde and yonge. And be myne advyse ye shall chose half of the olde and half of the yonge.’

  ‘Whych be the olde?’ seyde kynge Arthure.

  ‘Sir, mesemyth kynge Uryence that hath wedded youre sistir Morgan le Fay, and the kynge of the Lake, and sir Hervyse de Revell, a noble knyght, and sir Galagars the fourthe.’

  ‘This is well devysed,’ seyde Arthure, ‘and ryght so shall hit be. Now, whyche ar the four yonge knyghtes?’

  ‘Sir, the fyrste is sir Gawayne, youre nevew, that is as good a knyght of his tyme as is ony in this londe. And the secunde as mesemyth beste is sir Gryfflette le Fyse de Du, that is a good knyght and full desyrous in armys, and who may se hym lyve, be shall preve a good knyght. And the thirde as mesemyth ys well worthy to be one of the Table Rounde, si
r Kay the Senesciall, for many tymes he hath done full worshipfully. And now at youre laste batayle he dud full honorably for to undirtake to sle two kynges.’

  ‘Be my hede,’ seyde Arthure, ye sey soth. He is beste worthy to be a knyght of the Rounde Table of ony that is rehersed yet, and he had done no more prouesse his lyve dayes.’

  ‘Now,’ seyde kynge Pellynore, ‘chose you of two knyghtes that I [5] shall reherce whyche is most worthy, of sir Bagdemagus and sir Tor, my son; but for because he is my son I may nat prayse hym, but ellys and he were nat my son I durste say that of his age there is nat in this londe a better knyght than he is, nother of bettir condycions, and loth to do ony wronge and loth to take ony wronge.’

  ‘Be my hede,’ seyde Arthure, ‘he is a passyng good knight as ony ye spake of this day. That wote I well,’ seyde the kynge, ‘for I have sene hym proved; but he seyth but lytil, but he doth much more, for I know none in all this courte, and he were as well borne on his modir syde as he is on youre syde, that is lyke hym of prouesse and of myght. And therefore I woll have hym at this tyme and leve sir Bagdemagus tyll anothir tyme.’

  So whan they were chosyn by the assent of the barouns, so were there founden in hir seges every knyghtes name that here ar reherced. And so were they sette in hir seges, whereof sir Bagdemagus was wondirly wrothe that sir Tor was avaunced afore hym. And therefore soddeynly he departed frome the courte and toke his squyre with hym and rode longe in a foreste tyll they come to a crosse, and there he alyght and seyde his prayers devoutely. The meanewhyle his squyre founde wretyn uppon the crosse that Bagdemagus sholde never retourne unto the courte agayne tyll he had wonne a knyght of the Table Rounde body for body.

  ‘Loo,’ seyde his squyer, ‘here I fynde wrytyng of you; therefore I rede you, returne agayne to the courte.’