Le Morte D’Arthur
King Arthur and of his Noble Knights of the Round Table
by Thomas Malory
IN TWO VOLS.—VOL. I
Contents
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
PREFACE OF WILLIAM CAXTON
BOOK I.
CHAPTER I. First, How Uther Pendragon sent for the duke of Cornwall
and Igraine his wife, and of their departing suddenly again.
CHAPTER II. How Uther Pendragon made war on the duke of Cornwall, and
how by the mean of Merlin he lay by the duchess and gat Arthur.
CHAPTER III. Of the birth of King Arthur and of his nurture.
CHAPTER IV. Of the death of King Uther Pendragon.
CHAPTER V. How Arthur was chosen king, and of wonders and marvels of a
sword taken out of a stone by the said Arthur.
CHAPTER VI. How King Arthur pulled out the sword divers times.
CHAPTER VII. How King Arthur was crowned, and how he made officers.
CHAPTER VIII. How King Arthur held in Wales, at a Pentecost, a great
feast, and what kings and lords came to his feast.
CHAPTER IX. Of the first war that King Arthur had, and how he won the
field.
CHAPTER X. How Merlin counselled King Arthur to send for King Ban and
King Bors, and of their counsel taken for the war.
CHAPTER XI. Of a great tourney made by King Arthur and the two kings
Ban and Bors, and how they went over the sea.
CHAPTER XII. How eleven kings gathered a great host against King
Arthur.
CHAPTER XIII. Of a dream of the King with the Hundred Knights.
CHAPTER XIV. How the eleven kings with their host fought against
Arthur and his host, and many great feats of the war.
CHAPTER XV. Yet of the same battle.
CHAPTER XVI. Yet more of the same battle.
CHAPTER XVII. Yet more of the same battle, and how it was ended by
Merlin.
CHAPTER XVIII. How King Arthur, King Ban, and King Bors rescued King
Leodegrance, and other incidents.
CHAPTER XIX. How King Arthur rode to Carlion, and of his dream, and
how he saw the questing beast.
CHAPTER XX. How King Pellinore took Arthur's horse and followed the
Questing Beast, and how Merlin met with Arthur.
CHAPTER XXI. How Ulfius impeached Queen Igraine, Arthur's mother, of
treason; and how a knight came and desired to have the death of his
master revenged.
CHAPTER XXII. How Griflet was made knight, and jousted with a knight
CHAPTER XXIII. How twelve knights came from Rome and asked truage for
this land of Arthur, and how Arthur fought with a knight.
CHAPTER XXIV. How Merlin saved Arthur's life, and threw an enchantment
on King Pellinore and made him to sleep.
CHAPTER XXV. How Arthur by the mean of Merlin gat Excalibur his sword
of the Lady of the Lake.
CHAPTER XXVI. How tidings came to Arthur that King Rience had overcome
eleven kings, and how he desired Arthur's beard to trim his mantle.
CHAPTER XXVII. How all the children were sent for that were born on
May-day, and how Mordred was saved.
BOOK II.
CHAPTER I. Of a damosel which came girt with a sword for to find a man
of such virtue to draw it out of the scabbard.
CHAPTER II. How Balin, arrayed like a poor knight, pulled out the
sword, which afterward was the cause of his death.
CHAPTER III. How the Lady of the Lake demanded the knight's head that
had won the sword, or the maiden's head.
CHAPTER IV. How Merlin told the adventure of this damosel.
CHAPTER V. How Balin was pursued by Sir Lanceor, knight of Ireland,
and how he jousted and slew him.
CHAPTER VI. How a damosel, which was love to Lanceor, slew herself for
love, and how Balin met with his brother Balan.
CHAPTER VII. How a dwarf reproved Balin for the death of Lanceor, and
how King Mark of Cornwall found them, and made a tomb over them.
CHAPTER VIII. How Merlin prophesied that two the best knights of the
world should fight there, which were Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristram.
CHAPTER IX. How Balin and his brother, by the counsel of Merlin, took
King Rience and brought him to King Arthur.
