Book I:1. For the Love of a Woman

Our story begins, as do many stories, because of the beauty of a woman.

During the days of Uther Pendragon, when he reigned as king of all England, there was a mighty duke in Cornwall who fought against him for a long time. The duke was called Gorlios, the duke of Tintagil. King Uther, pretending to want to make peace with the duke, sent for him, telling him to bring his wife with him. What the lusty unmarried king really wanted was to see the lady for himself, for she was said to be a lady fair in looks, and known as very wise, and her name was Igraine.

When the duke and his wife came to the king’s castle, they were welcomed by the great lords. When he first saw her, the king immediately fell in love with the lady and made a great show at greeting them. He could not hide his attraction for her and whispered his desires when he could get her aside. But she was a good woman, and would not consent to the king’s overtures. When they were alone, she told her husband, “I suppose we were brought here so that I should be dishonored. Therefore, husband, I counsel you that we leave immediately and ride all night to our own castle.”

And so in the dark of night, they departed, before the king or his council were even aware of their departing.

King Uther, furious at learning of their departure, called his privy council and told them of the duke and his wife’s actions. They advised the king to send for the two again. “If they will not come at your command, then you declare war once more upon him.”

So this was done and the messengers returned saying that neither he nor his wife would come to him. The king grew even angrier. And a second time, he sent to the duke and told him to get ready for within forty days he would fetch him out of the biggest castle he had. When the duke heard this warning, he quickly furnished two strong castles of his, one called Tintagil and the other called Terrabil. He put his wife, Dame Igraine, and their three daughters in Tintagil Castle the furthest from the king, and he went to Terrabil Castle. There he built many pavilions, and there King Uther's men attacked, with many people slain. Out of pure anger and love for fair Igraine, the King Uther fell sick.

A noble knight, Sir Ulfius, came to King Uther and asked him why he was sick. “I will tell you,” said the king, “I am sick from anger and from love of fair Igraine.”

“Well, my lord,” said Sir Ulfius, “I shall seek out Merlin, and he will make you a remedy that will please your heart.”

So Ulfius departed, and by chance met Merlin disguised as a beggar. Merlin asked Ulfius whom he sought. Ulfius, disgusted by the beggar's smell, was ready to leave when Merlin said, “Well, I know whom you seek. You seek Merlin; therefore, seek no more for I am he. And if King Uther will well reward me, and fulfill my desire, which will bring him more honor and profit than mine, I will give him his desire. “

“I will do so,” said UIlfius, “as long as what you desire is reasonable.”

“Well,” said Merlin, “he will have what he intends and desires. Ride on your way and I will not be far behind.”

Ulfius was pleased as he left, and rode quickly to King Uther Pendragon’s pavillion, and told him of his encounter with Merlin.

“Where is he?” asked the king.

“Sir,” said Ulfius, “he will be here shortly.” And immediately he saw Merlin standing at the porch of the pavilion’s door. Merlin came to the king.

When King Uther saw him, he said, “You are welcome.”

“Sir,” said Merlin, “I know all your heart desires. If you will swear, as a true anointed king, to grant my desire, you shall have yours.”

Then the king swore upon the four Evangelists.

“Sir,” said Merlin, “this is my desire: the first night that you lie with Igraine, you will get her a child. When it is born, it shall be delivered to me to nourish.

“I will do as you ask,” said the king.

“Now get ready,” said Merlin. “This night you shall lie with Igraine in the castle of Tintagil, and you shall look to all who see you to be the duke her husband. Ulfius shall look like Sir Brastias, a knight of the duke’s, and I will be like a knight named Sir Jordans, one of the duke’s knights. Don’t answer her questions nor her men's, but say you are ill. So get you to her bed, and rise not on the morning until I come to you, for the castle of Tintagil is only ten miles from here.”

So they did as they had planned. But the duke of Tintagil saw how the king rode from the siege of Terrabil and that night went out from his castle in hopes to attack the king. But when he went out, he himself was slain before the king had even reached Tintagil.

After the death of the duke, King Uther lay with Igraine more than three hours after the duke’s death, and he begat on her that night Arthur. Before daybreak, Merlin came to the king and bid him to get ready. So the king kissed the lady Igraine and left quickly.

When the lady heard that her husband was by all reports dead before King Uther came to her, she wondered who had lain with her in the likeness of her lord. So she mourned privately and kept silent.

