‘You speak foully, sir. Not one of these knights has been near my bed.’
The ten knights had heard his words, and they all spoke out at once. ‘You accuse the queen falsely,’ they said. ‘We will prove your falsehood when we are recovered from our wounds. Choose any one of us to take up the challenge.’
‘Oh yes? Look for yourselves. Do you not see blood upon the sheets?’ They did not know what to say, and stayed silent, while Sir Meliagaunt was exultant. He hoped in this way to conceal his own treason against the queen.
At this point Lancelot entered the chamber. ‘What is the matter?’ he asked them. ‘What is happening here?’ Sir Meliagaunt said that he suspected the queen of infidelity. ‘It was shameful of you,’ Lancelot told him, ‘to pull back the curtains of the bed when the queen still lay in it. Not even my lord Arthur would be guilty of such discourtesy. You have brought still more disgrace upon yourself.’
‘I do not know what you mean by that, sir. But I do know that one of these knights has lain beside her, leaving all the marks of his blood. I will prove her treason by the force of my arms.’
‘Beware what you say, Meliagaunt. There may be someone who will take up your challenge.’
‘But you, my lord, must also be careful. Even the best knight cannot triumph in a bad cause. God will play a part in any contest.’
‘As to that, I will take my chance. God is always to be feared. But I tell you this plainly. Not one of these ten knights slept in the queen’s bed last night. I will prove it with my sword and spear. Are you willing to make a contest of it?’
‘Yes. Here is my gauntlet.’
‘I will take it up. On what day do you wish to do battle?’
‘In a week’s time. In the field beside Westminster.’
‘Very well. I will be waiting for you there.’
‘In the meantime we must both swear to behave fairly and honourably to one another. There must be no false practices. Do you so swear?’
‘Of course. I have never yet been guilty of falsehood.’
‘Then let us go into dinner,’ Meliagaunt said. ‘After that, if you wish, you and the queen may ride back to Westminster.’ Lancelot gave his assent. ‘May I take you now, sir, on a tour of my castle?’
‘I would be delighted.’
They walked together from room to room. Lancelot did not fear a trap, because honest men trust their fellows. But a false man will always prove treacherous to a true one. As they went down one corridor Lancelot was lured to walk upon a trapdoor; it suddenly opened beneath his feet, and he fell some thirty feet into a cave filled with straw. Sir Meliagaunt went back to the others, and told them that Lancelot had suddenly departed – he did not know where – and that he had taken Sir Lavane’s horse. The queen and her knights were astonished by this, but spoke no more about it. After dinner they returned to Westminster, with the wounded carried on litters, and Guinevere told the king about Lancelot’s challenge on her behalf.
‘I am afraid,’ Arthur said, ‘that Sir Meliagaunt may well be overmatched. But where is Lancelot?’
‘We suppose,’ one of the knights told him, ‘that he has ridden to some adventure. That is his way. He took Sir Lavane’s horse, because his own was badly wounded.’
‘Let him be,’ the king replied. ‘He will return on the proper day. Unless he has been captured by some act of treachery.’
Meanwhile Lancelot lay in the cave, suffering great pain. A lady brought him meat and drink every day. She offered to help him escape if he became her lover. But he refused.
‘That is not wise of you,’ she said. ‘You will never get out of this place without my help. And if you do not arrive on the field of battle, the queen will be burned at the stake.’
‘God forbid that she should be burned because of my default. But the king will know, as will the others, that I must be dead, sick or in prison. Otherwise nothing would prevent me from coming to her defence. Some good knight will take my place, I am sure of it. If you were the only woman left in the land, I would still have nothing to do with you.’
‘Then you will be shamed before your king. You will die here.’
‘Whatever God sends me, I will endure.’
Lancelot rescues Guinevere
The day of battle came. The lady brought him food and drink as before. ‘Sir Lancelot,’ she said, ‘you are being too hard-hearted. I will make a pact with you. If you give me just one kiss, I will free you from this place and provide you with the best horse in the castle stable.’
