there was sorrow in its tone, and silence sank on all), 'if ye do not,
then will his Holiness excommunicate this land. None of ye here have
seen so terrible a thing as a land laid under the interdict of the Holy
Church, and rarely doth she find her children so stubbornly evil as to
merit it. But the Father of the Church, seeing how this land is torn
and rent by this bitter war between brothers, and fearful lest, while
ye tear at each others' lives, the fierce and evil pagan will gain upon
ye and beat the lives from both of ye, and possess this fair island and
drive Christ and His religion from it utterly--seeing all this, his
Holiness would pronounce the doom if ye are too stiffnecked to obey
him. Then will ye see this land lie as if a curse were upon it. Your
churches will be shut, and the relics of the holy saints will be laid
in ashes, the priests will not give prayers nor the Church its holy
offices; and the dead shall lie uncoffined, for no prayers may be said
over them. Say, then, King Arthur of Britain, what shall be the answer
to the command of his Holiness which here I lay before thee.'
With these words the bishop held a parchment rolled out between his
hands before the eyes of the king. Men craned forward and saw the black
writing on the white skin, and the great seals, or bulls, hanging from
it whereon those who could read saw the device of the Pope of Rome.
'Say, is this thy doing?' cried Sir Gawaine fiercely, looking at King
Geraint. 'Didst thou send this meddling priest to Rome to get this?'
'That did I,' replied Geraint.
'Then now I make this vow,' thundered Sir Gawaine, 'that though thou
hast balked me of my vengeance now, I will mark thee, thou king of two
minds, and be thou sure that erelong I will avenge me of this
treachery, and that upon thy body and in thy blood.'
'I mark thy words, Sir Gawaine,' said Geraint, whose eyes flashed
fiercely, though his voice was calm, 'and I say again thou art mad. I
will tell thee and the king, our lord and master, why I did advise the
holy bishop to go to Rome and get the Pope's command. First, as ye all
know, I did think this war a wicked one beyond all measure, and ever
have I raised my voice against it. And what I foresaw has come to pass.
As the good priest saith, while ye tore at each other's throats here in
the furthest marches of the north, the sly, fierce pagan, learning how
all the land was rent and weakened by this evil war, has crept up in
his longships, he has landed at many solitary places on the coast, and
has spread far and wide throughout the land, burning and slaughtering.
The long files of his captives, our kinsmen, go day by day, even as ye
fight here, brother with brother, down to the black ships, and ye do
naught to save them or avenge them. Already have I, in my office as
Count of the Saxon Shore, battered them back to their ships at Lemanis,
Llongporth and Rutupiae; but here in the north, for all that the old
lion, Uriens of Reged, worn with war and full of age, hath taken the
field against them, here, behind your backs as ye battle, kin with kin,
a great and a stubborn pagan, whom men call Hyring the Land-waster,
hath entered the land and still prevails. Crafty he is and strong, for
he hath made treaties with some of our weaker kin, and their women he
hath taken in marriage for his leaders, and thus in our very midst
there is treachery, hand-in-hand with the brutal invaders. Yet still
you, Gawaine, are so mad, so lost to all care for your nation's weal,
that you would see your people ruined and your land possessed by the
savage boars of Saxons, while ye slake your vengeance for a private
wrong. If still you so would do, I call you traitor, and, by the grace
of God, I will make good my words upon your body, when we have thrust
the pagan from the land and peace is within our borders once again.'
While the thunder of his noble anger still rolled through the wide
hall, King Arthur arose, and men marked the resolution in his eyes.
'I will that there be no more war,' he said, and he looked sternly at
Gawaine. 'Geraint hath spoken the truth, and the truth shall prevail. I
repent me that I have so long forgotten the needs of my kingdom. Do
thou now, good bishop, go to Sir Lancelot, tell him that I will make
peace with him and that I will receive back my queen. And do thou, good
Geraint, fare south again. I thank thee from my heart for what thou
hast done. Would to Heaven that all my knights were as clean-souled and
as single-minded in devotion unto me as thou art. Do thou go and fulfil
thy great office. Watch thou the coasts as hitherto thou hast watched
them; and soon I will follow to aid thee, should the foul and savage
pagans strive again to break into my realm.'
