Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IV CHAPTER XII

CHAPTER XII

How Arthur accorded the two brethren, and delivered the
twenty knights, and how Sir Accolon died.

THEN all the people fell down on their knees and cried King
Arthur mercy.  Mercy shall ye have, said Arthur: here may ye see
what adventures befall ofttime of errant knights, how that I have
fought with a knight of mine own unto my great damage and his
both.  But, sirs, because I am sore hurt, and he both, and I had
great need of a little rest, ye shall understand the opinion
betwixt you two brethren:  As to thee, Sir Damas, for whom I have
been champion and won the field of this knight, yet will I judge
because ye, Sir Damas, are called an orgulous knight, and full of
villainy, and not worth of prowess your deeds, therefore I will
that ye give unto your brother all the whole manor with the
appurtenance, under this form, that Sir Ontzlake hold the manor
of you, and yearly to give you a palfrey to ride upon, for that
will become you better to ride on than upon a courser.  Also I
charge thee, Sir Damas, upon pain of death, that thou never
distress no knights errant that ride on their adventure.  And
also that thou restore these twenty knights that thou hast long
kept prisoners, of all their harness, that they be content for;
and if any of them come to my court and complain of thee, by my
head thou shalt die therefore.  Also, Sir Ontzlake, as to you,
because ye are named a good knight, and full of prowess, and true
and gentle in all your deeds, this shall be your charge I will
give you, that in all goodly haste ye come unto me and my court,
and ye shall be a knight of mine, and if your deeds be thereafter
I shall so prefer you, by the grace of God, that ye shall in
short time be in ease for to live as worshipfully as your brother
Sir Damas.  God thank your largeness of your goodness and of your
bounty, I shall be from henceforward at all times at your
commandment; for, sir, said Sir Ontzlake, <121>as God would, as I
was hurt but late with an adventurous knight through both my
thighs, that grieved me sore, and else had I done this battle
with you.  God would, said Arthur, it had been so, for then had
not I been hurt as I am.  I shall tell you the cause why: for I
had not been hurt as I am, had it not been mine own sword, that
was stolen from me by treason; and this battle was ordained
aforehand to have slain me, and so it was brought to the purpose
by false treason, and by false enchantment.  Alas, said Sir
Ontzlake, that is great pity that ever so noble a man as ye are
of your deeds and prowess, that any man or woman might find in
their hearts to work any treason against you.  I shall reward
them, said Arthur, in short time, by the grace of God.  Now, tell
me, said Arthur, how far am I from Camelot?  Sir, ye are two
days' journey therefrom.  I would fain be at some place of
worship, said Sir Arthur, that I might rest me.  Sir, said Sir
Ontzlake, hereby is a rich abbey of your elders' foundation, of
nuns, but three miles hence.  So the king took his leave of all
the people, and mounted upon horseback, and Sir Accolon with him. 
And when they were come to the abbey, he let fetch leeches and
search his wounds and Accolon's both; but Sir Accolon died within
four days, for he had bled so much blood that he might not live,
but King Arthur was well recovered.  So when Accolon was dead he
let send him on an horse-bier with six knights unto Camelot, and
said:  Bear him to my sister Morgan le Fay, and say that I send
her him to a present, and tell her I have my sword Excalibur and
the scabbard; so they departed with the body.