‘There is no disgrace in giving you one kiss,’ he said. So he kissed her. She was as good as her word. She brought him armour and took him to the stables, where twelve fine horses were kept. He chose the one he liked best. With great joy he took up his sword and spear. ‘Lady,’ he said, ‘thank you for your good deed. If ever I can do you service, call upon me.’
On the field beside Westminster, a fire was being prepared for the queen. Sir Meliagaunt was sure that Lancelot would not arrive, and so he cried out to the king to do him justice. The court were all ashamed that, in the absence of Lancelot, the queen would be burned to death.
‘My lord king,’ Sir Lavane said, ‘we all know that something has happened to Lancelot. He is either dead or gravely ill. Otherwise he would have kept his promise to be here. I have never yet heard that he failed to do his duty. Let me take his place, sir. Let me do battle with Meliagaunt.’
‘Thank you, Sir Lavane,’ Arthur replied. ‘You are fighting for the right cause. I have spoken to the ten wounded knights, and they have sworn to me that they never lay with Guinevere. If they were well again, any one of them would be willing to defend her name.’
‘And so shall I, sir, if you give me leave.’
‘I do. And I wish you good fortune. I believe that some treason has been attempted against Lancelot.’
Lavane prepared himself for battle and, just as the heralds cried out for the contest to commence, Lancelot himself galloped on to the field. The king saw him, and cried out, ‘Hold! Wait!’
Lancelot rode in haste to the king, and told him what had happened at the castle of Meliagaunt and how he had been cruelly imprisoned. The queen was freed from the stake at once, and brought back to the king. She had complete faith in her champion.
Lancelot and Meliagaunt rode against one another. Lancelot’s spear carried Meliagaunt over the tail of his horse; he fell heavily to the ground. Lancelot leaped down from his saddle and took up his sword. They exchanged many hard blows, but one of them knocked Meliagaunt to his knees. ‘Most noble knight, Lancelot,’ the traitor cried out, ‘spare my life! I surrender. By the rules of the Round Table, you must let me live. I put my trust in you and the king!’
Lancelot was not sure what to do. He wanted to kill this man, more than anything else in the world. He looked up at the queen, to see if by any sign she would tell him what to do. She nodded her head, as if to say ‘slay him’. She wanted him dead as much as he did.
‘Get up,’ he said, ‘for God’s sake. Have you not shamed yourself enough? Do battle with me once more.’
‘I have surrendered. I am now your prisoner. You cannot force me to fight.’
‘I will make you an offer. I will disarm myself, on my left side, and have my left hand tied behind my back. Will you then fight me?’
Sir Meliagaunt leaped to his feet. ‘Did you hear his offer, lord king?’ he called out. ‘I accept it.’
‘Take heed, Lancelot,’ the king said. ‘Will you abide by this?’
‘What I have said, sir, I will do.’
The knights on the field took off the left part of Lancelot’s armour, and then bound his left hand behind his back. Once more the challengers rode down on one another. Sir Meliagaunt raised his sword, hoping to strike Lancelot on his undefended side, but Lancelot parried the blow by twisting his body and then brought his sword down upon his opponent’s helmet. The blow was so powerful that Meliagaunt’s head was crushed. His body was then taken from the field, and buried without any
further ceremony. The manner of his death was then carved on his tombstone.
Lancelot found favour with the king and queen more than ever, and he continued to live at court.
THE DEATH OF ARTHUR
The Strife Begins
A year had passed since Lancelot rescued Guinevere from the stake. Once more it is the season of May, when every heart is bursting with life and joy. It is the season of fruitfulness and lustiness, when the fields are filled with flowers and all folk keenly await the coming of summer. In winter, the season of snows and tempests, we can do nothing but cower in corners or hold our hands in front of the fire.
Yet this particular spring was different. In the merry month of May there descended upon the world anger and strife that did not end until the flower of chivalry was lost or destroyed. All this misfortune was the work of two knights, Sir Agravain and Sir Mordred, who were kinsmen of Sir Gawain. These knights harboured a secret hatred for their queen, Guinevere, and for Sir Lancelot; they watched Lancelot day and night, hoping to do him an evil turn.
