The Death of King Arthur (39 page)

The bishop returned to Carlisle and informed the king of Lancelot's response; hearing of his loyalty and fidelity, Arthur wept. On the following day Lancelot summoned one hundred of his best knights. He dressed them in a livery of green velvet, and draped their horses in the same cloth; he asked each one of them to hold a branch of olive in his hands as a token of peaceful intent. The queen had twenty-four ladies-in-waiting riding with her, and Lancelot himself was accompanied by twelve pages; they all wore white velvet trimmed with precious jewels and cloth of gold, and the trappings of their horses were also fashioned out of gold. Never was so much brightness seen upon the earth.

In this array they rode from Joyous Garde to the royal castle at Carlisle, and those watching the procession wept with joy at the queen's homecoming. When they entered the gates of the castle Sir Lancelot dismounted, and helped Guinevere from her horse. He led her into the royal court where King Arthur sat upon his throne, with Sir Gawain and other great lords assembled around him. Lancelot and Guinevere came towards the king, and both of them kneeled humbly before him. There were many tears shed, among Arthur's knights, at the spectacle. But the king sat still and said not a word. After a moment Lancelot stood up and, raising Guinevere also, he spoke aloud.

‘Most honoured king, by the pope's commandment and by your own royal command, I have brought to you my lady, the queen. It is only right and proper that I should do so. If there be any knight in this company who dares to lay any blame upon this lady, then I will fight him in judicial combat and thereby prove her purity and faithfulness. But, sir lord, you have been listening to liars and scandalmongers. As a result there has been enmity between us. There was a time when you were greatly pleased with me, especially on those occasions when I did battle on behalf of the queen. So why should I not save her when she was threatened with death for my sake?

‘Those who lied about her were malicious men, and their malice fell back upon their own heads. Only by the grace of God was I able to defeat the knights who came with Mordred and Agravain to the queen's chamber; they were armed and ready, whereas I was unarmed and unprepared. I had been summoned to the queen unexpectedly, but no sooner was I in her presence than they called me traitor and coward.'

‘They were right!' shouted Gawain.

Lancelot turned to him. ‘My lord Gawain,' he said quietly, ‘their defeat and death suggest otherwise.'

‘Well, well, Sir' Lancelot,' the king replied, ‘I have given you no cause to treat me in this fashion. I have honoured you above any other of my knights.'

‘In turn, sir,' Lancelot replied, ‘you know that I and my company have performed more services for you than anyone else in the court. Where you have been in peril, I have rescued you. On horseback and on foot, I have saved you from manifold dangers. In jousts, in tournaments, and in set battles, I have defended you. I have protected you also, Sir Gawain, against many hazards.' Lancelot was silent for a moment, and looked at Gawain. ‘If you reflect on these things, sir, you will grant me your good will. When I have that, I trust to God that I will be given the king's grace.'

‘The king may do as he wishes,' Gawain replied. ‘But, as for me, I tell you that there never can and never will be friendship between us. You have killed three of my brothers, two of them unarmed.'

‘I wish to God they had been armed,' Lancelot told him. ‘Then they would still be alive. I loved no knight better than Sir Gareth. I loved him for the love he bore towards me. I loved him for his gallantry and faithfulness. I dubbed him knight, and now I bitterly regret his death. There is another reason for my sorrow. As soon as I heard that he was dead, I knew that you would be my enemy for ever and that you would turn King Arthur against me. But I swear, on the name of the Almighty, that I did not kill your brothers willingly or knowingly. It was an unhappy day when they came unarmed on to the field.' He stepped forward. ‘I offer you this, Sir Gawain. If it pleases you and the king, I will set out from Sandwich wearing a smock and hood like any ploughman. I will then walk from Sandwich to Carlisle. Every ten miles along the road I will found a house of monks or nuns who will offer perpetual prayer for the souls of Gareth and Gaheris. Their chapels will be stocked with candles and incense. Their voices will rise in unison for the sake of your brothers. Will this not be more beneficial for their souls than everlasting warfare between us? What will enmity solve?' On hearing his words, the ladies and the knights of the court wept with King Arthur.

