KING ARTHUR was now firmly established in his kingdom. He ruled wisely
and lived nobly, so that there was a great concourse about him of men of
good condition, and in the island of Britain at that time were gathered
the strongest and bravest knights of Christendom. To such of the Knights
of the Round Table and others of his court as were of poor estate the
king gave lands, that they might the better perform all that to which
they were pledged by the oaths they took when they were made knights.
Castles and fair towns arose in the land ; and knights were ever riding
about, seeking adventures, of which there was no lack, for evil men who
had gotten rich and strong in the stormy times of Vortigern and Uther
Pendragon were still many, and ever they held themselves against King
Arthur and his rule. There were also enchanters, and some of them used
their supernatural powers for evil, who were fearful of his power and
jealous of his greatness, entered into an alliance against him, and they
led a great host into his lands, and burned, and slew, and plundered on
every side. When King Arthur heard this news he was wrathful. He
appointed King Pellinore to bring the main body of his army as soon as
might be; and he himself, with Queen Guenever and such knights and
men-at-arms as were at that time in the court, set out to meet the five
kings, who were lying with their host in a wide forest near the river
Humber. But it chanced that as King Arthur, with the queen, Sir Kay, Sir
Gawaine, and Sir Griflet, was riding out by the river side, they met the
five kings, that were also riding out without any following; and those
four fell upon the five kings with such might that they killed them all.
When the followers of the kings found them dead, they lost heart and
courage, and would have fled; but Arthur and his little army came upon
them, and slew so many that scarcely any escaped back to their own
lands. So the war was ended before King Pellinore and the main host
could come near the place. To show his thankfulness to God for this
great victory, Arthur founded a rich abbey on the spot where the battle
had been. Then he returned with his knights to Camelot, and again abode
there in peace.
For some years the realm was at peace; but then it befell that Merlin
came under the spell of Viviane, as it has been told in the first
chapter of this book. When it was noised abroad that King Arthur had
lost his best counsellor, five kings of the north and in the island of
Britain at that time were gathered the strongest and bravest knights of
Christendom. To such of the Knights of the Round Table and others of his
court as were of poor estate the king gave lands, that they might the
better perform all that to which they were pledged by the oaths they
took when they were made knights. Castles and fair towns arose in the
land; and knights were ever riding about, seeking adventures, of which
there was no lack, for evil men who had gotten rich and strong in the
stormy times of Vortigern and Uther Pen-dragon were still many, and ever
they held themselves against King Arthur and his rule. There were also
enchanters, and some of them used their supernatural powers for evil.
Of the king’s sisters by the mother’s side, the daughters of Queen
Igraine, Arthur chiefly loved Morgan le Fay, who was the wife of
Urience, King of Gore. She had learned necromancy from Merlin, and was
scarcely less skilled in magic arts than he. But she hated King Arthur,
and was ever watching to find an opportunity to destroy him. While
Merlin was with him, she could do him no ill; but afterwards, because
Arthur loved her and trusted her, he placed his sword Excalibur and the
scabbard in her keeping, and then Morgan thought the time had come when
she might accomplish his ruin. She loved not her husband, King Urience,
who was a good knight and loyal to King Arthur, but she chiefly esteemed
a knight named Sir Accolon of Gaul.
It befell that King Arthur, with many of his knights, one day rode out
from Camelot to hunt in the forest. They followed a great hart; and King
Arthur, King Urience, and Sir Accolon, being the best mounted, rode away
from the others, and chased the hart so mightily that their horses fell
dead under them. Then they did not know what to do, for they were a
great way from Camelot, in the midst of the thick wood.
“Let us go on foot,” said King Urience, “till we come to some lodging.”
Before them lay a great water, and suddenly they saw upon it a little
ship, all gilt, with sails of silk, and it was coming straight toward
them, and ran on to the sands. King Arthur went near it, and looked in;
but there was no living thing on board.
“Sirs,” said Arthur, “let us go into this ship, and see what there is in
it.”
So they went on board, and found it full richly garnished, with a fair
cabin all hung with doth of silk; and while they were gazing upon it,
the ship suddenly left the land again, and went into the middle of the
water. By this time it was dusk, and all at once there were a hundred
torches about the sides of the ship that gave forth a great light. Then
suddenly twelve beautiful damsels appeared, and they saluted King Arthur
on their knees, calling him by his name, and bade him welcome, telling
him he should have the best cheer they could give. They led the king and
his two companions into the cabin, where was a table richly appointed
with all kinds of meats and wines. King Arthur and King Urience and Sir
Accolon fared sumptuously, for they were very hungry after the chase.
