Complete Works of Sir Thomas Malory

by Thomas Malory

  And anone sir Gawayne arose and sette hys honde to hys swerde and caste hys shylde before hym. But all for naught was hit, for the knyght had no power to aryse agayne hym. Than seyde sir Gawayne, ‘Ye muste yelde you as an overcom man, other ellis I muste sle you!’

  ‘A, sir knyght!’ he seyde, ‘I am but dede! Therefore, for Goddys sake and of youre jantilnes, lede me here unto an abbay, that I may resceyve my Creature.’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Gawayne, ‘I know no house of religion here nyghe.’

  ‘Sir, sette me on an horse tofore you, and I shall teche you.’

  So sir Gawayne sette hym up in the sadyll, and he lepe up behynde hym to sustayne hym. And so they cam to the abbay, and there were well resceyved. And anone he was unarmed and resceyve hys Creature.

  Than he prayde sir Gawayne to drawe oute the truncheon of the speare oute of hys body. Than sir Gawayne asked hym what he was.

  ‘Sir,’ he seyde, ‘I am of kynge Arthurs courte, and was a felow of the Rounde Table, and we were sworne togydir. And now, sir Gawayne, thou hast slayne me. And my name ys sir Uwayne le Avoutres, that somtyme was sone unto kynge Uryen, and I was in the queste of the Sankgreall. And now forgyff the God, for hit shall be ever rehersed that the tone sworne brother hath slayne the other.’

  [3] ‘Alas,’ seyde sir Gawayne, ‘that ever thys mysadventure befelle me!’

  ‘No force,’ seyde sir Uwayne, sytthyn I shall dye this deth, of a much more worshipfuller mannes hande myght I nat dye. But whan ye com to the courte recommaunde me unto my lorde Arthur, and to all them that be leffte on lyve. And for olde brothirhode thynke on me.’

  Than began sir Gawayne to wepe, and also sir Ector. And than sir Uwayne bade hym draw oute the truncheon of the speare. And than sir Gawayne drew hit oute and anone departed the soule frome the body. Than sir Gawayne and sir Ector buryed hym as them ought to bury a kynges sonne and made hit wrytyn uppon hys tombe what was hys name and by whom he was slayne.

  Than departed sir Gawayne and sir Ector as hevy as they myght for their mysseadventure. And so rode tyl that they com to the rowghe mountayne, and there they tyed their horsis and wente on foote to the ermytayge. And whan they were com up they saw a poore house, and besyde the chapell a litill courtelayge where Nacien the ermyte gadred wortis to hys mete, as he whych had tasted none other mete of a grete whyle. And whan he saw the arraunte knyghtes he cam to them and salewed them and they hym agayne.

  ‘Fayre lordis,’ seyde he, ‘what adventure brought you hydir?’

  Than seyde sir Gawayne, ‘to speke with you for to be confessed.’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde the ermyte, ‘I am redy.’

  Than they tolde hym so muche that he wyste welle what they were, and than he thought to counceyle them if he myght.

  Than began sir Gawayne and tolde hym of hys avision that he had in the chapell. And Ector tolde hym all as hit ys before reherced.

  ‘Sir,’ seyde the ermyte unto sir Gawayne, ‘the fayre medow and the rak therein ought to be undirstonde the Rounde Table, and by the medow ought to be undirstonde humilité and paciens; the be the thynges which bene allwey grene and quyk. For that men mowe no tyme overcom humilité and pacience, therefore was the Rounde Table founden, and the shevalry hath ben at all tymes so hyghe by the fraternité which was there that she myght nat be overcom: for men seyde she was founded in paciens and in humilité. At the rack ete an hondred and fyffty bullys, but they ete nat in the medowe, for if they had, their hartes sholde have bene sette in humilité and paciens; and the bullis were proude and blacke sauff only three.

  ‘And by the bullys ys undirstonde the felyshyp of the Rounde Table whych for their synne and their wyckednesse bene blacke; blackenes ys as much to sey withoute good vertues or workes. And the three bulles whych were whyght sauff only one had bene spotted? The too whyght betokenythe sir Galahad and sir Percivale, for they be maydyns and clene withoute spotte, and the thirde, that had a spotte, signifieth sir Bors de Gaynes, which trespassed but onys in hys virginité. But sithyn he kepyth hymselff so wel in chastité that all ys forgyffyn hym and hys myssededys. And why the three were tyed by the neckes, they be three knyghtes in virginité and chastité, and there ys no pryd smytten in them.

  ‘And the blacke bullis whych seyde, “go we hens”, they were the whych at Pentecoste at the hyghe feste toke uppon hem to go in the queste of the Sankgreall withoute confession: they myght nat entir in the medow of humilité and paciens. And therefore they turned into waste contreyes: that signifieth dethe, for there shall dye many off them. For everych of them shall sle othir for synne, and they that shall ascape shall be so megir that hit shall be mervayle to se them. And of the three bullis withoute spotte the one shall com agayne and the other two never.’

