Pollard. King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table

Today's free book is The romance of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table by Alfred Pollard (1917), adapted from Malory with illustrations by Arthur Rackham. For the table of contents, check at the bottom of this post below the image.

The book is available at Hathi (I have not checked for other online sources).


Table of Contents

Of the birth of King Arthur and of his nurture

Of the death of King Uther Pendragon, and how Arthur was chosen king

How King Arthur was crowned, and how he made officers and held a great feast, and of the war that he had, and how he held the field

Of King Arthur and King Pellinore and how Arthur sent for his mother

How Arthur fought with King Pellinore and how Merlin saved Arthur's life, and Arthur by the mean of Merlin gat his sword Excalibur

How King Arthur wedded Guenever, daughter to Leodegrance, king of the land of Cameliard, with whom he had the Round Table, and how Tor and Gawaine were made knights 

How Merlin was assotted and doted on one of the ladies of the lake, and how he was shut in a rock under a stone and there died

How King Arthur, King Uriens, and Sir Accolon of Gaul, chased an hart, and of their marvellous adventures, and how King Arthur and Accolon took upon them to do battle 

Of the battle between King Arthur and Accolon, and how Accolon confessed the treason of Morgan le Fay 

How Queen Morgan le Fay made great sorrow for the death of Accolon, and how she stole away the scabbard from Arthur, and of the mantle she sent to him

How Sir Launcelot and Sir Lionel departed from the court, and how Sir Lionel was taken, and how four queens found Sir Launcelot sleeping and led him to a castle 

How Sir Launcelot was delivered by the mean of a damosel, and fought for her father. King Bagdemagus, in a tournament 

How Sir Launcelot fought with Sir Turquine and slew him, and sent Sir Gaheris to deliver all Sir Turquine's prisoners

How Sir Launcelot rode with a damosel and slew a knight that distressed all ladies and how he delivered Sir Kay 

How Sir Launcelot rode disguised in Sir Kay's harness and overthrew four knights of the Round Table, and how he was required of a damosel to heal her brother 

How Sir Launcelot came into the Chapel Perilous and how he healed the damosel's brother and returned to King Arthur's court

How Beaumains came to King Arthur's court and asked three gifts of King Arthur, and of a damosel that desired a knight to fight for a lady, and how Beaumains desired the battle

How Beaumains departed, and how he gat of Sir Kay a spear and a shield, and how he jousted with Sir Launcelot, and of him was dubbed knight 

How Beaumains fought and slew two knights at a passage, and how he slew also the Knight of the Black Launds 

How two brothers of the Black Knight met with Beaumains, and fought with Beaumains till they were yielden, and how the damosel still rebuked him

How Sir Beaumains answered the damosel patiently, and how he fought with the fourth brother, Sir Persant of Inde, and made him to be yielden

Of the goodly communication between Sir Persant and Beaumains, and how the lady that was besieged had word from her sister that she had brought a knight to fight for her 

How Beaumains blew a horn, and then the Knight of the Red Launds came to light with him, and how Beaumains made him yield to the lady and go unto King Arthur's court and cry Sir Launcelot mercy, and of the troth plight of Beaumains and the lady

How the Queen of Orkney came to King Arthur's court, and how King Arthur sent for Dame Lionesse and of the tourney held at her castle

How Sir Gareth came to a castle where he was well lodged, and how he jousted with the lord of the castle, and how Sir Gareth and Sir Gawaine fought each against other and knew each other by the damosel Linet 

Of the wedding of Sir Gareth and Dame Lionesse and of the officers made at the feast

How Sir Tristram de Liones was born, and how his mother died at his birth, wherefore she named him Tristram, and how his stepmother would have poisoned him and how he was sent into France 

How Sir Marhaus came out of Ireland for to ask truage of Cornwall, and how Sir Tristram enterprized to fight with him 

How Sir Tristram fought against Sir Marhaus and achieved his battle, and how Sir Marhaus fled to his ship 

How Sir Tristram went to Ireland to be healed of the poison of his wound and there was put to the keeping of La Beale Isoud, and how he won the degree at a tournament and made Sir Palamides bear no harness of war for a year 

How the queen espied that Sir Tristram had slain her brother Sir Marhaus by his sword, and in what jeopardy he was, and how the king suffered him to return to Cornwall 

How King Mark sent Sir Tristram for La Beale Isoud toward Ireland, and how by fortune he arrived into England, and fought for King Anguish against Sir Blamore 

How Sir Tristram demanded La Beale Isoud for King Mark, and how Sir Tristram and Isoud drank the love drink, and how Sir Tristram rescued Isoud from Sir Palamides 

Of the debate of King Mark and Sir Tristram, and how Sir Tristram smote down Sir Lamorak, and in despite of Sir Tristram Sir Lamorak sent an horn to King Mark 

