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ROMANCE

LE MORTE D'ARTHURBY SIR THOMAS MALORY INTRO-DUCTION BY PROFESSOR RHYSIN 2 VOLS. VOL, i

Allrights reserved

Made in Great Britainat The Temple Tress Letchworthand decorated by Eric Ravilious

J. M. Dent &. Sons Ltd.Aldine House Bedford St. London

First Published in this Edition 1906Reprinted 1906, 1908, 1910, 1912, 1916,

19191923, 1926, 1928, 1930, 1935

PREFACESIR THOMAS MALORY has given us no account of himself or

his family, but he has left his name and his work. The nameMalory is found connected with estates in Yorkshire in thesixteenth century, and with estates in Leicestershire in thatwhich follows. As the name of the knight to whom we owethe Morte Darthur, it is found written not only Malory orMalorye, but also Maleore. It occurred to me some years agothat this fact lent countenance to the statement ascribed toLeland and others, that Sir Thomas Malory was a Welshman ;for Maleore reminded me of Maylawr, Maelawr or Maelor,the name of two districts on the confines of England andWales : a * Welsh Maelor ' is included in the County ofDenbigh, and an 'English Maelor' in that of Flint. How sucha name could readily become a surname may be seen from thedesignation, for instance, of a lord of the two Maelors in thetwelfth century, named Gruffud Maelawr. Literally rendered,this would mean ' Griffith of Maelor.' Similarly, the name ofa Welsh poet of the fifteenth century, Edward ab Rhys Maelor,might now be rendered

* Edward Price of Maelor.'Since then Dr. Sommer, in a Supplement to the second

volume of his great edition of the Morte Darthur, has calledattention to the following passage in Bale's Illustrium MaiorisBritannia Scriptorum, fol. 208 verso :

"Thomas Mailorius, Britannus natione, heroic! spiritus homo, abipsa adolescentia uariis animi corporisque dotibus insigniter emicuit.Est Mailoria (inquit in Antiquarum Dictionum Syllabo Joannes Le-landus) in finibus Cambria regio, Deuse flumini uicina. Quam etalibi a fertilitate atque armorum fabrefactura commendat. Inter multi-

plices reipublicae curas, non intermisit hie literarum studia, sed succisiuis

horis uniuersas disparsse uetustatis reliquias, sedulus perquisiuit. Vndein historiarum lectione diu uersatus, ex uariis autoribus undique selegit,de fortitudine ac uictoriis inclytissimi Brytannorum regis Arthurii."

The first edition of Bale's work was published at Ipswich in1548, while Malory s Morte Darthur was only completed by himin 1469. These dates are not so far apart that we must supposeeither Bale or Leland unable to obtain reliable information

concerning Malory's history and origin. Bale's statement thatMalory was Britannus natione, that is to say, Welsh, brings

VU

viii Preface

with it the solution of what was my difficulty, to wit, therelation between the name Malory and the dissyllabic formMaleorej for one can hardly help seeing that while the latterpostulates the Welsh place-name Maelor, the former morenaturally connects itself with the derived Latin Mailorius.Thus far of Malory's name : we now come to his work,

which, as already mentioned, was finished in 1469. It was,however, not printed till 1485, when its publication was under-taken by Caxton. Then followed two editions by Wynkyn deWorde in 1498 and 1529, and before the middle of the seven-teenth century four more editions appeared : all these sevenwere in black letter. The eighteenth century appears to havebeen content with what the three previous ones had done forthe text of Malory ; but the nineteenth century has alreadyseen it edited no less than six times, notably by Southey,Wright, Sir E. Strachey, and H. Oskar Sommer. Dr. Sommer'sedition is comprised in three stately volumes, published inLondon by David Nutt : the first volume, consisting of theText, appeared in 1889; then followed a volume of Introductionin 1890, and one of Studies on the Sources in 1891. Thisedition marks an era in the history of the Morte Darthur,seeing that special pains have been taken to make it reproducethe Caxton original, which is not known to exist in more thantwo copies, one of which is not quite perfect. This latter copybelongs to the Althorp Library, while the other, the perfect

copy, once belonged to the Harleian Library. As regards itslater history, we are told that it was purchased by the Earl of

Jersey for his library at Osterley Park, and that in 1885 itbecame the property of a citizen of the United States, Mrs.

Abby E. Pope of Brooklyn. 1 Lastly, I must add that no traceof Malory's own manuscript has ever been found.The question of the sources of Malory's work is no new one,

and it had been to some extent discussed by M. Gaston Parisand M. J. Ulrich, in the introduction to their Merlin, editedfrom a manuscript belonging to Mr. Alfred Huth, London, and

published in Paris in 1888 by the Societi des anciens Textes

franqaisj but the exhaustive treatment of the subject wasreserved for Dr. Sommer, who has devoted to it his thirdvolume. The space at my disposal will only allow of mymentioning his conclusions in the briefest manner possible.Most of Malory's originals prove to have been romances written

1 See Sommer's Malory, ii. 1-3.

Preface ix

in French, which he, as a rule, reduced greatly in length inthe process of giving the work an English garb. His sources,however, were not exclusively French ; thus, for instance, heused for his fifth book of the Morte Darthur, a poem composedby the Scotch poet Huchown, which is extant in a manuscriptof Thornton's in the library of Lincoln Cathedral. Here andthere Malory alters the sequence of the incidents given in his

originals, and in some cases he interpolates facts not containedin them, while in other instances he omits certain incidentswhich he did not find to his purpose ; but he is rarely found tohave inserted entire chapters of his own. Taking the work asa whole, Dr. Sommer has succeeded in assigning with more orless precision the originals forming the groundwork of thewhole, with one remarkable exception : I allude to Malory'sseventh book, which relates the adventures of Sir Gareth, the

story of his first coming to Arthur's court, of his being fed fora year in the kitchen, and of his receiving the nickname ofBeaumayns at the hands of Syr Kay. Dr. Sommer admits thathe has failed to trace any part of the contents of this book in

any of the numerous manuscripts studied by him. He is in-clined to regard it as a folk-tale which had no connection withthe Arthurian cycle, until Malory, or some unknown writer beforehim, adapted it from a French poem now lost, as he conjectures.

After this brief reference to the works used by Malory, wecome to a much larger and harder question of source, namely,the origin of the whole cycle of Arthurian stories and romances.For the most fruitful speculations on this subject in our day,one has to thank Dr. Zimmer, professor of Sanskrit in the

University of Greifswald.1 He believes the romances to be

based on stories of Breton rather than of Welsh origin.Briefly described, his theory

2sets out with the facts of the

permanent conquest of a considerable tract of the east of

Brittany by the Normans in the first half of the tenth century,and the intimate relationship which eventually grew up betweenthe great families of Brittany and Normandy. Now, if we

suppose the Bretons in their migration from Great Britain to

their new country, called after them the Lesser Britain, to have

1 Now professor of Celtic at Berlin.2 See Zimmer's review of the thirtieth volume of the Hittoire littt-

raire de la France in the Gottingische gelehrte Anzeigen for October I,1890, pp. 802-4. But M. Loth in the Revue Celtique, xiii. 480-503,has justly charged Zimmer wkh underrating the Welsh element.

x Preface

carried with them the stories current about Arthur in thesouthern districts of this country, it may be further supposedthat, ages later, those of their descendants who submitted tothe Normans in the eastern portion of Brittany must havetranslated their popular stories about Arthur into their adoptedNorman French. Thus a channel would be opened for Bretonstories to reach the ears of Normans and Frenchmen. It isnatural, further, to infer that, in the transition from the one

language to the other, the Celtic names of most importance inthe stories would inevitably undergo a considerable modificationof form. This would seem to be countenanced by the circum-stance, that certain of these names in the romances cannot beidentified with the Welsh ones by merely allowing for theerrors in copying and reading incident to the manuscripts ofthe time in question. Such is the fact, for example, withGalvain, Perceval, Calibor? as compared with the WelshGwalchmei, Peredur, and Caletvwlch. For my own part, I havefound this to be much less marked in the case, for example,of the Grail legend, the proper names in which lend themselves.on the whole, more readily to identification with their original,in Welsh. In other words, Professor Zimmer's views led meto draw the following two-fold conclusion : (i) The olderromances relating chiefly to Arthur and his Men are of Bretonrather than of Welsh origin, while (2) the reverse is the casewith the Grail romances. The Welsh origin of the Grail legendhas been discussed by me elsewhere,2 so that I think it needlessto endeavour to prove it here. But as to the alleged Breton

origin of the romances about Arthur, it is to be observed thatif the picture presented in them of Arthur and his Men bemainly Breton, one may expect to find those warriors repre-sented differently in Welsh literature, especially such Welshliterature as one finds to be fairly free from the influence of theromances when they reached the Welsh. So one could, perhaps,not do better than devote the rest of this introduction to areview of the more important passages concerning Arthur in

manuscripts which have come down to us from Welsh sources.I have, however, to confess at the outset that those of themwhich happen to be in Welsh, as most of them are, prove to becouched in very obscure language, so that my rendering mustbe regarded as only tentative.

1 See Zimmer's review, ibid. p. 830.2 See my Arthurian Legend, pp. 300-27.

Preface XIThe first passage to demand attention is written in Latin,

for it occurs in the Historia Brittonum with which the nameof Nennius is associated. The year of the composition of theHistoria Brittonum was, according to M. A. de la Borderie, noother than A.D. 822,

1and the words relating to Arthur read as

follows 2 :

In illo tempore Saxones invalescebant in multitudine, et crescebantin Britannia. Mortuo autem Hengisto, Octha ejusfilius transivit desinistrali parte Brittannia ad regnum Cantiorum, et de ipso orti suntrcges Cantiorum. Tune Arthurpugnabat contra illos in tilts diebus cumregibus Brittonum, sed ipse dux erat bellorum. Primum bellumfuit inostiumfluminis quod dicitur Glein ; secundum, et tertium, et quartum,et quintum, super aliudflumen, quod dicitur Dubglas, et est in regioneLinnuis. Sexturn bellum superflumen quod vocatur Bassas. Septi-nutmfuit bellum in Silva Celidonis, id est ^ Cat Coit Celidon. Octavum

fuit bellum in castello Guinnion, in quo Arthur portavit imaginem SanctceMaricE perpetua virginis super humeros suos, et pagani versi sunt infugam in illo die, et cades rnagnafuit super illos per virtutem Domininostri Jesu Christi, et per virtutem Sanctce Maria virginis genetricisejus. Nonum bellum gestum est in Urbc Legionis. Decimum gessitbellum in littore fluminis, quod vocatur Tribruit. Undecimumfactumest bellum in montc, qui dicitur Agned. Duodecimu?nfuit bellum inmonte Badonis, in quo corrucrunt in uno die nongenti sexaginta viride uno impetu Arthur ; et nemo prostravit eos nisi ipse sohis, et inomnibus bellis victor exstitit. Et ipsit dum in omnibus bellis proster-nebantur^ auxilium a Germania petebant, et augebantur multiplicitersine intermissione, et reges a Germania deducebant, ut regnarent superillos in Brittannia, usque ad tempus quo Ida regnavit, quifuit Eobba

filius, ipsefuit primus rex in Beornicia^ id est, im Berneich.

