CHAPTER XIV

_The War between King Arthur and Sir Lancelot and the Death of King

Arthur_

Within a while thereafter was a jousting at the court, wherein Sir

Lancelot won the prize. And two of those he smote down were Sir Agravaine,

the brother of Sir Gawain, and Sir Modred, his false brother--King

Arthur's son by Belisent. And because of his victory they hated Sir

Lancelot, and sought how they might injure him.

So on a night, when King Arthur was hunting in the forest, and the queen

sent for Sir Lancelot to her chamber, they two espied him; and thinking

now to make a scandal and a quarrel between Lancelot and the king, they

found twelve others, and said Sir Lancelot was ever now in the queen's

chamber, and King Arthur was dishonoured.

Then, all armed, they came suddenly round the queen's door, and cried,

"Traitor! now art thou taken."

"Madam, we be betrayed," said Sir Lancelot; "yet shall my life cost these

men dear."

Then did the queen weep sore, and dismally she cried, "Alas! there is no

armour here whereby ye might withstand so many; wherefore ye will be

slain, and I be burnt for the dread crime they will charge on me."

But while she spake the shouting of the knights was heard without,

"Traitor, come forth, for now thou art snared!"

"Better were twenty deaths at once than this vile outcry," said Sir

Lancelot.

Then he kissed her and said, "Most noble lady, I beseech ye, as I have

ever been your own true knight, take courage; pray for my soul if I be now

slain, and trust my faithful friends, Sir Bors and Sir Lavaine, to save

you from the fire."

But ever bitterly she wept and moaned, and cried, "Would God that they

would take and slay me, and that thou couldest escape."

"That shall never be," said he. And wrapping his mantle round his arm he

unbarred the door a little space, so that but one could enter.

Then first rushed in Sir Chalaunce, a full strong knight, and lifted up

his sword to smite Sir Lancelot; but lightly he avoided him, and struck

Sir Chalaunce, with his hand, such a sore buffet on the head as felled him

dead upon the floor.

Then Sir Lancelot pulled in his body and barred the door again, and

dressed himself in his armour, and took his drawn sword in his hand.

But still the knights cried mightily without the door, "Traitor, come

forth!"

[Illustration: But still the knights cried mightily without the door,

"Traitor, come forth!"]

"Be silent and depart," replied Sir Lancelot; "for be ye sure ye will not

take me, and to-morrow will I meet ye face to face before the king."

"Ye shall have no such grace," they cried; "but we will slay thee, or take

thee as we list."

"Then save yourselves who may," he thundered, and therewith suddenly

unbarred the door and rushed forth at them. And at the first blow he slew

Sir Agravaine, and after him twelve other knights, with twelve more mighty

buffets. And none of all escaped him save Sir Modred, who, sorely wounded,

fled away for life.

Then returned he to the queen, and said, "Now, madam, will I depart, and

if ye be in any danger I pray ye come to me."

"Surely will I stay here, for I am queen," she answered; "yet if to-morrow

any harm come to me I trust to thee for rescue."

"Have ye no doubt of me," said he, "for ever while I live am I your own

true knight."

Therewith he took his leave, and went and told Sir Bors and all his

kindred of this adventure. "We will be with thee in this quarrel," said

they all; "and if the queen be sentenced to the fire, we certainly will

save her."

Meanwhile Sir Modred, in great fear and pain, fled from the court, and

rode until he found King Arthur, and told him all that had befallen. But

the king would scarce believe him till he came and saw the bodies of Sir

Agravaine and all the other knights.

Then felt he in himself that all was true, and with his passing grief his

heart nigh broke. "Alas!" cried he, "now is the fellowship of the Round

Table for ever broken: yea, woe is me! I may not with my honour spare my

queen."

Anon it was ordained that Queen Guinevere should be burned to death,

because she had dishonoured King Arthur.