How Sir Tristram was taken with La Beale Isoud, and he escaped to Brittany and served in war King Howel 

How Sir Tristram was married to King Howel's daughter, Isoud La Blanche Mains, and how he returned to Cornwall and of the love of Sir Kehydius for La Beale Isoud 

How Sir Tristram departed from Tintagil, and how he sorrowed and was so long in a forest till he was out of his mind, and it was noised that he was dead, and how La Beale Isoud would have slain herself

How Sir Tristram slew the giant Tauleas, and how King Mark found Sir Tristram naked, and caused him to be borne to Tintagil, and how he was known by a brachet and was banished from Cornwall for the term of ten years 

How Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan fought for Sir Launcelot against thirty knights, and how Sir Tristram rode to a tournament and lodged with an old knight named Sir Pellounes, and of the jousting before the tournament 

How Sir Launcelot jousted with Palomides and overthrew him, and after he was assailed with twelve knights 

Of the tournament at the Castle of Maidens, and of how Sir Tristram, Sir Palomides, and Sir Launcelot behaved them 

Of the rage of Sir Palomides for despite of Sir Tristram, and how Sir Tristram, Sir Dinadan, and Sir Palomides lodged with Sir Darras, and how Sir Darras put them in his prison for the death of his sons, but at the last he let them go 

How Sir Tristram saved Sir Palomides' life, and how they promised to fight together within a fortnight, and how they were both smitten down by a strong knight 

How Sir Tristram met at the Peron with Sir Launcelot, and how they fought together unknown, and how Sir Launcelot brought Sir Tristram to the court, and of the great joy that the king and other made for the coming of Sir Tristram 

How for the despite of Sir Tristram King Mark came with two knights into England, and how he slew one of the knights, and how he was scorned by Sir Lamorak and Sir Dinadan 

How King Mark slew Sir Amant wrongfully tofore King Arthur, and Sir Launcelot fetched King Mark again to King Arthur

How King Arthur made a jousting, and how Sir Lamorak came in, and overthrew Sir Gawaine, and how King Arthur made King Mark to be accorded with Sir Tristram and they rode together to Cornwall

How Sir Percivale was made Knight of King Arthur, and how a dumb maid spake, and brought him to the Round Table 

How at a great feast that King Mark made an harper came and sang a lay of Sir Dinadan's against King Mark 

How by treason Sir Tristram was brought to a tournament for to have been slain, and how he was put in prison, and how he and La Beale Isoud came to England and were lodged by Sir Launcelot at Joyous Gard 

How by the counsel of La Beale Isoud Sir Tristram rode armed, and how he met with Sir Palomides, and Sir Breuse Saunce Pite beguiled three good knights 

How Sir Tristram met with Sir Dinadan, and of their devices, and how Sir Dinadan was sent for by La Beale Isoud, and how Sir Tristram in jousting with Sir Palomides was known by Sir Dinadan

How they approached the Castle Lonazep, and how they talked of the death of Sir Lamorak, and how on Humber Bank they found a ship, wherein lay the body of King Hermance 

How Palomides went for to fight with two brethren for the death of King Hermance, and slew them, and came unto Joyous Gard

Of the tournament at Lonazep, and how the prize on the first day was given to Sir Palomides 

How King Arthur and Sir Launcelot came to see La Beale Isoud, and how Palomides smote down King Arthur, and of the second day of the tournament and of the treason of Sir Palomides to Sir Tristram 

How Sir Tristram departed with La Beale Isoud, and how Palomides followed and excused him, and how King Arthur and Sir Launcelot came unto their pavilions as they sat at supper, and of Sir Palomides 

How Sir Tristram and Sir Palomides did the third day of the tournament, and how Sir Tristram turned to King Arthur's side, and of the sorrow of Sir Palomides

How on a day Sir Tristram departed unarmed and met with Sir Palomides, and how they smote each other, and how Sir Palomides forbare him, and how Sir Tristram gat harness of a hurt knight and overthrew Sir Palomides and made him be christened

How Sir Launcelot holp a dolorous lady from her pain, and fought with a dragon, and of the begetting of Sir Galahad

Of the adventures of Sir Bors at the Castle of Corbin, and how he was fed with the Sangreal 

How Dame Elaine, Galahad's mother, came in great estate unto Camelot, and how Sir Launcelot behaved him there 

How Dame Elaine was commanded by Queen Guenever to avoid the court, and how Sir Launcelot became mad, and of the sorrow of Queen Guenever 

How Sir Percivale sought for Sir Launcelot, how he fought with Sir Ector, and how they were both made whole by the coming of the Sangreal 

Of the madness of Sir Launcelot, and how he was healed by the Sangreal 

How Sir Launcelot, after that he was whole and had his mind, he was ashamed, and how he came to the Joyous Isle

Of a great tourneying in the Joyous Isle, and how Sir Launcelot fought with Sir Percivale, and how they returned to King Arthur's court 