CHAPTER X. How King Arthur had a battle against Nero and King Lot of
Orkney, and how King Lot was deceived by Merlin, and how twelve kings
were slain.
CHAPTER XI. Of the interment of twelve kings, and of the prophecy of
Merlin, and how Balin should give the dolorous stroke.
CHAPTER XII. How a sorrowful knight came before Arthur, and how Balin
fetched him, and how that knight was slain by a knight invisible.
CHAPTER XIII. How Balin and the damosel met with a knight which was in
likewise slain, and how the damosel bled for the custom of a castle.
CHAPTER XIV. How Balin met with that knight named Garlon at a feast,
and there he slew him, to have his blood to heal therewith the son of
his host.
CHAPTER XV. How Balin fought with King Pellam, and how his sword
brake, and how he gat a spear wherewith he smote the dolorous stroke.
CHAPTER XVI. How Balin was delivered by Merlin, and saved a knight
that would have slain himself for love.
CHAPTER XVII. How that knight slew his love and a knight lying by her,
and after, how he slew himself with his own sword, and how Balin rode
toward a castle where he lost his life.
CHAPTER XVIII. How Balin met with his brother Balan, and how each of
them slew other unknown, till they were wounded to death.
CHAPTER XIX. How Merlin buried them both in one tomb, and of Balin's
sword.
BOOK III.
CHAPTER I. How King Arthur took a wife, and wedded Guenever, daughter
to Leodegrance, King of the Land of Cameliard, with whom he had the
Round Table.
CHAPTER II. How the Knights of the Round Table were ordained and their
sieges blessed by the Bishop of Canterbury.
CHAPTER III. How a poor man riding upon a lean mare desired King
Arthur to make his son knight.
CHAPTER IV. How Sir Tor was known for son of King Pellinore, and how
Gawaine was made knight.
CHAPTER V. How at feast of the wedding of King Arthur to Guenever, a
white hart came into the hall, and thirty couple hounds, and how a
brachet pinched the hart which was taken away.
CHAPTER VI. How Sir Gawaine rode for to fetch again the hart, and how
two brethren fought each against other for the hart.
CHAPTER VII How the hart was chased into a castle and there slain, and
how Sir Gawaine slew a lady.
CHAPTER VIII. How four knights fought against Gawaine and Gaheris, and
how they were overcome, and their lives saved at request of four
ladies.
CHAPTER IX. How Sir Tor rode after the knight with the brachet, and of
his adventure by the way.
CHAPTER X. How Sir Tor found the brachet with a lady, and how a knight
assailed him for the said brachet.
CHAPTER XI. How Sir Tor overcame the knight, and how he lost his head
at the request of a lady.
CHAPTER XII. How King Pellinore rode after the lady and the knight
that led her away, and how a lady desired help of him, and how he
fought with two knights for that lady, of whom he slew the one at the
first stroke.
CHAPTER XIII. How King Pellinore gat the lady and brought her to
Camelot to the court of King Arthur.
CHAPTER XIV. How on the way he heard two knights, as he lay by night
in a valley, and of their adventures.
CHAPTER XV. How when he was come to Camelot he was sworn upon a book
to tell the truth of his quest.
BOOK IV.
CHAPTER I. How Merlin was assotted and doted on one of the ladies of
the lake, and how he was shut in a rock under a stone and there died.
CHAPTER II. How five kings came into this land to war against King
Arthur, and what counsel Arthur had against them.
CHAPTER III. How King Arthur had ado with them and overthrew them, and
slew the five kings and made the remnant to flee.
CHAPTER IV. How the battle was finished or he came, and how King
Arthur founded an abbey where the battle was.
CHAPTER V. How Sir Tor was made knight of the Round Table, and how
Bagdemagus was displeased.
CHAPTER VI. How King Arthur, King Uriens, and Sir Accolon of Gaul,
chased an hart, and of their marvellous adventures.
