{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/arthur/art127.htm","path":"neu/arthur/art127.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/arthur/art127.htm","text":"Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Legends/Sagas\u00a0\n England\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n Next\u00a0\n \n \n An Arthurian Miscellany\n KING ARTHUR'S DEATH\n from RELIQUES OF ANCIENT ENGLISH POETRY \n by\n BISHOP THOMAS PERCY\n \n \n On Trinitye Mondaye in the morne,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&This sore battayle was doom'd to bee,\n Where manye a knighte cry'd, Well-awaye!\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Alacke, it was the more pitt\u00ece.\n \n Ere the first crowinge of the cocke,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&When as the kinge in his bed laye,\n He thoughte Sir Gawaine to him came,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And there to him these wordes did saye:\n \n \"Nowe, as you are mine unkle deare,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And as you prize your life, this daye\n O meet not with your foe in fight;\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Putt off the battayle, if yee maye.\n \n \"For Sir Launcelot is nowe in Fraunce,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And with him many an hardye knighte:\n Who will within this moneth be backe,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And will assiste yee in the fighte.\"\n \n The kinge then call'd his nobles all,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Before the breakinge of the daye;\n And told them howe Sir Gawaine came,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And there to him these wordes did saye.\n \n His nobles all this counsayle gave,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&That earlye in the morning, hee\n Shold send awaye an herauld-at-armes,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&To aske a parley faire and free.\n \n Then twelve good knightes King Arthur chose,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&The best of all that with him were,\n To parley with the foe in field,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And make with him agreement faire.\n \n The king he charged all his hoste,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&In readinesse there for to bee;\n But noe man shold noe weapon sturre,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Unlesse a sword drawne they shold see.\n \n And Mordred, on the other parte,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Twelve of his knights did likewise bringe,\n The best of all his companye,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&To hold the parley with the kinge.\n \n Sir Mordred alsoe charged his hoste,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&In readinesse there for to bee;\n But noe man sholde noe weapon sturre,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&But if a sworde drawne they shold see.\n \n For he durste not his unkle truste,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Nor he his nephewe, sothe to tell;\n Alacke! it was a woefulle case,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&As ere in Christentye befelle.\n \n But when they were together mette,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And both to faire accordance broughte,\n And a month's league betweene them sette,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Before the battayle sholde be foughte,\n \n An addere crept forth of a bushe,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Stunge one o' th' king's knightes on the knee;\n Alacke! It was a woefulle chance,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&As ever was in Christent\u00ece.\n \n When the knighte found him wounded sore,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And sawe the wild-worm hanginge there,\n His sworde he from his scabberde drewe;\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&A piteous case, as ye shall heare.\n \n For when the two hostes sawe the sworde,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&They joyned battayle instantlye;\n Till of soe manye noble knightes,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&On one side there were left but three.\n \n For all were slain that durst abide,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And but some fewe that fled awaye:\n Ay mee! it was a bloodye fielde,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&As ere was foughte on a summer's daye.\n \n Upon King Arthur's own party\u00e8,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Onlye himselfe escaped there,\n And Lukyn Duke of Gloster free,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And the king's butler Bedevere.\n \n And when the king beheld his knightes\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&All dead and scattered on the molde,\n The teares fast trickled downe his face;\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&That manlye face in fight so bolde.\n \n \"Nowe reste yee all, brave knights,\" he said,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&\"Soe true and faithful to your trust:\n And must ye then, ye valiant hearts,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Be lefte to moulder into dust!\n \n \"Most loyal have yee been to mee,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Most true and faithful unto deathe:\n And, oh! to rayse yee up againe,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&How freelye could I yield my breathe!\n \n \"But see, the traitor's yet alive!\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Lo where hee stalkes among the deade!\n Nowe bitterlye he shall abye:\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And vengeance fall upon his head.\"\n \n \"O staye, my liege,\" then sayd the duke;\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&\"O staye for love and charit\u00ece;\n Remember what the vision spake,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Nor meete your foe, if it may bee.\"\n \n \"O staye mee not, thou worthye wight,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&This debt my loyal knights I owe:\n Betide my life, betide me death,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&I will avenge them of their foe.