King Arthur Legendarium: Volume 6, #2

The Myth of Arthur

G.K. Chesterton, a poetic honoring

of King Arthur

Olearned man who never learned to learn,

Save to deduce, by timid steps and small,

From towering smoke that fire can never burn

And from tall tales that men were never tall.

Say, have you thought what manner of man it is

Of who men say He could strike giants down?

Or what strong memories over time’s abyss

Bore up the pomp of Camelot and the crown.

And why one banner all the background fills,

Beyond the pageants of so many spears,

And by what witchery in the western hills

A throne stands empty for a thousand years.

Who hold, unheeding this immense impact,

Immortal story for a mortal sin;

Lest human fable touch historic fact,

Chase myths like moths, and fight them with a pin.

Take comfort; rest — there needs not this ado.

You shall not be a myth, I promise you.

Return to the Timeless Legend

Annie Nardone, Issue Editor,

on Revisiting Chivalry and Adventure

In the midst of the lake Arthur was ware of an arm clothed in white samite, that held a fair sword in that hand.

— Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d'Arthur

Most people have heard of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Fewer have taken the time to pick up the Arthurian tales penned by Sir Thomas Malory or Howard Pyle and read them for the sheer joy of imagining romance, courage, and adventure set in the middle ages. And that is exactly the point of this piece — to encourage you to read the Arthurian Legendarium for the sake of its beauty, both in chivalry and heroic themes, but also for the exquisite prose.

Shelves of books on the topic of Arthur and his history have been penned; yet, his life is still shrouded in mystery. In approximately 800 A.D., Nennius, a Welsh historian and Christian monk wrote the Historia Brittonum (History of the Britons). In this historical account, Nennius mentions Arthur fighting in several battles. Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote History of the Kings of Britain, which included the life story of Arthur for the first time, along with familiar names of Merlin, Lancelot, and Queen Guinevere. Chrétien de Troyes wrote of Arthur as only a French poet could, including the quest to discover the Holy Grail. Later on, Malory writes Le Morte d'Arthur (The Death of Arthur) in 1469 while he was imprisoned for violent crimes.¹ It is the last major work on Arthurian legend to be produced in the Middle Ages, but also the first and only text in Middle English to recount the entire legend of Arthur from his birth to his death.² Malory's only surviving manuscript is housed at the British Library. Additionally, American author and illustrator Howard Pyle wrote his beautifully illustrated novel form of The Story of King Arthur and His Knights in 1903.

I teach a Humanities course for high school students, and an important part of the course includes reading primary sources, prayers, poetry, and prose as it was originally written throughout history. We have dipped our literary toes in the cool and lovely stream of Middle English and bravely spoken in the bold tones of Thomas Paine. The Romantic poets forced us to slow down and enjoy each perfectly chosen word, while J.R.R. Tolkien translated Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in his signature poetic way, inviting us into a lyrically beautiful, timeless legend. As the curriculum moved along to more modern language and writing, I mentioned to the students that they would detect a change in word choices, phrases, descriptions, and an overall simplification and dullness in what they read. They would still find solid poetry and prose in the 1900s, but the rich beauty of Malory and the prayers of the church fathers was gone. Yes, reading Middle English or even the works of George MacDonald would challenge them, but the study of these texts was worth it.

The students agreed. As they became more fluent in elegant prose and enjoyed lingering over words they may need to find in the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, their desire for better and more descriptive writing grew. They stated that modern writing was mostly flat in comparison to the writing of the past. I heartily agree.

Figure 1 The Lady of the Lake gives Excalibur to King Arthur

(PD, published in 1880)

We begin this summer issue of An Unexpected Journal, King Arthur’s Legendarium: Prose, Poetry, and Scholarship, with the beginning chapters of Le Morte D' Arthur — King Arthur and of His Noble Knights of the Round Table by Thomas Malory. An Unexpected Journal includes the initial chapters of Malory's work as a foundation for the imaginative and scholarly works you will find in this edition. Written in a slightly archaic language, reading this old retelling is a solid beginning to the wonder that you will find within. Revel in the words.

I am grateful for the wonderful blessing of working with my fellow citizen of Narnia and Middle-earth, Dr. Donald T. Williams, Professor Emeritus of Toccoa Falls College. Dr. Williams co-edited this issue with me, as well as contributed his own writing and brought in Arthurian scholarship and poetry from all points of the medieval realm. My thanks receive, good scholar.

Under the Mercy,

Annie Nardone, Managing Editor of King Arthur Legendarium: Prose, Poetry, and Scholarship

Founding Board Member, An Unexpected Journal

The Book of King Arthur and His Noble Knights of the Round Table

Thomas Malory

The First Book of King Arthur³

CHAP. I.

