ather, but had taken him to
nourish at Merlin's request. Arthur was grieved indeed when he
understood that Sir Ector was not his father, and that the good lady
that had fostered and kept him as her own son was not his true mother,
and he said to Sir Ector, "If ever it be God's will that I be king, as
ye say, ye shall desire of me what I may do, and I shall not fail you."

Therewithal they went unto the Archbishop and told him how the sword
was achieved, and by whom. And all the barons came thither, that
whoever would might assay to take the sword. But there before them all
none might take it out but Arthur. Now many lords became wroth, and
said it was great shame unto them all and to the realm to be governed
by a boy. They contended so at that time that the matter was put off
till Candlemas, when all the barons should meet there again. A
pavilion was set over the stone and the sword, and the ten knights were
ordained to watch there day and night, five being always on guard.

So at Candlemas many more great lords came thither to win the sword,
but none might prevail except Arthur. The barons were sore aggrieved
at this, and again put it off in delay till the high feast of Easter.
And as Arthur sped afore, so did he at Easter; yet there were some of
the great lords that had indignation that Arthur should be their king,
and put it off in a delay till the feast of Pentecost.

At the feast of Pentecost all manner of men assayed to pull at the
sword, yet none might prevail but Arthur; and he pulled it out afore
all the lords and commons that were there. Wherefore all the commons
cried at once, "We will have Arthur unto our king; we will put him no
more in delay, for we all see that it is God's will that he shall be
our king, and who that holdeth against it we will slay as traitor."
And they kneeled down all at once, both rich and poor, and begged mercy
of Arthur, because they had delayed so long. And Arthur forgave them,
and took the sword between both his hands, and offered it upon the
altar where the Archbishop was, and so was he made knight of the best
man that was there.

And anon was the coronation made, and there Arthur swore unto his lords
and the commons to be a true king, to stand for justice all the days of
his life. Then he made all the lords that were subject to the crown to
come in, and to do service as they ought to do. And many great wrongs
that had been done since the death of King Uther were rig