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freely and absolut his parfit parties.' Thou bindest the elements by noumbres proporcionables, that the colde thinges mowen acorden with the hote thinges, and the drye thinges with the moiste thinges; that the fyr, that is purest, ne flee3 nat over hye, ne that the hevinesse ne drawe nat adoun over lowe the erthes that ben plounged in the wateres. Thou knittest to-gider the mene sowle of treble kinde, moevinge alle thinges, and devydest it by membres acordinge; and whan it is thus devyded, it hath asembled a moevinge in-to two roundes; it goth to torne ayein to him-self, and envirouneth a ful deep thought, and torneth the hevene by semblable 10 image. Thou by evene-lyke causes enhansest the sowles and the lasse 12 lyves, and, ablinge 13 hem heye 14 by lighte cartes, 15 thou sowest 10 hem in-to hevene and in-to erthe; and whan they ben converted 17 to thee by thy benigne lawe, thou makest hem retorne ayein 18 to thee by ayein-ledinge 10 fyr.

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"O Fader, yive 20 thou to the thought to styen " up in-to thy streite 22 sete,23 and graunte him to enviroune the welle of good; and, the lighte y-founde, graunte him to fichen 24 the clere sightes of his corage in thee. And scater thou and to-breke 26 thou the weightes and the cloudes of erthely hevinesse, and shyne thou by thy brightnesse. For thou art cleernesse; thou art peysible 27 reste to debonaire folk; thou thy-self art biginninge, berer, leder, path, and terme; to loke on thee, that is our ende." 30

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reeding in the Bible, namelich' in the historial parties of the Oold Testament and of the Newe, is miche delectable and sweete, and drawith the reders into a devocioun and a love to God and fro love and deinte 3 of the world; as y1 have had her-of experience upon suche reders and upon her now-seid" disposicioun. And thanne bi-cause that the seid reeding was to hem so graceful, and so delectable, and into the seid eende so profitable, it fil into her 5 conceit forto trowe ful soone, enformyng and tising ther-to unsufficient[1]i leerned clerkis, that God had mad or purveied the Bible to mennis bihove 10 after as it were or bi the utterist 12 degre of his power and kunnyng 13 for to so ordeyne, and therfore al the hoole Bible (or, as summen trowiden,15 the Newe Testament) schulde conteyne al that is to be doon in the lawe and service to God bi Cristen men, withoute nede to have ther-with eny doctrine.18 Yhe, 17 and if y schal seie 18 what hath be 19 seid to myn owne heering, sotheli it hath be seid to me thus, “that nevere man errid bi reding or studiyng in the Bible, neither eny man myghte erre bi reeding in the Bible, and that for such cause as is now seid:" notwithstonding that ther is no book writen in the world bi which a man schal rather take an occasioun forto erre, and that for ful gode and open trewe causis, whiche ben spoken and expressid in the ij. parti 2 of the book clepid 22 The Just Apprising of Holi Scripture.23 But certis thei tooken her mark amys: for thei puttiden 24al her motyve 25 in her affeccioun or wil forto so trowe; and not in her intelleccioun or resoun; and in lijk maner doon wommen, for thei reulen hem silf as it were in alle her governauncis aftir her affeccioun and not aftir resoun, or more aftir affeccioun than after doom 20 of resoun; bicause that affeccioun in hem is ful strong and resoun in hem is litle, as for the more parti of wommen.

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trowe that in Holi Scripture is al the doctrine necessarie to man for to serve God and forto kepe his lawe; bi cause that Holi Scripture is so miche1 delectable, and for that bi thilk3 delectacioun he bringith yn myche cheer and coumfort and strengthith the wil forto the more do and suffre for God. And so me thinkith to suche men good counseil were forto seie to hem, that thei be waar of childrenys perel,* which is that bi-cause children loven sweete meetis and drinkis ful miche, therfore whanne thei comen to feestis thei feeden hem with sweete stonding-potagis and with sweete bake-metis," and leven othere substancial and necessarie metis; trowing that bi so miche tho' sweete meetis ben the more holsum, how miche more thei ben swetter than othere metis: and therfore at the laste thei geten to hem therbi bothe losse of dewe nurisching and also sumtyme vilonie.10 Certis in lijk maner y have wiste suche men, that han " so over

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miche yeven hem to reding in the Bible aloone, have gete to hem losse 14 of sufficient and profitable leernyng which in other wheris 15 thei mighten have gete, and also vilonie forto avowe and warante that thei couthen 17 the trewe sentence 18 and trewe understonding of the Bible, whanne and where thei not couthen 19 so understonde, neither couthen mentene

