Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XXI CHAPTER III

CHAPTER III

How after, Sir Gawaine's ghost appeared to King Arthur,
and warned him that he should not fight that day

AND then the king let search all the towns for his knights
that were slain, and interred them; and salved them with
soft salves that so sore were wounded.  Then much people
drew unto King Arthur.  And then they said that Sir
Mordred warred upon King Arthur with wrong.  And
then King Arthur drew him with his host down by the
seaside, westward toward Salisbury; and there was a day
assigned betwixt King Arthur and Sir Mordred, that they
should meet upon a down beside Salisbury, and not far
from the seaside; and this day was assigned on a Monday
after Trinity Sunday, whereof King Arthur was passing
glad, that he might be avenged upon Sir Mordred.  Then
Sir Mordred araised much people about London, for they
of Kent, Southsex, and Surrey, Estsex, and of Southfolk,
and of Northfolk, held the most part with Sir Mordred;
and many a full noble knight drew unto Sir Mordred and
to the king: but they that loved Sir Launcelot drew unto
Sir Mordred.

So upon Trinity Sunday at night, King Arthur dreamed
a wonderful dream, and that was this: that him seemed
he sat upon a chaflet in a chair, and the chair was fast to
a wheel, and thereupon sat King Arthur in the richest
cloth of gold that might be made; and the king thought
there was under him, far from him, an hideous deep black
water, and therein were all manner of serpents, and worms,
and wild beasts, foul and horrible; and suddenly the king
thought the wheel turned up-so-down, and he fell among
the serpents, and every beast took him by a limb; and
then the king cried as he lay in his bed and slept:  Help.
And then knights, squires, and yeomen, awaked the king;
and then he was so amazed that he wist not where he was;
and then he fell a-slumbering again, not sleeping nor
thoroughly waking.  So the king seemed verily that there
came Sir Gawaine unto him with a number of fair ladies
with him.  And when King Arthur saw him, then he
said:  Welcome, my sister's son; I weened thou hadst
been dead, and now I see thee alive, much am I beholding
unto Almighty Jesu.  O fair nephew and my sister's son,
what be these ladies that hither be come with you?  Sir,
said Sir Gawaine, all these be ladies for whom I have
foughten when I was man living, and all these are those
that I did battle for in righteous quarrel; and God hath
given them that grace at their great prayer, because I did
battle for them, that they should bring me hither unto
you: thus much hath God given me leave, for to warn
you of your death; for an ye fight as to-morn with Sir
Mordred, as ye both have assigned, doubt ye not ye must
be slain, and the most part of your people on both parties.
And for the great grace and goodness that almighty Jesu
hath unto you, and for pity of you, and many more other
good men there shall be slain, God hath sent me to you of
his special grace, to give you warning that in no wise ye
do battle as to-morn, but that ye take a treaty for a month
day; and proffer you largely, so as to-morn to be put in
a delay.  For within a month shall come Sir Launcelot
with all his noble knights, and rescue you worshipfully,
and slay Sir Mordred, and all that ever will hold with
him.  Then Sir Gawaine and all the ladies vanished.

And anon the king called upon his knights, squires,
and yeomen, and charged them wightly to fetch his noble
lords and wise bishops unto him.  And when they were
come, the king told them his avision, what Sir Gawaine had
told him, and warned him that if he fought on the morn
he should be slain.  Then the king commanded Sir Lucan
the Butler, and his brother Sir Bedivere, with two bishops
with them, and charged them in any wise, an they might,
Take a treaty for a month day with Sir Mordred, and spare
not, proffer him lands and goods as much as ye think
best.  So then they departed, and came to Sir Mordred,
where he had a grim host of an hundred thousand men.
And there they entreated Sir Mordred long time; and at
the last Sir Mordred was agreed for to have Cornwall and
Kent, by Arthur's days: after, all England, after the days
of King Arthur.