Le Morte d'Arthur — Thomas Malory
You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org . If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. Title : Le Morte d'Arthur: Volume 1 Author : Sir Thomas Malory Release date : March 1, 1998 [eBook #1251] Most recently updated: October 29, 2024 Language : English Other information and formats : www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1251 Credits : Produced by Mike Lough, and David Widger *** START OF —VOL. I Contents BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE PREFACE OF WILLIAM CAXTON BOOK I. CHAPTER I. First, How Uther Pendragon sent for the duke of Cornwall and Igraine his wife, and of their departing suddenly again. CHAPTER II. How Uther Pendragon made war on the duke of Cornwall, and how by the mean of Merlin he lay by the duchess and gat Arthur. CHAPTER III. Of the birth of King Arthur and of his nurture. CHAPTER IV. Of the death of King Uther Pendragon. CHAPTER V. How Arthur was chosen king, and of wonders and marvels of a sword taken out of a stone by the said Arthur. CHAPTER VI. How King Arthur pulled out the sword divers times. CHAPTER VII. How King Arthur was crowned, and how he made officers. CHAPTER VIII. How King Arthur held in Wales, at a Pentecost, a great feast, and what kings and lords came to his feast. CHAPTER IX. Of the first war that King Arthur had, and how he won the field. CHAPTER X. How Merlin counselled King Arthur to send for King Ban and King Bors, and of their counsel taken for the war. CHAPTER XI. Of a great tourney made by King Arthur and the two kings Ban and Bors, and how they went over the sea. CHAPTER XII. How eleven kings gathered a great host against King Arthur. CHAPTER XIII. Of a dream of the King with the Hundred Knights. CHAPTER XIV. How the eleven kings with their host fought against Arthur and his host, and many great feats of the war. CHAPTER XV. Yet of the same battle. CHAPTER XVI. Yet more of the same battle. CHAPTER XVII. Yet more of the same battle, and how it was ended by Merlin. CHAPTER XVIII. How King Arthur, King Ban, and King Bors rescued King Leodegrance, and other incidents. CHAPTER XIX. How King Arthur rode to Carlion, and of his dream, and how he saw the questing beast. CHAPTER XX. How King Pellinore took Arthur's horse and followed the Questing Beast, and how Merlin met with Arthur. CHAPTER XXI. How Ulfius impeached Queen Igraine, Arthur's mother, of treason; and how a knight came and desired to have the death of his master revenged. CHAPTER XXII. How Griflet was made knight, and jousted with a knight CHAPTER XXIII. How twelve knights came from Rome and asked truage for this land of Arthur, and how Arthur fought with a knight. CHAPTER XXIV. How Merlin saved Arthur's life, and threw an enchantment on King Pellinore and made him to sleep. CHAPTER XXV. How Arthur by the mean of Merlin gat Excalibur his sword of the Lady of the Lake. CHAPTER XXVI. How tidings came to Arthur that King Rience had overcome eleven kings, and how he desired Arthur's beard to trim his mantle. CHAPTER XXVII. How all the children were sent for that were born on May-day, and how Mordred was saved. BOOK II. CHAPTER I. Of a damosel which came girt with a sword for to find a man of such virtue to draw it out of the scabbard. CHAPTER II. How Balin, arrayed like a poor knight, pulled out the sword, which afterward was the cause of his death. CHAPTER III. How the Lady of the Lake demanded the knight's head that had won the sword, or the maiden's head. CHAPTER IV. How Merlin told the adventure of this damosel. CHAPTER V. How Balin was pursued by Sir Lanceor, knight of Ireland, and how he jousted and slew him. CHAPTER VI. How a damosel, which was love to Lanceor, slew herself for love, and how Balin met with his brother Balan. CHAPTER VII. How a dwarf reproved Balin for the death of Lanceor, and how King Mark of Cornwall found them, and made a tomb over them. CHAPTER VIII. How Merlin prophesied that two the best knights of the world should fight there, which were Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristram. CHAPTER IX. How Balin and his brother, by the counsel of Merlin, took King Rience and brought him to King Arthur. CHAPTER X. How King Arthur had a battle against Nero and King Lot of Orkney, and how King Lot was deceived by Merlin, and how twelve kings were slain. CHAPTER XI. Of the interment of twelve kings, and of the prophecy of Merlin, and how Balin should give the dolorous stroke. CHAPTER XII. How a sorrowful knight came before Arthur, and how Balin fetched him, and how that knight was slain by a knight invisible. CHAPTER XIII. How Balin and the damosel met with a knight which was in likewise slain, and how the damosel bled for the custom of a castle. CHAPTER XIV. How Balin met with that knight named Garlon at a feast, and there he slew him, to have his blood to heal therewith the son of his host. CHAPTER XV. How Balin fought with King Pellam, and how his sword brake, and how he gat a spear wherewith he smote the dolorous stroke. CHAPTER XVI. How Balin was delivered by Merlin, and saved a knight that would have slain himself for love. CHAPTER XVII. How that knight slew his love and a knight lying by her, and after, how he slew himself with his own sword, and how Balin rode toward a castle where he lost his life. CHAPTER XVIII. How Balin met with his brother Balan, and how each of them slew other unknown, till they were wounded to death. CHAPTER XIX. How Merlin buried them both in one tomb, and of Balin's sword. BOOK III. CHAPTER I. How King Arthur took a wife, and wedded Guenever, daughter to Leodegrance, King of the Land of Cameliard, with whom he had the Round Table. CHAPTER II. How the Knights of the Round Table were ordained and their sieges blessed by the Bishop of Canterbury. CHAPTER III. How a poor man riding upon a lean mare desired King Arthur to make his son knight. CHAPTER IV. How Sir Tor was known for son of Ki