Book 1:2. The Sword and the Stone

Then the realm stood in great peril for over ten years, as every lord who felt mighty enough vied to be king. Merlin went to the Archbishop of Canterbury and counseled him to send for all the lords of the realm that they should come to London by Christmas upon pain of excommunication and that Jesus, who was born on that night, would show by a miracle who should be the rightful king of the realm. The Archbishop followed Merlin’s advice and sent for all the lords and gentlemen of arms that they should come by Christmas to London. And many of them confessed their sins that their prayers might be more acceptable to God.

So in the greatest church in London--whether it was St. Paul’s or not, the French book that is my source makes no mention--all the greatest men of the realm came to pray. And when matins and the first mass were done, there was seen in the churchyard, behind the high altar, a great square stone, like a marble stone, and in the midst of it was what appeared to be an anvil of steel a foot high, and in it stuck a naked sword, on which was written: Whoever pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil is the rightful king born of all England.

A man marveled at the sight and ran to tell the Archbishop, who was presiding at Mass.

“I command,” said the Archbishop, “that you keep yourselves here in church, and continue praying to God; that no man touch the sword until the high Mass is done.”

So when all the masses were done, all the lords went to behold the stone and the sword. And when they saw what was written, some immediately tried to pull out the sword, as they would be king. But none could stir the sword nor move it.

“He is not here,” said the Archbishop, “that shall move the sword, but doubt not that God will soon make him known. This is my counsel, that we select ten knights, men of good fame, and they will protect the sword until it is time.” So it was ordained, and then someone cried that all men should try to win the sword. A pavilion was erected to protect the stone and the sword and the guards stood watch.

Upon New Year’s Day, the barons set up jousts and a tournament, that all knights there might play, and all this was ordained to keep the lords and commoners together, for the Archbishop trusted that God would make him known who should win the sword.

So on New Year’s Day, when the service was done, all the barons rode onto the field, some to joust, and some to tourney. So it happened that Sir Ector, who owned much property in London, rode to the jousts, and with him rode Sir Kay his son, and fifteen-year-old Arthur who was his nourished brother. Eighteen-year-old Sir Kay had been made knight at All Hallowmass before.
As they rode to the jousts, Sir Kay realized he had left his sword at his father’s lodging, and so he asked young Arthur to ride for his sword. “I will,” said Arthur, who rode fast after the sword. When he reached home, he found the lady and all were already gone to the jousting. Arthur was angry, and said to himself, “I will ride to the churchyard and take the sword with me that sticks in the stone, for my brother Sir Kay shall not be without a sword today.”

So when he came to the churchyard, Sir Arthur alit and tied his horse to the stile. He went into the tent that surrounded the stone and found no knight there since they were all that the joust. So he took the sword by the handles, and lightly and fiercely pulled it out of the stone. Getting back on his horse, he rode until he came to his brother Sir Kay and gave him the sword.
As soon as Sir Kay saw the sword, he knew it was the sword of the stone, and so he rode to his father Sir Ector, and said, “Sir, look here is the sword of the stone; therefore, I must be king of this land.”

When Sir Ector saw the sword, he returned again and came to the church. There the three alit and went into the church. Taking Sir Kay to the Bible, Sir Ector made Sir Kay swear upon it how he came to possess the sword.

“Sir,” said Sir Kay, "by my brother Arthur, for he brought it to me.”

“How got you this sword?” asked Sir Ector of Arthur.

“Sir, I will tell you. I found nobody at home to give me his sword, and I thought that my brother Sir Kay should not be swordless. So I came here and pulled it out of the stone without any pain.”

“Weren’t there any knights guarding the sword?” asked Sir Ector.

“No,” said Arthur.

“Now,” said Sir Ector to Arthur, “I understand that you must be king of this land.”

“Why me,” said Arthur, “for what reason?”

“Sir,” said Ector, “for God has declared it so, for no man can draw forth this sword unless he is the rightful king of this land. Now, let me see whether you can put the sword back and pull it out again.”