But when Sir Gawain heard thereof, he came before the king, and said, "My

lord, I counsel thee be not too hasty in this matter, but stay the

judgment of the queen a season, for it may well be that Sir Lancelot was

in her chamber for no evil, seeing she is greatly beholden to him for so

many deeds done for her sake, and peradventure she had sent to him to

thank him, and did it secretly that she might avoid slander."

But King Arthur answered, full of grief, "Alas! I may not help her; she is

judged as any other woman."

Then he required Sir Gawain and his brethren, Sir Gaheris and Sir Gareth,

to be ready to bear the queen to-morrow to the place of execution.

"Nay, noble lord," replied Sir Gawain, "that can I never do; for neither

will my heart suffer me to see the queen die, nor shall men ever say I was

of your counsel in this matter."

Then said his brothers, "Ye may command us to be there, but since it is

against our will, we will be without arms, that we may do no battle

against her."

So on the morrow was Queen Guinevere led forth to die by fire, and a

mighty crowd was there, of knights and nobles, armed and unarmed. And all

the lords and ladies wept sore at that piteous sight. Then was she shriven

by a priest, and the men came nigh to bind her to the stake and light the

fire.

At that Sir Lancelot's spies rode hastily and told him and his kindred,

who lay hidden in a wood hard by; and suddenly, with twenty knights, he

rushed into the midst of all the throng to rescue her.

But certain of King Arthur's knights rose up and fought with them, and

there was a full great battle and confusion. And Sir Lancelot drave

fiercely here and there among the press, and smote on every side, and at

every blow struck down a knight, so that many were slain by him and his

fellows.

Then was the queen set free, and caught up on Sir Lancelot's saddle and

fled away with him and all his company to the Castle of La Joyous Garde.

Now so it chanced that, in the turmoil of the fighting, Sir Lancelot had

unawares struck down and slain the two good knights Sir Gareth and Sir

Gaheris, knowing it not, for he fought wildly, and saw not that they were

unarmed.

When King Arthur heard thereof, and of all that battle, and the rescue of

the queen, he sorrowed heavily for those good knights, and was passing

wroth with Lancelot and the queen.

But when Sir Gawain heard of his brethren's death he swooned for sorrow

and wrath, for he wist that Sir Lancelot had killed them in malice. And as

soon as he recovered he ran in to the king, and said, "Lord king and

uncle, hear this oath which now I swear, that from this day I will not

fail Sir Lancelot till one of us hath slain the other. And now, unless ye

haste to war with him, that we may be avenged, will I myself alone go

after him."

Then the king, full of wrath and grief, agreed thereto, and sent letters

throughout the realm to summon all his knights, and went with a vast army

to besiege the Castle of La Joyous Garde. And Sir Lancelot, with his

knights, mightily defended it; but never would he suffer any to go forth

and attack one of the king's army, for he was right loth to fight against

him.

So when fifteen weeks were passed, and King Arthur's army wasted itself in

vain against the castle, for it was passing strong, it chanced upon a day

Sir Lancelot was looking from the walls and espied King Arthur and Sir

Gawain close beside.

"Come forth, Sir Lancelot," said King Arthur right fiercely, "and let us

two meet in the midst of the field."

"God forbid that I should encounter with thee, lord, for thou didst make

me a knight," replied Sir Lancelot.

Then cried Sir Gawain, "Shame on thee, traitor and false knight, yet be ye

well assured we will regain the queen and slay thee and thy company; yea,

double shame on ye to slay my brother Gaheris unarmed, Sir Gareth also,

who loved ye so well. For that treachery, be sure I am thine enemy till

death."

"Alas!" cried Sir Lancelot, "that I hear such tidings, for I knew not I

had slain those noble knights, and right sorely now do I repent it with a

heavy heart. Yet abate thy wrath, Sir Gawain, for ye know full well I did

it by mischance, for I loved them ever as my own brothers."

"Thou liest, false recreant," cried Sir Gawain, fiercely.

At that Sir Lancelot was wroth, and said, "I well see thou art now mine

enemy, and that there can be no more peace with thee, or with my lord the

king, else would I gladly give back the queen."

