FOOTNOTES:
[47] [party-coloured coats.]
[48] Largesse, Largesse. The heralds resounded these words as oft as they received of the bounty of the knights. See Memoires de la Chevalerie, tom. i. p. 99.—The expression is still used in the form of installing knights of the garter.
[49] [dais or upper table.]
[50] [voice.]
[51] [press.]
[52] [North Wales.]
[53] i.e. set round the border, as furs are now round the gowns of Magistrates.
[54] [corner.]
[55] [in spite of.]
[56] [that moment the tumult.]
[57] [decked.]
IV.
KING ARTHUR'S DEATH.
A Fragment.
The subject of this ballad is evidently taken from the old romance Morte Arthur, but with some variations, especially in the concluding stanzas; in which the author seems rather to follow the traditions of the old Welsh Bards, who believed that King Arthur was not dead, "but conveied awaie by the Fairies into some pleasant place, where he should remaine for a time, and then returne againe and reign in as great authority as ever." Holinshed, b. 5, c. 14, or as it is expressed in an old Chronicle printed at Antwerp 1493, by Ger. de Leew, "The Bretons supposen, that he [K. Arthur]—shall come yet and conquere all Bretaigne, for certes this is the prophicye of Merlyn: He sayd, that his deth shall be doubteous; and sayd soth, for men thereof yet have doubte, and shullen for ever more,—for men wyt not whether that he lyveth or is dede." See more ancient testimonies in Selden's Notes on Polyolbion, Song III.
This fragment being very incorrect and imperfect in the original MS. hath received some conjectural emendations, and even a supplement of three or four stanzas composed from the romance of Morte Arthur.
[The two ballads here entitled King Arthur's Death and The Legend of King Arthur are united in the Folio MS. (ed. Hales and Furnivall, vol. i. p. 497), but they are evidently two distinct songs. The first ballad forms part ii. of the MS. copy, which has fourteen verses at the end not printed here. The last four verses are printed at the end of the next ballad. Percy has taken great liberties with his original, and has not left a single line unaltered, as will be seen by comparing it with the original printed at the end. Additional lines are also interpolated which are now enclosed within brackets, and it will be seen that these unnecessary amplifications do not improve the effect of the poem. It will also be seen that in vv. 41-44 the father and son of the original are changed into uncle and nephew.
This last scene in the life of King Arthur is the most beautiful and touching portion of his history, and the romancers and minstrels were never tired of telling it in every form.
According to one tradition Arthur still sleeps under St. Michael's Mount ("the guarded Mount" of Milton's Lycidas), and according to another beneath Richmond Castle, Yorkshire.
Mr. Willmott, in his edition of the Reliques, writes, "according to popular superstition in Sicily, Arthur is preserved alive by his sister la Fata Morgana, whose fairy palace is occasionally seen from Reggio in the opposite sea of Messina.">[
* * * * *
On Trinitye Mondaye in the morne,
This sore battayle was doom'd to bee;
Where manye a knighte cry'd, Well-awaye!
Alacke, it was the more pittìe.
Ere the first crowinge of the cocke, 5
When as the kinge in his bed laye,
He thoughte sir Gawaine to him came,[58]
And there to him these wordes did saye.
Nowe, as you are mine unkle deare,
And as you prize your life, this daye 10
O meet not with your foe in fighte;
Putt off the battayle, if yee maye.
For sir Launcelot is now in Fraunce,
And with him many an hardye knighte:
Who will within this moneth be backe, 15
And will assiste yee in the fighte.
The kinge then call'd his nobles all,
Before the breakinge of the daye;
And tolde them howe sir Gawaine came,
And there to him these wordes did saye. 20
His nobles all this counsayle gave,
That earlye in the morning, hee
Shold send awaye an herauld at armes,
To aske a parley faire and free.
Then twelve good knightes king Arthure chose, 25
The best of all that with him were:
To parley with the foe in field,
And make with him agreement faire.
The king he charged all his hoste,
In readinesse there for to bee: 30
But noe man sholde noe weapon sturre,
Unlesse a sword drawne they shold see
And Mordred on the other parte,
Twelve of his knights did likewise bringe;
The beste of all his companye, 35
To hold the parley with the kinge.
Sir Mordred alsoe charged his hoste,
In readinesse there for to bee;
But noe man sholde noe weapon sturre,
But if a sworde drawne they shold see. 40
For he durste not his unkle truste,[59]
Nor he his nephewe, sothe to tell:[59]
Alacke! it was a woefulle case,
As ere in Christentye befelle.
But when they were together mette, 45
And both to faire accordance broughte;
And a month's league betweene them sette,
Before the battayle sholde be foughte;
An addere crept forth of a bushe,
Stunge one o' th' king's knightes on the knee: 50
Alacke! it was a woefulle chance,
As ever was in Christentìe.
When the knighte found him wounded sore,
And sawe the wild-worme[60] hanginge there;
His sworde he from his scabberde drewe; 55
A piteous case as ye shall heare.
For when the two hostes sawe the sworde,
They joyned battayle instantlye;
Till of soe manye noble knightes,
On one side there were left but three. 60
For all were slain that durst abide,
And but some fewe that fled awaye:
Ay mee! it was a bloodye fielde,
As ere was foughte on summer's daye.
