Complete Works of Sir Thomas Malory

by Thomas Malory

  Here is the end of the book of King Arthur, and of his noble knights of the Round Table, that when they were whole together there was ever an hundred and forty. And here is the end of the death of Arthur. I pray you all, gentlemen and gentlewomen that readeth this book of Arthur and his knights, from the beginning to the ending, pray for me while I am alive, that God send me good deliverance, and when I am dead, I pray you all pray for my soul. For this book was ended the ninth year of the reign of King Edward the Fourth, by Sir Thomas Maleore, knight, as Jesu help him for his great might, as he is the servant of Jesu both day and night.

  Thus endeth this noble and joyous book entitled Le Morte Darthur. Notwithstanding it treateth of the birth, life, and acts of the said King Arthur, of his noble knights of the Round Table, their marvellous enquests and adventures, the achieving of the Sangreal, and in the end the dolorous death and departing out of this world of them all. Which book was reduced into English by Sir Thomas Malory, knight, as afore is said, and by me divided into twenty-one books, chaptered and emprinted, and finished in the abbey, Westminster, the last day of July the year of our Lord MCCCCLXXX{?}.

  Caxton me fieri fecit.

  GLOSSARY

  Abashed, abased, lowered,

  Abate, depress, calm,

  Abought, paid for,

  Abraid, started,

  Accompted, counted,

  Accorded, agreed,

  Accordment, agreement,

  Acquit, repay,

  Actually, actively,

  Adoubted, afraid,

  Advision, vision,

  Afeard, afraid,

  Afterdeal, disadvantage,

  Againsay, retract,

  Aknown, known,

  Aligement, alleviation,

  Allegeance, alleviation,

  Allow, approve,

  Almeries, chests,

  Alther, gen. pl., of all,

  Amounted, mounted,

  Anealed, anointed,

  Anguishly, in pain,

  Anon, at once,

  Apair, weaken,

  Apparelled, fitted up,

  Appeach, impeach,

  Appealed, challenged, accused,

  Appertices, displays,

  Araged, enraged, ; confused,

  Araised, raised,

  Arase, obliterate,

  Areared, reared,

  Armyvestal, martial,

  Array, plight, state of affairs,

  Arrayed, situated,

  Arson, saddle-bow,

  Askance, casually,

  Assoiled, absolved,

  Assotted, infatuated,

  Assummon, summon,

  Astonied, amazed, stunned,

  At, of, by,

  At-after, after,

  Attaint, overcome,

  Aumbries, chests,

  Avail (at), at an advantage,

  Avaled, lowered,

  Avaunt, boast,

  Aventred, couched,

  Avised, be advised, take thought,

  Avision, vision,

  Avoid, quit,

  Avoided, got clear off,

  Avow, vow,

  Await of (in), in watch for,

  Awayward, away,

  Awke, sideways,

  Bachelors, probationers for knighthood

  Bain, bath,

  Barbican, gate-tower,

  Barget, little ship,

  Battle, division of an army,

  Bawdy, dirty,

  Beams, trumpets,

  Be-closed, enclosed,

  Become, pp., befallen, gone to,

  Bedashed, splashed,

  Behests, promises,

  Behight, promised,

  Beholden (beholding) to, obliged to,

  Behote, promised,

  Benome, deprived, taken away,

  Besants, gold coins,

  Beseek, beseech,

  Beseen, appointed, arrayed,

  Beskift, shove off,

  Bested, beset,

  Betaken, entrusted,

  Betaught, entrusted, recommended,

  Betid, happened,

  Betook, committed, entrusted,

  Bevered, quivered,

  Board, sb., deck,

  Bobaunce, boasting, pride,

  Boishe, bush, branch of a tree,

  Boistous, rough,

  Bole, trunk of a tree,

  Boot, remedy,

  Borrow out, redeem,

  Borrows, pledges,

  Bote, remedy,

  Bound, ready,

  Bourded, jested,

  Bourder, jester,

  Braced, embraced,

  Brachet, little hound,

  Braide, quick movement,

  Brast, burst, break,

  Breaths, breathing holes,

  Brief, shorten,

  Brim, fierce, furious,

  Brised, broke,

  Broached, pierced,

  Broaches, spits,

  Bur, hand-guard of a spear,

  Burble, bubble,

  Burbling, bubbling,

  Burgenetts, buds, blossoms,

  Bushment, ambush,

  By and by, immediately,

  Bywaryed, expended, bestowed,

  Canel bone, collar bone,

  Cankered, inveterate,

  Cantel, slice, strip,

  Careful, sorrowful, full of troubles,

  Cast (of bread), loaves baked at the same time,

  Cast, ref: v., propose,

  Cedle, schedule, note,

  Cere, wax over, embalm,; cerel,

  Certes, certainly,