As regards a historical Arthur, the words here cited are verysuggestive, for without explicitly saying that Arthur was oneof the kings of the Brythons, they make him the general ordux bellorum, in whom one readily recognises the superiorofficer, known in the time of Roman rule as the ComesBritannia. This office, it may be presumed, was continuedafter the Roman forces left, with the only difference that the

1 See tHistoria Britonum attribute a Nennius et FHistoria Bri-tannica avant Geoffro de Monmouth, par Arthur de la Borderie (Parisand London, 1883), p. 20. Since the above was written Zimmer'swork entitled Nennius Vindicatus (Berlin, 1893) has reached me, andin it he gives it as his conclusion, p. 82, that the Historia Brittonumwas put together as early as the year 796.

2 Nennii Historia Britonum ad fidem codicum manuscriptorum re-censtiitJosephus Stevenson (London, 1838), pp. 47-9.

xii Prefaceman filling it would be himself supreme, having no longer anylord, such as the Roman emperor, over him. This positionseems to have been Arthur's, and one has accordingly nodifficulty in understanding how he came to fight battles atplaces so far apart from one another. For, though the majorityof the twelve battles were fought in what we now call the Northof England or the South of Scotland, some of them undoubtedlytook place in the south of the Island, such as the battle of UrbsLegionis, which must have been either Chester on the Dee orCaerleon on the Usk

;and still farther south must have been

that of Mons Badonis. In a word, Arthur moved about inBritain just as Agricola or Severus would have done, and with-out necessarily being one of the kings of the Brythons, hewould seem to have been over and above them. This musthave been a position which would in time cause all kinds ofheroic legends to be associated with the name of the man

filling it. Add to this the numerous opportunities for thedisplay of valour on behalf of a bleeding country provided bythe invasions of Germanic tribes from the Continent, and bythe incursions of Picts and Scots from the outlying portions ofthe British Isles, and we have the full explanation of no in-considerable part of the wondrous fame of Arthur and his Menin subsequent ages.The next references to Arthur, which deserve to be mentioned,

occur in the Annales Cambria, the oldest existing manuscript ofwhich was completed in 954 or 955. * The first entry occursunder the year 516, and reads as follows :Bellum Badonis in quo Arthur portauit criicem domini nostri Ihesu

Christi tribus diebus et tribus noctibus in humeros suos et Brittonesuictoresfuerunt.

The next entry in point comes under the year 537, and runsthus 2

Gueith cam lann [i.e., the Battle of Camlati\ in qua Arthur et Me-draut corruerunt. et mortalitas in Brittannia et in Hibernia fuit.The Bellum Badonis of the Annales Cambrics is the same

battle undoubtedly 33 Nennius' bellum in Monte Bado?iis. Butthe statement as to Arthur carrying the cross of Christ on hisshoulders has been surmised to be a mistranslation of Welshwords representing him carrying a figure of the cross in hisshield

;since the Welsh for shoulder would have been written

1 See Phillimore's edition in the Cymmrodor^ vol. ix. p. 144.2 Ibid. p. 154.

Preface xiii

iscuit or iscttid which would also be spellings of the word for ashield. 1 This seems to shew that there was a Welsh traditionas to Arthur's personal appearance at one of his great battles.The other entry is remarkable as representing the death ofArthur and Medraut or Medrod (the Modred and Mordred ofthe romances) as an ordinary event of war.The next two passages to be cited occur in the Mirabilia

usually associated with the Historia Brittonum; and most ofthem are probably to be referred to the same date as theHistoria itself. a The words in point read as follows :Est alind miracTilum in regione qtuz dicitur Buelt. Est ibi cumulus

lapidum, et unus lapis superpositus super congestum, cum vestigio cantsin eo. Qziando venatus esl porcum Troit* impressit Cabal, qui eratcam's Arthuri militis, vestigium in lapide, et Arthur postea congregaviicongestum lapidum sub lapide in quo erat vestigium cants sui, et vocaturCam Cabal. Et veniunt homines et tollunt lapidem in manibus suisper spacium diei et noctis, et in crastino die invenitur super congestumsiium.

Est aliud miraculum. in regione qua vocatur Ercing. Habefztr ibi

sepulchrum juxtajontem qui cogiiominatur Licat Amir, et viri nomen,qui ispultus est in tuimilo, sic vocabatur. Amir* filius Arthuri militi^erat, et ipse occidit eum ibidem, et sepelivit. Et veniunt homines admensurandtim ttimulutn ; in longitudine aliquando sex pedes, aliquandonovem, aliquando quindecim. In qiia mensura metieris eum in isla

vice, itertim non invenies eum in una mensura ; et ego solus probavi.

The Porcus Troit occupies a great place, as Twrch Trwyth^in the story of Kulhwch and Olwen, where Cabal & also occursin its ordinary Welsh form of Cavallj but the lesson these two

1

In later Welsh the words are ysgivydd, "a shoulder," and ysgwyd,"a shield."

This is Zimmer's view in his Nennius Vindicatus, p. 115.3 Stevenson seems to have found two readings of this word, namely,

Troit and Troynt, and he selected for his text the latter, which isgibberish : see his Nennius, p. 60. In Welsh literature the word hasthe two forms Trwyd and Trwyth.

4 The same manuscript E, which reads Troit, and is supposed byStevenson to have been written about the beginning of the thirteenthcentury, reads here amirmur ; but, as was to be expected, he insertedin his text a vox nihili, namely Anir : Amirmur= Amir mur "theGreat Amir," and in the Liber Landavensis, Amir is written Amyr ;but a man's name Amhyr occurs also in that manuscript, while thename of Arthur's son in question is given as Amhar in the Welshromance of Gereint andEnid: I do not recollect meeting with it elsewhere.

5 It is to be noticed that Cabal with its b and single / belongs to thesame school of orthography as the ninth century triplets beginning withNoigrucosam : see Skene's Four anc. Books of Wales^ ii, 2.

xiv Preface

passages in common teach us is, that at a comparatively earlydate Arthurian names had begun to figure in the topography ofWales.

Attention is next claimed by some of the references to Arthurin Welsh literature, and here the Black Book of Carmarthenis entitled to the first place. The manuscript may be supposedto have been written in the reigns of Stephen, Henry II., andRichard. 1 One of the allusions to Arthur in this manuscriptconsists of a triplet occurring in the Stanzas of the Graves,

apprising the reader of the futility of looking for Arthur's grave,as follows 2 :

Bet y march, bet y guythur.bet y gugaun cletyfrut.anoeth bid bet y arthur.

A grave for March, a grave for Gwythur,A grave for Gwgawn of the ruddy Sword,Not wise (the thought) a grave for Arthur. 3

It might be objected that these lines are of no value here, asthe idea suggested by them might have been derived from theromances which represent Arthur departing to the Isle ofAvallon to be healed of his wounds, and not dying at all. Butit may as reasonably be regarded as an expression of the nativebelief fixed in various localities, that Arthur and his knightswere slumbering in a cave awaiting the destined hour of theirreturn. This prevailed among Arthur's countrymen from Cad-bury to the Eildon Hills, and has never been more charminglysung than by the poet Leyden, when he speaks of the enchanted

sleep to be broken at length by somebody" That bids the charmed sleep of ages fly,Rolls the long sound through Eildon's caverns vast,While each dark warrior rouses at the blast,His horn, his falchion, grasps with mighty hand,And peals proud Arthur's march from Fairyland."

The time likewise is not long past when the shepherds of NorthWales used to entertain one another with stories describing one

1 See Mr. J. G. Evans' preface (p. xvi.) to his Autotype Facsimileof the Black Book, Oxford, 1888.

2 Ibid. fol. 34.3 I believe that such is the sense of the third line of the triplet, but

I cannot attain to any certainty approaching the assurance with whichProf. Zimmer categorically declares that,

"sie sagt bloss aus, dass man

Arthur's Grab nichtkenne": see the Zeitschrift fur franzosische Sprachtund Litleratur, xij. 238.

Preface xvof their number finding his way to the presence of Arthur andhis Men, all asleep in a Snowdonian cave resplendent withuntold wealth of gold and other treasure : the armed sleeperswere believed to be merely awaiting the signal for their returnto take an active part in the affairs of this world. In SouthWales an elaborate but popular story lodges Arthur and hisKnights in a cave at Craig y Ddinas, in Glamorgan, 1 while thepeasanty of South Cardiganshire, relating the same story, locateit elsewhere, and call the sleeping hero not Arthur but Owen,2

a name the memory of which used to be kept fresh by balladsingers, who made country fairs ring with such strains as thefollowing :

Yr Owen hwn yw Harri 'r Nawfed^Sydd yn trigo ngwlad estronied.

This Owen is Henry the Ninth,Who lives in the land of strangers.

