WILLIAM CAXTON. Then to proceed forth in this said book, the which I direct unto all noble princes, lords and ladies, gentlemen or gentlewomen, that desire to read or hear read of the noble and joyous history of the great conqueror and excellent king, King Arthur, sometime king of this noble realm, then called Britain; I, William Caxton, simple person, present this book following, which I have enprised to imprint: and treateth of the noble acts, feats of arms of chivalry, prowess, hardiness, humanity, love, courtesy, and very gentleness, with many wonderful histories and adventures. And for to understand briefly the content of this volume, I have divided it into XXI Books, and every book chaptered, as hereafter shall by God's grace follow. The First Book shall treat how Uther Pendragon gat the noble conqueror king Arthur, and containeth xxviii chapters. The Second Book treateth of Balin the noble knight, and containeth xix chapters. The Third Book treateth of the marriage of king Arthur to queen Guenever, with other matters, and containeth xv chapters. The Fourth Book, how Merlin was assotted, and of war made to king Arthur, and containeth xxix chapters. The Fifth Book treateth of the conquest of Lucius the emperor, and containeth xii chapters. The Sixth Book treateth of Sir Launcelot and Sir Lionel, and marvellous adventures, and containeth xviii chapters. The Seventh Book treateth of a noble knight called Sir Gareth, and named by Sir Kay Beaumains, and containeth xxxvi chapters. The Eighth Book treateth of the birth of Sir Tristram 3 the noble knight, and of his acts, and containeth xli chapters. The Ninth Book treateth of a knight named by Sir Kay Le Cote male taille, and also of Sir Tristram, and containeth xliv chapters. The Tenth Book treateth of Sir Tristram, and other marvellous adventures, and containeth lxxxviii chapters. The Eleventh Book treateth of Sir Launcelot and Sir Galahad, and containeth xiv chapters. The Twelfth The Book treateth of Sir Launcelot and his madness, and containeth xiv chapters. The Thirteenth Book treateth how Galahad came first to king Arthur's court, and the quest how the Sangreal was begun, and containeth xx chapters. The Fourteenth Book treateth of the quest of the Sangreal, and containeth x chapters. The Fifteenth Book treateth of Sir Launcelot, and containeth vi chapters. The Sixteenth Book treateth of Sir Bors and Sir Lionel his brother, and containeth xvii chapters. The Seventeenth Book treateth of the Sangreal, and containeth xxiii chapters. Eighteenth Book treateth of Sir Launcelot and the queen, and containeth xxv chapters. The Nineteenth Book treateth of queen Guenever and Launcelot, and containeth xiii chapters. The Twentieth Book treateth of the piteous death of Arthur, and containeth xxii chapters. The Twenty-first Book treateth of his last departing, and how Sir Launcelot came to revenge his death, and containeth xiii chapters. The sum is twenty-one books, which contain the sum of five hundred and seven chapters, as more plainly shall follow hereafter. The Table or Rubrysshe of the Content of Chapters. Shortly of the First Book of King Arthur. First how Uther Pendragon sent for the duke of Cornwall and Igraine his wife, and of their departing suddenly again. Chap. i. How Uther Pendragon made war on the duke of Cornwall, and how by the means of Merlin he made the duchess his queen. Chap. ii. Of the birth of king Arthur, and of his nouriture, and of the death of king Uther Pendragon; and how Arthur was chosen king; and of wonders and marvels of a sword that was taken out of a stone by the said Arthur. Chap. iii. How king Arthur pulled out the sword divers times. Chap. iv. How king Arthur was crowned and how he made officers. Chap. v. How king Arthur held in Wales, at a Pentecost, a great feast, and what kings and lords came to his feast. Chap. vi. Of the first war that king Arthur had, and how he won the field. Chap. vii. How Merlin counselled king Arthur to send for king Ban and king Bors, and of their counsel taken for the war. Chap. viii. Of a great tourney made by king Arthur and the two kings Ban and Bors, and how they went over the sea. Chap. ix. Chap. xii. Chap. xiii. Chap. xiv. and how it Chap. xv. Yet of the same battle. Yet more of the same battle. Yet more of the said battle, was ended by Merlin. How king Arthur, king Ban, and king Bors rescued king Leodegrance, and other incidents. Chap. xvi. How king Arthur rode to Carlion, and of his dream, and how he saw the questing beast. Chap. xvii. How king Pellinore took Arthur's horse and followed the questing beast, and how Merlin met with Arthur. Chap. xviii. How Ulfius appeached queen Igraine, Arthur's mother, of treason; and how a knight came and desired to have the death of his master revenged. Chap. xix. How Griflet was made knight and justed with a knight. Chap. xx. How twelve knights came from Rome and asked truage for this land of Arthur, and how Arthur fought with a knight. Chap. xxi. CONTENTS. How Merlin saved Arthur's life, and threw an enchantment upon king Pellinore, and made him to sleep. Chap. xxii. How Arthur by the mean of Merlin got Excalibur his sword of the Lady of the Lake. Chap. xxiii. 