Chương Chương 73 · How Arthur accorded the two brethren, and delivered the

. How Arthur accorded the two brethren, and delivered the

twenty knights, and how Sir Accolon died.

Then all the people fell down on their knees and cried King Arthur

mercy. Mercy shall ye have, said Arthur: here may ye see what

adventures befall ofttime of errant knights, how that I have fought

with a knight of mine own unto my great damage and his both. But, sirs,

because I am sore hurt, and he both, and I had great need of a little

rest, ye shall understand the opinion betwixt you two brethren: As to

thee, Sir Damas, for whom I have been champion and won the field of

this knight, yet will I judge because ye, Sir Damas, are called an

orgulous knight, and full of villainy, and not worth of prowess your

deeds, therefore I will that ye give unto your brother all the whole

manor with the appurtenance, under this form, that Sir Ontzlake hold

the manor of you, and yearly to give you a palfrey to ride upon, for

that will become you better to ride on than upon a courser. Also I

charge thee, Sir Damas, upon pain of death, that thou never distress no

knights errant that ride on their adventure. And also that thou restore

these twenty knights that thou hast long kept prisoners, of all their

harness, that they be content for; and if any of them come to my court

and complain of thee, by my head thou shalt die therefore. Also, Sir

Ontzlake, as to you, because ye are named a good knight, and full of

prowess, and true and gentle in all your deeds, this shall be your

charge I will give you, that in all goodly haste ye come unto me and my

court, and ye shall be a knight of mine, and if your deeds be

thereafter I shall so prefer you, by the grace of God, that ye shall in

short time be in ease for to live as worshipfully as your brother Sir

Damas. God thank your largeness of your goodness and of your bounty, I

shall be from henceforward at all times at your commandment; for, sir,

said Sir Ontzlake, as God would, as I was hurt but late with an

adventurous knight through both my thighs, that grieved me sore, and

else had I done this battle with you. God would, said Arthur, it had

been so, for then had not I been hurt as I am. I shall tell you the

cause why: for I had not been hurt as I am, had it not been mine own

sword, that was stolen from me by treason; and this battle was ordained

aforehand to have slain me, and so it was brought to the purpose by

false treason, and by false enchantment. Alas, said Sir Ontzlake, that

is great pity that ever so noble a man as ye are of your deeds and

prowess, that any man or woman might find in their hearts to work any

treason against you. I shall reward them, said Arthur, in short time,

by the grace of God. Now, tell me, said Arthur, how far am I from

Camelot? Sir, ye are two days’ journey therefrom. I would fain be at

some place of worship, said Sir Arthur, that I might rest me. Sir, said

Sir Ontzlake, hereby is a rich abbey of your elders’ foundation, of

nuns, but three miles hence. So the king took his leave of all the

people, and mounted upon horseback, and Sir Accolon with him. And when

they were come to the abbey, he let fetch leeches and search his wounds

and Accolon’s both; but Sir Accolon died within four days, for he had

bled so much blood that he might not live, but King Arthur was well

recovered. So when Accolon was dead he let send him on an horse-bier

with six knights unto Camelot, and said: Bear him to my sister Morgan

le Fay, and say that I send her him to a present, and tell her I have

my sword Excalibur and the scabbard; so they departed with the body.