The Owen of the Cardiganshire legend is known as OwenLawgoch or Owen of the Red Hand, and he is represented asa man of seven feet in stature with a right hand which was allred. The whole story reminds one of him of the red beard,Frederic Barbarossa. I mention this lest anyone should sup-pose such stories had anything originally to do with thehistorical Arthur. Some light is shed on their genesis by apassage in the writings of an ancient author who lived in thefirst century of our era, namely Plutarch. In his work DeDefectu Oraculorum, xviij., he uses words to the followingeffect 3 the Italics are mine:

"Demetrius further said, that of the islands around Britain many liescattered about uninhabited, of which some are named after deities andheroes. He told us also, that, being sent by the emperor with theobject of reconnoitring and inspecting, he went to the island which*lay nearest to those uninhabited, and found it occupied by few inhabi-tants, who were, however, sacrosanct and inviolable in the eyes of theBritons. Soon after his arrival a great disturbance of the atmospheretook place, accompanied by many portents, by the winds bursting forthinto hurricanes, and by fiery bolts falling. When it was over, the.

1 The story is given in the Brython for 1858, p. 162.2 Ibid. p. 179. The editor, who was, I believe, no other than the

Rev. Canon Silvan Evans, adds in a note that this sort of story mightbe found current also in Cumberland.

3 For the original see the Didot edition of Plutarch, vol. iii. p. 511{De Defectu Oraculorum, xviij.) ; it is also to be found printed in myArthurian legend', p. 367.

xvi Preface

islanders said that some of the mighty had passed away. For as a

lamp on being lit, they said, brings with it no danger, while on beingextinguished it is grievous to many, just so with regard to great souls,their beginning to shine forth is pleasant and the reverse of grievous,whereas the extinction and destruction of them frequently disturb thewinds and the surge as at present ; oftentimes also do they infect the

atmosphere with pestilential diseases. Moreover, there is there, theysaid, an island in which Cronus is imprisoned, with Briareus keepingguard over him as he sleeps ; for, as they put it, sleep is the bondforged for Cronus. They add that around him are many deities^ hishenchmen and attendants"

To return to the Black Book, I may mention that another ofthe Stanzas of the Graves is worth citing here, though it doesnot name Arthur. It alludes, however, to Camlan, the Camelotof Malory and the romances, and that in the same strain ofapparently historical definiteness as the entry in the AnnalesCambrics cited as mentioning Camlan. The lines in questionrun thus x

Bet mab csvran yg camlan.gvydi llauer kywlavan.Bet bedwir in alld tryvan.

Osvran's son's grave (is) at Camlan,After many a slaughter,Bedwyr's grave (is) in Allt Tryvan.

2

We next come to a poem headed GereintJilius Erbin, whichdescribes a battle at a place called Llongborth. Gereint is the

poet's hero, but he introduces Arthur as Gereint's superior andlord, as follows

3:

En llogporth y gtteleise. y arthurguir deur kymynint a d^lr.ameraudur* llywiaudir ilawur.

At Llongborth saw I of Arthur'sBrave men hewing Avith steel,(Men of the) emperor, 4 director of toil.

1 Evans' Facsimile, fol. 32*.2 There are several mountain tops in the Snowdon district called

y Tryfan, "the Tryvan," and Moel Tryfan, "the round-toppedhill of Tryvan." Lady Charlotte Guest (Mabinogion, ii. 167) hasbeen misled by somebody to indulge in the impossible spelling Trivaen.

3 Evans" Facsimile, fol. 36*.4 I am not certain what documents exactly Prof. Zimmer had in view

when he wrote as to Arthur, " Nirgends fuhrt er den Titel amherawdyr" ;or whether he would regard ameraudur here as a title or not : see theGott. gel. Anz. for 1890, p. 524.

Preface xvi iEn llogporth y lias y gereint.euir deur o odir diwneint.a chin rillethid ve. llatysseint.

At Llongborth there fell of Gereint'sBrave men from the border of Devon,And ere they were slain they slew.

In these triplets the position of Arthur seems to be veryclearly indicated : the men fighting on his side are Gereint'smen from Devon. That is to say, Arthur is Gereint's superior :he fills in fact the role assigned him in the Historia Brittonumwhen he is there termed a Dux Bellorum. This raises thequestion of Arthur's title ; for passing on from the descriptionof him as a Dux Bellorum, we have him twice in the Mirabiliacalled Arthur Miles. Further the Vita Gildce, sometimesascribed to the twelfth century author, Caradoc of Llancarvan,in giving the story of the carrying away of Guenever byMehvas,

1

speaks of the latter as rex, or king, reigning overthe sEstiva Regio or Somerset, while it styles Arthur atyrannies. To this must be added the fact that in the storyof Kulhwch and Ohven the hero salutes Arthur as Penteyrnedyr Ynys honn, or "the Head of the Princes of this Island," andone should notice that, in common with all these, the passagelast cited from the Black Book avoids calling Arthur a king.On the other hand the word ameraudur which it appliesto Arthur is one of the forms given in Welsh to theLatin word iinperator borrowed ; but as it is used of himcommonly in the stories of Peredur, Owein, Gereint and otherswhich betray the influence of the French romances, it mightperhaps be supposed that its presence in Gereint's Elegy wasdue to that influence. There is, however, no evidence, and theway in which the word is used rather inclines me to regard itas spontaneous on the part of the poet : I am only doubtfulwhether instead of rendering, as I have done,

"

emperor,director of toil," it would not have been more correct to write"

commander, director of toil " : that is to say, to suppose theword to retain here the meaning which it had primarily inLatin. In any case, the instances which have been adducedwill suffice, it seems to me, to shew that it was not due toaccident that other terms than that of king were thought moresuitable in speaking of Arthur. In that fact one seems to trace

1 For the text of that story, see San-Marte's Nennius et Gildas, pp. 122,3, also the Romania, vol. x. 491, where it is given by M. Gaston Paris.

145 A

xviii Preface

one of the logical consequences of Arthur's having, as I haveventured to suppose, occupied the historical position of theComes Britannia, in other words, that of the Imperator himself,which it became when Britain ceased to form a part of thedominions of Rome.We next have a poem consisting of a dialogue between

Arthur and Glewlwyd Gavaelvawr, who in the Welsh storiesabout Arthur is represented as one of his chief porters ; buthere he seems to have a castle of his own, the gates of whichhe appears in no hurry to open for Arthur and his companions.He asks Arthur who he is and what followers he has, whichArthur is made to seize as an opportunity for describing someof them, especially Kei, Malory's Sir Kay the seneschal. Un-fortunately, the poem is so obscure that I can only guess itsmeaning, as follows

l:

Pa gur yv y porthaur. Who is the porter?Gleuluid gauaeluaur. Glewlwyd Gavaelvawr.Pa gur ae gouin. Who asks the question ?arthiir. a chci guin? Arthur and worthy Kei.Pa imda genhid. What following (?) hast thou?Guir goreti im bid. The best of men are mine.Ym ty ny dot. To my house thou shalt not comeonys guaredi. Unless thou plead (?) for them.

Mi ae guar\_e~[di. I will plead (?) for them.athi ae gueli. And thou shalt see them :Vythneint elei. Wythneint of Elei,Assivyon ell tri. And the wise men threeMabon am mydron. Mabon son of Modron,guas uthirpen dragon. (Uther Pendragon's man)Kysceint

' mab ' Banon. Kyscaint son of Banon,A guin godybrion. And Gwyn Godyvrion.Oet rinn vy gueisson Sturdy would be my menin amuin ev detvon. In defence of their lawsManawidan ab llyr. Manawydan son of Llyroet duis y cusil. Profound in counsel ;

1 Evans' Facsimile, fol. 47 6 48*.2 Guin, now written gwyn means as a colour adjective white, but it

is a very difficult word to render, one of its uses being somewhat likethat of French beau in beau fere. On the banks of the Dovey in Mid-Wales a stepfather is respectfully called tad gwyn, literally "whitefather," and I surmise that it had a somewhat similar force here. It isto be borne in mind that Kei is, so far as I can remember, elsewherecalled Kei guin only in the story of Kulhwch. See Red Book Mabino-gion, p. 105, and for further remarks on gwyn see my Hibbert Lectures,pp. 527-8.

Preface xixNeustuc manauideis lull o tryivruidA mabon am melld.maglei guaed ar guelld,Ac anguas edeinauc.a Jluch * llauynnauc.Oetin diffreidaucar eidin cyminaucArgluit ae llochei

my nei ymtiwygeiKei ae heiriolei.trae llathei pop tri

Pan colled kelli.

caffad cuelli.

Aseirolei kei

kid trae kymynhei.Arthur ced huarhei

y guaed gouerei.In neuat awarnachin imlat ew a gurach.Ew a guant pen palach.in atodeu dissethach.Ym minit eidinamiic ' a ' chinbin.

Pop cant id ctiitin.id cuitin ' pop cant,roc beduir bedrydant.Ar traethev trywruid.in amuin a garvlitid.Oet guythiry annuyd.o cletyw ac yscuid.Oet gtcaget bragadvrth kei ig kad.

Oet cletyw ighad.oe lav diguistlad.Oet hyneiw guastadcr lleg ar lies gulad.Bedtiir ' A Bridlav*Nau cant guarandau.

(Manawyd brought homeA pierced buckler from Tryvrwyd).And Mabon son of MelltWho stained the grass with gore ;And Angwas the Winged,And Llwch Llawynnawc,Who were protectiveAgainst Eidyn 1 the gashing.His lord would shelter him,My nephew would amend (?),Kei would plead for (?) them,While slaying them three at a time.When Kelli was lostSavagery was experienced.Kei would plead for them (?)Until he might hew them down.Though Arthur was playingThe blood was dripping.In Awarnach's hall

A-fighting with a hag,He slew Pen-palachIn the tasks (?) of Dissethach.On Eidyn's mountainHe combated with champions (?),By the hundred they fell

They fell a hundred at a timeBefore Bedwyr . . .On the shores of Tryvrwyd ;Combating with Garwlwyd.Victorious was his wrathBoth with sword and shield.It were vain to boast

Against Kei in battle.His sword in battle wasNot to be pledged from his hand.He was an equable lordOf a legion for the state's good.Bedwyr son of Bridlaw,Nine hundred to watch,

1 Mention is made of this man in Triads i. 38, 39 ; iii. 47, 48 (Myv.Arch. vol. ii. 9, 65), where he is described as the slayer of the bardAneurin.

2 This should probably give the parentage of Bedwyr, and it isnatural to suggest as an emendation Beduir ab Bridlav ; but in Gereintand Enid'he is described as son of Bedrawt: see Red Book Mab. p.265.

