with his fellowship, 126, 9 undertake he will do marvels, 126,18 likeliest knight, 126, 31 my heart giveth unto you, 127, 7 with a rich burgess, 128, 6 a strong assail, 128, 27 might not serve him thereto, 130, 19 suffer me, 131, 6 a full noble surgeon, 131, 27 prayed him for succor, 132, 5 bring him to knowledge, 132, 21 openly disclosed, 135, 20 lost his countenance, 136, 28 mighty prowess, 144, 4 THE PASSING OF ARTHUR HOW SIR MODRED PLOTTED AGAINST SIR LANCELOT AND OF THE DEATH OF SIR GAWAIN AND TWELVE KNIGHTS Before Merlin passed from the world of men, he uttered many marvelous prophecies and one that boded ill for King Arthur. He foretold that a son of Arthur’s sister should stir up bitter war against the King and that a great battle should be fought in the West when many brave men should find their doom. Among the nephews of King Arthur was one most dishonorable; his name was Modred. No knightly deed had he ever done and he hated even to hear the good report of others. Of all who sat at the Round Table there was none that Modred hated more than Sir Lancelot du Lac, whom all true knights held in most honor. In his jealous rage he spoke evil of the Queen and Sir Lancelot. Now Modred’s brothers, Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth, refused to listen to these slanders, holding that Sir Lancelot, in his knightly service to the Queen, did honor to King Arthur also. When these evil tales reached King Arthur, he rebuked the tale bearers and declared his faith in Sir Lancelot and his lady, the Queen. But Modred, enraged by the rebuke, determined to find cause against them, and not long after it seemed that the occasion had come. For when King Arthur had ridden forth to hunt far from Carlisle, where he then held court, the Queen sent for Lancelot to speak with her in her bower. Modred and his brother, Sir Agravaine, got together twelve knights, persuading them that they were doing the King a service. They waited until they saw Lancelot enter all unarmed and then called to him to come forth. The whole court echoed with their cries of “Traitor.” Lancelot, arming himself in haste, rushed out upon them and soon the entire company lay cold in death upon the earth. Only Modred escaped, for he fled, but even so he was sore wounded. OF THE TRIAL OF THE QUEEN When Modred escaped from Sir Lancelot he got to horse, all wounded as he was, and never drew rein until he had found King Arthur, to whom he told all that had happened. Then great was the King’s grief. Despite all that Modred could say, he was slow to doubt Sir Lancelot, whom he loved, but his mind was filled with forebodings; for many a knight had been slain and well he knew that their kin would seek vengeance on Sir Lancelot, and the noble fellowship of the Round Table be utterly destroyed by their feuds.