When the supper was over, all three were sleepy, and the damsels
conducted each to a sleeping chamber that was nobly arrayed, where they
lay on soft pallets, and soon were buried in deep slumber.
When King Urience awoke, he found himself, to his great marvel, in
the chamber of his wife Morgan le Fay at Camelot. How this could be he
understood not, for when he had fallen asleep he had been full two days’
journey from Camelot. But Arthur did not fare so well, for when he awoke
he discovered that he was in a dark prison, and heard all about him the
groans and complaints of woful knights. Then he said,--
“Who are ye that thus complain?”
“We are,” answered one of them, “twenty good knights that are here
prisoners. Some of us have lain here seven years, and even more, and
some for less time.”
“For what cause?” asked King Arthur.
Then the knights told him that the lord of the castle was a rich baron
named Sir Damas, who was one of the falsest knights alive, full of
treason, and an arrant coward. He had a younger brother named Sir
Ontzlake, who was a good and honourable knight, and a man of great
prowess. But Sir Damas, by means of his riches and the men-at-arms he
kept, had deprived Sir Ontzlake of much of his heritage, so that there
was always a great warfare between them. Damas would never meet his
brother in the field; and Ontzlake had offered to fight him, or any
knight he could find in his stead, to settle their dispute in that
fashion. But Damas would not fight himself, and he was everywhere so
hated that he could get no knight to undertake his quarrel. So he lay
ever in wait with his servants, and laid hold by treachery of every
errant knight that came into his lands to seek adventures. Then he kept
them in prison, till one of them should agree to fight Sir Ontzlake on
his behalf; but thus far, not one had ever consented to do it.
When King Arthur heard this he was ill at ease; but he thought that he
would rather undertake the battle, albeit it were in an unjust cause,
than lie hungering in prison. As he sat there, a damsel came to him and
asked him, “What cheer?”
“I cannot tell,” said King Arthur.
“Well,” she said, “if you will fight for my lord, you shall be delivered
out of prison; but if not, you shall not escape hence all your life
long.”
“It is a hard case,” answered Arthur. “But I would rather undertake the
adventure than die in prison; so I will fight for thy lord, on condition
that he will release all these knights as well as myself.”
This the damsel promised, and she said that he should also have horse
and armour. When the king looked at her, it seemed to him that he had
seen her before, and he asked her if she had not been in King Arthur’s
court. She answered that she had never been there; but she spoke false,
for she was one of the damsels that served Morgan le Fay. She knew
Arthur well enough, and had come to that place at her mistress’s
bidding, to contrive that he should undertake the battle on behalf of
Sir Damas. Now she went to Sir Damas, and told him how she had found a
knight for him. He sent for King Arthur, and saw that he was a strong
man, well-made, and knightly in his carriage, and so was well content
to have him for his champion. Then Arthur swore to Sir Damas to do his
battle to the uttermost; and Damas straightway released all the knights
that had been his prisoners. They, however, waited to see the battle.
Now we must tell of Sir Accolon of Gaul, the knight who had been in the
ship with King Arthur and King Urience. When he awoke from his sleep, he
found himself lying by the side of a beautiful fountain. Even while he
yet wondered how he had been brought thither, there came to him a dwarf,
who said, “Sir, I am sent hither by Queen Morgan le Fay, who greets you
well, and bids you be strong of heart, for you are to fight to-morrow
morning early with a knight. Therefore, I have brought you King Arthur’s
sword Excalibur, and its scabbard; and Queen Morgan desires you, as you
love her, to do the battle to the uttermost, as you promised her when
she and you talked privately together.”
“I understand well what she means,” answered Accolon; “and now that I
have the sword, I will make good what I promised.” So he sent loving
messages to Queen Morgan; and he now knew that the enchantment of the
ship, and the means whereby he had been transported to the side of the
fountain, were of her contrivance. And now also by her means was Sir
Accolon conducted to the manor of Sir Ontzlake, Damas’s brother, where
he was well entertained. But Sir Ontzlake was lying on a couch; for,
a little while before, he had been wounded through both thighs with a
spear. Soon after Sir Accolon came to him, Sir Damas sent him word that
he had found a knight to undertake his battle, and that’ Sir Ontzlake
must be ready by the next morning. Sir Ontzlake wist not what to do, for
he was so badly hurt that he could not stand on his feet; but his guest,
Sir Accolon, when he knew what the matter was, offered to fight in his
stead, as Morgan le Fay had sent him word to do; and Sir Ontzlake was
very thankful, and sent word to Sir Damas that he would have a knight
ready.
