Le Morte Darthur: The Winchester Manuscript (Oxford World's Classics)

by Malory, Thomas

  [4]

  And then beheld they the scabbard; it seemed to be of a serpent’s skin, and thereon were letters of gold and silver. And the girdle was but poorly to come to, and not able to sustain such a rich sword. And the letters said, ‘He which shall wield me ought to be more hardy than any other, if he bear me as truly as me ought to be borne. For the body of him which I ought to hang by, he shall not be shamed in no place while he is girt with the girdle. Nor never none be so hardy to do away this girdle: for it ought not to be done away but by the hands of a maid, and that she be a king’s daughter and a queen’s. And she must be a maid all the days of her life, both in will and in work, and if she break her virginity she shall die the most villainous death that ever did any woman.’

  [5]

  ‘Sir,’ said she, ‘there was a king that hight Pelles, which men called the Maimed King;* and while he might ride he supported much Christendom and Holy Church. So upon a day he hunted in a wood of his which lasted* unto the sea; so at the last he lost his hounds and his knights save only one. And so he and his knight went till that they came toward Ireland, and there he found the ship. And when he saw the letters and understood them, yet he entered, for he was right perfect of life; but his knight had no hardiness to enter. And there found he this sword, and drew it out as much as ye may see. So therewith entered a spear wherewith he was smitten him through both thighs; and never since might he be healed, nor nought shall before we come to him. Thus,’ said she, ‘was King Pelles, your grandsire, maimed for his hardiness.’

  ‘In the name of God, damosel,’ said Sir Galahad.

  So they went toward the bed to behold all about it; and above the bed there hung two swords. Also there were spindles which were white as snow, and others that were red as blood, and others above green as any emerald: of these three colours were these spindles, and of natural colour within, and without any painting.

  ‘These spindles,’ said the damosel, ‘were when sinful Eve came to gather fruit, for which she and Adam were put out of paradise, she took with her the bough which the apple hung on. Then perceived she that the branch was fresh and green, and she remembered her of the loss which came of the tree. Then she thought to keep the branch as long as she might; and for she had no coffer to keep it in, she put it in the earth. So by the will of Our Lord the branch grew to a great tree within a little while, and was as white as any snow, branches, boughs, and leaves: that was a token that a maiden planted it. But after that, Our Lord came to Adam and bade him know his wife fleshly as nature required.* So lay Adam with his wife under the same tree; and anon the tree which was white fell to* green as any grass, and all that came out of it. And in the same time that they meddled together, Abel was begotten. Thus was the tree long of green colour.

  ‘And so it befell many days after, under the same tree Cain slew Abel, whereof befell great marvel. For as Abel had received death under the green tree, it lost the green colour and became red; and that was in tokening of blood. And anon all the plants died thereof, but the tree grew and waxed marvellously fair, and it was the fairest tree and the most delectable that any man might behold and see; and so did the plants that grew out of it before that Abel was slain under it.

  ‘And so long endured the tree till that Solomon, King David’s son, reigned and held the land after his father. So this Solomon was wise, and knew all the virtues of stones and trees; also he knew the course of the stars and of many other divers things. So this Solomon had an evil wife, wherethrough he weened that there had been no good woman born, and therefore he despised them in his books.* So there answered a voice that said to him thus: “Solomon, if heaviness come to a man by a woman, ne reck thou never;* for yet shall there come a woman whereof there shall come greater joy to a man a hundred times than this heaviness giveth sorrow, and that woman shall be born of thy lineage.”* So when Solomon heard these words he held himself but a fool. That proof had he by old books, the truth; also the Holy Ghost showed him the coming of the glorious Virgin Mary. Then asked he the voice if it should be of the yard* of his lineage.

  [6]

  ‘ “Nay,” said the voice, “but there shall come a man which shall be a maid, and last of your blood; and he shall be as good a knight as Duke Joshua, thy brother-in-law.* Now have I certified thee of that thou standest in doubt.”*

  ‘Then was Solomon glad that there should come any such of his lineage, but ever he marvelled and studied who that should be, and what his name might be. So his wife perceived that he studied, and thought she would know at some season; and so she waited her time, and came to him and asked him. And there he told her altogether how the voice had told him.

