Medieval Arthurian Legend

Sir Thomas Malory: Le Morte d'Arthur

15th century, late-Medieval English.

Sailing towards them was a vessel, adorned in red silk. Inside was a bed draped with fine cloth and upon it a knight fully armed except for his head.

So thus they rode untyll they cam to Humbir banke - so they rode until they came to the banks of the River Humber where they heard sounds of lamentation carried in on the wind. Sailing towards them was a vessel, adorned in red silk. It came to shore close by, and Sir Tristram and his knights dismounted and went aboard. Inside was a bed draped with fine cloth and upon it a knight fully armed except for his head. He was covered in blood with some ghastly wounds disfiguring an otherwise handsome form.

‘Jesus! How did this happen,’ said Sir Tristram, then he noticed a letter in the dead knight’s hand. ‘Master mariners!’ he exclaimed. ‘What is the meaning of this letter?’

‘Sir,’ they replied, ‘this letter will explain everything. But you must know this, that no man will be able to remove this letter from his grasp and read it unless he is a good knight and will faithfully promise to avenge this knight’s death - 'and ellis shall there no knyght se that lettir opyn.’

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