But, after all, Sir Gawaine had his way in part. The bishop took the
king's assurance, sealed with his great seal, whereby he promised Sir
Lancelot that he should come and go safe from murder or sudden onset,
and desiring him to bring the queen to the king at his hall at
Carlisle. But in that parchment was no word of reconciliation with Sir
Lancelot. Sir Gawaine fiercely told the king that the day on which he,
the king, should clasp the hand of Lancelot in friendship, he, Sir
Gawaine, with all his vassals and his men, would leave the kingdom. So
deep and burning was the hatred which Gawaine bore Sir Lancelot that he
even threatened that, if his will was not granted, he would join the
pagans and fight against the king.
So shamed and saddened was the king at these words that, to put an end
to his nephew's rage, he consented to do as he desired. Therefore,
though the bishop strove to persuade the king to make his peace with
Sir Lancelot, Sir Gawaine's will was done, and the bishop went sadly to
Joyous Gard.
He showed his writings to Sir Lancelot and the queen, and both were
sorrowful in that no word of reconciliation was said.
'I will do my lord's desire,' said the knight, 'but I see that Sir
Gawaine's hatred of me is in no way abated. Nevertheless, do thou ride,
my lord bishop, to the king. Commend me unto his good grace, and say to
him that in five days I will myself bring my lady, Queen Gwenevere,
unto him as he doth desire.'
On the day appointed, as the king sat in hall at Carlisle, surrounded
by his knights and their ladies, with Sir Gawaine standing on the high
seat beside him, there came the beat of many hoofs, and into the town
rode Sir Lancelot with the queen, knights and squires accompanying
them. They reined up at the wide door of the hall, and Sir Lancelot
alighted, and having helped the queen to dismount, he took her hand,
and led her through the ranks of knights and ladies to where sat King
Arthur.
Sir Lancelot kneeled upon the edge of the dais, and the queen with him;
and to see so noble a knight and so beautiful a lady, sad of
countenance as they were, forced many a tear to the eyes of the knights
and dames who looked on. Then, rising, and taking up the queen, Sir
Lancelot spoke:
'My most redoubted lord,' he said, 'you shall understand that by the
pope's commandment and yours I have brought unto you my lady your
queen, as right requireth; and if there be any knight here, of any
degree, who shall say that she or I have ever thought to plot treason
against your person or your crown, or the peace of this realm, then do
I say here and now that I, Lancelot du Lake, will make it good upon his
body, that he lies. And, my gracious lord, if this is all that there is
between you, my king, and myself, there need be naught of ill thought
between us, but only peace and goodwill. But I wist well that one that
hates me will not suffer ye to do what is in your good and kingly
heart.'
Sternly did Sir Lancelot look at Sir Gawaine, while the tears gushed
from King Arthur's eyes, and from the eyes of many that heard Sir
Lancelot's sad words.
Fierce and dark was the look which Sir Gawaine returned to Sir
Lancelot.
'The king may do as he will,' he said harshly and in a loud voice, 'but
wit thou well, Sir Lancelot, thou and I shall never be at peace till
one of us be slain; for thou didst slay my twain brothers, though they
bore no harness against thee nor any ill will. Yet traitorously thou
didst slay them!'
'Alas, my lord,' said Sir Lancelot, and the tears bedewed his face, 'I
cannot ask you for your forgiveness for that deed, unwitting though it
was done and in my madness. Would to Heaven they had worn harness! Wit
you well that ever will I bewail the death of my dear friend, Sir
Gareth. 'Twas I that made him knight, and ever did I delight to see
him, to hear his manly laugh ring out, and to see the light in his
brave eyes that never suffered a mean or evil action. I wot he loved me
above all other knights, and there was none of my kinsmen that I loved
so much as I loved him. Ever will the sorrow of the death of thy
brethren lie upon my soul; and to make some small amends I will, if my
lord will suffer it and it will please you, Sir Gawaine, I will walk in
my shirt and barefoot from Lemanis even unto this town, and at every
ten miles I will found a holy house, and endow it with monks to pray
for the souls of Sir Gareth and Sir Gaheris. Surely, Sir Gawaine, that
will do more good unto their souls than that my most noble lord and you
should war on me.'
Every cheek was wet and the tears of the king fell from his eyes, yet
made he no effort to restrain or hide them.
'Out upon such monkish deeds!' cried Sir Gawaine, and his scornful eyes
surveyed the weeping knights and dames. 'Know thee, once for all, that
never shalt thou wipe away the treacherous murder of my brothers but by
thy blood. Ye are safe now for a season, for the pope hath given you
safety, but in this land--whatever comes of it I care not--thou shalt
not abide above fifteen days, or else I shall have thy head. So make ye
no more ado; but deliver the queen from thee, and get thee quickly out
of this court and out of this realm.'