\"\n \n Then straite he grasp'd his trustye speare,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And on his horse then mounted hee:\n As his butler holpe him to his horse,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&His bowels gushed to his knee.\n \n \"Alas!\" then sayd the noble king,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&\"That I should live this sight to see!\n To see this good knight here be slaine,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&All for his love in helping mee!\n \n He put his speare into his reste.\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And to Sir Mordred loud gan crye:\n \"Nowe sette thyself upon thy guarde,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&For, traitor, nowe thy death is nye.\"\n \n Sir Mordred lifted up his sworde,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And fierce to meet the king ran hee:\n The king his speare he through him thrust,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&A fathom thorow his bod\u00ece.\n \n When Mordered felt the stroke of death,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And found that he was wounded soe,\n He thrust himselfe upon the speare,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And strucke the king a deadlye blowe.\n \n Then grimmlye dyed Sir Mordered,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Presentlye upon that tree:\n And bloody streames ranne from the kinge,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Ere to the duke returned hee.\n \n Sir Lukyn then he thus bespake:\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&\"Sir Knighte, thou hast been faithfulle tryde;\n Nowe take my sworde Excalibar,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&That hangs so freelye by my syde;\n \n \"O take my sword Excalibar,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And there into the river throwe:\n For here, henceforth, benethe this tree,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&All use of weapons I forgoe.\n \n \"And fare thee well, thou trustye sword,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0& A better neer had valiant knighte;\n With thee full ofte, and many a daye,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Have I withstood my foe in fighte.\n \n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&With this good fauchion in my hande,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Oft have I reapd the bloody feelde:\n But nowe the fatalle houre is come,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&That never more I may thee weelde.\"\n \n The duke to the river side he went,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And there his owne sword in threwe he;\n But he kept back Excalibar,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&He kept it back in privitie.\n \n For all of coleyne was the blade,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And all the hilte of precious stone:\n \"And ever alacke!\" then sayd the knighte,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&\"Must such a sword awaye be throwne?\"\n \n Then backe he came unto the kinge,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Who sayd, Sir Lukyn, what did yee see?\"\n \"Nothing, my liege, save that the winde\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Blewe oer the waters faire and free.\"\n \n \"O goe againe,\" then said the kinge,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&\"O good Sir Lukyn, goe againe:\n Into the rivere throwe my sword,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Nor keepe me lingering here in paine.\"\n \n The duke then to the river went,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And the kings scabberd in threwe hee;\n But he kept backe Excalibar,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And hid it undernethe a tree.\n \n Then backe he came to tell the kinge,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Who sayde, \"Sir Lukyn, sawe ye oughte?\"\n \"Nothinge, my liege, save that the winde\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Nowe with the angrye waters fought.\"\n \n \"O Lukyn, Lukyn,\" said the kinge,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&\"Twice haste thou dealt deceytfullye:\n Alacke, whom may wee ever truste,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&When suche a knighte soe false can bee!\n \n \"Saye, wouldst thou have thy master dead,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&All for a sword that wins thine eye?\n Now goe againe, and throwe it in,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Or here the one of us shall dye.\"\n \n The duke, all shent with this rebuke,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&No aunswere made unto the kinge;\n But to the rivere tooke the sworde,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And threwe it far as he coulde flinge.\n \n A hande and an arme did meete the sworde,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And flourishd three times in the air;\n Then sunke benethe the renninge streme,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And of the duke was seene noe mair.\n \n All sore astonied stood the duke,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&He stood as still, as still mote bee;\n Then hastened backe to telle the kinge,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&But he was gone from under the tree.\n \n But to what place he cold not tell,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&For never after hee did him spye;\n But hee sawe a barge goe from the land,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&And hee heard ladyes howle and crye.\n \n And whether the kinge were there or not,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Hee never knewe, nor ever colde,\n For from that sad and direfulle daye,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&Hee never more was seene on molde.\n \n \n \n Next: King Ryence's Challenge, by Bishop Thomas Percy [1765]","title":"Arthurian Miscellany: King Arthur's Death, by Bishop Thomas Percy [1765]","type":"page"}