departure, for truly I do as she doth, and since I once have seen you,
lord, I cannot leave you."
So anon, with a full sorrowful heart, Sir Lancelot took his leave, and
Sir Lavaine rode with him to the court. And King Arthur and the Knights
of the Round Table joyed greatly to see him whole of his wound, but
Queen Guinevere was sorely wroth, and neither spake with him nor greeted
him.
Now when Sir Lancelot had departed, the Maid of Astolat could neither
eat, nor drink, nor sleep for sorrow; and having thus endured ten days,
she felt within herself that she must die.
Then sent she for a holy man, and was shriven and received the
sacrament. But when he told her she must leave her earthly thoughts, she
answered, "Am I not an earthly woman? What sin is it to love the noblest
knight of all the world? And, by my truth, I am not able to withstand
the love whereof I die; wherefore, I pray the High Father of Heaven to
have mercy on my soul."
Then she besought Sir Bernard to indite a letter as she should devise,
and said, "When I am dead put this within my hand, and dress me in my
fairest clothes, and lay me in a barge all covered with black samite,
and steer it down the river till it reach the court. Thus, father, I
beseech thee let it be."
Then, full of grief, he promised her it should be so. And anon she died,
and all the household made a bitter lamentation over her.
Then did they as she had desired, and laid her body, richly dressed,
upon a bed within the barge, and a trusty servant steered it down the
river towards the court.
Now King Arthur and Queen Guinevere sat at a window of the palace, and
saw the barge come floating with the tide, and marveled what was laid
therein, and sent a messenger to see, who, soon returning, prayed them
to come forth.
When they came to the shore they marveled greatly, and the king asked of
the serving-man who steered the barge what this might mean. But he made
signs that he was dumb, and pointed to the letter in the damsel's hands.
So King Arthur took the letter from the hand of the corpse, and found
thereon written, "To the noble knight, Sir Lancelot du Lake."
Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk,
and thus it was written:--
"Most noble knight, my lord Sir Lancelot, now hath death forever parted
us. I, whom men call the Maid of Astolat, set my love upon you, and have
died for your sake. This is my last request, that ye pray for my soul
and give me burial. Grant me this, Sir Lancelot, as thou art a peerless
knight."
At these words the queen and all the knights wept sore for pity.
Then said Sir Lancelot, "My lord, I am right heavy for the death of this
fair damsel; and God knoweth that right unwillingly I caused it, for she
was good as she was fair, and much was I beholden to her; but she loved
me beyond measure, and asked me that I could not give her."
"Ye might have shown her gentleness enough to save her life," answered
the queen.
"Madam," said he, "she would but be repaid by my taking her to wife, and
that I could not grant her, for love cometh of the heart and not by
constraint."
"That is true," said the king; "for love is free."
"I pray you," said Sir Lancelot, "let me now grant her last asking, to
be buried by me."
So on the morrow, he caused her body to be buried richly and solemnly,
and ordained masses for her soul, and made great sorrow over her.
Then the queen sent for Sir Lancelot, and prayed his pardon for her
wrath against him without cause. "This is not the first time it hath
been so," answered he; "yet must I ever bear with ye, and so do I now
forgive you."
So Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot were made friends again; but anon
such favor did she show him, as in the end brought many evils on them
both and all the realm.
XV
THE WAR BETWEEN ARTHUR AND LANCELOT AND THE PASSING OF ARTHUR
Within a while thereafter was a jousting at the court, wherein Sir
Lancelot won the prize. And two of those he smote down were Sir
Agravaine, the brother of Sir Gawain, and Sir Modred, his false
brother--King Arthur's son by Belisent. And because of his victory they
hated Sir Lancelot, and sought how they might injure him.
So on a night, when King Arthur was hunting in the forest, and the queen
sent for Sir Lancelot to her chamber, they two espied him; and thinking
now to make a scandal and a quarrel between Lancelot and the king, they
found twelve others, and said Sir Lancelot was ever now in the queen's
chamber, and King Arthur was dishonored.
Then, all armed, they came suddenly round the queen's door, and cried,
"Traitor! now art thou taken."
"Madam, we be betrayed," said Sir Lancelot; "yet shall my life cost
these men dear."
Then did the queen weep sore, and dismally she cried, "Alas! there is
no armor here whereby ye might withstand so many; wherefore ye will be
slain, and I be burnt for the dread crime they will charge on me."
But while she spake the shouting of the knights was heard without,
"Traitor, come forth, for now thou art snared!"