'Well,' said Sir Lancelot, and laughed grimly, 'if I had known I should
have so short an answer to my proffers of peace, I had thought twice
ere I had come hither. But now, madam,' he said, turning to the weeping
queen beside him, 'I must say farewell to ye, for now do I depart from
this noble fellowship and this dear realm for ever. Pray for me, and
send me word if any lying tongues speak evil of you, and if any
knight's hand may deliver you by battle, believe me mine shall so
deliver you.'
With these words Sir Lancelot bent and kissed the queen's hand, and so
turned away and departed. There was neither king, baron, knight nor
squire of all that great company who did not weep, nor think that Sir
Gawaine had been of most evil mind to refuse the noble proffers of Sir
Lancelot.
Heavy was King Arthur ever thereafter, and never might man see his face
brighten nor hear his laugh; and the better of his knights sorrowed
with him, and knew what was in his heart.
'In this realm will be no more quiet,' said Sir Owen of the Fountain to
his fellows as they stood upon the walls of Carlisle and saw the band
of Sir Lancelot riding southwards, the sunlight flashing from their
helms and armour. 'The pagans have gathered strength daily while we
have fought with each other, and that which would have given us the
strength and the union which would hurl them from our coasts is
shattered and broken. By the noble fellowship of the Round Table was
King Arthur and his realm borne up, and by their nobleness the king and
all his realm was in quietness and in peace. And a great part,' he
ended, 'was because of the noble nature of Sir Lancelot, whom Sir
Gawaine's mad rage hath driven from the kingdom. Nor is all the evil
ended yet.'
XIII
OF THE REBELLION OF MORDRED AND THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR
When Sir Lancelot and all his men had left the realm of Britain and had
betaken themselves to Brittany, where Sir Lancelot had a kingdom of his
own, the Saxons began to increase in Britain, both in strength and
numbers. Almost daily a long black ship, crammed with pagans, was
sighted from some part of the coast; and the British, praying that the
fierce pirates would not visit their homes, would watch the terrible
warship till it passed; or else, caught unawares, would have to flee
inland in a breathless panic when the dragon-headed prow loomed through
the sea-mist, and the barbarous warriors swarmed over the sides and ran
knee-deep in the water, their eyes gleaming with the joy of killing and
their hands eager for the looting.
Then King Arthur made ready a great host, and for two years he fought
in the northern parts against the bands of the pirates. Swift were the
blows he struck, for the great wide Roman roads were still open, not
grass-grown and deserted, and with his mounted knights and men he could
ride quickly from place to place, striking fiercely and scattering the
foul pagans.
Ten was the number of these battles which he fought in the north, six
against the Saxon pirates and four against the wild cats of Caledonia,
whom men call Picts and Scots, and who had ventured south in greater
numbers as soon as they heard how the king warred with his lords and
the rich land was open to plunder. Two others he fought in the south,
one against an insolent band of pirates who dared even to attack his
palace-city of Caerleon-upon-Usk. But so heavy and deadly a blow did he
strike at them then, that from that battle barely a dozen pagans were
left to flee like fire to their ships.
Not without loss of many of his brave warriors did Arthur win these
battles, for the pagans were good men of their hands and not easily
were they beaten. Saddest of all was the loss of the noble Geraint,
who, thrusting back the pirates once again from the harbour of
Llongporth, got his death there with many of his valiant men.
When the fame of King Arthur's prowess and the might of his knights had
gone abroad among the pagans, they were afraid and would not venture in
great numbers to invade the land again, and there was peace and rest in
Britain for a space.
Then Sir Gawaine, remembering his hatred of Sir Lancelot, persuaded the
king to make him ready another host, with which to invade the land of
Brittany where Sir Lancelot ruled his kingdom. For a long time the king
would not listen to his advice, and the queen, with all her power,
strove against Sir Gawaine. But that knight and his large following of
knights and men-at-arms had been of great service in the recent wars
against the pagans, and the king could not wholly refuse to listen to
Sir Gawaine's demands.
Also Sir Mordred added his words to those of his brother, and said that
men who came from Brittany said that Sir Lancelot was getting him ready
a large army, and training many men, although he was at peace with his
neighbours in Gaul. But the rumour went, as Sir Mordred reported, that
Sir Lancelot was only waiting his time, and when King Arthur should be
more than usually pressed by his pagan foes, Sir Lancelot and his great
host would sail swiftly across the sea and seize the kingdom of
Britain, when Arthur, exhausted by war, would be unable to withstand
the fresh warriors of Sir Lancelot, and would lose both his queen and
his crown.