How Sir Launcelot with Sir Percivale and Sir Ector came to the court, and of the great joy of him

How at the vigil of the feast of Pentecost a damosel desired Sir Launcelot for to come and dub a knight, and of the marvellous adventure of the sword in a stone 

How Sir Launcelot entered into the ship where Sir Percivale's sister lay dead, and how he came to a castle and was before the door of a chamber wherein was the Sangreal 

How after that Sir Launcelot had lain four-and-twenty days and nights as a dead man, it was told him that he had achieved all he might of the quest of the Sangreal, and he returned to King Arthur's court 

How Galahad came to King Mordrains, and how Sir Percivale and Sir Bors met with him, and how they came to the castle of Carbonek

How Galahad and his fellows were fed of the Holy Sangreal, and how our Lord appeared to them, and how Galahad anointed the maimed king, and how they departed and took ship and came to the city of Sarras, and found there the ship with the body of Percivale's sister

How they buried Percivale's sister and were put in prison by the king of the city, and how they were fed with the Sangreal and how Galahad was made king, and how Galahad and Percivale died

How Launcelot fell to his old love again, but withdrew him from Guenever to eschew slander, and how the queen commanded him to avoid the court 

How at a dinner that the queen made there was a knight enpoisoned, which Sir Mador laid on the queen, and appeached her for it and how Sir Bors took on him to fight for the queen upon condition 

How at the day Sir Bors made him ready for to fight for the queen, but Sir Launcelot discharged him, and overcame Sir Mador, and how the truth was known by the damosel of the lake

How King Arthur let cry a tournament at Camelot or Winchester, and how Sir Launcelot, riding thither, lodged at Astolat, and received a sleeve to wear on his helm at request of a maid 

Of the tourney at Winchester, and how Sir Launcelot was sore wounded 

How Sir Launcelot was brought to an hermit for to be healed, and how it became known that it was he that bare the red sleeve, and of the anger of the queen 

How the maiden Elaine did attendance unto Sir Launcelot, and of her lamentation that he should depart, and how she died for his love, and how her body was brought to the court and of her burying

How Sir Launcelot went to repose him at a hermitage, and how he was hurt of a gentlewoman, and of a great tourney ordained by King Arthur

Of the month of May and of true lovers, and how Queen Guenever rode a-Maying with certain knights of the Round Table, and clad all in green, and how Sir Meliagrance took the queen and her knights

How Sir Launcelot had word how the queen was taken, and how Sir Meliagrance laid a bushment for Launcelot, so that his horse was slain, and he rode in a cart to save the queen 

How Sir Meliagrance required forgiveness of the queen, and how she appeased Sir Launcelot, and how Sir Launcelot came in the night to the queen, and how Sir Meliagrance appeached her of treason

How Sir Launcelot answered for the queen, to wage battle against Sir Meliagrance; and how Sir Launcelot was taken in a trap, but was delivered of a lady, and how he fought with Sir Meliagrance, half unarmed, and slew him 

How Sir Urre came into Arthur's court for to be healed of his wounds by the best knight of the world, and how he was healed by Sir Launcelot 

How Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred were busy upon Sir Gawaine for to disclose the love between Sir Launcelot and Queen Guenever

How Sir Launcelot was espied in the queen's chamber, and how Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred came with twelve knights to slay him

Of the counsel and advice that was taken by Sir Launcelot and his friends for to save the queen 

How Sir Launcelot and his kinsmen rescued the queen from the fire, and how he slew many knights, and of the sorrow of King Arthur

How King Arthur at the request of Sir Gawaine concluded to make war against Sir Launcelot, and laid siege to his castle called Joyous Gard

How the Pope sent down his bulls to make peace, and how Sir Launcelot brought the queen to King Arthur

How Sir Launcelot departed from the King and from Joyous Gard over seaward, and how King Arthur and Sir Gawaine with a great host made war on Sir Launcelot 

How Sir Mordred took on him to be king of England, and how King Arthur returned to Dover, and of the battle there, and how Sir Gawaine was slain 

How Sir Gawaine's ghost appeared to King Arthur, and warned him not to fight on the day assigned, and how by misadventure of an adder a battle began, where Mordred was slain and Arthur hurt to the death 

How King Arthur commanded to cast his sword Excalibur into the water, and how he was delivered to ladies in a barge, and as to the death of King Arthur, and how Queen Guenever made her a nun 

How when Sir Launcelot heard of the death of King Arthur, he came to England, and found Queen Guenever at Almesbury, and how Sir Launcelot took the habit on him as a hermit 

How Sir Launcelot went with his eight fellows to Almesbury, and found there Queen Guenever dead, whom they brought to Glastonbury, and how Sir Launcelot sickened and died, and was borne to Joyous Gard for to be buried, and how Constantine reigned next after Arthur, and of the end of this book