  ‘ “Well,” said she, “I shall let make a ship of the best wood and most durable that any man may find.”

  ‘So Solomon sent for carpenters, of all the land the best. And when they had made the ship the lady said to Solomon, “Sir, since it is so that this knight ought to pass all knights of chivalry which have been before him and shall come after him, moreover I shall learn* you,” said she, “ye shall go into Our Lord’s temple, where is King David’s sword, your father, which is the marvelloust and the sharpest that ever was taken in any knight’s hands. Therefore take ye that, and take off the pommel, and thereto make ye a pommel of precious stones; let it be so subtly made that no man perceive it but that they be all one.* And after make there a hilt so marvellously that no man may know it; and after that make a marvellous sheath. And when ye have made all this, I shall let make a girdle thereto, such one as shall please me.”

  ‘So all this King Solomon did let make as she devised, both the ship and all the remnant. And when the ship was ready in the sea to sail, the lady let make a great bed and marvellous rich, and set her upon the bed’s head covered with silk, and laid the sword at the feet. And the girdles were of hemp, and therewith the king was right angry.

  ‘ “Sir, wit you well that I have none so high a thing which were worthy to sustain so high a sword. And a maid shall bring other knights thereto; but I wot not when it shall be, nor what time.”

  ‘And there she let make a covering to the ship of cloth of silk that should never rot for no manner of weather. Then this lady went and made a carpenter to come to the tree which Abel was slain under.

  ‘ “Now,” said she, “carve me out of this tree as much wood as will make me a spindle.”

  ‘ “Ah, madam,” said he, “this is the tree the which our first mother planted.”

  ‘ “Do it,” said she, “or else I shall destroy thee.”

  ‘Anon as he began to work there came out drops of blood; and then would he have left, but she would not suffer him. And so he took as much wood as might make a spindle; and so she made him to take as much of the green tree, and so of the white tree. And when these three spindles were shaped, she made them to be fastened upon the selar* of the bed. So when Solomon saw this, he said to his wife, “Ye have done marvellously, for though all the world were here right now, they could not devise wherefore all this was made, but Our Lord Himself; and thou that hast done it wot not what it shall betoken.”

  ‘ “Now let it be,” said she, “for ye shall hear tidings peradventure sooner than ye ween.”

  ‘Now here is a wonderful tale of King Solomon and of his wife.*

  [7]

  ‘That night lay Solomon before the ship with little fellowship; and when he was asleep, him thought there came from heaven a great company of angels and alit into the ship, and took water which was brought by an angel in a vessel of silver and besprent* all the ship. And after he came to the sword and drew letters on the hilt; and after went to the ship’s board, and wrote there other letters which said, “Thou man that wilt enter within me, beware that thou be full in the faith, for I ne am but* Faith and Belief.”

  ‘When Solomon espied those letters he was so abashed that he durst not enter, and so he drew him aback; and the ship was anon shoved in the sea. He went so fast that he had lost the sight of him within a little while. And then a voice said
, “Solomon, the last knight of thy kindred shall rest in this bed.”

  ‘Then went Solomon and awaked his wife, and told her the adventures of this ship.’

  Now saith the tale that a great while the three fellows beheld the bed and the three spindles; then they were at a certainty that they were of natural colours without any painting. Then they lifted up a cloth which was above the ground, and there found a rich purse by seeming.* And Sir Percival took it and found therein a writ, and so he read it; and it devised the manner of the spindles and of the ship, whence it came, and by whom it was made.

  ‘Now,’ said Sir Galahad, ‘where shall we find the gentlewoman that shall make new girdles to the sword?’

  ‘Fair sirs,’ said Percival’s sister, ‘dismay you not, for by the leave of God I shall let make a girdle to the sword, such one as should belong thereto.’

  And then she opened a box and took out girdles which were seemly wrought with golden threads, and upon that were set full precious stones and a rich buckle of gold.

