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                            LE MORTE DARTHUR

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[Illustration]

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                            LE MORTE DARTHUR


                       _Sir Thomas Malory’s Book
                of King Arthur and of his Noble Knights
                          of the Round Table_


                          =The Text of Caxton=

                     _EDITED, WITH AN INTRODUCTION_

                                   BY

                       SIR EDWARD STRACHEY, BART.


             Si quando indigenas revocabo in carmina reges,
             Arturumque etiam sub terris bella moventem;
             Aut dicam invictae sociali foedere mensae
             Magnanimos Heroas.—MILTON.




                                =London=
                           MACMILLAN AND CO.
                              AND NEW YORK
                                  1893

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                                 Oxford

                 HORACE HART, PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

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                                   TO

                            FRANCES STRACHEY

                     HER FATHER INSCRIBES THIS BOOK

                       THE INTRODUCTION TO WHICH

                   COULD NOT HAVE BEEN NOW RE-WRITTEN

                            WITHOUT HER HELP

                 IN MAKING THE EAR FAMILIAR WITH WORDS

                   WHICH THE EYE CAN NO LONGER READ.

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                 ADVERTISEMENT TO THE PRESENT EDITION.


The Introduction to the first edition of this volume included an
account of the Text in the various editions of Sir Thomas Malory’s
‘Morte Darthur,’ and an attempt to estimate the character and worth of
his book. The publication of Dr. Sommer’s edition of the Text and
Prolegomena, demands that I should complete my bibliography by an
account of this important work; and it enables me, by help of this
learned writer’s new information, to confirm, while enlarging, my
former criticism. I have, therefore, revised and re-written the two
first sections of the Introduction. The Essay on Chivalry remains, but
for a few verbal changes, as it was first printed.

  SUTTON COURT,

    _November, 1891_.

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                               CONTENTS.


                             INTRODUCTION.

               §1. THE AUTHORSHIP AND MATTER OF THE BOOK.

                                                                    PAGE

Origin of the Book.—Its claim to be called a poem.—Epic in
  plan.—Malory’s use of the old romances.—His History and
  Geography.—Camelot.—Glastonbury.—Almesbury.—Joyous Gard.—The
  Sangreal.—Influence on our language, letters, life.—Morality of
  the Book.—Spenser, Milton, Tennyson.—Malory, Caxton

                                                                      ix


                 §2. THE TEXT AND ITS SEVERAL EDITIONS.

The edition of Caxton, 1485.—Those of Wynkyn de Worde, 1498
  and 1529.—Of Copland, 1557.—Of East, without date.—Of
  Stansby, 1634.—Editions of 1816.—Southey’s edition of
  1817.—Discovery of interpolations in that edition.—Mr.
  Wright’s editions, 1858 and 1866.—Character and object of
  the present edition.—Abridgements.—Extracts.—Dr. Sommer’s
  edition, 1889-91

                                                                    xxxi


                       §3. AN ESSAY ON CHIVALRY.

Origin of Chivalry.—Contest of Civilization with Barbarism.—The
  Chevalier and the Knight.—His education.—Amadis and
  Oriana.—The Black Prince.—Birth not essential to
  Knighthood.—The Lady.—Queen Philippa.—Decay of
  Chivalry.—Knights of Malta.—Modern Manners

                                                                 xxxviii


                        THE BOOK OF KING ARTHUR


         PREFACE OF WILLIAM CAXTON                            1

         THE TABLE OR RUBRYSSHE OF THE CONTENTS OF CHAPTERS   3

         THE BOOK OF KING ARTHUR, BOOKS I TO XXI             25

         NOTES                                              488

         GLOSSARY AND INDEX                                 493

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                             INTRODUCTION.


               §1. THE AUTHORSHIP AND MATTER OF THE BOOK.


                          ORIGIN OF THE BOOK.

We owe this our English Epic of Le Morte Darthur to Sir Thomas Malory,
and to William Caxton the first English printer. Caxton’s Preface shows
(what indeed would have been certain from his appeal to the ‘Knights of
England’ at