{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart493.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart493.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart493.htm","text":"CHAPTER IV\nHow by misadventure of an adder the battle began, where\nMordred was slain, and Arthur hurt to the death\nTHEN were they condescended that King Arthur and\nSir Mordred should meet betwixt both their hosts, and\neverych of them should bring fourteen persons; and they\ncame with this word unto Arthur. Then said he: I am\nglad that this is done: and so he went into the field. And\nwhen Arthur should depart, he warned all his host that an\nthey see any sword drawn: Look ye come on fiercely, and\nslay that traitor, Sir Mordred, for I in no wise trust him.\nIn like wise Sir Mordred warned his host that: An ye see\nany sword drawn, look that ye come on fiercely, and so\nslay all that ever before you standeth; for in no wise I\nwill not trust for this treaty, for I know well my father\nwill be avenged on me. And so they met as their appointment\nwas, and so they were agreed and accorded thoroughly;\nand wine was fetched, and they drank. Right\nsoon came an adder out of a little heath bush, and it stung\na knight on the foot. And when the knight felt him\nstung, he looked down and saw the adder, and then he\ndrew his sword to slay the adder, and thought of none\nother harm. And when the host on both parties saw that\nsword drawn, then they blew beams, trumpets, and horns,\nand shouted grimly. And so both hosts dressed them\ntogether. And King Arthur took his horse, and said:\nAlas this unhappy day! and so rode to his party. And\nSir Mordred in like wise. And never was there seen a\nmore dolefuller battle in no Christian land; for there was\nbut rushing and riding, foining and striking, and many a\ngrim word was there spoken either to other, and many a\ndeadly stroke. But ever King Arthur rode throughout\nthe battle of Sir Mordred many times, and did full nobly\nas a noble king should, and at all times he fainted never;\nand Sir Mordred that day put him in devoir, and in great\nperil. And thus they fought all the long day, and never\nstinted till the noble knights were laid to the cold earth;\nand ever they fought still till it was near night, and by\nthat time was there an hundred thousand laid dead upon\nthe down. Then was Arthur wood wroth out of measure,\nwhen he saw his people so slain from him.\nThen the king looked about him, and then was he\nware, of all his host and of all his good knights, were left\nno more alive but two knights; that one was Sir Lucan\nthe Butler, and his brother Sir Bedivere, and they were\nfull sore wounded. Jesu mercy, said the king, where are\nall my noble knights become? Alas that ever I should\nsee this doleful day, for now, said Arthur, I am come to\nmine end. But would to God that I wist where were that\ntraitor Sir Mordred, that hath caused all this mischief.\nThen was King Arthur ware where Sir Mordred leaned\nupon his sword among a great heap of dead men. Now\ngive me my spear, said Arthur unto Sir Lucan, for yonder\nI have espied the traitor that all this woe hath wrought.\nSir, let him be, said Sir Lucan, for he is unhappy; and if\nye pass this unhappy day ye shall be right well revenged\nupon him. Good lord, remember ye of your night's\ndream, and what the spirit of Sir Gawaine told you this\nnight, yet God of his great goodness hath preserved you\nhitherto. Therefore, for God's sake, my lord, leave off\nby this, for blessed be God ye have won the field, for here\nwe be three alive, and with Sir Mordred is none alive;\nand if ye leave off now this wicked day of destiny is past.\nTide me death, betide me life, saith the king, now I see\nhim yonder alone he shall never escape mine hands, for at\na better avail shall I never have him. God speed you\nwell, said Sir Bedivere.\nThen the king gat his spear in both his hands, and ran\ntoward Sir Mordred, crying: Traitor, now is thy death-day\ncome. And when Sir Mordred heard Sir Arthur, he\nran until him with his sword drawn in his hand. And\nthere King Arthur smote Sir Mordred under the shield,\nwith a foin of his spear, throughout the body, more than\na fathom. And when Sir Mordred felt that he had his\ndeath wound he thrust himself with the might that he\nhad up to the bur of King Arthur's spear. And right\nso he smote his father Arthur, with his sword holden in\nboth his hands, on the side of the head, that the sword\npierced the helmet and the brain-pan, and therewithal Sir\nMordred fell stark dead to the earth; and the noble\nArthur fell in a swoon to the earth, and there he swooned\nofttimes. And Sir Lucan the Butler and Sir Bedivere\nofttimes heaved him up. And so weakly they led him\nbetwixt them both, to a little chapel not far from\nthe seaside. And when the king was there he thought him well\neased.\nThen heard they people cry in the field. Now go\nthou, Sir Lucan, said the king, and do me to wit what\nbetokens that noise in the field. So Sir Lucan departed,\nfor he was grievously wounded in many places. And so\nas he yede, he saw and hearkened by the moonlight, how\nthat pillers and robbers were come into the field, to pill\nand to rob many a full noble knight of brooches, and\nbeads, of many a good ring, and of many a rich jewel;\nand who that were not dead all out, there they slew them\nfor their harness and their riches. When Sir Lucan\nunderstood this work, he came to the king as soon as he might,\nand told him all what he had heard and seen. Therefore\nby my rede, said Sir Lucan, it is best that we bring you\nto some town. I would it were so, said the king.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XXI CHAPTER IV","type":"page"}