“That requires no skill,” said Arthur, and so he put it in the stone. Immediately Sir Ector tried to pull out the sword and failed.

“Now you try,” said Sir Ector to Sir Kay. At once he pulled at the sword with all his might, but it would not move. “Now shall you try,” said Sir Ector to Arthur. “I will,” said Arthur, and pulled it out easily. And immediately, Sir Ector knelt down on the ground before Arthur and Sir Kay joined him.

“Alas,” said Arthur, “my own dear father and brother, why kneel before me?”

“No, no, my lord Arthur, it is not so. I am not your father, nor are you my blood. You are of higher blood than I thought you were.” And then Sir Ector told him all, how he was given to him to be nourished, and by whose commandment, and by Merlin’s involvement. Arthur cried when he understood that Sir Ector was not his father.

“Sir,” said Ector to Arthur, “will you be my good and gracious lord when you are king?”

“I would be a bad person,” said Arthur, “for you are the man I owe the most to in the world, and my good lady and mother your wife, who has nurtured and kept me as her own. And if it ever be God’s will that I be king as you tell me, whatever you desire I will do for you. I shall not fail you; God forbid I should fail you.”

“Sir,” said Sir Ector, “I will ask no more of you, but that you make my son, your foster brother, Sir Kay, seneschal, chief steward of all your lands.”

“That shall be done,” said Arthur, “and more, for I promise that no man shall have that office but he as long as he and I live."

With all that, they went to the Archbishop, and told him how the sword was drawn and by whom. And on Twelfth-day (January 5th), all the barons came to make their attempts at drawing the sword. But no one succeeded but Arthur. Many of the lords were angry and said it was a great shame on all of them and the realm that a boy of no noble birth should govern them. And so they disputed and argued and put off until Candlemas (February 2nd) a decision. But always the ten knights were charged to watch the sword day and night, and so they constructed a larger tent, a pavilion, over the stone and the sword, and five always watched.

On Candlemas, many more great lords came to win the sword, but none of them prevailed. And just as Arthur did at Christmas, he did at Candlemas, and pulled out the sword with ease. The barons were even more aggravated and delayed a decision until the high feast of Easter. And as he did before, so he did at Easter, yet some of the great lords again refused to accept the feat. So finally it was delayed until the feast of Pentecost. Then the Archbishop of Canterbury by Merlin’s guidance announced that the best of the knights might again try, including many of the knights that Uther Pendragon best loved and trusted the most. And Arthur was protected by such knights as Sir Baudwin of Britian, Sir Kay, Sir Ulfius, and Sir Brastias. All of these, and others, were always with Arthur day and night, until the feast of Pentecost.

At the feast of Pentecost, all manner of men tried to pull at the sword, but none succeeded but Arthur, who pulled it out before all the lords and commons that were there. Whereupon, all the commons cried at once, “We will have Arthur as our king. We will have no more delay, for we all see that it is God’s will that he shall be our king, and he who disagrees, we will kill.”

And they all kneeled at once, both rich and poor, and asked Arthur for mercy because they had delayed so long. Arthur forgave them and took the sword in both his hands and offered it upon the altar where the Archbishop was, and so he was made knight of the best men that were there.
Quickly a coronation was made. And there he swore unto his lords and the commons to be a true king, to stand for true justice for the rest of his life. Also, then he made all lords that held of the crown to come in and do the service as they had done. And many complaints were made to Sir Arthur of great wrongs that had been done since the death of King Uther, of many lands that had been taken from lords, knights, ladies, and gentleman. Arthur returned the lands to their rightful owners. When this was done, the king made Sir Kay seneschal of England, Sir Baudwin of Britain was made constable, Sir Ulfius was made chamberlain; and Sir Brastias made warden to guard the north from Trent forwards, for most of the king’s enemies were from that area. But within a few years, Arthur had won all the north, Scotland and all that were under their control. Also Wales, a part of it held against Arthur, but he overcame them all, as he did the remnant, through the noble prowess of himself and his knights of the Round Table.