Stories of the Days of King Arthur

by Charles Henry Hanson

“What would you that I did?” asked Lancelot.

“I would have you for my husband,” she answered.

“Fair damsel,” said he, “I am purposed never to be married.”

“Then must I die for your love,” she said. He spoke to her full tenderly, and promised, if she could give her love to another, to be his good friend. But all was to no purpose; for after he had departed, she never slept nor ate, and after ten days she felt that her days were done, but still she spoke and thought only of Lancelot. The priest that was with her bade her leave such thoughts. Then said she, “Why should I leave such thoughts? Is it any sin to love a noble knight? I take God to witness that I was never greater offender against his laws than that I loved the noble knight Sir Lancelot out of all measure, whereof I have my death.” And she had a letter written to Sir Lancelot, and requested that when she was dead the letter might be put in her hand, and she be laid in a fair bed with all the richest clothing she had about her; and then that the bed should be laid in a barge covered with black, and sent into the river Thames. All this was done, and the barge with the maid’s body floated down the Thames to Westminster, where the court was at that time. The king saw it floating on the river, and sent three knights to find out what it might be. When they saw so fair a corpse lying in the richest bed they had ever beheld, they caused the barge to be drawn to the shore, and told the king; who came to it, and took the letter from the dead maid’s hand. It set forth that she who writ it had died for love of Sir Lancelot du Lake, and entreated the knight to pray for her soul. At this Sir Lancelot was sorry, and the queen repented of all the hard words she had said against him.

So Sir Lancelot was at that time the knight of by far the most worship living. Whenever there was a jousting, and he might be there, he carried away the palm; and he was ever ready to uphold the honour of King Arthur and of his court against all comers. Therefore was he well cherished of the King, while Queen Guenever loved him more and more, especially after he rescued her from Sir Meleagans, the son of King Bagdemagus, who had laid hold of her by treacherous means. But this same guilty love between Lancelot and the queen now most unhappily was the cause of the total destruction of the Round Table, and the end of Arthur’s glorious reign. Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred had ever hated Sir Lancelot; and now, against the will and counsel of Sir Gawaine, Sir Gaheris, and Sir Gareth, their brethren, they revealed the love of Lancelot and the queen to King Arthur. The king was cut to the heart, for much he loved Sir Lancelot, but he refused to believe that such wrong had been done unless he had proof. This was obtained by the contrivances of Agravaine and Mordred; but Lancelot slew Agravaine, and sorely wounded Mordred. Then he gathered together all the knights of his kin, and all others that would follow him, and prepared to rescue the queen, for she was sentenced by King Arthur to be burned. Against this Sir Gawaine pleaded earnestly, but in vain; but when the king bade him be one of those to lead the queen to her execution, he openly refused; and though Gareth and Gaheris consented to be there, they would not put on their armour. Then the queen was led forth to her death, clad only in a single white garment; but Sir Lancelot had word of it, and he and his company came suddenly, and overpowered them that guarded her, and rescued her. By ill-hap, Sir Lancelot slew Gaheris and Gareth, not knowing them; for they had gone unarmed among those who were leading the queen to the stake. Then he took Queen Guenever to his castle of Joyous Gard, and made ready to defend her there.

When King Arthur heard how the queen had been rescued, and especially of the death of Gaheris and Gareth, he was full of sorrow; but when Sir Gawaine knew that his brethren had fallen by the hand of Sir Lancelot, whom they had always loved, he well-nigh went out of his mind. Then he took a great oath to be revenged against Sir Lancelot. And he and King Arthur raised a large army, and besieged Joyous Gard. But it was a very strong place, and well stored with provision, so that nothing could be done against it. Then King Arthur and Gawaine, with many reproaches and angry words, taunted Sir Lancelot to come out of the castle and meet them in the open field. He was loath to do so, for he wished not to hurt King Arthur or Gawaine; but at the last he consented, and there were great battles fought outside the castle. Many times Sir Lancelot might have slain the king, but he forbore him; but Sir Lancelot’s knights, though not so many as those on the other side, were the most perilous at that time living, and they did great execution against those of the king. The rumour of this unhappy war spread all through Christendom; and the Pope sent a bishop to King Arthur, charging him to make peace with Sir Lancelot and take his queen again. So at last it was agreed that Sir Lancelot should deliver up Queen Guenever, and no harm be done her; and that Sir Lancelot should withdraw him to his realm beyond the sea. This was done, and not only Sir Lancelot’s own kin but many more of the best knights of Britain went with him to his own country of Benwick, where he gave them lands and made ready for war.