Then the king would fain have listened to Sir Lancelot, for more than all

his own wrong did he grieve at the sore waste and damage of the realm, but

Sir Gawain persuaded him against it, and ever cried out foully on Sir

Lancelot.

When Sir Bors and the other knights of Lancelot's party heard the fierce

words of Sir Gawain, they were passing wroth, and prayed to ride forth and

be avenged on him, for they were weary of so long waiting to no good. And

in the end Sir Lancelot, with a heavy heart, consented.

So on the morrow the hosts on either side met in the field, and there was

a great battle. And Sir Gawain prayed his knights chiefly to set upon Sir

Lancelot; but Sir Lancelot commanded his company to forbear King Arthur

and Sir Gawain.

So the two armies jousted together right fiercely, and Sir Gawain

proffered to encounter with Sir Lionel, and overthrew him. But Sir Bors,

and Sir Blamor, and Sir Palomedes, who were on Sir Lancelot's side, did

great feats of arms, and overthrew many of King Arthur's knights.

Then the king came forth against Sir Lancelot, but Sir Lancelot forbore

him and would not strike again.

At that Sir Bors rode up against the king and smote him down. But Sir

Lancelot cried, "Touch him not on pain of thy head," and going to King

Arthur he alighted and gave him his own horse, saying, "My lord, I pray

thee forbear this strife, for it can bring to neither of us any honour."

And when King Arthur looked on him the tears came to his eyes as he

thought of his noble courtesy, and he said within himself, "Alas! that

ever this war began."

But on the morrow Sir Gawain led forth the army again, and Sir Bors

commanded on Sir Lancelot's side. And they two struck together so fiercely

that both fell to the ground sorely wounded; and all the day they fought

till night fell, and many were slain on both sides, yet in the end neither

gained the victory.

But by now the fame of this fierce war spread through all Christendom, and

when the Pope heard thereof he sent a Bull, and charged King Arthur to

make peace with Lancelot, and receive back Queen Guinevere; and for the

offence imputed to her absolution should be given by the Pope.

Thereto would King Arthur straightway have obeyed, but Sir Gawain ever

urged him to refuse.

When Sir Lancelot heard thereof, he wrote thus to the king: "It was never

in my thought, lord, to withhold thy queen from thee; but since she was

condemned for my sake to death, I deemed it but a just and knightly part

to rescue her therefrom; wherefore I recommend me to your grace, and

within eight days will I come to thee and bring the queen in safety."

Then, within eight days, as he had said, Sir Lancelot rode from out the

castle with Queen Guinevere, and a hundred knights for company, each

carrying an olive branch, in sign of peace. And so they came to the court,

and found King Arthur sitting on his throne, with Sir Gawain and many

other knights around him. And when Sir Lancelot entered with the queen,

they both kneeled down before the king.

Anon Sir Lancelot rose and said, "My lord, I have brought hither my lady

the queen again, as right requireth, and by commandment of the Pope and

you. I pray ye take her to your heart again and forget the past. For

myself I may ask nothing, and for my sin I shall have sorrow and sore

punishment; yet I would to heaven I might have your grace."

But ere the king could answer, for he was moved with pity at his words,

Sir Gawain cried aloud, "Let the king do as he will, but be sure, Sir

Lancelot, thou and I shall never be accorded while we live, for thou has

slain my brethren traitorously and unarmed."

"As heaven is my help," replied Sir Lancelot, "I did it ignorantly, for I

loved them well, and while I live I shall bewail their death; but to make

war with me were no avail, for I must needs fight with thee if thou

assailest, and peradventure I might kill thee also, which I were right

loth to do."

"I will forgive thee never," cried Sir Gawain, "and if the king accordeth

with thee he shall lose my service."

Then the knights who stood near tried to reconcile Sir Gawain to Sir

Lancelot, but he would not hear them. So, at the last, Sir Lancelot said,

"Since peace is vain, I will depart, lest I bring more evil on my

fellowship."