CHAPTER VII. How Arthur took upon him to fight to be delivered out of
prison, and also for to deliver twenty knights that were in prison.
CHAPTER VIII. How Accolon found himself by a well, and he took upon
him to do battle against Arthur.
CHAPTER IX. Of the battle between King Arthur and Accolon.
CHAPTER X. How King Arthur's sword that he fought with brake, and how
he recovered of Accolon his own sword Excalibur, and overcame his
enemy.
CHAPTER XI. How Accolon confessed the treason of Morgan le Fay, King
Arthur's sister, and how she would have done slay him.
CHAPTER XII. How Arthur accorded the two brethren, and delivered the
twenty knights, and how Sir Accolon died.
CHAPTER XIII. How Morgan would have slain Sir Uriens her husband, and
how Sir Uwaine her son saved him.
CHAPTER XIV. How Queen Morgan le Fay made great sorrow for the death
of Accolon, and how she stole away the scabbard from Arthur.
CHAPTER XV. How Morgan le Fay saved a knight that should have been
drowned, and how King Arthur returned home again.
CHAPTER XVI. How the Damosel of the Lake saved King Arthur from mantle
that should have burnt him.
CHAPTER XVII. How Sir Gawaine and Sir Uwaine met with twelve fair
damosels, and how they complained on Sir Marhaus.
CHAPTER XVIII. How Sir Marhaus jousted with Sir Gawaine and Sir
Uwaine, and overthrew them both.
CHAPTER XIX. How Sir Marhaus, Sir Gawaine, and Sir Uwaine met three
damosels, and each of them took one.
CHAPTER XX. How a knight and a dwarf strove for a lady.
CHAPTER XXI. How King Pelleas suffered himself to be taken prisoner
because he would have a sight of his lady, and how Sir Gawaine
promised him to get to him the love of his lady.
CHAPTER XXII. How Sir Gawaine came to the Lady Ettard, and how Sir
Pelleas found them sleeping.
CHAPTER XXIII. How Sir Pelleas loved no more Ettard by means of the
Damosel of the Lake, whom he loved ever after.
CHAPTER XXIV. How Sir Marhaus rode with the damosel, and how he came
to the Duke of the South Marches.
CHAPTER XXV. How Sir Marhaus fought with the duke and his four sons
and made them to yield them.
CHAPTER XXVI. How Sir Uwaine rode with the damosel of sixty year of
age, and how he gat the prize at tourneying.
CHAPTER XXVII. How Sir Uwaine fought with two knights and overcame
them.
CHAPTER XXVIII. How at the year's end all three knights with their
three damosels met at the fountain.
BOOK V.
CHAPTER I. How twelve aged ambassadors of Rome came to King Arthur to
demand truage for Britain.
CHAPTER II. How the kings and lords promised to King Arthur aid and
help against the Romans.
CHAPTER III. How King Arthur held a parliament at York, and how he
ordained the realm should be governed in his absence.
CHAPTER IV. How King Arthur being shipped and lying in his cabin had a
marvellous dream and of the exposition thereof.
CHAPTER V. How a man of the country told to him of a marvellous giant,
and how he fought and conquered him.
CHAPTER VI. How King Arthur sent Sir Gawaine and other to Lucius, and
how they were assailed and escaped with worship.
CHAPTER VII. How Lucius sent certain spies in a bushment for to have
taken his knights being prisoners, and how they were letted.
CHAPTER VIII. How a senator told to Lucius of their discomfiture, and
also of the great battle between Arthur and Lucius.
CHAPTER IX How Arthur, after he had achieved the battle against the
Romans, entered into Almaine, and so into Italy.
CHAPTER X. Of a battle done by Sir Gawaine against a Saracen, which
after was yielden and became Christian.
CHAPTER XI. How the Saracens came out of a wood for to rescue their
beasts, and of a great battle.
CHAPTER XII. How Sir Gawaine returned to King Arthur with his
prisoners, and how the King won a city, and how he was crowned
Emperor.
BOOK VI.
