{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart024.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart024.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart024.htm","text":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK I CHAPTER XXV\n \n Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Legends and Sagas\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n BOOK I\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n Next\u00a0\n \n \n CHAPTER XXV\n \n How Arthur by the mean of Merlin gat Excalibur his sword of the\n Lady of the Lake.\n \n RIGHT SO the king and he departed, and went unto an hermit that\n was a good man and a great leech. So the hermit searched all his\n wounds and gave him good salves; so the king was there three\n days, and then were his wounds well amended that he might ride\n and go, and so departed. And as they rode, Arthur said, I have\n no sword. No force, said Merlin, hereby is a sword that shall be\n yours, an I may. So they rode till they came to a lake, the\n which <45>was a fair water and broad, and in the midst of the\n lake Arthur was ware of an arm clothed in white samite, that held\n a fair sword in that hand. Lo! said Merlin, yonder is that sword\n that I spake of. With that they saw a damosel going upon the\n lake. What damosel is that? said Arthur. That is the Lady of\n the Lake, said Merlin; and within that lake is a rock, and\n therein is as fair a place as any on earth, and richly beseen;\n and this damosel will come to you anon, and then speak ye fair to\n her that she will give you that sword. Anon withal came the\n damosel unto Arthur, and saluted him, and he her again. Damosel,\n said Arthur, what sword is that, that yonder the arm holdeth\n above the water? I would it were mine, for I have no sword. Sir\n Arthur, king, said the damosel, that sword is mine, and if ye\n will give me a gift when I ask it you, ye shall have it. By my\n faith, said Arthur, I will give you what gift ye will ask. Well!\n said the damosel, go ye into yonder barge, and row yourself to\n the sword, and take it and the scabbard with you, and I will ask\n my gift when I see my time. So Sir Arthur and Merlin alighted\n and tied their horses to two trees, and so they went into the\n ship, and when they came to the sword that the hand held, Sir\n Arthur took it up by the handles, and took it with him, and the\n arm and the hand went under the water. And so [they] came unto\n the land and rode forth, and then Sir Arthur saw a rich pavilion. \n What signifieth yonder pavilion? It is the knight's pavilion,\n said Merlin, that ye fought with last, Sir Pellinore; but he is\n out, he is not there. He hath ado with a knight of yours that\n hight Egglame, and they have foughten together, but at the last\n Egglame fled, and else he had been dead, and he hath chased him\n even to Carlion, and we shall meet with him anon in the highway. \n That is well said, said Arthur, now have I a sword, now will I\n wage battle with him, and be avenged on him. Sir, you shall not\n so, said Merlin, for the knight is weary of fighting and chasing,\n so that ye shall have no worship to have ado with him; also he\n will not be lightly matched of one knight living, and therefore\n it is my counsel, let him pass, for he shall do you good service\n in short time, and his sons after <46>his days. Also ye shall\n see that day in short space, you shall be right glad to give him\n your sister to wed. When I see him, I will do as ye advise, said\n Arthur.\n \n Then Sir Arthur looked on the sword, and liked it passing well. \n Whether liketh you better, said Merlin, the sword or the\n scabbard? Me liketh better the sword, said Arthur. Ye are more\n unwise, said Merlin, for the scabbard is worth ten of the swords,\n for whiles ye have the scabbard upon you, ye shall never lose no\n blood, be ye never so sore wounded; therefore keep well the\n scabbard always with you. So they rode unto Carlion, and by the\n way they met with Sir Pellinore; but Merlin had done such a\n craft, that Pellinore saw not Arthur, and he passed by without\n any words. I marvel, said Arthur, that the knight would not\n speak. Sir, said Merlin, he saw you not, for an he had seen you,\n ye had not lightly departed. So they came unto Carlion, whereof\n his knights were passing glad. And when they heard of his\n adventures, they marvelled that he would jeopard his person so,\n alone. But all men of worship said it was merry to be under such\n a chieftain, that would put his person in adventure as other poor\n knights did.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK I CHAPTER XXV","type":"page"}