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Preface to Translation of Eneid

After divers work made, translated, and achieved, having no work in hand, I sitting in my study where as lay many divers pamphlets and books, happened that to my hand came a little book in French, which lately was translated out 5 of Latin by some noble clerk of France, which book is named Eneidos, made in Latin by that noble poet and great clerk, Virgil. Which book I saw over, and read therein how, after the general destruction of the great Troy, Aeneas departed, bearing his old father Anchises upon his shoulders, his little 10 son Iulus on his hand, his wife with much other people following, and how he shipped and departed, with all the history of his adventures that he had ere he came to the achievement of his conquest of Italy, as all along shall be showed in this present book. In which book I had great pleasure because 15 of the fair and honest terms and words in French; which I never saw before like, nor none so pleasant nor so well ordered; which book as it seemed to me should be much requisite to noble men to see, as well for the eloquence as the histories.

20

How well that many hundred years past was the said book of Eneidos, with other works, made and learned daily in schools, especially in Italy and other places; which history

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Lo, what should a man in these days now write, eggs or eyren? Certainly it is hard to please every man because of diversity and change of language. For in these days every 60 man that is in any reputation in his country will utter his communication and matters in such manners and terms that few men shall understand them. And some honest and great clerks have been with me and desired me to write the most curious terms that I could find; and thus between plain, 65 rude, and curious I stand abashed. But in my judgment the common terms that are daily used are lighter to be understood than the old and ancient English. And forasmuch as this present book is not for a rude uplandish man to labour therein nor read it, but only for a clerk and a noble 70 gentleman that feeleth and understandeth in feats of arms, in love, and in noble chivalry, therefore in a mean between both I have reduced and translated this said book into our English, not over-rude nor curious, but in such terms as shall be understood, by God's grace, according to my 75 copy.

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SIR THOMAS MALORY
How Arthur was Chosen King

(From Morte d'Arthur, Book I)

So in the greatest church of London, whether it were
Paul's or not the French book maketh no mention, all the
estates were long or day in the church for to pray. And
when matins and the first mass were done, there was seen in
5 the churchyard, against the high altar, a great stone four
square, like unto a marble stone; and in midst thereof was
like an anvil of steel a foot on high, and therein stuck a fair
sword naked by the point, and letters there were written in
gold about the sword that said thus: "Whoso pulleth out
10 this sword of this stone and anvil, is rightwise king born of all

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64

45 sword this day" So when he came to the churchyard, Sir Arthur alighted and tied his horse to the stile, and so he went to the tent, and found no knights there, for they were at the jousting. And so he handled the sword by the handles, and lightly and fiercely pulled it out of the stone, and took 50 his horse and rode his way until he came to his brother Sir Kay, and delivered him the sword. And as soon as Sir Kay saw the sword, he wist well it was the sword of the stone, and so he rode to his father Sir Ector, and said:

"Sir, lo here is the sword of the stone, wherefore I must be 55 king of this land." When Sir Ector beheld the sword, he returned again and came to the church, and there they alighted all three, and went into the church. And anon he made Sir Kay swear upon a book how he came to that sword. "Sir," said Sir Kay, "by my brother Arthur, for he 60 brought it to me."

"How gat ye this sword?" said Sir Ector to Arthur.

66

'Sir, I will tell you.

my brother's
When I came home for
sword, I found nobody at home to deliver, me his sword; and
so I thought my brother Sir Kay should not be swordless,
65 and so I came hither eagerly and pulled it out of the stone
without any pain."

"Found ye any knights about this sword?" said Sir Ector.
"Nay," said Arthur.

"Now," said Sir Ector to Arthur, "I understand ye must
70 be king of this land."

"Wherefore I," said Arthur, "and for what cause?"
"Sir," said Ector, "for God will have it so; for there
should never man have drawn out this sword, but he that

shall be right-wise king of this land.

Now let me see whether

75 ye can put the sword there as it was, and pull it out again."
"That is no mastery," said Arthur, and so he put it in the
stone; wherewithal Sir Ector assayed to pull out the sword
and failed.

pull

N

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to

life

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