  Chafe, heat, decompose,; chafed, heated,

  Chaflet, platform, scaffold,

  Champaign, open country,

  Chariot (Fr charette), cart,

  Cheer, countenance, entertainment,

  Chierte, dearness,

  Chrism, anointing oil,

  Clatter, talk confusedly,

  Cleight, clutched,

  Cleped, called,

  Clipping, embracing,

  Cog, small boat,

  Cognisance, badge, mark of distinction,

  Coif, head-piece,

  Comfort, strengthen, help,

  Cominal, common,

  Complished, complete,

  Con, know, be able, ; con thanlt, be grateful,

  Conserve, preserve,

  Conversant, abiding in,

  Cording, agreement,

  Coronal, circlet,

  Cost, side,

  Costed, kept up with,

  Couched, lay,

  Courage, encourage,

  Courtelage, courtyard,

  Covert, sheltered,

  Covetise, covetousness,

  Covin, deceit,

  Cream, oil,

  Credence, faith,

  Croup, crupper,

  Curteist, most courteous,

  Daffish, foolish,

  Danger (in), under obligation to, in the power of,

  Dawed, v tr., revived, intr. dawned,

  Deadly, mortal, human,

  Deal, part, portion,

  Debate, quarrel, strife,

  Debonair, courteous,

  Deceivable, deceitful,

  Defaded, faded,

  Default, fault,

  Defend, forbid,; defended,; forbidden,

  Defoiled, trodden down, fouled, deflowered,

  Degree (win the), rank, superiority,

  Delibered, determined,

  Deliverly, adroitly,

  Departed, divided,

  Departition, departure,

  Dere, harm,

  Descrive, describe,

  Despoiled, stripped,

  Detrenched, cut to pieces,

  Devised, looked carefully at,

  Devoir, duty, service,

  Did off, doffed,

  Dight, prepared,

  Dindled, trembled,

  Disadventure, misfortune,

  Discover, reveal,

  Disherited, disinherited,

  Disparpled, scattered,

  Dispenses, expenses,
>
  Disperplyd, scattered,

  Dispoiled, stripped,

  Distained, sullied, dishonoured,

  Disworship, shame,

  Dole, gift of alms,

  Dole, sorrow,

  Domineth, dominates, rules,

  Don, gift,

  Doted, foolish,

  Doubted, redoubtable,

  Draughts, privities, secret interviews, recesses,

  Drenched, drowned,

  Dress, make ready,

  Dressed up, raised,

  Dretched, troubled in sleep,

  Dretching, being troubled in sleep,

  Dromounds, war vessels,

  Dure, endure, last,; dured,; during,

  Duresse, bondage, hardship,

  Dwined, dwindled,

  Eased, entertained,

  Eft, after, again,

  Eftures, passages,

  Embattled, ranged for battle,

  Embushed, concealed in the woods,

  Eme, uncle,

  Empoison, poison,

  Emprised, undertook,

  Enbraid,

  Enchafe, heat,; enchafed, heated,

  Enchieve, achieve,

  Endlong, alongside of,

  Enewed, painted,

  Enforce, constrain,

  Engine, device,

  Enow, enough,

  Enquest, enterprise,

  Ensured, assured,

  Entermete, intermeddle,

  Errant, wandering,

  Estates, ranks,

  Even hand, at an equality,

  Evenlong, along,

  Everych, each, every one,

  Faiter, vagabond,

  Fare, sb., ado, commotion,

  Faren, pp., treated,

  Faute, lack,; fauted, lacked,

  Fealty, oath of fidelity,

  Fear, frighten,

  Feute, trace, track,

  Feuter, set in rest, couch,

  Feutred, set in socket,

  Fiaunce, affiance, promise,

  Flang, flung,; rushed,

  Flatling, prostrate,

  Fleet, float,

  Flemed, put to flight,

  Flittered, fluttered,

  Foiled, defeated, shamed,

  Foined, thrust,

  Foining, thrusting,

  Foins, thrusts,

  Foot-hot, hastily,

  For-bled, spent with bleeding,

  Force (no), no concern,

  Fordeal, advantage,

  Fordo, destroy,; fordid,

  Forecast, preconcerted plot,

  For-fared, worsted,

  Forfend, forbid,

  Forfoughten, weary with fighting,

  Forhewn, hewn to pieces,

  Forjousted, tired with jousting,

  Forthinketh, repents,

  Fortuned, happened,

  Forward, vanguard,

  Forwowmded, sorely wounded,

  Free, noble,

  Freshed,

  Froward, away from,

  Gad, wedge or spike of iron,

  Gainest, readiest,

  Gar, cause,

  Gart, compelled,

  Gentily, like a gentleman,

  Gerfalcon, a fine hawk,

  Germane, closely allied,

  Gest, deed, story,

  Gisarm, halberd, battle-axe,

  Glaive, sword,

  Glasting, barking,

  Glatisant, barking, yelping,

  Gobbets, lumps,

  Graithed, made ready,

  Gree, degree, superiority,

  Greed, pp., pleased, content,

  Grescs, steps,

  Grimly, ugly,

  Grovelling, on his face,

  Guerdonless, without reward,

  Guise, fashion,

