The Death of King Arthur

by Peter Ackroyd

  ‘Sir,’ Hector replied, ‘I will ask only one thing of you. Will you make your foster-brother, Sir Kay, the steward of all your lands?’

  ‘Gladly. It shall be done. And I swear to you that no other man shall hold that office as long as Sir Kay lives.’

  The three men then visited the archbishop, and told him the story of the sword. The barons assembled in the churchyard some days later, but none of them could remove the sword from the stone; then, in front of them all, Arthur achieved this easily. Many lords grew angry with him then, and declared that they would not be ruled by one who could boast no high birth. ‘This boy is more slender than my sword,’ one of them said. ‘How can he govern us?’ So the decision was deferred until the day of Candlemas, at the beginning of February, and the archbishop ordered that the sword be watched and defended by the same ten knights as before.

  At Candlemas the lords gathered together again, yet not one of them could gain the sword. Arthur stepped forward, and raised the weapon in his hand. But the lords wished to delay their decision once more, and put off the day until Easter; then they moved it again to Pentecost. Meanwhile the archbishop guarded Arthur from all harm, and placed around him such gallant knights as Sir Baudwin and Sir Ulfius. At Pentecost the magnates met again and all essayed the sword, but none of them could remove it. Only Arthur could perform the feat.

  So the people of London set up a great cry. ‘We will have Arthur to be sovereign over us. There must be no more delay! The day has come. God’s will be done!’

  All the people, rich and poor, then kneeled before him, denouncing their own delay in doing homage to him. Arthur declared that he had forgiven them and, taking the sword in both hands, he placed it upon the altar. Then he was dubbed the first knight of the kingdom.

  The coronation followed soon after. He was anointed to the sound of drums and trumpets, and the crown was raised three times above his head. The nobles cried out their allegiance to him, brandishing their swords and their spears. Arthur rose from the throne with his sceptre in his hand; he swore to be a true king, and to do justice to them all the days of his life. Then many came forward with complaints of the wrongs done to them since the death of Uther Pendragon, and Arthur promised to correct these wrongs. The king made Sir Kay steward of all England, as he had promised, and distributed the offices of state to his household knights. He made Sir Brastias warden of the North, for example, where the enemies of the realm wandered in the wild lands beyond the River Trent.

  Here we will tell of the first use of the sword

  After the coronation Arthur removed from London to Wales, and summoned a host to meet him at Caerleon-upon-Usk on the first anniversary of his coronation. Here was held a great feast to which he invited many kings with their warriors. King Lot of Orkney came with five hundred knights, while King Uriens of Gore arrived with four hundred; the King of Scotland, although still a young man, rode to Wales with six hundred horsemen.

  Arthur was pleased by their arrival, since he believed that they had come to greet and to honour him. So he sent them many rich gifts. But they rejected them, and rebuked the messengers who had brought them. ‘We do not hold him in worship,’ they said. ‘We will not accept gifts from a beardless boy of low blood. We have come with our swords, and will give him fierce strokes in return. We have come to drive him out. It is past all sadness that such an illustrious realm should be ruled by a boy.’

  So the messengers returned, and repeated these words to Arthur. On the advice of his barons the king then called for five hundred knights, and withdrew to a high tower that was well defended. The other kings then laid siege to it. The tower became known as Arthur’s Tower, and can still be visited. There are some who say that, on moonlit nights, they can see the ghosts of warriors defending it.

  Within fifteen days the magician, Merlin, came to Caerleon-upon-Usk. He was well known to the kings who besieged Arthur, and they gathered around him. ‘Tell us this, Merlin,’ King Lot asked him. ‘For what reason has that boy, Arthur, been made your king?’

  ‘I shall tell you the reason, sir. He is the son of Uther Pendragon, begotten on Igraine.’

  ‘Then he is a bastard,’ Uriens replied.

  ‘Not so, sir. He was begotten three hours after the death of Igraine’s first husband, and within thirteen days she was married to Uther Pendragon. So by the laws of the realm Arthur is no bastard. Say what you will. He does not yet know of his high birth. I have kept this secret from him for now. But this boy will be king. He will overcome all of his enemies and rule over the whole realm. He will conquer Ireland, and even more distant regions.’

