Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XIII CHAPTER II

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 CHAPTER II
 
 How the letters were found written in the Siege Perilous
 and of the marvellous adventure of the sword in a stone.
 
 
 NOW fair sir, said Sir Launcelot, will ye come with me
 unto the court of King Arthur?  Nay, said he, I will not
 go with you as at this time.  Then he departed from them
 and took his two cousins with him, and so they came unto
 Camelot by the hour of underne on Whitsunday.  By that
 time the king and the queen were gone to the minster to
 hear their service.  Then the king and the queen were
 passing glad of Sir Bors and Sir Lionel, and so was all the
 fellowship.  So when the king and all the knights were
 come from service, the barons espied in the sieges of the
 Round Table all about, written with golden letters:  Here
 ought to sit he, and he ought to sit here.  And thus they
 went so long till that they came to the Siege Perilous,
 where they found letters newly written of gold which said:
 Four hundred winters and four and fifty accomplished
 after the passion of our Lord Jesu Christ ought this siege
 to be fulfilled.  Then all they said:  This is a marvellous
 thing and an adventurous.  In the name of God, said Sir
 Launcelot; and then accompted the term of the writing
 from the birth of our Lord unto that day.  It seemeth me
 said Sir Launcelot, this siege ought to be fulfilled this same
 day, for this is the feast of Pentecost after the four hundred
 and four and fifty year; and if it would please all parties,
 I would none of these letters were seen this day, till he be
 come that ought to enchieve this adventure.  Then made
 they to ordain a cloth of silk, for to cover these letters in
 the Siege Perilous.
 
 Then the king bade haste unto dinner.  Sir, said Sir
 Kay the Steward, if ye go now unto your meat ye shall
 break your old custom of your court, for ye have not used
 on this day to sit at your meat or that ye have seen some
 adventure.  Ye say sooth, said the king, but I had so
 great joy of Sir Launcelot and of his cousins, which be
 come to the court whole and sound, so that I bethought
 me not of mine old custom.  So, as they stood speaking,
 in came a squire and said unto the king:  Sir, I bring unto
 you marvellous tidings.  What be they? said the king.
 Sir, there is here beneath at the river a great stone which
 I saw fleet above the water, and therein I saw sticking a
 sword.  The king said:  I will see that marvel.  So all
 the knights went with him, and when they came to the
 river they found there a stone fleeting, as it were of red
 marble, and therein stuck a fair rich sword, and in the
 pommel thereof were precious stones wrought with subtle
 letters of gold.  Then the barons read the letters which
 said in this wise:  Never shall man take me hence, but
 only he by whose side I ought to hang, and he shall be the
 best knight of the world.
 
 When the king had seen the letters, he said unto Sir
 Launcelot:  Fair Sir, this sword ought to be yours, for I
 am sure ye be the best knight of the world.  Then Sir
 Launcelot answered full soberly:  Certes, sir, it is not my
 sword; also, Sir, wit ye well I have no hardiness to set
 my hand to it, for it longed not to hang by my side.
 Also, who that assayeth to take the sword and faileth of
 it, he shall receive a wound by that sword that he shall not
 be whole long after.  And I will that ye wit that this same
 day shall the adventures of the Sangreal, that is called the
 Holy Vessel, begin