And as he turned to go, the tears fell from him, and he said, "Alas, most

noble Christian realm, which I have loved above all others, now shall I

see thee never more!" Then said he to the queen, "Madam, now must I leave

ye and this noble fellowship for ever. And, I beseech ye, pray for me, and

if ye ever be defamed of any, let me hear thereof, and as I have been ever

thy true knight in right and wrong, so will I be again."

With that he kneeled and kissed King Arthur's hands, and departed on his

way. And there was none in all that court, save Sir Gawain alone, but wept

to see him go.

So he returned with all his knights to the Castle of La Joyous Garde, and,

for his sorrow's sake, he named it Dolorous Garde thenceforth.

Anon he left the realm, and went with many of his fellowship beyond the

sea to France, and there divided all his lands among them equally, he

sharing but as the rest.

And from that time forward peace had been between him and King Arthur, but

for Sir Gawain, who left the king no rest, but constantly persuaded him

that Lancelot was raising mighty hosts against him.

So in the end his malice overcame the king, who left the government in

charge of Modred, and made him guardian of the queen, and went with a

great army to invade Sir Lancelot's lands.

Yet Sir Lancelot would make no war upon the king, and sent a message to

gain peace on any terms King Arthur chose. But Sir Gawain met the herald

ere he reached the king, and sent him back with taunting and bitter words.

Whereat Sir Lancelot sorrowfully called his knights together and fortified

the Castle of Benwicke, and there was shortly besieged by the army of King

Arthur.

And every day Sir Gawain rode up to the walls, and cried out foully on Sir

Lancelot, till, upon a time, Sir Lancelot answered him that he would meet

him in the field and put his boasting to the proof. So it was agreed on

both sides that there should none come nigh them or separate them till one

had fallen or yielded; and they two rode forth.

Then did they wheel their horses apart, and turning, came together as it

had been thunder, so that both horses fell, and both their lances broke.

At that they drew their swords and set upon each other fiercely, with

passing grievous strokes.

Now Sir Gawain had through magic a marvellous great gift. For every day,

from morning till noon, his strength waxed to the might of seven men, but

after that waned to his natural force. Therefore till noon he gave Sir

Lancelot many mighty buffets, which scarcely he endured. Yet greatly he

forbore Sir Gawain, for he was aware of his enchantment, and smote him

slightly till his own knights marvelled. But after noon Sir Gawain's

strength sank fast, and then, with one full blow, Sir Lancelot laid him on

the earth. Then Sir Gawain cried out, "Turn not away, thou traitor knight,

but slay me if thou wilt, or else I will arise and fight with thee again

some other time."

"Sir knight," replied Sir Lancelot, "I never yet smote a fallen man."

At that they bore Sir Gawain sorely wounded to his tent, and King Arthur

withdrew his men, for he was loth to shed the blood of so many knights of

his own fellowship.

But now came tidings to King Arthur from across the sea, which caused him

to return in haste. For thus the news ran, that no sooner was Sir Modred

set up in his regency, than he had forged false tidings from abroad that

the king had fallen in a battle with Sir Lancelot. Whereat he had

proclaimed himself the king, and had been crowned at Canterbury, where he

had held a coronation feast for fifteen days. Then he had gone to

Winchester, where Queen Guinevere abode, and had commanded her to be his

wife; whereto, for fear and sore perplexity, she had feigned consent, but,

under pretext of preparing for the marriage, had fled in haste to London

and taken shelter in the Tower, fortifying it and providing it with all

manner of victuals, and defending it against Sir Modred, and answering to

all his threats that she would rather slay herself than be his queen.

Thus was it written to King Arthur. Then, in passing great wrath and

haste, he came with all his army swiftly back from France and sailed to

England. But when Sir Modred heard thereof, he left the Tower and marched

with all his host to meet the king at Dover.