It so happened that, by mischance, Sir Gawain and his kinsmen were sitting together in the privy chamber of King Arthur. It was here that Sir Agravain spoke out openly in front of the other knights, although they were not in any formal council.
‘I marvel,’ he said, ‘that we are afraid to speak the truth. We all know that Lancelot sleeps with the queen, but none of us says a word. You can all attest to the truth of this. Is it not a disgrace to us that we allow the king to be shamed in this way?’
Then Gawain replied to him, ‘Agravain, my brother, I pray you – I charge you – not to mention these things. I tell you this. I will not join with you in laying these accusations against Lancelot.’
The two knights, Gaheris and Gareth, spoke in agreement with Gawain. ‘So help me God,’ Gareth said, ‘I will not meddle with any such matters.’
Mordred stood up. ‘But I will!’
‘Then you are hastening towards misfortune,’ Gawain told him. ‘The snare is set. Listen to me. Leave these affairs alone. Otherwise I know what will happen.’
‘Let the dice fall as they may,’ Agravain replied. ‘I am going to tell the king!’
‘Don’t be a fool,’ Gawain said. ‘If enmity arises between Lancelot and ourselves, there will be powerful knights and great lords who will take the side of Lancelot. And don’t forget this. There have been many times when Lancelot has ridden to the rescue of the king and queen. If he had not been their champion, the greater number of us would still be in a state of fear and mourning. He has proved himself time and time again. Do you recall the fate of Sir Meliagaunt last spring? For my part I will never take up arms against that brave knight. Once he rescued me from King Caradoc and helped me escape from the Tower of Sorrow. He slew Caradoc and saved my life. And is it not true that Lancelot saved you, Agravain, and you, Mordred, from the snares of Sir Tarquin? He rescued many other knights, too, on that occasion. Do you not think that such noble deeds should be remembered? Do you think that such kindness and valour should be forgotten?’
‘Do as you please,’ Agravain replied. ‘I can endure it no longer.’
As he was speaking, King Arthur entered the chamber.
‘Now, brother,’ Gawain warned him, ‘stop this talk.’
Agravain and Mordred looked him full in the face. ‘We will do no such thing.’
‘Will you not? Well I, for one, am leaving. I am not going to sit here and listen to your tales. I want nothing to do with your conspiracy.’
‘No more will I,’ said Gaheris.
‘Me neither,’ returned Gareth. ‘I will never speak evil of another knight.’
So the three companions made ready to leave the chamber, in great grief of mind. ‘Alas,’ Gawain murmured, ‘this realm will now be destroyed. The noble fellowship of the Round Table will be torn apart. We are entering a world of woe.’
So he and his two companions departed. King Arthur was astonished and asked Agravain the meaning of all the noise and confusion.
‘My lord king,’ he replied, ‘I shall tell you. I can keep it secret no longer. Mordred and I have had a disagreement with the three noble knights. I will keep it brief. We all know that Sir Lancelot is the queen’s lover. There is no doubt about it. We are your sister’s sons. We can endure it no longer. We are all keenly aware that your rank is higher than that of Lancelot, and that you made him your knight. So we will prove that he is a traitor to your person.’
‘If all this is true, then he has committed treason against me. But I would be unwilling to proceed against him until I have sure and certain proof of his guilt. Sir Lancelot is a brave knight, as you both know. I would go so far as to say that he is the best and boldest of all knights, and he will fight against any man who lays this charge against him. Therefore, if you speak the truth, you must catch him in the deed itself.’
Arthur was in fact most unwilling to entertain these rumours about Lancelot and Guinevere. The king already had his suspicions about the matter, but he stopped his ears against any gossip. Sir Lancelot had performed so many services for him, and for his queen. In truth, Arthur loved him more than any other man.
