Chapter Chapter 26 · How Arthur by the mean of Merlin gat Excalibur his sword

. How Arthur by the mean of Merlin gat Excalibur his sword

of the Lady of the Lake.

Right so the king and he departed, and went unto an hermit that was a

good man and a great leech. So the hermit searched all his wounds and

gave him good salves; so the king was there three days, and then were

his wounds well amended that he might ride and go, and so departed. And

as they rode, Arthur said, I have no sword. No force, said Merlin,

hereby is a sword that shall be yours, an I may. So they rode till they

came to a lake, the which was a fair water and broad, and in the midst

of the lake Arthur was ware of an arm clothed in white samite, that

held a fair sword in that hand. Lo! said Merlin, yonder is that sword

that I spake of. With that they saw a damosel going upon the lake. What

damosel is that? said Arthur. That is the Lady of the Lake, said

Merlin; and within that lake is a rock, and therein is as fair a place

as any on earth, and richly beseen; and this damosel will come to you

anon, and then speak ye fair to her that she will give you that sword.

Anon withal came the damosel unto Arthur, and saluted him, and he her

again. Damosel, said Arthur, what sword is that, that yonder the arm

holdeth above the water? I would it were mine, for I have no sword. Sir

Arthur, king, said the damosel, that sword is mine, and if ye will give

me a gift when I ask it you, ye shall have it. By my faith, said

Arthur, I will give you what gift ye will ask. Well! said the damosel,

go ye into yonder barge, and row yourself to the sword, and take it and

the scabbard with you, and I will ask my gift when I see my time. So

Sir Arthur and Merlin alighted and tied their horses to two trees, and

so they went into the ship, and when they came to the sword that the

hand held, Sir Arthur took it up by the handles, and took it with him,

and the arm and the hand went under the water. And so [they] came unto

the land and rode forth, and then Sir Arthur saw a rich pavilion. What

signifieth yonder pavilion? It is the knight’s pavilion, said Merlin,

that ye fought with last, Sir Pellinore; but he is out, he is not

there. He hath ado with a knight of yours that hight Egglame, and they

have foughten together, but at the last Egglame fled, and else he had

been dead, and he hath chased him even to Carlion, and we shall meet

with him anon in the highway. That is well said, said Arthur, now have

I a sword, now will I wage battle with him, and be avenged on him. Sir,

you shall not so, said Merlin, for the knight is weary of fighting and

chasing, so that ye shall have no worship to have ado with him; also he

will not be lightly matched of one knight living, and therefore it is

my counsel, let him pass, for he shall do you good service in short

time, and his sons after his days. Also ye shall see that day in short

space, you shall be right glad to give him your sister to wed. When I

see him, I will do as ye advise, said Arthur.

Then Sir Arthur looked on the sword, and liked it passing well. Whether

liketh you better, said Merlin, the sword or the scabbard? Me liketh

better the sword, said Arthur. Ye are more unwise, said Merlin, for the

scabbard is worth ten of the swords, for whiles ye have the scabbard

upon you, ye shall never lose no blood, be ye never so sore wounded;

therefore keep well the scabbard always with you. So they rode unto

Carlion, and by the way they met with Sir Pellinore; but Merlin had

done such a craft, that Pellinore saw not Arthur, and he passed by

without any words. I marvel, said Arthur, that the knight would not

speak. Sir, said Merlin, he saw you not, for an he had seen you, ye had

not lightly departed. So they came unto Carlion, whereof his knights

were passing glad. And when they heard of his adventures, they

marvelled that he would jeopard his person so, alone. But all men of

worship said it was merry to be under such a chieftain, that would put

his person in adventure as other poor knights did.