CHAPTER I. How Sir Launcelot and Sir Lionel departed from the court,
and how Sir Lionel left him sleeping and was taken.
CHAPTER II. How Sir Ector followed for to seek Sir Launcelot, and how
he was taken by Sir Turquine.
CHAPTER III How four queens found Launcelot sleeping, and how by
enchantment he was taken and led into a castle.
CHAPTER IV. How Sir Launcelot was delivered by the mean of a damosel.
CHAPTER V. How a knight found Sir Launcelot lying in his leman's bed,
and how Sir Launcelot fought with the knight.
CHAPTER VI. How Sir Launcelot was received of King Bagdemagus'
daughter, and how he made his complaint to her father.
CHAPTER VII. How Sir Launcelot behaved him in a tournament, and how he
met with Sir Turquine leading Sir Gaheris.
CHAPTER VIII. How Sir Launcelot and Sir Turquine fought together.
CHAPTER IX. How Sir Turquine was slain, and how Sir Launcelot bade Sir
Gaheris deliver all the prisoners.
CHAPTER X. How Sir Launcelot rode with a damosel and slew a knight
that distressed all ladies and also a villain that kept a bridge.
CHAPTER XI. How Sir Launcelot slew two giants, and made a castle free.
CHAPTER XII. How Sir Launcelot rode disguised in Sir Kay's harness,
and how he smote down a knight.
CHAPTER XIII. How Sir Launcelot jousted against four knights of the
Round Table and overthrew them.
CHAPTER XIV. How Sir Launcelot followed a brachet into a castle, where
he found a dead knight, and how he after was required of a damosel to
heal her brother.
CHAPTER XV. How Sir Launcelot came into the Chapel Perilous and gat
there of a dead corpse a piece of the cloth and a sword.
CHAPTER XVI. How Sir Launcelot at the request of a lady recovered a
falcon, by which he was deceived.
CHAPTER XVII. How Sir Launcelot overtook a knight which chased his
wife to have slain her, and how he said to him.
CHAPTER XVIII. How Sir Launcelot came to King Arthur's Court, and how
there were recounted all his noble feats and acts.
BOOK VII.
CHAPTER I. How Beaumains came to King Arthur's Court and demanded
three petitions of King Arthur.
CHAPTER II. How Sir Launcelot and Sir Gawaine were wroth because Sir
Kay mocked Beaumains, and of a damosel which desired a knight to fight
for a lady.
CHAPTER III. How Beaumains desired the battle, and how it was granted
to him, and how he desired to be made knight of Sir Launcelot.
CHAPTER IV. How Beaumains departed, and how he gat of Sir Kay a spear
and a shield, and how he jousted with Sir Launcelot.
CHAPTER V. How Beaumains told to Sir Launcelot his name, and how he
was dubbed knight of Sir Launcelot, and after overtook the damosel.
CHAPTER VI. How Beaumains fought and slew two knights at a passage.
CHAPTER VII. How Beaumains fought with the Knight of the Black Launds,
and fought with him till he fell down and died.
CHAPTER VIII. How the brother of the knight that was slain met with
Beaumains, and fought with Beaumains till he was yielden.
CHAPTER IX. How the damosel again rebuked Beaumains, and would not
suffer him to sit at her table, but called him kitchen boy.
CHAPTER X. How the third brother, called the Red Knight, jousted and
fought against Beaumains, and how Beaumains overcame him.
CHAPTER XI. How Sir Beaumains suffered great rebukes of the damosel,
and he suffered it patiently.
CHAPTER XII. How Beaumains fought with Sir Persant of Inde, and made
him to be yielden.
CHAPTER XIII. Of the goodly communication between Sir Persant and
Beaumains, and how he told him that his name was Sir Gareth.
CHAPTER XIV. How the lady that was besieged had word from her sister
how she had brought a knight to fight for her, and what battles he had
achieved.
CHAPTER XV. How the damosel and Beaumains came to the siege; and came
to a sycamore tree, and there Beaumains blew a horn, and then the
Knight of the Red Launds came to fight with him.