Sir Gawain shook his head. ‘I hear your fine words and fine promises. But I tell you this. The king can do as he wishes. But I will never forgive you. If the king is reconciled with you, I will leave his service. You have proved false to me and to him.'

‘Then I will prove myself in combat against you. The lance will be my answer.'

‘No. The pope has decreed that you will pass safely through this court. So must it be. You will ride away unharmed. But the king and I have agreed that, once you have left this place, a sentence of banishment will be pronounced against you. You will be given fifteen days to leave the kingdom. If the pope had not spoken, I would have fought you today and furnished proof of your falseness. Wherever and whenever I find you, in the future, I will wreak my vengeance upon you.'

Sir Lancelot, dismayed, bowed his head and looked down upon the ground. ‘I love this noble and most Christian land more than life itself. Here I have won honour and glory. Am I to leave it now, innocent of any crime? I wish that I had never come here, if I am to be expelled in shame and dishonour. Well, the old sayings are true. Fortune is fickle. The wheel always turns. There is no abiding city. Fortune favours no man for long. So it is with me. I have increased the renown of the Round Table more than any other knight. I have given it more glory than any of you. Yet now you wish to banish me. But think of this, Sir Gawain. I am allowed to dwell upon my own land in peace. And if you, most high king, and you, Gawain, trespass upon my domain I will defend it. As for you, Gawain, if you repeat your charges of treason and felony against me I will answer you in battle.'

‘Do as you choose,' Gawain replied. ‘But you must be gone as quickly as possible. And understand this. We will follow you, and tear apart the strongest castle that you possess. Its stones will fall around you.'

‘That will not be necessary, Sir Gawain. I will meet you in open combat.'

‘Enough words then. Return the queen to us, and leave this court. I hope you have a swift horse.'

‘If I had known how you would receive me, I would have thought twice before coming here with the queen. If I had been a traitor, as you taunt me, I would have kept her in Joyous Garde.' Sir Lancelot turned to Guinevere. ‘Madam, now I must depart from you for ever. I must also leave the noblest band of knights in the world. Pray for me as I will pray for you. If anyone should slander you or accuse you of any crime, send me word of it. I will come back to defend you as I have done before.' In front of the court he kissed the queen, and turned to the assembly. ‘If anyone wishes to swear that the queen is unfaithful to the king, then do so now.'

There was silence. Lancelot took her hand, and led her to her lord. All of the company watched this, and wept; only Gawain was unmoved. When Lancelot mounted on his horse and rode from Carlisle, there was general lamentation. He made his way in sorrow to Joyous Garde that, from this time forward, he named Dolorous Garde. So Lancelot departed from Arthur's court for ever. He and his brave company of knights returned to his ancestral lands in France, in the territory known as Pays du Soleil, or Land of the Sun.

Lancelot and Gawain

When King Arthur heard that Lancelot had departed for Pays du Soleil, he summoned a great host of sixty thousand men. He had called together these warriors to follow Lancelot across the sea and to make war upon his dominions. Arthur had decided to make Mordred, his son, the governor of Britain in his absence; he also gave him the custody of Guinevere. What is more natural than the father trusting the son? Mordred had been begotten in an act of incest, with Arthur's half-sister, but he had proved himself to be a valiant knight.

Arthur and his army set sail from the firth near Carlisle and, when they landed on the shore of France, the king gave orders that his men should waste and ravage the countryside in revenge for the crimes committed by Lancelot. Sir Gawain urged him on, delighting in vengeance for its own sake.

Lancelot was advised by his men to ride out and fight the invaders at once. ‘You know your worth as a knight,' Bagdemagus told him. ‘You know our worth as your companions. Come. Let us meet our enemies in the field, and cut them down.'

‘That can be easily done,' Lancelot told them. ‘But I am reluctant to go to war. I pray you all, my lords, to be ruled by me for the time being. I will not confront the king until our lives are in danger. Only then can we with honour take up arms against our liege lord.'

They said no more, and took their rest that night. When they awoke at dawn, they discovered that Lancelot's words were answered sooner than they expected. Arthur's army had marched up to their castle, and had already set up ladders against the walls. Lancelot's knights took up their defences and beat the soldiers back, thrusting the ladders to the ground. Then Gawain rode out and, with his spear in his hand, stopped before the main gate.