Then fled Queen Guinevere to Amesbury to a nunnery, and there she clothed

herself in sackcloth, and spent her time in praying for the king and in

good deeds and fasting. And in that nunnery evermore she lived, sorely

repenting and mourning for her sin, and for the ruin she had brought on

all the realm. And there anon she died.

And when Sir Lancelot heard thereof, he put his knightly armour off, and

bade farewell to all his kin, and went a mighty pilgrimage for many years,

and after lived a hermit till his death.

When Sir Modred came to Dover, he found King Arthur and his army but just

landed; and there they fought a fierce and bloody battle, and many great

and noble knights fell on both sides.

But the king's side had the victory, for he was beyond himself with might

and passion, and all his knights so fiercely followed him, that, in spite

of all their multitude, they drove Sir Modred's army back with fearful

wounds and slaughter, and slept that night upon the battle-field.

But Sir Gawain was smitten by an arrow in the wound Sir Lancelot gave him,

and wounded to the death. Then was he borne to the king's tent, and King

Arthur sorrowed over him as it had been his own son. "Alas!" said he; "in

Sir Lancelot and in you I had my greatest earthly joy, and now is all gone

from me."

And Sir Gawain answered, with a feeble voice, "My lord and king, I know

well my death is come, and through my own wilfulness, for I am smitten in

the wound Sir Lancelot gave me. Alas! that I have been the cause of all

this war, for but for me thou hadst been now at peace with Lancelot, and

then had Modred never done this treason. I pray ye, therefore, my dear

lord, be now agreed with Lancelot, and tell him, that although he gave me

my death-wound, it was through my own seeking; wherefore I beseech him to

come back to England, and here to visit my tomb, and pray for my soul."

When he had thus spoken, Sir Gawain gave up his ghost, and the king

grievously mourned for him.

Then they told him that the enemy had camped on Barham Downs, whereat,

with all his hosts, he straightway marched there, and fought again a

bloody battle, and overthrew Sir Modred utterly. Howbeit, he raised yet

another army, and retreating ever from before the king, increased his

numbers as he went, till at the farthest west in Lyonesse, he once more

made a stand.

Now, on the night of Trinity Sunday, being the eve of the battle, King

Arthur had a vision, and saw Sir Gawain in a dream, who warned him not to

fight with Modred on the morrow, else he would be surely slain; and prayed

him to delay till Lancelot and his knights should come to aid him.

So when King Arthur woke he told his lords and knights that vision, and

all agreed to wait the coming of Sir Lancelot. Then a herald was sent with

a message of truce to Sir Modred, and a treaty was made that neither army

should assail the other.

But when the treaty was agreed upon, and the heralds returned, King Arthur

said to his knights, "Beware, lest Sir Modred deceive us, for I in no wise

trust him, and if swords be drawn be ready to encounter!" And Sir Modred

likewise gave an order, that if any man of the king's army drew his sword,

they should begin to fight.

And as it chanced, a knight of the king's side was bitten by an adder in

the foot, and hastily drew forth his sword to slay it. That saw Sir

Modred, and forthwith commanded all his army to assail the king's.

So both sides rushed to battle, and fought passing fiercely. And when the

king saw there was no hope to stay them, he did right mightily and nobly

as a king should do, and ever, like a lion, raged in the thickest of the

press, and slew on the right hand and on the left, till his horse went

fetlock deep in blood. So all day long they fought, and stinted not till

many a noble knight was slain.

But the king was passing sorrowful to see his trusty knights lie dead on

every side. And at the last but two remained beside him, Sir Lucan, and

his brother, Sir Bedivere, and both were sorely wounded.

"Now am I come to mine end," said King Arthur; "but, lo! that traitor

Modred liveth yet, and I may not die till I have slain him. Now, give me

my spear, Sir Lucan."

"Lord, let him be," replied Sir Lucan; "for if ye pass through this

unhappy day, ye shall be right well revenged upon him. My good lord,

remember well your dream, and what the spirit of Sir Gawain did forewarn

ye."