For a time the king would not suffer these evil rumours to be mentioned
in his presence, but many of his counsellors thought there was much
truth in them. At length, so persistent was Sir Mordred and those whom
he craftily persuaded to believe him, that for sheer weariness the king
consented to take an army across to Brittany, and to demand that Sir
Lancelot should own that the king was his overlord, and that he should
do homage to King Arthur for his kingdom.
The host was prepared, therefore, and at a meeting of his council King
Arthur made his nephew, Sir Mordred, Regent of Britain, to rule in the
king's place while he should be abroad; and Queen Gwenevere he placed
under the governance of Sir Mordred, as well as the officers of the
court.
When they had passed the sea and landed in the coasts of Sir Lancelot's
country, Sir Gawaine ordered his knights to go through the nearer
parts, burning the houses of the people and wasting their lands. This
he did in order to enrage Sir Lancelot against the king, so that he
would not listen quietly to any demand which the king might make of
him.
Word was brought to Sir Lancelot of the landing of King Arthur and the
plundering and wasting of the land, but for some days he would do
naught; for he was loath to take up arms against the king he loved, who
had made him a knight.
At length Sir Bors came to him, and with that knight were others, as
Sir Lunel of the Brake, Sir Magus of Pol, and Sir Alan of the Stones
with his six mighty brothers.
'My lord, Sir Lancelot,' said Sir Bors, 'it is great shame that we
suffer them to ride over our lands, burning the homes of our folk and
destroying the crops in the fields.'
Sir Alan also, who with his brothers were seven as noble knights as a
man might seek in seven lands ere he might find a brotherhood as
valiant and withal as courteous, spoke to the like purport, saying:
'Sir Lancelot, for the love of our land, let us ride out and meet these
invaders in the field, for we have never been wont to cower in castles
nor in towns.'
Then spoke Sir Lancelot, who was lord of them all.
'My fair lords,' he said, 'ye wit well that I am loath to raise my hand
against my own dear lord and to shed the blood of Christian men. Yet I
understand how it chafes you to stand by and see your fair land ruined
by those that hate me. Therefore I will send a messenger to my lord
Arthur, desiring him to make treaty with me. Then when we have his
reply, we will consider the matter further.'
A damsel was therefore sent to the camp of King Arthur, and she bore a
message from Sir Lancelot. She was brought to Sir Lucan, who was the
king's butler, and she told him whence she had come and why.
'Alas!' said Sir Lucan, 'I fear ye have made your journey in vain, fair
damsel. My lord, King Arthur, would quickly accord with Sir Lancelot,
whom he loves, but Sir Gawaine will not suffer him.'
Just then Sir Gawaine happened to pass by, and saw the maiden, and knew
that she was not one of their party. He turned towards her, and his
fierce eyes looked at her, grimly sour.
'Whence come ye?' he said harshly.
'I come hither to speak with King Arthur,' said the maiden, 'for I
bear a message from my lord, Sir Lancelot.'
With an angry gesture Sir Gawaine seized her bridle and led her palfrey
swiftly to the edge of the camp.
'Depart!' he cried harshly, 'and tell your master that it is idle for
him to send to mine uncle. Tell him from me, Sir Gawaine, that by the
vow of my knighthood, I will never leave this land till I or he be
slain. Now go!'
When this message was told to Sir Lancelot, the tears stood in his eyes
and he went apart, and for that day the knights his comrades held their
counsel. But they resolved that next day they would prevail upon Sir
Lancelot to issue forth and give battle.
But in the morning, when they looked from the walls of the castle, they
saw that Sir Gawaine had crept up in the dawn, and now was the place
besieged. Thereupon there was fierce fighting, for Sir Gawaine caused
ladders to be reared, and his knights strove to climb over the Wall,
but were mightily beaten back by Sir Lancelot's party.
Then the attackers drew off for a space, and Sir Gawaine, well armed,
came before the chief gate, upon a stout steed. He shook his lance at
the men over the gate, and cried:
'Where art thou, false traitor, Sir Lancelot? Why dost thou hide
thyself within holes and walls like a coward? Look out now, thou timid
soul, for when I may get at thee I will revenge upon thy evil body the
death of my brothers twain.'
These shameful words were heard by Sir Lancelot, and all his knights
and kin that stood about him, and they said:
'Sir Lancelot, now ye must be done with thy courtesy and go forth and
beat back those evil words upon his foul mouth.'
