The Birth of Arthur

WHEN UTHER PENDRAGON WAS king of all England, there was a mighty duke in Cornwall who waged war against him for a long time. And King Uther sent for this duke, ordering him to bring his wife with him, for she was said to be a wise and beautiful lady, and her name was Igraine. The duke and his wife came to the king, and the great lords of the land made peace between the king and the duke. The king loved this lady well, and he entertained them royally; and he tried to seduce her. But she was a very virtuous woman, and would not yield to the king. She told the duke her husband, saying: ‘I suppose we were brought here so that I might lose my honour; husband, let us leave without warning and ride all night to our own castle.’ And so they went their way, and neither the king nor his council were aware of their departure. But as soon as King Uther learnt that they had left suddenly, he was furious with rage. He summoned his privy council, and told them that the duke and his wife had gone without his leave.

Then they advised the king to summon the duke and his wife formally: ‘If he will not come at your summons, you have good reason to declare war on him.’ So that was done, but the duke told the messengers in a few words that neither he nor his wife would come to the king. In a fury, the king told him to prepare himself for war and supply his garrisons well, for within forty days he would drive him out of his biggest castle. When the duke had this warning, he went and garrisoned two of his strong castles; one was called Tintagel, and the other Terrabil. He put his wife Igraine in the castle of Tintagel, and took command of the castle of Terrabil himself. Uther soon arrived with a great army, and laid siege to the castle of Terrabil, pitching his tents there; and there was much fighting, and many people slain. Then, simply because of his anger and his great love of the beautiful Igraine, King Uther fell sick. So a knight named Sir Ulfius came to the king and asked him why he was sick.