Chapter 18

CHAPTER XVIII.
MORTE D'ARTHUR. "And now the whole ROUND TABLE is dissolved,
Which was an image of the mighty world,
And I, the last, go forth companionless;
And the days darken round me, and the years
Among new men, strange faces, other minds."- TENNYSON. SIR MODRED was left ruler of all England, and he caused letters to
be written, as if from beyond sea, that King Arthur was slain in
battle. So he called a Parliament, and made himself be crowned king;
and he took the queen, Guenever, and said plainly that he would wed
her, but she escaped from him, and took refuge in the Tower of London.
And Sir Modred went and laid siege about the Tower of London, and made
great assaults thereat, but all might not avail him. Then came word to
Sir Modred that King Arthur had raised the siege of Sir Launcelot, and
was coming home. Then Sir Modred summoned all the barony of the
land; and much people drew unto Sir Modred, and said they would
abide with him for better and for worse; and he drew a great host to
Dover, for there he heard say that King Arthur would arrive.
And as Sir Modred was at Dover with his host, came King Arthur, with
a great number of ships and galleys, and there was Sir Modred awaiting
upon the landing. Then was there launching of great boats and small,
full of noble men of arms, and there was much slaughter, of gentle
knights on both parts. But King Arthur was so courageous, there
might no manner of knights prevent him to land, and his knights
fiercely followed him; and so they landed, and put Sir Modred aback so
that he fled, and all his people. And when the battle was done, King
Arthur commanded to bury his people that were dead. And then was noble
Sir Gawain found, in a great boat, lying more than half dead. And King
Arthur went to him, and made sorrow out of measure. "Mine uncle," said
Sir Gawain, "know thou well my death-day is come, and all is through
mine own hastiness and wilfulness, for I am smitten upon the old wound
which Sir Launcelot gave me, of the which I feel I must die. And had
Sir Launcelot been with you as of old, this war had never begun, and
of all this I am the cause." Then Sir Gawain prayed the king to send
for Sir Launcelot, and to cherish him above all other knights. And so,
at the hour of noon, Sir Gawain yielded up his spirit, and then the
king bade inter him in a chapel within Dover Castle; and there all men
may see the skull of him, and the same wound is seen that Sir
Launcelot gave him in battle.
Then was it told the king that Sir Modred had pitched his camp
upon Barrendown; and the king rode thither, and there was a great
battle betwixt them, and King Arthur's party stood best, and Sir
Modred and his party fled unto Canterbury.
And there was a day assigned