_How after that king Arthur had tidings he returned and came to Dover,
where Sir Mordred met him to let his landing, and of the death of Sir
Gawaine._
And so as Sir Mordred was at Dover with his host, there came king
Arthur with a great navy of ships, galleys, and carracks. And there was
Sir Mordred ready awaiting upon his landage, to let his own father to
land upon the land that he was king over. Then there was launching of
great boats and small, and full of noble men of arms, and there was
much slaughter of gentle knights, and many a full bold baron was laid
full low on both parties. But king Arthur was so courageous, that there
might no manner of knights let him to land, and his knights fiercely
followed him. And so they landed, maugre Sir Mordred and all his power,
and put Sir Mordred aback, that he fled and all his people. So when
this battle was done, king Arthur let bury his people that were dead,
and then was the noble knight Sir Gawaine found in a great boat lying
more than half dead. When Sir Arthur wist that Sir Gawaine was laid so
low, he went unto him, and there the king made sorrow out of measure,
and took Sir Gawaine in his arms, and thrice he there swooned. And when
he awaked he said, Alas, Sir Gawaine, my sister’s son, here now thou
liest, the man in the world that I loved most, and now is my joy gone:
for now, my nephew Sir Gawaine, I will discover me unto your person; in
Sir Launcelot and you I most had my joy, and mine affiance, and now
have I lost my joy of you both, wherefore all mine earthly joy is gone
from me. Mine uncle king Arthur, said Sir Gawaine, wit you well, my
death day is come, and all is through mine own hastiness and
wilfulness, for I am smitten upon the old wound the which Sir Launcelot
gave me, on the which I feel well I must die, and had Sir Launcelot
been with you as he was, this unhappy war had never begun, and of all
this am I causer, for Sir Launcelot and his blood through their prowess
held all your cankered enemies in subjection and danger: and now, said
Sir Gawaine, ye shall miss Sir Launcelot. But, alas, I would not accord
with him, and therefore, said Sir Gawaine, I pray you, fair uncle, that
I may have paper, pen, and ink, that I may write to Sir Launcelot a
schedule with mine own hands. And then when paper and ink was brought,
then Gawaine was set up weakly by king Arthur, for he was shriven a
little tofore, and then he wrote thus, as the French book maketh
mention,—Unto Sir Launcelot, flower of all noble knights that ever I
heard of, or saw by my days, I Sir Gawaine, king Lot’s son, of Orkney,
sister’s son unto the noble king Arthur, send thee greeting, and let
thee have knowledge, that the tenth day of May I was smitten upon the
old wound that thou gavest me afore the city of Benwick, and through
the same wound that thou gavest me I am come to my death-day. And I
will that all the world wit that I, Sir Gawaine, knight of the Table
Round, sought my death, and not through thy deserving, but it was mine
own seeking, wherefore I beseech thee, Sir Launcelot, to return again
unto this realm, and see my tomb, and pray some prayer, more or less,
for my soul. And this same day that I wrote this schedule, I was hurt
to the death in the same wound, the which I had of thy hand, Sir
Launcelot. For of a more nobler man might I not be slain. Also, Sir
Launcelot, for all the love that ever was betwixt us, make no tarrying,
but come over the sea in all haste, that thou mayest with thy noble
knights rescue that noble king that made thee knight, that is my lord
Arthur, for he is full straitly bestad with a false traitor, that is my
half brother Sir Mordred, and he hath let crown him king, and would
have wedded my lady queen Guenever, and so had he done, had she not put
herself in the tower of London. And so the tenth day of May last past,
my lord Arthur and we all landed upon them at Dover, and there we put
that false traitor Sir Mordred to flight, and there it misfortuned me
to be stricken upon thy stroke, and at the date of this letter was
written but two hours and an half afore my death, written with mine own
hand, and so subscribed with part of my heart’s blood. And I require
thee, most famous knight of the world, that thou wilt see my tomb.—And
then Sir Gawaine wept, and king Arthur wept, and then they swooned
both. And when they awaked both, the king made Sir Gawaine to receive
his Saviour. And then Sir Gawaine prayed the king to send for Sir
Launcelot, and to cherish him above all other knights. And so at the
hour of noon, Sir Gawaine yielded up the spirit. And then the king let
inter him in a chapel within Dover castle; and there yet all men may
see the skull of him, and the same wound is seen that Sir Launcelot
gave him in battle. Then was it told king Arthur that Sir Mordred had
pitched a new field upon Barham Down. And upon the morn the king rode
thither to him, and there was a great battle betwixt them, and much
people were slain on both parties. But at the last Sir Arthur’s party
stood best, and Sir Mordred and his party fled unto Canterbury.