CHAPTER XVI. How the two knights met together, and of their talking,
and how they began their battle.
CHAPTER XVII. How after long fighting Beaumains overcame the knight
and would have slain him, but at the request of the lords he saved his
life, and made him to yield him to the lady.
CHAPTER XVIII. How the knight yielded him, and how Beaumains made him
to go unto King Arthur's court, and to cry Sir Launcelot mercy.
CHAPTER XIX How Beaumains came to the lady, and when he came to the
castle the gates were closed against him, and of the words that the
lady said to him.
CHAPTER XX. How Sir Beaumains rode after to rescue his dwarf, and came
into the castle where he was.
CHAPTER XXI. How Sir Gareth, otherwise called Beaumains, came to the
presence of his lady, and how they took acquaintance, and of their
love.
CHAPTER XXII. How at night came an armed knight, and fought with Sir
Gareth, and he, sore hurt in the thigh, smote off the knight's head.
CHAPTER XXIII. How the said knight came again the next night and was
beheaded again, and how at the feast of Pentecost all the knights that
Sir Gareth had overcome came and yielded them to King Arthur.
CHAPTER XXIV. How King Arthur pardoned them, and demanded of them
where Sir Gareth was.
CHAPTER XXV. How the Queen of Orkney came to this feast of Pentecost,
and Sir Gawaine and his brethren came to ask her blessing.
CHAPTER XXVI. How King Arthur sent for the Lady Lionesse, and how she
let cry a tourney at her castle, whereas came many knights.
CHAPTER XXVII. How King Arthur went to the tournament with his
knights, and how the lady received him worshipfully, and how the
knights encountered.
CHAPTER XXVIII. How the knights bare them in the battle.
CHAPTER XXIX. Yet of the said tournament.
CHAPTER XXX. How Sir Gareth was espied by the heralds, and how he
escaped out of the field.
CHAPTER XXXI. How Sir Gareth came to a castle where he was well
lodged, and he jousted with a knight and slew him.
CHAPTER XXXII. How Sir Gareth fought with a knight that held within
his castle thirty ladies, and how he slew him.
CHAPTER XXXIII. How Sir Gareth and Sir Gawaine fought each against
other, and how they knew each other by the damosel Linet.
CHAPTER XXXIV. How Sir Gareth acknowledged that they loved each other
to King Arthur, and of the appointment of their wedding.
CHAPTER XXXV. Of the Great Royalty, and what officers were made at the
feast of the wedding, and of the jousts at the feast.
BOOK VIII.
CHAPTER I. How Sir Tristram de Liones was born, and how his mother
died at his birth, wherefore she named him Tristram.
CHAPTER II. How the stepmother of Sir Tristram had ordained poison for
to have poisoned Sir Tristram.
CHAPTER III. How Sir Tristram was sent into France, and had one to
govern him named Gouvernail, and how he learned to harp, hawk, and
hunt.
CHAPTER IV. How Sir Marhaus came out of Ireland for to ask truage of
Cornwall, or else he would fight therefore.
CHAPTER V. How Tristram enterprized the battle to fight for the truage
of Cornwall, and how he was made knight.
CHAPTER VI. How Sir Tristram arrived into the Island for to furnish
the battle with Sir Marhaus.
CHAPTER VII. How Sir Tristram fought against Sir Marhaus and achieved
his battle, and how Sir Marhaus fled to his ship.
CHAPTER VIII. How Sir Marhaus after that he was arrived in Ireland
died of the stroke that Sir Tristram had given him, and how Tristram
was hurt.
CHAPTER IX. How Sir Tristram was put to the keeping of La Beale Isoud
first for to be healed of his wound.
CHAPTER X. How Sir Tristram won the degree at a tournament in Ireland,
and there made Palamides to bear no more harness in a year.
CHAPTER XI. How the queen espied that Sir Tristram had slain her
brother Sir Marhaus by his sword, and in what jeopardy he was.