Upon king Arthur's own partyè, 65
Onlye himselfe escaped there,
And Lukyn duke of Gloster free,
And the king's butler Bedevere.
And when the king beheld his knightes,
All dead and scattered on the molde; 70
[The teares fast trickled downe his face;
That manlye face in fight so bolde.
Nowe reste yee all, brave knights, he said,
Soe true and faithful to your trust:
And must yee then, ye valiant hearts, 75
Be lefte to moulder into dust!
Most loyal have yee been to mee,
Most true and faithful unto deathe:
And, oh! to rayse yee up againe,
How freelye could I yield my breathe!] 80
But see the traitor's yet alive,
Lo where hee stalkes among the deade!
Nowe bitterlye he shall abye:[61]
And vengeance fall upon his head.
O staye, my liege, then sayd the duke; 85
O staye for love and charitìe;
[Remember what the vision spake,
Nor meete your foe, if it may bee.
O, staye mee not, thou worthye wight,
This debt my loyal knights I owe: 90
Betide me life, betide me death,
I will avenge them of their foe.]
Then straite he grasp'd his trustye speare,
And on his horse then mounted hee:
As his butler holpe him to his horse, 95
His bowels gushed to his knee.
Alas! then sayd the noble king,
That I should live this sight to see!
To see this good knight here be slaine,
All for his love in helping mee! 100
He put his speare into his reste,
And to sir Mordred loud gan crye;
[Nowe sette thyself upon thy guarde,
For, traitor, nowe thy death is nye.
Sir Mordred lifted up his sworde, 105
And fierce to meet the king ran hee:]
The king his speare he through him thrust;
A fathom thorow his bodìe.
When Mordered felt the stroke of death,
And found that he was wounded soe; 110
He thruste himselfe upon the speare,
And strucke the king a deadlye blowe.
Then grimmlye dyed sir Mordered,
Presentlye upon that tree:
And bloody streames ranne from the kinge 115
Ere to the duke returned hee.
Sir Lukyn then he thus bespake,
Sir knighte, thou hast beene faithfulle tryde,
Nowe take my sword Excalibar,[62]
That hangs so freelye by my syde: 120
O take my sword Excalibar,
And there into the river throwe:
For here, henceforth, benethe this tree,
All use of weapons I foregoe.
[And fare thee well, thou trustye sword, 125
A better neer had valiant knighte,
With thee full ofte, and manye a daye,
Have I withstood my foe in fighte.
With this good fauchion in my hande,
Oft have I reapd the bloody feelde: 130
But nowe the fatalle houre is come,
That never more I may thee weelde.]
The duke to the river side he went,
And there his owne sword in threwe he:
But he kept back Excalibar, 135
He kept it back in privitie.
[For all of coleyne[63] was the blade;
And all the hilte of precious stone:
And ever alacke! then sayd the knighte,
Must such a sword awaye be throwne?] 140
Then backe he came unto the kinge,
Who sayd, Sir Lukyn, what did yee see?
Nothing, my liege, save that the winde
Blewe oer the waters faire and free.
O goe againe, then said the kinge, 145
O good sir Lukyn, goe againe:
Into the rivere throwe my sword,
Nor keepe me lingering here in paine.
The duke then to the river went,
And the kings scabberd in threwe hee; 150
But hee kept backe Excalibar,
And hid it undernethe a tree.
Then backe he came to tell the kinge,
Who sayde, Sir Lukyn sawe ye oughte?
Nothinge, my liege, save that the winde 155
Nowe with the angrye waters fought.
O Lukyn, Lukyn, said the kinge,
[Twice haste thou dealt deceytfullye:
Alacke, whom may wee ever truste,
When suche a knighte soe false can bee? 160
Saye, wouldst thou have thy master dead;
All for a sword, that wins thine eye:
Nowe goe againe, and throwe it in,
Or here the one of us shall dye.]
The duke, all shent with this rebuke, 165
No aunswere made unto the kinge:
But to the rivere tooke the sworde,
And threwe it far as he coulde flinge.
A hande and an arme did meete the sworde,
And flourishd three times in the air; 170
[Then sunke benethe the renninge streme,
And of the duke was seene noe mair.
All sore astonied stood the duke;
He stood as still, as still mote bee:]
Then hastend backe to telle the kinge; 175
But he was gone from under the tree.
But to what place he cold not tell,
For never after hee did him spye:[64]
But hee sawe a barge goe from the land,
And hee heard ladyes howle and crye[65]. 180
And whether the kinge were there, or not,
Hee never knewe, nor ever colde:
[For from that sad and direfulle daye,
Hee never more was scene on molde.]
