The Crowning of Arthur

[Narrator] King Uther Pendragon, rule of all Britain, had been at

war for many years with the Duke of Tintagil in Cornwall when
he was told of the beauty of Lady Igraine, the duke’s wife. He
called a truce and invited the duke and Igraine to his court. He
prepared a feast for them, as soon as they arrived, he was
formerly reconciled to the duke through the good officers of his
courtiers. King Uther grew passionately desirous of Igraine and
begged her to become his paramour. Igraine, however, being as
naturally loyal as she was beautiful, refused him.
Igraine – I suppose, that the king arranged this truce only
because he wanted to me his mistress. I suggest we leave at
once, without warning, and ride overnight to our castle.
[Narrator] The duke agreed with her and they left the court
secretly. The king was enraged by Igraine’s flight and
summoned his privy council. They advised him to command the
fugitives’ return under threat of renewing the war; but when
this was done, the duke and Igraine defied his summons. King
Uther fell sick.
Sir Ulfius – What is the matter, my lord?
King Uther – Igraine has broken my heart. And unless I can win
her, I shall never recover.
Sir Ulfius – Sire, Surely Merlin the Prophet could find some
means to help you? I will go in search of him.
[Narrator] Sir Ulfius had not ridden far when he was accosted
by a hideous beggar.
Beggar (Merlin) – For whom are you searching for?
[Narrator] Sir Ulfius Ignored him.
Beggar (Merlin) – Very well, I will tell you: you are searching for
Merlin, and you need look no further, for I am he. Now go to
king Uther and tell him that I will make Igraine his if he will
reward me as I ask; and even that will be more to his benefit
than to mine.
Sir Ulfius – I am sure, that the king will refuse you nothing
reasonable.
Merlin – Then, go and I shall follow you.
Sir Ulfius galloped back to the king and delivered Marlin’s
message, which he hardly completed when Merlin himself
appeared at the entrance to the pavilion.
Merlin – Sire, I know that you are in love with Igraine; will you
swear, as an anointed king, to give into my care the child that
she bears you, if I make her yours?
[Narrator] The king swore on the gospel that he would do so.
Merlin – Tonight you shall appear before Igraine at Tintagil in
the likeness of her husband, the duke. Sir Ulfius and I will
appear as two of the duke’s knights: Sir Brastius and Sir
Jordanus. Do not question either Igraine of her men, but say
that you are sick and retire to bed. I will fetch you early in the
morning, do not rise until I come; fortunately Tintagil is only ten
miles from here.
[Narrator] The plan succeeded; Igraine was completely
deceived by the king’s impersonation of the duke, and gave
herself to him. Once it was known that the duke was dead, the
king’s nobles urged him to be reconciled to Igraine.
Sir Ulfius – And now, why should not the king marry the
beautiful Igraine? Surely it would be well for us all.
[Narrator] The marriage of King Uther and Igraine was
celebrated joyously three days later. A few months later it was
seen that Igraine was with child, and one night, as she lay in
bed with King Uther, he asked her who the father might be.
Igraine was greatly abashed.
King Uther – Do not look so dismayed, but tell me the truth,
and I swear that I shall love you the better for it.
Igraine – The truth is, that the night the duke died, about three
hours after his death, a man appeared in my castle, the exact
image of the duke. With him came two others who appeared to
be Sir Brastius and Sir Jordanus, Naturally I gave myself to this
man as I would have to the duke, and that night, I swear, this
child was conceived.
King Uther – Well spoken, well it was I who impersonated the
duke so the child is mine.
[Narrator] Sometime later, Merlin appeared before the king.
Merlin – Sire, you know that you must provide for the
upbringing of your child?
King Uther – I will do as you advise
Merlin – That is good, because it is my reward for having
arranged your impersonation of the duke. Your child is destined
for glory, I want him brought to me for baptism. I shall then
give him to the care of foster parents, Sir Ector would be
suitable.
[Narrator] Sir Ector was summoned and gladly agreed to the
king’s request, who then rewarded him handsomely. When the
child was born, he was once wrapped in a gold cloth and taken
by two knights and two ladies to Merlin. He took the child to a
priest and baptized him with the name of Arthur, and thence to
Sir Ector. Two years later, King Arthur fell sick and his enemies
once more overran his kingdom. His sickness grew worse and
after he had lain speechless for three days and three nights,
Merlin summoned the nobles to attend the king in his chamber
in the following morning.
Merlin – By the grace of God, I hope to make him speak.
[Narrator] In the morning, when all the nobles were assembled,
Marlin addressed the king.
Merlin – Sire, is it your will that Arthur shall succeed to the
throne, together with all its prerogatives?
[Narrator] The king stirred in his bed and then spoke so soon so
that all could hear.
King Uther – I bestow Arthur God’s blessing and my own, and
Arthur shall succeed to the throne on pain of forfeiting my
blessing.
[Narrator] Then King Uther gave up the ghost. He was buried
and mourned the next day. During the years that followed the
death of King Uther, while Arthur was still a child, the ambitious
barons fought one another for the throne. Finally, the day came
when the Archbishop of Canterbury summoned the nobility to
London for Christmas morning. The archbishop held his service
in the city’s greatest church, and when the matins were done,
the congregation filed out to the yard. They were confronted by
a marble block into which had been thrust a beautiful sword.
The sword passed through a steel anvil which had been struck
in the stone, and which projected a foot from it. The anvil had
been inscribed will letters of gold:
WHOSO PULLETH OUTE THIS SWERD OF THIS STONE AND
ANVYLD IS RIGHTWYS KYNGE BORNE OF ALL BRYTAGNE
The archbishop forbade anyone to touch the sword before the
mass had been heard. After mass, many of the nobles tried to
pull the sword out of the stone, but none was able to. A
tournament was proclaimed for New Year’s Day. Sir Ector rode
to the tournament with Arthur and his own son Sir Kay. Sir Kay
found to his annoyance that his sword was missing from its
sheath, so he begged Arthur to ride back and fetch it from their
lodging. Arthur found the door of the lodging to be locked. In
order to not disappoint his brother, he rode on to St. Paul’s,
determined to get for him the sword that was lodged into the
stone. Arthur strode up to the sword and tugged it free. He
then rode back to Sir Kaye and presented him with it. Sir kay
recognized the sword and, taking it to Sir Ector, said:
Sir Kay – Father, the succession falls to me, for I have here the
sword that was lodged in the stone. But Sir Ector insisted that
they should all ride to the churchyard, and once there, bound
Sir Kay by oath to tell how he had come by the sword. Sir Kay
then admitted that Arthur had given it to him Sir Ector turned
to Arthur and said:
Sir Ector – Was the sword not guarded?
Arthur – It was not.
Sir Ector – Would you please thrust it into the stone again?
[Narrator] Arthur did so, and first Sir Ector and then Sir Kay
tried to remove it but both were unable to. Then Arthur, for the
second time, pulled it out. Sir Ector and Sir Kay both knelt
before him.
Arthur – Why do you both kneel before me?
Sir Ector – My lord, there is only one man living who can draw
the sword from the stone, and he is the true-born king of
Britain.
[Narrator] Finally, at Pentecost, when once more Arthur had
been able to remove the sword, the commoners arose with a
tumultuous cry and demanded that Arthur should at once be
made king. All knelt before Arthur and begged for forgiveness
for having delayed his succession for so long. Arthur forgave
them and then, offering his sword at the high altar, was dubbed
as the first knight of the realm. The coronation took place after
a few days later, when Arthur swore to rule justly, and the
nobles swore him their allegiance.