The story of the Grail and the passing of Arthur

Front matter

A GIFT OF *

STUDIO GOODWIN STURGES

IMS

Foreword

Know you that it is a very glorious thing for any man to achieve the approval of others; for all men write for approval , and all would win ap¬ proval of their fellows if they were able to do so; wherefore , it is my strong hope that you may set the seal of your approval upon these books.

Be it said that some things in these histories are not recounted in other histories of this momentous reign, but that most of the things that I have written are recounted in such histories, and all those things so recounted I have told to you as they have been aforetime written by other men. In this I have shaped them and adapted them from the ancient style in which they were first written so as to fit them to the taste of those who read them to-day.

And I thank God that He has spared my life to finish this work, and also I hope that He may spare me that life still further, to achieve other works which I desire to undertake. But nevertheless it would have been a great regret to me to leave these books unfinished. For I have made a study of this history and have read much concerning it; wherefore, it was my earnest wish to finish that which I had begun if God would spare me my life to do so. This He has done.

So now I take leave of you upon the threshold of this book, and bid you godspeed in reading it. And the first of these adventures that you shall read shall be 11 The Story of Sir Geraint which was the first time written in the ancient Welsh, but which is here re-written for your delectation in the manner which I here set it forth.

Part I

How Sir Geraint followed the knight and the lady to whom the dwarf belongeth. How he lodged in a mined castle , and how he found armor to wear . <?

How Sir Geraint fought with the knight of the Sparrow-Hawk; how he set right the wrongs of the earldom and how he returned to the Court of the King . 77

LX

X

Contents

How Sir Geraint lived with the Lady Enid at Camelot. How he sus¬ pected her truth; how his suspicions were confirmed , and how he departed with her in search of adventure. Also how they met with three unusual adventures in the forest . . . . 27

How Sir Geraint and Enid came forth out of the forest into the land of an earl. How they abided at an inn , and of what befell them thereafter 39

Sir Geraint is wounded in his encounter with another knight. He is dis¬ covered by the Court of King Arthur and is healed of his wounds 49

Part II The Story Of Sir Galahad

How Sir Galahad was made a knight; how he came to the Court King Arthur , and of the several miracles that happened at that time of

CONTENTS xi

How Sir Galahad was led by a strange lady to a monastery of White Friars. How he met there two other Knights of the Round Table. How King Bagdemagus wore the shield , and how it was taken from him and given unto Sir Galahad. Also the story of the shield ... 79

How Sir Galahad met with Sir Melyas. How Sir Melyas was over¬ thrown, and how Sir Galahad overthrew his enemies. Also how Sir Galahad did at the Castle of Maidens . gi

How Sir Launcelot and Sir Percival met Sir Galahad, and what befell them. Also how Sir Launcelot beheld the Grail in a dream . . 101

How Sir Percival findeth a horse that nearly bringeth him to destruction. Also he meeteth a fair damsel and feasts with her. Finally he enters a boat and there finds rest and comfort . . . . . . .111

How Sir Bors confessed himself to the Hermit of the Forest. How he overthrew a knight, and how he came to the seashore and of what befell him there . ug xii CONTENTS

Chapter Seventh

How Sir Galahad smote down Sir Gawaine, and how he accompanied a fair lady to the seashore. And of what happened thereafter . . 133

PART III THE PASSING OF ARTHUR Chapter First

How Queen Guinevere visited Sir Launcelot in the forest; how Sir Launcelot returned to Court as aforetime , and how he fled once more from the Court ........... 147

How Queen Guhievere held a feast, and how Sir Patrice of Ireland was poisoned at that feast ......... 133

How Sir Bors was relieved of the defence of the Queen, and of how Sir Mador de la Porte was overthrown ....... 163

How there came quarrels at the Court , and how Sir Launcelot of the Lake was assaulted by the brothers of Sir Gawaine . . . 173

CONTENTS xiii

How King Arthur attacked Sir Launcelot at Joyous Gard; how Sir Lionel was slain and how Sir Bors was wounded ..... 183

Sir Launcelot brings the Queen to King Arthur at Camelot. He quitteth England , and King Arthur and Sir Gawaine pursue him . . igg

Chapter Seventh

Of the battle betwixt Sir Launcelot and Sir Gawaine. Also how King Arthur returned to Little Britain . 21 1

Chapter Eighth

How King Arthur returned to England. How he fought his last battle with Sir Mordred . 223

Chapter Ninth

How King Arthur slew Sir Mordred , and how he himself was wounded so that he was upon the edge of death. How his sword Excalibur was cast away, and how three queens came from Avalon and took him away with them ............ 237