  [4] Than spake Nacien unto sir Ector:

  ‘Soth hit ys that sir Launcelot and ye com downe of one chayre; the chayer betokenyth maystership and lordeship which ye too cam downe fro. But ye two knyghtes,’ seyde the ermyte, ‘ye go to seke that ye shall nat fynde, that ys the Sankgreall, for hit ys the secrete thynges of oure Lorde Jesu Cryste. But what ys to meane that sir Launcelot felle doune of hys horse? He hath leffte hys pryde and takyn to humilité, for he hath cryed mercy lowde for hys synne and sore repented hym, and oure Lorde hath clothed hym in Hys clothynge whych ys full of knottes, that ys the hayre that he werith dayly. And the asse that he rode uppon ys a beest of humilité for God wolde nat ryde uppon no styede nother uppon no palferey, in an exemple that an asse betokenyth mekenes, that thou saw sir Launcelot ryde on in thy slepe.

  ‘And the welle whereat the watir sanke frome hym whan he sholde have takyn thereoff? And whan he saw he myght nat have hit he returned from whens he cam, for the welle betokenyth the hyghe grace of God; for the more men desyre hit to take hit, the more shall be their desire. So whan he cam nyghe the Sankgreall he meked hym so that he hylde hym nat the man worthy to be so nyghe the holy vessell, for he had be so defoyled in dedly synne by the space of many yere. Yett whan he kneled downe to drynke of the welle, there he saw grete provydence of the Sankgreall; and for he hath served so longe the devyll he shall have vengeaunce four and twenty dayes, for that he hath bene the devillis servaunte four and twenty yerys. And than sone aftir he shall returne to Camelot oute of thys contrey, and he shall sey a party such thyngis as he hath founde.

  ‘Now woll I telle you what betokenyth the hande with the candill and the brydyll: that ys to undirstonde the Holy Goste where charité ys ever; and the brydyll signifieth abstinens, for whan she ys brydeled in a Crysten mannes herte she holdith hym so shorte that he fallith nat in dedly synne. And the candyll which shewith clernesse and lyght signyfieth the ryght way of Jesu Cryste.

  ‘And whan He wente He seyde, “Knyghtes of pore fayth and of wycked beleve, thes three thynges fayled: charité, abstinaunce and trouthe. Therefore ye may nat attayne thys adventure of the Sankgreall.”’

  ‘Sertes,’ seyde sir Gawayne, ‘full sothly have ye seyde, that I se hit [5] opynly. Now I pray you telle me why we mette nat with so many adventures as we were wonte to do?’

  ‘I shall telle you gladly,’ seyde the good man. ‘The adventure of the Sankgreall whych be in shewynge now, ye and many other have undertakyn the quest of hit, and fynde hit not for hit apperith nat to no synners wherefore mervayle ye nat though ye fayle thereoff and many othir, for ye bene an untrew knyght and a grete murtherar, and to good men signifieth othir thynges than murthir. For I dare sey, as synfull as ever sir Launcelot hath byn, sith that he wente into the queste of the Sankgreal he slew never man nother nought shall, tylle that he com to Camelot agayne; for he hath takyn upon hym to forsake synne. And nere were that he ys nat stable, but by hys thoughte he ys lyckly to turne agayne, he sholde be nexte to encheve hit sauff sir Galahad, hys sonne; but God knowith hys thought and hys unstablenesse. And yett shall he dye ryght an holy man, and no doute he hath no felow of none erthly synfull man lyvyng.’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Gawayne, ‘hit semyth me by youre wordis that for oure synnes hit woll nat avayle
us to travayle in thys queste.’

  ‘Truly,’ seyde the good man, ‘there bene an hondred such as ye bene shall never prevayle but to have shame.’

  And whan they had herde thes wordis they comaunded hym unto God. Than the good man called sir Gawayne and seyde, ‘Hit ys longe tyme passed sith that ye were made knyght and never synnes servyd thou thy Maker, and now thou arte so olde a tre that in the ys neythir leeff, nor grasse, nor fruyte. Wherefore bethynke the that thou yelde to oure Lorde the bare rynde, sith the fende hath the levis and the fruyte.’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Gawayne, ‘and I had leyser I wolde speke with you, but my felow sir Ector ys gone and abithe me yondir bynethe the hylle.’

  ‘Well,’ seyde the good man, ‘thou were better to be counceyled.’ Than departed sir Gawayne and cam to sir Ector, and so toke their horsis and rode tylle that they com to a fosters house, which herberowde them ryght welle. And on the morne departed frome hir oste and rode longe or they cowthe fynde ony adventure.