All the barons by vote advised the king to marry the lady Igraine. The king sent Ulfius to make a treaty and at last, the king and she met together.

“Now will we do well,” said Ulfius, “our king is a lusty knight and wifeless, and my lady Igraine is a passing fair lady. It would be great joy for us all if the king would make her his queen.” The barons all agreed and proposed it to the king. And immediately, like a lusty knight, he agreed with good will.

And in all haste they were married in a morning with great mirth and joy. And King Lot of Lothian and of Orkeny then wedded Igraine’s daughter Margawse (who became Gawaine’s mother), and King Nentres of the land of Garlot wedded Igraine’s daughter Elaine. All this was done at the request of King Uther. And the third sister, Morgan le Fay, was put to a school in a nunnery, and there she learned so much that she was a great student of sorcery. Later when she came of age, she was wedded to King Uriens of the land of Gore, who was Sir Ewain’s le Blanchemain’s father.

Queen Igraine grew bigger and bigger; so after about six months, as King Uther lay beside his queen, he asked her, “Whose child is within your body.” She turned away too ashamed to even answer him.

“Don’t worry,” said the king, “but tell me the truth and I will love you all the more for it.”

“Sir,” she said, “I will tell you the truth. The same night that my lord died, at the hour of his death, as his knights recorded it, there came into my castle of Tintagil a man in voice and countenance like my lord, and two knights came with him in the likeness of his two knights Brastias and Jordans. So I went to bed with him as I ought to do with my lord. That same night, as I swear to God, this child was begotten upon me.”

“That is the truth,” said the king, “as you say. For it was I myself that came in the likeness, and therefore don’t be dismayed because I am father of the chlld. And then he told her everything, how it was done by Merlin’s counsel. The queen felt great joy knowing who had sired her child.

Soon came Merlin to the king and said, “Sir, you must provide for who will nurse the child.”

“As you will,” said the king, “so be it.”

“Well,” said Merlin, "I know a lord of yours in this land who is true and faithful, and he would do well raising your child. His name is Sir Ector, and he is owns many lands in England and Wales. Let Sir Ector be sent for to come and speak with you, and ask him, as he loves you, that he will send his own baby to another to nurse, and that his wife will nourish yours. When the child is born, let it be delivered to me at yonder secret rear gate unchristened.”

So as Merlin devised, it was done.

And when Sir Ector came, he made an agreement with the king to nourish the child just as the king desired; and the king in turn granted Sir Ector great rewards.

When the lady was delivered, the king commanded two knights and two ladies to take the infant, bound in a cloth of gold, “to deliver him to what poor man you find at the secret rear gate of the castle.” So the child was delivered to Merlin, and so he took him to Sir Ector, and he made a holy man christen him and named him Arthur. And Sir Ector’s wife nourished Arthur with her own breasts.

Within a few years, King Uther fell sick of a great illness. His enemies took advantage of his illness and tried to overthrow him, did a great battle upon his men and killed many of his people.
“Sir,” said Merlin, “you may not lie down as you do, for you must go to the battlefield, though you ride on a horse litter. For you shall be defeated unless you are there in person, only then shall you have your victory.”

So it was done as Merlin devised, and they carried the king in a horse-litter with a great bodyguard toward his enemies. And at St. Albans a great host from the north met with the king. And that day Sir Ulfius and Sir Brastias did great deeds in battle, and King Uther’s men overcame the Northern army and killed many men and put the rest to flight. And then the king returned to London, and celebrated his victory.

But then the king grew even sicker, so that for three days and three nights, he was speechless. All his barons felt great sorrow and went to Merlin to ask his counsel.

“There is no other remedy,” said Merlin, “but that God will have his will. But look you, all barons, come to King Uther tomorrow, and God and I shall make him speak.”

So the next morning, all the barons with Merlin came before the king. Merlin said aloud to King Uther, “Sir, shall your son Arthur be king to follow after you, of this realm with all its connected lands?”

Uther Pendragon turned to him and said for all of them to hear, “I give him God’s blessing and my blessing, and bid him pray for my soul, and without guilt and with fear of the Lord, he claim the crown as symbol of my blessing.” With that, King Uther died, and he was interred as befit a king. Fair Igraine and all the barons showed great sorrow.