On the morrow King Arthur heard mass; and after that, he armed himself
and mounted his horse, and went to the place appointed for the battle,
where there was a great gathering of the gentle folk and commons of
the country. While Arthur was waiting, there came to him a damsel from
Morgan le Fay, and brought a sword and scabbard, like Excalibur and its
scabbard, saying, “Morgan le Fay sends you here your sword for great
love.” For this he was thankful; but both the sword and the scabbard
were only counterfeit, brittle, and false.
Then Sir Accolon came into the field, and as both their vizors were
down, neither of the knights knew the other. So they rode together with
such force that both were unhorsed; and then they drew their swords, and
fought on foot, giving each other many heavy strokes. But Sir Accolon
wounded the king with almost every blow, and shed much of his blood;
while he himself lost no blood at all, because he had the scabbard of
Excalibur at his side. When King Arthur felt himself so wounded, and saw
his own blood on the ground, he was dismayed, for he began to understand
that the sword which he had could not be Excali-bur, and it seemed to
him that the other knight’s sword was very like Excalibur. For all that
he held himself full knightly, and defended himself so well that all the
people there said they had never seen a knight fight better. However,
with loss of blood he grew so feeble that he withdrew a little to rest.
But Sir Accolon was bold because he knew that he had Excalibur, and he
called out, “It is no time for me to suffer thee to rest.” Then he came
fiercely on, and King Arthur met him and smote him so mightily on the
helm that he nearly fell to the earth. But with that stroke Arthur’s
sword broke at the cross, and left only the pommel and the handle in his
hand.
When Accolon saw that, he said, “Knight, thou art weaponless, and may
no longer endure. I am loath to slay thee, therefore yield thee as
recreant.”
“Nay,” answered Arthur, “I may not yield, for I have sworn to do this
battle to the uttermost. Moreover, I would rather die with honour than
live with shame; and if you slay me, being weaponless, the shame will be
with you.”
“For that I care not,” answered Accolon; and then he came fiercely on,
and struck Arthur a blow that well-nigh sent him to the earth. But the
king pressed against Accolon with his shield, and smote him with the
pommel in his hand so that he went three strides back. Sir Accolon
came on again all eagerly; but at the next stroke he gave, the sword
Excalibur slipped from his hand and fell to the earth, and Arthur leaped
to it and got it in his hand. Forthwith he perceived clearly that it was
in truth his good sword Excalibur. “Ah!” he cried, “thou hast been
too long from me, and much damage thou hast done me.” Then he suddenly
sprang to Sir Accolon and snatched the scabbard from where it hung by
his side, and threw it far away from him.
“Now, Knight,” said King Arthur, “you have done me much hurt with this
sword, but ere we part I shall reward you with it as well as you have
rewarded me.” So he rushed upon Accolon with all his might, and pulled
him to the earth, took off his helmet, and smote him such a buffet on
the head that the blood gushed out of his ears, nose, and mouth.
“Now will I slay thee,” said King Arthur.
“Slay me you may,” answered Accolon, “if it please you; for you are the
best knight that ever I met, and I see well that God is with you. But I
promised to fight this battle to the uttermost, and so I cannot yield to
you.”
Then it seemed to King Arthur that he knew the knight, so he asked him
his name.
“Sir,” answered Accolon, “I am of the court of King Arthur, and my name
is Accolon of Gaul.”
At this Arthur was sore troubled, for he remembered that Accolon was
favoured by his sister Morgan le Fay.
“Sir Knight,” said he, “I pray you tell me who gave you this sword.”
“Accursed be the sword,” answered Accolon, “for it has given me my
death.” Then he confessed that the sword had been sent him by Morgan le
Fay, with the intent that he should kill King Arthur with it; and that
when that was accomplished she would compass the death of her husband
King Urience, so that Accolon and she might be king and queen. When he
had made this confession, Accolon asked Arthur who he was.
