{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart072.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart072.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart072.htm","text":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IV CHAPTER XII\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 XII\n \n How Arthur accorded the two brethren, and delivered the\n twenty knights, and how Sir Accolon died.\n \n THEN all the people fell down on their knees and cried King\n Arthur mercy. Mercy shall ye have, said Arthur: here may ye see\n what adventures befall ofttime of errant knights, how that I have\n fought with a knight of mine own unto my great damage and his\n both. But, sirs, because I am sore hurt, and he both, and I had\n great need of a little rest, ye shall understand the opinion\n betwixt you two brethren: As to thee, Sir Damas, for whom I have\n been champion and won the field of this knight, yet will I judge\n because ye, Sir Damas, are called an orgulous knight, and full of\n villainy, and not worth of prowess your deeds, therefore I will\n that ye give unto your brother all the whole manor with the\n appurtenance, under this form, that Sir Ontzlake hold the manor\n of you, and yearly to give you a palfrey to ride upon, for that\n will become you better to ride on than upon a courser. Also I\n charge thee, Sir Damas, upon pain of death, that thou never\n distress no knights errant that ride on their adventure. And\n also that thou restore these twenty knights that thou hast long\n kept prisoners, of all their harness, that they be content for;\n and if any of them come to my court and complain of thee, by my\n head thou shalt die therefore. Also, Sir Ontzlake, as to you,\n because ye are named a good knight, and full of prowess, and true\n and gentle in all your deeds, this shall be your charge I will\n give you, that in all goodly haste ye come unto me and my court,\n and ye shall be a knight of mine, and if your deeds be thereafter\n I shall so prefer you, by the grace of God, that ye shall in\n short time be in ease for to live as worshipfully as your brother\n Sir Damas. God thank your largeness of your goodness and of your\n bounty, I shall be from henceforward at all times at your\n commandment; for, sir, said Sir Ontzlake, <121>as God would, as I\n was hurt but late with an adventurous knight through both my\n thighs, that grieved me sore, and else had I done this battle\n with you. God would, said Arthur, it had been so, for then had\n not I been hurt as I am. I shall tell you the cause why: for I\n had not been hurt as I am, had it not been mine own sword, that\n was stolen from me by treason; and this battle was ordained\n aforehand to have slain me, and so it was brought to the purpose\n by false treason, and by false enchantment. Alas, said Sir\n Ontzlake, that is great pity that ever so noble a man as ye are\n of your deeds and prowess, that any man or woman might find in\n their hearts to work any treason against you. I shall reward\n them, said Arthur, in short time, by the grace of God. Now, tell\n me, said Arthur, how far am I from Camelot? Sir, ye are two\n days' journey therefrom. I would fain be at some place of\n worship, said Sir Arthur, that I might rest me. Sir, said Sir\n Ontzlake, hereby is a rich abbey of your elders' foundation, of\n nuns, but three miles hence. So the king took his leave of all\n the people, and mounted upon horseback, and Sir Accolon with him. \n And when they were come to the abbey, he let fetch leeches and\n search his wounds and Accolon's both; but Sir Accolon died within\n four days, for he had bled so much blood that he might not live,\n but King Arthur was well recovered. So when Accolon was dead he\n let send him on an horse-bier with six knights unto Camelot, and\n said: Bear him to my sister Morgan le Fay, and say that I send\n her him to a present, and tell her I have my sword Excalibur and\n the scabbard; so they departed with the body.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IV CHAPTER XII","type":"page"}