  ‘Lo, lords,’ she said, ‘here is a girdle that ought to be set about the sword. And wit you well, the greatest part of this girdle was made of my hair, which some time I loved well while that I was a woman of the world. But as soon as I wist that this adventure was ordained me, I clipped off my hair and made this girdle.’

  ‘In the name of God, ye be well found,’ said Sir Bors, ‘for certes ye have put us out of great pain wherein we should have entered* had not your tidings been.’

  Then went the gentlewoman and set it on the girdle of the sword.

  ‘Now,’ said the fellowship, ‘what is the name of the sword, and what shall we call it?’

  ‘Truly,’ said she, ‘the name of the sword is the Sword with the Strange Girdles; and the sheath, Mover of Blood; for no man that hath blood in him shall never see the one part of the sheath which was made of the tree of life.’

  Then they said, ‘Sir Galahad, in the name of Jesu Christ, we pray you to gird you with this sword which hath been desired so much in the realm of Logris.’

  ‘Now let me begin’, said Galahad, ‘to grip this sword for to give you courage; but wit you well it longeth no more to me than it doth to you.’

  And then he gripped about it with his fingers a great deal; and then she girt him about the middle with the sword.

  ‘Now reck I not though I die, for now I hold me one of the best blessed maidens of the world, which hath made the worthiest knight of the world.’

  ‘Damosel,’ said Sir Galahad, ‘ye have done so much that I shall be your knight all the days of my life.’

  Then they went from that ship, and went to the other. And anon the wind drove them into the sea a great pace, but they had no victual. So it befell that they came on the morn to a castle that men call Carteloise, that was in the marches of Scotland. And when they had passed the port, the gentlewoman said, ‘Lords, here be men arrived that, and they wist that ye were of King Arthur’s court, ye should be assailed anon.’

  ‘Well, damosel, dismay you not,’ said Sir Galahad, ‘for He that cast us out of the rock shall deliver us from them.’

  [8]

  So it befell as they talked thus together, there came a squire by them and asked what they were.

  ‘Sir, we are of King Arthur’s house.’

  ‘Is that sooth?’ said he. ‘Now by my head,’ said he, ‘ye be evil arrayed;’* and then turned again unto the chief fortress, and within a while they heard a horn blow. Then a gentlewoman came to them and asked them of whence they were; anon they told her.

  ‘Now, fair lords,’ she said, ‘for God’s love turn again if ye may, for ye be come to your death.’

  ‘Nay, for sooth,’ they said, ‘we will not turn again, for He should help us into whose service we were entered in.’

  So as they stood talking there came ten knights well armed, and bade them yield or else die.

  ‘That yielding’, said they, ‘shall be noyous* unto you.’

  And therewith they let their horses run, and Sir Percival smote the first that he bore him to the earth, and took his horse and bestrode him. And the same wise did Sir Galahad, and also Sir Bors served another so; for they had no horses in that country, for they left their horses when they took their ship. And so when they were horsed then began they to set upon them; and they of the castle fled into strong fortresses, and these three knights after them into the castle, and so alit on foot and with their swords slew them down, and got into the hall. Then when they beheld the great multitude of people that they had slain, they held themselves great sinners.

  ‘Certes,’ said Sir Bors, ‘I ween, and God had loved them, that we should not have had power to have slain them thus. But they have done so much against Our Lord that He would not suffer them to reign no longer.’

  ‘Say ye not so,’ said Galahad, ‘for if they misdid against God, the vengeance is not ours, but to Him which hath power thereof.’*

  So came there out of a chamber a good man which was a priest, and bore God’s body in a cup;* and when he saw them which lay dead in the hall he was abashed. Anon Sir Galahad did off his helm and kneeled down, and so did his two fellows.

  ‘Sir,’ said they, ‘have ye no dread of us, for we be of King Arthur’s court.’

  Then asked the good man how they were slain so suddenly, and they told him.

  ‘Truly,’ said the good man, ‘and ye might live as long as the world might endure, might ye not have done so great an alms-deed as this.’

  ‘Sir,’ said Sir Galahad, ‘I repent me greatly inasmuch as they were christened.’