‘Where are you, Lancelot?' he called out. ‘Where are you, you false coward and traitor? Why do you cower behind these walls? Show some courage. Come out and defend yourself. Let me take my revenge for the death of my three brothers!'

Sir Lancelot heard every word of Gawain's taunt. ‘Sir,' his knights said to him, ‘it is time. You must defend yourself, or else be dishonoured for ever. You have slept for too long. Now you must awake and arm yourself for battle.'

‘Now that Gawain has accused me of treason,' Lancelot replied, ‘I have no other course. I will not be convicted of cowardice.'

Lancelot ordered that his strongest horse be saddled and that his armour be brought to him. He climbed the tower of the gate, and addressed Arthur himself. ‘My lord king,' he said, ‘it grieves me to go against one of your knights. In the past I have been patient, and declined to do battle with you. Otherwise you would have found your knights slain or subdued on the field. But I cannot, and will not, endure the charge of treason. I must fight for my honour. I must defend myself.'

‘Leave off your babbling!' Gawain called out. ‘It is time for battle. Let us ease our hearts!'

Sir Lancelot rode out, with his lance in his hand, and led his army from the castle. When Arthur saw the number of his troops, he was dismayed. ‘I curse the moment I quarrelled with Lancelot. Now I see the end of my days coming.'

When Sir Gawain and Sir Lancelot faced one another, it was agreed that no other warrior should assist or attack them until one of the two contestants had been slain. The two knights drew apart, waiting their moment. Then suddenly they began galloping down on one another with extreme speed and fury. With a cry they met and clashed, the spears smashing down on the middle of the shields; the knights were so strong, and their spears so large, that the horses could not bear their force. The animals fell to the earth in despair. Lancelot and Gawain sprang from their saddles, and their shields clashed; they fell to fighting with their swords and spears, inflicting serious wounds on one another. Sir Gawain had a secret. A holy man had given him a special grace, so that between nine in the morning and high noon his strength increased threefold. As a result he won great renown. That is why Arthur insisted that all of Gawain's battles be fought at nine, so that he might have the mastery. Only these two men knew the source of such supernatural strength.

So Lancelot, blooded and wearied, wondered how his opponent was able to withstand all of his blows. When Gawain's strength was redoubled, after two hours of combat, Lancelot doubted whether he was fighting a knight or a fiend. He began to feint and parry, conserving his breath and his strength as best he could. He covered himself with his shield, as blow after blow buffeted him. The knights, witnessing this fight, did not believe that Lancelot could bear it for much longer.

But then the hour of noon came, and all of Gawain's secret strength was gone. When Lancelot sensed that the force was fading from his foe, he stood his ground. ‘I feel now that you have done your worst,' he said to him. ‘And now, my lord Gawain, I must play my part. I have endured many great and grievous strokes this day, and suffered pain. It is time to teach you a lesson.' Lancelot redoubled his blows, and gave Gawain such a blow on the side of his helmet that he fell down upon the ground. But Lancelot sheathed his weapon, and watched him.

‘Why do you pause now?' Gawain asked him. ‘Why not kill me, false traitor? If you let me live, then surely I will come after you again.'

‘By God's grace, I am sure that I will survive. But you know, Gawain, that I will never kill a knight that cannot fight back. Rise to your feet and return to your army.' Then he turned to Arthur, who had watched the whole combat. ‘Good day to you, lord king! You see now that you will win no worship at my walls. If I were to lead my men into battle with you, many noble warriors would die. Remember me with kindness, and at all times follow the will of Our Lord Jesus.'

‘I regret,' Arthur replied, ‘that this unhappy war was ever begun. Lancelot has been courteous and correct in all his dealings with me. He has never attacked me or my kin. And see how kind he has been to Gawain himself!'

Lancelot turned away and with his men marched back into the castle. Sir Gawain was carried into Arthur's pavilion, where the doctors tried to heal him with salves and sweet ointments. The king himself fell sick with sorrow for Gawain's great hurt, and for the grievous war between the two noble knights. In the following days, there was little appetite for warfare on either side.