The Story of the Grail and the Passing of ArthurPyle, Howard
General
The Story of the Grail and the Passing of Arthur
Pyle, Howard
Arthur, King -- Legends; Arthurian romances -- Adaptations; Folklore -- England; Grail -- Legends; Knights and knighthood -- Folklore
In that blow he smote Sir Colgrance upon the head, and the blow bit
through the bascinet upon his head and it smote deep into the bone of
the brain so that Sir Colgrance fell down grovelling to the earth, and
immediately he died.
Then Sir Launcelot seized Sir Colgrance’s body by the shoulders and
dragged it into the room ere the others had recovered, and immediately
he bolted and barred the door as it was before. And Sir Launcelot said
to the Queen, “Lady, here hath Providence delivered armor into my hands.
I prithee aid me to arm myself.”
[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot armeth himself in Sir Colgrance’s armor._]
So the Queen and her affrighted ladies hastened to Sir Launcelot and
together they stripped the armor off the body of Sir Colgrance. And they
assisted Sir Launcelot to clothe himself very quickly and nimbly in that
armor. Then, having thus armed himself in the armor of Sir Colgrance,
Sir Launcelot came to the door of the room and he spoke to those
without, and he said to them, “Messires, what is it you would have with
me?” They say, “We would have you come forth and surrender yourself to
us so that we may take you to King Arthur.” Sir Launcelot said, “I
cannot surrender myself to you, but this I will promise to do: if you
will go hence and leave me in peace, I will surrender myself to King
Arthur to-morrow morning, and will then abide by his justice.” Sir
Agravaine said, “We will not do this. We will not trust thee. Deliver
thyself to us immediately, or we will slay thee.”
[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot assaileth his enemies._]
Then Sir Launcelot said, “I come!” and therewith he flung wide open the
door. And Sir Launcelot strode out amongst them like to a lion into the
midst of a pack of dogs. And they beheld that Sir Launcelot was clad all
in the armor of Sir Colgrance. And Sir Launcelot fronted Sir Agravaine
and the eyes of Sir Launcelot flashed forth pure fire from under the
vizor of his bascinet. And Sir Launcelot strode to Sir Agravaine, crying
out, “Thou first!” And therewith he smote Sir Agravaine with might and
main.
Sir Agravaine warded the blow, but so wonderfully powerful was it that
it smote down that ward; and it smote Sir Agravaine upon the bascinet;
and it cut through the iron of the bascinet and through the bone of the
brain pan and into the brain itself.
[Sidenote: _He slayeth Sir Agravaine and several others._]
Then Sir Agravaine cried out very terribly and fell down dying to the
earth; and Sir Launcelot put his foot upon the neck of Sir Agravaine,
and wrenched forth the sword out of the cut that he had made. Then Sir
Launcelot smote to the right hand and to the left; and of those eleven
knights who were with Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred he slew nine in that
little room. And he smote Sir Mordred upon the shoulder so that he
sheared the flesh of the arm, a great slice from the bone, and the other
two knights were more or less wounded, so that anon they fled in tumult
from that place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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