In no long time King Arthur and Sir Gawaine followed after with a great host, leaving the realm of Britain in keeping of the kings nephew, Sir Mordred; and they besieged Sir Lancelot in his strong city of Benwick. There Sir Gawaine came every day before the walls, and defied Sir Lancelot to combat; and at the last Sir Lancelot met him in the field, and after a long fight wounded him sorely on the head. As soon as Gawaine was healed, he came forth and challenged Sir Lancelot again; and again Sir Lancelot struck him down, but would not slay him. Before he could be fully recovered from this second wound, there came news that Sir Mordred had spread a report that King Arthur was slain in battle against Sir Lancelot, and had seized the kingdom. Then Arthur and all his host returned with what speed they might, and landed at Dover. There Mordred met him with a great army; but in the battle King Arthur was victorious, and Mordred fled. On that day Sir Gawaine received a mortal wound, and then he repented that he had waged such bitter war against Sir Lancelot: so he wrote him a letter, in which he begged his forgiveness, and besought him to pray at his tomb; and he also requested that Lancelot would come over and help King Arthur against the traitor Mordred. Then Gawaine died, and King Arthur mourned over him, and caused him to be buried in the chapel of Dover Castle.

It was now reported to the king that Sir Mordred had gathered a great host at Barendown; and King Arthur went forward to meet him. There was another great battle; but again King Arthur won the field, and Mordred and his party fled toward Salisbury. The king followed him, and many people flocked to his army; and he made ready to fight another battle on Salisbury Plain. But while Arthur was in his camp, he dreamed one night that Sir Gawaine came to him, and warned him not to fight against Mordred the next day, for if he did he should have his death; but that if he would treat with Mordred and delay for a month, then would come over Sir Lancelot and his host, and put the traitor and his party altogether to the worse. When the king woke, he took measures to treat with Mordred; so it was agreed that the king and his false nephew should meet between the two armies, with fourteen attendants each, to make the treaty. So the armies were drawn out, and King Arthur warned his men that if they saw any sword drawn or other sign of battle they should come on fiercely, because he did not trust Mordred. But Mordred gave a like warning to his men. While the two armies were standing face to face, it befell that an adder crept out of a bush of heather, and stung a knight on the foot. Forthwith he drew his sword to slay it, and thought of no other harm; but immediately the two hosts advanced fiercely against one another, and fought with all the greater fury because each party thought that the other had designed treachery. King Arthur rode at the head of his knights, and smote down on every hand, and Mordred on his part fought better than he had done in all his life before. At the last the king looked around him, and of all his host there were none left but Sir Lucas and Sir Bedivere, while on the other side there was none but Mordred himself, that stood leaning grimly on his sword. When Arthur saw him, he took his spear in his hand, and ran toward him, crying, “Traitor, now is thy death-day come.”

When Mordred heard that, he waited for King Arthur with his sword ready in his hand; but the king avoided his blow, and thrust his spear clean through his body. Then Mordred felt that he had his death-wound, and he thrust himself up the spear, and smote King Arthur on the helm with his sword, that it pierced to the brain-pan. Mordred fell stark dead, and the king sank down in a swoon. But Sir Bedivere and Sir Lucas, though both of them were sore wounded, contrived to bring him to a little chapel by the seaside; and there Sir Lucas, that had sustained a mortal wound, fell down and died at the king’s feet. Then Sir Bedivere wept for Sir Lucas’ death, for he was his brother.

“Leave this weeping and mourning,” said King Arthur, “for it will not avail. Now my time is full short; therefore take thou my good sword Excalibur, and go to the water-side and throw it into the water.”