{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart063.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart063.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart063.htm","text":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IV CHAPTER III\n \n Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Legends and Sagas\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n BOOK IV\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n Next\u00a0\n \n \n CHAPTER III\n \n How King Arthur had ado with them and overthrew them,\n and slew the five kings and made the remnant to flee.\n \n UNTO this counsel these five kings assented, and so they passed\n forth with their host through North Wales, and came upon Arthur\n by night, and set upon his host as the king and his knights were\n in their pavilions. King Arthur was unarmed, and had laid him to\n rest with his Queen Guenever. Sir, said Sir Kay, it is not good\n we be unarmed. We shall have no need, said Sir Gawaine and Sir\n Griflet, that lay in a little pavilion by the king. With that\n they heard a great noise, and many cried, Treason, treason! \n Alas, said King Arthur, we be betrayed! Unto arms, fellows, then\n he cried. So they were armed anon at all points. Then came\n there a wounded knight unto the king, and said, Sir, save\n yourself and my lady the queen, for our host is destroyed, and\n much people of ours slain. So anon the king and the queen and the\n three knights took their horses, and rode toward Humber to pass\n over it, and the water was so rough that they were afraid to pass\n over. Now may ye choose, said King Arthur, whether ye will abide\n and take the adventure on this side, for an ye be taken they will\n slay you. It were me liefer, said the queen, to die in the water\n than to fall in your enemies' hands and there be slain.\n \n <106>\n And as they stood so talking, Sir Kay saw the five kings coming\n on horseback by themselves alone, with their spears in their\n hands even toward them. Lo, said Sir Kay, yonder be the five\n kings; let us go to them and match them. That were folly, said\n Sir Gawaine, for we are but three and they be five. That is\n truth, said Sir Griflet. No force, said Sir Kay, I will\n undertake for two of them, and then may ye three undertake for\n the other three. And therewithal, Sir Kay let his horse run as\n fast as he might, and struck one of them through the shield and\n the body a fathom, that the king fell to the earth stark dead. \n That saw Sir Gawaine, and ran unto another king so hard that he\n smote him through the body. And therewithal King Arthur ran to\n another, and smote him through the body with a spear, that he\n fell to the earth dead Then Sir Griflet ran unto the fourth king,\n and gave him such a fall that his neck brake. Anon Sir Kay ran\n unto the fifth king, and smote him so hard on the helm that the\n stroke clave the helm and the head to the earth. That was well\n stricken, said King Arthur, and worshipfully hast thou holden thy\n promise, therefore I shall honour thee while that I live. And\n therewithal they set the queen in a barge into Humber; but always\n Queen Guenever praised Sir Kay for his deeds, and said, What lady\n that ye love, and she love you not again she were greatly to\n blame; and among ladies, said the queen, I shall bear your noble\n fame, for ye spake a great word, and fulfilled it worshipfully. \n And therewith the queen departed.\n \n Then the king and the three knights rode into the forest, for\n there they supposed to hear of them that were escaped; and there\n he found the most part of his people, and told them all how the\n five kings were dead. And therefore let us hold us together till\n it be day, and when their host have espied that their chieftains\n be slain, they will make such dole that they shall no more help\n themselves. And right so as the king said, so it was; for when\n they found the five kings dead, they made such dole that they\n fell from their horses. Therewithal came King Arthur but with a\n few people, and slew on the left hand and on the <107>right hand,\n that well-nigh there escaped no man, but all were slain to the\n number thirty thousand. And when the battle was all ended, the\n king kneeled down and thanked God meekly. And then he sent for\n the queen, and soon she was come, and she made great joy of the\n overcoming of that battle.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IV CHAPTER III","type":"page"}