"Better were twenty deaths at once than this vile outcry," said Sir
Lancelot.
Then he kissed her and said, "Most noble lady, I beseech ye, as I have
ever been your own true knight, take courage; pray for my soul if I be
now slain, and trust my faithful friends, Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine, to
save you from the fire."
But ever bitterly she wept and moaned, and cried, "Would God that they
would take and slay me, and that thou couldest escape."
"That shall never be," said he. And wrapping his mantle round his arm he
unbarred the door a little space, so that but one could enter.
Then first rushed in Sir Chalaunce, a full strong knight, and lifted up
his sword to smite Sir Lancelot; but lightly he avoided him, and struck
Sir Chalaunce, with his hand, such a sore buffet on the head as felled
him dead upon the floor.
Then Sir Lancelot pulled in his body and barred the door again, and
dressed himself in his armor, and took his drawn sword in his hand.
But still the knights cried mightily without the door, "Traitor, come
forth!"
"Be silent and depart," replied Sir Lancelot; "for be ye sure ye will
not take me, and to-morrow will I meet ye face to face before the king."
"Ye shall have no such grace," they cried; "but we will slay thee, or
take thee as we list."
"Then save yourselves who may," he thundered, and therewith suddenly
unbarred the door and rushed forth at them. And at the first blow he
slew Sir Agravaine, and after him twelve other knights, with twelve more
mighty buffets. And none of all escaped him save Sir Modred, who, sorely
wounded, flew away for life.
Then returned he to the queen, and said, "Now, madam, will I depart, and
if ye be in any danger I pray ye come to me."
"Surely will I stay here, for I am queen," she answered; "yet if
to-morrow any harm come to me I trust to thee for rescue."
"Have ye no doubt of me," said he, "for ever while I live am I your own
true knight."
Therewith he took his leave, and went and told Sir Bors and all his
kindred of this adventure. "We will be with thee in this quarrel," said
they all; "and if the queen be sentenced to the fire, we certainly will
save her."
Meanwhile Sir Modred, in great fear and pain, fled from the court, and
rode until he found King Arthur, and told him all that had befallen. But
the king would scarce believe him till he came and saw the bodies of Sir
Agravaine and all the other knights.
Then felt he in himself that all was true, and with his passing grief
his heart nigh broke. "Alas!" cried he, "now is the fellowship of the
Round Table forever broken: yea, woe is me! I may not with my honor
spare my queen."
Anon it was ordained that Queen Guinevere should be burned to death,
because she had dishonored King Arthur.
But when Sir Gawain heard thereof, he came before the king, and said,
"My lord, I counsel thee be not too hasty in this matter, but stay the
judgment of the queen a season, for it may well be that Sir Lancelot was
in her chamber for no evil, seeing she is greatly beholden to him for so
many deeds done for her sake, and peradventure she had sent to him to
thank him, and did it secretly that she might avoid slander."
But King Arthur answered, full of grief, "Alas! I may not help her; she
is judged as any other woman."
Then he required Sir Gawain and his brethren, Sir Gaheris and Sir
Gareth, to be ready to bear the queen to-morrow to the place of
execution.
"Nay, noble lord," replied Sir Gawain, "that can I never do; for neither
will my heart suffer me to see the queen die, nor shall men ever say I
was of your counsel in this matter."
Then said his brother, "Ye may command us to be there, but since it is
against our will, we will be without arms, that we may do no battle
against her."
So on the morrow was Queen Guinevere led forth to die by fire, and a
mighty crowd was there, of knights and nobles, armed and unarmed. And
all the lords and ladies wept sore at that piteous sight. Then was she
shriven by a priest, and the men came nigh to bind her to the stake and
light the fire.
At that Sir Lancelot's spies rode hastily and told him and his kindred,
who lay hidden in a wood hard by; and suddenly, with twenty knights, he
rushed into the midst of all the throng to rescue her.
But certain of King Arthur's knights rose up and fought with them, and
there was a full great battle and confusion. And Sir Lancelot drave
fiercely here and there among the press, and smote on every side, and at
every blow struck down a knight, so that many were slain by him and his
fellows.
Then was the queen set free, and caught up on Sir Lancelot's saddle and
fled away with him and all his company to the Castle of La Joyous Garde.
Now so it chanced that, in the turmoil of the fighting, Sir Lancelot had
unawares struck down and slain the two good knights Sir Gareth and Sir
Gaheris, knowing it not, for he fought wildly, and saw not that they
were unarmed.