5 How tidings came to Arthur that king Ryons had overcome eleven kings, and how he desired Arthur's beard to trim his mantle. Chap. xxiv. How all the children were sent for that were born on May-day, and how Mordred was saved. Chap. xxv. The Second Book. Of a damsel which came girded with a sword, for to find a man of such virtue to draw it out of the scabbard. Chap. i. How Balin, arrayed like a poor knight, pulled out the sword, which afterward was cause of his death. Chap. ii. How the Lady of the Lake demanded the knight's head that had won the sword, or the maiden's head. Chap. iii. How Merlin told the adventure of this damsel. Chap. iv. How Balin was pursued by Sir Lanceor, knight of Ireland, and how he justed and slew him. Chap. v. How a damsel which was love to Lanceor, slew herself for love, and how Balin met with his brother Balan. Chap. vi. How a dwarf reproved Balin for the death of Lanceor, and how king Mark of Cornwall found them, and made a tomb over them. Chap. vii. How Merlin prophesied that two the best knights of the world should fight there, which were Sir Launcelot and Sir Tristram. Chap. viii. How Balin and his brother, by the counsel of Merlin, took king Ryons and brought him to king Arthur. Chap. ix. How king Arthur had a battle against Nero and king Lot of Orkney; and how king Lot was deceived by Merlin, and how twelve kings were slain. Chap. x. Of the interment of twelve kings, and of the prophecy of Merlin how Balin should give the dolorous stroke. Chap. xi. How a sorrowful knight came tofore Arthur, and how Balin fetched him, and how that knight was slain by a knight invisible. Chap. xii. How Balin and the damsel met with a knight which was in like wise slain, and how the damsel bled for the custom of a castle. Chap. xiii. How Balin met with that knight named Garlon at a feast, and there he slew him to have his blood to heal therewith the son of his host. Chap. xiv. How Balin fought with king Pellam, and how his sword brake, and how he gat a spear, wherewith he smote the dolorous stroke. Chap. xv. How Balin was delivered by Merlin, and saved a knight that would have slain himself for love. Chap. xvi. How that knight slew his love, and a knight with her; and after how he slew himself with his own sword, and how Balin rode toward a castle where he lost his life. Chap. xvii. How Balin met with his brother Balan, and how each of them slew other unknown, till they were wounded to death. Chap. xviii. How Merlin buried them both in one tomb, and of Balin's sword. Chap. xix. Here follow the Chapters of the Third Book. How king Arthur took a wife, and wedded Guenever daughter to Leodegrance, king of the land of Cameliard, with whom he had the Round Table. Chap. i. How the knights of the Round Table were ordained and their sieges blessed by the bishop of Canterbury. Chap. ii. How a poor man riding upon a lean mare desired of king Arthur to make his son knight. Chap. iii. How Sir Tor was known for son of king Pellinore, and how Gawaine was made knight. Chap. iv. How at the feast of the wedding of king Arthur to Guenever, a white hart came into the hall, and thirty couple hounds, and how a brachet pinched the hart, which was taken away. Chap. v. How Sir Gawaine rode for to fetch again the hart, and how two brethren fought each against other for the hart. Chap. vi. How the hart was chased into a castle, and there slain; and how Gawaine slew a lady. Chap. vii. How four knights fought against Sir Gawaine and Gaheris, and how they were overcome and their lives saved at the request of four ladies. Chap. viii. How Sir Tor rode after the knight with the brachet, and of his adventure by the way. Chap. ix. How Sir Tor found the brachet with a lady, and how a knight assailed him for the said brachet. Chap. x. How Sir Tor overcame the knight, and how he lost his head at the request of a lady. Chap. xi. How king Pellinore rode after the lady and the knight that led her away, and how a lady desired help of him, and how he