Le Morte Darthur / by Syr Thomas Malory ; the original edition of William Caxton now reprinted and edited with an introduction and glossary by H. Oskar Sommer ; with an essay on Malory's prose style by Andrew Lang

Chapter 1

AFter the dethe of Vtherpendragon regned Arthur his sone / the whiche had grete werre in his dayes for to gete al Englond in to his hand / For there were many kynges within the realme of Englond and in walys / Scotland and Cornewaille / Soo it befelle on a tyme / whanne kyng Arthur

[leaf 38v] was at London ther came a knyght and tolde the kynge tydynges how that the kynge Ryons of Northwalys had rered a grete nombre of peple / and were entryd in to the land and brente and slewe the kynges true liege peple / yf this be true said Arthur / it were grete shame vnto myn estate / but that he were myghtely withstand / it is trouthe sayd the kynghte / for I sawe the hoost my self / wel saide the kynge / lete make a crye / that all the lordes knyghtes and gentylmen of armes shold drawe vnto a castel called Camelot in tho dayes / and ther the kynge wold lete make a counceil general and a grete Iustes So whan the kynge was come thyder with all his baronage and lodged as they semed best / ther was come a damoisel the whiche was sente on message from the grete lady lylle of auelyon / And whan she came bifore kynge Arthur / she told from whome she came / and how she was sent on message vnto hym for these causes Thenne she lete her mantel falle that was rychely furred / And thenne was she gyrd with a noble swerd wherof the kynge had merueill / and said Damoysel for what cause are ye gyrd with that swerd / it bisemeth yow not / Now shall I telle yow said the damoysel / This swerd that I am gyrd with al doth me grete sorowe and comberaunce / for I may not be delyuerd of this swerd / but by a knyghte / but he must be a passyng good man of his handes and of his dedes and withoute vylonye or trecherye and withoute treason / And yf I maye fynde suche a knyghte that hath all these vertues / he may drawe oute this swerd oute of the shethe / for I haue ben at kyng Ryons / it was told me ther were passyng good knyghtes / and he and alle his knyghtes haue assayed it and none can spede / This is a grete merueill said Arthur / yf this be sothe / I wille my self assaye to drawe oute the swerd / not presumynge vpon my self that I am the best knyghte / but that I will begynne to drawe at your swerd in gyuyng example to alle the Barons that they shall assay euerychone after other whan I haue assayed it / Thenne Arthur toke the swerd by the shethe and by the gyrdel and pulled at it egrely / but the swerd wold not oute /

¶ Sire seid the damoysell ye nede not to pulle half so hard / for he that shall pulle it out shal do it with lytel myghte / ye say wel said Arthur / Now assaye

[leaf 39r] ye al my barons / but beware ye be not defoyled with shame trechery ne gyle / thenne it wille not auaylle sayd the damoysell/ for he must be a clene knyght withoute vylony and of a gentil strene of fader syde and moder syde / Moost of all the barons of the round table that were there at that tyme assayed alle by rewe / but ther myght non spede / wherfor the damoysel made grete sorow oute of mesure and sayd Allas I wende in this Courte had ben the best knyghtes withoute trechery or treson / By my feythe sayth Arthur here are good knyghtes as I deme as ony ben in the world / but theyr grace is not to helpe yow / wherfor I am displeasyd