[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum ix

THenne kynge Arthur came oute of his tour / and had vnder his gowne a Iesseraunte of double maylle / and ther wente with hym the Archebisshop of Caunterbu¦ry / and syr Baudewyn of Bretayne and syr kay / and syre Brastias / these were the men of moost worship that were with hym / And whan they were mette / there was no mekenes but stoute wordes on bothe sydes / but alweyes kynge Arthur an¦suerd them and said / he wold make them to bowe and he lyued wherfore they departed with wrath / and kynge Arthur badde kepe hem wel / and they bad the kynge kepe hym wel / Soo the kynge retornyd hym to the toure ageyne and armed hym and alle his knyʒtes / what will ye do said Merlyn to the kynges ye were better for to stynte / for ye shalle not here preuaille tho∣ugh ye were x so many / be we wel auysed to be aferd of a dre¦me reder said kyng Lot / with that Merlyn vanysshed aweye / and came to Kynge Arthur / and bad hym set on hem fiersly / & in the mene whyle there were thre honderd good men of the best that were with the kynges / that wente streyghte vnto kynge Arthur / and that comforted hym gretely / Syr said Merlyn to Arthur / fyghte not with the swerde that ye had by myracle / til that ye see ye go vnto the wers / thenne drawe it out and do your best / So forth with alle kynge Arthur sette vpon hem in their lodgyng / And syre Bawdewyn syre Kay and syr Bras¦tias slewe on the right hand & on the lyfte hand that it was merueylle / and alweyes Kynge Arthur on horsback leyd on with a swerd and dyd merueillous dedes of armes that ma∣ny of the kynges had grete ioye of his dedes and hardynesse / Thenne Kynge Lot brake out on the bak syde / and the kyng with the honderd knyghtes and kyng Carados / and sette on Arthur fiersly behynde hym / with that Syre Arthur torned with his knyghtes / and smote behynd and before / and euer sir Arthur was in the formest prees tyl his hors was slayne vn¦dernethe hym / And therwith kynge lot smote doune kyng Ar¦thur / with that his four knyghtes receyued hym and set hym on horsback / thēne he drewe his swerd Excalibur / but it was so bryght in his enemyes eyen / that it gaf light lyke xxx tor¦chys / And therwith he put hem on bak / and slewe moche peple And thenne the comyns of Carlyon aroos with clubbis and

stauys and slewe many knyghtes / but alle the kynges hel¦de them to gyders with her knyghtes that were lefte on lyue / and so fled and departed / And Merlyn come vnto Arthur / and counceilled hym to folowe hem no further