fought with two knights for that lady, of whom he slew that one at the first stroke. Chap. xii. How king Pellinore gat the lady, and brought her to Camelot to the court of king Arthur. Chap. xiii. How on the way he heard two knights as he lay by night in a valley, and of other adventures. Chap. xiv. How when he was come to Camelot he was sworn upon a book to tell the truth of his quest. Chap. xv. Here follow the Chapters of the Fourth Book. How Merlin was assotted, and doted Chap. i. on one of the ladies of the lake, and how he was shut in a rock under a stone, and there died. How five kings came into this land to war against king Arthur, and what counsel Arthur had against them. Chap. ii. How king Arthur had ado with them, and overthrew them, and slew the five kings, and made the remnant to flee. Chap. iii. How the battle was finished or he came, and how the king founded an abbey where the battle was. Chap. iv. How Sir Tor was made knight of the Round Table, and how Bagdemagus was displeased. Chap. v. How king Arthur, king Uriens, and Sir Accolon of Gaul chased an hart, and of their marvellous adventure. Chap. vi. How Arthur took upon him to fight, to be delivered out of prison, and also for to deliver twenty knights that were in prison. Chap. vii. How Accolon found himself by a well, and he took upon him to do battle against Arthur. Chap. viii. Of the battle between king Arthur and Accolon. Chap. ix. How king Arthur's sword that he fought CONTENTS. with brake, and how he recovered of Accolon his own sword Excalibur, and overcame his enemy. Chap. x. How Accolon confessed the treason of Morgan le fay, king Arthur's sister, and how she would have done slay him. Chap. xi. How Arthur accorded the two brethren, and delivered the twenty knights, and how Sir Accolon died. Chap. xii. How Morgan would have slain Sir Uriens her husband, and how Sir Ewain her son saved him. Chap. xiii. How queen Morgan le fay made great sorrow for the death of Accolon, and how she stole away the scabbard from Arthur. Chap. xiv. How Morgan le fay saved a knight that should have been drowned, and how king Arthur returned home again. Chap. xv. How the damsel of the lake saved king Arthur from a mantle which should have burnt him. Chap. xvi. How Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewain met with twelve fair damsels, and how they complained on Sir Marhaus. Chap. xvii. How Sir Marhaus justed with Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewain, and overthrew them both. Chap. xviii. 7 How Sir Marhaus, Sir Gawaine, and Sir of them took one. Chap. xix. How a knight and a dwarf strove for a lady. Chap. xx. How king Pelleas suffered himself to be taken prisoner because he would have a sight of his lady, and how Sir Gawaine promised him for to get to him the love of his lady. Chap. xxi. How Sir Gawaine came to the lady Ettard, and how Sir Pelleas found them sleeping. Chap. xxii. How Sir Pelleas loved no more Ettard, by the mean of the damsel of the lake, whom he loved ever after. Chap. xxiii. How Sir Marhaus rode with the damsel, and how he came to the duke of the South Marches. Chap. xxiv. How Sir Marhaus fought with the duke and his six sons, and made them to yield them. Chap. xxv. How Sir Ewain rode with the damsel of sixty year of age, and how he gat the prize at tourneying. Chap. xxvi. How Sir Ewain fought with two knights, and overcame them. Chap. xxvii. How at the year's end all three knights with their three damsels met at the fountain. Chap. xxviii. Of the Fifth Book the Chapters follow. How twelve aged ambassadors of Rome came to king Arthur to demand truage for Britain. Chap. i. How the kings and lords promised to king Arthur aid and help against the Romans. Chap. ii. How king Arthur held a parliament at York, and how he ordained how the realm should be governed in his abChap. iii. How king Arthur being shipped, and lying in his cabin, had a marvellous dream, and of the exposition thereof. Chap. iv. How a man of the country told to him of a marvellous giant, and how he fought and conquered him. Chap. v. sence. How king Arthur sent Sir Gawaine and other to Lucius, and how they were assailed and escaped with worship. Chap. vi. How Lucius sent certain spies in a bushment, for to have taken his knights, being prisoners, and how they were letted. Chap. vii. How a senator told to Lucius of their discomfiture, and also of the great battle between Arthur and Lucius. Chap. viii. How Arthur, after he had achieved the battle against the Romans, entered into Almaine, and so into Italy. Chap. ix. Of a battle done by Gawaine against |