HowArthurwaschosenkng，andofwondersandmarvelsofaswordtakenoutofastonebythesadArthur。
THENstoodtherealmngreatjeopardylongwhle，foreverylordthatwasmghtyofmenmadehmstrong，andmanyweenedtohavebeenkng。ThenMerlnwenttotheArchbshopofCanterbury，andcounselledhmfortosendforallthelordsoftherealm，andallthegentlemenofarms，thattheyshouldtoLondoncomebyChrstmas，uponpanofcursng；andforthscause，thatJesus，thatwasbornonthatnght，thathewouldofhsgreatmercyshowsomemracle，ashewascometobekngofmanknd，fortoshowsomemraclewhoshouldberghtwsekngofthsrealm。SotheArchbshop，bytheadvceofMerln，sentforallthelordsandgentlemenofarmsthattheyshouldcomebyChrstmasevenuntoLondon。Andmanyofthemmadethemcleanoftherlfe，thattherprayermghtbethemoreacceptableuntoGod。SonthegreatestchurchofLondon，whethertwerePaul’sornottheFrenchbookmakethnomenton，alltheestateswerelongordaynthechurchfortopray。Andwhenmatnsandthefrstmasswasdone，therewasseennthechurchyard，aganstthehghaltar，agreatstonefoursquare，lkeuntoamarblestone；andnmdstthereofwaslkeananvlofsteelafootonhgh，andtherenstuckafarswordnakedbythepont，andletterstherewerewrttenngoldabouttheswordthatsadthus：——Whosopullethoutthsswordofthsstoneandanvl，srghtwsekngbornofallEngland。Thenthepeoplemarvelled，andtoldttotheArchbshop。command，sadtheArchbshop，thatyekeepyouwthnyourchurchandprayuntoGodstll，thatnomantouchtheswordtllthehghmassbealldone。Sowhenallmassesweredoneallthelordswenttobeholdthestoneandthesword。Andwhentheysawthescrpturesomeassayed，suchas<8>wouldhavebeenkng。Butnonemghtstrtheswordnormovet。Hesnothere，sadtheArchbshop，thatshallachevethesword，butdoubtnotGodwllmakehmknown。Butthssmycounsel，sadtheArchbshop，thatweletpurveytenknghts，menofgoodfame，andtheytokeepthssword。Sotwasordaned，andthentherewasmadeacry，thateverymanshouldassaythatwould，fortownthesword。AnduponNewYear’sDaythebaronsletmakeajoustsandatournament，thatallknghtsthatwouldjoustortourneytheremghtplay，andallthswasordanedfortokeepthelordstogetherandthecommons，fortheArchbshoptrustedthatGodwouldmakehmknownthatshouldwnthesword。
SouponNewYear’sDay，whentheservcewasdone，thebaronsrodeuntothefeld，sometojoustandsometotourney，andsothappenedthatSrEctor，thathadgreatlvelhoodaboutLondon，rodeuntothejousts，andwthhmrodeSrKayhsson，andyoungArthurthatwashsnourshedbrother；andSrKaywasmadeknghtatAllHallowmassafore。Soastheyrodetothejousts-
ward，SrKaylosthssword，forhehadlefttathsfather’slodgng，andsoheprayedyoungArthurfortordeforhssword。
wllwell，sadArthur，androdefastafterthesword，andwhenhecamehome，theladyandallwereouttoseethejoustng。
ThenwasArthurwroth，andsadtohmself，wllrdetothechurchyard，andtaketheswordwthmethatstckethnthestone，formybrotherSrKayshallnotbewthoutaswordthsday。Sowhenhecametothechurchyard，SrArthuralghtedandtedhshorsetothestle，andsohewenttothetent，andfoundnoknghtsthere，fortheywereatthejoustng。Andsohehandledtheswordbythehandles，andlghtlyandfercelypulledtoutofthestone，andtookhshorseandrodehswayuntlhecametohsbrotherSrKay，anddelveredhmthesword。AndassoonasSrKaysawthesword，hewstwelltwastheswordofthestone，andsoherodetohsfatherSrEctor，andsad：Sr，loherestheswordofthestone，whereforemustbekngofthsland。WhenSrEctorbeheldthesword，he<9CH。VHOWHE
PULLEDOUTTHESWORD>returnedaganandcametothechurch，andtheretheyalghtedallthree，andwentntothechurch。AndanonhemadeSrKayswearuponabookhowhecametothatsword。
Sr，sadSrKay，bymybrotherArthur，forhebroughtttome。
