{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart027.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart027.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart027.htm","text":"CHAPTER I\nOf a damosel which came girt with a sword for to find a\nman of such virtue to draw it out of the scabbard.\nAFTER the death of Uther Pendragon reigned Arthur his son, the\nwhich had great war in his days for to get all England into his\nhand. For there were many kings within the realm of England, and\nin Wales, Scotland, and Cornwall. So it befell on a time when\nKing Arthur was at London, there came a knight and told the king\ntidings how that the King Rience of North Wales had reared a\ngreat number of people, and were entered into the land, and burnt\nand slew the king's true liege people. If this be true, said\nArthur, it were great shame unto mine estate but that he were\nmightily withstood. It is truth, said the knight, for I saw the\nhost myself. Well, said the king, let make a cry, that all the\nlords, knights, and gentlemen of arms, should draw unto a castle\ncalled Camelot in those days, and there the king would let make a\ncouncil-general and a great jousts.\nSo when the king was come thither with all his baronage, and\nlodged as they seemed best, there was come a damosel the which\nwas sent on message from the great lady Lile of Avelion. And\nwhen she came before King Arthur, she told from whom she came,\nand how she was sent on message unto him for these causes. Then\nshe let her mantle fall that was richly furred; and then was she\ngirt with a noble sword whereof the king had marvel, and\n<50>said, Damosel, for what cause are ye girt with that sword? it\nbeseemeth you not. Now shall I tell you, said the damosel; this\nsword that I am girt withal doth me great sorrow and cumbrance,\nfor I may not be delivered of this sword but by a knight, but he\nmust be a passing good man of his hands and of his deeds, and\nwithout villainy or treachery, and without treason. And if I may\nfind such a knight that hath all these virtues, he may draw out\nthis sword out of the sheath, for I have been at King Rience's it\nwas told me there were passing good knights, and he and all his\nknights have assayed it and none can speed. This is a great\nmarvel, said Arthur, if this be sooth; I will myself assay to\ndraw out the sword, not presuming upon myself that I am the best\nknight, but that I will begin to draw at your sword in giving\nexample to all the barons that they shall assay everych one after\nother when I have assayed it. Then Arthur took the sword by the\nsheath and by the girdle and pulled at it eagerly, but the sword\nwould not out.\nSir, said the damosel, you need not to pull half so hard, for he\nthat shall pull it out shall do it with little might. Ye say\nwell, said Arthur; now assay ye all my barons; but beware ye be\nnot defiled with shame, treachery, nor guile. Then it will not\navail, said the damosel, for he must be a clean knight without\nvillainy, and of a gentle strain of father side and mother side.\nMost of all the barons of the Round Table that were there at that\ntime assayed all by row, but there might none speed; wherefore\nthe damosel made great sorrow out of measure, and said, Alas! I\nweened in this court had been the best knights without treachery\nor treason. By my faith, said Arthur, here are good knights, as\nI deem, as any be in the world, but their grace is not to help\nyou, wherefore I am displeased.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK II CHAPTER I","type":"page"}