First how Uther Pendragon sent for the duke of Cornwall and Igraine his wife, and of their departing suddenly again.

It befell in the days of Uther Pendragon, when he was king of all England, and so reigned, that there was a mighty duke in Cornwall that held war against him long time. And the duke was named the duke of Tintagil. And so by means king Uther sent for this duke, charging him to bring his wife with him, for she was called a fair lady, and a passing wise, and her name was called Igraine.

So when the duke and his wife were come unto the king, by the means of great lords they were accorded both: the king liked and loved this lady well, and he made them great cheer out of measure, and desired to have had her love. But she was a passing good woman, and would not assent unto the king. And then she told the duke her husband, and said, I suppose that we were sent for that I should be dishonoured, wherefore, husband, I counsel you that we depart from hence suddenly, that we may ride all night to our own castle. And in like wise as she said so they departed, that neither the king nor none of his council were ware of their departing. All so soon as king Uther knew of their departing so suddenly, he was wonderly wroth. Then he called to him his privy council, and told them of the sudden departing of the duke and his wife.

Then they advised the king to send for the duke and his wife by a great charge: and if he will not come at your summons, then may ye do your best; then have ye cause to make mighty war upon him. So that was done, and the messengers had their answers, and that was this, shortly, that neither he nor his wife would not come at him.

Then was the king wonderly wroth. And then the king sent him plain word again, and bade him be ready and stuff him and garnish him, for within forty days he would fetch him out of the biggest castle that he hath.

When the duke had this warning, anon he went and furnished and garnished two strong castles of his, of the which the one hight Tintagil and the other castle hight Terrabil. So his wife, dame Igraine, he put in the castle of Tintagil, and himself he put in the castle of Terrabil, the which had many issues and posterns out.

Then in all haste came Uther with a great host, and laid a siege about the castle of Terrabil. And there he pight many pavilions, and there was great war made on both parties, and much people slain.

Then for pure anger and for great love of fair Igraine the king Uther fell sick. So came to the king Uther Sir Ulfius, a noble knight, and asked the king why he was sick. I shall tell thee, said the king; I am sick for anger and for love of fair Igraine, that I may not be whole. Well, my lord, said Sir Ulfius, I shall seek Merlin, and he shall do you remedy that your heart shall be pleased.

So Ulfius departed, and by adventure he met Merlin in a beggar’s array, and there Merlin asked Ulfius whom he sought? and he said he had little ado to tell him. Well, said Merlin, I know whom thou seekest, for thou seekest Merlin; therefore seek no further, for I am he, and if king Uther will well reward me, and be sworn unto me to fulfil my desire, that shall be his honour and profit more than mine, for I shall cause him to have all his desire. All this will I undertake, said Ulfius, that there shall be nothing reasonable but thou shalt have thy desire. Well, said Merlin, he shall have his intent and desire. And therefore, said Merlin, ride on your way, for I will not be long behind.

CHAP. II.

How Uther Pendragon made war on the duke of Cornwall, and how by the means of Merlin he made the duchess his queen.

Then Ulfius was glad, and rode on more than a pace till that he came to Uther Pendragon, and told him he had met with Merlin. Where is he? said the king. Sir, said Ulfius, he will not dwell long. Therewithal Ulfius was ware where Merlin stood at the porch of the pavilion’s door. And then Merlin was bound to come to the king.

When king Uther saw him he said he was welcome. Sir, said Merlin, I know all your heart every deal; so ye will be sworn unto me, as ye be a true king anointed, to fulfil my desire, ye shall have your desire.

Then the king was sworn upon the four Evangelists. Sir, said Merlin, this is my desire: after ye shall win Igraine ye shall have a child by her, and when that is born that it shall be delivered to me for to nourish there as I will have it; for it shall be your worship and the child’s avail, as mickle as the child is worth. I will well, said the king, as thou wilt have it.

Now make you ready, said Merlin: this night shall you see Igraine in the castle of Tintagil, and ye shall be like the duke her husband, Ulfius shall be like Sir Brastias, a knight of the duke’s, and I will be like a knight that hight Sir Jordanus, a knight of the duke’s. But wait ye make not many questions with her nor with her men, but say you are diseased, and so hie you to bed, and rise not on the morn till I come to you, for the castle of Tintagil is but ten mile hence. So this was done as they had devised.

But the duke of Tintagil espied how the king rode from the siege of Terrabil, and therefore that night he issued out of the castle at a postern, for to have distressed the king’s host. And so, through his own issue, the duke himself was slain or ever the king came at the castle of Tintagil. So after the death of the duke king Uther came to the castle, more than three hours after his death; and there he found Igraine. And or day came Merlin came to the king and bade him make him ready, and so he kissed the lady Igraine and departed in all haste.