CHAPTER XII. How Sir Tristram departed from the king and La Beale
Isoud out of Ireland for to come into Cornwall.
CHAPTER XIII. How Sir Tristram and King Mark hurted each other for the
love of a knight's wife.
CHAPTER XIV. How Sir Tristram lay with the lady, and how her husband
fought with Sir Tristram.
CHAPTER XV. How Sir Bleoberis demanded the fairest lady in King Mark's
court, whom he took away, and how he was fought with.
CHAPTER XVI. How Sir Tristram fought with two knights of the Round
Table.
CHAPTER XVII. How Sir Tristram fought with Sir Bleoberis for a lady,
and how the lady was put to choice to whom she would go.
CHAPTER XVIII. How the lady forsook Sir Tristram and abode with Sir
Bleoberis, and how she desired to go to her husband.
CHAPTER XIX. How King Mark sent Sir Tristram for La Beale Isoud toward
Ireland, and how by fortune he arrived into England.
CHAPTER XX. How King Anguish of Ireland was summoned to come to King
Arthur's court for treason.
CHAPTER XXI. How Sir Tristram rescued a child from a knight, and how
Gouvernail told him of King Anguish.
CHAPTER XXII. How Sir Tristram fought for Sir Anguish and overcame his
adversary, and how his adversary would never yield him.
CHAPTER XXIII. How Sir Blamore desired Tristram to slay him, and how
Sir Tristram spared him, and how they took appointment.
CHAPTER XXIV. How Sir Tristram demanded La Beale Isoud for King Mark,
and how Sir Tristram and Isoud drank the love drink.
CHAPTER XXV. How Sir Tristram and Isoud were in prison, and how he
fought for her beauty, and smote off another lady's head.
CHAPTER XXVI. How Sir Tristram fought with Sir Breunor, and at the
last smote off his head.
CHAPTER XXVII. How Sir Galahad fought with Sir Tristram, and how Sir
Tristram yielded him and promised to fellowship with Launcelot.
CHAPTER XXVIII. How Sir Launcelot met with Sir Carados bearing away
Sir Gawaine, and of the rescue of Sir Gawaine.
CHAPTER XXIX. Of the wedding of King Mark to La Beale Isoud, and of
Bragwaine her maid, and of Palamides.
CHAPTER XXX. How Palamides demanded Queen Isoud, and how Lambegus rode
after to rescue her, and of the escape of Isoud.
CHAPTER XXXI. How Sir Tristram rode after Palamides, and how he found
him and fought with him, and by the means of Isoud the battle ceased.
CHAPTER XXXII. How Sir Tristram brought Queen Isoud home, and of the
debate of King Mark and Sir Tristram.
CHAPTER XXXIII. How Sir Lamorak jousted with thirty knights, and Sir
Tristram at the request of King Mark smote his horse down.
CHAPTER XXXIV. How Sir Lamorak sent an horn to King Mark in despite of
Sir Tristram, and how Sir Tristram was driven into a chapel.
CHAPTER XXXV. How Sir Tristram was holpen by his men, and of Queen
Isoud which was put in a lazar-cote, and how Tristram was hurt.
CHAPTER XXXVI. How Sir Tristram served in war King Howel of Brittany,
and slew his adversary in the field.
CHAPTER XXXVII. How Sir Suppinabiles told Sir Tristram how he was
defamed in the court of King Arthur, and of Sir Lamorak.
CHAPTER XXXVIII. How Sir Tristram and his wife arrived in Wales, and
how he met there with Sir Lamorak.
CHAPTER XXXIX. How Sir Tristram fought with Sir Nabon, and overcame
him, and made Sir Segwarides lord of the isle.
CHAPTER XL
CHAPTER XLI. How Sir Lamorak slew Sir Frol, and of the courteous
fighting with Sir Belliance his brother.
BOOK IX.
CHAPTER I. How a young man came into the court of King Arthur, and how
Sir Kay called him in scorn La Cote Male Taile.