XX Prefacechuechanty eirthau.a taleiy ortinav.Gueisson am buyinioet guell ban tiitint.roc ricu emreis.

gueleise' kei ar uris.

Preitev gort.howis.oet gur hir in ewnis.Oet trum y dial,oet tost y cynial.Pan yuei o wualyuei urth peduarygkadpan delhsi.vrth cant id lathei.

Ny bei duv ae digonhci.Oet diheit aghev kei.Kei guin a llachev.digonint we kadev.kin glees glas verev.

yguarthaw ystawingun.kei a guant nav guiton.Kei -win aaeth von

y dilein lleuon.y iscuid oet mymiderbin cath paluc.Pan gogiueirch tud.

Puy guant cath pahic.Nau ugein kinlhtc.a cuytei in y bityd.Nau ugein kinran

Six hundred to attackWas his onslaught (?) wcu'th.The young men I haveIt is well where they areBefore the kings of EmrysHave I seen Kei in haste.Leader of the harryings,Long would he be in his wrath ;Heavy was he in his vengeance ;Terrible in his fighting.When from a horn he drankHe drank as much as four men ;When he came into battleHe slew as would a hundred.Unless it should be God's act x

Kei's death would be unachieved.Worthy Kei and LlacheuUsed to fight battles,Before the pang of livid spears,On the top of YstavingunKei slew nine witches. 2

Worthy Kei went to MonaTo destroy lions.His shield was small

Against Palug's Cat.When people shall ask"Who slew Palug's Cat?"Nine score . . .Used to fall for her foodNine score leaders

A . . . Used to ...The manuscript is imperfect, and it breaks off just where one

should have heard more about Cath Paluc, or " Palug-'s Cat," a

monster, said in the Red Book Triads to have been reared by1 With this sentiment compare the following passage put into the

mouth of Llew in the Mabinogi of Math son of Mathonwy : Onym Hadi duw hagen nyt hawd vy Had i. " Unless God slay me, however, it isnot easy to slay me." See the Red Book Mabinogion, p. 75, also LadyCharlotte Guest's Mab. iii. 242, where she imparts to her translation aChristian tone not to be detected in the original, thus: "But untilHeaven take me I shall not easily be slain."

2 This looks as if it might be the incident in which the story ofPeredur makes that hero take a leading part; he encounters the witchesof Caer Loyw at a castle on a mountain, and he together with Arthurand his Men afterwards kills them all at the end of the story : see theRed Book Mab., pp. 210-1, 242-3, and Guest's Mab. i. 322-3, 369-70.

Preface xxithe Sons of Palug, in Anglesey. The contests hsre mentionedwith monsters, hags and witches, form also a feature of thestory of Kulkwch and Oliuen, not to mention Irish stories, suchas that of Bricrius Feast?- which abound in them. Moreover,the majority of Arthur's followers in the Black Book poem,figure as such in the Kulhwch also, namely Glewlwyd, Kei,Mabon son of Modron, Gwyn Godyvron, Mabon son of Mellt,Angwas Edeinawc, Llwch Llawyniawc, Bedwyr, and Arthursson Llacheu ; not to mention Manawyddan, who is forced intoArthur's train in both poem and story. On the other hand,only two of Arthur's men enumerated in the former, evadeidentification elsewhere, namely, Wythneint and Kysceint. 2

Perhaps the most remarkable thing in the Black Book poem,is the position which it assigns to Kei, who there towers farabove all the rest of the Arthurian train : he is, in fact, not tobe conquered by man or beast, so that his death could only beattributed to the direct interference of the Almighty. The nextin importance to Kei was Bedwyr, the Bedewere or Bedyuereof Malory's Morte Darthur, and the positions of both heroesare relatively the same in the Kulhwch story.Another allusion to Arthur occurs in the Black Book, to wit

in an elegy to Madog son of Meredydd, prince of Powys, whodied in the year 1159. The poem is ascribed to Madog's con-temporary, the well-known Welsh poet Cynddelw, who, in

alluding to the mourning and grief among Madog's men,characterises the uproar as being Mai gavr toryw teuluarthur?

" Like the shout of the multitude of Arthur's host."

This leads, however, to no inference of any importance in

this context. The same remark may be made concerning amention of Arthur in a poem called Gorchan Maelderw in theBook of Aneurin, a manuscript of the latter part of the thir-teenth or of the beginning of the fourteenth century: the

passage is unfortunately obscure.4

1 The Irish text is given at length in Windisch's Irische Texte,

'2Kysceint is probably a raiscopying of Kysteintt the Welsh form of

Constantius ; a name Wytheint appears in the Book of Taliessin, asthat of one who fights with Gwydion son of D6n, see Skene's Fouranc. Books of Wales, ii. 158.

3 Evans' Facsimile, fol. 52".4 For the text see Skene's Four anc. Books of Wales, vol. 11. 106,

and for the translation vol. i. 426. Both will also be found in Thomas

xxii Preface

The next manuscript to be mentioned is one of approximatelythe same data as the last-mentioned : I allude to the Book ofTaliessin, where an obscure poem occurs, headed Kat Godeu.There, near the end, we have the following couplet :

derwydon doethur. Druids erudite,darogen-wch y Arthur. Prophesy for Arthur.

Another allusion to Arthur in the Book of Taliessin runsthus l :

heilyn pascadiir. Heilyn of the Passover(reded dofyn doethur One of three deeply wisey vendigaw Arthur. To bless Arthur.Arthur vendigan Arthur they will blessar gerdgyfaenat In elaborate song.

Who the Heilyn mentioned here was does not appear, but hemay be supposed to have been a priest or a bard.

Other references to Arthur occur in the Book of Taliessin,but the most important by far is the poem known as PreiddeuAnnwfn, or the Harryings of Hades, which I subjoin, so far asit is in point, with an attempt to translate into English, asfollows :

Golychaf wledic pendeuic gwlat ri.

py ledas y pennaeth dros traeth mundi.bu kyweir karchar gweir ygkaer sidi.trwy ebostol pwyll aphryderi.Neb kyn noc ef nyt aeth idiyr gadwyn tromlas kywirwas ae ketwi.A rac preideu annwfyn tost yt gent.Ac yt urawt parahawt yn bard ivedi.Tri lloneit prytwen yd aetham ni idi.nam seith ny dyrreith o goer sidi.

I adore the noble prince and high kingWho extended his sway over the world's strand.Perfect was the captivity of Gwair in Caer Sidi,Through the warning 2 of Pwyll and Pryderi.

Stephens' Gododin, pp. 352-3 ; but I am convinced that the meaningof the words still remains to be discovered.

1 See Skene, ii. 456 : vol. i. 259, gives a translation differingconsiderably from the one proposed here with great diffidence.

2 As to this meaning of the word tbostol> see Llyvyr AgkytLlandeivivrevi (in the Anecdota Oxoniensia), p. 159. It is epistolaborrowed and sometimes confounded with abostol from apostolus: thesequence of meanings seems to have been a letter, a message oradmonition by letter, a warning. See a note on the word by Prof.Powel in the Cymmrodor, ix. 199.

Preface xxiiiBefore him no one entered into it,Into the heavy dark chain a trusty youth guarded ;And at the harryings of Hades grievously did he sing,And till doom will he remain a bard afterwards.Three freights of Prydwen went we into itSeven alone did we return from Caer Sidi.

Neut wyf glot geinmyn cerd o c/ilywtr.ygkaer pedryuan pedyr y chwelyt.vgkynneir or peir pan leferit.Oanadyl naw morwyn gochyneuit.Neu peir pen annwfyn pwy y vynut,gwrym am yoror a mererit.ny beirw bwyt llwfyr ny rytyghit.dedyf lluch lleawc idaw rydyrchit.Ac yn Haw leminawc yd edewit.Arac drws forth vffern llugyrn lloscit.Aphan aetham ni gan arthur trafferth lethrit.namyn seith ny dyrreith o goer vedwit.

I am a seeker (?) of praise, if (my) song be heard :In Caer Pedryvan . . .. . .

from the cauldron it would be spokenBy the breath of nine maidens it would be kindled.The head of Hades' cauldron what is it like?A rim it has, with pearls, round its border:It boils not a coward's food : it would not be perjured.The sword of Llwch Lleawc would be lifted to it.And in the hand of Lleminawc was it left.And before the door of Hell's gate lamps were burning,And when we accompanied Arthur, a brilliant effort,Seven alone did we return from Caer Veddwit.

Neut wyf glot geinmyn kerd glywanawr.ygkaer Pedryfan ynys pybyrdor.eckwyd amuchyd kymysgetorgwin gloyw eu gwirawt rac eu gorgord.Tri lloneit prytwen yd aetham ni ar vor.namyn seith ny dyrreith o gear rigor.

I am a seeker (?) of praise, (my) song being (?) heard :At Caer Pedryvan in Quick-door Island,At dusk and in the blackness (of night) they mixThe sparkling wine, their drink before their retinue.Three freights of Prydwen went we on sea :Seven alone did we return from Caer Rigor.

Ny obrynafi lawyr lien llywyadttrtra chaer wydyr ny welsynt wrhyt artlmr.

xxiv PrefaceTri vgeint canhwr a sezii arymur.oed anhawd ymadrawd ae gwylyadur.tri lloneit prytwen yd aeth gan arthur.namyn seith ny dyrreith o gaer golnd.

I merit not the laurel of the ruler of letters

Beyond the Glass Fort they had not seen Arthur's valour.Three score hundreds stood on the wall :Hard it was found to converse with their sentinel.Three freights of Prydwen (were they that) went with Arthur,Seven alone did they return from Caer Goludd.

Ny obrynafy lawyr llaes eu kylchwy.ny wdant ivy py dyd peridyd pwy.py awr ymeindyd y ganet cwy.Pwy gwnaeth arnyt aeth doleu defwy,Ny wdant ivy yr ych brych bras ypenrwy.Seith vgein kygwng yny aervjy,A phan aetham ni gan arthur aurydol gofwy.namyn seith ny dyrreith o gaer vandwy.

I merit not the laurel of them of the long shields (?) :

They know not which is the ruler's day (or) who (he is),At what hour of early day he was born (or) where (?),Who made . . . went not . . .They know not the Speckled Ox with the stout halter,With seven score joints in his collar.When we went with Arthur, anxious visit,Seven alone did we return from Caer Vanddwy.