Howgatyethssword？sadSrEctortoArthur。Sr，wlltellyou。Whencamehomeformybrother’ssword，foundnobodyathometodelvermehssword；andsothoughtmybrotherSrKayshouldnotbeswordless，andsocamehthereagerlyandpulledtoutofthestonewthoutanypan。Foundyeanyknghtsaboutthssword？sadSrEctor。Nay，sadArthur。Now，sadSrEctortoArthur，understandyemustbekngofthsland。Wherefore，sadArthur，andforwhatcause？
Sr，sadEctor，forGodwllhavetso；forthereshouldnevermanhavedrawnoutthssword，buthethatshallberghtwsekngofthsland。Nowletmeseewhetheryecanputtheswordthereastwas，andpulltoutagan。Thatsnomastery，sadArthur，andsoheputtnthestone；wherewthalSrEctorassayedtopullouttheswordandfaled。
HowKngArthurpulledoutthesworddverstmes。
Nowassay，sadSrEctoruntoSrKay。Andanonhepulledattheswordwthallhsmght；buttwouldnotbe。Nowshallyeassay，sadSrEctortoArthur。wllwell，sadArthur，andpulledtouteasly。AndtherewthalSrEctorkneltdowntotheearth，andSrKay。Alas，sadArthur，myowndearfatherandbrother，whykneelyetome？Nay，nay，mylordArthur，tsnotso；wasneveryourfathernorofyourblood，butwotwellyeareofanhgherbloodthanweenedyewere。AndthenSrEctortoldhmall，howhewasbetakenhmfortonourshhm，andbywhosecommandment，andbyMerln’sdelverance。
ThenArthurmadegreatdolewhenheunderstoodthatSrEctorwasnothsfather。Sr，sadEctoruntoArthur，wllyebemygoodandgracouslordwhenyearekng？Elseweretoblame，sadArthur，foryearethemanntheworldthatammostbeholdento，andmygoodladyandmotheryourwfe，thataswellasherownhathfosteredmeandkept。AndfevertbeGod’swllthatbekngasyesay，yeshalldesreofmewhatmaydo，and
shallnotfalyou；GodforbdshouldfalyouSr，sadSrEctor，wllasknomoreofyou，butthatyewllmakemyson，yourfosterbrother，SrKay，seneschalofallyourlands。Thatshallbedone，sadArthur，andmore，bythefathofmybody，thatnevermanshallhavethatoffcebuthe，whleheandlveTherewthaltheywentuntotheArchbshop，andtoldhmhowtheswordwasacheved，andbywhom；andonTwelfth-dayallthebaronscamethther，andtoassaytotakethesword，whothatwouldassay。Butthereaforethemall，theremghtnonetaketoutbutArthur；whereforethereweremanylordswroth，andsadtwasgreatshameuntothemallandtherealm，tobeovergovernedwthaboyofnohghbloodborn。AndsotheyfelloutatthattmethattwasputofftllCandlemasandthenallthebaronsshouldmeetthereagan；butalwaysthetenknghtswereordanedtowatchthesworddayandnght，andsotheysetapavlonoverthestoneandthesword，andfvealwayswatched。
SoatCandlemasmanymoregreatlordscameththerfortohavewonthesword，buttheremghtnonepreval。AndrghtasArthurddatChrstmas，heddatCandlemas，andpulledouttheswordeasly，whereofthebaronsweresoreaggrevedandputtoffndelaytllthehghfeastofEaster。AndasArthurspedbefore，soddheatEaster；yetthereweresomeofthegreatlordshadndgnatonthatArthurshouldbekng，andputtoffnadelaytllthefeastofPentecost。
ThentheArchbshopofCanterburybyMerln’sprovdenceletpurveythenofthebestknghtsthattheymghtget，andsuchknghtsasUtherPendragonlovedbest<11CH。VHOWKNG
ARTHURWASCROWNED>andmosttrustednhsdays。AndsuchknghtswereputaboutArthurasSrBaudwnofBrtan，SrKay，SrUlfus，SrBrastas。Allthese，wthmanyother，werealwaysaboutArthur，dayandnght，tllthefeastofPentecost。
HowKngArthurwascrowned，andhowhemadeoffcers。
ANDatthefeastofPentecostallmannerofmenassayedtopullattheswordthatwouldassay；butnonemghtprevalbutArthur，andpulledtoutaforeallthelordsandcommonsthatwerethere，whereforeallthecommonscredatonce，WewllhaveArthuruntoourkng，wewllputhmnomorendelay，forweallseethattsGod’swllthatheshallbeourkng，andwhothatholdethaganstt，wewllslayhm。Andtherewthaltheykneeledatonce，bothrchandpoor，andcredArthurmercybecausetheyhaddelayedhmsolong，andArthurforgavethem，andtooktheswordbetweenbothhshands，andofferedtuponthealtarwheretheArchbshopwas，andsowashemadeknghtofthebestmanthatwasthere。Andsoanonwasthecoronatonmade。Andtherewasheswornuntohslordsandthecommonsfortobeatruekng，tostandwthtruejustcefromthenceforththedaysofthslfe。Alsothenhemadealllordsthatheldofthecrowntocomen，andtodoservceastheyoughttodo。AndmanycomplantsweremadeuntoSrArthurofgreatwrongsthatweredonesncethedeathofKngUther，ofmanylandsthatwerebereavedlords，knghts，lades，andgentlemen。WhereforeKngArthurmadethelandstobegvenaganuntothemthatownedthem。