When King Arthur heard thereof, and of all that battle, and the rescue
of the queen, he sorrowed heavily for those good knights, and was
passing wroth with Lancelot and the queen.
But when Sir Gawain heard of his brethren's death he swooned for sorrow
and wrath, for he wist that Sir Lancelot had killed them in malice. And
as soon as he recovered he ran in to the king, and said, "Lord king and
uncle, hear this oath which now I swear, that from this day I will not
fail Sir Lancelot till one of us hath slain the other. And now, unless
ye haste to war with him, that we may be avenged, will I myself alone go
after him."
Then the king, full of wrath and grief, agreed thereto, and sent letters
throughout the realm to summon all his knights, and went with a vast
army to besiege the Castle of La Joyous Garde. And Sir Lancelot, with
his knights, mightily defended it; but never would he suffer any to go
forth and attack one of the king's army, for he was right loth to fight
against him.
So when fifteen weeks were passed, and King Arthur's army wasted itself
in vain against the castle, for it was passing strong, it chanced upon a
day Sir Lancelot was looking from the walls and espied King Arthur and
Sir Gawain close beside.
"Come forth, Sir Lancelot," said King Arthur right fiercely, "and let us
two meet in the midst of the field."
"God forbid that I should encounter with thee, lord, for thou didst make
me a knight," replied Sir Lancelot.
Then cried Sir Gawain, "Shame on thee, traitor and false knight, yet be
ye well assured we will regain the queen and slay thee and thy company;
yea, double shame on ye to slay my brother Gaheris unarmed, Sir Gareth
also, who loved ye so well. For that treachery, be sure I am thine enemy
till death."
"Alas!" cried Sir Lancelot, "that I hear such tidings, for I knew not I
had slain those noble knights, and right sorely now do I repent it with
a heavy heart. Yet abate thy wrath, Sir Gawain, for ye know full well I
did it by mischance, for I loved them ever as my own brothers."
"Thou liest, false recreant," cried Sir Gawain, fiercely.
At that Sir Lancelot was wroth, and said, "I well see thou art now mine
enemy, and that there can be no more peace with thee, or with my lord
the king, else would I gladly give back the queen."
Then the king would fain have listened to Sir Lancelot, for more than
all his own wrong did he grieve at the sore waste and damage of the
realm, but Sir Gawain persuaded him against it, and ever cried out
foully on Sir Lancelot.
When Sir Bors and the other knights of Lancelot's party heard the fierce
words of Sir Gawain, they were passing wroth, and prayed to ride forth
and be avenged on him, for they were weary of so long waiting to no
good. And in the end Sir Lancelot, with a heavy heart, consented.
So on the morrow the hosts on either side met in the field, and there
was a great battle. And Sir Gawain prayed his knights chiefly to set
upon Sir Lancelot; but Sir Lancelot commanded his company to forbear
King Arthur and Sir Gawain.
So the two armies jousted together right fiercely, and Sir Gawain
proffered to encounter with Sir Lionel, and overthrew him. But Sir Bors
and Sir Blamor, and Sir Palomedes, who were on Sir Lancelot's side, did
great feats of arms, and overthrew many of King Arthur's knights.
Then the king came forth against Sir Lancelot, but Sir Lancelot forbore
him and would not strike again.
At that Sir Bors rode up against the king and smote him down. But Sir
Lancelot cried, "Touch him not on pain of thy head," and going to King
Arthur he alighted and gave him his own horse, saying, "My lord, I pray
thee forbear this strife, for it can bring to neither of us any honor."
And when King Arthur looked on him the tears came to his eyes as he
thought of his noble courtesy, and he said within himself, "Alas! that
ever this war began."
But on the morrow Sir Gawain led forth the army again, and Sir Bors
commanded on Sir Lancelot's side. And they two struck together so
fiercely that both fell to the ground sorely wounded; and all the day
they fought till night fell, and many were slain on both sides, yet in
the end neither gained the victory.
But by now the fame of this fierce war spread through all Christendom,
and when the Pope heard thereof he sent a Bull, and charged King Arthur
to make peace with Lancelot, and receive back Queen Guinevere; and for
the offense imputed to her absolution should be given by the Pope.
Thereto would King Arthur straightway have obeyed, but Sir Gawain ever
urged him to refuse.
When Sir Lancelot heard thereof, he wrote thus to the king: "It was
never in my thought, lord, to withhold thy queen from thee; but since
she was condemned for my sake to death, I deemed it but a just and
knightly part to rescue her therefrom; wherefore I recommend me to your
grace, and within eight days will I come to thee and bring the queen in
safety."