‘My lord king,’ Sir Agravain declared, ‘when you go out hunting tomorrow morning, I doubt very much that Sir Lancelot will ride with you. When twilight falls send a message to the queen that you will lie in the fields all that night and that you need the service of your cooks. Then, under cover of darkness, we will surprise him in bed with the queen. We will bring him to you, dead or alive.’
‘I hear you,’ the king replied. ‘But I advise you to be careful. Take with you some loyal companions.’
‘Sir,’ Agravain declared, ‘we will take with us twelve knights of the Round Table.’
‘Beware. I warn you. You will find him doughty and strong.’
‘We will deal with him, sir. Come. We must prepare.’
On the following morning Arthur rode out to hunt, and then sent word to the queen that he would be resting in the pavilions that night. Sir Agravain and Sir Mordred chose twelve knights and rode with them to the castle at Carlisle, where the queen was staying.
That night, Sir Lancelot informed Sir Bors that he wished to speak with the queen in private.
‘Sir,’ Bors replied, ‘I advise you not to go to her tonight.’
‘Why?’
‘I dread the presence and influence of Sir Agravain. He plots against you continually. I implore you not to see the queen. I beg you to avoid her. I suspect that the king has gone from the castle for some reason. He may have set a watch upon her chamber. I am afraid that there is a plot hatched against you.’
‘Have no fear, good nephew,’ Lancelot replied. ‘I shall not stay with the queen. I will be with her for an instant.’
‘That does not comfort me. I dread the fact of your being with her at all. This night may undo us.’
‘Fair nephew, I marvel at you. You know very well that the queen has sent for me. Who am I to disobey her? Do you think me a coward? Should I flee her grace?’
‘Then God protect you. Return safe and well.’
Sir Lancelot left him and, taking his sword with him under his cloak, he walked towards the queen’s chamber. Now was a time of danger. He knocked softly on the door, and he was admitted. Lancelot and Guinevere were together again. Whether they engaged in any of the sports of love, I cannot say. I do not like to mention such matters. I can assure you of one thing. Love in those days was quite a different game.
When the queen and Lancelot were enjoying each other’s company, there was suddenly a great clattering of swords and shields. Mordred, Agravain and the twelve knights gathered outside the door of the queen’s chamber, exclaiming in unison, ‘You traitor, Lancelot! Now you are taken!’ They were savage and exultant, shouting so loudly that the whole court could hear them. They were armed and dangerous, as if they were about to charge into a battle.
Guinevere cried out in alarm, ‘Alas! We will both be killed!’
‘Madam,’ Lancelot said to her, ‘is there any armour here that I can put on? I have only my sword with me. If there is a shield or spear in this chamber, give it to me now. I will soon put an end to their malice.’
‘Truly I have no weapons here. I believed that I had no need of shields and helmets, of swords and spears, in my private chamber. Do you hear them? I am sure now that our love will end in ruin. By the noise outside the door, I know that there are many noble knights well armed and well protected. You will not be able to defend yourself against them. You are likely to be killed while I – I will be burned alive. If you could escape them, only then would I be rescued from such a fate.’
‘Oh God!’ Lancelot was desolate. ‘Never have I more needed a suit of armour than this moment!’
At the same time Sir Agravain and Sir Mordred were hammering on the door and shouting out, ‘Traitor knight, come out of the queen’s chamber! You are surrounded. You know well enough that you cannot escape!’
‘Jesus have mercy,’ Lancelot whispered. ‘I cannot endure this shameful noise and riot. It would be better to die than to endure the dishonour.’ Then he took the queen in his arms and kissed her. ‘Most noble Christian queen,’ he said, ‘I beseech you to listen to me. You have always been the special lady of my heart, and I have always served you faithfully as a true knight. I have never failed you since the first day I was made a knight by King Arthur. Will you pray for my soul if I am slain here? As for your own fate, rest assured. My nephew, Sir Bors, and all my kinsmen, will not fail to rescue you from the fire. Comfort yourself, sweet lady. Sir Bors and the other knights will do homage to you and serve you. You will live as a queen upon my lands.’
The Death of King Arthur Page 27