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1 much, very 2 because 3 that same * peril,

danger A dish made variously of boiled apples, sweet wine, honey or sugar and currants, almonds, etc. Recipes are given in Two Fifteenth Century Cook-books, pp. 15 and 29. 6 pies and pasties 10 injury

7 neglect 8 thinking ⚫ those

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what the ther ynne understoden, and also forto avowe and warante that in the Bible were miche more and profitabiler and of other soort kunnyng than can ther-yn be founde. And therfore to alle suche men mai be seid what is seid Proverbs XXV. c.2 in sentence thus: Thou hast founde hony, ete therof what is ynough and no more; lest thou overfillid caste it up out ayen, and thanne is it to thee vilonie: and what is writen aftir in the same chapiter there in sentence thus: Forto ele miche of hony is not good to the eter. So that whanne-evere thou takist upon thee forto understonde ferther in the Bible than thi wit may or can therto suffice withoute help of a substancial clerk, thanne etist thou of hony more than ynough, and doost ayens the bidding of Seint Poul, Romans xije. č. soone after the bigynnyng." And whanne thou attendist forto leerne Holi Scripture, and attendist not ther-with forto have eny other leernyng of philsophie or of divynite, bi thin owne studie in bookis ther-of maad or bi teching and informacioun of sum sad clerk yovun to thee, thanne thou etist hony aloon and feedist thee with hony oonli. And this feding schal turne into thin 10 unhoolsumnes," right as if thou schuldist ete in bodili maner noon other mete than hony, it schulde not be to thee hoolsum.

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1 knowledge 2 Chap. 25 3 again • intelligence against Romans 12: 3-6 7 made 8 trustworthy scholar 9 given 10 thine 11 ill health

SIR THOMAS MALORY (1400?-1470)

LE MORTE DARTHUR

BOOK XXI. CAPITULUM IIIJ

Than were they condesended' that kyng Arthure and Syr Mordred shold mete betwyxte bothe theyr hoostes, and everyche of them shold brynge fourtene persones; and they came wyth thys word unto Arthure. Than sayd he, "I am glad that thys is done." And so he wente in to the felde. And whan Arthure shold departe, he warned al hys hoost that, and they see ony swerde drawen, "Look ye come on fyersly, and slee that traytour Syr Mordred, for I in noo wyse truste hym.' In lyke wyse Syr Mordred warned his hoost that, "And ye see ony swerde drawen, look that ye come on fyersly, and soo slee⚫ alle that ever before you stondeth, for in no wyse I wyl not truste for thys treatyse; for I knowe wel my fader wyl be avenged on me." And soo they mette as theyr poyntemente was, and so they were agreyd and accorded thorouly; and wyn was fette' and they dranke. Ryght soo came an adder oute of a lytel hethe busshe, and hyt stonge a knyght on the foot; and whan the knyght felte hym' stongen, he looked doun and sawe the adder, and than he drewe his swerde to slee the adder, and thought of none other harme. And whan the hoost on

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And thus they faughte alle the longe day, and never stynted tyl the noble knyghtes were layed to the colde erthe; and ever they faught stylle tyl it was nere nyghte, and by that tyme was there an hondred thousand layed deed 5 upon the down. Thenne was Arthure wode wrothe oute of mesure, whan he sawe his peple so slayn from hym. Thenne the kyng loked aboute hym, and thenne was he ware, of al hys hoost and of al his good knyghtes were lefte no moo on lyve but two knyghtes, that one was Syr Lucan de Butlere, and his broder Syr Bedwere; and they were ful sore wounded. "Jhesu, mercy," sayd the kyng, "where are al my noble knyghtes becomen? Alas! that ever I shold see thys dolefull day, for now," sayd Arthur, "I am come to myn ende. But wolde to God that I wyste 9 where were that traytour Syr Mordred that hath caused alle thys meschyef." Thenne was kyng Arthure ware where Syr Mordred lenyd 10 upon his swerde emonge a grete hepe of deed men. "Now gyve me my spere," sayd Arthur unto Syr Lucan, "for yonder I have espyed the traytour that alle thys woo hath wrought." "Syr, late" hym be," sayd Syr Lucan, "for he is unhappy; and yf ye passe thys unhappy day, ye shalle be ryght wel revengyd upon hym. Good lord, remembre ye of your nyghtes dreme, and what the spyryte of Syr Gauwayn tolde you this nyght, yet God of his grete goodnes hath preserved you hyderto; therfore for Goddes sake, my lord, leve of 12 by thys,13 for blessyd by God, ye have wonne the felde;

