Bab Bab 491 · How after that King Arthur had tidings, he returned and

. How after that King Arthur had tidings, he returned and

came to Dover, where Sir Mordred met him to let his landing; and of the

death of Sir Gawaine.

And so as Sir Mordred was at Dover with his host, there came King

Arthur with a great navy of ships, and galleys, and carracks. And there

was Sir Mordred ready awaiting upon his landing, to let his own father

to land upon the land that he was king over. Then there was launching

of great boats and small, and full of noble men of arms; and there was

much slaughter of gentle knights, and many a full bold baron was laid

full low, on both parties. But King Arthur was so courageous that there

might no manner of knights let him to land, and his knights fiercely

followed him; and so they landed maugre Sir Mordred and all his power,

and put Sir Mordred aback, that he fled and all his people.

So when this battle was done, King Arthur let bury his people that were

dead. And then was noble Sir Gawaine found in a great boat, lying more

than half dead. When Sir Arthur wist that Sir Gawaine was laid so low;

he went unto him; and there the king made sorrow out of measure, and

took Sir Gawaine in his arms, and thrice he there swooned. And then

when he awaked, he said: Alas, Sir Gawaine, my sister’s son, here now

thou liest; the man in the world that I loved most; and now is my joy

gone, for now, my nephew Sir Gawaine, I will discover me unto your

person: in Sir Launcelot and you I most had my joy, and mine affiance,

and now have I lost my joy of you both; wherefore all mine earthly joy

is gone from me. Mine uncle King Arthur, said Sir Gawaine, wit you well

my death-day is come, and all is through mine own hastiness and

wilfulness; for I am smitten upon the old wound the which Sir Launcelot

gave me, on the which I feel well I must die; and had Sir Launcelot

been with you as he was, this unhappy war had never begun; and of all

this am I causer, for Sir Launcelot and his blood, through their

prowess, held all your cankered enemies in subjection and daunger. And

now, said Sir Gawaine, ye shall miss Sir Launcelot. But alas, I would

not accord with him, and therefore, said Sir Gawaine, I pray you, fair

uncle, that I may have paper, pen, and ink, that I may write to Sir

Launcelot a cedle with mine own hands.

And then when paper and ink was brought, then Gawaine was set up weakly

by King Arthur, for he was shriven a little to-fore; and then he wrote

thus, as the French book maketh mention: Unto Sir Launcelot, flower of

all noble knights that ever I heard of or saw by my days, I, Sir

Gawaine, King Lot’s son of Orkney, sister’s son unto the noble King

Arthur, send thee greeting, and let thee have knowledge that the tenth

day of May I was smitten upon the old wound that thou gavest me afore

the city of Benwick, and through the same wound that thou gavest me I

am come to my death-day. And I will that all the world wit, that I, Sir

Gawaine, knight of the Table Round, sought my death, and not through

thy deserving, but it was mine own seeking; wherefore I beseech thee,

Sir Launcelot, to return again unto this realm, and see my tomb, and

pray some prayer more or less for my soul. And this same day that I

wrote this cedle, I was hurt to the death in the same wound, the which

I had of thy hand, Sir Launcelot; for of a more nobler man might I not

be slain. Also Sir Launcelot, for all the love that ever was betwixt

us, make no tarrying, but come over the sea in all haste, that thou

mayst with thy noble knights rescue that noble king that made thee

knight, that is my lord Arthur; for he is full straitly bestead with a

false traitor, that is my half-brother, Sir Mordred; and he hath let

crown him king, and would have wedded my lady Queen Guenever, and so

had he done had she not put herself in the Tower of London. And so the

tenth day of May last past, my lord Arthur and we all landed upon them

at Dover; and there we put that false traitor, Sir Mordred, to flight,

and there it misfortuned me to be stricken upon thy stroke. And at the

date of this letter was written, but two hours and a half afore my

death, written with mine own hand, and so subscribed with part of my

heart’s blood. And I require thee, most famous knight of the world,

that thou wilt see my tomb. And then Sir Gawaine wept, and King Arthur

wept; and then they swooned both. And when they awaked both, the king

made Sir Gawaine to receive his Saviour. And then Sir Gawaine prayed

the king for to send for Sir Launcelot, and to cherish him above all

other knights.

And so at the hour of noon Sir Gawaine yielded up the spirit; and then

the king let inter him in a chapel within Dover Castle; and there yet

all men may see the skull of him, and the same wound is seen that Sir

Launcelot gave him in battle. Then was it told the king that Sir

Mordred had pight a new field upon Barham Down. And upon the morn the

king rode thither to him, and there was a great battle betwixt them,

and much people was slain on both parties; but at the last Sir Arthur’s

party stood best, and Sir Mordred and his party fled unto Canterbury.