XIV

CONTENTS

Chapter Tenth

How Sir Launcelot came to Queen Guinevere , and how Queen Guinervere remained a nun. How Sir Launcelot went into the forest and became a hermit , and how seven of his fellows joined him there. Also of the death of Sir Launcelot of the Lake ........ 249

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Sir Galahad of the Grail ...... Frontispiece

PAGE

Head Piece — Foreword . . vii

Tail Piece — Foreword ....

viii

Head Piece — Table of Contents

. ix

Tail Piece — Table of Contents

. xiv

Head Piece — List of Illustrations

• •

XV

Tail Piece — List of Illustrations

XV

• • • •

. xviii

XVI

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

Sir Geraint , Son of Erbin ........ 2

Head Piece — Prologue . j

Tail Piece — Prologue . 6

Enid and Geraint in the Garden . 8

Head Piece — Part I . 9

Sir Geraint and the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk . . . . 16

Sir Geraint lies asleep . . 26

Enid talks with the Earl . j8

Enid and Geraint ride past the Town bridge . .... 48

The Kings physicians attend Sir Geraint ..... 58

Tail Piece — Part I . 64

Sir Galahad cometh with the Hermit of the Forest ... 66

Head Piece — Part II . 6y

The Lady of the Lake and Sir Galahad ...... y8

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xvii

PAGE

Sir Galahad meets Sir Mclyas . go

The Grail is manifested , and Sir Launcelot Sleepeth . . . ioo

Sir Percival rideth the black horse . . iio

Sir Bors rides with the white knight . . 118

Sir Galahad rides with the Lady . . , . . . .132

Tail Piece — Part II . 144

The Queen’s pages clothe Sir Launcelot ...... 146

Head Piece — Part III . 143

Sir Mador de la Porte . 134

Sir Mador begs for his Life . .162

Sir Launcelot defends the door . 172

The Bishop of Rochester and the King . 184

Sir Gawaine challenges Sir Launcelot . jg8

The Passing of Sir Gawaine . 210

■v

XVI 11

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

Sir Mordred the traitor . . 222

The Passing of Guinevere ........ 238

Tail Piece — Part III . 238

ItlJ?

Prologue

UPON a certain time, at Michaelmas tide, King Arthur held a high hunting near to his court at Carleon-upon-Usk. Upon the morning of the day appointed for this hunting, all the attendants of the King were gathered in the courtyard of the castle ready to depart. The King cast his eyes about him, but he did not see the Queen near at King Arthur hand. Quoth he, “Where is the Queen this morning, that I proclaims a do not see her here?” One replied to him, “Lord, she is yet huntin£- abed and asleep; shall we go wake her?” The King said, “No, if she would rather sleep than hunt, let her lie abed.”

Then another said, “Lord, Sir Geraint is not here either. Shall we call him?” King Arthur laughed. “Nay,” quoth he, “let him also lie abed if he be drowsy.” Therewith they took horse and rode away into the dewy sweetness of the early morning ; the birds chaunting their roundelays and the sun bathing the entire earth as in a great bath of golden radiance.

Anon and after they had thus all departed, Queen Guinevere bestirred herself and awoke, and she said to her attendants, “Where is the King?” They say to her, “Lady, he hath ridden into the forest with his court.” At that the Queen was vexed, and she said, “Why was I not awakened?” They say to her, “Lady, the King forbade that you should be disturbed.” “Well,” said she, “let that be as it may, but I shall yet go to view the hunting.” So she arose and clad herself in a robe of sea-green taffeta, and she belted herself with a belt of gold, and she had her lady to enmesh

PROLOGUE her hair in a net of gold. And after she had broken her fast, she and her court took horse, and rode forth to the woodlands to find the King and his court.

Now as the Queen and her ladies and their attendants wended onward in a sedate and quiet fashion, they were presently aware of one who came riding after them at a hand gallop. Then the Queen drew rein, and said Queen to her attendant ladies, “Who is yonder gentleman who

Guinevere and, follows us at a hand gallop ? ” One of her attendants said, ride^into thT “ Methinks, Lady, yonder is Sir Geraint.” The Queen said, foresL “Yea, it is indeed Sir Geraint,” so they all drew rein and waited

until Sir Geraint overtook them. Then the Queen said to him, “Sir Geraint, I am glad that thou too art a sluggard, for now, as a penance, we shall hold thee in attendance upon us.” “Lady,” quoth Sir Geraint, They meet Sir “that is no penance but a pleasure, for what pleasure could be Geraint. greater than to wait upon you and your court upon so fair

and sweet a morning as this?”

