AD VERTISEMENT Ex ca libu r is the introdu ctory dra ma of a contempla ted tr ilogy fou nded on the A rth u ria n legends a s the perfect embodiment of the spm t a nd imp u lse of tha tgrea t Ch ristia n h t a n d epoch we ca ll Mediwva lis m . T e a t empt is ga i ma e however ina dequ a tely to do for th e epic of ou r own r a ce a nd in a orm a da ted to dra m a tic resenta tion a , f p p , s m a ll mea s u re of th a t wh ich Rich a rd Wa gner a ch ieved en in a n a llied a rt for the Teu ton ic leg ds . Ex ca libu r wa s com leted a nd in its resent or m in th e p , p f , ea 1 8 ince th en no oth e th n ve l ch n es ha ve y r 93 . S r a rba a g h s s th t n th la s t been ma de . T i i s a id for e rea son th a du r i g e fifteen yea rs severa l new dra m a tic vers ions of the A rth u r ia n e ic h a ve a ea red a nd th e corres onden ces between them p pp , p a nd th e present a ttempt m u st of necess ity be s omewh a t ma ked In eve c se h th s a re du e to the r . r a owever e e y , , na tu re of th e s u bject a nd the comp u ls ion of es ta blis h ed a nd ind c i e idea s estr u t bl . THE AUTHOR Imi Pla ce y , Storrin ton S u ssex g , , ea st o St orbe 1 8 F . rt 0 f N , 9 DRAMATIS PERSONAE ART HUR PEND RA GO N : afterwards King of England . U n RIENS , Ki g of Gore, ENT R E S n C N , Ki g of arlot , l s En OD EGRA NC E n Ca rne ia rd s . L E , Ki g of , Vas al of gland K L UCA S o r T HE O UT HFO LK DU E S , K B RA STIA S o r EST S EX DU E , RIENC E n s , Ki g of North Wale , IR T K S LAUNCELO DU LA E , SIR T O R , SIR E s s . PELLEAS , ngli h Knight ' SIR EC rO R , ' SIR B R EU S E SA U NC E Pm z , T HE A RC HB IS HO P o r CANT ERB U RY . SIR KAY S s . , the ene chal MERLIN . MO RGA N FA Y n . LE , Quee of Gore U ENEV E R Kin Leo de ra nce . G , Daughter to g M MB lga . DA E COLU E , Wife to Sir y E‘ A lT RD . Y D S E . NIMU E . n A ss s ns s Es s s Roma mba ador , Baro , Knight , quire , Citizen , s s n s s a n d s . Prie t , Mo k , Heralds , Page , Lake Girl a n nd Wa les N En l d a . SCE E , g QExtaIibut PROLOGUE he t n n T cu r a i s open o impenetra ble da rk ness . ME RL IN (invisible) . ’ Pen dragon passes ; now Pen dragon s seed ’ S n n on n n n . hall reig , Pendrago , Pe drago s thro e ’ A kingdom passes ; now a kingdom s kin g Shall rai se a kingdom for the King of kings . ’ - Merlin s u re becomes a intl vis ible oised in mid a ir . ( fig f y , p ) n le se n Morga Fay, ri from the rive rock , s th e e s Ri e through wat r of the Magic Mere, s s . Merlin , thy ma ter, call i The n ight s done . I s n hear the trumpet of the trampli g day, I see th e glimmer of the torc h of dawn Dance like the northern fires along the sky. c s is e En n es n . The ur e lift d , gla d wak agai Anc E u c VOICES (a bove) . ss s Night pa e , the darkness breaks see how the curse is wa ited a wa yl n n Dow from Heave , a beam of light , Sink s the smile o f th e En la n a wa k ! g d , e Rou se to th e cry ! Day i s at da wn fo r th e l a nd w w for Go d 1s a a ry of ra th . M ERL1N. Hark ! how the ma rsha lled c horisters of Go d n o w Pro claim th e dawn that b u rgeo s n the o rld . fal s th n m r a n a ll wra c Now l y ki gdo , Mo g , a k , U es a n d En a n d ts . For ther , wai a king ! di ’ Th e ru n e i s written fi0w Pen dra gon s see d ’ al re n n r o n o n n dr on s th ro n . Sh l ig , Pe d ag , Pe ag e ' ’ W o ows i hereby G d s kin gdom gr n En gla n d . s Ri e, Morgan le Fay ! Pen dra go n pa sses . Rise ! d h n en r o n sses a n t e 1s n . P d ag pa , ight do e Y e ow in s i le . MO RGA N LE FA (b l , vi b ) en a o n sses b ut th e n ess s P dr g pa , dark hold , And En a n d slee ps : her dawn s hall n ever co me w The h e I ru le the Magic Mere . Th e day Is not fo r her un til I loo s e my ha n d ; Un til th e s un ken sea a n d all the go ds h t n s a n d fal T at dwell herei , hall fail l away, a s is Disso lvin g th e m t that meets the su n . ME RLIN . su n su n ! o r th e d u n in s The , the L ok whe e a t g ho t z n ns u n s h Of bla i g minio mo t t e stee p of He aven . n re n is en e ! Morga , thy ig d d o ? MORGAN. At whose w rd Cataltbur MERLIN . Of I e . The word God, and here giv it thee U d His n wa s s What time King ther live , ha d tayed . ile Englan dgpaid the grievous pen alty n a nd w s en Of evil do e, thou a t giv leave T O sc ourge u s with the c urse Of n gods . o pay im sses a n d b a n 1s s Pendragon pa the rai ed , ’ s e 18 Pendragon s ed lord . MORGAN . Is lord not yetl Deep In the Magic Mere I hold the Sword e It c n e th e n Tak , magi ia , if y have ha d , n n ns no s Pe drago wi wor hip if ye fail . MERLIN . U wa s in While ther lived , the Sword thy hold ; n n ss s a nd 1s . Pe drago pa e , the Sword won MORGAN . s n is s ! Thou lie t, Merli , for the Sword lo t MERLIN . s n Thou lie t, Morga , for within my hand I hold the proof. MORGAN . The proof P MERLIN . Ex ca lib u r l Mer n s l F ou ( li 1 i lu m m a ted with a da z z lmg ra dia nce. sh a ts o li ht sh oot u wa rd dow nwa rd a nd to e1th e f f p , , h a nd a s he dra ws Ex ca li u r bra nd1 sh 1 n it a lo , b , g 1 n th e 1 l ght. ) MORGAN . to l Here me, all ye dwe lers In the mere ! Ex 13 ! t calibur won Cry reason , cry U t th e u t a n d est t n o termost deep dep h , U t th e s n s Of t n o farthe t bou d pall hepworld , ! ” Excalibur 13 won ! Black treason stalks Stark In the sun ken sea : your boo tless blades R st 1n e sc s ss n s u th ir abbard , hingele ha g the door t s e T erra bil th e Tha closed my Ca tl , walls I reared to ward Ex c alibur are cleft In sunder hopelessly . The Sword returns ! Vo Ic a s . Queen Morgan c alls ! Who reft th e sleeping Sword From out our holding ? Treason ! MORGAN .