Ny obrynafy lawyr llaes eu gokenny wdant py dyd peridyd pen.Py awr ymeindyd y ganet perchen.Py vil a gativant aryant y pen.pan aetham ni gan arthur afyrdwl gynkennamyn seith ny dyrreith a gaer ochren.

I merit not the laurel of those of long . . .

They know not which is the day of the ruler (and) chief,At what hour of early day was born the owner,(Or) what myriad guards the silver of the head.When we went with Arthur, anxious contest,Seven alone did we return from Caer Ochren.

Of the eight castles or strongholds mentioned in this poemnot a single one has been identified with any real place, and theIsle of the Active Door belongs probably to the same sort of

geography as Annwvyn or Hades, and Uffern or Hell. Thepoem evidently deals with expeditions conducted by Arthur

Preface xxv

by sea to the realms of twilight and darkness ; but the one inquest of the cauldron of the Head of Hades reminds me of thatdescribed in the Kulhwch as having for its object the cauldronof Diwrnach the Goidel : Arthur sets out with a small numberof men on board his ship Prydwen, and after severe fightingbrought away the cauldron full of the money of the country,which was, however, according to the Kulhwch, not Hades butIreland. But with this difference the stories agree, not tomention ihatyr Yc/i Brych, or "the Speckled Ox,'' of the poemfigures also in the Kulhwch. To do justice to this part of thecomparison, and to complete the outline which I have sug-gested, I should have here to append at length the story ofKulhwch ; but as that is out of the question, I will only addthat a translation of it into English will be found in thesecond volume of Lady Charlotte Guest's Mabinogion, TheKulhwch is contained in the Jesus College manuscript, the RedBook of Hergest, which belongs to the latter half of the four-teenth century ; but the present version carries with it someevidence that it was copied from a manuscript written in the

Kymric hand usual in Wales before the Norman Conquestand its influences had introduced another hand. On thewhole, one cannot go far wrong in supposing that it was

composed in the tenth century ; and as to its contents, it hasbeen pronounced purely 1 Kymric by Professor Zimmer, thatis to say, as contrasted with stories in which the influence of theromances cannot, as he thinks, be mistaken.

It is not to be supposed, however, that other manuscripts,whether belonging to the same period as that of the Kulhwchor to later dates, relate nothing concerning Arthur but the echoof incidents occurring in the French romances. Instancescould readily be cited to the contrary : take for example the

episode in which the Welsh Triads 2 bring Arthur in contactwith Drystan the gal-ofydd or "war-leader" of March and thelover of Essyllt, that is to say, Malory's Tristram, kynge Mark,and Isoud respectively. Drystan is represented sending March'sswineherd on an errand to Essyllt, Drystan in the meantimetaking upon himself the charge of the swine. The story thenmakes Arthur, assisted by March, Kei and Bedwyr, attempt toget possession of some of the swine by every means in their

1 In the Gottingische gel. Anzeigen for June 10, 1890, pp. 517, 523-4.2 Triads i. 30, ii. 56, iii, IOI : see the Myv. Anh., vol. ii. pp. 6,

20, 72-3.

xxvi Preface

power, but all in vain, so that Drystan came to be styled oneof "the Three stout Swineherds of the Isle of Britain." Ortake another instance, namely the statement that Arthur hadnot one wife Gwenhwyvar, Malory's Guenever, but three wivesin succession, all called Gwenhwyvar. This strange piece ofinformation likewise comes from the Triads, 1 and I should besurprised to learn that it found its way into them from theFrench romances rather than from some far older source.Speaking generally of the Arthur of Welsh literature, one

may characterise him in few words : His first appearance isfound to conform itself with the role of a Comes Britannia^ onwhom it devolved to help the inhabitants of what was onceRoman Britain against invasion and insult, whether at thehands of Angles and Saxons or of Picts and Scots : so we readof him acting for the kings of the Brythons as their duxbellorum. We next find his fame re-echoed by the topographyof the country once under his protection, and his name gather-ing round it the legends of heroes and divinities of a past ofindefinite extent. In other words, he and his men, especiallyKei and Bedwyr, are represented undertaking perilous expedi-tions to realms of mythic obscurity, bringing home treasures,fighting with hags and witches, despatching giants, and destroy-ing monsters. How greatly this rude delineation of the triumphof man over violence and brute force differs from the morefinished picture of the Arthur of Malory's painting, it would beneedless to try to shew to any one bent on the pleasure ofperusing the Morte Darthur. Such a reader may be trustedto pursue the comparison unassisted, in the fascinating pagesof this incomparable book.

JOHN RHYS.

The more important editions of the Morte Darthur have already beenmentioned in the foregoing introduction (see p. vii). But since PrincipalRhys wrote it (for the same publishers' large two-volume edition of 1893-4) many popular reprints and volumes of selections and adaptations fromMalory's romance have appeared. A convenient pocket-guide to thewider field it indicates may be had in Miss Jessie L. Weston's Surveyof Arthurian Romance (in Nutt's

"

Popular Studies in Mythology,Romance and Folklore"). The best companion romance-book is '2 lieMabinogiont also republished in "EVERYMAN'S LIBRARY."

1906.

1 Triad i. 59, ii. 16, iii. 109 : seethe Myv. Arch., vol. ii. pp. 12, 14, 73.

LE MORTE D'ARTHUR

CAXTON'S ORIGINAL PREFACEAFTER that I had accomplished and finished divers histories,

as well of contemplation as of other historical and worldly acts ofgreat conquerors and princes, and also certain books of en-samples and doctrine, many noble and divers gentlemen of thisrealm of England came and demanded me, many and ofttimes,wherefore that I have not do made and imprinted the noble historyof the Sangreal, and of the most renowned Christian king, firstand chief of the three best Christian and worthy, King Arthur,which ought most to be remembered among us English mentofore all other Christian kings. For it is notoriously knownthrough the universal world that there be nine worthy and thebest that ever were. That is to wit three paynims, three Jews,and three Christian men. As for the paynims they were toforethe Incarnation of Christ, which were named, the first Hector ofTroy, of whom the history is come both in ballad and in prose ;the second Alexander the Great ; and the third Julius Caesar,Emperor of Rome, of whom the histories be well-known andhad. And as for the three Jews which also were tofore theIncarnation of our Lord, of whom the first was Duke Joshuawhich brought the children of Israel into the land of behest; thesecond David, King of Jerusalem ; and the third Judas Macca-basus : of these three the Bible rehearseth all their noble historiesand acts. And sith the said Incarnation have been three nobleChristian men stalled and admitted through the universal worldinto the number of the nine best and worthy, of whom was firstthe noble Arthur, whose noble acts I purpose to write in this

present book here following. The second was Charlemagne orCharles the Great, of whom the history is had in many placesboth in French and English ; and the third and last was Godfreyof Bouillon, of whose acts and life I made a book unto theexcellent prince and king of noble memory, King Edward theFourth. The said noble gentlemen instantly required me toimprint the history of the said noble king and conqueror, KingArthur, and of his knights, with the history of the Sangreal, andof the death and ending of the said Arthur ; affirming that Iought rather to imprint his acts and noble feats, than of Godfreyof Bouillon, or any of the other eight, considering that he was aman born within this realm, and king and emperor of the same ;

2 Caxton's Original Prefaceand that there be in French divers and many noble volumes ofhis acts, and also of his knights. To whom I answered, thatdivers men hold opinion that there was no such Arthur, and thatall such books as be made of him be but feigned and fables, bycause that some chronicles make of him no mention nor remem-ber him no thing, nor of his knights. Whereto they answeredand one in special said, that in him that should say or thinkthat there was never such a king called Arthur, might well becredited great folly and blindness ; for he said that there weremany evidences of the contrary : first ye may see his sepulturein the Monastery of Glastonbury. And also in Polichronicon,in the fifth book the sixth chapter, and in the seventh bookthe twenty-third chapter, where his body was buried and afterfound and translated into the said monastery. Ye shall see alsoin the history of Bochas, in his book De Casu Principum, partof his noble acts, and also of his fall. Also Galfridus in hisBritish book recounteth his life ; and in divers places of Englandmany remembrances be yet of him and shall remain perpetually,and also of his knights. First in the Abbey of Westminster, atSaint Edward's shrine, remaineth the print of his seal in redwax closed in beryl, in which is written Patricius Arthurus,Britannie, Gallic, Germanie, Dacie, Imperator. Item in thecastle of Dover ye may see Gawaine's skull and Craddock'smantle : at Winchester the Round Table : at other placesLauncelot's sword and many other things. Then all thesethings considered, there can no man reasonably gainsay butthere was a king of this land named Arthur. For in all places,Christian and heathen, he is reputed and taken for one of thenine worthy, and the first of the three Christian men. And alsohe is more spoken of beyond the sea, more books made of hisnoble acts than there be in England, as well in Dutch, Italian,Spanish, and Greek, as in French. And yet of record remain inwitness of him in Wales, in the town of Camelot, the greatstones and marvellous works of iron, lying under the ground,and royal vaults, which divers now living hath seen. Whereforeit is a marvel why he is no more renowned in his own country,save only it accordeth to the Word of God, which saith that noman is accept for a prophet in his own country. Then all thesethings foresaid alleged, I could not well deny but that there wassuch a noble king named Arthur, and reputed one of the nineworthy, and first and chief of the Christian men ; and manynoble volumes be made of him and of his noble knights in French,