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for here we ben thre on lyve,' and wyth Syr Mordred is none on lyve. And yf ye leve of 2 now, thys wycked day of desteynye is paste." "Tyde me deth, betyde me lyf," sayth the kyng, "now I see hym yonder allone, he shal never escape myn handes; for at a better avaylle3 shal I never have hym." "God spede you wel," sayd Syr Bedwere. Thenne the kyng gate hys spere in bothe his handes, and ranne toward Syr Mordred cryeng, "Tratour, now is thy deth day come." And whan Syr Mordred herde Syr Arthur, he ranne untyl hym with his swerde drawen in his hande. And there kyng Arthur smote Syr Mordred under the shelde wyth a foyne of his spere thorughoute the body more than a fadom. And whan Syr Mordred felte that he had hys dethes wounde, he thryst hym self wyth the myght that he had up to the bur' of kynge Arthurs spere. And right so he smote his fader Arthur wyth his swerde holden in bothe his handes, on the syde of the heed, that the swerde persyd the helmet and the brayne panne, and therwythall Syr Mordred fyl 10 starke deed to the erthe. And the nobyl Arthur fyl in a swoune to the erthe, and there he swouned ofte tymes. And Syr Lucan de Butlere and Syr Bedwere oftymes heve" hym up; and soo waykely they ledde hym betwyxte them bothe to a lytel chapel not ferre 13 from the see syde. And whan the kyng was there, he thought hym wel eased.

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Thenne herde they people crye in the felde. "Now goo thou, Syr Lucan," sayd the kyng, "and do me to wyte 15 what bytokenes that noyse in the felde." So Syr Lucan departed, for he was grevously wounded in many places. And so as he yede,1 he sawe and herkened by the mone lyght, how that pyllars and robbers were comen in to the felde to pylle and robbe many a ful noble knyghte of brochys and bedys, of many a good rynge, and of many a ryche jewel; and who that were not deed al oute," there they slewe theym for theyr harneys18 and theyr rychesse. Whan Syr Lucan understode thys werke, he came to the kyng assone as he myght, and tolde hym al what he had herde and seen. "Therfore, be my rede," 19 sayd Syr Lucan, "it is beste that we brynge you to somme towne." "I wolde it were soo," sayd the kyng.

CAPITULUM V

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"But I may not stonde, myn hede werches 1 soo. A, Syr Launcelot," sayd kyng Arthur, "thys day have I sore myst the. Alas! that ever I was ayenst2 the, for now have I my dethe, wherof Syr Gauwayn me warned in my dreme." Than Syr Lucan took up the kyng the one parte, and Syr Bedwere the other parte, and in the lyftyng the kyng sowned,3 and Syr Lucan fyl in a sowne wyth the lyfte, that the parte of his guttes fyl oute of his bodye. And therwyth the noble knyghtes herte braste." And whan the kyng awake, he behelde Syr Lucan how he laye foomyng at the mowth, and parte of his guttes laye at his feet. 'Alas!" sayd the kyng, "thys is to me a ful hevy syght to see thys noble duke so deye for my sake, for he wold have holpen me that had more nede of helpe than I. Alas! he wold not complayne hym, hys herte was so sette to helpe

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Now Jhesu have mercy upon hys soule." Than Syr Bedwere wepte for the deth of his brother. "Leve thys mornyng and wepyng," sayd the kyng, "for al this wyl not avaylle me; for wyte thou wel, and I myght lyve my self, the deth of Syr Lucan wolde greve me ever more, but my tyme hyeth fast," sayd the kyng. "Therfore," sayd Arthur unto Syr Bedwere, "take thou Excalybur, my good swerde, and goo with it to yonder water syde, and whan thou comest there, I charge the throwe my swerde in that water, and come ageyn and telle me what thou there seest." "My lord," sayd Bedwere, "your commaundement shal be doon, and lyghtly brynge you worde ageyn."

So Syr Bedwere departed, and by the waye he behelde that noble swerde, that the pomel and the hafte was al of precyous stones; and thenne he sayd to hym self, "Yf I throwe this ryche swerde in the water, therof shal never come good, but harme and losse." And thenne Syr Bedwere hydde Excalybur under And so as sone as he myght he came ageyn unto the kyng, and sayd he had ben at the water, and had throwen the swerde in to the water. "What sawe thou there?" sayd the kyng. "Syr," he sayd, "I sawe no thygne but wawes 10 and wyndes.' "That is untrewly sayd of the," sayd the kynge. "Therfore goo thou lyghtelye" ageyn, and do my com

a tree.