“O Sir Accolon,” answered the king, “now know thou that I am King
Arthur, to whom thou hast done great damage.”
When Accolon heard this, he cried out, “My gracious lord, have mercy on
me, for I knew you not!”
“Mercy shalt thou have,” answered Arthur, “for I believe thou didst not
know me; but none the less hast thou plotted my death, and art therefore
a traitor. Still I blame not thee so much as my sister Morgan le Fay;
for she, by her false arts, has made thee agree and consent to her
evil purposes. But I will be so avenged on her, if I live, that all
Christendom shall hear of it.”
Then the keepers of the field and all who had watched the battle drew
nigh, and Sir Accolon told them that the knight with whom he had done
battle was none other than King Arthur. All the people knelt and made
their submission to the king. He, on his part, ordered Sir Damas to give
Sir Ontzlake his rightful inheritance, and charged him, on penalty of
death, to atone to the knights he had kept in prison for the hurt he had
done them, and never more to meddle with knights-errant that might come
into his country. Sir Ontzlake he charged to come to his court, because
he was a good knight, and promised him honour and advancement. Then the
king and Sir Accolon were removed to a rich abbey of nuns a few miles
away, where their wounds were dressed, and within four days King Arthur
was healed; but Sir Accolon had lost so much blood that he might not
be recovered. When he was dead, Arthur bade six of his knights bear his
body to Morgan le Fay, and charged them to say that the king sent him to
her for a present, and that he had got back his sword Excalibur and the
scabbard.
When the tidings came to Morgan le Fay by one of her damsels that
Accolon was dead, and that King Arthur had got back his sword and
scabbard, she was full of sorrow and anger; so she got leave from
Queen Guenever to return to her own country. As she and her attendants
journeyed, they passed by the very abbey where King Arthur was still
lying. Knowing that he was there, Morgan went into the abbey and asked
where the king was. She was answered that he was asleep in his chamber;
so she said she would go in and wake him herself. As she was his sister,
and a queen, none dare say her nay; so she went into the chamber,
intending to steal from him Excalibur. But the king, though he was
asleep, had the sword fast in his right hand, so she could not get it.
However, she took the scabbard, and then went on her way. When the king
woke and missed the scabbard, he was passing wroth, and still more so
when he knew who had taken it. So he and Sir Ontzlake armed themselves
hastily, and rode after Queen Morgan, and after a while they came in
sight of her. When she saw that King Arthur was pursuing, she rode as
fast as she could; but ever he drew nearer and nearer. Then she went
to the shore of a lake that was there, and threw the scabbard into
it, saying, “Whatever may become of me, my brother shall not have the
scabbard.” After that she rode with her knights into a valley, and there
by her enchantments turned herself and them into marble statues.
When King Arthur and Ontzlake came up, they saw the statues, and thought
the change had been wrought by a judgment of God. They could not find
the scabbard, and so rode back to the abbey. As soon as they were gone,
Morgan and her knights returned to flesh and blood, and went on their
way to the country of Gore. There Morgan made her castles strong, and
garrisoned them, for she greatly dreaded her brother’s wrath. But she
sent him word that, while she could change herself and her men into the
likeness of stones, she had no cause to fear him.
However, though Accolon was dead, Morgan abated no whit of her hatred to
the king, nor of her evil designs against him. But she pretended to be
sorrowful because of her deeds, and offered him amends. And she sent a
damsel to the court with a mantle, the richest that ever was seen in
the world, for it was so covered with precious stones that there was not
space to put on another. The damsel said to the king, “Your sister sends
you this mantle, and desires that you will take this gift of her; and in
what she has offended you, she will amend it at your own pleasure.”
The king was greatly pleased with the mantle, but he did not put much
trust in his sister. While he was considering what he should say, there
came to him the Lady Viviane, who had ever loved him, and she counselled
him on no account to put on the mantle, or let it be worn by any in his
court, until it had been put on by the damsel who had brought it. King
Arthur said he would follow her counsel, and so he called the damsel to
him, and bade her put on the mantle.
“Sir,” said she, “it will not beseem me to wear a knight’s garment.”
“By my head,” answered the king, “you shall wear it before it come on my
back or that of any other that is here.”
When she saw that no better might be, the damsel put on the mantle full
sorrowfully; and lo! straightway she fell down dead, and was burned
to ashes. Then King Arthur saw how great was the treason of his sister
Morgan le Fay.