  NOW TURNYTH THYS TALE UNTO SYR BORS DE GANYS.

  VI. SIR BORS

  [6] WHAN sir Bors was departed frome Camelot he mette with a religious man rydynge on an asse, and anone sir Bors salewed hym. And anone the good man knew that he was one of the knyghtes arraunte that was in the queste of the Sankgreall.

  ‘What ar ye?’ seyde the good man.

  ‘Sir,’ seyde he, ‘I am a knyght that fayne wolde be counceyled, that ys entirde into the queste of the Sankgreall. For he shall have much erthly worship that may bryng hit to an ende.’

  ‘Sertes,’ seyde the good man, ‘that ys sothe withoute fayle, for he shall be the beste knyght of the worlde and the fayryst of the felyship. But wyte you welle there shall none attayne hit but by clennes, that ys pure confession.’

  So rode they togydir tyll that they com unto a litill ermytayge, and there he prayde sir Bors to dwelle all that nyght. And he so put of hys armoure and prayde hym that he myght be confessed, and so they went into the chappel and there he was clene confessed. And so they ete brede and dranke watir togydir.

  ‘Now,’ seyde the good man, ‘I pray the that thou ete none other tyll that thou sitte at the table where the Sankgreal shall be.’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde he, ‘I agré me thereto. But how know ye that I shall sytte there?’

  ‘Yes,’ seyde the good man, ‘that know I well, but there shall be but fewe of youre felowis with you.’

  ‘All ys wellcomme,’ seyde sir Bors, ‘that God sendith me.’

  ‘Also,’ seyde the good man, ‘insteede of a shurte, and in sygne of chastisemente, ye shall were a garmente. Therefore I pray you do of all your clothys and youre shurte.’

  And so he dud. And than he toke hym a scarlet cote so that sholde be hys instede of hys sherte tylle he had fulfilled the queste of the Sankegreall. And thys good man founde hym in so mervales a lyffe and so stable that he felte he was never gretly correpte in fleysshly lustes but in one tyme that he begat Elyan le Blanke.

  Than he armyd hym and toke hys leve, and so departed. And so a litill frome thens he loked up into a tre and there he saw a passynge grete birde uppon that olde tre. And hit was passyng drye, withoute leyffe; so she sate above and had birdis whiche were dede for hungir. So at the laste he smote hymselffe with hys beke which was grete and sherpe, and so the grete birde bledde so faste that he dyed amonge hys birdys. And the yonge birdys toke lyff by the bloode of the grete birde.

  Whan sir Bors saw thys he wyste well hit was a grete tokenynge; for whan he saw the grete birde arose nat, than he toke hys horse and yode hys way. And so by aventure, by evynsonge tyme, he cam to a stronge towre and an hyghe, and there was he herberowde gladly. And whan he was unarmed they lad hym into an hyghe towre where was a lady, yonge, lusty and fayre, and she resceyved hym with grete joy and made hym to sitte down by her. And anone he was sette to supper with fleyssh and many deyntees.

  But whan sir Bors saw that, he bethought hym on hys penaunce and bade a squyre to brynge hym watir. And so he brought hym, and he made soppis therein and ete them.

  ‘A,’ seyde the lady, ‘I trow ye lyke nat youre mete.’

  ‘Yes truly,’ seyde sir Bors, ‘God thanke you, madam, but I may nat ete none other mete to-day.’

  Than she spake no more as at that tyme, for she was lothe to displease hym. Than aftir supper they spake of one thynge and of othir. So with that there cam a squyre and seyde, ‘Madam, ye muste purvey you to-morne for a champion, for ellis youre syster woll have thys castell and also youre londys, excepte ye can fynde a knyght that woll fyght to-morne in youre quarell ayenste sir Prydam le Noyre.’

  Than she made grete sorow and seyde, ‘A, Lorde God! wherefore graunted ye me to holde my londe whereof I sholde now be disherited withoute reson and ryght?’

  And whan sir Bors herde hir sey thus he seyde, ‘I shall comforte you.’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde she, ‘I shall telle you: there was here a kynge that hyghte Anyausse whych hylde all thys londe in hys kepynge. So hit myssehapped he loved a jantillwoman a grete dele elder than I. And so he toke her all the londe in hir kepynge and all hys men to governe, and she brought up many evyll custums whereby she put to dethe a grete party of his kynnesmen. And whan he saw that, he commaunded her oute of this londe and bytoke hit me, and all thys londe in my demenys. But anone as that worthy kynge was dede thys other lady began to warre uppon me, and hath destroyed many of my men and turned hem ayenste me, that I have well-nyghe no man leffte me, and I have naught ellis but thys hyghe towre that she leffte me. And yet she hath promysed me to have thys towre withoute I can fynde a knyght to fyght with her champion.’