  Some of the kings marvelled at Merlin’s words, and judged that he had spoken the truth. Others laughed at him, and called him ‘warlock’ or worse. But they agreed among themselves that Arthur should be given safe passage to leave the tower and to speak with them. So Merlin climbed the high tower and told him that he might leave without harm. ‘Fear nothing,’ he said. ‘They cannot hurt you. Address them as their lord and leader. You will overcome them all, whether they like it or not. The force of the world is with you.’

  Arthur went out to them, with a garment of chain mail under his tunic, and among his companions were the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sir Baudwin of Britain, Sir Kay and Sir Brastias. These were all good and gallant men. There was no peace between the opposing parties, and the kings burst out in pride and anger. Arthur answered their taunts, and told them that one day they would bow down before him. So they left in rage, bidding him good day.

  ‘And good day,’ he replied, ‘to you.’

  He returned to the tower, where he and his knights waited with weapons drawn.

  Then Merlin went up to the kings. ‘Why do you carry on this siege?’ he asked them. ‘You will not be successful. Not even if you had ten times as many men.’

  ‘Why should we listen to the words of a magician, a reader of dreams?’ King Lot responded.

  Merlin gave him no answer but made his way to King Arthur. ‘Sire,’ he said, ‘fight with good spirit.’

  ‘My spirits are high,’ Arthur replied. ‘Three hundred of the kings’ men have come over to my side.’

  ‘I will give you one piece of advice. Use your old sword in battle. Do not use the sword you lifted from the stone, until you believe that you may be losing the fight. Only then may you draw it.’

  So Arthur and his knights rode out and descended upon the kings. They went among them with their spears and lances, wreaking havoc upon them. Arthur was always at the front of the battle, beating back the foe. But then King Lot galloped up from the rear with his five hundred knights and fell upon Arthur. Arthur turned and twisted his sword this way and that way, cutting down the knights who attacked him, but then his horse was killed beneath him. King Lot knocked him to the ground, but four of his knights rescued him and remounted him on a fresh horse. Arthur knew it was time. He drew out the sword that he had lifted from the stone. It was so bright that it gave out a light like thirty burning brands, and its rays seemed to pierce the sky. Once he had borne it aloft, he carved it through the ranks of the kings. The common people of Caerleon were much comforted by this, and taking up clubs and staves they ran among the ranks of the enemy. The knights formed a defensive circle, with their kings in the centre, but then they broke and fled from the field. Arthur had won his first battle.

  Here we will tell of Arthur’s doleful dream

  While Arthur resided at Caerlon, King Lot of Orkney, convinced of his true royalty, sent his wife, Morgause, to pay homage; a large retinue travelled with her, including her four sons, who were named Gawain, Gaheris, Agravain and Gareth. She was a beautiful woman still, and Arthur bore great love and desire for her. She consented to share his bed, and he begat upon her a child who was named Mordred. He did not realize that he had in fact slept with his half-sister. From this much woe would spring.

  After the lady and her sons had left his court, he was disturbed by a dreadful dream. He dreamed that dragons and serpents had invad
ed his land; they killed and devoured all of his people before pursuing him. He fought with them and was badly wounded, but after a bitter battle he got the better of them.

  Arthur awoke from this dream in much fear and, to ease his mind, he arranged that he and his chosen knights should go hunting. When he came into the forest, the king saw a great hart in front of him. ‘I will chase you down!’ he cried out and at once rode off in pursuit. There were times when he might have come close to the beast and killed it, but the hart always managed to flee to another part of the wood. Arthur rode so long and so hard that his horse failed beneath him, and a yeoman was obliged to fetch another for him.

