Edgware Road
Medieval Arthurian Legend
Sir Thomas Malory: Le Morte d'Arthur
15th century, late-Medieval English.
There are those in many parts of England who say that King Arthur is not dead, but was taken, by the will of our Lord Jesus, into another place; and men say that he will return and that he shall win the Holy Cross. I cannot say that I am convinced of this, but I would rather say – but rather I wolde sey: here in thys world he chaunged hys lyff.
Here in this world he changed his life.
‘Comfort yourself,’ said King Arthur to Sir Bedivere as the king lay mortally wounded after his final battle. For I muste into the Vale of Avylyon to hele me of my grevous wounde.
Thus of Arthur I fynde no more wrytten in bokis
says Sir Thomas Malory – I can find nothing more written in books about King Arthur, nor can I even confirm that he truly died, just that he was led away in a ship by three queens: his sister Morgan le Fay, the Queen of North Galis and the Queen of the Wastelands. And in the boat as well was the Lady of the Lake.
I can find no more than this concerning the death of King Arthur; except that these ladies brought him to his grave and that someone lay there, as witnessed by the former Archbishop of Canterbury who had been stripped of his office by Mordred. And yet this man could not say for certain that the body which lay there was that of King Arthur; it was Sir Bedivere who caused the inscription claiming this to be written.
There are those in many parts of England who say that King Arthur is not dead, but was taken, by the will of our Lord Jesus, into another place; and men say that he will return and that he shall win the Holy Cross. I cannot say that I am convinced of this, but I would rather say – but rather I wolde sey: here in thys world he chaunged hys lyff.
Here in this world he changed his life.