But when the lady heard tell of the duke her husband, and by all record he was dead or ever king Uther came to her, then she marvelled who that might be that came to her in likeness of her lord; so she mourned privily and held her peace.

Then all the barons by one assent prayed the king of accord between the lady Igraine and him. The king gave them leave, for fain would he have been accorded with her. So the king put all the trust in Ulfius to entreat between them; so, by the entreat, at the last the king and she met together. Now will we do well, said Ulfius: our king is a lusty knight and wifeless, and my lady Igraine is a passing fair lady; it were great joy unto us all and it might please the king to make her his queen. Unto that they were all well accorded, and moved it to the king: and anon, like a lusty knight, he assented thereto with good will, and so in all haste they were married in a morning with great mirth and joy.

And king Lot of Lothian and of Orkney then wedded Margawse that was Gawaine’s mother: and king Nentres of the land of Garlot wedded Elaine. All this was done at the request of king Uther. And the third sister, Morgan le Fay, was put to school in a nunnery: and there she learned so much that she was a great clerk of nigromancy. And after she was wedded to king Uriens of the land of Gore, that was Sir Ewaine’s le Blanchemains father.

CHAP. III.

Of the birth of king Arthur, and of his nouriture; and of the death of king Uther Pendragon; and how Arthur was chosen king; and of wonders and marvels of a sword that was taken out of a stone by the said Arthur.

Then the time came that the queen Igraine should bear a child. So it fell within half a year, as king Uther was with his queen, he asked her, by the faith she owed unto him, whose was the child that should be born: then was she sore abashed to give answer.

Dismay you not, said the king, but tell me the truth, and I shall love you the better, by the faith of my body. Sir, said she, I shall tell you the truth. The same night that my lord was dead, the hour of his death, as his knights record, there came into my castle of Tintagil a man like my lord in speech and countenance, and two knights with him in likeness of his two knights Brastias and Jordans, and so I welcomed him as I ought to welcome my lord: and thus, as I shall answer unto God, this child was begotten. That is truth, said the king, as you say, for it was I myself that came in the likeness, and therefore dismay you not, for I am father to the child. And there he told her all the cause how it was by Merlin’s counsel. Then the Queen made great joy when she knew who was the father of her child.

Soon came Merlin unto the king and said, Sir, ye must purvey you for the nourishing of your child. As thou wilt, said the king, be it. Well, said Merlin, I know a lord of yours in this land, that is a passing true man and a faithful, and he shall have the nourishing of your child, and his name is Sir Ector, and he is a lord of fair livelihood in many parts in England and Wales. And this lord, Sir Ector, let him be sent for, for to come and speak with you, and desire him yourself, as he loveth you, that he will put his own child to nourishing to another woman, and that his wife nourish yours. And when the child is born let it be delivered unto me at yonder privy postern unchristened. So like as Merlin devised it was done. And when Sir Ector was come he made affiance to the king for to nourish the child like as the king desired; and there the king granted Sir Ector great rewards. Then when the lady was delivered, the king commanded two knights and two ladies to take the child bound in a cloth of gold, and that ye deliver him to what poor man ye meet at the postern gate of the castle. So the child was delivered unto Merlin, and so he bare it forth unto Sir Ector, and made an holy man to christen him, and named him Arthur: and so Sir Ector’s wife nourished him with her own breast.

CHAPTER IV.

Of the death of King Uther Pendragon.

Then within two years king Uther fell sick of a great malady. And in the meanwhile his enemies usurped upon him, and did a great battle upon his men, and slew many of his people. Sir, said Merlin, ye may not lie so as ye do, for ye must to the field, though ye ride on an horse-litter; for ye shall never have the better of your enemies but if your person be there, and then shall ye have the victory. So it was done as Merlin had devised, and they carried the king forth in a horse-litter with a great host towards his enemies.

And at St. Albans there met with the king a great host of the North. And that day Sir Ulfius and Sir Brastias did great deeds of arms, and king Uther’s men overcame the Northern battle, and slew many people, and put the remnant to flight. And then the king returned unto London, and made great joy of his victory.

And then he fell passing sore sick, so that three days and three nights he was speechless; wherefore all the barons made great sorrow, and asked Merlin what counsel were best. There is none other remedy, said Merlin, but God will have his will. But look ye all barons be before king Uther to-morn, and God and I shall make him to speak.

So on the morn all the barons with Merlin came tofore the king: then Merlin said aloud unto king Uther, Sir, shall your son Arthur be king after your days, of this realm, with all the appurtenance? Then Uther Pendragon turned him and said in hearing of them all, I give him God’s blessing and mine, and bid him pray for my soul, and righteously and worshipfully that he claim the crown upon forfeiture of my blessing. And therewith he yielded up the ghost. And then was he interred as longed to a king. Wherefore the queen,