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maundemente; as thou arte to me leef1 and dere, spare not but throwe it in." Than Syr Bedwere retorned ageyn, and took the swerde in hys hande, and than hym thought synne and shame to throwe awaye that nobyl swerde; and so efte he hydde the swerde, and retorned ageyn and tolde to the kyng that he had ben at the water, and done his commaundemente. "What sawe thou there?" sayd the kyng. "Syr," he sayd, "I sawe no thynge but the waters wappe 3 and wawes wanne."4 "A, traytour, untrewe," sayd kyng Arthur, "now hast thou betrayed me twyse. Who wold have wente that thou that hast been to me so leef 1 and dere, and thou arte named a noble knyghte, and wold betraye me for the richesse of the swerde? But now goo ageyn lyghtly, for thy longe taryeng putteth me in grete jeopardye of my lyf, for I have taken colde; and but-yf thou do now as I byd the, yf ever I may see the I shal slee the myn owne handes, for thou woldest for my ryche swerde see me dede." Thenne Syr Bedwere departed, and wente to the swerde, and lyghtly took hit up, and wente to the water syde, and there he bounde the gyrdyl aboute the hyltes, and thenne he threwe the swerde as farre in to the water as he myght. And there cam an arme and an hande above the water and mette it, and caught it, and so shoke it thryse and braundysshed; and than vanysshed awaye the hande wyth the swerde in the water. So Syr Bedwere came ageyn to the kyng and tolde hym what he sawe.

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"Alas!" sayd the kyng, "helpe me hens,10 for I drede me I have taryed over longe." Than Syr Bedwere toke the kyng upon his backe, and so wente wyth hym to that water syde, and whan they were at the water syde, evyn fast by the banke hoved a lytyl barge wyth many fayr ladyes in hit, and emonge hem al was a quene, and al they had blacke hoodes, and al they wepte and shryked "whan they sawe kyng Arthur. "Now put me in to the barge," sayd the kyng; and so he dyd softelye. And there receyved hym thre quenes wyth grete mornyng, and soo they sette hem doun, and in one of their lappes kyng Arthur layed hys heed, and than that quene sayd, "A, dere broder, why have ye taryed so longe from me? Alas! this wounde on your heed hath caught overmoche colde." And soo than they rowed

from the londe, and Syr Bedwere behelde all tho' ladyes goo from hym.2 Than Syr Bedwere cryed, "A, my lord Arthur, what shal become of me, now ye goo from me and leve me here allone emonge myn enemyes?" "Comfort thy self," sayd the kyng, "and doo as wel as thou mayst, for in me is no truste for to truste in. For I wyl in to the vale of Avylyon, to hele me of my grevous wounde. And yf thou here never more of me, praye for my soule." But ever the quenes and ladyes wepte and shryched," that hit was pyte to here. And assone as Syr Bedwere had loste the syght of the baarge, he wepte and waylled, and so took the foreste; and so he wente al that nyght, and in the mornyng he was ware betwyxte two holtes hore of a chapel and an ermytage.

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Than was Syr Bedwere glad, and thyder he wente; and whan he came in to the chapel, he sawe where laye an heremyte grovelyng on al foure, there fast by a tombe was newe graven. Whan the eremyte sawe Syr Bedwere, he knewe hym wel, for he was but lytel tofore bysshop of Caunterburye that Syr Mordred flemed. "Syr," sayd Syr Bedwere, "what man is there entred that ye praye so fast fore?" 10 "Fayr sone," sayd the heremyte, "I wote" not verayly but by my demyyng." But thys nyght, at mydnyght, here came a nombre of ladyes and broughte hyder a deed cors,13 and prayed me to berye hym, and here they offeryd an hondred tapers, and they gaf me an hondred besauntes." 14 "Alas," sayd Syr Bedwere, "that was my lord kyng Arthur that here lyeth buryed in thys chapel." Than Syr Bedwere swowned, and whan he awoke he prayed the heremyte he myght abyde wyth hym stylle 15 there, to lyve wyth fastyng and prayers: "For from hens 16 wyl I never goo," sayd Syr Bedwere, "by my wylle, but al the dayes of my lyf here to praye for my lord Arthur." "Ye are welcome to me," sayd the heremyte, "for I knowe you better than ye 17 that I doo. Ye are the bolde Bedwere, and the ful noble duke Syr Lucan de Butlere your broder." Thenne Syr Bedwere tolde the heremyte alle as ye have herde to

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