Whenthswasdone，thattheknghadstablshedallthecountresaboutLondon，thenheletmakeSrKayseneschalofEngland；andSrBaudwnofBrtanwasmadeconstable；andSrUlfuswasmadechamberlan；andSrBrastaswasmadewardentowatuponthenorthfromTrentforwards，fortwasthattmethemostparty<12>thekng’senemes。ButwthnfewyearsafterArthurwonallthenorth，Scotland，andallthatwereundertherobessance。AlsoWales，apartoft，heldaganstArthur，butheovercamethemall，asheddtheremnant，throughthenobleprowessofhmselfandhsknghtsoftheRoundTable。
HowKngArthurheldnWales，ataPentecost，agreatfeast，andwhatkngsandlordscametohsfeast。
THENthekngremovedntoWales，andletcryagreatfeastthattshouldbeholdenatPentecostafterthencoronatonofhmatthectyofCarlon。UntothefeastcameKngLotofLothanandofOrkney，wthfvehundredknghtswthhm。AlsotherecametothefeastKngUrensofGorewthfourhundredknghtswthhm。AlsotherecametothatfeastKngNentresofGarlot，wthsevenhundredknghtswthhm。AlsotherecametothefeastthekngofScotlandwthshundredknghtswthhm，andhewasbutayoungman。AlsotherecametothefeastakngthatwascalledtheKngwththeHundredKnghts，butheandhsmenwerepassngwellbeseenatallponts。AlsotherecamethekngofCaradoswthfvehundredknghts。AndKngArthurwasgladofthercomng，forheweenedthatallthekngsandknghtshadcomeforgreatlove，andtohavedonehmworshpathsfeast；
whereforethekngmadegreatjoy，andsentthekngsandknghtsgreatpresents。Butthekngswouldnonereceve，butrebukedthemessengersshamefully，andsadtheyhadnojoytorecevenogftsofabeardlessboythatwascomeoflowblood，andsenthmwordtheywouldnoneofhsgfts，butthattheywerecometogvehmgftswthhardswordsbetwxttheneckandtheshoulders：andthereforetheycamethther，sotheytoldtothemessengersplanly，fortwasgreatshametoallthemtoseesuchaboytohavearuleofsonoblearealmasthslandwas。
Wththsanswerthemessengers<13CHAP。HOWKNGARTHURHELD
FEAST>departedandtoldtoKngArthurthsanswer。Wherefore，bytheadvceofhsbarons，hetookhmtoastrongtowerwthfvehundredgoodmenwthhm。Andallthekngsaforesadnamannerladasegeto-forehm，butKngArthurwaswellvctualed。AndwthnffteendaystherecameMerlnamongthemntothectyofCarlon。ThenallthekngswerepassnggladofMerln，andaskedhm，ForwhatcausesthatboyArthurmadeyourkng？Srs，sadMerln，shalltellyouthecause，forhesKngUtherPendragon’sson，bornnwedlock，gottenongrane，theduke’swfeofTntagl。Thensheabastard，theysadall。Nay，sadMerln，afterthedeathoftheduke，morethanthreehours，wasArthurbegotten，andthrteendaysafterKngUtherweddedgrane；andthereforeprovehmhesnobastard。Andwhosathnay，heshallbekngandovercomeallhsenemes；and，orhede，heshallbelongkngofallEngland，andhaveunderhsobessanceWales，reland，andScotland，andmorerealmsthanwllnowrehearse。SomeofthekngshadmarvelofMerln’swords，anddeemedwellthattshouldbeashesad；andsomeofthemlaughedhmtoscorn，asKngLot；andmoreothercalledhmawtch。ButthenweretheyaccordedwthMerln，thatKngArthurshouldcomeoutandspeakwththekngs，andtocomesafeandtogosafe，suchsurancetherewasmade。SoMerlnwentuntoKngArthur，andtoldhmhowhehaddone，andbadehmfearnot，butcomeoutboldlyandspeakwththem，andsparethemnot，butanswerthemastherkngandcheftan；foryeshallovercomethemall，whethertheywllornll。
返回顶部