Sir Thomas Malory's Morte Darthur - Sir Thomas Malory Renaissance and Medieval Studies

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King Arthur continuously rode in the thickest of the press, ramping up and down like a lion on many noble senators. He would not wait for any man for any reason; ever he slew slyly until all were slain, to the number of a hundred thousand, although many thousands escaped through the secret help of friends.

      Then the king and his noble knights searched the field for his bold barons. Those who were dead were buried as befitted their rank, and for those who might be saved, no treatment or remedy was spared that might be gotten for gold or silver. Thus Arthur caused many knights to be saved who seemed unlikely to recover. And at the recovery of Sir Kay and of Sir Bedevere, there was never a man under God so glad as was King Arthur.

      Then the king rode directly to where the emperor was lying, and had him lifted up by fully noble barons. The Sultan of Syria, the King of Ethiopia, and two noble knights of Egypt and India, along with seventeen kings, as well as sixty honorable senators, were all taken up as well. The king had all these men embalmed with good ointments, and had them wrapped in sixty lengths of fine silk. They were then encased in lead, so that no matter how they might move or chafe, there would be no smell. Then he had them enclosed in their chests, cleanly arrayed, with their banners laid above their bodies and their shields turned upward, so that every man would know from what country they were.

      In the morning they found waiting in the field three senators from Rome. When they were brought before the king, he said these words: “To save your lives is no great concern of mine, but I will, if you will go to Rome with my message and present these corpses to the proud potentate. Show him my letters and make known all my intent. Tell him they shall soon see me, and I believe that they will be cautious as to how they deal with me and my knights.”

      Then the emperor himself was placed in a chariot, and his knights in a line following, placed two to a chariot. The senators came behind, tied together in pairs. “Now say to the potentate and all other lords that I send the tribute that I owe to Rome; this is the true tribute, which my ancestors and I have lost these ten score winters. Say that it seems I have sent the whole sum; if they think it is not enough, I shall amend it when I arrive.”

      So in the morning these senators headed to Rome, and within eighteen days they came to the potentate and told him how they had brought the tax and the trewage of ten score winters, both of England, Ireland, and lands to the east. “For King Arthur commands you never to ask again for tribute or tax, upon pain of your head, unless your title is somehow truer than that which any of your ancestors held. For these reasons we have fought in France, and it has gone ill for us, for all our men have been chopped to death, both the noble and the low-born. Therefore, I counsel you to provision yourself, for war is at hand. This mischief befell in the month of May, in the country of Constantine by the clear streams; there he harried us with his knights, and healed those who were hurt that day and buried those that were slain.”

      20 Sir Gawain’s Adventures

      Now we turn to Arthur and his noble knights who entered Lorraine and then went through Flanders. He seized all the lordships, and afterwards he moved into Germany and Lombardy the rich. There he made laws that lasted long after. Then he went into Tuscany, and destroyed the tyrants there; there were keen fighting men who knew of Arthur’s coming, and in narrow passes slew many of his people, and there they provisioned themselves from many good towns.

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      But there was one city that maintained a strong defense against Arthur and his knights, which angered Arthur so that he said aloud, “I will win this town even if many a doughty man shall die!” Then the king approached the walls without a shield, wearing only little armor.

      “Sir,” said Sir Florence, “what you do is folly, to stand unprotected so near to this perilous city.”

      “If you are afraid,” said King Arthur, “I advise you to flee quickly. They will not win worship from me, but only waste their weapons; for it shall never come to pass that a rebel should have the opportunity, by the help of our Lord, to kill a crowned king who has been anointed with chrism.”

      Then the noble knights of the Round Table approached the city, leaving their horses behind. They hurled themselves straight onto the barbicans, and there they slew down all who stood before them; in that conflict they won the bridge. Had there been no garrison, they would have fought through the gates and won the city through the strength of their hands that day.

      Then our noble knights withdrew a little and went to the king, asking him to make camp. He pitched his cloth pavilions, setting them all about the siege, and had siege engines quickly set up. Then the king called Sir Florence to him and said these words: “My people are growing weak for lack of food, but nearby there are fair forests, which may feed our many footmen. You shall go to forage in those forests, and with you shall go Sir Gawain, and Sir Wishard with Sir Walchere, both worshipful knights, along with all the wisest men of the West Marches, and also, Sir Clermont and Sir Cliges, who performed well in arms, and the captain of Cardiff, who is a good knight. Now go and tell the fellowship so that all is done as I command.” So with that, Sir Florence went forth and his fellowship was soon ready. They rode over holt and heath, through forests and over hills. They came to a low meadow that was full of sweet flowers, and there these noble knights tethered their horses.

      At the dawning of the next day, Sir Gawain took his horse and went to seek some wonders. He became aware of a man walking some distance away along the wood’s edge, by the side of a river; he bore his shield on his shoulder and rode on a strong horse, alone but for a boy who accompanied him, bearing a grim spear. On his glistening gold shield were three griffins worked in sable and precious stones, the main griffin in silver.

      When Sir Gawain became aware of that gay knight, he gripped his spear and rode straight toward him on his strong horse, wishing to meet with that stern knight where he waited. When Sir Gawain came close to him, he asked him in English who he was. That other knight answered in the language of Tuscany, saying, “Where are you going, plunderer, who demands such a thing of me? I will not be your prey, try as you like; you shall be my prisoner, for all your proud demeanor.”

      “You speak proudly,” said Sir Gawain, “but I warn you—for all your grim words, you should take care, before harm befalls you.” Then they used their lances according to the craft of arms, and came quickly at each other, delivering strong blows, breaking through shield and mail. Each was wounded in the shoulder a full hand’s breadth.

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      Then they were both so angry, that neither would turn from the battle, but instead they quickly drew out their swords and struck each other’s helms with hateful blows; each stabbed at the other’s stomach with their steely swords. Fiercely those men fought on the ground while sparks flew from their helmets.

      Then Sir Gawain was seriously wounded, and swung his sword Galantine, striking grimly and cleaving the knight’s shield in two. He pierced the thick hauberk, made of good mail, splitting apart the rich rubies, so that men could see his liver and lungs. The knight groaned at his grim wounds and faced Sir Gawain, striking him awkwardly and breaking the armor on both his forearm and upper arm; the blow cut open a vein, which sorely grieved Gawain. He was so seriously wounded that he almost lost his wits, and his armor was all bloody.

      Then that knight spoke to Gawain, and bade him bind up his wound before he died, “for you are bleeding all over your horse and your bright clothes; all the surgeons of Britain will not be able to staunch your blood, for he who is hurt with this blade shall bleed forever.”

      “By God,” said Sir Gawain, “that troubles me but little. You shall not frighten me with all your great words. You think with your talking to tame my heart, but bad tidings will befall you before you leave here unless you quickly tell me who may staunch my bleeding.”

      “I can do that, and I will, so long as you succor me so that I might be christened and be cleansed of my misdeeds. I ask Jesus’ mercy; I shall become Christian and steadfastly believe in God. For your help you may earn a reward for yourself.”

      “I grant you your request,” said Gawain, “so help me God. I will fulfill your desire; you have greatly deserved it. Tell me the truth—what were you seeking

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