الفصل الفصل 494 · How King Arthur commanded to cast his sword Excalibur into

. How King Arthur commanded to cast his sword Excalibur into

the water, and how he was delivered to ladies in a barge.

But I may not stand, mine head works so. Ah Sir Launcelot, said King

Arthur, this day have I sore missed thee: alas, that ever I was against

thee, for now have I my death, whereof Sir Gawaine me warned in my

dream. Then Sir Lucan took up the king the one part, and Sir Bedivere

the other part, and in the lifting the king swooned; and Sir Lucan fell

in a swoon with the lift, that the part of his guts fell out of his

body, and therewith the noble knight’s heart brast. And when the king

awoke, he beheld Sir Lucan, how he lay foaming at the mouth, and part

of his guts lay at his feet. Alas, said the king, this is to me a full

heavy sight, to see this noble duke so die for my sake, for he would

have holpen me, that had more need of help than I. Alas, he would not

complain him, his heart was so set to help me: now Jesu have mercy upon

his soul! Then Sir Bedivere wept for the death of his brother. Leave

this mourning and weeping, said the king, for all this will not avail

me, for wit thou well an I might live myself, the death of Sir Lucan

would grieve me evermore; but my time hieth fast, said the king.

Therefore, said Arthur unto Sir Bedivere, take thou Excalibur, my good

sword, and go with it to yonder water side, and when thou comest there

I charge thee throw my sword in that water, and come again and tell me

what thou there seest. My lord, said Bedivere, your commandment shall

be done, and lightly bring you word again.

So Sir Bedivere departed, and by the way he beheld that noble sword,

that the pommel and the haft was all of precious stones; and then he

said to himself: If I throw this rich sword in the water, thereof shall

never come good, but harm and loss. And then Sir Bedivere hid Excalibur

under a tree. And so, as soon as he might, he came again unto the king,

and said he had been at the water, and had thrown the sword in the

water. What saw thou there? said the king. Sir, he said, I saw nothing

but waves and winds. That is untruly said of thee, said the king,

therefore go thou lightly again, and do my commandment; as thou art to

me lief and dear, spare not, but throw it in. Then Sir Bedivere

returned again, and took the sword in his hand; and then him thought

sin and shame to throw away that noble sword, and so eft he hid the

sword, and returned again, and told to the king that he had been at the

water, and done his commandment. What saw thou there? said the king.

Sir, he said, I saw nothing but the waters wap and waves wan. Ah,

traitor untrue, said King Arthur, now hast thou betrayed me twice. Who

would have weened that, thou that hast been to me so lief and dear? and

thou art named a noble knight, and would betray me for the richness of

the sword. But now go again lightly, for thy long tarrying putteth me

in great jeopardy of my life, for I have taken cold. And but if thou do

now as I bid thee, if ever I may see thee, I shall slay thee with mine

own hands; for thou wouldst for my rich sword see me dead.

Then Sir Bedivere departed, and went to the sword, and lightly took it

up, and went to the water side; and there he bound the girdle about the

hilts, and then he threw the sword as far into the water as he might;

and there came an arm and an hand above the water and met it, and

caught it, and so shook it thrice and brandished, and then vanished

away the hand with the sword in the water. So Sir Bedivere came again

to the king, and told him what he saw. Alas, said the king, help me

hence, for I dread me I have tarried over long. Then Sir Bedivere took

the king upon his back, and so went with him to that water side. And

when they were at the water side, even fast by the bank hoved a little

barge with many fair ladies in it, and among them all was a queen, and

all they had black hoods, and all they wept and shrieked when they saw

King Arthur. Now put me into the barge, said the king. And so he did

softly; and there received him three queens with great mourning; and so

they set them down, and in one of their laps King Arthur laid his head.

And then that queen said: Ah, dear brother, why have ye tarried so long

from me? alas, this wound on your head hath caught over-much cold. And

so then they rowed from the land, and Sir Bedivere beheld all those

ladies go from him. Then Sir Bedivere cried: Ah my lord Arthur, what

shall become of me, now ye go from me and leave me here alone among

mine enemies? Comfort thyself, said the king, and do as well as thou

mayst, for in me is no trust for to trust in; for I will into the vale

of Avilion to heal me of my grievous wound: and if thou hear never more

of me, pray for my soul. But ever the queens and ladies wept and

shrieked, that it was pity to hear. And as soon as Sir Bedivere had

lost the sight of the barge, he wept and wailed, and so took the

forest; and so he went all that night, and in the morning he was ware

betwixt two holts hoar, of a chapel and an hermitage.