  In his dismay at the change of his horse Arthur sat down beside a natural spring. Then all at once he thought that he heard a great noise, as of thirty hounds barking, and to his horror he saw a hideous beast coming towards him. It seemed to be part dog and part lion, part horse and part serpent. The beast did not seem to notice the king, but instead went to the spring and drank from it. The noise of the hounds came from his belly and the barking ceased only when he drank. Whereupon the beast made its way into the bushes, the noise of barking all about him, and vanished from sight. Arthur marvelled at this; he grew thoughtful, and then he fell asleep by the spring.

  He was roused by the approach of a knight. ‘Knight full of thought and sleep,’ the man said, ‘have you seen a strong and strange beast pass this way?’

  ‘Such a one I have seen. It must have gone more than two miles by now. What do you want with it?’

  ‘I have followed it for a long time. I have lost my horse. I wish to God I could find another steed to finish my quest.’

  At that moment the yeoman came up with Arthur’s fresh horse. The knight then pleaded with the king to give it up to him. ‘I am King Pellinor, and it is my fate to follow this beast or be stripped of my strength. I have been in pursuit of it for this past year.’

  ‘Leave your pursuit,’ Arthur urged him. ‘Let me take on the quest. I will ride after the beast for another twelve months.’

  ‘You are a fool to speak so. Only I, or my next of kin, can catch and kill this creature. If I should die, Sir Palomides will follow me.’ With that he leaped into the saddle of Arthur’s horse. ‘Thank you for your help,’ he said. ‘I must make haste. By the way, this horse is now mine.’

  ‘You may take the horse by force,’ Arthur replied. ‘But I wish that I had the chance to prove who is most worthy of the chase.’

  King Pellinor laughed. ‘When you want to find me,’ he said, ‘look for me here beside the spring. I will not be long in coming.’ Then he rode off.

  Arthur was startled at this sudden turn of events, and ordered his men to bring him another horse. Then Merlin approached him, in the guise of a fourteen-year-old boy, and asked him why he was so pensive.

  ‘I have good reason,’ the king told him. ‘I have just seen the greatest wonder.’

  ‘I know that,’ Merlin replied, ‘just as I know all of your secret thoughts. Brooding will do you no good, Arthur. I know who you are, you see. You are the child of Uther Pendragon and Igraine.’

  ‘You are lying to me, boy. You are too young to have known of these things.’

  ‘I understand the truth better than you or any other man.’

  ‘I do not believe you.’ Arthur was angry with the boy but, before he could berate him, the child ran off into the wood.

  Then came Merlin again in the guise of an old man. ‘Why are you looking so stern?’ he asked the king.

  ‘I have every reason. I have just spoken to a child who told me of things that he could not have known. He never knew my father.’

  ‘The boy spoke the truth to you,’ Merlin said. ‘He would have told you other things, if you had not scared him away. He would have told you that God is displeased with you for sleeping with your half-sister Morgause. On her you have begotten a child who will one day destroy you and all of your knights.’

  ‘What is his name?’

  ‘I cannot tell you. It lies in a dark place.’

  ‘Who are you? Why do you tell me this?’

  ‘I am Merlin, my lord. I came to you in the likeness of the child.’

  ‘You amaze me once more, Merlin. But why do you tell me of my death?’

  ‘It is God’s will. You must be punished for your wicked deeds in this world. Yet it is I who should be downcast. You will have an honourable funeral. As for me, I will be buried alive.’

  The king’s attendants then brought up two horses, upon which Arthur and Merlin rode back to Caerleon. When they reached the court the king asked Hector and Ulfius how he was begotten. They told him that he was the child of Uther and Igraine.

  ‘So Merlin has told me. But now summon my mother. If she tells me the same story, I will believe it.’

  So in all haste the queen was sent for. She brought with her Morgan le Fay, her daughter, and a great banquet was held for them. But then Sir Ulfius rose and, in the hearing of all the guests, he rebuked Igraine. ‘You are false,’ he said to her. ‘You are a foul traitor.’

  ‘Beware!’ Arthur cried out. ‘These are dangerous words!’