  Habergeon, hauberk with leggings attached,

  Hair, a hair-shirt,

  Hale and how, a sailor’s cry,

  Halp, helped,

  Halsed, embraced,

  Halsing, embracing,

  Handfast, betrothed,

  Handsel, earnest-money,

  Hangers, testicles,

  Harbingers, messengers sent to prepare lodgings,

  Harness, armour,

  Hart of greese, fat deer,

  Hauberk, coat of mail,

  Haut, high, noble,

  Hauteyn, haughty,

  Heavy, sad,

  Hete, command,

  Hide, skin,

  Hied, hurried,

  High (on), aloud,

  Higher hand, the uppermost,

  Hight, called,

  Hilled, covered, concealed,

  Holden, held,

  Holp, helped,

  Holts, woods,

  Hough-bone, back part of kneejoint,

  Houselled, to be given the Eucharist,

  Hoved, hovered, waited about,

  Hurled, dashed, staggered,; hurling,

  Hurtle, dash,

  Incontinent, forthwith,

  Ind, dark blue,

  Infellowship, join in fellowship,

  In like, alike,

  Intermit, interpose,

  Japer, jester,

  Japes, jests,

  Jesseraunt, a short cuirass,

  Keep, sb., care,

  Keep, s., care, reck,

  Kemps, champions,

  Kind, nature,

  Kindly, natural,

  Knights parters, marshals,

  Know, acknowledge,

  Knowledging, acknowledgment, confession,

  Lain, conceal,

  Langering, sauntering,

  Lapped, took in her lap,

  Large, generous,

  Largeness, liberality,

  Laton, latten, brass,

  Laund, waste plain,

  Layne, conceal,

  Lazar-cot, leper-house,

  Learn, teach,

  Lears, cheeks,

  Leaved, leafy,

  Lecher, fornicator,

  Leech, physician,

  Leman, lover,

  Let, caused to,

  Let, hinder,

  Lewdest, most ignorant,

  Licours lecherous,

  Lief, dear,

  Liefer, more gladly,

  Lieve, believe,

  Limb-meal, limb from limb,

  List, desire, pleasure,

  Lithe, joint,

  Longing unto, belonging to,

  Long on (upon), because of,

  Loos, praise,

  Lotless, without a share,

  Loveday, day for. settling disputes,

  Loving, praising,

  Lunes, leashes, strings,

  Lusk, lubber,

  Lusts, inclinations,

  Maims, wounds,

  Makeless, matchless,

  Makers, authors, poets,

  Mas,ease, discomfort,

  Mal engine, evil design,

  Mal-fortune, ill-luck, mishap,

  Marches, borders,

  Mass-penny, offering at mass for the dead,

  Matche old, machicolated, with holes for defence,

  Maugre, sb., despite,

  Measle, disease,

  Medled, mingled,

  Medley, melee, general encounter,

  Meiny, retinue,

  Mickle, much,

  Minever, ermine,

  Mischieved, hurt,

  Mischievous, painful,

  Miscorr fort, discomfort,

  Miscreature, unbeliever,

  Missay, revile,; missaid,

  Mo, more,

  More and less, rich and poor,

  Motes, notes on a horn,

  Mount~ lance, amount of, extent,

  Much, great,

  Naked, unarmed,

  Namely, especially,

  Ne, nor,

  Near-hand, nearly,; near,

  Needly, needs, on your own compulsion,

  Nesh, soft, tender,

  Nigh-hand, nearly,

  Nill, will not,

  Nilt, will not,

  Nis, ne is, is not,

  Nist, ne wist, kne
w not,

  Noblesse, nobleness,

  Nobley, nobility, splendour,

  Noised, reported,

  Nold, would not,

  Noseling, on his nose,

  Not for then, nevertheless,

  Notoyrly, notoriously,

  Noyous, hurtful,

  Obeissance, obedience,

  Or, before,

  Orgule, haughtiness,

  Orgulist, haughtiest,

  Orgulite, pride, arrogance,

  Orgulous, proud,

  Other, or,

  Ouches, jewels,

  Ought, owned,

  Outcept, except,

  Outher, or,

  Out-taken, except,

  Over-evening, last night,

  Overget, overtake,

  Overhylled, covered,

  Over-led, domineered over,

  Overlong, the length of,

  Overslip, pass,

  Overthwart, adj., cross,

  Overthwart, sb., mischance,

  Overthwart and endlong, by the breadth and length,

  Painture, painting,

  Paitrelles, breastplate of a horse,

  Paltocks, short coats,

  Parage, descent,

  Pareil, like,

  Passing, surpassingly,

  Paynim, pagan,

  Pensel, pennon,

  Perclos, partition,

  Perdy, par Dieu,

  Perigot, falcon,

  Perish, destroy,

  Peron, tombstone,

  Pight, pitched,

  Pike, steal away,

  Piked, stole,

  Pillers, plunderers,

  Pilling, plundering,

  Pleasaunce, pleasure,

  Plenour, complete,

  Plump, sb., cluster,

  Pointling, aiming,

  Pont, bridge,

  Port, gate,

  Posseded, possessed,

  Potestate, governor,

  Precessours, predecessors,

  Press, throng,

  Pretendeth, belongs to,

  Pricker, hard rider,