'It is even so,' said Sir Lancelot; 'but sorry I am and heavy of spirit
thus to fight with him, who hath been my dear brother-in-arms so long,
and whose brothers I did unwittingly slay. And much evil shall come of
this.'
Then he commanded his strongest horse to be saddled, and bade his
armour to be dressed upon him, and when he was fully armed he stood at
the top of the gate and cried upon the king.
'My lord Arthur,' he said, 'you that made me knight, wit you well that
I am right heavy that ever ye do pursue me thus; but now that Sir
Gawaine hath used villainous words about me, I must needs defend
myself.'
Sir Gawaine, seated upon his horse below, laughed grimly, and cried
upon the other.
'O Lancelot, Lancelot,' he said, 'what a man of words thou art! If thou
darest to battle with me, cease thy babbling, man, and come off, and
let us ease our hearts with strong blows.'
Then Sir Lancelot issued forth with many of his knights, and a covenant
was made between the hosts that there should be no fighting until Sir
Gawaine and Sir Lancelot had fought together, and one was either dead
or yielden.
Thereupon the two knights departed some way and then came together with
all the might of their horses, and each smote the other in the midst of
the shield. So strong were the knights and stout and big the spears,
that their horses could not stand the shock, and so fell to the ground.
Then the knights quickly avoided their horses and dressed their
shields, and fought fiercely together with their swords. So valiantly
did each give and receive blows, and so heavy and grim was their
fighting, that all the knights and lords that stood thereabout
marvelled thereat and were fain to say, in as many good words, that
never had they seen such sword-play.
In a little while, so shrewd and skilful were they, both were wounded
and the blood oozed from the joints of their armour, and it was great
marvel to see that they could still stand, dashing their shields upon
each other, and each beating upon the other with great slashes of their
swords.
And which was the stronger of the twain none might say.
Now Sir Gawaine had a magic power, which had been endowed upon him at
his birth by a great witch who was a friend of his mother, the
sorceress, Queen Morgan le Fay, wife of King Lot. No one knew of this
secret power except King Arthur, and often had it availed Sir Gawaine,
so that in dire perils of onfall, sudden ambush, or long battle, it had
given him the victory, when all about him had been slain or wounded or
taken captive.
The magic was that, from the hour of nine until high noon, the strength
of his body increased until it was three times his natural strength,
which itself was full great, though in that, for deep wind and breath
and might of arm, Sir Lancelot was the stronger.
Now while they fought together, Sir Lancelot felt that Sir Gawaine
seemed not to weaken as time went on, and he marvelled greatly. Then he
felt that indeed Sir Gawaine's strength was greater than it had been at
the beginning, and a fear came into his heart that Sir Gawaine was
possessed of a demon.
But Sir Lancelot was stout of heart as well as old in warcraft, and
knew that if he could tire Sir Gawaine he might, by one blow, get the
better of him when he saw a good chance. Therefore Sir Lancelot began
to husband his strength, and instead of spending it in feinting and
attacking, he bore his shield ever before him, covering himself from
the fierce blows of his enemy.
Thus he kept up his own strength; but hard put to it was he when,
towards midday, Sir Gawaine seemed to have the might of a very giant,
and the shield arm of Sir Lancelot was numbed by reason of the crashing
blows which Sir Gawaine's sword rained upon it.
Great travail indeed had Sir Lancelot to stand up and not to yield; and
while men marvelled how he could endure, none knew all he suffered.
Then, as the bell of the convent in the town boomed forth the hour of
noon, Sir Gawaine heaved up his sword for a final blow; but his sword
descended just as the last stroke of twelve had died away, and Sir
Lancelot marvelled to feel that what should have been so grievous a
blow that, belike, he could not have stood before it, fell upon his
shield with no more than the strength of the blow given by an ordinary
man.
When Sir Lancelot felt the might of Sir Gawaine so suddenly give way,
he drew himself up to his full height and said:
'Sir Gawaine, I know not by what evil power ye have fought, but now I
feel that ye have done. Now, my lord, Sir Gawaine, I must do my part,
for none may know the great and grievous strokes I have endured this
day with great pain.'
With that Sir Lancelot redoubled his blows, and the sword of Sir
Gawaine gave before the might of Sir Lancelot, and his shield was rent.
Then Sir Lancelot gave so great a buffet on the helm of the other that
Sir Gawaine staggered, and with yet another blow Sir Lancelot hurled
him headlong to the ground.