  ‘Nay, repent you not,’ said he, ‘for they were not christened. And I shall tell you how that I know of this castle. Here was a lord earl, whose name was Hernox, not but one year;* and he had three sons, good knights of arms, and a daughter, the fairest gentlewoman that men knew. So those three knights loved their sister so sore that they burned in love; and so they lay by her maugre her head. And for she cried to her father they slew her, and took their father and put him in prison and wounded him nigh to the death; but a cousin of hers rescued him. And then did they great untruth, for they slew clerks and priests and made beat down chapels,* that Our Lord’s service might not be said. And this same day her father sent unto me for to be confessed and houseled.* But such shame had never man as I had this same day with the three brethren; but the old earl made me to suffer,* for he said they should not long endure, for three servants of Our Lord should destroy them. And now it is brought to an end, and by this may you wit that Our Lord is not displeased with your deeds.’

  ‘Certes,’ said Sir Galahad, ‘and it had not pleased Our Lord, never should we have slain so many men in so little a while.’

  [9]

  And they brought the Earl Hernox out of prison into the midst of the hall, the which knew well Sir Galahad, and yet saw he him never before but by revelation of Our Lord. Then he began to weep right tenderly, and said, ‘Long have I abided your coming! But for God’s love, hold me in your arms, that my soul may depart out of my body in so good a man’s arms as ye be.’*

  ‘Full gladly,’ said Sir Galahad.

  And then one said on high, that all folk heard, ‘Sir Galahad, well hast thou been avenged on God’s enemies. Now behoveth thee to go to the Maimed King as soon as thou mayst, for he shall receive by thee health which he hath abided so long.’

  And therewith the soul departed from the body; and Sir Galahad made him to be buried as he ought to be.*

  [10]

  And then they dwelled there all that day; and upon the morn, when they had heard Mass, they departed and commended the good man to God. And so they came to a castle and passed by; so there came a knight armed after them and said, ‘Lords, this gentlewoman that ye lead with you, is she a maid?’

  ‘Yea, sir,’ said she, ‘a maid I am.’

  Then he took her by the bridle and said, ‘By the Holy Cross, ye shall not escape me before ye have yielded the custom of this castle.’

  ‘Let her go,�
�� said Sir Percival. ‘Ye be not wise, for a maid in what place she cometh is free.’

  So in the meanwhile there came out ten or twelve knights armed out of the castle, and with them came gentlewomen the which held a dish of silver. And then they said, ‘This gentlewoman must yield us the custom of this castle.’

  ‘Why,’ said Sir Galahad, ‘what is the custom of this castle?’

  ‘Sir,’ said a knight, ‘what maid passeth hereby should fill this dish full of blood of her right arm.’

  ‘Blame have he,’ said Galahad, ‘that brought up such customs! And so God save me, ye may be sure that of this, gentlewomen, shall ye fail while that I have health.’

  ‘So God me help,’ said Sir Percival, ‘I had liever be slain.’

  ‘And I also,’ said Sir Bors.

  ‘By my faith,’ said the knight, ‘then shall ye die, for ye may not endure against us though ye were the best knights of the world.’

  Then let they run each horse to other, and these three knights beat the ten knights, and then set their hands to their swords and beat them down. Then there came out of the castle sixty knights armed.

  ‘Now, fair lords,’ said these three knights, ‘have mercy on yourselves and have not ado with us.’

  ‘Nay, fair lords,’ said the knights of the castle, ‘we counsel you to withdraw you, for ye be the best knights of the world; and therefore do no more, for ye have done enough. We will let you go with this harm, but we must needs have the custom.’

  ‘Certes,’ said Sir Galahad, ‘for nought speak ye.’

  ‘Well,’ said they, ‘will ye die?’

  ‘Sir, we be not yet come thereto,’ said Sir Galahad.

  Then began they to meddle* together; and Sir Galahad, with the strange girdles, drew his sword and smote on the right hand and on the left hand, and slew whom that ever abode him, and did so marvellously that they had marvel of him, and his two fellows helped him passingly well. And so they held their journey* each alike hard till it was nigh night—then must they needs part.