"Betide me life, betide me death," said the king; "now I see him yonder

alone, he shall never escape my hands, for at a better vantage shall I

never have him."

"God speed you well," said Sir Bedivere.

Then King Arthur got his spear in both his hands, and ran towards Sir

Modred, crying, "Traitor, now is thy death-day come!" And when Sir Modred

heard his words, and saw him come, he drew his sword and stood to meet

him. Then King Arthur smote Sir Modred through the body more than a

fathom. And when Sir Modred felt he had his death wound, he thrust himself

with all his might up to the end of King Arthur's spear, and smote his

father, Arthur, with his sword upon the head, so that it pierced both helm

and brain-pan.

And therewith Sir Modred fell down stark dead to the earth, and King

Arthur fell down also in a swoon, and swooned many times.

Then Sir Lucan and Sir Bedivere came and bare him away to a little chapel

by the sea-shore. And there Sir Lucan sank down with the bleeding of his

own wounds, and fell dead.

And King Arthur lay long in a swoon, and when he came to himself, he found

Sir Lucan lying dead beside him, and Sir Bedivere weeping over the body of

his brother.

Then said the king to Sir Bedivere, "Weeping will avail no longer, else

would I grieve for evermore. Alas! now is the fellowship of the Round

Table dissolved for ever, and all my realm I have so loved is wasted with

war. But my time hieth fast, wherefore take thou Excalibur, my good sword,

and go therewith to yonder water-side and throw it in, and bring me word

what thing thou seest."

So Sir Bedivere departed; but as he went he looked upon the sword, the

hilt whereof was all inlaid with precious stones exceeding rich. And

presently he said within himself, "If I now throw this sword into the

water, what good should come of it?" So he hid the sword among the reeds,

and came again to the king.

"What sawest thou?" said he to Sir Bedivere.

"Lord," said he, "I saw nothing else but wind and waves."

"Thou hast untruly spoken," said the king; "wherefore go lightly back and

throw it in, and spare not."

Then Sir Bedivere returned again, and took the sword up in his hand; but

when he looked on it, he thought it sin and shame to throw away a thing so

noble. Wherefore he hid it yet again, and went back to the king.

"What saw ye?" said King Arthur.

"Lord," answered he, "I saw nothing but the water ebbing and flowing."

"Oh, traitor and untrue!" cried out the king; "twice hast thou now

betrayed me. Art thou called of men a noble knight, and wouldest betray me

for a jewelled sword? Now, therefore, go again for the last time, for thy

tarrying hath put me in sore peril of my life, and I fear my wound hath

taken cold; and if thou do it not this time, by my faith I will arise and

slay thee with my hands."

Then Sir Bedivere ran quickly and took up the sword, and went down to the

water's edge, and bound the girdle round the hilt and threw it far into

the water. And lo! an arm and hand came forth above the water, and caught

the sword, and brandished it three times, and vanished.

So Sir Bedivere came again to the king and told him what he had seen.

"Help me from hence," said King Arthur; "for I dread me I have tarried

over long."

Then Sir Bedivere took the king up in his arms, and bore him to the

water's edge. And by the shore they saw a barge with three fair queens

therein, all dressed in black, and when they saw King Arthur they wept and

wailed.

"Now put me in the barge," said he to Sir Bedivere, and tenderly he did

so.

Then the three queens received him, and he laid his head upon the lap of

one of them, who cried, "Alas! dear brother, why have ye tarried so long,

for your wound hath taken cold?"

With that the barge put from the land, and when Sir Bedivere saw it

departing, he cried with a bitter cry, "Alas! my lord King Arthur, what

shall become of me now ye have gone from me?"

"Comfort ye," said King Arthur, "and be strong, for I may no more help ye.

I go to the Vale of Avilion to heal me of my grievous wound, and if ye see

me no more, pray for my soul."

Then the three queens kneeled down around the king and sorely wept and

wailed, and the barge went forth to sea, and departed slowly out of Sir

Bedivere's sight.