  ‘Sir,’ Ulfius replied, ‘I am well aware of what I say and what I know. If she had told the court of your birth, and your upbringing, you would have been hailed as king. You would never have been forced to go to war. If the lords of this land had known whose son you were, they would have submitted to you without a struggle. But this lady kept her silence and so led you into great perils. That is why I accuse her of treason. If anyone dares to disagree with me, I am ready for trial by combat.’

  Igraine rose to reply. ‘I am a woman, and therefore I cannot fight you. But is there no one here ready to defend me and save me from dishonour? I can only tell you all the truth. Merlin knows well enough that Uther Pendragon came to me at the Castle of Tintagel, and there lay with me in the guise of my lord the duke, who had died in battle three hours before. Merlin also knows that I married Uther after thirteen days and that, when the child was born, it was given up to the magician himself. I never knew where the child had gone, or what name had been granted to him.’

  Then Sir Ulfius turned to Merlin. ‘You are more to blame than the queen,’ he said.

  Arthur took Merlin by the hand. ‘Is this lady truly my mother?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes, sire, she is.’

  Then Sir Hector stepped forward, and explained how he had fostered the child.

  Arthur then embraced Igraine; mother and son wept. The king ordered a great feast, in celebration, that lasted eight days.

  Here we will tell of Arthur’s battle in the enchanted wood

  One day there came into court a young squire, leading a knight on horseback who had been mortally wounded. He hung down from his saddle in the last agony of death. The squire told the king and his courtiers that his master, whose name was Sir Miles, had been attacked by King Pellinor, who had raised his pavilion beside a spring in the forest. It was Pellinor who pursued the beast of strange sounds. ‘I beseech you, sire,’ the squire said to Arthur, ‘please bury my master. And I beg you, also, to send out a knight to avenge his death.’

  The news of the death led to great clamour, and all the knights gave their advice. One young squire then came forward. His name was Griflet, and he was the same age as Arthur. ‘I ask you, sir,’ he said to the king, ‘for the sake of the service I have done you, raise me to the order of knighthood. Let me ride out to the spring and meet King Pellinor.’

  ‘It would be a pity,’ Merlin murmured to the king, ‘to lose this young man. He will make a good knight one day, and he will be loyal to you. Pellinor is one of the strongest and bravest of all warriors. Griflet will be in great peril.’

  But Arthur ignored him. ‘Very well,’ he said, ‘I will make you a knight, if you so wish it.’ So he dubbed him there and then with his sword. ‘Now, you must pledge me your word on one thing.’

  ‘What is it, sire?’

  ‘You must promise me that, after one joust
, you will join in no more contest. Whether you be on foot or on horseback, you will return here without more fighting.’

  ‘I promise you, my lord king.’

  So Griflet took up his shield and spear, and galloped into the wood. When he came up to the spring he saw a richly painted pavilion; beside it was a horse, well saddled and bridled, and on a tree was hanging a shield decorated with all manner of devices. Griflet struck the shield with his spear, and knocked it to the ground.

  The king came out at once from the pavilion. ‘Fair knight,’ he said, ‘why did you strike down my shield?’

  ‘I wish to joust with you.’

  ‘You had better not do that,’ the king replied. ‘You are still young. Your might will be no match for mine.’

  ‘No matter. I wish to joust with you.’

  ‘Since you are so sure of yourself, I have no alternative but to fight. From where do you come?’

  ‘From the court of King Arthur.’

  So the two warriors fought against each other. Their battle was hard and fierce; King Pellinor broke the shield of Griflet and, smashing the spear, laid Griflet low upon the ground with a wide wound in his side.

  When the king saw him fall to the earth, he dismounted and ran over to him. He feared that the young man was dead, but saw with relief that he was slowly beginning to recover. He placed him on his horse, invoking God’s blessing. ‘He has a mighty heart,’ he said to himself. ‘If he lives, he will prove to be a great warrior.’ So Griflet went back to Arthur’s court, where he was tended by doctors and was healed.

  Then there came into the court twelve wise and aged knights, sent to England by the Emperor of Rome. As soon as they came into Arthur’s presence they asked that tribute be paid to their master. ‘Or else,’ one of them said, ‘he will lay waste to you and all of your land.’