Listen to the AudioBook: Le Morte d'Arthur: Volume 1 by Sir Thomas Malory

Le Morte D’Arthur

King Arthur and of his Noble Knights of the Round Table

by Thomas Malory

BOOK I.

CHAPTER I. First, How Uther Pendragon sent for the duke of Cornwall and Igraine his wife, and of their departing suddenly again.

In those days of noble King Uther Pendragon, which was King Arthur’s father, there was a mighty Duke of Cornwall, and his name was Gorlois, and he was a worthy knight and held great lands, and he was the King’s chief man in all the west parts of England.

And King Uther loved the Duchess Igraine, his wife, and she was the fairest lady of all Britain, and the most virtuous and worthy to be beloved. And when King Uther espied her, he fell in deep love with her, and could not be quieted. And he sent for the Duke of Cornwall and his wife to come to him, to the city of London, to make great feast and revelry, for he desired to see the Duchess.

And the Duke came with his wife, and lodged in London, and there the King feasted them many days. And the King showed openly that he loved the Duchess, and spared not to look upon her. The Duke of Cornwall saw the King’s loving well enough, and was sore displeased, for he loved his wife passingly well, and he was a full hardy knight.

Then the Duke said unto the King: “My Lord, I marvel of your great love to my wife, that you show it so openly before me. If you love her, you should love her the more secretly; for all men have a certain measure in their loving.”

When King Uther heard this, he was wroth with the Duke, for he was a proud man. “Foul Duke,” said the King, “I love whom I list, and if you be not content, depart you hence, and take your wife with you, for I had liefer lose your service than lose my pleasure.”

Then the Duke was sore grieved, and said: “My Lord, I will do unto you all the service that a good knight ought to do unto his sovereign lord. But, my Lord, I pray you, have my wife in more favour, and show not your love so openly.”

“By my faith,” said King Uther, “I will not do otherwise than I have said. Depart you both, and I will take the adventure that follows.”

Then the Duke took his wife by the hand, and said: “My Lord, I know well that you love my wife, and I am sorry that I am your subject. But I pray you, be not wroth; I will depart into mine own country, and I will leave my wife in your keeping, and do unto her all the honour that I may, as a King ought to do unto a Duchess.”

Then the Duke and the Duchess departed. And when they came to their own country, the Duke sent his wife to his strongest castle, named Tintagel, which stood upon the sea-rock, so that the King should not come at her.

When King Uther heard that the Duke had sent his wife to Tintagel, he was marvelously wroth, and said: “I will have her, or I will die for it!”

Then King Uther made war upon the Duke of Cornwall, and laid siege about Tintagel. And the Duke was ready to defend him, for he was a hardy man.

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.

King Uther lay at the siege a great while, and he could not win the castle, for it was well victualled and strong of walls. Then the King was passing heavy, and he sent for the Duke of Cornwall to come unto him to treat for peace.

The Duke heard the King’s message, and thought it was a sly fashion, and would not come. But he sent his heralds to know the King’s will.

Then the King said: “I will have the Duchess Igraine to wife, or else I will have your head.”

The heralds returned to the Duke, and told him the King’s will. Then the Duke was sore grieved, and said: “I will never grant the King to have my wife to wife while I live.”

Then the Duke sent word again to the King: “If you wish to have my wife, you must first slay me, for I will never grant it while I live.”

When King Uther heard this, he was more wroth than before, and commanded his men to renew the siege.

Then the King sent for Merlin, that wise man, and said: “Merlin, I will have the Duchess Igraine to wife, and I will have her by thy counsel, or else I will destroy all the land for my labour.”

Merlin answered: “My Lord, if you will be ruled by my counsel, I shall bring you to your desire, but you must be ruled by my wit.”

“I will be ruled by thee,” said the King.

“Then, my Lord,” said Merlin, “you must take your host and remove from the siege, and go to the seaside, and lodge yourself secretly where the Duke shall not see you. Then I will go to the Duke, and tell him that you be departed, and he will be so glad that he will come out of the castle to make merry in the country. Then, my Lord, I shall make you to look like the Duke, so that you shall lie with the Duchess Igraine. And she will not know of it, but take you for her husband, the Duke.”

“This shall be done,” said King Uther.

Then the King rode away from the siege, and lodged himself secretly not far from Tintagel. And Merlin went to the Duke, and told him that the King had departed in wrath. When the Duke heard this, he was passing glad, and made great rejoicing.

Then Merlin did his enchantment, and made King Uther like unto the Duke of Cornwall, in shape, voice, and clothing. And King Uther, being so disguised, went to the castle of Tintagel, and the Duchess received him as her husband, the Duke, and all that night they lay together. And thereby the Duchess conceived a child, which was Arthur.

And in the morning, the King left the Duchess, and went again to his host. And the Duke of Cornwall came into the castle that same morning, and when the Duchess saw her husband, she said: “My Lord, you tarried long this night, and came not to bed.”

“I was not here,” said the Duke.

“Yes, you were here,” said the Duchess, “for you lay by me all night.”

“Nay, that was not I,” said the Duke, “for I was here in my castle all night long.”

Then the Duchess knew that she had been deceived by enchantment, and she wept sore. And shortly after, the Duke of Cornwall was slain in battle, for King Uther made war upon him again, because the Duke would not abide by his counsel.

CHAPTER III. Of the birth of King Arthur and of his nurture.

When the Duke was dead, King Uther sent for the Duchess Igraine, and she came unto him, and he married her openly. And when the time came, she was delivered of a fair son, and his name was called Arthur.

Then King Uther, by the counsel of Merlin, sent the child Arthur unto Sir Ector, a noble knight, and a man of worship, to be fostered in the country, secretly, so that no man should know that he was the son of King Uther. And Sir Ector took the child, and gave him to his wife, to nurse at her breast.

And Merlin came unto King Uther, and said: “My Lord, you must give me the child that the Queen has borne you, for it is ordained by God that he shall be the greatest King in this land.”

Then King Uther, by Merlin’s counsel, gave the child unto Merlin, and Merlin delivered the child unto Sir Ector, to be fostered by him, and charged Sir Ector that he should conceal his birth, and make him to be brought up as his own son, and knighted when he was old enough.

And King Uther Pendragon reigned long after, and held his peace and his rule in his lands, and made many worthy knights, and kept great peace and hospitality in all his days.

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