Le Morte d'Arthur: Volume 1 by Sir Thomas Malory - HTML preview

CONTENTS

 

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

PREFACE OF WILLIAM CAXTON

BOOK I

CHAPTER I. 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

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

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

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

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.[*1]

[*1] Misnumbered xx. by Caxton.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. [*3]

[*3] In Caxton's edition this chapter is misnumbered XXVI., setting the numeration wrong to the end of the book.

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