Caxton's Original Preface 3which I have seen and read beyond the sea, which be not hadin our maternal tongue, but in Welsh be many and also inFrench, and some in English, but no where nigh all. Wherefore, such as have late been drawn out briefly into English Ihave after the simple conning that God hath sent to me, underthe favour and correction of all noble lords and gentlemen,emprised to imprint a book of the noble histories of the saidKing Arthur, and of certain of his knights, after a copy unto medelivered, which copy Sir Thomas Malory did take out of certainbooks of French, and reduced it into English. And I, accord-ing to my copy, have done set it in imprint, to the intent thatnoble men may see and learn the noble acts of chivalry, thegentle and virtuous deeds that some knights used in those days,by which they came to honour ; and how they that were viciouswere punished and oft put to shame and rebuke ; humblybeseeching all noble lords and ladies, with all other estates, ofwhat estate or degree they be of, that shall see and read in thissaid book and work, that they take the good and honest acts intheir remembrance, and to follow the same. Wherein they shallfind many joyous and pleasant histories, and noble and renownedacts of humanity, gentleness, and chivalries. For herein maybe seen noble chivalry, courtesy, humanity, friendliness, hardi-ness, love, friendship, cowardice, murder, hate, virtue, and sin.Do after the good and leave the evil, and it shall bring you togood fame and renown. And for to pass the time this bookshall be pleasant to read in ; but for to give faith and believethat all is true that is contained herein, ye be at your liberty ;but all is written for our doctrine, and for to beware that we fallnot to vice nor sin ; but to exercise and follow virtue ; by whichwe may come and attain to good fame and renown in this life,and after this short and transitory life, to come unto everlastingbliss in heaven, the which he grant us that reigneth in heaven,the blessed Trinity. Amen.Then to proceed forth in this said book, which I direct unto

all noble princes, lords and ladies, gentlemen or gentlewomen,that desire to read or hear read of the noble and joyous historyof the great conqueror and excellent king, King Arthur, sometime

king of this noble realm, then called Britain. I, William Caxton,simple person, present this book following, which I have

emprised to imprint ; and treateth of the noble acts, feats ofarms of chivalry, prowess, hardiness, humanity, love, courtesyand very gentleness, with many wonderful histories and adven-

4 Caxton's Original Preface

fares. And for to understand briefly the content of this volume,I have divided it into twenty-one books, and every book

chaptered as hereafter shall by God's grace follow. The firstbook shall treat how Uther Pendragon gat the noble conquerorKing Arthur, and containeth twenty-eight chapters. The secondbook treateth of Balin the noble knight, and containeth nineteen

chapters. The third book treateth of the marriage of KingArthur to Queen Guenever, with other matters, and containethfifteen chapters. The fourth book, how Merlin was assotted,and of war made to King Arthur, and containeth twenty-ninechapters. The fifth book treateth of the conquest of Lucius theemperor, and containeth twelve chapters. The sixth booktreateth of Sir Launcelot and Sir Lionel, and marvellous ad-

ventures, and containeth eighteen chapters. The seventh booktreateth of a noble knight called Sir Gareth, and named by SirKay, Beaumains, and containeth thirty-six chapters. The eightbook treateth of the birth of Sir Tristram the noble knight, andof his acts, and containeth forty-one chapters. The ninth booktreateth of a knight named by Sir Kay, La Cote Male Taile, andalso of Sir Tristram, and containeth forty-four chapters. Thetenth book treateth of Sir Tristram and other marvellous ad-ventures, and containeth eighty-eight chapters. The eleventhbook treateth of Sir Launcelot and Sir Galahad, and containethfourteen chapters. The twelfth book treateth of Sir Launcelotand his madness, and containeth fourteen chapters. Thethirteenth book treateth how Galahad came first to King Arthur'scourt, and the quest how the Sangreal was begun, and containethtwenty chapters. The fourteenth book treateth of the quest ofthe Sangreal, and containeth ten chapters. The fifteenth booktreateth of Sir Launcelot, and containeth six chapters. The six-teenth book treateth of Sir Bors and Sir Lionel his brother,and containeth seventeen chapters. The seventeenth booktreateth of the Sangreal, and containeth twenty-three chapters.The eighteenth book treateth of Sir Launcelot and the queen, andcontaineth twenty-five chapters. The nineteenth book treatethof Queen Guenever and Launcelot, and containeth thirteenchapters. The twentieth book treateth of the piteous death ofArthur, and containeth twenty-two chapters. The twenty-firstbook treateth of his last departing, and how Sir Launcelot cameto revenge his death, and containeth thirteen chapters. Thesum is twenty-one books, which contain the sum of five hundredand seven chapters, as more plainly shall follow hereafter.

KING ARTHUR

BOOK ICHAPTER I

HOW UTHER PENDRAGON SENT FOR THE DUKE OF CORNWALL ANDIGRAINE HIS WIFE, AND OF THEIR DEPARTING SUDDENLY AGAIN

IT befell in the days of Uther Pendragon, when he wasking of all England, and so reigned, that there was a mightyduke in Cornwall that held war against him long time.And the duke was called the duke of Tintagil. And so bymeans King Uther sent for this duke, charging him to bringhis wife with him, for she was called a fair lady, and a passingwise, and her name was called Igraine. So when the dukeand his wife were come unto the king, by the means of greatlords they were accorded both : the king liked and lovedthis lady well, and he made them great cheer out of measure,and desired to have lain by her. But she was a passinggood woman, and would not assent unto the king. Andthen she told the duke her husband, and said, I supposethat we were sent for that I should be dishonoured, where-fore, husband, I counsel you, that we depart from hencesuddenly, that we may ride all night unto our own castle.And in like wise as she said so they departed, that neitherthe king nor none of his council were ware of their departing.All so soon as King Uther knew of their departing sosuddenly, he was wonderly wroth. Then he called to himhis privy council, and told them of the sudden departing ofthe duke and his wife. Then they asked the king to sendfor the duke and his wife by a great charge ; And if he willnot come at your summons, then may ye do your best, thenhave ye cause to make mighty war upon him. So that wasdone, and the messengers had their answers, and that wasthis shortly, that neither he nor his wife would not come athim. Then was the king wonderly wroth. And then theking sent him plain word again, and bade him be ready and

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6 King Arthurstuff him and garnish him, for within forty days he wouldfetch him out of the biggest castle that he had. When theduke had this warning, anon he went and furnished andgarnished two strong castles of his, of the which the onehight Tintagil, and the other castle hight Terrabil. So hiswife Dame Igraine he put in the castle of Tintagil, andhimself he put in the castle of Terrabil, the which had manyissues and posterns out. Then in all haste came Uther witha great host, and laid a siege about the castle of Terrabil.And there he pyght many pavilions, and there was great warmade on both parties, and much people slain. Then forpure anger and for great love of fair Igraine the King Utherfell sick. So came to the King Uther, Sir Ulfius a nobleknight, and asked the king why he was sick. I shall tellthee, said the king, I am sick for anger and for love of fairIgraine that I may not be hool. Well, my lord, said SirUlfius, I shall seek Merlin, and he shall do you remedy, thatyour heart shall be pleased. So Ulfius departed, and byadventure he met Merlin in a beggar's array, and thenMerlin asked Ulfius whom he sought. And he said he hadlittle ado to tell him. Well, said Merlin, I know whomthou seekest, for thou seekest Merlin ; therefore seek nofarther, for I am he, and if King Uther will well reward me,and be sworn unto me to fulfil my desire, that shall be hishonour and profit more than mine, for I shall cause him tohave all his desire. All this will I undertake, said Ulfius,that there shall be nothing reasonable but thou shalt havethy desire. Well, said Merlin, he shall have his entente anddesire. And therefore, said Merlin, ride on your way, forI will not be long behind.

CHAPTER IIHOW UTHER PENDRAGON MADE WAR ON THE DUKE OF CORNWALL,

AND HOW BY THE MEANS OF MERLIN HE LAY BY THE DUCHESSAND GAT ARTHUR

THEN Ulfius was glad, and rode on more than a paas tillthat he came to King Uther Pendragon, and told him hehad met with Merlin. Where is he? said the king. Sir,said Ulfius, he will not dwell long ; therewithal Ulfius wasware where Merlin stood at the porch of the pavilion's door.

King Arthur 7And then Merlin was bound to come to the king. WhenKing Uther saw him, he said he was welcome. Sir, saidMerlin, I know all your heart every deal ; so ye will besworn unto me as ye be a true king anointed, to fulfil mydesire, ye shall have your desire. Then the king was swornupon the four Evangelists. Sir, : said Merlin, this is mydesire : the first night that ye shall lie by Igraine ye shallget a child on her, and when that is born, that it shall bedelivered to me for to nourish there as I will have it

;for it

shall be your worship, and the child's avail as mickle as thechild is worth. I will well, said the king, as thou wilt haveit. Now make you ready, said Merlin, this night ye shalllie with Igraine in the castle of Tintagil, and ye shall belike the duke her husband, Ulfius shall be like Sir Brastias,a knight of the duke's, and I will be like a knight thathight Sir Jordans, a knight of the duke's. But wayte yemake not many questions with her nor her men, but say yeare diseased, and so hie you to bed, and rise not on themorn till I come to you, for the castle of Tintagil is butten miles hence

;so this was done as they devised. But

the duke of Tintagil espied how the king rode from thesiege of Terrabil, and therefore that night he issued out ofthe castle at a postern for to have distressed the king's host.And so, through his own issue, the duke himself was slainor-ever the king came at the castle of Tintagil. So afterthe death of the duke, King Uther lay with Igraine morethan three hours after his death, and begat on her that nightArthur, .and or day came Merlin came to the king, and badehim make him ready, and so he kissed the lady Igraine anddeparted in all haste. But when the lady heard tell of theduke her husband, and by all record he was dead or-everKing Uther came to her ; then she marvelled who thatmight be that lay with her in likeness of her lord ; so shemourned privily and held her peace. Then all the baronsby one assent prayed the king of accord betwixt the ladyIgraine and him ; the king gave them leave, for fain wouldhe have been accorded with her. So the king put all thetrust in Ulfius to entreat between them, so by the entreaty atthe last the king and she met together. Now will we dowell, said Ulfius, our king is a lusty knight and wifeless, andmy lady Igraine is a passing fair lady ; it were great joy untous all, an it might please the king to make her his queen.Unto that they all well accorded and moved it to the king.

8 King ArthurAnd anon, like a lusty knight, he assented thereto with goodwill, and so in all haste they were married in a morning withgreat mirth and joy. And King Lot of Lothian and ofOrkney then wedded Margawse that was Gawaine's mother,and King Nentres of the land of Garlot wedded Elaine.All this was done at the request of King Uther. And thethird sister Morgan le Fay was put to school in a nunnery,and there she learned so much that she was a great clerk ofnecromancy, and after she was wedded to King Uriens of theland of Gore, that was Sir Ewain's le Blanchemain's father.