Then, within eight days, as he had said, Sir Lancelot rode from out the
castle with Queen Guinevere, and a hundred knights for company, each
carrying an olive branch, in sign of peace. And so they came to the
court, and found King Arthur sitting on his throne, with Sir Gawain and
many other knights around him. And when Sir Lancelot entered with the
queen, they both kneeled down before the king.
Anon Sir Lancelot rose and said, "My lord, I have brought hither my lady
the queen again, as right requireth, and by commandment of the Pope and
you. I pray ye take her to your heart again and forget the past. For
myself I may ask nothing, and for my sin I shall have sorrow and sore
punishment; yet I would to heaven I might have your grace."
But ere the king could answer, for he was moved with pity at his words,
Sir Gawain cried aloud, "Let the king do as he will, but be sure, Sir
Lancelot, thou and I shall never be accorded while we live, for thou has
slain my brethren traitorously and unarmed."
"As heaven is my help," replied Sir Lancelot, "I did it ignorantly, for
I loved them well, and while I live I shall bewail their death; but to
make war with me were no avail, for I must needs fight with thee if thou
assailest, and peradventure I might kill thee also, which I were right
loth to do."
"I will forgive thee never," cried Sir Gawain, "and if the king
accordeth with thee he shall lose my service."
Then the knights who stood near tried to reconcile Sir Gawain to Sir
Lancelot, but he would not hear them. So, at the last, Sir Lancelot
said, "Since peace is vain, I will depart, lest I bring more evil on my
fellowship."
And as he turned to go, the tears fell from him, and he said, "Alas,
most noble Christian realm, which I have loved above all others, now
shall I see thee never more!" Then said he to the queen, "Madam, now
must I leave ye and this noble fellowship forever. And, I beseech ye,
pray for me, and if ye ever be defamed of any, let me hear thereof, and
as I have been ever thy true knight in right and wrong, so will I be
again."
With that he kneeled and kissed King Arthur's hands, and departed on his
way. And there was none in all that court, save Sir Gawain alone, but
wept to see him go.
So he returned with all his knights to the Castle of La Joyous Garde,
and, for his sorrow's sake, he named it Dolorous Garde thenceforth.
Anon he left the realm, and went with many of his fellowship beyond the
sea to France, and there divided all his lands among them equally, he
sharing but as the rest.
And from that time forward peace had been between him and King Arthur,
but for Sir Gawain, who left the king no rest, but constantly persuaded
him that Lancelot was raising mighty hosts against him.
So in the end his malice overcame the king, who left the government in
charge of Modred, and made him guardian of the queen, and went with a
great army to invade Sir Lancelot's lands.
Yet Sir Lancelot would make no war upon the king, and sent a message to
gain peace on any terms King Arthur chose. But Sir Gawain met the herald
ere he reached the king, and sent him back with taunting and bitter
words. Whereat Sir Lancelot sorrowfully called his knights together and
fortified the Castle of Benwicke, and there was shortly besieged by the
army of King Arthur.
And every day Sir Gawain rode up to the walls, and cried out foully on
Sir Lancelot, till, upon a time, Sir Lancelot answered him that he would
meet him in the field and put his boasting to the proof. So it was
agreed on both sides that there should none come nigh them or separate
them till one had fallen or yielded; and they two rode forth.
Then did they wheel their horses apart, and turning, came together as it
had been thunder, so that both horses fell, and both their lances broke.
At that they drew their swords and set upon each other fiercely, with
passing grievous strokes.
Now Sir Gawain had through magic a marvelous great gift. For every day,
from morning till noon, his strength waxed to the might of seven men,
but after that waned to his natural force. Therefore till noon he gave
Sir Lancelot many mighty buffets, which scarcely he endured. Yet greatly
he forbore Sir Gawain, for he was aware of his enchantment, and smote
him slightly till his own knights marveled. But after noon Sir Gawain's
strength sank fast, and then, with one full blow, Sir Lancelot laid him
on the earth. Then Sir Gawain cried out, "Turn not away, thou traitor
knight, but slay me if thou wilt, or else I will arise and fight with
thee again some other time."
"Sir knight," replied Sir Lancelot, "I never yet smote a fallen man."
At that they bore Sir Gawain sorely wounded to his tent, and King Arthur
withdrew his men, for he was loth to shed the blood of so many knights
of his own fellowship.
