Children's Literature Part 169

SIR THOMAS MALORY

Then the king let purvey for a great feast, and let cry a great jousts.

And by All Hallowma.s.s the two kings were come over the sea with three hundred knights well arrayed both for peace and for war. And King Arthur met with them ten miles out of London, and there was great joy as could be thought or made. And on All Hallowma.s.s at the great feast, sat in the hall the three kings, and Sir Kay seneschal served in the hall, and Sir Lucas the butler, and Sir Griflet. These three knights had the rule of all the service that served the kings. And anon, as they had washed and risen, all knights that would joust made them ready. By when they were ready on horseback there were seven hundred knights. And Arthur, Ban, and Bors, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Sir Ector, Kay's father, they were in a place covered with cloth of gold like an hall, with ladies and gentlewomen, for to behold who did the best, and thereon to give judgment.

And King Arthur and the two kings let depart the seven hundred knights into two parties. And there were three hundred knights of the realm of Benwick and of Gaul turned on the other side. Then they dressed their s.h.i.+elds, and began to couch their spears many good knights. So Griflet was the first that met with a knight, one Ladinas, and they met so eagerly that all men had wonder; and they so fought that their s.h.i.+elds fell to pieces, and horse and man fell to the earth; and both French knight and English knight lay so long that all men weened they had been dead. When Lucas the butler saw Griflet so lie, he horsed him again anon, and they two did marvelous deeds of arms with many bachelors. Also Sir Kay came out of an enbushment with five knights with him, and they six smote other six down. But Sir Kay did that day marvelous deeds of arms that there was none did so well as he that day. Then there come Ladinas and Gracian, two knights of France, and did pa.s.sing well, that all men praised them. Then come there Sir Placidas, a good knight, and met with Sir Kay, and smote him down horse and man, wherefore Sir Griflet was wroth, and met with Sir Placidas so hard that horse and man fell to the earth. But when the five knights wist that Sir Kay had a fall, they were wroth out of wit, and therewith each of them five bare down a knight. When King Arthur and the two kings saw them begin to wax wroth on both parties, they leaped on small hackneys and let cry that all men should depart unto their lodging. And so they went home and unarmed them, and so to evensong and supper. And after, the three kings went into a garden and gave the prize unto Sir Kay, and to Lucas the butler, and unto Sir Griflet.

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One part of _Le Morte D'Arthur_ will ill.u.s.trate almost as well as another the nature of the adventure stories that grew up in the Middle Ages regarding the traditional heroes of chivalry. The following selection is taken from the first part of the book.

ADVENTURES OF ARTHUR

SIR THOMAS MALORY

Then on a day there came in the court a squire on horseback, leading a knight before him wounded to the death. He said, "There is a knight in the forest who hath reared up a pavilion by a well, and hath slain my master, a good knight whose name was Miles; wherefore I beseech you that my master may be buried, and that some knight may revenge my master's death."

Then the noise was great of that knight's death in the court, and every man said his advice. Then came Griflet that was but a squire, and he was but young, of the age of King Arthur; so he besought the king for all his service that he had done him to give him the order of knighthood.

"Thou art full young and tender of age," said Arthur, "for to take so high an order on thee."

"Sir," said Griflet, "I beseech you make me knight."

"Sir," said Merlin, "it were great pity to lose Griflet, for he will be a pa.s.sing good man when he is of age, abiding with you the term of his life. And if he adventure his body with yonder knight at the fountain, it is in great peril if ever he come again, for he is one of the best knights in the world, and the strongest man of arms."

"Well," said Arthur. So at the desire of Griflet the king made him knight. "Now," said Arthur unto Sir Griflet, "sith I have made you knight thou must give me a gift."

"What ye will," said Griflet.

"Thou shalt promise me by the faith of thy body, when thou hast jousted with the knight at the fountain, whether it fall ye to be on foot or on horseback, that right so ye shall come again unto me without making any more debate."

"I will promise you," said Griflet, "as you desire."

Then took Griflet his horse in great haste, and dressed his s.h.i.+eld and took a spear in his hand, and so he rode at a great wallop till he came to the fountain, and thereby he saw a rich pavilion, and thereby under a cloth stood a fair horse well saddled and bridled, and on a tree a s.h.i.+eld of divers colors and a great spear. Then Griflet smote on the s.h.i.+eld with the b.u.t.t of his spear, that the s.h.i.+eld fell down to the ground. With that the knight came out of the pavilion and said, "Fair knight, why smote ye down my s.h.i.+eld?"

"For I will joust with you," said Griflet.

"It is better ye do not," said the knight, "for ye are but young, and late made knight, and your might is nothing to mine."

"As for that," said Griflet, "I will joust with you."

"That is me loath," said the knight, "but sith I must needs, I will dress me thereto. Of whence be ye?" said the knight.

"Sir, I am of Arthur's court."

So the two knights ran together that Griflet's spear all to-s.h.i.+vered; and therewithal he smote Griflet through the s.h.i.+eld and the left side, and brake the spear that the truncheon stuck in his body, that horse and knight fell down.