CHAPTER IIIOF THE BIRTH OF KING ARTHUR AND OF HIS NURTURE

THEN Queen Igraine waxed daily greater and greater, soit befell after within half a year, as King Uther lay by hisqueen, he asked her, by the faith she owed to him, whosewas the child within her body ; then was she sore abashedto give answer. Dismay you not, said the king, but tell methe truth, and I shall love you the better, by the faith of mybody. Sir, said she, I shall tell you the truth. The samenight that my lord was dead, the hour of his death, as hisknights record, there came into my castle of Tintagil a manlike my lord in speech and in countenance, and two knightswith him in likeness of his two knights Brastias and Jordans,and so I went unto bed with him as I ought to do with mylord, and the same night, as I shall answer unto God, thischild was begotten upon me. That is truth, said the king,as ye say ; for it was I myself that came in the likeness,and therefore dismay you not, for I am father of the child ;and there he told her all the cause, how it was by Merlin'scounsel. Then the queen made great joy when she knewwho was the father of her child. Soon came Merlin untothe king, and said, Sir, ye must purvey you for the nourishingof your child. As thou wilt, said the king, be it. Well,said Merlin, I know a lord of yours in this land, that isa passing true man and a faithful, and he shall have thenourishing of your child, and his name is Sir Ector, andhe is a lord of fair livelihood in many parts in Englandand Wales ; and this lord, Sir Ector, let him be sent for,for to come and speak with you, and desire him yourself

King Arthur 9as he loveth you, that he will put his own child to nourishingto another woman, and that his wife nourish yours. Andwhen the child is born let it be delivered to me at yonderprivy postern unchristened. So like as Merlin devised itwas done. And when Sir Ector was come he made fyaunceto the king for to nourish the child like as the king desired ;and there the king granted Sir Ector great rewards. Thenwhen the lady was delivered, the king commanded twoknights and two ladies to take the child, bound in a clothof gold, and that ye deliver him to what poor man ye meetat the postern gate of the castle. So the child was deliveredunto Merlin, and so he bare it forth unto Sir Ector, andmade an holy man to christen him, and named him Arthur;and so Sir Ector's wife nourished him with her own pap.

CHAPTER IVOF THE DEATH OF KING UTHER PENDRAGON

THEN within two years King Uther fell sick of a greatmalady. And in the meanwhile his enemies usurped uponhim, and did a great battle upon his men, and slew manyof his people. Sir, said Merlin, ye may not lie so as ye do,for ye must to the field though ye ride on an horse-litter :for ye shall never have the better of your enemies but ifyour person be there, and then shall ye have the victory.So it was done as Merlin had devised, and they carried theking forth in an horse-litter with a great host towards hisenemies. And at St. Albans there met with the king agreat host of the North. And that day Sir Ulfius andSir Brastias did great deeds of arms, and King Uther's menovercame the Northern battle and slew many people, andput the remnant to flight. And then the king returnedunto London, and made great joy of his victory. And thenhe fell passing sore sick, so that three days and three nightshe was speechless : wherefore all the barons made greatsorrow, and asked Merlin what counsel were best. Thereis none other remedy, said Merlin, but God will have hiswill. But look ye, all barons, be before King Utherto-morn, and God and I shall make him to speak. So onthe morn all the barons with Merlin came before the king ;then Merlin said aloud unto King Uther, Sir, shall your

io King Arthurson Arthur be king after your days, of this realm with allthe appurtenance? Then Uther Pendragon turned him,and said in hearing of them all, I give him God's blessingand mine, and bid him pray for my soul, and righteouslyand worshipfully that he claim the crown upon forfeiture ofmy blessing ; and therewith he yielded up the ghost, andthen was he interred as longed to a king. Wherefore thequeen, fair Igraine, made great sorrow, and all the barons.

CHAPTER VHOW ARTHUR WAS CHOSEN KING, AND OF WONDERS AND MARVELS

OF A SWORD TAKEN OUT OF A STONE B\ THE SAID ARTHUR

THEN stood the realm in great jeopardy long while, forevery lord that was mighty of men made him strong, andmany weened to have been king. Then Merlin went tothe Archbishop of Canterbury, and counselled him for tosend for all the lords of the realm, and all the gentlemen ofarms, that they should to London come by Christmas, uponpain of cursing; and for this cause, that Jesus, that wasborn on that night, that he would of his great mercy showsome miracle, as he was come to be king of mankind, forto show some miracle who should be rightways king of thisrealm. So the Archbishop, by the advice of Merlin, sentfor all the lords and gentlemen of arms that they shouldcome by Christmas even unto London. And many ofthem made them clean of their life, that their prayer mightbe the more acceptable unto God. So in the greatestchurch of London, whether it were Paul's or not the Frenchbook maketh no mention, all the estates were long or dayin the church for to pray. And when matins and the firstmass was done, there was seen in the churchyard, againstthe high altar, a great stone four square, like unto a marblestone, and in midst thereof was like an anvil of steel a footon high, and therein stuck a fair sword naked by the point,and letters there were written in gold about the sword thatsaid thus : Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone andanvil, is rightwise king born of all England. Then thepeople marvelled, and told it to the Archbishop. I command,said the Archbishop, that ye keep you within your church,and pray unto God still ; that no man touch the sword till

King Arthur nthe high mass be all done. So when all masses were doneall the lords went to behold the stone and the sword. Andwhen they saw the scripture, some assayed ; such as wouldhave been king. But none might stir the sword nor moveit. He is not here, said the Archbishop, that shall achieve thesword, but doubt not God will make him known. But thisis my counsel, said the Archbishop, that we let purvey tenknights, men of good fame, and they to keep this sword.So it was ordained, and then there was made a cry, thatevery man should essay that would, for to win the sword.And upon New Year's Day the barons let make a joustsand a tournament, that all knights that would joust ortourney there might play, and all this was ordained for tokeep the lords and the commons together, for the Archbishoptrusted that God would make him known that should winthe sword. So upon New Year's Day, when the servicewas done, the barons rode unto the field, some to joust andsome to tourney, and so it happened that Sir Ector, thathad great livelihood about London, rode unto the jousts,and with him rode Sir Kay his son, and young Arthur thatwas his nourished brother

;and Sir Kay was made knight

at All Hallowmass afore. So as they rode to the jousts-ward, Sir Kay had lost his sword, for he had left it at hisfather's lodging, and so he prayed young Arthur for to ridefor his sword. I will well, said Arthur, and rode fast afterthe sword, and when he came home, the lady and all wereout to see the jousting. Then was Arthur wroth, and saidto himself, I will ride to the churchyard, and take thesword with me that sticketh in the stone, for my brotherSir Kay shall not be without a sword this day. So whenhe came to the churchyard, Sir Arthur alit and tied hishorse to the stile, and so he went to the tent, and found noknights there, for they were at jousting ; and so he handledthe sword by the handles, and lightly and fiercely pulledit out of the stone, and took his horse and rode his wayuntil he came to his brother Sir Kay, and delivered him thesword. And as soon as Sir Kay saw the sword, he wistwell it was the sword of the stone, and so he rode to hisfather Sir Ector, and said : Sir, lo here is the sword of thestone, wherefore I must be king of this land. When SirEctor beheld the sword, he returned again and came to thechurch, and there they alit all three, and went into thechurch. And anon he made Sir Kay to swear upon a

12 King Arthurbook how he came to that sword. Sir, said Sir Kay, bymy brother Arthur, for he brought it to me. How gat yethis sword ? said Sir Ector to Arthur. Sir, I will tell you.When I came home for my brother's sword, I foundnobody at home to deliver me his sword, and so I thoughtmy brother Sir Kay should not be swordless, and so Icame hither eagerly and pulled it out of the stone withoutany pain. Found ye any knights about this sword ? saidSir Ector. Nay, said Arthur. Now, said Sir Ector toArthur, I understand ye must be king of this land. Where-fore I, said Arthur, and for what cause ? Sir, said Ector,for God will have it so, for there should never man havedrawn out this sword, but he that shall be rightways kingof this land. Now let me see whether ye can put thesword there as it was, and pull it out again. That is nomastery, said Arthur, and so he put it in the stone, there-withal Sir Ector essayed to pull out the sword and failed.

CHAPTER VIHOW KING ARTHUR PULLED OUT THE SWORD DIVERS TIMES

Now assay, said Sir Ector unto Sir Kay. And anon hepulled at the sword with all his might, but it would not be.Now shall ye essay, said Sir Ector to Arthur. I will well,said Arthur, and pulled it out easily. And therewithal SirEctor knelt down to the earth, and Sir Kay. Alas, saidArthur, my own dear father and brother, why kneel ye tome ? Nay, nay, my lord Arthur, it is not so, I was neveryour father nor of your blood, but I wot well ye are of an

higher blood than I weened ye were. And then Sir Ectortold him all, how he was bitaken him for to nourish him,and by whose commandment, and by Merlin's deliverance.Then Arthur made great doole when he understood thatSir Ector was not his father. Sir, said Ector unto Arthur,will ye be my good and gracious lord when ye are king ?Else were I to blame, said Arthur, for ye are the man inthe world that I am most beholden to, and my good ladyand mother your wife, that as well as her own hath fosteredme and kept. And if ever it be God's will that I be kingas ye say, ye shall desire of me what I may do, and I shallnot fail you, God forbid I should fail you. Sir, said Sir

King Arthur 13Ector, I will ask no more of you, but that ye will make myson, your foster brother, Sir Kay, seneschal of all yourlands. That shall be done, said Arthur, and more, by thefaith of my body, that never man shall have that office buthe, while he and I live. Therewithal they went unto theArchbishop, and told him how the sword was achieved, andby whom ; and on Twelfth-day all the barons came thither,and to essay to take the sword, who that would essay. Butthere afore them all, there might none take it out butArthur

;wherefore there were many lords wroth, and said it

was great shame unto them all and the realm, to be over-governed with a boy of no high blood born, and so they fellout at that time that it was put off till Candlemas, and thenall the barons should meet there again ; but always the tenknights were ordained to watch the sword day and night,and so they set a pavilion over the stone and the sword,and five always watched. So at Candlemas many moregreat lords came thither for to have won the sword, butthere might none prevail. And right as Arthur did atChristmas, he did at Candlemas, and pulled out the swordeasily, whereof the barons were sore agrieved and put it offin delay till the high feast of Easter. And as Arthur spedbefore, so did he at Easter, yet there were some of the

great lords had indignation that Arthur should be king, andput it off in a delay till the feast of Pentecost. Then theArchbishop of Canterbury by Merlyn's providence let purveythen of the best knights that they might get, and suchknights as Uther Pendragon loved best and most trusted inhis days. And such knights were put about Arthur as SirBaudwin of Britain, Sir Kay, Sir Ulfius, Sir Brastias. Allthese with many other, were always about Arthur, day andnight, till the feast of Pentecost.