  ‘Now telle me,’ seyde sir Bors, ‘what ys that Prydam le Noyre?”Sir, he ys the moste douted man of thys londe.’

  ‘Than may ye sende hir worde that ye have founde a knyght that shall fyght with that Prydam le Noyre in Goddis quarelle and youres.’

  So that lady was than glad and sente her worde that she was purveyde. And so that nyght sir Bors had passyng good chere, but in no bedde he wolde com but leyde hym on the floore, nor never wolde do otherwyse tyll that he had mette with the queste of the Sankegreall.

  [8] And anone as he was aslepe hym befelle a vision: that there cam two birdis, that one whyght as a swanne and that other was merveylous blacke; but he was nat so grete as was that other, but in the lyknes of a raven. Than the whyght birde cam to hym and seyde, ‘And thou woldist gyff me mete and serve me, I sholde gyff the all the ryches of the worlde, and I shall make the as fayre and as whyght as I am.’

  So the whyght birde departed. And than cam the blacke birde to hym and seyde, ‘And thou serve me to-morow and have me in no dispite, thoughe I be blacke. For wyte thou well that more avaylith myne blacknesse than the odirs whyghtnesse.’

  And than he departed. Than he had anothir vision: that he cam to a grete place which semed a chapell, and there he founde a chayre sette, on the lyffte syde which was a worme-etyn and fyeble tre besyde hit, and on the ryght honde were two floures lyke a lylye, and that one wolde a benomme the tother theyre whyghtnes. But a good man departed them, that they towched none othir, and than oute of eche floure com oute many floures and fruyte grete plenté. Than hym thought the good man seyde, ‘Sholde nat he do grete foly that wolde lette thes two floures perishe for to succoure the rottyn tre that hyt felle nat to the erthe?’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde he, ‘hit semyth me that thys wood myght nat avayle.’

  ‘Now kepe the,’ seyde the good man, ‘that thou never se such adventure befalle the.’

  Than he awaked and made a sygne of the crosse in myddys of the forehede, and so he arose and clothed hym. And anone there cam the lady of the place, and she salewed hym and he her agayne, and so wente to a chapell and herd their servyse.

  And anone there cam a company of knyghtes that the lady had sente for, to lede sir Bors unto the batayle. Than asked he his armys, and whan he was armed she prayde hym to take a lytyll morsell to dyne.

  ‘Nay, madam,’ seyde he, ‘that shall I nat do tylle I have
done my batayle, by the grace of God.’

  And so he lepe uppon hys horse and departed, and all the knyghtes and men with hym.

  And as sone as thes two ladyes mette togydir, she which sir Bors sholde fyght for, she playned hir and seyde, ‘Madam, ye have done grete wronge to beryve me my landis that kyng Anyauss gaff me, and full lothe I am there sholde be ony batayle.’

  ‘Ye shall nat chose,’ seyde the other, ‘ellis lat your knyght withdraw hym.’

  Than there was the cry made, which party had the bettir of the two knyghtes, that hys lady sholde rejoyse all the londys.

  Than departed the one knyght here and the other there. Than they cam togydirs with such raundom that they perced their shildes and their habergeons, and their spearis flye in pecis, and they sore wounded. Than hurteled they togydyrs so that they beete eche other to the erthe and theire horsis betwene their leggis. And anone they arose and sette handis to their swerdys and smote eche one other uppon their hedys, that they made grete woundis and depe, that the blode wente oute of hyr bodyes. For there founde sir Bors gretter deffence in that knyght more than he wente; for thys sir Prydam was a passyng good knyght, and wounded sir Bors full evyll, and he hym agayne. But ever sir Pridam hylde the stowre inlyche harde. That perceyved sir Bors and suffird hym tylle he was nyghe ataynte, and than he ranne uppon hym more and more, and the other wente backe for drede of dethe.

  So in hys withdrawyng he felle upryght, and sir Bors drew hys helme so strongely that he rente hit frome hys hede, and gaff hym many sadde strokes with the flatte of hys swerde uppon the visayge, and bade hym yelde hym or he sholde sle hym. Than he cryed hym mercy and seyde, ‘Fayre knyght, for Goddis love, sle me nat, and I shall ensure the never to warre ayenste thy lady, but be allway towarde hir.’

  So sir Bors gaffe hym hys lyff, and anone the olde lady fledde with [9] all hir knyghtes. Than called sir Bors all the that hylde landis of hys lady, and seyde he sholde destroy them but if they dud such servyse unto her as longed to their londys. So they dud her omayge, and they that wolde nat were chaced oute of their londis, that hit befelle that the yonge lady com to her astate agayne be the myghty prouesse of sir Bors de Ganys.