When the knight saw him lie so on the ground, he alit, and was pa.s.sing heavy, for he weened he had slain him, and then he unlaced his helm and gat him wind, and so with the truncheon he set him on his horse and gat him wind, and so betook him to G.o.d, and said he had a mighty heart, and if he might live he would prove a pa.s.sing good knight. And so Sir Griflet rode to the court, where great dole was made for him. But through good leeches he was healed and saved.

Right so came into the court twelve knights, who were aged men, and they came from the Emperor of Rome, and they asked of Arthur truage for this realm, other-else the emperor would destroy him and his land.

"Well," said King Arthur, "ye are messengers, therefore ye may say what ye will, other-else ye should die therefore. But this is mine answer: I owe the emperor no truage, nor none will I hold him, but on a fair field I shall give him my truage that shall be with a sharp spear, or else with a sharp sword, and that shall not be long."

And therewith the messengers departed pa.s.singly wroth, and King Arthur as wroth, for in evil time came they then; for the king was pa.s.singly wroth for the hurt of Sir Griflet. And so he commanded a privy man of his chamber that or it be day his best horse and armor with all that longeth unto his person, be without the city or to-morrow day. Right so or to-morrow day he met with his man and his horse, and so mounted up and dressed his s.h.i.+eld and took his spear, and bade his chamberlain tarry there till he came again. And so Arthur rode a soft pace till it was day, and then was he ware of three churls chasing Merlin, and would have slain him. Then the king rode unto them and bade them, "Flee, churls!" Then were they afeard when they saw a knight, and fled.

"O Merlin," said Arthur, "here hadst thou been slain for all thy crafts had I not been."

"Nay," said Merlin, "not so, for I could save myself an I would; and thou art more near thy death than I am, for thou goest to the deathward, an G.o.d be not thy friend."

So as they went thus talking they came to the fountain and the rich pavilion there by it. Then King Arthur was ware where sat a knight armed in a chair. "Sir knight," said Arthur, "for what cause abidest thou here, that there may no knight ride this way but he joust with thee? I rede thee leave that custom," said Arthur.

"This custom," said the knight, "have I used and will use maugre who saith nay, and who is grieved with my custom let him amend it that will."

"I will amend it," said Arthur.

"I shall defend thee," said the knight.

Anon he took his horse and dressed his s.h.i.+eld and took a spear, and they met so hard either on other's s.h.i.+eld, that all to-s.h.i.+vered their spears.

Therewith anon Arthur pulled out his sword. "Nay, not so," said the knight; "it is fairer that we twain run more together with sharp spears."

"I will well," said Arthur, "an I had any more spears."

"I have enow," said the knight, so there came a squire and brought two good spears, and Arthur chose one and he another; so they spurred their horses and came together with all their mights, that either brake their spears to their hands. Then Arthur set hand on his sword. "Nay," said the knight, "ye shall do better. Ye are a pa.s.sing good jouster as ever I met withal, and once more for the love of the high order of knighthood let us joust once again."

"I a.s.sent me," said Arthur.

Anon there were brought two great spears, and every knight gat a spear, and therewith they ran together that Arthur's spear all to-s.h.i.+vered. But the other knight hit him so hard in midst of the s.h.i.+eld that horse and man fell to the earth, and therewith Arthur was eager, and pulled out his sword and said, "I will a.s.say thee, sir knight, on foot, for I have lost the honor on horseback."

"I will be on horseback," said the knight.

Then was Arthur wroth, and dressed his s.h.i.+eld toward him with his sword drawn. When the knight saw that, he alit, for him thought no wors.h.i.+p to have a knight at such avail, he to be on horseback and he on foot, and so he alit and dressed his s.h.i.+eld unto Arthur. And there began a strong battle with many great strokes, and so hewed with their swords that the cantels flew in the fields, and much blood they bled both, that all the place there as they fought was overbled with blood, and thus they fought long and rested them, and then they went to battle again, and so hurtled together like two rams that either fell to the earth. So at the last they smote together that both their swords met even together. But the sword of the knight smote King Arthur's sword in two pieces, wherefore he was heavy. Then said the knight unto Arthur, "Thou art in my daunger whether me list to save thee or slay thee, and but thou yield thee as overcome and recreant, thou shalt die."

"As for death," said King Arthur, "welcome be it when it cometh, but to yield me unto thee as recreant I had liefer die than be so shamed."

And therewithal the king leaped unto Pellinore, and took him by the middle and threw him down, and raised off his helm. When the knight felt that, he was adread, for he was a pa.s.sing big man of might, and anon he brought Arthur under him, and raised off his helm and would have smitten off his head.

Therewithal came Merlin and said, "Knight, hold thy hand, for an thou slay that knight thou puttest this realm in the greatest damage that ever was realm; for this knight is a man of more wors.h.i.+p that thou wotest of."

"Why, who is he?" said the knight.

"It is King Arthur."

Then would he have slain him for dread of his wrath, and heaved up his sword, and therewith Merlin cast an enchantment to the knight, that he fell to the earth in a great sleep. Then Merlin took up King Arthur, and rode forth on the knight's horse.

"Alas!" said Arthur, "what hast thou done, Merlin? Hast thou slain this good knight by thy crafts? There liveth not so wors.h.i.+pful a knight as he was; I had liefer than the stint of my land a year that he were alive."