CHAPTER VIIHOW KING ARTHUR WAS CROWNED, AND HOW HE MADE OFFICERS

AND at the feast of Pentecost all manner of men essayedto pull at the sword that would essay, but none mightprevail but Arthur, and pulled it out afore all the lords andcommons that were there, wherefore all the commons cried

at once, We will have Arthur unto our king, we will put himI 45 *B

14 King Arthurno more in delay, for we all see that it is God's will that heshall be our king, and who that holdeth against it, we willslay him. And therewith they all kneeled at once, bothrich and poor, and cried Arthur mercy because they haddelayed him so long, and Arthur forgave them, and tookthe sword between both his hands, and offered it upon thealtar where the Archbishop was, and so was he made knightof the best man that was there. And so anon was thecoronation made. And there was he sworn unto his lordsand the commons for to be a true king, to stand with truejustice from thenceforth the days of this life. Also then hemade all lords that held of the crown to come in, and to doservice as they ought to do. And many complaints weremade unto Sir Arthur of great wrongs that were done sincethe death of King Uther, of many lands that were bereavedlords, knights, ladies, and gentlemen. Wherefore KingArthur made the lands to be given again unto them thatowned them. When this was done, that the king hadstablished all the countries about London, then he let makeSir Kay seneschal of England ; and Sir Baudwin of Britainwas made constable; and Sir Ulfius was made chamberlain;and Sir Brastias was made warden to wait upon the northfrom Trent forwards, for it was that time the most part theking's enemies. But within few years after, Arthur wonall the north, Scotland, and all that were under theirobeissance. Also Wales, a part of it held against Arthur,but he overcame them all, as he did the remnant, throughthe noble prowess of himself and his knights of the RoundTable.

CHAPTER VIIIHOW KING ARTHUR HELD IN WALES, AT A PENTECOST, A GREAT

FEAST, AND WHAT KINGS AND LORDS CAME TO HIS FEAST

THEN the king removed into Wales, and let cry a greatfeast that it should be holden at Pentecost after the incoro-nation of him at the city of Carlion. Unto the feast cameKing Lot of Lothian and of Orkney, with five hundredknights with him. Also there came to the feast KingUriens of Gore with four hundred knights with him. Alsothere came to that feast King Nentres of Garlot, with seven

King Arthur 15hundred knights with him. Also there came to the feastthe king of Scotland with six hundred knights with him,and he was but a young man. Also there came to thefeast a king that was called the king with the hundredknights, but he and his men were passing well bisene at allpoints. Also there came the king of Carados with fivehundred knights. And King Arthur was glad of theircoming, for he weened that all the kings and knights hadcome for great love, and to have done him worship at hisfeast, wherefore the king made great joy, and sent the kingsand knights great presents. But the kings would nonereceive, but rebuked the messengers shamefully, and saidthey had no joy to receive no gifts of a beardless boy thatwas come of low blood, and sent him word they would noneof his gifts, but that they were come to give him gifts withhard swords betwixt the neck and the shoulders : and there-fore they came thither, so they told to the messengersplainly, for it was great shame to all them to see such a boyto have a rule of so noble a realm as this land was. Withthis answer the messengers departed and told to KingArthur this answer. Wherefore, by the advice of his barons,he took him to a strong tower with five hundred good menwith him : and all the kings aforesaid in a manner laid asiege tofore him, but King Arthur was well victualed. Andwithin fifteen days there came Merlin among them into thecity of Carlion. Then all the kings were passing glad ofMerlin, and asked him, For what cause is that boy Arthurmade your king? Sirs, said Merlin, I shall tell you thecause, for he is King Uther Pendragons son, born inwedlock, gotten on Igraine, the duke's wife of Tintagil.Then is he a bastard, they said all. Nay, said Merlin,after the death of the duke, more than three hours, wasArthur begotten, and thirteen days after King Uther weddsdIgraine ; and therefore I prove him he is no bastard, andwho saith nay, he shall be king and overcome all hisenemies ; and, or he die, he shall be long king of all England,and have under his obeissance Wales, Ireland, and Scotland,and more realms than I will now rehearse. Some of thekings had marvel of Merlin's words, and deemed well thatit should be as he said

;and some of them laughed him to

scorn, as King Lot ; and more other called him a witch.But then were they accorded with Merlin, that King Arthurshould come out and speak with the kings, and to come

1 6 King Arthursafe and to go safe, such assurance there was made. SoMerlin went unto King Arthur, and told him how he haddone, and bade him fear not, but come out boldly andspeak with them, and spare them not, but answer them astheir king and chieftain, for ye shall overcome them all,whether they will or nill.

CHAPTER IXOF THE FIRST WAR THAT KING ARTHUR HAD, AND HOW HE WON

THE FIELD

THEN King Arthur came out of his tower, and had underhis gown a jesseraunte of double mail, and there went withhim the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Sir Baudwin ofBritain, and Sir Kay, and Sir Brastias : these were the menof most worship that were with him. And when they weremet there was no meekness, but stout words on both sides ;but always King Arthur answered them, and said he wouldmake them to bow an he lived. Wherefore they departedwith wrath, and King Arthur bade keep them well, andthey bade the king keep him well. So the king returnedhim to the tower again and armed him and all his knights.What will ye do ? said Merlin to the kings ; ye were betterfor to stynte, for ye shall not here prevail though ye wereten times so many. Be we well advised to be afeardof a dream-reader? said King Lot. With that Merlinvanished away, and came to King Arthur, and bade him seton them fiercely ; and in the meanwhile there were threehundred good men of the best that were with the kings, thatwent straight unto King Arthur and that comforted himgreatly. Sir, said Merlin to Arthur, fight not with thesword that ye had by miracle, till that ye see ye go unto theworse, then draw it out and do your best. So forthwithalKing Arthur set upon them in their lodging. And SirBaudwin, Sir Kay, and Sir Brastias slew on the right handand on the left hand that it was marvel

;and always King

Arthur on horseback laid on with a sword, and did marvel-lous deeds of arms that many of the kings had great joy ofhis deeds and hardiness. Then King Lot brake out on theback side, and the king with the hundred knights, and KingCarados, and set on Arthur fiercely behind him. With that

King Arthur 17Sir Arthur turned with his knights, and smote behind andbefore, and ever Sir Arthur was in the foremost press till hishorse was slain underneath him. And therewith King Lotsmote down King Arthur. With that his four knightsreceived him and set him on horseback. Then he drew hissword Excalibur, but it was so bright in his enemies' eyes,that it gave light like thirty torches. And therewith he putthem on back, and slew much people. And then thecommons of Carlion arose with clubs and staves and slewmany knights ; but all the kings held them together withtheir knights that were left alive, and so fled and departed.And Merlin came unto Arthur, and counselled him tofollow them no further.

CHAPTER XHOW MERLIN COUNSELLED KING ARTHUR TO SEND FOR KING BAN

AND KING BORS, AND OF THEIR COUNSEL TAKEN FOR THEWAR

So after the feast and journey, King Arthur drew himunto London, and so by the counsel of Merlin, the king letcall his barons to council, for Merlin had told the king thatthe six kings that made war upon him would in all haste beawroke on him and on his lands. Wherefore the kingasked counsel at them all. They could no counsel give,but said they were big enough. Ye say well, said Arthur ;I thank you for your good courage, but will ye all thatloveth me speak with Merlin ? ye know well that he hathdone much for me, and he knoweth many things, and whenhe is afore you, I would that ye prayed him heartily of hisbest advice. AH the barons said they would pray him anddesire him. So Merlin was sent for, and fair desired of allthe barons to give them best counsel. I shall say you, saidMerlin, I warn you all, your enemies are passing strong for

you, and they are good men of arms as be alive, and by thistime they have gotten to them four kings more and a mightyduke; and unless that our king have more chivalry withhim than he may make within the bounds of his ownrealm, an he fight with them in battle, he shall be overcomeand slain. What were best to do in this cause? said all thebarons. I shall tell you, said Merlin, my advice ; there aretwo brethren beyond the sea, and they be kings both and

1 8 King Arthurmarvellous good men of their hands ; and that one hightKing Ban of Benwick, and that other hight King Bors ofGaul, that is France. And on these two kings warreth amighty man of men, the King Claudas, and striveth withthem for a castle, and great war is betwixt them : but thisClaudas is so mighty of goods whereof he getteth goodknights, that he putteth these two kings most part to theworse

;wherefore this is my counsel, that our king and

sovereign lord send unto the kings Ban and Bors by twotrusty knights with letters well devised, that if they will comeand see King Arthur and his court, and so help him in hiswars, that he will be sworn unto them to help them in theirwars against King Claudas. Now, what say ye unto thiscounsel ? said Merlin. This is well counselled, said theking and all the barons. Right so in all haste there wereordained to go two knights on the message unto the two

kings. So were there made letters in the pleasant wiseaccording unto King Arthur's desire. Ulfius and Brastiaswere made the messengers, and so rode forth well horsedand well armed, and as the guise was that time, and sopassed the sea and rode toward the city of Benwick. Andthere besides were eight knights that espied them, and at astraight passage they met with Ulfius and Brastias, andwould have taken them prisoners ; so they prayed them thatthey might pass, for they were messengers unto King Banand Bors sent from King Arthur. Therefore, said the eightknights, ye shall die or be prisoners, for we be knights ofKing Claudas. And therewith two of them dressed theirspears, and Ulfius and Brastias dressed their spears, andran together with great raundon, and Claudas' knightsbrake their spears, and theirs to-held and bare th