⁂
[The following forms Part II. of a ballad entitled King Arthur's Death, in the folio MS. ed. Hales and Furnivall, vol. i. p. 501.
but vpon a Monday after Trinity Sonday
this battaile foughten cold bee,
where many a Knight cryed well-away!
alacke, the more pittye!
but vpon Sunday in the euening then, 5
when the King in his bedd did Lye,
he thought Sir Gawaine to him came,
& thus to him did say:
"Now as you are my vnckle deere,
I pray you be ruled by mee, 10
doe not fight as to-morrow day,
but put the battelle of if you may;
"for Sir Lancelott is now in france,
& many Knights with him full hardye,
& with-in this Month here hee wilbe, 15
great aide wilbe to thee."
hee wakened forth of his dreames;
to his Nobles that told hee,
how he thought Sir Gawaine to him came,
& these words sayd Certainly. 20
& then thé gaue the King councell all,
vpon Munday Earlye
that hee shold send one of his heralds of armes
to parle with his sonne, if itt might bee.
& 12 knights King Arthur chose, 25
the best in his companye,
that they shold goe to meete his sonne,
to agree if itt cold bee.
& the King charged all his host
in readynesse for to bee, 30
that Noe man shold noe weapons stur
with-out a sword drawne amongst his Knights thé see.
& Mordred vpon the other part,
12 of his Knights chose hee
that they shold goe to meete his father 35
betweene those 2 hosts fayre & free.
& Mordred charged his ost
in like mannor most certaínely,
that noe man shold noe weapons sturr
with-out a sword drawne amongst them thé see; 40
for he durst not his father trust,
nor the father the sonne certainley.
Alacke! this was a woefull case
as euer was in christentye!
but when they were mett together there, 45
& agreed of all things as itt shold bee,
& a monthes League then there was
before the battele foughten shold bee,
an Adder came forth of Bush,
stunge one of king Arthirs Knights below his knee; 50
alacke! this was a woefull chance
as euer was in christentye!
the Knight he found him wounded there,
& see the wild worme there to bee;
his sword out of his scabberd he drew; 55
alas! itt was the more pittye!
& when these 2 osts saw they sword drawen,
thé Ioyned battell certainlye,
Till of a 100: 1000: men
of one side was left but 3. 60
but all were slaine that durst abyde,
but some awaye that did flee.
King Arthur upon his owne partye
himselfe aliue cold be,
& Lukin the Duke of Gloster, 65
& Bedever his Butler certainlye
the King looked about him there
& saw his Knights all slaine to bee;
"Alas!" then sayd noble King Arthur
"that ever this sight I see! 70
to see all my good Knights lye slaine,
& the traitor yett aliue to bee!
loe where he leanes vpon his sword hillts
amongst his dead men certainlye!
I will goe slay him att this time; 75
neuer att better advantage I shall him see."
"Nay! stay here, my Leege!" then said the Duke,
"for loue and charitye!
for wee haue the battell woone,
for yett aliue we are but 3:" 80
the king wold not be perswaded then,
but his horsse then mounted hee;
his Butler [that] helped him to horsse,
his bowells gushed to his knee.
"Alas!" then said noble king Arthur, 85
"that this sight I euer see,
to see this good knight for to be slaine
for loue for to helpe mee!"
he put his speare into his rest,
& att his sonne he ryd feirclye, 90
& through him there his speare he thrust
a fatham thorrow his body.
the sonne he felld him wounded there,
& knew his death then to bee;
he thrust himselfe vpon his speare, 95
& gaue his father a wound certainlye.
but there dyed Sir Mordred
presently vpon that tree.
but or ere the King returned againe,
his butler was dead certainlye. 100
then bespake him Noble King Arthur,
these were the words sayd hee,
sayes "take my sword Escalberd
from my side fayre & free,
& throw itt into this riuer heere; 105
for all the vse of weapons Ile deliuer vppe,
heere vnderneath this tree."
the Duke to the riuer side he went,
& his sword in threw hee;
& then he kept Escalberd, 110
I tell you certainlye;
& then he came to tell the King,
the king said, "Lukin what did thou see?"
noe thing, my leege," the[n] sayd the duke,
"I tell you certainlye." 115
"O goe againe," said the king
"for loue & charitye,
& throw my sword into that riuer,
that neuer I doe itt see."
the Duke to the riuer side he went, 120
& the kings scaberd in threw hee;
& still he kept Escalberd
for vertue sake faire & free.
he came againe to tell the King;
the King sayd, "Lukin what did thou see?" 125
"nothing my leege," then sayd the Duke,
"I tell you certainlye."
"O goe againe Lukin," said the King,
"or the one of vs shall dye."
then the Duke to the riuer sid went, 130
& then Kings sword then threw hee:
A hand & an arme did meete that sword,
& flourished 3 times certainlye
he came againe to tell the King,
but the king was gone from vnder the tree 135
but to what place, he cold not tell,
for neuer after hee did him see,
but he see a barge from the land goe,
& hearde Ladyes houle & cry certainlye;
but whether the king was there or noe 140
he knew not certainlye.
the Duke walked by that Riuers side
till a chappell there found hee,
& a preist by the aulter side there stood.
the Duke kneeled downe there on his knee 145
& prayed the preists, "for Christs sake
the rights of the church bestow on mee!"
for many dangerous wounds he had vpon him
& liklye he was to dye.
& there the Duke liued in prayer 150
till the time that hee did dye.
King Arthur liued King 22 yeere
in honor and great fame,
& thus by death suddenlye
was depriued from the same. 155
ffins.]