“Sir,” said the Queen, “that is very well said. Now I bid you to ride beside me, and so together we will seek the King.”

So Sir Geraint rode with the Lady Guinevere in that wise, and as they rode they discoursed together concerning many things of interest.

Now as they ambled thus through the forest they presently perceived a small company of riders who came the other way through the checkered lights of the woodland.

The first of these riders was a very strong, powerful and lordly knight in armor. Beside him rode a fair lady clad all in scarlet, and following after these two there came a deformed and crooked dwarf clad in green. And the dwarf sat perched upon a great tall horse like a toad upon a mountain.

Then the Lady Guinevere said, “What company is yonder?” But no one could answer her question. Then the Queen said to one of her dam¬ sels, “Go, maiden, and ask the dwarf who is the knight whom he follows.”

So the maiden to whom the Queen spake made forward to meet that party, and she accosted the dwarf, saying, “Sirrah, I pray you tell me, who is the lordly knight whom you follow?” The dwarf said, “I will not The maiden tell You> f°r ^ n°t needful that you should know.” The

bespeaks the maiden said, “Then, since you are so ungentle to me, I will

dwarf. e’en an(^ ask his Gwn name. For I do not think

he will be so discourteous as not to tell me his name and his degree.” The dwarf said, “I forbid you to do that, and I will not permit you to ride for¬ ward, for my lord is of such quality that the likes of you are not fit to

speak with him.” And when he saw that the Queen’s maiden was of a

PROLOGUE mind to follow the knight, he catched the horse by the bridle rein and forced it backward so that the maiden was in danger of falling.

Then the maiden said, “Let go thy hold upon my horse!” and when the dwarf had released her she drew rein and returned to the Queen com¬ plaining of the discourtesy of the dwarf, and saying, “Lady, yonder is a most rude and uncivil atomy, for he forbade me to speak to his master, and when I would have done so in spite of him he catched my horse by the bridle rein and forced him backward so that I well-nigh had a fall.”

The Queen frowned and was very much displeased, and she said, “Sir Geraint, go you and find for me who is yonder knight.” And Sir Geraint said, “I will do so.”

So Sir Geraint rode down to where the others were, and he followed after the three until he had overtaken them. Then he rode up sir Geraint to the dwarf and he said, “Sirrah, tell me the name of yon- bespeaks the der knight.” The dwarf said, “I will not do so, for it is not dwarfbefitting that I should speak his name to you.”

Sir Geraint said, “Then I will ask for myself.” Therewith he set spurs to his horse and drove forward toward the knight. But the dwarf, seeing his intent, spurred his horse across the way, so that Sir Geraint could not pass. And he cried out, “Sir Knight, forbear, for you know not what you do.”

Sir Geraint said, “Sirrah, bear back!” and therewith would have over¬ ridden the dwarf. Then the dwarf, in a rage, rose in his stir- The dwarj rups and smote Sir Geraint in the face with a whip which he strikes sir held in his hand. And the whip struck Sir Geraint across a ” • the cheek and the eyelid, so that a great red line immediately started out across his face.

Then when Sir Geraint felt the smart of that blow he was filled with rage and he turned upon the dwarf, clapping hand upon his sword. But he straightway withdrew his hand, saying, “Sirrah, this shall be a sad day for your knight!” Therewith he turned his horse and rode back to where Queen Guinevere was waiting for him. Then he said to her, “Lady, I could not learn the knight his name, but if I have your leave I will follow after him, and when I come to some inhabited place I will purvey me armor, and then I will compel him to return to you and to tell you his name, and to ask pardon for the insult which his dwarf offered your maiden.”

Then the Lady Guinevere beheld Sir Geraint’s face, and the weal where the dwarf had struck him, and she cried out, “Sir Geraint, what ails your face?” Sir Geraint said, “The dwarf smote me with a whip.” The Queen said, “What did you do to him for that blow?” Sir Geraint replied, “I did

PROLOGUE nothing to him, for I will deal with the knight who is his master, and not with him.” “Sir,” said the Lady Guinevere, “you did right in that matter. So I pray you to follow after those people and to do as you are able with the knight who is the master of the dwarf.”

Sir Geraint said very proudly, “I need no revenge for the blow of such a mannikin, but I would fain compel this knight to come to you, to dis¬ close to you his name, and to ask pardon of this maiden for the discourtesy of his attendant.” The Queen said, ‘‘Go; follow him.”

Sir Geraint departs So Sir Geraint departed after the knight, and the lady, after the blight. and the dwarf, as the Queen bade him to do.

So begins the Adventure of Sir Geraint, concerning which you will learn much more if you will read this narrative to its conclusion.