But now came tidings to King Arthur from across the sea, which caused
him to return in haste. For thus the news ran, that no sooner was Sir
Modred set up in his regency, than he had forged false tidings from
abroad that the king had fallen in a battle with Sir Lancelot. Whereat
he had proclaimed himself the king, and had been crowned at Canterbury,
where he had held a coronation feast for fifteen days. Then he had gone
to Winchester, where Queen Guinevere abode, and had commanded her to be
his wife; whereto, for fear and sore perplexity, she had feigned
consent, but, under pretext of preparing for the marriage, had fled in
haste to London and taken shelter in the Tower, fortifying it and
providing it with all manner of victuals, and defending it against Sir
Modred, and answering to all his threats that she would rather slay
herself than be his queen.
Thus was it written to King Arthur. Then, in passing great wrath and
haste, he came with all his army swiftly back from France and sailed to
England. But when Sir Modred heard thereof, he left the Tower and
marched with all his host to meet the king at Dover.
Then fled Queen Guinevere to Amesbury to a nunnery, and there she
clothed herself in sackcloth, and spent her time in praying for the king
and in good deeds and fasting. And in that nunnery evermore she lived,
sorely repenting and mourning for her sin, and for the ruin she had
brought on all the realm. And there anon she died.
And when Sir Lancelot heard thereof, he put his knightly armor off, and
bade farewell to all his kin, and went a mighty pilgrimage for many
years, and after lived a hermit till his death.
When Sir Modred came to Dover, he found King Arthur and his army but
just landed; and there they fought a fierce and bloody battle, and many
great and noble knights fell on both sides.
But the king's side had the victory, for he was beyond himself with
might and passion, and all his knights so fiercely followed him, that,
in spite of all their multitude, they drove Sir Modred's army back with
fearful wounds and slaughter, and slept that night upon the
battle-field.
But Sir Gawain was smitten by an arrow in the wound Sir Lancelot gave
him, and wounded to the death. Then was he borne to the king's tent,
and King Arthur sorrowed over him as it had been his own son. "Alas!"
said he; "in Sir Lancelot and in you I had my greatest earthly joy, and
now is all gone from me."
And Sir Gawain answered, with a feeble voice, "My lord and king, I know
well my death is come, and through my own wilfulness, for I am smitten
in the wound Sir Lancelot gave me. Alas! that I have been the cause of
all this war, for but for me thou hadst been now at peace with Lancelot,
and then had Modred never done this treason. I pray ye, therefore, my
dear lord, be now agreed with Lancelot, and tell him, that although he
gave me my death-wound, it was through my own seeking; wherefore I
beseech him to come back to England, and here to visit my tomb, and pray
for my soul."
When he had thus spoken, Sir Gawain gave up his ghost, and the king
grievously mourned for him.
Then they told him that the enemy had camped on Barham Downs, whereat,
with all his hosts, he straightway marched there, and fought again a
bloody battle, and overthrew Sir Modred utterly. Howbeit, he raised yet
another army, and retreating ever from before the king, increased his
numbers as he went, till at the farthest west in Lyonesse, he once more
made a stand.
Now, on the night of Trinity Sunday, being the eve of the battle, King
Arthur had a vision, and saw Sir Gawain in a dream, who warned him not
to fight with Modred on the morrow, else he would be surely slain; and
prayed him to delay till Lancelot and his knights should come to aid
him.
So when King Arthur woke he told his lords and knights that vision, and
all agreed to wait the coming of Sir Lancelot. Then a herald was sent
with a message of truce to Sir Modred, and a treaty was made that
neither army should assail the other.
But when the treaty was agreed upon, and the heralds returned, King
Arthur said to his knights, "Beware, lest Sir Modred deceive us, for I
in no wise trust him, and if swords be drawn be ready to encounter!" And
Sir Modred likewise gave an order, that if any man of the king's army
drew his sword, they should begin to fight.
And as it chanced, a knight of the king's side was bitten by an adder in
the foot, and hastily drew forth his sword to slay it. That saw Sir
Modred, and forthwith commanded all his army to assail the king's.
So both sides rushed to battle, and fought passing fiercely. And when
the king saw there was no hope to stay them, he did right mightily and
nobly as a king should do, and ever, like a lion, raged in the thickest
of the press, and slew on the right hand and on the left, till his horse
went fetlock deep in blood. So all day long they fought, and stinted not
till many a noble knight was slain.
But the king was passing sorrowful to see his trusty knights lie dead on
every side. And at the last but two remained beside him, Sir Lucan, and
his brother, Sir Bedivere, and both were sorely wounded.